Dry course expected to affect Ann Arbor men's amateur golf championship

By Matt Durr Ann Arbor Sports Reporter

Posted on Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 5:40 a.m.

Thanks to the unseasonably high temperatures this summer, golfers will have to rethink what they think they know about Leslie Park Golf Course, home of the 2012 City of Ann Arbor men’s amateur golf championship.

Because the heat has dried out the course, it's playing longer and providing golfers with longer rolls on their shots. Making the proper adjustments will be a major factor in separating the winner from the rest of the pack.

The 138 registered golfers will face course conditions that resemble another tournament happening this weekend.

“They’re going to see a British Open style lie,” said Doug Kelly, director of golf for the city of Ann Arbor. “The funny thing is, it’s going to make it more difficult because they’re going to have some shorter shots going into the holes.”

Saline's Peter Spittler (above) won last year's City of Ann Arbor men's amateur golf championship after more than a year away from competitive golf.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Kelly said the grounds crew has spent the majority of its time and resources on the tee boxes and greens to ensure they are in great condition. He admitted there are some dry spots on the fairways, but for the most part, the course is in good condition.

“We’re battling Mother Nature on a daily basis. It’s put a lot of stress on the grass and on our grounds crew,” Kelly said.

Peter Spittler of Saline is set to defend his title after last year’s shocking run to the championship. Looking to unseat Spittler are fellow Saline natives Matt Paterini and Spencer Slate. Paterini won the city championship in 2009 and 2010 and Slate won in 2007.

Also expected to challenge is Ann Arbor’s Andrew Walton, who won back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006.

Play opens Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. with flights opening on the first and tenth holes. A second flight is set to begin at 12:40 p.m. Because there are so many entrants, Kelly said this was the best system to ensure fairness amongst players.

Sunday’s final round will be split in flights containing roughly 20 golfers per flight. Those flights will be determined based on the combined scores of Friday and Saturday’s rounds. The championship flight will start on Sunday at 12:40 p.m.

All rounds of the tournament are open to the public.

Contact Matt Durr at mattdurr@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter at @mdurr84.

Tags: Ann Arbor golf tournament