The Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship is held in honor of the late Frank Mackel and has been held since 1993. The Mackel serves as the premier amateur golf championship in the Greater New Orleans area. The Mackel is produced by the Kelly Gibson Foundation.
The Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship
Tournament History
The Making Of
The Metro
Frank Mackel, along with friends Dave Lagarde and Ronnie Benandi, had a sincere desire to give the amateur golfers of the New Orleans region a premier competition where friends could come together with a mutual love of the game. Frank Mackel said, “The Championship we have established for the golfers of Metro New Orleans is vital to the growth of our game. We are committed to building more than a great championship, we have a vision where friendships will be made, forever renewed and forever lasting.” The Men’s Metropolitan Amateur Championship was first played in 1993 at City Park.
The Mackel Is Born
Following Frank Mackel's passing in 2001, The Men's Metropolitan Amateur Championship was renamed as "The Mackel Metropolitan Amateur Championship" to honor the life and legacy of one of New Orleans most influential figures. Frank's two sons, Fletcher and Travers Mackel, have kept this legacy alive. Through the Mackel Brothers dedication to honoring their father, The Mackel has continued to grow into the premier amateur golf championship in the Greater New Orleans area.
New Orleans Golf Icons Join Forces
In an effort to take The Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship to new heights in the competitve amateur golf landscape, the Kelly Gibson Foundation - founded by New Orleans PGA TOUR member Kelly Gibson - joined the Mackel Brothers in producing the championship in 2026. Under the Kelly Gibson Foundation's management, improvements in player experience, tournament production, strength of championship field and honoring New Orleans golf history are at the forefront of the plan to solidify The Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship as the City's premier amateur championship for years to come.
Tournament Eligibility Criteria
Open Division
SeniorDivision
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Eligible to Men Ages 16-49
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Must either reside in, hail from, or currently attend a University in the Greater New Orleans Area
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Eligible Parishes include : Jefferson, Plaquemines, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, & Washington
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Must be a 5.0 handicap or lower to compete
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$300 Entry Fee with $30 Cancellation Fee
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Eligible to Men Ages 50+
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Must either reside in or hail from the Greater New Orleans Area
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Eligible Parishes include : Jefferson, Plaquemines, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, & Washington
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Must be a 5.0 handicap or lower to compete
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$300 Entry Fee with $30 Cancellation Fee
Tournament Schedule Of Events
April 1, 2026 - Registration Opens
Registration will open for the 2026 Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship on April 1st, 2026. Applications will not be accepted until the Acceptance Period opens on May 1st, 2026.
May 1, 2026 - Acceptance Period Opens
The window for application acceptance will open on May 1st, 2026 for the 2026 Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship. The acceptance period will remain open until 5:00PM on Monday, July 3rd, 2026.
The following competitors will be exempt into the 2026 field in the Open Division:
Open Division Champions From Previous 5 Years
Open Division Top-10 Finshers From Previous Year
The following competitors will be exempt into the 2026 field in the Senior Division:
Senior Division Champions From Previous 5 Years
Senior Division Top-5 Finishers From Previous Year
July 1, 2026 - Registration Closes
Registration will close for the 2026 Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship on Friday, July 1st at 11:59PM.
July 3, 2026 - Acceptance Period Closes
The window for application acceptance will close on Monday, July 3rd, 2026 at 5:00PM for the 2026 Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship.
The following competitors will be exempt into the 2026 field in the Open Division:
Open Division Champions From Previous 5 Years
Open Division Top-10 Finshers From Previous Year
The following competitors will be exempt into the 2026 field in the Senior Division:
Senior Division Champions From Previous 5 Years
Senior Division Top-5 Finishers From Previous Year
July 28, 2026 - Round 1 Tee Times Released
Players will receive their tee time for Round 1 of The Mackel Metro Championship at 12:00PM on Tuesday, July 28th. Tee times will range between 8:00AM and 10:00AM starting on both #1 and #10 Tees.
August 1, 2026 - Round 1 Play Begins
First Round play will begin with players teeing off in threesomes starting at 8:00AM off of both #1 and #10 Tees. Players will receive their Round 1 starting time by Tuesday, July 26th.
August 1, 2026 - Round 2 Tee Times Released
Players will receive their tee time for Round 2 of The Mackel New Orleans Metro Championship following the completion of Round 1 play on Saturday, August 1st. Tee times will range between 8:00AM and 10:00AM starting on both #1 and #10 Tees.
August 2, 2026 - Round 2 Play Begins
Second Round play will begin with players teeing off in threesomes starting at 8:00AM off of both #1 and #10 Tees. Players will receive their Round 2 starting time following the completion of Round 1 play on Saturday, August 1st.
August 2, 2026 - Tournament Awards Presented
Tournament Awards will be presented following the completion of play on Sunday, August 2nd.
First, Second and Third Place finishers will receive awards for both the Open and Senior Divisions. Ties will be broken by a sudden death playoff. The Tournament Committee will determine the hole(s) designated for the playoff.
If due to weather, darkness or other cause, a playoff cannot be held to determine a Champion, then Co-Champions shall be declared.
In the event of a tie for second or third place to designate tournament awards/trophies, the recipient shall be declared by matching scorecards. This tiebreaker will begin with final 9-hole results, then 6-hole results, 3-hole results and finally the result of the last hole played to determine the tie breaker.