ONE-ARMED GOLFER'S FAME

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 11

ONE-ARMED GOLFER'S FAME

TN L. P. Devlin, Rangiora A has the only New Zealand member of tlie Society of One-armed Golfers, which has its headquarters in Dundee. Devlin has figured prominently in a variety of championships, amongst them being club junior and intermediate fixtures, Borrowed Timers, and South Island Veterans competitions. Devlin became a member of the association little more than a year ago, when his daughter, Mrs A. M. Johns, Palmerston North, learned of the existence of the society and paid his first

membership fee as a sev-enty-third birthday present. As an additional birthday present the secretary (Mr R. D. Marshall) sent him one of the society’s ties, when writing to acknowledge Devlin’s membership as the first New Zealander to join the society. The first national meeting of one-armed golfers was held in Britain in 1931, when there were 38 competitors, according to information forwarded to Devlin. In 1932 the society was formed and in the next year the first of the annual amateur open championships for onearmed golfers was held. The

championships are held alternately in England and Scotland. In a letter to Mrs Johns the secretary wrote, “I appreciate that your father, for reasons of geography, will not gain much direct advantage from membership, but he may derive pleasure from being part of an organisation which is the only one of its kind in the world." The society has sent Devlin articles on playing onearmed golf and regularly sends him news bulletins of its activities. As well, one of the society’s newer members. who is still mastering

the intricacies of one-armed golf, has written to Devlin from England.

Devlin, who lost his arm from the elbow in a machinery accident at Andre • Flax mill (now Donaghy's Rope and Twine Company Ltd.) at Waikuku in 1906 did not turn to golf until about 1945. Before that, however, he was a keen tennis player and, with Mr E. D. R. Smith, was largely responsible for the formation of the Rangiora Tennis Club (of which he is now a life member) in 1930.

Such was Devlin's ability to overcome his handicap that five years after losing his arm, while still only about 20, he took on a newspaper round. His sporting interest turned to golf when some of his tennis friends began tv play. In spite of his handicap, it did not take him long to master the technique of his new sport and later he won both the junior and intermediate championships of the Rangiora club. In 1961, Devlin won the longest driving competition held in conjunction with the Borrowed Timers' golf championship at Shirley, and four years later b > won the championship cup.

A member of the Canterbury Veteran Golfers' Association, Devlin won th® South Island Veterans' championship at Timaru in 1963 and after losing the title in 1964 regained it last year. Devlin’s latest golfing achievement was to win one of the two sections of the intermediate championship grade at th® Buller golf championships played at Westport at Labour weekend.