Arizona Golf Insider - November 2020

ARIZONAGOLF INSIDER

Where the Pros Play

Tucson National Resort Omni Elevates the Golf Experience Throughout the Southwest

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4Don’t | ARIZONA GOLFNative INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2020 scrap your American jewelry & silver, come see us first.

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Gilbert Ortega Gallery, nationally recognized since 1950, remains a family run business, carried on through five generations. Proof that integrity, quality, and desirable design are always in style.

Gilbert Ortega Gallery awakens you to a deep appreciation towards Native and Southwestern cultural achievements. View an array of impressive works of art and discover a collection of vintage/contemporary handmade jewelry, hand-woven Navajo rugs in eye catching designs, unique hand crafted furniture and home decor, exquisitely hand-carved Hopi kachinas, beautiful Pueblo pottery,Navajo sand painting and a variety of so much more.

While carefully examining each piece he buys measuring excellence and authenticity, Gilbert Ortega Jr. strongly believes that the art goes beyond the item itself, recognizing each piece to be of spiritual expression.

Gilbert Ortega Jr. as well as his friendly and knowledgeable staff invite you to visit the original Gilbert Ortega Gallery and experience “what we have spent a lifetime learning.”

Old Town Scottsdale · Main St. & Scottsdale Rd. 3925 N. Scottsdale Rd, · 480-990-1808 gilbertortegagallery@gmail.com

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contents AZ Golf News

Features 16.

Painting by Joshua Smith

COVER STORY - IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GREATNESS Roaming the fairways at the Omni Tucson National Resort never loses its magic

22.

10 YEARS OF PATRIOT ALL-AMERICA | By Ed Gowan The college bowl game for golf honoring our fallen heroes turns ten

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DESERT MASHIE HISTORY & IMPACT | By Tom Mackin Moving the needle: This historic golf group joins the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame

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SCOTLAND HISTORY & TRAVEL | By Joshua C. Evenson The first piece in a series exploring why St Andrews is the Home of Golf

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PARKINSONS & GOLF | By Tom Mackin The Glendale-based Glencroft Center explores treatment for Parkinson’s through golf

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10. SIGNATURE HOLE 14. MEMBERS ONLY 42. DINING 64. 19TH HOLE

Departments 56.

RULES

By Ed Gowan Match Play: The most prevalent form of golf is also greatly misunderstood.

62. OUT OF BOUNDS By Gary Van Sickle Golf: The universal cure that has carried us through a pandemic

ON THE COVER

A sunrise look at the Par-4 3rd hole at the Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course is just one of many stunning views to take in at the Old Pueblo favorite.

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ARIZONAGOLFINSIDER 7600 E. Redfield Rd., Suite 130 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (602) 944-3035 | www.azgolf.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS

PRESIDENT ......................................... Bill Burgesser VICE PRESIDENT .................................... Bob McNichols VICE PRESIDENT ........................................ Tim Brown SECRETARY ......................................... Michelle Cross TREASURER .......................................... Tim Hulscher GENERAL COUNSEL ....................................... Greg Mast

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

From the Executive Director

By Ed Gowan

W

elcome to Arizona Golf Insider’s new look and feel.

We hope you enjoy this format and look forward to hearing your feedback. For us, it lends itself better to the presentation of photography and graphics designed to enhance the writing you have come to expect. You will also see a few new twists to expand your visual golf experiences, a creation of our new publishing partner, ON Media.

We would be remiss if we didn’t honor the decade of our relationship with Backspin Publishing, and principals Bill Huffman and Mark Nothaft. We are indebted to the Hall of Famer Huffman, and Nothaft for their partnership, friendship and hard work in bringing Arizona Golf to your mailbox these many years. We hope to continue those features you have enjoyed, and will remember them fondly as we move forward.

It was a great ten years, but the times and budgets have forced a necessary decision. Providing a magazine for the membership has always been a key component of the Arizona Golf membership, one we wished to continue. Unfortunately the economics of golf and publishing have not been friendly over the last few years, forcing a change.

The option of moving entirely to a digital communication piece was the likely outcome until ON Media offered a different approach to accomplish both within our reduced budgets. It includes this landscape presentation, enhanced photography, more pages and a more sophisticated look at the social aspects 8 | ARIZONA GOLF INSIDER |

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of Arizona golf. This approach gives us the opportunity to meld the regular Insider features with a more expansive view of Arizona golf lifestyle that has made this The State for Golf over the past thirty years.

You will be receiving the normal four editions of the printed Arizona Golf Insider along with four to six digital editions, the first of which was sent in late August with the overseeding schedules. Other digital editions will be focused on particular aspects of the golf experience while the printed version looks to expand your personal vision of the golf lifestyle.

In this first edition, you will see our old friend, “Out of Bounds,” and a first-in-a-series of the History of Golf in each issue, beginning with St Andrews’ role in the development of the Game from the 1700’s to today, running up to the 150th Open on the Old Course in July 2022. Arizona Golf is offering two very special experiences at The Open (advertised inside) for anyone wishing to participate in the pageantry that will undoubtedly be both unique and memorable.

We are excited to present the new Arizona Golf Insider to you. Please let us know what you see, what you would like to see, and join us in enjoying the Game.

Jackie Bertsch, Vera Ciancola, Barbara Fitzgerald, Ed Gowan, Jerry Huff, Mark Jeffery, Mike Kane, Leslie Kramer, Ann Martin, Scott McNevin, John Souza

AGA STAFF

Ed Gowan, Hudson Baer, David Bataller, Anj Brown, Alexa Cerra, Tim Eberlein, Le Ann Finger, Brianna Gianiorio, Sharon Goldstone, Erin Groeneveld, Vivian Kelley, Mike Mason, Derek McKenzie, Chris Montgomery, Robyn Noll, Kylie Shoemake, Alex Tsakiris, Susan Woods.

Advertising and Sponsor Contact................. Chris Montgomery cmontgomery@azgolf.org - (602) 872-7011 National Advertising Contact......................... Brian Foster bfoster@azgolf.org - (602) 909-7799

AZ GOLF INSIDER STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF .................................. David Bataller AGA EDITOR .............................................. Anj Brown GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS ................................ Tom Mackin CONTRIBUTORS.......................... Ed Gowan, David Bataller, Anj Brown, Josh Evenson, Scott McNevin, Chris Montgomery, Mary Pomroy, Kevin Terry, Gary Van Sickle

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

PERRINE ADAMS, ROBYN LAMBERT, LISA GRANNIS, MICHELLE SCHNIEDER, DEIDRA VIBERG, JEN WOODS CREATIVE DIRECTION ........................... Haines Wilkerson, Hither & Wander Inc. ART DIRECTION ....................................... Michael Min FOR PRINT ADVERTISING SALES CONTACT: SALES@ONMEDIAAZ.COM Arizona Golf Insider is published four times per year by the Arizona Golf Association. It is supported by members’ dues, utilizing $5 per member per year. We welcome all editorial submissions, including letters, but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. They will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Views expressed within these pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or official policies of the Arizona Golf Association. No part of this magazine is intended as an endorsement of any equipment, publication, videotape, golf course, or other entity. No part of this magazine may be reproduced for use as an advertising, publicity or endorsement item without written approval of the AGA. Arizona Golf Insider is offered on a subscription basis for $12.95 annually.

Individual copies may be obtained by forwarding $5 to the address above.

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O P F

Relationships on par with performance.

We work daily to retain your trust through collaborative partnerships and a client-first philosophy.

Business Insurance | Risk Management | Employee Health & Benefits lovitt-touche.com

Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC

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SIGNATURE HOLE

Verrado Golf Club In the shadows of the White Tank Mountains, just a short drive west of Phoenix, lies 36 holes of championship golf designed by PGA TOUR star and Ryder Cup Captain, Tom Lehman. Verrado Golf Club, with two thrilling layouts meandering the desert, is filled with ancient saguaro cacti, old growth ironwoods, and plenty of wildlife to distract you from unparalleled views of the Valley. These jaw dropping views and the rugged natural beauty will remain a memory that will leave you wishing for another chance to play the Verrado Golf Club.

VICTORY COURSE HOLE #9 PAR 4

492 YDS

Welcome to the BEAST! This par 4 will challenge the most skilled player.

The fairway bunker to the left side is your aiming point from this teeing area. Favor the left side of the green on your approach shot, and be happy to escape with par.

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the 19th hole.

as we imagine it.

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PHOENIX SCOTTSDALE TEMPE TUCSON

1701 E. Camelback 602-266-8060 15804 N. Scottsdale Rd. 480-367-6401 2346 E. Southern 480-838-3080 3660 E. Fort Lowell 520-795-0316

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MEMBERS ONLY REFLECTION BAY

Just For You Special Offers for Members

GLOVE IT Carry your pickleball gear in style with this sling bag! This sling bag effortlessly holds all your pickleball gear, including up to 6 paddles, pickleballs, phone, keys, cash and more!

The bag includes large pockets, built in cell phone and key storage and comes with a clip on shoe bag and comes in multiple patterns.

An adjustable shoulder strap makes this pickleball sling bag easy on your back and shoulders, helping prevent muscle strain and shoulder pain. Visit gloveit.com to purchase.

Reflection Bay Golf Club is located in the luxurious high-end resort residential community of Lake Las Vegas.

Reflection Bay Golf Club is designated as a prestigious Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course.

Recently, Reflection Bay has been rated #6 “Best Course You Can Play In Nevada” in Golfweek Magazine for 2020. We are pleased to extend a 20% discount on our green fees to all Arizona Golf Association members. Visit reflectionbaygolf.com, click on non-resident tee times, and enter promo code ”rbayazinsider” to receive the discount.

This promo code is valid to use now through December 31, 2021.

Sip N Drink Pickleball Sling Bag $44.95

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MEMBERS ONLY

IMPERIAL Wet it! Wring it! Wave it! Our new Instant Cooling Towel, powered by award-winning Coolcore® technology, delivers a solution to overheating.

Whether you’re on the back nine or just hanging out at the pool, Imperial’s Instant Cooling Towel can get up to 30% cooler than normal surface temperatures. Just simply wet it, wring it, and wave it to activate the cooling technology.

l Chemical-Free l Washable & Reusable l Patented & Award Winning l Moisture activated cooling technology l Up to 30% cooler surface temperature when wet l 36 x 12 inch imperialsports.com $19.95

GOLFTEC

The new GOLFTEC Arrowhead Training Center is now open, featuring expanded training bays, better hours, new cameras and the latest in teaching & club fitting technology.

GOLFTEC has five Arizona training centers, and AGA members get started at GOLFTEC for only $75. Visit golftec.com/aga for more information.

VIMHUE VimHue is a new athleisure brand that has re-engineered the traditional baseball cap.

But this time, by women for women. The patented designs offer women and girls: stylish, moisture wicking, sunprotective and fitted athletic caps. The result is the first and only cap that is built to adjust to the wearer’s variable hairstyles. Every detail of our caps are specifically purposed for the female athlete. The goal is to keep her cool, comfortable, and confident along her journey.

VimHue represents an evolution in female athletic gear.

Visit vimhue.com for more information.

ONCORE GOLF VERO X1 features unprecedented accuracy and distance to lower your scores. This is the result of an oversize core and unique formulation along with a dense metal-infused mantle, leading to enhanced perimeter weighting. The result is increased moment of inertia (MOI) of the ball, which reduces side spin and achieves low spin off the driver. oncoregolf.com $39.99

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COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

In the footsteps of

GREATNESS Roaming the Fairways at Tucson National

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COVER STORY

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very golfer loves to play where the pros play. Especially on a course when they can walk in the footsteps of legends like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Phil Mickelson. All of them won tournaments at Omni Tucson National Resort, the rare destination in Arizona that features both a desert-style and a parkland golf course. Being able to stay right next to the course is an added bonus, especially when it’s part of Omni Hotels & Resorts, the Official Hotel of the PGA TOUR. That golf connection will strengthen even more when the Omni Frisco PGA Resort opens north of Dallas in three years. It’s part of a site that will include the new headquarters of the PGA of America and two new golf courses. One, the Gil Hanse-designed East Course, is scheduled to open in 2022 and host two PGA Championships (the first in 2027), two KPMG Women’s PGA Championships, and potentially a Ryder Cup. There will also be a 10-hole short course and a 100,000-square-foot putting course.

But that’s still down the road a bit. Right now you can plan a getaway to the Omni Tucson National Resort, and to other Omni properties throughout the Southwest, for plenty of golf and relaxation off the course.

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HISTORY Chicago businessman named Sam Nanini had a dream: turn a cotton field he had purchased north of downtown Tucson, Arizona, into a world-class golf club. He and his son Bill made that a reality in 1961 with the opening of Tucson National, an 18-hole layout designed by Robert Bruce Harris that took full advantage of incredible mountain views. Soon thereafter, the Naninis met Jack Nicklaus, then in the early stages of his record-setting career. They hit it off so well that Nicklaus was hired to represent the new golf club.

That relationship served as the cornerstone for Tucson National’s growing international acclaim and reputation, one that enabled it to attract the world’s best golfers to play in the Tucson Open beginning in 1965.

After 12 guestrooms were added for member use in the 1970s, the resort itself was truly born in 1986 with the addition of 155 rooms and suites, plus an additional 9-hole course. Four years later, Bob Rowling, CEO of the Shoreline Operating Company, purchased Tucson National. In 1996, Shoreline expanded with the acquisition of the Omni Hotels Group. Under Mr. Rowling’s direction, Omni Hotels grew to over 60 luxury class properties across North America. Today Omni Tucson National includes 79 guestrooms, 36 holes of championship-caliber golf, three restaurants (including Bob’s Steak & Chop House), a spa with full amenities, the Sweetwater Zero Edge pool and cabanas, and four lighted tennis courts.

GOLF Omni Tucson National offers golfers two dramatically different golf courses. The Catalina Golf Course (the original Orange and Gold nines) has hosted a long roster of tournaments, including PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events, the annual University of Arizona Invitational, and five U.S. Open qualifying events.

From 1965 through 2006, the PGA TOUR’s Tucson Open was played here 30 times, and winners included the biggest names in the game. Arnold Palmer took the title in 1967, elevating the national appeal of the course. Lee Trevino had back-toback wins in 1969 and 1970. Johnny Miller won three consecutive times (1974, 1975 and 1976), and Phil Mickelson earned two of his three Tucson Open wins on the course (1995-96).

Since 2015 the Catalina Course has hosted The Cologuard Classic, a PGA TOUR Champions event. World Golf Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer is expected to defend his title when the tournament returns February 21-28, 2021. Be sure to check out the historical photos from many of the past tournaments on the walls of the Legends Bar and Grill in the clubhouse.

Robert Van Hagge and Bruce Devlin redesigned the Catalina Course in 1983, while holes No. 7 and 8 were then relocated and redesigned by Tom Lehman in 2005. The parkland-style layout features eight lakes, 80 bunkers and mostly subtle greens.

Among the standout holes are the par 3 fourth, where a newly renovated lake guards the front and left sides of the green. The par 4 finishing hole, which ends right in front of the clubhouse, was long regarded as one of the toughest of its kind on the PGA TOUR. Drives needed to find a fairway sandwiched between two lakes. The landing area is a bit turtleback-shaped, so shots a bit too far left or right can often run right into the water. Approach shots to the elevated green guarded by several bunkers needs above-average precision for any chance of birdie.

Designed by Arizona resident Tom Lehman, the desert-style Sonoran Course opened in December 2005. This layout includes the former Green nine (designed by Von Hagge and Devlin in the mid-1980s), to which Lehman crafted an additional nine holes.

He incorporated a true desert look and feel, along with strategic fairway bunkering and numerous elevation changes, to create a fun yet altogether different counterpart to the Catalina Course.

You won’t soon forget the third hole, a downhill par 3 that drops approximately 75 foot from tee to green with stunning views of the nearby Catalina Mountains.

Tucson National’s expansive practice area is a perfect place to warm-up for the round or work on your game. The range has room for up to 40 players, while a short game area allows for pitching, chipping, and bunker practice. Specialty shots around the greens are also possible with practice greens that allow wedge shots of up to 85 yards. With six PGA Professionals on staff (including PGA award-winning teachers) Omni Tucson National has several choices to assist with coaching, instruction, club fitting, and club repair/adjustments.

Omni Tucson National Resort is offering a “Stay & Play Package” from November 1 through Dec 31, 2020, with rates starting from $264 midweek & $298 weekend. A “Build Your Own Package” will be available from January 1 through March 31, 2020. It allows guests to book a stay with best available rate and then add on dynamic package options such as 9 or 18 holes of golf, dinner at Bob’s Steak & Chop House, and/or late checkout.

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COVER STORY

SOUTHWEST CHOICES Tucson National is not the only Omni Resort in the Southwest where you can stay, play golf, or just blissfully relax. At Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California, 27 holes of golf await on three distinct nines: the North, South and West. The trio wind their way through palm tree-lined fairways and gently rolling terrain, surrounded by breathtaking views of the San Jacinto and San Bernardino mountains. Six lakes and the infamous Ted Robinson-designed bunkers are to be admired from afar rather than up close. Off the course, guests can use the adult-only Azure pool or Splashtopia, home to water slides and a lazy river for both the young and old(er). The Spa Las Palmas can soothe both mind and body with more than 50 treatment options while culinary delights can be discovered at bluEmber, the resort’s signature dining experience.

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, has a professional golf tournament history that rivals that of the Omni Tucson National. The PGA TOUR visited annually from 1969 through 1998, followed by the World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championship through 2006. The LPGA Tour also stopped here in 2010 and 2012. The Champions Course offers the tougher challenge but the Legends Course is no slouch, either.

Be sure to check out The Spa at La Costa, with 42 treatment rooms and a 15,000-squarefoot outdoor courtyard.

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ver and Boulder, also offers a memorable 27 holes well above sea level. That elevation will add some distance to your shots (expect about 10 percent more than normal) on the Eldorado, Vista and Sunshine nines. All were designed by Graham & Panks International, a partnership between 1981 U.S. Open Champion David Graham and course architect Gary Panks. Off the course you can toast the low score in your group with one of 26 Colorado craft beers at The Tap Room or relax at the Mokara Spa. There may be no better place to recover from 18 holes (or more) than the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, located at the base of Camelback Mountain. This destination was artfully designed to provide the serenity you might just need after your round. The award-winning Joya Spa, Arizona’s only Hammam-inspired luxury spa, offers 31,000-square-feet of pampering that can help erase the memory of too many bogeys.

Dining is available at Prado, the resort’s Spanish-inspired restaurant, while cabanas are available for rent at numerous pools.

Whether you’re home for the holidays and need a reprieve from all of the festivities, or visiting family and friends over the holidays and need a respite from travel, celebrate the season peacefully at Omni Hotels with up to 25% off the best available rates between November 1, 2020 – January 7, 2021. Use promo code LOCAL. For more information go to omnihotels.com.

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10 Years of

of the Patriot All-America The College Bowl Game for Golf Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Turns Ten with One of Its Greatest Fields WORDS BY ED GOWAN PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JORDAN 22 | ARIZONA GOLF INSIDER |

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Opening Ceremonies at the Patriot All-America include player and honoree introductions.

his year marks the 10th anniversary of the Patriot All-America Invitational, a championship that not only highlights top college golfers but also pays tribute to our fallen military heroes.

In December of 2010 Gregg Grost, CEO of the Golf Coaches Association of America, and I were having lunch at their Annual Conference in Las Vegas. We were interested in creating a premier amateur competition in Arizona over the holidays, normally a slow time for amateur competitions.

I inquired about offering invitations to the GCAA’s PING All-America honorees to enhance the field. Gregg gave me all the reasons the NCAA’s rules would make such an effort almost impossible unless it was solely an event for college players, but they would all have to pay their own expenses – the Universities could not assist. With the great histories of ASU and UArizona’s teams, this resonated with me, and within a few minutes, we agreed to co-host such an event.

I mentioned that having a charity component would be important in fundraising.

Gregg noted that collegians can’t be used for outside fundraising, but that each coach could promote the GCAA’s chosen charity, the Folds of Honor. It seemed a perfect fit since their mission is to provide educational scholarships to families of fallen and disabled service-members. To honor these heroes, Gregg suggested having the collegians carry a PING golf bag honoring a fallen soldier from the player’s school or hometown. Then,

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Major winners like Justin Thomas have been part of every Patriot All-America event.

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separate from the championship, the coaches could auction the bags following the event with proceeds going to Folds.

Coincidentally, its founder, Major Dan Rooney, was nearby and immediately blessed their participation. It took a total of about twenty minutes to complete the package.

A challenge was finding a date and place to play. I was aware that Jerry Colangelo’s JDM Partners had recently purchased The Wigwam Resort. Through AGA promotions I had come to know Tom Schultz, one of their senior people. He directed me to their Chief Operating Officer, Tom O’Malley, and within a few days we had secured the challenging Gold Course the week after Christmas for the first event to be held the last three days of 2011, and so it has remained.

The next effort was creating an elite field of players from around the world. To keep the event entries above board, we agreed the GCAA would invite all players so that the member coaches could be assured there would be no favoritism and that NCAA rules would be strictly enforced. The last thing we wanted to do was jeopardize a collegian’s eligibility.

The goal was to create a unique, Tour-level experience for college golfers. As Tom O’Malley stated, “We want to provide a ‘bowl-game experience’ for the college golfer.”

The final piece of the puzzle fit into place with the participation of the Fighter Country Partnership, a volunteer group that supports the mission and airmen of nearby Luke Air Force Base. Their CEO, Ron Sites, not only wanted to participate but also to contribute in some fashion. Again, at a lunch discussion at The Wigwam, a person at a neighboring table, overhearing the conversation and planning of what we were doing, introduced himself as a retired Air Force general. He volunteered to speak to the Base Commander and suggested we could bring in the colors with the Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue parachute team that would be training nearby that winter. Another accidental perfect fit for the Patriot was accomplished.

Year one was a scramble, to say the least. Thanks to the community connections of JDM, we secured event-planner Jeff Golner to create an opening ceremony. Folds of Honor sent Major Ed Polido, who took over the first Opening Ceremony with a rousing remembrance of how golf helped him recover from devastating battlefield injuries, and the tone for the following years was set in stone.

Under the Patriot theme, each year we begin the Ceremony announcing the players, their school, and the soldier they are representing for the week. The Wings of Blue parachute in with the colors. A fly-over is timed to the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner many times now by Steven Powell (USN Ret.). Each year is a little different, but always there is a speech by someone representing Folds of Honor calling respect for the fallen.

To complete the player experience, we provide Antigua uniforms for all players, gifts daily in their rooms, a challenge coin memorializing the event, with Air Force flight suits and replica jet trophies for the top five players. The winner receives a genuine, leather flight jacket reminiscent of the WWII jackets worn by the Army Air Corps (becoming the Air Force in 1947).

With the PING All-America teams comprising the majority of each year’s field along with representatives from the Military Academies’, Patriot alums include Tour stars Daniel Berger, Cameron Champ, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Rodgers, Justin Thomas among many more with forty Tour wins and seven Majors including three US Opens and three PGA Championships.

We often hear back from these players through social media.

A few years ago, Koepka commented that the Patriot was the most memorable tournament he had played. I’m guessing a recent US Open has usurped the Patriot, but we are still honored to be remembered. We have heard from PGA TOUR sponsors that Berger has made noticeable efforts to AZ G OL F.ORG

greet soldiers at PGA TOUR events. We’d like to think we perhaps created some basis for his courtesies.

In the annual visit to Luke Air Force Base hosted by Fighter Country and the Base Commander, the players have a meal in a hangar with both F-16 and F-35 fighters present.

They share tables with base pilots and airmen, many of whom are their same ages. Imagine a college junior, NCAA tournament winner, talking to another 20-year old who preps F-35’s for battle, is responsible for security on the base, or a 23-year old who flies sorties in an F-16. Tours of the control tower, weapons system and military dog training demonstrations meld their golf experience with our military heroes. The airmen are also excited to spend time with these young athletes, many of whom will be recognized on PGA and European Tour telecasts over the next years.

We have witnessed several heart-rending examples of what the bags mean to the families of those honored during the event. In one of the first events, then AGA President Drew Woods was the starter at the tenth tee the first day. He radioed in asking how long he should wait for a player to tee off before assessing a penalty for delay.

Woods explained that as the player was called to play, a soldier in uniform told the player he was there to watch because the bag carried the name of his best friend who had been killed in battle the previous year. It took the player the better part of five minutes to compose himself before he could hit his tee shot. Such a meeting has happened many times over the past nine years. It never fails to remind us of the impact of the moment, and how much we sometimes take for granted.

One of the most moving tributes was held after the first year. The inaugural winner was Cory Whitsett from the University of Alabama in an epic finish where he beat fellow Alabama teammate Bobby Wyatt 65-66 on the last day to win by a stroke. Later that year at halftime of an Alabama W W W. A ZGO LF.O R G

Luke Air Force Base annually hosts the players for an exclusive tour of F-35 (left) and F-16 Fighters.

basketball game, the players presented their tournament golf bags to the family members of those fallen soldiers in a very moving ceremony. Similar presentations have continued over the past many years.

No event can succeed just based on a philosophy. JDM, The Wigwam, and many sponsors have made the Patriot a success. Hundreds of volunteers have allowed the creation of a player experience that has garnered much additional support. As an example, the Phoenix Thunderbirds participate annually not only with a financial contribution but more importantly in person, dressed in their recognizable tunics, announcing the players from their first tee and into the 18th green while naming the person being honored by each. The names Ping, Antigua, Titleist, Nike, the City of Litchfield Park, Toyota, Pyramid and many more contributors make it possible to continue. In recent years, the West Valley Mavericks, a prominent volunteer organization, has

taken the reins of local support from JDM to expand the visibility in the West Valley communities. Veterans organizations have also participated in partnered fundraising.

The Patriot All-America has become much more than Gregg Grost or I could ever have imagined. The incredible meshing of patriotism with golf, the participation of the local community, Thunderbirds, Luke Air Force Base, Fighter Country Partnership, and the entire Golf Coaches community have created life-changing experiences each of these last nine years, with the guarantee the tenth will be at least as memorable. Gregg and I have both remarked on many occasions that this is the most rewarding and profoundly impactful effort of our lives.

Please consider joining us for another amazing Opening Ceremony at 3 p.m. on December 27 at The Wigwam to honor our nation’s heroes and the best amateur golfers in the world.

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Desert Mashie Golf Club

Gains Hall of Fame Nod WORDS BY TOM MACKIN

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hen 10 African-American men founded the Desert Mashie Golf Club at Encanto Golf Course in Phoenix in 1946, their goal was to overcome the odds of years of racial discrimination, foster their love of golf, and expand the sport of golf in the community. Over the past 75 years the club has done all of that so well that it will be inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020 this coming February.

The club without real estate, whose name refers to a term formerly used to describe a 5-iron, currently has 134 members and plays monthly tournaments all over the Valley. “This is a family,” says club president Carolyn Suttles. “Over the years we have built a camaraderie and lifelong friendships with other golf clubs thanks to being a charter member of the Western States Golf Association (which includes 30 member clubs in six states) since 1954.”

Now one of the oldest organized golf clubs in Arizona, the Goodyear-based group returns to its roots at Encanto each year with the Desert Mashie Spring Championship, held in conjunction with the Junior Golf Association of Arizona. It showcases the club’s deep commitment to junior golf in the Valley, AZ G OL F.ORG

“

”

You learn a lot of things through golf and it prepares you for life.

an effort that results in approximately $10,000 to $15,000 being awarded annually to the club’s Junior Golf Program.

“We’re all about our juniors,” says Suttles. “Nurturing them and getting them ready for what the world has to offer them. You learn a lot of things through golf and it prepares you for life.” Past participants in the program have included Cheyenne Woods, Billy Mayfair, and Derek and Daryl Crawford (the current general managers at Coldwater Golf Club in Avondale and Papago Golf Club in Phoenix, respectively).

“Without the support from Bill Dickey (the Club’s former president who died in 2012) and the Desert Mashies, Derek and I would certainly not be in the positions where we are today in the world of golf,” said Daryl Crawford. “They were so good with juniors and focused on making sure we were successful. For us, it was about the opportunity to play in more events, to compete, and to see what that was like while also traveling to different places. It was just flat out awesome.”

Suttles, who made history in 2015 when she became the first female president in the club’s history, has refocused the club’s involvement with

the community, including a food drive each Thanksgiving in conjunction with St. Mary’s Food Bank.

“One of my goals when I became president was to start reaching out to and doing things for the community,” she says. “The club had done things like that years ago, but we had come to a lull of just golf for a while. And we had stopped a scholarship program for juniors, but we restarted that, too.”

Three-quarters of a century later, what would the Desert Mashie founding fathers – Dr. Thomas A. Crump, Aubrey C. Aldridge, Earl Le Near, Ernest S. Bartlett, Dr. Lowell C. Wormley, Curtis Ramsey, James “Doc” Earl, William “Robbie” Robinson, Ray Mercado, and Densil Purdue – think of the club being inducted in the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame?

“They would be proud to know that they started where we had to start under the circumstances of segregation, and now we can play anywhere,” says Suttles. “I would think that would be something they would really appreciate to know that we got past our beginnings.”

For more information on joining, volunteering or donating to the Desert Mashie Junior Golf or Scholarship programs, go to desertmashie.org.

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“ TRAVEL

I could take out of my life everything except my experiences at St Andrews and I would still have a rich, full life.

”

– Bobby Jones, shared during a speech in Younger Hall after

being awarded a key to the city of St Andrews in 1958.

The only other American to receive this honor was Benjamin Franklin.

St Andrews by Michael Klein

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TRAVEL

Scotland

ŠMichael Klein

HISTORY WORDS BY JOSHUA C. EVENSON

T

his quote sums up the feeling us kindred spirits have about St Andrews, as well as all the memories and friendships we will enjoy throughout life thanks to the Home of Golf.

Greetings! My name is Josh Evenson. Over the next twenty-two months I will be writing a series of articles for the Arizona Golf Association on the history of golf. After spending nearly six glorious months at the University of St Andrews, the only goal upon returning home was to get on the next plane back to the Kingdom of Fife. Other experiences that fashioned both my love and understanding of golf were interning with the British Golf Museum and R&A. While working with the British Golf Museum, I gained a deep understanding for the history of golf. A primary project of mine was to catalog approximately 4,200 documents from just after the Royal & Ancient Golf Club’s founding in 1754 through to the late 1890s.

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TRAVEL

All of these experiences led to my first book called Links to St Andrews - Love Letters to the Home of Golf.

More than one hundred people contributed, ranging from Open champions and legends of the game, to golf course architects and historians, and on to students and locals. We’ll be sharing some of this with you in coming months.

What comes to mind when you think of this timeless game? Do you think of honor? Perhaps integrity?

Camaraderie? Or maybe just a little white ball that folks around the world try to “get in the hole.” Golf is many things to many people. For some, it’s just a good walk.

For others it’s about friendship. And others it’s about the exercise or peaceful escape. For many, however, golf is simply the greatest game. In many ways it’s a simple game; in others, overly complex. Whatever the reason is that you play the game, St Andrews should be part of your bucket list.

The “Town and Gown” is where this story begins, referring to the relationship between the Town of St Andrews and the University of St Andrews, including the student body. Here’s a brief excerpt from the opening contribution to my anthology, Links to St Andrews, from Arnold Palmer, just to whet your appetite for the future.

For whatever reason you play the game of golf, I hope you find the virtues of the game many of us love. Whether it be through reading about the people who played the game, or watching them on television. My hope is that you will learn them as you come to love the game yourself. It’s the greatest game there is.

Please join us in reviewing a brief history of the game, while we discuss the foundations of the game to present, as we lead up to the 150th playing of THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP in 2022 at St Andrews on the famed Old Course -- which many folks say was built by God – the greatest architect of all - over time by wind, sand, rain, and sea.

Arnold

Palmer

Arnold Palmer at the 1960 U.S. Open (Copyright unknown/ Courtesy USGA Museum)

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“

I have been privileged to receive honorary degrees from many fine colleges and universities, but none, other than the one from Wake Forest University, my alma mater, is more meaningful than that conferred on me in 2010 by the University of St Andrews (third oldest behind Oxford and Cambridge University). It was the crowning moment in my long association with the historic community on the shore of the North Sea.

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Painting by Joshua Smith

“An admiration for St Andrews dates to my early years in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, when the game of golf was first taking hold of me. As I was learning how to play in those days, I became fascinated with golf’s history and traditions. I read about the exploits of great players, past and present, about the great championships and storied courses, certainly including the oldest of them all – The Open Championship – and its home at St Andrews.

“The opportunity to live a boyhood dream presented itself in the early years of

my professional career. I had passed up my first chance to travel to Britain in 1955 as a member of the Walker Cup team after winning the 1954 US Amateur Championship when I decided to turn professional late that year. Newly married, I needed to make a living.

“Success over the next few years on the PGA TOUR culminated in victories in the Masters and the US Open in 1960. Even though The Open Championship had lost some of its luster in the post-World War II years, it made perfect sense for me to go

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Painting by Michael Klein, Oil, 2015

for that cherished Claret Jug, especially since I was to partner with Sam Snead as the US team in the annual Canada Cup, now known as the World Cup, which was scheduled at Portmarnock in Ireland the week before players qualified for The Open Championship, and particularly since St Andrews was the venue that year. It was a memorable trip. Sam and I won the Canada Cup, and I just missed winning the Open, losing to Kel Nagle by a stroke, but St Andrews, the golf course and town, the country of Scotland, and the Scottish

people won me that summer. I knew that I had to come back and that I had to convince my fellow American pros how important it was to play in and perhaps win the hallowed Open Championship, just as my father had impressed on me in years’ past.

“I won the next two Opens – at Royal Birkdale and Troon – and I like to think that my trailblazing efforts led to most American players of note adding the championship to their schedules, restoring The Open Championship to its rightful place as one of

Painting by Michael Klein, Oil, 2015

professional golf and an integral part of the professional Grand Slam that I had inadvertently “invented” on my way to Ireland on that first trip abroad.

“What wonderful memories I have of St Andrews. My first look at the town and my first experiences on a true golf links. My Scottish caddie, colorful Tip Anderson, who proved invaluable to me for many years whenever my playing schedule took me to Europe. My stays at the Rusacks Hotel that bordered the course’s incomparable eighteenth fairway. The unpredictable weather.

Most of all, I recall the great kindness people of all walks of life extended to my wife Winnie and me whenever we had the good fortune to visit the birthplace of the game. I even developed a fondness for the weather!

“And, most recently, the exciting and rewarding experience of donning the robe and kneeling as the University drew me into its honored company in a profound and age-old ceremony. I will always hold that dear to my heart.”

the four major tournaments in the world of

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Gullane Golf Club Course No. 1 With every hole having its own distinct character, Gullane No. 1 is both memorable and enjoyable, and undoubtedly one of Scotland’s finest and most scenic links courses.

North Berwick Golf Club The West Links Course is a true links located on the edge of the Firth of Forth. This championship course has hosted many events over the years and is all about imagination with the sea in play on 6 holes.

Photo courtesy of Mark Alexander

2022 Open Championship Experience Travel to Scotland with the Arizona Golf Association for the “once in a lifetime” 150th Open Championship at The Old Course at St Andrews in July 2022. Trip includes eight nights accommodations, five in Edinburgh and three in St Andrews (Albany Hotel or Fairmont); full Scottish breakfast daily, three rounds of golf at the courses featured to the right; one dinner at the Fairmont Hotel, chauffeured minibus, two days at The Open Championship, and a welcome gift. A local representative will also provide assistance in daily ballot for other local courses, which will be available throughout the trip.

Reserve your spot today at azgolf.org/travel!

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Kingsbarns Golf Links Kingsbarns Golf Links is located seven miles from St. Andrews and sits along 1.8 miles of the North Sea coastline.

This Worldwide Top 100 course will inspire lifelong memories and complete your Scottish golf experiences.

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FIGHTING PARKINSON’S WITH GOLF AT

GLENCROFT

A

lthough she can get frustrated with the effects Parkinson’s has had on her speaking ability, 82-year-old Jane Baker is crystal clear when it comes to describing the benefits of the ZoeLife Parkinson’s Immersion Program at the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging in Glendale.

“I would be in a wheelchair if it wasn’t for this program,” says the Glencroft resident, a Pittsburgh native with three holes-in-one to her credit. “I know I would not be where I am today, and still as active as I am, without this amazing program and team around me,” she says. “I can’t wait to play golf again, something I thought I would never do.”

Steve Heller, Vice President and Director of Operations of ZoeLife, saw a rise in the number of Glencroft residents (age 67 and up) who were former golfers with Parkinson’s. He created a golf-oriented workout program in January 2019 to provide both physical and mental benefits to that audience.

“It’s an interesting dynamic where I can get people to work on their bodies,” says Heller. “Using golf as a vehicle to attack Parkinson’s is attractive because there’s so many former golfers here.”

Daily individual and group workouts, lasting from one to two hours, are designed to improve functional movement and decrease fall risk, both primary concerns for Parkinson’s patients.

Heller has implemented tools he previously used to train PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players in the FORE-MAX program he created at the Westin Kierland: an impact bag, swing fan, weights, stretching, and aquatic classes. He’s now added virtual reality technology that uses a 360-degree movement platform.

WORDS BY TOM MACKIN

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“ ” It will be like hitting reset button on your overall lifestyle...

“Putting on the KAT Virtual Reality headset enables participants to feel as if they can turn more fully and walk freely again,” says Heller. “They are strapped into the equipment, so balance is not an issue. There’s a range of visual options to choose from, including being out on a virtual golf course.

Anything that I can do to make this program fun and creative, I’m all-in.”

The majority of the Parkinson’s Immersion Program is conducted at Glencroft’s fitness facility, while participating golfers can also go to The Wigwam in Litchfield Park. “They receive instruction at the Warren Schutte Players Academy and then get to 36 | ARIZONA GOLF INSIDER |

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play a few holes,” he says. “To see people who thought they would never be on a course again get out there has been very rewarding.

I use that trip as an incentive to keep the golfers motivated.”

The successful program has grown beyond just golfers to include men and women who were previously active in other sports, including tennis. Starting this October different iterations of the program will be open to non-Glencroft residents for a fee. “They might not be ready to live at Glencroft, and they do not have to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s, but they will be able to come here 2-3 days a week and work with our team,” says Heller.

Also available will be an all-inclusive, multiple-night stay in an on-site casita with access to the full ZoeLife curriculum. “It will be like hitting a reset button on your overall lifestyle,” says Heller.

For Jane Baker, that means getting closer to being back out on the course.

When Heller put a golf club in her hands last year, her first swing was smooth and fluid. “Parkinson’s patients often shuffle as they walk, and moving in certain directions is hard because the disease makes the extremities very rigid, but something in her brain reverted back to the past and she made a normal golf swing movement,” he said. “Jane hadn’t done that in a few years, but she knew instinctively how to do it.

That was crazy to watch.”

For more information, go to glencroft.com or call (623) 847-3120.

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Photo by Chris Mooney

Omni Tucson National Resort

Bernhard Langer,

2020 Cologuard Classic Champion

PRO-AM | FEB. 24 & 25, 2021 The Pro-Am pairs four amateur players with a golf legend for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Playing alongside these legends is one of the most fun and distinctive experiences in all of sports and a unique way to boost your business and support our community.

SECURE YOUR PRO-AM SPOT TODAY Early registration discount ends Dec. 7th, 2020

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FUNTIVITY

FUNdraiser presented by TPC Scottsdale

Join The First Tee of Phoenix Board of Directors for a fun-filled day of golf and camaraderie at TPC Scottsdale on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. The event will be held on the Stadium Course which has been donated free of charge by TPC G.M. Brad Williams and the TPC family. Every penny raised will go directly to the valuable programming efforts of the local chapter of The First Tee. Every group (3 players) will be paired with a The First Tee of Phoenix member. There will be a shotgun start at 10 a.m. and the festivities will include lunch on the course, a reception following play and prizes. For more information about the event or The First Tee of Phoenix, visit FirstTeePhoenix.org or call Kevin Terry, Executive Director, at (602) 566-7390.

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STAY A PART OF THE GAME Whatever you’re a part of.

Stay that way.

OMNIHOTEL S .COM/R ANCHOL A SPALMA S

DINING

TERROIR WINE PUB

SCOTTSDALE’S UPSCALE HIDDEN GEM HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

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he question inevitably comes up walking off the 18th green with your playing partners. “What is everyone up to now?”

Fast-forward 15 minutes into the heart of Scottsdale, and after settling into an oversized loveseat in the corner of a freshly remodeled Terroir Wine Pub, the thought tiptoes into your mind for the first time: This is the perfect post-round spot.

On the surface the popular Scottsdale spot may not seem like a match for wine enthusiasts and weekend warriors, but a look around Terroir tells the real story: There’s something here for everyone.

A recent post-round gathering saw quite the eclectic mix of beverages and appetizers. A craft beer fan enjoyed a Two Hearted Ale from Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Bell’s Beer. Next to him, the round’s winner – by more than a few strokes – sipped on an expertly-poured Guinness. And then a surprise & welcomed addition. The third member of the group’s wife makes an appearance, joining the party after work. She was enticed by Terroir’s impressive handpicked wine collection. Her selection: a 2016 red blend from Napa’s Chappellet.

The table’s bruschetta board of prosciutto, mascarpone and fig spread with a balsamic drizzle was quickly devoured, replaced by a fromage plate of brie, dried cranberries and sliced apples served with crispy crackers. A couple more rounds of drinks flowed with the friendly conversation, each complemented perfectly by the elegant and unique atmosphere. Guests can even enjoy the faint sound of a train transporting passengers around McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, located just across Indian Bend Road from Terroir.

A relaxing and refreshing end to a great day of golf, friends and fun.

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MEMBER ZONE

12

DAYS OF HOLIDAY

S Y A W A E GIV AGA HOLIDAY MEMBER APPRECIATION j The Arizona Golf Association would like to thank you for being

a member with a “Dozen Days of Holiday Gift Give-a-Ways” sweepstakes. j For 12 days, December 13 – 24, we will give away great gifts,

including golf balls, range finders, gift cards, and more. j The sweepstakes is free to enter starting on December 1st on

azgolf.org. The gift give-a-ways will start on December 13th. j All winners will be contacted by email and announced daily on

Facebook, Twitter, and weekly on the AGA website.

THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ARIZONA GOLF ASSOCIATION MEMBER AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 44 | ARIZONA GOLF INSIDER |

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EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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JUNIOR GOLF

AZ NEWS

AWGA

Grants

WORDS BY ANJ BROWN & MARY POMROY

T

he High School Golf Build-A-Team Program was created in the Fall of 2012 by the Arizona Women’s Golf Association (AWGA). Most Arizona high schools did not have girls’ golf teams with experienced golfers. This realization propelled the AWGA to commit financial resources to powerfully and positively impact participation in golf by girls. With the addition of the 2020 grants, the AWGA has awarded $122,000 to 38 Arizona High Schools over the last 9 years.

Following the integration of operations by the AGA and AWGA in 2019, the High School Girls’ Golf Build-A-Team Program is now administered by the Arizona Golf Association with AWGA fundraising proceeds provided directly to the schools following an application process.

This year, the AWGA’s Junior Grants & Assistance Fund has awarded 25 Arizona high schools with grants ranging from $1,000 - $1,800 for a total of $37,500. Of the 25 schools awarded for the 2020-2021 season, 11 are new to the

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AZ NEWS

“

In this year of COVID-19, the AWGA more than doubled the number of schools receiving grants.

”

program and 14 have received funds in previous years.

Additionally, four of the schools awarded grants in 2020 are comprised of co-ed teams and eleven of the teams are located south of Marana.

High schools awarded grants include Agua Fria, Cactus*, Catalina*, Chandler, Desert View, Flagstaff*, Flowing Wells*, Gilbert, Ironwood Ridge*, Marana, Maryvale, Mesa, Metro Tech, Mountain Ridge, Nogales*, Palo Verde Magnet*, Paradise Valley, Sahuarita*, Sahuaro, Santa Rita*, Shadow Mountain, Tolleson*, Walden Grove, Westview*, and Williams Field.

The grant funds are intended to pay for instruction by LPGA and PGA professionals, to purchase equipment and uniforms, and pay for travel that would not otherwise be possible without this program.

In this year of COVID-19, the AWGA more than doubled the number of schools receiving grants as it became apparent there was great need at this difficult time. The student populations at the Build a Team schools are unlikely to have many parents who play golf and would consider supporting golf activities.

The girls and boys involved in the program would likely never touch a golf club if this

opportunity was not provided.

As the AWGA nears the time to begin the Annual Giving Campaign, your donations will enable the continued expansion of the program at high schools where they have not traditionally been included in the sports program.

You will help to build and support many more golf teams, especially those for girls.

Donations to the AWGA also provide financial support for boys’ and girls’ golf programs around Arizona, including the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf programs, the Junior Golf Association of Arizona, the First Tee Programs, the PGA Junior League, and the Arizona Silver Belle Championship.

Watch your mailbox and your email inbox beginning early November. When you receive the AWGA’s request for your donation, won’t you please consider supporting youth golf by making a generous tax-deductible donation to the AWGA? All of your donation will be used to make a difference in the life of a young person. Or, you can begin today. Make a donation at www.awga.org/ donate. You will be making a difference in the lives of many young people in your community. (*schools new to program)

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JUNIOR GOLF

AZ NEWS

Inspire youngsters THROUGH GOLF

W

ith many sports taking a timeout, golf is emerging as a rewarding and safe way to get outside and have fun with family and friends. And now that the cool weather is finally here, it’s time to play.

Junior Golf Association of Arizona enrollment for the 2021 season ($90 annually) opens in December, allowing members to register for girls’ and boys’ tournaments and events throughout the year. And for a more “purple and pink” version, annual membership for the JGAA’s sister organiza-

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tion, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf of Phoenix, is $40 for the season.

Both include enrollment in Youth on Course, an affiliated program that allows members to play more than 25 Arizona golf clubs (1,400 nationwide) for $5. Restrictions and tee times vary, but the program is a money-saver no matter how you “slice” it.

Finally, Youth on Course-only memberships – $20 annually – are also available that do not require JGAA or USGA*LPGA Girls Golf of Phoenix membership. n

NOVEMBER 2020

CHANGE OF

Omni Tucson National

COURSE

Golf in Tucson means variety and a break from the average. Challenge yourself on tight desert layouts or hit it long on traditional style fairways. No matter what kind of course you;re looking for, Tucson has it in the bag. And don’t forget, The Cologuard Classic, a PGA TOUR Champions event, returns in February of 2021 to Omni Tucson National Resort.

Find out more at VisitTucson.org/Golf Home of the

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FACE OF JAZZ

TUCSON JAZZ FESTIVAL

Khris Dodge and Andrew Birgensmith of the HSL Properties Tucson Jazz Festival have (like great jazz) improvised for public safety and reimagined this signature event. The festival will be a two-day outdoor festival March 20 - 21, 2021 and will still include an A-list of outstanding international headliners.

For festival lineup, ticket registration and other details, visit tucsonjazzfestival.org

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FACE OF GOLF FITNESS

FIT FOR GOLF! FIT FOR LIFE… AFTER 50!

Mindi Boysen, owner and TPI Certified Golf Fitness Coach, believes your best years are ahead of you — and she can help you become pain-free. She has been coaching golfers and helping people unleash their inner athlete for 28 years, showing them how to become more powerful in golf and life. Mindi believes that while aging is inevitable, decaying is optional. Her individualized plans bring huge results, solidifying her place as a leading fitness coach in the golf industry.

480.203.6228, fitforgolfusa.com

Images by Kay & Co. Photography

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FACE OF WOMEN’S GOLF ACCESSORIES

GLOVE IT

Karen Lovcik Gleason has been inspiring women to bring their personal style to the golf course for the past 18 years. Glove It pioneered trendsetting golf accessories that offer the right combination of functionality and feminine styling in a variety of stylish prints and vibrant colors. The collections include golf gloves, headwear, golf bags with coordinating accessories, and tennis and pickleball bags. Glove It is available globally at pro shops, golf specialty retailers, and online.

480.968.2021, gloveit.com 54 | ARIZONA GOLF INSIDER |

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Images by Kay & Co. Photography

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FACE OF MEN’S CLOTHING

AT EASE

FINE MENS CLOTHES

Don Beale has an infectious love of life.

The owner of At Ease — which has locations in both the Valley the Sun and Tucson — is an avid family man, bicyclist, and overall outdoor enthusiast. He insists that life should be filled with laughter, good people, and great experiences. Hopefully you have the opportunity to meet Don, as his unique knowledge of men’s styles and his exceptional customer service is sure to entertain — as he has for his clientele for over 24 years.

Scottsdale 480.947.3800 Tucson 520.747.0680 atease247.com

Images by Kay & Co. Photography

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RULES OF GOLF

MATCH PLAY

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RULES OF GOLF

T

his issue we’re going to take a step back and look at the larger picture of what the Game of Golf is all about. Until about 1900, the Rules of Golf were all about match play, with stroke play as an off-shoot only for special occasions where modified rules would apply.

Pre-1900 Golf Definition:

Let’s start with the beginnings of the Game, and some Rules will begin to make more sense when one realizes what match play means. It is certainly not the comparing of scores for more than one hole.

This is actually the most common way golf is played today, though the Tours’ visibility is responsible for most golfers using stroke play rules, which create many inconsistencies.

When a Nassau bet begins, it’s match play.

The following are some particulars you should observe to play the Game as it was intended: l The number of holes won defines the winner. l The ball farthest from the hole plays first, unless that person allows a partner to play instead, but then he himself must play. l There are no two-stroke penalties, but instead it’s a loss of hole penalty. l Concessions are legal (but you still have a

W W W. A ZGO LF.O R G

l The Game of Golf is played by two or more sides, each playing its own ball.

A side may consist of one or more persons.

handicap score to return). Once a concession is made, it becomes final. There are no concessions “after the fact” as in, “Oh, I gave you that.” That’s a “no-no.” l A player must notify the opponent when a penalty is incurred before the opponent plays unless the opponent is already aware. l Two players cannot agree to avoid a rule or penalty. (That is a DQ in an event) l No second ball can be played when there is doubt or disagreement. The player must make a decision, then the other player can make a claim against him for future decision. Playing a second ball would be loss of hole.

l In handicap events, the handicaps to be

l The game consists in

used are the course handicaps, not your index! Each player must determine the course handicap from the right set of tees.

If a higher handicap is declared that gives more strokes than would correctly be allowed (quite likely in many circumstances), that player is disqualified. l Here’s a favorite (for friendly games): in a four-ball game when one opponent has a putt where the score won’t matter but wants to putt to assist the partner, as the opponent, just concede the putt. If he does go ahead and putt, they lose the hole.

each side playing a ball

NOVEMBER 2020

from a tee into a hole by successive strokes, and the hole is won by the side which holes its ball in the fewest strokes, except as otherwise provided for in the Rules. If two sides hole out in the same number of strokes, the hole is halved.

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Arizona’s Playground.

IT’S BEEN AN EVENTFUL YE AR,

but we’ve been work

ing hard to make su

re that you can

get back to safely en

joying your favorit

venues. The Salt Ri

ver Indian Commun

e entertainment

ity’s Talking

Stick Entertainmen place to play and sta

t District is the bigge

take in the views at

st and best

y and we hope that wh

Talking Stick Golf

ile visiting, you’ll fin

Club, try your luck

Talking Stick Resor and kick back in on

t, bowl a friendly ga

d we look forward to

in blackjack at

me at Mavrix, or just

e of our lounges. Sa

shining through an

d time to

lt River’s heritage of

grab your crew

hospitality is

seeing you soon!

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community | Scottsdale, AZ | 480.362.2700 | TalkingStickArizona.com 58 | ARIZONA GOLF INSIDER |

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BE OUR GUEST

PLAY GOLF OR EAT ON US! Verrado Golf Club offers 36 holes of championship golf between two Verrado Golf Club offers 36 holes of championship golf between two alluring courses. Both the Founders & Victory Courses offer terrific views, alluring courses. Both the Founders & Victory Courses offer terrific views, challenging layouts, and tees for all skill levels. Come play 36 holes of golf challenging layouts, and tees for all skill levels. Come play 36 holes of golf for only $125 (plus tax) per player and receive a complimentary round of for only $125 (plus tax) per player and receive a complementary round of golf in the summer of 2021, or a $20 dining giL card for use at the golf in the summer of 2021, or a $20 dining giL card for use at the CliMouse or Verrado Grille!

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VerradoGolfClub.com/golf36

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The Country Club at DC Ranch – Horseshoe designed

by Wendell Pickett

Out of

Bounds WORDS BY GARY VAN SICKLE

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I

hit a bucket of balls at a public golf range recently.

Naturally, you’re dying to hear about each shot and where it went. Don’t bother begging, I won’t tell you even if it sounds exactly like what some golfers would do. You probably know a guy like that. (“So, on my second ball with the 7-iron, I had a bad lie in a bare spot on the mat and the breeze was in my face so…” Aaughhh!)

It was a beautiful morning in Pittsburgh’s north suburbs, sunny and 75 degrees. The range featured a lower flat area in front of a ball-eating stream (I am not making this up) below a raised plateau that sloped up toward an unlikely 300-yard sign and some woods.

A small bucket of balls cost five bucks. I stretched, then hit four sand wedge shots just to break the scar tissue loose.

Then something strange happened. “You hit one straight?” No, wise guy, I heard cheering. It was the sound of kids shouting, accompanied by loud pounding.

I looked to my left. Ah, I’d forgotten there was an outdoor deck hockey rink a few steps away. Deck hockey is hockey minus the ice and skates.

The rink was full of kids wearing jerseys, shorts and helmets. Parents crowded around one end of the battered rink and the cheap electric scoreboard, the one that couldn’t possibly still work, was alive and working. It read: Home 1, Visitor 0.

Someone had just scored and the pounding noise was the goal-scorer’s teammates whacking their hockey sticks against their boards in approval. It reminded me why most major-league baseball teams don’t have Souvenir Bat Day promotions anymore.

The cheers were jarring but fun. I went back to my bucket of balls and switched to a 9-iron so I could continue to groove perfection. (Sarcasm alert.) I made five more swings and — Yayyyy! Another goal. More cheering, more deafening board-pounding, more celebrating.

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“

Golf has been the pandemic’s silver lining.

I paused and realized, I haven’t heard anything like that since the pandemic began in March. We’ve been isolated for months, hunkered down in our homes and avoiding other people when we do go out for mundane tasks. Weddings and receptions were either canceled or held with 25 guests or fewer.

We went months without professional and amateur sports, months without fun.

The PGA TOUR was among the first to return. It was eerily quiet on television without fans but I liked that I could see the course features better without spectators in the way. Plus, I didn’t have to hear some idiot yell, “Mashed potatoes!�

As it turned out, the pandemic helped golf. When courses here were allowed to reopen after a too-lengthy shutdown, recreational play surged. It has been remarkable.

In mid-September it was still not easy to get a good tee time here, even on weekdays.

Golf has been the pandemic’s silver lining. I didn’t play golf every day but I came close. This Pandemic Summer had also been the Golf Summer for me.

Playing golf helped make up for all the things we lost, from dining out to going to a ballgame.

That’s why the sound of the hockey kids having a blast gave me goose bumps and,

�

I’m not afraid to admit, made me choke up.

Kids were playing and having fun. They were being kids again. Life was momentarily normal.

I pulled myself out of a daze and made some halfhearted swings and — Goalllll!

More cheering, more thumping. It was a beautiful commotion that somehow felt like Christmas, in ways I can’t explain.

I was drawn to the sound. I picked up my golf bag, walked down the line of teeing areas and stood by the rink to let the joyous sounds wash over me. Some deck hockey moms had a concessions table where I paid $2 for a bottled soft drink and $1 for three small snacks — three for a dollar, what a deal.

I watched the game for a bit, soaking in the noise, the energy and most of all, the people.

When I finally walked back to my car, I loaded my clubs into the trunk, cranked down the windows and sun roof and cracked open my bargain bag of chips.

These, I thought, are the new good old days.

What about that bucket of range balls?

I quick-hit the rest before I walked to the rink.

Hey, I couldn’t just leave them there. I paid five bucks for those things.

t Suppor l a c o L Your ! s e r to S

480.443.1689

mephistoscottsdale.com

Comfort • Health • Support • Style

19th Hole

Brittlebush Bar & Grill Scottsdale, Arizona

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After traversing The Westin Kierland Golf Club’s 27 championship holes on an array of unique transportation modes like Segways, ELLWEE’s and TurfRiders, settle in to Brittlebush Bar & Grill for a perfect 19th hole respite. Golfers and diners alike will be met with modern gastro pub-style fare featuring locally sourced ingredients, paired with Arizona craft beers on tap, including the resort’s own “Piper’s Pale Ale” label. With sweeping views of the golf course and nearby mountain vistas, Brittlebush Bar & Grill’s luxurious lodge-like atmosphere — featuring an expansive stone-crafted fireplace — invites guests to sit back, relax and unwind.

Open daily | 480.624.1000 | Marriott.com/PHXWS 6902 East Greenway Parkway Scottsdale, AZ 85254 AZ G OL F.ORG

Established in 1978 Arizona’s Finest Men’s Store 8787 N. Scottsdale Rd. #230, Scottsdale, Az 85253 480.947.3800 Hours: Monday – Saturday 10am to 6pm | Sunday 12 pm to 5pm 2870 E. Skyline Dr. #170, Tucson, Az 85718 520-747-0680 Hours: Monday – Saturday 11am to 7pm | Sunday 12pm to 5pm NOVEMBER 2020

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