The first of five Ottawa Valley Golf Association Intersectional competitions presented by GOLF-O-MAX is set for Sunday, July 9th with play across the Ottawa Valley.
On this one day of Men’s Intersectional competition, 65 OVGA Clubs have entered teams of 12 players in 17 Divisions. With 780 players representing their home courses in match play competition for bragging rights and with the hope of moving up the OVGA Intersectional Ladder, this event is the biggest single day competition being held in the Ottawa area this and every summer.
Keep in mind that the number of participants does not include hundreds of other Club members who competed for positions on their Clubs’ teams. Many of them will accompany team members as caddies or spectators.
The goal for every OVGA Member Club is to win their division and move up the OVGA Division Ladder to eventually compete in the “A” Division of the OVGA Intersectionals.
Since the formation of the Ottawa Valley Golf Association in 1981, only 15 OVGA Member Clubs have participated in “A” Division Competition.
They are, in order of number of competitions, Rivermead (30), Rideau View (29), Ottawa Hunt (28), Royal Ottawa (17), Outaouais – now Rockland (13), Tecumseh (6), Arnprior – now Sand Point (4), Chaudiere – now Chateau Cartier (3), Hylands (3), Renfrew (3), Camelot (3), Gatineau (2), Carleton Golf & Yacht Club (1), Smiths Falls (1) and GreyHawk (1).
Only one-third of the Clubs that have played in the “A” Division of the OVGA Intersectionals have actually been able to pose with the Ottawa Valley Golf Association “A” Division Championship trophy donated by Jeff Bauder of Flagstick Golf Magazine.
Rideau View has won “A” Division 14 times and they are currently on a three year winning streak. Rivermead Golf Club teams have won 11 times, while Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club teams have 5 wins followed by Outaouais (Rockland) and Royal Ottawa teams with 3 wins each.
Over the past fifteen years since 2002, the battle for supremacy in “A” Division has been strong but only Rideau View (11) and the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club (4) have walked away victorious in the competitions. You would have to say that playing on their home course is certainly an advantage with nine of Rideau View’s and three of Ottawa Hunt’s Championship wins since 2002 happening on their home turf.
That brings us to the 2017 OVGA “A” Division Competition being hosted by the Rideau View Club with participation by teams from Ottawa Hunt, Rivermead and Camelot.
Although Clubs do not have to submit their team lists until they arrive at the host clubs on Sunday, Flagstick was able to obtain the team lists of players participating in the OVGA “A” Class Intersectional round at Rideau View.
Teams in the “A” Division are stocked with club champions, past and current OVGA Champions and a two-time Golf Quebec Alexander of Tunis Champion. Many of the players on each team have participated in major competitions through the years so they are well prepared for this competition.
Without knowing who is playing against whom in each group, it would be tough to predict an outcome. Although past history gives us a glimpse into the future, play on the day will dictate the winning club on Sunday.
Will new players on the Rideau View team be visiting the pond on the 6th hole for a swim if their team is victorious or will Rideau View’s three year winning streak come to an end?
Only time will tell as to the outcome of the matches and Flagstick staff will be on site at Rideau View to give updates as they become available on Twitter @FlagstickJoe.
Flagstick Golf Magazine wishes all players and teams competing in the OVGA Men’s Intersectionals success in their various Divisions and we encourage winning teams in each Division to send us team pictures and names through scotmac@flagstick.com or on Twitter @flagstick.
