*Winter Series POY standings
Winter Series registration opens; six events on spring slateDid you receive a new driver or putter for Christmas? Or perhaps a set of irons and wedges that you’re anxious to try? Ease that restlessness and let those fresh clubs taste turf by participating in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Winter Series. Registration for the tour’s spring slate opens Monday, Jan. 20. “We are very excited to have six events on the spring schedule this year,” Chris Roselle, the Association’s Tournament Director, said. “With three of the five Winter Series events in the fall portion reaching full capacity, it just goes to show how much people enjoy playing golf no matter what time of year it is.” From the Jersey Shore to Delaware to Reading, the spring swing leaves no territory unturned. Below is a list of dates and venues:
The Winter Series features a Player of the Year competition that debuted in 2011. That competition includes four categories: Amateur Gross, Senior Gross, Amateur Net and Senior Net. Whitford Country Club’s David West leads the Amateur Gross POY chase with 445 points. He holds an 80-point edge over Greate Bay Country Club’s Jay Vasil. West is a longtime GAP tournament player and a Winter Series proponent. “I’ve played in at least one event every year since it started,” West, 53, of Exton, Pa., said. “I really enjoy playing competitive golf. It keeps the juices going, and I keep sharp that way.” West accrued points in four fall events. He finished third at Linwood Country Club and tied for third at Torresdale-Frankford Country Club. He posted 36 points to win the Old York Road Country Club event. West and Robert Brown, a Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club member, finished tied for sixth in the Sandy Run Country Club event. “I usually play year-round, regardless of the weather. It really never affects me,” West said. “Playing in adverse conditions makes you a better player for when it’s really nice out. It’s a good experience to get out there and battle the cold and wind. Hard turf makes you a hit a lot of creative shots. I really like that part of it.” West will review his spring calendar in an attempt to secure the Amateur Gross POY Award. “I look forward to playing in all of the events, if my schedule — and Mother Nature — allows,” he said. Reigning Winter Series POYS lead the remaining races: Little Mill Country Club’s Bernard Kelly, Senior Net (391 points); Philadelphia Publinks GA’s James Prendergast, Senior Gross (525) points; and Radley Run Country Club’s Greg Smith, Amateur Net (550 points). “I’m very fortunate [to have the lead],” Prendergast, 62, of Limerick, Pa., said. “A couple of the days were really windy and cold, and I seemed to keep the ball straight and didn’t harm myself. At Torresdale-Frankford there were a lot of leaves out there. I didn’t lose any balls at all. I think that was a big part of me finishing first there.” Indeed he did. Prendergast also shared the top spot at Old York Road. He placed in the Top 10 at Meadia Heights Golf Club and tied for third at Linwood. Prendergast plans on returning for the spring leg for a shot at back-to-back status. “I’m going to give it my best to try and defend my title,” he said. “There are a lot of good guys out there this year, though.” Smith’s fall résumé is somewhat similar to Prendergast’s. He captured two events (Meadia Heights, Torresdale-Frankord), earned runner-up honors at Linwood and paired with clubmate Timothy Horan to tie for fourth at Sandy Run. Film sessions with John Kellogg, Radley Run’s head professional, and a few trips south keep the rust off Smith’s game during the colder months. “Through my sessions with John, he shows me my angles on the monitor, and I’m able to see where I am in relation to where I think I am,” Smith, 49, of Kennett Square, Pa., said. “It’s really worked out because I have a keener sense of awareness as to where I am in my position. It feels comfortable to be in a centered position. My ball doesn’t go far, but I know where my misses are.” “Consistency and being able to place” propelled Smith to the top of the Amateur Net POY standings. He carries a 285-point advantage into the spring leg. “No lead is too safe with the caliber of competition that plays in the Winter Series,” Smith said. “I’ve been paired with some really fine golfers and fine gentlemen. I’m fortunate that I have a lead. However, I just have to remain consistent and play against the course, and I think, as a byproduct of working with my pro John and traveling during the winter, I should hopefully be in the hunt by the end.” The Winter Series is open to all Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Members 18 years of age and older, Philadelphia Section of PGA Members and golf professionals at Member Clubs. Cost is $40 per person per event, plus a $35 cart fee per event. Entrants are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Launched in 2008, the Winter Series offers all players of any skill level an opportunity to compete in tournament golf during the normally quiet, off-season months. 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 143 Member Clubs and 55,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. 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.
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A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
