Dan raises a glass to boss

Remedy Oak Golf Club’s Dan Clark plans to buy his new boss a beer after qualifying for the final of the Galvin Green PGA Assistants’ Championship.

Clark only joined the Dorset-based club two and a half months ago where he has been working closely with Director of Golf Nigel Tokely.

And the result was victory in the West qualifying event held at Exeter Golf & Country Club.

Clark battled the difficult weather conditions to card a one over par round of 70  to win by one shot ahead of Chris O'Neill of South Wales’ Valleys Golf Enterprise and Ross McCance (Chippenham Golf Centre).

In all, 17 qualifiers will head for the £32,500 grand final to be held at Coventry Golf Club on August 5-7.

Clark, aged 23, will be looking to improve on last year’s final when he narrowly failed to make the cut at the Midlands venue.

But he is confident his form is on the up thanks to Tokely.

“He’s worked on everything about my game since I arrived at Remedy Oak,” explained Clark.

“And it’s clearly worked, so I’ll have to buy him a beer for that!”

Clark had been based at Playgolf Bournemouth but got the call to join Remedy Oak when he was on holiday last winter.

“I was away in Australia and New Zealand, playing some golf but also watching the cricket World Cup,” he said.

“When I was out there, I got a phone call asking me if I wanted to come to Remedy Oak for a new job.

“I always knew the PGA professional Gary Emerson so I said yes. And I’m glad I did.”

Clark admitted the event at Exeter was never going to be an easy one thanks to the weather.

“It was rainy and very blustery,” he said.

“I think that was reflected in the scores with seven over par qualifying for the final.

“I’m used to playing in more sheltered surroundings at Remedy Oak, I just wanted to qualify and didn’t think i’d win it.

“I qualified for Coventry last year and missed the cut by two shots, so I want to do better than that this time.”