Captain/Pro Challenge 2025

Round 5 - August 10th

With the series score at 3–1 and just three matches remaining, AJ and I arrived ready to bounce back from last month’s defeat. This month’s challenge was scheduled for the PGA course - although I may have confidently (and incorrectly) told everyone it was on the Queen’s. Thankfully, AJ was on hand to keep me right, ensuring we turned up at the correct venue rather than wandering onto the wrong first tee.

Taking us on were Douglas Hamilton and Alistair Shand - no strangers to the Captain/Pro Challenge format. In fact, this was their fourth outing, and they had never been beaten by a past captain. It was clear they’d be eager to keep that record intact.

We couldn’t have asked for a better start. On the very first hole, AJ produced a moment of magic, rolling in from off the green for a birdie and an early win. The lead didn’t last long, though - the opponents hit straight back on the 2nd with a net birdie to level the match. Then, on the very next hole, Douglas delivered the shot of the day, pitching in for a phenomenal 3 net 2 to put them ahead.

They pressed their advantage with some strong play, and by the 8th hole they’d built a 3-up lead. AJ and I rallied to claw one back before the turn, cutting it to 2 down at the halfway stage. A solid stretch saw us narrow the gap to just one hole after the 12th, and the match felt right back in the balance.

But Douglas and Alistair showed exactly why they’ve been so successful in these challenges, steadying themselves and restoring a 2-up advantage. That cushion proved decisive, and when Douglas calmly rolled in an 8-footer on the 17th, it sealed a 2 and 1 victory - maintaining their perfect Captain/Pro Challenge record at four matches unbeaten.

Perhaps in future seasons we’ll need to create a whole new fixture - The Shand & Hamilton Challenge - reserved exclusively for anyone who thinks they can topple this unbeaten duo. Given their knack for dismantling Captain/Pro pairings, it might just prove the tougher of the two formats.

Next Up: The penultimate match of the series - Sunday 21st September, 8am, Queen’s Course. Our challengers will be Kevin Beattie and Tariq Ali, (hoping that Taz will be back playing after his injury issues).

With the series still hanging in the balance, a win here could set up a nail-biting finale…

Daley Smith