Pinsent well-qualified for Senior PGA bid

Long-serving Sandy Lodge pro Jeff Pinsent will make his debut in the Senior PGA Professional Championship with a new qualification under his belt.

The former European Tour player has become one of the first to become a PGA Director of Golf which is designed to assist PGA professionals pursuing the managerial side of the sport.

He has been head professional at the Middlesex club for 20 years and decided to boost his career options by adding another string to his bow.

Pinsent received the award at the recent PGA graduation ceremony at the University of Birmingham and he heads back to the Midlands again next week to compete in the £35,000 event at Northants County Golf Club from May 15-17.

The 54-hole tournament will make a welcome change from studying although Pinsent believes his hard work off the course has been well worth it.

“The PGA Director of Golf qualification looks at all aspects of running a golf club from top to bottom, from the business side to the playing side,” he said.

“I began it when it was a pilot scheme, but I had a little break halfway though so it’s probably taken me three or four years to do it.

“But it’s something that’s there for me in the future should I want to go down that route. It’s been worth it and taught me a lot.”

Now Pinsent is looking forward to testing his playing skills at Northants County.

“I want to get involved in the seniors side of things and play more with people my own age. I hope to do more this year and maybe play in the British Seniors Open,” he added.

Other players taking part at Northants County include  Gary Potter (Great Yarmouth & Caister Golf Club), Mark Stokes (Rayleigh Golf Range) and Phil Davis  (Saffron Walden Golf Club) with the top 20 finishers also earning a start in next month’s ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Mottram Hall from June 6-9.

Last year’s champion Paul Wesselingh is now playing full time on the European Senior Tour so won’t be back to defend his title.