EXETER — The rain certainly hasn’t been the most appealing over the past week. However, Fox Hill Country Club is just soaking it in.
According to head golf pro Francis Hayes, the course is in great condition heading into the 69th playing of the John A. Allan Tournament.
The John A. Allan Tournament pits the best golfers in the area against the best golfers in the area. Formerly known as the Fox Hill Invitational, this year’s contest will feature a group of 208 golfers — 104 teams — beginning Friday, June 26 in a three-day event.
“We made it through the winter really well,” Hayes said. “The rain turned it nice and green. The course is in phenomonal shape.”
John Mikiewicz, Old Forge, and 1996 Pittston Area graduate Dr. Tom Biscotti celebrated their second straight Allan title last year. Biscotti dropped a birdie putt on the 13th hole of match play to stop David Kluger and Eric Williams in the tournament’s Championship Flight finals.
Fox Hill’s entrants will play the opening qualifying round from the green tees, which plays at 6,175 yards. Once the championship flight is determined, those teams will battle from the back tees. The blues play from 6,555 yards.
“I think it will be playing a little tough,” Hayes said of the course. “The rough is a little high and the greens are going to pick up some speed and it will be tougher than normal.”
The tournament honors a man who helped support Fox Hill during the most difficult of times.
While the country was recovering from the worst economic period in its history, then-club president John Allan shouldered the major financial burden of supporting his country club in the aftermath of the Great Depression.
Allan held his position from 1935-37 and Fox Hill continues to honor him with its most praised event.
The John A. Allan Tournament has been around since 1929, and was called the Fox Hill Invitational. The tournament was not played in 1943-45 because of World War II. But since then, it’s been 69 straight years of invitational play. The tournament has been a 2-person format since 1956.
Some notable teams in this year’s field include former winners Bob Gill and Brian Corbett, John Mulhern and multiple winner Len Coleman, and Lorenzo Medico and Mariano Medico. Playing again this year will be Art Brunn and Walter Kuharchik, who have the most wins of the tournament in the two-person format.
