Golf Arizona February - April 2016

FEBRUARY – APRIL 2016 VOL 3 ISSUE 2

Tucson Conquistadores Set for Another Winner (pg 26)

Bernhard Langer PGA TOUR Champions 2015 Player of the Year

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The Official Publication of the

SWSPGA Annual Awards (pg 44) 2016 Gem Award Winners (pg 12)

Southern Chapter

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contents Golf Arizona | February – April 2016

on the cover 26 Tucson Conquistadores: Preparing for Another Winner

course reviews

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ASU Karsten Golf Course: Still the Home of Champions

16 Capital Canyon Club: Club Revival

features 12 2016 Gem Award Winners 21 Product Review: Antigua’s Spring Men’s Collection 36 U.S. Kids: 2015 Players of the Year 44 SWSPGA: 2015 Annual Award Winners

instruction 5

Bryan Hepler: Improving Away from the Course

11 Pat O’Hara, PGA: They Never Told Me This

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on the Lesson Tee!

14 Kammi Hunt: The Power of Ankle Mobility 24 Derek Deminsky, PGA: 3 Keys For Better Bunker Play

community 19 Southern Arizona Golf Tourism Update 30 Are your favorite beers made with Marana wheat?

33 SWSGA: New Venues & New Sponsors 40 Tee to Green: Community Golf News

youth spotlight 49 Phoenix Valley: David Ricciardelli & Emma Reyes 36

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50 Southern Arizona: Justin Fischer & Lily Nielsen

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From the Editor

Off to a Great Start

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e are off to a great start for 2016 with the “Greatest Show on Grass,” the PGA TOUR Waste Management Phoenix Open at the TPC Stadium Course February 1-7.

Then the ladies Legends Tour will tee it up in the Walgreen’s Charity Classic at the Grandview Golf Club in Sun City West.

The Pro-Am is scheduled for Thursday, March 3rd while the 36hole tournament will be on Saturday & Sunday, March 5 & 6th.

The Tucson Conquistadores host the Champions Tour Tucson Conquistadores Classic March 18-20, 2016 at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa. Last year was the first year hosting the event after eight successful years with the Accenture Match Play. The history of hosting a professional tour event in Tucson stems back to 1945 Tucson Open held at the El Rio Golf Club, making Tucson one of the longest running locations for professional golf events.

The same week of the Champions Tour in Tucson, the LPGA Founders Cup is coming to Phoenix showcasing the best women golfers in professional golf at Wildfire Golf Club for the sixth year in a row at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort.

Let’s do what we can to support these different tour events by attending in person. It’s a pleasure and honor that the state of Arizona hosts such great events.

My promise and our mission at Golf Arizona Magazine is to, “Promote the game of golf, businesses, and associations in our community while celebrating the people that play the game.”

Thank you for your support of Golf Arizona Magazine the official publication for the Southwest Section PGA. We value your input and thank you for your support in assisting us in promoting the game of golf. You may support our efforts further through advertising your business, or if you know of anyone that would be interested in supporting our mission, please contact us.

We encourage you to invite a friend and share our passion by visiting our website to sign up for our FREE online newsletter and subscription for Golf Arizona magazine at www.gogolfarizona.com.

Rick Price, PGA

Rick is the Director of Operations for the Southwest Section PGA Southern Chapter and is founder and Publishing Editor for Golf Arizona magazine and GoGolfArizona. com. He is a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America has over 30 years of expertise in the golf profession, member of the Golf Writers Association of America and Sports Photographers Association of America.

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Published by Golf Arizona, LLC PUBLISHING EDITOR

Rick Price, PGA GRAPHIC DESIGN

AB Graphic Design, Inc. ADVISORY BOARD

Frank Calvin, PGA Bob Doyle, PGA Tim Eberlein, PGA Scott McNevin, JGAA Michael Miller, SWSPGA Dale Moseke Pat O’Hara, PGA Mary Pomroy, AWGA Carmella Ruggiero, GCSA Mike Schoaf Dave Sherman Debra Thompson Roedl Hugh Smith, The First Tee Kris Strauss

CONTRIBUTORS

Rick Price, PGA Dale Balvin Frank Calvin, PGA Derek Deminsky, PGA Bob Doyle, PGA Brent DeRaad Bryan Hepler Kammi Hunt Jeff Jensen Mary Beth Lacy Joan Liess Ryan Larson Jeff Locke Pat O’Hara, PGA Mary Pomroy Jeff Reich Chris Saunders Kris Strauss Zac Strohfus

GOLF ARIZONA MAGAZINE phone

P.O. Box 69190, Oro Valley, AZ 85737 480-285-2744 e m a i l rickprice@gogolfarizona.com www.GoGolfArizona.com

SOUTHWEST SECTION PGA

10685 North 69th Street Scottsdale, AZ 85254 p h o n e 480-443-9002 fa x 480-443-9006 e m a i l mburhans@pgahg.com www.southwest.pga.com

SOUTHWEST SECTION PGA SOUTHERN CHAPTER

600 S. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85711 520-290-1742 fa x 520-326-8772 e m a i l rick@southrnchapterpga.com www.southernchapterpga.com

phone

ABOUT THE PGA

The Southwest Section PGA is one of 41 Sections of the PGA of America consisting of more than 1,300 members in the state of Arizona and Southern Nevada. The Southern Chapter PGA is the six southern counties of Arizona. The PGA of America is the world’s largest working sports organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals, who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position by growing the game of golf through it premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Your PGA Professionals are the “Expert in the Game and Business of Golf.”

ABOUT GOLF ARIZONA MAGAZINE

Golf Arizona magazine is the official publication of the Southwest Section PGA, is published quarterly by Golf Arizona, LLC. This is Arizona’s number one multi-media resource for golf, designed as a unique and compelling benefit for all golfers in Arizona that cannot be found in other publications. We offer more content beyond the printed version of the magazine with updated current events on the website at www.GoGolfArizona.com. We showcase the game of golf, courses and businesses within Arizona, while celebrating the people and entities that make golf such a spectacular attraction. The magazine is available free to the public; this full color glossy magazine is distributed to all golf courses, resorts and concierges – as well as other golf-related and high-traffic locations throughout all of the Phoenix Valley and Southern Arizona. “Our mission is all about promoting the game of golf, individuals and businesses within our community.” All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the Southwest Section PGA. Distributed throughout the state of Arizona with 30,000 bulk /on demand print circulation. Copyright ©2016.

by Bryan Hepler, Founder of Tathata Golf

Instruction

Tathata Golf - Improving Your Game Away From The Course Here is another movement that you can easily do from the comfort of your own home to create strength and build energy in your downswing like generations of the game’s greatest players.

Downswing - Performance Details Figure A1 to A2 (Top of backswing to just before impact) • Begin the motion forward with the front knee moving down and toward the target (left knee for right-handed players).

Figure A1 • The head should also move down and forward toward the target 2-3” (See Figure A2).

• At the END of this movement (Figure A2) BE SURE: – Both arms are out at your sides and parallel to your shoulder line – The front knee is slightly closer to the target than the front foot – The back leg is slightly straighter than the front leg – The knees, hips, shoulders and arms are all square/parallel to your Figure A2 target-line – The front knee, hip, shoulder and hand are slightly higher than the back knee, hip, shoulder and hand – The spine is leaning slightly over the ball while also being slightly concaved – There is a sense of both glutes pushing slightly back away from the ball • Perform this movement 8-10 times and then rest Visit TathataGolf.com to learn more about 144 other complimentary movements included in the Tathata Golf 60-Day Program.

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Course Review

by Jeff Locke

A S U K A R S T E N G O L F CO U R S E

Still the Home of Champions Great Conditions and Winning Traditions Spanning Two Decades

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rizona boasts a long storied history with the game of golf. Players ranging from vacationers looking for a warm winter getaway to the world’s best have been making the trip for decades. Indeed, the current Men’s No. 1 Amateur, Jon Rahm, traveled all the way from Spain to hone his game as a Sun Devil playing out of ASU Karsten Golf Course.

He joins a host of players who developed into champions at the very same place such as Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Billy Mayfair, Alejandro Canizares, Pat Perez, Matt Jones, Jeff Quinney and Chez Reavie – all of which went on to make the cut at the professional level. No surprise given what they accomplished while still at ASU: 12 Pac-12 titles, more than any other team in the conference; two NCAA DI Championships and three U.S. Amateur titles.

The story remained much the same when they turned pro with more than 60 PGA TOUR victories worth over $150,000,000 in earnings. That number will certainly jump when Rahm inevitably turns pro. As an amateur, Rahm already showed he could hang with the world’s best at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open by posting a T5 finish.

It was the best performance by a current Sun Devil at the open, supplanting Mickelson who finished T32 in 1991. And this November Rahm recorded his second-career top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

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n the girl’s side, players such as Heather Farr, Anna Nordqvist, Tina Tombs, Danielle Ammaccapane, Grace Park, Wendy Ward and Azahara Muñoz launched their careers at ASU Karsten Golf Course. Collectively, they amassed seven NCAA DI Team Championships and nine Individual Championships. Muñoz, among other distinctions, made an immediate splash on the LPGA Tour by earning 2010 LPGA Rookie of the Year honors.

“Arizona State golf has such a long history and tradition of success competing at the highest level,” said Tim Mickelson, former member and current head coach of the ASU Men’s Golf Team. “We have the weather, we have the facility, we have the golf course, we obviously have a major university and great academic support. In my opinion we really have everything we need to succeed at the highest level.”

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s Arizona State University continues to swell like a balloon at a birthday party, it’s probably inevitable that the strategically located property where the golf course sits will someday be swallowed up for other purposes. But until then, the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of champions is an alluring reality for any golfer willing to take on this Pete Dye classic.

To join the legacy, visit www.ASUKarsten.com or call 480.921.8070. Jeff Locke is a writer and publicist for Scottsdale-based Communication Links.

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Arizona State golf has such a long history and tradition of success competing at the highest level. We have the weather, we have the facility, we have the golf course, we obviously have a major university and great academic support.”

— Tim Mickelson, former member & current head coach of the ASU Men’s Golf Team

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by Pat O’Hara, PGA

Instruction

They never told me this on the lesson tee!”

Did you know that one of the most misunderstood aspects of the golf set-up is the ball position? Growing up I heard things like, “play the long irons just inside your left heel”, or “play the driver off your big toe on your left foot.” Being a good student I would follow suit. But I never got the consistency that I was looking for in shot shape, solidness of hit or trajectory until I had a discussion with an instructor who made a statement that was profound to me at the time: “How can you be consistent in your ball position when what you are using to measure ball position varies from shot to shot and day to day?”

His point was well taken. I was using a reference point that was always changing. The width of my stance. My stance was never the same width any two shots. My driver stance is wider than my 9-iron stance, my sand wedge stance is narrower than my #4 hybrid. How can you be precise when you have no precision built into your set-up?

So here is the answer. Measure you ball position’s location with a point that remains constant. For example, your left shoulder (right handed player). Your shoulders are the same width today as they were yesterday. A good chance they will be the same tomorrow too. The zipper on your shorts or slacks is another good reference point for shorter irons or pitch/chip shots. Find the ball location that works best for you with each club and relate it to something that never changes location – shoulders and zippers!

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Spotlight

by Mary Pomroy

2016 Gem Award Winners

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he results are in! The continued enthusiastic participation in the GEM (Golf Endorsed by Members) program by AWGA members throughout this past year has allowed the AWGA to collect and compile data in our quest to find the golf courses that provide a great golf experience for women in the state of Arizona.

Since 2012, the AWGA has managed the GEM (Golf Endorsed by Members) program, to acknowledge the courses that, by their anonymous survey results, are chosen as the best at serving the needs of women golfers.

The AWGA’s GEM program is truly a program that is endorsed by members. The multitude of surveys AWGA members complete throughout the year, provides personal opinions and golf course evaluations on their experience playing a course, and enables the AWGA to objectively calculate direct data and select only the most highly graded courses.

Because the survey is connected with a golfer’s personal profile, and each golfer is eligible to evaluate a golf course only one time per season, the surveys collected represent a broad spectrum of membership.

Tonto Verde Golf Club

Sewailo Golf Club

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Pinetop Lakes Golf and Country Club

Camelback Golf Club

Los Caballaros Golf Club

A L P H A B E T I C A L LY, O U R 2 0 1 6 G E M D E S I G N AT E D G O L F CO U R S E S A R E : Camelback Golf Club Copper Canyon Golf Club Desert Highlands Golf Club The Desert Mountain Club Encanterra Country Club Forest Highlands Gold Canyon Golf Resort Gallery Golf Club, The Highlands at Dove Mountain, The Los Caballeros Golf Club Omni Tucson National Golf Club Pinetop Country Club Pinetop Lakes Golf & CC Poston Butte Golf Club SaddleBrooke Golf Club Sewailo Golf Club Superstition Mountain Golf Club Tonto Verde Golf Club Troon North Golf Club Ventana Canyon GC

1st award 3rd award 2nd award 4th award 4th award 4th award 2nd award 4th award 4th award 2nd award 4th award 3rd award 2nd award 3rd award 3rd award 1st award 4th award 4th award 2nd award 4th award

Public Public Private Private Private Private Public Private Semi-Private Public Public Private Public Public Private Public Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Public

Phoenix Buckeye Scottsdale Scottsdale Queen Creek Flagstaff Gold Canyon Marana Marana Wickenburg Tucson Pinetop Pinetop Florence Tucson Tucson Gold Canyon Rio Verde Scottsdale Tucson

In order to be included in a GEM survey, a golf course must be an active course with the AWGA. In essence, a golf course must have at least one set of tees with a current USGA Course rating for play by women that has been issued by the AWGA. In turn, this allows a course to be included in the AWGA’s score posting database. Courses were evaluated by AWGA members on a variety of criteria such as customer service, playability, club house facilities, and restroom availability.

As an ongoing program, the new GEM year started November 1st. If your favorite course is not on the list, AWGA members can affect that by taking the survey and influencing friends to do the same. If you are not a member, join online at www.awga.org.

The GEM program is a unique, one of a kind, member endorsed initiative, consistent with the goals and objectives of the AWGA - To inspire and encourage women to engage in the game of golf.

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Instruction

by Kammi Hunt

The Power of Ankle Mobility You might not think that ankle mobility has anything to do with swinging a club, but think again!

D O R S I F L E X I O N may seem like a foreign term, but this big word represents a fairly simple action which plays a large part in the golf swing. The ankle is a mobile joint with the ability to rotate, flex and extend. Ankle dorsiflexion simply describes the motion of backward bending, or pulling, your foot up toward your knee.

Through a series of screening exercises developed by Titleist Performance Institute, ankle dorsiflexion is one that a vast amount of amateur players as well as PGA Tour players have a limitation in. Having this limitation greatly hinders ankle mobility. Think about the motion of bending the foot backward/up toward the knee. If ankle mobility is limited, golfers have a hard time keeping their feet planted during the backswing, and in consequence, they lose posture in their spine. This will create flaws in the body-swing connection causing the golfer to early extend, or stand up, during the swing simply because the ankle is not mobile enough to maintain flexion. If the heels lose contact with the ground at any time during the backswing, there is a good chance that balance will be effected, as well as creating an inconsistent downswing. In contrast, unrestricted ankle mobility allows the body to generate and maintain abundant power and speed starting from the ground up.

One way to test your ankle dorsiflexion is to perform a deep squat by standing with your feet shoulder width apart, toes forward, and hands behind your head. Squat down as far as you can. If you lose posture, balance, or your heels come up or move, you might have a dorsiflexion limitation.

To improve ankle mobility, soften and stretch the Achilles tendon and calf muscles. To soften this area, you can use a Tiger Tail® massage stick to “search and destroy”. This tool is used like a rolling pin to loosen or break up any adhesions or tightness in the area. “Search” for any trigger points that feel tight, tender, or stiff, then “destroy” them or roll them out until they start feel loose. After you have done this, perform a calf stretch on an incline or slant board by keeping the heel on the ground, toes up, leg straight, and moving the hips forward. Add an Achilles stretch by bending at the knee instead of keeping the leg straight. Hold for up to 2 min.

To physically improve your ankle mobility, first test your dorsiflexion with the squat, then soften the area, and finally, stretch it. By doing these things, you will have a better indication about your own ankle dorsiflexion and then be able to have a more fluid golf swing!

three planes of Kammi Hunt motion

Advanced Fitness Specialist, TPI Certified | Leisure World Arizona

Kammi is the Advanced Fitness Specialist at Leisure World Arizona, a 55+ community in Mesa, AZ. She holds a degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a Coaching Minor. Certifications include: Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), Certified Personal Training through the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF), TRX Suspension Training, TRX Rip Training, Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP), and Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA).

This series of YFG poses help train the body in triplane movements.

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Course Review

by Michael Loizou

Capital Canyon Club

CLUB REVIVAL

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fter a successful run as an exclusive and prominent facility, Hassayampa Country Club in Prescott, Arizona had fallen on tougher times.

Once the previous member owners ran out of options to keep it open, the doors were closed. The club remained closed for nearly 2.5 years while ownership was determining a long term course of action.

Late in 2014, individual owners (who were members) purchased the club.

Their long standing passion toward the area, the game and the club were driving motivators of the purchase. Immediately, they set forth a path for the club’s revival, creating new branding, new positioning and refreshing/renovating the clubhouse. The new ownership also brought in Troon to provide new leadership, agronomy standards and introduce new member benefits in the form of Troon Privé Privilege.

The aggressive goal put forth by the team was to reopen by spring of 2015.

Heading into winter with waist-high

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weeds on the tees, nearly indiscernible bunkers, and a dusty clubhouse, work began in earnest. By May of 2015, the club reopened for member enjoyment, revitalized and refreshed. The renewed course debuted by the Fourth of July holiday to celebrated by ecstatic members and guests.

Renovations were executed under the watchful eyes of two industry veterans. Troon vice president of golf course development Ron Despain, and Capital Canyon general manager Laura Scrivner. “There were plenty of long days and nights,” says Scrivner, who managed three Troon Privé golf clubs owned by the Freeman Company in Delaware prior to coming to Capital Canyon. “It took us some time just to find all the light switches.” Landscaping, new interior paint and other renovations now make the building look brand new. Both locker rooms were renovated and are now connected to a new fitness center. Members and guests can dine in the Capital Room (fine dining and weddings/parties), Club Room, and Canyon Room.

A busy social calendar and an enhanced food and beverage program, with theme nights and a chef ’s table featuring a four-course meal with wine pairings have proven quite popular.

Golf Superintendent Jamie Bushman, is a Prescott native and former assistant superintendent at Pinetop Country Club (also a Troon Privé club in Arizona). Bushman used Google Earth maps to study what the course used to look like and led an 18-person crew on the project. “We kept our heads down and worked hard to make it better every day.” In May, Bushman walked the course with Weiskopf. “He had a lot of good input and even used a paint gun to define rough lines and approaches.”

Those efforts paid off when the course reopened on July 1st to rave reviews.

All of the changes have led to an overwhelming response from former members. “They saw the work in progress and were very excited,” says Scrivner. The rebranding effort also included a new name and logo: Capital because Prescott was Arizona’s territorial cap-

ital twice in the 19th century and Canyon because it’s in the Grand Canyon state. The modern logo features a partial rendering of the 100-year-old Yavapi County courthouse (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) in Prescott’s town square two miles from the club.

riginally a nine-hole facility from 1919 until 1969, Capital Canyon Club now has begun a new chapter that sets out to prove Capital Canyon is back and better than ever. Those that have experienced Capital Canyon appreciate the fact that the 6,600-yard, 18-hole Tom Weiskopf design is virtually three courses in one. The first through sixth holes wrap around the higher parts of the property; holes seven through 14 plateau (stone tables dating back to the club’s early 20th century origins are visible between the 12th and 13th holes); and the final three holes go through a number of rugged canyons with multiple creeks.

The well-bunkered course includes a

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drivable par-4 (the 317-yard seventh) a hallmark of Weiskopf designs. The most scenic hole may just be 168-yard 16th that features a beautiful rock formation and a nasty little bunker just short of the green. From the practice facility, where instruction clinics are a new focus, you can see the San Francisco Peaks almost 75 miles away near Flagstaff, while 360-degree views of the surrounding Prescott area are found throughout the course. Yes, Capital Canyon has truly made a revival.

The biggest fan of the club’s transformation may be Bill Ware, a 78-year-old former member who rejoined the club and played the course on opening day.

“This is a wonderful golf experience,” he says. “I never get tired of playing it. I tell former members that they will not believe their eyes when they see this place now. It’s a happy place to be.”

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This is a wonderful golf experience. I never get tired of playing it. I tell former members that they will not believe their eyes when they see this place now. It’s a happy place to be.”

Bill Ware, former and current member

For more information on Capital Canyon Golf Club or membership opportunities call 928.350.3150 or visit www.CapitalCanyonClub.com

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by Brent DeRaad

Community

Southern Arizona Golf Tourism Update

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RAVEL IS OFTEN a forgotten contributor in regard to Arizona’s top industries. Total direct travel spending in Arizona was $20.9 billion in 2014—a 5.4 percent increase over 2013. Additionally, travel spending is expected to grow 5 percent or more again in 2015.

When you consider our sunny winter weather, natural beauty, a strong cadre of attractions and a growing number of world-class events, it is easy to see why more visitors are traveling to Arizona.

Our state’s growth in visitors and visitor expenditures is not an accident.

The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) throughout the state are competing against cities and regions throughout the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean for leisure travel and meetings business.

Travel has grown in recent years as our nation’s economy has recovered.

Travel spending in Pima County grew 10 percent between 2010 and 2014.

Visit Tucson is the primary DMO for Tucson and southern Arizona. We are funded primarily by transient-occupancy (bed) tax revenue, which is paid

by those who stay in our hotels, resorts and some bed-and-breakfasts.

We will spend our $7.5 million budget this year to help grow visitor spending in our region. We market Tucson and southern Arizona domestically and internationally, including deploying a Mexico marketing department. We also work with hotels and resorts to bring in meetings, have departments that specialize in sports and film business, promote the region to travel media, and work with tour operators and travel agents around the globe to create more travel to Tucson.

Out of the $2.2 billion that was spent by travelers in Pima County in 2014, our team at Visit Tucson can track directly $163 million tied to its efforts.

We also played a role in influencing additional leisure travel. Divide the $163 million by our budget and we are returning nearly $22 for every $1 invested in our organization.

Our research shows that visitors from our top feeder markets—Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago—come to Tucson to rejuvenate. So we market cycling and hiking in our beautiful Sonoran Desert, our incredible attractions,

and other assets, including resorts, spas and golf.

We are fortunate to have such an outstanding array of daily-fee, public and semi-private courses available for residents and visitors alike. We market Tucson golf via print and digital advertising in national and regional golf media. Visit Tucson is also a sponsor of the Tucson Conquistadores Classic, a PGA Champions Tour event staged in March at Omni Tucson National Resort. The Golf Channel promotes Tucson golf substantially during the network’s live and replay coverage of the event.

Visiting golfers not only help to keep our courses open, but they spend money locally on food and beverages, entertainment, local transportation, apparel and equipment. So the next time you encounter a visitor at one of our courses, I hope you will thank him or her for traveling to Tucson.

Meanwhile, regardless of the activities visitors avail themselves of in Tucson and southern Arizona, their expenditures employ area residents and add revenue to local and state tax coffers to help pay for police, fire, water, trash and other services throughout the region.

Brent DeRaad Brent DeRaad serves as the President & CEO of Visit Tucson. The organization markets, promotes and sells Tucson and southern Arizona as a leisure and meetings destination to potential visitors and meeting planners. Metro Tucson attracts more than 4 million overnight visitors who spend $2 billion annually.

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by Mary Beth Lacy

Product Review

Bright Primaries Highlight Antigua’s Spring 2016 Men’s Performance-72 Fashion Golf Wear Collection T

HE ANTIGUA GROUP, INC., one of the nation’s leading designers and marketers of lifestyle and golf apparel under the distinguished Antigua brand – announces its Spring 2016 Men’s Performance-72 Fashion Golf Wear Collection.

The direction for Antigua’s 2016 men’s fashion golfwear reflects current trends taking shape in fashion, from couture to ready-to-wear. The palette influence has swung from the previous season’s electrified brights to now expressing the most up-to-date and utmost simplistic bright color stories found universally in fashion products from shoes, bags and belts to men’s and women’s golfwear. The primary color story is succinctly 2016, and propels this new men’s collection.

“Envision the austere geometrics of Mondrian or a Rubik’s Cube,” says Sean Gregg, vice president of product development and marketing support. “Stripped down to the base colors themselves, they’re bright red, yellow, green, royal and purple. But infused into performance fabrics accompanied with blocks, stripes or textures of neutrals and complementing hues, they become so vividly fresh and fun that renaming the colors to Fire, Sunburst, Verdant, Hypnotic and Mardi Gras is more indicative of their current fashion status.”

What makes this season’s color palette so unique is not the individual use of any of these colors -- years past have seen a bright red included in a color story or a bright green as a complement to an otherwise soft palette – it is the simultaneous use of all of, and only the primary colors. “Seeing the boldness of these colors offered in tandem is such a refreshingly bold punch of newness that it’s compelling to want to possess them all,” says Gregg.

Antigua’s Spring 2016 men’s and women’s fashion styles complement the color direction.

Clean to their core. This season’s collection of golfwear styles and styling details equally mirror the momentum that fashion giants and forecasters alike have committed to as a representation of this year’s fashion ideal.

Antigua’s Spring 2016 Men’s Performance-72 Fashion Golf Wear Collection includes both of our state-of-the-art moisture-wicking technologies.

DESERT DRY™ is a moisture-wicking technology created exclusively for Antigua, to absorb and wick moisture quickly and evenly. The Desert Dry product family includes any garment using a fabric weight of 150 gsm or heavier. Typically fabrics over 150 gsm offer more body and improved drape for the customers who don’t like the ultra-lightweight “clingy” fabrics currently in the market.

DESERT DRY™ XTRA-LITE (D2XL) combines Antigua’s exclusive DESERT DRY™ moisture-wicking feature with specially constructed ultra-light fabrics for maximum wicking performance and optimum comfort. The D2XL product family includes any garment using a fabric weight of 150 gsm or lighter. These fabrics have been specially engineered to be lightweight while not being overly sheer. This is possible through the use of ultra-fine yarns which gives a fabric more body while not dramatically increasing the weight.

About Antigua: Headquartered in Peoria, Arizona, The Antigua Group, through its license sports division, holds license agreements with National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), Minor League Baseball (MiLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), along with numerous American universities and colleges for men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, headwear and luggage. Antigua additionally designs, produces and supplies product for corporate America and specialty retail managed under its corporate division. Its golf division also holds license agreements with the PGA TOUR, LPGA and the PGA of America Find Antigua on the web at: www.Antigua.com and ShopAntigua.com

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Instruction

by Derek Deminsky, PGA

Three Keys For Better Bunker Play

Greenside bunkers are a common place to see golfers struggle. I’m going to give you three of my favorite keys to focus on the next time you’re in the bunker that will help lead to more success.

1 | Don’t look at the ball – Yes, you heard me correctly. Instead of looking at the golf ball, pick a spot roughly a golf ball width behind the ball, and keep your eyes there as you swing. After all, you’re not trying to hit the ball per se but rather the sand behind the ball. Keeping your eyes focused on your sand “entry point” is a great way to get correct contact.

2 | Don’t shift your weight– Be careful here because I’m not telling you not to turn your body, but eliminate the sway to your right side (left side for lefties) as you move the club back.

Keep your weight braced into your left side as you move.

This will help keep you more on top of your entry point instead of getting so far behind it, leading to more consistency.

3 | Use your wrists right away – Use your wrists to start setting the club right away as you move the club back. This will help improve your angle of attack down into your entry point.

I often see the mistake of taking the club back low and wide, but you really want more of a steep angle of attack down and through the sand.

Use these keys in your next round, and watch your bunker game improve!

three Derek Deminsky, PGA planes of motion

Derek Deminsky is a Class A PGA Professional and the Director of Instruction at the Forty Niner Country Club in Tucson. To learn more about Derek or book a lesson, you can visit his website at www. golfbettertucson.com. To play or learn more about the newly renovated Forty Niner Country Club, visit www.fortyninercc.com.

This series of YFG poses help train the body in triplane movements.

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TUCSON CONQUISTADORES

Preparing for Another Winner P G A TO U R C H A M P I O N S R E T U R N TO O M N I T U C S O N N AT I O N A L R E S O R T

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FTER THE LAST PUT T dropped, the inaugural Tucson Conquistadores Classic was officially declared a hitit-out-of-the-park blockbuster. Some 50,000 fans made the trek to Omni Tucson National Resort last March and 81 Champions genuinely appreciated the welcome. “Man it’s beautiful,” said golfer David Frost. “These crowds we have here, they just definitely make us feel like the old days. It’s just great to see the whole community behind us.” Fred Couples shared his thoughts walking down a fan-lined fairway with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown. “This is pretty phenomenal,” he said live during the telecast. “We have huge galleries and this is what the Champions Tour needs. We have that here in Tucson. It’s a great spot.”

AT - H O M E F E E L I N G The 2015 Tucson Conquistadores Classic champion Marco Dawson claimed the at-home feeling on the Catalina Course contributed to his maiden Champions’ win. “I loved going back to

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Tucson after having played there on the PGA TOUR and I know many of our guys felt the same way,” Dawson said.

“It brought back a lot of good memories and most of the players really enjoyed the golf course itself. It’s just an old-style golf course and a lot of fun to play.” Dawson followed up his Tucson victory with a major win in July – The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex.

NOWHERE ELSE Thanks to a healthy, growing PGA TOUR Champions program golf fans have the extraordinary opportunity to see the legends of the game compete on first-rate courses coast to coast. Nowhere else in sports is career longevity encouraged, supported and rewarded.

“It’s obviously a lot of fun when you’re winning,” according to Jeff Maggert who won four times in 2015. “I’ve learned that the players are very competitive; it’s not a pushover tour. Every week there’s guys that play hard and play tough and they’re tough to beat.”

Three notable players will be eligible to enter this year’s Tucson Conquis-

tadores Classic. Spaniard José María Olazábal, Texan Bob Estes and Australian Craig Parry hit 50 before the ProAm begins on March 16. John Daly missed the eligible age date for this year’s tournament by a month.

Olazábal, a six-time TOUR winner and two-time Masters champion (1994,1999) is one of the very few Champions new to the Catalina Course.

For most of his career Olazábal dominated on the European Tour collecting 23 international wins along the way.

His success led to his appointment as the 2012 European Ryder Cup captain.

Estes competed in the Tucson Open from 1988-1998 with six of those tournaments on the Catalina Course; Parry previously played the course four times between 1992 and 2002.

N E W P L AYE R S Players who became of age in 2015 after the Tucson Conquistadores Classic and are eligible to enter this year include Carlos Franco, Scott McCarron, J.P. Hayes, Todd Hamilton, Mike Springer, Glen Day and Brandt Jobe.

J U S T T H E FAC T S

Tucson Conquistadores Classic March 14-20, 2016.

Omni Tucson National Resort, Catalina Course.

Featuring: 81 Champions Tour professionals.

Format: Three days of competition (Fri-Sun, March 18-20); no cut.

Pro-Am: Wed-Thurs, March 16-17.

Television: Golf Channel Thurs-Sun. Ticket and Pro-Am Info: (520) 571-0400; ConquistadoresClassic.com

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S O C I A L LY E XC E P T I O N A L Scheduling a golf tournament during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament proved to be quite clever in 2015 – the “sports bar” tickets sold out. The popular private Conquistadores Club will be reconstructed this year and again outfitted with dozens of televisions tuned into basketball.

The Club’s casual sports bar theme features a creative food and libation menu, an adjacent patio and beer garden, and new this year, a private viewing deck at the 9th green.

Packages for the Conquistadores Club are $600 for two persons and $1,000 for four and include daily tickets and parking. The $1,900 package for eight includes a bonus $200 in food and beverage script. Exceptional venue choices for corporate and private group entertaining are available as well. Visit ConquistadoresClassic.com for detailed information.

JUST DO IT

Tucson Conquistadores Classic Jose Cuervo Pro-Am Wednesday & Thursday, March 16–17 Catalina Course Omni Tucson National Resort Playing golf isn’t the only adventure. Tuesday evening (March 15) players will be matched with their pros at the exclusive pro-am pairings party. Amateurs and their guests can expect a festive, all-inclusive dinner party and a high-end gift pack filled at least $1,000 worth of swag.

On Wednesday and Thursday, amateurs have access to VIP parking and the pros’ hospitality room; hosted meals, snacks and beverages will be handy throughout the day. On the course, amateur caddies wear bibs with the amateurs’ names on the backs, just like the pros’ caddies, and autographed team photos are arranged. The grand finale is Thursday evening’s awards party: count on plenty of cheers, boo’s and high-fives among players and their pros.

Participation fees are $3,500 to $25,000 for individuals and teams. For information or to register, go to ConquistadoresClassic.com or call (520) 571-0400.

CO M M U N I T Y R E S P O N S I B L E Conquistador tournament director Regan Jasper said staging professional golf events has been and will continue to be the primary source for the group’s fundraising.

“Since our organization adopted the Tucson Open in 1966 more than $30 million has been raised for area youth athletic programs and charities. This tournament also contributes to the economic benefits of tourism which is boosted by the worldwide telecast of this event on Golf Channel.”

— Regan Jasper, Conquistador Tournament Chairman

Tournament proceeds benefit sports organizations, teams and individuals including The First Tee of Tucson, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, Pima County Special Olympics, Educational Enrichment Foundation and Southern Arizona Community Sports Center at Curtis Park.

by Joan Liess

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Community

By Chris Saunders

Are your favorite beers made with Marana wheat?

IN A CORNER of rural Marana, a tall crop of wheat, light brown and flecked with green, rises from the soil. Though this field of White Sonoran Wheat represents a new venture for the Wong family’s BKW Farms, its history goes back hundreds of years.

In the 1600s, Spanish missionaries introduced the drought- and pest-resistant grain, so when the Wongs began searching for a way to reduce their farm’s water use and offer an organic, locally grown wheat, they turned to the region’s early agricultural roots.

Since the first harvest in 2013, local bakeries and breweries have clamored to use White Sonoran Wheat in their breads and beers.

As microbreweries have proliferated across the region, they have found a natural partner in BKW. A few local craft beer producers, including Borderlands Brewing Company, Dragoon Brewing, and Sentinel Peak Brewing, all brews using BKW’s wheat, producing a wide variety of lagers and ales sourced from the Town of Marana.

Casual drinkers and craft beer fans alike can find something to enjoy in these heady brews. Check them out at nearby restaurants or liquor stores that offer these beers, including the Ritz-Carlton and lo Esencial.

If all this talk about bread and beer has stirred up your appetite, then come experience Marana’s diverse blend of restaurants. From American to Italian and Mexican, Marana offers dining options to please every palette. Find out more at www.DiscoverMarana.org

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by Jeff Reich

Community

S O U T H W E S T S E N I O R S G O L F A S S O C I AT I O N

2016 New Venues & New Sponsors The Southwest Seniors Golf Association (SWSGA) wrapped up the 2015 year on a chilly and blustery December Monday at the Legacy Golf Resort with 94 hearty players making a last attempt to earn points to qualify for the year-long “Race to the Founder’s Championship”.

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ecognizing the Founding members of the SWSGA, who, in 1978, created this competitive playing opportunity for gentlemen aged fifty and over with handicaps of 10 or less, the Founder’s Championship is an invitational event for the top 72 amateur and 24 professional point leaders. Play in the Founder’s Championship will be contested on Monday, January 4, 2016, at Encanterra Country Club with an enhanced purse, Hole-in-One car courtesy of CardinaleWay Mazda-Mesa, proximity prizes and an excellent post round buffet.

L to R; Professional John McCahon, John Schroder, Ben Snyder, Don Hurst

The new SWSGA 2016 season and race to play the next Founder’s Championship begins on Monday, January 25, 2016, at Moon Valley Country Club. SWSGA events are held once a month and include a team competition, individual low gross and low net competition by age group, proximity events with skins and a Hole-in-One pot. Following play at each event while scores are posted participants enjoy a great meal and reminisce over the round and what might have been. Six new venues will be included on the 2016 schedule including; Mission Royal Golf Club, Trilogy at Vistancia, Terravita Country Club, Mirabel, Alta Mesa Country Club and L to R; Steve Driver, Ralph Klein, Robert Shaw, Professional Randy Wittig Briarwood Country Club. The remaining schedule includes returning to the following five SWSGA member favorites; Moon Valley Country Club, Falcon Dunes Golf Club, Superstition Mountain Country Club, Phoenix Country Club and Seville Country Club with the October event yet to be determined at the time of publication.

PGA Golf Professional, Bob Pancratz, who serves as President of the SWSGA Board of Directors, stated, “The SWSGA has and continues to establish itself as the premiere golf competition for seniors and is becoming increasingly popular with our members and business sponsors alike.” Over the past eighteen months, the following business partners have supported the SWSGA and have enjoyed exposure to specific events plus on the SWSGA website. Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, Antigua Apparel Company, Cool Clubs, Fore-Max Fitness, Southwest Greens-Tucson, Tucson Golf Vacations, Van’s Golf, Titleist, Snap-On Tools and CardinaleWay Mazda-Mesa the later who has committed to participate as a sponsor for the entire 2016 calendar year!

Interested in testing your game or to learn more about the Southwest Seniors Golf Association?

Visit www.swsga.com

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CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO T H E W I N N E R S O F T H E

2015 Fall Phoenix & Tucson Tours!

U.S. KIDS GOLF continues amazing growth in the state of Arizona! The Phoenix Fall tour averaged 110 players per event with 28% of the participants being girls. Tucson’s local tour grew over 300% from 2014 averaging almost 40% of the play from girls. As we kick off our 2016 season, we look to add a variety of new courses to the both tours which will challenge our future stars and add to their tournament experience.

The 2016 State Invitational is set for May 14-15 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. The State Invitational offers players from Arizona and surrounding states the opportunity to compete in a multi-day championship event and qualify for U.S. Kids Golf Priority Status.

Many players receive invites to play beyond the local level in state, regional, national and international events around the world. Parents are strongly encouraged to take part in the experience by caddying or spectating with their son or daughter. Girls and boys ages 5 to 14 compete with age appropriate yardages, playing 9 or 18 holes determined by age. Our organized tournaments have the feel of a real tour event. Local Tours, such as Arizona, are developmental. There is a mix of new tournament players and seasoned veterans. However, all players are still developing their golf game, no matter what ability level. “The mission of U.S. Kids Golf is to help kids have fun learning the lifelong game of golf and to encourage family interaction that builds lasting memories.”

U.S. Kids Golf Arizona offers 24 events in Phoenix, eight events in Tucson and a two-day, Arizona State Invitational. The Tucson Local Tour is open during the fall season, while the Phoenix Local Tour runs for three seasons—spring, summer and fall. Each Local Tour season is comprised For more information log on to www.uskidsgolf.com or www.arizonajuniorgolf.com. Call Dale Balvin at 602-350-5733.

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Phoenix 2015 Player of the Year Tour BOYS 13-14: Ethan Adam | Chandler, AZ BOYS 12: Davis Johnson | Scottsdale, AZ BOYS 11: Alex Herkamp | Scottsdale, AZ BOYS 10: Adam Miller | Phoenix, AZ BOYS 9: Henry Dall | Scottsdale, AZ BOYS 8: Jonathan Tso | Humboldt, AZ BOYS 7: Carter Moore | Phoenix, AZ BOYS 6U: Dustin Russian | Phoenix, AZ GIRLS 12-14: Ashley Menne | Surprise, AZ GIRLS 10-11: Abbey Schutte | Goodyear, AZ GIRLS 8-9: Natalia Lamadrid | Phoenix, AZ GIRLS 7U: Alexis Lamadrid | Phoenix, AZ

Tucson 2015 Player of the Year Fall Tour BOYS 13-14: Carson Blair | Scottsdale, AZ BOYS 12: Cameron Kaiser | Scottsdale, AZ BOYS 11: Carlos Astiazaran | Tucson, AZ BOYS 10: Riley Wortman | Queen Creek, AZ BOYS 9: Henry Dall | Scottsdale, AZ BOYS 8: Jonathan Tso | Humboldt, AZ BOYS 7: Tylen Sisco | Vail, AZ BOYS 6U: Zach Schaefer | Marana, AZ GIRLS 13-14: Madeleine Laux | Goodyear, AZ GIRLS 10-11: Raina Ports | Oro Valley, AZ GIRLS 8-9: Ailis Tribolet | Tucson, AZ GIRLS 7U: Fernanda Silva | El Paso, TX

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G R E AT E R P H O E N I X & T U C S O N A R E A

A N N UA L G I B S O N C U P

Southwest Section Southern Chapter top PGA professionals and the Arizona Golf Associations Southern Arizona amateurs competed against each other in the 21st Annual Gibson Cup Matches hosted by Sewailo Golf Club. The first day’s format was Four-Ball matches and the final round single’s. The scoring was based on a point system, (1) point for winning the front and back nine, and for the overall eighteen-hole total. The Professionals prevailed after holding onto a 1-point lead in the first round defeating the amateurs 19-17 in the final round for a total of 28 ½ - 25 ½ to win the Cup. The overall record now stands with 13 Professionals wins and the Amateurs 8.

AW G A 2015 AWA R D W I N N E R S Congratulations to the 2015 AWGA Award Winners!

T R O O N N O R T H G O L F C LU B Troon North Golf Club was selected for an Association of Golf Merchandisers Platinum Award, they have received this award for the past 20 years based on creativity, adaptability, revenuegenerating initiatives and adhering to the contest rules. It’s judged on previous year’s retail revenues, the cost of sales, and turns, photos of the golf shop displays, and three essays detailing a promotional idea, golf shop renovation, a retail initiative, a merchandising event, along with one particular essay answering a question from the AGM.

DRIVE-CHIP & PUTT Drive-Chip & Putt will have over a 1,000 Juniors from Arizona and Southern Nevada will begin the qualifying process through 5 Qualifiers conducted by the Southwest Section PGA. Local Qualifiers will move on to a sub-regional qualifier held in August. Through the qualifying process, 80 girls and boys ages 7-15 will compete in the National Finals at Augusta National the week of the 2017 Masters.

Dates for this year’s SW Section Qualifiers: The Phoenician, Scottsdale - May 21 Tucson CC, Tucson - June 4 Lone Tree, Chandler - June 6 Troon North, Scottsdale - June 13 Aliante, Las Vegas – June 25 Information and Registration: www.drivechipandputt.com

Host Club of the Year: Forest Highlands Golf Club, Flagstaff Player of the Year: Hannah O’Sullivan | Paradise Valley Senior Player of the Year: Kelly Loeb | Tucson Volunteer of the Year: Kathy Cline | Green Valley Dorothy Pease Achievement Award: Rose Nehring | from Tucson Lifetime Achievement Award: Colleen Green | Surprise AWGA Rep of the Year: Charlotte James | SaddleBrooke Golf Club

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Community Golf News & Playing Opportunities

J U N I O R G O L F A S S O C I AT I O N O F A R I ZO N A W I N T E R C L A S S I C Junior Golf Association of Arizona Winter Classic hosted by Grand Canyon University Golf Course and Encanto Golf Course. Boys Championship Division, Jake Carlson of Phoenix got off to an incredible start on the front nine of the final round with seven consecutive birdies. He made par on No. 8 before adding his eighth birdie at the ninth hole of the par-71 Grand Canyon University Golf Course to card an 8-under-par 28. Carlson finished the 36-hole tournament at one-over-par 143 (75-68). In the Girls Championship Division, Scottsdale’s Emily Mahar notched her fourth victory of the season by a commanding eight-stroke margin. Mahar fired an even-par 73-69—142 at Grand Canyon University Golf Course.

P G A TO U R S U P E R S TO R E PGA TOUR Superstore will open its first experiential Tucson retail store. The store will open in early 2016 at 4215 North Oracle Road in the Tucson Fiesta Shopping Center.

PGA TOUR Superstore is known for its large-format interactive stores across the country, including three Arizona stores in Chandler, North Scottsdale, and Scottsdale. Its new Tucson location will be the largest golf retail store in the area.

OB SPORTS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP OB Sports Team Championship for 2015 came from Sandia Golf Club, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, winning with a final score of 396. They outlasted the team from ASU Karsten Golf Course, from Tempe, Arizona, who finished with a team total of 405. In total, nearly 180 national qualifiers participated in the event, representing 22 OB Sports-affiliated golf clubs throughout the United States.

“It’s just a lot of fun to play in this event,” said Dale Moseke, Vice President Sales and Marketing for OB Sports Golf Management. “Each year we bring together golfers from across the clubs we manage. Thanks to Randolph Golf Complex for hosting the 36-hole national event, Visit Tucson, Titleist and Under Armour Golf, it was another huge success for the players who made the trip to Tucson.”

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2015 Award Winners

Southwest Section PGA 2015 Annual Award Winners GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Mark Black | Encanterra Country Club Black is one of three hundred thirty-three PGA Master Professionals recognized for the highest degree of excellence. He has served on the Board of Directors for three years chairing the Employment Committee, the Education Committee and the Teaching and Coaching Committee. Black was instrumental in the creation of the Southwest PGA Metro Chapter which is designed specifically to help members with education, promotes networking, and includes a Certification and Master Professional mentoring program.

Black previously received the 2005 Horton Smith Award from the Michigan PGA, 2006 Bill Strausbaugh Award from the Michigan PGA and the 2011 Horton Smith Award from the Southwest PGA. It is with great pride that the Southwest PGA names Mark Black as the 2015 Golf Professional of the Year.

ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Nick Becker | Pinnacle Peak Country Club Becker graduated from the PGM Professional Golf Management program at Arizona State University in May of 2012, finishing with a 4.0 GPA. Becker had a passing score on every PGA checkpoint, test, and PAT on his first attempt, a feat accomplished by only a very few. Becker currently serves as co-chair of the Southwest PGA Junior Golf Committee was Director of the Salt River District of the Antigua Junior Tour in 2013 and 2014.

Becker grows the game of golf at Pinnacle Peak by creating a welcoming atmosphere for all and constructing programs that are tailored to individual needs like their Summer Wine and Nine series aimed at bringing people to the course for social interaction. It is programming and dedication that helped Nick Becker become this year’s award winner.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Drew Reid | Reid West Golf Academy Reid started his first Arizona golf academy in 2005 through a partnership with John Jacobs Golf Schools. In only five years, the academy grew to the largest in the state prompting his expansion to seven locations in Sun City West. In late 2015, Reid opened two additional academies at Pebble Creek employing another six instructors. Reid’s teaching ability and the academy success also caught the attention of some of the original founders of AimPoint. He was approached to become a Certified Instructor and has been so for four years. Reid’s academies offer a large variety of ways for students to learn or be involved in the game of golf. Reid prides himself on learning from the best and has been personally taught by Butch Harmon, Hank Haney, David Leadbetter and Mike Bender.

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2015 Award Winners

YOUTH PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Jeff Fisher | Longbow Golf Club Fisher has dedicated the bulk of his career to the area of junior golf. Prior to being in Arizona and in the Southwest PGA, he was Lead Instructor at the Hank Haney International Jr. Golf Academy where he trained junior golfers form all over the world. Since returning to Arizona he has developed the Fisher Bryan Golf Academy Junior Elite and Development programs which currently cater to more than 50 junior golfers per week from ages 6‐17. On a national level Fisher is a Professional Advisory Board member for the Future Champions Golf Tour and was the developer of their new Top 25 Elite Junior Coaches in the USA Award. Fisher is currently the Head Boys Varsity Golf Coach at Red Mountain High School. He also received recognition as a 2011 US Kids Top 50 Teachers Honorable mention.

BILL STRAUSBAUGH AWARD

David Engram | Mirabel Head golf professional at Mirabel since 2010, Engram has helped five different assistants move into head professional positions of their own. Engram has helped to create a culture of intimacy, honesty and fun at Mirabel in an effort to develop a successful operation. He leads by example showcasing the characteristics of honesty, dedication, family, fairness, compassion and discipline. Engram served on the Southwest PGA Board for two years (2013-2015) where he chaired the Tournament Committee. Mirabel’s in-house charity, “Hope for a Cause,” has donated over $1,000,000 to Scottsdale Healthcare Cancer Research over the past six years. Engram has received the 2000 Assistant Professional of the Year from the Georgia PGA, 2004 Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities from the Northern Ohio PGA and the 2009 Bill Strausbaugh Award from the Northern Ohio PGA.

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Eric Kulinna | Lone Tree Golf Club Kulinna has worked closely with Lone Tree’s owner/operations manager, Greg Avant, since 2012 in an effort to leverage and promote PGA of America branded programming. He started with Get Golf Ready classes for adults and has since added youth classes in conjunction with The First Tee of Phoenix, started a PGA Junior League Golf program, and hosted qualifiers for the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship. Since 2012, he has seen nearly 300 adults take the GGR Level 1 class and average about 80-90 participants annually. Kulinna currently serves on the Southwest PGA Teaching and Coaching committee, and formerly was on the Player Development and Golf Pass committees at various times. From 2004-2010 he was named to the President’s Council on the Growth of the Game.

Paul Trittler

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2015 Award Winners

MERCHANDISE OF THE YEAR – PRIVATE FACILITIES

Mark Thush | Desert Mountain Thush’s merchandising philosophy in general terms is quite simple - Create a situation whereby the customer feels compelled to make a purchase. While the goal is simple, the path to achieve the goal is complex – Provide the right product, at the right time, displayed in the right way, to the right person, at the right price. If any of these key ingredients is missing, the recipe falls flat. Thush feels that providing the right product is half the battle, and half the fun. As a buyer, sourcing product is the most strategic and creative part of the buying process. Mark received the 2012 Southwest PGA Merchandiser of the Year Award for Private Facilities.

MERCHANDISER OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC FACILITIES

Mason Spalding | TPC Las Vegas Spadling approaches his merchandising operation with a dynamic mentality, meaning the members and guests at TPC Las Vegas are looking to purchase only the most current trends in vendors, colors, styles, technologies and fabrics. Staying relevant and willing to adapt to what his customers’ demand is vital for any type of business to survive, and the merchandising operation is no different to him in that regard. It is Spalding’s objective to catch the guests’ attention as soon as they enter the golf shop with creative, bright, and eye‐catching displays. These prominent displays are intended to spark interest and direct guests into and around the entire floor space of the golf shop to ultimately assist in capturing sales.

2015 Southern Chapter PGA Award Winners PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

MIKE HAYES JUNIOR GOLF AWARD

Brent Newcomb | Stone Canyon Club

Robert Moreno | El Rio Golf Course

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Corey Baehman | The Practice Tee

Marvol Barnard

ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR

David Pena The Highlands Golf Club at Dove Mountain

By Frank Calvin | Photography by Mike Schoaf

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The Haven Golf Course in Green Valley DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

The Tucson Conquistadores

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Junior Spotlight Phoenix Valley David RICCIARDELLI

Emma REYES

DESERT MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 2016

DESERT RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 2016

David Ricciardelli turned heads this season by winning two JGAA tournaments including the Junior Masters Series’ AM&E Classic presented

by Bryce Molder. His outstanding play lead to numerous nationally-recognized tournament invitations; The Junior America’s Cup where Ricciardelli finished T-13 with a three-under par three-day total and the AJGA Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club where he finished solo-third with a twounder par three-day total. David also finished T-2 individually in the Division I AZ State Championship and played a major role in Desert Mountain’s Division I AZ State Championship victory.

David’s strength resides in the face of tough competition, his mental and physical ability to stay consistent under pressure earned him a scholarship to play for the University of San Diego Men’s Golf Team.

“USD has one of the best combinations of academics and athletics, which was a major part in my decision making process.” Ricciardelli’s main focus outside of golf is his education, “most of my time is dedicated to my school work as I have achieved high academic honors at my school.”

Beyond the confines of school and golf, David participates in recreational basketball and baseball.

Ricciardelli will admit to his struggles in golf, “I have had some extremely bad tournaments that taught me a lot, but I also won several tournaments, which also gave me motivation to continue pushing to be the best. I couldn’t thank the JGAA enough for providing the best building blocks heading into my college career.”

Emma Reyes recently signed her National Letter of Intent to play golf for the Northern Arizona University Women’s Golf Team next year. “It’s a blessing to be able to attend a university right out of high school and play Division I golf. I can’t wait to be a part of the women’s golf team in Flagstaff, Coach Bedortha has built a really great and structured program to help take his players to the next level in their golf games.” Reyes finished the 2015 JGAA season with fireworks, placing top-three in the last five tournaments. Emma won the Chandler City Junior Championship after firing oneover par Saturday and Sunday at the challenging Whirlwind Devil’s Claw Golf Course and recently placed solo-second at the JGAA Winter Classic.

Emma’s dad introduced her to golf, it allowed the young Reyes sisters to spend time with family.

As she grew, so grew her love for the game, “what I love is the endless challenge of it. I love the competition in golf, the mindset everyone gets into,” Emma continued on with, “golf never gets boring, there are so many details to each part of the game and there is always something to practice. It’s easy to fall in love with golf because of how beautiful the golf courses are and how deceptively simple it seems.” Reyes will pursue a career in business at NAU and spend her summers interning. If you ask me, this poet of golf enthusiasm will achieve whatever her heart desires.

Zac Strohfus Communications Manager | Junior Golf Association of Arizona Originally from Denver, Colorado, Zac combines his knowledge of media with his passion for the game of golf to encourage junior golfer growth and lifelong development. After three years as a Head Golf Professional in Idaho, Zac went back to school and earned his degree from Boise State University in Media Production.

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Junior Spotlight Southern Arizona Justin FISCHER ALTHOUGH HE IS NOW one of the top players in Tucson, Justin Fischer didn’t even begin to swing a golf club until three years ago. His sport of choice to that point had been baseball, but he was able to quickly have success on the golf course as well, when he attended a junior clinic in Rio Rico. Most players practice for years and still struggle to make birdies, but Justin went on the course with the instructor after the first day of the clinic and birdied the 2nd hole. His talent and love for golf began to grow after that.

Now in his junior year at Rio Rico High School, Justin has established himself as a standout player. Adding to an already impressive high school career, Justin finished the 2015 season as the top player in all of Division II Section 3. This success is what Justin considers his most memorable moment of golf during his young career.

“This accomplishment stands out to me as it required a season of good rounds and allowed me to qualify for state as an individual.”

Justin already has a full resume, but he still plans on accomplishing even more. He has set a goal to play golf in college and then plans to incorporate golf into his future career. It is the ability to set and reach goals that helped Justin fall in love with golf, and these goals will help him achieve great things in the future.

“I like the consistent challenge of golf and the aspect that there is always something to learn and work at to get better. I play golf because it has become my passion.”

Lily NIELSEN LILY NIELSEN BEGAN PLAYING golf competitively in large part because of her family.

Her family had always enjoyed spending time together on the course, and in the 8th grade, that time with family began translating to success in competition. It was during one such competition, that Lily had one of her greatest moments on the course, even though she didn’t initially realize it.

“My most memorable moment in my golf career was when I got my first eagle during a tournament.

Everyone was congratulating me and I didn’t understand why.”

Eagles are a great part of golf, but they aren’t the only reason that Lily competes. Many different types of people play the game, and Lily welcomes the opportunities that come with meeting new people.

“I play golf because it’s a way to meet new types of people and develop long term relationships with them.”

Golf is constantly presenting new situations and new people for Lily adjust to. The mental aspect of the game is one of the things she most enjoy about golf. It shows her that she has to be able to cope with any situation presented to her. Lily plans on using the skills that golf has taught her in the future, by pursuing college golf and then a career. She has certainly learned a lot that will help her be successful.

Ryan Larson Junior Golf Writer Ryan is currently a high school senior at Ironwood Ridge High School where he played four years of varsity golf. He has been living and playing golf in Tucson for the last ten years. Ryan also does a weekly sports segment on a local Tucson radio station.

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