Parnell pitches in for fellow members

Former PGA captain Parnell Reilly celebrated his retirement after 33 years at Bradley Park by raising £5,000 for the PGA Benevolent Fund.

The 65-year-old made the generous gesture after staging a golf day and a farewell dinner at the Huddersfield club which was attended by PGA chief executive Sandy Jones.

“I just feel my life has been The PGA and at the end of my career I wanted to give something back to The PGA,” said Reilly who captained The PGA from 200709.

“I’ve had my life in golf, met some fantastic people through The PGA and I know there are certain PGA Members at the moment that desperately need looking after and not just the older generation either so it was nice to be able to give back to The PGA.”

Reilly, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by Huddersfield University in 2007, remains active in golf as a TGI board member, serving on a PGA committee and doing a bit of coaching at Bradley Park.

In addition he has been invited to be part of a five man development committee for Bradley Park designed to take the club into the future over the next five to ten years.

“There will be significant investment in both the clubhouse and course,” explained Reilly.

“When I arrived 33 years ago there was one temporary building and three trees. To see the club grow from that to what it is today and to know it is going to improve quite dramatically is really exciting.”

As he reflects on his long career Reilly has a host of highlights and a couple stick out immediately.

“I still remember the phone call from Sandy (Jones) inviting me to be captain, I remember that vividly,” he added.

“Another highlight was to be part of a club that has grown from nothing.

“Kirklees Council gave me a two year contract at Bradley Park because they were losing money. It was either make money or sell it and 33 years later it’s still going and making money for them.

“Thousands and thousands have started golf here. It has been a nursery for every club in the area, you only have to look at all the clubs in the area and a lot of the committee members and members there will have started their golf at Bradley Park.”

Other highlights included a secret morale-boosting trip to the troops in Afghanistan with Colin Montgomerie and Eddie Bullock while in 2010 he spent a hectic week in a helicopter, dropping into 120 Welsh golf courses with the Ryder Cup trophy ahead of the upcoming Celtic Manor tie, which resulted in more than £500,000 being raised for Welsh cancer charities.

John Fletcher, of Kirklees parks and gardens, responsible for the golf course for the last 28 years, paid a glowing tribute to Reilly.

“The council and its wonderful golf course at Bradley Park owe Parnell a great debt for his personal dedication, knowledge, enthusiasm and drive; qualities which have formed the keystone of the operation to change the facility from its humble beginnings to one firmly established as amongst the best in the country.”