GOLF came to a standstill at Taunton & Pickeridge on Friday afternoon, when everyone out on the course stood in silence for two minutes as a mark of respect for long-serving member Ted Heath, writes Richard Walsh.

The two minutes’ silence at 1pm coincided with the funeral service for the club stalwart who passed away recently, which sadly - in light of the COVID-19 lockdown - members were unable to attend.

Instead the klaxon sounded, golf came to a halt and people stood in silence for two minutes to share their memories of a man who gave so much to Taunton & Pickeridge

Ted was a long-standing member of the club and only very recently stepped down from the Golf Committee after 12 years of service to the club.

He held various positions to do with the management of golf activities at T&P, including serving as a committee member, handicap secretary and chairman of the Golf Committee, and gave enormous amounts of his time to the benefit of every member of the Club.

T&P captain Keith Wiggins said: “Ted had been unwell, then recovered to continue his service to the club but became ill again and sadly passed away last week.

“My sympathy and condolences go out to his wife Lennox and their family - and to his many close friends.

“I was a co-opted member of the Golf Committee during part of his tenure, and his commitment to the many tasks involved were clearly second to none.

“As recently as the end of March, after my election as captain, Ted spent hours of his time to assist me in enabling us to have a socially distanced Captains’ Drive-In competition.

“He often had a wry smile on his face, but not necessarily when checking through the cards after a competition!”

Ted Heath was recognised as the ‘Member of the Year’ during the T&P 125-year anniversary celebrations, and was elected as an honorary member during the 2017/18 season.

Over the years he worked tirelessly for the club and will be greatly missed by everyone - T&P has lost a very good friend with his passing.