By Justin Fedich 

The Selma Times-Journal

When taken too seriously, golf can be a frustrating sport to play. That’s why Selma Country Club golf professional Tommy Burns wants to take the pressure off this weekend at the club’s annual Member-Guest Tournament.

The event begins Friday with a par-3 contest and continues Saturday and Sunday with 18-hole rounds.

Each member will compete in a pair with a guest. Burns expects 80 total participants to compete this weekend, but he doesn’t expect a competitive atmosphere.

“This is more of a fun weekend than it is about the golf,” Burns said.

Burns likes to make the course more fun to play by making some of the holes easier to hit. A normal hole is three-and-a-half inches across, but golfers will be delighted to find not all the holes are a small as usual.

“One hole will have a large cut 12 inches across,” Burns said.

The tournament will follow a handicap format, which is another rule that gives the tournament a lighter feel.

Through the handicap format, less experienced golfers have a chance to challenge long-time members who have been playing the course for many years.

Friday’s par-3 contest tees off at 4 p.m. Saturday’s action begins at 8:30 a.m. and the final round tees off Sunday at 1 p.m.