Douglas bids farewell to the consummate pro

THERE are golfing legends, pioneers of the game such as Harry Varden, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, giants such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, our own Christy O’Connor Snr, and there are legends in golf, those who – perhaps only within their own parish, within their own club, within their own limited circle – will live forever in local folklore.

Gary Nicholson is just such a man, just such a legend. For the last 33 years, from 1977 until his retirement at the end of last month, Gary was the club pro in Douglas Golf Club, in the suburbs of Cork city. Over the course of his tenure, and almost from day one, the legend was built, the stories, the yarns began to accumulate. But there was also another side to Gary – work ethic.

“The most outstanding thing about Gary as a club pro,” says Sean Hurley, his long-time club fourball partner and occasional caddy, “was his loyalty to the members – it’s unprecedented. Seven days a week he was here, from dawn ‘til dusk, right through his 33 years – I don’t think he ever took a day off.”