this weekend for next week's 17th annual Lobster Pot Invitational Pro-Am and Professional Championships at Castle Harbour.

The field of 29 teams is down by one from last year with 26 of the teams coming from the United States and three from Germany. Each team has a pro and three amateurs.

Last year's champions Hunters Green Country Club of Tampa Bay, Florida, will not be returning as their pro, Eddie Pearce, has earned his PGA tour card along with Chateau Elan's Tim Conley, another regular visitor to Bermuda.

Last year's second, third and fourth-placed teams, Avila Golf and Country Club from Tampa, Rolling Road Golf Club from Catonsville, Maryland, and Thomson Country Club from North Reading, Massachusetts, are all back and will strive to improve their positions.

One of the amateur members of Hunters Green, Allen Reeves, is participating with a new entry -- Sahalee Country Club from Seattle, Washington. Sahalee are captained by former US PGA tour player Rick Acton while last year's gross winners Chateau Elan, of Braselton, Georgia, will be returning under new captain Bunky Henry who is also a former tour player.

The runners-up team from last year, Cherry Valley Golf club of Skillman, New Jersey, are expected to be one of the title contenders.

The Lobster Pot professional champion, Kirk Hanefeld, from Salem Country Club in Peabody, Massachusetts, returns to defend his title while the 1990 winner Jim Banks returns as captain of one of the Avila Golf and Country Club teams.

With Acton and Henry, as well as last year's runner-up Micky Herron -- this year representing Pawtucket Country Club -- the professional field appears to be as strong as ever.

The 18-hole Charity Invitational Pro-Am for local amateurs and visiting professionals is "over-subscribed'' according to tournament director John Mason. There are 24 foursomes, which include a professional, and 72 local amateurs, which include the likes of Robert Vallis, Michael Dunkley, Noel Van Putten, Max Atherden, Jack Wahl, Ricky Lines, Howard DeSilva, Sir James Astwood, Francis Vallis and Kirk Kitson.

The entry fee from this tournament as well as the hole-in-one event will go towards the Bermuda Junior Golf Golf Association. The Charity Pro-Am will be played next Wednesday with the Pro-Am being held on Monday and Tuesday and finishing on Friday. The Amateur and Professional Championships will take place next Thursday.

This marks the 10th straight year that Fritz and Joan Reiter of Lobster Pot Restaurant have been the sole sponsors of the tournament, which is one of the more popular on the local golfing calendar.

Of the 29 competing teams, seven each are from Maryland and Massachusetts with three each from Florida and Germany and two from both Rhode Island and Delaware. Teams are also coming from Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington and Georgia.