This Is Your Life: Sam Torrance

Sam TORRANCE MBE (1953-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Sam Torrance, golfer, was surprised by Michael Aspel - with the help of the Pride of Murray Pipes and Drums and comedian Ronnie Corbett - in the garden of his Surrey home.

Sam, who was born in Largs, Scotland, was coached by his father Bob, a professional golf instructor. After shining at the schoolboy level and spending a year on the amateur circuit, he became a professional golfer at the age of 16. He had his first professional win in 1972 and won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award in the same year.

Nicknamed the Iron Man and Mr Consistency, Sam made his first Ryder Cup appearance in 1981 after nine tournament wins. His winning putt secured the 1985 Ryder Cup for the European team for the first time in 28 years and earned the team prize at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

"Shocked and stunned, shocked and stunned! Jesus, they're coming out the bushes here!"

programme details...

Edition No: 963
Subject No: 938
Broadcast date: Mon 13 Jan 1997
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Mon 7 Oct 1996
Venue: unknown
Series: 37
Edition: 16
Code name: Tee

on the guest list...

Malcolm Mason
Suzanne Danielle - wife
Ronnie Corbett
Bob - father
June - mother
Stephen Bury
David Ingram
Marion Ingram
Jimmy Letters
Michael King
Mark James
John O'Leary
Ian Woosnam
David Feherty
Colin Montgomerie
Bernard Gallacher
Harry - nanny
Daniel - son
Phoebe - daughter
Anouska - daughter
message from Ben Hogan
Gerald McKenzie
Angus McKenzie
Seve Ballesteros
Jack Nicklaus
Ian Botham

production team...

Researcher: Ian Brown
Writer: Ian Brown
Directors: Terry Kinnane, Paul Kirrage
Associate Producer: Sue Green
Executive Producer: John Longley
Producer: John Graham

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

World of Sport

serving up tennis and golf

Ian Botham

Ronnie Corbett

Ian Woosnam

Screenshots of Sam Torrance This Is Your Life

Lancashire Telegraph 14 January 1997

This was our life! Golfer Stephen meets pal Torrance

GOLFER Stephen Bury today revealed Sam Torrance's guilty secret he didn't tell millions of This Is Your Life viewers... as kids they used to go out together stealing golf balls! Stephen, 47, of Moss Street, Great Harwood, was tracked down by researchers to record memories of his time spent with the golfing wonder for Michael Aspel's red book.

Stephen lived near Rossendale Golf Club in the 1960s and became pals with young Sam, whose father Bob was professional at the club. He said: "It was in the 60s when we became friends and we used to mess about at the golf club. I was 10 years old and Sam was slightly younger."

"In fact, I never told this to Michael Aspel, but we used to nick golf balls. Sam once got into terrible trouble when his dad found out about it. He never did it again!" Sam then moved away to Scotland with his parents but the pair kept in touch. In fact, Sam once caddied for Stephen at Clitheroe before making a name for himself in the professional golf world. Stephen, who became a professional himself in 1975, has followed his pal all over the country to watch him play.

He added: "Sam was really surprised when I walked through the doors in the London studio. We shook hands and called each other by our childhood nickname. I told Michael that he would never guess now that Sam once had a broad Lancashire accent."

Also appearing on the show was Jack Cordingley, a past captain at Rossendale Golf Club, who pointed This Is Your Life staff in Stephen's direction for the show, which was filmed in October. "Sam was a great laugh," Stephen said. "He asked how my brothers and sister were and since the film was shown I've spoken to him at Christmas and plan to meet up again in the summer."

Series 37 subjects