2020 GOLF GUIDE
GOLF IN TUCSON
Variety, Views & Value
Southern Arizona Golf Course Directory
SPEED BRINGS THE DISTANCE. Introducing the COBRA F-MAX AIRSPEED family of clubs. Designed to deliver extreme speed, forgiveness and unmatched launch. Go lighter. Go longer. 2 Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Golf Arizona
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From the Editor
The Golf Arizona Show, Golf Arizona Magazine and Go Golf Arizona website
G
OLF ARIZONA is the premier local golf media brand in Southern Arizona. With a multi-channel media strategy, we deliver reach, engagement, and results through radio, print, digital, blog, website, social media, and email subscriptions.
We’re pleased to introduce you to The Golf Arizona Show, Golf Arizona Magazine, and Go Golf Arizona website. The radio show is on ESPN Tucson 104.9 FM or 1490 AM Saturday mornings from 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM. Our website will provide timely and unique content intended for golf enthusiasts in Southern Arizona. And our annual golf guide and directory is a professionally printed magazine for golfers and non-golfers alike to enjoy relevant local golf news, community activities and business in Southern Arizona. It’s a comprehensive golf course guide, link to courses, golf overviews, and much more!
“Our mission is all about promoting the game of golf, individuals, and businesses within our community.” We are currently hard at work, organizing and producing the weekly ESPN radio show, and creating blog articles on our website www.gogolfarizona.com. We appreciate your support in promoting the game of golf. I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation for your efforts in supporting Golf Arizona media platforms in this most important undertaking for promoting golf and business in Southern Arizona. Thank you again for your interest and support. Should you have any questions or desire any additional information regarding Golf Arizona, please feel free to contact us.
Rick Price, PGA Founder of Golf Arizona, Publishing Editor & Co-Host
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
SATURDAY MORNINGS 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM CALL IN @ 520-719-1490
contents G olf A ri zona | 2020
on the cover 24 Golf in Tucson: Variety, Views & Value 26
course reviews 26 The Views Golf Club at Oro Valley 40 49ers Country Club: Return to Glory
features 12 Game Improvement Wedges 20 Antigua: 40 Years & Still Going Strong 30 Southern Arizona Golf Course Directory 34 The Rules: Taking Relief 35 The World Handicap System: Five Things to Know 36 Health & Fitness: Stem Cells the Answer to Pain? 42 Equipment for Moderate Swing Speed Golfers
instruction
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17 Susie Meyers, PGA & LPGA: Finding Yourself
in a Downward Spiral?
44 Rick Price, PGA: Managing Your Game and Yourself 46 Bill Boltz: Golf ’s Four Keys
community
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2020 Cologuard Classic: A Mix of Golf, Music,
Charity and Cancer Awareness
14 Golf is Alive and Kicking
junior golf 6
First Tee of Tucson
38 The Junior Golf Association of Arizona
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& Tucson Conquistadores Jr Golf
www.GoGolfArizona.com
Golf Arizona
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Junior Golf
by Landyn Lewis
First Tee of Tucson
T
HE FIRST TEE OF TUCSON was established in 2006 with the support of the Tucson Conquistadores. The First Tee has developed into a youth development organization providing an array of proven programs that build self-esteem and encourage healthy behaviors while teaching the game of golf. The First Tee engages children from all corners of the community, especially disadvantaged children, as participants in their programs. During 2018, FTT provided youth development programs in greater Tucson, each emphasizing basic golf motor skills, core values and healthy habits for nearly 40,000 students at 80 elementary schools in the Tucson Unified School District and almost 1100 participants in the Life Skill Experience curriculum. Programming is offered at nine golf courses throughout Southern Arizona; El Rio, Randolph, Crooked Tree, Sewailo, Rolling Hills, Country Club Green Valley, Forty Niner, Del Lago and El Conquistador. Programming is offered for 5-6year old’s at El Rio only, while children ages 7-17 can attend programming at any of the nine locations. The classes that are taught at these golf courses are more than just learning how to play the game. Participants will learn about the nine Core Values (Respect, Honesty, Courtesy, Responsibility, Judgment, Confidence, Sportsmanship, Integrity and Perseverance) along with learning various life skills such as; self-management, interpersonal, goal setting and resilience. Participants advance through the program by meeting required hours spent in each level, being the correct age, passing written tests on golf knowledge and core values/life skills and lastly, passing the golf skills tests. The journey through The First Tee program is a marathon, not a race. The coaches and volunteers are committed to delivering quality lesson plans and conversation starters to help the maturation of the participants. Once participants reach the third level of the program (Birdie) and are at least 13 years old, they are eligible to apply for national opportunities organized by The First Tee Home Office. These national opportunities include events such as the Joe Louis Barrow Life Skills and Leadership Academy. In 2019, an Eagle level participant and University High School Student, Brock Nehls, attended the Life Skills and Leadership Academy. Brock was one of 100 junior golfers from across the nation selected for this great opportunity. Brock was able to develop and hone skills to become a better leader while also experiencing championship golf, career exploration and dorm living. Participants of The First Tee of Tucson receive a Member Card, which grants them special playing privileges at all nine programming locations.
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
The First Tee of Tucson is the one-stop shop for junior golf in Southern Arizona. On top of facilitating programming at nine golf courses, they also conduct junior tournaments throughout the entire year, known as the Tucson Conquistadores Junior Golf Program, SAJGA Series & Ricki Rarick Series. Both the SAJGA and Ricki Rarick were previously their own program but merged under The First Tee umbrella last year. To learn more about the TCJGP please visit www.tucsonjuniorgolf.com The First Tee of Tucson also has their own league within the Southern Chapter PGA Jr League. The First Tee hosts four teams out of El Rio golf course each season, and each team consists of 12-16 kids each. To be eligible to play on one of these teams, participants must be enrolled in The First Tee program and must be at least certified into the Par level or be invited based on their display of the nine core values. PGA Jr League is available to kids ages 7-13. For teenagers, The First Tee will begin offering a Teen League; participants must be enrolled in The First Tee program. Competitions will include participating in the PING Interclub season, as well as other special events hosted throughout the city. The goal is to send every junior golfer in Southern Arizona through The First Tee program while also providing fun and competitive avenues for those who wish to take their game to the next level. The First Tee program is designed to teach juniors life skills and strategies to continue to build a better community. By attending classes, juniors will learn all the ins and outs of golf, how to play, how to practice on their own, and what opportunities are available to them. If juniors wish to become a great golfer, they can use the practice drills, games and tips taught in classes to practice on their own time. To become a member of The First Tee, there is a $25 membership fee with that each child will receive a shirt and hat with The First Tee logo. Each session (typically 3 or 6 weeks, in which class will occur once a week) is $10. No equipment is required and all registrations must be completed online through www.thefirstteetucson.org The First Tee also conducts free programming at various times throughout the year to the Boys & Girls Club, Rancho Sahuarita summer camp, Manzo & Satori Elementary schools, Nosotros Academy, and the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. The National School Program is active within the Marana, Vail, Amphi and Flowing Wells school districts. To get involved with The First Tee of Tucson please contact our office at 520-628-1555. Volunteer applications are also available on our website, www.thefirstteetucson.org
THANK YOU
SEE YOU AT THE
to our hundreds of Volunteers, Amateurs, Golf Legends, Attendees, and Sponsors for making the Cologuard Classic a success.
COLOGUARD CLASSIC 2020 FEB 23 - MAR 1 COLOGUARDCLASSIC.COM
Mark O’Meara, 2019 Cologuard Classic Champion
www.GoGolfArizona.com
Golf Arizona
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
February 23 – March 1, 2020 Whether you love golf or whether you have a heart for the community, volunteering at the Cologuard Classic is an experience like no other in sports. You get to rub elbows with golf greats like Ernie Els, Mark O’Meara, Tom Lehman, John Daly, Fred Couples, and Steve Stricker while being involved in one of the most philanthropic events in Southern Arizona. Most importantly, our volunteers are vital to staging our PGA TOUR Champions event and to raising crucial dollars each year for local youth charities and colon cancer awareness. Join our winning team of volunteers and you will experience the camaraderie of working alongside great people and the thrill of making a profound difference in our community.
2020 VOLUNTEER BENEFITS: • Volunteer Uniform: Outerwear/Jacket, Shirt and Golf Cap or Bucket Hat (purchase required) • Volunteer Badge – valid for your admission to enjoy and watch the tournament when you’re not volunteering and general admission to the Saturday concert • 10 complimentary general admission, good any day tickets to share with family and friends • Invitation to the “Volunteer Appreciation Party” with complimentary buffet dinner, adult beverages, raffle prizes, live band & dancing • Complimentary round of golf, on the tournament course, for those who volunteer for at least 24 hours of service for the tournament
Apply Online: CologuardClassic.com OR Call or email to request an application: Email: margaret@tucsonconquistadores.com Phone: 520-571-0400
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
by Judy McDermott
Community
2020 Cologuard Classic A Mix of Golf, Music, Charity and Cancer Awareness
W
hen Hall of Famer Mark O’Meara tapped in his parputt on the 18th hole to seal the victory at the 2019 Cologuard Classic, he not only ended an eight-year victory drought, he also became the fourth-oldest winner (age 62) in PGA TOUR Champions history. O’Meara is expected to return to Omni Tucson National February 23rd through March 1st to defend his Cologuard Classic title against the best the PGA TOUR Champions has to offer. 2019 Charles Schwab Cup Champion Scott McCarron; 40-time PGA TOUR Champions winner Bernhard Langer; six-time Champions winner and Cologuard brand ambassador Jerry Kelly; along with second-year PGA TOUR Champions golfers Retief Goosen and Darren Clarke are all expected to tee it up in Tucson. What’s more, four-time major winner Ernie Els headlines a group of PGA TOUR Champions rookies expected to make their debut in 2020.
In addition to golf, chart-topping country singer-songwriter Lee Brice will headline the 2020 Cologuard Classic’s Military Appreciation Concert on Saturday, February 29th. The concert will take place on the practice range at Omni Tucson National following the second round of competition. Brice has taken five radio singles to No. 1, including “A Woman Like You,” “Hard To Love,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “I Don’t Dance,” and “Drinking Class.”
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(Top) Mark O’Meara (Bottom) Tucson Conquistadores
Golf Arizona
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Opening for Lee Brice is Lindsay Ell. A Canadian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist from Calgary, Alberta. Her music incorporates elements of rock, blues and pop within the country genre. “The Cologuard Classic offers fans a week of activities that go beyond golf, and the Military Appreciation Concert is one of them,” said Tournament Director Judy McDermott. “We are thrilled Lee Brice will be headlining the concert and excited for our fans to enjoy an artist of his caliber.” 2020 will mark the third year of the Cologuard Classic, named after Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences’ noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening test for average-risk individuals 50 years or older, and the sixth year the hard-working Tucson Conquistadores have partnered with the PGA TOUR Champions. Through their title sponsorship of the Cologuard Classic, Exact Sciences looks to raise awareness about colorectal cancer and the importance of early screening and detection. Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women combined in the United States. When caught early, 90 percent of colorectal cancer is treatable. The tournament’s Dress in Blue Day presented by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is held on Saturday of tournament week and has been an enormous success as thousands of fans, volunteers and golfers wear blue to raise awareness about colorectal cancer. Of course, the tournament host Conquistadores continue their mission of supporting youth amateur athletics primarily in Southern Arizona. Since their inception in 1962, the Conquistadores have contributed more than $35 million to youth athletic programs, including more than $600,000 from the 2019 Cologuard Classic. For tickets and the latest information on who’s playing in the 2020 Cologuard Classic, visit www.cologuardclassic.com.
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
Through their title sponsorship of the Cologuard Classic, Exact Sciences looks to raise awareness about colorectal cancer and the importance of early screening and detection. Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women combined in the United States. When caught early, 90 percent of colorectal cancer is treatable.
www.GoGolfArizona.com
Golf Arizona
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Equipment Review
by Michiyo Itaya
Game Improvement Wedges T
HE CLEVELAND CBX 2 WEDGE is a forgiving, versatile wedge optimized for golfers who play cavity back irons. It provides tour-level spin and control to help game improvement players upgrade their short game. The Cleveland CBX 2 represents a new perspective for wedge design. Rather than designing this wedge with the game’s best players in mind, the Cleveland CBX 2 is built for the serious, everyday golfer who could use some added forgiveness without sacrificing any shot-making versatility. It starts with a revolutionary Hollow-Cavity design that delivers next-level short game forgiveness. With a hollow chamber near the heel and a heavy weight placed in the toe, this unique, Hollow-Cavity structure maximizes MOI and perimeter weighting. It is unprecedented short game forgiveness in a sleek, attractive profile. Furthermore, the latest iteration of Feel Balancing Technology achieves a new milestone in Cleveland CBX 2: a toe-biased center of gravity. Subtle adjustments to the flange, sole, hosel and elsewhere allowed us to push the sweet spot towards the toe, right were most golfers strike their shots most often. Combined with a Gelback TPU Insert for vibration reduction, these two technologies combine to provide a soft, satisfying feel along with the crisp feedback at impact for controlled short game shots. While forgiveness is what defines the Cleveland CBX 2, it still provides all the shot-making ability versatility needed when approaching the green. Three distinct sole grinds allow for square, open-faced or flop shots off any greenside surface or any finesse shots required around the green. The Cleveland CBX 2 simplifies grind selection to take the complexity out of the short game. The V-Shaped sole, offered in the 46°-52° lofts, makes full swing and square-faced shots a breeze by gliding over rather than digging into the turf. An S-Shaped sole on the 54° and 56° lofts is ideal for bunker and open-faced finesse shots from the rough or fairway. A wide profile provides plenty of bounce to get in and out of the turf without losing any club head speed. A C-Shaped sole on the 58° and 60° lofts is perfect for lob shots with an open face. The heel and toe-side relief make it easy to manipulate the face angle to suit any greenside situation. For nearly a decade, Cleveland Golf has dominated spin performance with the most advanced face in golf. Every bit of that performance, featured in our latest 4th generation Rotex face, has been milled, carved, and lasered into Cleveland CBX 2. The result: more spin. More spin from any lie, in all conditions, on every shot. Finally, the Cleveland CBX 2 helps ease the transition in swing weight from cavity back irons. Typically, tour wedge shafts are 30-50 grams heavier than cavity back iron shafts, which represents a big difference in feel. The Cleveland CBX 2 eliminates that awkward transition with lightweight construction and a specific wedge shaft designed with True Temper to produce a smooth, easy transition from cavity back irons to cavity back wedges. Get spin, control, and all the forgiveness needed with the Cleveland CBX 2 wedge. Visit ClevelandGolf.com.
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
Lithium Ion Onward Is A True Game Changer!
2020 Onwards are in stock! Come test drive one today!
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Golf Arizona
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Community
by Don Rea, PGA
Golf is Alive and Kicking I see Facebook posts about it, I hear about it, and the media loves to write about it. The game of golf apparently is dying, died a few years ago, or is facing certain death. I learned in my statistics class many years ago that numbers don’t lie, but people create lies with them. Some Facts are Incontrovertible Golf is nearly a 70-billion-dollar industry that gives back close to 4 billion to charity. That is more than all of the other sports combined, and yes, that includes the NFL, NHL, and MLB. Some other facts:
• Approximately 143,000 charity events are held annually, with 12 million participants.
time to play golf. However, 6.3 million golfers are between the ages of 18-34 and playing approximately 93 million rounds or 21% of the golf played. The children of millennials are playing golf also. Youth golf (ages 6 to 17) grew 25% in the last 5 years. This is the largest jump in total volume compared to other youth sports – including soccer, basketball, football and baseball. The LGPA-USGA Girls Golf program is up over 900% over the last 5 years. More than 50,000 girls are introduced to the game each year through this program.
Numbers Can Lie
Is Golf Being Watched on TV?
A number doesn’t mean much without context. If I tell you I shot 65, you might be impressed thinking that I played a par 72 golf course, but if that 65 was at Augusta Ranch in Mesa, AZ that would mean I was 4 over. You need to know the par before you determine how well I played. What is the par for the golf economy? Are national rounds of golf and the number of golfers down? Yes, since 2003, those numbers have decreased every year. Is golf on the rebound? Yes, rounds of golf in 2015 were up over 8 million compared to 2014 and have steadily increased each year. In addition, 37 million have said they are interested in playing, an all-time high. We can talk about where we have been or we can talk about where we are going. Please don’t proclaim the demise of the business I am in if you won’t define par.
Yes, 105 million people tuned in to watch golf in 2015. CBS’s ratings were up 20% and NBC’s were up 5%. Weekly minutes viewed were up 13% over 2014. PGA Tour Digital averages 8.3 million unique users a month with over 266 million visits YTD through June 2016, an increase of 22% over 2015. Golf Channel Millennial viewership in 2016 was up more than 60% for daily viewing and 20% during PGA Tour coverage.
• 24 million Americans play 455 million rounds annually at 15,200 facilities. • 76 percent of all golf facilities are public. • 90% of all golfers play on public golf courses.
Who is Playing Golf? The effect of Baby Boomers on the game of golf is well documented. With the youngest Baby Boomer now 55, this golfing generation is only mid-way through its golfing years. Many say the Millennials are not interested or don’t have the
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
Can Anyone Play Golf? Adaptive golf is growing. Of the 57 million Americans with some form of disability, over 10% are now playing golf with 35% more interested in learning. The First Tee reached more than 15 million young people since its inception in 1997. It directly touches over 8,000 elementary schools and partnering with after school youth programs. 84% of the teens participating in those programs credited the First Tee with making them better students in school. Top Golf is making golf more fun as an indoor type of a family golf activity. With over 13 million guests annually and 65% of
play coming from Millennials, Top Golf is exposing all families and all age groups to golf. Will some of those 13 million guests become golfers eventually? No one knows the answer to that, but I do know that the more people are swinging a club the more chances we have that they will want to do it outside rather than inside.
But….Golf Courses Use a Lot of Water How much water does a golf course use? Compared to what is my first question. Does a golf course in Arizona use over 100 million gallons a year? Yes, but in Arizona, a state that has over 330 golf courses, that is less than 3% of the total water usage in the state. In addition, half of that water is effluent water which is not available for human consumption. By comparison, a semi-conductor production plant uses over 6 million gallons of potable water a day. The agriculture industry in Arizona uses 70% of the state’s water supply. Golf courses throughout the United States continue to lead the industry in water stewardship by reducing water usage over 20% over the past 8 years. Most golf courses determine watering times based on the evapotranspiration rate of the microenvironment of that golf course. The only water given to the grass is the water that evaporated over the last 24 hours. Yes, the perception is that golf courses abuse water, but in reality, water is not only their most valuable asset but their most expensive need.
• Open to the Public • Membership Options Available • 18 holes of golf under 3 1/2 hours • Fully Stocked Pro-Shop • Club Fitting and Club Repair
Golf’s Biggest Impact Golf is good for the economy. The economic impact is undeniable. In Arizona, golf impacts the economy to the tune of 3.4 billion a year. However, the impact on a family is unquestionably golf’s most resonating effect. Whether it is the fitness aspect (a walking round of golf equals 10,000 steps and 2,000 calories) or the quality time together (golf can be played by all ages and gets you off of the digital grid for 3-5 hours), a life filled with golf is a healthy one mentally and physically. Today’s families want to spend time together. Long gone, or dead you might say, are the Saturdays dads spent away from the families hanging with their buddies at the men’s only golf club. Golf is now about Family, Fitness and Fun. Yes, Golf is very much alive and kicking.
• PGA Jr. League
• First Tee of Tucson Program
8900 E. 29th Street Tucson, AZ 85710 520-298-2401 rollinghillstucson@gmail.com
• Award Winning PGA Professional Golf Instructions
• Home of the Edward Jones Short Course Open
Managed & Operated by Generation Golf, LLC www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Arizona Artificial Lawns is the Valley’s trusted ƐŽƵƌĐĞ ĨŽƌ ĐƵƐƚŽŵ ƉƵƚƚŝŶŐ ŐƌĞĞŶƐ ĂŶĚ ŐŽůĨ ƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĞ ĂƌĞĂƐ͘ tŚĞƚŚĞƌ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ Ă ŶŽǀŝĐĞ ŐŽůĨĞƌ Žƌ Ă dŽƵƌ ƉƌŽ͕ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŝůů ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞ LJŽƵƌ ŐĂŵĞ͘ KƵƌ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚ ůŝŶĞ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ͗ • dĞdžƚƵƌŝnjĞĚ LJĂƌŶƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŝůů ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ƚŚĞ ƚLJƉĞ ŽĨ ƌŽůů ƐĞĞŶ ŽŶ ĞůŝƚĞ ƉƵƚƚŝŶŐ ŐƌĞĞŶƐ • WƌŽĚƵĐƚƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĚƵƌĂďůĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĂŶĚ ǁŝůů ǁŝƚŚƐƚĂŶĚ ƌĞƉĞƚŝƚŝǀĞ ǁĞĂƌ • dǁŽͲƚŽŶĞ ƉƵƚƚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĐŚŝƉƉŝŶŐ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ Ă ǀĞƌLJ ƌĞĂůŝƐƚŝĐ ĂĞƐƚŚĞƚŝĐ • hŶĚĞƌůĂLJŵĞŶƚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ ƚŽ ĂůůŽǁ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ ƚŽ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ ƐŚŽƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ĨĂƌƚŚĞƌ ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞƐ
dŽ ƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞ Ă ĨƌĞĞ ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂƚŝŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ĞdžƉĞƌƚ ŐŽůĨ ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂŶƚƐ͕ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ Ăƚ ;ϲϮϯͿ ϱϴϰͲϭϰϱϲ Žƌ ĞŵĂŝů ƵƐ Ăƚ ŝŶĨŽΛĂƌƚŝĨŝĐŝĂůůĂǁŶƐ͘ĐŽŵ͘ ƌŝnjŽŶĂ ƌƚŝĨŝĐŝĂů >ĂǁŶƐ ϭϴϬϬ ^ ϳƚŚ ǀĞ͕ ^ƚĞ ϭϬϴ͕ WŚŽĞŶŝdž͕ ϴϱϬϬϳ ǁǁǁ͘ĂƌŝnjŽŶĂĂƌƚŝĨŝĐŝĂůůĂǁŶƐ͘ĐŽŵ
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
by Susie Meyers, PGA
Instruction
Finding Yourself in a Downward Spiral?
What should you do when you are playing golf, and everything is going along fine, but then something happens and you find yourself in a downward spiral? Maybe you just made three pars in a row and then a couple of bogies and then a birdie! You begin to believe you have it! You start to add up your score before the end. Then it begins, the doubles come, the triples happen and all of a sudden, your score is rising. Many golfers have been there, and they all want to know how to get back to the good stuff. Very simply, you cannot go back to what it was. You really have to just restart, create a new beginning. It sounds like a Point A moment! Point A allows you to regroup and start over. Pretend that you are at the very first shot of the day with the process that you have chosen and the emotion that you have decided to play in no matter what the results are. Create a Point A golf shot where you do not react to where the ball is going; you already have a predetermined reaction of acceptance, forget, and move on. Remember, you cannot control where your golf ball goes; you cannot control the score or the results. You can only control how you react to what the ball is doing. When you find your own plan, your process, and your state of mind, you will find a more enjoyable golf game!
Susie Meyers, PGA & LPGA Member PGA Golf Instructor Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club from 1994 to present. University of Arizona Women’s Golf Team 1978-1982. LPGA Tour 1985-1987. GOLF MAGAZINE “Top 100 Teachers in America”. GOLF FOR WOMEN MAGAZINE “Top 50 Teachers”. Author of the book “Golf from Point A”. 2019 Southwest Section PGA Teacher of the Year. www.susiemeyersgolf.com
www.GoGolfArizona.com
Golf Arizona
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HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS build a team
ELEVEN SCHOOLS AWARDED GRANTS IN 2019...HELP THE AWGA FUND 20 IN 2020! In the fall of 2012, the AWGA saw a need because most Arizona high schools did not have thriving girls’ golf teams populated by experienced teenage female golfers. This realization propelled the AWGA to not only create the Build-A-Team Program, but to commit financial resources to support the program. To date, the AWGA has awarded $84,500 in grant funds to 27 Arizona High Schools.
In 2019, the Arizona Women’s Golf Association provided eleven Arizona high schools with grants of $2000 each from the Junior Grants & Assistance Fund as part of the High School Girls Golf Build-A-Team Program. The grant funds are provided directly to the schools and are used to purchase instruction, equipment, uniforms, and travel for high school girls’ golf teams that would not otherwise exist
without the grant program. Our goal for 2020 is to provide 20 high school girls’ golf teams with grants. The AWGA cannot reach this goal without you!
IN
junior grants & assistance
championship reimbursements
the awga provides grants to 10 youth golf organizations
expenses impact participation
In addition to the Build A Team program, the AWGA provides grants to nine other youth golf programs in
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Arizona. These programs include the First Tee of Phoenix and Tucson; LPGA*USGA Girls Golf of Phoenix and Tucson; Junior Golf Association of Arizona; PGA Junior League of Greater Prescott; Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship; the Girls Junior Americas Cup; and the Mary Cave Cup. These programs can’t exist without your generous donations!
Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
For many women in the 25-40 age group, participation in national championships is not possible because of the financial commitment. With your help, we can expand women’s access to golf and ensure women’s engagement at the highest levels championship competition. You can help these women reach this goal!
www.GoGolfArizona.com
Golf Arizona
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Product Review
by Gretchen Enrietti
40 Years and Still Going Strong
NUMEROUS GOLF APPAREL COMPANIES have come and gone over the last 40 years but Arizona’s own Antigua Group founded in Scottsdale, AZ in 1979 has continued its service to the golf industry across North America and now around the globe, as well as growing additional business segments in Licensed Sports fan apparel and Corporate casual apparel over that time frame.
Antigua CEO & President Ron McPherson
This series of YFG poses help train the body in triplane movements. 20
Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
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ow based in Peoria, AZ since 2001, the company has 300 employees and over 80 sales representatives covering the domestic United States, and holds distribution agreements in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Malaysia and Singapore. With its roots in the golf market, Antigua has built a solid reputation with numerous tournaments and tour professionals. The Antigua Team on Tour consists of several PGA, LPGA, Champions Tour and other touring professionals including LPGA major champions; Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicome. It has become the apparel of choice for numerous PGA Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA Tour events. Antigua is one of a select group of companies invited to participate in the exclusive PGA Retirement Plus Program and more recently the PGA HOPE program that helps our veterans get involved in golf. Antigua’s Golf division boasts over 8,000 accounts covering the variety of golf facilities, from public courses to private country clubs to some of the industries top resorts. The company’s understanding of, and commitment to, the special needs of the golf market has resulted in the development of an event services division within the customer services department that handles thousands of events at golf facilities nationwide.
Antigua currently holds licenses with most major professional sports leagues; including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Minor League Baseball and hundreds of colleges and universities. The company’s merchandise, attractive and upscale, can be found at major retailers, team shops, online retailers and at major sporting events such as the Major League Baseball All Star Game, the NBA All Star Game and the NFL Experience at the Super Bowl. Major retailers count on Antigua to provide national coverage while ensuring local markets are supplied with merchandise for the teams specific to each region. Establishing a strong foothold in the growing corporate market, Antigua now has over 5,000 corporate customers. As the “casual office” and “Fridaywear” concepts continue to permeate the American workplace, more and more major corporations and local businesses are finding ways to make Antigua’s comfortable and elegant fashions work for them. Nationally known for the finest knit shirts in the industry the company has continued to expand its outerwear lines for men and women, its seasonal fashion apparel collections and its headwear assortment. The entire Antigua product offering is supported by one of the apparel industries largest “in-house” embroidery operations. The company currently utilizes 68 embroidery machines with 312 sewing heads, running 24/7 and producing as many as 15,000 embroidered units per day. Antigua’s extensive product offering can be viewed at www.antigua.com.
www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Golf in Tucson Variety, Views & Value
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early three and a half centuries after golf began Tucson officially got into the game when the Randolph North golf course opened for play in 1929. Since that time, Tucson has become a desert golf mecca providing variety, views and value at more than 40 courses. The choices are abundant whether you prefer parkland, desert or links-style play. If bucket-list courses designed by Fazio, Nicklaus, Palmer, Robert Trent Jones or William F. “Billy” Bell, we’ve got those too. Looking to play where the pros play? You’re covered. In other words, no matter what golf experience you want, Tucson has the answer.
Club’s South and North courses and the Golf Club at Dove Mountain. The last stop on the where-the-prosplayed tour is the Catalina course at Omni Tucson National Resort, home of the PGA TOUR® Champions Tucson Cologuard Classic. You’ll be able to test your skills on a parkland-style course featuring eight lakes and more than 80 bunkers. Extend your stay and add the Sonoran course to your play list on day two for a completely different experience. The Sonoran is a course designed by Tom Lehman offering a combination of native desert vegetation with strategic fairway bunkering.
Play Where the Pros Play
Social media photo op courses abound in Tucson. The 107-yard, hole 3 at the Mountain course at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon Golf & Tennis Club is one of the most photographed holes in the Southwest. Add in the Canyon course, sister to the Mountain, and you might just need to add more gigabytes to your cloud storage account. For a completely different view, visit Quarry Pines whose name is derived from the fact it was built atop an abandoned sand and gravel quarry. This very playable golf course
Tucson has been home to professional golf tournaments since 1945 so playing where the pros have played provides eight courses from which to choose. A good place to start for a walk in the park is at El Rio, a Tucson municipal course and host to the PGA Tour for 17 years. You’ll be walking the same fairways graced by golf greats Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Walter Hagen, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias to name just a few. Continue your pro tour itinerary at Forty-Niner Country Club, Omni Tucson National, Starr Pass Golf Club, Randolph North, The Gallery Golf
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Views as Breathtaking as the Course is Challenging
Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
offers a mix of dramatic elevation changes and stunning mountain views. Set at the base of scenic Pusch Ridge, the El Conquistador Golf & Tennis in Oro Valley has amazing view spread throughout its 45 holes of championship golf. The Conquistador and Canada courses feature two distinct experiences, matching elements of the high desert with the friendly, supple expanse of a more traditional layout.
Stay & Play Hotspots
If your idea of a perfect golf getaway is to arrive at a resort and never leave, you’ll have a variety of spots from which to choose in Tucson. The aforementioned Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa and the Lodge at Ventana Canyon top the list as ideal locations, but there’s more. The Westin La Paloma features two 18-hole gems, Casino del Sol Resort & Spa is home to Sewailo Golf Club, a Notay Begay design blending the natural Sonoran Desert landscape of Tucson with picturesque lakes and streams. JW Marri-
ott Starr Pass Resort features an Arnold Palmer design of 27 delightful and challenging holes set amid red-tinged desert scenery. And for the ultimate luxury golf vacation, you’ll never go wrong with a stay at the Ritz Carlton at Dove Mountain.
After Golf Delights
The golf will be memorable and so will the after-round experience. Tucson tastes like nowhere else in North America, with a rich agricultural heritage spanning 4,000 years. Known for its borderlands culture and extraordinary fusion cuisine, Tucson was chosen as the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the USA. The city is also home to the “Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food,” a self-guided tour of local Mexican-style eateries with south-of-the-border authenticity. A hotbed for award-winning creativity in food and the arts, Tucson not surprisingly has an explosive craft brewing scene. There’s far too many individual breweries and watering holes to list here, but a few to consider include Barrio Brewing, Crooked Tooth and Iron John’s. After dark, Tucson’s vibrant downtown comes alive and is easy to explore on foot or via the Sun Link Streetcar – listen to music on the patio at Hotel Congress or sample the culinary scene. Beyond the city’s center, prepare to be mesmerized by Tucson’s night skies – from the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter observatory to Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium. By day, explore the Spanish colonial architecture at the historic Mission San Xavier del Bac or embark on a journey through more than 350 historic aircrafts at the Pima Air & Space Museum.
Variety, Views & Value
What began nearly 100 years ago as one 18-hole place to play has blossomed into a desert golf mecca featuring municipal, public, resort and private options in a place where the sun shines 300 days a year. It’s a place you’ll want to visit over and over. www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Course Review
by Ken Cook
Simply put, The Views is everything its name implies
THE VIEWS GOLF CLUB AT ORO VALLEY 26
Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
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NE OF THE MORE interesting golf movies out there is The Legend of Baggar Vance, starring Will Smith, and Matt Damon. There is one scene where Damon’s character is in the middle of a match with Bobby Jones and Walter Hagan. Smith, as Damon’s caddy, tells Damon to watch Bobby Jones as he prepares for a shot. Jones’ character is jovial and conversational with everyone around him until he is not. When he begins to prepare for a shot, he becomes singularly focused on the shot. Zeroed in on the target, eliminating all distractions, both visual and auditory. And naturally, his shot is long and true. When you play The Views Golf Club at Oro Valley, remember this short story and the example the Jones character set. The reason is that The Views is everything that its’ name describes. The scenic panoramas of The Catalina Mountains are incredible. You are literally in their foothills, and on particularly crisp days, you feel as if you can reach out and touch them. Distracting, to say the least, but in a very good way. However, remember the Jones character enjoyed his setting until he didn’t. Playing The Views requires you to pay attention and focus on every shot. The vistas are gorgeous. The setting in the middle of the Sonoran Desert landscape is remarkable on every hole. But as beautiful as it all is, it can expose your weaknesses in your golf game. The fairways are generous. However, the desert terrain on each hole seems to beckon for the misplayed shot. It also puts a premium on club selection to get close to the hole. Keep your slice or hook under control, or you’re probably going to be enjoying the desert landscape.
The seventh hole is the signature hole for the course. This picture-perfect Par 3 stands on an elevated tee with the entire panorama of the mountains in front of you. Being distracted by this view can certainly take your mind way to enjoyable places that may have nothing to do with golf.
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ESIDES THE SOCIAL ASPECT of playing with friends and enjoying the natural beauty, you still need to focus on hitting the shot. From the back tees, it plays 183 yards to a small kidney-shaped green. But like all holes at The Views, there are multiple tees to match your game. It plays downhill, usually one club less than normal for the distance. The green is well bunkered, in the front left and all across the back. There are deep grass bunkers front right. If you mishit, and miss landing in one of the bunkers, you are then most likely in the desert since the desert embraces the entire green surround just beyond all of the bunkers. The challenge doesn’t end there, though. The green itself is set at a 45-degree angle and is long and narrow. Once there, you experience another challenging aspect of The Views; rolling greens that are dominated by subtle breaks everywhere. The most challenging putt at The Views is a straight putt, probably because there are so few of them, and you expect it to break. The club though is not resting on its laurels. Starting in the late Spring of 2020 through the Summer of 2020, The Views is undertaking a complete greens reconstruction project. The primary reason for this project is to upgrade the drainage systems for all of the greens for the longevity of the golf course, pro-
viding a high-quality golf experience. The golf course architect Mike Gogel, in conjunction with the club’s golf leadership team and advisory committee, wanted to make sure the new greens didn’t just drain better. They also wanted an improved golfing experience. “The construction of the new greens, we will be increasing the overall size by nearly 26%. This increase in size will allow us to soften the contours on the greens allowing for more varied hole locations. One of the primary goals is to create a unique set of greens taking into consideration all skill levels. With the new sand base construction, the greens subsurface will allow increased drainage to manage water and cultural practices more efficiently,” said Gogel.
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F YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED The Views, my suggestion is you must try it, the Golf Club located on the Norwest side of town in Sun City Oro Valley. Once you do, you will keep coming back. This course epitomizes all that is great about the game of golf. A challenge on every hole that requires focus to score your best. Between shots, a setting that can take your breath away, whether you’re playing the course for the first time, or you played it hundreds of times. You will find the condition of the course is outstanding year-round, and the staff provides friendly professional service making sure that you thoroughly enjoy your time. So, watch The Legend of Baggar Vance and fall in love with the challenge and mystique of the game, either for the first time or all over again. Then, experience golf ’s challenge, beauty, and mystique first hand by playing The View Golf Club. www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Southern Arizona Golf Course Directory BENSON 1 San Pedro Golf Course Municipal, 18 holes sanpedrogolf.com 520-586-7888
E LOY 2 Robson Ranch Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.robsonranchgolf com/contactus/ 520-426-3333
F O R T H UAC H U C A 3 Mountain View Golf Club Public, 18 holes www.mvgcaz.com/ home.html 520-533-7088
G R E E N VA L L E Y
4 Canoa Ranch Golf Club
Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.canoaranchgolfclub .com 520-393-1966
5 Country Club of Green Valley Private, 18 holes www.countryclubof greenvalley.org 520-625-8806
6 Desert Hills Golf Club Private, 18 holes www.deserthillsgolf club.org 520-648-1668
7 Haven Golf Course / Tortuga 9 Hole Executive Public, 27 holes www.havengolf.com 520-625-4281
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8 Quail Creek Country Club Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.robson.com/ communities/quail-creek/golf/ 866-648-0332
9 San Ignacio Golf Club Public, 18 holes www.sanignaciogolf.com 520-822-8313
10 Torres Blancas Golf Club Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.torresblancasgolf.com 520-625-5200
MARANA 11 Gallery Golf Club Private, 36 holes www.gallerygolf.com 520-579-4116
12 Golf Club at Dove Mountain Resort / Membership / Public, 27 holes dovemountain.com/golf/ golf-club/ 520-572-8000
13 Highlands at Dove Mountain
Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.thehighlandsatdove mountain.com 520-579-9574
14 Quarry Pines Golf Club Public, 18 holes www.playthepines.com/golf 520-744-7443
NOGALES 15 Kino Springs Golf Course Public, 18 holes www.kinospringsgc.com 520-287-8701
Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
O R AC L E 16 SaddleBrooke Golf Club Private, 27 holes www.saddlebrooke.org/ sb_courses 520-825-3048
17 SaddleBrooke Mountain View Golf Club Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.sbhoa2.org/mountainview 520-818-1100
18 SaddleBrooke Ranch Golf Club Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.saddlebrookeranchgolfclub. com/contact-us/ 520-818-6403
O R O VA L L E Y
19 El Conquistador Country Club Municipal / Membership, 45 holes www.elcongolfandtennis.com 520-544-1900
20 Oro Valley Country Club Private, 18 holes www.clubcorp.com/Clubs/Oro-Valley-Country-Club/ 520-297-1121
21 Stone Canyon Club, The Private, 18 holes www.stonecanyon.com 520-219-1500
22 Views Golf Club at Oro Valley Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.theviewsgolfclub.com 520-825-3110
14 Quarry Pines Golf Club 8
Quail CreekCountry Club
19 El Conquistador Country Club
20 Oro Valley Country Club
22 The Views Golf Club at Oro Valley
Stone Canyon 11 The Gallery Golf Club
13 Highlands at Dove Mountain
21 The Stone Canyon Club
www.GoGolfArizona.com
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38 Starr Pass Golf Club
25 Arizona National Golf Club
36 Sewailo Golf Club
24 Tubac Golf Resort
42 Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club
26 Crooked Tree Golf Course
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
34 Randolph North Golf Course
Southern Arizona Golf Course Directory S I E R R A V I S TA 23 Pueblo del Sol Country Club Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.pdsclub.com 520-378-0442
T U B AC 24 Tubac Golf Resort Resort / Membership / Public, 27 holes tubacgolfresort.com 520-398-2211
TUCSON 25 Arizona National Golf Club Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.arizonanational golfclub.com 520-749-4089
26 Crooked Tree Golf Course Public, 18 holes www.crookedtreegc.com 520-744-3366
27 Dell Urich Golf Course Municipal, 18 holes www.tucsoncitygolf.com/ randolph-dell-urich/ 520-791-4161
28 Dorado Golf Course Public / Executive, 18 holes www.doradogolfcourse.com 520-885-6751
29 El Rio Golf Course Municipal, 18 holes www.tucsoncitygolf.com/el-rio/ 520-791-4229
30 Forty Niner Country Club
38 Starr Pass Golf Club
Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.fortyninercc.com 520-749-4925
31 Fred Enke Municipal Golf Course
Municipal, 18 holes www.tucsoncitygolf.com/fred-enke/ 520-791-2539
Resort / Membership, 27 holes www.lapalomacc.com 520-299-1500
41 Tucson National
33 Preserve at Saddlebrooke Semi-Private / Public, 18 holes www.robson.com/communities/ saddlebrooke/golf/# 866-818-6068
34 Randolph North Golf Course Municipal, 18 holes www.tucsoncitygolf.com/ randolph-north/ 520-791-4653
35 Rolling Hills Golf Course
37 Skyline Country Club Private, 18 holes skylinecountryclub.com 520-299-1111
Resort / Membership / Public, 36 holes www.tucsonnational.com 520-297-2271
42 Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club Resort / Membership / Public, 36 holes www.ventanacanyonclub.com 520-577-4045
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Semi-Private / Public / Executive, 18 holes www.rollinghillsgolftucson.com 520-298-2401
Public / Resort, 18 holes www.casinodelsol.com/ contact-us 520-838-6623
40 Tucson Country Club Private, 18 holes www.tucsoncountryclub.com 520-298-2381
32 La Paloma Country Club
36 Sewailo Golf Club
Resort / Membership / Public, 27 holes www.marriott.com/hotels/hotelinformation/golf-courses/tusspjw-marriott-tucson-starr-passresort-and-spa/ 520-791-6270
43 Del Lago Golf Club Public, 18 holes www.dellagogolf.net 520-647-1100
W I LCOX 44 Twin Lakes Golf Course Public / Executive, 9 holes www.cityofwillcox.org/golf/ 520-384-2720
38 Silverbell Golf Course Municipal, 18 holes www.tucsoncitygolf.com/ silverbell/ 520--791-5235
www.GoGolfArizona.com
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The Rules
by Rick Price, PGA
TA K I N G R E L I E F Measuring the Size of the Relief Area Where a Ball Must be Dropped and Played The focus of the dropping procedure is on a specific “relief area� set by the Rule under which relief is being taken and is either one or two clublengths from a reference point (and may have certain other limitations). The relief area is a fixed size for each player and is pre-determined based on the clubs the player has selected for play.
Procedure for Dropping a Ball Players drop a ball when taking relief, the only requirement is that the ball be let go from knee height so that it falls through the air and does not touch any part of the player’s body or equipment before it hits the ground.
Where a Dropped Ball Must Come to Rest
Fixed Distances to be Used for Measuring
The ball must be dropped in and come to rest in the relief area; and there is no re-drop requirement if the dropped ball accidentally hits a person or object after hitting the ground but before coming to rest in the relief area.
The definition of a club-length as the longest club other than a putter means that a player cannot choose which club to measure with based on the situation.
If the dropped ball comes to rest outside the relief area, it is dropped a second time; if it comes to rest outside the relief area after being dropped a second time it is placed where it first touched the ground. If the placed ball does not come to rest on that spot after two attempts, the player will then place the ball on the nearest spot (not nearer the hole) where it will come to rest.
Requiring the player to drop a ball (as opposed to placing it) retains a desired randomness about where the ball ends up: The player has no guarantee that the ball will come to rest on a desired spot or in a good lie. This is especially the case when a ball is dropped in more difficult conditions such as thick rough or longer grass. Allowing the player to drop a ball from knee height helps increase the chance that it stays within the relief area and to limit the extent to which a ball will embed in sand in a bunker.
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
For example, players are no longer be able to make a strategic choice about the size of the relief area by choosing a longer club so that the player can reach a location that is farther from the nearest point of relief or other reference point. Using the longest club for measuring minimizes the inconsistency in the size of a relief area between players (including eliminating the advantage for players who previously could have used a long putter for measuring).
by USGA
Feature
5 Things to Know About the World Handicap System
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HE WORLD HANDICAP SYSTEM (WHS) was created to unify the six different handicap systems used around the world currently into one, universal system used by all golfers obtaining a handicap assignment. The new system will enable players round the world to compete on fair ground, in any format, on any course, without sacrificing accuracy. As the system was adapted by all of the existing handicapping authorities and other National Associations, this collaboration will ensure the system is suitable to all golfing cultures. When adapted, the WHS will be governed by the USGA and The R&A and administered by national and multinational associations around the world. The WHS will encompass both the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System (formerly known as the USGA Course Rating and Slope System).
Here are the five key items for players to be aware of leading up to and through the World Handicap System launch in 2020:
1. Your Handicap Index may change. But that’s OK! Finally, players around the world will have an apples-to-apples handicap. Your new Handicap Index will be more responsive to good scores by averaging your eight best score out of your most recent 20 (currently, it’s 10 out of 20 with a .96 multiplier). In short, your Handicap Index will be determined by your demonstrated ability and the consistency of scores. In most cases for golfers in the U.S., it will change less than one stroke.
2. You need to know your Course Handicap In the new system, your Course Handicap will be the number of strokes needed to play to par. This will result in greater variance in that number and presents a change, as historically it has represented the number of strokes needed to play to the Course Rating. This is a good thing, as par is an easy number to remember. Target score for the day? Par plus Course Handicap. The Course Rating will now be inherent within the calculation to be more intuitive and account for competing from different tees.
3. Net Double Bogey. The maximum hole score for each player will be limited to a Net Double Bogey. This adjustment is more consistent from hole to hole than the Equitable Stroke Control procedure. Net Double Bogey is already used in many other parts of the world and the calculation is simple: Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive.
4. Your Handicap Index will be revised daily One way that handicapping is being modernized is a player’s Handicap Index will update daily (which will provide a fairer indication of a player’s ability in the moment), if the player submitted a score the day before. On days where the player does not submit a score, no update will take place.
5. Safeguards in the new system. The new system will limit extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index, automatically and immediately reduce a Handicap Index when an exceptional score of at least 7 strokes better is posted, and account for abnormal course or weather conditions to ensure that scores reflect when a course plays significantly different than its established Course Rating and Slope Rating. These safeguards help maintain accuracy of a Handicap Index, greater integrity within the system and promote fun and fair play for golfers of all abilities. For more information on the World Handicap System, please visit usga.org/whs
www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Health & Fitness
by Mike Boyd
Stem Cell Could be the Answer to Your Pain
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O R Y E A R S , Dr. Gary Mendez PC has used his hands to ease the pain of some of Tucson’s finest golfers. Being an avid golfer himself, he has garnered the trust of Tucson’s top golfers who go to him to get relief from the pain and discomfort of spinal injuries. A large number of local PGA Professionals owe their ability to play when others have just given in to the pain, to Dr. Mendez. Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments, the theory being that proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery or medication. It’s been Mendez stock in trade for the last 20 years. However, he has seen what a new alternative treatment has done for the careers of PGA tour players like Brooks Koepka, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson. Mendez’s dad, name, often asked him to keep an open mind about healing that sometimes you need to look for unconventional methods when the conventional ones have not worked. With that in mind, Mendez came to learn about stem cell therapies, the kind that salvaged the careers of some of the top PGA Tour players. All have had this new treatment and swear by the effectiveness of stem cell therapy. Mendez has just recently opened Tucson Regenerative Medicine, here in town, near the corner of Orange Grove and La Cholla…in the Desert Life Medical Plaza. Stem cells are essentially “building blocks” of our body. They can regularly divide to repair and replace damaged tissue. Dr. Mendez is excited about the new treatment clinic, “What we will be able to do is to help bring the power of cellular therapy to repair and facilitate healing in our patients.” According to Mendez, thanks to the advancement of stem cell treatment for knees, surgery is not the only option. Instead of having to replace a knee with an artificial implant, stem cell therapy in knee joints can be used to regrow new and healthy tissues that have been damaged or are degenerating. The procedure can be done in one day. Recovery time for knee surgery could last months and you’re immobile in the meantime. With stem cell therapy, you can maintain your same routine and walk out of the office after the procedure. While Dr. Mendez will still be able to realign your spine, he is excited to add this added treatment to his arsenal. While Dr. Mendez is confident you will return to playing without pain, he doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be as good as Brooks Koepka. If you are experiencing any pain, and you want to learn about an alternative to surgery call Tucson Regenerative Medicine to schedule a consultation (520-742-3201).
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
Specializing in Golf Course & Active Adult Communities Dove Mountain and Northwest Tucson Let’s find your happy place near green fairways!
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Dove Mountain Resident Top 1% TucsonͲSouthern Arizona Agents Glenda@GrowTucson.com
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For reservations call 800.848.7893 Ask for the GOLF ARIZONA SPECIAL (Code GolfAZ) (Valid until April 1, 2020
Luxurious Hacienda Accommodations One-Day of Unlimited Golf for 2 10% off Spa Treatments • Club Storage $349 per night (Plus tax and resort fee, based on availability) * Book a second night and receive breakfast for two at our Stables Ranch Grille
Make Your Reservations Now!
I-19, Exit 40 (30 minutes from Tucson)
www.TubacGolfResort.com 1.800.848.7893 www.GoGolfArizona.com
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The Junior Golf Association of Arizona & Tucson Conquistadores Jr Golf T W O O R G A N I Z AT I O N W I T H O N E M I S S I O N O F CO N N E C T I N G T H E G A M E O F G O L F W I T H T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N
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VERY YOUNG GOLFER dreams of draining the long putt for the big win. And all too often the living room rug serves as the green. The Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) and Tucson Conquistadores Jr Golf give youngsters a place to bring their dreams to life through transformative schedules of golf activities and golf tournaments held across Arizona. Best of all, the JGAA and Tucson Conquistadores Jr Golf operate under reciprocal memberships, making it easy to participate no matter which organization is running the event. In southern Arizona that means membership to Tucson Conquistadores Jr Golf – the umbrella organization for the Southern Arizona Junior Golf Association (SAJGA), The First Tee of Tucson and Ricki Rarick Junior Golf – also covers membership to the JGAA, which holds three big tournaments in Tucson annually. In April, the Tucson Conquistadores Spring Classic tees off at El Rio and Silverbell Golf Courses. A rules clinic is held in May, the same month the storied Tucson City Jr Championship is contested. Then in September, a tournament is hosted by one of Tucson’s most celebrated local players – Michael Thompson – at Oro Valley Country Club. And that’s just JGAA events. The SAJGA also hosts about 20 more. “Tucson Conquistadores Jr Golf has a big impact on the JGAA. By joining the SAJGA, you can enter JGAA events and vice versa. Tournament fees are required from there, and we work with families to make sure funding doesn’t prevent kids from competing,” said Scott McNevin, executive director. “We are likeminded organizations with the same goals. We work together to not only grow the game, but to provide the resources and guidance needed become great golfers and even better students and adults.” The primary drivers of junior golf in southern Arizona, the Conquistadores know all about being good citizens. Since the organization’s inception in 1962, they have raised $33 million for young athletes. The active membership of 60 business and professionals with a total membership of 215 represents a vibrant cross-section of the Tucson community. Professional golf has been the primary source for the Conquistadores’ fundraising success. They currently sponsor the Cologuard Classic, an official PGA Champions Tour event held in late February with the proceeds spread across Pima County and beyond. “I can’t say enough about the impact of the Conquistadores,” McNevin added. “They not only support golf and athletics monetarily, they put in their own time and effort to become a vital part of the events.” Another huge benefit of JGAA/Tucson Jr Golf membership is enrolment in the Youth on Course program. This greens-feesaving program allows JGAA members to play at City of Tucson courses, more than 20 Phoenix-area golf courses and 1,200 nationwide for as little as $5. “Youth on Course is one if the easiest and most cost-effective ways of getting out onto the golf course,” said McNevin. “As of now the city courses are available, but the program is expanding so fast that more courses in the Tucson area will follow.” The growth of golf left a lot of room for just about anyone to find their sweet spot within the game. Some juniors move on college golf – in fact more than 40 JGAA members this year alone did so – while others leave the JGAA with more recreational aspirations. Either way, the game will, no doubt, be with them for the rest of their lives. To learn more or sign up today, visit TucsonJuniorGolf.com or JGAA.org.
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Golf Arizona www.GoGolfArizona.com
— by Scott McNevin
Robert Taylor PGA • Tournament and Events Manager • Tucson PGA TOUR Superstore 520-907-2220 • rtaylor@pgatss.com • www.pgatoursuperstore.com
www.GoGolfArizona.com
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Course Review
by Casey Polivchak
Return to Glory 49er Country Club is back, but it almost didn’t survive. It was all Tucson had during the 60’s other than El Rio and Tucson Country Club, …and it was something. The William Francis Bell course was home to two Tucson Opens in the 60’s.
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S OTHER GOLF COURSES sprouted in the desert, 49er kept its uniqueness. It wasn’t like other desert courses that featured saguaro, cholla, and prickly pear cacti. Its mesquites, giant cottonwoods, eucalyptus, and weeping willow trees made the course look like a wooded oasis. It seemed always to be so green, and it was for a good reason. First off, the water table was so close to the surface that several nearby residents could not put in swimming pools; the hole would fill up with water before the concrete could be poured. And because of the abundance of usable water, the course management wasn’t shy about pouring water on it. They even went so far as to take out their asphalt cart paths, to better illustrate the verdant patch of green unlike any in Tucson. But like a lot of other Tucson area courses, 49er fell on hard times when the recession hit. The owners at that time agreed to stop pumping groundwater, sold their water rights to the City of Tucson, and decided to use the City of Tucson’s reclaimed water, exclusively. But after a while, the owners couldn’t afford to pay the water bill, and it only stayed open for sporadic play. If you were on the course during that time, you likely had to wait on a watering truck stopping by each green a few times a day. Just before it closed, a white knight appeared to save it from its inevitable demise. In 2012, the retired founder of a large Colorado industrial construction company named Ron McKenzie stepped up and bought the golf course for a fraction of what the previous owners paid for it. And within months, he had it back in reasonable shape.
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Driving up to 49er still conveys that timeless era when it was one of Tucson’s top club. You still see the large pool right when you turn in, and its recent upgrades give it a fresh appeal. 49er comeback is complete, and it’s a good thing for Southern Arizona golfers.
Fast forward to last week. On a visit to a course I haven’t played in years, it’s back. All the way back. And more. The course is in great shape. The fairways and greens look like they did before the recession. They’ve added a Fitness Center, a dining pavilion, and built out the pro shop and dining room. The driving range got new fencing, and now the course looks as good any in Tucson. While it has full golf memberships, both men’s and women’s memberships, it’s open to the public, and the rates are very reasonable, considering the setting, condition of the course, and it’s recently added amenities. Mr. McKenzie has touched every piece of this property with significant investment to its infrastructure and facilities, ensuring its viability for the years to come.
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Equipment Review
by Justin Johnson
Equipment for Moderate Swing Speed Golfers
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G LO B A L L E A D E R in premium lightweight golf equipment, XXIO, serves the moderate swing speed golfer. While others dedicate their best resources to professional players, XXIO stands apart, engineering remarkable achievements exclusively for those without fast swings. Remarkably lightweight designs. Revolutionary swing technologies. Unmatched attention to your needs. These pillars make XXIO the undisputed world-leader of moderate swing speed golf equipment. Experience the difference of XXIO with the all-new XXIO Eleven and X golf clubs. XXIO Eleven and X both feature XXIO’s new Weight Plus technology, which helps produce a more consistent and powerful swing. Weight Plus is a breakthrough achievement that pushes our high balance point clubs to the next level. Weight Plus works by using up to 13g of brass and rubber weights placed in the butt end of every XXIO shaft. That mass behind the hands operates on the principle of a lever, assisting in the takeaway and reducing the effort required to swing each golf club. For more than 10 generations, XXIO has focused on delivering real innovations and easier golf to moderate swing speed players. With XXIO Eleven, a wholly redesigned cup face structure and profoundly lightweight shaft combines to produce fast, forgiving, and easy-to-swing golf clubs. The XXIO Eleven Driver uses a Star Frame rib structure, which redistributes weight for improved launch and forgiveness, while the XXIO Eleven woods and hybrids feature a powerful yet normalized cup face for more speed on center strikes and miss-hits alike. The XXIO Eleven irons feature a double undercut cavity with two slots cut into the iron body just behind the face for increased flexibility for explosive ball speed and distance. Designed for the intricacies of a woman’s swing and her specific needs on the course, XXIO Eleven Ladies is faster and more powerful than ever before. XXIO Eleven Ladies features the same lightweight technologies found in XXIO Eleven but tailored to a woman’s golf swing. The new X model is a premium set of woods and irons that helps more accomplished golfers experience the benefits of lightweight and high balance point club design. The X irons are forged in a more compact shape for enhanced workability with a milled speed groove on the backside of their faceplate. This channel around the perimeter flexes at impact, rebounding added energy back into the ball for incredible distance. Meanwhile, the X driver features a carbon sole for improved launch and forgiveness and a more muted sound and feel those golfers prefer. Play clubs designed exclusively for your game and revel in the best golf of your lifetime. This is XXIO. Experience the Difference. For more information on XXIO Eleven and X, please visit XXIOUSA.com
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Instruction
by Rick Price, PGA
Managing Your Game and Yourself M
ANY FACTORS can contribute to reducing your golf score and lowering your handicap. Managing your game through a proper game plan is one of them. Course management is often the most overlooked aspect of golf. The fact is that a course management plan can make a huge difference in taking your game to the next level. Ben Hogan said, “Golf is 20% talent and 80% management.” Before playing, make sure you come up with a specific game plan and club selection off the tee. And make sure you commit to it. If you decide to play the percentages and not try to cut the corner and go for that par 5 in two, then do not change the plan because other players in your group are going for it. The biggest key to course management may be merely playing the high percentage shots that keep you out of trouble and play to your strengths in own your game. I remember reading a story about Jack Nicklaus’ and a reaction he had to a missing a putt. A fan in the crowd said to Jack after he missed a short putt, “Sorry, you missed that putt, Jack.” And Jack’s response was: “I didn’t miss the putt. It just didn’t go in.” The interesting thing about Jack’s mindset is that it is precisely how he should have responded. He knew that he rolled the putt on the line and had the correct speed, so in his mind, it was just as he imagined. This mindset protected his self-image and allowed him to stay positive without overthinking missing the putt like must of us do after missing a short putt. By responding this way, he avoided having the missed putt affect his self-confidence. He had the mental aptitude to let it go and stay positive! This something you want to strive for and model in your own game and life.
I know you want to do our best. However, it’s simple if you think about it. There are some things we have no control over, so it doesn’t make sense putting yourself down. Zig Ziglar said, “You are who you are and what you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change who you are and what you are by changing what goes into your mind.” Everything you think and tell yourself is programming your mind, so make it positive and productive. Carefully choose what you think and how you talk to yourself and others .
Negative thoughts and self-talk is simply a bad habit that you can change. First, start by listening and recognizing what you are
Believe me, I know about getting mad at yourself over a lack of performance, which is non-productive and will eat away at your attitude and confidence. The golf swing or stroke is not perfect. Some days it’s automatic, and other days you feel like you can’t do anything right.
saying to yourself, identify the negative, and
If you find yourself losing your patience, getting frustrated, and losing your focus, stop for a second and breathe thinking about the only thing you can control, it’s your attitude in how you respond. If you did the best you could, under the circumstances, then let it end there and regroup for the next shot.
positive, and you will enjoy golf more and
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work to put an end to the negative self-talk and thoughts. In short, focus on staying
the people around you as well.
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COBRA’S FIRST EVER CNC MILLED INFINITY FACE DELIVERS PRECISION PERFORMANCE FOR FASTER, LONGER AND STRAIGHTER DRIVES. THAT ’S SPEED WITH NO LIMITS.
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by Bill Boltz
Golf’s Four Keys T H E F O U R K E YS TO E V E R YO N E ’S GOLF GAME
The typical golfer focuses on technique and mechanics only, neglecting the importance of the mental, physical, and equipment areas. All four areas are essential, and they affect each other and the golfers’ ability to perform.
1 | Fundamentals The mechanics for setup and motion
I believe that all golfers have a natural aptitude to swing a golf club functionally. Combined with a solid understanding of the four keys that will directly affect a golfer, a functional swing motion can be developed. Learning and performance will be compromised if this understanding is not fulfilled.
2 | Mental Game Understanding the learning process and the emotional state while learning & playing
Any instructional program should be designed to evaluate and develop the golfer in all four areas. Physical strength and flexibility should be evaluated when establishing a swing model — mentally understanding the learning process and the importance of attention. Mechanically provide a simple understanding of the elements that create a good shot. The final component is a complete golf club evaluation, which should be performed on the current equipment to identify any inconsistency that will affect performance.
3 | Physical Ability Strength & Flexibility 4 | Equipment The golf clubs and the set make up
I will share how one area will affect all four areas. Controlling the ball flight is the end objective for all golfers. The mind and body will not perform naturally if the club does not generate the proper ball flight with a balanced motion. When this does not happen, the golfer will have to compensate for their balance and swing motion to get this desired ball flight, which will lead to confusion and frustration.
Bill Boltz Henry-Griffitts Certified Teacher | National Director of Education & Training | www.henry-griffitts.com Bill Boltz has over 26 years of experience teaching thousands of students ranging from beginner to touring professional. The past 12 years he has traveled throughout North America & abroad as a National Director of Education, sharing and coaching his approach to business, teaching and club fitting. Henry-Griffitts Certified Teacher Since 1991 and recipient of their Master Clubfitting Award.
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