Prize for Bridport's Parsons (From Dorset Echo)

Prize for Bridport's Parsons

6:10pm Sunday 17th March 2013 in Sport

DORSET professional David Parsons, from Bridport and West Dorset Golf Club, has been named development professional of the year at the PGA West Region annual awards ceremony at the regional headquarters Woodbury Park in Devon.

He has helped create opportunities for adults and young people alike and devotes long hours to the administration of the Dorset Golf Partnership and the Dorset PGA.

Parsons is passionate about junior golf, runs Tri-Golf sessions in many local schools, is his club’s junior organiser and is one of the Dorset County academy coaches.

He joined many other PGA professionals who offered free lessons on the beach at Weymouth as part of the Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer and also ran a taster session at the Dorset County Show and Melplash Agricultural Show.

In addition he initiated a beginner category membership to introduce more than 90 new faces to his club in the first year.

Michael Bolt from PlayGolf, Bournemouth, was named TGI Partnership first year assistant of the year. John Morgan from Saunton Golf Club was the leading second year assistant while Thornbury Golf Centre’s Lee Marshall won the third year title for the third successive time in his final year as a PGA trainee.

Meanwhile, Fern Grimshaw of the Wessex Golf Centre, Weymouth has been awarded the Blenkarne Cup along with Thornbury Golf Centre’s Lee Marshall The award was first made in 1986 by former Parkstone professional Nigel Blenkarne, the present director of golf at Bigbury Golf Club, to recognise the leading assistants for their achievements in training, development work and performances in tournaments.

Grimshaw made history by becoming the first woman to win a Regional Assistants Championship when she claimed the PGA West Region title. She also won a Regional Pro-Am and a WPGA One Day series event.