Local Amateur Golf Events

Growing up playing golf competitively in high school, I am always interested in opportunities to compete on the golf course, therefore I have an interest in what amateur events are held locally. From what I can tell, being a resident here in Maryland for only a couple years now, there are several options for tournament play.

Maryland State Golf Association

The Maryland State Golf Association (MSGA) fields an extensive calendar of events, to include tournaments for individuals, teams, amateurs and pros alike. The MSGA does a nice job of spreading around where these events are held, both at public and private venues located throughout the state. This year’s Maryland Amateur event is held in mid June at Congressional Country Club’s Gold Course, while other events are held at the University of Maryland course, newcomer Lake Presidential, and the P.B. Dye Club in western Maryland.

Baltimore Municipal Golf Corporation

The Baltimore Municipal Golf Corporation (BMGC), which runs Baltimore City’s five golf courses, also hosts a season-long series of tournaments. The schedule for 2010 is yet to be released, but by scanning over the 2009 schedule one can see there are plenty of opportunities to try out Charm City’s courses. Among these events include a Two-Man Team Championship, Publinx events for both men and women, and a Maryland Amateur Stroke Play Championship held over three days. These tournaments are also unique because of the fact the BMGC owns five courses, the events are often held at multiple courses, similar to the Bob Hope PGA Tour event taking place as I type. I truly plan to play in at least one BMGC event this summer.

Washington Metropolitan Golf Association

For those living in the Washington D.C. metro area, there are several events held by the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association (WMGA) throughout the year. The WMGA hosts a Mid-Amateur, a traditional Amateur, a four-ball event as well as a Senior Amateur event. They also host a pair of team matches, several junior matches, and several USGA qualifiers throughout the year. The events are held at courses within a 60-mile radius of Washington D.C., and include several top-tier clubs.

Middle Atlantic Golf Association

The Middle Atlantic Golf Association (MAGA) is very similar to the Maryland or Washington DC golf associations, however, it seems to be heavily focused on unique tournaments. In their schedule of 14 events posted for 2010, five involve juniors, three involve seniors, a couple of four-ball events, and the traditional amateur held over a four-day span. The events appear to be almost entirely hosted at private venues, thus allowing the average player a chance to play courses such as the Baltimore Country Club or Columbia Country Club.
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These are just a few of the options available to the amateur golfer in the Maryland/Washington/Virginia area. If you know of any additional events, please do drop a line.