Next month’s Scottish Golf Awards will pay tribute to the legacy of the late Bob Torrance with the creation of an annual coaching award in his honour.
‘The Bob Torrance Coach of the Year Award’, will be presented for the first time at this year’s showpiece event in Edinburgh on Friday 20 March, in memory of the legendary coach who sadly passed away last July.
Bob’s son, Sam, the victorious 2002 Ryder Cup captain and a vice-captain under Paul McGinley for Europe’s win at Gleneagles in September, will fittingly present the inaugural award to a worthy recipient at the Corn Exchange venue next month. sportscotland, the national agency for sport, will kindly sponsor the award.
Tributes poured in for Bob during last summer’s Open Championship after one of the greatest golf coaches in the history of the game lost his short battle with cancer, aged 82. The Largs legend helped Irishman Padraig Harrington win back-to-back Open titles in 2007 and 2008 and was coach to a host of other leading players, among them McGinley, Marc Warren, Stephen Gallacher and Sam, himself.
Torrance’s work also extended to the amateur game and he was the Scottish Golf Union’s national coach, influencing many up and coming players as well as younger coaches.
‘The Bob Torrance Coach of the Year Award’ will now be presented annually to a male or female PGA professional coach who is actively engaged in the teaching of golf in Scotland. They must have shown exceptional leadership and dedication to the game, as well as a level of success in their work.
Speaking of the Award, Sam Torrance said: “I’m hugely proud my father is to be remembered in this way on an annual basis at the Scottish Golf Awards. It’s a wonderful tribute to his work over so many years and I thank the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association for incorporating this award into what is a great event.
“My father was one of the best coaches in the world and I’m sure there are many coaches who look up to him and take inspiration from his work. I look forward to being in Edinburgh on 20 March to present the award for the first time and I’m sure we’ll have a very worthy recipient.”
Tickets are still available for the 2015 Scottish Golf Awards, co-hosted by BBC golf commentator Andrew Cotter and Sky broadcaster Caroline Henderson. The evening will look back on many achievements over the past 12 months, including Europe’s stunning Ryder Cup triumph at Gleneagles, while Torrance will join the likes of Stephen Gallacher, Catriona Matthew, Richie Ramsay, Bernard Gallacher and Kylie Walker in the star-studded line up.
Last year’s event raised more than £40,000 for the game’s good causes through the Scottish Golf Charity, with a sell-out crowd of 650 guests.
The coveted Player of the Year and Shot of the Year awards will be revealed on the night, as well as the RBS Junior Club and Volunteer of the Year Awards, which reward those who do so much work for golf in their local communities.
The SGU and the SLGA also honour the late Adam Hunter on an annual basis, an award created following the death in 2011 of the ex-European Tour player and coach. An up-and-coming young talent is the recipient each year, receiving a £500 grant towards their coaching and development.
Scottish Golf Awards www.scottishgolf.org/golfawards2015
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