I was fortunate to play with John Paramor at Wentworth, and, much to my mortification, had to ask him for a ruling (‘Enforcer’ John Paramor reigned with rulebook, iron will, February 20 GGP).
It was the club championship and, as per usual, I’d hooked my first drive on the West Course near the first tee on the East. The starter told me where to drop the ball and I thought he was wrong, so I had to call John over to confirm. Luckily, J.P. agreed with me and didn’t deny me a drop, as he did with Seve Ballesteros at Valderrama in 1994, but I felt horrible having to ask him.
One year we played together just before a St. Andrews Open, and I always tried to avoid speaking too much about golf as I thought he’d get bored with it, but I mentioned I was going up to watch, and he said “bring a jacket and tie and maybe we can have a drink in the R&A clubhouse.†I’m sure he had better things to do, but he texted me and said, “I’ll meet you by the putting green at 3 p.m.†He took me into the clubhouse and we spent a very happy three hours sitting in the seats by the big bay windows.
It’s not as if we were close friends, but it reflects what a lovely man he was. It’s such a shame J.P. has died at such a young age.
Simon McCready
Guildford, England
A retirement far too brief
Thank you for John Hopkins’ article on John Paramor (‘Enforcer’ John Paramor reigned with rulebook, iron will, February 20 GGP).
I will really miss having a brief chat with him on the DP World Tour when on the fairways.
What a shame he did not get to enjoy a long retirement. He was a lovely guy.
Brian Johnston
Cambridge, England
Simply one of the best
Stunning piece by John Hopkins about John Paramor (‘Enforcer’ John Paramor reigned with rulebook, iron will, February 20 GGP).
Easily one of the best officials of any sport. I loved watching him at work.
Simon Lowe
Taunton, England
Rules knowledge and people skills guided Paramor
I have had the good fortune to work alongside John Paramor at many championships throughout my career (‘Enforcer’ John Paramor reigned with rulebook, iron will, February 20 GGP). If you are choosing up sides for a Rules & Conduct team of any golf championship, J.P. was always going to be at the top of the list. His technical knowledge of the rules was superb, but being a rules official is so much more than that. In the end, it is a people business and John’s people skills were extraordinary.
Since his passing, I’ve had the chance to speak to several colleagues about John. What was most apparent is that no one has just one J.P. story. John loved life and lived it accordingly.
Thanks, John Hopkins, for your column, which celebrated John Paramor and his many contributions to the game.
Jeff Hall
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
(Hall is the USGA’s managing director of rules and open championships.)
As someone who has carefully followed the ongoing conflict between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, I honestly think your coverage is second to none (Saudis miscalculate in fight with PGA Tour, February 20 GGP).
What I find most striking is your team’s ability to remain objective and remarkably neutral as the battle has gone back and forth.
Gil Kerr
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
(Kerr is a former employee of the PGA Tour.)
I just finished reading a really great book, “The Match,†written by Mark Frost. It tells the story of four golfers – amateurs Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward along with professionals Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson – back in the early days of American golf.
This is a wonderful book that all golfers should read, not just for the history and knowledge of these great golfers but for inspiration as well.
Al Olson
Hartwell, Georgia
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