Neil Coles, one of England’s finest ever golfers, has been made a life member of the Professional Golfers’ Association.
The eight-time Ryder Cup player, and former European Tour chairman, joins a select group to have received the prestigious honour.
“It’s always nice to be recognised in this way,” said Coles on receiving life membership. “I joined the PGA way back in 1951, and have always been a member, so I have a huge loyalty to the PGA, as that’s where I started from. It’s such an honour.”
Surrey-based Coles started his career as a young PGA assistant at Letchworth Golf Club and went on to enjoy huge success – one of few players to win across six decades in a career that included 25 professional victories.
His rise to the top of world golf – which twice saw him ranked seven – was all the more remarkable given he was playing off a 14 handicap at the age of 16.
Coles joined the PGA ranks after rejecting the chance to join his father’s shoe repair and leather business. His first job was as an assistant to Ken Adwick at Letchworth. He later followed Adwick to Burhill, before moving on to Coombe Hill with Dick Burton and Ken Bousfield. It was a talented line up with Tony Grant and Hugh Boyle also there. “At one stage there were five from Coombe Hill in the Open Championship,” Coles recalled.
Coombe Hill proved a happy hunting ground, with his first European Tour equivalent golf tournament win coming there with the Ballantines in 1961.
Earlier he’d won the Herts Championship aged 21 against Dai Rees and the Assistants. “That was from a standing start. It was something significant in my career,” he added.
Coles had five top 10 finishes in the Open, and his best finish was second behind Tom Weiskopf at Troon in 1973, and his best chance of victory came in 1961, when he shared third with Christy O’Connor behind Arnold Palmer at Royal Birkdale.
While he never tasted victory in the Ryder Cup, he remained a formidable opponent, and shares the record with Colin Montgomerie for the most singles wins – seven.
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