Muskegon Country Club Hosting GAM Senior Championship

Muskegon Country Club Hosting GAM Senior Championship

    MUSKEGON – Muskegon Country Club and its classic Donald Ross-designed golf course will host the top senior golfers in Michigan in the 38th GAM Senior Championship presented by Golf Digest Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 16-17.

  A field of 150 golfers ages 55-plus, many of them multiple-time champions of various tournaments over the years, will play 36 holes of stroke play to determine the overall Senior champion as well as a Super Senior division winner for those over age 65.

  The Donald Ross-designed Muskegon Country Club course has hosted several GAM championships and USGA qualifiers, including the Michigan Amateur Championships of 2005 and 2013, two GAM Women’s Championships and the 2019 GAM Championship for men. It also previously hosted the GAM Senior Championship in 2017.

  The club was founded in 1908 on 130 acres of sand dune overlooking Lake Michigan and features rolling terrain and fescue lined fairways. It can play up to 6,697 yards from the back tees, and in Ross fashion features challenging green settings.

  The course was originally laid out by noted designer Thomas Bendelow but in 1920 was redesigned by Ross. In recent years the club has concentrated on removing some trees and returning the design to the original setting Ross created.

  MCC Superintendent Jeff Hopkins is competing in the field as in did in 2022 in the GAM Senior Match Play Championship. Stephany Pawlowski is the director of golf at the club. Learn more at muskegoncc.com

  Last year at Orchard Lake Country Club, Greg Davies of West Bloomfield came from behind to win. It was the first senior title for the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member.

  Ron Perrine of Holt, who tied for second overall, was presented the Super Senior Division Trophy for players 65-plus. The Super Senior winner is recognized, though the entire field plays from the same tees and competes for the overall championship.

  Six former overall champions are in this year’s field including Davies and Craig Adams of Spring Lake, who won his title at Muskegon CC in 2017.

  The former champions joining Davies and Adams in the field are 2021 and 2019 winner Steve Maddalena of Jackson, 2020 winner Gregg Bonamici of Grosse Ile, two-time winner Ian Harris of Bloomfield (2012, 2014), and 2007 winner Mike Fedewa of Canton. John Barbour, the 2022 winner, had shoulder surgery and will miss this year’s championship.

 Perrine, David Schultz of St. Joseph, the Super Senior winner in 2022 and Rick Herpich, the Super Senior winner in 2018, ’19 and ’21 are also in the field.

TEE TIMES/SCORES: GAM.org