The Event

The GolfFit Lothians Junior Championship is traditionally held at the Braids. Qualifying is over 18 holes and the matchplay during the follwoing week. 

This is an event for boys who are under the age of 18 on 31st December in the year prior to the year of competition, it is open to players whose home club is affiliated to the Lothians Golf Association. Its roll of honour makes for impressive reading, the winners including Andrew Oldcorn (1977), Ian Young (1978) and David Inglis (1998).

The tournament will consist of an 18 hole stroke-play qualifying event with the players with top 8 scratch scores going on to play match play, in the evenings, on the following week. The champion receives the Spiers Trophy. The leading qualifier will receive the Lindsay Trophy. The Speirs Trophy is the second oldest of the trophies held by the Lothians Golf Association, having been first contested in 1925. 

The championship was, in fact, originally organised by Edinburgh Town Council. It ran the event until the mid-1960s, when it asked the Lothians Golf Association to take over that role. The event allows the Lothians Golf Association to work together with Edinburgh Leisure and the City of Edinburgh Council in their joint aim of promoting junior golf in the area. 

Thanks to support from the Stephen Gallacher Foundation there are also trophies for the leading Under 16 and Under 14 players in the qualifying event. This is a good opportunity for the younger players to get familiar with the Braids course, win an age range trophy and set themselves up for the main championship in future years.

More detailed information about the trophies and the winners, including the runners-up and the scores, was included in a hand-out enclosed with a centenary brochure handed out at the 2021 event. This can be seen if you click here.

2021

The tournament returned to it's normal venue of the Braid Hills for this year's event. It was Gullane GC that provided two young players in the Final match of this years championship. On a slightly breezy sunny night the players set off with one thing on their mind. It was an even first six holes with both players winning a hole each to have the match at all square. However, it was Fergus Brown who made a big move over the next four holes winning three of them to be three up after 11. Kiron Gribble never gave up and both boys birdied the 12th. Gribble unfortunately bogied the 13th with Brown winning the hole with a Par, and moving to 4up. The spoils were shared at 14 and with Brown's commanding lead and only looking for a half at the 15th he chipped to two feet with his third shot.. Gribble's birdie attempt went just passed and was conceded. This left Brown to finish with a par as he tapped away his putt for a win 4&3.

Both Boys can be proud of their efforts this week, particularly Kiron who is current leading the Boys Order of Merit and also being the leading qualifier from Sunday's round. This is Brown's first time in the Championship and has started with a winning effort.

Well done to all the players throughout the week who played with enthusiasm, speed and determination. 

Champion: Fergus Brown (Gullane)  who also won the Stephen Gallacher Foundation U16 Trophy for the best qualifying score at that age range.

Runner-Up: Kiron Gribble (Gullane) who also won the Lindsay Trophy for the best qualifying score of 69 and the Stephen Gallacher Foundation U14 Trophy for the best qualifying score at that age range.

Fergus is pictured here receiving the Boys Championship Trophy from President, Jean Macnab

Lothian Boys Championship - Champion

Lothian Boys Championship - Leading Qualifier

U14 Championship

U16 Championship