GOLDEN MEMORIES OF FINLAY MORRIS AND RONNIE SHADE
E-mail from Michael J Monteith
Cape Breton, Canada
Congratulations on your stories about Ronnie Shade and Finlay Morris. Your comments about reviving the memory of a golfer who died almost 41 years ago, (43 years now), are very appropriate and I totally agree with you.
I met Finlay when he played at Dalmahoy in 1961, where he won the Richmond Cup. I'm not sure whether I was playing or just a spectator, at the time, but I was incredibly impressed with Finlay Morris (pictured right after he won the British boys championship).
I can still see his amazingly, long, fluent swing and remember the sound of the ball leaving the face of the club. You know how it is, to hear and see a ball hit that way. It just flies off the face.
But it was not only his golf that impressed; his whole demeanour, the way he handled himself, his self assurance, you could tell that he was destined to be a very successful golfer.
So impressed was I that I named my second son Findlay, in his memory. I did not know the correct spelling of his name and added the "d." I was shocked when I heard of his death and so sad.
I played with Ronnie Shade at Duddingston and was a great admirer of him. We were not great buddies, or anything, but we talked and played together, mostly in the friendly sweepstakes we would have on a Sunday morning. Or I should say, all day on a Sunday, because we all played golf all the time. Ronnie was a very good golfer and in all the time I played with him I never ever saw him miss a shot. I only ever managed to beat him once and that was in a club medal round where I set a course record.
Ronnie, pictured right, was playing in a group ahead that day and my brother was caddying for me. This was in 1960 or 1961, I'm can't be certain. When the yearly news letter was published, it listed myself, Mike Monteith, Ronnie Shade and Ewart Thomson , as course record holders.
Whenever, I play now, at my home course, Bell Bay, here in Canada, my mind always goes back to those days when we all played at Duddingston, and my memories of Ronnie inspire me to try as hard as i can.
Thank you, Colin for your wonderful stories in your series, "The Way They Were."
Michael J Monteith
Cape Breton,
Canada
Cape Breton, Canada
I met Finlay when he played at Dalmahoy in 1961, where he won the Richmond Cup. I'm not sure whether I was playing or just a spectator, at the time, but I was incredibly impressed with Finlay Morris (pictured right after he won the British boys championship).
I can still see his amazingly, long, fluent swing and remember the sound of the ball leaving the face of the club. You know how it is, to hear and see a ball hit that way. It just flies off the face.
But it was not only his golf that impressed; his whole demeanour, the way he handled himself, his self assurance, you could tell that he was destined to be a very successful golfer.
So impressed was I that I named my second son Findlay, in his memory. I did not know the correct spelling of his name and added the "d." I was shocked when I heard of his death and so sad.
I played with Ronnie Shade at Duddingston and was a great admirer of him. We were not great buddies, or anything, but we talked and played together, mostly in the friendly sweepstakes we would have on a Sunday morning. Or I should say, all day on a Sunday, because we all played golf all the time. Ronnie was a very good golfer and in all the time I played with him I never ever saw him miss a shot. I only ever managed to beat him once and that was in a club medal round where I set a course record.
Whenever, I play now, at my home course, Bell Bay, here in Canada, my mind always goes back to those days when we all played at Duddingston, and my memories of Ronnie inspire me to try as hard as i can.
Thank you, Colin for your wonderful stories in your series, "The Way They Were."
Michael J Monteith
Cape Breton,
Canada
MICHAEL MONTEITH
FINDLAY MONTEITH
+If you have any golden memories of great golfers of yesteryear, E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Labels: THE WAY THEY WERE
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, May 02, 2012
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