Graham Darke P.G.A.
Newport Golf Club's Resident Golf Professional
After over 43 years of teaching the game of golf, Graham's strongest point is his belief in 'keeping it simple', and his ability to communicate this in a language that any golfer - no matter what his or her ability - can readily understand. Grip, posture, swing… is the maxim he's been teaching with his own brand of humour and good nature all his professional life.
Graham picked up his first golf club at the age of 10 and has rarely put it down since. Born in Nottingham, he joined the PGA as assistant to Michael Busk at Stanton-on-the-Wolds Golf Club in 1966. After qualifying as a full professional in 1969, he went with Mr Busk to work in one of the most prestigious clubs in the world - The Mid-ocean Club Bermuda - a dream come true to a lad just out of his teens. It was here, while fine tuning the skills of the job he loved, that he met his wife, Kay. They've been married now for 30 years.
Although a hard act to follow, Graham moved from Bermuda to Germany where he worked at Golf Club Maritim at Timmendorfer strand, Golf Club Worpswede near Bremen , Golf Club Regensburg in Bavaria and lastly at the then only public golf driving range in Germany in Düsseldorf where as Professional/Manager he trained 6 assistants and a club repairman. By this time he could speak fluent German - a skill he has not lost.
After Germany, he went to New Zealand on a short term contract with the New Zealand Golf Foundation. As regional trainer he covered an area in the North Island the size of Hampshire bringing his love of golf to school children whose prior interest in ball sports had hardly moved beyond tossing a rugby ball.
From New Zealand he moved back to the continent - Switzerland this time, first to Riederalp Golf Club and then to Golf Club Vulpera in the Alps where he remained for 14 years, spending the summer months there and the winter months at home with his wife in Torquay, Devon.
Since 2004 he's been here on the Isle of Wight, first at Westridge Golf Centre and now at Newport where with his international reputation as a teacher at all levels he provides a reliable professional service, to members and visitors alike. Simple!