Home Internationals history teed up at Woodhall Spa

Woodhall Spa will witness history this week with the staging of the R&A Home International matches as senior women and men, girls and boys play in the same teams for the first time in the traditional format.

West Kilbride's Louise Duncan, pictured after he win in the R&A Womens Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in June, is in the Scottish women's team at Woodhall Spa. Picture: R&A via Getty Images.

The Girls’ and Boys’ Home Internationals and the Women’s and Men’s Senior Home Internationals take place alongside the Women’s Home Internationals at the Lincolnshire venue.

Phil Anderton, the R&A’s chief development officer, said: “This is the first time that mixed gender teams have competed at the R&A Home International matches and we believe the week will be a true celebration of golf at Woodhall Spa.

“The matches provide women, senior women and men, girls and boys the unique opportunity to team up and represent their countries. I am sure they will all enjoy the experience and also learn a lot from each other.”

The best senior golfers from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales will consist of four men and four women.

Nations will play against one another in matches consisting of four foursomes and eight singles. Senior men will play against senior men, and senior women play each other with four foursome matches each day followed by eight singles contests.

The Scottish team features Royal Troon member Paul Moultrie, who finished fourth in the Senior Amateur and second in the Scottish Senior Amateur Championship.

The under-18s round-robin format will feature a combination of six girls and eight boys from each country.

Matches will consist of seven foursomes, three girls’ and four boys’ matches, and 14 singles, six girls and eight boys.

Nairn’s Calum Scott, younger brother of Walker Cup player Sandy, spearheads Scotland’s challenge.

The Women’s Home Internationals sees a host of home-grown talent bidding for the trophy in matches which feature three foursomes and six singles each day.

Among the field competing for the title of best women’s team in Great Britain and Ireland are Scotland’s Louise Duncan, winner of this year’s Women’s Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie).

The Men’s Home Internationals, which had been scheduled to take place at Royal Dornoch in April before being cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, will now be played from 15-17 September at Hankley Common in Surrey.

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