Established | 1902 |
---|---|
Format | Team match play |
Final year | 1931 |
Scotland |
The England–Scotland Amateur Match was an annual men's amateur golf competition between teams representing England and Scotland. It was played from 1902 to 1931, although the match lapsed between 1913 and 1921. The match continued after 1931 but as part of the Men's Home Internationals in which Ireland and Wales also competed. Until 1931 it was played in connection with the Amateur Championship, on the Saturday either before or after the championship.
The 1902 match was decided by holes. After the morning round Scotland led in 5 matches, England in 4 with one level. At that point Scotland led by just one hole 14–13. In the afternoon rounds Scotland led in 6 matches, England in 3 with one level. In the afternoon matches alone Scotland won by 6 holes, 18–12. Over the 36 holes Scotland had won 6 of the 10 matches, England winning the other 4, Scotland winning by 28 holes in their 6 wins, England by 21 in their 4 wins. Some sources give the result as 32–25, the sum of the morning and afternoon results, while others give 28–21. Either way, Scotland won by 7 holes.
Starting in 1927 Scotland and Ireland had played an annual match. In 1927 and 1929 this was held in Ireland, before the Irish Amateur Open Championship, while in 1928 and 1930 it was held in Scotland, just before the England–Scotland match. The 1931 Amateur Championship was held at Royal North Devon. On the previous occasions that it has been held there, there were far fewer Scottish entries than normal and as a consequence the Scottish was not fully representative. It was therefore decided to hold the England–Scotland match at a different time and on a different venue, being played at Royal Liverpool in August. In addition it was decided to play a match between England and Ireland on the day before. Ireland and Scotland had already decided to hold their match in Ireland in September. It was later arranged that a Welsh team should attend, playing matches against Scotland and Ireland on the days when England were playing Ireland and Scotland. England beat Ireland 10–4 while Wales lost 2–12 to Scotland and 2–11 to Ireland. England did not play Wales. With Scotland winning both their matches and then beating Ireland the following month, they were the unofficial champion country.
The Men's Home Internationals, in which all four countries play each other, started in 1932. In 1952 Raymond Oppenheimer, an ex-England and Walker Cup captain, presented a trophy for the tournament, known as the Raymond Trophy.