Age: 47
Turned pro: 1989
Home club: Cocken Lodge
Career highlights
Runner up in Scottish Boys Championship in 1989
Winner of Lombard Trophy in 1998 in Portugal
Multiple time winner on the North Region and North East & North West PGA circuits
What have you been up to?
“I’m spending most of my time as the account manager on Northern Golfer these days. I also teach at Cocken Lodge a couple of evenings a week, and have been there for a little more than eight years now. I was the club professional at Wearside Golf Club for 17 years, until 2011, having worked for Alan Hartley at Roseberry Grange for six years before that. Having the mix of working on the magazine and still getting to do some teaching is perfect for me. I love coaching and to do it at a facility like Cocken Lodge is great.”
How did you get into the game?
“I grew up playing golf with my dad at Lockerbie Golf Club. My dad was a decent player and I grew up around good players so got into it quickly. We moved down to Cumbria and eventually ended up in Chester-le-Street, and I played a lot of my junior golf at Roseberry Grange. I played in everything as a kid and by the time I turned 17, Alan Hartley offered me a job at Roseberry.”
What does the future hold?
“I’m working with a great mix of players and I’d like to see them continue to improve. It’s going to be great to see Cocken Lodge develop even further in the next couple of years too. The Holmes family have some great plans and it will be one of the best practice facilities in the North of England in the near future. Personally, I’ve got a couple of years until I turn 50 and I’d love to be able to spend some time on my game and play in some PGA senior events. I haven’t played tournament golf since I left Wearside so I’d like to get back out there.”
