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13
Dec
Knaresborough's John Parry tells us about his sudden rise to golf's greatest tour
Harrogate golfer John Parry has had a year to remember.
Just a few years ago, he was playing in some of golf’s lowest professional competitions. Now, he’s qualified for its most prestigious – the American PGA Tour.
“It feels fantastic,” Parry told the Stray Ferret. “A dream come true.”
Parry qualified for the PGA Tour after finishing 11th out of 248 competitors on the European Tour last season.
He never expected to qualify, but a win in Mauritius, five top-five finishes and a 16th-place finish at The Open – England’s most prestigious golf tournament, at which he also made a hole-in-one – made his dream more realistic.
John Parry after winning the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open. Credit: John Parry on Instagram
He revealed his highlights of the year:
Winning in Mauritius is probably my main highlight. It’s early in the season and gets you off to a good start. My second highlight would probably be getting a hole-in-one at The Open. Doing that in front of a busy grandstand was a great experience. My last one would be getting to the Race to Dubai final with all the best players in the world.
If you want to compete in the best tournaments, you have to be comfortable playing with the best players. I didn’t feel uncomfortable playing with them at all.
Parry’s success has been no coincidence, though, and has been brewing for a while – despite a turbulent few years.
To qualify for the European Tour last year, Parry won three events on the Challenge Tour the previous year, a feat achieved by only thirteen others in the tour’s history.
Parry after his third win on the Challenge Tour in 2024. Credit: Challenge Tour
Late bloomer
A professional golfer can stay competitive much longer than other athletes with many playing into their forties.
But to see such drastic improvements in your late 30s is impressive in any sport. So how has John Parry done it?
“I needed to get my iron play better, so I did a lot more skill tests and training,” said Parry. “Now it’s the best part of my game. My long game is definitely a lot better now, too.”
After qualifying for the European Tour, the golfer employed a strength and conditioning team.
This helped to add distance to his swings, while keeping him safer from injury. Two years after slipping a disc, he wants to ensure his longevity is at its best.
Parry has also taken a biomechanics coach, with technology that replicates his swing on a computer screen. He can then watch it back and make alterations where necessary.
Anyone who has played golf will know how difficult it can be to alter your swing. But Parry said his biomechanics training has made it pretty easy.
John Parry and strength and conditioning coach, Dr Dan Coughlan. Credit: DP World Tour
Away from home
Parry plans to rent a home in America while he is on the tour. Although he is registered to play in both America and Europe this season, he says he will focus on his transatlantic campaign.
But this means moving away from his North Yorkshire home, in which he has lived for many years.
The golfer told us what he would miss about the region:
Not the weather! I think I’ll miss the pubs, the friends and the home comforts the most. My plan is to stay in America if I have one week off, but move home if I have two or three. We’ll see how sustainable that is.
Parry is looking forward to playing at California Golf Club and Torrey Pines the most while stateside, adding that he would love to play at Pebble Beach and Hilton Head. The latter may not be as easy, though, as he will have to qualify separately for those events. He scoffed, saying, “I have to qualify for all the ones I want to play in!”
But despite playing on some of the world’s most famous courses, Parry hasn’t forgotten his roots – Harrogate Golf Club.
Despite being born in Knaresborough and attending King James’s School, Parry’s childhood golf course was Harrogate.
He said that the club had a massive part to play in his development, and that he still remembers growing up playing with his mates. The golf club even gave him an honorary membership.
Parry still plays at Harrogate when he’s back in the area, as well as courses like Alwoodley and Ganton.
Harrogate Golf Club. Credit: Harrogate Golf Club on Instagram
He said Harrogate is his favourite course to play in the area as he thinks it’s the hardest:
There’s plenty of dodgy holes in there, and I’ve had my fair share of out of bounds, too. I like to challenge myself if I play on my own, although I’ve probably had a few mulligans in my time!
Parry may have hit a hole-in-one at Royal Portrush, but still has his bogey-holes at his childhood course. Maybe the professionals are human, after all.
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