Soldier turned golfer out to reach the top on one leg

WHEN a former Ryder Cup captain is so impressed with your golf he asks whether you’ve thought about turning pro, it’s not a surprise that it plants a seed. Given that Mike Browne had only been playing the sport for three years, it was remarkable enough that Mark James would offer such advice. But what sets Browne’s story apart is that he has one leg amputated above the knee. Browne was playing as an amateur alongside James and former world No1 ian Woosnam in the Willow Classic on the senior Tour at Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire last August. The 39-year-old finished on five under for three rounds, Woosie on three under and James on one over. ‘it was a surreal experience playing with them because i was so new to the sport,’ said Browne. ‘i was just smashing in the birdies and to do it alongside such great golfers was pretty cool. i can’t thank Mark enough for the advice he gave me. i feel like i’ve got this amazing career ahead of me.’ Nobody could have predicted this back in 2013 for the former soldier. He was undergoing rehabilitation for an injury suffered two years earlier, during his time as a serviceman, when he saw a poster for an organisation called On Course. ‘it spoke about the part golf could play in the rehab process for injured servicemen and i thought i’d give it a try,’ Browne said. ‘i’d always thought it was a sport for posh old men.’ Browne got his first handicap of 28 in the summer of 2014. Within three months he was down to 15 and after a year he was playing off four. He turned pro last October and set off for the Gecko mini-tour in spain. Playing alongside the likes of Englishman Matt Wallace — a winner on the European Tour this season — Browne notched a top-15 finish in one event. ‘i don’t know where this will all lead me but i’m just having so much fun and i’m starting to play really well,’ said Browne, who’s based at High Post Golf Club in Wiltshire. ‘i think my time as a serviceman certainly helps in terms of mental strength when i play. i’ve seen things that make me feel very lucky to be a pro golfer. Where do i hope to end up? i’d love to play in at least one European Tour event at some stage, but i don’t want to set limits.’ This week, it’s full circle for Browne as playing vice-captain of a British team of injured servicemen who will take on their American equivalent in a Ryder Cup-style match called the simpson Cup at Royal Birkdale. ‘The simpson Cup is one of the highlights of my life,’ he said. ‘We know all the Americans from serving alongside them in wars and it’s pretty amazing to be playing golf against them on one of the world’s great courses. ‘We lost the trophy at Oak Hill last year, so we definitely owe them one.’ Browne ends our conversation with a poignant message for John simpson, manager of sir Nick faldo during his great years, who founded the On Course foundation that is helping injured servicemen rebuild their lives through the Royal and Ancient game. ‘i’d like to say thank you to him for changing my life,’ Browne said.