The Wisconsin State Golf Association was initially formed back in 1901 in order to determine the best golfer in the state. So, the first State Amateur Championship was born and forty-two players journeyed to Sinnissippi Country Club (now Janesville Country Club) to see who would triumph. Hamilton Vose of Milwaukee Country Club came and won the championship and, rightfully so, since he was also the first WSGA President.

Presently, the WSGA annually conducts fourteen state championships, twelve Net Partners tournaments, twenty Senior Tour events and, in conjunction with the WPGA, hosts the Nelthorpe Cup matches; a competition between the best amateurs and professionals in the state.

The WSGA also conducts the regional qualifying in the state of Wisconsin for eight of the United States Golf Association Championships – The U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Junior (Boys) Amateur, U.S. Junior (Girls’) Amateur), U.S. Amateur, U.S. Senior Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur, U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, and U.S. Women’s Women’s Mid-Amateur.

A brief description of each WSGA-sponsored tournament, along with important eligibility requirements, is listed below. Should you have any further questions, feel free to call our office (414) 443-3560 or email info@wsga.org.

Wisconsin State Amateur Championship sponsored by West Bend Insurance

This event has been conducted annually since 1901. The format, originally match play, was changed to a 72-hole stroke-play event in 1971. The State Amateur, contested over four consecutive days, is annually conducted on one of Wisconsin’s finest courses and continues to be recognized as the premier amateur tournament held in Wisconsin. A three-man team competition, the Yule Cup, where players representing the same club compete for the Cup, is also held. To be eligible, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index of 9.4 or less.

Women’s Wisconsin State Amateur Championship 

This event has been conducted annually since 1962 by the former Wisconsin Women’s Public Links Association. The format, originally 54 holes for all players, was changed to a 36-hole stroke-play event in 2005 for all players outside the Championship Flight. The State Amateur, contested over two consecutive days, is open to all female golfers with a WSGA Handicap Index. Those players with a handicap index of 6.5 or less and anyone with an index higher than a 6.5 who elects to compete in the Championship Flight will be playing in this flight. Everyone over 6.5 and who does not elect to compete in the Championship Flight will be flighted according to handicap. Awards are given to all flight winners on a gross basis.

WSGA Match Play Championship sponsored by TaylorMade

When the State Amateur was changed to stroke play in 1971, there was a need for the addition of a State Match Play Championship. The WSGA returned this event to the tournament schedule in 1975. This growing event has been expanded to allow 64 qualifiers to be divided into 16 groups of 4 players each. Each group will play a round-robin format with each competitor playing three matches within his group. The winner of each group will move onto the Knockout Rounds (Round of 16). The top seed for each of the 16 four-player groups will be filled by the top 16 players in the field by the order of their position in the previous year’s WSGA Men’s Player of the Year Rankings. ** The defending champion, if not one of the top 16 players registered by entries close, will be exempt for the Championship and randomly drawn as part of the 48 players from local qualifying.** To be eligible, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index of 9.4 or less.

Women’s Match Play Championship

This event has been conducted annually since 1909.

Several changes have been made to this tournament in 2021. Every golfer will play an 18-hole stroke play qualifying round to begin the tournament. Players with a handicap index of 6.5 or less and anyone with an index higher than a 6.5 who elects to compete in the Championship Flight will be playing for seeding in the Championship and President’s Flights. Players with handicaps above 6.5 and who do not elect to compete in the Championship Flight will be pre-flighted into 8-player flights, and the qualifying round will determine seeding within each flight. A tie for the last qualifying place(s) in either the Championship or Presidents Flight shall be decided immediately upon completion of the qualifying round by an on-course playoff. After the initial stroke play qualifying round, match play will be held, and conducted on the final two days.

WSGA Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship 

This two-man, bestball (four-ball) scratch tournament format starts with 36-hole stroke play qualifying at two different 18-hole golf courses before the low 32 teams enter into match-play in order to determine the champion. Team members do not have to be from the same WSGA member club. To be eligible, teams must have a combined WSGA Handicap Index of 12.0 or less.

Women’s Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship 

This two-woman, bestball (four-ball) scratch tournament format where both players will play their own balls with the best score on each hole to count towards the Gross and Net scores. The tournament will be flighted according to handicap. Team members do not have to be from the same WSGA member club. Entry is open to all amateur female golfers. Members from different clubs may play together as a team. Each member of the team must have a maximum WSGA Handicap Index of 40.4.

WSGA Mid-Amateur Championship sponsored by Adidas

In 2014, the Director’s Cup Championship and Governor’s Cup Championship were combined into the Mid-Amateur Championship. This statewide 36-hole tournament is conducted for players age 25 and older. The championship trophy is awarded to the player with the lowest 36-hole gross score. Additionally, players compete in two age divisions, representing the formats of the former Director’s Cup and Governor’s Cup Championships. Players age 25-39 will compete in a Director’s Cup division and players age 40-54 will compete in a Governor’s Cup division. Prizes are also awarded in both gross and net divisions. To be eligible, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index of 11.4 or less.

Women’s Scramble Championship 

Making its debut in 2021, the Women’s Scramble Championship took the place of the Women’s Mid-Am. The format is a two-person, 18-hole, team scramble. Team members do not have to be from the same WSGA member club. Entry is open to all amateur female golfers. Members from different clubs may play together as a team. Awards are given to all winners on a gross and net basis.

WSGA Senior Amateur Championship

This statewide 36-hole tournament, conducted for players aged 55 and older, was started in 1981 and is considered the finest senior event in the state. Competition for both gross and net awards is conducted in three different age divisions: Senior (55-64), Super-Senior (65-69) and Legends (70 & over), as well as for the overall gross and net trophies. A three-man team competition, the Sam Ruskin Cup, where players representing the same club compete for the Cup, is also held. To be eligible, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index of 16.4 or less.

Senior Women’s Amateur Championship

This statewide 36-hole tournament, conducted for players aged 50 and older, was started in 1985 and is considered the finest senior women’s event in the state. Competition for both gross and net awards is conducted in flights based on the players Handicap Index, as well as for the overall gross and net trophies. A three-woman team competition, gross & net, where players representing the same club compete for the Gross and Net Team Trophy, is also held.

WSGA Senior Match Play Championship

The WSGA added a new tournament to its schedule in 2002 for senior men age 55 and over. An 18-hole stroke-play round is played on Monday morning to determine the 32 players who will make up the match play field. First round matches take place on Monday afternoon. Second round and quarter-final matches take place on Tuesday. The semi-finals will be played on Wednesday morning followed by the championship match in the afternoon. A Super-Senior age division was added for players age 65 or older. The Super-Senior age division qualifies 16 players into match play. To be eligible, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index of 12.4 or less.

WSGA Senior Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship

This Senior Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship, started in 1986, is conducted in a stroke play format over 36 holes. Two-man teams compete for gross and net awards. Team members do not have to be from the same WSGA member club. The Senior Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship is annually conducted on one of Wisconsin’s finest courses. To be eligible, teams must have a combined WSGA Handicap Index of 22.4 or less.

Senior Women’s Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship

This Senior Bestball (Four-Ball) Championship, started in 2000, is conducted in a stroke play format over 36 holes. Two-woman teams, over the age of 50, compete for gross and net awards as well as Overall Gross and Net. Team members do not have to be from the same WSGA member club. To be eligible, teams must have a combined WSGA Handicap Index of 80.0 or less.

WSGA Junior Boys Championship sponsored by Culver’s

This tournament is open to all boys who have not and will not attain their 19th birthday during the championship. The event is conducted under a stroke play format over 54 holes and features three divisions: 14 and under, 15-16, and 17-18, in addition to the crowning of an overall champion. A team competition also takes place during the tournament, where three-man teams representing the same club compete to take home the trophies. The aggregate score of the three-man team over the first 36 holes determines the team champions. To be eligible, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index of 15.4 or less.

WSGA Pater-Filius (Father-Son) Championship

Started in 1911, the father and son event has grown to become one of the most popular WSGA championships. The tournament features an alternate shot format with one team member driving off of all the even-numbered holes and the other team member driving off of all the odd-numbered holes. The top teams in both gross and net divisions are awarded prizes. Because of the popularity of the tournament, a second site was added in 1996 to accommodate all who entered. To be eligible, each player must have a WSGA Handicap Index not exceeding 36.4. The maximum Handicap Index allowed for any contestant is 36.4.

Parent-Child Championships

Annually, three parent-child events are held statewide.  The Mother-Daughter Championship is open to all mothers, daughters, granddaughters and step children.  One member of the team must be a WSGA member and have a valid WSGA Handicap Index.  The Mother-Son Championship is held concurrently with the Mother-Daughter Championship and is open to all mothers, sons, grandsons and step children.  The Father-Daughter Championship is held later in the summer and is open to all fathers and daughters as well as an Open Division, where one member is a golf professional.

Net Partners Series and the Net Partners Championship

In 1995, the WSGA added to its schedule a series of net tournaments designed to give players of all abilities a chance to compete in a tournament format. The resulting Net Partners tournaments, where two-person teams compete in an 18-hole event, have proven to be quite popular. It is a combination event in which the net score for each player is added together with their net bestball score. The top four teams from each of ten Net Partners tournaments are invited to compete in the season-ending Net Partners Championship, where the overall champions are crowned. To be eligible for the Net Partners Tournaments and Championship, players must have a WSGA Handicap Index. The maximum Handicap Index allowed for each contestant participating in the competition is 36.4 for men and 40.4 for women.

WSGA Senior Tour and the Senior Tour Championship

In 2010, the WSGA added the Senior Tour for players 55 and older. The first year featured ten qualifying events, held at eight sites, all played under the stableford scoring system. The Senior Tour now features eighteen separate qualifying events. Prizes are awarded for top gross and net finishes in both a Senior and Super-Senior age division. Top finishers also earn Senior Tour Player of the Year points. Players with the most points at the end of the season earn a invitation to play in the Senior Tour Championship at Wild Rock Golf Club in Wisconsin Dells. New in 2014, players receiving an invitation to the Senior Tour Championship also receive a complementary entry into the Championship tournament. The maximum Handicap Index allowed for each event is 25.4.

Scramble Series and Scramble Series Championship

In 2022, the WSGA added the Scramble Series to its schedule designed to give players of all abilities a chance to compete in a different tournament format while experience some of the top facilities in the state. This series is replacing and branching off from the Member Series. The Scramble Series will consist of six, 18-hole, 2-person scramble events. The top four teams from each of the six Scramble Series events will qualify for the championship. In addition to the four qualifying teams, two alternate teams will be placed on an “alternate list” in the event a team that has qualified is unable to play in the championship. This series is open to all male and female amateur golfers who are 2022 members of the WSGA, have attained the age of 18 years on or before the competition start date, meet the maximum handicap index and are residents of Wisconsin. All non-resident players MUST agree to the ‘Championship Eligibility Requirements’ posted on the website. A team may consist of two males, a male and female or two females. Maximum Handicap Index: 36.0 (Men) & 40.4 (Women)

WSGA 2-Man Team Championship

The WSGA 2-Man Team Championship is one of the WSGA’s newest state championships. This two-man team event is played over three rounds, with each round using a different format. The first round is played under the four-ball (bestball) format, the second round is foursomes (alternate shot), and the third round is a scramble, thereby yielding a 54-hole team score. Team members need not be from the same club. All competition will be played at scratch – no handicaps. To be eligible, team members must have a combined WSGA Handicap Index of 12.0 or less.

In 2013, the WSGA added a senior division of the 2-Man Team Championship. The senior event is open to players 55 and older and features the same format as the 2-Man Team Championship. To be eligible, team members must have a combined WSGA Handicap Index of 19.9 or less.

Husband-Wife Championship

The state Husband-Wife Championship is an 18-hole event featuring a 6-6-6 format (bestball, alternate shot, scramble).  Awards are handed to the Overall Gross and Net champions as well as the Couples Champion and the Open (one golf professional) Champion.  In addition, teams are flighted based on their handicaps and awards are handed out to flights winners in gross and net as well.  Entry is open to all female/male golfers, with a current combined WSGA Handicap Index of 60.0 or less.

WPGA/WSGA Nelthorpe Cup Matches

The WSGA, in conjunction with the WPGA, co-sponsors this all-star event in which the twelve highest ranked amateurs along with the four highest ranked senior amateurs compete against their professional counterparts in a team competition conducted under a match play format. The competition features individual (singles) matches and four-ball (bestball) match play. The Nelthorpe Cup Matches annually showcase the states best golfers.

Patti Pelischek Solheim Cup Championship

The Solheim Cup Championship is a two-woman team event played over 18 holes, with each six holes using a different format, bestball, alternate shot, and a scramble. Team members need not be from the same club. All competition will be flighted according to the lowest handicap index per team. Teams are then flighted accordingly and awards are handed out to the Overall Gross and Net champions, as well as the flights.