ONE of Aberdeen’s best known golfing competitions returns next week following a two-year absence.
The Aberdeen Quaich, inaugurated in 1926, lay dormant due to a lack of funding. But thanks to the efforts of Hazlehead secretary Roy Witteveen, the members and the Aberdeen Sports Trust, the three-day tournament is back and starts next Friday.
Witteveen said: “We have worked together with the city staff during the uncertain times of setting up the Aberdeen Sports Trust, but the co-operation of Steve Russell, the interim managing director of the Trust, has been excellent in helping us bring back the event.
“Because of these uncertainties we were not able to find major sponsoring but, luckily, a few Hazlehead members collectively donated close to £1,000 to bring the tally to almost £2,200 so the Quaich will be run this year.
“It has been missed in the last two years, but we hope this gesture from the club will help to keep the Quaich on the calendar for many years to come.”
The event, which lists former Walker Cup player Sandy Pirie and former Aberdeen manager Tommy Pearson among former winners, was last played for in 2007, with Hazlehead’s David Law claiming the title.
Law, who won the Scottish boys’ and men’s amateur match-play titles last year, will return to defend.
Entries for the men’s event have been welcomed, but Witteveen has appealed for more with the women’s and juniors events in particular in need of support.
He added: “We will run the men’s Quaich, weather permitting, as we now have 60 entries, but we can have 60 more. But we only have nine women and 10 junior entries. We may have to cancel the events if we don’t get additional entries, but we will run those sections as well if we can double the participants.”
The entry fee is £20 for men, £15 for women and £10 for juniors.
The men will play two rounds of qualifying stroke-play next Friday with one round played on course number one and the other on course number two.
The players with the leading scratch and net aggregates go on to the match-play stages over the number one course on the Saturday and Sunday with the scratch winner claiming a £300 voucher and the handicap winner claiming a £200 voucher.
Women will play one round of qualifying on course number one on Friday with the leading scorers progressing to the match-play format. There is a £160 voucher for the scratch winner and £120 for the handicap champion.
The format of the junior competition is a three-round stroke-play event for the under-18s. The first two rounds will be played on the Friday and Saturday on the number two course with the final round on the Sunday.
Entries can be made by contacting Hazlehead on (01224) 310711.