Melton Mowbray Golf Club welcomes return of golfing globetrotter

Tony is pictured with Andrew Beef Johnston after interviewing the popular player at a golf show EMN-171213-130859002

Tony left the Melton area in 2004 to pursue a career specialising in coaching, but now plans to put into practice all he has learnt along the way back at Melton GC’s academy.

Having grown up in Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, Tony moved across the country to turn professional at Cleveland Golf Club, in Redcar.

He first moved to the county in 1986 to work at Western Park Golf Course, in Leicester, and became a fully qualified PGA professional two years later.

After trying his hand on the playing circuit full-time for a few years, he was appointed as Melton’s head professional in 1992, a position he held until the spring of 1996.

During his first weeks back at the club, Tony has been showcasing his approach during group coaching sessions.

He aims to introduce more people to the game and put Melton GC at the heart of the community.

“It feels great to be back at the club and to re-acquainted with lots of old friends and, of course, meeting many new ones,” Tony said.

“I’m looking forward to raising the profile of the club and to introduce more people to the game of golf.”

Since 2004 he has helped to develop golf academies in Kiev, in the Ukraine, and in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

Tony returned to the UK in 2011 and set up his own golf academy at Chichester Golf Course, in West Sussex, running it until October 2014.

With the challenge facing golf to maintain and expand playing numbers, Tony is now working on new programs to attract people to the sport.

Tony, who has also co-authored two books on golf, wants to promote the benefits of playing the game which he believes are far-reaching.

“The benefits of the game are very rarely promoted,” he explained.

“With so much in the media about physical and mental health, golf is the most perfect game to increase physical activity through gentle exercise and fresh air.

“Plus the social aspect of playing and the skills that are developed through learning can be applied in other areas of our lives.”

* To find out more, email Tony at [email protected]