Joe Pagdin Brings English Passion for Golf to Gainesville

When Joe Pagdin was 9 years old, he had just finished a soccer match and was grabbing a bite to eat at a sandwich shop in Orlando. As he looked out of the shop window, he saw a red Ferrari pull up. 

The Ferrari door swung open, and Ian Poulter, a three-time PGA Tour winner, walked into the shop. Pagdin got an autograph and a picture with Poulter, although he wasn’t very familiar with his career at the time.

So, Pagdin went home and watched Poulter’s highlights. Though he has yet to win major championships, Poulter is most known for his clutch performances at the Ryder Cup, one of the biggest golf competitions between golfers from the United States and Europe. 

There, watching YouTube, was when Pagdin decided he wanted to make a career out of golf. 

“I was like, ‘I want to be like him,”’ Pagdin said. “That’s what sparked it. That made the decision where I wanted to make a career out of golf. He was a role model for me and an idol.” 

Pagdin and the Poulter’s

Now, Pagdin is family friends with the Poulters. Ian’s son, Luke, is Pagdin’s teammate at UF, and he said Luke is his best friend on the team. 

Pagdin and the Poulters share a similar background. Both are from England, a nation where golf has a rich history and is one of the most popular sports. Every year, The Open Championship, one of four major golf tournaments, is played in England, Scotland or Ireland. Fans swarm the stands and course to watch the most talented golfers in the world compete for a major championship. 

Originally from Sheffield, England, Pagdin moved to Orlando at the age of 5. Despite living in the United States for the majority of his life, Pagdan travels to Sheffield every summer to see family. When he first moved, he said he was able to adjust easily to life in the United States but said adjusting socially was difficult at times. 

Growing up, Pagdin befriended Poulter, and another current teammate, John DuBois. DuBois, who is from Windermere, Florida, played with Pagdan in junior golf competition and considers him to be one of his close friends. 

He said he enjoys being able to play a casual round of golf without the pressure and stress of the game. 

“When it’s your teammate, your own guy that you want to see play well, it’s always nice just having a casual round of golf,” DuBois said. “Playing some music, whatever it is.”

Gator and International Passion

England has always held a special place in Pagdin’s heart. He competed in multiple amateur and junior tournaments for Team Europe and Great Britain. Specifically, he’s competed internationally in the Walker Cup and represented England in the Youth Olympics. 

Pagdin said playing for his country is one of the most passionate and biggest achievements he’s had in his golf career.

“It’s different,” he said.  “You’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for a team, playing for your country. The passion just comes out. The pride you get from representing your country, it’s something I would’ve never dreamed of.”

The English golfer is entering his junior year with the Gators golf team. Although he began his collegiate career in 2020, Pagdin knew he wanted to go to Florida in middle school. When he was 13, he committed to UF. 

“When I came up for my visits, I fell in love with the place,” he said. “Obviously, I did look at several other places, but to me, my heart just felt good here.” 

Pagdin redshirted last season. He saw playing time during his freshman and sophomore years but was sidelined during 2022, as he struggled with his mental health. 

Golf is one of the toughest mental sports in the game. One day, one could have the best round of his or her life and the next could be one’s worst round. 

“One day you can wake up and be fine and don’t feel a thing,” he said. “The next day, you could wake up and you don’t know where the ball is going to go. Each day is different. For sure, the mental aspect is the hardest part of the game.” 

Comeback

But Pagdin is making a comeback, and he said he’s thankful for being able to go through his experience, learning a lot about himself in the process. 

Poulter said he’s seen an improvement compared to last year, and he knows his close friend will be back to his old self soon. 

It’s getting very, very close and everyone on the team is seeing it,” Poulter said. “We’re all super excited for him, hoping it can come quickly because we all need him on this team.”

He’s ready to return to competition on the course, with goals of succeeding at the collegiate level and helping Florida repeat as National Champions. Pagdin has been working behind the scenes, including his swing coach, short game coach and mental coach, according to DuBois. 

“It’s really easy to play for him, and to know that he’s putting in all that work behind the scenes,” he said. “When no one else is watching. In the past six months, his game has gone back to that level of elite golf.”

But he has one long-term goal in the back of his mind, as well: Win the Open Championship.

With that comes pressure, but Pagdin believes he thrives under those situations. 

“I’ve always thought the pressure fuels me,” he said. “In big situations when there is pressure, it tends to bring the best out of me. That’s why I play the game. I’m meant to be there, I’ve been given that opportunity, so I’ve got to trust myself and have the team trust me to do it.”