Tony Pohlman of Letchworth GC has been granted Honorary Life Membership of his home club due to services and efforts over most of his adult life. Tony is well known around the County due to his additional volunteering at County level, mainly with public facing roles with our junior boys teams but in recent times with more committee based roles. We offer our congratulations to Tony – very richly deserved! Please see below the copy that was circulated amongst the Letchworth GC membership.
Tony joined Letchworth Golf club 58 years ago in February 1966 a month before his 29th birthday and 5 months before England won the World Cup. As a working family man Tony spent his initial years playing golf but was always determined to get involved in the running of the Club when his circumstances changed and time would allow. With a keen interest in youth development which remains with him to this day Tony sat on the Junior Committee in 2004 when Kevin Flynn was the Junior convenor. As an avid supporter of Club social events Tony also joined Myra Smiths Social Committee the same year and served for three years until 2007.
In October 2006 Tony was elected onto the Club Board of Directors on which he served for 4 years until 2010 initially as junior convenor until he became Club Captain in 2008. It was during his Captains year that the first plans were discussed to create an Academy course on the practice facilities. After leaving the Board Tony started his association with Hertfordshire Golf representing the Club on the Golf Union Executive assisting with County Boys Golf. As a retired engineer the Club were extremely grateful when he and Mike Ross agreed to project manage the construction of the 6-hole academy course which got underway in December 2013 and took almost 3 years to complete, officially opening in August 2016. Tony worked tirelessly on the project and could often be seen in his wellington boots out on the practice facility consulting with the contactors. At the same time, working with Stuart Guyton, he was instrumental in securing a £64,000 grant through Sport England to purchase much needed equipment for the new academy facility.
Following the academy project Tony joined the Course Liaison Committee in 2016 a position he held for a further 4 years until 2020. His professional knowledge and experience gained through the academy project provided much needed expertise to course improvements. In the same year he took on the very important role of junior welfare officer and from 2019 as Club welfare officer, with additional responsibilities for vulnerable adults, a position he still holds today.
Furthering his county commitments in 2018 Tony became the County Boys under 16 manager until 2021 and also sat on the Hertfordshire Golf Services Committee dealing with course ratings and golf rules. From 2019 to the present-day Tony represents the Club on the Hertfordshire Golf Development Committee, getting more people into golf, particularly juniors and women but also supporting Dementia, Parkinsons and Stroke recovery groups in association with England Golf, the Golf Foundation and North Herts Schools Golf association.
At the moment Tony is working with the current Board of Directors in updating our procedures and protocols to meet with ever evolving rules and standards issued by England Golf. This ensures that we continue to reach the high Safeguarding benchmark necessary with the appropriate certification. His ongoing contribution cannot be underestimated.
It is with great pleasure that as Club Chairman and on behalf of a very
grateful membership that I can announce that Tony Pohlman has been granted
Honorary Life Membership of Letchworth Golf Club.
