Scottish Golf has unveiled a series of new tournaments that aim to broaden opportunities for all golfers to compete in 2022.
In addition to the existing schedule of annual events, there are two new events – Scottish Men’s Open Pre-Qualifying and a National Open series.
With Scottish Men’s Open Championship entries continuing to grow year-on-year, Scottish Golf is offering players increased means to qualify for this year’s event. There will now be a pre-qualifying round at Fraserburgh on May 24 for non-exempt players. For the first time. this pilot will decide a minimum of 30 qualifying places into the Scottish Men’s Open at Cruden Bay by means of an 18-hole stroke play pre-qualifying round.
In addition, a new National Open will be launching in February, which will see qualifying events take place throughout the summer months at some of Scotland’s most iconic courses. Competitors will get the opportunity to experience exactly what it feels like to play in a National Championship, enjoy some hospitality and be in with a chance of winning some great prizes and qualifying for the Grand Final.
Fraser Munro, Head of Events at Scottish Golf, said: “It’s been hugely positive to see participation numbers increasing across all golfer types over the past two years and I hope the new Open Series and Men’s Open Pre-Qualifying will make our events even more attractive, accessible, and inclusive going forward.
“It’s extremely important our National Championships not only cater for golfers of all ages and abilities, but also continue to adapt and evolve to support increasing entry numbers and the different ways our customers consume their golf. I hope this year’s offering will provide more players the opportunity to compete on the national stage and experience some of the country’s best courses and hospitality along the way.”
He added: “We hope our events continue to be a great platform for host venues to showcase themselves to as wide an audience as possible. These events wouldn’t be the success they are without the cooperation and generosity of our host clubs, and we are grateful to them for their continued support.”
Alongside the two new national events, Scottish Golf will continue to offer its regular schedule of National Club Championships over the summer. These include the Scottish Medals Finals, the 2022 R&A 9-Hole Challenge, and the Scottish Mixed Championships.
The simplest way to enter the competitions is through the Scottish Golf App, where players can access event information, live updates, enter scores and book practice rounds, among many other features. With over 260,000 players already signed up, the Scottish Golf App’s allows users to find, enter and access key event information at the touch of a button.