Golf

Glenalmond is fortunate to own a course designed by former Open Champion, James Braid. It is a 9 hole course with 2 different tees on each hole, allowing 18 holes to be played. Golf is primarily a summer term activity and players should preferably have their own clubs, but clubs and balls can be supplied to beginners. Games sessions involve either coaching for beginners or regular stroke competitions with a season-eclectic competition (where the best score at each hole throughout the season is recorded). The College is represented on alternate years in the Scottish Wayfarers Golf Match which plays an R & A team on the Old Course at St Andrews, one of the highlights of the year. We play matches against local schools in the Perth & Kinross Schools Golf League, as well as an annual fixture against Old Glenalmond Golf Society. Glenalmond hosts the Scottish Independent Schools Golf Competition each year in June. The course is occasionally closed for matches, but otherwise pupils are free to play in their spare time and at weekends.

Contact: Dr Joe Stewart (joestewart@glenalmondcollege.co.uk)

2009 Roundup

I thought that last year was the best condition that I had seen the course in but this year it was even better. It has greatly benefited from tender loving care by the groundstaff throughout the season and well deserves a visit if you have not been here for a while.

The Captain of Golf this year has been Peter Gordon, following in his father's footsteps in this role. Carly Booth was the first ever Golf Scholar at Glenalmond, being sponsored by the O.G.Golf Society. Unfortunately her commitments (US, Abu Dhabi, St Andrews etc) meant that she only was able to feature 3 times for the College in competitive situations.

The Junior Golf day was a great success with St Leonards winning the team event rather easily. Their number 1 player (Conner MacCallum) had the best individual score of the day of 42 and one of their team (Ryan Brown) also won the Family Foursomes partnering his father Ian.

Our away day at the seaside with O.G.G.S. at Elie was our autumn treat. Our hosts did themselves proud and we all enjoyed a great day of golf in pleasant surroundings and in great company. The O.G.s won by 8-7. The visitors were well ahead at lunch but they relaxed too early and the pupils came back strongly to nearly clinch a tie. A very enjoyable day was had by all.

Matheson's won the Senior House Competition which again had to be reduced to 9 holes off the back tees due to the pressures of exams and other commitments. The best score was returned by Peter Gordon. Patchell's won the Tollygunge Tankard, the Junior House Trophy with John Sampson having the best individual score of the day.

The Scottish Independent Schools Golf competition was held in early June with the course in very impressive condition. Loretto, the pre competition favourites, were beaten narrowly by Stewart's Melville College who returned an aggregate 3 player total of 230. In a very strong field, 10 out of 21 were Category 1 golfers, only 1 player submitted a net score lower than SSS, indicating that the course was the real winner on the day. The leading gross score was 72 by Sebastian Riegelbauer of Loretto

In the Perth and Kinross Schools Golf competitions we were the best of the Independent Schools but sadly trailed behind Kinross and Blairgowrie, both of which were very strong this year.

The James Braid competition was held in June for under 13s from local Golf Clubs. Six clubs participated this year and the winners were Strathmore Golf Club. Playing off the back tees the best individual score (38) on the evening was shot by Rory Stewart of Crieff Golf Club.