August is going to be an exciting month for golfer Rachael Watton as she wears Scottish colours with pride at three top-class international tournaments. 

First up for the Mortonhall member is a debut in the Girls’ Home Internationals at Fairhaven in Lancashire, then she heads to nearby for West Lancs Golf Club for a pressure-packed British Girl’s Championship. 

Not only will she be hoping to go as far as possible in the individual event, but she has also been appointed Captain of a three-strong Scottish side chasing the team trophy. Eilidh Briggs (Kilmalcolm) and 14-year-old Lesley Atkins (Minto) are her two side-kicks. 

To complete an impressive hat-trick carrying the Scottish banner, the 17-year-old will then don Scotland’s colours at the Belgium Junior International.  

“I made my Scottish girls’ debut at the European Girls’ Championship in Finland last month, and now it’s great to have so many more events playing for Scotland,” said the Edinburgh youngster, who recently reduced her handicap to two. 

About to enter her final year at Firrhill High School, golf is set to take priority – at least for the next 12 months. 

“I’m going for my sixth year, but school should be pretty low key this year and it will be a chance to play a lot of golf,” she explained.  “I’m hoping to study architecture at either Dundee or Glasgow, but want to keep playing golf when I’m at university and get as far as I can as an amateur.

“I have thought about eventually turning professional, but it’s far too early to make any sort of decision. I’ll see where it goes.” 

While she has another season at girls’ level, Rachael has already made her mark on the senior circuit. This season, she won all six matches in helping Midlothian win the East of Scotland Inter-county championship at Falkirk. 

In Midlothian’s centenary year, she’ll be hoping to steer the side to the county title at the finals on home ground at Baberton in September. As a former Baberton member, she should have an advantage. 

Rachael took up golf after she joined her father and her older sister to practice sessions at the Braid Hills Driving Range and, aged 11, she joined Baberton.
 
She then switched to Mortonhall and has also recently gained membership at Gullane, where she looks forward to honing her links skills. “It will be a great place to practise in the winter,” she suggested.

A member of the National B squad, she appreciates the input from the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association. “We have great winter training weekends with National coach Kevin Craggs,” she said. “For instance, last year we had a weekend at an army assault course near Carnoustie, that was great fun.”

Rachael also works regularly with her personal, Spencer Henderson – “We teamed up a few years ago and he’s been great for my game.” 

A one-time top-class hockey player – she was in the Scottish squads up to under-19 level – it is golf that definitely holds sporting priority for the future. “I did enjoy hockey, but it came to a point when things started to clash and I had to choose. I then had to put golf first,” she explained.

EB
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