Around the Green

Maridoe GC To Host Texas Shootout

State’s Top Amateurs Converge for Texas Shootout

DALLAS – The state’s top 24 amateurs from North and South Texas will gather at the stunning new Maridoe Golf Club for the 15th Annual Texas Shootout from Oct. 28-29.
 
After two years of meticulous work, the highly anticipated Maridoe Golf Club opened for play just three months ago on a verdant 214-acre property that was the former site of The Honors Club of Dallas and before that Columbian Club.
 
Designed by architect Steve Smyers, Maridoe Golf Club is already being recognized as one of the best new courses in the country. An early glimpse reveals an extraordinary layout, at once thought-provoking, challenging, original and visually sensational. The course has five sets of tees and measures 7,834 yards from the tips with a rating of 80.5 and a slope of 155. The next set of tees is 7,311 yards with a rating of 76.7 and a slope of 150.
 
First conducted in 2003, the season-ending Texas Shootout is by invitation-only and features the top 12 players (eight mid-amateurs and four seniors) from North Texas squaring off against their counterparts from South Texas in a Ryder Cup-style competition.
 
Players earn their way onto their respective teams by accumulating points throughout the year in designated TGA regional and statewide tournaments, as well as USGA national championships. North and South regions are defined as either being above or below the 31’ parallel (Salado, Texas).
 
Of the eight mid-amateurs selected from each region, five come from the TGA Statewide Player of the Year point standings and three from the Regional Player of the Year point standings. The top four North and South senior players are chosen based on the Statewide Senior Player of the Year point standings.
 
The format for the Shootout includes foursome, four-ball and singles matches. A total of 24 matches will be played over the two days. Each match is worth three points – one point each for front nine, back nine and 18 – making for 72 available points. The first team to accumulate 36½ points is the winner.
 
Skippered by playing captain Mike Booker of The Woodlands, the South team bested the North squad, 38-33, at the 2016 Texas Shootout contested on the Cypress Creek Course at Champions Golf Club in Houston. The South now leads the overall series 8-6.
 
Live scoring updates and daily recaps, as well as tee-times and pairings, will be available at txga.org once the action gets underway from Maridoe Golf Club. 
 
2017 TEXAS SHOOTOUT NOTES:
 
North Team: Scott Abbott, Gant Bills, David Bolen, Rob Couture, *Dave Davis, Brad Gibson, *Jerry Hudgins, Joshua Irving, Will Osborne, *Chuck Palmer, *Lewis Stephenson (Playing Captain), Scott Volpitto.
 
South Team: Jonathan Alden, Tim Hamm, *Chris Hartenstein, *Alan Hill, Bryant Lach, Randy Lance, *John McClure, Stephen Paterson, *John Pierce (Playing Captain), Edward Sanchez, Trevor Sauntry, Tony Soerries.
 
*Indicates senior player representative
 
Schedule of Events:
 
Friday, October 27
12:30 – 12:50 p.m. – Practice Rounds – South
1:00 – 1:20 p.m. – Practice Rounds – North
6:00 p.m. – Cocktail Reception & Match Draw
 
Saturday, October 28
8:00 – 8:50 a.m. – Foursome Matches
12:30 – 1:20 p.m. – Four-Ball Matches
6:30 p.m. – Player Dinner
 
Sunday, October 29
8:00 – 9:28 a.m. – Singles Matches; Awards Presentation following conclusion of play.