Headline: Let the 2016 MGA Championship Season Begin; Online Registration For All MGA Championships Opens on Thursday, February 4 at 10:00 a.m.

For Immediate Release: January 25, 2016

More than 80 Member Clubs will be hosting various MGA, NEGA and USGA events in 2016.

Norton, MA — The schedule is set and the time has come to prepare for the 2016 season.

Online registration for all MGA Championship events will go live beginning on Thursday, February 4th at 10:00 a.m. At that time, all eligible competitors will be able to secure their spot at upcoming championships and qualifiers.

The 2016 MGA Championship season will kick off on May 2-3 with the playing of the Four-Ball and will conclude at the end of September with the Super Senior Amateur.

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2016 MGA Championship Quick Links

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“We have an impressive slate of sites for both championships and qualifiers this coming season,” said Kevin Eldridge, the MGA’s director of rules & competitions. “We have been fortunate to work with Member Clubs that are excited to showcase their courses and provide a memorable experience for all competitors.”

Over the course of a season, the MGA utilizes more than 80 Member Clubs to host various events including championships, qualifiers (both MGA & USGA), Member Days and special events. Qualifying sites are used for seven of the 12 MGA Championships and spots are – as always – reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Interested competitors are reminded that in order to register for any MGA Championship, he/she must have an active handicap index with an MGA Member Club. Golfers who are currently inactive in the GHIN system should contact their home club directly or utilize the MGA Members Now! program to activate their GHIN # in time for the launch of online registration.

“We are trying to educate golfers about our eligibility policies,” said Eldridge. “Our staff is always available to answer any questions that a golfer may have to ensure that the process of registration is seamless.”

Highlights from the upcoming season will no doubt be a return of the MGA Amateur Championship to Taconic Golf Club for a fifth time. This year’s five-day competition, which includes both stroke and match play, will be contested on July 11-15 in Williamstown.

Leading up to that championship showdown, a total of 10 qualifiers will be held across the state from June 1 through June 21. Those premier qualifying sites include Wollaston GC, Norton CC, CC of Pittsfield, Wianno Club, Glen Ellen CC, Bay Club at Mattapoisett, Haverhill CC, Ipswich CC and CC of Wilbraham.

In June, the MGA Open Championship will make a triumphant return to Worcester Country Club for a seventh time. Qualifying for that event – which is open to amateurs and professionals who hold an up-to-date handicap index from any state or regional golf association – begins on May 7 and features six outstanding qualifying hosts – Vesper CC, LeBaron Hills CC, Eastward Ho! CC, Spring Valley CC, The Ranch GC and Pleasant Valley CC.

Additional championship highlights include:

  • The first two Championships of the season are team events. The Four-Ball will be held at Framingham CC and Hopkinton CC on May 2-3, while the Senior Four-Ball will follow three weeks later at Cranberry Valley GC and The Captains GC.
  • Two years ago, Kernwood CC hosted the 2014 Amateur Championship. In 2016, the Salem course will open its doors to the Junior Amateur Championship on August 1-3.
  • For the first time in event history, the Amateur Public Links will be contested on a Sunday and Monday. This year’s Championship Proper is set for August 7-8 at Waubeeka Golf Links.
  • Family will be the theme of early August when the Father & Daughter heads to The Haven CC on August 11, while the Father & Son will held over two days (August 15-16) at Plymouth CC.
  • Although the name may be different, the event is the same. The Youth Golfers’ Amateur (previously called the Boys Junior Amateur) will feature the state’s top junior players who are under the age of 13. The event debuted in 2015 and underwent a name change this past off season.
  • Cape Cod will host the final two Championships Proper of the season. The Mid-Amateur is set for the newly renamed TGC, and the Super Senior Amateur will be hosted by Cummaquid GC.

A complete list of local and sectional qualifiers conducted as a prelude to the 2016 USGA Championships are also now available online. The MGA works with the New England Golf Association (NEGA) to conduct qualifying rounds for the major USGA Championships including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women's Amateur, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Senior Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur, U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur, U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, and U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball.

Participants must register for USGA events at www.usga.org. Online registration for all USGA events will go live beginning in March.