High hole-y days: Jewish kid golfer sets sights on stardom after strong showing at national tournament

James taking a swing at Alcanada Golf Club in Mallorca this year (photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]

The tournament was hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, who James described as “probably the best British golfer ever”.

“He talked to us about how to make your shots the best and how he used to play them,” James added.

The overall experience of playing alongside the nation’s other best young golfers at such a prestigious course was also something to savour, the 13-year-old talent said.

“It was really cool because it felt like we had a similar experience to the pros who were also playing that week, because we had our own entries and all the lanyards and everything.”

James started playing golf when he was six years old, coming from a family of keen golfers.

“I’d play on the short courses with my dad, who plays most weeks,” he said. “My grandad also plays a bit, the same as my uncle and my brother.”

His father, Richard, said that he didn’t take much of an interest at the beginning, but once he started a few years later, he hit the ground running.

“And he’s the best golfer in our family now – by a long shot,” Richard smiled.

James (middle) with father Richard (left) and brother Zachary (right) at Freshwater Bay Golf Club on the Isle of Wight (photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]

Before the final event, James – who attends Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue in Wanstead – overcame qualifying rounds at Ingrebourne Links and Dyrham Park golf courses. He won the former and came fourth in the latter.

He said his score in the tournament’s culmination at The Belfry comprised a slow start and a fast finish.

“I had a really poor hole on the third, I tripled it [triple bogey – three shots over par], but then I managed to play the last six holes one under par.”

The whole family came to support James on the day – parents, grandfather, uncle, aunt, and brother – as well as one of his friends who was his “trolley pusher” for the day, a sort of makeshift caddy.

Aside from this tournament, James says he enjoys golf because he can “play with my friends and as [part of] teams”. He has represented Essex numerous times and is the junior club captain at Theydon Bois Golf Club.

James after winning the preliminary round at Ingrebourne Links Golf Club (photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]

What comes next for James? He has big ambitions of following in the footsteps of current Jewish golfers in the professional scene, including Jacob Bridgeman and Max Homa (who have global rankings of 28th and 77th respectively) or of his idol, Tiger Woods.

“I like the style, how he used to play,” he said about the icon. “If he didn't hit the fairway, he'd still always somehow manage to get a birdie or something like that.”

“I want to win a lot of big major tournaments,” James continued. Next year, he is set to compete in several tournaments against the best young golfers in the world. “If I can do well in those against the best kids in the world, literally, then that would be what I want to do next year.”

The only pressure on James, though, is from James himself, his father Richard affirmed.

“The whole Poole family is immensely proud of James’ achievements,” he said. “James just lives and breathes golf. Fingers crossed he keeps improving and who knows how far he can go.”