Fore-some day for PGA’s Smith (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Fore-some day for PGA’s Smith

5:10pm Monday 31st October 2011 in Golf By Gary York, Sports reporter

DARWEN’S Harold Smith has lived his life coaching several generations of golfers up and down Great Britain – and today will be celebrated for his half-century achievements.

The 78-year-old stalwart, recognised as one of East Lancashire’s most recognised figures in golf, is to be honoured at The Belfry for completing 50 years’ service to the PGA.

His reward follows a long career that has seen him work alongside many of the sport’s top names, including former British Open and US Open champion Tony Jacklin.

But Smith’s pleasure has come at grass roots level, teaching the game he loves to professionals and amateurs over the past five decades.

“I’ve played with some big names, but most of my golf has been in club golf and that’s what I loved doing,” said Smith.

“My next door neighbour, who I hadn’t seen for 40-odd years until I returned to live in Darwen, told me that I started him off playing golf all that time ago.

“I’ve just enjoyed working with people that want to learn. That’s been my passion in life.”

As a youngster, Smith was brought up in a cottage that backed on to Darwen Golf Club and became a junior member in 1947.

He broke the course record during his amateur days, and twice lifted the club championship until 1959, when he became a full member of the PGA Among those teaching Smith was John Burton, the brother of Darwen’s most famous golfing son, Dick Burton, who clinched the British Open Championship in 1939 at St Andrews.

“John and Dick were relatives of mine,” Smith said. “They were my mother’s cousins.”

Smith returned to Darwen as a professional and worked as a golf coach for the Lancashire County Education Authority.

In 1970, he joined Spalding Golf Club and, over the next 20 years, worked at various UK clubs.

They included Billingham, in Durham, Oswestry, Holyhead on the island of Anglesey, and Fishwick GC near Preston.

Smith said: “At Oswestry, Ian Woosnam was one of the juniors when I was there and obviously he went on to become the Ryder Cup captain.”

He later returned to East Lancashire, as course manager and pro at Whalley.

But Smith’s distinguished career also included working at various Open Championships, coaching for the PGA, as well as Ryder Cup events.

He said: “I only worked once or twice at the Ryder Cup, but at the Open Championships, there was teaching booths and, wherever it was, I was encouraged to go there and do some coaching.

“It was great to meet these people at these events. It made me wonder sometimes: Should I be here?”

During the past five decades, Smith admits he needed to keep up with the pace of golf as modern technology took a hold within the sport.

But he insists that, while revolutionary new equipment and state-of-the-art courses have galvanised the game, the fundamentals will always remain the same.

“I’ve had to try and keep up with the times, but things have changed gradually rather than quickly,” said Smith.

“I’m not knocking modern technology, but it hasn’t improved things phenomenally.

“Golf clubs and balls have improved, but only in a way of making average to poor players slightly better.

“The average guy goes on that first tee and knocks the ball reasonably well because of the technology.

“But scores were good 50 years ago. I had the course record at Darwen with a round of 68. That was using clubs that nobody would use now!”

Today, Smith continues to practice several times a week at Darwen, but he takes as much pleasure following the progress of his son Andrew, a golf professional based in Shenzhen, China.

He said: “Coaching has been a big part of my life, and it’s the same for Andrew.

“He’s a bit of a character in that he does what he wants when he wants. He lives life to the full.”

On the PGA presentation at The Belfry today, Smith added: “I’m looking forward to it. It should be good.

“I’d just like to thank the people at Darwen and Whalley golf clubs, and my family and friends for the support which they have given me over many years.”