A HISTORY OF AVON SCHOOLS’ GOLF ASSOCIATION’S ACHIEVEMENTS

 

Avon Schools’ Golf Association was formed at a meeting on December 4th 1979 and the first County Championships were held at Henbury Golf Club on a very wet 11th March 1980 in conditions that would have meant that most clubs closed the course. We will always be indebted to Henbury for not doing so as they appreciated the importance of our completing of our first event. 22 schools and colleges took part in that championship with 75 boys and 11 girls in the field striving to win either team or individual titles. The format of our inaugural event still holds true today and, in 2019, we held our 39th Championship at Clevedon Golf Club with 80 golfers participating.

 

We have taken part in all the Regional and most of the National English Schools’ Championships since 1980 and Andrew Greenaway (Chipping Sodbury School) was the first Avon golfer to win an International Schools’ cap against Scotland in 1980. That was the start of many more to come. We have an impressive record of winning international caps - both boys and girls - for such a small county.

 

To date over 60 caps have been won by our girls and boys. Susan Shapcott (Brislington School, as it was) won two caps, as well as being English Girls’ Champion in 1986. Mathew Stanford (Wellsway School) captained the Boys’ team in 1986 as did Nick Scholey (Cotham). Caroline Hall (Patchway School, as it was) gained two caps, and, like Susan, both played important parts in their different Curtis Cup matches. Hannah Barwood (Oldfield School, Bath) became our second English Schools’ Girls’ Champion in 2004 – winning again in 2005 and 2007 and she was runner-up in 2006. Hannah went one stage further than Susan winning the Under 16 title in 2004. Hannah has played against Scotland and Wales on numerous occasions and was appointed Captain of the English Girls’ team.

Recent years have seen many of our golfers keeping up the tradition notably Shelby Smart (SGS(Filton)College), Callum Hannay (Backwell School), Tom Hurst, Mike Younie, Dean Newbold, Alister Balcombe and Josh Knight (all from SGS(Filton) College), with Mike, Dean and Shelby gaining their caps in 2011. Callum was the first Avon boy to win the English Schools’ National Championship in 2012. Ali Balcombe and Josh Knight gained their caps in 2013 and Will Mullins (St Brendan’s 6th Form College) gained his cap in 2014, flying back from the USA, from his American golf college to play. In 2015 Nathan Moore (QEH) and Dan Sheehan (SGS College) gained their caps. Olly Huggins and Jake Bolton (SGS College) and Alex Giles (Gordano School) gained their caps in 2016 - Jake as English Schools’ and South West Schools’ champion. In 2017 Harry Bowness (SGS College) gained his cap; in 2018 Jacob Harrington-Wara (SGS College) gained his cap and in 2019 Craig Passmore (SGS College)  gained his cap. Due to Covid-19 there were no international matches played in 2020 and, for the first time in a number of years, none of our players qualified for the nationals. Consequently they had no opportunity to be selected for the international match against Wales. (The match against Scotland was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.)

 

We are incredibly proud of all our players for gaining their international caps.

 

The gateway to representing their country, in golf, at school/college level, is for students to take part in their county association championships.