This year marks a special occasion for the MGA/MetLife Women’s Net Team Championship, which will be held for the third time at the club founded by women, Morris County Golf Club in Convent Station, New Jersey.  The 20^th renewal of the event often referred to as “the U.S. Open for the average golfer” will be held on Friday, October 1^st with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

 

The “Women’s Met Net,” as it is also called, is open to two-woman teams of golfers representing an MGA member club, who have handicap indexes between 10 and 36, the team total not exceeding 55.  This year, once again, hundreds of teams competed at the club level for the right to represent their club at one of the three sectional qualifying rounds held in mid-September at the Towers Country Club (LI), Harkers Hollow Golf Club (NJ), and Innis Arden Golf Club (W/CT). From the qualifying emerged the thirty-six teams that will compete in the championship proper at Morris County.  Included will be the defending champions, Lisa Delzio and Terri Lyons representing Mahopac Golf Club, and the team of Rie Noble and Sheila Tappen representing the host club, both exempt from the qualifying. 

 

The format for the tournament is 18 holes stroke play, net team better ball with players competing at a converted 95% of their individual Course Handicap.

 

The Met Net was created for the average golfer, but the manner in which the tournament is conducted is anything but average.  Every phase of the tournament is conducted at a level comparable to other major MGA championships.

 

Morris County was founded in 1894 by a group of ladies who made one fatal mistake – they took on a group of men, mostly husbands and father, as associate members, thinking they would make fine caddies!  Within two years, the men had taken over, led by Paul Revere, great grandson of the Boston equestrian.   Their golf course was quickly expanded to 18 holes, and hosted the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1896 and the U.S. Amateur in 1898.  By 1920, a new golf course and clubhouse had been opened on the other side of the railroad tracks, and Morris County entered its “modern era.”  The Seth Raynor-designed course possesses many of the typical features of a Raynor course, including a fine left-to-right Redan hole (#13).

 

In addition to Morris County, the Women’s Met Net has also been held at such outstanding clubs as Westchester Country Club, Sunningdale Country Club, Ardsley Country Club, Country Club of New Canaan, Shackamaxon Golf & Country Club, Seawane Club, North Hempstead Country Club, North Shore Country Club, and Huntington Crescent Club.

 

Following the 2004 MGA/MetLife Women’s Net Team Championship, the MGA and MetLife will host the traditional awards luncheon for players, MGA officials, and the press.