How The Who's long-time manager became a golf-ball wizard backing the game's next generation

It is fair to say that 16-year-old Conor Gough sure plays a mean golf ball. The English wonderkid tees it up in his first professional event this week and one of those who will be constantly updating the leaderboard to check his score will be The Who’s long-time manager.

Bill Curbishley would like to be in Southport for the Betfred British Masters, but the rock legend who produced, among other films, Tommy and Quadrophenia, is required by Roger Daltrey and Co in America as The Who launch their latest world tour.

However, because of Golfing4Life, Curbishley was happy to turn his attention to talking about the new generation and the support offered by his not-for-profit organisation that Gough is adamant has thrust him towards the brink of his dream.

“This golf thing's sort of taking control of my life,” Curbishley told The Telegraph from Michigan. “The next stage will be for me and Jimmy [Byers, the co-founder of G4L] to go into golf management. I’ve seen some of the golf management companies and they haven’t impressed me.

“These kids aren’t commodities and we will have built a five or six-year bridge of trust with boys like Conor, who is a huge talent. It’s important to me, as I grew up in the London docklands and I wouldn’t have got where I am without a helping hand.”

Curbishley’s life could be a film. He considered the Kray twins as friends – he was a pallbearer at Reggie’s funeral – and in the Sixties was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in an armed robbery, a crime he has always denied. As well as The Who, he has managed Judas Priest and Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and persuaded the Led Zeppelin pair to play together again.

As the elder brother of Alan Curbishley, the former West Ham player and manager, Bill also knows all about the vicissitudes of sport, but saw it for himself when son Alfredo – who is now on the EuroPro Tour – played age-group golf for England.

“Obviously you get to know the other parents and what I found was that some of them were struggling financially being single parents or on the dole,” he said. “Jimmy’s [Byers] boy, Harvey, was also playing and we vowed to do something about it. Some of them could not afford practice rounds because of a £50 hotel bill or had a scruffy set of clubs not up to the task. So we formed G4L and started backing elite golfers who needed assistance. It’s just mushroomed from there.”

G4L was set up in 2010 and now has upwards of 30 players in its team. “I don’t come from a wealthy background and it can be expensive, but G4L helps with everything you need, getting places, sorting accommodation,” Gough said. “G4L is the biggest thing around now – all the top amateurs are on it. Bill is a great guy, although I have to admit my dad had to tell me who The Who were. Jimmy’s been amazing and although management companies have already approached me, I’ll be sticking with G4L for as long as I can.”

Curbishley and Byers insist on one thing, other than a strong work ethic. “We tell them they have to have a Plan B as only a couple in thousands make it,” Curbishley said. Gough is the living, swinging example of this ethos. As his invite shows, there is no doubting this Slough product’s absurd talent. As a 13-year-old he shot a remarkable nine-under 62 at Stoke Poges Golf Club off the back tees, taking the course record from multiple European Tour winner Simon Dyson, and in the past year he has risen to 11th on the world amateur rankings, which makes him the highest-ranked Briton and second highest European.

The coaches in England Golf understandably never like to hype up future champions, but in private conversations I have been told he is rated as the best young Englishman since the likes of Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood. In September, Gough is almost certain to become the second ever youngest Walker Cup player, behind Ollie Fisher by a few weeks but ahead of Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy. “That would be a great bunch of players to be named with, but I’m not thinking about any of that,” Gough said. “There’s no pressure on me. It’s just a game of golf.”

The teenager was on the range at Hillside Golf Club on Tuesday talking to Fleetwood, the world No 16, who is promoting this tournament, and then had lunch with four-time Tour winner Matt Wallace. But after his first day with the stars, Gough’s evening was set to be rather less glamorous. “I’ve had to take the week off school and, to be honest, the school isn’t too happy about it because I’ve got GCSEs next week. Yet I have all my books with me so will be going back revising every night. I guess none of the other players here will be doing that.”