De la Mare joins the professional ranks

MATT DE LA MARE has joined Stuart Wallbridge in becoming a fully-qualified professional. The 24-year-old has completed his three-year course alongside his La Grande Mare Golf Club colleague after sitting his final exams at the Belfry.

'You go to the Belfry once a year for a week and the rest of the course is like the Open University. Then you go back there and sit exams at the end of the year,' said de la Mare, who like Wallbridge has not been able to play at the former Ryder Cup course during his visits there.

Being a fine all-round sportsman from a keen sporting family, de la Mare looked a natural for golf when he took up the sport in his early teens. He got down to a three handicap four years ago before he started his professional qualifications.

He left Elizabeth College after the first term of his lower-sixth year to take up his apprenticeship at La Grande Mare and has been there ever since.

'I'm loving it. I am doing quite a bit of teaching, particularly with juniors. I enjoy working with them,' he said.

He also managed to get out on the course and play a fair amount.

'I am still playing quite a lot of friendly matches and I hope that next year I will go over to the UK to play a few tournaments,' de la Mare said.

But, unlike his colleague Wallbridge who plans to stay in the island for the rest of the year before finding a full-time teaching role somewhere, de la Mare will be remaining in Guernsey for the foreseeable future.

'I am getting married next year so I am very happy here,' he said.