Vale – Tony Gresham Australia’s greatest amateur golfer

QUITE merely, Tony Gresham might lay declare to being the best beginner golfer this nation has produced.

The favored Sydneysider and Pennant Hills Golf Membership legend handed away final month on the age of 84 after a protracted sickness.

‘Gresh’ performed for the love of the sport and resisted the temptation – and the urging of many to show professional, when he might actually have combined it with the perfect within the professional recreation.

Together with many different high amateurs, names like Ivo Whitton, Jim Ferrier, Doug Bachli and Bruce Devlin, Tony Gresham might boast that he represented Australia greater than any of them.

Gresham gained the 1977 Australian Novice Championship in a celebrated match with Chris Bonython which went to the fortieth gap.

He additionally reached the semi-finals of the 1979 and 1981 British Novice Championship and defeated a number of the greatest Australian execs within the recreation by profitable the 1975 NSW Open and the 1978 South Australian Open.

However there have been so many different honours for Gresham except for about 50 particular person occasions as he dominated at his dwelling membership, Pennant Hills.

He performed in seven Eisenhower Cup groups – a contest through which every staff’s worst rounds have been discarded.

Each one of many 28 rounds he performed for Australia counted, a exceptional feat in itself.

His effort to win the person honours at Buenos Aires in 1972 was one other memorable second. He beat American glamour boy Ben Crenshaw by two pictures. In fact, Crenshaw went on to win two US Masters Championships.

He additionally performed for Australia 4 occasions towards New Zealand, within the Commonwealth staff matches in addition to in 4 Japan versus Australia contests.

In 1980, when he reached the semi-finals of the British Novice he additionally turned the primary Australian to win the French Novice Championship.

Gresham was described as a marvellous ‘grafter’ with chipping and placing his undoubted energy.

But he additionally had the popularity of being a participant who had that distinctive expertise of with the ability to deal with monumental strain and rise to the event when it was required.

His 4 rounds within the 1975 NSW Open have been 66-69-69-71 at Manly Golf Membership to spread-eagle a area of high execs and document the bottom four-round whole for 40 years.

The ultimate spherical noticed him face up to a glowing end from the good Billy Dunk.

Simply three years later he repeated the dose on the South Australian Open at Glenelg, cruising dwelling by six pictures.

Gresham claimed New South Wales Vardon Trophy honours 13 occasions in 15 years between 1968 and 1982.

At his dwelling membership, Pennant Hills, Gresham gained 25 membership championships, eight seniors’ championships, two President Cups, one Gold Button, three E. J. Hyde Cups and 10 Pennant Hills Cups.

Gresham married his spouse, Wendy in 1967, starting a partnership that lasted 58 years.

Wendy, who usually caddied, was his unwavering supporter, sharing his journey by way of life’s victories and challenges. Collectively, they raised two kids, Tori and Scott.

After getting back from a gruelling Eisenhower Trophy marketing campaign in 1972, Gresham realised the sacrifices required {of professional} golfers was not price lacking time together with his younger household.

That selfless choice outlined Tony’s life—he remained a devoted husband and father who discovered pleasure in his accomplishments and people of his kids and grandchildren and huge circle of mates.

The legendary Jack Nicklaus, whom Tony caddied for in 1971, recognised his expertise and sportsmanship.

“You’ve had an excellent profession and represented your nation nicely,” Nicklaus mentioned in a heartfelt message to Tony on his eightieth birthday.

Gresham’s love for the sport by no means light, whilst his battle with dementia started to take its toll in his closing years.

Whether or not mentoring younger golfers or sharing tales with mates, Gresham exemplified what it meant to be a real sportsman and, above all, a gentleman.