When he tees up at Little Aston on Wednesday (April 30) Stephen Bennett may have one eye on a possible return to the PGA Cup team - but another will be aware that just over the horizon is the prospect of joining the potentially lucrative European Seniors Tour.
The 18-hole regional qualifier at Little Aston is for the flagship event of Great Britain and Ireland's club pros, the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship, from which the 2009 10-man PGA Cup team to play the United States, Ryder Cup-style, is chosen.
Bennett, winner of the European Tour's Tunisian Open in 1985, had a satisfying debut in the PGA Cup contest, at Colorado Springs 10 years ago, where, from the debris of a heavy team defeat, the Grimsby pro handed out the biggest beating of the singles, a 5&3 win, over four-times US club pro champion, Bruce Zabriski. And just to underline the worth of that victory, the American had two months previously taken 32nd place in the US Open.
Having celebrated his 49th birthday earlier this month the Grimsby pro, who spends most of the year teaching at the Waltham Windmill Golf Range, becomes eligible to pursue a place among Europe's seniors next year.
Equally so, a good performance in the 72-hole Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at Moortown, Leeds at the end of July could set him up for a return to PGA Cup duty. Certainly his staff at Grimsby have no doubt about his capabilities.
"My part-time assistant at the range, John Kitchen, keeps telling me to practise what I preach," he said.
I do get the chance to play a number of pro-ams, but it would be nice to be at the sharp end of 72-hole events again."
Someone who won't need to join the 80 or so players chasing fewer than 20 places at Little Aston on Wednesday is the host club's pro, Brian Rimmer. The 41-year-old has an enviable record in the Glenmuir championship - since 1992 he has never failed to reach the final on years when pre-qualifying was necessary for him, and 11 years ago he was champion.
He can put his feet up this time, having tied 19th place last year at Royal Porthcawl (the leading 20 are exempt from qualifying).
"It's the one event I look forward to every year", said Rimmer. "They always choose classy courses, and, of course, I'll have another chance to play for what would be my third time on a PGA Cup team."
Among others likely to survive the qualifying test include Phil Hinton (Chesterton Valley), Shane Rose (Cold Ashby), and Chris Hall (Rushcliffe).
The regional winners pick up £250 but the successful player at Moortown goes off with a cheque for £10,000, plus the use of a top-of-the-range Peugeot for a year.
This will be the 16th year of sponsorship by the Scottish-based golfwear manufacturers, for whom Marketing Director Andy Bough, commented, "We've been working closely with the PGA to make this year's championship the best ever, an event that the competitors really enjoy on and off the course, and I am confident professionals will respond by taking part and creating a truly memorable championship," he said.