The Professional - Mark Crowther-Smith

 

Burnham & Berrow has a long history dating from 1891 when the first professional and five times Open Champion, J.H. Taylor was appointed. Burnham served him well, as he went on to become the first Englishman to win the Open on Scottish soil. From 1919 to 1979 the Club was served by three generations of the Bradbeer family. Richard Bradbeer, the most recent, left to take up the post of Head Professional at Birkdale G.C.

 

Mark Crowther-Smith joined Burnham in April 1991. He was destined to be a golfer, his father being Scottish. Mark developed his love of the game as a junior and later as an Assistant Professional at Radcliffe on Trent G.C. His first Head Professional’s job was at the Ping owned Gainsborough G.C. where he had the great pleasure of playing with Karsten Solheim. After seven years Mark left, and with a short stop in the West Midlands to get married, he joined Burnham & Berrow. “I knew that Burnham had the reputation for having the best greens and worst fairways in England” he said, “but I didn’t realise they were lying about the fairways”.

 

Mark is a Class AA Professional. In the Professional’s shop he has tried to create an atmosphere where golfers can feel comfortable browsing. Advice and information are freely given. The shop carries an extensive range of equipment from most leading suppliers.

 

Teaching

 

Mark doesn’t subscribe to a one size fits all philosophy. He believes a good teacher is like a tailor cutting his cloth to fit the customer and not the other way around. He has a fully fitted video teaching room, which combined with the range can normally solve most problems. Lessons can be booked to suit the individual.

 

Technical support

 

A full repair service is available. New grips, broken shaft repairs, swing weighting and loft and lie alterations are all carried out promptly.

 

Range

 

The practice ground at Burnham is a managed range so there is no need to bring your practice balls with you. Tokens are available from the shop. It is a perfect place for warming up before your game as you will be able to practice using all your clubs from a wedge to a driver with good range balls and on grass in the summer.

Or how about a group lesson on links strategy which can always be arranged with either Mark or his assistants Adam Reading and Shane Kaye.