Dunes to host first amateur event
By Barry Poe, Journal sports writer | Posted: Friday, September 12, 2008
Dakota Dunes Country Club has long been recognized as the premier golf course in the area. Designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer, who played the inaugural round on the course in 1991, the Dunes has been rated as the top course in South Dakota by several golf publications.
Dakota Dunes played host to first a Ben Hogan, then a Nike and finally a Buy.com Tour stop for 12 years. The tournament was held at what is now Two Rivers Golf Club in 1990 and '91 before shifting across the interstate in 1993.
In addition, the 18-hole private club has hosted NCAA, NAIA and South Dakota state amateur events with great success over the years.
Although those events are definitely a feather in the cap as far as the Dunes is concerned, they are difficult to host on a consistent basis. Therefore, Dakota Dunes has decided to join several other courses in the area who have long focused on amateur events at a local level.
"Amateur golf has been fabulous in Sioux City," said Justin Arlt, head PGA professional at Dakota Dunes. "There has been a longstanding tradition with the Interstate, the River-Cade, the City and now the Tri-State Masters, a unique event held on three different courses.
"Being one of the marquee courses in the area and previously having hosted a Tour event, we wanted to get involved in the amateur scene.
"I spoke with with other golf professionals and came up with a way we could have kind of a season-ending championship. Kind of like the PGA Tour has the Tour Championship."
The solution: The Dakota Dunes Super Amateur Championship.
The 36-hole medal play event, sponsored by Dakota Dunes Development Company, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-21. The goal is to attract around 100 players, most of whom earned a chance to play through their finishes in Sioux City's four "major" tournaments.
"Because we are a private club, we offered our membership the first opportunity to sign up," said Arlt. "After that, we took the championship qualifiers from the Tri-State Masters, the top third of the field in the Interstate Amateur, the championship flight of the River-Cade and those who qualified for the final nine holes in the City tournament.
"You'll have the best of the best on what we feel is a really good test of golf. A lot of the good players in the area think it will be fun to have a big amateur event and to play the course that the Jim Furyks, the Chris DiMarcos and the Zach Johnsons played. It may be a little tougher test and maybe not.
"You put a tough test in front of them and maybe they rise to the challenge and actually shoot even more impressive numbers."
Tee times will begin at 8:30 a.m. each day off the No. 1 tee.
The qualifiers were guaranteed their earned spots on Aug. 21. After that, Dakota Dunes began accepting registration forms -- from qualifiers and non-qualifiers -- on a first come, first serve basis. Those will continue to be accepted until Tuesday (Sept. 16) at 5 p.m.
An entry fee of $195 includes two rounds of golf with a cart, range balls, an awards dinner, all prizes and the purse (paid in gift certificates). All paid entries are eligible for a drawing for a one-year courtesy membership at Dakota Dunes.
"This is something our club is really excited about," said Arlt. "They wanted to bring something back to the community. What made it more appealing to our board and members was the fact that we are making it a local event and tying it in with all of the other strong events in the area."
Many players, Arlt said, have expressed concern about the tees and the length the course will play.
"We realize that great amateur golf is much more different than a field of salty pros," he said. "We will not be playing the course from the tips the whole way. The course will play to a similar or shorter yardage than the City championship at Green Valley for the championship flight as well as other flights."
Questions and forms can be obtained at the Dakota Dunes pro shop, or by calling Arlt at (605) 232-3080.
A list of those who have qualified through the previous amateur events this season can be found on sports detail, page B4.
Dakota Dunes played host to first a Ben Hogan, then a Nike and finally a Buy.com Tour stop for 12 years. The tournament was held at what is now Two Rivers Golf Club in 1990 and '91 before shifting across the interstate in 1993.
In addition, the 18-hole private club has hosted NCAA, NAIA and South Dakota state amateur events with great success over the years.
Although those events are definitely a feather in the cap as far as the Dunes is concerned, they are difficult to host on a consistent basis. Therefore, Dakota Dunes has decided to join several other courses in the area who have long focused on amateur events at a local level.
"Amateur golf has been fabulous in Sioux City," said Justin Arlt, head PGA professional at Dakota Dunes. "There has been a longstanding tradition with the Interstate, the River-Cade, the City and now the Tri-State Masters, a unique event held on three different courses.
"Being one of the marquee courses in the area and previously having hosted a Tour event, we wanted to get involved in the amateur scene.
"I spoke with with other golf professionals and came up with a way we could have kind of a season-ending championship. Kind of like the PGA Tour has the Tour Championship."
The solution: The Dakota Dunes Super Amateur Championship.
The 36-hole medal play event, sponsored by Dakota Dunes Development Company, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-21. The goal is to attract around 100 players, most of whom earned a chance to play through their finishes in Sioux City's four "major" tournaments.
"Because we are a private club, we offered our membership the first opportunity to sign up," said Arlt. "After that, we took the championship qualifiers from the Tri-State Masters, the top third of the field in the Interstate Amateur, the championship flight of the River-Cade and those who qualified for the final nine holes in the City tournament.
"You'll have the best of the best on what we feel is a really good test of golf. A lot of the good players in the area think it will be fun to have a big amateur event and to play the course that the Jim Furyks, the Chris DiMarcos and the Zach Johnsons played. It may be a little tougher test and maybe not.
"You put a tough test in front of them and maybe they rise to the challenge and actually shoot even more impressive numbers."
Tee times will begin at 8:30 a.m. each day off the No. 1 tee.
The qualifiers were guaranteed their earned spots on Aug. 21. After that, Dakota Dunes began accepting registration forms -- from qualifiers and non-qualifiers -- on a first come, first serve basis. Those will continue to be accepted until Tuesday (Sept. 16) at 5 p.m.
An entry fee of $195 includes two rounds of golf with a cart, range balls, an awards dinner, all prizes and the purse (paid in gift certificates). All paid entries are eligible for a drawing for a one-year courtesy membership at Dakota Dunes.
"This is something our club is really excited about," said Arlt. "They wanted to bring something back to the community. What made it more appealing to our board and members was the fact that we are making it a local event and tying it in with all of the other strong events in the area."
Many players, Arlt said, have expressed concern about the tees and the length the course will play.
"We realize that great amateur golf is much more different than a field of salty pros," he said. "We will not be playing the course from the tips the whole way. The course will play to a similar or shorter yardage than the City championship at Green Valley for the championship flight as well as other flights."
Questions and forms can be obtained at the Dakota Dunes pro shop, or by calling Arlt at (605) 232-3080.
A list of those who have qualified through the previous amateur events this season can be found on sports detail, page B4.
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