TOURNAMENT VENUES

1964 St. Andrews, Scotland
1965 St. Andrews, Scotland
1966 Houston, Texas, USA
1967 Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
1968 Palm Springs, California, USA
1969 Tylosand, Sweden
1970 Venezia, Italy
1971 Melbourne, Australia
1972 Houston, Texas, USA
1973 Evians les Bains, France
1974 St. Andrews, Scotland
1975 Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA
1976 Maui, Hawaii, USA
1977 Luxembourg, (C.D. Luxembourg)
1978 Hermanous, South Africa
1979 Pebble Beach, California, USA
1980 Cran-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland
1981 San Juan, Puerto Rico
1982 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
1983 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
1984 Gleneagles, Scotland
1985 Melbourne, Australia
1986 Sun Valley, Idaho, USA
1987 Ito, Japan
1988 Biarritz, France
1989 Maui, Hawaii, USA
1990 Monticello, Italy
1991 The Woodlands, Texas, USA
1992 La Quinta, California, USA
1993 Cape Town, South Africa
1994 The Befry, England
1995 Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA
1996 Gold Coast, Australia
1997 Bad Griesbach, Germany
1998 Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA
1999 Killarney, Ireland
2000 Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
2001 Liverpool, England
2002 Lisbon, Portugal
2003 Sun City, South Africa
2004 Charlotte, USA
2005 Gold Coast, Australia
2006 Antalya, Turkey
2007 Manila, Philippines
2008 Niagara Falls, Canada
2009 Kitzbühel, Austria

2010, Versailles, France

IGFR History

In 1963 Gavin Reekie, as Governor Nominee for District 101 attended the World Assembly at Lake Placid in New York State and at the final banquet was seated, along with his wife Connie, at the table of the incoming World President Carl Miller. Carl's theme for the year ahead was "Meeting Rotary's Challenge in the Space Age" and promoted the idea of Matched Districts. Gavin related the wonderful golfing liaison between District 101 and 728 and the Jackson Christy Porridge Bowl Trophy and suggested, to further the World theme of 'Matched Districts' that Carl should develop this golfing fellowship on a WORLD basis. Carl responded, "Gavin, I want you good people in Scotland to organize a similar competition between Districts on a World Basis and I will provide you with a suitable trophy. I will be in Scotland two months time. Let me have your ideas and we will finalize the details then".

This meeting took place at Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland, on the 17th August, 1963. Carl was then the World President of Rotary International and Gavin was District Governor of District 101. Also present at this meeting were William Carter, President of R.I.B.I. and Willie McAslam, Governor of District 102, the only other District in Scotland at the time.

Based on Carl Miller's theme, 'Meeting Rotary's Challenge in the Space Age", and after much discussion, the well known Jewellers, A. & C. Cairncross, Perth, Scotlands, produced a suitable design. The Carl Miller Trophy continues to be the centerpiece of the many trophies and awards which have grown through the years. The trophy cost 256 English Pounds in 1964, which was paid by President Carl, and continues today as the most coveted of the IGFR trophies both both for its intrinsic value as well as its meaning to fellow golfing Rotarians. Gavin Reekie presented the "Runner-up" trophy and it continues today. Both are emblematic of the Space Age theme of President Carl.

TOURNAMENT RULES

The rules and the number of participants have changed considerably since the first World Tournament was held at St. Andrews, Scotland. There were 47 entrants and 10 countries represented. In 1998 there were over 500 Rotarians and guests, with more than 400 golfers in Pinehurst from 28 countries.

Some of the early rules were:

• Lowest individual score - four rounds.
• After the first two rounds, the field was reduced to 50, or half the number of starters, whichever was lowest.
• The handicap maximum was 12, but any player could enter.

Handicap Divisions were later introduced. 0-12, 13-18, 19up. There is now a Women's event which also has Divisions. At the 1997 meeting of the Board of Directors, a decision was made to incorporate the Stableford system to determine winners of many different groups and the 1998 Pinehurst venue is the first occasion to use this scoring system.

There are now over 20 national golf fellowship groups, the largest of which is the United States group (USGFR).