Portage County area amateur golf news and notes

It is the perfect weekend to start the weekly golf column, with both the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and The Masters, two iconic tournaments for amateur women and professional men, the first week in April.

The Women’s Amateur at Augusta concluded 54 holes of play on Saturday. The Masters tees off on Thursday.

Pirates Play Golf

What did you do this winter?

Did you take advantage of indoor golf facilities, putt on your carpet at home or try to sneak in a round on one of the golf courses that remain open throughout the winter?

If you are a youth golfer in the Southeast School District, your game is tuned and ready thanks to the unique Pirates Play Golf program.

Southeast elementary and middle school students are invited to two sessions, each four weeks, that provide beginning lessons and continued instruction in chipping, putting, and full-swing hitting in the gymnasium.

Now in its fourth year, the program was started by Cindy Fesemyer, the Pirates’ girls golf coach. With the help of volunteers as well as Mike Jenior, Southeast’s boys coach and golf professional at Olde Dutch Mill, the program has expanded each winter as youths begin the game they can play for life.

Pirates Play Golf concluded with a Master’s Tournament as the juniors took full-swings at golf posters on the gym wall, tried to putt through obstacles and chipped into buckets, seeking a 14-par on the course created just for them.

At the end, the winners wore green jackets and were awarded medals.

The winners of the green jacket were: Elizabeth Dills, 5th grade; Olivia Sloan, 2nd grade; Mason Dillon, 3rd grade; and Carson Sari, Kindergarten.

Portage County Amateurs returns

On a personal note, this is the 16th season that this writer is the tournament director of the Portage County Amateurs.

Welcoming athletes each summer and providing competition for all amateur golfers ages three to 90-plus is absolutely a pleasure.

During the last 16 years, with the help of numerous golf coaches, golf professionals and family, the single Portage County Amateur has grown to four events: Kids, Junior and splitting the Amateur and the Senior into two separate events.

This season, the Amateur celebrates its 92nd year as a part of the Portage County golf landscape and the 52nd Senior Amateur continues to grow.

The first year I ran the Amateur, it was held at Windmill Lakes in Ravenna and Raccoon Hill in Kent.

We are headed back to those courses for the Amateur and the Senior this season as many golfers have requested changing courses across the county to compete in the Portage County Amateur and Senior Amateur.

Remaining at Windmill Lakes with Herb Page, director of golf, and Mike Maxwell, general manager, is a must. It is one of the top public courses in Ohio.