Around the Green

Amarillo CC Set For Women's Senior

The state’s best women amateurs aged 50 and older are heading west to the recently renovated Amarillo Country Club for the 27th playing of the Women’s Senior Stroke Play Championship from Oct. 2-4.
 
The last time a women’s championship was held at Amarillo CC was in 1979 when Martha Jones of Houston won the WTGA State Amateur title. Back then if you wanted to drive to the championship you could buy a new car for an average purchase price of $5,000 and “fill ’er up” for 86 cents for a gallon of gas. The downside was you ran the risk of getting your wide-flare bell bottoms stuck when you closed the car door. If you wanted to call someone when you were on the road you had to pull over and use a pay phone like some kind of Neanderthal.
 
Thankfully a lot has changed in the ensuring years, not the least of which is a stunning makeover for the crown jewel in the Texas Panhandle. After an extensive 18-month renovation that was completed in the summer of 2013, Amarillo CC has its swagger back and looks better than ever.
 
Originally designed by William McConnell in 1919, the multi-million dollar restoration project was overseen by Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design. Among the numerous changes include larger tee and green complexes, increased aesthetics and shot values, and most dramatic of all, six completely new holes — three each on the front (Nos. 4, 5, 6) and back nine (10, 11, 12).
 
“We are thrilled to be hosting this year’s Women’s Senior Stroke Play Championship,” said Dell Wood, Head Golf Professional at Amarillo CC. “The Women’s Senior is one of the most distinguished women’s amateur events in Texas, and we are confident that our newly renovated course at Amarillo CC will test the players thoroughly as they compete for the honor of hoisting the trophy in 2016.”
 
Registration for this year’s championship closes Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. The field size is limited to the lowest 96 players based on handicap index as of Sept. 1, 2016.
 
The championship format is 54 holes individual stroke play. After 36 holes, players will be assigned to one of six flights for the final round. Champions are crowned in three divisions: Senior (aged 50 and up), Super Senior (65-70), Super Super Senior (71+).  
 
At the 2015 Women’s Senior Stroke Play, held at Wichita Falls CC, Texas Golf Hall of Famer Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas bounced back from an opening 7-over-par 78 with rounds of 69-72 to win her sixth overall Senior title. Jewell Malick of Heath and Linda Jones of Horseshoe Bay successfully defended their Super Senior and Super Super Senior titles, respectively.