Spotlight on Kinross this weekend for new area team format

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Jokingly, someone said at the weekend that the Scottish Golf Union have been trying for years to come up with a format to stop Lothians winning the Scottish area team championship. Since the event started in 1978, Lothians have lifted the title 13 times, nine more than any of the 15 other areas that fit together in the SGU jigsaw, so you can probably get their drift.
This weekend, at Kinross, the event unveils its latest format and, despite cynicism in some quarters, the change is being made to reduce running costs. The title will be decided over two days and, with world ranking points up for grabs in the stroke-play phase on Saturday, the country's elite amateurs will all be there.
It's encouraging to see most areas have included at least one youngster in their six-man team and, for the four sides that qualify for the semi- finals on the Sunday morning, they'll be tested in both stroke-play and match-play over the course of the weekend.
The event, in fact, has been based on the European team championship and the change of format has enabled the SGU to attract a sponsor for this particular tournament for the first time. All in all, it's an exciting change to the domestic calendar, though only time will tell if the SGU have, indeed, come up with a format that finally ends Lothians' long domination of the event.

TIME FOR A GOLF FORUM IN SCOTLAND

Having received E-mails from two European Tour winners and also provoked a reaction at grass-roots level following last week's column on the PGA and clubgolf, I firmly believe that it is time to hold a long-overdue 'Golf Forum' in Scotland.
Andrew Coltart and Dean Robertson were both moved to comment on the PGA, SGU, coaching and playing opportunities and it is clear that everyone isn't singing from the same hymn sheet as we bid to improve on the country's current standing in the professional game.
"I and many others with great experience and knowledge both on a performance playing and coaching level share different views," said Robertson in response.
"It is only fair to listen to the groundswell that is starting to beat a loud drum. Surely the long term aim is for Scottish Golf to benefit from, not only the coaching initiatives that are being delivered via the SGU Academy, but also from other sources, whose delivery may be viewed as different, but whose levels of expertise are valued/embraced by many different golfing bodies both at home and abroad."
The fact people like Coltart and Robertson are prepared to put in their tuppence worth is encouraging and certainly shouldn't be ignored. They, after all, know exactly what it takes to make that transition from top amateur to the professional ranks.