Golf Guide 2014

Golf Guide

2014 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 1

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Contents

AJGA Rookie Tournament page 4

Also inside

Listen to the pros page 10

Introduction to footgolf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Alice Dye Women’s Invitational . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Otter Creek Ladies Golf League . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tips for senior players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 PGA Junior League Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Playing by the rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 New clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Area golf events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Comments should be sent to Jay Heater, The Republic, 333 Second St., Columbus, IN 47201 or call 812-379-5632 or jheater@therepublic.com.

Advertising information: Call 812-379-5652. ©2014 by Home News Enterprises All rights reserved. Reproduction of stories, photographs and advertisements without permission is prohibited. Stock images provided by © Thinkstock.

On the cover

Club maker Ryan Blevins page 14

Golf simulators page 16

Columbus East golfer Abby Frazier studies the green during last year’s sectional play at Greensburg Country Club. Photo by Tommy Walker.

Call Keith Clark, Head Golf Professional, for additional inquiries: 812-342-6012

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L

ast year’s American Junior Golf Association Tournament at Otter Creek was such a success that tournament organizers aren’t looking to change much of anything for its second year.

The event, which was named the 2013 AJGA Rookie Tournament of the Year, will return to Otter Creek from June 29 to July 3.

“The event went really smooth last year, so we’re not trying to make any huge changes,” Otter Creek pro and general manager Chad Cockerham said. “Especially for the first time around, I think everybody was pleased with last year. I don’t think we want to try to recreate the wheel.”

The week will begin with a qualifier on June 29 (a Sunday). June 30 (a Monday) will feature a clinic and Junior Am, and the 54-hole tournament will be July 1 to 3 (Tuesday to Thursday).

“We were fortunate last year that the weather was pretty good,” Cockerham said. “Most problems come when hosting events when the weather is poor. We had a little bit of rain on the qualifying day, but other than that, the weather was pretty clear.

“There are some small things that we’ll change as far as setup and staffing, but I don’t see any major changes from last year,” he said.

Both major title sponsors — Under Armour and Jeff Overton — are returning this year. Overton, a former Indiana University golfer and current PGA Tour pro, will likely be there on June 30 for the clinic, his schedule permitting.

“He did a great job last year,” Cockerham said. “The back half of his clinic got rained out, so he came inside and signed autographs for the kids.”

Last year’s tournament raised $105,000 through sponsors and in-kind gifts. From that the committee was able to pay the expenses of the tournament and agreed with the AJGA to put a certain amount of awards to the ACE Grants Program, an Indiana-based scholarship that is being managed by Indiana Golf Foundation. It also provided seed funding for the foundation to start The First Tee in Columbus and donated to the Andy Critzer Memorial Scholarship.

“The one thing that I learned is that we have a very generous community both with time and resources,” tournament chairman John Fairbanks said. “When I reached out to our sponsors last spring, I don’t remember anybody saying ‘no’ to us. We wanted to bring a lot of juniors to Columbus, and we wanted to raise money for The First Tee to start that curriculum in the schools.”

The AJGA told Fairbanks the 120 volunteers for the Otter Creek event were one of the largest of any of its 95 tournaments across the country last year.

“We were pleased with the resources that we were

4 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

Junior golf tournament

will return to Otter Creek At a glance

Under Armour/Jeff Overton AJGA Tournament hosted by Otter Creek June 29: Qualifying June 30: Clinic and Junior Am July 1-3: 54-hole tournament

photo by Tommy Walker

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able to raise and the volunteer spirit of the people in Columbus that helped us leading up to the event and also tournament week,” Fairbanks said.

Matt Larson, AJGA senior regional director for the Midwest, said now, it’s a matter of trying to grow the event a little.

“We try to donate to local charities, and we’re going to try to do that a little bit more this year,” Larson said.

“I want to continue to raise as much as we can to continue funding The First Tee,” Fairbanks said. “And we want to run one of the top junior tournaments in the country. We have a great facility at Otter Creek, we have great volunteers and we should be able to accomplish that with no trouble at all.”

Fairbanks traveled to Atlanta for the AJGA’s biennial meeting March 6 to 8 to pick up the Rookie Tournament of the Year plaque.

“That’s a nice pat on the back,” Fairbanks said. “I’m proud of that, and that’s certainly something I’m going to come back and show off with our committee members and volunteers.”

Larson said the AJGA returning to Otter Creek was an easy decision.

“We had tremendous community involvement, especially for the first year of the event,” Larson said. “We had a lot of new events last year, and this one was the best of the new events. It was a no-brainer for us to want to come back.”

Above: Sydney Anderson tees off on the second day of the AJGA event at Otter Creek last year.

Opposite page: Michael VanDeventer of Columbus studies the green on the final hole.

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The dawn of a new game in America Ted Bishop, president of PGA of America and general manager of The Legends Golf Club in Franklin

E

ach spring for the past 38 years I have looked forward to the start of a new golf season with great anticipation. This year is different, though. In January at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., I was exposed to an exciting concept called footgolf, which is a combination of the popular sports of soccer and golf. The game is played with a soccer ball at a golf course facility on shortened holes with 21inch diameter cups.

The rules largely correspond to the rules of golf, but footgolf is far simpler and faster to play than the normal round of golf. Footgolf is played throughout the world in many different forms and under various rules and names. But as a sport, it is regulated by the Federation for International FootGolf.

On May 3, The Legends Golf Club will premiere footgolf in Indiana. The Franklin course is the first accredited footgolf facility in Indiana, and big plans are underway to launch the area’s newest sport.

Roberto Balestrini, founder of the American FootGolf League, will come to Franklin from Palm Springs, Calif., to expose central Indiana to footgolf.

“The president of the PGA of America surprises me every day. In our last conversation, he inspired me to take the U.S. Youth FootGolf Program of the AFGL to the next level,” Balestrini said. “He showed me how to bring soccer kids and school kids to the golf courses and teach them the greatness of the sport of golf while they have fun playing footgolf.”

It is anticipated that representatives from Indy Eleven, a new North American Soccer League entry based in Indianapolis, will be some of the first to step foot on the footgolf course at The Legends. A hot air balloon launch will be featured during the weekend to promote footgolf, and it is anticipated that the event will draw national attention.

I introduced footgolf to Dan Kapsalis, one of central Indiana’s leading authorities on soccer, in February. Kapsalis enjoyed unparalleled success as the boys coach at Carmel High School over a 14year period, which culminated in a perfect season, an IHSAA state championship in 2006 and No. 1 national ranking. He also founded the Indianapolis

“Footgolf offers a unique, fun and challenging game where kids and adults alike will enjoy using their soccer skills and compete on a real golf course.”

— Dan Kapsalis

6 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

United Soccer Club in 1989, which has won 16 state championships. He was a member of two NCAA national championship soccer teams at Indiana University.

“Footgolf offers a unique, fun and challenging game where kids and adults alike will enjoy using their soccer skills and compete on a real golf course with all of the obstacles and challenging terrain offered by the course,“ Kapsalis said. “Whether you are driving the ball from the tee, chipping the ball from the fairway or finally passing it into a 21-inch cup — all with your foot using a soccer ball — this game has no limits.

“I am proud to endorse the program and look forward to participating myself. Let the fun begin!”

The par-3 Dye Course at The Legends will be a dedicated, 18-hole footgolf course. Par-3 holes range in distance from 55 to 80 yards. Par 4s are 130 to 160 yards, while the par-5 holes range from 175 to 210 yards. Players will start play on each hole between the same tee markers that golfers hit from. The foot-

golf greens will be located next to the actual putting greens. It should take about 2½ hours to play 18 holes of footgolf.

The beauty of footgolf is that golfers can play alongside footgolfers. The footgolf course will in no way detract from the regular golf, but being on a golf course makes the experience legitimate for the footgolfers.

There are about 60 golf courses in the United States that offer footgolf. The sport got its start in 2012 in California but has been spreading nationwide since it became more well-known at the PGA Show this winter.

“My background is in the No. 1 sport in the world, soccer,” said Balestrini. “Someday, kids will walk onto a golf course with the same confidence and excitement they walk onto a soccer field or a public park, thanks to footgolf.”

Footgolf is a reasonably priced activity that players of all ages can enjoy together. Footgolfers will be allowed to bring their own soccer balls to the course or they can rent them from The Legends. I anticipate that The Legends will host several sanctioned AFGL events this summer, as well as many leagues and tournaments for local players. I can even see soccer clubs holding footgolf outings as fundraisers. Our facility will offer a junior footgolf program instructed by a qualified soccer person.

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Club Manager Debbie Martin (812) 663-6847 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 7

Fun at French Lick O

By Donita Compton

submitted photo

ne of my favorite golfing adventures was last September in French Lick at the Alice Dye Women’s Invitational — a celebration of women’s golf. I had heard only wonderful comments regarding this event, so I invited Kay Leonard to join me and we signed up as a team.

This was a first-class event. From the moment we arrived, we felt like special guests. It all started on Sunday with a practice round on the Pete Dye course at French Lick. This was followed by a reception at the West Baden Springs Hotel.

LPGA Legend Jane Blalock was the guest speaker, and the announcement was made there would be a Hall of Fame established for the LPGA Legends at the West Baden Springs Hotel.

We played the Pete Dye course on Monday (with a

Donita Compton, right, and Kay Leonard prepare to tee off at French Lick.

8 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

team from Greenwood) and the Donald Ross course on Tuesday (with a team from Chicago). We began both days with a nice breakfast and after each round had a wonderful lunch buffet.

One of the reasons Kay and I had so much fun is we played well. We came in second on Day 1 and third on Day 2. This event is not a competition; it is an invitational. So the winners on Day 1 conceded their prizes on Day 2 so other teams could take home some of the winnings.

Marsha and Jan Tellstrom know how to treat golfers.

We can’t wait to participate again this year. Kay and I hope more women from this area participate this year.

You will be glad you did.

For information on the event: mtellstrom@frenchlick. com. For information about French Lick and LPGA Legends: www.frenchlick.com.

Otter Creek Ladies Golf League Local women golfers of all levels of ability are welcome to play with the Otter Creek Ladies Golf League, which meets at 9:15 a.m. every Tuesday at Otter Creek Golf Course. Teams are chosen, and golfers tee off by 10. The cost for 18 holes with a cart is $24. Women need not be a member of Otter Creek or a player’s card holder to receive this price.

League play will start sometime in May or late April, weather permitting. Information: Donita Compton, 379-9173.

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Slam with a PLAN: Know your home on the range

T

By Jay Heater t is the norm at any driving range. Harrison Lake head golf pro Keith Clark has gone to the driving range over the years and has approached someone smashing balls.

“I ask, ‘What are you working on?” Clark said. “The answer I get is ‘I don’t know.’”

Area golf professionals love that people will flock to the range to work on their game.

Unfortunately, many of those golfers are making a big mistake. They don’t have a plan.

“You see people take three or four swings and go to the driver,” Clark said with a smile.

“It is rare when someone has a plan. At least half their time should be dedicated to the short game.”

While some golfers just want to rip the ball as far as they can for fun, it is a given that most of the golfers would like to improve their scores.

“You should always have a plan,” said Timbergate head golf pro Kurt Balser. “You are going out there to get yourself ready to play. You are not doing yourself any favors

10 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

by just hitting.”

Golfers would do themselves a favor by listening to some easy-to-do tips from area professionals.

“The first thing I would tell everyone would be to spend the first five minutes stretching,” said Otter Creek head golf pro Chad Cockerham. “The most important reason is to avoid injury. A lot of people injure themselves without knowing it.

“When you go to a PGA Tour event, you won’t see anyone hit a ball without stretching.”

Cockerham said that once some stretching is completed, a golfer should work five of 10 minutes on control shots, wedges of about 50 yards. “That should be the routine for anybody,” he said. “It is like a sprinter walking the track before he takes off.”

Legends Director of Golf Ted Bishop, the president of PGA of America, agrees. “The No. 1 thing is that I always start by warming up with wedges,” said Bishop. “I take half and three-quarter swings. I am effectively loosen-

ing up my body and at the same time practicing my short game. Then you work your way up. You also finish with your wedge play. Your ability to score is what you do with that club inside 100 yards.

“And you have to ask yourself, ‘How much time do I spend working with the putter?’ The number of strokes you take with that club, more than any other, affects your score. A great putting round is 28 putts.”

Once you get stretching down and then a proper order, it’s time to pay attention to some other details.

“You want to use the tools to make sure your alignment is correct,” said Clark, who showed a couple of alignment sticks in his office. Some golfers might lay a club on the ground for alignment, but whatever is used, golfers need to see if they are in the proper position before even starting their swing.

“Once that is done, watch your divots and the ball flight,” Clark said. “The divots should be going at the target.”

Cockerham said balance is something that can be tuned on the driving range.

“Balance is something you must have to make a decent move,” he said. “It is one of the things that people overlook, and it’s pretty easy to check. The easiest thing to do is to hold your finish. If you can hold your finish until the ball lands, that’s a pretty good start. If you are taking a step after the ball lands, balance is something you need to work on.

“You want to make a good, clean weight shift, turning your back to the target on the way back, and turning your chest to the target on the way through. You want to get your big muscles moving correctly, and you will hit the ball solid. The easiest thing to change is what your hands and arms are doing.”

Cockerham said not to be too concerned with hitting a target right away. “You should be more concerned with hitting it solid,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter if the ball is off line. You can tune it in.”

For those who can’t seem to come to grips with a proper practice plan, help is only a golf course away. Any golf pro can develop a practice plan during a lesson or a series of lessons.

Unlike some equipment that golfers buy, that practice plan won’t go obsolete.

Golfers go to club pros for help with a slice or hook, to hit the ball longer, or to get the basics. It’s not often that a person will ask for help learning how to utilize the driving range.

Balser laughed a bit when considering that notion.

“I’ve never had anyone ask me how I should approach it,” he said.

Cockerham said a series of golf lessons allow a pro to develop a game plan that will make the game more enjoyable.

“It’s very similar to going to the gym,” he said.

“You don’t really know what the equipment does, and you will see results much quicker if you go with someone who understands it.”

Bishop noted that the Get Golf Ready program can help golfers get a plan. The five-lesson (45 minutes each) program is offered by many courses.

People can find out more about the program at www.getgolfready.com.

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Flexibility key for senior players

T

By Jay Heater ed Bishop, the president of the PGA of America and the director of golf at Legends in Franklin, has an important tip for senior golfers, and it doesn’t require handling a golf club.

“The first thing I would say to a senior player coming out of winter and going into spring is that you need to do some stretching,” Bishop said. “You need to make sure your body is warmed up.

“It is easy to be fooled when you get a day in the 50s, and it feels warm. But the older you are, the easier it is to pull muscles. So leading up to the season, any stretching you can do is going to help. Any walking you can do is going to help. Try to develop a little muscle tone.

That’s a good thing.

“The older you get, the more vulnerable you become.”

Area golf professionals interviewed for this story all agreed that some of the most important work that seniors can do toward improving scores is done off the course or before a round begins.

“Flexibility is more important than muscle

12 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

mass,” said Chad Cockerham, the head pro at Otter Creek in Columbus. “Balance and flexibility. You don’t even need to go to a gym. Any golf professional can help. You need the ability to turn faster and have more balance.

“So this time of year is one of the better times to work on your swing. Weights work is fine, but stretching really helps. It could be as simple as taking a broom and putting it over the shoulders and turning. You can work on your back’s flexibility. There also are several different programs online at the Titleist Performance Institute.”

While golfers can do the work on their own, Harrison Lake head pro Keith Clark said that seniors should check with their local workout facility to see if trainers can do a physical evaluation specific to golf movements.

He said many of them do. The most important thing is just to do something healthy.

“Ironically, flexibility is not something correlated with age,” Bishop said. “You would be surprised that some relatively young people have flexibility issues. Given the sophistication

of physical training now, there are opportunities to join a gym and get a trainer. It’s going to help your flexibility and how much club head speed you can generate. Of course, that’s true across the board.”

Improving the swing

Once the seniors show up at the course, the focus shifts to other areas.

“A lot of the things that I see from seniors involve short swings,” said Timberlake head pro Kurt Balser. “They can’t make the turn.

In that case, you want to make sure they are following through. A lot of seniors will stop their swing.”

While Balser noted that it really helps if seniors keep themselves limber so they can turn their hips, he also understands that’s not always going to be the case. So when it comes to the backswing and the follow-through, he puts more emphasis on the follow-through.

“Turning back is where they get stuck,” Balser said. “So I tell them to take it back as much as they can, but then don’t stop the club

short of the shoulder on the follow-through.”

Clark offers a couple of simple tips to seniors.

“If you flare your toes out (in the stance), it takes pressure off the knees,” he said. “And the other one is to finish by allowing your right toes (for a right-hander) to come up. It takes pressure off your back.”

Cockerham said there is no reason to limit goals for a senior.

“Honestly, that is what is so great about golf,” he said. “The golf ball doesn’t know how old you are. Age isn’t much of an excuse. You lose some speed as you get older, but hopefully you gain knowledge and patience.”

Focus on enjoyment

It is important, though, for golfers, seniors or not, to define their goals.

“The primary goal for (pros) is still the same,” Cockerham said. “First and foremost, we want to increase their enjoyment of the game.

“So for one player, that might mean hitting it farther. If they are looking for lower scores, that’s the goal and what we can work on. Hit it solidly, get the most efficient swing that fits their skill set. Sometimes you have to get creative. I have worked with several players with

Enjoy Responsibly!

disabilities, limbs amputated, restrictions in movement. Everyone’s body is different, and we all have limitations in our golf swing.

“There is a lot of clutter we fight through, especially with seniors. But just because you see it on TV doesn’t mean it is correct.”

Cockerham said it is important for golfers of all ages to keep statistics on the course. Write down fairways hit, greens hit in regulation and the number of putts.

“You want to keep track of what you do on the course,” he said. “It gives people a good idea of where they are and what their weaknesses are. We can fix it.”

Once the physical part of the game is worked out, golfers also can get a boost with technology.

“For some seniors, it might be time to switch to a senior shaft, which is more flexible.

A graphite shaft can take some of the shock out of a hit, and it has more kick to it.”

Clark said a golf pro can line a golfer up with proper equipment.

“We can do a club analysis to help someone who has lost motion,” he said. “You can use lighter golf shafts or different lofts. Now is a good time because March is the golfer’s New Year’s resolution.”

“This is a really good time to be playing golf,” Cockerham said. “I would basically tell this to anyone, whether they are a senior or not. If you haven’t changed equipment in the last three years, we could probably find you something to give you a significant amount of distance. Every span of three to four years, there is a pretty big difference in equipment.

Adjustable drivers are a big example. They give players such a great advantage and will give players much more distance, for sure.”

Bishop said the Legends will take a launch monitor to the first tee, which will allow golfers to see the “spin rate” coming off the driver’s head. “It can identify potential deficiencies,” he said. “You can take a look at that spin, which by and large results in a lack of distance. With the new technology we are seeing where you are getting less spin off the driver head; that makes it important that people get fitted. Technology today is so much better than it was five years ago.

“Last summer I had an interesting conversation with Corey Pavin (age 54) at a Champions Tour event. We talked about his driving statistics, which are the longest they’ve ever been in his career. There is no greater testimony about how sophisticated the technology is today.”

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GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 13

At a glance

What: Broken Stix Where: 386 S. Jackson Park Drive, Seymour Owner: Ryan Blevins Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday (maybe a little less during the winter)

Ryan Blevins, owner of Broken Stix in Seymour, stands next to a rack of golf clubs.

Club repair, fitting are Seymour man’s game

T

By Ted Schultz n photos by Aaron Piper n the 20 years Ryan Blevins has been making and repairing golf clubs, he’s had a few strange requests.

Perhaps none has been as out-of-the-ordinary as the one he had a few years ago when a golfer laid three clubs on a railroad track and went to look for golf balls in a pond. When he came back, a train had flattened them and cut each club into five pieces.

“I had a guy bring in three golf clubs, and they were in 15 different pieces, and I had to repair them,” Blevins said. “It didn’t take long. I just put three shafts in, and it was ready to

14 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

go again. He was quite upset because he didn’t find enough golf balls to pay for the club repair.”

Blevins, 58, has operated Broken Stix in Seymour for the past 20 years. He specializes in club repair and custom clubs.

“It started out being a hobby,” he said. “I had a doctor buddy and a lawyer buddy that were always griping about their clubs. I started building golf clubs for those guys, and they loved them, and it started from there. It turned into a business.”

Since starting the business, he has attended golf club build-

“

ers schools in Kentucky, Ohio and Florida. He is certified in club repair and club fitting and continues to attend classes to keep up with the latest technology.

“Normally, the things that I get into a lot are fixing problems or building a particular club for them that will fit their golf swing,” Blevins said. “I do build a lot of sets of clubs so that they will fit their golf swing and work for them so they’re not struggling trying to play golf.”

One of Blevins’ clients, David Mobley, won the Remax World Long Drive Championship and was on “The Big Break.”

“He hits it so far that he needed a Double-X shaft in order to keep the ball straight,” Blevins said. “He was hooking it because the shaft was too soft.”

Blevins has also worked on clubs for players on the Hooters Tour and Senior Tour. He’s also worked with Brownstown native Chris Baker, who is on the Web.com Tour.

When Columbus North senior Zack Lee was a freshman, Blevins put new grips on all of his clubs.

“He put a different shaft in my driver and made a utility club, a hybrid, and I’m still using it today,” said Lee, who has signed to play at Huntington University.

Joe Farmer of Seymour has won the Calcutta at Seymour Country Club three years in a row. He’s been going to Blevins off and on for 10 years.

“He’s went through my bag and has treated me really well,” Farmer said. “He provides a great service to us recreational golfers. He works with the courses, too, and repairs clubs for them. He works with the youth, too, as far as giving them custom made clubs.”

Broken Stix has a launch monitor, where Blevins can test players and do club fitting. He said that most people are playing with shafts that are either too stiff or too soft.

“I get a lot of people come in that say they cannot hit a driver, and I can get people hitting drivers,” Blevins said. “The biggest problem I’ve found is most people are not playing with enough loft on their club. If we get them enough loft, then it’s a lot easier and more fun for them.

“I get some big boys in here that may need an X-flex or a Double-X-flex in order to hit the thing because they swing so hard,” he said. “They generate a lot of club head speed.”

Blevins also fits a lot of putters for players.

“A lot of people look around trying to find a putter that works for them, and they have trouble finding a putter they like, so they keep buying more putters,” he said. “I’ll actually build a putter and fit you with it so it will work.”

He coaches the middle school team at Immanuel Lutheran.

He has 27 kids from Grades 6 to 8 on the team.

“I love working with the kids,” Blevins said.

“Ryan has been a big help,” Farmer said. “He’s a great listener, easy to work with, and he’s good with the kids, too.

That’s the most important thing.”

Blevins adjusts the angle of a club.

I had a doctor buddy and a lawyer buddy that were always griping about their clubs. I started building golf clubs for those guys, and they loved them, and it started from there. It turned into a business.

”

Ryan Blevins

GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 15

A perfect fantasy: ideal golf weather every day

Luke Moton takes a swing at driving the ball down the fairway on the simulator at Timbergate Golf Course.

By Jay Heater n photo by Keith Griner

S

tanding on the seventh tee at the famed Cherry Hills golf course, you are just a bit thirsty, so you turn, take three steps and order an adult beverage.

No, the seventh tee at Cherry Hills in Englewood, Colo., doesn’t have a bar behind the seventh tee. But the golf simulator at Timbergate Golf Course in Edinburgh does.

When the weather outside is frightful, the brand of fantasy golf offered by Timbergate can be quite pleasant. So pleasant that it’s been hard to get a tee time on the golf simulator this past winter.

For $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends, golfers can play a choice of 30 different courses available on the simulator. Each golfer basically takes an hour to play a round, so a foursome plays pretty much as they would a normal round of live golf, in four hours.

“The golfers are just having a ball,” said Timbergate head golf professional Kurt Balser.

“Some of the courses offered are real, some fictional,” he said. “We also have a course, The Golden Ocala (Fla.), that is made up of the most famous 18 holes in golf.”

16 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

Timbergate purchased two simulators just over two years ago, and they have been hot items ever since.

“We wanted to create an atmosphere where golfers would want to come here during any season,” Balser said. “It has been nonstop. We have to turn people away.”

Golfers stand on a mat like you might find at a driving range. Various spots on the mat represent tee areas, fairways, bunkers, roughs and hazards.

Then they launch the ball into a soft screen that acts as a movie screen. After the ball is blasted into the screen, the simulator estimates the flight and distance of each shot. Golfers follow it until it lands, just as they would out on the course.

Golfers take turns hitting. Once a golfer lands his ball on the green, he places the ball on a synthetic putting surface and actually putts toward a hole.

Balser notes that while the simulator is very realistic, some shots are a bit different than a golfer would hit on the course.

“You really need to hit a little lower on the screen than you normally would hit a shot,” he

said. “And chipping is extremely difficult.”

Other than that, though, golfers get all the thrills of a round of golf, without sunburn. “I tell people to remember that this is entertainment and not exactly the same thing,” he said. “But it can keep you loose, and it can keep your mind focused.”

Balser has been a golf pro since 1981, and he expects more golf courses to offer simulators.

“People get antsy during the winter,” he said.

“People were calling me in February and asking if our course was going to be open that weekend. No. But they would come play on the simulator. People were tired of being cooped up in the house.”

Having the simulator allows golfers to play during the off-season and even take lessons.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be doing anything this time of year,” Balser said. “This is a great way to keep your game sharp. You might not be able to see the end result the same way, but you can get a feel for your game.”

Those golfers who can’t get away during the day also have an option. The simulator is open until 10 p.m. seven days a week. With food and a bar in the same room, it creates quite the atmosphere.

Team aspect of new program appeals to Hoosier junior golfers Mike David, executive director, Indiana Golf Office

I

t’s a familiar sight around the country: kids running around in uniforms with numbers on their backs playing on a team. Up until last year, whether it was a Saturday morning, a Sunday afternoon or after school, they were more than likely playing soccer, baseball or basketball.

Well, there is a new team game in town these days. It is PGA Junior League Golf. That’s right, golf.

PGA Junior League Golf is designed for boys and girls ages 13 and younger. It features team competitions in structured leagues that provide a popular, less stressful scramble format as opposed to stroke-play competition. This is a great way to get kids involved in the game. And it has taken Indiana by storm.

Junior League Golf launched as a pilot program in 2011, with teams competing in four markets: Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas and San Diego. In 2012, PGA Junior League Golf saw close to 2,000 participants on more than 120 teams in more than 20 markets. Again, no Indiana involvement in PGA Junior League Golf.

In 2013, PGA Junior League Golf expanded to markets across the United States, including 32 of the 41 PGA of America Sections. Nearly 9,000 participants on more than 740 teams across North America participated. Finally, Junior League Golf was introduced to Indiana. PGA professionals from across Indiana responded by forming 60 teams. wasweekday tied for the most teams in the country, $25That every if you bring and Indiana Section PGA was named Co-PGA this ad to the pro shop Junior League Section of the Year along with the Mid Atlantic PGA. Mondays $6 Green Fee,

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The 2013 season culminated with six regional champions (teams from Georgia, California, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia and Indiana) competing for the National Championship at TPC Sugarloaf in Atlanta. Team Georgia emerged victorious.

For Indiana to go from not being part of the pilot program in 2011 or 2012 to one of the top performers in 2013, including sending a team to the national championship, really comes as no surprise. Indiana has always been a hotbed for junior golf. The Indiana Junior Golf Tour annually sees more than 1,300 participants in the 70-plus events that are offered, and there are more than 350 former Indiana Junior Tour participants who are on collegiate golf rosters.

Indiana is one of only a few statewide chapters of The First Tee in the country. More than 10,000 kids are being reached in Indiana through The First Tee’s National Schools Program. The National School Program and The First Tee Programming will be introduced to Columbus area youths in 2014.

The key to Indiana’s success in PGA Junior League Golf is largely due to the support that the program has received from the Indiana Section PGA Board of Directors and PGA professionals from around the state. Being quick to promote and support junior golf initiatives, the PGA professionals from throughout the state saw the tremendous value of this new program and encouraged their junior golfers to sign up.

PGA Junior League is the perfect developmental program because of the team aspect that is involved.

The scramble format makes it a comfortable introduction to competition for kids who otherwise might be intimidated by playing in a golf tournament and

posting a score. The concept of PGA Junior League is to introduce the game of golf to kids in a fun, nonthreatening environment.

League Golf LLC is the operating company of PGA Junior League Golf. The company was created in 2011 with a mission to create and operate grassroots, recreational team and league programs for golfers of all ages. The objective is to deliver a portfolio of offerings that grow the game of golf through regularly scheduled participation with teams.

The PGA of America saw the value of this startup program and immediately decided that it would be a great partnership. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multibillion dollar golf industry.

By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game and the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.

Always seen as an individual game, PGA Junior League Golf is changing the perception of the sport and bringing a whole new generation of kids to the game.

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GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 17

The rules they are a-changin’

T “

By Greg Seiter he rules in golf are constantly evolving.

However, the majority of adjustments implemented by the United States Golf Association and The R&A, golf’s governing bodies in any given year, are minor.

“The rules of golf change every four years, so the next time an actual change takes place will be in 2016,” said Chip Essig, director of golf at Hickory Stick Golf Club in Greenwood and a member of the PGA of America’s National Rules Committee. “During the last couple of four-year cycles, they’ve been trying to make rules easier to read and understand.

“When you tweak the rules even just a little bit, it affects a lot of things, and you have to think about the whole world,” he continued.

Between the changes that take effect every four years, amendments are made to existing rules in order to help make the game easier to interpret for players, officials and others who participate.

“Every two years, we amend decisions to the rules of golf,” Essig said. “Some of those amendments will be in place this year.”

For 2014, New Decision 14-3/18 confirms that during a given round of golf, players can access reports on weather conditions through a smartphone without breaching existing rules.

This new decision also clarifies that players are permitted to access information on the threat of an impending storm in order to protect themselves.

“With smartphones, it’s really not a tricky thing anymore,” Essig said. “Do you really want to disqualify a player who is just trying to

get a round in before a storm comes?

“In the past, you couldn’t use electronic devices to get the information you would need to make that decision. Everybody has these in their pockets now, and pros have them in their bags even though they’re not allowed to pull them out. When you’re talking about players’ safety, being able to look at the radar is great.”

Another new decision for this season involves the potential movement of a ball after it has already been at rest. Decision 18/4 says that, in situations where enhanced technological evidence shows that a ball has left its original position and has come to rest in another location, the ball will not be deemed to have moved if that movement wasn’t reasonably detectable by the naked eye.

“There have been some cases in the past where ball movement has been so minor, there’s no way you would have even been able to tell,” Essig said. “However, with the advancement of high definition television, it’s possible to tell that the ball isn’t in the exact same position. Now, in order to get penalized, you have to be able to tell the ball came to a new resting place with the naked eye.

“On Tour events when you have a lot of television, this will probably come into play once in a while, but it’s not going to affect the average player unless your opponent is recording you with a small camera.”

At virtually every level of play, questions often arise as to the definition of the word “embedded” in reference to a ball’s resting position on top of or partially under the

In golf, everything changes from course to course, so rules have to take into account anything that could possibly happen to your golf ball anywhere in the world.

18 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

”

— Chip Essig

ground. Revised Decision 25-2/0.5 is intended to help provide clarity as to when a ball is truly embedded.

“To be considered embedded, the ball has to actually be embedded in the ground. In other words, it has to be partially below ground level before the player can get any relief,” Essig said. “The rule hasn’t actually changed any, but the committee is now providing three different pictures that help to illustrate what embedded means.

“I think there’s some confusion over balls that get into long grass. They may be deep in the grass but still on top of the soil. That’s not considered embedded.”

One other amendment of note for 2014 addresses restrictions on whether or not a player can walk forward a reasonable distance in order to determine if it would be appropriate to play a provisional ball. Decision 27-2a/1.5 specifies that now, a player can go forward approximately 50 yards without forfeiting his or her right to go back and play a provisional ball.

In addition to providing more flexibility, the USGA and The R&A believe this change has the potential to also improve the pace of play at all levels.

“To play a provisional ball, the existing rule says you must play it before you go to search,” Essig said. “This one is just common sense.

This decision gives a more specific distance and more specific instructions on when a player can return and play a provisional ball once he’s gone forward.

“We’ll probably never see this on a Tour event because they don’t play many provisional balls, and they have spectators and officials.”

According to Essig, there’s much to consider before even the smallest golf-related rules adjustment can be approved and implemented during any two- or four-year cycle.

“In golf, everything changes from course to course, so rules have to take into account anything that could possibly happen to your golf ball anywhere in the world,” he said. “For example, in South Africa or Asia, they deal with animals we don’t have, and the same is true on our side. We also have grasses they don’t have.

Sometimes, people don’t realize how much there really is to consider.”

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Hot clubs for 2014 Every golf season brings a bevy of new toys to play with. Golf Digest has put together a great list of new clubs for 2014. Listed below are the clubs that received “gold” labels from the magazine. Many more details about the clubs can be found at the Golf Digest Hot List website, www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/hot-list

DRIVERS CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA STREET PRICE: $400 LOFTS: 9, 10.5, 13.5HT (all adjustable)

LOFTS: 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 12 for D2; 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 for D3 (all adjustable)

FAIRWAY WOODS ADAMS TIGHT LIES/TIGHT LIES TOUR

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA ALPHA STREET PRICE: $500 LOFTS: 9, 10.5 (all adjustable)

STREET PRICE: $200/$230

CALLAWAY X2 HOT/X2 HOT PRO STREET PRICE: $330 LOFTS: 9, 10.5, 13.5HT for X2 Hot; 8.5 on X2 Hot Pro (all adjustable)

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA

COBRA BIO CELL/BIO CELL + STREET PRICE: $300/$400 LOFTS: One adjustable head for each (9 to 12 degrees on Bio Cell; 8 to 11 degrees on Bio Cell+) NIKE VRS COVERT 2.0/VRS COVERT 2.0 TOUR STREET PRICE: $300/$400 LOFTS: One adjustable head (8.5 to 12.5 degrees). VRS Covert 2.0 PING G25 STREET PRICE: $350 LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 12 (all adjustable) PING i25 STREET PRICE: $400 LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 (all adjustable) TAYLORMADE JETSPEED/JETSPEED TP STREET PRICE: $300/$400 LOFTS: 9.5, 10.5, HL-13 (all adjustable)

LOFTS: 14, 16, 19, 22 for Tight Lies; 14.5, 18 for Tight Lies Tour

STREET PRICE: $300 LOFTS: 15, 18, 21 (adjustable) CALLAWAY X2 HOT/X2 HOT PRO/X2 HOT DEEP STREET PRICE: $240 LOFTS: 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25 for X2 Hot; 13.5, 15, 17, 19 for X2 Hot Pro; 12.5, 14.5, 18.5 for X2 Hot Deep COBRA BIO CELL/BIO CELL + STREET PRICE: $220 LOFTS (adjustable): 3-4 wood (from 13 to 16 degrees); 5-7 wood (from 17 to 20 degrees) PING G25 STREET PRICE: $230 LOFTS: 15, 16.5, 18, 21 PING I25 STREET PRICE: $250 LOFTS: 14, 15, 18 TAYLORMADE JETSPEED STREET PRICE: $230 LOFTS: 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 (adjustable)

TAYLORMADE SLDR/SLDR TP, SLDR 430/SLDR 430 TP STREET PRICE: $400/$500 LOFTS: SLDR: 8, 9.5, 10.5, 12, 14; SLDR TP, SLDR 430, SLDR 430 TP: 9, 10.5, 12

TAYLORMADE SLDR/SLDR TP

TITLEIST 913D2/D3 STREET PRICE: $400

LOFTS (adjustable): 13.5, 15, 17, 19, 21 for 913F; 13.5, 15, 18 for 913F.d

20 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

STREET PRICE: $250/$350 LOFTS: 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 (adjustable) TITLEIST 913F/913F.d STREET PRICE: $250

TOUR EDGE EXOTICS XCG7 STREET PRICE: $250/$300 LOFTS: 13, 15, 16.5, 18, 21 for XCG7; 11.5, 13, 15, 16.5, 18 for XCG7 Beta

HYBRIDS ADAMS PRO STREET PRICE: $200 LOFTS: 16, 18, 20, 23 CALLAWAY X2 HOT/X2 HOT PRO STREET PRICE: $200 LOFTS: 19, 22, 25, 28 for X2 Hot; 16, 18, 20, 23 for X2 Hot Pro COBRA BIO CELL STREET PRICE: $190 LOFTS (adjustable): 2-3H (16 to 19 degrees), 3-4H (19 to 22 degrees), 4-5H (22 to 25 degrees) NIKE VRS COVERT 2.0/COVERT TOUR 2.0 STREET PRICE: $180/$230 LOFTS: 17, 20, 23, 26 for Covert 2.0; 3H (17 to 21 degrees), 4H (21 to 25 degrees) for Covert Tour 2.0 PING G25 STREET PRICE: $200 LOFTS: 17, 20, 23, 27, 31 PING I25 STREET PRICE: $220 LOFTS: 17, 19, 22, 26 TAYLORMADE JETSPEED STREET PRICE: $200 LOFTS: 17, 19, 22, 25, 28 TAYLORMADE SLDR/SLDR TP STREET PRICE: $220/$290 LOFTS: 17, 19, 21, 24 TITLEIST 913H/913H.d STREET PRICE: $230 LOFTS (all adjustable): 17, 19, 21, 24, 27 for 913H; 18, 20, 23 for 913H.d

WEDGES CALLAWAY MACK DADDY 2 STREET PRICE: $120 DETAILS: 16 loft/bounce options from 47 to 64 degrees; three sole grinds; two finishes: chrome, slate CLEVELAND 588 RTX STREET PRICE: $120 DETAILS: 10 loft/bounce options from 46 to 64 degrees; two finishes: satin chrome, black pearl

Ping S55 iron

PING TOUR STREET PRICE: $130 DETAILS: 13 loft/bounce options from 47 to 60 degrees; three sole grinds; dark-satin finish

Callaway X2 Hot driver Adams Tight Lies Tour fairway wood

TITLEIST VOKEY DESIGN SM5 STREET PRICE: $130 DETAILS: 21 loft/bounce options from 46 to 62 degrees; six sole grinds; three finishes: tour chrome, gold nickel, raw black

IRONS Game Improvement Irons CALLAWAY APEX STREET PRICE: $1,100 (set of eight, steel) LOFTS: 6-iron: 27 degrees, PW: 45 degrees

Titleist Vokey Design SM5 wedges

CALLAWAY X2 HOT STREET PRICE: $800 LOFTS: 6-iron: 26, PW: 44

IRONS Super Game Improvement Irons

LOFTS: 6-iron: 28, PW: 45

ADAMS IDEA STREET PRICE: $800 (set of eight, graphite) LOFTS: 6-iron: 28 degrees, PW: 44 degrees

MIZUNO MP-H4 STREET PRICE: $1,100 LOFTS: 6-iron: 30, PW: 46

COBRA BAFFLER XL STREET PRICE: $700 LOFTS: 6-iron: 27, PW: 43.5

NIKE VRS COVERT FORGED STREET PRICE: $1,100 LOFTS: 6-iron: 28, PW: 45

MIZUNO JPX-EZ STREET PRICE: $900 LOFTS: 6-iron: 28, PW: 45

PING G25 STREET PRICE: $700 LOFTS: 6-iron: 29, PW: 45

PING KARSTEN STREET PRICE: $900 LOFTS: 6-iron: 27, PW: 45

TAYLORMADE SPEEDBLADE STREET PRICE: $800 LOFTS: 6-iron: 26.5, PW: 45

IRONS

MIZUNO JPX-EZ FORGED STREET PRICE: $900

TITLEIST AP1 714 STREET PRICE: $800 LOFTS: 6-iron: 29, PW: 44

Players Irons ADAMS XTD STREET PRICE: $1,100 (set of eight, steel) LOFTS: 6-iron: 30 degrees, pitching wedge: 46 degrees

TaylorMade Daddy Long Legs putter

CALLAWAY APEX PRO STREET PRICE: $1,100 LOFTS: 6-iron: 29, PW: 46 MIZUNO MP-54 STREET PRICE: $1,000 LOFTS: 6-iron: 30; PW: 46 MIZUNO MP-64 STREET PRICE: $1,000 (set of eight, steel) LOFTS: 6-iron: 30; PW: 46 PING I25 STREET PRICE: $800 LOFTS: 6-iron: 30; PW: 46 PING S55 STREET PRICE: $1,000 LOFTS: 6-iron: 30, PW: 46 TAYLORMADE TOUR PREFERRED CB STREET PRICE: $900 LOFTS: 6-iron: 28.5, PW: 46

see hot clubs on page 22 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 21

Big events for 2014 Local golf calendar APRIL 5 Opening day for men’s club, Greenbelt 6-7 IGA Mid-Am Team Championship, Harrison Lake 16 Opening day for senior men’s club, Greenbelt 22 Ladies opening day, Harrison Lake 26 Men’s opening day, Harrison Lake 26 Eric Compton Memorial Tournament, St. Anne’s

14 Hollenbeck Memorial, Timbergate 17-18 IHSAA state boys championship, Legends 20 Jennings County St. Vincent’s Hospital Golf Outing, St. Anne’s 23 Interclub Tournament, Hickory Stick 25 Dr. Bud Outing (scholarship program benefiting community), Shadowood 25-26 IGA Women’s State Open, Hillview

MAY

30 AJGA Jeff Overton Championship, Otter Creek

10 Jerry Williams Memorial Tournament, Greensburg Country Club

JULY

12 Interclub Tournament, Hickory Stick 31 Jennings County Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing, St. Anne’s

JUNE 5 Dorel Juvenile Group, Salt Creek 6 Shriners, Salt Creek 7 Johnson County Amateur, Hillview 9 Pro-Am Invitational, Greensburg Country Club 11 Big Brothers Big Sisters, Salt Creek 13-15 Member-Guest Tournament, Greensburg Country Club

1-3 AJGA Jeff Overton Championship, Otter Creek 5-6 Seymour City Tournament, Seymour Country Club and Shadowood 7-10 Indiana State Open, Otter Creek 11-13 Carlos Diaz Challenge, Valle Vista 12-13, 20 Men’s City Championship, Harrison Lake, Greenbelt and Otter Creek 19-20 Ladies City Championship, Harrison Lake and Otter Creek 19-20 Men’s Calcutta, Shadowood

AUGUST 2 Club Championship, Seymour Country Club 2-3 Indiana Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, Otter Creek 9-10 Club Championship, Shadowood 16-17 Club Championship, Hickory Stick 23-24 Men’s Club Championship, Harrison Lake 23-24 Men’s Calcutta, Seymour Country Club 23-24 Men’s Club Championship, Valle Vista 25 Interclub Tournament, Hickory Stick 27-29 IGA Senior Match Play, Hillview

SEPTEMBER 7 Brown County Athletic Blue and Gold Outing, Salt Creek 9, 16 Ladies Club Championship, Harrison Lake 14 Sons of Legion, Timbergate

OCTOBER 11-12 Hoosier Junior Championship, Otter Creek

27 Golf Channel Amateur Tour, Hillview

hot clubs continued from page 21 TITLEIST AP2 714

PING SCOTTSDALE TR

STREET PRICE: $1,100

STREET PRICE: $150 to $200. Seven models

LOFTS: 6-iron: 30, PW: 46 SEEMORE X SERIES

PUTTERS Mallet Putters NIKE METHOD MOD STREET PRICE: $300. One model (MOD-00) ODYSSEY METAL-X MILLED STREET PRICE: $300/$350. Three models

STREET PRICE: $195. One model (X3) TAYLORMADE GHOST SPIDER MALLET/ DADDY LONG LEGS STREET PRICE:$200. Two models TITLEIST SCOTTY CAMERON FUTURA X STREET PRICE: $375/$400. Two models TITLEIST SCOTTY CAMERON SELECT GOLO 5

ODYSSEY METAL-X MILLED STREET PRICE: $300. Three models ODYSSEY VERSA/TANK STREET PRICE: $170 to $200. Nine models ODYSSEY WHITE HOT PRO/TANK STREET PRICE: $130 to $200. Five models PING KARSTEN TR STREET PRICE: $150. Five models PING SCOTTSDALE TR STREET PRICE: $150 to $180. Eight models

STREET PRICE: $350. Two models

TAYLORMADE GHOST TOUR STREET PRICE: $150. Four models

ODYSSEY WHITE HOT PRO/TANK

PUTTERS

STREET PRICE: $130 to $190. Eight models

Blade Putters

TAYLORMADE SPIDER BLADE STREET PRICE: $200. Two models

PING NOME TR

NIKE METHOD MOD

STREET PRICE: $180 to $230. Three models

STREET PRICE: $300. Three models

ODYSSEY VERSA/TANK STREET PRICE: $170. Twelve models

22 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

TITLEIST SCOTTY CAMERON SELECT NEWPORT STREET PRICE: $350. Four models

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GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014 23

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FINE JEWELRY • HIGH END WATCHES GOLD, SILVER & ENTIRE ESTATES 812-342-0100 • jordanellisonfinejewelry.com 24 GOLF, the republic, columbus, ind., Thursday, MARCH 13, 2014

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