Pro::Fantastic

It was an immense looking day – at least on paper, a round of golf at a fabulous golf course, playing for our favourite clubs (at least for Mr Arthur … ) free dinner and celebrities. Unfortunately the weather had other plans for our great day! But like true golfing enthusiasits we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. In howling gales we introduced ourselves to the watching sky sports cameras and started competing for Accies and Motherwell. It was a great day at the Pro:fantastic golf day with myself, Mr Arthur, Ross Corcoran and Cameron Graham. We played some great golf and had some fantastic holes from disasterous 5 putts at par three to some magical chips. Highlight of the day has to be the skills challenge on a short par 3. The challenge was to chip the ball as close as possible to the hole from the back of the green from the rough. A quick look at the previous closest effort we quickly realised there was only one way to win it. Up step Ian Arthur, as Mr Chippy as he will forever be known, to sink the ball straight into the cup to send us delirious and the Sky Sports cameraman to detach his static camera for a close up of us all high fiving on the green. We were also interviewed by Sky Sports own Matt Lorenzo as well as the legendary Frank McAvennie (who regrettably didn’t use his famous catchphrase) It was truly a great day and keep an eye out for us on Sky Sports in the coming weeks. Thanks to Ross Corcoran for the opportunity to play

The Grammar Ryder Cup!

It was a glorious sunny Sunday morning in Hamilton when the HGS golf team descended on Riccarton Golf Club dressed in the blue of Europe and the red of America. Team Captains of Europe Mr McAlpine and Mr Cunningham were paired with Craig Laing and Cameron Graham respectively. The final Europe pairing would be Dean Johnstone and Ross Corcoran. Whilst Team Captains of America Mr Arthur and Mr McGowan were teamed with Scott Hutchison and Jack Reid. Their third group pairing would be Fraser Kinsman and David Cross. It was to and fro between Arthur and McAlpine all afternoon (albeit Laing keeping the game alive for as long as he could with some exquisite play at the back to back par 5s. McAlpine failed to get going and any holes he did muster a challenge he was shot down in flames by Master Arthur chipping in from all angles (I did run the Hospice Run in the morning Laing so give me a break!). Europe were feeling the fear after Europe Team Captain Cunningham retired early on with a suspected back injury brought on by the little known ailment of “playinstinkinalitis” – would this be too much pressure on the shoulders of Cameron?

Game 3 finished early with a win and point for Arthur and Hutchison despite Craig Laing playing so well. This left Captain McAlpine nervous of the results of the other ties. The pairing of Johnstone and Corcoran came up top trumps with a point that tied the game and the match deciding tie one man down! In the end the loss of Cunningham had no bearing on Cameron Graham who was later quoted as saying “I didn’t even realise he had left” to give Europe the Cup with a 2-1 win!

Team Europe 2 - Team America 1

Ryder Cup HGS

Sunday 20th September (following the gruelling St. Andrews Hospice Run!)

Game 1

Arthur and Hutchison Vs McAlpine and Laing

Game 2

McGowan and Reid Vs Cunningham and Graham

Game 3

Kinsman and Fair Vs Johnstone and Corcoran

SLL Golf Festival

I was fortunate enough to take part in this year's SLL Golf Festival held at Hollandbush Golf Course in Lesmahagow.

Hamilton Grammar were represented by Cameron Graham, Jack Neiland, and Dean Johnstone. We took part in a fun Texas Scramble, but sadly the weather was terrible. It rained all day and it was incredible that the course held up so well.

Jack and Cameron were booming drives down the fairway, while myself and Dean struggled to match them. Our contributions were really in putting, though Dean did strike the shot of the day with his 3 wood onto one of the par5s. We worked well as a team, even though there were a few holes I didn't even drive off due to not being able to hold the club in the wet.

Our good scoring was let down by 3 bogeys, but even so we shot a 66. Sadly we were just pipped by a very strong Lesmahagow side who naturally had local knowledge.

Our lads did the school proud and hopefully we will be back next year to have another run at the title.

South Lanarkshire Leisure Schools Golf Festival

This year's competition is at Hollandbush Golf Course on Wednesday 17th June.

There is an opportunity for individual players to enter butthey must be single handicappers.

The team events consists of:

a handicapper betwee 10-18
a handicapper between 19-28
a beginner
a teacher/helper

If interested contact Mr McGowan, Mr McAlpine or Mr Arthur.

Pebble Beach

Here we go for 2009!

The Climie Cup

Team Captain's for 2009's inaugural Climie Cup are the one and only

Mr Marcus McGowan

Mr McGowan has organised a competition between HGS and his old school Mearns Castle. A date and venue has yet to be organised, but we are hopeful that after the staff competition that we can arrange a pupils contest also. So get practicing!

The Climie Cup

We are planning a competition for Staff at Hamilton Grammar taking on Mearns Castle in a Ryder Cup format in May.































If successful - which I think it will be - we will arrange a game for pupils between Hamilton and Mearns.

I would also love to see a game for staff v pupils at Hamilton to raise money for charity, perhaps we could have it as a fundraiser for Ghana?

Anyway thanks to Mr McAlpine for his brilliant mockups.

The inaugral Climie Cup will be contested with Mr McGowan as Captain of HGS, and Mr McKenna Captain of MCHS.

The format is to be arranged but will involve fourballs and perhaps singles.

The Long Awaited Return

well, its a new year, unfortunately we all haven't made it to the range as much as we would have liked. This being mainly due to the crazy weather we have suffered since November!

Myself and the other teachers who organise the golf have been discussing what we can do over the coming weeks. We are certainly going to be starting to head back to Hamilton Range on a Thursday after school and maybe secure some lessons for the pupils (although some of the staff could be doing with them more! )

Definitely as the weather gets better and the muni. course is on Summer greens again we think we will take the guys down and try and get a proper game as much as possible

As Mr McGowan has worked in loads of schools before he has a lot of contacts and we are trying to set up a game against Mearns Castle, both staff and pupils



Events to look forward to

Last year the school competed in the South Lanarkshire School Golf Festival (I think it was in April! It was raining so I can't pin it down, could've been the third week in June based on that description) so that will be good

Hopefully some games organised against Mearns Castle and some lessons for the pupils

The Grammar shield to take place at Mr Arthurs home ground of Riccarton - current holder Grant Cuthbert

and the now annual trip to Biggar (which will probably need to be organised before the last week two weeks of term!)