Dear Industry Colleague,

There’ve been several marvellous events played out around the world over the last few weeks and our congratulations must go to JJ Spaun for winning his first US Open with a spectacular last hole putt to edge out Bob MacIntyre by a couple of shots. And last weekend Tommy Fleetwood came a very close second to the US Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley – fascinating and thrilling.

This month we have a new feature article on Canterbury Golf Club which I hope you’ll enjoy. Please see below.

Very sadly, my great friend Rohan passed away recently. More on Rohan’s life is below. A service will be held for him on 28th August in Kent, please let me know if you would like to attend.

Best wishes,

Colin Jenkins
(07768) 887033

Rohan Barnet
10th October 1947 – 7th June 2025

My great friend Rohan passed away recently. He was a splendid man who, with Marion and myself, started Golf Range News (now Golf Features) and OGRO 23 years ago.

We first got to know him in Suffolk when we bought Cretingham Golf Club from his brother-in-law John Austin in 1992. It was not a great time for Rohan, as his marriage was breaking down and his prime concern was to make sure that he was able to keep a rich, warm and loving relationship with his two sons Sam and Matt. This he succeeded in completely. Together with his daughter Lara they were the backbone of his immediate family as well as an ever-growing number of grandchildren.

Over the next few years he was based near Chelmsford Essex and was working for Essex child services. The job was at times harrowing and intensely stressful and just after the turn of the century I managed to persuade him to join us in setting up the magazine and the Organisation of Golf and Range Operators – OGRO. He was brilliant with the magazine and exceptional when it came to staging conferences and industry events together, and in conjunction with the UK Golf Federation, we started GolfBIC. At the time this was the largest event for golf owners and operators outside of the United States. Rohan took my quite simplistic ideas and added polish and professionalism. The attention to detail that Rohan applied to preparations and his natural ease and comfort when introducing speakers and summing up the day’s events ensured the events were a huge success.

We also had a blast. I fondly remember sharing a ridiculous amount of wine with our OGRO President, the late John Jacobs, Butch Harmon, Rohan and myself at the PGA cocktail party – huge fun. Après ski and various other opportunities for fun were never ducked. If we’re being honest, we sought out such convivial opportunities and our belated apologies to all of the American friends we teased in Orlando at the PGA Merchandise show in the early years.

Rohan was a very good tennis player, an excellent skier, an enthusiastic golfer and was fully involved in a huge number of social platforms in and around Benenden where he lived for the last 20 years of his life.

Nothing was too much trouble for Rohan and he would help anyone with anything. Technology, relationships, contracts, personal issues – he was a great sounding board and wise. He was always eager to make sure things were done correctly. It’s no great secret that Rohan’s politics were slightly to the left of centre. Yet I never once saw his political passion getting in the way of treating all fairly and kindly – even if they were ardent capitalists and needed reminding! He was proud of his views and not very impressed with any politicians, except Jeremy Corbyn, but I’m sure this had at least something to do with Corbyn being the spitting image of his brother Brett of whom he was extremely fond.

He was also a great music buff and his love for Bob Dylan was intense. He was heavily engaged with guitars and ukuleles, personally I preferred the former, but he entertained us all with his music and joy.

The view of my life has always been pretty good and I have much to be thankful for. Rohan was part of this glorious scenery and the view is just so much less than it used to be, when he was here. Rohan Barnett was a top-class bloke on all fronts.

I will miss him dearly and I’m very privileged to have known him.