2016 Golf Oklahoma April | May

Official publication of the Oklahoma Golf Association www.golfoklahoma.org

•••••• 1

Daily One Star Member Rate $40 (includes 18-hole greens fee, car t, range and tax)

Unlimited Golf Packages star ting at $142 per day (rate per person, 2-night minimum)

Full Golf Memberships star ting at $150 monthly To reserve your tee time, schedule an event or inquire about membership, call 800.760.6700.

I-44 EXIT 240, TULSA, OK • HARDROCKCASINOTULSA.COM

Rates subject to change at discretion of management.

Your Single Source For

Corporate

BENEFITS

405.359.0594 www.nfp.com/csok

THE RIGHT CORPORATE AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS STRATEGY IS THE ONE THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR COMPANY. At NFP, we empower you to take control of your company’s future.

Contact us today to discuss how we can support your employee benefit needs.

ROAD TRIP No. 18

M�e golf �an you can shake a 9-iron at.

When it comes to championship public golf, there’s no better destination than Alabama, where we’re proud to claim three of America’s 50 Toughest Courses as selected by Golf Digest. For starters, there are the 468 holes along the world-renowned Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Stretching from the mountains in the north to the Gulf Coast in the south, these 26 courses will test your golfing skills as well as your intestinal fortitude. Then there are the many other impressive courses scattered across the state, designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jerry Pate. Each with its own set of challenges, each with its own set of rewards. And each along an epic road trip to the state of Alabama.

Mo re inf o at

Download Alabama Road Trips from your app store

ala ba ma .tr av el/ ro ad

- tr ip s

Contents APRIL/MAY 2016 Volume 6 Issue 2

w w w.golfokl ahoma .org

Features

38

32

Oklahoma Golf HOF to induct Nancy Lopez, Labron Harris Sr., Tommy Bolt, Jerry Cozby and the Warrens.

38

Bill Brogden. A way forward for TU program, players look back, coach did it his way

46 48 52 54

Gary Player on what golf needs.

Sooners stocked with home grown talent High School championship preview Orlando golf offers respite from theme parks

Departments

32

10 12 13 13 14 16 21 24

Letter from the publisher

27 58 60 62 64 66 67

Summer Golf Camp

OGA ED Mark Felder Rules, Gene Mortensen WOGA ED Sheila Dills USGA by David Thompson The Goods Equipment: Fitting and tracking Chip Shots, FlyingTee, Patriot Cup Invitational, Jack Higgins, more news

Pro Profile: Rhein Gibson Superintendent’s Perspective Anya Alvarez gets fit Instruction: Jim Young, Michael Boyd Foam can get you fit Schedules and results

On the cover Tulsa coach Bill Brogden’s players turned out to pose for a shot at Tulsa Country Club. Front row, left to right, Jeff Combe, Brogden, Bill Glasson, Mitch Cohlmia. Second row, Ryan Henry, Brett Meyers, Brad Beeson, Ryan Brooks.

Back row, Martin Maritz, Austin Hackett, Rob Laird.

54

Support junior golf by contributing to the OGA Foundation Call 405-848-0042 for more information 6 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

DEEP IN THE HEART OF ...

WORLD CLASS GOLF AND SO MUCH MORE! LOCATED IN THE HEART OF TEXAS HILL COUNTRY WINE REGION, HORSESHOE BAY RESORT IS LOCATED 45-MINUTES WEST OF AUSTIN ON SCENIC LAKE LBJ. COME SEE WHY THIS AAA FOUR-DIAMOND RESORT IS BECOMING KNOWN AS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S TOP DESTINATION LAKE AND GOLF RESORTS.

WEEKDAY GOLF PACKAGE S TA R T I N G AT

BY PHONE ONLY | 877.588.9128

$229

Includes one-night stay for two at AAA four-Diamond Horseshoe Bay Resort Rate based on double occupancy. Valid Sunday-Thursdays (stay Thursday night and play on Friday) OFFER VALID THROUGH JUNE 30, 2016 BASED ON AVAILABILITY. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS APPLY. not applicable for groups. tax & resort fee not included.

45-MINUTES WEST OF AUSTIN

your connection begins at

HSBRESORT.COM

“GETAWAYS” WORTH THE DRIVE Whether you choose the challenging canyons and mesas of Roman Nose or the signature lakeside views of Sequoyah, away from it all is closer than you think with a Stay and Play package at one of Oklahoma’s premier state park golf courses.

Visit TravelOK.com/SPDeals for package details. Package rates start at $69* per person and are available at Beavers Bend, Lake Murray, Roman Nose, and Sequoyah.

Stay and Play packages available year-round based on availability. Rates may vary. *Double occupancy required.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 9

April / May 2016 letter from the publisher Volume 6, Number 2 Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 200 Tulsa, OK 74136 918-280-0787 Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996

Pete Bevacqua, CEO of the PGA of America, and Steve Mona, CEO of the World Golf Foundation.

Mr. Golf goes to Washington The oversupply of golf courses is becoming less of a problem, particularly in the Tulsa area.

With the March closing of Scissortail, a Randy Heckenkemper design located in Verdigris, Green Country has witnessed the closing of four courses representing 72 holes in the past few years, including Emerald Falls in Broken Arrow, Clary Fields in Sapulpa and Cotton Creek in Glenpool. A fifth, the Okmulgee Country Club, is just a few miles south on Highway 75.

The common thread between the four is all were privately-owned public courses, although Scissortail had actually been owned by a bank for the past several years.

As golf course operators throughout the state are well aware, it’s tough out there.

Of course it’s no help that just about the time the golf industry nationally shows some flickers of life, the Oklahoma economy is beset by energy sector woes, leading to layoffs, state budget deficits and severe belt tightening. Many of our fine private courses have lost considerable members and are struggling to find a way forward.

On May 18, Steve Mona, the CEO of the World Golf Foundation, will lead a delegation to Washington to educate members of Congress, White House staffers and agency officials about the benefits of golf, particularly in the areas of economic impact, charitable donations, environmental stewardship and health and wellness.

Mona told Golf Oklahoma recently that this year he’ll have good news to share, in that golf has weathered the impacts of the Great Recession, stabilized in terms of participation and that rounds played were up 2 percent in 2015.

The World Golf Foundation supports five grow-the-game initiatives, all of which have taken root to varying extents in Okla10 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

homa. They are First Tee, Get Golf Ready, Drive, Chip and Putt, PGA Junior Golf League and LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Club.

“I can tell you it’s working,” Mona said.

“If you have children or siblings, it’s good to know those are the initiatives we’re supporting to drive the game forward.”

Mona also pointed to some good news in the ongoing effort to lure millennials into playing more golf.

“There’s a confluence right now of technology that we’ve never seen in the game before,” he said. “Game Golf is a perfect example. It’s the performance data and the social aspect that millennials like. There’s a general perception that they aren’t playing and are abandoning the game. But the truth is they now account for one-quarter of all golfers and their participation rate is actually higher than the average golfer, 14.8 rounds annually versus 12.7.”

While it’s good that Mona has positive news to share in Washington, we’ll try to weather the economic storm here at home. One bright spot is the May opening of the FlyingTee in Jenks. This joins Topgolf in Oklahoma City, giving each major city in Oklahoma a premier entertainment venue that has the possibility of creating new golfers. It will be interesting to see in coming years how many millennials who experience golf for the first time at one of these tri-level fun centers actually take up the game. Both facilities have PGA professionals on staff to make the conversion as smooth as possible.

As for National Golf Day, we’re happy that Mona and his contingent have good news to share regarding the game with the folks in Washington. If they could do something about the price of a barrel of oil while they’re there, that would be great.

– Ken MacLeod

Publisher Ken MacLeod ken@golfoklahoma.org COO/Marketing Director A.G. Meyers agm@golfoklahoma.org Art & Technology Director Chris Swafford chris@golfoklahoma.org Subscriptions to Golf Oklahoma are $15 for one year (five issues) or $25 for two years (10 issues). Call 918-280-0787 or go to www.golfoklahoma.org.

Contributing photographers Rip Stell, Bill Powell Golf Oklahoma PGA Instructional Staff Jim Woodward Teaching Professional, Oak Tree National jwoodwardgolf@sbcglobal.net, 405-348-2004 Jim Young Teaching Professional, River Oaks CC 405-630-8183 Pat McTigue Manager, GolfTec Tulsa pmctigue@golftec.com Steve Ball Owner, Ball Golf Center, Oklahoma City www.ballgolf.com, 405-842-2626 Pat Bates Director of Instruction, Gaillardia Country Club pbates@gaillardia.com, 405-509-3611 Tracy Phillips Director of Instruction, Buddy Phillips Learning Center at Cedar Ridge vt4u@yahoo.com, 918-352-1089 Jerry Cozby PGA Professional jerrycozby@aol.com, 918-914-1784 Michael Boyd, PGA Professional Indian Springs Country Club 918-455-9515 Oklahoma Golf Association 2800 Coltrane Place, Suite 2 Edmond, OK 73034 405-848-0042 Executive Director Mark Felder mfelder@okgolf.org Director of Handicapping and Course Rating Jay Doudican jdoudican@okgolf.org Director of Junior Golf Morri Rose morose@okgolf.org Copyright 2016 by Golf Oklahoma Magazine. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Golf Oklahoma.

Golf Oklahoma is published by South Central Golf, Inc.

From the Executive Director

Calling all competitors for great 2016 schedule Some questions linger as the Oklahoma Golf Association prepares for what should be a dynamic 2016 season.

Can Brendon Jelley of Jenks and Oklahoma Mark Felder State win a third conOGA secutive State Amateur Executive Championship?

He Director would be the first to do so since Glen Fowler in 1958-60. The only golfer in OGA history to win four in a row was James A. Kennedy in 1920-23.

This year’s event is scheduled July 2527 at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club with qualifying held earlier at Lincoln Park and Page Belcher. We are fortunate to have a rotation established with Southern Hills, The Patriot, Oak Tree National and Oklahoma City to provide four amazing venues for our state championship.

Can anyone older than college age win the state amateur? Here’s some hope for

12 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

The Pete Dye East Course at Oak Tree you former collegians and top amateurs throughout the state. From 1989 to 2001, Country Club will be the site of the OGA the state amateur was won 10 times by Stroke Play Championship on June 27-29 golfers 25 and older and only three times and the Oklahoma Open on Aug. 19-21.

The OGA Mid-Amateur this year will by collegians.

Since then, the college and high school go to the recently renovated Oaks Country Club in Tulsa on players have dominated, but Aug. 1-2. there is hope. Jeff Coffman, a Can Mike Hughett mid-amateur, reached the fiof Owasso add to his nals last year at Oak Tree Narecord 17 OGA titles tional. These kids are good, but in this year’s senior there are top players at every championships. We’ll course and club in the state that find out June 13-16 in can compete. We hope to see the OGA Senior State you give it a shot on the famed Amateur at Fairfax Perry Maxwell layout in OKC. Golf Course in EdOur schedule kicks off May mond and July 119-10 with the Four-Ball and Se12 at MeadowBrook nior Four-Ball Championships Country Club in on the overseeded fairways of Mike Hughett Tulsa with the Senior another Maxwell layout, Twin Hills Country Club in Oklahoma City. Stroke Play Championship.

The OGA will also be helping run USGA From there, it’s on to the OGA Junior Boys And Girls Championships on June 6-9 at qualifiers throughout the summer. The Kickingbird Golf Course in Edmond, one complete schedule can be found on www. okgolf.org or at www.golfoklahoma.org. of the finest public courses in any state.

Oklahoma Golf Association News

Changes to the Rules of Golf in 2016 Every four years, amendments and changes to the Rules of Golf may be adopted.

Here are three changes that became effective on Jan. 1.

RULE 6-6: The old Gene Mortensen OGA Rules Rule provided that Director when a player returned a score on a hole which was lower than the number of strokes actually taken, the player was disqualified.

A revised exemption now provides that if the mistake was due to a penalty the player did not know he had incurred, the player will add the omitted penalty plus two additional penalty strokes under 6-6, and that adjusted score will be accepted.

There is no disqualification in that situation. You should be aware, however, that if the omitted penalty would have resulted in disqualification, the exemption does not apply and the player still goes home early.

RULE 14-3: The old Rule provided that when permitted by Local Rule, a device that measured only distance could be used in the competition. If additional functions (slope, wind speed/direction, elevations)

were available, that device would result in the player’s disqualification.

Now, when permitted by Local Rule, distance measuring devices (even smartphones and PADs) can be used to measure distance and, if other functions are available, such information may NOT be used.

One enforcement issue I anticipate is how do you know what information your fellow competitor is looking at if you’re in the trees on this side of the fairway and he is on the other side?

RULE 14-1: The old Rule permitted players to “anchor” long putters during the putting stroke and this meant that the hand which was placed on the grip could be pulled up to the player’s body so it could rotate but not swing. The putting stroke resembled a pendulum arc.

Under the revised Rule, the player may not: (1) anchor the club directly; or (2) create an anchor point, while the stroke is being made. In effect, the gripping hand may not be held against any part of the body (except a hand or forearm) or the forearm may not be held in contact with the body to create a point around which the other hand would swing. It is important to note that only the putting stroke has been banned,

long putters are still permitted. The penalty for anchoring is loss of hole in Match Play, and two strokes in Stroke Play.

The one aspect of the revision that will make it interesting is the introduction of the concept of, “intention” into the penalty provisions of the Rules. This means, the Rule prohibits an intentional act – an unintentional act is not a breach. I have been involved with the Rules since 1993 and I can’t recall it being done before. As a matter of fact, I don’t think you will find the term, “intentional” elsewhere in the Rules. If the opportunity presents, you might ask two Rules officials what will be the criteria by which “intention” will be determined and see if you get two different answers.

As we have said before, the Rules are your friend so learn to use them to your advantage.

Sign up for our enewsletter at golfoklahoma.org for the chance to win tickets, rounds and other prizes as well as keep up with all the breaking news

Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association

Son could be headed for place in WOGA record book Yejeong Son will be a strong favorite to win her third consecutive WOGA State Amateur Championship when the event moves to the spectacular Patriot Golf Club in Sheila Dills Owasso on July 26-29.

President She will have a ways to WOGA go, however, to catch the leaders in state amateur victories, as there have been several dominant performers in the 98 years of our championship.

Mrs. R.E. Drennan won four in a row from 1926-29. That was exceeded by Pat Grant, who won from 1939-42, went off to serve in World War II, then came back and won again in 1946 for her fifth consecutive title.

Dale Fleming McNamara won seven state amateur titles spread between the years 1956 to 1975. That was the best, until along came Patty McGraw Coatney, who won nine times between 1977

and 2001.

If Son plays through her senior year at Norman North and wins them all, she will have won six consecutive state amateurs before she goes off to either college or the LPGA Tour, which would exceed Grant’s record by one.

It will be interesting to watch, as we have many other dynamic junior players both in high school and coming up through the ranks who could challenge her.

Speaking of our younger golfers, please don’t forget to support the 66th annual Girls Junior State Championship scheduled July 12-13 at Muskogee Country Club. Entries open May 4 at www.woga. us. There are flights for ages e8 through 17 and it’s going to be a great event. There is a fundraiser at the course on July 11, see the website for details Other 2016 schedule highlights: The Stroke Play and Mid-Amateur Championships will be held June 20-21 at Tulsa

Country Club, with the Senior Stroke Play Championship on Sept. 27-28 at Lincoln Park in Oklahoma City. The WOGA Cup kicks off the season May 23-24 at Rose Creek in Edmond.

Also, WOGA will again help support the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Club. Events are scheduled on the following dates at 2 p.m. at LaFortune Park Golf Course: April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Sept.

24, Oct. 22 and Nov. 19, with a final event Dec. 27 at the Jenks High School indoor golf facility. To register your child, go to www.girlgolf.org and sign up under the email for Maggie Roller, who administers the Tulsa program. Cost is $16 for the year and each clinic is $10 at the event. These are great sessions for young golfers.

Publisher’s note: The last golfer to win three consecutive WOGA State Amateur Championships is WOGA President Sheila Dills (199496), who is too modest to mention it herself in her column above. – Ken MacLeod www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 13

United States Golf Association News

For the love of the game Some of my friends ask why I volunteer my time and my money to work golf championships.

However, I was surprised last year David Thompson during the U.S. USGA Regional Open Affairs Committee Women’s Championship when one of the USGA Executive Committee members stopped me and said one of their family members had the same question. This person didn’t understand why volunteers from just about every state would travel to Pennsylvania at their own expense to work.

For me it’s first, a love for the game of golf. Long before I became involved with the USGA and learned the rules, I had a love for the game. Perhaps this was evident when my friend Gene Mortensen, who is a former USGA committee member and a long-time board member with the Oklahoma Golf Association (OGA)

14 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

invited me to become involved. It wasn’t long after that when I took a seat on the OGA board of directors and began working OGA championships.

Working AJGA, NCAA, OGA, and USGA championships, provides the privilege to see some stars, before they are stars, such as Lydia Ko and Jordan Spieth as a college freshman when he played at the OU course in Norman.

On the selfish side of the equation, we visit some parts of the country that enable us to play some courses that I likely would not have played except for being there to volunteer, such as Winged Foot and Quaker Ridge in New York. Last year, I played Bandon Dunes during the inaugural U.S. Women’s Four-Ball Championship. Even when I don’t have a chance to play, I have visited some outstanding golf courses that I would otherwise not have seen.

I also have made some outstanding friends who share the love of the game.

Below are the answers from three long-

presented by time USGA volunteers: Lew Erickson: “I know that I do it for the love of the game, what the game has meant to me and my family, and I want to give back. Helping others compete is rewarding.”

Ron Ripley: “When someone volunteers their time and effort in furtherance of an organization like the USGA, the motivating reason or reasons are likely somewhat different for each volunteer.

For some, it is a hobby. For some, it is alternative or adjunct vocation. For others, it is a way to support the purposes of the organization. For still others, it is another way to be engaged in the game.”

Pat McKamey: “If you have the love of the game, are just a bit off center and would like to punish yourself studying the rules of golf, becoming a volunteer rules official might just be your calling. You don’t need to have started this at a young age to become proficient. The best place to start is with your local cit y or state golf association.

These associations are always seeking volunteers to assist.”

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 15

Goods the

Some things we like to do before and after the round

The Bookshelf Where and how to play

take-no-prisoners reviews, Doak’s aim has never been to simply be Tom Doak is back with the second cranky. It was less to expose courses installment of his planned five-volume to avoid than to reveal those that compilation of “The Confidential Guide players would want to seek out.

Six southwestern states are covered to Golf Courses,” this one concentrating on warm weather destinations in the in this volume, 16 courses from OklaAmericas. The third volume, due later homa, most of which fare fairly well, particularly when Perry Maxwell had this year, will head north.

We gave a lengthy review to Vol. 1 in a hand in the design. None too surpristhe 2015 Travel Issue (also available on- ingly, Southern Hills gets the top honors.

Dornick line), and there’s ample backHills Golf Club ground on the in Ardmore gets project there. a decent mark The basic seteven while Doak up is the same calls its 1980’s — if with 80 moder n iz at ion , more pages “...one of the tragand an extra edies of golf ar$5 charge — chitecture in my and it’s all just lifetime, neuteras irresistible. ing many of the (Go to http:// features of Perry w w w. r e n a i s Maxwell’s first sancegolf.com/ solo design in his books for orhometown.” dering inforBut right there mation.) Doak in print is a tanand his co-autalizing offer: “I thors, Ran Morwould happily rissett, Masa work pro bono Nishijima and to restore the Darius Oliver, course...” again use the 0-10 Doak Scale rating system along with capsule Anatomy of greatness reviews and expand on 18 favorite GourOnce one finds the right course to play met’s Choices (among them Cypress on there’s always the question of how Point, which receives the only perfect 10- one plays on it. In other words, how’s 10-10-10 score). your swing?

Like other lowlifes, I immediately Former PGA Tour player and current turned to the back of the book to look at Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee the cumulative number ratings and see puts a microscope on the fundamental what courses the team dumped on. Doak act of golf in a fascinating volume, “The is the only one of the authors with the Anatomy of Greatness: Lessons from the cojones to actually slap four courses with Best Golf Swings in History” (Simon & a zero rating, a stinging brand for: “A Schuster, $ 30). course so contrived and unnatural that it And while this can certainly be called may poison your mind....” an instructional book, it’s blessedly free Despite the controversy that has some- of drills that ask you to hold a beachtime swirled around the Guide due to its ball between your knees or stuff a towel by tom bedell

16 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

between your elbow and body while swinging. The one exception may be a photo of Mickey Wright’s right foot, under which she sometimes stuck a golf ball to give her the sensation of pressure on the inside of her foot on the backswing.

And such is the attention to detail on the various elements of the swing, in chapters on the grip, setup, posture, triggering the swing, the initial move away from the ball, completing the swing, the transition and lastly the impact and finish.

If thusly broken down, Chamblee rightly reminds readers that fluidity is key, and that “...each step, from the time one takes hold of the club until the ball is in the air, is meant to flow right into the next one.” He also suggests to readers: “Take your time with this book and savor the nuances.”

This isn’t bragging; there are plenty of nuances to be found, though the prose is concise and the 120-page book is crammed with photos of, indeed, some of the best at the craft, from Jones, Hogan, Nelson, Snead, Palmer, Woods to quite a few of Nicklaus. And who can argue with that?

There’s nothing revolutionary here, though Chamblee comes up with some new thoughts, at least to me, on things like ball positioning (basically, in the same place in the setup for every club).

But the book has a compelling narrative momentum as it inexorably rolls toward

ONLINE: Get the latest news on Oklahoma golf at

golfoklahoma.org

legendary lessons In an introduction to “Legendar y Lessons” (Skyhorse Publishing, $19.99), Curt Sampson writes, “Golf instruction through histor y has been a stew of the bogus and the brilliant, with dashes of originality and insight blended with lots of snake oil and large chunks of baloney.”

The book then tries to concentrate on the brilliant and the insightful, in what editor Claudia Mazzucco calls a wholly original time for golf in pondering its mechanics, the period bet ween the t wo world wars. Mazzucco maintains that with few of the techn ical mar vels of today then available the ferment of instruction took place in lively locker room discussions, and wound up in the pages of popular golf the moment of impact. And Chamblee magazines.

So this volume, too, looks to the past can turn a graceful phrase now and again, too: “The importance of the tran- for its instruction, but this time largely sition is such that one can arrive at the in the words of those who first put them top of the backswing looking like a pau- into print.

Hence the unwieldy if accurate subper and a foot or so later become a legtitle, “More Than One Hundred Golf end, as well as the other way around.”

Teachings from Water Hagen, Bobby Jones, Grantland Rice, Harry Vardon, and More.” There are no illustrations in this volume – this is a book solely for reading pleasure, most likely in small, bedstand reading bites.

And there is pleasure in hearing these old voices in passages that run nostalgic, still useful, and sometimes humorous – Grantland Rice, for example, going on about things not to do on a green in “How to Use Many Putts.” Or the story about pro Ky Laffoon, who once tried to drown his misbehaving putter, and another time drove 400 miles to a tournament dragging the offending wand behind his car.

There’s a mild logic at work in the book, starting with pieces about putting and ranging through the full swing and the mental game, but it’s a generous pool and will pay dipping a toe into at any point.

Tom Bedell has been known to give his putter a few dirty looks from time to time, and threaten it with helicopter rides.

TAKE YOUR HEALTH TO THE NEXT LEVEL. Health Zone at Saint Francis is a medically based, state-of-the-art, 70,000 square-foot fitness facility. Health Zone offers an array of exercise equipment, an extensive selection of classes and a variety of programs.

No contract required to join and membership specials are available.

Features and Services: • Premier cardio and strength equipment • Dedicated free weight and functional training area • Pilates Reformer studio* • Two indoor saltwater pools • CrossFit/Small group personal training* • Over 100 group exercise and aquatic classes weekly • Yoga, Zumba, Barre and Mat Pilates

• • • • • •

Basketball and racquetball Massage services* Locker rooms with steam room and sauna Kids Zone activity center* Indoor walking track Deli with smoothies, wraps and sandwiches

*services may be an additional fee

5353 East 68th Street South, Tulsa, OK 74136 918-494-1671 | saintfrancis.com/healthzone

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 17

The goods

Seve, the tearjerker by tom bedell

I suspect it would be difficult even for Paul Azinger to remain dry-eyed through a showing of “Seve, the Movie,” an independent film released to select theaters in March and On Demand across North America in April.

Directed by John Paul Davidson and produced by Level 33 Entertainment, the movie is a curious blend of documentary footage and recreated scenes from Seve Ballesteros’ youth.

José Luis Guitiérrez plays the youthful golf obsessive, fashioning his own club from the head of a 3-iron that his caddying older brothers give to him, and then practicing endlessly in the sand on the beaches of Pedreña in northern Spain. His farming family, shown as loving and indulgent, urge him on, and he wins a caddy tournament at age 12. And, well, the rest of the story is known, from the five major championships, his fiery play and inspir-

18 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

ing leadership in Ryder Cups, and his all too early death from a brain tumor at 54.

The movie pulls no sentimental punches, as it keeps cutting from the adventures of young Seve (and a wellmimicked slashing golf swing) to the footage of the actual Seve in rounds of the Open Championship and Masters tournaments in ways that can’t help but evoke poignant moments.

Along with commentary from some of the televised competitions there are voiceovers by the likes of Ben Crenshaw, Gary Player, Peter Alliss, Tiger Woods,

Nick Faldo and Nick Price. There are interviews with the older Seve, and later, the unfortunately ailing Seve.

I don’t foresee the film breaking any box office records, but fans should enjoy it, and those unfamiliar with the exploits of one of the most charismatic and energetic scramblers in the history of the game would do well to make his acquaintance here. (Check Facebook for theater listings, www.facebook.com/SEVETheMovie)

2016 Golf Pass is BIGGER AND BETTER! Visit scspgagolfpass.com to order yours today!

Golfboards available at Battle Creek

Battle Creek Golf Course in Broken Arrow has acquired four of the fun-to-use Golfboards and they are available for use by the public. Golfers must take a quick training session, but then are ready to ride the motorized scooter with a steering bar up front and the golf bag placed either in front of the bar or over the shoulder.

“Greenway Golf’s company mission at Battle Creek has always been about delivering fun for players and guests”; stated Ken Campbell, company COO. “To many, driving a golf cart is one of the most fun things about golf, now with the GolfBoard it takes riding to another level of fun with an exciting interactive experience. And, you also get some fitness, working your core muscles and legs as you steer the GolfBoard similar to surfing or skateboarding.

We have a saying around the course for players that “The Most Fun Wins”… And, the new GolfBoard is the most fun new product I have seen in many years and is just simply cool.”

To reserve a board for yourself or your foursome, go to www.BattleCreekGolf.net and select GolfBoard info or contact Battle Creek pro shop at 918-355-4850. Cost is $10 more than normal cart fees.

Dee Roadman, director of golf at Battle Creek, said the boards are easy to use and age is not a factor.

“By the second or third hole, you’ll completely have the hang of it. And you can get much closer to the green than in a cart.

They’re just a lot of fun to use.”

Golfers must sign a waiver to use the boards.

Fratello Core packs spice by tyler young & laramie navrath

Fratello Cigars is the new kid on the block, and they have made quite an impression in the industry the last few years.

Labeled “The Hottest New Cigar Brand” on the market, Fratello is the brain child of NASA engineer, Omar de Fris. Omar was raised in the Dominican Republic where he grew to love everything about cigars, even sneaking into shops at a young age just to smell the aroma of cigars and watch the trocedero (rollers) at work.

Omar launched Fratello in 2013 and since then has traveled the US promoting the brand and opening over 500 house accounts. When he isn’t working on cutting edge technology for the space program, Omar can be found in Nicaragua or the Dominican sampling new tobaccos and crafting new blends for future productions.

Omar is a genuine, down to earth guy who loves talking about cigars almost as much as he loves smoking them. His passion is evident in the cigars he creates.

The Fratello line currently comes in three varieties. Fratello Core, the Fratel-

lo Boxer which packs spice through the entire smoke, and the Fratello Bianco which changes in complexity based on the size.

I’m currently smoking the Fratello Toro, in which I find medium body and strength.

This cigar is living up to the hype. I used a V-cut, my cut of preference, and the draw is easy. The cigar has a heavy thick gray ash and produces thick grey smoke.

The Nicaraguan Habano seed wrapper gives the cigar hints of white pepper and spice. The filler is a combination of ligero and Peruvian tobaccos that starts off spicy.

It becomes smooth and creamy in the middle followed by a pleasant peppery finish. A passionate smoke from a passionate creator.

Proudly serving Oklahoma with a fine selection of cigars and related products.

Stop on by our current locations and share a smoke with us!

2726 W Britton Rd Oklahoma City, OK 405-942-0070

1801 Cornwell Dr. Suite 301 Yukon, OK 2nd Location NOW Open 405-494-7188

www.ztcigars.com (800) 340-3007 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 19

The goods

Cool off with titanium by greg horton

Moisture wicking has been an industry standard in golf apparel for approximately 15 years, but the industry continues to try to improve on the technology. The most unusual innovation happened in 2014 when Adidas announced its Climachill line, which features clothing combined with metal.

“The moisture wicking clothing has always been polyester,” Nathan Streber said.

Streber, who owns South Pointe Golf Tournaments, has seen nearly every variation of performance cooling clothing because he purchases branded clothing for his tournaments. “With Climachill, Adidas started weaving titanium threads into the fabric.”

In addition to the titanium thread, Adidas added small aluminum dots along the neck and shoulders. Remember how nice it feels to put a cold beer can or water bottle on the nape of your when you’re hot? That’s the principle with the metal dots; they certainly give a sensation of being cooler even without a corresponding drop in core temperature.

One of the problems for moisture wicking clothing has always been breathability.

Polyester, as Streber points out, is essentially a variation on plastic. “It’s way easier to get water off plastic than cotton,” he said, “but if the fabric doesn’t allow good airflow, it doesn’t matter how much moisture it sheds.”

To help combat this, companies like Adidas, Nike and Under Armour have made thinner and thinner fabrics, and they have added mesh vents along the sides and shoulders, allowing better airflow.

“The weight of the fabric contributes to the problem or solution,” Streber said. “The heavier the fabric—cotton, for example— the more difficult it is to cool off.”

Nick Schaeffer is the general manager of Packard’s New American Kitchen in Oklahoma City, and he’s an avid lifelong golfer.

He has been wearing Nike Dri-FIT shirts since the brand launched. Every Oklahoma golfer knows that the choice of weather is often the lesser of two evils: high winds or high temperatures. Schaeffer said the shirts do seem to provide additional cooling most of the time.

“They work really well until the temperatures reach the high 90s or even 100s,” he said. “Nothing seems to really be effective after 100 degrees.”

20 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

The main competitors in the apparel market are releasing every conceivable article or accessory with moisture wicking technology: hats, shorts, socks and gloves. According to Streber, the three big apparel companies are not making big changes in golf gloves, as they have always been nylon or polyester based, but they are available with moisture wicking.

Anytime something becomes a trend, we can expect a counter-trend, and Travis Mathew has provided this one. Branding his signature line with “apparel for work and play,” Mathew has reacted to the super-thin, mesh-laden shirts with a more conservative looking polycotton blend, or even 100 percent cotton fabric.

“He basically got tired of wearing a bright

Adidas Climachill pink, thin polyester shirt from the course to the clubhouse,” Streber said. “He’s really just making a ‘retro’ line in the sense that it’s traditional golf clothing from 20 years ago.”

The shirts are not inexpensive. Streber said to expect sticker prices between $45-55 for Nike Dri-FIT, and $75-85 for Adidas Climachill.

FOOD

GOLF

GET ON OUR LEVEL FUN FLYINGTEE IS TULSA’S PREMIER GOLF ENTERTAINMENT VENUE

RIVERWALK CROSSING-JENKS

EQUIPMENT

2016 Golf Pass is BIGGER AND BETTER! Visit scspgagolfpass.com to order yours today!

Custom fitting goes to a new level by ed travis

With several thousands of possible head and shaft combinations, Club Champion, a company that takes club fitting to a new level, is a dream come true for any golfer wanting to maximize distance and accuracy from his or her driver swing – and it’s simple to do.

In my case, the 90-minute driver fitting session not only resulted in a driver giving me more yards from matching up launch angle and ball spin, but, just as importantly, less dispersion left and right. That all translates into being in the short grass more often and closer to the green.

The big benefit (beyond the distance induced ego boost) is having approach shots with one to two clubs less than before. Put another way, day in and day out I have confidence I will hit more greens and be closer to the pin with an 8-iron compared to a 6-iron and so will most all players.

In effect, I’m now playing a shorter course.

Club Champion has 11 locations, with the closest to Oklahoma wbeing in Dallas and

it’s worth the drive.

Rob Stumpf, manager of the Orlando shop and a Master Fitter explained to me, “We have literally 10,000-plus combinations of heads and shafts. We get there with roughly 15 head vendors and 10 shaft vendors. We have over 100 driver shafts alone, in full complements of weights, flexes, models, and lengths.”

Needless to say, after a fit- Rob Stumpf, master fitter with Club Champion. ting session with Trackman knowledgeable staff can use the data from the specifications for your new driver can be matched spot on and the Trackman to create the club that best Club Champion guarantees a perfect fit or fits your swing. For example my smash factor with my driver was 1.45, but with they will fix it or replace it.

Stumpf went on to explain two very im- a different head/shaft combination it went portant concepts. First, since they are not up to 1.50 –- a quick and easy way to gain working for a club manufacturer they are distance with my same old swing.

A driver fitting session costs $150, a able to use any clubhead from any manufacmodest investment for better drives and turer. And the same is true for shafts.

Secondly, just as with touring profes- just maybe some bragging rights with sionals, Club Champion’s experienced your buddies.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 21

EQUIPMENT

Track your game by ed travis

T

he latest in golf technology won’t be found in your titanium/carbon fiber/graphite driver nor in the super forgiving slotted irons, but in a little “button” stuck to the end of your club’s grip that records every shot you make and then analyzes what you’ve done.

As one insider at January’s PGA Merchandise Show put it after seeing a shot tracking system demonstration, “It’s probably a great idea, but I’m not sure I want my 120-yard chunked 7-iron recorded for posterity,”…but of course that’s not the point.

The point is to help you improve by showing which shots you usually hit well and which you don’t and thereby reveal where lessons are needed and practice should be concentrated. As an example, if the postround analysis shows short irons are usually left of target, getting help to correct that pull will materially lower your score.

It’s not that shot-tracking devices tell us something we don’t already know, but they do show how much our tendencies are impacting our scores. Three years ago, this technology was hardly more than a glimmer of an idea and now not only can each shot be tracked, but many systems include GPS rangefinders, statistical analysis and real-time feedback. Some even produce 3D swing imaging. In addition to GPS shot tracking, systems capture and analyze lots of useful information, such as individual club distances, number of putts, shot dispersion, fairways hit, greens-in-regulation, sand saves and scrambling percentage.

Plus with a tip of the cap to the community aspects of golf, most have a social sharing capability – also known as “bragging rights.”

Arccos Golf

22 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

At present, it’s “legal” to track each shot, but as USGA public relations director Janeen Driscoll pointed out, “According to the Rules of Golf, a player can use a device to capture playing data, but that data cannot be accessed or used during the round. There

cess to data during a round which makes the clubs non-conforming and another restricting access so the clubs are conforming.

At the PGA Merchandise Show, the biggest splash in the shot tracking business came from the announcement that Game Golf tags will be integrated into Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet grips. Called Golf Pride Tech Enabled, the grips simply are touched to a Game Golf belt sensor or Android phone and the data is captured. Though not available yet, it will be possible, in addition to shot data, for your grip to actually send a message to you saying they’re worn and need to be replaced.

Game Golf tags are now in Golf Pride grips.

is nothing in the Rules that prohibit a player from accessing or analyzing that information after the round.”

Systems capture club selection and distance data with a button or tag screwed into the little hole in the butt end of the grip and transmit to a GPS sensor often clipped to the belt. Unobtrusive and simple. All that’s required is to tap the tag to the sensor during your pre-shot routine.

Clubs with tags on them are conforming to the Rules of Golf and may be used in tournaments and for rounds used to calculate handicaps as long as the system merely identifies the club being hit and data transmitted to the sensor can’t be used “real time.” Manufacturers understand this and those such as Arccos provide two apps, one allowing ac-

Arccos Golf has a package with 14 tags that don’t need a belt sensor with shot data sent via Bluetooth directly to your phone, making stats instantly available. The cost is $300 but we liked the single-tag Arccos Driver at $79. It’s a great way to try the whole shot tracking/analysis idea out at a much lower price.

ClubHub from Kinetek Sports also uses grip tags, but through a smartphone app shows real-time data for clubhead speed, face angle, attack angle and tempo plus the other shot tracking information. For $499 the user gets, whether on the range or course, real-time swing analysis and shot tracking with a 3D depiction of each swing.

Golf Pad Link (15 tags and belt sensor Golf Pad Link

IZZO Golf Swami GT belt units act as a normal GPS distance measuring unit, but when Tracker Tags are added, data is sent to the belt unit for access after the round. The unit and 14 tags is $200. The Swami GT also will recommend the proper club based on the previous rounds’ stored data.

The LINX GT Gametracker Watch from SkyCaddie is both a GPS watch and shot tracking device. The system links with their free smartphone app so the grip tags can provide data for tracking and analysis.

Priced at $300, the Linx GT watch comes with one smart tag allowing the system to be tried out. The entire package of watch and 14 tags is $350.

At the PGA Show, a company based in Scotland launched a new system using grip tags, but without the belt clip sensor. Shot Scope automatically tracks the LINX GT Gametracker user’s game with a wristband so there’s $249) has automatic tracking, analysis and no need to tap a sensor or touch the screen can recommend clubs. It works with either of a phone. Statistics are collected for 100 iPhone or Android devices. In addition to performance points and after the round GPS and club yardages, the system allows uploaded via Bluetooth or a USB cable to analysis of shot dispersion, trends in dis- computer or smartphone. The wristband tances, fairways hit, sand saves, greens in and 20 grip-end tags is $280 and includes an iOS/Android app. regulation and putting.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 23

Chip shots

News from around the state Sponsored by

Burcham puts his markers away by ken macleod

For a guy who failed penmanship in elementary school, Terry Burcham did okay with a writing utensil.

Burcham is nearing the end of an unusual 40-year career as a PGA professional, one that took him and his markers around the world to handle scoreboards for the PGA Tour and other major golf associations.

He was a fixture at many PGA Tour events from 1982 to 2003, but nearly all scoring is handled electronically these days. Burcham’s precise block numbers can still be found at an occasional local event, but since July of 2007 Burcham has been a fixture as an assistant at Cedar Ridge Country Club, helping with the pro shop and member relations.

Even Cedar Ridge uses electronic scoring these days. Burcham accepts the progress, but looks back fondly at the career he carved out for himself, one that took him to more than 1,200 events, including 22 World Golf championships.

“It was an adventure,” Burcham said.

“I never would have seen all those places without that job. I loved Cape Town, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand. Not that I was a big-time tourist, but we would stay over a few days and get to see some things.”

Most of Burcham’s time was spent at the course, often beginning with a Tuesday pro-am through the Sunday final round and off to the next stop.

Even in grade school, Burcham wrote in bold, neat print, but refused to learn script.

His father was called in to the principal’s office, where he was told he was there that day because young Terry refused to write in cursive.

“My dad said, ‘Are his answers correct?

Can you read it? The answers were yes and yes, and then he said, this meeting is over.

It’s funny, because they don’t even teach cursive anymore. Writing is a lost art that’s dying away,” Burcham said.

Burcham began his career as an assistant professional at Ponca City CC in 1976, working for Gervis McGraw. After trying to play professionally for two years, he went to Kansas City in 1979, then took a job as head pro of Muskogee Country Club 24 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Terry Burcham retiring this spring. in 1980-81.

He started his second career doing the scoreboards at Tulsa Golf Association events and quickly worked up to doing boards for the American Junior Golf Association, the Oklahoma Golf Association and other clubs. In 1982, he did the scoreboard for a PGA Senior Tour event at Quail Creek Country Club in Oklahoma City.

All of the scoreboards blew away after the first round in a violent storm, but Burcham stayed up all night to reprint them and was ready to go by the start of the second round.

That led to more work for the Senior Tour and later the PGA Tour. He knew many of the PGA Tour stars from their days playing AJGA events and became like a favorite uncle to many.

“It was fun to see them grow and ma-

ture,” Burcham said. “Everyone knew Tiger was going to make it, but there were others that you would have thought would make it big and never did anything, while others you would think, what’s he doing out here? But everyone matures at their own pace. It was fun to see those kids grow up and become great golfers and great businessmen.”

There was never any doubt about the quality of Burcham’s work, although he did learn a trick or two to make it easier on himself along the way.

“I was grinding over the numbers one time when Bill Stokely (owner of Stokely Outdoor Advertising) told me that from 10 feet away it all looks straight,” Burcham said. “That’s when I came up with my 10-foot rule for the ropes. He even had me come out to his place one winter to see how they did all the signage, back when they did everything by hand. Now they’re all computerized as well.”

In retirement, Burcham plans to build a log cabin below Grand Lake, travel (his son, Wink Burcham, is a blues musician who plays frequent dates in Europe) and keep his door wide open to new experiences.

“Terry has done a wonderful job here,” said Cedar Ridge Director of Golf David Bryan. “He was great friends with Buddy (Phillips) but he helped welcome me in and made the transition really easy. We’re going to miss him and wish him the best of luck.”

Support the Patriot Cup Changes are once again in store for The Patriot Cup Invitational, which this year aims to raise $500,000 to fund 100 scholarships for the families of servicemen killed or wounded in action.

Notable professionals and celebrities will still take part in a pro-am with military golfers on Memorial Day May 30. However, for several reasons including safety, the Patriot Golf Club in Owasso will not be open to the public for the first time. Sponsors will be able to attend.

The focus this year will be on a sponsorship tournament May 29 and the May 30 event, as well as a concert and dinner, all

ONLINE: Get the latest news on Oklahoma golf at

golfoklahoma.org

of which are open to sponsors and contestants. Various sponsorship levels are available and complete information and signup packages are available at foldsofhonor.org.

“We are constantly reminded that Memorial Day is our recipients everyday,” said Maria Stevenson, director of marketing at the Folds of Honor. “And that behind every waving flag, there are thousands folded . . . we appreciate anyone who is willing to step up and carry the weight of that flag and help us honor those who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.”

Scissortail shuts down Scissortail Golf Course in Verdigris closed on March 22 following the departure of superintendent and general manager Chad Weinrich, who took a position as superintendent of Winter Creek Golf Club in Blanchard.

Spirit Bank of Tulsa, which has been trying unsuccessfully to sell the course since 2011, decided on the closure rather than trying to replace Weinrich, who has been running both superintendent and pro shop

operations for the past five years.

The course, a Randy Heckenkemper design, opened in 2006 to good reviews. However it went through three early ownership groups before falling to the bank in 2011. It has not been promoted virtually at all during that time as the bank was more intent on finding a buyer than expanding golf operations.

“It’s a shame, because the course is really in better shape than it’s ever been,” Weinrich said. “I’m partial to it, but I never understood why it didn’t get more play for the conditions and the price.”

Weinrich said the course has been averaging about 15,000 rounds annually and probably needed to raise that by 8,000 or so to be profitable.

Scissortail suffered a debilitating setback when it lost most of its fairways to winter kill in 2010 but has long since recovered.

“The Scissortail Golf Club was intended to compliment a small community who received and generated attention due to their

Scissortail Golf Course fine school system,” Heckenkemper said.

“Many young families were interested in moving to Verdigris and the golf course was just one piece to a plan conceived by the original developer. Unfortunately the other components that were always known to be vital to the golf course success never materialized. Since it opened Scissortail’s staff has always worked hard to provide a well managed, friendly place to play golf.”

Some of those other components Heckenkemper referenced were that the club did

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 25

Chip shots not have a grill or restaurant or adequate facilities for hosting tournaments. It was never supported adequately by the surrounding neighborhood, only a few nearby residents were members, according to a Spirit Bank official. And there were limited promotions of the course since the bank took receivership.

The bank is paying one of Weinrich’s assistants to provide light maintenance for the time being. Anyone interested in the property should contact Steve Walman of Walman Commercial Real Estate Services at 918-481-8888.

Scissortail is the fifth course in the area

to close in recent years. Others are Emerald Falls Golf Course in Broken Arrow, Okmulgee Country Club, Cotton Creek in Glenpool and Clary Fields in Sapulpa.

All were privately owned and four were public courses, with Okmulgee being the exception.

Golf Club in Broken Arrow.

Construction on the 3,900-square foot facility will begin this summer and should SC Section begins new office The PGA South Central Section will take six to eight months. The building will soon have a new home office. Section have more expansive offices, a meeting members voted to spend roughly $600,000 room, storage for the section’s tournament on a new office that will be built just to the equipment and vehicles and other conveeast of the current office near Forest Ridge niences notably lacking at the current office.

FlyingTee sets opening for mid May FlyingTee will open its three-story, 60bay golf and entertainment complex at Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks by mid-May. The community apparently can’t wait.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the excitement that is out there for the opening,” said CEO and founder John Vollbrecht. “It’s really pretty cool. It’s more than we could have ever imagined.”

Tulsa-area folks have been trying to make reservations for bays, rent the thirdfloor meeting rooms for corporate and party events, and just come out to experience the sophisticated golf games and the various levels of restaurants and service.

The large sports bar and outdoor dining area on the ground level will be called the FlyingTee Sports Bar and should be a great place to watch a game with friends whether or not golf is on the menu. The second level will be called the Iron Wood Rotisserie, featuring rotisserie chicken and prime rib in a casual, comfortable atmo-

sphere. The bar and restaurant on the third level is called Flite, which will service the parties and rented spaces as well as offer shared appetizer items and drinks.

The netting and 11 target greens were all in place by late March. Games upon opening will be darts, blackjack, horse and long drive, and all have grown in sophistication and detail since early demos. Golfers will also be able to play other courses via simulation or just practice and receive detailed feedback on their shots.

Through an agreement with Puma/Cobra, FlyingTee will offer Cobra clubs in its bays, including clubs for men, women and children, right-handed and left-handed.

“I can see folks coming out at 10 a.m., and bringing their own bag for practice, then coming back in the evening with their friends for a totally different experience,” Vollbrecht said. “In the latter case, they will probably just want to use the clubs we provide.”

View of the target greens from the third level of the FlyingTee.

26 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Linking all the sophisticated ball tracking technology with the back end point of sale and restaurants so customers can easily keep track of what they’re spending has been a technological challenge that the FlyingTee team has met.

Tracy Phillips, director of instruction at Cedar Ridge Country Club, was announced as the new director of teaching at FlyingTee in February.

“Tracy coming on board is a huge deal for us,” Vollbrecht said. “Everyone in town knows him. He’s been a help in so many ways.”

FlyingTee is expected to add considerable life to Riverwalk Crossing, which has been anchored by a couple of successful restaurants but little else in recent years.

Now owned by the Creek Nation, upgrades are being made and new tenants are in the works.

Check Golf Oklahoma’s website and social media for exact opening dates.

2016 Golf Pass is BIGGER AND BETTER! Visit scspgagolfpass.com to order yours today!

Summer golf camps abound for 2016 Looking for a golf camp this summer?

This list is not comprehensive – check with your public course for their offerings – but it has every camp we could find out about in the off season. An updated version will be on our website all summer at www.golfoklahoma.org.

College Camps University of Oklahoma Sooner Golf Camps June 6-10 Tiny Tees Camp, ages 6-9, Coed, 9 a.m. to noon Cost: $190 June 13-17 Junior Players Day Camp, ages 10-18, Coed, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lunch and snacks provided Cost: $600 June 13-17 Junior Players Overnight Camp, ages 10-18, Coed Lodging, all meals and snacks provided Cost: $975 Details including registration and check-in for overnight camp available at SoonerGolfCamp.com.

Oklahoma State University Cowboy Golf Camp Session 1 Session 2 June 4-8 June 8-12 Cost: $1,100 or $2,200 for both Details for the OSU camps are available at Cow-

boyGolfCamp.com. The university teams up with Karsten Creek for a traditional “summer camp” style experience, including on-campus dorm rooms and cafeteria meals.

Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles Golf Camp June 22-24 Junior Golf Camp, ages 7-18, Coed, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Cost: $99 July 1, 8, 15, 22 Friday camps, ages 7-18, Coed, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Cost: $99 July 27-29 Elite Junior Golf Camp, ages 7-18 with a 6 handicap or better, Coed, 9 a.m. to noon Cost: $199 Details for the ORU camps are available at abcsportscamps.com/orugolf. The university partners with Meadowbrook Country Club for the camps.

Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm Golf Camp June 13-15 Ages 6-14, Coed Cost $140.00 Instruction provided by Derrick Taylor, PGA, the head men’s and women’s golf coach, with help from current or alumni golfers. Sign up and details at SNUGolfCamp.com.

University of Central Oklahoma Central Golf Camp June 6-9 Junior Golf Camp, ages 6-18, 8:30 a.m. to noon Cost: $250 Details for UCO camp are available at CentralGolfCamp.com. The university partners with

Fairfax Golf Club for their camp.

Golf Course Summer Camps Battle Creek Summer Camp June 6-9 and June 13-16, July 11-14 and July 18-21.

The first week focuses on short game with a camp challenge on the last day. The second week is long game, and features a camp tournament on the course the last day.

Ages 5-16, Coed Cost: $99 for 1 week, $180 for 2 weeks and $300 for all 4 weeks Amanda Fisher’s camp is open to all skill levels.

Beginners definitely welcome. Details and sign up at AmandaFisher.yourlpgapro.com or call 918-557-8762.

The First Tee of Metropolitan Oklahoma City June 20-August 8 First Tee OKC, ages 7-17 Cost $25 Instructors: Dustin Semsch and First Tee coaches. More information and sign up at TheFirstTeeMetOKC.org or call 405-535-9606.

LaFortune Park Junior Golf Camps March 14-17, June 6-9, June 20-23, July 11-14 and July 25-28 Ages 6-17, Coed Cost: $150

See GOLF CAMPS page 29

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 27

Chip shots

PGA master pro Jack Higgins remembered by ken macleod

Jack Higgins, who taught the golf swing to thousands over a long and illustrious career, was remembered fondly at his service by his students, family and fellow pros.

Higgins passed away on March 14 at age 92 after a long illness. Services were March 21 at Floral Haven Funeral Home in Broken Arrow.

Higgins was the head professional at Meadowbrook Country Club in Tulsa from 1955 to 1986, after which he founded the Broken Arrow Golf School, which included a nine-hole course, pro shop and driving range. He worked there until retiring in the early 1990s.

Former student Jay Friedman, who took lessons as a boy at Meadowbrook, went on to win the Oklahoma State Amateur in 1969 and 1970, played for Oklahoma, and on the PGA Tour in 1976-77 before starting his own career, spoke fondly of his mentor.

“Jack Higgins was always there for me,” Friedman said, recalling how Higgins showed up at tournaments as far away as Kansas City and California to caddie for Friedman in junior events. “He was my mentor and my friend. I loved Jack Higgins.”

Flags at Meadowbrook flew at half mast on March 14 in honor of Higgins.

Another of Higgins’ most prominent students was former LPGA Tour player and current First Tee of Tulsa Executive Director Janice Gibson.

Gibson began taking lessons from Higgins at Meadowbrook at age 12 and he never charged her a dime. He continued to be her mentor all the way through her career.

“Jack and Faye (his wife of 68 years) were like my second set of parents,” Gibson said. “He knew the golf swing inside out and always happened to be walking by on the range at the right time to help me out.”

Higgins founded a popular junior tournament, the Jay Myers Memorial Invitational, in 1962, and though it was for boys, entered Gibson one year in a foursome that included young stars Tracy Phillips, Fred Daniel III and Lawrence Field. She held her own.

“He gave me opportunities and pushed me to be better,” Gibson said.

Gibson remembers Higgins also for the long hours he would put in, both at Mead28 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

owbrook and at the Broken Arrow Golf School.

He would teach for eight hours, then mow the range or the course. He also loved to create training aids and other golf gadgets.

Higgins was an early adapter of using video to help his students and also kept his teaching philosophies simple. Like many teachers are coming to the conclusion now, he believed firmly that as Jack Higgins was always there for his students. long as the club was arriving at impact correctly, there were various daughter Melissa, who went on to be the NCAA individual champion while leading ways to make it happen.

Gibson remembers Higgins taking a look Tulsa to the team title, an LPGA Tour winat Nancy Lopez’ swing when she came to ner and a highly successful coach at TU and the University of Tulsa in 1976. Though she now Arizona State.

“Jack had so much passion for the game,” had an unusual move early in the swing, she was pure through the impact area. Hig- Dale McNamara said. “When Melissa was gins told Tulsa coach Dale McNamara she 16 and starting to drive, he told her to come out to Meadowbrook early in the morning should keep her swing as is.

“Everyone who came to him, he helped and dig the balls out of the hedges near the them improve in some way,” Gibson said. driving range and then use those for herself.

“He taught the game the way people could She never missed a day of pulling the balls understand it. He took what people had and out of the hedges.

“Jack molded so many people that I’m made them better. He was absolutely magiclose to. He lived a fantastic life.” cal in what he could do.”

Higgins was born in Slick, Okla., in a Brian Baker, owner of Baker’s Custom Golf, went to work as an assistant to Hig- small house with dirt floors and walls that gins at Meadowbrook in 1973, long before would shake from nearby trains passing. he began dating Higgins’ daughter, Suzette, His father was disabled from an accident early in life, but passed on to Jack a strong and later became part of the family.

Baker remembers shortly after he was will to work and take care of his family. first trusted with the keys to the shop and Higgins was a skilled player who competed cart barn, someone broke in, stole mer- in several U.S. Opens through qualifying. chandise and drove many of the carts into He started his club professional career as a pond. He was promoted to cart mechanic, an assistant to Marion Askew at The Oaks which meant dragging all the carts out of Country Club before landing the job when the pond and getting them cleaned up and Meadowbrook opened in 1955.

Higgins was named the PGA South Cenrepaired.

“I was just sure he was going to fire me,” tral Section Professional of the Year twice Baker said. “Eventually, after days getting and became a member of the PGA Half all the carts fixed up, he comes up to me and Century Club in 1996.

“They say you have to wear seven hats handed over a big envelope. It was just full to be a PGA professional,” Baker said. “He of $100 bills.

“That’s just the way he was. He could be wore seven hats and had seven great stories a little crusty, but he was a great guy who for each hat.”

Higgins is survived by wife, Faye, and looked out for you.”

Higgins helped both McNamara, who daughters, Pam Patterson and Suzette Bakwas a superb amateur player, and later her er, as well as five grandchildren.

2016 Golf Pass is BIGGER AND BETTER! Visit scspgagolfpass.com to order yours today!

Golf Camps, cont. from 27 Jeremy Dear and Robby Jackson are primary instructors, but participants will receive instruction from several other golfers as well. Contact information and sign up at LaFortuneGolfClub. com/Juniors or call 918-496-6200.

James E. Stewart Golf Course, Oklahoma City June 4 SNAG Junior Clinic, ages 3-12, Coed, 10 a.m. to noon Cost: $20 June 11 Junior Golf Clinic, ages 5-18, Coed, 10 a.m. to noon Cost: $20 June 18 Adult Clinic, all ages and all skill levels, 10 a.m. to noon Cost: $25 Call Brandon W. Alford, PGA, for details and sign up: 405-424-4353.

Lit’l Links Golf Club, Broken Arrow May through July, Monday through Thursday, weekly Lit’l Links Golf Club PGA Junior Summer Golf Camps, ages 5-17, Coed, 9 a.m. to noon Cost: $149.00 Instructor: Kyle Ingram. Call 918-481-3673 for details and sign up.

Muskogee Golf Club June 7-10 and July 26-29 Summer Camp, ages 6-11, Coed, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Cost: $75 members, $125 non-members Summer Camp, ages 12-18, Coed, 10 a.m. to 11:30

a.m.

Cost: $100 members and $150 non-members Instruction provided by Mark Budler, PGA, and Brent Anderston, PGA. Call the club for more details: 918-683-0291.

Ponca City Country Club June 1-August 3 (Wednesdays only) PGA Sports Academy Cost: $89.99 Instruction provided by Eddie Roethlisberger, PGA. More information available by calling 580762-4413.

River Oaks Golf Club, Edmond June 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 28, 30 and July 5, 7, 14, 19, 21 Jim Young Golf Junior Summer Camp, ages 5-7, Coed, 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., ages 8-12, Coed, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Cost: $250 for all 12 sessions, $150 for any six session, $30 per individual session Instruction provided by PGA teaching professional Jim Young and his camp staff. Details at JimYoungGolf.com under “schedule of events,” or call 405-630-8183.

Shangri-La Resort Golf Club June 6-9 Shangri-La Junior Players Academy, ages 5-16, Coed, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cost: $295.00 Instruction provided by Rob Yanovitch, PGA. Details and sign up available by calling 918-2574204.

South Lakes Golf Course, Jenks April 2-May 21 (Saturdays only) Lil’ Hooks (spring), ages 5-13, Coed, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: $125 June 22-August 10 (Wednesdays only)

Lil’ Hooks (summer), ages 5-13, Coed, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Cost: $125 June 27-30, July 25-29, and August 8-12 South Lakes Summer Junior Camps, ages 6-17, Coed, 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday Cost: $150 ($135 Sibling discount. Sibling must be signed up for the same week.)

For the junior camp and Lil’ Hooks camps, the instructors are Andrew Cantrell, Austin Osburn, and Mickane Replogle. For sign up or details, email andrew@southlakesgolf.com or call 918746-3760 May 31- June 3 Jenks Golf Camp, ages 3rd through 6th grade, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Cost $85 June 6-8 Jenks Golf Camp, ages kindergarten through 2nd grade and 7th through 12th grade, 9 a.m. to noon (no camp Thursday) Cost $85 Instructors: South Lakes staff and Jenks Golf team. For details and sign up, call 918-746-3760.

June 13-17, 20-24, July 11-15, 18-22, August 1-5, 15-19 Get Golf Ready, ages 12 to adult, Coed, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: $99 Instructors: Andrew Cantrell / Austin Osburn / Mickane Replogle For sign up or details, email andrew@southlakesgolf.com or call 918-746-3760 The Greens Country Club June 21-23 and July 19-21 Junior Golf Camp, ages 6-14, Coed, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Cost: $100 per session Instruction provided by Matt Davis, PGA, Ian Anthony and Mike Elafros. Details available by calling 405-751-7095.

GOLF INSTRUCTION: THE COWBOY WAY 2016 COWBOY GOLF CAMP • JUNE 4-8 • JUNE 8-12 • JUNE 4-12 BOYS & GIRLS AGE 11-19

FOR MORE INFO OR TO ENROLL YOUR CHILD, CALL 405-269-6293, VISIT OKSTATE.COM OR COWBOYGOLFCAMP.COM Cowboy Golf Camp is open to any and all entrants, limited only by number, age, grade level and/or gender.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 29

Chip shots

A hazardous game by jenk jones jr .

If you think your golf course has hazards, try playing one hacked out of encroaching jungle and featuring razortoothed piranha in the water hazards, extremely deadly fer-de-lance snakes lurking in the rough, plus boa constrictors, alligators and tarantulas on the fairways.

A Wall Street Journal article by Ryan Dube describes this “small but difficult course” near Iquitos, Peru. That city, east of the Andes Mountains, is on the upper Amazon River and surrounded by dense rain forest. Though it is 2,100 miles from where the mighty Amazon empties into the Atlantic Ocean, the river is so big at Iquitos that seagoing ships are regular visitors.

Dube sets the scene for the Amazon Golf Course when he says, “If players voice concern about coming across a deadly reptile while digging a ball out of the rough, management issues them a

machete for the round.”

The course, a tight fit on 24 areas of o n e t i m e jungle and which opened in 2006, is the brainchild of a 67-year-old retired insurance manager from Birmingham, England, who lives in Iquitos.

Mike Collis raised funds for building it by securing $350 membership fees from about 60 people from 16 countries.

A round of play on the nine-hole, par-35 layout costs $25.

It’s not easy to maintain in playing shape.

Dube again: “Most golf courses require extensive irrigation. At this one, mighty rains flooded the greens. Many had to be

Illustration by Chris Swafford

elevated.”

And as Bill Grimes, a former Indianan, adds, “It is easy to have the whole golf course become a rough if you are not careful.”

Still, as Dag Walker, a former resident of Idaho but like Grimes now living in Iquitos, puts it: “It is kind of exotic to go play golf and

See HAZARDOUS page 57

It’s close to home... And, it’s an unforgettable golfing experience. You’ll spend less time traveling and more time doing what you love to do... Playing tons of golf. Come PLAY and STAY with us. Book your Golf Trail Getaway today. Visit GolfingAtFunLake.com.

30 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

CHECK OUT.

Cast your cares away along the spring-fed Panther creek.

A kaleidoscope of colors out your back window from the towering Cypress trees.

Unplug and reconnect with family at the new sports park.

The perfect place to catch a break.

Out here, when your energy runs low, you just plug into

GUADALUPE RIVER

nature. Announcing The Springs of Cordillera Ranch– the newest addition to Cordillera Ranch. Extraordinary lots range from .75 acres to 3+ acres offering sweeping views of the Texas Hill Country, a network of hiking trails, the winding spring-fed Panther Creek, and lots of other reasons to check out early and come home.

Luxury Hill Country lots from the $100’s- $300’s+

of

www.CordilleraRanch.com | 888-66-RANCH

Golf Club | River Club | Social Club | Spa & Athletic Club | Tennis & Swim Club | Rod & Gun Club | Equestrian Club

Second Class announced for Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame Bolt, Cozby, Harris, Lopez, and Warrens to be honored by ken macleod

An induction ceremony will be nothing new for most members of the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame’s second class.

Haworth native Tommy Bolt, winner of the 1958 U.S. Open at Southern Hills Country Club, and former University of Tulsa and LPGA superstar Nancy Lopez, are both members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, while Bolt is also in the PGA of America Hall of Fame and Lopez in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Jerry Cozby, who for more than 40 years at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville set a shining example of the PGA club professional’s often selfless duties, will be inducted, a fitting tribute during the 100th anniversary celebration of the PGA of America.

Cozby is also in the PGA of America Hall of Fame.

Labron Harris, who founded Oklahoma State’s golf program and coached there from 1947-74, was also the designer and builder of Lakeside Golf Course in Stillwater, and assisted on the design of a number of other significant golf courses around the state.

In a Contributors to the Game category which recognizes the integral contributions of individuals, families or organizations that did not necessarily play or work in golf as a full-time profession, the HOF Board has selected to honor W.K. Warren Sr. and W.K. Warren Jr. of Tulsa.

Without Warren Sr. , it is likely Southern Hills Country Club, host of seven major championships, two PGA Tour Champion32 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

ships and two U.S. Amateur Championships, among many notable events, would never have existed. Without Bill Warren Jr., it would lack nine of its 27 holes and possibly two of its major championships, as he played a crucial role in both the 1994 PGA Championship and 2001 U.S. Open coming to Southern Hills.

“We are privileged to have so many outstanding candidates from which to select the second class,” said Nick Sidorakis, executive director of the Hall of Fame board.

“The Selection Committee did an outstanding job to identify these five candidates, two of whom have won major championships on the world stage in Tommy Bolt and Nancy Lopez.

“Jerry Cozby was the epitome of a PGA professional for more than 40 years at Hillcrest CC and helped grow the game through his tireless contributions. Labron Harris not only founded the historically successful Oklahoma State golf program, but was a PGA professional and course designer. In the Contributors to the Game category, we’re pleased to recognize the contributions of W.K. Warren Sr., one of the founders of Southern Hills Country Club, and Bill Warren Jr., who has helped enhance and further his father’s vision for the growth of Southern Hills and by helping bring major championship golf to Tulsa for all the golf fans to enjoy.”

The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Sept.

18 at Southern Hills Country Club. A fundraising golf tournament will be at Southern Hills on the morning of Sept. 19. Ticket and sponsorship information for both events

are available at www.oklahomagolfhof.org or by calling 918-280-0787.

Tommy Bolt (1916-2008) One of the great pure ball strikers in the history of the game, Bolt didn’t join the PGA Tour until his early 30s, but still went on to win 15 PGA Tour Tommy Bolt events, none more memorable than the 1958 U.S. Open, where he bested a young Gary Player by four shots.

Bolt was known far and wide for his temper, which led to an occasional club toss, but should have been better known for his skill. In his long retirement at Cherokee Village, Arkansas, he played thousands of rounds with only a rare flash of anger, and was better known as a staunch supporter of local charities and junior golf. He lent his name and time to the Tommy Bolt Classic at the Jonesboro CC to raise funds for the Arkansas State golf team for many years.

In a 1994 interview with this writer, Bolt said his smartest move as a professional was to spend three weeks with Ben Hogan in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1955, where Hogan taught him his secret, or at least one of them.

“I didn’t really learn to play golf until then,” Bolt said. “He told me what his secret was. It was the left hand moving over

on top of the club to eliminate the fear of hooking. I was always a hooker. I could get the ball up and down, so I won tournaments, but I was always hooking my drives.”

With the snap hook eliminated, Bolt won three times in 1955, once in 1957 and then won The Colonial before coming to Tulsa for the first major championship at Southern Hills.

“Let me tell you, winning that U.S. Open was my ultimate goal since I was a little kid caddying,” Bolt said. “I almost won that thing two or three times.”

Bolt won a second major when he captured the PGA Seniors Championship in 1969, one of three senior tour victories.

Nancy Lopez

Nancy Lopez

Dale McNamara remembers reading a story in Golf World Magazine about a precocious 12-year-old winning the New Mexico Women’s Amateur and thinking how wonderful.

Five years later, McNamara was appointed coach of the fledgling University of Tulsa women’s golf team, and remembered to find out what that special talent was up to. In her second year, she flew with former Cedar Ridge CC professional Buddy Phillips to Roswell to make a scholarship offer to Nancy Lopez.

“We hit it off immediately,” recalled the legendary TU coach, who herself is already a member of the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame. “I asked her how she would like to come and be instrumental in the starting of a great program and she was up for the challenge.”

The summer before she came to Tulsa, Lopez was the runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open, causing McNamara to think she might be ready to turn pro. Instead, she hit the TU campus with her milliondollar smile and small yellow sports car that she continually gunned until her teammates nicknamed her “Screech.”

And she came ready to win. In her two years at Tulsa, Lopez won 11-of-19 tournaments, including the AIAW National Championship as a freshman and placing second as a sophomore. The Hurricane, with Nancy Aaronson and Cathy Reynolds also starring, placed second nation-

ally in both events, starting a dynasty that continued for decades.

She took that killer swing and attitude right to the LPGA Tour, winning nine events, including five consecutively, as a rookie. She added eight more wins in 1979, giving her 28 victories over a fouryear span between TU and her first two years on Tour.

Lopez went on to record 48 LPGA victories, including three majors. Her connections to Tulsa and Oklahoma were always prominently mentioned on broadcasts and in national publications, bringing great notoriety to TU, the city and Oklahoma golf.

Jerry Cozby Although all three of his sons wound up being fine players for the University of Oklahoma, Jerry Cozby has some ties to Oklahoma State as well.

His father, Steve, Jerry Cozby had a house in a Gulf Oil camp in Odessa, Texas, when

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 33

2016 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME Jerry was a child. Across the alley was a house owned by Speck Holder, father of Mike Holder, a 2015 inductee and astonishingly successful golf coach at OSU. Although Jerry doesn’t remember meeting Mike, who was just a baby, the two dads pooled their efforts to build a nine-hole golf course with sand greens on an abandoned prairie dog town.

That’s where Jerry played his first golf and fell in a love with a game that he still adores today.

Cozby went on to become a fine junior player, winning tournaments, but also playing football, baseball and running track until his sophomore year at Odessa.

Golf became serious when a local businessman picked him as his partner for the Odessa Pro-Am, an event that, with its purse of $60,000, drew a lot of sharks and PGA Tour players.

Cozby shot 66-67 the first two rounds on his own ball, his team finished 31-under par in second place, and suddenly he was drawing interest from colleges. He stayed close to home, however, going to Odessa Junior College for two years so he could play as a freshman. His team won two national juco titles, then he

STAY& PLAY

PACKAGES STARTING AT

fully we’ve done something to contribute to them playing the game to the best of their ability. Any other way of looking at it is a mistake, in my opinion.”

Cozby trained many other excellent professionals and industry leaders, including his three sons. Cary is the head professional at Southern Hills Country Club, while Chance and Craig have prominent positions with Ping Golf. David Bryan, head professional at Cedar Ridge and son of former Southern Hills head professional Dave Bryan, trained under Cozby at Hillcrest, as did Tim Johnson, longtime pro at The Territory and now general manager of Pinnacle CC in Rogers, Arkansas.

“I owe everything to that man,” Johnson said. “He taught me more than I can ever say or ever repay. He taught me how to pay attention to detail, how service is the law of the land. He brought the same enthusiasm, energy, drive and dedication to work every day, not just tournament days or weekends, but every day.”

“I’m very flattered, very humbled and totally shocked by this,” Cozby said.

“When I think about those sand greens that I grew up on, I just have to pinch

out•doors (out-dawrz) n. The world outside of or away from the confi nes of a building

129

$

was off to Lamar, which won what was then known as the College Division (now Division II) national title his junior year.

Cozby tied for second individually after finishing sixth and second in the NJCAA championships.

All of which just shows that though Cozby is known as one of the most dedicated, exacting and professional representatives of the PGA of America in Oklahoma history, he was a fierce competitor as well.

His first job was an assistant to Texas Golf Hall of Fame professional Hardy Loudermilk at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio. It was there he made his best career move, persuading Karole Stanley to become Karole Cozby. In 1969, at the age of 27, he accepted the position of head professional at Hillcrest Country Club, the exquisite Perry Maxwell layout in Bartlesville, where he ran the shop and club with an iron will and soft heart for 41 years.

“Golf professionals only have one job,” Cozby said. “Our job is to make sure all amateur golfers, whether at public courses or country clubs, are having a good time and enjoying the game. Hope-

*

30 Rainbow Road NE

•

Albuquerque, NM

•

505.798.3990

•

sandiagolf.com

*Price is per person/per night based on double occupancy. Valid Sunday – Thursday. Rate does not include tax. Price is subject to availability and/or blackout dates.

Not applicable to groups (17 or more), conventions, or special discount offers.

34 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

myself. There are a lot of good golf professionals out there, many that are a lot better than I am.”

Among a host of awards, Cozby was PGA South Central Section Professional of the Year in 1973 and 1985, and PGA National Professional of the Year in 1985.

He was inducted into the section hall of fame in 2000, the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2005, the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Bartlesville Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012, the same year he was also named Father of the Year by Golfweek.

died on August 14, 1995. He was honored with induction into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. The Harris Award is presented annually by the Golf Coaches Association of America to the college or high school coach and PGA Professional whose support of the game through teaching, coaching and involvement in the community has helped ensure the continued growth of the game of golf and who represents the finest qualities the game has to offer.

Labron Harris Sr. Contributors to the Game (1908 – 1995) W.K. Warren Sr. (1897-1990) W.K. Warren Jr.

Labron Harris was a foundational figure in collegiate golf coaching. He started the Oklahoma State program from scratch in 1947 and led the Labron Harris team to its first national championship in 1963. He coached the Cowboys to 24 conference champions, had 27 All-Americans and two national champions in Earl Moeller in 1953 and Grier Jones in 1968.

Coaching was just part of the Harris legacy, however. He designed and built Lakeside Golf Course in Stillwater, designed nine holes at Cushing Country Club and helped other courses in the area.

He was a long-time member and strong supporter of the PGA of America.

Harris was born in Dardanelle, Arkansas, and moved to Wewoka, Oklahoma, at age 8. He graduated from Wewoka High School in 1927, having lettered in basketball, baseball, track, tennis, and football.

Harris then attended Southwestern State College in Weatherford, wrestling in the first match he ever saw. He also competed in golf, winning the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference individual title, and graduated in 1935. Beginning in 1936, Harris won three consecutive Oklahoma Sand Greens Championships.

Harris became Guthrie Country Club’s head professional in 1936 and stayed there until Henry P. Iba hired him as Oklahoma State’s golf coach in 1947.

A fine player with an incredible work ethic, Harris won the 1953 Oklahoma Open in Enid and tied for 27th at the 1958 U.S. Open. He won 152 tournaments as a player.

Harris retired to Sun City, Arizona, and

W.K. Warren Sr.

W.K. Warren Jr.

W.K. “Bill” Warren Jr. remembers teaming with his father to win the membermember tournament one year at Southern Hills CC, the only father-son team ever to do so. Even in that casual setting, his father’s legendary drive and determination were on display, the same traits that allowed him to practically will Southern Hills into existence.

Warren Sr. never took a golf lesson and punched the ball both on his long shots and with his putting stroke. Get him on the green, however, and it was lights out for his foes.

“He could sink putts from all over,” Bill Warren said. “I was always amazed at his super confidence. On the green, you couldn’t beat him.”

That same confidence is what allowed him in the midst of the Great Depression to walk into the office of oilman Waite Phillips in Chicago and ask him to not only donate the 300 acres he owned in south Tulsa, but put up the money for construction of a country club with an Olympic-size swimming pool, riding stables, skeet range, tennis courts and a polo field.

Phillips scoffed. He did agree, however, that if Warren could find 150 individuals to put up $1,000 each to build the club,

he would donate the land. And he had 18 days to do it.

It seemed an impossible task, as even the well-off oilman Warren and his friends could scarcely afford an extra $1,000 at the time. Yet on Jan. 14, 1935, Warren presented Phillips with a list of 140 men who would put up $1,000 each.

He was 10 men short of the stipulation, but Phillips was convinced the project had merit. Over the next few years, Southern Hills was built, with the now famous 18hole layout by Perry Maxwell.

Warren Sr. came from humble beginnings in Tennessee as a newspaper carrier who built his own oil, gas and transportation company, the Warren Petroleum Corporation, which Gulf Oil purchased in 1953 for $420 million. He established the W.K. Warren Foundation in 1954 and St. Francis Hospital was built by the foundation in 1959, and is still expanding today.

Warren Jr., Chairman Emeritus of The William K. Warren Foundation and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Warren American Oil Company, has lived up to his father’s legacy. His contributions to the game include pushing through what was then a contentious proposal among the membership to build an additional nine holes at Southern Hills, hiring Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore to design the nine and helping in the process to launch their careers as the most sought after design duo today. He played a crucial role behind the scenes in Southern Hills’ landing of both the 1994 PGA Championship and the 2001 U.S. Open.

At his alma mater Notre Dame, Warren hired Coore and Crenshaw again and funded the construction of the Warren Golf Course, now known as one of the best public facilities in the Midwest.

“Dad was a visionary,” Warren Jr. said.

“He was the instrumental person in getting Waite Phillips to donate that land.

And just like when he built Saint Francis, people thought 61st and Yale was way out in the country and no one would ever go there.

“He was a driver and he was the boss. It was difficult as a son sometimes because of the pressure and stress he put on you. But I couldn’t have had a better teacher, when it came to religion, golf, character, business and thinking outside the box.”

Warren said he was “surprised, thrilled and deeply honored” to be included in the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 35

Escape the hustle and bustle of your busy life at Bass Pro Shops’ Big Cedar Lodge in the Missouri Ozark Mountains. Overlooking Table Rock Lake, countless adventures are waiting for you.

Choose from a variety of stay and play packages that will allow you to take in unparalleled experiences. Enjoy numerous unique restaurants, charming accommodations, a world-class spa, 100-slip marina and two golf courses that are home to the PGA TOUR Champions event, the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf. Top of the Rock Golf Course is a 9-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus, with a stunning Arnold Palmer driving range and Tom Watson’s Himalayan inspired putting green. Top of the Rock is the only par-3 course to be used in an official PGA TOUR event. In the words of PGA TOUR Commissioner, Tim Finchem, “If there was ever a

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Academy

36 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Trout Fishing at Dogwood Canyon

Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail at Top of the Rock

par-3 course worthy of PGA TOUR tournament play, Top of the Rock is it!” Buffalo Ridge Springs is an 18-hole course that has consistently been named one of the best Missouri golf courses by Golf Digest and embraces the region’s history in its design. Native prairie grasses line the course and free-ranging buffalo roam the ridge above. Play these extraordinary courses and enjoy all that Big Cedar has to offer with one of many stay and play experiences available. Call or visit the website today to start planning your getaway.

Voted one of the World’s Best Hotels by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure Magazines!

800.225.6343 | BIGCEDAR.COM

GOK516

Buffalo Bar at Top of the Rock

Bent Hook Marina at Big Cedar Lodge

Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum at Top of the Rock

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 37

Finding a way forward Players, boosters work on bringing back Tulsa golf Former players Matt Mabrey and Michael Boyd answer questions following a meeting with Dr. Derrick Gragg. by ken macleod analysis

L

ess than a week after the University of Tulsa announced it was shutting down its men’s golf program, a strong effort was under way by former players and supporters to bring it back as quickly as possible.

To do so, the players were told by university president Steadman Upham that they would need to secure funds to endow the program. Cost for that was pegged at appoimately $6 million in a press conference by Dr. Derrick Gragg, TU director of athletics.

Can that be done? It depends on how badly men and women of means want to see the university have a golf program.

Should it be required? Not for a sport that costs in the neighborhood of $270,000 annually not including the 4.5 scholarships that are available, but aren’t neccesarily awarded. If eight or nine players are sharing those 4.5, they bring a significant amount of funds to the school in paying for the remainder of their tuition.

Should whoever replaces Bill Brogden be required to do a better job of fundraising?

Absolutely. With all the excellent clubs which welcome TU for practice sessions, it would be easy to schedule a playday or pro-am at each that could quickly raise $30,000 or more. Do that times seven (one at Tulsa Country Club, Cedar Ridge, 38 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Southern Hills, The Patriot, Golf Club of Oklahoma, Meadowbrook, The Oaks, Indian Springs, etc.) over a spring and fall and you have most of the costs taken care of on an annual basis. How hard would it be to find 30 golfers at each club willing to pay $1,000 for a pro-am to support the team? Put us down for a spot.

Should the University of Tulsa have a men’s golf program? Again, for many reasons, yes.

Tulsa considers itself one of the finest golf cities in the nation. It regularly hosts not just major championships, but has been the site of numerous USGA championships, the most recent being the U.S. Girls Junior Championship in 2015 at Tulsa Country Club.

And the University of Tulsa men’s and women’s golf teams, despite some ups and downs of late and with all apologies to Oral Roberts, were the collective teams of the city. They practiced at all the top country clubs and, in doing so, the coaches and student athletes became friends with community leaders from throughout the city.

Many of those who went through the Tulsa program are now young professionals and business leaders in their own right.

Cedar Ridge Country Club, one of the fine clubs that welcomed TU players and coaches throughout the years, has seven former players as members. When Golf Oklahoma asked some of Brogden’s former players to gather at Tulsa Country Club recently for

a photo, they came in at lunch time from great companies throughout Tulsa.

Under Brogden, TU has produced 17 individual and 30 total Academic All Americans.

“Of everyone we’ve had, 99.9 percent are representing the university the way it would like to be represented,” Brogden said. “They are successful individuals and many are becoming leaders in the business community.”

If and when it brings back golf, Tulsa will have no trouble finding a quality replacement for Brogden. Former TU AllAmeican David Inglis considered his alma mater to be his dream job, but is now the head coach at Northwestern. Many other quality coaches are interested.

Brogden is encouraged by the efforts of his players and others he’s heard from.

“If we can get it back, it will be stronger than ever,” he said. “I want the program to be able to win conference championships and have a chance to compete for national championships. I’m encouraged by the way these guys are rallying.”

It was a golf fundraiser that brought Boone Pickens back into the Oklahoma State fold and look where that led. This unique game has and could continue to do great things for TU. Anyone interested in helping rescue the program can contact Michael Boyd at The Club at Indian Springs at mboyd@indianspringsclub.com or by calling 918-6450986.

SCENIC to a tee.

YOUR TRIP BEGINS HERE

#VisitArkansas

Big Creek Golf and Country Club, Mountain Home

Stonebridge Meadows, Fayetteville

The Ridges at Village Creek, Wynne

Glenwood Country Club, Glenwood

With a dozen courses set among rolling hills, hardwood forests and towering pines, and alongside mountain lakes and pristine streams, The Natural State Golf Trail will challenge your concentration and reward your soul. Come see us.

For more information, call 1-866-2GOLF-AR or visit NaturalStateGolfTrail.com. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 39

Know what you know Brogden encouraged players to depend on themselves Editor’s Note: The following stories were prepared to honor Bill Brogden’s long history of coaching in Tulsa at ORU and TU before Tulsa announced it was dropping golf. Brogden had planned to retire this spring. by ken macleod

T

o appreciate Bill Brogden, you have to know a bit about his father, Leon Brogden – his coach, mentor and hero.

Leon Brogden is a legend in North Carolina, where he coached high school teams to eight state basketball championships, two football championships and one in baseball. As a coach and athletic director, he was associated with 55 championships in his 40 years and Dean Smith was known to pilfer his offensive sets, but that’s not why he’s a member of three Halls of Fame and remembered so fondly by his players, including legendary NFL quarterbacks Sonny Jurgensen and Roman Gabriel.

“Dad was by far the best coach I ever had,” Bill Brogden said. “He was my hero.

He never raised his voice, never used profanity. He was the nicest gentleman that ever lived.”

As a sharp-shooting guard, Bill Brogden helped his dad win three of those state high school basketball championships before going on to East Carolina. As the story goes, there have only been two Mr. Basketballs in the basketball mad state of North Carolina to come from Wilmington and the other is on a Nike logo. Brogden poured in 1,098 points, still 20th on East Carolina’s all-time scoring chart.

Basketball, however, was not the only sport he played for the Pirates. He was also on the golf team. After obtaining his master’s degree in counselor education from Virginia Commonwealth, he used his talent and love for that game to land a job in 1969 as golf coach at Memphis State, where he promptly led the Tigers to 17th place in the NCAA Tournament.

“Dad never hit a golf ball in his life,” Brogden said. “Yet every day in the summer he would drop off my brother (Leon Jr. ) and me at the course and we would stay there dawn to dark. I asked him when 40 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Bill Brogden with Bill Glasson, whom he calls the toughest player he ever coached. he was about 85 why he did that when he never played. He said, ‘Well son, I felt like it would be a lifetime sport.’ I said you’re a smart, smart man.’ “ Brogden , now 73, is still spending his days at the golf course. He had announced that this spring would be the final season of his 47-year coaching career, the past 30 of those at Tulsa.

“When I realized some of my former players (at Memphis) are turning 70 this year, I thought maybe it was time,” Brogden said.

Now his former players are lining up to sing his praises, much the way his father’s players did when he retired, or when Bill attended his posthumous induction into the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame, a class that included Jurgensen, Gabriel and Meadowlark Lemon (Michael Jordan turned down his invitation).

“That was a big deal for me to share stories about my dad with those guys,” Brogden said. “I’d always wanted to coach

and always wanted to be like my dad. He’s where I got a lot of my philosophy from.”

As any number of Brogden’s players can tell you, that coaching philosophy is straightforward, yet also deeply personal to each player. He’s not a swing coach and not a babysitter. He loves the strategy and psychology of the game and trying to find and flip each player’s internal switch that would allow them to play their best, physically and mentally.

“What I enjoy the most is when the light goes on,” Brogden said. “When the light goes on and they say, ‘I really can do this.’

“I use the example of Bryan Norton. After his sophomore year (1979 at Oral Roberts) he went out and played all the major amateur tournaments in the summer. He came back and said, ‘Coach, I’m as good as anybody in the country.’ He knew that because he had worked hard and had success and was justifiably confident.”

See BROGDEN page 42

Former players pay tribute to Brogden Bill Glasson, Oral Roberts University, 1978-82

by ken macleod

Bill Brogden’s coaching career hasn’t been about national championships, although he nearly snagged a couple in the early-1980s at Oral Roberts.

Rather, it’s been a career spent teaching young men how to think, how to compete and how to go about their daily lives with a purpose that would benefit them in all aspects of their lives going forward.

“It’s always been interesting for me to sit down with the players and try to reason with them and figure out why you do what you do.,” Brogden said. ”That’s the whole thing about playing golf and everything else in life. You’ve got to know yourself.

What makes me go, what makes me stop, what makes me scared. You have to learn all that before you can best learn your own golf game.”

Was that philosophy meaningful to his players? Here’s a sampling of their reflections.

words. He’s the perfect example of your actions speak volumes. I had a lot of energy, and misdirected energy, but wouldn’t have been able to channel it in the right direction without him.”

Glasson came to ORU from a broken home in Fresno, California, ready to work. His work ethic and perseverance Bill Glasson led to a long professional career that included seven PGA Tour victories.

“My parents divorced when I was young, so Bill was like a second father to me. I was looking for guidance and discipline and it was maybe an unfair burden to put on him. To this day, I appreciate the way he conducts himself and all the schools he’s been at should be appreciative that they had such an honorable person representing them.

“His calmness, his demeanor, was something I needed. Everything in life for an 18-year-old was so hectic, but he impressed on us, more through his actions than his

Jim Kane, Oral Roberts University, 1977-81 “I’m so proud that I got to play for Bill Brogden. He had a knack for knowing what each guy needed to get motiJim Kane vated. He knew our strengths and weaknesses and worked more on our weaknesses.

“All of our games progressed under his coaching. Even when we had a little rough spot, he got us refocused and redirected.

One time we came back to Tulsa after a tournament and had a roundtable discus-

See PLAYERS page 43

Two-man low ball.

Prizes include set of irons, drivers, and putters Entry fee provides Golf, Carts, Range, Prizes, Tee Gifts, and Luncheon Use the code: BCF Golf and receive $20 off your team registration

Hillcrest Country Club and Adams Golf Club. Two great courses.

Two great days of golf. Register online at bartlesvillecf.org/fourball/

Proceeds benefit The Bartlesville Community Foundation

Corporate Sponsors:

®

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 41

Brogden, continued from 40 Getting to that level where a player knows what he is capable of and does the right things to maximize his chances of success is what Brogden has spent decades stressing to his players. Some never realize their potential while others exceed it.

“Know what you know,” is one of the coach’s favorite sayings, a shorthand version of the Confucian mantra, “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.” The 2007 team, one of Brogden’s favorites in which all five starters won at least two college events, wore “Know What You Know” Tshirts.

“Did that team like to practice? No. But I kept telling them, just do what you can do and we’ll be fine,” Brogden said. “They were all small guys and could only hit it so far, but they all were great short-iron players and good putters. They accepted what they could do, which was drive it in the fairway, chip and putt good.”

That team led the NCAA for two years in lowest strokes per par-3 hole. As seniors, they obliterated the field at their regional tournament, but had a disappointing NCAA Championship showing.

That was not Brogden’s first or only heartache at the NCAA. The one he and his players are not quite over to this day occurred while he was coach at Oral Roberts University from 1976-86. At a place where they expect a miracle, Brogden assembled a team that was utterly fearless and intent on taking ORU from obscurity to dynasty status in just a few short years.

Led by Joey Rassett, Bill Glasson, Norton and Jim Kane, ORU rose from obscurity to

Brogden points out the perils ahead to Colton Staggs. an NCAA power in a five-year span. After finishing sixth in the NCAA when Rassett, Kane and Norton were freshmen and sophomores, the team jumped to third as juniors, just five shots behind Oklahoma State. With Glasson now a junior, the team tore through the 1980-81 regular season, winning nearly every start, but finished second to Brigham Young by two shots in the NCAA Championship.

“I had never thought about winning a national championship, bad on my part,” Brogden said. “Joey changed all that. Joey will tell you that I changed him, but I think he changed me and opened my eyes to what was possible.

“Then Bill Glasson came in and he was

Brogden’s Career Coaching Highlights • Was named the National Coach of the Year in 1980 and the District Coach of the Year three times • Awarded Conference Coach of the Year honors 11 times • Inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 1991 • Coached the US team at the 1996 World Junior Golf Team Championships in Tottori, Japan • Coached teams to 16 conference titles • Led Tulsa to seven Missouri Valley Conference titles in 10 years in the league, to two WAC first-place performances and one championship in Conference USA • Has had 38 teams qualify for NCAA competition and 19 advanced to the championship finals 42 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

the toughest, most competitive guy I’ve ever been around. I love Bill. I love them all, but he had the least of anybody and worked the hardest for it. Rassett would play him every day and Joey would beat him every day, but Bill never stopped working.”

“These guys were well aware of what was going on just 70 miles away in Stillwater and all the national championships they were winning. They just thought, why not us?”

It wasn’t to be, however. As Oral Roberts stepped back from day-to-day duties at his university, golf was deemphasized as well as other sports. Brogden left ORU following the 1985-86 season and was prepared to reluctantly leave the city, before good friend Mike Carter, now ironically the ORU athletic director, stepped in with a plan.

Carter recruited Bill Heldmar at Cedar Ridge, Randy Olmstead at Southern Hills and some other key figures around town to help him raise $110,000, which is what University of Tulsa athletic director John Benn required for a three-year commitment to hire Brogden and fund a golf program. TU previously had a part-time coach and a very light commitment to the sport.

Carter and Brogden, who met during a rain delay on the sixth hole of the 1977 Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur Championship at Cedar Ridge, later won a state title together, capturing the 1995 OGA Four-Ball Championship at Dornick Hills CC in Ardmore.

See BROGDEN page 44

Players, continued from 41

around great players and a coach with high expectations taught me a lot about myself sion. He said, `Guys, if you’re at home and my capabilities.” shooting 74s and 75s, why do you expect to go to a tournament and shoot 68?’ For Jeff Combe, him, it was all about the preparation to Oral Roberts excel.”

Joey Rassett, Oral Roberts University, 1977-81 One of the best collegiate players in history, Rassett won every event in sight his senior year leading up the NCAA Joey Rassett Championship. He opened Brogden’s eyes to what was possible at ORU. “Bill had the perfect demeanor for all of us. He was not a high-strung guy but could put a thumb down on us if we needed it.

He didn’t micro manage. He had a strong desire to succeed, but it came through in a very mellow fashion. He knew the right buttons to push for each one of us.

“I’ve always felt very appreciative that I got to play for Coach and with the guys I had as teammates. Those memories will last a lifetime.”

Bryan Norton, Oral Roberts University, 1977-81 Norton was attending Labron Harris’ golf camp in Stillwater when Brogden approached him about playing Bryan Norton in Tulsa. He went on to be an outstanding collegian, briefly turned professional and now has a long career of success in national USGA events as well as winning numerous Kansas Golf Association titles.

“As soon as I met him, I thought that’s a guy I could play for. I had a soft commitment to Kansas, but changed my mind on the spot.

“His emphasis the entire time was for us to play our best and manage ourselves, manage our emotions and make the right choices. If I hadn’t gone to school and played for Coach, I wouldn’t have had the record that I did. I had never won the state in high school or junior golf. Getting

and finishing in the top 10 31 times in his four-year career.

The native Scot tried to play professionally, then went into coaching and University, became an assis1982-86 tant at Northwestern. He was a likely Combe, now the candidate to replace long-time direcDavid Inglis Brogden at Tulsa untor of golf at Tulsa Country Club, til suddenly being promoted to head coach was, like Glasson, of the nationally-ranked Wildcats in 2014.

“I owe Coach Brogden greatly,” Inglis a hard-nosed kid Jeff Combe from Fresno, when said. “He recruited me and brought me to the States. He was a tremendous influhe came to ORU. “Bill Brogden was phenomenal. There’s ence for me. He knows how to motivate not a better man or coach I could have a player, how to develop the toughness played for. There are not words to describe and competitiveness you need to succeed. what he did for me and the same for my He made you really own your own game and understand what made you tick. As daughter and my wife.

“He’s a player’s coach. He lets you play, a coach, he’s someone I call and talk to but he’s always there to give input when and ask for advice. He helped me get the you need it. Those were four of the best job here.

“He’s just been an amazing influence years of my life. Now, when he brings the team out to practice, everyone is his friend. and I’m so thankful to him.”

He’s just so friendly and polite. The whole community likes and appreciates Coach Mitch Cohlmia, Brogden.”

University of

Michael Boyd, University of Tulsa, 1994-98 Boyd, who runs his own teaching school at The Club at Indian Springs in Broken Arrow, was the 2015 PGA South Central Section Michael Boyd Player of the Year and played on the PGA Tour in 2007. He still remembers Brogden’s advice when he finds himself facing a crucial shot in competition.

“The first year I went to nationals, I was freaked out and scared. He walked alongside me for a couple of holes and told me to quit steering it and just hit it hard. I remember that a lot when I’m facing a shot in competition. You can have a conservative game plan, but swing like you mean it. That was something I always took from him.”

David Inglis, University of Tulsa, 1991-94 Inglis is one of the most successful players in TU program history, having won the WAC Championship all four years

Tulsa, 2004-07 Cohlmia was one of the mainstays on one of Brogden’s favorite teams, the 2007 group that had four academic All-Americans who Mitch Cohlmia were each good enough to win two collegiate events and a resounding team victory in the NCAA Central Regional.

“Coach taught us the importance of good team chemistry. Even though we didn’t practice as much as some players, we all fueled each other and it was fun to go to each practice and each workout. We really pushed each other to be as good as we could be and Coach was a big part of that.”

Update on the other three: Brett Myers works for Arvest Bank in Tulsa, has a daughter and one on the way. Sam Korbe graduated from medical school , has three children and is going to be moving back to Tulsa in June from Birmingham, Alabama. Ryan Henry works with his father in the carpet and tile business, has two children and lives in Tulsa. The four plan to continue to play golf together on occasion. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 43

Brogden, continued from XX

Brodgen took two international stars, Sean Collard and Andre Bossert, with him to Tulsa along with Darryl Court and the Hurricane was instantly competitive, winning the Missouri Valley Conference championship and finishing 32nd in the NCAA in his first year.

Tulsa has won 10 conference titles in Brogden’s career, but since the NCAA went to a regional format in 1988 for qualifySometimes, you just laugh and wonder why. ing, has only competed in five NCAA Championships. , continued from 42 In 2002 Tulsa was just one shot behind “Bill was just a great, genuine guy and going into the final round of the NCAA a lot of us didn’t want to see him leave Tournament. That team was led by Datown,” Carter said. “We got 50 or 60 guys vid Inglis, Chris Noel, Billy Lowery, Kevin to put up the funding. He was very well re- Henry and Neil Trim. It finished ninth, likely to remain his best finish at TU as his spected around the city.”

Brogden

44 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

final team is extremely green.

It’s always been an uphill battle at Tulsa as more and more colleges got serious about golf, adding assistants and recruiting budgets and other funding Tulsa found difficult to match. For Brogden, the goal throughout the years has been to win as often as possible, but more to develop his players into strategists rather than just driving range heroes.

It wasn’t always easy. One of the players Brogden admires most is Michael Boyd, who showed up from his prep career at Bishop Kelley ready to compete and went on to make it to the PGA Tour despite having limited length off the tee.

“I give Michael all the credit in the world for that,” Brogden said. “He would call me from the road while he was on the mini-tours and say, ‘Coach, I’m tired of talking to the windshield.’ It can be a lonely life out there.

“Michael came in and he believed in himself right away. The first tournament we go to I take him even though he hadn’t qualified. In the van, he told everyone we were going to win this tournament. We hadn’t won a tournament in years, but we set the record for lowest 18, 36 and 54-hole scores and won going away, all

because he got us thinking about it.

“He didn’t have a lot of physical attributes, but he could putt. He told me one day at Tulsa Country Club he was going to make a putt left lip, center and then right lip, and he did it from about 7 feet.

I said, `Let me see you do it again.’ He did it again. Never seen anything like it before or since.”

Brogden can spin tales about his favorite players for hours, including Martin Maritz, Clint Jensen, Jeff Combe, Billy Low- Brogden with Chris Worrell. ery, Chris Noel, David Inglis and many others for whom “the light came on.”

As a team, however, the 2007 bunch that featured four local seniors, each an Academic All-American, and a freshman from Chile, holds a special grip on Brogden’s heart.

Sam Korbe, Brett Meyers, Ryan Henry and Mitch Cohlmia, all still buddies who take golf trips together today, had nearly identical stroke averages, were ace students and tended to do what Brogden asked even if they didn’t necessarily like it.

“Every one of those guys bought it,” Brogden said. “They didn’t even like to practice that much, but they did what it took. That was a great team.”

The seniors were all witnesses earlier in their career to Brogden’s most publicized moment, when he pulled them off a course in Monroe, Louisiana, in the middle of a playoff with Southern Methodist for the Western Athletic Conference championship, realizing that if TU stayed it would miss the only flight back before his players had to take finals the following day.

Brogden received strong backing from TU President Steadman Upham and Athletic Director Judy MacLeod. The story was also picked up nationally, as Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly showered praise on Brogden for his stance and he wound up receiving hundreds of letters and emails of support, mostly from teachers and professors.

His players and their parents were mostly stunned and a bit upset when Brogden called his famous “timeout” and told them to begin packing for the plane. As it was, they had to beg the airline to load their luggage, but they did make it back for finals.

“Stead has been the best president ever for this university and he went over and beyond at that time,” Brogden said. “He wrote every faculty member and said here’s a guy who did the right thing at the right time for the right reason. I’ll always be grateful to him for that.”

Brogden has made a career out of doing the right thing at the right time. And just as he is grateful to his father and coach for his lifelong positive impact, he has done the same for countless others.

He knew what he knew.

AMERICAN CUISINE B R A Rock N D E D WGrill I T H Red

SOUTHWESTERN FLARE

OKLAHOMA CITY

•

TULSA

•

WICHITA

W W W. R E D R O C K C A N Y O N G R I L L . C O M

Player supports faster game, new course reflects his vision by kary booher

BRANSON, Mo. – He’s still militaristic when it comes to a workout regimen that calls for 1,000 sit-ups a day, and his passion for all things golf is undeniable.

Especially for golf’s future.

Nine-time majors champion and onetime Grand Slam winner Gary Player, now a sprite 80 years old and soon to arrive in the Missouri Ozarks, has always been one to watch. But as he makes his way through the PGA’s Champions Tour, he hopes the sport will connect with a wider swath of the younger generation, at least with some of his ideas.

“I think you need a few more par 3s and a few more 12-hole courses,” Player said.

“We need golf to grow. It’s too slow and it’s so expensive.”

Those comments come as The Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf readies for an April 20-24 weekend at Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge Golf Course in Branson, with a $2.8 million purse at stake.

Player is returning for a third consecutive year with playing partner Jack Nick-

46 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

laus and does so by not only talking the talk but walking the walk.

You see, he’s also enlisted Legends of Golf savior and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris in re-designing nearby Murder Rock, to be a 12-hole course. But more on all that in a second.

This year marks the third consecutive year that the Legends plays in the Missouri Ozarks after Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris rescued the tournament after a longtime sponsor ended its affiliation and relocated to the Top of the Rock.

Once again, big names are expected to play: Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Davis Love III, Curtis Strange, Colin Montgomerie, Mark O’Meara, Tom Lehman, Bernard Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus will be back in Branson Langer, Fuzzy Zoeller, Lee Janzen, for the Legends of Golf April 20-24 Kenny Perry and many others.

For Player, the set-up of the Legends of opening.

With a shorter course, “a husband and Golf – on a par 3 course – is one of the ways to connect to younger folks with less wife take their family, have breakfast and time on their hands. His Murder Rock is still developing and has not yet set a grand See LEGENDS page 69

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS of the # N W A C H A M P I O N S H I P

June 20-26, 2016

Pinnacle Country Club | Rogers, AR www.NWAChampionship.com

Brad Dalke

Max McGreevy

Griffin Pierce

Sooners loaded with homegrown talent by scott wright

NORMAN — One glance down the University of Oklahoma men’s golf roster and you’ll notice a strong theme in coach Ryan Hybl’s recent recruiting efforts.

He’s keeping it local.

Five of the 11 golfers on the OU roster come from Oklahoma high schools as Hybl tries to build the Sooner program on homegrown talent.

“We think it’s super-important for us to have a presence in the state,” Hybl said.

“Fortunately for us, I think our players in the state continue to get better, and they have interest in coming to our school. It’s been a nice fit so far and hopefully it’s something we can continue.”

It’s not an entirely new pursuit for Hybl.

Players such as Will Kropp of Edmond North and Charlie Saxon of Cascia Hall in Tulsa were staples of Hybl’s early Sooner teams.

But the coach’s drive to pull in more local talent has strengthened in the last few years. Hybl signed two-time Class 6A state champion Max McGreevy of Edmond Santa Fe in 2013. McGreevy has been nothing but productive, finishing tied for second when OU won the NCAA Regional in San Diego last spring.

McGreevy already has a win under his belt in his junior season, shooting a threeround total of 206 to win the Gopher In48 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

vitational in Plymouth, Minnesota, while leading the Sooners to the team title as well.

Through McGreevy’s first two-plus seasons on the team, he’s only missed one event, sitting out the Big 12 Championship last spring with an injury.

In 2014, Hybl signed Edmond North’s Griffin Pierce, but the 2015 class really showed the coach’s desire to gobble up instate talent.

The five-player signing class included three Oklahoma boys, with Hobart’s Brad Dalke, Weatherford’s Quade Cummins and Norman North’s Thomas Johnson.

“I think it’s the product of a lot of people’s hard work . . .” — Ryan Hybl While Hybl is excited to see what the future holds for Cummins and Johnson, Dalke has already made an impact. He finished second at the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate Invitational in Hawaii last November and recorded a 72.5 stroke average through his first eight tournaments.

Though Dalke lived in Texas for much of his school-age life, the others are products of the Oklahoma junior golf system,

something Hybl credits for furthering the development of the young players in the state.

“I think it’s the product of a lot of people’s hard work,” Hybl said. “Clubs are allowing more access to junior golfers. The Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour hasn’t been around for a long period of time, and I think we’re starting to see the fruits of the labor that Morri Rose and others are putting into that.

“Oklahoma has always had good junior golfers, but I think the number of talented junior golfers is increasing because of those things.”

OU has signed a pair of Texas golfers in the 2016 class, Riley Casey of Abilene and Garrett Reband of Fort Worth.

But Hybl is heavily recruiting the state’s younger players, already having verbal commitments from a pair of gifted high school players, junior Lane Wallace from Yukon and sophomore Logan McAllister from Christian Heritage Academy in Del City. Both players earned victories in March on the OJGT spring series.

“OU feels like home,” Wallace said. “I grew up going down there playing their course and thinking it would be a really cool place to play. Coach Hybl comes out and watches a lot of high school golf, so he sees how good the players around here are.”

Wallace played against Johnson and Dal-

Welcome DEAN & DELUCA as the new title sponsor of the 70th annual DEAN & DELUCA Invitational.

The top players in the world are invited, and fans, you’re invited too.

May 23-29

Memorial Day Weekend Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth

Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Buy Online - DeanAndDeLucaInvitational.com or at area Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 49

Thomas Johnson ke while they were still in high school, and he has become close friends with McAllister, adding to the family feel of OU. “Logan and I, we play together just about every weekend. When we get to college, it’s not going to be any different, except that we’ll be on the same team,” Wallace said. “There are some guys who go to college out of state and don’t know anyone

50 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Quade Cummins on their team. That’s kind of scary for me to think about. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay here, because I’d get the chance to play with guys I’ve known for a while.”

It appears that Hybl’s efforts to find local talent to help him rebuild his program is a long-term philosophy, not just a recent fad.

“It’s definitely something that we’re

gonna keep working on,” Hybl said. “We want to make sure that we get the kids in our state who want to be a part of Oklahoma golf. Those are the kids who really excite me. When you have someone who is excited and passionate about your school already, it makes it that much more fun to root for them and get excited about them being part of your program.”

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 51

HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW

Can Owasso repeat and other top story lines by scott wright

Three story lines for the high school golf season 1. A whole new world in Class 6A For the first time since this year’s high school freshmen were in kindergarten, Edmond North is not the defending Class 6A champion.

Edmond North’s decade of dominance ended when Owasso upset the Huskies and ended their 10-year reign of Class 6A boys golf.

Owasso returns Mike Biata, who had a top-15 finish at state last year, Austin Eckroat and has signed with Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Of course, Edmond North is loaded and ready to begin a new streak, with

52 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Oklahoma State commit Austin Eckroat, a junior, coming off a strong summer that saw him named an AJGA All-American.

Another junior, Laken Hinton, is being recruited by multiple major programs and gives the Huskies a strong one-two punch at the top of a rather young lineup.

Edmond Memorial graduated last year’s state champion, Jacob Prentice, but retains a core group of players, led by McCain Laken Hinton Schellhardt, who has signed with the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

On the girls side of Class 6A, Union is back in pursuit of its sixth consecutive title, with individual medalist Trudy Allen leading the way as a senior. The Texas Wesleyan signee won the title by

four strokes last year, edging Norman North’s Kaitlin Milligan.

Milligan is coming off a strong summer as she enters her junior season. Tulsa signee Taylor Dobson of Broken Arrow was Yujeong Son third last year and looks to contend as well.

Norman phenom Yujeong Son has finally risen to the high school ranks as a freshman following a few years in the limelight as an elite junior player on a national level that began when she was 12 years old.

2. Durant’s Sydney Youngblood trying to become the third four-timer Only twice in state history has a player won four individual state titles, but Durant’s Sydney Youngblood is out to add her name to that list.

The senior, who signed with Oklahoma, won last year’s title by 17 strokes with rounds of 69 and 72 at Scissortail Golf Club in Claremore.

Interestingly, if Youngblood finishSydney Youngblood es off the four-time achievement, Class 5A will only have two individual champions in the last eight years.

Megan Blonien of Altus, now a junior at Florida Gulf Coast after transferring from Oklahoma State, won the 5A title from 2009-12 to become the second four-time winner in state history.

Idabel’s Lacey Jones became the first four-time champion, winning the Class 4A title from 2001-2004.

No male player has ever won four straight.

Youngblood isn’t the only player chasing a repeat title from last year. Of the five classes of girls golf, four have returning state champions this season.

Meanwhile, perhaps the state’s most In addition to Union’s Allen in 6A, Oral Roberts signee Katie Kirkhart of heavily recruited player, Kingfisher seHilldale is the reigning 4A champ and nior Mason Overstreet, is bound for ArPurcell sophomore ShaeBug Scarberry is kansas. There, he’ll have the chance to step into the void in the hunt for her second 3A crown. of another OklahoOnly Class 2A is guarnateed a new ma player, Taylor champion, with the graduation of RiverMoore of Edmond field Country Day’s Kate Goodwin, now Memorial is a Raa freshman at Oklahoma Christian. zorback senior.

While four of 3. Major-college prospects abound the five girls classIt’s a unique year for Oklahoma on es have the pothe recruiting circuit, simply because tential for repeat many of the state’s win ners, on ly one major-college prospects are heading Mason Overstreet boys class could see such a perforoff to destinations that don’t regularly mance this season and that lies with Overstreet. recruit the state.

The Class 2A champion as a freshman Some aren’t so unusual, like at Laverne, and runner-up as a sophoYoungblood to OU, more, he moved to Kingfisher before his Dobson to Tulsa junior year when his father was hired as and Kirkhart to an administrator at the school.

Overstreet cruised to the Class 3A ORU. Kaitlin Milligan But Schellhardt title last season and will be the favorite has signed with UMKC, and Plainview’s for his third overall state championship Carson Seals is headed to Southern Illinois. in May.

Play

MORE.

Play

ior Senage ant v d A Advantage

d Car Card ns atio 29 serv 6.15 e Re 8.44 5.6871 Tim · 91 Tee lcher · 918.42 Be rk or g Pageawk Pa ag ol f. tu ls Moh

13

2/6/

6 AM

.indd

1

$59 Per Player

2/6/13 10:47 AM

$39 Per Senior

LESS.

FREE.

THE TULSA GOLF ADVANTAGE CARD

10:4

Tee Time Reservations Page Belcher · 918.446.1529 Mohawk Park · 918.425.6871 tulsagolf.org v1 Card age vant r Ad Senio Card v1.indd 1 TUL25054 Advantage 5054 TUL2

Pay

FULL LIST OF BENEFITS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE: FREE Golf After Every 5 Rounds Played Includes Same Day Round of Golf at Purchase Advantage & Senior Advantage Card Rates Early Access to Twilight** Range Punch Card ($35 Value)**

Purchase Yours Today!

TUL SAGOLF.O RG 800.3 39.2997

*Seniors must be 55 & older. **Available for non-Seniors ONLY. Card program subject to change without notice. Visit the website for rates, twilight times and complete program details. Expires 12.31.2016.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 53

DESTINATIONS

Orlando area builds happy place for vacationing golfer and family style fun The ninth hole at Rosen Shingle Creek. ly offers plenty of opportunities for family happiness with all manner of amusement ORLANDO – Walt Disney World bills it- parks and conventions, but thankfully self as the Happiest Place on Earth and this there is a strong green grass attraction here former Central Florida swampland certain- as well. by art stricklin

When you’re able to slip away from the family for an afternoon or perhaps it’s a free time during a convention held at the cavernous Orange County Convention Center, there are more than two dozen

For more info contact Mike Stewart, PGA Pro 405-359-8600

Just off 1-35 at 4001 Fairfax Drive • Edmond, OK 73034 54 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

The Grand Cypress in Orlando. public golf layouts to attack in the Orlando area.

Many of the courses are associated with an adjacent resort, meaning you can slip in and out of the first tee before your family and business associates know you are missing.

Perhaps the closest course to the sprawling International Drive in Orlando and the convention center is Shingle Creek Golf Course.

Sometimes it’s been overlooked because it was designed by local architect David Harman instead of a more recognizable national name.

But Shingle Creek offers a very solid Florida-style golfing outpost with plenty of water and trees near the headwaters of the aforenamed creek. The par-72 course sits next to a large resort of the same name which overlooks the golf facility.

Keeping with the swampy Central Florida theme, water comes directly into play on 13 of the 18 holes. There are also dozens of bunkers, including a single on the right front of the par-5, No. 4 which stretches almost an acre in every direction.

There are dozens of trees surrounding many of the greens or fairways with a huge lake cutting in front of the ninth green. Your time in the Shingle Creek portion of this Florida paradise may not be totally relaxing, but it’s a fine golfing challenge.

Should you need more practice for your golfing time here and elsewhere, there is an on-site academy by noted teacher Brad Brewer.

Another fine golfing option is the 54-hole Reunion Resort complex closer to Disney World. Probably the best of the three is the par-72, Tom Watson-designed layout. Like most Florida courses there is equal amounts of water, sand and hilly terrain.

The courses start out gently with generous-sized layouts among the vacation homes and condos. But Watson’s layout gets tougher as you go on with several holes forcing you to hit the green or face a steep drop off. The other two courses, the Arnold Palmer, also opened in 2004, and the Jack Nicklaus layout, opened two years later, are also fun to play if not as challenging. There is also a large Annika Sorenstam practice and instruction academy, located by the ninth tee of the Watson course, to prepare you to face any of

CL ASSEN CURVE: 5860 N. CL ASSEN CURVE | EDMOND: 1205 N.W. 178TH S T. TUL S A: 9110 S. YALE AVE.

WWW.EHSRG.COM/UPPER-CRUS T

include one by Tom Fazio and two by Joe Lee, which were the site of a nowdeceased PGA Tour fall event.

O r a n g e County National is another large complex just outside the city limits which annually hosts The seventh hole at Streamsong Blue. the PGA Tour qualifying school and also is the site of the massive the three layouts.

One of Nicklaus’ first golf courses in Or- demo day held the day before the PGA lando was the Grand Cypress layout, his Merchandise Show in January.

If you want to spring for the big bucks homage to the Old Course at St. Andrews, which features no trees, minimal water, for a true golf lover experience, you can railroad ties bordering the greens, double stay and play at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill putting surfaces and more than 140 bun- Lodge course. It’s the annual home of kers, some as much as 12 feet deep, where a the Orlando springtime PGA Tour event named for golf’s king and is where Palmer ladder comes in handy.

There are two other courses there along spends most of his winter and spring.

Yes, the Arnold Palmer beverage is served with Grand Cypress Resort for a stay and play option. Walt Disney World boasts in the resort lobby in big pitchers for thirsty three layouts on its property. The courses guests and the wood paneled locker room

56 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

has plenty of classic Palmer photos. You have to be staying in the lodge or know a member to play the course, but for any Palmer lover it’s a fun trip worth taking.

The best and one of the most unique collection of courses anywhere is the ever-growing Streamsong Resort which is located about 90 minutes southeast of Orlando. Do not even attempt to make this trip without plenty of time, gasoline and a very good GPS, because you’re not stumbling on this hidden place by accident, but those who make the journey should be quite pleased.

There are two excellent links style, walking only layouts here -- the Blue designed by Tom Doak and the Red crafted

by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. A third, the Black, will be ready in 2017 designed

by Gil Hanse, who recently finished the Olympic Golf Course in South America.

Both the Red and the Blue courses were built over the site of a former giant phosphate mine with striking, stark landscape with very few trees in sight, but think underbrush, steep drop-offs around the greens and some strategically placed water.

An excellent caddy system, a welcoming club and a new adjacent resort complete the Streamsong package.

HAZARDOUS cont. from page 30 realize you are within a foot of a poisonous snake and within inches if you reach for your ball of getting your finger bitten off by a piranha” in a water hazard.

Margeaux DeMars, a South Carolina teacher, decided to drop a ball and take a penalty after slicing into waist-high rough.

“Are you going to hold it against me if I don’t go in there?” she asked, describing her dilemma as “kind of a creepy experience.”

Here’s where YOU come in.

This writer has encountered a few challenges other than bunkers and ponds. He has played on courses known for rattlesnake dens, basking alligators and – in Venezuela – ones with death’s head signs posted in water hazards; if you reach your hand in for a wayward ball you risk attracting microbes that in time can consume your innards.

So have any of you encountered unusual obstacles – animal, vegetable or mineral, even geological – that are worth noting?

If so, email ken@golfoklahoma.org and tell us about them.

But don’t toss a fer-de-lance on our desk.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 57

M A H OG A N Y & C H A RL E ST ON ’S

Rhein Gibson by murray evans

PRIME STEAK FINE WINE

premium service Mahogany Yo u r v i s i t to M a h o g a n y P r i m e S t e a k h o u se w i l l be a n e v e n i n g to r e m e m be r .

It took eight years of grinding at lower levels of professional golf for Oklahoma Christian University alumnus Rhein Gibson to reach the PGA Tour. Now a 30-year-old rookie, Gibson finds himself in a familiar position – fighting to move up in the golf world.

Gibson, an Australian who is based in Edmond, is familiar to golf fans in his adopted home state and has a bit of name recognition outside Oklahoma, thanks in good part to the world-record 55 he shot in May 2012 at River Oaks Golf Club in Oklahoma City. He also qualified for the 2014 British Open, made the cut and played in a memorable thirdround pairing with Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth.

But it’s been a long, hard climb, from the 18-year-old who showed up at OC in 2004 to the player who finished fourth in the Web.com Tour Championship last October to earn his PGA Tour card. Gibson has traveled the world in his quest and that continues. Golf Oklahoma caught up with him as he arrived in Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Open in late March, just a few days after he returned from playing events in New Zealand and Australia.

As of mid-March, Gibson has played in nine PGA Tour events this season, making the cut in three of them, with a top finish of 58th, that in the RSM Classic in Sea Island, Georgia, last November.

Your travel schedule seems unbelievable. New Zealand three weeks ago, Australia last week, Puerto Rico this week.

“I haven’t been home in 10 weeks. It’s pretty ridiculous. I spent three weeks down there (in Australia). I played two events and I had a week off in the middle, at home.”

OKLAHOMA CITY

|

TULSA

|

OMAHA

w w w. m a h o g a n y p r i m e s t e a k h o u s e . c o m

number is not good enough now to get into those events, so I went and played in Australia.”

Is it easier to get into PGA Tour events now, with your Tour card?

“An event like this (in Puerto Rico), everyone is going to get in, but an event like Honda or Tampa, probably only 10 guys from my actual category got in.

There’s a bunch of us that just weren’t playing because there are pretty heavy fields before the Masters. They’re warming up for it and trying to get ready.

Everyone out here fits into a category, depending on where your status may lay, whether you’re a Masters or U.S. Open champion or something else. If all the guys that have status better than me decide to play, then I’m bumped to the bottom. Each field, we’re at the bottom of, so if it’s a bigger field and everyone decides to play, we don’t get in. Just because you have a card doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed starts.”

That’s part of being a rookie, one would think.

“Yeah. If you see 20 events as a rookie, then you’ve done pretty well, and there’s 40 other events during the year on the PGA Tour.”

How has life changed since you got the PGA Tour card?

“It hasn’t really. I’m just playYou haven’t been able to play a PGA Tour event the past few ing for a little more money each week, on better golf courses. weeks.

“I haven’t been getting in. My We get looked after a lot bet-

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE ter out here as well. You go to better places. You’ve still got to take care of (travel and lodging arrangements) yourself, but we show up each week and they give us the keys to a brand-new courtesy car, which is nice. I’m just still kind of traveling by myself and in hotel rooms every week. It’s not always the glamorous life everyone makes it out to be.”

You played in a lot of events right after you earned your PGA Tour card. Was that out of necessity, because you could get into them?

“Yeah. The 50 cards they gave out (after the Web.com Tour Championship) are subject to a reshuffle. Every five events, based on how many FedEx Cup points you’ve made, your number changes, based on how well you’ve played. I played all of the ones in the fall. I had the 18th card coming out of the Web finals, of the overall 50 cards. I only made one cut, so I slipped to about 35th. Then we had another reshuffle after Riviera and I had made two more cuts, but I slipped to 40th. That means there’s 39 guys getting in before me every week, if they want to play. There’s a lot of guys that came off the Web (Tour) that have played really well this year.

In fact, three of the guys have already won. “

had by all. Also, I got to go to the Super Bowl that Sunday beforehand. That was the best trip so far. I was fortunate enough to be given a few tickets.”

What’s the biggest difference between life on the mini-tours and the Web.com Tour and the PGA Tour?

“Probably the amount of money we’re playing for, to be honest. The courses are a lot better.

They’re in much better shape.

We’re going to the places where they’re in their peak growing season, which means that the greens are always good. We’re just going to better courses, better tournament-condition courses and layouts.

Rewind to 2004, when you first arrived in Oklahoma. Could you have imagined your path to the PGA Tour?

“The reason I came to college is I didn’t think I was good enough in Australia to turn pro. College gave me four years to kind of get into the system and hone my game. It’s taken me obviously a little longer than I’d planned, but everyone doesn’t have it easy or have the skills like a Rickie Fowler, coming straight out of high school and only spending a year at college. It might have taken a little bit longer than what I wanted, but I’m here now and I’m working my butt off to make What have been your issues on sure I stay.

“I use the word progression. I the course?

“I missed a few cuts early and I use a progression scale, to make kind of lost my confidence a little sure every year that I was probit. I played pretty well down in gressing and that I was in a betAustralia this last trip and got ter position than I was the year some confidence back. Hopeful- before. I wouldn’t be out here ly I can roll with it at these events if I didn’t feel like I was good enough.”

I’ve got coming up.”

What’s been your favorite PGA Tour experience so far?

“Pebble Beach is probably the best event so far for me. I hadn’t been there before. I got to play the course in good weather and then (Oklahoma football) coach Bob Stoops was my amateur partner that week. That was a fun week

I would think there are a lot of stories like yours on the PGA Tour.

“No one wants to give up their job out here. Everyone out here is making a lot of money, so there are less and less spots to

THE BEST IN CASUAL DINING

OKLAHOMA: EDMOND • OKC • NORMAN • TULSA ARIZONA: CHANDLER • SCOTTSDALE • MESA NEBRASKA: OMAHA INDIANA: INDIANAPOLIS • WESTFIELD TEXAS: FT. WORTH

See GIBSON page 63

W W W. C H A R L E S T O N S . C O M

SUPERINTENDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

presented by

Davis renovates Cedar Ridge, Jimmie Austin OU by ken macleod

normal is 35 inches. But even in a norA bunker renovation of Cedar Ridge mal year we spend a lot cleaning up from Country Club in Broken Arrow gets un- storm damage and the less time we can derway this summer as part of a long- spend on washed out bunkers, the betreaching master plan by Norman-based ter.”

With the renovation, Cedar Ridge will architect Tripp Davis. eliminate quite a few fairway The renovation will eventubunkers that are no longer straally include green complexes, tegic for the better players and but for now the main goal will only hurt the higher handicap be to rebuild or remove all players. Other bunkers will the existing bunkers, many of be reduced in size, and total which have been in place since square feet will drop by 20,000 Joe Finger designed the course or more to around 75,000. The in the late 1960s. new Better Billy Bunker linCedar Ridge has more than ers will be used throughout to 95,000 square feet of mainprevent washout and improve tained bunkers. Last year durTripp Davis drainage, cutting into mainteing the heavy spring rains, superintendent Mike Wooten had to buy nance.

As for the look, the massive cloverleaf 75-to-100 tons of new sand after each big shower and estimates he spent more than look popular at that time will be updat$100,000 on bunker maintenance alone -- ed, although Cedar Ridge will continue to use sand-faced bunkers. New gleamraking, edging and replacing sand.

“Of course, we have never had 68.5 ing white sand will give the bunkers an inches of rain before,” Wooten said. “Our enhanced look as well.

60 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Although Wooten has already begun select tree removal and other updates, the bunker project gets underway in earnest on June 20 and is expected to be completed in September. The course will remain open during the project.

“We’re going to eliminate the bunkers with no strategic impact and make a golf course that is already really difficult for the average player more playable without limiting the impact on the better player,” Wooten said.

“We’re keeping the same historical style of Joe Finger, which included high sand lines. They’ll have the same classic style.”

The Better Billy Bunker liners were designed first at Augusta National and include two inches of gravel stabilized with a liquid polymer that hardens but remains porous.

Davis was selected for the job above three other architects considered by Cedar Ridge. He impressed the committee with his research and obvious reverence

for the course.

“It came down to his body of work and the fact that he’s a resident of the state and can be on site frequently helped,” said Director of Golf David Bryan. “They really like the respect that he had for Cedar Ridge. He made it very well known that Cedar Ridge had a strong reputation, that he had always liked it and viewed it as a great test of golf.”

In addition to the bunkers, a couple of significant changes will be made to the third and 17th holes. Fairway bunkers right and through the fairway on the short dogleg third hole will be removed, as will some trees left of the fairway that prevented balls from reaching the middle of the landing area.

“You’re already facing a downhill shot to a well-guarded green that usually plays into the wind,” Bryan said. “But we’re not trying to make the hole harder or easier, we’re trying to make it better.”

The forward tees on 17, which is a dogleg right requiring either a hard fade off the tee or a prodigious shot high over towering trees on the right, will be moved left of the current cart path to give

the hole a better flow from the tee. The new tees will be close to where the LPGA located its tees when it played tournaments there from 2004-2008. The current cart path will be relocated.

Jimmie Austin Renovation

A new bunker at Jimmie Austin.

Davis is also busy on another Oklahoma project, this one at his old col- and erosion repair alone,” said Rodney legiate home course, the Jimmie Austin OU Young, director of golf at Jimmie Austin.

“We’re really lucky we didn’t lose all our Golf Course in Norman.

This project includes bunker renova- bridges last year. They were all under tion and erosion control, but also signifi- water, with big logs and trees stuck in cantly relocating several greens. The ninth them.”

Davis said the new bunkering at Jimmie hole green will move back while fairway bunkers on the left side of the hole are re- Austin will be a more natural look favored moved. The greens on holes 10, 11, 12 and by original architect Perry Maxwell, similar to his work still evident today at Crystal 18 are also shifting .

Part of Davis’ master plan at Jimmie Downs in Michigan.

With four holes shut down and a fifth Austin is to stabilize and account for the expansion of the channel of Bishop Creek. shortened, the course will be effectively Davis remembers it as a tiny stream he closed to the public through Aug. 1. Also could jump across during his playing days, during this time the entry way will be now the channel is 70-feet wide in places, redone with new lighting, sidewalks and and during last year’s heavy rains threat- landscaping and a new parking lot will be added. Look for much more on this project ened to wipe out bridges.

“We’ve spent about $300,000 on bridge in the June-July issue of Golf Oklahoma.

Be One Of The First To Ride The All New

GolfBoard!

An All New Way To Enjoy The Game of Golf!

Intuitive Controls & Easy to Ride PGA Merchandise Show Best New Product!

Offered Exclusively in Tulsa at Battle Creek Golf Club

Learn More Online BattleCreekGolf.net or call 918-355-4850 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 61

QUA I L CR EEK BA N K’S ON T H E L I N K S W I T H A N YA

1

2

3

3

4

Anya gets ready for the new season turn and repeat. Repeat on the other side. leg under chest using your core, then repeat Press Ups (4x) - lie prone with hands on the other side. Modified version: extend Golf fitness has increasingly become an flat on the ground in line with your collar one leg out and hold; extend arm out and important part of any serious golfer’s rou- bone. Press up until your arms are fully ex- hold. Progress to both arm and leg extended.

Reverse Lunges with Torso Rotation (Fig. tine. Just because you may not get out to tended and let the spine extend. Repeat.

Hip Circles (Fig. 2, 3x forward and back 4)- turn over front leg going each direction play much, doesn’t mean you can’t help improve your swing with simple exercises on each leg) - from the quadruped position, - (Repeat 5x on each side using Golf Club or that you can do at home while watching circle one leg forward and back then repeat Pole for upper body stability) on the other leg. the Golf Channel.

Anya Alvarez is a retired LPGA player who Bird Dog (Fig. 3, 5x each leg) - from the taFlexibility, mobility, core strength, and stability are integral in ensuring that your ble top position, extend the right leg and left now teaches at Kickingbird Golf Club in Edswing doesn’t get too far off course (pun arm and hold, bring the opposite arm and mond. For more, visit www.anyagolf.com intended) and that your body remains around par (pun also intended).

I asked certified Leadbetter Dynamic MY GOLF BALL HAS TO DO EVERYTHING. Golf Performance trainer Sarah Sweeney at Four Star Fitness to create an easy at-home routine that anyone can do.

While these exercises will help you creAND IT DOES. ate stability, flexibility, and power, it is IT HAS TO BE LONG OFF THE TEE. also a diagnostic for what areas you need to work on most. For instance, my left side is much tighter than my right side, making the rotation exercise more difficult for me.

As a right-handed golfer, this makes sense IT HAS TO STOP ON A DIME. I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FLIGHT IT. since I turn into my right side more often.

These exercises can be used as a warmup as well before heading to the course. All IT HAS TO HAVE SOFT FEEL. you need is fifteen minutes a few times a week and you will notice a dramatic difference. Tese exercises will also help prevent IT HAS TO BE DURABLE. injury.

Even if you’re not a golfer this routine can help with posture and improve any HOLD ITS LINE IN A CROSSWIND. other sports you play.

(Below each picture put description of exercise) Do three sets of each exercise: Open Books (Fig. 1, 2x each side) - lying on your side with knees bent, grab the top knee with the bottom hand for support.

IT HAS TO BE CONSISTENT. Try to rotate the chest and top arm back down to the ground behind you. Do not let ©2016 Acushnet Company. hip rise, keep connected to bottom leg. Reby anya alvarez

JORDAN SPIETH

RICKIE FOWLER

JAKE FINN AMATEUR

ADAM SCOTT

LYNN CASSADY AMATEUR

AZAHARA MUNOZ

MICHAEL WATSON AMATEUR

62 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Gibson, continued from 59 play for each year, which means it’s harder and harder to get a card. I’m just fortunate that I got my card this year and like I said, I want to make sure I keep it. It’s one thing to get it. It’s another thing to keep it. The play out here is a lot deeper than the Web. The courses are tougher. We’re always getting the back end of the tee times, as far as the field layout, so we’re always getting greens that are beat up or whatnot, but it’s your rookie year. Everything is stacked against you to keep your card, but if you keep your card your rookie year, it puts you in a good position for the following year.”

Do you have any idea how many stamps are in your passport?

“Oh, I couldn’t even tell you. I couldn’t even tell you what time zone I’m in right now. Luckily, my phone just adapts to the time zone I’m in.”

You have traveled the world to find places to play.

“Exactly. I really have. I’m pretty much like that (Johnny Cash) song – ‘I’ve been everywhere, man.’”

I’m guessing a rookie doesn’t get to pick and choose as far as tournaments go.

Golf Course Construction “Pretty much. I’m at the mercy of others.

Golf Recent Course Construction Projects Golf Course Construction Whatever events I’ll get in, I will play. I’m Pinnacle Country Club Recent Rogers,Projects AR • Bunker shaping basically just following the Tour and playCedar Ridge Country Club • Broken Arrow, OK • Cart Path Club Improvements The Woods Golf Recent Projects ing when I can. After this week, I’ll probProjects Coweta •Recent 5-hole new construction The Patriot Golf Club • Owasso, OK • Cart Path Improvements Cedar Ridge Country Club • Broken Arrow, OK • Cart Path Improvements ably not play again for another three weeks, Silverhorn Golf The Blessings Golf Club Cedar Ridge Country • Broken Arrow, OK • and Cart Path Improvements Club • Edmond, OKClub • Creek Crossing Repairs Gabion Wall The Patriot Golf Club • Owasso, OK • Cart Path Improvements Fayetteville, AR • Driving Range Tee The Patriot Golf Club • Owasso, OK • Irrigation Cart PathInstallation Improvements until I get in again. It would be nice to have a Cedar Creek Golf Course • Broken Bow, OK • 18 Hole Silverhorn Golf Club • Edmond, OK • Creek Crossing Repairs and Gabion Wall Wichita Country Club ClubArrow, • Edmond, OKHole • Creek Crossing Repairs and Gabion Wall Golf Club •Golf Broken OK • 18 Bunker and Green Renovation break and finally see my wife. This trip hasForest RidgeSilverhorn Wichita, • Grading/sodding Surrounds Cedar CreekKS Golf Course • Broken Bow, OK • 18Green Hole Irrigation Installation Creek • Broken Bow, OK • 18 Irrigation Installation BaileyCedar Ranch Golf Golf ClubCourse • Owasso, OK • Resurfacing of Hole 3 Greens Southern Hills been tough. This is my seventh week on the Forest Ridge Golf Club • Broken Arrow, OK Country • 18 Hole Bunker Club and Green Renovation Ridge Golf Club • Broken Arrow, OK • 18 Hole Bunker and Green Renovation TheForest Golf Club at Frisco Lakes • Frisco, TX • Cart Path Improvements Tulsa • Wet well/Intake Flume Installation Bailey Ranch Golf Club • Owasso, OK • Resurfacing of 3 Greens road, away from my house, and five weeks Bailey Ranch Golf Club • Owasso, OK • Resurfacing of 3 Greens Eastern Hills Country Club • Garland, TX • Cart Path Improvements Cedar Ridge Country Club The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes • Frisco, TX • Cart Path Improvements away from here. This trip has been a testing The Golf Club at Frisco• Lakes • Frisco, TX • Cart Path Improvements Broken Arrow Creek Bank Improvements Eastern Hills Country Club • Garland, TX • Cart Path Improvements #17 Fairway Renovation Eastern Hills •Country Club • Garland, TX • Cart Path Improvements one, that’s for sure.”

Gaillardia Golf & Country Club

Outside of winning a tournament, what’s the path toward keeping your PGA Tour card?

“If you can just get on a run and post a couple of top 10s, or just have a nice, high finish like a third or a fourth, that will kind of get you rolling. That will get you back into more tournaments, because it’s going to help you in the reshuffle. If I have a good tournament this week, I could jump up into the top half of the shuffle and I might get two or three more tournaments that I wouldn’t have had. The better you play, the more opportunities you’re going to have.

With more opportunities, I’ll have more chances to keep my card.”

Contact Us Oklahoma City • Bunker Improvements JONESPLAN Firelake2328 Golf Course Us E. 13th Contact Street

Contact Us OK Improvements 74104 Shawnee • CartTulsa, Path JONESPLAN t 918.832.5544 JONESPLAN 2328 E. 13th Street • Irrigation Improvements Builder Member info@jonesplan.com 2328 13th Street Tulsa,E.OK 74104 The Patriot Golf Club Tulsa, OK 74104 t 918.832.5544

t 918.832.5544 Builder Member Owasso • Cart Pathinfo@jonesplan.com Improvements Builder Member info@jonesplan.com

Tulsa Country Club Tulsa • Cart Paths

Southern Hills Country Club Tulsa • Cart Path Improvements

Battle Creek Golf Club

Broken Arrow • Cart Path Improvements • Bunker Renovation

Hardscrabble Country Club

Fort Smith, AR • Tee Improvements

Karsten Creek Golf Club

Stillwater • Practice Green Construction

Builder Member

Contact Us 2328 E. 13th St. • Tulsa, OK 74104 t 918.832.5544; 918.832.7721 fax

www.jonesplan.com

YOUR CONNECTION TO BETTER BANKING.

What are your plans for the rest of 2016?

Open your account online at

quailcreek.bank

122nd & N. May Avenue • 755-1000 • Member FDIC www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 63

INSTRUCTION

Great putting 101 So, you want to be a good putter?

Four basic ingredients are needed -- 1: The right putter; 2: A consistent set-up that gets you in position to roll the ball down your intended line; Michael Boyd 3: Practice the right things, in the right way; 4: Confidence.

Having the right putter is a necessity. Certain strokes and set-ups require certain characteristics in a putter. The way the shaft enters the putter head affects the way you aim, the loft of the putter can also affect the way you aim. Putter heads are balanced differently, and therefore they fit different stroke types, and miss tendencies. The putter’s weight has an effect on your speed control. Go see a local golf professional to make sure you have the best putter suited to your set-up and stroke.

The set-up is very important. If you watch much golf, you must have noticed

that there is no perfect set-up, there are many great putters that set up in all manner of ways. The goal of a good set-up is to: 1. Aim your putter at your target; 2.

See the line of the putt matching up well with the aim of your putter; 3. Deliver the putter to roll the ball down your intended line.

One way to practice getting into a proper set-up is to find a straight 10-foot putt, and draw a line on the ball, halfway around it. Take care to line your ball up at the middle of the hole. Now, place your putter head behind the ball and make sure your putter is inline with the line on the ball. Then set up comfortably to that, so that the line on the ball looks like it is aiming straight at the hole. Roll the ball, only focusing on making the line go end-overend. Repeat this process until you hit 10 putts where the ball rolls end-over-end.

Take note of all aspects of your set-up, ball position, body alignment, hand position, head position, etc. Repeat that every time you putt.

Now, on to the right way to practice.

According to statistics, to be a great putter you need to hole all your 3-foot putts, and 75 percent of your putts inside of 5 feet.

You also need to avoid three-putts inside of 30 feet.

Practice with purpose following these steps – 1. Groove your stroke. You need to do a drill for a few minutes that grooves a consistent stroke. The rolling the line drill above is a good one. I also like using a training aid and putting from 5 feet. I rec-

See PUTTING page 69

Book your 2016 event now!

South Lakes 9253 S. Elwood Jenks, America

918-746-3760 www.SouthLakesGolf.com 64 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

5501 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, Okla.

918-496-6200

www.LaFortuneParkGolf.com

Chip the quarter by jim young

Chipping and pitching in the winter and early spring can be a challenge in Oklahoma, given the tight, soft condition of the dormant Bermuda grass. A simple drill can help set your technique on the right path and relieve some of the anxiety associated with these shots.

Take a quarter, dollar coin or poker chip ball marker and lay it flat on the ground in a spot where you would normally chip or pitch the ball. Set up to the shot with the chipping or pitching club of your choice, feet close together and hands, arms and shoulders relatively relaxed. Imagine you have a laser beam coming out of the buttons of your shirt and point that laser slightly in front of the coin or poker chip.

Your weight can be about 50/50 on your feet. If you prefer, you can put a bit more on your forward foot.

Now: chip or pitch the quarter, just as you would a golf ball.

How did it go? My guess is it went pretty well, maybe with a couple of tries. Now, pull a golf ball over, use your imagination and pretend it’s the quarter laying on the ground. Odds are you will hit a chip or pitch shot with great contact, flight and spin.

So why does it work? Basically you are playing a trick on your brain. The quarter represents a low, flat target with a little bit of length to it. It asks a slightly different set of questions of your eyes and brain than the golf ball does. The motion required to make it work also makes for great chip and pitch shots. Stick with the drill for a little while and I’m confident your chipping and pitching will improve.

Sweep the tee: Along the same lines as the “chip the quarter”, the use of a golf tee in practice can dramatically improve your shots from the turf.

Take a tee and lay it flat on the ground, placing the point toward the target with the top representing the back edge of the ball.

Set up to the tee as if it were the ball and make a full swing at normal speed with the intent of sweeping underneath and through the tee. If the tee gets up in the air and flies more or less straight forward, then you’ve done what you meant to do.

Just as with the quarter drill, pull a golf ball over and pretend it is the tee. Full swing, normal speed. If you do it right, you’ll whip the club through the ball with

that effortless feeling we all enjoy so much. In addition, you will have done it without trying to break your swing down into a half dozen pieces. Your downswing in particular will have happened in the right order, creating some version of a finish toward your forward leg, even if that is historically an area of struggle for you.

This drill is especially helpful if you struggle with fairway metals.

Again, why does it work? To elaborate a bit, the tee asks those same questions of your eyes and brain that the quarter did in the previous section. The tee adds some length to the low target and encourages your brain to move your body, arms and hands in the direction and order we need for proper contact from the turf. It also doesn’t have the same consequences attached to it that the ball does. Give your imagination a chance to help you and it just might!

Jim Young is the director of instruction at River Oaks Counry Club in Edmond

SWING

STRONG SWING FAST CERTIFIED GOLF FITNESS PROS

Sean Riley, DC Ryan Smith, PT

"I've seen excellent improvements in flexibility and strength in my players."

Jeff C.

PGA Head Golf Professional

"This program has given me a road map to golf fitness."

Cindy L.

Futures Tour Player

w w w. s w i n g f i t t u l s a . c o m

918-743-3737 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 65

GOLF FITNESS

Improve your mobility with foam rolling area, this is better left to a TPI medical professional.

As you get more comfortable with basic foam rolling, invest in several different foam rolling devices to get all of the problem areas.

So where do you start? We find golfers need to focus on three key areas: the thoracic spine, the glutes and the calves. Below are three different positions to address these typically tight and sore regions of the body.

We typically start with a softer density foam Sean Riley Ryan Smith SwingFit SwingFit roller such as the GRID roller by Trigger Point Performance seen below. Start with 2-3 Are you ever sore in your muscles after a minutes in each area looking for tender areas round of golf or workout? Do you experi- after your workout or golf round to help imence tightness or knots in your back, hip or prove your mobility.

• Thoracic Spine (Figure 1) leg muscles?

The thoracic spine is the area between your If so, you likely could benefit from foam shoulder blades. This is a typically tight area rolling.

Foam rolling is a form of self-myofas- in the middle-aged and older golfers and imcial release used by many PGA Tour pros pacts both your posture and ability to turn. to help improve mobility and aid in recov- Place the roller between your shoulder blades ery. Designed to help reduce tension in the while lying on your back. Bend your knees fascial network of the body, foam rolling is and raise your rear. If you have any history an inexpensive, simple way to quickly im- of neck pain, be sure and support your neck.

Work your way up and down your spine, prove your flexibility and reduce pain.

We will outline several consistent prob- working any tender areas. Again, avoid your lem areas in golfers who respond well to low back.

• Glutes (Figure 2) foam rolling. However, we see many playThose rear musers misuse or overuse a foam roller, causing pain and defeating the purpose of the cles are often a key technique. Here are key guidelines when area of dysfunction that lead to hamstarting foam rolling: tightness You likely will have some pain initially string when beginning foam rolling. This dis- and poor glute fircomfort will become less intense over time. ing. Rest your left However, at no time should you have severe ankle across your right quad and pain or bruising.

Stay away from your low back when foam place your left butt rolling. If you need manual techniques in this cheek on the roller.

1

2

66 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

3

Using your hands for leverage and leaning to the left as necessary, move the roller back and forth slowly. Switch sides and repeat.

• Calves (Figure 3) Sit on the floor with your legs out straight.

Rest both calves on the roller and use your arms and hands to support you. Move your hips forward and backward to move the roller up and down your calves. Careful with this one, it can take your breath away the first time!

SwingFit specializes in golf specific fitness, performance, and training services for golfers of all ages. Founded by Titleist Performance Institute Certified Medical Professionals, Ryan Smith, DPT and Sean Riley, DC, SwingFit gives players access to the same proprietary testing and training systems used the by the best players in the world. The SwingFit system identifies the least amount of physical changes required in your body to produce the greatest results in your golf swing. The result is better practice with your swing coach and more enjoyment on the course. To schedule your SwingFit Golf Assessment and get fit for golf, contact SwingFit at (918) 743-3737 or visit us on the web at www. swingfittulsa.com.

SCHEDULES & RESULTS: More at www.golfoklahoma.org OKLA. JUNIOR GOLF TOUR JOHN CONRAD SPRING CHALLENGE At John Conrad GC, Midwest City (par-72) March 19-20 Boys 1, Logan McAllister 72-72 – 144; 2 (tie), Fisher Vollendorf 70-79 – 149 and Tyler Shelnutt 68-81 – 149; 4 (tie), Jaxon Dowell 77-75 – 152 and Brock Polhill 78-74 – 152; 6, Trent Lutze 77-76 – 153; 7 (tie), Hayden Hall 76-78 – 154 and Jack Glenn 76-78 – 154; 9 (tie), Zac Owens 76-79 – 155 and Austin Kang 76-79 – 155; 11, Jun Kim 80-76 – 156.

Girls 1, Shaebug Scarberry 75-72 – 147; 2, Taylor Towers 74-85 – 159; 3, Sydney Hermann 80-81 – 161; 4 (tie), Faith Hopkins 80-82 – 162 and Faith Belmear 81-81 – 162; 6; Isabella Caamal 84-79 – 163; 7, Trudy Allen 79-85 – 164; 8, Lauren Barnes 79-85 – 164; 9, Natalie Gough 86-83 – 169; 10, Adeline Norton 86-84 – 170.

FOREST RIDGE SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP At Forest Ridge GC, Broken Arrow (par-71) March 5-6 Boys 1, Lane Wallace 74-81 – 155; 2 (tie), Harrison Gearhart 77-78 – 155 and Fisher Vollendorf 7679 – 155; 4, Justin Moore 77-80 – 157; 5, Carson Griggs 80-78 – 58; 6, Davis Woodliff 77-84 – 161; 7 (tie), Dakota Clark 78-84 – 162, Blake Blaser 78-84 – 162 and Isaac Bullen 84-78 – 162; 10, Josh Gentry 78-85 – 163.

Girls 1, Taylor Towers 79-85 – 164; 2, Faith Hopkins 8283 – 165; 3, Sydney Hermann 86-91 – 177; 4, Adeline Norton 88-90 – 178; 5, Nina Lee 95-96 – 191.

LINCOLN PARK EAST SPRING CLASSIC At Lincoln Park GC (East), Okla. City (par-70) Feb. 25-26 Boys 14-18 1, Dustin Hasley 65-73 – 138; 2 (tie), Logan McAllister 71-69 – 140 and Austin Eckroat 68-82 – 140; 4, Laken Hinton 70-71 – 141; 5, Lane Wallace 70-72 – 142; 6 (tie), Nick O’Donnell 72-73 – 145 and Said Powers 76-69 – 145; 8 (tie), Tyler Shelnutt 75-72 – 147 and Jacob Stoller 72-75 – 147; 10, Blake Blaser 74-74 – 148.

Girls 14-18 1, Ashton Nemecek 73-75 – 148; 2 (tie), Taylor Towers 77-79 – 156 and Kaitlin Milligan 78-78 – 156; 4, Faith Belmear 80-77 – 157; 5, Isabella Caamal 79-79 – 158; 6, Natalie Gough 79-84 – 163; 7, Sydney Hermann 86-79 – 165; 8, Emilie Jackson 83-87 – 170; 9 (tie), Adeline Norton 90-82 – 171 anf Alyssa Wilson 87-84 – 171.

SCHEDULES Oklahoma Golf Association May 9-10: Spring Four-Ball Championship, Twin Hills G & CC, OKC June 6-9: Junior Boys and Girls Championship, Kickingbird GC, Edmond June 13-16: Senior State Amateur, Fairfax GC, Edmond June 27-29: Stroke Play Championship, Oak Tree CC, Edmond July 11-12: Senior Stroke Play Championship, MeadowBrook CC, Tulsa July 25-27: State Amateur Championship, Oklahoma City G & CC, OKC Aug. 1-2: Mid Amateur Championship, Oaks CC, Tulsa Aug. 19-21: Oklahoma Open, Oak Tree CC, Edmond Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association May 23-24: WOGA Cup, Rose Creek GC, Edmond June 20-21: WOGA Stroke Play/Mid Am Championship, Tulsa CC, Tulsa July 11: 4th WOGA Fundraiser benefitting WOGA Jr. Programs, Muskogee CC, Muskogee July 12-13: 66th WOGA Girls Junior State Cham-

pionship, Muskogee CC, Muskogee July 26-29: 98th Women’s Okla. State Amateur Championship, The Patriot GC, Owasso Aug.1-3: Fore-State Championship, Wichita Sept. 13-14: WOGA Partnership, Shangri-la GC, Grand Lake Sept. 27-28: 40th WOGA Senior State Championship Lincoln Park GC, OKC USGA Qualifiers May 16: U.S. Open, Oak Tree National, Edmond June 13: U.S. Junior Amateur, Dornick Hills, Ardmore Aug. 11: U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, Tulsa Country Club, Tulsa Aug. 9: U.S. Mid-Amateur, Gaillardia C.C., Oklahoma City Aug. 25: U.S. Senior Amateur, Oaks Country Club, Tulsa Aug. 25: U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, Oaks Country Club, Tulsa Aug. 29: U.S. Men’s Amateur Four Ball, The Territory Golf Club, Duncan Oct. 6: U.S. Women’s Amateur Four Ball, Chenal CC, LIttle Rock, AR Oklahoma Senior Golf Association May 16-17: West Medal Play, The Greens CC, Oklahoma City July 11-12: Two-Man Four-Ball, Oakwood CC, Enid Sept. 26-27: East Medal Play, Bailey Ranch GC, Owasso Oct. 17-18: Fall Outing, GC at WinStar, Thackerville Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour Feb. 27-28: Lincoln Park East Spring Classic, Lincoln Park GC, OKC March 5-6: Forest Ridge Spring Championship, Forest Ridge GC, Broken Arrow March 19-20: John Conrad Spring Challenge, John Conrad GC, Midwest City April 2-3: South Lakes Spring Classic, South Lakes GC, Jenks April 9-10: Fairfax Spring Championship, Fairfax GC, Fairfax May 29-30: Oklahoma Junior Cup Matches, Shawnee CC, Shawnee July 5-6: Norman Pediatric Associates Kickoff Classic and Big I qualifier, Lincoln Park GC, OKC Aug, 13-14: Battle for Broken Arrow, The Cub at Indian Springs, Broken Arrow Aug. 20-21: Forest Ridge Fall Challenge, Forest Ridge GC, Broken Arrow Aug. 27-28: Jo’s Famous Pizza Kickingbird Fall Classic, Kickingbird GC, Edmond Sept. 4-5: John Conrad Labor Day Classic, John Conrad GC, Midwest City Sept. 10-11: Battle for Bixby, White Hawk GC, Bixby Sept, 17-18: Lake Hefner Shootout, Lake Hefner GC North, OKC Sept. 24-25: Bailey Ranch Bash, Bailey Ranch GC, Owasso Oct. 1-2: Lincoln Park Best of the West Classic, Lincoln Park GC, OKC Oct. 8-9: Heritage Hills Falls Roundup, Heritage Hills CC, Claremore Oct 15-16: Tour Championship, Shawnee CC, Shawnee Oct. 29-30: OJGT/TJGT Red River Team Challenge, Dornick Hills G&CC, Ardmore

Golf INC (Oklahoma City) Feb. 20: Eskimo Open, Lake Hefner GC North March 19-20: Big Six, Earlywine Park GC April 2-3/9-10: Spring Four-Ball, Lake Hefner GC North/Lincoln Park GC West May 7-8: Two-Man Scramble, Earlywine Park GC May 23-24: Ladies Scramble, Lake Hefner GC North June 10-12: City Amateur, Trosper Park GC , Lake Hefner GC South and Lincoln Park GC West June 26: Couples Scramble, TBA July 8: OKC Pro-Am, Lincoln Park GC Aug. 27-28: OKC Parent-Child, James Stewart GC Sept. 10: OKC Interclub, Lincoln Park GC Tulsa Golf Association April 16-17: Two-Man Challenge, South Lakes GC April 21: 3-Man Team Best Ball Shamble Net, Tulsa CC May 21-22: Spring Four-Ball Match Play and Seniors, Battle Creek GC May 24: 3-Man Team Best Ball Shamble Net, Oaks CC May 31-June 1: Senior Stroke Play, LaFortune Park GC June 11-12: Stroke Play and Seniors, LaFortune Park GC June 16: 3-Man Team Best Ball Shamble Net, Forest Ridge GC July 8-10: Four-Ball Match Play and Seniors, Stone Creek GC July 12: 3-Man Team Best Ball Shamble Net, GC of Oklahoma Aug. 6-7: Two-Man Challenge II (Scramble and Shamble Best Ball), Stone Creek GC Sept. 13: Par-3 Two-Man Challenge (Scramble and Best-Ball), LaFortune Park Par-3 GC Oct. 4-5: Senior Stroke Play, South Lakes GC South Central PGA of America Events March 21-23: Assistant Match Play, Muskogee CC, Muskogee April 4-5: Justice Golf Car Four-Ball, Shangri-La GC, Monkey Island April 18: Assistant Cup Matches, Bella Vista Village CC, Bella Vista, Ark. April 25: Senior-Junior, Ponca City CC, Ponca City May 2: Yamaha Senior Team, Stillwater CC, Stillwater May 16: National Car Rental Pro-President, Oaks CC, Tulsa June 6: Assistants Championship, Belmar GC, Norman June 20: Web.com Monday Qualifier, Willbowbend GC, Wichita July 11-13: Match Play, Quail Creek G&CC, OKC July 18-20: Senior Match Play, Lincoln Park GC West, OKC July 25: National Car Rental Pro-Scratch, Terradyne CC, Andover, Kan. July 31: Senior Cup Matches, Auburn Hills, Wichita Aug. 1-2: Senior Hall of Fame Championship, Auburn Hills, Wichita Aug. 1-2: Senior Pro, Auburn Hills, Wichita Aug. 8: National Car Rental Assistants Championship, OKC G&CC, OKC Aug. 15-16: Pro Championship, Tulsa CC, Tulsa Sept. 6: Pro-Assistant, Club at Indian Springs, Broken Arrow Sept. 19-20: Section Championship, The Territory GC, Duncan Sept. 26-27: Senior Section, Patricia Island GC, Grove Oct. 10-11: Chapter Challenge, Shangri-La GC,

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 67

SCHEDULES & RESULTS: More at www.golfoklahoma.org Monkey Island Oct. 17-19: Las Vegas Pro-Am South Central PGA Junior Tour June 2: LaFortune Parent-Child, LaFortune Park GC (par-3), Tulsa June 3: James E. Stewart Junior, James E. Stewart GC, Oklahoma City June 6: Battle Creek Junior, Battle Creek GC, Broken Arrow June 7: Pryor Junior, Pryor Creek GC, Prypr June 8: Bailey Ranch Junior, Bailey Ranch GC, Owasso June 9: Lakeside Junior, Lakeside GC, Stillwater June 10: Lew Wentz Junior, Lew Wentz Memorial GC, Ponca City June 13: Broken Arrow Junior. Broken Arrow G&AC, Broken Arrow June 16: Heart of Oklahoma Junior, Brent Bruehl Memorial GC, Purcell June 17: Buffalo Rock Junior, Buffalo Rock G&G GC, Cushing June 21: George Phillips Junior, South Lakes GC, Jenks June 22: Meadowlake Junior, Meadowlake GC, Enid June 22: Wolf Ridge Junior, Wolf Ridge CC, Wister June 23: Trosper Junior, Trosper Park GC, OKC June 24: Riverside Junior, Riverside GC, Clinton June 27: Jay Myers Junior, MeadowBrook, Tulsa June 28: Fairfax Junior, Fairfax GC, Edmond June 29: Adams Junior, Adams GC, Bartlesville

June 30: John Conrad Junior, John Conrad GC, Midwest City July 5: LaFortune Junior, LaFortune Park GC, Tulsa July 6: L.W. Clapp Junior, L.W. Clapp GC, Wichita July 7: Lincoln Park Junior, Lincoln Park GC (East), Oklahoma City July 11: Trails Junior, The Trails GC, Norman July 11: Reflection Ridge Junior Refection Ridge GC, Wichita July 12-13: Hoedebeck Junior, Duncan G&T Club, Duncan July 14: Lake Hefner Junior, Lake Hefner GC North, OKC July 15: Auburn Hills Junior, Auburn Hills Municipal GC, Wichita July 18: Winter Creek Junior, Winter Creek GC, Blanchard July 19: Bella Vista Junior, Bella Vista Village CC, Bella Vista, Arkansas July 19: Canyons at Blackjack Ridge Junior, Canyons at Blackjack Ridge GC, Sand Springs July 20: Lake Murray Junior, Lake Murray Resort, Ardmore July 21: Ben Geren Junior, Ben Geren GC, Fort Smith, Arkansas July 22: Fianna Hills Junior, Fianna Hills CC, Fort Smith, Arkansas July 23: South Lakes Parent-Child, South Lakes GC, Jenks July 25: Ponca City CC Junior, Ponca City CC, Ponca City

July 26: Surrey Hills Junior, Surrey Hills, Yukon July 27: Shelby Ross Junior, Lakeview CC, Ardmore College Events in Oklahoma April 11-12: Oklahoma City Spring Classic (women), Lincoln Park GC, OKC April 11-12: ORU Shootout (men), Forest Ridge GC, Broken Arrow April 16-17: The Maxwell (men), Dornick Hills CC, Ardmore TBA: Sooner Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Championship, Twin Hills G&CC, OKC May 16-18: NCAA Men’s Regional, Karsten GC, Stillwater U.S. Kids Golf Tour (Tulsa) March 6: Bailey Ranch GC, Owasso March 13: Club at Indian Springs, Broken Arrow March 26: Heritage Hills GC, Claremore April 3: Page Belcher GC, Tulsa April 10: South Lakes GC, Jenks April 17: White Hawk GC, Bixby April 24: Broken Arrow G&AC, Broken Arrow May 1: Tour Championship, LaFortune Park GC, Tulsa Oklahoma High Schools April 26: Girls Regionals, TBA May 2: Boys Regionals, TBA May 4-5: Girls State, TBA May 9-10: Boys State, TBA July 25: OCA All-State, Cherokee Hills GC, Catoosa

APRIL 22-24, 2016

VOLUNTEER • BUY TICKETS • WATCH 888-347-4426 • BassProLegends.com

BP160156

68 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Legends cont. from page 46 they’re back by lunch,” Player said of the advantage of Par 3 and 12-hole courses.

“Golf can be about putting and chipping and wedge play.”

Player’s comments come almost a year after some of his comments about Chambers Bay, site of the 2015 U.S. Open, made headlines.

There are efforts under way to make courses more appealing to youths.

For example, just up the road from Branson is the Betty Allison Family Golf Center at Oscar Blom Golf Course in Springfield. It is a par 3, nine-hole public course and used as a youth event tied to the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, a PGA Web.com Tour stop every August.

The Champions Tour incorporated the par 3 course at Top of the Rock in 2014 and drew praise from throughout golf.

In fact, Ted Bishop, president of the PGA of America was quoted as saying this to PGATour.com: “As someone who grew up working on a par-3 golf course and who currently manages a 45-hole facility which includes an 18 =hole par3 course, I am very familiar with the many virtues of alternative golf facilities and their capacity to welcome novices to the game in a friendly, non-intimidating manner.”

As you might expect, Player loves Top of the Rock.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Player said. “The public will love it. And it’s one of the most beautiful par 3s I’ve ever seen. The whole resort is something America should try and see.”

Nicklaus and Player finished second a year ago, earning about $35,000. “Which is what I made when I won my first Master’s,” Player quipped.

The Legends Division will play only at

Putting cont. from page 64

Top of the Rock this year, while the Champions Division will continue to play at Buffalo Ridge Golf Course further south of Branson.

However, the Nick laus-Player duo and many others won’t be the only attraction for fans. For one, a portion of Jack Nicklaus signs autographs at the 2015 Bass Pro Legends of Top of the Rock’s Golf at Top of the Rock in Brasnson. watching great legends in this wonderful driving range gained national attention last fall, as a place, so each child 17 and under – that is accompanied by an adult – will get in nearby sink hole opened up.

Fortunately, it has become one sink hole free that day (April 23) at Top of the Rock. and will not affect play at all, said tourna- This is going to be fun for all ages.”

Additionally, the Tracker Boat Hole in ment director Kirk Elmquist. It measures roughly 200 feet wide, 170 feet long and One contest is on the 147-yard par 3 No. 9 all weekend for the PGA Tour Champions 100 feet deep.

“It could be a national treasure,” El- and Legends.

A gold ticket is $100, or $80 when purmquist said, referring to Morris’ efforts to determine whether the sinkhole leads chasing with a Mastercard, and provides to a cave that connects to a popular one access to both golf courses, including Arnie’s Barn clubhouse facilities at Top of nearby.

Meanwhile, prices have been drasti- the Rock.

This historic 150-year-old bar has been cally reduced to attend. A daily pass has been lowered to $25, or $20 with use of a relocated from Palmer’s hometown in Pennsylvania and houses the pro shop MasterCard.

To sweeten the experience for fans, the and a restaurant full of historic photos tournament is debuting the Family Fun and memorabilia.

Sunday play is only at Top of the Rock Day clinic and show with Tom Lehman and Dan Boever. It is scheduled for Sat- and, to watch, you must have a Sunday urday at the completion of play on the Daily Pass or a Gold Ticket. Parking is free.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Player said.

Arnold Palmer practice facility at Top of “It’s always fun to play with my old friend the Rock.

“Family Fun Day started with an idea Jack Nicklaus and so many players I used to add value to the golf experience at Top to play against on the Tour. The Champiof the Rock when visiting the Legends ons Tour has been a huge success, and the of Golf,” Elmquist said. “Johnny Morris level of golf has amazed me since I started wanted all of the local families to enjoy playing there.”

3. Practice lagging in close from 15-30 feet. Hit putts from 15, 20, 25, and 30 feet ommend better players make 25 or 50 in a until you get 3 in a row inside 3 feet from row. If you find this difficult, start with 10 each distance.

For a few more detailed putting drills, in a row, or just make 25 whether in a row check out my Edufii training space here or not.

2. Make a bunch of 3-footers (that is https://edufii.com/i/7cf9b1a793 Lastly, confidence is about believing you only a few inches longer than your putter length). For the sake of the green, just go can and will accomplish your goal. Try this around a hole in a circle and try to make 12 routine: 1. While standing behind the ball or more in a row. The best putter I ever saw take a deep breath; 2. Visualize yourself made a hundred 3-footers in a row a few making the putt (this is a biggie); 3. Feel days a week. And make 10 in a row from 4 how hard you are going to hit the putt (take a practice swing if you want); 4. Exefeet, 8 in a row from 5 feet.

cute by staying focused on just rolling your ball down your line with good speed. Let go of the result.

I would also recommend remembering all the putts you make and storing those away. Forget about the ones you miss. Jason Day said he practiced putting for 3.5 hours every day and journaled about it. I guarantee you he was not writing down his misses.

I would love to help you become a better golfer and reach your goals. You may contact me at mboyd@indianspringsclub.com or by calling 918-645-0986. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 69

N E W 2 016

N E W 2 015

N E W 2 016

F-150 Crew Cab XLT 4WD

Sierra 1500 Denali

4-Door Ram 1500

Save Big Buck Now with a Hemi V8

Take $10,000 off MSRP

for only $53,118 $ (You save $8,057)

N E W 2 016

Ford Super Duty F-250 XLT Crew Cab Diesel

N E W 2 015

Take $10,500 off MSRP

for only $68,009 (You save $8,331)

(And, get up to 60 months to pay with 0% interest with approved financing through Ford Credit - all rebates applied - stock numbers F-150 -3557/F-250- 0957)

Yukon Denali

Stock numbers 9572 and 3921

for only $29,995 (or get up to 60 months to pay with 0% interest Stock number GS201210 with approved credit) Offers good at Guthrie dealerships only when presenting this ad.

Vehicles may vary in resemblance to those shown in this ad.

“Where it’s comfortable to buy a truck” Exit 153 & I-35 Guthrie, OK 10 minutes north of Edmond (877) 475-6622 www.vanceautogroup.com

Visit our other stores: Perry, OK (877) 423-8825 • www.vancechevrolet.com Miami, OK (888) 690-4618 • www.vanceford.com (877) 693-4981 • www.vancechryslerdodgejeepram.com

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 71