PGA professional Julie Welch has retired after 15 years supporting the game in the North East.
Julie, who held positions at Ramside Hall, Blackwell Grange, Sharpley, Oakleaf and most recently Headlam Hall, is aiming to regain her amateur status and play more golf having worked with players of all ages and abilities since joining the PGA.
“I’ve worked hard and really enjoyed my time as a professional since switching careers at the age of 40. It has been a lot of fun introducing golfers, particularly a lot of ladies, to golf.
“There have been so many highlights over the years. I’ve seen some of the Durham girls I coached when I was running their academy go on to college in America and I’ve helped a club golfer get back down to scratch 30 years after he first achieved it as a 25-year-old. I’ve also loved working with disabled and autistic children, which was so rewarding. I intend to play some more golf now. I’ll be playing a little bit of golf with the North East & County Durham Women’s Golf too, which is a fantastic organisation that I want to keep supporting.”
Meanwhile, Darren Pearce has joined Headlam Hall following 26 years at Barnard Castle. He said: “I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in at Headlam Hall, which is a great facility with a fun and challenging nine-hole course, and an excellent driving range. I’ll be concentrating on my coaching here and continuing to play in lots of events around the UK next season.”
