Golf Capital of Tennessee Women’s Open coming to Stonehenge in July
The 2009 Women’s Open will be played at Stonehenge Golf Course in Fairfield Glade on July 15-18.
The tournament, officially known as The Golf Capital of Tennessee Women’s Open, has been held at Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain since locating in Crossville in 2003. For the second straight year, The City of Crossville will serve as the sponsor of the event. “We are extremely proud to partner with Fairfield Glade Community Club to bring this prestigious tournament to Stonehenge Golf Course, the flagship course in Cumberland County and one of the primary reasons we are known as the Golf Capital of Tennessee,” said Crossville Mayor J.H. Graham, III. “We look forward to a long and successful tenure here.”
“This year’s tournament will kick-off with the traditional Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 15. This is an opportunity for local players and tournament supporters to get to play with some of the top up-and-coming pros in the country,” Graham said. The 54-hole tournament gets underway on Thursday morning with a cut coming after the second day, with the top 60 players coming back for Saturday’s final round.
Up until this year, the Pro-Am took place on Monday, and the tournament was played on Tuesday and Wednesday. The move to a Saturday final is expected to have a positive impact on the attendance. Forty to fifty pros will be part of the 100+ players who will ascend on Stonehenge for the Open, which is one of Tennessee’s most prestigious championships. This event has been turning out a Women’s Open Champion since 1999.
Stonehenge will present a solid challenge to the field as the 6,549 yard, par 72 layout, has a reputation not only as one of Tennessee’s most beautiful courses, but also as one of the toughest. Opened in 1986, Stonehenge Golf Club existed as a public golf course, located in the center of Fairfield Glade. Immediately after it opened, Golf Digest called it the top new resort golf course in the country, with its bent grass tees, fairways and greens making it different from any golf course in the world. Over the years, Stonehenge maintained it’s reputation, being named the state’s top public course year after year until it’s sale to Fairfield Glade Community Club last year.
The Tennessee Women’s Open has grown over the years to the point where it is attracting players from all over the country. The 2008 tournament drew players from 15 states and two foreign countries. Marci Turner, the two-time All-SEC, All-America golfer at the University of Tennessee (2005-2007), shot a 220 (+4) to take home the first place money last year as the low professional. Turner is from tiny Tompkinsville, Ky.
The Bear Trace course played very long last year, due in part to the wet weather, but locals know that Stonehenge will present problems of its own. Players do walk in this tournament, even though some player shuttling will be required.
The move to Stonehenge seems to be a win-win situation for all involved. The Tournament Director will be Dori Webb of TGA and the Tournament Chairman will be Jean St. Charles. The TGA will work with FGCC Golf Director Steve Kraft and Stonehenge Head Pro Warren Huddleston on all details as they relate to the championship including: course set-up, recruitment of rules officials, pace of play, hole location sheet, starting times and groupings, results, acceptance of entry applications, course marking, tents, tables, starter boxes, scoreboard posters, signage, etc.
The 2009 Tennessee Women’s Open Championship is open to Tennessee female amateurs, female amateurs from bordering states, and female professionals .The championship takes place over three rounds, 54 holes of stroke play. The final round is cut to the lowest 60 players and any ties for 60th place. The Champion has her name engraved on the Tennessee Open Trophy and receives a crystal award. The low professional receives a prize check from the title sponsor, The City of Crossville.
For more information about this tournament, please contact the Tennessee Golf Association at (615) 790-7600.
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