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