BATTLE CREEK – The
classic Willie Park, Jr.,-designed Battle Creek Country Club will welcome many
of the state’s top women golfers Monday and Tuesday for the 7th GAM Women’s Four-Ball Championship presented by the West Michigan Golf Show.
A field of 31 two-golfer teams, including nine
in the all ages Open Division and 22 in the Senior Division, will compete over
two days and 36-holes in Battle Creek CC’s perfect golf setting.
The club was founded
in 1919 on the southeast shore of Goguac Lake, and 18 holes were complete by
1922 by Park, a top Scottish golf course architect. The modern clubhouse was
completed in 1966, and over the years many of golf’s greats have visited the
club and played the course, including Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
In recent years,
with the help of consulting architect, Bruce Hepner, the club has undergone a
restoration process to the original dimensions and shot values intended by
Park’s original design. Extensive tree work has been part of the process, and
Battle Creek Country Club remains one of the best preserved examples of Willie
Park’s many designs.
Battle Creek CC has
hosted numerous professional and amateur events, including the 1999 Michigan
Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open qualifiers and is the current
home for the LPGA Symetra Tour’s FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship.
Doug Kreis, the head golf professional,
is just the fifth professional in the club’s history. He is part of a short
list of highly regarded professionals, including Chick Harbert and Ron LaParl. Mark
Chappell is the superintendent, and club is managed by Steve Rebhan.
The golf course can
play from six tee positions between 6,829 yards and 5,164 yards.
The two defending
champion teams are not returning. Shelly Weiss, who won the senior division
with Joanne Adams last year is back with a different teammate. This time she is
paired up with Susan Campbell.
Veronica Haque won
the open division a year ago with Moyea Russell, and Haque is back this time
with her sister Savannah.
Two-time former
winners Joan Garety and Terry Delcamp are in the senior field.
-Greg Johnson
