CAN BAYLOR WIN IT ALL? • PATRICK REED STARTS HOT
WINTER/SPRING 2015
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/ TEXAS GOLF + TRAVEL MAGAZINE /
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26 Editor’s Note Heroes and Legacies
10
Distinctive Destination Lajitas Golf Resort: a modern Texas Original
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THE FIRST CUT: Houston Gus Wortham GC gets a shot at rebirth
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THE FIRST CUT: Hill Country The Valero Texas Open will be a star-studded affair
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THE FIRST CUT: Dallas/Fort Worth Irving’s Austin Connelly is finishing high school in style
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COLLEGE GOLF UPDATE How far can Baylor go? Which teams will catch fire this spring?
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COVER FEATURE: Ben Crenshaw prepares for one last spin around Amen Corner
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GETAWAYS: Horseshoe Bay Resort, the Hill Country’s lakefront oasis
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EQUIPMENT Catch up on the latest gear you’ll soon be swinging, stroking and rolling
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THE LESSON TEE Dave Pelz demystifies downhill lies, Eric Woods examines Jordan Spieth’s sweet swing
CONTENTS
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GOLF PEOPLE Deep Eddy Vodka co-founder Chad Auler leads a spirited life
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HOT TOPICS PGA, LPGA Tour events coming; Texas Golf Association kicks off busy 2015 schedule
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THE ARCHITECT’S DIGEST Mike Nuzzo savors the charms of “Azalea”, #13 at Augusta National Golf Club
WINTER/SPRING 2015
30 WINTER/SPRING 2015 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2
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CAN BAYLOR WIN IT ALL? • PATRICK REED STARTS HOT
WINTE WINTER/ WINTER/SP WINTER/S WINTER NTER/SP ER/SP R/SP SPRIN S RING RING N 2015 201 15
HORSESHOE BAY RESORT 72 HOLES TO PLAY, 1,000 REASONS TO STAY
CRENSHAW’S LAST MASTERS
On the cover: Horseshoe Bay Resort Photo courtesy of Horseshoe Bay Resort
Visit us online at www.TexasGolfMag.com and be sure to LIKE us at www.facebook.com/TXGolfTravel.
EDITOR’S NOTE
HEROES AND LEGACIES In preparing this issue, one theme has loomed inescapably large. Legacies. Our cover subject Ben Crenshaw is preparing to make his final appearance in The Masters field, marching into ceremonial status, the proud author of two of the most memorable victories in the tournament’s history. At press time, neither golf fans nor insiders have any clue if the greatest player of this generation, Tiger Woods will be in that 2015 Masters field. Woods is still on what he calls an indefinite leave of absence to find his game. Also uncertain is whether Woods’ worrisome recent play (including a dead-last 73-82 finish at the Waste Management Phoenix Open) is just transitional rust or a signal that his dominant grip on the game is slipping in some permanent way. No one can question Woods’ legacy. It just feels way too early to start pondering “What might have been…?” for the 14-time major champion.
Publisher Eric Woods Editor Carl Mickelson Art Director Long Tran Associate Editors Suzy Evans, Mark Spinn Website & Social Media Conner Penfold
Some are starting to refer to the PGA TOUR as No Country for Old Men. In addition to Woods’ woes, it also feels off-kilter that Phil Mickelson hasn’t won since the 2013 British Open. Top-10 machine Jim Furyk hasn’t closed on a Sunday since 2010. Steve Stricker now plays fewer rounds than Steve Spurrier. The last 20 winners on the PGA Tour average an age of 31 years old- and that’s counting graybeards like Geoff Ogilvy (37), Charley Hoffman (38) and Tim Clark (39) and discounting 21-year-old Jordan Spieth’s “off-season,” unofficial triumphs.
Photographers John Gessner, Mike Nuzzo, Michael Weinstein
Folks, if Greg Norman and Eddie Van Halen are 60 and Tiger Woods isn’t winning five tournaments a year, how are any of us supposed to keep from feeling old?
Equipment Editor Scott Kramer
The legacies of two of golf’s icons were heavy on hearts and minds in February, with the losses of Charles Sifford and Billy Casper. Sifford broke golf’s color barrier and plowed courageously through a path that would eventually lead to Woods’ exceptional career. Those of us who play for recreation have little concept of what it’s like to play the game for a living while being taunted with racial slurs and death threats. “The Jackie Robinson of Golf” won twice on Tour and enjoyed a long career on the Champions Tour. His Old Tom Morris Award in 2007 and Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 were fitting tributes to his determination and success. I only met Casper twice. Once as a child at a Senior Tour event, and again at the grand opening of one of the Sun City courses he had co-designed. He helped me read a 25-foot putt, encouraging me to play close attention to the grain, the shiny blades of grass versus the dark ones. I rolled the putt on Billy’s suggested line with near-perfect speed. As it grazed the edge and slid a foot by, he reacted with a huge bellow as if that was the only putt in the world that mattered. He was generous. He was cool and thoughtful and could not have been a better ambassador for the game. As for his place in history, just be aware that it would take the combined resumes of Fred Couples, Davis Love III and Jim Furyk to stand up to Casper’s tally of 51 career wins and three majors. We truly appreciate you picking up this magazine and we hope it soon becomes one of your favorites. The publishing business is in a constantlyevolving state, but we love being a part of it and connecting you with the people, places and ideas that make golf in Texas special. Visit us at www. texasgolfmag.com and enjoy the fun, informative stories we find in between our quarterly print editions, including the recent PGA TOUR announcement to bring the World Golf Match Play Championship to Austin Country Club in 2016. We’ll be following those developments closely! Keep Swinging, Carl Mickelson
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WINTER/SPRING 2015
Contributing Writers Mike Nuzzo, Art Stricklin
Contributing Instructors Dave Pelz, Eric Woods Advertising Sales Steve Bliman – (480) 473-7663 Shawn Lively – (512) 825-1303 Texas Golf + Travel is published by Golf Lab Media LLC 1224 Village Way, Ste. D Santa Ana CA 92705 Phone: (714) 542-4653 www.TexasGolfMag.com Texas Golf + Travel is published quarterly and distributed to Texas Golf courses, country clubs, practice facilities, golf retailers, hotels, and resorts Entire contents of this publication is copyrighted Golf Lab Media LLC 2015, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher. For subscriptions, please send your name, address, phone number, and $20 to Golf Lab Media LLC at the above address. For advertising opportunities and editorial information: Please call (714) 542-4653 or email to info@TexasGolfMag.com
DISTINCTIVE DESTINATION
NEW DIRECT FLIGHTS MAKE LAJITAS AN EASY GETAWAY 10
WINTER/SPRING 2015
T
ŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ͞ŐĞƫŶŐ ĂǁĂLJ ĨƌŽŵ ŝƚ Ăůů͕͟ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŶ ƚŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ >ĂũŝƚĂƐ 'ŽůĨ ZĞƐŽƌƚ͘ EĞƐƚůĞĚ ŶĞĂƌ ƚŚĞ DĞdžŝĐŽ ďŽƌĚĞƌ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ŝŐ ĞŶĚ EĂƟŽŶĂů WĂƌŬ ĂŶĚ ŝŐ ĞŶĚ ^ƚĂƚĞ WĂƌŬ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ůƵdžƵƌLJ ĚĞƐƟŶĂƟŽŶ ŽīĞƌƐ ͞ďƵĐŬĞƚ ůŝƐƚ͟ ŐŽůĨ ŝŶ Ă ƐĞƫŶŐ ƚŚĂƚ ŚĂƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ƐĞĞŶ ƚŽ ďĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞĚ͘ ZĞĂĐŚŝŶŐ >ĂũŝƚĂƐ ũƵƐƚ ŐŽƚ Ă ůŝƩůĞ ĞĂƐŝĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĞĐĞŶƚ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŽĨ ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ ŇŝŐŚƚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĨƌŽŵ ĂůůĂƐ ĂŶĚ ,ŽƵƐƚŽŶ͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ǁǁǁ͘ůĂũŝƚĂƐŐŽůĨƌĞƐŽƌƚ͘ĐŽŵ͕ ͞ĐĂƌĞͲĨƌĞĞ ƚƌĂǀĞů͟ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĨĂŵĞĚ ƌĞƐŽƌƚ ďĞŐĂŶ ůĂƚĞ ůĂƐƚ LJĞĂƌ ĨƌŽŵ ĂůůĂƐ >ŽǀĞ &ŝĞůĚ ʹ & K >ĂŶĚŵĂƌŬ ŝƌ ĂŶĚ ,ŽƵƐƚŽŶ ,ŽďďLJ ǀŝĂ DŝůůŝŽŶ ŝƌ & K͘
PHOTO: LAJITAS GOLF RESORT
dŚĞ ƐƚĂƌͲĂƩƌĂĐƟŽŶ Ăƚ >ĂũŝƚĂƐ ŝƐ ůĂĐŬ :ĂĐŬ͛Ɛ ƌŽƐƐŝŶŐ͕ ƚŚĞ ϭϴͲ ŚŽůĞ >ĂŶŶLJ tĂĚŬŝŶƐ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ǁŚĞƌĞ ƐŚŽƚƐ ŵƵƐƚ ƚƌĂǀĞƌƐĞ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ĐĂŶLJŽŶƐ͕ ĐĂƌƌLJ ƌƵŐŐĞĚ ŶĂƟǀĞ ĚĞƐĞƌƚ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶ ƚŚĞ ZŝŽ 'ƌĂŶĚĞ ZŝǀĞƌ ŵĂŬĞƐ ĂŶ ĂƉƉĞĂƌĂŶĐĞ ;ĮƌƐƚ ŝŶ ǀŝĞǁ ĨƌŽŵ ƚĞĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĚƌŝǀĂďůĞ ƉĂƌͲϰ ϭϰƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ĂŶ ŝŵƉŽƐŝŶŐ ďŽƌĚĞƌ ůĞŌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨŽƵƌ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ŚŽůĞƐͿ͘ dŚĞ ŵŝŶĚͲďůŽǁŝŶŐ ϳ͕ϰϬϬͲLJĂƌĚ͕ ƉĂƌͲϳϮ ůĂLJŽƵƚ ŝƐ ŶĂŵĞĚ ŝŶ ŚŽŶŽƌ ŽĨ h͘^͘ ƌŵLJ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů :ŽŚŶ ͞ ůĂĐŬ :ĂĐŬ͟ WĞƌƐŚŝŶŐ ǁŚŽ ĐŚĂƐĞĚ WĂŶĐŚŽ sŝůůĂ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƉĂƌƚƐ Ă ĐĞŶƚƵƌLJ ĂŐŽ͘ >ŝŶĞĚ ŝŶ
ůƵƐŚ WůĂƟŶƵŵ WĂƐƉĂůƵŵ ŐƌĂƐƐ͕ ůĂĐŬ :ĂĐŬ͛Ɛ ƌŽƐƐŝŶŐ͛Ɛ ĨĂŝƌǁĂLJƐ ĂƌĞ ŐĞŶĞƌŽƵƐ ďƵƚ ƚŚĞ ŐĞŶĞƌŽƐŝƚLJ ƌƵŶƐ ŽƵƚ ƐŚŽƵůĚ LJŽƵ ƐƉƌĂLJ Ă ƐŚŽƚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŶĂƟǀĞ ĚĞƐĞƌƚ ƐĐƌƵď Žƌ ƚŚĞ ƌŽĐŬLJ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶ ĞĚŐĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĨƌĂŵĞ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ͘ dŚĞ Ϯϳ͕ϬϬϬͲĂĐƌĞ ƌĞƐŽƌƚ ŝƐ Ă ŽŶĞͲŽĨͲĂͲŬŝŶĚ ŚŝĚĞŽƵƚ͕ ƐŚŽǁĐĂƐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƌƵŐŐĞĚŶĞƐƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽƵƚĚŽŽƌƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚͲĐůĂƐƐ ŐĂǀĞ ^ƉĂ ĂŶĚ Ă ǀĂƌŝĞƚLJ ŽĨ ĂƩƌĂĐƟǀĞ ƌĞĐƌĞĂƟŽŶĂů ĂŶĚ ĚŝŶŝŶŐ ĂŵĞŶŝƟĞƐ͘ ǁǁǁ͘ůĂũŝƚĂƐŐŽůĨƌĞƐŽƌƚ͘ĐŽŵ WINTER/SPRING 2015
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FIRST CUT HOUSTON
REED READY FOR STARDOM? Sports recruiters love to throw around the expression “He’s got a high ceiling” for young prospects they think could blossom into big stars. For four-time winner on the PGA Tour Patrick Reed, that ceiling is beginning to look rather lofty, indeed. Coming off a two-win season and a heroic performance at the 2014 Ryder Cup, Reed kicked off this calendar year by racking up a four-round 21-under total at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and taking down fellow Texan Jimmy Walker in a playoff. Since the dawn the Tiger Woods era (starting in late 1996), only four players besides Reed have won four Tour events before the age of 25. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy have all won multiple majors. Sergio Garcia has won 25 times worldwide. It’s not a stretch to think Reed could build on his resume’ and remain one of the great players of his generation. With success on today’s Tour comes the spotlight and for Reed, that’s meant media scrutiny regarding his personal life and reputation as a hyper-focused, “win at all costs” competitor who, at times, has alienated fellow players. Reed chooses to focus on his job inside the ropes and draws support from his wife Justine and his swing coach, Kevin Kirk of The Woodlands. “I go out there and just kind of focus on my golf game, and I don’t really care what anyone else is doing or however anyone else hits the shot. I just know how I can do it. That’s what works for me and allows me to be more consistent under pressure,” the Houston-area resident says. He adds that his goals this season include winning multiple times on Tour, playing more consistently, recording a higher percentage of top-10 finishes and being a serious factor in the majors. “I was able to play in my first majors last year, and I was able to kind of see what they were like,” he says. “I missed two of the cuts and I made two of the cuts. The main thing for me is just keep improving in the golf and then in the majors, have a chance coming down Sunday to at least make some noise.”
HGA TO MANAGE HOUSTON’S HISTORIC GUS WORTHAM Okay, so you can’t fight City Hall, but you can charm and persuade them with a solid case every now and again. A group spearheaded by Houston Golf Association executive director Steve Timms did just that, securing an agreement with the City of Houston to have the HGA lease, manage and operate Gus Wortham Park Golf Course, the 107-year-old course that was the original Houston Country Club. The agreement with the City of Houston calls for the HGA to generate $5 million by the end of 2015 at which time the HGA would begin operational responsibility of Gus Wortham. Among
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the improvements planned are space for junior golf programming, including but not limited to, The First Tee of Greater Houston. New clubhouse, multi-use buildings and new driving range are on the drawing board. Total cost of the project over time ranges from $12-$15 million. “Wortham is the oldest continually-operating 18-hole course in Texas and west of the MIssissippi River. Obviously, we felt like it was worth preserving, paying total respect to the historic nature of the golf course. It’s a wonderfully unique piece of property with a great walkable routing, great
trees and nice elevations. The restored course is going to be special,” says Timms. Houston-based golf design firm Finger-Dye-Spann will oversee the restoration with Heritage Links managing the construction. Architect Baxter Spann points out that what the course lacks in length, it has in character and will now be a splendid example of how golf courses were built and played in golf design’s Classic Era. The HGA’s goal is to have the golf course ready for play in time for the 2017 Super Bowl. Follow developments of the restoration project at www.texasgolfmag.com.
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VALERO TEXAS OPEN DRAWS TOP PROS Fan favorites, past champions and Top-25 talent highlight the list recent pros to commit to the San Antonio’s Valero Texas Open. Jim Furyk, who has finished in the top ten in the tournament the past two years, leads a group of six players in the field who are among the top 25 in the world. Matt Kuchar, who finished 4th last year, is currently No. 10 in the world. Area resident Jimmy Walker, who successfully defended his Sony Open in Hawaii title, is currently 13th in the world. Additional marquee player commitments include the return of five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, Texan Jordan Spieth, 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner, who last competed in San Antonio in 2008, and a first-time appearance by reigning U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer. In all, 12 of the world’s top-30 players will be in the field. Billy Horschel, who is ranked 17th in the world, is also scheduled to compete. Horschel, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, finished third here in 2013. World No.20 Graeme McDowell has also committed and will be making his first appearance at the Valero Texas Open, on the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, March 26-29. Two-time Valero Texas Open champion and World No. 21 Zach Johnson is also in the field, as is defending champion Steven Bowditch. Visit www.valerotexasopen.com for updates and ticket information.
CORDILLERA RANCH HOSTS GCSAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP During the recent Golf Industry Show in San Antonio, The Golf Club at Cordillera Ranch in Boerne played host to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) National Championship. With a field of 100 superintendents from around the country, the 36-hole, stroke-play national championship is open to the agronomy professionals with a verified handicap index of 5.0 or below. Cordillera Ranch’s director of agronomy Mark Semm took the opportunity to show off the property’s unique character and exquisitely-maintained Zeon Zoysia fairways and bentgrass greens (both rare in this climate). Semm, who has developed his agronomy skills at some of the finest clubs in the country, including Augusta National Golf Club, Vaquero in Dallas and Austin’s Spanish Oaks Golf Club, said the event was a great opportunity to showcase how well Zoysia can thrive in warm locales and also to discuss topics relevant to maintaining golf courses at a top level.
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“Drought conditions have opened a lot of eyes in this industry,” says Semm. “We discuss sustainable practices and ways to have the best-conditioned courses without necessarily spending the largest budgets. They saw the course in dormancy and they were still floored by the natural beauty and topography.” Though the field at this event was made up of good players, Semm resisted the temptation to set up the course too brutally. “I don’t really have that ego or the approach to take the golf course to the extreme unless an event really calls for lightning green speeds and high rough,” he says. “More than anything, I enjoyed seeing people enjoy the Zeon Zoysia. A bad lie on this stuff is as good, or better, than a good lie in Bermuda.” Set on pristine land in Texas Hill Country, the Cordillera Ranch layout meanders through valleys and oak-covered terrain. Many holes offer views of the Guadalupe River Valley and feature strategic bunkering, craggy limestone canyons and thought-provoking risk-reward shots.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH
CONNELLY CAPTURES PRESTIGIOUS JONES CUP Irving’s Austin Connelly is earning quite a reputation as a closer. Star of his own Sports Center highlight last summer after draining a 90-foot match-clinching putt at the Junior Ryder Cup, Connelly recently erased a seven-shot deficit to force a playoff in the Jones Cup Invitational (played at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia). He then overtook the second-round leader, Baylor standout Kyle Jones, by nailing a 15-footer on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. Connelly, who lost in a playoff to fellow Canadian Corey Conners at the 2014 Jones Cup, recorded six birdies during his closing-round 68. By winning the event, the University of Arkansas commit earned an exemption in the PGA TOUR’s McGladrey Classic, which will be played in October. Past Jones Cup participants include current distinguished pros like Luke Donald, Rickie Fowler, Lucas Glover, Dustin Johnson, Chris Kirk, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Bubba Watson, Harris English, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth and Kyle Stanley.
DOTCH EARNS CALL FROM THE HALL Northern Texas PGA Member and PGA Director of Instruction at Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas Maulana Dotch was recently inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame. Dotch, a native of Irving, starting playing golf at the age of 11. She played on the boy’s team at Irving High School, and then earned a full golf scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University in Florida. Dotch is the first black woman in Texas and the second black woman in America to earn her Class-A membership through The PGA of America. “Maulana is a shining star for our association. She is very committed to growing the game and has a passion for introducing the game to juniors,” said Mark Harrison, Executive Director for the Northern Texas PGA. “She recently started the First Annual Maulana Dotch Ladies Pro-Am at Cedar Crest. Funds raised are used to offset the cost to introduce others to the game.”
HUMPHRIES LAUNCHES ACADEMY IN GRAPEVINE GOLF Magazine Top-100 Instructor Shawn Humphries has joined forces with the City of Grapevine to move his high-performance youth academy and teaching operations to Grapevine Golf Course. Humphries, former director of The Byron Nelson Golf School at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Las Colinas, will operate his youth academy and participate with the facility on developing special events, programing and future projects. “I am thrilled to elevate my relationship with the City of Grapevine as well as our academy presence in the DFW area,” said Humphries. “For the last 15 years, I’ve worked on developing youth life champions through Shawn Humphries Youth Academy. Now, this relationship with Grapevine creates a new path to help expand youth golf and the game to even greater heights in our community. It’s a game changer.” Visit www.shawnhumphries.com for more information.
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/ COLLEGE GOLF /
TOP TEAMS EYE CONFERENCE SUPREMACY T
he Baylor Bears Men’s Golf Team started the Spring season the way they began their Fall campaign, with a win. The Bears captured the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational Championship by 16 strokes. Senior Kyle Jones won the tournament’s individual title for a third consecutive season, becoming the firstever three-time medalist at the event. Jones, the 17th-ranked player in the country, followed up the victory with a T-2 finish at the Bayou City Collegiate Championship at the Golf Club of Houston. Junior Andreas Gjesteby finished in third place at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational Championship 3-under par 210 after shooting 2-under 69 in the final round. On his top performing player, Baylor head coach Mike McGraw says, “Kyle does a really, really good job of positioning his golf ball, and he has a good short game. He plays good, strategic golf and has a good short game, and sometimes there are courses for horses.” Baylor is currently ranked sixth in the nation and seems to be firing on all cylinders. To contend late in the season, they’ll need solid play from deep down
Is UT’s Scheffler peaking at the right time?
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Kyle Jones leads a top-10 Baylor squad
the roster. McGraw has revitalized the Baylor program and gotten them in position for a possible Big 12 title and even a deep run at the NCAA national championship tournament. None of that, though is a foregone conclusion. The Big 12 will be a tight race with Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and TCU all playing at a high level. Going into the season, 10th-ranked Texas was looked at as a favorite with a loaded roster, including highly-ranked talents Gavin Hall, Beau Hossler and Doug Ghim along with the experienced Kramer Hickok and highly-touted newcomers Scottie Scheffler and Taylor Funk (son of longtime PGA TOUR player Fred Funk). “I think that we can win any golf tournament that we play in, whether it’s post season or the one coming up. That doesn’t mean that we will. It just means that we have that ability,” says UT coach John Fields. Scheffler fired three rounds in the 60s
to finish tied for third at the Amer Ari Invitational on the Big Island of Hawaii, perhaps a foreshadowing of the kind of play he can have late in the season. Fields hesitates to put too much pressure on young players to come in and dominate. “They just need to come in, enjoy themselves and play the best golf that they can. If they really do that, then they’re going to have a great career.” Texas Tech currently ranks 16th in the nation thanks in part to the swashbuckling play of Clement Sordet, who carded rounds of 69-65-71 to win the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate, played The Classic Club in Palm Springs, Calif. Sordet won medalist honors (for the fifth time in his collegiate career) by four strokes over TCU’s Paul Barjon. TCU won the team championship in Palm Springs as Chelso Barrett collected a T-5 finish and senior Julien Brun. Previously, TCU finished T-5 at the Amer Ari Invitational on the strength of a final-round 64 by Brun.
FALL 2014
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/ COLLEGE GOLF /
Cabra
Szeryk
SAM HOUSTON’S CABRA STANDS TALL With a final-round, 7-under 65, Sam Houston State’s Zach Cabra snagged medalists honors at the Bayou City Collegiate Championship by three shots. This was Cabra’s fifth career win and his second of his senior-season campaign. He defended his title at the Harold Funston Intercollegiate this Fall. The win pushed Sam Houston State into a team tie for second, outpacing powerhouse schools like Baylor, Arkansas and Houston. The University of Houston finished T-5 at the Bayou City, led by junior Blair Hamilton who finished tied for 13th. A pair of Texas A&M Aggies carded top-10 finishes at the John Burns Intercollegiate, leading the team to a fourth-place finish. Junior Adrià Arnaus tied for fourth and senior Greg Yates tied for 10th in a field full of solid teams like California, UNLV and New Mexico.
tournament. Top-ranked Washington finished in sixth place as the 27thranked Lady Bears also broke the tournament record for lowest 54-hole team score – the previous lowest score of 866 was set by USC in 2014.
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Hayley Davis finished in second place individually after shooting 2-over 73 in Tuesday’s final round for a total score of 3-under 210. Just four strokes behind Davis was newcomer Dylan Kim, who finished in a tie for fourth place in her first collegiate tournament.
LADY AGGIES EYE SEC CROWN
BAYLOR WOMEN FIND MOMENTUM The Baylor Women’s team finished four strokes ahead of No. 4-ranked USC to claim the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge championship, finishing at 11-over 863 in the 54-hole
Davis
Navarro is a force in the SEC
Texas A&M women’s sophomore Marijosse Navarro parred the fifth playoff hole to win the individual title at the UC Irvine Invitational, marking the second straight tournament that a member of the No. 15 Texas A&M women’s golf team won in a playoff. The victory for Navarro earned her a coveted sponsor’s exemption into the LPGA’s Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif. Freshman Maddie Szeryk (ranked 37th in the country) posted her fourth top-10 finish of the season and Bianca Fabrizio (who had previously won the individual title in a two-hole playoff at the Florida State Matchup) shot a finalround 69 to finish T-18. The SEC race will be tight for the Lady Aggies, but with recent success and a team win in the Fall at the Jim West Challenge at Tapatio Springs, this is clearly a squad on the rise.
/ BEN CRENSHAW /
A FABLED ERA ENDS:
BEN CRENSHAW REFLECTS ON 43 MASTERS APPEARANCES AND A BITTERSWEET 44TH By Art Stricklin
T
exas golf legend Ben Crenshaw has lived one of the more interesting and, some would say “charmed” lives in golf history. The noted historian and widely-acclaimed golf course architect has had an amazing golf career which included three All-American honors while leading the University of Texas to two NCAA titles in the early 1970s. He won the first tournament he ever entered as a pro, the Texas Open, played 70 miles from his home in Austin. He secured his place in the game’s history, claiming dramatic wins in the 1984 and 1995 Masters tournaments and captaining the most stirring and improbable American Ryder Cup comeback of all time. Crenshaw will always be tied to his lifelong love of the Masters Tournament, Augusta National Golf Club and its co-founder Bob Jones. Since he first arrived in 1972 as a heralded amateur, Crenshaw has considered his April visit to Augusta National the highlight of his year. He’s one of final players to use a longtime Augusta National caddie, Carl Jackson and seemingly knows every employee, member, tree and flower on the hallowed grounds by name. Crenshaw will play in his final Masters tournament at the age 63 this year. His streak will end on his 44th consecutive Masters appearance and on the 20th anniversary of his historic victory in 1995, which he secured just days after the death of his lifelong teacher and mentor Harvey Penick. While Crenshaw still plans to attend the Masters every year, where he serves as host of the annual Masters Champions dinner, he will never again play the course in competition. Crenshaw simply felt it was time.
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After announcing his decision to make the 2015 Masters his last, Crenshaw sat down with Dallasbased golf writer Art Stricklin about leaving his playing days at Augusta behind and what he plans to do to stay close to the game: Texas Golf + Travel: After you made the announcement that 2015 would be your last Masters, did you have any second thoughts about what you were planning on doing this year? Ben Crenshaw: I just feel like it’s time. The course is just too long for me now. I have spent my whole life there, almost 45 years and of course I will miss playing, but it’s just time. I feel I just need to pull over to the side of the road and let others play. It’s just the right thing to do. TG+T: Others like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player have all played a final round at The Masters. When did you know it was your time to go? BC: I just love it so much in so many different ways, I’m sure I could have gone on and played several more years. Nobody was asking me to leave, but in my head and in my heart I just think this is the right thing to do. TG+T: Ben, those that know you the best, know how emotional you are on and off the golf course. How will you keep your emotions in check for your final Masters? BC: I’m sure there will be tears that week, but they will be tears of gratitude and joy because I love it so much. There will be thankful tears for sure, for the years I got to play there. TG+T: Since we are talking about your last
PHOTO: JOHN GESSNER
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/ BEN CRENSHAW /
Masters this year, what do you remember about your first Masters in 1972? BC: Well, I remember just about everything. I played there as an amateur in 1972 and stayed in the Crow’s Nest with the other amateurs. I just fell in love with the place like everyone else. TG+T: Growing up and playing junior golf in Austin, Texas, when did you first become aware of the Masters on TV? BC: Probably the first time I can remember was when I was age 10, watching it on TV. My dad (Charlie) or Harvey (Penick) would be watching it and we’d talk about it. TG+T: So you were always a big Masters fan? BC: That was back when Eisenhower was the president and had taken such an affinity to golf and was an Augusta member, so you had to be excited about the course and the tournament. TG+T: Then as now at the Masters, they pair the new amateurs with the best players and defending champions, what do you remember about your first round there? BC: Certainly, I felt I was there with the top peers of golf by playing at the Masters. I definitely remember in my first two rounds in 1972, I played with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer and I was scared to death. I could barely get the club back. TG+T: You first won in 1984, rolling in a 60-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole on Sunday and taking a two-shot victory over Tom Watson. What was it like to finally win at a place you loved so much? BC: I putted well and to finally get the victory, that was special. It was such a relief to have finally proved myself in my favorite tournament. To see I could do it, I could hold it together, meant everything. TG+T: For as long as they show Masters highlights on television, Ben, they will show the 1995 Masters where nobody believed you had a chance days after Harvey died and you bent over in tears with the final putt for victory on the 18th hole. Do you still have a
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hard time believing that actually happened? BC: To do something personally like that to honor Harvey and his memory, it’s still so special, I still can’t even believe it. TG+T: When you’ve been able think about how you were able to compose yourself after his death and burying him days before the tournament to get the win, how did you do it? BC: It was just so special. To this day I still don’t know how it happened. It was just Harvey and his presence. TG+T: Ben, people have written or said that you really made a Faustian bargain when you won the Masters in 1995 and you never won again, anywhere. Are you OK with having that being your last victory? BC: Absolutely, that would be fine with me. If that’s the last one I ever win, I’m totally satisfied with that win and honoring Harvey like that. TG+T: I know you have loved your time at the Masters and Augusta National; do you have any regrets there? BC: Only one, really. I never got to meet Bob Jones. I know over the years I’ve hounded (member) Charlie Yates for
Bob Jones stories all the time, but I regret I never got to meet him in person. TG+T: With your competitive playing days coming to an end, you still have plenty to keep you active, including your architecture work. You’re doing a project just south of downtown Dallas, Trinity Forest, which will serve as the home of the PGA Tour Byron Nelson Championship in the future. What do you like about staying connected to the game like that? BC: This allows me to stay close to the game when I am not playing. I’ve wanted to slow down for several years and this will allow me to continue to do it. TG+T: What’s different about preparing to play in a tournament and preparing to work on a course? BC: When you commit to a tournament, you have to be there all week. Here (at a couse) I can be there two to three days and still get all my work done and be able to go home. TG+T: Do you stipulate a certain number of visits or limits on seeing a course while it’s under construction? BC: I don’t. Bill Coore (partner) and I like to be very hands-on and minimalistic with our projects, especially one like Trinity Forest, which is so close to my home and headquarters. It’s something I really enjoy. TG+T: Was there anything about your decades at Augusta which has helped you as an architect? BC: I have always believed that undulation is the soul of golf and Augusta National has more undulation on the greens than possibly anywhere. Architects Bob Jones and Alister MacKenzie were so smart that way that they designed this. It will not fall victim to the challenge of today or tomorrow because of the way it forces you to use strategy on every hole to defend itself with its greens. All of golf and golf courses could learn from that. I know I always have. My philosophy as an architect is to see what the land tells us and try to employ a minimalist nature on most sites.
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PHOTO: JIM MANDEVILLE
/ GOLF & TRAVEL /
THE SOUL OF THE TROPICS IN THE HEART OF THE HILL COUNTRY
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T
he Central Texas Hill Country has always been beautiful, but it’s hard to imagine that it’s ever been this much fun. The region has become an unmatched destination for top-tier winery tours and barbecue aficionados are making regular pilgrimages to the Highland Lakes area for smoked-meat nirvana. Add the allure of the constantly-full 6,500-acre Lake LBJ into the mix and you see why this resort area has become a prime vacation choice for so many sun and fun seekers. At the center of it all is the invigorating AAA-four diamond lakefront Horseshoe Bay Resort, the golf-rich, 7,000-acre paradise just a scenic 45-mile trek west of Austin. Home to three acclaimed- and each very different Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf courses- the resort has been drawing a distinguished golfing crowd for four decades, but this tropicallyadorned Shangri La offers something for all ages and interests.
With an innovative slate of signature seasonal events, the resort is now an entertainment destination, bringing unique experiences like April’s Third Annual Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay Resort hot air balloon festival. “Our events engender a special kind of loyalty. Some guest’s first experience here could be seeing hot air balloons in the air or meeting a celebrity chef at October’s Wine and Dine Festival, watching Jack Ingram play at our Beer by the Bay festival or seeing a former British Open champion sink a 15-foot putt at an event like The Shootout here,” Chief Marketing Officer Bryan Woodward says. “You can’t put a price on those experiences and the guests who enjoy them are more apt to come back for our golf and recreation. They’ll be repeat guests and, ultimately, brand ambassadors and Club members at the resort.” Lake LBJ is incorporated well into the resort’s host of recreational ameni-
PHOTO: JASON RISNER
having earned a reputation as one of the most difficult layouts in the state. There just isn’t much margin for error on Ram. Not on the island green fourth hole or on the short-but-extremely-narrow 10th, a 344-yard par four that can yield either stolen birdie or a disaster score. Slick Rock, a pleasant parkland layout that stretches across 170 acres, is the property’s original 18-hole design (built the 1971). It features “The $1 Million Hole,” the short par-four 14th adorned with a winding, waterfall-walled bridge. Apple Rock is the only course of the three that touches the crystal shores of Lake LBJ. The short, par-three 12th is played across an inlet of shimmerPHOTO: JIM MANDEVILLE
ties. Near the lake, on the lake or while admiring its fetching views from the golf courses, LBJ is everywhere you turn. “We have a full-service marina on this full level lake,” Woodward says. “Whether you’re into jet-skiing or standup paddle boarding, or you want to try and kayak or rent a pontoon boat, we have all those options available to our guests, and then we have Bayside Spa, which is a full service spa that offers all sorts of massage treatments, facials, you name it.” A stay at the Horseshoe Bay Resort is a much-needed communion with nature. The Horseshoe Bay Tower offers 249 rooms and suites, many with spectacular lake or Hill country views. The 100-unit Paseo vacation suites are conveniently located adjacent to the hotel and offer one-, two- and three-bedroom accommodations that are perfect for families are large groups. The Waters at Horseshoe Bay Resort offers luxurious lakefront living with spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, thoughtfully designed and decorated with the finest furnishings, gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and top-of-the-line appliances. With 54 holes of golf – plus the exclusive and acclaimed Jack Nicklaus Signature design, Summit Rock – tumbling through the Central Texas Hills, Horseshoe Bay Resort has a healthy percentage of guests who stay multiple days to be sure they play them all. The Ram Rock course is best known of the three Robert Trent Jones designs,
ing lake. Bring your camera maybe even a fishing pole! Membership director Karen Moore calls the golf offering at Horseshoe Bay Resort “the best golf product in the Texas Hill Country and the best all-around country club value in Texas. It’s not just golf, but a gathering place with diverse social and recreational opportunities.” The breathtaking and tropicallylandscaped Whitewater Putting Course, designed like a miniature regulation golf course with fairways bunkers and water hazards on the finest of putting services, is an unforgettably fun par-72 experience. “One of the great things is that you never have to leave the resort, even for meals,” says Woodward. Dining options include the Yacht Club, offering sophisticated lakeside dining and an intimate indoor dining space reminiscent of the Hamptons with nautical decor, elegant table settings and the occasional conversation nook, perfect for an after dinner cocktail. The Yacht Club specializes in seafood, steak and an array of seasonal fare. Lantana, located in the heart of the hotel, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a nod to the Southwest. The Slick Rock clubhouse features a bar and grill is home to one of the best hamburgers in Texas. The resort features four pools, including the Yacht Club Pool, an outdoor lagoon style pool with an adjacent 27-person hot tub. The resort pool is heated with fiber-optic lights as well as a hot tub and adjacent kids’ pool. White
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PHOTO: HORSESHOE BAY RESORT
/ GOLF & TRAVEL /
model,” Woodward says. “What separates us is just our ability to host indoor and outdoor events, both waterfront and then under the tropical palms and among great architecture and water features at our other venues. In addition to meetings, Austin Wedding Style named us one of the best wedding venues in Texas.” For those who want the Horseshoe Bay Resort lifestyle for longer than a weekend, a host of real estate options, including custom homes with astounding views near the exclusive Summit
PHOTO: HORSESHOE BAY RESORT
sand beaches line the lake shore near the Yacht Club Pool. Adults can lounge and relax why children play on nearby Turtle Beach, a child friendly wading area. Adult-friendly Stargazer beach has soft white sand where gently-lapping of the lake waves create the ultimate romantic destination. With more than 27,500 ft. of indoor meeting space, including a 12,000 square-foot ballroom, the resort has a distinct advantage with its lush setting and ample space. “Meetings make up a huge part of our resort and our business
Rock course, are available. “People from Texas and all around the United States want an elevated quality of life. In the Hill Country and here near Lake LBJ, you have it. The proximity of the recently-opened Baylor Scott and White Hospital will also be a draw for homebuyers who want all the conveniences of city life with none of the hassles in an unmatched lifestyle and scenic natural setting,” says Mike Gordon, Director of Real estate. The Club at Horseshoe Bay Resort continues to be one of the most vibrant private social Clubs in the state of Texas and has grown its membership roster over the last several years. Families continue to value social gatherings and the new connections that are introduced through the Club’s robust social calendar. An easy drive from Austin, Houston, Dallas or San Antonio, the Horseshoe Bay Resort awaits with a gentle breeze, knockout scenery and a peaceful setting unlike anything in Texas. “We’re 45 minutes from Austin, but you feel thousands of miles away when you get here,” says Woodward. “This environment allows you to take time off and really relax. It feels tropical and peaceful even though you’re not in the Caribbean or in some destination that would cost you thousands of dollars to experience.” Visit hsbresort.com or call 877-6110112 to book your next visit.
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EQUIPMENT
SPRING BLING BY SCOTT KRAMER
The arrival of spring means your local golf shops are now filled with the latest gear for the course. And, lucky for you, there’s a lot of great new equipment to help lower your scores.
FOOTJOY’S HYPERFLEX If Spiderman played golf, this web-look shoe would undoubtedly be on his feet. In fact, the exoskeleton of FootJoy’s HYPERFLEX ($210/BOA lacing, $190/standard lacing) conforms to your feet and keeps them from rolling llaterally while you swing. The shoe is both flexible and ventilated.
XXIO’S PRIME DRIVER Pricey yes, but XXIO’s Prime driver ($800) is filled with well-thought-out components, such as a lightweight shaft that’s strong and delivers a solid impact feel. The grip is also light, as is overall club weight – which makes for a faster swing speed. A deep CG helps get the ball up quickly, while the entire cup face is built for high repulsion performance.
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ADIDAS GOLF’S BOOST The midsole on Adidas Golf’s Boost ($190) is designed to provide your feet with energy and comfort. Its foam cushioning – derived from thousands of thermoplastic polyurethane capsules that are fused together – is responsive in all weather conditions.
TITLEIST’S 2015 PRO V1 BALLS
PUMA GOLF’S TITANTOUR
Titleist’s new-for-2015 Pro V1 balls ($62) improves upon its predecessor with more short-game spin and control. Its new cover is more durable and softer – for softer impact feel. Distance and the penetrating flight characteristics remain the same.
Temperature-regulating technology inside PUMA Golf’s TITANTOUR gi ($220) keeps your feet refreshingly cool. It was originally developed heir spa to keep NASA astronauts comfortable inside their spacesuits. A durable EVA midsole affords you flexibility ty and traction.
NIKE GOLF’S TW ‘15 Tiger Woods’ latest signature shoe, Nike Golf’s TW ‘15 ($200), features a low-profile outsole. Its lightweight “Flyweave” technology in the one-piece upper translates to stability, fit and flexibility.
TAYLORMADE’S RSI TP IRONS TaylorMade’s RSi TP irons ($1,200/set) combine the forged look and feel that better players like with the company’s proprietary Face Slot Technology. The forged carbon steel hosel and face are plasma welded to a stainless steel back in the longer irons – for forged iron feel and cast iron geometry – while the short irons have classic forged heads with a slight muscle cavity.
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EQUIPMENT
BETTINARDI GOLF’S FORGED H2 WEDGE
CALLAWAY’S TITANIUM XR DRIVER
The face of Bettinardi Golf’s forged H2 wedge ($195/cashmere bronze finish, $180/satin nickel) bears a unique milling pattern that maximizes spin and contact, while emitting a distinct feel. A tour inspired C-Grind sole eases versatility.
Callaway’s titanium XR driver ($349) has an aerodynamic head shape and a “Speed Step” crown that reduce air drag to rev up clubhead speed. A light and thin clubface means better distance from all across it.
PING’S CADENCE TR PUTTERS P T various head shapes offered in PING’s Cadence The TR putters ($185-$235, depending on model) aim to fit a golfer’s stroke tempo for more accuracy. Ava Available in traditional-weighted heads or models that are 25 grams heavier, they feature face tha grooves that vary in width and depth to enhance groo dista a distance control.
NIKE’S VAPOR PRO DRIVER Nike’s Vapor Pro driver ($480) features a stiffened cavity back; accentuated spring-like effect across the face; and adjustability to five loft settings and three clubface angles. It produces a penetrating launch with low spin, and added speed across the clubface.
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Experience...
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SANDPIPER GOLF CLUB An inspiring combination of challenge and beauty as championship golf brings you to the edge of the Pacific Ocean. With breathtaking ocean and mountain views from every hole, Sandpiper is a truly memorable experience. Sandpiper combines a tradition of championship golf and spectacular surroundings to provide its guests with something more than a round of golf... The Sandpiper Experience.
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S T AY & P L AY PA C K A G E S AVA I L A B L E
INSTRUCTION
OUTSMART THAT DOWNHILL LIE By Dave Pelz
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It’s not difficult to hit shots solidly from downhill lies. The pros do it all the time. But you can’t hit them using your normal swing arc, with your upper body vertically balanced relative to the slope. It just won’t work. Your upper body and shoulders must be oriented perpendicular to the ground, just like when you hit balls from a level lie. Once you make this adjustment, your normal swing will work. To do this, address the downhill shot as you normally would then move your left foot 12 inches down the hill toward your target. This will automatically move your hands ahead of the ball and establish your ball position well back in your stance (where it should be for this shot). This set up puts 80 percent of your weight on your forward leg and you’ll really feel it in your knee, so be prepared. If you have knee pain or problems, be very careful! Using your left leg as a brace to stop you from losing your balance, lean your upper body (spine) toward the target until it becomes perpendicular to the ground. This
will automatically tilt your shoulders to mimic the downslope. With your normal swing the club head should now contact the ball before hits the ground, without any hand or wrist manipulation. If you don’t make this adjustment, expect to hit downhill shots fat. This shot will put a lot of weight on your left leg and likely cause you to lose balance shortly after impact. To keep from falling, you’ll have to learn to “walk through” your downhill shots after impact. To pull the shot off successfully, just stay down and through the shot until after impact. Notice in the swing sequence, my head and shoulders stay with the slope of the terrain well through the fifth image. The full follow through and “step-through” will help you immensely on downhill shots. Once you start to see the ball get up and on to the green a few times, you’ll start to find these “tricky” lies a lot more fun. Try this technique and let me know how it works for you by e-mailing me at askpelz@pelzgolf.com.
RICKIE FOWLER Dominates the first page with signature style.
CALM COOL
INSTRUCTION
MAKE SPIETH’S SIMPLE, POWERFUL MOVE Jordan Spieth has one of the most reliable and powerful golf swings in the game today. He and his coach (Dallasbased Australian native) Cameron McCormick have honed his athletic tal-
ents into an efficient move that has helped take the 21-year-old into the top 10 in the World Golf Rankings.
2
1
1. SET UP: Jordan has excellent posture and weight distribution. This allows him to maintain his height through the swing and stay balanced from start to finish. He sets up with his legs and feet slightly open but his shoulders stay parallel to the target line and his hands and arms hang relaxed below his shoulders. 2. FIRST MOVE: Jordan slightly rotates his lower body, stomach, and shoulders while allowing his arms to swing comfortably away from the target without manipulating the club face. Notice the square club face and right elbow extension away from his body. 3. HALFWAY BACK: His stomach and shoulders continue to turn into his “athletic” right leg while his right elbow continues to extend away and hands start to set the club. Notice his hands are in front of his chest while the club shaft stayed in-between his forearms.
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4. THE TOP: Jordan’s left shoulder is now underneath his chin and stomach rotation has completed the coil into his athletic right leg. His elbows stay together and shaft is parallel to the target line. He also has his club face at the same angle as the back of his left wrist and arm. 5. THE MOVE DOWN: Jordan shifts his weight toward the target and secures balance on both legs as he rotates his hips. His left shoulder and chest are still facing the ball, which allows him to generate a large amount of torque in his midsection and legs. This promotes distance. Also, notice that his elbows stay close together and his shaft is pointing at the ball and stays in between his forearms. 6. RELEASE: Jordan shifts all of his weight to his front foot and rotates his hips while keeping his right heel low through impact. His head is facing down as his left shoulder rotates up to maintain his posture through impact. 7. COMPLETING THE SWING: Although his weight has rolled to the outside of his left foot, Jordan manages to maintain perfect balance by using the centrifugal force of the club to swing his body into a position that will allow his eyes and head to naturally follow the ball while maintaining his posture.
5 4 3
7 6
ERIC WOODS Two time Canadian Tour Order of Merit Champion South American Tour Order of Merit Champion Founder Golf Lab Academy Publisher Texas Golf + Travel
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/ GOLF PEOPLE /
DEEP EDDY VODKA CO-FOUNDER KEEPS IT REAL
Y
ou could call Deep Eddy Vodka co-founder Chad Auler the walking embodiment of “old school Austin meets new Austin.” The 44-yearold University of Texas alum still lives a short drive from campus, an even shorter trek to the Hula Hut. He grew up at Austin Country Club when it was still located off of Riverside Drive. When he orders the Crenshaw Steak at Matt’s El Rancho, he might well be sitting next to Ben Crenshaw. At the same time, Auler is helping define the new spirit of Austin; the lifestyledriven, entrepreneurial Austin, with a dedication to quality over excess. Auler’s family has owned and operated Fall Creek Vineyards for much of his life, so his foray into handcrafted flavored vodka (in partnership with Sweet Leaf Tea founder Clayton Christopher) makes sense, as does his dedication to authenticity and product quality. We caught up with Auler recently to talk golf, businesses and fine spirits: Texas Golf + Travel: When did you start playing golf? Chad Auler: My father gave me a little junior set of clubs when I was about 11 or 12 years old. We were members at the old Austin Country Club. Harvey Penick taught my grandparents, taught my father. Harvey taught me how to hold a golf club, how to swing a golf club. TG+T: Do you think a lot of Harvey’s wisdom is still with you? CA: Absolutely. He preferred a little bit of a stronger grip, rather than a weaker grip. My grip is a little bit on the strong side. He’d say “Just try to clip the tee.” All those little things, they are absolutely still with me today. The thing that I remember most is when you hit a ball great, he would almost tremble and he would turn to me and he would say, “I hope that brought you as much pleasure as it did me.” He sincerely derived a lot of pleasure from seeing his pupils excel. My wife will tell you. I’m a pretty simple guy to figure out. If I’m not working or spending time with family, I’m hunting, fishing or playing golf. I think life is better outdoors. TG+T: That makes sense. Your Deep Eddy brand is a bit of a lifestyle brand.
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It appeals to people with active lifestyles. It fits well with people on the lake. CA: Absolutely. The Deep Eddy brand is really an extension of the personalities of Clayton, my business partner, and I. One of the reasons Deep Eddy has been so successful is that it’s a craft brand, but it’s a lifestyle brand as well. Those are the two points you have to touch to be successful. TG+T: I think the Austin culture reward brands who stay committed to authenticity. CA: Spot on. The consumer here is savvy. We’re the first brand to actually make flavored vodka with real juice and natural flavors. We’re putting real cranberry juice and a real ruby red grapefruit juice in our products. Those products are difficult to engineer. I can understand why nobody’s done it before us. That authenticity is just paramount. TG+T: You recently took Deep Eddy to the “experiential” level, opening a distillery in Dripping Springs. Is the distilled spirits category on a similar trajectory that we saw 20 years ago with wineries consistently popping up in different parts the country? CA: Very much so. We wanted to build that facility was so that we could have an event space and a tasting room where we could show the consumer exactly what we are doing. Once we get them on property to touch and taste the product, we think they are going to fall in love with it and be consumers forever. I absolutely see the same path that the wineries went down. When people come
to the source, they can taste, touch and feel and fall in love. It’s very different than something else they just see behind the bar or on the shelf. It’s real to them. TG+T: Back to golf. Are you still playing at Austin Country Club? CA: I am. My son is the best golfer in the family. He’s won a ton of junior tournaments. He was the ACC Junior Club Champ one year. He’s a great little golfer. I’m also a member of the Austin Golf Club. I stay busy, but we find time to play. My wife and I go out to Pebble Beach every summer. I got to play on Long Island last summer. Shinnecock, National Golf Links, Friar’s Head… Wow. TG+T: Brag on your man, Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. How did you like Friar’s Head? CA: I don’t know of a better six-hole stretch than the last six holes at Friar’s Head. I haven’t played all the golf courses, but I’ve played Augusta National and some others, but the last six holes at Friar’s Head are spectacular. TG+T What was your experience at Augusta National like? CA: Unreal. I got play the week of the tournament. I played a practice round with Ben Crenshaw. We landed Sunday morning, jumped out and drove straight to the golf course. Teed off and played eighteen holes. Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker were playing in front of us. Waiting for Tiger to get off the green before hitting our shots was an interesting sensation. I can’t say enough about Ben. He’s such a great friend and such a great person. That was really incredible of him to include me. TG+T: Were you nervous? CA: I actually remember leaning down to tee the ball up on one and saw my hand shaking a little bit, so it was a little bit nerve-racking. That was an interesting experience but, god, what a great one. Golf is full of great experiences, though. The Sunday afternoon rounds that I’ve been able to get out and play with my son have been amazing. The friendships in golf... The game has enriched my life in many ways. I think it’s the greatest game.
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HOT TOPICS
THE GREATEST ‘SHO’ ON TURF
Last year at the Shell Houston Open, young Australian player Matt Jones holed a 46-foot for birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Matt Kuchar. He then holed out 42-yard pitch shot from right of the green on the first playoff hole (also Golf Club of Houston’s 18th hole), capturing one of the most dramatic victories in the 68-year history of the tournament. This year, eight former major championship winners, including No. 47 in the World Golf Rankings Louis Oosthuizen, are on the early commitment list to tee it up in the SHO. Those eight major champions scheduled to be on hand for Houston’s PGA TOUR stop the week of the March 30-April 5 include three multiple major winners: Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, South Africa’s Retief Goosen and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington. Other major championship winners scheduled to test the Golf Club of Houston’s Tournament Course the week prior to the Masters are Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover, Justin Leonard, South African Louis Oosthuizen and David Toms. Visit www.shellhoustonopen.com for ticket information and new additions to the field.
TGA’S TOURNAMENT SEASON KICKS OFF
The Texas Golf Association is the premier avenue in the state for top-level amateurs of all ages to compete against similarly-skilled players. One of the first “statewide” TGA events of the year, the 2015 State Four-Ball, tees off May 15 – 17 at Traditions Club in Bryan. The luxurious Traditions Club has previously hosted the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play and the LJT Jackie Burke Cup Matches. The teams of Brian Madison/Casey Holloman (Overall, pictured), Mike Peck/Mike Booker (Senior) and Mike Arnold/Bob Hullender (Super Senior) will all look to defend their titles. Visit www.txga.com for more details.
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VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA N O RTH TE X AS SH O O TO U T
Stacy Lewis captured the 2014 Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving with a closing-round 64, taking the victory by six shots over Meena Lee. This year, look for top talents like Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr and Inbee Park to return to Las Colinas along with two college and two high school participants who will both qualify via the unique High School and College Shootout qualifying tournaments. Visit www.ntshootout.com for more information. Tournament Dates: April 27 – May 3
Win a Two-Night’s Stay and Two Rounds of Golf ENTER TO WIN A LAJITAS GOLF RESORT EXPERIENCE at www.TexasGolfMag.com/Lajitas
The Dallas Morning News ranks Black Jack’s Crossing #1 on its list of “Top 50 Courses You Can Play” in Texas.
Enter for a chance to win a two-night package for two to Lajitas Golf Resort, including two 18-hole rounds of golf per person. Visit www.TexasGolfMag.com/Lajitas to enter.
/ THE ARCHITECT’S DIGEST /
WHY WE LOVE THE 13TH AT
AUGUSTA NATIONAL By Mike Nuzzo
I
t’s a popular opinion, but the 13th hole at Augusta National is one of the greatest holes I’ve ever seen. Standing on the edge of the fairway at dusk with a member and my father was one of the more memorable moments on a golf course. The longtime member was describing the different ways they play the hole and how differently each approach shot plays depending on the slope in the fairway. The playable side of Rae’s Creek is steeper than most modern fairways and creates a number of varying lies with the ball above the player’s feet. Left of the famous creek, the land rises more quickly than the golf side. So steeply, it creates a strong natural landform that creates the perfect visual composition. Photographs from everywhere look good, and so does the land to the player’s eye. As we all start to anticipate the annual wonder The Masters tournament brings, let’s reflect on what some influential people in the game’s history have had to say about #13, Azalea: “Despite his golfing prowess, Bob Jones believed the ideal course should be easily playable for the average member. Starting with that premise, he and Alister MacKenzie agreed that the Old Course was the ideal from which to model their design. In turn, this encouraged MacKenzie to return to thinking economically, to create a radically low-key design that featured only twenty three bunkers, yet was one that nevertheless provided challenging play for the masters of the game.” – Tom Doak “Although nearly the same length as the par four 10th, we call thirteen a par five because under certain conditions of wind and ground, few players will risk trying for the green with a second shot. In my opinion, this 13th hole is one of the finest holes for competitive play I have ever seen. The player is first tempted to dare the creek on his tee
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shot by playing in close to the corner, because if he attains his position he has not only shortened the hole, but obtained a more level lie for his second shot. Driving out to the right not only increases the length of the second, but encounters an annoying sidehill lie.” – Robert Tyre Jones “As Jones and MacKenzie walked their acreage searching for golf holes, the first one they ‘discovered’ was the 13th. It was there in its entirety – a 465-yard par five whose green could be reached in two if the golfer put together two excellent shots.” – Herbert Warren Wind “The long hitter may go for as long a carry as he wishes and thus reach the green with a long second shot, but the less powerful driver can play out across the stream, play his second up the fairway and his third on the green without encountering any trouble. Here’s another hole without a (fairway) bunker.” – The New York Times, 1933 “Whatever position may be reached with the tee shot, the second shot as well entails a momentous decision whether or not to try for the green. With the pin far back on the right,
under normal weather conditions this is a very good eagle hole, because the contours of the green tend to run the second shot close. The chief danger is that the ball will follow the creek. “The most difficult pin locations are along the creek in the forward part of the green. A player who dares the creek on either his first or second shot may very easily encounter a six or seven at this hole. Yet the reward of successful, bold play is most enticing. “This hole is a splendid example of what can be done by taking advantage of natural features. “A course which is constructed with these principles in view must be interesting, because it will offer problems which a man may tackle according to his ability. It will never become hopeless for the duffer, nor fail to concern and interest the expert. And it will be found, like the Old Course at St. Andrews, to become more delightful the more it is studied and played.” – Robert Tyre Jones Mike Nuzzo is an innovative Houstonbased golf course architect. Visit www. mnuzzo.com to keep up with his recent work.
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Stonebridge Meadows, Fayetteville
The Natural State Golf Trail has three Golf Digest 4-star courses, one 4½-star course and one 5-star course. 12 courses in 11 unique locations will test your skills, while world-class dining, museums, shopping and scenery will keep you coming back for more. For more information, call 1-866-2GOLF-AR or visit NaturalStateGolfTrail.com.
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