Howard revelling in return to 60s

A PGA pro who received personal thanks from Tiger Woods on his retirement is set to tee it up again in the PGA Super 60s at Thorpeness Golf Club from August 14-16.

Jim Howard heads to the Suffolk gem eager to catch up with old friends carved out during 35 years as head professional at Pontypool in South Wales.

The 70-year-old, who will have a new partner, Rob Watkins for the £10,000 event, is as enthusiastic about golf as when he took his tentative first steps in the game at Bootle Golf Club as a kid after an injury wrecked his hopes of playing for his beloved Liverpool.

Howard enjoyed a successful career in golf after becoming the first black PGA professional with highlights including playing golf with Bob Hope as a young assistant at Wyke Green.

Less memorably for Howard he was also paired with the infamous crane driver Maurice Flitcroft, the Open qualifier invader and hopeless golfer who in 1976 forced the R&A into a hasty rethink on the entry criteria after he created carnage on the way to carding 49 over par.

Personal letters from Hope and 14-time major winner Woods take pride of place in Howard’s Gwent home – the latter sent by the former World No.1 on his retirement.

“Tiger said it was thanks to people like myself that had opened the door for the likes of him to get into golf but coming from Liverpool it was just a question of if you are good enough you get on,” said Howard. “For me colour was never an issue, it’s all about how much work you are prepared to put in.”

Howard’s first job in golf was with famous club-maker Jack Lovelock at Wyke Green in Middlesex.

It was there that he ended up playing golf with Hollywood legend Bob Hope. The funnyman, flying into film in London, had seen the Wyke Green course from his plane on the approach to Heathrow and as film stars do, on a whim decided he wanted to play it.

Hope phoned up and Lovelock duly dispatched Howard to play a round with him. It was definitely a case of ‘thanks for the memories!’

“I couldn’t quite believe it to be honest but he was quite a good player and he called me again for a game when he was next in the country,” recalls Howard.

“He also took the trouble to send me a letter and some trinkets for playing with him.”

Despite retiring Howard still retains an active interest in the south Wales club Pontypool having been invited to sit on the board three years ago with a brief giving him responsibility for the course.

But that role will take a back seat as Howard and his partner bid to lift the Super 60s which will be defended by four-time Ryder Cup stalwart Maurice Bembridge and his partner Michael Curley.

With his interest in course design Howard will certainly savour the James Braid designed course but equally is looking forward to the chat and banter with his fellow PGA pros.

“It is a great way for pros to get together for a couple of days, chew the fat a little bit over old times and while we might not hit the ball like we used to there is still some great camaraderie,” he said.

Also in action will be recently retired PGA chairman and Coventry Golf Club head pro Phil Weaver and PGA chief executive Sandy Jones , Ryder Cup veteran Lionel Platts and the pairing of Graham Burroughs and Robert Hubbard who are looking for a third title in six years.