#510, Stuart Campbell TAYLOR

Stuart was an outstanding golfer before the war when he lost both his arms in a flying accident. Ironic?

The following account illustrates his golfing prowess: The year 1939 turned out to be of special vintage, with the most eminent senior golfers, the most thrusting young up-and-comers, and the sturdiest maybe-oncers from the ranks of the local businessmen golfers to compete with those of us who might be regarded as the form horses of national tournament play. George Roberts, a scratch golfer with provisional titles to his credit and a potential threat playing in his own town if not on his own course, was beaten in the first round by his two-handicap clubmate, Stuart Taylor, then a Wellington advertising man.

This interested me, partly because from the cold-blooded competitive point of view I was not sorry to see a hard nut like George go, and partly because I had played with Stuart in practice rounds along with Arthur Duncan and Dr Ken Ross and been impressed with his scoring. A big athletic man with tons of aggressive match temperament and capable of delicate touch with little shots as well is always a menace to anyone in competitive golf. I learned afterwards that on the first tee George said to him, 'Well, no two strokes to lean on this time, Stuart.' To which Stuart Taylor replied, 'Oh yes. But you really need to win, I don't.' As I said, aggressive match temperament.