Capital school ups golf offering as Swanston link remains valuable
DP World Tour player Cameron Adam returns to Merchiston Castle to see ‘game-changer’
Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh is aiming to build on former pupil Cameron Adam becoming a DP World Tour player - aided by a new state-of-the-art facility and some help from Swanston Golf Club.
Adam returned to the historic Capital school this week to officially open a new Merchiston Castle Indoor Golf Centre, which features Foresight simulator technology used by elite academies and professionals.
The left-hander saw his game come on leaps and bounds when he was there without being able to access such an on-site facility at the Colinton School.
It wasn’t until he went over to Northwestern University in Illinois that Adam really got dialled in to the level of data that is now available to players of all abilities.
And he reckons the current members of the Merchiston Castle Golf Academy are very lucky indeed to be the first beneficiaries of what was described by Huw Jones, the school’s head, as a “generous donation”.
Adam, who secured his DP World Tour card for 2026 through winning a Global Amateur Pathway last year, told the Evening News: “It’s nice to see the school go from strength to strength.
“The care and treatment I got here prepared me incredibly well for the experience I had in the States at uni out there.
“I think coming back to open this facility is another addition to that. I never really had any of this when I was here and it’s what I kind of got in the States. It’s creating a kind of college atmosphere, so that is exciting.
“For the first wee while I was here, we would practice at Kings Acre and then for the last few years we would head to Swanston. In those cold months, the driving range at Swanston was where we’d hit balls, so this is definitely different and a step in the right direction.”
Fraser Hutchison, the head of golf at Merchiston Castle, is excited about the new facility but, equally, admitted that Swanston is also playing a role in giving youngsters the chance to carve out a career in golf.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Swanston,” said Hutchison. “They have been partners during the two-and-a-half years I’ve been here and Aaron Sinclair, one of the teaching pros at Swanston, is here today.
“The external coaches I tap into to support the programmes are very important. Yeah, the short course and practice facilities at Swanston are excellent for us to see the ball in real life as well.”
Adam, who was 12 and playing off a handicap of 12 when he started at Merchiston, is now among a posse of Scots playing on the DP World Tour this season.
‘If I can set a good example, then great’
The left-hander made the switch to the paid ranks after a dream 2025 campaign that saw him win the St Andrews Links Trophy, playing in the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush and also represent GB&I in the Walker Cup in California.
“It’s cool; it’s nice,” he replied to being asked if he enjoyed being an inspiration for the current crop of Merchiston Castle pupils. “I still don’t necessarily see myself in that way. I’m just trying to be the best I can. But, if that sets a good example, then great.”