FARMINGTON HILLS?Grand Traverse Resort and Spa hosted the 11th annual GAM Women?s Senior Championship August 27-28, 2007. The tournament was a two-day shotgun championship. To be eligible, the female golfers had to be an active GAM member, have an up-to-date GAM Handicap Index of no more than 25.4, and have reached their fiftieth birthday before August 26, 2007. The champion was Susan Campbell (Kalamazoo) of Heritage Glen Golf Club with an 82-81. She won the tournament three years ago?the first time she played the tournament. After shooting the 82 the first day, she started the second day?s round tied for fourth place. Given her place in the pecking order this time around, she was surprised by the win.
?It was unexpected,? Campbell said. ?I knew I was a few shots back. There was nothing really spectacular. I had a couple tough breaks and tough lies, and I didn?t feel like I could quite get it going. But it wasn?t awful. The golf course got a lot of people more than it got me today. I guess I was the survivor.?
The difficulty of the course on Tuesday was due, in part, to inclement weather. The host club in Traverse City, MI was forced to deal with several delays. Thunderstorms shortened the allotted warm-up practice time for the tournament?s golfers, and it resulted in a major weather delay. Partway through the round, the field of seventy-six golfers was called into the clubhouse due to a heavy thunderstorm. That delay lasted an hour.
When asked about the effect the rain delay had on her game and momentum, Campbell does not cite the weather as a serious problem. ?The golf course took the water very well. It was good that it made the greens hold very well. There was no standing water.?
Despite the delays and downs of the weather, Campbell cited one of the unique joys she looks forward to in the women?s senior tournaments. ?A couple of the gals that I know that I?m quite close with play every year. One of the neat things about the senior women is, as we play, we know each other for years and play with each other for years. We develop great long-term relationships that are really special. That?s the best part about it, really.?
Campbell looks to take her new accomplishment with pride and continue to play competitively. Although she wishes she could play as much as she used to, she will continue to enjoy entering tournaments whenever she has the chance.
