On Friday, September 29th the Iowa Golf Association will hold the first ever “IGA Club Team Championship” at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames. The championship is designed as a chance for golfers to compete together on a team representing their home golf club and also broaden the spectrum of IGA Championships to more than just the ‘scratch’ player.
Each Regular Member Club of the IGA is eligible to field a team of four (4) golfers. Those golfers must have active IGA/GHIN membership numbers and will compete in both a gross and net division over 18 holes. In the gross division each club will count the best 3 of 4 18-hole total scores. In the net division players will receive strokes based on their course handicap and each team counts the best 3 of 4 individual net scores on each hole. Using this scoring format for the net competition allows a player a ‘blow-up’ hole without ending their chances of helping the team on subsequent holes.
This type of format also incorporates some strategy in assembling a team. Does your club want to field a team of ‘scratch’ golfers and go for the gross division title or do you want to equalize your team with differing handicap levels to increase your chances of winning the net portion?
This will be the third IGA championship held at Coldwater Golf Links. In addition to this year’s IGA Club Team, Coldwater also hosted the 2004 IGA Four-Ball and the 2005 IGA Public Links. Opened in the summer of 2003 and designed by Tripp Davis, Coldwater is a links-style course with virtually no trees and tall, native fescue grasses lining nearly every hole.
The IGA has limited the field to the first 28 clubs to enter a team. If the field limit is not met by the entry deadline of September 25th then a club is allowed to enter a second team. Refer to the entry application for complete information.