Hutchings ready for dream appearance

A golfer from Exeter admits he is about to tick an item off his bucket list as he prepares to represent Padbrook Park in a national PGA tournament.

Club captain Rodney Hutchings, 47, will play alongside PGA Professional Stuart Disney in the regional qualifier of the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge at Bowood on September 11.

The winning pair at the Wiltshire venue will claim a place in the £25,000 grand final to take place at Turkey’s Antalya Golf Club, over the PGA Sultan Course on November 26-27.

For Hutchings, who works at a building and property company in Exeter, the chance to play at Antalya would come as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The lifelong Exeter City fan, who counts playing the guitar and watching rugby amongst his other hobbies, first picked up a set of golf clubs when he tackled a pitch and putt course with his friends at school.

But it was not until he was 38 that he finally took up a membership at Padbrook Park, where he has since sliced his handicap from 23 to five in the space of nine years at the club.

“I’m really excited about this one,” he enthused. “I can’t wait to get there and I hope we do well.

“I’ve been to Turkey before but never played any golf there, I bet it would be an absolutely wonderful experience.

“Obviously you have to take things one step at a time but the opportunity to go there and maybe even get a good finish would be a dream come true.

“I’ve never played in anything on this scale before, so to be able to do so while representing Padbrook Park is of course going to be a real honour."

PGA Professional Disney, meanwhile, is hoping a lack of golf so far this year won’t hinder his and Hutchings’ efforts.

The 40 year old has been focused on club commitments so far this term, but says the pair’s relationship should help them mount a challenge at Bowood.

“I’ve had an incredibly busy year at the club, so getting chance to play hasn’t been so easy,” Disney admitted.

“I’ve played in this event before, it’s a nice event and hopefully I should be able to use that experience to help us.

“Rod is a very good player – he is very straight and good with his irons which will come in very handy at Bowood.”

Other pairings competing in the west regional qualifier include: Roderick Hibbitt and Theo White (a) (Cotswold Edge), John Jacobs and Martin Cooper (a) (Cumberwell Park), Daryl Kelley and Tony Duffy (a) (Filton), Richard Sadler and Roger Hoare (a) (Killiow) and Sion Bebb and Roger Griffiths (a) (Morlais Castle).