Series of new events created to attract a variety of golfers
Although it means a busy season, the staff of the Golf Operations office hopes to bring more people out to Bella Vista’s golf courses. A series of new events is designed to appeal to a variety of golfers, Golf Operations director Phillip Wright said.
“We just want more activity here,” Wright said. “We want to increase the amount of play. These events are fun and encourage people to come out.”
Some events are open to guests, but others are limited to members.
One of earliest and biggest events on the 2017 schedule includes a pro-am tournament, the Adams Tournament, May 22-27 on the Highlands Golf Course.
Wright expects more than 150 professional golfers. Some Adams Tour players graduate to the PGA tour, according to their website, www.adamsprotour.com.
A practice round is planned on Monday, May 22, with a party for the pro-am players at the newly opened Lakepoint Restaurant and Events Center.
Tuesday, May 23, is the pro-am round. Teams of three amateur golfers pay for the privilege of playing with one of the professionals on their team. Wright expects the tournament to draw a lot of corporate players. Although it won’t require any specific skill level, beginners may not be comfortable on a team, he said.
There are four rounds for the pros between Wednesday and Saturday, but on Friday there’s a cut so only the top 50 players finish the tournament. The event ends with an awards presentation Saturday evening.
“We need a lot of volunteers,” Wright said, but he doesn’t believe it will be difficult to find them in the community. Board member Ruth Hatcher is organizing the volunteers and she can be reached via email at rehatcher@ cox.net.
This tournament is on the same scale as the Junior Golf Association Tournament which took place at the Highlands in July 2012, Wright said. While the junior tournament — The Stacy Lewis Open — won several awards, they didn’t return to Bella Vista because of scheduling concerns. Wright said the Adams Tour has signed a two-year agreement.
Several new events planned for this year are designed to interest a variety of golfers. For example, the Senior Open for men and women over 50 is new this year.
There will be two divisions, one for men and one for women. The event will take place on the first Saturday of each month and move around all of Bella Vista’s courses. It’s open to guests as well as members.
The Bella Vista Cup also moves around the various courses, Wright said, but a different format will be used at each stop. It will end with a match-play championship. The series is open to members only.
In August, when the Country Club restaurant is expected to open, Couples Nine and Dine will feature nine holes of golf and then dinner.
Later, a Men’s Club Championship, a Women’s Club Championship and a Senior Club Championship will be announced.
There are also some events that aren’t tournaments. The Annual Golf Expo is scheduled for Saturday, March 18. It’s an event created to help the dozens of golf groups recruit new members. The golf groups in Bella Vista range from the Men’s 18-Hole Golf Association, which has more than 150 members, to the 20-member Metfield Mommies. Members often choose their group based on the time or day of the week they play. The Golf Expo is an event designed for POA members.
A new event, Golf Fest, is planned for Tanyard Creek from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. April 15. It is open to both members and guests. Golf equipment manufacturers will be there to demonstrate new equipment.
“Anyone can try out the newest and latest and greatest golf equipment,” Wright said.
There will also be clinics, a putting contest and vendor presentations. Golf Fest is open to everyone and it’s all free.
Young golfers
Junior Golf will be big this year too, Wright said.
The POA’s own Junior Golf Program will have two sessions that begin with the basics and work up. The dates of the session have not been set, Wright said.
Some of those Junior Golfers may be interested in their own league, which is new to Bella Vista this year. It’s part of a national initiative of the PGA.
“We’ll have a team that could be made up of 10 to 20 juniors,” Wright said. They will play teams from other clubs, possibly Pinnacle in Rogers, the Springdale Country Club or the Fayetteville Country Club. One tournament will be hosted in Bella Vista by the POA.
“It’s a fun, entertaining, family environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, First Tee Golf Camps will take place on the Brittany Course and the Tanyard Creek Practice Center again this year. Information on their program can be found at www.the firstteenorthwestarkansas.org.
There is also a new Kids Bundle available for members who pay the annual greens fee. The owner of the Annual Greens Fee card can buy a bundle for an additional $100. Then they can bring three children, aged 6 to 18, or grandchildren, to play golf with them if they start after noon.
It’s viewed as a family plan, so if a husband and wife both purchase the annual greens free, either one of them can use the Kids Bundle and they can bring different grandchildren.