By Steve Acteson

Chris Almond has been recognised by Canterbury GC as the youngest amateur player to score or beat their age in golf history worldwide.

Almond, then aged 66, scored gross 65, net 62, in his very first competition at Scotland Hills on June 2, 2022, having joined only a week earlier from Royal Mid-Surrey after moving to Aylesham to join his now-fiancee Lucy.

He has been presented with a framed scorecard, picture and a written declaration to commemorate his achievement by 2023 club captain Mark Broadhurst.

Almond scored birdies at the first, fourth, sixth and ninth and dropped his only shot at the fifth for an outward three-under-par 33. Three further birdies at the 11th, 13th and 17th then completed his astonishing round, having played Canterbury only once before in a practice round.

Now, Almond and the club will continue their long quest to have the record ratified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The current official record is held by Australian Ray Smith. He scored gross 67 on his home course in Queensland, aged 67, in 2017.

Club captain Ken Williamson said: “The club is definitely recognising Chris’ score as a world record and fully backing anything he does to get it into the Guinness Book of World Records.

“We are very proud of what he has done. To shoot that sort of score at any given point in your life is an amazing round.”

Almond said: “It’s a nice trophy to have - but 18 months on, we are still waiting to hear that it’s been ratified.

“I feel really good but it’s strange, actually. It was such a good round and I’ve come nowhere near it ever since!”

Mark Broadhurst, who was vice-captain when Almond scored his record round, said: “I thought his achievement needed to be recognised so I did some checking, spoke to Chris about it and he contacted Guinness World Records who said they couldn’t ratify it unless it had been videoed, which was ridiculous.

“Who goes out with a video camera, hoping they’re going to shoot a world record?

“Then, Kent Golf got to hear about it, recognised it as a record after doing due diligence and reproduced a club article in one of their Kent newsletters.

“Once that happened, Guinness World Records were more interested, contacted Chris and asked him to get clarification, hence the presentation at the club - which is proof of it - a great memento for Chris and it’s also great for the club.”

Canterbury’s senior teaching professional Richard Wallis was immortalised in the Guinness Book of World Records when he scored a 14-under-par 59, with two eagles and 10 birdies, in the PGA Southern Open Championship Pro-Am at Drift GC in Surrey, on June 2, 2013.