Sporting Lives: golfer Alan Welsh

May 19 2010 by Paul Thomson, East Kilbride News

IN this week’s Sporting Lives we focus on promising young golfer Alan Welsh as he hopes to surpass last year’s outstanding exploits – by sharing a course with Tiger Woods

LAST year couldn’t have worked out much better for Alan Welsh.

The 18-year-old from Whitehills has been in scintillating form on the junior circuit over the past 12 months with awards coming his way left, right and centre.

He took home a trio of awards after excelling for Torrance House at events across the country, winning a record-equalling third Torrance House junior championship in a row and also claiming the Lanarkshire Junior County Matchplay Championship and the Cathkin Braes Junior Championship while representing Torrance House.

And Alan looks back on last year as the first major step in his development towards becoming a professional golfer.

Alan, who was also crowned the 2009 Junior Male Sports Personality of the Year at the town’s sports awards, said: “Winning the Torrance House junior championship for the third year in a row was always one of my goals last year as I knew I would have been only the third person in the club’s history to have done it.

“And when I achieved that it was the first time in 22 years that someone had won three in a row so it was pretty special.

“The Lanarkshire county boys matchplay was great as well as I was beaten in the semi-finals the previous two years and I was determined to win it in my last year as a junior. With the Torrance House Junior Team winning the Lanarkshire league finals for the first time in the club’s history, that topped everything off and I had the privilege of being the team captain.

“My dream is to become a professional golfer but before achieving this I have many goals to reach in the amateur game as I move from the juniors.”

Alan has been golfing for 15 years now and the former Calderglen High pupil left the school last year to concentrate on his golf. He works part-time in Boots to help out with his tournament fees and so can play as much golf as he can.

“Financially, it’s very hard to compete in top competitions,” Alan explained. “I don’t have any backing but I would like to thank my family for their support as they take me everywhere to competitions.

“I started swinging a golf club from the age of three in the back garden and then I started going to the pitch and putt at Brancumhall at the age of five with my dad before joining Torrance House Golf Club at the age of nine. The reason I got into golf was because of my dad as he was a very keen golfer.

“I love the game so much. You meet different people of all levels and from totally different backgrounds all the time and it’s also a sport that doesn’t demand a real need to be physical as 90% of the game is mental – it’s all about how focused you stay when playing the game – as you are only one shot away from disaster and there are never two games of golf that are the same.”

As he moves to the amateur ranks, Alan has set himself two main targets for this year, and both take place next month.

One is quite a monumental task, but brimming with confidence Alan has the belief that he can qualify for the British Open at St Andrews and play in the same field as his idol Tiger Woods.

But after Woods’ well-documented exploits off the golf course, Alan admits he has lost respect for the man he once looked up to.

He explained: “My aim for this year is to win the Torrance House Club Championship, which takes place in June, but I would also like to try to qualify for the British Open at St Andrews, which also takes place next month.

“Obviously it would be very difficult because there are two qualifying rounds to get through but the British Open is open to any golfer who plays off scratch. It’s hard to make it through but I’m in the best form of my life right now and I’m full of confidence so I thought I should go for it this year.

“To qualify and play in the main tournament would be something else. Tiger Woods is my golfing inspiration, as he is for many other young golfers, and to share a course with him would be incredible.

“But the reason I looked up to him was that he wasn’t just a good golfer, he also made his opponents scared of him, and I try to emulate that.

“However, I have now lost total respect for him after his recent conduct. I was certain he never did any of that stuff and I was disappointed when the truth came out. What he’s done for the game has been incredible – he’s changed the face of golf – but I was heartbroken after those stories came out.

“But if you play in the same field as him you still have to show him respect on the course, but I’ve lost all respect for him off it.”

Those are strong words from Alan, but they no doubt echo the sentiments of many young golfers who feel let down by their hero.

But Alan has had a good development at the Torrance House Golf Academy which has helped him develop as a golfer and as a person.

He added: “Since the academy started I feel the junior section within the golf club has improved, even more so with the guidance and support from our coach Ian Welsh. He has also played a big part in my development over the years. I was one of six boys who received Clubgolf's stage three coaching from golf pro Ricky Gray and I feel the coaching I received from Ricky helped me to progress my game to a different level and set me up to win numerous competitions.

“And through the academy I won the East Kilbride Junior Sports Award and I felt truly honoured to win the award.

“It has given me a great confidence boost and I hope it has set me up for another good season.”