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Andrew Griffin writes....

GREGORY HOPES HE CAN INSPIRE OTHER GOLFERS 

SCOTT GREGORY has pledged to work even harder in 2017 and hopes the efforts by last year’s Amateur Champion will help to inspire the next generation of golfers growing up in Hampshire, as well as getting his first team colleagues to try to emulate his success over the past three years. 

His last official England engagement before Christmas prevented the 22-year-old from collecting Hampshire’s prestigious John Nettell Trophy for the second time, in person. 

The England Order of Merit winner was chosen for the honour – just as he was in 2014 – for his achievement in becoming the first-ever Hampshire-born golfer to win the Amateur Championship in 132 years. 

Scott wrote a personal letter to Hampshire Golf president John Moore (Blackmoor GC), which was read out to the club representatives at the Hampshire Golf AGM, held at Brokenhurst Manor GC. 

Scott wrote: “I have had a great year on the course and it is an honour to have my Amateur Championship win recognised by Hampshire Golf”. 

“I want to thank all the people within Hampshire Golf who have helped me get to this level. From Bruce Willard, for starting me off in Zone Training, to the coaches I had in John Hay and David Hickman at Waterlooville GC, Simon Tillson, Malcolm Scott, Neil Grist, Gary Stubbington, Gary Smith, Peter Dawson, Rob Watts, and my own coach Simon Andrews.”

He also thanked Moore, who has overseen junior golf in the county over the past four years, and his predecessor Alan Bailey, as well as Colts managers Neil Dawson, Steve Williams and Richard Elmes – the latter two who went on to become county captains – plus the current incumbent Martin Young.

Scott added: “All the people, coaches and volunteers have helped me along the way and have made Hampshire a force to be reckoned with”. 

“Winning the British Amateur was obviously a great tournament to have won, but I understand that it is what I do with the opportunities I get from it that count. That is what is motivating me to work even harder than before. I hope that I can inspire other Hampshire golfers – juniors, men, seniors, girls and ladies – to achieve similar things. I want the kids to look at this and think that they can go ahead and win – that hard work gives you results and that achieving your goals and dreams is possible. I have always set the bar high and pushed myself – and if everyone in Hampshire can all do the same, I think we will be in a good place. I hope that for many more years we have fantastic coaches and volunteers like we do currently and we can have continued success”.

And despite a schedule that will see him tee it up in the Masters and the US Open, as well as hopefully a second appearance in The Open – plus another trip to US Amateur on the schedule before the Walker Cup - Scott has not given up hope of making one more appearance in Hampshire colours. 

He finished: “I want to be part of the team that beats Surrey in August, to win the South East League.”

In wishing everyone connected with the game in the county a very happy 2017 he promised he would be “doing my best to do Hampshire Golf proud and further inspire people to follow in my footsteps.” 

As well as reaching the English Amateur final in his first full year as an established member of the county first team, Scott has reached the final of the 2016 Spanish Amateur, made his England debut against France at Formby in May, and played for Great Britain and Ireland for the first time in the win over Continental Europe at Prince’s. 

As well as making his debut in The Open at Royal Troon, in July, he became just the second Hampshire player to represent England in the Eisenhower Trophy, in Mexico, in September. He won the Courage Trophy at Corhampton in 2015, the Stoneham Trophy in 2014 and 2015 and the Waterford Trophy, at Kent’s Sundridge Park in 2014. 

Andrew Griffin - Press Officer (Hampshire Golf)