Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Shout-out for Scioto CC in Columbus!

Cool news from the USGA yesterday -- that Scioto CC in Columbus will host the 2016 U.S. Senior Open. Congrats to the crew there -- Robert Becker, CGCS and Mark Yoder, CGCS, and company -- on the big news!

Here's the press release:

The United States Golf Association today announced Scioto Country Club, in Columbus, Ohio, as the host site of the 2016 U.S. Senior Open Championship. This will be the fourth USGA championship held at Scioto Country Club, which will celebrate its centennial in 2016 as the first 18-hole course in central Ohio. The dates of the championship are Aug. 11-14.

“The USGA is delighted to return to Scioto Country Club, especially on the occasion of the club’s centennial,” said USGA Executive Director Mike Davis, who made the announcement from the club on Tuesday morning. “Scioto Country Club’s rich history is associated with two of the USGA’s greatest champions in Bob Jones and Jack Nicklaus. Central Ohio, especially the state capital of Columbus, will be an enthusiastic setting for conducting a successful 2016 U.S. Senior Open.”

Scioto Country Club is one of four courses in the United States to have hosted five different major championships, including the 1926 U.S. Open, one of nine USGA championships captured by Robert T. Jones Jr.; the 1931 Ryder Cup Matches; 1950 PGA Championship; 1968 U.S. Amateur, when Bruce Fleisher was a winner one month short of his 20th birthday; and the 1986 U.S. Senior Open, won by Dale Douglass in his first year of eligibility. In addition, Scioto C.C. is where Jack Nicklaus, an eight-time USGA champion, including two U.S. Senior Opens, honed his game with legendary teaching professional Jack Grout.

“Scioto Country Club has always been a very special place to me,” said Nicklaus, who won 18 major professional championships, including four U.S. Opens. “It is where my father first introduced me to the game of golf at age 10; where I met my first instructor, long-time friend and mentor Jack Grout; and where my career really was nurtured.

“Scioto is steeped in championship golf history and it is something that I was indoctrinated with from my childhood. I grew up with Bob Jones as my idol, largely in part due to the wonderful stories and memories attached to his U.S. Open victory at Scioto in 1926. It is personally gratifying to see another major championship being added to Scioto’s storied legacy, and as a past U.S. Senior Open champion, I’m thrilled the USGA is bringing such a significant championship to the passionate fans of Columbus and central Ohio.”

Scioto Country Club was designed by renowned Scottish-born architect Donald Ross and opened for play in 1916. The course was renovated by Dick Wilson in the early 1960s and recently redesigned under the guidance of architect Michael Hurdzan and Nicklaus, who is serving as honorary chairman for the 2016 U.S. Senior Open. Scioto C.C. reopened in 2008 while preserving the original Ross routing and design, and was awarded Renovation of the Year by Golf Inc. magazine. In addition to the golf course, Scioto Country Club has acclaimed facilities and programs for aquatics, tennis and platform tennis.

“Scioto Country Club is honored to build on its rich tournament tradition by hosting the 2016 United States Senior Open Championship,” said Scioto Country Club president Jeffrey M. Wilkins. “We are excited that the sixth major tournament Scioto C.C. will host will take place during the year of the club’s centennial celebration. We are looking forward to working with the USGA and providing an unparalleled experience that participants and fans will cherish and that Scioto C.C., the City of Upper Arlington and Columbus will treasure as a part of golf history in our community.”

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