about me
I'm Danny, otherwise known online as tehda - a gold & silver medallist in the Commonwealth Games for England and a lifelong enthusiast of both golf and entertainment.
My journey in content creation began early. In 2012, at just 14, I was already crafting long-form videos for my school friends—a hobby that has grown into a lifelong passion. Although football and gaming initially took centre stage, my experiences working with top brands and top creators gradually steered me toward producing golf content.
Within the first 3 months, I've amassed 2.5 million views, over 13,000 watch hours, and 6,000 followers. With a growing audience, my focus is all on golf going into summer.
Above all, my mission is to create opportunities. Whether it’s running events for those in need, providing golf clubs for those who can’t afford them, or offering essential equipment to those who require extra support, I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue what they love.
I still remember firing up Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 on my PS2 and falling in love with the sport. Every week, my mum and I would visit the local car boot sale, where I’d eagerly hunt for clubs. I’d save up little by little, finding a wedge here and a wood there, until I finally built a complete set. My favourites were the Nike T40 3 & 5 Woods, which I managed to grab.
Every couple of months, my dad and I headed to our local 9-hole course just to "hack it around." While I never took the game too seriously at first, I quickly began to see improvements with every round. I still recall one outing when my mum tagged along for the first time. New to the course, we spent over ten minutes on a tee box at a 150-yard par 3 on a busy day. Doubting that 10-year-old me could really make an impact, she told me to just hit it already. I stepped up with my 3-wood—and, to my surprise (and hers), hit the ball within 10 feet of the hole. The group walking off the green might not have been overly impressed, but that captured the moment I fell in love with the game, and it also marked the last time my mum urged me to hurry up on the course.
Golf wasn't my only hobby; I loved football. None of my friends played golf, but they all played football. I joined a local team on Saturdays and, hungry for more action, added another team on Sundays. It wasn’t long before I earned a spot in Eastleigh's Academy—training and playing matches six times a week after school (sorry, Mum and Dad).
At 16, however, reality set in. My doctor warned that the relentless schedule was affecting my recovery, causing complications with tendons and leading to issues like hernias and persistent back pain—a challenge I still manage today.
After my injury, I found myself with more time on my hands. In 2015, a brand new game had come out, called Rocket League. I began creating tutorials, montages, and livestreams of myself playing the game until I stumbled into competitive play—it turned out I was actually quite good. I would play in tournaments and even began earning some money.
The earnings weren't much to start with, but it was enough to convince my parents to let me pursue this passion alongside working part-time. They gave me a year—within that time, I went on to compete internationally for multiple organisations, including Endpoint, ASUS ROG & Unilad, and consistently found myself within the top 25 teams in Europe.
This opened my eyes; there was real potential here to do something more than just compete. I delved into various roles within the industry, including from social media and marketing to player management, coaching, commentating, and hosting. My journey eventually led me to a full-time role with Guild Esports, an organisation co-owned by David Beckham, where I worked closely with global brands such as Coca-Cola, Sky, and Subway.
At the heart of our work was a commitment to creating opportunities. Recognising that only 5% of esports competitors are women, even though women make up 47% of gamers, one of our missions was to level the playing field. In our teams, we ensured that 50% of our signed players were women across all game titles. I also collaborated with Sky Broadband to launch "Boost," a Rocket League tournament designed to offer women more competitive opportunities, and I spoke at Insomnia, the UK's largest gaming event, to advocate for change.
Our initiatives rested on three core pillars: College, Community, and Academy.
College: We built the world’s first-ever Esports College BTEC from scratch, operating it directly within the company. This program allowed passionate youngsters to earn a qualification in esports while gaining firsthand industry experience.
Community: We launched a community program that reached 1,000 underprivileged children per year across Hackney. By using gaming as a platform, we taught them about mental health, nutrition, psychology, and physical well-being.
Academy: Our esports academy focused on nurturing talent, helping aspiring players evolve into top competitors. I've worked with players securing millions in tournament winnings and creators reaching millions of fans. Fun fact: one of my nephews, featured in the photo above, is now a semi-pro Rocket League player!
On the side, I continued to create content, commentate, and coach. This approach led me to work closely with England during the first-ever inclusion of esports in the Commonwealth Games, where I managed both the Men's and Open Rocket League rosters, helping secure a gold and silver medal and even earning a feature on the BBC One Show.
This brings us to today. The support I received from my parents made all the opportunities in my life possible. But I know a lot of people do not have this support. I have seen it in football, I have seen it in esports, and even more so in golf.
Each field has its own barrier to entry. In football, all you need is a pair of boots and a ball to join a team. Esports demands a bit more: a reliable computer or console and high-speed internet. That's why we've worked hard to provide players with free equipment, internet access, and opportunities to showcase their talent. Many of those players have gone on to build careers in esports.
Golf is notoriously expensive. As someone who now does this as a career, I still have second-hand clubs off of Facebook. I do not have a golf membership, and I head to the course in the afternoon to keep costs down.
My goal is to provide people with opportunities. Here is how:
I plan to tailor events and sessions designed to benefit those who need the support the most.
I plan to help those who can't afford memberships and equipment by working closely with clubs, charities, and companies.
I plan to support individuals who love golf but face physical or mental challenges, ensuring they have the resources needed to enjoy the game.
If you share this vision and would like to get involved, please get in touch.
getting into golf
football took over
a career in gaming?
providing opportunities
