Spotlight on Simon Bean, CMC Member
Spotlight on Simon Bean, CMC Member
When did you start playing and how long have you been a member at Newark?
I joined with my wife Sue and son Tom, when David Hood was Captain, I think that was around 8 years ago?
Favourite course played and why?
That’s a difficult one as so many courses have wonderful aspects. In this country it would be Forest of Arden which has everything you want in a golf course and some quite nervy tee shots over water etc. Overseas it would probably be the Koriniumn in Northern Cyprus. A 5* resort which is a hidden gem, cheap by today’s standards and just stunning views. There’s even a 220 yard par 3 over a canyon with out of bounds left, right and long!
Best result as a golfer?
I finally got my name on the board last year for winning the Mumby Cup, shooting a 1 over par gross 72. I knew what score was in when I started my round and I knew that (subject to a better score coming in while I was out) I needed a birdie on the last to get my nose in front. Luckily I managed to make the birdie and get my name up in lights!!!!
Biggest tournament you’ve attended or played in?
Sadly, I haven’t been to any big tournaments but I’ve booked for the British Masters this year (subject to events changing daily as we all know). I’ve played in lots of pro-ams, especially in my younger days, I’m not good enough to enter big tournaments!
Most memorable moment on the golf course?
I made my one and only hole-in-one, on Christmas Day. The girls were cooking lunch while sampling the alcohol to get in the mood, so I took my dad, Tom and my brother in law for a game of golf. I stood on the tee of a par 3, my dad said, “you don’t have enough club there”, I said, “we’ll see” and went and holed it. Hole-in-ones are rare, but on Christmas day …… especially so!
Funniest thing you’ve seen on the golf course?
I’ve seen so many funny things but in my younger days I went for a game on the Lincoln common (now long gone) with a friend (who shall remain nameless). We weren’t very good and on a particularly long par 4, with rough knee high everywhere, we finally made it to the green. I added up his score to find he had taken 18 shots, with a 6-footer or so to go. He said, “can I have that for a 19, I can’t stand the embarrassment of making a 20 on a golf hole” I thought about it for at least a millisecond before saying “no you bl**dy well can’t” and he proceeded to 3 putt – priceless, and he denies it to this day!
Favourite player and why?
There are so many great players but my personal favourite is Henrik Stenson. He has come back from the abyss twice, once with his game and once where he was swindled out of all his money. He always looks smart and conducts himself well, has a really good sense of humour and the final round where he beat Phil “the thrill” Mickleson in the 2016 Open is one of the best rounds of golf I have ever seen.
Away from golf … other hobbies and pastimes?
Away from golf, it is mainly work which is an incredible inconvenience if you are a golfer! I love music and usually listen to at least a new album a week from someone I’ve never heard of. Most of it turns out to be a load of rubbish but occasionally you find a gem that you would have missed, I like the idea of box sets too on tv, binge watching is great and the days of waiting a week for a new episode have gone for me now. I’ve just finished Money Heist on Netflix which was excellent.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Again, so many to choose from, but I’ll say the Cape Town area in South Africa. It was somewhere I’d never really thought of going and I loved it when I got there, the vibrancy, the scenery, the whole thing took me by surprise. Oh, and the golf is great too, it’s the only place I’ve ever played where I found a par three which was stroke index 1 on the card!
Favourite food?
Sue calls me a ‘fish and chip man’ as I don’t widen my taste horizons very often, which isn’t far off to be fair, but I do like anything spicy so Indian curries, Chinese, Mexican food all get a thumbs up. I tend to go for things I know I like, rather than trying things I might like, hence the name ‘fish and chip man’!
Castaway on a desert island:
Your piece of music and why?
Having only one piece of music would drive me insane, if it was one song it would be Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I’ve been a massive fan of Queen forever, and this song has a little bit of everything in it, including air guitar! If I could have an album it would be between Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”, and Elton Johns “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy”
Your chosen book and why?
I need a book to really grip me, so anything by James Herbert or Stephen King is top of the list. Duncan Bannatyne’s biography was excellent too (one of the original investors on Dragon’s Den).
Your luxury item and why?
Some sort of music system with HUGE speakers, if I’m on a desert island I can play music as loud as I like without getting moaned at!
Something about you that is unusual?
Some would say my looks! As many of you know I repair and sell antique clocks for a living, I love them and have a passion for buying more. I have six Grandfather Clocks in my living room at the moment (and 16 other clocks), I’d say that is pretty unusual!
And finally … your ideal fourball?
Again, a really difficult question. My best and most enjoyable games of golf are when I have a laugh, and some of the best games I’ve enjoyed have come with friends who could hardly even play. So, based on that I’d say Billy Connolly to make me laugh, Henrik Stenson (well you’ve got have one good golfer, and one with a sense of humour is a bonus) and Ozzy Osbourne (I’ll bet his stories are the stuff of legends!).
I joined with my wife Sue and son Tom, when David Hood was Captain, I think that was around 8 years ago?
Favourite course played and why?
That’s a difficult one as so many courses have wonderful aspects. In this country it would be Forest of Arden which has everything you want in a golf course and some quite nervy tee shots over water etc. Overseas it would probably be the Koriniumn in Northern Cyprus. A 5* resort which is a hidden gem, cheap by today’s standards and just stunning views. There’s even a 220 yard par 3 over a canyon with out of bounds left, right and long!
Best result as a golfer?
I finally got my name on the board last year for winning the Mumby Cup, shooting a 1 over par gross 72. I knew what score was in when I started my round and I knew that (subject to a better score coming in while I was out) I needed a birdie on the last to get my nose in front. Luckily I managed to make the birdie and get my name up in lights!!!!
Biggest tournament you’ve attended or played in?
Sadly, I haven’t been to any big tournaments but I’ve booked for the British Masters this year (subject to events changing daily as we all know). I’ve played in lots of pro-ams, especially in my younger days, I’m not good enough to enter big tournaments!
Most memorable moment on the golf course?
I made my one and only hole-in-one, on Christmas Day. The girls were cooking lunch while sampling the alcohol to get in the mood, so I took my dad, Tom and my brother in law for a game of golf. I stood on the tee of a par 3, my dad said, “you don’t have enough club there”, I said, “we’ll see” and went and holed it. Hole-in-ones are rare, but on Christmas day …… especially so!
Funniest thing you’ve seen on the golf course?
I’ve seen so many funny things but in my younger days I went for a game on the Lincoln common (now long gone) with a friend (who shall remain nameless). We weren’t very good and on a particularly long par 4, with rough knee high everywhere, we finally made it to the green. I added up his score to find he had taken 18 shots, with a 6-footer or so to go. He said, “can I have that for a 19, I can’t stand the embarrassment of making a 20 on a golf hole” I thought about it for at least a millisecond before saying “no you bl**dy well can’t” and he proceeded to 3 putt – priceless, and he denies it to this day!
Favourite player and why?
There are so many great players but my personal favourite is Henrik Stenson. He has come back from the abyss twice, once with his game and once where he was swindled out of all his money. He always looks smart and conducts himself well, has a really good sense of humour and the final round where he beat Phil “the thrill” Mickleson in the 2016 Open is one of the best rounds of golf I have ever seen.
Away from golf … other hobbies and pastimes?
Away from golf, it is mainly work which is an incredible inconvenience if you are a golfer! I love music and usually listen to at least a new album a week from someone I’ve never heard of. Most of it turns out to be a load of rubbish but occasionally you find a gem that you would have missed, I like the idea of box sets too on tv, binge watching is great and the days of waiting a week for a new episode have gone for me now. I’ve just finished Money Heist on Netflix which was excellent.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Again, so many to choose from, but I’ll say the Cape Town area in South Africa. It was somewhere I’d never really thought of going and I loved it when I got there, the vibrancy, the scenery, the whole thing took me by surprise. Oh, and the golf is great too, it’s the only place I’ve ever played where I found a par three which was stroke index 1 on the card!
Favourite food?
Sue calls me a ‘fish and chip man’ as I don’t widen my taste horizons very often, which isn’t far off to be fair, but I do like anything spicy so Indian curries, Chinese, Mexican food all get a thumbs up. I tend to go for things I know I like, rather than trying things I might like, hence the name ‘fish and chip man’!
Castaway on a desert island:
Your piece of music and why?
Having only one piece of music would drive me insane, if it was one song it would be Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I’ve been a massive fan of Queen forever, and this song has a little bit of everything in it, including air guitar! If I could have an album it would be between Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”, and Elton Johns “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy”
Your chosen book and why?
I need a book to really grip me, so anything by James Herbert or Stephen King is top of the list. Duncan Bannatyne’s biography was excellent too (one of the original investors on Dragon’s Den).
Your luxury item and why?
Some sort of music system with HUGE speakers, if I’m on a desert island I can play music as loud as I like without getting moaned at!
Something about you that is unusual?
Some would say my looks! As many of you know I repair and sell antique clocks for a living, I love them and have a passion for buying more. I have six Grandfather Clocks in my living room at the moment (and 16 other clocks), I’d say that is pretty unusual!
And finally … your ideal fourball?
Again, a really difficult question. My best and most enjoyable games of golf are when I have a laugh, and some of the best games I’ve enjoyed have come with friends who could hardly even play. So, based on that I’d say Billy Connolly to make me laugh, Henrik Stenson (well you’ve got have one good golfer, and one with a sense of humour is a bonus) and Ozzy Osbourne (I’ll bet his stories are the stuff of legends!).