CAG’S GREATEST HITS: THE QUAR ANTINE COLLECTION
Elevating the Game.
coloradoavidgolfer.com
BABY GOT BACK 9?
How to Gear Up Your Glutes
PAR FOR THE
STEPPING AWAY After 18 years,
PANDEMIC
Founding Editor
JON RIZZI
• A drill to stay sharp • COVID-19, the
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CONTENTS | May 2020
DEPARTMENTS 10 Forethoughts
Holing Out and Signing Off By Jon Rizzi
12 #coavidgolfer
“Viral content” has new meaning.
16 Year of the Woman Profile Meet Golf Lobbyist Jennifer Cassell By Judy Malone
18 The CGA
An optimist’s view of the pandemic. By Edward Mate
33 The Gallery The 2022 Trans-Miss comes to Denver Country Club, changes at Castle Pines and Meridian, Patrick Salva, Hailey Schalk and extra credit for college players.
64 Blind Shot
Play Away, Sir...
By Anthony Cotton
PLAYER’S CORNER 40 Play Away
Sheep Ranch at Bandon Dunes By Jeff Wallach
44 Lesson
Fix your face. By Trent Wearner
46 Fitness
Can orthotics help your game?
FEATURE STORY
By Neil Wolkodoff
48 Fitness
54
Why glutes matter. By Dee Tidwell
An 18 to Remember
SIDE BETS
A Collection of Colorado AvidGolfer’s Greatest Hits—So Far
50 Nice Drives
BMW M340i; Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400;
Chevrolet Blazer Premier; Mazda3 Premium By Isaac Bouchard
ON THE COVER Jon Rizzi at Castle Pines Golf Club.
Photograph by Jamie Schwaberow/Clarkson Creative
SPECIAL SECTION 26
Dreams Deferred
How COVID-19 stymied three
olorado golfers on the verge of C milestones. By Anthony Cotton COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
30
Proceed with Caution Golf courses, with a slew of
s afeguards, provide a valued outlet. By Andy Bigford
6
77
40 coloradoavidgolfer.com
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DOING WHAT WE CAN We know the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a number of courses around the state to close temporarily, while others have restricted cart and clubhouse use, food service and contact with bunker rakes and other “high-touch” objects.
May 2020 | Volume 19, Number 2 president and group publisher
A llen J. Walters editorial director
Jon Rizzi
SALES, MARKETING & ADVERTISING associate publisher
Chris Phillips
senior sales directors
Mike Car ver, Craig Hitchcock digital strategist and content manager
Drew Kor t
office and operations manager
Whether or not your course is open, please know that the members of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association have continued to maintain its playing conditions when and where it is allowed. Moreover, they are making every effort to regularly disinfect and sanitize the many surfaces with which golfers come into contact before, during and after a round. Golfers can also help by not touching the flagstick, walking the course and bringing their own water bottles.
Cindy Palmer
projects and special events manager
Melissa Holmberg ART & EDITORIAL editor
Anthony Cotton creative director
Jani Duncan Smith art director
Chelsea Oglesby editor - at- large
Tom Ferrell
automotive editor
We want you to enjoy the game without fear of getting ill.
Isaac Bouchard style editor
Suzanne S. Brown
In the same way our superintendents serve golfers, the RMGCSA stands behind its members during these demanding times. For more than 80 years we have served our constituents by improving golf course management practices through education, sharing knowledge and networking. And no amount of social distancing will stop the exchange of information and ideas.
contributors
Sam Adams, Andy Bigford, E.J. Carr, Clarkson Creative, Tony Dear, Denny Dressman, Sue Drinker, Dick Durrance, Chris Duthie, Neal Erickson, Scott Gardner, Garo Productions, Ted Johnson, Kaye Kessler, John Lehndorff, Kim McHugh PRINCIPALS Ray L . Baker, C. Don Baker, Dick B. Baker advertising inquiries : cindy@coloradoavidgolfer.com editorial inquiries and letters : anthony@coloradoavidgolfer.com
Together, we will get through this.
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Colorado AvidGolfer (ISSN 1548-4335) is published eight times a year by Baker-Colorado Publishing, LLC, and printed by Publication Printers Corp. Volume 19, Number two. 7200 S. Alton Way #A-180, Centennial, CO 80112. Colorado AvidGolfer is available at more than 250 locations, or you can order your personal subscription by calling 720-493-1729. Subscriptions are available at the rate of $17.95 per year. Copyright © 2020 by Baker-Colorado Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send address changes to Colorado AvidGolfer, 7200 S. Alton Way #A-180 Centennial, CO 80112. The magazine welcomes editorial submissions but assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material. magazine partner of choice :
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COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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Colorado Section
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Forethoughts
Holing Out and Signing Off PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMIE SCHWABEROW/CLARKSON CREATIVE
GALLERY WAVE: Rizzi savors a triumphant stroll up the 18th fairway at Castle Pines Golf Club.
WELL, THESE REALLY must be unprecedented times if I’m on the cover of this magazine. Even though this is my final issue as the only editor Colorado AvidGolfer has ever known, I’m far more comfortable writing a story than being one. I’ve always believed life is one long lesson in humility. So I initially resisted the urgings of staff, friends and colleagues to hog the spotlight, à la Oprah on the cover of her magazine. I just wanted to finish on 18—appropriately, the exact number of years we’ve been publishing, as of last month’s issue—and head to the metaphorical 19th hole. It turned out to be a COVID-19 hole, the vortex of which has sucked in everyone. In the same way the pandemic has altered many people’s fitness routines, it also altered our routine of publishing a May health and fitness issue. Producing that particular edition would be putting writers, photographers and fitness instructors into now-proscribed settings. Since we have some smart, pandemic-related articles (pages 18, 26 and 30), we could have gone with a cover shot of golfers wearing masks or a variation of the digital “corona-ball” graphic that Art Director Chelsea Oglesby whipped up COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
for our website. But why add to the weltschmerz? Besides, we’ve always distinguished ourselves by putting people on the cover. Fortunately, some people I know—Clarkson Creative’s Jamie Schwaberow and Justin Tafoya— were willing to mask up and photograph me from a socially-distanced six feet away. And a valued friend, Castle Pines Golf Club General Manager Keith Schneider, let us stage the shoot at that iconic course. Thank you for making it happen. Thus ends the latest and longest chapter in a publishing career that began in the galleys of Esquire in 1984. By then, the magazine’s first editor, Arnold Gingrich, had already been dead for nearly a decade, but remained on the masthead as founding editor, an honor that endured well into this century. Mr. Gingrich wrote a memoir of Esquire’s salad days entitled Nothing But People. Since future CAG issues will now list me the founding editor, it seems only appropriate that I should acknowledge the people who helped make Colorado AvidGolfer the success it has been and will continue to be. I apologize that the following may read like one of those Oscar speeches that stops only when
10
the music begins, but were it not for these people—and countless others—we would be indeed nothing. And I also apologize in advance to anyone I may inadvertently omit. I first and foremost owe eternal thanks to our principals, Don, Ray and Dick Baker, for entrusting me with publishing a regional golf lifestyle magazine with the quality of a national title. I tip my golf cap to Allen J. Walters, the publisher who became president and has always supported my editorial vision, and his wife, Nancy, who tirelessly worked on fortifying the Golf Passport and created events back in our early days. Props to Chris Phillips, our associate publisher, whose sales skills have kept on the lights during dark economic times, and to Cindy Palmer, the world’s most competent, kindhearted office and operations manager. Huge shout-outs go to 18 years’ worth of art directors—Kate Glassner Brainerd, Tiffany Weaver, Ric Nepomuceno, Dana Barak, Jeremy Cantalamessa, Jani Duncan Smith and Chelsea Oglesby. I deeply cherish our creative collaborations. I also have to hand it to the multitasking marvel Melissa Holmberg (and her predecessors Ryan McLean and Vanessa Miranda), for cheercoloradoavidgolfer.com
Tom Weiskop f (left) ; Hale Irwin (b elow)
fully managing our circulation, special events and Golf Passport over the last few years. In the spirit of paying things forward, I take pride in saying our current staff boasts two former interns: the exceptional Digital Strategist and Content Manager Drew Kort and our aforementioned art director, Chelsea Oglesby. Both give Millennials a good name. They follow in the rather large footsteps of Jake Kubié, a scratch golfer who between 2003 and 2011 blossomed from a youthful intern into an accomplished editor and writer and now serves as director of communications for the Denver Zoo. Speaking of communicators, I’d be lost without the incomparable talents of writers Sam Adams, Andy Bigford, Tom Ferrell, Isaac Bouchard, Kim McHugh, Ted Johnson, Tony Dear, Kaye Kessler, Denny Dressman, Chris Duthie, Barbara Hey, Theresa Smith, Suzanne Brown and John Lehndorff. And I can’t praise more highly the photography skills of E.J. Carr, Dick Durrance, Barry Staver, Todd Langley, John Leyba, Phil Mumford, Chad Chisholm, Ehren Joseph, Jamie Schwaberow and Justin Tafoya. The work of many of these contributors has also enhanced the pages of AvidLifestyle, the beautiful monthly magazine we launched last year with the inspiring team of Creative Director Jani Duncan Smith and Editor Kendall Kostelic.
and Cole Stewart Henry Rizzi, Brent
I consider more than “transactional” my relationships with hundreds of members of the Colorado golf community whom I’ve gotten to know over the last 18 years. Again, at the risk of overlooking someone, I won’t single out anyone (otherwise, I might forget to recognize such friends as Eddie Ainsworth, Ed Mate, Gary Potter, Lana Ortega, Russ Miller, Keith Schneider, Elena King, Jim Engh, Rupert O’Neal, Dave Hensley, Allison Scott, John Curlander, Glenn Jacks, Dee Tidwell, Mark Kelbel, Stan Sayers, Dan Hogan, Scott Gardner, Janet Moore, Kevin Laura, Scott Radcliffe, Gary Leeper, Vance Wagner, Karen Hart, Kevin Hood and Lynn and Mark Cramer). And I can’t forget to mention my favorite playing partner and son, Henry Rizzi. I express deep gratitude to each and every company that has seen Colorado AvidGolfer as a great way help to build its business. We’re more than a magazine. We’re also an event company, and events can’t happen without great sponsors— and we’ve had too many of them to list here. Over the years, those events have been, well, eventful. They’ve included the Golf Train to Grand County (highlighted by two players so engrossed in conversation that they forgot to detrain and nearly wound up in Glenwood Springs); our 24player Media Madness competition (won consecutively by Tom Green, Lynn DeBruin and Jon Lawrence); the launch of CAG’s Long Iron Lager (courtesy of Breckenridge Brewery); the Beaver Creek Women’s Invitational (once featuring World Golf Hall of Famer Hollis Stacy as guest speaker); the Cordillera Golf Experience (where my nongolfer wife once sank a 30-foot putt); our Tournament Series (now in its 15th year); and our flagship event, the Schomp BMW Cup—formerly known as the Corporate Cup, now in its 15th year and scheduled for Aug. 10-11 at the Country Club at Castle Pines. We’ve had great sponsors—and great turnouts—for all of those. But did you know, in our first year, Colorado AvidGolfer stroked a $30,000 check to be presenting sponsor of the 2002 Colorado Open? With father Craig on the bag, Kevin Stadler won the Open at Sonnenalp Golf Club. I’ll bet you didn’t know, either, that the magazine started as a premium for purchasers of the Golf Passport. We’ve never completely flipped that script, but both products have grown significantly. Originally consisting of 13 courses offering free rounds at certain times, the Golf Passport has now includes more than 60 courses delivering amazing deals not only on golf but on restaurants,
Jake Kubié
Augusta National, Bob Coh en
Tom Green (left); Jennifer Kupcho (above)
retail and more. Likewise, Colorado AvidGolfer has evolved from a saddle-stitched publication into a perfect-bound one that has earned dozens of local and national awards. I’ve personally received a number of those honors, but no prize compares to the daily reward that is my supportive and loving wife, Jo Anne. So what’s next? My main post-CAG assignment will be to edit a 20-volume series entitled On Record by my good friend G. Brown, The Denver Post’s longtime music writer. I’ll remain on the board of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and appear biweekly on KCOL’s “Morning Cup of Golf” with Stan Fenn and Doug Perry. You may yet see my byline—but not my photo—in these pages. Ultimately, it’s not about me. It’s about the people with whom I’ve worked—and for whom I’ve worked: that’s you, dear readers. I have utter confidence that my successor, the talented, experienced Anthony Cotton (meet him on page 64), will take a similar approach. Thank you for indulging this extended meditation. Saying goodbye is never easy. It’s been an amazing 18 years. I’ll see you on the course. You’ll recognize me from the cover. —JON RIZZI
Sam Adams
Allen Walters
coloradoavidgolfer.com
Boyne St. Andrews, John
11
May 2020 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
#coavidgolfer DIGITAL | SOCIAL MEDIA
Playing Through ON FACEBOOK, we asked you all for some positive stories while playing through the pandemic. Two responses from avid golfer James Martin, posted one month apart, carried particular resonance: MARCH 17
Going Viral GOLF OCCUPIES a polarizing position within the ethical landscape of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Why are some courses open when many other businesses are shuttered? Is it safe to be on the golf course with the restrictions imposed? Some believe that golf, when played with the safety of yourself and others top of mind, can be an excellent stress-relieving activity during these uncertain times. Others look down on courses, wondering why they are providing a space that could cause the breakdown of social distancing parameters. The only certain thing is that the answers to these questions are complex. With constantly changing health and societal guidelines surrounding “essential” businesses, we are supplementing our monthly print publishing schedule with as much digital coverage as possible. This includes content from our writers and editors, along with relaying important information from trusted local sources. We are also here to answer any questions you may have. For an ongoing list of resources related to COVID-19 and golf, visit coloradogolf.org/colorado-golf-coalition.
Safety First In each of our weekly newsletters we are now including a Safety-First Marketplace.
APRIL 8
It will house information on services provided by our partners while we shelter-at-home—from virtual swing instruction to TrackMan rentals and deliveries to local curbside food pickup. Sign up for our newsletter by going to bit.ly/CAG-Newsletter.
How have you spent the pandemic? Are you playing? Putting while puttering around the house? Have you outfitted the garage with a practice net? Let us know! facebook colorado avidgolfer twitter @coloavidgolfer instagram coloradoavidgolfer
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COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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Suzanne Kern
The CPGA THE YEAR OF THE WOMAN
A Game Lobbyist Jennifer Cassell’s love of golf and politics dovetails in her role at the Colorado State Capitol.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION
THE ACTIVITY THAT brings so many people to Colorado cast the same spell on Jennifer Cassell. Yet, this Kansas girl’s dream of being a ski bum soon took a backseat to her first love—politics. But how does golf fit into this? Not long after her parents enrolled their then10-year-old daughter in a local junior golf program, Cassell became a competitive player who eventually earned spots on the golf teams at Wichita East High School and the University of Kansas. But by the time she graduated from KU in 2003 with degrees in political science and international studies, Cassell had burned out on golf. She took up ski instruction for a couple winters and worked in the golf shop at Breckenridge Golf Club one summer and on the maintenance crew at the Keystone courses a year later. Her interest in politics led to an M.A. in international studies from the University of Denver, as well as jobs as a legislative aide, campaign manager and research associate. She eventually became the legislative liaison for Governor John
CONSENSUS BUILDER: Cassell chats with Eddie Ainsworth of the Colorado Golf Coalition and legislators at the annual Golf Day at the Capitol.
Hickenlooper’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade and part of his Legislative Policy staff before joining the private-contract lobbying firm of Tomlinson and Associates in 2013. When the firm’s owner retired in 2016, Cassell and colleague Ed Bowditch took over to create the government relations firm Bowditch and Cassell Public Affairs. For the last six years, she has lobbied on behalf of the Colorado golf industry. “Life comes full circle,” Cassell comments. “I have a wide perspective on golf, having experienced everything from playing the game to administrative and groundskeeping duties. I am very fortunate to have stayed with it because it has brought me to Colorado golf and helped to make me the person I am today.” FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE TOP ISSUES FACING COLORADO GOLF FACILITIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE? Environmental concerns—particularly, responsible pesticide usage and management—would be first and foremost. This seems to be a widespread theme for everyone right now and one we are addressing in this session. Proper and responsible pesticide usage is just one of many examples where the golf community can educate the public on how they are responsible stewards of the land. A second environmental concern is always water, both usage and conservation policies. At the end of the day, golf courses and clubs are businesses and employers. So, we are always watching legislation that might affect the business of golf, like employee relations, paid sick leave and Family Medical Leave polices, to name a few. Because the golf industry encompasses so many distinct and different issues from multiple associations, it is noteworthy to mention the value of the Colorado Golf Coalition (Colorado PGA, Colorado Golf Association, Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Mile High Chapter of the Club Management Association of America) coming together to show a united front and coalesce for the good of the game.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION
By Judy Malone
JENNED UP: Cassell, who played on her high school and collegiate golf teams, tees off in the CGA’s 2019 Brassie Championship at Pelican Lakes in Windsor.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE GOLF TO IMPACT YOUR CAREER? Golf has opened up a lot of doors for me and helped me in my professional career. It has allowed me to network, to get new or prospective clients and provides an opportunity to develop personal relationships with my existing clients. Golf gives us a shared interest. And, it always brings a smile to our faces when I can remind a client that I can out-drive them! AS A SUCCESSFUL WOMAN, DO YOU FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPIRE OTHER WOMEN? I would consider it a privilege rather than a responsibility to be able to inspire women and girls to play golf. Golf is a lifelong game that can take you many places, both personally and professionally. Had I not stuck with golf, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Just like politics is a tough career, golf is a tough sport to play. Hopefully, I can inspire women and girls to stick with it and to persevere. By doing these two things, golf will reward you— as will politics. WHO IS YOUR DREAM FOURSOME–AND WHY? There are so many, but I grew up watching these three world-class golfers both on and off the course and it would be my honor to play with them–Freddie Couples, Davis Love III and Dottie Pepper. Just as importantly, we would walk the course, and my caddie would be my dad!
Year of the Woman ON JULY 13-18, at the United States Air Force Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Club in Colorado Springs, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado will host the 72nd U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. The Colorado golf community has thereby designated 2020 as the Year of the Woman. Throughout 2020, the Colorado PGA and Colorado Golf Association will host numerous events and programs aimed at increasing women’s participation in the game. This regular feature will highlight women for whom golf has had an enormous impact in building relationships, families and careers. To learn more, visit coloradopga.com. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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coloradoavidgolfer.com
W
MEN ’S
Leadership Summit
United States Air Force Academy Friday, July 1O, 2O2O Visit ColoradoJuniorGolf.org or ColoradoPGA.com for more information
Trajectory to Greatness – “Aim High!” What happens when the Wow of Girls meets the Wisdom of Women?
Dr. Janet Kavandi - Stellar Speaker Dr. Kavandi is a three-time space shuttle astronaut – taking part in the last mission to the Space Station MIR, mapping the Earth on the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and installing the Quest airlock on the International Space Station. She served as Director of Flight Crew Operations at NASA Johnson and as the Deputy Director of Health and Human Performance. She is now the Senior Vice President for Programs at Sierra Nevada Corporations’ Space Systems headquarters in Louisville, Colorado.
Donna Orender - Stellar Speaker A nationally-recognized business leader, Donna Orender is the founder of Generation W, Generation WOW, and CEO of Orender Unlimited. She is a women’s professional basketball pioneer and former WNBA president and is deeply passionate about elevating the voices of girls and women.
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The CGA SERVING ALL COLORADO GOLFERS
The Optimist’s Front Nine What are the benefits of the pandemic? By Edward Mate PHOTOGRAPHS BY E.J. CARR/ COURTESY OF THE COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION
THE COLORADO GOLF Association opened CommonGround Golf Course in May of 2009. One month before the course opened, the native area west of the course went up in flames. In September of 2013, a 100-year flood destroyed five holes of the course. And now, a third “natural” disaster has emerged—a global pandemic. It certainly has been a challenging decade! When this issue of CAG went to press, CommonGround had just reopened for play, as local and state health agencies reconciled their guidelines (at least temporarily) for “COVID-Safe” golf. Writing an article when things are changing so quickly is certainly a risk. So, rather than focusing on what is happening now, or speculating on what may happen in the future, this is a good time to reflect on what we have already learned about our game during this exceptional period of history. 1. GOLF IS BETTER WHEN YOU WALK. With cart use eliminated or severely limited, golfers are becoming reacquainted with walking. The game is infinitely better on foot in terms of both physical exercise and social benefits. On foot you can converse with everyone in the group (six feet apart of course) and not just your cart partner. 2. YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO FIX YOUR BALL MARKS. One of the best things about walking is that you “enter” the green from the front, where the majority of ball marks occur. When you ride in a cart, you are trained to park behind the green and enter it from the rear—you won’t find many ball marks back there and you are unlikely to walk to the front of the green to repair your pitch mark.
PLAYING IT SAFE: Protective measures during the pandemic include raising the cup to prevent players from contacting the flagstick (top), requiring players to walk and encouraging them to wear protective masks. Enforcing six feet of social distancing presents challenges in a game that traditionally encourages camaraderie but also allows it to continue with new benefits.
judgment to post the score you most likely would have made if a hole were actually there.)
3. BUNKERS ARE HAZARDS AGAIN! The sand bunker was invented to be a hazard—a place you didn’t want to hit your ball. With the elimination of bunker rakes on our “Contactless-COVID-Courses” we have reintroduced the challenge of the imperfect lie! Somewhere, Old Tom Morris is smiling!
5. “OLD SCHOOL” DIVOT REPAIR. As a lifelong caddie, it was ingrained in me to replace divots. Then along came sand and seed mix, which has created thousands of “mini-bunkers” in the middle of fairways. Those cannisters are now off-limits. For me, there is nothing like the satisfaction of a well-repaired divot.
4. NO MORE LIP OUTS! The practice of raising hole liners above the green surface makes “holing” putts much easier. (Remember, you can post scores played with raised cup liners, but you should still use your best
6. MODERNIZED SCORING. While I am a proud traditionalist, I have long believed that the best way to keep score is on an electronic device. The elimination of scorecards and pencils has opened the door for paperless scor-
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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The CGA PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE: Enforced guidelines for workers and golfers at CommonGround and other courses have enabled rounds to continue, albeit in modified ways. Upsides include sanctioned gimmes, no lip-outs and an appreciation for the lost arts of divot and ball-mark repair, as well as for walking the course.
ing. This is particularly convenient with the new GHIN app that allows you to enter your scores hole-by-hole and even track fairways and greens. 7. NO SHOTGUN STARTS. The shotgun start is one of the worst things that ever happened to the game. They require us all to ride in carts and half the field has to start on a 200yard par 3! 8. LIMITED BEVERAGE CART SERVICE. I don’t know about you, but I have been known to go without nourishment for up to two hours at a time! Not being asked “Are you doing okay?” every five minutes by a roving server isn’t a bad thing. And last, but certainly not least… 9. GAINING PERSPECTIVE. The frustration inherent to a game that appears so simple but is infinitely challenging is enough to turn even the mild-tempered into a hothead. But somehow, when we are threatened with something as daunting as a life-threatening disease, the consequence of a less-than-perfect golf shot doesn’t seem so bad. I hope that this issue of CAG finds us with a flattened curve and progress toward a vaccine. We will survive, but sometimes a reminder of what really matters is just what the doctor ordered. Just remember to play it safe out there! Edward Mate is the executive director/CEO of the Colorado Golf Association.
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Owned by the Colorado Golf Association, and designed by world-renowned architect Tom Doak, CommonGround can be found in Aurora at the intersection of Mission and Masterpiece. commongroundgc.com | 303-340-1520 COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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Proud Sponsor of Great Drives Golf Passport Member Conditions: 2020 Member Privileges. All rates include a cart. Visit coloradoavidgolfer.com/golf-passport for complete details regarding rates, available tee times, number of rounds and reservation policy. Tee time requests are on a space available basis to Golf Passport members and participating courses’ rain check policies will apply. Unless otherwise stated, the golf offers are good from January 1, 2020 – December, 31 2020, excluding holidays, special events, tournaments or closure to environmental or economic conditions. Mountain seasons may vary slightly. The Golf Passport is limited to one per person and is non-transferable. Prices do not include sales tax. Some courses may require a credit card to secure a tee time prior to play. If a tee time is cancelled, the golf course may charge for its discounted fee. Colorado AvidGolfer reserves the right to make reasonable modifications to the Golf Passport, effective upon notice by e-mail or first class mail to the Golf Passport member. A Golf Passport member may reject any such modification by responding in writing to Colorado AvidGolfer and returning the Golf Passport within ten (10) days. The Golf Passport member will receive a prorated refund. However, no refund will be given if the Golf Passport Member received the Complimentary Two-Night Stay at CasaBlanca Resort and Two Rounds of Golf at CasaBlanca or The Palms Golf Club. The Golf Passport member agrees that he or she is not entitled to any additional compensation. Colorado AvidGolfer disclaims all liability for damage or loss of property or injury to any person occurring while using the Golf Passport. If ordered online, please allow up to 10 days for delivery of your Golf Passport. Golf Passport membership includes a digital subscription to Colorado AvidGolfer with the option to opt-in to the mailing subscription for an additional fee. Members will also be subscribed to the Colorado AvidGolfer weekly newsletter list and can unsubscribe at any time.
COVID-19 SPECIAL SECTION
Dreams Deferred The COVID-19 pandemic shut down courses—along with the hopes and dreams of some Colorado golfers looking forward to milestone events. By Anthony Cotton
Anna Zanusso
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
will likely miss out on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. AUGUSTA WILL HAVE TO WAIT One reason why DU’s women’s team was so successful was the play of freshman Anna Zanusso. A native of Castelfranco Veneto, Italy, about 25 miles from Venice, Zanusso was in the process of rewriting the Pioneers’ record book, including setting the single-season scoring average of 71.63. In February, Zanusso won the individual title at the Westbrook Invitational in suburban Phoenix; after firing an opening round 61, she also established new DU records for 18-hole total (11-under), 36-hole total (14-under) and 54-hole total (16-under). It was those preternatural skills that led the Augusta National Golf Club to invite Zanusso to its second annual Women’s Amateur. Last year’s inaugural event, with the final round played upon the hallowed grounds where Jack, Arnie and Tiger stalked Masters wins, was captured by another golfer with Colorado ties, Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster. Via Lindsay Kuehl, Zanusso and Kupcho had started texting each other about the course and what to expect, but it wasn’t much later that the coronavirus began an insidious attack on Zanusso’s dreams. THE LONG GAME: A pair of big wins highlighted by a round of 61 earned DU freshman Anna Zanusso an invite to compete at First, with Italy particularly hard hit Augusta National, which now won’t happen until 2021. at the outset of the crisis, plans for her family to come to the U.S. to watch the things she loves, albeit in halting steps—brief tournament (her father was expected to caddie walks with her dog, then, after fashioning a makefor her) were quickly scuttled. Then, on March shift practice area, breaking out the clubs for a 13, Augusta National announced the postponefew short shots. ment of the tournament; three weeks later, it was All that was happening in her family’s backcanceled. yard. While happy to be ensconced in her home’s Augusta National says any player who re“pretty big garden,” she also longed to witness ceived an invitation for the 2020 event would be firsthand the azaleas and spectacular blooms at invited back next year; even so, Zanusso’s disappointment at missing out on that event, as well Augusta National. “I was looking forward to just, I think, walkas being wrenched away from her new stateside ing on the Augusta grass and saying, ‘Hey, I’m family, was palpable. “All our worlds just crashed in, on the entire playing in the Augusta Women’s Tournament Championship,’” she said. “That’s what I was team,” Zanusso said on a Skype call from Italy, where she returned 10 days after the remainder of looking for; I was looking forward to the atmosphere with the pressure, the stress and everyDU’s season was canceled. Once home, Zanusso self-quarantined for thing. I was just looking forward to playing and enjoying every single moment.” two weeks. Then, she started returning to the
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF DENVER ATHLETICS
ALONG ABOUT THE beginning of March, life was looking pretty sweet for Lindsay Kuehl—with every expectation that more goodies were on the way. Coaching a University of Denver women’s golf team that had registered four top-five finishes in its nine tournaments played, with the best scoring average in school history, Kuehl was envisioning league titles and NCAA tournament berths for her Pioneers. Not only that, the good times were rolling throughout the household. Her husband A.J.—the former Air Force Academy basketball star and now coach of the Valor Christian boys’ hoops team— had led the Eagles to a berth in the Final Four of the state tournament. But then... “It was just like...everything we worked so hard for—all we talk about and care about are our teams,” she said. “And for it to just end like that…” “Like that,” is, of course, a reference to COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has shut down myriad aspects of society, including athletics. Recently in Colorado, there have been signs of curves flattening and talk of the resumption of some activities, including the reopening of golf courses. But there’ll be no reprisals for either of the Kuehls, at least as far as their teams and promising seasons are concerned. “Now I’m more motivated—I just want them back and I want to compete again and see their faces,” Lindsay Kuehl says. “But the first couple of weeks (after the DU season was shut down) I was just really sad. And I needed some time to understand everything, because I don’t think it really hit me.” That same sentiment applies to others on the local golf scene, where any number of players
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF JASON PREEO
A NOT-SO-HAPPY ANNIVERSARY In 2007, Jason Preeo held his head high after enduring one of the cruelest afternoons ever on a golf course. Leading the field at Columbine Country Club after the first of two rounds of sectional qualifying, with a single spot in that year’s U.S. Open on the line, Preeo blew up with a final-round 77, losing out on a berth at historic Oakmont Country Club. But three years later, Preeo not only made it through qualifying for the Open, he also made the weekend cut at another iconic venue, Pebble Beach. And while qualifying tournaments have continued to be part of his limited playing schedule, the instructor at the MetaGolf Learning Center in Sheridan says this year’s attempt, coming on the anniversary of his triumphant appearance in California, would have been special. “It stings a little more,” Preeo said of the news that, because of the pandemic, he might not get that chance. In early April, the USGA announced the 120th Open, originally scheduled for June at Winged Foot in New York, would be postponed until September; the organization added it would strive “to conduct qualifying that fits health and safety guidelines while accommodating the rescheduled championship dates.” That’s not the only area where Preeo was dealing with uncertainty. Like countless others who saw their incomes crater as businesses and workplaces shut down, the married father of three children has been trying to figure out how to make ends meet. “I’m trying to read through all the Small Business Association information, all the plans and contingencies of the CARES Act (the program created by the federal government designed to help small businesses affected by the coronavirus)—I’m trying to sort all that out,” he says. “It’s more than just a little nerve-wracking, not having any income and hoping that we’re going to qualify
A DECADE LATER: Ten years after making the U.S. Open cut at Pebble Beach, Colorado teaching professional Jason Preeo had hoped to compete in this year’s championship at Winged Foot. Like everything else about the future, however, his opportunity to qualify seems uncertain.
and be able to take advantage of one of these payroll protection type of things.” GROWING UP, MOVING OUT Paying the monthly mortgage isn’t a concern for Charlotte Hillary—at age 18, her biggest housing worry is waiting to hear which dorm she’ll be assigned to when she enters Northwestern University this fall. But that’s not to say that the health crisis hasn’t, in some ways, forced her to grow up—at least as far as competition is concerned. After all her accomplishments in Colorado’s junior ranks—including three Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado titles, an AJGA championship and being named the JGAC Player of the Year—there’s no question the Kent Denver senior was ready to move on to the next level. One example of that was qualifying—for the second time in three years—with Hailey Schalk of Holy Family High School, for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship. In 2018, the prep duo lost early in the match play portion of the event— “On the last hole to two women who were like 40 years old!” she exclaims. But this year’s return
trip was canceled because of the pandemic, as were her final high school season and a number of junior events in which she hoped to play as a way of saying goodbye to the Colorado setting that nurtured her game. “My parents have really encouraged me to focus on a kind of, women’s amateur, kind of summer, with the exception of the USGA Girls’ Junior Amateur, which is the last junior event I can play in,” she said. “I’m still hoping to have a final (local junior) event—I mean, it would just be so weird to have my last one be in Florida in November (when she received the American Junior Golf Association’s prestigious Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award at the Rolex Junior All-America Award banquet)— that’s crazy.” If not, Hillary indeed plans on elevating her game; she’s slated to play in the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open (still scheduled for June 3-5 when this went to press), as well as other important events like the 120th Western Women’s Amateur, just south of Chicago. “Hopefully, those tournaments will happen, and summer will be back to normal,” Hillary says. “That’s what I’m hoping for right now.” She’s not alone.
Anthony Cotton will take over as editor of Colorado AvidGolfer as of the June 2020 issue. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE HILLARY
FROM MUSTANG TO WILDCAT: Charlotte Hillary, a star at Kent Denver who will play for Northwestern University in the fall, says it’s “weird” that she may not get to compete in another junior event in the state in which she excelled.
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Colorado Section
COVID-19 SPECIAL SECTION
Proceed with Caution Golf courses, with a slew of safeguards, provide a valued outlet amid COVID-19. By Andy Bigford WARNING: Given the fluid nature of the coronavirus and related orders, the following information could change before and after you read this.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMIE SCHWABEROW/CLARKSON CREATIVE (TOP); BY JONATHAN CASTNER (BOTTOM)
BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL: Although some have questioned the justification of allowing golf courses to remain open during the pandemic, Lake Valley Golf Club owner Mitch Galnick (right) has complied with every statemandated restriction while welcoming member play.
IN LATE MARCH, Mitch Galnick, the hands-on GM and owner of Lake Valley Golf Club north of Boulder, had just navigated the most stressful, chaotic 36-hour period in his 20 years of stewardship when he was suddenly stopped in his tracks. In this COVID-19 climate, Galnick’s first order of business was ensuring the safety of his staff and members, and then assuring Lake Valley could adhere to both the spirit and the letter of the law in providing basic golf. He spent hours on the phone with the Boulder County health department, the county and state attorneys general offices, and fellow course operators up and down the Front Range; he also held staff meetings to hear from employees. On March 26, Boulder County enacted a stay-at-home order that prohibited golf. Then on March 27, Gov. Jared Polis’ statewide order reversed that, allowing the activity under increased restrictions, and Lake Valley re-opened the next day. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
After long hours of keeping tabs on the reopened course, Galnick was catching up on emails, mostly coming from extremely appreciative members. Then an unfamiliar address popped up. A doctor at the local hospital, a nongolfer who happened to live on the course, was expressing his dismay, in no uncertain terms, at the scene he encountered when arriving home after a long day, during which his colleagues were battling on the life-and-death front lines of the coronavirus. “I understood his perspective, and I agreed 100 percent,” recounts Galnick. “We disagreed on what role golf should play.” Course operators and golfers are engaged in a two-front challenge, keeping it just as safe as other outdoor activities like hiking or biking, and also fighting off naysayers. Critics, while in a minority, have been vocal, including headlines like: “Golf, guns and ganja are essential services?”
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Even as many Colorado courses record 200plus rounds on busy days, there exists a faction of golfers who believe they should be closed. One member of a foursome texted this to his regular partners: “Apparently, no one is concerned about being exposed and bringing it home except my wife, daughters and myself?” A National Golf coloradoavidgolfer.com
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SADDLEBACK GOLF COURSE
AN ISLAND OF SANITY: Owners Whitey and Lanna O’Malley have taken steps to keep Saddleback Golf Course in Firestone as safe as possible for their customers—and as operational as possible for their staff, eliminating touch points and reassigning the restaurant staff to cart-sanitizing and maintenance duties.
Foundation poll of 520 golfers on the subject aligned by age: 67 percent from 18 to 34 said they should play, while among those 65 and over, 55 percent supported closures. As of mid-April, 15 states had banned golf. That includes much of the Midwest and New England, where pent-up demand is extremely high after a long winter, and California, home to the second-most courses in the United States. The state with the most—Florida—has prohibited it in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The National Golf Foundation reported in the week of March 27 that 74 percent of the “inseason” golf courses in the country were open. But by mid-April, when the survey parameters were broadened to include all courses, the number had dropped to 48 percent. Michigan, which has the fourth most courses in the country, banned the activity in March, much to the dismay of golfers waking up from a long winter. Their collective angst triggered this controversial Tweet from Michigan’s attorney general: “I just can’t hear about one more black healthcare worker, police officer or bus driver die while getting a barrage of complaints from white folks outraged because they can’t go golfing.” That itself brought immediate blowback, with a Detroit newspaper condemning her for turning a pandemic into a racial issue. For those who are relying on golf to maintain health and sanity, its role can’t be overstated. “Golf might be our salvation in these confined coloradoavidgolfer.com
times,” wrote a patron of Firestone’s Saddleback Golf Club on its Facebook page. “We’ve made it as safe here as walking on a trail,” adds Saddleback owner Lanna O’Malley. DAILY-FEE IN-STATE Most of the state’s municipal facilities, roughly 80 courses or a third of the total, closed in late March (or weren’t yet open). Of the remaining 156 courses that are private or daily fee, the vast majority that are “in-season” are open for business with considerable restrictions—and are often seeing full tee sheets. Most follow these guidelines: don’t play if you are sick; online tee times, payments and check-ins; no carts (or, in some cases, single riders with sanitization after each use); no pull carts; no range (or a hands-free process to pick and distribute); pro shops and clubhouses locked (but takeout available curbside); virtual scorecards; no water coolers, rakes or sand-seed bottles; and pins turned upside down or raised. Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen increased tee-time spacing to 15 minutes. Locals have already petitioned cities such as in Longmont to re-open their courses, but those pleas have fallen on deaf ears to date. Government facilities have deeper pockets to survive the shutdown, want to allocate resources to “more essential city services” and also shoulder a higher potential liability. At all-are-welcome Saddleback, the restaurant wait staff has been transformed into a cart-sanitization crew as owners Lanna and Whitey O’Malley attempt to keep their workers on the payroll. At the same time, course operators are working to stay afloat through the pandemic. April is typically the first profitable month after a long, slow winter for Colorado golf courses, when cash reserves are drained. Even by maintaining basic golf, owners are still losing the roughly 50 percent of revenue that would come from food and beverage, carts, retail, events and weddings. Ed Mate, the executive director of the Colorado Golf Association, is fond of saying that the shoulder months of April and October must click if a course is to have a great season.
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Critical to long-term health, maintenance staffs will continue to maintain the roughly 20,000 acres of golf turf at the 240-plus state courses regardless of any tighter restrictions to come, thanks to the work of the Colorado Golf Coalition (composed of groups representing golfers, club managers, PGA professionals and greenskeepers). Grass that is not regularly cut presents a problem, and this maintenance exception has, in general, been approved nationwide. Savvy operators hope to take advantage of the Paycheck Protection Plan included in the initial $2.2 trillion relief package passed by Congress; it covers revenue shortfalls if owners can maintain their payrolls. Saddleback has limited its practice range to tee-time holders only (who get free use), extended the width of bays to 20 feet, and is using a handless system to pick and then pyramid the balls, which guests don’t need to touch unless they tee one up. Amid the budgetary hits and the loss of the wedding business (some as late as September have been canceled, but the club still has a few bookings as early as June), O’Malley seems most bothered about being sterile 24/7. “I don’t like telling my customers to hang up and go online to make a tee time,” she says of Saddleback, where the tagline is “We are not normal” and the entire business is based foremost on customer interaction. There is a six-foot line around the starter’s shack at Erie’s Colorado National, one of five courses under the Southwest Greens banner. At CommonGround in Aurora, the course was closed for a week even after Gov. Polis’ order superseded local closures. Only after meticulous review did it reopen on April 4, with a request that players commute to the course alone, arrive no more than 15 minutes before their tee time, and walk only. ON THE PRIVATE SIDE Private clubs, with their finite memberships and established communication lines, were perhaps best equipped to adjust. “Ironically, in the long run I think it’s going be good for golf, and private clubs in particular,” says Michael Larson, the GM at Boulder Country Club. “Golf brings people toMay 2020 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
COVID-19 PHOTOGRAPH BY JEREMY CANTALAMESSA
The way golf should be MOUNTAINS OF CONCERN: In hard-hit Eagle County, Vail Golf Club’s Alice Plain has prepared for the worst, but hopes for the best. She has already seen numerous summer weddings and tee times canceled.
Superior course conditions and service Book your tee time at RedHawkRidge.com Off the I-25 Corridor in Castle Rock
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
gether. They want to take care of the staff and each other. We’re in this together. Everyone realizes the value of a club membership in getting together. How do you put a value on that?” In the days after the stay-at-home order, BCC became a mini-grocery store, even selling toilet paper (six-roll limit) to members, and it also donated meals to Boulder Community Hospital. Like others, BCC had closed in the wake of the local health department orders, but reconsidered after the governor’s order. The club held three board meetings in one day and decided to reopen. “The majority of members said, ‘Thank god.’ The mental part of golf is every bit as important as the physical,” Larson says. Meanwhile, golf tournaments that include a social component, like member-guests, will likely be postponed or canceled in the short term, but ladder bracket events might go on pending further positive developments in flattening the curve. Then again, statewide backsliding could put courses back in jeopardy of closing again. A MOUNTAIN TAIL? Colorado’s mountain courses, which typically begin to open in April, could have a longer tail in their return. Eagle County, home to Vail and a bounty of some 10 golf courses, was one of the state’s coronavirus hot spots due to its national and international visitation during the truncated spring ski season. The county closed all courses until April 30, pending further developments. Gypsum Creek (formerly Cotton Ranch) opened for three days in March but was closed by the town. The private Country Club of the Rockies is planning to open May 1 with myriad restrictions, including no guests (not uncommon at private clubs). Courses with out-of-state members who travel in for the summer season also face possible quarantines; one club in the Upper Midwest has already requested that all incoming members shelter-in-place for two weeks upon arrival. Alice Plain, the PGA director of golf for the
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municipal Vail Golf Club in East Vail, remains optimistic but she is already seeing impacts, including a hit to wedding business at the course’s scenic clubhouse/event center. She canceled 90 percent of the orders for the retail shop, but is hopeful the pandemic will be somewhat in the rearview mirror by July, when the Vail Valley courses are busiest. WILL GOLF REBOUND? The loss of green-grass demos delivered a devastating blow to the traditional spring release of new golf club technology. The big chains, like Golf Galaxy and PGA TOUR Superstore, are offering curbside, contactless service at their locations, and even interactive online opportunities for club selection. But pent-up demand is expected to soar when things return to normal, and the NGF is predicting golf will not be hit as hard and will recover more quickly than many other segments. Destination golf travel is already seeing severe impacts and is bracing for more. Bandon Dunes on the Oregon coast shut down voluntarily, as few people are thinking about flying, much less organizing a buddy trip in this climate. To play or not to play is a personal choice, and either decision is valid. When the proper precautions are rigidly followed, with a few dozen people spread out over 100 acres, thousands of golfers are reporting that golf’s therapeutic benefits—health and sanity—far surpass those of any other activity. If you agree, check in regularly with your local course before heading out, hold your head high (except when addressing the ball), settle your Nassaus via Venmo, and be extra careful out there. And be prepared for the new normal. “I don’t know if we’ll ever shake hands again,” says the CGA’s Mate.
Contributor Andy Bigford admits golf has provided him an invaluable outlet in social distancing and surviving this unprecedented pandemic. coloradoavidgolfer.com
The Gallery
NEWS | NOTES | NAMES
Don’t Miss the Trans-Miss PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TMGA
IN 1901, the brand-spanking new Denver Country Club and 14 other clubs from five states formed the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association. Their goal: Promote friendly competition and camaraderie on both sides of the Mississippi River. Today, 119 years later, the organization comprises 92 member clubs from 19 states, and the prestigious Trans-Miss Amateur tournament counts among its past champions PGA TOUR winners Jack Nicklaus, Deane Beaman, George Archer, Frank Stranahan, Allen Miller, Ben Crenshaw, Gary Koch, Bob Tway, John Fought, Mark Brooks, Bryson DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa and Cameron Champ. Additionally, legendary amateurs Charlie Coe and Johnny Goodman combined to win the Trans-Miss seven times, and in 1910 Minnesota’s Harry Legg scored the second of his record five Trans-Miss championships. Legg’s victory also marked the first of the five times Denver Country Club has hosted the Trans-Miss. The sixth will take place two years from now, on July 12-15, 2022. If it’s anything like the last one DCC hosted—in 2010—put it on your calendar now. In that Trans-Miss—the first ever to be contested as stroke play rather than match play—future PGA TOUR winner Max Homa surrendered a two-shot lead with a double-bogey on the 15th, ultimately losing by a shot to prospective pros STORMING TO VICTORY: Future PGA TOUR winner Cameron Champ shot a 9-under 201 at Prairie Kevin Tway and Scott Pinckney. Dunes to win by four strokes a Trans-Miss shortened to 54 holes by thunderstorms. Those last two went to a playoff tied at 6-under-par, with Pinckney prevailing on the second extra hole, the 212-yard 17th, nearly Trans-Miss director and Denver Country Club member Gary Potter, who coacing it. chaired the event. That hole and five others will play much differently than they did in Potter also chaired the 1980 Trans-Miss at DCC. To get an idea of the 2010, thanks to upcoming green relocations by architect Gil Hanse, who has level of player this event attracts, that edition featured the young Fred Couples, already revamped the bunkers and made other alterations as part of ongoing Corey Pavin, Mark O’Meara, Bob Tway and Tom Pernice, Jr. trans-miss.org renovations that will make the course about 250 yards longer than 2010’s stated yardage of 6,800. Editor’s note: At press time, the 2020 Trans-Mississippi Amateur “Will Nicholson (the late Colorado Golf Hall of Famer who did course remained scheduled for July 6-10 at Windsong Farm Golf Club in setup for the Masters), and I had set the course playing at around 7,000 Minnesota. Cancellation could potentially affect the sites of the 2021 yards every day, with unusual angles into the greens,” remembers longtime and 2022 tournaments.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TMGA
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN LINDLEY
YOUNG GUN: Future PGA TOUR winner Collin Morikawa, then 18, dominated the 2015 Trans-Miss field at Flint Hills by seven strokes.
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EXTRA HOLES: Heading to a playoff at Denver Country Club in 2010, Kevin Tway (left) and eventual winner Scott Pinckney got instructions from tournament co-chairs Gary Potter (right) and Kim Richey.
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May 2020 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
The Gallery
Moving Pros
Hailey Schalk
AS THIS ISSUE went to press, the pandemic portended to derail Hailey Schalk’s run at immortality. At this year’s 4A Girls Championship, the Holy Family High School senior had hoped to become the first Colorado golfer ever to win four individual state high-school titles. But with CHSAA canceling all events through April 30, the tournament—scheduled for May 18-19 at Schalk’s home course of Colorado National Golf Club in Erie—will likely suffer the same fate. “I think it would have been easier for me if I had gotten to play and I lost,” she told KMGH-TV. “It definitely would have hurt a lot, but it would have been easier for me just knowing that I tried and gave it my all.” The pandemic also cost the incoming University of Colorado freshman the chance to compete with partner Charlotte Hillary (see page 27) in April’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, which the USGA canceled in March. chsaanow.com
MORE AT CASTLE PINES Golf Club has changed than its gloriously renovated clubhouse, which is formally now scheduled to debut in July. After 21 years at the club, acclaimed PGA Director of Instruction Don Hurter has relocated to Desert Forest Club in Carefree, Ariz., where he and his wife, LPGA teaching professional Sue Sanders, can be closer to family. Replacing Hurter at Castle Pines is PGA Director of Instruction Paul Lobato, who spent 29 years at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood. “I have lots of close friends at Castle Pines, and teaching has been a passion of mine,” Lobato says. “I’m also going to bring in some nationally known teachers to do clinics.” Dave Lopez has taken Lobato’s spot as head PGA professional at Meridian—the club where Lopez began his career. “Dave worked for me for eight years—until Castle Pines Golf Club hired him away,” Lobato says, laughing at the coincidence. Lopez eventually became the PGA director Don Hurter of golf at Beaver Creek Golf Club for 12 years before moving back to the Front Range as the head PGA professional at The Country Club at Castle Pines and the club liaison for Club Car sales at Colorado Golf & Turf. “I’m happy to be back at Meridian, where it all started,” Paul Lobato Dave Lopez he says.
Golf is one of two sports ever to be played on the moon.
Lakewood is way closer. LakewoodGolf.org COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF COLORADO PGA
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BOCOPREPS
No Four-peat
COLORADO GOLF’S loss is Ohio’s gain. After 12 years with the Colorado PGA Section, Chief Operating Officer Patrick Salva has become executive director of the Southern Ohio PGA Section. For the Ohio native it’ll be a sort of homecoming. He grew up in Fredericktown and received both his undergrad and master’s degrees in sports administration from Ohio University in Athens—both towns are two-hour drives from his new office in the Dayton suburb of Fairborn. “But believe it or not,” he laughs, “I’ve never been to Dayton.” In 2008, Salva had never been to Colorado when he took the job as the section’s tournament manager. Over the next 12 years, he rapidly moved up the ranks to tournament director, assistant executive director for section affairs and then into his current position as COO. In his new position, Salva will lead a smaller section (475 members compared to Colorado’s 820) that “is where the Colorado Section was when I started in terms of business operations.” That, he says, “was one of the things that drew me to the position—and it happens to be close to my family.” During Salva’s 12 years in Larkspur, the Colorado PGA developed into a flagship among the nation’s 41 PGA sections, twice earning the PGA of America’s coveted Herb Graffis Award for
“extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of Player Development.” Programs such as Golf in Schools, PGA H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), F.L.A.M.E. (Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere) and the PGA REACH Women’s Leadership Summit represent just some of the initiatives that have had impact on growth of the game. In the last five years, the Section has also helped to provide six wounded veterans with mortgage-free homes. Salva played a major role in helping to cultivate partnerships for all of these initiatives. The achievement in which he takes the greatest pride, he says, “is the way we worked with the Colorado Golf Association to create the Junior Golf Alliance in 2016. The willingness and ability to look outside of the box to build a team that had never before been built between a professional section and an amateur organization was really a game-changer for junior golf in Colorado.” In addition to his title within the Section, Salva served as JGAC’s managing director. “It’s a relationship business,” he says of the 650-700 Colorado PGA members he’s gotten to know personally. He knows he’ll have to build many new ones in Ohio. His job starts the first week of May, although he, wife Sar-
alpinebank.com | Member FDIC
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PATRICK SALVA
Salve, Patrick!
ON TO OHIO: Patrick Salva’s new job as executive director of the Southern Ohio PGA also means a move to Dayton for wife Sarah and daughter Kemper.
ah and daughter Kemper will first need to selfquarantine for their first 14 days in the Buckeye State. coloradopga.com
INDEPENDENCE • COMMUNITIES • COMPASSION • INTEGRITY • LOYALTY 40 LOCATIONS IN COLORADO
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The Gallery
Same Team Next Year? PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
AFTER THE NCAA canceled competition for all spring sports, it also granted those athletes an extra year of eligibility. The organization did not, however, indicate how seniors—or the schools offering them scholarships—would pay for an additional year of college. Among the Colorado players affected was Longmont’s Erin Sargent, the 2016 Colorado 4A State Champion and a senior on the University of Wyoming women’s golf team. Sargent, who plans on pursuing a master’s degree in finance, knew the dollars involved, but she also felt a lack of closure over not finishing out her final season. Fortunately, the Cowboys’ football coach Craig Bohl and his wife, Leia, made Sargent’s decision easier. The couple donated $100,000 to the university’s athletic department to fund the scholarships of Sargent and seven other senior spring sports student-athletes. “I’m happy it isn’t over,” she says. “This gives us the opportunity to do what we love for one more year. I can’t say how thankful I am.” Meanwhile, other Colorado college seniors remain in limbo—as do their teams, their schools and coaches. The University of Denver’s women’s team boasts four seniors—Alison Armstrong, Maggie Cowart, Camille Enright and Mary Weinstein—who have the opportunity to finish their college careers on their own terms. “Everybody got one more year of eligibility back, so we’re trying to figure out who’s going to come back and try to make that all work,” Head Coach Lindsay Kuhle says.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: CSU’s A.J. Ott could return to a team poised to make a run in the NCAA Nationals.
DU’s Weinstein—the three-time Colorado Golf Association Woman Player of the Year and 2019 Summit League Golfer of the Year—said she was “still considering playing one more year for DU or becoming a graduate assistant for a DII school.” Her choice, she said, hinged on the university’s decision on scholarships for returning athletes. As of April, Colorado State University was declining interviews with coaches and student-athletes “until administration finalizes the plan and can discuss it with those involved,” according to Assistant Director of Communications John Martin. The plan would chiefly affect the sole senior on the men’s team, A.J. Ott of Fort Collins. Returning would mean the opportunity to compete again on one of the best teams in school history. Then again, most agree that Ott, who in 2019 was the CoBank Colorado Open low amateur and won the prestigious Southern Amateur, already possesses the physical skills and mindset to compete at the professional level. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING (SARGENT); UNIVERSITY OF DENVER (WEINSTEIN)
SECOND-YEAR SENIORS: Wyoming’s Erin Sargent knows where she’ll be playing next spring, while Mary Weinstein (inset) awaits word from the University of Denver regarding scholarships for a returning senior.
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experienceThe Ridge
Enjoy The Ridge’s Newest Dining Experience
The Ridge, located in Castle Pines, Colorado is excited to announce that we will be re-launching our restaurant this Spring! Newly named Park Place, the restaurant is named after Grace Park, a 12-year LPGA Tour Player who collected a total of six victories and one major. New items will include enhanced ambiance, western theme, new menu and fresh BBQ selections! Visit www.playTheRidge.com or call 303.688.4575 for reservations today.
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Player’s Corner PLAY AWAY
Counting Sheep Sheep Ranch, another Coore-Crenshaw masterpiece, brings the number of 18-hole courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort to five. By Jeff Wallach IN CASE YOU needed another reason to visit Bandon Dunes, this June the resort will debut Sheep Ranch—its fifth and likely final links course—featuring nine greens perched along the Pacific and ocean views from all 18 holes. Built upon the formerly mythical layout that featured 13 greens built by Tom Doak and no specific routing—and which required insider connections to access—the new Sheep Ranch is like a gleaming new city built upon the ruins of a once-glorious one. Architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw reconstructed several of the original greens, added their own putting surfaces wherever necessary, and have created what may be the best layout on this already legendary property.
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
“We tried to pay tribute to what was here before us, and to the shapes and contours that were here, marrying the old look to the new,” Coore says regarding his reworking of Doak’s earlier artistry. “Lots of the holes that golfers thought unconventional before are still out here.” Tucked into a small site between the coast and Pacific Northwest forest, and laid out across rolling natural dunes, Sheep Ranch distinguishes itself with its clustering of tee boxes and the interactive nature of the routing. Golfers will encounter other happy golfers as they play. “Fairly early we created clustered teeing grounds—where two holes lie extremely close together as to be almost common, so lines of play
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can radiate out at different angles and create width,” Coore explains. “Some classic old teeing grounds were in very close proximity for the same reason—like at Maidstone on Long Island. It’s been done many times around the world as the best way to maximize space.” The highlight may be the famous vortex green from the original Sheep Ranch, a promontory poking into the Pacific and lending the feeling that the sea is encroaching from all sides. The vortex now hosts a tiered double green for the third and 16th holes. Another notable feature is the lack of any sand bunkers. Coore says that as the windiest of Bandon’s layouts, the sand here would blow
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BANDON DUNES GOLF RESORT
HARD BY THE SEA: Ocean seems to surround every hole at Sheep Ranch. Nos. 3 and 16 (above) share a tiered green, while the first and 17th greens (left) tightrope above the crashing surf.
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Play Away
NONE OF THE TRAPPINGS: The southfacing par-3 seventh, like all other Sheep Ranch holes, lacks sand bunkers.
right out. The shaped bunkers were hydroseeded and designed to look abandoned. They will be left to weather naturally, evolving as nature sees fit. The architects’ clever use of the landscape has created some memorable moments, such as the par-3 seventh hole which plays downhill with the distant beach stretching behind it so that you feel an over-amped shot might land in California. The par 3s are particularly fun, with another playing with the ocean to the left and a huge gorse-covered dune blocking the right side of the green. On a windy day golfers will face interesting conundrums. While the site stood on its own for many years, unaffiliated with Bandon Dunes, coowner Phil Friedmann—former business partner with Mike Keiser at Recycled Paper Greetings— agreed that the private golf enclave made sense as a component of the resort. “I enjoyed the wonderful experience of having it to myself as a place where my friends could come and have a singular experience that was exciting, charming, mystical,” Friedmann says. “That went on for some time. Early on in construction of the new Sheep Ranch, Bill Coore asked if I was sure I wanted to do this, that it wouldn’t ever be my sanctuary again. But I’ve reconciled that with being able to offer golfers of all abilities a chance to play something this special on a unique piece of ground.”
WOOLLY TIMES Plans call for Sheep Ranch to open June 1, 2020. At press time, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort had voluntarily closed through April 30 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please visit bandondunesgolf.com or call 855-220-6710 for updates and booking information.
INTO THE WIND: A forgiving emerald expanse awaits on the par-3 fifth.
Oregon-based writer Jeff Wallach is most recently the author of the novel Mr. Wizard. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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Thank you to all the golfers who have
supported GOLFTEC for the last 25 years and for letting us help you play better golf. We have learned a lot from teaching you.
GOLFTEC was born in Denver, Colorado, and our World Headquarters remains here. You have helped us grow to over 210 Training Centers in 6 countries. Here’s to playing better golf for the next 25 years.
Player’s Corner LESSON
About Face Your clubface angle at impact determines the direction of your shots, but it all starts with how you take it away. By Trent Wearner We don’t have enough space in this magazine to go over all the potential reasons why your clubface is too open or closed (see box at right), but the key is to square up the clubface’s leading edge when the club is about three feet from hitting the ball. PHOTOGRAPHS BY E.J. CARR
THE REASON WHY most golfers’ results are so inconsistent is not because they swing differently each time, but because they make small “corrections” that produce many different outcomes. As a coach, it fascinates me to see how we all subconsciously compensate to direct the ball toward the target or make contact. Let’s say you hit a slice. That results from your clubface being too open in relation to your path (pointed to the right for a right-handed golfer) at impact. In an effort to correct your next shot, you’ll counter by trying to close the clubface, producing an outside-in swing path. For a right-handed golfer, that means compensating by swinging to the left. Conversely, if you pull or hook a shot because your clubface at impact is too closed (pointed left for the right-handed golfer), you’ll compensate by producing a path that is too far inside-out (or to the right). In both scenarios, you could pull your “corrected” shot left, curve it right, chunk it, hit it thin, clip it off the toe or possibly shank it. That’s six possible outcomes from one issue—a poor path and face relationship. The thing is, you’re not as far off as you think. As long as you can start getting the clubface in a better place during the motion of your swing, you can start chipping away at those undesirable six outcomes.
1. TAKE A SWING. On your downswing, putting pressure on your lead foot, quickly stop when the clubhead is about waist high.
SQUARE (OPTIMAL)
TOO OPEN
2. CHECK THE ANGLE of the leading edge. Your goal is to get it as close to the above angle on the downswing as possible.
TOO CLOSED
3. THE TAKEAWAY. Now that you are aware of the optimal downswing position of the club prior to impact, it’ll be advantageous to get your clubface to mirror this angle on the takeaway. Starting in the address position, take away the club to about three feet from the ball and stop and look at the leading edge of the clubface. You don’t want it to be too open (resulting in a slice) or too closed (resulting in a pull). You want it to be square—the same position as in the downswing. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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Take It Outside! The COVID-19 pandemic understandably makes practicing golf outside a challenge. Indoor practice is great, but it’s important to get outside for your lessons and practice because people set up and swing differently in these two environments. Our academy at Meridian Golf Club has its own outdoor private lesson tee area and an indoor center. Having students in both environments has given me a unique perspective on watching people and how they often alter their setup and swing indoors versus outdoors. I have a number of swings on video showing people making good swings while hitting balls indoors and swinging ineffectively outdoors. The reason? As opposed to hitting off a mat indoors, when you’re outdoors—where there is an actual target and you can see the outcome of the shot—you feel more pressure to perform. People also aim differently indoors on a mat than they do outside. If you’re investing money in improving your game, take most of your lessons outdoors.
WHY YOUR CLUBFACE IS OPEN/CLOSED The most important part of being a coach is correctly addressing the cause of this chain of events. It varies from person to person. Some people start with a grip that immediately puts them behind the eight ball. Others rotate the face too much in one direction with their forearms during the backswing or downswing. And still others move their wrists in a manner that opens or closes the face too much in the backswing or downswing.
SQUARE (OPTIMAL)
TOO OPEN
TOO CLOSED
PGA Golf Professional Trent Wearner owns and operates his own golf academy located at Meridian Golf Club. He has had 37 adults and junior students qualify to play in National USGA events, 15 juniors win the High School State Championship and countless adults and juniors regularly lower their scoring average. Trent has opened up his practice website, golfscrimmages.com, free of charge for anyone looking for competitive, realistic practice games. Learn more at trentwearnergolf.com.
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Player’s Corner 15TH CLUB
Fit from the Ground up Can the right shoes add consistency and power to your game? By Neil Wolkodoff, Ph.D. IN THE SAME way that you shouldn’t select your golf clubs just because your favorite pro golfer plays them, you definitely should not walk in his or her shoes. Simply put, tour players are leaner than the average person. The average tour pro on the men’s side is 165 pounds and 70 inches tall, resulting in a body mass index (BMI) of 23.8. The average male is 69 inches tall and 201 pounds with a BMI of 29.7. That difference is important because swingforce summation and BMI lateral result in weight shift loads on the feet and shoes. Tour players have amazingly smooth force transitions, which reduce the lateral support needs of the shoe. These athletes can compete in shoes similar to light cross-trainers because they weigh less per foot size, and their swing transition, while powerful, is exceptionally well-timed. Their shoes are not well-suited for amateur golfers with much higher weights and BMI numbers. These players have swings marked by more sudden force changes. Combine that with the higher load placed on the shoe in general, and the average recreational golfer requires a more robust shoe that is able to resist sudden, lateral forces.
means all your everyday movements that occur off the course—including those associated with physical conditioning—don’t quite align with those on the course. There have been tour players such as Jason Day who switched shoe brands or styles and immediately had an off year. Think about it: Their swings are so precise that any change in kinesio-mechanics from the ground up changes the rhythm, even if slightly. You can imagine the head games that a different stance and balance point can play. The best bet is to get golf shoes with similar ramp angles to those in your dress and athletic shoes to better coordinate your movements. You can assess your dress shoes and athletic shoes with an inclinometer, which measures that ramp angle, and select golf shoes that precisely match. Another factor that comes into play when considering all the new shoe options is your type of foot. In general, feet that are not as stable do better with a straight-lasted shoe, while rigid feet perform well in curved-lasted shoes. ORTHOTICS More than half of all tour players use some type of orthotic insole to create a more predictable and reliable weight transfer. Given the extreme weight
transfers in golf, which require a stable arch, it is a powerful idea to replace the sock liner of the shoe with an appropriate orthotic. Unfortunately, not all golf-shoe orthotics work the same way. The golf swing is complicated, and so are the components required to give it appropriate support. Seek out a professional for a custom fitting. When getting fit, one of the most important things to consider is rigidity. After age 40, feet need a certain amount of “give” under the arch because the fat pads under both the arch and the ball start to lose cushioning, resulting in foot fatigue when you walk the course. So, the orthotic should compensate for the fat pad loss. Another little-known trick for golf orthotics is the metatarsal bar (or “met bar”), a diagonal ridge that adds a bit of height and rigidity, basically along the line where all the toes start. Applied correctly, the met bar promotes a more efficient weight transfer, resulting in increased power and swing speed. Golf is the only sport where at least some research has confirmed that adding an orthotic improved power and distance. The participants in the study gained three miles per hour in clubhead speed, which equates to about 10 yards of extra length.
RAMP IT UP However, a shoe that’s relatively flat from heel to forefoot probably won’t match the “ramp angle” of your work and exercise shoes, most of which have a heel higher than the mid-foot area. This difference in ramp angles therefore
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN LINDLEY
LIGHT ISN’T ALWAYS RIGHT Golf shoes in the $190–$300 range still have features and construction similar to shoes of 30 years ago. These traditional models perform better in the long run because of increased lateral support. But as we have seen, golf footwear is trending towards more mesh fabrics. Shoes are much lighter and more breathable but offer nowhere near the lateral transition support of leather. Another trend, which dovetails with the use of mesh, is that, like some classic athletic shoes, the height of the upper around the heel cup has shrunk over time to lighten the shoe (and, cynics say, to increase manufacturer’s margins). The minimalist shoe movement has also influenced the decrease in sole thickness, especially at the heel. Many manufacturers claim this gives increased “ground reaction contact,” improving both feel and power. (Again, this might have more to do with profit than performance.)
LATERAL FORCE: Leather golf shoes handle sudden weight shifts far better than lightweight fabrics can.
Neil Wolkodoff, Ph.D., is the medical program director of the Denver-based Colorado Center for Health & Sport Science (cochss.com; 303-596-6519). COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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GEAR ONLINE VISIT P G AT O U R S U P E R S T O R E . C O M
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Player’s Corner 15TH CLUB
Return of the Glutei Why and how strong buttocks can help your game. By Dee Tidwell a matter of weeks you will notice stronger glutei that will contribute to better posture, stability and strength. This will also create more consistency, decrease or eliminate back pain and help you regain lost distance off the tee.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY E.J. CARR
CALL IT “broken booty syndrome,” “flabby butt” or “weak cheeks.” In my 20 years of testing and screening hundreds of golf clients, I have found that almost 96 percent of them have weak, dysfunctional glutei (the correct term for what most of us call glutes). Don’t laugh. The gluteus maximus is your largest hip extensor. It works with the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus to maintain posture and rotate your hips and legs through the swing. Neglecting this muscle group results in postural inconsistency, lower back pain and diminished leg drive. In addition to laziness and lack of exercise, the most common reasons for weak glutei are the seated workplace, slouched posture and training focused on the “seen” muscles (chest, abs, thighs) as opposed to posterior (glutes, lats, hamstrings and shoulders). Here are three exercises you can do at home that will get your derriere back to being strong and functional. I suggest starting with one set of 8-12 reps and progressing toward three sets. Perform these exercises three times a week, every other day. If you are consistent, in
BRIDGES 1-2 sets of 10 reps • Lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, extend your arms out to your side with your palms facing down. • Push your heels into the ground and lift your pelvis up. Hold for up to 10 seconds. • Perform reps of this focusing on using your glutes to lift and minimizing your legs (hamstrings). • To make this harder, you can cross your arms over your chest.
DUCK WALKS
EXERCISE BALL SQUATS 1-3 sets of 12-15 reps
1-3 sets of 10-15 steps in each direction
• Grab an exercise ball or medicine ball and hold your arms out in front of you so they are parallel to the ground. • Place your feet shoulder-width apart. • As you perform the squat, draw your navel to your spine and make sure your knees track over your second toes.
• Place an exercise band around your ankles and get into a good golf posture. • Maintaining a stable posture, begin to sidestep to the left for the prescribed number of reps. • Repeat to the right.
Dee Tidwell owns Colorado Golf Fitness Club in Denver. He has obtained all of the TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) certifications and has coached two PGA Tour winners and countless amateur, high school and college golfers (coloradogolffitnessclub.com; 303-883-0435). A version of this article originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of Colorado AvidGolfer. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
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Side Bets NICE DRIVES
Cars to Keep an Eye On The latest from BMW, Infiniti, Mazda and Chevy serve up something for everyone. By Isaac Bouchard
BMW M340i
2020 BMW M340i
EPA Ratings: 22 /30/25mpg 0-60mph: 3.8 sec Price as tested: $69,570
2020 INFINITI Q50 RED SPORT 400 EPA Ratings: 19/26/22mpg 0-60mph: 4.5 sec Price as tested: $60,475
For decades, the BMW 3-series sedan was the benchmark of sports sedans. But its last generation opened the door for models like the Infiniti Q50 to snatch the crown. And while the early versions weren’t up to the task—being blighted by poor infotainment interfaces and simply atrocious, drive-by-wire steering on loaded models—the new Q50 Red Sport 400 appears primed to make a run at the pride of BMW’s 7th generation G20 series, the M340i. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
The M340i represents a return to form for BMW. Its steering is improved, with better accuracy and a smidge more feedback. However, the Infiniti actually has the better tiller—as long as you avoid its Direct Adaptive Steering package—and much less vertical motion in its stiffer settings (both cars have adjustable dampers) and excellent body control up to about 90 percent of the limit. Beyond that, however, the Infiniti doesn’t quite comport itself as well as the M340i. Its AWD system doesn’t shuffle power to the rear as quickly as BMW’s xDrive, and it doesn’t have a rear differential that moves it from side to side. Infiniti has also added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the Q50’s twin screens, which in one stroke cures the most serious ill of the outgoing interfaces. While tolerable, it is still not up to the level of BMW’s superb, class-leading iDrive system. The M340i is much roomier in back, important if one often has more than a single passenger,
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and trunk capacity and accessibility are much better in the Bavarian. Both machines are more than fast enough; the 400hp/350lb-ft twin turbo V6 in the Infiniti gets it to 60mph in 4.5 seconds. Its 7-speed automatic teams well in daily use, coloradoavidgolfer.com
Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400
though it doesn’t respond to manual commands like the 8-speed ’box in the BMW. Powered by a new family of inline six called B58, the M340i is a rocket sled; 0-60 in 3.8 is performance that would shame an M3 of just a decade ago and it almost certainly makes more power than its rated 382hp/369lb-ft. Both engines are smooth and sonorous, but the BMW has to use electronic enhancement to get a good growly note whereas the Infiniti does it the ol’ fashioned way, with just intake and exhaust. In some respects that goes to the heart of what makes the Red Sport 400 special: While it isn’t the fastest, nor best handling at the limit, it has copious amounts of character. It feels like one of the last great analog sports sedans. Its bones are taken from the G37, a car that always ran a close second to the old 3-series for driver satisfaction. Like a vinyl album played on an expensive turntable, the Q50 is warmly comforting. The M340i is more of a digital creation—albeit a high resolution, 24bit/196kHz one, with the kind of acceleration, braking and cornering only the latest tech can generate. Either is a wonderful tonic in an age where high-riding crossovers have become the norm and deliver satisfaction few of those “hot hatches” can match.
2020 CHEVROLET BLAZER PREMIER AWD EPA Ratings: 18/25/21mpg 0-60mph: 6.1 sec (indep. test) Price as tested: $48,960
Since Ford and Chevrolet have killed off sedans, the Blazer is about the closest you will get to an upmarket four-door from the Bowtie brand. The Blazer takes its inspiration from the Camaro in terms of its squinty lights, aggressive lines, flared fenders and clean interior; even its huge circular air vents seem lifted straight from the pony car. Material quality in the top trim, Premier, is generally excellent and the controls are both well integrated and easy to operate, with crisp, clear and intuitive displays. Plenty of room awaits in both rows and the capacious cargo area. The front seats, however, are short in both the Chevrolet Blazer Premier AWD bottom squab and the backrest, and lack adjustments, a result of a platform shared with numerous other GM crossovers. The upside of using those guts is superb driving dynamics, highlighted by great body control and a smooth ride. The Blazer’s steering trumps that of most crossovers, and the Chevy doesn’t get flustered by twisty turns or rough roads nearly as much as some of its competitors do. Its powertrain, comprised of a 308hp V6 and 9-speed auto, provides linear power and will hit 60mph in 6.1 seconds; it will also return high 20s mpg on a highway cruise. On the “needs improvement” list: The Chevrolet defaults to two wheel drive every time you shut it off and requires twisting an awkwardly placed knob to re-engage AWD. Otherwise, its stout 270lb-ft of torque will bark the front, 20-inch tires from every stoplight. And those cool, Camaro-inspired vents do a great job of cooling or heating your knees, not your upper body. But by and large the Blazer is a great machine and thanks to its low step-in height, a great choice for those who want the style and dynamics of a sedan in a crossover package. coloradoavidgolfer.com
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THE COURSE IS READY–ARE YOU?
JOIN US STARTING IN JUNE FOR
COLORADO’S #1 TOURNAMENT SERIES Take advantage of our EARLY BIRD SPECIAL by May 15 to receive $25 OFF each event! REGISTER TODAY @ coloradoavidgolfer.com/tournament-series ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOME! PLAY ONE OR PLAY THEM ALL!
We are pleased to support our 501(c)(3) charity partner, Bags of Fun. Contact us with questions at: 720-493-1729 ext. 15 or melissa@coloradoavidgolfer.com
Nice Drives
TOURNAMENT SERIES LINEUP
June 22nd, 7:30 am $110/player, Scramble
Mazda 3
2020 MAZDA 3 PREMIUM AWD EPA Ratings: 24/32 /27mpg 0-60mph: 7.2 sec (indep. test) Price as tested: $32,190
Like the Jeffersons, Mazda’s been movin’ on up. While this is clearly evident in its newest machinery, there’s a bit of tension with the change. A great example is the new Mazda3. According to the company’s own internal tracking, the prior model was often cross-shopped with the Audi A3, so the new one is a full frontal assault on that gussied-up VW Golf. Its skin is sleek and the trim discreetly upscale; the hatchback a radical-looking thing with a uniquely radiused tail. The 3’s interior is beautifully turned out; most everything is a giant leap above the quality of mainstream rivals, and some is indeed better than Audi’s. The aesthetic is very simple, with money spent on switches that give good satisfaction as you twist, prod or push. The Mazda infotainment interface is a step forward too, though the lack of a touch screen makes Android and Apple mirroring more cumbersome. The refinement of the driver aids (lane assist, adaptive cruise control) more than make up for it. Front seat comfort is superb, but the sloping roofline makes entry to the supportive back bench tight, and the hatch is claustrophobic. Mazda put form ahead of function, knowing that customers wanting more room could opt for the mechanically twinned CX-30 crossover. Mazda added AWD to the 3 for the first time, broadening the company’s appeal in lands with four real seasons. The only engine available (for now, as a turbo is rumored) is a quiet 2.5-liter four with outputs of 186hb/186lb-ft. Channeled through Mazda’s excellent 6-speed auto and the four wheels, 0-60 takes 7.2 seconds at sea level; the 3 feels torquey but never that fast at our altitude. The powertrain also lacks pizzazz. The same motor sounds rortier and pulls for the redline harder in the Miata, so it seems a shame Mazda put refinement above passion in the 3. Likewise the handling, which lacks the sparkle that has made every prior vehicles from the small Hiroshima manufacturer Jack up the Mazda 3 a couple inches, give it slightso special. ly beefier-looking bod and you’ve got the new The steering is accurate and is tied into CX-30. Its basic model actually costs $1,450 what Mazda has labeled G-Vectoring; this less than the 3 hatch with AWD—but $1,000 more tweaks individual brakes as the car is rotatthan the 3 sedan—meaning it all comes down to ed into a corner so it better resists front-end personal preference. The CX-30 has 2.5 more push. Although a bit firm, its refined ride inches of ground clearance and the seating posiresists wind and road noise as well or better tion is slightly higher. It rides as well but doesn’t than most every mainstream rival. have quite the handling of the car. The crossover Perhaps as Mazda’s aspirational place shares the same gorgeous interior, has loads of in the automotive firmament becomes more standard equipment and the same powertrain. It secure, its talented designers and engineers does lose a nominal 1 mpg in highway and comwill feel confident to reintroduce their legabined EPA ratings but, in the real world, how one cy of driver connectedness to this newfound drives either will make a greater difference. polish.
July 27th, 8:00 am $110/player, Shamble
August 24th, 10:00 am $125/player, Shamble
September 16th, 2:00 pm $125/player, Scramble
2020 Mazda CX-30
Automotive Editor Isaac Bouchard owns Denver-based Bespoke Autos (isaac@bespokeautos.com; 303-475-1462). Read more of his automotive writing, reviews and recommendations on coloradoavidgolfer.com and bespokeautos.com. coloradoavidgolfer.com
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Clubs P r i vat e
have had it rough
since COVID-19. No March Madness brackets. No “Play Ball!” No NHL or NBA playoffs. Worst of all: No Masters. But hearing Verne’s “Yes, Sir!” as a yellow-shirted, plaid-Sansabelted Jack walks in that 18-footer in 1986 never gets old. Nor does re-watching all five of Tiger’s greenjacket triumphs—’97’s 18-under statement, ’01’s “Tiger Slam,” ’02’s back-to-back, ’05’s chip-in birdie and playoff win or last year’s stirring comeback at age 43—to determine the most impressive. And who doesn’t relish another look at Colorado’s own Jennifer Kupcho crushing that migraine before doing the same to the back nine to win last April’s inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur? Can I get an “Amen Corner!” for the internet and the Golf Channel? The past certainly provides pleasure, especially when uncertainty darkens the present and hangs over future. That’s why sports media outlets repurpose “classic” material from their archives. But at some point—probably after watching (with heavy eyelids) replays of the Masters won by Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir or Angel Cabrera— we crave a change. Or, in Cabrera’s case, a cigarette. Sure, you can always binge one of the myriad series that multiply almost as fast as the streaming services that provide them. Or you can read Colorado AvidGolfer. With a past that extends a golf-appropriate 18 years, we have an extensive trove of material from which to draw—and I’ve been the editor for all of it. This subjective chronicle of Colorado golf makes no claim to being comprehensive. It’s more entertaining than exhaustive. Which, after all, is all you really want from any golfer’s description of their 18.
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Personalities
PEOPLE WERE DOMINATING the covers of Colorado AvidGolfer even before the magazine debuted in April 2002. To generate interest in their fledgling publication after 9/11, principals Dick, Ray and Don Baker used a prototype cover featuring a photograph of Cherry Creek Country Club owner Stacey Hart with course architects Jack and Jackie Nicklaus. If you’re going to start a golf magazine, you might as well have the greatest golfer in the history of the game help you sell it!
Stacey Hart, Jack Nicklaus Jackie Nicklaus & Karen Hart
CU MEN’S COAC H ROY E DWA R DS • G R A C E PA R K A T THE RIDGE
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The 15th CLUB
The image for the prototype eventually appeared as our September cover. Cherry Creek Country Club, built on the site of the Los Verdes Country Club, would open the next spring. Stacey Hart and his wife Karen (below) would divorce shortly thereafter, and Karen has owned and operated the awardwinning private club ever since.
Our Annual Health & Fitness Guide
Tuned for the
TOUR
• How to Get “Golf Strong” • Yoga: More than Flexibility
Why pro athletes like
SHANE
• The Importance of the Pelvis • Saving Your Largest
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Amy Van Dyken Greg Roskopf Nine years removed from her final Olympics appearance in 2000, six-time gold medalist swimmer Amy Van Dyken had rechanneled some of her competitive juices to golf. In 2014, however, an ATV accident left Van Dyken paralyzed from the waist down. Working with Greg Roskopf, the founder of Muscle Activation Techniques (and cover subject of our May 2016 issue), the Colorado native regained some mobility, although she remains in a wheelchair. Her eponymous foundation, also known as Amy’s Army, is devoted to improving the lives of people with spinal cord injuries.
15 TH
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Our premiere issue in April 2002 featured Rockies first baseman (and 11 handicap) Todd Helton, who had just signed a contract that would keep him in Colorado until he retired in 2013. In honor of our 15th anniversary in 2017, Helton appeared with that issue at the University of Tennessee, where the former Volunteer now volunteers as a coach. COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
Elevating the Game.
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TIGER’S Augusta champion After her historic victory at first JENNIFER PUBLIC Augusta National in April of KUPCHO COURSE takes on the LPGA Tour 2019, Wake Forest UniverSWING sity senior Jennifer Kupcho sweet of Westminster could have STROKES turned professional but she what’s COOKING had already committed to graduating and helping her team win the NCAA finals. Photographer E.J. Carr and I traveled to North Carolina to profile her at this pivotal time. After the Demon Deacons lost to Duke in the final NCAA championship match, Kupcho joined the LPGA Tour, earning more than $500,000 as a rookie and finishing a solid 47th in the Race to CME Globe despite missing 10 events while in school.
2017 GEAR GUIDE:
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GR E AT IN-STATE GETAWAY S • FATHER’S DAY FAV ES
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Personalities
Media Madness
R I s I n G s Ta R W y n d H a M C l a R K
Between 2003 and 2005, as many as two dozen members of the media annually went head-to-head in single-elimination match play to determine who would win the Media Madness trophy. Tom Green, then of WB2, won the inaugural event, defeating Chuck Clark, then of Mix 100, at The Club at Bear Dance. Year Two saw the Rocky Mountain News’ Lynn De Bruin (top right) take down 850-KOA’s Jerry Walters in a final at Cherry Hills Country Club. The following year, Walters’ onair partner at the time, Jon Lawrence, bested ESPN’s Kerry Fowler at The Club at Pradera in Parker. Green, who also appeared with his son Connor on our June ’17 cover, now anchors 9News broadcasts; Lawrence occasionally contributes to Colorado AvidGolfer; and in 2013, DeBruin—who wrote many pieces for Colorado AvidGolfer, including cover stories on Amy Van Dyken, Don Baylor and Brian Dawkins—sadly succumbed to cancer at the age of 51.
L A Z A RUS LI V ES! THE CLUB AT R AV EN NA’S MIR ACULOUS R ESUR R ECTION
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To Hell and Back How top golf pro MIKE McGETRICK found his true path amid a storm of crises
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Mike McGetrick In one of the most well-received articles we’ve ever published, noted instructor and Colorado Golf Club founder Mike McGetrick told the story of resilience and faith after a series of catastrophic events: finding and reviving his daughter Laura after a suicide attempt, the disintegration of his managing partnership at Colorado Golf Club and the dissolution of his marriage. Now remarried, McGetrick recently moved from Houston to Virginia to become the director of instruction at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, site of the first four Presidents Cup matches in the U.S. He reports that Laura now works as a graphic designer at Cuvée Ventures in Denver.
Paige Spiranac Believe it or not, I neither assigned myself this story, nor went to the photo shoot. Sam Adams and Justin Tafoya were more than equal to the task of bringing the feature about the stunning Paige Spiranac to our readers. A Colorado native who had won the 100th CWGA Match Play Championship and keyed San Diego State’s first-ever conference championship, Spiranac had become better known for her enticing online presence than her on-course performances. A social media phenomenon with millions of followers on Instagram and Twitter, she revealed herself to be cerebral and sensitive about the criticism generated by her “fun” posts. In the years Social media WHO’S sensation PAIGE since the story ran, SpiSPIRANAC wants YOUR you to follow her … CAGGY? on the LPGA Tour ranac has stopped comOur Annual BEST of peting but not posting. Colorado GOLF Building her brand, she 17 TIPS has penned columns for ’17 SEASON Golf magazine and be$1,000s come a crusader against cyber-bullying.
Michael Kang In fittingly cosmic terms, multi-instrumentalist Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident, a 3-handicap, gave editor-at-large Tom Ferrell a memorable analogy between golf and another one of his favorite activities: “Think about it: When you’re out there surfing, you actually spend very little time on the wave. Most of the time you’re just there in the water. And when the wave comes, it’s this final expression—the wind, created thousands of miles away. The ocean currents and patterns. You surf at the very last moment of all that buildup, and then it just dissipates. All that kinetic energy that traveled so far to manifest itself under your board just disappears. Now when you’re playing golf, it’s the same way. Especially if you’re walking. You only spend a couple of minutes actually hitting the ball during a round. And the swing itself is the ultimate manifestation of all the preparation. The figuring of the wind and the ground conditions and the probabilities. And just like surfing, in the end you just have to ride your swing and let it go. It’s all about letting go.”
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May 2020 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
Personalities
Steve Farber
GEAR GUIDE: THE YEAR OF THE BIG DOG • ANNUAL PRIVATE CLUB DIRECTORY
Steve Farber, the power-broker attorney who brought the 2008 Democratic National Convention to Denver, also brought his charisma to Cherry Creek Country Club. He gladly held a custom pin flag with the DNC logo for the opening spread of a story that went beyond the politics and golf we discussed on the course—and into the spiritual growth he experienced before receiving a life-saving kidney from his son. Farber died March 4 at age 76.
Elevating the Game.
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“WE
WANT TO BE THE BEST ”
Castle Pines Chairman and President
FRED COUPLES
GEORGE SOLICH
in CABO
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George Solich
Wesley Schultz
Wes Is More ley Schultz
With the imminent release of the Lumineers’ III album, frontman Wesley Schultz was in der of than the lea eers heavy publicity demand last summer, but you’d The Lumin never know it from the friendly, gracious and thoughtful way he answered questions and posed for photographs—including this one of him busking for golf balls. The 10-handicap has a “stubborn love” for the game he once considered as a profession, and he plays it more on tour—usually with members of the band—than when he’s at home with his wife and toddler son. With the pandemic precluding much of their 2020 world tour, the Lumineers still hope to play Coors Field August 29.
Becoming the president of Castle Pines Golf Club after the passing of club founder Jack Vickers, George Solich vowed to bring “the big boys” of the PGA TOUR back to the former home of the International. With a renovated and lengthened course and clubhouse transformation costing tens of millions, observers are hoping that the club will announce plans to host a BMW Championship or Presidents Cup in the near future.
RIZZ I By JON
Photog raphs
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ABEROW/C SCHW
LARK SON
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | August/September 2019
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CREATIVE
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August/September 2019 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
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The “Big Three” of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have all graced the cover of Colorado AvidGolfer. So has Billy Casper, the man they always worried would beat them. Welcome Palmer appeared on the June 2010 back, JACK! cover to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills. BRONCOS Bookended by his drive of the first green BOSS Jo Ellis e and his victorious visor toss on the 18th, the 45 final round of that Open saw the 30-yearold Palmer rally from seven shots down to beat Ben Hogan, 47, and Nicklaus, 20. CAG Contributor Kaye W. Kessler relived the excitement of that day, and we arranged to photograph Arnold tossing an exact CELEBRAT ING 100 ISS UES! replica of the visor for our cover. I profiled Nicklaus in 2015 to coincide with his guest appearance at The Broadmoor for the Colorado Golf Association’s 100th Anniversary Gala. He had won the 1959 U.S. Amateur at The Broadmoor with an eight-footer on The Legend BOn recILognLitioYn, CASPEary the 18th green—a putt, he says, that first res rebirth of pect and his role in R The Golf Clu b at Ravennthe a gave him the confidence he would take to
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win 18 majors. In 2006, he’d returned to The Broadmoor to design the Mountain Course. Eight years later, however, landslides caused by flooding had rendered the course unplayable. An invitation to meet Gary Player at what is now known as the El Cortes Gary Player Signature Golf Club brought Associate Editor Jake Kubié to La Paz, Mexico, in 2010. Not only did Jake’s piece appear in the Winter issue; he also wound up getting a job with the PR company representing the South African legend. Thanks to Jake, the uber-fit Player, then 77, bared it all on the cover of ESPN: The Magazine’s 2013 “Body Issue.” A favorite memory of the Black Knight? Splitting a Reuben and fries with him on his “cheat day.” I interviewed Casper in 2013, when his company, Billy Casper Golf, had taken over the management of The Club at Ravenna. Never a crowd favorite like the “Big Three”— “the fans thought I was a grump and a grouch ... and I was! ”—Casper surprised me with his warmth and disarming candor. Less than two years after telling me it was the “most beautiful time” in his life, Casper passed away at age 83.
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News & Events
GIVEN THE TIME it takes to print, bind and distribute a magazine—let alone write, edit, photograph and design it—it’s challenging to remain timely in an age of instantaneous information delivery. With coloradoavidgolfer.com and our social media feeds pushing out the news, our printed magazine can do what it does best: providing colorful and enduring stories about the many events that shape Colorado golf.
Colorado Open Our relationship with the Colorado Open is as old as the magazine itself. In 2002, we sponsored the event, at Sonnenalp Golf Club, for $30,000—a one-time deal and a significant amount for a fledgling publication. After the cancellation of the 2003 event on the eve of the championship, Oakwood Homes founder and CEO Patrick Hamill purchased the Colorado Open, Colorado Women’s Open and Colorado Senior Open and resurrected their integrity. He established the Colorado Open Golf Foundation and made The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch the beneficiary of the Colorado Open, administered through the foundation. Thanks to substantial title sponsorship deals with HealthONE (2004-2015) and CoBank (2016-2020), the Colorado Open and Colorado Women’s Open now boast the highest purses (and winner’s shares) of any state open—and The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch has enrolled more than 38,000 kids since 2005. Colorado AvidGolfer has chronicled every step of the Colorado Open’s growth, publishing a special section every year.
Carding a 54
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2017 CHAMPION JONATHAN KAYE LOOKS TO DEFEND HIS TITLE
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July 2018 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
CAG Publisher Allen Walters hands over the winner’s check to Kevin Stadler at the 2002 Colorado Open.
TOU R N A M
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What’s the best course on the Front Range? In the mountains? Who’s the best instructor? Since 2003, Colorado AvidGolfer has put these and dozens of other questions to its readership. Originally known as “The Best in Colorado Golf,” in 2013, CAG rebranded those awards as the CAGGYs, and included staff picks along with those culled from more than 6,000 responses. The results annually appear in our Spring issue— timed to coincide with the Denver Golf Expo—and never fail to generate conversation and debate.
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P H O T O G R A P H BY j e R e m Y c A n TA l A m e s s A
: A treeATTRACTION nd ROADSIDE to Mossla shed. path leads and cart lined cart Clubhouse Memorial’s
oler in Limon to a nine-h Hugo, nute drive course in least a 30-mi to a sand-green further; Eads n, or was a bit or Stratto Burlington Cope or Kirk. r still. to have our Akron, furthe it would be great In gives the A block west t coming from the and Tony says. Market that “We though have owned golfers, some under the Coloin Flagler,” town meet29, 144 & Shop Super and Debby Ford a right here off decades. ON JULY as , will tee of them Tony own course of 1985, they called than four as Florida its name. Stratment many for more incorporated of er in t and and tourna far away them summ marke y rs the Limon Sixty of in a two-da some matte Moss, one 65-year-old more—in summer. rado sun resolved ip. Inc.” D.C. own two previous Helht of their te in the is the flagsh They also really ing, r Golf Club, parents, Don and call the highlig early to compe s as a for his Flagler store ially Tony— don’t own “The Flagle that double arrived ton. The s, convinced acres of pastureland espec as they will have shootout the officer e 87 The Fords— ment as much race, the be named ds from to provid out rial would day’s horse tourna procee Moss, sold the Memo en the has or all . Mossland They plow their 10 perpractice round. & Shop Tournament Its popularity spons the course ers of fees and operate it. The Stop local memb rson entry honor. d in 1989. creation of and ining Mosstheir lay three starte per-pe in it mainta help $110the asked into since Service to flights and The group every year regu- the Calcutta cut back two sets Conservation sitated two ments that cent strong would have has neces golf tourna USDA’s Soil rial. coveted feeling a which the frontfor While Memo nt other holes, list. and of land blame Tony the course. After out nine a waiting create differe rigated Sanctuary r records You can’t order to place at ip over boast simila the buffaof tees in ences. Non-ir in the larly take proprietorsh es ine experi venues can sense of and back-n o grass would cover Colorado & Shop traversMemorial Golf bluegrass the Stop and native buffal rough. They’d put success, ys of Mossl ole layout in on the ass and fairwa ys bentgr nine-h fairwa lo-grass areas and a pond on homegrown, a half-hour east of on the teeing g irrigation from Course, a of Flagler, greens, runnin the tiny town t ran ty. I-70. to the south the projec the proper Limon on iasm for 126 flags sprout teedCivic enthus of 550. “We sold Mossland’s north, beyond the town To the I-70 Diner, s and made high in the of exit 395. outside the ly, caring, r membership had 70- and Cadillac “We lifetime charte up pink r, “a friend the welthose remembers. own Flagle many of ing to 000,” Ford lies downt t in, and it for unity,” accord tracks of the $140, s who bough They did freight from the ar-old golf. historic comm help to 80-ye with played the local thousands Adjacent and 1987, never even golf aficiocome sign. Island Railroad line, volunteered en 1985 long group of stand tall Jerry peopler.” Residents also all, betwe and during and a core gs Ward, the old Rock elevator and silos ltural he Ed evenin farm agricu entire town, D.C. Moss, Randy Fager- Flagle weekday their own nts to the co-op’s grain ng them r, hours on dig nds, using sky—monume y-old town of curbed of trees, nados —amo Lorince, Ron Wiese Tom Brede- of the weeke against the centur hundreds Tony cker, days on eached onebuilt this Balman, to help plant Ivan Stahle . pride that lined by sun-bl equipment shape the course Jess Elrick, orf—built the place. ed streets equipment, seventies es and ent- lund, Arensd labor and and gutter gs. and Tom free trench promin buildin the of it went ory all figure hoft and in our sixties g to the point 00. Most Even with and two-st those structures rounds gettin “We’re all cost $40,0 Saturday Two of 81 then we were still play fast-pitch uction still After the Post back constr ment. but at Legion tourna about now, ed OLFER American ly in the an adcould just of golf requir ADO AVIDG ded, the guests for where we A round have conclu entire field (and 2017 | COLOR -bakedTony says. ll,” July e-and the wet T-Bon with softba welcomes to a rather d Calcutta ditional fee) followed by a spirite 29 potato dinner
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charter 126 lifetime e $140,000. “We sold s and mad who membershipand 80-year-olds e We had 70-and many of thos . bought in, er even played golf nev ple ler.” peo it for Flag They did
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XERI-EYED: Willow Lake founders Bill Greer (left) and Brad Slabaugh.
The X Game
T
he links at WilloW lake doesn’t appear in any Colorado golf database. Yet the 12-hole, 1,768-yard course near Castlewood Canyon in Franktown attracts a membership as devoted as any found at a private club. “We’re the XGA—the XeriGolf Association,” jokes commercial realtor Brad Slabaugh. “The only water we use is to make ice for our drinks.” Four years ago, Slabaugh and insurance broker Bill Greer turned about 25 acres of rugged, unirrigated public and private land into a par-3 party—complete with a well-stocked cooler on the first tee, tented seating by each subsequent teeing area, and a “peanut gallery” behind the eighth hole where players chomp nuts while heckling members of the group behind them. Spray-paint defines the 12-foot ColoradoAvidGolfer.com
FORE! CORNERS: The creation of Bruce and Nancy Maness (above), South Forty’s range (opposite) faces Ute Mountain; Mesa Verde (left) glows from the third tee; and vegetation borders the fourth green (bottom).
The course Bruce Maness built on his Cortez dairy farm is anything but. By Jon Rizzi n BRuCe and nanCy
A 72-year-old retired meManess’s lush, “Not a lick,” says 40- chanic and dairy farmer, Nancy, a re- one acre property, tucked Bruce tired school evening, he looked Maness built, owns, counselor who jokes over the alongside Mount operates her job property and thought, Hes- and maintains is “to look pretty Wouldn’t the entire facilwhile this make perus into the state’s a lovely golf course? Bruce does everything ity, which he calls else,” but far southwestern the South ably The idea marinated cor- Forty Golf handles South Forty’s while he Course and Driving ner, spread nine punctomer service, marketing cus- and Nancy raised their Range. three You tiliously groomed won’t find it in any and sons, none par-three golf directory communications. of whom demonstra of Colorado golf, tholes. They range ed much interest and in length from you Bruce in first working won’t find Bruce had the idea of the 124 to 238 yards. or Nancy building farm. “We also realized They dogleg out a golf course in that dairy there enjoying a round left and right, strategicall 1973. farming was with After working y tra- their children a financial risk that on oilrigs and verse creeks and or grandchildren. changed almost skirt cottonairplanes during yearly,” Nancy That’s because his twenties, says. woods. Sagebrush Bruce and he had returned rough borders Nancy “The siblings had all gone Maness—a couple with his wife and the wide fairways that’s to work his parents were ready and the subtly living with his parents the dream of every to rebreaking greens roll and tire. It was avid siblings on true. obvious that running golfer—don’t play the family dairy golf. the farm by ourselves farm. Bringing home would not the cows be practical.” 74 Colorado AvidGolfer
PHOTOGR
APH BY PAUL
LOUTZENH
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farms, surrounding s sustain a ps grown on Like the cro t f Course help Memorial Gol community that brough Mossland ler for the Flag life of Rizzi way By Jon years ago. 30 from Wray. h Stop neer fort it sional auctio building—the ment is the other as a profes tourna
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diameter “greens” centered with regulation-sized cups and flags. In what Greer aptly describes as a “psychedelic Stableford scoring system,” a shot inside one of these unkempt circles is considered holed, while actually holing one in the same number of strokes nets a more valuable “vulture.” A genuine ace off the tee counts as “zero and is called a dodo—because no one’s ever seen it,” explains Greer. That scoring comes into play during a number of tournaments, where upwards of 80 similarly irreverent and colorful characters show up with beat-up clubs, balls and bear spray—as well as an appetite for barbecue, booze and an extremely untucked golf experience. The 164-yard sixth requires a complete carry over water, but the only other hazards are rattlesnakes in the ravines and the poison ivy patches behind police tape. “There was the time I sliced my first tee shot and hit ‘Friendly,’ the neighbor’s mule,” recalls Slabaugh. “People think we’re nuts. But the course uses no water, needs no maintenance and everyone leaves with a story!” willowlakecc.com Winter 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer
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| June 2014
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So by the late 1980s, Nancy fulfilled her dream of becoming property, in 1995 they started by installing a school counselor and they sold the a gravity-fed irrigation dairy herd. But when themselves. They it finally came time built the driving range while frugally for Bruce to announce and his ambition, Nancy methodically using the money it generated panicked. “A golf course?” she remember to build the course. They employed farm s thinking. “They cost a lot of money implements, garage-sale and we don’t even mowers and other play golf. So like equipment Bruce would overhaul. any good wife, I ignored He once him and thought spent 16 hours towing it’d go away.” a seven-blade Toro Gang Mower in a But Bruce was trailer from Denver. already applying his mechanic’s mind “Norm said he wouldn’t and farmer’s work leave until the ethic. And when Norm last green went in,” Trivett, who had Nancy reports of run the golf courses for 20 good neighbor who years, moved in across stayed the entire 10 the street, Nancy years the project took. “knew the jig was up.” Using the non-agricu Today, a small white ltural portion of the A-frame serves as the clubhouse, built by Mennonites from coloradoav idgolfer.co m
Farmington, New Mexico, and kept warm by the geotherma l heating system Bruce put in. He also bought three golf carts, which he charges with solar panels installed and hauled in a wartime bomb wagon he refurbished . The Manesses still lease part of their ag land and have in the past allowed Navajos to pasture their goats and sheep to control the weeds. Nancy says Bruce is also hatching a plan to train crows to pick the range. With Bruce keeping the homespun course in in great shape, South Forty makes good on its promise of a “carefree relaxed round.” That is, as long as you avoid the sagebrush. It has some surprisingly good holes, which provide different angles from different tees. The fourth, for example, with its green hidden behind cottonwoo ds and fronted by a creek, presents a tougher challenge from the back tees than the front ones to the right. To play nine holes costs $10, which you can slide into the pay slot if George, the 90-year-old attendant, isn’t around. High Five Fridays cut the price in half. South Forty also sells a $225 season pass. The driving range, which faces Ute Mountain, is self-service as well, thanks to Bruce’s retrofitting of the ball dispenser with a dollar-bill reader. Thirty balls cost $2. The machine takes tokens too, which the San Juan Coffee market at the local City Market sells at no extra charge. The course, which cost the Manesses less than $100,000 to build, sits five miles southwest of Cortez’s municipal Conquistador Golf Course and is a quick drive to Mesa Verde, Durango and New Mexico. With none of their kids interested in taking it over, do Nancy and Bruce plan to sell it or retire? “As long as it pays for itself and keeps Bruce healthy,” Nancy says, “we’ll keep doing it. CAG ” Jon Rizzi is CAG’s editor. South Forty Golf is located at 25500 Road H, Cortez, Colorado. southfortygolf.com; 970-565-35 01. June 2014 | Colorado AvidGolfer
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Hidden Gems
Call them “lost jewels” or “diamonds in the rough.” Shining a light on some of Colorado’s lesser-known layouts has always brought a smile to my face. Hart Van Denburg’s 2004 story of Eldred and David on the oil-and-sand-greens Prairie Golf Course in dryland Cope remains an all-time favorite (and I was sad to hear Eldred died last year at age 93). The annual “xerigolf ” tournament put on by Bill and Brad at their self-proclaimed “Links at Willow Lake” in Franktown was a blast to play. Mike Petrelli, a former colleague, turned me on to the nine holes of Mossland Memorial Course in Flagler, and a tip from a bartender led us to the South Forty Golf Course, a labor of love for Bruce and Nancy Maness of Cortez.
State of Play In its first decade of existence, Colorado AvidGolfer saw 35 courses open across the state—from Ballyneal on the Eastern Plains to The Bridges on the Western Slope. We played many of them before they opened—Fossil Trace, CommonGround, Lakota Canyon, Colorado Golf Club, Ravenna and both Red Sky layouts, just to name a few—and wrote about it when they did.
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Over the past 18 years, Colorado has hosted 11 national championships: CRENSHAW’S the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open, 2012 CLOSE-UP U.S. Amateur and 2014 BMW ChamColorado Golf Club welcomes the Senior PGA pionship at Cherry Hills; the 2011 Championship U.S. Women’s Open and 2008 and 2018 U.S. Senior Opens at The Broadmoor; the 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at Pueblo’s Walking Stick Golf Course; the 2008 U.S. Public Links at Aurora’s Murphy Creek; and the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, 2013 Solheim Cup and 2019 Mid-Amateur at Colorado Golf Club. We’ve previewed and recapped all of them and will do the same with the 2020 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Eisenhower Golf Club, 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills, the 2025 U.S. Amateur at The Broadmoor and any other major event that recognizes the value of Colorado as a great host location.
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In 2018, we hailed the opening of TPC Colorado in Berthoud, the first new course to open in the state in almost a decade. Even more exciting was the news of a Korn Ferry Tour event in July 2019. For the first time since the end of the International in 2006, Colorado had a regular tour stop— albeit for the PGA TOUR’s developmental league. Nelson Ledesma won the inaugural event at the 7,991-yard course, while cover subject Mark Hubbard of Denver also competed and has qualified for the PGA TOUR.
The International For 21 seasons, from 1986 to 2006, The International entertained Colorado golf fans, as the best players in the world competed at Castle Pines Golf Club, 6,600 feet above sea level. They played a Modified Stableford scoring system that wildly departed from the stroke-play routine on the PGA TOUR, and were rewarded handsomely by course founder Jack Vickers’ lavish treatment and the event’s generous purses— both of which set high-water marks on the PGA TOUR. The Internationals were nothing short of amazing, even with the afternoon thunderstorms. Then, at press conference in February 2007, the event suddenly ended, “ironically hung out to dry and fade away by its own standard of excellence, by raising the bar above elegance,” as Kaye W. Kessler wrote in CAG. That story, which ran with a cover image of a tombstone on the
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18th fairway, details a confluence of events involving Tiger Woods, Tim Finchem, the FedEx Cup and scheduling changes that Vickers could simply not abide. Upon publication, the club requested a magazine for every member and cottage on the property.
What happened to The International? By Kaye W. Kessler
I
F TIGER WOODS WAS THE ONLY HUMAN AT CASTLE
Pines Golf Club and launched one of his patented thunderclap drives, would anybody hear it? If Kevin Sutherland aced the unthinkable 16th hole at Castle Pines in front of 21,000 fans and Tiger Woods wasn’t in the field, would anybody care? If you answered “yes” and “no,” you hit the strange state of pro golf today smack on the sweet spot. Tiger has a headlock on the golf world today, remaining an indomitable fixation in the minds of every fan whether he’s in the tournament or not, whether the fan is attending the tournament or not. Deeply disappointed Jack Vickers, who last month told PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and the whole PGA Tour community to kiss his International tournament goodbye, refused to be vindictive or acrimonious for pulling the plug on the tournament after 21 mostly brilliant years at his splendid Castle Pines Golf Club. He was far too tactful and discreet to blame Woods. Rather he cited a plethora of other reasons, all indirectly valid. They included having his tournament dates jerked around by the Tour, steadily declining TV ratings, an inability at the last minute to land a long-term corporate sponsor, and a staunchly proud refusal to stage a tournament that did not measure up to the very best. So what killed The International? Who shot the colorful hummingbirds that were the classy logo for Castle Pines Golf Club and the
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tournament? Who, indeed, is to blame? What does The International’s demise presage for the future of professional golf? The International isn’t the only PGA Tour event to bite the dust as a result of Finchem’s new FedEx Cup restructuring. The Western Open, the second-oldest tournament and one many wiser heads figured should always have been a major, has been booted out of its Chicago roots. The 84 Lumber is history as are the Booz Allen and the old Kemper events in Washington, though a dandy little doubledealing disco has returned golf to the nation’s capital, possibly at The International’s expense. Blame exploded like six handfuls of grenades: · One wise head called it the TDS (Tiger Deficiency Syndrome): the World’s No. 1 scorning The International (and so many others) since his only two appearances at Castle Pines in 1998 and 1999; · TV ratings that had gone to hell here and everywhere else Tiger doesn’t play; · Failed last-ditch efforts to attract sponsors to support an $8 million package; · Impracticable new dates offered to The International; · A power struggle between two obdurate duelists—the ever-smiling, ever-grinding Vickers and the ever-grimacing Finchem—that scrambled the eggs so nobody could even make an omelet of things; · All of the above. It doesn’t require an Einstein or a Steinberg to tell you Tiger Woods A p r il 2 0 0 7 |Colorado AvidGolfer
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Behind the Scenes
IN THE COLORADO AVIDGOLFER offices hang scores of framed magazines bearing the signatures of the women and men who have appeared on our covers. We even display the May 2017 fitness issue, autographed by the naked man who affronted some sensibilities. After 18 years, we have published more magazines than we have free wall space. Still, I’d find room for those that remain conspicuously unsigned and unframed (I’m looking at you, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman and Cristie Kerr). You see, behind every cover lies a story, and behind every story is another story that may go untold—until now.
Charles Barkley Sam Adams, who holds the record for most cover stories by a freelance writer with 26, thinks the number should have been higher. “No. 27 would’ve been about that hot day in July 2009 when I caddied for Charles Barkley at the American Century celebrity tournament at Edgewater Tahoe Golf Course. All day I listened to Barkley’s crazy quips—from ‘Run ball … run like a freed slave’ to ‘Aw, I hit it chunky—like Oprah.’ I watched him exchange texts with Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. And, I got to watch Michael Jordan playfully berate Chuck for almost 10 minutes at the 16th tee. I could never tell when Barkley was feigning anger, like when I handed him a sand wedge but he was expecting me to pull the sandwich stored inside a pocket in his bag. Heck of a story, but it got beat out for the cover (of the Fall 2009) issue by now-Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins.”
Mark Udall “A typical politician—full of crap” was Editor-at-Large Tom Ferrell’s first impression of then-U.S. Representative Mark Udall when he spotted the Hogan Apex 1-iron in his bag at the Omni Interlocken in Broomfield. “He didn’t take it out until the last hole on the Eldorado nine—the hardest hole on the course—and proceeded to lace his second shot about 275 yards to 10 feet from the pin for a look at eagle. Unbelievable.”
Mike Shanahan “After I hit a worm-burner off the 10th tee at Castle Pines, Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan suggested—out loud for the others in our foursome to hear—that I sit out the hole and finish eating my lunch,” Sam Adams remembers. “That burned me so bad that a few holes later, still mad, I shanked a threewood off a home owned by—according to Shanahan—Ed McCaffrey. After the round we finished the interview over drinks, and Shanahan playfully deemed my choice of Skyy Vodka as ‘ghetto.’”
Kevin Costner In Tahoe ostensibly to interview actor and Denver East grad Don Cheadle, Sam Adams wound up joining another Colorado-based actor finishing a round with some tournament sponsors. “We had a really cool interview/ conversation about his golf game and his band, Modern West.” And that’s how Aspen resident Kevin Costner made it to the cover of Colorado AvidGolfer’s fifth anniversary issue. (Cheadle would appear on the July 2010 cover in a story by Ted Johnson, who hooked up with him at Pebble Beach.) COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
Rick Reilly Few people live up to their title like Tom Ferrell, who I joke puts the “at large” in “editor-at-large.” Tom tended to go missing when his stories were due, but he invariably reappeared and made the wait worthwhile. To this day, he playfully accuses acclaimed sportswriter Rick Reilly (May 2003) of “plagiarizing my perfect shot on a par 3” during their round and “making me write a check to settle up after our match—and he actually cashed it!”
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Jonathan Kaye In 2004, Tom Ferrell profiled Denver native Jonathan Kaye, the two-time PGA TOUR winner whose occasional insolence overshadows his enormous talent. The two played Tom Weiskopf ’s then-new course at Silverleaf in Scottsdale. On the 254-yard par-3 fifth, with the architect looking on, Kaye hit a high fade 3-wood that rolled off the back of the green. “What kind of dumbass Tour player would design par 3 that a Tour player would have to hit a wood on?” Kaye barked at Weiskopf, who was once known as “the Towering Inferno” for his temper. Without missing a beat, Weiskopf volleyed back: “What kind of dumbass would think he could play the Tour if he had to hit a wood on a par 3?”
Justin Leonard Spring 2018 cover subject Justin Leonard has carved out a second career in the TV booth—as well as a creative space in his Aspen kitchen for Blizzy and Maggie.
“How a quarterback with no foot speed whatsoever managed to elude me for a cover story, I’ll never understand. Peyton Manning missed out. I was a fun guy to be around for CAG interviews. Just ask Jay Cutler.” —Sam Adams
Toby Dawson In our July 2006 issue, when asked about his favorite golf expression, U.S. Olympic Bronze medalist skier Toby Dawson told contributor Andy Bigford: “The ‘torn pajamas’ putt—two balls out.”
Craig Stadler
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Craig Stadler’s extensive wine collection made the cover of our 2017 Good Life issue. In addition to amassing both golf and hunting trophies, the 1982 Masters champion known as “The Walrus” owns a number of themed items from that enormous, tusked, arctic mammal. Among the more unusual: a skull he received as a gift from Jack and Barbara Nicklaus and a two-foot-long fossilized baculum, called an oosik by native Alaskans, who sell them as souvenirs. Jon Rizzi is the editor of Colorado AvidGolfer. coloradoavidgolfer.com
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May 2020 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
Blind Shot THE UNSEEN GAME
Play Away, Sir… Colorado AvidGolfer’s new editor has the honors. PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMIE SCHWABEROW/CLARKSON CREATIVE
ONE YEAR AT Colorado’s late, lamented PGA TOUR stop, The International, Hank Kuehne famously played the 644-yard, par-5 opening hole at Castle Pines Golf Club with driver, 9-iron, reaching the green in two. Thin air or not, it was a mind-boggling accomplishment, and, as was the case after witnessing it firsthand over a decade ago, it had me breaking out into the giggles as I stood on the tee box for this photo. I believe I, too, once hit a 9-iron onto the green on the same hole—before three-putting for, I think, a 10. The laugh was a welcome respite from today’s very serious, incredibly troubling times. The novel
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | May 2020
coronavirus and its playing partner, COVID-19, have knocked the world for a loop; there’s virtually no aspect of our daily lives that hasn’t been negatively affected. That includes, of course, golf, which here in Colorado has meant (largely) closed courses, lost tee times and the subsequent bouts of depression. It is indeed not the most optimal time to provide a proper sendoff to someone who, as far as the local and regional golf scene is concerned, deserves more than a tip of the cap and a hearty handshake—although it would be great if we could all be doing that sometime soon! If you haven’t had the chance, I’d heartily recommend you scroll
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to page 10 and read the thoughtful—and funny— farewell column penned by my predecessor, Jon Rizzi. (Don’t miss his final feature as editor on page 54, either.) It also may not be the best time to say hello either, but here we are. I’m honored to be joining the team at Colorado AvidGolfer and excited by the prospect of living up to the standards set by Jon. It’s a daunting challenge, but please know that, even if we don’t always reach the green in two like Kuehne— and as Jon so often did in every issue—we’ll be scrambling like heck for the best possible score, and stories, for you to enjoy. —Anthony Cotton
coloradoavidgolfer.com
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