Stalwart Bernard dies just short of 100th birthday
04/08/2014
Former Kings Norton head PGA Professional Bernard Preston (pictured above with Bernard Gallacher) has died just four days shy of his 100th birthday.
The 99 year old passed away at 3.30am on Sunday morning.
He was President and Captain during his years as a member of the PGA in Worcestershire and was also awarded honorary life membership upon his retirement.
Bernard was among a number of PGA Members who gathered three years ago at the University of Birmingham for a special celebration of the 50th anniversary of the PGA’s training and education programme.
Below is an excerpt from an interview with Bernard which appeared in The PGA Professional magazine to mark the 50th anniversary.
At 97 Bernard Preston has a lifetime of golfing memories, all that is except for the Second World War where in five years with the Territorial Armey he played just one solitary round.
Loading and firing 25 pounder guns left little room for golf bar one memorable round at Royal Portrush.
“My captain called me over and said, ‘an officer wants to play golf, take a car and take him up to Portrush for a game’. That was the only game I played in five years,” said Preston who was elected to membership in 1932.
Born in Australia but back in England by aged seven, Preston however had better news on the golfing front on his return to King’s Norton where he was made head pro while waiting to be demobbed. Before the war he had been assistant to Ernest Cawsey at the club having started in the shop at Harborne Municipal.
In addition to the usual duties of a pro at the time from club-making, repairs and teaching to ensuring the course ran smoothly for members, Preston was also a regular competitor in Open Championships, becoming great friends with four time champion Bobby Locke
“The club always insisted on sending me to the Open and it was always a lovely holiday for me. I was very appreciative they sent me,” he said.
“I became friendly with Bobby on the Senior Tour. Once I remember playing with him in match play at Walton Heath. He was four up but on 14 I outdrove him, put my second on the green and holed out for an eagle and whenever he wrote to me he would say your eagle will be forever remembered.”
After 25 years at King’s Norton, Preston swapped to Lickey Hills also known as Rose Hill Golf Club – the lure of a pension from Birmingham Corporation an inviting proposition.
