There are hints at the start of cool tradition for the Nevada State Golf Association: the men’s and women’s state amateur tournaments have now been held at the same layout and within the same timeframe for the third time in four years with the playing of the 2023 editions at Arrowcreek Golf Club in Northern Nevada.
The Nevada State Women’s Amateur get things started June 19-20 while the men’s Nevada State Amateur will play June 22-24. Information and registration is available at the links
Tim Brand, Southern Nevada Golf Association assistant executive director, says it is too early to say a tradition has been created, but says that there are advantages to the duel tournaments. The SNGA and Northern Nevada Golf Association work together to organize state tournaments with the events flip-flopping between the North and South each year.
“I think it has a lot of interesting benefits,” Brand says. “For the players, it essentially guarantees the events will be held in the summer. This will allow both college and high school players to participate without worrying about missing school for it. With the recent announcements coming from the USGA about possible exemptions into future U.S. Amateur or U.S. Women’s Amateur events for state champions, it will be important to try and get the absolute strongest fields we can get in these events. Working with one course to run and promote two high-level state championships will be helpful to trying to secure those top-level fields. From an operational standpoint, there are also good benefits. One of the biggest is just the luxury of staff, volunteers, and rules officials to able to work at the same course each day. It allows you to become more familiar with the course and the course staff, and that helps you run a more seamless event.”
Winning a state amateur is the dream of most amateur golfers. The win can be the highlight of an amateur career and can also open doors to other regional and national amateur tournaments. Or it can be a meaningful stepping stone to a college and/or professional career.
“The prestige and that lifelong accomplishment of winning a state amateur can never be taken away from that player,” Brand says. “Whether you are in the .001% of golfers who go on to play golf for a living or whether you end up getting a job and/or starting a family and become a weekend warrior who needs handicap strokes like the rest of us, winning a state title holds a special place. Both of those players will always be able to tell a friend or family member that at one point they were good enough at the game to win his or her State Amateur. It’s a tremendous accomplishment, and one that can be talked about for a lifetime. That is very special.”
The 2023 site, Arrowcreek, is a private country club oasis nestled in the hills of Southwest Reno that offers 360-degree views of both golf courses, the twinkling Reno skyline, and the breathtaking Sierra Nevadas.
In 2022, Southern Nevadans Eunice Han (Championship), Regina Quintero (Silver State-Gross) and Karen Bernard (Silver State-Net) were crowned champions at the Nevada State Women’s Amateur Championship, which was held July 16-17, 2022, at Boulder Creek Golf Club.
On the men’s side, SNGA member Cameron Barzekoff finished 17-under par to defeat Jackson Parrish and Craig Erickson at historic Las Vegas Golf Club.
Who will add the prestigious trophy to his or her case in 2023? We don’t yet, but one thing is for sure: each will have done it Arrowcreek. And are possibly a part of a burgeoning tradition.
