A day with a Legend!
This week has been a special one already. My son’s Tom & Matt accompanied me to spend a day with John Jacobs, a former Ryder Cup player and captain , probably the most respected man in European golf. He was the instigator of the tour as we know it today, after creating a breakaway section from the PGA, for players only. Therefore the birth of The European Tour. Not only that but for 50 years has been the greatest golf coach from these shores, some may say in the world. Butch Harmon says of JJ, that ‘he single handedly made me the coach I am today’ ! Praise indeed , what a man.
Peter Barber and his son Jack joined us last Monday too, breakfast with John & daughter Jo at their home in the New Forest, then to a nearby range to hit some shots. Just magic! Peter & I met John 32 years ago when he and Tommy Horton hosted a young playing pros seminar at Meon Valley and have sought advice from the master ever since. He has the gift of making golf coaching so simple and logical, and of putting folk at ease too. Now aged 85, he still hits the ball ok and plays once a week. He signed a book each for us this week too, ’50 years of golfing wisdom’ written by himself. In the foreward are quotes from Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Jose Maria Olazabal and a few more icons. My favourite though is by Jose. He starts by saying ‘ John is the nicest person I have ever met in 25 years of my golfing life…..and then on to say…simplicity is the word I would use about his teaching’. What a terrific day and especially to share it with our kids too.
Next we met up with son Ben at Reading Uni, and great to catch up with him too, before heading to Srixon to test drivers and balls! New irons and driver are being built for Tom & I, hopefully in time for us to use in the Sunningdale Foursomes in March when we are partners for the first time.
Meanwhile off to practice what John told me 32 years ago , ‘a tad flatter young man on the backswing’! Not much has changed then, apart from haircolour maybe!
cheers Andrew
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