Over the Moon!

*Aaron Moon pictured above (centre) with local folk singers the Houghton Weavers.

A Lancashire golfer is set to be one of the world’s first amputees to gain PGA professional status.

Aaron Moon lost his leg serving with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan seven years ago.

But he is making huge progress towards achieving his ambition after signing on as an assistant at his home town club Bolton.

 “I am part-way through my degree course and confident of making the grade,” enthused Moon, 29, who has already landed sponsorship deals and played in his first PGA pro-am.

 “It wasn’t the most memorable debut,” he admitted as he reflected on his professional debut at Fleetwood last November.

 “The weather was so dreadful that the competition was reduced to nine-holes. One professional broke his leg after slipping and had to be air-lifted to hospital.”

 Moon recalled the day he suffered catastrophic injuries in Afghanistan.

“I was in a vehicle which was blown up and lost my right leg below the knee and dislocated my left one. I also broke my femur, back and pelvis,” he said.

“I used to play rugby with the Marines until then so I went back to golf where I’d learned the game as a youngster at Bolton Old Links.”

His quest for fully-fledged professional status is being helped by Welshman David Llewellyn.

The former European Tour player runs the On Course Foundation charity which supports the recovery of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and veterans through golf.

“I’ve had several lessons with him and he’s a phenomenal coach,” said Moon, an ambassador for the foundation who was handed £1,017 for the cause at Oak Royal Golf Hotel and Country Club near Chorley.

It was the chosen charity endorsed by club captain Brian Woodhead and half of the £2,000-plus he raised as he completed his year of office with a seasonal show featuring the local folk singers the Houghton Weavers.

Moon was guest of honour and it was no surprise when he revealed he’d been a fan of the group since he was a lad!        

And it was also no surprise when it was revealed that he had walked 54 holes in a day to help raise £10,000 for a local cancer victim who is receiving treatment in Germany.

“Her cause was also been boosted by Peter Kay during his Blackpool show,” he said.

Moon made a TV appearance during the Open at Royal Troon as a guest of SKY after Nick Dougherty spotted him playing with fellow Lancastrian Tommy Fleetwood in the Scottish Open pro-am at Castle Stewart.  

Meanwhile, he’s under the tutelage of his boss Ian Orrell, head PGA professional at Bolton.

 “I’m doing my training as an able-bodied person. I eventually plan to coach disabled people and become the first amputee professional golfer in the UK,” he added.