Captain vs Pro Challenge – Kings Course
Sunday 5 October 2025
The penultimate round of the 2025 Captain vs Pro Challenge took place over the Kings Course at Gleneagles, with the remnants of Storm Amy making their presence felt across Perthshire. Strong gusts tested the players’ patience and precision, turning club selection into a guessing game at times and adding a touch of unpredictability to the day’s play.
A late change added early intrigue as Andy Lothian stepped in to join Tony Moran on the challengers’ side. Never one to shy away from upping the ante, Andy suggested that both teams link their performance to the CHAS charity pot, with extra funds being added for every individual point and birdie recorded – an idea quickly embraced by all.
AJ and I started strongly, taking the lead at the 2nd after halving the opener, only for Tony to square things up with a fine birdie on the 6th. Having admittedly played second fiddle in a few earlier matches – often relying on AJ’s consistency and the odd well-timed chip-in – my recent run of poor competition form seemed to have left me with a rather “helpful” handicap. It’s fair to say I was flirting with “bandit territory” on this occasion!
Despite the blustery conditions, Andy and Tony produced a string of solid pars to stay in touch. Our lead was just two at the turn before Andy delivered one of the shots of the day – a textbook birdie at the par-3 11th, struck with calm precision despite the swirling wind in what is arguably one of the most exposed parts of the course.
Momentum briefly swung back in our favour as AJ birdied the 14th, and a net birdie from me at 15 proved enough to seal the match. The result gave Team Captain/Pro a 4–2 lead in the series, confirming the 2025 Captain vs Pro overall win with one game still to play.
Of course, the real winner on the day was CHAS. With our “performance-based” pledges and six birdies between us, we lifted the fundraising total to an impressive £1,400, with still one match to come. And although the contest was already decided by the 18th, the competitive spirit remained high – three of us closed with birdies on the final hole, boosting both the charity total and the smiles all round.
Next up, Kevin Beattie & Tariq Ali will take on AJ and me in the rearranged September fixture, now set for Saturday 1 November. The challengers will be aiming to narrow the gap to 4–3, while we’ll be looking to close out the season with a strong 5–2 finish – putting to rest any thoughts that those mid-season setbacks to Hamilton/Shand and Longmuir/Frame were anything more than brief interruptions in what’s been a hard-fought and thoroughly enjoyable Captain vs Pro series.