ARMINGTON HILLS – Registration for GAM tournaments and Golf Days is open at GAM.org.
As in recent years registration is available to members through the website for 30 championships, including the multiple GAM qualifiers for the Michigan Amateur Championship and GAM Championship, as well as GAM Golf Days.
The schedule includes the traditional championships, including the 110th Michigan Amateur Championship and the 105th Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, the 100th GAM Championship and the 30th GAM Women’s Championship, but also several age group championships and championships with special age group divisions for junior boys and girls, senior men and women, and multiple net scoring championships for the non-elite competitive golfer as well.
Some new sites are involved on this year’s schedule, including Atlas Valley Golf Club in Grand Blanc, and Klinger Lake Country Club in Sturgis. Ken Hartmann, senior director of competitions and USGA services for the GAM, said there is always an effort to add new host sites to the schedule.
“We are always looking for new places,” he said. “We don’t want to wear out our welcome at the places we go to often, and we want to reach people who might play if a tournament is closer to their home. We also want our members to see what the state has to offer in golf, bring some business to member clubs and give them a chance to showcase what they provide.”
Hartmann said GAM member clubs who have an interest in perhaps hosting a tournament can reach out to the GAM staff.
“They are welcome to reach out and we will have a staff person come and visit,” he said. “We would like it if more clubs and courses had the opportunity to be involved in our tournament structure.”
Planning continues for the annual GAM Scramble Championship, and the addition of a trial two-person scramble. Keep watch at GAM.org for details.
The tournament schedule kicks off on April 24-25 with the third GAM Junior Kickoff being presented at Washtenaw Golf Club in Ypsilanti and continues through to the GAM Tournament of Champions on Oct. 4 at Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor.
Golf Days, where any and all GAM members can play top private courses for a negotiated rate as low as $60, start on April 26 at TPC of Michigan in Dearborn and continue through to the Oct. 5 Golf Day Championship at Indianwood Golf & Country Club in Lake Orion.
Elite players will note the 110th Michigan Amateur is being hosted by Cascade Hills Country Club in Grand Rapids June 22-26, and the 105th Michigan Women’s Amateur is being hosted by Saginaw Country Club June 14-18.
The historic 100th GAM Championship is slated for Aug. 2-3 at storied Franklin Hills Country Club, and the 30th GAM Women’s Championship is July 26-27 at first-time host Klinger Lake Country Club.
The popular GAM Senior/Mid-Am Team Championship will be presented at three sites on May 17 and May 24 – Western Golf & Country Club in Redford, Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, and Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club.
Hartmann said the pandemic season of 2020 was surprising in many ways as budgeted participation numbers were exceeded for many tournaments.
“A couple of our early tournaments when people were still not sure what was going on didn’t have as many entrants, but once that uncertainty was gone, the golfers came out,” he said. “By and large things worked out pretty well. I think this year people will know what to expect and they will remember that they felt safe playing golf and competing in our tournaments during a pandemic.”
To see the GAM tournament schedule or the Golf Days schedules and for registration information select the PLAY tab at GAM.org.
