Tee Times August 2016

August 2016 Keeping Golfers Connected in TN, KY, MS, AL, NC

August 2016

D ynamic duo making

things happen at The Legacy Pages 2-3

Inside!!

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Brownie points: Allison Brown

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Divine nine?

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Pursell Farms:

comfortable on the TGA’s administrative side

Sweetens Cove ranks as Tennessee’s best Great golf and a whole lot more

Kevin Holler Director of Golf

Chet Frazier General Manager

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August 2016

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Dynamic duo making things happen at The Legacy

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor There’s something happening here.

The opening line to the old Buffalo Springfield song “For What It’s Worth” is a perfect segue into what’s transpiring at The Legacy Golf Club in Springfield, a Raymond Floyd design in Robertson County that opened in 1996.

Good things are happening at The Legacy, and they aren’t by accident. Hard work by entire staff, including director of golf Kevin Holler and general manager/superintendent Chet Frazier in the past 19 months have resulted in better playing conditions and an increase in rounds played.

And the dynamic managerial duo is confident the Cornerstone Golf Partners-managed facility only good things are ahead for The Legacy.

“The biggest change has been

the condition of the course,” said Holler, who earned his Class A PGA status in 1989 and has been in the golf business ever since.

“The entire golf course has improved under Chet Frazier and his crew. Consistent conditions on a daily basis and making improvements when we can such as drainage, bunker renovations and cart path repair have made a big difference for the golfers.”

Frazier said he noticed an immediate need for improvement when he arrived at the property the same day as Holler in December 2014.

“Upon first visiting The Legacy, I really fell in love with the surrounding area,”Frazier said. “It is a lot like the part of rural Alabama that I grew up in. On top of that, The Legacy is an outstanding layout. I knew we had to change the atmosphere surrounding The Lega-

cy. We needed to improve golf course conditions and provide consistency in the product. We also needed to improve customer service and relations. “ At 6,755 yards from the tips, the 20-year-old course is not long by today’s standards. That doesn’t mean it isn’t challenging, though.

With a mix of tight fairways and challenging greens, The Legacy is a good test for players of any skill level

Kevin Holler

PGA Professional and Director of Golf, Kevin Holler (L), assistant professionals, Josh Young and Christian Spicer. while being fun at the same time.

Frazier tackled the course conditions and Holler was instrumental in turning customer service into a positive.

“The most obvious issue was the poor condition of the fairways, which had suffered severe winterkill the previous winter and had not fully healed,” Frazier said. “Bunkers were another area of immediate need. Perhaps the most pressing need was to mend relationships with the customer base. There was a lot of negativity surrounding The Legacy. It was clear that we had to quickly get the right people in place and train the staff to provide consistently excellent customer service. We never want The Legacy to be viewed with the negative

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Chet Frazier

August 2016 cess of the property.

“I’m fortunate to have a very good staff in golf operations and food and beverage that focus on meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations on a daily basis,” he said. “The food and beverage operation has also improved through customer service and new menu items that everyone seems to enjoy.”

In addition to Holler, the golf operations staff includes assistant professionals Christian Spicer and Josh Young. Outside operations includes Dick Joyce, Neal Merlis, Alfred Cherry, Austin White, Jaron Brewster, Justin Pate and Caitlyn Holler.

Linda Lambert heads the food and beverage operation that includes Samantha Miller, Karen Andrews, Rose Kooshian and Eva Jones.

The Legacy maintenance crew completing a bunker renovation. (L-R) Assistant superintendent, John Hughes, Garrett Brock, Brandon Baird, Quentin Richards, & Paul Hercherhaun. Not shown: John Messina & Alan Nash

connotation of “the local muni.”

The quality of the golf course demands that the conditions and the service be that of an upscale, daily-fee course. That is our goal on a daily basis.”

Improved course conditions are just one part of what’s happening at The Legacy. Since his arrival, Holler started a men’s golf association that features 10 tournaments and incorporates money and points standings.

“That’s something that the players look forward to competing against with each other on a regular basis,” he said.

Improved customer service and amenities such as food and beverage service are other areas Holler has stressed to his staff as being crucial to the suc-

The maintenance staff consists of assistant superintendent John Hughes, who has been at The Legacy for 15 years; equipment manager Mike Russell, foreman Brandon Baird, and operators Paul Hercherhaun, Garrett Brock, John Messina and Allen Nash.

Holler and Frazier realize they and their staff have to continue to push forward to keep The Legacy relevant among customers. Maintaining the status quo isn’t good enough in a competitive golf market that features a plethora of options from which to choose. That’s why they are focused on continuing along a path of course improvements and finding ways to increase the customer base.

“Future plans include improvements to the golf course in terms of drainage and bunker renovations,” Holler said. “We want to continue to grow the game to all types of players. We want to increase opportunities for junior golf, grow the men’s golf association and start a ladies golf association.”

He also knows that if a good course and customer service go a long way in getting repeat customers.

“It’s no secret that golfers want to be greeted with a smile, called by their name, have good course conditions,

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great tasting food and drink, fun and competitive golf and a thank you for coming out to play,” he said.

It’s a simple formula for success, and they are doing it quite well at The Legacy. Look no further than the difference in fiscal year returns for the past two year.

“The feedback has been extremely positive in regards to course conditions and customer service,” Frazier said. “The most impressive feedback has been the increased play levels.

Numbers don’t lie.”

Frazier and Holler arrive in the middle of the 2015 fiscal year that runs from July to June.

When the 2015 fiscal year was over, it was the worst revenue year in the 20-year history of The Legacy.

The just completed 2016 fiscal year proved to be the best.

“To go from the worst revenue generating year to the best in a one-year period was more than we could have hoped for,” Frazier said. “That is surely the most positive feedback we could have received.”

Yes, there’s something happening here. And it’s pretty clear that it’s all good at The Legacy.

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August 2016

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August 2016

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From tHE Editor

By Gregg Dewalt

Go West to Palm Springs for a golf adventure It’s not a mirage – far from it.

But Palm Springs sure is a real-life oasis in the middle of the desert.

And what an oasis it is. World class golf. Eclectic shopping. Trendy dining. Palm Springs has got a little bit of everything going for it, including a storied history.

A longtime playground getaway for the rich and famous – they don’t name streets for Dinah Shore, Bob Hope and Sammy Davis Jr. for no apparent reason, ya know – Palm Springs is a solid destination to plan a golf getaway. Its collection of golf courses takes a back seat to none with places like TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, Classic Club, Mission Inn and Indian Wells.

Palm Springs is best known in golf circles for serving as the

PGA West No. 17 “Alcatraz”

PUBLISHER Joe Hall pgegolf@bellsouth.net EDITOR Gregg Dewalt

SENIOR EDITOR David Widener widecard@aol.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carol Hall teetimescarol@bellsouth.net

host site for the Bob Hope Desert Classic (now the CareerBuilder Challenge) and the Dinah Shore Classic (now the Ana Inspiration, the first LPGA major each season).

Blame the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West if you want to know why the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s courses are so tough. Dr. David Bronner, who came up with the idea for the

Indian Wells Golf Resort

RTJ Golf Trail, was inspired by how tough PGA West was and impressed by how people lined up to pay to torture themselves on such a tough test.

How tough is PGA West?

Consider the slope rating from the tournament tee is and 148 with a course rating

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jon Hamilton jonh2520@att.net

TECHNICAL ADVISOR Jimmy Phillips

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Susan Lawrence

PRINTING Franklin Web Printing Company FOUNDER - Joey Smith

Established in 1991, Tee Times is published monthly, ten times per year. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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

of 75.8. It’s 140 and 73.1 from the championship tees, which seem to play a lot longer that the course listed 6,739 yards. Golf Traveler once named the Stadium Course the second toughest course in America and annually is among Golf Magazine’s Top 100 courses you can play.

It’s a typical Pete Dye creation – devilish from tee to green but it’s easy to get lost in the course’s beauty. Any trip west to Palm Spring should include 18 at the Stadium Course at PGA West. One tip – bring a few extra golf balls.

You’ll be glad you did.

Another must-play course on a visit to Palm Springs is the Classic Club, an Arnold Palmer design that hosted the Bob Hope Desert Classic between 2006 and 2008. Stretching to 7,322 yards, the Classic Club’s slope from the tournament tees is a lofty 144 with a rating of 75.8. Of course, you don’t have to play it from the tips. It has six sets of tees to cater to all levels of play.

That doesn’t mean it is easy. The course is routed through 30 acres of lakes and streams, but has generous fairways.

The Classic Club is managed by Troon Golf, so you the experience is going to be a good one.

The Westin Mission Hills features two courses – another Pete Dye design and a Gary Player offering. Both are outstanding, with the Dye course sneaky tough and the Player course a little more player friendly.

Rounding out a nice fivecourse rotation to play is the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells. A Clive Clark design,

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the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells is another course that annually ranks among Golfweek’s “Best Courses You Can Play” category.

Of course, there are plenty of other great golf options in Palm Springs, which has often billed itself as the ‘golf capitol of the world.’ For golfers in the mid-South, Palm Springs isn’t always on the radar or the first option for golf trips.

But it should be.

Prime golf months in Palm Springs are from November through March when temperatures are average between 70 (December, January) and 80 (March) for highs, and low 40s to upper 50s. And the views of the San Jacinto Mountains? Let’s just say they are real and they are spectacular.

Author and newspaper editor Horace Greeley is famous for his “Go West, young man,” quote.

For golfers seeking a new destination to conquer, Greeley offers solid advice. Palm Springs is worth a look. I can vouch that you won’t be disappointed.

Keep it in the fairway, Gregg

Classic Club Golf Course No. 6

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August 2016

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Coughlin storms to Tennessee Women’s Open title Tee Times report

CROSSVILLE – For Lauren Coughlin, it was all about the finish.

Coughlin, of Charlottesville, Virginia, shot a 6-under-par 66 in the final round to rally for her first professional victory in the Golf Capital of Tennessee Women’s Open.

Coughlin opened with rounds of 70-76 and was in eighth place, five shots off the lead being held by Jordan Britt and Laura Restrepo at Stonehenge Golf Club.

But Britt shot 73 and Restrepo 74 to open the door for Coughlin, who made eight birdies and two bogeys in the final round. It was Coughlin’s third tournament as a professional.

Lindsey McPherson of Flushing, Michigan, finished second at 3-under- par 213. Amateur Blakesly Warren of Chattanooga, and Allie Knight of Knoxville finished tied for third with a three-day total of 2-under-par 212.

The Tennessee Golf Associa-

tion and the Women’s Competitions Committee would like to thank title sponsor, the City of Crossville, Stonehenge Golf Club and the Fairfield Glade community for their support of the 2016 Tennessee Women’s Open . The 2016 championship marks the 13th year the event has been hosted in Crossville and the eighth year it’s been held at Stonehenge Golf Club.

To see a complete list of scores from the final round, you can visit the scoring site. For information on the Golf Capi2016 Women’s Open Champion-Lauren Coughlin tal of Tennessee with Championship Chair, Jean St. Charles Women’s Open Championship, please visit the event site.

The Golf Capital of Tennessee Women’s Open is one of the 18 championships the Tennessee Golf Association conducts annually. Information for the TGA can be found on the association’s Tee Times report

website.

In 1914, the TGA was organized at Memphis Country Club as an association of private clubs. The objective of the Association, as stated in its Constitution, “shall be to promote the game of golf in Tennessee.”

From these small origins, the TGA has become an association which now includes over 200 member clubs, courses and organizations, compromised of over 32,000 individuals from across the state. For information on the TGA, visit us online at tngolf.org/tga.

Stovall rallies in final round for Girls Junior Am title

Winchester’s Malia Stovall didn’t let something like a three-shot deficit prevent her from winning the Tennessee Girls Junior Amateur title.

Stovall fired a closing 1-over-par 74 to vault to the championship with a 54-hole total of 224 at The Course at Sewanee.

Collierville’s Baili Park finished second with a three-day total of 226, while second-round leader, Rachael McMahan, of Knoxville, finished third at 228.

Manchester’s Ashley Gilliam finished fourth at 229, and Franklin’s Angelina Chan rounded out the top five at 230.

The Course at Sewanee is a championship nine-hole course designed by world renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse located in Sewanee.

For more information on the Tennessee Girls’ Junior Amateur, go to www.tngirlsjunior.com. Or contact the TGA Women’s Competitions office at 615.465.6307 or email Allison Brown, the Director of Women’s Golf, at abrown@tngolf.org.

The TGA Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship is one of 18 state championships that the Tennessee Golf Association conducts annually. In 1914, the TGA was organized at Memphis Country Club as an association of private clubs. The objective of the Association, as stated in its constitution, “shall be to promote the game of golf in Tennessee.”

From these small origins, the TGA has become an association which now in-

cludes over 200 member clubs, courses and organizations, comprised of over 32,000 individuals from across the state.

For more information on the TGA, visit us online at tngolf.org/tga.

Malia Stovall

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August 2016

TGA’s Allison Brown finds happiness behind the scenes

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor While playing collegiately at the University of Alabama, Allison Brown realized her path to stay involved in golf wasn’t going to be competing professionally.

Instead, Brown chose a different career path, one that likely will keep her in the game for as long as she wants. She got into the administrative and operations part of the game, and she’s been on the move ever since.

Brown currently is the Director of Women’s Golf at the Tennessee Golf Association, a job she has held since February 2015. The short version is that Brown is the queen of women’s golf in Tennessee. Or something like that.

“I administer the women’s competitions for the TGA,” she said. “I work in conjunction with the members of the Women’s Competition Committee for our events, as well as in the promotion of golf across the state. I work on the schedule and securing host sites, administering each event as well as the course set-up for each event.”

There’s more to it than meets the eye, especially when a person wants everything to be perfect.

“For me, the hardest part of the job is achieving the goals of all the vested parties,” Brown said. “Everyone from the host facility staff, TGA staff, WCC members and the volunteers work so hard to produce the best event for the participants that anything less than perfect is tough.”

A Hope, Arkansas native who first began playing when she was five, Brown has a strong pedigree in the golf business since graduating from Alabama. She spent three years as a tournament director with the AJGA and one year as an assistant golf coach at LSU before moving to the LPGA Tour for five years where she was the manager of Rules and Competitions.

“Toward the end of my college career I realized I didn’t have the game to play professionally That’s when I began to pursue opportunities on the administration side of the game. I’m happy to say that I did make it to the LPGA tour after all,” she joked. “It was a different path than I thought it would be, but one that was a dream come true.”

Those experiences prepared her for her latest job. “(Having been a player in college), I think gives you a good perspective when you are setting up a course for a competition,” Brown said.

“Regardless of your skill level, you can bring a first-hand thought process to each situation.”

She can also lean on her older sister, Margo Coleman, for advice. Coleman is the Executive

Director of the Mississippi Golf Association. It was Margo that influenced Brown to start playing golf because as the little sister, Brown saw Margo playing golf with their father and wanted to join in.

TGA Executive Director Matt Vanderpool raves about all the qualities Brown has brought to the association.

“When Allison joined our staff last year she brought a lot of experience from her time as a college coach and as an official with the LPGA Tour,” Vanderpool said. “She

Allison and husband Jason with their fur baby Nola

has a real passion for growing women’s golf, and we have been able to capitalize on that passion along with her experience. In turn, we have elevated our women’s state championships to a new level.”

Vanderpool said Brown’s outgoing personality has made her a perfect fit for her job.

“She has an infectious personality and is one of the people who has never met a stranger,” he said. “She interacts so well with our Women’s Competitions Committee, championship players and host facility staff which enables us to provide a wonderful atmosphere for our players in our competitions.”

Like most people in the golf business, opportunities to play are few and far between. But she stil enjoys playing.

“I have made it a goal to play more this year and so far I am on track,” said Brown, who noted that her job keeps her from playing competitively. “I am very competitive and still have the goal of qualifying for some events; however, these days I am content to make solid contact.”

While working for the LPGA, Brown was fortunate to be on some of the world’s biggest stages in women’s professional golf. She officiated at all of the LPGA majors and at the Solheim Cup and the Women’s World Cup. After all of those experiences, now, she’s content doing her thing at the TGA and helping grow the women’s game.

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Around Nashville Fairways John Holmes Assistant Director of Parks

MUNI Champions and Two Rivers getting new greens

rieties that were available at that time.

In the early 1990s, the greens were totally rebuilt to USGA spec greens and Bentgrass was installed, which is what we had until now.

The replacing of Bentgrass with Bermuda is being done in house, with the crew of Two Rivers Golf Maintenance and the help of Consolidated Park Maintenance. We have had help from Golf Maintenance Group who actually sprigged all the greens; they made some minor changes to No. 3 green to increase overall pin locations.

Brennan Merritt, greenskeeper at Two Rivers, started the process and he has been in charge of seeing this through.

His crew has done a great job and has been ready to take on the challenge.

It’s that time of the summer when we mium playing condiconduct the James H Fyke Municipal tions and having BerAmateur Championships or the MUNI. muda does that for us.

Congratulations to our 2016 Champion Two Rivers, one Rob Garland, who won this champion- of seven public golf ship in 2009 as well. Our 2016 Wom- courses in Metro en’s champion is Katie Story, a well parks, was built in the know competitor in middle Tennes- early 1970s with Bersee. Thanks to all who participated and muda grass greens, come September we will look forward either 328 Bermuda to the Senior Men’s MUNI. or Tifdwarf Bermuda, We are excited to report that the Two as those were the vaRivers greens project kicked off July 1. Phil Luckett, in charge of golf course maintenance, offers this update and an explanation of how and why we went about converting the greens.

Looking at the trends in the industry, and wanting to offer the latest and newest challenges to our patrons was part of the decision to replace Bentgrass with Bermuda greens. A hot and humid summer like we are having this year is another reason to offer Bermuda greens in our package of courses. While the Bent(L-R) Jim Fyke, for whom the MUNI tournaments are grass is struggling this summer, named, 2016 MUNI Women’s Champion, Katie Story, Bermuda is thriving so we felt and Sally Davis, for whom the trophy is named. that we need to offer those pre-

Watering, sun, and TLC by Two Rivers Crew and the greens are blossoming!

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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

Two Rivers Two Rivers Parkway • 615-889-2675

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

VinnyLinks 2009 Sevier Street • 615-880-1720

(L-R) Jim Fyke, MUNI founder, two time champ Rob Garland,(2009) and Danny Gibson, retired Park’s Superintendent of Golf, for whom the trophy is named.

Greens were taken back out to the existing sprinkler heads.

The No. 3 green was slightly enlarged because there was not enough pin locations to evenly spread out the wear of play.

We are installing Tifeagle Ultradwarf Bermudagrass because we feel it will give us the best quality surface with the least inputs. Budget is a big factor for us, as we do not have the resources like some other course in our area.

Currently, this is the only planned conversion of greens in the Metro Parks golf Courses. We will be evaluating this process and how the public responds when it is complete.

As of now, the greens are growing in at Two Rivers Golf Course and we plan to open by early fall. We are excited for our regulars and all who love the course to come out when we open for play.

Thanks Phil, we appreciate this update.

Until next time, keep it in the fairway- John Holmes

Metro Parks Nashvillefairways.com

Sprigs of grasses turn into lush greens

Crew takes green back to “Mother Earth”

August 2016

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5 teams emerge victorious at Harold Eller Pro-Am Tee Times report OLD HICKORY – Humid weather and popup showers were a mere hindrance for competitors in the National Car Rental Harold Eller Pro-Am at Old Hickory Country Club.

When the 36-hole event was over, it was the Nick Bailes team winning the Ervin Division and the Eller Division finishing in a four-way tie.

After the first round, James Paschal’s team and host professional Joey Hickman’s team shared the lead with matching 59s on the par-71 layout. Paschal’s team’s round was highlighted with two eagles, while Hickman’s team made 12 birdies.

Bailes and Braxton Hunter’s teams were one shot back with matching 60s.

Three teams – Audie Johnson, Jake Reeves, Josh Wheeler – each shot 60 to lead the Eller Division in the first round.

Bailes and team members Steve Mann, Jake Stribling and Phil Smith held on for the win in the Ervin Division with a second-round 59

to finish at 119. Three teams – Bryan Combith, Mark Houser and Jimbo Hicks each shot 58 in the final round but came up short.

Paschal’s team finished second at

Eller division winners, Nick Garretson, Audie Johnson, Casey Moore, Ryan Botts

120.

One shot separated the top seven teams in the Eller Division. Teams led by Johnson, Reeves, Andrew Kincaid and Randy Helton each finished with two-round totals of 122 to share first place.

Johnson’s team members included Nick Garretson, Ryan Botts and Casey Moore. Helton’s team featured Whit Turnbow, Patrick Bell and Dan Crockett. Kincaid’s team consisted of Trenton Johnson, Dawson Armstrong and Dowling Armstrong. Reeves; team consisted of Jeff Golliher, Steve Golliher and Bobby Holcomb.

Individual winners were Kevin Snell, who shot 137 to win the Regular Professional Division; Dowling Armstrong and Ryan Botts tied at 136 to win the Scratch Amateur Division; Mitch Hufstetler shot 139 to win the Senior Scratch Amateur Division; and Phil Smith won the Old Hicko-

Ervin division winners, Phil Smith, Nick Bailes, Jake Stribling

ry Member Net Division with 138.

Braxton Hunter’s birdie on No. 4 was the worth a $500 skin in the first round of the True Temper Professional Skins game, while Jeff Page, Kass Kovalcheck, Braxton Hunter, Kelvin Burgin, Daryl Edens and Jimbo Hicks (2) collected $71.43 for each of their skins in the second round.

The Tennessee PGA would like to thank to Joey Hickman, PGA, and the rest of the staff at Old Hickory Country Club for making this tournament possible.

A special thank you to National Car Rental for sponsoring this year’s Harold Eller ProAm. Without the support of our sponsors, the Tennessee PGA’s events would not be made possible.

If you have missed Sevierville’s PGA professional and head pro of late, well, it is with good reason.

She and husband Sco­tt and three big sisters welcomed

Ellie Kate McGaha into their hearts on July 19. She arrived at 3:55 a.m, weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

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Opinion

By David Widener

Member Golf Writers Association of America

Golf’s return to Olympics deserved better I have long been an advocate during my journalism career of having the sport of golf added to the Olympics, writing several columns on the subject expressing my view. It finally happened in 2009 when the committee decided to include golf in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Why not golf, when the Summer Olympics has badminton, handball, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis and trampoline, sports in which the USA has never medaled?

Adding golf was long overdue, 112 years to be exact. Golf’s last appearance in the Olympics came in 1904 at St. Louis when 80 players, a mix of 77 Americans and three Canadians, competed for medals. Toronto native George Lyon pulled off an upset to win the gold.

There was no women’s event that year, but this year 60 men and 60 women representing 41 nations sought medals on the Barra da Tijuca course, which was built despite environmentalists trying to halt its development.

That proved a minor crisis compared to other problems confronting Rio de Janeiro, mainly the ever-spreading Zika virus causing many of the athletes to opt out of going to the Olympics, especially most of the top ranked male golfers – Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, and Adam Scott. Meanwhile, every top female golfer opted to go to Rio. Seems the men are the Zika worrywarts.

There were other concerns: • It’s not a good sign when protesting policemen greet visitors to Rio’s international airport with a sign proclaiming “Welcome to Hell…

Whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.”

• The discovery of “super bacteria” off Rio’s beaches and in the lagoon where canoe and rowing competition took place.

• Parts of a mutilated body washed up on the sands of Copacabana, just yards from the Olympic beach volleyball venue.

• Upon checking into the athletes’ village, the Australians de-

scribed the housing as “dangerous,” declining to enter their rooms after flushed toilets and open taps caused water to gush down walls and ceilings in the building. They also complained of electrical shorts and gas leaks.

With all that going on, can you really blame the athletes who didn’t go to Rio or should we ‘Blame It On Rio,’ which incidentally was the title of a 1984 movie starring Michael Caine, Valerie Harper and Demi Moore? As a sportswriter/golf writer who did a lot of traveling covering different sporting events, including a trip to Scotland for the British Open, I would not want to go to Rio. However, I did watch them, something McIlroy said he probably wasn’t going to do when it comes to the golf competition.

Comments by McIlroy and Scott do no justice to the game of golf. McIlroy said he “probably would watch events like track and field, swimming, diving, the stuff that matters. I don’t think I’ve let the game down by not going. I got into golf to win championships, not to try and grow the game.” Said Scott: “Whether I win an Olympic medal or not is not going to define my career. It’s all about the four majors and I think that’s the way it should stay for golf.”

Some do think an Olympic medal and representing your country is special. Rickie Fowler said he was looking forward to “wearing some red, white and blue in Rio.” Serena Williams, the world’s No. 1 female tennis player, said her Olympic medRickie are “the one thing I have Fowler als that I love the most.”

Perhaps it would be better to invite only amateurs, who would cherish a fleeting moment on a medals platform and not those who measure their success by other competitions and monetary considerations.

A better choice for the Olympics committee would have been to bring golf back in 2012 when the Games were held in London, England, where there are many world class courses or hold off until four years from now when the Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo, Japan, which is rabid for the sport of golf.

There was a saving grace on the men’s side -- Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar put on a final-round show worthy of a major, with Rose savoring his Gold medal.

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Rennell captures Tennessee Women’s Amateur Championship

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Tee Times report NASHVILLE – Riley Rennell started fast, survived Alexandra Farnsworth’s back-nine comeback and held on to win the 84th Tennessee Women’s Amateur Championship recently at Hillwood Country Club.

It was the first women’s state am title for Rennell, a Columbia resident, who outlasted Farnsworth 2 and 1.

Playing excellent golf, Rennell opened a quick 3-up lead through four holes on the strength of a trio of birdies. She made the turn 4-up and appeared to be on her way to a decisive victory.

Farnsworth had other ideas, though. A birdie on the 285-yard par-4 No. 10 cut the Rennell’s lead to 3-up, and a birdiepar stretch on Nos. 13-14 suddenly had the Nashville resident only down one with four holes to play.

Rennell rebounded with a birdie to win No. 15, and when both players made pars on Nos. 16-17, she had the victory.

Danielle Bates of Benton beat Erica Chappell 1 up to win the First

(L-R) Allison Brown, Director of Women’s Golf - TGA Mary Kelly, Women’s Amateur Championship Chair, Riley Rennell - 2016 Women’s Amateur Champion, Ginny Zanca, Chair of the TGA Women’s Competitions Committee and Libbey Hagewood, Women’s Competitions Committee Member

Hillwood’s PGA Professional and Director of Golf, Mike Lathrop extends congrats to Riley Rennell

Oak Hills Club Championship August 6-7

RESULTS Gross Scores for Men 18-49 1 Kyle Binkley +5 74 71 145 2 Harry Lewis Mayo +9 72 77 149 3 Lane Hooper +10 75 75 150 Gross Scores for Men 50-59 1 Bill Vernich +13 76 77 153 2 Eric Dickson +17 80 77 157 3 Rick Binkley +18 80 78 158 Gross Scores for Men 60-69 1 Coach Jim Norris +18 78 80 158 2 Jerry Anderson +19 74 85 159 3 Jimmy Grubbs +27 81 86 167

Kyle Binkley Joy Anderson

Gross Scores for Men 70-79 1 Carl Freeman +4 73 71 144 2 Jerry Fagg +33 87 86 173 3 Bob L Walker +34 89 85 174 Gross Scores for Womens Division 1 Joy Anderson +20 80 80 160 2 Sarah West +29 88 81 169 3 Jamie C Walker +33 78 95 173

Flight.

In the Second Flight, Julie Marr of Gallatin beat Karin Rader-Carson 5 and 4 for the victory.

Ally Nicole Smith of Clarksville beat Kelsey Cassada of Cleveland 2 and 1 to win the Third Flight.

The Fourth Flight winner was Linda Bautista of Brentwood, winning 5 and 3 over Marianne Fischer of

Bristol.

For information on the Tennessee Women’s Amateur Championship, visit www.tnwomensam.com, or contact the TGA Women’s Competitions office at 615-465-6307 or email Allison Brown, the Director of Women’s Golf, at abrown@tngolf. org.

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How Sweetens Cove it is

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor Who said great golf courses have to come wrapped up in tidy 18-hole packages?

Nope, that’s not always the case.

Sometimes greatness can be found in rural Tennessee in the form of nine exquisite holes.

For proof, look no further than Sweetens Cove Golf Club near South Pittsburg. It’s been called the “best ninehole course in the United States” by multiple architectural critics, and recently was named the “best course in Tennessee” by Golfweek – and that’s including all of its 18-hole brethren.

Sweetens Cove, just 25 minutes from downtown Chattanooga and just off I-24, was built on what used to be called Sequatchie Valley Golf Course. In an interview with Golfweek, Rob Collins, half of the design team and the visionary who transformed the

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Rob Collins, co-owner and designer, stands on the No.1 tee box

site into what is now Sweetens Cove, called Sequatchie Valley ‘the worst course I have ever seen. It was pasture golf.”

Not anymore, and not by a long shot.

Collins and design partner Tad King, both who formerly worked with Gary Player design, took a hard-scrabble plot of land and turned it into an unforgettable masterpiece that takes a back seat to no course. Imagine a links course with classic design features at the edge of the Cumberland Plateau.

Unthinkable, right?

Waste bunkers with guard the green. NO native grasses RA

KES HERE!

Sweetens Cove didn’t happen overnight. The project started and stopped and was several years in the making. It opened in 2014, and has been playing to rave reviews ever since.

Among the striking features of Sweetens Cove are the grandiose fairways and mammoth

Course. Sweetens is that sweet,” he has been quoted as saying.

Just about every hole could be considered Sweetens Cove’s signature hole, but No. 4 is especially intriguing.

It’s a par 3 with a 20,000 square foot green that can play anywhere from 95 yards to 210 yards. Given the expansive

greens. But, don’t be deceived. There is a method to Collins’ madness when it comes to attacking each hole. Sure, the fairways are huge. But on most holes, a precise drive is crucial to having the best approach to attacking the hole.

“You can hit it anywhere but if you want to score you have to find the sweet spots,” Collins told Golfweek.

Ron Whitten, Golf Digest’s senior architecture editor and one of the most respected design critics in the industry, raves about Sweetens Cove.

“Collins and his partner, Tad King, hand-built a new course on site of bland old nine-hole Sequatchie Valley golf course, instilling such character and fun that, it could rival Mike Keiser’s Dunes Club as America’s Best Nine Hole

green, the tee shot can be completely blind, partly blind or completely visible.

Anthony Pioppi, golf historian and author of the book ‘To the Nines,’ wrote, ““Sweetens Cove … harkens back to one of the most influential golf courses ever built in the United States (Augusta National) …. Collins and his partner, (Tad) King, have embraced the original MacKenzie-Jones tenets with gusto. Writing about Augusta then, MacKenzie could have been describing Sweetens today.”

When your course is being compared to Augusta National by anyone in the know, it’s a good bet the course is something special.

Sweetens Cove is definitely that, and more.

No. 9, undulating huge green guarded by waste bunkers.

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Paris Landing GC gets new greens S

ummer has visited Tennessee in July.

We have been busy here on the Tennessee Golf Trail and enjoying the opportunity to be outside where it has been, to say the least, a little toasty. Take that as a reminder to hydrate and wear your sunscreen while enjoying the Tennessee Golf Trail.

For those of you who don’t know, we renovated the greens complexes at Paris Landing golf course in July, switching to Champion Bermuda in the process.

This will result in fewer chemicals and better putting surfaces during these hot summer months.

We are on schedule and look forward to opening in early September. Please continue to monitor our website at Tngolftrail. net for information about when the course will reopen.

There will be a few subtle changes in some of the putting surfaces and some new tees for your golfing pleasure. Keith Hickman and his staff are working hard to have everything looking good in September.

At the Bear Trace Harrison Bay in Chattanooga, Robin Boyer hosted the Tennessee Special Olympics event and a good time was had by

Harrison Bay State Park GC has hosted the Special Olympics since 1999

Staff prepares the spot for the new green looking out to the lake

Prep work by the Paris Landing GC maintenance crew prior to sprigging of new grasses Mike Nixon, takes a turn raking the base during the Paris Landing greens renovation

all.

Harrison Bay has been hosting this event each July since 1999 and hopes to have the opportunity to continue to do so in the future.

Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time and the competition was highly competitive in every aspect. Different sets of skills were challenged on the driving range and the course itself. All of the Special Olympics athletes met at the clubhouse

Special Olympians

for an awards luncheon after the competition concluded. It is truly nice to see these deserving kids All former greens go through same prep enjoy themselves with an by the Paris Landing maintenance crew afternoon at the golf course.

Don’t forget that all of our Tennessee Golf Trail courses have are available to you at your nearest some discounts for junior play. We TGT facility.

As always, please support your want to invest in our future as well Tennessee State Parks. as your children’s future. Please call All the best, or go on line to see what discounts Mike

Robin Boyer and his staff always look forward to the Special Olympics participants

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Benson brings playing experience to golf Tec instruction team Tee Times report

Graham Benson is pretty straight forward when asked why anyone should seek out instruction for their golf game.

“Nobody has any clue how to improve,” said Benson, who is one of the instructors at GOLFTEC. He has a point. Most golfers might think they know what’s going on with their swing, but a visit to a qualified instructor will reveal all of it flaws. In turn, the instructor can set up a regime to fix those flaws and set the player on a clear path for improvement.

Benson, who is from one of the coolest sounding hometowns in England (Leighton Buzzard), joined GOLFTEC in January.

He played collegiately at Southeastern Louisiana in the Southland Conference where he was an all-conference player, and then tested the PGA EuroPro Tour for a couple of years.

Before landing at GOLFTEC, he was at the Woborn Golf Club in England. Becoming a teaching professional is the culmination of a lifelong dream.

“I stared playing golf when I

was 10 and I decided when I was in college that I wanted to make a career of golf,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to teach.”

Benson’s wife has family in Nashville, thus the move from England to the Music City.

Benson’s teaching philosophy is relatively simple.

“Keeping the game as simple as possible to make it as fun as possible,” he said. “People can surprise themselves with what they can do when they seek instruction.”

Although he was already an accomplished teaching pro, when he joined GOLFTEC Benson spent seven days at GOLFTEC University in Denver. He

GolfTEC Coach Will Wright is suited up under the watchful eye of fellow Coach Graham Benson

Graham points out the data on the screen, ball speed, club speed, helpful when working with students

Graham Benson

GolfTEC coaches use many tools to help students

said the GOLFTEC system is proven to produce results.

“Swing evaluation is the first step in understanding what the individual needs to improve their game,” Benson said. “It sets out a game plan to follow to make the path to improvement as smooth and pain free as possible.”

Benson said many golfers don’t understand the techni-

cal aspects of the swing.

“There is a misunderstanding of what causes the ball to go where it goes; i.e., understanding the influence of the clubface angle and the swing path, and not hitting the middle of the face.”

Benson, who has given hundreds of lessons, provides instruction for all levels of players at GOLFTEC.

August 2016

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“Best Course You Can Play” - GolfWeek

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Golf Lessons • Custom Club Fitting • Club Repair

For more information or to book a tee time: GaylordSprings.com

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Equipment Corner Tour Edge unveils Hot Launch 2 product line Tour Edge Golf has turned 30 and is refocusing on its original brand message ‘Golf’s Most Solid Investment.’

The commitment to bring quality products to the market at an affordable price has been at the forefront of Tour Edge’s success and continuous growth. Now, Tour Edge announces that the new Hot Launch 2 product line fulfills this motto on every level through full customization, affordability, lifetime warranty, and a new 48-hour guaranteed delivery at no extra charge.

The new Hot Launch 2 expands on the ‘Golf’s Most Solid Investment’ mantra and what that means to players today.

“The story began 30 years ago because I felt there was a hole in the marketplace for quality golf clubs at an affordable price,” said David Glod, president and founder. “The current landscape of the golf industry has shown us that this is still true today and gives us a great opportunity to continue to fulfill that need. Our new Hot Launch 2 product line strengthens our commitment to the golf shop and consumers through a 48-hour shipping

guarantee and our lifetime warranty.”

Manufacturing smaller product runs allows Tour Edge to work differently than other, larger companies. For instance, the lifetime warranty is offered on every golf club manufactured by Tour Edge because of the quality and care taken during the production cycle.

The new shipping guarantee provides an industry-leading, 48-hour delivery of Hot Launch 2 clubs from the ordering process with customer service.

Whether the order is standard or custom, it will ship direct to the stores nationwide, arriving 48-hours later, at no additional fee.

The Hot Launch 2 product family represents custom affordability. The new line of products is customizable to each player’s specifications — loft, lie, length, shaft flex, grip size — at no

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extra cost.

Based on what is currently available in the golf industry, Hot Launch 2 clubs are the most affordable customizable products sold today.

Hot Launch 2 Drivers The 460cc adjustable driver is powered by cup face technology with standard loft options from 8.5 to 12.5 degrees in 1 degree increments. (MSRP $199.99) The offset driver encompasses a more offset hosel allowing the face to ‘square up’ at impact for straighter ball flight. (MSRP $169.99) Hot Launch 2 fairway woods: The club head utilizes variable face thickness for more rebound, and a heavier sole weight creates a deeper center of gravity for easy-to-hit shots.

(MSRP $129.99) The offset model positions the shaft line behind the club head to allow players more time to square the face at impact.

(MSRP $129.99) www.touredge.com

New Balance Golf introduces high-performance, lightweight athletic-style shoe New Balance has introduced the NBG2004 golf shoe, a lightweight, athletic-style cleated shoe with a waterproof microfiber upper and REVLite® midsole designed for ultimate comfort.

The NBG2004 is built on the new PW-1 last which is perfect for golf. The wider forefoot allows the toes to spread out for balance, while the lower instep height helps the foot stay connected to the ground, which improves overall feel and power.

The shallower toe box helps to keep the

forefoot locked in, while the narrower heel creates stability during the swing. The waterproof microfiber leather upper has an ultralight FantomFit™ support and a welded form-fitted tongue construction.

The REVlite® midsole, originally designed to provide lightweight cushioning to runners, is an innovative foam compound that delivers responsiveness, durability and a lightweight ride without sacrificing underfoot cushioning and stability.

The TPU outsole also features anatomically

placed grooves in the forefoot which provide flexibility and allow the shoe to move with the natural motion of your foot.

The NBG2004 uses the low-profile Champ Slim-Lok® Zarma Tour cleat system* with seven cleats, for better contact with the ground and the ability to harness more power with the swing.

The NBG2004 is backed by a two-year waterproof warranty.

Men’s NBG2004 • Colorways: White/Red; Grey/ Blue; Black/Green • Sizes: 8-12, 13, 14, 15, 16* Widths D, 2E,* 4E* (*select styles) • Weight: 11.6 oz.

• Suggested Retail: $119.95 • Available: September 15, 2016 • 2-year waterproof warranty

www.newbalance.com

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Bartlett’s Wilson recalls magical day at Augusta National

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor Toby Wilson is a rising senior at Bartlett High School who plays at Quail Ridge GC, and like most high school athletes he’s hoping that someone somewhere will offer him a college golf scholarship.

He had a busy summer on the tournament trail, too. There was a ninth-place finish at the Future Masters tournament in Dothan, Alabama. He won a USJGT event at The Links of Galloway in Memphis. There was a tie for fourth place in the USJGT Tour Championship at Greystone in Dickson.

Another highlight was being in contention for a berth in the FedEx St. Jude Classic – Wilson missed a playoff for a spot in the tournament by one shot. And, only a 79 in the final round of the Tennessee State Junior Championship kept him from a really nice finish in that tournament after opening with 73-69.

However, the absolute highlight of his young golf career so far was winning the 2015 Drive, Chip and Putt competition at the Augusta National Golf Club.

“I just missed qualifying for the finals by two points my first year, and I wanted a chance to compete and win at Augusta National,” Wilson said recently.

Who wouldn’t, especially when the Masters is a person’s favorite tournament?

“It’s definitely my favorite tournament, because of all the history and how beautiful Augusta National is,” Wilson said. “And, I have some history there of my own now too.”

Toby and Vince Gill at “The 2015 Vinny”

Wilson made it through three rounds of qualifying to advance to the finals at Augusta. It was an unforgettable experience, even before he won.

“Unbelievable,” he said. “I felt like a PGA pro when we were first driving down Magnolia Lane on the morning of the competition. Winning the national title was the best feeling ever.”

What made it even more special was that his family – parents Tony Sr. and Christy, brother Tony Jr. and his grandfather made the trip with him.

The 17-year-old Wilson isn’t just a one-trick pony when it comes to sports, though. While it obviously is his favorite sport, encouraged by his father to play when he was 10 years old, he plays basketball and has also played roller hockey.

“I play a lot of basketball; it helps keep me in shape and competing during the offseason,” he

Snell repeat winner at Tennessee Assistant PGA Professional Championship

Tee Times report had a two-shot win and a berth in the Assistant BRENTWOOD – Kevin Snell won his second con- Professional Championship at the PGA Golf Club secutive National Car Rental Tennessee Assistant in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

PGA Championship, but it was anything but easy.

Bevell, who finished second at 139, also earned Snell, who saw most of a five-shot lead in the a berth in the national tournament along with second round dwindle away, secured a two-shot Lundblad, who earned his spot by winning a win and a berth in the national Assistant Profes- three-hole playoff with Josh Webb. sional Championship in October with a laser iron Webb, Casey Flenniken and Mike Vance are aland a tap-in birdie on the 36th hole.. ternates.

Until he closed it out on the The Tennessee PGA final hole, the tournament title would like to thank Scott was up for grabs at The GoverBailey, PGA, and the rest nors Club. of the staff at The GoverSnell started fast in the first nors Club for making this round, fashioning a bogey-free tournament possible.

6-under 66 to grab a four-shot lead. Consistency was the key for (L-R) Josh Bevell, Champion Kevin Snell, and Erik Lundblad Snell, who made three birdies on each side.

Jake Bennett and Alex Cox were in second place after the first round with matching 70s. Lurking at 71 was Braxton Hunter and Erik Lundblad, while Josh Bevell shot 72.

It was Hunter and Bevell who put pressure on Snell in the final round. Both shot 4-underpar 32 on the front nine. Hunter couldn’t keep up the pace, but Bevell closed with a 67 while Snell was chugging along at even par. Snell came to the 18th hole with a one-shot lead and sealed it by rifling his approach to a foot from the hole.

When he tapped in the birdie and a 71, Snell

Toby and Ben Crenshaw, a former great PGA Professional Touring Pro

said. “I scored 33 goals the last year I played roller hockey, and last year my basketball team went undefeated last year.”

But it’s golf that stokes his competitive fire the most.

“Playing golf is my favorite thing to do, so it’s fun to practice and compete,” he said. “I especially like being in contention for a win. I love the competition and also the beauty of the golf courses.”

Drive, Chip, & Putt 2015 Champion!!

Wilson credits high school coach Kirby Gresham and swing coach Sam Kern at Ridgeway CC for helping him reach his current level of play.

He’s not sure where he’ll end up playing college golf, but he has Division I on his mind.

“My goal is to play on the Division I level, but I don’t know which school yet,” he said.

When he does sign his letter of intent to play college golf, no doubt the memory of one brilliant day at Augusta National won’t be far from his thoughts.

Bartlett High School Golf Team (2015): (L-R) Toby Wilson, Garrett Underhill, Tanner Wade, Dylan Bozarth, Dawson Jones, and Coach Kirby Grisham

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Pursell Farms getting better all the time

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor

the original 1853 antebellum home; • Opening of the Spring House spa treatment facility; • Opening of the ORVIS Shooting Grounds at Pursell Farms on Oct 7-8. ORVIS includes a clubhouse, retail space, a 12-station sporting clays course, fly-fishing and shooting school, and a private upland bird hunting program.

The golf course has annually been ranked among Golfweek’s best course you can play, and with good reason, too. Hurdzan and Fry created an outstanding mix of holes, utilizing the landscape’s multi-faceted terrain.

There are elevation changes and breathtaking vistas; the fairways are spacious and the large green complexes provide enticing targets.

SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Golfers know it simply as FarmLinks, one of the top golf courses in Alabama.

Thirteen years after opening, its reputation remains impeccable in the industry.

You might recognize the designers – Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, who designed Erin Hills, the venue for the 2017 U.S. Open.

That’s a pretty good place for a course to start when trying to get name recognition.

The golf course has long been established as a must-play venue for golf enthusiasts, but now founders Jimmy Pursell and David Pursell, are shifting the marketing emphasis to the overall property known as Pursell Farms. The golf course, while maintaining its overall excellence, is now a sub-brand of what the Pursells hope will become the premier corporate, sportsman and leisure resort in the Southeast.

“We are so much more than FarmLinks now,” notes Tim Spanjer, Pursell Farms Director of Marketing, who doubles as the entity’s creative art director and graphic designer. “We used to be simply a golf course, but I have been working to move the course Beautiful, peaceful No. 9 into its place beneath the Pursell Farms brand and allow it to thrive above the other awesome ameOne aspect that always has nities that we offer. We want to be a property that offers a host of amazing amenities set FarmLinks apart is the 28 whereby all are an equal draw and deliver varieties of turfgrass sprinexceptional experiences.” kled across the course.

A quick overview of the changes taking “(The grasses) truly are a place at Pursell Farms includes: memorial to the 10-year in• Construction of the 40-room The Inn at dustry program that thrived Pursell Farms, which will include a yet-to- here for so long when the Purbe-named restaurant, Old Tom’s Pub sports sell family had its own powerpub, conference space, and a pool with ca- ful fertilizer technology and was using the golf course to banas’ space; • Construction of a new wedding venue demonstrate the product to called Historic Hamilton Place, set against superintendents from all over

Sunset on No. 18

Scenic, breathtaking No. 5

the world,” Spanjer said.

Visitors to FarmLinks during that time included representatives from many top 100 courses, including Pebble Beach and Pine Valley and everywhere in between.

“We were the course that golf superintendent and industry turf grass professionals came to learn the “latest and greatest” technologies and green industry

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innovations,” Spanjer said.

Although those days are gone – the Pursell Family sold its fertilizer technology – the standard for maintenance remains. FarmLinks features Tour-quality conditions nearly year round.

FarmLinks has always been a player-friendly venue where customer service is a priority.

Spanjer says the goal is to make guests feel “like they are members of a country club.”

“We want our guests coming here to get the royal treatment and get the sense that we truly care about their needs and experience,” he said. “We like to say that we provide authentic genuine service in a way that is subtle but very intentional.”

While transitioning away from simply being known as a golf venue, Spanjer notes that one of the draws to the property is its beauty, serenity and uniqueness.

“There is a calm and a sense of relaxed escape that guests feel when they arrive here and drive the two-mile entrance past grazing Longhorn cattle, farmland and dense woods,” he said. “Blend that with the conditioning you might expect at Augusta National and we have something very special and memorable.”

Staff members at Pursell Farms includes Curtis Ohrn, Director of Golf; Robert Mitchell, Superintendent; Andrea Griffith, Executive Chef; John Wesson, Master Gardner; and Joy Donehoo, Director of Sales.

‘We have work to do, but we are charging forth and adding the missing pieces that we know will make us into the thing we want most, and that is to be a prestigious nationally recognized resort,” Spanjer said.

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Johnson’s team wins shootout at Guardian Enterprises Millstone Pro-Am Tee Times report It was a case of how low would everyone go at the Guardian Enterprises Millstone Pro-Am. Consider in the first round that Connor Froning shot 10-under 62 in the

first round. Matt King and Jack Smith each shot 63. Nathan Blanchard and Audie Johnson shot matching 65s. That’s how good play was throughout the 36-hole event at Millstone

TEAM JOHNSON

Audie Johnson

Matt King

Golf Club.

When the final birdie dropped in the second round, it was the team of Johnson, Austin Swafford, Ryan Botts and Casey Moore that emerged with the team title. Rounds of 56-59 were good enough to edge the team of Blanchard/ Sinard/Crawford/Shuff by two strokes.

The team of James Chapman/Davis/ Froning/Michael, which shared the firstround lead with Johnson’s team, finished third at 118, three strokes off the winning pace.

Nathan Blanchard

In individual play, Blanchard dominated the Regular Professional Division, finishing at 15-under 129 with rounds of 65-64 for a five-shot win.

King followed his 63 with a secondround 64 to finish at 17-under 127. That was good enough for a one-shot win over Smith in the Regular Amateur Division.

Johnson shot 67 in the final round to win the Senior Professional Division at 132. Earl Broadway shot 67 in the final round to win the Senior Amateur Division at 139.

11972 Lebanon Road Mt. Juliet, Tennessee 37122 Phone: (615) 288-4539 www.golfrx.biz Isabella stands at the podium addressing the class as their Valedictorian on graduation day.

Troy Hendrickson, assistant professional at Harpeth Hills Golf Course has bragging rights upon the recent graduation of his daughter Isabella. To say he is proud is a huge understatement.

Golf Instruction

For starters: • Valedictorian at Fairview High School Class of 2016 • NEVER made below an A in 12 years of schooling • Scored a 33 on her ACT • Earned and ended up with a 4.487 GPA • Received a full scholarship to the University of Alabama

Club Repair

Congratulations Isabella, Bama Bound in the fall!

at our state-of-the-art indoor teaching facility.

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Based on each player’s unique size and swing characteristics.

Full service club repair department offering re-gripping, re-shafting, loft and lie adjustments and frequency testing.

Golf Products & Equipment Golf Rx is an authorized retailer for these great brands.

Graduation Day at Fairview High School, seen here with school mates, Isabella is on the far right.

Steve Kirkpatrick Owner / PGA Professional

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Hudson/Junio grab Firehawk Pro-Scratch win Tee Times report OAK RIDGE – Call it a home-course advantage or whatever, but teeing it up on a familiar track proved beneficial to the Oak Ridge Country Club team of Glenn Hudson and Craig Junio, who shot 61 to win the Firehawk Pro-Scratch.

After shooting 31 on their opening nine, Hudson got hot on the front with five birdies in a seven-hole stretch. Junio’s clutch birdie on the final hole secured the oneshot win over the team of Scott Moran/Lee Whitehead, who shot 29 on their front nine but closed with a 33 on the back nine.

Hudson finished with a 67 on his own ball to add the Regular Professional division title to his team title.

Hudson also teams finish third and tied for seventh.

Whitehead won the Regular Amateur division with a sizzling 65. Bill Breen played a bogey-free round with four birdies to shoot 68 to win the Senior Professional division, while Steve Golliher shot 70 to win the Senior Amateur division.

The True Temper Professional Skins game proved to be a tight competition once again, as well. Two skins were won on the day. Casey Flenniken grabbed a skin with a birdie on No. 16, and Hudson collected a skin with a birdie on No. 17. The skins were worth $190 each.

The Tennessee PGA would like to give a special thanks to Jerry Williams, PGA, and the rest of the staff at Oak Ridge Country Club for making this tournament possible.

Glen Hudson and Craig Junio

Nottingham Repeats as Tennessee Junior Amateur Champion Tee Times report SPRINGFIELD -- William Nottingham became only the sixth person in tournament history to repeat as the Tennessee Junior Amateur champion.

William Nottingham fashioned rounds of 65-68 to finish 11-under par Nottingham 133 in the 36-hole tournament played at The Legacy. Hendersonville’s Bryce Lewis finished second at 8-under 136, while Michael Barnard, Michael Shears Jr., and Chip Thomas shared third place at 139.

Lewis pulled even midway through the second round, bit Nottingham secured his second straight junior title with a birdies at No. 11 and No. 14.

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Course offered in mastering golf psychology Tee Times report Did you want to master the mental game?

Did you want to be certified as a golf psychology expert?

Do you want to play your best golf under pressure?

Recently, Golf Digest did a survey and discovered that the No. 1 complaint among golfers is their inability to take their best game from the range to the golf course. Practicing the fundamentals of the golf swing is not enough. To play your best every day, it’s essential to master the mental game. To take your best swings to the course, you must use golf psychology and apply it to your game.

Dr. Gregg Steinberg, a Nashville sports psychologist and voted by Golf Digest as one of the world’s greatest golf psychologist, has created an on-line golf psychology course for the International Golf Psychology Association (IGPA).

You can see the course at www.masteringgolfpsychology.com.

Once you complete this course, you will be certified as a golf psychology expert endorsed by the IGPA, a world-renowned golf psychology organization.

The Mastering Golf Psychology course shows

Tee Times report (Tri-Cities, TN) The First Tee of Tri-Cities has released its Fall schedule. There are 11 classes available at 7 locations in the TriCities beginning August 22nd. · Andrew Johnson GC (Greeneville, TN)

how to master the five key golf psychology components. When you master these mental game essentials, you will be a golf psychology expert.

The five key mental game essentials create the framework for this course and are: • Awareness: Being aware of your best and worst emotions is crucial to performing your best under pressure; • Confidence: Being confident is king to playing your best under pressure; • Anxiety: Fears and anxiety can ruin our golf performance; • Concentration: Staying focused is crucial to playing our best; • Motivation: We need to be motivated to practice and compete.

Each section is comprised of: • 5-10 short videos illustrating a key concept; • 15 Articles related to a golf psychology concept; • 3-4 applied exercises showing you how to use these concepts on the course; • An assessment at the end of the section so that you know you have mastered the concepts.

The PGA of America education board scrutinized this on-line course and PGA members will receive continuing education credits once they

· Cattails GC (Kingsport, TN) · Elizabethton GC (Elizabethton, TN) · Glenrochie CC (Abingdon, VA) · Pine Oaks GC (Johnson City, TN) · Steele Creek GC (Bristol, TN) · Warrior’s Path GC (Kingsport, TN) The First Tee of Tri-Cities is a junior development program that teaches golf while incorporating character building and life skills curriculum. The First Tee Life Skills Experience, a curriculum for teaching character education through life skills, is one of the unique features that differentiate The First Tee from other youth initiatives and junior golf programs. It ultimately strives to instill in participants The First Tee Nine Core Values: Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy and Judgment.

Through the Life Skills Experience, young people discover how skills essential to success on a golf course can also help them flourish in life. These skills include:

Nottingham adds Match Play title to his resume

Tee Times report William Nottingham, who is headed to Clemson this fall, continued his torrid summer play at the Tennessee Match Play Championship at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. A Kingsport native who repeated as the Tennessee Junior Amateur champion, Nottingham put on a clinic with four match wins on the way to the Match Play title.

Nottingham defeated Phillip Lee 3&2 in the round of 16, and then beat Hays Moreland 5&4 in the quarterfinals. Tyler Johnson was the only thing standing between Nottingham and the final, and with his 1-up victory Not-

tingham secured a date with UT-Chattanooga’s Lake Johnson. Nottingham was victorious by a 3&1 margin over Johnson to claim the 2016 Tennessee Match Play Championship.

Pikeville’s Bob Rice needed extra holes in the semifinals and final to emerge as the Senior Match Play champion. Rice defeated Scott Patton 1-up in the round of 16, then Mike Freels 1-up in the quarterfinals.

Rice had to go 21 holes before besting Danny Green to set up a final match with Richard Keene. His birdie on the first extra hole ousted Keene for the championship.

complete the course. LPGA members will also receive education credits from completing the course, which has been endorsed by the International PGA as well as the United States Golf Teachers Federation.

Cost of this course is $399.00. For information, go to www.masteringgolfpsychology.com to sign up or to ask Dr. Steinberg any questions. You can also e-mail him at mentalrules24@msn.com.

Self-management Interpersonal communication Goal setting Mentoring Effective conflict resolution Juniors progress through 5 levels (PLAYer, Par, Birdie, Eagle, Ace). In addition to Life Skills Curriculum, The First Tee of Tri-Cities offers supplemental programming to enhance each child’s overall experience with golf. These programs include Golf Skills Academy, a clinic-style atmosphere dedicated to developing golf skills; Little-Big League, an adult-junior league that gives participants the flexibility to play on their own schedule; and special events like tournaments that give juniors the opportunity to play as a team.

To find out more visit www.TheFirstTeeTriCities.org or contact Executive Director Cody Weems at cweems@tngolf.org, or Program Director Adam Dean at adean@ tngolf.org.

William Nottingham

Bob Rice

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TEE TIMES

August 2016

www.teetimespaper.com