Former West Ham prospect prepares for golfing debut

When Joshua Ramejkis’ promising football career was cut short by injury aged just 16, there was no doubt in his mind as to the direction he wanted to take.

The former West Ham United and Arsenal youth team player had always had a passion for golf, so when luck ultimately went against him on the football pitch he decided to pursue a career as a PGA Professional.

Last year the Enfield-born 20-year-old signed up to The PGA’s degree programme and joined The Shire London as their new assistant professional.

Now he is preparing for the first professional golf tournament of his fledgling career, the Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship east regional qualifier at Haverhill on April 30.

Should he seal qualification to the FootJoy-supported showpiece at Coventry Golf Club (above) on June 11-13, Ramejkis will line up against some of the very best young golfers in Great Britain and Ireland to compete for his share of the £32,500 prize fund.

“As this is my first event I’ve not really set myself any goals that I must achieve,” he said.

“It’s been difficult to get practice in over the winter while the weather has been bad, but I’ve been working hard out on the range and the short game area to ensure I am in the best form I can be going into the event.”

As an assistant professional, Ramejkis has to juggle more than your average student, combining assignments for university with the demands of working at The Shire, all while maintaining his game at elite-level standard.

To add to this he has also been taking on valuable work with The Golf Trust to help support disabled golfers.

“It’s been hard work, but I am enjoying every minute of it,” he enthused.

“I am lucky to be at a great family-run club who want to support me while I study and try to develop my career.

“We’ve got some excellent facilities here too, and I’m sure they will be a big help for me as I prepare to play in tournaments over the coming year.”

While a place at Coventry may be the immediate ambition for Ramejkis, he has not lost sight of where he ultimately wants to take his career.

“I love my coaching role at The Shire and I definitely see that as the direction I want to take my career in the future,” he explained.

“I want to develop myself as a coach, and hopefully one day I will get the opportunity to work with some of the best players in the world.”

Ahead of the event Luke Young, national and key account manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises, whose products include Powerade, said: “We are delighted to once again support this prestigious tournament which will culminate with a final at Coventry Golf Club in June.

“It is an event which has a long history of showcasing outstanding golf from some of the country’s best young players, and I look forward to watching what will undoubtedly be another exciting Championship this year.”

Other players competing in the east regional qualifier include: James Jankowski (Essendon), Peter Latimer (Felixstowe Ferry), Nicholas Pateman (Pinner Hill), Glen Portelli (Verulam) and Ryan Walters (Girton).