Scottish Golf has overhauled its schedule of national championships for next season with new formats and dates for some of their historic and traditional events.
The governing body for amateur golf in Scotland has altered the format of its national matchplay championships for both men and boys, while moving the Boys’ Championship, held in the April school holidays since the 1920s, to a new date at the end of June – and at a new venue of Scotscraig and Drumoig in Fife in 2017.
The strokeplay version of the Boys national championship – to be played at Monifieth Links next year – will move from July into the old matchplay slot in April.
The men’s and boys’ championships will both no longer be the traditional seven-round, 256-strong straight knockout competition but fall into line with most other major matchplay championships around the world with a 36-hole strokeplay qualifying competition followed by the leading 64 players and ties contesting matchplay.
In addition, the Scottish Youth’s Championship for men – former champions include Stephen Gallacher and former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley – has been axed following the comprehensive review of championships by Scottish Golf chiefs.
Eleanor Cannon, Chair of Scottish Golf, said: “It is important that we embrace the traditions and history of the game, but equally vital that we look to the future and ensure our championships remain relevant to participants.
“We are acutely aware on the increasing demands on people’s time, both the players and the parents of competitors.
“We stage national championships not only to give our players a great experience on courses which showcase their talents, but also to profile our clubs.
“Our member clubs provide us with their facilities free of charge to enable us to deliver quality championships, for players at all levels, whether competing at the very top of the amateur game or enjoying the experience of competing on the national stage for the first time.”
The requirements of strokeplay qualifying means that the Men’s and Boys’ matchplay championships will both be staged on two courses for the first time. Prestwick Old and Prestwick St Cuthbert will host the men’s championship from July 31 to August 5.
Scotscraig in Tayport – the 13th oldest club in the world and celebrating its bicentenary in 2017 – and Drumoig will host the Boys’, now set for June 30 to July 5 and the Girls Championship will move two weeks earlier in the calendar to be staged at the same venues at the same time. The boys’ field is being reduced from 256 to 180 and the girls’ to 64.
The Scottish Girls Strokeplay Championship will also move to be staged at the same time as the Boys’ Strokeplay, from April 10 to 12, and will also be held in Angus, at Montrose Links.
The Scottish Women’s Championships are unaltered in format and date, the strokeplay version, the Helen Holm, staying at Troon on April 21-23 and the matchplay at Royal Aberdeen from June 6-10.
