John Mulgrew honoured by PGA in Scotland for contribution to golf

John Mulgrew with the John Panton Award during the PGA Scotland Lunch 2019. Picture: Kenny Smith

Mulgrew received the award for some “ground-breaking business” ideas, including the setting up of one of the first golf ranges in Scotland, as well as his involvement more recently in coaching education and general coaching within the PGA.

“It is a great honour and privilege to receive this award as John Panton was a great gentleman and a great ambassador for golf,” said Mulgrew, a PGA in Scotland captain and chairman during his career.

“I never called myself a professional golfer but a golf professional because when you have a double hit from a foot you have a problem,” he added, laughing.

Mulgrew ran the Normandy Golf Range in Renfrew and joked of his time there: “I learned to run fast because of people trying to steal the golf balls and we even had ‘Stolen from John Mulgrew’ printed on the balls because of that.”

Mulgrew was involved in the creation of the PGA Director of Golf Programme and has been proud to see that go from “strength to strength” over the last 16 years.

“The most rewarding part of my career has been the training of PGA professionals and I am confident they have a great part to play in the future of golf,” he said.

Michael Bradfield’s success in claiming the Stewart Thom Award as the top trainee in Scotland coincided with him landing a new post. “I am returning to Elie to take over as head professional,” said Bradfield, who completed his training during a short stint in the Netherlands after leaving the historic Fife club.

Stewart Savage, meanwhile, was presented with the Toby Sunderland Award, which is handed out for an outstanding charitable act or contribution.

He has been involved in an addiction recovery centre in the west of Scotland since 2002 after being an alcoholic.

“My life was disastrous but now it is fantastic,” said Savage after becoming the 25th recipient of that particular award. “The centre has saved lives. and this is a fantastic honour, especially when I look at some of the names of the previous recipients.”