Scarbrow honoured with prestigious coaching award

PGA Professional Lee Scarbrow has received the PGAs of Europe’s highest coaching honour, the John Jacobs Teaching and Coaching Award, at the organisation’s Annual Congress in Portugal.

The award reflects the John O’Gaunt pro’s track record of inspiring excellence from amateur and elite players, including Ryder Cup and European Tour star Ian Poulter and Solheim Cup rookie Charley Hull.

“Obviously I want to say a massive thank you for this award, it’s unbelievable to be recognised as a coach for something I love doing. I love to get people to play better golf and I just feel so proud to win this,” he said during the ceremony at the Hotel Vila Galé Lagos.

“I’d like to thank the PGA for all the training and further education they’ve given us, they make us strive to achieve more and I’m never more proud than when I say I’m a PGA Member.

“My father actually gave me the ‘John Jacobs Practical Golf Book’ and said to me ‘this is like a bible, read this and you won’t go far wrong’ – to think that my name is mentioned in the same breath as the great man is something I know my father would be truly proud of.”

Scarbrow’s award comes 30 years after he qualified as a PGA Professional in 1984. He decided to become a club professional in 1990, and quickly became Head Professional at Aylesbury Vale Golf Club.

He then moved to Leighton Buzzard Golf Club in 1995, which coincided with his appointment as Captain of The PGA’s East Region, having served on the Education Committee since 1991.

From 1998 to 2001 he developed a coaching programme for local schools in Leighton Buzzard and was then the recipient of a service to sport award from Leighton Buzzard Council, and since 2008 has run “Get Back into Golf” for Team Bedfordshire and Luton.

Spells as a commentator for Sky Sports and numerous appearances in golf publications further exemplify his wide-ranging knowledge and experience that has seen him voted into top listings of coaches in Great Britain & Ireland multiple times across his career.