The Girls Home Internationals was an amateur team golf championship for girls between the four Home Nations. Ireland was represented by the whole island of Ireland.The event was organised by The R&A. The inaugural event was held in 1969 and the venue cycled between the four nations. The winning team received the Stroyan Cup. Originally it was played immediately before, and at the same venue, as the Girls Amateur Championship. However it was later held as a separate event. In 2021 the match was replaced by a combined Girls and Boys Home Internationals.
A match between Scotland and England girls had been played since 1935 while Ireland and Wales had also played earlier matches.
Format In its final format, the championship was played over three days with the four teams competing against each other in individual matches. A match consists of three foursomes and six singles each over 18 holes. The scores were calculated by team results with each team scoring one point for a team win and half a point for a halved match. Ties were resolved by the number of individual matches won. Each team had 7 players, although up to 2015 there were teams of 8.
History From 1969 to 1975 the event was played on the Monday and Tuesday before the Girls Amateur Championship, with matches consisting of 7 singles matches over 18 holes. Two matches were played on the Monday and one on the Tuesday. From 1976 to 1978 it was held on the previous Thursday and Friday before returning to Monday and Tuesday in 1979. In 1990 the event was expanded to three days matches consisting of three foursomes and six singles.
Results YearVenueLocationWinnerScoreRef.2020 Royal St David's Wales Cancelled 2019 Downfield Scotland 2½ points 2018 Ballybunion Ireland 2½ points 2017 Little Aston England 3 points 2016 Conwy Wales 2½ points 2015 Lanark Scotland 3 points 2014 Donabate Ireland 3 points 2013 St Annes Old Links England 2 points 2012 Radyr Wales 2½ points 2011 Gullane No.2 Scotland 2½ points 2010 Bangor Ireland 3 points 2009 Fairhaven England 3 points 2008 Panmure Scotland 3 points 2007 Southerndown Wales 3 points 2006 Portstewart Ireland 3 points 2005 Worplesdon England 2 points 2004 Strathaven Scotland 2 points 2003 Pyle & Kenfig Wales 3 points 2002 Hermitage Ireland 3 points 2001 Brough England 3 points 2000 Downfield Scotland 3 points 1999 High Post England 3 points 1998 Mullingar Ireland 2 points 1997 Forfar Scotland 3 points 1996 Formby Ladies England 3 points 1995 Northop Country Park Wales 3 points 1994 Gog Magog England 2½ points 1993 Helensburgh Scotland 3 points 1992 Moseley England 3 points 1991 Whitchurch Wales 2½ points 1990 Penrith England 3 points 1989 Carlisle England 3 points 1988 Pyle & Kenfig Wales 2½ points 1987 Barnham Broom England 3 points 1986 West Kilbride Scotland 3 points 1985 Hesketh England 3 points 1984 Llandudno (Maesdu) Wales 3 points 1983 Alwoodley England 3 points 1982 Edzell Scotland 3 points 1981 Woodbridge England 3 points 1980 Wrexham Wales 2½ points 1979 Edgbaston England 2½ points 1978 Largs Scotland 3 points 1977 Formby England 2½ points 1976 Pyle & Kenfig Wales 3 points 1975 Henbury England 2½ points 1974 Dunbar Scotland 3 points 1973 Northamptonshire County England 3 points 1972 Royal Norwich England 3 points 1971 North Berwick Scotland 3 points 1970 North Wales Wales 3 points 1969 Ilkley England 3 points
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Earlier England–Scotland matches Before the Girls Home Internationals was founded, an annual match had been played between England and Scotland since 1935. It was played immediately before the Girls Amateur Championship at the same venue.
The first match was held on Monday 2 September 1935 at Stoke Poges, before the Girls Amateur Championship. There were 7 singles matches, with Scotland winning 5 and England 2. Extra holes were played to ensure a result. Scotland won all four matches that were played before World War II. The match restarted in 1949 and was won first the first time by England. There were just 5 singles matches in 1949 and 1950 but the number returned to 7 from 1951. Foursomes matches were introduced in 1954, the match consisting of three foursomes and six singles. Only five singles matches were played in 1955 with seven played in 1959. In 1960 the match was extended to four foursomes and eight singles and resulted in a 6–6 tie. Extra holes were dropped from 1964. In 1965 the format returned to the earlier three foursomes and six singles, and resulted in a 4½–4½ tie. In 1966, at Troon Portland, Scotland won for the first time since 1938. In 1968 at Leven, the final match played before the start of the Home Internationals, resulted in the third tie in the match, 4½–4½.
YearVenueLocationWinnerScoreRef.1968 Leven Scotland Tie 4½–4½ 1967 Liphook England 7–2 1966 Troon Portland Scotland 5½–3½ 1965 Formby Ladies England Tie 4½–4½ 1964 Camberley Heath England 9½–2½ 1963 Gullane No. 2 Scotland 9–3 1962 Alnmouth England 9–3 1961 Beaconsfield England 9–3 1960 Kilmarnock (Barassie) Scotland Tie 6–6 1959 Woolaton Park England 7–3 1958 Cotswold Hills England 7–2 1957 North Berwick Scotland 8–1 1956 Seaton Carew England 9–0 1955 Beaconsfield England 7–1 1954 West Kilbride Scotland 8–1 1953 Woodhall Spa England 4–3 1952 Stoke Poges England 4–3 1951 Gullane Scotland 6–1 1950 Formby England 3–2 1949 Beaconsfield England 4–1 1939–1948: No tournaments1938 Stoke Poges England 4–3 1937 Stoke Poges England 6–1 1936 Stoke Poges England 4–3 1935 Stoke Poges England 5–2
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Earlier Ireland–Wales matches Ireland and Wales played their first girls international at Llandudno in August 1965, Wales winning 5–4. A second match was played on the Valley course at Royal Portrush in 1966, Ireland winning. In 1967 and 1968 the match was played on the same day as the England–Scotland match. Ireland won 7–2 in 1967 and 6½–2½ in 1968. The teams competed for the Swansea Spoon, later presented to the runners-up in the Home Internationals.
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