46th Annual Tournament of Whampions
Date: July 17th, 18th, and 19th, 2026
Site: Hot Springs Country Club, Hot Springs, Arkansas
46 YEARS AND STILL COUNTING
GOLF SEASON IS FINALLY HERE! The Masters Tournament is right around the corner, and it's time for us to start preparing for our tradition unlike any other in Hot Springs, Arkansas… The Tournament of Whampions! It’s time to grab your buddies and hit the links to start your quest of winning this coveted championship. Show up, show off and make your mark!
It’s time to visit our special little course in the hills of Arkansas where the weather will be perfect, the fairways will be beautiful, the greens will be slick and the competition will be fierce as usual. Yes, it’s challenging but that makes the prize so much sweeter. This is your tournament, make the most of your time with friends and family in the hills of Arkansas. For all those who have played in this tournament and are no longer with us on this earth, we thank you and know you are watching over your fellow Whamps. For everyone else, let’s tee’em up and let’em fly to see who captures the coveted trophy! Yes, it’s that time again. It’s WHAMPION time!
FORMAT
All competition is based on the handicap quota system. Points are awarded after each hole as follows: 1 pt. for Bogey, 2 pts. for Par, 4 pts. for Birdie, and 8 pts. for Eagle. Each competitor is assigned a quota by subtracting his or her USGA handicap from 36 (18 pars equals 36 pts.) If you do not have an established Whampion’s handicap already, please contact the Tournament Committee for consideration. If a handicap cannot be established, you will not be allowed to compete.
COMPETITION
GENERAL PURSE: The general purse is a 36-hole format conducted over Saturday and Sunday with 18 holes played each day. After completion of the first round, each competitor’s quota is subject to a 50% adjustment, up or down, based on their standing, and two-day point totals will select the champion and other winners.
DAY MONEY: Participation in the Day Money purse is accomplished by providing a payment of $20 per day. This payment is INCLUDED in your entry fee and the purse is divided among the three top finishers each day, 50%, 30%, and 20%.
SKINS: Participants will fund the “pot” with $5 each day. This fee is INCLUDED in your entry fee and the distribution is determined by how many skins are outstanding each day. (Example: 100 participants X $5 = $500 divided by 4 outstanding skins = $125 ea. skin)
3-MAN TEAM COMPETITION: Any three competitors may comprise a team, but the team can only be registered once on a first-come basis. In addition, the individual that puts a three-person team together need NOT be a member. In other words, pick out three horses you think are ready to run, plunk down your $60 bucks and see what these chokers are made of. Two-day point totals will determine the winning team. A very popular event, big bucks at stake. Registration will be Friday and before tee off Saturday around the pro shop.
THE CALCUTTA: *Important Changes*
The Calcutta has become one of the great traditions of the Whampions Tournament, as well as providing the best opportunity to win BIG bucks! We are excited to announce The 2026 Calcutta Auction WILL take place, but without spending your entire Friday night in a hotel conference room. This year’s Calcutta transitions to an exciting 3-day silent auction format! Each participant will be available to bid on through our new Calcutta draft board process that will be available upstairs in the clubhouse. Bidding will open on Thursday at 1pm, and bidding will close at 8:15am on Saturday morning. Players who do not purchase themselves in the calcutta will have the ability to purchase a minimum of 30% of themselves from their buyer by notifying their buyer, or a Calcutta director . If you do not communicate your interest to either your buyer or a Calcutta director by 8:45am on Saturday you will forfeit your ability to purchase any stake in yourself. All Calcutta purchases must be paid by the buyer to the calcutta committee immediately following completion of Saturday’s round before the shoot-out begins. More specific rules for the Calcutta auction will be available upstairs at the clubhouse that you can review as you place your bids!
HOLE SPONSORS: We are asking for hole sponsors this year at $100.00 per hole. $25.00 of the sponsorship money will go into the general purse while the other $75.00 will be awarded at each hole. Each hole that is sponsored will have a special task such as longest bogey putt or closest to the pin out of a sand trap etc… These sponsorships will help increase the total payout and give every golfer a chance to win at each hole.
SHOOT-OUT: Two-man teams will compete in an alternate shot format for all the GLORY! This competition is separated into two divisions based on your team’s combined handicap. One division for teams with combined handicaps of 18-24. One division for teams with combined handicaps of 25 and higher..
This competition will be a 4 hole aggregate Whampions points format. At the conclusion of the 4 holes, the two teams with the most Whampions points will battle it out in a ONE hole sudden death playoff for the cash prize! Chip-offs will be used to break ties. The shoot-out will be on Saturday beginning at 4:00PM. The entry fee is $100 per team and registration will be available upstairs in the clubhouse Friday and Saturday before the competition begins.
YOUNG GUNS: Any participant who is 35 or younger on or before July 1, 2026, is eligible. The purse is funded with a $40 entry fee and the final winner will be determined using the quota system over 36 holes. There will be only ONE winner. No split purse!
SENIORS COMPETITION: Any participant who has reached the age of 50 on or before July 1, 2026 is eligible to participate.
The purse is funded with a $40 entry fee and the final winners will be determined using the quota system over 36 holes. The purse is divided 60%/40% between the two top finishers.
SUPER SENIORS COMPETITION: Any participant who has reached the age of 60 on or before July 1, 2026, is eligible. The purse is funded with a $40 entry fee and the final winner will be determined using the quota system over 36 holes. There will be only ONE winner. No split purse!
PAST CHAMPIONS: All past champs are eligible for this event. Entry fee is $40 and final winner is determined, again, using the quota system over 36 holes. One winner.
AWARDS: All awards are cash. In most cases, 1 out of every 3 participants share in the purse in one event or another. The Day Money and Skins are awarded at the completion of the final round.
ELIGIBILITY
All competitors will be assigned an official Whampions Handicap prior to the start of the competition. This is established using many components. Course rating, retrospect, and personal interviews, combined with testimonials from your local club professional. After complete consideration has been provided for the entire field, proper adjustments will be made to ensure equity. Veteran Whamps and those with a confirmed USGA “cap” need not worry. Those who do not meet one of these two requirements MUST arrange for qualification. It is very simple, if a legitimate handicap cannot be established, you CANNOT compete in the Whampions. In addition, and this is important, NO first time Whampion is eligible for the first-place money or trophy. He is, however, if he should win, entitled to second place money and any other awards he qualifies for.
ENTRY FEES
The entry fee for this year’s event is $500.00 and includes all golf, cart, and range balls for THREE days, plus the tournament entrance fee. In addition, remember that both Day Money and Skins are also included. To get you off to a good start, each morning the famous HSCC Breakfast Buffet will be available for all competitors. Also, we are including a hamburger lunch on Saturday after completion of the round. This too, is included in your entry fee. When you arrive, you will have the opportunity to fund yourself in the following: shoot-out, three-man, senior, super seniors, past champs or young guns. The FIRST TIME WHAMPION DISCOUNT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE! We provided this discount for several years to help build our numbers and it worked wonderfully, but this came at the expense of the prize fund. With increasing course fees and other expenses involved, we have decided to remove this discount in order to boost the prize fund for everyone!
Please CLICK HERE to complete and submit your entry form and payment ASAP. Your entry into the tournament will only be secured after we receive your entry form and payment.
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Venmo: @chance-holden
Mail checks to:
Tournament of Whampions
P.O. Box 171
Dexter, MO 63841
“DO’S and DON’T”
“Do” submit your application TODAY. It may already be too late!
“Don’t” call the committee about a handicap. Each call results in a higher quota.
“Don’t” bring any chap stick or other foreign substance that might affect or alter the ball flight.
“Don’t” bring any illegal club, i.e. drivers NOT sanctioned by the PGA.
“Don’t” cheat.
If caught in ANY of the above infractions, there WILL NOT be a penalty. You will simply be removed from the field WITHOUT any refund.
Hot Springs Country Club Pro Shop – 501-624-2661- (call for Friday tee times)