Peter Odemwingie is now about to start a new sporting adventure – after taking his first steps into the world of professional golf. The striker who retired from football earlier this year, scored 31 goals in 90 appearances for WBA after joining the club in 2010, and also played for Stoke City.
Peter has now teamed up with Baggies supporter and teaching professional Jak Hamblett at the Staffordshire Performance Golf Centre at Calderfields GC. Hamblett will mentor Odemwingie – who has a handicap of four – over the next three years as he trains to become a PGA Golf Professional.
During his training, the former Nigerian international will take part in weekly golf lessons at the Walsall club.
Hamblett revealed Odemwingie has turned to golf in a bid to give something back to the local community.
“I have known Peter for a couple of years now,” he said. “I’ve always had a knack for the short game, I played a bunker shot in a pro-am with Pete and he said: ‘You have to teach me how to do that’.
“We are both Christians and hit it off straight away. Peter isn’t doing this for himself, he is doing it so he can go into coaching and give something back to the community.”
Odemwingie crossed a major hurdle by passing his compulsory playing test on October 8th at Wishaw Golf Club in high winds.
He will now spend the next few years learning from Hamblett, who previously was on the European Challenge Tour. “I used to go to The Hawthorns every Saturday with my dad and I can remember watching Peter score goals,” the golfer continued.
“Now he is posting pictures of me on Instagram and calling me his boss, which in itself has blown my mind. Who knows what kind of an impact we could have on the golfing community?”
