USGA to end Publinx; new Four-Ball Championship

[Carl Johnson]

That's what's needed.  No reinstated pros, no college boys who are getting a free ride at school, and no guys with trust funds or indulgent parents who are "amateur" but play at posh clubs and don't have to worry about where they will spend the night if they lose their "job."  Golf the way it used to be for the talented but poor and well.... amateur.

Is this a serious post?  Amateur golf was the domain of the rich, professional golf was for those who needed the money.  Your entire premise is historically false, unless I'm missing a giant dose of sarcasm. 

I don't understand the desire to banish college players.  They're amateurs and they're really, really good.  The US Am should be won by the world's best Am.  Simple.  That said, I hope the newly opened Augusta spot goes to the winner of the Mid Am.

I agree with Rihc.  I don't believe college players on golf scholarships should be called amateurs.  They are given a valuable commodity in return  for their golf skills - sounds like a pro to me. 

Agreed.

I also don't think college players (or any so-called amateur) taking free equipment from companies should be called amateurs - thats what pros do. 

Agreed.
I also don't think there should be such a thing a a re-instated pro.

Agreed.
In general, the rules outlining amateur status need to be far tougher.

Agreed. 
Ciao 

[Howard Riefs]

2015
Men:  Olympic Club
Women:  Bandon Dunes

2016
Men: Winged Foot
Women: Streamsong 

and now..

2017
Men: Pinehurst No. 2 and No. 4
Women: TBD

http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2014/06/11/Pinehurst-to-host-2017-Four-Ball-championship/3281402502787/

http://www.thepilot.com/news/pinehurst-to-host-u-s-amateur-four-ball-championship/article_da123be8-f17c-11e3-82ea-001a4bcf6878.html

[Philip Caccamise]

I would note that there has been very light response so far at a lot of the qualifying venues. A buddy of mine (who lives in SF) and I are going to take a shot at qualifying, and one of the venues that we are considering has so far had ZERO teams sign up (Pittsburgh). Another has just one (Indianapolis). A third (Kansas City Country Club!) has just 6.

[Matt Frey, PGA]

Jupiter Hills Awarded 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball by USGA

<sub>FAR HILLS, N.J. – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced Jupiter Hills Club, in Tequesta, Fla., as the host site for the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. This will be the second USGA championship held at Jupiter Hills Club. The dates of the championship are May 19-23.

“The USGA is pleased to return to Jupiter Hills Club with the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship,” said Diana Murphy, USGA vice president and Championship Committee chairman. “The USGA is committed to supporting and advancing amateur competition, and we know the club will provide a comprehensive test for the players. The more than 2,000 entries we received for the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball have proven this will be a widely popular championship.”

The inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball will be contested May 2-6, 2015, at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif.

Jupiter Hills Club’s Hills Course will be used for both stroke-play qualifying and the match-play portion of the 2018 championship. The course was designed by George Fazio and opened for play in 1970. Fazio, who had three top-five finishes in the U.S. Open, including a playoff loss to Ben Hogan in 1950 at Merion Golf Club, partnered with William Clay Ford Sr., comedian and actor Bob Hope and William Elliott to purchase the land where the course was built in the late 1960s. Tom Fazio, George’s nephew, renovated the Hills Course in 2006.

The Hills Course hosted the 1987 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by Billy Mayfair, 4 and 3, over Eric Rebmann. Mayfair became the first player to win the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links titles, having won the 1986 APL. Rebmann defeated Steve Stricker and five-time USGA champion Jay Sigel en route to the championship final.

Jupiter Hills Club served as a host site for U.S. Open sectional qualifying in 2007 and 2008. The club also hosted the Florida State Amateur in 2008 and 2013.

“Jupiter Hills once again welcomes the world of amateur golf to our club as we prepare to host the fourth U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in 2018,” said Allen Haldeman, club president. “We are proud of our many ties to the USGA, including hosting the 1987 U.S. Amateur. We look forward to providing Amateur Four-Ball competitors and spectators with a memorable experience.”

Jupiter Hills’ Village Course will serve as the companion course for stroke-play qualifying. Designed by Tom Fazio, the course opened for play in 1982. Fazio renovated the course in 1999.

The 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball will be the 22nd USGA championship contested in Florida. John’s Island Club, in Vero Beach, will host the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur from Oct. 3-8, and Streamsong Resort, in Bowling Green, will host the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.

The U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship is open to teams (or sides) of male amateurs with an individual Handicap Index® not exceeding 5.4. Partners comprising teams or sides will not have age restrictions or be required to be from the same club, state or country.

The U.S. Amateur Four-Ball begins with 18-hole sectional qualifying conducted by state and regional golf associations. At the national championship, 128 two-player teams will each play their own ball throughout the round. Each team’s score will be determined by using the lower score of the partners for each hole. After 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying, the field will be reduced to the low 32 teams for the championship’s match-play bracket, from which the eventual champion will be determined.

The 2016 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball is scheduled for May 21-25 at Winged Foot Golf Club, in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., will host the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, from May 27-31.</sub>