Battle of the sexes at British Par 3 is a positive

Stars from the men's and women's game will come together at Nailcote Hall next week.

Leading men and women from the world of golf will battle it out for the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship 2015 title on August 11th.

The tournament represents one of the few occasions when both genders can compete against each other on a level playing field.

Opportunities for the best players from the women's tour to test themselves against the men on a competitive level are few and far between and, therefore, make the British Par 3 a fascinating contest.

It is a format that should certainly be given more of a push, as tournament host Tony Jacklin reiterated.

"I really believe Par 3 golf is the future," he said.

"All that’s missing from the game is the long drive, but the test of the short game is still there and more and more professionals are seeing the benefits of the shortened version of the sport."

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While it is only a par 3 contest being played at Nailcote Hall next week, it is still a rare chance to see one of England's most prominent players in Charley Hull face off against Jason Palmer, famed for his one-handed chip, in an event that attracted around 10,000 spectators last year.

That shows there is certainly an appetite for this tournament and for this form of the game, particularly at a time when the rest of the world is gearing up for the conclusion to the men's major season.

It's wrong to think that the PGA and European Tours and, to an extent, the Ladies European Tour are the be-all and end-all of the sport.

Shortened forms are seeming increasingly likely to draw people, particularly young people, into the game. This is where the British Par 3 has a part to play.

Hull won the Norma C Herd Silver Salver as leading amateur at the tournament in 2012, demonstrating the ability female professionals have to mix it with men from the more high-profile European Tour, such as Palmer and Paul Lawrie.

It's these kinds of achievements that must inspire young female golfers, even more so after the launch of the #ThisGirlGolfs campaign.

Seeing women and men competing in a game that is often labeled male-dominated and archaic in its outlook is crucial to it's health. That Sky Sports will be providing coverage is another positive step.

Free tickets are still available by visiting:  http://britishpar3.com/tickets.php