Golf fans in Scotland will be encouraged to turn Gullane Golf Club into a sea of tartan next week when the official Pro-Am day at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open is designated ‘Tartan Wednesday’ ahead of the main event from July 9-12.
The world’s leading professionals, amateurs, celebrities, officials and spectators are invited to enter into the spirit of the campaign to turn #TartanWednesday into a huge success on behalf of the tournament’s official charity, Mindroom.
Following the success of ‘Tartan Tuesday’ at last year’s Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, spectators attending Pro-Am day who arrive at the East Lothian venue next Wednesday bedecked in tartan will become part of a special day which has the potential to build into an annual tradition.
Spectators are encouraged to capture the colour on display and share their experiences online using the official hashtag #TartanWednesday.
So it’s time for all golf fans attending the tournament to look out those tartan tammies and the plaid plus-fours, dust down the colourful kilts and join a party which will add to the unique Scottish flavour of this international sporting event.
And for those tartan-clad spectators, there will be a wonderful opportunity to win special prizes of ‘made to measure’ tartan trews by Slanj Kilts of Glasgow and a fourball at Gullane for the Best Dressed Fan, as selected by some of the marquee professional players taking part, including defending champion Justin Rose.
All the proceeds of #TartanWednesday will go towards the funds being raised on behalf of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open’s official charity, Mindroom, an independent Scottish charity that supports the families of children and young people with learning difficulties.
Already, a minimum of £8,000 has been guaranteed from the professionals playing in the Pro-Am, who have donated their £4,000 appearance fees to the charitable initiative, while that sum has been fund-matched by title sponsor, Aberdeen Asset Management.
As in recent years, the world famous stars of the tournament have been encouraged to wear Tartan Trews in the Pro-Am, creating a fun and colourful dimension to one of the most important days of the week, while lapel pin badges and tartan ribbon will be available for the public to wear through giving a voluntary donation to Mindroom.
In honour of Rose’s victory at Royal Aberdeen last year, the ribbons will feature the ‘Rose Hunting Modern’ Tartan.
Peter Adams, Championship Director, explained: “We considered a number of options to create awareness of our official tournament charity, and Tartan Wednesday has the scope to create an element of fun and colour to Pro-Am day.
“The leading professionals have been very supportive of our efforts in the past and we anticipate a substantial number of players will take the opportunity to look quite dashing in their Tartan Trews on the golf course as part of Tartan Wednesday.
“This year, we felt it would be nice to involve the amateurs, celebrities, officials and spectators in our charitable initiative and we are excited at the prospect of turning Gullane into a sea of tartan next Wednesday.”
Three of the leading players will be involved in a photocall in their Tartan Trews before the afternoon Pro-Am shotgun start at Gullane, and fans wearing tartan will be invited to join the party by taking a seat in the stand next to the 18th green where the photo call will take place.
The golfers will each nominate someone from the crowd, who has clearly made a genuine effort to enter into the tartan spirit, to join them on the green and the remaining spectators will be asked to take part in a ‘cheer-off’ to decide the winner.
The runner-up will win a Jeroboam of Laurent-Perrier Champagne with third place receiving a pair of season tickets to the 2016 Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to Mindroom can do so by visiting the charity’s Just Giving page on line: https://www.justgiving.com/mindroom/
A season ticket for the 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open can be purchased for £70 in advance of the tournament, a saving of £10 on admission at the gate. Adult day tickets are currently priced at £30, rising to £35 on the gate.
Concessions (60 and over) start at £50 for a season ticket and £20 for any one day tickets, if purchased in advance. Under-16s accompanied by an adult are admitted free of charge, and all car parking is also free. Entry to the ‘Tartan Wednesday’ Pro-Am on July 8 is £12 in advance, and £15 on the day.
To book tickets, visit www.europeantour.com/tickets or call 0800 023 2557.
Corporate Hospitality Packages are also available, please contact Robert Gordon on 01344 840538 or email: rgordon@europeantour.com to request a brochure.
Further information can also be found at www.aamscottishopen.com or @AAMScottishOpen
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