JACKIE CANNON - Ayrshire golf legend passes away

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday of Jackie Cannon of Irvine Golf Club, who passed away aged 94.

One of Ayrshire's true golfing legends, Jackie was, along with his good friends Hammy McInally and Jimmy Walker, famed as a member of the Irvine Triumvirate who were to the fore in Scottish amateur golf circles for many years, having all hailed from the tiny mining village of Bartonholm which stood at one time near to the 15th hole of the Irvine (Bogside) course.

A four time Ayrshire Champion and winner of many other West Of Scotland events and local titles, it was in 1969, at the age of 52, that Jackie Cannon won the Scottish Amateur Championship over the Old Course at Troon, beating Alan Hall by 6 & 4 in the final. In taking the championship that year, Jackie became the oldest player ever to win 'The Scottish', a record which still stand to this day.

His win in 1969 saw Jackie chosen for the Scotland Internation team, a distinction he repeated in 1974.

Jackie competed at the highest level for decades and is said to have held a scratch handicap for over 45 years and represented his county for 50 years until his last appearance in an Ayrshire team in 1985.

Possibly one of his proudest golfing moments came in 1969 when he partnered his son Ian to victory for Irvine Golf Club in The Evening Times Scottish Foursomes competition at Dunbar, the fourth occassion in which Jackie was in a winning pairing in the event.

In his latter competitive years, Jackie gained further national titles, winning the British Seniors Amateur Championship in 1980 at Prestwick St Nicholas as well as winning the Scottish Seniors Championship in the same year at Royal Burgess and being joint winner of that championship on two further occassions, in 1978 at Glasgow (Killermont) and again in 1982 at Royal Burgess.

Jackie Cannon flanked by
Hammy McInally on the left and
Jimmy Walker on the right

In 1971 Jackie, with his two great golfing companions Hammy McInally and Jimmy Walker, presented their Scottish Amateur Championship medals, numbering eight in total, to Irvine Golf Club and these can be seen proudly displayed in the clubhouse to this day.

Never as flamboyant as his two clubmates, Jackie could be considered retiscent about his own golfing prowess, but was considered by all a true gentleman of the game and won admiration within his own club as well as throughout Ayrshire and beyond during his sparkling carreer.

And so another chapter in the rich history of Ayrshire golf closes, as Jackie passes on, perhaps to meet up again and renew friendships and golfing rivalries with Hammy and Jimmy with a round elsewhere than his beloved Bogside.

The association sends its sincere sympathy to Jackie's family at this sad time.

It is hoped to intimate funeral arrangements in due course.