Didsbury Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in Cheshire having been founded in 1891 and it has always been proud its development of young golfers over the years.
Now it has a new junior star in Toby Redman aged eight, who is claiming to be the youngest ever player at the club to have a hole-in-one.
Toby has been playing regularly at Didsbury with his dad Adam, a very keen golfer at the club, for the past year.
Adam said: “I started playing golf more regularly just after Toby was born (much to the annoyance of Mrs Redman!)
“I had the bug, so encouraged Toby from really when he could walk, with plastic clubs etc, We have always loved mini-golf, albeit Toby does tend to get a little bit hot-headed when the putts don’t drop – don’t we all!
“We started playing pitch and putt when he was about five in a local park and joined Didsbury in 2022, although he has been having lessons with Kevin Lawrence at the club for the last 18 months or so.
“We have been playing on the course at Didsbury during the past 12 months, initially just a few holes here and there but more recently the front 9.
“Toby and I were playing on a Sunday morning – which has become a little quality dad/son time – as well as going to Old Trafford!
“The ace came on the par three fourth 120 yards playing off the blue tees and he hit a driver- it was a piercing shot, not too high, but it looked bang on line all the way and Toby saw it run on to the green before he lost sight of it and was delighted to find the ball in the hole.
“We made enquiries back at the club but no-one could remember anyone younger than Toby getting an ace.
“His current handicap is 54 and he struggled with distance initially but the combination of him hitting the ball further and the introduction of the blue (ladies/junior winter) tees has also helped, His last two rounds saw him shoot 64 and 61 for nine holes (ie +2 and -2 nett).
“Toby and I were discussing his plans for golf in the coming year and playing on the EJC Tour (European Junior Golf Tour) run by Roger Shutt at Pryors Hayes GC where he played a couple of events last year.
“We have also been talking about entering some of the Sunday 13-hole competitions at Didsbury if we are able.
“I think Toby would also love the opportunity to get out and play with some kids his age. He also has a school friend who is a member at Ashton-on-Mersey Golf Club so we will try to get something lined up for Toby to play with him too.
“Regarding his golfing idol he always said that Jordan Spieth was his favourite bur recently he is favouring big John Rahm,”
