Pic: Carlton Myrie
GOALS and birdies – Maidstone United attacker Ben Greenhalgh is getting used to chasing both these days.
Greenhalgh, who re-joined Jay Saunders’ Stones from Concord Rangers this summer, ahead of their step up to the National League, is also a PGA pro golfer.
Last October, he qualified after meeting the criteria and passing the Playing Ability Test.
It means he’s competing in pro competitions – when football allows – and works part-time at Surrey National Golf Club.
Last week, he won a pro-am competition in a team that included Stones team-mate Jamie Coyle. For now, the 24-year-old is on the course for enjoyment while focusing on his football.
“Where I was always full-time in football, I spent three or four years playing golf after training,” said the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle man.
“I had the chance to apply to get on the PGA and I played well in the two rounds I needed to and got accepted.
Enjoying
“At the moment I’m not good enough to be mixing it with the very top pros – they are unbelievable – but I do look at their Links rounds.
“When I was a member at Castle Stuart – the Scottish Open was played there last week – I used to hit some really good scores. So, I do look at something like that. If you can somehow get into it, I could stand a chance.
“You’ve got to qualify on different types of courses. It’s definitely something I’ll look to in the next few years, but football is the main focus for me.
“Like everyone, I’d love to get into the Football League. People say you’ve got one or two more years to crack it, but I don’t look at it like that.
“Now, players are getting older. Look at the way Jamie Vardy stepped up. It’s a case of making sure I’m playing and enjoying football, and doing as much as I can.”
Greenhalgh, who won Sky One TV show Football’s Next Star in 2010, to earn a contract at Italian giants Inter Milan, is confident he can do that at Maidstone.
Concord boss Adam Flanagan switched him from the left wing to a more central role last season and it paid off with a return of 18 goals for the National League South club.
“That position has always suited me,” Greenhalgh said. “I just think, where I’m reasonably pacy and left-footed, managers tend to put you on the wing because of that.
“I personally feel it suits me a lot more and gets me involved in the game a lot more. Last year I scored 18 goals. For the first ten games I was on the wing and only got one goal. It definitely gave me a new lease of life. Having a full season in Non-League and going up against some big centre-halves on bad pitches has taught me a lot.
“Maybe before, people didn’t think that was my type of game, so I’ve had that learning curve and now it’s good to be back at Maidstone. It’s going to be tough but the club and all the players are looking forward to it.”
