The PGA Coach suffered a stroke last year that has left him unable to work some 18 months later
In April 2024, PGA Coach Darren Scholes was in between teaching lessons at Cambridge Golf Driving Range when he had a stroke.
“I was probably as physically fit as I've ever been, to be honest, because I've always been working on my fitness. I was fit, I was practising, I was playing, I was teaching, so (I was) quite busy," he said.
“Out of the blue one day, just ‘bang’. A little explosion went off in my head, and I collapsed. That was it from there on.”
Afterwards, his wife, Nicky, reached out to The PGA to discover what help was available, and his case was put to the PGA Care trustees.
Scholes was given financial support to help pay for rent, bills and removal costs when they moved to Shropshire to be closer to their family support network.
PGA Care also provided him with financial support to fund his specialist neurological rehabilitation.
Pictured: PGA Coach Darren Scholes
As well as financial support, Scholes’s recovery was also helped by a visit and check-ins with PGA Member Support Manager Simon Fitton.
“It’s just nice to know that there is someone there that actually cares. It's been really good. It's been nice to have those chats every now and then and have that support,” Scholes said.
“I never knew that was there from The PGA. It’s something that has surprised me, but it's touched me as well.”
Scholes hopes he can return to coaching one day and he encourages fellow PGA Members to make sure they have adequate personal cover in case something similar happens to them.
“That's my goal,” he said. “But at the moment, because of where I am, I've got a lot of issues with my fatigue and pain. I'm in constant pain throughout the day. It's difficult for me to stand and deliver the quality of lessons that I used to, but that's one of my goals. I want to slowly get back.
“It’s just nice to know that there is someone there that actually cares and to have that support. I never knew that was there from The PGA. It’s something that has surprised me, but it's touched me as well” - Darren Scholes
“One thing I would like to get over to the membership is the knowledge that PGA Care is there,” he added.
“Because I wasn't adequately insured for this, I thought I was going to live forever. I never thought of getting critical illness insurance in case something like this would happen because when you're the main earner, and then all of a sudden, that's not possible anymore, then you're financially in a horrible position.
“I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I've gone through. If you can cover yourself financially, in case of something like this happening, then you should do it. Even though PGA Care is there, it's not a bottomless pit.”
