LAKE ORION – Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) members who have made the most of their GAM Golf Days this summer gathered for one more day as Indianwood Golf & Country Club hosted the GAM Golf Days Series Championship Tuesday.
Winners, both net and gross, were determined among men, women, and senior men. The field of 84 golfers became eligible for this final championship day by having won a previous Golf Day event earlier in the season. They battled to be first again and receive a free Golf Day of their choice in 2022. Gift certificates were also awarded to other top finishers in each category.
This year’s champions included: Men’s Gross, Corey Spanke; Men’s Net, Jacob Smith; Women’s Gross, Rachel Bender; Women’s Net, Susan Coe; Senior Men’s Gross, Kurt Vandenbosch; Senior Men’s Net, Roger Halle.
Tuesday’s play completed the 12th season of GAM Golf Days, a service for all GAM members that offers playing opportunities at top golf courses across the state, including private clubs, for cost-saving rates. Golf Days, offer a casual yet competitive day of golf to all GAM members, men, and women, and provide opportunities no matter how they play the game.
Entry fees, between $60 and $100 per player, includes 18 holes of golf, cart, range balls for warmup and prizes at the conclusion of the day. Each player receives their full course adjusted USGA/GAM Handicap Index. Players must have an active USGA/GAM Handicap to be eligible in the Net Division.
Ted Newton, GAM tournament director, said 2021 was a difficult year because of pandemic cancellations and scheduling problems resulting in just 17 Golf Days being played, but reported there was a silver lining.
“It really was just an absolutely amazing season for GAM Golf Days in 2021,” he said. “We had our highest per golf day participation level in the 12 years we’ve had golf GAM Golf Days as part of the GAM services. It was challenging in that we were unable to set capacities at the full 84 at the beginning of the year because in January and February, we didn’t know where we were going to be able to do with COVID. That led to doing a lot of waiting list work throughout the year which our team, led by Dan Kunert, handled with a great level of care and organization.”
Newton said in 2022 the GAM will look for ways to make Golf Days bigger and better for GAM patrons.
“We plan to survey the players on what they like, didn’t like, what they would like to see and we will go forward from there,” he said.
Kunert, a 61-year-old Warren resident, GAM Rules Official and volunteer who administered the GAM Golf Days for the fifth year, said there is pent-up demand for more Golf Days in 2022.
“We hope to be able to satisfy it,” he said. We’re already getting requests for next year, and this year we also drew a new group of constituents with more competitive golfers taking part. Everybody was thrilled with the courses we played and the hospitality of the member clubs who hosted days.”
Kunert said he continues to volunteer for the Golf Days because he sees people like him who love the game getting more opportunities to play great courses.
“There’s always a challenge to making the Golf Days work, but we rise to the challenge at every event and put on a great product,” he said.
Click on the Golf Days tab at GAM.org for more information, and in the early spring be prepared to sign up for great playing opportunities.
