Scott Knowles, a quiet man who lets
his achievements do the talking ...
FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Scott Knowles, who led Scotland to the European title in his first match in charge, isn't someone who blows his own trumpet, according to the man who knows him best.
Indeed, dad Louis, who introduced Knowles to golf in Edinburgh when he was a young lad, reckons he might not have heard about Scotland's superb win in North Wales if he hadn't been contacted by the Evening News."Unless you actually ask Scott about something, he never really mentions what he's been doing on the golf front," said Knowles senior.
"Indeed, I didn't know that Scotland had made it to the final until I read it in the News on Saturday.
"He's never been someone to shout that he's done this or that. There are no airs or graces with Scott and, importantly from a team captain's point of view, he hasn't got an ego either."
Knowles, a former Scottish Golfer of the Year, was on a hiding to nothing when he took over from George Crawford, his predecessor having led the Scots to the World Championship as they lifted the Eisenhower Trophy for the first time last year.
For the first time in a number of years, Scotland didn't play any friendly internationals in the spring, meaning that Knowles found himself thrown in at the deep end as he led the side into battle at Conwy.
But, after scraping into the top flight by the skin of their teeth, a side comprising of Wallace Booth, Glenn Campbell, Gavin Dear, Paul O'Hara, Ross Kellett and Michael Stewart went from strength in the match-play phase, beating Sweden, Italy and then, in the final, England.
"This is right up there with my top achievements as a player," said Knowles, who, by sheer coincidence, had made his playing debut for Scotland over the same course 19 years ago."My players were fantastic throughout the week, displaying a never-say-die attitude from start to finish, and, what's more, they were easy to look after."
Knowles, a 47-year-old independent financial advisor in Edinburgh, cut his captain's teeth with the Lothians, leading them to three Scottish Area Team Championship triumphs.
Taking notice of those successes, the Scottish Golf Union got him involved with their junior teams and, having benefited from that involvement, he was the natural successor when Crawford's reign ended on such a high note.
"I certainly had a hard act to follow but I'm delighted with my start and now I'm looking forward to our defence of the Eisenhower Trophy next year," he added. "Before then, of course, we've got the Home Internationals at the end of August and I'm delighted that all six members of the team in Wales will be available for that."
It would also be nice to see a Lothians player, someone like Mark Hillson probably, pushing hard for a place in that team."
While he first started to play golf at Carrick Knowe, Knowles has been a member at Kingsknowe for 36 years, winning the club championship five times.
"Scott has been a great stalwart for Kingsknowe and for him to have led Scotland to the European title in his first match in charge is fantastic," said club captain Ian McDonald. "He's been good for the club, good for the Lothians and, now, good for Scotland."
Like Knowles, Graham Ewart, a former Scottish Golf Union president, is an honorary member of Kingsknowe. He said: "Scott has been a great servant, both as a player and, now, as a captain.He won the junior championship at the club and worked his way up from there, really making his mark, I suppose, when he won the Scottish Order of Merit in 1990."
Knowles' CV certainly makes for impressive reading, having won prestigious events such as the Craigmillar Park Open, East of Scotland Open, West of Scotland Open and South East District Open. He's also tasted Dispatch Trophy success with Carrick Knowe.
"My wife and I are very proud of his achievements," said Knowles senior. "He was a bit apprehensive about being Scotland captain for the first time but I told him that he'd done the job well for the Lothians in the past and that he should do things exactly the same way."
According to the man who succeeded him as Lothians captain, one of Knowles' main strengths is being able to create a good team spirit.
"From what I'd heard, that seemed to be something missing in the Scottish set up," said Keith Nicholson. "Along with many others from the Lothians no doubt, I sent Scott a text when I heard Scotland had won the final, asking if he'd be the last man standing at the celebrations on Saturday night and his reply was: 'Of course!'."
+The full article contains 803 words and appears in the Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
his achievements do the talking ...
FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Scott Knowles, who led Scotland to the European title in his first match in charge, isn't someone who blows his own trumpet, according to the man who knows him best.
Indeed, dad Louis, who introduced Knowles to golf in Edinburgh when he was a young lad, reckons he might not have heard about Scotland's superb win in North Wales if he hadn't been contacted by the Evening News."Unless you actually ask Scott about something, he never really mentions what he's been doing on the golf front," said Knowles senior.
"Indeed, I didn't know that Scotland had made it to the final until I read it in the News on Saturday.
"He's never been someone to shout that he's done this or that. There are no airs or graces with Scott and, importantly from a team captain's point of view, he hasn't got an ego either."
Knowles, a former Scottish Golfer of the Year, was on a hiding to nothing when he took over from George Crawford, his predecessor having led the Scots to the World Championship as they lifted the Eisenhower Trophy for the first time last year.
For the first time in a number of years, Scotland didn't play any friendly internationals in the spring, meaning that Knowles found himself thrown in at the deep end as he led the side into battle at Conwy.
But, after scraping into the top flight by the skin of their teeth, a side comprising of Wallace Booth, Glenn Campbell, Gavin Dear, Paul O'Hara, Ross Kellett and Michael Stewart went from strength in the match-play phase, beating Sweden, Italy and then, in the final, England.
"This is right up there with my top achievements as a player," said Knowles, who, by sheer coincidence, had made his playing debut for Scotland over the same course 19 years ago."My players were fantastic throughout the week, displaying a never-say-die attitude from start to finish, and, what's more, they were easy to look after."
Knowles, a 47-year-old independent financial advisor in Edinburgh, cut his captain's teeth with the Lothians, leading them to three Scottish Area Team Championship triumphs.
Taking notice of those successes, the Scottish Golf Union got him involved with their junior teams and, having benefited from that involvement, he was the natural successor when Crawford's reign ended on such a high note.
"I certainly had a hard act to follow but I'm delighted with my start and now I'm looking forward to our defence of the Eisenhower Trophy next year," he added. "Before then, of course, we've got the Home Internationals at the end of August and I'm delighted that all six members of the team in Wales will be available for that."
It would also be nice to see a Lothians player, someone like Mark Hillson probably, pushing hard for a place in that team."
While he first started to play golf at Carrick Knowe, Knowles has been a member at Kingsknowe for 36 years, winning the club championship five times.
"Scott has been a great stalwart for Kingsknowe and for him to have led Scotland to the European title in his first match in charge is fantastic," said club captain Ian McDonald. "He's been good for the club, good for the Lothians and, now, good for Scotland."
Like Knowles, Graham Ewart, a former Scottish Golf Union president, is an honorary member of Kingsknowe. He said: "Scott has been a great servant, both as a player and, now, as a captain.He won the junior championship at the club and worked his way up from there, really making his mark, I suppose, when he won the Scottish Order of Merit in 1990."
Knowles' CV certainly makes for impressive reading, having won prestigious events such as the Craigmillar Park Open, East of Scotland Open, West of Scotland Open and South East District Open. He's also tasted Dispatch Trophy success with Carrick Knowe.
"My wife and I are very proud of his achievements," said Knowles senior. "He was a bit apprehensive about being Scotland captain for the first time but I told him that he'd done the job well for the Lothians in the past and that he should do things exactly the same way."
According to the man who succeeded him as Lothians captain, one of Knowles' main strengths is being able to create a good team spirit.
"From what I'd heard, that seemed to be something missing in the Scottish set up," said Keith Nicholson. "Along with many others from the Lothians no doubt, I sent Scott a text when I heard Scotland had won the final, asking if he'd be the last man standing at the celebrations on Saturday night and his reply was: 'Of course!'."
+The full article contains 803 words and appears in the Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, July 06, 2009
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