A Wiltshire pro who collects golfing memorabilia is aiming to show he's no relic by winning a place among the cream of European seniors golf.
Graham Laing, director of golf at North Wilts Golf Club, will be among the field chasing victory at the £35,000 Senior PGA Professional Championship at Northants County at the end of the month (May 27-29).
An added incentive for Laing is that securing a top 20 finish in the 54-hole tournament will earn qualification for the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall where a host of big names including Sam Torrance, Costantino Rocca and defending champion Gordon J Brand will be appearing.
Laing - director of golf at the Devizes club - admits his busy role does not leave him much chance to practise but he is hoping to rediscover some form at Northants County which is celebrating its centenary this year.
"I suppose deep down I think I should be finishing in the top 20, I think I can do that," added Laing who as a young assistant in Scotland worked alongside Sky commentator Ewen Murray.
"I can still hit the ball well, and because of technology probably as well as ever. The only problem is I've lost the knack of scoring well when playing badly."
Away from work, Laing loves nothing more than rooting around for old balls and clubs and has one in his possession that dates back to 1870 - the era of old and young Tom Morris.
"I don't get a lot of spare time but I enjoy collecting golf memorabilia," he said.
"A late friend (Richard Emery - the pro at Kingsdown) was a great collector and it was through him I got interested."
Laing might have missed the cut in his previous two outings at Northants County but with five PGA Championship appearances at Wentworth under his belt there is no doubting his pedigree.
"I played a lot of regional golf in the 80s and was fortunate to finish in the top couple on the Order of Merit to get into the PGA Championship," he said.
"I made the last round at Wentworth once, finishing about 30th and was paired with an up and coming talent called Barry Lane who came 10th and went on to play in the Ryder Cup."
Defending champion at Northants will be Scot Bill Lockie, who holed a 75ft putt at the last to lift the trophy, while other pros from the west country teeing up include Thurlestone's Peter Laugher who goes into the event on a high after qualifying for the grand final of the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship - Europe's biggest pro-am.
Other pros from the PGA West Region heading north to Northants County include St Enodoc Golf Club's Nicholas Williams, Torquay's Cliff Strange, Lostwithiel's Stephen Bonham and Filton's Brent Ellis.
18 May, 2009