After weeks of preparation, Duncan Hall will host its first campus-wide golf tournament, The Duncan Classic, the weekend of April 13th and 14th. The nine-hole competition will include separate chipping and putting challenges.
Sophomore Michael O'Brien, a Duncan Hall resident, said he saw the potential for an individual golf tournament for the Notre Dame community when coming up with a plan.
"Josh Whelan started a new tradition in Duncan Hall, the Duncan blazer, and I loved the idea," he said. "Duncan was in need of a new dorm event, and I was inspired by Josh's idea and our location by the Notre Dame Golf Course."
O'Brien said he decided to combine the two ideas and the Duncan Classic was born.
"This tournament is a way to spread the Duncan tradition with those who participate in and win the Duncan Classic," he said.
The tournament will include separate men's and women's brackets, O'Brien said. Any students and faculty from Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross may participate, but to keep the competition fair and to encourage more participation by amateur golfers, Division I golfers may not compete.
The dorm also hopes to make the event more accessible by providing participants with necessary equipment.
"Duncan Hall will provide all participants with a set of clubs, if needed, free of charge," he said.
Those who participate will play on Saturday, and those who make the cut will compete in the next round on Championship Sunday where they will play in pairs instead of as a group of four.
"You can sign up with your friends, but you are not guaranteed your Saturday foursome until all have officially registered on the Google form," he said.
The costs for participating will vary according to the event of choice. O'Brien said $10 will cover the cost of the nine-hole game. Competing in either the putting or chipping challenge will cost three dollars, and participating in both will cost a total of five dollars. Individuals who would like to do all three events can participate at a fee of $15.
The preliminary men's round will start from the white tees, while the women will start from the red tees, he said. On Championship Sunday, the men who advance will begin at the blue tees. All United States Golf Association (USGA) rules will apply throughout the competition, O'Brien said.
"Tee times are available from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all day Saturday, and you can see which tee times are available on an embedded link on the Google doc," O'Brien said. "The best way to find the document and register is to search 'Duncan Classic' on Facebook, but you can also check the Week at ND email for the link."
O'Brien said the scoring system in place is individual stroke play, meaning the total number of shots taken on each hole will compose the final score.
"Golf is a gentleman's sport so we trust participants to record their scores individually and accurately," he said. "However, there will be a large Duncan staff presence on the course. Any cheating will not be tolerated."
The competition will conclude with a green jacket ceremony, supplemented with refreshments in the Duncan courtyard. First, second and third place finishers for both the men's and women's teams will receive a gift card, O'Brien said.
Awards will also be given to the top finishers in the putting, chipping, longest drive and closest pin challenges, O'Brien said. The man and woman who win the nine-hole tournament will each receive a blazer with the Duncan crest.
"In future years it [the blazer] will have the Duncan Classic crest on it," O'Brien said.
Duncan will also award a plaque at the conclusion of the Classic which will go to each male and female winner's dorm, department or college where it can be displayed until the start of the next Duncan Classic.
"In a way, the plaque will immortalize the winner and their respective dorm, department, or college," he said.
In the future, commissioners of the Duncan Classic hope to make the competition an annual event held on the first football bye weekend of the fall semester, beginning next fall, he said.
"We want this tournament to be the Bookstore Basketball of golf," O'Brien said. "The goal for this year was to get the tournament up and running, but in future years we hope to partner with the Bald and the Beautiful or another charity."
Contact Carolyn Hutyra at chutyra@nd.edu
