Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association Newsletter August 2016

WingHaven #8

The Metropolitan

Upcoming Events

MAGA Amateur Page 4-5

Conversation with Westborough GM Tom Elliott Page 6

St. Louis Golf History 2009 US Women’s Amateur Page 10

US Mid-Am Qualifying Page 14

US Women’s Mid-Am Qualifying Page 15

Amateur Series Point Totals Page 17

Season Point Totals Page 19

MAGA Senior Championship Page 20

Vol. 3 No. 6

2016 USGA Events Pranger holds on for Amateur Victory Mid-Am Qualifying: Jeske and Niezing earn spots in Mid-Am Manning, Eckelkamp & Kirchoff earn trip to Women’s Mid-Am while Benedict takes Medal Senior Championship: Eisenbeis birdies final hole to take title

With a trio of players hot on his heels, Glen Echo’s Drew Pranger used his course knowledge to drain a putt when needed to take the 26th Amateur title.

In the Senior, Jack Eisenbeis was in the midst of a three-way tie as he and David Johnson arrived at the 18th tee. Bob Hanneken had already posted a 3-over total. Eisenbeis would birdie the final hole, sinking a 12-foot putt, to capture his first MAGA title.

US Amateur 4-Ball Qualifying (M&W) September 26, 2016 Lake Forest CC USGA Events Qualifying Summaries Page 16

USGA Senior Amateur Qualifying Page 24

US Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifying Page 26

Tough Summer for area courses...and Superintendents. Hear from one of the pros on the challenges they faced

Page 26

See page 11 for full schedule

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association • 11777 Clayton Rd. • St. Louis, Missouri 63131 314.567.MAGA • Fax: 314.261.9250 • info@metga.org

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STAFF Executive Director Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org P.J. Boatwright Interns - 2016 Schaeffer Bell & Jameson Howard boatwrightintern@metga.org METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Amateur Championship Match Play Championship Open Championship Women’s Amateur Championship Junior Amateur Championship Senior Amateur Championship Metropolitan Cup Matches Four-Ball Championship Mid-America Junior Cup USGA QUALIFYING ROUNDS US Open Qualifying (Local and Sectional) US Senior Open Qualifying US Amateur Qualifying US Mid-Amateur Qualifying US Women’s Mid-Amateur US Junior Amateur Qualifying US Amateur Public Links Qualifying US Senior Amateur Qualifying US Women’s Open Qualifying US Amateur Four-Ball US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball EXECUTIVE BOARD Stanford S. Grossman – President Emeritus Thomas J. O’Toole Jr. – Vice-President Thomas O. Sobbe Jr. – Vice-President M. Ray McCraine – Secretary G. Scott Engelbrecht – Treasurer G.F. (Rick) Meyer Jr. – At-Large Member H. Mick Wellington – At-Large Member ADVISORY COMMITTEE Scott Thomas, Chairman Dustin Ashby Tom Barry Skip Berkmeyer Jim Dunn David Rhoads Curt Rohe Metropolitan Editor Jim Healey

Curt’s Comments Greetings MAGA members! I hope this issue, the final monthly of 2016, finds everyone well and recovering from a hot couple months.

It has been a tough stretch for our golf courses in this region. We have a great interview with Bill Curt Rohe Maynard, Director of Agronomy at Executive Director The Country Club of St. Albans, in this issue talking about the stress golf courses have faced the last 60 days.

Nonetheless, August was a great month. We crowned two great champions who were so excited and grateful to put a MAGA championship gold medal around their necks.

Drew Pranger started things off with his victory in the 26th Amateur Championship on his home course at Glen Echo CC. Glen Echo was in fabulous condition and the gem produced a formidable test for the area’s best amateurs.

A couple weeks later in the Senior Championship, Jack Eisenbeis captured the title after a tough two days at WingHaven. Mother Nature did not cooperate on day 1, pushing times back until we were able to finally get in 18 holes on a long, wet golf course. Eisenbeis would birdie the 36th hole to win by a shot over David Johnson and Bob Hanneken.

Usually by this time of the year I thinking about relaxing, even for just a bit, but with the 2016 US Senior Amateur coming to Old Warson in a couple weeks we have a lot going on! There will be 156 of the best seniors in the United States will be coming to town to play in another USGA championship hosted by Old Warson, the third since 1999.

As always, thank you for taking a few minutes to read our newsletter this month. I hope you enjoy another great issue and I would like to thank Jim Healey again for his work to get these last 4 monthly issues together! See you in a couple months!

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green are three bunkers, two to the right and one to the left. Starting just a few feet above the bunkers is a large practice putting green. With a back hole location on the 18th green, the practice putting green can come into play. Also, there is a 40-foot long by 30feet wide strip of extended fringe in the gap between the bunkers connecting the two greens. A player whose ball lands on the practice putting green may be tempted to putt his ball down this gap onto the 18th green. Please, don’t do it! The practice green is a wrong putting green. Rule 25-3 states the player must take relief within one club length of the nearest point of relief for lie off the green, not in a hazard and no closer to the hole. Making a stroke, even an innocent downhill putt, from a wrong putting green results in a two-stroke penalty. Further, if the player does so, he is playing from a wrong place and may be committing a serious breach. If he holes out and leaves the 18th green, his last hole, before declaring intent to correct the error, he may be disqualified from the competition (Rule 20-7c). Lastly, if he returns his scorecard without recording the two-stroke penalty in his score, he risks two additional penalty strokes (exception to Rule 6-6d if the competition is not closed and player is unaware of penalty) or perhaps disqualification (player is aware of penalty).

Rules of Golf Corner Uniqueness at the Metropolitan Open Championship The Lewis & Clark course at the Country Club of St. Albans is home to the Metropolitan Open Championship. The course is challenging and features a few special areas with Rules implications.

Plus, there have been some believe-it-or-not moments by the players.

White three-rail fences extensively border the property entrance. Cart paths along the left side of the second and third holes run parallel to and often within a few feet of the fence -- a very unique situation. A ball that lies between the cart path and fence poses a dilemma. A right-handed player may have little or no room to take his stance and play a shot, and there is no free relief available under the Rules from a boundary fence. What to do? One could proceed under an unplayable ball option (one stroke penalty). However, a Rules savvy player will announce his intent to play the shot left-handed, which is reasonable in this circumstance. He takes his stance and finds that his feet are on the cart path.

He can’t take complete relief on the fence-side of the path, so his nearest point of relief is on the fairwayside of the path. After dropping on the fairway-side of the path, he switches back to a right-handed shot, again finds his feet on the cart path, and takes relief even closer to the fairway. The player now has a wide-open shot to the green (Decision 24-2b/17)!

Perhaps the players’ feats are most unique. In 2015, the 15th (202 yard, par 3), 5th (340 yard, par 4) and 6th (604 yard, par 5) holes were all eagled… each without the ball ever coming to rest on grass. How did they do it? The par 3 was easy; a hole in one. The par 4 was trickier; hole out from a green side bunker. The par 5 was unbelievable; drive hit into a fairway bunker, then hit that shot to another fairway bunker, and holed out from the second fairway bunker!

John Thorman

The putting green on the 480 yard par-4 18th hole is huge and slopes from back to front. Behind the

MAGA Rules Committee

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Metropolitan Amateur Home Course advantage pays off for Drew Pranger Day one of the 26th Metropolitan Amateur was a grind. The heat, humidity and the hills at Glen Echo proved too much for a number of players, but not Ryan Eckelkamp from Franklin County. His five birdies enabled him to go 34-33 for a 3-under par round, as the normal par-5 eighth hole was playing as a par 4. Close by was Drew Pranger and Steven Souchek with 69s, followed by five players with even par rounds of 70.

Following his 69 with a 68, Pranger jumped into the lead after round two, though Alex Cusumano, Darren Stoffel, Thomas Weaver, Tony Gumper and Patrick Britt were not far away. Eckelkamp struggled to a 76 to move six shots off the lead. Once again, the heat played a factor as players took their time to stay hydrated, staying in the shade a much as possible.

In the end, it came down to a little local knowledge; knowing how the putts will break on the Glen Echo greens. As the final group prepared to hit their tee shots on the par 4 17th at Glen Echo, Curt Rohe was busy preparing for a possible playoff. Stoffel, the current club champion at Glen Echo, and Normandie’s Gumper were knotted at 211 with Pranger playing the final holes. Cusumano, a shot back, was also looking to join the party.

Drew Pranger with the championship trophy in front of the golf shop at Glen Echo

Back-to-back bogeys for Pranger at the fifteenth and sixteenth brought him back to the field. Gumper, playing two groups ahead, pulled even with Pranger with a birdie 3 at the sixteenth, then finished 4-4 to await the outcome.

Stoffel overcame bogeys at the fourteenth and fifteenth with a birdie at the seventeenth to tie Gumper as he finished.

Final Results 1

Glen Echo

69 68 73 210

T22 Daniel Trost

Whitmoor

78 72 70 220

T2 Tony Gumper

Andrew Pranger

Normandie

70 72 69 211

T22 Zach Decker

Joachim

75 75 70 220

T2 Darren Stoffel

Glen Echo

70 70 71 211

T22 Toppie Hogan

Old Warson

72 76 72 220

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Norwood Hills

71 69 72 212

T22 Skip Berkmeyer

The Legends

70 74 76 220

T5 Parker Goldman

Meadowbrook

75 69 69 213

T26 Zachary Gollwitzer

Aberdeen

73 75 73 221

T5 Patrick Britt

Norwood Hills

70 71 72 213

T26 Kevin Jeske

Aberdeen

75 72 74 221

T5 Thomas Weaver

Bellerive

71 69 73 213

T28 Chris Ferris

Aberdeen

74 74 74 222

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Brad Carpenter

Franklin County

71 71 72 214

T28 Jeff Johnson

Bogey Hills

76 72 74 222

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Sam Migdal

Alex Cusumano

Aberdeen

75 72 68 215

T30 Jimmy Siegfried

Metropolitan

79 70 75 224

T10 Zach Cutler

WingHaven

75 71 70 216

T30 Chris Marziani

Metropolitan

75 74 75 224

T10 Ryan Eckelkamp

Franklin County

67 76 73 216

T30 Max Harres

Metropolitan

77 71 76 224

T10 Ryan Sullivan

Tapawingo National

71 72 73 216

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Tom Barry

Normandie

73 74 78 225

T13 Dane Gray

Metropolitan

70 75 72 217

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Teddy Jones

Aberdeen

73 74 79 226

T13 Drew Weisenborn

Annbriar

74 70 73 217

T35 David Bremer

Metropolitan

76 74 77 227

T15 Phil Caravia

Norwood Hills

74 73 71 218

T35 EJ Brumm Jr

Normandie

72 77 78 227

T15 Justin Hemings

Sunset Hills

75 69 74 218

T37 Chris Kovach

Metropolitan

73 77 78 228

T15 Kyle Szyhowski

Whitmoor

73 70 75 218

T37 Gage Brauns

Greenville

73 74 81 228

T15 Steven Souchek

The Prairies

69 74 75 218

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Tony Nolfo

Metropolitan

74 75 80 229

T15 Scott McClellan

WingHaven

71 72 75 218

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Matthew Wickham

Metropolitan

71 78 81 230

T20 Mark Bolhofner

Metropolitan

76 74 69 219

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Will Pruden

Persimmon Woods

77 73 90 240

T20 Reilly Ahearn

Persimmon Woods

69 74 76 219

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Alex Cusumano, playing with Pranger, had an up-and-down final round: four bogey’s against three birdies. After he made birdie at the seventeenth, he was level with Gumper and Stoffel heading to the eighteenth tee. However, a bogey at the closing hole when he caught a flier from the right rough would leave him a shot further back. Pranger knew where he stood after the pair of 5s on his previous two holes as he readied for his tee shot on the short par 4 seventeenth. A solid approach from the left rough gave him a downhill birdie opportunity from about 10 feet, which he converted to take a one shot lead heading to the eighteenth tee.

Always one of the most demanding closing holes in the area, Pranger’s drive hugged the right side of the dogleg, leaving him with a short iron into the back-to-front sloping green. A solid approach hole high on the right collar, his first putt ended two feet from the hole. A moment later he lifted the ball from the cup and he was the champion!

MAGA Amateur Scores - Day 1 & 2

(See page 9 for photos from the Amateur) Kevin Collom John Hughes Brian Greene Tom Sinak Lew Weingart Conrad Maloney Kinder Jones Darren Pang Spencer Mason Scott Schleiffarth Jamie Blaesing Russell Brightman Thor Dowd Clayton Voss Shane Lafferty Mark Streeper Jacob Debus Matthew Shelby Rob Lahay John Newsham Patrick Bader Andrew St. John Sean Brennan Kolbe Rodemich Joseph Christian Tom Pruden Chris Stinnett Dustin Sweet Gerald Mozur Steven Hawkins Andy Fogarty Peyton Stauffer David Hughes Michael Rackers Mike Lawton Tyler Travelstead Adam Joyce Rick Barks Patrick Reid Michael Hornak Scott Kirchoff Scott Holdridge Robert Pohrer

Non-Qualifiers for final round ---------------------------------Ted Moloney Greenbriar Hills 74 77 Robert Dunn MAC 75 76 Colin Stolze Greenbriar Hills 72 79 Matthew McCarthy Far Oaks 76 75 Trevor Cronin Persimmon Woods 73 78 Brian Hall Persimmon Woods 73 78 Ed Rhomberg Metropolitan 76 75 Brad Welch Old Hickory 77 75 Nathan Holt Westborough 77 75 Bradley Kane Old Hickory 78 75 Greg Sanborn Persimmon Woods 79 74 Zach Buchheit Metropolitan 76 77 David Speicher Cardinal Creek 76 78 Thomas Lantzy Metropolitan 79 75 Ryan Haxel Quarry-Crystal Springs 77 77 Ryan McNeil Joachim 76 79 Joe Behl Metropolitan 77 78 Joseph Williams Aberdeen 77 78 Drew Lilly St. Louis 79 77 Thomas Heath Metropolitan 77 79 Ethan Luecke Warrenton 77 79 Keith Ritter Annbriar 77 79 Ben Redmond Greenbriar Hills 80 76 Nick Redmond Greenbriar Hills 76 80 Jackson Lane Metropolitan 79 77 Michael Johnson Metropolitan 81 75 Hongsang Kim Metropolitan 83 73 Wheeler Frost Bellerive 81 76 Michael Silberberg Persimmon Woods 85 72 Sam Range Metropolitan 75 82 Rob Scherer Berry Hill 80 77 Tom Rudawsky Metropolitan 78 79 Gene Hart Aberdeen 79 78 David Neuner Jr Algonquin 77 81 Ryan Cochran Algonquin 80 78 Tyler Ward Tapawingo National 78 80 Dan Greiner Mystic Oak 80 78 Christian Argyros Persimmon Woods 85 73 Scott Niehaus Sunset Hills 72 86 Joe Timpone Persimmon Woods 82 76 Christopher Pope Lake Forest G&CC 79 79 Zachary Pranger Glen Echo 80 79

The Metropolitan

Metropolitan 78 81 Persimmon Woods 80 80 Westborough 82 78 Fox Run 76 84 Quarry-Crystal Springs 81 80 Persimmon Woods 81 80 Bellerive 80 81 Meadowbrook 77 84 Boone Valley 82 79 Norwood Hills 82 79 Quincy 80 82 St. Louis 82 80 Greenbriar Hills 84 78 Franklin County 83 79 Metropolitan 83 80 Metropolitan 77 86 CC of St. Albans 83 81 Old Hickory 83 81 Fox Run 82 83 Metropolitan 78 87 Metropolitan 79 86 Algonquin 82 84 Westborough 86 80 Metropolitan 80 86 Metropolitan 81 85 Persimmon Woods 81 85 Ruth Park 83 84 Missouri Bluffs 84 85 Gateway National 89 83 Spencer T. Olin 91 86 Missouri Bluffs 73 WD Quarry-Crystal Springs 84 WD Westborough 85 NS Norwood Hills NS Metropolitan WD Quarry- Crystal Springs WD Metropolitan WD Metropolitan WD Metropolitan WD Quarry-Crystal Springs WD Persimmon Woods WD Norwood Hills WD Old Warson WD

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A Conversation with Westborough GM Tom Elliott Tucked away in the tiny city of Oakland, Westborough is a club that is somewhat hidden from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Bounded by Berry Road, Adams Ave., Sappington Road and railroad tracks, Westborough is one of the area’s great family-oriented clubs. As a club, Westborough came to life in 1927 when a group of men acquired the property formerly occupied by Westwood CC, when that club moved to its new home on Conway Road. After a series of reorganizations, a member-owned club came to the forefront, giving the club the identity it has today.

General Manager Tom Elliott has been at Westborough for nearly 15 years. The native St. Louisan is well-schooled in the club industry, having started his career at St. Louis Country Club, with stints at other area clubs including the Racquet Club, St. Louis Club, and the Country Club of St. Albans. He has also worked at clubs in California, Washington and Kentucky before taking the helm at Westborough.

The breadth of his experience provides strong leadership, coupled with an outgoing and gregarious manner, earning him the respect and admiration of his membership.

Elliott is one of those managers that immediately puts you at ease; whether walking through the dining room, surveying the pool or tennis courts, or checking on the first tee, he has a broad smile and a friendly hello for all.

With the challenges faced by private clubs today, we sat down with Tom to see how a club like Westborough, which was where players such as Jim Holtgrieve and Michael Wellington learned the game, and where the likes of past USGA president Tom O’Toole took his first steps in the game, has been impacted by changing times.

When speaking with a prospective member, how do you describe the club to them?

I see our members using the club in a way unique to nearly every other club I’ve been around. Our members use the club as it was meant to be used. They take advantage of the many amenities we have, from dining to fitness, tennis, the pool, and of course, golf. But more importantly, it’s the camaraderie and friendliness that exists here that I find unique. If a new member walks through the bar or into the locker room, an existing member is likely to stop them and introduce themselves. If they don’t know you, they want to get to know you.

Another aspect of the club is how the older members interact with younger members. There is very little pretense here; if you show up for a game, everyone is accepted. You don’t see this type of interaction at every club.

Finally, I address the social aspect of the club. The new friends you meet, the way in which your children gravitate toward others their age - whether at the pool or in our junior programs - it is very special. Finally, we’ve created a safe environment here. Parents can be assured that when on the grounds, it’s like one big family.

What are the demographics of the club?

While many clubs are getting older, we have gotten much younger in recent years. Today, the average age of our members is only 49. This is due, in large part, to an influx of younger members over the past 5-6 years. At last count I believe we had something like 465 children under the age of 16 at the club. This is terrific. Plus, our pro, Jimmy Bals, does a great job with the junior golf program encouraging play at off times along with a number of parent-child events.

While most of out members live within a short distance of the club, we do have a number that travel 20 minutes or more to arrive. Still, with so many members living in close proximity, the club does get a lot of use, which is our goal.

Given the challenges many clubs have faced over the past several years, how has the club addressed this?

Like many clubs across the country, when the economic downturn hit in the 2007-08 period, we were forced to re-think our situation. Our Board made the right call in reducing the cost of joining the club while at the same time, revising our fee structure. This made a significant difference and over the past 5-6 years, as I noted earlier, the influx of new, younger members has been a plus for the club. While we have gradually raised some of the fees to keep up with The Metropolitan

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inflation and the cost of providing quality services to our members, I believe the overall expense to join Westborough and enjoy the club is still one of the more affordable in the area.

Despite the lower cost structure, I know you have continued to upgrade the club. Tell our readers about that.

Westborough has gone through at least nine various renovations through the years. We have upgraded our dining areas, the bar and our private/banquet facilities. A recent renovation was to our men’s and women’s locker facilities. However, the addition of a fitness facility was probably one that has paid some of the biggest dividends. The club had a small center, mostly with used, home- Westborough’s fitness center style equipment located in a fairly small room. When we decided to upgrade there was, as you might expect, a bit of an uproar.

Members were concerned that it would not get enough use to justify the expense. However, over the past four years since it was completed, member use has continued to grow. Today, we have over 75 members per day using that facility, exceeding our expectations.

The club has always been known for having good tennis and swim programs.

Yes, with the large number of children competing, our swim program continues to be one of the best in the area among area clubs. On the tennis front, a number of our junior players have gone on to play high school tennis, so it can be very competitive. They take part in a number of the interclub events where they are able to determine how their game compares to others across the area. In addition, we continue to have over 80 adults taking part in the program today. Our four HydroGrid courts are very maintenance friendly and stay cooler than traditional clay courts. Plus, the clay surfaces are also easy on the joints!

Your golf course is one of the shorter courses among area private clubs. So, what are the characteristics of the layout that the membership enjoys?

Set within 78 acres, we naturally have a course that is more confined than if it was on 150 acres. However, in several ways that has turned into a positive for our members. We have a lot of members who love walking the course and we encourage that in a number of ways. We don’t require carts all the time and we have a good caddie program for those who like that aspect of the game. In addition, our course requires a lot of accuracy off the tee, making players that much better when they take their game to other courses. There is also another aspect of the design that our members tell me that they love. Because of the unique nature of the layout, they must use nearly every club in their bag. Our par 3s are varying distances, we have downhill and uphill shots, strategic par 4s and strong par 5s. After all, golf is about making the proper shot at the right time. Courses like ours, which make a player think about each shot from the standpoint of position, pin location, and hazards, make the game more enjoyable, no matter what type of player you are.

Finally, our superintendent, Tim Allen and his team, do a wonderful job maintaining the conditioning of the course.

From a practical standpoint, the size of our course enables us to run it more efficiently and with a lower budget than a number of other courses, while not sacrificing the maintenance and upkeep.

You have a reciprocal relationship with Persimmon Woods. How has that benefitted your members?

Yes, that relationship has worked our very well for both clubs. Almost every week during the season we have members from Persimmon come here and a like number of our members play at Persimmon Woods. This provides our members looking for a different type of challenge the opportunity to do so. Of course, there are restrictions as to how often members may take advantage of this arrangement during the season, but for those who look for this, it’s another of the reasons why membership here is such a good opportunity.

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...Westborough GM Tom Elliott I understand you have a fairly large, informal group communication program?

(Laughing), yes, it is unique. Several years ago, one of our members decided to create a group that he could contact to let them know of events taking place at the club, or if he wanted to organize an event on the fly. He began with a small number, which gradually grew into a few hundred - and growing. When a new member joins, we tell them about this group and ask them if they would like to be on the list. If they agree, they are added. This helps the club in several ways. We have members contacting other members to arrange for group activities. Secondly, new members are immediately immersed within the club. They become aware The par 4 11th green complex of golf events, club events, parties and other activities. In this way, they get to know their fellow members much quicker.

It’s not unusual for the group to put out an email about forming an event on a Saturday and having 40 or 50 show up to play. On more than one occasion I know that nearly 100 showed up. It is simply amazing. The best part, as I said, is that it’s not the golf shop or the club doing this; it’s member to member.

I believe it’s this type of approach that has contributed to the friendly and welcoming nature of the club. This is why we have so many multi-generational families here and why so many children who grew up here are now returning with their own families as members.

For our readers that currently play at area public courses. How would a membership benefit them?

There are several aspects to this. First, if they are looking for a strong golf course, we certainly have that here.

With our younger membership, the games get very competitive, so you challenge yourself on each hole, on each shot. If you’re someone with a family, or looking to start one, our membership is also perfect as the atmosphere at the club promotes true, lasting relationships for adults and their children. In addition, and this has always been the case with clubs, the individuals you meet and the relationships developed often go a long way toward helping in one’s chosen career. Finally, as your family grows, your children become exposed to a variety of sports and activities, helping them find their own level of enjoyment.

However, a big part of life at a private club is just enjoying the lifestyle and environment that is present. Many of our members are first time club members and once they have been here for a while, many of them tell me that they wished they had made the decision to join sooner. I like to believe that we are that type of club!

Any final thoughts about the club you’d like to share with our readers?

I’m very fortunate to have such a talented staff to work with here. Not only have many of them been here for a number of years, but they get to know the membership and care about how they enjoy the club. I believe it is this type of approach that has made Westborough a success.

We also have had a series of Boards that understands the situation in the marketplace today and know that it’s important to not just be aware of what’s taking place, but work to stay abreast; and in some cases, try to be ahead of the curve. In this regard, a capital fund program was implemented that is funded each year to make improvements to the club, to help keep us in step with those activities and amenities our members desire and keep Westborough vibrant.

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2016 MAGA Amateur - On Course

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St. Louis Golf History 2009 US Women’s Amateur

History was made during the 2009 Women’s Amateur at Old Warson Country Club.

However, as the week began, all eyes were on the 14-year-old phenom, Alexis Thompson, to see if it would be her who would claim the title.

With two St. Louis area players in the field, Catherine Dolan and Chelsea Schriewer, there was plenty of interest from local golf fans to see how the ladies would handle the 1971 Ryder Cup layout.

Youth was certainly on display with 16-yearold Danielle Kang taking medalist honors with rounds of 68-70 to open the week. Since four of the past five champions were 17 or younger, there was little reason to expect a different outcome.

Jennifer Song defeated Jennifer Johnson with a par on the 35th hole to claim the Robert Cox Trophy.

As often happens, Medalist Kang was ousted in her first match. However, Jennifer Johnson, Thompson, Jessica Korda, Erynne Lee, Tiffany Lua, Brooke Beeler, and Jennifer Song were among those who advanced. By Saturday’s Semifinals, it came down to Thompson versus Johnson and Lua matched with Song.

Song had played well that summer, winning the USGA Women’s Public Links championship earlier. Meanwhile, Thompson had come away from competing in the US Women’s Open earlier.

As predicted, the Thompson - Johnson match received much of the attention. It went down to the wire with great play on both sides.

Johnson earned a slim 1up win over the future LPGA star. Meanwhile, Song eased past Lua 3&2 to set up the final.

Jennifer Johnson (l) and Lexi Thompson before the start of their semifinal match. Johnson won 1up. Today, both are on the LPGA Tour.

Tiffany Lua (l) and Jennifer Song prepare for their semifinal. All four semifinalists represented the US on the 2010 Curtis Cup Team.

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The final was equally hard fought. Song, the 19-year-old golfer from USC, looked calm and cool on the outside; yet on the inside she was a bundle of nerves. Johnson went up early in their match, taking a 4up lead at the 10th in the first round. However, Song leveled the match by the end of the first 18 holes. Song went up at the first and stayed there until the 13th, when Johnson pulled even. Song moved back ahead at the 15th, then 2up at 16 before taking the 17th with a par and a 3 and 2 win.

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Competition Schedule 2016 MAGA Competitions Entry Championship Date(s) Deadline Venue The Old Warson Cup Normandie Amateur East Side Amateur Women’s Amateur Championship Open Championship Junior Amateur Championship Amateur Championship Senior Amateur Championship Four-Ball Championship

May 14-15 May 21-22 June 11-12 June 29-30 July 8-10 July 11-12 August 4-6 August 15-16 October 3

--------- June 11 June 1 June 8 June 22 June 29 July 13 August 3 September 14

Old Warson Country Club Normandie Golf Club Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Greenbriar Hills Country Club The Country Club of St. Albans Franklin County Country Club Glen Echo Country Club WingHaven Country Club Sunset Country Club

2016 USGA Qualifying Rounds

Entry Championship Date(s) Deadline Venue US Open Local Qualifying May 10 US Women’s Open Qualifying (36-holes) May 24 US Junior Amateur Qualifying (36-holes) June 20 US Girls’ Junior Amateur Qualifying June 22 US Senior Open Qualifying June 27 US Amateur Qualifying July 18-19 US Mid-Amateur Qualifying August 8 US Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying August 8 US Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifying August 24 US Senior Amateur Qualifying August 29 US Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying September 26 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qual. September 26

April 27 May 4 June 1 June 1 June 8 June 29 July 20 July 27 August 3 August 3 August 10 August 10

Forest Hills Country Club Westwood Country Club Aberdeen Golf Club Bogey Hills Country Club St. Clair Country Club Old Hickory Golf Club Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Glen Echo Country Club The Country Club of St. Albans (TC) Lake Forest Golf & Country Club Lake Forest Golf & Country Club

2016 MAGA Amateur Series Schedule

Event Date #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Championship

Venue

June 2 June 17 July 15 July 25 August 19 September 12 October 8-9

WingHaven Country Club Sunset Hills Country Club Bear Creek Golf Club Tamarack Golf Club Annbriar Golf Club Forest Park Golf Course * Aberdeen Golf Club

Online applications for ALL MAGA events are available on the MAGA website.

Events in grey have been completed.

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Resources

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US Mid-Am Qualifying Kevin Jeske takes medal at Mid-Am qualifying.

Chad Niezing’s 68 earns him the second spot.

Matthew Cooper is first Alternate.

Posting a 5-under 67, Jeske waited around the Spencer T. Olin clubhouse to see if it would hold up for a trip to Stonewall Links in Elverson, Pennsylvania. As the scores were posted, it became certain that it would, giving Jeske his first trip to a USGA championship.

The second spot would be more hard-earned as Chad Niezing and Matthew each shot rounds of 68. It would take three more holes before Niezing’s birdie earned him also his first trip to a USGA championship.

Qualifiers

Kevin Jeske Chad Niezing

Kirkwood, Mo. Manchester, Mo.

Medalist Kevin Jeske

-5 67 -4 68

Non-Qualifiers ---------------------------------Matthew Cooper Memphis, Tenn.

-4 Justin Beaston Maryville, Ill. -3 Derek Meinhart Mattoon, Ill. -3 Richard Berkmeyer St. Louis, Mo. -1 Patrick Britt St. Louis, Mo. Even Buddy Allen Pevely, Mo. Even Tyler Comerford Glen Carbon, Ill. Even Pat O’Brien Saint Louis, Mo. Even Hongsang Kim St. Charles, Mo. Even Ryan Sullivan Arnold, Mo. Even Ted Moloney St. Louis, Mo. +1 Robert Dunn St. Louis, Mo. +1 Phil Caravia Saint Louis, Mo. +2 Van Pierce St. Louis, Mo. +2 Marco Tallerico Glen Carbon, Ill. +2 Joseph Christian Chesterfield, Mo. +3 Wheeler Frost Saint Louis, Mo. +3 Jason Cahill Jackson, Mo. +4 Thomas Lantzy Saint Louis, Mo. +4 Max Harres Belleville, Ill. +4 Chris Kovach St. Louis, Mo. +5 Peter Noble Jerseyville, Ill. +5

68 69 69 71 72 72 72 72 72 72 73 73 74 74 74 75 75 76 76 76 77 77

Chad Niezing

David Johnson Alex Cusumano Dan Emrick Joe Behl Sean Graham Dane Gray John Todd Brian Lovett Tom Sinak Adam Bode Rushton Patterson Jim Holtgrieve Rob Lahay Jordan Lewis

The Metropolitan

Kirkwood, Mo. +6 78 Saint Louis, Mo. +6 78 St. Peters, Mo. +7 79 St. Louis, Mo. +7 79 Taylorville, Ill. +8 80 O’Fallon, Mo. +8 80 Wright City, Mo. +8 80 St. Louis, Mo. +9 81 Chesterfield, Mo. +9 81 Wentzville, Mo. +19 91 Memphis, Tenn. NS Saint Louis, Mo. WD Ellisville, Mo. WD Saint Louis, Mo. WD

August 2016

14

US Women’s Mid-Am Qualifying Kim Benedict posts round of 70 to takes medalist honors for Women’s Mid-Amateur berth Posting the only sub-par round of the day, Bonita Springs, Florida’s Kim Benedict made the most of her trip to Spencer T. Olin Community Golf Course, earning a spot in the Women’s Mid-Amateur at The Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pennsylvania. Three local players, Margaret Manning, Kayla Eckelkamp and Kelli Kirchoff also earned trips to Pennsylvania for their play.

Qualifiers

Kim Benedict Margaret Manning Kayla Eckelkamp Kelli Kirchoff

Bonita Springs, Fla. St. Louis, Mo. Washington, Mo. Wentzville, Mo.

-2 +1 +3 +5

70 73 75 77

Medalist Kim Benedict of Bonita Springs, Florida

Non-Qualifiers ------------------------------------------------Tina Jones St. Louis, Mo. +6 78 Dee Johnson Perryville, Mo. +7 79 Tama Caldabaugh Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. +8 80 Mya Groza Sycamore, Ill. +9 81 Lizzy Klingner Quincy, Ill. +10 82 Heather Samp Augusta, Ga. +11 83 Ashley Lewis St. Louis, Mo. +27 99

Season Point Standings - Seniors Senior Player of The Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 T19

Johnson, David Eisenbeis, Jack Hanneken, Bob Frost, Andy Edwards, Scott Holtgrieve, Jim Johnson, Jeff Timpone, Joe Villard, Didier Allenspach, Mark Storey, James Todd, John Jones, Dewey Barry, Tom Hall, Glen Jarrett, Rich Bond, Jeff Ellis, Dave Fogarty, Andy

Norwood Hills St Louis Aberdeen Bellerive The Legends Boone Valley Bogey Hills Persimmon Woods WingHaven CC of St Albans Glen Echo Lake Forest Normandie Normandie WingHaven Gateway National WingHaven Old Hickory Missouri Bluffs

835.0 775.0 675.0 662.5 615.0 537.5 525.0 425.0 350.0 300.0 297.5 295.0 287.5 265.0 237.5 205.0 190.0 170.0 160.0

T19 21 22 23 T24 T24 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 T37 T37

The Metropolitan

Steiner, James Westwood Quesenberry, Michael Lake Forest Becker, Kevin Quincy Bolhofner, Mark Metropolitan Begley, Tim Metropolitan McFadden, Steven WingHaven Hughes, John Persimmon Woods Trittler, Robert Persimmon Woods Brown, Anthony Persimmon Woods Highlander, Ken Sunset Hills Mozur, Gerald Gateway National Vanleeuwen, Neil Glen Echo Lietz, Robert Whitmoor Brock, Louis Norwood Hills Speicher, David Cardinal Creek McGuire, Bernie Persimmon Woods Ross, Pat The Orchards Fallon, Craig Fox Run Meeh, Robert Persimmon Woods

160.0 150.0 145.0 140.0 137.5 137.5 100.0 90.0 75.0 65.0 57.5 50.0 45.0 40.0 35.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 10.0

August 2016

15

USGA Results from Local Qualifying US Women’s Amateur at Rolling Green GC - Springfield, MA - August 1-8, 2016 6,177 yards - par 71 Qualifying score for Match Play - 147

Amanda Kim

(154)

79-75

US Senior Open at Scioto CC - Columbus, Ohio - August 11-14, 2016 7,124 yards - par 70 Qualifying Score for Weekend Play - 147 Brian Henninger

70-72-74-70=286

Area Players of Note:

Jay Haas

70-72-73-69=284

Mike Small 72-73-76-70=291 Hale Irwin MC 76-77

US Amateur at Oakland Hills CC - Bloomfield Hills, MI - August 15-21, 2016 North: 6,849 yards - par 70 South: 7,334 yards - par 70 Qualifying score for Match Play - (Both Courses Used) - 142 Jake Marriott

(144)

70-74

Zach Cuttler

(156)

79-77

US Women’s Mid-Amateur at The Kahkwa Club - Erie, PA - September 10-15, 2016 6, yards - par 7 Qualifying score: Kim Benedict

70

Kayla Eckelkamp

75

Margaret Manning

73

Kelli Kirchoff

77

US Mid-Amateur at Stonewall Links - Elverson, PA - September 10-15, 2016 6,177 yards - par 71 Qualifying score Kevin Jeske

67

Chad Niezing

The Metropolitan

68

August 2016

16

2016 Imperial Amateur Series #5 Results Annbriar GC - August 19 Net Open

Scratch Open 1 T2 T2 4 5

Torrey Welsch Bret Sinak Tina Jones Alek Stojanovic Lew Weingart Kenton McWilliams

T1 T1 3 4 5 T6 T6 T8 T8 10 11 12 13

Metropolitan 75 Persimmon Woods 79 Aberdeen 79 Annbriar 83 Quarry-Crystal Springs 85 Metropolitan WD

Dwayne Leslie John Watson Cory Mahoney Sangwon Son Paul Smith Troy Schnelten Chris Sisler John Davis Brandon Clyburn Corey Elliott Christian Jamerson Colin Dooley Robert Kovacs

Metropolitan Four Seasons Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Ruth Park Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Ruth Park Metropolitan

79 79 80 84 89 91 91 93 93 96 102 109 143

Next Event: September 12 - Forest Park GC Senior Scratch 1 T2 T2 4 5 T6 T6 T6 9 10 11 12

Craig Fallon Roger Davis Schooner Fitzgerald James Storey Tim Leonberger Pat Ross Rick Hite Gordon Smith Randall Robbins Doug Fletcher Gary Jones Michael Beckman

Senior Net Fox Run Persimmon Woods The Prairies Glen Echo Stonewolf The Orchards Joachim Metropolitan Fox Creek Greenville Wolf Hollow Metropolitan

74 79 79 81 83 84 84 84 87 89 92 99

1 2 T3 T3 T5 T5 T7 T7 T7 T7 11 12 13 T14 T14 16

The Metropolitan

Marvin Frazier Joachim 79 John Epps Metropolitan 82 King Edmonston Franklin County 83 Jim Garrett Metropolitan 83 Steve Zonca Metropolitan 86 Lendell Phelps Tamarack 86 Doug Williams Metropolitan 88 Leo Hefner Metropolitan 88 Don Humphrey Ruth Park 88 Howard Theisman GC of Wentzville 88 Michael Scoles Metropolitan 89 Bill Slantz Metropolitan 90 Larry Laramie Metropolitan 91 Timothy Montgomery Metropolitan 92 John Berkeley Metropolitan 92 John Halligan Metropolitan 101 Harry Weber WingHaven WD

August 2016

17

2016 Imperial Amateur Series Point Standings Through 5 Events Net Open

Scratch Open 1 Weingart, Lew Quarry-Crystal Sprg 2 Sinak, Bret Persimmon Woods 3 Stojanovic, Alek Annbriar 4 Welsch, Torrey Metropolitan 5 Manning, Margaret Glen Echo 6 Thomure, Kyle Whitmoor 7 Munos, Ryan Metropolitan T8 Keeley, Conor St. Clair T8 Richardet, Wes Gateway National 10 Jones, Tina Aberdeen T11 Kim, Hongsang Metropolitan T11 Nute, Ryan Bear Creek 13 McWilliams, Kenton Metropolitan 14 Sweet, Dustin Missouri Bluffs 15 Arp, Chris Norwood Hills 16 Roberts, Gareth Metropolitan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 T8 T8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

255.0 220.0 210.0 200.0 150.0 135.0 100.0 75.0 75.0 70.0 65.0 65.0 60.0 55.0 50.0 30.0

Senior Scratch 1 2 3 T4 T4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Fitzgerald, Schooner The Prairies Fallon, Craig Fox Run Smith, Gordon Metropolitan Ross, Pat The Orchards Storey, James Glen Echo Davis, Roger Persimmon Woods Leonberger, Tim Stonewolf Jones, Gary Wolf Hollow Kelly III, Jim Metropolitan Fletcher, Doug Greenville Beckman, Michael Metropolitan Garrett, Brad Metropolitan Ngala, Donny The Legends Barker, Timothy Glen Echo Lewis, Butch Metropolitan Polillo, Ronald Metropolitan Hite, Rick Joachim Crow, Ollie Raintree Robbins, Randall Fox Creek Roberts, Roy Metropolitan Walker, Don Aberdeen

Mahoney, Cory Metropolitan Watson, John Four Seasons Clyburn, Brandon Metropolitan Leslie, Dwayne Metropolitan Son, Sangwon Metropolitan Jamerson, Christian Metropolitan Dooley, Colin Ruth Park Smith, Paul Metropolitan Davis, John Metropolitan Elliott, Corey Metropolitan Sisler, Chris Metropolitan Kovacs, Robert Metropolitan Roestel, Will Metropolitan Schnelten, Troy Ruth Park Glore, Brad Metropolitan Miller, Curtis Metropolitan Haldiman, Jason Lake Forest

355.0 300.0 280.0 260.0 187.5 145.0 137.5 125.0 125.0 117.5 92.5 75.0 57.5 45.0 22.5 15.0 5.0

Senior Net 320.0 240.0 205.0 200.0 200.0 170.0 160.0 141.0 125.0 120.0 70.0 65.0 55.0 50.0 45.0 35.0 30.0 28.0 25.0 23.0 15.0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

The Metropolitan

Frazier, Marvin Joachim 277.5 Epps, John Metropolitan 255.0 Montgomery, Timothy Metropolitan 250.0 Garrett, Jim Metropolitan 235.0 Humphrey, Don Ruth Park 213.0 Smith, Perry Ballwin 170.0 Weber, Harry WingHaven 132.5 Hefner, Leo Metropolitan 120.0 Hollenbeck, Russell Metropolitan 105.5 Edmonston, King Franklin County 97.5 Marrone, Richard WGM 95.0 Berkeley, John Metropolitan 90.0

August 2016

18

Season Point Standings Player of The Year 1 2 3 4 T5 T5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 T29 T29 T29 T29 T29 34 T35 T35 T37 T37 T37 T37 41 42 T43 T43

Migdal, Sam Berkmeyer, Skip Niezing, Chad Cusumano, Alex Pranger, Andrew Stoffel, Darren Caravia, Phil Cutler, Zach Weaver, Thomas Gumper, Tony Kovach, Chris Britt, Patrick Goldman, Parker Parrish, Hunter Jeske, Kevin Souchek, Steven Eaton, Dillon Hillen, Wes Szyhowski, Kyle Carpenter, Brad Jones, Teddy Haxel, Ryan Hogan, Toppie Eckelkamp, Ryan Rutledge, Mitchell Sullivan, Ryan Johnson, Jeff Hemings, Justin Strickland, David Barry, Tom Bremer, David Lovett, Brian Trost, Daniel Buente, Blaine Gray, Dane Weisenborn, Drew Johnson, David Silberberg, Michael Ahearn, Reilly Siegfried, Jimmy McClellan, Scott Moloney, Ted Noblitt, Joshua Bolhofner, Mark

Aberdeen The Legends The Legends Norwood Hills Glen Echo Glen Echo Norwood Hills WingHaven Bellerive Normandie Metropolitan Norwood Hills Meadowbrook Persimmon Woods Aberdeen The Prairies Metropolitan Annbriar Whitmoor Franklin County Aberdeen Quarry-Crystal Springs Old Warson Franklin County Metropolitan Tapawingo Bogey Hills Sunset Hills Tapawingo Normandie Metropolitan Bellerive Whitmoor Gateway National Metropolitan Annbriar Norwood Hills Persimmon Woods Persimmon Woods Metropolitan WingHaven Greenbriar Hills Quail Creek Metropolitan

45 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T46 T59 T59 T59 T59 63 T64 T64 T64 T64 T64 T69 T69 T69 T69 T73 T73 T73 T73 T73 78 T79 T79 T79 T79 T79 84

2200.0 1835.0 875.4 755.0 725.0 725.0 671.0 660.0 650.0 602.5 585.0 542.5 530.4 500.0 475.0 416.0 411.0 390.0 386.0 375.0 360.0 345.0 330.0 285.0 278.0 262.5 245.0 236.0 200.0 200.0 200.0 200.0 200.0 187.5 180.0 180.0 175.0 175.0 175.0 175.0 151.0 150.0 130.0 130.0

The Metropolitan

Wickham, Matthew Cahill, Jason Cronin, Trevor Riley, Tim Thomas, Frankie Brauns, Gage Brumm Jr, EJ Decker, Zach Ferris, Chris Gollwitzer, Zachary Harres, Max Marziani, Chris Nolfo, Tony Pruden, Will Ciaramitaro, Alex Horner, Andrew Reidelberger, Jeremy Arman, Nick Lawrence, Parker Callahan, Crimson Frost, Andy Holtgrieve, Jim Pranger, Zachary Sanborn, Greg Brown, Anthony Hall, Brian Hoerstkamp, Austin Maloney, Conrad Holdridge, Scott Lilly, Drew Miller, Tim Normile, Sean Tyrrell, Ben Beaston, Justin Dunn, Robert Hart, Gene Hatley, Matt Pierce, Van Trittler, Robert Hanneken, Bob

Metropolitan Metropolitan Whitmoor St. Clair Meadowbrook Greenville Normandie Joachim Aberdeen Aberdeen Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Persimmon Woods Missouri Bluffs Bellerive Bogey Hills Forest Hills Metropolitan Missouri Bluffs Bellerive Boone Valley Glen Echo Persimmon Woods Persimmon Woods Persimmon Woods Franklin County Persimmon Woods Norwood Hills St. Louis Greenbriar Hills Norwood Hills Sunset Hills Metropolitan MAC Aberdeen Metropolitan CC of St. Albans Persimmon Woods Aberdeen

127.5 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 125.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 90.0 87.9 87.9 87.9 87.9 87.9 75.0 75.0 75.0 75.0 60.0 60.0 60.0 60.0 60.0 50.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 2.5

August 2016

19

MAGA Senior Championship Soggy WingHaven provides good backdrop for senior talent. Jack Eisenbeis, Bob Hanneken and David Johnson battle for the title, with deciding putt taking place on the 18th green.

They were supposed to tee off beginning at 7:30am on Monday. As the rain continued to fall, the MAGA staff began pushing back the starting times, again and again. Players waited for new, yet as the rain fell, they already knew the answer.

Finally, around noon, it looked like play would finally begin. Despite the wet conditions, the course drained very well, leaving the players with the occasional “mud ball”, but very playable conditions.

Jack Eisenbeis

As the scores trickled in at the end of day one, it was clear that a few players had no issues with the weather. Jack Eisenbeis, playing in the Championship Division, posted the only sub-par round, a 71, to take the early lead followed by David Johnson at even par. Three strokes back stood Jim Holtgrieve and Didier Villard at 75. Several players posted rounds most uncharacteristic for them: Jeff Johnson (84), Scott Edwards (80), defending champion Andy Fogarty (79) and most surprising of all, the ageless Don Dupske, playing in the 75 and older group, an 81. Playing at over 6,700 yards - with no roll - the course took its toll on a number of players who relied on the “roll-out” of their drives for length. In a nutshell, it was a very tough day as the average score rose over 81 in the championship division; much higher for the other age groups.

Tuesday arrived and though it was overcast and a bit humid, no rain was in the forecast. Though he started with a bogey on his first hole, Hanneken put up five birdies over the next 10 holes. His two under round of 70 was the days best. Were it not for two bogeys among his final four holes, the tournament would have been his. Likewise, David Johnson, playing in the last group, was in his usual sold form. A three-over round of 75 moved him near the top. Jim Holtgrieve backed up his opening 75 with a one-over 73 for a 148 total. Were it not for an uncharacteristic double bogey on a par 5, he might have been walking up to collect his award.

Jeff Johnson bounced back with a round of even par, while Dupske came in with a one-over 73. In the 50-50 age group, Dean Pichee had rounds of 76-73 to take that age group gross title. In the 60-64 age bracket, James Donovan III posted the identical scores to win that bracket by 12 strokes. Clark Amos, a multiple past winner, took the 65-69 bracket with two rounds of 77, a single stroke ahead of Dave Lough who had rounds of 82-73. Glen Pearl took the 70-74 age group with an 80-78, while Dupske won the 75 and up group with his 154 total.

However, the championship came down to the final hole. Hanneken was in the clubhouse with his 3-over 147, as Johnson and Eisenbeis stood on the 18th tee, aware that they were both tied at 3-over. Johnson’s drive was in the middle of the fairway and his approach came up a little short of the pin, leaving him about 20-feet uphill for birdie.

Eisenbeis was a little further up the fairway on the left side. His approach landed just past the pin, coming to a stop about 12 feet away, leaving a slightly downhill putt.

Johnson made a good stroke, with his put just darting to the right near the hole, leaving him a tap-in for par.

Villard, slightly closer, also below the hole, had his putt also move to the right edge, giving him his par. Eisenbeis lined up his putt, not knowing for sure it was for the win, but knowing that if he did not post a score lower than his playing partner Johnson, he certainly would not be the outright winner.

He made a solid stroke and the ball rolled straight and true, dropping into the cup for a birdie three. It would only be when he reached the scorer’s table that the realization of what that meant would be known. Doctor Jack, as he is affectionately known, had just claimed his first Metropolitan championship!

The Metropolitan

August 2016

20

Championship Scores 1 Jack Eisenbeis T2 Bob Hanneken T2 David Johnson 4 Jim Holtgrieve 5 Didier Villard 6 Joe Timpone T7 Dewey Jones T7 James Storey T9 John Todd T9 Glen Hall 11 Jeff Johnson T12 Scott Edwards T12 Jeff Bond 14 Rich Jarrett T15 Andy Fogarty T15 James Steiner 17 Mike Quesenberry 18 Kevin Becker T19 Tim Begley T19 Steven McFadden 21 Greg Bott 22 Dan McDonald 23 Jim Most 24 Ron Miles

St. Louis Aberdeen Norwood Hills Boone Valley WingHaven Persimmon Woods Normandie Glen Echo Lake Forest WingHaven Bogey Hills The Legends WingHaven Gateway National Missouri Bluffs Westwood Lake Forest Quincy Metropolitan WingHaven Far Oaks Metropolitan Meadowbrook Forest Hills

71 77 72 75 75 76 80 79 78 77 84 80 78 79 79 79 79 81 79 76 80 85 82 87

75 146 70 147 75 147 73 148 75 150 75 151 74 154 75 154 77 155 78 155 72 156 77 157 79 157 79 158 80 159 80 159 81 160 80 161 84 163 87 163 84 164 81 166 86 168 82 169

Runners up: Bob Hanneken& David Johnson 25 Pat Ross T26 John Harris T26 Donny Ngala T26 Roger Davis 29 Walter Steinman 30 Gerald Mozur 31 Dave Shaw 32 John Kueper 33 Scott Thomas

The Orchards Metropolitan The Legends Persimmon Woods Bellerive Gateway National Persimmon Woods Gateway National Meadowbrook

84 86 170 96 84 180 94 86 180 91 89 180 94 95 189 81 83 86 88

(Scores for other age groups on page 26)

Championship

50-59 Winners

60-64 Winners

Curt Rohe with Jack Eisenbeis

Mike Weigand (Low Net) Dean Pichee (Low Gross)

Clark Amos (Low Gross) Dave Lough (Low Net)

65-69 Winners

70-74 Winners

75 Plus Winners

Jim Donovan (Low Gross) Steve Zonca (Low Net)

Jerry Maulin (Low Net) Glen Pearl (Low Gross)

Don Dupske (Low Gross) Russell Hollenbeck (Low Net)

The Metropolitan

August 2016

21

MAGA Senior Championship Scores 50-59 Scores Gross

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Dean Pichee Keith Pinter John Newsham Mike Weigand Tom Mueller Joe Blandina Michael Mueller Charles Francis Kevin Schatz Bill Slantz Art DeGuire

Bellerive Union Hills Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Missouri Bluffs Metropolitan Metropolitan

76 80 84 81 80 87 86 91 88 97 98

73 149 78 158 77 161 83 164 86 166 83 170 87 173 83 174 90 178 92 189 92 190

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Dean Pichee Mike Weigand Keith Pinter Michael Mueller Tom Mueller Joe Blandina John Newsham Charles Francis Bill Slantz Kevin Schatz Art DeGuire

Bellerive Metropolitan Union Hills Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Metropolitan Missouri Bluffs Metropolitan

72 71 75 75 73 79 81 82 81 78 85

69 141 73 144 73 148 76 151 79 152 75 154 74 155 74 156 76 157 80 158 79 164

Net

65-69 Scores Gross

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Clark Amos Dave Lough Terry Souchek Bill Wirtz Tim Schillhahn Bob Davidson Robert George Michael Scoles Larry Laramie

Boone Valley Normandie The Prairies Grey Beard The Legends Bear Creek at the Legends Metropolitan Metropolitan

77 82 82 87 86 84 90 89 104

77 154 73 155 77 159 80 167 82 168 85 169 85 175 86 175 78 182

1 2 3 T4 T4 6 7 8 9

Dave Lough Tim Schillhahn Terry Souchek Bill Wirtz Robert George Clark Amos Michael Scoles Bob Davidson Larry Laramie

Normandie The Legends The Prairies Grey Beard at the Legends Boone Valley Metropolitan Bear Creek Metropolitan

75 75 76 78 77 75 77 76 93

66 141 71 146 71 147 71 149 72 149 75 150 74 151 77 153 67 160

James Donovan III Mark Theissen Andrea Sansone Randy Gibbs Tim Leonberger Jeff Call Steve Zonca

Net 1 2 T3 T3 5 6 7

James Donovan III Steve Zonca Randy Gibbs Tim Leonberger Mark Theissen Jeff Call Andrea Sansone

70-74 Scores Gross 1 2 3

Glenn Pearl Jerry Maulin Buck Clement

Net 1 2 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 T7 T7 9

Net

60-64 Scores Gross

Glenn Pearl Jerry Maulin Buck Clement

75 Plus Scores Gross 1 2 3

Donald Dupske Russell Hollenbeck Gary Jesberg

Net 1 2 3

The Metropolitan

Donald Dupske Russell Hollenbeck Gary Jesberg

CC of St. Albans Missouri Bluffs Lake Forest Metropolitan Stonewolf Meadowbrook Metropolitan

76 80 86 83 81 87 88

73 149 81 161 76 162 81 164 85 166 84 171 89 177

CC of St. Albans Metropolitan Metropolitan Stonewolf Missouri Bluffs Meadowbrook Lake Forest

74 74 77 74 76 79 83

71 145 75 149 75 152 78 152 77 153 76 155 73 156

The Legends Waterloo Algonquin

80 78 158 99 91 190 104 94 198

The Legends Waterloo Algonquin

72 70 142 79 71 150 85 75 160

The Legends Metropolitan Ballwin

81 73 154 107 97 204 109 108 217

The Legends Metropolitan Ballwin

75 67 142 84 74 158 87 86 173

August 2016

22

Jim Holtgrieve, Joe Timpone, Steven McFadden

Rich Jarrett, John Todd, Andy Fogarty

Dave Shaw, Jeff Johnson, Jim Most

Jeff Bond, Glen Hall, Bob Hanneken

Jack Eisenbeis, David Johnson, Didier Villard

Greg Bott, Kevin Becker

Roger Davis

Jim Steiner, Jim Storey, Michael Quesenberry

Tim Begley, Scott Edwards, Dewey Jones

Post-round lunch and awards ceremony

Dan McDonald Pat Ross

Ron Miles

The Metropolitan

August 2016

23

USGA Senior Amateur Qualifying Andy Frost earns Medal with 1-under 69 at CC of St. Albans (Tavern Creek).

Raytown’s Steve Groom takes second while Scott Edwards out-duels four in a playoff for final spot to Old Warson.

The heat and humidity finally erupted into a fierce lightning storm that called a halt to the qualifying round shortly after noon. Following a one and one-half hour delay, play resumed. Playing in the third group, Frost put together a classic round. Going out in 1-over 36, it was his five birdies on the back nine, that helped him post his medal-winning score. Groom, the 2001 Missouri Mid-Amateur champion, went round the Michael Hurdzan-Dana Fry design in 3-over to take the second qualifying spot.

Meanwhile, five players came in with rounds of 75, with each playing for the lone remaining spot.

As the five went out, Jim Holtgrieve bunkered his approach to the first, while Philip Skinner went right of green. Both dropped off when their par putts failed to connect.

On the seventh, Ed Walsworth drove into the fairway bunker and took bogey, leaving Medalist Andy Frost Terrence Flynn and Edwards to move to the par 3 seventeenth. Flynn put his tee shot into the hazard short of the green with Edwards hitting the back of the green. His shot from the drop area, left Flynn with a putt for bogey while Edwards rolled his second to within a foot of the hole.

His par putt enabled Scott to claim his token for Old Warson.

Qualifiers Andy Frost Steve Groom Scott Edwards

St. Louis, Mo. Raytown, Mo. St. Louis, Mo.

Non-Qualifiers Terrence Flynn (1st Alt.) Ed Walsworth (2nd Alt.) Jim Holtgrieve Philip Skinner Robert Rosenfeld Bernard McGuire Dennis Payne Ben Cantrell Bradford Koeneman Tim Barry Donald Bliss Jim Millman Bret Voisin Donny Ngala Kevin Becker Schooner Fitzgerald David Johnson David Glass William McCleery Anthony Brown Gerald Siemons Robert Meeh David Speicher John Newsham Dennis Osborne

Franklin, Tenn.

Fairway, Kan. Saint Louis, Mo. Dublin, Ohio Saint Louis, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. Creve Coeur, Mo. Cape Girardeau, Mo. Clayton, Mo. Parkville, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. Quincy, Ill. Orlando, Fla. Dittmer, Mo. Quincy, Ill. Cahokia, Ill. Kirkwood, Mo. Metropolis, Ill. Quincy, Ill. St. Louis, Mo. Jefferson City, Mo. Eureka, Mo. Mascoutah, Ill. St. Charles, Mo. Ballwin, Mo.

-1 69 +3 73 +5 75 +5 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +6 +7 +8 +8 +8 +8 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +10 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12 +12

75 75 75 75 76 76 76 76 77 78 78 78 78 79 79 79 79 79 80 80 80 81 81 82 82

Richard Jarrett Judson Brewer Wayne Schroeder Bill Sedgwick Mark Norman Scott Thomas Clark Amos Tim Eaton James Dunn James Donovan Mel Rector Terry Souchek Robert Shanteau David Schweitzer Bruce Robert Robert Trittler James Steiner Michael Dallmeyer Andrew Fogarty Kent Brown Robert Beckmann Tim Boyd Jeff Johnson John Kueper David Lucks Mark Mayhood David Harris Albert Heger Ken Highlander

The Metropolitan

St. Louis, Mo. Carbondale, Ill. O’Fallon, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. Saint Louis, Mo. Quincy, Ill. Creve Coeur, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. Lake St. Louis, Mo. Columbia, Ill. Saint Albans, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Wentzville, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Jefferson City, Mo. Ballwin, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Chesterfield, Mo. Eureka, Mo. Ballwin, Mo. Carlyle, Ill. Oconomowoc, Wis. Effingham, Ill. Overland Park, Kan. Carrollton, Ill. Edwardsville, Ill.

+12 +13 +13 +13 +13 +14 +14 +14 +16 +17 +17 +25 WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD WD

82 83 83 83 83 84 84 84 86 87 87 95

August 2016

24

Jim Donovan and Clark Amos

Mark Mayhood and Ken Highlander

Wayne Schroeder, Bill McCleery, Gerald Siemons

Bill Sedgwick, Schooner Fitzgerald, Anthony Brown

Jim Dunn and Mel Rector

Robert Shanteau

Steve Groom

Bruce Robert

Ben Cantrell

The Metropolitan

August 2016

25

USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifying Kathy Glennon and Diane Chancellor Qualify at Glen Echo for US Senior Women’s Amateur at Wellesley CC in Wellesley, Ma. Qualifiers

Kathy Glennon Diane Chancellor Non-Qualifiers

Tina Jones Deidre Robertson Beatriz Arenas Alison Bassetto Rosa Maria Paiz Mary Ann Beattie

CC of St. Albans CC of St. Albans

41 40 = 81 39 43 = 82

Wildwood, Mo. Iberia, Mo. Guatemala Naperville, IL Guatemala CC of St. Albans

41 43 40 40 41 44

43 = 84 43 = 86 47 = 87 47 = 87 46 = 87 47 = 91

US Senior Women’s Amateur - September 17-22, 2016

What A Summer It’s Been...

Click on the image above to listen to CC of St. Albans’ Superintendent Bill Maynard, CGCS, discuss the impact the heat has had on grasses this summer.

The Metropolitan

August 2016

26

Bill Maynard, CGCS, Superintendent at the CC of St. Albans We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Bill Maynard of St. Albans, one of the area’s few Certified Golf Course Superintendents. A vice-president on the national board of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Bill is in touch with superintendents nationwide and is keenly aware of what is impacting courses nationally as well as here in our area.

Everyone knows this has been a very strange summer.

How has the rain and the heat mix that we’ve had affected area golf courses?

season turf. Raising the cutting height of your mowers in the summer allows the grass to breathe better, making the roots stronger and healthier.

Let’s tell our readers how you approach the aeration process?

The impact of the heat and rain mix has really brought up one of the key differences between warm season grasses and cool season grasses. Cool season grasses are those like your bent grass greens, the rough, areas that are green all year. Warm season grasses are those like we have here at St. Albans, our zoysia fairways, or in some cases, bermuda grasses at other courses. Well, the hotter it gets the more the warm season grasses love it. As a result, superintendents in the St. Louis area will aerate the fairways during these hot spells. That’s because during these hot times, the grass is growing the most. On the other hand, we aerate the cool season grasses in the spring and fall, which is the time of the year when those grasses will recuperate. So those are the primary aeration points in this region.

In the end, my goal as a superintendent is to provide golfers with a healthy, green surface from which they can enjoy golf. Basically, to do this, we need the grass to breathe. By aerating the greens and nearby areas, which we know is disruptive to your ball rolling on the greens, we are removing a lot of the compaction, essentially, the organic material and thatch that have been built up. Aeration also enables the CO2 gasses to release and provide a new pathway for fresh air into the turf. A superintendent knows what the percentage of organic material should be in the soil of his or her greens. When this gets too compacted, it’s bad for the health of the roots. This is when we do core removal: really opening up the greens surface.

(Laughing), I know golfers might think we just poke a hole here and there, but really, core removal is based upon scientific hole spacing so we know exactly how much organic material to remove over time so that a green doesn’t improperly age. In the end, it provides for a better green surface that will roll better for many years and stay healthier.

Now, let’s compare weather. Gosh Jim, last year in June we had around nine inches of rain whereas, this year we had less than an inch and a half. On top of that, in June 2015, the temperatures were at least ten degrees cooler than June of this year. What that meant was that in June we began to see the stresses placed on the cool season grasses in the area. This was especially noticeable in the rough area where we saw a lot of brown patches. Some of this was disease, but much of this was just the heat. Cool season grasses like soil temperatures around 80-85 degrees. What we were seeing were soil temperatures in the upper 80s to 90 degrees in some place. The grasses were just holding on for much of the month. The solution was to let the grass breathe more and this meant letting it grow.

There is also another type of aeration that we use on occasion. Normal aeration generally removes the organic material from the top 4-5 inches. Another process we use is called “deep tine aeration.” This is where we poke holes much deeper into the green surface. Greens that are 10 to 20 years old, like ours here, definitely benefit from deep tine aeration. It punctures down through the complete sand layer and promotes even healthier root growth.

Now, golfers might think that we should be cutting the rough instead, but by cutting it, we would be reducing the amount of shoot surface the grass had to breathe, thereby hastening it to turn brown and even die. The same is true for your home lawn, if it’s cool

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Bill, what’s the benefit of the fans we see so often today around greens?

heads were removed, converting the irrigation to a single row design, much as it would have been years ago and more in keeping with the original architect’s intent. This created over $800,000 savings in water usage alone.

One of the environmental issues we face with keeping greens healthy is low air movement. Another environmental issue is too much shade. We may have to remove shade from an area where players might not think it has much of an impact since it was much further from the green. It’s usually done to increase both sunlight and air movement around the green surface.

How do you see the impact of the advancements from hand watering to single row, then double row and now triple row or “wall-to-wall” irrigation coverage?

In many ways it starts with the end in mind. How much of the course can you or do you want to maintain? In many instances, architects will let the course acreage dictate the irrigation pattern. For a 9-hole or even a smaller 18-hole course with a smaller budget, a single row design might work best. In the end, you must match your maintenance budget to what you are irrigating.

When architects design a course they take airflow and sunlight into account. Unfortunately, as a course ages, trees get larger and the canopy often begins to shield a green. This is when we have to take action.

Fans that oscillate to provide airflow across the green surface have played a big role in recent years to keep greens healthy.

In recent years, the USGA has been recommending more natural areas across courses. Is that something the GCSAA is embracing?

As a member of the Golf Course Superintendents National Board, you hear from superintendents across the country. What are situations facing superintendents in our area that are different from what superintendents are facing in other parts of the country?

Absolutely. It works well for foraging animals and it allows space for pollinators. I will tell you that when I came to St. Albans, getting a handle on all of the natural areas that exist on both courses was a huge challenge. However, the end result is just fantastic. Not only does it lend character and beauty to the courses year round, but it also is something that makes Tavern Creek, in particular, such a magnificent layout.

One big difference here is the high level of humidity.

In most summers, we don’t face the water shortage that has impacted both the east and west coast in recent years. For us, too much rain is just as bad as too little. They both have serious consequences when trying to maintain a course in a healthy condition. The water situation in the west is really in a crisis mode.

However, one issue we all face is labor shortages. It seems that courses everywhere struggle with having sufficient labor when we need it in the spring as we get the course ready for the season.

Thanks for your time today Bill. I hope our readers find this information helpful during their next visit to their course.

The water issue is having an impact on course design and renovation. How does the GCSAA see how this might play out in the coming years?

Affecting courses nationally are significant water restrictions. It’s also dramatically impacting course renovations. We saw that at Pinehurst before the recent US Open there when over 1,000 irrigation

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Centennial Book for the St. Louis District Golf Association Have you picked up your copy of the history of the District?

Researched and produced by Jim Healey, the area’s premier Golf Historian, it chronicles the 100-year history of the area’s oldest golf organization. The current 23 clubs that make up the organization are featured within the book, along with photos of some of the area’s top players throughout the years, among them are: Bob Goalby, Jay Haas, Jerry Haas, Jim Holtgrieve, Skip Berkmeyer, Jim Jackson, Bob Cochran, Jim Tom Blair and many more. In addition, a complete listing of the champions and runner-up in each event since 1916 is included, along with over 75 pages listing competitors since 2001.

If you have played in a District Event, or just want to see what a great history golf has had through the years, this is the book for you. Nearly 300 pages of pictures, records, results, and facts about area clubs, courses and players.

To purchase your copy send your check for $37.25 (includes tax and shipping) to:

STLDGA Centennial Book PO Box 31696 Des Peres, MO 63131 Less than 200 copies remain for purchase. Once the books are sold-out, they are gone!

Makes a great gift for your favorite golfer. The book will not be reprinted.

The St. Louis District and the MAGA are proud to support the efforts of each organization to promote golf within the St. Louis area. The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association provided support for the publishing of this book by the St. Louis District Golf Association.

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WingHaven #8

The Metropolitan

Vol. 3 No. 6

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association • 11777 Clayton Rd. • St. Louis, Missouri 63131 314.567.MAGA • Fax: 314.261.9250 • info@metga.org

Important Information USGA website: www.usga.org MAGA website: www.metga.org GHIN website: www.ghin.org

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