IT is every young golfer’s dream to tee up or line up a putt at The Open Championship and next week a North-East professional will be doing exactly that – even if he has no chance of lifting the Claret Jug himself.

Ross Jackson, who has an excellent weekly tipping column in Fraser from the Fairway, is one of 22 to have been selected from more than 8,000 PGA pros to spend the whole week at Royal Birkdale to help get more people into golf.

Jackson was recognised for helping to develop the game and attracting more juniors by way of his academy at Ingleby Barwick. He has been asked to head over to Southport for the week to provide free coaching and tips to anyone who heads over to the Royal & Ancient SwingZone.

“I’m really looking forward to it, and hope a few people from the North-East pop over to the tented village while I’m there,” said Jackson. “I have been to the Open a few times as a spectator, it’s an incredible event, in fact it is one of the world’s premier events.

“I’ve been to various different ones in the past, like up at St Andrews, Birkdale … the first one I went to was at Birkdale, when Mark O’Meara won it in 1998.

“We went on a practice round that year, we were dead lucky. We were allowed to walk with the players down the fairways I remember seeing Ernie Els, remember him having some good craic. He’s a bit older but maybe I can see him again this year, as he will be playing as a past champion.”

While Jackson will look to get a glimpse of some of the action on the fairways of Royal Birkdale, he knows the bulk of his time will be spent in the SwingZone doing what he loves – coaching.

Last year he was awarded the Sir Michael Bonallack Award by the Golf Foundation for producing the best junior academy in the country, having worked a lot with children in schools and getting them on to the course. He has since set up the Ross Jackson Golf Junior Tour and there have been ten events this year in the area.

Jackson, a former assistant pro at Stressholme, Darlington, is clearly making huge strides on his own, although in true teaching fashion he is determined to find ways to keep improving to help more get into the game.

“The purpose when we are in the tented village will be to expand the sport and to give free lessons and coaching advice,” he said. “In among it there are various activities, indoor outoor, swing and putting … everything will be covered.

“Twenty-two coaches have been chosen from our association. There are in excess of 8500 pros in the PGA and 22 have been chosen because of what we have done in the past

“There will be really good coaches there next week, there will be like-minded people, I think I will be one of the younger coaches there, and some really talented people. I am looking forward to meeting them and seeing how they work, and learn from them as well.

“In addition to that we will be working with the general public, and it will be busy days. We have a duty as PGA pros to promote the sport and that’s sometimes a duty that is lost in our profession.”

Last year more than 170,000 spectators visited Royal Troon, where Henrik Stenson got his hands on the famous Claret Jug. This year a similar, if not more, crowd is expected so Jackson knows there will be little time for breaks.

“I am busy with my own work and wasn’t even going to put my name forward but then someone suggested I did, and I didn’t think I would get picked,” he said. “We have done a lot with juniors over the last few years and I am sure there will be a lot coming to see us at Royal Birkdale. There are always a large number of kids there, I think the Under-16s go free so I’m sure when the schools are off there will be a lot there to keep us busy!”