Colorado AvidGolfer Winter Digital Issue 2021 by Colorado AvidGolfer

REGRIP YOUR GAME THIS WINTER | GET YOUR 2022 GOLF PASSPORT, SEE P.11

Elevating the Game.

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GOING GLOBAL ZIMBABWE’S SCOTT VINCENT

competes on four continents, ranks among the WORLD’S TOP PLAYERS—and calls Colorado home

ST. GEORGE SLAYS IT!

Changes come to Utah’s color country ////////////

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CONTENTS | Winter 2021

DEPARTMENTS COURTESY OF WE-KO-PA GOLF CLUB

6 Forethoughts

When You’re Big in Japan. By Jon Rizzi

8 The CGA

A salute to the six men, women, boys and girls who earned Player of the Year honors.

15 The Gallery

Meet the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022; John Moren’s golf tome; Ben Pennymon comes to CommonGround; Colorado PGA special award winners and more.

64 Blind Shot

The trailblazing Desert Forest Golf Club turns 60. By Jon Rizzi

PLAYER’S CORNER 23 Gear

Industry disruptor Stix Golf proves you can buy a great set of new clubs for less than $1,000. By Jon Rizzi

24 Gift Guide

From high-tech to high-touch, what to buy the golfer on your list. By Suzanne S. Brown

28 Lesson Change the way you hold the club this winter for greater impact next spring. By Trent Wearner

34 15th Club The overlap between golf and ski training

FEATURES

shows that athletic fitness knows no season. By Dee Tidwell

SIDE BETS 36 Fareways

Warm up with Mexican caldo, Vietnamese pho

and other bowls of brothy goodness from around the world right here in Denver. By John Lehndorff

Land of the Rising Star

39 Nice Drives

A Zimbabwean by birth and Coloradan by marriage, Scott Vincent is parlaying his success in Japan into a place among the game’s elite. By Tom Ferrell

2021 AMG CLA45; 2022 Acura MDX;

Infiniti QX55; Kia Sorento; Jeep Wrangler 4xe. By Isaac Bouchard

St. George Slays It New courses, golf resorts and major renovations bring changes to Utah’s colorful corner. By Jon Rizzi

Let’s Play Two! Scottsdale’s abundance of 36-hole facilities means one round a day never has to be enough. By Tom Mackin COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

ON THE COVER Scott Vincent, the winner of September’s ANA Open at Sapporo Golf

Club in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, Japan. Photograph Courtesy of

Japan Golf Tour.

24 coloradoavidgolfer.com

Give the Gift of Golf!

Winter 2021 | Volume 20, Number 7 president and group publisher

A llen J. Walters editorial director

Jon Rizzi

SALES, MARKETING & ADVERTISING associate publisher

Chris Phillips

vp of sales and marketing

Lori Perr y

director of sales & marketing , golf passport and events

Mike Car ver

digital strategist and content manager

GOLF PASSPORT

Katie Macleay

business and operations manager

Cindy Palmer

ART & EDITORIAL

2022

creative director

Jani Duncan Smith art director

Michelle M. Gutierrez

YEARS OF EXCELLENCE  2002-2022 

editor - at- large

Tom Ferrell

automotive editor

Isaac Bouchard style editor

Suzanne S. Brown contributors

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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 20, Number seven. 6143 S. Willow Drive, #406, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. 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 © 2021 by BakerColorado Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send address changes to Colorado AvidGolfer, 6143 S. Willow Drive, #406, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. 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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Forethoughts

When You’re Big in Japan IF THE BLIGHTED legacy of British imperialism has a silver lining, it’s that the sun will never set on the golf empire. The Brits came, they saw, and they conquered par in every colony they governed and every country in which they had an economic or expatriate presence. You might know that India’s Royal Calcutta Golf Club, the oldest golf course outside of the British Isles, opened in 1829—55 years before any course in the erstwhile Crown Colonies we currently inhabit. But did you know that by the dawn of the 20th Century, British railway executives had constructed five courses in Argentina? Or that Briton Arthur Hesketh Groom convinced his fellow expats to build Kobe Golf Club, Japan’s first golf facility, in 1903? Some 2,200 Japanese courses have followed, including two gems—Hirono Golf Club and the Fuji Course at Kawana Golf Resort—designed by Englishman Charles Alison. Kobe’s founding occurred just five years after the first golf shots were fired at Salisbury Golf Club in the African colony named for British colonialist Cecil Rhodes. The course, now known as Royal Harare in the independent nation of Zimbabwe, annually hosts the Zimbabwe Open—a Sunshine Tour event that has also taken place nine times at the rival Chapman Golf Club since 1984. Growing up, our cover subject, professional golfer Scott Vincent, played most of his golf at Chapman, which also spawned World Golf Hall of Famer Nick Price and Mark McNulty. These days, Vincent, who married a Littleton native he met while a student at Virginia Tech, considers Colorado Golf Club his home course, although he plays the majority of his rounds at venues on the Japan Golf Tour. With his wife Kelsey caddying, he’s won twice in Japan this year. He also represented Zimbabwe this summer in the XXXII Olympiad. His Official World Golf Ranking bubbles just below the top 100. “What a great place. What a great tour. What an incredible place to hone your skills.” Those are the words of Colorado Golf Hall of Fame member Brandt Jobe, who won six times on the Japan Tour between 1994 and 1999. At the time, the Japan Tour’s purses exceeded those on the PGA TOUR by as much as 33 percent. “I got fortunate with the strength of the Japanese economy,” Jobe admits. “But it wasn’t just that. For me, Japan taught me how to travel, compete and win on a high level—I played against great players like Jumbo and Joe Osaki, Shigeki Maruyama, Shingo Katayama, Tommy Nakajima, Brian Watts and Brendan Jones.” Oh, and one of his buddies from those days, Todd Hamilton, captured 11 Japan Tour events prior to winning the 2004 Open Championship at Royal Troon. Jobe, who has won twice on the PGA TOUR Champions and posted nine top-10 finishes this season, says he’s disappointed that the tour’s MasterCard Japan Championship—last contested in 2019—doesn’t appear on the 2022 schedule. “My favorite place to play in the world is Japan. You either embrace the experience or you don’t. It sounds like Scott’s embracing it.” That he most certainly is, as you’ll read in Tom Ferrell’s profile on page 44. It precedes stories about southwestern Utah’s changing golf landscape (page 52) and the best ways to turn a double play in Scottsdale without throwing a baseball (page 58). Speaking of trips, I finish my 60th one around the sun as this publication drops in December. In the coming year, I plan to travel great distances in celebration—possibly even to Japan, where my wife taught English for eight years. It clearly has some great golf, as do other countries around the world. And for that, we have dear Blighty to thank. —JON RIZZI

Visit coloradoavidgolfer.com/ product/trial and use code 3TRIAL Applies to online orders for new subscribers only. Colorado residents only.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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The CGA SERVING ALL COLORADO GOLFERS

Here’s to the Winners

CGA Les Fowler Player of Year CHRIS THAYER Denver Metro eClub Member

CGA Women’s Senior Player of the Year KRISTINE FRANKLIN The Ranch Country Club

» Chris finished atop the CGA Player Point Standings for the Open and Mid-Amateur classifications.

These players distinguished themselves in the season that was.

» He joined with Bryan Rusin to win the CGA Four-Ball Championship at Legacy Ridge Golf Course and place first in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier event to advance to the 2022 National Championship.

THE CGA IS PROUD to recognize its 2021 Players of the Year Award winners and the 2021 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Players of the Year.

» With 2nd place finishes at the Western Chapter Championship and the U.S. Amateur Qualifier, Chris helped ensure his first Les Fowler Player of the Year Award.

b. CGA Women’s Player of the Year LEIGHA DEVINE Ptarmigan Country Club, Junior on Rutgers University Women’s Golf Team

» Leigha enjoyed a sensational CGA season winning both the 74th CGA Women’s Stroke Play at Boulder Country Club along with the CGA Women’s Match Play at Colorado Golf Club.

» She finished atop the Women’s point standings and was also a first alternate qualifier in the 2021 Spring Lake Golf Club U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier and competed in the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open.

CGA Senior Player of the Year ROBERT POLK Colorado Golf Club

» Robert swept the CGA senior major championships for the 2nd time in his illustrious amateur career, the first time occurring in 2009. » Robert won both the CGA Senior Amateur Championship at Cornerstone Golf Club and the Senior Match Play Championship at Black Bear Country Club.

» She captured the Women’s Senior Stroke Play Championship at The Ranch Country Club, her home course. » Kristine was a quarterfinalist in the Senior Match Play Championship and represented the Colorado Amateurs in defending the Colorado Cup against the Colorado Section of the PGA.

e. JGAC Boys’ Player of the Year HUNTER SWANSON Denver » Hunter repeated as the POY by posting two victories in JGAC Tour events, two second-place finishes in JGAC majors and another in the AJGA Junior Open in Montrose. He also qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur. » A member of The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch, he finished runner-up in a playoff at The First Tee National Championship and fifth in the pro-junior portion of the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach.

f. JGAC Girls’ Player of the Year KAYLEE CHEN Parker » Kaylee posted fourth at the AJGA Junior Open at The Bridges in Montrose and fifth at the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster. » She finished third in the JGAC Tour Championship, eighth at the Girls Junior Americas Cup and second in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying with fellow junior Morgan Miller.

The Colorado Golf Association’s mission is to represent, promote and serve the best interests of golf in Colorado. This includes services such as handicap management, course rating, events, clinics, tournaments and membership programs. The CGA is licensed by the United States Golf Association as the “Allied Golf Association” of record for the state of Colorado. More than 60,000 members enjoy all that the CGA has to offer. 303-366-4653; coloradogolf.org

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

» Kristine won the award for the fourth consecutive season.

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The Gallery

NEWS | NOTES | NAMES

One Hall of a Class

THREE INDUCTEES—the most since 2014—received the required number of votes to join the 144 other men and women in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. They are veteran sportswriter Gary Baines, golf-course architect Jim Engh and the late Harold “Skeeter” Sommers, “Mr. Golf” of the Western Slope. They will be inducted next year. GARY BAINES Baines has spent nearly 40 years as a sportswriter in Colorado, covering all sports, but focusing primarily on golf—the game that helped the former Columbine caddie (who also looped for Jack Nicklaus during a 1981 exhibition at Pinehurst) earn an Evans Scholarship to the University of Colorado. He would go on to work at Boulder’s Daily Camera for 25 years, rising to sports editor. In 2008, he founded coloradogolfjournal.com, which led to him becoming the correspondent for ColoradoGolf.org, the Colorado Golf Association’s website, often filing and photographing multiple stories per day during the height of the golf season. “It’s hard to put into words what Gary Baines has meant to golf in Colorado,” CGA Executive Director and CEO Ed Mate said. “Fortunately for us, he has never had any trouble putting things into words! His writing will provide an archive for future generations that will outlive us all. If it happened in Colorado and it involved golf, Gary was there to write about it!” “It’s been fun to play a small part in chronicling what’s gone on in the game locally for the last few decades,” Baines writes in an email. “But in many respects I feel undeserving of being in the same company as people I consider to be legends of golf in this state.” Baines’ work has resulted in a half-dozen Colorado golf journalism awards from the CGA, Colorado PGA and the Colorado Open Golf Foundation, which also honored him with the 2019 coloradoavidgolfer.com

Jim Engh

“Skeeter” Sommers

Robert Kirchner Award “for having contributed greatly to amateur golf, professional golf and/or tournament golf in the state of Colorado.” JIM ENGH A North Dakota native and Colorado State University graduate who lived in Colorado between 1991 and 2015, Engh cannonballed onto the national scene in 1997 with the debut of Sanctuary, the surreal, vertiginous layout he created for RE/MAX founder Dave Liniger on 225 rugged acres near Daniels Park in Sedalia. Over the next decade, eight other award-winning Colorado courses followed, including The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa and Fossil Trace. In 2003, he became the first recipient of Golf Digest’s Golf Architect of the Year award. “Dick Phelps went a long way to get me started in the business,” Engh says, referring to the prolific Colorado Golf Hall of Fame architect who advised him to get a landscape architecture degree, minor in turf science and get as much construction experience as possible. As Engh got established, Phelps also counseled him on business. “He said, ‘These young guys coming up, they’re playing the marketing game,’” Engh remembers. “‘You have to get to know the writers and form relationships with people who would help you.’” During the golf-course development boom of 1998-2008, those relationships proved fruitful. “I took the view that I had one chance to make an impression,” he says. Inspired by the eccentricities of courses he’d played in Ireland, Engh distinguished himself with iconoclastic, idiosyncratic designs such as Lakota Links and Four Mile Ranch Golf Club that proved both popular and polarizing and transformed Colorado’s golf landscape. Having designed more than three dozen courses on three continents, he now splits his years between homes near two courses he de-

signed—The Club at Black Rock in Idaho and Arizona’s Blackstone Country Club. HAROLD “SKEETER” SOMMERS When Skeeter Sommers died in 1985 at the age of 65, the Grand Junction Sentinel eulogized him as “Mr. Golf.” Sommers, who caddied at Grand Junction’s nine-hole Lincoln Park Golf Course before serving in the Army and receiving a Purple Heart during World War II, was the driving force behind the Rocky Mountain Open’s popularity and prestige during the postwar decades. As Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Vic Kline recalled, “Skeets recruited the best players he could for the Rocky Mountain Open. I was living in New Mexico at the time, and most of us didn’t even know where Grand Junction was.” Sommers changed that. The event, which had been held since 1939 at Lincoln Park, grew in popularity and prestige. Sommers won the event in 1948, as did his sons Dan (in 1970, ’76 and ’80) and Jack (in 1978, ’81 ’85 and ’91). Jack, who played on the PGA TOUR and now works as a PGA head professional at Sun City West in Arizona, preceded his father into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2005. As the head professional at Lincoln Park during the 1950s and 1960s, Sommers taught anyone and everyone. PGA Professional Stan Fenn, who credits Sommers with mentoring him and numerous other future golf professionals, remembers caddying for Sommers at one Rocky Mountain Open in his later years. “He didn’t show up at the range until 10 minutes before his tee time,” Fenn recalls. “He just asked for three balls. He hit them and started walking to the first tee. ‘Is that all you’re going to hit?’ I asked. Without breaking stride, he said, ‘It doesn’t take long to warm up a Cadillac.’” (To learn about the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s six 2022 special award winners, please turn the page.) Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

LEFT TO RIGHT: COURTESY OF GARY BAINES; BY KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF JACK SOMMERS

Gary Baines

The Gallery

Ann Wolta Blackstone

Hunter Swanson

Hadley Ashton and Matthew Wilkinson

Kyle Hayen

They Have the Honors… IN ADDITION to the inductees on the previous page, the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame will recognize six special honorees at the 2022 dinner, the date and location of which will be announced soon. Kyle Heyen the Head PGA Professional at Hiwan Golf Club, who on November 3 became only the sixth

Colorado PGA member to be inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame, has been named Golf Person of The Year. The Adams County Commissioner and Brighton’s Riverdale Golf Courses, which has housed the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame since 2004, will receive the Distinguished Ser-

vice Award. A lack of space for future expansion has prompted the Hall to relocate its museum to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs in 2023. Longtime LPGA teaching professional, indefatigable volunteer and three-time cancer survivor Ann Wolta Blackstone, who last spring coached the St. Mary’s Academy golf team to

the 2021 3A State High School Girls Championship, has earned the Lifetime Achievement Award. The stellar play of high-school seniors Hunter Swanson and Matthew Wilkinson and of 14-year-old frosh Hadley Ashton led to an unprecedented three winners of the Future Famer Award.

numerous medical and academic experts (with a ringing endorsement by noted kinesiologist Joan Vickers, the originator of the influential “Quiet Eye” concept). Moren confirms he “stress-tested every stroke-saving tip in numerous tournaments, proams and other formal rounds.” His resulting labor of love, which came out earlier this year, comprises more than 400 tips covering every facet of golf—all with the goal of lowering your score. “The quickest way to save golf strokes is by improving your short game,” he writes. “The enduring way to save golf strokes is by improving your long game. The efficient way to do both is by improving your golf knowledge.” He begins imparting that knowledge not on the tee, but the green, progressing from putting to chipping and pitching, sand shots and full swing. Eschewing the “one way” approach of instruction, Moren instead

provides a variety of methods—ranging from “standard” and “alternate” to “personal modification”—but never offers a quick-fix “bandage.” He also addresses more special situations than most encounter and serves up incredibly useful advice on equipment, course management, mental preparedness, practicing and competing in tournaments. “It’s a little on the lengthy side,” the author admits of his publishing debut. “But I think of it as an owner’s manual to your golf game.” Instead of bringing that game to a golf-pro mechanic and paying $100 or $200 to fix a problem, he reasons, “you spend $20 on this book and flip to the page for something to try.” Turning the page after a successful entrepreneurial career, Moren is donating all the after-tax royalties from Coached by the Course to golf-related charities. amazon.com

Getting a Read AN ALL-CONSUMING PASSION for golf led John Moren of Fort Collins to write an all-encompassing golf-instruction book. His encyclopedic Coached by the Course overflows with advice, lessons and authoritative knowledge gleaned from Moren’s decades-long quest to lower his scores. At 330 pages, it isn’t exactly the Little Red Book, but those inclined to dissect their rounds for ways to save strokes should absolutely find room on their bookshelves for Moren’s work. The founder and retired president of the company that created the popular private-mortgage software NoteSmith, Moren shaved his 20-plus handicap to single digits and currently carries a 4.7 index at Southridge Golf Course. He painstakingly tracked his rounds for more than 20 years “on the front and back of scorecards, sticky notes and scraps of paper.”

He then sorted and digitized the information, augmented it with contributions from touring and teaching professionals (including Bob Estes and Jim Hardy), elite amateurs and

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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COURTESY OF (LEFT TO RIGHT): PGA OF AMERICA; RIVERDALE GOLF COURSES (TOP), JUNIOR GOLF ALLIANCE OF COLORADO (BOTTOM); ST. MARY’S ACADEMY; COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION.

Riverdale Golf Courses

COURTESY OF BEN PENNYMON

The Gallery

A Pennymon for Your Thoughts ON THE EVENING of October 29, the Colorado PGA Section revealed former CommonGround Golf Course Director of Golf Dave Troyer was its 2021 Vic Kline Award Winner. Earlier that day, the Colorado Golf Association, which owns CommonGround, announced that Troyer’s successor, Ben Pennymon, would begin work November 15 as the course’s director of golf operations. Unlike Troyer, who as director of golf oversaw both the golf and turf operations, Pennymon will handle the golf side, while Superintendent Mitch Savage will direct the agronomics. Albeit with different personnel, the org chart resembles the one that existed when the Tom Doak-designed layout first opened in 2009. Pennymon and Savage will co-manage the course and report to the Colorado Golf Association’s Chief Business Officer Joe McCleary. So who is Ben Pennymon? A 41-year-old native of Pine Hills, Fla., he first picked up a golf club 14 years ago, when he visited his father, Henry, who invited him to hit balls at a driving range. “It came totally out of the blue,” he remembers. “My father had originally come to Florida as a tennis player on the mini-circuit, so I grew up playing tennis and basketball. I’d never had a conversation about golf with anyone.” That’s because, despite having the ideal name for a golf facility in a state with more than a thousand of them, Pine Hills lacked a course. “It was a tough neighborhood,” Pennymon says. “We had no access to golf; the opportunity wasn’t there.” Pennymon only hit a few balls well that day in 2007, but they were enough to hook him. When he and his wife Ida moved to the Denver area in 2012, he’d play the local courses, including CommonGround, which he grew to love. During his four years as the communications specialist for the City of Boulder, he’d often pass his lunch hours chipping and putting at Flatirons Golf Course. By 2015, he says, “I wanted to become a PGA member to help others find and enjoy the game of golf as much as I did.” At the time, though, he and Ida were about to start a family that now includes a son, Graham, and daughter, Vivian. With the encouragement of Ida, a marketing executive, Pennymon kept his day job while working weekends at City Park Golf Course in Denver, “cleaning carts to see the business from the ground up.” Being at City Park confirmed the importance of accessibility to golf for all. The marketing and communications specialist flew through COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

GROWING THE GAME: Golf camps, like the one he ran at Valley Country Club, are one way CommonGround Golf Course’s new PGA Director of Golf Ben Pennymon looks to create a welcoming golf environment for children.

PGA Management School (“a lot of the skill sets, like managing budgets, are similar,” he notes) and by early 2016, he left the City of Boulder and began a cometlike rise through the ranks. After a “great year” learning as an assistant golf professional under PGA Head Professional Jason Franke and PGA 1st Assistant Steve O’Brien at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Pennymon spent four years on the private side of the game—the first two as an assistant professional under PGA Head Professional Mark Avery at The Pinery Country Club in Parker and another two as PGA head golf professional under PGA Director of Golf Barry Millstead at Valley Country Club in Centennial. “I’ve had a taste of the different facets of the industry,” Pennymon reflects. “All along, I’ve had great mentorship and support from the PGA professionals. It’s been nothing but an open door and welcoming environment.” In fact, Pennymon sees creating “a welcoming environment and a really positive experience” as his main objectives at CommonGround. Providing access to those qualities is where he thinks “golf in general needs to improve. All cultures and all people should have access. I didn’t grow up playing this game. I wish I had. It

wasn’t around me at all. My interest is encouraging anyone who has the slightest interest in golf to give it a try. What other sport can you not know the people you’re playing with, pay for a round, and wind up paired with a community leader or a doctor?” He sees CommonGround as the perfect place to accomplish that. “It’s the only golf course at this level for miles. It’s aptly positioned between areas that are affluent and those that are not. How do you engage both sides of the community? By removing barriers to access.” Pennymon admits to taking the accessibility issue personally. He and long-drive champion Maurice Allen (winner of the 2017 Mile-High Showdown at Denver’s Park Hill Golf Course) both grew up in Pine Hills, attended Evans High School and graduated from Florida A&M University—all without ever swinging a golf club. “Before Maurice won the long drive championship, he’d only played golf for a couple of years,” Pennymon says. “It just goes to show why we need to provide access to as many people as possible. You have no idea what level of talent is out there. It’s really motivating for me. I’m going to do what I can do to bring people in. Let’s see what comes out!” commongroundgc.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

The Gallery Geoff Keffer

Andy Connell

Dave Troyer

Doug Rohrbaugh

Kyle Heyen

Warren Smith

COURTESY OF THE COLORADO PGA SECTION

Rick Cole

Sherry AndonianSmith

Mike Horan

Atop the Leaderboards IN ADDITION TO the 11 PGA Professionals featured in the Gallery of our Fall issue, the Colorado PGA also honored the following individuals at its October 29 Awards dinner at Colorado Golf Club in Parker. Life Member Rick Cole received the Warren Smith Award for outstanding contributions to the game, the Section, his facility (Eaton Country Club), junior golf and community charities. Another dominant year by Geoff Keffer of Lakewood Country Club led to his seventh Dow Finsterwald ROLEX Player of the Year Award, tying the POY

record with Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Bob Hold. Snowmass Club’s Doug Rohrbaugh, who finished third in the Finsterwald Player of the Year points total, earned his seventh ROLEX Senior Player of the Year trophy. Sherry Andonian-Smith retained her hold on the ROLEX Women’s Player of the Year Award, which she has won every year since it was instituted in 2018. In the battle for Associate Player of the Year, Andy Connell of The Ridge at Castle Pines edged Todd Creek Golf Club’s Behrod Keshtavar. The Vic Kline Award for outstanding

Section service and leadership went to Dave Troyer, who left Commonground Golf Course in July after serving 13 years as the facility’s first and only GM and director of golf. Hiwan Golf Club’s Kyle Heyen accepted the Noble Chalfant Award for Lifetime Distinction, as did Warren Smith, Jr. on behalf of his late father. Breckenridge Distillery EVP Mike Horan took home the President’s Award, for contributions that have enhanced the PGA Professional, the Section and the game of golf. coloradopga.com

COURTESY OF FIRST TEE - COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAINS

A Game-Changer Changes Names

BEYOND GOLF: The Read and Swing after-school program is a First Tee-Colorado Rocky Mountains innovation.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

WITH CURRENT ENROLLMENT at more than 10,000 participants, the third-largest of First Tee’s 150 national chapters will no longer be known as First Tee-Denver. As announced at the organization’s annual November fundraiser, the nonprofit devoted to helping Colorado kids succeed at life through golf and its inherent values will become First Tee-Colorado Rocky Mountains —a name that better reflects its current and future statewide presence. In its 20-year existence, First Tee-Colorado Rocky Mountains has gone from serving 200 kids at one golf course to nearly 70,000 kids at 30 golf courses spread over 10 counties—including Delta, Eagle and Larimer—and plans call for even more geographic and socioeconomic expansion. “We can and should serve as many children as possible,” Executive Director Paula Purifoy says, “because all kids, regardless of ZIP Code, deserve the opportunity to grow. We have proven that we can replicate and scale our growth to

offer high-quality programs anywhere.” That not only means places like Mesa County, but also outreach to homeless shelters, foster homes and even juvenile detention centers as a way to focus on the kids who, she says, “are falling through the cracks—and we’re partnering with organizations that can help us reach them.” Purifoy is also looking to build on the organization’s strong in-school and after-school programming by engaging entire grades of students at a given school in daylong Balarat-like sessions in golf and life skills. First Tee-Colorado Rocky Mountains is one of three First Tee chapters in the state. The others are First Tee-Green Valley Ranch and First Tee–Southern Colorado. The latter chapter, like First Tee–Colorado Rocky Mountains, also recently rebranded itself from First Tee-Pikes Peak to reflect the growth of the organization as it expands its mission from El Paso County into Fremont and Pueblo counties. firstteedenver.org; firstteesoco.org coloradoavidgolfer.com

PHOTO BY TODD LANGLEY

The Gallery

Grandfathered In

SENIOR’S MOMENT: Dick Lyford in 2010

ON OCTOBER 4 at Columbine Country Club, the Colorado Senior Golfers’ Association— which dates to 1935 and is “open, through election, to all gentlemen 55 years of age and older and members of a Colorado golf club in good standing”—held its first Hall of Fame banquet. The inaugural inductees in attendance included Herbert “Chip” Delap; Dr. R. Michael Haas; Winston West; Chuck Babb, brother of Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Tom Babb; and John Gardner II, a 70-year member of Lakewood Country Club (and 41-year member of the CSGA) who is himself a Colorado Golf Hall of Fame inductee. Among the posthumous inductees were CSGA founder Charles Bagnall, H. Roland Muhrer, Bob Tschirki and Dick Lyford, an influential 34-year member whose name graces the trophy awarded to the winner of the CSGA’s year-end tournament. Lyford, a Denver Country Club member who died last year at the age of 89, carried a single-digit handicap into his late seventies. He jokingly proclaimed on his business cards that the CSGA offered “golfing opportunities for those between obsolescence and the obituary.” coloradosga.org

Golf by Numbers

strokes separated Colorado teammates Tom McGeary and Bob Blayney from the rest of the field in the senior category of the second US Doubles Golf Am Championship, held Nov. 1-2 at organization co-founder Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla.

REGRIP YOUR GAME THIS WINTER | GET YOUR 2022 GOLF PASSPORT, SEE P.11

Elevating the Game.

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GOING GLOBAL

24 PAGES OF GETAWAYS TO ARIZONA , NEVADA AND SOUTHERN UTAH

FALL GOLF IN COLOR ADO: SAVOR IT AND SAVE!

Elevating the Game.

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TUCSON Tees Up Desert Bliss

ZIMBABWE’S SCOTT VINCENT

competes on four continents, ranks among the WORLD’S TOP PLAYERS—and calls Colorado home

ST. GEORGE SLAYS IT! ////////////

A GOLF-SKI WORKOUT

FRED FUNK

Rebirth of

Does a RainDance

THE LIDO THE POWER OF PEBBLE

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PGA TOUR ROOKIE

TYLER McCUMBER

Who WILL be this year’s ZALATORIS at the TPC Colorado Championship?

Escapes to Lyons

Whether saving par or a football program, the CU coach always takes his best shot

Are YOU fit to be a pro golfer? The Hall of Fame Heads to The Broadmoor

THE DURANGO TANGO Why are PUTTING COURSES on such a roll?

TEE IT HIGH In Vail Valley, Snowmass and Summit County

GROUND OR AIR? How to choose a delivery method into the green

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Elevating the Game.

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players, including Jeremy Paul’s twin brother (and fellow CU alum) Yannik Paul, tied for second at 7-under in November’s Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A in Mallorca, easily earning the Germanborn Paul a European Tour card.

29-UNDER! HOW LOW CAN THEY GO AT THE COBANK COLOR ADO OPEN?

SEE P.13

KARL DORRELL

How to Save YOUR KNEES Changes come to Utah’s color country

in the final round of Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School gave former CU golfer Jeremy Paul a 5-under 277, good for 11th place. He and Air Force Academy alum Kyle Westmoreland, who finished 19th at 3-under, earned exemptions for the KFT season’s first eight events.

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Player’s Corner GEAR

Pick Up Stix You really can buy a full set of sweet-looking, high-quality clubs for less than $1,000. By Jon Rizzi

DI N.

coloradoavidgolfer.com

LI N

TIME WAS, being a disruptor rewarded you with a visit to the principal’s office. These days, industry disruptors are the principals—of companies like Lyft, Tesla, Harry’s Razors … and Stix Golf. Co-founded in September 2020 by Gabe Coyne—a 38-yearold Chicago-based entrepreneur who grew overwhelmed by the choices, claims and prices when he went shopping for new clubs during the pandemic—Stix doesn’t promise longer drives, the latest technology, greater forgiveness or any of the other annual marketing claims made by the Callaways of the world. Instead, Stix produces a slicklooking, all-black set of 14 clubs for $899 that appeals to golfers who are realistic about how significantly spending $600 on a new driver will improve their game. “How much are you willing to spend to hit it further out of bounds?” Coyne jokes. “We feel there’s a very large number of golfers that are willing to buy a less expensive product that will perform comparably to and look better than anything else they have,” he says. Robust sales and high customer satisfaction have proven him correct.

RENEGADE: Stix founder Gabe Coyne could upend the golf club industry.

Coyne’s R&D basically consisted of taking an off-the-shelf OEM model and experimenting and reengineering it. “It’s not rocket science,” he says. He hired an industrial designer rather than a mechanical engineer to create the look and feel. The minimalist aesthetic and an enhanced finish that makes Stix clubs durable and noticeable also represent a rejection of the “noisy, high-tech and sci-fi designs that don’t appeal to a certain demographic.” Additionally, Coyne notes, “Other companies charge extra for a black matte finish; that’s all ours come in.” Demographically, Stix Golf’s sweet spot “is not the 5 million richest golfers who have to buy the latest and greatest ev-

ery year,” Coyne says. “We’re not playing in the same sandbox as Callaway and TaylorMade.” He is targeting the vast majority of golfers—many of whom came or returned to the course during the pandemic—who are lucky to break 90 or 100. These men and women are as comfortable playing golf on a simulator as they are in the great outdoors. “Fifty percent of golfers in the U.S. are not on-course golfers,” Coyne says. “They go to Topgolf, X-Golf, Swing Suites and simulators in hotel lobbies and restaurants. A big part of that is the time it takes to play an actual round, and because golf is complicated and difficult to master. If you want to play, why not buy some reasonable, versatile and forgiving clubs that look and feel amazing? If you’re going to spend $2,500 on golf, take a trip instead.” A Stix set consists of six cavity-backed irons, three wedges, a 3 and 5 wood and hybrid with heads all made of single-piece cast steel. The 460cc driver is titanium and the offset, plumbers-neck half-mallet putter features a milled face. Stix clubs come with black graphite shafts in three flexes and five

lengths. They require no fitting and can be ordered online. Another difference between Stix and the industry? “We don’t make so-called women’s clubs,” Coyne says. “We don’t ‘shrink it and pink it’ and call it a women’s set. Different genders don’t need different models. Our active flex is a bit whippier than our standard flex, but the club looks and plays just like every other one we sell.” The clubs, which are manufactured in China and sold online and locally at Scheels Sporting Goods stores in Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, will be available at other big box stores next year. So will an apparel line and accessories such as bags, gloves and head covers. “We continue to produce products that customers love,” Coyne boasts, adding that Stix has a golfball partnership with a fellow disruptor, Vice Golf. “Using Stix clubs and Vice balls, I went from a 25 handicap to a 13,” he says. He’s not promising that the switch could also halve your index, but, rather, implying that improved performance can result without paying through the nose for equipment. stix.golf

Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Player’s Corner GIFT GUIDE

It’s a Gimme Whether your favorite golfer’s taste runs to high-tech or high-touch, this holiday season brings plenty of choices. By Suzanne S. Brown

WARMING TREND Cold hands never make for a good golf swing. That’s why golfers who play when the temperature drops are discovering what pro athletes have been doing for years—putting their mitts in heated pouches like the one made by G-Tech Apparel, a company specializing in heated clothing. G-Tech Heat is used by professional and collegiate football and baseball players, as well as competitors on the PGA and LPGA tours. Golfers such as Dustin Johnson kept their hands toasty using G-Tech’s Heated Pouch during the 2021 Ryder Cup. With a lightweight rechargeable lithium battery and three heat settings, the Heated Pouch Sport 2.0 comes in five colors, $120. gtechapparel.com

ON SURE FOOTING Brothers Jason and Ryan Moore share a lifelong love of golf. Jason played competitively and then spent years caddying for Ryan, who’s won five times on the PGA TOUR. Convinced that comfortable golf shoes did not exist, they set out to create shoes by and for the walking golfer. Their products, sold online at TRUE linkswear and select pro shops, offer comfort, natural motion and versatility in a minimalistic, modern aesthetic. And they’re sustainably made: Several of their five core designs are manufactured from entirely recycled materials, and the shoes are packaged in reusable bags, not boxes. For the holidays, True is offering a limited-release OG Feel Dead Golfer style featuring a leather saddle and its signature dead golfer logo (a skeleton swinging a club in search of par), $155. Another good gift choice is the True Knit II, which has a sock-fit feel and is breathable for wear on and off the course, $140. Women’s styles are available as well. truelinkswear.com

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

TUNED IN Love them or loathe them, personal music devices have become ubiquitous on the golf course. Players who like to listen to favorite tunes while they swing a club are adding wireless speakers to their golf gear, and they make a great holiday gift. Offering clear sound as well as affordability is Lorente Golf’s waterproof, wireless speaker that offers seven hours of playing time between charges. Compact in size— 3 inches in diameter and 2 inches tall—the speaker is customizable with such graphics as the Colorado state flag or golf club logos, $50. For retail locations, grdunleavy@gmail.com

A FASHIONABLE FORAY Foray Golf’s Megan LeMothe treats golf apparel as more of a designer-boutique item than mass-appeal clothing. She uses fabrics found in both high-end designer collections and athletics apparel, and prefers doing capsule collections to big seasonal rollouts. Her stretch neoprene track jacket, $180, and clean A-line skorts printed with such motifs as winter’s Modern Monarch feature dual front pockets as well as a back pocket and shorts in a fourway stretch, wrinkle-resistant Italian jersey. $150. Also from the company are pieces, such as golf gloves and towels, in the classic playing-card-queen motif. foraygolf.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

THE MEDIUM IS THE MASSAGE While nothing beats a good table massage to soothe sore muscles, a stream of handheld massage devices that aim to do the job without booking an appointment at the spa or with a physical therapist. One of the newer “percussive therapy” designs on the market is the Power Plate Mini+, which is quiet, compact and weighs just under a pound, making it convenient for use either at home, the club or when traveling. The massager comes with two attachments and operates at four intensity levels. Power Plate Mini+ has a fivehour battery life and recharges with a USB-C charging cable, $180; powerplate.com

VESTED INTEREST A light layering piece is a great gift for the stylish golfer on your gift list, whether he wears it on or off the course. Peter Millar’s Essex Travel Vest is made of a quilted fabric that is windproof and water-resistant. It has lightweight insulation and a fleece-lined interior to offer warmth and comfort on chilly days. Packed with style as well as function, the vest is windproof, has six interior pockets, a stand-up collar, hidden zip-front snap-button placket and exterior side pockets. It comes in eight colors, $198. petermillar.com

FITNESS FIRST Just as the pandemic fueled a work-fromhome movement, it accelerated home workouts. TRX (Total Body Resistance Exercise) has grown in popularity because it requires minimal equipment—ropes and webbing— to offer full body workouts. You just anchor the straps over an interior door or fixed pole outside and you’re on your way. Specialized instruction is available via the TRX Training Club, a digital platform featuring self-guided workouts and live classes. The club is $20 a month after a free trial period. The TRX Home 2 Suspension Trainer system, $200, includes a door anchor, suspension anchor, straps with adjustable foot cradles, and a carry bag. Those who already have a TRX system will appreciate a new accessory—the Bandit, $30, ergonomically designed handles that snap onto one or more strength bands to improve comfort, leverage, control and form. store.trxtraining.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

HEAD’S UP When it’s time to play cold-weather golf, nothing beats a beanie. The lady on your holiday gift list will love G/Fore’s latest. Known for such sayings as “Pray for Birdies,” G/Fore’s hits its mark with a powder blue beanie that states simply and for all the world to know, “Girls Golf Too.” In a soft and warm cashmere blend, the design has a classic yarn pom, $120. Gfore.com Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Player’s Corner GIFT GUIDE

ZIP IT Denver mom Amie Swan realized she could simplify her life if she separated the items she needed for various activities—whether it be a smaller bag for makeup in her tote, or the essentials for a round of golf. Her company OTG/247 now offers colorful zip-top bags in 10 sizes and three collections that mix and match to accommodate everything from business cards to a laptop. The golfer bags keep gloves, shoes, tees, accessories and sunscreen organized. The smallest hooks onto a bag or cart, and a larger insulated one is perfect for “birdie juice.” $46 to $96. otg247.com

LOCKED IN More PGA TOUR winners use SuperStroke putter grips than any competitor’s product. The Custom SuperStroke Putter Grip, $30, features the new USGAapproved WristLock to prevent unwanted motion, leading to greater consistency in starting the ball online and distance control. The product’s No Taper Technology evens out grip pressure, and the uniform lower-hand profile minimizes it, promoting a smoother, more consistent stroke for most putting styles. superstrokegolf.com

GAME ON Bored during the pandemic, Denver resident Errol Anderson spent time reimagining traditional backyard games. In the process, he invented Popongo. It’s a game that allows for social distancing and can be played indoors or out. Players take turns tossing foam balls (they have dimples like golf balls) from a distance of 15 feet onto a board with numbered cups that have different point values. The goal is to collect as many points as possible, while utilizing the black equalizer cup to your advantage—you can both gain points and lose them by landing balls in the cup. Popongo is $140 for a single board, which includes 9 cups and 10 balls (2 colors, 5 balls each color); extra balls are $11 for a set of five. playpopongo.com COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

STIRRING Shake up the holiday drink-making ritual by giving the gin lover on your list one of the spirits made by Denverbased Deviation Distilling. The company, founded in 2019 by Cindi Wiley and childhood friends Bob Wiley and Dave Gade, uses such ingredients as Szechuan peppercorns and a variety of botanicals in its gins. For the holidays, Deviation created a three-pack of its flagship creations: 200-ml bottles of Spice Trade, Citrus Rosé and Mountain Herb, $42. The holiday pack is sold only at the tasting room at Denver’s Dairy Block, 1821 Blake St., #130, which opened in September and is worth a trip to sample a gin cocktail or one of Deviation’s other products, such as coffeehouse-inspired Barista Whiskey. deviationdistilling.com Suzanne S. Brown is the former fashion editor at The Denver Post. coloradoavidgolfer.com

Player’s Corner LESSON

Gripping News to Fix Your Swing Changing the way you hold the club this winter could have great impact next spring. By Trent Wearner AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS SUCCESS, Jack Nicklaus would famously visit his teacher Jack Grout during the off-season. They’d work on, of all things, his grip. That doesn’t surprise me. Fundamentals, such as grip and setup, get a little off during the season—the result of players trying to patch a bunch of ineffective positions together to find that one good shot, while those three, four or five “others” dominate their results. Those three, four or five undesirable shots are typically just slightly different compensations

First of all, your grip has a direct influence on the clubface throughout the entire swing and whether your grip produces a square, open or closed clubface is what makes you either unconsciously patch a bunch of ineffective compensations to try to direct the ball toward the target or not. That said, you want to place your hands on the handle in a way that is natural to how your hands hang and, most critically, that you do so while you and your club are in the impact position, not the address position.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY E.J. CARR

unleashed by a poor grip. A disastrous chain of events regularly occurs because of a poor grip; conversely, an effective chain of events can follow a proper grip. The grip is the most “fundamental fundamental”—and the one that poor golfers get all wrong as they go through the process of establishing it. Why is that? The answer is simple: People go wrong by placing their hands on the handle while in the address position.

FIRST

SECOND

THIRD

Without using a “golf grip” simply hold a middle or short iron in your trail hand (right for a right-handed player) and sole the club on the ground so that the clubface is relatively square (I say “relatively” square because some people prefer a slight fade while others prefer a slight draw. These small, yet significant differences are allowable.)

Continuing to hold the club with just your trail hand, move your body to the impact position. This means—and this is important—that your weight should be heavily shifted onto your lead leg so that it is perpendicular to the ground and your hips are open. Your right knee has kicked in toward the left and the right heel has come off the ground a bit. Notice, too, how the shaft/handle leans toward the target in this position.

Now, with your left arm hanging relaxed in a natural position to its side, slowly bring it out to the grip keeping that same natural hanging angle to your hand (ie: the amount of glove logo you see when the left hand is to your side is the same amount you should see when it moves onto the handle). Remember to keep the thumb and forefinger of this glove hand close together. /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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720.220.5446 • NWalters@Kentwood.com NancyWaltersRealtor.com

Lesson /// CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

THEN

FINALLY

With your left hand naturally on the handle while in an impact position, allow your right hand to hang naturally and then place it on the handle in its natural position.

After placing both hands on the handle while at impact, bring your body and hands back to the address position and you’ll likely feel quite different than your normal grip. Your top hand will probably be turned over more showing the logo on your glove to the world (now you know why it’s placed there). Now hit some golf balls knowing that one swing is not a scientific sample. It’s possible that the ball now curves a bit to the left or at least

more than you’re used to. If the ball curves too much, it’s because your previous compensations are still present. They’ll begin to disappear naturally over time, or you can find a fantastic coach to help speed that process. Remember that an open clubface—the biggest reason why too many golfers in the world suffer from a slice—is caused by a terrible chain of events that begins with a dysfunctional grip. This different process of gripping the club should destroy that chain.

Trent Wearner, owner of the Trent Wearner Golf Academy in Englewood, is a three-time Colorado PGA Teacher of the Year and three-time winner of the Colorado PGA’s Adult and Youth Player Development Award. Frequently rated the #1 Golf Course Teacher in Colorado by his peers and Golf Digest, he has appeared numerous times on The Golf Channel and Morning Drive. trentwearnergolf.com; 303-645-8000 COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY EJ CARR

Player’s Corner 15TH CLUB

Parallel Burns The overlap between golf and ski training shows that athletic fitness knows no season. By Dee Tidwell IS WINTER HERE ALREADY? With the holiday season in full swing, it’s time to transition from golf fitness to ski fitness. Being lucky enough to work with some of the best PGA TOUR players as well as a few of the best X-Games ski and snowboard athletes has allowed me to fill my toolbox. First let’s start with how golf and skiing are similar and where your golf fitness can directly help you prepare for the ski season. Consider the list of five: » Both require a stable base and reliable posture. » You need strong hips and legs to be good at golf and skiing. » You need upper and lower body separation. » Both entail a great deal of balance and hand-eye coordination. » Both sports demand you transfer weight from side to side. Guess what? Most golfers fail at most, if not all, of those physical traits during the TPI golf fitness test I perform on all players. What does that mean? 1) Above all, if you fail four of the five traits, you open yourself up for injury. If your posture or hips and legs are weak, that can lead to back and knee injuries common to both sports.

2) You will live a “limited movement freedom” life. You become one of those inflexible guys you see on the range or ski run that look stiff as a board. If you compare those guys to guys with good flexibility and movement capabilities, then you see an obvious fluidity in how the latter move not only when they play golf or ski, but through life in general. It’s like comparing a high handicapper to a PGA Tour player or an amateur skier to an elite racer. Therefore, you should think of yourself as an athlete first and as a golfer or skier second. Athletes will always move better than those who “just golf” for example, and they enjoy the athletic benefits of being able to do what they want when they want with no physical repercussions! 3) I’ve found the list of five really does create the athleticism to move forward in life that contributes to a better lifestyle as you age. By following a program that inherently utilizes those movement concepts, you promote athletic longevity. I don’t know about you, but I want to play as hard as I can in as many sports as I can for as long as I can! Understanding some of these concepts, let’s get into a few exercises you can use not only to help your golf game, but also to ready you for the slopes!

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE RULES: •S tart easy, with 1-2 sets and the least number of reps recommended.

SIDE LUNGE WITH SLIDER REACH OUT

• I f you feel pain, stop, and call your medical professional.

5-12 reps each leg

•P rioritize form above weight or even reps. Take pride in how good your form is!

ake a furniture mover, paper T plate—or even just use a sock on a wood floor—and stand on it.

•Y ou can start by trying each exercise and doing them independently OR you can do what’s called a “superset” where you do all five exercises back-to-back, then rest for 90 seconds. Repeat 1-3 times.

•W ith good posture of the spine and head, push your right foot laterally and squat simultaneously (please don’t go too far until you understand how this feels; otherwise you may pull a groin!). Keep 90 percent of your weight on your squat leg side. Be sure your bending kneecap is tracking over your second toe and not falling inward—and keep that heel down. It is ok to let the knee go over the toes if the heel does not come up.

•D o all of these with an emphasis of reaching the crown of your head to the ceiling to create a good posture (this is also how you create good posture throughout the day). COLORADO AVIDGOLFER |Winter 2021

CABLE PUSH WITH SQUARE STANCE AND STABLE LOWER BODY 8-10 reps et up a band or cable machine at about shoulder height and turn so S you are facing away from the band/cable. •G et into a square stance with the handle sitting in the start position which is right at the middle of your chest. •K eeping your head and pelvis still, reach your opposite arm forward and without your lower body moving, press the handle forward toward the midline like you are trying to touch two handles together by only turning your chest and reaching your arm.

•S tand back up using your squat leg glute and repeat. coloradoavidgolfer.com

STEP LUNGE WITH TORSO ROTATION 5-15 reps each leg With good spinal posture, hold a golf club to your chest. (For more of a challenge, try using a weight or medicine ball.)

•S tep forward into a lunge where each knee ends up close to a 90-degree angle at the bottom. But only go as low as is comfortable, especially if you aren’t used to doing lunges regularly! •O nly allow your front knee to travel forward over your toes, if the heel stays down. Try to keep

PRONE BALL EXTENSIONS WITH SIDE BEND REACHES

•P ull the ball into your hips then lay on top of it, hugging the ball.

4-15 reps

•F rom there, straighten your body and prioritize your hamstrings, glutes and all back muscles to hold you there.

Grab a well-inflated exercise ball and kneel where your feet are flat against a wall.

• Keep your chin tucked or neutral, then arch up

SLIDER MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS AND CROSSUNDERS Up to 20 reps total Put your furniture movers or paper plates on the floor and put your toes in the middle of them. Get into a

your legs and feet at hips width as you step into the lunge. You can make it harder by narrowing your stance. •A t the bottom of your lunge, turn your torso toward the front leg while keeping your head and pelvis still. Return to standing posture and repeat on the opposite side.

to a straight body position •M ake a “circle” pattern with your arms focusing on moving your shoulder blades and your arms together. •A fter you complete the circle, relax to lay back over the ball and repeat.

solid plank position on your hands and toes (you can also do this with your forearms on a bench if it’s too hard on your wrists or you are too weak to do on the floor) with those abs working hard! •W ith your spine mostly straight, hold that position and do a moun-

tain climber with both legs. •K ick one leg to the opposite side, bring it back and do the same on the other, doing those two moves back-to-back are considered one rep. And don’t forget to breathe— this exercise can be very cardio intensive!

A Certified Level Three (TPI) Titleist Performance Institute instructor, Dee Tidwell owns Colorado Golf Fitness Club in Denver, where he has trained professional and amateur golfers for more than 20 years. He is also Colorado’s only ELDOA trainer and Soma Golf trainer. coloradogolffitnessclub.com; 303-883-0435 coloradoavidgolfer.com

Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Side Bets FAREWAYS

PHOTO BY JAMIE SCHWABEROW

BRING THE HEAT: Chili Verde’s Caldo Tlalpeño (right) and Pozole

Soup’s On, Baby! Bowls of brothy goodness from around the world own permanent slots on Denver’s restaurant menus. By John Lehndorff SOUP MAY BE THE most social dish we eat—yes, even more social than nachos. We lean forward over our bowls to eat soup, our faces close together as we inhale the steam and sip that first boiling hot spoonful… Soup is also the noisiest food around. We may chew our sandwiches quietly, but we openly and loudly slurp our noodles. Slurping cools and aerates soup; in many nations it’s expected in public. That’s the sound of satisfaction. From Thailand to Italy, every great cuisine on the planet serves a much-loved hot soup—and that’s true even in the muggiest tropical regions. Thankfully, when people migrated to Colorado, they brought along their soul-satisfying meals in a bowl—everything from pho (“phuh”) to chicken matzo ball soup. Unlike pumpkin-spice pancakes and seasonal salads, the following broth-based COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

icons take up permanent residency on Denver restaurant menus. These are the soups we turn to when we need to melt the midwinter frost off our faces. CHILI VERDE’S CALDO TLALPEÑO

Chicken and vegetable soup is pretty simple, right? Not when it’s a great soup. At North Denver’s Chili Verde restaurant, Caldo Tlalpeño is layers of flavor built around a red-hued, broth that simmers for days. The perfume that wafts from the spicy soup is downright charismatic. The broth is packed chunks of potatoes, sweet carrots and onions that aren’t mushy, plus pulled chicken breast and a topping of sliced avocado. A squeeze of lime on top harmonizes nicely with the chipotle kick. Walk in shivering and this soup will send you out the door with a

warm afterglow. Chili Verde’s authenticity is maintained by Puebla, Mexico-raised brothers and owners Eder and Hanzel Yanez-Mota. The tables at the spacious, airy eatery are set with cloth napkins. The menu shines a culinary light on regional dishes not always available in the city’s other taquerias. Chili Verde also offers a stellar Pozole Poblano with chunks of pork, real hominy and red salsa. 2311 Federal Blvd., Denver chiliverdedenver.com RAMEN STAR’S SPICY MISO RAMEN

You can tell when a restaurant takes its soup seriously. Denver’s Ramen Star slow cooks a rich, meaty broth and makes its own authentic Japanese noodles. Our favorite, the spicy miso ramen, is all about umami, the lip-smacking coloradoavidgolfer.com

taste that comes from broth and noodles topped with chashu braised pork, ground beef, green onion, beansprouts, corn, bamboo shoots and chile paste for heat. A tea-infused soft-boiled egg lends some yolky richness. Depending on your skills, you can nab coils of slightly chewy noodles with chopsticks or, like me, use a fork. Consider pairing this ramen with a cup of sake from Ramen Star’s curated list. For an out-of-the-ordinary experience, sample the eatery’s Chocolate Ramen. It’s not a dessert, but rather a rich, meaty ramen bowl dotted with house-made dark chocolate wontons. It has a unique savory and sweet appeal reminiscent of a Mexican molé sauce. This dish is for dine-in enjoyment only.

Ramen Star

RAMENSTAR.COM

4044 Tejon St., Denver ramenstar.com ZAIDY’S CHICKEN MATZO BALL SOUP

It’s not called “Jewish penicillin” for nothing, bubby. Chicken soup has been prescribed by doctors and grandmothers for colds, chills and the blahs. Generations of Denverites sipped chicken matzo ball soup at the original Zaidy Deli. Thankfully, they can continue now at the reborn Zaidy’s in a new location which boasts the same menu. The soup arrives at the table brimming with that signature clear broth topped with a chickenfat sheen and shimmer. Chopped celery and onions, carrot rounds and shredded chicken are joined by a large tender matzo ball dumpling. It is an immune-boosting, nutrient-rich comfort. The soup comes served with a plate of classic deli pickles and a challah roll you can dunk in the soup or enjoy with butter and honey. 600 S. Holly St., Denver zaidysdeli.com

Zaidy’s

Taste of Thailand

MEDICINE BOWLS: Clockwise, from top, Spicy Miso Ramen, Flu Shot Soup and Chicken Matzo Ball Soup.

TASTE OF THAILAND’S FLU SHOT SOUP

The Flu Shot Soup at Denver’s Taste of Thailand is a local legend, with fans travelling miles to grab a quart when it rejoins the menu each fall. While this Thai tom kha variation can be topped with chicken wontons or with tofu, it comes in only one invigorating flavor: Hot! The menu notes in bold-faced type that this soup “cannot be made less spicy.” Flu Shot Soup is laced with a truly medicinal level of herbs, Thai chilies, fresh ginger and garlic along with loads of fresh vegetables. You know that the prescription is working when beads of sweat start forming on your forehead and your nose clears. In a town loaded with Thai eateries, Taste of Thailand has always stood out for its devotion to careful preparation and a focus on exceptional fresh vegetables. The restaurant also features a great version of Tom Ka Gai, the cream coconut milk and chicken soup with lemon grass, galangal and cilantro. 2120 S. Broadway, Denver tasteofthailand.net

soup, but none do it as authentically as New Saigon’s pho pros. This is the original bone broth, a meaty elixir laced with star anise and packed with thin, soft rice noodles. Our selection was topped with rare steak which cooked in the broth and little meatballs. Fresh mint, bean sprouts, sliced jalapeno and lime add crunch and spice. Individual bites can be customized with hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce or chilies in oil. This pho is a salty, sour, herbaceous soup that bounces around happily on your taste buds. At the end of the meal don’t be shy about grabbing the bowl, tipping it up to your lips and savoring every last bit of broth. It’s the polite thing to do. New Saigon also dishes a slew of other traditional soups including wonton, hot and sour, and roast duck with egg noodle soup. 630 S. Federal Blvd., Denver newsaigondenver.com GAETANO’S MINESTRONE

NEW SAIGON’S RARE STEAK AND MEATBALL PHO

When New Saigon opened 30 years ago on South Federal Boulevard, only a handful of Colorado eateries served pho and most diners had never tasted it. Now there are spots all over the region advertising the Vietnamese hot noodle coloradoavidgolfer.com

Everyone from Leonardo Da Vinci to Federico Fellini have expressed their love for minestrone, the humble Italian meal starter. Even the Smaldone brothers—the Denver mobsters who originally ran Gaetano’s—always had minestrone on the menu, and there it remains. Besides the big flavor, we like Gaetano’s minestrone because

Great Hot Soups on Denver Menus French Onion Soup: Caramelized onions in broth topped with Gruyere cheese and croutons. LeRoux, Denver, lerouxdenver.com Zurek Soup: Fermented cheese broth with kielbasa sausage, potatoes and hard-boiled egg. Cracovia Polish-American Restaurant, Westminster, cracoviarestaurant.com Wonton Noodle Soup: Rich broth with wontons and noodles. Lao Wang Noodle House, Denver, laowangnoodlehouse.com Butter-poached Lobster Ramen: Served with wakame, mushrooms and miso-bonito broth. Chimera Ramen, Boulder, chimera.kitchen Lebanese Lentil Soup: Red lentils in broth with vegetables, spices and herbs. Ali Baba Grill, Denver, alibabagrill.com you can eat it with a soup spoon. You get chunks of multiple vegetables and macaroni in every bite and a bit of the bright basil pesto that garnishes the top of every bowl. We like our minestrone with a liberal flurry of grated Parmigiano, slices of soft Italian bread and a glass of red wine. 3760 Tejon St., Denver gaetanositalian.com /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Fareways

/// CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

Classic Minestrone with Pesto This recipe is inspired by the traditional minestrone served at Gaetano’s restaurant in Denver. Ingredients: For the Minestrone: • 1¼ cups dried Great Northern beans • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ cup olive oil • 1 medium onion, chopped • 1 large stalk of celery, diced • 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 3 large garlic cloves, sliced • 1 cup trimmed, cut fresh green beans • 1 medium zucchini, cubed • 3 cups shredded spinach leaves • 2 to 3 small red potatoes, diced • 2 cups shredded cabbage • 1 small eggplant, peeled, cubed

ounces pasta (elbows, bowties, etc) 7 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, • 5 to 6 cups chicken broth (preferably unsalted) • Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste • Grated Parmesan cheese • •

For Pesto: 1 to 2 cups fresh basil leaves • 2 to 3 large cloves garlic, peeled • ¼ cup pine nuts • 4 ounces pecorino and Parmesan cheeses, grated • ¼ cup olive oil •

Directions: Soak beans in warm water over night. Rinse and cover with water in a large pot. Add salt. Bring to a slow boil and cook for 60 to 70 minutes or until tender. Add more water as needed. Set aside. In a deep pot add olive oil, onions, celery, potatoes and saute for 15 minutes on medium heat. Add broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Add green beans, zucchini, eggplant, cabbage and cooked beans and simmer another 15 minutes. Place a couple of ladles of the soup into a blender or food processor, purée and add back into pot along with spinach and pasta. Add more broth or water as needed. Simmer another 8 to 10 minutes and stir to keep from sticking. Taste and add salt and pepper. Allow soup to sit for 15 minutes before serving. To make the pesto, place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add more olive oil as needed. Taste, adjust seasonings and spoon on top of servings of soup. Serve with grated cheese. Noted soup lover John Lehndorff is the former Dining Critic of the Rocky Mountain News. He writes the Nibbles column for the Boulder Weekly and hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU.

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Side Bets NICE DRIVES

KIA SORENTO

EPA RATINGS: 21/28/24 0-60MPH: 6.3 SEC PRICE AS TESTED: $44,285

Variety Show New models of many colors, engines, shapes and sizes add spice to car-buying life. By Isaac Bouchard VARIETY IS ESSENTIAL to avoiding a humdrum existence. This applies to automobiles as much as it does to films, books, food, music, travel and other essential indulgences. Thankfully we are living in a true Golden Age for those who love cars, trucks and SUVs; there are roaring internal combustion engines, pure electric vehicles and combinations of the two in most every shape conceivable.

2022 ACURA MDX

EPA RATINGS: 19/25/21 0-60MPH: 6.4 SEC PRICE AS TESTED: $62,175 Acura plays in a somewhat broad market space; it is generally seen as a notch down from Lexus or Mercedes, but it is certainly premium. Call it attainable luxury. The new MDX fits well there; it is more upmarket than the outgoing model, with fashionable styling (especially that clean, pert tail) and enough soft-touch surfaces inside to reward prodding, probing fingers. On the Advance model, everything is standard, including real wood trim, upgraded leather, 16-way adjustable front seats and a panoramic roof. The middle row buckets are comfy too, but the third row is more restrictive than before, a disappointment given the MDX’s larger, stiffer body shell. The 3.5-liter, 290hp V6 engine is mostly carry over, as is the 10-speed automatic; accoloradoavidgolfer.com

celeration is class-average at 6.4 seconds to 60mph. Handling, always good, is even better now, thanks to a switch to a control arm front suspension. Acura’s great-as-always Super Handling AWD hardware means it resolutely resists understeer, too. The helm is precise but doesn’t offer the level of feel of a less expensive Mazda CX-9. Ride quality on the adjustable damping is superb; Acura has done a great job of keeping the luxury end covered. The True Touchpad interface takes getting used to, yet once that takes place, it is logical and fast. And, while the ELS Studio name may not conjure audiophile dreams, this 16-speaker setup is much more resolving and accurate than many, better-known systems. Although it costs roughly $15,000 more than terrific three-row rivals like the Mazda CX-9 and Kia Telluride, the MDX is priced tens of thousands less than Audi and Volvo crossovers, and in this newest iteration conveys enough excellence to still seem a good value.

The all-new Sorento comes in myriad forms— from a very basic, midsize crossover to a plugin hybrid that gives the Toyota RAV4 Prime a real run for its money to powerful, near-lux models. The X-Line tops the lineup; it features unique, grayed-out trim, a beefer looking roof rack and other styling updates outside. Inside, there’s well-done, faux barnwood, seats and trim in high contrast, attractive colors and large, high-resolution screens. The interior is well-sized for four (the back seat is occasional use only) and capacious for cargo and most modern conveniences come standard. The X-Line has the most powerful Sorento engine, a 2.5-liter turbo with outputs of 281hp and 311lb-ft and a twin-clutch transmission; 0-60 takes 6.3 seconds. Ride and handling are above average, only underdamped shock settings hold it back. While not the total home run the Telluride is, the Sorento is an excellent addition to Kia’s burgeoning line of crossovers. /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Nice Drives

/// CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

INFINITI QX55

EPA RATINGS: 22 /28/25 0-60MPH: 6.4 SEC (EST) PRICE AS TESTED: $58,770 Variety really is the only reason the QX55 exists. No one needs a utility vehicle with less utility, do they? However, one of the savviest ways for a car company to leverage its investment in a vehicle platform is to build different versions of it. With crossovers, that means a coupe version with a sweeping, fastback roofline. Infiniti took this lesson to heart with the QX55, updating some excellent foundations, while increasing the drama.

JEEP WRANGLER 4XE

EPA RATINGS: 49MPGE 0-60MPH: 5.5SEC PRICE AS TESTED: $61,265 The Wrangler is one of the most conceptually archaic vehicles you can buy, which is a big part of its charm and what makes the idea of a 370hp, plugin hybrid version somehow so appealing. Obviously, this “Four By E” isn’t something anyone needs, but then again, how many of the COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

Mechanically, it is basically identical to the QX50, which lands on the larger end of its size category for interior volume. This means the coupe still has a roomy back seat and very large cargo hold, despite its chopped roof. Changes inside are mostly down to trim material and color selection, but that is not a bad thing, as the twin, stacked infotainment screens work well when used with a smartphone, and material quality is excellent. Outside, Infiniti has bestowed a different grill and front fascia to go with that derrière; the 20-inch wheels are unique, and the overall package does stand apart from its donor. The QX55’s

chassis is comfortably refined yet has more than a dash of handling acumen. The powertrain is perhaps the weakest part of the overall package. While the 2-liter, 268hp/280lb-ft turbocharged engine is incredibly advanced in design, output from it doesn’t flow in a linear fashion. This is exacerbated by a continuously variable transmission; the result is a long-distance relationship between the pressure applied to the accelerator pedal and forward progress. Still, the QX55 represents good value, undercutting competitors in price and lease payment while insuring a superb aftersales experience, according to independent surveys.

best things in life are? With a powertrain comprised of a lithium-ion battery, two electric motors and a turbocharged engine, the Wrangler’s numbers are impressive: Combined output is 375 hp and 470 lb-ft, and it does 60 in only 5.5 seconds. The 4xe will go more than 20 miles on electrons, and there is—in theory—the ability to go off-roading in near silence. The reality comes up a bit short, in that the two electric motors’ 134hp isn’t enough oomph to move the 5,300lb Jeep over real obstacles,

and sometimes there are pauses in power delivery, but overall it is very compelling. The Wrangler has become Jeep’s 911; like that Porsche model there are so many variants it can be hard to keep up. However, between the mild hybrid 4-cylinder turbo, V6s that run on either gas or diesel, this plugin hybrid and the bonkers, 470hp “392” V8, there is one Wrangler that will suit anyone whose fallen for this glorious, rolling anachronism.

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2021 MERCEDES-AMG CLA45 EPA RATINGS: 20/29/23 0-60MPH: 3.7 SEC PRICE AS TESTED: $70,150

They used to say Germans had no sense of humor. Whether or not that stereotype’s lack of political correctness bothers you, there is no doubt the CLA45 makes a mockery of it. There is absolutely no way the designers and engineers behind this 382hp four-door pocket rocket weren’t laughing as they conceived of it, and there’s no way you can drive it without a grin on your face. The torque-vectoring rear axle (which even lets you drift in rear-drive mode) means the CLA45 stays resolutely locked on-line in the 4Matic+ AWD settings. The ride is AMG-locked down in “Race,” yet Mercedes-supple and quiet

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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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Strike Gold in Arizona. And Red. And Blue. The iconic Wigwam Resort in beautiful Litchfield Park, Arizona is home to not one, but three distinct championship golf courses, including two designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Sr. himself. The Wigwam’s acclaimed Gold, Red and Blue courses attract visiting pros and avid enthusiasts alike, winding their way through the resort’s 440-acre sun-drenched Sonoran paradise. A perfect marriage of challenging rounds and relaxing oasis paired with an unbeatable desert climate, The Wigwam is a true golfing treasure for those lucky enough to both stay and play. The full-service resort hosts a range of premier golf events throughout the year, while their Tee It Up package provides serious golfers with unlimited same-day consecutive play.

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VICTORY MARCH: With putter in hand, Scott Vincent approaches the 72nd green with a four-shot lead at September’s ANA Open at Sapporo Golf Club. The win marked his second on the Japan Golf Tour this season.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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LAND OF THE RISING STAR A Zimbabwean by birth and Coloradan by marriage, SCOTT VINCENT is parlaying his success in Japan into a place among the game’s elite. By TOM FERRELL PHOTO COURTESY OF JGTO IMAGES

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Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

COURTESY OF ATSUHIKO MATSUMURO

APPETITE FOR LIFE: The golfer-caddie team of Scott Vincent and his wife, Littleton native Kelsey Loupee Vincent, partakes in the local fare from booths set up during October’s ISPS HANDA Tournament in Miho, Japan. Together since college, they’ve chased the dream in dozens of countries, including the Czech Republic (below) in 2018.

“That’s always been the goal,” Vincent says. His faith and his commitment to personal growth, however, have served him well. “I have developed skills and qualities that I would not have developed had I’d gone straight to the PGA TOUR,” he observes. “It is a true gift to see the world. Here in Japan, for instance, everyone works with so much pride, regardless of their occupation. It has inspired me and helped me grow and be more determined in improving myself every day.” As a youth in Africa, that determination and drive earned him the nickname “Mhondoro,” Shona for “the lion.” For the last four months, the lion has roared. Vincent is close to wrapping up a breakthrough season on the Japanese circuit. He has won twice, places seventh on the money list and is at or near the top in a host of statistical categories. Earlier this year, he fulfilled his dream of representing his naCOLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

COURTESY OF SCOTT VINCENT (VIA INSTAGRAM)

ROFESSIONAL GOLFER SCOTT VINCENT and his Littleton-born bride (and caddie) Kelsey have gotten used to the bustling cities of Japan. They’ve come to love the bullet trains that blaze through the bucolic countryside with its rice fields and sweeping vistas—you never get tired of seeing Mount Fuji, Vincent admits. And after playing on a total of six professional circuits spanning the globe, they are grateful for the stability of status on one of the most competitive and lucrative tours in the world. Still, when they pause to enjoy a steaming pot of shabu-shabu with a close-knit cadre of fellow travelers, Vincent looks to the east. To Colorado and to the dream of playing the PGA TOUR. tive Zimbabwe in the Olympic Games, and he has climbed to the highest Omega World Golf Ranking of his career, prowling from just outside the top 100.

OUT OF AFRICA It’s a long way from Harare, Zimbabwe to Blacksburg, Virginia to Bangkok, Thailand to marriage and family in Denver to Japan. But those are just a few of the stops Vincent has made as part of his global journey. Zimbabwe is not without its golf legacy. Three-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Nick Price set a high standard for the country’s junior golfers with his dominating play in the 1990s. Vincent, despite his smaller physical build, excelled to the point of qualifying for the national junior team. That was when he caught the eye of Virginia Tech golf coach Jay Hardwick, who had successfully

recruited several Zimbabwean players, beginning with Brendon de Jonge, who turned pro in 2003 and went on to PGA TOUR success. Hardwick worried about Vincent’s size but saw the possibilities in his game. His foresight proved correct, as Vincent went on to become the school’s first-ever first-team All-American, with game enough to make the cut in his PGA TOUR debut at the RBC Heritage Classic as he was closing out his collegiate career. Vincent met Littleton native Kelsey Loupee at Virginia Tech, where she played on the soccer /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY; STAN SAYERS AND SCOTT VINCENT (VIA INSTAGRAM

LION’S SHARES: Clockwise from bottom left, Colorado-based instructor Stan Sayers caddied for Vincent in South Korea in 2018; Vincent became the Virginia Tech men’s golf program’s first-ever first-team All-American (top left); before carding a respectable 11-under 273 in the Tokyo Olympics, Vincent said, “To me, there is a bigger picture than just me and my results. I want to go out there, give it my best and inspire young Zimbabwean athletes to reach for their dreams because it really is possible.”

team. Shortly after leaving Blacksburg, the pair married, making Scott a proud transplant to Colorado. During their search for a wedding venue, the couple visited Colorado Golf Club (full disclosure: my day job is membership and marketing director at the club). Shortly thereafter, I received a letter from Vincent inquiring about membership. He joined the club that year and credits the Coore & Crenshaw golf course and practice facilities with helping improve his game in those critical formative seasons. “Colorado Golf Club has had a huge impact on my game,” he told me recently by phone from Japan. “I was playing professional golf but did not have a place to train. The facilities are so good—the Circle 2 Short Course has some of the most demanding wedge shots I know. If you can put it close on those little holes, you’re getting better.” Most important, Vincent also got to know the club’s director of instruction, Stan Sayers. The two formed a close friendship, which ultimately culminated in an official coaching relationship. “The thing about Stan,” Vincent says, “is that he’s just an awesome person with unshakeable faith. It goes beyond coaching. Stan is so

“Scott is an incredible person to begin with. He’s humble, and he has a desire to seek personal growth and professional growth every single day. That is a powerful approach.” —Jim Murphy knowledgeable, and yet he is always eager to learn more. That creates a kind of flow of ideas and information that goes beyond instruction.” Through his own interests in sports psychology and personal development, Stan had begun to work with Jim Murphy, author of the celebrated book, Inner Excellence, and mentor to several athletes, including Stewart Cink, who credits his work with Murphy for the resurgence in his own PGA TOUR career. Murphy and Vincent clicked from the very beginning. “Scott is an incredible person to begin with,” Murphy says. “He and Kelsey have really supported each other, so he’s been part of a great team. He’s humble, and he has a desire to seek personal growth and professional growth every single day. That is a powerful approach. We’ve focused on the kind of person he wants to be

not on the golf course but in his life. How does he want to feel about himself as a person? How can golf help him get there? Golf is not the sole focus—it’s one expression of a larger view.” Whatever the focus has been, Vincent’s work with Sayers and Murphy has begun to pay off in a big way.

AN OLYMPIC MOMENT Like many young athletes, Scott Vincent dreamed of competing in the Olympic Games. When golf made its return to the Olympics in 2016, he set his mind to turning that dream to reality, only to narrowly miss qualifying to represent Zimbabwe. “That one hurt,” he says of the disappointment. “But I dedicated myself to making it next time around.” /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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COURTESY OF SCOTT VINCENT (VIA INSTAGRAM

TRAVEL TIPS BY SCOTT VINCENT Scott Vincent’s travels make one think of his fellow African Gary Player, who once claimed he had flown more miles than anyone in the world. Here he shares some advice and thoughts on his travel experiences.

01.

BREAKTHROUGH SEASON: On the strength of eight top-10s including victories in the ANA Open (above) and Sansan KBC Augusta, Vincent vaulted to 107th in the world, eighth on the Japan Tour’s money list and second in scoring average.

“Next time” came this past July, and by virtue of his Omega World Golf Ranking (no. 248 at the time), he qualified. When the moment arrived, Vincent was ready. And unlike some of his professional golf peers, he had important business to do before ever striking a golf shot: Walking in the Opening Ceremonies. I was preparing dinner in my house the night the Opening Ceremonies aired on broadcast TV, and even though I had seen Scott several times as he prepared for the Olympics, his presence that night had escaped my mind. Until, that is, I happened to hear the announcer note that Zimbabwe’s team had entered the stadium. I looked over the TV and clearly saw Scott waving to the crowd. I got chills, and I could only imagine what he felt. I grabbed the phone, shot off an enthusiastic text, and got an almost immediate reply. “Such a cool experience,” he said, “I will remember that for the rest of my life.” It’s the kind of experience that can totally change one’s perspective, and years from now, we may all look back and say that the 2021 Olympics are where Scott Vincent’s career really took off. He didn’t medal, although he finished in a more-than-respectable T16. But something had changed. In the 10 Japan Golf Tour events since the Olympics, Vincent has notched two wins and five additional Top-10s. He has vaulted all the way to 107th in the Omega World Golf Rankings, his highest position ever. Cracking the Top 100 would mean exemptions into more WGC events. Go a little higher and you begin to knock at the door of major championship exemptions. Scott Vincent’s career is going in the right direction. The change since the Olympics is both physical and mental. Sayers points to improved driving and wedge play. Murphy notes that Vincent has improved his mental game, which has allowed him to play more COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

loosely when in contention, an assertion Vincent agrees with. “I’ve been making changes throughout the season, but I really do think the difference has been my thinking,” Vincent observes. “You can’t control results, and you have to have faith that work on the inside will manifest on the outside.” Vincent notes that his two wins came in very different circumstances. “The first (The Sansan KBC Augusta Championship) was a very tight race. It was a stressful day, but I never looked at a leaderboard; just trusted my routines and my approach, and I came out on top. The second win (the prestigious ANA Open), I began the day tied for third and got off to a hot start. Then I accidentally saw a board and learned that I had a five-shot lead with six holes to play. That tested all of the mental training!” Change has been a constant in Vincent’s career. The changes of venue have been dramatic, including the Japan Tour, the Sunshine Tour, the Asian Tour (rookie of the year in 2016) and the European Tour. Even more change is on the way—Scott and Kelsey recently found out they are expecting their first child. That means Kelsey will be off the road and holding down the fort in Colorado. And yes, Vincent realizes that the PGA Tour would create far shorter commutes and a more stable work environment. “We’re so excited about the baby,” Vincent says. “It’s going to be a whole new level of growth and discovery. One thing my early career has taught me is that I can embrace changes and live outside of my comfort zone. I know I can adapt. Today, I don’t have to think about anything except being my best…right here and right now.” Wherever that may happen to be.

Tom Ferrell is Colorado AvidGolfer’s editor-at-large.

Always drink plenty of water—flying will dehydrate you without you realizing it.

02. Get onto local time as quickly as possible. Wake up and sleep at your normal times but in the local time zone. NO NAPS!

03. If you can, bring your own pillow. Hotel pillows vary, but mine is always the same (hint: stuff it in your golf travel bag).

04. Invest in a USB blender. I start every day with a smoothie, and I can always find my ingredients: milk, bananas, fruit and spinach.

05. Find out where the locals eat. It’s the fastest way to incorporate some local culture into your visit.

06. If you’re looking for a great golf destination, consider South Africa. The courses are stunning. The wildlife is amazing. The cost is so good, and the food is world-class. My second recommendation would definitely be Thailand. coloradoavidgolfer.com

St. George Slays It PHOTOS COURTESY SNOW CANYON COUNTRY CLUB

KIDD AND PLAY: Red sandstone and black lava beds will forever define the look of the course at Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club, but now David McLay-Kidd will redefine its strategy.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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Changes keep coming to UTAH’S COLORFUL CORNER. By JON RIZZI

N A SUNNY November day, golf-course architect David McLay-Kidd flew his Cirrus SR22T to the southwestern corner of Utah to check the progress of his $7 million golf-course renovation at the Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club in St. George. Had all gone according to the original plan, he’d have already presided over the grand reopening in September, but pandemic-related delays in construction pushed the ribbon-cutting to next April. So, in addition to a status update, McLay-Kidd’s visit also entailed a Q&A with members of the private club. He followed it with a golf cart tour of the front nine in which the celebrated creator of Bandon Dunes would describe the inspiration behind the modifications he’d made to 25-year-old layout designed by Johnny Miller and Fred Bliss to give players more options. “When a hole offers options on how to play it, the game becomes so much more interesting,” McLay-Kidd said. “We want to increase those options at Entrada, allowing players to use their imagination, creativity and skills to play holes and attempt to score. Options might manifest themselves with a strong player trying to hit a high approach with backspin, while another might use guile to read a slope and play a running shot into the same green. Neither approach is better or worse if the result is the same, but it sure is more fun to have the option.” More options mean more teeing areas, more strategy, more chances to recover from poor shots, more accessible approaches and

“When a hole offers options on how to play it, the game becomes so much more interesting,” —David McLay-Kidd hole locations. More fun—a word players should use to describe a golf course that snakes through an electrifying landscape of red sandstone cliffs, rolling dunes, black lava beds and rugged arroyos. “It’s a combination of Sedona and Kona— the best of both worlds,” course architect Phil Smith says. Smith, however, doesn’t work with McLay-Kidd; he works with Tom Weiskopf, and they are creating a golf course called Black Desert on equally dramatic terrain less than a mile from Snow Canyon Country Club. Both projects happen to involve Arizonabased Troon Golf as management company and members of its design, development and agronomy team. Beyond that, however, “there’s no relationship or reciprocity between the projects,” says Jared Lucero, the president and CEO of Utah-based Reef Capital Partners, whose subsidiary, Stillwater Equity Partners, purchased the 602 remaining acres in Entrada for the Black Desert project. Stillwater’s plans run deep: a 2,500-home resort community anchored by a 150-room hotel with 300 rental residences and a smorgasbord of world-class amenities—the first of

which will be a golf course that will incorporate tons of jagged a‘a and outcroppings along its wide fairways. Whereas Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club only allows outside play by guests of the posh Inn at Entrada, Black Desert will be a high-end daily-fee resort course. Plans call for it to open by this time next year, and when it does, it will add yet another reason to head to a region that Lucero, a native Utahan, calls “the Palm Springs of Utah.”

A GOLFER’S ZION Known as “Greater Zion” because of its proximity to the world-famous national park, the St. George area is hardly a secret, especially among retirees. But in an area where the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin converge, now so do golfers, hikers, bikers, triathletes (St. George will host the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship in May) and other outdoor enthusiasts. Many of them like it so much, they never leave. In the last decade, the population of Washington County—which comprises Zion National Park, St. George, and state parks like Sand Hollow and Snow Canyon, the Red Cliffs National Conservation area and the most magnificent Pine Valley this side of Philadelphia—has grown by 30.5 percent, from 138,115 to 180,239. That makes the 2,430-square-mile area the fastest-growing county in the nation’s fastest-growing state. The same period saw Utah’s population jump 18.4 percent—from 2,763,885 to 3,271,616. The swarm of transplants to the Beehive State means more golfers and more places to put them. The Greater Zion area currently /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

/// CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

COURTESY OF SAND HOLLOW GOLF COURSE

COURTESY OF GREATER ZION CONVENTION & TOURISM (BOTH)

TRIED AND TRUE: Washington’s Coral Canyon (top) and The Ledges in St. George raised the bar in Greater Zion.

The back nine brings a wild ride along ledges and ridgelines, rewarding you with shot values that are every bit as fine as the views... boasts 13 courses, which complement the eight that lie 40 minutes and one time zone away in Mesquite, Nev. (See “Info to Go” on page 56.) Worth playing on the Utah side of the border is Coral Canyon, a magnificently situated and fittingly named Keith Fosterdesigned layout in the town of Washington that has benefited from a recent management change. Golf Digest ranked The Ledges Golf Course—a Matt Dye design offering 360-degree views from its perch 900 feet above St. George—as one of the top 10 new public courses of 2007, the year before the 48-yearold nephew of architect Pete Dye succumbed to cancer. The gloriously long views make up for the somewhat short length of the 6,450yard Jeff Hardin-designed Sky Mountain Golf Course in Hurricane.

LEADING EDGE: The magnificent and photogenic Championship Course at Sand Hollow Resort has established permanent residency atop the rankings of Utah’s golf courses.

HURRICANE SEASON The town of Hurricane (locally pronounced “Her-ah-kun”) is roughly 20 minutes east of St. George and 450 miles from any ocean, meaning it has never experienced an actual hurricane—although two of Hurricane’s public courses do regularly blow golfers away The first—both here and on national “Best in State” lists for more than a decade—is Sand Hollow Golf Resort. Designed by John Fought and Andy Staples, the 7,300-yard Championship Course’s front nine brilliantly winds around the red-rock outcroppings, natural arroyo and desert vegetation, its undulant emerald fairways punctuated by indigenous red sand bunkers. The back nine brings a wild ride along ledges and ridgelines, rewarding you with shot values that are every bit as fine as the views of Zion National Park to the east, and the Red Cliffs framed by the snow-capped Pine Valley Mountain to the northwest. In addition to the course that annually tests the pros at the Sand Hollow Open, the resort delights guests (and their families) with its 3,600-yard, par-36 Links Course, which features some of the widest fairways and largest greens you’ll ever encounter, and a ninehole “Wee Course,” where players of all ages can pitch, chip and putt on holes measuring 50-120 yards. Fun! Of a piece with its red-rock surroundings, Sand Hollow’s award-winning clubhouse

serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with views from the deck into Zion National Park. Lodging consists of six types of foursome-friendly suites, spacious villas and luxury homes, with amenities including two swimming pools and access to equipment rentals for boating, bass fishing, biking, four-wheeling and hiking at nearby Sand Hollow Reservoir, Snow Canyon State Park and Sand Mountain Dunes. Hurricane’s other star, Copper Rock Golf Course, opened in 2020 on the other side of the reservoir from Sand Hollow Resort. Designed by Dale Beddo, the 6,823-yard par72 layout offers stunning copper cliffs, sweeping desert vistas and the “Auld Sod” touches of fescue-covered fairway berms, winsome double greens (including one shared by the 9th and 18th) and even a “Valley of Sin” hole. Wide landing areas for tee shots accommodate the stiff winds. Copper Rock—whose head PGA Professional H. Myatt Green, Jr. is the son of the late World Golf Hall of Fame member Hubert Green—will host its second Symetra Tour championship in April. Part of a 950-acre master-planned residential development that will include a hotel, Copper Rock currently offers sweet fairway-home rentals that can accommodate large groups.

ENTRADA YADA YADA Copper Rock aspires to join Sand Hollow among the top golf resorts in the U.S. At /// CONTINUED ON PAGE 56

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COURTESY OF COPPER ROCK GOLF COURSE

Jon Rizzi is the founding editor of Colorado AvidGolfer.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

COURTESY OF PHIL SMITH (LEFT) AND STILLWATER PARTNERS (RIGHT)

Entrada in St. George, Black Desert Resort shares that ambition, with plans for retail, a world-class spa, family amenities and activities well underway. The resort already reports more than 1,000 reservation presales. Among the attractions at Black Desert will be “the coolest thing I’ve ever designed in my life,” Smith says, describing a 68,000-square-foot putting course featuring boulders, black lava, LED-illuminated holes and lights positioned to reveal the contours of the green at night. It sounds like a blast. While there may not be any official reciprocity between Black Desert and its neighbor at Snow Canyon, the former’s presence certainly appears to have influenced the latter’s decision to have McLayKidd modernize its course into a more accessible, appealing and “fun” experience. And those kinds of experiences are what keep people coming back—to courses, to golf and to this spectacular part of the world.

UTAH DEBUTANTES: Copper Rock Golf Course (top) opened last spring in Hurricane; Black Desert (bottom left during construction, and bottom right in a rendering) is scheduled to premiere by this time next year.

INFO TO GO United Express has two direct flights daily to and from Denver and St. George. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas—a two-hour drive away—presents more options. Plus, you pass through the golf and gaming mecca of Mesquite, Nev., less than 30 miles from St. George. For Mesquite golf and lodging options, visit golfmesquitenevada.com and golfingmesquite.com. For information on all golf courses, lodging and activities in the Greater Zion area, visit the omnibus greaterzion.com. For information on Black Desert Resort, visit blackdesertresort.com.

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LET’S PLAY TWO! If you’re a 36-holes-a-day person, then ARIZONA’S VALLEY OF THE SUN is your kind of place. By Tom Mackin

At more than a handful of facilities you don’t even have to leave the property for your second 18! Just grab some lunch in the clubhouse and head to your second first tee of the day. Herewith, some of the best doubleheader options in and around Scottsdale.

TROON NORTH GOLF CLUB

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TROON

The flagship property of Troon, the Scottsdale-based course management company, Troon North opened up a new world of upscale daily-fee golf with the Monument Course in 1990. The Pinnacle Course followed five years later, and both remain among the must-plays of the Southwest, each ranked in the Top 10 on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona. The Monument abounds in elevation changes but is actually the slightly easier option. You’ll encounter its massive namesake boulder right in the middle of the dogleg right third fairway. The views are pretty memorable on Pinnacle, too; stand on the third tee on a clear day and you can glimpse the white roof of the Arizona Cardinals stadium 30 miles away in Glendale. Book your two rounds at once and play them within five days to receive a 20 percent discount on the overall green fee. A DOUBLE ON THE ROCKS: Troon North’s Monument (top) and Pinnacle courses bear the imprimatur of former design partners Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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TALKING STICK GOLF CLUB

COURTESY TALKING STICK GOLF CLUB

Does a flat piece of property mean 36 holes of boring golf? Not when Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design the two courses. Their efforts here on the land of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community date back to 1998. What the layouts may lack in geographic drama is more than made up for in the strategic choices placed in front of you. Lower handicappers dig the O’odham course, especially if they play the angles correctly. Even with raised greens, the Piipaash course doesn’t bite as badly if you are not on your game. Discounted green fees are available for 36 holes played on the same day, but also check out stay-and-play deals at neighboring Talking Stick Resort. A REAL PIIP: Talking Stick’s O’odham and Piipaash (right) courses often attract Rockies players and fans during Spring Training.

GRAYHAWK GOLF CLUB

I have often flipped a coin to decide which course to play here: both the Talon (by Gary Panks and David Graham) and Raptor (Tom Fazio) are that good. The former has my favorite par 3—the 11th, where you stroll across a swinging bridge to access the back tee—while the Raptor has one of the area’s best closing holes: the par-5 18th with a fairway that tiles from left to right, with water on the right naturally. You can fuel up for your second round at Phil’s Grill in the clubhouse (with walls covered in memorabilia from Mr. Mickelson) or at Isabella’s, across the street and set between the 10th and 18th holes on the Talon Course. Raptor has hosted multiple professional events over the years, and in 2022 and ’23, it will welcome the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I golf championships each May.

BIRDIES OF PREY: Between them, Grayhawk’s Talon (above) and Raptor have hosted PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and WGC championships.

PHOTOS BY LONNA TUCKER

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Winter 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

TPC SCOTTSDALE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TPC SCOTTSDALE

Who doesn’t want to play where the pros play? The Stadium Course here is home to the famously rowdy Waste Management Phoenix Open (WMPO). You’ll pay a high price ($300+) in peak season here, but you get excellent course conditions and quick greens. Play there between November and February and the legendary par 3 16th hole will be surrounded by stands that fill up for the WMPO (minus the heckling for poor shots). It’s a big venue in every sense; just keep your ball out of the rough. Right across the street is the very underrated Champions Course, which hosts a PGA TOUR Champions Qualifying Tournament. It’s not quite as a dramatic as its sibling, but it remains a stellar test, very walkable and far more affordable.

AS SIMPLE AS TPC: Water plays into the par-5 15th at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium course (above) and the first hole at the Champions Course across the street.

UR TE

SY OF

- KO WE - PA

WE-KO-PA GOLF CLUB

PHOTO BY LONNA TUCKER

If there are any courses in the Valley that might render you speechless, it’s the two at this property owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, a short drive east of Scottsdale. The Cholla Course, designed by Scott Miller, is exactly what you would expect of a desert layout. The Saguaro Course, created by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is built for walking, with massive fairways that are tough to miss and greens situated close to the next tee. Golfweek ranks it No. 1 on its Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona, and you’ll get no argument here. A 36-hole package is available, with both rounds to be played within 72 hours (cost is $460 from January 14, 2022 through April 3, 2022). A PRICKLY PAIR: Named for two types of cacti, We-Ko-Pa’s Cholla and Saguaro (inset) courses have set high new standards for golf and gaming in the area.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

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COURTESY OF WHIRLWIND GOLF CLUB

LET IT RIDE: Whirlwind’s Cattail and Devil’s Claw layouts unfurl dramatically in the shadow of the Gila River Hotel and Casino-Wild Horse Pass.

• A 10-minute shuttle or drive from the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, CAMELBACK GOLF CLUB offers two very different layouts: the original Padre Course, with tree-lined fairways and multiple hazards, and the more modern Ambiente Course, a linksstyle effort with fairways guarded by native grasses. • W hen the LPGA played at WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB between 2011 and 2019, it used a hybrid layout featuring holes from both its Arnold Palmer and Nick Faldodesigned layouts. The latter has more than 100 bunkers while the former features large greens with tricky breaks.

WHIRLWIND GOLF CLUB

Head south of downtown Phoenix for a short drive to play two stellar courses by architect Gary Panks at Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass. The slightly longer Cattail course includes more water features than its counterpart, plus the greens are tougher to read. The primary challenge on Devil’s Claw involves the approach shot; most greens have two tiers, so miss the right one and two-putting or more often becomes a reality. The wind usually kicks up in the afternoon at this wide-open property, so club selection could get a little harder during your second round of the day. A 36-hole special rate is available. Between rounds, try the wings—reported to be among the best in the Valley—in the Sivlik Grill. Tom Mackin is a Phoenix-area contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

DOUBLE VISION

• T he massive rock formations throughout the North and South courses at BOULDERS RESORT & SPA SCOTTSDALE are no hallucination. They are real ... and they are spectacular. The courses alternate daily between public and member play, so you can’t do both 18s in a single day.

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Blind Shot THE UNSEEN GAME

PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY ROBERTS/COURTESY OF DESERT FORESTGOLF CLUB

FORERUNNER: Rather than fairway bunkers, designer Red Lawrence utilized native desert vegetation—such as a lone mesquite tree at the elbow of the dogleg on the reachable 535-yard par-5 16th—to dictate strategy at Desert Forest, just east of Black Mountain in Carefree.

Low-Key and Loving It

Since opening in 1962, Desert Forest Golf Club has quietly transformed the game in Arizona. By Jon Rizzi THIS FEBRUARY, WHEN THE HOME of America’s first true “desert golf course” turns 60, it will celebrate in much the same way it does every other club anniversary. There’ll be a mixed couples’ tournament followed by dinner. Roughly half of the club’s 200 members will fill the low-slung clubhouse dining room as they would for the weekly Friday-night buffet—the only time the restaurant regularly opens for dinner. “The 50th anniversary was a big deal, and I’m sure the 100th will be,” says PGA Director of Golf Brandon Rogers, who has worked at Desert Forest Golf Club in Carefree, Ariz., since 1998. “Sixty is significant, but it’s not a huge event. We take a less-is-more approach.” That understated attitude befits a golf-only club that has historically kept a low profile, but it also belies Desert Forest’s influential stature in golf history. Before developers K.T. Palmer and Tom Darlington commissioned Robert “Red” Lawrence to build a course 20 miles north of Scottsdale in their new town of Carefree, Arizona golf courses bore little relation to their environments. They were parkland layouts transplanted—along with their trees—from other parts of the country. Lawrence, who turned 79 in 1962 and had apprenticed under noted Philadelphia architect William Flynn, could have followed suit at Desert Forest. Instead, “the Desert Fox” literally charted an entirely new type of course—one that embraced all the strategic nuances of a traditional Northeastern layout, but with minimal rough and no fairway bunkers or nonindigenous plants. The Sonoran Desert—alive with mighty saguaros and spiny ocotillos, lush palo verde and mesquite trees, and flowering creosote and turpentine bushes—would serve as one glorious hazard. The course’s reputation and influence grew as the Valley did, spawning the current abundance of target-golf layouts. But Desert Forest differs from many of them in that all but one of COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Winter 2021

its holes is accessible without a carry, no paved paths ribbon the layout and most members traverse the sloping terrain on foot. Another difference is that “most courses in our area are developer-driven, to sell a house or a lot,” Rogers says, noting that there isn’t a residence on the 200-acre property. “And we don’t have a Taj Mahal for a clubhouse.” What they do have is a paradise for golf purists that benefited from a 2013 refresh by former Coore-Crenshaw associate David Zinkand. He redid the green complexes, removed some trees and reshaped, repositioned and refilled multiple bunkers. Six years ago, Desert Forest also instituted a caddie program—uncommon in the Southwest—that has already produced its first Evans Scholar, Evan Johnson. Coloradan Steven Kupcho, the aspiring pro who previously worked there as the caddiemaster, recently joined as a “young professional” member, as did fellow touring pros Yannik and Jeremy Paul, Patrick Flavin and Brendon Jelley. They’re attracted by the affordability, accessibility and the fact that “Desert Forest is the most difficult tournament course in Arizona for stroke play,” according to Arizona Golf Association Executive Director Ed Gowan in an interview before the course hosted the 2020 Arizona Amateur. “You have narrow landing areas,” he explained. “You have to play the proper angles into the greens. The greens have a lot of movement … and are very fast. Most desert courses in Arizona are very generous, either in the landing areas or in the greens. Desert Forest is neither.” It is, however, the progenitor of those “generous” desert courses—all of which also ply members with increasingly elaborate amenities. Yet, even at the ripe old age of 60, Desert Forest remains attractive enough to have a three-year waiting list to become a member. desertforestgolfclub.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

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