My recent award of Honorary Membership of the James Braid Society, came as a real surprise, I was delighted and honoured to  accept, to be presented with the membership in front of an assembly of keen sporting players was quite bewildering, the assembled company were quite patient as I recovered  and managed to express my gratitude and somehow I was able to recount for them an early connection with James Braid when I gave lessons to his grand daughter when I was professional at Helensburgh  Golf Club she was then Fiona Mackie now Mrs.Collins and she came with the girls from the then St. Brides School for girls also during my time as Director of Golf at Dalmahoy we created a wooden Statue in memory of Braid and Fiona’s mother Mrs Marjory Mackie came for afternoon tea and to unveil the statue so over the years although somewhat tenuous I have managed to maintain a link with James Braid.

Brian Anderson