Freddie Lawrence

In June 2022, I had the pleasure of interviewing Freddie Lawrence.

Based in St Andrews, Freddie shared a fascinating insight into the steps required to train, qualify, and work as a professional caddie at the Home of Golf. He also talked at length about his amateur golf career and the long-term aspiration to turn professional … and much much more. This interview resulted in the article Freddie Lawrence – Caddie, Podcaster, Golfer.

Several Golfing Herald readers have recently contacted me enquiring …

“What happened next in Freddie Lawrence’s golfing journey?”

As Freddie and I have kept in touch, I must honestly say that I know some of the answers to this overarching multi-faceted question … but certainly not all.

Freddie kindly agreed to another interview to share more of his golfing journey to thoroughly answer the question raised by our readers.

I hope you enjoy the sequel …

First Tee

(Golfing Herald): I teed off the sequel by asking Freddie to share some highlights from his 2023 season.

(Freddie): 2023 was a very positive year for me, especially on a local level. I was very happy with that as 2022 was not my best year. When we last spoke (for the interview), I was in the middle of one of my worst seasons, and that provided the spark for having a better season in 2023. In terms of some highlights and results at St Andrews Links, it is generally considered within the town of St Andrews that there are three major events on the local men’s amateur calendar.

R&A Gold Medal

(Golfing Herald): What are those major events?

(Freddie): The first is for the best 60 players at St Andrews, where you play 18 holes on the Old Course on a Sunday morning, which is a very special occasion. The top 12 players and ties play another 18 holes on the Old Course in the afternoon. Effectively a 36-hole scratch championship played over a single day. That was a fun day for me last year. I have made the cut in previous years but have never been in contention, but last year I shot 2 under par in the morning, and then shot 5 under par in the afternoon. I finished runner-up, missing out by a single shot to my friend Colin Loveday! People were upset for me but I was delighted that I had put together two solid rounds.

(Golfing Herald): You must have taken lots of positives from the day, despite just losing out.

(Freddie): Absolutely … it showed me what I was capable of.

(Golfing Herald): If you had tied with Colin, would there have been a playoff?

(Freddie): Yes, there would have been a playoff. After I had finished my second round I went straight into Forgan House, which is next to the 18th green, as the R&A clubhouse is being refurbished. I just tried to chill out before focusing on the possibility of extra holes.

(Golfing Herald): By that, I assume you finished your second round before Colin?

(Freddie): Yes … I was in the penultimate group and Colin was in the last group. Colin needed to par the last to get it done, which he did. No hard feelings … I still won a bottle of whisky, so that was a great start to the season!

Club Championship

(Golfing Herald): As you say a great start … so what is the second major event within the amateur golf calendar at St Andrews?

(Freddie): That is the Club Championship, which for me is the New Golf Club, St Andrews … and once again I was the runner-up! I lost in the final on the Old Course, which was tough. I was moving house that week and my dad was up in St Andrews to help me move. It was a pretty chaotic week … there was a 36-hole qualifying event, then I won 4&3 in the round of 16, 4&3 in the quarter-final, 4&3 in the semi-final … I was just blazing a trail! So, I reached the final but lost to Jim Woods, whose previous Club Championship final was in 1993, the year before I was born! He is now in his early sixties but he practises so hard that winning the Championship could not have happened to a nicer guy. Moving house during the day and playing matchplay golf in the evening was a long week for sure.

F G Tait Medal

(Golfing Herald): Runner-up twice so far, but playing well … so what is the final event of the three majors?

(Freddie): The Freddie Tait Medal …and I know that you did an article about Freddie Tait. What a golfer, what a man … died at the age of 30 in the Second Boer War, but he achieved so much during his short golfing career. For those that do not know, the F G Tait Medal is awarded to the winner of the town (St Andrews) wide scratch matchplay championship, open to all golfers who are members of golf clubs in St Andrews. It is played on the New Course with the quarter-final, semi-final and final all played during the same week. I had a good run to the quarter-final … I then won 5&4 in the quarters and the semis, reached the final and won. It was nice not to be the bridesmaid … third time lucky. A lot of learning to get to that point, but winning was satisfying, especially considering where I had come from in 2022. It means that I am currently the Links Matchplay Champion of St Andrews!

Victory Cup

(Golfing Herald): And your name will join an illustrious roll of honour … ad infinitum. Over and above the major competitions you have covered, St Andrews also hosts several annual tournaments, attracting golfers from around the world, such as the Eden Tournament and the St Andrews Links Trophy. I must put my hands up and say I know that you played in the former during 2023 … over to you to tell all!

(Freddie): The Eden Tournament in 2023 was a pretty big turning point for me. I would say it was the first time I have achieved something while being nowhere near my peak level. My driver was flying everywhere (to say the least), and I felt like I had no control over my irons. My putting was OK though, which ended up saving me in a big way. The field for the Eden Tournament is never the deepest, but there are plenty of excellent and accomplished golfers at the top end who play the event most years, and in 2023 I managed to win qualifying over the New and Eden courses! In blustery conditions across 2 days, I ended up being the only player under par, shooting a 69 on the New and 71 on the Eden, for a 1 under-par aggregate score. I received the prestigious Victory Cup for my efforts, which is a piece of history, as the Cup dates to 1919. Competing in such an event without my best game was a true confidence booster because it made me feel like I had materially raised the floor of my golfing ability.

(Golfing Herald): To score low in challenging conditions without your ‘A’ game was some achievement … how did the rest of the tournament unfold after the 36-hole qualifying stage?

(Freddie): I was seeded #1 after winning the qualifying stage. I won my round of 64, the round of 32, and the round of 16 matches on the Eden course, before eventually losing in the quarter-finals to a former EuroPro Tour golfer, which was disappointing because I wanted to win and sign off from my local St Andrews tournament season with a flourish … but sadly it was not to be.

Westward Ho!

(Golfing Herald): I am just going to take a moment to summarise your 2023 golfing curriculum vitae … Gold Medal Runner-Up, Club Championship Runner-Up, Links Matchplay Champion and the leading qualifier in the Eden Tournament … not bad!

(Freddie): Yeah … not bad!

(Golfing Herald): Did you play in any high-profile amateur events away from St Andrews during 2023?

(Freddie): Yes … at a national level the best result I had last year was when I travelled down from St Andrews to Royal North Devon Golf Club (Westward Ho!) to play in the West of England Championship. I finished 9th which was very satisfying. That was at the end of April, which kick-started my year, and very much initiated the success for the rest of the season.

Handicap Index

(Golfing Herald): When the first article was published your Handicap Index was +1.2 … rolling the golfing clock forward, what is your current Handicap Index?

(Freddie): As you say, the last time we chatted it was +1.2, which is satisfying to look back on, because my current Handicap Index is +3.4 … though I do not worry too much about my handicap, as for me it is very much about the overall process and attempting to get better. The results are nice and it is an honour to be the Links Champion of St Andrews, but if I had finished runner-up again, I would have still had a good year.

Turning Professional

(Golfing Herald): Maybe I should adopt your philosophy with my current Handicap Index of 20.6! Moving swiftly on … as I called out in the prologue (to this article), I am aware of some of the answers to the question raised by several readers, in that you have decided to join the paid ranks. What specific criteria, if any, did you consider in making this decision now?

(Freddie): As you know, it is always something I have wanted to do and something I have strived to do, ever since I graduated from the University of St Andrews in 2017. At that point, I was a 3 handicap, and when I played my first competition (after graduating) I went up to a 4 handicap! As I said a few moments ago I have always strived to improve, and one day reach a point, where turning Professional could be a sustainable career … to play in tournaments, to be competitive, and to make money … otherwise there would be no point.

(Golfing Herald): Do you think your relatively poor season in 2022 influenced or delayed your decision to turn Professional?

(Freddie): I do not think at that point I was entertaining the idea of turning Pro. I am always trying to become as good as I can be but at the end of 2022 it was just a wilderness of amateur golf, and there was no question of turning Pro back then. To answer your question why now … quite simply, I have no money left from my caddie savings! I cannot just kick the can up the road any more … it is a now-or-never situation. Over the years I have caddied for many people on the Old Course and at Dumbarnie Links and heard so many different stories from people from different backgrounds … and the one thing I have learnt from that time as a caddie is that everybody has regrets, but the people with best stories just got on with it. That has been my driver over the past 7 years playing full-time amateur golf … just do it, and if it does not work out then at least I have tried. If I just took a 9 to 5 job, I would probably always regret not making the most of the golfing opportunities, especially living in St Andrews!

(Golfing Herald): Having no regrets aligns with one of my favourite paraphrased quotations…”The brave don’t live forever, but the cautious don’t live at all”.

(Freddie): I will have to remember that saying! So, I am now taking the plunge, and turning Professional … and I believe I am now good enough to turn pro, with a clearly defined blueprint for success. I know now what I need to do that works for me and I know what does not work for me in a much better way, through the experiences I have had in the amateur events in 2023. What works for me is a mantra for me right now. A good example is from May 2022, just before we had our chat (for the first article) when I was invited to a game at Loch Lomond. The hotel I stayed at the night before had a gym, and I did this heavy workout … I went out the next day and played atrociously, to the point where our host, who was a 26-handicapper was just abusing me on every tee, saying things like “Do you actually play of such a low handicap?”! He was my partner on the day and I had let him down big time, and I am very sorry to him for that. The reason I share this story is at the time I was not aware of how heavy training the night before a game of golf can effectively wreck your body … it is little things like that where you must crash into a wall and learn! I have continually learnt over the past 7 years whilst playing full-time amateur golf, refining the blueprint to the point where I had success last year … and the people in my team helping with that ongoing refinement. I now know exactly what I need to do. Back in 2022, I worked hard, but now I work smart, and so now all the hard work feels both productive and efficient … very much a positive snowball effect and that is what is exciting right now.

Club Pro vs. Playing Pro

(Golfing Herald): Did you ever have any thoughts of training to become a Club Professional, or has it always been a case of when this moment arrived to be a full-time playing Professional?

(Freddie): That is interesting … my dad used to be an Assistant Professional but never had the opportunity to finish the training. He did that when I think he was between 16 and 18 (late teens) … I would never rule out being a Club Professional or doing my PGA qualifications, as I love the idea of teaching and helping people. It is something that I would like to incorporate into my professional life, but for now, I want to see how good I can be at golf and how well I can compete. When it comes to being a Club Pro, there are not always competitive opportunities. One of my other main drivers is trophies … I love playing for trophies and it is hard to do that from a club shop sometimes.

Baptism of Fire

(Golfing Herald): Before we look forward, have you ever played in a professional tournament as an elite amateur?

(Freddie): Yes … things started to happen towards the end of last season that got me thinking about professional golf, initially trying to compete on the lower-level professional tours, and I wanted to have a taste of that. I have played in one professional event as an amateur, and that was a Tartan Pro Tour event in September last year, played at St Andrews. It was a cool experience. It was daunting, as the entry fee was high (about £200) compared to an amateur event, although technically amateurs can win back up to £700 … but I viewed it as an investment for a fabulous learning experience. I had Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open Champion, playing behind me over the first two days! I missed the cut by 3 shots, but it was a great experience. It was a 54-hole event played on the Jubilee Course … in fact, I started hot and was 2 under par after 4 and leading and then I was 3 under through 12. It was probably when I reached the 13th tee that I thought “This is fun, this seems possible”, and then I melted, and had a bad finish over the closing holes! But such a valuable experience.

(Golfing Herald): You must have learnt so much about yourself, especially over those closing holes.

(Freddie): Definitely … I say I melted, which is harsh on myself. I certainly did not score well on those holes, but the situation did not overwhelm me. Mentally, in terms of my routine, I was ready, and it gave me a taste of what it is all about. Having Paul Lawrie behind me was a baptism of fire for my first professional event!

Amateur to Professional

(Golfing Herald): Have you now officially relinquished your amateur status and become a playing professional?

(Freddie): No … right now I have not turned pro. My aim this year is to play on the 2024 Tartan Pro Tour, with the first event scheduled for the 14th to 16th of May at Montrose Golf Links, and that is when I will be looking to officially turn pro. I have a few amateur events up until then … a sort of amateur golf swansong!

(Golfing Herald): Do you have to complete and submit an application form to the relevant governing organisation, to be formally recognised as a Pro golfer in advance of this first Tartan Pro Tour event?

(Freddie): That is a very popular question that people ask. It does not involve anything other than showing up at the event and identifying as a professional. The way the rules around amateur status work now is that there are amateurs and non-amateurs, and there are five ways that an amateur can become a non-amateur. One of the ways is entering an event and saying you are a professional, and that is what I intend to do.

Tartan Pro Tour

(Golfing Herald): Have you entered the opening event of the 2024 Tartan Pro Tour?

(Freddie): That is a very valid question … not yet, but I intend to enter and play on as many of the Tartan Pro Tour events as possible.

(Golfing Herald): Do you have to pre-qualify to play in these events?

(Freddie): No, but when I enter the event at Montrose, I will have one of the lower categories. I will be categorised above any amateurs that enter, but below other professional golfers as I currently do not have any status on this tour. You cannot qualify to earn a status … you just pay an entry fee and hope to gain a place in the draw. There is a chance I will not get into events, but I will be making every effort to do so. If I must wait on the first tee as a reserve and wait for someone to pull out then that is what I will do, as my heart is set on these events.

(Golfing Herald): Assuming you do gain a place in the draw for these events, will you be able to familiarise yourself with the different courses in advance of the respective events?

(Freddie): For sure … some of the courses, such as Montrose, I have played before, but certainly there will be the option to play practice rounds. This year, I am probably going to try and play on the courses that I already know, to give myself the best chance to be as competitive, and as profitable, as possible. I believe there are about 15 events on the Tartan Pro Tour schedule this year. I will not play in all events, but I want to prepare well for those that I do play … hopefully 10 to 12 events.

(Golfing Herald): Are all these events over 54 holes, with a cut after 36 holes, as per the event last year on the Jubilee Course?

(Freddie): Yes, they are, though the Tour has just announced an end-of-season tournament, where the top 30 players in the order of merit will play in a guaranteed money event, which I think is to be played at the Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeen … very much a carrot on the end of the stick!

(Golfing Herald): Will this tour also be returning to the Jubilee Course where you had such a great experience last year playing as an amateur?

(Freddie): Yes … it is scheduled for the same time as last year, in the middle of September. It would be nice to be in a position by then to be doing well and build upon my experience of playing in last year’s event.

(Golfing Herald): Living in St Andrews, the Jubilee Course is literally on your doorstep … but what about the other courses on the schedule from a travelling/accommodation perspective?

(Freddie): For most of them I will be able to drive to on the day … such as Ladybank, Leven Links and Blairgowrie. I think my limit will be about an hour of driving so that I can still have time for a good warm-up, and be OK. Any further and I will find accommodation, so I can be at a course in good time to warm up, which is all part of good preparation. I am also looking to stay with friends for the events at Portlethen and Roxburghe.

Goals and Aspirations

(Golfing Herald): Linked to the Tartan Pro Tour order of merit, what goals have you set for your first season as a playing professional?

(Freddie): I am careful when it comes to setting result-based goals, especially as I am going to be the newbie on the scene, and I do not want to be disrespectful to the other guys who are already established on the Tartan Pro Tour. A lot of my goals this year will be process-focused. My main goal is to be an excellent professional in what I do, live every day right, eat well, do my gym work, stay fit, put in the practice, treat my sponsors well and give them the time they deserve. I want to be a world-class operator on a world-class tour, but that is the goal ‘down the line’. That is not going to happen in a single jump. I have short-term goals which are process-based in terms of looking after myself and looking after my body because the minute I lose my body there is no golf, and the dream is over. So, I need to look after myself … there is no backup … and always do my business with dignity and respect for others. One of my friends who is advising me says “You are like a start-up company and some start-ups fail, whilst others take off”. That is where I am right now, trying to establish solid fundamentals like any start-up company would, to give myself the best chance to (hopefully) one day “take off” whenever the time comes or the opportunity arises.

Q-School

(Golfing Herald): The days of just turning up at the 1st tee with 14 golf clubs, a golf bag, and some golf balls, and hoping to be successful are long gone!

(Freddie): Absolutely … you most definitely need a plan. My plan this year is to play on the Tartan Pro Tour, but I am looking to enter the DP World Tour Q-School, which has three qualifying stages running from September to November, and I would have to enter qualifying at the first stage. When the dates and venues are published there could be a clash with the schedule of the Tartan Pro Tour, but I will plan accordingly in due course. Q-school is certainly something not to be taken lightly … for example, last year the entry fee alone was £2500 and it is going up every year, and that is before travel and accommodation. It is not a light undertaking, so if I do enter, I want to be prepared to give myself the best opportunity … and that is the beauty of golf, in that one day you could be a no-one and the next day, someone! Did you see the recent story about Joe Dean, who is working as a delivery driver for a supermarket to fund his career to play on the DP World Tour? He then finished runner-up in a recent tournament and won a life-changing amount!

(Golfing Herald): Yes, I read the story … and a perfect example of, in your words, the beauty of golf. Indeed, Joe helped me with one of my earlier articles, and I watched him play a few years ago on the 2020protour. He was the English Amateur Champion back in 2015, so he has certainly put in the hard yards over the past decade.

(Freddie): His story is inspiring. He is the same age as me (29), and he got his card via Q-School at the end of last year, but does not have the money to play in most of the events … then he comes second in the Kenya Open! It just makes you think that if you are playing good enough golf, you can make it … you just need to play good enough golf! Q-School provides an opportunity to all, whatever your background or however you did throughout your amateur career. At the end of the day, it is all about your ability to shoot low enough scores to gain your card.

The Open

(Golfing Herald): This year’s Open Championship is at Royal Troon. I know you have previously tried to qualify as an amateur for The Open, so do you have aspirations to try and qualify this year, but this time as a professional?

(Freddie): Absolutely … the first time I tried to qualify for The Open was in 2019, and I loved it! I will try to qualify every year if I get a chance to do so. I will be looking to qualify this year … Kilmarnock (Barassie) is the regional qualifying venue, and it was there last year that I missed out on a playoff place. There were not many qualifying spots, but this year there are more regional venues to accommodate all the expected entries.

(Golfing Herald): One of the new regional venues is Fulford Golf Club, York, made famous by the shot played by Bernard Langer out of a tree during the 1981 Benson & Hedges International Open! Fulford is about a 20-minute drive from where I live, so I will certainly be attending to (hopefully) watch some exciting golf.

(Freddie): More regional venues will certainly help … I think the first time I played there were about 90 players for only 9 spots and last year (at Barassie), I think there were over 120 players for only 6 spots! Having said that, it is always fun … it is all about the romance of The Open. If I did secure a spot through regional qualifying, then final qualifying would be at Dundonald Links. I will be looking to qualify and chase a dream.

(Golfing Herald): As an amateur, have you ever played at Royal Troon?

(Freddie): No, but last year a good friend of mine gave me the yardage book for Royal Troon, and said I would be needing it this year! I have been flicking through it, looking at how to navigate iconic holes such as the Postage Stamp. I have never played the course, but I would like to cross that bridge when I come to it!

Sponsorship

(Golfing Herald): A few moments ago, we talked about Joe Dean, and how he is working to fund his professional career on the DP World Tour. Also, I know from my involvement as one of several sponsors of Rochelle Morris, who plays on the Ladies European and Access Tours, the yearly expenditure required to be a full-time playing professional. As you are on the cusp of joining the paid ranks, will you be looking for individuals and/or companies to become involved as sponsors?

(Freddie): First, it is worth saying that I will also be supplementing my income this year with caddying, hopefully on the St Andrews Links … practice during the day and caddy in the evening! I still must work to generate (some of) the funding required. I have a sponsor who has kindly given me some funding, which was a big catalyst for all the decisions I am making right now. My friend Chris Brinsmead has been a great help, and his involvement has been life-changing, for which I am very grateful. If anybody wishes to get involved as an individual sponsor then that would be brilliant. One of my other goals this year is to foster relationships with local companies or online companies. I do not want to just take … I want to be giving and put relationships in place that can last a couple of years or more. I want to give people a service and with Chris, I have been working hard in the off-season contacting people to start building relationships. I have been looking at getting things in place such as clothing, and logos on my clothing and my golf bag. For potential corporate sponsors, I cannot guarantee a level of performance in tournaments, but what I can guarantee is being a great representative for your brand, and that I am a potential advertising space, including my various social media platforms.

Patrons

(Golfing Herald): Are there any other options for would-be sponsors?

(Freddie): I see people looking for sponsors via GoFundMe, but in my mind, that is a one-way transaction where people give you money and then you spend that money … that approach is not for me. Instead, I have a Patreon platform, whereby I am looking to gain patrons and essentially crowd-fund part of my season.

(Golfing Herald): For the benefit of a modern-day dinosaur like myself, how does a Patreon platform differ from GoFundMe and how much would it cost to subscribe as a patron?

(Freddie): Primarily, patrons pay a monthly amount and in return, I provide them with behind-the-scenes content, such as telling them how I am feeling as I am walking around the course, and showing them lessons that I have had. So, a patron gets something guaranteed in return for their monthly investment which supports me, and I am more than happy to produce the content. As we talked about in the previous article, I love the media stuff, so for me, it is no hardship to share my golfing journey, and people can sign up to be patrons for as little as £4 a month and be part of Team Freddie. Although this is the start of the next leg of my golfing journey, I am an experienced golfer and I think for those people who are less experienced with golf it will be even more of a revelation to see how my first professional season unfolds.

YouTube Channel

(Golfing Herald): As I am now a subscriber, I know about your YouTube channel … but for the benefit of the Golfing Herald readers, what is the modus operandi of your YouTube offering?

(Freddie): I watch a lot of YouTube and thought I could do that, and put myself out there! I started in early 2023 and it is growing, putting content out regularly. It is a bit of fun, but I thought people would find it interesting if I kept, and then posted, a video diary of all the amateur events during 2023 … a niche market, but I do not think any other golfer was doing the same. For example, I documented the whole journey of my trip to play at Royal North Devon, and I will be looking to do something similar during my first year as a professional. God forbid, if I were to have a career-ending injury, at least I would have a diary to be able to look back on this whole journey and process, how I felt throughout and know it is authentic. For me, making videos is a labour of love, it is a diary for myself, but if people get enjoyment out of it that is great.

(If you wish to discuss possible sponsorship opportunities, then please contact Freddie via email at freddielawrence.golf@gmail.com … also, links to Freddie’s Patreon platform, YouTube Channel and Instagram account are listed at the end of this article)

Meet the Team

(Golfing Herald): Earlier you talked about thinking of yourself, not as a professional golfer, but more as a start-up company. All companies, large or small, have employees who are experts in their specific field. You have already introduced Chris Brinsmead, who has hitherto provided you with invaluable advice and support … who else is providing input and support to you within the overall start-up?

(Freddie): I have always taken pride in being single-minded, focused and driven and doing everything all by myself, but I realised after the 2022 season that you need a team around you … people to guide you and make sure you are not going down rabbit holes, and to ensure that all aspects are focused and clear and heading in the right direction. My parents will always be top of the tree when it comes to my team and they have (emotionally) supported me throughout my golfing career. At the end of 2022, I started to put in place a team around me … people who I could actively lean on more regularly than I was previously doing. That has been beneficial for my golf game, which showed in the results throughout the 2023 season. Some of the team have been around forever! I have been with my swing coach Mark Sharman, based in Essex at the Quantum Golf School, since my first golf lesson with him at the age of 15. At that time, I was going to quit golf and he turned it all around. One of the greatest lessons he has taught me was to eradicate the white noise to blank lots of stuff out and to just focus on my own game, and that has been invaluable. My (personal) trainer is Tony Bull, who is based at the Platinum PT Gym, Southend. Also, since the end of the 2021 season, I have been visiting Fintan Bonnar, who is based at the St Andrews Links Golf Academy, for my putting. He is a highly regarded coach who works with several other professionals, knows what he is doing, and has helped with my putting. He is a valuable member of the team.

(Golfing Herald): Golf at the elite level is all about fine margins, and so a specialist coach, such as Fintan, can help you with putting strokes gained against the field.

(Freddie): For sure … in terms of being specific, at the end of 2022 I made the Grand Final of the Get Back to Golf Tour, which was held at Dumbarnie Links, and the event guaranteed prizes. One of the prizes was a session with Paul Moultrie, founder of MIND BODY GOLF®. He is an inspirational guy who would class himself as a performance coach, and he was massive for me last year, in terms of refining my routine and refining my mental approach to the game … and I am still working with him now. The final member of my team is my good friend Charlotte Adams, who has been doing a great job in helping me run my social media accounts. We both went to school together in Southend before studying together at the University of St Andrews … she wanted to get involved and I appreciate her help, as social media is a time-consuming job.

Seven Holes

(Freddie): I would like to talk a bit more about Chris (Brinsmead), as he is a very significant person in my life. You asked me earlier why I was turning pro, and a big part of that decision I owe to Chris, who is now my advisor. We met several years ago through the St Andrew Links – New Golf Club … it turns out we were both born in the same hospital, though he is a little older than me! When I played in some events back in 2019, he kindly gave me a little bit of financial support and covered my entry fees which was much appreciated. With COVID, and his work, we had not seen each other for a little while, but when I reached the semi-final of the matchplay championship last year, Chris asked me if it was OK for him to spectate. That day, it so happened that I played a blinder. Chris came to watch and I started birdie-birdie-birdie! At the 4th hole, I missed the green but then hit the flag with my chip. After 7 holes I was 6up … and then Chris left! After I won the match, I thought I must message Chris, to just say thank you for being out there. He had already emailed me, basically saying he would gladly support my golf over the next eighteen months, due to the staggering improvement I had shown over the intervening years … at this point looking to support my amateur golf. I then started to estimate how much amateur golf would cost over that period, but it is only when you write it all down on paper do you realise how much! That exercise effectively prompted a whole series of events and discussions that triggered my decision to turn professional. Chris and I have regular chats, and he has been helping me on the sponsorship side of things, creating a plan, and making sure I see the people I need to see. Right now, I am so grateful for his support and input, and his financial support.

Transition

(Golfing Herald): Have you, or will you, be making any changes, such as your swing, fitness training or mental approach, as part of the transition from elite amateur to first-year professional golfer?

(Freddie): That is a good question, but the answer is no. I remember listening to the podcast version of the R&A Chronicles of a Champion Golfer, during which Pádraig Harrington recommended that players turning professional should not change anything for the first 2 to 3 years … and that sage advice has always stuck with me. One thing that I did learn last year is that my good golf is good enough and it is about making my bad golf good enough. At the moment, if I do not have my game on a particular day, I will not make money as a professional. So, my goal is to continue improving my good stuff, but mainly improving my bad stuff. I know I can shoot good numbers and go deep … if I am at my best I am good enough to win prize money, but when I am at my worst I will not. It is more of the same … more gym work, more practice, and it is all about refinement and nothing drastically must change.

(Golfing Herald): What are you currently focusing on when it comes to say practice and refinement?

(Freddie): I am concentrating on speed work to try and increase the length of my drives. I am 6ft 2in and trying to become stronger, to hit the ball a bit further from the tee. In simple terms, I am working with the same tools, but just trying to sharpen up those tools.

The Nineteenth

(Golfing Herald): Exciting times lie ahead …

(Freddie): Definitely … with a lot of unknowns, but that is the fun of it, I guess! I am under no illusion that I will have to climb various mountains along the way, but it is exciting all the same. I suppose the alternative to climbing mountains is to walk only on the flat road, and I just do not want to do that. I want to try and climb the mountains, and if I run out of oxygen, then I guess I will have at least died trying! In the words of Tony Finau, who last year won a couple of events back-to-back …

“A winner is a loser who persevered”

I know it sounds cliched, but that captures my approach, in that, I continually keep working hard and have never had a right to achieve anything, even more so this year in the professional ranks … no status, no backing, but that’s kind of fun, as it is fun to be the underdog.

(Golfing Herald): What a great way to finish. Thanks so much for kindly sharing such an in-depth insight into your final season as an amateur, and your thoughts, plans, and aspirations as you prepare for your first season as a professional golfer. All the best for the Tartan Pro Tour, The Open regional qualifying and the DP World Tour Q-School. I will be following your 2024 season and I will try to travel to one of the tournaments. However your career as a professional golfer unfolds, I do not doubt that your golfing story will have further fascinating chapters, captured of course by Golfing Herald!

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Just a reminder, that if you wish to discuss possible sponsorship opportunities, then please contact Freddie via email at freddielawrence.golf@gmail.com

Links are as follows …

Patreon Platform —- Freddie Lawrence Patreon Membership

YouTube —- Freddie Lawrence Golf 

Instagram —- Freddie Lawrence Golf

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Acknowledgements

And finally, a massive thanks to …

• Gail Devereaux, Secretary at Leven Links
• David Addison, General Manager at Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club
• Amanda Adam, Administration Assistant at Ladybank Golf Club
• St Andrews Links Trust

… for kindly sharing stunning photographs from their respective golf courses to augment this article.