BOWOOD golf coach Simon Shanks has been named as the West Region PGA Coach of the Year for the third time.

Shanks first won in 2013 and for a second time last year and has helped to inspire Derry Hill player Jordan Smith, who won his first event in his debut season, to become a rising star on the European Tour.

Two other players Shanks coaches also excelled last year. Wiltshire county veteran Michael White qualified for the British Seniors’ Open at Royal Porthcawl, while High Post professional Mark Searle broke the Cumberwell Park record with a 61 on his way to winning the Players' Championship title.

Another Witshire professional, Chippenham’s Emma Brown, who is now attached to The Kendleshire in Bristol, is the Charity Fundraiser of the Year.

She raised £6,000 from a special golf day in aid of two charities - Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal charity, and Bliss, the leading charity for babies born premature or sick.

After giving a lesson on a freezing day she came up with another charitable idea to help the homeless suffering in the cold so she raised money and collected clothes.

John Jacobs, the director of golf at the Cumberwell Park club near Bradford on Avon for the past 24 years, was named the Development Coach of the Year by the south west region.

In addition his 19-year-old son Alex, a trainee at the club, has won the TGI Golf training award for first year students on the PGA Foundation Degree course.

They were among the recipients at the West's annual meeting, attended by new PGA chief executive Robert Maxfield at Woodbury Park in Devon.

Jacobs, 53, specialises in the improvement of young performance players at the expanding Wiltshire complex. He is named as one of the top 25 Golf Monthly coaches and has been involved in elite coaching for the past 15 years.

He has been the South West's U16s coach for 12 years and is the Wiltshire county head coach.

He said: "We are delighted. We regard it as a team effort and an honour for Cumberwell and the professionals here."

Albert MacKenzie, the head professional at Saunton, was the Professional of the Year. He has recently completed 20 of his 37 years as a pro with the North Devon club.

Nationally he was vice-captain to Jon Bevan and then captain in his own right as the PGA Cup team beat the United States in consecutive matches.

Order of Merit winner Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) was the Captain’s Player of the Year, nominated by the captain Nick Rogers (Falmouth).

Huw Williams (Pyle and Kenfig) won the Nigel Blenkarne Award as the Assistant of the Year.

He previously earned the Golf Foundation Bonallack Award for developing a successful path from schools to club coaching ultimately leading to club membership.

He was instrumental in introducing 27 boys and 20 girls as members of his club.

Kieran Fowler (Lyme Regis) was the TGI second year assistant while Rachael Lewis (The Vale) won the third year prize.