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2026 Champions
Jim Higgs & Alex Greenacre |
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 to a two-person team event. The Tuck Tate Shootout was launched on August 30th 2022 at Treetops Resort on the par 3 Threetops course. This year it was again held at Treetops on the Par 3 on August 27th.
The event starts with a 9-hole best ball qualifier to determine the 15 teams who would be entered into the shootout. Congratulations to the qualifying first place team of Erwin McKone, CGCS & Jeremy Shay shooting an even par 27. We had a tie at +1 for second place between the team of Adam Palmatier & Kevin Haack and Ryan & Paul Holmes.
After lunch all teams went to #1 tee to play 7 holes. Three teams were be eliminated on the first four holes, two teams on #6 then 1 team on #7, #8 & #9. There were some terrific shots executed by every player on each hole. When the group arrived at #9 tee the two teams still standing were Alex Greenacre & Jim Higgs along with John Siler & Max Bjorklund. It took three playoff holes with some amazing shots from all to determine a winner in front of a large crowd around #9 green. After many years of being deep into the shootout including multiple playoff holes in 2024, Jim Higgs & Alex Greenacre finally got the monkey off their backs and won the 2026 Tuck Tate Shootout.
Special thanks to MiGCSA Past President Doug Hoeh, along with MiGCSA Members Drew Boike, James D’Angelo, Mark Lauret & Adam Lawnichak. Also, a huge thank you to Golf Professional Mark Hogan for all of his help preparing for the event and for running a smooth shootout competition.