MISSION STATEMENT
The Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation – a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization — is dedicated to promoting and growing the game of golf in the greater Lehigh Valley region for youth and adult golfers, and to preserve the unique history of the game in the region
- The foundation provides children with access to junior golf tournaments from all socio-economic backgrounds.
- The foundation conducts the official championship golf tournaments for amateur golfers of all ages and genders in the greater Lehigh Valley region.
- The foundation is dedicated to the overall growth and development of amateur golfers of all ages and genders in the greater Lehigh Valley and western New Jersey regions who aspire to play the game at a high level of ability and accomplishment through the challenge of competitive golf tournaments.
The foundation conducts approximately 40 to 45 amateur golf tournaments per year; which are open to golfers of all ages and genders that encourage, promote, and teach proper golf etiquette, scoring procedures, sportsmanship, and an appreciation for the history and traditions of the game.
- The foundation is committed to preserve and promote the unique history of golf in the greater Lehigh Valley and northeast Pennsylvania region through the Northeast Pennsylvania Golf Historical Society.
- The foundation operates the Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame.
The purpose of the Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame is to honor those individuals who have made a significant and enduring contribution to the game of golf in the greater Lehigh Valley region; and/or have compiled an accomplished amateur or professional competitive playing record
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Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation
Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour
Youth Golf Programs
- Provides children access to junior golf tournaments from all socio-economic backgrounds.
- Seeks to introduce competitive golf to children of all socio-economic backgrounds.
- Conducts the Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour, the finest junior golf tournament program in eastern Pennsylvania.
The purpose of the Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour is to expose young boys and girls to competitive golf in a highly organized and positive environment. An integral mission of the junior golf tournament program is to educate youngsters about proper golf etiquette, scoring procedures, sportsmanship, and an appreciation for the traditions of the game.
- Provides technology, tournament officials, and organization for youngsters to participate in Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour tournaments.
- The foundation utilizes the nationally-known Blue Golf tournament management system – the best online golf tournament management system in the country.
- Seeks to provide support for children to participate in professionally conducted junior golf instruction programs, and to provide grants to qualified golf instruction programs for children.
- The Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour has produced:
* Many successful high school and collegiate golfers
* Boys and girls state high school champions (five):
(Justin Kolumber, J.P. Longueil, Beth Marushak, Kimberly Snyder, Kevin Scherr)
* Numerous USGA national championship qualifiers
* State amateur champions – Alex Knoll, Cole Miller, Matt Mattare
* Top regional amateur tournament winners
* Male and female college golf scholarship recipients
* Many collegiate golfers
* High school & college golf coaches
* Golf industry professionals
* The first high school golfers to win the Lehigh Valley Player of the Year award
(Evan Notaro, Cole Miller)
* The first high school golfer to win the Lehigh Valley Amateur – Grant Schumaker
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Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation
Official championship golf tournament program
The foundation conducts the official championship golf tournaments for amateur golfers of all ages and genders in the greater Lehigh Valley region, and oversees the annual Lehigh Valley Player of the Year award program.
- The foundation is dedicated to the overall development of amateur golfers in the greater Lehigh Valley and western New Jersey regions who aspire to play the game at a high level of ability and accomplishment through the challenge of competitive golf tournaments.
- The foundation seeks to foster competition, understanding, and fellowship among all amateur golfers.
- All Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation tournaments are conducted in accordance with United States Golf Association rules; particularly as they pertain to the amateur status of the participants. All prizes are awarded in the form of gift certificates; in complete accordance with United States Golf Association rules governing amateur status.
- All awards given to junior golfers are done in accordance with USGA rules, and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) regulations governing the high school eligibility of student-athletes in the state of Pennsylvania.
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Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation
2019 season — tournaments
Registration for Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley tournaments is open for the 2019 season.
Participants can register online for Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley tournaments on the www.golfgalv.com website. Online registration instructions are available at the end of this letter.
In 2019, the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley will conduct 15 championship golf tournaments for amateur golfers of all ages and genders.
The Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley annually conducts the official amateur stroke play championships in the greater Lehigh Valley region for men, senior men, mid-amateur men, women, and junior golfers.
The 2019 Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley season will feature record gift certificate prize purses for GALV tournaments.
* @ 50% of a tournament’s field finishers (plus ties) will earn gift certificate prizes.
* Individual multi-round tournaments — conducted entirely by the GALV — will award a $750 first place gift certificate to the overall champion, or an equivalent prize.
Tournament information, tournament history, and gift certificate purses for GALV tournaments are listed online at a particular tournament’s information page at www.golfgalv.com:
* Log onto www.golfgalv.com.
* Click on the Golf Assn of the Lehigh Valley heading. There are two drop-down menu items.
* Click on GALV Tournaments, click on INFO next to a particular tournament.
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2019 Season Tournaments
April 27-28
24th Northeast PA Stroke Play Championship
Hideway Hills Golf Club, Polk Township, PA
* Two competitive flights — based on the first round scores.
* Gift certificate prizes to low amateurs and senior amateurs.
* The winner of the championship flight will earn a spot in the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open — the region’s premiere golf competition — July 22-23, 2019 at Northampton Country Club.
May 18-19
6th Donald Ross Invitational
Silver Creek Country Club, Hellertown, PA
* Two divisions: Amateur, and Senior Amateur (both players 50 years of age or older).
* Competitive flights in both divisions based on the first round scores.
* The tournament is conducted by the Steel Club PGA professionals, in conjunction with the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley.
* The Donald Ross Invitational is the premiere better ball of partner’s tournament in eastern Pennsylvania.
May 24-26
30th Lehigh Valley Inter-Club Championship
May 24: Bethlehem Golf Club, Bethlehem, PA
May 25: Allentown Municipal Golf Course, Allentown, PA
May 26: Green Pond County Club, Bethlehem Township, PA
* Team and individual 54-hole stroke play competition.
* Two divisions: Amateur, and Senior Amateur.
* Overall 54-hole individual stroke play prizes; daily individual stroke play prizes
* The fourth longest-running individual amateur tournament in the greater Lehigh Valley region, dating back to 1963.
* The individual 54-hole champion of the Amateur division and Senior Amateur division will earn a spot in the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open.
June 1-2
26th Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Medal Play Championship
Green Pond Country Club, Bethlehem Township, PA
* Five age-group flights: 50-55, 56-61, 62-67, 68-and-over, overall senior championship flight.
* The official senior amateur stroke play championship of the greater Lehigh Valley region.
* The overall tournament champion will earn a spot in the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open.
June 9
Lehigh Valley Open – 12th annual Amateur Qualifying Tournament
Bethlehem Golf Club, Bethlehem, PA
* 2019 Amateur qualifying spots available: 6
* 2019 Senior Amateur qualifying spots available: 3
* Amateur player qualifying criteria for the Lehigh Valley Open is available on the “12th Lehigh Valley Open – Amateur Qualifier” tournament information page on www.golfgalv.com.
* The 12th annual Lehigh Valley Open will be played July 22-23, 2019 at Northampton Country Club. The event is conducted by the Philadelphia Section PGA, in conjunction with the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation. The tournament annually features top club professionals in the section, and top amateur golfers from the greater Lehigh Valley region.
* The Lehigh Valley Open is the region’s premiere golf competition.
June 21-22
29th Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship
Woodstone Country Club, Lehigh Township, PA
* The official amateur stroke play championship of the greater Lehigh Valley region.
* Two divisions: Amateur, and Senior Amateur.
* The overall tournament champion (Amateur division winner) will earn a spot in the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open.
June 23
13th Lehigh Valley Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship
Wedgewood Golf Course, Upper Saucon Township, PA
* The official women’s amateur stroke play championship of the greater Lehigh Valley region.
* Two competitive flights — based on the participant’s handicap index.
July 5
24th Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur Championship
Wedgewood Golf Course, Upper Saucon Township, PA
* The official mid-amateur stroke play championship of the greater Lehigh Valley region.
* The overall tournament champion will earn a spot in the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open.
July 13-14
64th Bethlehem Golf Club Amateur Stroke Play Championship
Bethlehem Golf Club, Bethlehem, PA
** Two divisions: Amateur, and Senior Amateur.
* The third longest-running individual amateur tournament in the greater Lehigh Valley region, dating back to 1956.
* The Amateur division champion will earn a spot in the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open.
July 19, 20, 21
11th annual Northeast Pennsylvania Amateur Match Play Championship
Olde Homestead Golf Club, Lynn Township, PA
* Three divisions: Amateur, Senior Amateur, Super-Senior Amateur.
Friday, July 19: 18-hole qualifying round — 10:00 a.m.
* Top 8 qualifiers in each division will be seeded into match play flights.
* Flights: Amateur, Senior Amateur (50+), Super-Senior (62+)
* Players will be seeded in the order of their qualifying scores.
Match Play (scheduled 18 hole matches)
* Saturday, July 20: Quarterfinals — 7:00 a.m. — start
* Saturday, July 20: Semifinals — 12:00 p.m. — start
* Sunday, July 21: Finals — 8:00 a.m. — start
July 22-23
12th annual Lehigh Valley Open
Northampton Country Club, Bethlehem Township, PA
* The Lehigh Valley Open is conducted by the Philadelphia Section PGA, in conjunction with the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation.
* The tournament annually features top club professionals in the section, and top amateur golfers from the greater Lehigh Valley region.
* The Lehigh Valley Open is the region’s premiere golf competition.
July 28
25th Lehigh Valley Regular-Senior Better Ball of Partners
Green Pond Country Club, Bethlehem Township, PA
* Two–to-three competitive flights.
* Teams consist of one partner under 50 years of age, and one partner 50 years of age or older.
August 2-3
28th Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur
Whitetail Golf Club, Moore Township, PA
Southmoore Golf Course, Moore Township, PA
* Two divisions: Amateur, and Senior Amateur.
* The Amateur division champion will earn a spot in the 2020 Lehigh Valley Open
August 9
1st annual Lehigh Valley Super-Senior Championship
Wedgewood Golf Course, Upper Saucon Township, PA
* Three age-group flights: 62-67, 68-and-over, overall super-senior championship flight.
August 10-11
66th Allentown City Amateur Stroke Play Championship
Allentown Municipal Golf Course, Allentown, PA
* Three divisions: Amateur, Senior Amateur, Super-Senior Amateur.
* The second longest-running individual amateur tournament in the greater Lehigh Valley region, dating back to 1953.
* The Amateur division champion will earn a spot in the 2020 Lehigh Valley Open.
October 11-12
30th Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions
Lehigh Country Club, Lower Macungie Township, PA
* Three divisions: Amateur, Senior Amateur, Super-Senior Amateur.
* Lehigh Country Club is one of the finest golf courses in the state of Pennsylvania.
* The Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions is the traditional year-end championship of regional amateur golf.
* The champion of the Amateur division and Senior Amateur division will earn a spot in the 2020 Lehigh Valley Open.
Online tournament registration
Tournament participants can register online for Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley tournaments on the www.golfgalv.com website. There is no membership fee. Online registration instructions are available at the end of this letter.
The website www.golfgalv.com, which uses the nationally-known Blue Golf online tournament management system, features online registration for adult and junior golf tournaments, starting time information, tournament information, electronic scoring, and tournament statistics.
Tournament participants who cancel a particular tournament registration will be charged a $10 fee for credit card and Blue Golf online processing charges.
Tournament participants who want to pay for a particular tournament by check – the check must arrive at the GALV office one week prior to a tournament. No email or telephone tournament registration messages will be accepted.
Players will be notified of their starting times by e-mail.
Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley
Online tournament registration instructions
New Members: To register for adult golf tournaments on-line:
- log onto www.golfgalv.com. This is the Blue Golf tournament management system website.
2. click on the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley heading. On the heading’s drop-down menu, click on “Welcome to the GALV”. - click on the “Tournament Sign Up” icon. There is no membership fee.
- the screen will state: “I do not have an ID and Password”. Hit “Next”.
- waiver page: Review the waiver. Click on “I agree to the above waiver”, click “Next”
- fill out the membership form, click “Next”, continue with the tournament registration process.
- register to play in tournaments.
Members: To register for adult golf tournaments online
- log onto www.golfgalv.com. This is the Blue Golf tournament management system website.
- click on the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley heading.
- click on the “Tournament Sign Up” icon.
- click on: “I already have an ID and Password”. Enter your Id and Password, hit “Next”, and continue with the tournament registration process.
OR:
- log onto www.golfgalv.com. This is the Blue Golf tournament management system website.
- hold the curser over the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley heading — click on the subheading “GALV Tournaments”.
- click “Register” on the right side of a particular tournament listing.
- click on: “I already have an ID and Password”. Enter your Id and Password, hit “Next”, and continue with the tournament registration process.
If you have questions, please contact the GALV office at 610-437-4982, or by e-mail at: k.gilbert24@hotmail.com
COPYRIGHT: All information and arrangements in this literature, and on any Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation publications and websites, are the intellectual property of the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation; Copyright 2019.
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LEHIGH VALLEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The GALV sponsors the annual “Lehigh Valley Player of the Year” award.
Begun in 1990, the prestigious award is given to an amateur golfer based upon a GALV point
system which awards points on a weighted scale to Lehigh Valley regional amateur golfers
based predominately upon local, regional, state, and national individual amateur tournament
performance.
To be eligible, an amateur golfer who accumulates points must be a resident of the greater Lehigh Valley region in Pennsylvania (Lehigh, Northampton, lower Carbon, lower Monroe counties), or reside in western Warren County, New Jersey; and must participate in a minimum of one (1) Lehigh Valley individual “major” amateur championships or the Lehigh Valley Open, and/or must participate in a minimum of one (1) top eastern Pennsylvania individual amateur championship tournament in a particular year.
Lehigh Valley Player of the Year award winners must retain amateur status in accordance with
the USGA Rules of Golf for the entire regional amateur golf season, which ends in October.
“Lehigh Valley Player of the Year” award winners
1990 Rich Kovacs, Bethlehem Township
1991 Wayne Marish, Bethlehem Township
1992 Jim Engler, Nazareth
1993 Barry Brackenbury, Whitehall
1994 Dominic Carr, Allentown
1995 Jeff Wambold, Allentown
1996 Terry Slater Jr., Alpha, New Jersey
1997 Henry D’Alberto, Williams Township
1998 Tom Soares, Lower Macungie Township
1999 Dominic Carr, Allentown
2000 Terry Slater Jr., Alpha, New Jersey
2001 Dominic Carr, Allentown
2002 Dave Olexson, Williams Township
2003 Sal Picone, Bethlehem Township
2004 Alex Knoll, Hanover Township
2005 Alex Knoll, Hanover Township
2006 Brian Bergstol, Upper Mount Bethel Township
2007 Brian Bergstol, Upper Mount Bethel Township
2008 Matt Mattare, Lower Saucon Township
2009 Brian Johnson, Lower Macungie Township
2010 Brian Johnson, Lower Macungie Township
2011 Evan Notaro, Moore Township
2012 Cole Miller, Lynn Township
2013 Cole Miller, Lynn Township
2014 Cole Miller, Lynn Township
2015 Zach Fischl, Northampton
2016 Cole Miller, Lynn Township
2017 Cole Miller, Lynn Township
2018 Chad Hess, Upper Macungie Township
2019
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LEHIGH VALLEY SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The GALV sponsors the annual “Lehigh Valley Player of the Year” award.
Begun in 2005, the prestigious award is given to a senior amateur golfer based upon a GALV point system which awards points on a weighted scale to Lehigh Valley regional senior amateur golfers based predominately upon local, regional, state, and national individual senior amateur tournament performance.
To be eligible, a senior amateur golfer who accumulates points must be a resident of the greater Lehigh Valley region in Pennsylvania (Lehigh, Northampton, lower Carbon, lower Monroe counties), or reside in western Warren County, New Jersey; and must participate in a minimum of one (1) Lehigh Valley individual “major” amateur championships or the Lehigh Valley Open, and/or must participate in a minimum of one (1) top eastern Pennsylvania individual amateur championship tournament in a particular year.
Lehigh Valley Senior Player of the Year award winners must retain amateur status in
accordance with the USGA Rules of Golf for the entire regional amateur golf season, which
ends in October.
“Lehigh Valley Senior Player of the Year” award winners
2005 Rich Kovacs, Bethlehem Township
2006 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2007 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2008 Ed Kluemper, Bethlehem Township
2009 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2010 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2011 Joe Viechnicki, Bethlehem
2012 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2013 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2014 Robin McCool. Upper Saucon Township
2015 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2016 Bob Beck, Salisbury Township
2017 Robin McCool, Upper Saucon Township
2018 Dave Blichar, Upper Macungie Township
2019
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Northeast Pennsylvania Golf Historical Society
The foundation is committed to preserve and promote the unique history of golf in the greater Lehigh Valley and northeast Pennsylvania region through the Northeast Pennsylvania Golf Historical Society.
The Northeast Pennsylvania Golf Historical Society will preserve and promote the regional history of the game through:
- Serving as the home of regional amateur golf — Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation offices
- Hosting the Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame
- Operating a Northeast Pennsylvania Golf Museum, an institution dedicated to telling the story of regional golf, and researching regional golf history.
The museum will conduct the following programs for the community:
* partner with Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame inductees to provide a mentoring program for at-risk youth.
* operate a teaching facility at the museum with qualified golf instructional programs for youths of all socio-economic circumstances, and special needs youth.
* conduct interactive presentations & seminars by renowned golf personalities and Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame members for the community.
- Information on the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation website
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Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame
Established in 2004
Administered by the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation
* Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame — purpose:
The purpose of the Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame is to honor those individuals who have made a significant and enduring contribution to the game of golf in the greater Lehigh Valley region; and/or have compiled an accomplished amateur or professional competitive playing record.
* Definition of the greater Lehigh Valley region: Defined as Lehigh County, Northampton County, lower Carbon and Monroe counties, and western Warren County, New Jersey.
* Induction procedure: The Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame inducted a six-person induction class per year for the initial eight (8) years. Here-after, three-person classes will be inducted per year; which will take the Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame to 100 members after 25 years. Currently, the hall of fame has 69 inductees. The Old-Timers committee will present a person for induction every four years beginning in 2015 for individuals who made enduring contributions prior to 1970.
COPYRIGHT: All information in this literature, and on any Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation publications and websites, are the intellectual property of the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation; Copyright 2019.
© Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley Foundation, 2019