Bob Paxton C.B.E. was possibly the greatest golfer that ever lived. Not in the sense of his number of wins at the Open, but in the traditions of golf as it evolved throughout the early 1900's.

Bob was born the illegitimate son to the Laird of Loch Leven in 1873. His love of golf began whilst playing his local course near St. Andrews, Scotland. The Events of the 14th June 1925, best describe Bobs will to overcome the odds and succeed with dignity, over all opposition. On the Final day of the Club Championships , Bob went into the 18th joint leader with his notorious rival Sir Peregrine Fallows.

The 18th hole is a vicious dog leg left, though a narrow fairway, with the dense forest of Cragland encroaching on both sides, then left over the notorious 230' Gilbeck Gully, and up the hill to the green. Bob teed off with his 3 iron, placing the ball right of the fairway, with a good view between the trees, across the gully, up to the green. Sir Peregrine shot with his driver, and got lucky, landing his ball just ahead of Bob's, short of the gully.

With the wind picking up strength, Bob hit a 5 wood off the fairway, but clipped the trees, sending his ball crashing back into the gully. The ball finally rested some 90' down, perched on a craggy slope. Bob's heart sank, having been in the same position some three years earlier, and had to forego the game, to the smarmy Sir Peregrine. This time Bob was determined the result would be different. Sir Peregrine hit his second neatly across the gully landing in the rough on the right..

Bob was determined to make good his bad fortune, and carried his pitching wedge between his teeth, as he needed both hands to climb down Gilbeck Gully, to where his ball lay. The ball position was precarious to say the least, and Bob had only one chance to contact the ball and hack the ball back up & over the ridge of the gully. With a powerful strike the ball cleared the ridge by just inches, with Bob narrowly escaping certain death, clinging onto the wall of the Gully, and climbing back up to the top.

Bob, now a shot behind, took a grip of his wedge, a struck a superb shot into the green landing right of the pin, leaving a put of some 25 feet.

With the wind blustering, Sir Peregrine's third shot up to the green fell short , leaving him to chip on for four level, with Bob needing a 25' put for five and a possible win. Sir Peregrine, unable to handle the pressure , missed an 8' put and went down for bogie six.

Bob studied the undulating green again, and struck the ball positively, going for glory and holed the put of his life. He shook hand s with Sir peregrine who could not look him in the eye. Bob never won the Club Championship again, as he declined to enter, saying he feared his rock climbing skills were not up to it anymore.

Bob died aged 98, and was said to regard his win over Sir Peregrine in 1925 ,as his finest game.