On the golf map

Cape Girardeau County boasts five golf courses, each with its regular players and its fans. The newest course is building on the reputation that has established this area as a true golf destination.

Part of Cord Dombrowski's vision for Dalhousie Golf Club was to build a course so special that people from all over the country would want to play there.

After opening in 2002, Dalhousie began claiming attention. Golf Digest magazine, one of the bibles of the golf industry, recently rated Dalhousie the second-best course in Missouri. In 2003, the course was named one of the top 10 private courses in the country.

In 2004, Dalhousie LPGA representative Karen Stupples won the women's British Open.

Another honor came last week when the American Junior Golf Association announced that Dalhousie will host a tournament next June that will draw the best junior golfers from at least 16 states and some foreign countries.

Earlier this year Dalhousie was the site of an NAIA regional tournament, and last weekend golfers from around the state contested the Mid-Missouri Amateur at Dalhousie.

All these tournaments bring revenue into the community, but beyond that they are putting Cape Girardeau on the national golf map.