NEW MEMBERS
In this 85th celebration year, the AGW is very proud to welcome the following as 2023 full new members: –
Carmela Fernandez-Piera. Many of those who covered Spanish events will remember Carmela who worked closely with Maria Acacia Lopez. Carmela is now working freelance filing golf copy to Ten Golf, Elperiodigolf.com and also another Spanish website in MARCA.com
Riath Al-Samarrai. Raith is Chief Sports Feature writer at the Daily Mail newspaper. Many also will know Riath, who has taken the place in covering golf from a now retired Derek Lawrenson.
Eiko Oizumi. Eiko is the AGWs first member from Japan. Eiko is well-known in being in attendance at many Open Championships and the other three men’s majors along with a similar attendance at women’s golf tournament. She is editor-in-chief of Golf Global Japan.
Andrea Vecelli. Andrea joins the AGW with very strong credentials along with similar strong proposer and seconder comments. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Italian-based Golf and Turismo Magazine.
Michael Weston. Michael is currently a contributing editor at Golf Monthly, having joined the magazine in 2008.
In welcoming them into the AGW it is also a timely reminder to all members that if there is a fellow golf writer that any member thinks would make for a good member of the AGW, then please do email the Secretary for an application form.
2023 ANNUAL SUBS NOW DUE
After the celebratory news, a reminder to all members 65-years or under that your annual subscription fee of £50 or sterling equivalent is now due.
I have attached a form outlining details of the AGWs banking details (including PayPal) so if you’re uncertain please refer to the document.
Our dear Treasurer will be pleased to hear from you.
A note also if any member would like a copy of the AGWs ‘Forgive Us Our Press Passes’?
The cost is just £10 or equivalent so please get in contact with our Treasurer at email email hidden; JavaScript is required%20">email hidden; JavaScript is required and also please cc John Hopkins on your email at email hidden; JavaScript is required">email hidden; JavaScript is required who is happily baby-sitting copies of the book.
IAN RIACH PASSES AWAY
Sad news in learning of the passing of an AGW member with Ian Riach passing away in January earlier this year.
Ian was born in 1937, a year prior to the AGW was founded and lived in Glasgow where he passed away aged 85.
He was a sports writer for the Scottish Sunday Express and joined the AGW in 1987 meaning he had been a proud member for 36-years
His wife Irene indicated Ian passed away two months shy of their 60th wedding anniversary.
AGW Chairman Martin Dempster offered a tribute to Ian that appears on the AGW website and you can click on: https://www.agwgolf.org/agw-member-ian-riach-1937-2023/
Please if anyone else would like to pay tribute to Ian then please do so.
SHOCK NEWS WITH THE PASSING JOHN ‘JP’ PARAMOR
It came as a huge shock to those who knew former European Tour Chief Referee John Paramor to learn news of his passing.
On Friday 17th February 2023 the golf world lost a great friend in ‘JP’, as he was affectionately known.
Just over two years into a well-earner retirement and he succumb to the harshest ruling he’d ever faced.
‘JP’ was aged just 67.
Members of the AGW will recall the Association’s great honour, and ‘JPs’ equally great delight at our 2018 annual dinner at Carnoustie when we presented our ‘Outstanding Services to Golf’ award to John.
There were naturally many tributes from the four corners of the golfing world in the hours and days following the sad news however the tributes provided by Association members appear on the AGWs website.
If I can point out one tribute and that is from a fellow AGW Secretary in Mark Garrod. Mark writes in his tribute to ‘JP’ that both got married on the same day in 1977. Not only that, Mark actually drove by the church that JP was getting married at around the same time he was due to be married at another church not too far away.
Please click on: https://www.agwgolf.org/john-jp-paramor-passes-away-1955-2023/
If I have missed a tribute please email to advise.
JOHN PARAMOR – FUNERAL DETAILS – March 14
Members and AGW friends are advised the funeral service for former European Tour Chief Referee John Paramor will take place at 11am on Tuesday March 14 at East Hampstead Park Cemetery and Crematorium, within the Wellington Chapel.
East Hampstead Park Crematorium
South Road,
Nine Mile Ride,
Bracknell RG40 3DW.
Due to the large number of guests expected it is advised you please arrive by 10.45am as parking will be limited.
Please also note there will be a reception to follow at the East Hampstead Park Hotel, located off Peacock Lane, Wokingham, RG40 3DF.
For those of you unable to attend in person, the family have arranged for a Live Webcast to broadcast the service on the day, in addition to supplying a watch-again facility for those unavailable on March 14.
Below you will find the Username and Password for this Live Webcast along with the times it will be available to view on the day. It is recommended you do that in plenty of time before the service during the service window you will be automatically redirected to the Live Webcast of the service.
Webcast sign on details:
Username: hati9435
Password: 236566
Service viewing time: 10.55am – 12.15pm (UK time) on Tuesday March 14
Once the viewing window has passed, the Webcast will automatically close and a message will appear saying: ‘This funeral service has now finished.’ The aim is to get the watch again Webcast back online on a week later – on Tuesday March 21 – where it will be available to view until Sunday April 23 using the same login information.
Finally, as you will see from this link – https://johnparamor.muchloved.com/ – there is a request for family flowers only. However, any monies raised via donation in lieu of flowers in John’s memory, will go to The Thames Hospice.
If you wish to donate, please open the link above and go to the purple ‘Donate’ button on the right-hand side of the page.
151st OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP – AGW MEMBER GUEST TICKETS – Don’t wait, order now!
The R & A is very early in advising the AGW that those members looking to obtain guest passes for July’s 151st hosting of The Open can do so now.
As was the practice last year, the R & A will no longer issues ‘Weekly’ tickets, they are all individual day tickets which will be distributed via The Open Ticket App.
AGW members will again will require the use of their mobile to access their tickets. They can then be easily transferred to their guest via the App.
However, the R & A advised that only half of the tickets allocated to members of the AGW last year were scanned at the entrance gate.
The R & A is pointing out this may lead to the Association’s allocation being reduced in future years and so to avoid this, the AGW stresses that if you should only request tickets for the days in which they will be used.
So, that message is clear – only order guest tickets for those who know will use them to attend The Open!
NOW THE FOLLOWING IS ALSO IMPORANT …..If AGW member would like to request a guest ticket, they should immediately contact Mary Flanagan at email address: email hidden; JavaScript is required with their email address, mobile telephone number and which days they require the guess tickets.
AND if you have any additional questions, please email Mary.
AGW CHRISTMAS HAMPER – THANK YOU NOTES
I recall each year writing in an AGW newsletter around this time of a New Year, to direct our ‘active’ members to messages on the AGW website from our more ‘senior’ members along with the partners to those whose members who are deceased, and who have written expressing their enormous gratitude in receiving each year an AGW Christmas hamper.
It is no different this year and if you wish to know what it means to our fellow members just how much joy a hamper continues to bring at Christmas then please click on: https://www.agwgolf.org/agw-2023-christmas-hampers-members-agw-friends-thank-you-notes/
AGW 2023/24 HANDBOOKS HEADING TO THE PRINTER
Advice to AGW members and our friends the AGW 2023/24 handbook will soon be headed to the printer.
If you have changed any of your working and/or contact details in the past year or so, and have not advised the AGW, then now is the time to do so, and for the changes to appear in the handbook.
Please drop the Secretary an email: email hidden; JavaScript is required">email hidden; JavaScript is required
AGW PRESIDENT LEWINE MAIR – SPEAKING IN ST. ANDREWS – 23rd March
AGW President, Lewine Mair is guest speaker at 7pm on March 23rd at the R & A World Golf Museum in St. Andrews.
Lewine will be proudly sharing the story behind her recently released book ‘Tapping Feet’ and her husband’s and fellow AGW member Norman’s experience of dementia.
Full details and also where you can obtain entry tickets click on: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/museum-lectures-lewine-mair-tickets-551542447307
Wishing Lewine well for the evening.
AGW MEMBERSHIP MILESTONES IN 2023
In this 85th year anniversary of the AGW the Association is also proud to note the achievements of some of oldest members.
GWAA ANNUAL AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Our sister body the GWAA has announced details of their yearly awards that will be presented at the Association’s annual dinner during Masters week.
Full details click on: https://www.gwaa.com/beall-shipnuck-tarde-lead-way-in-2023-gwaa-writing-contest/
Hearty congratulations to double AGW/GWAA member Jerry Tarde who was awarded first-place honours in Non-Daily Columns category for his article which ran in Golf Digest’s September 2022 issue.
VIREN VARMA SENDS BEST WISHES
A final note to say your Secretary and other AGW members, were delighted to meet-up at the recent Hero Dubai Desert Classic with the former long-time tournament press officer, Viren Varma.
Viren wished me to extend his best wishes to all his friends at the AGW.
I’m sure there is a few members still wearing one of the many shirts Viren kindly handed out to the visiting media
You can reach Viren at email: email hidden; JavaScript is required">email hidden; JavaScript is required
Until the next AGW newsletter
Good golfing
Bernie,
Secretary
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