Dear 2010 Members & Prospective Members:

Welcome to the 2010 Berks County golf season.  I am sure many of you have been getting out playing some golf as the weather this spring has given us some unseasonably warm conditions.  Let’s hope Mother Nature gives us great weather for our 2010 tournaments.  

As always, I am excited to get the season started but before you start rolling in winning putts, I wanted to update you on a number of items for 2010.  We have some new venues in the rotation this year, some format changes but I’m proud to announce we are offering a student scholarship beginning this year.  The scholarship is for $500 and can be renewed for up to four years.  With the economic climate, this is a great opportunity for a deserving young man or woman.  The Board has discussed this idea off an on for some years.  We have set aside funds and will continue seek additional support to grow our resources.  Go to our website (www.bcgagolf.com) to review the scholarship application.

In reviewing the 2009 season, we had another fine year and many deserving champions.  Bill Schultz and Chris Storck continue to prove they are two of our current top players after winning the Amateur (Berkshire CC) and Match Play (Berkleigh GC) Championships respectively.  Junior Champion (Golden Oaks GC) Jonathan Heydt proved he is one of the rising young stars and senior Chip Lutz is proving he still has what it takes after claiming the Senior Championship (Heidelberg CC).  Bob Mogel continued his winning ways by claiming both partner events with Jeff Sauder (Junior-Senior at Golden Oaks GC) and Rick Krick (Senior Partners at Galen Hall GC).  Jared Palubinski and Rod James teamed to win the Partners Championship Please check the web site for a list of past years champions.

This 2010 season will again prove to be exciting with some new venues and some tournament format changes.  To begin with the Match Play will be contested at LedgeRock Golf Club, a Rees Jones design located in Mohnton.  LedgeRock GC will host the next two majors as it is slated to host the 2011 Amateur as well.  Another club back in the rotation is the Berkleigh Golf Club (formerly the Berkleigh CC) as it will host this years Amateur Championship.  Check the BCGA website (www.bcgagolf.com) for the 2010 schedule of events.

Regarding tournament format changes, the Tournament Committee has looked at the age groups for the Junior and the Senior events.  Beginning in 2010, the Junior Championship will have three (3) age groups: 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18.  The 17-18 age group will play from an adjusted set of tees to be more competitive and simulate course length consistent with their playing ability.  Younger players who wish to compete for the ‘Overall’ Junior Championship must indicate this desire in writing ahead of the event and will play from the 17-18 adjusted set of tees.  Proof of playing ability may be required prior to approval.

Beginning in 2010, the ‘Super Senior’ age group will now consist of anyone 65 years of age or older and will play from an adjusted set of tees.  This age change will be the same for the Senior and Senior Partners Championships. 

The most popular format change is likely to be the addition of flights to the Partners Championship.  Depending on the numbers of entries, the field will be broken down into several competitive flights following the completion of the first round.

I’m sure you’ve already notice the changes to the 2010 Tournament Guide Booklet as we’ve highlighted, in RED, any important changes to bring attention to those changes in each event. Of Special Note, I wanted to inform you that this year all mandatory cart fees are already built into the entry fee for the event.  So cart fees for the Match Play rounds Sat. & Sun and the 2^nd & Final rounds of the Amateur will be the responsibility of the player.

As always a special thanks need to go out to our Member Clubs for hosting these events, and our Associate Member Clubs for their support of our Association.  Also, please remember, when competing in an Association event to thank each club’s representative and staff for their contribution to your day of golf.  Without these gracious hosts, and the BCGA volunteers, who donate their time to work tournaments, the Association would not be able to offer the competitions it does.

This is my second stint as President and I am looking forward to an exciting year and wish everyone success in their golf season.  Take time to visit the web site (www.bcgagolf.com ), you will notice some changes that hopefully will encourage you to visit back more often.  Please use the site for updates on starting times and local & regional golf news.  And as always, keep it in the short grass and play by the rules, it’s much more fun!!

Rennie Sacco

Berks County Golf Association
35 Ironstone Drive  Reading, PA 19606
Email Rennie Sacco, President at rsacco@bcgagolf.com

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