Kansas has built its golf identity through a long list of professional, amateur, and charity tournaments that draw players from across the region. The state’s modern tournament culture grew around recurring events that stabilized the calendar. These include the Wichita Open on the PGA Tour Americas, the AdventHealth Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour, and well-known amateur competitions run by Central Links Golf. Over time, these events created a dependable structure that allowed golf to grow across Kansas in both participation and community impact.

The Wichita Open returns every year to Crestview Country Club in Wichita and continues to be one of the most visible professional golf events in the state. The AdventHealth Championship, played at Blue Hills Country Club in Kansas City, Missouri, brings rising Korn Ferry Tour players who are close to earning PGA Tour cards. On the amateur side, tournaments such as the Kansas Amateur Championship and the Kansas Women’s Amateur keep the sport rooted in local competition. These events helped the state establish a steady base of players, volunteers, and supporters who show up year after year.

They operate in the same spaces as the professional and amateur events but create a different kind of impact. One of the best examples this year came from the Esther McMurtrie Memorial Golf Tournament in Ellis. The tournament is known among local players and supporters for its purpose-driven format and community focus. It continues to direct its efforts to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Northwest Kansas.

Its latest edition was on Friday, September 12, at the Ellis Golf Club. It followed the four-person scramble format and drew a total of 20 teams. Where players took part in flight contests, entered raffles, and shared lunch on the course. By the end of the event, the tournament raised $16,900 for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK). The amount is being used for the renovation of one of the organization’s group living homes in Hays. The support helps them continue to provide residential services, community living programs, and long-term assistance across 18 counties.

DSNWK consistently expresses appreciation for participants, contributors, and volunteers of their events (such as the Esther McMurtrie Memorial Golf Tournament). It functions as a 501(c)(3) non-profit and has served individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for many years. Its work remains an important part of the support system in Northwest Kansas, and the funds from the event strengthen that effort.

In a calendar filled with major tournaments, the Esther McMurtrie Memorial keeps Kansas golf grounded in purpose. It proves once again that when players come together for a cause, the community always walks away stronger.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Joyita Das