Sand Creek Retires Northern Amateur
As Focus Shifts to Junior Golf
Chesterton, IN - The Northern Amateur Championship, an international golf event held at Sand Creek Country Club since 1983, is ending after 35 years as Sand Creek Country Club shifts its emphasis to creating opportunities for children to learn and enjoy the game of golf.
Making an impact on the game of golf has been the goal of Sand Creek Country Club and the Northern Amateur Championship for the past 10 years.
According to Jerry Mobley, Tournament Chairman, that goal will continue to be the same but the means by which it is achieved will change. "We assumed the ownership of the tournament in 1992 and our mission at the time was to make it the best amateur event in the country. It's been important to us to do our part to contribute to golf and preserve the traditions that make it such a great game. I think we've achieved all of these things through the Northern Amateur."
"We've done what we set out to do with the tournament in supporting amateur golf. Now we're focusing our efforts and our resources on junior golf. It's an important commitment that we've made and we're excited about it", says Bob Jacobs, Sand Creek General Manager.
Sand Creek Country Club and its parent company, Lake Erie Land Company, have already begun work to promote and encourage the development of junior golf on a local, regional and national level.
They have been involved in the creation of the Hook-A-Kid-On-Golf program locally in Chesterton and in the building of Hammond, Indiana's first public golf course exclusively for children called the Hammond Youth Golf Academy at Lost Marsh which is part of the World Golf Foundation's First Tee program. Close to 1,000 children are participating in Hammond's golf program.
According to Bob Jacobs, "Our mission is to introduce as many kids as we can to golf and expose them to a sport that teaches values, respect, discipline, and honor. Being involved in golf can have such a positive influence on our local youth and on our community."
Sand Creek's plans are to work with area school districts, municipalities, and community organizations to develop golf programs and facilities so children of all ages and backgrounds will be introduced to the sport and develop a life-long love of the game.
HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN AMATEUR
The Northern Amateur, founded in 1967 by Arthur J. Ellis, was created under the aegis of the Northern Illinois Men's Amateur Golf Association. The first Northern Amateur was held at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling, Illinois and moved to five sites before becoming to Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton in 1983.
The four-day invitational attracted the world's finest junior, collegiate, and senior golfers, including a number of celebrities- Chris Sabo, Cincinnati Reds 1988 National League Rookie of the Year; Tom Evans, Publisher of U.S. News and World Report; and Al Barkow, renowned golf writer and editor of Senior Golfer Magazine.
Truly an international event, players from around the world- South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Puerto Rico, England, and Canada- competed in the tournament.
The Northern Amateur Senior Championship was created in 1995 by Jerry Mobley, Tournament Chairman and President of Lake Erie Land Company and quickly became a featured event on the senior circuit. Many of Golf Digest's top-ranked U.S. senior amateurs participated in the event including Golf Hall of Famer, Bob Hullender.
According to Tournament Director, Kelle Mobley, "We created a special tournament and I'm so proud of the extraordinary efforts and commitment of our hundreds of staff, volunteers, and host families in making the championship the premier event in amateur golf. The magic of the Northern Amateur was due to the people who gave their time and energy to the event and who made the contestants feel so welcome."
Says Mobley, "We have met wonderful people and developed lasting friendships through our association with the Northern Amateur. The experience of hosting a major amateur event has been a great privilege."
SPECIAL TOUCHES
From housing, shuttle service, and special ceremonies to the world-class golf course and facilities, the Northern Amateur was regarded as the "Cadillac" of amateur championships.
Some of the special touches that the Championship was known for included:
The Opening Ceremonies with the official Northern Amateur flag raising accompanied by the Chicago Classic Brass Band and a pool-side player reception;
Complimentary rental cars and personalized parking signs for the defending champions;
A special ceremony honoring the tournament's defending champions with a personalized brick placed in the champions' walkway of Sand Creek's Clock Garden;
The Captain's Challenge Cup- a charity event and Ryder Cup-style competition between the top eight contestants in the Championship and the Senior Championship on Sand Creek's par-3 course;
A commissioned trophy for the senior champion designed by Asprey & Garrard, the Crown Jewelers of London;
A comprehensive, post-tournament scoring summary with course analysis and scoring statistics;
And the most popular part of the Championship- the fabulous breakfasts and lunches prepared for the players, caddies, and parents each day with the signature milk and cookies which were served during the Awards Ceremony.
VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Over 300 volunteers and staff were part of the Northern Amateur each year including Sand Creek members, serving as host families, who opened their homes to the contestants.
The Northern Amateur has had the support of the community and local businesses, the Sand Creek membership, staff and volunteers, and tournament sponsors. Founding sponsors NiSource, Inc. and Pepsi, were contributors to the tournament for the past ten years and allowed the championship to run similarly to a PGA TOUR event. With Pepsi's title sponsorship in 2000, the Northern Amateur was broadcast on Fox Sports Chicago.
"We'll be developing ways to establish endowments and keep our volunteer network ready as these programs are created. With our membership and the community's support, we're looking forward to doing great things for the kids. For many of us, golf has been an important part of our lives and we'd like to do what we can to give back." says Bob Jacobs.