Fryer to put his own advice to the test

Respected coach Adrian Fryer heads for the Senior PGA Professional Championship hoping to practise what he preaches.

Fryer is a well-known coach and golf magazine columnist based Warrington’s True Fit Golf Centre and his students have won a string of titles over the years.

But now he has the chance to show what he can do on his debut in the 54-hole championship at Northants County Golf Club which is being held on May 15-17 and carries a prize fund of £35,000.

“I wanted to do it last year but left it too late to enter, so this year I made sure I was there in plenty of time,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to it; it will be a chance to see if I can do what I’m always telling other people to do!”

A top 20 finish will also earn Fryer a start in next month’s ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Mottram Hall from June 6-9.

Fryer, who has achieved PGA Fellow Professional status, is one of the busiest coaches in the north west with over two decades of experience to his name.

But he insists he never stops learning and looking for new ways to teach the game.

“If you think you can’t take things forward and adapt then you might as well stop,” he added.

“Despite being involved in coaching for years, I’m always learning things and I think that’s vital.”

Fryer’s reputation has also spread abroad and even taken him to North Africa.

“I was contacted by a couple of players in Morocco who wanted to be coached,” he explained.

“They wanted to come to me, but I decided to head for the sun and go out to them! It’s been an interesting new development for me.

“My view on the game at the moment though is that the end result of golf is the same as it was 100 years ago - hitting ball as well as you can.

“It’s just a matter of finding new and better ways to do that.”

Other players taking part at Northants County include  John Heggarty (Royal Liverpool Golf Club), Paul Horridge (Bolton Old Links), John Twissell (Garstang Country Hotel) and  Peter Barber (Didsbury).

Last year’s champion Paul Wesselingh is now playing full time on the European Senior Tour so won’t be back to defend his title.