JIM FARMER NOW A FIVE-STAR
PROFESSIONAL - OFFICIAL

Former PGA Cup captain Jim Farmer, pictured right, honorary professional to the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, was one of four recipients honoured as ProSport Media Five-Star Professionals at the PGAs of Europe annual presentation dinner in Spain.
The winners are decided by a panel of judges from nominations forwarded by member PGAs and individuals, based on career performance beyond the call of duty, either over a lengthy period or for one or more outstanding achievements.
Three awards went to PGA professionals from full member countries and one to a PGA professional from an international member country (i.e located outside of Europe.)
Ian Randell, the PGAs of Europe chief executive, who announced the four winners and read out their citations, emphasised how the scheme illustrated the wide and varied opportunities available to the modern PGA professional.

Full Members

JIM FARMER (Honorary Professional, Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews):
“As an individual player… an international team player…a winning international Team Captain…a national coach… an administrator…and, since 2006, Professional to the world’s most famous golf club…this gentleman has literally done it all.
“As a young player, dating back nearly 30 years, he won prestigious titles on what became known as Scotland’s Tartan Tour before becoming the PGA Club Professional Champion in 1983.
“He represented GB&I in the PGA Cup four times as a player, and was on the winning side twice. This eventually led to his being captain of the team in 2005 when GB&I scored a most memorable victory over the Americans.
“For eleven years, between 1975 and 1986, he was Scotland’s National Coach while, on the purely administrative side, he has been chairman of the Scottish Regional Committee, a member of the PGA executive committee and, for eight years, on the PGA Board.”

PAUL DELLANZO (European Development Director, Troon Golf)
“Before he qualified as a PGA professional in 1979 in Canada he served as police officer in Liverpool, Bermuda and Toronto. After that his golfing career virtually went into orbit, and has remained there.
“He opened and managed some of the world’s great private clubs and resorts as Director of Golf at Whistler Resort, Canada, Head Professional at East Sussex National, Golf Consultant at Dubai Creek and from there he went to Loch Lomond and on to the role of General Manager at Doha Golf Club Qatar.
“Most recently he was General Manager for Starwood Hotels and Resorts at Pevero Sardinia where he introduced the PGAs of Europe Championship.Because of his executive skills he was recruited by Troon Golf where he has built up the European Portfolio from one course four years ago to the 25 courses for which he is responsible today.
“They include such successful clubs as Turnberry, The Grove, Vilamoura along with courses under development such as Monte Rei, (Portugal,), Castiglon Del Bosco, (Italy) and Navarino Resort in Greece.”

MIKE O’BRIEN (Head of Education, PGA of Poland)
“ He arrived in Poland 10 years ago as a young professional to help develop the sport in a very young golfing country. As a player he enjoyed considerable success until last year when, unfortunately, he was forced to abandon his playing career for health reasons. Although very British he has mastered the Polish language and, what is more important, he understands the Polish mentality extremely well.
“Four years ago it was decided that we had to change the system of golf education by putting it under the guidance of the Education Committee of The PGA of Europe. This year they have completed the first three-year course and are proud to present Fully Qualified PGA Professionals…’Made in Poland’. “
“He has done a great job…all in his own spare time and free of charge …the PGA of Poland would not be where it is today without his support and hard work. ”

International Member

DALE HAYES (‘The Peter Alliss of South Africa’)
“Here we have a winner for whom the term ‘Five-Star’ is actually an understatement. Were there a Ten-Star Award he would win one of those, too.
“ In 1971 he won the Spanish Open at the age of 18 and thus became the youngster-ever winner on the European Tour. Thirty-six years later the PGA of South Africa made him their first recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The years between have been simply a case of one outstanding service or another being performed on behalf of golf and golfers…far too many, indeed, to list in detail here.
Tournament Player… Club Professional… Golf Magazine Publisher…Events Manager… Raconteur… Golf Journalist…Golf Commentator… TV presenter… Golf Course Designer….Dale Hayes’ contribution to the game is beyond question.”

Past winners of 5-Star Professional Awards include Bernard Gallacher, Alex Hay, Dave Thomas, Mickey Walker, John Jacobs, David Huish, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and many more distinguished PGA professionals operating in a variety of fields and regions.