Disgruntled members of Bermuda Professional Golfers Association have condemned the decision to make Eric West the head professional at Port Royal Golf Course.

Several leading members, all with at least five years of teaching experience, applied for the position and all were overlooked in favour of West, who has never been an assistant professional at a club.

West was even appointed to the job ahead of former Port Royal professional and current Opposition Leader Kim Swan, who was the head pro at St George's Golf Course and played on the European Tour.

Such is the consternation at the decision that the BPGA held a meeting last night when they were due to discuss the process behind West's appointment.

While members of the association were unwilling to talk publicly yesterday, one privately said: "There will be a lot to say when the meeting is over. There are a lot of unhappy people out there."

However, Port Royal manager Bill Pitt defended the decision saying that West 'really stood out in the interview'. Another member of the selection process described West as 'the best candidate for the job, the most qualified and the brightest', and criticised 'the wolves at the door trying to undermine a young man in a new job'.

"Eric West was on the Canadian Tour for five years, and his ability to play the game at a good level is well known," said Pitt.

"He has made it well known that he is ready to settle back in Bermuda and put something back into the game on the Island. He is a young Bermudian looking to make his way in life, and his appointment is something to be celebrated, not attacked.

"The job is not just about teaching, it has many other sides as well. He understands retail, he showed a real feel for customer service, and was energetic in the interview. His enthusiasm came through and he really stood out in the interview.

"His overall skills, his concept of coaching, his understanding of commercialism, and his ability to communicate, along with his personable nature all made him qualified to do the job."

While West's enthusiasm, energy and golfing ability are not in question, the BPGA's main complaint centres around the application form for the post which required five years of teaching experience, as well as experience of running a golf shop.

Of those who applied, most, if not all, have had extensive experience both here and abroad.

In contrast, West has been a V1 Golf Academy instructor for three years, a position he obtained via the internet. The V1 system is a teaching tool that employs computer software to analyse a golf swing. A player can become an instructor simply by applying to do so.

As one disgruntled professional put it: "I am quite certain he never attended a golf academy to train to be a qualified golf instructor. To me this sounds like a nurse at the hospital purchasing a book on medicine and claiming that they were a qualified doctor."

However, Port Royal Director of Golf Andrew Brooks, himself a professional and acclaimed teacher, threw his weight behind West. "I'm qualified to train coaches, and I recognise good coaches, and Eric is a good coach," he said.

And West is far from new to the role of coach. He lists Thailand's Virada Nirapathponporn, who plays on the LPGA Tour, as a current pupil, and since returning to the Island has been coaching at the Southampton Golf Academy.

According to West's profile on the V1 website (www.v1golfacademy.com) his coaching philosophy centres around simplicity and natural movement.

"I believe in simplifying the swing and bringing it back to an athletic movement," he wrote. "By making the swing match your natural bodily movements we can develop a swing that is easy to understand and easy to repeat. "