Port Royal Golf Course To Celebrate 54 Years
Port Royal Golf Course will celebrate its upcoming 54th anniversary with an appreciation golf tournament, prize presentation, and reception on Saturday [June 29].
A spokesperson said, “On Saturday June 29th 2024 Port Royal Golf Course, which was officially opened on October 29, 1970, will celebrate 54 years as a world class championship public golf course with an appreciation golf tournament, prize presentation and reception.
“Ironically Kim Swan, the current Chairman of the Golf Course Board of Trustees, was a product of Port Royal Golf Course when it was opened in 1970, Chairman Swan felt compelled to showcase Port Royal and give thanks for its half century of service as a major tourism product for Bermuda.
“In its original form, Port Royal became the official home of Bermuda Championship Golf by hosting the now dominant Bermuda Open on 35 occasions and Bermuda Amateur Championships for decades. In its modern form, the renovated Port Royal Golf Course attracted six PGA Grand Slam of Golf events and has now hosted the PGA Tour Butterfield Bermuda Championship for five consecutive years.”
Mr Swan said, “The introduction of a championship public golf course changed the social landscape of golf for the betterment of the game and the country as a whole. Port Royal Golf Course ushered in a period of social change as golf in Bermuda transitioned away from being an overtly segregated society in the 1960s and prior.
“The construction of Port Royal Golf Course coincided with the building and opening of the Southampton Princess Hotel and its not lost on me that we are anxiously waiting the restoration of that same facility as we celebrate ours. The Port Royal and Southampton Princess relationship saw huge convention groups grace our shores – groups like Time Magazine and IBM booked the entire course for a week at market rate – with celebrities like Jack Nicklaus and Billy Eckstein putting their stamp of approval on our world class establishment.”
The spokesperson said, “The establishment of Port Royal ushered in an era of unprecedented inclusiveness in golf only available at the public facilities at the 9-hole Ocean View Golf Course. As a world class golf course with full service facilities Port Royal attracted persons from all walks of life.
“The Reginald Tucker era included the late Eric Parker and the late Hubert Smith, who both were well established figures on the Bermuda golf scene – Eric Parker at Belmont and with the Bermuda Golf Association and Hubert Smith through Ocean View Golf Club – the fusion of Bermuda’s golf culture had begun. Reginald Tucker from a well established golf family in St. George’s was a key executive figure with the Bank of Bermuda and an accomplished golfer.
“The completion of Port Royal Golf Course was delayed several months before opening in October of 1970.”
Former civil servant Dr. I. W. Hughes said, “Reggie Tucker was a no-nonsense fellow who got things done.”
Kim Swan said, “Mr Wardman was a champion golfer and it was under his administrator that Noel Van Putten and Frank Rabain were introduced to Port Royal Golf Course as General Manager and Golf Professional and the course grew from strength to strength attracting unprecedented numbers of golfers annually.”
The spokesperson said, “On Saturday, June 29th, 2024 we will celebrate the glorious 54 year legacy of Port Royal Golf Course.”
List of Chairpersons
- 1970-1976 Mr. P. Reginald Tucker Esq.
- 1976-1980 Mr. George Wardman Esq.
- 1980-1983 Mr. J. Thomas Smith Eso.
- 1983-1993 Mrs. Clarence James
- 1993-1994 Mr. Mark Diel
- 1994-1998 Mr. Dennis Samuels
- 1998-1999 Mr. Raoul Tyrrell
- 1999-2004 MP Elvin James JP MP
- 2005-2006 Mr. Michael Emery
- 2006-2010 Mr. Wendell Brown
- 2011-2012 Mr. Nitin Aggarwal
- 2013 – Mr. Clement Talbot
- 201? – 2017 Mr. Mark Crockwell
- 2017 – 2020 Neville Tyrrell JP MP
- 2020 – 2021 Derrick Burgess JP MP
- 2021 – Present Kim Swan JP MP
Strange choice of chairperson in 2020: doubt if “Bullets” Burgess knows one end of a golf club from the other.