Tips from Tiger helping Isaac to stay on course

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD golf prodigy has moved to the island.

Isaac Bate came to Guernsey from the south coast of England with his family at the end of last year.

He started playing the sport at the tender age of two with a set of plastic clubs while on holiday in Spain.

By four he was using metal clubs after he had worn out the bottom of his plastic ones.

He would practise in unusual circumstances as he waited for his father, John, to land his paraglider.

'I used to do paragliding competitions and Isaac was spending hours in the landing field hitting balls,' said Bate senior.

'We had people say to us he's doing well with this.'

At five years old, he progressed onto a half-set of clubs and had a trolley and a bag.

At the same age he joined Yelverton Golf Club in Plymouth and he took part in his first-ever competition.

He has not looked back since.

Bate's handicap when he started was 54 and now it is 29.

In 2006, he took part in the five to six year olds' HSBC Wee Wonders competition, winning the south-west regional finals – the Farrington Regionals.

He went on to win the grand final, setting a new age-group course record of 34.

Last year, Bate flew over the Atlantic to take part in the US Kids Golf Junior World Championships in Pinehurst.

'It's shocking how good these kids are,' said John.

He came an impressive 19th out of 112.

He then went on to claim the Young Masters Golf qualifying round at Iford Golf Club in Bournemouth to see him through to the final at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

He ended up fifth in his age group.

He has also recently won the first round of the HSBC 2008 Wee Wonders event held at St Pierre Park.

He will soon be travelling over to the UK for the regional finals and hopes to return to St Andrew's for the grand final later on in the year.

Next week also sees him compete in the USKG Junior European Championships at Scotland's Gullane Golf Club.

In 2006, Bate also won the chance to meet Tiger Woods at the HSBC World Match Play Event at Wentworth.

He received some putting advice from the world number one on the second hole.

'He said when you're putting not to move your chest,' said Isaac.

'He was nice. It was fun, but I was nervous.'