In defence of the need to change the SGU Area Team Championship

From Alasdair J Malcolm
Colin,
One or two observations regarding your article on the new format of the Area team Championship.
Many areas are looking forward to the revised format next year with optimism with a number of positives for both players and areas.
From a players point of view, the one weekend format will hopefully bring together all the best players in the country for the championship, especially with the possible lure of world ranking points, and this will give these and many other players a superb forum to stake their claim for recognition on a national level, as there is every likelyhood that national selectors etc. will be in attendance throughout the weekend casting their eyes over the field.
What better forum to bring your name to the fore whilst up against a potential internationalist or Walker Cup squad member in both strokeplay and matchplay formats, over one weekend?
How many matches under the present format has seen selectors turning out to watch up and coming talent ?
The simple fact is that the logisitics of eight different matches at venues throughout the county all on the one day, would preclude any attempt at effective assessment of players by selectors over the programme of matches under the present format.
It would also be hopes that the advent of the one weekend format will give the opportunity of greater coverage in the Press and other media that is evident at present, with the championship being the focus of attention over the two days. In turn, this format may prove more attractive to any potential sponsor than the current protracted event.
Similarly to your probelms in the Press with getting results over the three weekends, I am sure many counties have similar problems with securing the services of their best players for the three qualifying rounds under the present format.
Consider that the first weekent under the present format clashes with the Brabazon Trophy, the second weekend falls on the Saturday/Sunday that the Scottish Amateur Championship ends and the third weekend clashes with other important events, particularly in Ayrshire the 36 hole Arrol Cup at Prestwick St. Nicholas.
All in all, there is little wonder that some of the best players do not feature in all or even some of their counties' matches.
With the new format, and the move of the Brabazon Trophy to a June date in 2010, along with the lure of world ranking points and the fact that the weekend concerned is a 'free' week now with no clashes (as far as I am aware of), it all adds up to the Championship potentially becoming one of the most eagerly contested events in the Scottish calendar.
I have great hopes that the new format will prove to be a positive development for the championship, and will return it to the stature it once held and indeed deserves.
One final observation regarding the Scottish Golf Union deciding the new format, it should be noted that the majority of the 16 SGU areas voted to support the revised format, and so the decision effectively lay with the competing areas.
Only time will tell if the revised format will be a success but I consider that the potential benefits far outweigh the benefits of retaining the present format, and it is hoped that all the competing counties will embrace the new format in 2010 with an open mind.
Alasdair J. Malcolm

+If you agree or disagree with Alasdair, you can E-mail your opinion to Colin@scottishgolfview.com