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see also: Florida Azalea Senior Amateur Championship, Palatka Golf Club

The Florida Azalea Senior Amateur returns to Palatka Golf Club, March 13-15, on a historic Donald Ross design.
The Florida Azalea Senior Amateur Championship returns to Palatka Golf Club from March 13–15, 2026, marking a significant entry on the senior amateur calendar. This 54-hole stroke-play event consistently draws a competitive field, testing players across all senior age divisions on a classic layout known for demanding precision.
Palatka Golf Club, a historic Donald Ross design, offers a distinctive challenge. Its primary defense lies in its undulating greens and strategic bunkering. As seen in last year’s event, where champion Joe Alfieri prevailed in a playoff at even par (210), scoring at Palatka generally hovers around par for the winner in favorable conditions. Alfieri’s final-round 66 demonstrated that low numbers are achievable, but critical late-round bogeys — such as Michael Kelley’s on the 17th — underscore the course’s ability to penalize slight misses under pressure. Players consistently emphasize that short-game execution and iron play are paramount here. The course demands strategic decision-making, particularly on approach shots, to avoid testing its tricky green complexes from difficult positions.
Last year’s results provide a benchmark for competitive scoring. Beyond Alfieri and Kelley’s even-par totals, the field demonstrated the course’s stern test. Mark Knecht finished 8-over and Rusty Strawn 11-over, highlighting that scores quickly escalate for those not consistently hitting greens in regulation or converting par saves. The event also features Super Senior (64–69), Legends (70–74), and Super Legends (75+) divisions, each vying for their respective titles and showcasing depth across age groups.
Success at Palatka requires a complete game built around patience and precision. Championship-winning scores tend to settle near or slightly under par, meaning consistent par-making will matter more than chasing birdies on a layout less forgiving than others on the senior circuit. The Donald Ross greens are the defining feature — contoured, occasionally elevated, and quick to punish mis-hit approaches. Players would do well to invest practice time in reading their slopes and developing reliable touch around them. Positioning off the tee, rather than pure distance, typically yields better angles into those green complexes, and course management becomes especially critical when wind enters the equation. Last year’s late leaderboard movement — Alfieri’s closing 66, Kelley’s decisive bogey on 17 — is a reminder that focus cannot waver over 54 holes.
The Florida Azalea Senior Amateur is more than a single-week championship; it is an annual test of senior amateur golf acumen on a historic track. The event offers a genuine measure of a player’s ability to navigate a classic Florida layout under tournament pressure, and the field that converges on Palatka each March reflects the depth and competitive spirit that defines the senior amateur game.

54 hole stroke play championship with Senior (ages 55+), Super Senior (ages 64-69), Legends (ages 70- 74) and Super Legends (ages 75+) divisions. Players will be grouped into six flights by handicap. After 36 holes the Championship flight will be cut...

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