Dear Junior Convenors, League Secretaries and others, I hope you are all well and that you and your Juniors are getting some competitive golf now!
You may recall sending me a note of interest about competing in this SJTC event, due to be played at Crail Craighead on Sunday the 27th September. Sadly, we have had to cancel this competition for this year for several reasons. The donor of the trophy and prizes, Ian Howarth, agrees that this is the right decision.
The latest Covid 19 policy statement from Scottish Golf published on the 6th August for Open Competitions contains this:-
- Travel to and from competition must not mix households i.e. no car sharing.
Although it may change before Sept 27th, this policy clearly makes planning for the SJTC event unfeasible, as some Teams of 6, and helpers, would have to travel medium to long distances to compete in the SJTC in 6 or more vehicles,
The concept of the SJTC was to bring together League winning Teams or Club or Developmental Teams from all over Scotland to compete for the SJTC title.
If your League has been able to function this year, then you have done well in the circumstances! Our East Lothian League eventually had to cancel all of our League programme, leaving only our Annual Championships, a Team Strokeplay event, and a Foursomes knock-out all of which we hope to hold in Aug, Sep, and Oct. But like yourselves probably, we have no League Champions this year which will be the case perhaps in many of your Junior Leagues. The SJTC would be a muted affair if it were to go ahead.
Three of the Clubs who responded above kindly offered to host a future event – thanks! They were Stirling, Elderslie and Hilton Park. Crail GC have kindly agreed to host the event in 2021 on Sunday the 26th September and this has been accepted.
Given the geographical locations of earlier SJTC Championships, Glenbervie, Portlethen, and Kilmarnock Barassie, and now Crail in 2021, the venue should, in 2022, be held as centrally as possible, so the best location of these 3 is clearly Stirling GC. We can return to the West of Scotland in 2022, and perhaps the East in 2023.
The last Sunday in September is always the preferred date for this event, after all the League programmes have finished. So this may be the list of future venues and dates:
Sunday Sept 26th 2021 – Crail Craighead
Sunday Sept 25th 2022 – Stirling GC
Sunday Sept 24th 2023 – Elderslie or Hilton Park
Note from John Struthers – I can confirm that Hilton Park would be delighted to host in 2023 but if that is not possible then a future year would be great. John Struthers. Captain
Sunday Sept 29th 2024 – Somewhere in the East of Scotland
Could each of the Clubs mentioned above let me know if these dates and venues can be confirmed and for 2023, which of the 2 Clubs mentioned would like to host the event? The Club deferring in 2023 can be placed on a list as a venue for a future year.
Regards to all.
Dave Warren
Secretary ELJGL
07595 301425.
