A big step towards bridging that no-man’s land of the transition from amateur to tournament professional was taken on Tuesday with the announcement of £1m Scottish Government funding over the next five years for this purpose, and Lockie yesterday made a plea to remember the lost souls.
“It is a great boost. Hopefully it will go to the right players and maybe even the ones who have a foothold on the ladder already, such as Jack Doherty and Andrew McArthur,” said Lockie. “I hope they don’t forget those people who are trying on their own and not just concentrate on the amateurs that are coming up now, because there is talent there already that is needing a boost.”
Lockie started jotting down names when the low point was reached of only four Scots in the field for the 2006 Open Championship at Hoylake. The eventual list, published in The Herald in June 2008, was significant in crystallising thoughts on the dilemma.
There had been a general awareness of the loss of players like the former British amateur champions Gordon Sherry and Stephen Dundas, but the full extent was staggering. It included winners of prestigious overseas international events, Walker Cup players, Scottish amateur champions and internationalists, and dipped into the Tartan Tour, where a host of Scottish professional champions illustrated that the Professional Golfers’ Association way was just as flawed.
Only Richie Ramsay, whose breakthrough came late last year when he won the South African Open, can be removed from the list while many others can be added, such as Scotland’s Eisenhower Trophy-winning team of Callum Macaulay, Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth plus the other two Saltman brothers, Elliot and Zack, not to mention many in the women’s professional game.
Lockie talked then of the need for £1m a year, but he was not being churlish yesterday when that sum was thrown into the pot for a five-year term.
“We could probably do with putting more in but we have to be careful about suggesting it is not enough. This is a great start and let’s build on it,” he said. “We have to applaud this initiative and hope that in a few years’ time it gives us some champions that we can all take pleasure in. That’s what it’s all about; the golfing health of the nation. It promotes the game internally because more people will want to play the game. It will also help tourism.”
The independent company that will manage the fund will comprise leading players, representatives of the amateur governing bodies and sportscotland. The exact nature of involvement by the PGA is yet to be determined but they have already been consulted.
Given the traditional and limited vested interests of those bodies, it is as close as we are likely to get to the federation-type ideal that would be able to take an unrestricted view of Scottish golf as a whole.
Lockie was pleased that the investment will be used for coaching and support as well as covering eligible players’ expenses.
“It is fabulous and I think it will develop Scottish golf, take it to the next level and get players into the men’s world top 100. We must develop our talent not just for the benefit of the players themselves but also the benefit of Scottish golf. The Herald has been having a go at the authorities on this one, so well done.
“There is a feelgood factor when guys like Martin Laird and Richie Ramsay break through. Look at the way the English and the Irish are coming through. We need another 10 of these guys as well.”
LOST TALENT Bill Lockie’s 2008 list of 30
Michael Brooks, Chris Doak, Jack Doherty, Paul Doherty, Stephen Dundas, Graham Gordon, Craig Hislop, Barry Hume, David Inglis, Scott Jamieson, Chris Kelly, Lorne Kelly, Euan Little, Mark Loftus, Graham Fox, Greig Hutcheon, Andrew McArthur, Jason McCreadie, Jamie McLeary, Paul McKechnie, George Murray, David Orr, Eric Ramsay, * Richie Ramsay, Graham Rankin, Lloyd Saltman, Gordon Sherry, Eddie Thomson, Murray Urquhart, Steven Young
