Cleveland MetroParks Golf

Looking to play in the 2009 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship? Time to get your entry blank here.

The Cleveland Am is one of the premier events of the Northeast Ohio golf season. This three-day 54-hole tournament will be played at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville this year, on August 7th - 9th.

Players who are exempt into the Championship (through the criterion outlined on the entry blank) can simply submit their entry blank as stated on the form.

Players who are not exempt must play their way in through one of the four qualifiers / course championships, held at Sleepy, Big Met, Manakiki and Shawnee Hills on July 25-26.

The Cleveland Am defending champion is Kyle Cobb; you can read about the 2008 event here.

Complete details for entry are listed on the form. Get your entry blank in today!

The team of Allen Freeman, Ryan Stefanski, Drew Thompson and Glyn Price posted a two shot victory at the Sleepy Hollow 4-Man Scramble Saturday, part of the Spring Tour from Cleveland Metroparks Golf.

Their 14-under par score was good for a 2-shot win over three teams at 12-under, in the 20 team event. Scores from teams that won prizes:

Allen Freeman, Ryan Stefanski, Glyn Price, Drew Thompson 57
Jeff Meagrow, Jeff Klominek, Matt Glovna, Brian Thompson 59
Kyle Krumlauf, Mark Bishop, Jason Bishop, Bob Jacob 59
Greg Sowa, Tim Boardman, Elio Fontana, Kevin Fenton 59
Mike Kracker, Dennis Heckathorn, Bob Ferencz, Bob Street 60

Final Results, 2-Man Better Ball / Scramble
Big Met Golf Course, Fairview Park
Saturday, May 16, 2009

Mark Hubert / Kevin Hagen  65
AJ Borisa / Joe Battaglia  66
Mike Kracker / Dennis Heckathorn  66
Chuck Morrow / Ian Marek  68
Chris Kuhrt / David DiGirolamo  68
Lisa Kocin / Aaron Osysko  69
Dave Engler / Doug Hubert  70
John Kocin / Alex Kocin  70
Ray Durban / Louis Durban  70

Cleveland Metroparks Golf Spring Two Player Scramble
Manankiki Golf Course, Saturday, May 9, 2009

Mike Kracker - Dennis Heckathorn  66
Scott Heran - Michael Mintz  66
Paul Prince - John Prince   67
Jack Elber - Mark Borlin   68
(scorecard playoff breaks ties)

Closest to pin #5: Bill Randorf
Closest to pin #7: Paul Prince
Closest to pin #11: Paul Prince

33 teams competed in the 2008 edition of the Bill Barbour Cup, a 27-hole “jumble” format event played at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville on October 11th.

Final results from the top finishers:

Jim Smith & Tim Hahn -7
Chris Abbey & Greg Kenscon -7
Mike Kracker & Dennis Heckathorn -6
Scott Saari & K.C. Saari -3
Steve Blackburn & Mark Foss -3
Derek Duda & Brad Steven -1
Doug Savage & Brad Shuff E
Michael Mintz & Scott Heran  E
Greg Sowa & Tom Boardman E

The Cleveland Metroparks hosts a series of scratch amateur golf tournaments every fall at four of its golf courses, always featuring a series of team formats. Below are the Fall Tour 2008 events, with entry deadlines and links to each tournament’s entry blank:

2-Player Scramble, Big Met GC, Fairview Park
Saturday, September 6
Entry Deadline: Sunday, August 31; Entry blank here

2-Player Scramble / Better Ball, Shawnee Hills GC, Bedford Heights
Saturday, September 20
Entry Deadline: Sunday, September 14; Entry blank here

Barbour Cup 27-Hole Jumble, Sleepy Hollow GC, Brecksville
Saturday, October 11
Entry Deadline: Sunday, October 5; Entry blank here

3-Player Scramble, Manakiki GC, Willoughby Hills
Saturday, October 18
Entry Deadline: Sunday, October 12; Entry blank here

The entry fees for each event are very affordable, and players compete for gift certificates for pro shop merchandise as a part of that entry.

–Allen Freeman

For 71 holes, David Griffith of Broadview Heights played the steadiest of every competitor in the 2008 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship field. But on the 72nd hole, one swing opened the door to three other players, and Kyle Cobb of Strongsville took advantage.

Griffith came to the final hole at Manakiki at 1-under par for the tournament and two shots in the lead after playing solid golf on a chilly, windy and occasionally wet day. But Griffith pulled his tee shot into the trees along the left of the 18th fairway and lost his ball in the ground cover. He had to return to the tee and suffered a double-bogey at the last, finishing the tournament at 1-over par 217.

2008 Sleepy Hollow course champion Nick Latimer from Kent, playing along side Griffith in the final group, launched his tee shot high and to the right into the trees, and it appeared he suffered the same fate as Griffith. But a marshal spotted his ball high up on the hill, and Latimer slashed it out of the scrub, across the cart path and into the fairway, inside 100 yards. From there he hit a great wedge shot to 3 feet and made the putt for an improbable par, to finish at 217 as well.

In the groups ahead, Cobb and two-time Cleveland Am champ Brad Steven of Concord tied for the low round of the day, each shooting 2-under par 70. Both players made the turn at 1-over par 37 for the front nine, but then both started a run.

Steven made birdie at the difficult tenth hole, then made eagle at the par-5 12th. Cobb, a junior-to-be at Cleveland State, birdied both of the back-to-back par fives at 12 and 13, then had the break of the tournament: a birdie at the par-3 15th from a tee shot that flew well into the wooded hillside left of the green, bounced out, and rolled to just a few inches for a tap-in. Both Steven and Cobb shot 3-under par 33 on the final nine, and a 217 total.

As the four-man playoff started, it began to rain and quickly turned into a downpour. All four players hit their tee shots to the 10th fairway in a deluge. Griffith and Steven went left behind a mound that blocks the green, while Latimer and Cobb found the right rough, but with an open shot. Then play was suspended due to lightning.

After an hour delay, the foursome returned to the 10th fairway, where Griffith and Steven laid up to just outside of 100 yards. Latimer hit his second in the right fringe just above the hole, then Cobb hit a solid shot to the center of the green, about 15 feet left of the hole and straight up the hill.

After misses by the other players, Cobb center-cut his birdie putt and made a small fist pump to claim the 2008 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship.

A special congratulations to Tom Kochensparger and Mike Raby for conducting a great tournament, and to the Manakiki golf course maintenance staff for the incredible conditioning. The greens were the talk of the players, as they were smooth, rolled close to 11 on the stimp and were in “country club condition”.

. . .

2008 GREATER CLEVELAND AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL RESULTS, AUGUST 8 - 10
Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills, Ohio
6,625 Yards, Par 72

– Allen Freeman

David Griffith and Zach Glassman are tied for the lead after two rounds in the 2008 Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship, each posting a 36-hole total of 2-under par 142.

The pair lead Nick Latimer and Matt Heestand by two shots, but ten players are within five shots of the lead. So tomorrow’s final round should be competitive — and the public is welcome to come out and watch.

The biggest move of the day was made by Steve Blackburn Jr., who posted the low round of the day with a 3-under par 69 for a two-day total of 147.

42 players made the cut, coming at 11-over par 155.

Groupings and Starting Times for the final round of the 54-hole championship are posted below scores for the field:

Results After Round 2: Saturday, August 9, 2008
2008 Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship
Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills, Ohio
6,625 Yards, Par 72

– Tom Kochensparger, Mike Raby & Allen Freeman

Zach Glassman of Highland Heights grabbed the first round lead of the 2008 Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship at Manakiki GC today, posting a score of 2-under par 70 to lead by one.

Glassman leads a trio of players who posted 1-under par scores of 71: David Griffith, Matt Heestand and Scott Saari.

The Round One leader has been playing well of late; last week Thursday, Glassman grabbed a spot in the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst later this month by surviving a playoff in the regional qualifier.

Tee times for the second round follow the scores for the field.

ROUND 1: 2008 CLEVELAND AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills; 6,625 Yards, Par 72

.
– Tom Kochensparger, Mike Raby & Allen Freeman

Final Results from the 2008 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship Qualifying Tournaments and Course Championships.

Players who qualified will compete along with a number of previously exempt contestants at the 54-hole Cleveland Amateur at Manakiki GC in Willoughby Hills, August 8 - 10:
(* - exempt into Cleveland Amateur Championship prior to Qualifier)

Sleepy Hollow GC, Brecksville: 6,670 Yards, Par 71
Qualifying Score: 158 or better

.

Big Met GC, Fairview Park
6,524 Yards, Par 72
Qualifying Score: 148 or better

.

Manakiki GC, Willoughby Hills: 6,225 Yards, Par 68 (17 Holes)
Qualifying Score: 147 or better

.

Shawnee Hills GC, Bedford Heights: 6,636 Yards, Par 71
Qualifying Score: 151 or better

.

After posting two second place finishes and a third in the last few years, Jerry Miller of Beachwood won his first Senior Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship on Saturday at Big Met, and he did it by an emphatic margin.

Miller followed-up his great first round score of 70 with a smooth 1-under par 71 to win by a whopping five shots over five different runners-up. Complete results for all divisions follow:

2008 Senior Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship
July 18 - 19, 2008, Big Met Golf Course, Cleveland
Top Finishers from Field of 104 Players

– Mike Raby & Allen Freeman

Jillian Stupiansky made an amazing final round charge, posting a sizzling score of 71 to win the 2008 Women’s Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship at Manakiki GC in Willoughby Hills by two shots. See the Plain Dealer story here. Complete tournament results below:

2008 Women’s Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship
July 18 - 19, 2008, Manakiki GC, Willoughby Hills

– Tom Kochensparger & Allen Freeman

Three-time top-3 finisher Jerry Miller grabbed the first round lead of the 2008 Senior Cleveland Amateur Championship at Big Met Golf Course today, posting a smooth 2-under par 70.

Miller leads by one over Steve Bedell and Ward Watkins heading into Saturday’s final round.

The field is tight, as 17 players are within four shots of the lead, including defending champion and three-time winner Norton Brick at 74.

The first round scores are posted below, listed in reverse order so as to provide the Saturday Groupings and Starting Times:

2008 SENIOR GREATER CLEVELAND AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round Scores: Saturday, July 19, 2008 at Big Met Golf Club
Listed in Order of Final Round Pairings;  ** = ages 60 - 70, ## = ages 70+

– Mike Raby & Allen Freeman

2008 Women’s Greater Cleveland
Amateur Golf Championship

Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills
First Round Scores, Friday, July 19, 2008

Listed in Order of Groupings & Starting Times:
9:45    Bruell, Frederique    74
9:45    Stupiansky, Jillian    76
9:45    Boney, Mollie    78

9:30    Kocin, Lisa    78
9:30    Caldwell, Paige    80
9:30    King, Caroline    80

9:20    Suleiman, Amy    82
9:20    Merk, Lizzy    83
9:20    Lambert, Hannah    85

9:10    Powell, Lois    96**
9:10    Joyner, Brenda    97
9:10    Rihtar, Blaze    97
Levi, Rachel    WD

** Hole in One on #11 - Lois Powell!

Entry blanks are now available for all three upcoming “Cleveland Ams”: The Senior Cleveland Amateur; the Women’s Cleveland Amateur; and The Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship.

The Senior and Women’s events will both be held on July 18-19 at different sites. The Senior Cleveland Am (entry blank here) will be played at Big Met, while the Women’s Cleveland Am (entry blank here) will be contested at Manakiki. Competition details are on listed on the entry blank forms.

The 54-hole main event, The Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship, will be played August 8-10 at Manakiki Golf Course in Willoughby Hills (entry blank here).

Players who are not “exempt” into the tournament can qualify for entry through one of the four Course Championships being held at each of the Cleveland MetroParks golf courses on July 26th and 27th. The top 15 finishers plus ties at each Course Championship earns his or her way to the Championship at Manakiki.

There are a number of exemption methods for tournament players to gain entry into the Championship proper without playing in a qualifier:

1) All past GCAC Champions, and the top ten finishers from the 2007 Championship. All past Senior Champions, and the top five finishers from the 2008 Senior Championship.

2) Event winners during the 2008 calendar year from the Northern Ohio Golf Association, the Akron District Golf Association, and the Championship Golf Association.

3) 2008 Northern Ohio Golf Association club/course champions. (2007 champion eligible if the 2008 champion has not been determined by July 21, 2008)

4) The 2007 and 2008 winners and runners-up of the Northeast Ohio Amateur and the Summit County Amateur.

5) Players ranked in the Top 10 as of July 15th, from the Player of the Year points list of the Northern Ohio Golf Association, the Championship Golf Association, and the Akron District Golf Association, who are not otherwise exempt.

Questions? Contact Mike Raby at 440-333-0305 or email him. Otherwise, get your entry blank in soon…

–Allen Freeman