Roundup: Peter Thomson Remembered
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The remembrances are pouring in for Australia's greatest golfer and global golf ambassador emeritus Peter Thomson.
The New York Times obituary by Richard Goldstein.
The Guardian's version by Peter Mason.
Golf History Today has put together a nice roundup page of some insights into the man and online videos.
Jerry Tarde remembers a longtime Golf Digest contributor, including this:
Over lunch at our offices in Connecticut, I once asked him about Jack Nicklaus’ design work. “Nicklaus courses are like Jack himself—grim and humorless, with sharp edges,” he said.
Martin Blake files a wonderful Australian perspective. This was one of many special anecdotes:
Momentarily he worked a day job in the AG Spalding factory in Melbourne, testing golf balls and promoting the product. But it did not last for too long and in any case, he was finding places to play around the world, notably on the bouncy, wind-swept courses of Britain. “I liked playing on a course where the ball bounces. As time went by, I found I had an advantage. Somehow, I comprehended that style of play, watching the ball bounce forward. But I had to learn both, frankly – bouncing and non-bouncing.’’
John Hopkins had several memories in this Global Golf Post quick take, but this was just extra special and spoke to the man after his playing prime (at least until Senior Tour golf):
A few years later another image of Peter Thomson formed in my mind. Covering Opens in the late ’60s and early ’70s, I would be sitting at my desk when Peter would stroll in to the media centre, possibly still in his golf clothes with a sweater placed jauntily over his shoulders and carrying a portable typewriter. He would settle himself at a desk and bash out 800 words about his play and that of others in that day’s Open Championship and get them transmitted to The Age, the newspaper in his native Melbourne, Australia, or so I believe.
John Strege on how Thomson kept the golf swing very simple and shared his philosophy.
Mike Clayton says Thomson left the game in a better place in this Golf Australia piece.
In a special State of the Game, Rod Morri talks to Clayton about Thomson's life and his memories of the five-time Open Champion:
A lovely PGA of Australia tribute:
