As we are all aware, golf can be a fairly mind-mangling pursuit.
Counting up a debris-strewn front nine, for instance, often requires a degree in advanced mathematics as you gaze at the kind of eye-watering figures that used to be scribbled down by the seamstress of the Roly Polys.
For Paul O’Hara, the last three years have been quite a test but the nights of revision, book flicking and essay writing have been worth it.
If golf, as Bobby Jones quipped, is played on that five-and-a-half-inch course between the ears, then O’Hara has certainly made the grade on that front.
“I passed my PGA qualification degree with distinction,” reported the Bellshill man of this three-year University degree. “It was pretty tough. There were questions on things like VAT and Gross Percentage Margins.”
Gaining a wider knowledge of the golf business through the PGA training programme has given O’Hara a qualification that is respected throughout the golfing world but it’s closer to home where he is thriving.
Having won the Scottish PGA’s Northern Open a couple of weeks ago, O’Hara hopped over the water to Ireland last weekend and became the first Scot to land the PGA Professional Championship title in 14 years.
Now firmly established as one of the major forces on the Tartan Tour, O’Hara’s professional career has been galvanised.
Like countless others, O’Hara, who made the pro leap in 2010, chipped away on the mini-tours of Europe in his formative stages but with the money running out he opted for a change in direction.
The former Scottish amateur No 1 hasn’t ruled out an another assault on the European Tour’s qualifying school later this year but there is much more to his golfing life these days.
“I have a good balance and I’m not sure I’d want to jeopardise that,” said O’Hara, who combines competitive action on the Scottish circuit with a coaching role with North Lanarkshire Leisure.
“If you have nothing to lose and want to go for it then fair enough but my life has changed. Working and playing makes you appreciate what you have as opposed to simply golf, golf, golf all the time at tournaments.
“I’m not sure others fancy the idea of working. For me, I like the independence rather than living off other folk’s sponsorship.
"You feel better about yourself and you don’t have to keep ringing round sponsors and explaining why things are perhaps not going well.”
O’Hara, whose older brother and former European Tour player, Steven, has also moved down the PGA route, gave up tournament golf for over a year after an unfulfilling spell but an invitation from Paul Lawrie to compete in the former Open champion’s own event on the Tartan Tour in 2012 helped sparked a resurgence.
A switch to a new coach, the highly-respected David Orr, also aided the renaissance.
“I finished third in Paul’s event despite barely picking up a club for over a year,” added O’Hara. “That gave me the spark and showed I could still do it. I’m probably playing as well as I ever have now and it’s certainly been the most fulfilling spell of my career.
"David has totally turned things around, both technically and mentally. I wish I had him on board back in the day when I was a rookie.”
While O'Hara will attempt to qualify for next month's highly lucrative Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Dundonald Links, it was confirmed yesterday that the 2018 national men's Open and the Ladies Scottish Open will both be held at Gullane.
The East Lothian links staged the men's event in 2015, when Rickie Fowler claimed the honours, while the women's showpiece will be heading to Gullane for the first time.
Both championships will be held the week before the Open and the Women's British Open respectively.
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