WELC ME
Our Golf Academy aims to nurture and develop your son through a highly personalised and progressive performance programme, delivered alongside an exceptional academic education. It remains a select Academy maintaining up to 28 players at any one time.
The academic curriculum is specially adapted to sit seamlessly alongside the demands of the academy schedule. As a boarding school, we are uniquely positioned to offer flexible support and individual tutoring to accommodate training and competition requirements.
We have a proven track record of helping pupils significantly improve every area of their game. Each pupil benefits from coaching that is fully tailored to their individual goals, a comprehensive match and tournament schedule appropriate to their development stage, and conditioning and performance sessions. Our performance training is led by the world-renowned ‘Golf Fit’ team, who work with some of the top professionals in the sport. This specialist support helps pupils develop all aspects of their game to the highest standard.
By combining a high-performance training environment with outstanding academic provision, our integrated boarding and coaching model provides the ideal foundation for both sporting excellence and personal growth.
OUR VISION
To positively develop players of all performance levels and provide a world class student-athlete golfing experience
OUR MISSION
1. To improve performance across all levels of player
2. Creating positive and memorable experiences through golf
YOUR TEAM
FRASER HUTCHISON DIRECTOR OF GOLF
I joined Merchiston in October 2023 following a 20-year career in golf performance and education at Further and Higher education institutions. Knowing of Merchiston Castle School and the strength of their sports programmes, when the position came up to lead the Golf Academy it was an opportunity I could not pass by.
Golf has always been my passion and after successful amateur careers with the national team in Scotland as a junior and while in the USA on scholarship thereafter, I had a brief spell as a professional in the USA. As a result of my positive experiences in the game and education, my passion and enthusiasm to work with and mentor young student athletes has never faded.
WILL KELLY GOLF PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGIST
As a golf performance psychologist I help golfers shoot lower scores, improve performance and get more out of their game, without ever changing the swing.
Specialising in Psychology, Mental Skills and Strategy, I have helped golfers around the world to play better in tournaments, find more consistency, and fall in love with the game again.
My Shoot Lower Scores system is designed to take all the stress out of the game, removing the added complications that golfers get caught up in, and to make the game simple.
ARAN SINCLAIR PGA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
Completed a High Performance Golf Programme at SRUC Elmwood in 2016, thereafter travelled to South Africa where I trained at a high-performance golf academy and completed my PGA training.
I played professionally on mini tours South Africa and since the conclusion of my playing career, I have held roles at:
• Pure Motion Golf Academy
• Turnhouse Golf Club
• Now at Swanston Golf
PROGRAMMES
The Golf Academy has two programmes, each with a tailored schedule and the appropriate level of training and conditioning to match individual talents and skill levels as a golfer.
Development Academy
Age: 12 to 18
This Intermediate Programme offers a greater intensity of learning and developing skills. It forms an important learning stage and is influential in helping pupils progress and develop their golfing careers. Merchiston instructors will guide, monitor and assess pupils through the three key areas of overall performance: Technical Profile, Physical Profile, Performance Profile.
Performance Academy
Age: 12 to 18
The Elite Programme is for accomplished golfers and is aimed at improving overall performance, potentially leading to a career in the game of golf. Pupils receive bespoke advice, support and direction through coaching, practice and competitions. Elite learning takes place within a variety of contexts, and the Swanston Golf Club environment will unquestionably influence performance and promote improvement.
Development Academy
Performance Academy
10/11 Hours per week 14/15 Hours per week
Breakdown per week
• 1 one-to-one session per week
• 2 group training sessions per week
• Club membership at Swanston Golf Club
• Unlimited range balls
• Access to partner golf clubs
• 2 Fitness sessions
• V1 Coach and CoachNow app feedback
• Discounted teamwear & bags
Breakdown per week
• 2 One-to-one sessions per week
• X3 group training sessions per week
• Access to World Amateur Ranking Golf tournaments
• Club membership at Swanston Golf Club
• Unlimited range balls
• Access to partner golf clubs
• 2 Weekly/tailored strength &
• conditioning sessions
• Putting analysis technology
• Swing analysis/force plate technology
• Performance Psychology sessions
• V1 Coach and CoachNow app feedback
• Discounted teamwear & bags
OUR APPROACH
We cater to you whether you’re a relative beginner or a competitive amateur aiming to compete at the national level, with aspirations of progressing into the US college golf system. Inclusive and intentionally kept small in number, the golf academy gives you the opportunity to compete in school golf competitions as well as World Amateur Ranking events. Golf is a fantastic platform for building strong camaraderie, team spirit, and lifelong friendships—and this is at the heart of the Merchiston Golf Academy community.
Golf Academy Weekly Schedule
Day Time
Session Type
Monday 13:35-15:30 Development & Performance Academy Squad Training
Tuesday 14:40-16:40 Development & Performance Academy Squad Training
Wednesday 13:40-17:00 Performance Academy Squad Training
Thursday 13:45-15:30 Development & Performance Academy Squad Training
Saturday 08:30-12:30 Development & Performance Academy Squad Training
TOURS & PROGRAMMES
Merchiston Golf Academy competes across two UK wide Tours:
1. Swifts Schools Golf Tour (SSGT): The Swifts Tour offers matchplay and strokeplay tournaments at Under 15 and Under 18 level in two separate formats. Firstly, a team foursomes format and secondly a team and individual strokeplay format. The variety in format not only affords players the opportunity to compete individually as well as a team, but also forges team camaraderie, competitive spirit and sportsmanship. The SSGT also operates World Amateur Ranking Events (WAGR) at some of the best golf courses around the UK, thus attracting all the top golfing schools from around the UK. This competitive outlet is especially important for low handicap/national squad players who have aspirations of progressing into the US College Golf system thereafter.
2. Independent Schools Golf Association (ISGA): The ISGA also offer various school golf events around the UK, in matchplay and strokeplay formats. Another competitive tour, and one which enables Merchiston to offer competitive golf to every player within the Golf Academy.
USA Training Camp at the International Junior Golf Academy (IJGA): Based in Orlando, Florida, Merchiston golfers are given the opportunity to experience golf in a very different environment, on different courses based at the outstanding facilities of the IJGA. Coupled with multiple golfing schools on the same trip, this training camp offers it all from harnessing competitive spirit, daily training and competition, to a 54-hole WAGR event at the end of the trip. A visit to an American college campus also forms part of the schedule.
Archie Cook
Jacob Fearnley
Captain of the Golf Academy 2024/25
Archie has been a student at Merchiston since 2020, joining with a handicap of 7 and graduating with a handicap of +3. During his time in the Golf Academy, he has been a key member of many winning teams, Scottish Matchplay and ISGA champions.
Other highlights include:
• Member of the Scottish Boys Squad
• Achieved WAGR status by winning the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Invitational in Spain
• Several top 4 finishes in other WAGR tournaments
• Stephen Gallacher Foundation Ambassador
• Undefeated his senior year in all school match play competitions
• Under 14 NE England Boys stroke play Champion
Archie led by example on the golf course and across the Merchiston school community as Head Boy. Following his graduation in 2025, Archie followed in the footsteps of the likes of Cameron Adam, to the USA attending Georgia State University on a golf scholarship, embarking on a four-year career as a student-athlete.
Luis Masaveu Roncal
Merchiston 2015-2017
• Turned professional in 2024
• Invited onto the LIV Golf League by Sergio Garcia, Fireballs Team
• Winner of x3 LIV Golf Team events
Prior to turning professional in 2024: Luis was the first Spanish amateur (and Merchistonian) to make the cut in the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon and also reached the rank of #16 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He represented Spain in the World Amateur Team Championships and was runner up in numerous amateur championships globally, semi-finalist in the US Amateur and winner of the Portuguese Amateur Championship.
Cameron Adam
Merchiston 2015-2017
Awarded a golf scholarship to NCAA D1 Northwestern University (NW) in Chicago, USA. Where, Cameron has enjoyed a decorated student-athlete career:
• Achieving All-Big Ten Conference selection
• Individual titles as well as team titles at NCAA D1 level
• Carded 48 rounds at par or better during his collegiate career at NW
• Winner of the Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch, 2023
• Winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy, 2025
ACHIEVEMENTS
Senior School GA ISGA ranked #3 in the UK - 2023/2024
ISGA Individual strokeplay Champion Winner– 2024
Swifts Schools Golf Tour Under18: T2nd in Scotland 2024/2025
Junior School GA ISGA ranked #4 in the UK – 2023/2024
ISGA National Junior Open Champions – 2024
Swifts Schools Golf Tour Under15: 3rd in Scotland – 2024/2025
One Merchistonian playing professionally on the LIV Golf League: Luis Masaveu
Six Merchistonians now on golf scholarships in the USA
WHY MERCHISTON?
1. We are purposefully small in size which enables bespoke training and support
2. Daily contact with Merchiston’s team of expert and specialist coaches
3. Holistic student-athlete development.
4. Wider golfing experiences with access to numerous world-famous links golf courses within a 45-minute drive of the school. Moreover, strong links with the Merchistonian golfing community which provides opportunities for current players to compete in matches vs. The R&A and in historical events such as the Halford Hewitt. The sense of community within this network has a truly global reach
5. A proven track record of developing high performing players equipped with both the academic and golfing tools to take the next step into the American Collegiate system and professional ranks
