The morning of Monday 16 September.
Enrolment day.
The nerves are at their highest but this time it is because I am excited, the real reason I am 220 miles from home is to study for a Foundation Degree in Golf and Leisure Management, not to go out to the pub and drink myself to sleep. It is a glorious sunny day in Lancashire and the day begins with a presentation in what is now the equine arena. There are literally thousands of chairs laid out in this enormous room, another daunting thing at the start of my time away from home for the first time. I make my way into the room and sit on the end of the row next to a quiet, unassuming chap wearing a golf cap, we get chatting and to my relief he is doing the same course as me. Paul Prescott would go on to become my closest friend throughout the three years at Myerscough and UCLan, even though he lived off campus in Lostock Hall, a suburban village south of Preston.
Following the presentation we made our way to the library to enrol as a Myerscough student and after queueing it was my time. "Ah it's your birthday", "Yes" I replied, "Happy Birthday" the lady said. It was my 20th birthday and I was celebrating it by starting University, following the enrolment we went to meet our lecturers and be inducted into the Foundation Degree Golf and Leisure Management course and meet our classmates. I sat in the back row with Paul and a lad with a scouse accent, Phil Waine would become my closest friend at the college during the first year, we had a lot in common and we got on really well. On the Wednesday the college was running trips into Preston to attend the UCLan Freshers Fayre and Phil and I went, I remember him buying 1,000 condoms and me thinking "well I won't have any need for those" given my pathetic track-record with girls at that time, so I didn't buy any!
Phil and I went on to have a close friendship during the first year and we played golf on a couple of occasions at Preston Golf Club, Marriott Worsley Park and Ingol Golf Club as well as going to the driving range numerous times. We also played a few times on the 9 hole golf course at Myerscough, a place I would spend a great deal of time during the weekends, on one Sunday I even played it three times, such was the lack of other things to be doing on site in the early weeks of my time at University. After moving into Conder Hall following weeks of struggle in my initial hall, Ribble, I got to know other members of my class better including Ed Johnson, Ben Thompson, Steve Parkinson and Tom Foster, Tom and I would not see eye-to-eye and we suffered a major breakdown in our relationship.
This was, however, after myself, Phil, Ben, Steve and Tom had joined Rick Daniels and the Myerscough sports studies group on a 'study' trip to Disneyland Paris, what an experience! We went to the Stade de France to do the stadium tour and I got to sit in front of the France world cup winning shirts including Arsenal legends like Henry, Petit and Vieira. After the tour it was on to the resort and checking in to our hotel, we all gathered in the Disney Village for food and drink that first evening before I went to Paris with a guy whose name completely escapes me from the sports group, it turned out to be quite an adventure! I am not worried about admitting I nearly shit myself just thinking about going on a rollercoaster so the appeal of Disney for me was more Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck than Space Mountain, and its proximity to Paris.
I really wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower so we got on the double-decker train from Disneyland to Paris and got off to begin our hunt for the tower, it proved to be a long and eventful day. Maybe it was just us two but we couldn't find signs directing us to the tower anywhere, or signs to direct the rookie tourist around the most popular tourist destination in the world. It took us at least an hour to walk to the tower, we spent around half an hour there but we didn't go up the tower as it was super busy. It may have taken us an hour to get there but it took three to get back as the lack of signs and our lack of familiarity with the city saw us take several wrong turns. We had an impromptu tour of Paris but we didn't have time for much else, I would love to go back one day and do it properly as we spent the majority of the day walking aimlessly.
Once we got back on the train to Disneyland I think we were both a little relieved and fed up. In the evening there was a spare ticket for the park going and I joined Phil, Steve, Tom and Ben, they convinced me to go on a ride, the aforementioned Space Mountain, I didn't shit myself but almost everything but, at least I can say I went on a ride at Disneyland! We then had a meal at Planet Hollywood with the rest of the group and the evening came to a close. The following night we ate in another restaurant and went to the now defunct Hurricanes Night Club which was open until 5 am.
The trip came to an end on the Friday and we travelled back by bus to Preston via the ferry across the channel. It proved to be a very long journey, as one of the tyres on the bus burst and we had to have a replacement bus collect us on the M1, we got back to the college very late. It was the night before the Rugby World Cup Final between England and Australia and some of us were planning to go to the Stumble Inn to watch it, as the college had agreed to open the bar early for students to watch it. Absolutely knackered from the journey I overslept and woke up during extra time! I did manage to see the moment that mattered though, the drop goal from Jonny Wilkinson to win England the World Cup!
I really wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower so we got on the double-decker train from Disneyland to Paris and got off to begin our hunt for the tower, it proved to be a long and eventful day. Maybe it was just us two but we couldn't find signs directing us to the tower anywhere, or signs to direct the rookie tourist around the most popular tourist destination in the world. It took us at least an hour to walk to the tower, we spent around half an hour there but we didn't go up the tower as it was super busy. It may have taken us an hour to get there but it took three to get back as the lack of signs and our lack of familiarity with the city saw us take several wrong turns. We had an impromptu tour of Paris but we didn't have time for much else, I would love to go back one day and do it properly as we spent the majority of the day walking aimlessly.
Once we got back on the train to Disneyland I think we were both a little relieved and fed up. In the evening there was a spare ticket for the park going and I joined Phil, Steve, Tom and Ben, they convinced me to go on a ride, the aforementioned Space Mountain, I didn't shit myself but almost everything but, at least I can say I went on a ride at Disneyland! We then had a meal at Planet Hollywood with the rest of the group and the evening came to a close. The following night we ate in another restaurant and went to the now defunct Hurricanes Night Club which was open until 5 am.
The trip came to an end on the Friday and we travelled back by bus to Preston via the ferry across the channel. It proved to be a very long journey, as one of the tyres on the bus burst and we had to have a replacement bus collect us on the M1, we got back to the college very late. It was the night before the Rugby World Cup Final between England and Australia and some of us were planning to go to the Stumble Inn to watch it, as the college had agreed to open the bar early for students to watch it. Absolutely knackered from the journey I overslept and woke up during extra time! I did manage to see the moment that mattered though, the drop goal from Jonny Wilkinson to win England the World Cup!
The first year's study included a golf project, which I used to assess the status of Tiger Woods as the world's greatest sportsman, a very relevant topic in 2003. I constructed a survey with a number of questions relating to sportsmen including Ali, Beckham, Wilkinson, Pele and Tiger. The first year also included Marketing for Golf, a subject I excelled in and one which would lay the foundations for my dissertation during the top-up year. I have always been interested in the marketing and promotion of events, products and specifically golf and I think it is fair to say that if you find something interesting and fun you do well at it. Golf Retail and Repair, Coaching Theory and Golf Club Operations were also modules in a first year which was enjoyable, educating and fun, but also emotional and difficult. In the first few weeks I met Denise Jarvis, who was to be my learning support mentor, we built up a relationship and Denise was much more of a mentor to me and helped me through three very demanding years emotionally, socially and of course academically.
Year one would prepare me for the future.
Late on in the first year Phil, Steve, Ed, Ben, Tom Miles and Gareth Irwin were looking for a place to live in Preston for the second year, I wasn't sure about it but after a while I decided it was what I wanted. Myself, Paul Prescott and James Shepherd then spent the summer caddying in Northern Ireland at the magnificent Royal County Down Golf Club in the seaside town of Newcastle. See "Adventures of an English Caddie in Ireland" for more information on the first of two memorable summers. At the end of the summer is the 2004 Ryder Cup, which I watch the first day of at home on the Friday before mum and dad take me up to Preston on the Saturday, to my absolute horror and embarrassment there were pictures of page three girls all over the lounge and on Steve's door a picture of a girl performing a favour for a guy, hardly the welcome I wanted to give my parents to the place I was potentially going to spend two years living in. The big mistake I made was deciding to live with the guys in that house without viewing it first, the room I had was not even big enough for the bed as the bed had been squeezed in and had broken the temperature control on the radiator.
When I went to put my CD's on the shelf above my bed the shelf fell off the wall, already doubts were setting in, I slept on it and woke up early on Sunday morning, I went for a walk and immediately phoned mum and dad. They were very unhappy with the place and I shared their concerns, it wasn't just the house that I had concerns about, it was going to cost me significantly more than the other guys travelling to the college because I had extra days where I had to be there to meet Denise for learning support. I discussed it with Paul Prescott, who was by now my closest friend and when we went to the college for our first day of the second year I stayed behind to talk to Shirley Tate about moving back to the halls at Myerscough. She was more than accommodating and the decision was made.
What followed was one of the hardest afternoons of my life, I had to break the news to the guys that I was leaving, Phil was particularly upset and angry, I could understand his point of view but in that situation I had to do what was best for me. The atmosphere was such in the house that I rang Shirley at the college and asked if I could move in that evening, she said yes and I gathered some things together and left on the bus. The next day Paul packed up all my stuff in his car and we drove to the college to move in properly. The accommodation I was moving in to was brand new, self-catering, en-suite and had internet access. I was welcomed by two familiar faces, Nick Culverwell (AKA Rambo) and Dan Betts, as well as three girls; Faye, Katie and Emma studied Equine and living with girls and people who did a different course would make the second year memorable. I grew particularly fond of Faye but never had the courage to say anything because I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere in the flat, despite going out for numerous meals and drinks with her, Katie and several of their friends.
When I went to put my CD's on the shelf above my bed the shelf fell off the wall, already doubts were setting in, I slept on it and woke up early on Sunday morning, I went for a walk and immediately phoned mum and dad. They were very unhappy with the place and I shared their concerns, it wasn't just the house that I had concerns about, it was going to cost me significantly more than the other guys travelling to the college because I had extra days where I had to be there to meet Denise for learning support. I discussed it with Paul Prescott, who was by now my closest friend and when we went to the college for our first day of the second year I stayed behind to talk to Shirley Tate about moving back to the halls at Myerscough. She was more than accommodating and the decision was made.
What followed was one of the hardest afternoons of my life, I had to break the news to the guys that I was leaving, Phil was particularly upset and angry, I could understand his point of view but in that situation I had to do what was best for me. The atmosphere was such in the house that I rang Shirley at the college and asked if I could move in that evening, she said yes and I gathered some things together and left on the bus. The next day Paul packed up all my stuff in his car and we drove to the college to move in properly. The accommodation I was moving in to was brand new, self-catering, en-suite and had internet access. I was welcomed by two familiar faces, Nick Culverwell (AKA Rambo) and Dan Betts, as well as three girls; Faye, Katie and Emma studied Equine and living with girls and people who did a different course would make the second year memorable. I grew particularly fond of Faye but never had the courage to say anything because I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere in the flat, despite going out for numerous meals and drinks with her, Katie and several of their friends.
In the second year the subject I had a real passion for was the Golf Event Management module; Myself, Paul, Dan Betts and Steve Wynne formed a group to run an event, we decided upon the Myerscough College Open Championship played on a links course in the North West of England. We approached Royal Birkdale, Southport and Ainsdale, St Anne's Old Links, Fairhaven and Wallasey Golf Club. Myself and Paul had played Wallasey the previous April and we knew it was a truly spectacular links near Liverpool, the event attracted 39 entries and we had a glorious day for it.
Other subjects included finance for golf, resource management, a work experience module (see caddying) and professional golf practice. During the last few months of the second year I was considering deferring my entry to the top-up for a year in order to earn more money to make the third year more comfortable. I eventually decided against it and entered the top-up course in the autumn of 2005. Once again I was fortunate enough to be allowed to stay in halls on the Myerscough campus.
I returned to Myerscough shortly after my 22nd birthday and was luck enough to be placed in the same flat as Johnny Paine, Jay Saycell, Martin Kelly and Chris Horn, Chris was from Bournemouth and we shared a bit in common, my uncle and cousins had moved to the south coast town a few years earlier and Bournemouth is only around 50 miles from my own home town. Johnny was a big guy from Bolton who was a passionate Bolton Wanderers fan, we would enjoy a great year especially when Bolton played Arsenal and invariably beat us! If I am being honest I never expected to become good friends with Jay but we did and I actually kept in touch with him more than any of the other guys after leaving. Martin was a quiet guy from Penrith but we all enjoyed each others company and played a lot of golf together. The atmosphere was great in that flat, especially with the opposite flat being full of fun-loving and friendly girls, it was a really memorable year for all of us.
All of the guys were first year golf students and I somehow felt beholden to help them as a third year student myself, hopefully my advice paid off for them! The top-up year was split between classes at Myerscough and lectures at UCLan in the city of Preston. The course then included a module which would ruin my dreams of graduating with more than a Foundation Degree, Strategic Management was a poorly taught, uninteresting and irrelevant module which I failed twice. It also included Career Development, Contemporary Issues in Golf (optional), Golf Event Management and a 10,000 word dissertation (optional). After meeting with my dissertation tutor I settled on a topic for the investigation, Marketing and Promotion. 'The pragmatism of the marketing and promotion of the Open Championship - Hoylake 2006' was the grand title of my dissertation and I would narrowly pass the module with 43%. Once again Golf Event Management was my passion and myself, Paul Prescott, Douglas Kibble and Tim Pacey would plan and run the 'Rush Cup' at Pleneuf de Val Andre in Brittany, France. The 5-day trip was attended by 15 students in May of 2006 and we would pass the module.
The end of the third year was particularly demanding, I had a lot of work to do for the event, mainly because I had taken too much work on my shoulders and not delegated to the other members of the group. I knew I was struggling with the Strategic Management module and once again I had fallen for a girl and not had the outgoing personality to get her. Nicole was a student in the same group as Johnny, Jay, Martin and Chris and one afternoon I was on the putting green with Johnny having a 36-hole match, I was putting like a god. Then this incredible looking girl came on to the green with a few of her mates from the course, I went to pieces, three-putting every hole and Johnny turned certain defeat into unlikely victory! I can't remember how but we got each others' number and we exchanged texts and eventually she came on the trip to France. I desperately wanted to tell her that I fancied her but couldn't pluck up the courage to do so in person so I text her. On the trip home on the ferry I went up to her and sat with her and told her I liked her and we chatted and got to know each other a bit better. Maybe my timing was bad as well but it didn't work out and it was probably an unnecessary stress on top of everything else.
We returned from France in time for Arsenal's UEFA Champions League final against Barcelona and myself, Johnny, Jay and Chris went to Guy's Thatched Hamlet to watch the game. The moment that Sol Campbell's header hit the back of the net will stay with me forever, and likely will do with Johnny, I leapt into the air and shook Johnny violently, I was euphoric, Arsenal had taken the lead against Barcelona in the biggest match on earth! We lost and we all went out into Preston anyway! My time at Myerscough came to an end shortly after and with nothing better to do I set up a second summer of caddying in Ireland prior to re-sitting the Strategic Management exam. The summer of 2006 was the most memorable of my life, caddying at Royal County Down and across Ireland for Stephen Sweeney, it was epic! I returned to Preston to do the re-sit and knew instantly that I had failed, I returned to Ireland for the next two months as planned and enjoyed a great time during the Ryder Cup at the Mourne Golf Club and I even set the quiz for the afternoon!
Following the end of the season I returned to Preston to stay for a few days with Johnny, Jay, Chris and a couple of their new flatmates and we worked at St Andrews in the Dunhill Links. After this it was out into the big, bad world and the best three years of my life were over. I returned to Woolworths but was continually looking for that big break in the golf industry. It was proving very difficult but I persisted and in May of 2007 I got the chance to work at The Gleneagles Hotel in the Golf Shop, I played dozens of rounds of golf on the Kings, Queens and PGA Centenary Courses and enjoyed my time immensely, unfortunately a personal financial error saw me leave the job much earlier than I or my colleagues had wished. I then applied for and got the receptionists job at the Bear Hotel in my home town of Devizes, but only lasted a week as the support they had assured me would be there was not.
4 months of unemployment ensued, before a former Woolworths colleague met me in the town centre and said they were looking for a cleaner and before long I was the cleaner and working once more in Woolworths, it was just like old times. I had interviews at Celtic Manor and for First Choice but deep down I was happy working somewhere that was familiar with people I knew. Then the fateful evening came when I broke the news to colleagues working the evening shift that Woolworths had gone into administration, I saw it on the news as I was eating my dinner. I felt sick. The next two months were to be brutal, with stock being sold for next to nothing and queues the like of which I have never seen before. Finally on January 9, 2009 we left the building for one final time, Woolworths had been consigned to history.
The next 2 and 1/2 years were the hardest of my life, I applied for many jobs and had several interviews including for the Grove, LGU and Fairmont St Andrews and in the winter of 2009 I began a voluntary admin role with Ridgeway Care and Repair, in the summer of 2010 I ended the arrangement to search for paid work. After blowing on the door like the big bad wolf in three little pigs eventually the breakthrough came. In February of 2011 I travelled to the recruitment day of the St Andrews Links Trust, I was looking for a job in admin, reception or in the shop, I approached a guy called Robert Thorpe about the job as putting attendant. After chatting for a while he said that he was recruiting caddies, I gave him my CV and after agreeing to a telephone interview I got the job of my dreams. Caddying on the Old Course at St Andrews! I started in mid-April.
I was fortunate enough to find a place in Windsor Gardens, St Andrews and moved in with a Malaysian guy called Choon, he was a quiet but great guy, I really got on well with him and soon after another caddie came to stay, Sam Moxon. In June Choon left to return to Malaysia and he was replaced by a golf professional from the Duke's course near St Andrews - Ayden Robert-Jones. Ayden stayed for a month before finding somewhere else more suitable to meet his needs and for the rest of the summer myself and Sam had the bungalow to ourselves. That summer I caddied nearly 100 times across the Old, New, Jubilee and Eden courses including once for the former jockey Peter Scudamore and three times in the 2011 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Sam moved out at the end of August to return to University and I had the place to myself for a couple of weeks before a Danish student by the name of Christine moved in, she was soon to be followed by Nele from Switzerland and Aila from Germany, we had a fantastic three months before disaster changed everything for me.
In August I had began my search for a winter job, and I found one, working in the Chariots Bar at the Scores Hotel. It was the first time I had worked in a bar and the first few weeks were tough but eventually I got into the swing of things and was enjoying the job immensely. Rumours began to circulate about the future of the bar and sure enough on October 31 we were called to a meeting with the Food and Beverage manager, where we were given 'redundancy' notices. I was in bits. My future hung in the balance and I only had a few options - 1) find a job elsewhere 2) take a job working as a handy man or in the kitchen at the hotel, neither did I have the skills to do 3) claim benefits again or 4) return home. I fought to stay in St Andrews and applied for jobs at 12 places in town and eventually I got an interview at the Fairmont for a servers job in the Squire Restaurant, it was a three-stage interview and I made it through to meet the general manager. Inexplicably I was not given the job and it left me with dwindling resources and time to get one. My landlord had been great about it but just a few days before Christmas he came to visit.
He let me know he wanted me to leave the place, I was absolutely devastated and could see my career falling apart before my eyes. Christine's friend Natascha, and her boyfriend Peter, had been staying over Christmas and I emotionally broke the news to them before they went to Aviemore for their Christmas getaway. It was tough as I had become good friends with Natascha and I was unable to tell Christine, Nele and Aila that I was going and would be gone before New Years' Eve. My parents had arranged to visit anyway but it turned into a trip to collect me. My best caddie friend was Paul Marshall, a retired local council worker, and he had me round for Christmas dinner with 9 members of his family! It was an incredible gesture. Paul also allowed me to keep much of my stuff at his so that I could return to St Andrews in the spring to start the new season of caddying.
After nearly four months of struggling to save and find a part time job I made the return to St Andrews originally with the intention of staying at the tourist hostel while looking for a suitable place to live in the town or Dundee before beginning my second season. This was before a late call from Paul meant that I would stay at his, it was a big mistake and after viewing two places in St Andrews and one in Dundee I ended up having no choice but to accept a place in St Andrews staying with the elderly father of one of the caddies. The house didn't have double-glazed windows and was inadequate in many ways, one of which I would find out after having a shower the next morning after I had moved in. I put my towel to dry on the heater and before I knew it there was smoke everywhere, the dial had melted and we were probably a few minutes away from having to call the fire brigade! I had never seen a storage heater before and I didn't know of the potential danger by covering it with a towel. It quickly convinced me I had to move out. I approached Dave Lindsay, a fellow caddie to see if I could stay at his but he could only help from the following Monday, fortunately Si Grady helped me out and I enjoyed staying with him from Thursday to Monday. But the several moves and the upset of going from place to place had ruined my routine and eventually I had a breakdown on the golf course, I was crying uncontrollably for seemingly no reason and I had reached the decision that I had to take myself out of the situation.
I chatted emotionally with mum and dad and decided to end my time caddying at St Andrews. It was not an easy decision but I told Robert Thorpe and we parted company, he told me to keep the badge and bib just in case that I ever wanted to return. The next 12 months would be the hardest of my life, rejection after rejection and job after job being missed out on, it was even harder than following Woolworths closure. In September of 2012 though I had a brainwave, I had been clogging up social media with my thoughts about golf and decided that I would start putting these to better use in a blog online and the day following the 2012 Ryder Cup I published my very first blog - Golf's Greatest Day.
I never ran out of material to write about and in January of 2013 a former Myerscough golf professional, Stuart Blair put me in touch with a former student, Stephen Nicholson, Stephen runs a digital golf magazine called Golfin Mag and he published my blogs on their website. Later that month I had another brainwave, why not do this myself? So I approached Colin Donaldson, a fellow caddie and co-owner of Rascals Bar and owner of the Melvion Club, about starting a golf magazine in St Andrews, The Home of Golf. This required me to be in St Andrews, but despite saying I could return the caddie master went back on his promise and left me desperately searching for work so that I could make the dream of a golf magazine in St Andrews become reality. After three trips from the South of England and one from Cologne (yes, Cologne!) I finally had the break I needed.
I was in the St Andrews Golf Club with Colin having a meeting about the magazine and we went for a drink and sat next to Shaun Singer, former caddie assistant and son of Lena, the bar manager at the New Golf Club. "My mum needs someone" he said, "she needs someone reliable and who could be there longer than a student". So I went to meet Lena the next day and after a short interview and tour of the golf club the job was mine. Adding the New Golf Club to Gleneagles, St Andrews Links and Royal County Down was something which made me immensely proud and the magazine was set to become reality.
In have now been working at the New Golf Club for nearly five months and the magazine project is moving along slowly but surely towards a launch. I am staying in the St Andrews Tourist Hostel and tonight I will be celebrating my 30th birthday with around 20 people at Rascals Bar and the Vic in St Andrews. Following 12 months of the hell of unemployment I am now at peace and now focused on the future of owning one of the world's great new golf publications and working in one of the great golf clubs of the world. It has taken 10 years but finally my dreams of a career in the golf industry have been fulfilled and none of it would have been possible without attending Myerscough College. The last decade has been like a rollercoaster, hopefully the next decade will be slightly less up and down but nevertheless I am ready for whatever life throws at me. Here's to the future!
I asked several past students who I studied and lived with to recall their experiences and share a little about themselves, and how Myerscough has helped them get to where they are in 2013. This blog was completed with the assistance and expressed permission of all featured.
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| Chris Hanson Challenge Tour professional |
HooperstarGolfer: Recall your first day at Myerscough
Chris Hanson: "I had already been to an Open Day, so kind of knew my way around, also a friend started with me that first day so it was pretty easy.
I remember everyone sat around introducing themselves, where they are from, golf handicap and ambitions. At the time I was the lowest handicap to start that year so you kind of get accepted straight away, not that it should be that way… but that's sport I guess"
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc.)
Chris Hanson: "I am living in Huddersfield, as always have (other than Myerscough) and I have played full time Professional Golf since leaving the college the summer of 2005."
"Loved every minute - my own boss and get to travel the world playing a sport I love."
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Chris Hanson: "My golf career has taken me to 24 countries across 5 continents including Austria, La Gomera, UAE, India, Colombia, Finland, Norway, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Czech Republic, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Azores, Lanzarote, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and England"
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
Chris Hanson: "My only other option would of been to go to college in Huddersfield studying sport I guess. But since the age of 14 I knew Myerscough was the place for me. Golf, golf and more golf!!"
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Chris Hanson: "100% - if it was not for college, I would never have played as much golf as i did, my bedroom was 50 yards from the chipping green. If I would of been at home, I could never have practiced as much as I did there!"
"Also getting to compete all the time with the tour at Myerscough and with friends at the 9 hole course there."
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Chris Hanson: "Playing golf everyday with my best mates, and still seeing those same mates now!!! So many great memories!!! Too many to list, and many I can't!"
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| Phil Waine Golf Operations Manager / Golf Professional at Abu Dhabi National Golf Club, UAE |
HooperstarGolfer: Recall your first day at Myerscough
Phil Waine: "My first day at Myerscough was a nervous but exciting occasion as it was the first time that I lived away from home and didn’t know anyone that attended the College. However I was really looking forward to the experience and the year ahead."
"I remember our first class that we attended after the initial introduction with the principle which was hosted by Rick Daniels. In that session we all had to introduce ourselves to everyone by describing ourselves in 3 words. This is when Glenn Lowry described himself in those 3 famous words:
Booze, fanny and chips"
"In the class I sat next to +Matt Hooper and Paul Prescott in the middle back row and my answer to the question was quite standard and boring like hardworking, determined, honest etc."
"The rest of the day was just getting to know our fellow classmates and looking at the on-site facilities. I remember standing next to Gaz Irwin in the library as he was wearing his horrendous Liverpool cream away shirt from 97. If he was wearing his Burberry shirt that day then I probably wouldn’t have spoken to him."
"Looking back at those three years there we had a great group of people in our class and an exceptional group of lecturers in Rick, Drew and Dom."
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc.)
Phil Waine: "I am currently the Golf Operations Manager at Abu Dhabi Golf Club managed by Troon Golf which is host to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. I am also a PGA Qualified Professional were I graduated in 2012 from the PGA. Currently I am living in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates."
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Phil Waine: "After working for 2 years at local Golf Clubs in Merseyside after graduating I eventually got my big break by working at the Marriott Forest of Arden in the Midlands as a Golf Coordinator. After two and half years here I then made the move to Abu Dhabi as Tournament Coordinator."
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
Phil Waine: "No I was originally enrolled at Edgehill University to do an Advertising degree. After having a last minute induction with Drew Wallace due to my dad finding the course on the internet I decided to take the course. Definitely a career changing decision and something I’m so glad I did. I remember Drew explaining the course in-depth and he really sold it well to me and my dad. As soon as we walked out the library we both agreed that I should attend this course."
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Phil Waine: "I wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for Myerscough and the tutors (especially Rick). Even after graduating, Rick really helped me get my first big break at the Forest of Arden two years after Myerscough. The qualifications I obtained at the college also helped get that position, especially my Event Management module."
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Phil Waine: "There have been so many over those 3 years. I think overall it’s the friends I made during those 3 years who I still speak to today and how a lot of them have done so well and have great jobs within the golf industry from the PGA Headquarters, Royal and Ancient to International Coaching and Operations roles around the world. It makes my current role so much easier today when I have these contacts worldwide that are a phone call away, especially Ed Johnson who helps me with ruling decisions."
"The trips away were an amazing experience for us and to work at international golf events. This was something that my other friends from school who did other degrees were so jealous of as they never travelled away."
"The biggest highlight for me by a distance was to caddy in the Curtis Cup at Formby in 2004 for Jane Park who was fourball and foursomes partner with Paula Creamer. I had some interesting conversations with Paula Creamer that week. I remember standing on the first tee of the Sunday singles waiting to tee off and the first hole was 3 rows deep all the way to the green and beyond. I then remember Ross Parker (who was caddying for our opposing player) whispering I my ear “what are we doing here” and “are you up for Tok’s tonight”. It was a surreal experience."
"I was lucky to live in Conder Halls with a great group of guys. We then got our own house together (80 Norris Street) in which there were 7 of us living together. The banter in that house for two years was amazing and surprisingly we never got our housing deposit back."
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| Abigail Thomasson Football analyst at Press Association and Lecturer in Teacher Education at Myerscough College |
HooperstarGolfer: Recall your first day at Myerscough
Abigail Thomasson: "Waiting ages in a room to enrol, and analysing everyone else in the room to figure out who I should avoid and who I should try and talk too.
"Being very embarrassed when asked to explain to the rest of the new group who I am, what I have done, and why I want to be on the course, and then to realise I am the only female on the course."
"Waiting ages in the freshers week que to get into Squires with a random bunch from my residential block, and being so happy to see some of my course group in there already getting smashed."
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc)
Abigail Thomasson: "After leaving Myerscough, I went on to obtain a BA(Hons) in Sports Studies followed by a PGCE. I now work for the college as a Teacher Educator, delivering PGCE modules and training the next batch of newly appointed Golf Lecturers, some of which are ex golf students them selves. Previous to this I was the FdA Sports coaching course tutor and delivered select L3 modules within the Golf Studies course. Whilst working for the college in these positions I have obtained a MEd in Inclusivity and SEN to support my current role."
"I have an additional job as a Premiership Football Analysist on behalf of the Press Association, collected player data for Sky Sports, BBC, Hego group and Opta."
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Abigail Thomasson: "I have been to New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey coaching football. I have been to Portugal, Valencia working for the European tour. I have travelled to all the North West Premiere League clubs in the last 3 seasons to analyse football games. I have taken groups of students to Hurgarda Egypt, to complete their PADI scuba diving licence. I have climbed the 3 peaks with Myerscough students. I travel to the Wentworth BMW PGA championship each year just for the hell of it."
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough? Were there other options for you?
Abigail Thomasson: "I studied Sports Coaching at the college. I had alternative options at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni, however I loved the Myerscough Campus, atmosphere and tutors so choose to study here."
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Abigail Thomasson: "Of course, they have introduced me to relevant people within my industry to help me achieve my career goals. They have supported and funded most of my educational studies and coaching qualifications. The sports industry links they have are excellent."
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Abigail Thomasson: "In the context of my student days, organised sports trips and events, the first experience of the golf tour dinner, Tuesday nights at the stumble, the friends and tutors I have met along the way and generally being the best years of my life."
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| Tom Miles |
HooperstarGolfer: Recall your first day at Myerscough
Tom Miles: "First day I recall dropping off my stuff, saying goodbye to my parents and then meeting my neighbour the one and only Gareth Irwin, he made it a lot easier to settle in, we realised very soon we had the same interests and got along really well! Then we went together to the induction thingy and I’m pretty sure a trip to the Stumble followed in the evening where Gareth started his addiction to the Kebab fruit machine."
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc)
Tom Miles: "At the moment I’m working as a Sports instructor at Center Parcs, teaching kids various sports and running sport tournaments for the guests."
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Tom Miles: "Since leaving I have done Football coaching in the States and travelled all around America, I have also been travelling around South America. These were amazing life experiences."
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
Tom Miles: "I just loved playing golf as a youngster and the thought of playing while studying was just too good to turn down, my other option was to do an I.T course but once I knew about Myerscough I was hooked on the idea."
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Tom Miles: "Not really, I teach Tri Golf to children that’s as close as it gets, I came to realise that I really enjoy playing golf but that didn’t necessary mean I wanted to work in the golf industry. I’m currently looking at getting into Primary School Teaching and hoping to start a course next year. Won’t be anywhere near as fun as Myerscough mind!"
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Tom Miles: "Mainly what a good laugh it was. Pretty much the whole way through it was just one laugh after another. Nights out were always a great laugh, a special mention to Carnage! One word messy! The days away on the prospects tour were always good fun, although I don’t think I ever lived up to my potential! Lol! The class room was always full of banter; ha I think the tutors were just big kids themselves which helped! Living in 80 Norris St was obviously a massive highlight, loved that place and the people who were in it! Overall some great memories and some great people met along the way! Really need a reunion soon!"
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| Martin Kelly |
Martin Kelly: "I can't really remember my first day at Myerscough, apart from going down with the parents and moving in rather easily and then meeting the guys in halls. Everyone seemed really friendly and i could tell that i had made a good decision is going to Myerscough.
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc)
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
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| Stephen Nicholson Executive director, Golfin Mag |
Stephen Nicholson: "Being a swot and practising my golf with the right outside our room with the legend that is Mr Howie Roberts, my first year roomie!!"
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc)
Stephen Nicholson: "Own an online golf magazine called Golfin Mag, consult for other brands regarding brand development, marketing and social media"
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Stephen Nicholson: "Suit salesman, advertising sales all over the UK, In my current roles, to Dubai, the US and Europe"
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
Stephen Nicholson: "I had no idea what to do for college, I just loved playing golf, then my Dad said you can do a course at Myerscough studying golf... I was like hell yeah!!"
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Stephen Nicholson: "Of course, the knowledge that I picked up and more importantly the people that I met and the friends I made form a big part of my life and ultimately have been incorporated within my business."
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Stephen Nicholson: "Apart from the nights out which I generally can't remember anyway, the tour was amazing and especially the trips to Mallorca and the three tour finals and, representing the Uni team of course but my best memory must have been when I got on the trip to the Isle of Man last minute, we played Rowany I believe on the last day and it was blowing wildly, I always used to thrive on playing in poor conditions and coming down the last I saw my mate Andy Carter waiting intently by the 18th green... He had shot +5 and leading at the time, it was great to see his face drop as I said and then sunk my 10 foot putt for birdie to shoot level par gross!!! All the other groups came in and nobody got near that score, it comes as a pretty good memory as in that field that day was a certain Mr Hanson, who is not doing too badly!!"
"My other great memory was being on the 10th green at Millenium and myself and Matt 'Wally' Smith were taking on the legends of Dom and Drew, i had hit it to about 60 feet, severely downhill, about 10 feet of right to left break... I heard Dommy say, 'this kid's gonna struggle keeping it on the surface...' I said to myself that I was gonna hole it, about 20 seconds later in it dropped and the look on the man's face was priceless, I shot 3 under gross that day which was also a great memory!"
"The last great memory was arranging our own event in Portugal, the Ryder Cup style events that we did, the whole thing was great and it was Dom and Drew's last ever trip away as they were both leaving so on the last nite we had the dinner and gave the leaving duo farewell gifts and goodies and it was probably the only moment in my life that Mr Sainsbury said anything remotely serious and meant it. Really poignant moment and a fab memory to end on!"
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| Dan Wood PGA professional at Hirsel Golf Club |
Dan Wood: "Pass"
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc)
Dan Wood: "Head Professional @ Hirsel GC, Coldstream, Scottish Borders"
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Dan Wood: "3years doing PGA training at Eyemouth Gc, (PGA course via Birmingham). Travelled Scotland playing Scottish Region PGA"
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
Dan Wood: "From 14/15 it was clear a career in golf was all i ever wanted! As most kids it was all about turning and playing pro golf but as i learned the industry i found a different avenue"
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Dan Wood: "Myerscough helped me to grow up and mature as a person! It helped me to meet new people and create life long friends and networks. My golf also improved and managed to get to +1 during uni says. The Golf management course also made the PGA course alot easier and allowed me to stroll through it"
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Dan Wood: "Playing for Uclan team and chasing order of merit points"
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| Ed Johnson Manager - Amateur championships for the R&A |
HooperstarGolfer: Recall your first day at Myerscough
Ed Johnson: "Slightly daunting but excited. Sat in Ben Thompson’s bedroom eating a cheese toastie and drinking a few cans of Foster’s!"
HooperstarGolfer: What is your current situation? (employment, location etc.)
Ed Johnson: "Manager – Amateur Events, The R&A. Live in St Andrews. Work in the Championship Department for The R&A organising all R&A Amateur events such as The Amateur Championship and the Boys Amateur Championship and International Matches such as The Walker Cup, St Andrews Trophy and Jacques Leglise Trophy."
"I also orgamnise and administer the who Open Championship Qualifying structure from Regional, to Local, to International Qualifying. R&A qualified in Rules of Golf."
HooperstarGolfer: Where in the world have you been since leaving Myerscough College?
Ed Johnson: "With the PGA in old position, refereed Open Championship in 2011 at Royal St George’s, Las Vegas twice, The Bahamas, Spain, Portugal, France, Scottsdale Arizona."
"With The R&A, Bangkok twice, Dallas Texas, China and obviously all over the UK in both roles."
HooperstarGolfer: Was it always your ambition to go to Myerscough and study golf? Were there other options for you?
Ed Johnson: "No, its only cause my mum found the course for me and made me go on an induction day. I was considering English or business studies in sixth form with little idea what to do. When I heard about the course, it sounded too good to be true. Following the induction, there was no doubt where I wanted to go. A bit of a gamble but best decision I’ve ever made. Without doing the course at Myerscough, I couldn’t have met Rick Daniels and hence be where I am now."
HooperstarGolfer: Has Myerscough helped you get where you are now and if so how?
Ed Johnson: "See above. Absolutely. Without Mysecough, I wouldn’t possibly be where I am now. Brilliant course and great place to learn a lot of vital skills to work in the golf industry."
HooperstarGolfer: What are your best memories of Myerscough College?
Ed Johnson: "My mates on the course and keeping in touch with them. Also, doing the event management part of the course and rganising two charity golf events. Was great fun and gave me the experience and desire to want to do something like that for a career."
Aside from these outstanding examples of Myerscough graduates and the incredible careers most of them have gone on to have there are many other former Myerscough students who have forged a career in the golf industry since leaving
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| Nicole Elise-Taylor Retail Manager, Els Club in Dubai |
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| Stephen Deane Head Academy PGA Professional, Emirates Golf Club in Dubai |
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| Martin Fishwick Retail Manager and Golf Professional, Willow Valley Golf |
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| Ben Thompson Corporate Golf Coordinator, The Grove |
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| Chris Horn Frenchman's Creek Beach and Country Club, Florida |
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