Enthusiasm high as amateur golf tours begin season I
f preseason events can be used to gauge the upcoming campaign on the Golfweek Amateur Tour and the Senior Amateur Tour, then it’s going to be a grand time for all in 2012.
“The enthusiasm this year has been tre- mendous, both for returning and new play- ers,” said Bruce Hallenbeck, who directs tours in the Triad and Raleigh-Pinehurst areas. “We’ve sold out both of our pre- season events and anticipate taking that wave of excitement into the regular season. This looks like it’s going to a very strong year.”
Ideal weather was embraced by the 124 players who signed up to play in the preseason event at Legacy Golf Links in Aberdeen on Jan. 28. There was another sellout with a waiting list for the preseason event at Mid Pines on Feb. 18.
And there was no ice to break Jan. 14-15 at the Icebreaker Open, which attracted close to 100 players to Hilton Head Island. It was the season kickoff event for all 40 of the Golfweek tours in the country.
SCHEDULE
Golfweek Amateur Tour Schedule March 3 – Salem Glen, Clemmons (9 a.m.) March 10 – Bryan Park Championship Course, Brown Summit (9 a.m.)
March 17 – Forest Oaks, Greensboro (9 a.m.) March 24 – Devils Ridge, Holly Springs (1:30 p.m.) March 31 – Bryan Park Players Course, Brown Summit (9 a.m.)
April 14 – Pinewood, Asheboro (1:30 p.m.) April 21 – CC of Whispering Pines (9 a.m.) April 28 – Carolina Trace Lake Course, Sanford (1 p.m.) May 5 – Meadowlands, Winston-Salem (1:30 p.m.) May 12 – Bentwinds, Fuquay-Varina (1:30 p.m.). May 19 – Mill Creek, Mebane (1:30 p.m.) June 2 – Bermuda Run West (1 p.m.) June 9 – Seven Lakes CC (9 a.m.) June 16 – Challenge GC, Graham (1 p.m.) June 23 – Dormie Club, West End (10 a.m.) June 30 – Bryan Park Champions Course, Brown Summit (9 a.m.)
July 14 – Grandover Resort West, Greensboro (1:30 p.m.) July 21 – Chapel Ridge, Pittsboro (1:30 p.m.) Aug. 4 – Sapona, Lexington (1:30 p.m.)
Aug. 18 – Carolina Trace Creek Course, Sanford (1 p.m.) Aug. 25 – Anderson Creek, Spring Lake (9 a.m.) Sept. 15 – Hyland, Southern Pines (9 a.m.) Sept. 22-23 – Local Finals at Bryan Park Players Course and Champions Course (9 a.m. each day)
Senior Amateur Tour Schedule All begin with 10 a.m. shotgun except July 26 March 1 – Bentwinds, Fuquay-Varina
March 8 – Bryan Park Championship Course, Brown Summit March 15 – Forest Oaks, Greensboro March 22 – Devils Ridge, Holly Springs March 29 – Brier Creek, Raleigh April 12 – Pinewood, Asheboro
April 19 – High Point CC/Willow Creek course April 26 – Carolina Trace Lake Course, Sanford May 3 – Meadowlands, Winston-Salem May 10 – Sapona, Lexington May 17 – Mill Creek, Mebane May 31 – Bermuda Run West June 7 – Seven Lakes CC June 14 – Challenge GC, Graham June 21 – Dormie Club, West End
June 28 – Bryan Park Players Course, Brown Summit July 12 – Grandover Resort West, Greensboro July 19 – Chapel Ridge, Pittsboro July 26 – Greensboro CC Farm Course (9 a.m.) Aug. 9 – Southern Pines Elks Club, Southern Pines Aug. 16 – Carolina Trace Creek Course, Sanford Aug. 23 – Anderson Creek, Spring Lake Sept. 13 – Hyland, Southern Pines Oct. 4 – Crooked Creek, Fuquay-Varina Oct. 11 – Colonial CC, Thomasville
Red letter events are the majors and are worth double points 30
The amateur tour, which was estab- lished in 1995, will begin its regular season in March and its second with Golfweek as title sponsor.
There are five flights of competi- tion for players of all skill levels. The Championship Flight is for players up to 3.9 handicap, the A Flight is for handicaps of 4 to 8.9, B Flight for 9 to 13.9, C Flight for 14 to 18.9 and D Flight 19 and above. A player’s home course index is only used for openers. Once tour competition begins, the player is placed in a flight based solely on scores posted in tourna- ment play. The Golfweek Amateur Tour begins March 3 at Salem Glen Country Club in Clemmons. Bryan Park’s Champions Course and Forest Oaks Country Club fol- low as the other March venues and serve as an example of the quality of courses – all in the Triad, Triangle and Sandhills – that make up the 23-event schedule on Saturdays.
The local schedule will conclude with the 36-hole finals at Bryan Park and then the national championship, a 54-hole event at Hilton Head Island in October. A season-long points race in each flight determines which players qualify for the national championship. Others can qualify by winning one of the four majors on the schedule.
For the third straight year, prizes for the top finishers in each flight will be Mastercard gift certificates.
Senior Tour
The Senior Amateur Tour has a 25-event regular season schedule begin- ning March 1 at Bentwinds Country Club in Fuquay-Varina. The national championship will again be played in the Sandhills at Pine
Needles, Seven Lakes and National Golf Club in November. This year, the award- winning Dormie Club, the Pinehurst area’s newest course, will be part of the rotation. In last November’s tour finals, Rick Luzar was the Raleigh/Pinehurst Tour’s top finisher in the championship flight. He shot 72-77 to claim fourth place. Two other players tied for eighth: Doug Michal and James Dill, both shooting 77-76. In the other flights, top-10 finishers from the local tours were:
A Flight – Brent Massey (fourth, 77-81); Twig Avent (tied sixth, 82-78); Sonny Rose (tied sixth, 82-78) and Mark McKenna (tied ninth, 80-82).
B Flight – Charles Smith (third, 80-85) and Randy Robbins (tied fourth, 84-83). C Flight – James Eatmon (seventh,
89-86). Pre-Season events
A couple of Pinehurst residents, both members of the senior division, squared off in a playoff to claim top honors in the pre- season event at Mid Pines Resort and Rick Luzar needed two extra holes to hold off Chuck Taubersmith after both turned in 76s. A field of 120 players assembled for the sold-out event that included players from both the Golfweek Amateur Tour and the Senior Tour.. A Flight player Cecil Lockley of Creedmoor equaled the low score of the day with his 76, though it came on a shorter course.
Randy Robbins of Smithfield (B Flight) and Graham Gurnee of Fayetteville (D Flight) were also among the winners. In the earlier pre-season event at Legacy, winners included Ron Hockensmith of Pinehurst (A Flight), Tom Kubla of Pinehurst (B Flight) and George Greer of Fayetteville (C Flight).
Golfweek Amateur/Senior Amateur Scoreboard Pre-Season Events
Golfweek Amateur Tour and Senior Amateur Tour Mid Pines GC, Southern Pines CHAMPIONSHIP
Rick Luzar, Pinehurst
Chuck Taubersmith, Pinehurst Warren Herman, Lexington Jim Arlington, Apex Johnny Adams, Cary Jim Meadows, Raleigh James Prasse, Fayetteville Gene Queen, Advance
Cecil Lockley, Creedmoor Randy Bunn, Zebulon
B FLIGHT
Randy Robbins, Smithfield Tom Vasseur, Raleigh Bob Sheahan, Apex Tom Kubla, Pinehurst
Robin Gomez, Greensboro Gary Fesperman, Salisbury
80 83 84 84 85 85
76 76 77 77 78
78 78
Gary Strickfaden, Southern Pines 78 A FLIGHT
76 77
Ron Hockensmith, Southern Pines 78 Tom Fagerli, Yadkinville Jim Alford, Zebulon
79 82
John Henely, Pinehurst Greg Martin, Whitsett Russ Padgett, Cary Jay Yergeau, Godwin
C FLIGHT
Elby Hatfield, Archdale Brad Becken, Chapel Hill James Eatmon, Sims Mike Hawkins, Pittsboro
78 W.E. Heasley, Denton
Marty Carpenter, Southern Pines D FLIGHT
Graham Gurnee, Fayetteville Greg Green, Apex
Jason Easter, Mount Airy
Frank Schneider, Rocky Mount Tony Cashatt, Toast
CHAMPIONSHIP Don Tabat, Lexington
James Prasse, Fayetteville Dan Holland, High Point Gene Queen, Advance
Gary Strickfaden, Southern Pines 74 Rob Clarke, Raleigh
72 78
78 78 78
Legacy Golf Links, Aberdeen Jan. 28
85 85 85
96 92 94 94
99
101 102
103 105
Chuck Latham, Vass A FLIGHT Ron Hockensmith, Pinehurst
85 Walt Janis, Greensboro Mike Meadows, Advance Dan Anthony, Thomasville Tom Fagerli, Yadkinville B FLIGHT
94 94
Tom Kubla, Pinehurst Russ Padgett, Cary
Gary Fesperman, Charlotte Brian Carden, Kernersville Daren Green, Durham Brett Simon, Kernersville C FLIGHT
Michael Hawkins, Kernersville James Eatmon, Simms WE Heasley, Denton
Doug Harvey, Knightdale Dennis Bryant, Archdale Eric Friar, Whispering Pines D FLIGHT
George Greer, Fayetteville Carlos Simpson, Siler City Keith Thomas, Greensboro Greg Green, Apex
Jerry Jordan, Winston-Salem
78 74
76 76 77 77
78 81 81 82 82 82
86 89 90 90 91 91
90 97
104 105 109
For more information: (336) 495-6556
www.trianglegolf.com
Great Competition on Great Courses!
FREE subscription to Golfweek magazine with every tour membership!
If you like competition & can shoot your handicap, we’ve got the tours for you!
◆ Open to golfers with 0-23 handicaps; USGA rules apply.
◆ Win gift certificates and com- pete for points championships. Advance to national finals.
◆ Golfweek Amateur Tour plays on Saturdays and is open to any age golfer
◆ The Senior Amateur Tour plays on Thursdays and is open to golfers ages 50-over
◆ Great venues in the Triad, Triangle and Sandhills – including several private clubs
◆ Tour membership is $85 for Senior Tour and $90 for Golfweek Amateur Tour
◆ Four or five flights of play in each tournament so you’re competing against players of your own level.
Tournament registration available online.
www.amateurgolftour.net www.senioramateurgolftour.net
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