Mike Browne

Browne suffered a broken left leg during a routine training exercise serving for the Royal Artillery unit in 2011, but the injury hadn’t healed almost two years later due to a rare infection which led him to undergo amputation. Mike’s progress to the professional game has been meteoric by any standard. Starting to play golf in July 2014 and turning professional in September 2016 is not normal, as often it takes years for a player to reach the standard necessary to play professionally. Mike has always strived to be the best that he can be, it’s in his DNA. His competitive nature, formed in motocross as a youngster, honed in the military and expressed in golf. “I just want to be the best I can, and you know, if someone is better than me then fair dues.” His injury and subsequent recovery further sharpened these instincts. Although his athlete’s mentality is expressed in the heat of tournament play, in fact, he is most fiercely competitive with himself. “I think when I got injured, it made me want it more because I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else in the world, that no matter what happens to you, you can make something of it. A lot of people think their life is over when they get injured, but you know, I remember saying that…that life is over, but I’ve got a new one now, so let’s make the most of it.” Mike is making the most of his new life. He has powered his way into the top end of the Gross World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) and has earned his position in several high-profile events, some backed by the European Tour. Mike can now add the EDGA Scottish Open, played alongside the Aberdeen Scottish Open, the EDGA Finale, played together with the DP World Tour Championship, and the AAAC played in conjunction with the Emirates Australian Open, to his list of life experiences. These events are high profile and offer Mike the opportunity to test his skills against other golfers with a disability over tour prepared courses which are not for the faint-hearted. He is just as happy though when contributing to the coaching that is often done alongside these events, or with promotional activities with the On Course Foundation. “I can actually do stuff for them now rather than them doing stuff for me, which is such a great feeling. So I can help others. So yeah, it’s brilliant.”