NE Alliance foursomes switch from two-day 

match-play to 18 holes of better-ball stroke-play

By JOEL HOPWOOD

There has been a format change to the North-east Alliance Championship foursomes which immediately follow the second round of the championship at Craibstone next month. 

It is born out of the lack of pro-amateur availability for three days in a row in March and is detailed below.

CHANGES TO FOURSOMES FORMAT

The 36 hole qualifying process will remain the same, being played 

on the 9th and 16th of March - but we will only have one additional  
stroke-play round that week instead of several match-play ties. 

Typically we would try to find professionals to join amateurs in a 

foursomes knock-out match-play format over the Thursday and 

Friday - but this proved problematic as professionals were 

invariably away/busy/working and it is a big ask to request that 

any of the Alliance (amateur or pro) take three days off in a single 

week.

Our new format will be an eight-team four-ball better-ball stroke-play competition over 18 holes.
 There will be eight qualifiers from each section and one of each will make up each team, i.e.
1st Professional, 8th Lowest Scratch Amateur, 1st Class 1 Nett Qualifier and 8th Class 2 Nett Qualifier will make up team one. Team two will be 2nd Professional, 7th Lowest Scratch, 2nd Class 1 Nett Qualifier and 7th Class 2 Nett Qualifier and so on until we have our eight teams.

The teams will play 18 holes of four-ball better-ball at Craibstone from 10.30am on March 17. The format will require the best two nett scores to count on each hole from each team. Each individual will receive their full handicap allowance.

The prizefund will be £900. Each player from the winning team will receive £100 (in cash or voucher). Each player from the runner up team will receive £75 (in cash or voucher) and each player from the third placed team will receive £50 (in cash or voucher).

It is hoped that this new format will give us much more chance of representation from each category and allow people to get back to work on the Friday.

Joint secretaries David Wilson and David Mackay will have to be informed over the two rounds of the championship (March 9 and 16) if you are available or not to play in the better-ball on Thursday, March 17.