Doug Lowe at Mar Hall Hotel and Golf Course, near Glasgow on Monday, October 25, 2010.
Doug had a fantastic day and won all the main trophies — . He won the Alex Fox Trophy as the golf writer with the most Stableford points and the Belhaven Trophy for having more points than any of the guests and also won the team event. A very happy Dougie is pictured above with his winning trophies and the Erskine Bridge in the background.

Tributes from across the golfing spectrum poured in last night for The Herald’s Douglas ‘Dougie’ Lowe, who sadly passed away at the weekend following a devastating illness aged just 59 , writes good friend and colleague Nick Rodger.

From the world stage to the grassroots of the domestic scene, Douglas revelled in his wide-ranging role as golf correspondent, a position he held since February 2003. His passion and knowledge of the game, its rules and its traditions consistently shone through in his enlightened reporting, in-depth analysis and authoritative comment.

The author of both The Herald Book of Club Golf and The Herald Book of the Open Championship, as well as a former editor of Golf World Scotland and Scottish Golf Magazine, Douglas was immersed in the game, and his untimely passing, at 59, has robbed golf of one of its finest journalists.

While his career took him around the globe on reporting duties, Helensburgh member Lowe was an avid, and often erratic, golfer himself but he saved his best form for the showpiece events. His success in the Association of Golf Writers’ Championship at Turnberry in 2009 and the Scottish Golf Writers’ tournament at Mar Hall last year (pictured) was a triumphant double whammy that had the rum and diet cokes flowing freely.

With a wit, wisdom and a willingness to goad the hierarchy into taking steps to better the Scottish game, Douglas was a staunch supporter of golf in his homeland and the stream of tributes received speak volumes for his popularity and reputation:

He had a wonderfully dry sense of humour and his love of golf and his job was always apparent. He will be much missed.

Colin Montgomerie, Europe’s 2010 Ryder Cup captain, led the tributes when he said: “I am so very sorry to hear about the death of Dougie Lowe. He was a hugely valued member of the golf community and one with whom I enjoyed interacting. He was one of the harder working golf writers on Tour. You’d see him out on the course and he’d always be back at base in time to ask a pertinent question or two. He had a wonderfully dry sense of humour and his love of golf and his job was always apparent. He will be much missed.”

Catriona Matthew, the first Scot to win a women’s major in the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Lytham, remembered Douglas being the only Scottish staff reporter present at the time of her triumph, a fact The Herald man took particular pride in: “It’s with great sadness to hear of the death of Dougie Lowe. One big memory I have of Dougie was when I won the Women’s British Open. He was one of the first to congratulate me and the only Scottish journalist on site that day. He was a great guy, a fantastic journalist and it is a very sad loss for Scottish sports journalism.”

Gary Orr, two-time European Tour winner and Helensburgh Golf Club honorary member: “Dougie was a member at Helensburgh when I was a junior back in 1975. We played a few medals together and became good friends. He always gave me decent coverage being the local man and was just a really nice guy, straightforward and laid back.”

Colin Dalgleish, close friend, fellow Helensburgh member and former Walker Cup captain: “My first job as captain was at the St Andrews Trophy in the Czech Republic in 2006 and having Doug there covering it was very special for me. People will only have great memories of Doug. His loss is desperately sad.”

Sandy Jones, chief executive of the PGA: “Those of us in authority bristled at some of his comments. But that was his job. He did it very well and that is why he had my utmost respect. Douglas always wanted the golfing bodies to work closer together and we are making progress on that. If we can deliver that dream, then it would be a nice tribute to him.”

Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A: “Douglas was ever-present at the Open but was also a regular at many of the R&A’s amateur events and his dedication and passion for golf, at every level, was formidable. He will be sorely missed.”

Hamish Grey, chief executive of the Scottish Golf Union: “He has been a fantastic supporter of amateur golf in Scotland. Through his Tuesday column, he enlightened readers with an insight into some of the wider issues surrounding golf. His sharp wit in the press room at events will be sadly missed by the players, staff and officials alike.”

Stephen Gallacher echoed the sentiments of a number of Scottish tour players when he said: “Douglas was a consummate pro who knew his stuff. You got him the same all the time and he was a lovely man.” n Andrew Coltart, double European Tour winner: “It’s terrible news. I saw him relatively recently and he looked fine so it’s come as a bit of a shock. Dougie was one of the good guys.”

George O’Grady, chief executive of the European Tour: “Dougie was a consummate professional whose knowledge and love of the game at all levels shone through. We respected his forthright outlook on golf and it was always a pleasure to spend time in his company. He will be sadly missed by all of us at The European Tour – our sincere condolences go out to Dougie’s family and friends.”

Bob Torrance, veteran golf coach: “It’s a huge loss, both to his family and to golf writing. He was one of the most knowledgeable writers out there and always an interesting and pleasant man to talk to. He was highly respected in the game and he will be very difficult to replace.”

Michael MacDougall, Scottish PGA secretary: “Douglas was a great supporter of Scottish golf and will be sadly missed. He was always very helpful in getting publicity for the PGA and his enthusiasm and passion for the game in this country means his passing leaves a huge void which will be very hard to fill.”

Bernie McGuire, friend and Herald golf contributor, recalls: “Dougie was on a round-the-world ticket in 2004 when he found his way to Australia. Together we went to cover the ANZ Championship at Nelson Bay, north of Sydney, where we rented a cottage for the week. Dougie was in his element, surfing every morning before breakfast and then heading off to report on the tournament before delighting all of us around a barbeque with his unique style of humour. He spent so much time on the beach I said to him before he left to head east for the WGC Matchplay in California that he looked so tanned and healthy he could have passed for a native Australian! He was a super colleague, a trusted friend and will be very sadly missed.”

*This article, written by Nick Rodger, was reproduced with kind permission of The Herald newspaper.

PLEASE SEE ALSO –

European Tour – https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/news/articles/detail/douglas-lowe/

Scottish Golf View – https://www.scottishgolfview.com/2011/03/death-of-herald-golf-writer-dougie-lowe.html

Club News – https://clubnewsinrenfrewshire.blogspot.com/2011/03/sad-death-of-herald-sports-writer.html

Press Reader – https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-herald-1130/20110308/283128540360896

Hold the Front Page – https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2011/news/brain-tumour-claims-papers-golf-writer-at-59/

Carol Fell Golf – https://clubnewsinrenfrewshire.blogspot.com/2011/03/sad-death-of-herald-sports-writer.html

All Media Scotland – http://www.allmediascotland.com/press/19069/herald-golf-corrrespondent-douglas-lowe-dies-aged-59/

DOUGLAS LOWE ON TUESDAY: Heard the one about . . . ? There’s no respite for beleaguered Woods

(Article by Doug Lowe 8th December, 2010)

Perhaps by next week it will conclude at an appropriate 18, the world No.1 can fill in a scorecard, sign it and have it attested by tmz.com, or National Enquirer, deal with it and move on.

In the history of philandering it is shaping up as another record.

Woods is not short of advice. He should sack his management team, caddie, lawyers, minders, take up the offer of pouring out his heart on the Oprah Winfrey show – his fee might cover some of the alleged hush money paid to his alleged mistresses – and have a long consultation with his one true and trusted friend, Mark O’Meara.

There are views, moreover, that he should present himself more graciously on the course and stop throwing clubs, especially into the crowd, spitting, swearing and breaking wind lest the younger generation follow his example. Hands up those golfers who have never done any of these things.

For sure, this meltdown is happening at the wrong time of year for Woods. Another major triumph would help to divert attention but there is four months to go before the Masters. There, we’re back to sport for a brief moment, but for the time being there is no escape.

During a break in the Houston Texans versus Jacksonville Jaguars American football game in Sunday, the crowds were entertained by a tiger mascot dressed in red polo shirt and Nike cap being chased around the field by a blonde brandishing an oversize golf club.

The jokes keep coming. Q: What is the difference between a wife and a golf course? A: Tiger would never dream of cheating on a golf course.

Speculation is that it could be February before he returns to scoring on the course at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, San Diego. That is where he won his 14th and last major last year, the US Open. Remember? He did it on a left leg that was fractured and on knee with ligaments in such bad shape that he could hear his bones grinding together while he was swinging.

It was the ultimate mind-over-matter triumph and yet he couldn’t make it to his own Chevron World Challenge last week because of injuries sustained in that low-speed crash into a fire hydrant and tree which seem to amount to a knock to the head, a fat lip and probably most tellingly an ego with multiple fractures.

Who knows how it will all affect his golf, but one theory is that he will store up all the many slights that have come his way, justified or not, and in the sanctuary that he will find on the course he will use them as motivation for a forthcoming major championship season that looks as if it has been designed with Woods in mind.

First up at is Augusta National, where he has won the Masters four times. Then the US Open is back at Pebble Beach, where he left the field trailing 15 shots in his wake in his triumph in 2000. The Open Championship is over the Old Course at St Andrews, where he was victorious the last two times it was played there in 2000 and 2005.

With these three notionally in the bag and with the media frenzy back 100% on golf, he will head to Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, in his bid to complete the calendar-year grand slam at the US PGA Championship. It is a course, incidentally, that has connections with St Andrews because it is owned by Herb Kohler, who is progressively buying up the auld grey toon, most recently Hamilton Hall, the building behind the 18th green.

The world may never be able to look at Woods in the same way again and the private life that he has sought so obsessively to protect may change forever, but he is still the world No.1 and eventually we will be back to counting the birdies he has scored on the course and not off it. Watch out, world.

AND ANOTHER THING

I hear that VisitScotland are in talks with Catriona Matthew’s new IMG management to have her restored as an ambassador, and rightly so.

Matthew, whose victory in the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham 11 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter is increasingly being recognised as the outstanding Scottish sporting achievement of the year, had been dropped earlier in the year, leaving Sam Torrance as the sole ambassador.

The 40-year-old is currently in the Middle East for the Dubai Ladies Masters. After that she will take a break at home in North Berwick before the ever more global LPGA Tour opens up in Brazil, Hawaii, Thailand, Singapore and Mexico before reaching mainland USA in March.

Combining that kind of itinerary together with her new standing in world golf, Scotland could hardly have a better sporting envoy.

Selection of articles by Doug ( First – 10th February, 2009; Second – 29th September, 2009; Third – 22nd March, 2005)

https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12382204.douglas-lowe-tuesday/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12611267.douglas-lowe-tuesday—rory-mcilroy-man-watch-old-course/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12396061.douglas-lowe-on-the-fifth-majors-minor-role/

DOUG’S BIG GOLF DAY – OCTOBER 25th, 2010 (Reference main photograph)

Article provided with thanks to Colin Farquharson – https://www.scottishgolfview.com/2010/10/douglas-lowe-displays-alex-fox-trophy.html?m=0

BOOKS BY DOUG LOWE

Doug was the author of a few books including:

“The Glasgow Herald Book of Club Golf” ( https://www.amazon.com/Glasgow-Herald-Book-Club-Golf/dp/1851583866 )

“The Herald Book of The Open” ( https://www.gettextbooks.com/isbn/9781902927077/ )

“Helensburgh Golf Club – A History of the First Hundred Years” ( https://www.finegolfbooks.com/pages/books/9585/jim-stark-douglas-lowe/helensburgh-golf-club-a-celebration-of-the-first-100-years )

RIP Dougie