UA Play Golf America Tournament to be held at Ol’ Colony

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama students and recreational golfers from the West Alabama area are invited to take part in the UA Play Golf America Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The tournament is offered at Ol’ Colony Golf Course in Tuscaloosa as part of a grant UA received through Play Golf America University, a PGA of America college and university program designed to teach and engage students in the game of golf.

As part of the Ryder Cup program, professional golfers who have played on a Ryder Cup Team may designate schools to receive the educational grants to teach golf to college students. UA was designated as a recipient of the grant by Ryder Cup Team player and professional golfer Boo Weekley.

The tournament will be two-person scramble format, with three types of flights available: UA students, faculty/staff and alumni/community. There will be prizes for first, second and third place for each flight.

The winning student team will represent UA at the National Collegiate Golf Championship to be held in Las Vegas Nov. 6-8. Flights to and from Las Vegas, hotel and entry fees for the winning team are paid for by the PGAU grant allocated to UA by the PGA of America, the Ryder Cup Outreach Program and pro golfer Weekley.

The tournament fee is $75 per player for student flights and $100 per player for faculty/staff and alumni/community flights.

As part of the grant this fall, UA students are enrolled in golf classes taught at Ol’ Colony Golf Course in Tuscaloosa through the department of kinesiology in the UA College of Education.

Dr. Matt Curtner-Smith, head of the kinesiology department, is directing the grant. “Our main goals are to get more college students involved in the game of golf and to teach them how to play. This goal is also to help students personally and professionally,” he said.

To register for the golf tournament, contact John Gray or Mike Shivetts at Ol’ Colony Golf Course, 205/562-3201.

The PGA of America has distributed more than $6.1 million to 65 participating colleges and universities across the country on behalf of members of the U.S. Ryder Cup Teams in support of this initiative. To date, PGA professionals have provided instruction to more than 24,000 college students in the program. For more information, go online to www.playgolfamerica.com/pgau.