Age: 55
Turned pro: 17
Home club: Matfen Hall (since 1994)
career highlights
More than 100 wins as a professional including the NE/NW PGA Championship, Strokeplay and Matchplay
Won the European Senior Tour qualifying school in 2009
Three top-five finishes on the European Senior Tour
PGA Cup player in 1994
What are you doing this season?
“I’ve still got a category for the Senior Tour, so I’ll play a handful of events on there. After those, I’ll be playing a full schedule of local events and spending the rest of my time coaching at Matfen Hall. I’ve been a part of the NE/NW PGA throughout my career and I’m currently its chairman. We’ve got a great list of events this season and the pros up here compete at a very good level week-in-week-out.
On the coaching side, I’m working with some good lads including a few county players, and I’ll be teaming up with Andy Paisley for the Northumberland county coaching. I’ll also be working with Ken Ferrie again this season.”
How did you get into the game?
“My dad was a professional footballer and we moved up to Brampton from Manchester when I was a kid. My brothers, Steve and Phil, and I started playing with him. We got the bug (all three are PGA professionals) and continued to play together and improve as we got older.”
What does the future hold?
“As long as I’m competing, I want to keep playing as long as I can – though it’s often the more frustrating part of my job. I’ve also got a lot of passion for coaching and still find it incredibly rewarding to see players improving and enjoying the game.”
Interesting fact:
John and his brothers Steve and Phil are all professional golfers (as is Phil’s son Jack). In 2012, all three competed in the PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall. The only other time three or more brothers competed in a tour was in 1975 when four Ballesteros brothers – Seve, Baldomero, Manuel and Vincente – played in the Madrid Open.