The Golf Foundation team is deeply saddened to learn that Stephen Proctor has passed away. With this news, our charity has lost a great friend and an excellent Trustee.
Stephen had been Chairman and owner of leading research and insights company Sports Marketing Surveys since 1985.
A graduate of Oxford University and a qualified lawyer, Stephen played golf as a junior for England, and as a student captained the Oxford University Golf Team. He was a member of The R&A.
Ever committed to growing golf and improving it for future generations, Stephen served as a valued Trustee of the Golf Foundation for many years.
He also made a significant recent donation to help in our work to introduce more children from all backgrounds to golf.
Hugely respected across the whole golf industry, in his work with the Golf Foundation’s Board of Trustees Stephen was always highly insightful, shrewd, imaginative and challenging in his help to ensure positive progress for the charity. With Foundation team members he was supportive and kind, and generous with his time.
Golf Foundation Chairman Stephen Lewis said: “Stephen was a great supporter of the Golf Foundation and an outstanding Trustee. I and the Foundation have benefited from his wise counsel on many occasions. He was a very special person and was admired and respected by many people in the golfing and business world.”
Stephen Proctor and his wife Lynne were together always sure to visit and encourage the Golf Foundation team as the charity promoted the game to children and families at events including The Open and the BMW PGA Championship, and they would be enthusiastic attendees of our annual Presidents’ Awards which salute some of the selfless people behind junior golf.
Brendon Pyle, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said that Lynne has been a great supporter of our charity in her own right and that our thoughts are with Lynne and her family at this difficult time.
Brendon added: “With his knowledge of the golf industry and passion for encouraging more young people into the sport he loved, Stephen was an exceptional Trustee of the Golf Foundation. He was regularly in contact outside of Board meetings with ideas and introductions to new contacts, and he always asked insightful and challenging questions of both myself and the Senior Management Team right up to attending his last Board in recent weeks. He will be greatly missed.”
