Stuart Woodman, an Honorary Member who flew the PGA flag in the Caribbean and Portugal and whose career embraced coaching, course design, and media work, has passed away at the age of 77.
Born in Reigate, Surrey, and a pupil at the town’s grammar school, Stuart wanted to be a scientist. However, it transpired he was allergic to chemicals and science’s loss proved golf’s gain.
Having taken up the game at the age of 15 in 1961, Stuart had reduced his handicap to scratch within two years and turned professional shortly afterwards.
The career that followed was spent primarily overseas but began close to home in 1964 at Bramley Golf Club, Surrey. Stuart was elected to PGA Membership the following year and sampled his first experience of working abroad in 1966 as a teaching professional at Woodlawn Golf Club on the Ramstein US Air Force Base in Germany.
He returned to the UK in 1968 and had spells at Betchworth Park in Surrey and Dyrham Park, Hertfordshire, before heading for the Caribbean three years later.
His first port of call was the island of St Vincent in the West Indies where he played a key role in the design and construction of the Aquaduct Golf Resort before being appointed their professional and managing director following its opening in 1972.
Stuart spent seven years on St Vincent before making the short flight to St Lucia and become the director of golf at the prestigious Cunard La Toc Resort. He was there for a decade during which time he established a reputation as an accomplished coach and undertook design and refurbishment consultancies for Trafalgar House-related properties in the USA, Caribbean and Europe.
His work with Trafalgar House resulted in him returning across the Atlantic to become the company’s director of European resorts and resort director Vilar do Golfe, Quinta do Lago, Portugal. He was also appointed CEO Sociedade de Golfe da Quinta do Lago and director of the Algarve Golfe Association from 1990-97.
However, he was made redundant midway through that spell when Trafalgar House was taken over and worked for Euractividade and Pestana Hotels before forming his own golf consultancy business in 1998.
Stuart combined this work with coaching tour players and elite amateurs, conducting exhibition clinics, directing tournaments, promoting the PGA Europro Tour, media work, including commentating for Eurosport and Sky, and contributions to books such as Golf in Portugal and monthly instructional articles for Sungolf Magazine. His experience in developing resorts and course construction also made him a go-to figure for the expanding golf industry in Portugal.
Stuart, who was made a PGA Honorary Member and achieved the status of Advanced Fellow Professional, was a close friend of Brian Evans, another Portugal-based PGA Professional.
Paying tribute to his friend, Evans said: “He naturally became a recognised and sought after golf consultant and was an excellent teacher of the game. Stuart’s warm and friendly manner and willingness to help amateur and professional golfers alike will sadly be missed by all who knew him.”
