The 2007 Golf Association of Philadelphia schedule, the 111th in the organization’s history, once again contains events for all age groups (Junior, Amateur and Senior) and playing levels (Championship and Handicap).
Beginning in April, and encompassing seven months, the schedule visits four states for its 61 tournaments and 70 days of competition.
Of particular note in 2007 is a change to the Open Championship format; the implementation of a GAP Tournament Handicap System; the 50th anniversary of the Father-Son Tournament and the creation of a Super-Senior Silver Cross.
The Open, which will be solely administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia this year, has eliminated the extreme emphasis placed on Amateur golfers on the first day of the Amateur Championship; increased the field size; expanded the exemption list; allowed for Championship qualifying flexibility; and guaranteed a higher purse for Professionals.
Visit the Golf Association of Philadelphia Web site for more specific information on Open changes.
This GAP Tournament Handicap System, to be used for all NET competitions, individual and team events with more than 50 competitors, is modeled after the Knuth Point System. Dean Knuth, the system’s creator, served as the United States Golf Association’s Senior Director of Handicapping, GHIN and Green Section Administration from 1981-97.
The GAP Tournament Handicap System assign’s points to individuals based on Top 5 finishes in NET competitions (5 points for first place to 1 point for fifth place. Ties receive full points for the higher placing). Those points are calculated over a two-year period and adjusted on a rolling basis. The tournament handicap of players with point totals in the 7-8 range is then adjusted by deducting two strokes; 9-10 points is deducted three strokes and 11 points and higher is deducted four strokes (the maximum). The GAP Tournament Handicap System is totally predetermined and involves no subjective judgment.
Complete details are available on the GAP Web site.
Also, the Father-Son (Younger), started in 1958, celebrates its 50th anniversary with a trip to Downingtown Golf Club.
The Super-Senior Silver Cross, modeled after the Silver Cross and Senior Silver Cross, will be awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Super-Senior Divisions of the Warner Cup (Gross), Chapman Cup (Gross) and Senior Amateur Championship rounds.
GAP Team Matches-As always, the extremely popular GAP Team Matches open the campaign. A record 316 teams (12 members from each team) from 127 member clubs will take part in the three days of competition: April 22, 29 and May 6. The Playoffs and Challenges are set for May 12. Tavistock Country Club looks to repeat as the champion for a fourth straight year and, if successful, would be the first to win four consecutive championships since Huntingdon Valley Country Club won seven straight from 1970-76.
Championships-The 107th Amateur Championship, which runs four days, is set for June 11-13 & 16 at Applebrook Golf Club and White Manor Country Club (qualifying only). The 36-hole final match is scheduled for June 16. Kyle Davis of Fieldstone Golf Club defeated Paul Rogowicz of Yardley Country Club, 5&3, last summer. This will be the first Amateur Championship held at Applebrook Golf Club, which was founded in 2001.
This year marks the 103rd renewal of the Open Championship, a one-day, 36-hole medal play event. Merion Golf Club hosts the tournament on Monday, Aug. 6. Last summer, David Quinn of the Links Golf Club defeated Mike Ladden, then of Philadelphia Country Club, in a four-hole playoff for the title at Llanerch Country Club. Merion Golf Club last hosted the Open in 1990. Pete Oakley of Shawnee Country Club carded a 137 total for the title that year.
The 23rd Middle-Amateur opens the Championship season on May 23-24 at Stonewall (North). This is the first time the Mid-Am will travel to Stonewall in Elverson, Pa. Chris Lange of Overbrook Golf Club became the first back-to-back winner of the Mid-Am last year at Commonwealth National Golf Club.
The 106th Patterson Cup, the final major of the season, takes place on Aug. 9 at Berkleigh Country Club/Moselem Springs Golf Club. This is the first time either club will host the 36-hole, stroke play championship of the Association in which each entrant play 18 holes at each course. Stephen Arnold of Yardley Country Club earned his first Patterson Cup trophy last year in a tight contest at Philmont Country Club (North/South).
Rolling Green Golf Club reappears in the championship venue rotation by holding the Philadelphia Team Championship, which started in 1915, on June 28. Four clubs of eight players each will compete in a foursome match and singles competition for Association bragging rights.
USGA Events-Including the U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifier at Cedarbrook Country Club/Meadowlands Country Club, the Association will conduct seven USGA Qualifiers, including two for the U.S. Open Championship set for June 14-17 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.
Senior-The Senior Amateur Championship, set for Aug. 29-30 at Waynesborough Country Club, is for golfers 55 years of age and older. Last year, the two-day, 36-hole medal play competition was taken by Robin McCool of Saucon Valley Country Club. McCool edged David Brookreson of Huntingdon Valley Country Club by two shots at a wet St. Davids Golf Club. Other highlights of the senior schedule include: the Warner Cup (Gross) on May 9 at Bent Creek Country Club; the Warner Cup (Net) on May 29 at JC Melrose Country Club; the Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play on June 5 at Bala Golf Club; the Senior Four-Man Team on July 19 at The Springhaven Club; the Chapman Memorial (Gross) on Aug. 16 at Overbrook Golf Club; the Senior Net Championship on Sept. 18 at Plymouth Country Club and the Chapman Memorial (Net) on Sept. 20 at Linwood Country Club.
The Senior Silver Cross and Super-Senior Silver Cross, which represent the Senior and Super-Senior Stroke Play championships of the Golf Association of Philadelphia, will be awarded in each division to the player returning the lowest total score in the Warner Cup Gross (18 holes), Chapman Memorial Gross (18 holes) and the Senior Amateur Championship (36 holes).
Junior-On June 26-28, the Junior Boys’ Championship (ages 14-17) heads to Cavaliers Country Club. The top 16 players from qualifying advance into match play with the final set for the afternoon of June 27. The Christman Cup, the 36-hole stroke play championship for juniors, is set for Aug. 2 at Jericho National Golf Club.
The qualifying round of the Junior, the one round of the Jock MacKenzie Memorial and the two rounds of the Christman Cup also account for the Harry Hammond Award winner, the junior version of the Silver Cross. Other events on the junior schedule include: the Francis X. Hussey Memorial on July 2 at Rolling Green Golf Club; the Pre-Junior Tournament on July 11 at Philadelphia Cricket Club (St. Martins Course); the aforementioned Jock MacKenzie Memorial on July 16 at Sandy Run Country Club and the Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship (ages 11-13) on July 30-Aug. 1 at Moorestown Field Club.
In addition, the Deeg Sezna Four-Ball is back for its fifth year on Aug. 7 at Hartefeld National. A special event on the GAP calendar, the Deeg pairs a junior and an amateur together in a better-ball format. Partners must have a minimum age differential of 10 years and one partner must be 21 years of age or younger. The event is named in honor of Davis G. Sezna, Jr. Better known as Deeg, Davis Jr., an avid golfer himself, was tragically killed in the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. He was 22 years old.
The Williamson Cup, featuring teams of four juniors from 10 regional and state associations competing in a one-day, 36-hole stroke play competition, concludes the Junior schedule. This year’s event is set for Williams Country Club in Weirton, W.V.
Handicap Championships-The Association revised the First and Second Handicaps three seasons ago. Renamed the Spring Net Championship (First) and the Fall Net Championship (Second), the two events are comparable to the other GAP Championships. An overall low net champion is crowned and four flight champions are recognized as well. In addition, the low Senior in each flight will earn recognition. The Spring Net Championship is scheduled for June 7 at Brookside Country Club and the Fall Net Championship is planned for Aug. 27 at Honeybrook Golf Club.
Meetings-There are five meetings on the Association calendar: the Presidents Council, the Chairmen’s Meeting, the Pro-President, Golf & Green, the Players Dinner and the Annual Meeting.
The President’s Council, in its third year, offers a chance for club Presidents and General Managers to attend a seminar on key issues and topics. This year’s program is set for March 27 at Waynesborough Country Club.
The Chairmen’s Meeting is scheduled for April 11 at Whitford Country Club. The meeting will brief club chairmen on USGA handicap topics.
The Pro-President, Golf & Green is set for May 16 at Aronimink Golf Club/St. Davids Golf Club. George "Buddy" Marucci, the 2007 Walker Cup captain, will be the guest speaker.
The 3rd Players Dinner, on Oct. 10 at St. Davids Golf Club, recognizes the top players from each Championship Division – Amateur, Junior and Senior – on their year-long accomplishments.
The Annual Meeting concludes the GAP schedule on Oct. 24 at Bent Creek Country Club/Lancaster Country Club.
Honorary teams-In addition to the Williamson Cup, the Association will once again send representatives to the Compher Cup, the Senior Challenge Matches, the Philadelphia Golf Magazine Challenge Matches and the Mason-Dixon Matches.
The Compher Cup pits the GAP against the New Jersey State Golf Association with 12-man teams from each organization squaring off in an individual and four-ball match. GAP leads the annual series, 29-11-4. Last year team Philadelphia defeated New Jersey, 11-7, at Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course to regain the title. This May’s match is set for the 2nd at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, N.J.
Eight-man teams representing four associations – Delaware, GAP, New Jersey and Maryland – contest the Senior Challenge Matches (stroke play competition). The 2007 contest is schedule for Oct. 3 at White Clay Creek Country Club in Wilmington, Del.
The Philadelphia Golf Magazine Challenge Matches pit 12-man teams from the Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Section of the PGA against each other in an individual and four-ball match. This year the Matches travel to Commonwealth National Golf Club on Oct. 11 where GAP looks for its first victory since 1994. The PGA leads the all-time series, 12-1-3. Last year the sides ended in a 9-9 tie.
The Mason-Dixon Matches, a competition of 12-man teams from the Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Middle Atlantic Golf Association, is scheduled for Oct. 13-14 at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Philadelphia retained the trophy with a 9-9 tie. In the event of a tie, the year’s prior winner, in this case GAP, retains the cup. The GAP leads the all-time series, 32-19-4.
Contact:
Martin Emeno
610-687-2340, ext. 27
