GRAND BLANC – Atlas Valley Golf Club and its classic course that dates to 1912 is hosting the 5th Michigan Senior Net Amateur Championship Monday and Tuesday.
The tournament features senior male golfers over age 55 with GAM/USGA handicap indexes lower than 20.4. This year’s field of 64 golfers will play for the title over two days and 36 holes of net stroke play competition.
Atlas Valley, previously known as Atlas Valley Country Club, opened this summer under new ownership and is a semi-private facility with a course originally designed in 1912 by legendary architect Tom Bendelow, a prolific designer of over 600 courses including the famous East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta and the three courses at Medinah Country Club in suburban Chicago.
Bendelow’s naturalist’s approach in design is evident in the course at Atlas Valley that is built on about 150 acres of rolling, scenic land. Kearsley Creek winds through the course
Since the ownership change significant renovation has included the clubhouse exterior and interior, dining and banquet facilities, irrigation on the course, course bunkers and cart paths. A tree removal program was implemented as well.
Rick Howles is the director of golf operations and Andrew Dalton is the superintendent. Learn more atlasvalleygolf.com.
The Senior Net Amateur is among five Net championships presented as part of the GAM’s continuing effort to provide competition for members of all playing ability levels on some of the state’s top golf courses.
Last year, Northville’s Michael Lam survived a net bogey on the 18th hole at St. Clair Golf Club and won. The 61-year-old manufacturing engineer who has played in GAM net tournaments for over 15 years, won for the first time by shooting a closing net 1-over 73 for a two-day and tournament total of 145.
Lam is returning to the field as are two of the other previous winners, Greg McComas of Beverly Hills, who won in 2018, and Robert Kenworthy of Clio, who won in 2017.
