Scottish champions to receive automatic selection for home internationals

 

Note from Colin Farquharson: Last year Scottishgolfview.com highlighted the fact that Ailsa Summers, winner of the Scottish women's amateur championship, was left out of the Scotland team for the subsequent women's home internationals. At the time, we were told that winning national championships did not guarantee the champions selection for the home internationals. The person who made that statement, Steve Spaulding, has since left the Scottish Golf staff.

In a complete about-turn, Scottish Golf have now sent out the following News Release, saying that Scottish champions, in future, will be guaranteed places in the home internationals. Too late for Ailsa Summers, pictured above, but the outcry against her non-selection has obviously had an effect on the powers-that-be.

 

NEWS RELEASE FROM SCOTTISH GOLF

The winners of the Scottish Men’s, Women’s, Boys’ and Girls’ Amateur Championships will all secure automatic spots in their respective Scotland Home Internationals sides from this season.

 

Stuart Clayton, new Acting Head of Performance for Scottish Golf, has initiated the selection change with the governing body, which will come into effect when the Home Internationals sides are picked this summer.

 

The exceptions will be the Scottish Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, both of which are ‘open’ events, where competitors from other countries take part. If the Seniors’ champions are not eligible to represent Scotland, the automatic place will be passed to the respective selection committee to determine who receives the call-up.

 

Clayton said: “In all of our Scottish Amateur Championships, apart from the Senior Men’s, the winners will have come through head-to-head match-play format, which mirrors the style played at the Home Internationals. We therefore feel the champion will have demonstrated the capabilities required to perform well at the Homes and thus would be deserving of an automatic place.”

 

In August, the Men’s Home Internationals take place at Moortown, the Boys’ event at St Annes Old Links and the Ladies & Girls’ Home Internationals at Little Aston. The Senior Ladies’ go to Newport in October, with the Senior Men’s event being staged at Rosslare in September.

 

The updated selection policy changes come hot on the heels of several changes to Scottish Golf’s national events programme, with the new-look Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship featuring stroke play qualifying across two venues – Prestwick and Prestwick St Cuthbert – while the Scottish Boys Amateur Championship moves from its traditional early season slot to be played concurrently alongside its Girls’ equivalent, hosted by Scotscraig and Drumoig respectively at the end of June.

 

Players can look forward to some fantastic courses for the ‘Major’ domestic events this season, with Royal Aberdeen welcoming competitors for the Scottish Women’s Amateur, Blairgowrie hosting the Senior Women and Royal Burgess the host club for the Scottish Senior Men’s Championship.

 

In a further new addition for 2017, domestic Order of Merit points will now be awarded at both male and female level for the leading 16 players in stroke play qualifying for the Scottish Championships and British Championships, aided by the revised formats in the Scottish Men’s and Boys’ events.

 

“The awarding of points will offer a small bonus for the players, rewarding good performances in the stroke play stages, underlining it as being a key area for player development,” added Clayton.

 

Teams representing Scotland in the Home Internationals will continue to be supported by Aberdeen Asset Management, who celebrate 10 years of sponsorship of the national amateur squads in 2017.

 

You can enter Scottish Golf championships NOW

Online entries are now OPEN for Scottish Golf’s portfolio of national championships this season.
In 2017, Scottish Golf will stage various events, catering for golfers of all abilities and age groups, and give club members the chance to play in competitions on some of the finest courses in the country.
Online entries, including conditions of entry, are now available across a number of events for women, men, senior women, senior men, girls and boys.
> Enter Championships 2017
Following a review, a number of changes to national championships are in place for this season, with the key changes detailed below:
Scottish Boys’ Open Stroke Play Championship

• Moves to the Spring (Easter) holiday slot of 12 – 14 April
• Host venue Monifieth
• Open to ALL Under-18 golfers worldwide
• Closing date for entries: 13 March

Scottish Boys’ Amateur Championship

• Moves  from traditional April slot into the school summer holidays 30 June – 5 July
• Change from straight knock-out to 36-hole stroke play qualifying, with the leading 64 players (and ties) reaching the match play stages
• Played for the first time alongside the Scottish Girls Championship
• Running concurrently on two neighbouring courses, Scotscraig and Drumoig
• Boys field 189
• Closing date for entries: 29 May

Scottish Girls’ Amateur Championship

• Played for the first time alongside the Scottish Boys Championship 30 June – 5 July
• Running concurrently on two neighbouring courses, Scotscraig and Drumoig
• Girls field 63
• Closing date for entries: 29 May

Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship

• Retains regular spot on calendar from 31 July to 5 August
• Change from straight knock-out to 36-hole stroke play qualifying, with the leading 64 players (and ties) reaching the match play stages
• Stroke play qualifying at Prestwick and Prestwick St Cuthbert, before knockout at Prestwick
• Closing date for entries: 3 July
• Field 264

Details of dates and venues for the various Area, County and Club team championships will be confirmed in due course. Scottish Golf will also announce the schedule for its portfolio of national handicap championships once discussions with host venues and sponsors are concluded.
> View full list of 2017 Scottish Golf even

Scottish Golf unveils changes to national championships in 2017

 

Scottish Golf has announced a number of changes to its national championships following a comprehensive review, with several to come into effect from the start of next season.

The governing body has engaged with players, clubs and other stakeholders to help shape the changes, helping to provide a better platform for the nation’s amateur golfers to perform on while showcasing some of the country’s outstanding courses.

The most significant developments concerns changes to the formats and timing of the major national match play championships, while the Scottish Youths Championship will be removed from the schedule, with the category no longer complimenting the national structure or international amateur calendar.

In line with a number of other countries, the Scottish Boys' and Men’s Amateur Championships will change from straight knock-out to 36-hole stroke play qualifying, with the leading 64 players (and ties) reaching the match play stages.

 The Scottish Boys' Championship also moves from its traditional April slot into the school summer holidays, to be played for the first time alongside the Scottish Girls' Championship, running concurrently on two neighbouring courses, with Fife's Scotscraig  and Drumoig named as the 2017 host venues. The boys’ field size will reduce to 180, with the girls at 64.

The Scottish Women’s Amateur Championship will be held at Royal Aberdeen (6 – 10 June) for the first time since former Solheim Cup star Janice Moodie won the event there 25 years ago, while Royal Troon’s Old Course will continue to host the prestigious Helen Holm Scottish Women's Open Stroke Play Championship accompanied by the Troon Portland course.

Also in Ayrshire, Prestwick will be joined by Prestwick St Cuthbert in hosting the stroke play qualifying for the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship (31 July – 5 Aug) and Western Gailes welcomes the leading male amateurs for the Carrick Neill Scottish Stroke Play Championship in early June.

Like their match play equivalents, the Scottish Boys and Girls Stroke Play Championships will be played on the same dates, moving to the Spring (Easter) holiday slot of 10 - 12 April next year, with Monifieth welcoming the boys and Montrose staging the girls.

Eleanor Cannon, Chair of Scottish Golf, said: “Following our review, it is important that we embrace the traditions and history of the game, but equally vital that we look to the future and ensure our championships remain relevant to participants.

“The Scottish Golf Board is acutely aware on the increasing demands on people’s time, both the players and the parents of competitors, which has an impact on a number of our events, while consideration was given to why players compete in events, which is often different between male and female competitors.

“We stage national championships not only to give our players a great experience on courses which showcase their talents, but also to profile our clubs. Scotland has a fantastic variety of courses and we are hugely grateful to all member clubs who support our events, who can hopefully benefit from the spotlight being on them for that particular week.”

“Our member clubs provide us with their facilities free of charge to enable us to deliver quality championships, for players at all levels, whether competing at the very top of the amateur game or enjoying the experience of competing on the national stage for the first time.” 

Details of dates and venues for the various Area, County and Club team championships will be confirmed later in the year, while Scottish Golf will also be announcing the schedule for its portfolio of national handicap championships once discussions with host venues and sponsors are concluded in the near future.

 

Online entries for national championships will be available at scottishgolf.org/events in January.

 

Scottish Golf National Championships Schedule 2017

 

DATE	VENUE	EVENT
1 - 2 April	TBC	Scottish Junior Tour U18
10 - 12 April	Monifieth Links	Scottish Boys Open Stroke Play Championship
10 - 12 April	Montrose, Medal	Scottish Girls Open Stroke Play Championship
21 - 23 April	Royal Troon and Troon Portland	Helen Holm Scottish Women's Open Stroke Play Championship
13 - 14 May	TBC	Scottish Junior Tour U16 & U14
2 - 4 June	Western Gailes	Carrick Neill Scottish Men's Open Stroke Play Championship
6 - 10 June	Royal Aberdeen	Scottish Women's Amateur Championship
21 - 23 June	Royal Burgess	Scottish Senior Men's Open Championship
28 June - 1 July	Blairgowrie	Scottish Senior Women's Open Championship
30 June - 5 July	Scotscraig & Drumoig	Scottish Boys and Girls Championship
11 - 13 July	Fairmont St Andrews, Kittocks	Scottish Boys U16 Open Championship
17 - 18 July	TBC	Scottish Girls U16 Open Championship
31 July - 5 Aug	Prestwick and Prestwick St Cuthbert	Scottish Men's Amateur Championship
13 - 14 Aug	Crail, Balcomie Links	Loretto School Scottish Boys and Girls U14 Championship

 

ts

·         Please note dates, venues and further details for Area, County, Club and National Handicap Championships will be announced shortly.

Paulding to leave Scottish Golf for new role with British Athletics

NEWS RELEASE

Scottish Golf today announces the departure of Steve Paulding, Performance Director, who is to take up a new role with British Athletics.

The 54-year-old, pictured, has enjoyed a successful seven-year spell with the governing body and leaves to become British Athletics’ National Performance Institute Director.

Paulding has made significant changes in the way Scottish Golf supports and develops aspiring male and female golfers, with teams and individuals enjoying notable results on the world amateur stage during his tenure.

Paulding, who will leave his post on November 11, helped guide Scotland to back-to-back European Men's Amateur Team titles in 2015 and 2016 for the first time in 39 years.

A record eight male Scots also reached the top 100 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings last year, with Grant Forrest, Ewen Ferguson and Jack McDonald playing their part in the record-winning GB and I Walker Cup team in 2015. Paulding has also seen three Scots reach The Amateur Final in the last three years, with Bradley Neil victorious in 2014, and Connor Syme and Craig Ross win the Australia and South African Amateur titles this year.

Given Scotland also had two players in the GB and I Girls Junior Vagliano team in 2015 and won the Boys' Home Internationals last year, Paulding is confident for the future.

“I’ve enjoyed my time with Scottish Golf and we’ve achieved some great results that I’m very proud of,” said Paulding. “Most people are only interested in those results, but the systems and processes needed to consistently identify and produce players who can compete on the world amateur stage has been my focus.

“There are now more PGA professional coaches working in and supporting the performance system at all levels and there is now a far more robust tracking and monitoring system in place for players.

“There have also been significant changes to improve our winter training, using the UAE and South Africa as training and competition bases, while we have developed an excellent team of support service personnel within sportscotland's institute of sport to further develop the players.

“While there remain challenges ahead, I’m encouraged by the progress we have made in the female amateur ranks since we became an amalgamated body a year ago. I’m also confident that our new partnership with Bounce Sports will increase the potential for the current crop of male amateurs and newly-turned turned professionals to break through.”

National Coach Ian Rae, Performance Development Manager Stuart Clayton and the former Ladies European Tour professional Clare Queen, Programme Co-ordinator, will take responsibility for the Performance programme following Paulding’s departure next month.

Blane Dodds, Scottish Golf Chief Executive, said: “I would like to thank Steve for all his hard work leading the performance team over the past seven years.

“Scottish Golf is in a stronger place thanks to his endeavours and we wish him well in his new challenge with British Athletics.

“In the interim, Steve leaves a strong and experienced Performance team behind him and I’m confident Ian, Stuart and Clare will continue their good work before we make any future decisions.”

North-east and North through to match-play of

Scottish area team championship

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE

North-east team at Dalmahoy before the start of today's Scottish area championship. Left to right: Stephen Roger, Chris Lamb, Clark Brechin, Adam Dunton, David Morrison, Barrie Edmond        

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
North-east and North figured among the eight qualifiers for the matchplay stages of the GolfKings Scottish men's area team championship after the 36-hole eliminating contest over Dalmahoy's East and West courses today.
And North-east, second seeds behind Lothians, will play Perth and Kinross, who qualified in seventh place, in the match-play quarter-finals.
North, the last of the eight qualifiers, will play top seeds Lothians.
North-east scores were:
136 B Edmond 70 66. 140 A Dunton 76 64, D Morrison 73 67, C Brechin 73 67. 142 C Lamb 74 69. 147 S Roger 78 69. 
North scores:
140 C Gaittens 75 65. 142 J Wright 78 64. 143 B Fotheringham 76 67, K Godsman 74 69. 146 J D Forbes 75 71. 154 F W Fotheringham 77 77.
QUALIFIERS
East scores before West
692 Lothians 363 329
698 North-east 366 332
705 Fife 371 334
709 Ayrshire 374 335
710 Glasgow 371 339
711 Lanarkshire 373 338
713 Perth and Kinross 337, North 377 336
FAILED TO QUALIFY
715 Angus 372 343
725 Renfrewshire 384 341
727 Borders 387 340
738 South 375 363, Argyll and Bute 387 351
739 Dunbartonshire 387 352
747 Stirlingshire 393 354
753 Clackmannanshire 390 363
MATCH-PLAY
Lothians v North
North-east v Perth and Kinross
Fife v Lanarkshire
Ayrshire v Glasgow 
 

Scottish stars miss Home Internationals at 

Nairn to play in US Amateur Championship
 

        

         The Scotland team of six who won the European title for the second year in a row.

NEWS RELEASE FROM SCOTTISH GOLF

Four Scots have qualified to play in next month's United States Amateur Championship, bidding to follow in the footsteps of Richie Ramsay.

Thanks to their World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) inside the top 50, Grant Forrest, Robert MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson and Connor Syme will all tee up at Oakland Hills from August 15-21.

It's a return trip for Forrest (Craigielaw) and Bearsden's Ferguson, currently nursing a hand injury, after the Walker Cup team winners both played in the event at Olympia Fields Country Club 12 months ago.

Indeed, Forrest will compete for a third year in a row after playing in 2014 alongside compatriot Bradley Neil.

Forrest, MacIntyre and Syme were all part of Scotland's recent defence of the European Men's Amateur team title, while the trio are also representing GB and I in this week's St Andrews Trophy. Drumoig’s Syme also won the Australian Amateur title at the start of the year, while MacIntyre (Glencruitten) finished runner-up in the British Amateur Championship.

Syme said: "Top 50 was my target at the start of the year and reaching there has now helped me achieve goals in qualifying for the US Amateur and competing for GB and I in the St Andrews Trophy.

"The four of us are now in the top 30 in the world rankings so we're all chasing each other's tails and the competition is great. I'm looking forward to the US Amateur as I've never played competitively in America before and I know Oakland Hills is an amazing course."

All four players now won’t compete for Scotland in the Home Internationals at Nairn (August 10-12) after qualifying for the US Amateur.

A total of 312 players from over 20 countries will contest the US Amateur title, with three-time European Tour winner Ramsay a past winner of the event in 2006 at Hazeltine, this year's Ryder Cup venue. 

Oakland Hills hosted the 2004 Ryder Cup, while Padraig Harrington claimed Major glory when he won the PGA Championship at the course in 2008.

The top 50 point leaders and anyone tying for 50th place on WAGR as of 29 June are exempt from US Amateur Sectional Qualifying.

Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) has withdrawn from the Scotland team to defend the European men's title in France next week due to a recurrence of a hand injury.

 

Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten), pictured, the Oban left-hander who won the Scottish amateur title last year, steps up from first reserve to replace Ferguson.

Scottish Golf Launches Nation’s Biggest 

 

Clubhouse with player of week prizes

 

NEWS RELEASE

An exciting new digital platform has been launched with the aim of creating Scotland’s biggest golfing clubhouse community.

 

The new Scottish Golf Members Clubhouse, part of www.scottishgolf.org, goes live this week giving the opportunity for club members across Scotland to compete against each other on a national basis for a Player of the Week prize at both handicap and scratch levels.

The national leaderboard is one of many features contained within the virtual clubhouse, which also includes preferential green fee rates at courses throughout the country, rewards from sponsors and exclusive member competitions.

With an average of 30,000 players taking part in competitive golf at their club on a weekly basis, the new platform will be fed by every single counting score and the player with the best score in Scotland that week will receive a weekly prize. 

Up for grabs in the first week will be an exclusive TaylorMade Masters Staff Bag, only available to their players who competed at Augusta National last month, which will be awarded to the leading handicap player, while the country’s leading scratch player will win a pair of tickets for The Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Current preferential offers for club members include a saving of £91 on a round at Castle Stuart Golf Links, home of this year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, 50% discount on green fees at Crail’s stunning Balcomie and Craighead Links, the chance to play The Duke’s at St Andrews from as little as £25 per round or £72 for a four-ball at Hilton Park on the outskirts of Glasgow.

More than 50,000 club members have already registered for the Members Clubhouse and the governing body is hoping that more golfers will follow.

Andy Salmon, Deputy Chief Executive of Scottish Golf, is excited about the launch and said: “The Members Clubhouse is an exciting new development for us as we continue our focus on building stronger clubs and engaging with more golfers.

“The number of people playing competitive golf in Scotland at their local club or in open competitions remains very strong and we want to support this by rewarding those who have played well, beaten their handicap and posted a good score. 

"The handicap system gives every golfer the opportunity to have their moment in the sun and we are looking forward to hearing the stories for the Players of the Week throughout the season.

“We also want to reward those golfers who are members of clubs by adding value to their membership and the Clubhouse will act as an extension to what we’ve achieved with the Scottish Golf Membership Card, allowing us to engage better digitally with members. 

"We see this as a great asset commercially and hope we can grow sponsorship revenue through this, having already secured a number of partners whose support has been reinvested back in the game.

“It also gives our clubs a great marketing tool to promote their special offers to fellow members, while also using it as one of their many membership benefits.”

The Members Clubhouse is exclusively available to golf club members who have registered their Scottish Golf Membership Card, which can be done by visiting scottishgolf.org/player-registration. 

The Player of the Week leaderboard will be featured on the home page of the Members Clubhouse, calculated on scores against the competition standard scratch score. There were 390 qualifying competitions across Scotland last week, with 9% of golfers achieving a handicap reduction and 34% playing to their handicap.

 

ENDS

 Scottish Golf chief executive Hamish Grey 

leaving to seek 'new challenge'

 

SCOTTISH GOLF NEWS RELEASE

The Board of Scottish Golf today announces that Hamish Grey, chief executive, is leaving the organisation. This position has been agreed between the parties.

Hamish Grey commented: "I have enjoyed my time in Scottish Golf immensely and look back on my time with great pride. I have been very fortunate to work with many dedicated people, volunteer and executive, throughout this time and their commitment to Scottish Golf has been an inspiration.

“Amalgamation is now achieved and the new body established. Scottish Golf in is good health and has an excellent base from which the new Board can consider the future strategy for golf in Scotland. It is therefore timely for me to seek a new challenge."

Eleanor Cannon, Chair of Scottish Golf, said: “Hamish leaves Scottish Golf with our thanks for a significant contribution to the game in Scotland over a number of years and with our best wishes for the future.

"The new Board of Scottish Golf will engage our clubs and our members and put in place the leadership we believe is required to help bring about the change we want to see in the game in Scotland.

“Our priority is to recruit a new chief executive and we have started that process. In the meantime, Andy Salmon, deputy chief executive, will report to me.

“The excellent work undertaken by the wider team at Scottish Golf goes on and we look forward to working with them.”

Kintore, Sanquhar and Aegon (Edinburgh) 

joint first-round leaders in Turkey with 74s


FROM THE SGU WEBSITE
Three clubs lead the way after day one of Scottish Golf’s first-ever overseas event, the grand final of the Belhaven Best Scottish Club Handicap Championship in Turkey.
Being staged for the first time at the superb Regnum Carya Golf 
and Spa Resort in Belek, 20 club pairings from across Scotland are chasing the sought-after title, having battled through regional finals in Scotland last year.
Their quest for glory on foreign fields began today over the National National Golf Course, a recent former venue for the Turkish Airlines Open on the Ladies European Tour. The 36-hole championship  concludes on Sunday over the Carya lay-out, a venue that will host the European Tour’s biggest names in November.
On a breezy day that made scoring tricky on a course design finalised by ex-European Ryder Cup player David Feherty, a trio of clubs battled to three-over-par 74s.

HERE'S THE HALFWAY SCOREBOARD
par 71

74 Kintore Golf Club - Gilbert / Lawrence

74 Aegon Golf Club - Ede / Hislop

74 Sanquhar Golf Club - MacFarlane / Biggar76

76 Hayston Golf Club - Linning / Carr

76 Cruden Bay Golf Club - Booth / Whiteside

76 Dalbeattie Golf Club - Henry / McDowall

76 Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club - Mackay / McKie

76 Torrance Park Golf Club - Lockhart / Gould

78 Kirkhill Golf Club - Maitland / McPhillips

80 Caldwell Golf Club - Arthur / McGuire

80 Alva Golf Club - McBain / McIvor

81 Pitlochry Golf Club - Stewart / Dunbar

82 Peebles Golf Club - French / Dickinson

82 Nairn Dunbar Golf Club - Barron / Quinn

82 Hawick Golf Club - Revel / George

83 Milnathort Golf Club - Brown / Carver

84 Torvean Golf Club - Chancellor / Tolmie

84 Earlsferry Thistle Golf Club - Campbell / Sim

86 Michelin Golf Club - Brodie / Petrie

Disqualified: Dumbarton Golf Club - Jones / 2

 
The early starters from the North-east, Kintore, share top spot with Border side Sanquhar and Edinburgh club Aegon.
On a bunched leaderboard, the teams from Hayston, Cruden Bay, Dalbeattie, Strathpeffer Spa and Torrance Park lead the chasing pack after 76s in search of the national crown.
Kintore’s Brian Gilbert, a two handicapper who fired a glorious shot close at the par-3 11th to aid the team score, said: “It was difficult to score out there, but it was a great challenge. My partner Robbie Lawrence and I look forward to tomorrow.”
The Sanquhar duo of Ian MacFarlane and Stuart Biggar will look to maintain their challenge at the top on Sunday, along with Aegon’s Steven Ede and Steven Hislop.
“It was quite hard in the wind today, that was a major factor,” said Pitlochry’s Ewan Dunbar, who was in the first match out with playing partner Grant Stewart. “It’s a lovely course, especially the second nine holes we played.”
Caldwell’s William McGuire put the challenge on a par with the Open Championship lay-out at Carnoustie and added: “It was a tough as anything I’ve played, but this is a brilliant event and we all loved it. The greens were excellent.”
The move to hosting an event abroad is part of Scottish Golf’s ongoing campaign to provide exclusive benefits and unique golfing experiences to its 222,000 member golfers
This is being achieved, thanks to a ground-breaking new sponsorship deal, involving Turkish Airlines, the Regnum Carya resort, Belhaven Best and GolfKings, Scottish Golf’s official travel partner.
The Belhaven Best Scottish Club Handicap Championship has been the country’s biggest participation event since it launch in 1999, with around 20,000 club members taking part in local qualifying each year. 
Belhaven Best has been Scottish Golf’s official partner since the inception of the event, making it one of the longest standing sponsorships in the domestic game.

Handicap limit of 2.4 for 2016 "Scottish" at Balgownie

The handicap limit for entries to the 2016 Scottish men's amateur championship, to be hosted by Royal Aberdeen Golf Club from July 25 to 30 is 2.4.

 TO VIEW MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIP

CLICK HERE

Hamish Grey Appointed CEO of Scottish Golf

 

NEWS RELEASE

The Board of Scottish Golf has appointed Hamish Grey to be Chief Executive of the new organisation. 

Hamish, pictured, was Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) until it merged with the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association (SLGA) on 1 October, creating a single administrative body for the game in its home country. He takes up his position with immediate effect.

Karin Sharp, the former SLGA Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed to the role of Corporate Services Director within Scottish Golf, heading up the organisation’s finance, HR, IT and office management operations. 

Eleanor Cannon, Chair of Scottish Golf, said: “The coming together of men and women’s golf is a landmark moment for the sport and brings with it a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change and modernise a game that has its roots in Scotland and to think carefully about the legacy this generation leaves the next.

“The Board looks forward to working together with Hamish, Karin and the wider team to create a long-term strategy that builds on the game’s strong position in Scotland, attracts new golfers to the sport and develops more home-grown talent that can compete with the best golfers in the world.” 

Grey added: “It is a privilege to be asked to lead Scottish Golf as this exciting chapter in the game’s story begins. We start from a good position, but there is an important job to do to support our clubs and to grow this important sport to the benefit of every part of society.

“More than a quarter of a million people now regularly play golf in Scotland and we are determined that number will grow, giving more people the opportunity to play this great game and strengthening its foundations as we do so.”

·         A native New Zealander, Hamish Grey has worked in sports management throughout his career, starting out at the Hillary Commission for Sport in a number of sports’ governing body development roles. Hamish then became private secretary to New Zealand’s Minister for Sport and Tourism before moving to the UK as the first participant in an exchange programme between New Zealand and Scotland’s government sport’s agencies. He joined the Scottish Golf Union in 1998. 

·         Scottish Golf is the new unified governing body for amateur golf in Scotland, representing golfers and golf clubs to champion the game in Scotland. It represents 606 affiliated golf clubs across the country and a total membership of approximately 223,000 golf club members, the largest membership of any sport in Scotland.

·         Based at offices in St Andrews and Edinburgh, Scottish Golf’s responsibilities span across all areas of the game in Scotland, including encouraging more young people and adult beginners to play golf, providing increased support services to member clubs, staging national amateur championships for players of all ages and