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The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships begin a three-year stay at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, this spring. In light of the championships receiving a permanent home – and a permanent host in Arizona State – at least for the short term, the NCAA has announced changes to its open-course access policy.
For the 2020 championships, the current access policy prohibits student-athletes and coaches from walking, playing or practicing at the championship finals course (i.e., practice facilities and any additional golf course at the venue) beginning Aug. 1 of the championship academic year. Any student-athlete or coach who is a member of the course – or competing in a sanctioned event at the course (such as through a USGA even or state amateur events) – is exempt.
A violation of that policy could result in sanctions listed under the NCAA misconduct provisions or disqualification for a team or an individual(s), with no substitution permitted.
That policy changes for the 2021 and 2022 championships, however. The NCAA will allow all schools to have access to Grayhawk beginning July 1 of 2020 and 2021 and continuing through April 30 of 2021 and 2022. No teams or individuals, including the host school, Arizona State, will be allowed at the site from May 1 through June 30 of 2021 and 2022.
It’s a move designed to limit the home-course advantage for the host teams. Any team that can get to the course throughout the allotted playing window can play it.
The 2020 NCAA Championships will be played May 22-27 (women) and May 29-June 3 (men). The 2021 dates are May 21-26 and May 28-June 2, and 2022 dates are May 20-25 and May 27-June 1.
This is the first time the NCAA has awarded one venue consecutive championships.
[opinary poll=”should-a-player-have-to-turn-professiona” customer=”golfweek”]
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