A FORMER journalist, now a PR and media executive, has penned a book about golf’s Ryder Cup and its relationship with the Gleneagles course in Perthshire, where the competition is being staged next year.
Written by Ed Hodge – a former journalist with Rangers News, Teletext Ltd and Capital City Press freelance sports agency – ‘Jewel in the Glen: Gleneagles, Golf and The Ryder Cup’ tells the intertwining stories of the Ryder Cup and of golf at Gleneagles, where in 1921, a USA team took on GB, as a precursor to the competition being officially staged for the first time six years later.
Hodge, who grew up in Perthshire and is a former Gleneagles caddy and employee, spent around three years writing the book, which features 80 interviews, including from famous golfers like Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Paul McGinley, Sam Torrance and Sandy Lyle to sports celebrities like Andy Murray, Kenny Dalglish, Stephen Hendry, Gavin Hastings and Sir Jackie Stewart.
The book includes a foreword by Jack Nicklaus – arguably the greatest golfer of all time and the designer of the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles – and a hole-by-hole guide to the course by Ryder Cup legend, Colin Montgomerie.
Hodge, who spent six years with Capital City before joining the Scottish Golf Union as PR & media executive two years ago, lives in Linlithgow with his young family, with his work primarily based in St Andrews and Edinburgh.
‘Jewel in the Glen: Gleneagles, Golf and The Ryder Cup’ is published by Arena Sport, an imprint of Birlinn Ltd, priced £25. It can be purchased here.
Pictured: Launching his book at Gleneagles, Hodge is pictured second-from-right, with golfers Marc Warren, Scott Jamieson and Scott Henry. Pic by Kenny Smith.
