Head revels in being sent to Coventry

Two-time Ladies European Tour winner Samantha Head will put her PGA studies to one side to return to competitive action this week.

The 42 year old is one of the 120-strong field taking part in the Galvin Green PGA Assistants’ Championship at Coventry Golf Club from August 5-7.

Head, who sampled the glamorous side of golf having played on tours around the world and starred on TV reality show Big Break, is now revelling in a new chapter in her golf career.

The golfing twin – her sister Johanna also won several times on tour – is through her first year on the PGA training programme and has just landed a new custom fitting and coaching role at iPlayGolfUK in Milton Keynes.

Despite having competed against the world’s best, she is enjoying seeing the other side of golf at grass roots level – one that the PGA course has helped her appreciate.

“I knew so much about tour life but I wanted to learn the background of golf from the consumer, retail and club-fitting perspective,” she says of her reasons for embarking on the three year PGA Foundation Degree.

“And it has opened my eyes to an amazing world, on tour I’d gone straight into a celebrity world without really knowing anything about the roots of golf such as being in the pro shop, looking after customers and customer service which is what I enjoy about club fitting, helping other people to get the best equipment for them and to improve their golf.

“What I’ve loved about starting the course is that it is the complete opposite of tour life. Life on tour is easy compared to this.

“I’ve found the PGA programme really interesting, actually harder than I thought, but would recommend it to anyone.”

But the competitive instinct, which yielded victories in the 1999 Italian Open and 2001 South African, still burns bright reflected in her qualifying for the £32,500 PGA Assistants Championship in joint second at Sittingbourne – just a stroke behind Chris Rodgers.

“I would like to think I have a chance to win. I don’t really have a chance to practise because I have a young daughter and work demands but thought I would have a go at playing in the bigger events,” she said.

“I think the difference when you play full time is that you have the confidence that you have practised but when you have not played much you still expect to hit the shots you did before but they don’t come off every time.”

Also taking part from the south region are Jack Harrison (Wildwood G&CC) who finished third last year, Jordan Godwin (Barnehurst Golf Centre), James Johnson (Broadwater Park) and Jamie Savory (Wrotham Heath).