Cardiff Golf Club 100  

 

Once I had accepted an offer to study at a University in Cardiff the next imperative was my desire to join Cardiff Golf Club.

Fortunately, my father knew Nick John Senior and a number of other members so I was duly proposed etc.

With a great sense of timing I then managed to win the Silver Bowl in 1968, the week after underwent a very formal interview in the old committee room and happily was then invited to become a member!

 

Club Championships

 

In 1970 I reached my first Club Championship Final v D Nigel Jones - big crowds would follow these finals in those days and a couple of hundred people, all of whom were of course supporting DNJ - son of the Secretary Merlin Jones and part of the famous CGC Jones dynasty.

 

I was relatively unknown to most members and on that day could rely on just 2 supporters, my Mum & Dad!

 

The gallery were very kind to me but obviously and understandably wanted Nigel to win and so when with me 4 up on 14th (32nd hole in pm) I was just off the green to the right for 2, walked purposefully onto the green, removed the flag and then holed the chip for a birdie 3 to win 5&4 over 36 holes, there was a moment of silence, before polite applause ensued!

 

Happily, I have been good friends with DNJ ever since, though he has never forgiven me!

From that point on we would generally play the Championship qualifying together but never again met in a final.

 

Nigel, of course is now our very well-respected Club President, continuing the long line of service the Jones family have given to CGC and remains a fearsome and talented golfer who regularly “beats his age”.

 

I managed to play in 12 finals in all, winning six and of course losing six!

 

They all blend into each other now and memories fade but I do remember being soundly beaten by a young Philip Gwyther, a golfer of true talent who has probably never fully realised the talent he has.

 

I also recall Brian Ollier beating me well, he was never very long but he was so steady, a delightful man and putted me to defeat.

 

I was very fortunate that my good friend and neighbour Roger Sanders would often caddy for me if I made the final.

In 1981 Roger was elected Captain of the Club and he very kindly asked me to be his Vice Captain.

It also so happened that I made the Championship final that year against Terry Melia.

Roger being Captain was of course refereeing the final so not able to caddy for me.

 

I recently came across the score card of that match and looking back it must have been a really good close game as both our figures were around level par after 18 with the match all square.

After lunch I recall hitting the 3rd green in regulation but a long way from the hole - I then somehow holed for a birdie from a distance and Roger, forgetting he was the impartial Referee not caddy, shouting out a loud and excited “well done Andy” before realising his mistake and quietly reverting to the formality of refereeing !

 

 

 

 

 

In another final I found myself playing Tony Davies and he had his close friend and good golfer Steve Hudd as his caddy.

They obviously had a plan, as following the first tee shots I set off down the first fairway and arrived at my ball to look back and see that Tony and Steve were only just leaving the tee!

And so it went on, Tony played at a snail pace making me wait on every shot. Of course, knowing I played quite quickly this was a definitive plan to disrupt my game and it did as I think I found myself 6 down after the first 9 - however I then cooled down got him back to all square at lunch and eventually won!

 

Team Golf

 

One of the many outstanding features of CGC in the early 1970’s was the makeup of the Club, it was a Club based around some central families, the Pugsley family, Hales, Sanders, Merlin Jones, Lyndon Jones, Godfrey, John, Coffin, Hentons and others …..which gave the Club a special family atmosphere that I had not previously experienced. Many of these families produced good golfers who played for the Club.

 

 

 

In the early 1970’s CGC had a number of very competitive golfers - the 1st team would comprise such names as Paddy Hales, a Welsh International , ABM, Tom & Jim Rickard, Robin Pugsley, Nick Gareth Jones, Bill Stevenson - sometimes Laurence Godfrey, David & Brian Lyndon Jones, David Burnett, Richard Livermore, Peter Hales, Brian Ollier

 

1st team matches would draw a crowd of 50/60 members  for home games and if it was a local derby against say Whitchurch,  even more people from both Clubs would be lining the fairways by the time you got to the 17th.

 

As well as those on the course, as you played the 18th if the match was still in progress, you would look towards the clubhouse and see further support as next to the old putting green and just beyond the site of the old Professional Shop facing the 18th green were some wooden benches where some of the older members, probably younger than I am now, would sit and watch shots into the green.

They would wager 6d to see if players hit the green or not - they were wise Cardiff members and would always tell you that they invariably made money by betting on the golfer missing the green!

 

Never play the Rickard brothers together, was a rule I quickly came to adhere to when arranging pairings. They were both great golfers but infinitely more effective when in different foursome pairings.

This was well illustrated at Langland Bay when because of work they were delayed and arrived at  LB after 7pm. The Captain of LB had agreed to the late start of that game and so of course they were the last pair out.

Fate decreed that the state of the match was 1-1 and the Rickards had a putt to win.

They were both standing over the putt looking at the line and when  Tom said “inch outside hole” and Jim said “I agree” my heart lifted and began to think we were going to win the match until Jim then added “an inch outside the left” and Tom instantly replied “no an inch outside the right” …… a long argument followed and I have omitted the numerous swear words!!

I was shouting “hit it straight” - but of course, the indecision led to the putt being missed and we lost the match!

 

Tom especially, was an excellent golfer, a huge talent, great iron player & excellent putter - a good partner but he did sometimes play to win at all costs!

I recall he went through a phase of using controlled 5 irons to play the 18th even though he could hit it with a wedge as he was a  long hitter of the golf ball although not in the same league as De Chambeau!

Jim was probably not as good a player as Tom but still very capable and a good foursomes partner.

 

 

 

When I joined the Club my first partner was Robin Pugsley before he moved away, and after that I played a lot with Paddy and Tom.

Robin Pugsley sadly died at a very young age leaving his wife Mary Jane and a young family. Happily as time went on Mary Jane formed a close friendship with a friend of mine, John Jermine and so I have been able to keep in touch with MJ and because John and I were both involved with the Ryder Cup even travelled to the USA together.

 

Playing with Paddy was always a great privilege. He hit the ball very high and long and so could easily clear the trees lining many of the fairways, giving me sight of parts of the course that were not familiar to me.

 

In later years I played with a very young up and coming golfer, Richard Johnson, son of Peter our resident Professional. Richard went on to play for Wales and eventually turned professional in America.

One year when I was visiting the US Masters at Augusta, Richard (who was a University student in Augusta) was playing in a college tournament and I was able to search him out and go and give him some ‘Welsh’ support.

 

Towards the end of the swinging 60’s and early 70’s two of our team players were both the owners of very fast and fancy sport cars - Nick G Jones had a Ferrari and Dick Livermore another sports car of some kind, so as you can imagine they were always popular with the rest of us who were looking for a lift to an away match.

Sadly, most of the time they could not get golf clubs in their cars, so unless somebody else transported the sets of clubs, they travelled alone.

 

Tom Bowles was a very popular and thoughtful Match Captain.

There was one occasion at an away match when somebody cried off at the very last minute and as a reserve could not be contacted, we invited Tom to play!

As his clubs were in his car he jumped at the opportunity and was always very proud in future years telling everyone who would listen, that he was a “first team player” for Cardiff Golf Club.

 

One year, returning from a Swansea league match late on a Friday evening, I was driving along Jersey Marine and other players in the car started shouting at me to drive at the same speed and right alongside a coach travelling in the same direction - I later found out that those in the coach were watching a naughty film on a screen and the guys in my car could see the pictures !

 

Welsh Team Championships and Victory Shield (Welsh foursomes inter club championship) events were also very well supported when matches were often played at neutral venues.

 

In one exceptional case when we, the CGC team, were relaxing in a hotel overlooking Royal St Davids GC in Harlech, North Wales and had telephoned the Club to report our victory and progress to the next round, we were dumbfounded when a fellow member who was in the Bar at CGC when he heard the news, some hours later suddenly walked into the hotel bar expressing his desire for a pint!

He had become so excited at the news and being in what could only be described as “a reasonably well oiled state” had jumped in his car and driven for 3-4 hours to come and see us with no overnight bag or reservation!

He thoroughly enjoyed his stay although I am not sure his wife concurred when she received a phone call the following morning telling her where he was! (TC)

 

 

One year Terry Melia and I were playing a Victory Shield foursomes at Royal Porthcawl GC, v Pontypool - it was a big game for the Club, foursomes golf with many spectators from both Clubs.

Some pretty good golf was being played, putts being holed and somehow in the excitement of the match the Pontypool pair had switched their order with neither us the players, or the crowd watching, noticing what had happened!

Somewhere around the 9th tee I suddenly realised I was driving against Chris Steadman when I had started out driving against Glyn Davies. The match was halted whilst we consulted rule books etc to understand the penalty. Eventually the rules were invoked and Cardiff ran out the winners!

 

Team matches were generally always followed by supper and a few beers in the Club and if it was a Friday night there would sometimes be time to repair to the Men’s bar and sing a few songs around the piano with Roger Sanders playing requests.

 

 

 

That reminds me of a famous day in our Clubs history!

 

Many years later and by this time I had become a member of the Royal and Ancient GC of St Andrews - I was attending the annual S Wales Coast Captains Dinner in a central Cardiff hotel. It was customary for the Captain of the R&A , dressed in all his finery of formal red tail jacket, white tie and medals, to speak at that Dinner, so when all the formalities had ended and knowing him quite well I invited him back to CGC with a few of us who were returning for a final drink.

 

At first he declined but then changed his mind and joined us in a taxi, enjoying a beer or two on arrival at our Club.

 

Of course the piano came out with Roger playing and I can still see the image of “the famous red jacket” flung over the back  of a chair, the white bow tie undone and the R&A Captain singing around the piano, thoroughly enjoying a night of relaxation before returning to his hotel and progressing the next morning to his next engagement, wherever in the world that may have been.

 

Whenever we met after that evening, he would always express his huge delight and good memories of that visit.

 

 

General stories relating to Cardiff Golf Club

 

Green keeper suppers were always a great night of celebration when we wined and dined the Greenkeepers to thank them for their industry and loyalty over the golfing year.

The younger Greenkeepers would often arrive at the bar pretty early and on more than one occasion did not see out the conclusion of the evening!

 

 One for the memory was when the Vice Captain of the day arranged for a Variety Act involving a ‘singer’ draped with large snakes to perform for the members. It was generally felt the evening entertainment to be a little downmarket for CGC and some of the more senior members made their displeasure and disgust very obvious by staging a walk out!

 

Bonfire night was always a great event with memories of members and greenkeepers building the bonfire next to the 17th fairway, tossing the guy onto the fire and setting off fireworks while trying to keep members and their children at a safe distance.

This was in the days before health and safety restrictions were in place which was probably why i recall a number of occasions when fireworks did not quite fire in the planned direction ! 

At the conclusion of the fireworks there was always much sliding around the wooden floor in the old lounge extension by children simultaneously eating hot dogs.

 

Bank holiday Monday’s were another day when children would rule the Club, again sliding around the old lounge extension area while parents enjoyed a not so quiet drink.

 

Christmas children parties were also always in the old lounge extension with children pinned against the windows trying to be the first to see Father Christmas appearing out of the gloom and  up the first fairway.

A certain Dai Amos, undoubtedly the finest Father Christmas, once asked one of his young pupils what she thought of her headmaster and then doing the reverse on the Monday am, asking the same pupil in school what she thought of Father Christmas at the golf club!

 

Of course, blissfully unaware, positive comments were received to each query.

 

Christmas Carol concerts were also always well supported with Muriel Lewis playing the piano, Malcolm Pearce conducting and always the Twelve Days of Christmas on repeat.

 

Toboggan runs during snowy winters were a good way of utilising the course when golf was not possible

A good run was down the 11th fairway but a better one started on the 1st fairway before turning right before the 2nd green (there were no trees around the green then) and careering down the slope across the 4th fairway to finish almost level with the 5th green - turning right was the tricky bit and frequently caused a spill meaning a trudge up the slope to start again.

 

Of course, when we experienced really severe snowy winters, those living close to the Club were obliged to support the Club by enjoying a pint of beer or two and so enjoyed the occasional ‘snow lockdowns’.

One particularly bad year we were all marooned at home for some weeks and only a small number could walk to the Club but we had some epic nights in the old Men’s bar with indoor golf, putting and of course a few songs.

Who knew there was a marked slope to the floor in the old bar requiring about a 2 inch borrow! On one especially raucous and hugely enjoyable evening, I am afraid to report that one “over trained” member failed to even leave the Club, having to bed down for the night in the bar!

Any attempt at walking home would undoubtedly have put his life in danger!

 

The Late Sunday morning School then had many good golfers who would play most weeks so competitive golf was available throughout the winter, despite the course condition.

 

I painfully remember one Sunday morning, on the 8th hole, naughtily walking ahead of my partner, towards one Alun Priday on the adjacent fairway, when my partner hit me in the back with a not so well hit 3 wood!

Even though I lived in Cardiff I was still a loyal Newport RFC supporter - a black and amber - however after the blow and to the delight of Prid I was soon physically black and blue for weeks!

 

The annual PGA Dinner at The Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane was always a good trip.

Peter Johnson, our Professional at the time, would arrange for a small party, perhaps 2 or 3 car loads to leave early in the morning and drive up to London.

We would break the journey and play golf at Wentworth before changing into our black tie and enjoying the dinner.

The tricky bit for the drivers was driving home after the Dinner and I recall one occasion when one car broke down somewhere around the Severn Bridge and one Volvo had to tow another Volvo back to Cardiff, with all the occupants dressed in their Dinner suits, it was a good job it was late and we were not stopped!

 

1981 - whichever Club Secretary we had at that time - it was when we were going through a bad period with Club Secretaries and this one turned out to be a secret “tippler”.

 

I was Chair of Green at the time and life was most frustrating as the Secretary would swear he had completed a task but never did, making my life very difficult.

On his departure however we found numerous empty spirit bottles hidden around the office and the Club generally, which explained a lot.

 

One tricky task Roger and I found we had to do was work out the winner of that years Aggregate Trophy, not usually a problem in a well run office - however on this occasion we found all the season’s score cards spread around the office, hidden in the cellar and in other store rooms and spent an afternoon and evening having to put into order every medal card from every competitor throughout the season, prior to declaring the winner.

 

During the 1970’s and 80’s the Golf Club would receive regular visits from the local constabulary. A Police car and sometimes more than one police car would park in the corner of the car park, the police would enter through the trade entrance and sit around the corner from the bar, between the bar and the kitchen and enjoy a beer or two.

This would be a regular occurrence, would occasionally stop for a while when a new Inspector or similar was appointed and then resume when things settled once more.

 

 

 

The Club has staged many Welsh Professional Championships over the years when members had the opportunity to see some famous golfers playing the course.

It was good to see how some of the top golfers of the day such as Ian Woosnam, Brian Huggett, Craig Defoy, David Llewellyn and many others would play our course.

 

I can vividly remember one year watching Woosie play the 8th on consecutive days, each day hitting his tee shot into approximately the same place. On the first day he hit a 6 iron with fade over the poplar trees to about 6 feet and holed for an eagle and the next day leaned over to ‘Wobbly’ his caddy and asked him what he did yesterday - when Wobbly said we hit a fade with a  6 iron Woosie straight away said “well lets hit a draw today” and proceeded to hit the same 6 iron with a draw, this time to about 8 feet and again holing for an eagle 3!!

Pure talent and huge skill from one of Wales’ most natural golfers.

 

In the 70’s the Welsh Golfing Union was looking for ways to test their potential international golfers and Radyr GC started the Radyr Salver , a 36 hole scratch event and soon after Cardiff started the Silver Feathers with the same format making a 72 hole weekend event.

Lawrence Godfrey and Paddy Hales did a lot of work on this and I took over in later years.

The tournament was well supported by top golfers for many years until changes in the golfing calendar caused it to revert to a club tournament.

 

I was first co opted to the Green committee in 1972 when John Sanders was Captain and then elected to the General Committee in 1974.

 

I always elected to sit on the Green Committee and initially John asked me to look after “trees and new planting”, of which we did a lot in the 1970’s

As throughout the history of the Club, because the underlying soil was clay we also worked extensively on drainage of greens and fairways.

Albert Francis was a great help on technical matters as in those days he was a rep for one of the supply companies and would give us his professional advice gratis. We also had a good contact with machinery purchases as most were arranged through Birds in Cowbridge. Roger Bird and his brother were both golfers.

Roger is now the President of RPGC and the site of the old Birds showroom now a Waitrose supermarket.

 

My 10 - 12 years on the General Committee at CGC were very valuable to me, I learnt a lot from people such as George Coffin, Merlin Jones, Nick John Senior, Malcolm Pearce etc and had a thoroughly enjoyable year in 1981 as Vice Captain to Roger.

 

However those years also clarified my thoughts that smaller more focussed committees with individuals in specific targeted roles was the way forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABM golfing story in fact form!

 

Captain Monmouthshire Boys, 1965 and South Wales Boys, 1966

 

Captain Monmouthshire County Men 1971, twice winner of County Championship

 

Represented Universities Athletic Union, English & Welsh Universities

 

Non playing Captain first Welsh Boys Team, 1972

 

Elected Council Welsh Golfing Union, 1979

 

Chairman Welsh Selectors, 1984 - 93

 

Chairman Championship Committee European Team Champs at RPGC, 1989

 

Member of the Council of National Golf Unions, 1992 - 95

 

President, Welsh Golfing Union in Centenary Year 1994-1995, youngest person to hold that office.

Wales hosted Walker Cup at RPGC with Tiger Woods playing for USA, GB& I successful

Hosted Centenary Banquet at City Hall Cardiff with guests from around the golfing world.

 

Represented GB&I on the Management Committee of the Ecology Unit of the European Golf Association based in Brussels, Belgium

 

R&A Golf Course Committee, 1994 - 97

 

Represented GB&I on Championship Committee of European Golf Association based in Lausanne Switzerland

 

Invited by Rhodri Morgan, First Minister Wales and Terry Mathews to join group preparing and later presenting Wales’ bid for Ryder Cup 

 

Chairman, Golf Development Wales, 2000 - 2012,  a partnership of WGU, WLGU, Ryder Cup Wales, the Sports Council of Wales and the PGA

 

Represented GB&I on Executive Committee of European Golf Association, 2002 - 2006

 

Board Member Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd, 2002 - 2011

 

Elected President Elect of European Golf Association, 2004- 2005 and then

 

President EGA,  2005 2007

 

Represented the European and African Zone on the International Golf Federation (formerly the World Amateur Golf Council) during which period golf was readmitted as an Olympic sport.

 

Non playing Captain European Amateur Golf Team playing v Asia Pacific Federation

2010 Bangalore India

2012 Portugal

2014 Bangalore India

 

Appointed by Welsh Government as a Board Member of Sport Wales 2011 - 2014

 

Awarded the Sir Henry Cotton Award for meritorious service to Junior golf by The Golf Foundation

 

Awarded Honorary Membership of the All Parliamentary Golf Group at a ceremony in The House of Lords

 

 

ABM Golfing Memories

 

I have been incredibly fortunate that my involvement with the game of golf has given me so many opportunities to travel the world and meet so many people.

I have tried to illustrate some of those memories here:

 

 

 

When I was Chairman of the Welsh Selectors it was obvious that the Wales golf team was often not always equipped to the same standard as other home nations and so in the early 1980’s we set out to change that and searched widely for a sponsor.

Eventually Addidas agreed to help us and to progress the deal asked me to meet their representative at the Dunlop Masters tournament at St Pierre in 1982.

 

Having arrived a little early I first watched some golf and then waited in the appropriate room and shortly in rushed a golfer who had just completed his round and was the aforesaid Addidas representative - a young Bernhard Langer!

He was delightful, very thorough and we arranged a deal very beneficial to the Welsh team.

 

In later years I was organising the European Young Masters tournament for the European Golf Association at Augsberg GC in Germany and was delighted when Bernhard Langer who lived close to the Club popped in to deliver encouragement and a masterclass to the young golfers from around Europe.

 

The 35th Ryder Cup was played in the USA at Oakland Hills GC Detroit. My wife and I were very fortunate to be asked to travel with the Official European Ryder Cup Team and so flew out with Virgin and attended all the official functions.

 

It was of course a great European win with Monty holing the winning putt - but all play masterminded by the European Captain, Bernhard Langer!

 

The Official Dinner etc that year was in the iconic Fox Theatre in Detroit and Cath and I found ourselves talking to 4 guys who were sitting next to us.

They were asking if we liked the music and asked us if we would like to go with them to a music night club after the event - sadly we had another formal event so had to decline the invitation which was a real missed opportunity as our new friends were ‘The Four Tops’, a very famous Motown group in the 60’s and 70’s.

What a chance we missed!

 

The flight home was more than memorable, Captain Langer, wearing the Virgin Flight Captains peaked cap and his victorious  team paraded the Ryder Cup around the plane from the time we took off until the time we landed.

 

 Monty was beaming, Sergio, Lee Westwood, Poulter and Darren Clarke were all being exceptionally noisy and all the players were enjoying large Magnums of champagne while Miguel Angel was dancing, drinking and chewing on the largest unlit cigar I have ever seen, seemingly all at the same time!

We have some great pictures of that journey home when nobody got any sleep.

 

How the players managed to get through their Press Conference on arrival at LHR will forever remain a mystery.

 

Finally for Mr Langer I was able to renew acquaintance yet again when he twice won the Senior Open at Porthcawl

 

What a gentleman he is and what a golfer.

 

 

Going back to the Adidas deal, as well as all the clothing, we also managed to obtain waterproofs, head covers, shoes, balls  and golf bags.

 

The Welsh team looked resplendent on the first tee at The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Muirfield, the venue for the Home Internationals that year.

I forget who was on the tee and driving first in the practice  round but could sense a minor commotion and whilst all the players looked absolutely fantastic in their matching kit, it appeared that we had supplied just about everything but not any tee pegs.

 

Normally that would not have been a particular problem but with no Professional Shop at the HCEG the situation required a car journey to Gullane to purchase a large bag of tees!

 

 

Welsh Golfing Union

 

For many years the Welsh Golfing Union functioned with just a part time Secretary but nevertheless fulfilled all its obligations.

 

This was so when I was first elected to the Council, I was considerably younger than anyone else at that time and new ideas were not always welcomed. However over the next few years a group of like minded people came together on the Council and began to effect change.

 

One of the first such changes was to appoint Craig Defoy as the National Coach and with his involvement we began to see success with Wales producing 4 Amateur Champions in the 1980’s and 90’s, a British Boys Champion and Wales being crowned European Team Champions.

 

A full time Secretary of the Welsh Golfing Union was appointed, we developed and built a permanent HQ in the grounds of what was then a really new hotel and golf course called the Celtic Manor, (little did we know what the future held for the CMR but what a good choice we made) and the game began to flourish with Wales often at the forefront of new ideas and developments.

 

The mens and women game in Wales certainly led the way in the UK when they became the first country to combine the Welsh Golfing Union and the Welsh Ladies Golf Union with that joint body now called Wales Golf.

Around 200 years of joint history came together and since then the joint body has gone from strength to strength with much work supporting Clubs to develop their management systems and become more efficient in what have been challenging times through the recessions of past years.

 

The 1991 Walker Cup at Portmarnock, Ireland was one to remember.

I was fortunate to be a guest and thoroughly enjoyed watching a stellar USA team win the match.

Amongst the two teams were some now famous names and future champions, Andy Coltart, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, David Duval and one young Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson was already a bit of a star and would show off his party trick which was pretty spectacular - hitting a full sand wedge backwards over his head!

Quite something to watch.

 

I was honoured to be asked to serve as President during the Centenary of the Welsh Golfing Union. A wonderful year during which we celebrated with Clubs around Wales, saw GB&I win the Walker Cup at Porthcawl and held a magnificent Centenary banquet at the City Hall with many important golfing and civic guests from America and all over Europe.

It was indeed a year to remember.

 

1995 was also the Centenary of the Royal Canadian Golf Association and I was delighted to be asked to attend their celebrations at the Royal Montreal GC where I presented the RCGA with a specially commissioned Love Spoon to commemorate their special birthday.

 

The US Open at Shinnecock Hills GC in 1995 was the Centennial US Open and I have great memories of that week as a guest of the USGA watching  Corey Pavin hit 2 wonderful shots to the 18th green to win.

 

The hospitality extended was magnificent and it was good to have Wales recognised amongst the golfing glitterati.

Woosie was in his prime and playing well and I remember watching him on a short hole when he was no more than 15 feet from the flag but was in the rough, the legendary rough that the USGA grow for a US Open! Even with all his power it took Woosie 2 huge hacks to move the ball onto the green. If I recall Woosie played well but the rough got the better of him that week.

 

At the conclusion of the Open I had to leave Long Island quite early in the morning to get back to JFK airport in New York. The USGA kindly agreed to lay on a car for me to get to the airport but imagine my surprise when a black stretch limo turned up to take me, sadly all alone sitting in the back of this wonderful motor with a bottle of champagne next to me.

To my eternal credit the champagne remained un opened!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ryder Cup

 

The Ryder Cup became a huge part of my life for more than 12 years. When I first went to a Ryder Cup at The Belfry you did not need a ticket, paid at the gate and parked within walking distance of the first tee. How things have changed.

 

The Terry Mathews / Wales bid to host in 2010 resulted in a great deal of hard work but was a magnificent occasion for Wales and golf in Wales.

 

As an integral part of our successful bid was the formation of Golf Development Wales allowing the game to be introduced into schools  and later instrumental in the merger of the mens and ladies game in Wales.

The creation of this development arm had been a dream of mine for many years but a lack of finance had always prevented its creation. However now and as part of Wales’ commitment to hosting the Ryder Cup the dream was realised and I was proud to lead GDW for the next 12 years.

 

The decade leading up to 2010 was full of excitement and preparation. Wales was obliged to fulfil the obligations to which we had committed when winning the bid and so golf development, staging Professional Tour events, maximising Wales’ business development and tourist industry all became essential pressures for Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd, the company set up to fulfil our bid commitments.

 

On numerous occasions I was tasked with taking the actual solid gold Ryder Cup to a Dinner or an event and so would worry terribly over the safety and security of the trophy, particularly at night.

The problem was solved when Cath and I agreed that the only safe place for the trophy was in bed with us!

I joke not, but practically of course it ended up on the floor next to the bed!

 

Another highlight was when we wanted to raise awareness of the Ryder Cup around the Clubs of Wales whilst also raising funds for Tenovus, the official charity of RCW 2010 Ltd.

The resultant trip was a helicopter ride around Wales, landing in as many Clubs as we could with the Ryder Cup and simultaneously collecting money for the charity.

Barry John, Bryn Terfel and other Welsh celebrities gave us massive support and one fellow American guest at one of the hotels in which we stayed en route just would not believe us that we were accompanied by the actual Ryder Cup.

Eventually I removed it from the hotel safe and showed him whereupon he immediately rang his company CEO in the USA, waking him from his nights sleep to boast what he was doing, before very kindly making a substantial donation to Tenovus!

 

Because of my involvement with the EGA and Ryder Cup Wales Cath and I were again fortunate to join the European team in 2008 en route to The Ryder Cup at Valhalla GC in Louisville Kentucky. This was not the most successful RC for Europe, we lost under Nick Faldo, but at the conclusion of this match the formal handover to the next venue, ie Wales and the Celtic Manor Resort took place so there was much promotional work to do.

 

Outside of the golf one of the highlights was a Reception and visit to the Muhammed Ali Centre in Louisville Kentucky, a new building with three floors dedicated to Ali and his boxing, his fight against induction to the US Army which was then involved in the war in Vietnam and his religious and social conscience and beliefs.

 

It was a magnificent insight into the great athlete and the principled man that he was.

After a most fascinating and illuminating look around the museum the highlight of the day came when, at the end of the Reception, we found ourselves to be in the presence of and meet the great man.

What an experience that was, he was not well by this time but still exuded an amazing aura to all those around him.

 

 

K Club, Dublin 2006

 

I cannot talk of Ryder Cups without talking of The K Club, Dublin in 2006, of course the famous “Darren Clarke” Ryder Cup as he was still mourning the loss of his wife and mother of his children.

 To say the Club was filled and alive with emotion that week is so much of an understatement, the atmosphere was electric with Europe of course recording an emphatic and famous win.

 

Cath & I were very fortunate on one of the days to be returning from the course in the same official car as Brian Huggett, the former Ryder Cup Captain and our Ryder Cup Wales, golfing Ambassador.

 

We arrived back to the hotel at the same time as Arnold Palmer and as Brian played his first ever Ryder Cup match against Palmer they were buddies and stopped to talk as we left our respective vehicles.

 

They were obviously enjoying this chat and both moved on to the hotel lounge asking Cath & I to join them……so there followed a magical 30 minutes for me just sitting and chatting to one of the worlds greatest golfers and a person with the reputation of being a true gentleman.

Arnold Palmer was that in every way and listening to his stories of games and championships over the years we were enthralled. A really magical and very special memory.

 

Eventually the great Arnold Palmer said he was feeling a little tired and was repairing to his room but did graciously allow some pictures with Cath and he signed a few things that we later auctioned for Tenovus, the cancer charity.

 

As he was leaving he asked me if I had a calling card which I did and so gave to him.

 

Some months later a large parcel arrived to the house, addressed to me and inside and to my huge delight and surprise was a full size replica Arnold Palmer putter which he had signed on the grip and with it a hand written note from the great man saying:

 

“Andrew, Hope you enjoy this putter,  Arnold”

 

It is a most treasured memento and memory.

 

 

 

 

 

The Masters

 

The Masters at Augusta National GC is the most amazing golfing venue imaginable and again I count myself so fortunate to have been able to attend The Masters on nine occasions with my first visit being in 1994.

 

I could write page after page about Augusta National, the quality of the course is perfect, the Clubhouse and surrounding buildings beautifully appointed, the par 3 course just out of this world and the excitement generated by the tournament gets under your skin in a way no other tournament manages to do.

 

When you enter Magnolia Lane it is like entering a different world, the Washington Road from which you turn into the gates is a typical scruffy American sprawl of shops, restaurants and businesses but enter Magnolia Lane, get past the burly security guards, pass through the large gates and you enter what is akin to a magical kingdom.

 

As you drive down Magnolia Lane the iconic yellow flower bed, comprising an outline of the USA with a Masters flag standing in the state of Georgia, appears and the rear of the Clubhouse comes into view.

The course is still invisible but round the bend and you get your first glimpse of the perfect velvety green sward that is the golf course and the giant Masters scoreboards familiar to all from TV coverage.

 

In front of the clubhouse the manicured lawn houses tables and chairs protected from the sun by green and white parasols. This is where the golfing world meets for seven days.

You can be sitting at a table and if there is an empty seat a green  jacketed Augusta member or one of the players or their families can enquire if the seat is free and join you on the table, have a beer or an iced tea and start up a conversation.

There were many occasions when despite the spectacular golf and golf course it was very hard to leave the lawn and those tables.

 

Being allowed access to the Clubhouse and lawn outside was an absolute privilege and the hospitality you receive and the parties to which you are invited simply special and wonderful.

 

We would often arrive early  for a magnificent breakfast in the Trophy Room before spending the  day wandering the course, marvelling at the azaleas and the scenery and watching the golf. A cocktail sitting on the lawn was an evening favourite and you would then see the mowers lined up in a V formation, that would make the Red Arrows proud, cutting the fairways as they swooped towards the clubhouse.

 

The course is very hilly but in absolutely perfect condition and the cheers and noise that follow a birdie or eagle can be heard easily from all areas and can often be pinpointed to a particular part of the course, be it the 12th/13th holes or 15th /16th  -  iconic holes, exciting holes which always offer the Patron something to cheer about, or to groan …. as the golf balls slip into the blue water of the hazard and the perils of Amen Corner are witnessed yet again.

As an invited guest we would have access to the course 30 minutes before other Patrons and so have the chance to site our green Masters chairs in the best spots, knowing that even if not used for some time they would remain in their chosen position.

 

This was especially useful for the final day when I often managed to get my chair into a front row position around the 18th green to watch the latest champion’s winning putt before fighting my way through the crowds of Patrons to the Putting green where as a guest and as dusk fell, I had a reserved seat to watch and be part of the trophy presentation ceremony.

 

The Par 3 tournament comes before the main championship with the players families often caddying and the children dressed in tiny white caddy suits running around behind their fathers and occasionally being given the chance to play or putt.

 

It is a complete amphitheatre set around the shimmering blue lake with the azaleas as the back drop, not only is it stunningly beautiful but the short holes are really well designed and pretty hard as the targets are so small.

Whilst the Patrons throng the area, you do get an occasional chance to be quite close to the players and what a privilege it was to watch the then traditional grouping of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus playing together and joking with the Patrons as they progressed around the course.

 

When I was first invited in the 1990’s there was an opportunity for visiting officials to enter a draw for the chance to play the Masters course on the Monday morning.

As you can imagine I was more than thrilled to be successful, play the course on two occasions and can testify to its severe test, especially as on the Monday am we were playing the actual Masters course with the greens at tournament speed.

 

I have good and not so good memories of my scores on different holes! !…….. but treasure the memory of a 3 on 12, another 3 from the sand on 16 and some epic challenges.

 

The tee shot on the first was a very nervy affair but I managed to hit a reasonable drive, the second shot was quite tough too as the quality of the fairway was as good as the best greens on which I had ever set foot and taking a divot from such a perfect sward seemed wrong!

 

What you don’t see on TV are the slopes of the fairways and greens, they are extraordinary and much more severe than the TV reveals!

More than once a ball I thought that was at last close to the hole, was gently rolling off the green when I looked again!

 

So I think you will have noted that I always thoroughly enjoyed a Masters visit.

 

My all time golfing hero has always been Gary Player and so you can imagine the thrill when one day as I was having breakfast in the Clubhouse, a voice said “Mr Morgan, would you mind if I join you for breakfast” and I instantly recognised Gary Player.

Of course he is just like us all and when the shock wore off a little, it was a golfing conversation like many others with him standing and showing me his latest swing theories to prevent his hook and discussing his famous fitness routines, even doing a one handed press up for me to admire!

He remains a hero and what a golfer.

 

The European Golf Association

 

The European Golf Association is the lead golfing organisation for countries across Europe and currently has 47 member countries.

It has grown hugely in recent years as more of the former Eastern bloc countries have developed the game and have recognised the economic development factors that golf can bring to an emerging economy.

 

The EGA runs many championships for girls, boys, women and men at all age groups and for individuals and teams.

 

They are very prestigious tournaments with the winner of the Men’s European Individual being invited to play in both The Open Championship and The Masters.

 

I have had the privilege of helping to run tournaments at courses across Europe, from Iceland to Portugal and from Ireland to Turkey and have met amazing people in all these venues.

 

Whenever I have had to say a few words at these tournaments I always tried to speak in the  local language and so generally needed to ask a ‘local’ to translate some words for me.

This always worked well until one time in Finland a friend played a joke and purposely mis translated  -  greatly amusing the assembled gathering - thereafter it became a rule that I asked a second opinion of the first translation!

 

 

 

 

The EGA in conjunction with the European Tour select a team of young junior golfers to play the USA in the Junior Ryder Cup as a precursor to the main event. As you can imagine this is a wonderful opportunity for those selected as they also have the chance to get inside the ropes for a Practice Day of The Ryder Cup and see their heroes in close up action.

 

When it came to the selection of the team in the years leading up to the Junior Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor, the EGA were searching for a non playing, responsible golfer to lead the side and I had the honour of nominating my pal Andy Ingram.

Happily he was awarded the role and did a great job.

 

Being elected President of the EGA from 2005 - 2007 was and remains a huge honour for me and for Welsh golf.

It was very challenging chairing meetings with representatives from so many different countries, dealing with people of very different attitudes and with such diverse golfing heritage and knowledge.

 

The Nordic members are very different from the Southern Europeans and both are very different from the Central Europeans and my colleagues from GB&I, while those from former Eastern bloc countries welcomed support in learning about the game and creating sound structures for their burgeoning Golfing Associations.

 

Whilst the role of President is largely an administrative one, there were a load of wonderfully rewarding moments and opportunities to travel.

 

On one occasion in Madrid I attended a reception with the King of Spain, and possibly more importantly Dinner with another “King of  Spain”  -  Sevy Ballesteros, a wonderfully energetic and charismatic man.

 

 I fulfilled an invitation to various meetings and tournaments in Israel where getting through customs with my golf clubs took me about 4 hours, in Istanbul when as I was speaking at a conference, shots were fired at the Turkish President 2 floors above which led to us being kept in our meeting room for some time, at the Centenary of Chantilly GC outside Paris, one of my favourite Clubs in Europe  and at a very emotional meeting in Germany when the German Golf Federation formally corrected their history at their Centenary AGM to recognise Past Presidents who had previously been ‘erased’ from the history books due to their religious belief.

 

It was wonderful to see golf booming in the Czech Republic, particularly at Marianske Lazne a famous spa town where Wales won their only European Team Championship, to enjoy a Boys  European championship at the picturesque Bled GC in Slovenia, to admit Kazakstan to the European golfing family and support Bulgaria to build more golf facilities.

 

Spain, Portugal and Italy were of course established golfing countries with some treasured old Golf Clubs and I recall some great times in Austria and The Netherlands.

 

Estonia rapidly developed a number of courses and produced some very talented players, whilst a real highlight was playing golf in Iceland outside Rejykavik - nine holes before midnight and nine holes after midnight on a course lined with lava rock - missing the fairway was not an option!

 

At another course there was a notice on the tee instructing you to only tee off at certain times as every 5 minutes to the second a lava eruption would explode just in front of the tee!

 

During the week of the championship there, we experienced every conceivable type of weather, from balmy sunshine to raging storms which eventually made play too dangerous! A staggeringly beautiful country.

 

Golf in Russia began to thrive before the Millennium and they now have around 30 courses with more under construction whilst the same is true of Belarus and Ukraine.

 

 

The financial support of the R&A was vital to many of these developing countries and they would join with the PGA of Europe who brought some extra funding from Ryder Cup Europe to arrange for established Golf Professionals to give Master classes and train new coaches whilst the EGA would try and ‘buddy’ the newer golfing nations with a more experienced country which already had developed sound administrative systems enabling those countries to develop at a greater pace.

 

The most prestigious team selected by the EGA is the European team to play in the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy which is a bi annual match against the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation.

The APGC team is selected from countries such as India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Hong Kong and all in between.

These days they can produce a formidable team and the match has seen some famous golfers compete in one of their first experiences of top class match play golf.

 

I was fortunate to be asked to take the role of non playing Captain of the Europe team on three occasions and as a visiting official to other matches so have been fortunate to attend matches in Japan, India, New Zealand, Qatar, Rome, Spain and Portugal.

 

Visiting Japan was a most enjoyable experience and learning first hand of their culture. We were hosted with typically generous Japanese hospitality including some very ancient ceremonies and were then shown the more modern side of Japan with a ride on the Bullet Train!

 

India was another hugely enjoyable experience, as you are immersed in this wonderfully vibrant, noisy, totally alien culture of people and animals - so so many people, some seemingly destitute while others are incredibly well off.

There are many good golf courses in India, many a legacy of the British. One of the most startling sights was the number of people working on and maintaining the golf courses, they would often be seen in multiple work parties of 20/30 people at a time, many of these would be women and often Clubs would purposely carry out tasks using people not machines simply to give work and a wage to those in need.

 

During a tv interview in India I was once asked about my home club in Wales and the facilities etc and when I mentioned the course was maintained with less than 10 greenkeepers the interviewer gasped in amazement as there clubs would employ hundreds of individuals.

 

The quality of golf in the Bonallack Trophy matches was of the highest standard and as well as some like Nigel Edwards who have remained amateur, many went on to make a name for themselves as Professional golfers and they include:

 

Jon Rahm, Jamie Donaldson, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Danny Willett, the Molinari brothers, Cameron Smith, Rory Mcilroy, Geoff Ogilvy, Shiv Kapur and Hideki Matsuyama to name but a few.

 

I was very fortunate to have a young Rory McIlroy in our team in Auckland New Zealand 2006,  the Molinari brothers in Rome 2004 and Jon Rahm in my team in 2012 when he could speak no English, but was a formidable golfer.  Now of course after attending an American college he is fluent with a great mid atlantic accent.

 

Playing against us in that match in 2012 was Cameron Smith from Australia and so it was interesting to watch he and Jon battle it out in the recent and much delayed 2020 Masters Tournament.

 

Being part of tournaments and matches such as this has been one of the great joys of my golfing involvement.

I have had the pleasure of watching these young players develop and mature, with some progressing to global prominence, however and possibly more importantly the majority becoming fine young men, great ambassadors for the game of golf.

​

​