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GolfArizona.com Staff Report  SCOTTSDALE - The USGA conducts only 13 individual national championships annually, so it’ s noteworthy that Scottsdale’s Desert Mountain Cochise Golf Club is hosting the Senior Women’s Amateur Championship from Sept. 14-19. It is Desert Mountain’s first USGA championship, but the last time the governing body of golf in the U.S. brought an individual national championship of this magnitude to Arizona was the Junior Amateur in 1996 at Forest Highlands GC. Tucson CC also hosted the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur in 1992 when Rosemary Thompson was the victor. Dick Hyland, Desert Mountain’s general manager of club operations, got in touch with the USGA about seven years ago about hosting an event. "We try and support golf at every level and this is just another component of what we’re trying to do," said Highland. "Our plan is to try and do the best job we can do with this and hopefully set a standard so that we can be considered for future events." Speculation says the USGA has stayed away from Arizona’s Phoenix area in the summer largely because of the heat factor, but Hyland counters that the state, especially at the cooler elevation Desert Mountain enjoys, is perfectly suited for golf year round. "What we’re trying to get the rest of the golfing world to understand is that, sure Arizona is hot in the summer, but we’re at 3,330 feet and the average temperatures are in the mid-90s." The tournament, conducted since 1962, is open to women amateur golfers who will have reached their 50th birthday on or before Sept. 14, 1999 and USGA Handicap Indexes not exceeding 12.4. The first two rounds are stroke play. After that the low 64 players will advance to match play, a format that was adopted in 1997. The Cochise course will play to 5,760 yards and a par 72. Admission is free and spectators welcome. Related links: |
The Raven Golf Club at South Mountain