GULLANE NO 1 CHANGES EXPLAINED FOR NEXT YEAR'S AAM EVENT

3-ROUND QUALIFYING TOURNEY FOR 

SCOTS ONLY PRE-2015 SCOTTISH OPEN

The Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open goes to Gullane 1 next year, back to Castle Stuart for a fourth time in 2016 and almost certainly to Dundonald Links, Ayrshire in 2017 which means that it cannot return to Royal Aberdeen before 2018 at least.
The Gullane 1 venue, relatively close to the huge Edinburgh population plus its international airport had a lot going for it among the 2015 candidates.
From next year there will be a 54-hole weekend qualifying tournament for Scottish golfers only and the leading six at the end of three rounds will qualify for the following week's AAM Scottish Open at Gullane 1.
The qualifying venue will be in East Lothian with North Berwick being the likely choice.
Jock MacVicar has been explaining to his "Scottish Daily Express" readers what changes will have to be made to the Gullane 1 course when it stages next year's AAM Scottish Open.
He writes in today's paper:
"The first hole (on Gullane 1) will not be used, the course for the championship starting on the present second tee.
"The 17th and the par-3 fourth will also be excluded from the Scottish Open 2015 lay-out. Three holes on Gullane 2 will be used, the fourth, fifth and 16th.
"However, the present 18th will remain with a new tee higher up the hill stretching the closing hole to 434 yards.
"That will make the overall composite Gullane course measure 7,257yd.
"The main road immediately behind the 18th green could pose problems but tournament director Peter Adams said yesterday that t was 'workable,' using screens, 'tourament furniture' and possibly bridges."
The new Renaissance Course along the road past the village of Gullane and Muirfield was considered as a venue for the 2015 Scottish Open but it was decided that it was still "bedding in."