HUGH DAN MACLENNAN reflects on a remarkable PGA tour victory for Robert MacIntyre last weekend, and encourages shinty to savour the success of one of their own…
The nearest I can think by way of comparison to Robert and Dougie MacIntyre’s incredible achievement in Canada last weekend is a quite remarkable feat achieved by Donnie and Ross Grant in the 1984 Camanachd Cup Final – I believe the first time a father and son played in the same team in a final, never mind winning team. (It has been done again since then by the way.)
The MacIntyres’ achievement is simply extraordinary and it doesn’t just feature the dynamic duo.
There is a whole family involved here from mum Carol to brothers and sisters, and includes girlfriend Shannon.
While the two achievements are worlds apart, there is a wonderful commonality between the two events.
The father and son combination, which Robert (and Dougie) will speak of for the rest of their lives.
The camanachd link which brought them all together. And even the location.
The Grants won the Camanachd cup at Mossfield, a mere sand wedge for Robert from his beloved Glencruitten Golf club where Dougie is the head “grass-cutter” as he referred to himself, with characteristic modesty.
There were plenty of differences of course – the professional nature of one with its enormous and richly deserved prize money counter-pointed by shinty’s true amateurism.
But again, the parallels are of skills, courage, resilience and fortitude.
They were all to the fore the four days the MacIntyres strutted their stuff in the face of all sorts of challenges and adversity, including visa issues, in Canada.
As Robert said afterwards many times, “Who would have thought?”
There will probably never be another achievement like this in the history of golf, perhaps even sport.
And this is where several unintended issues arise which bring a tinge of disappointment to the overall euphoria and sense of celebration which undoubtedly has spread through Oban and all the West Highlands this week.
The whole sporting world seemed to tune into the Canadian Open result, no sooner had the final putt dropped and Rob nearly crumbled into a quivering wreck.
His father, meanwhile, produced one of the most understated and low-key celebrations of all time. It was as if he had just strolled in to Glencruitten clubhouse after a long shift on the mowers.
The whole universe, it appeared for most of Monday, apart from shinty’s world governing body, the Camanachd Association, was in full congratulatory mode.
The CA, meanwhile, found itself flat-footed and left in the wake of everyone and his auntie who had sent messages. Social media was quick to react and ask the question.
Where is the CA in all of this?
The facts were that one of its playing members, Robert, had just won his maiden title on the PGA Tour.
His caddie was his father, manager of Oban Celtic and a Camanachd Cup winner with Oban Camanachd in 1996 (Robert’s uncle Gordon, Dougie’s brother, famously scored the winner having lost an eye some months before.)
By late on Saturday night, at the end of play Robert was leading by four strokes going into the fourth day.
There was more than a chance that the pair were about to create history, never mind waves across the ocean.
A slick media operation would have prepared a potential news blitz to recognise wonderful achievements and a fantastic opportunity to promote the game on the back of the historical links between shinty, ice hockey, Scots and Canadians, left-handedness (there are even more lefties in Canada than there are in Badenoch) which they both emphasised on numerous occasions.
And they both challenged the usual tired tropes about shinty which were trotted out by the uninitiated as they began to realise what was happening.
This was a serious mis-step which was only rescued at the last minute with a congratulatory note. Clubs and individuals had left the CA in their wake and they looked off the pace.
To be fair to them, it was the start of one of the biggest weeks of the year with a major cup final to be prepped for Saturday.
But that excuse is doing some heavy lifting and it does not cover the clear inference that lack of resources, if not foresight, had led to a missed opportunity to blaze the name of shinty across the media environment.
Would the GAA have slipped up in the same way if a hurler had been putting for victory? I think not.
How to resolve this unfortunate mis-step?
Reinstate the Media Advisory Group which has disappeared without trace to help shore up the media effort.
Ask for help where it is to be found and willingly delivered. Institute a training programme for staff, development officers and clubs which would enable them to make the most of media opportunities as, and before they arise.
A grid can be prepared of key points and events which can be exploited during and especially after the shinty season.
There are other suggestions flying around, some of which are possibly impractical, but nonetheless worthy in their own way – naming a trophy or competition after Robert, making him a formal ambassador for the sport in the manner of Gary Innes, or having him make guest appearances at cup draws, presentations etc.
All of these presume Robert’s agreement, participation and availability which may well diminish with continued success.
All is not lost, however, and the message is clear. Shinty now has a world-class sportsman who is still currently playing.
His father, a team manager, has cemented his reputation as one of Argyll’s greatest sportsmen. Shinty must do better in recognising the magnitude of the achievement.
Let’s all bask in the glory of the achievement and let there be no doubt about it. If the MacIntyres appear in the Shinty Memories Golf Tournament at Kingussie in August, the handicap committee will be having a good look.
Let’s give the CA credit though for their final words in the news release eventually issued on Monday: “Congratulations, Bob and Dougie, on your extraordinary achievement. The shinty world is incredibly proud of you!”
Hear, Hear.
