Buy shares in me, says golfer

The 22-year-old PGA trainee at East Sussex National, a former Sussex Colts champion, is back from South Africa where he has been on a learning curve funded by club members.

For the last three months he has came up against the hard facts of tournament life when the first priority is making the qualifying mark.

Rush, who until recently was helping out in the shop at Little Horsted, said: "It was a really good experience and although I only qualified to play in two events my game has got a lot sharper and what I learned will, hopefully, stand me in good stead "There must have been something like 80 British guys out there all getting away from the winter here. And with the local players dominating, the standard was very high and the courses awesome."

After a short break back home, Rush is returning later this month for the Kenya and Zambia Opens thanks to help from club members.

He said: "At the moment I am trying to sell shares in myself among the members, some of whom have already been very supportive and for which I'm grateful.

"I need about £15,000 for the year when I shall be playing the Challenge and EuroPro tours. I cannot say how much I owe the members and there is one who has a house in Spain where I can practice when the weather is too bad here."

Mark Hilton of Lewes, who gained his Sunshine Tour card last year, is also returning in a few days to play in Kenya and Zambia. Next month his sponsors' contract expires.

He said: "If it is not renewed then I don't know what I'm going to do."

That is not Hilton's only worry. His chief concern is a bad putting patch that caused him to miss the cut in the Nashua Masters.

While he has won 50,000 rand this winter, he admitted to not playing to his full potential.

Hilton said: "My putting has caused me to struggle. Maybe I should see a putting coach because the rest of my game is in good order. I've tried what seems like hundreds of putters but the problem remains. I've just got to work on it."

The power game has seen Hilton up with the best as he stands seventh in the driving distance lists with an average of 307.8 yards.

No matter that the shortest strokes are the most difficult to master, Hilton cannot be entirely disappointed with his winter as he made joint 50th in a class field in the Bell's South African Open.

His room mate was Rush so they had plenty of opportunities to sort out each other's game, but, as all golfers know, nobody can really teach putting.

Also back for a flying visit to his Bognor home, and returning for the Kenya and Zambia Opens, is Ryan Fenwick. It was his first visit to South Africa and he sounded chipper.

He said: "My game was pretty solid and I played good, but not good enough. That is something you quickly learn. I only had one score over par, but with the standard so high, I only qualified for one tournament.

"The biggest blow was three-putting the last green in the Players' Championship and missing the cut by one stroke."

Fenwick, sponsored by Mid Sussex member Michael Foreman, who manages the club Davies and Tate Trophy side, came home well down on money, but still brimming with confidence.

He said: "The cost of living out there is cheap so that was a help. I learned a lot and I can go back to Ian Dryden, my coach, having benefitted from the experience. It is all about confidence and I think I've got plenty of that."

Meanwhile, Worthing's Scott Nightingale has remained in South Africa and the persistence of the Sussex amateur champion saw him make the cut in the Nashua Masters won by Justin Rose on 15 under par.

If ever aspiring rookies like Nightingale need a role figure it is Rose who has come good after so many heartbreaks.

Nightingale finished joint 47th on level par (68, 72, 66, 74) and pickedup 4,600 rand. Also through to the final rounds was Jamie Harris (Nevill) on one over (70, 71, 69, 71).

Hilton had few worries after a first round 71 but needed 78 shots next time out and missed the big time by nine.