Junior Open

Competition date – 12th April 2026

Entry Fee - £23

Ballot Date – 5pm on 5th February 2026

 

TERMS OF COMPETITION:

  1. ENTRIES

Participant and ballot Information

  1. By submitting an entry for the Junior Open, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Competition. It is the responsibility of each competitor to ensure they have read and comply with these Terms of Competition.
  2. Royal Dornoch Golf Club reserves the right to cancel/amend this event at any time. 
  3. The Competition is open to juniors who have Amateur Status and will be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf as approved by R&A Rules Limited and the Local Rules as approved by the Council of Management.
  4. The starting field will comprise 54 competitors.
  5. One entry per player must be submitted electronically via Golf Genius.  Entries in person, via email or telephone will not be accepted.  It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that their online entry is completed successfully, and all contact details are accurate.  In the event of duplicate entries being submitted, the first entry will be used for all purposes.
  6. Acceptance of an online entry does not guarantee a place in the starting field. Entrants successful in gaining a place in the starting field will be advised after the ballot date.  Unsuccessful entrants or those entering after the ballot date will be placed on a waiting list.
  7. The defending 2025 Champions, who won the trophies listed in bold, in section 3(a, b & c), will be allocated a place in the starting field, if they choose to enter as in 1(e).
  8. The Council of Management reserves the right to exempt a player.
  9. Should the event be oversubscribed at 5pm on 5th February 2026 there will be a ballot, if not, those who have entered will be confirmed and entries will continue to be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
  10. After allocating places to entrants under sections 1(g) and 1(h), the remaining places in the starting field will be determined as in section 1(i).
  • Successful entrants will be notified on 6th February 2026.
  • Unsuccessful entrants will be placed on a waiting list and given the opportunity to compete in the competition in the event of withdrawals.
  • Tee times will be allocated by 3rd April 2026. 
  1. Tee times will be randomly generated but there will be an option within the application process to request early, late or any tee times, as well as stating travel partners to assist with travel arrangements if that is required.
  2. All competitors must participate in the Competition in its entirety. Failure to do so may result in future entries being rejected. NB.  This includes if there is a weather delay on the day of play.
  3. Caddies are NOT permitted in this competition.
  4. Distance measuring devices are permitted.

You may get information on distance or direction (such as from a distance-measuring device or compass).  However, the equipment you use must not:

  • Measure elevation changes, or
  • Interpret distance or directional information (such as using the device to get a recommended line of play or club selection based on the location of your ball).

 

Handicap Information

o.  Entry is limited to juniors under the age of 18 on 1st January 2026 who have a current World Handicap System (WHS) Handicap Index (HI) of not more than 24.9 (boys) and 29.6 (girls) at date of entry and who are members of at least one recognised golf club, affiliated to a national Golf Association, authorised to adopt, manage and maintain the World Handicap System (WHS) within their jurisdiction.

 

We do not accept entries from golfers who are solely members of:

  • OpenPlay (Scotland), iGolf (Ireland / Northern Ireland / England), FlexiGolf (Wales), Links Golf (USA) or Union Clubs (USA).
  • Any other organisation who charges a flexible subscription to merely maintain Handicap Indexes for independent golfers.
  • Institutions that charge a fee that allows its members to play on multiple courses. 

If you are in any doubt, please contact competitions@royaldornoch.com.

Inactive handicap indexes will also not be accepted.

  1. Proof of HI is required from competitors who do not hold their handicap at a Home Nation (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) club.   Competitors who hold their HI outside the Home Nations must, when requested, email Royal Dornoch a scanned copy of their current HI and must produce this at registration on the day of the competition.  The preferred method of proof on the day of competition is via a phone app, which must be presented at the registration desk.
  2. Competitors, who, after entry find that their HI no longer meets the Competition requirements (except in 1t below), will not be eligible to play and should notify the Club office as soon as possible, at which time a full refund will be given. 
  3. Royal Dornoch Golf Club will complete a HI update for all Home Nation golfers, the day before the tee time draw and will withdraw and refund any golfer whose HI is outwith those stated in 1(o). 
  4. Royal Dornoch Golf Club will email (in the week preceding the tee time draw) all golfers whose HI is administered outside the Home Nations, to manage the HI update checking process alluded to in 1(r) and will withdraw and refund any golfer whose HI is outwith those stated in 1(o). 

Royal Dornoch Golf Club will also withdraw any competitor who fails to respond by the deadlines stated in these emails.

NB. In the HI circumstances noted in (1r & 1s), if any ‘withdrawn’ golfer’s HI reverts to those stated in 1(o), within a week of the tee time draw date, stated in (1j) and they are still able to play, they can email competitions@royaldornoch.com to update the Tournament Committee.  The Tournament Committee will then conduct a HI check and if their HI falls in line with those stated in 1(o) the ‘withdrawn’ golfer will be either be placed in the competition, if there is a viable space or put at the top of any waitlist.

  1. Should a HI raise above the high cap after the tee time draw, golfers must play at the tournament cap as stated in 1(o).  Should a HI reduce below the low cap, golfers must play off the lower index.

 

  1. FORMAT
  1. This is an 18 hole Strokeplay event, played by junior boys from the orange tees and junior girls from the grey tees. 
  2. Any player who believes they are eligible to use the Modification for Players with Disabilities (Rule 25) should contact  competitions@royaldornoch.com at entry to confirm their eligibility to use the specific modification in Rule 25.
  3. A copy of the Pace of Play Policy will be posted at Royal Dornoch Golf Club and will be available on request.

 

  1. PRIZES
  1. The overall scratch winner will win the Matheson Trophy Scratch.
  2. The overall best nett winner will win the Matheson Trophy Nett.
  3. The Royal Dornoch Golf Club member with the best 18 hole net score will win the Phimister Trophy.
  4. The number of age related scratch and handicap prizes awarded, will be determined by the number of competitors. 
  5. No competitor can win more than one prize except the winner of the Phimister Trophy which is confined to Royal Dornoch Golf Club members.
  6. In the event of a tie, a countback process will commence to determine the winner on the scores firstly on the back nine and if necessary, in the following order:
  • back 6
  • back 3
  • last hole
  • then a hole-by-hole countback from 17th to 1st.

All results will be determined by the Committee, whose decision is final.

  1. All our Open Competitions are major club events, where a trophy or trophies and other prizes are presented at the conclusion of play.  We therefore expect all prize winners to attend the prize giving ceremony.  Any prize winner who does not turn up to the prize giving ceremony without good reason and/or fails to give their apologies to a tournament official, will not be eligible to compete in this event for three years.

We will ensure you are aware of the number of places that will receive a prize and how to keep up to date with the scores via our Golf Genius competition software, so you can gauge whether your attendance is required.

 

 

  1. General
  1. All competitors must adhere to any restrictions or regulations that may be in place from either Royal Dornoch Golf Club or the Scottish Government.
  2. Each competitor, by entering the competition, hereby agrees that Royal Dornoch can use, in perpetuity throughout the world, any form of media that includes the competitors and if relevant, their caddies, that is produced before, during or after the event.

 

  1. Withdrawals

Withdrawals before draw is published

  • Entry fees are fully refundable if notification of withdrawal is received before the draw is published.

Withdrawals after draw is published

  • If notification of a withdrawal is received after the draw has been published refunds will not be issued unless Royal Dornoch Golf Club deems the situation to be an exceptional circumstance or can fill the space.
  • If Royal Dornoch Golf Club deems the withdrawal to be as a result of an exceptional circumstance it will use its discretion in issuing a refund regardless of whether the space can be filled or not.
  • If Royal Dornoch Golf Club decides that there is not an exceptional circumstance but can fill the space a 75% refund of the competition fee will be issued.
  1. Any competitor who does not turn up for their appointed tee time without good reason and/or fails to inform the Club, will not be eligible to compete in this event for up to three years.  Exceptions may be made in case of sickness and other special circumstances at the discretion of the Council of Management. If an entrant withdraws before or after close of entries, their withdrawal is final, and re-entry is not permitted.
  2. If any competitor is late for their tee time, we will action the following Rules of Golf as approved by R&A Rules Limited. 
  • If a competitor is up to 5 minutes late to the tee, they will receive a 2 shot penalty but can still tee off.  The other competitors will still tee off at the prescribed time. 
  • If the ‘late’ competitor is late by 5 minutes or more they will be disqualified.
  1. Royal Dornoch Golf Club requires players to conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful of the Competition and the sport of golf. Players shall at all times act in the best interests of the sport and the Competition and shall not conduct themselves in an unlawful or improper manner, so as to bring the Competition, Royal Dornoch Golf Club, the sport of golf or its governing bodies into disrepute and shall not use any one of or a combination of, violent conduct, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.  Players shall comply with any Code of Conduct set by the Council of Management from time to time.  If a competitor acts contrary to the spirit of the game, the Council of Management will take appropriate action which may include disqualification.
  2. The Council of Management’s objective is to complete the Competition as per the format outlined in these Terms of Competition.   

The Council of Management reserves the right to amend these Terms of Competition at any time including the right to alter starting times. The decision of the Council of Management is final in all matters.

  1. Royal Dornoch will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense suffered by a competitor as a result of a decision taken at any time by the Committee to amend, curtail or cancel this Open.
  2. All competition information including a list of accepted entries and any waiting list may be viewed here.
  3. Email competitions@royaldornoch.com if you have any queries.
  4. All competitors must acknowledge that they have read these Terms of Competition when submitting their online application via Golf Genius.