AGW Newsletter – January 2025

Lewine Mair receives Lifetime Achievement in Journalism award

There is no better way to begin this latest update than with congratulations for our President Lewine Mair who is this year’s recipient of the PGA of America’s Lifetime Achievement in Journalism award.
Her career with pen and laptop is, of course, very deserving of the award but it is always worth recalling that Lewine was one of the earliest winners of prize money on the Ladies European Tour in the 1970s. Or rather, she was one of the earliest non-winners because the tour was funded in those days by a distinctly shady character and consequently, she explains with a glint in her eye, “the cheque bounced.”
Lewine went on to become the Daily Telegraph’s golf correspondent – the only woman to be appointed to such a position on a British newspaper – and is currently a columnist with Global Golf Post. I have been fortunate enough to work with her in the latter capacity, gaining an insight into her never-ending enthusiasm for finding a story, but also enjoying many laughs along the way.
Taken from a tribute to Lewine, written by John Hopkins for GGP, here are a few memories from her friends and colleagues.
Liz Kahn: “Lewine, Patricia (Davies) and I travelled together in the States a little. We were quite a threesome. She was a joy to work with, very helpful, very chatty. She has a very nice way of expressing herself. She is amazing at finding stories.”
Patricia Davies: “It would not be unfair to say Lewine can’t cook. She is a rubbish cook but that’s because it doesn’t interest her and she is so good at so many other things. She is a gifted artist, she can play the piano beautifully and she was a very good golfer. In fact, she is sickeningly talented. She is a very good sniffer out of stories, has a good sense of mischief and talks to people. And when you talk to people you get stories.”
Alison Root: “I loved working with her. What struck me about Lewine is the way she could glean information that other writers couldn’t. She would ask unusual questions with such a charming smile and look of innocence on her face that no one could take offence.”
John Hopkins: “She is always concerned about the comfort of golf writers who spend hours at their desks each day and was a member of a small and select AGW committee appointed to improve the quality of the seating in the press room. As such she became known as the chair person of the chair committee. This desire to find comfortable chairs is why to this day she can often be seen typing away while perched atop two, sometimes three, chairs.
“At events her modus operandi is to move around quietly, pricking her ears for a good line, seeing and not always telling, and always asking the last question in a quite conspiratorial way. A straw hat might be on her head, a notebook in her hand, a cup of decaffeinated tea, coffee or a glass of water not far from her desk on which rested her telephone.
“When it rings she picks up the receiver with the speed of light. It might be her office but it might also be a son or daughter or a grandchild and if it is a family member a smile spreads over her face. Often those conversations are terminated rather abruptly with Lewine saying: “Sorry. Got to go and interview Tiger Woods (or Nick Faldo or Colin Montgomerie). Talk later.””

We had a congratulatory bouquet of flowers sent to Lewine and she sent a messag to all members: “Please could you pass on my thanks to all our AGW members for the riot of lovely flowers which arrived at my door when I’d just looked – and failed – to find anything more than a couple of snowdrops in the garden. The award from the US PGA came as a complete surprise! When Julius Mason rang, I thought he was checking a few details with a view to forwarding some fine book. Hope everyone is keeping well.
My thanks again, Lewine”
Lewine will receive her award at Augusta National during the Masters. We all hope you have a wonderful week, Lewine.
Liz Kahn

Patricia Davies emailed to alert us to news that Liz has recently had an operation, shortly before her 90th birthday. Not the ideal way for her to her to celebrate but we trust it went well and that the big day (17th February) goes well.

Treasurer Peter Higgs also organised a bouquet of flowers for Liz.

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Official Open accommodation

It will be no surprise to anyone who was at Royal Portrush in 2019 (or, indeed, anyone who has recently attended an Open) to learn that finding accommodation is proving a tricky conundrum. Chairman Philip Reid and myself have been kept up-to- date with the R&A’s quest for a solution.

Hopefully we will be able to announce it soon but as a warning: every option was compromised (by distant daily travel, shared bathrooms, etc.) and the eventual selection will reflect these difficulties.