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16
Nov 2024
The rise and fall – and rise again – of Harrogate’s golfing sensation
"It can be the best and worst job in the world", Harrogate's very own professional golf star told the Stray Ferret.
John Parry, who first held a golf club aged eight, has played against the likes of Rory McIlroy, competed in two US Opens and won some major competitions.
But life as a professional golfer can have its downsides, as the Stray Ferret found out this week.
John, who was home for just four days between tours, said:
I started playing at Harrogate Golf Club.
I got selected for Yorkshire coaching when I was ten, then I moved up from there. I went to county level, then played for England under-16s and under-18s, before moving to men’s golf.
John was on a high when he spoke to us. It’s no wonder, as he won three competitions on the Challenge Tour this year – which only 13 other people have done in the history of the tour – and secured himself a spot on the 2025 DP World Tour.
But it’s not been plain sailing for John, who has been demoted from the top tour twice.
He told us:
I joined the Euro Pro Tour when I was about 21, 22. That’s the lowest league of professional golf.
Then I got on the Challenge Tour when I was around 23, which is the league above, before getting promoted to the Euro Tour – now called DP World Tour – and I played in that for around eight years.
But I got demoted after covid. I then worked all the way back up and got demoted again.
This year has been my best year, though, and I just got promoted back onto the DP World Tour.
John said the uncertainty of professional golf can be mentally taxing. You can be at the top of leaderboard one day, and bottom the next.
He told us he thinks this comes down to overthinking technique:
A lot of golfers get quite technical; they can be stuck in their own ways about their swing.
But I’ve realised you can’t just try and change everything after one bad day. You can't panic when things don't go well.
John after his third win on the Challenge Tour this year. Credit: Challenge Tour
'I love the pressure'
John, who said he is now playing at the equivalent of Premier League football level, is heading to Australia to start the DP World Tour this weekend.
He will play tournaments in Brisbane and Melbourne, before seeing family in Perth and then flying to South Africa for another competition.
Whilst some people can only dream of travelling so much, John said it's one of the hardest parts of the job.
The travelling is one of the best parts once you’re actually there, but I’m away for around 30 weeks of the year. It can be tiring.
Professional golf is the best job in the world when you’re playing well, but it’s the worst when you’re playing badly.
It’s also very expensive. If you’re playing badly, you don’t make money. You have sponsorship but everything else is self-funded.
But I’ve learned to just love the golf – not to think about what I’m spending.
We also asked John what the best thing about being a professional is...
Even though I said it can be the worst, the travelling is also the best once you’re actually there. You see so many places.
I also love the pressure. It can be hard when you’re playing, but that elation when you’ve come out the other side and you’ve won is just the most amazing feeling.
John Parry. Credit: Challenge Tour
John said Australia and America are up there with his favourite countries to compete in. He said England draws out great crowds, but the American and Australian scenery, fans and weather are unmatched.
He has also taken on two US Opens and one British Open, which he equated to the Wimbledon of golf.
One of the American tournaments was held at his favourite course in the world. John said:
I’d say Merion Golf Club in Philadelphia is my favourite course I’ve ever played. It was during the US Open.
The course was amazing, and I played pretty well too.
Ganton Golf Club, near Scarborough, is his favourite course locally.
‘I’ll knock it on the head when I don’t enjoy practising’
The Stray Ferret asked John what he would be doing if he hadn’t become a professional golfer. Spoiler: it's golf-related.
He said:
If I can still be in the industry, I’d probably be a coach. I think that’s what I’d like to do when I get too old to play golf.
When I was eight, I just thought, ‘I like playing golf’. But when I was around 12 – and I realised I was good for my age – I knew I wanted to be a professional.
We asked John how he spends his limited spare time – and whether playing golf with friends is the last thing on his mind.
He told us he always takes a few days off after tours but, even after a few bad rounds, he still loves practising.
There’s obviously a couple of times I may not enjoy it, but the minute I stop enjoying practising and that feeling is relentless, that’s when I’ll knock it on the head.
John told the Stray Ferret he does not have many hobbies outside of golf, but some typical down time for him consists of a curry and a few beers with friends.
John Parry. Credit: Challenge Tour
We asked John what advice he would give to young players hoping to follow in his professional footsteps.
Enjoying it is key, he said, adding that finding people who will give you the right advice is vital.
You’ve got to speak to and see the right people. My brother is a coach in Australia, and he teaches a lot of young golfers. He tells me a huge part of keeping them engaged is just making sure golf is fun.
If John places in the top ten on the DP World Tour next year, he will secure a place on the prestigious PGA Tour in America – and will have achieved his biggest dream.
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