I turned professional in 2008 and began my training at the PGA National Training Academy and Birmingham University in 2009, qualifying in 2012. Prior to my PGA training I completed a full 22 year military career in the Royal Signals. I was Assistant Professional at Kingsdown GC, Wiltshire under the watchful eye of Mr Andrew Butler, the Head Professional. Shortly after qualifying I moved to the Algarve and I currently hold the position of Teaching Professional at the Golf Santo Antonio Golf Academy, near Budens.
Living proof that it’s never too late to try something new, I took up golf when I was almost 30 thanks mainly to a recurring knee injury caused playing my first love, rugby, where I represented the Army. Never did I think that one day I might become a golf pro when a friend first asked me if I fancied a ‘knock around’. I had never even picked up a ‘proper’ golf club, just a rubber headed putter at Crazy Golf when playing with my daughters. My friend had a handicap of 2 and he ingrained in me the fundamentals of a good golf swing, inside 2 years I had a single figure handicap, by the 3rd year I was a Cat 1 golfer. I was proud to captain the successful Royal Signals Corps team at the Army Championships; I was later selected to represent the Army. Life begins at 40 they say but for me it was 45 when I started my PGA training, and so began a great 3 years of insight into the role of a PGA Professional.
My daughters still regularly beat me at crazy golf mainly because I can’t get past the windmill...
