Donald Barclay Howard (27 January 1953 – 19 May 2008) was a Scottish amateur golfer. He was regarded as one of the finest golfers of his time and considered a folk-hero. He has had a lifetime relationship with Cochrane Castle Golf Club in Johnstone, Renfrewshire.
| Barclay Howard | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Donald Barclay Howard |
| Born | 27 January 1953 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 19 May 2008 (aged 55) Johnstone, Scotland |
| Sporting nationality |  Scotland |
| Spouse |
Alexandra Lawson Brennan
(m. 1972; div. 1980) |
| Children | 3 |
| Career | |
| Status | Amateur |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | T60: 1997 |
Life
editHoward was born in Glasgow. He was married when he was 19, the marriage to Alexandra Lawson Brennan produced two daughters – Linda (b. 1972) and Lorraine (b. 1976).
Howard first joined Clydesdale Bank and later switched to Rolls-Royce, where he was made redundant in 1993. After that he became a full-time amateur golfer, that and his previous success on the golf course led him to a job in customer relations with club-maker John Letters.
Howard was a self-confessed alcoholic, leading to international exclusion in 1984. After having suffered and defeated leukemia, he died of pneumonia in 2008.
Howard was a lifelong friend of Sam Torrance, who became a successful professional golfer.
Sporting career
editHoward can probably be best described as a true amateur. Working a regular work week and playing golf in his spare time. He might have been a top professional. He was a leading figure in Scottish and British amateur golf. Over the years he has won more than a hundred amateur tournaments.
Howard played on the Great Britain and Ireland team in the Walker Cup twice, winning in 1995 at Royal Portcawl. He has also played on the GB&I team in the Eisenhower Trophy in 1996. He was the low amateur in the 1997 Open Championship.
In his latter years, Howard was a leading figure in the Scottish Golf Union.
Autobiography
editHoward published an autobiography (with Jonathan Russell) in 2001 called "Out of the rough"[1] (not to be confused with Laura Baugh's book called "Out of the Rough" or John Daly's: "My life in and out of the rough") where he describes his personal battles (against alcohol) and his inner demons.
Amateur wins
editthis list is incomplete
Team appearances
editAmateur
- St Andrews Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1980 (winners), 1994 (winners), 1996 (winners)
- Walker Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1995 (winners), 1997
- Eisenhower Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1996
- European Amateur Team Championship (representing Scotland): 1995 (winners), 1997
References
edit- ^ Out of the Rough: Booze, Birdies and a Driving Ambition, ISBN 978-1-84018-511-9, Hard cover, 192 pages, Mainstream Publishing Company