Sandy Jones, a former pupil at Coatbridge High School who learned to play golf in the garden of his Gartcosh home, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Birmingham University for services to the sport. Jones, 61, chief executive of The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA), left Coatbridge High School with nine O' and three A'levels and was offered places at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universites.

Five-times Open Champion Peter Thomson was the last professional to win three consecutive Open Championships (1954-56), a feat Padraig Harrington is attempting to emulate this year. Here, The Melbourne Tiger, who celebrates his 80th birthday in August, describes the Turnberry course and Harrington and Woods? chances of claiming the Claret Jug.

A pro with a passion for spreading the gospel of golf has won the 2009 Toby Sunderland Award for years of unsung work with disabled and underprivileged kids. Stuart Bottrill, head professional at Shirley Golf Club, was nominated for his efforts stretching back more than 10 years and which has seen him establish a network of opportunities for youngsters across the West Midlands.

Graeme McDowell, has given an exclusive interview to Ballantine's ahead of The US Masters. This inteview is courtesy of Ballentines, whose European Tour event the Ballantine's Championship takes place at Jeju in Korea from 23-26 April 2009.

Having announced that St Andrews and the Open of 2005 would be his last professional tournament just half an hour before to a massed press conference, the 'Golden Bear' retired to the upstairs of the clubhouse of Woburn for a much more select interview. Just a handful of the National newspapers and this web site.

Jack Nicklaus was in the UK yesterday, to unveil his involvement with Polaris World in the development of Condado de Alhama with three course designs (including a signature course) to be built in Murcia, Spain. It was a ‘flying’ visit to introduce Nicklaus’s companies’ involvement with what could well become one of the most famous golfing destinations in Europe in the next five years, and a chance for Jack to confirm that the Open at St Andrews will be his last Championship.

This is one of the first interviews we ever did for this site. Its re-posted as a tribute to Max Faulkner who died earlier this week. Mr Faulkner was 84 in August 2001 when he came to Nailcote Hall to take part in a Pro-Am being held as a curtain raiser to the British Professional Short Course Championships, a special event held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his Open Championship win.