Golf Today NW September 2009 by Golf Today Magazine: Northwest Edition

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CCELEBRATING E L E B RAT AT I N G 2222 YEA YEARS RS IIN N TTHE HE W WEST, E S T,, NOW IN THE NORTHWEST! • WWW.GOLFTODAYNW.COM • NUMBER 7 • SEPTEMBER 2009

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My Two Cents by CAMERON HEALEY As we prepare to print this month’s edition of Golf Today Magazine, I just had to wait until the last minute to squeeze in some breaking news before we did so. Yes, Puyallup-native Ryan Moore had just won the 2009 Wyndham Championship after enduring a three hole playoff with Kevin Stadler to win his first PGA Tour Event victory after five years on the Tour. Congratulations to Ryan! Also, it turned out to be a day of play offs as Mike Reid prevailed over John Cook on the first play off hole to win the Champions Tour Jeldwen Tradition at the beautiful Crosswater Golf Club in Sunriver, Oregon. Washingtonians will have the opportunity to see John Cook competing at the Boeing Classic to be played Aug 28-30. Yes, stay tuned for a complete recap in next month’s Golf Today. In this month’s issue, we take a close look at the Tri-Cities region and explore why Northwest golfers should be making a beeline for the region, particularly as the heat begins to subside to just plain great golfing weather. Located in southeastern Washington, the Tri-Cities is comprised of the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland and offers golfers of all abilities, 10 golf courses, 160 wineries, and recreational options abound. And with 300 days of sunshine, now is the time to plan your next golfing trip. And to help point you in the right direction, you will find a special

Tri-Cities pull-out in the center of Golf Today. If you have any questions or want to plan your next Stay-N-Play, please call the helpful folks at the Tri-Cities Visitors and Convention Bureau and they will be only too willing to help you plan your trip or recommend area attractions. In fact, if you are planning on stopping by next month’s Golf Fest Northwest Golf Expo

to seeing you there…The following golfing tidbits and offers caught my eye this month and deserve mention…Tetherow is offering a Mulligan! Book a round at Tetherow from 8:00 am -12:20 pm and your next round the same day or following day is on them. Offer valid for rounds booked up to September 15, 2009 so you better get on it! Call 877-8902582 to use your mulligan…As fall

in Seattle, Tri-Cities will have a booth there as well. Also, this month, please check out page 9 for Tony Dear’s feature on “How to Squeeze the Most Out Of your Golﬁng Dollars! Who doesn’t want a great golﬁng deal, right? Of course, we are all excited about the upcoming Golf Fest NW, a new fall golf expo to be held Sep 25-27 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Be sure to stop by and visit the Golf Today Magazine booth where you’ll have an opportunity to score some “swag” as well as chat with many of our editorial contributors. Look forward

approaches, we still want and need to golf, right? If you are considering investing in a golf cart, you should check out Perfect Drive Enclosures that feature easy to open and self closing doors providing protection from that NW rain and wind. Call Fred at 253-981-6458 and mention promo code ‘GTN’ to receive a 10% discount…The Nile Golf Club hosted nearly 100 marines, coast guard, and navy personnel on July 31 where they were treated to a free round of golf and barbeque as part of their annual Armed Forces Day. Congratulations to Servicemen Kent Patterson for scoring

This Is What Our Readers Have To Say! Hi Erin [Szekely], I just read your latest article in Golf Today Magazine Northwest Edition where you wrote about misinformation about a “straight left arm”. I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. For years, I’ve tried to maintain a straight left arm during my swing, with minimal emphasis on using the right. I was able to maintain a 6-7 handicap but it was mostly short game saves that kept me there. Whenever I maintained a straight left arm with the right arm doing minimal, I always found that I would swipe across the ball or hit it with the heel of the club, and without much power. Being Canadian and also a former top level amateur hockey player, this didn’t compute. In hockey, when taking a slap shot, you power in with the lower arm and hand. The idea in golf of SEPTEMBER 2009

hitting it only with the left arm didn’t make sense. I was hesitant to create my own version of the swing by increasing right hand and arm involvement since everything I read said not to. However, at times when I got irritated on the course after hitting a bad shot or two, I would just swing freely and “whale on the ball” and the results were what I was trying to achieve when using only the left arm. It was great to read your article and finally receive confirmation from a qualiﬁed teaching golf professional that it is O.K. to involve the right arm and hand and, in fact, should involve the right hand and arm.

If you have any comments or questions, please email Cameron@golftodaynw.com or visit www.golftodaynw.com.

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the low gross of 69 and Kaipo Goodwin shooting the low NET of 57…Black Butte Ranch is offering a $129 Stay-Play-Dine Fall Golf Package, which includes lodging, dinner for two at the Lodge Restaurant and welcome gift, with your choice of unlimited golf package with cart and practice balls or spa package. Call 866-348-5270 for more information…If you are in the market to buy real estate? Refinance? Check out Drake Mortgage: “Here Yesterday, Here Today, Here Tomorrow” I like that motto! See their ad on page 33 for details or call Carla at 206-948-5084… Maplewood Golf Course in Renton, WA. is offering September Twilight Specials that include $20 after 3:30pm on Sat. & Sun and after 5:30pm rounds are only $15! See their ad on page 10 for further details…For those golfers who consider themselves gastronomical geniuses—or not, you should check out www.smithpreferred.com to order the best Northwest gourmet ingredients and foods. Golf Today readers receive 10% off your order. See page 12 for details… Yep, the list of great NW golf specials continues, so stay tuned on Golf Today Magazine’s Facebook and Twitter for more information. Cheers!

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GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Notes From The Golfing “Newbie” A 6 IRON REPRIEVE One of my goals for my lesson last month was to hit the ball over 170 yards with my 6 iron. In every lesson before I had improved and I felt that the goal was in sight. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and to top it off I had a disappointing outing at an unfamiliar range shortly after that. I described the sad affair in my last article. Having these disappointments after my rapid progress before made it all the more frustrating. I needed some serious help from Brett at GolfTEC. After failing to hit the ball well at the range I didn’t want to reinforce my bad hitting so I made another GolfTEC appointment. I hadn’t picked up a club for a couple of weeks so I was apprehensive that I was going to really embarrass myself during my lesson, but I knew that this was the only way I was going to turn my slide around. I didn’t tell Brett about my disastrous outing, I figured it would become apparent to him soon enough. My warm-up swings felt very rusty, but I was at least making contact with the ball (most of

the time). Brett joined me in the training bay for the last half of my warm up and I let it slip about my recent hitting woes. It occurred to me that Brett could probably

setup. I was not bowing to the golf ball and my club was angled to point at my sternum instead of the top of my belt buckle. Lastly, I wasn’t lining up with

already tell that my swing was oﬀ so I spared some of the gory details. Brett was positive as ever and dove into the things that he saw in my warm-up swings that were oﬀ, starting with my

my head behind the ball. Since I had corrected these issues before and being non-dynamic we quickly corrected these things and moved on to my take away. Brett took a couple freeze frames of

8 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Presented by GolfTEC my take away and noted that I had developed a little lateral movement in my hips. Instead of loading my weight and power onto the inside of my right foot I was loading so far to the outside that my whole body was moving. My loose lower body was not providing a proper platform for my swing. It only took a few more shots to get the weight to the inside of my right foot again. Things were feeling great, just 10-15 minutes into the lesson I was already making much better contact with the ball. Just to reinforce my good feelings, I managed to hit the plastic strip that hangs in the middle of the net a couple of times, ﬁlling the room with a great sound. Brett continued to work through video of my current shots and 3/4 of the way through my backswing we found the big culprit, head movement. I had struggled with vertical bounce in the last couple lessons and it was really back with a vengeance. I think I lost track of keeping my head still when I started to concentrate too much on shifting weight to my right foot during continued on page 23

SEPTEMBER 2009

Auburn Golf Course: Then and Now! by CAMERON HEALEY The last time I played Auburn’s municipal golf course was a distant six years ago. That’s a long time in golf years. Back then, the club house was modest, but inviting, and had served local golfers well since it first opened for business in 1958. Fast forward to 2009. When I drove into the parking lot to make my mid-morning tee time, I literally did a double take at what appeared before me. I had to confirm the address on my GPS just to make sure that I had actually arrived at the Auburn Golf Course and not somewhere else. I had heard from some local golfing buddies that the City of Auburn had made some changes to the course and facilities in recent years, but when I looked up at a modern and almost “stately” clubhouse that, frankly, looked like it belonged more at a high end country club, I was genuinely surprised. Gone was the original wooden clubhouse that had stood steadfast for almost 50 years and in its place a handsome, symbolic structure depicts a new era in Auburn municipal golf. Now, for those who are geographicallychallenged and wondering where Auburn is located, Auburn Golf Course is located between Seattle and Tacoma in the shadow of the 12,000 foot Mt. Rainier. With the meandering Green River as its eternal neighbor, the course sits atop 150 lush acres and although modern suburbia is never far from its fairways, the bordering hillsides are used to good effect and make for a diverse golfing experience. The new clubhouse opened in late 2007 and features a modern, well-equipped pro-shop, spacious lobby, and for those who want more than a bag of peanuts and a coke, the new Copper Falls Restaurant and Bar offers golfers a 110-seat restaurant and lounge with a large outdoor

patio and a 150-seat banquet facility with the option for smaller meeting rooms. Designed by locals David A. Clark Architects and built by Briere & Associates, the new clubhouse replaces the 2,500

of nine fairways, 15 greens, and 17 tee boxes. More than a touch up, right! The most recent renovation included the lengthening of the 11th hole, which now takes golfers 330 yards uphill to a new

holes and is generally regarded as a solid, but challenging par 71 course. With over 50,000 rounds of golf each year, Auburn is a magnet for area golfers and my reacquaintance with it did not disappoint.

square-foot facility that was originally built in 1958. And, yes, if you’ve played at nearby Foster or Maplewood golf courses, just to name a few, you can’t help but see the Clark inﬂuence there as well. Over the past several years, the Auburn Golf Course has been completely transformed with the reconstruction

6,000-foot green. Golfers also have the benefit of putting and chipping greens adjacent to the first hole to help fine tune the short game. So, what should you expect from the new Auburn Golf Course? Auburn’s 6450 yard (from the tips) eighteen-hole course offers scenic views from several elevated

With over 20 bunkers, two ponds with fountains, and a waterfall, Auburn is attractive and for the most part, very playable for golfers of all abilities. For low handicappers, some of Auburn’s holes are unlikely to cause much 9-iron on tree violence, such as the 373

10 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

continued on page 27

SEPTEMBER 2009

The Coolest Clubs by LEITH ANDERSON GOLF CLUBS WITH A “STORY” The problem with most things that we buy today is that they are mass produced. The designs come out of a “department”. They are approved by a “committee”. They are manufactured, hundreds of thousands, or millions, by faceless factory workers ten thousand miles away. They are wrapped in plastic, boxed, bar coded, shipped and hung up on racks in warehouse stores. One size fits all. Self service. The market sets the price of commodities. That’s mass marketing. There’s no “story”. Golf clubs are “sold” by famous faces in full page ads that cost millions a year. What wins on Sunday, sells on Monday. Or so they hope. That’s how multi-National conglomerates market golf clubs. It’s a big money game that requires a constant stream of new models to keep the sales engine churning. Should you care that golf clubs have become “throw away commodities?” Only if you care about quality, tradition and player satisfaction. Half of the junk golf clubs for sale on eBay don’t get a bid. The landfills are overflowing with golf clubs that no one cares about – or wants. It never used to be that way. In the “old days” golf clubs were made for a real person. They were chosen, tested and treasured. They were built carefully by a craftsman. Dad’s golf clubs were saved in the closet long after Dad was gone. In some families, they were right next to Grandpa’s. Those old bags of clubs meant something to the family. Big Name designers are a phenomenon. Golfers crave a “connection” to a real person. We want to know who was responsible for the idea, design and production of our clubs, even if they were mass produced in China. How else to you explain the popularity of Vokey wedges and Cameron putters? It is a common belief that the golf equipment industry is “in trouble” due to over production and slack demand. There is a surfeit of equipment in worldwide distribution channels. My prediction is that things will get worse before they get better, as usual. There is no way to suck up the excess. My reasoning? The game has changed. THE END OF CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT The “Age of Persimmon” ended in 1990. Until then, drivers were chosen for “setup” and “grain”. Every driver head SEPTEMBER 2009

was shaped by a craftsman’s hand and eye. The best craftsmen like Orlimar’s Lou Ortiz, enjoyed worldwide fame. No golfer ever hit a driver before he bought it – the wood finishes were too fragile. In the Age of Persimmon, no golfer bought a driver because he thought it would be “longer” than another persimmon driver. “Performance” in those days was synonymous with “control”. “Beauty” was a word used to describe golf clubs. “Pittsburg Persimmon” came along in the late 1980’s. They were drab grey steel heads - sized like their better looking brothers. The first “Pittsburgh’s” were durable, not beautiful. When Jack Nicklaus put Jumbo Ozaki’s “J” driver in his bag, there was a chorus of controversy. Should metal drivers be illegal? It’s interesting to imagine what might have happened if the USGA stepped in then and ruled that drivers were, by definition, persimmon. Golf ’s most prosperous decade, the 1990’s may never have happened. The “Performance Revolution” caught fire in 1990. The first big winner was Callaway with the Steelhead, then the Big Bertha, then the Biggest Big Bertha. The Biggest Big Bertha was small by today’s standards. Callaway initiated the irrepressible march of technological improvements in drivers. Each year, for eighteen years, driver head sizes got bigger, the materials and manufacturing techniques more exotic and sophisticated. The larger and stronger the head, the better the results. Golfers became accustomed to “upgrading” their “technology” every couple of years. Just like faster computers, the improvements in design delivered longer and more consistent drives. Golfers became accustomed to “buying their game”. There is no doubt, golf became “easier”. A new driver, at a minimum, went into every golfer’s bi-annual budget. Then the USGA stepped in. “No more miracles” was their mantra. Head size was capped and the “rebound effect” was limited. There were a few more years of incremental innovation that improved – at least the perceived - performance. Taylor Made championed “moveable weight technology” (MWT). That bought them a few good years. Adams did well with improved aerodynamics. The whole world jumped on “interchangeable shafts” and then “adjustable face angles”. Mass produced drivers became “customizable”. Today, drivers are like

New York restaurants; you almost can’t find a bad one. In late 2009, it is impossible to imagine where the next significant improvement in driver performance will come from. That’s not just my opinion. One of the most prolific designers in the industry, Tom Wishon, has been saying that for two years. He is stumped. GOLFER MENTALITY WILL CHANGE (BACK) The relentless quest for extra distance is over. “Been there, done that” sums it all up. The last gasp of technological breakthroughs might have been this year’s Air Force One (AF1) driver by PowerBilt. The AF1 promised faster ball speeds (longer distance) from a nitrogen filled head that permitted a thinner – but still USGA conforming face. Most of the players who tested the AF1 at the Golf Lab agreed that it was “longer”. Will the AF2 be longer still? Think about how crazy the pursuit of performance has become. We’re hitting driver heads filled with Nitrogen gas under pressure. What’s the next step from that? From here forward, golfer mentality will revert to the way it was in the “old days” – before the goal every year was “more distance”. Eventually, every technology reaches the end of the road. My prediction is that golfers are going to forget where their longest lifetime drive ended up on every hole and start thinking about hitting the right side of the fairway for the best angle to the green. Isn’t that what the PGA Tour Pros do? The natural result of such a change in mentality will be that golfers will disregard promises of more distance that are both hollow and unnecessary. They will begin to think again about “feel” and “control”. “Shot shape” will be interesting again. That’s the end of annual unit sales increases for drivers – and probably for irons as well. It’s not about distance any more. Distance has been over-hyped. OVERPRODUCTION WILL END AND HEADS WILL ROLL Multi-National conglomerates funded with public money and driven by increasing stock prices require a minimum 20% sales increase year over year. Management puts forth a forecast before every product cycle. No manager survives forecasting a decrease in sales. Eventually, every “house of cards” will collapse.

And those executives who thought all it takes is money to wipe out the competition will be looking for jobs in another industry. GOLF CLUBS NEED A “STORY” Sporting Equipment is a great source of satisfaction for the sportsman. Examples are legion. The handmade bamboo fly rod for the trout fisherman. The custom engraved shotgun for the hunter. The bow for the archer. The bat for the ball player. The pole for the vaulter. The racquet, the paddle and so forth . . . In virtually every sport other than golf, the best custom equipment is produced carefully, by a craftsman’s hand. The serious sportsman is studied, measured and fitted. Many alternatives are tested before a purchase decision is made. The gunstock must fit the cheek. Prices and values are high. What serious marksman would buy his rifle at Wall Mart? When I look at the clubs in my bag, I get a tingle of satisfaction. I know the designer, the manufacturer and the builder. I remember the history and the tradition. I trust the heft and the balance. I chose my clubs after “trial by fire” testing because of how they looked and felt and the shots that they produced. They helped me perform in tournaments; they came through in the clutch. That experience makes my “story”. For twenty years I’ve collected classic golf clubs that were each a chapter in my book. I still play the 1961 Wilson Staff forged blades. I have models played by Arnie and Jack to win major championships. Others are examples of fabulous design and meticulous production. And here’s the best part. Fitted with today’s lightweight shafts in steel or graphite, they lack nothing in performance. If you’re thinking of playing forged irons, you can do no better than a classic set, rebuilt to your specifications. If you have an active imagination, it’s great fun to take a set of 50 year old irons to the course, and match your best scores. You might imagine walking in Arnie’s footsteps. There are new models today that are destined to become classics in their own right. Mizuno MP-60’s, Taylor Made RAC’s forged by Miura, Titleist “ T” stamp, most of the Miuras and many of the Japanese boutique models are meant to last. Some companies still care enough to bring out great products. Who will win the Sweepstakes in 2010? continued on page 22

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Woods Consistently Wins, but How? by BOB DUNCAN

Tiger Woods won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational over Padraig Harrington, his 70th win, by 4 shots, with a fantastic 178-yard 8-iron to kick-in range on 16. Unusual? Not for Tiger. But really, how did he hit that 8-iron 178 yards to â&#x20AC;&#x153;gimmeâ&#x20AC;? range? What does he know that other pros donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t? Surely if they knew what he knows they would do what he does, right? And if you knew some of it, surely it would help your game too. Tigerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s driving shows that he is not a complete master of golf, but his ability to recover and to hit diďŹ&#x20AC;erent shots when

needed are his legacy. One hole he played in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach may tell a great deal about his play. The story of his legacy is incomplete without paying homage to his knowledge of the game. Tiger was one of two players to birdie number eight at that U.S. Open on Saturday during a stretch of over 50 players. Number eight is not a long hole, nor does it seem diďŹ&#x192;cult: a lay-up oďŹ&#x20AC; the tee to a relatively short shot over a canyon to a green guarded by bunkers front, left and right, and in back. The pin was back left; the other player to birdie was Fred Couples. Freddie and Tiger must both know something the other players donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t; they were the only players to land the ball on the front-right portion of the green, releasing back to about 12-15 feet from the hole. Few other players were even on the green, none closer than 20 feet, and none landed the ball front-right. What did Tiger and Fred know? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reverse-engineer the play of the hole to see if we can ďŹ gure it out. The green was ďŹ rm and fast and did not hold. The wind was oďŹ&#x20AC; the ocean, pushing the ball left. The players were hitting from a tight, down-hill lie making the trajectory lower with less backspin. What these two

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knew was that the wind would push the ball left while landing with less spin, so it would release. Knowledge... After seeing Freddie and Tiger both birdie the number eight, you may think that Freddie has the knowledge that Tiger has. That would be hard to prove one way or the other, but Tiger has the most knowledge of what the combination of lie, swing, wind, and landing zone will do. With so many shots to choose from, Tiger has the knowledge of what each will do with the given conditions, and he makes the correct choices far more often than other players. So, how does that help in your game? Tigerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to hit an 8-iron 178 yards does not show that he is consistent, it shows an inconsistency. What we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know is all of the details about the lie, the wind conditions, and the landing zone. I doubt Tiger practices his â&#x20AC;&#x153;stockâ&#x20AC;? 8-iron at 178 yards. Consider your â&#x20AC;&#x153;stockâ&#x20AC;? 7-iron on the range. You hit from a level lie, probably ďŹ&#x201A;uďŹ&#x20AC;ed up on top of the grass. You hit it 150 yards consistently on the range, but on the course you receive inconsistent yardages and directions. Yet you continue to try your 7-iron from 150 yards every time, because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how far your 7-iron goes on the range.

But what conditions will change the distance? Windâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;into the wind or down wind will change it. Lieâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;tight vs. ďŹ&#x201A;uďŹ&#x20AC;y. Slopesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;above feet, below feet, uphill or down hill. Landing zoneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;ďŹ&#x201A;at, sloped toward you, away from you, to the right or left. All these will change your range. So unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing on a ďŹ&#x201A;at golf course manicured like the range, unfortunately the only consistency youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll receive is inconsistency. No wonder we think our swing is inconsistent, and our attitude suďŹ&#x20AC;ers... Take that short par 4 where you always hit your tee shot to about 50-75 yards out. Is that landing zone ďŹ&#x201A;at? Downhill? Does it give you a tight lie with a 3/4 swing using a sand or lob wedge to a green wellguarded with bunkers? Does the green hold? Tour players probably donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want this shot any more than you do. That designer probably made it so that a short swing with a high loft would be a tough shot. Is there a better place with a better lie and a better angle farther away from the hole? Check it out, there probably is. Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you hit it solid and straight all the way around the golf course? Because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing on sloped ground with diďŹ&#x20AC;erent grasses, into diďŹ&#x20AC;erent wind conditions, and with diďŹ&#x20AC;erent landing continued on page 28

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Great Golf in the Heart of Washington Wine Country Even with all of the uncertainties surrounding the future of the nation’s economy, people still want to travel. They just want to do it for less, while staying closer to home. That is why the Tri-Cities—comprised of the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland in southeastern Washington—is fast becoming the getaway destination for travelers from all over the Paciﬁc Northwest.

Rapids Golf Course in Richland. Known as the area’s target course, Horn Rapids is set amongst the sand and sagebrush and oﬀers a gorgeous backdrop of the Yakima River with Rattlesnake Mountain oﬀ in the distance. Golfers will appreciate the full-service pro shop, deli, restaurant, 18-hole putting course, driving range, practice bunker, and three practice greens. When you make your trip to the Tri-Cities, don’t

Photo courtesy of www.WineCountryCreations.com Why are people traveling to the Tri-Cities? Because reasonable drive times from locations such as Portland, Seattle, Spokane, and Boise; paired with affordable prices, make it an ideal destination for every type of traveler including wine lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, birders, and history buffs. Golfers specifically will love the region simply because they have numerous play options. The area’s ten beautiful courses challenge enthusiasts of all levels. In Kennewick, golfers have the opportunity to putt from the largest green in the Pacific Northwest, or play one of the “Northwest’s Dream 18 Holes” at Canyon Lakes Golf Course. Rated 4 ½ Stars by Golf Digest and tied for the “Top Rated Golf Course” in Washington State, Canyon Lakes offers GPS on every cart, driving range, full practice facility, 18-hole putting course, and restaurant. Northwest Travel Magazine also selected Canyon Lakes as one of the “18 of the Best in the Pacific Northwest.” Or experience the Tri-Cities’ desert climate at Horn

forget to book a tee time at one of their other fine courses including Columbia Point, Sun Willows, Tri-City Country Club, and Pasco Golfland. If you are looking to book a getaway package, the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau has a package that is right for you! By logging on to www.GolfWineCountry.com, visitors can choose from fifteen golf getaway packages starting at just $159. Packages include one night of lodging and round of golf with cart for two. Participating hotels also offer additional amenities for their guests. For example, the Clover Island Inn offers guests a free continental breakfast, two adult beverages, riverfront dining at The Crow’s Nest Bar & Grill, free airport shuttle service, and they’ll even book your tee time for you! Regardless of if you utilize one of the fantastic golf getaway packages, or venture out on your own golf getaway, you’ll learn that the Tri-Cities is an ideal destination for golfers wanting consistent, challenging courses which are playable year-round. And as we move

16 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

into September, you’re sure to appreciate the pleasant weather that accompanies the season change. With temperatures hovering around the 80 degree mark and the fact that the average rainfall lingers somewhere around eight inches annually, the Tri-Cities golf scene is quite satisfying during the fall months and you’ll quickly see why golf is one of the Tri-Cities’ most popular sports. After a day of golﬁng, it’s time to sit back and relax. With more than 160 wineries within an hour’s drive, the Tri-Cities is fast becoming the Heart of Washington Wine Country. And this is the perfect occasion to taste for yourself the reason why. Tri-Cities wineries are still young enough to be intimate, yet experienced enough to produce worldclass wines. Visitors will often be greeted by the winemaker or owner and are usually invited to tour the vineyards. The perfect opportunity to meet the owners and tour the vineyards in the Tri-Cities is at Preston Premium Wines. Preston is the largest familyowned winery in Washington State and was also the state’s third licensed winery. Visitors can taste extraordinary wines while enjoying a spectacular view of the vineyards and beautiful Tri-Cities sunsets. Lastly, when you make your break for the TriCities, be sure to plan it around one of the region’s fun, fall festivals:

Fiery Foods Festival September 12-13

Grapefest 2009 September 12-13

23rd Annual Catch the Crush September 26-27

Grillin’ & Chillin’ at Preston Premium Wines September 26

For information on Golf Getaway Packages, wineries, and events, log on to the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau’s website, www.VisitTri-Cities.com, or call (800) 254-5824. SEPTEMBER 2009

Canyon Lakes Golf Course Bring this ad in and receive your choice:

$ 00

5 OFF Green Fees & Cart or

4 Golfers for the Price of 3 Not valid for major groups or with any other discounts. Expires 12/31/09.

by Golf Digest

• Highest rated golf course in the Tri-Cities and tied for the highest rated golf course in Washington State! • Hole #9 selected as one of the Golf Northwest’s Dream 18 Holes! • Hole #12 is the largest green in the Pacific Northwest. A 12,000 square foot thing of beauty! • GPS on every cart! • Tee Times Now On-Line!

Why Play One Of The Rest, When You Can Play The Best! Call (509) 582-3736 or visit www.canyonlakesgolfcourse.com 3700 Canyon Lakes Drive, Kennewick, WA SEPTEMBER 2009

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

s e g a k c a P f l o G ! 9 8 1 $ t a g n i t r Sta GOLF PACKAGES INCLUDE: 18 holes of golf for two • A cart for two One night stay in a deluxe riverview room • Breakfast the following morning One drink coupon per person per night’s stay and play - $5 value *RATE BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY Call Olja Djuranovich at 866-586-0542 to arrange your golf outing

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866.586.0542 • 509.586.0541 FAX 509.586.6956 435 Clover Island Dr. Kennewick, Washington 99336 www.cloverislandinn.com

18 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

SEPTEMBER 2009

Horn Rapids Desert Style Golf

With over 300 days of sunshine a year and less then 7 inches of rainfall, Horn Rapids offers year round golfing. Enjoy one of Washington’s finest desert courses. The Links at Horn Rapids is an experience you won’t want to pass up. Winding through the sand and sage of the natural desert, Horn Rapids provides a brilliant contrast of greens backed by desert colors and set against a majestic high desert mountain range. An annual nesting area for the migrating curlews, and burrowing owls, where the occasional coyote and jack rabbit come into view. This desert course features narrow fairways lined by sagebrush and a standard cut of rough. The small greens are undulating and fast, and the terrain is rolling. The signature hole is #5, a 512-yard, par 5, featuring two large strips of sage brush coming into play across the fairway, forcing golfers to hit accurate lay-up shots. All 5 Tees are rated for both men and ladies. The Links at Horn Rapids unveils the ultimate in Target Desert Golf.

Horn Rapids offers: • • • •

A full service Proshop and private lessons Grass driving range and three practice greens An 18-hole bent grass putting course Club rentals, full RV hookup, and a restaurant

•

Adult beverages and a banquet facility.

•

Any Day after 2PM – 18 Holes with a Cart $35.00

•

Senior Thursday – 50 and over 18 Holes with Cart $25.00

To book your teetime call

866-564-GOLF (4 6 5 3) visit us at www.hornrapidsgolf.com for more information.

SEPTEMBER 2009

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Pushcart Round Up by TERRY VANDERHEIDEN The big three in pushcart manufacturing: Sun Mountain Sports, Bag Boy and Clicgear are all represented here in the Pushcart Round Up for Golf Today Magazine. For years, using a walking cart to get your clubs around the course meant buying or renting a two-wheeled cart. The body action used for this was normally to drag the cart behind you. At some point, some clever ergonomics engineers found out that the action of walking kind of sideways while dragging a cart is not good for the spine angle and can lead to back, shoulder and foot ailments. Those same engineers added a wheel to the golf cart and now with three wheels, the action is simply pushing your cart down the fairway, much like a shopping cart. Over time, the three wheeled carts have caught on and improvements such as foam padding was added to the handles, handy holders for drinks, and scorecards were added, but most importantly was that the wheels have been developed to ride smooth over the terrain of the golf course with little resistance. Thereby making walking with your clubs not much more strenuous than just walking the golf course without clubs. The size of the pushcart when it’s folded doesn’t often play a roll in your trunk most of the time, except when you want to carpool with someone else to the golf course. If your cart doesn’t collapse small enough you may be the one who is always driving or worse, sitting in the back seat with a golf cart on your lap. So think about all the scenarios related to golf when you are choosing your cart. SUN MOUNTAIN SPORTS (WWW.SUNMOUNTAIN. COM) Sun Mountain Sports has been leading the way for a long time in the innovation of the three wheeled pushcarts. This year they have two carts to show oﬀ. First is the Speed Cart V1 – this is an easily foldable design that scoots around the course on pneumatic or solid foam tires. Sun Mountain has added a SEPTEMBER 2009

net basket for tossing your head covers onto, which is a really neat feature. One of the best features of the Speed Cart V1 is that the handle is adjustable and can be lowered or raised to meet your hands comfortably. There is an umbrella holder that can thread into the center of the handle that allows you to hold your umbrella open to oﬀer shade or retard the bad

system. If you cart doesn’t have a brake, there will be time where it rolls away on itself. A brake is a must! Thankfully all of the carts reviewed here have brakes. While the Speed Cart V1 is fairly simple to open and easy to use, the only negative point we have for it is that when it is folded down it is still pretty large. I drive a truck so tossing it in the back was no big deal.

Sun Mountain Sports - Speed Cart V1

Sun Mountain Sports - Micro Cart

The Clicgear 2.0

Bag Boy - Mini GT weather while you are walking. The Speed Cart V1 also has a pump for the pneumatic tires, in case they get a little low out on the course. There is a drink holder, scorecard holder and pencil holders added to the Speed Cart V1. The Speed Cart V1 as with all of the models we looked at has a very valuable brake

MicroCart is very lightweight at only 13 lbs. The Micro Cart has a simple action to unfold it, with bright yellow tabs for clicking the cart together. The cart rides on four, yes four solid foam tires. The MicroCart has a low center of gravity so it makes for a very stable ride for the golf clubs. There is only one bag bracket

However, when we folded it to place it in a normal trunk, it did take up quite a bit of space. Also from Sun Mountain Sports is the MicroCart. This is the answer to the person who needs that extra space in their trunk or garage. The MicroCart folds to a size of 12” x 16” x 24”. The

to hold the clubs (without the use of a bungee cord). The Sun Mountain Sports system for attaching the bag to the cart is no longer a bungee cord, but now they are clips that are adjusted to the width continued on page 26

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

2010 U.S. SENIOR OPEN: USGA MAJOR (TICKET) OFFER A HUGE SUCCESS The USGA Major Offer was launched on June 4, 2009. The offer provided those who purchased tickets for the 2010 U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, WA with the opportunity to buy tickets for the U.S. Open in 2015 at Chambers Bay in Tacoma, WA ahead of the general public. The offer ended on August 3, 2009 with more than 21,000 tickets to the 2010 U.S. Senior Open sold. “This championship at Sahalee has the potential to be the biggest Senior Open to date,” said Tim Flaherty, USGA Director of the U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur Championships. “It’s fantastic to see the Seattle community get behind this nearly a year out from the event. Support like this, combined with solid corporate support, will send a message to the golf world that the Pacific Northwest is a worthy host for future major championships.” Although the USGA Major Offer is over, spectators are still encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. Spectators can select from a variety of ticket

options ranging in price from $20 to $250. Tickets for the 2010 U.S. Senior Open may be purchased in store at participating Fred Meyer locations, by phone at 877-281-OPEN, or online at www.2010ussenioropen.com. Included in the ticket options is the Fore Pack, which includes four good-anyone-day championship tickets. The Fore Pack is the most ﬂexible option, allowing for tickets to be divided up throughout the week or used all on the same day. The Fore Pack is priced at $135. Details of all the ticket options are available at www.2010ussenioropen.com. All tickets include free parking and free shuttle transportation to Sahalee Coun-

try Club. Throughout the week of the championship, kids 17 and under receive free admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Kids also receive front-row

seating in all on-course grandstands. About the 2010 U.S. Senior Open The 31st U.S. Senior Open will bring a ﬁeld of 156 of the world’s best professional and amateur senior (over the age of 50) golfers to Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, WA July 26–August 1, 2010. Featured players expected to compete include: Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Peter Jacobsen, and 2009 U.S. Senior Open Champion Fred Funk. NBC and ESPN will provide more than 16 hours of television coverage of the championship. For additional information, visit www.2010ussenioropen. com.

continued from page 8

the backswing. This time, my head movement wasn’t just a simple matter of altitude I was also moving it to the right by a full head width. Brett showed me a comparison to pro golfer Stuart Appleby and it was pretty clear that I had some work to do in this department.

We worked on quieting my head for most of the rest of the lesson. Brett drew a blue square around my head on the computer during my setup and I tried to keep my head in that box. In the ﬁrst couple swings I was able to put a serious dent in the vertical bounce, keeping my head almost entirely within the box. A dozen more shots and my movement to

the right was reduced to just an inch or two, which Brett said was good enough. It felt very strange and robotic to keep my head still during the shot, but there was absolutely no doubt I was making better contact with the ball. With every swing the sound that I heard and the feeling at impact imcontinued on page 32

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SEPTEMBER 2009

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

continued from page 21

of your bag, once they are set for your bag, you are good to go. This clip system looks a bit unstable at first, but it worked fine when we actually tried it. Though since there is not a clip for the bottom of the bag on the Micro Cart (there are two clips for the Speed Cart V1), your bag can drift off the holding plate and it can rub against the wheels now again. I would like to see an additional clip at the bottom to keep the bag centered. There is an adjustable front axel to allow for any size golf bag to fit and not rub against the tires size wise. Up top there is a covered tray and a magnetic scorecard holder and a swiveling drink holder. The handles are two grips kind of like you would find on a bicycle or motor scooter that are very comfortable to push this cart around any golf course. BAG BOY (WWW.BAGBOYCOMPANY.COM) Bag Boy has also been in the golf industry a long time, dating back to 1945 when they produced the first “pull” cart with two wheels. The two wheel ver-

sions are still available from Bag Boy, but the three-wheeled versions make up about 80% of their cart sales. From Bag Boy we have two versions as well. First up is the Bag Boy Automatic. The Automatic is named as such because of the one step simple action to fold out or collapse the pushcart. This really is a simple process to pull out of your trunk and unfold the Automatic by Bag Boy. You can check out their web site to see some video of what it takes to open the Automatic as compared to other carts. The Automatic is made from lightweight aluminum tubing to make it strong but it is still easy to get out of your trunk without breaking your back. The wheels on the Automatic are very wide (almost 3 inches). These are the G-Force Technology wheels. They have a low proﬁle, raised center tread and sealed bearing system for that smooth roll and very little resistance on the grass or on cart paths. These wheels boast the lowest PSI (pounds per square inch) rating of any of the pushcarts on the market today, thereby keeping injury to the turf at a minimum. The Automatic is not the smallest cart

when collapsed but at 17” x 20” x 29” it is smaller than Speed Cart V1. The golf bag is attached to the cart by the use of a thick strap with “hook and loop” fasteners or a clip (lower part of the bag) like you would ﬁnd on a backpack. The Automatic also has a drink holder, a scorecard holder a magnetic latched valuables compartment and it has an attachment for a movable umbrella holder. Also from Bag Boy is Mini GT. The Mini GT is pretty small when it’s folded down to 14” x 18” x 22” and only weighs 16 lbs. This leaves lots of room in your trunk for your golf bag and other things. With most of the same features of the Automatic, the Mini GT is loaded for a small cart. The clubs are attached by way of a bungee cord system however, the Mini GT is nowhere near as easy to fold and unfold as the Automatic. While it does take some time to get the Mini GT unfolded, it performs like a big cart once it’s up and running. The same wide GForce wheels keep the Mini GT rolling smooth across the turf. The scorecard holder, drink holder and valuables com-

Manufacturer/Product

MSR Price

Weight

Collapsed Size (inches)

Wheels

Brake

ClicGear 2.0

$199.00

18 lbs.

13 x 15 x 24

Tubeless Plastic

Yes

Bag Boy Mini GT

$229.95

16 lbs.

14 x 18 x 22

Tubeless Plastic

Yes

Bag Boy Automatic

$199.95

17 lbs.

17 x 20 x 29

Tubeless Plastic

Yes

Sun Mountain Sports Speed Cart V1

$199.95

17 lbs.

14 x 16 x 37

Solid Foam

Yes

partment all work well on the Mini GT. CLICGEAR (WWW.CLICGEAR.COM) Clicgear is relatively new to the market of pushcarts their version is the Clicgear 2.0. The Clicgear 2.0 is very small when it’s folded and measures out at 13” x 15” x 24” . It is however, the heaviest in our group at 18 lbs. but heavy does translate into some major stability out on the golf course. When the Clicgear 2.0 is fully unfolded and ready to go, you feel like you can go anywhere. The bungee cord bag straps are secure and keep your golf bag in place the whole time. The large wheels make going over a curb or a hump very easy to deal with. The Clicgear 2.0 has the feature of an adjustable handle to raise and lower to your needs. This is fantastic and this can be done quickly if you need to change it out on the golf course (going up a steep hill for example). For your convenience, the Clicgear 2.0 has a clip for a towel, a hook-loop fastener for your golf glove and a bungee system that holds your pencil and scorecard. Uniquely the scorecard can be kept outside the console or inside depending on the weather. The magnetic closing console is also a place to hold up to three golf balls. The drink holder is designed to hold any normal sized water bottle, but it was a fight to get my larger stainless steel water bottle into the drink holder. One of the aspects of the Clicgear 2.0 is the process of folding and unfolding the unit. While it does fold up nice and small the Clicgear 2.0 is a bit confusing to fold and unfold the first time. I recommend watching the video online to see how to do it before you go to the golf course. Or, you can do what I did and take the unfolding process sheet provided by Clicgear to the golf course until you can remember how to get the thing together. Once you master it, it only takes few seconds to get it folded and unfolded, but there is a learning curve on this unit so be prepared. You wont go wrong adding any of these pushcarts to your golfing ritual. Taking the steps to walk the golf course can be one of the healthiest decisions you make for yourself on the golf course. Terry VanderHeiden can be reached for comments, questions or suggestions via email: terryvh@gmail.com

Sun Mountain Sports Micro 4- Wheel

$199.95

26 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

13 lbs.

12 x 16 x 24

Solid Foam

Yes

SEPTEMBER 2009

Squeezing the Most Out of Your Golﬁng Dollars continued from page 9

five courses can be purchased for $22 or $20 right now. But we are also looking into the possibility of introducing a more extensive loyalty program too,” he says. “We have to be careful though. We won’t offer something just for sake of it. We don’t want to reach the point of diminishing returns. If we set conditions preventing our regular players from playing where and when they want to, then we will likely run into trouble.” Zoller adds he would like the card to encourage new golfers on to the City of Roses’ public-owned tracks (Red Tail, Eastmoreland, Rose City, and the Greenback and Great Blue Courses at Heron Lakes). “And we’d obviously like to encourage our regular players to play more often,” he says. “I foresee something coming out within the next six months.” The City of Spokane offers discount cards for use at each of its four courses (Indian Canyon, Creek at Quelchan, Esmeralda, and Downriver) as well. The $30 Discount Card saves golfers $6 on green fees from Monday to Thursday and $7 at the weekend, while the $249 card gives holders $12 discounts at any time. ‘The $30 option is by far the more popular,” says Rex Schultz, head professional at Esmeralda. “I don’t have the exact figures, but I sold at least 1,200 of them at the start of the season. We sell the majority of the City’s $30 cards, because we open earlier than the other courses. All told, I would estimate the City has sold more than 2,000, but we probably only sell about 100 of the more expensive cards.” Of course, municipal golf is usually inexpensive even without the discounts ($30 at West Seattle, $26 at Eastmoreland, or $27 at Indian Canyon), so it’s at corporately-owned courses where players cards and loyalty schemes might have the biggest impact. In Washington, two multi-course owners; Access Golf (www.golfagm.com) and Oki Golf (www.okigolf.com) have popular programs that can save members big money. The Oki Golf Platinum Card, for instance, might call for an initial outlay of $319 plus tax, but for that you get six complimentary rounds of golf, including cart, at six different courses. So, supposing you played the six most expensive courses in Oki Golf ’s portfolio (Newcastle’s Coal and China Creek, Washington National, Redmond Ridge, Trophy Lake, and Harbour Pointe) on six successive Saturdays (complimentary rounds can be redeemed any day, any time) you would already be saving around $260 on regular green fees alone. Once you’ve used up your free rounds, you then SEPTEMBER 2009

get members’ discounts—between $5 and $45—every time you play an Oki course. And the benefits of the 2009 card extend to March 31st 2010. So to save $1,000 at Oki courses, all you’d have to do is redeem your six free rounds then play Coal Creek on 16 Saturdays which, for the avid golfer, shouldn’t be too difficult. You also get a complimentary USGA handicap and become eligible to enter the Oki Golf Players Card Tournament Series. That’s a pretty good deal. For $99 you can purchase the Original Oki Golf Card which buys you a complimentary round at China Creek, Washington National, Harbour Pointe, or Redmond Ridge, or two at Trophy Lake, Echo Falls, or either course at Hawks Prairie. Senior and junior cards are also available. In addition to the players’ cards, Oki Golf introduced a scheme called E-centives in March this year in which 9,000 golfers have already enrolled. Together with the near 13,000 Players Card holders, that makes a total of almost 22,000 golfers in the Puget Sound region taking advantage of genuinely good deals such as playing Washington National, one of the top courses in the state (even if the homes have encroached a little close in recent years), for just $65 after 2pm on a Sunday or two golfers teeing it up at Hawks Prairie or Echo Falls Monday to Thursday for $69, cart included. “Given the current economic climate which exists in our community right now, our goal is to provide value for golfers of the Northwest so they can keep enjoying the game they love,” says Oki Golf marketing manager Jon Schuller. “We realize that many golfers are facing significant financial challenges and this new monthly program has allowed our current and first-time customers the opportunity to play our premium courses for a much reduced rate.” Schuller adds, “ The company will also be offering reduced rates in the offseason,” which, at Oki Golf, typically starts in mid-October.“Each of our public courses sells 3-packs which can be used between October and March 31,” he says. “We haven’t determined the pricing for 2010 yet, but last year three rounds at Washington National cost $109 for cardholders. They could play any time and a cart was included. Non-cardholders paid $134—about $45 a round.” Two membership schemes are available at Access Golf, which owns and operates the 45 holes at Willows Run in Woodinville, Kayak Point in Stanwood, Druids Glen in Covington, and Capitol City in Lacey. The $99 card entitles you to 10%

off regular green fee rates and merchandise at Willows Run, Druids Glen, and Kayak Point and 25% off regular green fees at Capitol City, two-for-one entrees in all clubhouse restaurants, a USGA handicap, and eligibility for club tournaments. The $249 card meanwhile gives you a free round at each of the company’s facilities, a $190 value, 15% off regular green fee rates and merchandise at Willows Run, Druids Glen and Kayak Point, 25% off regular green fees at Capitol City, USGA handicap, tournaments, a sleeve of Nike balls, and a Nike hat. Oregon golfers looking to save a bit of cash should look into buying a copy of the West Coast Golf Valuebook (www.2for1golf.com), the 2009 edition of which cost $20 plus $2 shipping (2010 edition will begin shipping in December). Inside you find coupons for special rates at the excellent Dan Hixson-designed Bandon Crossings, Arnold Palmer-designed Running Y Ranch in Klamath

Falls, Eagle Crest in Redmond, Salmon Run in Brookings, and Widgi Creek in Bend. There are even two–for-one deals at Harbour Links, Shield Crest in Klamath Falls, and Crooked River Ranch whose famous 5th hole is bordered all the way down its left side by the Crooked River Gorge. If the course you want to play isn’t part of a network or involved in something like West Coast Golf Valuebook, chances are you can still get great rates simply by visiting its website. A good example is Mt. Si Golf Course (www.mtsigolf.com) in Snoqualmie, WA, which unlike some courses which offer a web special once in a blue moon, posts specials to its site for every day of the week. Langdon Farms (www. langdonfarms.com) outside Portland is another course whose website offers web specials most days, sometimes as much as 54% off the regular rate. continued on page 29

Auburn Golf Course continued from page 10

yard, straightaway par 4 opening hole. With trees lining both sides of the fairway, a straight drive off the tee will provide for a relatively straightforward second shot to a slightly uphill, but flattish green. For the weekend warrior, the opening hole will provide ample challenge and a solid par will set the tone for a good round. Naturally during my round, there were a few holes that caught my eye and deserve special mention. One of my favorites is hole #15 described as the “cliff hole,” a medium length 366 yard par 4 with a terrific view to the west from the tee box. Don’t be surprised to see the odd light airplane on final approach into Auburn’s municipal airport while you set up to use your hybrid or 3 wood off the tee. The drop in elevation from the tee to the fairway is over 60 feet on this sharp dogleg right and woods protect the right side of the fairway and two fairway bunkers on the right hand turn. If you are a lefty, a draw into the fairway below is an ideal play; however, you may need to club down to avoid hitting your tee shot through the fairway. My other favorite, predictably perhaps, is Auburn’s marquee, postcardperfect par-3 hole 16. Measuring 175 yards from the blue markers, you are greeted by a two-tiered, cascading waterfall as a back drop, which only

serves to defer your attention from the many hazards that await you, including bunkers on the front, right, and back of the green, not to mention the lake front and left of this large putting surface. I gave up counting the number of tiers on the green, but three is a safe bet and if you hit it long and left(as I did) you can expect a down-hill putt that will thoroughly test your putting mettle. Speed control is important to ensure that you don’t run it oﬀ the green and into the water hazard. Hit the middle of the green to ensure a stab at regulation par. Given Auburn’s popularity, the good news is that the course is well maintained and does not show the usual wear and tear often associated with a high volume course. My only knock on Auburn that day was the numbers-driven pace of play, which led to an almost 5 hour round. A little north of my budgeted Tuesday golﬁng time; however, that being said, my overall enjoyment of the course coupled with competitive rates year round, Auburn Golf Course is a quality experience and I’ll be planning my return sooner rather than later. Check out www.auburngolf.org for further details on their lesson program with professional instruction led by head Pro Chris Morris, tournaments, Men’s and Women’s Club events, a Junior Program, and student and senior rates.

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Overlake Hosts The 8th Annual Olive Crest Golf Tournament

As a helicopter hovers over the Overlake Golf and Country Club in Bellevue, 2,000 numbered golf balls will drop to the green on the 18th hole—and the ball that lands in the hole or closest to it will reap $5,000 cash for its lucky “owner.” The exciting Hole-in-One Ball Drop is part of the 8th Annual Olive Crest Golf Tournament, being held at the Overlake Golf and Country Club on September 21. The tournament and the ball drop are fundraisers for Olive Crest Homes and Services for Abused Children—and you don’t even have to be a golfer to enjoy the fun, thrills and prizes of the Hole-in-One Ball Drop. Olive Crest plans to sell 2,000 golf balls for the Ball Drop: which represents

the number of King County children in foster care who need the communities help. Participants can purchase one ball for $10 or three balls for $25. The helicopter services are being donated by Airwork LLC, an Auburn-based helicopter ﬂight school. “It only costs $10 to purchase a numbered ball and be eligible to win $5,000—while helping transform the lives of children at risk in King County,” says Tim Myers, Olive Crest Pacific Northwest Trustee Board President and Boeing Capital Corporation, Vice President Structured Financing. “I’d say that’s a pretty good return on investment!” Meanwhile, golfers and sponsors are invited to join the action on the links. Golfers can register to play as an individual for $250 or in foursomes for $1,000. Registration opens at 9:30 a.m., and play begins with a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. Golf packages include a BBQ lunch, a round of golf, shirt or vest, and a cocktail, appetizer and awards reception. Sponsors can promote their brands to

Seattle’s elite business and golf communities while helping Olive Crest’s kids at the same time. Opportunities range from $1,000 - $10,000 and are available in all categories, including title, tee gift, awards reception, luncheon, and hole-in-one, among many others. To purchase balls, register for the tournament, or become a sponsor, log onto www.olivecrest.org or call 425-462-1612. MEDIA CONTACTS Alison Hill 714.444.9731, ext. 201, alison@currentpr.com Marisa Aguilar 909.851.0613, Marisa@currentpr.com ABOUT OLIVE CREST HOMES AND SERVICES FOR ABUSED CHILDREN Celebrating its 35 th anniversary in 2008, Olive Crest Homes & Services for Abused Children has been a leader in providing care for abused, abandoned and severely neglected children. Olive Crest is dedicated to Preventing child abuse, to Treating and Educating at-risk children and to Preserving the family… “One Life at a Time.” ® Olive Crest continues to promote the safety and wellness of children and families through innovative programs including specialized education, foster and adoption, family preservation, and residential homes. Olive Crest’s outreach serves California, Nevada, and the Paciﬁc Northwest. For information call 1-800-550-CHILD (2445) or visit www.olivecrest.org.

continued from page 12

zones. Heck, if it was all perfect grass and ﬂat we probably wouldn’t play golf. No doubt Tiger has mental toughness, but without the knowledge the mental toughness won’t hit the ball 178 yards. If you knew what your mis-hit was going to be would you play for it? Tiger does. To play better golf it’s not just about how good your golf swing is. In golf, winning really is about how you play the game! Bob Duncan is the PGA teaching professional at Tetherow Golf Club. He has given over 8,000 hours of golf instruction, and has custom fit over $1.6 million in golf equipment. He can be reached at bduncan@tetherow. com, or visit www.tetherow.com

28 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Southern Oregon’s Paradise Ranch Resort Nears Completion While the recession put the brakes on most new golf course developments, Southern Oregon continues its quest to have its own piece of Nicklaus golf nirvana. Located in sunny Southern Oregon and just minutes outside of Grants Pass, resides the new Nicklaus and Nicklaus II designed golf course at Paradise Ranch Resort slated to open in 2010. While the s e m i-private 7,418 yard course is currently under construction, much of the 320 acre Resort course is complete and open for public review. In addition to this natural championship golf masterpiece, real estate buyers will have an opportunity to purchase one of 200 home sites along with over a hundred villas for overnight lodging and for investment. A spa and wellness center will also be constructed along with tennis courts, swimming pools, dining facilities, and an expansive clubhouse. Located halfway between Seattle and San Francisco and only two minutes off Interstate 5, Paradise is very accessible, but for those golfers who feel compelled to fly directly to Paradise neighboring Grants Pass Airport is the perfect gateway. In fact, Paradise Ranch intends to build a first class terminal and hangar facility, which will earmark Paradise Ranch Resort as the only Jack Nicklaus, Nicklaus II championship golf course with direct fly in capabilities in the United States. Not only can you fly in directly, but when you arrive expect to have a golf cart ready and waiting and the links beckoning. For more information, please call 866-956-0707 or 541-956-0707 or visit www.paradiseranchresort.com. SEPTEMBER 2009

A One Shot Nail Biter at the Paciﬁc Coast Amateur Championship

Chan Kim of Chandler, Ariz., a 19 year old Arizona State sophomore, held off two United States Walker Cup hopefuls to win the 43rd Pacific Coast Amateur Championship by one shot at The Gallery Golf Club in Tucson. Kim, the 2008 Arizona Amateur and 2007 Hawaii Amateur champion, fired a 4 under par 68 today for a 72-hole total of 17-under par 271 at The Gallery GC’s South Course, site of the 2007 and 2008 World Golf Championship’s Accenture Match Play Championship. He finished one shot ahead of Zack Sucher of Mobile, Ala., who held at least a share of the lead in each of the first three rounds and had plenty of chances to win today only to fall short. On a day when red (under-par) scores littered the leader board, Mark Anderson

of Beaufort, S.C., another Walker Cup hopeful, and Richard Lee of Bellevue, Wash. each shot 4 under par 68 to tie for third place at 14 under par. Anderson would have finished in third place alone had he not missed a two-foot par putt on the final hole. Another Chandler resident, 18 year old Andrew Yun, posted a 7 under par 65 to finish in fifth place at 13 under par. He was one of two players to shoot 65 today, the other was Brett Kanda of La Canada, which tied the course record, set Tuesday by Sucher and Eric Mina of Fremont, Calif., when they shared the first-round lead and matched by Daniel Miernicki, of Santee, Calif. on Wednesday before he had to withdraw due to injury. Kim, who grew up on Oahu, and the 22 year old Sucher, who just finished his eligibility at the University of AlabamaBirmingham, each posted three birdies on the front 9 to separate themselves from the pack, but Kim took the lead for good with birdies on the 10th and 12th holes. Sucher never made another birdie in the round and he missed several makeable opportunities down the stretch, including birdie putts on the 17th and 18th holes that hung on the edge of the hole. “I was shaking coming down the last few holes,” said the 6-foot, 4-inch Kim after his round. “I had spent all last week working on my irons and putting because I knew that would be crucial at The Gallery. So I was confident coming in and when I made

Private Clubs Seek Creative Ways To Court New Members RECESSION YIELDS UNIQUE PLAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGIONAL GOLFERS The Washington State Golf Association and Boxgroove.com announce a partnership to enhance the game of golf in the Paciﬁc Northwest. As businesses of all sizes pursue layoﬀs and salary cuts, Americans are limiting personal spending. Casualties of this belt-tightening include vacation travel, pricey dinners and…the private country club membership. Once associated with waiting lists and high initiation fees, the private club business model is undergoing change. Unable to woo new members and losing existing members, private clubs are embracing new and creative marketing partners. Boxgroove.com is one such partner. Launched in June, Boxgroove.com is an SEPTEMBER 2009

online, membership marketing company that works exclusively with private clubs. Using a patented web platform, Boxgroove.com allows country clubs to generate revenue and engage potential members through the controlled sale of unused tee times. Using Boxgroove.com’s player screening controls, participating clubs can target the sale of tee times to golfers of a particular geography, club aﬃliation and/or handicap. To date, Boxgroove.com has partnered with over 40 private clubs from 9 states and has over 200 subscribing golfers. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the Boxgroove.com network includes over 40+ clubs in 9 states, over 200 members and a team of 6 golﬁng entrepreneurs. For more information about Boxgroove. com, please email McRedmond Morelli at mcredmond.morelli@boxgroove.com.

four consecutive birdies to start the back 9 yesterday, I really felt pumped and it carried over into today.” The key hole in the round may have been the 480-yard 13th where Kim yanked his drive left into desert. “I was lucky I had a stance,” he admitted later. He hacked back into the fairway and then punched an 8-iron from 144 yards out to within 10 feet of the hole and sank the par putt.“That was clearly a turning point,” he said later. Another critical shot came on the 447yard 18th hole. Coming off a 3-putt bogey 6 on the 17th hole, Kim drove into a fairway bunker, but nailed a 9-iron shot from 145 yards out to within 7 feet of the hole. After Sucher had his birdie trip end on the lip, Kim 2 putted for par and the victory. Sucher was upset after missing several putts down the stretch. “It was a very frustrating day,” he said afterwards. “I’m tired of lip outs.” Kim sympathized,“I can’t believe that all of his putts stayed out of the hole.” In a year when Tucson’s Dr. Ed Updegraff, who won the inaugural Pacific Coast Amateur after the event was resurrected in 1967, was honored by having a new perpetual trophy named for him, Kim became the first Arizona golfer to win the event since Phoenix’s Billy Mayfair won back-toback titles in 1987-88. Kim is also the first Hawaii native to win the championship. The 44th Pacific Coast Amateur will be played July 27-30, 2010 at the Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. continued from page 27

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Whats Happening At Muckleshoot in September! KACHINGKO Winning big has a new sound— “KaChingKo!” Just drop the puck and you could win up to $100,000 when you play KaChingKo! at Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn. Drawings will be held at 4pm, 6pm, 8pm and 10pm every Thursday in September! MEGA SLOT Spin your Way to $250,000 with Mega Slot at Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn! Simply swipe your Preferred Players Club card and pull the big reel every Monday and Tuesday and see if you are the next big mega Winner! 09.09.09 Celebrate like its 09.09.09! Just come into Spice Bay Buﬀet at Muckleshoot Casino on 09.09.09 and get dinner at the special price of $9.99. Here, you’ll enjoy a unique culinary experience featuring six live-action cooking stations that showcase your favorite dishes from around the world. SOCIETY OF SEVEN Muckleshoot Casino is proud to present Hawaii’s own “Society of Seven” feat. Special Guest Jasmine Trias! Show times are Tuesday through Sunday, September 15th thru September 27th at 7:30pm with matinee performances Saturday and Sunday at 1pm. Admission is always FREE so get here early to get a good seat! DARREN MOTAMEDY WITH GUEST PERFORMER JEFF LORBER

Get your groove on to the soulful sounds of Darren Motamedy with featured guest performer Jeﬀ Lorber at Muckleshoot Casino on Sunday, September 6, 2009 from 8pm to 12am. Admission is always free.

GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

O’Donnell Three Peats for Senior Title The final round of the 54-hole Oregon Men’s Stroke Play Championship at Emerald Valley Golf Club began with Doug Banks, 52, of Portland, Ore. trying to maintain his slim 1-stroke lead over twotime defending champion and the reigning Oregon Senior Amateur Champion Patrick O’Donnell, 55, of Clackamas, Ore. and George Walker, 53, the 2007 Oregon Senior Amateur Champion. It was not to be Banks day in the limelight. He faltered down the stretch with a couple of unfortunate breaks, which allowed the infallible O’Donnell the breaks he needed to snatch his third consecutive Stroke Play title. “He [Banks] played really well,” said O’Donnell. “It was just 2 bad breaks in a row. He fried it on 14, and then got a little ahead of himself trying to wedge it close on 15 sending it into the bunker again. That’s where I stuffed it to 3-feet and made birdie.” O’Donnell has been one of the top senior golfers in the region for the last several years. This past week, he was the runner up to former PGA Tour professional Jeff Coston at the Oregon Open Invitational held at Wildhorse Resort, finishing at 16-under par after shooting 68-67-65-200, just 2 strokes behind Coston, but 6-strokes ahead of his closest competitor. The Invitational features the best professional and amateur senior golfers in the Pacific Northwest. “I like 54-hole events,” said O’Donnell. “I had 7-birdies in my final round at the Invitational, but only matched that in my three rounds here. It’s a tough course.” O’Donnell will attempt to qualify for the U.S. Senior Amateur at Riverside.

While the Seniors finished up, the leaders in the Open Division were beginning their battle. It all came down to 2 players. At no time did anyone threaten to take the lead away from 36-hole leaders Andrew Vijarro of Bend, Ore., the defending champion and Paul Peterson of Salem, Ore. In fact, it was mostly a battle just between these two players. Vijarro played steady all day, posting an even-par 72 with just one bogey and birdie while Peterson was a little more erratic with three birdies and bogeys also in route to an even par round. He just wasn’t sinking the putts he did yesterday when he moved into position after scoring a competitive course record 65 on the championship course. Vijarro had a one stroke advantage going into the final hole after an round on the par-3 17th hole when after finding himself trapped in the hazard, he managed to pull off an amazing shot and save par. Peterson, however, was not concerned, because the par-5 18th hole, his favorite on the course, awaited. “The 18th hole sets up well for my draw,” said the southpaw Peter-

son.“And the front right hole location today also setup well for my game.” Peterson nearly reached the 577-yard green in two and was able to score a birdie to force a playoff. How much does he like the hole? Peterson not only birdied the 18th hole each of the three rounds of the championship, but he also birdied it two years ago in this Championship to force a playoff—one that he lost after four holes to Brooks Newsom of Portland. “I didn’t want that feeling again,” said Peterson reflecting on his walk back to the clubhouse after that playoff loss.“I’ve come a long way since then. I really learned a lot this last season at Oregon State. Peterson, who will be a senior this fall, led the OSU team with a 72.33 scoring average. In the playoff, Peterson hit his shots to nearly identical locations, scoring himself another birdie opportunity while Vijarro got into trouble. “I knew the putt,” noted Peterson after he made birdie yet again. Vijarro came close to a repeat as champion, barely missing his opportunity to join the ranks of the few who have won both the

Oregon Amateur and Stroke Play titles in the same season. “I didn’t have any rounds over par this week, so I don’t feel like I lost it,” said Vijarro. “He won it. It was incredible that Paul was able move up 7-strokes yesterday to make it a match. He played great and birdied the last hole to force a playoff and birdied it again to win.” The most amazing shot of the day, however, wasn’t made by either of the leaders. It came in the form of a hole-in-one made with a 7-iron by Matt Jacobsen on the par-3 167-yard 2nd hole. The Men’s Stroke Play showcases the best male players in Oregon and SW Washington with a minimum qualification for entrants of a handicap index of 5.0 or less for male amateur golfers 13 years of age and older; those 50 years of age and older may play in a Senior Divison and must have a handicap index of 10.0 or less. The field is cut to the top-half of the players after 36-holes.

What’s Happening At Skagit Casino In September PACIFIC SHOWROOM Terri Clark Friday, September 18, 2009 7 pm and 9:30 pm Thursday, September 24, 2009 8 pm to midnight $10,000 Skagit Karaoke Awards Final Awards Show Hosted by Rocky & Kristine! Win one of nine competition cash prizes or one of 12 random draw cash prizes. Visit the Rewards Club Center for complete details. WINNERS LOUNGE Thursday, September 3, 2009 8 pm to midnight $10,000 Skagit Karaoke Awards Competition Hosted by Rocky & Kristine!

Open mic before and after the contest (time permitting). Finals to be held in the Paciﬁc Showroom on September 24th. Weekly winners advance to the ﬁnal competition. E arn entries for the random draw contest every time you sing (excluding contest song ). Win one of nine competition cash prizes or one of 12 random draw cash prizes. Visit the Rewards Club Center for complete details. September 4 & September 5 9 PM to 1 AM Pete Ford and Texas Hold ‘Em 80’s to Current Country Dance Band Thursday, September 10, 17, 2009 8 pm to midnight $10,000 Skagit Karaoke Awards

30 GOLF TODAY MAGAZINE  NORTHWEST EDITION

Competition Hosted by Rocky & Kristine! Open mic before and after the contest (time permitting). Finals to be held in the Paciﬁc Showroom on September 24th. Weekly winners advance to the ﬁnal competition. E a r n e n t r i e s fo r t h e r a n dom draw contest every time you sing (excluding contest song ). Win one of nine competition cash prizes or one of 12 random draw cash prizes. Visit the Rewards Club Center for complete details. September 11 & September 12 9 PM to 1 AM The Goods Top 40 Dance and 60’s-80’s Rock

September 18 & September 19 9 PM to 1 AM Latigo Lace Contemporary Country Dance Band September 25 & September 26 9 PM to 1 AM Freddy Pink Classic Rock and Soul Horn Band DINING The Five Onion Grill Summer Berry Menu Specials Featuring fresh locally supplied berries from Skagit Valley’s Sakuma Brothers Farm – Ends 9/25/09 The Market Buﬀet Seafood Celebration – Every Friday – 5 pm to 10 pm

SEPTEMBER 2009

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