2021 Golf Oklahoma October|November by Golf Oklahoma Magazine

Official publication of the Oklahoma Golf Association

Famed Pinehurst No. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS OC T/NOV 2021

VOL UME 11 IS S UE 5

The Bookshelf 10

It's never a bad day if you follow the teachings of Bob Rotella.

Equipment 12

Ed Travis examines the new offerings already out for 2022.

Features 14-17

Chip Shots: Jerry Cozby Learning Center, Marshall Smith honored at Jimmie Austin, Birdies and Bogeys clothing line to help fledgling pros, The Anchor at Shangri-La wows, Kaitlin Milligan wins Everett Dobson Award.

Ryder Cup was tempting preview of what's to come at 2022 PGA Championship in Tulsa.

Legally blind First Tee of Tulsa student Anthony Taylor prepares for Special Olympics National Championship.

TU Athletic Director Rick Dickson says bringing back golf program not so simple.

Rick Reed's distinguished career at The Oaks coming to a close.

Max McGreevy, Taylor Moore and Josh Creel join the Oklahoma parade on the PGA Tour.

Determined Danny Edwards excelled in golf, racing, business and more.

College outlook: National championship aspirations abound in state.

Destinations 32

Beautiful Boyne, Mich., is a cool haven for heat stressed Oklahoma golfers.

16 22

Departments 6 8 9 40

Letter from the Publisher OGA, WOGA news Rules, Bob Phelps

43 44 45

Instruction: Tracy Phillips Fitness: Clint Howard Schedules and results

Competition

On the cover New Oklahoma PGA Tour pros Josh Creel, Max McGreevy and Taylor Moore: Photo courtesy PGA Tour

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

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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October /November Issue 2021 FROM THE PUBLISHER KEN M AC LEOD

Hard to fathom a stronger class for Hall of Fame During recent rounds at LaFortune The personalities as well as the accomplishments of the 2021 class for the Park in Tulsa and Adams Golf Course in Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame should Bartlesville, Farley’s brilliance in designmake the Nov. 21 induction ceremony ing attractive, challenging, yet easy to at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club walk and not overly difficult courses, is on full display. The property at Adams a memorable experience. Looking forward to hearing from has several creeks which come into play Danny and David Edwards, two broth- too often on a couple of holes but otherers with vastly different outlooks yet wise is a wonderful public course, as is LaFortune Park. united in their Those who regupassion for hard larly play Kickingwork, both workbird in Edmond ing their way up or John Conrad in from scratch to Midwest City, both become multiple now being renowinners on the vated, know well PGA Tour and how important All-Americans at Farley’s work was Oklahoma State. in providing public Scott Verplank venues that served is well-renowned a wide range of for his incredible ages and abilities, accompl ish ment s from beginners as both an amato seniors to low teur and pro, made handicap competieven more remarktors playing signifiable by his lifelong cant tournaments. battle with diabeKickingbird has tes. As millions of Scott Verplank to enter Oklahoma Golf been the site of the golf fans around Hall of Fame. the world are now getting to know Oklahoma Open and is still the regular through his announcing career, Scott home of the OGA Junior State Amateur. knows the game deeply and expresses LaFortune Park is the favorite venue of the Tulsa Golf Association for most of its his opinions candidly. Art Proctor has always been a great championships, including the city stroke promoter of the game. This time Art, play championship. Anyone interested in coming to the others will take care of the promotion and you’re being recognized for your dinner at Oklahoma City Golf & Counrole as a teacher, innovator,, player, de- try Club can still do so, just go to www. signer, merchandiser and all else you oklahomagolfhof.org and purchase a have done in a lifetime devoted to golf. ticket or sponsor a table. The evening Floyd Farley is the only deceased includes a cocktail hour with the inmember of the class of 2021. In re- ductees, dinner and the induction cersearch done by myself and John Ro- emony, including videos honoring the hde for Floyd’s induction, I came to careers of each and acceptance remarks. appreciate more and more his designs Also honored at the dinner will be Everand the impact he’s had on public golf ett Dobson Award winner Kaitlin Milliin Oklahoma. And not just public golf, gan of Norman and scholarship winners but the great Quail Springs Golf & Meghan Charles of Sand Springs and Country Club and other private venues Tres Hill of Elk City. It’s always a great evening and hope to see you there. were his designs. 6

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION Volume 11, Number 5

Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 102 LIKE US! Tulsa, OK 74136 FACEBOOK.COM/ 918-280-0787 GOLFOKLAHOMAMAGAZINE Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996 Publisher Ken MacLeod ken@golfoklahoma.org

COO/Marketing Director A.G. Meyers agm@golfoklahoma.org Sales Sam Humphreys sam@golfoklahoma.org Art & Technology Director Chris Swafford chris@golfoklahoma.org Subscriptions to Golf Oklahoma are $20 for one year (five issues) or $35 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 Young Teaching Professional, River Oaks CC 405-630-8183 Ryan Rody Director of Instruction Southern Hills Country Club rrody@southernhillscc.org Pat McTigue Director of Instruction, Meadowbrook CC pmtigue277@gmail.com Maggie Roller Director of Instruction, Cedar Ridge CC maggie.roller@sbcglobal.net, 918-261-1441 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 Director of Rules Bob Phelps bphelps@okgolf.org Copyright 2021 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.

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MARK FELDER

FROM THE OGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OGA Executive Director

Dornick Hills among venues for 2022 Another amazing year of golf is nearly concluded in the great golf state of Oklahoma. All we have to look forward to next year is even more of our great young players doing well in the collegiate and professional ranks (see cover story), another great slate of championship venues for the OGA and, news flash, the PGA Championship being conducted right here in Oklahoma. Let’s start with the 2022 OGA Championships so you can set your calendar accordingly. May 9-10, OGA FourBall and Senior Four-Ball Championships, Cedar Ridge Country Club, Broken Arrow June 6-9, OGA Boys Zach James and Girls Junior Amateur Championship, Lincoln Park Golf Course, Oklahoma City June 14-17, OGA Senior State Amateur Championship, The Trails Country Club, Norman June 20-22, OGA Stroke Play Championship, Dornick Hills Golf Club, Ardmore OGA State Amateur qualifiers: July 11 at Lincoln Park, OKC; July 14 at Bailey Ranch, Owasso. July 25-27, OGA State Amateur Cham-

LAURIE CAMPBELL

pionship, Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club Aug. 15-16, OGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship, Meadowbrook Country Club, Tulsa Aug. 15-16, OGA Senior Stroke Play Championship, Meadowbrook Country Club, Tulsa Aug. 25-27, Oklahoma Open, Oak Tree Country Club, Edmond The Junior Amateur is moving to Lincoln

Max McGreevy

Taylor Moore

Park due to Kickingbird in Edmond being closed for its massive course and clubhouse renovation. We can’t wait to see what that looks like when it reopens, and similarly, we are eager to see the Tom Doak renovation of Dornick Hills in Ardmore. Our final 2021 event, the Oklahoma Open, was loaded with talent again this year. It seemed former Oklahoma State golfer Sam Stevens was going to cruise to victory before a four-shot swing on

President WOGA

the treacherous par-3 14th hole flipped the script and Zach James, a former star at Southeastern Oklahoma State, played great down the stretch to earn the victory. It was wonderful to see Austin Eckroat, Quade Cummins and other freshly minted Oklahoma pros supporting the event, but we expect to see them on television on weekends in the near future. Congratulations to three more players with Oklahoma ties to join the PGA Tour for 2021-22, as Max McGreevy, Taylor Moore and Josh Creel all earned their cards. With Quade, Austin and others in the pipeline, there’s more to come. We’ve watched these guys since they were Josh Creel little kids and it’s amazing what they are doing. Finally, let’s all hope Mother Nature takes it easy this winter on our good friends, the golf course superintendents and their staffs. We saw some remarkable work done across the state to repair the insane damage from last February’s freeze. Say thanks to the guys at your course, most all of them short-handed due to the labor shortage, for their hard work and effort to let us all enjoy the game.

WOMEN’S OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION

Gaillardia to host 2022 State Amateur WOGA ended 2021 with full formation or access the application via our website at WOGA.Golfgenius.com. fields in the last two events of the season. Although we are still in the process There were 100 players competing in the Four Ball Championship hosted by Shan- of completing our 2022 schedule, you gri-La, and the WOGA Cup had 20 teams of four players competing at Meadowbrook Country Club at the end of September. Overall gross winners in the Four Ball were Becky Swan and Lindsey Pitt, members of The Greens Country Club in Edmond, scoring 70 and 75. Linda Ballard and Ann Turner of Shangri-La won the overall net award with scores of 63 and 66. Ann shot her age and below on both days of the tournament. Gaillardia Country Club. Site of 2022 Amateur. We are currently taking applications for WOGA Junior and High School can mark April 25-26 on your calendars Girls Grants Program. In 2020, we award- for the Stableford Partnership at Lincoln ed our 100th grant. You can find more in- Park. The Junior Fundraiser and Girls’ 8

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

Junior Championship will be July 10-12 at Stillwater Country Club and the State Amateur will be July 18-21 at Gaillardia Country Club. The Four Ball Partnership will again be at Shangri-La, using all three 9s, on Aug. 15-16. We hope to have dates and locations for the WOGA Stroke/Mid-Am Championship, Senior Championship and WOGA Cup soon. Lastly, I want to give a huge thank you to Susan Hall. Susan was gracious enough to step up and fill our unexpected need for a tournament chair. She jumped right in and learned our golf genius program and ran our tournaments. Susan has always been a big supporter of WOGA, including past tournament chair and past president, just to name a few. Join me in thanking her the next time you see her. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

BOB PHELPS

OGA Rules Director

FROM THE OGA RULES DIRECTOR

Review of new rules As we wind down a third full season playing under the “new” rules of golf, I thought I would share some personal thoughts and observations gained from conducting tournaments using those changes that took effect in 2019. ORDER OF PLAY IN STROKE PLAY This seems to be a hard one for players to fully embrace. While it was almost impossible to be penalized for playing out of turn in Stroke Play under the “old” rules, they did specify a certain order of play. Now, Rule 6.4b(2) uses the words “Ready Golf” in the title and states that “players are both allowed and encouraged to play out of turn in a safe and responsible manner. Players should be courteous by communicating with each other concerning who is playing next, but I would love to see more players embrace the opportunity to play “ready golf.” THE FLAGSTICK Having the right to leave the flagstick in the hole is a new rule I thought I would like. However, I do not see this new rule having the intended effect, to increase pace of

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be having the intended effect. However, the pace of play would be faster if players play. What I see in actual tournament play would simply adopt one practice, play a is players who prefer to leave the flagstick provisional ball when there is a reasonable in the hole and players who don’t. I’m not chance your ball will be lost. The time lost from having to return sure what the research says reto the spot of the pregarding the effect on holing shots. vious shot far exceeds I’ve personally seen shots where the time to play a I believe the flagstick prevented provisional ball. My the ball from going in the hole, initial reaction to how so I like to take it out. But I have this rule was working also seen shots where the collision was that three minwith the flagstick allowed the ball utes was not enough to stop much closer to the hole, so time. It does seem I like having the option. But this that the new threeoption has created this back and minute search period forth with the flag between playexpires quickly. On ers and wastes time on the green. the other hand, how Rather than giving players an op- Rules for dropping a ball are many times would a tion, let’s just require the flagstick now easier to understand. to always be left in the hole. The result for ball be found if given two more minutes to most players will be more good breaks than search? My guess is maybe 10-15 percent. bad breaks and it would achieve the original There are other new rules related to the search for a ball that I like but after initially goal, increase pace of play. being opposed, I support of the new threeminute search period for finding your ball. TIME PERMITTED TO But please play a provisional ball if there is SEARCH FOR BALL This is another new rule introduced to increase pace of play that does not seem to See RULES on page 11

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

The

BOOKSHELF

A reason to get up in the morning Harrington, adds a thoughtful foreword. It’s impossible to read Rotella’s advice and not think about one’s own game, no y Bob Rotella matter what level one is playing at. But story took this book seemed even more place in Europe on a exhortatory to Kalos Golf cruise up me than usual, the Seine River about in line with the subtitle, “The 17 years ago. Rotella, one of the first (if not the first) Secret to Playpsychological coaches for professional tour ing Great Golf.” players and perhaps still best known as the Or, as one of the author of “Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect,” epigrams he uses was a guest host for the trip, meaning he as chapter headhad been invited on the cruise in exchange ings puts it, a line from the musical for some on-board presentations. Pacific”: A grand time it was, playing courses in “South the Netherlands, France and Germany by “If you don’t have day, cruising along the river and listening a dream / How to Dr. Bob in the evening. One night in Co- you gonna have logne a bunch of us went out with Rotella’s a dream come daughter, Casey, along for the trip and then true?” As he writes, “I a member of the Notre Dame golf team. We bought her more than a few rounds of have been studying the psychology of Kölsch beer to celebrate her 21st birthday. Rotella would often drive around in a greatness for a very cart to dip into the rounds we were play- long time,” working. One day I was sitting prettily in the ing with people to middle of the fairway on the second hole help them reach of the Bernhard Langer-designed Golf Club their optimal perSoufflenheim Baden-Baden in France, a formance. “I’m all about exceptionalism, mere wedge shot from the green, when Ro- as opposed to normalcy, mediocrity or betella pulled up on a slight hill overlooking ing average. And this usually starts with dreams.” the hole. I gave Rotella a call and he elaborated on I proceeded to neatly hook one, two, some of the book’s ideas: “The three shots dead out of longer you study greatness, bounds. Fellow golf writer the chasing of human potenTom Mackin was looking on tial, the more you understand and added it all up: “Well, that you really should pay that’s a sleeve.” attention to what you shoot Rotella merely drove silentfor. That’s why I tell the story ly, hauntingly, away. about Tiger Woods. This kid I think he did refer to the told the world at a very early debacle in a subsequent talk, age that he was chasing Jack but if so that trauma is lost Nicklaus’ majors record. That in the fog of time and seems was his quest, and he got the conspicuously absent from whole world excited about it. my notes of the trip. Dr. Bob Rotella It got him excited. But Bob Rotella books are “And I say that Tiger may be more talnever far from my reach. His advice often seems simultaneously startling and com- ented than Jack and that Jack’s standing monsensical, and always well-illustrated may have been too low for Tiger. If Jack with anecdotes about players of all ilks that had won 25, maybe Tiger would have 27 he has coached. His 10th book is just out, by now. Even if Tiger doesn’t break Jack’s “Make Your Next Shot Your Best Shot” (Si- record, his ‘failure’ still makes him the mon & Schuster, $27), written with long- second-greatest golfer in history in terms time Golf Digest contributor Roger Schiff- of major championship wins. Having big man. A long-time Rotella client, Padraig ideas and going after them is the point — by tom bedell

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

you might not get everything you chase, but even if you don’t get it all you’ll still be unbelievably successful.” Rotella maintains a full roster of clients, young and old, pro and amateur, who normally visit his home in Virginia for a couple of days — one day of inside coaching, the second outside. “Right now a lot of my golfers are going through qualifying schools, where there might be 19 out of 100 qualifying spots. And it’s easy enough to go to a t ou r n a me n t spending all your time thinking, ‘What do I have to do to get the 19th spot?’ Whereas I say, you have to play to win the thing. It’s just a mentality. And you have to expect you’ll have your heart broken some. It takes a lot of patience, a lot of persistence and a lot of ability to bounce back from disappointment because the game is really difficult and the competition is really good.” Rotella is from Rutland, Vt., and his father, Guy, lived to be 100. And even after reaching the century mark, would sometimes play golf five days a week. Rotella said, “It’s fascinating what this game can provide for us. When he was in his 90s my father said to me, ‘Don’t take this wrong, because I really love all you kids and love my family and friends but, man, golf has really given me a reason for getting up every day.’ ” Rotella also relates the tale of Gary Burkhead, an 18-handicapper, who came to Rotella when he was about to retire as vicechairman of Fidelity Investments. “He said to me that he’d learned from other retirees to have a new goal on hand. He looked at me and said, ‘I grew up relatively poor in Little Rock, Ark. I made it in life, was pretty successful, and now I'm taking on a new W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

Rules cont. from page 9 quest. I work 12-14 hours a day, and now I intend to work 12-14 hours a day on my golf game.’ “You don’t have a lot of people say that to you. So I was absolutely amazed at watching him put that kind of desire and day-today commitment into his golf game. His wife, meanwhile, would go deep sea fishing four or five days a week, so they both had their passions. Gary didn’t quite make his goal of playing in the U.S. Senior Open, but he lowered his handicap to 2, won numerous tournaments and club championships. I don’t know that he worries overly about getting everything he’s chasing but he’s having a ball because he has a reason for getting up in the morning.” Rotella, 72, a scratch golfer himself, still in love with his work, still in love with his wife — his college sweetheart, and thanks to Casey, now a grandfather eight times over, seems to have ample reasons to greet the dawn. As for the rest of us, no matter our age or level of play, Rotella’s book urges us to remember there are still golf dreams to chase. Tom Bedell is getting old enough to start dreaming about shooting his age.

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penalty area. This change has been a good one by making the rules more consistent and easier to remember without making the game easier to play. DROPPING A BALL One change regarding penalty areas that The new rules for dropping a ball are much easier to understand and have not has created some confusion is the ability changed the playing of the game at all. for committees (courses) to designate areas Players still play from the same area of such as desert areas or dense forest areas as the course as they would have under the penalty areas. Furthermore, these penalty old rules, and they still get a random lie areas can be defined by physical features when dropping a ball. It’s very simple now such as where the short grass and desert when dropping a ball, you can always use area meet. A player’s ball can lie in a penalany ball, you must let go of the ball at knee ty area that is not marked with red lines or height, and the ball must land in and stay stakes. This makes it crucial for players to know how areas of the course are defined. in your relief area. We have had players return to the spot of the previous stroke because they did not PENALTY AREAS Like most traditionalists of the game, know their ball was lost in a penalty area. I was surprised to learn the new rules would allow players to move loose im- SUMMARY Overall, the modernized rules are well pediments and take practice swings in penalty areas. In fact, players can now do written and easier to understand. The anything in a penalty area that is permit- game is still as challenging as ever. Not surted in the general area. This was such a prisingly, the new rules do not contemplate radical change that many questioned why. every scenario that could arise. As a result, However, players are still not allowed to the USGA and R&A have released several improve their lie, players must still take clarifications to the rules and introduced a care to not move their ball when moving few local rules. We will have to wait until loose impediments, and there is still no 2023 to see how these local rules and clarirelief for abnormal course conditions in a fications are included in the next revision. a chance your ball will not be found.

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

EQUIPMENT

New clubs for a new season by ed travis

o, the golf season isn’t over, there will still be at least a few days warm enough to play. Golf equipment companies, however, are looking forward to next year and introducing their latest clubs, knowing it may give them a head start on the competition before the weather warms again in the spring. The Golf Oklahoma staff keeps a watch for our readers on what companies are bringing to market and many models won’t be out until closer to the end of the year, indeed not until the PGA Merchandise Show in January. We thought, though, it would be worthwhile to do a brief rundown of the most interesting clubs we know about so far. Two additional points and the first is something you have heard previously. To get the best results from new clubs, go to a professional club-fitter who has access to products from several manufacturers. As time passes, your body changes and club specifications change, too. The only way to be sure of making the right decision – getting clubs that will help lower your scores plus spending your money wisely – is to make an investment in the future enjoyment of this maddening game with clubs that match your requirements. For example, a driver fitting takes less than 90 minutes and costs no more than $150, money well spent to keep from making a frustrating mistake. Secondly, be aware some companies have found that due to the double whammy of the pandemic-induced closures and then the subsequent return to “normal” plus even higher sales volumes, shipment times of custom-ordered clubs have often been extended. “Our lead times have been affected by the global supply chain challenges like almost every industry in the world,” said Pete Samuels, Ping’s Director of Marketing Communications. However, Tour Edge Golf’s President David Glod said, "We were able to get 48-hour (order fulfillment) going this year with the Exotics 721 line. To tell you the truth, some luck went into it, but we did run into availability issues this year with the unparalleled demand the golf industry is seeing. 12

Much of that was on the Hot Launch and complete set side of things. Those categories literally exploded, and there just were enough golf clubs to go around to service the hundreds of thousands of new golfers.” Jon Claffey, company vice president, confirmed the 48-hour turnaround will be available for the just-announced Hot Launch 522 series. Titleist Director of Communications Joe Gomes told us, “Regarding lead times, it truly does depend on the product category and the depth of customization, so I cannot really give you a firm and honest answer other than every request and lead time response is different at this point.” At Cleveland Golf, PR and Social Media Marketing Manager Noelle Zavaleta said, “For a custom-club order, if we have all the requested inventory available, lead time is 3-5 business days.” A mixed bag to be sure and PXG on its website tells customers, “GEN4 Clubs are built within three days of order placement.”

irons are hollow headed with internal weighting. Soles are V-shaped for smoother, crisper contact with the ball and each iron has grooves specifically engineered for that loft. An Accuracy Build is available — shafts ½” less length than stock and no counterbalance weight.

Mizuno ST-G220 Driver $500 Three tracks for sliding weights, two weights and an adjustable hosel give Mizuno’s driver the most custom options to suit the needs of any player of all the drivers on the market. This player’s category driver has a carbon crown and a forged titanium alloy face to help distribute the clubhead’s weight for the best performance complimented by a sole slot behind the face to improve ball speed in the deeper profile head.

Ping

i59 Irons $275 each steel shafts, $290 each graphite Epic Super Hybrids shafts $400 These latest irons from Ping Callaway says the Epic will appeal to better players not Super Hybrids have the only due to their looks but their “DNA and technology of performance. The body is forged a driver.” Company testing 1025 carbon steel and the face laser shows they produce the most discut 17-4 stainless steel. The heads tance of any of its previous hybrids. have an aluminum insert which meant weight could be moved from the center Cleveland Golf towards the heel and toe improving feel Launcher XL Driver $400 The driver of this model series and forgiveness. Each i59 is individually inis offered in regular, Lite and Lite spected several times during manufacture Draw versions to cover the needs to ensure quality. of a variety of players wanting a game-improvement 1-wood. The PXG clubheads have relatively stiff areas GEN4 0311 ST alternating with those of more flex- Irons $349 each ibility to transmit more energy to the chrome finish, ball for more distance. They also offer $399 each Xtreme an “Accuracy Build” with 1-inch short- Dark finish er shaft and no counterbalThe ST stands for ance weight as in the “Super Tour” meaning these triple stock version. forged irons are meant for the top ball Launcher XL strikers. The long irons have a small Irons--7-piece cavity back to help provide a high traset, steel shafts jectory and the rest of the lofts have a $800, graphite $900 smaller head size with thin toplines. In The highest MOI forgiveness of the rear are the familiar four weight screws any Cleveland iron is built into these and a large weight screw for fitting in game-improvement irons. The short 2-gram increments. Choose from a chrome irons are cavity backs, and the long or Xtreme Dard finish.

Callaway Golf

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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Don Lino Africa TaylorMade Golf P-790 Irons $185 each steel shafts, $214 each graphite shafts The original P790s quickly gained respect from those looking for a strong lofted players-distance iron. Clubheads are filled with SpeedFoam Air, a urethane foam much less dense than the foam previously used, allowing engineers to shift weight to improve trajectory and forgiveness. The L-shaped face is the thinnest TaylorMade has ever produced which helps impact rebound complementing the sole slot for added distance.

Titleist T300 Irons $143 each steel shafts The new T-series irons from Titleist are being billed by the company as “the next generation” and recreational players will find the game-improvement category T300 model worth a look. They have a medium-size cavity back and a hollow body filled with polymer with a variable thickness face. Tungsten weighting improves performance in the long- and mid-irons in a head that has a thin topline and narrow sole.

ometimes a special event in one’s life makes a memory that lasts forever. Cameroon in Central Africa holds a special place in the heart of Nestor Miranda following a safari that he took, and which ended up inspiring the cigar line, the Don Lino Africa. The original Don Lino line launched in 1989, the same year that Miranda and his wife launched Miami Cigar & Company. Fifteen years later, the Don Lino Africa line launched. During the cigar boom of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the line slowly faded from store shelves. In 2019, as part of Miami Cigar’s 30th anniversary celebration, Africa was revitalized in a collaborative effort between Miranda and AJ Fernandez. The rebirth of the Don Lino Africa blend utilizes an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper, a Cameroon binder and a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos from Estelí, Jalapa and Ometepe in the filler. The line is being made

by laramie navrath

at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A., in Estelí, Nicaragua. The cold draw on the Africa Robusto has elements of creamy vanilla, with hints of grains and cedar. Upon light up, sweet pepper spice comes to the forefront due to the Cameroon tobacco that is present. The body of the smoke is medium with a nice complexity of flavors of black pepper and cedar in the meat of the smoke. The mix of Nicaraguan fillers adds compatible strength to this cigar topping out just over medium. The cigar provides an ample amount of smoke, and the construction requires little maintenance in the way of touch-ups to the foot. These are great attributes that make for a nice smoke on the course. “There is a mystery and depth to Africa that captivates my spirit, always drawing me to come back,” Miranda said in a press release. “This blend captures the way going there makes me feel. It’s truly an amazing, even mesmerizing cigar.”

Tour Edge Golf Hot Launch C522 series and E522 series Either series Driver $250, Fairway Woods $160, Hybrids $140 C522 Irons $80 each, E522 Irons $100 Just announced is the sixth iteration of Tour Edge’s Hot Launch brand and it is composed of two club series. The E522 series of super game-improvement clubs have easy-tohit woods with the irons having large headed hybrid-like shapes. The game-improvement C522 series has conventionally shaped irons with lots of forgiveness and a high MOI or resistance to twisting of the head when impact is slightly off center. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

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www.ztcigars.com (800) 340-3007 OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

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Marshall Smith

native Hale Irwin his first lessons, helped Chi Chi Rodriguez rediscover his game with key swing thoughts and transformed Luke Donald’s non-existent bunker game into a weapon while smoothing out his entire golf swing. Smith also ma City, which was an apropos venue. Smith and Mantle shared an indelible worked with LPGA legend Mickey Wright, friendship that spanned 50 years, begin- Masters champion Craig Stadler and his ning when they competed in football and son, Kevin, and shared advice with Bruce Lietzke and Walt Zembasketball as youngsters. briski. Smith grew up in QuaSmith got Mantle his paw, Mantle in neighborfirst set of golf clubs, ing Commerce. crafted his swing and “I couldn’t even have claimed the baseball dreamed how well this Hall-of-Famer could have went,” Marshall’s son adbeen the longest hitter on mitted afterward. “It was tour had he chosen golf just beautiful and we’re so after baseball. appreciative.” DeNunzio and Smith Smith, who passed became longtime friends away on Nov. 28, 2013, while collaborating on sevat age 87, was a regular eral instruction projects. at golf expos and became Asked how many lesa coveted clinic speaker. sons he thought his father He served as golf guru to gave in his lifetime, Marthe entire northeastern Left to right, Cathy, Corinne, shall Monroe estimated corner of Oklahoma and Christy and Marshall. between 400-500 per ventured over state lines. “I like to think I can take what is there year to people of all ages and skill levels, and help someone,” Smith once said. “You which would put his lifetime total somehave to keep it simple and I have an eye to where around 30,000-plus, more than double the size of his hometown Miami. do that.” “Later on, it could have been even more,” With his buttery drawl and easy-to-understand approach, Smith cast his spell on Marshall Monroe said. “He was giving lesmany touring pros. He gave Baxter Springs sons until he was 85.”

honored at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course by john rohde

M a r s h a l l McLemore Smith maintained a regal omnipresence as a golf instructor in the tri-state region of northeast Oklahoma for more than 60 years. His loving family now has made sure his name won’t be forgotten at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club. A nameplate in recognition of Smith will hang at No. 2 tee box on the Ransom Short Course. A gathering was held outside the Charlie Coe Center with son Marshall Monroe Smith and daughters Corinne, Cathy and Christy in attendance alongside roughly 30 family members and friends. Marshall and Christy were past members on the OU golf teams. Also on hand were Sooners men’s golf coach Ryan Hybl and GOLF Magazine Editor-in-Chief David DeNunzio. Afterward, many in the group reconvened at Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse in Oklaho-

Birdies and Bogeys to help struggling pros

ormer University of Tulsa golfer he endured, namely finding the money for Martin Maritz knows full well the that next entry fee or travel. To that end, Maritz has startgrind of trying to get ed his own golf apparel and acestablished as a professional cessories company called Birdgolfer. ies and Bogeys Golf Gear. The After finishing his sucwebsite (https://birdies-andcessful career at TU in 2000, bogeys-golf-gear.myshopif y. Maritz played on the minicom) offers a full range of aptours, in Europe, in his native parel, specialty items and golf South Africa and around the gear emblazoned with the logos world in an attempt to get eswhich Maritz has created. tablished on the PGA Tour or Maritz is going to use 25 European Tour. percent of the proceeds from Although extremely talBirdies and Bogeys apparel and ented, inconsistencies in his merchandise to fund entry fees short game prevented Maritz for aspiring professionals in from reaching his goal and he events such as The Oklahoma went into private business in Open, or All Pro Tour events 2012. Now a nine-year veteran in the state. He also would like of placement agency Inceed, Martin Martiz to help young pros from South Maritz wants to give back to others going through the same struggles Africa with entry fees into events in his 14

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

home country. “I don’t want anything for myself on this,” Maritz said. “I know how hard it is when you’re young and you have to pay all these entry fees just to have an opportunity. I really hope we can get the word out on this and people will use us for not just apparel but a variety of specialty items.” Maritz launched the company in July. He plans to sell this fall and winter through the holidays, expanding his brand awareness, then begin making entry fee donations in 2022. Those who wish to nominate a player for help with entry fees should email birdiesandbogeysgolfgear@gmail.com. Applicants will be reviewed based on funds available and tournaments selected. Maritz would also like to set up an amateur tour for players who enjoy competing, starting with events in Northeast Oklahoma. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

Verplank, Edwards brothers, Proctor, Farley to be inducted One of the most decorated Oklahoma golfers of all time, Scott Verplank highlights an incredible lineup of inductees for the 2021 Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame ceremony. Tickets and tables are available for this special evening Nov. 21 at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. Verplank, who overcame diabetes to have one of the greatest amateur careers of all time before registering five PGA Tour victories, is in a class that includes brothers Danny and David Edwards, each of whom rose to collegiate glory at Oklahoma State before successful PGA Tour careers, Art Proctor, who started a junior golf dynasty in Edmond, and architect Floyd Farley, the undisputed champion of fun, fast and challenging public golf in Oklahoma. Tickets and sponsorship tables for the dinner can be purchased at www.oklahomagolfhof.org or call 918-280-0787 or email ken@golfoklahoma.org with any questions.

Jerry Cozby Learning Center dedicated at Hillcrest CC The official groundbreaking, blessing teaching bay opening to the driving range and dedication of the Jerry Cozby Learn- and a second bay with simulators for yearing Center was held Aug. 23 at his beloved round learning and entertainment. The ceremony was held one year to the Hillcrest Country Club. Each of his three day Jerry Cozby died due to multiple health sons and wife Karole were on hand. “Dad would have been all about this, he issues. Coz, as he was known to all, was the would have been over the moon,” said el- head professional at Hillcrest for 41 years. He is a member of both the Okladest son Cary, the head profeshoma Golf Hall of Fame and PGA sional at Southern Hills Country of America Hall of Fame. Club in Tulsa. “He loved to teach Current head professional and he would have been so exJohn Hron, who worked six cited about this. It’s just great years for Jerry, opened the cerwhat they’ve done.” emony by recalling his former A group of members led by Jim boss’ training methods. Curd, David Kedy, Jock HolliKarole and Cary then folman and Bruce Robinett has led a lowed with emotional rememfundraising drive that has raised Jerry Cozby brances. Later, the immediate over $230,000 for the two-bay indoor teaching center. Member Dale For- family took a small phial of Jerry’s ashes rest, owner of United Golf construction and a taste of Jack Daniels to spread on the company, leveled the entire teeing area and landing area on the par-5 18th hole. “Dad was always complaining that he laid fresh sod. Others contributing include Dan Keleher, Gorman Construction, Randy needed another 20 yards up the hill to Lawrence, golf architect Tripp Davis and have a chance to hit the green,” Chance Cozby said. “We’re going to give him that Hillcrest Country Club. When completed, the center will have a 20 yards.”

Justice

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OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

CHIP SHOTS

The Anchor makes splash at Shangri-La by ken macleod

f you can’t find an activity you love at Shangri-La’s new activity park, you certainly don’t like to do much. Basketball, pickleball, tennis, wiffleball in a mini Fenway Park , world class golf simulators and shooting simulators for the active. An arcade featuring state-of-the-art 3D adventures. Pool, shuffleboard, darts, foosball and other bar games in a sports bar featuring 12-foot television screens. Between the 27 holes of championship golf, the pool and spa activities at the hotel, the dock and boat rental on Grand Lake and all the activities at The Anchor it’s hard to imagine what else you could want, unless it’s a quick round on a great par-3 course. Guess what, they have one of those under construction with a fall opening in October of 2022 planned. Took my son James with me to check

it out recently and he gives it an enthusiastic two thumbs up, particularly the virtual reality zombie warfare game in the arcade. Shangri-La communications chief Mike Williams said one customer flung the $2,000 headset on the ground and declared that he didn’t care if had to pay for them, the game was freaking him out and he had to get out. They had trouble prying us out. Credit goes to Shangri-La's Jason Sheffield and Barry Willingham for scouting out similar faciliteis nationwide and coming back with a plan to basically exceed them all. All the facilities at The Anchor are open to hotel guests, members and those who just want to visit for the day. And all have been slammed, particularly on weekends, Williams said, so plan and call ahead to reserve a court or room.

No better place to watch a game.

A mini Fenway Park and, tennis and pickleball courts await.

The arcade features state-of-the-art virtual reality games. 16

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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Kaitlin Milligan is 2021

Milligan, who grew up in Norman playing Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour, WOGA and high school events before starring at OU, has recently moved to Peoria, Ariz., to prepare for her run at professional golf. As a senior at OU, she had surgery last November to remove a cyst in her right hand and played pain free golf in the spring for the first time in recent years. She also has been working with putting guru Bruce Rearick of Indianapolis, the owner of Burnt Edges Consulting, offering its students a better understanding of the science and art of putting. “He’s amazing,” Milligan said. “He fixed my grip and ball position and that was it, I started putting so much better.” Milligan is the second consecutive female golfer from OU to win the award, joining 2020 recipient Sydney Youngblood. “Congratulations to Kaitlin,” said Lew Erickson, chairman of the selection committee for the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame. “She’s had a great junior and collegiate career, was an excellent student at OU (4.0 PGA) and we wish her the best as she continues her golfing career.”

Everett Dobson Award recipient The Everett Dobson Award is named for the Oklahoma City businessman, philanaitlin Milligan recently smacked a thropist and avid golfer and champion of drive 335 yards in a practice round. the game who provided the initial impetus and funding to start the Oklahoma Golf Not a typo. Yes, crushing a ball prodigious distances has Hall of Fame. It is designed to help a denever been an issue for the 2021 University of serving Oklahoma golfer and college graduate get started in their career, Oklahoma graduate now pursuwhether golf or other. ing a career in professional golf. It could not be more timely Putting and chipping at an LPGA for Milligan, who recently paid level, those have been goals only for entry fees to the first and secnow pursued in earnest. ond stages of LPGA qualifying “That’s where all the money plus events on the Women’s All is made,” Milligan said. “I wish Pro Tour and the Symetra Tour. someone had told me that a She has a link on her Twitter aclot earlier. But they are coming Kaitlin Milligan count to a Go Fund Me page to along.” Milligan, who in October was named the help raise money for her run at the LPGA. “This will be a great help,” Milligan said. winner of the 2021 Everett Dobson Award, will now have an extra $5,000 to help her “I also deeply honored and grateful for this pursue her dreams of playing on the LPGA award. I’ve looked at the names of those Tour. She breezed past First Stage qualifying who won it previously and appreciate the in August and second stage was scheduled hard work and dedication they’ve put in. I really appreciate being able to follow them.” in late October. by ken macleod

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OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

PGA 2022 CHAMPIONSHIP

Ryder Cup sets stage for epic PGA Championship took second in the tournament was Woody with both his teammates and the fans. He Austin. Long John and Woody can both be took some ribbing as fans chanted Boomer hings are rolling along quite nicely entertaining in their own way, but not the Sooner at him during his Saturday round, at the PGA of America these days, men you want being the centerpieces of a but he’s a hard guy to work up any real antipathy toward. First, Phil Mickelson came out rare major championship in your town. Oklahoma State coach Alan Bratton atWhich one of the players mentioned of nowhere to hold off Brooks Koepka and win the 2021 PGA Championship at Whis- above will draw the largest galleries in 2022? tended on Friday and watched as much as Phil perhaps, at least for Day 1. he could of Hovland’s match and the two tling Straits, guaranteeing high After that, who knows? Each of chatted soon after. ratings and sending an intriguing “It was awesome for him to be able to do those players will draw well and defending champion to Tulsa for would love to see a handful of that,” Bratton said. “He has incredible pride the 2022 event at Southern Hills. them coming into Sunday with a in his country and Europe and he keeps Then, the Ryder Cup illuschance to win. The golf gods are setting firsts for someone else to chase. He trated in full glory just how far due to smile on Southern Hills would have liked to have won, but he said it golf has evolved from the era of with a memorable finish, and I was an amazing week.” Tiger-Phil and everybody else. What will it all mean for Tulsa? If you’re don’t mean Mark Brooks, Stewart The statistics and rankings say Bryan Karns attending, make plans Cink and Jon Rahm is the No. 1 player in the to bounce around a bit, world and he was brilliant at the Ryder Cup. Retief Goosen missing because there is going But look at his challengers, on both sides of short putts on the final to be so much to see. the ocean, but particularly on the U.S. team. hole (2001 U.S. Open “The display of talIt would not be too surprising if Dustin anyone). ent out there was just “The Ryder Cup is Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChamabsurd,” Karns said. beau, Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth, Col- so special in the way it “For a guy like Scottie lin Morikawa, Justin Thomas or Xander gets even the most caScheffler, to do what Schauffele were to knock Rahm from his sual golf fan excited,” he did on Sunday perch and be the No. 1 player in the world said Bryan Karns, the against Rahm, was just in 2022. Or Rory McIlroy if he can regain director of the 2022 one of those moments PGA Championship. his form. that could really ignite From the Euro side, I would put Viktor “It’s the most relatable his career. To think Hovland in there with Americans Scottie event for those who that all those guys are Scheffler, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau as like team sports. It was going to be here next powerful seeing our long shots to do the same. spring is phenomenal.” There are also a few players not eligible guys celebrate but just In Nick Price (1994 for the Ryder Cup, like Louis Oosthuizen as powerful to watch PGA Championship), and Abraham Ancer, who might have Rory and Shane Lowry Tom Lehman (1996 react, it tugs at you.” something to say about it. Viktor Hovland Tour Championship) Karns was there When Tiger Woods won the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, the player throughout and said our Oklahoma-resid- and Woods, Southern Hills has at times prodrawing the second biggest galleries was ing European Ryder Cupper – the former duced winners from the current cream of the John Daly, who was as usual only taking the Oklahoma State star Hovland who lives crop, even if they haven’t been pushed by tournament half seriously. The player who in Stillwater – was immensely popular other greats. We’re due a fantastic finish.

by ken macleod

Brooks Koepka 18

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

Jordan Spieth

Bryson DeChambeau W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

Something really special! Taylor, Quinten get ready for nationals Although legally blind, Anthony has enough peripheral vision to see a ball on nthony Taylor shot a 39 recently the ground in front of him. Outside of 5 on the old front nine of Pecan feet, everything is a blur. He and Quinten Valley at Mohawk Park. It was have worked out a system for lining up full his personal best and a pretty good score shots and putts and Austin is his eyes on the for anyone on the nine holes used frequent- course, describing the intervening terrain, the ly by the First Tee of Tulsa students, with firmness and slope of the greens, and workseveral holes that will give most golfers fits. ing with him on everything from swing meNow consider a few factors. First, An- chanics to distance control and ball flight. Anthony has come a long ways from thony is legally blind. He plays all shots when they first met, by touch and feel, gowhen he would hit ing off the directions every tee shot with a of his instructor and 7-iron. partner Austin Quinten, “When I’m hitting, the programming direcit’s all feel for me basitor at First Tee of Tulsa, cally,” Anthony said. “I where Anthony has have pretty soft hands been a devoted student and can usually tell if for the past 15 years. it’s a good shot or bad, Yes, 15 years. Anif it’s going left or right. thony is 30 and in the When I get too close to special needs class at the ball I tend to top it.” First Tee of Tulsa. More We watched Anthony importantly, he is gearpractice his putting, ing up for the Special short irons and driving Olympics National and he has a good swing Golf Championship with a nice follow next June 5-12 at Orthrough. On his drives, ange County National the vision issues bother Golf Center in Winter him the most since he Garden, Fla. He and is farther from the ball Quinten have qualified and he tends to hold on, and raised the money creating a bit of a leftto play in the 72-hole Austin Quinten and Anthony to-right issue. But nothalternate shot national Taylor, work on putting. ing Austin can’t handle championship for Spein their alternate shot matches. cial Olympians. As mentioned, the two are undefeated Anthony teamed with First Tee of Tulsa Executive Director Janice Gibson in events and Anthony has 15 gold medals to prove when he first became interested in compet- it. They will compete in several area touring, but matched up with Quinten six years naments and the state championship beago when Gibson was nursing a shoulder fore going to Florida, but their spot in the injury. The pair has been inseparable since. nationals is assured and both are excited for the opportunity. As well as undefeated. “In those six years we’ve never lost but The relationship only deepened when Anthony’s father David Taylor was killed those are mostly nine-hole formats,” Austin said. “To get your name in this hat you four years ago in an auto accident. “He was a youth pastor and just the nic- have to perform and that’s how we got est guy you could meet,” Quinten said. “At invited. We have to represent Oklahoma that point as a First Tee employee and a well. The good news is Anthony always friend, I stepped up and took on more of a has a positive attitude. He never gets role with Anthony. Now he’s like a brother down, never talks negative. He’s always and Marilyn is like a second mother. They looking for the next shot to hit. He’s a good are just good people and will do anything walk. We have really good conversations and make each other laugh.” for you at the drop of a hat.”

by ken macleod

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Anthony Taylor Anthony, who has been working out three times a week in a gym in Chouteau, lives a responsible life, working at McDonald’s to pay for his own clubs and clothes and help with bills at the house. Mother Marilyn said the First Tee program has been a lifesaver and credits Gibson and Quentin for helping Anthony overcome a traumatic early childhood. Before coming to live with the Taylors at age 11, Anthony was abandoned by his birth parents and had several less than ideal experiences at a foster home. When he says his favorite part of golf is “the peacefulness” it has worlds of meaning beyond the tranquil setting of a course. “He could tell you some unpleasant things in his past and there’s not too many people that would have adopted a legally blind kid with learning disabilities,” Austin said. “But Marilyn opened her heart to him and the rest is history. That’s who Marilyn and David are and I couldn’t be more happy to be associated with them. “The fact that Anthony has come out on the other end with so much positivity and happiness in his life is astounding.”

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

COL L EGE GOL F

Will TU bring back golf?

DICKSON URGES CAUTION by ken macleod

t first blush, the timing would seem apt for the University of Tulsa to reverse its 2016 decision to drop its men’s golf program. Rick Dickson, with a new three-year contract as athletic director and the interim tag stripped away, is actively seeking to add students to TU’s overall enrollment through athletics. Dickson has already added 55 in existing sports by better utilizing scholarship distribution and by increasing the football team’s walk-on roster by over 20 student-athletes. Then he has created a Hurricane Academy of Sports with numerous academic programs related to sports under its umbrella that has already added 18 more new students. Golf teams typically divide their 4.5 scholarships among as many as 11 to 13 players, so that seems a great opportunity to add to the number of athletes and to the bottom

line in terms of families paying the remainder of TU’s steep tuition and fees, probably far more than it costs to house, feed and teach Rick Dickson the team. With the support of the great courses in the area including The Patriot, Tulsa Country Club, The Oaks, Southern Hills, Cedar Ridge, Golf Club of Oklahoma and Meadowbrook, there is no shortage of great places to play and practice at no charge. And then when you look at the amazing talent coming from the Oklahoma junior ranks, the ability to build a team that would have serious Oklahoma ties has never been greater. Yes, you still have the coaching staff salary and travel costs to account for, but any young coach with a penchant for fundrais-

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

ing could market this program successfully in a golf mad city like Tulsa. Annual fundraisers and contributions to an endowment fund from heavy hitters could easily make a golf program at TU largely pay for itself in short order. However, Dickson is going to step hard on the brakes here. All of above may be true, but there is one overriding concern that may affect TU’s decision not only on whether to bring back golf, but whether or not to fund all of its non-revenue sports. And not just TU, but every university will be going through the same evaluation process. The NCAA, the governing body that has set the rules and regulations that govern the playing of all intercollegiate athletics, seems ready to fade to mostly irrelevance as the top football programs go their own way in setting up future structures for the top 50 or so programs. “I think starting in January there will be a major shift and the NCAA won’t be the source of all decisions going forward,” Dickson said. “That could create a situation where each institution is left to evaluate its programs sport by sport. What is the purpose, what’s our history, what kind of success have we had, how much support does it generate, how does it fit into who we are?” Title IX is federal law which keeps schools from discrimination based on sex. So if a school is funding a football program, there will still be enough women’s sports to match those scholarships. Beyond that, who knows what the landscape will be like in just a few years. Dickson notes that Stanford attempted to drop 11 sports during 2020 but after lawsuits and pressure from students and others, brought back nine of those sports. “Intercollegiate sports are likely trending toward federations of sports not governed by the NCAA,” Dickson said. “That would make any decision about bringing back golf one where there would have to be financial support on a sustainable or permanent basis.” In other words, one in which an endowment was needed to pay at least a good portion of the program’s reoccurring expenses. Is that possible or feasible? Certainly, a combination of the right coach to conduct annual fundraising tournaments and some generous donors to set up an endowment could free TU from most costs associated with a golf team. But if the NCAA does largely fall apart as Dickson predicts, what will the college golf landscape be like and will there be a need for a team? Sounds like it could be a wild ride before the Hurricane men’s golf team reappears. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

MASTER YOUR SWING

ACE OUR GREENS

G E T R E A D Y F O R N O T H I N G B U T A G O O D T I M E AT W I N S TA R G O L F. C O M

FOR T H E LOV E OF GOL F

Rick Reed: A legacy of service by ken macleod

he door to Rick Reed’s office at The Oaks Country Club seems to always be open, physically and metaphorically. Whether it’s a member, an assistant, superintendent Dan Robinson, GM Pat Tubach, a salesman or a visiting writer, Reed always seemed to find the time for everyone during his 25-year run as head professional, which is coming to an end with his impending retirement on Dec. 31. Reed will be replaced by Derrick Vest, the director of golf at The Patriot in Owasso. Reed will exit with a reputation as one of the industry’s genuine good guys, something we could all strive for these days. And it was earned not just at The Oaks, but long before as head professional at Shangri-La Resort from 1989-97 and before that as an assistant to Buddy Phillips at Cedar Ridge from 1978-1989. “I’m a better person, father and superintendent for having known Rick and Pat (Pat Tubach, who is also retiring at year’s

end.),” Robinson said. “I feel so lucky to have worked with both of those guys.” “Rick is always there, always answers his phone and his door is open to everyone,” said former PGA Tour golfer Ron Streck, a longtime Oaks member and Reed’s teammate at the University of Tulsa. “I don’t know how he does everything he does. I ran one tournament for a few years and worked my butt off. He does those sort of things every week.” Reed enjoys all the myriad duties of a golf professional, but member service has always been hugely important. “I’ve always enjoyed

Rick Reed

the game and being around golfers,” Reed said. “Golfers are generally good people and fun to be around. I like taking care of them and hearing their stories. “Although we all love to play, my job is basically in the service industry. Whether it’s selling them a set of clubs or a favorite college team shirt, I’ve always liked to take care of our golfers.” Reed’s decision to spend a lifetime in golf was influenced by his father Ron Reed selling his donut shop and volunteering to install grass greens at his ninehole sand greens course in the small town of Mt. Vernon, Mo., back in the late 1960s. Ron became

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the superintendent, putting Rick to work Section’s highest honors, being inducted each summer mowing, watering and help- into the Section Hall of Fame in 2012 and being named Section Professional of the ing the course improve. Reed, who also enjoyed football and Year in 2013. He was named Resort Merbaseball, became smitten enough with golf chandiser of the Year six times while at to earn an offer to play at the University Shangri-La. Reed is looking forward to playing of Tulsa, where from 1971-75 he played on more golf, traveling with his teams that at times featured friends and wife Barbara and two of TU’s highest-profile basically not working weekgolf graduates, Streck and ends, the bane of every club Hank Haney. professional. High-profile teammates “I don’t know how many but a low-profile team, as times I’ve had friends say, there were no flights back hey, we’re going up to Branthen to gaudy locations such son or wherever to play for a as Pebble Beach or Hawaii. few days, and I’ve had to say, “We drove a van and usuI have an event at the club,” ally go somewhere like NorReed said. “It will be nice to man or North Texas to play go and play with friends.” a triangle match,” Reed said. Derrick Vest “Rick is very much a “Except for Ron, who was rehands-on pro and takes a lot of pride in ally good, the rest of us were just okay.” Rick went straight from TU to a job as taking care of the membership,” said Traan assistant at Ridglea Country Club in cy Phillips, Buddy’s son and a teaching Fort Worth from 1975-77 before moving professional in Tulsa. “He’s worked his to Cedar Ridge to work for Phillips. Fa- tail off and I’m sure he regrets not playing ther Ron had also moved up in the golf a little more golf over the years. A lot of world, becoming superintendent at Tulsa people have taken a look at his operation Country Club while Rick was in college, and how well it’s run, from the merchanthen moving across town to Cedar Ridge dising standpoint and he puts on great prior to the 1983 U.S. Women’s Open held there. By the late 1980s, Reed knew it was time to become a head professional, but was leery of taking the opening at Shangri-La, which that year was in receivership and owned by Fourth National Bank in Tulsa, with golf enthusiast Ed Keller as 918.832.5544 president. Keller persuaded Reed to take the job, telling him the bank planned to be involved. “Sure enough, they sold it six months after I was there, but that was when Club Corp bought it and put it under their resort division,” Reed said. “It was good. We started the Mickey Mantle Make-A-Wish Tournament during that time. We never lost money and we cash flowed each year, but we never made enough to pay down the note.” The Oaks, a member-owned club, has invested heavily in its own improvements. In Reed’s tenure, he’s presided over two clubhouse renovations, a complete course renovation by architect Bill Bergin in 2016, renovated pool and pool house, the addition of the six-hole Acorn par-3 course and just this year a completely rebuilt driving range and the addition of an indoor teaching facility. Membership is full and rounds are up to close to 30,000 annually. Reed received two of the South Central W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

tournaments. He always crosses all the Ts and dots the Is.” Like some of us of a certain age, the game has also passed Reed by to a certain extent as it is currently taught and played. It’s just as hard for Reed to relate to hitting an 8-iron 210 yards as it is for this writer. “I know it’s a more rotational swing and it’s all in clubhead speed,” Reed said. “I still don’t know how they do it. We’ve got kids out here who can drive it 315 yards.” Also retiring at the same time is general manager Tubach, who came on board in 2016 and has worked closely with Reed. Tubach, who previously owned Dawn Hill in Siloam Springs, Ark., after numerous pro and GM jobs in Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, said he is looking forward to building a cabin in Arkansas and learning to fly fish. “Rick was great to work with here,” Tubach said. “He is a true professional. I’ve known him for 40 years and he is one of the best in the business.” Vest said he was honored to be hired at The Oaks, a club with a reputation for stability and and longevity. He will be just the fifth head pro in 100 years and said he hopes to make that 125 at the least.

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OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

PROFESSIONAL ROUNDUP

Ready for the show! MCGREEVY, MOORE, CREEL ON PGA TOUR by sam humphreys

he Oklahoma party on the PGA Tour just keeps getting bigger. Three players with strong Edmond ties – Taylor Moore, Max McGreevy and Josh Creel – have earned their 2021-22 PGA Tour cards, joining Robert Streb, Talor Gooch, Kevin Tway and numerous others with state ties through college on the big circuit. They have each already made their tour debuts in the first event at the Fortinet Championship in Napa., Calif., and though none made the cut, it was a memorable moment for each. Let’s take a look at how each arrived at this juncture. Moore, who is on the tour just two years after a life-threatening medical crisis, said the experience was “Sick!” “My mom and dad came out. I wasn’t nervous, just excited that they were able to come watch. It was also awesome having Josh, Max and Quade (Cummins of Weatherford, who Monday qualified) there as well. Quade actually came up to me and said how much he used to look up to me during junior golf in Oklahoma, and that meant a lot.” Moore had a different type of “sick” experience in 2019 while he was on the Korn Ferry Tour. He was in Scottsdale, Ariz., for a week with former Oklahoma State golfer Kevin Dougherty playing Silver Leaf Golf Club. Moore was supposed to get on a flight the next day. However that night, he got what he thought was food poisoning, so he drove to a local ER. At first, the nurses thought Moore had appendicitis, but the CT scan revealed that his right lung was 50 percent collapsed due to a genetic condition. “The doctor told me that I am extremely lucky I didn’t get on that flight back home, because I could have been in critical condition or even worse,” Moore said. Moore, a Class 6A high school champion at Edmond Memorial who starred in college 24

at Arkansas and now is the title sponsor of the OGA State Junior Championship, missed three months on the Korn Ferry Tour and that led to him not earning enough points Left to right, Josh Creel, Max McGreevy and Taylor Moore. to finish in the top 75. However, KFT gave him 10 starts the 65 after opening with a pair of 66s for his first ever win on that tour. Moore finished next year because of the circumstances. In early 2020, the tour’s schedule was in- second the next week and wound up sixth on the money list, earning a spot on the PGA terrupted for three months due to COVID. “COVID might have been a blessing in Tour. When he was 7, Moore was more likely disguise because I still wasn’t fully healthy,” Moore said. “My chest was still numb and I to tell you he wanted to be a baseball major leaguer rather than a pro golfer. His was mid-60s on the points list. Moore also hired a mental coach during dad, Rod, not only played, but went on to this time, Sarah Taylor, and says that’s the coach baseball at the high school and collebest thing he ever did. She helps him gain giate levels. Taylor’s love for golf came from perspective and have structure and routine. when Rod and his baseball buddies would After playing poorly in his first four events let Taylor tag along with them to the golf of the season and really wasn’t striking it course. When Taylor turned 8, the Moore well, Moore called a familiar voice from family moved to Edmond and that’s when his love for golf turned into an obsession with winning. At Edmond Memorial, Moore was coached by Josh Fosdick, who later went on to coach at UCO. When you ask him about his high school days, he is less likely to tell you about his individual state title at Cedar Ridge in 2011 and more likely to bring up the great memories he made with Fosdick and coach Scott MacDonald along with teammates Connor Kurtz and Bobby Todd. Moore collegiately played at Arkansas, which was his father’s alma mater. “Arkansas is in my blood,” Moore said. After winning SEC freshman of the year Max McGreevy holds PGA Tour card. honors in 2013, coach Brad McMakin and his childhood, Kickingbird Golf Course di- Taylor decided to make some pretty drastic rector of golf and close family friend Brian swing changes to start preparing for the PGA Soerensen, on a Saturday morning and said Tour. As a senior, he won his first collegiate “when can we meet? I will drive anywhere!” event and received All-American honors for They met on Sunday at Jimmie Austin in the second year in a row. “The game of golf isn’t all how you hit it, Norman, worked for 3-4 hours and someit’s how you handle yourself and how you thing finally clicked. In July, Moore won his first Korn Ferry prepare. College was the time for me to Event in Springfield, Ill., at the Memorial grow in other aspects as well as golf,” Moore Health Championship. He shot a course-re- said. “McMakin is like a second father to me cord 60 in the third round and a final-round and still helps me to this day. He was a great

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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PROFESSIONAL ROUNDUP coach at Lamar, and now Arkansas, and is very good at grooming players for the PGA Tour.” Just as Moore had a lengthy journey from college to the PGA Tour, so did Creel. Creel is known to the other pros at Oak Tree National as one of the toughest competitors and definitely the one guy you would want to have a putt on 18 to win your local money game. This clutch gene was never more evident than in the Korn Ferry finals where he finished 13th and earned his PGA Tour card. This also makes him only the second ever PGA Tour member from Wyoming. “I just think it’s pretty cool that a small-town kid from Wyoming is now on the Big Show,” Creel said. Born and raised in Cheyenne, Creel was offered to play college golf at Colorado, but chose Central Oklahoma instead due to “the warmer weather and the fact that Kickingbird has a lighted driving range,” he said with a laugh. Creel credits the instruction he received at UCO from Dax Johnston and Pat Bates for being where he is today. In 2012, Creel received the Arnold Palmer Award for NCAA DII player of the year after winning the individual national title. After college, he decided to stay in Edmond, living there with his wife, Alex. After joining PGA Tour Canada in 2014, it was a long path to the PGA Tour. In 2018, he won three events on the APT Tour and was the player of the year. Creel says that he “learned how to win on the mini-tours.” His love for the game has never wavered, his ability to fund his chase was often in peril. Creel received his break in 2019 when he became fully exempt on the KFT and he got his first win on that tour at the Utah Championship in August as he made a 30-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole for a two-shot victory. Two years earlier, he lost in a playoff in that tournament. It didn’t take quite as long after college for McGreevy to make his PGA Tour debut. McGreevy, introduced to golf at the age of 4 at Twin Hills Country Club, won consecutive Class 6A state titles at Edmond Santa Fe before becoming a staple on the University of Oklahoma’s NCAA championship team in 2017. His success at Santa Fe and in OJGT tournaments caught the interest of OU coach Ryan Hybl. “We are both bulldogs mentally, and I really related to him.” McGreevy said. At OU, McGreevy was selected twice as an AllAmerican on the course as well as academically. Before OU’s NCAA title, McGreevy finished second in the 2017 PGA Tour Canada Qualifying School, with his dad on the bag, which guaranteed a summer schedule. McGreevy said qualifying for Canada was huge for his development as a professional. He went on to finish 26

17th on the money list in Canada. In 2018, he had two sponsor’s exemptions into KFT events and made the cut in both, which allowed him to play 16 tournaments, making seven cuts. Although he only finished 161st on the money list for 2018, McGreevy said the experience he gained was extremely valuable, learning to “not get psyched out by KFT leaderboards, not pay attention to everyone else, and to clear my head and settle down.” In 2019, former college teammate Charlie Saxon convinced McGreevy to go to PGA Tour China with him. McGreevy went on to play in 13 tournaments without missing a cut in China, along with nine top-10s. He had one win, and only finished outside the top 20 twice. This earned him PGA Tour China Player of the Year, and also a return to the KFT. His break through came when he least expected it at the Price Cutter Charity Championship last year in Springfield, Mo. McGreevy traveled to Korn Ferry events with his former college teammate Grant Hirschman. Before the tournament that week, Hirschman tested positive for COVID. This left McGreevy with a decision to either withdraw due to contact tracing and receive compensation from the Tour, or forfeit the compensation and decide to play and go through extensive COVID testing throughout the week. He chose the latter option and played that week. Despite a history of struggling in Korn Ferry opening rounds, he got off to the best start of his career and was only five shots back heading into the final round. “I just kept putting myself behind the eightball in previous tournaments, but sometimes it feels easy and that week I got off to a great start and the cards aligned on Sunday for me to get the win.” McGreevy finished at 21-under for his first KFT victory. He then finished solo second at the Club Car Championship and officially sealed his PGA Tour card with a third-place finish at the BMW Pro-Am. His advice to aspiring PGA Tour pros is to “continue to grow and get better. You don’t need to be a superstar at a young age, just figure out the tools to grind it out. And find friends that push you to be better every day.” Oklahoma Golf Association Executive Director Mark Felder is continually amazed at the levels of golf being reached by players he’s watched play OGA and Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour events since boyhood and he’s especially grateful to Moore for his support in raising the level of the OGA Junior. “It’s absolutely amazing what these guys are doing,” Felder said. “There’s three more on the PGA Tour and more are on the way with Quade, Austin (Eckroat) and others. It’s incredible.”

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

Taylor Moore

Josh Creel W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

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Driven!

the game in vacant lots and school fields with childhood friend Paul Walters. They emulated swings and shots they saw on television and improved together. By Danny’s sophomore year he made the newly formed high school team in Edmond and in the summer of his junior year they took down Mark Hayes and his brother Larry Hayes in the Golf Inc., Oklahoma City Four-Ball at Lincoln Park. As a senior he was the state champion and caught the eye of Oklahoma State coach Labron Harris Sr. “He came by at the state championship at Lakeside and asked me if I wanted to come play golf for the Cowboys,” Edwards said. “Well I knew about OSU golf and that Mark Hayes was the big star, but I would have bet anything he didn’t know me. The next week we drove up there and he told me if I worked really hard by my junior year I would have a chance to make the team. “I thought to myself, the only thing I can control is how hard I work and no one will work harder than me. The first qualifying round I shoot the lowest score of the day and ended up playing in two tournaments my first fall.” Edwards roomed with Hayes that year and vied with future coach and then-player Mike Holder for playing time, complaining that he beat Holder in almost every qualifying round but Harris still selected Holder to go to the Big Eight Championship (which Holder won) and the NCAA Championship in Columbus, Ohio. “I was not a happy camper and Mike wasn’t too thrilled with me, but he was the heir apparent,” Edwards said. “I got over it. I kept putting my head to the grindstone.” “Danny came in ready to play and I think

Edwards excelled in golf, racing, business

by ken macleod

anny Edwards has lived such a unique life, it’s worthy of a book. And as reflective of his life, Edwards is not waiting on anyone else to get it done. “My Driven Life” will be out this fall, hopefully in time for Edwards’ introduction into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame, which occurs Nov. 21 at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. It’s a brilliant title, reflecting Edwards’ drive to learn and master golf basically on his own, his fascination with auto racing and his passion for business, resulting in several ventures, the most notable being Royal Grip, which at its height in the early 1990s was making a million grips a month and supplying 82 different manufacturers. In addition to capitalist, add labor leader to Edwards’ credentials. In 1998, he headed the short-lived Tour Players Association that advocated for the PGA Tour to become more open about the revenues it received and distributed. That’s a battle still ongoing in some respects. “Danny has lived a more diversified life than just about any other professional golf28

er,” said Bob Denney, PGA historian emeritus who collaborated with Edwards on the book. “There’s quite a few that have been in business, but how many have also been a champion race car driver? “Danny is just a unique individual,” said Oklahoma golf historian and Baylor coach Mike McGraw. “He taught himself to play long before there was even a golf course in Edmond. And he was good at everything, whether it was basketball, pingpong, baseball. “He excelled in all sports and became a master of many of them. And he was even a very good race car driver in the middle of his professional career. To think that he could accomplish something at a high level in all those endeavors is pretty amazing.” Danny, the older brother by five years of fellow inductee David Edwards, learned

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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Danny Edwards in his Ping sponsored Lola T 540 Formula Ford. Tour career in 1975, one in which not your average, ‘Oh I like to race’ guy. He he won five times between 1977- was intense about it, knew cars and ma85, including the 1980 Walt Disney chines and was really talented at it.” Edwards had met Roger Penske and beWorld Team Championship with come a part of his team. He won two Midbrother David. It was a cool moment for the west Division National Championships, in A self-taught golfer, Edwards learned the game brothers who approach life differ- the highly competitive Formula Ford class, much like Ben Hogan, digging it out of the dirt. ently in some respects but are both in 1984 and ’85. He drove a Mustang LX incredibly hard workers whose for Kaufmann Racing in the World ChalCoach Harris thought the same thing,” Holder said. “He had a lot of talent and he achievements are due in great part to their lenge Series – formerly the Escort Endurance series – and a Sports 2,000 Swift for worked hard and that makes for a good work ethic. Danny may have combination. I know you always wanted him on your team when we played pickup been able to accomplish more than he did basketball over in the Colvin Center.” Edwards used his quick reflexes to im- in golf, but by 1982 prove enough to become a two-time Big he was balancing golf Eight champion, three-time All-American, with a serious interest a member of the 1973 Walker Cup team in GTO racing. “I had a dual career and low amateur at the 1973 British Open. He won the prestigious North and South in two professions that are about as far Amateur as well. Back at OSU, Edwards used his quick wits apart as they could to upgrade his vehicular status, boldly going be,” Edwards said. to see then-OSU athletic director Floyd Gass “But I loved them and telling him he couldn’t drive around any both. Racing was a exhilarating, longer in his beat-up 1962 Volkswagen con- very vertible, particularly not while all the foot- physically challengball players were driving around in beautiful ing endeavor where golf was slow and muscle cars that he coveted. Much to his surprise, Gass started a pro- precise. It was a very cess that resulted in Edwards soon driv- interesting marriage ing a 1971 LT-1 Corvette which his father of careers.” “If you’re going unsuccessfully ordered him to return. Edwards said he had to come up with $150 to drive a race car, every six months to keep the car. Today you’ve got to be on Edwards might be able to advertise for the prime alert and have coorlocal dealership and drive the car and get tremendous dination,” Denney Danny, left, with brother David after winning the PGA Tour's paid on top. Edwards embarked on a successful PGA said. “Danny was National Team Championship in 1980. 30

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the Pfeiffer-Ridge team of Sonoma in the American City Racing League. His love of racing also led to another inspiration -- why not make golf grips out of something tacky similar to a racing tire. Thus, after much research and hard work, was born Royal Grip. “It took two years and a lot of work with rubber compounders, learning the ingredients and the formula, durability, and working in different climates and humidity, before we had the product like we wanted it,” Edwards said. But the result was a company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., that wound up making and selling millions of grips before Edwards took it public in 1988. There were ups and downs from there and Edwards returned to golf on the Champions Tour from 2001-08. He has not hesitated to dive back into golf-related business ventures, first with a Greens Fix tool that offered a better way to repair divots. His current passion is The Chipping Equation, a video series that teaches average golfers an easy formula for how to use the bump-and-run shot rather than flop shots to consistently land their chips close to the hole and lower their scores.

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Danny was a three-time winner of the Oklahoma Open, 1975, 1977 and 1979. “People are not going to get better by buying a brand new set of irons, they’re going to improve by learning how to chip a golf ball,” Edwards said. “We’re the first ones to put the science to this through a statistical analysis of chipping through

Trackman.” “Danny’s life shows what determination and perseverance are all about,” Denney said. “He never leaves a task undone. He’s a good example of what this country is meant to be.”

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

DEST I NAT ION

Add Boyne to bucket list by ken macleod

or those looking for an escape from the sizzling Oklahoma summer such as we just went through, Colorado has always been a popular choice for Oklahomans. But more and more golfers we chat with are looking to Michigan as a great alternative, with more courses clustered close together, deeply wooded hilly terrain, ideal summer weather and spectacular golf. Nowhere is that more true than in the 10-course destination that makes up the spectacular Boyne resorts. Located just below the Upper Peninsula, the area’s golf history began as a means to keep the winter ski resort workers in place for the summer but swiftly evolved into one of the nation’s top

summer destinations as well. It started with an elegant Robert Trent Jones Sr. design named The Heather, which like all RTJ Sr. designs has plenty of elevated greens requiring shots not in my bag. That’s a personal quibble and The Heather is rated by Golf Digest as one of the top-100 Public Courses in the U.S. The Heather is one of four courses at Boyne Highlands which would make a nice trip in itself. Of the other three, the Arthur Hills Course is stunningly beautiful, the Donald Ross Memorial has 18 holes dedicated to at least the feel if not an exact replica of famous Donald Ross holes from Seminole, Oakland Hills, Oak Hills, Pinehurst, Inverness and other well-known Ross classics. There is also The Moor Course, an-

other pleasant journey through the woods, a par-3 course going up and down the ski slope, and great practice facilities, including a 30-bay Track Man Driving Range where you will be overjoyed or depressed by the feedback you get. Boyne Highlands is an amazing place of its own. But the other two destinations serve to really set Boyne apart, giving it an unmatched variety of attractive options. Bay Harbor Golf Club in Harbor Shores, which this year jumped 17 spots in the Golf Digest top-100 public course list to No. 63, is the one you can’t miss. It offers three sepa-rate nines you can play in any combination, with The Links offering spectacular views above the shore of Lake Michigan, The Quarry circling a former

The Ross Course at Boyne Highlands in Northern Michigan.

Photos courtesy of Boyne Mountain Resort.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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DEST I NAT ION working rock quarry and offering a variety of risk-reward options, and The Preserve providing a wooded respite from the thrills of the other two. The third destination is Boyne Mountain, home of The Alpine and The Monument courses. From the pro shop, leave yourself time for about a 12-minute cart ride to the top of the mountain where the first tee resides, then begin a scenic and fun journey down. Like every course we encountered on our too-short visit, the courses at Boyne Mountain were superbly conditioned. All three resorts have on-course lodging and dining options. The Inn at Bay Harbor has 116 guest rooms and 35 cottages. At Boyne Highlands there is the resort’s main Lodge, Bartley House, Heather Highlands Inn and Townhouses, Alpine Village and, most popular for golf buddies’ trips, the Ross Cottages. Boyne Mountain has a resort and spa, and of course there are numerous condos for rent in the areas, plus other op-tions in the scenic lake towns of Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, and Petoskey. We have just had a taste of Boyne Golf and are hungry for more. Following are the thoughts of some travel writers well versed in all Boyne has to offer. “With 10 acclaimed golf courses sprawling across three separate, and distinctive, resort properties and an abundance of packages to fit a broad array of itineraries, you can’t go wrong putting your next golf trip in the hands of the folks who’ve been curating the destination in

The final hole on the Alpine course at Boyne Mountain. Northern Michigan for more than 50 years.” – Carl Mickelson “The Inn at Bay Harbor is simply a beautiful sight to behold on the wide shore of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, the gleaming Victorian style cottages and the main inn putting a modern spin on grand summer resorts from bygone eras. “Arthur Hills did put a unique stamp on the aptly named nines of the Bay Harbor courses. The Links indeed hugs the shoreline on many holes, running out and back along bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. The Quarry plays around the rocky formations of a former shale mine. And the Preserve is the most naturally wooded of the trio. “Players can go around in three ways: Quarry/Preserve, Preserve/Links or Links/Quarry, the latter the most requested. They’re the more dramatic nines, to be sure, beautiful but testing—

from the 6,427-yard tee markers the slope rating is a daunting 143.” – Tom Bedell, The A Position “The incredible story of Northern Michigan golf began back in 1966 when Everett Kircher hired Robert Trent Jones Sr. to build a championship course at the base of his Boyne Highlands ski hill in near Harbor Springs. The course was immediately ranked among the top 100 in the U.S. by national golf magazines. Decades later, Boyne Golf has blossomed into one of America’s premier summer golf destinations with 10 diverse championship courses built around, atop and across two mountains and alongside a stunning stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline.” – Neal Kotlarek, Golf Chicago Visit BOYNEgolf.com or call 833-2388504 for more information.

Bay Harbor Golf Club, The Links No. 7. 34

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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A "super" job restoring state courses

Above left, the winter kill on hole seven at The Oaks in Tulsa. Diligent sodding has resulted in what you see today. by ken macleod

he before and after shots above of The Oaks Country Club in Tulsa show what far too many superintendents across the state had to spend their time doing this summer. The Oaks superintendent Dan Robinson and his crew replaced more than 17 acres of turf damaged by last February’s freeze. They worked on turf repair until they were exhausted , over budget and basically had to stop with only a few areas in the deep rough still to be tended. That situation was not unusual, but fortunately most turfgrass around the state has returned to normal or is even better. Those courses with damaged Bermuda greens which elected not to shut down and resprig will still be recovering well into the next growing season, but they have im-

edge. Several courses, including Kickingbird proved greatly over the summer. Somewhat overshadowed by the freeze in Edmond and John Conrad in Midwest was the extensive damage caused by a City, remain closed for renovations. Bailey Ranch began showing off its longfreak ice storm in October of 2020 that ruined tens of thousands of trees on courses planned new greens on Sept. 3 and they and also caused weeks of extra works for were near perfect. Let's all hope they are the same next spring. crews across the state. When Heritage Hills in Claremore reopened five greens this fall that had been resprigged and Bailey Ranch in Owasso reopened all its new Tif-Eagle greens, all of the golf holes in Oklahoma impacted by the damage were fully open to the best of our knowlCrews hard at work at Heritage Hills.

The par-3 17th at Bailey Ranch. 36

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

The fourth hole at Bailey Ranch in Owasso. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

COL L EGE U PDAT E

2022 NATIONAL

2, with three Oklahomans in the starting lineup for several fall events. The Sooners have been able to rebound quickly thanks to transfer Chris Gotterup from Rutgers, the Big 10 2020 player of the year, and the impressive debut of freshman Drew Goodman of Norman, both of whom have been impressive on and off the course. “Chris has changed things a lot for us,” OU coach Ryan Hybl said. “He’s a big-time PGA Tour talent with a lot of true belief in himself and he really wanted to be here and be part of this. “Drew works out diligently, he’s super competitive and does a lot of things well. He can really putt it, and you always have to start there to be a great player. As his ball by ken macleod striking continues to get better he’s going to hile many Oklahoma colle- be tough to beat. He’s got a chance to do giate teams and individuals are some great things in Norman and make a set for fine seasons, it appears statement for a long period of time.” Goodman, the state’s top-ranked junior, we have at least five teams in state that at this juncture would be considered strong finished sixth in his debut as OU finished contenders if not favorites to win national second at Pebble Beach in the Carmel Cup, then tied for 11th as OU won the Maridoe championships next spring. Only four of them could do so, as Okla- Collegiate, making several huge shots down homa and Oklahoma State’s men’s team are the stretch in the Sooners’ one-shot victory again on a path that could see them collide over Texas. Senior Logan McAllister of Oklahoma City when the NCAA Championship returns to won at Pebble Beach and also played a cruGrayhawk in Scottsdale May 27-June 1. The deep, talented and internationally cial role late at Maridoe. Along with Patrick worldly Cowboys were No. 1 in the Bush- Welch, it looks like most of the Sooner lineup nell/Golfweek Coaches Poll in late Septem- will be set, but the fifth spot should be a great ber. Oklahoma, meanwhile, despite losing battle between Jaxon Dowell of Edmond, All-Americans Quade Cummins, Johnathan Stephen Campbell Jr. and Ben Lorenz, who Brightwell and Garret Reband from the team started as a freshmen in the NCAA Champithat lost in the national championship finals onship. Dowell got his first start in October to Pepperdine, had shot right back up to No. at the Colonial Collegiate and dazzled, finishing tied for seventh. More outings like that will secure that fifth spot. OSU coach Alan Bratton also has plenty of depth but the starters may be hard to unseat. Bo Jin, Eugenio Chacarra and Brian Stark are set barring some calamity, while Leo Oyo, Jonas Baumgartner, Aman Gupta, Rayhan Thomas, Dillon Stewart and possibly others vie for the final two spots. The Cowboys started the season by winning the Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach, then took third in a strong field at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational and third again at Colonial. Chacarra played and made the cut in the PGA Tour Sanderson Reagan Chaney off to blazing start at OCU.

CHAMPS?

We look at five teams that could

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

Oklahoma's Drew Goodman

Farms Championship, showing the level his game is on. “So far, so good,” Bratton said. “We came in with high expectations and we’ve been playing well. We’ve played with two different lineups and I like what I’m seeing.” Stark has quietly developed into one of the top players in the nation. The junior from Kingsburg, Calif., was putting up amazing numbers in practice rounds at Karsten Creek last year before starting to show the same proclivity in tournaments. He finished third, fifth and sixth in his first three events of the fall. “It’s good to see him take the game that he shows consistently at home on the road,” Bratton said. “He works really, really hard and has gotten a lot better. Hopefully he can keep building on that.” On the subject of deep and talented teams with national title hopes, the No. 3 Oklahoma State women’s team rolled to easy wins in its first two tournaments this fall and appears capable of making a deep run. Caley McGinty won the Sooner Schooner in Norman and coach Greg Robertson has the luxury of five or six players capable of winning, including Rina Tatematsu, Lianna Bailey, Isabella Fierro, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Clemence Martin and Han-Husuan Yu. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

The other two certain title contenders are the men’s and women’s teams at Oklahoma City University. Traditional NAIA powers, the women haven’t added to their total of eight national championships since 2017 and the men to their total of 10 since 2016. The women’s team has three seniors who have all steadily improved throughout their careers joined by the six freshmen who comprise the most heralded recruiting class in coach Marty McCauley’s tenure. The seniors – Natalie Gough, Rachel Eckert and Lauren Behnken – have welcomed the newcomers, including Reagan Chaney of Ardmore, Maddi Kamas of Kingfisher and Meghan Charles of Sand Springs. Chaney, who has impressed McCauley with her work ethic, set the tone in the first event, making 15 birdies in 36 holes and running away with the Southwestern Christian Invitational. In the third event, she shot a school record 11-under par in running away with the Rose Creek Classic. Kamas, the more heralded player in high school, had a slower start partly due to a nagging injury, but shot 10-under in the Sydney Cox Invitational, which OCU won Oklahoma City University's Tres Hill off to treby 44 shots. mendous start for Stars.

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“Shooting 16 under in that first event is something we’ve never experienced here,” McCauley said. “Reagan’s short game has grown to where she should have a chance to win every tournament she plays here. I knew she was a hard worker coming in, but I didn’t know what that looked like until she got here. “And I have to say, the three seniors have been a Godsend the way they’ve embraced the six freshmen. It’s been seamless and I’m so grateful to them.” The Stars men’s team has also benefitted greatly from an influx of Oklahoma talent in freshmen Tres Hill of Elk City and Dylan Teeter of Bixby. Hill won his debut event, the U.C, Ferguson Classic, and took third place in his next two events. Teeter placed second in the Mid-South, fifth in the Texas Intercollegiate and second at Rose Creek. Jose Ramirez, another freshman from Venuzuela, has played excellent golf, and holdover Dalton Daniel, a senior from Newcastle, has come into his own and won twice already. It will be surprising if all five of these teams are not in the mix for national championships next springs. Hopefully others will join the chase.

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

COMPETITION

Reversal of fortune for James

Steady Zach James won the prize. by ken macleod

DMOND – Zach James watched somewhat helplessly as Sam Stevens birdied five consecutive holes to take a three-shot lead through 13 holes of the final round of the Oklahoma Open. Stevens, the former Oklahoma State player who has been dominating the All Pro Tour for two years while also win-

ning on the PGA Tour Latin America, had of his professional career until January of reached 20-under par after a short birdie 2021. The $10,000 winner’s check and the putt dropped on 13, and was threatening victory will both buoy his confidence as he to obliterate all scoring records for the 54- heads into qualifying school this fall for the Korn Ferry Tour. hole event. Stevens has an exemption into the final “All I could do was keep playing well and hope that Sam made a mistake,” James stage of Q School as a result of his victory in Latin America. Despite the miscue on said. “And then he did.” And it was a whopper. On the par-3 14th 14, this is a man who should definitely be which plays about 204 yards over a pond, playing at that level or above. He opened with rounds of 63-63, Stevens hit a 7-iron then after a shaky start that landed just short in the final round began of the green in the wato take Oak Tree Counter. After a drop, he hit try Club’s East Course a wedge too strong, apart beginning on 9 pitched back from bewith booming drives hind the green and and accurate short missed the putt. Triple irons, leading to a run bogey. of birdie putts inside of James hit his tee shot 15 feet. safely on the green but James, who lives in 45 feet above the hole. Whitesboro, Texas, The sloping putt also opened the tournahad five feet of break, ment with a 65 then but James read it pershot fired an 8-under 62 fectly for a stunning Friday, kept in striking birdie and an even distance with a birdie more stunning fouron the par-4 11th and shot swing on one hole. the par-5 12th. He was James went to 18-under ready when the opporwhile Stevens dropped tunity came. from 20 to 17-under. “I just didn’t make And that’s the way a very good swing,” it stayed. Stevens Sam Stevens Stevens said. “I just couldn’t get a birdie to drop on the final four holes, including his thinned it. He made a great birdie, that’s final effort on 18 that stopped about a ro- one of the hardest holes on the course. But tation of the ball short. James made four I wasn’t too upset. There’s a lot of holes steady pars and added his name to an il- left and 16-17-18 are great finishing holes. lustrious list of past Open winners for his I knew a lot could still happen. And I made pretty good swings, but those are hard first victory as a professional. Not that James is unused to winning. holes to make birdie.” James said he aware of his status against He won nine times in his final two years at Southeastern Stevens but didn’t check the official scoring Oklahoma State University in until after his tee shot on the par-3 17th. “I knew with the way the wind was Durant (2018-19) but a nagging thumb injury delayed the start blowing and where the pins were it was

OKLAHOMA THIRD IN PGA JR.LEAGUE Team Oklahoma finished third in the National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. Oklahoma lost to eventual champion Utah in the semifinals and defeated Florida in the third-place match. Team members, left to right, Evyn Cannon, Banks Cozby, coach Cary Cozby, Chase Hughes, Ainslee Stanford, Harrison Shaw, Porter Hart, Chase Jones, Emerson Majma and director Amanda Fisher. Congrats to all the great junior players. 40

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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FIBER TECHNOLOGY THAT CHANGES THE GAME

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

going to be hard to shoot a real low number, so I thought it was just me and Sam at that point. I was just trying to make pars coming in and that’s what I was able to do. Knowing Sam, I thought his putt was going in on 18 and it probably should have. “There were a lot of great players here this week from a lot of Division I schools, from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, and I’m thrilled to have my name on that trophy and be a part of this history. Hopefully this is a start for me and I’ll keep it going.” Two of those players James referenced, Austin Eckroat of Edmond and Quade Cummins of Weatherford, both members across the street at Oak Tree National, had most of the crowd following their penultimate group. Cummins birdied the 18th hole to finish tied for third with Wyatt Worthington of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, at 14-under. Eckroat shot 69 to tie former OSU teammate Zach Bauchou for seventh place at 11-under. Carson Griggs of Sand Springs was low amateur at 4-under after rounds of 68-70-68. Eckroat has status on the Korn Ferry Tour for 2022 based on his top-five finish in PGA Tour University in 2021.

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I NST RUC T ION

Putt your chips for consistency

Tracy Phillips

o you struggle with just a basic chip shot? Does it make you mad that you hit two shots that cover over 350-400 yards and you’re just off the green and it takes you sometimes 3-4 shots to

make your stroke. 5. Move the club straight back off the ball, off the ground by letting the left shoulder go down in backswing keeping your head still. You want to have a slight move forward with your sternum as you start your downswing . Remember this is a putting stroke with very quiet hands. Let your body rotate through to the target.

This will be the only little difference than a putting stroke. 6. Choose a club that will land safely on the green and roll the rest of the way to the hole. Learn to use all your irons when chipping. Good luck and great chipping. PGA Teaching Professional Tracy Phillips can be reached at vtp4u@yahoo.com

finish the hole? If this sounds like your game, you need to try putt-chipping. Basically you are putting with a lofted club. I see so many amateurs that struggle with these short shots resulting from poor fundamentals in their set up which leads to chunking and blading chips. Most players tend to use too much loft and make too big of a swing for just a basic chip. If you use less loft and smaller swings, it’s much easier to chip the ball closer to the hole with ease. You want to get the ball on the green as soon as possible and let the ball roll the rest of the way to the hole. You always have more control when the ball is on the ground than in the air. Here are a few tips on how to set up properly and make your short game issues go away, leading to lower scores and a more enjoyable game. RIGHT-HANDED GOLFER 1. Grip is critical. Left hand needs to turn to the left (weaker) a lot which will help lower your left shoulder. I like to refer this as leveling the shoulders. The right hand needs to turn to the right (stronger), this will help the hands stay very passive. You want to have very little face rotation and hinging with your hands in the stroke, remember you are trying to putt with loft. 2. Set your feet no more than a club head width apart. Drop your left foot back a few inches (open stance) and flare toes out. Weight should be at least 70 percent on your left side. 3. Place the ball just inside your right toe and your hands should be in the center of your body. This means you have a slight lean forward with the shaft. 4. You want to bend over the ball as much as you can trying to position your eyes on top of the ball. To do this, go ahead and bend both arms. You want to maintain the bend in both arms as you W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

GOL F FI TN E SS

Your Golf Fitness Off-Season Workout Plan

ient and less likely to break down or get injured. Bottom line… incorporate a good overall strength training program and get all weather is club to help it move faster. Faster swing STRONG! 3. Stick With It here! As the speed- more distance! More strength also Clint Howard Golf Fitness Systems Consistency is the biggest factor when days get shorter gives you better overall balance, stability, and the weather and control- this helps you maintain your it comes to truly making changes and getting lasting results. With the off-seagets colder… we’re heading into the son also comes the holidays, potential off-season for golf. So with our golf travel, as well as the covid situation volume decreasing… why not use this we may still be working through this time of year to work on your #1 piece off-season. Don’t let any of that slow of equipment- your body! Make this you down or get you off track of acthe year that you commit to an offcomplishing your off-season goals. season workout program, and come There will be obstacles that somenext spring your body, and your golf times come up, days that you miss game will notice the results on the your workouts, or days you just don’t course! feel like working out. That’s normal. Here are 3 workout tips to follow But stay consistent and keep doing this off-season the work and don’t fall completely off 1. Set Some Goals track. Stay committed and make this Spend some time thinking about the off-season you create lasting posiyour specific golf fitness goals and why tive changes in your body and your they are important to you. Know your game. It’ll be so worth it. And you’ll “why” and write down your goals and notice so many other benefits in how review them regularly. Are you wantmuch better you look and feel, to go ing to get stronger and faster so you along with your longer drives and can hit the ball farther and outdrive lower scores in your game! your buddies, as well as lower your I do generally recommend consultscores? Great! Those are very achieving with a golf fitness professional able goals. Are you wanting to help to go through a golf fitness evaluaprevent injury and aches and pains tion/assessment and get a program when you play? Great! Those are imdesigned specific to your needs and portant goals as well. Do you want to goals. You always want to make sure have more overall energy and stamina you’re doing the correct exercises and when you play? Great! You need to doing them safely and effectively make sure you are doing movements with proper form and technique. and exercises that are going to make So with most local tournaments you better and are tailored to your coming to an end and the days getting specific golf fitness goals, as well as shorter, it is an ideal time for you to your overall health/fitness goals. give your body and your fitness the 2. Get Strong and Establish a Solid upgrade you need! Now go make it Foundation happen this off-season and unleash If you follow the PGA Tour I’m sure your swing! that you notice- the modern golfers nowadays are athletes and are very Clint Howard is the Owner/Director strong! Getting stronger fixes a lot of Golf Fitness Systems and is recognized of issues for golfers. Overall full body as one of the only 2X Top 50 Golf Fitness strength development needs to be esProfessionals in the country by Golf Digest. tablished and the off season is a perPGA Tour Pros, Oklahoma State Men's fect time to make it happen. Getting and Women's golf, University of Tulsa golf, stronger will greatly enhance your golf and many other collegiate and high school game as well as your overall health. golfers, world long drive champions, and The stronger you are, the more force golfers of all levels go to Clint and Golf Fityou can produce. Golf is very much dependent on producing ground and rota- posture and center of gravity better, and ness Systems to improve their body, and their tional forces that move through your body will give you more consistency in your game. To learn more, call 918-296-7418 or go as kinetic energy and is then applied to the swing. A stronger body is also more resil- to www.GolfFitnessSystems.com

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

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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 ROSE CREEK CLASSIC AT ROSE CREEK GC, EDMOND (PAR-72) OCT. 4-5 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma City 274-280-278 – 832; 2, SW Christian 286-276-288 – 850; 3, SW Christian B 284-291-287 – 862; 4, USAO 289-291-297 – 877; 5, Oklahoma City Blue 305-289-291 – 885; 6, Murray State 303-313-310 – 926; 7, Seminole State 315-320-306 – 941; 8, Hesston 326-321-312 – 959. Individual leaders: 1, Dalton Daniel (OCU) 67-6867 – 202; 2, Dylan Teeter (OCU) 69-68-67 – 204; 3, Tres Hill (OCU) 66-71-71 – 208; 4, Julian Alanis (SWC) 71-68-70 – 209; 5, Matej Babic (SWC) 71-68-72 – 211; 6, Brasco Van Niekerk (SWC) 71-7270 – 213; 7, Gage Gibson (USAO) 71-70-73 – 214; 8, Leonardo Ruggieri (SWC) 72-69-74 – 215; 9, Gerardo Alemany (SWC) 68-74-74 – 216; 10, Caleb Smith (USAO) 70-74-73 – 217. MSSU FALL INVITATIONAL AT SHANGRI-LA CC, MONKEY ISLAND (PAR-72) SEPT. 27-28 Team leaders (18 teams): 1 (tie), Okla. Christian 292-291-281 – 864 and Hutchinson CC 281-287296 – 864; 3 (tie), Henderson State 295-294-289 – 878 and Rogers State 287-296-295 – 878; 5, Southern Arkansas 290-293-297 – 880; 6, Northeastern State 295-291-301 – 887; 7, Missouri-St. Louis 296-298-297 – 891; 8 (tie), Southwestern State 299-296-297 – 892 and West Texas A&M 300-299-293 – 892. Individual leaders: 1 (tie), Mateo Pulcini (OC) 7373-67 – 213 and Harry Crockett (Hutchinson) 6873-72 – 213; 3, Ryan Morant (NSU) 68-75-71 – 214; 4 (tie), Alejandro Armijo (OC) 69-73-73 – 215 and Gregor Weck (SWOSU) 71-73-71 – 215. Other scores: Exequiel Rodriguez (OC) 74-71-72 – 217, Andres Brictson (OC) 76-74-69 – 219, Santiago Villareal (OC) 73-78-68 – 219; Daniel Robles Delval (RSU) 73-73-73 – 219, Luke Palmowski (RSU) 70-78-72 – 220, Aidan Gavey (RSU) 72-7178 – 221, Brayden Strickland (NSU) 77-67-77 – 221, Heston Brown (SWOSU) 77-75-70 – 222.

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GAC PREVIEW AT LAKE HEFNER GC (NORTH), OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) SEPT. 13-14 Team scores: 1, Harding 289-285-284 – 858; 2, Southern Nazarene 295-282-289 – 866; 3, Southeastern State 288-292-298 – 878; 4, ArkansasMonticello 301-285-296 – 882; 5, Northwestern State 304-299-298 – 901. Individual leaders: 1 (tie), Sam Tandy (Harding) 74-68-69 – 211 and Wilmer Haakansson (Harding) 72-69-70 – 211; 3, Jordan Holifield (SEOSU) 70-6973 – 212; 4 (tie), Brodey Claborn (SNU) 73-68-72 – 213 and Zander Tway (SNU) 73-72-68 – 213. Other scores: Ransen Turner (Okla. Chr.) 68-7872 – 218, Tristan Florence (SNU) 75-68-75 – 218, Grant Murphey (SNU) 74-74-71 – 219, Dalton McGinnis (SEOSU) 71-72-77 – 220, Chase Gardner (OC) 76-73-72 – 221, Dominic Wade (OC) 75-7373 – 221, Logan Johnson (NWOSU) 73-74-74 – 221. SCU FALL INVITATIONAL AT LAKE HEFNER GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) SEPT. 7-8 Team leaders (11): 1, Southwestern Christian 282285-275 – 842; 2, Dodge City CC 287-286-282 – 855; 3, Tyler JC 293-282-281 – 856; 4, Bethany 292-291-281 – 864; 5, Kansas Wesleyan 302-291287 – 880; 6, Sterling 302-290-290 – 882; 7, Okla. Wesleyan 300-288-296 – 884. Individual leaders: 1, Leonardo Ruggieri (SCU) 67-69-70 – 206; 2, Max Reynolds (Tyler) 74-62-71 – 207; 3, Gus Fritz (SCU) 63-73-72 – 208; 4 (tie), Brasco Van Niekerk (SCU) 68-70-71 – 209 and Julian Alanis (SCU) 70-72-67 – 209. WOMEN GRACE SHIN INVITATIONAL AT GOLF CLUB OF EDMOND, EDMOND (PAR-71) OCT. 4-5 Team scores (20 teams): 1, Rogers State 291-295 – 586; 2, Nebraska-Kearney 299-290 – 589; 3, Central Oklahoma 303-291 – 594; 4 (tie), Central Missouri 295-300 – 595 and Henderson State 305290 – 595; 6, Northeastern State 300-296 – 596; 7, Southwestern State 306-298 – 604; 8, Cameron 301-310 – 611; 9, Missouri Western State 321-298

– 619; 10, Okla. Baptist 320-300 – 620. Individual leaders: 1, Aitana Hernandez (NSU) 72-70 – 142; 2 (tie), Susana Olivares (UCO) 74-69 – 143, Ellen Loving (RSU) 69-74 – 143 and Lydia Sitorus (RSU) 71-72 – 143; 5 (tie), Hannah Choi (HS) 74-70 – 144, Faviola Gonzalez (Neb-K) 72-72 – 144 and Claire Solovic (CM) 72-72 – 144; 8 (tie), Gracen Blount (HS) 75-70 – 145; 9 (tie), Kristin Gudmundsdottir (RSU) 73-73 – 146, Iona Roska (Cameron) 70-76 – 146 and Rosie Klausner (CM) 73-73 – 146; 12, Kaylee Petersen (NSU) 72-75 – 147; 13 (tie), Megan Brown (SWOSU) 74-74 – 148, Jessica Green (RSU) 73-75 – 148 and Mikaela Rindermann (SWOSU) 75-73 – 148. Other scores: Taylor Towers (UCO) 77-72 – 149, Valentina Nunez Butzonitch (OBU) 79-71 – 150, Mika Ramos (UCO) 77-73 – 150, Emma Shelley (UCO) 7278 – 150, Rebecca Lau (SWOSU) 81-70 – 151.

ROSE CREEK CLASSIC AT ROSE CREEK GC, EDMOND (PAR-72) OCT. 4-5 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma City 286-288-272 – 846; 2, Oklahoma City Blue 292-296-285 – 873; 3, Seminole State 333-357-348 – 1,038; 4, USAO 348-362-374 – 1,084; 5, Murray State 388-392-390 – 1,170. Individual leaders: 1, Reagan Chaney (OCU) 70-6867 – 205; 2, Natalie Gough (OCU) 70-72-70 – 212; 3 (tie), Lauren Behnken (OCU B) 72-71-70 – 213 and Paige Wood (OCU) 75-72-66 – 213; 5 (tie), Maddi Kamas (OCU B) 71-73-72 – 216 and Jamie Welsh (OCU) 71-76-69 – 216; 7, Rachel Eckert (OCU B) 74-73-72 – 219; 8, Morgan Palermo (OCU B) 75-79-71 – 225; 9, Meghan Charles (OCU) 7680-77 – 233; 10, Lucia Rivas Garcia (Seminole) 75-79-81 – 235. SCHOONER FALL CLASSIC AT BELMAR GC, NORMAN (PAR-70) SEPT. 26-27 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma State 270-279-275 – 824; 2, Texas A&M 280-288-276 – 844; 3, Baylor 279-292-277 – 848; 4 (tie), Illinois 282-285-288 – 855 and Florida State 281-287-287 – 855; 6. TCU 284-289-288 – 861; 7, Oklahoma 286-291-285 – 862; 8, UTSA 293-290-283 – 866; 9, Iowa State 292-288-287 – 867; 10, Texas State 287-287-294

OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

SCH E DU L E S & R E SU LTS : More at w w w.gol fok la homa.org – 868; 11, Tulsa 297-288-286 – 871; 12, North Texas 295-292-289 – 876; 13, Houston 296-291-293 – 880; 14, Kansas State 299-293-291 – 883; 15, SMU 301-304-292 – 897. Individual leaders: 1, Caley McGinty (OSU) 6767-68 – 202; 2, Rina Tatematsu (OSU) 68-72-66 – 206; 3, Bianca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Texas A&M) 71-68-68 – 207; 4, Gurleen Kaur (Baylor) 6970-70 – 209; 5 (tie), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (OSU) 69-71-70 – 210 and Sabrina Iqbal (TCU) 7071-69 – 210; 7 (tie), Isabella Fierro (OSU) 66-74-71 – 211, Taglao Jeeravivitaporn (Iowa St.) 68-70-73 – 211, Zoe Slaughter (Texas A&M) 68-74-69 – 211 and Kornkamol Sukaree (Illinois) 69-69-73 – 211. Other scores: Clemence Martin (OSU) 72-69-72 – 213, Meagan Winans (OU) 69-73-72 – 214, Hannah Screen (OU) 75-71-70 – 216, Nina Lang (OUind.) 76-68-72 – 216, Mikhaela Fortuna (OU) 72-7372 – 217, Lily Thomas (TU) 73-74-70 – 217, Lorena Tseng (TU) 74-70-73 – 217, Maria Fernandez Martinez (OU) 71-74-73 – 218, Libby Winans (OU) 74-76-71 – 221, Haley Greb (TU) 74-71-77 – 222, Han-Hsuan-Yu (OSU-ind.) 74-74-75 – 223, Lovisa Gunnar (TU) 80-73-72 – 225, Sydney Seigel (TU) 76-81-71 – 228, Kaylee Vesely (OU-ind.) 77-78-76 – 231, Nieves Martin (OU-ind.) 87-81-81 – 249.s

OBU FALL INVITATIONAL AT SHAWNEE CC (PAR-72) SEPT. 27-28 Team scores: 1, Arkansas-Monticello 320-310 – 630; 2, Okla. Baptist 317-316 – 633; 3, Fort Hays State 350-331 – 681; 4, Southern Arkansas 357-342 – 699; 5, Okla. Baptist 351-352 – 703; 6, Seminole State CC 398-367 – 765. Individual leaders: 1 (tie), Valentina Nunez Butzonitch (OBU) 73-78 – 151 and Worawalan Siwaiyapram (A-M) 74-77 – 151; 3, Gabriela Maldonado (A-M) 77-77 – 154; 4, Hayden Meiser (OBU) 77-79 – 156; 5 (tie), Emilie Bergh-Jacobsen (A-M) 78-79 – 157 and Morgan Brasser (FHS) 80-77 – 157; 7 (tie), Josie Patterson (OBU) 83-76 – 159 and Chiara Sturaro (A-M) 84-75 – 159. Other scores: Izzy Lette (OBU) 84-81 – 165, Lucia Rivas Garcia (Seminole) 93-75 – 168, Lindyn Ross (OBU) 85-83 – 168. NSU GOLF CLASSIC AT THE CLUB AT INDIAN SPRINGS, BROKEN ARROW (PAR-72) SEPT. 13-14 Team leaders (16): 1, Henderson State 290-286 – 576; 2, Rogers State 294-294 – 588; 3, Arkansas Tech 303-295 – 598; 4 (tie), Northeastern State 301-298 – 599 and Arkansas-Fort Smith 305-294 – 599; 6, Harding 303-305 – 608; 7, Okla. Baptist 305-306 – 611; 8, Southwestern State 305-311 – 616. Individual leaders: 1, Gracen Blount (HS) 70-67 – 137; 2, Daphney Tilton (HS) 69-72 – 141; 3, Jessica Green (RSU) 70-72 – 142; 4, Jacqueline Klemm (AT) 71-72 – 143; 5, Katie Whitfield (AT) 73-71 – 144; 6 (tie), Marelda Ayal (RSU) 72-75 – 147 and Allie Bianchi (HS) 76-71 – 147; 8 (tie), Lydia Sitorus (RSU) 75-73 – 148 and Brenda Sanchez (Harding) 75-73 – 148. Other scores: Anna Marksa (SWOSU) 75-74 – 149, Megan Brown (SWOSU) 74-75 – 149, Nina Lee (NSU) 76-73 – 149, Yasmin Hang (NSU) 76-73 – 149. SCU FALL INVITATIONAL AT LAKE HEFNER GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) SEPT. 7-8 Team leaders (14): 1, Okla. City 280-280 – 560; 2, Dodge City CC 294-299 – 593; 3, Redlands CC 298-307 – 605; 4, Tyler JC 310-299 – 609; 5, Kansas Wesleyan 310-300 – 610; 6, Baker 311-315 – 626; 7, Bethany 322-305 – 627; 8, Okla. Wesleyan 317-312 – 629. Individual leaders: 1, Reagan Chaney (OCU) 64-69 – 133; 2, Paige Wood (OCU) 69-68 – 137; 3 (tie), Natalie Gough (OCU) 71-69 – 140 and Thitapha Iamtrugul (Dodge) 72-68 – 140; 5 (tie), Jamie Welsh 72-72 – 144 and Meghan Charles (OCU) 71-73 – 144. OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA OPEN AT OAK TREE CC (EAST), EDMOND (PAR-70) AUG. 26-28 1, Zach James 65-62-65 – 192; 2, Sam Stevens 63-63-67 – 193; 3 (tie), Quade Cummins 65-63-68 – 196 and Wyatt Worthington II 64-64-68 – 196; 5 (tie), James Nittles 68-66-64 – 198 and Josh Radcliff 65-66-67 – 198; 7 (tie), Zach Bauchou 66-66-67 – 199 and Austin Eckroat 66-64-69 – 199; 9 (tie), William Holcomb V 68-68-64 – 200 and Zach Burry 68-66-66 – 200; 11 (tie), Mason Overstreet 67-64-70 – 201, Thomas Johnson 68-67-66 – 201 and Christian Jalomo 65-70-66 – 201; 14 (tie), Brett White 70-66-67 – 203, Blake 46

Trimble 67-67-69 – 203 and Hayden Wood 69-6767 – 203; 17 (tie), Braden Bailey 68-70-66 – 204, Riley Casey 71-67-66 – 204 and Andrew Beckler 70-65-69 – 204.

WOMEN’S STROKE PLAY AT LINCOLN PARK GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-71) AUG. 10-11 1, Madison Smith 73-71 – 144 (won playoff); 2 (tie), Emma Shelley 68-76 – 144 and Maddi Kamas 72-72 – 144; 4, Natalie Gough 75-74 – 149; 5, Josie Patterson 77-73 – 150; 6, Hayden Meiser 77-75 – 152; 7 (tie), Ashlyn Acosta 77-76 – 153 and Maisie Liddell 76-77 – 153; 9, Reagan Charles 81-74 – 155 and Mikaela Rindermann 79-75 – 154; 11, Meghan Charles 81-74 – 155; 12, Lauren Behnken 75-81 – 156; 13, Rachel Eckert 75-82 – 157. OJGT BAILEY RANCH BASH AT BAILEY RANCH GC, OWASSO (PAR-72) OCT. 3 (RAIN-SHORTENED) BOYS 1, Asher Whitaker 72; 2 (tie), Tyler Collier, Ben Stoller, Dawson Dunlap and Sutton McMillian 74; 6 (tie), Grant Gudgel, Brady Wicker and Remington Cowles 75; 9 (tie), Gavin Watson and Parker Pogue 76. GIRLS 1, Mimi Hoang 77; 2, Peyton Coburn 79; 3 (tie), Anna Kate Nichols, Sophia Lefler and Aubrey House 80; 6, Megan Kalapura 81; 7 (tie), Lauren Pleiman and Elizabeth Whalen 83; 9, Lily Stanton 84; 10 (tie), Lauren Milligan and Regan Dusenbery 85. LAKE HEFNER SHOOTOUT AT LAKE HEFNER GC (NORTH), OKC, (PAR-72) SEPT. 25-26 BOYS 1, Parker Sands 62-70 – 132; 2 (tie), Grant Gudgel 68-69 – 137 and Josh Stuart 67-70 – 137; 4, Christian Johnson 67-71 – 138; 5, Nolan Rankin 69-70 – 139; 6, Samuel Bonaobra 67-73 – 140; 7 (tie), Benjamin Stoller 68-73 – 141, Carter Nutt 6873 – 141 and Carson Wright 65-76 – 141; 10, James Ackerman 71-71 – 142; 11, Ty Adkins 66-77 – 143; 12 (tie), Parker Payne 71-73 – 144, CJ Phillips 71-73 – 144, Tripp Schuessler 71-73 – 144, Matthew Smith 71-73 – 144 and Jesse Tandoy 69-75 – 144. GIRLS 1, Olivia Coit 71-75 – 146; 2, Juliana Hong 71-78 – 149; 3 (tie), Peyton Coburn 75-75 – 150 and Mimi Hoang 75-75 – 150; 5, Jaiden Gregston 7776 – 153; 6, Beans Factor 79-75 – 154; 7, Hannah Nimmo 77-78 – 155; 8 (tie), Layne Ailshie 80-79 – 159, Megan Kalapura 75-84 – 159 and Natalie Purvis 78-81 – 159; 11, Hannah Wiedmaier 82-79 – 161; 12, McKenna Tatum 81-81 – 162. BEST OF THE WEST AT LINCOLN PARK GC (WEST), OKC, (PAR-72) SEPT, 18-19 BOYS 1, Benjamin Stoller 64-69 – 133; 2, Alex Bloxham 63-73 – 136; 3, Conner Cryer 69-68 – 137; 4, Asher Whitaker 70-68 – 138; 5, Grant Gudgel 71-68 – 139; 6 (tie), Carson Wright 70-71 – 141 and Bo Gentry 68-73 – 141; 8 (tie), Bo Burton 70-72 – 142, CJ Phillips 71-71 – 142, Bryant Polhill 73-69 – 142, Josh Stuart 70-72 – 142, Owen Swearingen 70-72 – 142, Christian Johnson 70-72 – 142, Kyle McLaughlin 69-73 – 142 and Tripp Schuessler 70-72 – 142. GIRLS 1, Emerie Schartz 71-73 – 144; 2, Jaiden Gregston 76-73 – 149; 3, Brooklyn Benn 76-75 – 151; 4, Juliana Hong 73-79 – 152; 5, MaKaylee Cowan 76-77 – 153; 6, Hannah Nimmo 79-75 – 154; 7, Lauren Pleiman 81-77 – 158; 8, Aubrey House 80-79 – 159; 9, Natalie Purvis 81-79 – 160; 10 (tie), Gracie Doke 77-84 – 161, Mimi Hoang 82-79 – 161 and Ramsey Gunter 82-79 – 161; 13, Whitney Moore 77-85 – 162. BATTLE OF BROKEN ARROW THE CLUB AT INDIAN SPRINGS (RIVER), BROKEN ARROW (PAR-72) SEPT. 11-12 BOYS 1, Grant Gudgel 66-77 – 143; 2 (tie), Ty Adkins 72-73 – 145 and Carson Wright 70-75 – 145; 4 (tie), Preston Albee 77-69 – 146 and Benton Manly 73-73 – 146; 6 (tie), Max Bowman 74-74 – 148 and Gunner Williams 73-75 – 148; 8 (tie), Cole Luber 75-74 – 149 and Parker Payne 73-76 – 149; 10, William Hennessee 76-74 – 150; 11 (tie), Samuel Bonaobra 77-74 – 151, Alex Bloxham 79-72 – 151, Ty Hiatt 74-77 – 151 and Conner Geist 72-79 – 151. GIRLS 1, Jenni Roller 73-70 – 143; 2, Emerie Schartz 7872 – 150; 3, Lauren Milligan 82-76 – 158; 4, Layne

GOLF OKL AHOMA • OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2021

Ailshie 84-76 – 160; 5, Megan Kalapura 83-80 – 163; 6 (tie), Lily Stanton 84-80 – 164 and Brianna Maddux 77-87 – 164; 8, Juliana Hong 84-82 – 166; 9, Natalie Purvis 87-80 – 167; 10, Syrah Javed 89-79 – 168; 11, Mechelle Vermillion 88-81 – 169; 12 (tie), Riley Rinner 89-84 – 173 and Sophia Lefler 88-85 – 173.

TROSPER PARK LABOR DAY CLASSIC AT TROSPER PARK, OKLA. CITY (PAR-70) SEPT. 5-6 BOYS 1, Ben Lathrop 70-67 – 137; 2 (tie), Christian Johnson 70-71 – 141 and Conner Cryer 68-73 – 141; 4, Colt Farrow 66-76 – 142; 5 (tie), Ty Hyatt 73-70 – 143, Benton Manly 72-71 – 143, Mack Moore 72-71 – 143 and Wyatt King 73-70 – 143. GIRLS 1, Olivia Coit 71-71 – 142; 2, Mimi Hoang 71-73 – 144; 3, Gracie Doke 72-75 – 147; 4, Ramsey Gunter 76-72 – 148; 5, Beans Factor 78-74 – 152; 6 (tie), Sophia Lefler 81-72 – 153 and Rylee Roberts 74-79 – 153; 8, Emerie Schartz 77-77 – 154. EARLYWINE PARK FALL CLASSIC AT EARLYWINE PARK GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) AUG. 21-22 BOYS 1, Preston Albee 68-72 – 140 (won playoff); 2, Asher Whitaker 70-70 – 140; 3, Cole Luber 72-69 – 141; 4, Josh Stuart 68-73 – 141; 5, William Hennessee 73-70 – 143; 6, James Ackerman 73-71 – 144; 7, Parker Payne 70-75 – 145; 8 (tie), Carson Wright 75-71 – 146, Jack Hope 73-73 – 146 and Rhett Hughes 73-73 – 146. GIRLS 1, Brooklyn Benn 69-79 – 148; 2, Beans Factor 7873 – 151; 3, Jaiden Gregston 74-81 – 155; 4, Sophia Lefler 79-79 – 158; 5, Brianna Maddux 80-79 – 159; 6, Juliana Hong 81-79 – 160; 7 (tie), Syrah Javed 82-80 – 162 and Jaeya Mathis 80-82 – 162. MUSKOGEE FALL CLASSIC AT MUSKOGEE CC (PAR-72) AUG. 15-16 (RAIN-SHORTENED) BOYS (27 HOLES) 1, Mesa Falleur 36-69 – 105 (won playoff); 2, Christian Johnson 35-70 – 105; 3, Carson Wright 34-72 – 106; 4, Connor Whitworth 37-70 – 107; 5, Quaid Oliver 37-71 – 108. Girls (18 holes) 1, Anna Kate Nichols 69; 2, Aubrey House 71; 3, Hannah Nimmo 74; 4, Emerie Schartz 75. SOUTH LAKES JUNIOR SHOOTOUT AT SOUTH LAKES GC, JENKS (PAR-70) AUG. 7-8 BOYS 1, Benton Manly 68-68 – 136; 2 (tie), Mason Haley 69-68 – 137 and Sutton McMillan 69-68 – 137; 4 (tie), Sam Morris 71-67 – 138 and William Hennessee 70-68 – 138; 6, Parker Payne 68-72 – 140. GIRLS 1, Rylee Roberts 72-75 – 147; 2 (tie), Juliana Hong 76-73 – 149 and Lily Stanton 74-75 – 149; 4, Peyton Coburn 73-78 – 151; 5 (tie), Megan Kalapura 79-76 – 155 and Natalie Purvis 78-77 – 155. WOGA WOGA CUP AT MEADOWBROOK CC, TULSA SEPT. 27-28 Modified Ryder Cup format 1, The Greens CC (Cindy Quinlivan, Denise Tillman, Lisa Lemons, Melanie Robson) 40 (won playoff); 2, Earlywine GC (Bobbie Langford, Elizabeth Younger, Kathy Gunter, Cindy Johnson) 40; 3 (tie), Lake Hefner GC (Lorie Harned, Lori Garrison, Fran Derrick, Rebecca Morse) and The Greens GC (Brigid Kennedy, Mia Russell, Lindsey Pitt, Becky Swan) 39. TULSA GOLF ASSOCIATION 2-MAN BEST BALL AT LAFORTUNE PARK GC (PAR-72) SEPT. 19 Team leaders: 1 (tie), Don Daniels/Bob Meyers, Richard Townley/Joe Tuttle and Steve Hughes/ Lee Inman 62; 4, Dan Griffin/Roland Lewis 64; 5, Matt Brown/Jackie Dodgin 65; 6 (tie), Mike Fenner/Ken MacLeod, Matt Choate/Mark Kinney and Brad Goodman/Kurt Enkelmann 66; 9 (tie), Bobby Biskup/Joe Gho and John Blackmon/Mike Blackmon 67. Individual net: 1 (tie), John Blackmon/Bob Meyers 67; 3 (tie), Steve Hughes, Matt Brown and Dan Griffin 68; 6 (tie), Brad Goodman and Roland Lewis 69; 8, Richard Townley and Joe Tuttle 70; 10, Austin Hannah 71. W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

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