Applications Wanted: An open invitation to play a role in the LP Am's future

“There are two kinds of golf: golf—and tournament golf. And they are not at all the same thing.” --Bobby Jones, in his book, Down the Fairway, co-authored by O.B. Keller and published in 1927.

My original goal in running the Lake Porter Am for the last 15+ years--time does fly when you are having fun--was to help this tournament reach its 100th anniversary.  My original fear was, if the Lake Porter tradition stopped in our community, it might not ever come back.

Tradition is everything in golf. The first Masters Tournament took place in 1934, held March 22–25 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The first tournament was actually called the "Augusta National Invitation Tournament" — it wasn't officially renamed "The Masters" until 1939.  That tradition was fueled by legend and grace of Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, who founded Augusta National.

The Lake Porter is different, not quite at the level of the Masters. But it's both ironic and revealing to me that a "local" tournament in Northwest Indiana is actually older than my favorite tournaments of all-time. The LP Am began in 1931 as the "golden era" of golf blossomed, which is a story told on another page of this website that you can read ("The History of the LP").

It is a crazy dream, but I have not given up on the idea some kid in the LP might make his way to the Masters, with the story of Bob McCall and Arnold Palmer's friendship as an inspirational catalyst. Of course, a local making to the Masters would involve a winding road of qualification and performance that shocks everyone in the Region.  If that even happens, my dream will be fulfilled. And as crazy as it sounds, I believe it will happen someday, so long as local tournaments give young local golfers a chance to grow in skill, wisdom, and confidence. 

Until then, golf is a game to battle Old Man Par, which you and I play against one another but mostly ourselves.  I've learned invaluable lessons doing so. And so will anyone who plays in the tournament.  That's a certainty, since tournament golf --not casual golf--actually mirrors the joys and suffering involved in being alive.

What's always uncertain is if this tournament will survive.  I'm never sure. And it is up to those who care about it to do it. If this tournament is to make it to 100 in 2031, someone younger than myself will need to step up. I encourage a couple of young blood golfers who care about the game to step forward and drop me a short email or letter at [email protected].

The letter can be as short or long as you want it to be. The tourney needs your help--a NWI golf tradition since 1931--to make it to 2031 and beyond.

All I ask is that you volunteer your time, use all proceeds from registrations to pay the course who hosts and also pay out to those who play in the tournament and support local golf businesses, with whatever is left over.  It's a formula that works. You are welcome to invite other golf crazies -- those who are passionate about the game -- to help you. 

I'm hopeful the tournament will get bigger and better each year.  I'm hopeful that some kid will go on to play -- perhaps even win -- the Masters. But a Lake Porter win can be a start. Good luck to all the championship flight players in this year's tourney. This is tournament golf, which can get the blood flowing in just about anyone.