Top Scottish pro award for bunkered man

Elie Sports Club’s David Patrick recognised in Titleist PGA Assistants’ Awards

Top in Scotland: bunkered man David Patrick was the leading Scottish-based pro in PGA Assistant Awards

bunkered Teaching Panel expert David Patrick has been named the leading Scottish-based pro in the Titleist PGA Assistant of the Year awards.

The 37-year-old former Walker Cup player, who is based at Elie Sports Club in Fife and teaches at Kingsfield Golf Centre, finished fifth overall out of more than 250 of his peers who have completed the three-year PGA Foundation degree.

In recognition of his achievement, Patrick, whose expert advice you can find in every issue of bunkered, recently received a cheque for £1,000 from Titleist director of sales Ken Graham and PGA captain Eddie Bullock at the PGA Graduation Ceremony at the University of Birmingham.

The PGA training programme, which was founded in 1961, concentrates on all aspects of golf including business, equipment technology and repairs, rules and tournament organisation, sports science, sports psychology and playing.

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said:  “The PGA Graduation Ceremony at the Great Hall of the University of Birmingham has now earned its place as one of the most enjoyable and inspirational days in the PGA calendar.

“On this day we are able to celebrate men and women completing their PGA training programme and becoming qualified as the next generation of PGA members.

“I always feel enormously proud of these graduates as I know they have all worked extremely diligently during their training years to achieve their PGA qualification.

“Of course the graduation day will not be the end of the story but only the opening to the next chapter of their career as a PGA professional. At this time golf is expanding across new frontiers throughout the world and it will indeed be many of today’s graduates who will take the game forward and successfully grow it within these new territories around the globe.

“They should all feel rightly proud to have successfully completed their PGA training programme which in the eyes of many is the best in the world and they can now go forward confidently with the PGA stamp of approval on their golfing passport which will take them wherever they wish in their careers.  I wish them all good luck and success wherever they travel.”

There are more than 7,500 PGA members employed in more than 50 different positions within golf with 1,600 working overseas in more than 70 different countries.

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered