Cousins loses cancer battle

PGA Professional Ceri Cousins has died aged 66 following a battle with cancer and a week after caddying for his son Alyn in the De Vere Leeds Cup at Oulton Hall.

His long and varied career spread over more than four decades but he only took up golf after a spell as a semi-pro cyclist ended tragically when he was the victim of a car accident which resulted in having part of his right thigh removed.

Swansea-born Cousins joined the paid ranks as an assistant to Daryl Rees at his local club Morriston. He then moved on to become the head pro at the Rhondda then Rotherham during which time he was Sheffield PGA secretary.

He then switched to Thrybergh Park in the same county before returning to Wales as incumbent at Llandudno from where he also ran the shops at Betws-y-Coed, Caernarvon and Blaenau Ffestiniog.

He later took over at Betws-y-Coed but in 1985 was appointed head pro at Worsley, Manchester, and remained there until 2007 and spent the remainder at his career at Silverdale where Alyn is professional.

He played for Glamorgan in 1963-64 also in the Open Championship and French and Dutch opens.

Cousins was a celebrated after-dinner speaker and recounted many amusing stories, especially about the time he was drawn in the unfortunate group with the infamous Maurice Flitcroft who conned his way into an Open qualifying round at Pleasington under a false name.

Cousins, survived by his wife Margaret, later received a refund from the R&A and a written apology.

His two other sons are also PGA Professionals. James, the eldest, is Head Professional at Darlington and Chris has the same position at Helsby.

His daughter Catherine, the eldest child, played for the Welsh Girls.

The funeral is at Lancaster and Morecambe Crematorium on Tuesday, September 10, at 1.15 pm followed by refreshments at Silverdale Golf Club.