After an historic amateur career and dream rookie campaign on the LET, the Welsh No.1 arrives in Dubai searching for her former “fearless” self

by Kent Gray
Amy Boulden’s feet barely touched the ground during a stellar amateur career. In 2008, the then 15-year-old was named BBC Wales’ Young Sportswoman of the Year after going unbeaten in singles as the mighty Red Dragon was raised in triumph for just the second time in 98 years of trying at the Ladies’ Home Internationals. The daughter of a prominent club pro, Boulden was also part of successful 2009 and 2013 teams, making her the only Welsh amateur, male or female, to win three Home International titles.

Individually she won the Scottish (2012), Welsh (2013) and English (2013) amateur titles and qualified for three Women’s British Open’s at Royal Birkdale, Hoylake and St Andrews. In 2010 she was selected for the Junior Ryder Cup, playing Alison Lee and a young whippersnapper named Jordan Spieth in one of her matches in the mixed format. Justin Thomas and Ollie Schniederjans were also part of the U.S. team that eventually edged a 13½-10½ win. Boulden also played in the historic 12-12 Junior Solheim Cup tie in 2011 and was part of the victorious Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team at Nairn the following year.

Indeed, being Amy Boulden was one long joy ride and the fun continued after she turned professional. Straight off the bat she qualified for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst which proved the impetus to 2014 Rookie of the Year honours on the Ladies European Tour (LET), a dream run dotted with four top 10s including a runner-up finish at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.

The girl from Llandudno, a coastal town in North Wales, had emulated legends like Laura Davies, Annika Sorenstam and another young upstart named Charley Hull. The LPGA Tour and major success suddenly beckoned and why not. There was nothing to suggest she couldn’t translate her amateur success into professional riches. Except, of course, golf doesn’t always work out how you hoped and imagined.

Tristan Jones

After finishing 18th on the LET moneylist in her rookie year, Boulden was 10th in 2015 but nosedived to 64th last season. As the results started to slide, so too did her confidence. Cast free of the Welsh national team safety net, she started to overthink her swing as the glory of her one professional victory, at the Association Suisse de Golf Ladies Open in May 2014 on the LET feeder tour, started to fade.

“My first year on tour was the best I had and I think that was probably because I didn’t really change anything,” says Boulden. “I had the same coaches in my amateur days. I played the same way, didn’t do anything differently, didn’t know any of the girls. I just went out there a little bit more fearless.

My first year on tour was the best I had and I think that was probably because I just went out there a little bit more fearless.

“When you’re in your amateur days, you have the national coach with you every week, you’ve got the other girls around you – you play as a team even thought its individual. You’ve got that support system. I think that’s what I’ve learned now turning pro, after these last four years, you’ve just got to have the right people around you and you’ve got to be as comfortable as you can on the golf course and off it.”

Boulden will arrive at Emirates Golf Club for the 12th Omega Dubai Ladies Classic this month slightly more comfortable with her place in the big scheme of things. She’s 38th on the 2017 moneylist following a topsy-turvy season that somewhat mirrors the LET’s own challenges, five straight missed cuts making way for T-4, T-16 and T-30 highlights in Thailand, Scotland an Abu Dhabi respectively.

She’s working hard with her new coach Paul Williams who just happens to be the Welsh amateur team coach. The safety net is back and Boulden repays the favour by training with the Welsh ams whenever she can.

At the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat, Boulden had a new caddy, Mark Parry, on her bag and also enjoys rooming with former Curtis Cup team-mate Holy Clyburn whenever possible, perhaps because the Englishwoman is another reminder of her amateur days.

“She doesn’t play very many events in Europe anymore, she plays a lot on the LPGA and that’s quite a good influence. I enjoy practicing with her because of that, I think I maybe work a little bit harder, a bit more constructively.”

It is still a work in progress, mind you. Boulden’s world ranking of 329 camouflages her true ability, as does her 0-3 record at LPGA Q-School where she played “horrendous” just a couple of weeks before briefly contending at Saadiyat Beach after an opening 67.

“I know that people look at the scoreboard today,” Boulden said in Abu Dhabi, “and they’re thinking ‘she shot 80 two weeks ago now she shoots 67.’ There’s not actually that much difference between the rounds, it’s just, all like confidence and mentality.”

It’s not like Boulden is out of her depth on the U.S. tour. She started 2017 positively with a share of 21st place at the Australian Open in Adelaide and contended early in wild weather at the NZ Open before finishing T-13. But golf being a numbers game, it’s all about consistency.

Tristan Jones

“When I don’t play well, I drop into the same habits I’ve done since I was a kid. Paul is trying to teach me to not panic as much when I’m on the golf course like in Florida when I wasn’t playing well, I would get a bit panicky because obviously it’s a big week for me. When I don’t play well my swing gets shorter and shorter and that’s the worse thing that can happen.

Williams’ wife, a life coach, is also helping out. “It’s just getting to the reasons of when I don’t play well, is there another reason other than not swinging it well? It’s just about knowing how to control your thoughts, and things like that. I’m very good on the golf course, don’t get riled up by bad shots, I’m not bad tempered. I don’t really get down on myself, which I think is one of my strengths. But it’s also like the mentality going into the round – maybe having the same attitude every time. Like going to Florida, I don’t enjoy going to Florida, it’s in the back of my head, not really wanting to be there.”

One place Boulden loves to be is in the UAE. Her sister, Kim Ellis, worked at Abu Dhabi G.C.  for four years which meant regular training visits to the desert have turned the place into a home away from home. She missed the cut on the Majlis last season after rounds of 77-74 but is determined to end 2017 with a real splash.

“We get looked after so well, the best of everything. The best course we play, the best players’ lounge, everything – we are looked after. The staff are so nice with us, so it’s definitely the event we look forward to most. And to finish at that event as well, everybody is in a good mood because it’s the last event of the year.”

It might be the end of a tough season but it’s also another chance to rediscover what being Amy Boulden is really like. The old adage about form being temporary and class permanent means the good times will surely roll again soon.