The month of April is coming to a close, and that means more tournaments ramping up. The weather is becoming better, and school is almost over. With summer approaching, we have six junior golf tournaments across five states this weekend. Here is our tournament preview for April 27-28.
IMG CC Junior Open
We start our weekend in Florida at IMG Academy Country Club. The club was originally opened in 1972 and then was chartered as a private club in 1980. Then in 2003, the course underwent a $2.5 million renovation and reopened in its current state. This course is light on trees but does have a fair amount of bunkers and water.
The weather this weekend will be plenty hot, as the temperatures are expected to reach the high-80s on both days. Both Saturday and Sunday are expected to have a high of 88 degrees but will be mostly cloudy. Don’t let the cloud cover fool you though, the UV Index is still going to be high, so pack the sunscreen to avoid getting burnt on the course this weekend.
Palencia Junior Open
Staying in Florida, we have our second tournament of the weekend, the Palencia Junior Open. The Palencia Golf Club will be hosting the tour this weekend. The club is only 22 years old but has been said to be one of the most beautiful courses in the state. The course has a diverse landscape of wetlands, forested parkland, and turf areas. This course provides plenty of scenery and greenery while providing a challenge with four holes that are par 5’s. That 18th hole, which is a par 5, is particularly challenging with the players having to shoot across the water to get to the green.
The weather this weekend in St. Augustine will be a little nicer than in Bradenton. The temperatures in St. Augustine will top out at 80 degrees with partly cloudy skies. The UV Index will still be high this weekend, so be sure to pack some sunscreen or hats.
Long Island Junior Open
Next up, we travel to the state of New York for our third competition in our tournament preview. The Woods at Cherry Creek Golf Course will be hosting the Hurricane Tour this weekend. The course is full of trees and will provide plenty of greenery for a weekend in New York. Looking at the course layout, most of the course is straight away but long. The fifth hole will provide some challenges with the green being essentially an island with water on all sides. Beware of the dog leg on the seventh hole, as it is framed to be one of the hardest holes on the course. The green has a slight uphill on the approach, which will provide a good challenge for our golfers.
Looking at the weather for this weekend, it will be slightly chilly, so be sure to pack a light jacket. On Saturday, the high will be 57 degrees with mostly cloudy skies. Sunday will warm up and be more pleasant with a high of 64 degrees and still have mostly cloudy skies as well. All in all, it should be a nice weekend of golf in New York.
Major Championship at Bunker Hill
We travel to Northeast Ohio for our next tournament at Bunker Hill. Bunker Hill is located in Medina, Ohio, and was named the 2004 Ohio Golf Course of the Year. The course is said to have rolling hills, fantastic fairways, beautiful ponds, and creeks. The ninth hole will bring a challenge with the distance from the tees to the green. In addition, to get to the green, you will have to shoot over a small creek. Then, there is the fifteenth hole with a vicious left dog leg that will undoubtedly add a shot or two to your scorecard. Overall, this course provides plenty of challenging holes that will provide plenty of frustration for golfers of any level.
The weather in Medina, Ohio this weekend will be an added challenge. Saturday promises to have rain in the morning and some winds up to 20 mph. In the afternoon, the rain should pass, and the temperature will reach 78 degrees. Sunday will be drier but warmer. The clouds will linger, and the temperature is expected to top out at 80 degrees.
Maryland Spring Junior Open
Rising Sun, Maryland, will be the next host of a Hurricane Tour event in this weekend’s tournament preview. The Chesapeake Bay Golf Club is the host club this weekend. The Chesapeake Bay Golf Club is an interesting course, with the front nine holes being laid out on top of each other. The back nine holes are much more spread out, and the greens are said to be fast-rolling. Beware of the ninth hole, as there are ponds at the bottom of the hill on each side of the fairway that are reachable. Then, the green is two-tiered and elevated while protected by three bunkers. On the back nine, be ready for the longest hole on the course, hole 14. While it is the longest hole, there is also a water obstruction on the way to the green to be wary of as well.
The weather on the two days will very different. Saturday will be cloudy and cool with a high of 59 degrees. Sunday will be much warmer with a high of 78 degrees and mostly cloudy skies. In addition to the heat on Sunday, it will be fairly humid in Maryland this weekend.
Southwest Atlanta Junior Open presented by US Performance Academy
The last tournament of the weekend is in Sharpsburg, Georgia, at Canongate 1 Golf Club. This course boasts 36 holes; however, the Hurricane Tour will be playing on the Lee Course. The Lee Course has 18 holes and has many trees lining the holes. On the front nine, beware of the eighth hole with a crowd of trees on the fairway and four bunkers surrounding the green. If you can avoid the bunkers, then it will be an easier hole. The eleventh hole will also pose a nice challenge with a large water hazard on the right side on the approach to the green. Staying on the left side while going towards the green will be crucial in not picking up an extra stroke.
Both days this weekend will be similar. Saturday and Sunday will have a high of 80 degrees and be mostly cloudy. The UV Index will be high on Sunday, so be wary of that. Should be a nice weekend in Georgia.
