Hosting "2nd Tier" USGA Championships

[PCCraig]

We talk a lot about the selection of host courses for top level USGA events, in particular the US Men's Open and Walker Cup, and to a lesser extent the Women's Open, Senior Open, and Amateur championships. What you don't hear very much about are the "2nd Tier" national championships:

Men's and Women's Public Links
Men's and Women's Senior Amateur
Men's and Women's Mid-Amateur
Boy's and Girl's Junior

What goes into the selection of the host courses for the events listed above? How does the host club go about getting the USGA interested in hosting a championship there? How selective is the USGA? How invasive are these events to the club, considering there are generally no ropes, little tv, infrastructure, etc.?

This past weekend Bandon Dunes hosted the Men's and Women's Am Pub Links, but it's rare for a course(s) of such high profile to host such a tournament. Do most clubs host smaller events with the hopes of one day getting a more prestigious event? Or are there any clubs that pride themselves in hosting any national championship?

How many of you have been at a club when one of these events have been held? Any first hand experience?

[John Kavanaugh]

Pat,

Bandon is hardly better or higher profile than 90% of the courses that hold second tier USGA events.  Check the calendar below for any year and see for yourself.  I've been a member at a couple of clubs that hold these events and they take years of work, hundreds of thousands of donated dollars and substantial disruption to member play.  The members who participate are the forgotten heros of golf.

http://www.usga.org/ChampsSchedule.aspx?taxid=17179869201&Year=2011

[Steve Kline]

This past weekend Bandon Dunes hosted the Men's and Women's Am Pub Links, but it's rare for a course(s) of such high profile to host such a tournament.

I don't think it's rare. In 2007 the Mid-Am was at Bandon Dunes. In 2008 it was at Milwaukee CC. In 2010 the Girl's Junior was at the Country Club of North Carolina and the Mid-Am was at Atlantic Golf Club. In 2011 the Girl's Junior is at Olympia Fields South, the Senior Am is at Kinloch, and the Women's Senior Am is at The Honors Course. In 2012 the Girl's Junior is at Lake Merced and the Senior Am is at Mountain Ridge.

I only listed the ones for the "lesser" events that I think are high profile but perhaps others would include other venues. The Girl's Junior has had quite a run of courses. But, maybe our definitions of high profile are different.

[PCCraig]

Sorry, I was clearly off regarding my statement about Bandon being a rare high profile club hosting a smaller USGA event.

Can anyone comment as to the selection process for these events? How competitive is the process?

[Terry Lavin]

I've been involved in two USGA events, the US Open at Olympia Fields and the US Senior Amateur at Beverly.  The Open was semi-brutal on many levels, but pretty rewarding on many levels.  The Senior Am was a pure joy.  The players don't act like the game owes them a living.  The USGA staffers are awesome, and they genuinely appreciate the volunteer effort that the club puts forward.  There wasn't a single negative with that experience.

In terms of getting the USGA's attention, I'll give you a brief outline of my involvement with the Senior Am.  I wrote a lengthy pitch to the USGA, outlining our club history, our history of hosting events and a detailed description of the course and club facilities.  I included historic and current photos.  They were immediately interested.  It didn't hurt that Bill Shean had the USGA's ear, but I really believe that clubs could do themselves a big favor if they spent some time and made an attractive appeal to get the right to host an event.  Whether it's a senior, a mid-am, a junior am doesn't really matter, it is an unbelievably rewarding experience to help host a national championship at your club.  It genuinely feels good to give back to the game.

Last point.  Recently, we hosted the Western Junior at Beverly for a week.  It was a blast.  These kids can really play and they are, by and large, a great group of young men.  We had a Member/Amateur event before the first practice round and I actually played with the kid who wound up winning.  His name is Connor Black, out of Katy, Texas.  His dad is a tax lawyer.  I cannot say enough about what a great young man this kid is.  Bright, respectful, appreciative.  After lunch, he shook my hand and thanked me and thanked the club for giving back to amateur golf.

Today I received a handwritten note of thanks from him.  Very touching, in fact, especially when he said, "I hope you know that every player in the field is extremely grateful for people like you."  That, ladies and gentlemen of the jury is what it's all about in the game of amateur golf.

[John Kavanaugh]

I've been involved in two USGA events, the US Open at Olympia Fields and the US Senior Amateur at Beverly.  The Open was semi-brutal on many levels, but pretty rewarding on many levels.  The Senior Am was a pure joy.  The players don't act like the game owes them a living.  The USGA staffers are awesome, and they genuinely appreciate the volunteer effort that the club puts forward.  There wasn't a single negative with that experience.

In terms of getting the USGA's attention, I'll give you a brief outline of my involvement with the Senior Am.  I wrote a lengthy pitch to the USGA, outlining our club history, our history of hosting events and a detailed description of the course and club facilities.  I included historic and current photos.  They were immediately interested.  It didn't hurt that Bill Shean had the USGA's ear, but I really believe that clubs could do themselves a big favor if they spent some time and made an attractive appeal to get the right to host an event.  Whether it's a senior, a mid-am, a junior am doesn't really matter, it is an unbelievably rewarding experience to help host a national championship at your club.  It genuinely feels good to give back to the game.

Last point.  Recently, we hosted the Western Junior at Beverly for a week.  It was a blast.  These kids can really play and they are, by and large, a great group of young men.  We had a Member/Amateur event before the first practice round and I actually played with the kid who wound up winning.  His name is Connor Black, out of Katy, Texas.  His dad is a tax lawyer.  I cannot say enough about what a great young man this kid is.  Bright, respectful, appreciative.  After lunch, he shook my hand and thanked me and thanked the club for giving back to amateur golf.

Today I received a handwritten note of thanks from him.  Very touching, in fact, especially when he said, "I hope you know that every player in the field is extremely grateful for people like you."  That, ladies and gentlemen of the jury is what it's all about in the game of amateur golf.

In these days of easy access I often wonder why I pay dues.  Then I read a post like above and am reminded of the many great people like Terry who have become my friends along the way.  I only wish more people on this site would take a chance and join up somewhere without regard for per round costs knowing their life may become richer in other ways.

[JMEvensky]

I've been involved in two USGA events, the US Open at Olympia Fields and the US Senior Amateur at Beverly.  The Open was semi-brutal on many levels, but pretty rewarding on many levels.  The Senior Am was a pure joy.  The players don't act like the game owes them a living.  The USGA staffers are awesome, and they genuinely appreciate the volunteer effort that the club puts forward.  There wasn't a single negative with that experience.

In terms of getting the USGA's attention, I'll give you a brief outline of my involvement with the Senior Am.  I wrote a lengthy pitch to the USGA, outlining our club history, our history of hosting events and a detailed description of the course and club facilities.  I included historic and current photos.  They were immediately interested.  It didn't hurt that Bill Shean had the USGA's ear, but I really believe that clubs could do themselves a big favor if they spent some time and made an attractive appeal to get the right to host an event.  Whether it's a senior, a mid-am, a junior am doesn't really matter, it is an unbelievably rewarding experience to help host a national championship at your club.  It genuinely feels good to give back to the game.

Last point.  Recently, we hosted the Western Junior at Beverly for a week.  It was a blast.  These kids can really play and they are, by and large, a great group of young men.  We had a Member/Amateur event before the first practice round and I actually played with the kid who wound up winning.  His name is Connor Black, out of Katy, Texas.  His dad is a tax lawyer.  I cannot say enough about what a great young man this kid is.  Bright, respectful, appreciative.  After lunch, he shook my hand and thanked me and thanked the club for giving back to amateur golf.

Today I received a handwritten note of thanks from him.  Very touching, in fact, especially when he said, "I hope you know that every player in the field is extremely grateful for people like you."  That, ladies and gentlemen of the jury is what it's all about in the game of amateur golf.

Agree with JK about how good a post this is.

Regarding the Western Junior,a friend's son was the runner up.He told me it was first rate--absolutely perfect from the golf course to the way the players were taken care of and everything in between.But,he especially liked the atmosphere--and that's a credit to the members at Beverly who volunteer their time.

[Shane Wright]

I've been involved in two USGA events, the US Open at Olympia Fields and the US Senior Amateur at Beverly.  The Open was semi-brutal on many levels, but pretty rewarding on many levels.  The Senior Am was a pure joy.  The players don't act like the game owes them a living.  The USGA staffers are awesome, and they genuinely appreciate the volunteer effort that the club puts forward.  There wasn't a single negative with that experience.

In terms of getting the USGA's attention, I'll give you a brief outline of my involvement with the Senior Am.  I wrote a lengthy pitch to the USGA, outlining our club history, our history of hosting events and a detailed description of the course and club facilities.  I included historic and current photos.  They were immediately interested.  It didn't hurt that Bill Shean had the USGA's ear, but I really believe that clubs could do themselves a big favor if they spent some time and made an attractive appeal to get the right to host an event.  Whether it's a senior, a mid-am, a junior am doesn't really matter, it is an unbelievably rewarding experience to help host a national championship at your club.  It genuinely feels good to give back to the game.

Last point.  Recently, we hosted the Western Junior at Beverly for a week.  It was a blast.  These kids can really play and they are, by and large, a great group of young men.  We had a Member/Amateur event before the first practice round and I actually played with the kid who wound up winning.  His name is Connor Black, out of Katy, Texas.  His dad is a tax lawyer.  I cannot say enough about what a great young man this kid is.  Bright, respectful, appreciative.  After lunch, he shook my hand and thanked me and thanked the club for giving back to amateur golf.

Today I received a handwritten note of thanks from him.  Very touching, in fact, especially when he said, "I hope you know that every player in the field is extremely grateful for people like you."  That, ladies and gentlemen of the jury is what it's all about in the game of amateur golf.

GREAT, story Terry.  This is at the heart of why the amateur events are so special.  The USGA does a tremendous job with the AM events and it is an honor for anyone who is able to play, caddy, or participate in them.

[Terry Lavin]

Thanks for the back-patting, but I was only peripherally involved in the Western Am.  The folks at the WGA are absolutely amazing in hosting these events.  The experience I had, however, is very consistent with all of my activities in amateur golf.  The letters we got from the Senior Am players (as many as 30 letters) were simply amazing.  In a country club dork kind of way, they were very life affirming.  In my final remarks at the Senior Am, I talked about how the winner (Vinny Giles) and the runner up (John Grace) were Walker Cup teammates and great friends and I was able to remind the crowd that the last time Beverly hosted a USGA national championship, two great friends and two great amateur golfers were at Beverly, Francis Ouimet (who won that '31 Amateur at Beverly) and Bobby Jones (who was the defending champion).  I may sound like an amateur golf nerd, but that was a pretty great scene on the 18th green at the Bev.

[JMEvensky]

 I may sound like an amateur golf nerd, but that was a pretty great scene on the 18th green at the Bev.

 It's the amateur golf nerds that keep the game worth playing.They're the last line of defense.

[PCCraig]

Terry:

A fantastic story from the recent Western Junior. I heard some similar good experiences when I was at Blue Mound last summer after they hosted the event a year ago.

It's great that Beverly is getting back into hosting Amateur events, first with the Senior Am, and now the Western Junior. Can you give us any insight as to why Beverly and its membership decided to start hosting these events again, after such a long hiatus from hosting national amateur championships? How much of decision had to do with Ron Prichard's work there in the mid 2000's?

[Phil McDade]

Pat:

From what I could distill about the US Mid-Am held at Milwaukee Country Club a few years ago, MCC has a membership with some very close and longstanding ties to the USGA. But MCC has always kept a pretty low-profile, and has a very dedicated membership, and the sense I got is that club likes to host USGA events like the Mid-Am, but only so often -- maybe every 10 years or so. They seem to be a club that knows it has a treasure of a course, and feels under some obligation or duty to host the occasional big tourney, but they are by no means aggressive about it. The several days I was there, the members of MCC could not have been more appreciative of hosting the championship, nor kinder to guests like me who simply wanted to watch a significant tourney at a wonderful course.

(At the end of the championship, when folks were waiting around for the trophy presentation near that wonderful old clubhouse at MCC, club waiters and waitresses came out -- white gloves and all -- and served champagne and finger sandwiches to the small crowd. The whole thing just exuded grace and class and taste.)

Erin Hills, on the other hand, was quite aggressive in going after USGA championships, as has been described in these pages often.

[John Kavanaugh]

What does low profile mean?

[jeffwarne]

What does low profile mean?

White gloves i think......

[Tim Martin]

Pat:

From what I could distill about the US Mid-Am held at Milwaukee Country Club a few years ago, MCC has a membership with some very close and longstanding ties to the USGA. But MCC has always kept a pretty low-profile, and has a very dedicated membership, and the sense I got is that club likes to host USGA events like the Mid-Am, but only so often -- maybe every 10 years or so. They seem to be a club that knows it has a treasure of a course, and feels under some obligation or duty to host the occasional big tourney, but they are by no means aggressive about it. The several days I was there, the members of MCC could not have been more appreciative of hosting the championship, nor more kinder to guests like me who simply wanted to watch a significant tourney at a wonderful course.

(At the end of the championship, when folks were waiting around for the trophy presentation near that wonderful old clubhouse at MCC, club waiters and waitresses came out -- white gloves and all -- and served champagne and finger sandwiches to the small crowd. The whole thing just exuded grace and class and taste.)

Erin Hills, on the other hand, was quite aggressive in going after USGA championships, as has been described in these pages often.

I have a friend who played in the Mid-Am at MCC.Although he did not advance to the match play he came back absolutely enamored with the quality of the course as well as everything else about the tournament including the membership and volunteers.

[Phil McDade]

What does low profile mean?

John:

In the case of MCC, the club does not go out of its way to promote itself, does not aggressively pursue tournaments of any sort (oh, it'll host local qualifying for some USGA events, but those are low-key, one-day events), and does not -- from what I can tell -- seek to trumpet its standing as one of the absolute best courses in the Midwest.

Here's one example -- Milwaukee just lost its regular stop on the PGA Tour. It had been held on the muni Brown Deer golf course, and before that a run-of-the-mill private club in the area. The lack of a top-flight course wasn't the only reason the PGA dropped Milwaukee, but it was probably a factor. The obvious course for hosting it -- from a strictly golf perspective -- would've been MCC (it's ranked higher in most publications than Aronimink, and players at the MCC Mid-Am a few years ago who had played both said MCC was a better course). But the idea of MCC hosting a regular stop on the PGA Tour is kind of laughable -- I just don't think that's in the DNA of the club membership.

It stands in sharp contrast to the Kohler courses, and the aggressive nature of Erin Hills pursusing USGA majors, here in Wisconsin.

Or, this -- ask your typical non-club-member, daily fee golfer in Wisconsin: What's the best course in the state? You'll get the usual replies -- Blackwolf Run River Course, Whistling Straits, maybe a few Erin Hills fans, Lawsonia for the GCA-geek crowd. A guy I used to work for, and an accomplished golfer (one-time City of Madison champion -- a pretty competitive tournament), who had played every single good-to-great course in the state, told me: Milwaukee CC, by a fair margin.

That's low-profile.

[Peter_Herreid]

Both JohnVB and John K are much better versed in the specifics at those times than I would have been, but there was quite a stretch there in the mid-late 90's through 2003 of USGA events at Pumpkin Ridge.  From an infrastructure standpoint, it always seemed that it was a mere formality that USGA events would continue to be held there, given the elasticity of the club, two courses, etc....  I remember realizing that, at one point, the club had never gone more than 3 years or so without hosting some sort of significant USGA event...then the 2007 Senior Open whisked away and that was that...

Much of the membership that I interacted with on a semi-regular basis came to feel that Pumpkin Ridge "deserved" (whatever that truly meant at the time) a chance at the Men's US Open, and it was hard for some of those same folks to come to grips with the idea that the course(s) themselves and some of the composite, mix-and-matching that might have been required to come up with a course to challenge the men in the late 00's and beyond just didn't fit...

There was also some sense amongst the less "in the know" membership that Pumpkin Ridge got leveraged, in one sense or another, by other parties to secure different arrangements with the USGA or other championships, etc.

Again, I stress that other more regular posters here are likely in a much better position to know the specifics and the sense of the "in circle" club members and management.

I know that our family thoroughly enjoyed the Women's Opens, the Junior Ams , the Womens' Am and some of the qualifying events held at Pumpkin Ridge, and eventhough they might take up one course or the other, there was always the other course to play and it didn't take either one out for massive amounts of time.  Too bad that the club won't get that exposure again, at least not for a while...There was a real sense of pride that the competitors in those events seem to really enjoy the opportunity to be at Pumpkin Ridge and in the Portland market..

[Terry Lavin]

Terry:

It's great that Beverly is getting back into hosting Amateur events, first with the Senior Am, and now the Western Junior. Can you give us any insight as to why Beverly and its membership decided to start hosting these events again, after such a long hiatus from hosting national amateur championships?

It was just an evolution at the Board level, starting with a past president who became president of the Chicago District Golf Association, which led us to hosting the Chicago Amateur, then the State and then the Senior Am flowed out of that. The last couple Boards have been incredibly supportive of amateur golf.   It will probably whipsaw in the other direction in a couple years, because we still have the Girls Western Junior and the Western Amateur coming up in the next couple years.  Doing one event every year leads to member fatigue because of the unavailability of the golf course for a week during the summer.  But I can think of no reason that a club like ours doesn't host significant amateur championships every four years or so.  You gotta give back to the game.

[Ronald Montesano]

There are no "second tier" USGA events. Each identifies a particular type of champion, the best of its division. Certain events receive more media attention than others.

I used to think that Crag Burn should host a Walker Cup. Now that I've seen the list of clubs that win that event, I think that CB would be lucky to get a national Junior. In fact, I wonder how Brookfield (Clarence, NY) actually held a national junior, won by Charlie Rymer way back in 1984.

And, to echo what most are thinking, I'd rather attend a non-Open 8 days out of 7. The team events are the best...Curtis and Walker Cup are 2-3 days of absolute amateur joy.  Cannot WAIT for 2013 at NGLA!!!!

[Tim Martin]

There are no "second tier" USGA events. Each identifies a particular type of champion, the best of its division. Certain events receive more media attention than others.

I used to think that Crag Burn should host a Walker Cup. Now that I've seen the list of clubs that win that event, I think that CB would be lucky to get a national Junior. In fact, I wonder how Brookfield (Clarence, NY) actually held a national junior, won by Charlie Rymer way back in 1984.

And, to echo what most are thinking, I'd rather attend a non-Open 8 days out of 7. The team events are the best...Curtis and Walker Cup are 2-3 days of absolute amateur joy.  Cannot WAIT for 2013 at NGLA!!!!

The lack of ropes and security make events like the Junior and Curtis Cup an absolute blast to attend. I can`t remember a better day than at last years Curtis Cup at Essex County as I was able to get out in front of the matches to really see and feel the golf course. The grounds crew encouraged me to walk right down the middle of the fairways and up on the greens. After walking the 18 holes I got out to watch the matches and enjoyed it that much more. Add the patriotic angle and the atmosphere was fabulous. Without thinking I wore a New York Giants hat which went over like a lead balloon on the north shore of Boston.

[Ronald Montesano]

Shivas, it truly doesn't. I coach high school boys and girls teams, so my perspective might be different from yours. Have you been to a junior event and watched the play? If not, you're missing out.

[CJ Carder]

My club has hosted both the 2004 Women's Pub Linx and the 2007 NCAA Div 1 Championship (1 on each of our courses).  I can't speak too much to the actual planning or anything that went on.  However, I can say as a member, it really didn't detract at all from our experience.  In both cases, the courses were open right up until the event started.  The NCAAs were probably the hardest only because you couldn't find your ball in the rough for 3 weeks leading up to the tournament.  Also, in the case of the NCAAs, the club completely revamped the grass schedule - typically a bermuda based course, it used to overseed with rye in the winter.  However at the NCAAs request, the club shifted the schedule so that the course was significantly more lush (and firm too) when the tournament came around in late May.  This has helped the couse immensely in the years following as the course stays a bit greener longer and doesn't burn out as quickly in the late summer.  The money the club received from both parties has also helped keep the conditioning consistent and this was a real question leading up to the NCAAs.  Given that it's a semi-private course, related to Colonial Williamsburg and the foundation, and not exactly a profit center, I have no doubt that the NCAAs were what helped get us through the strained economy and subsequent dropoff in tourism in 2008-2009.

I also thought it was pretty cool that the Women's Pub Linx was won by a very young Yani Tseng, 1 up over Michelle Wie.

[Mike_Young]

No one has mentioned the politics that go into hosting such an event.  If a club wishes to become a finalist for any of these events they better have some connections at USGA.  Our club has just finished a "rework" of an original DR course.  One of the reasons of the board was to try and host a large tournament.  Understand now, these guys really have no connections or clue.  They actually contacted the Hooters Tour and reported on what would be needed to land such an event.  Now that's a start.
But amateur golf nerd Terry Lavin is coming down this Fall and will explain the deal to them.  right nerd???

[Tim Martin]

There are no "second tier" USGA events. ... Certain events receive more media attention than others.

Oh, c'mon, Ron...you can't really mean that, can you?  The only difference between the Girl's Junior and the US Open is media attention?  Quality of play doesn't factor in at all?  The fact that the Girl's Junior Champion would miss the number in virtually every men's local qualifying (let alone sectionals or the Open itself) by 10+ doesn't mean anything to you?  

Shivas-I watched Lisa McCloskey get it around Hartford Golf Club a couple of years ago in 63 to be the medalist in the Girls Junior. Although it wasn`t the Open it was still a thing of beauty and about as much fun as I`ve had watching golf.

[Bruce Wellmon]

I have tried to suggest CC of Spartanburg should try to host a USGA national event for several years since the Kris Spence work.
Biltmore Forest hosted the women's am 5(?) years ago.
Charlotte CC hosted the same event last summer I believe. And the men's senior am years before that.
CCS could not host a men's event other than a senior event or senior am. (Length).
CCNC hosted the girl's junior last summer.
CCS has hosted the SC Senior am this year and the SC Am next year. We are similar to Biltmore in length. Maybe some day.................