The MCLGA Junior Order of Merit - Brand New for 2025!
MCLGA are excited to launch a brand new Order of Merit for 2025.
MCLGA are trailling a new way to run our junior stroke play events and are introducing a new scratch Order of Merit for junior members in 2025. ‘Junior’ is as per defined in the MCLGA Constitution.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To set out a clear approach to the county’s junior competitions that is understood by players and parents and provides advance notice to allow families to plan participation. For players wishing to be considered for the Cuthbertson Cup team, this should read in combination with the Selection Policy on the MCLGA website.
· To publish criteria for the eligible events to participate in MCLGA’s junior stroke play and Championship events.
· To support MCLGA junior golfers by aligning our events with the existing Scottish junior tours.
· To create an MCLGA order of merit to award a junior player of the year.
ELIGIBLE EVENTS
The eligible events are detailed below and are aligned with existing tours in Scotland. This move is to help grow our junior member’s participation in these tour events whilst maintaining the long held traditional events of MCLGA.
MCLGA are working with the Junior Tour Scotland and the Stephen Gallagher Foundation to provide an enhanced fixture list for MCLGA juniors. This will incorporate the current Spring and Autumn competitions to establish the MCLGA Junior Champion of the Year as well as a new Order of Merit Champion.
Both organisations have their own membership criteria and MCLGA juniors are encouraged to sign up for their 2025 seasons. The respective websites have published their events for 2025:
· Junior Tour Scotland (JTS) website
· Stephen Gallagher Foundation (SGF) website
ORDER OF MERIT POINTS
All events run by the tours where any junior may enter, and play is over a minimum of 18 holes, will be an eligible event for the MCLGA Scratch Order of Merit (OoM). For the avoidance of doubt, this excludes the final for both tours which is only open to the highest ranked players in the season.
All MCLGA participants will receive a minimum of 10 points for completing 18 holes in an event, with additional points being issued to players in order of their final MCLGA ranking in the event.
The MCLGA ranking for additional OoM points will be made on the final placings of the event after all rounds are completed, as detailed below
Where an event is held over more than 1 round, the first round will be the counting round for any co-sanctioned MCLGA stroke play competition. The minimum 10 pts will be received for completing the first round irrespective of what happens in rounds 2 and 3.
Points for Tour events that are not co-sanctioned MCLGA events, will only be given for placings in the top half of the event. For example, if there are 12 players, points will be allocated for top 6 placings. Where events have an odd number participating, the “top” half will be the smaller number e.g. 11 entries, points will be awarded for a top 5 placing only.
At the end of the season, each player will be placed in the MCLGA Junior OoM by adding together their points for the Spring and Autumn meeting and their best other event from any of the eligible events. Should the OoM scores then be tied, the tied players will be jointly ranked, including joint winners of the OoM.
SPRING MEETING
In 2025 the chosen event for the Spring Championship trophy is SGF – Dunbar Sunday 20th April.
· The winner of the Fraser Trophy will be the best scratch score of the day for a MCLGA junior.
· The winner of the Macpherson Trophy will be the best net score of the day for a MCLGA junior.
The usual MCLGA count back rules will be applied for any ties.
AUTUMN MEETING AND CHAMPIONSHIP
In 2025 the chosen event for the Autumn meeting and the MCLGA Junior Championship is SGF – Kingsknowe Sunday 7th September.
· The winner of the Brown Trophy and MCLGA Junior Champion of the Year will be the best scratch score of the day for a MCLGA junior.
· The winner of the Marshall Trophy will be the best net score of the day for a MCLGA junior.
The usual MCLGA count back rules will be applied for any ties.