Volume 8 | No. 8
The Metropolitan
January/February 2022
The Metropolitan AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATION
Old Warson Country Club site of the 2022 Metropolitan Amateur Championship August 4-6, 2022
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The Metropolitan
January/February 2022
The Metropolitan
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
January/February 2022
By The Numbers
MAGA
66 - The score Bob Goalby shot in the final round at Augusta National to win the 1968 Masters. After birdies on the 13th and 14th holes on Sunday, Goalby slammed a 3-iron to eight feet and made eagle on the par-5 15th. He finished the championship with a score of 11-under-par 277, assuming he would be in a Monday playoff with Roberto De Vicenzo. But De Vicenzo, who had birdied the 17th to finish with a 65, signed for a 66. Tommy Aaron, playing alongside and keeping De Vicenzo’s card, marked him for a par 4 on the 17th instead of a 3. De Vicenzo signed the card without catching the mistake and, under the rules of golf, had to accept the higher score. Often lost over the years is that De Vicenzo would not have won the championship if he had caught the mistake, he would have been in a playoff with Goalby. That ’68 Masters was Goalby’s only major among 11 PGA Tour wins, but he tied for second in the 1960 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills and finished solo second in the 1961 PGA at Aronimink.
WHAT WE DO: - Provide the GHIN Handicap Service to 140+ Member Clubs under the World Handicap System - Conduct ten (10) Metropolitan Championships each season
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- Conduct USGA Qualifying for nine (9) USGA Championships each season - Conduct the Amateur Series of Events for golfers of all ages and abilities - Provide the USGA Course/Slope Rating service to our Member Clubs - Regional authority on the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status
3. Bio/Numbers 4. Curt’s Corner 6. MAGA Rules Committee 8. Supe’s On
1985 - The year Quail Creek Golf Club opened. Conceived by
Hale Irwin Design, the course has played host to a number of MAGA events over the years. However, a dispute over the operations and the responsibilities for repairs and improvements had rendered the facility “closed” as February came to an end, and the future was uncertain. As a result, St. Louis County was directing schools that used Quail Creek as their practice facility to use other county-owned courses - Crystal Springs Quarry and Eagle Springs.
METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Amateur Championship Old Warson Cup (Match Play Championship) Shogren Cup (Match Play PGA Pros vs. MAGA Amateurs)
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Open Championship Women’s Amateur Championship
71 - The lowest score Old Warson Country Club member Joe Buck ever has shot. Buck, who was broadcasting USGA championships until his network - Fox - opted out of its golf coverage, fired the 1-under-par score at El Dorado Golf and Beach Club in Los Cabos, Mexico. He was playing alongside El Dorado pro, Chris Martinez, and renowned golf instructor Hank Haney, a former swing coach for Tiger Woods, Buck and Haney had a friendly wager going at the time, and Buck overcame three bogeys with four birdies to win the contest handily. Instead of accepting Haney’s monetary responsibility, Buck simply asked him to sign his golf ball. You can’t teach that, ay?
Junior Amateur Championship
12. 2022 Boatwright Interns 13. Dear John 14. MAGA Championships 16. USGA Qualifying Rounds 18. Amaetur Series
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Senior Amateur Championship Metropolitan Cup Matches Four-Ball Championship 9-Hole Championship Mid-America Junior Cup USGA QUALIFYING ROUNDS
841-The length (in yards) of the longest golf hole in the U.S.
U.S. Open
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The landing strip is the 12th hole at Meadow Farms Golf Course in Locust Grove, Va. and is a par 6. The Meadow Farms facility features 27 holes, three nine-hole segments, each hole more unique than the next. The holes were designed by architect Bill Ward and opened in 1996. Other features are a hole shaped like a baseball diamond, a 40-foot waterfall, island greens and church pew bunkers.
U.S. Senior Open U.S. Women’s Open U.S. Amateur U.S. Mid-Amateur U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur U.S. Junior Amateur
95 - The worst score in the history of the Masters, which was first conducted in 1934. The 95 - otherwise known as a “So Taguchi-minusYadier Molina,” was sculpted by Charles Kunkle in the final round of the 1956 championship. For the record, or actually not for the record there has been a score that is even worse. Billy Casper, the 1970 Masters winner, returned to play in the major championship in 2005, at the age of 73, and cobbled together a 105. But Casper never turned in his scorecard, withdrawing instead, and his score didn’t become an official part of the record. ““If it had been a nice, warm day I thought I might be able to shoot 80,” said Casper.
U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur U.S. Amateur Four-Ball U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball U.S. Senior Amateur U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur
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January/February 2022
Curt’s Corner
MAGA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Curt Rohe - Executive Director
Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org 2022 EXECUTIVE BOARD Officers Scott Engelbrecht, President/Treasurer Mike Marquart, Secretary At-Large Members Kelli Kirchoff Stan Grossman Rick Meyer, Jr. John Moore Mick Wellington John Bugh ADVISORY COMMITTEE Scott Thomas, Chairman Dustin Ashby Tom Barry Skip Berkmeyer Chris Kovach Ryan Eckelcamp Tom Portner Curt Rohe 2022 P.J. BOATWRIGHT INTERNS Tanner Weberling Parker Leavitt Jack Underwood THE METROPOLITAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Greetings golfers!
There is no limit on golf trails in Louisiana.
The Metropolitan
January/February 2022
Welcome to 2022 and our first installment of The Metropolitan, year 9 for the newsletter! As you read this today score posting has begun in our region as of March 1. Rounds played from now until November 14 should be posted for handicap purposes. The GHIN app is the #1 method for score posting. How about this for some stats in 2021: Round Posted: 406,361 Round Posted via GHIN Mobile: 294,607 72.5% of all rounds posted were done on teh GHIN Mobile app, really incredible numbers. On top of that, the GHIN Mobile app for MAGA members alone produced 8.5 million screen views in 2021...that number blows my mind every time I see or say it! So, the golf season is officially underway as far as we see it. Our schedules are in place, except for one site, and now we wait again for competition season to kick off. Registration for MAGA Championships and the Amateur Series open on March 2 at Noon. Each year we welcome three (3) interns to join our team through the PJ Boatwright Internship program from the USGA. I am excited to have Tanner Weberling, Jack Underwood and Parker Leavitt joining us in a couple months. You can read more about these 3 young men later in the newsletter.
ary Trails n li u C & lf o G
Golf & Fish ing Trails Golf & Gam ing Trails
Golf & Music Trails rails Golf & Craft Beer T
2022 is a big year for MAGA, the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Association. We are working on a way to celebrate this milestone season with our golfers and member clubs later in 2022. Personally, 2022 is my 21st season as a full timer, and 23rd season overall. Hard to believe, it seems like yesterday I walked into the MAGA office on Brentwood Blvd. to interview for an internship and here we are today. It has been, and continues to be, a unbelievable ride the game of golf has provided me. Well hopefully winter weather is in our rearview mirro and warmer temps on just around the corner for St. Louis golfers. Happy golfing and thank you for taking some time to read The Metropolitan!
Get swinging in more ways than one in a place
Dan O’Neill
where you can get away from it all while getting a little closer to what brings you joy. Come one, come y’all – Come feed your soul in Louisiana. Visit LouisianaGolfTrails.com and plan your custom “golf & more” getaway today. 4
©2022 Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism
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The Metropolitan
January/February 2022
The Metropolitan
January/February 2022
MAGA Rules Committee MAGA does not require a certification or minimum test score to officiate. That said, most Rules Committee members have attended USGA/PGA workshops and taken the 100-question test multiple times, gradually reaching advanced or expert status. It’s MAGA practice to “mentor” new officials as they learn (e.g., ride in a cart with an experienced official and train on potential situations in covering specific holes). Importantly, all officials carry a radio and are expected to call for help when uncertain about a ruling. Additionally, rules officials in the St Louis area meet monthly at the Creve Coeur Golf Course during the season to discuss rules situations and officiating techniques. Acquiring Experience. The more tournaments one officiates the more one learns. “Learning the rules never ends.” - Bob “Shogie” Shogren, 29 years (deceased). “Book-smart is one thing; being course-smart with the Rules requires experience.” Alvan Sage, 9 years.
MAGA’s Rules Committee at Country Club of St. Albans during the 2016 Metropolitan Open Championship Each season MAGA conducts its own championships, USGA qualifying rounds and our Amateur Series of events. This busy schedule of events would not be possible without the dedicated men and women who volunteer their time on our Rules Committee. The following piece was written by two of our veteran stalwarts with input from many of our Committee. Thank you to John Thorman and Alvan Sage for lending their hand to this edition of The Metropolitan. Why Officiate? Those rules officials are a strange lot. Why do they volunteer their time officiating tournaments instead of playing golf? Why do they spend endless hours studying complicated rules and discussing rulings? The reasons vary, but there are some common themes. For many it’s love of the game. “Sports have been good to me. I just like giving back.” - Stan Grossman, 52 years. “The teaching moments in explaining the rules to others.” - Mike Weinhaus, 26 years. For others mastering the rules is an incentive. “The rules are challenging and interesting; not always what you think.” Dave Hampton, 12 years. “I’ve learned the rules by participating.” - Tony Wasser, 26 years. Of course, there is the camaraderie. “I enjoy reconnecting with the players, other officials, superintendents, and club pros.” - John Kueper, 29 years. Responsibilities. Officials make sure the competition runs fairly and smoothly. They are there to help players and save them from getting penalties. “There is self-satisfaction in that somebody had a problem, and you gave them choices for getting out of trouble.” - Marcella Rose, 15 years. Facts are decided and rules applied to protect the interests of all players. “If I didn’t have the respect of the players I wouldn’t officiate.” – Woody Johnson, 8 years. Maintaining a pace-of-play standard is essential, especially with large fields, as slow play is frustrating, and daylight is limited. Training. Getting a copy of “The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf ” book and loading the USGA Rules of Golf app on one’s phone are musts. Plan on reading the rules, interpretations, and committee procedures over and over! “Learning the rules is a cumulative process.” - John Thorman, 11 years. More formally, the USGA offers a 2-day introductory and week-long virtual workshops, plus 3-1/2-day USGA/PGA in-person workshops at many locations around the country (including St Louis, March 18-21).
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The MAGA schedule is target-rich with opportunities. There are 30 tournaments – 10 USGA qualifiers, 13 local championships, and 7 Amateur Series events (schedules in The Metropolitan) – a total of 43 tournament days. They are played on 26 different private and public courses in the greater St Louis area and southern Illinois. Skill levels vary among tournaments. Each course has unique characteristics regarding potential rulings. Field sizes range from 16 players (Old Warson Cup matches) to 156 players (Metropolitan Amateur and Metropolitan Open Championships). Field compositions encompass elite amateurs, professionals, high-handicappers, juniors, seniors, men, women, boys, and girls. Individual stroke play is the primary format, but there is also four-ball stroke play, as well as singles, four-ball, and foursome match play. Typically, the Rules Committee for each tournament includes the Director, a Starter, Scorer, multiple Zone Officials and Rovers, plus a Scoreboard Recorder. Individual assignments vary with need and experience. Officials may volunteer for as many or as few days at tournaments as they wish. A complimentary backpack, hat, and shirt are provided (i.e., the uniform). Lunch is a favorite perk. Getting Started. It’s not hard. Sometimes all it takes is a nudge. “I had a situation in a match with a rules official, knew the ruling, and he encouraged me to officiate.” – Ken Burg, 6 years. “Mike Weinhaus and Carol Fromuth encouraged me (both are rules officials).” - Brian Matthews, first year. Retirement opens new doors for many people. “I’m an avid golfer, wanted to keep a hand in golf as my skills diminished, and had the time when I retired.” - David Oberlink, 4 years. “Knowing the rules helped me in tournament play. After retiring I had more time and got into officiating.” - Dave Verhulst, 4 years. “I played tournament golf but got injured and wanted to stay connected to the game.” - Jim Gidcumb, 3 years Other avenues are more diverse. Perhaps an interest in the rules evolves. “Years ago, I got a copy of “Decisions on the Rules of Golf ’ as a gift. I started reading a page every day, and now I’m officiating.” - Scott Novak, 2 years. “I had a rules situation in a match that I couldn’t handle, which led to studying the rules.” – Marvin Frazier, 4 years. Others just like being around the game of golf. “I played competitively and wanted to help the game.” – King Edmonston, 7 years. “I volunteered as a walking scorer at LPGA, PGA Tour, and USGA events, which led to an interest in the rules.” - John Sahrman, 4 years. If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering with the MAGA Rules Committee, contact Curt Rohe (curt@metga. org).
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The Metropolitan
January/February 2022
Supe’s On Eric Bickel
MTI Distributing Eastern Missouri Territory Manager Mississippi Valley GCSA Board Member
Communication of a Golf Course Superintendent with his or her membership is typically split between agronomics, projects, and course conditions vs. the weather. That is, until the last 10 months. Now like almost every other industry we find ourselves explaining how our expenses and operations are impacted by global economics. While I can’t speak for all Superintendents, I can attest the only time I made it into the Economics lecture hall was to take the exam. At the time, I found Economics to be the most irrelevant of my electives right behind Sociology. Over the last year however, we are all getting a hard knocks review of Econ 101. The impacts of the global supply chain, demand, and inflation are quickly competing with weather, agronomics, and playing conditions in every Superintendents mind. From labor to fertilizer, it seems none of the tools we rely upon have been left undisrupted by the aftermath of 2020. Like most industries, we are struggling with the unrelenting effects of inflationary pressures (table 1) and the unpredictable supply of key inputs our maintenance programs are built on. Labor: Initial disruptions to staffing levels from 2020 continue to linger. The rising minimum wage coupled with shrinking labor pools have made staffing both increasingly expensive and difficult to procure. Golf facilities are having to compete with wages reflective of the landscape industry. Due to the increased time Americans are now spending at home the landscape industry has seen a boom in growth. This increased demand has driven wages up even further. Efficiency has seen a study downfall as well. Due to increased rounds, an ever increasing amount of the grounds staff ’s precious hours are spent working around play and golf courtesy. Increasing labor costs however, are just one piece of the pie chart. Chemicals and Fertilizer: Effects to this sector may be the most challenging to overcome in 2022. Disruptions in supply of Urea (the nitrogen source in most fertilizers) will probably continue to worsen as China and Russia comprise a significant amount of this markets supply. With fertilizer prices nearly double what they were pre-COVID, the continuing diminished exports are sure to raise prices and increase lead times even further. In addition, other key ingredients such as Potash and Phosphate have seen significant price index increases. To further complicate the issue, shipping of these materials continue to lag behind production at an unprecedented level. With a shortage of more than 80,000 truck drivers nation-wide, catching up on the transport of these materials will take time. This is leaving several operations facing delays in key products that require timely application, like pre-emergence for example. Plant health applications are certain to be affected as well. Issues run from production to Packaging. For example simple items like plastic bottle caps, containers, and corrugated cardboard boxes are stuck in transit, backing up inventory stalled at the manufacturing facilities. Overall, these delays coupled with the inflationary pressures are creating uncertainty with agronomic plans and operating budgets alike. Fuel and Equipment: We’re all too painfully aware of fuel prices having almost doubled from pre-COVID levels. This increased cost is accompanied by price increases in equipment that have not been seen since Jimmy Carter was in office. Volatile commodity markets, a boom in the golf industry, skyrocketing shipping costs, and increased wages in the manufacturing sector are all combining to drive already high Ag equipment prices up over 20% in the last two years. Backed up ports, reliance on the global supply chain, the manufacturing shift to minimal inventory production, and line shut downs due to COVID protocols, are all factors causing production of equipment to slow to a near stand-still. From engines, to tires, to axels and microchips, like the automotive industry, Golf course equipment manufacturers are backed up on orders anywhere from 6 to 14 months. The commodity volatility and forecasting of manufacturing costs out 12 months has forced manufacturers to adopt a defensive mindset when determining pricing. Just like the auto industry, prices are soaring and availability is scarce. This lack of availability is impacting the supply of repair parts as well, forcing operations to carry increased stock over previous years.
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January/February 2022
Seed: Droughts combined with increase demand has exhausted the stock of grass seed from Oregon. With one of the worst yields in decades seed costs have doubled.
Presented by:
The 2022 season is going to be a logistical and financial challenge for Superintendents. Tough decisions of cost vs. product are becoming a daily occurrence. Should trends continue, the cost of golf will inevitably have to reflect the current economic environment. As Stewards of the game, Superintendents will always maximize their resources. However, those resources may come at a higher cost.
Men’s Player of the Year
Name Affiliation No. Events No. Wins Total Pts Curtis Brokenbrow The Quarry 3 1 1275 Table 1 Chad Niezing Metropolitan eClub 2 0 975 Key Budget Sectors for Golf Course Maintenance Christopher Ferris Aberdeen GC 0 0 940 Price Indexes % increase from Sam Migdal Norwood Hills CC 2 1 932.5 March 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022 Tony Gumper Old Hickory GC 2 2 925 Fertilizer Net Increase 98% Max Kreikemeier Forest Hills CC 1 0 832.5 Domestic Shipping 50% Ryan Eckelkamp Franklin County CC 3 0 727.5 Urea 266% Bellerive CC 0 0 595 Peter Weaver Potash -10% Jason Landry Greenbriar Hills CC 2 0 480 Rock Phosphate 39% Ryan Sullivan Tapawingo National GC 3 1 437.5 Natural Gas 118%
Pts Behind 300 335 342.5 350 442.5 547.5 680 795 837.5
Full standings here Ag Equipment Net Increase 21% 40’ Freight Global 600% Domestic Shipping 50% Name Affiliation No. Events No. Wins Total Pts Pts Behind Rubber 48% Brian Lovett Bellerive CC 0 0 710 Steel 31% Buddy Allen Metropolitan eClub 1 0 450 260 Plastic 37% Joe Malench Metropolitan eClub 1 1 350 360 Manufacturing Labor 11% Paul Neeman Persimmon Woods GC 1 0 267.5 442.5 JoeFuel Richardson Old Hickory 0 0 200 510 Net Increase 84% GC Joe Timpone The Quarry 1 0 200 510 Gas 91% Kevin Giese Metropolitan eClub 1 0 162.5 547.5 Diesel 42% David Bremer Persimmon Woods GC 1 0 132.5 577.5 Oil 330% Full standings here Plant Health Chem. Net Increase 23% Organic Chemicals 49% Oil Seeds 66% Domestic Shipping 50% Name Affiliation No. Events No. Wins Total Pts Pts Behind Labor Net Increase 15% McKennaLabor Montgomery Persimmon Woods GC 1 1 1075 Participation rate -2.20% Kathy Glennon Country Club of St. Albans 1 0 750 325 Minimum Wage 18% Alyssa McMinn Far Oaks GC 1 0 525 550 Ellen Port Sunset CC 0 0 400 675 Grass Seed Net Increase 95% MelanieRyegrass Wolf Bogey Hills Seed 100% CC 1 0 400 675 Madeline Larouere Metropolitan eClub 1 0 350 725 Fescue Seed 95% Sources FRED Economic Data, Y Charts, FAO of UN, Cass Freight Index Full standings here Index Mundi, Trading Economics, Mo Dept of Labor, Statistical
Senior Men’s Player of the Year
Women’s Player of the Year
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January/February 2022
G i v e G o a l b y C r e d i t , He Wa s A Tr e a s u r e The Bogeyman Dan O’Neill
He was familiar with the skeletons, what they did and which closets they were in. And he would, in an engaging manner - never spiteful, never vindictive describe them. Nothing was better than bumping into Goalby at Augusta National. The first time he walked onto the grounds in April, 1960, Dwight D. Eisenhower was the country’s president and Marilyn Monroe was the centerfold in a new magazine called Playboy.
(Editor’s note: This story appears courtesy of Morning Read (www. morningread.com)
Thereafter, he walked on them annually. “It’s one of the special places in America,” Goalby said.
Bob Goalby passed away in mid-January. He was 92 at the time, still sharp, but unable to get up and move around. That did not sit well with Goalby.
The pride of Belleville, Ill., captured his green jacket on April 14, 1968, a day for which he was never given full props. The player that received the lion’s share of the attention on that Sunday was Roberto De Vicenzo. The Argentinean committed one of the most notorious gaffes in sports history, shooting a score that would have forced a playoff and signing a card that aborted one.
That expression is not used to be flippant, but because Goalby would appreciate it. He was a beauty, in the most endearing sense of the word, one this newspaper hack was privileged to know. “They don’t make them like that anymore,” said Goalby’s nephew, Jay Haas, during a celebration of Goalby’s life at Sunset Country Club.
According to the rules, enforced at the time by USGA president and Bellerive Country Club member Hord Hardin, the inflated score De Vicenzo signed for stood and he finished a stroke behind Goalby.
They certainly don’t. Goalby was a John Wayne-type of character, a man’s man. And if some woke organization or individual has a problem with that description, too bad. That’s who he was - tough, fair, humble, confident, compassionate and funny as hell.
Lost in the commotion was the special performance by Goalby, then 35. He checked and correctly signed for a final-round 66, which featured a threehole surge of birdie-birdie-eagle at Nos. 13 through 15, a 4-under flourish that drew him even with De Vicenzo.
If you didn’t want an honest answer, if your senses were delicate, asking Goalby questions was an amateur mistake. If you enjoyed color and candor, he was one of the great storytellers golf has known, tales that opened windows into the worlds of people like Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, San Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, legends we otherwise hardly knew. Goalby was a contemporary of them all, a founding force in the Champions PGA Tour, a pioneer of golf broadcasting.
Years later, he said of the par-5 No. 15: “I never played that hole as well as I should have over the years. But on that particular day I did, and that was the time I had to. In our day, that hole was a little longer than it is today compared to the way the kids play now. They hit it so far today. ” Goalby’s 3-iron from the fairway cleared the water and settled eight feet from the flag at No. 15. After the championship concluded, he received a letter from Bobby Jones telling him that 3-iron was “one of the finest shots I’d ever seen.” It would be a heckuva shot by today’s standards. In ’68, it was even better. “Back in the 1950s and 60s, they overseeded with rye and it kind of toughened the grass,” Goalby said. “The ball would kind of nestle down in little spots. And it wasn’t whether you had a good enough position to cover the distance on the par-5s, it was whether you had a good enough lie to go for it, because the lie was kind of scratchy. It was kind of hard to get it airborne over the lake.”
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Another critical moment that day came at 18. Playing ahead, De Vicenzo bogeyed the 18th, settling his actual score at 65 and 11-under 277 for the championship. Goalby needed a par-4 on the final hole to match. But this time, his 3-iron from 195 yards rolled to a stop 45 feet from the flag. “I knew I had to two-putt to tie, ” Goalby recalled. “And when I looked at the putt, I was looking at about 20 feet of break. It was scary as hell, you know? I had to have a little man-to-man talk with myself. And I just told myself, ‘Stand up there and hit it .’ ” He did, lagging to four feet and converting to finish the 66. He thought it was good enough for a tie and a Monday playoff. When De Vicenzo mistakenly also signed for a 66, and a cumulative 10-under 278, Goalby was the winner. “It was awkward. It was tragic for Roberto, but it was equally unfortunate for me,” Goalby said, years later. “I never did get full credit for what I’d done. I played damned well, especially the last day.” From where the Bogeyman stands, Goalby didn’t need De Vicenzo’s error. He had that green jacket, either way. He was an outstanding athlete, an all-state quarterback at Belleville Township High and a terrific baseball player. He attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship, before transferring to Southern Illinois-UniversityCarbondale and playing baseball. He served in the Army (1950-52), where he played on a division football team with All-Americans Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis. He deserves full credit, for a life well-lived, for a Masters championship and for a remarkable life.
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2022 Boatwright Interns Each season MAGA welcomes intern to join our staff through the PJ Boatwright Internship program provided by the USGA. Please let us introduce our 2022 Boatwright Interns:
Hand Warmer
Tanner Weberling – Operations Intern
This edition of Rules Quiz features an excerpt from MAGA official John Thorman’s e-book, Let’s Get It Right.
Tanner is a senior at University of Missouri and will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Park, Recreation and Sport degree. Weberling is a native of Hillsboro, MO and attended Hillsboro High School. He has spent the last few summers working at Tapawingo National Golf Club and Paradise Valley Golf and Country Club. Weberling has interest in pursuing a career in golf and commented on the upcoming summer, “I am looking forward to this internship with MAGA because I want to be a part of creating memorable experiences for amateur golfers. I am hoping to learn about the aspects that make golf tournaments perform well, and how to run them from an operations aspect.”
Dear ColdHandsWarmHard: This reminds me of the story about the ice fisherman with a long string of fish. When asked the secret to his success, he mumbled something unintelligible. When asked again, he emptied his mouth into his hand and said, “You have to keep your worms warm.”
Jack Underwood – Communications Intern Jack also attends the University of Missouri and the famed Journalism School. He expects to graduate in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Journalism in Newspaper Writing. Underwood will fill the role of Communications Intern for 2022. He looks to use his skills as a beat writer for the Columbia Missourian to assist MAGA with our Communications this coming season. On accepting the position for the season Underwood stated, “I am looking forward to using my abilities in content creation to manage press and communications for the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association this summer. I am especially excited for the opportunity to use new equipment and hone my skills in social media management, video production, and writing while working with your organization.”
Dear John: Even though temperatures are in the low-40’s, it’s hard to pass up a chance to play golf on a dry, sunny, and calm January day in Missouri. Most players add a few extra layers of clothes and wear gloves on both hands. Some even use hand warmers (e.g., exothermic chemical packet, battery-powered electrical unit, lighter-fluid catalytic unit). The one drawback is that the golf ball plays like a rock (i.e., no compression) compared to a 90-degree summer day. Is it okay for a player to use a hand warmer to heat his golf ball between holes? -- ColdHandsWarmHeart
Using a hand warmer to keep one’s hands and body warm is traditionally accepted. However, Rule 4.2a(2) expressly states “A player must not make a stroke at a ball whose performance characteristics have been deliberately altered, such as by scuffing or heating the ball or applying any substance (other than cleaning it).” The penalty is disqualification.
Parker Leavitt – Operations Intern Parker attends Arizona State University majoring in Mechanical Engineering and expects to graduate in May 2024. Leavitt is familiar with MAGA having competed as a junior in the Metropolitan Junior Championship and U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifiers while in high school. He continues to fill that competitive void by participating on the Arizona State Club Golf Team. Leavitt is excited to join the MAGA staff for the 2022 season and commented on joining our team, “I am both honored and thankful for the opportunity to be a Boatwright intern. I am looking forward to learning what goes on behind the scenes and what goes into putting on high quality events. I have always been a player in tournaments, so it will be interesting learning about the operations and seeing tournaments from a different point of view. I excited to meet new people and grow both personally and professionally.”
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2022 MAGA Championships Championship Location Date Old Warson Cup
Old Warson CC
April 30-May 1
East Side Amateur
Gateway National GL
May 14-15
Open Championship
CC of St. Albans
May 18-20
Robert A. Shogren Cup
Greenbriar Hills CC
May 22-23
Women’s Championship TBD June TBD 9-Hole Championship
Creve Coeur GC
June 25
Junior Championship
The Bogey Club
June 27-28
Four-Ball Championship
Franklin County CC
July 10-11
Amateur Championship
Old Warson CC
August 4-6
Normandie Amateur
Normandie GC
August 20-21
Southern Illinois Amateur
Green Hills GC
September 10-11
Thomas O. Sobbe Cup Final
Fox Run GC
September 23
Senior Championship
Aberdeen GC
September 27-28
MAGA Championships
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2022 USGA Qualifying Rounds Qualifier Location Date U.S. Women’s Open
Fox Run GC
May 4
U.S. Open Local Lake Forest CC May 9 U.S. Girl’s Junior Ama. Sunset CC June 21 U.S. Junior Amateur Sunset CC June 21 U.S. Senior Women’s Am.
Algonquin GC
June 23
U.S. Amateur
Persimmon Woods GC
July 5-6
U.S. Senior Amateur Bogey Hills CC July 21 U.S. Mid-Amateur
Dalhousie GC
August 9
‘23 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball
WingHaven CC
August 29
‘23 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball WingHaven CC
August 29
USGA Qualifying Rounds
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Supe’s On Eric Bickel
MTI Distributing
Mississippi Valley GCSA Board Member
2022 Amateur Series Tournament
Date
Winghaven CC
May 2
Crescent Farms GC
June 13
Persimmon Woods GC
June 20
Glen Echo CC
July 18
Innsbrook Resort GC
August 15
Sunset Hills CC
Sept. 12
The Quarry GC
Oct. 17-18
MAGA Amateur Series
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Award-winning dining, a booming craft beer scene and exceptional year-round golf on courses along
Communication of a Golf Course Superintendent with his or her membership is typically split between agronomics, projects, and course the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail await you in Alabama. Plus, with Jerry Pate’s Kiva Dunes and Arnold conditions vs. the weather. That is, until the last 10 months. Now like almost every other industry we find ourselves explaining how our Palmer’s Craft Farms in Gulf Shores, from the mountains to the coast you can take it all in. expenses and operations are impacted by global economics. While I can’t speak for all Superintendents, I can attest the only time I made it into the Economics lecture hall was to take the exam. At the time, I found Economics to be the most irrelevant of my electives right behind Sociology. Over the last year however, we are all getting a hard knocks review of Econ 101. The impacts of the global supply chain, demand, and inflation are quickly competing with weather, agronomics, and playing conditions in every Superintendents mind. From labor to fertilizer, it seems none of the tools we rely upon have been left undisrupted by the aftermath of 2020. Like most industries, we are struggling with the unrelenting effects of inflationary pressures (table 1) and the unpredictable supply of key inputs our maintenance programs are built on. www.GolfAlabama.org Labor: Initial disruptions to staffing levels from 2020 continue to linger. The rising minimum wage coupled with shrinking labor pools have made staffing both increasingly expensive and difficult to procure. Golf facilities are having to compete with wages reflective of the landscape industry. Due to the increased time Americans are now spending at home the landscape industry has seen a boom in growth. This increased demand has driven wages up even further. Efficiency has seen a study downfall as well. Due to increased rounds, an ever increasing amount of the grounds staff ’s precious hours are spent working around play and golf courtesy. Increasing labor costs however, are just one piece of the pie chart. Chemicals and Fertilizer: Effects to this sector may be the most challenging to overcome in 2022. Disruptions in supply of Urea (the nitrogen source in most fertilizers) will probably continue to worsen as China and Russia comprise a significant amount of this markets supply. With fertilizer prices nearly double what they were pre-COVID, the continuing diminished exports are sure to raise prices and increase lead times even further. In addition, other key ingredients such as Potash and Phosphate have seen significant price index increases. To further complicate the issue, shipping of these materials continue to lag behind production at an unprecedented level. With a shortage of more than 80,000 truck drivers nation-wide, catching up on the transport of these materials will take time. This is leaving several operations facing delays in key products that require timely application, like pre-emergence for example. Plant health applications are certain to be affected as well. Issues run from production to Packaging. For example simple items like plastic bottle caps, containers, and corrugated cardboard boxes are stuck in transit, backing up inventory stalled at the manufacturing facilities. Overall, these delays coupled with the inflationary pressures are creating uncertainty with agronomic plans and operating budgets alike. Fuel and Equipment: We’re all too painfully aware of fuel prices having almost doubled from pre-COVID levels. This increased cost is accompanied by price increases in equipment that have not been seen since Jimmy Carter was in office. Volatile commodity markets, a boom in the golf industry, skyrocketing shipping costs, and increased wages in the manufacturing sector are all combining to drive already high Ag equipment prices up over 20% in the last two years. Backed up ports, reliance on the global supply chain, the manufacturing shift to minimal inventory production, and line shut downs due to COVID protocols, are all factors causing production of equipment to slow to a near stand-still. From engines, to tires, to axels and microchips, like the automotive industry, Golf course equipment manufacturers are backed up on orders anywhere from 6 to 14 months. The commodity volatility and forecasting of manufacturing costs out 12 months has forced manufacturers to adopt a defensive mindset when determining pricing. Just like the auto industry, prices are soaring and availability is scarce. This lack of availability is impacting the supply of repair parts as well, forcing operations to carry increased stock over previous years. Seed: Droughts combined with increase demand has exhausted the stock of grass seed from Oregon. With one of the worst yields in decades seed costs have doubled. The 2022 season is going to be a logistical and financial challenge for Superintendents. Tough decisions of cost vs. product are becoming a daily occurrence. Should trends continue, the cost of golf will inevitably have to reflect the current economic environment. As Stewards of the game, Superintendents always maximize their resources. However, those resources may come a higher cost. Renaissancewill Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa on the Robert Trent Jones GolfatTrail, Birmingham
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