VSGA Championship Changes Coming In 2017
• As a result of the tremendous support from tournament sponsors, the amateur entry fee for the Delta Dental State Open of Virginia has been reduced to $ 150( previously $ 250). The qualifying fee for non-exempt players is $ 75 and successful qualifiers will pay the remaining $ 75 championship balance. All golf and lunch fees at the championship are included in the entry fee and a substantial amount in gift certificates will be distributed to amateur golfers who make the cut at the championship.
• The VSGA Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship is scheduled for May 19-20 at Willow Oaks Country Club, one week later than the traditional dates. A survey was sent out to past participants in the championship and the results were overwhelmingly in favor of this change. We plan to keep these dates moving forward.
• In efforts to make it more convenient for VSGA members to participate in events, more qualifiers for VSGA championships are scheduled for weekends. In 2017, two VSGA Amateur Championship / Delta Dental State Open of Virginia qualifiers and two VSGA Senior Amateur Championship / Senior Open of Virginia qualifiers are scheduled on Saturdays. Please see the full VSGA Championship schedule for more details.
• The following exemptions into VSGA championships have been added:
» The winning side( two players) from the VSGA Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship are exempt into the same year’ s VSGA Amateur Championship and VSGA Senior Amateur Championship, if eligible.
» The winning side( two players) from the VSGA Senior Four-Ball Championship are exempt into the same year’ s VSGA Senior Amateur Championship.
» The top five finishers and ties from the past year’ s VSGA Mid-Amateur Championship are exempt into the current year’ s VSGA Amateur Championship.
• The VSGA Four-Ball Match Play Championship is scheduled for October 26-29 and will now include a senior division for sides made up of two players age 50 and older. Sixteen sides( 32 players) will comprise both the open and senior divisions. See the championship entry form for more information.
• In addition to those USGA qualifiers administered in 2016, the VSGA will administer the following USGA qualifiers in 2017( see schedule at vsga. org for complete list with sites and dates):
» U. S. Open Local
» U. S. Women’ s Amateur Championship
» U. S. Women’ s Mid-Amateur Championship
2016 VSGA Award Winners
BRUCE H. MATSON, President of the VSGA Board of Directors, offers his thoughts on the recipients of the VSGA’ s three major awards. The three winners were set to be honored at the VSGA’ s annual meeting, held Jan. 14 at Jefferson Lakeside Country Club in Richmond.
PRESIDENT’ S AWARD— Phil Owenby, PGA
“ Even before establishing Kinloch Golf Club as among the country’ s finest, Phil was recognized as one of the Commonwealth’ s extraordinary professionals as well as a leader in the golf industry. Perhaps best known for establishing the gold standard for member service at clubs like Roanoke Country Club and Kinloch, Phil has made lasting contributions to golf in Virginia through his devotion to golfers, fellow professionals and the game.”
SERVICE TO GOLF AWARD— David Norman
“ Since graduating from Wake Forest, David has been singularly focused on serving the game of golf. After working with the Carolinas Golf Association and RJR Nabisco, David came to Virginia to be Executive Director of the VSGA. During his tenure, the Association saw many of its most important initiatives, such as the VIP Card and its scholarship program come to fruition. Even after almost 15 years leading the VSGA, David continues to serve golf through his roles with the Virginia Golf Course Owners Association and the Golf Course Superintendents Association.”
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD— Gib Palmer
“ For us to recognize one of our own Board members as volunteer of the year, the recipient has quite a bar to clear. While the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame was the result of the efforts of many, Gib was not only the driving force for the project, but his devotion to excellence and detail manifested itself not only in one of the finest events that our Association has hosted but in a permanent organization that will assure that we continually recognize the contributions of the greatest players and administrators in Virginia golf history.”
36 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2017 vsga. org