Launch the calendar app on your smartphone. The 2019 GAP schedule — No. 122 in the organization’s history — demands immediate appointment setting.
More than 70 events for players of all ages (Junior, Amateur, Senior and Super Senior) and skill levels (Championship and Handicap) comprise the calendar. GAP’s tournament season officially begins with a Middle-Amateur Championship Qualifier at Olde Homestead Golf Club and concludes with the celebrated Player’s Dinner at Radley Run Country Club in October.
The 2019 schedule includes a pair of new women events in the Women’s Spring Scramble (May 6 at Saucon Valley Country Club (Old)) and the Mixed Foursomes Championship (Sept. 18 at Concord Country Club). Also new in 2019, GAP members can participate in all Anthracite Golf Association (AGA) tournaments, including the Men’s and Senior Coal Scuttle championships.
The oldest interclub competition of its kind in the nation, the BMW GAP Team Matches will feature 347 teams from 157 Member Clubs. Philadelphia Cricket Club 1 seeks its fifth title in the last seven years. BMW returns as the event’s presenting sponsor for the fifth consecutive year.
Minor league baseball players strive to advance to the major leagues. Philadelphia’s top golfers strive for a chance to win a GAP Major. Here is the 2019 breakdown:
Saturday qualifiers continue for the Middle-Amateur (April 13 at Olde Homestead) and BMW Philadelphia Amateur (May 18 at Brookside Country Club of Allentown), respectively. Three qualifying events will be held for both the Open Championship and Joseph H. Patterson Cup.
Individuals 55 years of age or older may cure golf senioritis through the schedule’s Senior portion. Divisional Majors include the Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) (May 2 at Burlington Country Club); the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) (June 5 at Moselem Springs Golf Club); the Brewer Cup (July 8-10 at Fieldstone Golf Club) and 49th Senior Amateur Championship (Sept. 3-4 at Little Mill Country Club).
School’s out, golf’s in for the summer. The GAP Junior Series presented by Citadel caters to golfers 18 years of age or younger who haven’t started their college education. It includes the 105th Junior Boys’ Championship at Coatesville Country Club (June 17-19); Francis X. Hussey Memorial at Rolling Green Golf Club (July 8); Christman Cup at The 1912 Club (July 11); Jock MacKenzie Memorial at Sandy Run Country Club (July 15) and The Deeg Sezna at Cedarbrook Country Club (Aug. 5). The Pre-Junior, an instructional event for children ages 11 and under, will take place at Merchantville Country Club July 1 and Philadelphia Cricket Club (St. Martins) July 3. Open to players 11-13 years of age, the 71st Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship is set for July 29-31 at Flourtown Country Club. Citadel, a credit union that has provided banking, investments and insurance services to the Greater Philadelphia community for more than 80 years, became presenting partner of the GAP Junior Series in 2019.
A tradition since 1911, GAP Father & Son events truly stand out. Hershey’s Mill Golf Club hosts the Younger event, now open to teams with sons 19 years of age or under, on June 27. The Middle event, open to teams with sons 19 to 29 years of age, will take place May 30 at Honeybrook Golf Club. Rounding out the triumvirate is the Older event, set for Sept. 17 at Running Deer Golf Club. It is open to teams with sons 30 years of age and older. The Adult/Child League promotes golf among family. Those events will be announced later this year.
GAP says golf is a team sport, too. Highlights of the schedule’s team portion include the Four-Man Team (June 25 at Whitford Country Club) and Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship (Aug. 22 at White Manor Country Club). The Team Championship, set for June 26 at Bent Creek Country Club, celebrates its centennial in 2019. Four teams will advance from the Team Championship Qualifier June 4 at Bellewood Country Club.
Not a scratch golfer? Not a problem. GAP net championships can fulfill your competitive bill. The Spring (June 6 at Heidelberg Country Club) and Fall (Sept. 9 at Radley Run Country Club) Net Championships feature Tee It Forward parameters and a stableford scoring format. Both offer an exciting tournament atmosphere and ease any nerves.
GAP will administer qualifying events for 11 USGA Championships. Included are the U.S. Senior Women’s Open (April 23 at Union League National Golf Club); U.S. Open (May 2 at Country Club of York, May 6 at Makefield Highlands Golf Club, May 9 at Medford Village Country Club and May 13 at Country Club of Scranton); U.S. Junior Amateur (June 17 at Carlisle Country Club and June 20 at Berkshire Country Club); U.S. Girls’ Junior (July 2 at Steel Club); U.S. Amateur (July 8 at West Shore Country Club, July 15 at Cedarbrook Country Club and July 22 at Bidermann Golf Club); U.S. Senior Amateur (July 29 at Lu Lu Country Club); U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur (July 29 at Lu Lu Country Club); U.S. Mid-Amateur (Aug. 12 at Carlisle and Aug. 19 at Indian Valley Country Club); U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur (Aug. 13 at Whitford Country Club); U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (Sept. 10 at Old York Road Country Club and Oct. 7 at Chambersburg Country Club) and U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball (Sept. 26 at Lehigh Country Club).
The Pro.-President, Golf & Green is open to professionals, presidents, golf and green chairpersons of GAP Member Clubs. Set for May 15 at Huntingdon Valley Country Club and Philmont Country Club (North), it includes lunch, golf, cocktails, dinner and a presentation. The 15th Player’s Dinner will take place Oct. 23 at Radley Run Country Club. This year-end gathering formally awards top players of each championship division as well as flight winners within each tournament.
GAP be represented in five honorary team events. The 58th Compher Cup, a bout against the New Jersey State Golf Association, comes to The Ridge at Back Brook April 16. GAP will send a team of four Juniors to the Williamson Cup, set for Aug. 11-12 at Irondequoit Country Club in Rochester, N.Y. The 36-hole competition pits GAP against 10 other regional and state associations. Top amateurs and professionals collide during the 29th Philadelphia Challenge Matches Oct. 16 at Saucon Valley Country Club (Weyhill). The 31st Senior Challenge Matches showcases eight-man teams from Delaware, GAP, New Jersey and Maryland on Oct. 3 at The Peninsula Golf & Country Club in Millsboro, Del. The 68th Mason-Dixon Matches, a competition of 12-man teams representing GAP and the Middle Atlantic Golf Association, will take place Oct. 12-13 at Metedeconk National Golf Club. The Mason-Dixon Matches is now a biennial event.
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 273 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
