Scottish Golf to resume hosting full schedule of events in 2021

Following a season-long hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Scottish Golf is to stage a full schedule of events in 2021.

The Scottish Amateur Championship, which is being held at Murcar Links and Portlethen, is one of the flagship events on the 2021 Scottish Golf schedule. Picture: Euan Duff

The governing body has announced that national tournaments for “golfers of all ages and abilities” will be returning next year.

The domestic season tees off with the Scottish Boys’ and Girls’ Open Championships at Lundin and Longniddry respectively on 7-9 April.

The Scottish Women’s Amateur Championship takes place at Gullane on 4-6 June, with Murcar Link and Portlethen hosting the men’s equivalent on 27-31 July.

Southerness will be the venue for the Scottish Men’s Open on 28-30 May, with the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open being held at Troon on 16-18 April.

The Scottish Senior Men’s Open Championship will take place at Duff House Royal (16-18 June) while Aberdour will host the Scottish Senior Women’s Open Championship (22-25 25 June) as part of their 125th-anniversary celebrations.

Te Scottish Boys’ and Girls’ Amateur Championships are being held at Bruntsfield Links and Strathaven in July, with Kirkcaldy and Stirling completing the offering of elite events by hosting the Scottish Boys U14 Open and Scottish Girls Open respectively in August.

In addition, the Scottish Medal Finals will make its debut as a combined event in 2021, with a grand final being held over The Duke’s Course in St Andrews on 15 August.

Milnathort will once again host the Scottish final in the free-to-enter R&A 9-Hole Challenge on 10-11 June, with the top four teams going forward to a final at Royal St George’s on the eve of The 149th Open Championship.

Also for club golfers, the PING Scottish Mixed Championship will be played at Gullane on 17 September.

Fraser Munro, head of events at Scottish Golf, said: “2020 has been a hugely difficult year for everyone but we are looking forward to getting back out and engaging with clubs and golfers in the new year.

“Entries recently opened for our newly combined Scottish Medal Finals and we have been hugely encouraged by the level of response it has received.

“As always, none of this would be possible without the support of our various stakeholders including our many host venues for allowing us access to their wonderful courses and our generous event partners for providing some outstanding prizes throughout the season.

“With more than 120,000 people having now downloaded the Scottish Golf App, our events and the information available will be more accessible than ever and we look forward to welcoming more golfers of all ages and abilities to our events going forward.”

In 2021, full hole-by-hole live scoring will be available at all Scottish Golf events for the first time as players input their scores and sign off scorecards directly on their mobile devices using the Scottish Golf App.

The decision to scrap this year’s schedule was made before the season started as Scottish Golf furloughed staff due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a bid to provide some playing opportunities for some of the country’s best young players, the Stephen Gallacher, Paul Lawrie and Barrie Douglas Foundations, as well as the Scottish Junior, ran events when the restrictions permitted.

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