Huddersfield golfer Dylan Shaw-Radford eyeing England success at Moortown in exciting summer ahead

Even on a warm day, the wind on those tops can be a biting one. There is a door to an old Ice House, a relic from when the land was a country estate, and more often than not, players who walk from the 15th green up the slope to the 16th tee will see a young man stood on his own on the fringe of the green; chipping, pitching, putting, grinding.

For that small green is Dylan Shaw-Radford’s office, his classroom. The 18-year-old, who this weekend represents England in an international match against France at Moortown Golf Club in Leeds, spends hour upon hour up there.

If you can’t find him by the Ice House, he’ll be on the range at a course affectionately known as Fixby, or at the nearby Crosland Heath Golf Club where he is also a member. Since first picking up a club at the age of 10, golf has been Shaw-Radford’s life.

“I guess I was fairly late to it really,” he begins. “I went to the driving range with some friends and when they stopped I carried on with it and quite enjoyed it. I live right next door to one so it was easy for me to go and hit a few balls.

“I think what initially got me into it was the fact I was a little bit better than the mates I was going with so that made me feel a bit better doing it. But to become better I had to practice and practice. That’s what I love about the game, always striving to get better and better. You’ll never fully ‘get’ golf, there’s always something that you can improve. It’s almost never-ending that quest to get better.”

There is also a talent to go with this obvious work-ethic.

Shaw-Radford began competing in tournaments up and down the country when he was 14. “It got to the stage where I was playing against internationals and holding my own and it just made me want to do it more and more,” he says.

He has been on the England Golf radar for a few years now, representing his country at the European Amateur Team Championship, R&A Men’s Home Internationals and an England versus Spain international match last year, a summer in which he also finished second at the Irish Men’s Amateur Championship.

In March he won the Sunningdales Foursomes, an achievement he rates as his best so far but in time hopes will be regarded as just a stepping stone.

He took the bold decision last summer to quit his A-levels and put his education on hold to dedicate all his time to his craft. He considered taking a golf scholarship in America but right now it’s not for him.

“My coach is over here, my set-up is here. I’m able to get away with England during the winter time as well,” explains Shaw-Radford. “I’ve got a good set-up, the clubs I’m a member at are very well equipped so I try to make as good a job of it as I can do.”

He has an exciting year ahead. It begins this weekend when close family and members of his two clubs are set to watch him represent England at Moortown. He also has the British Amateur and the Brabazon Trophy on his radar, plus for the first time, attempting to qualify for the Open.

“There’s always been a boys event on at the same time but I’m hoping this year I’ll be able to give it a shot and see what happens,” he beams, looking ahead to regional qualifying to try and get into the field for Troon.

As for the future, turning professional is the plan. The ‘when’ is the only issue.

He could follow the path of another Yorkshire teen golfing prospect in Joshua Berry of Doncaster who last year went to the DP World Tour’s Qualifying School as an amateur and turned pro upon qualifying.

Or he could stay as an amateur all the way up to next summer’s Walker Cup. “Next year it’s at Cypress Point (California) which would be an amazing experience. If I’m in the running for that team I would definitely try hanging on to play that,” he says.

“It was also amazing what Josh did, played just really well at every single stage of Q School and now he’s playing on tour, and we’re still doing all this. It just shows anything can happen. Funnily enough the first stage is around Huddersfield, the first year they’ve had it. It’s a real advantage and one I should look to take.

“I’m hoping to turn professional, when that is I don’t know. I’m just concentrating on the year ahead. I’ll give the full season everything I have and then see where I am at the end of it. It’s whenever I feel, and my coaches feel, that I’m ready.”