KENT STALWART ERIC GREEN RECEIVES MICKLEM AWARD
 Eric
Green (pictured left - photo courtesy of Kent Golf Union),
a stalwart of Kent golf and the English Golf Union, and a
lifelong golf administrator, has received the annual Gerald
Micklem Award.
The award, which was introduced in 1990, is presented to
a person who has made an outstanding contribution to further
the interests of amateur golf in England. Green joins an illustrious
list of former winners including Sir Michael Bonallack, Dr
David Marsh, Peter McEvoy and last year‘s recipient
Bill Murray.
“This is absolutely marvellous,” he said from
his south London home. “I had no idea about it and it
came right out of the blue. But it is a tremendous honour
particularly when you see who have been recipients of the
trophy. I also knew Gerald Micklem and had great respect for
him”
His only disappointment was that he was unable to travel
to Woodhall Spa to collect the award at the EGU’s annual
meeting because he is recovering from double by-pass surgery.
“I’d love to have gone but it was just not possible,”
he added.
Green, who will turn 80 on 7th March, has served the Kent
County Union for the past 30 years. A modest player by his
own admission, he joined Eltham Warren Golf Club in 1958,
was soon elected to the committee, was club treasurer for
a number of years and elected captain in 1972. He is an Honorary
Life Member and next year will celebrate 50 years at the club.
He joined the Kent committee in 1978 and quickly became Colts
Manager then chaired the finance committee in 1980 for five
years. He is still a committee member.
After becoming involved in the South East Group representing
Kent, Green’s involvement with the EGU began in 1984.
He served on the Championship Committee and is still a member
of the Tournament Panel.
In those early days, Green did some refereeing and worked
on scoreboards. He recalls his first EGU duty with great pleasure.
“It was at Seaton Carew and George Logan drove me out
to my duty point in his Rolls Royce,” he said. “However,
it was quickly pointed out that that was not the usual way
the EGU operated.”
Green was elected to the Finance Committee in 1985 and served
under seven different chairmen. He was chairman himself for
five years from 1990. In recent times he has been involved
on the radio communication side at championships.
He also recalls with pleasure accompanying Colin Edwards
and Warren Bennett to Australia in 1994 for the centenary
Australian Amateur Championship which Bennett won, while they
also took the team title.
Born in Sidcup, Green had always lived in south London. Beside
his membership of Eltham Warren, Green is also a member of
Royal Blackheath and an honorary member of Sidcup and Romney
Warren Golf Clubs.
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