Written By: Greg Johnson
The Sharf course at Oakland University’s Golf & Learning Center in Rochester, and the classic courses at Country Club of Lansing and Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club will each host one third of the field over the next three Mondays in the first stage qualifiers of the 16th GAM Senior/Mid-Am Team Championship presented by Shanty Creek Resort.
A field of 132 teams, or 264 of Michigan’s top golfers, will compete in the opening segment of the championship that features a Senior golfer (55-and-over) teamed up with a Mid-Amateur golfer (25-and-over).
The Oakland University field of 44 teams will play 36 holes or two rounds on Monday, May 5, the Country Club of Lansing field of 44 teams will play two rounds on May 12 and the Grosse Ile field of 44 teams will play two rounds on May 19.
The teams play four-ball, also known as best-ball, in a morning round, and foursomes, also known as alternate shot, in the afternoon rounds.
Champion and runner-up teams will be determined out of the teams at each qualifier site, and those six teams will be invited to play in the overall finals of the championship Oct. 1 at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak.
The award-winning Sharf course is a Rick Smith design that opened in 2000 and is one of two courses at the Oakland University facility, which also features a modern learning center. Oakland University hosts various GAM tournaments and qualifiers as well as Michigan PGA Section tournaments on a regular basis, including hosting the Hall Financial Michigan Open Championship the last two years on the Katke course.
Smith, a heralded golf teacher since his days at Treetops Resort in Gaylord where he also started golf course design, created the Sharf inspired by the old-style courses of Europe in mind. It winds through a wooded natural area of campus with some dramatic elevation changes and large undulating greens.
Jeff Rachar is the head PGA golf professional, and Connor McBride is the superintendent. Learn more at Oakland.edu/golf.
The Country Club of Lansing features a classic William Langford-designed course that dates to 1921.
Designed and built in the tradition of the1920s Golden Age architecture, the course is regarded as one of the state’s top parkland courses. It plays to a maximum of 6,889 yards from the championship tee positions. It has hosted multiple GAM tournaments and Michigan Section PGA tournaments over the years.
John Lindert is the director of golf and Drew Peddie the superintendent. Find out more at cclansing.org.
The classic Donald Ross-designed Grosse Ile course, established in 1919 by eight Michigan businessmen, is located on Grosse Ile Island 25 minutes from downtown Detroit, and rolls over 300 acres featuring undulating greens.
Legends like Arnold Palmer and Michigan’s own Chuck Kocsis have played Grosse Ile in tournament competition. Hall of Famer Glenn Johnson was a longtime member, and the club has hosted several Golf Association of Michigan and United States Golf Association tournaments, including the 2004 Michigan Amateur Championship.
Todd Probert is the superintendent, and Matt McArdle is the head golf professional. Learn more at gigcc.com.
Last year, Grant Bruce of Birmingham and Michael Coriasso of Royal Oak made an alternate-shot par on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the 15th GAM Senior/Mid-Am Team Finals at Oakland Hills Country Club (North course).
It was the second time the fellow Detroit Golf Club members teamed up to win the popular championship. They beat Mitchell Wayne and JJ Modell of Bloomfield Hills in the playoff.
