Drink turns Joe Fraser off life in the USA
Dec 17 2009 by Tim Taylor, The Journal
JOE Fraser, one of the region’s brightest golf prospects, has walked out on a golf scholarship at Paris College in Texas blaming poor facilities and “a drinking culture” among his fellow students.
The 18-year-old Fraser, who flew home after ten days, is the Durham County Junior Matchplay Champion and lives in Low Fell.
Known in North East golf circles for his work ethic, Fraser has returned to his daily ten-hour schedule of gym work, practice sessions at Ramside Hall and nine holes at his golf club, Ravensworth.
Fraser’s experience in America is at variance with golfers such as Ashington’s Kenneth Ferrie, who went to Midland College, a rival educational establishment in Texas, and has since won twice on the PGA European Tour.
Barnard Castle’s Robert Dinwiddie and Stocksfield’s Chris Paisley became Walker Cup golfers after furthering their golf education in the same state, Dinwiddie at Tennessee State University and Paisley at the University of Tennessee.
“I am certainly not advising other youngsters not to go to the States to improve their golf ,” said Fraser. “But the mistake I made was in not going out first to have a look round a few colleges before deciding which one to go to.
“When I did arrive there, it all seemed positive at first. The coach picked me up for the drive from Fort Worth Airport and told me that because another golfer had dropped out, I was on a full scholarship instead of a 50% scholarship.
“Where I was living there were some American lads who had cars, but none of them would give me a lift to the store to get the pillows and bedsheets and other stuff I needed, even though they were just playing on their X-box. So I had to walk an hour and a half to the store.
“When I was trying to sleep, they kept me awake with drinks parties and when I told them I was trying to get to sleep, they made it clear they were there for the social life and that they were going to carry on partying.
“I like a social life myself, but not when it interferes with the work side of it. Even so, I would probably have got on with it if it had not been for the facilities.
