OF GOLFING SOCIETY REPORT

Andrew Soulsby, Secretary of the OFGS

Many thanks to the golfers who played competitively this year.

David Paterson (Mo 1959–1963)

Richard Smith (CW 1965–1969)

Francis Clark (Gl 1966–1969)

Ewan Chalmers (Mo 1968–1972)

Richard Breakey (SH 1970–1974)

Andrew Hannay (Ar 1970–1975)

Colin Callander (Gl 1971–1976)

Chris Mather (SH 1973–1978)

Andrew Soulsby (JS-Ar 1973–1980)

Graeme Matheson (Gl 1975–1980)

Richard Philip (Mo 1976–1981)

Euan Matheson (Gl 1977–1982)

Gordon MacLeod (Ar-Mo 1978–1983)

Gavin Lawrie (JS-Gl 1978–1985)

S Andrew Morrison (Gl 1990–1995)

Ramsay Wilson (Gl 2001–2002)

Douglas Philip (Inv-Mo 1999–2005)

William Philip (Inv-Mo 2000–2010)

Jack Dingwall (Mo 2007–2012)

In April 2022 the Senior Wayfarers took place at Panmure. Fettes qualified in top spot, and were widely expected to beat a Merchiston team who had struggled to avoid the Wooden Spoon match. However, Fettes were well beaten, with only Andrew Soulsby and Richard Philip winning.

Worplesdon in June was in splendid condition for the Cyril Gray tournament. This year, there was a pre-tournament dinner to celebrate the 50th playing of the tournament and the dinner will now become an annual event. Over those fifty years, Fettes have contested the final on ten occasions, winning six of them. In 2022, Fettes comfortably beat Eastbourne and Merchant Taylors, before losing to Ampleforth on Friday afternoon.

As a mark of respect to her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, the annual Queen Elizabeth Coronation Schools Tournament at Royal Burgess was cancelled.

The Stenhouse Quaich at Elie is the traditional foursomes’ warm-up for the Halford Hewitt amongst the Scottish Schools. In 2022, Fettes won the competition, and were well placed to defend the trophy going into the final Sunday round. With Merchiston, Edinburgh Academy, Glenalmond and Fettes on equal points, it was a complicated countback that would likely determine who won. Unfortunately, Fettes lost the afternoon match versus Glenalmond, leaving Edinburgh Academy as the winners of the trophy. A recent innovation for the Elie weekend is subsidised golf at St. Andrews, followed by lunch at the R&A clubhouse, which we hope will pique the interest of our younger OFs and encourage them to come along for the weekend.

At the Halford Hewitt in April, six of the team arrived at Liddlestone on the Monday for a practice round, before going on to Deal for Tuesday and Wednesday practice. A tough draw saw Fettes against Cranleigh in the first round, and we were well beaten 3.5 to 1.5. In the Prince’s Plate, we were comfortably beaten by Winchester. After the tournament, Ramsay Wilson took over the captaincy from Douglas Philip.

The Senior Scottish Wayfarers returned to Western Gailes, and Fettes finished fourth in the qualifying stableford on the Saturday afternoon. We played Edinburgh Academy on Sunday morning. While Gordon MacLeod and Gavin Lawrie won, Richard Philip and Graeme Matheson lost on the 17th, and Andrew Soulsby drove onto the railway on the 17th, leaving his partner, Colin Callander with much to do! They finally succumbed on the 18th green before enjoying a traditional ‘Western’ lunch. Merchiston went on to win the tournament. Many thanks to Colin Callander for driving up from Stevenage to take part.

In our other spring matches, we won against Marlborough at Sunningdale, with Jack Dingwall making his debut for the OFs, days after joining the Society. The OFGS hosted the School at Bruntsfield Links, with the Secretary, Ewan Chalmers and David Paterson lunching before the match. Andrew Hannay and two of the current staff (Michael Henderson-Sowerby (Staff 2019–present) and Ben Watson (Staff 2014–present)) made up the team. The OFs won the top match, and with the other two halved, the OFs retained the Lawrie Salver on a sunny day of 4-ball better ball.