Garratt to take over NJGA’s top job

Apr 24 2008 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

THE hunt for the new man at the top of the Northumberland Junior Golfing Association is over with the 2008 Prudhoe captain, Gordon Garratt, agreeing to take over as secretary next year.

The NJGA are the body that run the competitions in which the next Kenneth Ferries and Chris Paisleys take their first steps outside the comfort zone of their own club competitions.

It would take not only the Teeing Off column but also the rest of The Journal to name everybody who has contributed to the NJGA in its 44-year history and fully explain all they have done for golf.

But its initial driving force was Chris Robinson – the retired former publisher of North East Times who still contributes to the magazine – and the legend of Wallsend Boys Club, David Beardall, has made a massive input.

Robinson’s fellow City of Newcastle member, John Duncan, is retiring as secretary at the end of the 2008 season after 16 years in the role.

In recent years, Duncan and others have become increasingly burdened by the workload heaped on a tiny management committee who are, in the main, the first to admit they are well past the first flush of youth.

But now Garratt, a former Prudhoe secretary, is stepping in with Blyth’s Martin Johnson and Bedlingtonshire’s Andrew Garrow co-opted on to the committee.

Garratt, a 66-year-old retired chemist with a Quayside oil company who lives in Chapel House, Newcastle, said: “In following John Duncan, I have big shoes to fill. I reckon few people outside the NJGA realise just how much work he puts in.”

Duncan is pleased with the new man. “Gordon is on the full county executive,” he said, “and he is their representative on the NJGA management committee. He has an ideal background there, he is a very experienced administrator who is a good communicator and he’s the right man for the job.”

The major part of the NJGA funding comes from the entry fees for their four patrons’ days tournaments, which annually each attract over 200 golfers happy to do their bit for the cause.

This year’s events are at De Vere Slaley Hall (May 27), Blyth (June 19), Bedlingtonshire (July 10) and Seahouses (September 3).

It’s £12 per golfer to enter at Slaley and £15 for the other three courses, which includes a meal. If you love Northumberland golf, you’ll never spend so small an amount of money more usefully.

TO enter any of the patrons’ tournaments, ring John Duncan on (0191) 236 5525 or the NJGA treasurer, Arcot Hall’s Ron Tinmouth, on (0191) 257 7617.