Forward July 2018 | Page 31

SPORT Another win for the Golf Team Golf is a relative newcomer to the PSA Sport competition, beginning in 2000 at the Mosman Park Golf Club and later moving to Royal Perth Golf Club. Guildford Grammar School did not compete in these early years, joining the competition in 2005. PSA Schools compete each year for the D C Anderson Cup, a stroke event with teams consisting of eight members with the top four scores counted. Golf has been a very successful sport for Guildford Grammar School. In our first two years in the competition we finished in seventh place. In 2007 we finished in fifth place, in 2008 in second place and in 2009 we won the competition. In 2010 we finished in second place and we had our second win in 2011. In 2012 we won again, finished in third place in 2013 and won again in 2014. In 2015, we finished in second place, and third place in 2016. We have won the competition for the last two years in a row. Most significantly our teams have won this event six times since we joined the competition in 2004 and three of our current Year 12 students, Samuel Operchal (12Ha), Liam McEvoy (12St) and Freddie Cassell (12SG) have won this championship three times since joining Guildford Grammar School! So why has golf been so successful? This is not a mainstream sport and it is one of the hardest games in the world to play. It is the only game where everything you do counts The PSA Winning Golf Team for 2018. against you. Several reasons could account for this remarkable set of results. We are fortunate to have good golfers within our student cohort who have a will to win, with other promising students coming through our program. The Golf program itself is strong within the school, with a strong base of Preparatory School students participating in golf lessons on Tuesday afternoons throughout the year under the tutorage of John Ince, our resident PGA Professional. Students in the Senior School elect to learn and practice golf on Friday afternoons as part of the Friday Activity Program. Students also practice at lunch times and participate in golf competitions on weekends with the Teacher- in-charge of golf. The school has a large grass green with several tees and bunkers to practice on. We are planning to build an artificial green and four netted driving stations on the flats. All these activities are organised by staff who enjoy golf and are passionate about the game and all that it entails; from playing the game of golf well, to learning the etiquette of the game and always playing by the strict rules. 31