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History and Information

The International Seniors Amateur Golf Society was founded in 1966 with the purpose to promote friendly international golf competition and good fellowship for senior golfers from around the world.

Our events are conducted at the finest golf resorts in the world and we strive to make them enjoyable for players of all skill levels.

The competitions now sponsored by the International Seniors Amateur Golf Society had their beginning in 1966 when Ray McCarthy and Egon “Eggs” Quittner organized the inaugural International Seniors Amateur Golf Championship. Both men had been active and were well-known in national and international golf.

After discussing the idea of an international event for senior amateur golfers, the decision was made to organize a committee of leading seniors from various parts of the world. The original group included 14 members from 12 countries. The men were: Quitter, USA; McCarthy, USA; Courtney Reeves, USA; William Edgar, Australia; Dr. J. De Wandeleer, Belgium; Ben Lindsay, Canada; Pierre Canivet, France; Count Guiseppe Sabini, Italy; Naoyas Nabeshima, Japan; Boone Majors, Mexico; Celso Tuason, Philippines; K.G. Patrick, Scotland; Juan Macaya, Spain; and George Van Niekirk, Zambia.

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History

The inaugural International Seniors Championship was played in 1966 at Gleneagles, Scotland, and attracted a field of 144 participants from 17 countries. David “Spec” Goldman of Dallas, Texas, USA, had the honor of winning the first tournament with a spectacular gross score of 67-69-136 for the 36 holes on the King’s and Queen’s Courses at Gleneagles. Goldman had been an outstanding young amateur and continued his winning way as a senior.

The increasing popularity of the International Seniors Championship led to the organization of the International Seniors Amateur Golf Society. Gordon Hill, former president of the United States Seniors Golf Association; Knut Olsen, Norway; Graham Patrick, Scotland; Courtney Reeves and Neil Ransick of the United States assumed the task of preparing By-Laws for the Society.

The growth of the International Seniors Amateur Golf Society, formally organized in 1970, continues today.

After three years as a 36-hole event the tournament was expanded to 72 holes. Once the field was divided at the end of 36 holes with the low gross scorers playing for the championship while the rest of the field competed in the final two rounds for Stableford points.

Beginning with the 1977 tournament the field has been divided by the contestants own preference at the time they enter. A Mid-Winter Tournament was added to the schedule in 1984.

Our tournaments are organized into several divisions and played in a Stableford format: Gross Division plays at scratch for the overall championship., Stableford and Super Senior Stableford divisions are in several flights.  Ladies play either a 3 or 2 day Stableford with prizes for Gross and Net Divisions.  Ladies also have the option to play Social Golf with no competition.

To this day, the International Seniors Amateur Golf Society is unwavering in our philosophy to offer our members world-class events at the finest courses around the world. We strive to arrange venues that not only offer first class golf courses, but accommodations that are rated 5 -star and are the finest available in the region we are visiting. Since our founding we have been to all six Continents where golf is played.