By Susan Smiley
Erin Kerr remembers signing up for her first GAM tournament back in 2013. The 22-year-old Oakland University golfer was a 16-year-old high school student playing for Capac High School.
“I was so nervous,” said Kerr. “I had to be put on a waiting list for the Michigan Women’s Amateur and I thought for sure I was not going to get in. It was scary. I thought everyone was going to be so much better than me and that everyone would think I was just terrible. But there are people of all different levels and I really had fun!”
Kerr has come back to play in the Michigan Women’s Amateur and GAM Women’s Championship every year since. She says the level of competition and the quality of the host golf courses and the tournaments themselves have made her a better golfer and enabled her to realize her dream of playing college golf for OU. 
“No matter what level of golf you play, these tournaments can only make you better,” said Kerr. “In high school, I was kind of a big fish in a little pond and you only play 9-hole competitions at that level. The GAM tournaments really prepared me for college golf. Playing with better players is going to help your game too!”
Cindy Obermeyer also remembers being nervous for her first GAM competition which was the Mid-Am at Plum Hollow Country Club in 2006. She signed up with her friend Judy Lazzaro not really knowing what to expect.
“We were both very nervous,” said Obermeyer. “Jean Murray was in my group and she was close to 70 years old at the time. I thought if she can do it, there is no reason I should not be able to do it. After that I thought, well, I am just going to sign up to play in everything!”
Obermeyer has played in GAM tournaments from the Women’s Four-Ball to the Net Team to the Women’s Senior and made many friends through participating in GAM competitions.
“The Women’s Senior is maybe my favorite because it is always held up north and it is fun to see people you only see at that tournament,” said Obermeyer. “Sometimes you do well and sometimes you don’t but it is always a lot of fun and a nice weekend away.”
Kerr says she has already made friends through GAM tournaments as well.
“You just go out there and have fun and play! Learn from everyone,” said Kerr. “The rules officials, (GAM Director of Rules and Competitions) Ken Hartmann, the girls; I have not met a bad person yet! You meet people practicing on the range even!”
Kerr likes the Michigan Women’s Amateur because it combines stroke play and match play. She made the cut to advance to match play for the first time last year where she lost to 2018 Champion Aya Johnson in the first round. That did not damper Kerr’s enthusiasm.
“Match play was just a total blast!” said Kerr. “Looking back from the time I started playing competitive golf until now, I am just so much more comfortable on a golf course.”
Obermeyer cites the Senior Match Play event as her favorite simply because there are not many opportunities to play match play in a tournament setting. And for women thinking about trying competitive golf for the first time, match play can be a great first event.
“For people dipping their toe into tournaments, match play is nice because if you have a terrible hole you just move on to the next one,” said Obermeyer.
Kerr says even if you are feeling nervous about signing up for a tournament for the first time, it is worth giving it a try.
“These tournaments are for all levels of golfers and they can only make you better. The more you participate, the better you will play!”
27th GAM Women’s Championship
Muskegon CC July 16-17
MAX Handicap Index 15.4
Registration Deadline 7/6/2018
22nd GAM Women’s Senior
Manistee G&CC Aug. 26-27
MAX Handicap Index 25.4
Registration Deadline 8/15/2018
15th Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur
The Moors July 11-12
MAX Handicap Index 25.4
Registration Deadline 7/2/2018
8th GAM Women’s Four-Ball
St. Clair GC July 23-24
Registration Deadline 7/11/2018
20th GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur
Stonehedge GC June 3-4
MAX Handicap Index 25.4
Registration Deadline 5/23/2018
102nd Michigan Women’s Amateur
Western G&CC Aug. 13-17
MAX Handicap Index 15.4
Registration Deadline 8/1/2018
