Douglas Lowe: Born February 19, 1952; Died March 6, 2011
The gentlemen of the press is a term that has assumed a tone of irony in modern times.
However, Douglas Brodie Lowe, golf correspondent of The Herald, was both the consummate gentleman and peerless professional of the newspaper game. And game it was, for Dougie.
He pursued it with a vigour of both intellect and spirit. He devoted all of his working life to it, but he was always aware of the reality that giving one’s best did not mitigate against having more than a little fun along the way.
His meticulous approach to his profession could not disguise an outlandish sense of mischief and a humour so dry it could be used for kindling. One could walk away from a conversation with Dougie only to discover on reflection that he had skewered you with a brilliant and apposite one-liner.
All this was done with immense affection but with a precision that was just one example of his verbal dexterity and his sharp and energetic mind. This was produced from a personality that was benign, even becalmed, on the surface.
He mastered, too, the lost art of self-deprecation. Dougie once reminisced about doing radio commentary on a shinty match. Asked why he did not pursue this as a career, he replied with a grin: “I was never asked back.”
There was always an air of distraction about Dougie, there was invariably a smile playing on his lips. Even in difficult times - and he had his fair share of these, particularly in the past few months - he always seemed to be pondering the absurdity of life and revelling in his part in it.
In this purpose, he was aided by the attentions of a family he patently doted upon and a large group of friends, both inside newspapers and outside, who respected him for his journalistic skills but loved him simply but keenly for his ability to be, unmistakeably and wonderfully, Dougie.
Dougie came from Arbroath stock. His father, also Douglas Brodie Lowe, and his mother, Ann, moved to Glasgow and then on to Helensburgh when he was a boy. His father worked in public realtions for the BBC and his mother was an assistant head teacher.
Dougie briefly attended Hillhead primary before going on to Clyde Street primary in Helensburgh, where he was dux. He was then educated at Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh, before graduating with a degree in geography from St Andrews University, where he played for the shinty team.
He moved into journalism as a trainee reporter at the Bootle Times and the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo. He became an accomplished reporter and sub-editor, although it was in the role of golf correspondent that he flourished.
He worked for The Herald for 34 years, starting as a news reporter and sub-editor in October 1977, before switching to the sports desk. He was a sub-editor there for several years before being appointed golf correspondent in 2003.
This position was a labour of love. He was a highly competent player and qualified referee and he brought that expertise to bear in his coverage of all levels of the sport, from the elite Ryder Cup and Open Championship coverage to that of the Scottish Boys’ and Amateur Championships.
However, he also gave much of his inner self to the post. To see him compose the preview article before an Open Championship was to watch a man in turmoil.
His grave expression and distracted mutterings would, however, produce a piece of unrivalled elegance and expertise. He could then be prevailed upon to show his customary generosity of spirit and of wallet at the nearest watering-hole.
There, he would prompt his friends to relate favourite anecdotes while gently insinuating the most humorous of observations. He always did more than his share of the work but was content to let others have the stage.
This was almost the definition of his life: a proper attention to his trade and a loving and genuine commitment to his family and friends. He was fascinated by sport but never consumed by it. His profile was high but his feet were always on the turf. He was a man who played Augusta National, the home of The Masters, but was content to let others bring the subject up while he was more keen to describe his latest disaster on a more humble course. He interviewed the greats but was happy to chat with the hacker.
He wrote the The Herald Book of the Open, compiled programmes for the Braemar Gathering and entertained and informed readers with his golf reports. However, he also enjoyed bridge, hill-walking and pondering the daftness of life with like-minded souls.
A many of many gifts, his greatest talent, perhaps, was his ability to make friends. He pursued this aim without any self-seeking impetus. Dougie was always interested in people, in what they did and what they said. His perceptive eye on the world of golf was complemented by one that focused intently on the interests and concerns of those who accompanied him on that good walk through life.
His illness was cruel and obscenely aggressive. Dougie dealt with it with a humour that was simply inconquerable. He was always amiable, even whimsical. But he was strong.
He died of a brain tumour, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his children, Jayne, Stewart and Kathryn, and his sisters, Eleanor and Alison.
His funeral will be held in the West Kirk, Helensburgh, on Monday at 2.15pm and thereafter to Helensburgh Golf Club where he was a long-time, respected member. The cremation will be attended by family only.
Dougie will be missed. He was a gentleman and a gentle man.
*This article, written by Hugh MacDonald, was reproduced with kind permission of The Herald newspaper.
