JOHN HOPKINS

John Pinner had a fine head of hair and a sturdy physique, the build of a rugby forward in fact, and given that he lived near Pontypool, which had a very famous rugby team in the 1970s and early 1980s, he was an enthusiastic supporter of that team.

Graham Price, Bobby Windsor and Charlie Faulkner, all British Lions, were the famous Pontypool Front Row, also known as the VietGwent.  Another member of that team was Eddie Butler, now the chief rugby commentator for the BBC. On account of the fact that Butler went to Cambridge University he was known at the rugby club as “educated Edward.”

I digress. John Pinner was born in Pontypool on Valentine’s Day 1931, built his own house in Pontypool, married Maureen, his wife, and died in Pontypool. No surprise then that his favourite golf club in all the world was the Pontypool golf club. When business took him to Belmont Lodge golf club in Herefordshire, he was captain of that club. His lowest handicap was 9 and a massive heart attack in 1991 ended his attempts to lower it.

Having started as a golf writer by contributing a column known as Stymie for the Free Press in Monmouthshire, he went on to edit Golf World Wales and contribute to many golf magazines and national newspapers including the Daily and Sunday Telegraph and the Sunday Express. He was also the author of “The History of Golf” and a short series of informative books called “Golfing Guide to Wales.”

‘John was knowledgeable and easy to talk to” Richard Dixon, chief executive of the Golfing Union of Wales, said. “I’ve known him for 25 years. I remember how after the annual dinner of the Association of Golf Writers at the 2000 Open at St Andrews, John slept on the couch in the house we were renting because he didn’t have anywhere else to go. He was a good guy.”

A few years ago I wrote a slight book listing my 15 favourite courses in Wales. It came out in 2007 and was meant to draw attention to Wales’s role as the host country of the next home Ryder Cup, at Celtic Manor in 2010.  It had the original title of “Golf Wales, where to play, eat and stay”.

The next time I saw John he fixed me with what can only be described as a fierce stare and headed my way purposefully. I sensed I was in trouble. There were no opening formalities. He laid into me as he might have laid into a drive.

“You haven’t mentioned The Rolls of Monmouth” he said. “It’s one of the most beautiful courses in Wales. I’m surprised you overlooked it.”

I had no defence because it was true. I hadn’t mentioned it. I tried to explain that I was limited to my favourite courses. When I went on to say that I hadn’t even played it, well, his scorn knew no bounds.

“I made a point of always talking to him when I saw him at golf events or golf press conferences” Hamish Stuart, communications manager for the Golf Union of Wales and a freelance golf writer and broadcaster in Wales, said. “He seemed to know everyone and everything about Welsh golf. He was, I suppose, the doyen of Welsh golf writers.”

BRIAN CREIGHTON

I was immensely saddened to hear of the recent death of John Pinner, a stalwart of the Welsh golf writing fraternity for so many years. I got to know John and Maureen very well over the last 15 or so years.

He was always on hand at the Welsh Open during the many years it was staged at Celtic Manor and we had many a lunch together there. Once not that many years ago, when there was a tournament down in the southeast, John and Maureen had a time share apartment nearby. They very kindly invited me to spend that week with them there, which I was pleased to do. Their generosity and hospitality remain etched in my memory.

Besides the heart attack John suffered in 1991, he had a considerable medical history, the details of which would probably have defied the descriptive powers of The Lancet. I was amazed that he was still alive during those Wales Open years, a fact which can only be put down to his robust constitution and unfailing good humour.

Unfortunately, we had lost touch over the last couple of years and inquiries I made as to his whereabouts proved unfruitful. But I remember him with great fondness and I shall miss him.

With very fond wishes to Maureen.

DAVID HAMILTON

Really sad to hear that John Pinner is no longer with us. I haven’t seen him for a few years and I believe he had not been in the best of health. However, I recall a gentle, likeable man who used to write pieces for us when I worked on Golf Illustrated.

He quite often travelled from Wales to our offices in London to deliver his copy. That was in the days before it could be instantly delivered by email etc.

His soft Welsh voice was instantly recognisable and we used to enjoy some happy times along with his wife Maureen, particularly at the Open when he always attended the AGW Dinner.

PAT RUDDY

It was very sorry to hear that John has moved ahead of us. He and I bonded from day one and had fun moments as we both loved playing mediocre golf. He was a serious but fun character.  Seriously funny in his own quiet way …. like all the Welsh!

On one trip in Portugal we enjoyed a fun shopping trip as he agonized over a gift for wife Maureen and I showed totally different taste in my purchase for wife Bernardine.  I liked stripes and he liked plains.

But there was nothing plain about this great man of Wales.

His output as a freelance and then as editor of Golf World Wales and later as author of a fine collection of books serve as his monument and I am glad to have him in my library.

John was so quiet but so industrious and so loyal I was lucky to know him.  We hadn’t met for years but exchanged messages at intervals and are still (no past tense in this way of ours) friends. Friendship is like that ….

Golf and golf-writing have seen no finer person than John Pinner…a modest fellow, a quiet fellow, a fine and patient scribe.

He’ll be noticed flashing his pass at the Pearly Gates and he’ll be ushered to a good seat!

NORMAN DABELL

John was a great pal for more than 30 years and I’m deeply saddened. His insight into Welsh golf in particular, was legendary. I always looked forward to a natter with him at the Wales Open and to meeting up, too, with his lovely wife Maureen.

I first met John when the St Pierre course near Chepstow opened and he was delighted when it became a renowned European Tour venue, having told everyone who’d listen how good it was going to be.

We worked together then for several years covering golf in the West Region and Wales. John was the fount of all knowledge on Welsh golf and when Celtic Manor was established as the Wales Open and, subsequently, a Ryder Cup venue he was in his element, often posing telling questions to Terry Matthews in media conferences of which only a local man was cognoscenti.

He was a battler, fighting back from illness and caring for his lovely wife Maureen when she became ill, to recontinue not only his writing but playing.

He was a good ‘fixer’, too; AGW members will remember how he organised golf for us during tournament weeks.

CHRIS SMART

I knew John for almost 40 years as we covered the Welsh golf scene together extensively particularly during the 80’s. Whether he was attending the Dunlop Masters at St Pierre or a Junior medal John was just as enthusiastic.

His real forte however was his knowledge of the history of golf- he was a great student of the game and was a deep thinker.

His golf writing was cut short by a serious illness that almost ended his life but he made a spectacular recovery and regular attended press conferences in Gwent where he started his golf writing on the South Wales Argus.

John will always be remembered for his love of the game and his skill of putting into words whet the game meant to him- and it always made interesting reading. We joined the AGW in the same year 1987 and he used to love going on golfing trips with the Association.

John Pinner … Message of thanks To AGW from John’s Brother.

I received the following message from Terry Atford, the brother of our late member, John Pinner.

John s wife was quite overwhelmed by the messages and cards from Johns old friends in the AGW. John Hopkins had a chat with her at the funeral I think she remembered him.  Once again thanks for everything”.

Former AGW Chairman, John Hopkins kindly represented the AGW at the funeral and reports …

It was a pleasure to represent the AGW. Very interesting church, which was undergoing repairs because the floor of the nave had dry rot. When it was dug up it revealed coffins containing human bones from 300 or perhaps more years ago.

The service was conducted in the church hall nearby with a basketball net on one wall and a man hammering away on a small organ in a corner.

The reception was at Pontypool golf club, where I had never been, and I met some interesting people. I did have a chat with Maureen, his widow, and Terry was very helpful.
All in all, the AGW did John Pinner proud, I think, and I hope.

There are worse things to be known as the AGW’s funeral representative