Bid to change SGU area team championship

format likely to meet opposition

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By WILLIAM DUNCAN
A move to change the format of the Scottish Area Team Championship looks set to be met with strong opposition this weekend.
The event, won a record 13 times by the Lothians, will be up for discussion at the Scottish Golf Union's annual meeting at the Scottish Police College,Tulliallan on Sunday.
In a bid to cut the event's running costs, the game's governing body in Scotland has come up with a number of suggestions that have been circulated to the 16 Areas that compete in the tournament.
For the past decade or so, it has been spread out over nearly five months, with every Area guaranteed at least three games. The top teams in four sections have then gone forward to the final stages, played over one weekend.
One of the options being considered is to play the whole event over one weekend, cutting out the round-robin phase. Another is reducing the number of players per team, while grouping Areas by geographical location has also been mooted.
"There has been contact between Areas on this matter and some feel strongly that they don't want to see a change to the format," a source told the Evening News. "Indeed, some have indicated they will not take part if that happens this year."
After discussing the matter last week, the Lothians will ask that the format is not changed at the moment, with the SGU dipping into its reserve funds to meet this year's costs.