From the University Golf Club
Writing for the Golf at St Andrews Newsletter, University Golf Club captains Jemima Bullock and Charlie Hayton reflect on recent student golfing highlights.
We are both honoured to serve as Captains of the University of St Andrews Golf Club for the 2026-27 academic year. It is a privilege that comes with the exciting responsibility of leading what is arguably the most recognisable University Golf Club in the world. Above all, our focus remains on fostering an inclusive environment for golfers of all abilities, welcoming complete beginners and top student amateurs alike.
The Club is passionate about encouraging new golfers through a well-structured pathway, starting with our popular Links Lessons and progressing into our student-led development squad. Here, some of the top players in the club donate their time to coach others and help them hone their game. Naturally, the goal for many is to gain an official handicap to compete in our Wednesday Medals and fixtures, which form a huge part of the Club’s spirit. Our Handicaps and Competitions Officer, Michael Wood, has already introduced some fantastic ideas for the season, including a Ryder Cup style format which promises to spark some friendly rivalries ahead of our Wednesday night socials!
Beyond weekly play, social golf makes up a major part of our calendar. A highlight of the year is our annual Men’s and Women’s Highlands Tour each April. It features four days of sensational golf, including a highly anticipated match between the men and women at Castle Stuart. We are privileged to be welcomed by renowned venues like Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Brora, Golspie and Fortrose & Rosemarkie. Our mixed tours don’t end there; we are also hosted by Walton Heath, Royal St George’s, Royal Cinque Ports and Rye, making up a truly special calendar.
The start of our academic year saw 12 of our students travel south to Surrey for fixtures against Walton Heath across both the Old and New courses. While the results on the course weren’t quite in our favour, we more than made up for it off the fairways, reconnecting with alumni and friends from years past and making plenty of new connections. We were also fortunate to play a round at New Zealand Golf Club – a memorable experience and a true highlight of the trip for everyone involved.
Alongside our social fixtures, the Club fields exceptionally strong competitive teams that compete against top talent both nationally and internationally. A standout week in our calendar is the St Andrews Links Collegiate in October, which brings three D1 US college teams to face St Andrews across the Jubilee and Old Courses. Facing off against some of the world’s finest amateurs, our 1s consistently demonstrate their class, having secured notable results over recent years.
Beyond our 1st team, the depth across our BUCS squads is remarkable, especially with the exciting addition of a 6th team this season. Building on last year’s strong form, we have already made a flying start: Mattison Frick claimed victory at the season-opening Autumn Trophy, with Chloe Tarkany and Edward Greenslade taking 2nd place finishes. The continued expansion of our BUCS golf programme is a thrilling development, and we can’t wait for the competitive season ahead. Finally, a huge congratulations to Eliza Dana (MA Hons 2026) (Women’s Captain 2025-26) on winning the BUCS Golf Order of Merit last year. This was a fitting tribute to round off her stellar university golfing career!
The Scottish Women’s University Golf League (SWUGL) has also continued to go from strength to strength. Just like last year, the season opener took place at Gleneagles, this time taking on the famous PGA Centenary Course, host of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Teams from St Andrews, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Stirling, Dundee, Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian took to the fairways on a crisp, bright Scottish day. League matches will continue throughout the academic year, building up to the much-anticipated Finals Day next semester. This league has enabled golfers all across Scotland to connect and play together, forming friendships for life. We cannot thank Joelle Millar (BSc Hons 2026) enough for founding this league, as it is only just starting its third year; the capacity for it to grow is truly inspiring for Women’s Golf across Scotland and hopefully beyond.
Both of us are incredibly excited to see what the rest of the year has in store for the Golf Club. With the Open Championship returning to the Home of Golf, it promises to be an unforgettable and successful season for all our members. To stay up to date with match results, events, and all things University Golf, follow us on Instagram. Thank you for your continued support, and please do get in contact if you would like to collaborate or speak to us directly.
Fairways and Greens,
Jemima Bullock & Charlie Hayton
Women’s and Men’s Captains 2026/27
This article first appeared in Issue 3 of the Golf at St Andrews newsletter.