Hidden Creek Golf Club set to host U.S. Senior Amateur

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Villanova's Buddy Marucci has played in more than 50 USGA championships in the last four-plus decades. He's seen the amateur game change, not always for the better. But when the U.S. Senior Amateur is played at Hidden Creek Golf Club from Sept. 26-Oct. 1, your 2008 champion thinks it'll seem just like old times.

"You won't have coaches and sports psychologists, and all this other stuff," said the guy who took Tiger Woods to the limit in the 1995 U.S. Amateur final and captained the American team to victories in the 2007 and 2009 Walker Cups. "They won't be doing that. They'll be looking for the best restaurants, where's the best crap tables, things of that nature. That's unique to this championship. It used to be like that at a number of championships. It'll be back to the future, kind of.

"They're a little older, a little grayer and have a little less hair. So it's a little different. But they're all very dedicated to the game. They care. It'll be a little lighter, until it gets down to the end. Then it'll get a little dicey. I played in an awful lot of championships before I was able to win one. I can tell you that was as memorable as any [moment] I've ever had.

"I think some of these fellows are more casual about it than they might have been 25 or 30 years ago. You're more diversified. But there are trade-offs to that. It gives you the ability to put things in perspective. I've always loved business. Business has helped my golf. And golf has helped my business. Being one-dimensional is nothing I could ever do. I think the players you'll see that have stayed amateurs made that choice a long time ago."

Marucci, who's worked as an analyst for Fox Sports in its first year of covering USGA championships, is exempt from qualifying for the 156-man field. He hasn't played Hidden Creek yet, but figures to get many opportunities in the upcoming month. Defending champ Patrick Tallent (Maytown, Ky.), 61, just won the British Senior Amateur.

In all, seven past champs are scheduled to compete, along with two U.S. Amateur champs and four Mid-Amateur winners. To be eligible, a player must be 55 and have a handicap not exceeding 7.4. There will be two rounds of stroke play, with the low 64 advancing to match play.

"I didn't play so well last year, so I got a little disappointed," Marucci said. "I'm really going to practice, work on my body a little bit, make sure I'm healthy. I think it'll be fun."

If nothing else, he figures to have the largest galleries.

"I don't know," he smiled. "We'll see. I think they're tired as well."

Club owner Roger Hansen hosted the 2003 U.S. Amateur Public Links (won by Brandt Snedeker) when he owned nearby Blue Heron Pines. Hidden Creek, a private facility that opened 13 years ago, has been the site for three USGA qualifiers, including the 2014 U.S. Open.

"I felt that if I'm in the business, I should do a national championship," Hansen said. "We starting talking to [the USGA] about five years ago. I think the golf course sets up perfectly for this. It's a shame not to share it with the rest of the country.

"[Co-designer] Ben Crenshaw said the defense of this golf course is the greens. I'm anxious to see how it's defensed, against the best senior players. It's a really good test."

We find out soon enough.