Upon further consideration, at least for last week I nominate Charlie McGoldrick.
Charlie is the long time pro at Enniscrone and coach to GB&I Walker Cupper Niall Kearney.
I first came to know Charlie through a 2002 Feature on Enniscrone by Jeff Rude and Jeff Babineau.
Although intended to be a piece on the club and course, a lot of space was devoted to Charlie.
He is a gentleman in every sense of the word and since I first met him in 2005, he has stood out to me as someone to emulate.
No favor is too big and everyone is treated like someone special.
Charlie was instrumental in the growth of Enniscrone over the last 20 plus years and has been far and away its best ambassador without ever trying to be. He led a massive Irish contingent at the 2009 Walker Cup and charmed everyone he came into contact with.
In any event, Charlie has been stricken with terminal illnessl. Last week, Enniscrone and the Irish Branch of the PGA hosted a tournament in his honor. They hoped to attract 160 golfers over two days. Instead, over 700 turned out from all corners of Ireland, Europe and North America including celebrity athletes and television personalities. Jeff Rude and Jeff Babineau both penned beautiful letters for delivery to Charlie. The tournament was extended to 4 days and the fund raising effort vastly exceeded anything that the committee originally contemplated.
A presentation ceremony and testimonial was held on the final evening of the tournament and, despite being extremely ill, Charlie willed himself to be there. After kind words from all manner of PGA members, club members etc., Charlie rose and gave a ten minute speech in which he recognized his wife and family and anyone and everyone that had had a positive impact on Enniscrone Golf Club, golf in Ireland and his own life. When he was finished, there was not a dry eye in the house.
So for one weekend in 2011, a pro at a club in a remote village in the north west of Ireland was the most beloved figure in golf.