He first picked a golf club up by chance at the age of four. His grandad took him to the driving range for a bit of fun, but he hasn’t been without one much since – and now Charlie Boys is on course to become a professional in three years time.
The Shropshire school boy has just won the prestigious Independent School Golf Association Tournament (ISGA) and has a clear plan for when he leaves school this summer.
“I will go down the amateur route for three years, working at the local golf club in the shop and helping out while taking part in men’s competitions and see how I do,” he said.
“I will be playing around Europe in competitions and just see how I do, I aim to try to go professional in three years.
“My main goal is to play in professional tournaments and maybe one day the Masters or the Open, but I am in the development stage at the moment and will see how I go.”
Charlie, who lives in Wrexham and turns 18 on May 18, has been in the England set up for two years.
He trains at the Hill Valley Golf Club in Whitchurch and plays at the world-renowned Belfry Hotel once a month.
He’s passed a Diploma in Sporting Excellence with the England team and will have a PGA place in the future – but for now he’s looking for sponsorship and has all the support he needs to put his plan into action.
He has been a pupil at Ellesmere College since year seven in 2018 – actually joining on a cricket scholarship and could have pursued a career as a professional cricket player instead, but at the age of 16 he had to make a decision.
“At one time I was better at cricket, I was playing for Wales,” he said.
“I decided golf was the one for me because I saw more potential, more opportunity and knew I could get better and I enjoyed it more
“It was the first sport I participated in a lot, actual competitions, and I’m told I was always very determined even from a very young age.
“It would be much more difficult to get to where I am now if I wasn’t at Ellesmere College, it has been so vital for my development, not only in golf but in getting into England too.”
At school, at the age of 12 he was playing with 15 year olds and being coached by Rob Ashbrook PGA Advanced Pro, head of the College Golf Academy.
Charlie said it was a ‘privilege’ to be captain of the Ellesmere College golf team since the start of Year 11, a time when there were older pupils in the Golf Academy too, but Charlie was picked for his talent in ‘motivating others and the quality of golf’.
He has also had the ‘great honour’ of being nominated to be Shropshire and Herefordshire Junior Captain for the 2025 season.
Charlie has had his mum and dad, Kathryn and Gareth Boys, supporting him every step of the way, as well as granddad Leslie Lee, the person who first introduced him to the game, who gets to as many competitions as he can to watch Charlie play.
His full time coach Sam Griffiths, at Wrexham Golf Club, has worked with Charlie since the age of five, when he had his first lesson on his 5th birthday, and they still have a strong working relationship.
Dad Gareth said: “He’s got such great motivation himself and the school has been great giving him the time and facilities too.
“He’s a credit to the school, he’s changed so much in his time there and grown into a young man, he’s gone beyond what we thought he would do and we’re just so proud of him. It really was just by chance that he picked up a golf club, but it’s been a great journey already and we look forward to seeing where it takes him.
“He played every sport when he could, football, cricket and golf, but anything he could try, he would.
“And his coach Sam has been with him through thick and thin, he’s been a really positive influence and role model to Charlie over the last 13 years and long may their working relationship last well into professional golf.”
Gareth, a teacher, and Kathryn, a prison officer, were both watching on when Charlie took part in the ISGA competition at Slaley Hall Golf Club last month.
As well as Charlie’s first place individually, the Ellesmere College team of Charlie, Matthew Povey and Shinil Balakrishnan came fifth overall – which took Ellesmere College up to third in the UK school rankings.
Charlie won with two rounds, scoring five under par. But he wasn’t in the lead after the first day of the competition and knew he had to dig deep to win the tournament he’s always dreamed of doing.
“It is the biggest school competition of the year so it is more of a relief than anything because I knew I could do it, so to do it in my final year is fantastic,” he added.
“My England regional and national training has developed my game and in situations like that, my thought process was that I had to do something the others can’t if I wanted to win and that’s what I did.”
Dad Gareth added: “This is the pinnacle for him, best he’s done so far and it’s something he’s wanted to do since he was five.
“He was brilliant, he played so well and did fantastic. As parents we don’t see it all as he does it all himself out there on the golf course, it’s such an individual sport, but I have never seen him so focussed.
“Rob Ashbrook is phenomenal, we have known him for nearly 12 years through the tournaments, and we know Charlie is well supported.”
And Rob agreed that there are big things to come for Charlie in the future – he classed him as one to watch.
“Winning the ISGA competition is a huge result for him and for the school too,” he said.
“He has worked so hard both at school with the Academy but also with the regional England squad coaching he has been having over the last two years.
“We have seen his clear improvement and he has a fantastic attitude as well as talent. He’s invited to play in all sorts of tournaments and he’s always ready and willing, both for golf as well as his BTEC studies.
“His time at Ellesmere College is coming to an end but I know it’s not the last we’ll see of Charlie, there’s lots to celebrate for him at the minute but also lots more to come.”
For more information about the Golf Academy at Ellesmere College visit https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1704464244/ellesmerecom/yirewupxyxtobke2oh1o/41
79EllesmereGolfA54pp-HIRESpagesBCUpdated11_12_2023.pdf and to enquire about sponsoring Charlie email boysey78@hotmail.com.
Charlie Boys and coach Sam Griffiths when younger.
Charlie Boys playing golf.
ISGA Finals Group picture.
