TOP Hampshire PGA player Kevin Saunders has become the teaching professional at Walhampton, the New Forest's newest course.

It overlooks the Solent at Lymington and has quickly earned a reputation for friendly and affordable golf in beautiful surroundings.

The course is on a former part of Walhampton estate, close to the lovely old Hordle Walhampton public school. It was designed by architects Bruce and David Weller, who have worked with Bernhard Langer and Clive Clark, and the beautifully shaped USGA specification greens must rank among the best in the county.

It is the perfect setting for local boy and left-hander Saunders to set down roots. He lives in nearby New Milton with his wife Michelle and new baby daughter Maddie and spent several years as an amateur and assistant professional at Barton-on-Sea.

The former Challenge Tour campaigner has spent recent years as a teaching professional at Dibden but now becomes Walhampton's first club professional at Walhampton.

He says: "The local area has been crying out for a course like this for many years and the surroundings are delightful. The course is easy on the feet, with no steep hills, but a challenge awaits both experienced and novice golfers with greens as good as any in the surrounding area."

Walhampton already boasts a 200-strong membership, although the club also caters for the pay and play market.

Saunders is the club's handicap secretary but his real juggling act is between establishing a regular club job for himself while he continues to challenge strongly for the Southern Region and Hampshire PGA order of merit titles. He was the Southern Professional PGA champion three years ago and has won the HPGA order of merit twice in the last four years.

For club details, Rick Tapson is the man to contact at Walhampton on 07971 859679.