The English Men’s Amateur Championship is a match play contest that was first organized by the English Golf Union a year after its formation in 1924. England Golf took over responsibility for the tournament when the Golf Union and English Women’s Golf Association merged in 2012. The equivalent stroke play competition for men is the Brabazon Trophy, which has been staged annually since 1947.

The event is open to male amateur golfers who were born in England (or have a parent or grandparent born in the country) or who have resided in England for two years (if under 18) or five years prior to the start of the tournament. However, they are not eligible if they’ve played in the men’s Closed Championship of another country or played in the men’s International Team of another country.

Since 2009, the championship has taken place at a club with two 18-hole courses or at two clubs within a short distance from each other. All competitors play 18 holes stroke play on both of the first two days with one round on each of the two courses. The 64 players with the lowest scores then compete in the match play portion of the event, with the remaining golfers eliminated.

The match play stages are seeded, according to the stroke play finishing positions (1v64, 2v63 etc.) and each match consists of one 18-hole round, except the final which is played over 36 holes. Tied matches continue until a player wins a hole. If more than the maximum number of entries is received, a ballot based on exact playing handicaps takes place to exclude the higher handicapped players.

The winner is presented with the Trophy and a memento of the occasion. Prize vouchers are awarded to those finishing in the top eight places and the David Frame Trophy is awarded to the leading qualifier after the two stroke play qualifying rounds.

The inaugural championship was held at Hoylake in 1925 and it was won by a Royal Liverpool member, Thomas Froes Ellison, who defeated Samuel Robinson 1 up in the Final to lift the trophy which had been donated by his home club. Ellison then retained his title the following year at Walton Heath, defeating Cecil Hayward 6&4 in the Final.

Several players have repeated this feat of consecutive victories since then: Frank Penninck (1937/38); Alan Thirlwell (1954/55); Michael Bonnallack (1962/33 and 1967/68); Mark Foster (1994/95); and Paul Casey (1999/2000). Apart from Paul Casey, other winners who’ve gone on to have successful professional careers include Mark James (1974), Nick Faldo (1975) and Tommy Fleetwood (2010).

Five clubs have each hosted the tournament six times and they are Burnham & Berrow, Formby, Ganton, Royal St George’s and Woodhall Spa. Two others, Royal Lytham & St Annes and Royal Birkdale, have staged the event five times. You’ll not find Bromborough listed below (host club in 2005) as it doesn’t feature in our Best in Cheshire listings.