Right: kieran
O’Brien and Rick Taylor at the Walker Cup
Left: The 17th Harold Hitlon Medal
those who played with me to represent Hoylake. The St Andrew’s Dinner as usual
with the centenary at The Country Club, Brookline, of the remarkable US Open victory of Francis Ouimet. Four of our members were able to attend for the week, play several rounds of golf and enjoy the victory in the U.S. Amateur of Matthew Fitzpatrick. He was the first Englishman to win the US Amateur since Harold Hilton in 1911. September brought the main events of
my year which entailed two and a half weeks in the U.S.A. and Canada. Our hosts at the Walker Cup at the National Golf Links of America at Southampton, Long Island, New York were the USGA. All British Clubs who had hosted the Walker Cup were invited to send representatives to the 44th match at a truly splendid golf course with spectacular scenery which had hosted the first Walker Cup in 1922. The National was conceived and founded in 1909 by Charles Blair MacDonald assisted by Seth Raynor. The design was inspired by many of the golf holes that MacDonald played both as a student at St Andrew’s University, in the mid 1870s, and subsequently when he travelled to England and Scotland on business in the late 19th century. The hospitality afforded by the USGA including two rounds of golf at neighbouring clubs, East Hampton and Sebonack, and a superb dinner following the flag raising ceremony and presentation of the teams, will be hard acts to follow for the hosts of the next two Walker Cups in Britain: Royal Lytham in 2015 and ourselves in 2019. Sadly, the British team was well beaten but nonetheless it was a memorable occasion. The Taylors and O’Briens, with whom
we travelled to the Walker Cup, were accommodated in lavish style about four miles from the course in Southampton by Michael Kane, an RLGC overseas member, and a Walker Cup regular. The house slept ten and Michael had brought a chauffeur and housekeeper so for five nights in perfect weather, with swimming pool and hot plunge bath, we were entertained in luxury not encountered on the Wirral. After the Walker Cup we had two days at the rather lower standard Southampton Inn and then travelled via New York to Vancouver. Here we enjoyed three very pleasant days sightseeing with the Royal Birkdale representatives before moving
was a superb testament to the catering skills of our House Manager and his team with over one hundred and fifty members in attendance. Happily the club schedule over the Christmas/New Year period was not a demanding one on me as Captain and I was able to visit Melbourne to see my new born grandson and with rather less delight the demise of the England cricket team in the 4th Ashes Test. On a very pleasant Sunday morning
the annual match, Men v Ladies, took place with a narrow victory for the men, only the second time in the last ten years. I would like to thank the Captain of the Ladies, Geraldine Hamer, for her friendly support throughout the year
The main event of my year entailed two and a half weeks in the U.S.A. and Canada for the Walker Cup
to Victoria on Vancouver Island for the Royal Colwood Centenary celebrations. They too were marvellous hosts with four days’ golf and a gala dinner for the forty-two Royal Clubs represented. The Royal Colwood course was a very good test of golf with the customary speed of North American greens and also heavily tree lined fairways which were not good news for a Hoylake hacker! After twenty-four hours travel back to the Wirral, it was business as usual as within ten hours of reaching home I was on the tee at Royal Birkdale for our annual match. Although the team lost narrowly, I had almost my best round of golf for the year. That was the only official inter-club Captain’s match that we lost in the year, so well done to all
and I wish both my successor, Alistair Beggs, and Jeanne Bell as Captain of the Ladies, a most enjoyable year, especially in view of the excitement of The Open in July. The links have been maintained in
wonderful order for the whole year, so full marks to Craig Gilholm and his team and I wish them good growing conditions in the lead up to The Open. I hope all members will show patience and give the Club and its officers the support that this event deserves and help keep Royal Liverpool at the pinnacle of the sport. For my part, I would like to thank
our Secretary, David Cromie, and all the Club staff for making my time as Captain such an enjoyable one. ■
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB 2 014 MAGAZINE
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