The Tennant Cup – The Oldest Open Amateur Stroke-Play Championship in the World

Few trophies in golf carry the same weight of history as the Tennant Cup. First contested in 1880, it stands as the world’s oldest open amateur stroke-play competition — a title that has brought it enduring prestige for well over a century.

The trophy was gifted to Glasgow Golf Club by Sir Charles Tennant, a leading industrialist, philanthropist, and passionate golfer whose influence extended far beyond the fairways. In an era when organised competitive golf was still finding its footing, the Tennant Cup quickly established itself as a major occasion in the amateur calendar.

From the very beginning, it has drawn the cream of amateur talent from Scotland and further afield. Its long-standing format — traditionally played over both of the club’s courses, Killermont and Gailes Links — is one of the things that makes it truly distinctive. Competitors must prove themselves on two contrasting stages: the elegant, tree-lined parkland of Killermont, where precision is rewarded, and the fast-running seaside turf of Gailes, where links golf’s subtle demands and the ever-present coastal wind come into play.

The Tennant Cup’s roll of honour reads like a who’s who of Scottish golf. Over the decades, winners have included future internationals, Walker Cup players, and competitors who would go on to make their mark in professional ranks — some even testing themselves in The Open Championship. To lift the Tennant Cup is to have your name etched alongside generations of great amateurs, securing a place in a tradition that bridges the Victorian origins of competitive golf with the modern game.

Today, more than 140 years after Sir Charles Tennant’s gift to the club, the tournament remains a cornerstone of the amateur game in Scotland — fiercely contested, steeped in history, and still regarded as one of the most coveted titles an amateur golfer can win.