Working the U.S. Open gave Jack Cohen an idea.

Why can’t Butler County put together a prestigious golf event of its own? So the president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau went to work on it.

Four years later, that idea is flourishing.

The fourth annual Butler County Pro-Am takes place Oct. 2-4 at Slippery Rock Golf Club, Cranberry Highlands and Treesdale. Registration is now open for the event, which comprises four-person teams of three amateur golfers and a Tri-State PGA professional. Fee is $550 per golfer.

“We had 12 teams the first year of the Pro-Am,” tournament director Andrew Wood said. “We had 24 teams last year and I see no reason why we can’t match or exceed that total this time around.”

Proceeds from the Pro-Am benefit the Can-Am Special Olympics.

“We have so many high-quality golf courses in this county and this is another chance to showcase them,” Cohen said. “Butler Country Club is having work done to the course at that time, so it’s not available this time. But one of Treesdale’s courses is in Butler County, so we’re using that one.

“These are three tremendous golf courses and they all play so differently. That adds to the fun of this event.”

The $550 entry fee entitles each golfer to the three rounds of golf with a cart at each course, the PGA pro experience, two nights at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cranberry, a golf gift package, a Pittsburgh Steelers game party, and a pair of lunches. The second lunch serves as the awards luncheon for the event.

A hole-in-one contest will take place on one of the par-3 holes at Slippery Rock. A hole-in-one on that specified hole will net the golfer $25,000.

The format on all three days is two-best ball. There will be a $10,000 amateur prize purse while the pros’ purse will be $20,000.

“We sink a lot of money into this. We want it to be a special thing for our community, something golfers want to play in,” Cohen said. “We had a golfer come from Arizona to play in it last year.”

Golfers enter the Butler County Pro-Am in a number of ways. Sometimes a Tri-State PGA pro will pick his team. Three amateurs may request a certain pro to play with. If an individual or trio want to play, but do not have a pro, the Tri-State PGA will find them one.

“Anyone interested in playing can call our office and we’ll hook them up. It’s not an issue,” Wood said. “All they have to do is ask for me.”

The Tri-State PGA office number is 724-774-2224.

“Our pros love this event,” Wood said. “It’s the last big event of the season before we leave for Las Vegas in the middle of October. The season is winding down at that point and it’s great interaction among golfers.”

Cohen described the Butler County Pro-Am as “one of our marquee events. I think it’s going to be around for a long, long time.”