A Year 11 pupil at Oswestry School, has had a phenomenal 2018 golfing season.

Dan Haycocks is ranked fifth in the county by order of merit and has ended his year with a closing handicap of three.

He began his journey by being selected to play for the Shropshire and Herefordshire Union Golf Club (SHUGC) under-18 county squad and took part in his first competition, the Four Counties at Sherwood Forest Golf Club in Nottinghamshire.

Playing against juniors from Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Cheshire, Dan and his teammates secured second place in the tournament.

Representing Oswestry Golf Club, Dan then travelled to St Andrews in Scotland to take part in the 2018 Boys’ Open competing for the David Ayton Cup.

Established in 1948, the St Andrews Boys’ Open has a long tradition of providing a high level of competition for aspiring young players giving them the opportunity to compete on championship courses at St Andrews Links, including the Old Course. Pitted against golfers from a strong international field including players from Mauritius, Italy, Germany, USA, Spain, Japan, Slovakia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Abu Dhabi, Sweden and Thailand, Dan finished fourth.

Returning to Llanymynech Golf Club, Dan played in the SHUGC 2018 Youth Championship. As runner-up Dan finished three strokes adrift of his county teammate Euan Muttitt-Jones.

The Woburn Junior Open in Buckinghamshire came next and Dan entered the Prince of Wales Amateur Challenge for under-21 players. Against stiff competition Dan finished 21st out of 64 competitors; an outstanding feat.

Back at Mile End Golf Club in Oswestry Dan entered the Shropshire and Herefordshire Union of Golf Clubs Open Championship at the end of September – the first pro-amateur competition he had played in.

Dan said he was delighted to finish 13th coming ahead of pro-golfers from other clubs.

And he rounded off his season back with his SHUGC county squad at the Midland Under-16 Boys County Cup at Radcliffe-on-Trent Golf Club, Nottinghamshire. Ten counties took part in the competition and the team finished second – a fantastic ending to an excellent season.