Around the Green

Regional Four-Balls Set for Feb. 25-26

The Texas Golf Association’s 2023 men’s tournament schedule kicks off with the North and South Regional Four-Ball Championships. The season openers will be held concurrently from Feb. 25-26.

The North Four-Ball will be played on The Courses at Watters Creek’s Traditions Course in Plano. Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco will be the host site for the South Four-Ball.

Opened in 1986, the Traditions Course at Watters Creek was originally designed by Robert von Hagge and Bruce Devlin. It was remodeled by D.A. Weibring and Golf Resources Group in 2012. Vaaler Creek Golf Club, located off U.S. Highway 281 between Austin and San Antonio, opened in 2009 and was designed by Michael Lowry.

First played in 2003, Regional Four-Ball entries are open to two-player teams of male amateur golfers with each member of the team having an up-to-date WHS Handicap Index® not exceeding 8.4 issued through a member club of the TGA and residing in the region relative to their respective championship. The delineation between the North and South regions is the 31st parallel in Salado.

Both championships are conducted using the same competitive format. The starting field of 44 teams (88 players) will play 36 holes of four-ball stroke play over two days with no cut. Regional performance points, which are applied to the yearlong North and South Player of the Year races, are awarded to the top five team finishers.

Starting times and pairings for the first round will be posted on the TGA website no later than Feb. 21. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from The Courses at Watters Creek and Vaaler Creek Golf Club.

At last year’s North Four-Ball, three teams were tied for the lead at 12-under-par 132 after 36 holes of regulation play at Tempest Golf Club in Gladewater. Bobby Massa and Christopher Wheeler would go on to capture the title with a birdie on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff. Ryan Haselden and Matt Williams carded rounds of 68-68 to win the 2022 South Four-Ball at Sterling Country Club in Houston. Their 36-hole, 8-under 136 total was good for a one-shot victory over Jason Coffin and Vincent Martino.