Q Golf - Official online magazine for Golf Queensland Winter 2012 | Page 15

Newton holds strong opinions on the
many issues that are facing golf at present
and has never been afraid to express
them and whether you agree with them
or not, one thing is for sure you will never
die wondering with Jack Newton.
It was however Newton’s role in the
writing of an award winning article in
April of 2011 on the need for change in
the attitude of golf clubs towards the
youth of the game that was the catalyst
for the invite to speak to around 100
industry related people at the Victoria
Park Golf Complex in Brisbane.
His background in those areas mentioned
earlier did, however, offer a valuable
insight into the man and just why he is
such a significant source of experience

and knowledge for Australian golf.
Newton first headed to Europe as an
amateur having won tournaments such
as the NSW Amateur at the age of 17 and
the Lake Macquarie Amateur events in
what was an impressive amateur career.

“

I am a believer in the
old adage that if you
keep doing what you
have always done then
you will always get the
same result

“

When Jack Newton was asked to speak
at the Queensland Golf Forum in
March there was little doubting of his
credentials to do so. Newton is perhaps
as well placed as anyone to speak with
authority on the golf industry overall in
Australia having established a career and
much success as a player, administrator,
commentator, public speaker and golf
course designer.

Festival and the Benson & Hedges Match
Play Championship but it would be in
1975 at Carnoustie when Jack Newton
made the wider golfing world aware of
what a talent he was.
He lost a playoff to Tom Watson at the
British Open that year then a couple of
years later joined the USPGA Tour winning
the Buick Open in 1978 before finishing
runner-up at the US Masters behind none
other than Seve Ballesteros.
In between times Newton won the event
he coveted most outside of the major
title he so nearly secured - the Australian
Open in 1979 - which had a doubly
significant meaning for him as he won
with this father Jack Snr on the bag.

Norman Von Nida befriended Newton and
in 1969 took him to Britain to play in the
British Amateur and it was then Newton
developed a liking for golf there and two
years later he arrived there as a fully
fledged professional.

“The Australian Open was something
I al ݅