IAN BRATTON SHOCK RESIGNATION AS NEWBURGH CLUB PRO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Popular PGA professional Ian Bratton has resigned his post at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club, Aberdeenshire and his immediate future may lie out on the North Sea oil rigs.

"It's a career change for me," said the former Cruden Bay Golf Club amateur member who was club pro at the now defunct East Aberdeenshire Golf Club before joining Newburgh.
"The club committee decided to cut back the pro shop's opening hours over the winter to reduce costs and revert back to normal trading hours next season," said Bratton.

"I am going to retrain with a North Sea oil company called Oceaneering in January.

"I will make a decision next season whether to retain my golf pro status or apply for reinstatement as an amateur."
A past captain of the North-east Golfers' Alliance, Bratton has not had the best of luck over the past year or two. He suffered a wrist injury which required an operation and kept him off the golf course for some time.
Then he incurred a severe ankle injury playing football and was again unable to play golf for months.
Prior to his mishaps, Bratton was a regular winner on the North-east Alliance circuit.