2023 NOVEMBER AGW NEWSLETTER
It was a recent busy time for our ‘working’ members with the back-to-back Solheim and Ryder Cups and now this week with the hosting of the DP World Tour Championship
AGW news wise, I’m very pleased to share with you the following.
DERMOT GILLEECE ‘OFFICIALLY’ RETIRING
Dermot Gilleece has advised he is officially retiring at the end of the month from all golf writing.
I know there are members, including myself, who have been present at a Dermot ‘send off’, at the Players Championship and The Masters but this time Dermot assures me it’s for real (smiling).
The news comes after a 65-year proud and most distinguished working career.
Dermot’s working life began in 1958 as a copy boy in the Irish Press Group. He ventured to London in 1965 and worked with Hayters from where he joined the Daily Mail in November of that year.
He then represented the Mail in Dublin for 14 years before being made redundant in 1979, ahead of working for the Irish Independent for 15 months. In March 1981, Dermot was offered the golf correspondents job with Irish Times.
Twenty-one years later in 2002 he retired from the Irish Times ahead of joining the Sunday Independent until some 14 days time when he officially ends his role with the newspaper and thus ending his working career.
A dear friend of the AGW and Irish Golf Writers Association President, Paul Kelly wrote a few years back when Dermot was being honoured with the inaugural PGA in Ireland Servic to Golf / Lifetime Achievement Award’: “In a career that has spanned numerous Majors and Ryder Cups, he has been greenside to record some of the most remarkable moments in golfing history.
“From the glory years of O’Connor, Carr and Bradshaw to the more recent Irish successes of Harrington, McIlroy and Lowry, he has seen it all and retains an encyclopaedic knowledge of names, dates, facts and figures, even as he approaches his 80th birthday”.
That was back in 2019 and a year Dermot also celebrated attending a 40th Open Championship.
And no doubt one of Dermot’s many memories among so many great memories was visiting newly-crowned 2008 PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington, the morning after he was handed the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy (See photograph above)
On an AGW Secretary note, I was proud some seven years ‘to push’ for Dermot to be presented with AGW Life Membership – see photograph hereunder.
I’m sure many of Dermot’s friends among the Association have their own stories of sharing the golf tournament media centres on both side of ‘The Pond’ with Dermot.
Please, if you care to share those memories of Dermot then send to me and I will place them on the Association’s website.
GOOD KING EDWARDS
Dave Edwards, and our 2023 ETIQUS AGW Golfer of Year, looks as though he’s visiting Rory McIlroy’s house
All those trophies! No, they’re proudly all Dave’s and the fruits of a tremendous AGW season while he recently added a Scottish Golf Writers trophy winning at Dumbarnie Links
2023-24 AGW HANDBOOKS
Just to advise there are still a few ‘hard’ copies of the 2023-24 AGW handbook available to members.
I must apologise to all those members who sought a copy of the handbook soon after they became available at this year’s Open as the despatch of the handbooks was out of my control but suffice say there will not be a repeat of that going forward as I have taken over as the handbook editor.
It was mentioned at a committee meeting just last week that despite being well in the deep end of a continuing ‘paperless’ world, a good number of the members and many of ‘others’ listed in the handbook have expressed their desire to receive the handbook in its present booklet form.
If so, with the handbook now moving to being produced every two years, and if all goes well, there will be a 2025-26 version again in pdf form and also as a proper handbook
HANDBOOK CHANGES
Speaking of the handbook there is a correction to details for one of our newest (supplementary) members in Donghoon (Louis) Lee – see page 25 of the 2023-24 handbook.
Should read:
LEE, Donghoon (Louis)
New email address: email hidden; JavaScript is required
And while speaking of new members, please if there is someone you know working full-time in golf reporting and you think would make for a good new member, please reach out.
We have welcomed five new ‘full’ members this year while Louis is among a strong contingent of eight currently on the Supplementary List.
MEETING WITH LEE KORMAN, LONDON-BASED PGA TOUR OFFICER
The AGW Chairman and also secretary recently spoke via Zoom with Lee Korman, newly-appointed PGA Tour’s Director of Content for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and based in London.
Many members may have met Lee in his prior roles firstly at Juniper Sport, and one of our valued supporters for the AGW Handbook, while Lee also worked for Loch Lomond Whiskey (LLW). It was Lee to thank for the little gift packs provided at the AGWs annual dinner and also the much-loved wrist bands that allowed access into the LLM corporate enclosure at The Open’s.
Lee kindly arranged the meeting firstly by way to introduce himself and also indicate how he can work with the AGW in arranging access via Zoom calls to US-based PGA Tour players going forward.
As well, Lee pointed out the PGA Tour has no plans to alter the current practice of members approaching PGA Tour media officers via email seeking quotes post a player’s round. Of course, that is also dependent if the player sought wishes to speak post his round.
Perhaps you could take a note of Lee’s email address: email hidden; JavaScript is required">email hidden; JavaScript is required
REVIEW – SOLHEIM AND RYDER CUPS
Those who attended either of the back-to-back hosting of Solheim Cup and also the Ryder Cup experienced both the bad and the excellence in organisation.
The AGW committee is very much aware what a disaster the Solheim Cup was from the time of arrival to the madcap travel arrangements at the end of each day.
The AGW was founded on the principal of working to improve the conditions of journalists however what unfolded at Finca Cortesin was, by all reports, nothing short of a nightmare.
Though as one of our committee members mentioned: “They (organisers) got away with it as the golf rescued the event”.
Nonetheless, a formal letter is being sent to both the LET and LPGA expressing the AGWs deep concern.
In very stark contrast, the following week’s Ryder Cup, in terms of arrangements, was a dream. So much so, our new Chairman Phil Reid wasted little time writing to both Scott Crockett and Steve Todd at the European Tour expressing the congratulations and gratitude of all the media in attendance in Rome.
Hi Scott and Steve
I hope you have both recovered well from the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone. What a terrific match!!
As chairman of the Association of Golf Writers, I would like to reach out to thank you and your colleagues in the media center for all of your assistance during the week of the Ryder Cup. Your professionalism and courtesy to those of us working at the match was very much appreciated and contributed to us being able to fulfill our work obligations in an excellent working environment.
The efforts made by you and the rest of the DP World Tour media team was quite outstanding throughout the week and the extra access to players when appropriate was also very much appreciated.
Marco Simone certainly proved to be a worthy venue and, apart from some issues with the shuttles in the early part of the week, which you managed to sort out, the whole package from getting there and back worked very well. Most importantly, the time on site was gold standard in terms of being able to work and the catering in the media center was excellent.
Please accept the thanks of the AGW for all of your efforts.
Kind regards
Philip Reid
Chairman, Association of Golf Writers
In the absence of Scott on leave, Steve Todd responded:
Hi Philip
You may have seen an out of office from Scott as he is on holiday this week, so on behalf of both of us, and indeed the entire team, thank you very much for taking the time to write to us with these kind words. They are much very appreciated.
Thank you also for all of your support both before and during the event, including with the Italian Sports Writers’ event. As I’ve mentioned previously, the relationship we have with the media and the AGW in particular is vital in terms of operating all of our events, but particular one on the scale of the Ryder Cup.
We appreciate your patience with the shuttles too. As I think I said at the time, there are certain things we can control but Italian drivers and bus companies aren’t included in that list, unfortunately. However, I’m glad we were able to provide the best possible experience for you once you arrived at the venue.
Thanks once again for your comments and we look forward to working together with you in your new role in the months ahead.
Regards
Steve Todd
Deputy Communications Director
2024 AGW ANNUAL FEES
Just a note that with Festive Season, and that annual time a ‘time of giving’ fast approaching, so too is it the time for payment of AGW annual fees.
Our beloved Treasurer the annual fee remains an unchanged £50 though if you go past the May 31st deadline it increases to £60.
Of course, many of the members have in place an annual direct debit but for those who required the transfer details, then you will find them hereunder.
1988 50th AGW ANNUAL DINNER MENU
I received an email from Tim Mearing and son of Paddy. Tim located the menu below in going through some of Paddy’s belongings that I’m arranging for them to be sent to the AGW, and be included the six boxes or so of AGW letters/books I inherited in becoming Secretary.
While there are some legendary AGW member autographs appearing on the menu, the timing in October 1988 and also the golf club location (St. Andrews ‘Golf and Country Club’) of the dinner has me guessing?
Is there any member/s could help out, please?
LOOKS A GOOD FIT
I received a super snap taken down in Kenya from our former AGW Golf Captain Peter Dixon, sporting the great Callaway gift the Association presented him ahead of handing over the Association’s golfing reins some weeks back to Adrian Milledge.
Not sure who Peter’s friend is.
NEW BOOK – GOLF’S MOST ASTONISHING ROUND – THE STORY OF ERNIE FOORD, SOMERSET’S UNSUNG GOLFING GENIUS.
Cricket broadcaster and writing colleague Anthony Gibson, and a member of the Cricket Writers’ Club, has reached out to the AGW advising he has written a book about a little-known but extraordinarily talented Somerset golf professional called Ernie Foord.
The recently released book is titled “Golf’s most astonishing round – the story of Ernie Foord, Somerset’s Unsung golfing genius”.
Ernie, as Anthony advised, became Burnham and Berrow’s pro in 1900 at the age of 16. In 1903, he set a course record of 63, described by Golf Illustrated as ‘probably a world’s record’. In 1912, he played the Burnham championship links in 73, using just his putter, a round described by Bernard Darwin as “quite astonishing”. He emigrated to the USA in 1916, eventually becoming pro at Oakland Hills.
If any AGW member is interested in contacting Anthony you can do so at Email: anthonygibsonbooks.co.uk Phone: 07831 677144
SAD NOTE – PATRICK SMITH PASSES AWAY
Sad note to advise Patrick Smith, a long-time member of the Australian Golf Media Association, has passed away aged 71.
I am sure there are many AGW members, in attending the majors, would have met and known Patrick.
He was long-time sports editor for The Age newspaper and columnist for The Australian newspapers.
My GWAA colleague, and also AGW member, Jeff Babineau reports the sudden passing of Dave Daubert. Jeff pointing out: “An Orlando-based writer who loved the game, loved writing about it, and always had a smile on his face. Nice, nice man. Dave wrote for a number of golf and travel publications, including eSouthernGolf.com, Florida Golfer and Golf Central Magazine. Dave was a real joy to be around, and always quick with a joke. He was 76”.
As well, Jeff mentioning another GWAA member, who also may be known to AGW members, and advising: ‘We lost a very good reporter/writer and more importantly, a great John Davis to cancer on Aug. 28. Davis, who was 73, was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2019 and spent nearly 40 years in journalism”.
OLDEST CLUBHOUSE IN THE WORLD
I have received a ‘first as Secretary’ request from a French golf club in advising that AGW good friend and photographer Brian Morgan has been working with the club.
Basically, Brian has been showing the Golf du Prieure club (Website: https://golfduprieure.com ), located to the west of Paris his collection of photographs he took of the clubhouse.
The clubhouse is an old abbey built between 1170 and 1180. The club says a number of scholars have studied the abbey and established the monks who built it and its age to be undisputed and well documented.
However, the club says Ardglass in Ireland lays claim to the ‘Oldest Golf Clubhouse’ and has only been used as a clubhouse from 1405.
If any member could help out, or you may be interested in taking-up the story, you can contact:
Jean-François Baudry, Vice President, Golf du Prieuré
Mobile: +33 6 08 37 74 70; Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required">email hidden; JavaScript is required
AGW GOLFER OF THE YEAR – VOTING FOLLOWING THIS WEEK’S DPWTC IN DUBAI
It is just a matter of days when members will be asked to submit their nomination for 2023 AGW Golfer of the Year award.
Much has happened ‘European Golf’ wise this season and this is before we know the winner come Sunday in Dubai.
I will be sending an email to all members asking to nominate your ‘Golfer of the Year’ so looking forward to receiving your votes once the email has been sent.
LAST BY NOT LEAST – A ‘THANK YOU’
On behalf of all the members a big THANK YOU to Mark Garrod for all his time and continued patience in running PICK YOUR PRO.
This year-long competition winds-up this week with Mark advising Mitchell Platts leads the way into the DP World Tour Championship and Women’s Tour Championship.
However, Mitch’s closest challengers Sal Johnson, Andy Farrell and Brian Creighton each in with a chance of spoiling his victory party.
Again, much appreciated Mark for your efforts.
Bernie,
Secretary
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