Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Back to where it first started
Lindsay sees off challenge JUNIOR MEMBER RETURNS AS DIRECTOR OF GOLF
Aaron Galbraith started work as Canterbury GC’S first director of golf at the beginning of the month – but he is no stranger to Scotland Hills.
The 41-year-old, who lives in Ramsgate and has three children, Jack, 20, Hannah,14, and Evie,10, is a past junior captain at Canterbury and at 17 was a member of the club’s East Kent League team. His golfing life started at the age of 12 at Canterbury where he played and competed as a junior member before embarking on his career as a professional at the age of 18, under the watchful eye of Philip Sparks at the Manston Golf Centre.
After successfully passing the PGA three-year training programme with merits, he pursued his passion of coaching, first at Manston as part of the coaching team and then at North Foreland GC as head coach.
In 2014 he made the step up to the role of head professional at Sene Valley GC, before accepting the position of director of golf operations at Canterbury.
He said: “Here at Canterbury I have a wide and diverse range of roles.
“Yes, I am an ambassador for the club when competing in professional tournaments across the South East, but on a daily basis I am at the club looking after the members and the visitors’ golfing needs. “That might be retailing or repairing golf equipment, improving people’s enjoyment of the game with my coaching, enhancing the members’ experience at the club with my new golf operations team, administrating the tee bookings, running the driving range or ensuring play is running smoothly out on the course.”
Since turning professional in 1999 he has been helping golfers of all abilities, from tour pros to absolute beginners, to find their natural swings. Galbraith said: “This is my ultimate objective when coaching. I strongly believe every golfer already owns their natural swing but basically they’ve gone against it from the time they first started playing.
“In my experience this is due to the vast amount of misconceptions surrounding the swing and the often technical and complicated way it is taught and written about.”
It is Galbraith’s intention to remove the interference that members and visitors have added to their natural swings and allow them to realise just how easy it can be to improve and enjoy their golf.
As for his playing career, in his 23 years as a professional, he has recorded one professional tournament victory and numerous top 10 finishes on the Kent and South Region circuits and represented the Kent County Assistants team in the 2003 season.
Since 2011 he has been a Callaway Golf Staff Player and due to this he has been part of the winning Callaway Cup team that played at Vale Do Lobo, Portugal,in 2012, and again in 2013 at Omaha Beach, France.
Faversham GC, which is backing a national drive to grow the game, has been awarded Safegolf club accreditation from England Golf.
The award demonstrates the club’s commitment to safeguarding children and young people, as well as adults at risk. The club is one of only six in Kent to be awarded the accreditation. The drive for Safegolf accreditation was led by general manager Paul Smith. He said: “We pride ourselves on our friendly welcome to all, and would like to be visible as a forward-thinking, progressive club.
“This award will help us to spread that message, and to let people know that children and vulnerable adults will find us to be a safe and secure environment. We welcome golfers of all abilities, whether you’re a beginner, returning to the sport, or an experienced golfer.”
The award was presented by Allison Boozer, England Golf’s club support officer. Safegolf is a partnership of UK golf bodies committed to promoting a safe and positive environment for players.