A Welsh golfing legend who took his first swing of the club at the age of four and had his first hole-in-one at the age of nine has sadly passed away but his legacy and reputation in the golfing community will be remembered for years to come.
William Iestyn Tucker was born in Nantyglo in December 1926. His father was the professional at Palleg Golf Club before being appointed at West Mon Golf Club.
Tucker had a reported total of 26 aces in his career and held the course record at 15 clubs.
He joined the RAF on leaving school in 1944 until 1947 and joined the Monmouthshire Golf Club in 1948 where he started a remarkable journey in Welsh Amateur golfing history.
He first played for Wales in 1949 and represented his country 168 times over a period of 30 years.
Tucker played in his first final of the Welsh Amateur Championships in 1951 and proceeded to play in eight finals – the last one being in 1976 when he also won the Stroke Play Championship.
He was the Welsh Seniors Champion in 1982/84 and 89. He also won the Duncan Putter at Southerndown five times between 1960 and 1976.
Tucker was a Gwent County Player for 31 years and Gwent Amateur Champion 17 times representing the Monmouthshire Golf Club with notable victories at club level in 1959 – 1969.
He was included in the Walker Cup Squad from 1957 – 1961 and in 1978 was appointed Chairman of the Welsh Selectors and a Walker Cup selector in 1979.
Despite all of his commitments, Iestyn played in Monmouthshire Club Competitions between 1952 and 2008 and his name is inscribed on the honours boards no less than 41 times including 15 times Club Champion and four times runner-up.
He was the Club President for 13 years before standing down in March 2009 when the outgoing Captain, Bryan Davies, spoke of Iestyn’s status as ‘a giant amongst his golfing peers and one who was an example to us all’.
Tucker’s long association with the Welsh Golfing Union was recognised in 1987 when he was elected President and subsequently an Honorary Member in 1999.
His playing record at Club, County and International level is quite remarkable and it is very doubtful that Wales will ever see the like of it again.
In 2002, over 300 golfers and administrators assembled at the Celtic Manor to pay tribute to Iestyn including Sir Michael Bonnallack OBE who recalled matches he had played against him in the home internationals commenting that Iestyn never knew when he was beaten.
For 60 years, Iestyn had the unflinching support of his wife, Beryl, who passed away in 2014 and despite his commitment to the demands that golf imposed on his time, he remained a proud family man through and through.