Las Vegas Nevada News Feed

The 11th annual Tee It Up Classic golf tournament will attract golfers from across the country to the Las Vegas Golf Club on May 17 and 18. Las Vegas has long been a stop for the Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association and the PGA Seniors Tour, and on any given day is host to numerous local and regional tournaments. What makes this tournament different is that each year more than one-third of the field is comprised of individuals with physical disabilities.

Open to both residents and visitors age 16 and older, the tournament will be played at the Las Vegas Golf Club, 4300 W. Washington Ave., beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, and at 7 a.m. on Monday, May 18. The $100 registration fee per player includes two rounds of golf, buffet and awards luncheon, and the opportunity to win door prizes and raffle drawings. Advance registration for the tournament is required, although registrations will be accepted until the tournament is full. Interested players can contact Joe Schifflett at (702) 497-3673 or by e-mail at jschifflett@lasvegasnevada.gov for information and reservations. Registration is available online at www.teeitupclassic.com.

The competitive format is played over 36 holes. The tournament utilizes a two-person best-ball format on the first day, and a two-person scramble on the second day. Each team is comprised of two players. After the first round of competition, the field is divided into two flights. The second day, players compete in their respective flights for first, second and third place. Golf’s index system makes it a perfect medium for competitive play among individuals of varying abilities.

The city of Las Vegas first hosted the event in 1998, and through the generosity of a United States Golf Association grant purchased 10 single-rider golf carts that are available for the tournament, the city’s adaptive golf program, and for vacationers who may be looking to play a round or two. This year, the Tee It Up Classic is sponsored by the city of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Disabled Sports and Paralympic Sports of Las Vegas. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund sports programs for people with physical disabilities.

The Tee It Up Classic was awarded the 2002 Nevada Recreation and Park Society’s Program Excellence Award for Inclusive Program, and to date has drawn participants from five countries and 32 different states. The tournament is held each year at the Las Vegas Golf Club.

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