21 clubs will contest the 2010 Ayrshire Summer (Scratch) League. The record number of participating clubs was finalised when entries closed this week.
Whilst the 2010 competition will take place under the present format, with teams being drawn at random in qualifying sections and playing off throughout the summer, with the section winners progressing to the next stage, other formats for the event have been suggested.
Throughout last season a number of participating players expressed an interest in changing the format of the Summer League to a 'Divisions' format, with 4 or 5 leagues and clubs winning promotion or being relegated to a lower league each season.
This format is presently in place in Lanarkshire and is similar to that used in the Greenlees West Of Scotland ladies inter club leagues.
There are a number of arguments both for and against both the present and the 'divisions' format.
In support of the present format some would argue that the competition is open to all every year and any of the participating clubs can win the county title in any one year.
On the other hand, and in support of the 'divisions' format, others have argued that only a small number of clubs can realistically hope to win the Summer (Scratch) League each year whilst others are effectively 'making up the numbers.
On one side some have suggested that the introduction of a 'divisions' format would encourage more clubs to participate and have an opportunity to succeed at their own level, whilst striving to 'better' their position by gaining promotion to a higher league, although others would contend that all the participating clubs should have the opportunity to have a go at beating the 'big guns' on a regular basis, as they do under the present format.
There is no easy answer to this question of a format review and indeed any progression towards a 'divisions' format would leave the Association with the problem of how to decide who goes in each division in year one, as only one of many considerations.
One thing is clear however, that any decision would need to take into consideration the views of the competing clubs and indeed the players who take part in the competition year in and year out.
To this end, we hope, through the web page, to make initial enquiries to guage the feelings of both clubs and players on the suggestion of any format change for 2011 or beyond.
We would therefore encourage anyone, be it a club or individual player, to let us know their views on the subject, either via the comment link at the foot of this entry or by e-mail to the AGA Secretary at ayrshiregolf@fsmail.net
4 comments:
having played in this comp on many occasions i thing it would be a good idea to change format to 2 or 3 division on the basis of 1 going down and 1 coming up.
I think we should go to a league system with promotion/relegation.
Leagues containing 7 or 8 teams, giving us 2 or 3 leagues depending on the uptake. Each team playing everyone else once. i prefer this to a league of four teams (with home and away games). You have the opportunity to play against more teams. if there are only 2 or 3 leagues then those teams who are deemed to start in a lower league can gain promotion to the 'top' league much sooner.
As most of the feedback on this seems to be in favour of a divisional format, is there no way this could be adopted for this season either 3 leagues of 7 or 3 leagues of 5 and 1 with 6? could seed it based on the last few seasons results if they are available to decide who goes into which leagues. we are only at start of february, surely this would give plenty of time to organise.
Personally, I would be in favour of the change but agree that there is alot of reasons not to change it. I also think all games would need to be played home and away as if not, it all comes down to the luck of the draw!
John Shanks
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