Golf bids farewell to the clubmaker who conquered television

Although a highly-respected player in his own right, it was in his role as a commentator for the BBC from 1978 to 2004 that he was best known. He co-presented all the major tournaments with Peter Alliss and the pair were renowned for their wit, rapport, feeling for and deep knowledge of the game.

Last night, former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher paid tribute, saying: “Alex was a Scot who moved down south but never lost his Musselburgh roots. He did a great job at Wentworth, where the success today is down to him. On the BBC, he and Peter Alliss were a great double act.”

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones the spoke warmly of Mr Hay: “He was a great character. He was passionate about golf and Scotland and loved talking about the early days at Musselburgh. He attended our lunch last December and I am so pleased that we were able to present him with his Lifetime Achievement Award, as it was the last time he spoke in public. He often said that he was indebted to golf, but I think golf was indebted to Alex Hay.”

Mr Hay was born in Edinburgh in 1933 and joined the golf equipment manufacturer Ben Sayers as an apprentice clubmaker before becoming an assistant professional with Bill Shankland – Tony Jacklin’s first employer – at Potters Bar golf club in Hertfordshire.

He qualified as a PGA professional in 1952 and had spells at East Herts, Dunham Forest and Ashridge golf clubs before moving to Woburn in 1977.

Initially the head PGA professional there, he became its managing director and played an influential role in that club’s development, designing the Marquess course.

Originally introduced to the BBC by the athletics and football commentator David Coleman, Mr Hay was eventually dropped by the corporation, some believed, because he was too old and out of touch with modern golf techniques.

Writing in his autobiography, My Life, Mr Alliss said he had tried to persuade the powers-that-be to retain Mr Hay. “Unfortunately, some people at the BBC wanted him [Mr Hay] out. I say without fear or favour that I fought tooth and nail to keep him in, but that was one battle which I lost,” he wrote.

However, Mr Alliss maintained that “Alex had one of the best analytical brains and is one of the best coaches I’ve ever come across”.

Mr Hay insisted that he was not bitter about being dropped by the BBC. In an interview in 2004 with The Scotsman’s golf correspondent, Mike Aitken, he said: “I suppose I could have said I’d chosen to retire, but the truth was the BBC want to go in a different direction and I can’t complain about that.

“When I started working for them 26 years ago I would have been ecstatic to be handed a three-year contract.

“As it turned out, I lasted for longer than a quarter of a century and enjoyed every minute of it. From the letters I’ve received, the viewers enjoyed it, too.”

Mr Hay, who died with his family by his side, leaves a wife Ann, and two sons, Graham and David.