The Woll Golf Course at New Woll Estate has just hosted the Scottish Borders first trans-national golf competition. Last weekend saw the inaugural VIKINGS v REIVERS Golf competition – a Ryder Cup style competition played between Sweden and Scotland and specifically the two regions, the Scottish Borders and Blekinge in the South of Sweden.
A team of 12 from Sweden had competed in a regional competition to win a place in their team to travel to the Scottish Borders. They competed against a team selected from Scottish Borders Golf Courses, with 2 rounds played at The Woll golf course and 1 round at Roxburghe Golf Club in Kelso.
The outcome of the competition was a resounding victory for the Reivers Team who won with 17 matches to 7 against their Swedish guests. But the greatest outcome of all was the friendships formed over the weekend and the excitement does not end there as a Borders team will be traveling to Sweden to play a return match.
The competition was the idea of New Woll Estate Owner, Nicholas Brown, who has been travelling to The Blekinge region in Sweden for a number of years trying to develop a relationship with golfers from Sweden. Along with Allaround tours many parties of Swedish golfers have now visited the Scottish Borders and stayed at New Woll Estate.
Nicholas commented: “We are delighted with the success of the competition as it has taken many years of planning and we are now raring to go with a return match planned in Sweden in the near future.
“I am delighted the Trophy will be played for annually and now that local businesses, organisations and other courses in the Borders see it has been a success we know they will be keen to be involved in future events.
“Our two areas are similar in latitude, size and rural nature and with golf being such a popular sport in both regions it was an obvious partnership. It is great for the Scottish Borders as we are likely to see more and more visitors from Sweden and the obvious benefits that has to the local economy.”
Woll Golf Course www.wollgolf.co.uk