Tuesday 25th July........

Hey folks. The significance of the title of this diary entry is that on the above date I received all the relevant paperwork to confirm I had been accepted into the PGA and that I am now officially Professional! I havent yet received my PGA Membership card but this should be through in a couple of weeks. Until this comes through it wont feel proper really although I rung up the PGA to clarify that I am pro now.

I have booked in for my Year-One Residential Course at the Belfry in November. This is basically a week of lectures and workshops all geared towards training all us 'trainees' in what we will need to know for the first year of the PGA Foundation Degree programme. During the week we stay in the De Vere Hotel at the Belfry. I have decided to pay a bit extra and have a single room so that I don't risk being given a room to share with someone that wants to get pissed every night (which has happened to a few people I know!).

In addition, I have also booked in for my level one coaching course. I am doing this at the Olympic Golf Centre, which is a small driving range complex near Swanley in Kent. I'm looking forward to this immensely. Nothing is more appealing than the thought of being able to earn money for giving golf lessons but I don't want to start until I feel I am ready. After all, if I teach whilst being under-prepared, then I could jeapordise future lessons and it'll look very bad on me. People say I should just get stuck into it, but my pride won't let me do this until I feel I can offer a decent service.

In terms of my golf, I managed to shoot a couple of sub-par rounds last week which was pleasing. I am currently gearing towards my first pro tournament - the Mid Sussex Pro-Am on August 18th. This is exciting as I feel I could maybe earn some money as obviously I know the course. I understand that a 'nightmare' is the usual initiation for one's first professional tournament but I dont think this will be the case with me as I know that it won't come close to the pressure of a PGA Playing test. A couple of mates of mine unfortunately have failed this recently. Obviously I can fully empathise with them. I know all too well how it feels. This renewed the relief that I have with finally doing the thing myself. I perhaps appreciate it more now than in the couple of weeks following it. It certainly rates high among my achievements, more so because of my perserverence than anything. I wonder how many people actually get to that 8th or more test before giving it up. I am so proud that I didn't give up and finally got through and it is a full demonstration that with patience, hard work and dedication you can get anything you want. I'll certainly remember this next time I come up against an obstacle!!

Not a lot else to write just now.

Stay tuned.........