Far Hills, N.J. (Oct. 8) – The United States Golf Association announced today that Shadow Hawk Golf Club in Richmond, Texas, and Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill., have been selected to host the 2011 and 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships, respectively.
In addition, The Houstonian Golf & Country Club in Richmond will be used for the stroke-play portion of the Mid-Amateur Championship in 2011, while Knollwood Club in Lake Forest will be used for the stroke-play portion of the 2012 Mid-Am Championship.
Designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1999, Shadow Hawk will host the U.S. Mid-Amateur on Sept. 17-22, 2011. The club also hosted the 2005 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The course’s picturesque landscape features an abundance of large pecan trees, rolling fairways, a number of elevated greens and a 70-acre lake.
Shadow Hawk has hosted numerous qualifiers for other USGA championships, including sectional qualifying for the 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008 U.S. Open, local qualifying for the 2007 U.S. Open and qualifying for the 2001 Mid-Amateur.
“We are most grateful to the USGA for entrusting our golf club with the distinct honor of hosting another national championship,” said Paul Marchand, general manager and head golf professional at Shadow Hawk. “The spirit of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur lives on with our many members and volunteers, where lasting friendships were made and great shots are still celebrated. We eagerly look forward to experiencing that excitement once again in 2011.”
Conway Farms will also be hosting its second USGA championship, the U.S. Mid-Amateur on September 8-13, 2012. Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1991, Conway Farms hosted the 1998 U.S. Junior Amateur. With its gently rolling terrain and beautiful vistas, Conway Farms’ links-style layout was inspired by the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
Noteworthy golf events previously hosted by Conway Farms include the 1995 Women’s Western Junior, the 1997 NCAA Division I Men’s Championship and the 2006 Big Ten Championships.
“We are a pure golf club which is committed to amateur golf,” said De Mudd, president of Conway Farms Golf Club. “Conway Farms has a vision of giving back to the game, and it is an honor to hold a USGA championship. We are very enthusiastic about the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur.”
Knollwood Club was the site of the 1982 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
Future U.S. Mid-Amateur sites prior to 2011 include Kiawah Island Club in Kiawah Island, S.C., in 2009, and Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, N.Y., in 2010.
First played in 1981, the U.S. Mid-Amateur is open to male golfers who are at least 25 years of age and have a USGA Handicap Index that does not exceed 3.4.
About the USGA
The USGA is the national governing body of golf in this country and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the world’s golfers and golf courses.
The Association’s most visible role is played out each season in conducting 13 national championships, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open. Ten additional USGA national championships are exclusively for amateurs, and include the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance consultations, funds research for better turf and a better environment, maintains a Handicap System and administers an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program, which has allocated more than $62 million over 11 years to successful programs that bring the game’s values to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
Contact:
Dave Fanucchi (dfanucchi@usga.org)
Web Address: www.usga.org
USGA Phone: (908) 234-2300
