Two days at Aberdeen, four match formats, and a final session that kept the Q-Cup competitive to the end.
The 2026 Q-Cup returned to Aberdeen Golf Club on August 14–15, honoring our friend Tom Quinlan—“Q”—with a weekend built around team golf and the people who keep this event going.
Team McGadget finished ahead of Team Papa Shuk, 19.0 to 15.5. The final number tells only part of the story. Friday began with one team in command, changed direction during alternate shot, and left Saturday with plenty to play for.
Four formats, one trophy
Team Papa Shuk opened with a 5.0–2.0 win in Friday’s four-ball matches. Team McGadget answered with a 6.5–0.5 alternate-shot session, the biggest swing of the weekend.
Saturday’s scramble went to Team Papa Shuk, 3.5–3.0. Team McGadget then edged the singles session 7.5–6.5 to finish the job.
| Session | McGadget | Papa Shuk |
|---|---|---|
| Friday four-ball | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| Friday alternate shot | 6.5 | 0.5 |
| Saturday scramble | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| Saturday singles | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| Final | 19.0 | 15.5 |
The original results workbook remains available below for the full teams-and-matches record.
Why Aberdeen works for this event
Aberdeen’s open, links-style setting gives the Q-Cup room to breathe. The relatively flat terrain and short transitions between greens and tees make it a practical course to walk, while the wind and well-placed trouble keep players thinking about position.
The lesson from the course notes is to choose a useful landing area and leave a manageable approach. Trying to overpower every hole can turn a team advantage into a recovery job. Around the greens, leaving room for the next shot matters.
The hospitality was part of the experience, too. The existing event recap singled out Greg and the Aberdeen staff for accommodating the group’s cookout and post-round gathering. That time together belongs in the story just as much as the match results.
What the players told us afterward
The post-event survey offered a way to look beyond the winning team. Venue continuity, tournament timing, pairings, handicap treatment and apparel all came into the discussion.
The existing recap describes strong support for returning to Aberdeen and positive feedback on the balance of the teams. It also records different opinions about the future: keeping the traditional August timing versus considering cooler dates, retaining the familiar formats versus trying a shamble, and reusing existing team gear versus offering optional new items.
One scoring idea was to play team matches at scratch while keeping handicap strokes for singles. It was a proposal raised through the feedback—not an adopted 2027 rule announced here. The same distinction applies to dates, budgets and leadership arrangements.
The five-slide survey presentation preserves the original findings and gives the planning discussion a common reference. The 2027 Planning page separates those historical lessons from proposals still awaiting a decision.
Ric’s Rec
The Q-Cup works because there is more than one way to contribute: play your match, support your partner, help with the gathering, or lend a hand behind the scenes.
Aberdeen gave the event a useful combination of strategic golf and room for the group to spend time together. Keep the competitive balance, listen to the feedback, and make the next round of decisions clearly. That is a good foundation for bringing the crew back.