Upbeat Danny eyes seniors success

A snapped Achilles tendon and rejection by legendary football boss Alex Stock haven’t failed to dent Daniel Fitzsimmons enthusiasm for golf and life in general.

The Old Fold Manor head PGA pro will be one of a record 195 entries teeing up at Foxhills from May 14-16 in the 54-hole Senior PGA Professional Championship which has a £38,000 prize fund and takes place over the Bernard Hunt and Longcross courses.

With defending champion Wraith Grant ineligible, a new name will be inscribed on the trophy and Fitzsimmons will be trying his hardest to make sure it’s his having returned to full fitness, albeit it with a remodeled swing and shot shape courtesy of his Achilles injury sustained playing squash four years ago.

“I was out for a year with the snapped Achilles which included 14 weeks in plaster and six months rehabilitation,” he said.

If he can rekindle his form and gain a top 20 finish, Fitzsimmons will also earn a start in next month’s ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at Stoke by Nayland from June 5-8 where he will have the chance to take on a host of former Ryder Cup greats including Sam Torrance.

While enjoying a successful golf career, Fitzsimmons was initially a promising footballer, captaining Bedforshire Schools team and was on schoolboy terms with Luton Town.

He harboured hopes of shoring up the Hatters defence as a bustling centre half but unfortunately his dreams were curtailed by Stock – a man who had steered Queens Park Rangers to the top flight from Division Three in the 60s and also led Fulham to the 1975 FA Cup Final.

“Stock said, ‘I’m not saying you are slow but I could beat you over 100 yards in my wellington boots’, and that was it,” recalls Fitzsimmons.

His route into golf came at the municipal club, Stockwood Park, which he used to walk across on his way to school and one day he stopped and asked about a job.

After qualifying nine years in Austria and Germany followed where he developed a skill for teaching disabled golfers.

Now back at Old Fold Manor, Fitzsimmons has been a prime mover in obtaining funding for the Kevin Duggan Academy at Stockwood Park Golf Centre.

Set up by Declan Duggan in memory of his golf mad son who was killed in a drink-driving accident, the Academy has obtained a further £18,000 of Ryder Cup Development Trust funding to introduce golf to the Asian and Eastern European communities in Luton who live in some of the poorest boroughs in the area.

“We’ve been in talks with the Asian elders and the idea is to provide an opportunity for kids to try golf using the facilities at Stockwood Park,” he explained.

“Most of the schools don’t have budget to fund coaching in the curriculum so we’re looking at transporting the kids to have free coaching at the Academy.”

Other players in action include: David Michael (Mentmore G&CC), Mark Litton (Bedford) and Mark Booth (Colmworth & North Beds).