PENSACOLA, Fla. - Known for its beautiful bay views, tree-lined fairways, and small but elevated greens, the Jerry Pate designed course will certainly provide a test to the 102 amateur golfers that will take center stage at the Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship on October 7-9.
Founded in 1902 after Wm. H. Knowles acquired the land, Pensacola Country Club started out as a two-story clubhouse with concrete tennis courts. In 1903, the first nine holes was built with the back nine following in 1926 after more acreage was acquired. Through the years, the clubhouse had been remodeled, torn down, and rebuilt after numerous hurricanes had ripped through the coast.
While the history of Pensacola Country Club remains, the course design is new. After Hurricane Ivan hit in 2004, leaving a trail of devastation, the club suffered. The destructive winds and storm surge left little to be made of the golf course and clubhouse.
By 2006 the club was rebuilt, and the course completely redesigned by U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open Champion, Jerry Pate. Aforementioned bay views, tree-lined fairways, numerous bunkers, and small but elevated greens, are just some of the features that make up the golf course at Pensacola Country Club providing a challenging but fair test to all who play.
Playing host to the 2016 Forty & Over Four-Ball North, this will be the second FSGA championship to be conducted at the club and the first individual championship. The championship will consist of 54-holes of individual stroke play with a cut to the low 60 and ties after 36 holes. The course will be set-up at approximately 6,800-6,900 yards. Players must be 25 years of age or older with a GHIN handicap of 7.0 or less.
Charles Castellano, of Miami will return this year to defend his title. Last year, Castellano captured the win at Coral Creek Club with three consecutive rounds of 68 and a tournament total of 12- under 204 and a five-shot victory. The other past champion of this event are set to be in the field is Joe Alfieri (2013 & 2015).
In addition to Castellano & Alfieri, numerous other FSGA Champions in the field include:
- Matt Galloway, of Tampa, the 2007 Amateur champion, has roots in the area, having played his college golf at University of West Florida and calling Pensacola Country Club home for four seasons.
- Jon Veneziano, of Mount Dora, 2005 and 2013 Mid-Amatuer champion, posted a steady season qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open Championship and making his first Florida Cup appearance since 2011
- Steve Carter, of Saint Augustine, another two-time Mid-Amateur champion, made the cut in the 105th Amateur and finished tied for 15th at the Florida Senior Open earlier this summer
- Austin Powell, of Fort Lauderdale, the 2013 Junior Match Play champion, made it to the quarterfinals of the Mid-Amateur this spring, in September added his second state championship at the Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (South) Championship
- Pete Williams, the two-time Senior Player of the Year, of Juno Beach, and South Team Florida captain will look to ride some momentum into next week's Florida Cup
- As will North Team captain, Miles McConnell, of Tampa, the reigning Senior Player of the Year, and current Senior Amateur Match Play Champion, and made it to the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship
Pairings | Live Scoring | Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship History
