Renton Laidlaw and I travelled south from Scotland to London in the same month of December 1971 – and from that moment became firstly professional colleagues and very soon developed a personal friendship that sadly ended when news of Renton's passing on Oct. 12 came directly from his wonderful sister Jennifer, via Mitchell Platts. All of us who enjoyed the privilege of knowing him personally – together with everyone in golf and the world of sport generally touched by his velvet voice – will of course miss, but never forget him.
In the beginning we met professionally – Renton as golf correspondent for the London Evening Standard, when newsprint was still “king†and London’s Fleet Street was the epicentre of the newspaper industry. I was also based in Fleet Street, acting as deputy press and public relations officer to John Jacobs in the fledgling days of the modern European Tour. We both progressed and very soon Renton became secretary of the Association of Golf Writers, myself succeeding John Jacobs to lead the tour in 1975. The tour’s relationship then with the Golf Writers was critical to its early success – pretty much as Augusta National saw the early rise of the Masters Tournament, internationally, in earlier decades.
Renton’s work as secretary of the AGW was enormous, his meticulous planning for the annual meetings with the European Tour, defusing most if not all areas of potential conflict and ensuring this critical tour relationship was enhanced and continued. Very soon we both discovered the perfect way for us to prepare for those annual general meetings was to meet in London between Christmas and the New Year, when the golf tours were briefly closed down. And meet we did, over lunch in some of the capital’s best establishments. Talking of some of London's finest establishments – Renton suggested the Caledonian Club, “home-from-home†for many Scots, as the ideal meeting venue for the European Tour/AGW AGMs. After numerous successful meetings, followed by genial lunches, he proposed me for membership some 30 years ago. We enjoyed many gatherings together over the years.
Renton combined his work with the Evening Standard with a long stint as BBC Radio golf correspondent – his all-round sporting background being acknowledged when he acted as anchor for the station’s Saturday flagship show, rounding up all the mainstream sports stories led by the soccer results.
As the ’80s turned into the ’90s, the coverage of sport and golf changed dramatically with the advent of the digital television revolution and designated sports channels such as Sky Sports in the UK and Golf Channel in the USA. Renton was more than ready for these changes and from the outset became the permanent anchor for Golf Channel’s European Tour coverage. Renton revelled in this role – I can recall David Fay, former executive director of the USGA, vividly imitating Renton’s pure Scot’s accent as he told me, “Ken, I wake to the Golf Channel's coverage of your tour, and to Renton’s voice.†Tributes have been rightly paid by the many former European Tour professionals whom Renton schooled as they transitioned from players to commentators. He was generous with his time and his enormous repertoire of experience.
As much as Renton’s voice has become known in the UK and the USA, he was also a household name in Australia before the end of the last century. Year after year he would broadcast Australia’s leading tournaments, becoming accepted and respected as the very best. There he made lasting friendships with many including Bob and Kathie Shearer, Jack and Jackie Newton, and former Australian Test Cricket captain and legendary broadcaster Richie Benaud and his wife, Daphne.
He attended my 50th birthday celebration at the Vines Golf Club in Perth, Western Australia, and I enjoyed the privilege of being at Renton’s 60th, 70th and 80th birthdays in London. A few weeks after his 80th he came as my guest to the 2019 Ashes Test Match between England and Australia at the Kennington Oval in London – an occasion he relished and graced with his infinite wit and wisdom.
Renton Laidlaw will be remembered by all who met him and heard him, he was that man, a very special gentleman and dear friend of nearly 50 years. All our thoughts are presently with Jennifer, his devoted, loyal and most wonderful sister.
Ken Schofield served as executive director of the European Tour from 1975 to 2004 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.
Top: Renton Laidlaw in 2012
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