The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Record numbers turn out to celebrate legacy of legendary Carnoustie caddie
Third golf memorial day hailed a success in honour of Mr Roy
The life of legendary Carnoustie caddie Martin Roy was celebrated at the weekend.
A record number of 123 people took part in the third annual golf memorial day across the Buddon Links.
Money raised from Sunday’s event is being put towards Christmas lights.
Mr Roy was a fixture beside the first tee of the championship course at Carnoustie for more than 25 years and carried a bag for such famous faces as President George HW Bush and astronaut Neil Armstrong.
He died suddenly aged 59 in September 2015, leaving the Tayside golfing community in mourning.
Mr Roy’s daughter Ailsa said: “I am overwhelmed at the numbers we had attending this year to remember my dad.
“He is still sorely missed down at the first tee by everyone and is still spoken about on a daily basis in the office and on the course.”
Born in Glasgow, Mr Roy was brought up in Carnoustie and started work at Carnoustie Golf Links in 1984.
He was awarded the 2008 and 2011 Caddie Master of the Year title from Golf Tourism Scotland having previously picked up similar awards from 1999 to 2004 and then again in 2006.
He was inducted into the Professional Caddie Association of America’s Hall of Fame, the first non-American caddie master to be bestowed the honour.
Ailsa worked alongside her dad at Carnoustie for 10 years and took on his role after he died.
Ailsa said: “His legacy continues every day – the caddie department at Carnoustie is the best because of the standard he set and the system he ran which we still use.
“I am so proud to continue in his shoes and know he we would be proud of us all.
“From next season we will have an official caddie programme document in place in his honour
“He was loved by so many. Returning visitors still come in to ask for him.”