Scottish Golf View
Editor: Colin Farquharson
Webmaster: Gillian Kirkwood

Monday, March 01, 2010

Curtis Strange and John Daly caddie dies on 54th birthday

Greg Rita, the caddie for Curtis Strange when he won successive United States Open titles and for John Daly when he won the Open at St Andrews, has died of brain cancer.
Rita's wife, Kelley, said he died on Saturday on his 54th birthday at McGraw Hospice Center.
Rita caddied over four decades on the US PGA Tour for players that included Gil Morgan, Scott Hoch, David Duval and Mark O'Meara.
Rita made his mark working for Strange in the 1980s when he won the US Open in 1988 and 1989, making Strange the first repeat winner in nearly 40 years. He also was on the bag at St Andrews in 1995 when Daly won his second major.
Rita collapsed at a US Champions (Seniors) Tour event in September 2007, and had surgery to remove a brain tumour two months later. He is survived by his wife and a four-year-old son, Nicolas.

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Monday, January 04, 2010

One-time Colin Montgomerie caddie dies at 71

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
The sports of golf and horse racing have lost a highly popular figure in former caddie, Barry Court, who was known affectionately in both spheres as ‘The Judge.’
Barry, who was 71, died at a hospice in Rochester, Kent after suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for the past three years. He was recognised as a shrewd judge of horse flesh and golfing talent – hence the nickname – and enjoyed a successful career tramping the fairways of the world.
He worked for a number of leading professionals including Jim Payne, with whom he won two European Tour titles, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose and Jamie Spence.
Spence, Player Relations Director and two-time winner on The European Tour, was a close friend of Barry and commented:
“We both came from Kent and had been friends for many years. Barry was an extremely polite and popular figure among the players and caddies on Tour.
"Everyone enjoyed stopping for a chat with him about golf and horse racing and he was a very knowledgeable character. I dragged him out of retirement to caddie for me a few years ago in Dubai and tried to persuade to come back full-time but he could not resist the lure of the racetracks. He will be sadly missed by everyone in both sports.”

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Friday, January 01, 2010

'African-American golf hero'

Bill Powell dies at 93

Bill Powell, the first African-American to build, own and operate a golf course, died yesterday. He was 93.
Powell died at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio following complications from a stroke.
“Bill Powell will forever be one of golf’s most unforgettable American heroes,” PGA of America president Jim Remy said. “Bill made us appreciate the game and each other that much more by his gentle, yet firm example.
“He was born with a fire within his heart to build on his dream. In the process, he made golf a beacon for people of all colour. The PGA of America is better today because of individuals like Bill Powell. We will miss him dearly. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family as we remember a wonderful man.”
In August, Powell received the US PGA Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest annual honour. In November, he was inducted into the Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame and honoured as the Person of the Year by the Ohio Golf Course Owners Association.
The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce also recently presented the Powell family with its Community Salute Award.
“My father made a mark,” said daughter Renee Powell, the second black player to compete on the LPGA Tour. “And, I believe that God wanted people to know the mark that he made on this nation.”
The grandson of Alabama slaves, Powell created Clearview Golf Club after returning home following World War II. While serving in Europe, he earned the rank of Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Eighth Air Force Truck Battalion.
Powell worked 18hr days to support his family and build Clearview. Denied a GI Loan, he found funding from two African American physicians, and his brother took out a second mortgage on his home.
Powell went on to carve Clearview out of former dairy farmland in 1946, clearing the land himself. In the process, Powell broke down racial barriers without fanfare by developing female and youth golf leagues.
Clearview opened its initial nine holes in 1948. Powell eventually repaid his benefactors to gain full ownership, and nine more holes were completed in 1978. Clearview is on the National Register of Historic Places, and nicknamed “America’s Course.”
“I didn’t build this course for any of the recognition,” Powell said in his 2000 autobiography, “Clearview: America’s Course.” ‘’It was a labour of love. Golf is a part of society and I wanted to be included. I want you to be included, too. I’ve always felt that each individual should leave something behind of meaning. It feels good to know that I have done that with Clearview, at long last.”
In 1992, the Powells were honored by the National Golf Foundation as the Jack Nicklaus Golf Family of the Year. That year, Powell was awarded the “Cornerstone of Freedom Award” from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.
Powell was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame in 1996, and became a US PGA Life Member in 1999. Powell also received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from his alma mater, Wilberforce University, and from Baldwin-Wallace College.
Powell also played a role in The First Tee, which has distributed more than 1,100 William J. Powell Scholarships that allow youngsters to attend The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academies conducted on college campuses.
Powell was preceded in death by wife Marcella and son William. In addition to daughter Renee, he’s survived by son Larry, who has served for more than 30 years as superintendent at Clearview Golf Club, and twin sisters Mary Alice Walker and Rose Marie Mathews.

+Picture of Bill Powell by courtesy of Associated Press.

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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Death of Bill Law is loss to diving and golf

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Bill Law, a well-known figure on the swimming and diving scene in Edinburgh and a past captain of Duddingston Golf Club, has died at the age of 75.
During a distinguished diving career, Law was Scottish champion or runner-up during an unbroken run form 1951-64 and competed in the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.

He was instrumental in setting up the City of Edinburgh Diving Club in 1971, serving as its president for the first 10 years. He was also a past president of the Warrender Baths Club and earlier this year received one of diving's greatest honours, the LEN Silver Pin, from the world governing body in recognition of his contribution to the sport.
He is survived by his wife Marion and three children – Suzanne, Fiona and David.
His funeral will take place at Warriston Crematorium at 11am on Tuesday, December 29.

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Monday, November 09, 2009

Grant Dowie shaking hands with European Tour player Callum Macaulay (image by courtesy of Hugh Hunter).

GRANT DOWIE -------- “AYE A KEN PAL

By HUGH HUNTER
The death of top Clackmannan junior golfer Grant Dowie from Dollar in a car crash recently caused a great shock locally followed by great sadness.

Grant, a junior member at Alloa Golf Club was making great progress with his golf and had the ambition of becoming a golf professional. On the local golf scene he featured regularly among the top junior golfers in Clackmannan county, having won both the stroke play championship (2007) and match play championship (2008).
Alloa golf professional David Herd contributed a considerable amount to Grant’s development.
“Grant started as a young boy with the unconventional golf grip of left hand below right, but he changed with a lot of effort and became an elite local junior with a very low handicap,” said David.
Clackmannan county president Sam Kinnaird and Alloa captain Hugh Hunter were also full of praise.
“Grant was a great supporter of junior golf and featured in county golf teams and the Scottish boys championship, the most recent being the Gary Harvey Trophy at Dunkeld where the Clackmannan county boys came very close to a win, helped by Grant’s efforts. It was good to see his confidence improving in these events.”
There was a huge turn-out for the memorial service in Dollar last week with local golfers, his team-mates from the Clackmannan county smartly turned out in county golf attire, friends from Alva Academy and Elmwood College where he was studying.

What came across was Grant’s likeable nature, his quiet unassuming manner which was always evident on the golf course - indeed a thoroughly nice person, and a credit to his family. In the present world of junior golf with an increasing number of spoiled brats--- luckily still a tiny minority - Grant was a breath of fresh air, demonstrating the true ideals of the golf game :- trying your best, accepting what happens and if it all goes wrong, no histrionics or club throwing; a real golfing model for others.
Knowing that November 5 would have been Grant’s 18th birthday, his fellow students at Elmwood organised a tribute golf competition and it was well supported with 58 golfers drawn from throughout Scotland including good local representation from Clackmannan juniors and Alloa Golf Club members.

The event was won by Marc Smith who scored 66 and received the trophy of a mounted golf club from Grant’s father Kenny. It was a very good day ,the weather was kind and good support for his family and friends.

GRANT DOWIE --- 05/11/1991 -- 25/10/2009

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Editor's Note: We noted the death last week of John Panton with an obituary which really did not reflect his importance in Scottish and British pro golf in the post-war era.
In today's "Scotland on Sunday" newspaper there is a far more in-depth obituary by Renton Laidlaw. I am sure neither its sports editor nor Renton will mind us reproducing the article for your benefit - Colin Farquharson


John Panton - the Quiet

Man who was one of

golf's true gentlemen

By RENTON LAIDLAW
John Panton, who died last Friday at the age 0f 92, was one of golf's true gentlemen. Modest and unassuming, his quiet personality and unwillingness to seek the limelight belied a fiercely competitive nature.
The long-time professional at Glenbvervie Golf club in Larbert, Panton received the ultimate accolade of being appointed honorary professional in his later years to the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
One of his annual duties was to tee up the ball on the first tee of the Old Course for the new captain playing himself in - a job he did for, among others, the Duke of York.
Had it not been for the Second World War, Panton's career might have been in profesisonal soccer. He had trials for Hearts and uring his army service played against many of the stars of the time in challenge matches.
But golf was to be his chosen sport and he teamed up regularly with extrovert Eric Brown to represent Scotland with distinction in the World Cup. Although they never won, the unlikely partnership beteen two players with completly different personalities endured for many years.
Had any golfer been fortunate enough to have the combined talents of the two Scots, he truly would have been a world-beater.
Known as a particularly skilled iron player, one of Panton's greatest triumphs came in the sunshine at Wallasey. Before a huge crowd, John beat the great Sam Snead 3 and 2 over 36 holes to lift the 1967 World Seniors Championship. He also won the British senior professionals' title twice.
Three times a member of the Great Britain & Ireland Ryder Cup team (1951-53-61), Panton was also Scottish professional champion eight times as follows:
1948 at Prestwick.
1949 at Nairn.
1950 at Longniddry.
1951 at Ayr Belleisle.
1954 at Turnberry.
1955 at Elie.
1959 at Turnberry.
1966 at Cruden Bay (tied with Eric Brown, reduced to 36 holes because of bad weather.
He also won the Northern Open seven times:
1948 at Inverness.
1951 at Nairn
1952 at Royal Aberdeen.
1956 at Lossiemouth.
1959 at Peterhead.
1960 at Royal Dornoch.
1962 at Lossiemouth.
In the final round of the 1970 Open championship at St Andrews, Panton, at the age of 53, shot the lowest score of a blustery day and tied for ninth place behind Jack Nicklaus. His cheque for £1,200 from the R&A for that performance was the biggest of his long playing career. He was also the highest placed British player i the 1956 Open.
Panton's career blossomed in the years after World War II, a period when he played with all the great names of the game, including Bobby Locke, Norman Von Nida, Flory Van Donck, Fred Daly, Peter Thomson, Henry Cotton, Kel Nagle and Gary Player.
In his retirement years, because of his reputation and standing in the game, the Sunningdale Club in Berkshire gave John the freedom to come and play at any time, a gesture he much appreciated although it usually meant taking a putter on to the practice green.
Like so many of his contemporaries, Panton travelled many thousands of miles to play in tournaments - before the days of Motorways - but was alway back at the club by the weekend (pro tournaments of those days, including the Open, finished on a Friday for that very purpose).
Wherever he travelled, John always took his cine-camera and he leaves an archive of wonderfully historic shots, many converted to tape by his daughter, Cathy Panton-Lewis, herself a professional golfer of some repute, with whom he lived latterly in the South of England, not too far from the local betting shop. He liked a flutter.
For much of his life - in the days before television, Panton spent many winter evenings visiting golf and other clubs with his films and giving entertaining and educational commentaries. John, the Quiet Man, came alive when the lights went down.
Footnote from the Shell International Encyclopaedia of Golf:
The strengths of Panton's game were his masterly long-iron shots and the touch he acquired and maintained in his approach putting. But his driving was erratic and his holing out uncertain, the two flaws in an otherwise complete armoury of stroke-making, in which his ability to 'manufacture' shots, particularly in very windy conditions, was outstanding.
Perhaps above all Panton had a swing and a method that were made to last, despite the fact that in physique he was never less than portly. Taciturn by nature, Panton let his game speak for him and its qualiities of endurance were underline with his successes in seniors' golf.

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

John Panton, the Grand

Old Man of Scottish

Golf, dies at age of 92

John Panton, one of the legends of post-war Scottish professional golf, has gied at the age of 92.
John Panton, MBE, was the oldest surviving Ryder Cup player from the era when only Great Britain & Ireland players were chosen to play the United States.
Gentleman John played in the matches of 1951, 1953 and 1961.
He was born at Pitlochry in 1916 and won the British professional match-play champion in 1956 and finished fifth in the Open championship the same year.
Panton and Eric Brown dominated the Northern Open championship in the post-war years when there were not nearly so many events for professionals to play in - i.e. before the formation of the European or even a British Tour - and the "Northern" was much more highly regarded in those days.
Panton was associated with Glenbervie Golf Club all his playing days. Latterly he moved to Sunningdale where his daughter Cathy Panton-Lewis, who won the Scottish girls match-play championship in 1969 and later became a successful ladies tour professional.

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Saturday, June 13, 2009

Mel Webb dead

Well-known national golf writer Mel Webb died of a heart attack at home on Thursday night.

ob

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Friday, June 05, 2009

Death of retired Dalmahoy pro Alex M Fox

Alex M Fox, professional at Dalmahoy for many years, died this week at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after a short illness. He was in his 77th year.
The Scottish Golf Writers' Championship still contests the Alex M Fox Trophy which he donated for annual competition in 1964.
The death notice in today's Press and Journal says the funeral ceremony will be held at Aberdeen Crematorium, Hazlehead (West Chapel) on Tuesday, June 9 at 1.30pm to which all friends are respectfully invited.

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Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Death of Moray Golf Club stalwart

Moray Golf Club is mourning the loss of honorary member and past captain Dr John McConachie, author of “The Moray Golf Club at Lossiemouth 1889 – 1989.”
Club secretary Steve Crane has informed Scottishgolfview.com that John sadly died on Friday, 29.

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Friday, May 15, 2009

Bob Rosburg, the golfer who became more

famous AFTER he retired from playing

Winner of the US PGA Championship in 1959, Bob Rosburg has died at his home in Palm Springs, California. He was 82.
Rosburg was a pioneer in the early days of TV golf commentating. He spent three decades with ABC Sports as the first reporter to call the shots from the golf course.
He had been battling cancer, but longtime friend Sal Johnson wrote on his blog that Rosburg died of head injuries after a fall.
Rosburg won six times on the US PGA Tour, his biggest victory coming at the 1959 PGA Championship when he rallied from six shots behind at Minneapolis Golf Club to beat Jerry Barber and Doug Sanders for his only major.
He had finished second at the US Open earlier that year, and a decade later missed a 3ft putt that would have forced a play-off in the 1969 U.S. Open at Champions Golf Club in Houston.
He achieved greater fame through television.
Rosburg, known as "Rossie" by his colleagues, was hired by ABC Sports in 1974. Instead of sitting in a tower, the network decided it needed a golfer to call the action from the course. Today, every network has on-course reporters.
Rosburg grew up in San Francisco playing golf at The Olympic Club, where at age 12 he defeated Ty Cobb in the club championship. He played baseball and golf at Stanford University, then turned to golf in 1953.
He won his first US PGA Tour event a year later, beating Bo Wininger by one shot in the 1954 Miami Open. His last victory came in 1972 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

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Monday, May 11, 2009

Thanks for the memory ...

Excellent Scottishgolfview article about Finlay Morris.
Few, if any, golfing 'anoraks' recall his outstanding achievements, and potential!
When I heard about young Ben Enoch's very sad demise, I was also reminded of reading about tragic road accidents in the 1950s affecting the golf community, one involving Arnold Palmer's college friend and another the Walker Cup Etonian Phil Scrutton.
Regards
Gordon G. Simmonds
Managing Director
GGS International Consultancy

+SCROLL DOWN A FEW PAGES TO READ Scottishgolfview's tribute to the memory of Finlay Morris, the rising young Scottish star who died in a motor accident in November 1967.

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Sunday, May 03, 2009

Ben Enoch's car death brings back memories

of Finlay Morris's life tragically cut short

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Thanks to an E-mail from "Peter," which pointed me in the right direction, I have started to put together a memory-stirring tribute to Finlay Morris, the rising Scottish golf star of the 1960s whose life was tragically cut short by a car crash ... just like 19-year-old Welsh Walker Cup possible Ben Enoch last week on his way to play in the Lytham Trophy.
"Google" has never heard of Finlay Morris, which is a shame because at the time of his death Morris was being tagged "the next John Panton or Eric Brown," when these two Great Scots figured large in the world of pro golf.
Finlay Morris was a member at Cawder Golf Club, Bishopbriggs.
He won the Scottish boys championship at North Berwick in 1963, beating Iain Clark from Annan by 9 and 8 in the 36-hole final. He also went on to win the British boys' championship.
Morris was capped for Scotland at men's home international level the same year and played in all three matches against England, Ireland and Wales.
I have asked Cawder Golf Club secretary if he can help me put together a fuller, more detailed article.
According to "Peter," Cawder GC have photographs of Finlay on display and their members play for a Finlay Morris Memorial Medal.
+If you can add anything to the Finlay Morris article, however small, E-mail it to me a Colin@Scottishgolfview.com If you do not wish your name revealed, this can be observed.

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Friday, May 01, 2009

Rising Welsh star Ben Enoch killed in car accident

Welsh golf has reacted with shock to the tragic news of the death in a car accident of Wales international Ben Enoch.
Chief executive Richard Dixon summed up the feelings by saying, “Everyone is devastated by the news. Our thoughts are with the family at this terribly sad time.
“Ben was one of the most promising golfers in Wales, a bright and vibrant personality in our teams.
“He had a chance of getting into the Walker Cup team this season, such was his talent, and would surely have represented Great Britain and Ireland at some stage before enjoying a career in professional golf.
“For this accident to happen just a few days after his 19th birthday is heartbreaking. He had such a bright future ahead of him.”
+Read more of the tragic news by logging on to our sister website,
www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

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Saturday, April 18, 2009

Death of highly respected Irish

golf writer Jack McGowan (79)

FROM THE IRISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
The death has occurred of Jack Magowan (79), the highly respected golf journalist who spent more than 50 years covering golf for many publications, most notably The Belfast Telegraph where he still had a weekly column.
During his lengthy career, Jack would be found at every type of sports event, from the North of Ireland Amateur Championship to the International arena where he covered sports such as boxing and swimming.
“Jack was a gentleman and his approach to journalism was of the highest order. He will be missed by everyone in The Golfing Union of Ireland. Our thoughts are with his family at this time” said Seamus Smith, General Secretary of The Golfing Union of Ireland.
One of Jack’s main interests was Golf, and in an interview with UTV Sport recently, he had this to say about Ireland’s latest golfing sensation, Rory McIlroy:
"The lad's manners and modesty have impressed everyone who has ever met him," he says. "He's from a very good family. His dad was a scratch golfer and a man who has never run about shouting about his son. His mum, meanwhile, just says she hopes he remains 'a nice boy'. I doubt there is a problem. He's never been an ego-strutting, look-at-me kind of player and I don't think he'll ever try to rise above his station."

WATCHING RORY'S PROGRESS
Magowan was there when Rory was eight years old and already hitting the ball arrow straight off the tee and almost 200 yards. He was there when the kid appeared on Ulster TV and reprised his washing machine trick. And he was close by a few years ago when a whippet-thin McIlroy ripped it round the fabled links of Royal Portrush in an extraordinary 61 blows, 11 under par.
"He gives the ball a tremendous belt," says Magowan. "He has a syrupy swing, he's very elastic and his method is very, very sound. Whether he will still be able to belt it like he now does in 10 years' time is another thing, but, for now, he is very Seve-like. I used to play with guys like Harry Bradshaw and Fred Daly, but the man he reminds me most of is Christie O'Connor senior. Rory has the same sort of magical short game as 'Himself'.
"He's certainly the best Irish ­teenage golfer I've ever seen. Padraig Harrington? Well, Padraig wouldn't have compared to him at the same age. I mean Rory was off plus-4 when he was 16. That's some going. And I have to keep reminding myself how young he still is. I was up at his club, Holywood, talking to him after he won in Dubai this year and I could sense him starting to get edgy. So I asked him what was the matter and he said, 'I am sorry Jack but I have to go to pick my girlfriend up from school.' Now here he is about to play his first Masters."
Unfortunately Jack didn’t get to see Rory in the Masters – his death coming as McIlroy teed it up at Augusta.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Tom Galloway laid to rest
at Douglas Bank Cemetry

Tom Galloway's funeral was held today at Limekilns Parish Church and he was laid to rest at the Douglas Bank Cemetery. His family and friends gathered afterwards at Dunfermline Golf Club, to celebrate his long and eventful life.
Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance members helped celebrate Tom's life in a couple of ways. At the funeral service and burial we were represented by a number of its senior members. At the insistence of his family, members took part in the re-scheduled E&EoS outing at Dunfermline Golf Club.
Colin Farquharson writes:
Tom told me he was 98 when he made the presentations at last year's Scottish Alliance championship, hosted by Moray Golf Club at Lossiemouth.
He went round in 110 and 106 in the first two rounds but stopped after 11 holes of his final round.
"It was a bit wet and I was feeling tired. I think it's the first time I've ever had a No Return in a Scottish Alliance," said Tom.
He was a remarkable man who was still as full of vitality and love of golf in his 90s as he was when he wore a younger man's clothes.

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Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Club-throwing Tommy Bolt (winner of
1958 US Open) dies at 92

CHEROKEE VILLAGE, Arkansas – Tommy Bolt, known as much for his fiery temper as for his 15 US PGA Tour victories, died on August 30. He was 92.
Bolt’s career highlight was his United States Open victory in 1958 when he defeated Gary Player by four shots at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa in Oklahoma.
Bolt was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002. He played on Ryder Cup teams in 1955 and 1957.
Bolt was born March 31, 1916, in Haworth, Oklahoma., and served in the US Army during World War II.
His introduction to golf was through caddying and he did not become involved actively until he was 34.
Bolt is also credited with teaching a young Arnold Palmer and anyone who would listen “to always throw clubs ahead of you. That way you won’t waste any energy going back to pick them up.”
“I launched far more (clubs) because they expected me to than I did because I was mad at anything that had gone wrong with my golf,’’ Bolt once said in an interview.
“After a while, it became showmanship, plain and simple.”
Bolt later went on to write a book about his golfing experience called “The Hole Truth.”
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, and one son, Tommy W.
A private graveside service was held September 2 at the Evening Shade Cemetery.

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Friday, August 08, 2008


Orville Moody, 1969 US
Open champion, dies

FROM THE UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
Orville Moody, a two-time USGA champion whose only victory on the PGA Tour was the 1969 U.S. Open, died Friday at the age of 74 in Texas. The cause of death was not released.
Nicknamed "Sarge" because he rose to the rank of sergeant during his 14 years in the U.S. Army, Moody remains the last person to win the U.S. Open after playing in local and sectional qualifying.
Orville Moody's lone PGA Tour victory came at the 1969 U.S. Open in Houston. (USGA Museum)
Two years after giving up his military career to make a trial run at the PGA Tour in 1967, the Oklahoma native held off Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg by a single stroke at Champions Golf Club’s Cypress Creek Course in Houston, Texas. Moody, then 35, posted rounds of 71-70-68-72 for a 72-hole total of 1-over-par 281. It was only Moody’s second appearance at the Open. His first came in 1962 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club when he failed to make the 36-hole cut.
Moody, a gifted ball-striker whose career was plagued by putting problems, would finish the 1969 season as the PGA Player of the Year.
After turning 50 and joining the Senior Tour (now the Champions Tour) in 1984, Moody enjoyed much more success thanks to the long putter, winning three of his first five tournaments. He finished with 11 career Senior Tour victories, including the 1989 U.S. Senior Open at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa., at the age of 55. Moody charged into the lead with a third-round 64 (eight under) and closed with a 2-under 70 (279) for a two-stroke victory over Frank Beard.
"The USGA was proud to call Orville Moody an Open and Senior Open champion," said USGA Executive Director David Fay. "While his victory in the 1969 Open at The Champions was a surprise (with the notable exception of a fellow former Veteran by the name of Lee Trevino!), Orville’s superb ball-striking talents were, thankfully, showcased over the next quarter century, both on the regular and senior Tour. The expression, ‘he could golf his ball’ certainly applied to Orville. I am saddened to hear of this champion's passing. He was a stand-up kind of guy who earned the admiration of all with whom he came in contact."
At the time of his Senior Open victory, Moody joined Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper and Gary Player as the only players to have won both a U.S. Open and Senior Open. That feat has since been matched by Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Hale Irwin.
The son of a golf course superintendent, Moody, a part Choctaw Indian, was born Dec. 9, 1933, in Chickasha, Okla. At Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, he won the state high school golf championship in 1952. But after spending a few weeks at the University of Oklahoma, Moody opted to join the U.S. Amy, where he spent 14 years heading up maintenance supervision and instruction at all Army golf courses, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant.
When he decided to give professional golf a try in 1967, Moody was making $5,000 a year. In his first full year on the PGA Tour, he earned $300,000. Besides his U.S. Open triumph, Moody’s only other top-10 finish in a major came when he tied for seventh at the 1969 PGA Championship, but he did have five runner-up finishes in other PGA Tour events.
Moody, who competed in 250 PGA Tour events, also played many international events during his professional career, winning titles in Hong Kong, Morocco and Australia. He also took a club pro job in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
The same year Moody won the U.S. Senior Open, he added a second major title at the Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship, which helped him earn $647,985 in 1989. His last title came at the 1992 Franklin Showdown Classic.
Overall, Moody competed in 513 Champions Tour events, with his final appearance coming at the 2003 Constellation Energy Classic.
Prior to the 1995 season, Moody had triple bypass heart surgery, but still managed to compete in 29 events after surgery.
Memorial service and arrangements are currently pending.
Story written by USGA New Media staff writer David Shefter

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Friday, July 11, 2008

Former U S Ryder Cup player

Mike Souchak dies at 81

Mike Souchak, a winner 15 times on the US PGA Tour, has died at the age of 81 in Clearwater, Florida.
"The PGA Tour family has lost one of its true pioneers," Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement. "Mike Souchak was in many ways the prototype of today's modern golfer.
"His formidable athletic skills made him long off the tee and he helped elevate the game's profile before the game was televised on a regular basis."
Souchak, a Ryder Cup player in 1959 and 1961, won the last of his US PGA Tour titles at the 1964 Memphis Open. He produced 11 top-10 finishes in major championships, including ties for third at the US Open in 1959 and 1960.

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Saturday, April 19, 2008

Former Crieff pro John Stark
dies at age of 76

FROM THE PGA WEBSITE
By NAT SYLVESTER
Scottish golf is mourning the passing of former Crieff Golf Club professional John Stark at the age of 76.
Glasgow-born Stark, who as a kid was nicknamed Hagen, led a fascinating life that included encounters with Ben Hogan, a long spell coaching abroad in Sweden, and a role as chieftain of the Highland Games.
He was also captain of the Scottish PGA in 1976 and a regular at the R&J Junior Golf Centre at Open Championships where he introduced hundreds of youngsters to the game.
Stark remained passionate about the game long after he retired from Crieff where he was head pro for 35 years.
Former Scottish PGA regional secretary Peter Lloyd described Stark as 'a wonderful figure for golf'.
"John was a totally inspiring character, he was of an older breed of generation that always had opinion and thought - he was really special," said Lloyd.
"He was immensely well-respected by all, still coaching at the Open Championships until recently and just a wonderful figure for the region and the game of golf and will be sadly missed." Golf chat with Hogan, friendships with Zulus, policing some of Glasgow's toughest streets and fronting Highland Games - life was never dull for John Stark. John packed more into his 76 years than many would in several lifetimes.
His career with the PGA spanned more than 55 years, a period in which the standing of the club pro changed dramatically. Stark entered the golf profession at a time when often clubs could only afford to employ pros on a weekend basis or employ them in dual greenkeeper-professional capacity and it certainly wasn't a lucrative occupation.
"After the war only two pros in Scotland had cars!" recalled Stark in an exclusive interview with Golf Pages just over two years ago. Golf was very much in Stark's blood - his mother was a scratch player, an uncle was a pro at Gourock and his grandparents were the club master and mistress of Bearsden Golf Club where he was evacuated from Glasgow during the war. He honed his game at Bearsden and his grandparents quickly nicknamed him Hagen after the great Walter.
A promising playing career developed, netting him junior international honours and Walker Cup trials but it floundered when he lost two years to National Service and then a subsequent year as a bobby on the beat in Clydebank - at the time one of the toughest parts of Glasgow.
While his playing skills had been diluted by three years of inactivity, Stark's club-making skills, learned after the war with John Letters and Tiger Murray, soon landed him back in golf with an assistant's position to John Panton at Glenbervie.
Stark's career then took an unusual twist in the 1950s when he hopped across the North Sea to work in Sweden at first Linkoping and then Atvidaberg golf clubs. He was there eight years, helping develop the latter club from scratch, taking it from a membership of approximately 20 to 200 plus.
Among his pupils were SAAB engineers who first got him thinking about swing planes, a theme later developed by John Jacobs, whom Stark described as the 'father of modern day coaching'. One of the highlights of Stark's career was a first hand insight into arguably golf's greatest ever player - Ben Hogan. It came at the Open at Carnoustie in 1953 where Stark got a close up glimpse of what made the great man tick.
On the eve of the tournament, after a practice round, Stark, with his boss Panton, shared a drink with Hogan, not to mention the 1947 and 1951 Open champions Fred Daly and Max Faulkner.
"It was one of the few times in my life when I kept my mouth shut and ears open," said Stark who had missed out in final qualifying by only one shot after running up an 11 at the 7th. "It was a fascinating experience," said Stark of his encounter.
"I remember someone asking Hogan why he hit the ball to the left at Carnoustie's first hole which is a very dangerous drive indeed because there's a hillock down the left, with a burn alongside it.
"Hogan said that if he was going to change it into a short hole then where he drove down the left, was where he would put the tee! He was so accurate with his drives, he could put the ball on a sixpence.
"He dissected the course like a scientist. He wasn't an escapologist like Seve. Hogan's approach was that you had 14 drives to turn a course into 18 short holes. By doing that you turned a course into 18 par-3s and he reasoned that if you don't pick up 2s occasionally you're not very good."
After a lifetime in the game Stark kept his passion for it to the end although he was never too enamoured with some modern trends - notably in equipment technology, course design and pace of play.
"Modern courses? It's almost like you've got a bloody great park in front of you with tons of green. If you can't hit one of those it's like missing your mouth with your fork," he said. "New golf courses to me are just elongated driving ranges. In the old days they had to manufacture shots and that's the difference. I hate this driving range sort of thing.
"Why do people still love coming to play links courses? Because that's the way God intended them, the wind and rain, the elements have made them what they are with a little help from man, and created this wonderful moving and flowing thing.
"The biggest change in my lifetime has been the equipment. In my day we didn't even know what a sweet spot (on the clubface) was - we just knew if you didn't hit it right it just about took your damn hands off."
In a wide-ranging career, Stark also had regular coaching stints in South Africa which brought him close ties with Zulu friends and one of his proudest achievements was organising fund-raising tournaments in Scotland to build classrooms for a Zulu school.
Stark was steeped in the traditions of a long line of great Scottish pros, but unique as well, growing rare varieties of potatoes as a hobby and becoming still probably the only club pro, and captain of the PGA of Scotland, to have been Chieftain of the Crieff Highland Games.
A great character who will be sadly missed.
John Stark, 1931 - 2008

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Sunday, January 20, 2008

SANDY BARCLAY (1947-2008)


SANDY BARCLAY: BALLATER GOLF CLUB SECRETARY

FACED DEATH WITH GREAT DIGNITY AND COURAGE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Sandy Barclay was one of the bravest men it's been my privilege to know personally.

The funeral service of the former Ballater Golf Club secretary was held at Glenmuick Parish Church last Friday. He was buried at Tullich Cemetery near Ballater where he was born in 1947.
Sandy died at Aboyne Hospital on January 10 "with great dignity and courage after a long illness," said his death notice in the Aberdeen "Press and Journal."

We are all going to die sometime but I doubt if I could be as brave about impending death as Sandy was after being told in April 2001 that he was suffering from the incurable Motor Neurone Disease.

Sandy was no saint. Like all of us, he had his good days and bad days but his heart was in the right place. I remember interviewing him for the May 2004 issue of "Golfview," and I could not have blamed him had he been wallowing in self-pity.

Not a bit. Sandy faced up to his limited future and told me the facts without exaggeration or emotion. His retirement from the Ballater Golf Club post had been fixed for April 30, some nine years after he took up the post. Much of his earlier life - 30 years of it - had been spent in the Royal Navy. He was a Warrant Officer in the Submarine Service when he came back to Civvy Street.

In that 2004 interview, Sandy told me: "My health has caught up with me. I can't golf but I can still walk and that's what I'll be doing. Motor Neurone is a disease that causes progressive muscular atrophy. I said that when my speech started to go and deteriorated to the point that I couldn't make myself understood on the telephone, then it would be the time to retire from the Ballater Golf Club job. I think that time has come."

He organised Texas Scramble open tournaments to raise money for the Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association and they always had a full house of entries, as much a testament to the high regard in which Sandy Barclay was held in the North-east golfing world as to the desire of the golfing public to do their bit for a worthy cause.

Sandy told me that he first developed pain in his right elbow and later some wasting of the muscles in that forearm before, in April 2001, he was given the diagnosis that he was suffering from Motor Neurone Disease.

"There is research going on all the time but the funding is nowhere near that which cancer reaseach enjoys," Sandy told me. "There are drugs being refined all the time to help combat MND. It is too late to help me but the money we have raised from these Texas Scrambles helped to fund ongoing research."

Not that a man like Sandy would be forgotten anyway but he does have an enduring golfing memorial in the Royal Deeside Golf Classic which attracts visitors from all over Britain to play at Ballater, Aboyne, Banchory and Inchmarlo in July every year. The tournament was a Sandy Barclay idea.

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