10 Players To Take 2017 By Storm

Over the following pages, we profi le ten golfers at various stages of their careers who look poised to reach the next level this season…

- Nick Bonfield

Every season, it becomes harder to proffer predictions on a game that’s innately capricious in the first place. The amateur and collegiate ranks are brimming with more and more talent each year, lower-tier tours are full of players plenty good enough to ply their trade on the main circuits and the world’s top 50 is as strong as it’s ever been. In short, it’s a fantastic time to be a golf fan.

In this feature, we’ve highlighted – through interviews and profiles – ten players who we believe will make a significant impact at their respective levels this season. We don’t have a crystal ball, but there are numerous factors, both tangible and intangible, that have contributed to their inclusions. We haven’t featured the likes of Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson – whose attributes are well known – and have instead favoured those who are yet to reach their full potential.

CALLUM SHINKWIN

After a stellar amateur career and a solid start to life in the professional ranks, the former Walker Cup player looks poised to take the next step in 2017

Take us through your early years as an amateur and how beneficial they were to your development…

I got into the England set-up in 2010. That enabled me to advance through practice, and learning how to do that effectively. I basically started from the bottom and worked my way up, and England Golf gave me the structure to do that properly. It was a massive help.

What were some of the highlights of your amateur career?