St Andrews Rotary forced to cancel long running golf tournaments

Due to on-going concerns over coronavirus, neither the City Foursomes nor the Junior Fours will take place this year.

Organisers, though, say they’ll “pull out all the stops” to make the events the best seen when they return.

The Rotary City Foursomes is thought to be the longest continuously running open golfing competition in the town.

It was first played in 1945 when it was won by a team representing Tom Morris Club Makers .

The team was made up of D. Anderson ,J. Robertson , J. Spittal and A.C. Glencross .

Local golf clubs have featured regularly among the winners .

However, amongst the more unusual team winners are bricklayers , the police , the Holiday Badminton Club and last year’s winners, the Driving Divas .

In its early days the Rotary Foursomes was so popular that qualifying rounds were played before the knockout stage and the competition lasted for the entire week.

Adapting to changed circumstances, the competition is now played over one day .

However it continues to enjoy an excellent following in the town .

The 75th City Foursomes will now take place in 2021 and plans are afoot to make this a memorable anniversary .

Next year will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Junior Fours .

This was introduced to replace the long-running Family Fours.

The current competition is open to junior members of golf clubs throughout North East Fife and has been well supported since its inception in 2001.

Last year the team from St Regulus Ladies Golf Club was the winner of a keen and sportingly contested competition.

David Bateman, who leads the organising team said: “ The Rotary Club of St Andrews is disappointed not to have been able to provide our supporters with a competition this year.

"However, in view of the special significance of next year’s competitions, we’ll be pulling out all the stops to make sure both events the best ever .”