A Farewell to a Golf Legend

Once the Amgen Irish Open tent gets packed up and rolls out of Royal County Down, Head Professional Kevan Whitson will also exit stage left after a career innings of almost 50 years and is considered one of the country’s most respected PGA Professionals.

Little did Whitson know what would unfold after that memorable day when he and three other PGA pro hopefuls bounced about in the back of Bill Webb’s BMW Seven Series as he literally drove them down the hallowed fairways of RCD. Whitson was one of four who had flown into Belfast for final interview and Webb, the then Greens’ Convenor, was carrying out routine checks on the golf course – or simply putting in time before final interviews?

That was 1991 and Whitson was officially offered the role of Head Professional at RCD in October that year. When he ‘hands over the keys’ to his current assistant John Murray this October, it will be a remarkable 33 years spent at the famous Newcastle venue and almost 50 years since first signing his PGA papers and taking up the assistant role as a 16-year-old at The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh.

But Whitson’s work at RCD is not done yet as the Irish Open is fast approaching and the lucrative $6million DP World Tour event already looks bigger and more substantial compared to the last staging of Ireland’s national open there in 2015 when Denmark’s Søren Kjeldsen defied the elements to win and receive the trophy from then tournament host Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy heads up a strong home contingent that includes the likes of Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington, Seamus Power, Tom McKibbin and local Simon Thornton.

“It’s been a very slick operation in terms of the build,” explains Whitson referring to the 1000’s of behind-the-scenes man hours required to prepare a venue for such a high-profile tournament. “It’s been a good relationship with the tour throughout the process. Their consideration of the venue and members have worked very well.

“As a club we’ve found little or no interruption to the day-to-day running. A lot of the visitors have enjoyed it too; taking their picture with the Irish Open trophy in the pro shop or remarking how much fun it is to play up the 18th with the grandstands and corporate facilities lining the hole. In many ways it has added to the visitor experience.”

RCD's Place in the Global Game

There is a sense that RCD is just as keen to showcase their famous Championship Links in the same way Royal Portrush will do next year when The Open returns. Northern Ireland’s two most famous golf venues are aware of their place, not only within Irish golf but the global game.

“We want to show the golf course off. We are all very fortunate to get to play RCD every day,” says Whitson. “To have the best players in the world come and pit their skills against a great old links golf course is very special. The course length (7,206 yards) hasn’t changed massively since the 1950s, which is staggering when you think it can still stand up to today’s modern game. For Royal County Down, I think it’s important we take our place at hosting major events in Northern Ireland.

‘There’s no pressure, just a desire to deliver at the highest level, both for members and international visitors. It’s more a sense of pride to be able to share the golf course and provide the best possible experience.”

A Dedicated Team

One of Whitson’s main roles during tournament week is to head up the Golf Operations team, with a specific remit of “delivering the very best practice facility for the players”. He and his team will man the practice area situated on the Annesley Links at RCD just beyond the Spectator Village. The dedicated area can hold up to 50 players at any one time.

Despite everything Whitson has achieved in the game, (he is one of just over 50 to receive the PGA Master Professional title for his contribution to golf), you sense it is the elevation of customer service and welcome through the Golf Operations team over the years at RCD that makes him proud.

Whitson and his PGA team are not involved in the retail aspect at the Spectator Village, “that’s a licensee agreement the tour have with the Legends Group, who also look after the commercial affairs for the Ryder Cup and events like the Scottish Open”.

Never mind the pressures of hosting an international tournament, the club has also just completed two major capital projects.

“We carried out a major irrigation project across both courses, plus doubled the size of the greenkeeping sheds, two multi-million pound projects that completed this year. It all seemed to happen at the same time which was largely a result of covid, which held up the projects.

“The work is now complete with brand new pump houses, water tanks and sprinkler system that is the envy of any venue in the world, plus state-of-the-art greenkeeping sheds. Full credit to Course Manager Eamonn Crawford and his team who had a lot of extra work with both projects.”

Whitson insists the club were never worried about completing in time for the Irish Open. “I think there’s a confidence that runs through the club that when we enter into doing a project, it will get done, and on time,” he said. “These are longer term projects for the general good of the golf courses. Yes, in an ideal world they would have been completed a year or two earlier, but life doesn’t work that way!”

A Legacy of Coaching Excellence

What might be offered a little more breathing space is a look back on Whitson’s career and note the many young professionals he brought through and mentored in his time at RCD.

“I will retire at the end of October after the Irish Open, and for me that feels like a very natural marker,” explains Whitson, the 65-year-old Scot from East Lothian, who has now spent half his life in Newcastle with his wife Eileen and family.

“I’ve not known anything else other than golf club life. I had my forays into playing like most pros and certainly thought I was going to be an awful lot better than I ended up! But I quickly realised I had a passion for coaching, that has been a driving force in my career, helping other people to improve at all levels.”

Whitson recalls the excellent training he first received at Royal Burgess under Head Professional George Yuile. “Work ethic might come from within the family, but a good culture can be mentored by the right people. I have been fortunate to have had many good mentors. And everywhere I went since those early days I tried to bring that strong work ethic and embrace the club culture.”

After his time a Royal Burgess, Whitson took up the position of Head Professional at Turnhouse Golf Club in Edinburgh where he began to get recognition for his coaching, plus got to know some of his early assistants such as Neil Manchip. He changed the coaching culture at Turnhouse. Rather than lessons being tucked away at the end of a range, he brought them front and centre at the clubhouse. Golf World ran a feature article on Whitson’s coaching and things soon gained traction.

But it wasn’t until arriving in Northern Ireland towards the end of the Troubles that Whitson made his mark. His role began to change and he became mentor to so many.

“I believe there have been 33 assistant professionals who trained under me, 29 here at RCD,” says Whitson, while chatting in the casual leather seats in the Murlough Room at RCD. “It’s been a real privilege and so many of them have gone on to achieve wonderful things in golf.

“I recall RCD wanted to me to start in October 1991 when my predecessor Ernie Jones took up a new role at The K Club, but Turnhouse couldn’t release me until the January. That’s where the likes of Neil [Manchip], Euan McIntosh and Alasdair Good helped me during the transition. They were great times, exciting times.

“Neil then came over with us to RCD full time. He even lived with us for six months. He helped with the babysitting, which was obviously a hugely important role! Neil has gone on to make a wonderful contribution within Irish golf as National Coach with Golf Ireland and coach to Shane Lowry.

“David Kearney followed, and he went on to become National Coach to the then Irish Ladies’ Golf Union (ILGU) among other key roles. He is also a published author and has his own successful Sigmoid Sports company. Gary McNeil was another early assistant. He is doing a wonderful job as Head Professional at Royal Portrush. Simon Thornton is another, he went on win on the DP World Tour. I remember Simon arriving in Newcastle one summer as a five handicapper. As a coach, Simon’s journey made me feel immensely proud.

“I could go through the entire list; Phil Collins, Colin McElderry, Stephen Deane doing great things in Dubai, Stephen Sweeney now coaching on the PGA Tour from his base in West Palm Beach. I don’t want to miss anyone out, but every single one of them had a passion and desire to give to the game. And if you give to this game, it’s good at giving back.

“What all these guys went on to achieve has nothing to do with me, credit must go to them for having the courage to go on and build their own fantastic careers. The nice thing for me is they have all been sprinkled with a wee bit of Royal County Down magic that stuck with them.”

From the Troubles to a New Home

Of his own journey Whitson recalls some from home questioning why he would choose to uproot his family to a place known for conflict rather than the beauty of his home place in East Lothian? He recalls a “beautiful August day driving towards Newcastle, the tide at Dundrum Bay was in, Mournes in the distance, it was simply stunning. At that exact time, it was hard to believe we were in a country we spent 30 years believing it was only bombs and the Troubles. That stereotype was grossly unfair, but it was the news we were fed in places like Scotland and England.”

Whitson praises his wife Eileen for supporting the move “and their children Rory and Reeve were still young enough”. He recalls RCD putting them up for three days in the Brook Cottage Hotel while starting their search for a new home in Newcastle. He looks back fondly on the intimidating “full council” 14-man interview committee, and of course the infamous trip onto the links in Mr Webb’s BMW!

All told, Newcastle got a hold of the Whitsons. Where once there might have been reservations about such a move, they are here to stay.

“I came from a beautiful place I was passionate about. I’m an East Lothian boy and look forward to going back, but Newcastle is home for us. I am also fortunate enough to have recently received a letter to be invited to become a member here at RCD, for me that’s a huge honour. I don’t believe that’s been afforded to any PGA professional in the history of the club. Eileen is an active member of the Royal County Down Ladies Golf Club, and I hope we’ll stay part of the fabric of golf in Newcastle for some time to come.”

What's Next for Kevan?

Whitson has plenty to keep him busy between consultancy roles within the PGA and TGI Partnership or hold a PGA Masterclass at RCD. He might simply tinker with the couple of old cars he is passionate about, ride his Harley Davidson into the sunset, walk the dog more or tackle the garden. He’s also been tasked with coaching grandson Finlay to be Masters champion by 2042!

“On a personal note, I’m much more comfortable with the thought of finishing my time than I thought I would be. I look back with a lot of satisfaction. My role at RCD evolved and changed over the years and I’m ready to hand over to John and the team who will do a great job.

“I’ve reached the point where I want to have the freedom to explore and experience other things. It may be that I do nothing more, and that’s ok. I simply don’t know at this stage.”

What is certain, the Irish Open at Royal County Down makes for the ideal sign off for Whitson as he looks back on an illustrious 50-year career within golf.