ELMSFORD, N.Y. (January 11, 2011) – As first reported on NJ.com, The New Jersey State Golf Association today announced that for the first time in its 112-year history, the New Jersey State Open Championship will be played at a public, county-owned course. The 2016 NJSGA Open will be hosted by Galloping Hill Golf Course, a Union County-owned facility in Kenilworth.

This announcement is part of a growing trend among major golf associations to bring their most prestigious championships to publicly accessible courses whenever possible. The MGA has held two Met Opens on Bethpage State Park's famed Black Course, most recently in 2010 and previously in 1989. That 1998 Met Open, won by Bobby Heins, was memorable for serving as a catalyst to convince the USGA that its most prestigious championship, the U.S. Open, could also be held at Bethpage Black, which it was in 2002 and 2009. The USGA also took the U.S. Open to the municipally-owned Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, and two more public courses, Chambers Bay in Tacoma, Washington and Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin, are set to host U.S. Opens in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

One of the hallmarks of these past events have been the positive and long-lasting effects seen by the host facilities, which were improved for everyday play in order to be ready to host major championships. Galloping Hill recently underwent upgrades including converting its 27-hole layout to an 18-hole design. It features a brand-new clubhouse, a new driving range, a TaylorMade Performance Lab and will even feature the work of renowned architect and "Open Doctor" Rees Jones, who will be overseeing several alterations to the greens, bunkers and tees.

In addition to hosting the 2016 State Open, Galloping Hill will also host the 2013 NJSGA Public Links Championship.

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