Persimmon Woods #16 - Par 3
The Metropolitan
Vol. 4 No. 7
Metropolitan Cup Results
MAGA Events
Page 4-5
Mid-America Junior Cup Matches
USGA Four-Ball Qualifying Page 6
Bob Phillips Honored by MAGA with Meritorius Service Award
Maria Palozola: A LPGA Top Teacher
Normandie Amateur May 26-27, 2018
Ralph Guldahl: One of the Game’s Best Page 10
Page 16
MAGA Four-Ball Results
USGA Events Page 7
Pierce Goes Very Low: Shoots lowest round ever at St. Albans
Page 18
Results in USGA Championships - Area Players Page 15
US Open Local Qualifying
Southern Illinois Golf (SIGA) News
May 2018
Page 20
US Senior Open Qualifying
Players of the Year Update Page 21
Old Warson Cup Invitational May 5-6, 2018
Page 8-9
Amateur Series Results
Page 22
May 2018 Page 14
Full 2017 Schedule Page 11
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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Curt’s Comments
STAFF Executive Director Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org Director, Operations Maggie Smith - maggie@metga.org 2017 P.J. Boatwright Interns Troy O’Donnell Jacob Weis Adrian Brown 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
Greetings members, the chill of fall is upon us as the 2017 season winds down in many regards. Another tournament season has come to the end for MAGA in October and the end of handicapping season is just a couple weeks away. It’s been a couple months since you have heard from us as we begin our bi-monthly issues with this Curt Rohe Executive Director edition. While September was relatively quiet for the staff, October picked up the first 2-3 weeks was we wrapped up several events to close out the 2017 campaign. We had a wonderful Four-Ball Championship at Algonquin Golf Club October 13 with 32 sides participating, our largest field ever in the 8 years of the Four-Ball. It was a great fall day on a beautiful golf course with 25 sides playing in the Open Division and 7 in the Net. See the results here in the issue. MAGA is excited to bring back our Player of the Year Reception Thursday, November 2 at Old Warson Country Club. This event has taken on many formats and we have not had it for a couple years due to declining numbers, but we have a great venue and crowd registered to honor our 2017 Players of the Year and Champions on the 2nd. Additionally, we are thrilled to honor our long-time friend and volunteer Bob Phillips with our highest honor, the Meritorious Service Award for his 24+ years of contributing the MAGA and amateur golf in St. Louis, it should be a great evening. Lastly, with the end of October we say goodbye to Troy O’Donnell, our 3rd PJ Boatwright Intern who was with us this season. Troy has been a tremendous asset to MAGA this summer and is actively seeking a full-time job. We were very fortunate this year to have unbelievable interns on our journey through this tournament season, I cannot imagine a summer without them. As always, thank you for reading and since we will not reach out until the end of December, have a wonderful last couple months of 2017 with Thanksgiving and all the way through the Christmas and holiday season.
METROPOLITAN EDITOR Jim Healey
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hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.”
Rules of Golf Corner
One of the important aspects of this rule is understanding the use of “last crossed the margin”. Decision 26-1/12 addresses the issue where a body of water is both a water hazard and lateral hazard with the answer that the point of entry is where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard. Three instances during the competition clearly showed how the point where the ball last crossed the margin impacted relief from a water hazard. One competitor’s shot went straight towards the bridge, landed in water hazard, bounced under the bridge and came to rest in the lateral water hazard. Another shot also went straight, landed on the bridge and bounced forward into the lateral water hazard. Finally, another players ball went straight over the bridge and came to rest in the lateral water hazard. The fact that the second and third scenarios came to rest in the lateral water hazard is irrelevant since their entry point to the water hazard was well back. The point of entry was determined where the ball entered the water hazard, not where the ball came to rest in the lateral water hazard. In fact, all the players had virtually the same point of entry for their relief options, since the flight of the shots were on the same line, and dropped a substituted ball right of the creek. However, there were shots that landed beyond the bridge and bounced in the lateral water hazard. These players had additional options under Rule 26-1c listed above.
Dealing with Water Hazards This past summer has been an exciting year for the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association. As rules officials, we are privileged to watch exciting golf by outstanding players on some of the finest courses in the area. As winter approaches, some players will put their clubs away while some will continue playing here or in warmer climates. Many rules officials will continue to meet and discuss rules incidents, solicit advice and discuss applications of the rules in the tournaments we officiate. One of the holes we discussed was at Westborough Country Club’s 15th hole during the Senior Amateur Championship. The 15th hole is a par 3 that requires a midiron to a green with bunkers and out of bounds left and long, with a water hazard in front of the green that extends to a lateral water hazard to the right of the green. Additionally, there are 2 bridges that cross the lateral water hazard, the first defining the end of the water hazard and the beginning of the lateral hazard. This short hole is a good illustration how relief from the hazards may be taken under different situations. Relief from a water hazard is addressed in Rule 26-1 “Relief for Ball in Water Hazard.” Balls that came to rest in the water hazard (yellow stakes) may proceed under 3 options, the first being playing the ball if it can be identified and played. The second option is to take stroke and distance and play the ball as nearly as possible from which the original ball was last played, in this case the teeing ground. The third option is to drop a ball behind the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard, keeping that point between the hole, commonly referred to as the flagline. There is no limit to how far back the ball may dropped and played.
Remember that taking relief from a water hazard, including a lateral water hazard is determined by the point where the ball entered the hazard and not where the ball came to rest. Additionally, where the body of water changes from one hazard to the other with a yellow and red stake or line, the border does not extend across the hazard. The entry point is where the ball last entered the hazard or the body of water. The Decisions for Rule 26-Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards) provide several illustrations for taking relief from water hazards.
In the picture of the bridge, notice that the water hazard now becomes a lateral water hazard (red stakes). Rule 261c provides for additional options for relief from a lateral water hazard including “dropping a ball outside the water
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Metropolitan Cup Championship Meadowbrook takes title with a dramatic playoff victory over Joachim GC
The winning team from Meadowbrook Country Club
(L-R) John Rankin, Paul Lueders, Mike Kootman, Brett Meeske, Daniel Holt, Aaron Lang, Craig Liddle It was a long day on Friday as the “Final Four” met at Fox Run Golf Club to decide the 2017 Metropolitan Cup Championship. In a new twist to this, the 25th anniversary of the “Metro Cup” as its known, the semifinalists all met on the same day, same course to play the Semifinals and Final Match. The clubs who advanced to Fox Run had a combined 11 titles. Joachim Golf Club (2014-15) faced Greenbriar Hills Country Club in Semifinal #1. Joachim was the #1 Seed coming into the playoffs and in an exciting match moved on with a 3.5-2.5 victory. In Semifinal #2, Meadowbrook Country Club (1998, 2006, 2011) would face off against defending champion Bellerive Country Club (1994, 2007-10, 2016). This would be Meadowbrook’s time as they moved on with a 5-1 win over the defending champion. Setting up a re-match of the 2014 Final where Joachim captured their first title. After a brief break for lunch, the Final Match began on a beautiful afternoon at Fox Run GC. Early on, Joachim took commanding leads in 3 of the matches and would draw first when Nathan Piccarella would win 5&4 over Brett Meeske. A second point would come a short time later when Bruce Thomas & Bill Scott would win the first FourBall Match and send Joachim to a 2-0 lead. Meadowbrook put their first point on the board when Steve Shuert would take down Zach Decker in a Singles Match 1up. Joachim added to their lead and were a 1/2 point from another title when Mike Domenick won 5&4 over Mike Kootman in a Singles Handicap Match. With 2 matches on the course and both with Meadowbrook leading, a playoff was looming. Paul Lueders & Aaron Lang in the 2nd Four-Ball Match added Meadowbrook’s second point with a 2&1 win. The last match between Jim Meda and Craig Liddle would end on 17 with Liddle earning the 3&1 victory and a tie in the Final Match was 3-3. With everyone already out around 17 watching these matches, the Playoff went right to the 18th Teeing Ground. Meadowbrook’s Brett Meeske and Joachim’s Zach Decker would get the call to decide the 2017 Metropolitan Cup. Meeske won the flip of a coin to play first and striped one down the middle from 18 Tee, while Decker found the left hazard. Playing first, Meeske found the middle of the green for a birdie look while Decker pitched out of the hazard back to the fairway. A solid approach by Decker left him a long par putt which missed to the left and giving Meeske 2 putts to put away the title. Meeske cozied his first putt down to the hole and the 2017 Metropolitan Cup was Meadowbrook’s! The Metropolitan
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USGA Men’s Four-Ball Qualifying Sunset Country Club • Par 72 - Yardage 6,651 October 2, 2017
Qualifiers Garrett Marschke / Alex Cusumano -10 Richard Berkmeyer / Brad Nurski -10
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Alternates Jay Csipkes / Brian Csipkes Brett Gould / Heath Peters
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64 65
1st Alternate 2nd Alternate
Steven Hyten / Matthew Lewis
-6
66
Mark Knecht / Chris Griffin
-1
71
Brady Dixon / Jordan Harre
-5
67
Drew Hatten / Patrick Britt
-1
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Lucas Armstrong / Brett Patterson
-5
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Steven Souchek / Ryan Haxel
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72
Andrew Huseman / Tanner Napier
-5
67
Dan Emrick / Nick Winston
E
72
Jesse Helms / Chris Kovach
-5
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Tim Parkinson / Jamold Little
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72
David Keenan / Mike Peters
-4
68
Mike Cushing / Jeff Niepagen
E
72
Chris Dale / Chad Niezing
-4
68
Justin Beaston / Marco Tallerico
E
72
Craig Toler / Blake Hilliard
-4
68
Blake Garland / Jeff Case
1
73
Kyle Slattery / Danny Gorman
-4
68
J.B. Spillane / Wes Hillen
1
73
Andy Frost / Brian Lovett
-4
68
Aaron Neff / Adam Pfeiffer
1
73
Justin Doss / Chris Martin
-3
69
Josh Heidenry / Steven Wendling
2
74
Hunter York / BO Brien
-3
69
Dane Gray / Tyler Comerford
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74
Sam Migdal / Travis Mays
-3
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Jeffrey Brahm / Kyle Felts
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74
JR Hurley / Grant Duffy
-3
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Tony Gumper / Ryan Eckelkamp
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John Ehrgott / Jordan Fahel
-3
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Scott Kirchoff / Eric Brumm Jr
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Anthony Nolfo / Michael Fowler
-2
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Jacob Icenhower / Jim Schuering
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Bryan Bohme / Ryan Weinhaus
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Daniel Greiner / Timothy Fannon
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Chris Marziani / Torrey Welsch
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Adam Boeker / Jason Boeker
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Buddy Allen / Tom Sinak
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Bradley Burch / Jefferson Knox
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Ben Blase / Peter Weaver
-2
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James Gregory / Jeremy Scott
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John Baldwin / Tyler Fields
-2
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Michael Gualdoni / Anthony Maus
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Zachary Pranger / Andrew Pranger
-1
71
Robert Friedman / Steven Hoffman
Bryan Easton / Paul Neeman
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Non-Qualifiers
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Meritorious Service Award Longtime MAGA Official Bob Phillips Honored for 24 years of service on November 2 at Old Warson. Over the past several years, Bob Phillips has been the “go-to” guy at Norwood Hills to get something done for golf. The club will host the 2018 US Women’s Mid-Am next year, and they have Bob to thank for that. He could sit back and enjoy his time at Norwood, but he found life during retirement meant giving back to the game. In 1992, Bob was on the Greens Committee at Norwood. Larry Emery, Norwood’s pro then, approached Bob with what he saw as a potential opportunity. It had been many years since the club had hosted a significant championship. Larry encouraged Bob to reach out to Tom O’Toole, who was beginning his time with the USGA, to see what could be done. O’Toole came by and brought Tom Meeks of the USGA with him. Shortly, a deal was done. Norwood would host the 2001 US Senior Amateur! With this, Bob also began his time with the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association. Jim Tom Blair, who was a member at Norwood at the time suggested to Bob that he attend a rules school, which was being held in Tulsa. Bob attended that school, and a few others. However, he never found the passion with the rules that many area officials do. “At my first MAGA event, a US Amateur qualifier at Norwood, I went out with Jim Tom and we sat behind the 7th green for the next six hours. I quickly realized that that side of the game was not really what I wanted to be doing. I wanted to have more interaction with the players.“ After sitting with Howard Wilkinson, who had been a long-time starter for MAGA events, Bob felt he had found the place he would enjoy most. With Howard as his guide, Bob learned the vagaries of the position. “The toughest thing about the position is having to penalize a player who is not at the tee on time. Many players come running up, thinking they are on time only to find they just lost two shots.” Over the next two decades Bob has continue to occupy his place at the Bob in his usual position at the starter’s table starter’s table. “I’m so fortunate. When I think of all the players I’ve had the opportunity to meet. I probably know 90% of the players playing today. Not only that, but I have the opportunity to interact with them in ways other officials don’t. I’ve never thought of it as a job since it was so much fun!” In his younger days, Bob played to a handicap as low as a seven. Now, he enjoys the camaraderie that comes from his association with those within the MAGA Previous Honorees he has come to know and calls friends. “I’d like to think that the players who play in 1995 – Jayne Watson MAGA events look at the officials as not just professional in how we work the event but pleasant in how we interact with them. I think that’s just as important as any ruling we 1997 – Pat Will make.” 1998 – Larry Etzkhorn 1999 – Denny Walters 2001 – Bart Collida eritorious ervice ward 2003 – Jim Tom Blair The Meritorious Service Award, the Metropolitan’s highest honor, was never 2005 – Jerry Higginbotham intended to be an annual award. Instead, it was thought that this would 2007 – Stan Grossman be awarded by the MAGA Board when it felt there was a most deserving 2009 – Roger Null individual. The list at right recognizes a most deserving group who have 2011 – Carol Fromuth given back to the game.
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Maria Palozola: A LPGA Top 50 “In the World” Teacher Inaugural LPGA List, partnering with Women’s Golf Journal, named Maria as one of the Best; and the ONLY LPGA Instructor in Missouri on the list! Her smile immediately brings you in. You can sense her warmth at once, but it is the passion that she brings to her students each day that has made her one of the best! “I love what I do. The opportunity to take someone regardless of where they are; young or old, and help them get the most out of their game. Well, that is so rewarding!” Coming out of St. Joseph’s Academy, “it was one of the few schools that actually had a girls’ golf team” Maria took top honors in 1987 at the High School Championships. In 1992, she played in the Women’s District, taking the title with a victory over Ellen Port at Westborough in 37 holes. She defended her title in 1993, downing Barbara Berkmeyer at Norwood Hills, 2up. After graduating from South Alabama, she tried the mini-tours for about half a year, “I just did not like it that well. There was little camaraderie. After we played, everyone just left the course. It was quite lonely. Besides, I was engaged and thinking about starting a family. In the end, I’m glad I did it, but I know I’m right where I should be, teaching others to love the game.” It was then that she decided what she really wanted to do: Teach. She took a position various country clubs and public facilities over the next few years, eventually settling in at Big Bend Golf Center, at the intersection of Big Bend and Dougherty Ferry Roads in Valley Park. From here, she has extended her reach, out to Pevely Farms, Aberdeen, the Landings at Spirit, and working as head golf professional for the Missouri Athletic Club. Yes, she is one busy lady. However, it is exactly that which drives her every day. “A few years ago I began producing a series of short videos - I’ve been using video in my teaching going back to the days of the hand-held VHS units. We usually met at Pevely on Friday mornings and would spend hours taping as many as 20 segments, which I later used on my website, MyGolfInstructor.com. I also did 10 short-game videos with Jay Delsing at St. Albans, where he was my special guest instructor. It was a blast filming with Jay! ” All of this has recently led to a call from ESPN, offering her a radio show. While the details are still being worked out, Maria is very excited. “I want to make the show about St. Louis golf. Other shows spend time on the various Tours; I’m not sure how many area golfers really care about that. I think they would rather hear about what’s happening locally. Plus, it allows more time to offer ideas on how they can improve their game.” As the mother of two soon-to-be teenage boys, she loves working with kids. It has been her involvement as Regional Director and Head Coach of the USA Junior National Team that really brings a gleam to her eyes. “Working with kids who have a strong desire for the game along with a long-term goal has been wonderful. This program looks to help boys and girls develop the skills and mental toughness to excel at the highest levels in golf.” However, Maria also knows that for many in their teenage years, they may just look at golf as a way to have fun. For those, she takes part in the US Kids programs - where she was a Top 50 Teacher for 2016 - offering camps during the summer months. “The US Kids camps are great for parents who want to expose their children to the game, but are not sure of their level of interest. We have week-long camps each month in the summer, with various levels of instruction, depending on the ability of the child coming into camp.” Maria has been voted as Midwest Teacher of the Year five times, along with a Golf Digest honor as a Top 5 Teacher in Missouri. It’s these type of awards, voted on by her peers, that she treasures most. “Having other area pros recognize you is such an honor. I really believe that the LPGA has such a great program of instruction and I’m very proud to be associated with them in my teaching. This has led me to be on the LPGA Hall of Fame Committee and serve in other positions.
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We asked Maria about her instruction. Who her students typically are? What are their usual requests? How she applies her talent to a particular student? “Like the game itself, about 70% of my students are men. A great number come and just want to fix their slice. Really, that’s pretty simple; we can usually accomplish that in just a few minutes. So what I really ask them is ‘what to they want to get out of the game?’ It’s funny, many tell me, ‘oh, I’m a good putter, we don’t need to work on that. I hardly ever 3-putt.’ So I ask them how many putts they take a round and the answer is often around 36-40. I immediately know that one issue they are having is with their short game; probably their chipping around the green. If they are not getting their chips within six-feet of the hole, that’s why they are two putting, making bogeys instead of pars. However, I don’t follow a set pattern. Just as each player is unique, my approach to help them is the same. I look at their body shape, their level of athleticism, how long they’ve been playing, what their goals are. It’s also important to know how much practice time they are willing to devote to improving. As we all know, golf is a hard game. To get better, you must practice. However, you don’t always need a ball to practice. Sometimes, just swinging the club, feeling the swing is just as important. Hitting a ball can give you false feedback. It’s really about getting your swing on-plane and the clubface back to square consistently. That will make anyone a better player.” Maria also works with her students on their clubs. While she’s on staff with Callaway - along with US Kids - she does not push them into one brand or another, but wants to make certain her students have confidence in what they are hitting and have a good set with proper club fitting. “I like to see players using more wedges. If I look in a bag and see a 3-iron, I almost cringe. Sure, it feels great when you hit it well, but how often is that? For a better player, more hybrids and more wedges, allowing them to get up-and-down easier. For the high handicap player, I have them focus on maybe only two wedges. I’d like to see them get comfortable with a few clubs rather than trying to use several. It’s less confusing. As far as drivers, a lot of players are gaining an advantage with the new equipment that’s out. If you have an older driver, I recommend they at least try some of the newer ones, just to see if it suits them. Callaway has great options for players from starter sets to top tier. Used clubs are also a good option for players just getting into golf without a large budget.” Maria has a client base of almost 2,000 students since she returned to town following a stint in Chicago, where her list of clients was even larger! She enjoys hearing from them to see how their game is doing. Maria has a huge retention rate, with her business thriving on repeat clients and referrals. “While I enjoyed working at clubs, being at a public facility is really special. You meet some great people here; people passionate about the game and committed to improving. Plus, you get to know them and their families. It’s why I wanted to teach in the first place.”
In mid-September, Maria had just left the Big Bend Golf Center, where she holds the majority of her instruction, when two well-known figures pulled up to hit a few. Out stepped Wayne Gretzky and Dustin Johnson! Yes, for real. Gretzky was in town to watch his daughter play in a tennis event and Dustin came along for the day. The two of them proceeded to get a basket of balls and knock a few out into the field. It wasn’t very crowded, so they just took their time and enjoyed their time there. When Maria returned later that afternoon and the owners told her who was there Maria immediately went to the security cameras to see for herself. Yes, it was really them!
Maria also enjoys the current owners of Big Bend Golf Center, Mr. and Mrs. Kim, who have owned the facility for over five years. “The Kim’s are wonderful. They continue to invest in the facility. We have good mats, a new pitching green/ area and a new putting green. They are continually investing in the clubhouse and those items that make golfers feel welcome.” Maria can be reached at Big Bend Golf Center and Driving Range, 3390 Quinette Road, Valley Park, MO 63088. 314-440-9082 | info@stlouisgolflessons.com | www.stlouisgolflessons.com. Give Maria a call, or email her. She would love to hear about your game! Check out her website for tips on improving your golf game. The Metropolitan
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St. Louis Golf History - Ralph Guldahl -
Ralph Guldahl with Virginia Pepp during an exhibition in 1934. Pepp was a 5-time Women’s District Champion. Guldahl’s 16 career PGA wins came in a 10-year period from 1931-1940. During five consecutive years, 1936-1940, he had multiple tour wins each year. His victory in 1931, at age 19, would make him the youngest winner on Tour at the time, until matched by Jordan Spieth in 2013 when he won the John Deere Classic!
Guldahl in 1932. When he won the US Open in 1938, it is said he was the last to do so wearing a tie.
In November 1931, St. Louis CC selected a young 20-year-old to become their head professional. Dallasnative Guldahl, a tall-drink-of-water at 6’2”, he succeeded Art Longworth, who had been at the club for ten seasons. Voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981, Guldahl was, for a time, the best player in the game. Though still a young man, he had been a professional at a club in Dallas for a few years. He came to the attention of SLCC members when he led during the first round of the St. Louis Open in 1930 at Sunset CC, which was eventually won by Tommy Armour. During the 1931 campaign, he won the Santa Monica Tournament; a further display of his skill. During 1933, he challenged for the US Open title, matching eventual winner Johnny Goodman until the final hole, which he bogeyed, leaving him a shot out of a playoff. Later that year, he won the St. Louis Open at Algonquin GC. He left in late 1933 for a position in Chicago, but ended up as the pro at a Los Angeles public course. Frustrated with his game, he left for a time to become a car salesman, playing in the occasional tournament through 1935. He returned to the game in 1936, winning the Western Open and two other events. In 1937, he finished second at the Masters - as he would also do in 1938 - before winning the US Open that summer at Oakland Hills, with Sam Snead finishing second. His victory had him selected to the 1937 Ryder Cup team, the last played prior to World War II. He repeated his US Open victory in 1938, winning at Cherry Hills in Denver. In 1939, he won his third Major at The Masters, posting a score of 9-under par and edging Sam Snead by a stroke. Byron Nelson finsihed 7th and Ben Hogan finished 9th. In 1939, he was offered a book deal to analyze his swing. After spending months on the project, he returned to the Tour in 1940 and won twice more. However, his game was never the same. While his wife and son felt Ralph had “over-analyzed” his swing, Guldahl scoffed at the idea. Instead, he proffered that he just grew tired of the travel and life on the road. In addition, with the war taking a toll on the number of tournaments, he stated that since “he never did have a tremendous desire to win” that his retirement was just the natural thing to do. He spent his final years as a club pro in California, where one of his students was Howard Hughes. Guldahl died in 1987 at the age of 75.
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Competition Schedule 2017 MAGA Competitions
Entry Championship Date(s) Deadline Venue The Old Warson Cup Normandie Amateur East Side Amateur Open Championship Women’s Amateur Championship Junior Amateur Championship Amateur Championship Senior Amateur Championship Four-Ball Championship
May 6-7 May 20-21 June 10-11 June 14-16 June 22-23 July 5-6 August 3-5 August 14-15 October 13
Invitational May 12 June 2 May 31 June 7 June 21 July 19 July 26 Sept. 27
Old Warson Country Club Normandie Golf Club Spencer T. Olin Golf Course CC of St. Albans Sunset Hills Country Club Aberdeen Golf Course Norwood Hills Country Club Westborough Country Club Algonquin Golf Club
2017 USGA Qualifying Rounds
Entry Championship Date(s) Deadline Venue US Open Local Qualifying US Senior Open Qualifying US Women’s Open Qualifying (36-holes) US Junior Amateur Qualifying US Girls’ Junior Amateur Qualifying US Amateur Qualifying US Senior Amateur Qualifying US Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifying US Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying US Mid-Amateur Qualifying 2018 US Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying
May 8 May 23 June 7 June 27 June 29 July 17-18 August 7 August 7 August 22 August 22 October 2
April 26 May 10 May 17 June 7 June 14 June 21 July 12 July 19 August 2 August 9 August 16
The Legends Glen Echo Country Club Bogey Hills Country Club Links at Kokopelli Lake Forest Country Club Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Greenbriar Hills Country Club Greenbriar Hills Country Club Meadowbrook Country Club Meadowbrook Country Club Sunset Country Club
2017 MAGA Amateur Series Schedule
Entry Event Date(s) Deadline Venue #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Two-Day Championship
May 15 May 8 June 12 June 5 June 30 June 23 July 10 July 3 August 11 August 4 August 28 August 21 October 7-8
WingHaven Country Club Tamarack Golf Club Bear Creek Golf Club Persimmon Woods Golf Club Annbriar Golf Club The Quarry at Crystal Springs 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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Record Round: Van Pierce posts a 58 at St. Albans ...One of Those Days... We’ve all had that feeling. A birdie on the first hole. Visions of a career round; maybe a course record. For most of us, it goes away quickly after a few pars - or maybe with the first bogey! However, for Van Pierce, it was a dream come true. It was an afternoon round with friends at St. Albans. The Lewis & Clark course was there for the taking. Playing the Gold/White tees - 6,490 yards - the trio prepared for a liesurely, fun round. It turned out to be much more than that! “I think I made about 200 feet of putts” Van told us, “but it was on the 5th hole (driveable dogleg par 4), where I felt I was going to have a great day.” A birdie at the first, followed by an eagle at the par-5 second and then another birdie at the third were all indications that the round might be special. A routine par on the fourth took the treesome to the fifth tee. Van had been driving very well and he took dead aim at the flag. His shot carried the large bunker comples, landed on the putting surface, stopping near the back edge, not far from the flag, which was, like the other hole locations that day, in pin position “A.” With a silky smooth stroke, he rolled the putt in for another eagle. Birdies on the next two holes, followed by two pars had him around the front nine in 28! His playing partners, Kyle Stewart and Dmitrij Jaskin (St. Louis Blues), hardly knew what to say. The back nine began much like the front: birdie, eagle, birdie. “It just seemed like every shot went right where I was aiming. However, I’ve always felt the back nine was harder so I knew I needed to maintain my focus.” A par at the tough, uphill thirteenth took them to the par-5 fourteenth. Again, a good tee shot, solid approach and a two putt had him at thirteen under par! He could par in for a 59!! However, at the 164-yard par-3 fifteenth he hit a solid tee shot and drained the putt. He was now 14-under par. “I guess you could say this is when I really started to think about my score. I began to feel the pressure just a bit. On the short sixteenth - 339 yards - with trouble left and right, I just hit a 4-iron off the tee.” A par there convinced him to continue playing it safe. Another 4-iron on seventeen, a nice approach and two putts for par. Standing on the eighteenth, he again opted for position, hitting the 4-iron out about 260 yards, leaving him 160-yards to the flag. “The approach at eighteen was probably the hardest shot of the day. If I left it short I would be in the creek. A bogey would give me a 59, but a double bogey would basically kill the round.” As he struck his approach, he knew it was solid. His approach putt actually caught the edge of the hole and lipped out. “It could have been a 57.” When they finished the sun was setting and the golf shop was closed. By the next day, the news had spread. Someone put up a sign in the parking lot “Reserved for those shooting a 58.” As we all know, getting a reserved parking spot might be the best deal. “No bogey’s on the day and only 21 putts. I’m really proud of how I held it together.”
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September - October 2017
USGA Championships - Results for Area Players & Qualifiers US Senior Women’s Amateur - September 9-14 Waverley Country Club, Portland, Oregon A score of 163 (+19) qualified for Match Play • Ellen Port - 79 - 76 = 155 • Beatriz Arenas - 79 - 80 = 159 • Rosalie Kubesheski - 84 - 83 = 167 Match Play Round of 64: Martha Leach def. Beatriz Arenas, 21 holes Round of 64: Ellen Port def. Leeann Lewis, 2 and 1 Round of 32: Ellen Port def. Kathy Kurata, 1up Round of 32: Patricia Schremmer def. Ellen Port, 6 and 5
US Women’s State Team Championship - September 26-28 The Club at Las Campanas, Santa Fe, New Mexico Tennessee won the title with a score of 431 Missouri Team - Finished 15th - Score of 452 • Kathy Glennon - 79 - 81 - 85 = 245 • Kayla Eckelkamp - 74 - 80 - 77 = 231 • Jess Meek - 75 - 72 - 74 = 211
Top 5
1. Tennessee 2. Delaware 3. Florida 4. Alabama 5. New York 5. Indiana
US Women’s Mid-Amateur - October 7-12, 2017 Quail Creek Country Club, Naples, Florida
Championship Postponed due to Hurricane Irma Will be played November 11-16 at Champions GC in Houston • Kayla Eckelkamp • Kathy Glennon -
US Mid-Amateur - October 7-12, 2017 Capital City Club, Atlanta, Ga. & Atlanta National Golf Club, Milton, Ga. Par 70 - Capital City Club - 7,174 yards; Par 71 - Atlanta National - 6,784 yards A score of 146 (+5) qualified for Match Play • Bryan Bohme - 74 - 77 = 151 • Patrick Bader - 89 - WD • Andrew Pranger - 75 - 73 = 148 • Scott Hovis - 78 - 71 = 148
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431 432 433 435 438 438
Amateur Series - Championship Aberdeen GC - October 7-8, 2017 Open Joe Christian, Metropolitan GC Steven Rommerskirchn, Greenville CC
+10 154 +12 156
Alex Stojanovic, Annbriar GC +20 164 Lew Weingart, Quarry at Crystal Springs NS
-1 +5 +8 +15
Will Roestel, Metropolitan GC Troy Schnelten, Metropolitan GC Corey Elliott, Ruth Park GC
Net Open Thomas Rafferty, Ballwin GC Cory Mahoney, Metropolitan GC Sangwon Son, Metropolitan GC John Davis, Metropolitan GC
143 149 152 159
+19 163 +28 172 +41 185
Congratulations to our Champions and to each competitor! Senior Open Ollie Crow, Raintree GC (won playoff) James Storey, Glen Echo CC Schooner Fitzgerald, The Prairies GC Pat Ross, The Orchards Gordon Smith, Metropolitan GC
+8 +8 +8 +13 +16
152 152 152 157 160
Michael Quesenberry, Lake Forest CC +17 Terry Souchek, The Prairies GC +20 Tim Leonberger, Stonewolf GC +20 Mark Theissen, Missouri Bluffs +28 Jim Healey, Metropolitan GC
161 164 164 172 WD
-5 -3 -2 +5 +5 +5 +5
139 141 142 149 149 149 149
John Epps, Metropolitan GC Lendell Phelps, Tamarack CC Leo Hefner, Metropolitan GC Doug Williams, Metropolitan GC Don Humphrey, MVGCSA GC John Orr, Stonewolf GC
151 151 151 155 158 165
Senior Net Bill Braun, Grey Beard GC Timothy Montgomery, Metropolitan GC Bill Slantz, Metropolitan GC Michael Scoles, Metropolitan GC King Edmonston, Franklin County CC Terry Loehrer, Old Hickory GC Ralph Dannegger, Creve Coeur GC
+7 +7 +7 +11 +14 +21
On behalf of the MAGA Staff & Officials, we thank everyone who took part in the 2017 Amateur Series. We look forward to seeing you at the 2018 Amateur Series! The Metropolitan
September - October 2017
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Open Champion
Net Open Champion
Joe Christian
Thomas Rafferty
Senior Open Champion
Senior Net Champion
Ollie Crow
Bill Braun
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September - October 2017
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MAGA Four-Ball Championship Thirty-two sides took to Algonquin Golf Club Friday for the season’s final championship, the Four-Ball Championship in Open and Net Divisions. The side of Michael Fowler and Nick Profancik took the Open Division with an 8-under 63. Starting on the par 5 4th hole, the side opened with a birdie by Fowler. Finishing 2 shots back were David Archibald and Justin Wrozier at 6-under. While things remained close through most of the round, Profancik would eagle the par 5 18th to pull away slightly. A birdie on Hole 2 by Fowler would get the side to 8-under on the day and secure the championship. In the Net Division, 7 sides would battle Algonquin in search for the title. At the end of 18 holes 3 of those sides found themselves tied at 5-under 66. A playoff would commence on the par 5 10th hole. The sides in the playoff were Doug Williams & Larry Laramie; Jim Roth & Gary Agne and 2016 Champions Buck Clement & Mike Bray. Laramie would earn the championship for their side with a par 5, net 4 for the victory.
Open Division Winners
Net Division Winners
Net Division Runner-up
Open Division Pos. 1 2 3 4 T5 T5 T5 T5 9 T10 T10 T10
Players To Par Gross Michael Fowler / Nick Profancik -8 63 David Archibald / Justin Wrozier -6 65 Cory Henry / Wes Hillen -5 66 David Strickland / Ryan Sullivan -4 67 Marc Chenot / Tom Vogt -2 69 Robert Meeh / Lee Wilson -2 69 Steve Jones / Sam White -2 69 Brett Hale / Kyle O’Dell -2 69 David Speicher / Michael Speicher -1 70 Brett Newton / Mark Streeper E 71 Scott Edwards / David Pfeil E 71 Ryan Rerich / Tyler Ward E 71
T10 T10 T10 T10 17 T18 T18 T18 T21 T21 T21 24 25
Alek Stojanovic / Donovan Davis David Bremer / Paul Neeman Angus Maloney / Scott McGrath Buddy Allen / Tom Sinak Jeffrey Kissel / Steve Kissel Page Cotton / Chris Marziani Eli Grant / Bryan Wulfing Scott Horton / Torrey Welsch Gene Hart / Frank Gambaro Ryan Blum / Andrew Ganey Patrick Bader / John Greffet Justin Cady / Don Walker Walter Norman / Ted Size
E E E E 1 2 2 2 4 4 4 5 7
71 71 71 71 72 73 73 73 75 75 75 76 78
4 T5 T5 7
Bill Slantz / Bill Wirtz Randy Leet / Dan McDonald Bill Abanathie / Tim Leonberger Bob Prow / Frederick Roth
-2 -1 -1 5
69 70 70 76
Net Division Pos. 1 T2 T2
Players To Par Total Larry Laramie / Doug Williams -5 66 Mike Bray / Buck Clement -5 66 Gary Agne / Jim Roth -5 66
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Oddities & Trivia The 7th hole at St. Louis Country Club, named “Shorty,” is a classic C.B. McDonald design with a “thumbprint” placed in the middle of the green, funnelling balls into this area. It is modeled after the Short Hole at St. Andrews, their 8th. Playing from 88 to 154 yards, it is a wonderful short par-3. In a recent tournament at St. Louis Country Club, two players, Steve Shepley and Scott Dutcher, made their first Hole in One’s. What makes the story interesting is that they were made in back to back groups, both hit wedges and both played the hole at 95 yards. In 1945, the year in which Byron Nelson broke nearly every record there was - 11 consecutive wins and 18 during the season - he played an exhibition at Quincy CC. One of the caddies that day was 13-year-old Bob Phillips, currently at Norwood Hills and a MAGA official. Bob watched as Lord Byron went around the course in 29 for the first nine holes. When the round was over, he handed Bob $15 for his work. Bob went out and bought a Bulls-Eye putter with the money. A putter he has to this day! A bit of history followed. Nelson left Quincy and went to Memphis to play in the next tournament, where his streak ended. Finishing ahead of Nelson at Memphis was Fred Haas, who won the event, and Norwood Hills’ Bob Cochran, who finished tied for second. Nelson finished tied with Jug McSpadden for third.
The 18-hole, 69-par Copper Creek (Colorado) golf course, at left, boasts the highest tee point in America at 9,863 feet. Next in line is the Mr. Massive GC, located in Leadville, Colorado, that sits at 9,680 feet for this 9-hole layout. The Telluride GC, in Telluride, Colorado, is next at 9,417 feet with the Breckenridge GC, also in Colorado, at 9,324 feet. Rounding out the top five highest courses is The Club at Crested Butte (Colorado) at 9,003 feet. The first 18-hole golf course in America was located at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois. Or was it? Most golf historians take the position that the club had a 9-hole course in Belmont, IL until they moved to Wheaton in 1894. However, in the late 1920s, designer C.B. McDonald made reference to his 18-hole course in 1892. A seemingly off-hand remark by the aging architect. However, the original Belmont course, now owned by the City of Downers Grove, latched on to this, claiming that their 9-hole course was actually 18-holes at one time and is therefore the site of the first 18 holes in America. While most historians do not agree with the position of Downers Grove, nevertheless, the city continues to promote this on their scorecards for the course. The Metropolitan
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The Metropolitan
September - October 2017
Southern Illinois Golf Association News 2017 Tony Steven’s Cup Matches Results McLeansboro Golf Club ‘Team A’ won the 2017 Cup matches with a 3 shot victory over Green Hills Golf Club. The Saturday matches at Franklin County CC were Alternate Shot Modified Chapman. The Sundays matches at Green Hills GC were 2 man Best Ball. Twelve clubs competed with a total of 36 two-man teams over the two days, with McLeansboro ‘Team A’ coming in at 267, 17-under par for the championship.
2017 Men’s Player of the Year Michael Fowler, from Centralia earned Player of the year for 2017 earning 2,033 points, 81 more than runner up Bryan Warren from Mcleansboro. A total of 40 players competed for POY in 2017. Congratulations to all who participated.
2017 Senior Men’s Player of the Year Murphy Hart, from Benton, earned Player of the Year for 2017 earning 1,125 points, 50 more than runner up John Ellis from Mt. Vernon. A total of 13 players competed for POY in 2017. Congratulations to all who participated.
2017 Junior Golf Tour Player’s of the Year Junior Boys 10-11 Boys: Canon Weatherly 152.50 points, runner up was Abe Neal with 95 points. 12-13 Boys: Ashton Hall with 97.50 points, runner up was Ben Herron with 95.50 points. 14-15 Boys: Ty Barbre with 158 points, runner up was Evan Coyle with 119.50 points. 16-18 Boys: Dalton Saeger with 133.50points, runner up was Ryan Naile with 105 points. Junior Girls 10-11 Girls: Ally Suhre with 20 points, runner up was Frankie Nicholes. 12-13 Girls: Kenzie Anderson with 114.50 points, runner up was Madelyn Young with 103.50 points. 14-15 Girls: Chloe Thomas with 126.50 points, runner up was Kelsey Sinks with 80.25 points. 16-18 Girls: Kacie Rendleman with 74 points, runner up was Megan Breslin with 70.25 points. A total of 73 Junior Boys and Girls competed for Player of the Year in the different age groups over a two month period, competing in 16 tournaments. The top ten results for each competitor were used to determine POY.IGA
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Player of the Year 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
Senior Player of the Year 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 Bill Anderson
920.00 780.00 710.00 686.67 659.17 641.67 550.00 493.33 380.00 370.00 312.50 312.50 242.50 240.00 240.00 240.00 220.00 220.00 168.00
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 Joe Timpone Greg Bott
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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 40.00 30.00
Jeff Johnson
Matthew Cullen Ken Highlander Jim McLaughlin Pat Ross
20.00 10.00 10.00 10.00
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September - October 2017
Mid-America Junior Cup Matches
MAGA Mid-America Cup Team Back, L-R: Lacey Snell, Claire Solovic, Brooke Bierman, Shannon Gould Front: Tyler Linenbroker, Max Kreikemeier, Jack Cronin, Tommy Alferman
Team MAGA found themselves down 3-1 after Saturday’s Four-Ball matches during the 2017 Mid-America Junior Cup. Needing 3.5 points on Sunday to capture the Cup, it was a tall order against a very talented KCGA squad at Shadow Glen Golf Club. Leading off Sunday was 2017 MAGA Junior Boy’s Champions Max Kreikemeier and Shannon Gould. While the match started off slow, Kreikemeier/Gould had a 2up lead at the turn. Four consecutive wins from holes 10-13 put that first needed point on the board for MAGA with a 6&5 win. The all southpaw side of Claire Solovic and Jack Cronin came out of the game with 4 straight holes won to start the day and never looked back. They would close out their match on hole 15 with a 5&3 win for point two. The final match out was Brooke Bierman and Tyler Linenbroker, who battled back and forth in their match the entire front 9, to All Square. They grabbed the lead on hole 10 and would close out with wins on holes 15 and 16 for the 4&2 win. MAGA needed 3.5 points on Sunday and the final match out was Tommy Alferman and Lacey Snell. They ran into a buzzsaw side from KCGA and just could not get on track on the day. Ultimately falling 6&4 for KCGA’s lone point Sunday. The 2017 matches would end in tie at 4-4 for the third time in its 19 year history and KCGA would retain the cup for the year. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
MAGA TIE KCGA MAGA MAGA MAGA MAGA MAGA TIE KCGA
7-1 2-2 7½-½ 5-3 5-3 7-1 4½-3½ 6½-1½ 4-4 5-3
Blue Hills CC Norwood Hills CC Oakwood CC Missouri Bluffs GC Kansas City CC Forest Hills CC Indian Hills CC Winghaven CC Loch Lloyd CC Glen Echo CC
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
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KCGA KCGA MAGA MAGA KCGA TIE KCGA KCGA TIE
6-2 6½-1½ 4½-3½ 6-2 6-2 4-4 4½-3½ 5-3 4-4
Milburn CC Algonquin GC Mission Hills CC Bellerive CC Blue Hills CC Fox Run GC Nicklaus GC@Liongate St. Louis CC Shadow Glen CC
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September - October 2017
Junior Stars in Action...
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Updated for 2017 Golfing Before The Arch: 1896-2017 *** UPDATED WITH RESULTS THROUGH 2017!! *** The latest edition of Golfing Before The Arch updates area golf events since the last version was published in 2014. Included in this edition is: • Results from the 2016 USGA Senior Amateur at Old Warson • 2017 US Girls’ Junior Coverage from Boone Valley • Updated results of MAGA, District, Missouri Golf, Women’s golf and area titles through 2017 • Updated course information with the latest club closings • Updated player details on championships and qualifying for USGA or other national events • Listings of Gateway PGA Section Champion from 2017 back to 1938 • It’s 580 pages of information and details on area golf If you love area golf history, or just would like to see your name in print, this is the one book for you! The book is available for $39.95 at www.LULU.com, a self-publishing site. Upon placing your order, the book will be printed and shipped to you. You may search for the book by its name or by the name of the author, Jim Healey. Also on the site are additional books by the author that may be of interest to you. They include St. Louis Hoops, a book on area basketball history, first published in 2006 and recently updated to include 2016-17 statistics.
Front & Back Cover
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Persimmon Woods #16 - Par 3
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Vol. 4 No. 7
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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