The Homestead’s Old Course (6,227 yards, par 36-36—72) is one of the oldest courses in the nation, designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1892. Ross turned the course’s original six holes into 18 holes, which opened in 1913. In 1994, golf course architect Rees Jones supervised the Old Course renovations, which included new bunkers and tees, as well as a relocation of the 18^th hole. 

FORMAT: In the senior division, 36 holes of stroke play qualifying will be held at The Cascades Course and The Old Course on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 30-31, to determine 32 qualifiers for the championship flight. Match play follows at The Cascades. 

The first two rounds of match play for the seniors will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 1, followed by the quarterfinals and semifinals on Thursday, Sept. 2, before the 18-hole final match on Friday, Sept. 3. Super seniors (age 70 and older) will qualify at The Cascades and the Old Course. Eight low qualifiers will form the super senior championship flight for match play at The Cascades Course. Following stroke play, Super seniors will play the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Sept. 1, the semifinals on Thursday, Sept. 2, before the final match on Friday, Sept. 3. 

TICKETS: Admission is open to the public and FREE of charge.   

WWW.VSGA.ORG: Log on to the VSGA Internet site (www.vsga.org) for the latest results and recap from the 2004 VSGA Senior Amateur Championship.

ELIGIBILITY: The VSGA Senior Amateur Championship is open to male golfers who have reached 55 years of age by Aug. 30, 2004 and must be residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia since Jan. 1, 2004. The Super Senior field consists of golfers age 70 and older. Entrants must be a member of a VSGA member club, have a current VHP handicap and meet the USGA amateur status rules. 

THE WINNER RECEIVES: The champion of the 2004 VSGA Senior Amateur Championship receives the H.M “Bunny” Blankinship Trophy, honoring the past VSGA president (1959-60). As a part of the VSGA centennial, the champions will also receive a commemorative centennial trophy and a flag bearing the VSGA centennial logo. The champion will also be exempt into all future VSGA Senior Amateur Championships.

STARTING FIELD: The field is completely full, with the senior golfers comprising 144 of the players, while the super senior field is made up of 25 golfers, including defending champion Bill Shrader (Roanoke). The field is comprised of eligible former champions from the VSGA Amateur, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur and Senior Stroke Play championships. The remainder of the field is comprised of the match play qualifiers from the 2003 VSGA Senior Amateur Championship as well as eight match play qualifiers from the 2003 super senior division. The remainder of the field was selected by handicap.

EXEMPT PLAYERS: There are 10 golfers who are exempt as former VSGA Amateur, VSGA Mid-Amateur, VSGA Senior Amateur and/or VSGA Senior Stroke Play champions into the 2004 VSGA Senior Amateur Championship, comprised of the following golfers.

-- Ned Baber (Richmond) – 1960 VSGA Amateur champion.
-- Harry Cain (Williamsburg) – 1998 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion.   
-- Stan Fischer (Richmond) – 2004 VSGA Senior Four-Ball champion; 1996 VSGA Senior Amateur champion, 1996 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion.
-- Jamie Gough (Fairfax) – 2001 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion.
-- David A. King (Sterling) – 2002 VSGA Senior Amateur champion.
-- Jim Kite (Wolftown) – 1978 VSGA Mid-Amateur champion, 1989 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion, 1994 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion, 2000 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion.
-- J.P. Leigh of Suffolk (pictured left) – 2004 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion; 2003 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion.
-- Bob Moyers (New Market) – 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1995 VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion.
-- Ken Newlin (Nokesville) – 1991 VSGA Senior Amateur champion.
-- Claude Williamson (Waynesboro) – 1995 and 1997 VSGA Senior Amateur champion

2003 RECAP: Richmond’s Vinny Giles posted a 2 and 1 victory over Jamie Gough of Fairfax in the championship finals to win last year’s VSGA Senior Amateur Championship at The Homestead’s Cascades Course.

Giles captured his second VSGA Senior Amateur Championship, having also notched a victory in 2000 at The Virginian in Bristol.  The final match, featuring the championship’s top two seeds, produced a loser in name only with neither player holding more than a 1 up advantage until the conclusion.

In the end, Giles used his length to take control of the match in the closing stages.  On the par-5 16^th hole, Giles rocketed his 5-wood second shot to 12 feet right of the hole location, which was perched on the front of the putting surface guarded by a meandering stream.  The ambitious approach shot, played from the first cut of rough, set up a birdie as Gough misfired from his position 12 feet under the hole. Thereafter, on the dogleg left par-5 17^th hole, Giles hit a stratospheric tee shot, leaving him only 180 yards to the hole location. He hit a 6-iron 30 feet left of the flagstick.  After Giles eagle putt went two feet past the hole, Gough’s birdie putt narrowly missed and he conceded his opponent’s birdie putt and the match.

Giles will not be competing in this year’s championship.

In the super senior division (ages 70 and older), stroke play medalist Bill Shrader (Roanoke), 75, bested Penn Laird’s J.T. Hearn, 2 and 1 in the finals to claim his first super senior title.

FOR THE RECORD: Newport News native Moss Beecroft has claimed the VSGA Senior Amateur Championship on a record six occasions, with all of his victories coming since 1986.  In addition to capturing the ’86 title at The Homestead, Beecroft was victorious in 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994 before adding another title in 1999. Norfolk’s Richard B. Payne posted a trio of titles for three consecutive years (1970-72).  

ANOTHER STRONG FIELD: Eight of the top 10 senior point earners in the VSGA senior player rankings (as of Aug. 19, 2004) are represented in this year’s field, including No. 1 point earner and two-time defending VSGA Senior Stroke Play champion J.P. Leigh (Suffolk). Among the senior points leaders, also in the field are second-ranked Jamie Gough of Fairfax (pictured left), Alexandria’s Dick Blackburn (No. 3), Richmond’s Stan Fischer (No. 5), Richmond’s John Cuomo (No. 7), Richmond’s Tom Vogt (No. 8), Powhatan’s Tom Hackett (No. 9) and Richmond’s Tony Aguiar (No. 10).  

Furthermore, six of last year’s eight Senior Am quarterfinalists are in the field –– Gough, Hackett, Vogt (also a semifinalist), Richmond’s John Casstevens, Alexandria’s Earl Hartman and Reston’s Dave Spannbauer.

HISTORY LESSON: This will be the 57^th VSGA State Amateur Championship.  Champions of the past 14 years include the following golfers:

1990 – Moss Beecroft (Newport News) def. Arman Fletcher (Roanoke), 2 up at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1991 – Ken Newlin (Nokesville) def. Arman Fletcher (Roanoke), 3 and 1 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1992 – Moss Beecroft (Newport News) d. Ken Newlin (Nokesville), 5 and 4 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1993 – Jim Alexander (Lynchburg) d. Bob Moyers (New Market), 4 and 3 at The Golden Horseshoe, Williamsburg.
1994 – Moss Beecroft (Newport News) d. Don Foster (Salem), 4 and 2 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1995 – Claude Williamson (Waynesboro) def. Bob Moyers (New Market), 5 and 4 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1996 – Stan Fischer (Richmond) def. Bob Moyers (New Market), 2 and 1 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1997 – Claude Williamson (Waynesboro) def. Stan Fischer (Richmond), 20 holes at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
1998 – O.D. Gardner (Newport News) def. Stan Fischer (Richmond), 4 and 3 at The River Course, Williamsburg.
1999 – Moss Beecroft def. Stan Fischer (Richmond), 2 and 1 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
2000 – Vinny Giles (Richmond) def. Tom Hackett (Powhatan), 2 and 1 at The Virginian, Bristol.
2001 – Tom Flory (Alexandria) def. Vinny Giles (Richmond), 4 and 3 at The Homestead, Hot Springs.
2002 – David King (Sterling) def. David Hyduke (Herndon), 5 and 4 at the Golden Horseshoe’s Gold Course, Williamsburg.
2003 – Vinny Giles (Richmond) def. Jamie Gough (Fairfax), 2 and 1 at The Homestead’s Cascades Course, Hot Springs.

HOLE-BY-HOLE SET UP: The Homestead’s Cascades Course: 6,256 yards, par 35-35—70; Holes one through nine: No. 1, 379-yard par 4; No. 2, 401-yard par 4; No. 3, 279-yard par 4; No. 4, 192-yard par 3; No. 5, 548-yard par 5; No. 6, 356-yard par 4; No. 7, 414-yard par 4; No. 8, 130-yard par 3; No. 9, 423-yard par 4, Outward nine: 3,122 yards, par 35

Holes 10-18: No. 10, 364-yard par 4; No. 11, 170-yard par 3; No. 12, 435-yard par 4; No. 13, 406-yard, par 4; No. 14, 411-yard par 4; No. 15, 214-yard par 3; No. 16, 488-yard par 5; No. 17, 481-yard par 5; No. 18, 165-yard par 3, Inward nine: 3,134 yards, par 35

The Homestead’s Old Course: 6,459 yards, par 36-36—72; Holes one through nine: No. 1, 519-yard par 5; No. 2, 153-yard par 3; No. 3, 465-yard par 5; No. 4, 473-yard par 5; No. 5, 163-yard par 3; No. 6, 383-yard par 4; No. 7, 329-yard par 4; No. 8, 323-yard par 4; No. 9, 163-yard par 3, Outward nine: 2,971 yards, par 36

Holes 10-18: No. 10, 381-yard par 4; No. 11, 199-yard par 3; No. 12, 544-yard par 5; No. 13, 581-yard, par 5; No. 14, 355-yard par 4; No. 15, 502-yard par 5; No. 16, 169-yard par 3; No. 17, 354-yard par 4; No. 18, 171-yard par 3, Inward nine: 3,256 yards, par 36

DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Don Ryder, PGA

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS: Doug Miller (Cascades Course) and Mike Cote (Old Course)

VSGA MEDIA CONTACT: For additional information, please contact VSGA communications manager Andrew Blair. Messages can be left at (804) 378-2300, ext. 12 or may be contacted at The Homestead at (540) 839-7994 or (804) 350-1067. 

MIDLOTHIAN –– Pairings and starting times for the first round of the 57^th VSGA Senior Amateur Championship for the senior and super senior division at The Homestead’s Cascades Course (6,256 yards, par 35-35—70,) and Old Course (6,227 yards, par 36-36—72) on Monday, Aug. 30.

ALL TIMES EDT

Monday (Aug. 30), The Old Course, Hole No. 1
Tuesday (Aug. 31), The Cascades Course, Hole No. 1

8 a.m.-11:19 a.m. – Jamie Gough (Fairfax); George B. Owens (Virginia Beach); Art Costan (Forest); Tom Grady (Marshall)
8:09 a.m.-11:10 a.m. – Dick Blackburn (Alexandria); John Cuomo (Richmond); William Stout (Arlington); Tom Hackett (Powhatan)
8:19 a.m.-11 a.m. – Donald Jeanes (Fairfax); John Casstevens (Glen Allen); Dave Spannbauer (Reston); William Cowardin (Newport News)
8:28 a.m.-10:51 a.m. – J.P. Leigh (Suffolk); Richard W. Ogden (Chesapeake); Harry Cain (Williamsburg); David Hyduke (Herndon)
8:38 a.m.-10:41 a.m. – Charlie Jurgonis (Fairfax); William L. Proffitt (Roanoke); Dave Robbins (Richmond); Walt Martin (Oakton)
8:47 a.m.-10:32 a.m. – Jeff Nemoytin (Elkton); David A. King (Sterling); Jim Kite (Wolftown); Stan Fischer (Richmond)
8:57 a.m.-10:22 a.m. – Ned Baber (Roanoke); Don Foster (Roanoke); Tim Hollinger (Spotsylvania); Chris Ward (Richmond)
9:06 a.m.-10:13 a.m. – Tony Aguiar (Richmond); Jordan Ball (Richmond); Robert Murphy (Reston); Taylor Jennings (Herndon)
9:16 a.m.-10:03 a.m. – Billy Blankenship (Roanoke); David McDougal (Williamsburg); Charley Turner (Salem); Earl Hartman (Alexandria)
9:25 a.m.-9:54 a.m. – John Scott (Lynchburg); Dick Shepard (Vinton); Bill Kellam (Williamsburg); Bob Moyers (New Market)
9:35 a.m.-9:44 a.m. – Garrett McGehee (Suffolk); Donald Robertson (Earlysville); Bill Engel (Alexandria); Donald Martin (Pulaski)
9:44 a.m.-9:35 a.m. – Thomas Vogt (Richmond); Billy McClanan (Virginia Beach); Walter R. Anderson (Richmond); Barry Shea (Danville)   
9:54 a.m.-9:25 a.m. – Eddie Litten (New Market); Don Valcheff (Nokesville); John Walsh (Vienna); Richard Wight (Virginia Beach)
10:03 a.m.-9:16 a.m. – Mike Casstevens (Midlothian); Dale B. Peck (Vienna); Terry Towler (Dillwyn); Eddie Cassidy (White Post)
10:13 a.m.-9:06 a.m. – Steve Nousen (Arlington); Frank Summers (Goshen); Larry J. Smith (Daleville); David Stewart (McLean)
10:22 a.m.-8:57 a.m. – Rich Fischer (Fairfax); John Gregory (Roanoke); Donald Kelly (Alexandria); Gary Lindberg (Fairfax Station)
10:32 a.m.-8:47 a.m. – Claude Williamson (Waynesboro); Worth Banner (Virginia Beach); Mike Mahaney (Hopewell); Ken Clarke (Chesapeake)
10:41 a.m.8:38 a.m. – Donald Jones (Richmond); Dave Balmer (Harrisonburg); William R. May (Staunton); Jack Tuttle (Roanoke)
10:51 a.m.-8:28 a.m. – Dick Dillard (Vienna); Ray Taylor (Richmond); W. Abe Andes (Radford); Dave Ratcliff, Jr. (Pulaski)
11 a.m.-8:19 a.m. – Thomas Thomas (Potomac Falls); William Kaempf (Richmond); Terry Dennis (Manakin-Sabot); Mark Krebs (Charlottesville)
11:10 a.m.-8:09 a.m. – Jack Pratt (Richmond); J. Larry Dixon (Glen Allen); Lee Dodson (Lynchburg); Steven R. Koman (Winchester)
11:19 a.m.-8 a.m. – Finney Adams (Richmond); Bill McIntyre (Staunton); Charles W. Ballou (Alexandria); Scott E. Campbell (Cleveland)

Monday (Aug. 30), The Cascades Course, Hole No. 1
Tuesday (Aug. 31), The Old Course, Hole No. 1 

8 a.m.-10:03 a.m. – Paul Gerometta (Winchester); Jim Andrews (Alexandria); Don Lashinger (Williamsburg)
8:09 a.m.-9:54 a.m. – Michael Lubin (Leesburg); Max Miller (Staunton); Hunter Sims (Virginia Beach); Bill Smiley (Midlothian)
8:19 a.m.-9:44 a.m. – Wilton Burgess (Lynchburg); Steve Gaddy (Danville); Gerald Kesten (Arlington); Steve A. Smith (Glen Allen)
8:28 a.m.-9:35 a.m. – Larry Brinn (Chesapeake); Zachary Cotner (Falls Church); Harvey E. Johnson, Jr. (Arlington); Frank Lucente (Waynesboro)
8:38 a.m.-9:25 a.m. – David Rogers (Alexandria); Tom Mabe (Lynchburg); Ronnie McGrady (Galax); Frank Quayle (Charlottesville)
8:47 a.m.-9:16 a.m. – Chuck Shriner (Richmond); Ken Newlin (Nokesville); Joseph A. Blanks, Jr. (Hillsville); Ken Moran (Suffolk)
8:57 a.m.-9:06 a.m. – Frank Bracken (Richmond); Mike Ingersoll (Chesapeake); Marvin Teachey (Chesapeake); Fred Via (Vienna)
9:06 a.m.-8:57 a.m. – Tom Booker (Highland Springs); Wayne Harris (Lynchburg); Mark Dunham (Manakin-Sabot); Howard Lambka (Bedford)
9:16 a.m.-8:47 a.m. – George Temple (Virginia Beach); John Greene (Newport News); Joe Cochran (Staunton); Stephen Smith (Arlington)
9:25 a.m.-8:38 a.m. – Lloyd Holloway (Waynesboro); C. Patrick Hennessy (McLean); Henley Carter (Staunton); John Hagee (Williamsburg)
9:35 a.m.-8:28 a.m. – John B. Ashby (Galax); Allen Persinger (Bedford); Hank Webb (Fairfax); James M. Cooper (Charlottesville)
9:44 a.m.-8:19 a.m. – Brandon Colllins (Staunton); Randy Combs (Harrisonburg); Roger Carpenter (Galax); Roger Allen (Galax)
9:54 a.m.-8:09 a.m. – Gerald McDonald (Virginia Beach); Chess Graves (Warrenton); Randolph Martin (Chesterfield); Tom Burnett (Moneta)
10:03 a.m.-8 a.m. – David Daniels (Richmond); Watts Key (Bedford); Everett Grass (Virginia Beach); Donald Mauney (White Stone)

SUPER SENIORS

 Monday (Aug. 30), The Cascades Course, Hole No. 1
Tuesday (Aug. 31), The Old Course, Hole No. 1 

10:13 a.m.-11:10 a.m. – Herman L. (Bo) Bohon (Gloucester); Jay C. Barnes (Bedford); E. Mel Cook (Alexandria)
10:22 a.m.-11 a.m. – Blair Nicely (Lexington); Fred Dunning (Alexandria); Jack Barr (Suffolk)
10:32 a.m.-10:51 a.m. – Harold L. Louthen (Wytheville); Ralph W. Craig (Vinton); Nolan Arritt (McLean)
10:41 a.m.-10:41 a.m. – Manny Hunter (Suffolk); J.D. Sisson (Catawba); Buford Lumsden (Roanoke); Hartley Bond (Williamsburg)
10:51 a.m.-10:32 a.m. – Mel Roach (Richmond); Blair Dellinger (New Market); Tim Finnegan (Richmond); Robert Sayre (Waynesboro)
11 a.m.-10:22 a.m. – Thomas B. Haller (Pulaski); Bill Chase (Glade Hill); Rufus Spiers (Roanoke); Charles B. Tickle (Pulaski)
11:10 a.m.-10:13 a.m. – Bill Irwin (Stafford); Bill Shrader (Roanoke); Reginald Clark (Copper Hill); Alan Groseclose (Pulaski)