3rd October 2023
When the Covid pandemic struck in 2019, the Junior Golf team endeavoured to keep our competition not only running in very difficult circumstances, but also continuing to grow.
We were successful in implementing both of these objectives and in addition, achieved the following:
- JTG was the only National Golf Team competition completed in 2020-21.
- In April 2023 we staged our first 12-team Home Nations Final, as the culmination of the 2022-23 competition. This featured three teams representing each of Scotland and Ireland, four teams from England and two teams from Wales.
In respect of our decision to grow the Home Nations final, we felt that this was the best way forward in order for more juniors to benefit from this unique experience, i.e. playing in our five-day competition against other similar golfers, from different parts of the UK and thereby creating so many lasting friendships.
However, following the pandemic, it became clear from our own post-event review, that the overall experience we were able to provide for this larger number of competitors, club officials, plus parents/supporters, was not possible for us to sustain in the same way as we had done pre-pandemic.
We are proud of the experience we have always aimed to give to all the young players, without ever forgetting the importance of looking after the travelling supporters, upon which junior golf depends for survival.
Notwithstanding the above, we have recently been informed by Portmarnock Golf Club, that it can no longer host the JTG Home Nations Final next March, as was intended. This is because the R&A have had to relocate the British Ladies Amateur Championship 2024 from Royal Birkdale to Portmarnock. It has therefore become impossible for the club to host our Final there next April. However, all other things being equal, Portmarnock has said that it would be interested ln hosting our event in April 2025.
Given all the above factors, especially the short time available to identify and agree everything with a new venue, we have taken the decision to re-establish our underlying ethos, by reverting to our original format, for the forthcoming Home Nations Final 2023-24.
Hence, we shall only be inviting the Champions of each of the England, Scotland & Wales JTG National competitions, as well as the Irish Golf Union competitions, to participate in the JTG Home Nations Final over three days in March 2024.
If the Home Nations Final 2023-24 proves to be the success we hope, then we will look forward to reintroducing the eight-team, four-day JTG Home Nations Final in 2025.
David Last
Director- Junior Team Golf
When the Covid pandemic struck in 2019, the Junior Golf team endeavoured to keep our competition not only running in very difficult circumstances, but also continuing to grow.
We were successful in implementing both of these objectives and in addition, achieved the following:
- JTG was the only National Golf Team competition completed in 2020-21.
- In April 2023 we staged our first 12-team Home Nations Final, as the culmination of the 2022-23 competition. This featured three teams representing each of Scotland and Ireland, four teams from England and two teams from Wales.
In respect of our decision to grow the Home Nations final, we felt that this was the best way forward in order for more juniors to benefit from this unique experience, i.e. playing in our five-day competition against other similar golfers, from different parts of the UK and thereby creating so many lasting friendships.
However, following the pandemic, it became clear from our own post-event review, that the overall experience we were able to provide for this larger number of competitors, club officials, plus parents/supporters, was not possible for us to sustain in the same way as we had done pre-pandemic.
We are proud of the experience we have always aimed to give to all the young players, without ever forgetting the importance of looking after the travelling supporters, upon which junior golf depends for survival.
Notwithstanding the above, we have recently been informed by Portmarnock Golf Club, that it can no longer host the JTG Home Nations Final next March, as was intended. This is because the R&A have had to relocate the British Ladies Amateur Championship 2024 from Royal Birkdale to Portmarnock. It has therefore become impossible for the club to host our Final there next April. However, all other things being equal, Portmarnock has said that it would be interested ln hosting our event in April 2025.
Given all the above factors, especially the short time available to identify and agree everything with a new venue, we have taken the decision to re-establish our underlying ethos, by reverting to our original format, for the forthcoming Home Nations Final 2023-24.
Hence, we shall only be inviting the Champions of each of the England, Scotland & Wales JTG National competitions, as well as the Irish Golf Union competitions, to participate in the JTG Home Nations Final over three days in March 2024.
If the Home Nations Final 2023-24 proves to be the success we hope, then we will look forward to reintroducing the eight-team, four-day JTG Home Nations Final in 2025.
David Last
Director- Junior Team Golf
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