I PLAYED with Sara Burnell in a pro-am at the Vejle club in Denmark. Her name was familiar as a former English amateur international, but she has yet to make an impact in the professional ranks, which she joined at the end of the 1994 season.

Watching the quality of her swing and the generally solid nature of her game, one could readily understand what players mean when they talk of the fine line between success and failure. Her current situation is reminiscent of stories from the men's European Tour, particularly during the days of pre-qualifying.

When we talked. she remembered players such as Ada O'Sullivan, Aideen Rogers and Eileen Rose Power (nee McDaid) from her amateur days. After representing England in the European Championship of 1993, there was the possibility of Curtis Cup selection the following year. But it soon became apparent that, she considered such aspirations to be very much a part of her golfing past.

"Playing professional golf is something I've always wanted to do," she said. "I felt I had done enough as an amateur to indicate that I had what it took. And I was confident I could attract the necessary sponsors.

"The market is women's golf gear is growing all the time and people all over Europe are going to see you in those clothes," she says. "That's got to be the best advert there is."

Burnell is also heartened by the knowledge that a lot of women's golf gear can be worn as leisure wear. So she actively sought sponsorship. And she waited. But nothing happened.

In the meantime, she played the tour last season, competing in 16 tournaments and making 10 cuts. Her highest finish was a tie for 18th place in the French Open and at the end of the year, she could look to earnings of only £5,833 for 82nd position in the Order of Merit, against an outlay of between £8,000 and £10.000.

She, recognised her good fortune in being able to rely on help from her parents at their home in Weston-Super-Mare. They are continuing to support her during the current season in which her struggle has continued, so far.

"Not having enough money to live on last winter, I took a job for four months in the local branch of Dorothy Perkins," she says. "It was mostly part-time which meant that I still had time to work on my golf. I reckon I earned just enough to keep me going, but there was certainly nothing over to save for this season.

Having celebrated her 28th birthday earlier this month (July 5th), she remains remarkably optimistic. "Last year was a learning process so I've got to be patient. I haven't set myself any time limit other than to achieve some significant improvement every year.

"It's very encouraging to see the way the tour is expanding each season and I'm hoping my opportunities will improve accordingly. The fact is that if you're good enough to make the grade, the money is there. That's what keeps me going.

"Back home, most of my friends are settling down, but I'm not thinking that way. I want to concentrate on my career. If I should decide that I want to settle down and have a family, there's plenty of time to do so when I'm 35 or 40. By then, I would hope to be financially independent. In the meantime, I'm doing something I really love."

Though she is not paid for what she wears and plays, at least there is the comfort of a free clothing contract. She is involved in a bonus scheme with Lynx clubs, with the promise of cash rewards on a sliding scale, depending on where she finishes in a tournament.

"I accept that the money is not as good as in the men's game, but it's all relative," she says. "While the top men look to earning hundreds of thousands of pounds, tens of thousands would suit me fine. I'll be quite happy if I can claim my own piece of the pie.

"And I know that if I can succeed in making an impact, sponsorship will follow. Ideally, I need an arrangement that will pay me up to £10,000 per year, effectively enough to cover my expenses and take the pressure off trying to make ends meet from week to week. You don't want money worries to be crowding in on you when you're on the course, but it's hard not to think about them."

When we met in Denmark, she was staying with a club member. Indeed she would hope to have a similar arrangement in about half the tournaments she plays. "We get a fact sheet for each tournament which informs us about travel and whether private housing is available," she says.

"If it is, there will be a number to calls and it then becomes a question of first come first served. As it happens, I hope to be staying with friends when I travel to Dublin for the Irish Open."

Despite her struggle, Burnell clearly loves the life on tour; the friendship with her fellow players; the special functions that are laid on by sponsoring companies for their benefit and the general enthusiasm and support of golf club members.

But how long can she survive? "I intend to give it three years. she says. "If at the end of that time I haven't succeeded, I may have to limit the number of tournaments I play in. But there would be no question of trying to regain my amateur status. I intend to remain, a professional and in the longer time I would like to go into the teaching side of the game.