Laurie first played tennis as a child at Cecil Plains State School. It was during his service in the Air Force in World War 11 that he began playing competitive tennis.  He won at tournaments held at Woomera in 1957-8.

One of the highlights of his playing career came in 1962 in an Intra Services competition played at White City courts in Sydney where as the No 1 player for the Air Force he defeated the No 1 player for the Navy.

His career in the Air Force took him to Butterworth in Malaysia. The Far East Air Force Cup was an annual tennis tournament contested by players from the various Air Force bases in East Asia. In 1964  Laurie was a member of the Malaysian team which inflicted the first defeat of the Chinese team. Laurie played in his first veteran’s tournament in 1963 in Penang.

Throughout his tennis life Laurie was not just a player. He was involved in organising tennis. He was a member of the Malaysian Lawn Tennis Association. In 1965 Neale Fraser stayed at Laurie’s place for several days on his return from Wimbledon.

While living at Wavell Heights in Brisbane, Laurie played in Greater Brisbane Saturday fixtures and veterans. On moving to the Sunshine Coast in 1985 Laurie attended his first Annual meeting of Tennis Veterans Sunshine Coast where he was nominated for Chairman.

For the past seventeen years Laurie has been on the committee of the Sunshine Coast Veterans Association and most of these as president. This year he stood down as president, but is still on the management committee. Throughout Sunshine Coast tennis circles Laurie is known for his sterling service to Coolum Tennis Club and the Tennis Veterans Sunshine Coast Tennis Association. 

Congratulations Laurie.