Neighbouring Scottish golf clubs honour John Connon with unusual gesture

John Connon was a member at Royal Aberdeen for 53 years, having joined in 1972 and was awarded Honorary Life Membership in 2023 as recognition for his “unwavering dedication to the club and North East golf”.

During his time at Balgownie, Connon was the club champion in both 1982 and 1987 while he also won the Bi-Centenary Strokeplay in 1980, 1982, 1999 and 1991.

In addition, he landed successes in the club’s Spring Meeting in 1978, 1979 and 1982, as well as claiming the Autumn Meeting in 1977 and 1994.

Connon’s father, Bill, was the secretary of the Northern Open for 15 years in the 50s and 60s and was also a member of the Scottish Golf Union. When Bill was president of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1988, his wife, Doreen, was the chair of Scottish Ladies Golfing Association.

Connon’s brother, Douglas, is a former chairman of the Scottish Golf Union and a past board member and long-time member of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. John’s daughter, Emma, is also a member of the East Lothian club.

‘It was a highly-unusual gesture’

“My brother took over from my late father in 2000 as chairman of the Grampian Houston Junior Golf Programme,” said Douglas. “Bruce Davidson, golf director at Congaree in the United States, was the other key member as he was running Kings Links at Aberdeen at the time. The Congaree Foundation now runs a week-long course at Archerfield every year.

“John and his wife, Heather, have lived at Archerfield for the past ten years. Both Royal Aberdeen and Murcar flew their club flags at half mast from last Friday until Monday morning in a highly-unusual gesture.”