Date Published: 01-Apr-2011

SOME years ago, to mark the centenary of Galway Golf Club, it was decided to publish a special history of the club and the stories of some of the more remarkable people who played a part in that history. A very fine hardbound book was produced.

Not surprisingly, it was decided that a chapter would be devoted to the extraordinary links between the Wallace family and the Galway Golf Club – links which have been unbroken since 1946 and have seen the Wallace name become synonymous with the club.

I was honoured to write that chapter . . . largely devoted to the wit, the wisdom and the huge golfing knowledge of Bob Wallace, the man who can be said to have ‘discovered’ both Christy O’Connor Snr and Christy Jnr, and a man whose teaching abilities were known to even Gary Player. A little more on this history chapter later!

Those remarkable links with the Wallace family began in 1946 when the late Bob Wallace became the professional there. He continued in that role – officially – until 1973, but like many a remarkable man, the reports of his retirement were greatly exaggerated.

Bob was still a familiar figure around the Galway Golf Club until 1984, a short time before he died aged 77. He kept that wit and knowledge right to the end and my memory of visiting him in hospital on one occasion is of that giant still chortling to himself and full of curiosity about life and people.

The Wallace link was unbroken, however, as his nephew Don Wallace took over as the professional in 1973 – a position from which he retired at the weekend, with special celebrations at the clubhouse as the members gathered to say thank you to the Wallace family for links stretching back unbroken for 65 years.

Of course Christy Jnr was there as were hundreds of others – all gathered to say thank you to Don and his son Adrian, but, above all to honour a family name which will forever be an indelible part of the history of Galway Golf Club.

Which brings me to one of the better stories about Bob Wallace’s wit. I had included it in the draft chapter on Bob Wallace which I submitted to the history editor, the late Micheal MacSweeney, but maybe he considered it a little too risqué. I thought it was so typical of the repartee and rapier intellectual speed of the man, that I decided to tell it here.

Bob was famous for his ‘one liner’ replies which engendered huge enjoyment for both himself and the interlocutor. By way of explanation can I say that at the time there was a slang expression indicating that one was having some success in one’s love life. The expression was ‘getting a slice’. In golf, a slice is a high weak shot to the right.

On one occasion a plainly distressed and dishevelled golfer came into the shop after a game and exclaimed “Bob! Bob! I’m getting a slice, what should I do?” To which came the instantly memorable reply ….. “If I wuz you boy, I’d take it!”

For more see page 17 of this week’s City Tribune