The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors voted to accept the Girls Golf State Finals hosting proposal bid from the Decatur Park District and Decatur Convention & Visitors Bureau at its regularly scheduled meeting in April, which will bring the IHSA’s girls golf state finals to Decatur’s Red Tail Run Golf Course and Hickory Point Golf Course beginning in the fall of 2010.
The IHSA recently determined that the Class A Girls Golf State Final will be held at Red Tail Run Golf Course and that Hickory Point Golf Course will host the Class AA finals.
“It was important to our schools, coaches and student-athletes to make the course determination for each championship class in a timely manner,” said Stacey Lambert, who will begin her duties as an IHSA Assistant Executive Director and the girls golf administrator on July 1. “Schools are currently planning their schedules for next season and many will look to play the state final course in their class prior to the championships next fall.”
Lambert, IHSA Associate Executive Director and boys golf administrator Kurt Gibson, Decatur Park District Director of Golf Rick Anderson and officials from both courses met several times since the proposal was accepted on April 20 to review the hosting scenarios before reaching a decision.
“We have a lot of experience and our courses are well-suited for hosting major championship tournaments,” said Anderson. “Our community is always supportive in terms of volunteering and resources when we hold golf tournaments and they are very excited about hosting the IHSA Girls Golf State Finals.”
Hickory Point Golf course has hosted several state and national tournaments, including the NCAA Division III Women’s National Championships, the Illinois Women’s Senior Open and a PGA Junior Tour event. The course is also in its 26th consecutive year hosting the Duramed LPGA Futures Tournament.
While only in its fifth year of existence, Red Tail Run Golf Course has already hosted the Illinois Women’s Open and is the annual home of a Plantation Junior Golf Tour event and a Junior State Optimist tournament.
“We feel that the Decatur area has been a big proponent of women’s golf over the past three decades and that makes the IHSA Girls Golf State Finals a natural fit for our city and our courses.” added Anderson.
The Decatur Park District was recently recognized by the National Golf Foundation (NGF) after being voted the best in the country in Customer Loyalty in the category of Multi-Course Municipal Operators.
“We take a lot of pride in that award,” said Anderson. “It means that our courses aren’t in peak condition only for tournaments or when they are being rated, they are like that all the time for all of our customers. We expect it to be that way for the high school student-athletes in the fall.”