2018 Golf Oklahoma October|November

Official publication of the Oklahoma Golf Association

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TABLE OF CONTENTS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

Volume 8 Issue 5

The Goods 12

Tom Bedell takes on the Rules of Golf and other lighter fare in his book review. Ed Travis examines the ultra-high end clubs that are selling surprisingly well.

16 Chip Shots • PGA Junior League a runaway success • Bob Randquist takes over GCSAA • Chi Chi Rodriguez honored at Quail Creek • Rylee Reinertson named Everett Dobson Award winner

34

Features 20

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club to begin complete renovation

21 22 24 26 28 30 32

LaFortune Park Par-3 Course reopens A beehive of activity at Southern Hills CC

32

Ozarks National opens Nov. 1 Bushwood G&CC: We have a pool and a pond Willie Wood lets son Hayden mature in his own time Oklahoma's Burly Boys pound opponents into submission OSU's Viktor Hovland adds U.S. Amateur to NCAA Championship

Competition 33

Casey Fernandez wins Oklahoma Open

Destinations 34 36 40

16

Pursell Farms not just a superintendent's dream Two upscale resorts bring sanity to Cabo Travel snippets: Pinehurst, Destination Kohler

On the cover:

Departments 6 8 8 9 10 42 43 45

Letter from the Publisher OGA ED Mark Felder WOGA ED Susan Ferguson OGA Rules by Gene Mortensen USGA by David Thompson Fitness: Clint Howard Instruction: Maggie Roller Schedules and results

Ozarks National, the new Ben Crenshaw-Bill Coore design in Hollister, Mo.

Support junior golf by contributing to the OGA Foundation Call 405-848-0042 for more information 4

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

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FROM THE PUBLISHER KEN M AC LEOD

Searching for a brew while examining The Tiger Effect Hot topics at Oklahoma public courses States compared to just over 27 million as the leaves began to turn: One, would the when Tiger started and close to the same resurgence of Tiger Woods possibly mean when his run ended with his final major an increase in play? Two, what are these championship, the 2008 U.S. Open, about the same time as the economy crashed. crazy new beer laws?

It would be great if there was a way to It was certainly a mesmerizing scene at the Tour Championship as Tiger and Rory translate Tiger’s overwhelming popularity McIlroy came up the 18th hole. The phrase, into more public golfers and not just the “Tiger doesn’t move the needle, he is the competitive types. Maybe some PSAs for needle,” was repeated so many times on the USGA or PGA of America. But unfortunately many television and of the fans social media who rush out that it quickly to see him at became one of the course or the most overon television used clichés would never since “I gave it consider mak110 percent.” ing the effort His sleepy to carve out the 0-4 Ryder Cup time to play perfor mance once a week. may have And those of us dulled the hysteria a bit, but Golfers, in blue, were relatively flat and rounds dipped that do will do so regardless of golf profession- considerably during Tiger's reign. Source: Pellucid als I know and respect and have no reason whether Tiger is playing golf or blackjack to doubt told me that they have already in Las Vegas, because while we admire his heard from golfers getting the clubs out accomplishments, our love for the game who have been virtually unheard from would be the same regardless.

As for the new alcohol sales laws that since Tiger disappeared from the tour in went into effect Oct. 1 and have affected 2013.

Others said they hoped Tiger being in golf courses, obviously the ABLE (Alcoholcontention wouldn’t become a regular ic Beverage Laws Enforcement) Commisthing again, because when he was, their sion needs to go back and revisit this issue. courses tended to be empty on Saturday Courses can currently sell two beers at a and Sunday afternoons with golfers stay- time and they must be opened by the licensed worker. No filling up a cooler before ing home to watch.

The reality for those that think there the round or at the turn, and tournament was a public golf boom when Tiger came and beer-cart sales are both more difficult, on the scene and a collapse when he left is but that is not the major problem.

The biggest issue is the ban on governthat neither is exactly true.

Golf was in the midst of a prolonged ment workers from holding a liquor licexpansion when Tiger burst on the scene nese. Most public courss are owned by in 1996-97. As the chart above from our cities, counties or the state and they have friends at Pellucid shows, that expansion in been havng difficultiy obtaining a license. terms of numbers of people that identified There are some work-arounds but it needs themselves as a golfer continued until the to be a simpler process.

Anything that adds extra cost or reduces year 2000, where it leveled off and began to head down while Tiger was right in the revenue for public golf is unfortunate to say the least and this mess in particular bemiddle of his dominance.

Rounds began to be tracked reliably cause it was avoidable. Let’s hope the rules in 2000, started at close to 520 million, are rewritten to allow the same or similar plunged to under 485 million by 2007 sales functions as were in place with the and now have risen slightly to about 495 3.2 beer previously. million in 2017. Today, Pellucid identifies – Ken MacLeod just over 20 million golfers in the United 6

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Volume 8, Number 5 Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 200 Tulsa, OK 74136 918-280-0787

LIKE US!

FACEBOOK.COM/ GOLFOKLAHOMAMAGAZINE

Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996 Publisher Ken MacLeod ken@golfoklahoma.org

FOLLOW US! @GOLFOKMAGAZINE

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

Contributing photographers Rip Stell, Bill Powell Golf Oklahoma PGA Instructional Staff Jim Woodward Teaching Professional, Oak Tree National jwoodwardgolf@sbcglobal.net, 405-3482004 Jim Young Teaching Professional, River Oaks CC 405-630-8183 Cary Cozby Director of Golf Southern Hills Country Club ccozby@southernhillscc.com Tracy Phillips Director of Instruction, FlyingTee vt4u@yahoo.com, 918-352-1089 Maggie Roller Director of Instruction, Cedar Ridge CC maggie.roller@sbcglobal.net, 918-261-1441 Jerry Cozby PGA Professional jerrycozby@aol.com, 918-914-1784 Kyley Tetley, PGA Professional The Golf Studio 918-232-6564 Oklahoma Golf Association 2800 Coltrane Place, Suite 2 Edmond, OK 73034 405-848-0042 Executive Director Mark Felder mfelder@okgolf.org Director of Handicapping and Course Rating Jay Doudican jdoudican@okgolf.org Director of Junior Golf Morri Rose morose@okgolf.org Copyright 2018 by Golf Oklahoma Magazine. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Golf Oklahoma. Golf Oklahoma is published by South Central Golf, Inc.

ROAD TRIP No. 44

More golf than you can shake a 9-iron at.

When it comes to championship golf, there’s no better destination than Alabama. Come play where the PGA TOUR professionals compete and see why Golf Digest editors picked two of Alabama’s golf resorts among their favorites. For starters there are the 468 holes along the world-renowned Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Stretching from the mountains in the north to the Gulf Coast in the south, America’s original golf trail opened 25 years ago and recently completed a massive renovation of its 26 courses. Then there are the many other impressive courses scattered across the state, designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jerry Pate. Each with its own set of challenges, each with its own rewards. Plan an epic road trip to great golf courses across the state of Alabama.

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MARK FELDER

OGA Executive Director

FROM THE OGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

To save time in 2019, hit a provisional An almost unnoticed change in three minutes will go by in a flash and you’ll planning all of the 2019 events, we want to the Rules of Golf for 2019 is moving the time be heading back to the tee if you haven’t al- again congratulate the winners of our 2018 for searching for lost balls from five minutes ready played a provisional. This can throw events, headed by new OGA State Amateur Champion Hayden Wood, who prevailed to three minutes. Of all the more well at The Patriot in Owasso against Oklapublicized changes coming, this one may homa State teammate Austin Eckroat. have a bigger impact on Oklahoma Golf Hayden may well have joined the proAssociation official events than the othfessional ranks by the time we play the ers combined.

2019 event July 22-24 at his home course I would encourage all competitive Oak Tree National, but we know anothgolfers to read and understand the rule er great champion will prevail. change summary on our website at We want to thank all of the excellent www.okgolf.org written by the OGA Carson Griggs Yujeong Son Dustin Hasley Oklahoma courses that hosted our events Rules Director. You will need to underthis year. Following is a recap of the indistand all the changes to make certain vidual winners. We will see you all in 2019! you take advantage of those designed to Junior Boys Championship, Kickingsimplify and speed the game and not be bird Golf Course, Carson Griggs caught unawares.

Junior Girls Championship, KickingThe reduction in time in lost ball bird Golf Course, Yujeong Son searches could actually slow the game Stroke Play Championship, Tulsa if golfers are not careful. We see too Michael Hughett Jerry Nick Scott Adams Country Club, Dustin Hasley many examples of golfers turning away Senior Stroke Play Championship, in frustration if a tee shot is not perfectly Oak Tree CC West, Michael Hughett, struck. Particularly if on a course with Super Senior Jerry Nick which you are unfamiliar, make sure to Senior State Amateur, Muskogee CC, carefully follow the flight of the ball path Scott Adams and line up any wayward shots with a State Amateur Championship, The landmark.

Patriot, Hayden Wood Any tee shot that has a good chance Mid-Amateur Championship, Dorof being lost in woods, water, native Hayden Wood Heath Myers Casey Fernandez nick Hills CC, Heath Myers grasses or deep rough, hit a provisional.

Oklahoma Open, Oak Tree CC East, If you think it might be out of bounds, hit off your rhythm and delay the entire field. a provisional. Once the search begins the As the OGA heads into the winter and Casey Fernandez

SUSAN FERGUSON

President WOGA

WOMEN’S OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION

Powerhouse team wins Four-State Classic It was a powerhouse Oklahoma team reflecting the talent and strenghth of today’s young collegiate stars and the guile and experience of veterans that WOGA sent to this year’s Four-State Classic at Muskogee Country Club. And the combination proved victorius, as Oklahoma edged Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas to bring home its 11th championship in the history of the event.

Having players such as Sydney Youngblood of Durant and the University of Oklahoma, ShaeBug Scarberry of Purcell and the University of Tulsa and Anna Mikish of Choctaw and Oklahoma City University, along with Lexi Armon of Owasso and Northeastern State, Marla Souvanassing of Tulsa and Central Oklahoma and Emilee Jackson of Edmond and Southern Nazarene certainly helped.

Mid-amateur players included Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame member Lee Ann Fairlie 8

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along with Chrissy Bagwell, Lee Ann Fore, Jen Hays, Janet Miller and Marla Raburn, all under the guidance of captain Louise Blumenthal Johnson.

We will defend our title July 28-30, 2019 at Shadow Valley Golf Club in Rogers, Ark. WOGA is pleased to announce that the ShaeBug Scarberry 101st WOGA State Amateur Championship will be held July 22-25 at Oak Tree Country Club on the East Course. Other venues set for 2019 include the Junior Girls Fundraiser and Junior Girls Championp at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City June 17-19, and the WOGA Stroke Play/Mid-Amateur Championship June 24-25 with the site to be announced.

Also, the Stableford Team Tournament will be May 20-21 at Lincoln Park Golf Course in Oklahoma City. Check the website www.woga.us for all updated scheduling information.

The 2018 season was a huge success, with membership and support at high levels.

Anna Mikish We will announce our high school grant recipients in November.

We also strongly encourage all WOGA golfers to learn the new rules of golf which take effect in 2019. Please contact us if your women’s golf organization would like us to provide a rules clinic or seminar.

Have a great fall and winter and we look forward to seeing each of you in 2019. And thank you for your support of WOGA. GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

GENE MORTENSEN

OGA Rules Director

OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION NEWS

Get on the correct side of the hazard One of the situations where officials are called in to assist is in respect to playing from a wrong place, Rule 20-7.

A player has played from a wrong place when he makes a stroke at his ball at a place: (1) where play is not permitted; (2) where a ball may not be dropped; or, (3). where the Rules require a dropped ball to be redropped.

One example is the player who, in taking relief from an obstruction, drops the ball the first time and it rolls more than two club lengths. Instead of dropping a second time, as is required, the player goes ahead with the next stroke.

In match play, playing from a wrong place results in a loss of hole penalty. In stroke play, you incur a penalty of two strokes and must play out the hole with the ball played without correcting the error. However, and this is where it can become complicated, if a serious breach has

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

occurred it must be corrected. A “serious breach” is one in which the player has gained a significant advantage as a result of playing from the wrong place. A second ball must be played in accordance with the Rules.

Suppose a player hits a shot over a water hazard and it barely clears the margin but rolls back into the water. The player drops a ball within two club lengths or where the ball cleared the margin and continues. The player was not entitled to relief on that side of the hazard and taking the water hazard out of play was a big advantage. Accordingly, the player must return to the far side of the hazard and play a second ball under the water hazard Rule, incurring the one-stroke penalty.

If the player does not correct the mistake before he plays from the next tee, he will be DQed. Whenever a second ball is played

it must be reported to the Committee and it will determine if the breach is serious.

Failing to report also results in DQ. If it is not serious, the score with the original ball counts with two penalty strokes. If it’s serious, the second ball counts with two penalty strokes. If the second ball is the one to count, the stroke from the wrong place and subsequent strokes with the original ball do not count. If there is any doubt as to whether a situation might be “serious,” the player would be wise to play two balls and let the Committee decide.

On another note, the Oklahoma Golf Association has published at www.okgolf.org “A Guide to the New Rules of Golf for the Casual Player.” The new Rules go into effect on January 1.

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

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9

United States Golf Association News

Even the rules "experts" are learning With The Rules of Golf for 2019 and their interpretations released recently, many rules officials have been attempting to digest all these David Thompson changes, myself inUSGA Regional cluded.

Affairs Committee It’s a lot to comprehend for those of us who strive to be experts and is likely even more so for the casual golfer who is not a student of the Rules.

So, if you don’t remember all the Rules, there is one that you should know that will help in some cases. Remember, stroke play is when the player is playing against the field as opposed to match play, where the player is playing against another player.

Under today’s current rules in stroke play only, Rule 3-3 provides a procedure for the player to complete the hole with two balls if the player is in doubt of his rights. A similar procedure is carried forward in 2019 under Rule 20.1 c(3). The

10

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player currently should announce his or her intention to play two balls and which of the two balls the player wishes to count.

All of this must occur prior to the player making a stroke at either ball. If the announcement of which ball will count is not made, there is a slight change for 2019 in determining which ball will count.

However, that is for the committee to sort out as the player is required to report the facts before returning the scorecard or be disqualified for failure to do so.

In stroke play, the players are not allowed to settle rules issues by agreement

as the competition is against the field of players, not just those in the group.

A second ball in match play is not permitted. Any rules issues may be resolved by the players. If there is not agreement, either player may announce that a request for a ruling will be made as soon as a referee or the Committee is available.

The an nouncement must be made prior to teeing off the next hole.

The Committee may be your local golf professional if you are playing at your home course or could be designated if you are playing in a larger competition.

Go to USGA.org for some great videos to help you understand the changes for 2019.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

SHOW THEM YOU’VE GOT

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OCT/NOV

The

GOODS

Some things we like to do before and after the round

The Bookshelf

tage, $15.95).

Hiaasen was a mediocre player who enjoyed an occasional round with his dad, never shooting better than an 88 before he put the clubs away for their decadeslong rest. He picked up fishing poles instead, casting his lines for bonefish.

But when he moved f a r t her north in his native Florida, away from prime fishing waters, “...I found myself lacking an unhealthy obsession, a perilous state for a writer.” A contractor working on Hiaasen’s new house finally talks the author into playing nine: “...and to this day I truly believe he meant no harm….”

Hiaasen dips his toes gingerly back into the game, but we know how that goes. He fires off enough of those rare sparks of brilliance that he’s sucked in completely. Before long this seemingly intelligent adult has gone down the rabbit hole, buying new clubs, ordering a Q-Link to eliminate stress, downing Mind Drive capsules to THE DOWNHILL LIE Another option was to improve his focus, reading Rotella, Leadter, Penick, Hogan’s turn to the bookshelf and b e t five lessons…. pull down None of it much a volume helps and Hiaasen that, for even manages to sink whatever a golf cart in a pond reason, I never got around in the wobbly course to reading. (I was a little of his misadventures. dismayed to find there were Therein lies the apquite a few candidates.) peal of the book, I wanted to make sure it at least to any dufwas a title I could recomfer who will all too mend and I thought I’d be on easily recognize the sure ground with Carl Himental torments Hiaasen. Well enough known aasen inflicts upon as a Miami Herald columhimself. There are nist and author of a series of no torments in readcomic crime novels, Hiaasen ing about them, but turned to nonfiction in “The plenty of laughs.

Downhill Lie” in 2008 to True, excellent chronicle his return to golf golfers may be mystified. As Hiafter an abeyance of 32 years.

It’s still in print and in paperback (Vin- aasen realizes, “With mediocrity as my Frank and his coach, the local pro, enlist the aid of an old friend of the pro’s — who happens to be a journalist — to help stave off Frank’s dad and the forces of greed.

The action roams through the U.S. Amateur and later down Magnolia Lane, where Frank winds up in the last group on Sunday at the Masters.

Improbable? Well, it’s a novel, don’t forget. I was a little irritated by what I consider some flaws in the plotting and characterization, given the denouement, and I’ve never accused Feinstein of being a great stylist (I grimly found a misplaced modifier as early as the second page of text). The book could have used some trimming as well (it’s 372 pages long). But I’m not a young reader.

Those who are, 11- to13-years-old or so golf fans, particularly males, should enjoy Frank’s adventures on the fairways. The story has enough momentum to overcome the hurdles, and the wealth of insider looks at the Tour and the cameos of real-life stars add to the allure.

Rules of the game and other perplexities by tom bedell

Father’s Day is past and Christmas is a long way off, which makes for a season of longueur as far as new golf books go. But we’re nothing if not resourceful here at The Bookshelf.

We could, for example, consider books for young readers. And John Feinstein — last reviewed in these pages (Oct.-Nov. 2017) for his adult book on the 2016 Ryder Cup, “The First Major” — has provided.

THE PRODIGY “The Prodigy” (Farrar Straus Giroux, $17.99) is not Feinstein’s first novel for younger readers, although in a preface he thanks his FSG editor for letting him sidestep football, baseball and basketball to write about a supremely talented young golfer.

It was a pretty safe bet. Feinstein knows his way around the world of golf as well as anyone, and he cleverly puts his knowledge on display here, peopling the novel with ac t u a l PGA Tour players, golf officials, television commentators and fellow journalists interacting with his fictional characters.

Frank Baker is the title prodigy, a 17-year-old working toward a second chance at the U.S. Amateur Championship title, which he had almost claimed the previous year.

But Frank’s father, Thomas, believes his son already has all the tools to succeed on the Tour, and he has come under the sway of siren songs from agents. Their monied whispers blind Thomas to Frank’s wishes — to score a scholarship and play for a college team, at least for a few years.

That’s the basic conflict of the book; 12

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

Limited production release only personal frame of experience, I have no conception of how it must feel for a really good golfer to hit a really bad shot.

I do, however, know how it feels for a hacker to hit a good one. It feels great!”

And with a surprisingly poignant ending, I think the book will make most readers feel pretty good, too.

THE RULES OF GOLF Option three was to start studying the hot new title out from the USGA and the R&A, the “Player's Edition of the Rules of Golf,” which introduces the everyday golfer to the new rules which become effective in 2019.

This tiny 168-page book, smaller than some scorecards I’ve seen lately, may not exactly be a page-turner, but it does have some interesting new plot twists.

For example, a friend of mine lost a match recently because of a double hit on a bunker shot. Next year, the old T.C. Chen shot, as it has come to be known, will count as only one stroke (Rule 10.1a).

Hey, it was an accident, why penalize a player for the extra hit, which in all probability didn’t improve matters anyway? It was that kind of thinking that went into the new rules changes that the sport’s two governing bodies have been working on since 2012 — the hope of making the rules easier to understand while lending to practices that could make the game more appealing to others and also improve pace of play.

Whether all that will happen remains to be seen. I’m still struggling to comprehend rules 17-19, about taking penalty relief. But aside from the double-hit change, players will now be taking all their relief drops from knee– rather than shoulder-height, flagsticks may remain in the hole even while one is putting on the green, and you can even touch your club to the sand in bunkers — to rest, say — as long as you’re not testing the condition of the sand.

The “Player’s Edition” is not the full set of Rules, but it’s enough to keep most of us going; tournament organizers will want the full set. Both are available digitally from USGA.org/rules, but a copy of the “Player’s Edition” ready to slip right into your golf bag is now free for the asking from USGAPublications.com. Might as well ask.

Tom Bedell plans to catch up on his rest in bunkers right after New Year’s Day. GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

TAA cigar, but the best cigar of any kind that LFD has made.

by laramie navrath

ZT Cigars is a proud TAA member. TAA retailers are a group of retailers that represent some of the largest volume stores. By being a member of TAA, ZT's gets special, limited releases, of one-in-kind production.

ZT's is proud to announce three such cigars.

E.P. Carrillo TAA Exclusive 2018 Toro E.P. Carrillo is joining the TAA list. The cigar is 6 x 52, using a dark toothy Connecticut habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It's limited to 200 boxes. The cigar has cold draw of marshmallows and milk chocolate while the aroma serves up a LFD TAA Gold 50th La Flor Dominican was founded in 1996 hint of mocha and black raspberries. There in Santiago, Dominican Republic. It's not is a wonderful creaminess to this cigar with new for LFD to produce a TAA exclusive. a touch of honey like sweetness. This is one The cigar is a box-pressed, 6 1/2 x 54, us- that you shouldn’t miss and will go quickly! ing Nicaraguan sungrown wrapper over Dominican binder and fillers. In the filler is a Gurka TAA Heritage Exclusive This is the first time Gurka has produced Dominican criollo 99 leaf that the company has been growing at its La Canela farm for a cigar just for the TAA. The cigar uses an years. It's the first time used in a LFD cigar. Ecuadorian habano wrapper and binder.

The cool draw reveals a wonderful sweet It also has filler tobaccos from Nicaragua molasses, and a touch of raisins. Once the and Peru. The cigar is a 6 x 52 toro. The cigar is lit, the notes are something different, cigar is an extension of the Heritage line. it has some floral notes. The cigar is another The cigar is a medium blend that offers a unique creation you come to expect from savory and satisfying taste. The blend also LFD. It is using the most rare, aged tobaccos provides a cool draw with notes of cedar and boasts a rich and powerful flavor. The and natural tobacco. Overall, the cigar is results from the blend are rich and intense an enjoyable smoke and offers a new line experiences. This might not only be the best for smokers to enjoy.

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

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

www.ztcigars.com (800) 340-3007 W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

13

OCT/NOV

EQUIPMENT

Ultra-Premium Clubs Are Making Their Mark by ed travis

“If I’m spending that much for a club it damn well better work.”

The comment was from a golfer who had just purchased a club in the ultra-premium category, the segment of the golf equipment business exhibiting the strongest growth over the past two years. All the major club manufacturers are paying close attention and it has fostered the birth of specialty makers.

Golf Datatech, LLC, the chronicler of buying trends in the golf industry has made a study of this “surging” category especially among serious golfers.

According to Golf Datatech partner John Krzynowek, “While there have always been premium golf clubs featuring the newest and most advanced technology, prices often increased during the first few months after launch. Then, once the latest and greatest new product ran its course, prices adjusted back to the industry norm. Today, backed by an upbeat consumer, a strong economy, new designs and multi materials, all combined with the advent of custom fitting specialists that use accurate PXG 0811LX driver technology to fit the

Beres S-06 driver

golfer’s game to specific head and shaft combinations, the market now has an entirely new category of products and price points.”

First, let’s define what constitutes an ultra-premium club and we of course can start with price. The typical “mainstream” driver today sells for $300-to-$500, and irons, even the so-called “pro models,” are usually not more than $125 per club or $1,000 for a set of eight and most of the time a great deal less. Pricing in the ultra-premium market begins above those amounts and easily can hit over $1,000 for a driver and more than $2,000 for irons.

Put simply, clubs made by the major companies to be played by recreational players have compromises in the design, manufacturing and materials. Ultra-premium equipment can mitigate if not eliminate many of these and often a big part is the simple fact that making fewer clubs manufacturing tolerances may be closer.

For some, clubs costing way more than usual are worth it if only for the bragging rights, but most purchasers are drawn to them because of the promise of performance, the tried and true “longer and straighter.”

A big reason for the higher prices of ultra-premium clubs is the shafts. Stock shafts in drivers from major makers, and it’s true for irons as well, are excellent and club

manufacturers specify ones that will enhance the performance of their clubs, but also have the shaft’s cost in mind. To get an idea of how much a shaft figures into price, the popular Callaway Rogue driver sells for $500 with the Aldila Synergy 50 Graphite stock shaft. An ultra-premium club might have a Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 6 Graphite Shaft which could easily add $300 or more to the price and that’s less than a third of the really expensive shafts.

Japanese maker Seven Dreamers Laboratories is offering the United States for the first time a family of extremely lightweight shafts made by a proprietary process with the least expensive selling for $1,200. Ultra-premium clubs can also make use of manufacturing techniques and tolerances that are costlier plus touches of individualization like gold-filled lettering.

Looking at the available ultra-premium equipment, the most visible of the standalone companies is Parsons Xtreme Golf.

PXG which has been much in the news in part for the publicity around owner GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons, but also because he was early to recognize the possibility of a market for top-of-the-line clubs that would be unlike those then available.

Tour Quality Golf offers precision clubfitting

Ross MacDonald 14

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One outlet for premium clubs in Oklahoma that has been operating quietly out of a shop in Broken Arrow is Tour Quality Golf, operated by owner Ross MacDonald.

MacDonald was a club fitter, repair specialist and technician for Golf Galaxy from 2011 to 2015 and opened his own fitting center in 2016.

He not only sells most lines but is one of the few component club makers still around.

“When my customers come in looking for a new set of irons, I rely on my expertise to put them in the best set for them, not the most expensive set,” said MacDonald, who uses Track-

Man technology for his custom fitting. “Service is my specialty. I can custom build and do a tour level fitting. I have a digital frequency machine that will determine what your proper shaft flex is down to the exact degree.”

MacDonald, a native Korean who has lived most of his life in Oklahoma, is a voracious reader on the latest in golf club technology and enjoys keeping up with his craft. His shop is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday by appointment. For more information, go to www.tourqualitygolf.net or call 918-613-6246

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

Started in 2015, Parsons’ mantra is to design and build the best clubs possible with no constraints on cost. Sales results have been just short of spectacular with PXG passing $100 million in sales in 2017 and even more remarkably, making a profit.

Picking one club from the PXG lineup, the 0811LX is a relatively new model driver selling for $850. The distinctive design is very light with a honeycomb thermoplastic elastomer insert, a carbon fiber crown and five tungsten plus five titanium sole weights. As PXG says in its promotional materials, the 0811LX “will alter the initial launch conditions allowing the golfer to achieve the best possible results without altering his or her swing.”

Certainly, that’s music to the ears of any frustrated recreational golfer.

Of the major makers, the largest, Callaway Golf, has stepped into the ultrapremium arena with the Epic Star line of drivers and irons. The driver lists for $700 with an extremely light Mitsubishi Grand Bassara 39 shaft and there are 103 choices in grips. Epic Star irons with a multimaterial head construction and very light overall weight are $2,400 for an eight-iron set with stock steel or graphite shafts, but $2,880 if a custom Aerotech Steel Fiber shaft is specified.

Japanese makers haven’t missed the significance of the growing U.S. ultra-premium market. This has been a large part of their domestic sales for several years to the extent some American companies have made drivers to sell just in Japan and the Pacific Rim. Honma is a brand not well known in the United States, but a leader in Japan with a top of the line series under the Beres S-06 model name. A choice of three drivers is available with prices beginning at $900 and the upper end 4-Star which weighs only 280 grams with a stock ARMRQ X shaft in a standard length of 46 inches is priced at $1,700.

Another overseas brand looking to have a presence in the United States is XXIO (pronounced ZEK-si-oh) which features clubs designed specifically for slow to medium swing speeds from lightweight components including shafts and grips. Looking at the XXIO X irons they have tungsten nickel sole weights, titanium faces and sell for $200 per club with graphite shafts.

Major club manufacturers clearly see ultra-premium clubs as a challenge. Not only do they take business away but also can pioneer performance-enhancing technology not to mention making use of more effective creative marketing.

The result has been to broaden the desire for the ultra-premium segment’s priciGOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

er equipment especially among those who spend the most money on equipment, the frequent or core players.

As for golf retailers, a large part of their sales relies on selling clubs that are fit to the purchaser so many of the ultra-premium brands dovetail neatly. Selling “madeto-order” clubs doesn’t tie up a retailer’s capital in inventory plus they aren’t required to place minimum orders of so many drivers or sets of irons. Even more importantly the need for large inventories of clubs that eventually must be discounted when they don’t sell is all but removed.

The bottom line is a measurable, significant and increasing portion of recreational golfers is willing to pay much higher than usual prices chasing the promise of more distance and accuracy. How large this ultra-premium segment becomes is open to question.

As the major club makers introduce more of their own higher priced models backed by the power of their research and marketing it is likely the market for ultra-premium category clubs will be further split. It has happened in the past – solid-core balls, graphite shafts, titanium drivers, adjustable hosels and replaceable sole weights all have gone from being the “latest and greatest” to being industry standards.

415 S Owasso Ave Tulsa, OK 74120 918.832.5544

www.jonesplan.com

BUILDER

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Left to right, Landen Tetley, Coach Kyley Tetley, Jackson Boyd, Brody Boyd and JohnMark Roller.

JUNIOR

LEAGUE

the fun is contagious by brett tyndall photos by von castor

and around 1,300 kids in the section.”

Vince Bove, Regional League Manager of For years, golf industry insiders lamented that while soccer and baseball leagues were the South Central, Midwest, North Texas and bursting with children 10 and under, there South Texas sections, added that the program was no comparable organized outlet for golf. has reached about 52,000 juniors nationwide in 2018, a 20 percent increase from last year.

Well, there is now.

The main reasons for the meteoric rise The PGA Junior League, launched seven in the program? Bove years ago, is now a says it comes down raging national sucto the team aspect. cess story, as could “You see kids every be easily witnessed weekend on the baseat the recent subball field, on the basregional championketball court, on the ship at The Club at football field. They Indian Springs in want to get together Broken Arrow. Hunwith their friends and dreds of young playplay on a team, and ers and all-star teams this introduces the from around the South Central Sec- Left to right, Josie Clevenger, Helena team aspect to golf.”

Typically, kids had tion (Oklahoma, Ar- Lindsey, Conleigh Payne to start on their own kansas and southern Kansas) gathered to see who could advance in junior tournaments before being introto the regional championship in Kansas duced to team golf in middle or high school.

Not the case anymore.

City and perhaps to the national finals.

“This program brings it down to the deBrian Davis, the section’s executive director, witnessed the enthusiasm and noted the velopmental level, where kids are just starting, and we play in a scramble format, so it section’s program has spread like wildfire.

“It started in big-market cities like Dallas becomes a fun, low-pressure format for kids and Chicago,” Davis said. “When we got it to learn the game,” Bove said.

Kyley Tetley and Amber Hensley both here, we started with six or eight teams. There were under a hundred kids in the section par- coached their first season of PGA Junior ticipating, but now we’ve got 50 or 60 teams League this summer for The Club at Indian

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Springs and Lit’l Links Golf Club, respectively.

“Even though it was my first year, I saw tremendous growth in the program over the years,” Tetley said. “Every year I would notice more and more teams popping up in the Tulsa area. The coaching experience was awesome. My son played on my team this year and we had a lot of fun together. To watch all the kids’ games and their knowledge of the game improve throughout the season was very rewarding.”

“I wish this was available when I was a kid because the scramble format takes the pressure down a notch compared Brody Boyd to stroke play,” Hensley said. “The driving range and lessons are great, but you learn by playing, and this program is perfect for that. The kids were really engaged. It’s a joy to see their expressions after a good shot or hear about how they learned something during a match.”

“Golf professionals love coaching these teams,” Davis said, “They feel like all-stars."

Randquist is new "conductor" of GCSAA by ken macleod

Former Southern Hills Country Club superintendent Bob Randquist, 67, could be kicking his feet up and playing a bit more of the game he loves.

Instead, Randquist recently left his position of 19 years as superintendent at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., to manage 90 employees in 14 departments as the new Chief Operating Officer of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America at its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. It’s a welcome return to the Midwest for Randquist and his wife, LaVada, who have family in the Edmond and Norman areas.

They own a house in Edmond to which they eventually will retire.

“I was really excited about the work we were doing at Boca Rio, including a full renovation,” said Randquist. “But this opportunity came up and it’s a great opportunity for me to give back to the game the last few years of my career.”

Randquist, who guided Southern Hills agronomically from 1978-98, including the 1982 and 1994 PGA Championships and the 1995 and 1996 Tour Championships, is a native of Cordell. Randquist graduated from

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

the University of Oklahoma in 1972 with a heavily involved in member education, inbachelor's degree in metallurgical engineer- cluding 105 seminars and webinars. It plays ing. While training in engineering with an eye a huge role each year in the National Golf toward law school, he spent his college years Day, which seeks to educate politicians and lawmakers on golf’s role in enviworking on the crew at Trosper ronmental issues and plays a funGolf Course in Oklahoma City. damental role in the Golf Industry Upon graduating, he was offered Show, the trade show for superinthe assistant superintendent positendents. tion at Trosper GC. “It’s a very diverse operation It is hoped he will bring some here,” Randquist said. “We are stability and vision to the GCinvolved in environmental affairs, SAA top post, which has gone governmental affairs, publicathrough three COOs in the past tions, the trade show. I saw it as six years. His insight into the very similar to conducting a symbusiness of golf and abilities to Bob Randquist phony orchestra. You’re trying understand and support the different departments and outreach programs to make sure the violins start playing at the right time and the brass isn’t drowning out will be beneficial.

“I don’t consider myself to be a change the violins.”

There has been much talk about the shrinkagent,” Randquist said. “I’m not that type of leader. I have the advantage of understanding ing of the golf market in terms of courses superintendents and having had a lot of inter- closing and Randquist said that has affected action with the PGA of America, USGA, and the number of college students deciding to PGA Tour. My work at Southern Hills helped enroll in that field.

“It’s been a huge impact, maybe not at the me have a real understanding of how the business of golf works and that’s very help- major schools like Penn State, Texas A&M ful for some of the staff who haven’t been and Oklahoma State,” he said. “But the number of students at other places has just not around as long.”

The GCSAA supports research and is been there."

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Fond memories for Rodriguez at renovated Quail Creek G&CC by john rohde

Juan Antonio “Chi Chi” Rodriguez is 82 now. Though still a great storyteller with that recognizable quick wit, evidently some memories from 31 years ago have faded a tad.

Rodriguez was carted out to No. 6 tee box at Quail Creek Golf and Country Club on Thursday afternoon for a sneak preview of a plaque that bears his name and marks the beginning of his PGA Tour record-setting run of eight straight birdies during the 1987 Silver Pages Classic.

Did the course look familiar on the drive to the monument? “To tell you the truth … well, the truth is not always the truth,” Rodriguez said, cracking a huge smile and drawing laughter. “I vaguely remember, yeah.”

The truth is this: At that point in time, it didn’t matter what course Rodriguez was playing because he was the man to beat.

Rodriguez assembled one of the most dominant seasons in senior tour (50-andolder) history with seven victories in a span of 18 events. He also had four second-place finishes, three third-place finishes and 20 Top-10 finishes in 27 starts while finishes

as the tour’s money leader that season.

Then age 51, Rodriguez was playing arguably the best golf of his Hall of Fame career.

“I could have won on the regular tour then, too,” Rodriguez confessed.

Rodriguez led the Silver Pages wire-to-wire and finished with a 54hole total of 200. It was the third of four straight events he won in a span of five weeks.

The historic stretch of holes allowed the swashbuckling Rodriguez to brandish his putter like a saber after sinking each birdie putt, a playful ritual that helped make him a crowd favorite throughout his career.

All of Rodriguez’ golfing tools worked in unison during the eight-hole streak. Known as a good driver, a great iron player and a streaky putter, he stuck the ball close on several approach shots and buried putts that

Chi Chi Rodriguez and Quail Creek head professional Kyle Flinton. measured 7, 7, 9, 3, 12, 15 and 35 feet, then a 1-footer before leaving a 20-foot birdie putt about four feet short on the par-5 14th hole.

Rodriguez said he wasn’t consciously keeping track of how many consecutive birdies he had made as the streak unfolded.

“That was like a great dream, you know,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez grew up extremely poor, overcame rickets at age 4 and started caddying at age 8. His 22 career victories on the senior tour is tied for seventh all-time and includes

Beer sales off to slow start due to new laws

T

hose writing the details of the new laws regarding alcohol sales in Oklahoma completely whiffed when it came to beer sales at golf courses, an important revenue source for financially strapped municipal courses.

Because the new laws prevent government workers from obtaining licenses to sell alcohol, all courses in which the employees are city, county or state workers were being forced to come up with work-arounds to be able to sell beer to their customers. Even then, the rules will permit only two opened beers to be sold to each customer whether in the clubhouse or from a cart.

As the new rules went into effect Oct. 1, many courses around the state had not obtained the proper licenses and were not selling beer, including the four Oklahoma City public courses. Steve Carson, direc-

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tor of golf at Lincoln Park, said the four operators of those courses were waiting on licenses since they are not technically city employees and they would then be able to sell beer under the new laws.

At LaFortune Park and South Lakes in Tulsa, County, where the restaurant workers are employees of Tulsa County, the county hired a third-party vendor to handle beer sales. Arena Serve will hire the same restaurant workers already in place to work for them on their days off and serve the beer, a short term solution until the situation can be fixed.

Other courses that either are owned by trusts, such as Bailey Ranch in Owasso, or have management companies that have their own licenses, such as the City of Tulsa courses run by Billy Casper Golf, were able to convert and begin selling beer under

the new restrictions.

Others, however, are looking at long delays or have given up selling beer until the ABLE (Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement) Commission is able to rewrite the rules and get the legislature to pass the new rules, probably not until the spring of 2019.

Some courses are charging their customers a fee to bring their own been on the premises. Others have looked at hiring licensed outside vendors to come in for tournaments and not having beer sales on a daily basis until things change.

“They didn’t know what they were dong when they passed the law,” said Rod Alexander, who operates Lew Wentz Municipal Course in Ponca City and is not selling beer until a solution can be found. “They didn’t look at the full scope of the details and now it’s hurting all the municipalities.”

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

two major titles. He also won eight PGA Tour events, seven other tour events worldwide and in 1992 became the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The plaque dedication is part of festivities to re-open Quail Creek and mark the completion of its nearly $2-million renovation designed by award-winning architect Bill Bergin.

Quail Creek switched to using roman numerals rather than color-coded tee boxes and the “III” tee is named after Rodriguez, along with tee boxes recognizing Arnold Palmer (I), Gary Player (II), Tony Lema (IV), Miller Barber (V) and Doug Sanders (VI), who all won tour events staged at Quail Creek.

Weather permitting, a shot-gun tournament start for 88 players will commence at 9 a.m.

Friday, followed by the plaque dedication and a 6 p.m. banquet honoring Rodriguez.

“This is terrific because there’s a lot of thought behind this,” Rodriguez said of being honored by the club. “This is a great, great monument for me. I really appreciate it.”

Rodriguez said Oklahoma already had “a great place in my heart” because he was stationed at Fort Sill in Lawton at age 19.

“They gave me the last step to becoming a man. I owe a lot to the Army,” Rodriguez said. “Oklahoma was good to me and I’ll never forget it.”

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

OU's Reinertson named 2018 Everett Dobson Award winner Former University of Oklahoma golfer Tour in Canada this summer until sufferRylee Reinertson, has been named the ing a lower back injury and came back to winner of the 2018 Everett Dobson Award Norman to rehabilitate the injury with presented by the Oklahoma Golf Hall of hopes of attending Web.com Tour qualifyFame. Reinertson was a key member of the ing school this fall. He registered six top2017 NCAA national championship team 10 finishes at OU, graduated in four years with a 3.58 grade point avand the 2018 Big 12 chamerage and earned a degree pion Sooners. Unknown in accounting. to many watching him, he The Nebraska native overcame a severe hearing wrote a moving essay on loss to become one of the what golf has meant in his nation’s best and most poplife that helped sway the ular collegiate golfers. committee judging the en“I’m really excited and trants, according to Hall of proud that Rylee is the reFame Chairman Tom Jones. cipient,” said OU coach “Once again the commitRyan Hybl. “He worked extee had a difficult decision tremely hard here for four because the quality and years and gave everything Rylee Reinertson character of all the applihe had. His hearing may have hid him a little bit because it didn’t al- cants was just outstanding,” Jones said. low him to be very vocal in a crowd, but it “Rylee’s story was inspirational and the never stopped him from being a great lead- committee felt he would be a great ambaser. He was always doing the right things in sador for the state and the Hall of Fame going forward.” the classroom, on the course and in life.”

For more, go to oklahomagolfhof.org.

Reinertson was playing the Mackenzie

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A fresh start at

OKC G&CC

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club

Renovation to include fairways, greens, bunkers by ken macleod

Tis the season for some of Oklahoma’s finest golf clubs to update their courses and Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, the 1927 classic by Perry Maxwell, is no exception.

Anyone visiting this fall will notice that the course went prematurely grey. The fairways were sprayed in anticipation of a conversion from common Bermuda to Latitude 36, a 2011 strain developed by Oklahoma State University and now a huge seller on golf courses and athletic fields nationwide due to its fine texture, cold and drought tolerance, early green up and attractive color.

Golfers will play on the dead surface this fall and winter, then in March the material will be scraped off and the fairways tilled, drainage replaced and new sod installed.

“Latitude 36 may be a game changer for courses in the northern Bermuda zones,” said golf course architect Tripp Davis of Norman, who was selected in a nationwide search to perform the renovation. “It is a great playing surface.”

The $9-million renovation also includes all new greens, bunkers, irrigation and select tree work. Tees will be moved to create more interesting angles and some fairways will be widened or tightened, including, as Davis described it, a “few surprises.”

The greens, which are 40 years old, will be rebuilt as closely as possible to the original 20

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Maxwell designs. The new bent grass will be 007, which has proven extremely hardy in the transition zone.

“They are great greens with wonderful character now, but they have shrunk a bit in places and there are areas where it is now too small for a hole location where it is clear there used to be one,” Davis said. “Overall we will be preserving 90 percent of what exists and the other 10 percent is a restoration of the original design intent.”

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club will be the eighth course he has helped renovate that Perry Maxwell worked on or designed, including a recent restoration of the Jimmie Austin University of Oklahoma Golf Club.

Davis also renovated Oak Tree National prior to the 2014 U.S. Senior Open. His experience with Maxwell and his reputation in the area, including work at Preston Trails and Northwood Country Club in Dallas, helped him land the project.

“We had a search firm and looked at course architects from the east coast to the west coast and just felt Tripp was better suited for the project,” said CEO Oliver Boudin. “He has a true passion for Perry Maxwell design and helping us keep the integrity of the course.”

Davis said he was excited to be on the ground in 2019 working day to day with superintendent Nathan Neumann and his staff.

The bunker design will match old photos of the originals, with a thick edge, slightly irregu-

lar shapes and a higher sand line.

“We are moving bunkers to restore where they were if that enhances the challenge of the modern player – most notably in creating stronger angles into greens,” Davis said. “That most always means moving bunkers closer to greens as is the case here. With fairway bunkers, we are moving all to be more in play for the modern game. We are taking a few out and adding a few as well. “ Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club is a frequent site for tournaments, including in a rotation for the OGA State Amateur Championship. However, it is not actively bidding for PGA Tour or other professional events, which eliminates some of the stress that a Southern Hills CC may deal with in trying to challenge the game’s most elite players.

“We want to present a challenging round of golf but one the golfer will enjoy playing,” Boudin said. “We are not looking to gain a PGA Tour event.”

Neumann said the renovation will look to provide more challenge through enhancing the green sites.

“Maxwell always talked about the challenge of the greens,” Neumann said. “At the end of day, we want golfers to say that it was a great, fun round of golf on a beautiful golf course.”

The work should be completed and the greens reseeded in the early fall of 2019, with a possible limited reopening in December ‘19 and full play in the spring of 2020.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

GATHERING PLACE FOR GOLF:

Par-3 at LaFortune reopens the construction firm. The new Tif-Eagle ultradwarf Bermuda greens have grown in fully. They will be slower this fall than in the future, but still firm and rolling smooth.

The white bunkers with their Better Billy Bunker liners survived the downpours and there was sodding within 30 feet of most

by ken macleod

The September opening of The Gathering Place, the $350 million park on Riverside Drive, has put Tulsa in the national spotlight this fall.

A few miles to the southeast on Yale Ave. in the center of town, another opening this fall, this one at a cost of $3.050,000, has golfers just as excited as the families who have been flocking to the new park.

“I had a guy stop in my office yesterday and say, ‘For me, as a golfer, this is my Gathering Place,’ “ said Pat McCrate, who overseas the golf operations of both LaFortune Park and South Lakes golf courses. “Every town needs unique and fun things to do. This is going to be a great for the community.”

McCrate and his visitor are both referring to the early October reopening of the lighted par-3 course at LaFortune Park, now completely redesigned by Randy Heckenkemper and his design associate Conor Cummings.

Despite three torrential rains in excess of four inches in a 30-day span that washed away topsoil in the midst of the sprigging process, the course will open in remarkably good shape considering there wasn’t a blade of grass on it in May, a credit to United Golf,

Lighting on the renovated par-3 is brilliant.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

greens. Some of the sprigged areas will take until next growing season to full heal in as Bermuda grass usually runs for cover in mid to late October.

The new lights, McCrate said, are in their lowest capacity four times brighter than the old lights and playing at night will be a completely different experience.

Although thousands of golfers learned the game at the old course, its popularity had waned as the course deteriorated over time and golf changed to where most people expected to ride. The new course has cart

paths so carts can be taken out even on rainy or wet days.

McCrate said in 2001 when the U.S. Open was held nearby at Southern Hills Country Club, the par-3 course registered close to 8,800 rounds by junior golfers. In 2016, that number was down to around 3,300. Overall rounds had fallen from an average close to 30,000 to around 16,000.

“If we don’t see an increase of 5,000 to 10,000 rounds immediately, I’ll be surprised and disappointed,” McCrate said. “There’s nowhere in the state but here you can go to play lighted golf at night on a well-maintained golf course that’s going to be family friendly, junior friendly, date night friendly. We’ve got the whole enchilada depending on when you want to play and which tees.

McCrate realizes that some of the date night crowd that would play the par-3 at night has gravitated toward the FlyingTee, but thinks they would stand a better chance of getting hooked on the game at the par-3.

“The FlyingTee is nice but you’re just banging balls and there’s no consequence,” McCrate said. “Until you have to chase down your own shot, get it on the green and made that first par or birdie, that’s when you get hooked. That’s why this will be the greatest place to learn the game.”

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Aerial shot of the green on the par-4 17th hole shows a newly exposed creek. Two bunkers on the front right were removed and a new bunker on right side added. This opens up the front entry to the green when the tees are moved up. Creek on the right will tie into the creek right of 18. The big/little pairing of the two left bunkers is a nod to Perry Maxwell who often placed bunkers this way.

Southern Hills renovation hits full stride by ken macleod

Anyone stopping by Southern Hills Country Club on a late September morning would see a beehive of activity.

On the 15th green is architect Gil Hanse and associate Ryan Farrow, carefully scraping sand and checking degrees of slope to make certain there is ample room for a pin in the back right of one of the more fiercely sloping greens on the course.

Elsewhere, more than 20 workers for main golf contractor Heritage Links of Houston are busy at various stages of green rebuilding, laying irrigation lines or multiple other chores.

Bunkers are being designed and built, creeks exposed, trees trimmed or removed, sod laid by local subcontractor Jones Plan -- and all that’s just on the golf course. Also, workers are busy moving the cart and bag storage underground, building a new mem22

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ber and guest entry and guardhouse, preparing the site for the indoor teaching center, working on renovations to the tennis courts and building a new tennis patio and more.

It’s all part of Southern Hills Country Club’s $19-million facelift that will prepare the club for years of service to the membership and future major championships. Most of the projects are expected to be completed when the club reopens in June 2019.

It is scheduled to host the PGA Senior Championship in 2021 and the PGA Championship sometime between 2025 and 2030.

Superintendent Russ Myers is the man responsible for keeping track of all the on-course activity and he said it’s been very rewarding to see Hanse restore Perry Maxwell-design features that had been lost over time and to earlier renovations.

Gil Hanse, right, and associate Ryan Farrow check “What’s great about Gil and his the slope on the 15th green. guys is they create it on the ground,” GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

Myers said. “They don’t draw a circle on a map and come back in two weeks and say it wasn’t what they wanted. It’s the designbuild component that makes them so proficient.”

As Hanse works his way through the remaining few greens and green complexes, his work on changing the bunker design from immense saucers to a more natural style reflective of Maxwell’s original design is striking.

“I knew the bunker locations, but the style he was going to use was something it was hard to get my head around,” Myers said. “It’s exceeded my expectations.

They’re using the location and theme of Maxwell along with bunker work is definitely one of the strengths of Gil and his team. All the handiwork they do on the edging, it really gives it some muscle.”

In addition to the close to 20 companies working at Southern Hills on a typical day, Myers will have 20 or more of his staff busy as well, repairing areas that are bruised as heavy machinery makes its way around a course that is often damp due to numerous torrential rains in September.

Myers said he hopes to have all the greens seeded with Pure Distinction bent grass by mid-November.

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Ozarks National to open Big Cedar Golf adds another gem

Expansive but undulating fairways and spectacular views abound on new Ozarks National. by ken macleod

A

rchitects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw were aiming for a rugged, rustic look for the new Ozarks National Golf Course, the latest showcase course in the Big Cedar Golf collection in Hollister, Mo. A look, Coore said last spring, that would make people think owner Johnny Morris had run out of money.

Not quite sure they succeeded in that effort. A preview round in late September ahead of the Nov. 1 soft opening revealed a course that, while featuring plenty of wiry Buffalo grass patches to the sides, is so big, expansive and immaculate from tee to green, you’ll hardly notice the wispy areas.

That is, until one of the subtle but devilish slopes in the fairways sends your ball careening into those areas. At which point there is usually no return. You won’t find it 24

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and if you do, stance and the thickness will mean you’re likely taking a drop.

There’s much to learn on this course, mainly because there are so many options.

Crenshaw and Coore are not enamored with having to hit towering drives and wedges that land next to pins, they give run up options on most holes, even when they are unintentional (my only birdie was the result of a complete mishit on the par-3 17th that ran up to within 4 feet.).

Although the fourth hole is a beast (keep your drive left), the front nine is more conducive to scoring, particularly if you’re playing one of the two back sets of tees.

We chose the Gold Tees listed at 6,510 yards as the next set up was listed at 5,903 (hint to OZN, from playing with various groups around the country, the most popular distance for men is around 6,200 to 6,300 yards, makes them feel like they are still playing a real course but can handle the dis-

tance. Anything under 6,000 the perception is it’s a weenie course. But at 6,500 you can wind up with a daunting series of par-4s like we faced on 13 (462), 14 (440), 16 (428) and 18 (425), most uphill and on zoysia fairways where the ball is hardly rolling.

As my playing partner said, “well the hole is 460 but at least it’s playing 490.”

Steve Friedlander, the vice president for Big Cedar Golf, said he encourages the course superintendent to set the tee boxes on that stretch towards the front to make sure everyone gets around. From the tips, it’s a championship test. The back tees on that closing stretch of par-4s are 480, 450, 481 and 459. But to be fair, the course will offer much more roll as it matures.

The zoysia fairways and T-1 bent grass greens are already immaculate and will only get firmer and faster this fall and in the future. The panoramic views, it must be mentioned, are spectacular, and the leaves had GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

not even begun to turn on our visit.

They should be in great form when the course opens Nov. 1. It will remain open through mid December, and then reopen in the spring with grand opening ceremonies likely scheduled in conjunction with the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, an event on the Champions Tour. Ozarks National will replace the Springs Course as the 18-hole venue for the Legends, which also utilizes the nine-hole Top of the Rock. A new clubhouse on the site The opening of the second full 18, to go with Tom Fazio’s Springs Course (formerly Branson Creek and long one of the toprated public courses in Missouri), gives Big Cedar Golf two 18-hole facilities, one ninehole and the 13-hole Gary Player-designed Mountain Top course. Having two 18s is a game changer.

“It’s huge for us,” Friedlander said. “With a second 18-hole course, now you become a golf destination. Top of the Rock and Mountain Top are great, fun courses, but you won’t get destination travel from around the world unless you have at least two 18-hole courses.”

Soon that number will be three. The Tiger Woods designed Payne’s Valley is moving right along, with 10 holes scheduled to open

The course opens Nov. 1 and will have official grand opening in spring. next spring or early summer and the full 18 by the fall of 2019.

“Tiger’s course will be really big,” Friedlander said. “Big fairways, big tees, big greens, lots of options, little rough. There will be some water features, but like Ben and Bill he wants you to have options and be able to play the course different ways” Friedlander can often be found in the downstairs grill with his mobile office (laptop and phone), in great position to hear the comments of golfers as they enter after finishing their walk on Player’s Mountaintop.

He said the reception to the fun factor of

that course has been off the charts, and as Big Cedar Golf nears its fulfillment as a destination, he expects it to achieve a singular status among golf resorts world wide.

“I’ve been fortunate to work at some great places, but there is nothing like this. Nothing.” Friedlander said. “Nothing that will combine the quality of golf with everything else there is to do. The shooting, the fishing, the lake, Dogwood Canyon. No one else has anything like this.”

To play Ozarks National this fall, call 1-800-225-6343 or go to www.golfbigcedar.com.

Tulsa’s Most Scenic Golf Course

Tee Time Reservations: 918-246-2606 1801 N. McKinley • Sand Springs, OK 74063 ���.��������������������������.��� GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

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COU R SE ROUN DU P

Bushwood: A Cinderella story for Stewart by ken macleod

Bushwood Golf & Country Club will be rocking this fall. Not with explosions, just to the sounds of ‘80s rock hits coming from within the renovated clubhouse walls.

Cottonwood Creek Golf Club, which for decades was known as Chickasha Country Club, has been purchased by Max Stewart, a former head professional at Winter Creek in Blanchard and huge fan of the movie “Caddyshack,” which he calls the funniest movie of all time.

Stewart, 31, used part of an inheritance to purchase the club from its former owner and dive into the course ownership and operation business. His first move was a bit unconventional, renaming the course after the mythical Bushwood Country Club from Caddyshack, which was filmed at Rolling Oaks Golf Club (now Grande Oaks Golf Club) in Davie, Fla. “It actually looks a lot like the course in the movie,” Stewart said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun with it.”

More fun, less stress over slope ratings and course difficulty is one of the points

Lots Available

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His favorite of emphasis for character from golf’s ruling bodthe movie was ies these days Judge Elihu and Stewart is Smails, the embracing it. He uptight foil for is hoping a lot of Rodney Dangolfers from the gerfield’s acerarea, including bic Al Czervik.

Oklahoma City, Why? will want to get a “Because he round in at Bushreminds me wood and pick of so many up a hat and shirt members I’ve with the logo known at difwhile they’re at ferent coursit. es,” Stewart Stewart immesaid. Ouch. diately set about St ewa r t renovating the started as clubhouse and it an assistant will be decorated at Oak Tree with pictures and National in other memora2007-08 before bilia from the Max Stewart wth Judge Smails. taking a job movie. There is a pool and a pond. Just don’t tear up all the at Corsicana (Texas) Country Club, then Winter Creek for two-year spans each. He flowers while warming up.

Located in Blachard, OK

ExperienceWinterCreek.com

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

left the business to return to Oklahoma City University, where he earned a degree in finance, but jumped back in with both feet with this purchase.

Stewart said he is eliminating full food service and other items that are not profit centers. It will be a course where it’s easy to play golf, drink beer and watch television, all at reasonable prices. Green fees including cart will be $20 weekdays and $20 weekends for 18 holes. Memberships are $100.

The course is actually one of the older venues in the state, having opened in 1915, and the annual Washita Valley Golf Tournament is the state’s oldest, having started in 1928. It was a private equity club until being sold in 2006 and struggled when a new course, Riverbend with 27 holes, opened nearby in 1995. That course is now closed as is a course in nearby Anadarko, and Bushwood is the only golf course within at least a 20-mile radius, Stewart said.

“It will be a family-oriented course, but when you come down here, you’re coming to have fun,” Stewart said. “That’s why it’s named Bushwood.

“I had some older members tell me they didn’t think younger people would even get it (the movie came out 38 years ago in 1980).

But I think everybody knows Caddyshack."

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COL L EGE PR EV I EW other boys (William of kids around Edmond that he wasn’t even and Kelby) who close to, but they had been playing longer weren’t too con- and they did it every day. You can’t just play cerned about golf, golf every now and then if you’re any good.”

In high school, Hayden won four straight either,” Willie said.

When Hayden Class 6A state team titles at Edmond North. was in sixth grade, He was recruited by Georgia, Arkansas, LSU he played in the ju- and Alabama, but predictably he wound up nior club champi- at his father’s old stomping grounds.

The kid who initially had little interest onship at Oak Tree Country Club. Wil- in golf wound up signing with prestigious lie wasn’t there, but Hayden’s mother, Wen- OSU, the same golf factory that produced di, informed Willie that Hayden had failed his father – a two-time, first-team All-Amerto finish a hole after missing a backhand putt ican in 1982-83, the 1982 Big Eight medalist, the 1982 Fred Haskins Award winner as coland walking to the next tee. legiate player of the year and Willie immediately telea 1983 Walker Cup member. phoned the pro shop.

Hayden is well aware Willie: “I would like you to of his father’s lofty career disqualify him, please.” achievements.

Pro shop: “What?”

“I’ve seen all the trophies,” Willie: “Yes, he is disqualiHayden said. “They’re just fied.” sitting in his closet.”

Pro shop: “OK.” Since he began playing the Hayden’s struggles contingame in earnest, Hayden has ued at a Kickingbird tournastarted amassing a rather imment in Edmond. pressive collection of hard“I went out and watched ware himself. him play and he played just This summer, he defeated horrible,” Willie said. “He said, ‘I ought to be better at Willie Wood and son Hayden. teammate Austin Eckroat to win the Oklahoma Golf Asthis game.’ I said, ‘You’ve got to play little bit more.’ He was pretty good sociation State Amateur Championship. with the putter, but he was an emotional Hayden also finished 16th at the prestigious ping-pong ball. We started playing a lot that Pacific Coast Amateur and advanced to match play at the U.S. Amateur, where he summer and he developed pretty quickly.”

An excellent student (All-American Schol- fell to teammate and eventual champion Vikar last season and a first-team Academic All- tor Hovland.

At the 2017 U.S. Amateur, Hayden set a Big 12 the last two years at OSU), Hayden knew hard work was necessary to shave 36-hole qualifying record with rounds of 64 strokes. Willie was confident his son eventu- at famed Riviera Country Club, followed by ally would figure things out. Hayden needed a 67 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles.

“My expectations have always been time and Willie gave it to him. There was no high,” Hayden said. “That week was great need for browbeating.

“You never want to squash a child’s confi- because it showed me what I could do in dence. Never,” Willie said. “Just tell them, `Go that type of situation. I was nervous gofor it.’ But golf will squash it for you if you ing into the tournament because you want play it because it’s a humbling game. Now he to do well. Then to be able to shoot a 64 understands that the golf ball really doesn’t on that course, I was playing some serious golf. I took a lot of confidence from that. know who you are, or who your father is.”

Hayden was in middle school when his It’s one thing to shoot 64 at a regular tourhome course of Oak Tree National was be- nament, but to be able to do it at a course ing renovated. That’s when he went across like that under pressure like that, it showed the street to Oak Tree Country Club and me what my ceiling could be.”

Hayden won the OGA Junior Boys Amaplayed alongside junior standouts and future high school teammates Sam Humphreys teur in 2012 and 2013 and captured the OGA Stroke Play Championship in 2013. and Nick Heinen.

During his sophomore season at Edmond “I was playing against those guys every single day and they were so much better North, Hayden placed fourth in the Class 6A than me,” Hayden said. “That’s kind of what state tournament at Karsten Creek in Stillkick-started me, playing with those guys all water and was state runner-up as a senior.

He was conference and regional chamthe time.”

Willie said, “There were a whole bunch pion in 2012, which wound up being an

Willie Wood

let son Hayden earn his own spurs by john rohde

Willie Wood won his first junior golf tournament at age 9.

When Hayden Wood was 9, golf was far down the list when it came to sports, trailing baseball, ice hockey, football, wrestling and basketball.

Hayden thought he could take up golf at any time. It was his fallback plan. After all, his father was one of the greatest American junior golfers in history, having won five national championships.

Legendary Oklahoma State men’s golf coach Mike Holder, who won eight NCAA titles in charge of the Cowboys and is now the school’s athletic director, once described Willie Wood as follows: “He was Tiger Woods before Tiger Woods. He won just about every junior tournament you could win. There wasn't any bigger name in junior golf. Until Tiger Woods came along, there probably wasn't anyone who approached what Willie had done as a junior player.”

Given these bloodlines, golf would come easily for Hayden, or so he thought.

When his summer baseball team broke up, a 12-year-old Hayden suddenly had some free time in the summer, so he turned the page to golf.

Willie caddied for Hayden at a tournament in Waco, Texas.

“I shot a million,” Hayden said. “I was making bogeys left and right. Dad would be like, ‘Dude, what are you doing?’ ” Willie saw a sense of entitlement in Hayden.

“He showed up and acted like, ‘Here I am, boys. Look out,’ and he shot 90 the first day,” Willie said, forcing a chuckle. “He said, ‘What happened, Dad?’ I said, ‘Welcome to the world of golf, young man. It’s tough. If it was easy, everybody’d be doing it and would be doing it well.’ He was just starting out. He thought he’d be an instant champion because he was my son, and it just doesn’t work that way.”

The perpetually mellow Willie said he had no problem with his youngest son being lukewarm on golf.

“I wasn’t concerned because I had two 28

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

“I can see my dad sayextremely good year for the ing that, for sure, because I Wood family with Willie capdefinitely get ahead of myturing two titles on the PGA self,” Hayden said with a Tour Champions in a span laugh. “I’ve been trying of three weeks and finishing to do a little too much, 15th on that year’s money list. looking too far forward.

Since his arrival at OSU, It (pro golf) is right around Hayden constantly has battled the corner, but I definitely for playing time with the overhave been enjoying (playloaded Cowboys. Now as a ing for OSU) a lot.” redshirt senior, he started the Hard work got Hayden first two fall events this seato the level he is at today, son for the defending national but he knows his father champions and placed ninth Hayden Wood at the 2018 also is largely responsible. each time.

“I thought it was a blessOSU has only eight players OGA State Amateur. ing the entire time, having someone like my on this season’s roster.

“It’s going to be tougher,” Hayden said dad right there to always help,” Hayden of defending the national crown. “I think said. “You’ve got some parents who think we’re definitely the best team in the coun- they know what they’re talking about and try. We’re not lacking any confidence, they’re all in their kid’s junk. Then there’s my dad, who knew what he was talking that’s for sure.”

“I think he gets it now,” Willie said of his about.

“He would help me when I needed help youngest son understanding the intricacies of golf. “He’s matured a lot. He’s always and let me make mistakes when I needed to make them. He still does it. He let me go been a confident young man.”

Willie said he wants Hayden to concen- through with the natural process and play trate on today instead of what potentially the natural way instead of being a helicoplies ahead in golf. Willie said he reminds ter dad (constantly hovering). I think it’s been a blessing for me.”

Hayden of this “all the time.”

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SH BIG, BR A S R E H S A B U O

Th e

to the point that you could easily mistake one for the other if you’re not paying close attention. He’s more of a city boy, coming from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas.

Dalke is shorter than the other two, standing 5-foot-11. But he’s built like a linebacker, the position his father, Bill, played at OU in the 1970s. Brad grew up in a few different places, while his father moved around Texas and Oklahoma coaching high school football, giving him a city-boy vibe with country-boy roots.

The physical presence of the three makes the name work, especially in a sport where size is neither a prerequisite, nor a guaranteed advantage.

“You just hear the word, ‘Burly,’ and I think that just fits all three of us really well,” said Cummins, the team’s resident funny man. “When we go to tournaments, we’re the biggest team by far.

“People will ask us about the Burly Boys and how they can get in, but nobody can get in. The door is closed.”

Still, a nickname is only as good as the performance of those who carry it.

If the Burly Boys were carding 80s every other round and fighting to stay in the Sooners’ lineup, no one would care what they called themselves.

Last May, when Golf Channel cameras were following the Oklahoma State men’s golf team for a documentary series, they also spent some time around the Sooners.

A clip mentioning the Burly Boys made Blaine Hale, it on the air in the Golf Channel’s “Driven” Brad Dalke and series, and suddenly, the in-house nickQuade Cummins. name had been unleashed on the public.

“Everyone in the world knows about the Burly Boys now,” Dalke posted wright t on Twitter after the episode aired. t o c s y b “Once it made it onto TV, that’s when it took off,” Hale said. “It’s fun for us. Even coach (Ryan) Hybl will refer to us as the Burls.

Twenty years down the road, if our legacy is being known as the Burly Boys, then we love that. That’s kind of why we started it, and we’ve had fun They’re team capwith it so far.” tains and close friends.

Already having played key roles in helpAnd they’re burly, of course.

Cummins is 6-foot-3 and strongly built. ing Hybl’s turnaround of the OU golf proHe grew up a country boy in Weather- gram, the Burly Boys’ legacy will be much ford, the western Oklahoma town that is more than their nickname. And they’ve far more likely to produce a farmer or a still got more to prove on the course.

The Sooners won their first two tournafootball player than a golfer the caliber of Cummins. He might be the burliest of the ments of the fall season, with Hale also Burly Boys, though if any of the three tried taking the individual title at Minnesota’s to claim such a title, it likely would start a Gopher Invitational, and will go into the spring hoping to make another run at a nabrotherly fight.

Hale is built similarly to Cummins, tional title.

y l r Bu s y o B NORMAN — The origin of the name was simple and subtle.

Really, it was more of a joke when University of Oklahoma golfer Quade Cummins came up with the idea. But once he spoke it into existence, it stuck.

“That’s us,” Cummins told teammate Blaine Hale after seeing a rapper’s video on social media. “We are the Burly Boys.”

It couldn’t have fit any better for the Sooners’ veteran trio of leaders – Cummins, Hale and Brad Dalke.

Dalke and Hale were both in the starting five as sophomores when the Sooners won the 2017 NCAA Championship. All three were in the lineup when OU reached the NCAA match-play bracket last year.

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

Dalke and Hale are seniors and Cummins a redshirt junior. They know their time together is short, and they’re not messing around.

But the Burly Boys nickname is more than a joke among a few broad-shouldered buddies.

To them, it represents a piece of what their golf team is about.

“On our yardage books, it says ‘Fighters. Grinders.

Oklahoma Golf,’” Hale said. “That’s the thing I think about when I tee it up in an OU uniform. You’ve got to fight and grind for every shot you can, because golf is Blaine Hale not an easy sport.

“A little grind, a little burly, and that’s how you get it done.”

The Burly Boys came to OU in the same class, and sensed a bond among them from the start.

“We came in together. We lived in Head-

ington Hall together,” Dalke said. “We’ve had this special bond ever since we came into college.

“We’re captains this year. We’re the leaders of the team. We have to embrace that role and make sure we’re doing things

Brad Dalke right. It’s an honor to be a captain for sure.

It’s my first time being one, and we take it seriously.”

That’s where the Burly Boys nickname takes a more meaningful turn. Among teammates, the Sooners like to have fun, as

most college golf teams do. The Burly Boys are leaders in that department, too.

But it’s not just about enjoying the moment their lives are in. It’s a method to form a bond throughout the team — something they hope pays off on the golf course.

“I always say we’re the closest team in the country,” Hale said. “I think if you ask some of the guys who have been able to get inside us when we’re all together, I think they’d agree. We have fun with each other.

“It goes back to that fighting. We fight for each other. Golf is such an Quade Cummins individual sport, but when you get a team to rally around each other, you know you’re not making a bogey for yourself, you’re making a bogey for the team.

“We love each other. We’re brothers, and we fight for each other like brothers would.”

www.LaFortuneParkGolf.com 5501 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, Okla.

918-496-6200

South Lakes

9253 S. Elwood • Jenks, America 918-746-3760 www.SouthLakesGolf.com GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

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"Life changing" U.S. Amateur win for Hovland

by ken macleod

W

hen Viktor Hovland burst out with his “Tiger who?” line during his live television interview following his victory in the U.S. Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach, it showed the world the personality bubbling up from the 20-year-old Oklahoma State junior who is fast becoming the most famous golfer in the history of Norway.

Hovland, who is actually a huge fan of Woods, may get to meet him soon, as coach Alan Bratton will try to arrange for the two to play a practice round together at either The Masters or the 2019 U.S. Open, both of which Hovland can enter thanks to his dominant run in the Amateur.

Hovland became the fifth Cowboy to win the U.S. Amateur following Labron Harris Jr. in 1962, Bob Dickson in 1967, Scott Verplank in 1984 and Peter Uihlein in 2010. Bratton has now caddied for two of the winners in the seven times he has toted a bag for an OSU player in this event.

“Viktor has a lot of personality and it was great that the world got to see that,” Bratton said. “It was cool to see his confidence grow throughout the week, but he was himself throughout the tournament.

His strengths are his misses are small, he gets the ball in play and on the greens. You can fairway and green your opponent to death in the match-play format. And he made big putts when he had to.”

Hovland was chatting in a hallway with Golf Oklahoma about his life-changing experiences in winning the NCAA Championship with OSU in June at Karsten Creek, followed by the U.S. Amateur, when Cowboys football coach Mike Gundy strode by on his way to his preseason press conference.

“Guy wins the U.S. Amateur and doesn’t even have to play in the fourth quarter,” Gundy yelled. "Just blows everybody out!

That’s awesome!”

Hovland laughed, but he was indeed a one-man wrecking crew in the Amateur. He faced teammate Hayden Wood of Edmond in the first round and won 3 32

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and 2, the second consecutive year Wood has lost in the first round to a Norwegian teammate with his coach as the caddy (Kris Ventura in 2017). After that, Hovland won his second-round match 2 and 1 over Harrison Ott, then steamrolled former high school teammate Kristoffer Viktor Hovland is all smiles after winning the US. Reitan 7 and 6 in the round Amateur at Pebble Beach. of 16.

It was another 7 and 6 rout in the quar- another season-long battle for state and terfinals, then Hovland took down tour- national supremacy. Hovland didn’t play nament darling Cole Hammer of Texas 3 as he was competing for Norway in the and 2 in the semifinals with some brilliant World Team Amateur Championship, shotmaking and clutch putting, including where Norway finished tied for fifth and birdies on six of his last seven holes. The Hovland tied for eighth.

Bratton first saw Hovland in 2013 when 36-hole final was not exactly anticlimactic after the drama of the Hammer match, but he took a tip from assistant coach Donnie Hovland’s 6 and 5 victory over Devon Bling Darr, then the coach at Ohio State, to go watch Ventura. Something about the raw of UCLA never seemed in much doubt.

“The crowd did him a favor in the Ham- power and composure stuck out and evenmer match because it seemed that was who tually Hovland visited TCU, Texas Tech they were all there to see and wanted to and Tennessee before settling on OSU. He win,” Bratton said. “Viktor really honed in rooms with Zach Bauchou, another extremely talented player who says what’s on on that.”

Much as he did when leading OSU off his mind, helping Hovland become more in the NCAA finals with a 4 and 3 victory outgoing.

“Zach doesn’t hold back,” Hovland said. over Lee Hodges of Alabama, who actually played well. Hovland seems to have an- “He has a filter, but he just doesn’t care. He other gear which will stand him in great was funny at the NCAA (when Bauchou stead in the future. Even though he has yet boldly told OSU AD and former golf coachto win a collegiate tournament, he is now ing legend Mike Holder that this was the the world’s fourth-ranked amateur and his greatest Cowboy team of all time. When expectations for his professional career are Holder demurred, Bouchou told him that after OSU won the title, they would `go out expanding.

“The NCAA Championship was more to lunch and talk about it.’)

“He was one of the first guys I bonded fun, but I think this one is going to be bigger for my career and more life changing,” with here,” Hovland said. “He was great Hovland said. “My phone just blew up. It’s with me. The first year I didn’t have a car been very hectic and almost a little scary and he took me everywhere. His personality helped me adjust to being here.” how life changing it is.”

Bauchou, Wood, Matthew Wolff, who While Hovland deals with the demands and expectations that go with being a won the Carmel Cup, Hovland and Austin U.S. Amateur champion, his OSU team- Eckroat give OSU a formidable lineup to go mates will be glad to have him back in the in pursuit of back-to-back national titles, saddle for the postseason run next spring. one of the few milestones that has never They finished third to start the season at been achieved in the Cowboys’ long, proud the Carmel Cup and those pesky Soon- golf tradition.

“There’s no reason we can’t,” Hovland said. ers down the road were first, setting up GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

COM PET I T ION

Fernandez shoots 11-under in Oklahoma Open, his largest professional win by murray evans

EDMOND – Like all pro golfers, Casey Fernandez of McAlester is trying to climb to the next level, and after three years of bouncing around mini tours, he was starting to wonder how he was going to do that financially.

But by holding off Web.com Tour veteran and current China Tour star Charlie Saxon down the stretch in the final round of the Oklahoma Open, Fernandez earned the largest paycheck of his pro career – a cool $10,000, that will help as he continues the fight.

Fernandez shot a 2-under-par 68 at Oak Tree Country Club’s East Course in the final round and closed at 11-under 199 for the three-round tournament, three shots better than Saxon, who posted a 70 on Saturday.

Saxon entered the day just one shot back and tied Fernandez three times during the round, but Fernandez – a former Southern Mississippi standout – never seemed flustered and never lost the lead.

“I just drew back on some past experiences winning,” Fernandez said. “Obviously it’s different in pro golf than it is in college, but I know I can only control what I do. If I did what I needed to do, I knew I should win. I just stuck to my game plan and did what I needed to do. I was really happy with the way I controlled myself out there, especially the last few holes. They’re pretty tough.”

Fernandez earned second-team AllConference USA honors at Southern Miss in 2015 and has played events wherever he could since turning pro – such as on the Adams Tour, the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and on the FairWay Tour, on which he won a one-day event on July 14 at Chickasaw Pointe Golf Course in Kingston.

“I’ve been playing anywhere I could really play, to be honest,” he said. “This (win) helps out a lot. I’ll be able to sign up for Web Q School now and it’s going to free up some stuff to pay for some trips this fall.”

Both he and Saxon – a former Oklahoma standout from Tulsa – shot 64 in the opening round at the Oklahoma Open on Thursday and Fernandez posted a 67 on Friday. With the next closest competitor five shots back to start the final round, it GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

felt a bit like a match-play final and played somewhat like one, too.

A 10-foot birdie putt at No. 7 pulled Saxon even with Fernandez at 9-under, but Fernandez – who parred the first seven holes – responded with a birdie at the par-3 No. 8, sinking an 8-foot putt while Saxon missed from 10 feet and parred the hole.

Fernandez over-hit his approach shot on the par-4 No. 10 and bogeyed the hole, while Saxon parred, again pulling him even. Again, Fernandez had an answer, overcoming an errant tee shot on the par4 No. 11 to make a 15-foot birdie putt to move back to 10-under.

Saxon just missed a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 No. 12 and tapped in for birdie to again pull into a tie for the lead, but moments later, Fernandez also birdied the hole to go to 11-under and Saxon wasn’t

Casey Fernandez able to catch him. A bogey at No. 13 put Saxon two shots back and he finished with four pars and a bogey.

“I gave myself looks all day,” Saxon said.

“I had putts but I just couldn’t convert.

The momentum putts, where I could have drawn even or pulled ahead, I couldn’t hole those putts and Casey just kept making pars and pars and birdies when he needed to. He played really solid.”

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DEST I NAT ION

Scenic No. 6 at Pursell Farms. evening settle-the-bets competitions.

Perhaps such fecundity shouldn’t be surprising, since the roots of the present day operation are grounded in the family fertilizer business that began in 1914, then mainly serving local cotton farmers. But over time the company developed specialized fertilthe precipice, punctured a lung and broke izers and extended its reach internationally.

The course opened in 2003, and it was difseveral ribs and fingers. Alone, Pursell managed to crawl back up to his truck, drove ferent from the start, intended in large part as about a mile home where his wife, Chris, an agronomic research course, planted with took over the wheel to the local hospital. a variety of grasses as it meandered among mountains, meadows, Pursell was choppered to woodlands. Over the the UAB hospital in Biryears, regular seminars mingham and spent 10 were held on the grounds days in intensive care. for superintendents and Pursell is still going industry professionals. strong at 88, though it is In 2006, the fertilizer his son, David, and varaspect of the business ied offspring and in-laws was sold and the famwho have really transily turned to the work formed Pursell Farms of making Pursell Farms into the sporting oasis it more of a destination reis today. Golf may be the sort. There are still about centerpiece, but thanks 26 different grasses out to an Orvis Shooting on the course (noted to Center on site the resort some degree in the yardalso offers sporting clays, age book), and outside fishing and hunting, and firms like John Deere with 3,200 acres on hand, still bring in groups who extensive ATV rides. need to know more about There are three miles of growing or maintaining hiking and biking trails, Diamond, Meyer, Geo, an opulent and photogeZorro or Cavalier Zoysia, nic wedding facility, and Tifsport, T1 Bentgrass, the lavish 40-room Inn At right, Hang Time, the par-3 at Pursell Farms, newly third hole on which owner Jimmy Tifway 419 or the like.

Granted, I was probably opened in March.

Pursell took a tumble. more interested in the variThe Inn brought the total number of rooms to 81 at Pursell Farms, as ety of craft beers in the Inn’s new Old Tom’s 41 rooms in cottages and cabins were already Pub (expansive) than in varieties of turf out in service for groups of visiting golfers, com- on the course. Still, it’s a neat concept, and plete with putting greens steps away from naturally no great surprise that FarmLinks is verandas, allowing early morning practice or always in superlative condition.

Healthy golfing crop down on Pursell Farms by tom bedell

Rarely has a hole been more aptly named than “Hang Time,” the par-3 fifth hole at the FarmLinks course at Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, Ala. The dazzling view from the tee, with a backdrop of the Appalachian foothills, peers down more than 170 feet to what looks like a tiny dot of dance floor.

First task — once you put your camera away — try to choose the right club from five tee options that stretch the hole from 136 to 210 yards. Next –hit ball. Then, marvel indeed at the hang time of your soaring shot before it hits, one hopes, that seemingly shrinking spot below. Which, when you arrive at it, actually turns out to be the largest green on the course.

It took a certain amount of nerve for designers Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry to place so striking a hole so early in the round, lest the rest pale in comparison. That’s not a problem at FarmLinks, where there are pleasures galore to be had out on the course, though there’s no question the quartet of par-3s stand out.

Reviewing my card from an early June visit to the resort, I was a little startled to see that I had managed to par all four. It took a couple of one-putts for my own little impregnable quadrilateral, but it was still a feat, as each hole is a potential round-killer.

Actually, Hang Time was almost a literal killer during the course construction in 2002 when the resort patriarch Jimmy Pursell, then 72, lost his footing and pitched down 34

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

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DEST I NAT ION

by art stricklin

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico – Travel to Cabo here on the fairest southwest tip of Baja Mexico always had a bit of a spring break flavor to it.

Where else, but in this formerly sleepy fishing and drinking village could you find yourself strung up by your ankle, per your request, at the Giggling Marlin bar. Or have the chance to meet former owner and rocker Sammy Hagar at the ever popular Cabo Wabo restaurant and bar plus cap the night with hangover 101 at Senor’ Frogs.

All those chances still exist for those interested, but for those who aren’t part of the Spring Break forever crowd, one of the newest and most promising trends in Cabo is the addition of luxury properties to the everexpanding Cabo vacation menu.

Upscale resorts like Esperanza, which opened in 2002, and its sister resort, Chileno Bay, an Auberge property which opened in late 2017, have turned into a refuge for the traveler looking for a respite from the rowdies.

The combo of great views, great golf, posh resorts and laid-back good times plus ease of access from the southwest United States has been enough to draw Cabo fans here by the tens of thousands for decades.

Hurricanes may try to pound it, gangs may try to scare it and there may even be a wall one day between the United States and Mexico,

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but nothing can dim the enduring appeal of the area. The constant home and resort construction and lineup of luxury jets, wing to wing, at the newly remodeled international airport is proof to that.

But more than 30 years ago, this region was basically known for only two things, deep sea fishing and the aforementioned Tequila and other liquid creations.

That is in the past. Chileno Bay, which has 60 rooms and 32 suites, features three large pools running down the middle of the resort. Each of equal size, they include a kids pool, a family swimming area and an adultsonly pool. Plus, if you get tired of the Cabo heat, but still want to enjoy the views, there is a large indoor facility which overlooks the water with large big screen televisions, airconditioning and plenty of cool drinks.

The poolside servers never pass up a chance to bring another round of refreshments and the infinity-edge pool allows you to peer at the ever-pounding Sea of Cortez without actually getting into the salty water.

The swanky Chileno Bay has a bit of a James Bond-feel to it with its large outdoor garden settings and the TNT (Taco and Tequila) stand has you covered with all kind of light Mexican fare and more of the signature strong drinks, all while gazing into the ocean.

Esperanza, the original luxury destination here along with One and Only Palmilla and Dallas’ Rosewood-owned Las Ventas, offers its own collection of large balconies, private plunge pools and walled outdoor showers.

Of course, too much hotel luxury can make a person soft, and what made this des-

tination so popular in the first place was great golf and fishing.

Hotel guests have access to golf at the private Chileno Bay golf course across the highway from the resort. Designed by noted architect Tom Fazio, the course is run by luxury golf operator Discovery Land Company, which does everything first class and is a great experience with stunning, elevated views of the ocean and the overall Cabo beach scenery.

Of course, since this is Cabo, they do things a little differently as a tribute to the native drink.

“Here in Cabo, we believe your first shot is always the most important,” said head golf pro Ryan Silverstein in his regular talk to first tee guests.

In that manner, every golfer is given a solid ice frozen shot glass and offered a shot of tequila before they tee off.

“The second most important thing is that everybody wants a hole-in-one,” Silverstein said.

The golfer then throws the chunk of shot glass ice into a nearby bucket to achieve a golfing ace before the round even starts.

The Chileno Bay course is routed more in the hills above Cabo with the ocean in the background, but for an up-close and personal view of the ocean from the golf course, you must seek out the Jack Nicklaus-designed Cabo del Sol course.

It’s one of the first in the area and annually the highest-rated course in the region with the waves crashing over some of the Oceanside holes and spectacular views from almost every angle. Tom Weiskopf designed the desert course next door which is equally good, but not as close to the water.

Other public offerings include the 27-hole Palmilla golf course, also designed by Nicklaus, along with Cabo San Lucas Country Club and Quivera Golf Club, another very

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Cabo del Sol course.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

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DEST I NAT ION dramatic Nicklaus design, next to the Tiger Woods and Davis Love III courses near the airport.

Of course, if all that ocean watching has you compelled to try the real thing, then back at luxury Chileno Bay Resort they have that covered as well.

Walk through a discreet wooden door and you will find the resort beach headquarters, H20 Cove. It will allow you access to surfboards, kayaks and other water adventures, plus private loungers on the sandy beach, showers and, of course, more inside air conditioning, books and TVs if just seeing the beach and ocean is better for you than actually experiencing it.

One of the real benefits of the new Chileno Bay is that just about everything at the resort is included in the overall price. It’s not cheap, ranging into the four-figure level in the prime winter season, but discerning travelers will appreciate paying one price for everything rather than constantly being hit up for an extra charge.

Your personal butler has been trained to fulfill any request, but it’s doubtful they will hang you from your ankle like in downtown Cabo.

Go online to www.chilenobay.aubergeresorts.com or call 1-844-207-9354 for more information.

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

Discover the beauty of autumn in the Ozarks with a stay and play getaway at Big Cedar Lodge. This world-class resort features courses designed by some of the biggest names in golf, as well as premier accommodations and amenities. The golf experience is continuing to grow with the upcoming opening of two new courses designed by Coore & Crenshaw and Tiger Woods. Visit the website to plan your stay and to book your preview round!

877.246.2128 | GOLFBIGCEDAR.COM GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

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DEST I NAT ION

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Pinehurst, Destination Kohler

The River Course at Kohler. by shane sharp

PINEHURST RESORT

Few golf experiences in the world are as rooted in tradition than Pinehurst Resort.

However, the “Cradle of American Golf” isn’t afraid to shake it up. With recent additions and enhancements to the property, Pinehurst offers golfers of every caliber and age an unforgettable golf sojourn.

On Sept. 20, Pinehurst Resort revealed Gil Hanse’s reimagination of its No. 4 course. Hanse restored the layout’s original landscape and topography, reinstituting the sandhills aesthetic so many golfers associate with the region.

Visually stunning from tee to green, exposed sand areas, vast crossing bunkers and native wire grass meld with the site’s rolling topography and natural ridge lines to create wide fairways and strategic options on every hole. While Hanse and his team pay homage to Ross throughout, No. 4 is a brand new and brave expression of pure, timeless Carolinas Sandhills golf.

Pinehurst also recently added a 789-yard short course to critical acclaim. Hanse’s first project at Pinehurst, The Cradle is a perfect addition for casual golfers looking 40

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to play a quick round, whether it’s before, after or sans a full 18 on one of Pinehurst’s many great courses.

Pinehurst offers a wide variety of golf packages, including the popular Donald Ross Package, which includes accommodations for two nights stay and three rounds of golf, in addition to daily breakfast buffet and dinner. For all golf packages, follow the link here.

Pinehurst’s centralized location is easily accessible from Oklahoma City and Tulsa airports and it is just over an hour away from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Visit www.pinehurst.com for more information.

DESTINATION KOHLER

Voted the No. 1 Midwest Resort by Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, Destination Kohler is a “must visit” for golfers in America’s Heartland.

Kohler is celebrating a number of special anniversaries in 2018 – the 20th year of Whistling Straits, 30th of Blackwolf Run and 100th of The American Club.

The Straits and The Irish at Whistling Straits offer dynamic contrasts. The Straits runs along two beautiful miles of Lake

Michigan shoreline. The Irish, just inland, provides a more tranquil routing.

Whistling Straits has hosted three PGA Championships, a U.S. Senior Open, and preparations are underway for the 2020 Ryder Cup. Opened in 1988, Blackwolf Run was named “Best New Public Course” by Golf Digest. The club has successfully hosted two U.S. Women’s Opens and the Anderson Consulting World Golf Championships.

New in 2018, Kohler’s Inn on Woodlake reopened after a year-long renovation and expansion. Its two- and four-bedroom suites pair well for family or buddies golf trips. A fun way to experience all four courses is the Dye-Abolical Package, which includes a three-night stay at The American Club or Inn on Woodlake, four rounds of golf with cart/caddie, complimentary range balls, and discounts in the Golf Shop and Kohler Waters Spa. Kohler is one hour north of Milwaukee (MKE), one hour south of Green Bay (GRB), and two hours north of Chicago (ORD or MDW). Call 855-444-2838 or visit www.destinationkohler.com for more information.

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GOL F FI TN E SS

Could fat-filled muscles be the real cause of most knee pain on the golf course?

Article 3 of a Special ThreePart, Intramuscular Fat Series

of the knee over threeyears.”

Here’s what that means: If your inDear Golf Oklatramuscular fat inside your thigh jumps homa Reader, Clint Howard In the previ- from 5-to-7 percent, you have an over 150 Golf Fitness Systems ous two issues of percent increase in risk of your knees deGolf Oklahoma, I generating over three years' time. If your introduced you to a rather new, if not controversial topic of how muscles filled with fat (called intramuscular fat), both weaken your overall body power and can also be the origin and the actual cause of many chronic diseases.

Also shared with you is how a lack of strength training allows the muscles in your low back to be invaded with fat, literally marbleizing the muscle like a fatty steak. Remember, fat is for steaks, not human muscle.

No one has to tell you golf is an explosive sport mixed with rotation. The highly athletic nature of the golf swing means the average amateur uses up to 90 percent of his or her muscular contractual ability. That’s a lot of demand and force placed on rotating, twisting, and pivoting joints and muscles. We all know someone who is suffering from a low back, elbow, wrist, shoulder, or neck pain while playing golf. And we also know those with knee pain. The violent, twisting forces tend to wear away at the cartilage tissue.

But what isn’t so obvious, however, is the new research that has come out showing fatty muscles are now positively associated with degeneration of the knee. A new study released from Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (April 2017), entitled, “Vastus medialis intramuscular fat is associated with an increase in MRI degeneration of the knee over 3 years,” proves the point intramuscular fat jumps from 5-to-11 perdefinitively. And I quote: “Our results demonstrate that each per- cent, you have almost five times (498 percent increase in fatty infiltration of the vas- cent) the risk of your knees degenerating tus medialis muscle is associated with an over three years.

Taking a look at the MRI images proves 83 percent higher risk of MRI degeneration 42

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once again both the power of keeping your muscles strong … or the tragedy of allowing your muscles to waste away as fat gobbles up the space left vacant.

The most frightening thing about this process is that it goes unseen — and often unnoticed because normal weight people can be “skinny fat.” That means a golfer can be of regular weight while your muscle is lost and replaced with fat. So, an unsuspecting man or woman may think they are fit because their body weight hasn’t fluctuated.

But the whole time your immunity is being suppressed due to the loss of muscle. People know they don’t have the energy they used to enjoy, but they can’t understand why they’ve become so arthritic in their knees and other places. The doctor may even tell you that you are healthy and normal because blood work is fine.

So you leave the doctor’s office with a false sense of security, never knowing your metabolism and immunity is being lost.

Most injuries happen suddenly, like a fall or accident. But a lot of them happen over time, too, and one has to wonder if one big reason can be because of too much intramuscular fat inside of muscles.

The good news, however, is now that you know this information, transforming and strengthening your muscles is the smartest thing you can do.

So what are you waiting on?

Seek out an experienced golffitness specialist who knows how to get you strong and flexible again.

Clint Howard is the Owner/Director of Golf Fitness Systems and is recognized as one of the Top 50 Golf Fitness Professionals in the country by Golf Digest. PGA Tour Pros, Oklahoma State Men's and Women's golf, University of Tulsa golf, and many other collegiate and high school golfers, world long drive champions, and golfers of all levels go to Clint and Golf Fitness Systems to improve their body.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

I NST RUC T ION

Sharing the greatest putting tips I know It has been 30 years since my University of Tulsa women’s golf team won the 1988 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship.

As I reflect on that amazing victory, I remember from my Maggie Roller youth and college days some vivid putting tips that came from my coach Dale McNamara, Justin Leonard and others.

I want to share some of the best putting advice I’ve received, because I believe that we won that NCAA because of our putting. Melissa Luellen, currently the Auburn women’s golf coach and my former teammate, recently told me she remembers winning that individual ‘88 title because “I made loads of putts that week in Las Cruces N.M. I made everything I looked at!”

In fact, it is fair to say if you want to lower your score significantly, start working on your putting, and work on it a lot.

Our teams were privileged to go to Japan

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

twice while I played at TU. Jerry Vroom stroke and one-handed drills help develop (our Japan trip coordinator and longtime this. Ideally, your hands should respond to California coach and player) and my coach Dale Mac, gave me some amazing tips I will never forget while we were in Japan my freshman year. Here are my top five: 1. Align the face properly.

Trackman tells us that 80 percent of where the ball is going to start with begins with where the face is aimed. In putting, it’s probably 98 percent. Aim the face correctly and your putts will start on the intended line.

2. Practice success. I am a big believer in practicing inside of 10 feet because then you are going to make a lot of putts. When you see the ball going in constantly it breeds confidence like crazy.

Maggie works with daughter Jenni on the green.

3. Practice often with one hand. Jerry taught me that this helps the the movement of your shoulders as they shoulders get stronger. Your shoulders rock back and forth. This is where the moshould be the driving force in your putting mentum in the stroke comes from and not

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I NST RUC T ION from a fast, jerky move of hands.

Take a shaft between your chest and arms and then make a normal stroke. The perfect swing will send the butt of the grip straight up and down (not side-to-side).

Your hands will respond with a piston-like stroke that goes back and forth on a consistent repeatable line. The best putters in the world are able to take their hands out of the stroke by generating the momentum from their shoulders. This will start the ball rolling sooner and better. I was fortunate to grow up in Dallas playing some rounds with Justin Leonard, one of the best shoulder putters ever. I used to watch his shoulder-driven stroke when we would play together and then would practice for hours with him on the putting greens. I didn’t know much back then, but I knew his hands were not involved, his shoulders were the driving force, and his putter stayed so straight, therefore he made everything. We had to pay him often with candy bars and cokes back then.

4. Read the last few feet of the putt. Figure out how it is going to go in to the hole.

Then, line the ball up with a straight line over the smallest print on the ball on the initial line.

start putting in extra 5. Try to make time on the greens. everything!

Dale At Cedar Ridge, I see always encouraged so many folks laborme on this and my ing for hours on the son, JP, has had this practice tee and raremindset ever since ly see folks spending he used to putt with hours on the putting the Jenks team at green. I was fortuSouth Lakes GC, nate as a young girl to starting at the age have Dale, Jerry and of 5. He was never Justin teach me just very big so he knew how important puthe needed to make ting is and I learned everything on the to spend the bulk of greens if he was gomy time there. ing to make it in golf I find myself in my until he grew. He is 28th year of teachone of the best puting now in Tulsa and ters I know. Here is I actually teach on JP’s mindset: If you the putting greens have a 50-footer and more than ever. Start you try to get it in a 3-foot circle around Use the shoulders to make solid contact spending 50 percent of your practice time the hole and you each time. miss by 3 feet, then you have a 6-footer left. on the greens with these five tips and But, if you try to make it from 50 feet and watch your scores lower! miss by 3 feet, now you only have 3 feet Maggie Roller is the director of instructon at left. Sounds overly simple, but it works.

Putting is 40 percent of your score so Cedar Ridge Country Club in Broken Arrow.

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SCH E DU L E S & R E SU LTS : More at w w w.gol fok la homa.org COLLEGE MEN MISSOURI SOUTHERN FALL INVITATIONAL AT SHANGRI-LA RESORT, MONKEY ISLAND (PAR-72) SEPT. 24-25 1, Okla. Christian 288-280-280 – 848; 2, St. Mary’s (Texas) 284-291-276 – 851; 3, Southeastern State 282-281-292 – 855; 4, Southern Arkansas 297-287-279 – 855; 5, Newman 284-295-286 – 865; 6, Hutchinson CC 285290-291 – 866; 7, Southern Nazarene 291-289288 – 868; 8, Harding 305-301-283 – 889; 9, Missouri Southern 297-302-295 – 894; 10, Fort Hays State 317-306-289 – 912; 11, Sioux Falls 310-309 -302 – 921.

Individual leaders: 1, Zach James (SEOSU) 68-67-70 – 205; 2, Alejandro Santivanez (St. Mary’s) 72-68-68 – 208; 3 (tie), Charlie Crockett (Hutchinson) 69-73-67 – 209, Charlie Herbert (Hutchinson) 72-69-68 – 209 and Ryan Dixon (St. Mary’s) 70-73-66 – 209; 6 (tie), Rhett Bechtel (SNU) 72-71-69 – 212, Garrett White (Okla. Chr.) 78-66-68 — 212, Juan Pallach (Okla. Chr.) 70-71-71 – 212 and Kade Johnson (S. Ark.) 70-72-70 – 212.

Other scores: Hayden Foster (SEOSU) 71-71-71 – 213, Cameron Brown (Okla. Chr.) 73-71-689 – 213, Ondrej Melichar (SNU) 71-74-69 – 214, Andres Brictson (Okla. Chr.) 72-72-72 – 216, Dylan Igo (SNU) 70-72-76 – 218, Ryan Ward (SEOSU) 71-74-73 – 218, Ethan Smith (Okla. Chr.—ind.)

75-74-70 – 219; Jordan Holifield (SEOSU) 72-71-78 – 72-71-78 – 221, Trevor Norby (Okla.

Chr.) 73-72-77 – 222.

NSU CLASSIC AT MUSKOGEE CC (PAR-71) SEPT. 17-18 Team leaders (18 teams): 1, Lindenwood 278275-278 – 831; 2 (tie), Arkansas Tech 277-282287 – 846 and Central Missouri 286-272-288 – 846; 4, Northeastern State 274-283-293 – 850; 5, Washburn 289-278-285 – 852; 6, Southern Nazarene 278-289-286 – 853; 7, Southwestern State 284-289-284 – 857; 8 (tie), Henderson State 290-289-279 – 858, Missouri Western State 280-292-286 – 858 and Missouri Southern State 283-282-295 – 858; 11, Central Oklahoma 286-285-291 – 862; 12, Harding 295-279-294 – 868; 13, Minnesota State-Mankato 285-287-298 – 870; 14, Okla.

Baptist 288-289-298 – 875.

Individual leaders: 1, Francois Jacobs (Ark. Tech) 63-68-70 – 201; 2, Yente Van Doren (Lindenwood) 68-66-70 – 204; 3, Ian Trebilcock (Washburn) 67-68-70 – 205; 4, Patrick McCarthy (MWS) 68-70-68 – 206; 5, Brett Windsor (CM) 69-67-71 – 207; 6 (tie), Carlos Gomez (NSU) 66-67-75 – 208 and Shawn Tsai (AT) 70-70-68 – 208.

Other scores: Kason Cook (SWOSU) 71-67-72 – 210, Dylan Igo (SNU) 66-75-70 – 211, Rhett Bechtel (SNU) 73-67-71 – 211, Jax Johnson (NSU) 69-73-70 – 212, Davis Farnell (OBU) 69-72-72 – 213; Blake Murray (UCO) 70-7471 – 215.

GAC PREVIEW AT LAKE HEFNER GC (NORTH), OKLA, CITY (PAR-72) SEPT. 10-12 Team scores: 1, Southern Arkansas 275-276278 – 829; 2, Southeastern State 278-282-272 – 832; 3, Okla. Baptist 283-283-272 – 838; 4, Rogers State 281-287-279 – 847; 5, Southern Nazarene 278-283-291 – 852; 6, ArkansasMonticello 295-291-290 – 876; 7, Northwestern State 291-302-290 – 883.

Individual leaders: 1, Zach James (SEOSU) 65-69-63 – 197 2, Roman Timmerman (SAU) 67-66-71 – 204; 3, Kade Johnson (SAU) 69-

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2018

69-67 – 205; 4 (tie), Hudson Hoover (OBU) 74-65-67 – 206 and Luke Palmowski (RSU) 67-70-69 – 206; 6, Kinley Lee (Ark.-M) 7068-70 – 208; 7 (tie), Jordan Holifield (SEOSU) 72-69-68 – 209, David Farnell 72-71-66 – 209 and Payton Posada (OBU) 68-71-70 – 209; 10 (tie), Dylan Igo (SNU) 68-69-73 – 210 and Ondrej Melichar (SNU) 69-72-69 – 210.

U.C. FERGUSON CLASSIC AT LINCOLN PARK GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-71) SEPT. 4-5 Team leaders (14): 1, Oklahoma City 272-274278 – 824; 2, Bellevue 290-278-278 – 846; 3, Missouri Valley 284-282-288 – 854; 4, Murray State 296-275-285 – 856; 5, Kansas Wesleyan 294-284-280 – 858; 6, SW Christian 294-287287 – 868; 7, Okla. Wesleyan 300-288-281 – 869; 8, The Master’s 287-301-288 – 876.

Individual leaders: 1, David Meyers (OCU) 6668-68 – 202; 2, Gaston Romero (OCU) 66-6970 – 205; 3, Peri’Don Castille (OCU) 71-67-69 – 207; 4, Rodrigo Navarette (Bellevue) 69-6574 – 208; 5 (tie), Carson Seals (OCU) 69-70-71 – 210 and Ben Hadden (KWU) 71-69-70 – 210; 7, Jack Pritchard (OWU) 71-71-69 – 211.

WOMEN SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN AT LAKE HEFNER (NORTH) GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) SEPT. 17-18 Team scores: 1, Okla. City 294-289 – 583; 2, SW Christian 319-310 – 629; 3, Okla. City B 318-312 – 630; 4, Kansas Wesleyan 340-327 – 667; 5, Sterling 394-364 – 758.

Individual leaders: 1 (tie), Melissa Eldredge (OCU) 71-73 – 144 and Lauryn Pritchard (OCU) 73-71 – 144; 3, Natalie Gough (OCU) 73-72 – 145; 4, Madelyn Lehr (SWC) 74-74 – 148; 5 (tie), McKenzie McCoy (OCU) 78-73 – 151 and Kristen Sayyalinh (KWU) 76-75 – 151; 7, Lauren Behnken (OCUB) 78-75 – 153; 8, Kayla Witt (SWC) 78-78 – 156; 9, Regan McQuaid (OCU) 77-81 – 158; 10, Rachel Eckert (OCUB) 79-80 – 159; 11 (tie), Arianna Medina (OCUB) 79-81—160 and Brittany Boles (SWC) 82-78—160; 13, Loren Matrone (OCUB) 82-79 – 161; 14, Clair Hill (OCUB) 84-78 – 162.

NSU CLASSIC AT CHEROKEE SPRINGS GC, TAHLEQUAH (PAR-72) SEPT. 10-11 Team leaders (18): 1, Okla. Christian 294-300 – 594; 2, Southwestern State 299-305 – 604; 3, Central Oklahoma 299-308 – 607; 4, Northeastern State 298-311 – 609; 5, Missouri Western State 307-306 – 613; 6, Central Missouri 302-315 – 617; 7, Nebraska-Kearney 307-313 – 620; 8 (tie), Arkansas-Fort Smith 304-319 – 623 and Henderson State 313-310 – 623; 10, Okla. Baptist 311-316 – 627; 11, Lindenwood 315-318 – 633; 12, NW Missouri 324-310 – 634; 13, Southern Nazarene 319-317 – 636.

Individual leaders: 1, Gloria Choi (SWOSU) 7172 – 143; 2, Shi Qing Ong (MWS) 71-74 – 145; 3 (tie), Kate Goodwin (Okla. Chr.) 71-76 – 147, Shaley Goad (Okla. Chr.) 74-73 – 147 and Sydney Roberts (UCO) 71-76 – 147; 6, Rosie Klausner (C. Mo.) 72-76 – 148; 7 (tie), Ebba Moberg (NSU) 72-77 -149 and Vero de Bochdanovits (SWOSU) 71-78 – 149.

Other scores: Aitana Hernandez (NSU) 7477 – 151, Madison O’Dell (UCO) 77-74 – 151, Makena Mucciaccio (UC) 73-78 – 151, Bailey Blake (SNU) 78-74 – 152, Abigail Rigsby (Okla.

Chr.) 70-83 – 153, Alex Bennett (Okla. Chr.) 79-75 – 154, Elizabeth Freeman (Okla. Chr.) 79-76 – 155, Nina Lee (NSU) 77-78 – 155, Elin Wahlin (SWOSU) 81-75 – 156.

ORU LADY MAXWELL AT DORNICK HILLS G&CC, ARDMORE (PAR-72) AUG. 31-SEPT. 2 Team scores: 1, UTSA 294-291-291 – 876; 2, Sam Houston State 295-296-297 – 887; 3, Troy 294-296-297 – 887; 4, Oral Roberts 301-301299 – 901; 5, Texas State 306-300-301 – 907; 6, Missouri State 318-296-305 – 919; 7, Stephen F. Austin 301-314-310 – 925; 8, Texas-Arlington 320-310-317 – 947.

Individual leaders: 1, Jenna Phillips (SHS) 72-72-70 – 214; 2, Hannah Holzmann (UTSA) 69-71-75 – 215; 3, Nicole Lorup (Troy) 69-73-74 – 216; 4 (tie), Hannah Alberto (SHS) 72-70-76 – 218 and Julie Houston (UTSA) 73-72-73 – 218; 6, Bianca Lohbauer (Troy) 73-72-75 – 220;; 7 (tie), Isabella Caamal (ORU) 74-75-72 – 221, Ana Gonzalez (UTSA) 75-78-68 – 221 and Erica Lautensack (SFA) 70-78-73 – 221; 10, Sarah Bell (ORU) 74-76-72 – 222.

Other ORU scores: Megan Lee 78-71-80 – 229, Rachel Dupree 78-79-78 – 235, Rebecca Hnidka 80-78-78 – 236, Beatriz Garcia 75-8577 – 237, Annie Lacombe 85-81-80 – 246.

OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA OPEN AT OAK TREE CC (EAST), EDMOND (PAR-70) AUG. 23-25 1, Casey Fernandez 64-67 -68 – 199; 2, Charlie Saxon 64-68-70 – 202; 3, Rafael Becker 6670-68 – 204; 4 (tie), Chase Hanna 66-72-67 – 205 and Luke Kwon 67-72-66 – 205; 6, Ian Davis 68-71-67 – 206; 7, Fred Wedel 72-67-68 – 207; 8 (tie), Brendon Jelley 67-70-71 – 208, Joseph Gunerman 69-70-69 – 208, Preston Stanley 71-66-71 – 208, Todd Rossetti 68-71-69 – 208 and Max McGreevy 71-68-69 – 208; 13 (tie), Chris Brown 71-70-68 – 209, Joel Thelen 69-72-68 – 209, Ben Hargis 70-69-70 – 209 and Stratton Nolen 70-72-67 – 209; 17 (tie), a-Luke Phillips 69-73-68 – 210, Trevor Sluman 68-71-71 – 210, Derek Chang 67-70-73 – 210, Sean Romero 68-72-70 – 210 and Corey Hale 72-70-68 – 210.

MID-AMATEUR AT DORNICK HILLS G&CC, ARDMORE (PAR-70) AUG. 4-5 1, Heath Myers 71-69 – 140 (won playoff); 2, Luke Phillips 73-67 – 140; 3 (tie), Michael Hughett 70-71 – 141, Dillon Jordan 71-70 – 141 and JR Hurley 71-70 – 141; 6, Kyle Hudelson 7271 – 143; 7, Blake Gibson 71-76 – 147; 8 (tie), Jay Smith 76-73 – 149, Matthew Rison 76-73 – 149, Tyler Willey 73-76 – 149 and Brett Tobyne 76-73 – 149; 12, Blake Garland 76-74 – 150.

WOGA WOGA CUP AT HILLCREST CC, BARTLESVILLE SEPT. 24-25 1, Scissortail Sisters (Hillcrest -- Diane Daniels, Darian Kedy, Karen Oakley, Mavis Smith) 45.5; 2, Fore Buddies (Lake Hefner – Cheryl Saxon, Carolyn Hyden, Stacey Decker, Peggy Koone) 41.5; 3, Party of Fore (Owasso G&CC – Judy Leighton, Joyce Deason, Susan Barnes, Karen Smith) 41; 4, Pin Seekers (Cedar Ridge – Tammy Fairchild, Rebecca Davis, Rose Cassidy, Dana Hurley) 40.5; 5, Golden Girls (Tulsa CC – Bronda Gray, Patti Taruscio, Tamara Rains, Nancy Hale) 39; 6, Par-Tee Girls (Adams – Darla Howe, Pam Bonifield, Kathy Brown, Sue Meiler) 38; 7, Tilly Girls (Tulsa CC – Janieire Hagen, Melissa Higgins, Lee Anne Kirkpatrick, Kristin Ellsworth) 37.5; 8 (tie), The Scissortails (GC of Okla.

– Linda Colhmia, Carol Carter, Diane Seabolt, Sherry Black) and Page’s CouldaWouldaShouldas (Page Belcher – Becky Masoner, Kathlyn

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SCH E DU L E S & R E SU LTS : More at w w w.gol fok la homa.org Smith, Judy Genzer, Rita Andersen) 37.

FOUR-BALL AT SHANGRI-LA RESORT, MONKEY ISLAND (PAR-73) AUG. 20-21 Low Gross 1, Marna Raburn/Teresa DeLarzelere 71-73 – 144; 2, Pam Bonifield/Debbie McClain 77-79 – 156; 3, Lien Alsup/Martha Barker 80-78—158; 4, Kelly Thompson/Lori Garrison 78-81 – 159; 5, Susan Barnes/Joyce Deason 77-82 – 159.

Low Net 1, Alsup/Barker 67-66 – 133; 2, Barnes/Deason 66-71 – 137.

A FLIGHT Low Gross 1, Laurie Campbell/Diane Seabolt 81-86 – 167; 2, Darian kedy/Diane Doornbos 86-82 – 168.

Low Net 1, Susan Hall/Pat McKarney 67-64 – 131; 2, Claudia Abernathy/Soohyun Jim 67-68 – 135.

OJGT BATTLE OF BROKEN ARROW AT THE CLUB AT INDIAN SPRINGS, BROKEN ARROW (PAR-72) SEPT. 23-24 BOYS 15-18 1, Logan Brooks 70-71—141; 2, Gabe Replogle 73-74 – 147; 3 (tie), Benjamin Stoller 75-73—148 and Brett Wilcoxen 72-76 – 148; 5 (tie), Mesa Falleur 78-71 – 149, Buddy Wherli 78-71 – 149 and Parker Rose 72-77 – 149; 8, Ronson Lee 7872 – 150; 9, Phisher Phillips 78-73 – 151; 10 (tie), Will Harding 76-76 – 152 and Caden Vanlandingham 74-78—152.

12-14 1, Jake Hopper 70-72 – 142; 2, Ryder Cowan 7574 – 149; 3 (tie), Jack Hope 79-77 – 156 and Sam Morris 78-78 – 156; 5 (tie), Bryant Polhill 79-78 – 157 and Kyle Kasitz 80-77 – 157.

GIRLS 1, Emma Shelley 73-75 – 148; 2, Raychel Nelke 78-71 – 149; 3, Mika Ramos 79-80 – 159; 4, Jenni Roller 80-81 – 161; 5, Taylor Towers 77-84 – 161; 6, Blayne Barker 77-85 – 162; 7, Campbell Payne 84-83 – 167; 8, Kennedy Maybee 82-87 – 169; 9, Lilly Whitley 89-84 – 173; 10, Kinslea Jones 94-88 – 182.

JOHN CONRAD LABOR DAY BASH AT JOHN CONRAD GC, MIDWEST CITY (PAR-72) SEPT. 2-3 BOYS 15-18 1, Cooper Schultz 68-69 – 137; 2, Jordan Wilson 70-68 – 138; 3, Jaxon Dowell 70-70 – 140; 4 (tie), Jack Glenn 71-70 – 141, Shane Herlihy 71-70—141, Charlie Jackson 72-69 – 141 and James Roller 72-69 – 141; 8, Peyton Burns 70-72 – 142; 9, Said Powers 71-72—143; 10 (tie), Logan Brooks 75-69 – 144 and Conner Boydston 7569 – 144.

12-14 1, Jake Hopper 76-70 – 146; 2, Will Hennessee 75-72 – 147; 3, Bryant Polhill 77-76 – 153; 4, Kolby Matthews 77-77 – 154; 5, Jace Black 80-76 – 156.

GIRLS 1, Maddi Kamas 73-65 – 138; 2, Lilly Whitley 6773 – 140; 3, Bailey Dunstan 71-70—141; 4, Emily Miller 76-70 – 146; 5, Jenni Roller 72-74 – 146; 6, (tie) Emma Shelley 70-76 – 146 and Alyssa Wilson 71-75 – 146; 8, Grace Griggs 74-73 – 147; 9, Taylor Towers 78-73 – 151; 10, Reagan Chaney

76-76 – 152.

SCPGA YAMAHA SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP AT TEXARKANA (ARK.) CC (PAR-72) SEPT. 24-25 1, Malachi Murphy 68-76 – 144 ($1,800); 2, Brian Soerensen 77-69 – 146 ($1,500); 3 (tie), Jarod Lundy 71-76 – 147 and Art Romero 72-75 – 147 ($1,100); 5, Cary Cozby 74-75 – 149 ($800); 6, Kyle Emerson 76-74 – 150 ($700); 7 (tie), Jim Young 72-79 – 151 and Kyley Tetley 75-76 – 151 ($550); 9, Phillip Holley 74-78 – 152 ($400); 10 (tie), Darren Watts 75-78 – 153, Brent Wilcoxen 74-79—153 and Greg Bray 76-77 – 153 ($300).

E-Z-GO ELITE SENIOR AT FOREST RIDGE GC, BROKEN ARROW (PAR-72) SEPT. 17-18 1, Tim Fleming 72-68 – 140 ($1,200); 2, Mark Fuller 72-69 – 141 ($900); 3, Tim Graves 70-76 – 146 ($700); 4, Vince Bizik 72-75 – 147 ($500); 5 (tie), Sam Meredith 72-77 – 149, Rusty Wortham 71-78—149, Andy Schaben 75074 – 149 and Art Romero 76-73 – 149 ($325); 9 (tie), George Glenn 73-78 – 151, Janice Gibson 71-80 – 151 and Michael Gowens 74-77 – 151 ($66.67); 12, Barry Howard 73-81 – 154.

TAYLOR MADE STROKE PLAY SERIES AT CRESTVIEW CC (NORTH), WICHITA (PAR-72) SEPT. 10 1, Trent Rommann 67 ($750); 2, Brian Ward 68 ($550); 3 (tie), Mark Fuller and Cary Cozby 70 ($375); 5, Shannon Friday 71 ($250); 6 (tie), Jim Young, Jarod Lundy and Tim Graves 72 ($200).

Senior: 1, George Glenn 69 ($650); 2 (tie), Mark Fuller and Kurt Gibson 70 ($400); 4, Vince Bizik 71 ($250); 5, Tim Graves 72 ($200).

Assistant: 1, Rommann 67; 2, Brent Williamson 70; 3 (tie), Friday and Phillip Jackson 71; 5 (tie), Zachary Tucker, Jimmy Shaw and Seth Bryan 72.

JUSTICE GOLF CAR PRO-ASSISTANT AT SHANGRI-LA RESORT, MONKEY ISLAND (PAR-72) SEPT. 4 1, Lance Allen/Brent Williamson (Forest Ridge) 63 ($1,000); 2, Kyle Flinton/Jett Johnson (Quail Creek) 63 ($800); 3 (tie), J.J. Belcoff/Brent Williamson (Forest Ridge) and Kyle Flinton/Trey Stelling (Quail Creek) 64 ($575); 5, Art Romero/ Ryan Romero (Texarkana CC) 65 ($510); 6, Tim Fleming/Brad Fulton (Quail Creek) 69 ($480).

PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT JIMMIE AUSTIN OU GC, NORMAN (PAR-72) AUG. 20-21 Qualifiers for PGA Pro Championship: 1, Tim Fleming 72-71 – 143; 2, Tyler Woodward 72-72 – 144; 3, Mark Fuller 72-73 – 145; 4 (tie), Cary Cozby 75-71 – 146 and Jarod Lundy 74-72 – 146.

Alternates: 6, Trent Rommann 76-71 – 147; 7 (tie), Jeff Combe 74-74 – 148 and Malachi Murphy 74-74 – 148; 9, Brian Soerensen 75-74 – 149.

Did not qualify: 9 (tie), Art Romero 75-74 – 149, Mark Ramer 74-75 – 149 and Troy Hendricks 73-76 – 149; 13 (tie), Brent Wilcoxen 76-74 – 150, Kyle Emerson 78-72 – 150, Jim Young 78-72 – 150, J.J. Belcoff 76-74 – 150 and Jon Burton 73-77 – 150.

GOLF CHANNEL TOUR OKLAHOMA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP AT LINCOLN PARK GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-71) AUG. 18-19 1, Jeff Richter 69-71 – 140; 2, Curt Howard 7572 – 147; 3, Steve Hoehner 75-73 – 148; 4, Cody Rozell 71-79 – 150; 5, Randy Brown 79-73 – 152; 6, Jim Jenkins 77-83 – 160.

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