Last year, some local golf traditionalists were not happy with the fact the Albert Lea City Open Golf Tournament was played on only one of the town’s two courses.

Friday, August 13, 1999

Last year, some local golf traditionalists were not happy with the fact the Albert Lea City Open Golf Tournament was played on only one of the town’s two courses.

So things have changed.

The 1999 City Open, set for Saturday and Sunday, will return to a two-course format with rounds at both Green Lea Golf Course and Albert Lea Country Club.

Green Lea, the sole host of last year’s tournament, will be the site for 18 holes on Saturday. The tourney will move to ALCC Sunday for 18 more holes, including an additional nine for the top 15 players in the men’s championship flight.

Play is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. both days. On Saturday, the order will be men’s, ladies and men’s championship. On Sunday, the order reverses. The final nine holes for the men’s championship flight is expected to begin around 1 p.m. and, as always, the public is invited to watch the action both at Green Lea and ALCC.

According to Green Lea manager Jeff Elseth, around 100 players were registered as of Thursday morning. Registrations closed Thursday night and pairings were expected by this morning.

Elseth said the return to a two-course format was the result of public input.

&uot;We had a couple of meetings during the winter and early spring,&uot; said Elseth. &uot;Golfers from both clubs volunteered to be on a committee to determine what people want in a city tournament. The consensus was that if it’s called a city golf tournament, it should be held at both courses.&uot;

Elseth wasn’t sure why the tourney broke tradition and was played on only one course last year.

&uot;Last year I guess it just didn’t work out,&uot; he said. &uot;Rather than not have the tournament, we ended up just having it here.&uot;

Elseth, who probably won’t play in this year’s City Open because of other activities at Green Lea, is glad to see the tournament return to both Albert Lea courses.

&uot;I like the idea,&uot; said Elseth. &uot;It’s kind of an equalizer. As opposed to just one course or the other, there is some home-course advantage type thing. This way it splits it up a bit. You get to play both courses. They’re different types of courses, and it makes it a little more challenging.&uot;