Champion says thanks to nice guy Martin for all his support

IT’S easy to assume golf clothing and equipment companies are populated by wall-to-wall-corporate suits who care only about the bottom line.

And, yes, Callaway throw fistfuls of dollars at the likes of Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson.

But step forward one of the good guys, Martin Wild, so unassuming the vast majority of his fellow members at the Wilmslow club will have no idea he is Callaway’s regional sales manager for the UK, Ireland and northern Europe.

Thanks to Martin, twice Lancashire amateur champion and a winner of 22 36-hole scratch Opens, Callaway’s support made the creation of the Manchester-based 1836 Tour possible eight years ago.

He has always been quick to help the careers of team-mates from his county amateur days and his friendship with Lancashire’s latest British title winner, Trevor Foster, goes back 40 years.

Trevor feared his career was over in 2013 when he began a near two-year exile from the sport during a series of hip operations. Yet last week the 58-year-old won The Seniors Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl.

Finishing on an eight-under total of 208, he has qualified for the US Seniors Amateur Championship starting at Eugene, Oregon, on August 25.

In July next year he will compete against Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie in the professional British Seniors Open at Royal Lytham.

Trevor competed in the same Lancashire amateur team as Martin 100 times.

“Martin came on the phone as soon as I had won in Wales”, said Trevor. “He was almost as emotional as I was – yet still finding me the best caddy I could hire in America and the best place to stay near the course. Martin is one of those people who takes genuine pleasure out of doing things for other people and always expects nothing in return.”