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The official team photo the night before the action started in earnest – Mark Lomas was yet to arrive – what could possibly go wrong…

The sun shone, the courses were spectacular and although the hospitality didn’t quite match the high standard set in Italy last year, the PGS team thoroughly enjoyed their recent trip to Portugal.

The European Press Championships (or EMGJ as it’s officially called – European Masters for Golf playing Journalists) were last week held over 2 courses an hour north of Lisbon: Praia D’el Rey and Royal Óbidos.

This is allegedly the ‘serious’ counterpart to last year’s Nations Cup and with only 75% handicap allowance the scoring was understandably low. We enjoyed practice rounds in warm sunny weather over both courses before getting down to business.

Twelve teams from across Europe were competing: UK, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic and a strong French team stacked with Wryter Cup regulars.

On day 1 at Praia d’El Rey players were randomly grouped together with other nations – it was the luck of the draw whether you had a friendly Austrian woman who sprayed schnapps into your mouth every time someone made a birdie, or a dour German who didn’t speak all round unless someone went close to treading on his line.

Only one of our team – Christian Fraser – got to 30 points but with the ability to discard our worst 2 scores we were in a respectable 7th place after Day 1.

We were all teamed up with mid-table rivals Netherlands, Austria and The Czech Republic on Day 2 and with the wind getting up, Royal Óbidos with its expanse of water became an even tougher challenge. Overtaking the Dutch was within our grasp but we were also looking over our shoulders at the Austrians and Czechs behind.

Despite a below-par performance from Captain Bubbles, Keith Malone’s 28 and consistent scoring from Christian again, Nev Appleton & Sheena Quinn meant that although we were unable to overhaul the Netherlands we at least maintained 7th.

Very impressive though was France’s Guillaume Michel whose 35 pts (2 over gross) helped the APG to a dominant overall victory.

Once again the PGS led the way in the bar, consistently the last ones standing and while the food and ‘entertainment’ were less than impressive we made the most of it and had a lot of fun over the week.

Looking ahead to the Nations Cup next year, it’s being played in the Netherlands on a traditional links course on the island of Texel, a couple of hours drive from Amsterdam. Unfortunately it clashes with the Wryter Cup which will make it harder to put out a team.

The great news though is that Nick Buckley has offered to Captain the side, and will be very keen to find willing team members.

I guarantee that anyone who makes the journey will have a fantastic time courtesy of the Dutch hosts.

Words by Jonny Bramley

Gallery below from all the team!

Joe, last year at the PGS’ Captains’ Reunion, Committee and Seniors’ Day

Joe Wood Obituary, by Philippa Kennedy

(the full version will appear in the next edition of the PGS newsletter)

Titans of the old Fleet Street days lined up to pay tribute to the much-loved and respected Joe Wood, who died, aged 94 on 15^th March.

The warmth, affection and respect for the former boss of the Joe Wood News Agency at the Old Bailey and the High Court shone through messages from reporters who worked with him, editors who depended on him and golfing pals who laughed their ways around the fairways with him.

Joe suffered from poor health in his last two years, battling prostate cancer and became increasingly frail after Nita died.  They had been married for 70 years and had two children, son Tim, 69, who took over the agency when his father retired and daughter Tracy Simmonds, 67, four grand-children and four great-grand-children.

Said Tracy: “Dad was frail but still pushing back and we moved his bed downstairs to the heart of the house where he was surrounded by the family. It was an incredibly sad time but such a privilege to spend those last few months with him sharing some wonderful moments.”

A former captain of Enfield Golf Club and the Press Golfing Society, Joe was an excellent golfer whose lowest handicap was two.  A natural sportsman, who was RAF Javelin champion during his National Service, he also played rugby for a Saracens team.  His name is emblazoned on at least eight PGS trophies including the prestigious Sir John Gordon PGS Putter.

Notoriously absent-minded, he once almost sparked an enquiry at Scotland Yard after two valuable PGS trophies went missing following Chester Stern’s Captain’s Dinner there. Sometime later, Nita found them at the back of the bedroom wardrobe where Joe had hidden them for safekeeping when they got home from the event.

Perhaps the most spectacular example was when a delayed holiday flight meant him missing his own Captain’s Dinner at London’s Savoy Hotel.  He eventually arrived, full of apologies, after dinner was over.

A few memories from Joe’s fellow PGS members:

NIC BROOK , Mirror Art Editor, remembers Joe’s golfing prowess as a three-handicapper.  “Joe was a lovely fellow, the kindest of men and a fabulous golfer.   When I joined the Press Golfing Society I recall his kindness and encouragement more than anything.  You always felt you’d do OK if you had Joe as your playing partner.”

 JEREMY CHAPMAN, Vice President and former PGS Secretary writes: “ Lovely man, lovely golfer – the best we had in the PGS for a while.  I was lucky enough to play with him twice, once back in the day when he was in his prime and with his magnificent iron play shepherded us to a wide-margin win in a team event. He was an awesome partner, as well as a hugely encouraging one; the second time many years later in an Emsley Carr quarter-final on the Edinburgh course at Wentworth. It was damp and he wasn’t the force he was. Suddenly after ten holes he said “you have the match, let’s go and have a good lunch!”

PHILIPPA KENNEDY, former PGS President and Captain, remembers being sent up to the Old Bailey as a ‘young and very green reporter’ by formidable Sun news editor Ken Donlan, with the instruction: “Find Joe Wood.  He’ll look after you.”  Naively I thought I was supposed to take down every single word and I was panicking.  Joe just handed me some copy with the prosecution opening statement, the names of the defendant and the barristers and the plea.  I think he probably gave me an intro too.  He was an incredible presence, tall and handsome and a natty dresser.

“He invited me to join a golf trip once to the West Coast Links of Ireland and I was designated ‘house mother’, my main job being to check Joe’s room on leaving in case he had forgotten something.  Once it was a pair of highly polished shoes and another time it was his blazer with his passport in a pocket.”

There will be a private cremation but the family is planning a party at the family home in Dulwich to celebrate their parents’ lives on a date as yet to be decided.