HOWARD'S WAY FOR PGA MASTER PROFESSIONAL

The book, which is free to download, delivers a fascinating insight into the Irish pair, particularly three-time major champion Harrington who even at 16 and playing off a two handicap revealed some of the traits that were to make him a champion.

Southport-based Bennett, who is attached to Formby Hall Golf Resort, describes how Harrington was already a deep thinker on the game and how the young Dubliner wrestled with elements of his game including delaying the decision of switching from his natural straight to fade to a straight to draw flight which would give him greater distance and ultimately enable him to compete at the very highest level.

During his 15 year tenure at the Golfing Union of Ireland, Bennett set about implementing his coaching philosophy which was honed over many years and included learning from the best such as John Jacobs, who he would watch teach on cold winter nights in Blackpool, and Sir Henry Cotton in the sunnier climes of Portugal.

One delightful anecdote he tells of Cotton is the three-time Open champion being approached at dinner by a gentleman asking if he could coach a plus four handicapper who is his opinion was a great prospect.

'Can he play?' shot back Cotton. The confused man, mishearing, repeated the question again mentioning his plus four handicap. 'But can he play?' replied Cotton again. Non the wiser, Cotton finally made himself clear, saying 'tell me, what has he won?'

As Bennett observed, this was an important and repeating factor in Cotton's assessment of a player, and a valuable lesson to the younger coach.

Anyone interested in downloading the book should log on to http://www.howardbennett.co.uk/index.html