South West: Tour player named course manager
A Ladies European Tour player has been named the manager of a Surrey course.
Sarah Heath, 32, came third in the South African Masters and competes against players such as Dame Laura Davies and Annika Sorenstam, but has decided to take up a new challenge at Oak Park GC.
It is believed to be the first time a European Tour golfer has been named the manager of a club and Heath said: “I feel ready for the challenge.
“Playing on tour gives you a certain mental strength which is useful in business.”
‘You’ve got to bounce back quickly if things don’t go to plan.’ “But although I’ve played against tough opponents like Laura Daives, Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb, I am sure that the members and visitors at Oak Park will throw me some of their own unique challenges.”
Heath is among a growing number of women who run golf clubs in the country and said that she intends to boost the number of female golfers playing at the Farnham club.
She joins Oak Park after previously working at The Belfry and Pine Ridge in Camberley, which like Oak Park is part of the Crown Golf group.
Chief operating officer of Crown Golf, Stephen Towers, said: “Sarah is a dynamic and very capable young manager and I’m delighted to be able to offer her this opportunity. Oak Park is a great place for her first manager’s job – it is a beautiful golf club with two great courses, a friendly clubhouse and always has a super atmosphere.
