Golf: Meet Bromley's rising junior superstar Megan Simmons

When she was just eight years old, a family friend took Megan to the Magpie Golf Centre in Bromley to try out a couple of swings.

Megan returned home to tell mum Lisa how much she had enjoyed it and decided to drop playing her current sport tennis in favour of a set of clubs.

Six years later, she has taken part in over 50 competitions and has a handicap of 17.8 - the average handicap for women is around 28.9.

Megan told News Shopper: “I’m not one to boast about my ability but I think I am doing quite well compared with other young players in England.

“I would love to get into the England coaching team. It would me involve me playing a lot more and really working to get my handicap down.”

She plays regularly at Sundridge Park Golf Club on Garden Road in Bromley where she is a member.

“Someone told me that I had a natural swing. I like being quite unique and golf is a little bit different, I guess,” she said.

“So, I gave up tennis and went down to the local driving range with my mum to hit a few balls.”

In May 2009, Langley Park golf teaching pro Tim Trodd took Megan under his wing and taught her all the basics of golf.

Just a few months later, she spent three days training at the Lee Westwood Golf Academy, which is widely regarded as the leading private golf school.

And in 2010, she entered her first Trailblazers Junior Golf Tour, which is designed to show young golfers what the European Tour is like, winning several times.

Since then, she has gained top three positions in the Ocenico World Kids Golf in Portugal, the European Golf tour and the Dartford Junior Open to name a few.

She most recently won the Kent County Ladies Golf Association’s Lohan Trophy.

Most of Megan’s competitors are boys, who she loves to beat.

“Beating the boys feels good because most of them think girls can’t actually play when it turns out that we can,” she said.

“It’s good experience playing against them because I can learn from them as well.” Megan’s favourite achievement so far is her handicap.

Her mum, Lisa Simmons, 42, said she thinks her daughter is really inspirational.

“She didn’t even tell her school that she was playing golf originally. She kept it quiet,” Lisa said.

“It’s great that she can show other kids really that they can play golf as well.”

Jo Waight, Megan’s PE teacher at Hayes School said: “Her golfing achievements have been superb over the last three years in which I have known her.

“Megan has grown both physically within her game and mentally and has really established herself in the Kent county. I am excited at what the future has in store for her!”