Bernard Gallacher remembers the late, great Eric Brown

Mar 11 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

RYDER CUP legend Bernard Gallacher has revealed that Bathgate golfing great Eric Brown inspired him to the pinnacle of the game.

Gallacher was just a starry-eyed teenager the first time he watched the ‘Brown Bomber’ in action at Royal Burgess.

And the man who led Europe to Ryder Cup glory in 1995 revealed to the Courier that was the day he knew he wanted to follow in Brown’s footsteps at Bathgate Golf Club and become a professional.

Both men came through the ranks at their home town club, which can lay claim to being the only one in the world who have produced two Ryder Cup captains.

Speaking as the 24th anniversary of the Brown Bomber’s death passed at the weekend, Gallacher recalled the day his father took him to Royal Burgess.

“I was only 14 and my dad and I had gone specifically to watch and support Eric,” said the 61-year-old. “It was that day which really inspired me to take up the professional game.”

Gallacher readily admits that he will never forget the man who, in 1969, selected him to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the Ryder Cup.

It made the then 20-year-old a record holder as the youngest ever golfer to represent the UK.

It was a huge honour for the young man from Bathgate, who remembers Brown as one of Scottish golf’s true legends.

Gallacher continued: “Eric was a great golfer, first and foremost. He was a terrific straight and long driver and in his heyday he was also a wonderful putter.

“I think his game suffered a little because of the years he had to spend as an assistant before being able to turn professional.

“When he did play, he was very competitive and an excellent player. He was desperately unlucky not to win the Open – especially at Lytham, when he was just one shot behind.

“Eric was Ryder Cup captain at a time when America were very dominant, with players like Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Sam Snead, so for our team to share the match in 1969 – and be unlucky not to win – was a terrific achievement.

“He was fiery person and we certainly didn’t answer him back. He especially didn’t take any nonsense during Ryder Cup time and if you hit the ball into the rough or missed a putt, he’d let you know about it – but that was his style.

“I always got on very well with him.

“The biggest tribute I can pay him would be that the great Neil Coles personally told me that not only was Eric Brown a great Ryder Cup captain, he told me that Eric was the best captain he had ever played under.”

ERIC THE IDOL: a special tribute to the Brown Bomber – turn to pages 60-61.