There is a familiar face in the golf shop at Terri Pines Country Club as Danny Woodard recently returned to the shop as the club’s golf pro.

Woodard was the first golf pro for Terri Pines until he took a position as the pro member administrator tournament coordinator at he Dixie Section PGA Office in 1999.

“I took that job in the spring of 1999, and I was in charge of 80 pro members a year, including being on site for 40 of the events,” Woodard said. “I had two pro member officials with me and we would coordinate all the events, which included three Monday events at times in north Alabama, central Alabama and the Gulf Coast.”

The Dixie Section is in charge of PGA competition in the state of Alabama and the pan-handle of Florida, and the yearly schedule for the section included about 15 members-only tournaments and two qualifiers including a second-stage qualifier in Panama City.

“I had been serving in that position since 1999, then a group from Terri Pines asked to meet with me about coming back as the golf pro again,” Woodard said. “Coming back was not something I had ever thought about doing, and it’s not often you are asked to return to fill a position you previously left.

“It was a bit of a sudden move, but the people here at the club have been wonderful in helping me make a fast transition.”

The speedy transition was necessary because the Terri Pines Invitational was scheduled for the weekend after Woodard took the job.

“I was originally not scheduled to come back for the Invitational, but they talked me into coming back in time for it,” Woodard said. “I think it went well, because I have not heard any complaints about it so far.

“There may have been some complaints, but they may not have told me because they knew I hadn’t been back long.”

Woodard said he has received a good reception from the club’s membership.

“I have had so many members come by and welcome me home,” Woodard said. “And that’s almost what it feels like because there are so many familiar faces here.

“The reception has been very warm from those I knew already and the ones that have joined since I left.”

Woodard said he was impressed with the improvements in the facilities at the club’s course during his absence.

“I was amazed when I came back and saw everything that had been improved that needed improvement when I left,” Woodard said. “The course is in such great condition after the work that Benny Bohannon, the course superintendent, and his crew have done on it.

“A newly formed organization, the Men’s Golf Association, is helping them out a lot to raise funds for course improvements, and that is making a difference.”

Woodard said the club has a top-knotch group working at the clubhouse making the members’ experience at the club even better.

“I have a great crew in the golf shop, and everyone on the cart crew has done an excellent job in helping me make the transition,” Woodard said. “Our main focus is to try to give the members and their guests the most enjoyable experience as possible.

“We all have busy schedules nowadays where we’re rushed all the time, and if we can get them away from that feeling for a little while when they’re here, then we’re doing our job.”