The first golf match of the 2025 season was held on Saturday 1st March and I am delighted to report that it was the first ever (at least to my knowledge) bilateral match between the Old Glenalmond Golfing Society and our counterparts from Strathallan. Given our Perthshire connections, the obvious choice for our first game was clearly Muirfield! That worked out very well as the course was in great condition and the weather was excellent, and we were treated to the usual Honourable Company hospitality.
As this was the first fixture of this kind, we kept the teams small, but we do hope to expand in future years. Both sides fielded 4 players, with 2 x 18 holes matches held before and after lunch. We opted to play St Andrews foursomes, where matches play all 18 holes, and the overall result is settled by net hole difference, like we play at the Stenhouse Quaich in Elie, where we go and will play Strathallan again at that event (spoiler alert, we have some revenge to exact).
In the morning, Mike Everett partnered myself, with John Laird and Jamie Macnab taking on Strathallan’s second pair. Mike and Mike got off to an absolute flyer, being 2 under after 3, with Mike E holing a long putt for par on the first, followed by holing out from 100 yards on the 3rd for an eagle! This continued well to the turn by which time we were 5 up. We slightly took our foot off the gas, finishing the round at 4 up, which as those who have played at the Stenhouse Quaich know is something you cannot do. In the bottom game, clearly could not repeat Mike E’s amazing feats and ended up 5 down, so at lunch Glenalmond had a one hole deficit to make up.
After an excellent lunch and a quick re-jig of the pairings, we were out to make up the one hole deficit. Mike T and Jamie went out first, followed by Mike E and John. I certainly know how to pick partners with Jamie’s golf a measure in consistency led the top game to a 7 hole victory (Strathallan may have lunched rather well!). However, it was not to be for Glenalmond, needing only to keep a deficit to 6 holes in the bottom game, managed to lose by 7, meaning a square afternoon and a Strathallan victory by the narrowest of margins!
I am grateful to Paul Johnston (pictured with me) from Strathallan for helping get this match off the ground, and I hope it will be one we can continue on into the future.
