Carly Booth awarded first Glenalmond Golf Scholarship

Scottish golfing prodigy Carly Booth (age16) is to be the first recipient of a Golf Scholarship for 6th form entry to Glenalmond College in Perthshire. The scholarship is funded by the Old Glenalmond Golfing Society (OGGS) and was launched as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations. The scholarship will enable Carly, and future generations of talented youngsters, to complete their secondary education at the 160 year old boarding and day school.

Golf has been played at Glenalmond for over 100 years. As far back as 1914, the British Amateur Champion Lawrie Jenkins was an Old Glenalmond (OG, as former pupils of the school are known). The Cairnies 9 hole course, designed by James Braid, and completed in 1920, is one of the country’s finest school golf courses.

Gordon Thorburn, OGGS President, said; “We are delighted that Carly is the first recipient of our scholarship. We believe scholarships like these are important to the future success of young people with particular talents. It can help them access an education and facilities that perhaps would not otherwise have been available to them. We have received encouraging support from OGGS members in our fundraising for the scholarship and I hope many future generations will benefit from it. Who knows, we might even have a future OG as open champion!”

Carly, who has just returned from competing in the Junior Ryder Cup, earlier this year became the youngest ever player to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the 76-year history of the Curtis Cup. At eight, she became the youngest player in the world with an adult handicap (of 20); on her 11th birthday she won the Dunblane Ladies' title to become the youngest ladies' champion in Britain; at 12 she played with Sandy Lyle in the British Masters Pro-Am at the Forest of Arden and won; and at 14 she appeared as an amateur in her first professional event, the Scottish Open, and finished 13th. Last year she carried off the Scottish Under-21s and Under-18s titles and, after winning the European Junior Masters in France, she is now rated the No.1 junior in Europe.

Carly Booth, who returned from training in America to take up her place at Glenalmond College at the start of term, said; “It is a real privilege to receive such a scholarship and I am especially grateful to everyone who has contributed to make it happen. I have settled in well at Glenalmond and I’m taking full advantage of all the fantastic sports facilities on offer, including the golf course.”