The Hartpury Golf Academy has earned a strong reputation for producing student golfers that excel both on the course and in the classroom. Former students have gone on to represent their country while others have secured prestigious scholarships in the United States. Our experienced team of golf professionals combined with outstanding facilities and a supportive environment mean student success stories are plentiful. Here are five recent successes from some of our golfing greats.
Eliot Baker: BA (Hons) Sports Business Management student (also completed their BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Sport (Golf) at Hartpury College)
Having progressed through the Hartpury Golf Academy alongside his college then university education, Eliot has been Hartpury’s most successful golfer on the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) tour. Eliot represented England in the North of Ireland Championships at Royal Portrush and has recently been selected for the England squad to receive coaching and support through the winter months.
In October, he finished 7th in the first R & A Tour event held in Portugal and achieved third position at the BUCS Stirling International event at the Royal Montrose Mercantile Golf Club.
Charlie Robb: BA (Hons) Sports Business Management student (also former A-level student)
Charlie joined Hartpury College at the same time as Eliot. After completing his A-levels, he took a year out before enrolling at Hartpury University in 2022. He’s made fantastic progress both in his summer season and then more recently by winning the BUCS Welsh Trophy held at Conwy Golf Club. He, like Eliot, uses Hartpury’s resident coaches Oli Leett and Gareth James who have made a significant impact on our golf teams. Both coaches are experts in their fields, supporting many elite players on the amateur and professional circuits.. Gareth is a national coach for Wales, while Oli specialises in putting.
Sophie Page: BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences student (also completed their BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Sport (Golf) at Hartpury College)
Sophie has been part of the academy for two years during her studies at Hartpury College and has recently started her degree at Hartpury University. Her hard work, dedication and passion for the sport shines through and she recently represented Wales Girls in the home internationals at Lindrick Golf Club. Sophie has lots of potential and is a first-class student.
Brandon Skidmore: BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Sport (Golf) student
In August 2023, Brandon won the Midland Senior Golf Championships at Worcester Golf Club. He shot -10 to win this senior event by six shots after leading from the first round. Excitingly, Brandon has signed for a US college for 2024 and he’s every chance of making a great success in his sport. He’s our college captain and a great role model for the first team.
ICT Association of Colleges Tour - South Region
Mark Hewlett (BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Sport (Golf) student) recently won the second round of the ICT-AoC College Golf Tour for the South region. He shot a fantastic -1 (71 gross) at the very challenging Donnington Grove Golf Club. The first team also enjoyed great success winning the team prize comfortably by 12 from Merthyr College. All four players finished in the top seven, which was a great result.
Matthew Ellis, Golf Academy Manager at Hartpury University and Hartpury College, said: “As always, we’re incredibly proud of our recent student successes. The hard work and love for the sport always shines through and it’s a privilege to be part of their development as they progress through the academy.”
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About the Hartpury Golf Academy
If you’re playing golf competitively or you have the talent and drive to do so, our Golf Academy could be for you. Students train with specialist PGA-qualified professionals and have access to state-of-the-art facilities, all while studying A-levels, a college diploma or university degree.
You can improve all aspects of your game on site with access to our specialist facilities. Focus on your putting with our USGA-specification green and indoor putting hub or fine-tune your swing using our 10-bay driving range. Our short-game area has everything you need to develop your touch around the greens.
You’ll also become a member of one of our local courses, giving you access to an 18-hole course whenever you need it. Our Sports Academy facilities give you access to treatment suites, human performance and biomechanics labs.
Hartpury’s Dual Career Pathway has produced highly employable athletes (Hartpury has a 97% graduate employability rate - Graduate Outcomes 2023) over the last 15 years, including 250 professional athletes in multiple sports. Students have benefited from a supportive teaching environment while also having the opportunity to train and compete.
