ADAM Reed is finding it hard to entice any of his Blackburn Rovers' team-mates to stake a wager on their golf battles, BRIAN DOOGAN reports.

Despite repeated declarations that his swing resembles the arc of a square wheel and that a calculator is required when it is time to total his scorecard, he is a fairly handy player.

He is not proficient enough to give up those 200 keep-ups a day in favour of a daily diet of 200 shots on the driving range.

But good enough to earn a reputation as a bit of a "bandit".

One of those players who swears he uses a guide dog as a caddy and proceeds to wrap up his match on the 12th green with a 30-foot birdie putt!

And then collects his winnings and forwards them to David Leadbetter in advance of his next lesson!

"That's not quite true and I wouldn't want any of the lads thinking that I'm any great shakes on the golf course," said the 20-year-old who appears as relaxed off the course as on it. "I've only very briefly had a few lessons with the Bishop Auckland professional and have never spent long enough at a golf club to get a handicap.

"When I hit a good shot I don't know why - the same with a bad shot.

"Even when not playing well I still get the urge to go out on the course.

"It is enjoyable and relaxing.

"Having said that, there are times when I lose my temper with it quite a lot!" Reed is hardly the first to find the game of golf both irresistable and infuriating, nor is he likely to be the last.

But he is one of the few who can claim to have eagled a par four by holing out with a full seven iron!

"I had just finished training and went out with a mate of mine, Middlesbrough substitute keeper Ben Roberts," he recalled.

"From nearly 150 yards I struck a seven iron and the ball flew straight in.

"It's still my only ever eagle and the lads were fairly impressed.

"But there are plenty of daft shots I've hit that spring just as readily to mind!" Drawn to sporting endeavours from his youth, Adam had his sights set on becoming a professional footballer for as long as he can remember.

After completing his GCSEs with distinction he became an apprentice at Darlington before being signed professionally.

This August he completed a dream transfer move for any emerging talent - to Ewood Park and the champions of England.

"Obviously, it's a big step from the bottom of the Third Division to the Premiership champions," said the North East lad who still supports childhood favourites Sunderland.

"But it's been brilliant.

"I am settling in but it's been made easy because they're a good bunch of lads."

And the club boats some other fine golfers among them, not least Rovers' Director of Football Kenny Dalglish.

"I don't believe in throwing games but it might be sensible not to play too hard against the gaffer!"

He may find curbing that competitive streak quite difficult, though.

Whether the game is football, golf, tennis or tiddly winks Reed plays to win.

Which is exactly the type of player Rovers can do with.

But exactly the type of golfer some of them could well do without!

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