By Peter Owen
HE’S been within the golf business since he was 12, performed in Arnold Palmer’s Australian Open in 1966 and is closing in on 60 years as a member of the PGA of Australia, so it’s no shock that Denis Brosnan ought to confess his love of the sport.
“It’s all I’ve ever performed, all my life,” he mentioned after one more day plying his commerce on the central Queensland coast in a Legends Tour pro-am, the place he frequently surprises himself along with his potential to compete with gamers 1 / 4 century youthful than him.
And utilizing the phrase ‘all I’ve ever performed’ is promoting brief the superb contribution he’s made to Australian golf – not simply on the golf course, however within the mentoring of gamers of all ages and, notably, within the design, manufacture and gross sales of golf tools.
Fittingly, the Australian PGA final month made Brosnan a life member, a recognition, he says, that left him humbled, honoured and immensely happy.
“There are solely 20 life members nonetheless residing,” he mentioned. “And within the 105 years of the PGA there have solely ever been about 50 named.
“It’s such an honour to be recognised by my fellow PGA execs in such a means,” he mentioned. “All of them needed to vote, you recognize, they usually voted for me.”
Brosnan’s title is known in Australian golf, extra so for the golf tools that he’s designed and marketed for the previous 45 years, and the 16 Golf World retail shops he’s established all through the nation, than for his success in big-time golf tournaments.
He started his profession in golf on the age of 12, serving to Ted Cates within the professional store at Virginia Golf Membership, in Brisbane’s northern suburbs. That led to a traineeship with Fred Anderson at Oxley Golf Membership and, later, beneath Frank McCarthy at Jindalee.
Out of his time, he spent a couple of years because the skilled at Caboolture, earlier than touchdown the position of head professional at Redcliffe in 1967. He remained there for 27 years, and made so many friendships on the bayside membership that he nonetheless returns often to play the course along with his mates.
Brosnan has at all times been fascinated with the technical properties of golf tools, significantly golf equipment, and he’s been designing, grinding, assembling and sprucing golf golf equipment since he was a teen.
He launched Brosnan Golf in 1977. When the operation started, there have been few firms designing and manufacturing golf golf equipment in Australia, the market dominated by abroad manufacturers like Dunlop, Slazenger and Spalding.
However Brosnan was undaunted. “I had the suitable product, it was priced proper and I used to be in a position to get the help of quite a lot of the golf execs in golf outlets across the nation.
“I’m very happy with what we’ve been in a position to do – tackle the most effective on the planet and succeed. We bought quite a lot of tools, and I simply saved on doing it.”
Although he now employs a basic supervisor, Brosnan stays closely concerned within the operation, which incorporates Golf World retailers in Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Victoria.
“I’m the managing director and I run the enterprise,” he says with satisfaction.“I’m going to the workplace each morning, and I order all of the inventory.I’m very concerned.”
And he nonetheless designs tools. “Each product you see with the Brosnan title is one thing that I’ve designed – golf equipment, baggage, all the things with our title on it.”
He’s 78 now, however Brosnan has no plans to retire. “I generally give it some thought,” he mentioned. “A whole lot of my associates have retired however right here I’m, nonetheless working and working a enterprise.
Denis Brosnan (proper) and Kyle Francis after being made PGA Australia life members.
“I had a suggestion to promote lately and I thought-about it,” he mentioned. “However ultimately I made a decision to maintain it.”
Brosnan doesn’t let enterprise preserve him from the golf course, although.
“I wish to play often,” he mentioned, outlining a routine that features Wednesdays at Redcliffe or Royal Queensland, and Sundays on the Gold Coast. Usually he’ll be part of a gaggle of associates for 9 holes at Royal Queensland late within the afternoon.
And he’s nonetheless a daily on the Legends Tour, the place he enjoys the camaraderie of his mates, as a lot as the joys of competitors.
He visited the UK in 2022 and tried to pre-qualify for the Senior British Open, which was being performed at Gleneagles in Scotland.
The qualifier was at Glenbervie Golf Membership, halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Armed with a brand new driver he’d designed, Brosnan shot 74 – not fairly sufficient to get him into the Senior Open discipline.
However, after his spherical, when an official introduced his rating and commented that Brosnan had bettered his age, the viewers spontaneously started clapping – a easy gesture of respect and appreciation that nearly moved Brosnan to tears.
Again dwelling, Brosnan says he’s joyful doing what he’s doing – working his enterprise and enjoying as a lot golf as he can.
“For me, golf is one thing that I’ve loved all my life. I like enjoying. I like the individuals. I like the chums I’ve made. Golf isn’t only a sport – it’s a lifestyle.”
