City of Ann Arbor cancels women's amateur golf championship
Sarah Hoffman, pictured above, has won four consecutive Ann Arbor women's amateur city golf championships, but will not have the opportunity to go for a fifth this summer.
Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com file photo
Actually, no one will be winning the city’s 2013 women’s amateur title.
Organizers announced the cancellation of the tournament on the City of Ann Arbor website over the weekend while the men’s amateur championship was being played, citing low registration numbers as the reason. Only four women had signed up for the tournament, which was scheduled to be played July 27 and 28 at Leslie Park Golf Course.
That means no five-peat for the former Grand Valley State All-American, Hoffman.
“We regret to do this, but with only four ladies signed up a week before the event, we have no other choice,” organizers wrote on the city's website. “We would welcome your thoughts and ideas on how to get more participants in this event for the 2014 golf season.”
There were 111 participants in the men’s amateur championship over the weekend. While the women’s tournament is usually not as popular as the men’s, it usually attracts 30-40 golfers according to former Ann Arbor Women’s Golf Association president Betsy French. The AAWGA used to organize the tournament.
“It’s really too bad. There’s been so much history through the years, there’s been so many that have won that have gone on to be really strong players,” said French, who coaches the Saline High School girls team. “It’s always been a real competitive tournament.”
French’s mother, Betty Richart - a former city champion - said she’s sad to see the numbers get so low, but isn’t surprised.
“It does make me sad, but it’s sort of the trend,” said Richart, who is a member of the Women’s District Golf Association of Detroit. “We’re having trouble with poor participation, too.”
Elizabeth Jane “Corky” (Courtwright) Wilson, pictured above in the 1940s, was a four-time Ann Arbor women's amateur champion in 1940, 1941, 1946 and 1962. The tournament first started in 1927.
Photo courtesy of Hank Wilson
The tournament - which was first held in 1927 - is traditionally played near the end of June, but Leslie Park wasn't in tournament condition because of the Traver Creek Project. The streambank stabilization project was conducted on the portion of Traver Creek that goes through the golf course. The ceremonial opening of Leslie Park didn't take place until the weekend the tournament is normally held and director of golf for the city of Ann Arbor Doug Kelly said the course wasn't ready for tournament play at the time.
"For the average joe it was good, but for the city championship we wanted everybody treated fairly," Kelly said. "The course wasn’t in peak tournament condition so we pushed it back thinking that by the time that rolled around it would be."
“It’s just so disappointing, that there’s not enough women that want to play,” said Debbie Williams-Hoak, coach of Saline’s boys team and a former LPGA player.
Williams-Hoak said the city tournament was one of the first she ever played.
“When I played there’d be all sorts flights, it’s shocking they couldn’t get enough participation,” she said.
Williams-Hoak believes the date change and a lack of marketing both likely contributed to the low registration numbers.
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.
Comments
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:13 p.m.
Why is our city in the "golf tournament" business? Shouldn't golf tournament's be private affairs?
Simon Green
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 11:34 a.m.
The War on Women continues
kay
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 10 p.m.
The tournament needs to be flighted to make it fair to everyone------this whole discussion has been around youth golfers---that is the problem. Some of the rest of us who would like to play in the tournament have higher handicaps==don't have a chance unless it is flighted. Individuals asked about flights last year and were told there were not enough participants to flight-------common sense flight it and there will certainly be more interest. I am a member of the Huron Valley Womens Golf Association----- Ann Arbor needs to reach out to these type of groups---there are women in our association with low handicaps and high handicaps----can absolutely bring it in a golf game!!!!!
rightwing
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:19 p.m.
Their tournaments are flighted. Last year there were 20ish women that played in the tournament and they had 2 flights. This isn't elementary education where "everyone wins." Get more women in the event and I am sure there will be more flights. The men's event has over 100 players and has 7 or 8 flights every year. The senior event also has over 100 players and has 6 or 7 flights every year. As far as "reaching out to these groups," what does the city need to do??? These events have been the smae time, every year for over 20 years. Also, Miles of Golf sends out email blasts (the exact same that is done for the men's and senior's events.) Bottom line is simple, there isn't the same level of interest.
Pete Cunningham
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 8:09 p.m.
After speaking with Doug Kelly, director of golf with the city of Ann Arbor, some clarifications have been made to the article. The course was not closed earlier in the season, it just wasn't up to tournaments standards because of the Traver Creek project. The "grand opening" on June 22 was merely ceremonial. Doug shed some light on some more issues regarding canceling the tournament and an article regarding that will be posted soon.
Brian Kuehn
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 6:26 p.m.
If one were new to the area, the Ann Arbor Women's Golf Championship might not be on the radar. This tournament, however, has been run every summer for many years. Any female golfer from this area who plays golf competitively is aware of the tournament. "Lack of marketing" or the change in dates likely had very little to do with the low interest. Participation and interest have been falling off for years.
15crown00
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 4:34 p.m.
all kinds of other things to do.besides golf is BORING
ThinkingOne
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 3:54 p.m.
I have an idea... Get Sarah Hoffman (defending champion, Saline grad); Betsy French (Saline girls coach); Debbie Williams-Hoak (Saline boys coach); and Emily White (lowest score for Saline at last year's state tournament) together and just call it the Saline Women's Golf Championship... By the way, do we actually know who registered other than Sarah Hoffman?
Pete Cunningham
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 4:03 p.m.
Receiving conflicting information on this. I just received word from Jan Hoffman, Sarah's mother, that Sarah had in fact registered for the tournament. I am hoping to speak with Sarah and again with a tournament official to clarify this.
ThinkingOne
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 8:55 p.m.
Sorry, I had assumed that she was returning to defend. Still, would have made an interesting foursome...
Pete Cunningham
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 8:10 p.m.
Just got word from officials, Sarah was NOT one of the four women registered to play in the tournament at the time of its cancellation.
Pete Cunningham
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.
I do not have the names of any of the women who registered and do not know if Hoffman was registered or not. Still hoping to hear back from the tournament's organizers on that front.
mlivesaline
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 3:15 p.m.
A flyer should go out to every high school girls coach in washtenaw and surrounding counties. I would think this would be enough to attract a minimum 20 golfers right off the bat. I'm sure many of these high school girls would love the opportunity to play.
nekm1
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 3:14 p.m.
I would think that if area women are playing competitive golf at the high school or collegiate level, word or mouth would have been more than enough. It is a pretty exclusive group. Having said that, it appears that golf for area women, is just not that big a deal?
Brad
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 2:06 p.m.
Probably due to the date change. You have to have your priorities, and their priority is their little stream. How much lost revenue at Leslie Park did that cost us?
Paul
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 1:49 p.m.
Only 4 women signed up, ha ha ha. Can't blame them, who wants to chase a little white ball around a golf course? Sometimes I really believe women are the smarter sex--and this is coming from a pure male, lol
JimmyD
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 12:53 p.m.
Wow - says something about the level of interest in golf for women. Is it too expensive, other priorities, other sports? ( or was the tournament just poorly advertised? )
Pete Cunningham
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 2:50 p.m.
The date was changed from its traditional time, but the consensus from most people I've talked to is that this wasn't advertised very well.
NSider
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 11:43 a.m.
What? Because there wouldn't be a lot of hoopla they have to cancel it? I'll bet if you ask the 4 women they would glad play a foursome for the title. And I'll bet the four of them will be playing somewhere anyway, may as well be for the title.
ThinkingOne
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 3:38 p.m.
I am not sure of the feasibility of running an actual tournament for just 4 people. But if these 4 are really competitive and were reserving that weekend to play golf, I would be interested to hear if there was an 'unofficial' tournament. That is assuming of course that there is some competitive nature in the age spread among the four. Of course, if they know each other they could still have a friendly couple of rounds.