Terrific tracks elevate 2016 tournament schedule

  Golf weather is slowly approaching the region, and so is the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 2016 tournament schedule — the 120th in the organization’s history.

  The playing slate includes more than 70 events for golfers of all age groups (Junior, Amateur and Senior) and ability levels (Championship and Handicap). The tournament season officially tees off in early April with a Middle-Amateur Championship Qualifier at Greate Bay Country Club and concludes in October with the Player's Dinner.

BMW GAP Team Matches (April 10, 17, May 1)
Playoff & Challenges (May 7)

The oldest interclub competition in the nation, presented by BMW of North America and the Delaware Valley BMW Centers, will field a total of 332 teams and 5,600 total players from 138 Member Clubs. For the first time ever, a Member Club will field two teams in Divsion AA. Philadelphia Cricket Club 1, the defending champions, will be joined by their clubmates in the top-tier.

Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Callaway Golf
(May 25-26; Waynesborough Country Club)

Golfers 25 years of age and older can compete in the first Major on the GAP calendar. Waynesborough, a George Fazio masterpiece, will serve as host for the first time in the club's storied GAP history. Qualifying events will take place April 9 at Greate Bay Country Club, April 28 at Concord Country Club and May 2 at Makefield Highlands Golf Club.

BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
(June 13-15 & 18; Merion Golf Club (East))

The 116th playing of the Association's most prestigious tournaments return to one of the premier tracks in the world for the first time since 1954. The event is open to all amateurs with a 7.0 handicap index or less. Qualifying venues include Radley Run Country Club (May 9), Blue Bell Country Club (May 10), Inniscrone Golf Club (May 21) and Fox Hill Country Club (May 23).

Open Championship (July 18; The Ridge at Back Brook)

The Ridge at Back Brook, another prized Fazio track, will host this year's Open Championship, a one day, 36-hole test open to amateurs and professionals seeking Philadelphia supremacy. Qualifying events will take place June 21 at Indian Valley Country Club and June 28 at North Hills Country Club.

Joseph H. Patterson Cup (Aug. 4-5; Huntingdon Valley Country Club)

The Patterson Cup is the name, stroke play is the game. It is here where amateurs battle over 36 holes in two days for a Major title, a season-long award and potential year-end honors. Qualifying venues include Yardley Country Club (July 26) and Broad Run Golfer's Club (July 28).

Senior & Super-Senior

Golfers 55 years of age and older may want to take a special interest in the Senior schedule. The division’s Majors include the Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) at Whitford Country Club (May 5); the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) at Galloway National Golf Club (June 8); the Brewer Cup presented by Callaway Golf at Overbrook Golf Club (July 11-13) and the 46th Senior Amateur Championship at White Manor Country Club (Sept. 6-7).

Junior

An important and intriguing part of the Association's schedule every year is that of Junior competition, which appeals to golfers 18 years of age or younger who haven’t started their college education. Events include the 102nd Junior Boys' Championship (June 29-July 1 at Tavistock Country Club); Francis X. Hussey Memorial (July 11 at Rolling Green Golf Club); The Deeg Sezna (Aug. 8 at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club); Christman Cup presented by Global Golf Post (July 14 at Running Deer Golf Club) and the 32nd Jock MacKenzie Memorial (July 25 at Sandy Run Country Club). Kids wishing to learn more about golf can participate in the Pre-Junior Event July 6 at Philadelphia Cricket Club (St. Martins). The Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship, set for Aug. 1-3 at Moorestown Field Club, is open to players ages 11-13.

Father & Son tournaments

The enjoyment of family golf truly comes to fruition during the Association’s Father & Son tournaments. The Middle event, open to teams with sons 18 to 29 years of age, will take place at Spring Ford Country Club on June 2. The Father & Son (Younger), open to teams with sons 17 years of age and under, heads to RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve on July 5. Schuylkill Country Club will play host to the Father & Son (Older), open to teams with sons 30 years of age and over, on Sept. 15.

Team events

Grab three buddies and sign up to play in the Four-Man Team June 23 at Hershey's Mill Golf Club. Rally the troops at your club and audition for the Philadelphia Team Championship May 31 at The ACE Club. Now in its second year, the Senior Club Team Challenge, set for Oct. 5, 15 and 22, features teams of eight engaging in singles match play (gross only) competition.

Handicap championships

Not a scratch golfer? Not a problem. The Association’s net championships can fulfill your competitive bill in a relaxed tournament setting. Boasting Tee It Forward parameters and Stableford scoring format, the Spring (June 9 at Bala Golf Club) and Fall (Aug. 18 at Burlington Country Club) Net Championships might be the friendly-competitive golf you've been looking for.

USGA events

The Golf Association of Philadelphia will administer qualifiers for nine USGA championships. Included in the 2016 lineup are the U.S. Open (May 12 at Moselem Springs and May 16 at Silver Creek); U.S. Junior Amateur (June 16 at Chesapeake Bay); U.S. Girls' Junior (June 21 at Silver Creek); U.S. Senior Open (June 22 at Applebrook); U.S. Amateur (July 20 at Aronimink/White Manor); U.S. Senior Amateur and U.S. Senior Women's Amateur (Aug. 29 at Cedarbrook); U.S. Mid-Amateur (Aug. 9 at Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon) and Aug. 15 at Llanerch) and U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball (Oct. 25 at Northampton).

Meetings

The Pro.-Pres., Golf & Green, set for Llanerch Country Club and St. Davids Golf Club, includes golf, cocktails, dinner and a presentation. It is open to professionals, presidents, golf and green chairpersons at GAP Member Clubs. White Manor Country Club will serve as host for this year's Player's Dinner on Oct. 26. This year-end gathering formally awards top players from each championship division — Amateur, Junior, Senior and Super Senior — as well as flight winners from each tournament.

Honorary Teams

The Association will be represented in five honorary team events. On April 27, the Compher Cup, a bout against the New Jersey State Golf Association, heads to Metedeconk National Golf Club. GAP will send a team of four Juniors to this year's Williamson Cup, set for Aug. 7-8 at Bellevue Country Club in Syracuse, N.Y. The 36-hole competition features teams from 10 regional and state associations. The Senior Challenge Matches showcases eight-man teams from Delaware, GAP, New Jersey and Maryland on Oct. 5 at Lehigh Country Club. Top amateurs and professionals collide during the Philadelphia Challenge Matches Oct. 6 at Saucon Valley Country Club (Grace). The Mason-Dixon Matches, a competition of 12-man teams from the GAP and the Middle Atlantic Golf Association, will take place Oct. 22-23 at Baltimore Country Club (East) in Lutherville, Md.

  Click here to view the complete 2016 schedule.

Golf Association of Philadelphia
  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 153 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.