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OCTOBER 2019 – BULLETIN

BRYAN & SHIRLEY POTTER – CONGRATIONS ON YOUR 60TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Bryan Potter and his wife Shirley (2019) celebrating 60th wedding

7777 Bryan Potter and his wife Shirley celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

Very warm congratulations from everyone at the AGW to Bryan and Shirley Potter who just recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.   It was a double celebration for Bryan who three days later turned 86 years young.

NEWLY WEDS EUAN AND PAMELA MCLEAN 

Euan McLean marriage September 2019

A wonderful photograph of newly weds Euan and Pamela McLean.

As one member celebrates 60-years of marriage the AGW also extends our warmest congratulations to Euan McLean on his recent marriage.

Thank you also to Euan for sharing such a wonderful photograph of Pamela and yourself.

TONY ADAMSON – 80 YEARS YOUNG 

In keeping in the champagne toasting mode, the AGW is also delighted to congratulate Tony Adamson on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Tony Adamson 80th birthday - Sept 2019

A 80th birthday boy between adoring sisters.

Tony celebrated with some of his close friends and reported: “The figure 80 has featured on many occasions in my golfing life, mostly when I returned my card to the scorer, but at least it has never taken the best part of 6 hours to complete, even in my elderly state.”

Tony also wished to thank all those AGW members who contacted him to offer their congratulations.

JEREMY CHAPMAN – Celebrating 50-Years In Golf Betting Writing.

Long-time AGW member Jeremy Chapman, who hasn’t been too well the last couple of years, proudly celebrated his 50th anniversary writing about golf betting in spectacular tipping style.

First of all, he tipped all three TV winners in Solheim Cup week in his weekly Racing & Football Outlook column, Europe’s Solheim stars the 9-5 outsiders, Sergio Garcia at 16-1 in Holland and Joaquin Niemann at 25-1 at The Greenbrier, with the correct Solheim score of 14.5 to 13.5 thrown in for good measure at 12-1.

Jeremy then followed up with the one-two at Wentworth with Danny Willett at 55-1 and Jon Rahm at 11-1.

As Jeremy explains: “When Tony Jacklin won the Open in 1969 and golf took off in popularity over here, I spotted a gap in the market for a golf betting column and it all started from there.

“Over 700 winners later I’m still here – just – and at pushing 78 still keeping busy.

“It’s been great fun. I shall be hanging Suzann Pettersen’s and Danny Willett’s photos on the wall!”

Jeremy worked for The Sporting Life for 27 years and is still writing for the Racing Post and its weekly sister paper the Racing & Football Outlook.

He asked to remember also he’s a double winner of the AGW Championship, in 1984 and, 31 years later at age 74, in 2015.

Many, many congratulations Jeremy from everyone at the AGW.

MEETING WITH R & A POST THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

Members of the AGW Committee met recently with the R & A to discuss matters post The Open.

Details of the matters discussed will shortly be found on the AGW website.

AGW CHAIRMAN VISITS WISCONSIN – 2020 RYDER CUP ‘YEAR TO GO’ CEREMONY

Members would have received via email a very detailed and informative report following AGW Chairman, Martin Dempster’s visit to Whistling Straits for the ‘One- Year-To-Go’ ceremony ahead of the 2020 Ryder Cup.

ryder-cup-whistling

The report is also now on the AGW website and you can access the report by clicking on the following link:-

https://www.agwgolf.org/agw-chairman-report-2020-ryder-cup-visit-to-whistling-straits/

AGW 2020 MEMBER HANDBOOKS AND DIARIES 

AGW 2020 diaries and members handbooks will soon be despatched to AGW members so if you have changed any of your contact details since late last year please advise Robin Barwick ASAP

Robin’s contact email address is … email hidden; JavaScript is required

AGW GOLF OUTINGS

AGW -V- THE GOLF FOUNDATION – Monday October 14th

BucksGCMain-500x256

All AGW members wish our eight-man team well in taking on the might of the Golf Foundation

The match for the Chesterfield Trophy, and first contested in 1987, will take place next Monday (October 14) at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, in Denham.

RON MOSELEY TROPHY – Delamere Forest, Monday 28th October.

Delamere-1-564x350

Numbers are full for those AGW members teeing-up at Delamere Forest for the 2019 Ron Moseley Trophy.

The first tee times TBC around noon and include lunch beforehand. AGW Golf Captain, Peter Dixon is keeping a ‘reserve’ list in case there is any withdrawals so if you are interested in going on the list please email ASAP.

Peter’s email address is: email hidden; JavaScript is required

AGW GOLF WRITERS CHAMPIONSHIP – Royal Liverpool, Tuesday 29th October, 2019 (Tee times – 11.12am to 11.44am)

Royal-Liverpool-32

For a third year running the AGW is honoured to be again teeing-up at the Royal Liverpool club to play our Golf Writers Championship, and the final event of the ETIQUS – ‘Road To Hoylake’ – 2019 AGW Golfer of the Year.

Royal Liverpool recently played host to the Walker Cup and in 2022 the club will again host The Open while a year ago AGW member, Patricia Davies created AGW golfing history winning four AGW Golf Writers Championships in three different decades.

Interest has been very good to tee-up at Royal Liverpool and with numbers capped to fit in with tee-times from 11.12am to 11.44am. There will be complimentary bacon rolls, teas and coffee beforehand and sandwiches and drinks afterwards.

Joining us will be very good AGW friend Gary Butler from ETIOUS to present the award to our 2019 champion. And as with Delamere Forest, if you wish to be placed on a ‘reserves’ list PLEASE advise AGW Golf Captain, Peter Dixon asap.

Peter’s email address is: email hidden; JavaScript is required

PAT WARD THOMAS TROPHY – Brancaster, Saturday 9th November 

The annual Pat Ward Thomas Trophy is scheduled to be played at Brancaster on Saturday 9th November.

It is one of the few, maybe the only, AGW mixed gathering, and the regulars at the event are keen to attract some new faces in order to keep it going.

“Currently, we tend to arrive on the Friday evening and spend two nights staying at the Cliftonville Hotel in Cromer,” says Colin Callander.

“We play Brancaster on Saturday and then have a match against the club at the nine-hole course at West Runton before returning home.

“It’s a great event, enjoyed by members, wives and partners, but for how much longer I do not know. “If anyone from Scotland or Ireland wanted to take part, I’m sure lifts from and to Heathrow, Luton etc could be arranged.”

Andy Farrell adds: “This was once a highly-popular end-of-season gathering (back when there was a season ending in October!) and for a few years there were well over 20 golfers plus partners.

“At some point Brancaster limited us to three tee times which was fair enough but meant places became restricted. Since then, however, our numbers have ever dwindled.

“Obviously all our AGW golf events are suffering and if this one dies a death due to lack of interest then so be it. But, while the opportunity exists, we should let people know about it. Brancaster is one of the great old links gems and if anyone has not been there this is their chance.”

In anyone is interested in being part of this AGW event, please contact Colin Callander (email hidden; JavaScript is required) or Andy Farrell (email hidden; JavaScript is required)

CONDOLENCES – Peter Finnan and Family

The AGW extends its heartfelt condolences to our good friend and colleague, Peter Finnan on the sudden passing of his father, Paul on September 30th.

Peter, our thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.

WALTER WOODS – PASSING OF THE FATHER OF MODERN GREENKEEPING

A good number of AGW members will have known Walter Woods, who in many ways was the father of modern greenkeeping.

Walter, who was aged 84, passed away during the week of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Walter began his greenkeeping career at the Tillicoultry GC in Scotland and during his time at the Home of Golf, he was key in the set-up of four Open Championship’s as the Links Superintendent until his retirement in 1996.

Walter was also instrumental in the creation of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association (BIGGA).

Walter-Woods

Walter Woods

Thank you to AGW member, Karl Hansell who would like to share with members the following obituary to Walter, and also rightfully pointing out Walter was indeed incredibly well respected and his passing is a great loss for the golf industry as a whole.

Click on …. https://www.bigga.org.uk/news-listing/bigga-mourns-the-death-of-walterwoods-bem.html

HOW MANY CAN YOU NAME ….

Take a look at the following photograph and I wonder how many past and present AGW members you can identify. There is a very young-looking current Chairman of the AGW and also present is the AGWs reigning President but very sadly Ian Wood, Brian Meek and Ian MacNiven are no longer with us.

Scottish GW Nov 1998 (1)

The photograph was taken on 9th November, 1998 at the Crail Golfing Society club near St. Andrews on the occasion of the Scottish Golf Writers Championship.

Those seated in the front row (2nd left and 2nd from the right) are Crail club members.

Also, the 2019 Scottish Golf Writers is returning to Crail on the 22nd October and if there is any Scottish golf writer wishing to play please ASAP advise Mike Aitken at email – email hidden; JavaScript is required

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS 

And last but not least in this October 2019 AGW Bulletin, one of those handsome young men in the photograph above has a new email address with all other contacts unchanged.

Please note the new email for Colin Farquharson email hidden; JavaScript is required

Good golfing,

Bernie