Chip Shots

Bermuda greens

for Cedar Creek GC

by ken macleod

Cedar Creek Golf Course at Beavers Bend State Park near Broken Bow shut down Aug. 9 to regrass all of its greens with Champion ultradwarf Bermuda.

The entire process of removal of old greens, sprigging in the Champion and growing in will take close to three months and the course should be ready to reopen in early November.

Kurt Adams, the course manager and superintendent, said it was tough to shut down with play booming this summer, but the old Tifdwarf Bermuda greens were in bad shape.

“The last few winters have just killed them,” Adams said. “They’ve had a lot of disease and a lot of problems. Golfers will love the new greens once they’ve grown in.”

Adams said some select tree removal will also be done on the course to allow greater sunlight to the new greens. Cedar Creek enby molly fleming

Residents in south Oklahoma City could have a brighter place to hit golf balls by spring 2022.

GSB, Inc. Architects is continuing to work with the city on the design for the new Earlywine Golf Clubhouse, 11600 S. Portland Ave.

The architecture firm submitted its first round of plans in August 2019. Comments were received in December and another set of drawings were submitted last month.

The $8.5 million, 18,600-square-foot building is being funded by the 2017 general obligation bond package. There are three clubhouses in the entire package, with Earlywine being the first on the list. The other two clubhouses to be built are at Lake Hefner and James E. Stewart, which is being designed by Miles Associates.

The new building will have a modern look, yet still appeal to guests of all ages. joys one of the most spectacular natural settings of any course in the state.

“Everybody thinks we’re lined with pines because the ping logging industry is so big down 70 percent hardwoods,” Adams said. “We’ve got The third hole at tree-lined Cedar Creek Golf Course. somewhere near a half million trees on the summer. There is a new restaurant on site, property.” trout fishing, floating and kayaking in the

The area around the state park has been lower Mountain Fork River, train rides, booming. In and around Hochatown there horseback stables, hiking and more. are over 30 new restaurants, four wineries, Adams said play was up close to 30 pertwo breweries and a distillery. There are cent over 2019 by the first of August. more than 3,000 private cabins in the woods When complete, Cedar Creek will be the surrounding the state park. Many are owned fifth state park course to switch to Bermuda or rented by Texans and that business has greens, joining Arrowhead, Lake Murray, been booming as folks look for a short drive Sequoyah and Grand Cherokee. The wild and a safe vacation during the COVID-19 canyon course at Roman Nose State Park pandemic. and the more arid setting at Fort Cobb State

Beavers Bend State Park has a lodge and Park allow those two to be more successful cabins that have also been enjoying a busy with traditional bent grass greens.

Construction on Earlywine clubhouse begins in 2021

here, but we’re about There will be large, glass windows on the side that faces the course, allowing natural light to fill the space. The building will have high ceilings and a covered porch on the golf side so people can sit out and take in the scenery. The updates at the golf The back of the clubhouse features several windows, allowing natural light to illuminate the inside. course include more than a new clubhouse. Golf Trust Specialist Sean Simpson said the The existing driving range will be widened aim is to make Earlywine into a place that and lengthened, with a 24-bay covered hitpeople want to hang out, offering a great ting tee area being constructed and lights restaurant, covered outdoor seating and an being added for evening hitting. While it inviting atmosphere for hitting range balls. won’t be as technology-based as Topgolf The City is looking at offering a Toptracer or similar operations, the goal is to create technology, available for rent, so golfers can a similar atmosphere, said Design Principal track how far their ball travels. Mike Hinchey with GSB. Having this entertainment-like option is

“Covered hitting was something the city something the City has been discussing as and the community wanted to have,” he a revenue driver to make up for lost golf said. “The city wanted to create an opporturounds (though as of May, golf rounds are nity for events and other activities.” up 2.2% year-over-year at City of Oklaho

Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation ma City courses, with more than 181,000

rounds being played as of May 31). clubhouse opened in 2015. The building has

Hinchey and his team likely won’t be become a popular site for weddings and othspending much time on the links as they er non-golf events. work to move the project forward. They’re The initial plans for Earlywine space will creating two sets of additional design docufit as many as 175 people at 8-seat tables, ments for the project, allowing some flexibilthough if the budget allows, the space could ity for project be made additions if slightly bigthey fit the ger to acbudget. commodate

“This will 250 people. allow us to E v e n look at difwith the ferent opC O V I D - 1 9 tions when p a n d e m i c we get the causing large construction events to be bids,” said A new hitting pavillion planned for the range. c a n c e l l e d , Sean SimpHinchey said son, trust specialist with Oklahoma City there hasn’t been any discussion to remove Parks and Recreation. the event space.

One option for the project is a 250-person The other flexible part of the design is event space. Early discussions on the new the At The Turn grill. The building could be Earlywine clubhouse included creating an expanded to include a full kitchen. For now, event space that’s larger than what’s currentgolfers will be able to get hot dogs and other ly offered. A study of event space needs in ready-made snacks, which will be prepared the southwest area showed that there was a with concession-like equipment. business demand for a new venue. If progress continues as expected, con

The City saw non-golf revenue tick up struction documents will go out to bid in at Lincoln Park Golf Course when the new 2020’s fourth quarter, with work starting in

Big Cedar to host consecutive Champions Tour events

Some of the biggest and most legendary names in golf are returning to Big Cedar Lodge and the Ozarks next month.

PGA TOUR Champions and Big Cedar Lodge announced today two new events that will be contested as part of the Tour’s combined 2020-21 schedule. The Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops’ Big Cedar Lodge will feature back-to-back 54-hole tournaments played over a nine-day period in August, with each event carrying a $3 million purse and televised worldwide on The GOLF Channel.

The Charles Schwab Series at Buffalo Ridge will take place Aug. 19-21 at the Buffalo Ridge Course, with the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National to follow on Aug. 24-26. Practice rounds for each event will be held the two days prior to competition. Spectators will not be allowed at either event.

Buffalo Ridge was ranked the #1 course you can play Missouri in Golfweek’s “2019 Best” issue while Ozarks National was ranked the nation’s best new course in 2019 by Golf Digest.

Oak Tree National in Edmond.

Play OTN, support Golf Hall of Fame

by ken macleod

The 2020 Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame Classic, a fundraiser for the Hall’s scholarship and Everett Dobson Award programs, will be Oct. 20 at 9 a.m. at Oak Tree National in Edmond. Come enjoy a round on Pete Dye’s masterpiece, mingle with Hall of Fame members and compete in a shamble format for great prizes. This year’s event will have a silent auction featuring rounds at amazing state and regional destinations as well as other items.

Teams of four are just $1,500 including breakfast, lunch and tee gifts. You can also be a presenting sponsor and have your name in all pre-tournament publicity or sponsor one of the scholarships. Download the entry form and much more information here.

The Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame was formed in 2014 and merged the same year with the previous Oklahoma Women’s Golf Hall of Fame. The Hall is also raising funds to secure a permanent location. For now, all

induction videos and acceptance speeches, plus much more information on Oklahoma’s golf heritage, can be viewed at www. oklahomgolfhof.org.

Tickets on sale for Senior PGA Championshp at Southern Hills

In the expectation that there will be fans at the 2021 Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, the PGA of America has begun selling various ticket packages at www.tickets.srpga.com.

A pass that allows one access to all rounds of competition and practice is $199. Single day passes for the competition are $40 and for practice rounds $25. Single day passes for the Bourne Club, an open air hospitality tent near the 17th green which includes views of the green, water, light snacks and a beer and wine bar from noon to 6 p.m., are $175.

Practice rounds are May 25-26 and the competition is May 27-30. Those who want to volunteer to work at the championship should go to www.srpga.com and click the volunteer tab. There is a form there to fill out that will put you in the registration pool for volunteers. Volunteers could be walking scorers, marshals, hospitality, merchandise or many other positions.

Quade Cummins Austin Eckroat

Homegrown rivals champion and competed in a slew of Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour (OJGT) events, which caught the eye of OU coach Ryan Hybl.

Eckroat, Cummins two of nation's top collegians “Once I got to OU, it was hard at first and then I kind of found something with (instructor) Ryan by john rohde Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Rody (formerly at Gaillardia, now at SouthCanada (the Canadian Tour) or the PGA Tour ern Hills) and Coach Hybl, and here we are,”

Two in-state All-Americans will lead Series-China – and will be exempt into all Cummins said. two in-state Division I programs open, full-field events beginning the week afMeanwhile, Eckroat was among a gaggle this upcoming season. In the proter the NCAA Championship through the of junior golfing greats who helped transform cess, Oklahoma State’s Austin Eckroat and conclusion of the current season. Finishers Edmond North into one of the country’s

Oklahoma’s Quade Cummins also could Nos. 6-15 will also be exempt into second most elite high school programs, winning 13 jump-start their own professional careers by stage of that year’s Korn Ferry Tour QualifyClass 6A state championships over a 14-year earning exempt status. ing Tournament. span (2005-2018), which was preceded by

Stoking this season’s excitement for Eck“I always thought of stuff like this, but three straight crowns from 1994-96. roat and Cummins is the debut of the PGA once I got to college, I didn’t really think it Playing for the Cowboys was a lifelong

Tour University program, which rewards was going to be possible just cause I knew dream for Eckroat, a two-time Class 6A elite collegiate play with varying levels of achow hard it was going to be,” Cummins said. state champion, who in 2014 became the cess to tours operated under the PGA Tour Eckroat and Cummins grew up just 90 first freshman ever to win the 6A individual umbrella. miles apart in Oklahoma, but their career crown. He was a medalist 15 times in his

This much-anticipated collegiate path to paths came on very different courses. high school career. the PGA Tour was launched June 1 and will Eckroat’s legend has steadily grown while “I grew up an Oklahoma State fan and award the top-15, four-year college players playing the plush fairways of the exclusive now kind of being the leader there and being with exempt status. Oak Tree courses in Edmond, while Cumon the No. 1 bag, it’s kind of cool,” Eckroat • Collegiate players ranked Nos. 1-5 will mins honed his skills on the far more modest said. “I’ll be able to tell my kids about it. It’s a be exempt into all open, full-field Korn Ferry municipal track of Prairie West Golf Club in pretty cool aspect.”

Tour events beginning the week after the windswept Weatherford. Eckroat also was recruited by the Sooners.

NCAA Division I Championship through the “I wouldn’t say it’s the worst of the worst,” “I really like Coach Hybl,” Eckroat said. “I conclusion of the KFT regular season. The a chuckling Cummins said of his hometown was looking at OU pretty heavily, but once top five finishers will also be exempt into course, “but I enjoyed learning how to play Oklahoma State offered, it was pretty clear I the final stage of that year’s KFT Qualifying golf basically on farmland. I think it blows was going to go there. There was a chance (of

Tournament. harder in Weatherford than any place I’ve going to OU), but I wouldn’t say there was a • Collegiate finishers ranked Nos. 6–15 ever been. It’s taught me a lot, how to work big chance. If Oklahoma State was going to will receive membership onto one of the the ball and stuff.” offer me (a scholarship), it was going to be

PGA Tour’s International Tours – PGA Tour Cummins was a two-time Class 4A state very hard to go someplace else.”

be there, but it’s scorecard, they quickly became a supporting going to be fun,” cast. Cummins said. “By the end of the round, we were all Ironically, turns cheering for him and hoping he would make out the coronavihis putts,” Cummins said. “I mean, it was rus helped form awesome to watch.” a Bedlam bond The 21-year-old Wolff, who already has between Eckroat cracked the Top and Cummins, 60 in the Official who frequently World Golf RankNo one works harder on his game than Cummins, says coach Ryan Hybl. have played toings in less than gether at Oak Tree one season on the Eckroat and Cummins will return to their National while social distancing. PGA Tour, shot 69 respective teams in August, although college Asked if playing alongside the enemy was that day alongside golf’s fall season remains in limbo. against the rules, Eckroat said, “Nah, golf’s a Eckroat … and lost Eckroat was a starting freshman on the little different than the other sports. You have by eight shots.

Cowboys’ 2018 NCAA championship team to walk 4½ hours with them if you’re playing Hearing Eckroat and had decided his junior season would be together. Might as well be friendly, but you speak of Cummins’ his last at OSU. Eckroat would then embark know you still want to beat ’em.” game, however, on the professional circuit, hoping to rejoin When Eckroat shot his mind-numbing, you would have former teammates and budding superstars 10-under-par 61 in early June to break the thought the course

Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland on the OTN course record from the back tees by record belonged

PGA Tour. three strokes, Cummins was playing in the to a Sooner rather

COVID-19 spawned global touring uncertainty that brought an abrupt halt to Eckroat’s plan, however. As if tour qualifying already same foursome alongside Wolff and former OSU teammate Nick Heinen, who serves as Wolff’s caddy on tour. than a Cowboy. “He is a really good player,” EckAustin Eckroat at 2019 OGA State Amateur. wasn’t challenging enough, the pandemic Eckroat birdied the first six holes, had 10 roat said of Cummins. “We’ve played a lot of completely cancelled the remaining Mackbirdies in a span of 13 holes and was sidegolf. He hits it low. He has all the shots. He has enzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada (the Canadian tracked by a bogey on No. 10. a lot of shots that kids growing up on perfect

Tour), PGA Tour Latinoamérica and PGA When other players in the foursome realcourses don’t have, so I think it’s actually ben

Tour Series-China seasons in late May, while ized there was no catching Eckroat on the eficial for him.” the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour were suspended until early June. Current playing privileges were placed on hold and rolled over to the 2021 season.

Eckroat downshifted and decided to return for his senior season.

“I’m not very conflicted about it,” Eckroat 124 N Peoria Ave Tulsa, OK 74120 918.832.5544 said. “It’s one of those things where I was excited to turn pro, but coming back to Oklahoma State for another year isn’t the worst Hickory Hills Country Club thing at all, so I’m pretty excited about that.” Springfield, Missouri

For Cummins, who had helped catapult the Sooners to the No. 1 ranking last fall

and spring before the coronavirus hit, the pandemic’s aftermath allows him to return for a sixth season with the Sooners after the NCAA Division I Council granted an extra year of eligibility to all student-athletes in spring (but not winter) sports whose seasons were canceled because of COVID-19.

The experienced and ultra-deep Sooners will be led by Cummins and fifth-year senior Garett Reband, along with fifth-year senior Thomas Johnson, juniors Patrick Welch and Logan McAllister, plus a handful of others capable of cracking the starting five.

Cummins and Reband were freshmen on the 2017 NCAA title team and will be seeking their second national championship rings with the Sooners.

“It’s going to feel kind of weird being on a team when you’re really not supposed to

Think Outside.

College golf preview: What to watch for in 2020-21

by scott wright

College golfers don’t know when they’ll be back on the course representing their schools, but whenever it happens, it stands to be another strong year for universities in Oklahoma from the NCAA Division I level down to NAIA. Here’s a look at some of the storylines to watch when golf teams get back in action:

Austin Eckroat

Aman Gupta

Brian Stark Cowboys welcome new faces

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State’s unquestioned leader is a name that golf fans in the state know well.

Edmond native Austin Eckroat became the face of the Cowboys after Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland left school early for the PGA Tour.

Eckroat has been a successful college player, and set the course record at Oak Tree National in Edmond with a 61 earlier this year.

Among the young returning players, Aman Gupta, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Brian Stark showed the ability to step into prominent roles this season.

Then there are the five new faces — three freshmen and two transfers.

Eugenio Chacarra, a sophomore transfer from Wake Forest, is atop the group of newcomers, and the other transfer, Leo Oyo from San Diego State, beat Eckroat by a stroke at The Prestige in Palm Springs last season. “I think you’ll see us play a lot of different lineups,” coach Alan Bratton said. “We’re gonna have

Leo Oyo good battles at home in practice, and that’s gonna prepare us for tournaments, because we have multiple guys capable of winning events.”

OU’s Milligan healthy and ready to lead

NORMAN — The costs and the sadness of the pandemic and the shortened spring season were felt across the country, and OU junior Kaitlin Milligan experienced it all.

The best season of her college career was cut off after seven events, through which she had a 71.4 stroke average and two topfive finishes. And she lost out on a shot to play Augusta National — though she’s been invited back for that event in 2021.

But Milligan found a silver lining. Wrist pain that had been nagging at her, even while she was playing her best golf, wouldn’t go away. But the pandemic allowed her to take two months off and get fully healthy before returning to the course.

“I’ve never had an injury related to golf, so that was an interesting obstacle to tackle,” said Milligan, who is from Norman North High School. “Overall, it was a good learning experience to have younger, rather than later in my career. And it happened at a good time, because it would have been way harder to take time off during the season. So I’m pretty thankful for how it turned out.”

Now feeling healthy, Milligan is set to lead the Sooners into the coming season.

“I was really shy in high school, but every time I was on a sports team, I feel like I jumped into a leadership role somehow,” she said. “A lot of it comes from where my confidence is at with my game. The higher it is, the more I want to lead and I want ev

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen

eryone to do better.

“I try to lead by example in workouts and practice, so I make sure I’m working the hardest I can.”

Cowgirls young but talented

STILLWATER — Second-year Oklahoma State women’s coach Greg Robertson doesn’t have a lot of juniors or seniors to count on, but with the skill his young players bring to the table, the Cowgirls are a team worth getting excited about.

“By the end of last spring, our top five were all underclassmen, so we’ve got a great group coming back, and we’ve got two freshmen coming in who can shake some things up in that lineup,” Robertson said.

Maja Stark leads the excitement. A freshman from Sweden who arrived at OSU in January, Stark rose into the top 10 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings over the summer. Isabella Fierro,

Maja Stark a freshman from Mexico, arrived last fall as a top100 amateur and earned honorable mention AllAmerica honors in her first season. Robertson credited the former coaching staff of Courtney Jones and Par Nilsson for leaving him Isabella Fierro a strong foundation to build on as he tries to make his imprint on the program. “It’s about finding the right fit for the program,” Robertson said. “We’re working on changing the attitude of the team, having them work a little bit Maddy Tolchard harder, a little bit smart

Rina Tatematsu Trevor Norby Andres Brictson

er. The players bought into it, and we’ve got some hard workers on the team, which is great.

Robertson’s first full recruiting class of his own at OSU included Maddy Hinson-Tolchard, an Australian who has had a standout junior career playing in amateur and professional events. And OSU finished off the spring by signing Rina Tatematsu, an experienced international

player from Thailand.

Oklahoma Christian men return two All-Americans

EDMOND — After finishing No. 11 in the final poll of the truncated 2020 season, Oklahoma Christian returns its only senior in Trevor Norby, a two-time All-American.

On top of that, Andres

Brictson was an All-America selection for 2020, while coach David Lynn was named the Division II South Central Region Coach of the Year.

With plenty of depth behind Norby and Brictson, the Eagles should be back in the mix for a top-10 spot in Division II.

UCO women remain intact after top-25 finish

EDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma women’s team was the state’s only representative in the final coaches’ top 25 for the 2020 season, and the Bronchos’ roster stays intact for the coming year.

As a team, UCO won its own tournament and finished as a runner-up twice in last season’s abbreviated schedule. Susana Olivares is coming off a freshman season in which she won twice, and four of UCO’s primary players had at least one top-five finish.

Susana Olivares OCU women have veteran squad, young talent on horizon

OKLAHOMA CITY

— Recruiting stand to be solis always imid as usual, after portant, but finishing eighth it’s been espein the final cially so lately NAIA coaches’ for Oklahoma rankings of the City University spring. women’s coach Leading the Marty McCauway of the curMelissa Eldredge ley. Natalie Gough rent team are Lauren Behnken

He’s going to lean fully on juniors and sesenior Melissa Eldredge — a Eufaula native niors for the coming season. And the Stars who is a four-time All-American and was

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granted an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic — and two-time All-American Natalie Gough of Bixby.

“We don’t have a lot of depth, but I feel like we have lots of experience,” McCauley said. “Lauren Behnken and Clair Hill are returning, and they both played in the top five in every tournament for us.”

As excited as McCauley is for the coming season, he has a right to be giddy about the future of his program, with four talented players verbally committed in the 2021 recruiting class.

Atop that group are Maddi Kamas of Kingfisher and Reagan Chaney of Plainview.

Kamas is a top-100 player in the country, and top-20 in her recruiting class, making her one of the most elite recruits the program has ever had.

Clair Hill

Lorena Tseng

Jared Strathe

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Tulsa hopes for more

TULSA – Head coach Annie Young won the Dustin Hasley WOGA State Amateur. Now if she can just get her players to do as well.

That means more support for Lorena Tseng, who has 13 top10 finishes and a 72.18 scoring average in her first two years.

Sarah Bell ORU continues to build

The ORU men will benefit from transfer Jared Strathe and the return of Dustin Hasley, Mike Biata, Jack Howes and Wichita State transfer Palmer Hayes Jr.

The Golden Eagles Isabella Caamal women’s team is led by junior Sarah Bell, with strong suport from Isabella Caamal, Rachel Dupres and Beatriz Garcia.

COMPETITION ROUNDUP 15 golfers? No problem by ken macleod

Ryan Hybl says “He’s very motivated and not coming those who are here to sit,” Hybl said. “He wants to be wondering how around a bunch of good players and figures he is going to manage that will make him better.” the egos of 15 collegiate So suddenly, Hybl’s roster swelled from golfers all believing 10 to 15, including last year’s freshman they are deserving of class which played sparingly and the inplaying time are lookcoming freshman class including Jaxon

Garrett Reband ing at his situation the wrong way. Dowell of Edmond, Stephen Campbell Jr. of Fort Bend Christian Academy in Rich“Everyone is looking mond, Texas, and Ben Lorenz of Peoria, at this as a negative, but Ariz., where he was the 2019 National Juthis is the biggest posinior Golf scoring champion with an avertive you could have,” age of 68.25. said the University of Those three guys aren’t coming to sit eiOklahoma coach. “It’s ther. But obviously 10 of the 15 are going to exciting that all these have to most events. guys wanted to come

Thomas Johnson back and that they have something to prove. This is a great situation to be in as a coach.” Hybl was planning on a 10-man roster for what was to be a bit of a rebuilding year for the Sooners after they made a concerted run

Riley Casey at a national championship last spring. Instead, the season was wiped Quade Cummins out and four seniors – average record at 70.05. including Quade Cum“My job is not to keep everybody happy, mins, Garrett Reband, it’s to make sure all of our guys are trying Thomas Johnson and to get better,” Hybl said. “The way I look at Riley Casey – were rethis is everybody should benefit.” turning as part of the Led by All-Americans Cummins and NCAA’s extra year of Reband, the Sooners will be a preseason

Jaxon Dowell eligibility for those affavorite to win their second national title fected by last spring’s under Hybl. When and in what form that cancellation. season will take place was still undeterThen another surmined at press time and a good reason to prise when one of the often check www.golfoklahoma.org for nation’s top seniors, updates. Thomas Brightwell of But as to what kind of firepower the UNC Greensboro, was Sooners will have, there’s little doubt this transferring to OU. He team could win it all. finished the 2019-20 With his unstinting work ethic, Cum

Stephen Campbell season ranked No. 13 in mins has molded himself into one of the the nation according to Golfstat.com, wintop collegians in the country and ranked ning twice and setting the UNCG scoring in the top 25 in the World Amateur Golf

Ryan Hybl

Rankings. Reband, who will miss the first month of the season with a broken hand, is loaded with ability and has become much more consistent.

“Quade’s will to get better is as high as anyone I’ve ever been around,” Hybl said. “He brings it every day. He’s working with Ryan Rody at Southern Hills and they’ve done a phenomenal job dialing in his golf swing. Logan McAllister

“Reband’s talent is off the charts. He’s now maturing and learning at a high level and has learned that you’re only as good as your bad golf. He has learned to limit his mistakes. His bad golf is not very bad anymore.” Blake Lorenz

Welch, Johnson, Brightwell and Casey are all accomplished players, but players with perhaps a higher ceiling like Logan McAllister, whom Hybl went to caddie for at the U.S. Amateur, are poised to come into their own. Tucker Allen

Last year’s freshmen Tucker Allen, Jake Holbrook and Turner Hosch comprised a highly-ranked class that was expecting more opportunities this year. And the new freshmen class won’t be asked to redshirt automatically. “Heck no,” Hybl said. “If these guys come in here and are ready to compete, they’ll have their chance. I expect Jaxon will have a chance Johnny Brightwell to play a lot of golf for us this year.” Hybl could field three five-man teams in each tournament that could compete. He welcomes the competitive depth. “This is a great situation,” he insisted. “We’ve had guys like

Turner Hosch Brad Dalke and Blaine Hale that didn’t play in certain events in the past, and they’ll tell you it was because they weren’t playing their best at the time. We’re going to go with guys who are playing the best.”

Staying on course good start is that there is not a single junior high team in the Tulsa or Oklahoma City Outreach producing few competitive public school systems and only a handful of high school teams. Black golfers, can it change? In Tulsa Public Schools, only Booker T. Washington, Ediby ken macleod son and Memorial have golf teams and

In a late June article on the TPS Director of AthMorning Read website, golf letics Gil Cloud said writer Mike Purkey pointed he wasn’t aware of any out the paltry number of Africanblack golfers on those three Americans on both the PGA Tour teams before the COVID-19 pan(4) and LPGA Tour (2). demic ended the high school sea

Purkey argued that it was up to son prematurely. the PGA of America and the PGA In Oklahoma City Public Tour to provide a bridge between Schools, there are no junior high outreach programs such as The teams and six high school teams. First Tee and competitive groomJordan Hale, an assistant to OCPS ing tours such as the American Juathletics director Todd Dilbeck, nior Golf Association. estimated there are a total of 10

A look around Oklahoma shows Black golfers on those teams. just how right Purkey is, at least in The lack of junior high prohis analysis of the issue. The First grams is a key. While suburban Tee of Tulsa and the First Tee of kids get a free ride to a course that Oklahoma City, along with other grants them playing privileges in organizations such as the Eastern Golfers from Burroughs Elementary at the First Tee of Tulsa. the spring, many city kids would Golf Association, do a marvelous have to find a way to continue in job of introducing the game to thousands suburban golf neophyte. The program is the game. Courses often provide extremely of young Black golfers, both at their locafree and kids are provided clubs if they don’t reduced rates or even free golf for juniors, tions and through their outreach programs have them. Many seem to become captibut you would have to be really determined to schools and other organizations. vated with the game and soon, according to to not only find your way to the course but

The First Tee of Tulsa in particular has executive director Janice Gibson, are idenpractice and play when most of your friends three vans constantly bringing in kids who tifying themselves as golfers. They seem are gathering for extended sessions on the would not be considered your typical white, genuinely passionate about golf. basketball court. Yet let’s look at how many are competOne who did was Tommy Riddle, who ing in 2020 in the two venues that have protook full advantage of the opportunities ofvided so many Oklahoma players an avenue fered by the First Tee of Tulsa, went on to to future success in college and beyond – the become an employee and teach the game to Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour run by Morri others while continuing to play and practice Rose (and the Oklahoma Golf Association) with a goal of becoming a professional golfer. and the Players Tour run by the South CenRiddle was home schooled and his father tral Section of the PGA of America. had already ruled out football as a safe acBoth have done an exceptional job of protivity, so the golf course became a natural viding players from ages of 13 and up venescape when he moved to Tulsa at age 11 ues for highly competitive golf at a fraction following his parents’ divorce. Now 23 and of the cost of national organizations such as working in Oklahoma City while continuthe AJGA. Graduates from the OJGT have ing to play and practice, Riddle has seen earned approximately 450 college scholarmany promising African-American golfers ships and some have gone on to the profesget introduced to the game by The First Tee sional ranks. but then disappear into the world of team In 2020, there was not a single Black sports or other activities in their early teens. player competing on either the OJGT or the Riddle worries that Tiger Woods’ adPlayers Tour, according to the directors of vancing years have left young Black playboth tours. ers without a superstar to emulate, but his How are we losing every single Black bigger concern is the lack of facilities where

Learning the fundamentals. golfer between the ages of 12 and 15? A players can hone their games in a safe en

Young pro Tommy Riddle.

vironment with mentors or coaches readily available. He points to the AAU model used so successfully to build basketball powerhouses and would like to see an indoor golf facility that would give kids access to practice at all hours.

Riddle said if the AAU would figure out a way to have golf programs and help run these sort of inner-city learning centers, many young players would continue in the game instead of leave it.

This is not to imply that the First Tee and other programs are unsuccessful in their mission. There are many AfricanAmerican golfers who were first introduced to the game by the First Tee, dropped it during high school and college and came back once they began their working careers. But what it is not doing, at least here in Oklahoma, is producing many competitive success stories. And to judge by the lack of Black golfers in college and professional events, the situation is the same around the country.

Golf is booming as a sport during the pandemic but only for those with access to a course and the means to pay. A lack of funding for junior high teams is not likely to change.

“It’s a socio-economic thing,” Cloud said. “You’ve got to have access to the golf course first. And then around junior high there’s so much publicity about team sports, with the NBA and the NFL leading the way, that many of our kids have a tendency to go in that direction.”

If you’re of the mindset that having more competitive Black players would be good for the game and a great opportunity for kids with all kinds of potential, then it’s going to take a special effort – by families, the players and by an outside agency looking to make it happen. From small business to large enterprise, from rural communities to metropolitan areas and wholesale connectivity, Dobson connects you through our own 3,700 mile state-of-the-art ber optic network. Your strategy, your choices, our product, one provider…that’s the power of being truly connected.

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The day Arnie came to the T-O Junior

by pat wheeler

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Bobby Harwell was in a big hurry. What he thought would be his usual five-minute drive to Weeks Park Golf Course was now in serious peril.

It seems a lot of local folks wanted to see Arnold Palmer play nine holes with Harwell and three other outstanding junior golfers on the eve of the annual Texas-Oklahoma Junior Tournament.

Talk about pressure – what to do?

“I only lived a few blocks from the course but there was this huge traffic jam,” Harwell said, remembering that hot August day in 1970.

“I finally realized I would miss my tee time if I didn’t do something drastic,” said Harwell, now a resident of Edmond. “So I just pulled my old car up onto someone’s yard and thought it would probably be towed away but that I could walk and jog with my clubs and make it on time.”

He did make it just in time and waiting for him on that first tee was Arnie, 18-year-old Ben Crenshaw and two Oklahoma juniors – defending champion Bruce Scott and Mark DeBolt.

“They gave me funny looks but in no time they began the announcements and it was time to hit that first tee shot,” Harwell said. “And I have never been more nervous on a first tee.”

Palmer’s playing that exhibition match in Wichita Falls is a moment still remembered by those in attendance 50 years later. The crowd that Monday in August was estimated at 5,000. Crowd control was such an issue that the 9-hole match was shortened to seven holes so Palmer could make his speaking engagement on time that evening.

Earlier that day, upon his arrival in Wichita Falls via his private jet, Palmer proceeded straight to Weeks Park where he signed autographs and put on a short clinic with precision golf shots and a lot of clever banter. He talked of his friend and sometimes rival Jack Nicklaus and their relationship.

Palmer went to the first tee for introductions and photos with Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes, tournament director John Shiiltz and Jack Carnes, who coaxed Palmer to Wichita Falls and the T-O Junior. Soon they were joined by the golfers and Palmer’s caddie, a local junior golfer, Scott Haynie, who would win the T-O Junior the following year.

Getting Palmer for the clinic and exhibition was a major achievement for the tournament which was one of the few large tournaments in the country in 1970. Palmer followed in the footsteps of others who had given the clinic beginning with Ben Hogan in 1960 and followed by Earl Stewart, Don January and Byron Nelson, just to name a few famous Texas pros. From Oklahoma, pros Labron Harris and Ernie Vossler had hosted the clinic in previous years.

What made 1970 work for Palmer was the PGA Championship being contested the same week at Southern Hills in Tulsa. That way, he could fly into Wichita Falls on Monday for the clinic and dinner that night before flying to Tulsa later that night to ready his game for the only major to elude Palmer. As it turned out, Palmer was in the hunt for the PGA title late on Sunday before giving way to the eventual winner Dave Stockton.

Crenshaw came into the T-O Junior as the overwhelming favorite coming off of a low amateur performance earlier that summer at the U.S. Open in Hazeltine, Minn. And true to form, Crenshaw would go on to win the tournament by two strokes over the late Mike Huebinger of San Antonio.

But Palmer’s round with the juniors was the highlight as the crowd was stoked for fun. Arnie watched the juniors hit their drives on the drivable, short par-4 first hole at Weeks Park. Harwell didn’t know it at the time but the other junior players,

though seasoned for their ages, were nervous, too.

“Later I played with Ben on the University of Texas team and asked him about being nervous that day and he said, `Yes,’ ” Harwell said.

Perhaps the most nervous was DeBolt of Oklahoma City.

“I got ready to hit and could not find my golf glove,” DeBolt said from his home in Minnesota. “I mean I was in a panic because I could not swing a club without a glove and started asking everyone around the tee for a glove. Someone thankfully gave me one and it wasn’t until I got to the first green that I realized mine was in my back pocket.”

Palmer ripped his opening tee shot to the delight of the gathering but he was soon upstaged by the local hero Harwell.

“That opening tee shot may have been the only shot I saw land all day,” Harwell said. “The crowd was so big that on the other shots I would hit, people were running in front of me quickly blocking my view.”

Harwell’s opening tee shot was down the left side of the fairway but just far enough right to avoid a parallel pond to the first green. He was faced with a wedge shot of perhaps 70-to-80 yards and hit it well, very

well, as the ball landed to the gallery’s delight. and rolled right into the “On the next tee, he cup for an eagle-2. The said, `Now, what was crowd erupted and Palmyour name again young er waved his acknowlman?’ ” Harwell said. edgement to Harwell. “And then he asked me

“It was just one of if I always made long those shots that I knew shots like those. It was I hit well but never saw definitely a moment for it go in,” Harwell said. me that I will never for“But the crowd reaction get.” gave me chills then and The exhibition conis giving me a little bit tinued for seven holes of that now thinking with Palmer making about it 50 years later.” routine pars on each

The second hole is a hole. Then the players long and straight par-4 rushed to clean up and of about 400 yards and make the special dinner it was there that Crenthat evening with Palmshaw bombed a drive er speaking from his that would be ahead of heart to the junior golfPalmer’s when the players and city dignitaries. ers reached their balls Left to right, Mark Debolt of OKC, Bob Harwell of Wichita Falls, Jack Carnes “I just remember that for the second shot. Harwell hit a good drive and then his approach onto of Wichita Falls, Palmer, former Texas Lt. Governor Ben Barnes, Scott Haynie of Wichita Falls and Bruce Scott of Oklahoma. room being packed and Palmer spoke about all of us making good decithe front right of the green with a back left monster putt of at least 35 feet with the sions in life with a special emphasis on not hole location. crowd erupting in cheers again. using drugs or anything,” Harwell said.

Harwell cemented his legacy as a bona It was at that point that Palmer playfully And then the king of golf was back into fide Wichita Falls hero by rolling in the gave the young Harwell a prolonged stare the skies and headed for Tulsa.

An affair of the heart

Logan Allen keeps a great attitude on the course despite her heart difficulties.

by ken macleod

Few have come so far so fast in the game of golf as Logan Allen. It’s quite an accomplishment for someone who has to move so slowly.

Allen needs a pacemaker to keep her slowly deteriorating heart pumping properly. Some days she feels like her feet are filled with wet sand. Her dad, Kenneth, watches nervously if she has to climb a large hill on the course.

But she keeps going. At age 18, the senior at Perkins-Tryon has already undergone three extensive surgeries since her condition was discovered three years back.

The diagnosis was AV node dysfunction of the heart, meaning her lower chamber, the second beat in a normal heartbeat, was not firing properly. It was a staggering diagnosis for a young athlete who was a powerful softball pitcher and hitter and just a casual golfer at the time.

Logan underwent a six-hour surgery at OU Children’s Medical Center to put in a pacemaker, but the leads worked themselves loose and were shocking her, causing intense pain and requiring a second emergency surgery the next day. A month later an evaluation showed the leads were again becoming loose and a third operation was performed, this time sewing the leads to her collarbone and better securing the pacemaker as well.

Once it became clear that softball was no longer an option, Allen turned her attention to golf. Playing on instinct and raw power, she finished 10th in Class 3A as a sophomore. Her father took her to one of instructor Steve Ball’s junior camps in Norman, and her development since that time has been rapid. Logan won the South Central Section’s Players’ Tour event at The Club at Indian Springs, a tournament that was supposed to be a qualifier for the national PGA Junior Championship until that event was canceled.

“She showed up here one day and didn’t know what she was doing, but she was a softball kid and better yet a pitcher,” Ball said. “Softball kids always have some speed and power and know how to release. She was hitting a big old slice but by about the third lesson started hitting some nice draws. I knew

they were going far, but we measured one at about 240 yards in the air. Her dad and I looked at each other, like wow.”

Allen’s speed and power give her a chance to hit a lot of short and partial wedges, which she’s still getting better at. We watched her play at a recent event at Meadowbrook and after back-to-back birdies she chopped up the next hole, finally getting down with a quadruple bogey. That’s what learning to be good is about, but she has the raw talent and the dedication.

“I just want to live my life and play better,” Logan said. “I hope this doesn’t sound selfish, but I just want to work hard and just continue to win. I have my bad days but I’m going to keep working hard.”

She is already drawing the interest of some college coaches and is looking forward to her senior season next spring, which hopefully will be played.

“She has never used her situation as an excuse,” her mother June said. “She’s never dwelled on it. She picks herself back up and goes right back at it.”

The surgeries were painful for Logan, but agony for her parents. “When you sit there and hear your child screaming in pain for hours on end and can’t do anything about it, it’s really frustrating,” Kenneth said. “Not only frustrating, but it’s heart breaking. Then with the diagnosis that the situation will always be there and you don’t know what the next step is, it’s always in your mind.”

Logan misses softball and basketball, but has fallen in love with golf.

“Golf keeps me calm, which is good for the heart,” she said. “In softball, my teammates would always try to get me riled up to pitch or hit harder. In golf, I can meditate, thinking calming thoughts and it really helps.”