*Winter Series POY standings
Winter Series registration opens; six events on spring slateSnowstorms bombarded the Delaware Valley a year ago, thus forcing the Golf Association of Philadelphia to cancel four of its six scheduled Winter Series events. With a new year comes a renewed sense of weather optimism; Registration for the spring leg in the 2014-15 Winter Series opens today. “With six events on the schedule, the Association is hopeful Mother Nature treats us better than last spring,” Chris Roselle, GAP Tournament Director, said. “The host venues will provide our members with a variety of different playing options and should help most players prepare for the BMW Team Matches.” Cost is $40 per person per event, plus a $35 cart fee per event. Entrants are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Below is a list of Winter Series dates and venues:
The Winter Series features a Player of the Year competition that debuted in 2011. It includes four categories: Amateur Gross, Senior Gross, Amateur Net and Senior Net. Relative Winter Series newcomer Troy Vannucci leads the Amateur Gross POY race with 445 points. The Little Mill Country Club member dabbled in the tour last year, but decided to increase his offseason workload in an effort to stay fresh. “This year I pretty much dedicated myself to the Winter Series, just to try and stay sharp thru the winter and keep the swing going so you don’t get too rusty,” Vannucci, 23, of Marlton, N.J., said. “Something [in my golf game] ticked and it just kept going.” During the fall portion, Vannucci triumphed in events at Indian Valley Country Club and Radley Run Country Club. In early December, he flocked to Palm Coast, Fla., where he plays golf frequently amid sunny and favorable conditions. Vannucci intends to compete in a few Winter Series events upon his return — his eyes on the Amateur Gross prize. “It’s still a long way to go,” Vannucci, who works for American Athletic Courts, said. “I really get a boost out of the Winter Series. Hopefully [my momentum] carries over into the next level in the summer.” Past Winter Series POYs Rich Thon (2010-11, 2011-12) and Greg Smith (2012-13, 2013-14) head the Senior Gross and Amateur Net categories, respectively. Thon, a member of The Springhaven Club, holds a 30-point edge over good friend and clubmate Andrew Harmer. During the fall portion, Smith, a Radley Run member, shared top honors in two events to maintain his Winter Series prominence. Rounding out the POY leaders is Sandy Run Country Club’s Christopher Clauson, who sits atop the Senior Net category with 315 points. During the fall portion, he finished third at Radley Run, shared runner-up honors at Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club and cracked the Top 10 at Back Creek Golf Club alongside clubmate Wayne Morra. 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. It began in 2008 as a way to offer 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 150 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.
|
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.
