Archie Baird: Tributes paid to golf historian and Gullane stalwart after he passes away aged 95
Baird, who wrote several books on the history of golf, became a well-kent face with visiting golfers from around the world when he was the long-serving curator of the Heritage of Golf Museum, which he opened in Gullane in 1980.In 2018, the Aberlady resident was recognised for services to the history of golf in the Queen’s Birthday Honors with the British Empire Medal (BEM)."We were saddened at the weekend to learn of the passing of Archie Baird, aged 95, the founder of our Heritage of Golf Museum," a tweet posted by Gullane Golf Club read."A warm and charming character, his knowledge and love for golf made him a great source of information for all who met him. We will all miss him dearly."Alasdair Good, the East Lothian club's head PGA professional, added on Facebook: "We lost one of golf's warmest and most charming characters. Archie Baird gave those who were lucky enough to meet him, 95 fun-filled years."His knowledge and love for golf made him one of the game's great sources of information. As a collector and archivist, he educated many on the finer points of the game and particularly his love for foursomes play."His encyclopedic knowledge was regularly sought by many of the world's foremost collectors of historic golfing literature and artwork."He absolutely loved golf and this was clear for all to see. He loved his competitive foursomes matches at Gullane."Archie always looked upon the bright side and although we will all miss him, thinking of him will always make us smile. Our heartfelt thoughts are with his wife Sheila and family."Tributes were also paid to Baird, who was a veterinarian by profession, by two leading golf writers in the United States.Geoff Shackleford, a senior writer for Golfweek magazine and a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning Drive and Golf Central, said: "We’ll never know the number of golfers he entertained, enlightened and informed, and it really doesn’t matter. Anyone who came in to Archie Baird’s golf museum at Gullane got a crash course in golf."The great man has moved on to the Big 18 in the Sky, but his legacy lives on in his museum and the joy he gave golfers who had made the pilgrimage to East Lothian."Lorne Rubenstein, of Golf Journal, added: "He knew golf. He knew it deeply, he felt it as a soulmate, and he conveyed his sense of the game’s rich history to all who were lucky enough to meet him. It was my good fortune to meet him in the mid-1970s, and to call him my friend."Many people on planet golf, including Ben Crenshaw, considered Archie one of the great golf historians."Archie had a wonderful collection of golf memorabilia, especially art, books and clubs, and it included some of what he had gathered over many years in the museum he started in 1980."He welcomed the golf world to his museum as long as they contacted him first so that he could be there to personally greet them and take them through his collection."He wanted visitors to his beloved Gullane, where golf has been played for more than 300 years, to know more about the game so they could enjoy it that much more. This was important to Archie."Gil Hanse, a leading golf course architect, described Baird's passing as "truly sad news" and added: "The Laird of Aberlady will be missed, what a gift he gave to all of us with his passion for the game and his willingness to share it."