I’m a proud Member of the PGA and I always will be. I certainly wouldn’t be having this conversation if I hadn’t been in The PGA.
- Neil Lythgoe (Eaton Golf Club) - PGA Professional
He was serving in that position when the club relocated from its longstanding site on the outskirts of Norwich to Weston Park, a few miles to the north-west of the city (Lythgoe describes the transition as “an unbelievably steep learning curve to be involved with”.
He said: “At Royal Norwich I just about fulfilled every role you could imagine within the golfing side of club life and my role changed immeasurably during my time there. So it never felt like I was just doing the same thing. I was constantly learning.
“When I was head pro, there was essentially me, my assistant and some people who helped me part-time. When I became director of golf, and after we relocated, I had 12 members of staff. That’s a massive change for anyone and as much as it is a change for the club, it’s a big change for you as well – managing more people. It had become a big operation – it was an incredible experience.”
Lythgoe has now brought his acquired knowledge and skills to Eaton to tackle the next phase of what’s been a varied career. And it’s a case of so far, so good in the new position.
He said: “I’m really happy. All the members have been really welcoming. I’m already involved in aspects of club life and the business which have been a different experience to anything I’ve done previously. Although a lot of things are the same, which enables you to hit the ground running. But it’s also nice to branch out and have new challenges.”
Of course, one constant throughout Lythgoe’s working years in golf has been his PGA membership. And it’s a link he places great value on.
He said: “I’m a proud Member of the PGA and I always will be. I certainly wouldn’t be having this conversation if I hadn’t been in The PGA. I’ve always loved my time with the PGA and I hope that will always continue.”
