Golf season is rapidly approaching. With that in mind, the time has come to unveil the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 2017 tournament schedule — the 121st in the organization’s history.
Many hours went into cultivating the highly-anticipated playing slate, which includes more than 70 events for golfers of all age groups (Junior, Amateur and Senior) and ability levels (Championship and Handicap). The tournament season officially tees off in late April with a Middle-Amateur Championship Qualifier at Golden Oaks Golf Club and concludes in October with the Player’s Dinner at historic Huntingdon Valley Country Club.
BMW GAP Team Matches (April 23, 30, May 7)
Playoff & Challenges (May 13)
The oldest interclub competition in the nation, presented by BMW of North America and the Delaware Valley BMW Centers, will field a total of 336 teams and 5,500 total players from 139 Member Clubs. Little Mill Country Club, coming off one of the most successful competing years in club history, looks to defend its AA title after winning its third last season.
The first Major of the GAP calendar year, in its 34th year of existence, is open to golfers 25 years of age and older. Overbrook will serve as host for the second time in the club’s storied GAP history. Qualifying events will take place April 22 at Golden Oaks Golf Club, April 27 at Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club and May 1 at Whitford Country Club.
BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
(June 13-15 & 17; Philadelphia Cricket Club)
After one of the more thrilling #BMWPhillyAm Championships in recent memory last year at Merion Golf Club, the 117th playing edition returns to Philadelphia Cricket for the first time since 2004. Both of Cricket’s championship-style courses, Militia Hill and Wissahickon, will be used for qualifying; the latter will host match-play rounds. The event is open to all amateurs with a 7.0 handicap index or less. Qualifying venues include Indian Valley Country Club (May 9), Greenbriar Oceanaire Golf & Country Club (May 20) and French Creek Golf Club (May 22).
Open Championship (July 17-18; Philadelphia Country Club)
Philadelphia Country Club, one of the Association’s founding Member Clubs, will host this year’s Open Championship, now a two-day, 36-hole test open to amateurs and professionals seeking Philadelphia supremacy. Qualifying events will take place June 21 at Blue Bell Country Club and June 27 at Radnor Valley Country Club.
Joseph H. Patterson Cup (Aug. 9-10; Wilmington Country Club (South))
The Patterson Cup, one of the premier stroke-play championships in the region, possesses a two-day, 36-hole format with a Major title as its prized reward. Potential year-end implications and honors will also be on the line. Qualifying venues include Philmont Country Club (July 26) and Bluestone Country Club (July 28), formerly known as Meadowlands Country Club.
Senior & Super-Senior
Growing in popularity each year, the Senior Division presents playing opportunities for players 55 years of age and older. The division’s Majors include the Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) at Spring Ford Country Club (May 4); the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) at Lu Lu Country Club (June 8); the Brewer Cup presented by Callaway Golf at St. Davids Golf Club (July 10-12) and the 47th Senior Amateur Championship at Lehigh Country Club (Sept. 5-6).
Junior
A highlight of the Association’s schedule, year in and year out, is that of Junior competition. Golfers 18 years of age or younger who have yet to begin their college education are eligible to compete among their talented peers. Events include the 103rd Junior Boys’ Championship presented by PURE Insurance (June 19-21 at Spring Ford Country Club); Francis X. Hussey Memorial (July 10 at Rolling Green Golf Club); The Deeg Sezna (Aug. 7 at Blue Bell Country Club); Christman Cup (July 13 at Stonewall (North)) and the 33rd Jock MacKenzie Memorial (July 24 at Sandy Run Country Club). Kids wishing to learn more about golf can participate in the Pre-Junior Event presented by PURE Insurance July 5 at Philadelphia Cricket Club (St. Martins) and July 6 at Merchantville Country Club. The Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship, set for July 31-Aug. 2 at Phoenixville Country Club, is open to players ages 11-13.
Father & Son tournaments
Special memories are forged every season during our popular Father & Son competitions. The Middle event, open to teams with sons 18 to 29 years of age, will take place at Concord Country Club on June 1. The Father & Son (Younger), open to teams with sons 17 years of age and under, heads to Whitford Country Club on June 29. Moselem Springs Golf Club will play host to the Father & Son (Older), open to teams with sons 30 years of age and over, on Sept. 13.
Team events
Nothing like playing competitively with some of your closest friends by your side. Grab a group of four and vie for the Four-Man Team hardware June 22 at Penn Oaks Golf Club. Recruit talents from your club and put your name in the mix for the Philadelphia Team Championship May 30 at Radley Run Country Club. Four clubs will then battle it out for the Team Championship title on June 29 at Galloway National Golf Club. Now in its fourth year, the Senior Club Team Challenge, set for Oct. 14, 21 and 28, features teams of eight engaging in singles match play (gross only) competition.
Handicap championships
New to competitive golf? Looking for a relaxed tournament setting? We’ve got the perfect playing experience for you. The Association offers a number of net championships.Tee It Forward parameters and a stableford scoring format , the Spring (June 7 at Medford Lakes Country Club) and Fall (Aug. 16 at Schuylkill Country Club) Net Championships might be the friendly-competitive golf you’ve been looking for .
USGA events
The Golf Association of Philadelphia will administer qualifiers for nine USGA championships. Included in the 2017 lineup are the local U.S. Open (May 11 at Country Club of York and May 15 at Running Deer Golf Club); U.S. Junior Amateur (June 12 at Makefield Highlands Golf Club); U.S. Girls’ Junior (June 28 at Silver Creek Country Club); U.S. Amateur (July 24 at Stonewall); U.S. Senior Amateur and U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur (July 31 at LedgeRock Golf Club); U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur (Aug. 16 at Concord Country Club); U.S. Mid-Amateur (Aug. 28 at White Manor Country Club) and U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (Oct. 30 at Waynesborough Country Club).
Meetings
The Pro.-Pres., Golf & Green, set for May 17 at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club and Sunnybrook Golf Club, includes golf, cocktails, dinner and a presentation. It is open to professionals, presidents, golf and green chairpersons at GAP Member Clubs. Huntingdon Valley Country Club will serve as host for this year’s Player’s Dinner on Oct. 25. This year-end gathering formally awards top players from each championship division — Amateur, Junior, Senior and Super-Senior — as well as flight winners from each tournament.
Honorary Teams
The Association will be represented in five honorary team events. On April 26, the Compher Cup, a bout against the New Jersey State Golf Association, heads to Baltusrol Golf Club (Upper Course) in Springfield Township, N.J. GAP will send a team of four Juniors to this year’s Williamson Cup, set for Aug. 7-8 at Pittsburgh Field Club. The 36-hole competition matches the Association’s team against 10 other regional and state associations. Top amateurs and professionals collide during the Philadelphia Challenge Matches Oct. 5 at Saucon Valley Country Club (Weyhill). The Senior Challenge Matches showcases eight-man teams from Delaware, GAP, New Jersey and Maryland on Oct. 12 at Baltimore Country Club in Lutherville, Md. The Mason-Dixon Matches, a competition of 12-man teams from the GAP and the Middle Atlantic Golf Association, will take place Oct. 14-15 at Lancaster Country Club.
Golf Association of Philadelphia
Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 153 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
