Stirling University golf-scholarship student David Booth has enjoyed as successful a tour as you can imagine, winning three titles on a recent trip to Canada.  We caught up with him to find out a bit more about his trip, and the secrets to his success...

WZ: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

DB: I’m from Rotherham in South Yorkshire.  I was introduced to golf when I was eight, my dad got me a cut-down 7-iron and I used to go onto the field with it. I also used to play football until I was 14, but then I had to choose which career I wanted to pursue.

WZ: At what point did golf stop becoming a past-time and you realised that you might be pretty good at it? 

DB: I realised I couldn’t play football and golf together so I had to choose. My handicap was a massive indicator to show I was improving quickly. From 12-13years old I went from (25-16) then (16-9) (9-4) (4-2) (2-0) (0-+1) (+1-+2) (+2-+3). Each season my handicap kept falling and falling.

Three weeks before my 17th birthday I was off a scratch handicap, which was a target I set myself when I was 12. I read that many professional golfers were off zero or better when they were 16 so this is what I wanted to do.

I was really pleased with my progress considering in this time span I had broken my elbow, wrist, and forearm, all on the same arm, which hindered my progress slightly.

WZ: Was there a particular person or people who played a big role in developing your game when you were growing up? 

DB:  My whole family are a massive influence, mostly my dad, he is the one that got me started, made me a member of golf clubs, entered me into junior competitions, paid my fees and drove me all across Britain. 

Also, my uncle, who I was very close to, died when I was 15. This made me want to succeed in golf even harder.

WZ: And who are the key people in your golfing career now as an up-and-coming young amateur?

DB: Definitely my family, they want me to make it just as much as I do. Also, Raleigh Gowrie, the sports performance manager at Stirling, the Macleod foundation and my Randa Bursary from St Andrews. All provide me with funding throughout the year to play in competitions around the world. Also my university golf coach Gordon Niven and my Golf coach back home Graham Walker.

WZ: You had great success in Canada – how did you enjoy winning those tournaments?  What moments stood out as the best bits from those victories?

DB: We were given an outline what we were doing each day before we went to Canada which included the three tournaments. So I knew when I could organise my practice and prepare properly for the event. I knew I was playing well before the trip so I targeted a few top five or ten finishes.

After winning the first event, the Niagara College Knights Golf Classic at Loch Ness GC, it was fantastic. It was the biggest field I would play, a long course with wind.  And to shoot two-under from being three-over after four holes was a great achievement.

I felt confident, winning feels good, but I wasn’t expecting to win all three events! I eventually went on to win the University of Western Ontario Invitational at St Thomas GC, again with a being three over par but eventually winning by two shots. 

I was so pleased with the way got I stuck in and just relaxed and played golf without worrying about other people’s scores, and the putts began to drop. Win number two.
 
The final tournament was the Humber Invitational. I felt this was the toughest out of the three. The best players from Humber College (no.1 golf college in Canada) and Ontario’s All Stars, the best players from other colleges in the Ontario region, were all playing.

It was a 54-hole strokeplay competition but got cut down to 36 holes because of the wind and rain. I had a one-shot lead after the first round over Humber's no.1, who had just won an American college tournament the week before, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Eventually I ran out winning by three shots.

That was the main highlight of my trip.  It is Canada’s highest rated course, and on the days I played it the second hardest course I have ever played behind Turnberry last year in the British amateur.

I wasn’t leading the competition until I stepped it up a gear in the last nine holes.  I holed long putts for par on 17 and 18 which capped my week. I never gave up, got my head down and grinded out a hat trick of wins.

WZ: How would you credit your success? 

DB: To be honest, in the last four competitions I played  in the summer before heading back up to university, I was playing great.

I lowered my handicap further and was shooting good scores.  At Walton Heath Golf Club I had a five-under in one of my four rounds but came 30th. I came fifth in the Yorkshire Open, third in the Lee Westwood, trophy which is a world ranking and English golf union order of merit competition. And I came tied winner at my union finals, which comprised the six best players from each union in Yorkshire. So I was showing good form prior to Canada and it showed.

WZ: What would you say are the key traits to a successful golfer?  Is it mental strength over physical skill or are they equally important?

DB: In my opinion mental strength overpowers skill. You have to believe before doing any skill. If the round is going badly many people give up even though they have many skills and can perform the task. Because of a lack of mental toughness they don’t dig deep and grind out a respectable score. This could be the difference between winning and losing.

In elite competition, most of the golfers have the skill but being mentally tough is another level, especially under pressure. Mental toughness includes course management and using your head in situations of high pressure, like laying up before a pond instead of trying to be too risky and going for a miracle shot over the water.

Golf is full of tactics and finding a way to plot your way around the course without any damage. Tiger Woods' coach, Butch Harmon, said: “His biggest strength you can’t see. It’s in his mind, his heart and his guts, his desire to beat you and his ability to control nerves.” These are traits I want to develop in my game.

If you believe in yourself and you practice, work hard at school and on your game with a balanced lifestyle, in my opinion the time will come.

WZ: What are your long-term ambitions in the sport? 

DB: My long term ambitions are to turn professional after another two years of university. I will do a two year part time Masters degree at Stirling after the completion of fourth year in May. I feel I have more to offer in the amateur game and there are more trophies to be won before making the step to turn professional.

I and the university have a well funded golf programme so I don’t see why I should give this up just yet, as things are going well.
 
My main aim was to turn pro sooner rather than later, but there are so many golfers that turn pro and don’t make the final step. I am using my degree as back-up in case I don’t make the step up.  It is a large step up but all you need is a good week at tour school and you can make it up the tiers of the golfing circuit.

My friends back home have done it and many of the guys I have competed with in the last three years have done it too. So I see it as 'if they can do it, so can I'.

WZ: You are on a golf scholarship with Stirling Uni and are also a ‘Winning Students’ athlete.  Could you tell us a bit about these two programmes and how they help you?

The university of Stirling scholarship includes competition fees, coaching, training camps, clothing and equipment, facility access, strength and conditioning and sport science support. It is worth £5,680 each year to me.

Training camps this year included Canada last month and Florida in January for 10 days. I also get funded about £1000 from the Macleod Foundation which is part of the uni, this money is for competitions.

From the Winning Students Award I received about £500 last semester to help with my golf, which was also a massive help. It is an award I don’t apply for each year, it is rewarded on my golfing performance.

All this money is a massive help because golf isn’t a cheap sport, especially when travelling around the world. It can become expensive – last year I played in Spain, Portugal, South Africa and Peru. All the money I receive is used in the best possible way towards making me a better player.

WZ: How do you find balancing your student life with golf? 

DB: Time management is key if you want to combine studying with elite golf. I have planned ahead a diary of my deadlines for uni work and potential clashes with the golf programme at the university.

For example I am currently writing an essay which has to be submitted by 5th November, but I am trying to complete it by Saturday because I have a competition Sunday and Monday of next week.

Another bonus about being on a scholarship at uni is that you can get extensions on your work, but I haven’t had to use it yet because I am currently managing my time well.   All in all I don’t have any excuses about trying to balance uni and golf.

A massive bonus is that we have a golf range on campus with a full time coach, which is one of the main reasons I came to Stirling. It makes golf and studying so easy for me.

RO
©Copyright In The Winning Zone, MMIX, All Rights Reserved

Middle image courtesy of Cal Carson Golf Agency