On course at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, Calif., host resort for the 2021 GCSAA Golf Championships. Photo courtesy of JW Marriott Hotels
The 2021 GCSAA Golf Championships — postponed and revamped because of the COVID-19 pandemic — are set for Oct. 11-12 in Palm Springs, Calif. Registration opens Friday, Aug. 13 on the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show website.
The competitions, presented in partnership with The Toro Co., will take place at three courses and offer three different events for members of all abilities. Registration will open Aug. 13, with a more limited number of slots available than in previous years.
The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa will be the host resort, with play taking place on its Valley Course. Other courses welcoming golfers over the two days of events are the Desert Willow Golf Resort’s Mountain View Course and the Indian Wells Golf Resort’s Celebrity Course.
The GCSAA National Championship is limited to 72 GCSAA members with a 5.0 handicap index or lower and will be played over two days. The two-day Golf Classic is limited to 120 players and will use a point-quota scoring system, with flights to be determined at a later date. Finally, the three-person team scramble fun event will be limited to the first 36 teams, or 108 players.
The GCSAA Golf Championships are traditionally held in conjunction with the annual Golf Industry Show, but the 2021 GIS was presented virtually in February. The move to October will allow for more time for vaccine distribution as well as give those who have not been able to attend during the usual February time frame the opportunity to participate.
Watch highlights from the 2020 GCSAA Golf Championships in Orlando, Fla., and hear from 2020 national champion Deron Zendt:
“The GCSAA Golf Championships are a big part of our long history, and we are pleased that we have been able to find a way to continue that rich tradition this year,” says GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans. “Palm Springs is always a favorite site among our players, and with the event taking place in the fall, we know we may have new players who haven’t been able to attend in the winter. Even though the schedule is condensed this year, the championships will still offer the same level of competition, networking and fun that attendees experience every year.”
The Toro Co. will mark its 27th year as the presenting partner of the GCSAA Golf Championships. Toro, a GCSAA Platinum Partner, is a global leader in providing maintenance equipment and irrigation systems to golf courses.
“Toro is proud to be a part of the GCSAA Golf Championships once again,” says Randy Harris, director of marketing for Toro’s North American commercial business. “Superintendents do so much to make the game more enjoyable for others, and we are glad to help support this opportunity for them to enjoy it and the camaraderie with others in the industry.”
More than 400 GCSAA members participated in the 2020 championships in Orlando, Fla. Deron Zendt, superintendent at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, Fla., won the 36-hole, stroke play National Championship at ChampionsGate’s International Course with a 5-under-par 139.
Register for the 2021 GCSAA Golf Championships on the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show website. The 2022 GCSAA Golf Championships will be held in San Diego in February and will once again kick off events for the in-person GCSAA Conference and Trade Show.