A MAN who influenced young golfers on their path to sporting success has died, aged 86.

Kenneth Robson was a highly regarded member of Prudhoe Golf Club for his inspirational role in developing the junior section, as well as his own individual achievements.

Originally known as a good local footballer, Mr Robson turned his attention to golf in the 1970s and, after winning the Harp Lager Trophy in 1971, he went on to win the Northern Counties Regional Final to qualify for the national final at the prestigious St Andrews course.

When his son Kevin became involved in the sport, Mr Robson and a handful of other members started to improve conditions for juniors, and his encouragement and support resulted in Prudhoe, once nicknamed as ‘the home of champions’, producing a number of top golfers over the years.

He went on to become a founder member of the Northumbria Junior Golf League.

His son, Kevin, said: “I thought the world of my father and I have great memories of him, especially on the golf course.

“When I was a child, he set the job up for me and a lot of juniors. When you are a parent, you want to help your own children to start with, but by helping me he went on to help a lot of other children.”

Mr Robson went on to become captain of Prudhoe Golf Club in 2001 and then president in 2003, and he was awarded honorary membership for his services to the club.

Away from the golf course, Mr Robson trained as a painter and decorator at Riding Mill after the Second World War, and he was then called up for National Service, serving in Egypt between 1951 and 1953.

On his return to civilian life, he met Joan at a local dance and she became his wife in 1957. They lived happily together until Joan’s death in 1999.

Following the wedding, Mr Robson embarked on a career change in electronics and installed televisions for Cresswell’s in Hexham before moving on to work for George Atkinson, in his home town of Prudhoe. Another career change saw him move to Burgess Micro Switches in the Team Valley to work as a test engineer until his retirement in 1997.