Stowe Golf at Stoke Park

30 January 2018

Following the Christmas break, Stowe golfers have been busy practising and honing their skills in preparation for an exceptionally busy second half of the Lent term. It is excellent to see golf thriving with such a high number of Stoics from across the whole School community either playing competitively or simply learning the game through expert on site PGA coaching. Notable improvements have come once again from Tom Youds (Fifth Form Chandos), Tom Riley (Fifth Form Bruce), Lochie Shillington (Lower Sixth, Grafton), Max Smith (Fifth Form, Cobham) and George Hooper (Fourth Form, Chandos). Max Faulkner, (Third Form, Temple) our Golf Scholar, has also continued to make excellent progress and is targeting some very high profile tournaments this season. Our focus now turns towards a run of Inter-School fixtures against the likes of Eton, Harrow, Radley and Wellington, along with preparations and team selection for the annual Gerald Micklem Trophy at Woking Golf Club and the PGA Coaching and Development Trip to Portugal. With golf developments continuing to progress at Stowe, I was delighted and extremely grateful when Chester King (Old Stoic and loyal supporter of Stowe golf) generously agreed to name the iconic Stoke Park as our official ‘home’ venue for School Golf Fixtures. Stoke Park’s 27 hole Championship golf course is undisputedly one of the finest parkland courses in the country. Created in 1908 by eminent golf architect Harry Colt, the Stoke Park course has been the inspiration for many of the world’s most famous holes, including Augusta’s infamous 16th. The course itself has seen numerous impressive rounds in its prestigious history, including the first PGA Matchplay tournament in 1910 and James Bond’s epic golfing duel in the 1964 classic 007 movie ‘Goldfinger’. Stoics now have a wonderful opportunity to compete regularly at such a superb course and this will undoubtedly provide us with an excellent platform as we launch the Stowe Golf Academy. We are also pleased to confirm that the inaugural Stowe Fathers’ and Sons’ Golf Event is taking place at Stowe on Sunday 18 March 2018 and we welcome interest from across the Stowe community. I shall be supported in the running of this event by Mr Peter Deakin, Chandos Housemaster, and should you have any questions in regard to the event please do not hesitate to contact Andrew Hancox, Head of Golf