MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association Illustration Illustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: April 7, 2004

Competitors be aware! The first entry close date for MGA Championships is rapidly approaching. The last day to register for the 2004 Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship – which will be contested at Stow Acres Country Club on May 10-11 – is Thursday, April 15th at 5:00 p.m.

Entries for the State Four-Ball are open to two-person teams of amateur golfers who hold membership in an MGA member club and have an up-to-date combined MGA/USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 6.0 (as determined by the April 23, 2004 Handicap Update), or who have completed their handicap certification as defined on the Entry Form. The starting field for the 2004 Four-Ball Championship will be 180 teams.

The team of Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) and Michael McCarthy (Hyannisport Club) will be seeking their third straight title at this year’s Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship. Last year the duo, who have known each other since their high school days at Marion, successfully defended their State Four-Ball title by shooting a day 2 score of 4-under par 68 en route to a final score of 8-under par 135. Last year’s event also marked the first time since 1992 that the State Four-Ball was contested at two sites – Oyster Harbors Club and Country Club of New Seabury.

In 2004, the State Four-Ball Championship will return to Stow Acres Country Club, which has hosted this event eight times (1988, 1993-1998, 2001) since its inception in 1981. The last team to raise the State Four-Ball trophy in the air at Stow Acres CC was the father and son team of Jim and Jason Ruschioni (Oak Hill CC).

Just around the corner - on Thursday, April 29th at 5:00 p.m. - is the entry close date for the Massachusetts Open Championship. Be sure to register early as many players have already taken advantage of online registration. You can register for any of the 10 MGA Championship events by visiting the "Championships” section of the web site.

Related MGA News:
A complete 2004 MGA Championship schedule, including qualifying sites, can be found in the upcoming issue of MassGolfer™ magazine, which will be shipped out to mail boxes the week of April 12. The award-winning publication will also feature several ways that you can “Enjoy Golf More in 2004”. In addition, you’ll learn how to ease your winterized body back into the golf season with a “GolfShots” lesson by Stow Acres CC golf professional Jacques Panet-Raymond and take a deeper look into the newly redesigned www.MGAlinks.org web site.