Willow Point Golf and Country Club
HOOVER, AL (May 24, 2019) – Willow Point Golf and Country Club and the Alabama Golf Association (AGA) have joined together to announce the Inaugural Southeast Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Championship that will be played from August 23-25.
Formerly conducted as the Willow Point Invitational, the event is designed to attract the best Mid-Amateur and Senior Amateur golfers from around the Southeast to spotlight golf in Alabama at one of the state’s premier facilities.
The Southeast Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Championship will consist of 80 two-man sides with 50 teams in the Mid-Amateur Division (age 25+) and 30 teams in the Senior Amateur Division (age 50+).
“We are excited about the Inaugural Southeast Mid-Amateur Four-Ball. This event provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to showcase our facility and Lake Martin to the best players in the southeast. We could not be more honored to partner with the Alabama Golf Association,” Matthew Sheppard, director of golf at Willow Point Golf and Country Club, said.
“The Alabama Golf Association is thrilled to partner with one of the premier golf facilities in our state to host the best amateurs in the region,” noted Andy Priest, executive director for the AGA. “The setting along Lake Martin along with the club’s amenities and hospitality will provide a memorable experience for all participants.”
Championship entry fee is $795 per side which includes practice round cart/range fees, championship cart/range fees, a hosted player reception on Thursday evening, breakfast and lunch from Friday through Sunday and a player gift package.
Championship Facts
Event: Inaugural Southeast Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Championship
Dates: August 23-25, 2019
Host Site: Willow Point Golf and Country Club, Alexander City, AL
Course Architect: Tommy H. Nichol (1964). Re-designed by Hurdzan & Fry (2002)
Format: 54 holes of Four-Ball stroke play. Field will be cut to low 30 scores and ties after 36 holes. Number of sides making the cut is calculated based upon percentage of sides in each division compared with the total field. In the event of a tie for first place in the Mid-Amateur or Senior Division, a hole-by-hole play-off will be held immediately following play. The play-off holes and their order of play will be determined by the Championship Committee. All other ties will be split equally. Initial groupings will be for first two rounds; the field will be cut and re-paired by score after the second round.
Eligibility: Entries are open to sides of male amateur golfers who have an active USGA Handicap Index® issued through a USGA Allied Golf Association. Maximum allowable combined team handicap is 8.8 for the Mid-Amateur Division; 12.8 for Senior Division under the USGA Handicap System™. Two players who play as partners comprise a side. Partners are not required to be from the same club or state. Both members of the side must qualify under the following age requirements:
- Mid-Amateur Division – Both players must have reached his 25th birthday by August 23, 2019.
- Senior Division – Both players must have reached his 50th birthday by August 23, 2019.
Registration Open Date: June 3
Registration Close Date: July 30
Schedule of Rounds
Thursday, August 22
Tee times available for practice round.
Hosted player reception.
Friday, August 23
First round of four-ball stroke play.
Hosted breakfast and lunch for championship contestants.
Saturday, August 24
Second round of four-ball stroke play.
Hosted breakfast and lunch for championship contestants.
Field cut to low 30 sides for final round.
Sunday, August 25
Final round of four-ball stroke play.
Hosted breakfast and lunch for championship contestants.
Championship Website: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/1932066
Willow Point Website: https://www.willowpoint.com
This championship is co-conducted by the Alabama Golf Association (AGA) and Willow Point Golf & Country Club.
About Willow Point Golf and Country Club
In 1964, the last of the Russell Farms cattle farms, locally known as "the Wedges Farms," (having once been a farm where workers were hired for "wages") was chosen as the location of the Willow Point Golf and Country Club.
This beautiful championship 18-hole golf course meanders about on a peninsula totally surrounded by Lake Martin. Designed by Thomas Nichol, the par 72 course was constructed as a private club to replace the original course, which was given by the Russell family to the State of Alabama for the site of the Alexander City Junior College (now Central Alabama Community College).
In October 2003, Willow Point re-opened exactly one year after the course closed for renovation. Originally conceived to update the irrigation system, greens, bunkers and tees, the decision was made to totally renovate the entire course, including the practice facility, entry road and clubhouse. The world-renown architectural firm of Hurdzan/Fry was selected based on their reputation for designing some of the most beautiful, challenging and environmentally sound golf courses in the world.
Today, the course measures 7,465 yards from the championship tees, and includes six sets of tees to accommodate all levels of play. Twelve holes are located along the shores of Lake Martin – and all 18 holes have a view of the lake. The Bermuda fairways are accented by native grasses, and tall fescue, as well as stone and rock work bordering the lake.
About the Alabama Golf Association (AGA)
The Alabama Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1915 whose mission is to serve and promote amateur golf in Alabama. AGA membership consists of over 130 member clubs represented by nearly 18,500 individuals. The activities and services of the Alabama Golf Association are governed by a Board of Directors consisting of Alabama golfers who wish to serve the game and the association through service.
AGA is the USGA's liaison for golf in Alabama conducting national championship qualifying, administering the USGA Handicap system including the GHIN Handicap service, course & slope rating and education. The AGA annually conducts 12 championships and team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. The AGA also conducts Alabama high school golf championships and assists with many collegiate events including the SEC Men's Golf Championship. In addition to competitions, the AGA administers the AGA Women's Scholarship Fund that is dedicated to assisting young female golfers in higher education and supports the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation.
Since 1980, the AGA has managed the affairs of the Southern Golf Association which includes conducting the Southern Amateur Championship and Southern Junior Championship, in conjunction with the Board of Directors of the Southern Golf Association.
For more information about the Alabama Golf Association, visit www.alabamagolf.org.
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