A moment of golfing fame
By Bill Trivess
Not many members of Corhampton Golf Club can match the claim of Bill Trivess
to have competed in a major open championship.
Bill, renowned raconteur and a member of 39 years standing, tells the story
of his moment of golfing fame.
The time - the spring of 1946. The place - occupied Italy where Cpl. W.D.
Trivess, REME, was serving in Naples with the Eighth Army.
Bill, who had a comfortable number in charge of the regimental office, was
informed by his Commanding Officer that all ranks would play soccer or rugby
once a week in order to keep fit.
When Bill indicated, with great respect, that he did not wish to participate,
he was told that it was an Eighth Army order and had to be obeyed. "What
is your sport?" inquired the C.O. "Golf, sir", replied Cpl. Trivess. C.O.
- "Golf, that's not a sport, I'll put you down for football."
Two days later the C.O. gleefully informed his corporal that he was to proceed
forthwith to Rome to represent the Naples Garrison in the Middle East Open
Golf Championships.
Bill laughed discretely and explained that he was a "rabbit" golfer with a
handicap of 24. But his C.O. barked "'It's an order, Corporal -go and fill
in the entry form."
The form revealed that competitors would be guests of the Rome Golf Club,
supplied with clubs and caddies, and be allowed a week's practice before the
championship started. Each competitor should have a handicap of three or
below.
Quickly assessing the situation, Bill decided to reduce his handicap by 21
strokes (proving the pen is mightier than the sword) and he duly set off
for Rome.
Rubbing shoulders with military and sporting notabilities, Cpl. Trivess
enjoyed the finest - and cheapest two weeks' holiday of his life. He said
"We were wined and dined every day - and then came the daunting experience
of standing on the first tee on the opening day of the championship.
"My partner was no better than I was so after seven holes we tore up our
cards and decided to become spectators for the rest of the tournament. My
excuse was that I was short of practice, having been in the Army for more
than five years -and in any case I was only obeying orders.
The competition was won by a New Zealander, Captain Silk and the runner-up
Bill recalls, was Tommy Bolt, soon to become the United States Open Champion.
There is a remarkable sequel to Bill's story. Twenty years later, at Corhampton,
when he was playing a few solitary holes on Christmas Day he teamed up with
a husky young man who was hitting the ball a prodigious distance. His name
was David Silk - and his father was the New Zealand Army captain who won
that Middle East Open Championship. Now that's some coincidence!