County championship revived with women to compete alongside men

The Nairn county championship has enjoyed a massive uptake in entries thanks to a change in format allowing ladies and juniors to compete in the same competition as men.

The event, which has been a staple in the area since the 1980s, attracted an entry of just eight players last year. However, a change in format has seen entries surpass the 50 mark this time around.

Previously, the event was open to only male golfers, who would compete for a scratch prize over 36 holes at both Nairn and Nairn Dunbar. Now, ladies and juniors are eligible to enter, with just one round in play.

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The event, which takes place this Saturday, is set to alternate its venues, with Nairn the host for 2023 and Nairn Dunbar for 2024.

Rob Smith, the handicap convenor at this year’s host club, Nairn Golf Club, which hosted the Amateur Championship in 2021, told bunkered something had to change.

“Last year, the competition was played off the back tees at both clubs, which is pretty daunting for anyone,” he said.

“The entry last year was only eight players.”

“The committees from Nairn and Nairn Dunbar got together and decided something had to change. It’s a historic competition and we thought we had to revive it, we couldn’t let it die. We just thought, ‘why should the county champion be a man?’

“There’s plenty great juniors and plenty great ladies playing in the area, so why should one of them not be the county champion?”

The format means that for the first time, ladies will have the chance to compete in the Nairn county championship, as there was no equivalent competition in the area.

The change to the format has also seen an increase in sponsorship, with two local groups, 57 North Financial Planning and G F Job, supporting the event. That has led to a prize pot totalling in the region of £2,000.

Smith explained that the club set a target of 50 entries, but that has now been surpassed thanks to the new format and backing the event has received.

“Getting sponsors in the current economy has been difficult, but getting two sponsors for this year is great for us.”

As well as that, he said, the reaction has been almost all positive, with only one player raising concerns.

“I’ve had one negative comment from a young, low handicapper, that if there’s certain ladies playing from forward tees, we’ve got no chance, but that’s all.

“Everybody else has been positive with it, they’re not stupid and they realise we cannot continue a competition with just eight players in the field.”

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The aim, Smith said, is to have a community competition where players will select to play the county championship over other events in a crowded amateur golf calendar.

“The amateur golf schedule is very busy, but we hope to get to the point where people will put other things off to play in the county championship at Nairn,” he said.

“The most important thing is we now have a community tournament that can continue in Nairn.”

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor