I had a brain bleed after sledging crash - but I'm back on track to be a pro golfer

When amateur golfer Robyn Fowlie suffered a brain bleed after a sledging accident, she feared her future in the game was at serious risk.

The 22-year-old had been enjoying the snow when she crashed into a metal gate in Aberdeenshire earlier this year.

She lost consciousness, and was later told she had suffered a bleed on the brain. In the weeks that followed, she struggled with her balance and mobility, as well as her memory.

However, Robyn has battled back to fitness - and is taking part in the Scottish Women's Amateur Championships at Southerness Golf Club near Dumfries this weekend. She hopes one day to turn professional.

The accident happened on 5 January, when the north east of Scotland was in the grip of heavy snow.

Robyn, of Laurencekirk, and her sister decided to go sledging at nearby Fettercairn on Duncryne Hill, which is known as the Dumpling.

"We go marching up the hill and then we go down twice together and it was so fun, it was brilliant," Robyn told BBC Scotland News.

"I was like 'I'm going to go one more time'.

"So off I go down the hill, my sledge flips around and I can't see where I'm going, the board just keeps going, and I hit the back of my head off a metal field gate."

She lost consciousness and said her sister initially feared she was dead. When she came round she had a seizure.

Robyn was taken to a GP and then on to A&E at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she was told she had a bleed on the brain.

She described that moment as "just so scary".

Robyn explained: "My first thought was am I going to be okay?

"I just didn't know, I didn't know what that meant and it was really confusing and horrible actually.

"So I was there for a couple of days and then finally got to go home and I don't remember being home.

"My mum and dad were like what's your name? how old am I? what's your dog's name? I would just pause and they said I was just staring, there was nothing going on, I was just empty.

"And then I finally got my memory back, it's still not the best, but my short-term memory is coming back which is so nice."

The Robert Gordon University (RGU) second year business and management student said she had, in effect, to learn how to balance again and needed support just to stay standing.

She turned 22 in February and then started going back to the driving range.

"It was really good for me mentally just to start going and hitting some balls again. I played my first round in March.

"It's very frustrating not being able to remember things even when it came to golfing I was like 'oh what did you make on that hole'.

"I competed in Wales at the start of this month and that was a really positive experience so I was really happy with that."

Robyn described her recovery as "still a process" - and said she was learning and appreciating it takes time.

She said she was "really excited" about taking part in the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship this weekend.

"I feel like I'm in a better place mentally, I'm feeling better physically as well," she said. "I know I'm not 100% there but I am definitely like progressing well and I feel good.

"I love golf and I really want to try and take it further and try to turn professional in the near future."

She explained: "On the flip side it's made me a lot more sort of focused on my uni work as well because I'm kind of like 'what if this happens again'.

"I'm never going sledging ever again but I just I feel it's made me more serious for other options in my life.

"I'm grateful to just actually be OK."