We’ve wanted to do this for a while and now it is finally happening.

The Iowa Golf Association is excited to announce the inaugural Iowa Adaptive Open sponsored by Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, to be held July 12-13, 2025. The newest IGA championship will be played at Terrace Hills Golf Course in Altoona and will be open to golfers of various classifications of disabilities, such as individuals with arm and leg impairments, amputations, blind golfers, and those with neurological and intellectual impairments.

Adaptive championships have seen a rise over the past few years, most notably the addition of the U.S. Adaptive Open, administered by the USGA the last two years (2022, 2023). Since 2018 the PGA of America has partnered with the U.S. Disabled Golfers Association on the USDGA Championship. Other states have made this part of their championship schedule in recent years as well.

The IGA has been discussing creating this championship for the past few years and the creation of the U.S. Adaptive Open has helped create a model to work from. The Georgia State Golf Association has been running an adaptive championship since 2019, which precedes the USGA championship. Other states such as Indiana, Florida, and Ohio have recently added events.

“Our Rules & Competitions Committee has discussed creating an event like this since before the Covid pandemic,” Chad Pitts, IGA Executive Director said. “But the truth was we didn’t have the knowledge or expertise in how to create the various divisions that would be necessary. We have worked closely with the Iowa Amputee Golf Association to help us develop the event, but also having the USGA and organizations like the Georgia State Golf Association start their adaptive championships helped create a blueprint for us to work from.”

The support of Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino and Terrace Hills Golf Course can not be underestimated either Pitts commented.

“We are grateful for Prairie Meadows and their commitment to help give us the resources to make this a first-class event,” Pitts said. “Also, Terrace Hills will be a perfect venue. In addition to their immaculate clubhouse that will host some nice banquets for the players and their families, but because of recent improvements to the course that will benefit this unique group of players.”

Renovations made a few years ago included the removal of all sand bunkers. This is especially beneficial to seated golfers who rely on a cart to help move them into a position where they can make a swing.

“When I heard the Iowa Golf Association was getting behind this, I thought that was awesome,” Rocky Sposato, PGA Professional and General Manager of Terrace Hills Golf Course said. “When asked to be part of this, it was an easy yes from me. I am a true believer in creating access for everyone who wants to enjoy golf. I am excited for the community and the opportunity.”

The Iowa Adaptive Open will not be limited to only Iowa residents and IGA members. It will be open to anyone from around the country to participate. Many other details still need to be determined, but entries should open on or around March 1st of 2025, just like most other IGA Championships.

Stay tuned and check back to our website for more information regarding the 2025 event.

Sunnyside hosts 100th Women’s Amateur,
Finkbine site of Iowa Amateur and IGA Four-Ball sees change

The 2024 IGA Championship schedule is here! The schedule includes another year of wonderful IGA Member Clubs that will serve as host sites for IGA championships and USGA Qualifiers. Without the support of our member clubs this schedule would not be possible. We are thankful for all of our member clubs and especially those that step up and host events each year.

The Iowa Women’s Amateur returns to where it all started…sort of. The 100th edition will be held at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo for the tenth time in the history of the event.  The club hosted the first in 1922 but it was staged at the course now known as Red Carpet GC in Waterloo. Sunnyside CC constructed and opened the course where the club now operates in 1971. Sunnyside CC last hosted the Iowa Women’s Amateur in 2011, won by Kristin Paulson, Ottumwa, in record fashion. The 2024 edition will be played Mon-Wed., July 22-24. Special plans are being made to celebrate the 100th playing of the championship, including efforts to include former champions and other significant women who have impacted the game of golf in Iowa.  It will no doubt be a special week in Waterloo.

The Iowa Amateur will be held at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City from July 28-30. This will be the sixth time Finkbine GC has hosted the state’s biggest men’s amateur event, having previously hosted in 2014 (won by Nate Dunn). Qualifying events will be held again for the Iowa Amateur Championship. There will be three sites across the state prior to the championship, similar to 2023, where players who are not exempt can attempt to qualify and make the field of 132 that will compete in Iowa City. Dates and locations of those qualifiers are still to be determined but will be posted online as soon as possible.

Beginning in 2024, the champions of the Iowa Women’s Amateur, Iowa Amateur and Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur will receive exemptions into the USGA’s respective championships (U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Amateur, and U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur). These are brand new exemptions for these USGA championships, including the U.S. Junior Amateur (boys). The 3-year WAGR Power Ranking of our state championship was used to determine if our state events would qualify for an exemption and, unfortunately, Iowa narrowly missed out on an exemption for the boys’ Junior Amateur.

The IGA Four-Ball (men’s) will see change in 2024.  In past years players would designate either Open, Senior, or Super-Senior Divisions to compete in.  Now, the IGA  will host a separate Four-Ball event for Seniors and Super-Seniors in the fall.  The IGA Four-Ball Championship will still be open to everyone, but will not have divisions. This was done to accommodate more players/teams due to the increasing popularity of the championship.  Elmwood CC in Marshalltown will be the site for both events – IGA Four-Ball on May 3-4 and the Senior/SS IGA Four-Ball on Sept 17-18.

Also seeing change in 2024 will be the Iowa Senior Amateur and the IGA Senior Match Play. The two events will essentially flip dates, with the Senior Amateur being conducted in early June and the Senior Match Play happening in September. This is being done to prepare for a potential future when the winner of the Senior Amateur may receive an exemption into the U.S. Senior Amateur. Moving the date of the Iowa Senior Amateur much earlier than the USGA championship allows for that exemption (should it come to fruition) to take place with the current year.

Talons Golf in Ankeny will be the home of the men’s and women’s IGA Match Play Championships for the fifth straight year. The event will take place June 25-28. Talons Golf is a privately-owned course routed between beautiful rock-walled streams and covered bridges. An always popular venue for this event, many players, both men and women, look forward to the championship each year.

The Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship, which expanded to 54 holes in 2023 allowing top finishers to receive World Amateur Golf Ranking points, will be held at Pella’s Bos Landen, May 15-17. Bos Landen last hosted the IGA Four-Ball in 2019.  Since then, many improvements have been made to the course including bunker and tree work.  Players will certainly experience several new looks to the course since it last hosted an IGA championship.

The Herman Sani Tournament will return August 9-11, to Norwalk’s Echo Valley Country Club. Since 2013 the event has rotated between Echo Valley CC and Hyperion Field Club and continues to feature the state’s best amateur and professional golfers vying for the trophy. Players and spectators will also be able to view the newly constructed Golf House Iowa, located adjacent to the Creek Course’s #9 green. Plans are being made for a special celebration of the facility during that week – so stay tuned.

The Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur will be played at Stone Creek Golf Club in Williamsburg on August 5-6 while the Iowa Senior Amateur (Men’s) is moving to an earlier date in the calendar, June 3-5, and will be played at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs.

In addition to the Iowa Women’s Amateur in 2024, Sunnyside CC will once again serve host to the Iowa Wife-Husband Championship, Sept. 13-15, as well.

Along with those championships listed above, the IGA will conduct events at the following venues – Glen Oaks CC (IGA Women’s Four-Ball – June 11-12), Jester Park Golf Course (Father/Son, Parent/Child – June 15-16), Coldwater Golf Links (Iowa Junior Amateur, Iowa Junior Girls Amateur – June 17-19), Indianola CC (IGA Women’s Club Team – Aug. 12), Whispering Creek GC (IGA Senior Match Play – Sept. 3-5) and newly renovated Wakonda Club (IGA Club Team – Sept 30).

The Iowa Cup Matches, Iowa Women’s Forever 39 and Women’s Mid-Am Series events dates and locations will be announced at a later time. Those updates can be found by checking back to this release.

The IGA will also conduct and administer several USGA Qualifiers throughout the state in 2023. The U.S. Amateur sees a big change in the qualifying structure in 2024, moving to two stages.  Iowa will host a Local qualifier in 2024 and then a Final qualifier in 2025. Here are the sites for this year’s qualifying events:
• Crow Valley Golf Club, Davenport – U.S. Open Local Qualifier – May 13
• Glen Oaks Country Club, West Des Moines – U.S. Amateur Local Qualifier – June 13
• Fort Dodge Country Club – U.S. Senior & Women’s Senior Amateur – July 25
• Elmcrest Country Club, Cedar Rapids – U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier – August 26

Again in 2024 the IGA will partner with Strackaline to provide options for tournament players to purchase detailed yardage books and green guides at a discounted rate.

Entries to all IGA Championships will be available in March.

Entries will be available for USGA Championships at a later date, which will be determined by the USGA and announced on their website.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE