Michigan Golf Journal August 2021

37 August 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com wanted to celebrate our great history and we were delighted that a tournament like the Sr. Amateur was available. We think we have a perfect property for that… with the type of facilities that are needed, space for practicing, space for fan parking on site.” The momentum grew out of hosting the Turning Point Invitational that celebrated the 50 th anniversary of Arnold Palmer’s US Am victory, where virtually every past champion returned to pay homage to ‘The King.’ The momentum for hosting this Sr. Amateur grew out of hosting the Turning Point Invitational several years ago that celebrated the 50 th anniversary of Arnold Palmer’s U.S. Am victory, where virtually every past champion of that sacred event returned to pay homage to ‘The King.’ The site has also hosted six Michigan Amateurs, the most recent in 2018, and has hosted five Michigan Women’s Amateurs. It’s that planning, history and know how that led to this year’s event. Head professional at CC of Detroit George Forster said that when Covid caused the 2020 national tournament to be canceled, the USGA’s schedule was going to move forward to a new venue, but a future club wasn’t ready to take it, so Detroit got it back. That worked out well because a lot of the infrastructure was already done, many volunteers were already lined up, as well as the financial commitments. There is no cost for fans, for either tickets or parking on site. TheWayne Co. Health Department will determine any final requirements for fan attendance numbers or procedures as the month of August progresses. “Anyone that does come to the championship can get a lot of up-close looks at the best senior amateur golfers in the country,” Forster added. “There will be no ropes, you can get up close and personal and see a lot of great action from great vantage points.” “A lot of what we do is surrounded by kickstarting Arnold Palmer’s career (hosting that Amateur here), which is something that, in my opinion, is one of the top five things that’s ever happened in golf.” The U.S. Sr. Amateur will feature 156 players who qualified or were exempt, ages 55 and up. MGJ https://www.ccofd.com/Club/Scripts/ Home/home.asp