Simplicity of being a professional

I’ll always remember being asked by Graham Marsh my opinion on the long putters when they first became popular. At the time I was astounded that a player of his calibre would even consider asking a young Brit, who had just turned up for a job at his club in Western Australia, for his opinion.

We had a chat and both agreed that two hands working together surely must be easier to control a normal putter, which is shorter than a long one.

Our conversation made me think of how fragile golfers are regardless of their playing ability.

Marsh was a classy player who built up a sizable bank account around the world, especially in Japan and later on the US PGA Senior Tour.

Marsh was a former math teacher who switched full time in 1969 to playing tournament golf for a living.

He was a winner on the PGA Tour, European Tour (10 wins), Japanese Tour (25), Australian Tour (15), PGA Champions (Senior) Tour (6).

He also had a ninth place in the Masters, a fourth in the British Open, 16th in the US Open and a seventh in the PGA Championship.

Graham Marsh MBE is now 74 and still busy with his successful golf course architecture and construction company.

I remember fondly being able to meet him during my stay in Perth.

Out of Bounds: I like these last words sent in by a reader: “I left US$50,000 in the ----”