It is a team match based on history and to honor a man who gave so much to Nevada Golf and who founded the iconic Edgewood Tahoe course and resort. –By Bill Bowman
Brooks Park (1912–2000) was a Nevada rancher and businessman whose vision led to the creation of Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. A third-generation Nevadan, he was born in Reno and founded Park Cattle Company in 1935. His family owned the Lake Tahoe land where Edgewood was developed. A Nevada Legislature memorial credits him with envisioning the course in 1965.
The amateur team from the Northern Nevada Golf Association won seven of the 12 singles matches en route to a 13½-to-10½ victory over a team of professionals from the Sierra Nevada Chapter PGA Professionals in the 2026 Brooks Park Cup. It was the 50th anniversary of the tournament. The two-day Nevada Golf Northern Region event was held at Edgewood Tahoe Resort.
The tournament featured Ryder Cup-style play with a Chapman Scotch format the first day followed by four-ball and singles play the second day. The four-ball and singles formats used each player’s score in the second-day round for both totals.
It was the amateur’s first win in 7 years in the event that began in 1976 with a 7-3 win by the pros. The overal record now stands at 30-16-4 in favor of the professionals. To earn a spot on the team is a prestigious honor as a season-long points list is used for both the amateurs and professionals.
“It was a great effort by the amateurs,” said Tim Matzke, spokesperson and player for the amateurs. “It might be one of the best amateur teams we’ve had. We had a 17-year-old, an 18-year-old and a couple of 20-year-olds. We also had a handful of players who have played in this event before so it was a great mix from a golfing standpoint.”
Matzke said the amateurs came in with a positive attitude and after leading the event by a point after the first day, that positivity grew.
“We came in the first day saying we were going to win,” Matzke said. “And after leading, we were that much more positive this was going to be the year.”
Matzke added the amateur teams in the past have come so very close to winning.
“We’ve had some really great players and some really great matches but they just couldn’t close it out,” he said. “Finally getting the ‘W’ is awesome for this team.”
Matzke also said the players getting the chance to play the Edgewood Tahoe course is also an impressive experience.
“Chris (Holmes) treats us with such great hospitality,” he said. “It’s a world-class facility and an amazing place to play. It’s a great site for this prestigious event.”
