Tributes to gentle giant

John Dunlop, the former head professional at Torrance House Golf Club, East Kilbride, passed away on Tuesday night at the age of 73.

After stepping down from that post he was attached to the Broadlees Driving Range at Strathaven.

As a Level 1 Tutor he was heavily involved in promoting the Scottish Golf Union's ClubGolf programme between 2005 and 2012.

Many PGA pros on both sides of the border have fond memories of their PGA training under Dunlop at Torrance House – a role he took up in 1969.

The most notable is possibly Craig Ronald who was playing out of Torrance House when winning the Scottish PGA Order of Merit in 1999.

Five years later, Ronald won the Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship.

"John was head pro at Torrance House where I started playing at the age of four, and he took me under his wing from then on,” said Ronald.

"He was one of the best ball strikers I have ever seen but after playing in the African Tour he didn't play that much after he took over at Torrance House. But, when teaching me, John would hit a few and the strike never left him.

"He was a gentle giant of a man, loved his 20 Regal and a half pint. His father before him was also a pro up north as I recall. John's wit was brilliant, very dry and funny.

"One story I remember was when I was caddying for him as a boy at the Kirkhill pro-am. There was a long drive competition at the 17th. All the guys said John couldn't get near it.

"I was like 'show them, John.' As I recall it was a very good prize for the longest drive and John opened his shoulders and pitched his drive past the leading long drive.

“Before I picked the competition pin out of the ground to write his name on it, John asked whose name was on it.

"It was a young player by the name of Alistair Taylor. John said to me 'leave it there for the boy. He needs it more than I do. A mark of the man. A legend and I will miss him."

Lynne Boyd, golf manager at Broadlees Golf, added: "From 2005 until 2012 John was involved in our Junior Golf Academy.

“John and Ann Lang started up the academy in 2005. He was a great asset to us as he helped get us on the way with this.

"John and Ann did the coaching for us on a Monday and Thursday night and from there we now do coaching six days a week and coach some 120 children.

"In addition we opened the Broadlees golf course in May 2009 and John and Ann both assisted us with this."

John’s funeral is being held on Monday, February 3, at South Lanarkshire Crematorium, Sydes Brae

Blantyre G72 0TL at 12.30 pm. The family have requested no flowers, preferring donations to Marie www.mariecurie.org.uk/en-gb/donate/Donate-today or Macmillan Nurses www.macmillan.org.uk/Donate/