Montford memories: Ronnie Shade was a bright light

IN ANY Scottish golfing hall of fame discussed with the deep philosophical intensity of the 19th hole, there would be many candidates for entry from the game's domestic scene – Edinburgh-born Freddie Tait who was killed in the Boer War, Jack McLean and Hector Thomson who dominated west of Scotland golf in the 1930s, the enduring Charlie Green from Cardross, and Amateur champion Reid Jack of Dullatur. But maybe topping the list would be Ronnie Shade MBE whose portrait in oils has an honoured

He is the only player to have won the Scottish Boys Championship (1956), the Scottish Amateur Championship (an unprecedented five times in a row from 1963 to 1967) and the Scottish Professional Championship (1970). He won the Silver Medal at the 1966 Open Championship, was leading amateur in the Eisenhower Trophy of 1966 in Japan, played in four Walker Cups, was capped 31 times for Scotland as an amateur, and as a professional played for Scotland in three World Cups. Sadly he died much too young in 1986 at the age of 48. All Scots golfers mourned his passing.