The British Open VAG (BOV) has become known as “the winter major”.

As with many of the Society’s traditions, this competition has not escaped the pressure to evolve over time and possibly encapsulates the Society’s willingness to change and adapt better than any other. Not only has the scoring methodology changed, but the Society has also experimented with playing 36 holes on one course, introduced “guest courses”, played an eclectic competition within the overall event, introduced a ‘sub competition’ in the form of The Lava Lamp Special and in 2002, one member was even granted permission to miss the opening round and thus play a scoring format all of his own!

It was originally a ‘medal’ competition, played over four rounds, at each of the four home courses of the membership. In 1997, it was modified to be scored on the basis of stableford points (rumour has it that this motion was carried after one of the members took a 10 on a par 4 in the last round, thus blowing a comfortable lead and eventually finishing second).

The format then evolved into a competition played over two rounds with the combined stableford points giving each 'jugador' a total tally.

However, as with so many other elements of this great Society, time shapes and hones its form. And as such, at an Officers Lunch soon after the 2005 Tour, it was agreed that the two rounds of that season's BOV be played over a wintry afternoon and following morning and form the centrepiece of what has became known as a 'Flash Tour'.

Sand Martins, home of the Society's Honorary Pro Andrew Hall (the 'nearly man' of the 2005 Open Championship), was selected as the venue and it was intended that the Society return there every year, given that this would have provided some form of rigidity in what was beginning to feel like an event built on ever-shifting sands.

However, those sands just kept on a-shifting and despite the Society's best intentions, the Flash Tour seems to have gone the way of many a tradition before it and has drifted somewhat into oblivion.

Gone are the days when the Society seeks-out a local B&B, ideally near to an eating establishment serving Asian cuisine & a hostelry which provides frothy ale, bar billiards, shove ha'penny and darts (and possibily dominoes as well if they have them behind the bar).

That said, the 'fluid' nature of the BOV allows such brazen disregard for tradition that the Society just keeps making up the rules of this competition as it goes along...

2008 heralded one of the most significant evolutions for the BOV. The Society decided to bring it in line with the 4 tour events and make it a team effort. The BOV is now played over one round, usually in the Autumn and has a very unusual stableford scoring format which sees the round 'come to the boil', just like a saucepan on a hob.

Over holes 1-6 the best TWO stableford scores (off scratch) go on the card.

Over holes 7-12 the best THREE stableford scores go on the card.

Over holes 13-18 all FOUR stableford scores go on the card.

Could this be the permanent format for the BOV? Maybe, but as the competition hasn't been played since 2010, it's hard to tell!