2010 June / July Issue of South Central Golf

MAGAZINE

www.southcentralgolf.com June-July 2010 Vol. 17, No. 3

The Patriot

the adventure begins...

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Need a summer getaway?

Head for the Hills. Enjoy 18 holes of championship golf at Cherokee Hills Golf Club. Play after 3 pm to take advantage of our $40 per person Twilight Rate. Or tee off a little later in the day for our Super Twilight Rate – $25 per person after 6 pm. Call 918.384.7600 to book a tee time, and be sure to ask about our special Cherokee Star Rewards® card rate, group tee times and special events. Your summer vacation is just a short drive away.

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New Clubhouses and renovations Play Pebble Beach - in lawton!.....................6 Jerry Cozby shares wisdom..........................7 The Patriot is epic......................................8 Old American is new beauty......................10 Lawton Country Club unveils clubhouse....12 Woods has big plans...............................13 Destinations More than lakes in minnesota....................14 Ryder Cup throws spotlight on wales.........16 Payne Stewart Golf Course grows up........19 Caroline Hedwall wins NCAA..................20 Pat Bates opens doors at Gaillardia..........21 What else can go wrong with weather.......23 Lou Holland remembered..........................25

Ken MacLeod Derek Hillman Craig Raguse Jenk Jones Jr.

Contributing Writers Mal Elliot Barry Lewis John Rohde Art Stricklin Corinne Meyerson Andrew Gilman Contributing Photographers Rip Stell Mike Klemme South Central Golf, Inc. 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Suite 200 • Tulsa, Okla. 74136 918-280-0787 • Fax - 918-280-0797 www.southcentralgolf.com • ken@southcentralgolf.com

Columns 26 Instruction Zone 27 Mark Felder - OGA 27 Kim Richey - KGA 28 Jay Fox - ASGA 29 Barry Thompson - PGA 29 Gene Mortensen - Rules

South Central Golf is distributed free at golf courses in Oklahoma, Arkansas, southern Kansas, north Texas, and southwest Missouri.

The magazine is endorsed by the PGA South Central Section, PGA Midwest Section, and the Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas state golf associations. South Central Golf is published five times annually, including our annual course directory. Subscriptions are $18 and are available by calling 918-280-0787 or on the website.

We also welcome your letters and comments via e-mail.

Departments 6 Around the Section 30 Schedules and Results On the Cover Looking back at The Patriot clubhouse from the No. 1 green.

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AROUND THE SECTION Golf Etc. store to open

Anyone who likes to tinker with their clubs or improve their game, Britt Bauer said, needs to check out his new Golf Etc. store in Fort Smith, Ark. That just about includes all of us.

Golf Etc. stores offer retail of soft goods and name brand equipment, but specialize in club fitting, club repair and building the proper set of clubs from a complete analysis of the golfer including body mass, height, age, launch angle, club speed, ball speed and more.

“It’s a fitting like what the pros are used to,” Bauer said.

“Our concept is a little different from a typical golf retail store,” Bauer said. “It’s unbelievable what our software fitting program can do. And we’ll have a full in-house repair shop with my partner who has worked for 15 years in fitting and repair.”

Stop by and see for yourself at 3875 Phoenix Ave. inside the Fort Smith Pavilion shopping center. The store was to open in early June. More information about Golf Etc. is available at golfetc.com.

Change at Choctaw Creek

Scott Donovan wasted no time making wholesale changes at Choctaw Creek Golf Course when he became the head professional in early May. “I wake up every morning and can’t wait to get to work,” Donovan said. “There is a new commitment from the ownership group and we’ve going to start a lot of things over.”

In just a few weeks Donovan has revamped the membership program, visited local groups and service organizations to welcome them to the course, established some new junior camps and worked with his maintenance staff to sod and repair winter kill areas on the tee boxes, fairways and driving range.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here,” Donovan said. “The ownership group really wants this place to be something special. We’re going to work on the course from the inside with programs and on the outside. It’s going to be a great place to play, it has a lot of potential.”

Green fees are $28 weekdays and $29 weekends including cart.

Whitten in Kansas Hall

The Kansas Golf Foundation has selected two Kansans for induction into the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame, Class of 2010. Bill Knox, of Salina, and Ron Whitten, of Topeka, will join 34 men and women previously honored for their accomplishments and contributions to the game of golf.

For more than 30 years, Bill Knox has been involved in golf in Kansas as a tireless volunteer for organizations in the state. He

Well, played Pebble Beach yesterday.

Even parred the first hole.

Only took me about an hour to get there, too.

Played St. Andrew’s also. Pretty cool.

Only cost $18 and played both course the same day.

Too bad I didn’t get my scorecard signed.

That’s about the only thing the golfing experience at Golfmaxx (3414 NW Cache Road) in Lawton doesn’t offer.

Golfmaxx has simulators that allow golfers to play any number of famous courses. All you have to do is call, book the tee times and put on your spikes.

The facility features four hitting areas and four simulators that replicate actual playing conditions. Golfers put the ball on a mat, swing away and watch the screen.

When the ball hits the screen, it takes off on a true path of your own swing. Hook the ball, it hooks. Slice it, and it’s moving that direction, too. There’s spots on the hitting mat that simulate rough or sand, so if your ball falls into one of those areas, you can get a realistic idea of how you need to hit it.

There’s both driving range and regu-

lar course play available.

The facility offers big, comfortable seats, places for drinks, even a private area for those golfers who don’t like hitting in front of others.

All of it for $10 for a half hour or $18 for 18 holes per person.

There are 43 courses available at Golfmaxx and it is the only facility in the state that has the game simulator, which is designed by aboutGolf.

The best part about the simulator is the feeing of real golf. You’re not chipping into a net or just getting a videotape of your swing. You can do so much more. In addition to getting all sorts of stats on any given swing, you can play a whole round of golf without ever getting outside.

The setup is perfect for a cold day, a rainy day, or just a day you want to bring your foursome to play Pebble Beach – without the pricey green fee.

Tee times are taken up to two months in advance, and the winter time is the busiest time, so think ahead if you want to try to get in a round.

Golfmaxx also offers lessons and has a full teaching station available – with cameras and equipment.

is a past President of the Kansas Golf Association and remains an Emeritus Director, and is a past President of the Kansas Golf Foundation, currently serving as an Advisory Director to the Foundation.

Ron Whitten also enters the Hall of Fame as a Contributor to the Game. He has devoted his professional career to studying, critiquing and writing about golf course architecture. A journalism major who worked on a golf course maintenance crew in college, Whitten dreamed of becoming a golf course architect, but decided to attend law school instead. His intense interest in golf course design remained: after a stint as a city prosecutor in Topeka and as a writer for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, in 1984 Whitten went to work for Golf Digest. Whitten has written over 800 articles about golf course architecture and is co-author of the first (and still only) history of golf course design, The Golf Course.

At Golf Digest, Whitten helped shape the concept of national golf course rankings.

He was responsible for the present scoring system used by the magazine for rating golf courses and for coordinating the panelist evaluations. Whitten has handled all of Golf

Digest’s features relating to architecture, including the biennial survey of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” the annual “Best New Courses” survey, previews of major championships, plus Golf World’s annual “Architect of the Year” feature.

In 1996, Whitten was honored with the prestigious Donald Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects, given in recognition of his contributions to the public understanding of golf course design.

Whitten has also been involved in designing golf courses, notably Erin Hills in Hartford, Wis., which he co-designed along with Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. Erin Hills was voted “Best New Course” in 2007 by Golf Magazine and has been selected by the USGA to host the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship.

The 2010 Kansas Golf Hall of Fame ceremony and banquet will be held Oct. 22 at Salina Country Club.. Tickets may be obtained by contacting the Kansas Golf Foundation at 1201 Wakarusa Drive, Suite B5, Lawrence KS 66049, or by contacting the KGF Executive Director Phil Miller at 785-842-4833 ext.

205, or foundation@kansasgolf.org.

Play Pebble Beach without the travel

By Andrew Gilman

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Cozby happy to share knowledge

By Ken MacLeod Not many details escaped the sharp eye of Jerry Cozby during his 41 years as head professional at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville.

With customer service as his guiding light, Cozby, ably assisted by the merchandising talents of wife Karole, ran an efficient and profitable pro shop and golf operation, yet one that also allowed for some unique and creative ideas.

Since his retirement at the end of 2009, Cozby has spent three months as the director of instruction at Lakeside Country Club in Houston. In addition to teaching, he and Karole revamped the club’s merchandising, dramatically increasing sales of both equipment and soft goods.

Now back home in Bartlesville until a return to Houston next February, the former PGA Professional of the Year is willing to put his decades of experience to work for other courses as a consultant.

“I just think by coming in and observing and working with the head professional, there may be areas that I can see and make

Jerry and Karole Cozby are back in Bartlesville. suggestions that could help in customer service and profitability,” Cozby said.

His love of teaching has also been renewed by his stint in Houston. Unfettered by all the duties of a head professional, he was able to concentrate on instruction and estimates he gave more lessons than he did in a full year at Hillcrest.

“I’ve always loved to teach,” he said. “This time I wasn’t worried about a problem with Mr. Smith’s clubs, or why the range wasn’t picked up, or a hundred other details. I was able to concentrate on the teaching. I’m a real simple teacher. I never try to get them to do anything that’s unnatural for their body type and I never ask them to do some-

South Central Golf Magazine • www.southcentralgolf.com

thing without telling them why.”

Cozby soon found himself inundated with up to five one-hour lessons daily, teaching golfers of all ages. He looks forward to continuing to teach back in the section. He has a one-day Jerry Cozby Golf School scheduled at Topeka Country Club with head pro Stan Ball and is in discussions with other pros to do similar events.

After 41 years at Hillcrest, the Cozbys were a bit nervous going to Houston, but it turned out to be a delight. Karole was able to catch up with family in the area and both felt welcomed by Lakeside head pro Gary Ray, his staff, which includes former Hillcrest assistant Aaron Speaker, and by the membership.

They were equally nervous, but have been made to feel equally at ease in their return to Hillcrest as lifetime members, both by the membership and new head professional Bryan Heim.

“It was good for us to be gone during the transition,” Karole said. “We were hoping it would give Bryan an opportunity to get started without feeling like we were around looking over his shoulder. At the same time it’s good to feel welcomed back, Bartlesville is home and the club has been a big part of our lives.”

Anyone wishing to contact Jerry for consulting or teaching can reach him at jerrycozby@aol.com or 918-914-1784.

The PatriotA unique journey awaits

The clubhouse features a patio on the back with astounding views.

By Ken MacLeod From the time he was five and his father built a putting green in the backyard, Jay Blasi knew he wanted to design a golf course.

In high school, while filling out a yearbook questionnaire that asked for his No. 1 goal, he said designing a golf course on which the U.S. Open would be played.

After being hired by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 2001 and spending a couple of years learning the craft, the first course on which Blasi had a major impact as the on-site project architect was Chambers Bay, a former rock quarry on the shores of Puget Sound in University Place, Wash. So well received by the USGA was Chambers Bay when it opened in 2007 that this summer it will host the U.S. Amateur and in 2015 the U.S. Open.

The second course on which Blasi worked will never host a U.S. Open, but it has a different mission.

Blasi spent a good portion of 2008-10 finalizing design plans and overseeing construction of The Patriot in Owasso, a course with a mission to not only be good, but to help with the greater good through its connection with the Folds of Honor Foundation founded by fighter pilot Dan Rooney of Broken Arrow, Okla.

“First Chambers Bay, now The Patriot,” marveled Blasi. “I’ve been very fortunate to work on two incredible sites.”

Blasi and Jones were both gracious enough to take this writer on a playing tour of The Patriot, pointing out nuances on each hole which will help make the course enjoyable for members for decades to come.

For Jones, the course is a symphony, opening with a stirring movement – the 150-foot drop from the tee box on the bluff to the verdant zoysia carpet below. It slowly builds again as the golfer plays holes 2-7 that take great advantage of a native stream and rock work, including a dam the architects found on site estimated

The Patriot’s No. 1 tee shot.

Photo by Rip Stell

No. 1 tee box at the Patriot. Photos by Rip Stell to be more than 100 years old.

“The course has a rhythm and a cadence that builds as we take you up from the meadow to the bluffs and down again,” Jones said.

“We hope golfers find it to be a very enjoyable and uplifting experience, good for your soul and for your game” “The real exciting thing,” Blasi said, “was to be able to take golfers on a journey through all those environments – the upland prairie, the meadows and the canyons.”

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New Courses and Renovations

David Bryan, director of golf at The Patriot.

The crescendo is the 18th hole, the second-shot of which plays over the 150-foot deep canyon to a green perched on a ledge on the canyon wall. It will be a Tin Cup moment for some golfers but what a fun shot to conclude the round.

The professionals who visited on Memorial Day for the Patriot Cup certainly enjoyed themselves. With wide landing areas and slopes that funnel balls into play instead of out-of-play, it was meant to be enjoyed by all.

There is a course on a similar site in northwest Arkansas called The Blessings that Jones and senior designer Bruce Charlton did for John Tyson which opened as one of the most difficult and demanding courses in the nation. While architect’s may sometimes earn a reputation for building hard courses, they are usually following the wishes of the ownership group.

“We went through a phase in this country where it was in vogue to build a super hard golf course,” said David Bryan, director of golf. “We’re proud of the fact that this course is very playable and a lot of fun to play. Robert Trent Jones would be the first to tell you they did not have the slope and course rating in mind here. When you look at the decline in rounds over the last however many years, you ought to take a look at how difficult some of the courses are.”

“The championship tests like Southern Hills and Oak Tree, courses that can really beat you up, they have their place,” said E.J. Pfister, director of instruction at Oak Tree.

“But so does a course like this. It’s a fun course and that’s what all the studies show our game needs more of right now.”

Fun was the last thing on Blasi’s mind last May when he surveyed the damage from a 100-year flood that wiped out bridges, washed away acres of freshly laid sod and delayed the opening of the club from last fall until this May. “As they say, what does not kill us makes us stronger,” Blasi said. “But it was really hard to see the destruction after everyone had invested so much time and energy to get to that point. After a couple of days of

Please see Patriot, Page 20

Dan Rooney, founder of Patriot Golf Day, stands with Rickie Fowler.

Raves

“It’s a very unsophisticated word, but it is fun,” Rooney said. “And there are not too many courses that are.”

The big message Monday, however, was not just the course, but remembering what the Memorial Day holiday is all about.”

“It’s not about getting drunk at the lake,” Rooney said. “All these people here are helping bring back Memorial Day for the way it is supposed to be. They are reRickie Fowler, resplendent in his or- membering and honoring our servicement ange Puma shoes and orange shirt, com- who fought and died for our freedoms. pleted his round with Patriot Cup founder “This day has been all I hoped for and and host Dan Rooney Monday, then came more. We’re tapping into the benevolent away impressed with the course, the cause nature of the game in an incredibly unique and the man behind it. way. This will mark the first Patriot Cup “Playing with Dan made this day extra which will be played for years and years special for me,” said the PGA Tour rookie and raise a lot of money and change a lot by way of Oklahoma State and his home of lives.” state of California. “He’s a great guy and Joe Steranka, executive director of the this is a tremendous cause. I look forward PGA of America, made a special trip from to playing in it every year and I hope may- Denver where the Senior PGA Championbe we’ll even do two a year. It’s something ship concluded Sunday, to see the course I’d like to be part of for a long time.” and support the event.

Former Cowboy Bo Van Pelt, who lives “Dan is a guy you can’t say no to,” Sterin Tulsa and is currently riding a hot streak anka said. “We’re glad to be working with that has catapulted him into 22nd place on him. This is our fourth year and we’ve the 2010 money list, helped Rooney recruit raised over $6 million (through Patriot several of the professionals who graced Day) and given out more than 1000 scholthe grand opening event, which concluded arships.

Monday with the PGA Tour players and a “Dan Rooney has changed all of our veteran teaming up with amateur celebri- lives and he’s going to continue to change ties and members. lives for a long time to come.”

“I think this course is awesome,” Van Pelt said after teeing off on the 18th hole NOTES: Non-members can experience which spans a deep canyon. “The condi- a round at The Patriot on a one-time bation that it is in is amazing considering sis for $175.00. Each foursome will go how bad the winter has been. They used out with a forecaddie. A portion of the the lay of the land to outstanding effect. proceeds will support the Folds of Honor It’s a fair golf course and lots of fun.”

Foundation. For more information, call Fun is just what Rooney asked for and the pro shop at 918-272-1260. For memjust what architect Robert Trent Jones II bership information, go to www.patriotgolfand his staff delivered. club.com.

Pros love Patriot and its mission

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New Courses and Renovations

Old American brings classic design themes to North Texas

By Art Stricklin THE COLONY -- The North Texas area is known for great golf, great golfers, and great events.

But great golf courses? Especially built in the last decade? Not so much.

That may be about to change with the grand opening of the Old American Golf Club in June, designed by Tripp Davis of Norman, Okla., and PGA Tour star Justin Leonard.

The par 71 semi-private layout located in The Colony, just north of Dallas, has been open to limited play for the last eight months, but will get its official unveiling this summer.

The early results have been very encouraging from a wide variety of media members, architecture critics and local golfers.

While the final verdict will be determined by the sales of club memberships and the maturation of the course into a layout worthy of hosting championship events, it’s clear the Davis-Leonard idea of restoring the glory days of early American architec-

10

ture has struck a responsive chord.

“In the spirit of the classic, throw-back layout, we are trying to take the player back to a simpler time,” said general manager and director of golf Jeff Kindred.

“Our objective was to keep everything as true to the (old) era has possible. That includes decomposed granite cart paths, wood flagsticks, cotton flags and nothing ornate about the benches, coolers or trash cans.”

Add to that the rough cut bunkers and the squared off tee boxes along with the expert use of Lewisville Lake to frame the holes, and golfers feel like they are teeing off on one of the game’s classics designs.

“I’m just eaten up by this game. I always have been. I’m consumed by it and I want to write about it, see it, play it and design it.

That’s my goal and my challenge,” said Davis, who also designed the adjacent public Tribute golf course.

The fun starts early at Old American. After a fairly short par 4 first hole with water along the left side, the par 4 second is a slight dogleg to the left. There are bunkers and rough areas all along the left side with

the aiming bunker on the right edge of the fairway. The green complex is guarded by more bunkers with the large putting surface offering several pin locations.

A large metal span bridge owner Jack Mathews found in South Texas connects the gap between the second and third holes and is another nice rustic touch on the course.

Kindred says his favorite front nine hole is the par 4 fifth hole. It’s a sweeping dogleg left with a series of fairway bunkers to be avoided on the left and the right. A long and straight ball can go all the way through the fairway, so the best tee shot hugs the bunkers to the left side and squeezes into the narrow fairway.

“The green itself is protected by one of the most memorable bunkers complexes I’ve ever seen on the right side,” Kindred said.

“It’s a very difficult save from the bunker.”

The par-4 11th hole is one of the great examples of how Davis and Leonard showcase Lake Lewisville by placing the green seemingly right next to the water. The view from the landing area in the fairway is beautiful with the way the water, green, bunkers and

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Bunkerside on No. 13.

China beckons for architects

By Ken MacLeod

The No. 8 Green at the Old American Golf Club. trees come together.

Kindred selected the par-5 14th hole as his back nine favorite with a variety of risk-reward options. Golfers face a huge tree in the middle right of the fairway off the tee, forcing you to drive to one side or the other.

Once you get past the tree, Lake Lewisville comes into play all along the left side with the green bending toward the lake as well. A grove of trees cuts in on the right, making the wide fairway seem very narrow.

The par-5 18th plays with water and a large muddy embankment all along the left side. The proper drive must be on the right side of the fairway which is guarded by bunkers and thick rough on the right side of the cart path.

Anyone visiting the metroplex this summer should make a trip to the Colony to play Old American and The Tribute. You’ll find both well worth your investment in time and money.

Limited public play is being offered for 2010 at Old American with green fees ranging from $150 to $175. For more information, go to www.theoldamericangolfclub.com

Unlike most golf course architects across the country, Tripp Davis has a course opening in the United States this summer. The Old American in Dallas, a codesign with Justin Leonard, is one of fewer than 30 courses expected to open in 2010.

Taking a global view, the Pacific Rim is where the next great golf boom is ongoing and Davis is learning to like the food.

He attended the 2009 China Golf Show in Beijing and was amazed at how far the golf industry had advanced in the last 15 years. There were more than 500 exhibitors and “everybody you would see at a U.S. golf show.”

Davis went to find golf course developers and there were an endless stream wandering the show. The trick is deciphering who is legitimate and has the wherewithal to successfully complete a project.

Davis is working with one group on a project in Dongguan about 90 miles north of Hong Kong. He has been helped in his contacts by former OU All-American golfer Bill Hildenbrand, one of the founders of the USA China Golf Council. Hildenbrand has been visiting China regularly for more than 20 years and has done much to foster the development of golf in the eastern giant.

His first course in China will be a private course for Hong Kong businessmen. A sec-

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Tripp Davis, right, with partner Justin Leonard ond course is planned after a hotel and further development. Davis also has another project in China close to development as well as a pending project in Mexico.

There are 150 courses expected to open in China this year and another 200 will begin construction. Davis and associate Kyle Downs expect one of the two will be in China every 45 days or so for the next few years.

“If we can sign two projects a year until the market turns here, we have the opportunity to build a good brand over there,” Davis said. “Here it’s taken me 20 years to get where I am now. Over there, I can go past where I am in the states in a couple of years in terms of brand recognition.”

Davis, a former OU All-American himself who still plays well enough to contend in national amateur events (and won the OGA Four-Ball this spring with partner Brad Purcell) said one of the first things in opening his China office is hire an interpreter. One pleasant aspect of doing business in China is the custom of paying up front for services.

11

New Courses and Renovations

The exterior of the new clubhouse at Lawton Country Club.

Major upgrade Lawton CC clubhouse opens

By Andrew Gilman The way Shaun Lee describes it, kind of with a smile and a knowing glance, the Lawton Country Club’s former clubhouse was, as he describes, “Less than sufficient.’’

Of course, he can say that now, because the new setup in Lawton is quite a bit different.

And calling it sufficient would not be the best way to describe it.

The new clubhouse at the Lawton Country Club, 4601 W. Gore, is a $3 million project that was paid for by the members. It opened April 16 and has so far been received with great response.

It features new everything, from lockers to a “19th hole,’’ bar area, restaurant and more.

“The whole thing is designed for families,’’ Lee said. “The life of the club is in the younger members and families and now we have something that we can offer to everyone.’’

A 1,200 square-foot pool is in the works and should be open this June. There’s a ballroom that is also in the construction phase.

But now, after more than two years without any clubhouse, members can enjoy a different experience before or after their round of golf.

Take a look around, you’ll see artwork,

12

all locally done, covering the new interiors of the facility. The new executive chef Don Thiery works from a new menu that includes fresh fish, which can be enjoyed in a spacious dining area as well as a “club-like” atmosphere, adjacent to the dining room, that has become quite popular on weekend nights.

Of course, there’s a new pro shop as well as a private banquet room, perfect for office gatherings or a big party. There’s also a workout facility with new TVs, weight and cardio equipment.

Only one wall remains from the former structure, so members are really experiencing a total makeover.

Lee says the country club has already gotten 25-30 new members in the last month and that the dinner crowd has picked up considerably now that the club has something that can compete with other fine dining establishments around town.

“We just have so much more to offer,’’ Lee said. “We can do so many more things.’’

But now, 4,000 square-feet later, Purcell features a new facility, with new bathrooms, new options and a new place to enjoy a day out at the golf course.

“This has really been a long time coming,’’ said Mike Gowens, head golf pro since 1983.

“This was way overdue.’’

The new facility sits on the old putting green, which means there’s a new practice putting area now, as well as an area for golfers to work on their short game.

Meanwhile, the building is actually visible to players driving up, as opposed to the old building, which was hidden.

There’s new furniture and new TVs, as well as new eating options for players, too.

All told, the makeover cost $400,000.

“I just wanted it real open and comfortable,’’ said Gowens, who also coaches the Purcell High School golf teams. “We have lots of big tournaments, and now we have a place for people to go.’’

In addition, the course plans to feature more merchandise and has potential for more furniture and more options.

Brent Bruehl Probably the best feature is the windows.

Simply put, the changes at Purcell’s Brent The clubhouse overlooks the driving range Bruehl Golf Course were long overdue. and the first tee.

The original building in Purcell was built “It just feels like a new home in here,’’ in 1970 and the golf shop, which had no Gowens said. “I’m glad people can find us place for meeting, sitting or relaxing, took now. We want everybody to come out and up just a small portion in that old building. see it.’’ www.southcentralgolf.com

• South Central Golf Magazine

New Courses and Renovations

Big plans Bolder version of The Woods to replace

existing course

By Ken MacLeod

The Woods in Coweta will soon be a study in contrasts.

The existing course is known to local golfers as a fun track, 6,192 yards from the tips, that may be a little rough around the edges at times, but offers plenty of challenges, and is a bargain at less than $30 including cart.

“Our regulars love it, it’s ideal for women and beginners and we have lots of tournaments as well,” said director of golf Allen Messick.

Golfers who play The Woods this summer will notice the construction of additional golf holes adjacent to the existing property.

Work has begun on the first five holes of a new upscale course and housing development that will eventually swallow up the existing course.

The development is called Celebration at the Woods and owner Mike Yoacham of Yoacham Trucking is counting on an uptick in the housing market to fuel the completion of his dream course.

There are a total of 438 housing lots, including 224 fairway lots and 114 lake view lots, available in the new project. Lot sales have picked up this year after two down years and thus construction has begun on the course Yoacham has planned for several years.

Plans call for the front nine to be completed while the existing course remains open.

Once that is done, the current course will close and that land used for the construction of the second nine on the new course.

The new course is being designed by Bland Pittman’s firm with his son Hunter Pittman the point man on the project. Golfers in the area are likely familiar with the firm’s designs at Battle Creek in Broken Arrow and Bailey Ranch in Owasso, though Bland Pittman has designed courses worldwide.

Construction is being done by Tulsabased Jones Plan.

“It’s going to be a great project,” said Justin Jones, owner of Jones Plan. “They are not skimping on anything. The irrigation system is going to be first class. The shaping is going to be really nice.”

The Woods was originally built in 1991 and has gone through a couple of renovations since. Rounds peaked at more than

Construction of the front nine of the new course has begun beyond the new entry sign.

40,000 annually between 2003-05 but the glut of Tulsa-area courses combined with the economy has cut into that. The clubhouse has locker rooms and a full scale restaurant that goes unused most days. It will be an ideal facility for the more upscale new course.

Like the present course, Messick expects the new course will draw golfers not only

from Coweta and Tulsa, but from Broken Arrow, Haskell, Wagoner, Muskogee and elsewhere. Located just off Highway 51, the course is just minutes from both the Broken Arrow Expressway and the Creek Turnpike.

For information on the new project, call the course at 918-486-3117 or go to the website www.englewoodhomesok.com.

With a view like this.

The challenge is keeping your mind on the game.

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13

Minnesota Adventure

Chill out in the land of lakes No. 17 at Deacon’s Lodge, in Breezy Point, Minn.

By David R. Holland Most likely when you envision Minnesota you think of a land of 10,000 lakes (actually there’s 11,842), and Garrison Keillor, that folksy radio variety show host of A Prairie Home Companion. Or maybe you remember wrestler-governor Jesse Ventura or new Senator Al Franken, a comedian.

Then there’s the Minnesota that invented Masking and Scotch tape, Wheaties cereal, Bisquick, HMOs, the bundt pan, Aveda beauty products, and Green Giant vegetables. Or you might think of the Minnesota that has 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.

After my trip to this beautiful state I now think of golf. Minnesota has hosted all 13 sanctioned USGA championships and has 703,000 golfers – more per capita than any other state in the USA. Last summer Minnesota celebrated its 150th birthday and tourism folks want to remind travel golfers that 90 percent of its 508 golf courses are public – ranging from lakeside wooded parklands to prairie links to reclaimed mining areas. Away from the links, this is a land of summer lake fun – canoeing, kayaking, fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing and downhill skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiles when the cold of winter sets in.

This expedition began heading north 3 1/2 hours from Minneapolis to the Iron Range, home to Giants Ridge, for 36 holes of award-

14

winning golf. The Legend and The Quarry, both near Biwabik were designed by Arlington, Texas-based Jeff Brauer. The latter is No. 56 on Golf Magazine’s Top 100 You Can Play List and No. 19 on Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.

Talk about the north, once you get here, you aren’t that far from International Falls and Thunder Bay, Canada. The area is known for mining and the movie North Country, based in this area, dealt with mining and women -- Charlize Theron had the lead role.

“The first year of The Legends (1997) they logged 30,000 rounds,” Brauer recalled. “We sodded the course so it was ready almost instantly.”

With stunning photos by Mike Klemme, based in Enid, Oklahoma, and successful marketing, many naysayers were silenced.

These were golfers who said nobody would want drive all the way up to Biwabik.

Doubters got even quieter once The Quarry opened in 2003.

One critic said The Quarry is better than famed Minnesota major championship venues such as Interlachen Country Club, home to the 2008 Women’s U.S. Open, and Hazeltine National, home to the 2009 PGA Championship and the 2016 Ryder Cup. That’s how good this golf course is.

Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort is also home to a downhill skiing, but golf is the star attraction. The Legend at Giants Ridge (6,930 yards, par 72) is adjacent to Superior

National Forest, features birches and evergreens, boulders, waste areas, and enormous bunkers. Look for the “giant’s” footprint bunker on No. 3, a 501-yard par five.

Aim over one of its “toes” to cut the corner on this dogleg left.

The Quarry (7,201 yards, par 72), which ousted The Legend for best public access course in the state (Golf Digest), snakes through an old sand and rock quarry, finishing aside a 550-foot deep mine-pit lake that also serves as a Department of Natural Resources trout fishery.

Developed by Minnesota’s Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB), this project changed the appearance of scarred taconite mine lands with rock, gravel and sand pits, with raised tees, bent grass fairways, deep waste areas and bunkers, ponds, marshes, wetlands and contoured greens. Name an award and The Quarry, managed by Troon Golf, has won it from all the major publications. Your stay and play package should include The Lodge at Giants Ridge or the Villas at Giants Ridge.

“For years the Brainerd Lakes area was the best known for a northern Minnesota golf vacation,” said John Kendall, director of golf. “But now Giants Ridge in on the map.”

Thirty minutes from Giants Ridge in Tower is your next Brauer gem. Fortune Bay Resort Casino, is home to The Wilderness. It is owned and operated by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and the $10.8-million course

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• South Central Golf Magazine

The Legend at Giants Ridge. measures 7,207 yards at par 72 and weaves itself through red and white pines, along Lake Vermilion, granite outcroppings and marshlands. Some holes have rock ridges that serve as dividing points between upper and lower fairways.

The Wilderness, like The Quarry, was an instant award-winner, getting tabbed as one of Golf Magazine’s Top 10 Best New Places To Play in America one year later. Golf Digest named it No. 2 on its list of best casino courses and among America’s Best New Upscale Public Courses.

Brauer, who makes his home in the heavily populated Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, was awed with the beauty of the terrain and Lake Vermilion, and took notice with every wildlife sighting -- from bear, fox, timber wolves, white-tailed deer, bald eagles, and even an occasional moose.

The Wilderness General Manager Tom Beaudry says, “We play golf to get away from it all and there is no better place to escape than on these lush, scenic fairways.

Golf here will clear your mind and Fortune Bay will facilitate your productivity.” What else can you do? Try the casino, dine, use the marina, exercise room, or pool.

Brainerd, a long-standing vacation spot, is where you should head to next after getting refreshed in the backwoods. Here the golfer will find a mecca of outdoor vacations and golf. Madden’s on Gull Lake and Grand View Lodge are ideal old-time resorts with up-todate modern conveniences.

I think the best course in the area is The Classic, designed by superintendent Scott Hoffmann, and part of Madden’s portfolio.

Back in the mid-1990s, Madden’s already had 45 holes of entertaining golf, but decided they wanted a modern championship course. Among its many awards are No. 42 on Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses and Best New Upscale Public Courses in North America for 1997.

“We wanted to offer our guests the experi-

ence that a professional golfer would have every weekend on tour,” Hoffmann said. “We wanted a championship course, but one that was very fair and a good test of golf.” Throw in one of Minnesota’s best teaching pros, Chris Foley, and The Classic would please anyone.

The Classic has elevation changes up to 60 feet and covers 7,102 yards, par 72, with fairways that dip and roll.

Red oaks, maples, flowering crabapple and others line the fairways and One of the many scenic greens at the Wilderness at Fortune Bay. create scenic contrast to the more than 50 bunkers filled with “Ohio’s a lofty clearing with panoramic views. The Best” white sand. Water comes in to play Pines is a totally enjoyable adventure of on 15 of 18 holes establishing a round with 27 holes – Marsh, Lakes, and Woods nines, strategic challenges. with numerous doglegs, and one green with Madden’s trail-blazed to golf in 1926 when church-pew bunkering. There’s also an exit opened Pine Beach East, the first 18-hole ecutive nine called The Garden. resort course in the state. Pine Beach West Grand View Lodge has accommodations followed along with The Social 9, an ideal that range from its Historic Main Lodge datplace for juniors and beginners with awe- ing back to 1919 to luxurious cabins with some views of Gull Lake. lake views. Six restaurants offer such speGoing on eight decades and located on cialties as walleye and Minnesota wild rice more than 1,000 acres, Madden’s has miles soup, as well as an upscale steak house, of Gull Lake shoreline with all kinds of ac- Sherwood Forest, located in a 1920s timber commodations, dining and recreational lodge. activities. Madden’s has three full-service Those of you from the Midwest probably restaurants and four casual eateries with never thought of Minnesota as a golf touran in-house bakery for breads, pastries and ist vacation. But this state has always been desserts. Walleye prepared blackened or a trail-blazer -- the first open heart surgery broiled is popular as is top sirloin with sher- and the first bone marrow transplant in the ried mushrooms and onions.

United States were done at the University Old-timers might get nostalgic over the of Minnesota.

Grand View Lodge. It will take you back in Now it is a leader in golf – a lot less stresstime with its classic old-time resort look, ful than surgery. but with amenities that are truly 21st century – spa, boating, fishing, and 1,500-foot (David R. Holland is a former sportswritnatural sand beach on Gull Lake. er for The Dallas Morning News and author Deacon’s Lodge, designed by Arnold of The Colorado Golf Bible).

Palmer, is Brainerd’s highest ranked golf course, coming in at No. 52 on Golf Digest’s Where to golf & Stay America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses and No. 76 on Golf Magazine’s Top 100 You Giants Ridge Can Play list. This 6,934 yard, par 72 flows (800) 688-7669 through 500 acres of lakes, forest and wetwww.giantsridge.com lands with wide fairways and formidable approaches. When they tell you the second Fortune Bay Resort Casino shot is key they mean it. If your approach (800) 555-1714 doesn’t find the putting surface you might www.fortunebay.com be in trouble.

Deacon’s Lodge, opened in 1999, was Madden’s on Gull Lake preceded by The Pines in 1990 and The (800) 233-2934 Preserve in 1996. The Preserve, rated 4.5 www.maddens.com stars by Golf Digest, measures 6,601 yards at par 72, and includes rising and falling Grand View Lodge terrain lined by maple, birch, ash and oak (866) 801-2951 trees and 40 acres of wetlands. There are www.grandviewlodge.com 11 elevated tees and the clubhouse sits on

South Central Golf Magazine • www.southcentralgolf.com

15

No. 17 at Pennard Golf Club.

Rugged enchantment Wales is underrated golf destination

By Art Stricklin NEWPORT, WALES – When the golf-loving world discovers what locals like to call the Kingdom of Wales at this October’s Ryder Cup matches at Celtic Manor Resort, they will also discover this kingdom has some of the best courses you’ve never heard of.

They will discover some of the best links golf anywhere, once thought to be confined to Scotland or Ireland, and they will discover it’s all available within a two-hour radius of the Ryder Cup site, and within 90 minutes west of London.

Thankfully, they will not discover, at least not on the personal playing side, the 2010 Course, the site of this year’s Ryder Cup matches.

That’s because, much like the 2006 matches at The K Club in Ireland, the European Ryder Cup organization has awarded its Sept. 30-Oct. 3 matches to the highest financial bidder, not to the best and most natural local course.

So, while the Americans led by captain Corey Pavin, looking to retain the golfing hardware won two years ago at Valhalla, contest the Europeans led by testy Colin Montgomerie on the newly constructed and often contrived 2010 layout, golf fans

16

are free to play some authentic links gems nearby.

To be sure the 2010 Course, the compilation of the old Wentworth Hills Course along with some new holes, is modern, fancy, dramatic and sure to produce some sparkling match play golf.

There is water on almost every hole on the back nine, a variety of drivable par 4 layouts and a huge earthen bank to hold 40,000 spectators well-lubricated with the local alcoholic products on the 18th hole.

It’s just you don’t need to fly 2,000 miles to experience that in person. A trip to the Phoenix Open will do just fine, with much warmer weather, still complete with the standard, modern TPC-style layout.

For sure, show up to cheer on the U.S. as they attempt to win their first Ryder Cup match on European soil in 17 years. Attending this biannual international golf competition especially on overseas soil should be on any golfer’s must-do list.

Naturally, Celtic Manor has a modern and luxurious hotel, convention center, spa and practice facility along with a Montgomerie designed 18-hole public course and the original Roman Road layout designed by Robert Trent Jones II. There is even a nine hole-grass putting

green in front of the hotel and car park as it’s referred to over here.

But the real lure to this year’s golf trip to Wales’ golfing kingdom is the number of wonderfully authentic links courses, some 200, you can discover and play for yourself.

Probably the most famous links course in Wales is Royal Porthcawl, less than an hour away from Celtic Manor.

You know you’ve found the real home of old school golf when you stop in the elaborate clubhouse for a quick cup of early morning coffee, which is served in a antique china cup and saucer, then walk out to find your caddy is the local junior boys champion.

The first three holes at Porthcawl, which came about its royal name because of the title bestowed by the Queen of England, confirms its greatness as they run along the edge Rest Bay. The small roar of the waves and the near constant wind along with the long narrow stretches of unkept ground constantly reminds you of the beauty and challenge of links golf.

There are not as many grassy, sand dunes on the par 72 course, established in 1891, as most links layouts, which means the ocean is visible on most holes given is a coastal feel.

Porthcawl remains the only course in Wales which Tiger Woods has played, on his way to the British Open, and its constant challenge with length, conditions and accuracy is enough to challenge any level of golfer.

Less than an hour down the road you’ll find Pennard Golf Cub, established in 1896,

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• South Central Golf Magazine

The Southerndown Golf Club near Bridgend. just outside the tiny town of Swansea.

Perched on rolling hills southwest of town, with a crumbing castle on the premises and the rumbling Welsh Sea as the constant backdrop, Pennard is quite simply one of the greatest golf courses in the world no American likely knows anything about.

It shares that lofty and pleasing designation with Brora Golf Club in the Highlands of Scotland, and perhaps it’s no surprise both were designed by golf architectural legend James Braid.

Still in almost the exact same form as when it opened, Pennard is one, long 18hole, par 71, pleasant surprise.

Starting with the par 4 first hole, which immediately points you to the sea from its

The Royal Porthcawl Golf Club. elevated tee box, to the par 3 second hole 145-yard, windy tester, it’s hard not to be hooked by the sheer beauty and challenge of the Pennard links.

Each hole has been given a different name from Three Cliffs to Tower to Boscos Den along with Castle, No. 7, with ruins from the 14th Century, to Church, No. 8, a mere 200 years old.

After the round, the local members are more than happy to welcome you to their two-story wooden clubhouse for a local pint or a serving of Welsh Rarebit, a local treat of which you are probably better not to know the exact contents.

While Southerndown Golf Club may lack the championship pedigree of some other

The Southerndown Golf Club.

South Central Golf Magazine • www.southcentralgolf.com

Wales courses, it’s still a fine test of links golf. Visiting golfers are welcomed with their names on a huge white signboard in front of the clubhouse.

The first hole of the par 70 course angles straight up to a hidden green and golfers share the course with sheep and plenty of thorny gorse and tangled heather.

Another great charm of Wales golf is the number of small inns and bed and breakfasts that dot the countryside. The Great House, between Pennard and Southerndown is a perfect example, having first opened in the 1550s as a hunting lodge for the Earl of Leicester having received it as a gift from Queen Elizabeth I. It’s simple, elegant and historic, the perfect complement to the golf which is the same way.

If you must play one more round of golf before the flight home, the best and convenient choice is The Grove golf course and resort, just 45-minutes from Heathrow Airport on the loop road which circles London.

Once a castle and royal residence, The Grove is an 18-hole layout on the canals which encircle the city, and played host to a 2008 World Golf Championship event.

If you’ve never seen the Ryder Cup matches in person, this October in Wales would be the perfect time, but by all means leave yourself time to explore the authentic link layouts around the Celtic Manor venue.

You’ll find Golf in the Kingdom is just fine these days.

For more information, go to www.golfasitshouldbe.com or www.rydercupwales2010.com

17

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• South Central Golf Magazine

Growing up fast

By Ken MacLeod The Payne Stewart Golf Course in Branson opened last summer with nine holes fully mature and nine holes still growing in.

Suffice it to say if you haven’t played it lately, you haven’t played it. “The back nine has grown in tremendously and really caught up to the rest of the course,� said T.J. Baggett, director of golf. “It’s in great shape and we’re getting so many great comments.�

Baggett in late May was celebrating the completion of the club’s practice facilities, including a driving range and practice green with three bunkers to go with the chipping and putting green.

Drew Johnson, former head professional at Hickory Hills in Springfield, has come on board to spearhead the instruction program and in 2011 the course will introduce the Hilton Golf Academy.

The course is certainly capable of holding professional events. The back tees are 7,324

Aerial shot of the Payne Stewart Golf Course in Branson. yards and play to a course rating of 75.1. “It can be unforgiving around the greens if you miss in the wrong spots,� Baggett said. “You have to really be careful. Even in the fairways, you’ve got to miss in the right spots. The fescue rough is really tough and it’s hard to spin the ball.�

On the other hand, the zoysia fairways are immaculate and fairly generous. It is a very enjoyable course to play and the scenery is quite dramatic. Baggett still fights the perception that it’s a private course. “It’s truly amazing,� he said. “We fight that a lot. There are people in Springfield (Mo.)

that still don’t know about us.�

Well let the news be spread. Not only is the course open to the public, there are numerous stay and play options, including the Hampton Inn in the parking lot, 18 attractive golf villas or the Hilton downtown. Golf packages and special rates can be found at www.hilton.com or at www.paynestewartgolfclub.com.

In addition to the course, golfers will be fascinated by the Payne Stewart museum and memorabilia on display in and around the Many Faces of Payne Grill, a great 19th hole.

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19

Patriot

Caroline Hedwall after winning the NCAA Championship. Photo by Jeff Janowski, Wilmington Star News

Hedwall wins NCAA Sophomore leaves OSU for pros

By Corinne Meyerson If Caroline Hedwall would have followed her passion as a young teenager, the world would not even connect her name with the game of golf.

“I played soccer too and I liked that more,” Hedwall said.

At the age of 13 she began to play competitive golf and decided she found where her true passion resided.

About eight years later on May 21, Hedwall became the first Oklahoma State golfer to capture the NCAA women’s title as she shot a 12-under 276 for four rounds to finish four shots ahead of Arizona State’s Jennifer Johnson.

“It was incredible,” OSU coach Annie Young said. “Just to cap off such a good season.”

The sophomore did not just cap off a season, but her career at OSU. She plans to start her pro golf career later this year.

“I support her 100 percent,” Young said.

“I think she’s got a big future ahead of her.

She’s worked hard. She doesn’t have more to prove in regard to the college circuit.”

Hedwall was named Big 12 Player of the Year for the second straight year, and was also the first Cowgirl to be named PING/ NGCA Division I Player of the Year by the National Golf Coaches Association.

Hedwall is from Loddekopinge, Sweden, and was recruited by Duke, Arizona, New Mexico, Purdue, and Louisiana State, where her twin sister, Jacqueline, plays.

“I’m really close with her,” Hedwall said.

“We talk four or five times a day. They didn’t

20

make it to nationals. They missed it by one stroke.”

Hedwall said although it was tough to split up from her sister for the first time, it was an easy choice to attend Oklahoma State.

“There’s been a lot of Swedes here so I heard about it through people on the Swedish national team,” Hedwall said. “I came here for a visit and I saw the course and everything and I just decided right away that I wanted to come here.”

Young said Hedwall has made an impact at Oklahoma State not achieved by many golfers at any program.

“I was very fortunate as a coach to be able to coach her,” Young said. “It’s not very often that you get those kinds of players that come through your program.”

Young also said Hedwall impacted the team on and off the course.

“She’s been a huge leader for us,” Young said. “She helped the girls in all aspects.

Whether it was in classes or whether it was how to hit different shots.”

Caroline is headed back to Sweden for the summer to play with the Swedish Golf Team, and looks to qualify for the LPGA Tour in the fall.

There is no doubt Hedwall has left her mark on the OSU golf program and has a promising future. However, Young said it is not just Hedwall’s physical abilities that will propel her to the top.

“Sometimes there are good golfers that know they’re good and they let everyone know,” Young said. “She isn’t that kind of player. She is a very humble person. Confident, but humble.”

Continued from page 9

dusting ourselves off, we came together and found a way to get through it.

“The truth now is that we’re better off for it. It exposed any areas where a storm could hurt us.”

Once the zoysia fairways were put back in place, they had enough time to knit in and – unlike the numerous courses in Tulsa which had severe winter kill on their Bermuda fairways – were in spectacular shape for the May opening.

Superintendent Jeremy Dobson and his crew will have to learn how each grass performs in each of the four macro climates on the course, from the bluffs to the bottoms.

“The big challenge is going to be how much sun gets on some of these canyon holes in the spring and fall, when the angle is lower,” Dobson said. “And we’ve got some areas where the greens aren’t out in the open. But we’ve got large fans and subair capability, so we should be all right.”

Although the building of the course by Landscapes Unlimited was a challenge, it was not as bad as it might appear. Fourteen of the 19 holes (the par-3 sixth hole has two options) were pretty much built as they were discovered. Holes 2, 15 and 16 had to be raised out of the floodplain and a large wetlands area is in between 15 and 16.

Canyon holes 1 and 14 had to be reshaped from a sharp V to a gentle u to allow for the fairways, while the rock shelf guarding the green on hole 7, which features the farmer’s damn, had to be lowered to allow the hole to be visible.

There is virtually no rough at The Patriot.

The course transitions from wide fairways to areas you do not want to be, woods and native grasses. It has five par-5s and five par3s which add to the entertainment value.

It actually has six par-3s as there are two holes at No. 6. The second or 6B is one Rooney argued for and Blasi against, a short pitch off the canyon wall to a green below the seventh tee. Ironically, Blasi nearly aced the hole in our exploratory round. Later that night, playing with Charlton and with Jones observing, racing against the fading light, Blasi played the hole again and this time it went in for the first hole-in-one ever at The Patriot.

Developers David Charney, Greg Simmons and Pete Kourtis along with Rooney and the other major investors in the club are excited and proud of what they have helped create. With it’s unique ties to the Folds of Honor Foundation, it will always occupy a unique place in Oklahoma golf. Visually and conditioning, the course already holds its own with any in the state. As for where it will eventually be perceived, it all depends on what you want from a golf course.

A good test, a good time and a good cause.

Sounds good to us.

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• South Central Golf Magazine

Bates gravitates to teaching

By JOHN ROHDE As a tour player, Pat Bates enjoyed sharing golf tips at clinics and during pro-am events. As the new lead instructor and director of the Golf Academy at Gaillardia Country Club, he is now able to share that passion on a full-time basis.

“I’ve studied the game all my life and enjoy helping people,” Bates said. “I would always pick out somebody I thought could help. Becoming an instructor has been a very easy transition for me.”

Though Bates became an outstanding golfer, the game didn’t come easily for him.

“I wasn’t a young phenom, so I had to study and really learn the game,” said Bates, who turns 41 on July 26. “I was always someone who had to work harder, study more and learn more to become the player I wanted to be. I think the transition (to instructor) for other players probably wasn’t as easy as it was for me. Plus, I like to be around people and help people. The passion is a little bit different. You’re out there to help people. You’re not out there to help yourself.”

Bates attended the University of Florida, where he was a three-time first-team All-

Pat Bates with students on the range at Gaillardia.

SEC selection and teammates with Chris DiMarco, Dudley Hart and Brian Gay. Bates’ pro career got derailed following neck surgery in 1999. There were complications and Bates was left with nerve damage in his hand, which resulted in a loss of power. Though Bates could excel on shorter courses such as Colonial and Hilton Head, the game’s emphasis on length and less accuracy made it difficult to survive.

“It’s become such a power game that I’ve got to become an exceptional wedge player and putter to compete,” said Bates, who

won more than $2.3 million in official prize money on tour.

On the Nationwide Tour, Bates played in 206 events, won five times, had 14 Top-3 finishes and 32 Top-10s.

On the PGA Tour, he played in 134 events.

His best finish was a tie for fifth at the 2003 Colonial (the tournament in which Annika Sorenstam played), where Bates had a final round of 66 and hit all 18 greens in the regulation.

Bates’ touring days ended after he lost his playing privileges in 2007 and failed to survive at Qualifying School. “I didn’t feel like going through the grind of the Nationwide Tour again,” Bates said.

The opportunity at Gaillardia came when instructor E.J. Pfister decided to work fulltime at Oak Tree National rather than split time with Gaillardia.

Bates and his fellow instructors offer two daily sessions for juniors Tuesday through Thursday — from 4-5:30 p.m. and 5:45-7:15 — and the Gaylord Learning Center at Gaillardia can accommodate 30-40 kids at one time. “We have lots of room for instruction. It’s one of the best facilities in the country,” Bates said.

Bates and his staff are available for lessons with members and the general public

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and intend to offer additional clinics in the coming months. “Anyone can come out for a lesson. They don’t have to be a member,” Bates said. “I don’t focus on just one aspect of the game. You have to be good at a lot of things — chipping, putting, wedge play, course management, physical training.

These are all things I can pass on to players of any level.

“I think playing and teaching are very different. When you’re playing on tour, it’s more about yourself. You have to look out for yourself. You’re practicing. You’re training. You’re trying to compete at the highest level. To be a great teacher, you have to have a love for knowledge. The bottom line is you’re trying to make somebody a better golfer.”

Bates is married to Doug Tewell’s daughter, Kristine, and they have three children — John (12), Kendall (11) and Cooper (8).

They moved to Oklahoma in 2005 and previously were members at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club.

Bates is in the process of getting his Class A certification, plans to compete in PGA South Central Section events, and aspires to advance to the PGA Championship with a top-20 finish in the annual PGA Professional National Championship.

(John Rohde is a sportswriter with The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City.)

Gaillardia sets example

By opening up its junior program – complete with some of the finest teaching facilities in the country – to the general public, Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City is taking a positive and proactive step toward ensuring that there will be future members to join the club.

All courses, public and private, need to be making every effort now to encourage participation by juniors. Golf numbers have been stagnant at best and some studies show significant declines. As an industry, golf has lagged well behind soccer and other youth sports in making its sport fun, cost efficient and easier to play.

“If we want to have a viable job in the golf business a few years down the road, we have to take the bull by the horns and do all we can with the facilities we have to encourage junior golf,” said Peter Vitali, director of golf at Gaillardia. “We can’t be selfish. We’ve got to bring everybody in.”

Oklahoma City has a First Tee program and the public courses have done a great job with juniors over the years, first at Lincoln Park and later at the James E. Stewart Golf Course. There is plenty of room at the table.

The Gaillardia program is offered Tuesday through Friday and there are groups

for ages 3-5 and ages 6-18. Cost is $100 for one day per week for a month or $160 for two days weekly for a month.

Vitali’s program has already had great success with members of the Deer Creek High School team and others, including a couple of girls who have gone on to play on the Futures Tour and four collegiate golfers.

Just as the gates at Gaillardia are open to the public for lessons, so other clubs are finding it necessary to allow some access both for financial reasons and for future membership.

The Patriot just opened in Owasso with a program that sets two tee times a day aside for the public to play at $175 per golfer. This generates a welcome cash flow and allows potential members to play the course. It also allows some great public course golfers access to a course they would otherwise never play and there’s nothing wrong with that. More programs like that would only be good for interest and good for the game.

Golf needs more creative, innovative programs like these that open the doors to great facilities and could inspire lifelong participants or future members.

– Ken MacLeod

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• South Central Golf Magazine

Wind, hail, winter kill leave golf courses wondering Record rainfall in October, followed by a bitter winter that depressed play by more than 50 percent at many courses.

Severe winter kill on collars, fairways and slopes throughout the region.

Tornadoes and straight winds blowing down trees or hailstones pounding your greens like 10,000 Nolan Ryan fastballs.

All this has local pros, superintendents and course owners wondering how much more their beleaguered industry can take – and what’s coming next.

As the volatile spring weather finally began to transition into the heat of summer, courses without huge budgets were hoping the onset of warm nights would help the Bermuda grass fairways finally recover from the winter of 2009-10.

Meanwhile new challenges came on a daily basis. A series of small tornadoes battered courses in Tulsa. Southern Hills lost significant limbs on more than 300 trees but will show no lasting effects, just as its fairways are looking fine again after more than

nine acres of sod were put down to cover the winter kill.

“We decided to go ahead and address it and be proactive,” Southern Hills general manager Nick Sidorakis said. “I’m tired of playing catch-up, we wanted to provide our membership with the conditions they expect and do it now. I’m glad we did, because the weather for Bermuda has been terrible.

We would have been waiting a long time for the course to grow back in.”

Battle Creek Golf Course in Broken Arrow brought in a sprigging machine from California that is owned by Greenway Golf and is one of only a few of its kind in the world. It applies the sprigs at a depth of up to 3.5 inches, resulting in a much faster grow-in process.

The most bizarre weather incident had to be the hailstorm that pounded several courses in Oklahoma City on May 16. It ravaged the greens at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club, Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, the Greens Country Club and several

Above, a tree snapped by high winds at Lafortune Park. Photo by Rip Stell other courses. Superintendents estimated it would take up to two weeks to completely nullify the effects.

“It was just unbelievable,” said Quail Creek head professional Kyle Flinton. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

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little larger and there were enough to pile up to two feet deep in some places. They stripped the trees of most of their leaves, broke windows and destroyed 12 air conditioning units, broke skylights and other windows in the clubhouse, destroyed the new roof of the maintenance facility and damaged all of the 25 or so cars that were in the parking lot.

Link said the recovery program for the greens involved clearing debris, aerification, rolling, top dressing, mowing and fertilizing and repeating the process numerous times.

At Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, the hailstones were up to baseball size, said General Manager Oliver Boudin.

“It was really bad, the worst we’ve ever seen,” he said. “The greens looked like someone had beat them with a baseball bat.

They had gashes three inches long and an inch deep.”

While damage ended up being minor, there was a close shave with a tornado May 10 at the Jimmie Austin University of Oklahoma Golf Course in Norman. The Class 6A boys high school state championship was ongoing when players were called off the course due to tornado warnings. After it appeared to be clearing, about 40 players and fans had drifted out of the clubhouse when a new warning came that there was a tornado on the property.

Director of Golf Rodney Young said he

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“I’m surprised more people don’t die in

tornadoes, because you can get so fascinated just watching the clouds churn,” Young said. “It was amazing to watch.”

The course was cleaned sufficiently for the boys to conclude the tournament on Tuesday.

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Big hands, soft heart Lou Holland remembered warmly

By Mal Elliott When you first met Lou Holland, he would flash his infectious grin and stick out the large hand of a man who worked hard all his life. It was the hand of a contractor and roofer whose success had an impact on Wichita business.

His “hail fellow, well met” attitude made him popular in the world of golf, too. Almost invariably when he met a fellow golfer he would invite him to come play a round at his beloved Rolling Hills Country Club.

Holland died April 29 at the age of 88, after serving at several capacities as a golf ambassador in Kansas, He was twice president of the Kansas Golf Association and four times president of the Greater Wichita Golf Association.

He founded two of the KGA’s most popular events during his terms in office – the Kansas Open and the Kansas Senior Amateur. He was also active in the Kansas Seniors Invitational Association, twice winning its state seniors championship.

It was during the 1960s and 1970s that Hol-

land had a big hand in the redevelopment of golf in Kansas following World War II. It was the 1960s when golf officials were discovering what a profound impact seniors were going to have on the game. So he founded the KGA Senior Amateur championship. During one interview Holland recalled how he and Ed Skradski, KGA executive director, pounded the streets of Lawrence to raise prize money for the first Kansas Open in 1976.

“He had big hands but he had a soft touch in his short game,” said Rick Nuckolls, coowner of Wichita’s Willowbend Golf Course and former head pro at Rolling Hills. “I must have played a thousand rounds of golf with Lou.” Holland was no soft touch in the “games” that were popular at Rolling Hills and other Wichita clubs.

“He had an uncanny knack for birdieing holes 9 and 18,” said Nuckolls.

Rolling Hills became a golfing mecca in Kansas with a strong nucleus of low handicap members. Rod Nuckolls, Rick’s brother, won three club titles before representing

Lou Holland had a knack for birdies on 18.

RHCC on the PGA Tour for four years in the late 1970s. Holland won two club crowns in 1971 and 1973, outlasting several RHCC

Please see Holland, Page 26

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Instruction Zone Pat McTigue

GolfTEC, Tulsa

Junior Golf Instruction School is out, and being a parent of two grade school kids, I know there is no shortage of activities and camps to fill their summer. If golf is on the list, there are many choices in our region to improve your child’s golfing skills. If your budding tour player is just getting started or has only dabbled in the game, the best and most economical option is to look into one of the fine junior golf day camps offered at public and municipal facilities. For the more experienced player, summer is a great time to focus on their game with individual private lessons at a course or dedicated teaching facility.

Golf camps are very good for introducing basic fundamentals to beginning golfers, with focus on grip, posture, alignment, balance and ball position. Establishing fundamentals in juniors is vitally important, but at the same time excruciatingly boring.

Johnny doesn’t care that he’s supposed to have his left hand on top, he just wants to whack some balls! Good junior programs are focused on helping kids to learn the basics and making it fun at the same time. For any level of golfer, the challenge is to get a SWING

player proficient enough to enjoy the game before frustration drives them away from it, and kids are no different.

I’m asked frequently what the right age is to start a child in golf. Instead of thinking about an age, I am a big advocate of introducing kids to a variety of athletics, and giving them some time to discover where their passions lie. If they eventually settle on golf, the agility, balance and body control they develop in other sports will serve them well as they progress with their game.

The right time to start with instruction is when the interest and attention span of the child is sufficient to facilitate learning. For the sake of myself and my fellow PGA pros, please don’t use golf instruction as day care.

When your child’s passion appears to be largely directed toward competitive golf, it is a good time to find a PGA instructor for individual lessons. It is very advantageous to find an instructor that regularly uses video in their teaching.

All golfers can benefit from regular use of video in their instruction, but junior golfers seem to benefit even more as they are adept at mimicking tour players swings. The fundamentals of younger touring pros are very good, and it is largely due to the widespread use of video compared to their older counterparts. While Jim Furyk, Jim Thorpe, Ray Floyd and other tour players are and were very successful, I don’t think we’ll see too

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many quirky golf swings on tour in the future.

Finally, as your child gets more and more intent on golf, take the time to develop a solid relationship with your PGA teacher. He or she will tell you when you push and when to back off. I’ve seen too many really good junior players that were pushed too hard by their parents and are burned out by the time they get to high school. Find an instructor that your child likes, and trust them to do their job. Trust me, I’m a professional.

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Holland

Continued from page 25

members who were among the finest shotmakers in Kansas.

Holland hit the ball so pure and straight he was nicknamed the “Silver Bullet” or “Bullet” for short. When he played in the “games” he would always regale members of his group with his “joke of the day.”

“He was just a pleasant fellow to be around,” said Nuckolls.

Holland did not neglect his family when it came to golf. Both sons, Gary and Neal, became low handicap competitors. Gary won a Wichita city title in 1967, beating Virgil Parker, a fellow Rolling Hills member and a former state amateur champ and member of the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame, in the title match.

Rolling Hills is one of the most difficult courses in Kansas with some of the most perplexing greens, designed by Floyd Farley in the 1960s. Holland bragged on the RHCC greens and claimed that was what made RHCC golfers so proficient. The severe undulations of the greens were created in the 1960s when green speeds were six or seven feet on the stimpmeter. Today they are typically faster than 10 feet, which makes putting a brutal exercise.

Many times Mr. Holland asked his friend and Kansas Golf Hall of Fame member Dave Dennis of Independence, Kan., to come to Wichita for a friendly “game” at the club.

Dennis, two-time Kansas Amateur champion and twice KGA president, finally relented. The “games” at RHCC were always competitive but this day was exceptional: Rod Nuckolls fired 11-under-par 61 and brother Rick, the club pro, was 3 under.

The fun loving Holland teased Dennis, saying next time he came to Wichita if he would give him more advance notice, “I might be able to get together a better game.”

Holland moved from Oklahoma City to Wichita in 1947. In ‘49, he married Millie, his wife for the next 61 years, and they went into business on their own. They joined RHCC in ‘55 and before his death they were the longest tenured members of the club.

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• South Central Golf Magazine

OGA Views Mark Felder

OGA Executive Director This being our 100th year of operation this month we would like to focus on the State Amateur Championship. The state amateur started 100 years ago with a threeyear break due to World War II. It is a who’s who of golf in Oklahoma with great champions and great venues.

Winning streaks dot the landscape of the history of the State Amateur. H.G. Gwinnup won the first three championships and again in 1916. James A. Kennedy won four years in a row from 1920-1923. Keefe Carter won the Amateur three times in the 1920s and his parents presented him Twin Hills Golf & Country Club as a gift for winning the State Amateur. Glen Fowler captured the title 1958-1960. Players who have won Prairie Dunes, site of the 100th Kansas Amateur. and defended their title are Bob Dickson (1965-1966), Jay Friedman (1969-1970), Jim Kane (1979-1980) and Joe Nick (1992-1993). iews

KGA V

Many notable champions include: 1952 – Joe Walser 1955 – Ab Justice 1962 – Labron Harris, Jr. 1963 – Hugh Edgmon 1967, 71 – Mark Hayes 1973 – Dave Barr 1977, 81 – Jeff McMillian 1978 – Jim Woodward 1982, 91 – Bill Brafford 1985 – Fred Lutz 1986 – Kyle Flinton

Kim Richey

KGA Executive Director

For the 100th Time!

It’s a milestone. Doing anything for the 100th time is worthy of celebration. The Kansas Golf Association will conduct its Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship for the 100th time this July. And, what better place to play it than Prairie Dunes Country Club!

The first Kansas Amateur was played in 1908 at Wichita Country Club. This was a 9hole course three miles east of downtown (now an area long since covered up with Recent Champions: streets and houses!). The event was won by 2000 – Tripp Davis Paul Hyde, a student at Fairmont College 2001 – Mike Hughett (now known as Wichita State University).

2002 – Mitch Cohlmia Hyde’s father founded the Mentholatum 2003 – Ted Neville Company, now a world leader in non-pre2004 – Brett Myers scription drug and health care products. The 2005 – Ted Neville golf course was designed by Thomas Hawks 2006 – Alan Bratton Griffith, a Wichita stock broker and the man 2007 – Daniel Mitchell who convinced several other golfers and 2008 – Rhein Gibson clubs to form the Kansas Golf Association.

2009 – Colton Staggs The first KGA president was a Wichita-area

Episcopal minister named Paul Talbot.

This year’s championship will be held July Over next several decades the game of 12-14 at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Bro- golf grew in Kansas, more people took ken Arrow. Qualifiers for the tournament up the game and more golf courses were will be held on June 24 at Lincoln Park in opened. This history of our state championOklahoma City and Page Belcher in Tulsa. ship is full of great names.

To look at the full list of past champions or Eight former champions are members of enter any of the OGA/OJGT events, please the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame (Dave Dennis, visit our website at www.okgolf.org.

Virgil Parker, Dick Price, Johnny Stevens, Jim Vickers, Jim Colbert, Grier Jones and Rose), one is a former member of the Get the latest golf news online Frank USGA Executive Committee (Fred Dold), one is a U.S. Amateur Public Links champiat www.southcentralgolf.com! on (Monty Kaser), three are winners on the

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PGA Tour (Colbert, Jones and Matt Gogel), but all of them were or are leaders in their school or community.

The Kansas Golf Association will celebrate the 100th Kansas Amateur with a special day at Prairie Dunes. Over 20 of the former champions will attend for a day of golf, a group photo with the new travelling trophy and a dinner where the history will be recounted and the attendees recognized.

The 100th Kansas Amateur will continue with its match play format. 144 qualifiers will play 36 holes of stroke play to determine the top 64 players to place in the match play bracket. A 36-hole final match will determine the 100th champion on Sunday, July 25th. Whoever that golfer is, he will have played nine rounds of golf in six days over one of the world’s best venues (and probably in hot, humid and windy conditions!).

Matt Gogel, former PGA Tour winner, won the Kansas Amateur the last time it was played at Prairie Dunes in 1993. But for his job with the Golf Channel as a commentator, Matt would be with us in Hutchinson to join in the celebration.

Exempt players for the 2010 Kansas Amateur include all former champions so look for Bryan Norton, Sean Thayer, John Loomis, Darren Copp and defending Matt Ewald to looking to put their name on the new trophy.

While entries closed on June 4, there is a “second chance” to get into the event. For the first time the KGA will allow those who failed to play well enough to qualify in one of the five qualifying events or who missed the entry deadline to enter “late” or “again” for the sixth qualifier (dubbed “The Second Chance Qualifier) on July 7 at Alvamar Golf Course. Contact the KGA office for details (785-842-4833).

27

ASGA Views Jay N. Fox

ASGA Executive Director

Jessica Ross joins ASGA to direct women/juniors For the first time since 1996, the Arkansas State Golf Association is expanding its full-time professional staff with the recent hiring of Jessica Ross as Director of Junior/ Women’s Golf. Ross began part-time with the ASGA in April while she finished her degree at the University of Central Arkansas and began full-time May 7.

Ross will directly oversee both the ASGA Junior and Women’s Program and will work with the current staff in other administrative responsibilities. Her first three weeks on the job, she served as starter, scorer and rules official for the ASGA Senior & SuperSenior Match Play at Cooper’s Hawk in Melbourne; served as Arkansas Captain for the fifth annual Governor’s Cup at Old Waverly in West Point, Miss. and tournament chairman for the sixth annual ASGA Two-Woman Scramble at Hot Springs Country Club.

“It has been a lot of fun so far,” Ross said, Jessica Ross presents the Mid-Senior Match Play Medalist Trophy to Austin Franks. “and I am learning a lot. The ASGA has a great staff and working in the golf industry The hours are long, but rewarding.” the job and she gained valuable experience is something I have always wanted to do.

The past two summers prepared Ross for as a Coordinator of the Junior Golf Program at Hyannis Golf Club in Barnstable, Mass.

She was involved in all aspects of tournament operations including organizing clinics for a local First Tee Chapter. Two summers prior, she worked in the golf shop at Conway Country Club, assisting with dayListen for giveaways each week on to-day and tournament operations. the South Central Golf Hour Radio Show Ross grew up in the ASGA Junior Golf Program and played three years of NCAA on The Sports Animal Tulsa Division I Golf at the University of Central Arkansas, where she also served as super97.1 FM, 1550 AM visor/assistant to the director of the UCA Intramural Program. A 2005 graduate of St. Joseph Catholic High School in Conway, Ross was a multi-sport athlete earning Sign up for our weekly updates and prize opportunities by varsity letters in basketball, golf, track and clicking the newsletter tab at www.southcentralgolf.com field, softball, volleyball and soccer. Ross continues to be active in St. Joseph activities as a volunteer basketball coach for fifth and sixth graders.

“Jessica is a great addition to our staff,” ASGA President Dennis Young said. “She is a highly motivated, goal oriented individual, • Increase rounds • Keep in contact who is organized and has strong leadership • Improve sales with your members capabilities. Plus she has an outgoing and friendly personality which is paramount for • Effectively market and customers success in this position.”

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• South Central Golf Magazine

PGA Views

Jim Elliott & Rod Nuckolls both from Willowbend Golf Club and Darren Watts, Lake Hefner GC & Andy Schaben, Wild Horse Barry Thompson Canyon. Rounding out the top five with a SCS Executive Director 98 was Art Proctor and Judson Choate, Turkey Creek GC for fourth and tying for fifth The South Central Section Tournament was Stephen Gill, Wellington Golf Club and Season is in full swing and so far we have Lee Johnson, Hidden Lakes GC and Chuck been very lucky with our weather.

Coatney, Stillwater Country Club and Brian Thank you to Kevin O’Brien and his staff Soerensen, Kickingbird Golf Club. at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in OklaThe Assistant Match Play was held at The homa City for hosting the 2010 Pro-Senior Golf Club of Oklahoma and from the WestTournament this year. George Glenn and ern Chapter, Casey Harbour, The Territory Tim Graves, Coffee Creek Golf Course had was the overall winner. As always Craig the top performance of the day with a 96. Walker and his staff did a great job hosting Close at second with 97 were two teams: the tournament at their facility.

Rules of Golf Gene Mortensen

OGA Rules Official As the United States Golf Association was creating the Rules of Golf, they wisely assigned some very important responsibilities to the players. I encourage you to carefully review Rule 6 as it would be prudent to know what is expected of you. Here are my random comments to assist you in the process.

Perhaps the most important duty is that you safeguard yourself if there is a danger from lightning. You need not wait for the Committee to blow the horn. You should not take the time to retrieve your golf ball.

When there is lightning anywhere in the area you must leave the course and seek shelter immediately. One old adage tells us that if you can hear thunder it is possible for you to be struck by lightning so, when these conditions are present, you will want to take every precaution. You must report to the Committee as soon as possible when you stop play because of a dangerous condition.

With every Pro Shop having access to weather information via the internet, the Committee will be watching for dangerous conditions too. In the event the Committee provides in the conditions that play must be discontinued during a dangerous condition, you must stop play immediately and seek shelter when the siren sounds. Don’t tap in that 3 foot putt, the warning means “urgency”. You are not permitted to practice or resume play until the Committee has indicated that it is safe to do so. You will want to know what signals the Pro Shop will use to stop play; the USGA uses one prolonged note of a siren or air horn.

There are times when the Committee signals for discontinuance of play without the players being in peril. Darkness is an example. In this event you may finish the hole being played and then discontinue play after the hole is completed. The USGA uses three short notes of a siren or air horn for

this signal.

Rule 6-7 requires that each group of players maintain the suggested pace of play and failure to do so could result in disqualification. Very often a Committee will issue a pace guideline which defines the amount of time to play each hole and they monitor play to see that all groups remain on schedule. Pace of play is important in that one slow group affects every other player on the course. As a general rule, your position on the course is immediately behind the group in front of you; NOT immediately ahead of the group behind you.

In Rule 6-1 it is provided that each player and his caddie know the Rules. As I have continued to maintain, the Rules are your “friend” and you should have a working understanding of all of them. Your enjoyment of the game is enhanced when you are able to correctly apply the Rules to common situations.

You are responsible to arrive at your starting tee before your scheduled tee time. In Rule 6-3 we see that if your tee time is 10:00 and you arrive one minute later but in time to play when it is your turn, you will be disqualified. This is true unless circumstances warrant waiving the penalty of disqualification and those are rare.

The Committee has the option to adopt the Note to this Rule which provides some leeway for the player who arrives at the starting point ready to play within five minutes of the assigned starting time. With this Note in effect, there is a two stroke penalty in stroke play and loss of hole in match play however the player is permitted to complete the stipulated round. Arriving at your starting tee in advance of your tee time will give you the opportunity to review the Local Rules and receive last minute instructions from the Starter.

Another responsibility of yours is in respect to your handicap. If you are playing in a match play Handicap Event, you must determine your opponent’s handicap so you know where you give or receive strokes. If you fail to do this and conclude the match without

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We would like to thank Chris Tuohey and his staff at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan., for hosting the Section Skins Game.

Top place in the scramble was Cimarron Grubb and Travis Hurst, Belmar Golf Club; second was Judson Choate, Turkey Creek GC and Mike Hansen, Quail Creek Golf and Country Club; and tied for third were Barry Howard & Tim Zimmerebner, Hot Springs Country Club and Steve Blaske, MacDonald Park Golf Course and Kerry Petricek, Reflection Ridge Country Club. Winners of the Skins game were Judson Choate and Mike Hansen.

As always thank you to our Sponsors: Yamaha Golf Car and PGA Tour! using all of your strokes, the match stands as played. If you declare a higher handicap and it affects the number of strokes given or received, you will be disqualified. In stroke play the handicap is adjusted to the score at the conclusion of the round and not on a hole-by-hole basis so you need only record your handicap on your scorecard.

In this respect, the handicap you use is the current one and not the one you had when you entered the event one month ago.

You are responsible for playing the proper ball. I think it would surprise you to see the number of times players in competitions play a wrong ball. When you mark your ball so you can look down at it and see that it is yours, the other players will be able to see that too.

Rule 6 also provides that you are responsible for your scorecard in stroke play events.

During events you will be a marker for a fellow competitor so you will record his score for each hole and another competitor will act as your marker. At the conclusion of the round, your marker will sign your card to verify the score he entered for you on each hole and you must check it to see that your score on each hole is accurate. You must then sign your card and promptly return it. If you return a score for a hole which is lower than your actual score, you will be disqualified. If a score on a hole is higher than your actual score, that higher number becomes your score. If your scorecard does not contain both you and your marker’s signatures and a score for each hole, you will be disqualified. The Committee will add the scores and post the score.

I would like to add one responsibility for each player which is not in the Rules. See to it that the course is in a better condition when you leave than it was when you arrived. To do that you pick up paper that is blowing about; replace your divots and rake all bunkers you have occasion to visit. On the green, fix your ball mark and one other. Don’t you agree that if we all did these simple things your next round would be so much more pleasurable?

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Schedules and Results COLLEGE MEN NCAA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL At Capital City Club, Alpharetta, Ga. (par-70) May 20-22 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma State 282282-277 – 841; 2, Clemson 283-278-282 – 843; 3, Georgia Tech 287-286-272 – 845; 4 (tie), Arizona State 290-288-285 – 863 and Georgia Southern 288-293-282 – 863; 6, Brigham Young 289-287-288 – 864; 7, South Alabama 292-284-290 -- -866; 8, Arkansas 296-282-289 – 867; 9, Wake Forest 292291-286 – 869; 10, Mississippi 301-285-287 – 873; 11 (tie), Coastal Carolina 293-302279 --- 874 and Furman 292-294-288 – 874; 13, Towson 308-282-287 – 877.

Individual leaders: 1, Peter Uihlein (OSU) 68-70-68 – 206; 2, Logan Blondell (GS) 69-69-70 – 208; 3 (tie), Morgan Hoffman (OSU) 71-69-69 – 208, Ben Martin (Clemson) 71-69-69 – 209, Jonathan Randolph (Miss.) 68-72-69 – 209, Robbie Fillmore 68-69-72 – 208 and J.T. Griffin (GT) 68-73-68 – 209.

Other scores: Jamie Marshall (Ark.) 71-67-74 – 212, Kevin Tway (OSU) 72-7269 – 213, Trent Whitekiller (OSU) 71-71-71 – 213, Dalton Owens (Ark.) 76-70-70 – 216, Sean Einhaus (OSU) 74-72-72 – 218, Mitchell Gregson (Kansas State) 69-73-76 – 218, Austin Cook (Ark.) 75-72-73 – 220, Josh Eure (Ark.) 76-73-72 – 221, Joe Ida (Kansas State) 78-72-71 – 221, David Lingmerth (Ark.) 74-73-75 – 222.

– 1,183.

Individual leaders: 1, Caroline Hedwall (OSU) 70-70-68-68 – 276; 2, Jennifer Johnson (ASU) 67-70-70-73 – 280; 3 (tie), Cydney Clanton (Aub.) 72-71-72-66 – 281 and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (Purdue) 67-73-7071 – 281; 5 (tie), Jennifer Song (USC) 67-7172-73 – 283 and Megan McChrystal (LSU) 72-71-76-64 – 283.

Other scores: Victoria Park (OSU) 7572-73-73 – 293, Ellen Mueller (Oklahoma) 73-76-78-73 – 300, Hillary Wood (OSU) 7477-75-75 – 301, Courtney McKim (OSU) 7675-80-78 – 309, Eyglo Oskarsdottir (OSU) 83-83-92-79 – 337.

NCAA SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL At Traditions Club, Bryan, Texas (par-72) May 20-22 Team scores: 1, Texas Tech 282-284-285 – 851; 2, Texas A&M 277-288-287 – 852; 3, TCU 277-291-290 – 858; 4, North Florida 280-298-281 – 859; 5 (tie), Baylor 291-289289 – 869 and Georgia 294-291-284 – 294291-284 – 869; 7, Pepperdine 286-288-303 – 877; 8, Tulsa 292-288-299 – 879; 9 (tie), Auburn 288-290-302 – 880 and Wichita State 283-290-307 – 880; 11, Rice 299-284306 – 889; 12, North Carolina 301-311-298 – 910; 13, Georgetown 303-299-313 – 915; 14, Jackson State 325-348-310 – 983.

Individual leaders: 1, Russell Henley (Ga.) 71-67-69 – 207; 2 (tie), Ignacio Elvira (Texas A&M) 66-70-72 – 208 and Kevin Phelan (NF) 66-72-70 – 208; 4, Johan de Beer (TCU) 71-67-72 – 210.

Other scores: Dustin Garza (WSU) 66-70-79 – 215, Arie Fauzi (Tulsa) 71-7275 – 218, Hunter Sparks (WSU) 72-74-73 – 219, Anders Engell (WSU) 74-71-76 – 221, Stephen Carney (Tulsa) 76-72-73 – 221, Chris Worrell (Tulsa) 74-73-75 – 222, Andre Tourinho (Tulsa) 73-75-76 – 224, Rafael Becker (WSU) 71-75-79 – 225, Rob Laird (Tulsa) 74-71-81 – 226, Tyler Gann (WSU) 82-75-80 – 237.

ARKANSAS MID-SENIOR At Hurricane G&CC, Bryant April 29-May 2 Round of 16: Clay Taylor def. Stacey Shiew 2-up, Glen Talbert def. Jeff Benton 1-up, Glenn Hickey def. Robert Walters 6 and 5, Scott Bowen def. Rodger Bates 1up, Austin Franks def. Rick Coatney 3 and 2, John Siratt def. David Shirey 1-up, John Tetens def. Todd Martin 1-up, Bobby Baker def. Ron Bruton 3 and 2.

Quarterfinals: Talbert def. Taylor 2-up, Hickey def. Bowen 1-up, Franks def. Siratt 3 and 2, Baker def. Tetens, 1-up (19).

Semifinals: Talbert def. Hickey 1-up, Franks def. Baker 2 and 1.

Final: Talbert def. Franks 3 and 2.

WOMEN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP At C of Landfall, Wilmington, N.C. (par-72) May 18-21 Team leaders (24 teams): 1, Purdue 284-294-280-295 – 1,153; 2, Southern Cal 282-288-295-289 – 1,154; 3, Alabama 289288-294-286 – 1,157; 4, Arizona State 288293-290-290 – 1,161; 5, Arizona 296-286293-291 – 1,166; 6, UCLA 288-292-302-287 – 1,169; 7, Vanderbilt 296-292-291-291 – 1,170; 8 (tie), Oklahoma State 295-294296-294 – 1,179 and Duke 288-303-300-288 – 1,179; 10, Florida State 289-302-294-297 – 1,182; 11 (tie), Auburn 293-296-295-299 -- -1,183 and Texas A&M 297-302-286-298

30

AMATEURS ARKANSAS MEN’S MATCH PLAY At Hurricane G&CC, Bryant April 29-May 2 Round of 16: Mike Satterwhite def.

Neal Westbrook 1-up, Luke Carpenter def.

Richard Glasgow, 1-up, Chris Jenkins def.

Beau Glover, 1-up, Craighton Parker def.

Stephen Boyd 3 and 2, Efren Gonzales def.

Justin Burns 6 and 5, Nathan Circle def.

Trey Schaap 1-up (19), Dillon Sharp def.

Matt Malham 2-up, John Bragg def. Tracy Harris 1-up (19).

Quarterfinals: Satterwhite def. Carpenter 1-up, Jenkins def. Parker 1-up, Gonzales def. Circle 6 and 5, Bragg def. Sharp 2-up.

Semifinals: Jenkins def. Satterwhite 2 and 1, Gonzales def. Bragg 5 and 3.

Final: Gonzales def. Jenkins 3 and 2.

ARKANSAS SENIOR MATCH PLAY At Cooper’s Hawk GC, Melbourne May 11-14 Round of 16: Oscar Taylor def. David Lawrence 5 and 4, Clark Fitts def. Scott Richards 1-up (19), Bruce Dickey def. John Vinson 1-up (20), Stanford Lee def. Randy Woodard 6 and 5, Bev Hargraves def. Gary Parson 5 and 3, Marc Richardson def.

Roger Clement 3 and 2, Keith Browning def. Ken Golden 1-up, Rick McCoy def. Jim Smith 2 and 1.

Quarterfinals: Taylor def. Fitts 1-up (21), Lee def. Vinson 7 and 6, Hargraves def. Richardson 5 and 4, Browning def. McCoy 2 and 1.

Semifinals: Lee def. Taylor 3 and 2, Hargraves def. Browning 2-up.

Final: Lee def. Hargraves 2-up.

WOMEN’S OKLA. GOLF U.S. OPEN QUALIFYING KANSAS PUBLIC LINKS At Okla. City G&CC (par-71) At Colbert Hills GC, Manhattan May 10 (par-72) Qualifiers: 1 (tie), Robert Streb and May 22-23 Kevin Tway 67; 3, Tracy Phillips 68; 4, Ryan 1, Ross Geubelle 73-74 – 147 (won play- Spears 69; 5 (tie), Dustin Wigington and off); 2, Jeff Bell 73-74 – 147; 3 (tie), Conrad Hunter Sparks 70.

Roberts 79-70 – 149 and Jack Courington KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL 77-72 – 149; 5, Jeff Spradlin 75-77 – 152; 6 (tie), Chase Chamberlin 78-75 – 153 and BOYS Zach Driver-Heiland 77-76 – 153; 8, Steve May 24 Newman 79-75 – 154; 9, Troy Siegel 79-76 Class 6A – 155; 10 (tie), Clarke Fry 77-79 – 156 and At Alvamar CC (par-72) Wes Nichols 82-74 – 156.

Team leaders: 1, Shawnee Mission East 315; 2, Blue Valley North 320; 3, Olathe KANSAS SENIOR FOUR-BALL Northwest 324; 4 (tie), Shawnee Mission At Salina CC Northwest and Blue Valley 335.

May 17-18 Individual leaders: 1, Travis Mays 1, Steve Groom/Andy Smith 65-65 – 130; (BVW) 73; 2, Ian Boat (SME) 76; 3, Chase 2 (tie), Bryan Norton/Jigger James 71-61 Hanna (SME) 76; 4, Harry Higgs (BVN) 77; – 132 and Bob Vidricksen/Frank Roth 68- 5, Tyler Norris (Man.) 77; 6, Andy Kelley 64 – 132; 4, Patrick Anderson/Steve Gomez (ONW) 78.

68-65 – 133; 5 (tie), Mark Elliott/Mike Grosdidier 69-65 – 134, Bob Hartmann/Brad Class 5A Swanson 68-66 – 134 and James Seward/ At Winfield CC (par-72) Dave Harris 67-67 – 134; 8 (tie), John Alefs/ Team leaders: 1, Wichita Kapaun 306; Joe Rothwell 71-65 – 136 and Craig Shultz/ 2, Hays 322; 3, Hutchinson 324; 4, Wichita Chad Renn 66-70 –136; 10, Ward Zerger/ Carroll 331; 5, McPherson 342; 6, OP AquiBob Bezek 68-69 – 137. nas 344.

Individual leaders: 2, Nick Von Lintel KANSAS MID-AMATEUR (Hays) 73; 2 David Auer (Kapaun) 75; 3, At Meadowbrook G&CC, Prairie A.J. Gebert (Kapaun) 76; 4, Troy Herman (Hays) 76; 5, Jack Cantele (Kapaun) 76.

Village (par-71) May 3-4 1, Derek Harrison 67-73 – 140; 2, Tyler Class 4A Shelton 70-72 – 142; 3, Steve Groom 71-73 At Hesston Municipal GC (par-71) – 144; 4 (tie), Tyler Cummins 75-70 – 145 Team leaders: 1, St. James 330 (won tieand Charlie Stevens 72-73 – 145; 6, Jon breaker); 2, Hayden 330; 3, Wellington 342.

Platz 68-78 – 146; 7, David Kirschbaum 71Individual leaders: 1, Myles Miller (Wel76 – 147; 8 (tie), Pete Krsnich 72-76 – 148, lington) 73; 2, Colby Yates (Tonganoxie) Don Kuehn 71-77 – 148, Andy Smith 72-76 75; 3, Ryles Haas (Colby) 76.

– 148 and Don Walsworth 74-74 – 148.

Class 3A OKLAHOMA SPRING FOUR-BALL At Smoky Hill CC, Hays (par-72) At Dornick Hills CC, Ardmore Team leaders: 1, Wichita Collegiate 322; (par-70) 2, Kansas City Christian 348; 3, Lakin 356; May 17-18 4, Caney Valley 360.

1, Brad Purcell/Tripp Davis 65-67 – 132 Individual leaders: 1, Daniel Kunantaev (won playoff); 2, David Wiederkehr/Cole (Hillsboro) 75; 2, Tyler Keplar (Council Wiederkehr 66-66 – 132; 3 (tie), Jeff Coff- Grove) 76; 3, Joseph Lambert (KC Chr.) 76; man/Brian Birchell 65-68 – 133, Pat Col- 4, Ben Hatfield (WC) 76 logan/Chip Huston 64-69 – 133, Chris Lee/ Jon Valuck 66-67 – 133, Todd Moon/RusClass 2A sell Huff 70-63 – 133 and Brad Kropp/Will At Crestwood CC (par-72) Kropp 67-66 – 133; 8, Heath Myers/Scott Team leaders: 1, St. Mary’s Colgan 314; Kedy 69-66 – 135; 9, Rick Bell/Don Cochran 2, Syracuse 335; 3, Nemaha Valley 341; 4.

69-67 – 136; 10, Bill Bishop Jr./Jeb Black- Jayhawk-Linn 348. eter 68-69 – 137.

Individual leaders: 1, Kolter Krumsick (SMC) 75; 2, Kelley Thompson (SMC) 76; 3, OKLAHOMA SENIOR SPRING Kade Brown (Oberlin-Decatur) 77; 4, Nick FOUR-BALL Walsh (Lyndon) 78.

At Tulsa CC (par-70) May 3-4 Class A 1, Michael Hughett/Eric Mueller 65-70 At Turkey Creek GC, McPherson – 135 (won playoff); 2, Tim McFarland/Rod (par-72) Moody 69-66 – 135; 3 (tie), Lanny DickTeam leaders: 1, Ashland 339; 2, Pleasmann/Nick Fuller 68-68 – 136 and Randy anton 341; 3, St. John-Hudson 345; 4, Hoxie Crews/Michael Alsup 67-69 – 136; 5, Bill 353; 5, Greensburg 354.

Brafford/Bob Mase 65-72 – 137; 6, David Individual leaders: 1, Joey Morrisey Delana/Steve Fulton 68-70 –138; 7 (tie), Bill (Pleasanton) 74; 2, Reed Grabill (Bishop Heldmar/Jim Arnold 66-73 – 139 and David Seabury) 80; 3, Gannon Coffman (PleasBardwell/Tom Nielsen 71-68 – 139. anton) 80.

Final: Hickey def. McAllister 3 and 2.

TULSA GOLF ASSOCIATION ARKANSAS SUPER SENIOR MATCH FOUR-BALL At Stone Creek GC PLAY At Cooper’s Hawk GC, Melbourne May 21-23 May 11-14 Championship Flight Quarterfinals: Glenn Hickey def. James Semifinals: Kirby Abney/Andy Garrett Becker 2 and 1, David Watkins def. George deFinal: Alsup/Heldmar def. Abney/GarBranch (forfeit), Sam McAllister def. Clark rett 4 and 3.

Mowry 3 and 2, Jack Jordan def. Jimmy Senior Flight Paul 4 and 3.

Final: Heldmar/Mueller def. Wilson/WilSemifinals: Hickey def. Watkins 3 and 1, son 5 and 4.

McAlluster def. Jordan 3 and 2.

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Sand Greens At Luray GC Team leaders: 1, Yates Center 346; 2, Tipton 348; 3, Lucas-Luray 361; 4, Rock Hills 375.

Individual leaders: 1, Garrett Bland (LL) 71; 2, Brad Ellenz (St. John’s Benoit) 74; 3, Jake Morrison (YC) 75.

For complete Oklahoma High School results, please visit the results section on our website, www.southcentralgolf.com.

• South Central Golf Magazine

Alabama offers something for golfers of all abilities.

Namely, a big ol’ slice of humble pie.

When it comes to challenging public golf courses, Alabama has more than any other state. In fact, we’re the home of three of America’s 50 Toughest Courses as selected by Golf Digest. Testing your mettle is as easy as visiting Silver Lakes, The Shoals or the stunning new Ross Bridge near Birmingham.

They’re part of the mighty Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail – 24 demanding gems that are winning accolades from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Golf Magazine to name just a few.

If you’d like to combine time spent in the beach with a little time spent relaxing on the beach, there are a half-dozen more world-class public courses on Alabama’s gorgeous Gulf Coast featuring designs by the likes of Arnold Palmer and Larry Nelson.

And more great golf finds are sprinkled throughout the entire state. Truly, if you’re looking for great golf and genuine hospitality on your next trip, you owe it to yourself to experience all Alabama has to offer.

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