It’s been a quite a year for amateur golf in Great Britain and we asked some our leading players what were their stand-out moments and also asked them to look ahead to 2024
1) Your best round of the year and why?
That was the Scottish Men’s Amateur quarter-final vs Connor Graham at Royal Dornoch. This was the best round of matchplay I’ve been involved in down to the sheer quality of golf played and I was -10 through 16 holes to win 3&2. I played the four par 3s in five under with a hole-in-one at the second.
2) Your best shot of the year and why?
My best shot of the year was of course the hole-in-one on the second on Royal Dornoch, often thought of as one of the toughest par 3s in the UK (see flyover below). The hole was playing 163 yards with a light wind into off the left. I hit a flighty seven iron which pitched around 158 and rolled in the front of the hole.
3) The best shot you saw and why?
Can’t think of one shot in particular, played with plenty good players and ball strikers throughout the year but no stand-out shot comes to mind.
4) Your favourite moment of 2023 (this could be personal or something completely random but golf related)?
My favourite moment of 2023 was winning the Battle Trophy at Crail. With rounds of 73, 74, 69, 70 – in winds of 40mph and rain – I won by nine shots and ended the weekend as the only player under par.
5) Your hopes and ambitions for 2024?
After earning my first Scottish cap this season, one of my goals is to represent my country again next season. The main goal of course is to win again at national or international level and to be competing at the top of the leaderboard in the major amateur events.
6) One thing you would change about about golf for next season?
One thing I’d change about golf is the rule on divots. A player shouldn’t be punished for a good shot because someone else not did not repair their divot.