Musing on the new Golf degrees, the man who was responsible for starting the PGA Training Acedemy in 1972, a man who was friends with all the great teachers of his ers - , Jacobs, King, Hay, Cotton and the like, Sterling has a lifetime of stories.

'When I started most clubs didn't have practice grounds. You ahd t use a spare fairwya and rush out to pick up the balls quick if anyone came along.

'Now its state of the art - indoor driving ranges etc. Golf is all about the speed of the clubhead, and the position of the face. The golf ball doesn't deviate as it used to. Mind you, they made the same sort of ball 75 years ago but you could still lose it.

'Clubfaces on woods have changed. They used to roll from heel to toe. Now they are much straighter. the ball goes in a stright line whereever you hit it - not straighter!'

Sterling was Professional at two of his clubs for over 20 years, including at Merrick Park in Bournemouth. He had to move from there when he became National coach as more practice space was required. Always a good player, Sterling tried his hand in the major golfing events and saw first hand all the greats from both the Amateur and Professional game from the 50s onwards -

'Ben Hogan was the best ball striker I saw. Jack Nicklaus had the best golfing brain - he was almost suirgical in how he played. Gary Player made himself into a great golf - he once asked Hogan for a practice round and at the end, asked Hogan what he should change about his gamne to make himself a better golfer. Hogan just said to change his grip, his left hand position. Player did just that and look what happened!

Of the Amateurs, Peter McEvoy was supber, so technically gifted. He didn't confuse you. God gave him his gift.

'You can't bypass Micahel Bonallack. He would admit he was the best technically but his tenacity and his mindset were the best.'

There were also many club golfers who came to Sterling's practice ground. Who was the worst John ever saw -

There was a fellow who refused to change his grip. He had tried everyone and driven 70 miles down the coast to see me.

'He walked up to me and said ''Whatever you say, I'm not going to change my grip1''

'I gave hime 10 minutes then said there was nothing I could do for him and I told him he was waisting my time and his money and that both were too valuable. he then decided to change his grip and within a few minutes, i had him hitting the ball nicely.'

And John's best ever pupil?

'That would have to be Mrs Sterling. She was 30 when we got married and she didn't want to play. In three and a half years she was down to scratch. She plays off 2 now and is English Seniors Champion, to go with 25 club championships and five County wins.

'I taught David Howell as a boy (when he was 12) and a girl called Alison McDonald who got down to +3.

'There is a big difference to teaching someone and coaching them. I was talking with John Jacobs about the golfers we had worked with and he kept on saying he was teaching people. I told him ''We coach many of the players. We didn't teach them.'' '

In the early 90s EGU training took the amateur elite to Valderrama and Sterling went along to coach some soon to be very famous charges. Could Sterling see the Tour winners even at that stage of their golfing careers?

'Players such as Broadhurst and Lee Westwood had the right attitude. I was at Valderrama with Lee. When some of the others were in the bar after their afternoon medal round, off the back tees, Lee would come over to me on the practice grounds and say he had had a problem with hooking two drives, and could I help him?

'A member came over to me and asked me whom I thought was the best. He was suprised when I said 'Westwood'.

'A few years later I was at Valderrama for the Ryder Cup, in 1997. The same member came over to me and reminded me of that conversation - he asked me if I was any good at racehorses?'

Sterling now is one of the most respected after dinner speakers, talking frankly about his childhood then on through a wonderful career. He also still gives the odd lesson such as just a few weeks ago when in the company of Mrs Sterling, John ventured to the practice range when bad weather stopped a possible nine holes. Next to them was a man who was hardly able to break his wrists such were his efforts to get width on his backswing.

'I had to go and help him. I told him I was a professional and in just a few swings, he was hitting the ball so much better.'

That lesson was free. The life lessons that Sterling often talks about in his speeches are just as valuable.