Tee Times April 2015

Keeping Golfers Connected in TN, KY, MS, AL, NC

Shively clubhouse reopens Pages 2-3 (l-r)George Anderson, Park Board Chair, Charles Sueing, Park Board Member; Jenn Garcia, Park Board Member; Stan Fossick, Park Board Vice Chair; Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, John Holmes, Asst. Dir of Parks, Jerry Shively, and Sarah Shively.

April 2015

Inside!!

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Award winners: Bray, Dibble, Wilson honored by Tennessee PGA

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Pacesetter: Harrison Bay best practices spread to other State Parks courses New products: They’ve got ‘em, you’ll probably want them

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Cover Photo: Ludye Wallace

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Shively clubhouse reopens at Percy Warner Golf Course Tee Times report The clubhouse at Percy Warner Golf course has been a staple of Jerry Shively’s existence for years.

When he heard it would be torn down, Shively went through a gamut of emotions. What would the course be like without the clubhouse, named for his father A.J., be like? Would it be rebuilt?

Shively couldn’t imagine life without the clubhouse. After all, he basically grew up in it. His father, A.J., spent 29 years working at the course. Jerry totaled 39 years at Percy Warner. Jerry’s wife, Sara, had 38 years at the course. Factor in Betty Wilkins – mother of PGA professional Tracy Wilkins, and Betty Evans – mother of PGA professional Wayne Evans – each spent 25 years working there, and you can understand Jerry Shively’s trepidation over its demolition.

Turns out, Jerry Shively’s concerns about losing the clubhouse for good were unfounded. The Shively clubhouse has been rebuilt, and it’s better than ever. A dedication ceremony highlighted the re-opening of the clubhouse recently.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean attend-

Park Board members and Kevin Forte, GM for Percy Warner GC, watch as Mayor Dean cuts the ribbon assisted by John Holmes ed the grand opening, as did John Holmes, assistant Director of Parks, members of the Park Board, family and friends and many of the employees that Shivley had mentored over the years. Golf course regulars attended the re-opening and were given tours of the new facility, which features a new pro shop, snack station, and seating on the covered deck with a stone fireplace.

“I think what excited me the most about this project, was the opportunity to give back to Percy Warner Golf Course,” said Kevin Forte, the

Shively family. (l-r) Leigh Wilkins, Sarah Shively, Ann Wilkins, Jerry Shively, Tracy Wilkins, and Chad Wilkins

general manager for Harpeth Hills and Percy Warner, said. “Growing up, I loved hanging out in the pro shop Jerry had full service shop in the clubhouse with new and used clubs, full club repair, refinishing, and all the accessories. It was like a dream come true for a kid with a partial mix-match set.

“Back then Wilson was the premier pro line club, and I loved looking at the displays full of shining forged irons,” Forte said.

“I remember my dad trading in a set Wilson X31 irons for new Wilson Staff Dyna –Powered irons and woods, those clubs are still in

John Holmes, assistant director of Parks, addressed those assembled with opening remarks

his closet today.”

Forte has plenty of memories from hanging out in the Shively clubhlouse. It’s where he and his brother learned to play.

“I even remember my mom borrowing clubs so she could play with us any my dad,” Forte said. “I think Percy Warner Golf Course is probably responsible for creating more new golfers than any other course in Nashville. I think you would find a lot of golfers around Nashville that have the same memories I do about Percy Warner Golf Course.

Hopefully, with the new clubhouse facility, Percy Warner will continue to impact the lives and memories of

Nashville Mayor Dean was excited to dedicate this multi-use facility which will serve all visitors to Percy Warner Park Nashville golfers.”

“We are very excited to open this beautiful new multi-use facility,” Holmes said.” Not only will it accommodate the golfers at Percy Warner but it will also serve the mountain bikers and trail users of Warner Park. They will be able to sit under the 2,000 square foot open air pavilion and enjoy a snack or refreshing drink from the club house snack bar. The stone pedestals and natural wood design of the facility fits right into the theme for the entire park. We look forward to a revitalization of golf as we hope to attract

April 2015

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Sarah and Jerry Shively on dedication day! young and old alike. The executive layout is perfect for families and beginners and allows those with limited time in their hectic schedule to get in an enjoyable nine holes of golf.”

The mayor was happy to attend the grand opening.

“The Warner Parks are one of Nashville’s gems, and I’m excited to open this new facility where visitors can relax, socialize and either get ready for – or recover from – their recreational activities,” he said. “The clubhouse will serve all visitors to Percy Warner Park, whether they are visiting to play golf, ride a mountain or road bike, or going for a hike or run.

All are welcome. This club house is just another step in helping shape a healthier community.”

Beneath the clubhouse is storage for the new golf cars.

“I did not want to lose their business because they could no longer walk the course, and yes, we are still a “walker’s course”, but some have the option now,” Forte said.

Jerry Shively is proud of the new facility. He spent time reminiscing

Heather Gallagher, Nature Center

L-R: TJ Gooch, Maintenance, Wanda Foxx, Custodian, Kevin Forte, GM, Daryl Lewis, Greens keeper about the “old days.”

“Years ago, the names that come to me for those that worked the old city courses were the Eatons at Shelby, Hickmans of McCabe, the Hamptons at Ted Rhodes, and yes, the Shively family at Percy Warner Golf Course,” he said. “The Pro/GM worked inside

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A.J. Shively began working at the course in 1939 after being transferred from the maintenance crew that he worked on in Centennial Park, for a one-day stint.

He didn’t leave for 29 years when he retired.

Jerry began working parttime in 1959 while still at Bellevue High School. He became a full-time employee in 1961, and married Sarah in 1962 and they spent the next 39 and 38 years at the L-R: Shane Matthews, Concession clerk II, Gerald Henderson, Volunteer starter, course.

Kevin Forte, GM Percy Warner GC., and Shively, who earned his Greg Shelton, Facility attendant PGA professional status in 1969, said he has no regrets. and out – there was no such “My years spent at Percy Warner thing as eight-hour shifts.

Golf Course never really seemed like Everybody did it all -- working in the clubhouse, giving work,” he said. “To have the opporlessons, repairing clubs, the tunity to learn the ropes from my bunker work, and mowing father, A.J, and then to serve as the golf professional with the support and watering.

“Watering, now that re- of my wife Sarah and many others ally brings back memories who helped operate the facility over -- we had a manual sys- the years was very special. Also the tem back then. After the many people I came to call friends, last golfer left, especially and to those men and women who I in hot summer months, we came to mentor over the years. The would hit the course and go to each joy that I felt when teaching others hole around 7:30 and turn the water to play the game of golf, at this famon, making our way around the en- ily- oriented facility made my time tire course, then back track, leaving there go by all too quickly. I am truly humbled to have the clubhouse when finished around 10 P.M. Natnamed in honor of our family.” urally, we were back at daybreak, mowing, raking bunkers, getting our beloved courses ready for play.”

Great pixs Ludye Wallace

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From tHE Editor

By Gregg Dewalt

After brutally harsh winter, it’s time to hit the links Most years, golf season never totally disappears in the South during the winter months.

We can usually find enough good days to keep our interest in the game high and our golf swings in relatively good shape from the time the first frost hits in November until warm temperatures begin to finally filter in around mid-March.

This past winter was different. Or maybe I’m just getting old and don’t remember things as well as I used to, but it sure seems like this was as bad a winter as I can remember from a golf standpoint.

Rain, wind, ice, snow, cold – we had it all, and it seemed to stick around a lot longer than it used to. There didn’t seem to be many good days that were worth grabbing your sticks and braving the elements just to get in nine or 18.

Swan Lake

a player's course with beautiful vistas and friendly staff.

when you have the game figured out, you don’t.

There’s the never-ending search for more distance with our drives, more accuracy with our irons and more consistency with our putting. Of course, just wait a few months and the manufacturers will be happy to sell you the next generation of equipment guaranteed to get you 10 extra yards off the tee, produce tracer-like iron shots that hunt the flag, and make every putt you look at like the pros.

Of course, the equipment will perform only as well as the person wielding it.

That’s never in the fine print, ya know.

As we enter into another golf season,

But, with the publication of Windtree Golf Course, the April issue of Tee Times, all Mt. Juliet, Tenn. a view out seems right again in the world of over the green on No. 9 golf. Spring has sprung and the Masters is upon us. Hopefully you have dusted off the cobwebs from your clubs and are ready to tackle the sport for which we have that enduring love/hate relationship.

We love golf because it affords us time away from the hustle and bustle of our regular lives. Golf, when we are playing well, seems so easy and is so enjoyable. We love golf because it can be played alone or with a group of friends.

Either way it’s just as fun. We love golf we hope you will enjoy reading Tee because usually we hit just enough good Times each month. We hope you find it shots to keep us coming back for more. informative and that you will support That career round is just around the our advertisers, who make it possible bend, but we never can find perfection. for us to publish eight times each year.

And, of course, we hate golf because Most of all, we hope you will embrace most of the time that gosh-darned golf the sport even further and enjoy it even ball will just not do what we want it to more. do. It curves left when it should curve Keep it in the fairway, right. It stops when we want it to go. It Gregg Dewalt goes when we plead for it to stop. Trees Tee Times editor and lakes are like magnets; and just

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PUBLISHER Joe Hall pgegolf@bellsouth.net EDITOR Gregg Dewalt

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ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carol Hall teetimescarol@bellsouth.net GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jon Hamilton jonh2520@att.net

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P.O. Box 41293 • Nashville, TN 37204 Phone: 615-331-1078 • Fax: 1-866-579-4932 Member: Golf Writers Association of America, International Network of Golf, Golf Travel Writers of America

Golfing for Girls set for May 6 NASHVILLE — The 21st Golfing for in Middle Tennessee. Proceeds help Girls tournament is scheduled for May 6 us further our mission to build girls at the Belle Meade Country Club. of courage, confidence and character, The tournament will begin at 7 a.m. who make the world a better place.” with a continental breakfast and warmTo register or for more information, up session followed by a shotgun start go to www.gsmidtn.org/donate or at 8:30 a.m. contact Rebecca Anderson at 615-460Lunch and awards are scheduled upon 0243 or randerson@gsmidtn.org. completion of play.

“The Belle Meade Country Club is the perfect venue for our Golfing for Girls tournament,” said Kimberly Ely, director of development at Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee.

“Supporting this tournament is a great way to make a difference in L-R: Mark Maness, David Anderson, Rob McCabe, Mark Blaze the lives of girls

2014 winning team

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April 2015

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2014 Tennessee PGA Section award winners The TPGA Annual Meeting was held on Monday, March 2nd at the Embassy Suites in Cool Springs. The Tennessee Section winners were presented their plaques to a packed house of their fellow PGA Professionals.

Afterwards the attendees heard speakers Hank Haney and Charlie Rymer.

2014 Tennessee PGA Section award winners

Jim West

Tellico Village

Matt Walter Westhaven Golf Club

Golf Professional: Jim West, Tellico Village Youth Player Development: Matt Walter, Westhaven Golf Club Teacher: Bruce Etter, Chattanooga G & CC Richard Eller: Michaelyn Bradford, TPC Southwind Horton Smithe: Jeffrie Hunter, Northstar Strausbaugh: Ken Crowder, Lonesome Pine Country Club Assistant: Casey Flenniken, Oak Ridge Country Club Merchandiser Public/Resort: Brad Shirley, Country Hills

Bruce Etter Chattanooga G&CC

Michaelyn Bradford

Golf Course Private: Henrik Simonsen, The Honors Course

“The Tennessee PGA has a long and rich history of talented PGA Professionals. We are honored to recognize all of our 2014 award winners. They have excelled in multiple areas from education, teaching, merchandising and growing the game.

These upstanding men and women are truly making a difference in the game of golf, and they continue to inspire all PGA professionals to continually raise the bar.� - Jeff Abbot,

Executive Director TNPGA

Jeffrie Hunter Ken Crowder Northstar

TPC Southwind

Lonesome Pine Country Club

Casey Flenniken

Oak Ridge Country Club

Brad Shirley Country Hills Golf Course

Henrik Simonsen

The Honors Course

Three earn Tennessee PGA Distinguished Career Award Tee Times report

Three longtime contributors to the Tennessee Section of the PGA of America were honored recently with the Tennessee PGA Distinguished Career Award.

Bobby Bray, Bob Dibble and Jex Wilson are the 2015 recipients of the award that recognizes current or former Tennessee PGA Section members who have had outstanding careers as PGA Professionals based on service to his or her club course or employer, service and leadership to the Association, community service, professional playing record and teaching ability.

The Distinguished Career award acknowledges these Tennessee PGA Professionals as vital and significant contributors to the game of golf.

Bray had an illustrious 40-year career at the Country Club of Morristown where he worked from 1971 until 2011.

His playing career included victories at the 1974 Tennessee State Open and the 1982, 1989 and 1998 Tennessee Section Championships. He also qualified for the 1999 U.S. Senior Open.

Bray served on the Knoxville PGA Chapter Board of Directors, and more than 100 of his students have gone on to play collegiately.

Dibble was the head PGA Professional at Link Hills Country Club in Greeneville from 1978 until 2000, and is the head golf coach at Tusculum College. He served two terms as the Tri-Cities Chapter president and received the Junior Golf Section leader four times. In 1982 he received the Horton Smith Award.

Dibble qualified for the National Club

Bobby Bray

Professional Championship in 1976, 1978 and 1979, and was a two-time captain of the Professional Cup Match team. He was inducted into the Tusculum College Hall of Fame in 2014.

Jex Wilson was the head PGA Professional at Ridgefields Country Club in Kingsport from 1975 until 1997. He earned the distinction of PGA Master Professional in

Bob Dibble

1997 and served as Tennessee Section president from 1989-1991.

In 1990 he was selected as the Section Professional of the Year, and he was the 1989 and 1997 Bill Strausbaugh Award winner. He played in the Tennessee Cup Match as an amateur and professional, and was a two-time captain of the professional team.

Jex Wilson

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Former MTSU golfer named new coach at Trevecca Nazarene

By Greg Pogue The Daily News Journal

NASHVILLE – David Head is the new director of golf at Trevecca Nazarene University.

Athletic director Mark Elliott recently made the announcement that Head will take over both the men’s and women’s golf programs at the school.

Head has been the assistant golf coach for the men’s and women’s programs at his alma mater Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. The former Blue Raider letterman was in his first season as an assistant for the women’s program and his third season as an assistant for the men’s program.

Elliott identified Head as a leading candidate from the start, and in the end it was the clear choice.

“Dave was on our radar from the very beginning,” Elliott said. “He has the spiritual leadership skills we look for and is well-known for his ability to play and teach golf. Beyond that, he comes from a fantastic golf family and has learned from some of the best golf professionals in the business. There is a history of golfing success here at Trevecca and Dave is the right guy to take both programs into the next phase of our NCAA Division II journey.”

When Head returned to MTSU as a volunteer assistant, he hoped it would eventually lead to a head coaching position on the college level.

“I’m humbled and honored to be named the Director of Golf at Trevecca Nazarene University,” he said. “I want to thank Mark Elliott, Dan Boone, and Steve

Harris for the wonderful opportunity to be a part of athletic staff at Trevecca.

“I must thank Whit Turnbow, Christy Adams, and Chris Massaro at Middle Tennessee State for the opportunity that they gave me over the past two and a half years. I learned so much and I can’t thank them enough.”

Head said he is excited to be a part of the program at Trevecca.

“I look forward to building on the many successes of the golf programs,” he said. “The current environment will allow the program to succeed for many years to come. My plan is to build upon the tremendous culture that already exists and continue developing the student athletes as Christ followers, academically, as golfers, and with their life skills. I look forward to helping each one of these student athletes

accomplish their own personal goals and I have no doubt that their experience at Trevecca will lead to many successes for them on the golf course and in their life.”

The newly created Director of Golf was created when Robbie Wilson, the former men’s golf coach at Trevecca, accepted the head coaching position at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn.

That move sped up the plan to combine the two golf positions at Trevecca and allow current women’s golf coach Michael Johnson to concentrate on his increased role with the university outside of athletics. Johnson, who works in the presidents’ office, has recently been named the Director of Alumni and Church Engagement.

Head played for the Blue Raiders from

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Harpeth Hills 2424 Old Hickory Blvd. • 615-862-8493

McCabe 46th & Murphy Rd. • 615-862-8491

Percy Warner Forrest Park Dr. • 615-352-9958

Shelby 20th & Fatherland • 615-862-8474

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Ted Rhodes 1901 Ed Temple Blvd. • 615-862-8463

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Coach Head with Mikayla Ann Dodson, Kaylon King, Alexa Brooke Rippy, Marlee Stecher, and Megan Moir

Coach Head with Logan Martin, Garrett Evans, Aaron Burnett, Collin Welker, Payton Williams, Austin Dillard, Bryson Burnett, and Spencer Scarbrough

1993 to 1996 and was part of three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference Team Championships.

The son of Blue Raider Hall of Fame Member and national golf champion Gary Head, David joined the Blue Raiders in 2012 as a volunteer assistant under Whit Turnbow. Head held that role before being elevated to full-time status in 2014.

As the son of a PGA professional, Head has had a club in his hand since the age of three. He started playing competitive golf as a junior when he was 10, and he competed at the state and regional level all throughout his teenage years.

His golf genes and drive turned into a college scholarship at MTSU in the fall of 1991. Head was co-captain his senior year for coach Johnny Moore, and

was presented the Most Outstanding Student-Athlete Award for Golf based upon his leadership skills and dedication to the team.

After graduation in 1996, Head turned professional with the idea in mind to continue competing while at the same time developing his passion for teaching and coaching the game that he so dearly loves.

As a playing professional he has earned three wins, several second-place finishes, and multiple top 10 finishes in various local and regional competitions.

In 1998 he qualified for the sectional round of the U.S. Open and missed the trip to the Olympic Club by just two shots.

In 2005, he qualified for the National Club Professional Championship held at the Turning Stone Resort in upstate New York.

As an instructor, Head has taught and coached players of all ability levels, including those competing at the highest levels of amateur golf. He has a passion for learning and motivating students to get the most out of their abilities on and off the golf course.

He became a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America in 2002.

Greg Pogue is host of the morning sports talk show on 94.9 FM & 95.1 FM Game 2.

E-mail him at grpogue@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @ThePoguester.

April 2015

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Demo Day!

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Dustin Wisener, TaylorMade, and Fred Manzitto check out Scott Richardson’s swing

Great weather and super turnout agrees (l-r) Ping rep.

Tom Squires, Harry Taylor, Gaylord’s Director of Golf Operations, and Jim Payne, Ping tech

John McNair, Callaway, shows Dax Jeter a club

Titleist rep checks IPAD readings for Fred Manzitto and Scott Richardson

Robb Spencer, Bushnell, gives pointers to Dr. James Gekas on Bushnell’s range finder

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Opinion

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3TAY 0LAY THE BEST IN THE SMOKIES

By David Widener

Member Golf Writers Association of America

A third green jacket for Watson and burritos?

he shot a career-worst 82 at the Phoenix Open and withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open because of the pain. He loves Augusta National, so don’t count him out if he does decide to play.

Nashville’s Brandt Snedeker is a long shot at 30-1. He did not win a tournament in 2014, but he spent the offseason working with

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Bubba Watson

new coach Butch Harmon and won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February by three strokes with 22-under-par. It was his first victory since the Canadian Open in July 2013.

Snedeker ranked in the top five winnings in 2012 and 2013 and he’s made the cut in six of his seven Masters, which he calls his favorite tournament. He finished tied for third in 2008 and tied for sixth in 2013, playing in the final group both years. “My goal is to be relevant 4HE (IGHLANDS PAR s 4HE 2IVER PAR s $RIVING 2ANGE again,� Snedeker said after win0RACTICE 0UTTING 'REEN 0RACTICE #HIPPING 'REEN ning at Pebble Beach. “All the hard work I’ve 0'! 0ROFESSIONALS /UTDOOR 0AVILION done the last year is paying off now.�

-ULLIGAN S &ULL 3ERVICE 2ESTAURANT Franklin’s Kenny Perry is now concentrat ing on the Champions Tour and is not in the field. He almost won the Masters in 2009, losing in a playoff.

5IF 4FWJFSWJMMF (PMG $MVC 0ME ,OPYWJMMF )JHIXBZ 4FWJFSWJMMF 5/ Two other long shots to watch are Angel

Cabrera, who won the 2009 tournament, and Fred Couples, the 1992 winner. Both al ways seem to play well at Augusta. Couples, a regular on the Champions Tour, finished in the top 20 in the past five Masters. ! 2/5.$ /& '/,& Still, I like Watson to pick up a third green 6ALID BEFORE !PRIL THROUGH /CTOBER %XP jacket – as long as he has a good supply of #ANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS 3UBJECT TO AVAILABILITY ,IMIT ONE COUPON PER PERSON #ALL FOR OFF SEASON RATE burritos.

4FWJFSWJMMF(PMG DPN

44.

S

o we now know Bubba Watson’s secret to success in the Masters. It’s a diet of one or two Chipotle burritos for 10 straight days. Those things have 1,000 calories each! If I would do that, and I wouldn’t, I would be ready for a siesta, not a round of golf.

It apparently works for Watson. Each time he won the Masters (2012, 2014), he ate burritos the entire week. Blame his wife. “She didn’t go so I could eat whatever I wanted to eat while in Augusta,� Watson said.

Watson was planning on doing the same at this year’s Masters. It’s an unusual way of training for a major golf tournament, but you don’t mess with success.

Besides, Watson is 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, so it’s not like he is overweight. It might be considered amazing since he also celebrates a Masters victory with a party at Waffle House where he downs a double grilled cheese sandwich and hash browns.

If Watson can win a third green jacket, he would join an elite group of eight golfers who have three or more Masters championships, and one of just five with three. Jack Nicklaus owns the most, six, with Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods four-time winners. He is playing well and ranked second in the World Golf Rankings through February.

Despite Watson being Rory McIlroy the defending champion, Vegas oddsmakers have Rory Mcllroy the favorite at 6-1 and Watson at 10-1. Mcllroy has won the other three majors and would like nothing better than to add the Masters to his list. He tied for eighth a year ago and had his best chance in 2011, leading the tournament by four strokes until a disastrous 80 in the final round dropped him to a tie for 15th.

There are 19 past champions in the field, assuming Woods, a four-time winner (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005) plays, and three-time winner Phil Michelson (2004, 2006, and 2010).

Woods missed the 2014 Masters because of back surgery. Trying to comeback this year,

5 00 /&&

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Golf, Grammy go hand in hand for Warren

By Mark Aumann PGA.com

professional musician and traveled the road a lot when I was a young kid and a teenager. He was as good at his trade as anybody and played everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Grand Ole Opry.”

Warren played his first round of golf at age 13, and was immediately hooked. He now had two passions.

“My brother had an old makeshift set of clubs, and I went out with a

ing gone for months at a time. And he didn’t want me to do that.”

So as Warren’s teaching role exIt’s not unusual to see a panded and his clientele grew, he set trophy or two on a shelf music aside. He was named the Tenin a PGA Professional’s nessee Teacher of the Year multiple office. But Johnny Wartimes and Golf Digest has ranked him ren has a trophy that among the top golf teachers in the may be unique among state. his peers: a Grammy As the owner of the Johnny Warren Award.

Golf Academy at the Fairvue PlantaWarren, an accomtion Club in Gallatin, Tenn., Warren plished fiddle player said what makes his job even more in his own right, is a special is meeting people. member of the Earls of “I always felt like teaching the game, Leicester, which won I’ve met a lot of people and made a (l-r) Johnny Warren- fiddle, Tim O’Brien-mandolin, Barry Bales- bass, the Grammy Award for lot of life-long friends,” Warren said.

Charlie Cushman-banjo, Shawn Camp-guitar, and Jerry Douglas-dobro Best Bluegrass Album “And I just enjoy meeting people during the 57th annual and getting to know them on a “It was non-stop media and Grammy Awards ceremony in Los cameras backstage for over an personal level.”

Angeles last month.

About eight years ago, Warren hour,” Warren said. “We actualJerry Douglas, who put the band to- ly got back to our seats for the found a collection of recordings gether, chose the name as a play on televised portion about three his father Paul had done, and the first names of Earl Scruggs and minutes before AC/DC came decided to pay tribute to his Lester Flatt. The group’s goal is to on. So we were there to see all dad by re-recording them in his showcase the roots of bluegrass by that, too. It was pretty neat.” own fiddle style. That caught playing music from the pioneers of the attention of Douglas, who Find an Instructor the genre. asked Warren to join his all-star Search for a PGA Professional “We’re just trying to re-educate Instructor in your area lineup. younger people about Flatt and Winning a Grammy -- and reWhich came first, music or (l-r) Jerry Douglas, Shawn Camp, Johnny Warren, and Charlie spect of influential people in the Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain golf? For Warren, it Cushman. Not pictured: Barry Bales and Tim O’Brien Boys,” Warren said. “They influenced music industry -- was a special so many different types of moment as well. For Warren, it music over the years.” couple of guys,” he said. “You was a chance to pay tribute to someWhen the group’s selfknow how golf does -- it gets its one special in his life. titled debut album was cleats in you, and it just didn’t “It was pretty emotional in a way, nominated for a Grammy, turn me loose.” because what went through my mind Warren didn’t know what Warren started teaching the when they called our names was my to think at first. It’s not evgame in 1975 at the age of 19, father,” Warren said. “I guess every y gu r ve Our Co ery day you get invited to and later that year he got mar- son wants to make their dad proud. I from June 2009 was making a party in Los Angeles with ried. When he started raising a don’t care if you’re 58, like I am. music and the biggest names in the mufamily, he realized he’d have to “We’re doing this to try and draw teaching golf sic industry. choose between the two. recognition to people who don’t know “The rest of the guys are OFFICIAL WEBSITE: Johnny Flatt and Scruggs. It’s really not about full-time musicians, while I Warren Golf Academy us. And it’s special to me because it’s consider it still a hobby for “Back in the late ‘70s, early not something I’ve really desired to me. I don’t want it to become ‘80s, I played with a couple of do -- it just happened that way. And a job,” Warren said. “When I bands and we traveled some on to get that recognition, that’s pretty went there, I went out with the weekends,” Warren said. cool.” the attitude that it was just “When my kids were born, I After winning their Grammy, the an honor to be nominated. I just realized I was burning the Earls of Leicester were invited to play didn’t care if we won or not. candle at both ends -- trying on NPR’s Prairie Home Companion.

“About two categories before to do golf and that -- and I had They also have a tour planned this our name was called, my comto make a decision. I’ve got to winter and spring, taking traditional petitive nature kicked in, and do one or the other, because I Bluegrass music to audiences in the I thought to myself, ‘Man, I recan’t do both. northeast and midwest. was only natually want to win this.’ And I got “My dad died in 1978, but his advice After that ends, Warren’s not sure ral that the son of a famous fiddle kind of nervous sitting there.” to me was, ‘Do music as a hobby and what’s next. When it comes to his caplayer might follow in his father’s When their names were called, War- footsteps. find something where you can stay reer, music still plays second fiddle to ren said the feeling was incredible.

“My dad played with Flatt and home with your family.’ That’s the his interest in teaching golf.

And what happened afterward was Scruggs,” Warren said. “He was a only thing he missed, out there beArticle reprinted with permission even more amazing. from PGA Magazine.

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Jacksonville State University Men and Belmont University Women win Bobby Nichols Invitational

MAGNIFICENT balance of design and nature

The Bobby Nichols Invitational hosted

by Tennessee Tech to honor their iconic coach, PGA Professional Bobby Nichols.

It is in his memory that they host this tourney year after year.

Sevierville Golf Course located in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains was the site for the OVC men and women teams that competed .”This is the third straight year that

Sevierville has taken care of us as the host team, and we get rave reviews from all participating coaches and teams. We appreciate the time and effort that went into holding tournaments on both of their courses, the Highland Course and the River Course.

PGA Professional Mark Wallace and his staff both inside and out delivered amazingly!” said Coach Polk Brown, Tennessee Tech.

(l-r) Maddie Williams, Evin Edens, Mallory Sullivan, Megan Heath, Coach Lissa Bradford, Katie Story, Sydney Hudson, Alexi Bevans, Abbie Gregory (l-r) Pablo Torres, Jamie Mist, Franco Grillo, Tom Lawton and Tomasz Anderson, with coach James Hobbs (inset)

18-hole golf course designed by Mark McCumber featuring Champion Bermuda greens s Offers the only Hydro-Grid HAR-TRU® clay tennis courts in the South s Just minutes away from nine world-class casinos s Perfect for group outings and special events s

For more information on tournaments and results for each school, visit their websites...

Jacksonville State - www.jsugamecocksports.com Tennessee Tech - www.tntech.edu Belmont - www.belmont.edu

Book your tee time today, either by phone or online.

Belmont University Men win at Pinehurst Intercollegiate at Pinehurst No. 8

Call 1.866.TEE.OFF1 or visit tunicanational.com. /tunicanational 12-TNA-0128 Golfer's Tee Time HalfPg Ad 5x10.5.indd 1

@tunicanational 6/12/12 1:46 PM

Front Row (L to R): Logan Matthews, Bryan Grisard, Carson Ward, Ted Moon, Head Coach Scott Flynn. Back Row (L to R): Ashton Van Horne, Sean Buchanan, Scott Barnhart, Noah Trenkler

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Tennessee Golf Trail to benefit from Bear Trace at Harrison Bay best practices H ow many times have you been puzzled by your scorecard after spending countless hours working on your game at the driving range?

Whether you hit 50 balls, 100 balls or hacked until the calluses on your hands made you quit, you probably found that your hard work was all for naught if you practiced poor techniques.

The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay Golf Course has been practicing several good techniques – environmentally friendly ones to boot – that are paying immediate dividends on its scorecard.

And now, Tennessee State Parks and the Department of Environment and Conservation are looking forward to implementing some of those same techniques at the eight other golf courses of the Tennessee Golf Trail.

In 2011, Paul L. Carter, CGCS, director of agronomy for the Tennessee Golf Trail and golf course superintendent at Harrison Bay, converted 50 highly maintained, out-of-play areas to unmaintained native grasses, saving nearly 7.4 million gallons of water per year.

In 2013, Harrison Bay became the first American public golf course to begin using an entire fleet of all-electric mowers to care for its greens, teeing grounds and other closely mowed areas and bunkers, saving an estimated 9,000 gallons of fuels per year and $30,000 in maintenance

costs. The course had already been using all-electric golf carts, which further reduce fuel costs and reduce noise that discourages wildlife from inhabiting the area.

Harrison Bay cuts less grass, uses less water and less fertilizer, reduces emissions, spends less time on equipment, is wildlife-friendly and saves money in the process.

These methods have not only improved the course’s bottom line, but have produced several notable accolades.

Most recently, Carter was awarded the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2015. In 2014, he received the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award, which included the Public and the Overall Award from the GCSAA and Golf Digest. In 2013, Harrison Bay took home the coveted Green Star Award for Outstanding Environmental Practices from Golf Digest, joining high-budget juggernaut courses like Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes and Kiawah Island – all previous winners of the prestigious award.

“We are honored and blessed to receive all the national attention and accolades from groups such as the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America for work that we love to do anyway,” Carter said. “Being able to

left to right: Keith Ihms, CGCS President of GCSAA, Mike Nixon, Paul Carter, Rhett Evans, CEO GCSAA

advance the belief that golf courses can be, and are, phenomenal habitats for wildlife, birds, and insects are vitally important to us.

Without the birds and the wildlife on a golf course, the game of golf would not be as fun.”

But perhaps the most notable endorsement of the environmentally friendly efforts at Harrison Bay is the group of bald eagles

No. 18 Green

www.harrisonbayeaglecam.org photo credit: Bret Douglas

that call it home. An eagle’s nest, which is situated atop a pine tree on the course, is monitored 24-7 by an “Eagle Cam” installed by Tennessee State Park ranger Angelo Giansante. The online web

Head pro Robin Boyer is proud of the whisper quiet new fleet of carts

stream of the eagles received more than 50,000 unique viewers in its first year and can be found at Harrisonbayeaglecam.org.

We are excited to have found several best practices at Harrison Bay that we have applied or plan to apply to the rest of the Tennessee Golf Trail – a move that will help us reach our goal of providing a userfriendly, environmentally conscious and cost-effective experience for our golfers.

In 2014 Montgomery Bell, Henry Horton, and Fall Creek Falls State Park golf courses switched from gasoline powered golf carts to all-electric golf carts, further reducing emissions, noise and costs. So let’s put the dreary, nasty, ice-covered, pot-hole producing bear-of-a-winter season in the rear-view mirror, and spend the spring and summer of 2015 teeing it up on the Tennessee Golf Trail.

Efficient Electric Mowers

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April 2015

Spring Time, Golf Time…

By Andrew Braley After five months of basically terrible weather when it comes to golf, it finally appears that we’ve turned the corner. That means it’s time to get out of the house and get to work tuning up your golf game.

And that’s where golfTEC comes in. It’s the perfect place to go for that game-improvement fix.

At golfTec, your coach will first find out about your golfing history and what you’d like to achieve with your game. Then, they’ll forge a plan and set about improving your game. You’ll hit shots on the Hi tech ball flight simulators and have your swing videoed from different angles.

Together with your coach you’ll view your swing on our own proprietary video system, identify faults and then work to correct them under the tutelage of your coach.

At the lesson’s conclusion, watching the change in your swing on video, your coach will show you how to practice and make it permanent. The lessons are uploaded to our website for viewing and downloaded for your convenience and review.

Swing evaluation session Sixty minutes of analysis lets you understand your swing and unlock your potential. GolfTec’s fact-based approach takes the guesswork out of improving your swing. You see precisely where change will generate positive results and also where your swing shouldn’t be touched. By concentrating on ball-striking fundamentals, a

certified personal coach gives you keys to oncourse score reduction.

Precision-matched clubs with a personal club fitting Sixty minutes of tour-level club fitting helps you find distance and control advantages. Make every club count, knowing even the top players are giving up yards every day. That’s because poorly fit clubs and mediocre club gapping affect more than 80 percent of players at all levels. With GolfTec third generation club fitting, key variables come into play, including club head and ball speed, launch angle, distance, and direction and spin rate.

Expert analysis of your swing and body is combined with flight data to generate specific club recommendations from a full complement of leading club manufacturers.

GolfTec’s growing success is not coincidental. Clients who started with in-bay lessons have seen career-best rounds and lower handicaps Give us a call or come by one of our locations and get on the path to improving your game.

Remember our motto: Proven path; proven results.

About Andrew Braley...

Andrew Braley (Nashville, TN) is a PGA member, GolfTEC Certified Personal, and certified Spirit of Golf Instructor who has been teaching golf for 20 years with the last 13 years at GolfTEC. Andrew has given over 20,000 lessons in in his career and coached students of every level: from beginner to players on every major Professional Tour.

Before joining GolfTEC, he worked as an assistant professional in Atlanta and was a head golf professional and Director of Instruction at a 72-hole resort in Northern Michigan, where he mentored 10 professionals on their way to success in the golf business. Andrew was also the Director of Instruction at a private club in Southern Maryland.

Andrew’s GolfTEC career started in Woodland Hills, CA and today he owns three GolfTEC stores (Memphis and Nashville). He manages the day-to-day operations of all three locations, and works as a Certified Personal Coach in the Cool Springs location.

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EWGA training clinic held at Golf TEC of Cool Springs GolfTEC of Cool Springs Instructors opened their

EWGA President Karen Richards hits a longer than usual wedge shot as Andrew Braley, GolfTEC, and Kaye Steed check it out

Travis Zimber, Golf TEC and Lisa Dreher, EWGA Member Recruitment Director pose after her winning her flight

When EWGA of Middle Tennessee’s chapter president Karen Richards and Carolyn McGrathYates, the Golf Programs and Services Director, were evaluating events away from golf courses, one of the first places considered was golfTEC. Karen had been turned onto this by other members and has seriously been taking lessons from Travis Zimber, PGA & Certified Personal Coach as well as prac- Travis Zimber, PGA & Certified Personal Coach helps Mary Watts set up to hit a shot for a closest to the pin contest ticing there. “As a female golfer, I am committed to improving my ther!” Richards continued,” The EWGA game in an environment that is respectis about connecting women to learn, play ful and effective. golfTEC has provided & enjoy golf for business and for fun. that for me over the last 18 months, and (Play More. Play better. Have fun. Make I am much more confident in owning my Friends.) Golf is an individual sport, and swing and my game as a result. I wanted the beauty of it is that each person can other ladies to have an opportunity to put in and take out of the game whatever experience the teaching methods and they wish. For me, “playing better” was something that I wanted to focus on in 20142015. Repeating the same things over and over that I had done for a dozen years off & on was not cutting it.

So, I did make a decision to commit to becoming a better golfer, and the instruction and practice programs at (l-r) Jenita Lawal, Sara Garrison, golfTEC made sense for me.

Mary Watts, and Christine Cash

tools that they have to offer. We give so much time to others as women, so it’s nice to think about spending a little time on ourselves to get more enjoyment out of the game we love. It’s helpful to be able to figure out what I may be doing wrong when a shot has a “less than optimum” outcome, and make necessary adjustments during a round. And now, instead of hitting balls aimlessly with no plan, I can focus on certain objectives and make the most effective use of that time.

Getting an additional 20-30+ yards of distance on my shots is not bad, ei-

(l-r) Mary Watts accepts her prizes from EWGA President, Karen Richards, for closest to the pin in her flight

Personal Coach Justin Rister is fitting new member, Jenita Lawal with the sensors for the golf swing motion analysis

doors to members of the EWGA of Middle Tennessee on March 19, from 6-8 P.M for a special clinic for the ladies at golfTEC’s Bakers Bridge Location. The event began with a meet and greet at 6:00 P.M with introduction to the three golf professionals. Food and drink were provided by the EWGA Board. On hand to assist the ladies were, Andrew Braley, PGA Member. Andrew is the owner & General Manager of both Nashville stores, (golfTEC of Brentwood) and the Memphis store. He is a Certified Personal Coach and Certified Instructor- Spirit of Golf.

Also on hand were Travis Zimber, PGA Member and Certified Personal Coach, and Justin Rister, PGA and Certified Personal Coach. The EWGA attendees were given a choice of either getting a mini swing evaluation from one of the Certified Personal Coaches or participating in a closest to the Pin contest. Attendee supplied their handicap and hit from a (l-r) Judy Link and Carolyn McGrath-Yates. Carolyn is the Golf distance of 30, 60, or 90 Programs and Services Director yards.

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Equipment Corner No shortage of hot new products for 2015

By Leonard Finkel Tee Times contributor It was that time of year again, with the golf world coming together at the 2015 PGA show in Orlando. Here are some of the better products you see in the upcoming year: The Hot Launch line by Tour Edge is headlined by a technologically advanced adjustable driver that is also competitively priced. It features a 460cc titanium fourpiece forged club head. The driver’s deep face design and variable face thickness technology provide maximum power from more contact points on the face. Loft options from 8.5 to 12.0 degrees in 1 degree increments provide easy-to-use adjustability in choosing the most efficient loft for optimal distance and accuracy. The head shape is very efficient aerodynamically to promote optimal club head speed. A non-adjustable Draw version is also available, offset for proven slice-fighting control. www.touredge.com The Cure RXi putter features an adjustable weighting system that allows a far greater range of weight than any other putter on the market, allowing the golfer to

find the perfect weight to suit their stroke and tempo. The Triangulation Alignment, invented by former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman helps line up a putt like an arrow for accuracy. With a higher center of gravity and lower loft, Cure putters get the ball rolling sooner, helping it stay on the intended line. The RXi has the look and feel of a traditional blade, while offering higher MOI (8,500 - 9,950) than any of the leading mallets on the market and is 100% milled from a solid block of aircraft grade aluminum. In addition to being stable and forgiving, the RXi also has interchangeable face inserts. www.cureputters.com

Golf Pride’s MCC Plus4 grips

are designed to have a larger lower hand that matches the feel of 4-layers of extra tape build up preferred by many Tour players. The slightly less tapered shape is designed to encourage lighter grip pressure which can help

increase swing power. A proprietary new soft compound in the lower hand in combines with an upper half utilizing a new softer performance-rubber for stability and the Brushed Cotton Technology cord to ensure moisture management & maximum traction.

The combination of upper and lower technologies is engineered to enhance feel and performance for each hand. www. golfpride.com

GolfBuddy’s WT5 car-

ries a design that is rugged and durable.

It features new color schemes, including a white/orange model and a black/blue model. It offers all of the capabilities of prior models including full target and hazard information, Dynamic Green View and pin placement – but bolder and more colorful. Its digital scorecard can be used on any of the 37,000+ pre-loaded world courses, with storage for up to 40,000 courses. Automatic hole and course recognition, coupled with the WT5’s time, date and stopwatch functions, make this device one that can be worn every day. Complete with a rechargeable battery, the WT5 provides 8 hours of battery life in full GPS mode and 35 days in watch mode and

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is waterproof and durable enough to withstand a heavy rainstorm. www. gpsgolfbuddy.com Designed and manufactured in Germany, Vice Golf produces a range of golf balls comparable to premium offerings on the market today. Where they differ is the delivery method.

Orders are taken over the Internet and balls are shipped directly from the manufacturer to the user’s front door. By eliminating multiple middlemen, the company believes they are offering a comparable group of golf balls, but at a significantly reduced cost, with personalization options few other companies can offer. www.vicegolf.com

Sun Mountain’s Tour Series rain wear is the company’s

best yet offering waterproof, breathability, stretch, durability, lightweight and quiet in one rain suit. It is

April 2015

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available as a full-zip jacket, longsleeve pullover and pants. Incorporating three-layer technology, the Tour Series has a waterproof, breathable membrane bonded to a four-way stretch shell and a soft, protective inner layer. It is fully seam-sealed, guaranteed waterproof and offers the convenience of a two-way front zipper and adjustable laser-cut cuffs. It is available in black, navy and titanium/steel/citron. The pullover is offered in gray, black, or royal, and the pants in black. With a new, innovative folding process, the Reflex push cart from www.sunmountain.com

Tifosi has expanded its line to include four new styles of open lens eyewear that are interchangeable.

Talos features adjustable arms and nose pieces for a custom fit constructed from a flex-

ible and virtually indestructible rubber that grips through sweat. Elder’s open lens styling keeps your range of vision clear and features vented lenses to reduce fogging. All Tifosi eyewear comes with a cleaning bag and protective hard case, and offer 100% protection from harmful UVA/UVB rays. www.tifosioptics. com About six years ago, Strackastarted developing yardage books and green reading charts for PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players. Now they’re taking it to the club level, helping any golfer get a better read of the greens. Graphics are created by laser scanning each putting surface with advanced 3D modeling equipment, detailed to the millimeter for all elevation changes. Hydrology software designed for calculating the exact flow of water drainage is overlaid to show the true slopes and breaks of how a ball will roll. The iOS application renders each green as a graphic that allows you to zoom in

Line

for more detail on any part of the green with the exact slope percentage at every point.

With most of the PGA Tour courses on the 2015 calendar already available for download, TV viewers can follow along with Tour pros and read their putts. www.strackaline.com The

Bar

ActivMotion

is hollow, with rolling steel weights inside that engage and ignite the core and critical muscles used during a golf swing. The momentum generated by moving weights

DVD program was developed by Titleist Performance Institute certified golf professionals and top PGA professionals. www.activmotionbar. com

forces the body to gently surpass its normal range of motion, lengthening and strengthening muscles to result in a fuller, more dynamic and powerful swing. The Full Length Series features five separate 5-foot long Bars in weights ranging from 6lbs to 18lbs. The Compact Series is 4 feet (4.5lb), ideal for carrying in a golf bag. The ActivMotion golf fitness

The Green Sleeve, pocket-sized golf ball cleaner features a microfiber center that deeply and quickly cleans dirty balls and club heads.

Convenient and ease-of-use, it is designed to keep golf balls free from dirt and debris. Soft, flexible and approximately the size of a wallet, it is more comfortable in a front or back pocket than a traditional towel, without hindering your swing. Available in more than a dozen colors and designs, it is ideal for personal use or as a customizable promotional item for corporate or charity events. www. greensleevegolf.com

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The First Tee of Nashville is now The First Tee of Middle Tennessee.

The name change occurred due to the expansion of our service area to 37 counties* in Middle Tennessee.

The First Tee of Clarksville will be part of The First Tee of Middle Tennessee and will no longer be using a separate name and logo. Additionally, we continue with our service to the Tri-Cities area through programs in 7 counties in the Tri-Cities area.

In Middle Tennessee, our newest location is at Bloomfield Links located near Old Fort Golf Course. We will be launching a program in Hendersonville, which will be located at Country Hills Golf Course. You will see new changes to our main office at VinnyLinks Golf Course.

VinnylLinks golf course is under

April 2015 new management.

Golf shop operations are now under The First Tee of Middle Tennessee. Alphonso Ashford is the Director of Golf and Special Events.

The golf shop has undergone a much needed facelift. To better serve our golf community, we have extended hours from 7:00 AM to sunset. With the addition of food and drinks, the golf shop is now full service. On staff we have an LPGA and PGA golf professional available to teach private lessons, and conduct group clinics.

Most importantly your patronage of The VinnyLinks Golf Course will help support The First Tee of Middle Tennessee! 100% of the proceeds go to supporting our programs!

*The Middle Tennessee area comprised of Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford (less and except the Town of Smyrna), Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, VanBuren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson and Wilson Counties, and (b) the Tri-Cities area comprised of Carter, Hawkins, Scott, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington Counties in Tennessee, Washington County in Virginia and the Independent City of Bristol, Virginia (taken together the “Service Area”)

ner of 2014 Brad Shirley, win e year, Public th Merchandiser of

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Open for Business! Vinny Links Pro shop. Alphonso (Al) Ashford, Director of Golf and Special Events

Southwest Point Golf Course in Kingston, Tennessee was the site of a startling upset. On March 26,2015, friends and golfing buddies, Don “Cotton” Matthews and Ralph Parton were in one of their usual heated matches. The twosome approached No.18 and to the chagrin of Ralph, “Cotton” sunk a five foot putt to defeat Ralph by a single stroke. Speculation is that Parton will announce his retirement later…..

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New product ideas can get their start anywhere

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor Rayford Terrell’s idea came to him on a trip to Hawaii.

Robert Campos simply got tired of leaving his wedges behind, never to be seen again.

Both men turned their ideas into inventions, and now are hoping to cash in on their products.

The beauty of their inventions is also their simplicity. Terrell has designed “Stick On Cleats,” adhesive cleats for golfers who might be on a business trip or non-golf vacation trying to slip in one round of golf without having to lug a pair of golf shoes around.

Campos is marketing the “Putter Buddy,” a multi-use device that helps prevent golfers from leaving clubs behind.

“About 10 years ago I was traveling out to Hawaii and you could rent golf clubs but not golf shoes,” said the Texas-based Terrell. “So I got the idea to come up with a way where you could wear your favorite shoes on vacation and then stick a pair of cleats on the bottom of them when you play. When you are done, you still have your sneakers to go walk around and enjoy vacation while you were there.”

The key, Terrell said, was finding an ad-

hesive that would stick to the bottom of any pair of shoes but not leave any sticky residue when removed.

“I came up with the idea for Stick On Cleats about eight or 10 years ago,” he said. “I wasn’t an inventor, just a golfer.

It took me a couple of years to figure out which way to go with it.”

After a lot of experimentation, Terrell, a computer engineer in his day job, finally was ready to look for somebody to manufacture his product. It wasn’t cheap getting Stick On Cleats from an idea a reality.

He estimates he has $150,000 invested already.

“I tried to find a design engineer; then I had to find a manufacturer who could take that idea from a computer to an injection mold,” he said. “It’s been over a year since getting the idea to this point.

My wife didn’t actually know anything about this until last August. That’s how well I kept it hidden. If I had let her know, it would have never gotten this far.

“Every time you talk to somebody – engineers or lawyers -- they don’t just want $1,000; they want $2,000 or $5,000 to do this. It’s quite a leap of faith but we’re here and we hope something good will come from it.”

The adhesive strip for the shoes must be replaced after each round. Terrell said

Rayford Terrell shows his Stick on Cleats to potential buyers at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January.

“I came up with the Putter Buddy,” he said. “It’s long, it’s sleek made of recycled steel and we put a vinyl sleeve on it and it holds up to four clubs.

I decided to put an accessory loop on it, so you can hook your towel on it or you can clip your GPS when you are on cart-path only days. That way you don’t have to put it on the ground.”

Campos’ invention keeps his and pos grips from touching the Cam ert Rob r nto inve Putter Buddy in January. ground and alleviates golfwife at the PGA Show in Orlando ers from having to bend over every hole to pick up their clubs from the ground. Because the clubs the cleats will last two or three months.

With the product ready for distribution, are propped up, the grips never touch the ground to get wet when playing those Terrell hopes the market responds.

“You throw them in your briefcase or you early morning or late afternoon rounds bag and you are ready to go if you want to or after it rains.

“I was pretty much just making them to play an impromptu round golf,” he said. “I think the niche for it is golfers that travel; support my golf habit at first,” he said. that’s basically what they were designed “Once I took my wife’s idea to make it for. If your bag is 14 pounds over at the into different colors, one thing led to anairport, it costs you $75 at the airport. other and here we are at the PGA Merchandise show.”

This will pay of itself.”

Campos said it took nine years before he Campos tells a similar story of how the finally launched the product in late 2013. idea for Putter Buddy was born.

“The reason was because I lost two As of the January merchandise show, he wedges I really liked,” he said “When I said he had sold 5,000 units.

“It’s been way beyond my expectations,” bought the third one, I had spent about $450 replacing them and I said this has Campos said. “It’s surreal for me to even got to stop. I looked to see if there was be here.”

The Putter Buddy comes in a variety of something on the market to help me not forget to leave my clubs behind. There colors, and each color represents a chariwasn’t much in the way of something that table foundation. One dollar from each could fit in your bag, something not ex- sale is donated to the charitable foundation of the color purchased. pensive and not cumbersome or bulky.”

For more information about these prodSo, Campos went to work in his garage trying to make a device that would help ucts, go to stickoncleats.com and putterbuddy.com. keep him from leaving his clubs behind.

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Emily Anderson retirement party at Ted Rhodes GC

In April 1985, Emily Anderson began work as a concessions clerk at Shelby Golf Course.

A stint at Two Rivers GC followed, and eventually Anderson landed at Ted Rhodes, where she became assistant manager.

So, why work at a golf course? For a couple of reasons, really. For one. Anderson loves golf and it was an opportunity to play for free while pursuing a career with Metro Parks.

Anderson quickly found out there wasn’t as much time to play free golf because her job kept her pretty busy most of the time.

Thirty years later, Anderson was the recipient of multiple hugs and a wide array of cards and gifts as she heads into retirement.

Her family and friends wanted to make sure she went out in style.

“I’ll miss all of my co-workers and my men and my girls,” she said.

“Emily will be missed by so many coworkers and customers who consider her a valued friend,” said Wayne Evans, the manager at Ted Rhodes. “It has been an honor for me to work with her. She is so much more than a valued member of this staff; she is much more like family.”

Added Tommy Lynch, Director of Parks & Recreation, “Emily Anderson was a valued

Emily Anderson and Jack Loudon

Nashville Duffers provided food & drinks in appreciation of Emily.(l-r) Willie Sales, Emily, and James Overton

employee during her 30 years of employment with Parks. The golfers found a friendly banter when interacting with Emily, and she protected our interests at every turn. She will be missed by all.”

Anderson’s retirement celebration featured plenty of food and drink, including a mammoth cake provided by the Nashville Duffers, who play regularly at the course.

“You packed them in,” one of the Duffers said. “The parking lot is full.”

Anderson’s retirement plans are numerous.

“I intend to take all my family who want to go to Disney World in Orlando in October, and yes, I will probably play some golf, she said. “Another thing that I would love to do is volunteer with Special Olympics. I’ve fallen in love with our special Olympian, Josh Putnam, my hero, who works here at Ted Rhodes G.C. part time. He has opened my eyes to the possibilities and capabilities of those who might contribute, even though they may have a slight handicap. He is a joy and I am thankful we saw fit to hire this great young man.”

(l-r)Granville Lyons Jr. and old friend Tommy Lynch, Director of Parks and Recreations

Just some of Emily’s men, (l-r) McDonald, Reuben(Rabbit) Key, Milton Sanders and Emily

(l-r) John Holmes, Assistant Director of Parks, Wayne Evans, PGA Pro & GM at Ted Rhodes GC, Shirley Ghee, Concessions Manager, Ted Rhodes GC, Emily Anderson and Tommy Lynch, Director of Metro Parks

Josh Putnam gives Emily a “bear” hug

Emily’s “gals”(l-r) Jan Watson, Cynthia Dahlgren, Two Rivers GM, Martha Choate, Emily, and Sally Davis, Asst. Director of Metro Parks

Family: (top) (l-r) Tiffany Purcell, granddaughter, Melissa Brewer, daughterin-law, Everett Brewer, son, Allen Brewer, son and Kristi Brewer, daughter-in-law.

Bottom: Bailey and Devon Purcell, Emily’s great grandchildren

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April 2015

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23

Put Mission Inn Resort on your must-play list

By Joe Hall Tee Times Publisher

swing. Mission Inn also is the Central Florida Las Colinas No. 5 green location for the Bird Golf Academy.

Recreational amenities include golf, tennis, trap and skeet shooting range, jogging and bicycling trails, volleyball courts, outdoor pool and hydrospa, fitness center, and a marina offering fishing, powerboat and eco-touring.

The 6,200-square-foot Spa Marbella provides an extensive array of treatments and services. More than 30,000 square feet of well-appointed indoor and outdoor event space is available for meetings, banquets, holiday parties, weddings and special occasions.

The property features three restaurants with spectacular views and a distinct historical significance.

Although it seems remote, Mission Inn Resort and Club is located just a few miles off the Florida turnpike. It’s well worth the detour to experience the “old Florida” charm and elegance. It should be on everyone’s stay and play list when visiting the Sunshine State. www.missioninnresort.com

A perfect, but hectic week at the PGA Merchandise Show came to an end in the form of a relaxing stay at Mission Inn and Resort, about 30 miles northeast of Orlando.

Located in Howie-in-theHills, Florida, Mission Inn Resort & Club has 176 guestrooms, suites and villas; three restaurants, two lounges and a poolside bar.

The property is family owned, dating to the early 1900s. Spanish architecture gives Mission Inn a hint of old Florida and remains eye-catching.

In addition to the relaxing, away-from-it-all setting, Mission Inn has two excellent golf course offerings in El Campeon (The Champion) and Las Colinas (The Hills).

El Campeon is one of the oldest courses in the South, featuring classic design elements from the time period in which it was constructed. Chicagobased architect George O’Neil designed the 18hole layout, and it underwent changes in 1926 by Charles E. Clark, of Troon, Scotland.

Las Colinas (The Hills) lives up to its name with wide fairways rolling over gentle rises. Both courses feature large, undulating greens, are surrounded by tropical vegetation, and water is a key design element for both.

El Campeon and Las Colinas are recognized on Golf Digest’s list of “Best Places to Play” in North America.

If you need to fine-tune your game, Mission Inn has a 30,000 square-foot driving range, practice bunkers with target greens and a 10,000 square-foot putting green.

Gary Anderson’s Schematic Golf calls Mission Inn home. Anderson uses schematic drawings and high-tech equipThis is what greeted us on the 18th ment to demonstrate the preferred golf hole of El Campeon golf course

Mission Inn Spanish architecture Clubhouse

El Campeon Hole No. 8 with Hotel in background

Tee Up Your Next Event With Us

Call today to learn more.

615-458-6800

Serene Surroundings | Flexible Function Space for up to 500 Award-Winning Catering | Complimentary Parking Social Events • Weddings • Corporate Events • Retreats & Team Building • Golf Outings El Campeon Hole No. 16

Gaylord Springs Golf Links | 18 Springhouse Lane, Nashville, TN 37214

GaylordSprings.com

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TEE TIMES

April 2015

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