Paul Lawrie, Raymond Jacobs, retired Glasgow Herald golf correspondent, and special guest Peter Alliss at the annual Scottish PGA lunch in Glasgow today. Paul received a gift to mark his services to golf and Raymond a lifetime achievement award. Image by Andy Forman. Click to enlarge.

Paul Lawrie recognised for junior golf Foundation

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
Since setting up his own junior foundation eight years ago, Paul Lawrie has been directly responsible for 14,000 young golfers either receiving coaching or competing in tournaments.
One of his proteges, David Law, won both the Scottish boys' and men's amateur championships this year and the programme, which has been based primarily in the Grampian region thus far, is now starting to branch out into other parts of the country.
Lawrie, the 1999 Open champion, received deserved recognition for his excellent work in putting something back into the game when he was presented with a special award from the PGA Scottish Region at its annual luncheon in Glasgow today.
"We started the Foundation in 2001 and, at that time, it was a junior programme that mainly involved doing some coaching and organising events for small children," said the Aberdonian. "It has grown beyond all recognition – we have now looked after 14,000 children since 2001 – and I am very proud of it."
Acknowledging the work his support team put in behind the scenes, Lawrie added: "The programme has mainly been in Grampian but we have plans to branch out to have coaching at different centres. Indeed, we've already had some sessions at Mearns Castle in Glasgow."
Lawrie joined the PGA when turned professional in 1986 and was delighted to be honoured by the Scottish Region on a day that also saw lifetime achievement awards being handed out to Finlay Morrison, the 95-year-old former professional at Deeside, Braid Hills and Bruntsfield Links, and one of Scotland's most- respected golf writers, Raymond Jacobs.
"This is a huge thing for me," said Lawrie. "I was a five-handicap player when I turned pro and wasn't very good but served my time in the shop at Banchory for four years and got a bit better. "That was the start of things for me. To be able to play professional tournaments straight away was fantastic and I will always be grateful to Doug Smart, the pro at Banchory at the time, letting me get out of the shop to practice."