PETER DANGERFIELD, the 60-year-old professional at the Minchinhampton Old Course, has been appointed a Fellow of the PGA in recognition of a lifetime’s service to golf.

Although his career began 46 years ago at the Old Course when he played for Gloucestershire Colts off a handicap of two and then ran the junior section, his life was largely spent in Denmark after he turned professional in 1976.

He was an assistant at Fureso and Gilleleje, clubs situated north of Copenhagen, until becoming head professional at Korsor on the West Cast of Sjaelland two years later.

In 1981, he moved to Herning in Jutland for eight years until returning to Gilleleje where he remained head pro for 12 years. He served on the Denmark PGA committee for five years. His wife Lene helped him run the pro shop at each course.

He once taught Thomas Bjorn at a Danish Golf Union Junior Week. Karina Orum, the first Danish woman to play on the Ladies European Tour, is his step-daughter. She twice finished runner-up to Laura Davis and narrowly missed out on a Solheim Cup place.

After 25 years he returned home to Minchinhampton Old Course as a freelance teacher in 2001 and played in a few tournaments.

Six years ago he joined Chris Steele as first assistant at Minchinhampton New Course. In 2008, he returned to his original base at the Old Course as head professional where he runs the shop that Steele stocks.

His main love is teaching. When he returned full time to the Old Course he and Eve Clements, the driving force, set up a junior section virtually from scratch. Today there are around 50 juniors including many girls. He is one the Gloucestershire County Junior Academy coaches and The Old Course has the Golf Mark High Achiever Award. He estimates he has given more than 50,000 lessons.

Last year he opened an indoor teaching centre and he recently published an instruction book - “30 Ways To Improve Your Golf.”

He said: “I am very proud to have been made a Fellow Professional and will do all in my power to honour this award.

“I intend to be active for another ten years and attend as many courses as possible to keep up with the constant change in golf technology, especially on the teaching and coaching side of golf”.