Lancaster County Golf Association

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About Lanco

Beginnings

On July 8. 1959, representatives from the four existing clubs (Lancaster Country Club, Meadia Heights Golf Club,
Conestoga Country Club and Overlook Golf Club got together and officially created the Lancaster County Golf Association.

They determined that three men from each club (golf pro, golf committee chairman and one other club member) would comprise the Board of LANCO.

The original officers were President Boyd Heath, Secretary George Shenck, Treasurer Charles Rohrer and Executive Committee Member D. K. Kaiser.

The Chairman of the Board would be the golf pro for the host club of the LANCO amateur each year.

The Board was tasked with enabling the USGA rating of each of the member courses and the running of four tournaments each year
(Amateur, Ladies Amateur, Senior and Junior). The only tournament entry requirement was residence in Lancaster County.
It was agreed that all LANCO events be self-supporting and that team prizes would be discontinued.

In 1996, Steve Graybill began his 9 year term on the board. He was the first golf course owner to serve.
Steve suggested that LANCO should pay the courses more than the customary $8 per round since that created a loss position for the host course.

In 1998, Jim Fuhrman joined the board as Assistant Tournament Chairman (to Bob Handler).
Assuming the Tournament Chairmanship the next year, he followed up on Steve’s recommendation and increased the fee to the
host courses to 65-85% of their going rates thereby assuring the LANCO member courses would be financially enthusiastic about hosting our events.

Tournaments

1953 – Amateur begins
From 1953-1967 the Amateur was played as a one-day, 36 hole event. In 1968, the event was changed to two days.

Started with only four qualifiers from each of the four existing clubs in the county (Lancaster, Conestoga, Meadia and Overlook).

By 1959 the four existing clubs qualified 6 players each for the Amateur.

By 1967 six clubs qualified 9 players each for the Amateur (including one spot reserved for the defending champion).

1964 – Better Ball begins
King Knox and Bobby Huber won the two day tournament by 15 strokes and the event is tabled until further notice

1973 – Open begins

1975 – Junior begins (turned over to Lancaster County Junior Golf Tour in 2009)

1976 – Senior begins

1978 – Better Ball reinstituted

1981 – Mixed begins (turned over the Ladies Lancaster County Golf Association in 2010)

1994 – Two Man Scramble begins