AUGUSTA, Mich. – Mitch Wilson wrapped up an emotional Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Senior Match Play win on June 4. He dedicated the victory to his mother, Jeddy, who had died two weeks prior, and was awarded the memorial trophy that honors his friend Jerry A. Walker.
His voice cracked when he said it was a blessing to be out playing golf again.
“Up to a week ago I wasn’t sure we would be able to play this tournament, but it was great to see everybody and compete,” he said in reference to stay-at-home restrictions on Michigan golf because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Golf is a game where we can social distance quite well, especially out here with the way the ball bounces all over the place,” said Wilson, 62.
Scores: GAM Senior Match Play
Wilson, head men’s golf coach at Kalamazoo College, won the Senior Match Play this year for the second time. He turned back Charles “Chip” Anderson of Grand Rapids, 2 and 1, in the championship match at the sprawling Gull Lake View Golf Club and Resort’s Stoatin Brae course.
The Senior Match Play was the launching of what the GAM has deemed a safety-first tournament and event schedule for 2020. Chris Whitten, executive director of the GAM, said the tournament staff researched and determined best practices in dealing with golf during the pandemic.
“We’re fortunate that golf is open throughout the state,” he said. “Now that golf carts are available and most pro shops are operating, our host facilities are ready to welcome our players back. Golf is an outdoor activity that naturally lends itself to social distancing, and we feel we can make tournament play very safe following government guidelines and executive orders.
“We’ve followed other golf associations around the country and reached out for information from a national allied body of golf which includes the USGA to help us do this. We plan to adjust as we learn more and move forward.”
Ken Hartmann, GAM senior director of competitions and USGA services, said tournaments will be conducted with safety as a paramount concern.
“We understand some people are still not comfortable with playing in a tournament right now, so we are working with tournament entry deadlines where we can,” Hartmann said. “People should contact us with concerns. We want them to play and feel safe.”
Social distancing practices like single-tee starts, carts being restricted to one golfer, digital cell/smart phone technology in lieu of exchanged scorecards and scoreboards and pre-packaged food instead of the traditional championship clubhouse gatherings and buffets were in place at Stoatin Brae.
Hartmann said things went smoothly and the tournament players echoed that sentiment.
“They (the GAM) went above and beyond, they did all they could possible do,” said Ian Harris, a Bloomfield Hills tennis professional who won the Super Senior Division (age 65-plus) for the second consecutive year. “I felt perfectly safe out there. I don’t think anybody was in jeopardy. We all kept our space.”
Harris said the golf was very normal in an unusual time.
“In this incredible world we are living in right now, what a great respite to play in a golf tournament,” he said. “Seeing some of the guys, having fun, not stressing about all that is going on. It was a joy to be competing and playing in a tournament. It was great to be out doing what we all love to do.”
A 100-percent refund policy is currently in place for those uncomfortable with playing during the pandemic, and Hartmann said tournament players are asked to update their player information profiles at GAM.org with their cell phone numbers and email addresses. Tournament information, updates, scoring links, rain delay information, etc., is being issued via text and email communication.
“We simply can’t do things the way we have done them in the past right now and have a crowd around the scoreboard or a buffet enjoying the social part of our championships,” Hartmann said. “We can still have great championships though – with everybody communicating and working together.”
Accommodations are being worked out with tournament host sites based on the recommended health practices and the service practices underway at the sites regarding locker room access, water, refreshments, food service and practice area uses.
Whitten said tournament staff and officials and volunteers, which most years includes over 200 people through the season, are being asked to be part of online tournament orientation sessions to prepare for the new practices.
“The priority is safety and we have approached it that way from the start,” he said. “We will have our championships. They are just going to look a little different.”
Anderson, after dropping the title match to Wilson at Stoatin Brae, said the consensus among the players was practicing social distancing, digital scoring and single carts was a small price to pay to get to play.
“It was a long winter, and then we had the stay-at-home and the bad weather in March and April where we couldn’t even get outside at home,” he said. “So just to get out to play, to get some sense of normalcy, get active, get some fresh air and see the guys again was tremendous.”