The past in the world of professional golf was truly a foreign country. The life of a professional golfer revolved around caring for the needs of these wealthy individuals and was dedicated to making their game better. Professional tournament golf was in its infancy, purses and audiences were tiny and the professional golfer in Britain and Ireland earned a living by selling and repairing clubs and giving lessons. Appreciation of the traditions and wonders of the great British golf links was at least a decade into the future. At the age of 26, Christy O’Connor, the greenkeeper-professional at Tuam Golf Club made his professional tournament debut at Royal Portrush.

Source: Irish Examiner July 15, 2019 18:11 UTC