An Interview With John Paramor
How did you become a referee?
I played amateur golf but came to the conclusion that I would never be good enough so I caddied for Peter Butler for a year who used to play every practice round with Neil Coles. Over the course of that year I made a little calculation that I never saw Neil take more than 69 around any course, without apparently trying, so that put the kibosh on being a professional golfer.
Rules had interested me for some time and in 1976 an opportunity came along to join the tour as a referee.
What are the biggest changes you have seen in that time?
When I first started, playing tournament golf wasn’t a full-time career so the biggest thing was the birth of the full-time tournament player, which really came about in the 80s when players could go off to foreign climes and take up many more opportunities.
Are there any players that you tend to see more than any other?
I wouldn’t like to name anyone but there are certainly one or two that I see more than most. One particular Swede calls a lot because he never seems to think that his ball is at rest and believes that he can’t hit it.
How many events do you get to?
I do around 28 events each year and for each tournament we probably have to work between 60 to 70 hours, it works out at around 15 hours a day.
What’s the most unusual ruling you have had to give?
There has been one that was sent in by one of our referees that happened in a ladies’ medal. It’s a very, very complicated one that in the last few weeks I’ve shared with other referees and have had six different answers, all of which sound plausible, so we’re still working on that one.
Who have been your favourite players over the years?
Seve was the most enigmatic player I have ever seen and he could do things with a golf club and ball that other players could only dream about. I've seen him hit some unbelievable shots that will stick with me forever.
He was also possibly the most challenging person to give a ruling to because he always firmly believed that he was entitled to a drop but, more often, the answer was no. I would always try to get him to see it my way rather than say no and stomp off though.
Who is the most knowledgeable player?
It seems that the Danish players are very good, I don’t know whether that’s something to do with the Danish as a nation but the majority are very good and I’ve always been impressed at their knowledge.
You’re part of a new mobile phone rules system called Sidaro – tell us about it
We are trying to introduce the rules of golf in a more interesting way and I would hope that it will be used by professionals as well as amateurs. It’s a much easier way to learn the rules and build confidence because you can put yourself in real-life situations and guess the answers in a fun environment.
And users will be able to email you?
The idea is that if something has happened in a medal, and they are unsure of a ruling, they can email me through Sidaro. There are some wild and wonderful things that you see on other websites that deal with rules so I’m girding my loins.
John is endorsing Sidaro, a new mobile phone application that allows you to boost your knowledge of the rules. Visit www.sidaro.com for more information