The latest staging of the PGA Care Pro-Am has raised almost £6,000 to support Members when they are most in need of help.
Robert Moss, The PGA’s Regional Manager for the Southwest and South Wales, and his colleagues brought 33 teams to Mendip Spring, in Somerset, in September to raise money for the fund that provides financial and emotional support for PGA Members.
Moss spoke about why days like this are so important, why the fund itself is vital and the awareness of it among PGA Members.
Why are events like the PGA Care Pro-Am so important?
There's not enough recognition behind what it is and what it does, and ultimately, it's like an insurance policy. You hope you never need it, but it's there if you do. In my position, I've seen a lot of members that have needed and had the help.
One of the people that played this year was Kelly Bridges. In her early 40s, she had a stroke about three years ago, and it helped her with the money that she was given. It helped her to get therapy, physiotherapy, to get her up and back on her feet, and back to normality.
Will Urwin was a young lad who was in a car accident – he was given a prognosis that he might never walk again, and he's now back on the golf course and is the Head Pro at Whitchurch Golf Club and playing in tournaments again, which is just fantastic to see.
The fund really helped him at a time when he really needed it. I think it’s trying to get that message across. Unfortunately, a lot of Members, when it comes to the subs time, there's a discretionary amount that's added to the subs, but the members do have the option of taking that off if they wish. Unfortunately, a lot of members still do that, but I think a lot of that is through lack of knowledge as to what it is and what it does.
Pictured: The PGA Care Pro-Am winners of 2025: PGA Professional Joe Cruse and (L-R) Jackie Evans, Zoe House and Paula Lee
How much money was raised on the day?
In total, we raised just short of £6,000. But in terms of what came in from the auctions and raffles, that was about four to four-and-half thousand.
Throughout the year, when we go to clubs, we beg, borrow and steal! We ask a lot of the clubs to donate a fourball voucher to us.
We have an auction on the day. We’ve usually got a lot of fourball vouchers, and a few other bits and pieces that other people will donate. It’s the same with the raffle. My daughter came and helped in the halfway house, while Carlsberg BritVic, one of our regional sponsors, supplied the drinks and refreshments.
It's all effectively free for the players and we have a bucket for donations. Bushnell very kindly gave us a laser, which we used as a prize for nearest the pin. Every team entered that for £5 a person, so that raised £660.
Do enough Members know about PGA Care?
I would say no, they don't. But why they don't? I would say it's probably not been well marketed in the past. It’s sat there, and over the years, there's been bits to do with it. But, as more Members come in, they're not aware of it. What is good now, as the trainees come in, they have an induction day, which is only a new initiative started last year, and that’s in each of the regions.
That's now spelt out what the Benevolent Fund is and what it does. The hope is the newer pro coming through the system will be far better aware of it.
‘It’s that insurance policy you hope you never need, but it is there to help members when they fall upon hard times, whether that's through injury or illness, and it is there to it help’ - Robert Moss
Why is PGA Care so important in general?
It’s that insurance policy you hope you never need, but it is there to help members when they fall upon hard times, whether that's through injury or illness, and it is there to it help.
I've seen it help firsthand, just by giving members a grant of X number of pounds, and it's been really timely for them. It's just been a boost when they absolutely needed it, because they're not working for a period of time or even longer.
I'm aware that in the past it's helped to pay for funerals and things.
I think it's just a beautiful thing. You hope you never, ever need it, but it helps members when they do fall on hard times.
• Robert would also like to pass on his thanks to Mendip Spring Golf Club for hosting the PGA Care Pro-Am
