I.T and Namo credit the support system at their school and state their success can be attributed to their coaches, teachers and friends.

“Before I came here, I would get mad very easily during a tournament or competition,” says Namo, “but Coach Ollie has taught me to stay calm and now I’ve become a lot better. He also understands the pressures of school and tournaments, and gives me great advice about how to balance everything.”

She also credits her teachers for being supportive when she is away for tournaments and allowing her to make up for lost work and time in class.

I.T reiterates her comments. “Coach Ollie is very easygoing. I can talk to him about anything. He’s taught me to be competitive, but also that it’s a game and I should take it easy and have fun with golf. I feel valued by my school community whether I win or lose,” he says

Athletics Director LaMantia also credits Coach Oliver for connecting well with each golfer and understanding their needs to help them develop their game technically, tactically, physically and mentally, all of which are important pillars of the BISP Golf programme.

“Coach Ollie has the ability to give informative feedback to our players and is able to set up a clear individual learning path for each of our golfers,” says LaMantia.

Oliver believes that students’ wellbeing is as important as their physical training. “I love to see the kids thriving mentally and their all-round wellbeing is really important to me,” he says. “We're teaching kids how to work hard to become better and stronger, but also how to compete and be humble. Golf teaches you all this and more which is what makes it such an amazing sport.”

Coach Oliver recalls the early days of the academy and how it started off with a few kids and a bus to Laguna Golf Course to practice, before BISP had their own facilities. He has been with BISP for five years and a Phuketian for 20, where he has been involved in many youth academies and clubs. He started the Golf Academy at BISP with Athletics Director Jeff and then Headmaster Neil Richards. He also helped design the course in collaboration with John Morrow (who also designed Red Mountain Golf Course in Kathu). And by a stroke of good luck, as Oliver puts it, golfing great Sir Nick Faldo was in town at the time of course inauguration and christened it by hitting a few shots and playing a four-hole shoot-out with future Youth Olympic champion Vanchai.

Oliver believes that starting young is always a great advantage for any athlete. “When kids have friends to play with and facilities to train at, some of them naturally really get into it,” he says. “A lot of credit goes to the parents who are willing to travel with them and support them. The authorities in Thailand and corporations such as Singha have been very good to golf over the years. Thailand is really strong at the moment, especially on the women's side where they've got fantastic players and great infrastructure.”

Find out more about the British International School, Phuket's world-class facilities for day and boarding pupils here.