Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes. Kiersten Klekner-Alt putts on the 18th green during the final round of Greatest Golfer last year on Evans Lake at The Lake Club in Poland. Klekner-Alt is the defending champion of the Greatest Golfer ladies open division.

YOUNGSTOWN — Greatest Golfer’s annual adult tournament kicks off this week, and as it enters its 14th iteration, the tournament is bigger and better than it’s ever been.

More than 345 golfers are set to participate in the three-day, 54-hole stroke play tournament, across 13 different men’s, ladies and seniors divisions.

Each division ranges from scratch to 24-handicap.

Tournament organizer Todd Franko said Greatest Golfer’s tournament structure and easy-going, yet competitive atmosphere are what keep people coming back and participating year after year.

“You have players placed in a similar skill group with their peers,” Franko said. “In a lot of golf events, you might be in a five, six, seven or eight-shot division. We’ve got it whittled down to a three-shot division, so 3-6 (handicap), 7-9, 10-12, I think we’ve got the competitive format just right.

“More importantly, we have the flavor of people and competition right. Folks say we’re closer to Caddyshack than we are to Augusta, and I think that creates an atmosphere that people feel comfortable coming back to compete, but also recognizing that they’re part of a unique community.”

Ten different courses will host the players throughout the tournament, with the final round ending Sunday at The Lake Club in Poland. This year, Avalon Buhl, Pine Lakes and Salem Hills have been added to Greatest Golfer’s usual course lineup of Youngstown Country Club, Tippecanoe Country Club, Avalon Lakes, Squaw Creek, Trumbull Country Club and Mill Creek Golf Course.

After the first two rounds, a cut will be made where the top 25 percent of players in each division will advance to Sunday at The Lake Club.

Franko said each player will play one private course and one public course during the first two rounds.

“It’s almost like you’re coming to our backyard,” Franko said of Greatest Golfer. “You’re not coming to a golf tournament of anonymous players, where you might only know five or six. You’re coming to a backyard party that happens to golf, and hopefully you leave the weekend with 10-12 new buddies that you can tee off with in the future.”

Even though the stroke-play tournament kicks off on Friday at Mill Creek’s North and South Course, Avalon Buhl and Squaw Creek, Greatest begins today with a long drive and par-3 contest at Tippecanoe Country Club. The event is free and open to the public and “everyone’s welcome,” according to Franko. The evening begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m.

“It’s probably the 12th year we’ve had this format with the long drive and skills competition,” Franko said. “It just allows the players to have fun, relax and it opens things up for the three competitive days of golf.”

Franko added that Greatest Golfer is something that has become unique to the Mahoning Valley.

“It’s more of a showcase for the Valley,” Franko said. “We happen to compete while doing it. With the collection of courses, and the sponsors and the players — I don’t think I could do this in another city. The way this city has come together to make Greatest happen for 14 years is amazing.”

nmadhavan@tribtoday.com