Golfsmith International, based in Austin, TX, is the largest specialty golf retailer in the world operating Golfsmith stores in the U.S. and Golf Town stores in Canada and Boston. The business operates as an integrated, multi-channel retailer, offering customers the convenience of shopping through any of its 151 retail locations or 24/7 shopping at its e-commerce sites - www.golfsmith.com and www.golftown.com. Golfsmith International offers extensive product selection of premier branded golf equipment as well as its proprietary products, club-making components and pre-owned clubs.
The Encompass Championship? brings a unique Pro-Am format to North Shore Country Club and the greater Chicago area. The tournament will feature a special Pro-Am format during the first two rounds of competition on Friday and Saturday pairing all 81 Champions Tour professionals with celebrities and amateurs. Sunday’s final round will see Champions Tour professionals competing for the individual title and the $1.8 million dollar purse. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit local charities. The tournament will attract some of the most recognized names in golf, including World Golf Hall of Fame members Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Bernhard Langer, Nick Price. Ryder Cup co-captain Jeff Sluman and Chip Beck, who both live in the Chicago area, are also expected to compete along with Fred Couples, John Cook, Fred Funk, Jay Haas, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin and Kenny Perry. And by tournament time major champions Vijay Singh and Steve Elkington, as well as fan favorite Rocco Mediate, will be eligible to compete on the Champions Tour. North Shore Country Club, designed by the legendary British firm Colt, MacKenzie and Allison, opened in 1924 and has hosted the 1933 U.S. Open Championship as well as the 1939 and 1983 U.S. Amateur Championship and the 2011 Western Amateur Championship. The classic design of North Shore Country Club will offer a stern test for the professional and amateur contestants alike and is very fan friendly affording many great opportunities to see all these great players in action.