Written By: Greg Johnson
Photo By: Jim Haefner
ORCHARD LAKE – Orchard Lake Country Club and its classic course will host one of the most popular tournaments of the golf season when it welcomes the 37th GAM Senior Championship presented by Rocket Tour Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 11-12.
A field of 156 golfers ages 55-plus, many of them multiple-time champions of various tournaments over the years, will play 36 holes of stroke play to determine the overall Senior champion as well as a Super Senior division winner for those over age 65.
The Orchard Lake Country Club course was designed and built by the legendary duo of Harry S. Colt and Captain Hugh Alison in 1926. It blankets naturally rolling terrain and a restoration completed in 2013 by Virginia-based architect Keith Foster was lauded for bringing back the original design’s beauty as well as the Colt & Alison style of bunkering and natural green complexes.
It can be played between 5,311 and 7,104 yards with six tee positions and features white sand bunkers to highlight picturesque settings.
The club has hosted several GAM tournaments and GAM and USGA qualifiers over the years, including the 2015 GAM Senior Championship won by Mike Tungate, and the 2008 GAM Championship won by Jimmy Chestnut. In 2009 and 2010 it hosted the Michigan Open Championship. Current PGA Tour player Ryan Brehm won both of those Opens.
In 2019 a renovation of the clubhouse was also completed.
Brian Sleeman is the head golf professional and Aaron McMaster the superintendent. Learn more at orchardlakecountryclub.com.
Seven former overall champions, including defending champion John Barbour of Grand Rapids, are in this year’s field. The former champions joining Barbour include 2021 and 2019 winner Steve Maddalena of Jackson, 2018 champion David Bartnick of Livonia, four-time winner Bill Zylstra of Dearborn Heights (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013), two-time winner Ian Harris of Bloomfield (2012, 2014), 2016 winner Tom Rex Jr., of Charlevoix, and 2007 winner Mike Fedewa of Canton.
David Schultz of St. Joseph, the Super Senior division winner a year ago, is back, as is 2019 Super Senior winner Mark Ochsankehl of Caledonia, and Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake, an Orchard Lake CC member and the Super Senior winner in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Last year in a weather-marred championship at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak, Barbour emerged as champion from a three-golfer sudden-death playoff. He made an eight-foot par-saving putt on the third playoff hole to turn back David Martin of Saline and Tom Senkowski of Rochester Hills.
