How Gwill Poole swapped rugby battles for Dubai birdies – and found resilience, family, and friendship in golf.
Sport has always been in Gwill Poole’s blood. For years it came in the shape of bruising tackles, muddy scrums, and long Saturday afternoons on the rugby field. These days, it’s the gentle rhythm of the backswing and the frustrating brilliance of a four-footer for par that dominate his weekends. But while the sport has changed, the competitive fire – and the story behind it – burns stronger than ever.
At 41, Manager at The Brain & Performance Centre – a DP World company – has made an astonishing golfing leap. In just 18 months, he’s slashed his handicap from 28 to 10.5. With a little help from Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts and a determination that has carried him through far tougher battles in life, he’s got scratch in his sights.
Poole’s story begins not on manicured fairways, but in the rough and tumble of English rugby. Born with a natural athleticism and a love for competition, he first laced up his boots at the age of six. By his late teens, he was making serious headway, earning a scholarship with the Newcastle Falcons Academy and climbing the ladder to National 1 level rugby.
“I lived and breathed the game,” he recalls. “Every spare moment was rugby, and the dream was to make it professionally. At that age, you feel indestructible – the next step always feels just around the corner.”
But in 2004, reality struck. A snapped fibula cut short his rise and changed everything. “One moment I was on the field with the lads, the next I was in a hospital bed. Suddenly, the thing that defined me was gone.”
Poole carried on playing socially, keeping the flame alive with the Dubai Sharks and later the Hurricanes after moving to the UAE. But the demands of rugby and family life finally brought retirement a year and a half ago. The void, though, didn’t last long.
“Rugby gave me the team, the challenge, the discipline. Golf gives me all of that again, but in a different way.”
If sport has always been Poole’s passion, family has been his anchor. Married to his wife Maria for 15 years, the couple have two children, Owen and Grace, both teenagers today. Life, however, has not been straightforward.
Both Owen and Grace were diagnosed with autism, shaping the family’s daily routines and focus. Then, in 2019, came a hammer blow: Maria was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It was the toughest time of our lives,” says Poole quietly. “When it’s your wife, your best friend, the mother of your kids – everything changes. You just fight with her, every day.”
In searching for answers and support, the family discovered The Brain & Performance Centre – a DP World company, a world-leading facility specialising in neurological health and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The impact was profound. Maria’s recovery was dramatically boosted, while Owen and Grace also thrived thanks to new therapies.
“It was life-changing,” Poole explains. “I saw first-hand what it could do. Watching someone arrive in a wheelchair and walk out weeks later never gets old. For Maria and the kids, it was transformational.”
That bond with the Centre soon became professional. Today, as Commercial Partnership Manager, Poole helps connect others to the pioneering work the Centre delivers. In a city like Dubai – where golf often doubles as the boardroom – the fairways have become as much a part of his work life as his personal passion.
“Seeing someone arrive in a wheelchair and walk out weeks later never gets old.”
Golf crept into Poole’s life almost by accident. A casual round with friends in 2021 sparked a curiosity, but it wasn’t until late 2023 that he began to take the game seriously. Then, something clicked.
“From the first few sessions I was hooked,” he admits. “The game gets under your skin. It’s infuriating, it’s addictive, and every now and then you hit that one shot that keeps you coming back.”
With the discipline of an ex-elite athlete and the stubbornness of a former forward, Poole committed fully. Playing two or three times a week, he began carving strokes off his handicap at a remarkable rate.
His best round so far – a gritty 79 on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club – remains a personal highlight, even if he chuckles at the fact he hasn’t yet repeated it. “That’s golf,” he grins. “You get a taste of something special, then the game slaps you back into place the very next round.”
Poole’s rapid progress has not gone unnoticed. Thanks to Dubai’s unique blend of sport and business, chance encounters often turn into lasting friendships. In his case, it was a round with Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts that proved pivotal.
“Playing with Nicolas was surreal,” Poole recalls. “He’s such a natural – tall, powerful, effortless. But what struck me most was how encouraging he was. He gave me a few small tips, nothing over-complicated, and suddenly the swing felt different. Having that kind of voice in your corner changes the way you think about the game.”
Colsaerts remains in touch, offering the odd nudge and reminder. For Poole, those moments of insight have been priceless. “It’s like being handed a glimpse behind the curtain. You realise how much is mindset, how much is simplicity, and how much is about trust in your swing.”
“Every round leaves you wanting more – and that’s exactly why I love it.”
Golf has also become part of Poole’s professional rhythm. With a corporate membership at Dubai Golf and an office within the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the game often overlaps with his role at The Brain & Performance Centre.
“It’s amazing how often golf becomes the first step in a relationship,” he says. “I was once paired with a stranger on the back nine of the Majlis. By the very next day, he’d signed up for treatment at the Centre. That’s the power of the game here in Dubai – it builds trust, connection, and opportunity.”
More importantly, golf has restored the camaraderie and competitive spirit rugby once gave him. The banter with playing partners, the pursuit of better scores, the thrill of matchplay – all have reignited something familiar.
Poole’s sights are now firmly set on getting to scratch. It’s a lofty goal, but if his past has proven anything, it’s that determination runs deep.
“I know it’s ambitious, but that’s what keeps me motivated. Whether it takes two years or five, I’ll keep working at it. The game has given me so much already – fitness, focus, friendships – that whatever happens, I’ve already won.”
From a career-ending rugby injury, to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his wife through cancer, to helping his children thrive – Poole has weathered storms that make golf’s double-bogeys feel trivial. And yet, in the quiet beauty of Dubai’s fairways, he has found his new arena.
The scrums have been swapped for swings, the bruises for birdies. And while scratch remains the dream, the real victory may already be his: resilience rediscovered, family flourishing, and a new obsession that keeps him chasing more
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For more information on
The Brain & Performance Centre, visit
www.braindubai.com
