New placard of Bexhill’s golfing champion Max Faulkner fails to mention his greatest success

From: Edward Smith, Old Manor Close, Bexhill
A plaque commemorating golfer Max Faulkner was unveiled in Bexhill on Sunday. Picture by David Pulley SUS-190617-121550001A plaque commemorating golfer Max Faulkner was unveiled in Bexhill on Sunday. Picture by David Pulley SUS-190617-121550001
A plaque commemorating golfer Max Faulkner was unveiled in Bexhill on Sunday. Picture by David Pulley SUS-190617-121550001

It would appear that Rother District Council in conjunction with a local group, has relocated a placard originally commissioned by the council, to the site of the former Bexhill Golf Course at Galley Hill. Apparently this self same placard was formerly displayed on the Metropole lawns adjacent to the De La Warr Pavilion but disappeared some years ago.

The placard acclaims the life and achievements of Max Faulkner (1916 - 2005) who was born in Bexhill. Faulkner was an outstanding professional golfer, a charming and heroic man (recognised by The Royal Humane Society for an act of bravery). His greatest golfing feat was winning the Open Championship in 1951.

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It is particularly poignant that the 148th playing of the oldest and most prestigious championship in golf returns to Royal Portrush Golf Club, Co Antrim from July 18-21, 2019 some 68 years after Max’s victory at the very same venue. He will no doubt be mentioned by the media during this year’s event.

The point of significance and the glaring omission is that the placard makes no mention of this monumental success. It lists many tournament wins and Ryder Cup appearances over a number of years but for 1951 it merely states Dunlop Masters (British Open) a completely different event and a far cry from the real achievement.

There are not many towns in this country that can lay claim to being the birth place of an Open champion and the golfing world had to wait 18 years before another Englishman was victorious.

How could permission be granted, however worthy, for the erection of such a placard without either Rother DC, initially, or the local group involved, more recently, before checking it for such a serious omission?

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It would be interesting to know who was instructed by the council to compose the original deficient wording.

A little research and talking to interested people, and there are many, would have revealed the deficiencies.

Respectfully it should be replaced by the two bodies involved with something more appropriate without delay.