Following a very successful playing career on the European tour of some thirty seven years, during which he achieved twenty nine victories, including the German, Spanish & Scottish Opens, The Dunlop Masters and the PGA Championship. In 1982 at the age of forty eight he won the Sanyo Open in Spain and held the distinction of being the oldest winner of a European Tour event for nearly 20 years.

Neil was a regular member of the Ryder Cup Teams between 1961 and 1977 making eight appearances in total.

From the age of fifty he dominated the PGA Seniors Championship, winning the event four years out of six. In the inaugural British Seniors Open at Turnberry Neil held of a late challenge by Bob Charles to win by a shot.

During his career on the Seniors Tour he has won a total of fourteen events to date.

At the age of sixty seven Neil won the Lawrence Batley Tournament to become the oldest player in Europe to win an event, also the only player in the world to have won in six separate decades.

Neil has been chairman of the European Tour board since its inception in the nineteen eighties.

Gary has been a professional golfer for the past twenty five years. He together with his father Neil, were the first father and son partnership to play in the Open championship in modern times at Royal Birkdale in 1983.

Gary won the national assistants championship at Coombe Hill, Surrey, in 1985. Following this success Gary continued to play in various European tournaments over the next few years, but he became increasingly plagued with back problems.

Gary as a director of Neil Coles & Associates became more involved in the design and development of golf courses. With their joint expertise the team has become one of the leading golf course design companies in Europe.