The inaugural Culver’s Midwest Senior Championship, scheduled for Oct. 9-12 at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is now accepting invitation requests.

The Culver’s Midwest Senior is geared towards senior golfers, age 50 and older, located in the midwest, including but not limited to Arkansas, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The idea for the tournament, run by the Midwestern Golf Association, came about when it was realized that while many parts of the country provided competitive senior golfers the opportunity to play in regional competition, the midwestern portion of the U.S. lacked a similar event.

Association Executive Director Eric Hjortness, who also coordinates the Culver’s Midwest Cup, an annual interstate team and Midwest Mid- Amateur Championship (MidwestCup.org ), is excited to provide the large contingency of midwestern seniors the opportunity to compete at the highest level of senior golf.

“Our credo is excellence. We were a number of successful amateurs who had competed in national events, and we wanted to “pay it forward” by giving other top amateurs the same opportunities to play a top event that we had,” Hjortness said. “That means a great course, the best competition, camaraderie, and first-class treatment with all surplus going to charity. We were successful, so now we’re taking the next step.”

There are two divisions: Pre-Senior for players 50-54 and a 55-plus Senior field. Entry and invitation requests are open to any male amateur golfers who will have reached their 50th birthday on or before Oct. 10, 2014. All applicants must have a verified USGA handicap index of 4.0 or less.

To request an invitation to the 2014 Culver’s Midwest Senior Championship, fill out an Invitation Request form at Midw estSenior.org. If you meet one of our exemption criteria or are selected for the field, you will be notified via email with a link to a registration page.

Exemptions into the 2014 Midwest Senior field include: present and former state senior amateur champions, players ranked in the top 100 of Society of Seniors rankings, players ranked in the top 25 in their state’s Amateur Player of the Year points rankings, those ranked in the top 5 in Senior Amateur Player of the Year points within their state and all former contestants of Culver’s Midwest Cup. If you fall into one of the exempt categories, please fill out an Invitation Request form and note which exemption you’ll be claiming.

For more information on the Midwest Senior Championship, visit: Midwest Senior.org.

ABOUT THE HOST CLUB

Dalhousie is a private Nicklaus Design, rated #1 in Missouri from 2007-2010, and presently ranked #3 on Golf Digest’s List of best courses in Missouri. It hosted the 2012 Missouri State Amateur Championship, the 2009 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, and will be hosting the 2015 USGA Women’s State Team Event.

ABOUT CULVER’S

Culver’s, the name sponsor of the 2014 Midwest Senior Champions, puts its heart and soul into every meal. From Midwest-raised beef to dairy produced in Wisconsin, they use only the finest, most wholesome ingredients. Cooked to order and served with a smile, just like you would if it had come out of your own kitchen. Just like we have since serving our first guest nearly 30 years ago. Visit Culvers.com.

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