Scottish Golf appoints Fife-based Irishman as new national coach

The 36-year-old will take up the post in January, succeeding Spencer Henderson in the role following the decision earlier this year not to renew his contract.

Wilson, who was born and raised in Dublin, has been involved in coaching for the past 18 years, having been the teaching professional at Killeen Castle for a short spell before taking up the same role at County Louth, where he subsequently became the director of golf.

Since 2017, he has worked as senior golf instructor with St Andrews Links Trust while he has also developed a golf programme at the town’s St Leonards School. Ten players currently in the Scotland performance set up have been coached by the Class AA PGA professional.

“I am honoured to accept the role as the Scottish men’s national coach,” said Wilson. “I have had a close affiliation with the teams at Scottish Golf since moving to St Andrews in early 2017 and have been able to guide ten players, mostly from junior golf, into our national boys’, girls’, women’s and men’s performance set-up.

“I'm looking forward to building on recent successes and continuing the progress that Scottish Golf has made over the last number of years.”

In Henderson’s last assignment, Scotland, represented by Cameron Adam, Niall Shiels Donegan and Connor Gragam, finished a respectable seventh in the World Amateur Team Championship in Singapore in October.

One of Wilson’s first opportunities will be to lead a Scotland squad to South Africa in January for a series of top amateur events, backed by support from the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation.

He brings ‘great energy and passion’ for game

“I’m thrilled to welcome Scott to the Scottish Golf team,” said Clare Queen, Head of Performance and Pathways at Scottish Golf. “Scott brings with him an excellent coaching pedigree as well as great energy and passion for the game.

“I look forward to working closely with Scott to support Scotland’s top male amateurs reach their full potential in the game.”