Best U16 golfers in Europe to descend on Bishopbriggs Golf Club

The accolade comes after the par 71 parkland course was granted Championship status by Scottish Golf, much to the delight of club stalwarts like secretary Billy McLaren.

“Scottish Golf looked at all the courses throughout Scotland, came up with a shortlist and then Bishopbriggs was the one that won this particular championship,” McLaren told The Kirkintilloch Herald.

"What impressed them was the absolute magnificence of the course. The greens are absolutely spot on, like the course in general.

"The course manager Ian Anderson has been here for over 20 years since after he passed his apprenticeship and he does an absolutely fantastic job. He is absolutely dedicated to the course.

"In the last couple of years a lot of money has been spent on the greens.

"The course used to flood a lot and we spent a lot of money on new pumps so the water was getting drained properly and the course very rarely floods now.”

McLaren is chuffed that 140 boys will now get the chance to play at Bishopbriggs in the Under-16 Open – some youngsters boasting handicaps as low as plus-seven - from England, France, Scandanavia, Portugal and Germany.

"Some of the boys from France are coming over with their coaches,” he added. "And the worst one of these boys has a plus-three handicap.

“These young guys are absolutely brilliant.

"There is also a team of boys from Switzerland coming over with their coaches so they will be serious contenders for success in the future.

"Unfortunately there will be no local boys from the Bishopbriggs area playing at all which is a wee bit disappointing.”

The tournament will feature play from 7.30am on all four days, with spectators welcome.

Monday, July 4 will be a practice day, before rounds one and two on Tuesday, July 5 and Wednesday, July 6 respectively.

There will then be a cut before the final round on Thursday, July 7, making it a 54-hole tournament.

"Excitement is building at the club ahead of this big event,” McLaren said.

"All of these young guys who will be participating will be hitting the ball over 300 yards off the tee.

"People are welcome to come down and watch.

"It is a challenging course here and the rough is rough, you don’t want to get into it.

"We will need to get spotters out on the course (to see where the golf balls go) as you would in any Open competition.”

McLaren also revealed that provisions will be made for Bishopbriggs members to play elsewhere during the tournament as their course will be unavailable for four days.

“Scottish Golf will take over the course from July 4 to 7,” he said.

"So a lot of surrounding clubs have offered us courtesy golf for our members.

"Because our course is closed to members for that week, around 30 other golf clubs throughout Glasgow and the west of Scotland have said that our members can go and play there for free.”

As the boys are amateurs they will not receive any prizemoney at the Under-16 Open. The winner will be presented with a trophy by a Scottish Golf representative at a ceremony being attended by Bishopbriggs captain Jacqui Forbes.

Youth golf is well catered for at Bishopbriggs Golf Club, with club professional Graeme McDougall running an academy for cadets and juniors.

Maybe in future, one or more of these boys will play in an Under-16 Open.