The MCLGA Junior Order of Merit - 2026

Introduction 

MCLGA ran a pilot in 2025 with the primary aim of helping their juniors engage in the excellent junior tours that have been established in Scotland and to avoid MCLGA events clashing with tour event dates. In 2026, we are looking to build on what we have learned and to expand the pilot to include the East of Scotland Girls Golfing Association (EoS) events as part of the 2026 MCLGA Order of Merit (OoM).  

AIMS and objectives 

To set out a clear approach to the county’s junior competitions that is understood by players and parents and provides advance notice to allow families to plan participation. For players wishing to be considered for the Cuthbertson Cup team, this should be read in combination with the Selection Policy on the MCLGA website. 

• To publish criteria for the eligible events to participate in MCLGA’s junior fixtures (stroke play and Championship events). 

• To support MCLGA junior golfers by aligning our events with the EoS and existing Scottish junior tours. 

• To run an MCLGA OoM to award a junior player of the year. 

MCLGA are working with EoS, the Junior Tour Scotland (JTS) and the Stephen Gallagher Foundation (SGF) to provide an enhanced fixture list for MCLGA juniors. This will incorporate the current MCLGA Spring and Autumn competitions to establish the MCLGA Junior Champion of the Year as well as an Order of Merit Champion. 

This move is to help grow our junior member’s participation in these tour events whilst maintaining the long held traditional events of MCLGA and EoS. It will also help reduce clashing events with what has become a very busy junior golfing calendar. 

ELIGIBLE EVENTS

The JTS and SGF have their own membership criteria and MCLGA juniors are encouraged to sign up for their 2026 seasons. Their respective websites will have all the details of the events that they are running for 2026, links are provided below: 

• East of Scotland Girls Golfing Association (EoS) website East of Scotland Girls Golfing Association 

• Junior Tour Scotland (JTS) website www.juniortourscotland.com 

• Stephen Gallagher Foundation (SGF) website www.sgfoundation.co.uk 

The aim is to encourage our Midlothian girls to participate in locally held events and to have eligible events run by the end of Sep to allow time for the appropriate trophies to be engraved for the prize giving. This will reduce the number of JTS and SGF events that are eligible, so a list of counting events is included in the Appendix. 

ORDER OF MERIT POINTS

MCLGA (Spring, Summer and Autumn stroke play) and EoS fixtures (Spring, Summer and Autumn stroke play) will count with OoM points being awarded at the same level (see Table 1). For 2026 the Spring event is co-sanctioned with EoS.

Events run by JTS and SGF that are included in the Appendices, will be an eligible event for the MCLGA Scratch Order of Merit (OoM). 

All MCLGA participants will receive a minimum of 10 points for completing the 18 holes in an eligible event, with points being issued to players in order of their final MCLGA ranking in the event. Players that received ranking points will not get the 10pts for playing in addition to their ranking points.  

The MCLGA ranking for OoM points will be made on the final placings of a given event after 18 holes, as detailed in Table 1. 

Table 1: OoM points received by MCLGA players for each eligible event they play in 

Where an event is held over more than 1 round, the first round will be the counting round for any co-sanctioned MCLGA stroke play competition for OoM points. The minimum 10 pts will be received for completing the first round irrespective of what happens in rounds 2 and 3. 

Points for tour events that are not co-sanctioned MCLGA events, will only be given for placings in the top half of the event. For example, if there are 12 players, points will be allocated for top 6 placings. Where events have an odd number participating, the “top” half will be the smaller number e.g. 11 entries, points will be awarded for a top 5 placing only. 

At the end of the season, each player will be placed in the MCLGA Junior OoM by adding together their points for the best 3 Category M events and plus their 3 best events from any of the listed Category E events. Should the OoM scores then be tied, the tied players will be ranked, with total points from co-sanctioned events taking precedence.  

For any MCLGA Trophy, the usual MCLGA count back rules will be applied for any ties. 

SPRING MEETING

In 2026 the chosen event for the Spring Championship trophy is EoS – Aberdour Sunday 22nd March.

The winner of the Fraser Trophy will be the best scratch score of the day for a MCLGA junior. The winner of the Macpherson Trophy will be the best net score of the day for a MCLGA junior. The usual MCLGA count back rules will be applied for any ties.

AUTUMN MEETING AND CHAMPIONSHIP

The chosen event for the Autumn Championship is SGF  – Kingsknowe Sunday 6th September.

The winner of the Brown Trophy and MCLGA Junior Champion of the Year will be the best scratch score of the day for a MCLGA junior, and the winner of the Marshall Trophy will be the best net score of the day for a MCLGA junior. Again, the usual MCLGA count back rules will be applied for any ties.

APPENDIX - MCLGA Order of Merit Event List 2026