2015 Golf Oklahoma August | September

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

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Contents AUG/SEPT 2015 Vol. 5 Issue 4

w w w . go l f o k l a h o m a . o r g

Features

20

20 The Cherokee Strip lives on 26 Project Hope gives back to veterans 36 Cabot Cliffs drawing raves worldwide 40 Royal Isabella a seaside delight 42 Gil Morgan, iron man 46 Bob Dickson, class act to join Hall of Fame

Departments

46

42

10 12 13 14 15 16 18 20

Letter from the Publisher Rules, Gene Mortensen OGA Executive Director Mark Felder USGA, David Thompson WOGA Executive Director Sheila Dills The Goods Equipment: Mini Driver rage Chip Shots: A Topgolf review, no majors on Oklahoma horizon, Hall of Fame tickets

30 Competition 50 Pro Profile: Michael Boyd 51 Amateur Profile: Ryan Hybl 52 Instruction 54 Fitness 56 Course Renovation Perspective 58 On the Links with Anya Alvarez On the cover

36

Gil Morgan and Bob Dickson are two of the nicest gentlemen you could hope to meet in golf, but also two steely competitors.

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

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August / September 2015 letter from the publisher

Can we borrow a few soccer stars?

Volume 5, Number 4

revealed that most professional women’s Interesting that the United States now soccer players make very little. Alex Morproduces the best women’s soccer players – and team – in the world, while in golf gan is the highest paid on the American team at $400,000. Seventy or so golfers a country with fewer than one-sixth our should make that much on the LPGA Tour population dominates the game.

South Koreans now occupy 20 of the top this year and Park was well over $2 million in early August.

50 spots in the Rolex World Rankings, led Potential earnings, of course, mean

by No. 1 Inbee Park. The U.S., with 318.9 nothing to an excited 5-year-old about million inhabitants compared to Korea’s to play in her first soccer game with her 50.1 million, has 14 golfers in the top 50. friends. Nor should they. Only the rarest This is not a trend that is slowing. of the rare make it to the pros The recent U.S. Junior Girls’ in any sport. College scholarChampionship at Tulsa Counships, on the other hand, are try Club, won by Korean Eun probably easier to achieve in Jeong Seong, was dubbed the golf, though the road there can Asian Open by some observers. also be time consuming and A majority of the players were expensive. Even though there of Asian descent, whether they are fewer opportunities, the live in the United States or numbers game still works in a elsewhere. golfer’s favor.

Seong showed off a game I’ve witnessed the appeal of that is LPGA Tour ready, soccer up close. My daughter though she’s just 15. She drove Eun Jeong Seong played from ages 5 to 17 but the ball straight and 280-plus has rarely touched a golf club despite her yards consistently, had a soft touch with father’s involvement with the game. I’ve her short irons and a great feel on the greens. She pretty much had her way with been on the board of a large local recreational soccer club for nearly 15 years and Tulsa Country Club, not the easiest of layouts if you’ve ever had the good fortune can assure you that the growth is continuing and astounding. to test it.

The big issue is not how many girls take The work ethic, drive and determination up soccer, it’s how soon we make them of the Asian players (and their parents) to choose that as their only sport. When I become great at golf is a phenomenon. Is first became involved, recreational soccer there a combination of physical and cultural attributes leading to this domination? was the only option until age 12. Now the folks involved with competitive soccer are Or are the rest of the world’s best athletes recruiting players as young as 5 or 6 and playing soccer? getting them into “academy” programs with The answer in Tulsa was a few miles indoor options in the summer and winter. away. At the City of Tulsa’s new soccer It’s ridiculous and tawdry, because it’s complex, a national championship for junior competitive teams was taking place about money, not the good of the kids.

Unfortunately, most parents get sucked concurrently with the U.S. Junior. If you right into the trap, not wanting their son wanted to see strong, talented, dedicated, or daughter to fall behind. Many will drop skilled and relentless athletes, there were hundreds of them on display. Most of them out of soccer completely burned out at age 14 or 15, but have learned no other sports play year-round and most of their parents in the interim. have spent the better part of a decade Girls and boys should be encouraged to shelling out thousands of dollars annually try all sports. Soccer is great, but so are to support their daughter’s quest of a colgolf, tennis, softball and basketball. Maybe lege soccer scholarship. the next second-string small college soccer Many of these parents will wind up player would actually be the next Stacy spending two to three times what their daughter receives in financial aid on soccer Lewis if given the opportunity. We’ll never know unless we restore some balance. expenses by the time they reach college.

And the earnings potential after that is – Ken MacLeod virtually nil. After the World Cup, it was

Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 200 Tulsa, OK 74136 918-280-0787

10 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996 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 2015 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.

ROAD TRIP No. 18

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

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www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 11

Oklahoma Golf Association News

Where is the “Nearest Point?”

Where is the “Nearest Point?”

The Rules of Golf were written to provide an efficient way for players to quickly recover when their ball Gene Mortensen has come to rest in an OGA Rules unfriendly place.

Director One of the procedures which facilitate play is the process by which players take relief, without penalty, from conditions such as cart paths, irrigation control boxes, casual water and ground under repair (Rules 24 Obstructions, and 25 -- Abnormal Ground Conditions).

To comply with the Rules the player must perform two steps – first, determine the “nearest point of relief” and, second, drop the ball within one club length of that point. I have been involved with the Rules of Golf since 1993 and I continue to see the blank stare whenever I say, “nearest point” so I am going to review that procedure and attempt to erase any confusion.

12 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

First, where is the “nearest point?”

For purposes of this discussion we’ll talk about a ball on a cart path. All you need to do to determine the nearest point is to take your stance and prepare to play your next stroke with an imaginary ball which lies on a spot as close as possible to where your original ball lies, and which avoids interference from the path.

Once the spot from which you will play the imaginary ball is found, mark it with a tee. The precise location from which the imaginary ball would be played is all important; it is the “nearest point.” Remember, there is only one nearest point. The player does not have other options and does not get to select the side of the path on which to take relief. Take the word, “nearest” at its most precise meaning.

The second step involves using a club to mark one club length. Here, you may use any club in your bag. With one end of the club at the nearest point, mark the other end with another tee. Drop the original ball within the marked (between two tees) area and you’re done. If the ball, when dropped, rolls closer to the hole than

the nearest point, or more than two club lengths from where it struck the course, drop it again. Free relief is also available when your ball lies in a bunker, just remember that the nearest point must be in that same bunker.

I have seen players drop their ball within one club length of where it lies on the path; take one club length from either side of the path; or stand on the path to determine the point from which relief is to be taken. These “procedures” are all wrong. After you start using the correct procedure, you will begin to recognize the nearest point without a great deal of thought and taking relief the correct way will become second nature.

The USGA’s Rules of Golf are your friend and you need to use them for your benefit.

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

From the Executive Director

Still time to enter OGA Club Championship Another great season of competition in the state will be capped Sept. 15 when the OGA State Club Championship is held at the recently renovated Oaks Country Club Mark Felder in Tulsa.

OGA If you haven’t seen Executive the work that AtlantaDirector based architect Bill Bergin did to help polish up this A.W. Tillinghast gem of a golf course, this is an excellent opportunity. The format is three amateurs and a pro or four amateurs and we would like to see as many courses as possible represented this year.

Call us at 405-848-0042 or email for more information.

By the time you’re reading this, action will have concluded at the OGA Stroke Play Championship at Chickasaw Pointe in Kingston on the shores of Lake Texoma. The incredible rainfall totals in May took a heavy toll on our lakeside resorts this year and delayed the opening of the three new golf holes designed by Randy Heckenkemper.

New holes or original design, the OGA appreciates Chickasaw Pointe. We held this event there previously and were on hand for a grand opening back in 1999.

I’m proud to say that the first drink served at Chickasaw Pointe was a scotch I bought for my beloved predecessor Bill Barrett, whom we all still remember with great fondness.

Looking back on July, we had two excellent events, with Brendon Jelley repeating as champion in the State Amateur and Doug Perry of Oklahoma City edging twotime defending champion James Reid in the Senior Stroke Play Championship.

Also since our last issue, Mike Hughett Mike Hughett of Owasso continued to add to his record haul of OGA titles by winning the Senior State Amateur at beautiful Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville. That’s 17 OGA titles for

Mike if you’re counting, which we are.

Going from Oak Tree National to Hillcrest to Chickasha Pointe to Quail Creek, our crew gets a sense of how some of the game’s best architects have used the varied terrain in Oklahoma to create all these vastly different venues that our competitors are fortunate to enjoy. Those differences in course design and condition, not to mention the variables of weather, are part of the timeless appeal of golf. We invite anyone interested in competing in our events or learning more about the OGA to contact us anytime.

Notes: The OGA Foundation awarded $2,000 grants to the families of Lane Wallace, Yugeong Son and Kaitlin Milligan to help with expenses involved with competing in the U.S. Junior and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships. Wallace played in the U.S. Junior Championship in South Carolina while Son and Milligan played in Tulsa. Son was the most successful, advancing to the round of 16.

Our congratulations to all three participants in the national championships.

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www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 13

2015 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at TCC

presented by

Club, volunteers key to successful hosting of USGA event After two years of planning, fundraising and recruiting volunteers, Tulsa Country Club’s host committee was able to see a new champion crowned on David Thompson Saturday, July 25th.

USGA Regional The week’s weather Affairs Committee was challenging for the players, the USGA and host committee. The only constants were the heat and humidity, but even that was softened by cloud cover early in the week.

After the first practice round on Saturday, July 18th, Tulsa Country Club hosted a party for the players and invited guests.

The Tee Town Hoedown featured food, music and fun for all thanks to the hard work of Hospitality Co-Chairs Jennifer Wood and Sandi Litzinger.

When planning for a championship, there are contingencies that you hope never to use like an evacuation plan. However, that plan was activated on Monday, the first day of stroke play, due to lightning

14 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At the in the area. Thanks to the great planning Sunday evening players’ dinner hosted by the evacuation chairmen, Guy Griggs by the USGA, Megan received the Diane and Jason Lee, all players were in their Lewis Award for qualifying for the U.S. evacuation spots in less than 10 minutes.

Girls’ Junior ChamUltimately, after a pionship a record delay of 2 hours and tying seven times.

30 minutes, the girls Yes, that means she were able to resume was only 11 when play and complete she first qualified the first round. because you cannot Speaking of the compete in this first round of stroke championship if play, this was the you have reached 18 first Girls’ Junior years of age.

Championship to After the two have a volunteer rounds of stroke walking scorer play, the field of 156 with each group. was reduced to 64 Bob Soucek headed Eun Jeong Seong from Korea to begin match play up that group and that kicked off on Wednesday morning provided an extra nice experience for the with the first match of top-seed Megan 156 players. facing off against the 64th seed, Shannon After two stroke play rounds, Megan Khang was the low medalist with an 8-un- Brooks. That match ended with Megan winning on the 18th hole, a testament to der par total of 132. Megan was also the the strength of the entire field. low amateur in the recent U.S. Women’s

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Kaitlyn Milligan of Norman

Photo by Bill Powell

Players that continued to win in match play endured two additional matches on

The one consistent thing that I heard Thursday and another two matches on from every volunteer and committee Friday after which there remained only member was how much they enjoyed the two players, Angel Yin from Arcadia, week even though the work was hard and California, and Eun Jeong Seong from the the weather was hot. Many were very Republic of Korea. For their efforts, they surprised by how were rewarded with a 36 good these girls hole final match on Saturplayed. The players day. If you have not been all complimented counting, including two the club, the golf rounds of practice, that course and the city is 11 rounds of golf in 8 of Tulsa saying days, plus thousands of how well they were practice balls and putts. treated.

Displaying endurance We Oklahomans and stamina, Seong was don’t always realthe victor after 34 holes. ize what we have I had mentioned early in until people from the week that the chamother places in the pion would be an athlete, U.S. and around the and Seong proved that to Stroke play medalist Megan Khang world remind us be correct. how good we have it.

Many individuals worked hard this Here’s looking forward to another week including TCC’s president, Blake Bartholomew. From filing ice chest to picking USGA championship in Oklahoma. Nothing is yet on the schedule, but when you up trash, he was undoubtedly the hardest have a good thing like we do, it shouldn’t working club president in the U.S. during take long. that week.

Centennial celebration, state amateur highlight summer It may take another 100 years of women’s amateur golf in Oklahoma before we have another 14-yearold as good as Yujeong Son. The Norman wunderkind continued her Sheila Dills impressive summer by President becoming the first repeat WOGA champion of the WOGA State Amateur Championship since Whitney McAteer in 2010-11.

The week started with our longplanned WOGA Centennial Celebration at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. What a night it was! We were so fortunate that so many past champions, Oklahoma Golf Hall of Famers and other legends of golf in our state took time to attend and the conversation and storytelling were flowing.

For those who could not attend, be sure to check out pictures from the event at www.woga.us. The video presentation at the event will also be online there soon.

From Betsy Cullen to Susie Maxwell Berning to nine-time state champion Patty McGraw-Coatney, the combined titles and experiences in the room were overwhelming. It was a fantastic opportunity for our

young players that attended to meet and learn from the true legends that were in attendance.

Back on the course, WOGA also had a great Junior Girls Championship at Southern Hills Country Club.

Standing from left: Sheila Luginbuel Dills, Betsy Cullen, Yujeong Yujeong won that Son, Whitney McAteer, Amber Duke, LeeAnn Fairlie, Bonnie Hanwon as well, with lin, Amanda Johnson Therell, Leslie Core Drevecky, Ashley Smith, Kaitlin Milligan Johnna Dodson, Linda Brown. Seated from left: Michaela Direnzo, of Norman in Lucy Beeler, Louise Johnson, Susie Maxwell Berning, Patty Coatney, second. Kaitlin, Rachel Preble Poole, Mary Alice Hines Jones. with her power and touch, is going to be a prized collegiate On the other hand, it was Yin’s best match and no telling how far Yejeong could have recruit and had trails of coaches following advanced if the pairings had been slightly her at the U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship at Tulsa Country Club, where she and different.

Yejeong just recently acquired from Ping Yujeong both qualified for match play. her first really good set of golf clubs fit for Yujeong won her first two matches beher swing and she will begin taking profesfore running into Angel Yin, who finished sional instruction soon. With the support as the runner-up. Yin made seven birdies of her family, there is no telling how far and no bogeys in a clinic that showed Yeshe can go in this game and WOGA will be jeong the level of play she’ll have to reach there to support her as best we can. to succeed in major international events. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 15

Goods the

Some things we like to do before and after the round

The Bookshelf

On the road and in your head by tom bedell

As a journalist frequently reporting on golf travel I’ve stocked up on my share of frequent flier miles. But I know quite a few colleagues who have burned through more passports than I ever will. John Steinbreder may lead the pack.

As the author of 19 books and countless articles for the like of Sports Illustrated, Golfweek and now Global Golf Post, Steinbreder has taken his singledigit handicap around the globe. I know he’s at least one continent ahead of me by reading “From Turnberry to Tasmania: Adventures of a Traveling Golfer” (Taylor Trade Publishing, $22.95).

The title is completely accurate. The book begins at St. Andrews and makes

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stops elsewhere in the Old World in the expected golfing grounds of Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales. But he also leaves divots in Portugal, Switzerland and Italy.

Back in the colonies, Steinbreder makes pilgrimages to our usual shrines at Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and Kohler for starters. Then he hunts pins in Nebraska, Colorado, New York, the low country of the Carolinas and both ends of Canada.

And why stop there when there’s golf in Australia, Nicaragua, Columbia, Morocco, Fiji and elsewhere?

Steinbreder is a wonderful traveling companion both here on the page and in real life, and hence my disclaimer: John is a friend. I’ve played more than a few rounds with him in some of the places he writes about here, bellied up to a few of the same bars where we’ve torched a few cigars, and tucked into some of the same voluptuary meals he describes.

So it was something of a relief to not find myself looking back at myself from a tipsy angle on the page, although that’s one of two mild gibes I would level his way. Despite references to playing partners and good company in the many rounds and courses alluded to, there’s little depiction of any social intercourse; the impression is that Steinbreder could have been out playing solo most of the time.

A literary decision, no doubt, to avoid a bulging tome of personal anecdotes. Likewise the exclusion of a single traveling mishap. There’s nary a missed train connection, lost baggage

(or worse, one’s clubs), or a single bad clam. All the meals are great, all the local drinks invigorating, and all the golf with its own distinctive charm.

But these are quibbles. Why include the destinations otherwise? The only serious thing nagging at me and likely to beset other readers is one of the deadly sins: envy.

Better just to enjoy the trip as Steinbreder supplies details of 26 golfing destinations along with worldly cultural, historical, musical and natural allusions. To tamp the wanderlust, it might be best to read the book episodically, while waiting for one’s own passport to be renewed.

The Mindful Golfer Whether you take your game to Turnberry or Tasmania, another old saying prevails — wherever you go, there you are. Meaning that there’s no escape from where your golf is really unfolding. It’s all in your head.

Though he was speaking mainly of

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competitive golf, Bobby Jones had it right for any player when he said that the game takes place, “...mainly on a 5 ½-inch course, the space between your ears.”

Jones was not a Buddhist, but Steven Altschuler would probably give him a free meditation mat for the sentiment.

The latter’s new book, “The Mindful Golfer” (Skyhorse Publishing, $24.99) is all about the game as it’s played on that 5 1/2-inch course.

Altschuler is a student of Buddhism, a mental health counselor and a long-time golfer. He combines all of that experience and his writing talents here to try and help us be better golfers and, hey, while we’re at it, better human beings.

The subtitle is “How to Lower Your Handicap While Raising Your Consciousness,” which may immediately sound intimidating to some. Have no worries.

There’s no need here for renunciation or sackcloth and ashes.

Altschuler is certainly trying to help golfers get in a better frame of mind using Buddhist constructs, but he manages to do this with the greatest good humor and a complete lack of cant, as this one brief passage might suggest: “...the [golf] course is not only a place of fun and relaxation but also a place of high drama.

And you’d better have your proverbial shit together if you want to come out of the experience with any modicum of self-respect and pride.”

Altschuler was once a good enough golfer to consider turning pro, but another life path was (maybe) preordained for him. Anyway, his game suffered. But that only underlined one of Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths: “...all human beings suffer, a truth felt all too often during any given round of the great game.”

One merely need consider the muffed chip: “There is usually a deep silence after such a disastrous shot, a silence that almost resonates through the cosmos.

The black hole of the flubbed chip, sucking all into its vortex. Beings light years away turn their heads toward that silence, noticing the faint gasp of pain uttered by its source.”

Altschuler is equally eloquent about the shank, but it’s not all bad news. He also reveals golf to be a game of elation, and suggests ways for the everyday golfer to approach a mental state more open to success than failure.

The book is more instructive than instruction, essays on being more aware, more present, less attached to the outcome of shots. It’s not necessarily material we haven’t seen before from other golf psychologists and counselors. But it is packed with plenty of examples from the author’s own travails and the trials

and triumphs of touring pros, written in an engaging and anecdotal style. And for that, Altschuler earns the sound of two hands clapping.

Tom Bedell has happily found fortune and misfortune on golf courses for many years.

ROMEO Añejo by Romeo y Julieta by dylan morgan

Like in the game of golf when wanting to improve your game you change your putting stance, weaken or strengthen your grip, or buy new clubs. As for Altadis, in the cigar business, they came out with another cigar!

The newest addition to the Altadis ROMEO by Romeo y Julieta line is the, ROMEO Añejo by Romeo y Julieta.

The cigar was launched at the beginning of the year with a solid following.

The ROMEO Añejo features a Connecticut Broadleaf 2010 Vintage wrapper, Domini-

can Olor 2008 Vintage binder, and filler from Nicaraguan and Honduran 2009 Vintage.

When you smoke this cigar you will find subtle hints of rich and robust coffee and dark chocolate.

This is a great cigar from start to finish and can be enjoyed on all golf courses.

Before you hit the course stop by ZT Cigars at 2726 W. Britton Rd. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 and pick up a few to enjoy.

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

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

www.ztcigars.com 2726 W Britton Rd (800) 340-3007 Oklahoma City, OK 73120 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 17

EQUIPMENT

So what the heck is a Mini Driver? by ed travis

There’s a new category of clubs called “mini driver” but hardly anyone is talking about it though they do offer some distinct benefits.

A mini driver, as the name implies, is meant for use from the tee, but the head size is about half of a typical driver’s and the shaft is 1½ - to - 2 inches shorter.

Mini drivers can also be hit from the fairway taking the place of a traditional 3-wood.

There’s also a bit of Déjà vu as mini drivers are close in size to the clubs that started the conversion from persimmon club heads to metal. Best known (but not the first) was the Pittsburgh Persimmon from TaylorMade Golf introduced in 1979.

It was slow gaining traction with golfers until Ron Streck won the PGA Tour’s Michelob-Houston Open in 1981 and then it seemed like everyone had to have one.

The clubhead was stainless steel and what we would say was tiny in size, about the

18 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

same as a 5-wood today.

In 1991, Callaway Golf took the next step forward with the Big Bertha driver. Though also made from stainless steel rather than titanium as modern drivers are, its 190cc head size was a radical departure being much larger than the thenstandard size. Big Bertha was the impetus and the conversion to drivers with large metal heads became a stampede.

As the technology advanced, drivers became lighter, more forgiving and with faces that had lots of spring to them, like a trampoline which meant big gains in distance for professionals and amateurs alike. Titanium metal club heads of 460cc with movable weights and hosel adjustments to customize ball flight tendencies,

Callaway Bertha Mini 1.5

mounted on graphite shafts weighing as little as 50 grams, are now the standard.

The mini driver story, though, really revolves around being able to produce more distance by reducing spin, particularly off the tee, along with increasing ball speed from faces with higher coefficient of restitution. In other words, using the same technology

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developed for drivers in a 3-wood with a much larger clubhead which moves the mini’s performance beyond a typical 3-wood and closer to that of a driver.

For players having trouble hitting a driver straight (and in the short grass) or for those wanting to max-out their distance from the fairway (reach those par-5s) the mini driver is finding a lot of fans.

Callaway Golf and TaylorMade Golf have mini drivers on the market but with players finding they often get two clubs in one, expect other makers to soon have their own models.

The Callaway Bertha Mini 1.5 has a 235cc clubhead and 44-inch shaft that the company says is for “high swing speed players and low swing speed players alike.” Since the head is 35 percent larger than a typical 3-wood such as Callaway’s XR Fairway, the resistance to twisting is higher and the forged clubface construction helps with lower spin off the tee. Add the 2-inch shorter shaft for more control and the Mini 1.5 gives tee shots combining of distance and accuracy.

From the fairway, higher swing speed

players can take advantage of the cambered sole and the confidence-inspiring head size.

The clubhead of TaylorMade’s AeroBurner Mini Driver is 253cc and the stock shaft comes at 43.5 inches -- 2¼ inches less than the AeroBurner driver--and three lofts are available. The head has a new “slippery” shape and the crown is raised in the center plus something unique to help you swing it faster by reducing aerodynamic drag during the downswing -- a fin on the hosel.

The sweet spot TaylorMade has been made larger AeroBurner by not only making Mini Driver the clubface some-

what bigger than the SLDR model of last year but by increasing the size of the sole slot behind the clubface, what TMaG calls the “Speed Pocket.”

The combination of a larger sweet spot (more forgiveness) and the wider sole channel (which helps to reduce spin) make the AeroBurner Mini a potent choice.

The stock shaft in the standard AeroBurner Mini is the lightweight Matrix Speed RUL-Z 60 and the TP model comes with the Matrix Ozik White Tie 70x4.

The standard model has three loft options—12 degrees, 14 degrees and 16 degrees — and retails for $279 while the TP (either 12 degrees or 14 degrees and 2 degrees flatter lie) is $349.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 19

Chip shots

News from around the state Sponsored by

Oklahoma Tulsa Toll Fr

coach Mike McGraw, professional Tim McGraw and Oklahoma Golf Hall of Famer Patty McGraw Coatney, along with four other siblings.

Cuzalina was responsible for much of the tournament’s early flavor. He had strong Las Vegas connections, including a friendship with Carl Cohen, the general manager of The Sands Casino, one of the favorite hangouts for Frank Sinatra and his cronies.

Tim McGraw was a 9-year-old serving as Cohen’s forecaddie, which basically meant driving around in the cart listening to Cohen spin stories. On the 11th hole, a man ran out and talked rapidly to Cohen, who raced off to the clubhouse.

Cohen had just learned that Sinatra had run up a $500,000 gambling debt at The Sands, then basically gone crazy, driving a golf cart into a glass entryway, trying to light the drapes on fire and jumping onto a blackjack table cursing and raging.

Cohen flew back to settle him down, but, according to a new book by Paul Anka, as the two sat down to talk, Sinatra pulled a tablecloth away, spilling hot coffee into Cohen’s lap.

justicegolf.com

Can you say politically incorrect? But how about the pants!

Still going strong Cherokee Strip celebrates colorful past while improving for future Huston are working hard to make sure The Cherokee Strip remains the most fun three-day event in the country while The Cherokee Strip, held every fall at retaining as much of its historical flair as Ponca City Country Club, is the longest possible. continuous running pro-am in the counFunds raised by the Cherokee Strip go try. In the 53 years since the first event to benefit the residents of the Opportuwas held in 1962, it certainly has cenity Center in Ponca mented its reputation as City, which provides one of the most colorful housing and services events of its kind. for the developmentally In its early years, the disabled. Kinsinger Cherokee Strip was has a personal stake in noted for garish golf making sure that work attire, stag parties, slot continues. His younger machines, poker and brother, Tim, had dice. Las Vegas crooners Down Syndrome and and movie stars enterwas 37 when he passed tained and top PGA away at the center. His Tour talent showed wife’s brother, Cleve, up to play. Revelers in was also a resident and formal attire staggered passed away this sumout of the clubhouse in mer. the wee hours to catch The tournament an hour nap before the was the brainchild of golf, and the hair-ofmembers T.J. Cuzalina the-dog tonic, began and Dee Sims. It was again.

Ponca City professional Gervis established by thenThankfully or regretMcGraw, there at the start. professional Gervis fully, depending on McGraw, legendary Oklahoma golf figure your perspective, the old days are gone, but organizers David Kinsinger and Chip and father to former OSU and now Baylor by ken macleod

20 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Many celebrities participated in the Cherokee Strip Golf Classic. Chris Gers, Ardmore was made an Indian Chief after winning the $1,500 first place for professionals. He is flanked here by movie star Jim Garner and his Brother, Jack Garner, Norman pro.

Cohen responded with a punch that knocked Sinatra’s dental caps out of his mouth. Sinatra later tried to get his mob friends to put out a hit on Cohen, but found out Cohen was closer to the good fellas then Sinatra ever was, the book said.

Cohen helped entertainers such as Don

ONLINE: Get the latest news on Oklahoma golf at

golfoklahoma.org

bag including the one someone mistakenly it’s structured now we put in there just prior to the round. Holder have a lot of events to get took his penalty, went on to make eight the spouses involved. That takes a lot of pressure off the birdies and won anyway.

There are still parties and casino guys.” nights at Ponca City CC each night and Kinsinger, a patent attorney who is also a talented those who enjoy a cocktail will never be magician and mentalist, has thirsty. The tournament format is still a helped transform The Cher- five-man team with four amateurs and a pro, usually an area okee Strip by PGA professional or adding a golf a mini-tour player on tournament for his way up. Rhein non-contesGibson of Edmond, tants, as well now on the Web.com as “so many Tour, won the pro activities for division the past two the wives or years. dates that it’s The event has off the charts.” room for 46 teams Some of those and after a few include wineThe ladies had their fun as well. down years followtasting, dance ing Ponca City’s instruction, golf instruction, Cherry and Louis Prima find their way to adjustment to losing mixology classes and more.

Ponca City. Among the pros who visited many of its upscale “David is a really talented were Ray Floyd, Jimmy Demaret, Doug jobs when Conoco guy and deserves a lot of Sanders, Dave Hill, George Archer and Phillips transferred credit for bringing back The other colorful sharpies. James Garner to Bartlesville, it has Strip,” Tim McGraw said. played at least one year. Governors and rebounded by bring“It had kind of faded away other heavyweight political figures were A young Mike McGraw. ing in more visiting and there was talk about four to be seen. teams from across the state. years ago of ending it. Now it’s going to Kinsinger, Mike and Tim McGraw and Huston, a Tulsa Country Club member have a waiting list again.”

J.B. Hron, grandson of Cuzalina, were and former assistant golf coach at the Bob Tway won the event three conamong the generation of boys who grew University of Houston, has been a boon to secutive years (1981-83) Kinsinger in his effort to revive the event. as his career was starting. Talented OSU-ex Jeff McMillian has won the event six times and Craig Poet four times.

Tim Graves is a threetime champ while Oak Tree and Landmark founder Ernie Vossler was a two-time champion (1966, 1970).

When Mike Holder won in 1976, his caddie was a young Mike McMike Holder, far right, was a Cherokee Strip champion.

Graw. On the first green, Holder asked for his putter and McGraw up in Ponca City and caddied at the event pulled a putter from the bag and handed as youngsters, hearing and learning a bit Bob Tway was a three-time champ it to him. more than they should have.

“Chip has been fantastic,” Kinsinger “What’s this,” Holder said, affixing “There are a lot of stories we could said. “He’s very clever and has a lot of McGraw with his inimitable stare. tell, but probably shouldn’t,” said Hron, great ideas and can make things work.

“Your putter?” who later became one of the finer play“Not my putter,” Holder said. “I’ve never Anyone who participates will have a ers in Ponca City and whose son, John, is fantastic time.” seen it before.” now an assistant professional at Hillcrest Just like old times.

Turns out there were two putters in the Country Club in Bartlesville. “The way www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 21

Chip shots

We check out Topgolf and yes, it's a hoot review by greg horton

Before telling you why Topgolf is just about as great as advertised, there is one caveat.

The newly opened Oklahoma City Topgolf is busy on weekend evenings. Not like a restaurant where you might need to wait a half-hour for a table busy, but three-to-four-hour waits busy.

It is possible that we just went twice on high-volume nights, but we went back on a Wednesday night, and still had a brief wait — less than an hour, as it worked out.

There are two possible solutions for anyone who wants to go on a Friday or Saturday evening: wait like everyone else or spend $50 to get a one-time use priority pass, an expensive way to get your name to the top of the list on the day and time of your choice. No one in our party had one, so we went with option one. As everyone in our group was an adult, we

22 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

were able to easily pass the time in Topgolf’s bar. This would be a more complex issue if a family with young children is waiting.

With that important exception, Topgolf is quite frankly a fantastic night (or Expect a crowd and a wait, particularly on weekends. afternoon) out, especially Just looking around, the crowd seemed for groups of friends. The nearly evenly distributed between males company spends a great deal of its marand females, too. There is a separate play keting money assuring non-golfers that area for kids, so the presence of families its games are fun for everyone. Based on with small children is no surprise. the experiences of two non-golfers in our One of the questions the experienced group, the marketing is correct. Both had golfers in our group had before arriving was fun once we gave them minor pointers on whether the games would be good for their swing mechanics. actual golf game. That, too, was a yes. The Topgolf is really an entertainment combays look out on a driving range pocked plex. As such, there are people of nearly with circular targets of various sizes and every age there. While the weekend crowd did skew toward the 20- and 30-somethings colors set up at distances from 20 to 240 in groups of four or more, there were plenty yards. The large yellow target is subdivided of families, couples, and middle-aged adults. into sectors, so experienced golfers really

can work on distance and accuracy, but here, too, a caveat is necessary.

The company allows you to bring your own clubs, and if you are going for a midmorning or early afternoon outing, that is probably more convenient than our experience. No one in our party brought their own clubs, and we were pretty happy for it. Since we were looking for a night out and not a golf workout, not having to lug a bag around or keep track of it during our wait and after we finished playing — we weren’t finished drinking — freed us all to just enjoy the games.

Topgolf provides clubs for everyone, and while they are not the best quality, they are certainly more than adequate for the games.

As for the games themselves, we chose the signature game and the scramble. The latter worked best for our non-golfers since only the best score on a ball is added to the team’s score. The experienced golfers really did prefer the TopGolf signature game, but again, it was a fun evening, not a tournament. While in the bays, you can choose any of the games, as the cost is per bay per hour, not per game.

Everyone in the party has to have a

membership card to play — something we wished we had known before arriving. The sign-up process is simple, and a one-time use card is only $5.

However, you can purchase this online anytime in advance of going to Topgolf. Depending on Golfers enjoy the games at OKC’s Topgolf. the time of day, the bays are $20 about the whole experience was the bar, or $40 per hour. We were there after 6 p.m., specifically the beer selection. A company so we were paying $40. Split among six that spends as much money and energy people, it did not feel expensive. on a stress-free customer experience as The evening starts to get more expenTopgolf does should not abandon their sive if you eat and drink at Topgolf. The excellent standards when it comes to the food is not expensive; in fact, the prices core of the bar experience. Ignoring good are comparable to chain restaurants of similar quality. Our group ordered burgers craft beers from around the country in favor of fair to poor macrobrews seems and flatbread sandwiches. A server is proa terrible oversight. The cocktails were vided for the bay, and the young woman who took care of our group was attentive, good if tending toward the sweet end of helpful, patient and efficient. She really did the spectrum, and the wine list, while not excellent, is diverse enough that any wine improve our overall experience. The food was good, but it is not likely that someone fan can find something to order.

Those complaints were very minor in the would choose to go to Topgolf because of the food. However, given the volume they course of the entire evening. After we left, the final judgment was clearly in favor of do and the prices, we felt that the food Topgolf, since we all started looking at our more than met our expectations. schedules to see when we can do it again.

Other than the wait, the only off note

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www.LaFortuneParkGolf.com www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 23

Chip shots

Hall of Fame banquet tickets on sale now

Charlie Coe

Bob Dickson

Sponsor tables and individual seating for the first Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are now on sale at www.oklahomagolfhof.org.

The banquet is Oct. 25 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a social hour, followed by a three-course dinner at 7 p.m. and the presentation of the inductees at 8 p.m.

The first class consists of Gil Morgan, Mike Holder, Bob Dickson, Charlie Coe, Perry Maxwell and Bill Spiller. Also

24 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Mike Holder

Perry Maxwell

recognized will be the members of the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame who are being moved into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame following a successful merger .

Sponsor tables are $2,000 and include seating for eight guests, recognition in the program, recognition on www.oklahomagolfhof.org, recognition on video and signage at the event and priority seating.

Individual seating can be purchased for $150 per seat while available. Both sponsor tables and individual seats can

Gil Morgan

Bill Spiller

be purchased through www.oklahomagolfhof.org. For those who prefer to pay by check, please print out the reservation form on the website and mail the form and check to: Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 200 Tulsa, OK 74136.

The Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame was formed in 2014. Everett Dobson, owner of Oak Tree National, is the chairman, while the board consists of leaders of all major golf groups in Oklahoma, including the OGA, WOGA, USGA and PGA.

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Next major in Oklahoma still a long ways off If Southern Hills Country Club or Oak Tree National are in line for another major golf championship, it will not be until at least 2023.

The USGA awarded the 2022, 2023 and 2024 U.S. Open Championships to The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club and Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., respectively.

Southern Hills hosted its third U.S. Open in 2001 and optimism was high when the U.S. Amateur was held there in

2009 that a fourth U.S. Open announcement was imminent, but that has since faded with nothing but silence from the ruling body of U.S. golf.

Southern Hills first hosted the U.S. Open in 1958 and again in 1977. A 24year stretch before the next Open in 2001 shows that the USGA could come back but just take its time in doing so.

Southern Hills has also hosted the PGA Championship in 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2007. Communications with the PGA of America were basically on hold while

Southern Hills courted its fourth Open, but those have recently been reestablished and now it seems just as likely that Southern Hills will have a fifth PGA Championship before a fourth U.S. Open.

The PGA Championship is booked through 2023, just one year less than the U.S. Open. Oak Tree National, the other venue in the state interested in pursuing major championships, held a successful U.S. Senior Open in 2014 and a successful Senior PGA Championship in 2007, in addition to the 1988 PGA Championship.

Play Southern Hills for benefit of First Tee Your opportunity to play golf at Southern Hills Country Club on a beautiful fall afternoon while benefitting the First Tee of Tulsa is here.

The 13th Annual First Tee of Tulsa Charitable Golf Tournament is scheduled Oct. 12. The event includes prizes, lunch, snacks, tee favors and awards.

A single can play for $475 or a host of corporate sponsorship opportunities are available.

Janice Gibson and the First Tee of Tulsa have reached tens of thousands of children in the Tulsa area since the program was founded in 1999. The headquarters, range and nine-hole golf course is located at Mohawk Park in north Tulsa, with a satellite program established at Page Belcher Golf Course in West Tulsa in 2015. The program also visits area schools and youth centers, teaching the game and instilling positive values such as honesty, integrity, self-disci-

pline, perseverance and sports- manship.

Past events have raised more than $985,000 to benefit Tulsa children of all diversities and social strata. All proceeds will directly benefit programming for The First Tee of Tulsa. The tournament will be in a shamble format with shotgun starts at 8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. For more information or to register, call Nancy Acton at Southern Hills, 918-477-5274 or email NActon@southernhillscc.org.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 25

Chip shots

PGA Hope brightens outlook for vets, others through golf by scott wright

OKLAHOMA CITY — In a 30-minute span, Jim Young gave putting tips to a golfer who began playing the game more than 50 years ago; a first-timer who was trying to rein in her power softball swing for the touch needed on the greens; and players at all experience levels in between.

And neither the players nor Young ever stopped smiling through the process.

That’s what makes the PGA HOPE program so unique.

The players receiving instruction from Young and other PGA teaching professionals would love to take a few strokes off their game, or just learn enough to go play nine holes.

Jim Young, right, works Whatever with veteran Phillip Dalton. the motivation, PGA HOPE is about having fun.

PGA HOPE, is a national program created by the PGA of America under the umbrella of its PGA Reach charitable initiative, designed to positively impact the lives of military veterans, youth and diverse populations through golf.

The branch of the program for military veterans, PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), launched its Oklahoma City clinic in July, providing an opportunity for veterans to keep active and pick up some golf tips.

“It’s designed to bring golf to veterans who might need it, specifically for the therapeutic benefits, in particular, those who are undergoing rehabilitation or suffering from post-traumatic stress,” said Young, who teaches at River Oaks Golf Club in Edmond. “In a roundabout fashion, we got in touch with Stacy Lawton at the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs 26 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

the point where they can play at least nine holes.

“We want to get them out on the course, and get them active through golf,” Lawton said. “It also provides some social activity, so they can go out to play golf with their friends if they want.”

Players were able to go to the driving range for the first day of the clinic, but rain kept them inside for the second session. For that, Young and his partners used a variety of indoor methods for working

Medical Center.

“She’s in charge of the adaptive sports program, and she’s the one who helped us find all of our participants, and it has taken off from there.”

Young joined up with Scott Donovan, the golf professional at the Tinker Air Force Base course, and Jim Broughton, the course’s general manager and superintendent. They paired with Lawton and her staff at the VA medical center to put the program together.

“We went to an adaptive golf clinic in San Antonio and learned how to adapt golf for veterans with different capabilities,” said Lawton, a certified therapeutic recreation specialist at the VA medical center.

“We have a great variety of people taking part in the Program director Stacy Lawton with veteran Chris Seegal. on the short game, including putting mats clinic. We have some who are paraplegic. and SNAG (Starting New At Golf) equipWe have one gentleman who is an amputee. We have several with musculoskeletal ment, which uses oversized plastic clubs and tennis balls to work on the basics of issues in their back or hips or knees.” the chipping and putting motions.

Lawton has two other therapeutic recTwo more clinics will be held in August, reation specialists, Sarah Sands and Sandy and two more in September, but beyond Bond, helping organize the events and gather participants. The long-term goal of that, Young would love to see it carry even farther. the program is to get the participants to

Put Patriot Golf Day on your calendar, Sept. 4-7 Labor Day Weekend, a great time to play golf and make a contribution to help the families of our armed servicemen and women at the same time.

There’s never an easier time to do so than during Patriot Golf Day, held Sept.

4-7 over Labor Day weekend at thousands of courses nationwide.

The original fund-raising vehicle for the Folds of Honor Foundation based at The Patriot in Owasso is back for its ninth season. Last year Patriot Golf Day raised more than $5.4 million. In late July, the Folds of Honor sent out scholarship notifications to 2,500 recipients for the 2015-16 school year. That brought the number of total recipients to more than 10,000 since 2007.

Dierks Bentley, David Feherty and Kid Rock at Patriot Golf Day in Owasso.

Courses that participate in Patriot Golf Day will be listed on www.foldsofhonor. org closer to the event. The website is also a great place to make a donation if your course doesn’t have a program or you can’t play that weekend.

Chip shots “We’ll just see how far we can take it,” he said. “We might take it into the fall or even into the winter. This is our first goround with the program. We’ll just have to see where it goes from here.”

Many of the participants are trying golf for the first time, or have been away from the sport for several years because of their physical limitations. The PGA HOPE program provides a stress-free venue for them to enjoy the game.

“I can’t stand up long enough to go to the driving range,” said Jim Sanders, 66, who is retired from the Army. “I’ve tried, but I can’t do it. So this is fun, because we’re here with people who aren’t taking it too seriously.

“The guys I used to play with all the time, that’s why they liked playing with me — because I have fun.”

Sanders has taken advantage of another golf program offered by Veterans Affairs, known as the National Veterans TEE (Training Exposure Experience) Tournament, an annual golf event held in Iowa.

“That’s a great week. It’s all golf,” Sanders said. “They have instruction for you, and they have people to help you. When I got back into playing, I couldn’t tee the

28 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

ball up, so I had someone ride around with me to tee the ball up, or pick it up out of the hole.”

Veteran Michael Wells takes aim.

Many of Sanders’ playing partners in the PGA HOPE program are only beginning with the game, but he is channeling five decades of golf passion when he arrives for the clinic.

His first experience with golf was at Trosper Park Golf Course in Del City, where he worked as a caddie at 13 years old.

“I was there the day they brought carts in. Helped them get ‘em off the truck,” Sanders said. “They kept 10 of us around after that, because some people still wanted caddies.”

He can only stand up long enough to hit a few shots at a time at the clinic, before returning to his motorized wheelchair.

But the smile hardly ever leaves his face.

“It’s a blast for all of us,” Young said.

“The participants seem very grateful to have us there, which is very nice. But on the other hand, we’re grateful for the opportunity to help. If you’re in the position most golf pros are in, you’re not given the opportunity to do a whole lot for veterans groups or anything outside the realm of what you’re working on at your own golf course — at least not as often as you like.

“You can do junior golf benefits or charity fundraiser tournaments, but it’s not the same as actually working with people in this rehabilitation-type capacity. They seem to really enjoy themselves, which makes it even more fun.”

䄀 刀攀愀氀氀礀 一椀挀攀 䘀椀渀椀猀栀椀渀最 䠀漀氀攀

䰀愀渀搀猀挀愀瀀椀渀最 伀甀琀搀漀漀爀 䬀椀琀挀栀攀渀猀 䘀椀爀攀瀀椀琀猀 ☀ 䄀爀戀漀爀猀

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吀唀䰀匀䄀

圀椀渀渀攀爀 漀昀 琀栀攀 刀攀愀搀攀爀ᤠ猀 䌀栀漀椀挀攀 䄀眀愀爀搀 㤀㄀㠀ⴀ㈀㔀㠀ⴀ㐀㔀㈀㔀 ㄀㄀ 匀琀爀愀椀最栀琀 夀攀愀爀猀℀

眀眀眀⸀䈀氀甀攀䠀愀瘀攀渀吀甀氀猀愀⸀挀漀洀 www.golfoklahoma.org

•••••• 29

VOLKSWAGEN OF EDMOND

Son dominant in state, fares well in national event as well by ken macleod

OKLAHOMA CITY - We know how good Yujeong Son is now. How good will she become over the course of her high school career?

Son cruised to both the WOGA Junior and WOGA State Amateur titles this summer, repeating in both events She trailed only in her final match of the State Amateur against Megan Blonien, who birdied the first two holes.

Son was only recently fit for a set of top notch golf clubs and will begin taking professional instruction soon. She has a great work ethic, knows what she needs to improve and is eager to do so.

She acquitted herself extremely well in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Tulsa Country Club, losing in the round of 16 to eventual runnerup Angel Yin. Son didn’t crack – she was 2-under through 15 holes. It was just that Yin

30 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

made seven birdies and no bogeys, showing Son a level she hadn’t experienced before in competition but will “Angel was just on fire that round and there wasn’t much I coiuld do,” Son said. ‘I hope to be able to play like that one day.”

She will, and it probably won’t be too long either. She was off to the PGA Junior Championship after capturing her second consecutive state amateur.

WOGA State Amateur: Blonien, the former four-time Class 5A state champion from Altus looked like she might give the 14-year-old prodigy from Norman her first serious scare of the championship.

But after opening birdie-birdie, Blonien made bogey or worse on the next six holes. By the time she righted the ship with a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole, Son had claimed a four-up lead with a series of steady pars.

Yujeong Son

Photo by Bill Powell

Son went on to a 5 and 3 victory, claiming the title for the second consecutive year.

“I didn’t worry too much when she made those two birdies, because there’s nothing I can do about it.” Son said. “My game plan today was to play boring golf, make a lot of pars and if a birdie putt fell in, then great. It worked out in the end.”

“I hit some really good shots today but also some really bad shots,” Blonien said.

Blonien’s appearance in the final was an emotional victory in itself. She recently announced she was transferring from Oklahoma State to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers after three tough years in Stillwater. Her father died of a rare form of cancer in 2013 and Blonien never earned her way into the lineup for the Cowgirls after her dominant high school and junior career.

Blonien hasn’t given up on herself and still has the self-belief that all great golfers must.

“My high school coach was here today and she said that it takes some used to getting back in this position to win a golf tournament,” Blonien said. “I still know I can play. I’m grateful to be going

to Florida Gulf Coast University with two years of eligibility left and looking forward to this fall.”

The most consecutive titles won was

by Oklahoma Golf Hall of Famer Pat Grant, who won four consecutive from 1939-42 and then, after no tournaments were held from 1943-45, won it again in 1946. The record for the most titles is nine by Patty McGraw Coatney. It is expected that Son will be long gone to the LPGA Tour before she gets close to that, but Grant’s record could be in jeopardy before she finishes high school. She will be a freshman this fall.

WOGA Junior: Son followed a 3-under 69 with a 2-over 74 for a 1-under 143 at Southern Hills Country Club to win by seven shots over Kaitlin Milligan, who will be a junior at Norman North.

Milligan bounced back from an opening 78 with the day’s low round of even-par 72 to finish at 6-over 150. Sydney Youngblood of Durant took third at 153 (74-79) followed by Taylor Dobson of Broken Arrow at 155 (73-82).

State Amateur runnerup Megan Blonien

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 31

COMPETITION

Jelley repeats as OGA State Amateur Champion by ken macleod

EDMOND - Brendon Jelley added to an impressive list of recent accomplishments

by Oklahoma State golfers by winning his second consecutive Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur Championship.

His 3 and 2 victory over Jeff Coffman at Oak Tree National made Jelley the first back-to-back champion since Joe Nick of Okmulgee in 1992 and 1993.

Jelley, 20, lives in Tulsa, attended Jenks High School and is entering his redshirt sophomore season at OSU. His father Steve Jelley, who taught him the game at an early age, served as his caddie as he did a year ago when Jelley won at The Patriot in Owasso.

“This means a lot to me,” Jelley said.

“I’ve had a rough time personally the past few weeks and this helps.”

Coffman, an Oklahoma City businessman who is a member of nearby Gaillardia Country Club, gave Jelley all he could handle early. After Jelley birdied the first hole, Coffman birdied three of the next five on the renowned Pete Dye layout to

32 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

short irons, but Jelley had too much of an grab a 1-up lead. advantage off the tee on the longer par 4s.

“Jeff is a great player,” Jelley said. “My He now drives the ball 300 yards consisgame plan was just to come out and make tently and can easily move it out in the pars and usually that’s good enough to win 320-yard range. a lot of holes on Oak Tree. Jeff was hitting Coffman pointed to the everything close early and par-4 10th hole as the turning making birdies. My hope was point from his perspective. He to get to the back nine even or was facing a 15-foot birdie putt better as that has been the betwhile Jelley was 65 yards short ter nine for me all week.” of the pin in two shots after This match began to swing driving into a bunker. But Jelley back Jelley’s way on the par-4 hit a pitch that sizzled to a stop seventh. With Coffman faceight inches from the cup and ing a mid-range putt for par, escaped with a half when CoffJelley made a soft pitch in for man missed his birdie. birdie from below the green “I caught that one just right right with the pin tucked near and it bounced twice and the right edge. That evened stopped,” Jelley said. “Somethe match. times a good up-and-down can “That was definitely the Brendon Jelley be just as important as a birdie.” turning point in the match,” “I played good early and just had a few Jelley said. “He had about 10 feet for par loose tee shots,” Coffman said. “Brendon and I had a tricky up and down. I was doesn’t miss a shot. I knew I would have to lucky to hit the pin there. That was a big make a lot of birdies because he’s not going momentum swing.” to give you anything.”

Coffman remained accurate with his

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TCC and volunteers stand tall in Girls' Junior TULSA, Okla. - The latest of 23 USGA events to be held in Oklahoma was a great success according to organizers, participants and the USGA. Now the question is, what will be the 24th?

“It went very well from our perspective and from the USGA’s,” said David Thompson, general chairman of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship which wrapped up July 25 with Eun Jeong Seong, of the Republic of Korea, defeating Angel Yin of Arcadia, Calif., 3 and 2 in the 36-hole championship match.

Yes it was hot, which is to be expected for any tournament scheduled for late July in Oklahoma. But rains and cloud cover early in the week gave the participants a break. Only those who made it to Friday’s play had to deal with extreme heat for an extensive period.

Tulsa Country Club certainly put itself in line for future USGA events with the way officials and members, led by Thompson and Lew Erickson, prepared diligently. What would that event be?

Well, the U.S. Women’s Open has moved

Angel Yin and Eun Jeong Seong

to early June, so that would be great from a weather standpoint. TCC would have to expand its practice facilities.

The course, which played too short for the power games demonstrated by the juniors, would cerainly provide a great test set up properly.

Superintendent Brady Finton, his staff and the volunteers who came in for the week deserve kudos for the excellent condition that TCC was in. Finding the proper setup was a delicate procedure for the USGA, which had 11-year-olds in the field but also girls who could easily hit tee shots 285 yards and push it out to 295. That turned most of the par-4s into wedges and had some girls winning matches with seven to 10 birdies.

The two Oklahoma participants in the event performed very well. Kaitlin Milligan and Yejeong Son, both of Norman, both shot 5-over in qualifying and moved on to match play. Milligan lost her firstround match in 19 holes, while Son won two matches and advanced to the round of 16 before losing to Yin 5 and 3.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 33

COMPETITION

Perry wins OGA Senior Stroke Play in playoff Ronny Roberts defeating John Reese on the opening hole of the playoff.

by scott wright

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Doug Perry plays frequently in the Oklahoma Golf Association senior championships every year, but he had never walked away with the big trophy.

Starting the second round of the OGA Senior Stroke Play Championship five shots back in fourth place, he didn’t expect first win, either.

However, with a two-putt par on the first playoff hole, the 60-year-old Perry topped two-time defending champion James Reid for the title at Quail Creek Country Club.

Reid had to make a par save from the bunker on the 18th hole to match Perry’s two-round total of 147 (75-72) and force extra holes. Yet the playoff was nearly over as soon as it started.

Reid, who has won 10 total OGA events, hooked his tee shot on the No. 1 hole far left into the trees, and near the out-of-bounds stakes. His second and third shots hit trees, while Perry knocked

34 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Boyd shoots 31 on front nine, rolls to Section Match Play title

Champion Doug Perry, right, and runnerup James Reid, left his second shot inside of 15 feet, leaving him with an easy two-putt for the win.

“I had some idea where I stood, and I was proud to be able to execute when I knew the tournament was kind of on the line,” said Perry, a member of Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City.

“This is probably one of the highlights of my golfing career.”

The Super Senior Championship also needed an extra hole to be decided, with

Michael Boyd shot 31 on the front nine and rode a hot putter to an easy 7 and 6 victory over Tracy Phillips in the twice-postponed final match of the PGA South Central Section Match Play Championship at Forest Ridge Golf Club.

Heavy rains in Broken Arrow had twice put off the meeting between the 2014 Section Player of the Year in Boyd and senior Player of the Year in Phillips.

Michael Boyd Phillips recently won the senior match play championship, but couldn’t get much going Sunday while Boyd made putts from everywhere.

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Hughett wins record 17th OGA Championship by ken macleod

BARTLESVILLE - It’s a good thing Oklahoma is launching a golf Hall of Fame this year. Somewhere down the line, it may be the only appropriate way to honor what Mike Hughett continues to accomplish.

The 56-yearold Owasso golfer made room on his office trophy shelf for the 16th OGA plate that Mike Hughett with recognizes the the OGA Senior State champion of a Amateur Championship state amateur trophy championship.

This one came after a 5 and 4 victory over nemesis Kirk Wright of Oklahoma City

“There were times this week when my in the championship match of the OGA game was not very good, but I hung in Senior State Amateur Championship at there and ground out a Hillcrest Country couple of wins, which Club. you have to do in match It was actually play. This is one I really Hughett’s record wanted to win again and 17th OGA title (he it meant a lot.” received a silver Played in a light rain on tea set one year for a soaked course, the final winning the Stroke match was fortunate to Play championship). be played at all and a tesAnd, coming after tament to superintendent losses to Wright in Matt Wilson and his crew the finals in 2013 that the course played and the semifinals Hughett is running out of room with as well as it did. The in 2014 in this event 16 OGA plates on his mantle. tree-lined fairways on and no championthe beautiful Perry Maxwell layout require ships for two plus years, it was one of his precision driving and Wright was out of most prized.

“I got spoiled there for a while, it seemed position frequently early, bogeying the first three holes while Hughett went par-birdielike I was winning one or two a year,” par to grab command.

Hughett said. “Having gone a couple of “I was not sharp early and you can’t get years without winning any makes you down that far playing Mike,” Wright said. wonder if you are done or not. You don’t “I had won our last two matches but it was want to think that but the thought cera matter of time. He’s too good and steady.” tainly goes through your head.

UNI_15-RP-30_GroupSalesMag_2015_Thorougbred.indd 1

www.golfoklahoma.org 35 6/11/15•••••• 9:36 AM

Where we play

Stunning Cabot Cliffs New Nova Scotia course drawing raves worldwide

The first six holes hug the cliffs of Cape Breton Island. by tom peters

“A good golf course makes you want to play so badly you hardly have the time to change your shoes.” -- Ben Crenshaw

T

he two-time Masters champion could put that accolade on Cabot Cliffs, the long awaited design he and partner Bill Coore created at Inverness on the western shore of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

Cabot Cliffs is a sister course to Cabot Links which opened to much fanfare in 2012 and is now ranked 42 on Golf Digest’s list of the World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. It is a spectacular layout that combines sand dunes, jagged cliffs and some inland topography with the Gulf of St. Lawrence visible from every hole. The Cliffs/Links combination offers world class golf at an outstanding seaside destination.

The new course officially opened to limited play July 1, fittingly on Canada’s 148th birthday.

Cabot Cliffs, which starts out along the water and sand dunes for the first six holes, swings away from the water to some higher elevation and then comes back along the cliffs overlooking the ocean, plays to par-72 and 6,765 yards from the back tees. Each hole has five sets of tees with the most forward tees positioned so golfers aren’t forced to carry hazards. It has six par-4s, six par-3s and six par-5s.

Mike Keiser, developer of Oregon’s Ban36 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

don Dunes Resort and Cabot Cliffs’ and Cabot Links’ co-owner with Ben CowanDewar, likes par-5s and par-3s.

The greens are huge and undulating and in links style it is often difficult to determine where the fairway ends and the green begins.

Coore and Crenshaw are happy with the finished product which many “experts” predict will certainly be positioned high in its first year of rankings. The architects knew they had something special when they first saw the property.

“I think my first impression was it was spectacular,” Coore said in an interview.

“It was truly interesting with a lot of individual character to it, dunes at the southern end, cliffs on the northern end and also back up into the hills. It just had a lot of variety and I guess you could say some quirky natural features that would lend themselves to a really interesting and fun course, one that would look like Cape Breton. Our best courses have very strong identities so I don’t think people will see photos of Cabot Cliffs and be wondering where it is. It has a strong Cape Breton identity,” he said.

One of the most spectacular holes on the course is the par-3, No. 16. The hole plays 176 yards from one cliff jutting into the ocean to another and over a 100-foot drop to the ocean shoreline. The two-tiered green is surrounded by deep pot bunkers.

It is outstanding visually and highly intimidating.

“It was probably the single most difficult

green we have ever built simply because it was so spectacular in its natural state and there was sink hole there,” said Coore. “We weren’t quite sure what to make of that so after consulting with geological experts and people who are aware of these things that occur in that part of world, we felt comfortable enough to fill that sink hole in and not see it sink again.

“We then created the green on top of where that (sink hole) was. But given the sink hole and given the spectacular and abrupt nature of that property right there, plus the elevation change, it was a challenging situation.”

Several holes on the course are already being compared to holes on great courses in places like Scotland, etc. and the 16th at Cabot Cliffs has similarities to the 16th at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach.

PGA star Matt Kuchar looked at the 16th at Cabot when visiting the province in 2014. His comments on the hole, according to Joe Robinson, Cabot’s director of golf operations, was to the effect that it made Cypress Point look small.

But 16 is just one of any of the 18 holes that will define Cabot Cliffs.

And what aspects of the course will really grab a golfer’s attention?

“I think the most striking features are the elevation changes and the different directions some of the holes take simply because of the topography we had to work with,” said Coore. “We had the higher elevation along shore lines. Cabot Links is the classic seaside arrangement where

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Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore have done it again at Cabot Cliffs in Nova Scotia.

most all holes run parallel to the ocean.

Rod Whitman (Links’ designer) had to do that because he had very little room to go perpendicular to the ocean.

“As we got higher up in elevation with our property, we had the ability to go parallel to the ocean in places and perpendicular or diagonal to the ocean in other places.

We had a lot more freedom of movement.

I think they (the two courses) are going to be wonderful compliments to each other.

38 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

They are completely different in their presentations.”

While the critics, experts and players all get their fill of the “wow” factor, developers are finishing and planning the associated facilities. A new clubhouse will be built at Cabot Cliffs in 2016 and until that is opened a shuttle service will transport golfers back and forth from the pro shop at Cabot Links, a few kilometers away.

Developers Keiser and Cowan-Dewar have

added more accommodations at Cabot Links plus have built four private villas which will be put into a rental pool when not in use by owners.

Play on Cabot Cliffs will be limited to 48 rounds per day until the end of July and then 60 rounds per day from August 1 onward. Green fee rates are $110 in July and then $150 from August 1 onward.

See www.cabotlinks.com/golf for more information.

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DESTINATIONS

Affinity for the sea Royal Isabella connects golfers’ two passions

Spectacular cliff holes add to the drama at Royal Isabella. by wayne mills

T

he allure of playing golf by the sea goes back to the game’s origin in Scotland where sailors played a silly ball and stick game whiling away the hours on the linksland waiting for the outgoing tide to carry their ships to the next port of call.

That allure is at the heart of the stunning Royal Isabela Resort that overlooks the Caribbean Sea on the northwest corner of Puerto Rico.

Royal Isabela is not just another commercial real estate venture by some faceless developers eager to dig the last dollar out of the property. It is a labor of love from brothers and Puerto Rico natives Stanley and Charlie Pasarell.

“The golf course design was not about moving the earth, but

how the earth moved us to tread gently,” said Charles Pasarell, whose connection to the Royal Isabela landscape dates back to the 1980s. “We are not the creators of Royal Isabela, we are its caretakers.”

The Pasarells, sons of well to do parents, left the island many years ago and achieved fame and fortune as professional tennis players. They have returned to the island of their birth to create a lasting legacy.

“The history of the land use at Royal Isabela is very different,” said Stanley Pasarell, who also serves as president of Royal Isabela. “There are about 2,000 acres that together had 50 different owners. Some grew sugar cane, some mined the sand, some grew palm trees on their property, some left their land wide open for pastures. There are historic ruins on the property.”

“Each element of Royal Isabela evolved out of the land itself,” Charles Pasarell said. “A legacy has been created here, one of

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appreciation for the environment and of respect for its history. We want to honor the traditions of the game and respect what the land has bestowed. This is what makes Royal Isabela, and the experience of being here, truly one of a kind.”

Royal Isabela, which opened in October 2012, sits on 426 dramatic oceanfront acres and is the first development within the 1,800-acre Costa Isabela Community.

The town of Isabela is a rare coastline city with beaches and also known for its mountains. It has peaks rising 1,000 feet above sea level, rivers both surface and below ground, lakes, caves, cliffs, coastal flats and both tropical and mangrove forests. Sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, cotton, yucca, coconuts and fruits were cultivated from (and before) the 18th century.

The golf course, designed by the late David Plaff, a former Pete Dye associate, is one of the most dramatic golf courses to be built in many years. This coastal dunes design curls along the dramatic bluffs at the northwest edge of the island and provides both memorable challenges and marvelous views of the shoreline meeting the sea.

Elevation changes accentuate this

rugged dunes setting, as wide fairways stretch over natural undulations. With respect to the land, native grasses, natural sand dunes and deep canyons have been preserved and are integral to the design.

The trade winds, that can turn from friend to foe overnight, make playing Royal Isabela a different experience every day.

The imaginative sequence of large, multitier greens includes: an island green at the par-3 No. 9; a double green perched on the edge of a cliff that plays for No. 12 and No. 14; and two separate holes at No. 6, designed to play as either a par-4 or a par-5.

On-site lodging is in one of the 20 stunning one-bedroom casitas. All have extensive outdoor patio space including whirlpools and plunge pools and all have ocean views. They are each situated for privacy and are surrounded by lush tropical landscaping that enhances the setting.

Casitas rates range from $400 to $1,100 (low to high season) per night, which includes breakfast for two each day of the stay. Room tax and service fees are not included in these rates. Members and their guests receive preferred pricing. There are no minimum stay requirements during low season; there is a two-night stay

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www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 41

OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

The doctor is in The Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame, that is

by john rohde The 50-and-older professional circuit is named the Champions Tour and Gil Morgan needed just two appearances to prove himself worthy of the billing.

Morgan turned 50 on Sept. 25, 1996, and 11 days later on Oct. 6 claimed his first Champions Tour victory by winning the Ralphs Senior Classic. For five years, Morgan reigned as the youngest senior tour champion before being edged out by Bobby Wadkins at 50 years, 10 days. Mark Weibe eventually tied Wadkins’ record.

Because Morgan’s eligibility came late in the 1996 season, he would have to wait to be named the senior tour’s Rookie of the Year in 1997.

This inaugural Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame inductee would remain a fixture on the senior tour leaderboard well into his 60s. Only Hale Irwin (45) and Lee Trevino

Photo courtesy PGA Tour

Gil Morgan poses with the trophy after winning the SBC Classic on March 14, 2004 at the Valencia Country Club in Valencia, California.

42 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

(29) have won more Champions Tour events than Oklahoma’s favorite non-practicing optometrist.

No telling how gargantuan Morgan’s career numbers might have become had his entire career not been saddled with chronic injury problems. Even more unfortunate was this Wewoka native being born one year after Irwin.

As a member of the Champions Tour, Morgan has 25 first-place finishes, 27 secondplace finishes and 25 third-place finishes, yet they pale in comparison to Irwin’s career trifecta of 45-43-23.

“Forty-five wins,” Morgan said of Irwin. “That’s a bunch of wins.”

From 1996-2009, Morgan had 158 top-10 finishes. In that same time span, Irwin had 185.

Though Morgan is No. 2 in career earnings on the Champions Tour with more than $20.5 million, he never won an Arnold Palmer Award as the tour’s leading money winner for a season. Irwin won the award five times.

Though Morgan is No. 3 in career victories on the Champions Tour, he never won a Jack Nicklaus Award for Player of the Year. Irwin won the award three times.

However, Morgan was able to win backto-back Byron Nelson Awards (2000-01) for the tour’s low scoring average and he is still the only senior to win four straight All-Around statistical titles.

Irwin has the most career top-10

2015 INDUCTEE

Photo courtesy PGA Tour

One of 25 victory waves for Gil Morgan on the Champions Tour. seasons on the Champions Tour’s money list with 12. Morgan is second on that list with nine and finished 11th and 13th in two other seasons.

Morgan has finished second to Irwin six times on the senior tour, as has Irwin to Morgan.

“It seemed like a pretty good rivalry at the time,” Morgan said of dueling Irwin.

“The first two or three years were pretty competitive. It was kind of interesting. I think we both fed off of that somewhat.”

A former two-time All-Big Eight cornerback (1965-66), two-time Big Eight golf medalist (1966-67) and the individ-

ual NCAA golf champion (1967) while at the University of Colorado, the ubercompetitive Irwin was not the most popular player on tour. Morgan, meanwhile, actually might have been.

In their first five full seasons together on the Champions Tour, Irwin (28 victories) and Morgan (19) combined to win an astounding 47 tournaments.

The tandem was so dominant, the 1998 MasterCard Championship did have enough tour pros to fill its Pro-Am event. At that time, the field was comprised of Champions Tour winners from the previous season and, thanks to Morgan and Irwin, there were only 19 Photo by Getty Images qualifiers from the tour’s 38 Gil Morgan waits to putt during official events held the prethe 1983 Masters Tournament at vious year. Local club pros Augusta National Golf Club in in Hawaii had to be used to April 1983 in Augusta, Georgia. fill out the field.

From 2000-2004, fellow Oak Tree touring pro Doug Tewell managed to win the same number of tournaments as Morgan, each winning eight times. Tewell’s victory list included two major titles with the 2000 Senior PGA Championship, which he won by seven strokes in a 54-hole event, and also the 2001 Tradition, which he won by nine strokes over 72 holes.

Tewell said he has long had great respect for Morgan, with whom he frequently leased private jet time together.

“I have made this statement so many times,” Tewell said, “but Gil Morgan is the most unappreciated star of the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. I mean, he really is.

“He didn’t get the notoriety that I felt like he should have.

I don’t think it bothered Gil, at least not outwardly, but he is so much better than many of the guys who were getting huge publicity. I mean, what a career.”

A rivalry between Irwin and Morgan brewed early.

Thanks to Morgan being Mr. Nice Guy, the combativeness never reached a boiling point, though Irwin did refuse Morgan’s invitations to team up in a Legends event that didn’t count toward official money.

Morgan instead paired up with Hubert Green, and won.

Yes, we all wore pants like that “We got along pretty well,” in 1979.

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WWW.EHSRG.COM/UPPER-CRUS T www.golfoklahoma.org ••••••

43

OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME Morgan said of Irwin. “I probably made a concerted effort to try to be congenial through that whole deal. A lot of the players really weren’t that keen on Hale individually. He was so competitive at the time. A lot of the players came up to me and said, ‘Boy, I sure hope you win this week,’ but we still had a pretty cordial relationship.”

Tewell said he always got along with Irwin, who affectionately was referred to as “Hale Ir-whine” because he was so tough on himself.

“I didn’t dislike Hale by any means.”

Tewell said. “He’s a great player. He’s a great athlete, and I’m sure his Colorado days had a lot to do with that. Hale was phenomenal and I felt bad for Gil. I’d tell him, ‘You’re playing your butt off, but this guy (Irwin) is just having phenomenal times.’ ” Morgan was Mr. Congeniality, but he also had a competitive side.

Tewell laughed as he shared what transpired after the 2000 Norvell Utah Showdown in Park City, a tournament Morgan had won two years earlier. In the final round, Tewell eagled the par-5 17th while Morgan birdied. Morgan then bogeyed the 18th to finish in second place, two shots behind Tewell.

Morgan and Tewell normally flew home together, but Tewell had to fly to another tournament. Tewell had been sent a new golf bag and asked Morgan if he would mind taking the old bag back with him to Oklahoma. Morgan obliged and when Tewell returned home, he phoned Morgan.

Tewell: “Hey, I’m back. I’ll come over

Always happy to sign for the fans.

44 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

and get that bag.”

Morgan: “You’re not going to want it.”

Tewell: “What do you mean I’m not going to want it?”

Morgan: “I was so pissed off after you beat me, I ran over it three times in the parking lot.”

“So, you see, Gil does have humor,” Tewell said, still chuckling.

Neither Morgan nor Irwin has won a Champions Tour event since 2007.

“We’re both kind of under the wind now in terms of being competitive against the field,” said Morgan, who currently averages just 12 stops per year with no major appearances.

Morgan’s last victory came three weeks shy of his 61st birthday, while Irwin’s came when he was 61½.

“We both had careers that were probably longer than they should have been compared to the field,” Morgan said.

“Most of the (senior) guys have got a fiveyear window maybe. We both played 10 years, plus at a pretty high level.”

Morgan claimed three major titles on the Champions Tour, winning The Tradition back-to-back in 1997-98 and the 1998 Ford Senior Players Championship.

“They’re too much work. They’re no fun anymore,” Morgan said of competing in majors. “It’s not any fun going out there missing the cut. That gets old pretty quick when you’re spending all that money and not making any.”

Morgan’s name is scattered throughout the Champions Tour record book. His 12 consecutive seasons of at least $1 million in earnings is still a record. Morgan’s 19-under-par total after the first two rounds of the 2006 MasterCard Championship in Hawaii remains the 36-hole record for any tournament. His run of 31 consecutive under-par rounds in 2000 is still a record and his stretch of 26 consecutive under-par rounds in 1997 ranks third.

Morgan’s career success certainly didn’t begin and end in the 50-and-older group.

He displayed the same consistency in 24-plus seasons on the PGA Tour with 21 career second-place finishes, 21 thirdplace finishes and 119 top-10s.

In PGA Tour major championships: Morgan tied for third and led after two rounds in the 1984 Masters; he finished third in the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont and was the second-round leader in the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where he became the first player in U.S. Open history to reach double-digits under-par;

Gil Morgan, circa 1983, jumps for joy after sinking his tieing putt on the 18th hole.

Photo by Getty Images

he had four top-10s in the PGA Championship, which included placing third twice (1980, 1990); and he tied for 10th at Muirfield in the 1980 British Open, an event he entered just seven times.

During his PGA Tour days, Morgan’s golf prowess resembled a “Jack of All Trades,” but he was a master of none.

Though Morgan won seven PGA tournaments, that total could have – and perhaps should have – been considerably higher.

Morgan didn’t stray from the fairway often, but when he did, it cost him strokes.

Morgan blames his short game.

“I think it was all about my putting, honestly,” Morgan said of not collecting more PGA Tour wins. “I always felt like I was pretty good tee-to-green, but if I got out of the fairway or missed a green, my chipping and putting were not as good as the top players at that time.”

Despite enduring persistent physical ailments in five different decades – including neck, knee, back, wrist, elbow and arm – Morgan somehow was able to retain a fluid swing that has long been the envy of tour players young and old.

On the night of Oct. 25 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Dr. Gilmer Bryan Morgan II and that velvet swing of his will become inaugural members of the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame.

John Rohde is cohost on 107.7 The Franchise.

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•••••• 45

OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

Nice guys finish first Dickson’s class, humility and talent to lift Hall’s status

their early years on the PGA Tour. “Some people don’t have a real killer instinct. Bob hit On his way to becoming the best amateur golfer on the planet, good enough the ball better than anyone I ever saw. He always hit it to ruthlessly take down all comers in the perfectly straight, a lot like U.S. Amateur and British Amateur in the Johnny Miller. same year, But he was just Bob Dickson an incredibly nice must have Bob hit the ball better person and didn’t stepped on a than anyone I ever saw. enjoy traveling few toes. that much. He If he did, He always hit it perfectwas very content he probably ly straight... to be at home.” still hasn’t

Joey Dills Dickson, now stopped retired and living apologizing. comfortably with “Bob is just what he seems, one of the nicest guys wife, Carolyn, in Ponte Vedra Beach where he plays the TPC you’ll ever meet,” said longtime friend courses almost daily, did Mike Norman, a district judge in Muskget out of his comfort ogee. “He was kind and courteous and zone this summer for polite. The kind of guy you’d be proud to an extended road trip have your daughter marry. to his old Oklahoma “He never drank, never smoked, never haunts. got a speeding ticket. If he played a bad He and Carolyn round, he would say I’ve got to go hit 500 put an exhaustballs before I play again. And with your ing 3,500-plus own shag bag, that was a two- or threemiles on the family car doing what day process, but he would do it.”

Wait a minute. Dickson fesses that there Dickson called his Friends and Family Driving Tour. The trip went from south was the time he and a friend snuck off to the woods and “enjoyed” an entire pack of Florida to Kansas City, then south through Oklahoma and down to Granbury, Texas. cigarettes, one right after the next.

It was a hard but rewarding trip for “You’ve never seen a kid so sick,” he the 71-year-old, who on Oct. 25 will be said. “That was the last time for me inducted into the inaugural class of the smoking.”

Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame. Hopefully Joey Dills, another former Muskogee running mate, said Dickson’s only failing many of those same friends and family as a golfer, and the reason his profession- will be on hand when Dickson joins Perry Maxwell, Bill Spiller, Mike Holder, Charlie al accomplishments didn’t quite match Coe and Gil Morgan in the Hall during his amateur record, was that he had no the ceremony at the National Cowboy mean streak. & Western Heritage Museum. Ticket in“The weakness in his game is that he formation and more is available at www. was just too nice,” said Dills, who played oklahomagolfhof.org. and traveled frequently with Dickson in by ken macleod

46 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

2015 INDUCTEE Bob Dickson celebrates a winning putt on the Champions Tour.

“Never again,” Dickson said after arriving back home and resuming his near daily golf outings with friends. “The next trip we make like that, it will be fly to Kansas City, fly to Texas, fly to Oklahoma. The old body doesn’t take driving 500 miles a day too well anymore.”

The trip had its rewards, however, including visits to the two courses where the young Bob Dickson forged the skills that would take him to the top of the amateur golf world and lead to a successful professional career both as a competitor and administrator.

Dickson grew up in McAlester at what was then a nine-hole course with common Bermuda greens. He lived in a small room

on the top of the clubhouse, built in 1912, where his father, Ben, was both the head pro and superintendent and his mother ran the clubhouse and food and beverage operations. He learned to play golf there at age 4, trailing after his dad and older brother, Ben Jr., with a sawed off club.

This was his first time back since the club added nine holes in 1999 under the auspices of designer and former competitor Mark Hayes. And also since the 400 pine trees his father planted as saplings in 1957 grew into full size guardians that pinch the fairways on the original holes.

“It’s a lot tighter than it used to be,” Dickson said.

“The greens were Champion Bermuda, which we only had common, and they were in great shape. It was a lot of fun to play.”

Dickson also stopped by Muskogee Country Club, where

he played his high school golf, winning the Class 2A state championship in 1960, ’61 and ’62. His older brother, Ben, a great player in his own right, was the head professional there when Dickson began to play there.

“I remember the day he first played with us,” Norman said. “It was a cold November afternoon and his brother asked if Bob could join us. We all shot about 40 and he shot 35. As he left for the parking lot, we all agreed we were moving down in the pecking order, because he was the No. 1 pecker by far.

“We never could beat him.

I could have gone to Harvard Law School if he hadn’t kept taking my money.”

Dickson played a round of golf with Dills and some other old friends on his recent trip. He shot 69 on his first visit since Tripp Davis redid the greens during an extensive renovation.

The U.S. Amateur and British Amateur trophies were his in 1967, the last man to win both in the same year. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 47

OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME “His nickname was Greaser, given him with affection

by Mike,” Dills said. “It was meant that he always had greasy luck. But when you hit the ball better than everyone else and never miss a green or fairway, you don’t need much luck.”

After his three state titles at Muskogee, he was off to Oklahoma State to play for legendary coach Labron Harris Sr., where he was a two-time All-American from 1964-66. He won the Oklahoma State Amateur Championship in 1965, but even before that he was given a rare opportunity that inspired him to greater heights.

In May 1965, a glamorous foursome was put together at Southern Hills to help kick off what later became the Fore Tulsa charity event. Included were Charlie Coe, Jack Nicklaus (subbing for Arnold Palmer), Gary Player and Dickson, who was then the Big Eight champion. It was the only round Dickson and fellow inductee Coe ever played together.

“I had not even won the state amateur yet, and they chose me to play with these three champions of golf,” Dickson said.

“They couldn’t have been nicer to me.”

48 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

invite, which he won. He then began eight The following year Dickson repeated weeks of basic training and was fortunate as state amateur champion and added the to be given leave at the Oklahoma Open as last minute to compete well, becoming the in the U.S. Amateur first and only man at The Broadmoor. to win the two top Dickson had someone OGA titles in the looking out for him on same year. that occasion.

That wasn’t to be “A U.S. Senator made the last of Dicka call to a commandson’s rare doubles. ing general, who, as it In 1967, he broke turned out, was married through nationto a lady from Rochesally by winning the ter, New York, whose British Amateur and father had planted the U.S. Amateur, 10,000 trees at Oak the only man to Hill,” Dickson said. “So accomplish that feat I got two weeks off since Lawson Little and got to go to play in in 1935. the Amateur. The only It almost didn’t thing I was expecting happen. Dickson was that I would get to had joined the wear civvies for a few National Guard in weeks. I had not exactly 1967 and put off ac- Dickson at the 1967 British Amateur been beating balls all tive duty until after summer.” playing for the U.S. team in the Walker With just a couple of nine-hole rounds Cup. That earned his British Amateur

as preparation, Dickson brought home the prestigious title, beating Vinny Giles by a single shot.

It was a crown he should have worn in 1965 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa.

It was there, in the second round, that Dickson found to his horror that he had an extra club in his bag, a sand iron he had never before seen. It was put there inadvertently by a bagroom attendant, but Dickson alerted USGA rules officials and was assessed a four-shot penalty. He still nearly won the event, but Bob Murphy passed him on the 17th and 18th holes of the final round.

Dickson did cement his reputation in that tournament as a man of integrity and class. He was given the Bob Jones Award for sportsmanship the following year by the USGA. “That’s the best example of what kind of man Bob Bob Dickson, 10, with Oklahoma Dickson is,” Norman said.

State Amateur trophy won by old“He never even thought er brother, Ben; later won two conabout not calling that pensecutive years by Bob. alty on himself.”

The country’s top amateur turned professional in 1968 and won the Haig Open Invitational his first year out. After 10 years of grinding on the PGA Tour, however, he accepted an offer from Commissioner Deane Beman to join the PGA Tour and help sell and market the new Tournament Players Club and Tournament Players Championship.

There were still two more major chapters of Dickson’s career to write before retirement. In 1990, he was tasked with finding 30 title sponsors to launch what was then the Ben Hogan Tour, now the Web.com Tour. He ran and strengthened that tour for four years, spending entire summers on the road with Carolyn at his side as a scoreboard calligrapher.

His golf game, however, was rusting away.

Then, late in 1993, he surprised himself by shooting a 67 in a casual round with friends.

After a few more solid efforts, he called Carolyn in the middle of the night and said Bob and Carolyn Dickson ‘Honey, I’m thinking about going to Q School.” She gulped and said, “Go for it.”

Well, he earned his card on the Senior Tour and spent eight successful and enjoyable years, including one victory, on what Lee Trevino once called “one of life’s great mulligans.”

No one deserved it more. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 49

MAHOGANY’S PRO PROFILE

Michael Boyd Michael Boyd, 39, is the Director of Golf at The Club at Indian Springs and the reigning Player of the Year in the South Central Section of the PGA of America.

The former PGA Tour player and All-American at the University of Tulsa is also frequently mentioned as a natural to succeed Bill Brogden as head coach of the men’s team at his alma mater whenever Brogden decides to retire.

You recently took down Tracy Phillips 7 and 6 in the finals of the Section Match Play Championship at Forest Ridge. You shot 31 on the front nine and we heard were making putts from anywhere.

I got off to a good start with a birdie on the first hole and Tracy had a couple of mistakes early. I wasn’t expecting to be 4 up after four holes, but that’s the way it worked out. I’ve been playing well.

Do all these tournaments you’re winning locally make you want to give the Tour another try?

Absolutely not. I have no intention of trying to play for a living again. I love to compete, so having these opportunities in our section is great. But I have a job and a family which are my top priorities. Plus it’s much easier for me to compete on a 6,700yard course than a 7,400-yard course.

The new ownership group has made a lot of improvements at The Club at Indian Springs, some by choice and others because weather forced your hand this spring.

Yes, the bridge we had to replace that was washed out is wonderful and will never wash out again. We’re making improvements to our drain50 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

age channels. In the end, all the rain will be a good thing as we’ll be better prepared if anything similar happens in the future. I’m excited to see where our club is going with all the continual improvements.

We know you do a lot of teaching and have some very talented golfers who come to see you. Tell us about the mental classes you teach.

I have a psychology background from college and met a lady named Judy Bell who had a company called Mind of a Champion. It’s a certified performance intelligence course and through it I’ve been doing mental training seminars for local high school teams, other schools and at the club. We talk about practice habits, mental training, journaling, strategy, all the things that go into being a championship golfer.

When I was playing, I won by the way I prepared and practiced, never because of just sheer talent.

You have done a fantastic job in your grow-the-game efforts, not just at the club, but to get SNAG golf programs going at area elementary schools. We understand your postponed Hole It On The River event, which will raise

See BOYD page 55

CHARLESTON’S AMATEUR PROFILE

Ryan Hybl Coming off a strong season that included an NCAA Regional championship, the Oklahoma men’s golf team is at a level it hasn’t reached in several years.

In addition, the Sooners signed a top-notch, five-player recruiting class that included three of Oklahoma’s top high school golfers.

Here’s what OU coach Ryan Hybl had to say about the momentum from last season, and the year ahead: With the way your team played last season, especially down the stretch, do you sense a lot of excitement among the returning players?

Yeah, the guys who are returning are extremely excited about what’s ahead of us this year. And not just the regional win, but we had a consistently good year, one of the best we’ve had in 20 or 25 years around our place. We won three times and got some good production out of a lot of guys.

We’ve got three guys returning. Lost two seniors, Michael Gellerman and Charlie Saxon.

Gellerman, his scoring average will be tough to replace, and Charlie, the same thing goes for him. He was a great leader for us. We have some good young guys going up, not just the incoming freshmen, but some guys who haven’t had a chance to play as much, but might be able to push their way into the lineup. But you never know what you really have until they all get on campus and start putting the peg in the ground. We go to Pebble Beach over Labor Day, so we’ll find out where we are very quickly.

since I’ve been at OU, an honorable mention All-American, which is tough to do coming right into college. Max finished the year strong. He didn’t have the type of year overall that he probably wanted, but he came up big when we needed him down the stretch. We’re expecting those two guys to build on what they did last year. Beau Titsworth is going to be a senior, and we need him to step up this year and become the type of player he wants to be, and the type of player I think he can be. We need him to show some leadership. And we’ve got some guys who will be fighting for playing time, Luke Kwon, Rylee Reinertson and Griffin Pierce. Those guys have a lot of upside.

What stands out to you from your signing class?

Obviously Brad Dalke from Hobart, who is one of the better players we’ve had coming in. He’s been struggling the last eight or 10 months, so I’m excited to get him on property and see if we can help him fight through some of his tough times. But he’s still an elite player. We’ve got Aaron What are your expecta- Terrazas, a junior golfer from tions from the three returning Mexico. I’m looking forward to starters, Grant Hirschman, see what he’s got. Blaine Hale Max McGreevy and Beau out of Dallas, is a guy who’s got all the tools to be a really Titsworth?

Grant Hirschman was probably the best freshman I’ve had See HYBL page 55 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 51

INSTRUCTION

Mind games get the most out of practice Practice does not enhance performance if you are doing it wrong.

First, to keep things simple, let’s break practice into two main groups.

Block practice is deMichael Boyd signed to perfect your motor skills. It often involves repeating the same thing over and over in order to ingrain and refine your mechanics.

Watching students of all levels has shown me that there is a direct correlation between the accomplishments of a player and the frequency and precision at which they perform rehearsals and drills. More than likely your teacher is giving you drills and rehearsals to help change and refine your mechanics. Your job is to do these with plenty of frequency and with as much precision as you can muster. While working through these, think about what it feels like to perform it correctly.

Often, while giving a lesson, I will stop

a student from hitting balls and have them perform several slow motion swings, work them through a drill, or use a training aid, without hitting a golf ball. After performing it correctly several times, I will finally allow them to hit a ball. The next shot is almost always very good.

I encourage you to talk with your instructor about what drills and training aids you should be using to sharpen your mechanics.

Variable practice is basically using game playing to simulate tournament experience, and teach the student how to draw out their “bests.” Think about playing games and challenging yourself. Make a dozen 4-foot putts in a row from different spots.

Get up and down to every pin on the chipping green from a certain spot. Try to hit 10 consecutive imaginary fairways on the range. Rotate hitting three different clubs to different targets each time. Just make sure to go through your routine and simulate the course as much as possible. You may even want to envision a certain hole or shot you want to improve.

One year I prepared for an AJGA event by “playing” the course in my mind on the range over and over, every day for a week. When I arrived at the tournament, I had already hit every shot on the course perfectly several times. I have never felt more prepared in my life. I went on to win by 11 shots.

Your mind is a wonderful thing, and when engaged during practice, and connected to what your body is doing, the results are amazing.

Takeaways: • Use Block practice to refine and perfect mechanics. Use drills and training aids to help. Go slow and make it right.

• Attach feels to the right mechanics and use those feels to draw out the perfect shots • Practice using games, push yourself to accomplish a goal of so many in a row, or a number of desired results. Simulate the course and even a certain hole or shot.

• Have Fun! Michael Boyd is the director of golf at The Club at Indian Springs

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52 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Don't dread the long uphill bunker shot The long bunker shot is considered one of the most difficult in golf. Combine that with an uphill line far from the pin and you’ve got your hands full.

Next time this hapTracy Phillips pens, don’t use your sand wedge. The added slope is going to make the ball go up high and not travel very far. You still want to open the face to be able to use the bounce of the club so you don’t dig in. If you try and square the face to hit it farther, you will create more dig and will take too much sand.

Some players might try and hit closer to the ball to hit it further. This can get pretty scary. You might hit too close to the ball and the result is blading the ball across the green.

Okay, here is how you want to play this shot. Start by taking your 9-iron out and you’re going to get low and and wide with your stance. This means you

will stand farther from the ball. This enables your swing to be shallower so that you don’t dig into the sand.

You will also open the face just as you would a normal bunker shot with your sand wedge. You will want to aim just a little more to the left because the ball will have a little side spin to it. The ball needs to be played forward in your stance with your sternum set just a little to the left side.

Make the swing trying to hit about 1 ½ inches behind the ball. The incline of the slope will help the 9-iron get up over the lip and the less loft will help propel the ball much farther than the sand wedge. You must keep what I call the levels constant in the swing. The left knee, the hips, and the sternum have to remain the same height. This will help you to enter the sand at the same place more consistently.

Remember less loft for long bunker shots. Don’t try and pick the ball or hit closer to the ball to make the ball go farther. We have the luxury of hitting

behind the ball and it’s much easier to execute the shot. Good luck and remember always work 70 percent on short game and 30 percent on long game for better scoring.

Tracy Phillips is the director of instruction at Cedar Ridge Country Club.

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This offer includes a free round of golf with cart the day you sign up.

Non seniors also receive a range card and special weekday pricing. The card is valid at Stone Creek and Olde Page at Page For more complete details on the program or to have your Belcher and Pecan questions answered, check out the website at www.tulsagolf.org Valley and Woodbine or call 918-446-1529 for Page Belcher or 918-425-6871 for Park at Mohawk Park. Mohawk Park. www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 53

GOLF FITNESS

More power, Scotty? Improve your neck mobility

Sean Riley SwingFit

Ryan Smith SwingFit

A key to a generating a powerful, smooth golf swing lies in having adequate neck mobility.

When a player swings the golf club, the head stays still while the body rotates on the neck. Restrictions in this area can cause many different swing faults including loss of posture, early extension, and/ or reverse spine angle. All of these movements zap the energy from a golf swing leading to inconsistent ball striking and poor power generation.

Most of the players we work with have overlooked this very important region of the body during their workouts. Unfortunately most players we see over the age of 40 have limitations in the cervical (neck) region of the spine. This is due usually to either degenerative/arthritic changes in the discs or joints of the neck. Or it could be from poor posture from sitting at a desk all day that leads to tightness and restrictions in the muscles and fascia that support the neck and upper back region.

1

54 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

To determine if you have cervical (neck) motion restrictions that could be affecting your golf game, perform the following test: • Stand in front of the mirror with good posture (Figure 1).

• Rotate your head to the right as far as possible and then try to touch your chin to your collarbone (Figure 2). If you can’t do this painfree and easily, you have restrictions to the right. This will affect your swing at impact and followthrough.

• Then rotate your head to the left as far as possible and then try to touch your chin to your collarbone. If you can’t do this painfree and easily, you have restrictions to the left. This will impact you during the backswing and can lead to loss of posture and difficulty setting the club properly.

If you find that you have restrictions, but no pain, perform the following drill called Retraction with Rotation to improve your cervical mobility quickly: • Sit or stand and perform cervical retraction (Figure 3). The goal during retraction of the neck is to pull your head back as if something is coming at your face. We also tell people to try to make a double chin. You might feel a pull or tug in the back of your neck, this is normal.

This can be a challenging position for some people initially. Now while holding the retraction, turn your head as far as you can and hold for five seconds (Figure

2

4). Repeat this five times to the sides of restriction.

• Perform this drill throughout the day every two hours to quickly improve your cervical mobility.

If you find that you have restrictions in your cervical motion and you have pain, find your local TPI medical provider and get assessed to determine the source of your pain and design a proper treatment program to reduce your neck pain and improve your motion.

To improve your power and ball striking, don’t overlook the neck. Make sure you have adequate, painfree mobility in this region and enjoy better ballstriking and more distance.

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, PT and Sean Riley, DC, SwingFit gives players access to the same proprietary testing and training systems used 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 receive a comprehensive physical training program designed to unlock your full potential, contact SwingFit at (918) 743-3737 or visit us on the web at www. swingfittulsa.com.

3

4

Hybl, continued from 51

Boyd, continued from 50

Cummins is a guy with a big frame, bigger than most of the guys on your roster.

Is that intriguing as a coach, having something different to work with?

Yeah, he’s a big kid and he’s got the tools to be good. He understands how to win. His touch around the greens is very good. He’s played more outside the state of Oklahoma this summer than he had in the past. We encouraged him to get outside of his comfort Dalke has been commitzone a little, and that’s been a ted to OU since he was 12 good experience for him. We’ve years old. His mother, father got some big kids in this class. and grandfather all played Quade is a big kid. Blaine is big. sports at OU. What’s it been Brad isn’t as tall, but he’s big like watching him develop and strong. Thomas isn’t small, and mature over the last five either. Over the years we’ve years, and seeing him gradutypically had smaller guys, and ate high school a year early to that’s not by design. It’s just the get on campus with you guys? way it goes. A lot of golfers are It’s been a long time comtypically a little bit smaller. But ing, but it’s great. We couldn’t Quade Cummins you look on the PGA Tour and have seen it work out any there’s guys who are 6-foot to 6-footbetter from a recruiting standpoint, 4 all over the place. But there’s just as because when we did that when he was many guys out there who look like Zach 12, I got slammed by the media and a lot of my fellow coaches. But at the time, we Johnson. There’s no recipe in a body design, for sure. were ranked 100th in the country. It was more about the family. They approached me about the whole thing, and afterward, it was like, maybe it’s not a bad idea. But CERTIFIED GOLF I bought into the FITNESS PROS Sean Riley, DC family. I bought into Ryan Smith, PT Brad and his work Brad Dalke ethic. He’s a smart kid, good grades, the whole deal. I’m "I've seen excellent improvements excited to get him on campus, because I in flexibility and strength know he’s wanting to make his mark at in my players."

OU, and hopefully have an opportunity Jeff C. PGA Head Golf Professional to win some championships with us and for us.

funds for that as well as introduce folks to the club in a fun format, is back on for this fall.

Yes, it will be Saturday, Sept. 26, with a shotgun start, a family day on the range, trick shot artist, SNAG games, putting games and lots of other fun things to do. We’re looking to raise enough money to get SNAG kits in the elementary schools and introduce kids to the game that way.

good player for us. And we have two more Oklahoma kids, Quade Cummins from Weatherford and Thomas Johnson from Norman. They’re probably the least experienced guys coming in, as far as a national scale. But that’s the good thing about college golf, is that everybody gets a chance right out of the gate to show us what they’ve got.

Your name comes up every time there is a discussion about who might be the next golf coach at the University of Tulsa when Bill Brogden retires. Any interest?

As an alumni I’m very interested in who their next hire is because I would love to see this program continue to thrive. I would definitely be open and interested in talking with the administration regarding taking that position myself if that opportunity arose.

Right now I love my position at Indian Springs and the people that I get to work with, and the members I get to see every day. It would take something special for me to want to leave that.

SWING

STRONG SWING FAST

With Johnson’s father, Johnny, being the Director of Golf at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course, does Thomas have a stronger familiarity with your program than an average freshman coming in?

He definitely knows how our system works, because he sees us. But obviously he has to keep his distance, because of recruiting restrictions. So he’s still a fresh face just like everybody else. There will still be a learning curve for him, even though he’s local. It’s still gonna be brand new for him at the college level.

"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 •••••• 55

COURSE RENOVATION PERSPECTIVE

presented by

A Rose blooms in the desert

Heckenkemper helps bring back Las Vegas course Crushed gravel “rough” and Seashore Paspallum fairways help lower water costs at Desert Rose. by art stricklin

LAS VEGAS – It doesn’t rain often in Las Vegas. But when it did, the amount of water moving through Desert Rose Golf Course could go from a trickle to a deadly flood in a matter of minutes, thanks to a watershed that consists of concrete and hard-pan.

Tulsa-based architect Randy Heckenkemper has been working for the past few years on a massive renovation that includes some unique solutions to drainage issues that could prove beneficial for courses everywhere.

Working in conjunction with superintendent Scott Sutton, have transformed the par-72 course owned by Clark County.

It has been closed for three years now.

“I first worked here from 1986-89 and played here before then,” Sutton said. “It had some good golf holes and some good bones for a course. I’ve lived in Las Vegas all my life. I have a personal connection to this course. It’s not Shadow Creek, (the home of Vegas high rollers), but a pretty nice layout.”

The course first opened in 1963. A massive flood in 2012 shut it down and many thought it was done.

When the water finally receded, Clark Country knew a fix was in order for the 56 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

only public course in the area. The county got in touch with Heckenkemper, who has a growing reputation as an expert in drainage issues and has worked on many enviromentally-sensitive courses in the Southwest.

“I did the first Audubon certified course in Arizona and created a niche for being sensitive for environmental issues, “ he said. “The floods were dangerous, but we had to make the course fun again and use it as a model for other courses going forward.”

Among the most significant changes that Heckenkemper oversaw was the installation of salt-tolerant Paspalum grass, which has become commonplace in Hawaii and the Caribbean, but is being used for the first time here.

The new grass will tolerate highsaline repurposed water in an area where getting enough water is often a challenge and one that will continue to grow over time. The grass will be used on the fairways, the tee boxes and all 18 greens.

The technical term of Seashore Paspalum Platinum TE, developed by San Antonio’s Dr. Ron Duncan, allows for the course to be in optimum condition all year, even when water is scarce. It will lower the county’s water costs and allow public players to experience condi-

tions you would find on the finest island courses.

“We took out 35 acres of grass and replaced with,” Heckenkemper said.

The entire area covers 87 acres which protects the area from erosion in another 100-year flood. Drip irrigation for the trees saves water and replacing the grass with the crushed gravel amounts to savings of 70 million gallons of water a year.

Another important feature for Sutton, who has seen the Las Vegas lights and glitter his whole life, is that they took out several of the trees and moved several fairways so the famous Strip and the landmark Stratosphere hotel come into the view on several of the holes including No. 5 and the No. 16.

Several of the fairways were shifted closer to the wash and away from the adjoining homes in East Las Vegas where they often got pelted by dozens of golf balls.

By slightly shifting the fairways, Sutton said they brought the beauty and challenge of the washes in play on several of the hole and kept the balls away from the homes.

“We have turned the wash into our ally instead of our enemy,” Sutton said. “It may still flood at times, but with steeper ditches and more contoured fairways

Workers seed the Paspalum greens at Desert Rose. along with four acres of Corps of Engineers, we can help contain it.”

But the main thing the talented twosome wanted to do at Desert Rose is make golf more fun and user friendly for the golfers who pay bargain prices for public county golf.

“We only have 45,000 square feet of bunkers,” Heckemkemper said. “With our new greens, they play firm and fast and

you can bounce the ball from the fairways to the greens on almost every hole.

“We took out some trees and lots of grass so you don’t lose balls or slow down play and you have more fun in perfect paspalum conditions.”

Sutton added, “The course is very playable and fun for the average player , a concept which can be copied here and applied everywhere for golf.”

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 57

QUAIL CREEK BANK’S ON THE LINKS WITH ANYA

Dorman connects with people, at times ball by anya alvarez

When I walked into Sunnyside Up Cafe in Shawnee, former House Representative Joe Dorman stood up to greet me. A few seconds later, he turned to greet the table behind us, folks who recognized him from his unsuccessful run for governor in 2014.

It was pretty much that way all day with this genial man, including at the Firelake Golf Course in Shawnee, our destination to play in the #14 Foundation Annual Golf Tournament benefitting children.

Dorman enjoys the relationships with people which are part and parcel of his profession. His love affair with the political process began when he became a page for the state senate in high school. Not long after, he became involved in his town politics of Rush Springs, a population of 1,200 people.

Talk about small degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. There was a city ordinance that banned dancing in Rush Springs, so Dorman and some of his Foot-

Joe Dorman and Anya Alvarez loose high school friends decided to take matters into their own hands.

“With prom coming up, we decided we wanted to have our prom in our home town instead of Chickasha,” Dorman explained. “We found out the FAA barn was outside the city limits, so we decided to hold it there. The city council then tried to annex the barn to keep us from having prom.”

Parents became involved to help their children and Dorman was able to dance the night away in his hometown.

Dorman’s love affair with golf stretches as far back as his affinity for politics. His father, Bill, introduced him to the game at an early age. Some of his favorite memories center on he and his dad at the golf course.

“He started giving me lessons in our front yard when I was in high school,” Dorman said. “He was happy that I was interested in something in which he had a great passion for.”

Those memories became more poignant when a semi-truck accident left his father disabled, ending their father-son matches.

While rummaging through his golf

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7/24/15 6:31 PM

bag, it was quickly clear that he did not care about the latest or greatest equipment. The newest club in his bag is a Callaway hybrid he won at a scramble. Every other club in his bag is a relic from before my 26 years of age. One in particular stands out and illustrated the bond with his father that golf created.

A persimmon Terra Star 3-wood was his father’s favorite club.

Now it occupies a special place in Dorman’s bag.

A few pointers later and Dorman was rolling.

‘This was my dad’s favorite club and it’s mine too,” Dorman said. “I hit it well, but the main reason I carry it is because it makes me feel like my dad is with me on the golf course.”

Beyond the sentimental reasons for Dorman loving golf, he said golf has helped advance his political career.

“There is a lot of rubbing shoulders in the political world, and golf has certainly helped me build connections over the years with leaders of our state and people of Oklahoma.”

Dorman does not fancy himself a good or frequent golfer. His game is mostly limited to scrambles and fund-raising events.

“My philosophy with politics is the same philosophy I have with golf: surround yourself with people better and smarter than you,” Dorman said. “I like playing with better players because I feel like I learn something new that maybe I can apply to my own game the next time I play.”

Perhaps the sign of a good leader is that he takes instruction well. After I gave him a couple tips to use his shoulders more in his backswing and neutralized his grip, he ripped a couple down the middle. Still, he won’t be making golf a full-time hobby any time soon.

“There’s still a lot of work left to be done in Oklahoma, and I plan to be part of making this state an even better place to live.”

Anya Alvarez, a retired LPGA player who now teaches at Kickingbird Golf Club in Edmond, will be wriing a new column for Golf Oklahoma.

She will interview well-known Oklahomans during a round or practice session and report back on what she learns about the person and their golf game.

Anya’s passions include writing, working out, outdriving men, and helping people enjoy the game of golf. For more on her visit www.anyagolf.com

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SCHEDULES & RESULTS USGA U.S. GIRLS’ JUNIOR AMATEUR At Tulsa CC (par-70) July 20-25 Round of 16 Naomi Ko def. Alyaa Abdulghany 2 and 1; Andrea Lee def. Marni Murez, 7 and 6; Eun Jeong Seong def. Chakansim Khamborn, 6 and 5; Annika Cedo def. Gina Kim, 4 and 3; Angel Yin def. Yujeong Son, 5 and 3; Mika Liu def. Aneka Seumanutafa, 2 and 1 Jayna Choi def. Karah Sanford, 2-up; Evelyn Arguelle def. Kathleen Scavo, 1-up.

Quarterfinals Seong def. Ko, 4 and 3; Choi def. Cedo, 1-up; Arguelles def. Liu, 2 and 1; Yin def, Lee, 1-up.

Semifinals Seong def. Choi 6 and 4; Yin def. Arguelles 1-up.

Final (36 holes) Seong def, Yin, 3 and 2.

Qualifying leaders: 1, Meghan Khang 65-67 – 132; 2, Sophie Liu, 66-70 – 136; 3, Jaravee Boonchant 67-69 – 136; 4, Muni He 67-69 – 136; 5, Yu Sang Hou 68-69 – 137; 6, Andrea Lee 67-70 – 137; 7, Mika Liu 71-67 – 138; 8, Malia Nam 70-68 – 138; 9, Aubree Jones 68-70 – 138; 10, Mariel Galdiano 71-68 – 139; 11, Marla Fassi 73-66 – 139; 12, Lucy Li 70-69 – 139; J4, Jessica Mangrobang 72-67 – 139; 14, Angel Yin 790-70 – 140.

60 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION STATE AMATEUR At Oak Tree National, Edmond July 20-22 Round of 16 Brendon Jelley def. Luke Phillips 5 and 4; Chris Laughlin def. Chris Karlovich 2 and 1; Bill Bishop Jr. def. Tate Williamson 1-up; Eric Kline def.

Cody Shore 2 and 1; McCain Schellhardt def.

Cody Troutman 1-up; Griffin Pierc def. Marc Kepka 2 and 1; Jeff Coffman def. Nick Pierce 7 and 6; Heath Myers def. Brady Richardson 3 and 2.

Quarterfinals Jelley def. Laughlin 3 and 1; Bishop def. Kline 1-up (21); Pierce def. Schellhardt 1-up (20); Coffman def. Myers 1-up.

Semifinals Jelley def. Bishop 2 and 1; Coffman def. Pierce 4 and 3.

Final Jelley def. Coffman 3 and 2.

SENIOR STROKE PLAY At Quail Creek G&CC, Okla. City (par-72) July 13-14 1, Doug Perry 75-72 – 147; 2, James Reid 73-74 – 147; 3 (tie), Terry Collier 78-73 – 151 and Devon Sauzek 70-81 – 151; 5 (tie), Kirk Wright 78-74 – 152, Kermit Frank 74-78 – 152, Don Clark 78-74 – 152, Michael Koljack 77-75 – 152 and Bradley Kropp 76-76 – 152; 10 (tie), Kelly Clark 77-78 – 155 and Tom Nielsen 81-74 – 155.

Super Seniors: 1, Ronny Roberts 72-76 – 148

(won playoff); 2, John Reese 73-75 – 148; 3, Paul Dickson 81-68 – 149; 4, Don Cooke 75-76 – 151.

MID-AMATEUR At The Club at Indian Springs, Broken Arrow (par-72) June 29-30 1, Austin Hannah 69-67 – 136; 2, Rob Laird 6770 – 137; 3, Draegen Majors 68-71 – 139; 4, Jeff Cox 72-68 – 140; 5 (tie), Michael Gotcher 78-71 – 149, Heath Myers 74-75 – 149 and Dillon Jordan 70-79 – 149; 8, Matt Ramage 72-78 – 150; 9 (tie), Charlie Crouse 75-76 – 151 and Kacey Threet 74-77 – 151; 11 (tie), Joel Driver 73-79 – 152 and Scott Kennedy 77-75 – 152.

SENIOR STATE AMATEUR At Hillcrest CC, Bartlesville June 15-18 Round of 16 John Stansbury def. Doug Perry 2 and 1; Jim Curd Jr. def. Russell Lowry 2 and 1; Kirk Wright def. Bradley Kropp 4 and 3; Tom Nielsen def.

Shawn Barker 1-up; Michael Hughett def.

Gary Bonner 3 and 2; Paul Dickson def. Ricky Cavener 6 and 5; Jon Valuck def. Don Quint Jr. 4 and 3; Brent Taylor def. Kermit Frank 1-up.

Quarterfinals Curd def. Stansbury 3 and 2; Wright def.

Nielsen 3 and 2; Hughett def. Dickson 2-up; Valuck def. Taylor 7 and 6.

Semifinals Wright def. Curd 3 and 2; Hughett def. Valuck 3 and 2.

Final Hughett def. Wright 5 and 4.

WOMEN’S OKLA. GOLF ASSOCIATION STATE AMATEUR At Okla. City G&CC July 27-29 Round of 16 Yujeong Son def. Taylor Towers 5 and 4; Sydney Youngblood def. Grace Shin 4 and 2; Nadia Majidizadeh def, Christina Boone 1-up (20); Baylee Price def. Caroline Goodin 1-up (19); Christy Hannah def. Taylor Dobson 1-up; Alexis Sadeghy def. Katie Lee Wilson 4 and 3; Megan Blonien def. Kailey Jo Campbell 1-up (19); Brinn Fariss def. Shaebug Scarberry 3 and 1.

Quarterfinals Son def. Majidizadeh 5 and 4; Youngblood def.

Price 4 and 2; Blonien def. Sadeghy 4 and 3; Fariss def. Hannah 4 and 3.

Semifinals Son def. Youngblood 4 and 2; Blonien def.

Fariss 2 and 1.

Final Son def. Blonien 5 and 3.

JUNIOR At Southern Hills CC, Tulsa (par-72) July 14-15 12-17: 1, Yujeong Son 69-74 – 143; 2, Kaitlin Milligan 78-72 – 150; 3, Sydney Youngblood 74-79 – 153; 4, Taylor Dobson 73-82 – 155; 5, Stepha-

nie Royer 76-81 – 157; 6 (tie), Aahton Nemecek 82-76 – 158 and Peighton Walker 77-81 – 158; 8 (tie), Shaebug Scarberry 81-79 – 160, Heidi Stafford 78-82 – 160 and Bailey Blake 82-78 – 160; 11, Natalie Gough 78-83 – 161; 12 (tie), Bayleigh Johnson 80-83 – 163 and Madison Smith 86-77 – 163; 14, Taylor Towers 81-83 – 164; 15, Nina Lee 83-82 – 165.

11-under: 1, Jenni Roller 39-39 – 78; 2, Aubrey House 41-38 – 79; 3, Brooklyn Benn 38-44 – 82.

TULSA GOLF ASSOCIATION FOUR-BALL STROKE PLAY At Forest Ridge GC (par-71) July 25-26 Championship; 1, Ed Cohlmia/Mike Lusniak 69-66 – 135; 2, Brent Williamson/Tate Williamson 69-68 – 137; 3, Ron Kise/Michael Koljack 70-74 – 144; 4 (tie), Terry Collier/Terry Trimble 72-74 – 146 and Jeff Glenn/Joey Ragsdale 7472 – 146; 6, Cameron Hamilton/Matt Willingham 75-74 – 149.

Open: 1, Eric Moritz /Armin Rucker 79-71 – 150; 2, Zach Garner/Kyle Lane 78-73 – 151; 3. Merlin Kilbury/Burch Williams 75-77 – 152.

STROKE PLAY At Battle Creek GC (par-71) June 27-28 Championship: 1, Austin Hannah 71-67 – 138; 2, Taylor Lansford 73-71 – 144; 3, Mike Gotcher 73-71 – 144; 4, Brady Richardson 72-72 – 144; 5, Brent Williamson 71-73 – 144; 6, Jared Taylor 7175 – 146; 7, Chris Karlovich 75-71 – 146; 8 (tie),

Shawn Kitchen 76-70 – 146 and Cameron Hamilton 70-76 – 146; 10, Trae Fairchild 74-73 – 147.

Senior: 1, Steve Hughes 74-69 – 143; 2, Terry Trimble 71-73 – 144; 3, Ed Cohlmia 73-74 – 147; 4, Mike Koljack 78-70 – 148; 5, Terry Collier 75-74 – 149.

PAR-3 TWO-MAN CHALLENGE At LaFortune Park GC June 23 A Flight: 1, Brad Goodman/Jeff Enkelmann 45; 2, Jeffrey Cox/Brandon Ullrich 46; 3, David Baker/Ken MacLeod 46; 4, Don Acree/Joe Tuttle 48; 5, Austin Hannah/Tyler Sullivan and Brandon Strathe/Freddie Wilson 48.

GOLF CHANNEL AM TOUR COFFEE CREEK At Coffee Creek, Edmond (par-70) July 12 1 (tie), Keith McKinnon and Jalil Daneshar 76; 3, Richard Cordis 77; 4 (tie), Cory Montgomery and Calvin Carr 78.

CHEROKEE HILLS CLASSIC At Cherokee Hills GC, Catoosa (par-70) June 20 1, Jared Taylor 77; 2, Cory Montgomery 80; 3, Ryan Cummings 84; 4 (tie), John Kang and Scott Brown 85.

PONCA CITY CHAMPIONSHIP At Ponca City CC (par-72) June 13 1, Cory Montgomery 76; 2, Ryan Cummings 80; 3, Goose Clark 82; 4 (tie), Art Green, John Kang and Frank Scheid 86.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 61

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