Included in this years deep field are the event's defending champions; mid-amateur winner Colby Harwell and senior champion Lewis Stephenson.

"Both of the defending champions played so well last year, and Colby [Harwell] won it for the second time and [Lewis] Stephenson he was a new 55-year-old last year and he has done well in every event that he has played in so it was exciting to have some young blood in the Senior Division," tournament director Marty Benson said.

After the Fazio Course served as the host track last year, the Nicklaus Course will be host course in 2017.

The Nicklaus Course is believed to be the more difficult of the two courses playing 3-4 strokes more difficult for the membership. From the tips the par-72 layout can be stretched to 7,402 yards and it features deep-faced fairway and greenside bunkering, a variety of flanking and frontal water hazards, sandy waste areas and boldly contoured greens. In total half of the holes on the course feature some sort of water hazard.

"The greens will be really fast and the course is in terrific condition and the staff will probably run the greens around 13 on the stimpmeter," Benson said. "There are a lot of areas were if you miss the green there are a lot of tightly mown chipping areas and most of them are into the grain so it is really tricky. Even-par will be a good number for the tournament."

The signature hole of the Nicklaus Course is the 455 yard par-4 15th. There is water along the left side and front of the green and players will breath a sigh of relief if they can mark down a four.

If the 15th is the signature hole, then the 18th might be the most exciting hole. The closing hole on the Nicklaus Course is a 548 yard par-5 that offers players the chance to reach the green in two. However, they will have to be careful because water guards the front right portion of the green. Many a tournament has been won with an 18th hole birdie.