A dad’s Sunday morning suggestion led to his son embarking on a successful golfing career.
Lewis Forsyth, from Southport, was at home one Sunday morning in 2020 with little to do when his dad Andy came up with an idea. Andy, 49, originally from Formby, told the ECHO: “It was during lockdown. They let you play golf as a form of exercise. I said, come on, let’s get out. It was just to get him out of the house really for some exercise.”
Andy plays regularly at Hurlston Hall Golf and Country Club in Ormskirk with his friends. After a few sessions, it was clear to Andy that his son was very talented. He said: “When you just know, you know.
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“He was a good footballer, and a pretty good all-rounder at sports to be honest. But I was surprised that he could hit a ball that well.”
It was a bit of a surprise for Lewis too. He said that he had only visited the driving range “the odd time” before this trip and had watched a bit of golf on TV.
Lewis, now 13, was determined to continue to improve, so along with two school friends opted to do golfing classes at the Tommy Fleetwood Academy on Monday evenings after school a year later.
After just two weeks, Lewis was asked by Tommy Fleetwood Academy coach, Norman Marshall, to move into his elite academy group. This cohort of younger golfers comprised his team that competed at regional, national & international tournaments, and obtained his first handicap of just 15.
Andy said: “Norman, who was Tommy Fleetwood’s junior coach, pulled me over, and said, ‘he’s got potential, can he train with my kids on a Saturday?’ They’re more of his academy players.
“Lewis went into that. To be honest, he held his own. Some of the kids there had played a lot longer. Some were going to world championships that year.”
Lewis went on to play in the world championships himself in Ireland last year, where he finished 38th out of 250 participants. Lewis described it as the highlight of his golfing career so far, adding: “I was really excited but a bit nervous.”
It’s also a stand out moment for Andy. He said: “When he was in Ireland, he was on the tee. They introduced his name and country. I thought wow, I couldn’t do that. He really has surprised me. He’s laid back but fully embraced it. He’s unfazed.
“Going from playing someone who’s from say, Manchester, then you’re playing someone from America, Canada – for me that’s a standout moment.”
Lewis has also appeared at the Robert Rock European event in Portugal, where he finished the three-day event in eighth place overall, as a 12-year-old in the under 15’s bracket.
In the year that followed, Lewis secured high place finishes at several notable events, including winning the Scottish Links Challenge, and a top 40 finish in the Under 15s World Championship. He would also play in a major nationwide event, which was also a qualifier for the 2024 World Championships. Lewis won this event, enabling him to participate in this prestigious event in 2024.
Lewis has continued in his quest to reduce his handicap with a record gross 74 round of completion tees at Hillside Golf Club, where he has played with two under 18 England players as a 13-year-old and has beaten one of them.
Lewis is determined to make it to the top in the sport. He said: “I really enjoy golf and want to make a living out of it. I just try and play as much as you can.”
Andy has seen this determination first hand. He said: “Over the winter, when most weren’t playing golf, he was going out in the rain, in the wind. He didn’t sit back and see it as an opportunity for a break.
“Quite a lot of times, I’ll get home from work and I’ll say, where’s Lewis? And he’ll be playing golf with his mates at Hillside. I’ve never wanted to push him. He’s not doing it for anyone else. He just wants to improve.”
Lewis praised the work of his private coach Tim Hastings for helping him improve. He also thanked his dad and mum Emma for taking him around the country and world for tournaments.
This hasn’t come cheap for his parents. Golf is an expensive sport, with Andy estimating that he put £20,000 towards his son’s dreams last year.
He is now being helped by the Seventy Ninth group, a Southport-based asset management group who have pledged to contribute towards the flights Lewis will need to catch for future tournaments.
Dave Webster, Chairman at The Seventy Ninth Group, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Lewis and his family as he continues his rise through the junior ranks. I played with Tommy Fleetwood when he was a teenager and, in my opinion, Lewis is even better at an even younger age.
“Lewis is an incredible talent with a number of fantastic results already under his belt. We are very excited to watch his journey over the coming years and hope we can support in helping him achieve his goals.”
Lewis is relishing the opportunity to return to Ireland and also play in Dubai for the first time. When asked if he was happy that his idea of a trip to the golf club had led to his son’s international success, Andy said: “It was just nice to get out and spend a Sunday morning with my son. It was nice that Lewis was able to do that with me.
“I like to go to the golf club early in the morning so we’re back for lunch. I’ve suggested to him lots of times at 7am in the morning that we could go and he’s never once complained.
“He handles himself very well. He played for 3 prestigious clubs. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
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