From the fairways and greens of Pinehurst to the sands of Kandahar, the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series celebrates its 26th year with five stimulating programs.

It will begin with the world's greatest golfer, who will be followed by the most widely read foreign affairs author of the post-Cold War era. A son of Camelot will discuss the Green Revolution, while a young wounded American hero will talk of his return to civilian life.

The season will conclude w ith a primer on coastal conservation.

Jack Nicklaus will have "A Golf Conversation" with Jaime Diaz on Sept. 19. The Golden Bear has 18 major championships and 73 career victories. He has been named Male Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated and one of the 10 Greatest Athletes of the Century by ESPN.

Diaz is the author of countless articles on golf and is editor-in-chief of Golf World magazine. This will be a free, ticketed event.

Robert D. Kaplan will talk on "The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate" on Oct. 17. He is the senior fellow for the Center for a New American Security in Washington, D.C.

He was a foreign correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly for more than a quarter of a century. His books include "Balkan Ghosts," "The Arabists" and "An Empire Wilderness."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will discuss "The Green Gold Rush: A Vision for Energy Independency, Jobs and National Wealth" on Nov. 1. Kennedy was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes for the Planet" for leading the fight to restore the Hudson River. The Sandhills Area Land Trust will co-sponsor this lecture by the visionary environmental business leader and senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

"From Soldier to Survivor: One Man's Life-Changing Event" is the topic of Green Beret Master Sgt. Mark Vomund's January 23rd talk. He will discuss his challenges after being wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kandahar, Afghanistan. His story is one of courage, tenacity, perseverance.

Dana Beach will offer a view of "Coastal Conser-vation" in his April 4 lecture.

Beach is the executive director of the Coastal Conservation League and is author of "Coastal Sprawl: The Impact of Development on Aquatic Ecosystems."

All Ruth Pauley lectures will be in Owens Auditorium on the Sandhills Community College campus in Pinehurst. Programs begin at 7:30 p.m. Lectures are free and open to the public.

Tickets will be required for the Nicklaus lecture. They can be picked up Sept. 14 at the Sandhills Community College Boyd Library, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, and the Given Memorial Library in Pinehurst during regular business hours. The limit is two tickets per person. .

The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series is sponsored by Sandhills Community College, the Moore County League of Women Voters, the Sandhills Branch of the American Association of University Women, and the Moore County Schools.

For more information, call (910) 245-3132.