The long-running Northeast Ohio Amateur Championship could undergo some major format and date changes in 2017, according to an unofficial source with knowledge of the Northern Ohio Golf Association’s plans.
Three different golf course sites have been chosen every year for many years, with play held on mid-summer weekdays (usually Mon/Thurs/Mon) over a period of a couple of weeks.
But times have changed, and the extended format has made it increasingly difficult on players to free up time in their schedules for this long-running event. As such, participation has trended downward significantly over the last several years.
To counter this, the source says the 2017 tournament will be held on a single weekend over three consecutive days — a Saturday, Sunday, Monday — with a prime-time early June date no less!
The source puts the event at the challenging StoneWater Golf Club, which is now a semi-private club that has recently changed ownership and management structures.
In the past, StoneWater has hosted the Cleveland Open on what is now the web.com Tour, and a number of local U.S. Open and U.S. Mid-Am qualifying events for the USGA.
Last year was the 86th annual playing of this NOGA tournament, with its most notable past champion being Arnold Palmer in 1953. The 2016 NEO Am was won by Ian Holt, while Tom Cawley took the Senior Division and Brian Smith won the new Mid-Am Division.
NOGA has not yet confirmed these details. So watch NEOHgolf.com for the official announcement on the new version of the Northeast Ohio Amateur coming in the weeks ahead…
