PETER SMITH TO JOIN PAUL LAWRIE TEAM ON

RETURN FROM NEWZEALAND

 IN MID-SEPTEMBER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Former Northern Open champion Peter Smith is to join the Paul Lawrie Foundation backroom team when he returns to his native North-east from New Zealand in mid-September.
Smith, who won the NZ club professionals' title in 2003, came over to play in the recent PGA seniors championship and took the chance to make a flying visit to Aberdeen. He met Paul Lawrie by chance, as Paul explains:
"I bumped into Peter Smith at Deeside Golf Club during the two or three days he was back home. He explained while we played nine holes that he was coming back to live in Aberdeen.
"I immediatly offered him a coaching role within our Foundation. We will use Peter mainly with some of the older children, more on the playing side instead of the technical side. Peter is very good at what he does and we're very excited to have him coaching for us soon.
"He's experienced and has played at the top level."
Smith, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has just turned 50, is going to the European Seniors Tour School on the Algarve, later in the year.
"If I win my card this time, it won't interfere with other commitments because I look on it as a part-time tour, plenty of time between tournaments to pursue other things," he said.
Smith is looking to set up a base at a private golf club in the Aberdeen area from where he could pursue a corporate golf outings business as well as individual coaching.