The Griffin City Championship — the local amateur version of the U.S. Open — will be held Aug. 6-7 this year. Deadline to enter this year’s tournament is 5 p.m. today. Fee is $75 which includes green fees, carts and lunch both days.

The tournament format is 36 hole, stroke play. Players will be paired according to GHIN handicap (if available) otherwise average score in the opening round. Flights for the second round based will be based on opening-round results with the leaders going off last on the 6,439-yard, par-72 layout which opened in 1932.

Defending champ Corey Dinkins (75-72—147) won a sudden-death playoff on the fifth hole against 2009 champ Joey Tinsley (74-73—147) last year to finally lay claim to the title after finishing runner-up in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Then rising Spalding High sophomore Carson Willis (76-72—148) finished a stroke back in third.

To learn more or register, contact the Griffin City Golf Course at (770) 229-6615.

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GRIFFIN FOOTBALL TICKETS: Griffin High School 2011 football season tickets will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 9-12 at the Griffin High School main office, 1617 West Poplar St.

Season ticket prices are as follows: $24 adults, and $20 seniors and students. The Bears will play four home games this season: Sept. 9 vs. Harris County, Sept. 30 vs. Woodland, Oct. 20 vs. Ductown and Oct. 28 vs. Ola.

Students at Griffin High on home game days may purchase one $5 student ticket, $8 adult tickets and $6 senior adult tickets. All other tickets will be on sale at the gate on game night. Ticket gate prices are $8 for adults and students, and $6 for seniors.

Griffin will be the visitors for the season-opening game between Griffin and Spalding on Aug. 26. Please contact Spalding High for information on ticket sales.

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SPALDING FOOTBALL TICKETS: Spalding High football season tickets are on sale Monday through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Spalding High. Changes have been made in the purchasing and pricing for football tickets for the 2011 season.

There is no longer the option to purchase reduced price single game tickets, according to the Griffin-Spalding County School System Athletic Committee. High school students, however, can still purchase one single game ticket at a discount and that option is also in effect for the popular Aug. 26 Spalding High vs. Griffin High football game. School system employees wishing to attend a regular season home game may obtain one free ticket by presenting a valid name badge at either high school for its game prior to 1 p.m., on the day of the game. Employees must present a game ticket and name badge at the gate for admittance.

A special adult ticket price for the Spalding High vs Griffin High School game is $10.

This year, the Spalding High season ticket holder will receive the discounted price for the Spalding vs Griffin game since Spalding is the home team. Next year the Griffin High season ticket holder will get the discounted price for the Griffin vs. Spalding game.

Ticket prices for 2011 season at Spalding High are as follows:

• Spalding High vs. Griffin High single game ticket at the gate price is $10.

• All other home games ticket price at the gate — Adults/Students $8, Senior Citizens $6.

• GHS/SHS students-only single game advance ticket and season tickets — $5 per game.

• Spalding High adult season tickets are $6 per game for a total of $30.00, while Spalding High senior citizen (62 or older) season tickets are $5 per game for a total of $25 and SHS student season tickets are $5 per game for a total of $25.

Spalding will play five home games this season: Aug. 26 vs. Griffin, Sept. 8 vs. Drew, Sept. 23 vs. Eastside-Covington, Oct. 7 vs. Jackson and Oct. 21 vs. Sandy Creek. If you have any questions, please call (770) 229-3775 and ask for Sherry Shaw.