I NEVER HAD A ROW IN 29 YEARS AT GRANGE
As he prepares to celebrate his 90th birthday on 30 January next, former Grange pro Wattie Sullivan remains as sharp as a tack. One of Irish golf’s best-loved teachers — he fell in love with golf and brought pleasure to thousands, including many of Irelan
1. When did you first pick up a club?
I was around 12 when I first played. There was a field at the back of our house so I’d be hitting the ball from one corner to the other.
Then my father, Jack, would send me out to play with a Mr Byrne, or whoever wanted to play. Bray was a nine-hole course and you could end up playing 54 holes in a day, and you got half a crown for that. It was unbelievable.
2. What was your father’s background?
He was originally from Brian Boru Avenue in Clontarf, and he served his time under Tom Hood in Royal Dublin along with Willie Nolan and Michael Moran.
He then went off to do Golfing Union work around the country and was private professional to Lord Dunraven in Adare Manor from 1912 to 1914.
3. Did he fight in the war?
Lord Dunraven offered him a commission in the British Army, but my father said, ‘No your lordship, I am a pacifist, I don’t fight.’ He went to England and came back home in 1919 to start in Bray, where he was for 25 years.
4. So you followed in his footsteps.
Well, I had two older brothers, and only one of them was interested in following my father into golf. But he couldn’t stick it, so I went instead. I was 14 when I left school to join him.
5. You’ve said in the past that it was the smell of shellac and meths that drew you to the pro’s shop.
Oh, indeed. My whole life was golf. I ate it, slept it and drank it.
6. Your father sadly died when you were young. I’d imagine bringing money home was important.
I was 14-and-a-half when he died aged 54, and so I served my time as apprentice to the man who took his job.
7. Life was tough in Ireland during World War II. What did you do when you had served your apprenticeship?
I went to Carlow in 1945 for what was supposed to be a period of five months. After that period, they offered me a job on the course and rather than being idle, I took it.
8. When did you realise you could make a living from the game?
I remember my first professional competition was at Kilcroney and I finished joint second with Harry Bradshaw. I got £2 10s for that and another £4 for tying for second in the fourball after dinner.
I went home to my mother, and she opened the two envelopes and said, ‘That was two weeks wages for your father!’ So I never did anything else.
9. When did you eventually get a full-time job?
I got a job in Athlone in the early 50s, where I was the club professional and the greenkeeper and my wife was the manageress.
I then got a job in Rathfarnham and spent four years there before Joe Carroll left for South Africa, and I got the job at Grange. I was there for 29 very happy years and never had one argument.
10. They say you gave 1,000 lessons a year.
Grange were very good employers for me. And I was always very busy. I could be teaching all day or playing around the country.
11. You played in a wonderful era alongside the likes of Bradshaw and Christy O’Connor. Were you tempted by tournament golf abroad?
I played four times in England with O’Connor and failed to qualify by two shots every time. So one day I said, “What are you doing over here when you can’t win at home?” I never went again.
12. Competition at home must have been just as tough?
I played all over the country but only won once up in Tandragee. You had Christy O’Connor, Harry Bradshaw and Fred Daly to contend with. So you hadn’t much chance against those fellas.
13. Who was Ireland’s greatest Irish golfer?
As a professional, Christy O’Connor though you also had Bradshaw and Norman Drew who were two fine players. Of course, now you have Rory McIlroy, who is just bloody brilliant.
14. You had an eye for talent and even gave a young Pádraig Harrington the occasional lesson. What did you see in Paul McGinley?
When he turned pro someone asked me if he would win, I said he’d win smallish ones and wouldn’t win a major. But I put a “but” to it. I said, “But, says I, he’s the best commercial property you could have.” And I am watching him ever since and he is just brilliant.
15. Name your dream fourball?
I am too old to play now but if I had to pick a fourball it would be Joe Carr, Christy O’Connor and then either Harrington or McGinley.
16. Driver or putter?
The best club in my bag was the driver. I never left the fairway. Hey diddle diddle, straight down the middle. That’s what they called me.
17 What made you such a straight hitter?
Well in Bray, there was OB down the right of the first and then there was a pond on the left for your second shot, so you had to be straight all the time.
18 What’s your golfing philosophy?
My advice? Be honest, be happy and enjoy every moment.