IT brings no guarantee of success, just almost certain heartbreak and frustration but Open qualifying remains a magnet for hundreds of club professionals.

Ombersley PGA professional Noel Woodman is no exception as he tees up at Trentham on Monday for a chance to win a place at final qualifying for the Open at Royal Troon which gets underway in just under two weeks time.

Other county golfers heading to the Staffordshire course for regional qualifying include Bransford duo Scott Fordyce and Jon Hems, the Worcestershire's Richard Lewis and Kidderminster's Joe Ferguson with Bewdley Pines Will Grey at Little Aston.

Trentham will be Woodman's fourth stab at qualifying, boosted this time though with a return to form on the Midland PGA circuit, where a clutch of top five finishes (second, third and two fifths) have injected a streak of confidence into his game.

The lure of qualifying burns deep into any professional golfer's soul but five years developing the teaching side of his career had dulled those senses - now however they are back and Woodman is counting down the hours until his 10.12am tee time on Monday.

Well-known to members at Little Lakes, Boughton Park and now Ombersley, where he has been in post for two years, Woodman is savouring competitive action again.

It's a far cry from the last time he competed on a regular basis on the then Mastercard Tour and Midland PGA circuit, when the pressure proved tough.

"It was an exciting time but a testing one in as much there was a lot of pressure on the earning side," said Woodman.

"It makes me smile when you hear members talking about professionals on television and the pressure of a putt that might earn them £40,000. Well in my case it was a putt for whether you earned anything or not. That's definitely more pressure."

"I won a few regional events but it was getting to the stage where I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to win and compete and I started not to enjoy it as much," he added.

"I've got a different attitude now. I just go out and enjoy it a lot more - whether I win or not.

"In the early days I was really intense - I felt I had to play well and if I didn't got really frustrated. At the end of the day it's only a game and is there to be enjoyed."

With confidence high, Woodman is hopeful of making final qualifying - a feat he missed out on by one shot in 1998.

Trentham was his second choice of venue for qualifying, behind Little Aston, but in hindsight believes it may actually work in his favour.

"It's a traditional parkland, treelined course and if anything is a little easier to play than Little Aston so on the day if I'm playing well I've got a good chance of getting through to final qualifying," he said."

If he does make it through it will be a dream come true.

"It's the biggest tournament in the world and the oldest," he said.

"I used to dream as a kid about playing in it. To have the opportunity as a club pro to qualify is just an unbelievable experience."