Welsh stalwart Sid Mouland passes away

Record six-time Welsh PGA National Champion Sid Mouland has passed away at the age of 80.

The Kenilworth-based golfer was one of the best Welsh players of his era and also enjoyed a successful club pro career.

Sid, whose son Mark became a tour pro, won the first of his Welsh titles at Southerndown in 1961 and defended his title at Royal Porthcawl 12 months later.

He had to wait until 1965 for his third title at Penarth before adding two more in succession at Conwy and Pyle & Kenfig and his sixth in 1969 at Llandudno.

Sid’s passing comes in the week of the 2013 staging of the Welsh National at Royal St David’s which gets underway on Thursday.

PGA captain Neil Selwyn-Smith described him as the ‘finest exponent’ of the short game he had ever seen.

“I remember watching him in Conwy in the Welsh National. I was a big hitter but couldn’t master the difficult conditions. In contrast, Sid was absolutely devastating despite not being the longest hitter.

“He was taking driver, four iron on par fours and sometimes was still left with a 30 yard pitch but would walk off with a four while I was scratching around for a five. He was absolutely unbelievable from 80 yards in and I’ve never seen anything like it since.”

Fittingly, give his short game prowess, Sid later became closely associated with the British Par 3 Championship at Nailcote Hall where his son, Mark would later also be attached.

The British Par 3 Championship website recalls the influence of Sid in the resurgence of the tournament, which he won at Torquay in the 1960s.

“Sid was forever regaling Rick Cressman, the owner of Nailcote Hall, with tales of the old Championship at the Palace Hotel,” reads the website.

“Cressman's ears pricked up at what he was hearing and when, in 1996, Sid thought that Nailcote Hall was in good enough shape to take over the championship, the rest, as they say, is history.”

Sid’s career started at The Glamorganshire Golf Club where he was based for 20 years until moving to the Midlands and Kenilworth Golf Club. From there he had a spell at Stoneleigh Deer Park before retiring in 2001.

Selwyn-Smith added:  “I’ve known Sid nearly 50 years ago. Along with Eddie Birchenough and Roger Morton, who is a world authority on hickory shafts, Sid had the bright idea of putting experienced assistants into clubs in the Welsh valleys which couldn’t afford a PGA pro. I was at Morlais Castle and Cilsanws, Eddie was at Rhondda and Roger at Pontypridd. We did teaching and Sid supplied stock which we would sell on a commission basis.

“He was a very charming character, old school and a delightful Welshman who was small in size but as a pro had huge stature.”

A Celebration of Life and scattering of ashes will be held in memory of Sid Mouland on Thursday November 28 at 1.00pm at Nailcote Hall, Nailcote Lane, Berkswell, Warwickshire, CV7 7DE. The family request that those attending do not wear black but rather something bright and colourful.