FROM STUART MACKENZIE
in New Zealand
Hi Colin,
I came across your Scottishgolfview.com article (May 9, 2009) about Finlay Morris while doing a Google search and wholeheartedly agree with you that most people would never have heard of one of the greatest golfers ever to walk the planet.
In 1966 I played a round with Finlay at Cawder on the Keir course. Me and a golfing buddy were standing at the first tee when Finlay walked over and said "do you mind if I play with you, lads?"
We were both only fourteen years of age at the time and completely flabbergasted that he'd want to play with us. Not that we were bad golfers, having been well tutored by Ken Pate, but to us he was already a golfing god.
Most of that round is now a blur but I'll never forget his immaculate ball striking and low penetrating drives; and with such a relaxed swing. Being overawed, I played rather badly and he even kindly tried to sort my swing but couldn't find anything wrong with it. I probably just needed to keep ma heid doon...
One year later my parents decided to emigrate to New Zealand. A few months after we arrived I received a letter from my cousin back in Bishopbriggs saying that Finlay had been killed (age 22 in car crash in November 1967).
I couldn't believe it and was in a state of shock for days. I tried to explain to some of my new Kiwi friends who he was and what his death meant but nobody had heard of him, even the golfers I knew.
A couple of years later a friend and I caddied for Clive Clark and Peter Oosterhuis in a tournament at the North Shore Club, Auckland where I was a junior member. Knowing that Clive had played against Finlay in the British Boys I told him I was from Cawder and knew Finlay. Clive became quite subdued and agreed that it was a terrible tragedy.
So for me there's rarely a day goes by when I don't think of the great Finlay Morris and what he could have been.
Stuart Mackenzie
New Zealand
Labels: OBITUARY
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