West Bradford's Annual Knockout Tournaments will be opening for entries within the next month..
West Bradford run four main Knockout tournaments over the Summer, two "Rabbits" knockouts for mid to higher handicappers - The Frank Shaw Trophy and the Roger Snowden Trophy. And two for low to mid handicappers, each with a maximum handicap limit for entries - The Wade Shield and The Gold Cup.
In late March to early April an announcement will be made that we are accepting entries for Knockout's. Entry forms and envelopes will sit next to an entry box, generally in The Clubhouse bar. Members can enter a Knockout competition by completing an entry form and posting it, along with the fee of £5.00, into the entry box. Any member can enter as many Knockout competitions as he or she is eleigible to play in.
Once entries have closed for the Knockout competitions, a draw will be made for first round matches and you - or you and your playing partner for 4ball betterball Knockouts - will be notified of your playing opponents. You will also be given a deadline by which time your match has to be played. You are then free to arrange a time and date that suits all players. Once the match has been played, the winners will notify our Handicaps team of the result of their match. Once all matches have been played or the playing deadline has been reached, a draw will take place for the next round of the Knockout - and so on until we have two (or four for a 4ball Knockout) finalists.
The finals of all of the Knockout Competitions will then be played on Finals Day - usually a Sunday in late August or early September.
The Frank Shaw Trophy
The Frank Shaw is a "Rabbits" Knockout tournament, Rabbits being defined as a golfer with a Handicap Index between 15.5 and 54. It's an Individual Matchplay competition.
The Frank Shaw is open to Male and Female golfers, men play off the Yellow tee's, Ladies play off the Red tee's.
Denzel Gumpo was the winner of The Frank Shaw Trophy in 2024
Craig Goodwin & Steve Neary collecting The Roger Snowden Trophy in 2024
The Roger Snowden Trophy
The Roger Snowden is another "Rabbits" Knockout tournament, but this one is a Four Ball Betterball Matchplay competition - so you'll need a playing partner to enter The Roger Snowden.
The Roger Snowden is open to Male and Female golfers playing with a Male partner, men play off the Yellow tee's, Ladies play off the Red tee's.
The Wade Shield
The Wade Shield is a Four Ball Betterball Matchplay competition - so you'll need a playing partner to enter. The Wade Shield has a Maximum Course Handicap of 24. Higher handicappers may still enter The Wade Shield, but they will play off the maximum handicap.
The Wade Shield is the oldest tournament still played at West Bradford Golf Club - the shield itself, which sits behind The Clubhouse bar - being presented to the club in the early 1900's shortly after the club was formed. The competition is open to Male golfers and Female golfers playing with a Male partner, men play off the White tee's, Ladies play off the Red tee's.
Richard King & Club Captain Stevie Gallagher won The Wade Shield in 2024
Gary Hallett won last year's Gold Cup, becoming Club Champion in the process.
The Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is an Individual Matchplay competition. It is the most prestigious tournament played at the club. The winner of the Gold Cup is considered the annual Men's champion golfer of the year, the winner's name is immortalised on the Honours Boards, and he also delivers a speech at The Annual Dinner! The Gold Cup also has a Maximum Course Handicap of 24. Again higher handicappers may still enter The Gold Cup, but they will play off the maximum handicap.
The Gold Cup is played "from the tips", the Championship tees indicated by the markers at the very back of the White tees.
This year will be the 99th time that The Gold Cup has been competed for at West Bradford Golf Club, it was first presented back in 1926. It is the club's premier annual tournament.
The runner up in The Gold Cup Knockout Tournament is presented with The Silver Plate at the Annual Dinner.
