Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association Newsletter February 2018

Pevely Farms - #8 - Par 3

The

Metropolitan

Vol. 5 No. 1

CONTENTS

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6

5

Curt’s Corner

2

Rules Article

3

Langley Earns Victory

4

US Senior Women’s Open

5

2018 Early Events

6

MAGA Volunteers

8

On The Greens...

9

St. Louis Golf History

10

Schedule of Events

11

Southern Illinois GA

14

Tax Woes for Clubs

15

World Handicap System

16

2017 POY Results

19

15 8 Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association • 11777 Clayton Rd. • St. Louis, Missouri 63131 314.567.MAGA • Fax: 314.261.9250 • info@metga.org

The Metropolitan

MAGA STAFF Executive Director Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org Director, Operations Maggie Smith - maggie@metga.org 2018 P.J. Boatwright Interns 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 (Local and Sectional) US Senior Open US Amateur US Mid-Amateur US Girls’ Junior Amateur US Women’s Mid-Amateur US Junior Amateur US Senior Amateur US Senior Women’s Amateur US Women’s Open US Amateur Four-Ball US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball ADVISORY COMMITTEE Scott Thomas, Chairman Dustin Ashby Tom Barry Skip Berkmeyer Jim Dunn David Rhoads Curt Rohe METROPOLITAN EDITOR Jim Healey

January - February 2018

Curt’s Comments Greetings to all our followers and readers of The Metropolitan! Welcome to 2018 and as you can already see a new format and fresh look for the new season.

It has been a busy winter preparing for another golf season. Our 2018 schedule is complete and can be found online and in the following pages of the Metropolitan. Entries for MAGA Championships open March 1 and USGA Curt Rohe qualifying rounds begin opening the week of March 5th. Highlighting our season will be the Executive Director Country Club of St. Albans who will host both the Open and the Amateur this summer. Starting with the Open June 6-8 and then the Lewis & Clark will test the regions top amateurs August 2-4 for the Jim Tom Blair Trophy.

The Amateur Series has a fantastic lineup of venues for the 2018 season, Florissant Golf Club and Missouri Bluffs Golf Club are two new additions to the Series. A new twist to the Series this year is the addition of the Super Senior Divisions for golfers 65 and over. Senior Divisions will now be ages 50-64 and both will have Open and Net components. More opportunity for golfers to compete against other of the same age and abilities. Imperial is once again our presenting sponsor of the Amateur Series. All golfers competing will receive an Imperial cap for participating and those who qualify for the championship we have something in store for them from Imperial as well.

As of January 1, 2018 MAGA was designated the Allied Golf Association in this region. Our territory now covers the same counties in Missouri we have for the last several years and most all of Southern Illinois. With this AGA designation, MAGA will be the association to provide official USGA Handicap Indexes via the GHIN Handicap Service to 140+ clubs in Missouri and Illinois along with oversight of the USGA Course and Slope Ratings in these territories as well. MAGA will continue to conduct USGA qualifying rounds in this region and our MAGA championships for golfers who are members of MAGA...you! For more information on these territories, please visit the website at www.metga.org/about/.

A couple weeks ago we emailed an opportunity to sponsor and advertise here in the Metropolitan. This is a first for the newsletter and we are excited to offer this opportunity to our members. In 2017, 105,000 emails were sent with issues of the Metropolitan with 68% of those emails being opened...an outstanding rate by industry standards. If you would like more information on how you could partner with MAGA in this endeavor, contact me at curt@metga.org.

Score posting begins March 1 for our region, so get out there and start working on that game and posting those scores for your handicap. Last year, over 375,000 rounds were posted by MAGA members toward their handicap, an increase of over 50,000 rounds from 2016! Additionally, over 150,000 of those scores were posted using the myMAGA app and 50% increase of usage from the year before.

We hope you enjoy the new cleaner format of The Metropolitan and, as always, thank you for taking a little bit of time to read our work.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Rules Corner When Player Intent Does Not Matter The consultation with my fellow Rules experts, they

Last year, I encountered a teachable moment for

let me know that the intention of the Player did not

both myself and (hopefully) the player involved, on the

matter in the situation I described at St. Albans. My

driveable par 4 5th hole at St. Albans. He hit his tee

subsequent study of Decision 13-2/1 clarified what

shot into the tall weeds just short of the green, an area

a Player can and cannot do in relation to his lie and

considered Through the Green, and I was able to locate

intended swing path in a given situation.

his ball for him. His ball was up a against a patch of particularly thick and tall weeds, and as he approached

After considering all of that, it would have been

his ball, he still couldn’t see where it was and stepped

appropriate to levy a 2-stroke penalty under Rule 13-2.

on the tall grass, improving his lie. I had never seen

You cannot step on something near your ball if it will

anyone do something like this before, and since I

improve your lie.

considered that it was not his intention to improve his

Just in case you are wondering, nothing that I’ve seen

lie, I essentially let him off with a warning (something

in the new Rules proposed for next year would alleviate

along the lines of ‘you need to be careful where you step

this Rule, so please be careful the next time you’re

around the ball’)

stepping around tall grass looking for your ball!

After consultation with other Rules officials on a subsequent day, and a careful rereading of Decision

Michael Donat, MAGA Rules Official

13-2/1 (Explanation of ‘Fairly Taking His Stance’), I realized where I might have gone wrong. The Decision talks about what you can, and cannot do when your ball is under a tree, or is otherwise in a poor circumstance from coming to rest near a growing or fixed object so that you can’t take a normal stance, and talks about limiting a Player to ‘what is reasonably necessary to take a stance for the selected stroke without unduly improving the position of the ball’. In a nut shell, this Decision generally allows you to move your body, or torso into position to try and play a shot, but prohibits you from using your arms or legs (which includes stepping on something) to improve your lie or intended swing path. An exception might be moving a branch with your hands to get to a ball, as long as you are not improving your intended swing path.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Scott Langley Earns First Professional Win Two time Metropolitan Open Champion (2008, 2009) and 2010 Old Warson Cup champion Scott Langley came from behind this weekend at the Panama Championship on the Web. com Tour to earn his first professional victory. Langley was an amateur won he won the back-to-back Open titles in 2008-09.

There was a lot of interest by me personally in the Web.com event as locals Langley and Adam Long started the final round in the top 10.

Also, multiple time participants in the Metropolitan Open, Ed Loar and Chris Thompson were having good weeks. Loar was in the final group of the day, 2 shots back of the leader. When I finally checked in on the leaderboard, Langley was into the back 9 and had a 2-shot lead. Needless to say, my interest peaked even more and I probably refreshed the PGA Tour app on my phone more than ever in a single day.

It was also exciting to follow Langley on his back nine as I knew the holes of the Panama Golf Club having worked the Web.com Tour event as an official 3 years ago so I was familiar with the golf course. It is a difficult course as was evident by the 7-under winning score by Langley.

The victory vaulted Langley to #3 on the Web.com money list and positions himself for a excellent shot at earning back his PGA Tour card with a Top 25 finish on the season. Read more about Langley’s performance in the link below from the Web.com website.

Langley wins Panama Championship

PGA Championship Update As was announced several weeks ago, tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the PGA Championship are no longer available. In addition, Season Grounds Passes for the week are also no longer available.

Grounds Tickets for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Practice Rounds, along with Thursday’s First Round remain available. Practice Round tickets are priced at $35.00 each day and Tickets for Round One on Thursday are $100.00. Ticket prices are exclusive of taxes.

Click HERE to go the PGA website for further details.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Port in Field at Inaugural Women’s Senior Open The most decorated woman golfer in recent USGA history will have an opportunity, albeit a challenging one, to add another USGA title to her current seven when she will compete at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois this coming July against the very best senior women professionals and amateurs.

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Feb. 7, 2018) – The USGA today announced its final exemption categories from sectional qualifying for the 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship, which will be inaugurated July 12-15 at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill. A full list of exempt players – which includes any age-eligible player who has won a U.S. Women’s Open Championship – is available on usga.org.

The U.S. Senior Women’s Open is open to professional females, and amateur females with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 7.4, who have Port holding the 2016 US Senior Women’s Trophy reached their 50th birthday as of the first day of the championship. The field will include 120 players who will earn entry into the championship through an exemption category or via sectional qualifying at sites nationwide. A preliminary list of sectional qualifying sites can be viewed on usga.org.

“The U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship represents an important and growing demographic of players, and we are eager to see who will rise to the top of this ultimate test of golf to claim the first spot on the new trophy this July,” said Stuart Francis, USGA Championship Committee chairman. “The list of exempt players is certainly impressive, and like all of our Open championships we are also excited to watch competitors earn their way to Chicago Golf Club through qualifying.”

Online entries for the 2018 Senior Women’s Open will be accepted from March 7-May 23. All who wish to compete, including exempt players, must file an entry.

The U.S. Senior Women’s Open format will mirror that of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open championships: a walking-only, 72-hole stroke-play competition over four consecutive days. There will be a 36-hole cut including the top 50 players and ties.

Chicago Golf Club, the oldest golf club in the U.S. in continuous use at the same location, will host its 12th USGA championship and the first since the 2005 Walker Cup Match. It is also one of the five founding clubs of the USGA. The 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open will be contested at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club – a threetime U.S. Women’s Open host site – in Southern Pines, N.C., from May 16-19.

See the full story and full list of exemptions on the USGA website by clicking here.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

2018 Metropolitan Upcoming Events Normandie Amateur

Old Warson Cup

May 5-6 2017 Final Results Round of 16 Sam Migdal d. Kyle Skyhowski 5&4 Thomas Weaver d. Darren Stoffel 3&2 Hunter Parrish d. Alex Cusumano 2&1 Phil Caravia d. Parker Goldman 4&2 Skip Berkmeyer d. Steven Souchek 1up Andrew Pranger d. Chris Kovach 2&1 Chad Niezing d. Kevin Jeske 2&1 Tony Gumper d. Patrick Britt 3&2

Quarterfinals Sam Migdal d. Thomas Weaver 1up Phil Caravia d. Hunter Parrish 1up Skip Berkmeyer d. Andrew Pranger 3&2 Chad Niezing d. Tony Gumper 1up

Semifinals Sam Migdal d. Phil Caravia 5&4 Skip Berkmeyer d. Chad Niezing 3&2

Final Sam Migdal d. Skip Berkmeyer 4&2

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May 19-20 2017 Final Results - (Partial) Scott Kirchoff, Persimmon Woods GC Tom Barry, Normandie GC Matt Hatley, Metropolitan GC Craig Hardcastle, Jr., Normandie GC Jeff Johnson, Bogey Hills CC Skip Berkmeyer, The Legends CC Ryan Sullivan, Tapawingo National GC Michael Fowler, Metropolitan GC Robert Dunn, Mac GC Alex Ciaramitaro, Missouri Bluffs GC Zach Decker, Joachim GC Shawn Jasper, Metropolitan GC Kyle Szyhowski, Whitmoor CC Dustin LaGrand, Ruth Park GC Wes Hillen, Annbriar GC Rob Scherer, Berry Hill GC Christopher Ferris, Aberdeen GC Matthew McCarthy, Far Oaks GC Gene Hart, Aberdeen GC Ryan McNeil, Joachim GC Ryan Eckelkamp, Franklin County CC Hongsang Kim, Metropolitan GC Buddy Allen, Metropolitan GC Tony Nolfo, Metropolitan GC Ryan Rerich, Metropolitan GC Toppie Hogan, Old Warson CC Phil Caravia, Norwood Hills CC Michael Wernle, Greenville CC Tony Gumper, Metropolitan GC Colin Stolze, Greenbriar Hills CC Zachary Pranger, Glen Echo CC Ted Moloney, Greenbriar Hills CC Conrad Maloney, Persimmon Woods GC

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71 72 71 67 71 70 71 74 73 73 70 71 69 74 73 78 75 74 72 76 75 75 75 71 76 75 75 73 79 79 77 75 75

68 70 72 76 72 74 75 73 74 74 78 77 83 76 77 73 76 77 79 76 77 77 77 81 77 78 78 80 75 75 77 79 79

139 142 143 143 143 144 146 147 147 147 148 148 152 150 150 151 151 151 151 152 152 152 152 152 153 153 153 153 154 154 154 154 154

The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

2018 USGA Upcoming Qualifying Rounds US Open Local Qual.-Old Warson

US Junior Qualifying - St. Clair CC

May 7

June 25

2017 Final Results - (Partial)

2017 Final Results - (Partial)

Pos. Player Total ------------------- Qualifiers ----------------------1 Joshua Rhodes -4 F 67 T2 Sam Migdal -2 F 69 T2 Chase Hanna -2 F 69 T2 Daniel Hudson -2 F 69

Boys US Junior Qualifiers Qualifiers

Joe Bultman

71

James Song

71

Alternates

1st Michael Holtz 72 2nd Jay Kirchdorfer 72

---------------- Non Qualifiers -------------------T5 Robert Gaus -1 F 70 T5 Mitchell Gregson -1 F 70 T7 Carr Vernon E F 71 T7 Drew Denton E F 71 T7 Kyle Weldon E F 71 T10 Chad Niezing 2 F 73 T10 Kevin Kring 2 F 73 T10 Justin Bryant 2 F 73 T13 Wesley Hunter 3 F 74 T13 Matt Gindler 3 F 74 T13 Gabe Laske 3 F 74 T13 Chris Dale 3 F 74 T13 Hayden Buckley 3 F 74 T13 Jordan McLaurin 3 F 74 T13 Chris Naegel 3 F 74 T20 Jon Hughes 4 F 75 T20 Ted Moloney 4 F 75 T22 Teddy Jones 5 F 76 T22 Collin Neeman 5 F 76 T22 Ryan Keller 5 F 76 T22 Jeff Escott 5 F 76 T22 Ben Crancer 5 F 76 T22 Griffen Locke 5 F 76 T28 Nick Arman 6 F 77 T28 Sheldon Statkewicz 6 F 77 T28 Van Pierce 6 F 77 T28 Robert Dunn 6 F 77 T28 Wes Patterson 6 F 77

Girls US Junior Qualifiers Casey Ott

-1 71

Lauren Chappell

+4 76

Julia Matzat

+5 77

AWGA Tournament Club

AWGA Tournament Club

Parkland GC

Alternates

Julia Bower

Columbia Country Club

+6 78 1st Alternate

Kaylee Sakoda

+6 78

SCGA Junior West 2nd Alternate

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

MAGA Officials Mike Marquart When did you begin working with the Metropolitan?

1999 Most rewarding part of being on the Rules Committee?

Other than being on the golf course early in the morning with humidity raising off of a lake with deer grazing on the fairways, I enjoy watching the best players in the area playing really good golf many times in very challenging conditions.

Best memory of being on Committee?

I have three special memories. The first two events I had the honor to be present when Jayne Watson and Stan Grossman each received the USGA’s Joe Dey Award for an individual’s meritorious service to the game as a volunteer. The third honor was attending the meeting when Tom O’Toole Jr. was elected President of the USGA. These three people have set the standard for volunteerism to the game and each of these events were a special memory for me.

Do you have a favorite event you enjoy working?

I particularly enjoy working the Qualifiers for the National Championships.

Any memorable rules situations you have come across (no names, just situation, event, etc.)?

Not particularly.

What was your line of work before, or currently, joining the MAGA Rules Committee?

I was an Anheuser-Busch Beer Wholesaler when I first got involved with the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association. I had a business partner who knew Tom Sobbe. Tom was an active member in the Metropolitan Golf Association and my partner told him he had some “”fresh meat”” for the Association. The rest is history.

I now co-own several Firehouse Subs Restaurants in the St. Louis area.

Mark Morfey

When did you begin working with the Metropolitan?

2000 Most rewarding part of being on the Rules Committee?

Experience and working with friends with more experience.

Best memory of being on Committee?

Seeing Bellerive CC for the first time Do you have a favorite event you enjoy working?

I enjoy each and every event.

Any memorable rules situations you have come across (no names, just situation, event, etc.)?

I witnessed a putter that was illegal because it was modified in a players garage. The two grips did not meet the specs in the rule book and they were not separated.

What was your line of work before, or currently, joining the MAGA Rules Committee?

I am a PGA Golf Pro at Tamarack GC in Shiloh, Illinois

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

On the Greens...

The Mississippi Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Southern Illinois Golf Course Superintendents Associations each work across our area to help their members keep abreast of the latest in golf course agronomy.

HAVE PATIENCE WITH EARLY SPRING GOLF

by Chris Finnerty, Golf Course Superintendent, Bogey Club/Log Cabin Club

Its 5:00 AM on a chilly, late March, Saturday morning. You wake up, make some coffee, and hop in the car to head to the golf course. It is supposed to be in the mid 60s today and you are looking forward to getting out on the course. As you walked to the car you noticed that the lawn is covered in a light frost. You realize that the frost could prohibit you from getting out on the course right away and put a delay on your afternoon plans. As you pull into the course you see that the frost has become thicker, especially in the lower areas of the golf course, and the impending frustration of a frost delay starts to set in.

This scenario could be used to describe an early spring morning for either the golfer or a golf course superintendent and maintenance staff. These delays are just as frustrating for the staff, who want to get their jobs done and get on with their day, as it is for the golfer who has been chomping at the bit to get in a round of golf. Even after the frost lifts, the staff needs time to get ahead of golf with course preparation.

Although it is ideal to stay off of all frost covered grass, our main concern as Superintendents is that we keep traffic off of the closely mowed turf grass of the greens and fairways. The height of cut makes these playing surfaces far more sensitive to frost damage than the higher mowed grass in the rough. Turf grass damaged by foot and cart traffic during frost cover will take longer to come out of its winter slumber than undamaged grass. This can be aesthetically unpleasant, and more importantly can allow for the invasion of unwanted Poa Annua encroachment, especially in bentgrass greens.

Surface frost is not the only issue with early spring golf. Damage from playing on partially frozen greens can be even more serious. Greens may be frozen in the first few inches and then thawed below, or worse, they may be thawed in the first few inches and frozen below. With either scenario, walking on partially frozen greens can cause root-shearing and un-puttable surfaces due to sunken footprints. Six inch roots can become one inch roots, putting the bentgrass behind coming out of dormancy and reducing the quality of the putting surfaces for months.

Frost delays and frozen greens are just a few of the issues that we deal with in the early spring. We are also waiting for the temperatures to warm up. Ground temperatures. Cool season grasses (fescue, bluegrass, bentgrass) require ground temperatures of 55 degrees and up to come out of dormancy and begin growth. The air temperature may be in the 70s but until the ground temperatures warm up, the cool season grasses will not begin spring green up. The PGA tour stops at this time of year in Hawaii, Florida, and California may be green but we are way behind those locations in ground temperatures.

Early spring golf in the Midwest requires patience. Frost delays are frustrating for both the golfer and the maintenance staff. Golfers want to get out and play and the staff wants to get done with their jobs and get on with the rest of their day. Partially frozen greens may cause the course to be closed. We make every attempt to open the golf course as quickly as possible, but it is also our job to protect the turf and the investment so we can give our golfers the best possible conditions throughout the season. It has been an up and down winter so far. We have had some of the coldest stretches of weather in a long time and also some unseasonably warm temperatures. Hopefully everyone is getting excited for the weather to warm up for good and ready to begin the 2018 season. When you are heading to the course this spring just keep in mind that you might have to enjoy an extra cup of coffee when you get there, and please remember to …….. be patient.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

St. Louis Golf History - Fred Clarkson -

Fred at Poinciana Golf Club.

Don and Fred Clarkson in the 1960s at Glen Echo

Fred with the Driscoll sisters, Mary Rose and Susie.

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Fred was one of four brothers who arrived in America around the turn of the century and became golf professionals. Born in 1873 in Carnoustie, Scotland, Fred had the typical “Carnoustie swing,” a low draw, which differentiated him from players from St. Andrews, who played a fade.

He arrived in St. Louis in 1911 and settled in the golf shop at Glen Echo, staying there through 1914, before he moved to Kansas City to take up a post at Oakwood CC. During the winter, like many professionals, he also took a position at a club in the south. Fred served for many years at Poinciana Golf Club in the Palm Beach area. He returned to St. Louis in 1919, once again at Glen Echo, which had been renamed Ridgedale in 1915 when the club reorganized.

Fred remained at Glen Echo through 1953, when he turned the keys to the golf shop over to his son, Don, who had just returned from military service in Korea. Don had been a standout golfer in high school at Normandy.

While at Glen Echo, Fred taught many players who went on to win District Titles, among them were Susie and Mary Rose Driscoll. When I interviewed Susie in the early 1990s, she told me about her practice sessions with Fred.

“At the time, Glen Echo had no practice area, so we just went out to the 18th or 17th fairways, while avoiding players. I would warm up by hitting shots from the fairway. Fred eventually walked over and began the lesson. With that, he took a bucket of balls, dropped them in the rough, stepped on them, and then said ‘now go ahead and hit a few.’”

Fred’s brother, Richard, a golf professional in Duluth, MN and Knoxville, TN, is credited with making the first set of steelshafted clubs, doing so in 1917. This was 7-years before they were approved by the USGA for use, and nearly 15-years before they achieved widespread acceptance by players over hickory!

(The steel shaft was actually patented in 1910 by a GE Engineer but he was unable to find steel tubing to make a set of clubs!)

Fred’s other brothers were Charlie, who was at Meadowbrook and later Quincy CC, and Arthur, who tended golf shops in Kenosha, WI and Los Angeles.

A typical Scot, with the brogue to match, he was quick to get to the point. In the early 1960s, when he was then pro emeritus, he was walking the grounds when he saw a player practicing bunker shots from the right greenside bunker on number 18. He asked the player, “Laddie, watcha doin thar?” The player replied that generally on his approach to the hole, he frequently found himself in this bunker, so he wanted to practice getting up and down. To which Fred replied, “Well laddie, shoulda ya not be practin the shot that get ye thar?”

Fred passed away in March 1969 at the age of 86.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Competition Schedule 2018 MAGA Competitions

Entry Championship Date(s) Deadline Venue The Old Warson Cup Normandie Amateur Open Championship Women’s Amateur Championship Junior Amateur Championship East Side Amateur Amateur Championship Senior Amateur Championship Metro Cup “Final Four” Four-Ball Championship

May 5-6 Invitational May 19-20 May 9 June 6-8 May 23 June 20-21 June 6 July 2-3 June 20 July 14-15 July 4 August 2-4 July 18 August 28-29 August 15 September 28 October 12 September 26

Old Warson Country Club Normandie Golf Club Country Club of St. Albans Sunset Country Club Forest Hills Country Club Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Country Club of St. Albans Persimmon Woods Golf Club Glen Echo Country Club Old Hickory Golf Club

2018 USGA Qualifying Rounds

Entry Championship Date(s) Deadline Venue US Open Local Qualifying May 7 US Junior Amateur Qualifying June 25 US Girls’ Junior Amateur Qualifying June 25 US Amateur Qualifying July 23-24 US Senior Amateur Qualifying August 6 US Mid-Amateur Qualifying August 13 US Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying August 20 US Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifying September 10 US Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying September 19 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qual. September 19

April 25 June 6 June 6 June 27 July 11 August 1 August 1 August 22 August 15 August 15

Old Warson CC St. Clair Country Club St. Clair Country Club Westwood Country Club Ballwin Golf Course Lake Forest Country Club St. Louis Country Club Franklin County Country Club Dalhousie Golf Club Dalhousie Golf Club

2018 MAGA Amateur Series Schedule Entry Event Date(s) Deadline Venue #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Two-Day Championship

April 30 April 20 May 14 May 4 June 11 June 1 July 19 July 9 August 17 August 7 September 24 September 14 October 13-14

WingHaven Country Club Tamarack Golf Club Florissant Golf Club Missouri Bluffs Golf Club The Quarry at Crystal Springs Sunset Hills Country Club Aberdeen Golf Club (Invitational)

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

Events in grey have been completed.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Please Support our Supporters Allied golf associations and supporters of the

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

Resources

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Southern Illinois Golf Association

SIGA 2018 Competitions July 21-22: 94th SIGA Championship • The Links at Kokopelli • SIGA Featured Event

August 4: Bill Koeneman Memorial Players Cup

• Hickory Ridge Golf Course • A One Day, 27-hole event. Limited to first 48 players to sign up

August 5: SIGA Junior Players Championship • Franklin County CC • Sponsored by Vogler Motors • SIGA Junior Golf Tour Featured Event

For up to date Calendar information go to: www.sigagolf.org Go to Tournaments, Click on Member Club Events

September 15-16: Tony Stevens Cup Matches

• Saturday, Sept. 15 - Kellers Crossing at Stone Creek • Sunday, Sept. 16 - The Links at Kokopelli • SIGA Featured Event

Men’s Amateur Events May 5 – 6, 2018 •

Sheenie Elkins Individual Stroke Play Amateur

Union County Country Club

May 26 – 27, 2018 McLeansboro Amateur •

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McLeansboro Golf Course

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

Golf’s New Tax Woes...

The new Tax Plan, as proposed, has some points that could have a dramatic impact on the game of golf, particularly for country clubs. While daily fee players won’t be impacted, it might very well be the reason you won’t be getting an invitation to play a country club course as a guest in the years ahead!

A little history is in order here. Before the mid-1990s, businesses were able to deduct 100% of business expenses, with club memberships, guest fees, and client entertainment included. In the mid-1990s, changes to the tax code reduced by 50% or eliminated many deductions for country club fees, dues and related business expenses. This had a significant impact on clubs as memberships, which had been paid by employers as incentives for valued employees - and eligible for deductions as business expenses, were taken away. Instead, businesses looking to reward these staffers provided them with bonuses - which were treated as regular income - allowing the employee to decide what to do with the money. Some did join clubs, but others bought a second home, used the money for college funds, took vacations or bought a new car. In effect, membership at clubs began to go down.

Unfortunately, the downturn in the economy in the mid-2000s contributed to this downturn, resulting in even more individuals leaving clubs, something many, particularly those not considered premier, have not recovered from to this day. Those at clubs considered “premier” did not suffer as much, as their membership was usually in a different economic category.

Fast forward to 2017. The Tax Plan, as proposed (some changes could still be made through what is termed a “technical fix” to the legislation) proposes the complete elimination of deductions for business entertainment, which would include guest fees, etc. This may have an even greater impact than the changes in the 1990s, since the deductions for business meals will continue to be 50%. That might mean that a member might not invite guests for golf to conduct business. Instead, he or she may take clients to a nice restaurant, conduct their business over a meal, and have that event deducted up to the limits of the law.

Clubs, already suffering revenue shortfalls, could see an even greater hit in the coming years in revenues, with business lunches continue strong, but golf revenues taking a significant hit.

However, key industry leaders, who were at the forefront of attempting to lobby for golf while the legislation was making its way through congress, believe that there may be a positive outcome to this, at least that is their hope. Through the “technical fix” process, which occurs after the legislation is signed but before full implementation, they are looking to state their case of the impact this deduction will have on the industry.

However, it is also their belief that the reduction in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% included in the legislation, will provide businesses with additional revenues, which they could use in a variety of ways, including increased business entertainment activity. While the process plays out over the coming months, we’ll have to see what the final outcome is when the legislation is finalized. We’ve already seen a number of businesses reward employees with bonuses as a result of the new corporate tax rate, so perhaps the prognosticators within golf may be right in the end.

So, while you may continue to receive an invite to a club to discuss business, it may be more likely that you will be dining in the clubhouse than hitting the first tee. Only time will tell.

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The Metropolitan

January - February 2018

World Handicap System For the past two years, these Committees and task forces from seven golf associations across the globe have been involved with developing a handicap system that could be used by golfers everywhere. Together, these organizations are looking to roll this World Handicap System out in 2020. Here are some key points regarding the new handicap system.

Questions and Answers 1. What is the World Handicap System (WHS) all about?

Golf already has a single set of playing Rules, a single set of equipment Rules and a single set of Rules of Amateur Status overseen by the USGA and The R&A. Yet, today there are six different handicap systems used around the world. Each is well developed and successfully provides equity for play locally, but each of the different systems produces slightly differing results. The WHS will unify the six systems into a single system that will: • enable golfers of different ability to play and compete on a fair and equitable basis, in any format, on any course, anywhere around the world; • be easy to understand and implement, without sacrificing accuracy; and • meet the varied needs and expectations of golfers, golf clubs and golf authorities all around the world and be adaptable to suit all golfing cultures.

After significant engagement and collaboration with the existing handicapping authorities and other National Associations, it has been agreed that the time is right to bring the different handicapping systems together as a fourth set of Rules, in support of the global game.

In addition, this project has provided an opportunity for the existing handicapping authorities to come together and share their combined experiences to produce a system which is modern and relevant for the way the game is played today around the world.

The WHS will encompass both the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System (formerly the USGA Course Rating and Slope System).

2. What are the benefits of the World Handicap System?

As the world becomes a smaller place with a much greater frequency of international play (as demonstrated by golf returning to the Olympics in 2016), we believe the development of a single handicap system will result in easier administration of international events and, potentially, allow National Associations more opportunity to focus attention on golf development and strategic planning to support the sport. It would also provide the opportunity to evaluate de-personal golfing data to help monitor the health of the game.

3. How will existing handicaps be used for the World Handicap System? Also, is my handicap expected to change when the system goes live?

Existing scoring records will be retained and, where possible, be used to calculate a handicap under the WHS. For most players, their handicap will change only slightly as they will be coming from systems which are generally similar to the WHS. However, this will be dependent on many factors – including the number of scores available upon which the calculation of a handicap can be based. National Associations are being encouraged to communicate this message to clubs and golfers, i.e. that the more scores available in the scoring record at the time of transition, the less impact golfers will feel on their handicap.

4. Will the World Handicap System impact the way the game is played in my country or region?

It is not our intention to try to force a change on the way that golf is played around the world or to try and remove the variations. The cultural diversity that exists within the game, including different formats of play and degrees of competitiveness, is what makes the sport so universally popular. Through collaboration with National Associations, the goal has been to try to accommodate those cultural differences within a single WHS.

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5. Does the World Handicap System have the support of all the existing handicapping authorities and other National Associations around the world?

Yes. A series of briefing sessions was conducted all around the world in 2015, which aimed to cover as many National Associations as possible.

The reaction was very positive. It is also worth emphasizing that the development of the WHS is a collaborative effort and all the existing handicapping authorities and National Associations who are directly involved in the process are very supportive of the initiative.

Each of the six existing handicapping authorities have recently gone through their own internal approval processes, and all of them have confirmed their support for the new system. While the USGA and The R&A will oversee the WHS, the day-to-day administration of handicapping will continue to be the responsibility of the existing handicapping authorities and individual National Associations.

6. Have you consulted with golfers and golf club administrators about the World Handicap System?

Yes. We have solicited the opinions of golfers and golf club administrators all around the world via an online survey, to which we received over 52,000 responses. We have also conducted focus group sessions in five markets throughout Europe, the USA and South America. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive; for example, 76% surveyed are supportive, 22% undecided at this stage and only 2% opposed.

7. What is the timeline for implementation of the World Handicap System?

We are planning to make the WHS available for implementation by National Associations beginning in January 2020, after an extensive schedule of testing, communication, promotion and education.

8. What other details of the World Handicap System can you share?

Further details of the WHS will emerge over the coming months. However, we want to emphasize that it is being designed to be as accessible and inclusive as possible, while still providing golfers with the portability, accuracy and consistency they expect.

Offering a couple of examples, golfers will be able to obtain a handicap after returning a minimal number of scores – the recommendation being as few as three 18-hole scores, six 9-hole scores or a combination of both to comprise 54 holes. Handicaps will not lapse after a period of inactivity and the maximum handicap will be 54.0, regardless of gender. These elements are designed to clear a pathway into the game, enabling

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World Handicap System players new to the sport to feel more welcomed into the golf community.

While the WHS is intended to encourage more golfers to measure and track their performance, it must enhance the enjoyment of all golfers. Therefore, it will be important for clubs to ensure that new golfers with higher handicaps pick up at the maximum hole score and maintain a good pace-of-play.

9. How and when will golfers and golf club administrators be educated on the World Handicap System?

The education roll-out is scheduled to commence in January 2019, and we have already started to work on a strategy for the development of a ‘global-ready’ education plan to support implementation and ongoing operations.

National Associations will continue to carry out the responsibility of educating its membership.

10. Will the introduction of the World Handicap System have an impact on the current technology infrastructure?

The methods used to receive scores and compute and maintain handicaps remains at the discretion of each National Association. While implementation of the WHS will invariably impact different technology and computation services in use around the world at various levels, it is anticipated that any disruption will be kept to a minimum.

11. Is there a place I can go for more information about the World Handicap System?

You can visit www.usga.org, www.randa.org., or your National Association’s website.

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2017 Player of the Year Final Standings Sam Migdal Ryan Eckelkamp Parker Goldman Skip Berkmeyer Brad Carpenter Shawn Jasper Kyle Szyhowski Andrew Pranger Bryan Bohme Alex Ciaramitaro Alex Cusumano Chad Niezing Ryan Sullivan Jeremy Franklin Jimmy Siegfried Tony Gumper Blaine Buente Frankie Thomas Chris Kovach Jeff Johnson Patrick Bader Van Pierce Christopher Ferris Toppie Hogan Scott Kirchoff Zach Decker Pat Britt Reilly Ahearn Conrad Maloney

2175.00 1277.50 1182.50 1160.00 1000.00 770.00 688.75 675.00 670.00 651.67 620.83 615.00 547.50 543.33 515.00 508.33 458.33 443.33 412.50 350.00 350.00 335.00 331.25 310.00 300.00 280.00 275.00 270.83 260.00

Austin Hoerstkamp 228.75 Thomas Weaver 225.00 Craig Hardcastle, Jr. 210.00 Michael Fowler 201.67 Tom Barry 200.00 Matt Hoemann 200.00 Curtis Brokenbrow 185.00 Tyler Comerford 183.33 Thomas Wuennenberg 175.00 Phil Caravia 160.00 Buddy Allen 153.75 Joseph Williams 153.75 Matt Hatley 150.00 Brian Hall 135.00 Andy Fogarty 125.00 Cole Pickett 125.00 David Johnson 125.00 Max Harres 125.00 Max Kreikemeier 125.00 Michael Wernle 125.00 Michael Johnson 125.00 Scott McClellan 125.00 Ted Moloney 125.00 Jackson Lane 125.00 Ryan Schuencke 125.00 Zach Cutler 103.75 Dustin LaGrand 100.00 Gene Hart 77.50 Robert Dunn 76.67

Sam Migdal

Jameson Howard David Bremer Scott McClellan Trevor Cronin Chris Dale Mike Lawton Thomas Buffington Scott Edwards Ryan McNeil Gage Brauns James Trittler Hunter Parrish Crimson Callahan Wes Hillen Rob Scherer Matthew McCarthy

75.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 58.33 58.33 50.00 50.00 25.00 2.50 2.50

2017 Senior Player of the Year Final Standings Jeff Johnson Jim Holtgrieve David Johnson David Bremer Andy Frost Tom Barry Andy Fogarty Scott Thomas David Pfeil Scott Edwards Jack Eisenbeis Jim Dunn Tom Portner Jim Greenstein Ollie Crow Rich Jarrett David Speicher Buddy Allen

920.00 780.00 710.00 686.67 659.17 641.67 550.00 493.33 380.00 370.00 312.50 312.50 242.50 240.00 240.00 240.00 220.00 220.00

Bill Anderson Steven McFadden David Neuner Jay Jordan John Moore Tom Pruden Mark Bolhofner Robert Trittler Robert Meeh Dennis Osborne Donny Ngala John Todd Anthony Brown Bob Beckmann Don Bliss Didier Villard Bret Voisin Gerald Mozur

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168.00 165.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 137.50 128.33 120.00 100.00 85.00 80.00 75.00 55.00 55.00 55.00 55.00 50.00 43.33

Jeff Johnson

Joe Timpone Greg Bott Matthew Cullen Ken Highlander Jim McLaughlin Pat Ross

40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00 10.00 10.00

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JUST IN...From the USGA

USGA Announces Revised Playoff Format Across All Open Championships Two-Hole Aggregate Playoff to Determine USGA Open Championships in 2018, If Necessary LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Feb. 26, 2018) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced a revised playoff format for all four of its Open Championships – the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Senior Women’s Open. Each championship will implement a two-hole aggregate playoff in the event of a tie at the end of 72 holes of stroke play, effective with the 2018 season.

“We know how important it is to everyone in the golf world to see play conclude on the Sunday of a major championship, and to award the trophy to the champion,” said USGA CEO/Executive Director Mike Davis, who made the announcement prior to online player registration for each USGA Open Championship, which opens next week. “After receiving input from a variety of constituents, including players, fans, volunteers, officials and our broadcast partners, it clearly came across as something that everyone valued, and would benefit from.”

“There is no right or wrong way to determine a winner in stroke play, but we’ve seen over the years how the aggregate playoff has served us well in both the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open,” Davis added. “Two holes will allow a player to recover from any single mistake, and at the same time, provide a memorable, and perhaps dramatic, experience for all involved.”

In all four USGA Open Championships, the two-hole aggregate playoff will be used to break any ties after 72 holes of stroke-play competition. If the playoff results in a tie, the tied players would immediately continue to play off hole-by-hole (sudden-death format) until the champion is determined.

In its 117-year history, the U.S. Open has had 33 playoffs that have employed 18- and 36-hole formats. There have been 12 playoffs in U.S. Women’s Open history. A three-hole playoff was held for the first time in 2011. The U.S. Senior Open, which held a three-hole playoff for the first time in 2002, has had six playoffs in its championship history.

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Parting Shot...

KEY CONTACT INFORMATION USGA website: www.usga.org MAGA website: www.metga.org GHIN website: www.ghin.org

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