Washtenaw Golf Club Hosting GAM Boys’ Championship

Washtenaw Golf Club Hosting GAM Boys’ Championship

  YPSILANTI – The second GAM Boys’ Championship will be played at Washtenaw Golf Club, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 29-30.

  It’s the second consecutive year Washtenaw has hosted the new championship, and the second GAM Girls’ Championship was played in April, also at Washtenaw.

  The format is 36-holes of stroke play over two days and champions will be crowned in 15-and-under and the overall categories.

  Washtenaw opened in 1899 and has evolved over the years into a 6,512-yard classic parkland style golf course featuring tree-lined fairways, strategically placed bunkers, and quick, undulating greens.

  In January of 2020 KMD Investors took the reins of the historic golf club that is open to the public, and Michigan-based architect Raymond Hearn’s firm is performing master plan renovation and restoration projects.

  Hearn’s research of the property found a rare 1930 aerial photograph he has used to bring back some of the classic golf course design features. Through his research Hearn also found at least nine holes of the design should be credited to William Herbert “Bert” Way, a golf professional and course designer from England.

  The course has a rich tournament history, including hosting the 1927 Michigan Amateur Championship, and many other tournaments and qualifiers for both the Golf Association of Michigan and the Michigan PGA.

  Zach Szawara is the PGA head golf professional and Mark Pappas is the golf course superintendent.

  Last year at Washtenaw, Winslow Robinson of Traverse City pulled away on the back nine to win the first GAM Boys’ Championship. It was his first GAM title, too. In the 15-and-under division, Harris Hoekwater of Grand Rapids emerged as champion.

  Hoekwater is returning this year, and the recent Michigan Junior Amateur champion JP Levan of Grand Rapids, and the 15-and-under champion at the Michigan Junior Amateur, Blake Springstead of Kewadin, are in the field.

PAIRINGS, INFORMATION: at GAM.org