As he looks ahead to joining the University of California, Berkeley men’s golf team in 2027, Alex Boyes sets out his ambitions and discusses why he wants to attend one of America’s top golf and academic colleges
A golf scholarship in the US is an increasingly important step in the career of an aspiring young golfer. While some of the greats have chosen to not be part of programmes across the Atlantic, more and more players with ambitions to play on the DP World, Ladies European, PGA and LPGA tours are committing to combining amateur golf and education as they prepare to join the professional ranks.
In the UK, and in the North East and Yorkshire, more players than ever before are attending colleges in the US. For Alex Boyes – an England international since 2023 who represents Yorkshire and is a member of Wynyard and Cleveland golf clubs – committing to attend the University of California, Berkeley in the autumn of 2027 was a major step in his golf career.
Being offered a scholarship at Berkeley is quite an achievement given its reputation for golf and academics. The golf programme has produced several PGA Tour winners – including James Hahn, Max Homa, and 2020 PGA Championship winner and 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa – while also being ranked ninth in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and fifth in Forbes’ list of America’s Top Colleges.
“Having committed to college golf earlier this year, the decision has really settled in now,” says 17-year-old Alex. “I’ve had lots of conversations with the coaches and got my head around things – but it’s still crazy that I’m going to get to go there next year. While it’s something to think about now, all the people I know who are out there or have been before say it really comes into focus in the last few weeks before you fly over.
“The opportunity to attend a top college is a huge one, and I know it’ll be four years of hard work, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Going to America has been one of Alex’s goals for several years, having seen so many of his teammates and the players around him follow that path.
“I’m very excited to be a college golfer,” he adds. “The recruiting process is long and can be stressful as it’s a big decision. From the start, I wanted to go to Berkeley and it’s great to have the chance to go to my dream school. I know I’m going to get a great education while following in the footsteps of players like Collin Morikawa.
“I was inspired by Berkeley’s reputation for athletics and academics at first. Then I got to speak to some of the coaches, saw their facilities, and got really excited about being part of the team. I’m planning to visit later this year, when I’ll get to meet some of the players and the coaches in person. I’ll also get my first taste of college life in California.”
Having picked up the game with his dad, Joe, at the age of seven, Alex quickly progressed. He played in Durham for a short time before joining the Yorkshire coaching system, including the England Golf Regional Squad, under the guidance of coach Steve Robinson and manager Phil Woodcock. In 2023 he represented England for the first time in an U16s match against Italy, and he is now part of the national boys’ squad.
“I remember going to the driving range at Ingleby Barwick with my dad and just wanting to play golf every day,” says Alex. “I’d wake my dad up at 6am to go and play or practise, or drag my mum along so I could hit balls in the dark in the middle of winter. That drive to play has been the same since I was seven years old.
“Really early on, I found I loved competing – whether it was a club competition or junior tour events. I liked playing golf against my friends and I’d always be pushing to go further back and play off the same tees as the older boys.”
As well as competing across the region, Alex was mentored by top coaches, including Steve as part of the Yorkshire system, and by Andrew Nicholson at Wynyard.
“I’ve always got so much out of squad coaching and really enjoy it,” adds Alex. “One of the first Yorkshire sessions I went to, I got to meet some of the older boys who were doing well in national events and that inspired me so much. When I progressed into the England system I got to experience that again with guys from all over the country.
“Playing and practising with players who are better than me is an amazing way to learn and get better. That will continue when I go to America, as there’ll be guys in their final year just weeks away from going out on tour, and I’ve got no doubt I’ll learn so much from them.
“The team environment is invaluable and the Yorkshire system was amazing for me – I learned so much from the coaches and the other players.”
Alex progressed from county golf into the national system and soon represented his country, first for the U16s team – which he represented nine times – before being selected for the national boys’ squad.
“My passion for competing and playing against good players has never gone away, and it has probably grown as I’ve moved up the ladder. I think that’s important to have if you want to get better,” he explains.
While he has progressed through the ranks, Alex has been supported by those around him, including his mum, Nicola, and his dad as well as his coaches and fellow players.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to have so much support,” he says. “My parents have taken me around the country to play and been there for every event, while the people involved in the Yorkshire system are so passionate about supporting players and seeing us do well, which is amazing.
“The whole Yorkshire team is brilliant to be around – the guys competing and everyone supporting us. Players like Josh Stevens, Jonty Butcher and Huey Cunningham are among my best friends and it has been great to see them do well as they’re just a little ahead of me on this journey.
“Me and [fellow England boys’ team member] Tom [Hartshorne] are good mates too. We’ve played together at every level and have been a really strong foursomes pairing when we’re picked together. He was at some of the first tournaments I ever went to, and having a mate from just down the road there when we won the County Finals for Yorkshire, or when we’re representing Teesside and even England, is awesome. We help each other and it has been great to be on the same journey for so long.”
While he has been a member of Teesside, Cleveland, Seaton Carew and Rockliffe Hall, Alex has always called Wynyard Golf Club his home.
“I love coming back to play for all the teams I’ve represented, but there’s something very special about playing for Wynyard. I’m really proud to call the club home, it’s a great place to spend time and I’ve always loved being here.
“It’s important to not forget your roots and playing for Wynyard or the Teesside union keeps me grounded and appreciative of the opportunities I have.”
At the end of 2024, Alex made the switch from long-time coach Andrew to Steve, and while the decision was a difficult one he is incredibly happy to have the support of both men as they have had a huge influence on him.
“Changing coaches happens in golf and it builds on everything you’ve learned so far,” Alex says. “I still talk to Nico and so many of the things he’s taught me, in golf and outside of it, will stay with me forever. His knowledge is absolutely invaluable and his energy for everything he does is amazing – when I pass my driving test, I’ve asked him to show me how he cleans a car his way – and it’s brilliant to know he’s still one of my biggest supporters.
“I’m learning a lot from Robbo as well, and he’s had an influence on my game for a long time through Yorkshire coaching. He works with some amazing players on tour and takes a slightly different approach, one which is very data-driven but incredibly clear, and I’m learning so much from him.”
With so much experience already under his belt – off the course in coaching sessions and on the golf course with his clubs, county and country as well as competing individually – Alex is well prepared for the US college golf environment, where he’ll be working with his teammates every day, travelling to tournaments together, and competing as a team and individually.
His record with England to-date includes being part of the 2025 team which won the Girls’ & Boys’ Home Internationals, an event he went unbeaten in and won 5.5 out of a possible six points, as well as his nine appearances for the national U16s team. He was also part of the Yorkshire team which was crowned boys’ county champions in 2024.
His personal achievements on the golf course in 2025 included a runner-up finish in the North of England U16 Championship at Pannal with a 19 under-par total, and a T3 finish in the Fairhaven Trophy. He was also second in the Yorkshire Boys Amateur Championship.
“2025 was a very up and down year, with some big highs and some low points,” says Alex. “I made some big swing changes last winter and the work continued during the 2025 season. There was some good golf in there, but at times it was a bit of a battle.
“That said, the highs last season were great. Winning the Home Internationals with England – and going unbeaten – was brilliant. I also shot 19 under-par at Pannal to finish second. The head-to-head with [winner] Albie [Beeston] was a cool experience.
“I learned a lot in 2025. Learning how to score when you don’t have your best game is such an important skill, and that experience is something I can draw on going forward.
“Progressing as a golfer isn’t always a flat line, there’s going to be good moments and bad moments, and you need to be able to use both over what you hope will be a long career. If you focus on trying to get better every day, you’ll see the improvements over time. Some days when I come off thinking I’ve played average golf, I try to think back to how I would have felt about that score a couple of years ago. It’s crazy how much golf changes in such a short period of time.”
We meet at Wynyard on the eve of Alex’s practice round for the Brabazon Trophy at Moortown. With just a few weeks of AS Level revision and exams at Bede College to go before the summer holidays, he is ready to get into the heart of the season.
“I can’t wait to get into a run of tournaments,” he says. “Last summer, I wasn’t in a great place technically, so I want to enjoy my golf for a few months and play with some freedom again.”
Looking ahead, Alex would like to be selected for the Great Britain and Ireland team for the Jacques Léglise Trophy, as well as the England team for the Home Internationals, and he has built a schedule of top UK and European events to make his case for selection.
He will be looking to build on his start to 2026, which has included a 12th place finish in the Berkhamsted Trophy, a T2 finish in The Peter McEvoy Trophy, and a T9 finish in the Fairhaven Trophy.
“I’m relatively happy,” he says on his start to the season. “It’s tough balancing exams and golf, but my game feels solid heading into the summer.
“It’s pretty much golf all summer, but I enjoyed playing some padel through the winter and I’ve got my driving test in a couple of weeks’ time. With college and golf in the spring it’s pretty busy, but I enjoy my golf so much that it doesn’t ever feel like too much, especially when I’m playing alright.”
While he has a busy summer ahead, Alex already has one eye on his move to California in 2027 and the huge step he will make in his golf career when he becomes a full-time college athlete.
“I’ve got my first college visit coming up too,” he says, looking ahead to later this year. “I’ve never been to America, so that’s exciting, and our whole family is going over. Berkeley is playing Stanford while we’re there, which should be cool. I think it’ll feel a lot more real once I’ve been there, and it will definitely inspire me going into the winter at home.”
While he’s counting down to becoming a college athlete, Alex also has a lot of golf to look forward to over the next two seasons.
“Going to the US feels like it’s coming soon, but it’s still a long way off,” adds Alex, who is studying maths and business at A Level and is interested in a degree in economics, finance or business.
“I’ve got goals to achieve this summer, both with my swing and on the golf course, and working towards those is my priority,” he says.
“I’m enjoying my golf. I get so much out of competing and practising, and I enjoy the blend of the two, which is really important as I spend a lot of time doing both. Having a mix is important, as is enjoying your time away, and I’m excited to see what lies ahead this summer and beyond.”
