For many of his profession, soccer has been the defining focus of Tom Lockyer’s life. However away from the pitch, the previous Luton City captain has discovered one other ardour that brings stability and perspective, golf.
Following his current well being challenges, the sport has turn into an essential outlet, serving to him keep energetic, centered, and related. Though Lockyer dabbled with the sport as an adolescent, it wasn’t till after Covid that his love for golf actually took maintain.
“I used to be taking part in on and off as a child by way of secondary faculty however by no means actually took it significantly. It was solely post-Covid as soon as I joined Luton City and there was a golf faculty that I actually began taking it significantly,” he says.
Since then, golf has turn into greater than only a pastime, it’s a supply of focus, calm, and wholesome competitors alongside his soccer profession.
With the calls for of coaching, matches, and household life, discovering time for a spherical isn’t at all times straightforward, however he nonetheless makes the hassle every time he can.
“It varies so much as to what I’ve received on every week,” he admits. “However since having a little bit one, it’s dropped massively!”
Even so, Lockyer stays hooked on the sense of freedom the sport affords. He explains: “I really like being outdoors in nature in the beginning. It’s a fantastic escape from actuality as such and I actually love the sport, whether or not that’s a match towards another person or going out making an attempt to shoot as little as doable.”
As knowledgeable athlete, Lockyer sees clear similarities between soccer and golf – notably within the mindset wanted to carry out and recuperate from errors.
“I prefer to assume that I cope with the dangerous photographs fairly effectively because it’s like dropping a recreation in soccer. The match you’ve misplaced is gone now and there’s nothing you are able to do about it, however you’ll be able to put it proper by successful the following recreation.”
Throughout his time at Luton, golf turned an everyday a part of group downtime, usually alongside shut good friend and teammate Carlton Morris. “We used to get out two or 3 times every week and have a extremely good forwards and backwards,” he remembers. “I bear in mind one time we went out to Portugal for a protracted weekend {golfing}, and I beat him 6–0 over six rounds!”
His {golfing} journey has already been marked by some standout moments. Lockyer smiles as he remembers hitting an albatross early in his {golfing} life, on the eighth gap at Luton Hoo Golf Membership throughout Mick Harford’s charity day in 2022.
“I didn’t fairly perceive the rarity of it and carried on taking part in with the ball and misplaced it,” he laughs.
Extra just lately, he added one other unbelievable reminiscence to the checklist – a hole-in-one at Bearwood Lakes. He revealed: “It was a 9-iron into a little bit wind off the left. It pitched a yard previous and spun again in. That was among the finest emotions, because it was in as quickly because it left the membership.”
He even jokes concerning the timing: “Fortunately we had been a late tee-off and the bar was empty after we received again!”
And whereas soccer stays his profession, golf has turn into the eagerness he plans to pursue lengthy after his taking part in days finish. “I’ve at all times stated that once I retire from soccer, my first objective might be to get to scratch,” he says. “I’ve began the method already however it’s not my essential focus in the meanwhile.”
Following his cardiac arrest, golf turned greater than a pastime – it turned a part of Lockyer’s restoration journey. Only a month after the incident, he returned to the course with a good friend.
“Golf was one of many first issues that I did following my cardiac arrest. I went out with my mate Trev round Woburn a few month after. It was nice to get out in nature and play some golf. It’s a spot when you’re on the market that you just don’t actually take into consideration a lot else.”
Even whereas present process therapy in Amsterdam, golf got here with him. “I used to be there for about 4 months in complete,” he explains. “However the very first thing I packed was my golf golf equipment! I discovered Europe’s greatest golf observe facility, and I used to commonly go after coaching and hospital visits to work on my recreation.”
Golf, he says, has been an enormous assist each mentally and bodily. “I very hardly ever get indignant at dangerous photographs, and I really like being outdoors within the nature of a good looking golf course.”
It’s additionally a sport he’d advocate to anybody, no matter well being or capability.
“I’d advocate golf to anybody. It has absolutely received me hooked, I’m mentally and bodily obsessive about the sport. I can not get sufficient of it!”
Lockyer even jokes that he’ll nonetheless be taking part in a long time from now. “It’s a recreation I might be taking part in once I’m 80 and might barely transfer. I really like the truth that everybody can play off a stage taking part in area no matter capability and it’s whoever performs greatest to their capability on the day that may win.”
Lockyer’s connection to iGolf began, as he places it, by way of some vigorous “debates” within the Luton dressing room. He admitted: “We had a number of debates at Luton over handicaps and equity, so all of us determined to get official handicaps. That’s after we discovered MyEG.”
As a footballer who strikes golf equipment and cities ceaselessly, becoming a member of a standard golf membership hasn’t at all times been sensible. “It’s not financially viable to affix a golf membership in all places you go together with among the becoming a member of charges payable,” he explains. “Particularly when you recognize you gained’t be in a selected space long run.”
That’s the place iGolf, the one Handicap Index® below the WHS™ for non-club golfers, has made an actual distinction.
“Having iGolf has allowed me to carry an official handicap and play in competitions if I wished, though I’ve not accomplished so but!”
It additionally helps his love for exploring new programs. “I really like taking part in new golf programs,” he says. “I’ve a map which I take advantage of to tick off each course I’ve ever performed. I’ve performed 192 rounds at 97 totally different golf programs since 2020 and MyEG has allowed me to register a rating for each one.”
For Lockyer, iGolf has turn into an ideal match – giving him flexibility, consistency, and motivation to maintain bettering his recreation wherever he performs. He added: “It lets me have an official handicap for every new course relying what tees we play off and permits me to maintain chasing that objective of getting all the way down to scratch.”
