For most of his career, football has been the defining focus of Tom Lockyer’s life. But away from the pitch, the former Luton Town captain has found another passion that brings balance and perspective, golf.
Following his recent health challenges, the game has become an important outlet, helping him stay active, focused, and connected. Although Lockyer dabbled with the game as a teenager, it wasn’t until after Covid that his love for golf really took hold.
“I was playing on and off as a kid through secondary school but never really took it seriously. It was only post-Covid once I joined Luton Town and there was a golf school that I really started taking it seriously,” he says.
Since then, golf has become more than just a pastime, it’s a source of focus, calm, and healthy competition alongside his football career.
With the demands of training, matches, and family life, finding time for a round isn’t always easy, but he still makes the effort whenever he can.
“It varies a lot as to what I’ve got on each week,” he admits. “But since having a little one, it’s dropped massively!”
Even so, Lockyer remains hooked on the sense of freedom the game offers. He explains: “I love being outside in nature first and foremost. It’s a great escape from reality as such and I really love the game, whether that’s a match against someone else or going out trying to shoot as low as possible.”
As a professional athlete, Lockyer sees clear similarities between football and golf – particularly in the mindset needed to perform and recover from mistakes.
“I like to think that I deal with the bad shots quite well as it’s like losing a game in football. The match you’ve lost is gone now and there’s nothing you can do about it, but you can put it right by winning the next game.”
During his time at Luton, golf became a regular part of team downtime, often alongside close friend and teammate Carlton Morris. “We used to get out two or three times a week and have a really good back and forth,” he recalls. “I remember one time we went out to Portugal for a long weekend golfing, and I beat him 6–0 over six rounds!”
His golfing journey has already been marked by some standout moments. Lockyer smiles as he recalls hitting an albatross early in his golfing life, on the 8th hole at Luton Hoo Golf Club during Mick Harford’s charity day in 2022.
“I didn’t quite understand the rarity of it and carried on playing with the ball and lost it,” he laughs.
More recently, he added another incredible memory to the list – a hole-in-one at Bearwood Lakes. He revealed: “It was a 9-iron into a little wind off the left. It pitched a yard past and spun back in. That was one of the best feelings, as it was in as soon as it left the club.”
He even jokes about the timing: “Luckily we were a late tee-off and the bar was empty when we got back!”
And while football remains his career, golf has become the passion he plans to pursue long after his playing days end. “I’ve always said that when I retire from football, my first goal will be to get to scratch,” he says. “I’ve started the process already but it’s not my main focus at the moment.”
Following his cardiac arrest, golf became more than a pastime – it became part of Lockyer’s recovery journey. Just a month after the incident, he returned to the course with a friend.
“Golf was one of the first things that I did following my cardiac arrest. I went out with my mate Trev around Woburn about a month after. It was great to get out in nature and play some golf. It’s a place once you’re out there that you don’t really think about much else.”
Even while undergoing treatment in Amsterdam, golf came with him. “I was there for about four months in total,” he explains. “But the first thing I packed was my golf clubs! I found Europe’s biggest golf practice facility, and I used to regularly go after training and hospital visits to work on my game.”
Golf, he says, has been a huge help both mentally and physically. “I very rarely get angry at bad shots, and I love being outside in the nature of a beautiful golf course.”
It’s also a sport he’d recommend to anyone, regardless of health or ability.
“I would recommend golf to anyone. It has fully got me hooked, I’m mentally and physically obsessed with the game. I cannot get enough of it!”
Lockyer even jokes that he’ll still be playing decades from now. “It’s a game I will be playing when I’m 80 and can barely move. I love the fact that everyone can play off a level playing field regardless of ability and it’s whoever plays best to their ability on the day that can win.”
Lockyer’s connection to iGolf started, as he puts it, through some lively “debates” in the Luton dressing room. He admitted: “We had a few debates at Luton over handicaps and fairness, so we all decided to get legitimate handicaps. That’s when we found MyEG.”
As a footballer who moves clubs and cities frequently, joining a traditional golf club hasn’t always been practical. “It’s not financially viable to join a golf club everywhere you go with some of the joining fees payable,” he explains. “Especially when you know you won’t be in a particular area long term.”
That’s where iGolf, the only Handicap Index® under the WHS™ for non-club golfers, has made a real difference.
“Having iGolf has allowed me to hold an official handicap and play in competitions if I wanted, although I’ve not done so yet!”
It also supports his love for exploring new courses. “I love playing new golf courses,” he says. “I have a map which I use to tick off every course I’ve ever played. I’ve played 192 rounds at 97 different golf courses since 2020 and MyEG has allowed me to register a score for every one.”
For Lockyer, iGolf has become a perfect fit – giving him flexibility, consistency, and motivation to keep improving his game wherever he plays. He added: “It lets me have an official handicap for each new course depending what tees we play off and allows me to keep chasing that goal of getting down to scratch.”
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