Pace goes back to his golf roots
AND GIBSON GOES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO BEVERLEY
RICHARD Pace has switched to Hornsea GC from Beverley GC to fill the club professional role previously held by his golfing mentor Stretton Wright, who sadly died suddenly in the first half of 2020.
Pace played his formative golf at the Rolston Road course, progressing to East Riding Under-18 level before becoming an assistant professional with Wright.
Following qualification as a PGA professional, Pace moved to National Avenue in Hull to One Stop Golf where he built up an enviable reputation as a coach.
His first appointment as a club professional was at Beverley where he continued to further his standing as a coach.
Pace said: “Obviously I have mixed feelings. I would have preferred the circumstances in which the position became vacant to have been different.
“Stretton was a huge influence in my golfing development and his passing was so sudden and far too early.
“His will be big shoes to fill. Also I leave Beverley with regrets. It was my first club post and the members made me very welcome and have been hugely supportive. That said, the opportunity to return to my golfing roots was just too bigger an opportunity to miss.”
Travelling in the opposite direction will be Hornsea’s teaching professional Paul Gibson, who will replace Pace as club professional at Beverley.
Gibson’s golfing roots are also local having initially joined Sutton Park as an 11-year-old. A move to Hainsworth Park in his early teens saw his game progress winning the club championship and setting a new course record. University then intervened before he returned to the Brandesburton club as an assistant to Peter Myers in 2010.
In 2014 he made the short move across to Hornsea as a teaching professional.
Gibson is the current East Riding Union’s Under-18 Team Manager, a position he has held since 2018 and one in which he intends to continue.
Gibson said: “I am over the moon to have been appointed as the head professional at Beverley & East Riding Golf Club.
“It has long been a dream of mine to be a head professional and I feel privileged that it is at Beverley.
“I look forward to meeting the members and the visitors alike and hope to maintain the high standards of previous professionals.
“I also look forward to continuing to inspire future generations of golfers of all ages.”