Fergus Bisset, can I have a word please....

[John_Findlay]

Ok. here we go with another top 100 thingy.

In the new issue of the magazine Fergus selects the 100 most influential people in the game since the magazine began in 1911. He must have been on a deadline because at number 100 it's.....

Jimmy Tarbuck.

Are you having a laugh, Fergus? Bruce Forsyth, surely. Or maybe Gary Linekar.



Seriously. Where's Dave Pelz, the man pretty much responsible for most tour players realising 3 or 4 wedges are the norm? Or speaking of norm. Moe Norman?

Which glaring omissions would make your top 100?

 

[madandra]

 

[John_Findlay]

I see the forumers have found the "silly" button on their keyboards again. Looking forward to tuning in today.

 

[thecraw]

Colin Montgomerie number 60 yet no Masters and British Open winner Sandy Lyle??????

If there was an influencial Scot it had to be Lyle ahead of Monty.

 

[John_Findlay]

Or what about whoever invented the trolley or the strokesaver? Surely more influence on the game then that freeloading, useless twonk that we call HRH the Duke of York (number 87). My opinion...not that of the magazine... just in case the Tower of London is still in use.

 

[Ethan]

Yeah, and what about the inventor of the V-easy?

 

[John_Findlay]

I'd put him just after Tarbuck, to be fair.

 

[Smiffy]

I'd put him just after Tarbuck, to be fair.

Where? In room 101?

 

[need_my_wedge]

Surely more influence on the game then that freeloading, useless twonk that we call HRH the Duke of York (number 87).

Not a royalist then John!

I wouldn't call him useless though. Surely his involvement with the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy (http://www.doy-champions.com/page.asp?pageID=160) which helps to promote golf to youngsters is an influence on the game?

I don't know how much his patronage serves the 12 golf clubs that he is patron of? Or his work with the Faldo Junior Series?

 

[John_Findlay]

It's a bit off topic, but actually I don't mind the more hard working Royals. However, my opinion on Andrew is that he's using his status to grab some freebies to play his hobby and mix with the golfing gods. Let's just say that I heard a few stories from my girlfriend who worked for the Crown Estate for many years. Not a fan, no.

 

[vig]

Ok. here we go with another top 100 thingy.

In the new issue of the magazine Fergus selects the 100 most influential people in the game since the magazine began in 1911. He must have been on a deadline because at number 100 it's.....

Jimmy Tarbuck.

Are you having a laugh, Fergus?

If he is, it's more than Tarbuck ever achieved

 

[HickoryShaft]

The guy who invented 'gimme's' should be in there - improved my game no end

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Andy is patron of Royal Ascot but I tend to agree with JF. I can't see how Tarby can be in there individually although I can see how the rise of celebrity golfers in the 70's and 80's brought golf to the public perception. Have only skimmed it so not got any firm opinions on everyone else yet but it is like most things and open to conjecture anyway.

 

[madandra]

Where's Ronni Corbett in the list?

Is James Bond in there too because his game is the most watched game in history.

 

[Dodger]

By putting some of the names in there it just makes the whole thing a waste of pages.

Can't believe they have omitted Justone for services to coaching.

 

[DCB]

Or Flopshot for his enlightened debate over the merits of Custom Fitting

 

[thecraw]

Also imagine having Father and Son Solheim in there and not mentioning me!

Might have to seriously reconsider these S56's now!

 

[MacMachattie]

Hi. Fergus here.

This piece was always going to be contentious. In fact I wanted it to be that way to try and spark some clubhouse/forum banter. I do say in the introduction to the feature that it's just my opinion and is designed to act as a starting point for debate. So, I'm glad to be writing this reply.

When I was putting the list together I started by thinking of categories - pros, amateurs, equipment, philanthropists etc. I wanted to get as broad a spread as possible. It's difficult to argue whether a leading coach has been more influential than a key administrator, but I wanted to get a representation in for as many different aspects of the game as I could.

Tarbie is a strange one I must confess, but as Homer points out, he is in there as a representation of all the British celebrities - Wogan, Brucie etc... who brought game to a wider audience in the late 20th century. I picked Tarbuck as he was the man that came into my mind when I considered that celebrity genre.

James Bond - I agree he's one I'd considered at an early stage and he possibly should have made the list. I didn't really want to start getting into fictional characters too much - I know I put Bill Murray in there largely for his "caddyshack" involvement. But he's also been pretty pro-golf for the last 30 odd years - Pebble Beach pro-am.

In terms of equipment - we could probably have done a top-100 for that category alone so I thought I would just concentrate on the major manufacturers. Both Solheims got in there, Karsten for obvious reasons and John for the re-invention of PING over the last 10 years or so - taking them back to the top of the game for drivers and woods in particular. Again, I know some won't agree with that...