Freddie Tucker '24 Recruiting Profile

My golfing career began at ten years old when my dad, a keen golfer, booked me in for a lesson on a course in Greece. From the very first swing, I was hooked. When we returned home to London, I pestered my parents for regular lessons at our nearest course at Highgate Golf Club so that I could improve my game and join as a member. Within three months, I was allowed to join the club and received my first handicap of 54.

My obsession with the game led to rapid improvement. I practised independently at the club every day after school, regardless of the weather. When my mum would come to pick me up in the dark, I still wanted to practice, and it became routine that she would have the car headlights on, aimed at the putting green so I could continue, demonstrating my innate passion for the game of golf.

Two months later, I was playing off 28 and allowed to compete, winning my first three junior golf tournaments. My improvement was so fast that in one season, I lowered my handicap from a 28 to a ten at the age of 11. This improvement continued, and by the time I was 12, I had a five handicap. With this, my parents agreed to prioritise my golfing, and I applied for a prestigious golf scholarship at Bedford School, one of the most competitive golfing schools in the United Kingdom. After an intense golfing assessment, I was awarded the Brian Saville Scholarship for “outstanding talent in sport”.

As a boarder at Bedford School, I have learnt how to compete, train and thrive in a competitive team environment with members of different ages. In the first team, handicaps range from 0 to -3, which has equipped me with many valuable life skills at a young age.

I am well equipped for the American college system as my days at boarding school are similarly structured to campus life:

My typical day starts with practice in the school’s golf simulator, attending my A-level classes, training for five hours at the championship golf course Woburn, doing my personalised gym session and finishing all my A-level assignments for the upcoming days. I have followed this structure at Bedford for the last four years and believe I would thrive in the elite college system to pursue my dream of being a professional golfer on the tour.

I have had the pleasure of competing around the UK against the best players at the club, school, county, regional and national levels, which has given me great competition experience. Currently, I play off a minus two handicap, and this season, I have already had the highlight of a top ten, 7th place finish in a competitive three-round national event with scores of 76,74,73, +7 overall at Hollinwell Golf Club, an Open qualifying venue, a gross 69 in the second round of the Scottish Boys Amateur Championships, a 6th place in the Faldo Series Scotland Championship 68,71,77 and fourth in the Swifts Schools Golf Championship at the Springs with scores of 71,69,66 (par 69).

I am thriving academically, as evidenced by my 3.7 GPA across my chosen A-level subjects: English Literature, History and Economics.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my story