GOLF


We have a plan and a vision of how it should look and, alongside the


experts, I’m sure they will deliver the end result


R&A in 1997. During his long career, Jim Arthur was an advisor to more than 550 golf clubs in Britain and Europe. He had a reputation for plain-speaking, and his consistent theme was that the traditional methods are the simplest and most effective, both in terms of condition and cost. “Firstly, I have to mention Geoff Mills at Exeter who was absolutely brilliant, and he is still a good friend now, and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”


“Secondly, Jim Arthur, of all people, was a very good friend of mine. Where my parents lived in Budleigh, which is a stone’s throw from the course, the girl who wrote up all of Jim’s notes when he was doing his agronomy lived opposite my parents. So, when I came back to Budleigh, I asked her if she would have a word with Jim for me as he had a fallen out with my club; as he did with several clubs back in the day. He originally came back and said he didn’t want to be


involved but, a month later, I received a call from him. He’d had a change of heart and said he would love to walk the course with me and have a chat. We did this many times over the years and, even though he was retired, he gave up his time for me. We became good friends; he was a top bloke and I owe a lot to him. We didn’t agree on everything. He always felt I was cutting the greens to low; he was very much a Fescue man and I was a golfer; I wanted


 


 


 


 





 


  


 


   


  


 


PC April/May 2020 15


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