Championship Qualification
Rules for Matchplay stages
With qualification beginning in the Spring Competition this week, we want to inform you of a stipulation on the matchplay stages of our championships that will be reinforced from this year.
We play 5 championships in the Gents section (6 if we include the juniors). The A Class, B Class and C Class plus the seniors (age 55+) and the main championship. These - by necessity - take place over a 4-week period, and qualification is split between the Spring Competition (B, C and Seniors) and the Summer Competition (A Class and Main championship).
When players accept a spot in the matchplay phase of any of these championships, they confirm their availability for ALL matchplay dates. Crucially this includes the date of the Final.
So, if a player qualifies for a final, they ARE NOT ELIGIBLE to enter the matchplay phase of any subsequent championship - because they have committed to the date for the final that they have already qualified for.
The schedule for the matchplay is as follows
Week 1 - C Class and Seniors
Week 2 - B Class
Week 3 - A Class
Week 4 - Main championship
So, anyone qualifying for the FINAL of the B class, C class or Seniors is INELIGIBLE to compete in the A Class or Main championship matchplay phase.
And anyone qualifying for the A Class Final is INELIGIBLE to compete in the main championship match-play phase.
NB; players may still play in the 36-hole qualifier regardless of whether they have reached a final or not. This is a separate competition in its own right, with its own trophy, but if a player finishes in the top 16 of the 36-hole qualifier, and is ALREADY in a final, they will NOT BE ELIGIBLE for the matchplay stage of the main championship.
The reason behind this reinforcement of rules is to prevent any player reaching 2 finals.
Finals day is the showcase of the season at Newbattle. Players earning a place in a final deserve the chance to play on finals day and experience the atmosphere and the crowd support that is simply not available any other day. Having to rearrange a date to accommodate a player reaching 2 finals devalues the experience for them and, more particularly their opponent who will miss out entirely on that experience.
Handicap Committee
4th May 2026
We play 5 championships in the Gents section (6 if we include the juniors). The A Class, B Class and C Class plus the seniors (age 55+) and the main championship. These - by necessity - take place over a 4-week period, and qualification is split between the Spring Competition (B, C and Seniors) and the Summer Competition (A Class and Main championship).
When players accept a spot in the matchplay phase of any of these championships, they confirm their availability for ALL matchplay dates. Crucially this includes the date of the Final.
So, if a player qualifies for a final, they ARE NOT ELIGIBLE to enter the matchplay phase of any subsequent championship - because they have committed to the date for the final that they have already qualified for.
The schedule for the matchplay is as follows
Week 1 - C Class and Seniors
Week 2 - B Class
Week 3 - A Class
Week 4 - Main championship
So, anyone qualifying for the FINAL of the B class, C class or Seniors is INELIGIBLE to compete in the A Class or Main championship matchplay phase.
And anyone qualifying for the A Class Final is INELIGIBLE to compete in the main championship match-play phase.
NB; players may still play in the 36-hole qualifier regardless of whether they have reached a final or not. This is a separate competition in its own right, with its own trophy, but if a player finishes in the top 16 of the 36-hole qualifier, and is ALREADY in a final, they will NOT BE ELIGIBLE for the matchplay stage of the main championship.
The reason behind this reinforcement of rules is to prevent any player reaching 2 finals.
Finals day is the showcase of the season at Newbattle. Players earning a place in a final deserve the chance to play on finals day and experience the atmosphere and the crowd support that is simply not available any other day. Having to rearrange a date to accommodate a player reaching 2 finals devalues the experience for them and, more particularly their opponent who will miss out entirely on that experience.
Handicap Committee
4th May 2026