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This long-time northern event is named after C.E. Tuck Tate, founding member of the Northern Michigan Turfgrass Managers Association (NMTMA) which was one of the four original Michigan Chapters. During the first two years of the NMTMA, Tuck coordinated communication to the members with a monthly newsletter. He continued editing, publishing, and mailing the monthly newsletter of the Northern Michigan Turf Managers Association for eighteen years, until the format was changed in 1990. Tate continued to support the newsletter as an assistant editor from that time. 

The Tuck Tate Championship was originally played in 1985 at Frankfort Golf Course. This event continued as an individual low gross event until 2019 at True North Golf Club. Seeing the need to breathe some new life into this event the format was changed post COVID to a two-person team event. The Tuck Tate Shootout was launched this year on August 30th at Treetops Resort on the par 3 Threetops course. 

The vent started with a 9 hole qualification to determine the 10 teams who would be entered into the shootout. This was a best ball event and all the teams who shot 31 or better made it into the shootout after lunch. At 12:30 all 10 teams in the shootout along with the teams who did not make it as spectators went to #1 tee. The shootout was set for 6 holes, two teams would be eliminated on holes #1, #2 & #3 then one team per hole on #7, #8 & #9. There were some really terrific shots executed by every player on each hole. In the end the team of host Superintendent Tim Matty and Dr. Kevin Frank walked away with the title winning on #9 over the team of Nicholas Shaw & Jon Siler. Congratulations to all the winners on a great day. See (almost) every shot of the shootout in 60 seconds by clicking the video on the right of the screen.

Special thanks to MiGCSA Vice President Doug Hoeh for hosting along with all of the MiGCSA Members at Treetops Drew Boike, Mark Lauret, Tim Matty and Michael “Stubby” Nielsen. 

Qualifier Winners: 1st place score of 27 Gene Davis & Andrew Butterfield, 2nd place score of 29 Tim Matty & Dr. Kevin Frank, 3rd place score of 29 Nicholas Shaw & Jon Siler. 

Closest to the pins: #1 – Dough Hoeh, #2 – Drew Daugherty, #3 – Doug Hoeh, #4 – Dave Paluk, #5 – Doug Hoeh, #6 – Tim Matty, #7 – Drew Daugherty, #8 – Brian Klebba, #9 – Gene Davis.