Written By: Greg Johnson
FLINT – The classic Willie Park Jr.-designed course at Flint Golf Club has hosted legends and championships for over a century, as well as many Golf Association of Michigan tournaments and qualifiers.
This Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-21, the historic club welcomes the state’s top amateur golfers on teams from the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) and Michigan Publinx Golf Association (MPGA) in the 73rd Atlas Trophy Matches.
The two 12-man teams will square off in the historic series in four-ball (best-ball), foursomes (alternate shot) and singles matches to decide the winner of the Atlas Trophy.
The GAM Team will look to retain the cup from its 2023 win at the Polo Fields Golf & Country Club in Ann Arbor. The GAM has won or retained the Atlas Trophy eight consecutive times in the biennial competition and now leads 49-20-3.
The series of matches originated in 1938 as a competition between private club golfers represented by the GAM and public course golfers represented by the MPGA with the trophy honoring Edward Atlas, who then was a GAM Governor as well as a USGA Public Links Committee member and Detroit area public golf official.
Prior to 2010, the competition was conducted annually except for World War II years, and historically, private club players competed against public course players. Beginning in 2011, however, it became a biennial competition between GAM member golfers regardless of their course or club affiliation and members of the MPGA.
The GAM and MPGA each select a captain, who then selects 12 team members by using GAM Honor Roll points, MPGA Honor Roll points and other criteria. The golf is complimentary for the players with the event designed to honor those chosen for the teams.
The GAM is represented this year by Cooper Reitsma of Ada, Harris Hoekwater of Grand Rapids, Evan Johnson of Grosse Ile, JP Levan of East Grand Rapids, Julian Sinishtaj of Macomb, Mike Ignasiak of Saline, Nicklas Smith of Rochester, Paul Wolcott of Macomb, Peter Stassinopoulos of Novi, Rick Crandall of Fenton, Gowtham Nalluri of Novi and Zachary Kozuchowski of West Bloomfield.
The MPGA is represented this year by Andrew Daily of Brighton, Anthony Sorention of Rochester Hills, Austin Kreger of St. Clair Shores, Chad Johnson of Farmington Hills, Eric Wohlfield of Grand Haven, Ian Smith of Canton, Jack Julian of South Lyon, John Quigley of Sterling Heights, Mason Sokolowski of Northville, Nicholas Winiarski of Pontiac, Ronnie Aniel III of Shelby Township and Scott Jaschuk of Walled Lake.
Foursomes matches will be played on Saturday morning with four-ball matches to follow in the afternoon. Individual matches are played on Sunday. One point is awarded per match with ½ point being given to each team for a halved match. If tied at the end of the competition, the team currently holding the trophy retains it.
Flint Golf Club dates to 1910 as a social club which opened its classic course in 1919. Park, a two-time British Open champion turned designer, fashioned a parkland golf course that has stayed true to its roots over the years. Unique to the Park design is five par-3 and five par 5 holes. Recent renovation work has rejuvenated much of Park’s original design.
Flint recently hosted the Michigan PGA Professional Championship for four years and has been a regular host to Golf Association of Michigan tournaments over the years, including the 2001 Michigan Amateur Championship. Part of the club’s history is that legend Sam Snead set the course record in June 1963 shooting a 61.
Flint Golf Club’s staff includes Director of Club Operations Ed Bialek, Head Golf Professional Bill Pirret and Superintendent Jim Smedley. For more information on the club visit flintgolfclub.com.
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