Young aims to be on top of his game in Gleneagles bid

Golfing gamekeeper Danny Young, who is normally used to preserving wildlife, will be aiming to shoot a few birdies of his own when he plays in The Lombard Trophy at King’s Lynn Golf Club.

Young teams up with Middleton Hall’s PGA Professional David Woolley in the regional final at the Norfolk venue which will be held on July 15.

Success will earn the duo a place in the £43,600 grand final which will be held at Gleneagles in Scotland - the venue for next year’s Ryder Cup - on September 3-4.

But while Young, who plays off a handicap of seven, is a member of Middleton Hall, he actually lives just half a mile from the King’s Lynn venue and the estate where he works borders the course where the qualifying round will be held.

Young said: “The second, third and fourth holes are right next door so you could say I have a little knowledge of the course we’ll be playing on.

“We’ll be giving it a go, but we’re not even thinking of the final yet. Getting to Gleneagles would be good, but we’ll just enjoy it and see what happens.”

But if the pair are successful,  then Young believes the timing of the final would be just right.

He added: “It’s the week before we start shooting again. I had to miss out on another final like this a few years back for that reason.

"So if we win I’d be fine, but we have to get there first.”

While downing a few birdies and eagles is top of his sporting priorities, Young has the opposite aim in his day time job with conservation a key part of his job at the moment.

He added: “We look after the vegetation and the wildlife, but our main concern is the English Partridge.”

Other teams taking part at King’s Lynn include Tony Varney and Ben Rawsthorne (Bawburgh); Matthew Alderton and Paul Ives (Bury St. Edmunds);  Craig Watson and Robert Duke (Cambridge Meridian);  Stuart Levermore and Cliff Cullon (Clacton on Sea); Mark Baker and Stephen Wynne (Colchester);  Gary Casey and Stuart Chalmers (Nene Park); and Craig Laurence and Graham Eyles (Stock Brook Manor).