Gold Medal & Champion of Champions
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Champion of Champions History
As well as hosting the prestigious Standard Life Amateur Champion Gold Medal, Leven Golfing Society is proud to host annually the world ranking Scottish Champion of Champions Competition in early April. This Scottish Golf Union invitational strokeplay event, which signifies the start of the Scottish domestic golf season, is played over 72 holes by the 48 invitees.
In 1970 the late Alex S Gardner, Past President of the Scottish Golf Union and an Honorary Member of Leven Golfing Society, devised the formation of a tournament which was funded by the then Leven Town Council and was titled the “Scottish Champion of County Champions”. Hosted by Leven Golfing Society and played over Leven Links it was administered by Leven Town Council and continued to be so until 1972.
In 1973 the Championship was not held due to of lack of sponsorship.
David Dowie, Past Captain and Honorary Member of Leven Golfing Society, suggested to the Town Council in 1974 that the Championship be developed and administered by Leven Golfing Society on their behalf, to which they agreed. The competition blossomed and after County Council regionalisation was taken over by Kirkcaldy District Council until 1976 when financial constraints required a new sponsor to be sought.
In 1977 Mr Dowie arranged sponsorship from the Scottish Sunday Mail with Kirkcaldy District Council providing a Reception and Dinner for the players and officals. At this time the title “Scottish Champion of Champions” was adopted and the eligibility of qualifiers widened. With the quality of the Competition continued to improve, sponsorship was taken over in 1981 until 1986 by the Mail’s sister paper, the Daily Record and as the event became annually more important and prestigious within Scottish Golf the Scottish Golf Union provided support and assistance to add to that already provided by Fife Golfing Association.
1987 saw the Trustee Savings Bank on board with support and approval from the Scottish Golf Union. This partnership guaranteed the continuing quality and importance of the event until 1990.
The wheel then turned full circle with Kirkcaldy District Council returning to take up sponsorship from 1991 to 1996. For 1997 and 1998 the Daily Record along with Fife Council jointly undertook the sponsorship where-after Fife Council continued until 2000.
The dawning of the new millennium saw David Kirk a member of Leven Golfing Society and local businessman step in to underwrite the tournament for the next three years.
When sponsorship became problematic in 2004 ; 2006 and 2007 Leven Golfing Society, because of the importance of the tournament to Scottish golf, underwrote the expenses for those years.
A joint sponsorship between Soutars Sports Limited, Rigby Taylor, Applied Golf Technology and the Golfing Society was arranged for 2005 and in 2008 it was sponsored by a local company, Parker Cleaning Services.
In 2009 the Golfing Society secured sponsorship under the auspices of ‘John Smith’ beer and it is hoped that this will continue for some time to come thus securing the future of this prestigious tournament.
Initially the format of the competition saw the lowest 12 or 16 aggregate scores after two rounds of stroke-play on the Saturday qualify into match-play flights involving two semi-finals and a final on the Sunday with the winner emerging from the first or top flight. Since 1983 and after discussion with the Scottish Golf Union the competition has been decided over 72 holes stroke-play. It was felt it would benefit all forty eight players to play four competative rounds at this early point in the new golfing season as well as being an indicator of form to the Scottish Golf Union Officals.
As can be seen from the roll of honour below many well known Scottish golfers have won the Scottish Champion of Champions title.
| Year | Name | Club |
| 1970 | A Horne | Tulliallan |
| 1971 | D Black | Clydebank |
| 1972 | R S Strachan | Fraserburgh |
| 1973 | Championship Not Held | |
| 1974 | M M Niven | Alloa |
| 1975 | A Brodie | Balmore |
| 1976 | A Brodie | Balmore |
| 1977 | V Reid | Castle Douglas |
| 1978 | D G Greig | Carnoustie |
| 1979 | B Marchbank | Auchterarder |
| 1980 | I C Hutchison | Monifieth |
| 1981 | I C Hutchison | Monifieth |
| 1982 | G MacGregor | Glencorse |
| 1983 | D G Carrick | Douglas Park |
| 1984 | S Stephen | Lundin Links |
| 1985 | I R Robertson | Dumfries & County |
| 1986 | I C Hutchison | Monifieth |
| 1987 | G Shaw | Haggs Castle |
| 1989 | J W Milligan | Kilmarnock Barassie |
| 1990 | J W Milligan | Kilmarnock Barassie |
| 1991 | G Hay | Hilton Park |
| 1992 | D Robertson | Cochrane Castle |
| 1993 | R Russell | Longniddry |
| 1994 | G Sherry | Kilmarnock Barassie |
| 1995 | S Gallacher | Bathgate |
| 1996 | M Brooks | Carluke |
| 1997 | G Rankin | Palacerigg |
| 1998 | G Rankin | Palacerigg |
| 1999 | D Patrick | Mortonhall |
| 2000 | G Fox | West Kilbride |
| 2001 | M Loftus | Cowglen |
| 2002 | S Carmichael | Cardross |
| 2003 | S Wilson | Forfar |
| 2004 | A McArthur | Windyhill |
| 2005 | C Watson | East Renfrew |
| 2006 | G Murray | Earlsferry Thistle |
| 2007 | L Saltman | Craigielaw |
| 2008 | P Betty | Hayston |
| 2009 | G Campbell | Blairgowrie |
| 2010 | R Bell | Downfield |
| 2011 | B Soutar | Leven Golfing Society |
In 2008 the tournament was decided over 36 holes as heavy snow forced Sundays play to be abandoned.
The lowest four round score to date is 265 by Stuart Wilson from Forfar in 2003. This 19 under par total is not only a testament to Stuarts’ undoubted golfing ability but to the quality of the playing surfaces provided by our head-greenkeeper Mr A O’Hara and his dedicated team at this early point in the season.