2018 Torneo Golf San Francisco
THE BOB KELLY GOLF TROPHY
2018 in San Francisco … 2019 in New York
On occasion of the 75th anniversary (1937-2012) of the ‘Swiss National League’ Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta’ www.hcap.ch - a joint venture of two very small alpine communities - where it is said that hockey history is written - located in the upper part of the Swiss Italian Leventina Valley
‘THE BOB KELLY GOLF TROPHY ‘
has been created not only to remember Ambrì-Piotta’s first big star and Bob Kelly’s glittering playing and coaching career, but mainly
to pay tribute to the massive Canadian imports in Europe in the glorious fifties.
Bob Kelly a native from Grande Prairie, AB, starred for the Paisley Pirates, Renfrewshire, Scotland in the 1950s and was widely reputed to be one of the best stick handlers around. He spent three years with the Pirates scoring more than 150 goals in a little more than 170 appearances. He was also a top goal-maker too, have made around 146 assists. Later on his career he also played for the Brighton Tigers and the Wembley Lions. Bob Kelly also made his mark at a European Club, playing and coaching for five years with the Swiss Club Ambrì-Piotta scoring 126 goals in 70 games (an average of 1,8).
Since the HC Ampbri-Piotta is in its 80th Jubilee both the 2018 and 2019 events “East meets West” are together, as a unit in the planning stage.
2012: Tsawwassen Springs Golf & Country Club, Vancouver – Jim Loftus
2013: Golf Club Gerre Losone, Switzerland – Giorgio Stefani
2014: Golf Club Gerre Losone, Switzerland – Bruno Franco
2015: Golf Club Gerre Losone, Switzerland - Rolf Hollenstein
2017: Golfpark Otelfingen Zurich, the Golf Hockey Final - Reto Kreis, Winterberg
The event is meant to increase the public’s awareness of this historic fact on both side of the Atlantic and obviously to bring many memories and emotions back. A sport event going much further to touch social-cultural, politic-economic and historic sectors too.
