New Scottish Women's Amateur Tour launched by Alan Tait

Royal Dornoch and Cabot Highland Castle Stuart among top-class venues for circuit

Alan Tait is excited about his latest venture, which will see Scotland's top girl and women amateurs play at some of the top courses in the country.

A new Scottish Womens’ Amateur Tour has been launched by Alan Tait, adding to opportunities he has already provided through the Golfbreaks Get Back to Golf Tour and the Cack-Handers’ Tour in recent years.

The S.W.A.T. is open to all girls and women with a handicap of nine or better and will consist of nine 36-hole events, which will be played at some of the top courses in Scotland.

It gets underway at Royal Dornoch on 17-18 April before visiting Scotscraig (1-2 May), Dalmahoy (19-20 May), Monifieth (16-17 June), Murrayshall (6-7 July), West Kilbride (22-23 July), Montrose Links (11-12 August), Fairmont St Andrews (1-2 September) and Strathmore (15-16 September).

The top six from respective scratch and handicap order of merits will then compete in a season-ending one-day event at Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart on 22 September.

"I wasn't really aware our leading girls/women in Scotland had so few playing opportunities for tournament golf,” said Tait, a former Scottish Boys’ champion and still an active player himself on the PGA in Scotland’s Tartan Tour.

“Knowing I already organise and run the Golfbreaks Get Back to Golf Tour and the fun Cack Handers Tour, quite a lot of women approached me in the last couple of years.

“The chat has more or less been, ‘Taity, can you not do something for us as well!’ With that, I ended up looking into it more and realised there could be so much more done to help our amateur women golfers. So, all these months later, here we are on the eve of a brand new tour with two order of merits running throughout the season.

“I'm genuinely excited about the new tour and hope it goes a long way to help the women’s game. I'd love nothing more if one of the players go on to represent Scotland or even make their way into the Curtis Cup, through their performances on the new tour.

“I'm also really proud of the venues I managed to get who are hosting. They were all amazing and hugely supportive when I approached them. All agreed it was needed and all jumped at the chance to get on board.

“The players are spoiled for choice and to have two courses in the world's top 100 - Royal Dornoch and Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart - on the schedule is just absolutely fantastic. I can't thank all the venues enough for their support.

“Although the tour will be based in Scotland, it's open to everyone and already I've had enquiries from England, Ireland and even Sweden! So the interest is definitely there.”

The Golfbreaks Get Back to Golf Tour and Cack-Handers’ Tour are also being held again this year and Tait, laughing, added: “I'm not sure there's going to be enough hours in the day for me this year with everything else I've got on, but I'll make it work!

“I enjoy doing my bit to help our game and promote golf in Scotland as much as I can. It's all hard work and a big commitment but gives me huge pleasure to give something back to golf and to the best country in the world!”