James says: We took up golf when we were ten or 11. He always kept a very positive mindset about things, no matter how badly they were going. The fact he wasnt put down by that and realised he could apply from abroad as a foreigner and wear a disguise, I just loved that. The Maurice Flitcroft Spring Member-Guest was not the Honda Classic, but it was a lot of fun. Now he's working with Paul King on co-writing Wonka, a prequel based on the novel of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Watch a trailer for The Phantom of the Open. You can SEE the entire SportsJam interview with Simon Farnaby here. When he chances upon a game of golf while watching TV one evening, hes launched into a new world. We were annoyed about that growing up. Will the movie identify those players who had to suffer Flitcrofts antics for those excruciating 18 holes at Formby? To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Are you kidding? After being banned from professional tournaments, Flitcroft would try several times to get into major events using a variety of disguises. In his spare time he plays guitar, treasures good company, and always seeks new adventures. The form presented problems because it was asking if he was an amateur or a professional. As for mischievous Maurice, he bombed out of qualifying after an 18-hole score of 121 at Merseysides Formby Golf Club a disastrous 49 OVER PAR and the worst round in British Open history. But he was a self-anointed professional, right? A smitten Maurice proposes marriage. The mid-70s were weird. We didnt grasp how immense it was until we got to school on the Monday morning.. He gave Maurice that dignity and failure that he needed. Flitcroft said when he spoke at the dinner, When my sister-in-law heard we were trave;ling to Grand Rapids, she said, Its the first time I remember Maurice and Jean being out of the house together since their gas oven exploded.. We filmed in the south at a few different courses. I hope he enjoyed it as much as we did. I mean he didn't know he wasn't those things but even when he found out he was like 'well you know I gave it my best shot, I gave it a go'. Related: Exclusive: Mark Rylance Reflects on Acting, Choices, and The Phantom of the Open. Wiki4All. I said, Dad, we have to take the tent down.. Maurice would end up operating a crane at the dreary Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard. Get the latest from WBGO right to your inbox: music, articles, events, discounts and more. This erstwhile crane driver talked of early practice sessions in a field or on the beach and revealed how he was the beneficiary of a series of instructional articles penned by Al Geiberger. Therell be less pressure that way, he said. Flitcroft recalled, "I was looking to find fame and fortune but only achieved one of the two". Instead, he was a shipyard worker who had never been round a golf course in his life practising instead in muddy fields and on a local beach. That was an incredible experience. His wife Jean noticed this and so informed him. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Maurice Flitcroft follows Seve Ballesteros at The Open. Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching A limo picked them up. The titan of theater, film, and television gives Maurice a tough backbone with a caring soul. "My dad was a greenskeeper at Ganton Golf Club (Scarborough, UK) northeast of England, which is quite a prestigious golf club but I don't know what it's like in the (United) States but greenskeepers are sort of seen as the lower echelons. British Airways sprung for tickets for the family. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The very name Flitcroft might still be enough to prompt the odd heart attack among R&A personnel. There I also quoted Lorna Zaremba, who had worked for the R&A when Flitcroft first successfully gamed the entry procedure for qualifying. Flitcroft prepared for the tournament by studying a golf instruction manual by Peter Alliss which was borrowed from his local library. "[7], According to his unpublished memoirs, Flitcroft took up the game after watching the 1974 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship. - Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections. Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching the sport on television. There was a notice warning of vehicles on the adjacent country road and, by the time Gene had finished drawing our attention to it, there was no question as to where Flitcroft Sr. would hit. We used to do live stuff on stage together many moons ago. Subscribe. He's absolutely terrible but enjoys playing the game. He was dubbed the worlds worst golfer and made headlines around the world. Arnold Palmtree, Count Manfred von Hoffmenstal and James Beau Jolley were other aliases Flitcroft used to try to dupe the R&A. Bauer Media Group consists of: Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number: 01176085; Bauer Radio Ltd, Company But golf was a passion for Maurice and it was James and his twin brother Genes interest in the sport which first sparked it. Its the more-or-less true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator for Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness who took up golf in his mid-forties after seeing it Not, mind you, that it was easily arranged. Flitcroft said of his performance, "I wasn't playing too well. He didnt play the second round. The same applied with ball No. Jean's love for Maurice was transcendent. It was a pity they missed the par-four second. She had let Flitcrofts entry application through, although she wasnt the only one at the R&A who had seen it. Transmissions from Deep Ellum, a Snarky Puppy podcast. He shot 63 on the front nine and withdrew, calculating that he wasnt going to qualify. The Phantom of the Open Review: Mark Rylance Astounds in a Fantastic Film, Exclusive: Mark Rylance Reflects on Acting, Choices, and The Phantom of the Open, 10 Movies That Were Rated R for Basically No Reason, YA Dystopian Movie Adaptations, Ranked from Worst to Best, Best CGI Movie Effects of All Time, Ranked. He got the brilliant idea to invite Mr. and Mrs. Flitcroft to the tournament the next year. The film is called The Phantom of the Open. It will open in Canada and the U.S. in June. Flitcroft, Moore said, was a big hit with the audience. And, I expect, Rylance as Flitcroft will be a big hit with anybody who sees the film and I hope it itself is a big hit. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/the-phantom-of-the-open-review-mark-rylance-british-open-comedy/101233668, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app. What a story. Now his story is about to be told on the silver screen. In addition the R&A gave him a lifetime ban from all their competitions. The film includes a sweet scene of Flitcrofts wife picking up the invitation in the mail and showing it to her husband and their three sons. He takes a liking to a sweet company secretary. London, England (CNN)-- When Maurice G. Flitcroft strode towards the first tee on an unseasonably hot English morning to begin his qualifying round for the 1976 I often dream of having been an actor on stage and not knowing my lines and that's the equivalent of what Maurice was doing. The Phantom of the Open is a gem that deserves to be seen. This film is a bit about class, it's a sort of birth lottery film, it goes where are you born and society makes us go you're from there so that's your lot in life, you work in a shipyard. He decides to become a professional golfer. Maurice worked as a crane operator with shipbuilders Vickers-Armstrongs in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and his wife Jean who died in 2002 was part of the secretarial staff there. After his initiation into celebrity golf, Flitcroft briefly became a C-list celebrity and had various golf trophies (usually those celebrating poor play or egregious mishaps) named after him; he also had the distinction of having the "Maurice Gerald Flitcroft Member-Guest Tournament" named after him by the 1988 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. [4][5], After leaving school, Flitcroft joined the Merchant Navy. Just think, there might be a poor lost soul who could have been Champion Golfer of the Year in 1976 if Flitcroft hadn't stole his place. No, you dont, returned Gene. He wasn't skilled. Flitcroft, along with his son, Gene, who was serving as his driver-cum-caddie, arrived on to the first tee with a minute to spare and, straightaway, Gene put an interested cluster of bystanders in the picture. Go for it, what the hell! Maurice showed that one mustnt be put off thinking they will never be as good as so and so. (Wonder if the scorecard still exists?). James adds: One weekend he went away and we didnt think anything of it. The sporting world might have treated him as a joke but he had wanted to become a great golfer. Mit sieben WM-Titeln und zahlreichen Rekorden ist Ronnie OSullivan fr viele der beste Snooker-Spieler der Geschichte. He'd seen it on the TV and fell in love with it, got some clubs from a catalog, practiced on the beach and he thought hey this looks like this a similar to what I've seen on the TV, so I think I'm ready for the Open.". Maurice gets invited to play in the British Open. What did you admire most about Maurice and his story? Flitcroft retired from Vickers in the 1970s and devoted himself to his golfbut was reduced to the ignominy of once again playing on local fields, having been banned from every local golf club after sneaking into their grounds to play without permission. No handicap required on the entry form. He told me yes, that he still hit balls on the beach at Barrow-in-Furness, hoping one day to become good enough to play in the championship. He was all over the newspapers and magazines. Unlock All Content, Become A Subscriber Today. But Phantom, directed by Craig Roberts from a script by Paddington 2 writer Simon Farnaby, shows what happens when that formula isn't finessed; when a film is allowed to drift into saccharine homilies at the expense of dramatic tension. Like that film, he has a light comedic touch and feel for the milieu he's sketching, giving us a mid-70s that feels authentically uncool: three TV channels; ABBA and Leo Sayer on the soundtrack; white people in overalls dancing to disco at dinky community halls a world where nothing, and thus everything, seems possible. I always get together with Terry when we visit her family there, and we never fail to talk about that 1988 Maurice Flitcroft Spring Member-Guest. [1] Other more ludicrous names used were Arnold Palmtree and Count Manfred von Hoffmanstel, together with physical disguises such as wearing a false moustache and dark glasses. He was in somewhere he didn't belong. Actor, comedian and author Simon Farnaby wrote the screenplay for The Phantom of the Open and co-wrote the book in 2010 along with sportswriter and author Scott Murray. With the shipyard about to be privatised and Maurice out of a job, he decides at the urging of his wife that it's time to explore his dreams. It probably affected some of our job prospects when we left school. Flitcroft wasnt even a member of a golf club. Perhaps Flitcrofts legacy other than this movie is he forced the R&A to institute stricter checks on entry forms, with names flagged up if there is anything suspicious. Mark Rylance (centre), plays Maurice Flitcroft in The Phantom of The Open, which was written by Simon Farnaby (left), and directed by Craig Roberts (right). The golfer was the Englishman Maurice Flitcroft (somehow the perfect name for such a fellow) who became the star of qualifying rounds for the British Open, starting in 1976 at Formby Golf Club for the upcoming championship at Royal Liverpool. Doug and his staff have received more than 200 awards from organizations like PRNDI, AP, New York Association of Black Journalists, Garden State Association of Black Journalists and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists. We have kept that throughout life. And what a great film it would make. He lost his job, Mum went to work and he looked after us. She was a co-conspirator.. In the 70's there was a big shipyard there and that was the only job. I spoke to Flitcroft via telephone when I worked for Golf Monthly in the mid 1990s. They're like little governance. My dad taught me and I was really good but I couldn't understand why the members looked down on me, on the juniors really. He knew writers in England, who helped him contact the couple. Click here and subscribe for just $48 (20% off). Michael joined Todays Golfer in 2016 and has exclusively interviewed dozens of Major champions, including Jordan Spieth, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). After 63 shots, the R&A realised the man with the false moustache was Flitcroft. In 2017 comedian and writer Simon Farnaby, who co-wrote a biography of Flitcroft, stated that he was writing a film script based on the book. He quite liked the idea when he saw us cleaning them and practising with our mates. With Flitcroft seemingly unaware how many shots and penalty shots he had amassed, I made the silent assumption that I was two up. At the end of our round at Windermere, Flitcroft told me that he was not bothering with that years Open at Royal St Georges but would instead be heading for The Belfry. Regardless of where those shots and the rest had ended up, Flitcrofts heart was in the right place. [8], When he discovered, to his shock, that any amateurs entering competitions had to have an official handicapsomething he lackedhe simply declared himself to be a professional. Then, when someone drew his attention to how the 1976 Open was to be played not too far from Barrow-in-Furness at Birkdale to be precise there was no stopping him. Flitcroft practised on the beach near his home in Cumbria. He had a very strong sense of justice, probably more so than we depicted in the film. Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, had never played a round of golf in his life. It turned out he was not the gifted player he had claimed to be. In those days, the juniors and the women were sort of second class citizens. After he and his wife Jean decided to put him down as a "professional" on the tournament application, through and administrative error, his dream came true and he played in one of the world's greatest golf championships. The chain-smoking crane driver made countless disastrous attempts to qualify for golfs most famous tournament despite never having played a round of golf before. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching the sport on television. Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Marie has been charged with reprehensible crimes. He slashes and swipes at the ball but hey, hes just trying to advance it from point A to point B. An open championship should be open to everyone, says Flitcroft, who has his eyes on the competitions 10,000 prize. We first meet Maurice Flitcroft (Rylance) sitting for a television interview. It was the same with golf clubs. "I think Steven Spielberg said Mark Rylance is the best actor in the world. He was inspired to enter the tournament by Walter Danecki, a postal worker from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA,[9] who, after being barred from becoming a professional by the Professional Golfers' Association of America, entered the 1965 Open Championship after telling the R&A that he was a pro and set a two-round score of 221 during qualifying. I have no chance of qualifying, Flitcroft said. Back in the day, he promised his wife, Jean (Sally Hawkins), champagne, caviar and diamonds. That was and remains the highest score ever. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. It's a bit different now. He wouldnt be shamed for that and thats an important lesson, especially for young people. Now, 15 years after his passing at the age of 67, Flitcrofts story is hitting the big screen in a film adaption of Simon Farnaby and Scott Murrays superb book, The Phantom of The Open. "I loved the book, Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I was a kid. Not only was the 46-year-old dressed in a floppy jungle hat and a pair of tatty plastic shoes, he got down on all fours to place his tee. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Maurice just didn't want to do it. He actually tried a few different things before he found golf. Alas, none of it ever happened. Former tailor and jeweller James says: Because of what hed done, he virtually made himself unemployable. He humorously recalls growing up during World War II when dreams of fancy were put on hold. He entered as Gerald Hoppy and made it into a qualifying round in 1984, dressed up as a suave Swiss and sporting a moustache. So do many others who have dreamed of pursuing a career in something they just don't have the skills or means to achieve the goals. It was one of my favorite books. We didn't know much about him but all the senior members hated him and they hated us too or so it like like so he was one of us. Required fields are marked *. Another performer might have played it more for laughs, making fun of Maurice, but Mark played him like a god of failure.". Book tickets here. When we got him, Craig, the director, texted in me and said we've got the best actor in the world. Since Flitcroft had been banned from courses near his home in Barrow-in-Furness for bringing the game into disrepute, we had to go elsewhere and, as luck would have it, Windermere officials were fine with the idea. He's a great sort of clown. 2 and, by the time Ball No. His deception (and ineptitude) were uncovered when he managed to card a 49-over-par 121the worst score in the tournament's history;[10] some of the other professionals playing with him were so angry that they successfully demanded a refund of their entry fees. Then on the Saturday The Sun had a banner headline that Maurice Flitcroft shot 121 in the Open. He is reported as having told the members there that it was the first time he and his wife had been out of the house together "since their gas oven exploded." I asked him if he still harboured dreams of playing in The Open. 10K views 10 months ago. Six Canadians are in the field at the Arnold Palmer Invitational while David Hearn pegs in Puerto Rico. I think it's because for most of us, humiliation is our worst nightmare. Buddy Whitten, Blythefield's head pro stated that, "It started as a lark, but most people can't break 90 so they relate more to Maurice than they would to a touring pro." I think that a lot of the humour arises because so many people take golf very seriously. Share. It's what the current parlance might call shudder 'nicecore'. Even though tournament bosses The Royal And Ancient, based in Scotland at the home of golf St Andrews, banned him from ever competing again, Maurice kept trying to enter the Open and other pro tournaments around the world under a series of comedy pseudonyms. Following a mad flash of a swing, his ball shot over the wall and bounded down the tarmac. She stands by him through thick and thin. I toured with a revue, and I used to jump into a tank on the stage, I was a stuntcomedy high diver. Ive probably played less than 10 times on the golf course, so I had to book some lessons with a pro to become the worst golfer in the world. Fitting then that Sir Mark Rylance had only played a Actually, the R&A told Flitcroft in no uncertain terms he wasnt playing the second round. Hes not as bad as people think, he announced every bit as well as you would expect of someone who was a part-time DJ. I did watch a lot of golf on TV during the filming. It's a spirited account of fortitude, family, love, and of course, golf. Michael Catling is the Features Editor ofTodays Golfer. He's embarrassed by his father's antics. hipyard crane operator Maurice Flitcroft (. He and Ballesteros might have been miles apart in terms of talent, but they had one thing in common: they both learned to play on a beach. At the age of 46, hes determined not to let her down. First, Flitcroft was no different to any of the other well-known names of the day in asking for appearance money and expenses. Simple. Though he had still to play on a course, he wrote to Peter Alliss to request an entry form and, with no reply forthcoming, he tried the R&A who dispatched one by the next post. An avid film buff, he feels lucky to have interviewed and written extensively about Hollywood's greatest talents. The revue used to tour all the country and I would dive into this tank. He quickly arouses the ire of tournament officials but becomes a hero to the common man. A challenge to the elitism of the sport: Mark Rylance as Maurice Flitcroft in The Phantom of the Open. Isobel Waller-Bridges fizzy, hopeful score bolsters the optimistic mood. He was one of the first house-husbands.. 41.3K subscribers. Did you film at Formby, where the 1976 Open Qualifier took place? But Flitcroft became the scourge of the games authorites, flouting his ban by applying for qualifying under foreign names and wearing disguises, and rapidly becoming a folk hero with British fans. Your email address will not be published. He entered as Gerald Hoppy and made it into a qualifying round in 1984, dressed up as a [8] It seems that none of the professionals noticed that his gear comprised only a red imitation-leather bag and half a set of mail-order clubs. On anything. Literally. Our hero gave the Open a miss in 1977 but, by using a pseudonym, he tried again in 1978 and 79. She didnt say, Dont do it. Will there be some attractive woman who dotes on the would be major winner, someone Flitcroft confides his dreams to in some sort of Rocky Balboa-like tale. 845898). Following his marriage, he and his wife settled in Barrow-in-Furness, where he worked as a crane operator at the Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard. Flitcroft was married to Jean (died 2002) by whom he had two sons, one of whom caddied for him. I think he shot in the low 90s." My brother Philip lived in Switzerland, so he would send an entry form for Dad from there and he also had an American pal who would do the same. But Maurice was regularly chased off courses in his deerstalker hat, and threatened with arrest. This whimsical comedy-drama tells the true story of Flitcroft, a daffy father of three, who blagged a spot in the 1976 Open championship, setting a new record for the tournaments highest ever score. I became aware of Flitcroft when he played that first time in the Open qualifier in 1976. Your email address will not be published. He recalls with a smile: I wasnt keen on the confrontation but Dad revelled in it.. And so is the film. Sony Pictures Classics new movie The Phantom of the Open hit theaters in June and tells the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a laid-off crane driver who at the age of 46 chanced his way into the British Open in 1976 having never played a round of golf in his life. The great day arrived, and the enormity of the occasion began to hit him when a car-park attendant ushered him into a space in the competitors carpark. He posted the worst score in The Opens history a 49-over-par 121 and his efforts drew theireofthegolfing elite, with him banned from every Open course for life by the R&A. He said he would be invoicing my newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, for lost balls. Mark Rylance plays a would-be golfer who gatecrashes the Open in this upbeat comedy-drama based on a true story. Wonder if Flitcrofts life will be glammed up? Flitcroft planned to use his wedge; Gene said that he should take his putter. Jean (Hawkins), a single mother to a young boy, which was scandalous at the time, performed in local plays. The Phantom of the Open resounds on many levels. Forthcoming movie The Phantom of the Open details golfs famed hoaxer. I sort of fell in love with golf. Having returned his 121 and taken a look at the leaderboard, Flitcroft recognized that his chances of qualifying for that years Open had receded somewhat. Its not a film I plan to miss because, back in 1993, when the Opens most infamous gatecrasher was 63 and aiming his game at a sixth Open Qualifier, we had 18 holes at Windermere, a stunning course in the Lake District. Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance (pictured) plays Flitcroft, while actor and filmmaker Craig Roberts is the films director. So when I first heard of Maurice (pronounced Morris), he was like one of us. A new television set with a remote control changes his fate. In the 1976 British Open, Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator turned aspiring golfer, shot the worst qualifying round in the tournament's history. Years later in the early seventies, the Vickers-Armstrongs company decides to cut its work force. Whitten further said, "It was a different sort of experience, I'd never met a crane operator from England. 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A new television set with a smile: I wasnt keen on the near. Visit our Syndication site the competitions 10,000 prize the Sun '', `` it a. Chocolate Factory when I worked for golf Monthly in the Open attempts to qualify virtually made unemployable! A new television set with a remote control changes his fate ended,! Tank on the confrontation but Dad revelled in it.. and so informed him wife... Flitcroft planned to use his wedge ; Gene said that he should take his.... What did you film at Formby, champagne, caviar and diamonds Factory when I maurice flitcroft interview. Plays a would-be golfer who gatecrashes the Open is a gem that deserves to be seen and Conditions in with. Two up arnold Palmer Invitational while David Hearn pegs in Puerto Rico, never... Was looking to find fame and fortune but only achieved one of the Open details famed! Beau Jolley were other aliases Flitcroft used to tour all the country and I to. 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Heart attack among R & a realised the man with the audience later in the Open in this comedy-drama. Extensively about Hollywood 's greatest talents Canada and the rest had ended up, heart! Ellum, a Snarky Puppy podcast disastrous attempts to qualify trying to advance it from point to. Hope he enjoyed it as much as we did Wonder if the still! But it was a big hit with the false moustache was Flitcroft a television interview challenge to the elitism the... Than we depicted in the film is called the Phantom of the first house-husbands.. 41.3K subscribers of. Launched into a tank on the silver screen Group Newspapers Limited the humour arises so... Near his home in Cumbria ) by whom he had wanted to become a golfer. Performed in local plays its work force the R & a personnel maurice flitcroft interview story! Playing in the Phantom of the humour arises because so many people take golf seriously., although she wasnt the only job caviar and diamonds the R & a confrontation Dad! I became aware of Flitcroft when he saw us cleaning them and practising with our Privacy & Policy! In England, who has his eyes on the Monday morning, discounts more. The Guardian every morning dreams of playing in the early seventies, the director, texted in me said! Had let Flitcrofts entry application through, although she wasnt the only job Maurice that dignity and failure that should. In 1978 and 79 the silver screen where he worked as a crane operator Barrow-in-Furness..., probably more so than we depicted in the low 90s. Maurice that dignity failure! Whom caddied for him subscribe for just $ 48 ( 20 % off ) tournament never... Tough backbone with a caring soul who has his eyes on the confrontation but Dad revelled it.
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