2007 Year In Review 

Dear FWGA members,

            On behalf of the Board of Directors of the FWGA, welcome to the 2008 season.  After a very long winter, we are looking forward to seeing all of you at the course this spring.  As you may have read in our “2007 In Review”, we are excited to announce that Sycamore Hills GC & Brookwood GC are hosting the 2008 City Championship. This 2008 season also marks the first time in many years we are not mailing our members an official packet of entry forms and schedules.  With the world of the internet being such a huge part of our lives, it is our hope that all of those members that plan to participate in an event(s), can do so just as conveniently as in years past.  If you are reading this, it is obvious that you have access to download our information. But if you know someone that may not have access, please let them know that our host golf courses will have our printed packets inside the pro shops.

            Our web master, Barry Myers, continues to update our web site. If you have a few minutes, next time you are on our website, be sure to check out our new list of board members. You will notice that we have (2) new board members.  Mike Davis and Ron Schmucker are our latest additions to the board.  If you have interest in becoming a board member, please let us know.

            The FWGA membership fee will remain at $15 (with noted exceptions).  Please read each entry form carefully to determine if your membership fees are due.  Your participation is greatly appreciated as we try to maintain a level of excellence at each of our events.  Each tournament requires an entry form and includes an entry deadline of one week prior to the event.  The only exception of the one week deadline is the City Championship. The date of the City Championship is August 9 – 11.  The deadline is July 19^th, one week prior to the City Qualifier.  For all players that are exempt, be sure to take note of this deadline.   

To download an entry form, follow the steps listed below:

- >      On our web page, scroll down to the home tab.

- >      Click on ‘Event Schedule’.

- >       Find the Entry Form column listed for each event and click to download the entry.

- >   We kick off the season with the 5-man Scramble on April 26^th at Lakeside GC.  NO $15 membership required.  Tee times begin at 8:00 and will go through 12:00 noon.  If we need more tee times, Lakeside pro, Gary Dick, has set aside enough extra tee times through 1:00 PM.  Be sure to checkmark your entry for early a.m., mid a.m., or late a.m.  We will do our best to accommodate each group.

- >   The Spring Open remains at Foster Park on May 17^th – 18^th.  Scott Pieri is the defending champion as he came back from a one stroke deficit to defeat Chip Novak by one.  This event also begins the 4 tournament run that allows a player to become exempt for the 2008 City Championship prior to the traditional qualifier date.  If a player’s 36 hole gross score is in the top 10 and that player is not currently exempt for the City, that player now becomes exempt (assuming that player meets all eligibility requirements).  Again, please read the entry form carefully to determine if your membership fee is due.  Very simply, if you are a member of Foster Park , you are not required to join the FWGA until you enter a second event.  Be sure to thank Bill Miller, head pro at Foster and 2001 FWGA Hall of Fame inductee, for all his years of support to the FWGA.  2008 marks the end of an era at Foster Park as this will be Bill’s last year as the head pro. 

- >   On June 7^th – 8^th, we continue one of our oldest traditions in the FWGA schedule, the Little City Championship at McMillen Park GC.  Please read the entry to determine if your membership fees are due. Following a sudden death playoff over Travis Hemsoth in last year’s rain shortened event, Chip Novak defends.  Again, if a player is not exempt from qualifying for the City Championship, this is another opportunity to get an automatic exemption.  You may notice a change of scenery as you pull into the McMillen Park GC Pro shop.  The city’s new golf learning center opened in late June of 2007.

- >    The FWGA Amateur Open is back.  On Saturday, June 21^st, Cedar Creek GC will host this (1) day championship.  There will be (2) flights, the Gross Flight and Net Flight.  If you have not established a GHIN handicap and wish to be eligible for the Net flight, you must have a current GHIN.  If not, you will only be eligible for the Gross flight.  An exemption directly to the City Tournament is up for grabs for those finishing in the top 10 of the Gross Flight.  To determine if you are required to pay the $15 FWGA membership fee, please read the entry form.

- >    The FWGA Hall of Fame Championship is back at the Coyote Creek GC on Saturday, July 12^th.  As you may have noticed, this event will now be officially known as the Parker Motter Hall of Fame Championship.  Hartley McLeod III defends as he cruised to a 3 shot victory in his march to the 2007 City Championship crown.  This is the last chance for the automatic exemption until qualifying.  As in the Amateur Open, this (1) day event follows the same format.  To determine if you are required to pay the $15 FWGA membership fee, please read the entry form.

- >  As in 2007, Brookwood GC and Foster Park GC will be the host sites for the 2008 City Qualifier.  If your last name begins with A – L, you will be playing at Foster.  If your name begins with M – Z, you will be playing at Brookwood.  Just as last year, the results from each course are independent from one another.  The total number of open spots is determined by 156 (beginning field) minus the number of exempt players entered.  To determine the 156 player field, it may be necessary to conduct sudden death playoffs for the last qualifying spots.  The fee for qualifying will remain at $50.  This fee includes your green fees and range balls (prior to your tee time only).  If a player becomes one of the successful qualifiers and intends to enter the City Championship, the player will have one week to get his entry to the FWGA tournament committee.

- >   On Sunday, August 3^rd, the Houlihans (Jim, Pat, and Dennis) and the FWGA host the Houlihan & Houlihan Interclub Championship at Brookwood GC.  The team from Cedar Creek GC edged out the team from Coyote Creek by one shot in 2007 to claim their 3^rd straight interclub championship.  Traditionally, this event is seen as a prelude to determine whom the favorites may be heading into the City Championship the following week.  2008 will be no exception as the team from Cedar Creek goes for consecutive win #4.

- >  The 83^rd Fort Wayne City Championship begins Saturday, August 9^th at Brookwood GC.  The 2^nd and final round will be played at one of the finest courses in the United States , Sycamore Hills GC.  After being down by 4 shots with 9 holes to play in the 2007 City Championship final round, Hartley McLeod III fired a 5-under par 30 to edge Sam Till Jr. by 2 shots and claim his 1^st Fort Wayne City Championship.  Please make note that the 2^nd round cut line has been changed.  In years past, the cut line included the top 100 scores and ties.  This year, the cut line will include the top 120 scores and ties.  The 2008 Championship marks the 3^rd time Sycamore Hills GC has hosted our marquee event since 1990. 

- >   Friday, September 19^th will see Brookwood host our only 2-man team event of the 2008 season, the Mid-Am Team Championship.  This 36-hole marathon will test many a friendships as the morning best ball format is followed by the always tough alternate shot format.  In 2007, Mark Rietdorf teamed with Scott Pieri to shoot a 10-under par 134 and edge out the brother team of BJ and Joe Hayden by one shot.  Since the inception of the event back in 1995, we have been fortunate in establishing a sponsor to offset some costs and more importantly, allowed this to become a very special event for the players. This will be the first year without a sponsor for this event.  If you have interest or know of a possible sponsor, please do not hesitate to contact the FWGA.

- >    We conclude the 2008 season with our traditional season ending event, the FWGA Challenge Cup.  Those qualifying through our point system will take on the team of local Pros at the Pine Valley CC.  For more years than the Pros care to keep track of, the FWGA won again in 2008 by a comfortable 26 – 14 margin.  To qualify for the Challenge Cup team, be sure to increase your odds of making the team by playing in as many of our individual tournaments as your schedule allows.  The top (18) players in the point standings qualify for the team.  

Again, we thank you for your past participation and look forward to seeing many of you at Lakeside GC on April 26^th.

Sincerely,

Steve Vernasco

President, FWGA