Crane driver Simon looking for a lift at Sandy Lodge

Suffolk amateur Simon Aylmer says playing golf was one of the reasons he lost weight as he prepares for the Lombard Trophy regional final at Sandy Lodge.

The Rushmere Golf Club player is partnering PGA professional Kelvin Vince At the event which is being staged at the Hertfordshire venue on July 19.

Aylmer is a crane driver at Felixstowe Docks and was told he was slightly above the advised weight for his job.

So he took up golf and lost two stone. Now he and Vince will be bidding to book a trip to the £41,450, Coca-Cola and Pestana Resorts supported, National Pro-Am grand final which will be played at the Vila Sol resort in the Algarve between September 20-21.

“I’d playing on and off for 20-odd years, but I only took it up again about three years ago,” said 20-handicapper Aylmer, from Sudbourne, near Orford.

“At work, we have to have a medical every three years, you have to be a certain weight and I was a tad over. I’m a ship to shore crane driver and there are restrictions for certain job.

“They asked me what I did and I said I enjoyed the occasional game of golf.

“But I was more of a fisherman at the time and they said you’d be better off playing golf than fishing. I said that was fair enough and ended up at Rushmere Golf Club.

“I probably lost around two stone, I got down the weight I needed to be - and more. I can say that’s pretty much down to playing golf.”

Aylmer, aged 45, says Vince has already been fine tuning his amateur partner’s game as they aim for a challenging performance at Sandy Lodge.

“Kelvin’s been pointing out a few things I can use to improve my game,” added Aylmer.

“He even shut the shop up one day to help my technique. So he’s been good.”


Other teams from the East of England taking part at Sandy Lodge include:  Simon Harrison/Dennis Edwards (Gog Magog Golf Club); Mark Stokes/Mo Ryder (Bishops Stortford Golf Club);   James Wood/Nick Avery (Sudbury Golf Club);  Thomas Wiskin/Paul Addison (Playgolf Colchester); Mark Talbott/Dan Garside (Thorpe Hall Golf Club); and Alan Wright/David Todd (Swaffham Golf Club).

For more information on the event at Sandy Lodge Golf Club, click here.