AVON PARK — With a field featuring some of the top women golfers in the area, the Highlands County Women's Amateur tees off on Saturday. The once popular tournament, which was last held in 1989, is a two-day, 36-hole stroke-play event and is being held at Highlands Ridge North. A field of 18 women, which includes Sun 'N Lake club champion Nela Hodge and Highlands Ridge club champion Sheila Chirandidni, tee off at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The field will be flighted after the first round and will play from the gold tees, which measure 5,600 yards with a par of 72. Melissa Doorlag, who works at Highlands Ridge North, will also be competing for the coveted title, and she thinks that a two-day total of 160 will contend for the championship. ...more

December 7, 2007

AVON PARK — Next to the tee: the resurrection of the Highlands County Women's Amateur golf tournament. The once popular annual event, which was last held in 1989 at SpringLake Golf Resort, is being brought back by Highlands Ridge North assistant director of golf Melissa Doorlag. Doorlag, an outstanding golfer herself, played in the last event and thinks that the time is right for a return. "The tournament was discontinued because of lack of participation, but there has been an increase in the number of women golfers in the county who play at a high level," Doorlag said. "There is a Highlands County men's amateur, and I think it's time for the women to have their own event." ...more

November 22, 2007