Norwich-born Joe Lambert has returned to his home city to take up the position of head golf professional at the RBH-managed Dunston Hall.
Lambert, 27, has never strayed too far from where he was born and raised in his professional career, with his previous four positions all based in Norfolk – but this is the first time he will have actually worked in Norwich.
He started as an assistant professional at Sheringham GC in 2008 and spent nearly five years on the coast, turning professional in 2011. He then worked for around 18 months at Norfolk Premier Golf, a nine-hole facility, in Blofield, before becoming head professional at Wensum Valley GC, in early 2015, at the relatively tender age of 24.
In April 2017 he combined the roles of head PGA professional and golf operations manager at Mundesley GC, before switching to Dunston Hall earlier this month.
He explained: “I have a passion for coaching and improving players, especially juniors, and am really enthused by QHotels’ commitment to its academies and its desire to bring new people into the sport. We share that same ethos.
“Coaching always has been – and will remain – my main area of focus and I aim to continue to progress in my coaching skills and qualifications until the end of my career, all while helping others progress simultaneously.
“In my time I have shown myself capable of providing a high-quality service and of building a strong and enjoyable rapport with club members and that is something I intend to build upon here at Dunston Hall. I’m really excited about the opportunities this position will provide.”
Welcoming Lambert to the QHotels resort, Dunston Hall’s director of golf, Tom Turner, added: “Joe’s enthusiasm for the game of golf and golfers is infectious and I’m sure our members and visitors will see that instantly. He’s looking to hit the ground running with his junior coaching and I think he has a lot to offer both the resort and its golfers.”
Managed by RBH, the UK’s leading independent hotel management company, Dunston Hall’s Elizabethan-style mansion, dating from 1859, has been lovingly restored to all its former glory as a four-star hotel. Built against 150 acres of stunning wooded Norfolk parkland, the setting is just as unique as its history.
The golf course is a 6,275-yard, par-71, USGA-rated layout which contours around the estate, with magnificent parkland fairways dotted with trees and strategically placed bunkers. And, in 2016, Dunston Hall completed a £500,000 expansion of its health club facilities.
As the largest golf resort operator in the UK, RBH manages nine championship and tournament golf courses across the UK, hosting events from the European Tour, European Seniors Tour, Ladies European Tour and the PGA.