May 2020
May 2020
Keeping Golfers Connected in TN, KY, MS, AL, NC
Pair of Aces Vanderbilt’s John Augenstein, Florida’s Addie Baggarly honored for strong seasons Pages 2-4
Inside!! your ordinary Joe: Vanderbilt Legends 9 Not Club’s Joe Hallett named Tennessee’s top teacher Lake effect: Lake Tansi Golf Club 11 offers memorable experience Wright Man: Will Wright 12 The thriving in new role with GolfTec
Addie Baggarly
John Augenstein
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Honors roll in for Vandy’s John Augenstein
By Chad Bishop VUCommodores.com NASHVILLE — It was March 13. John Augenstein was in Augusta, Georgia. More specifically he was walking the fifth hole at the Augusta National Golf Club, one of the world’s most famous courses and home to the Masters Tournament. It was there the Vanderbilt senior received the notice he had been dreading, hoping it wouldn’t come to this, yet still expecting it all to transpire the way it did. “Everybody was pretty shook about it because nobody ever thought that would happen,” Augenstein said. “It was definitely a tough couple of days because on the one hand you’re at Augusta National playing golf and it’s the best in the world – on the other hand your whole life just got flipped upside down. So trying to balance that was a little bit difficult.”
In the wake of the news that the 2020 Masters Tournament had been postponed due to concerns involving COVID-19, Augenstein finished his round. After all, he had been invited to play with club members, and there is no guarantee he’d be back. But it was an eerie feeling, the Owensboro, Kentucky, product said. Augenstein, a Steve and Nicholas Zeppos Scholar, Toby Wilt Athletic Scholarship and the Robert Benson Memorial Golf Scholarship recipient, knew those who work the event and live in the area would be incredibly burdened by the news. Then, there was his own personal heartbreak of not being able to compete in his sport’s biggest tournament. Augenstein had qualified for the 2020 Masters by finishing second at the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship. That all came on the heels of the NCAA
Vanderbilt senior John Augenstein earned his fourth All-America selection recently
Augenstein is a finalist for the Ben Hogan and Fred Haskins awards. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY]
canceling the remainder of the 2020 season for all spring sports, meaning Augenstein’s days competing in black and gold were possibly over. “When I first heard that our season was canceled I was immediately overcome with the emotion of sadness and felt like it was unfair. And it is, but I understand why it happened,” Augenstein said. “Being away from the team, having to call (Vanderbilt head) coach (Scott Limbaugh) and the guys on the team whenever I had the chance to get away, was difficult because it’s weighing on your mind all the time. “Playing at Vanderbilt has been the best four years of my life. I felt like I had given a lot to the program that had given a lot to me. I was so ready to finish my senior year off the way that we all dream about. We had a great team and we were trending in the right direction and it’s sad, but there’s bigger issues in the world right now than a college golf season and I think with time we’re all kind of understanding that.” Coming off an individual title at the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate in Scottsdale, Arizona, Augenstein was the 2017 SEC Freshman of the Year, a 2018 All-SEC second team selection and 2019 All-SEC first team member. His career as a Commodore appears over as he inches toward obtaining a Vanderbilt sociology degree in May. Augenstein still has some things to look forward to, however. He has qualified for the U.S. Arnold Palmer Cup team that will play an International team in a Ryder Cup-style event that was original-
ly scheduled for July at the Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland. However, those matches have been postponed and moved to Bay Hill in Orlando. They are now scheduled for Dec. 21-23. He’s also a finalist for the Fred Haskins and Ben Hogan awards. The Haskins award honors the top men’s collegiate golfer, while the Hogan award is presented to the top men’s college golfer based on his play in college and other amateur events in the last 12 months. For the immediate future he’s focusing on his academic work, polishing his golf game as best possible given the circumstances and continuing to come to a better understanding on how to stay positive after a tumultuous and unexpected month. “The analogy someone told me that it’s a pebble in the pond – when you drop a pebble in the pond there’s ripples and everything is rippling, changing from one act to one act to one act,” Augenstein said. “It’s crazy to think how fragile everything is depending on what happens. “It’s taking for granted the simple fact of being able to go to the golf course and practice and be with people and hang out with guys and have a social life and go to class and school. I was excited about my last month-and-a-half of senior year. I took that for granted as most people do. Then all of a sudden it’s over and it’s just kind of something definitely to learn from and maybe be a little more appreciate in the time that we have – especially these fun moments that we have.” Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
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Addie Baggarly ‘super pumped’ for Arnold Palmer Cup
Florida junior Addie Baggarly grew up in Jonesborough, Tennessee, although her father played collegiately for the Gators Addie Baggarly received the first good news phone call in mid-March. On the other end of the call was an official from the Arnold Palmer Cup committee, and he was informing the then-Jonesborough resident and University of Florida golfer she had qualified for the U.S. team. However, the downside was that the Ryder Cup-style matches for college golfers, which pit a U.S. men’s team and women’s team against men’s and women’s teams of international players, were in jeopardy of not being played. Scheduled for early July at the Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland, there was little chance they could play due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. That would be just Baggarly’s luck, wouldn’t it? Qualify for her first U.S. team and have the matches called off. In early April, though, Baggarly, who now lives in Nashville, got her second good news phone call – instead of cancelling the Arnold Palmer Cup matches, they were being shifted to Orlando and would be played in December. “I got the call and they said we are never going to cancel on you guys – it’s not in Mr. Palmer’s legacy to do that, so we are postponing it for Dec. 21-23 at Bay Hill,” she said.
Baggarly said it’s fitting that the matches will be played at Bay Hill. “It’s Mr. Palmer’s golf course,” she said. “It’s the same team, same everything. They are trying to work out something that if people want to go pro they can still come back and play. It’s only fitting that if there is something we get to play in that has Arnold Palmer’s name on it that they would do anything possible to get us out there to play.” The fact that the event was only postponed was a little bit of consolation for Baggarly, given that she lost half of the spring season of her junior year at Florida to the coronavirus pandemic. The shutdown could cost her a shot at playing in the ANWA (Augusta National Women’s Amateur). She was in line to earn a berth in the 2021 tournament, but the 2020 event was postponed until 2021 with this year’s field intact. With aspirations of turning pro after her senior season next year, Baggarly might miss an opportunity to play in the ANWA. Her plans, though, remain up in the air. She said she will make the appropriate decision when the time is right. However, she said she is “super pumped” for the Arnold Palmer Cup, where she will be teammates with some
of her SEC rivals. Five SEC women’s programs are represented on the 12-person women’s team. “It’s my first time representing the U.S. in anything,” she said. “It’s a great group of players. That is huge. I know all of them pretty well. We have a group message going and we are all pumped that we get to play in December.” Qualifying for the Arnold Palmer Cup team was a season’s goal for Baggarly, who lived in Gainesville, Florida until she was 12 when the family moved to Jonesborough. “I didn’t know I was anywhere close until after fall season when they announced the preliminary cup standings and watch list for it,” she said. “I sat down with (Florida assistant coach) Janice (Olivencia) and laid out our goals for the spring. I was fortunate enough to keep playing solid coming into the spring and moving up the list. It just kind of happened.” Baggarly, whose father Mark played at Florida, was coming off a pair of top-10 finishes in the final two tournaments of the spring season. Her 72.19 stroke average is two shots better than the past two seasons, something she attributes to increased short game practice. “My coaches got on me about that,” she
Baggarly qualified to play for the U.S. team in the December Arnold Palmer Cup matches at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF UAA COMMUNICATIONS]
said. “But it’s mainly a mindset. I had a great summer this past summer and I tried to keep momentum going into the fall season. The coaches kept telling me and I kept telling myself that I belong and it was time to play like it.” Baggarly certainly was doing that this season. She shot under par in 10 of her 21 rounds, including a low round of 5-under-par 67 in the third round of the Glass City Invitational. She credits growing up playing junior golf in Tennessee to playing a part of her success in college. “Tennessee has some of the strongest junior golf in the country,” she said. “California, Texas and Florida are strong and next is Tennessee. It was super competitive growing up on the state level and it just keeps getting better.” Among her friends/rivals on the junior circuit were Aubree Jones and Ashley Gilliam, who are both at Mississippi State now. Mariah Stovall, who plays at Tennessee, also offered competition. “We were all trying to get each other and we’d be at a tournament and anybody could win it,” she said. “I was fortunate to grow up here and have great people I can call my really good friends to play against and be competitive with.”
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Gaylord Spring Golf Links renovations nearing completion The bunker renovation project at Gaylord Springs Golf Links is on track to be completed by Memorial Day weekend, according to general manager/head professional James Paschal. “If the weather cooperates,” Paschal added. The course began renovating its bunkers in February and the front nine was recently completed. Now, the back nine renovations are under way and being done two holes at a time so as not to interrupt an entire round. Sixteen holes are open daily. It’s the first bunker project in 30 years at the course. In addition to the bunkers, the facility’s practice tee also received a face-lift of sorts. Paschal said so far, he has received nothing but compliments
about the work that has been completed. Gaylord Springs also has added a new set of forward tees. Paschal is excited for the finished product. “The golf course is going to be unbelievably better once the renovation is completed and the Bermuda grass “grows in,” he said. “The new bunkers are giving the course a new classical look. They will be more playable as well as being reduced in size. All of the extremely large bunkers have been reduced in size, allowing our golfers to feel more comfortable playing from turf instead of the sand. “In conjunction with installing new drainage in the bunkers, the surround-
James Paschal, PGA ing areas have been designed to have the bunkers fit closer to the greens and give us a look that golfers will find appealing,” he continued. “No doubt that when the USGA course raters come to play Gaylord Springs, they will very favorably rate our course as one of the better designs in the state. It will be a great playing experience for all golfers.” The new forward tees will make Gaylord Springs a more forgiving course for players who don’t bomb their drives. In turn, it should make for a more enjoyable experience. Gaylord Springs has remained open
during the coronavirus pandemic while adhering to the sanitation and hygiene guidelines from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization agencies. Patrons have limited access to the clubhouse and all food service is takeout. Players are limited to one person per cart, but family members can ride together. Carts are sanitized after each use. Paschal said Gaylord Springs opted to remain open during the pandemic because golf has been a permitted outdoor activity in Tennessee.
May 2020
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From tHE Editor By Gregg Dewalt
Augenstein tops All-America list of players from Tennessee schools
Players from universities in Tennessee had a strong showing on this year’s men’s Division I Ping AllAmerica team, led by Vanderbilt’s John Augenstein. The Vanderbilt senior claimed a spot on the prestigious first team for his play throughout the season. Six players made the honorable mention list, including Reid Davenport, Augenstein’s Commodores teammate. “This is an exciting day for our program,” Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh told VUCommodores.com. “We have been fortunate to have guys that have contributed to creating a standard of excellence and we are so thankful for that. Although this season was cut short, we had guys that played with a ton of consistency this year. “I am extremely proud of John for his consistency in performance and also for his leadership. It was great to see Reid take a step toward being the player that we know he is. He played with a ton of consistency this year and it’s great to see him recognized for that.” It was the fourth straight All-America selection for Augenstein and the first for Davenport, a sophomore
PUBLISHER Joe Hall pgegolf@bellsouth.net EDITOR Gregg Dewalt ASSOCIATE EDITOR Justin Onslow SENIOR EDITOR David Widener widecard@aol.com
from Texas who compiled a 71.36 stroke average. He also was a firstteam Golf Week All-America selection. The University of Tennessee had two honorable mention selections in junior Spencer Cross and senior Rhys Nevin. Cross, from Sevierville, had a 71.82 stroke average, while Nevin had a 72.00 stroke average. “I’m extremely happy for Rhys and Spencer to have been named AllAmericans,” head coach Brennan Webb told Volsports.com said. “This is a tremendous honor that requires an extremely high level of consistent success to achieve. Both of them are extremely hard workers, not only on the golf course but also in the classroom. They represent our university and our program at the highest levels in every way.” Lipscomb’s Nolan Ray, of Brentwood, who was a graduate transfer from Tennessee, also was an honorable mention Ping and Golf Week selection after winning twice and compiling a 70.45 stroke average that led the ASUN Conference. East Tennessee’s Jack Rhea, a junior from Jonesborough, became the first Buccaneers’ player to earn All-Amer-
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Jack Rhea
Rhys Nevin
Nolan Ray
Spencer Cross
Isaiah Jackson
Ashley Gilliam
“We wish the Trustees ica status since 2016. and the citizens of GerHe finished with a 71.29 mantown much success stroke average and was on whatever path they named honorable menpursue,” Millennium said tion by Ping and Golfin a statement. week. Millennium’s plans The University of Memincluded having golf phis was represented on course architect Forrest the team by senior Isaiah Richardson design GerJackson, who compiled Reid Davenport mantown Golf Park, a a school-record 70.0 stroke average while posting seven 9-hole short course with holes varytop-20 finishes. He is the first Mem- ing from 100 to over 200 yards and phis Tigers player to be named All- also add an 18-hole putting course adjacent to the clubhouse. American since 2016. No new plans for the property have No women’s players were selected for the Ping All-America teams, but been released. Manchester’s Ashley Gilliam, a freshCourse openings continue to rise man at Mississippi State, was a thirdThe National Golf Foundation has team Golf Week All-America selection. Gilliam’s 70.61 stroke average been doing an outstanding job of ranked second in the SEC and sixth in keeping up with the golf business during the coronavirus pandemic. In Division I. the most recent poll before publicaGermantown CC deal falls through tion, the NGF reported 49 percent of Nine months ago, Millennium Com- the nation’s golf courses were open in panies entered into an agreement to some fashion. That was a slight increase from the purchase the defunct Germantown Country Club. However, that deal is no week before, and NGF officials expected the number to rise as the weather longer going forward. That leaves the sellers back to square warmed up in the northern states. The report indicated that only 40 one in their attempt to sell the 178percent of municipal courses were acre property. In a statement, Millennium said it open, while 51 percent of daily-fee reworked plans for the site as many clubs and 52 percent of the country’s as 10 times in an effort to appease private clubs were open for play. Some 70 percent of the courses in neighborhood buffer requests. When the coronavirus pandemic hit and Georgia, South Carolina and North with an uncertain economic future, Carolina were open for business, Millennium opted to discontinue dis- while 69 percent of Florida’s courses were open. cussions with the sellers.
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Opinion By David Widener
Member Golf Writers Association of America
PGA Tour revises schedule S ubject to change. Those are key words in our lives because of the COVID-19 epidemic. Trying to schedule anything is almost impossible because of the unknown. There seems to be no exceptions. It has the sports world turned upside down, but the PGA Tour is giving it another try. Before the virus stopped play, there were 22 events played through the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The new revised schedule consists of 36 tournaments, which includes three FedEx Cup playoffs events. With the 20202021 fall schedule kicking off Sept. 7-13 with the Safeway Open in California, players will have only one week (Thanksgiving - Nov. 23-29) off. Here’s where things currently stand: Events canceled are the June 8 Canadian Open, July 13-19 Barbasol Championship, and The Open, which had the July 13-19 dates before cancelling on April 6. Tournaments rescheduled with original dates/new dates are as follows: • Charles Schwab Challenge, May 18-24, now June 8-14 • RBC Heritage, April 13-19, now June 1521 • Rocket Mortgage Classic, May 25-31, now July 2-5 • Memorial Tournament, June 1-7, now July 13-19 • World Golf Championships: FedEx St Jude Invitational and Barracuda Championship. June 29-July 5, now July 27-Aug. 2 • PGA Championship, May 14-17, now Aug. 3-9 • Tour Championship, Aug. 31, now Sept. 7 • U.S. Open, June 18-21, now Sept. 14-20 • Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, March 23-29, now Sept. 21-27 (now part of the 2020-2021 regular season) • Masters, April 9-12, now Nov. 9-15 The Ryder Cup remains as scheduled Sept. 21-27. It remains to be seen when and if fans will be allowed at the tournaments, especially the majors. Moved seven months to November will help the Masters in that regard, as defending champion Tiger Woods tries to tie Jack Nicklaus’ record by winning his sixth Green Jacket. However, the move to November is not without concerns. Augusta temperatures
are 10 degrees lower than in April which will make the course play longer and softer. The fairways and rough are Bermuda grass, which is great for hot temperatures but it goes dormant and turns a shade of brown in cooler weather. Also, Daylight Savings Time ends Nov. 1, which means 3 1/2 fewer hours of sunlight. With a field of 96, officials might have to go to two-tee starts. Remember, it’s subject to change.
A tribute to Doug Sanders
I want to end my column with a tribute to Doug Sanders, who died at the age of 86 on April 12. He won 20 times on the PGA Tour, including finishing second four times in major championships, three of them by one stroke. One of those came in the 1970 Open at St Andrews when he missed a 30inch putt that would have given him the Claret Jug. Instead he lost in a playoff the next day to Jack Nicklaus. Unfortunately, Sanders is defined in history by that miss. He jabbed at the stroke so badly the ball never touched the hole. Asked in his later years if he ever thought about the miss, he replied “Only every four or five minutes .… If I was a master of the English language, I don’t think I could find the adjectives to describe how I felt when I missed that short putt.” Sanders did have a unique golf swing, once described as being so short he could swing in a phone booth. But fans cared more about what he was wearing. Before John Daly and Rickie Fowler, there was Sanders and his flashy clothes. Nicknamed “Peacock of the Fairways,” he claimed to own more than 350 pairs of shoes. It’s a shame Sanders, who is in the Florida and Georgia Sports Halls of Fame, is not in the World Golf Hall of Fame. But this is a guy who John Feinstein once spotted in the crowd at a Masters after Sanders retired and wondered why he did not have credentials to get inside the ropes. RIP Doug Sanders Doug Sanders was flamboyant in his attire, “peacock of the fairways”
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Simmons Bank Open officials already looking ahead to 2021 By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor With the Simmons Bank Open Benefiting the Snedeker Foundation canceled for this year, tournament officials will work on getting a head start on the 2021 version of the tournament. While unfortunate that the tournament couldn’t find a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour schedule later this year, tournament director Charlie Clarkson, of Tour Vision Productions, is finding silver linings despite the cancelation. “When the PGA Tour came out with their statement that everything was canceled through May 17, there’s just no more room on the scheduled for us to have any flexibility because it is a full scheduled once they get past us,” Clarkson said. Obviously, the timing was not great for anything as the country tries to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, but Nashville’s Korn Ferry Tour stop had just announced Simmons Bank as a new sponsor and was about to embark on the first year of an eight-year deal.
PAST WINNERS
2020 Cancelled/COVID- 19 2019 Robby Shelton 2018 Cameron Day 2017 Lanto Griffin 2016 James Driscoll “For everything,” Clarkson said. “We had a new sponsor on board. Our sales were up again this year going into our fifth year. We had a lot of new, big customers on board – some clients who had never been on board before. Everybody was really fired up. Everything was in place to make this year the best tournament yet. It was disheartening for sure.” The silver lining, Clarkson said, is that the majority of sponsors remain committed to the tournament. “We had a good response,” he said. “We’ve only a few customers call and ask if they can get their money back. They are leaning toward rolling their money over into the 2021 event. Very few volunteers have called and ask for their money back.”
Robby Shelton, 2019 Champ and Brandt Snedeker
Previous winners of the Simmons Bank Open are James Driscoll (2016), Lanto Griffin (2017), Cameron Day (2018) and Robby Shelton (2019). Preparations for the tournament would have been in full force in midApril. Now, Clarkson said Tour Vision, which runs three tournaments (Knoxville, Evansville, Indiana), is doing internal work. The Knoxville Open is only listed on the tour schedule as postponed. The Evansville event is the Korn Ferry Tour championship and scheduled for late August. “We’re all rewriting our policies and procedures book and we’ll combine them,” Clarkson said. “We’ll probably end up Simmons Bank Open tourna ment with one of the most compredirector Charlie Clarkson was hensive policy and procedures excited going into the 5th books of anybody on tour. All year three of our tournaments are run a little bit differently, so we “It’s a year-long process,” he said. are combining them all into one Clarkson estimates the client-retention book, so we should be pretty well rate for the Simmons Bank Open at beset for the future on how to run an tween 80 and 85 percent. event. Just tightening up the de“The only way that I have seen people tails.” not come back with us – before this Clarkson said his routine is to whole economic issue right now – is the start looking ahead to the next decision-maker leaves and a new peryear’s event about two weeks after son comes in and doesn’t understand the tournament end. He spends a what we are doing or is not a golfer, or significant portion of his time get- we had a group two years ago that had ting feedback from customers and to go to a national convention they had clients on what they liked and what to go to and their whole team couldn’t changes they would like to see in be part of the event,” he said. “We just the future. In September, he starts don’t lose anybody because we are not lining up and signing contracts for doing what we are supposed to do. the upcoming event. That’s very encouraging.”
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Hallett continues run as Tennessee’s top teacher Vanderbilt Legends Club Director of Instruction tops Golf Digest Best Teacher List again By Justin Onslow Tee Times Associate Editor Joe Hallett is no stranger to the accolades that come with being one of the best golf instructors in the country and, officially, according to Golf Digest’s 2019-2020 rankings, the top teacher in the state of Tennessee once again. That makes three consecutive years for Hallett, who holds the post of Director of Instruction at Vanderbilt Legends Club. “I’m going to tell you that their ranking system is flawed and it’s been flawed for the last three years,” Hallett jokes when asked about retaining his ranking. “It’s pretty cool. I’m not going to deny that, but it’s more humbling than cool.” Being humble is part of what makes Hallett the instructor he is. In order to be an effective golf teacher – or any teacher, for that matter – ego can’t play a part. Hallett has no ego to speak of. He’s also the kind of golf instructor who borders on historian, who can recall all the great swings he’s seen over the years and instantly recollect an incredible quote from a golfing legend or a tip he once heard that’s perfect for a given situation. Hallett is a learner, plain and simple, and he’ll be the first to tell you exactly why that’s an important trait to have as a teacher. “This is from Davis Love: He used to have a saying that those who cease to learn have ceased to teach,” says Hallett. “You can always be learning. Every player I work with, from a 30-handicapper to a player on the Tour, always has something that they do very well, whether it’s a chip
TENNESSEE
shot or a 300-yard drive. I always give the player homework after I know their game: ‘I’ll teach you a shot, but you have to teach me how to do that.’ “If you’re not learning from your students, you’re missing a great source of information.” It’s in learning as much as he can that Hallett is able to adjust his teaching strategies and philosophies and tailor them to his individual students. After all, he’s been learning about golf since he first picked up a club, and a huge part of his knowledge base is knowing what not to do, too. “I’ve hit every bad shot in golf,” Hallett explains. “I’ve hit every shot they’ve hit and I’ve hit it under pressure when it counts. Not only was it frustrating, it was also embarrassing and an ego crusher, so I know at every level how that frustration creeps in. My failures in a way have hopefully let me be a success with others.” It’s easier to communicate instructions when the instructor has been there before, but communication itself is inherently difficult, especially in golf, and especially when the game is taught so differently by so many different people. One man’s cure for the slice is another man’s recipe for disaster, and just trying to explain that to a student can be enough to start the wheels coming off the tracks. Hallett’s remedy for that? “Learning to convey a lot by saying a little, and learning
1.) Joe Hallett, Vanderbilt Legends C., Franklin 2.) Matt Killen, Troubadour G. & Field C., College Grove 3.) Rob Akins, Rob Akins Golf Academy at Spring Creek Ranch, Collierville 4.) Brian Lackey, G.C. of Tennessee, Kingston Springs 5.) Nancy Quarcelino, Gaylord Springs G. Links, Nashville 6.) Virgil Herring, Ensworth Golf Center, Nashville 7.) Henrik Simonsen, The Honors C., Ooltewah 8.) Matt Walter, Vanderbilt Legends C., Franklin 9.) Ben Pellicani, Westhaven G.C., Franklin 10.) Walt Chapman, Fairways and Greens, Knoxville 11.) Brad Redding, Target Golf Practice and Training Facility, Knoxville 12.) Jake Reeves, Fox Den C.C., Knoxville 13.) Gaylon Cude, Golf House Tennessee Learning Center, Franklin 14.) Jex Wilson, Old Fort G.C., Murfreesboro
to find the simplicity,” he says. “The thing that makes great instructors great is the simplicity with which they say things and the ability they’re giving the student to make a gradual, lasting change.” Hallett is then left with his own conundrum when considering his recent string of awards and national recognition: Give the simple answer or the incorrect one? According to his own philosophy, the simple answer is simply that Hallett is an incredible golf instructor with a penchant for the relationship side of the business and a mind for detail – detail of mechanics, detail of memory, detail of seeing the bigger picture from the smaller parts. He’s a man who has worked hard and spent most of his life honing his best skills: golf and teaching. Just don’t ask Hallett to tell you that himself. “Butch Harmon said ‘I don’t teach golf. I teach people to play golf.’ I never went into this with the purpose to be the
Joe Hallett
Teacher of the Year or be the best teacher in the state,” Hallett says. “I went into it because I love what I’m doing, and if I can make one person happy and that helps a lot of people, I’ve done my job.”
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May 2020
Golf Pride launches MCC Teams collection
Golf Pride, an industry leader in grip innovation and the No. 1 grip on tour, is expanding its popular MCC® family of hybrid grips with the new MCC Teams collection. The launch lineup will start with 15 unique team color combinations to choose from, so golfers can represent one of their favorite teams while on the course. Preferred by amateurs and professionals alike with over 250 tour wins, the revolutionary MCC model features Brushed Cotton Cord Technology in the upper hand area for firm all-weather control with high performance rubber in the lower hand for ultimate feel and responsiveness. “Many players have two passions their sport’s team and golf. Combine those passions with the first hybrid technology grip, the MCC, and it now allows players who love their team to showcase their allegiances every time they grip their club,” said Bruce Miller, Golf Pride product manager. “The new MCC Teams collection allows fans to show their team pride while maintaining the same high-level performance and quality MCC consistently delivered to win over 20 Majors.”
The MCC Teams grips will be available in both standard and midsize and feature a price of $10.49 and $10.99, respectively. MCC Teams will be available at retail in standard size this spring and midsize this summer. For more information on the MCC Teams collection and the entire Golf Pride 2020 product offering, visit www.GolfPride.com. Eaton’s Golf Pride Grips Division is one of the world’s largest manufacturer of golf grips, with manufacturing, sales and distribution facilities on six continents. The division’s Golf Pride brand is recognized globally as the number one choice in grips among
TOUR and recreational players, competitive amateur golfers, club manufacturers and club repairmen. Eaton’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. We provide sustainable solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power – more safely, more efficiently, and more reliably. Eaton’s 2019 revenues were $21.4 billion, and we sell products to customers in more than 175 countries. We have approximately 101,000 employees. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.
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Lake Tansi Golf Course – one of Tennessee’s best By David Theoret Tee Times Contributor Golfers visiting the Crossville area have more courses to choose from than most towns of the same size. After all, Crossville is recognized as The Golf Capital of Tennessee. I think there are 10 courses in the area, with some big-name designers like Ron Garl, Jack Nicklaus, and Joe Lee. One local layout is the Lake Tansi Golf Course, which has been rated one of the Top 10 courses in Tennessee by Golf Advisor and has played host to the Johnny Majors Invitational as well as the Tennessee Section PGA Team Championship. Recently, readers of the Crossville Chronicle awarded Lake Tansi Golf Course the People’s Choice Award as “The Best Golf Course in Cumberland County.” Lake Tansi is not exceedingly long, just 6,701 yards from the back (Blue) tees with a course rating of 72.3 and a slope of 131. Most members and guests play the Whites 6,205/70.0/124), while ladies will play the Reds (4,769/67.1/107). In all, Lake Tansi has 5 sets of tees and a length to fit just about any level of golfer. Lake Tansi Golf Course features modest elevation changes, meticulously maintained fairways, bunkers, and water hazards and lush playing conditions yearround. But the biggest takeaway from the course is the greens; they are well-undulated and quick. Keep the ball in play off the tee, hit some well-placed approach shots and you can score well here. That is as long as your putter is working! Lake Tansi has several memorable holes starting with the No. 6, a 172-yard par 3. Water doesn’t figure into many holes out here, but if you mishit your tee shot here, you can very well find it. Your tee shot is almost all carry to the green and with two bunkers guarding the front, you’re going to need a good shot to get on in regulation. Who says par 3s are easy? At 526 yards, the par 5 ninth hole is a
great finishing hole for the front nine. For most golfers, it is a three-shot hole. This long dogleg left is best played with tee shots and layup shots that favor the right side. That will leave the best angle into the green, which is slightly elevated and has some great undulation. The par 4 11th hole is a true risk/reward hole. The safest way to play this hole is to hit a fairway wood or hybrid straight down the fairway and leave a short, manageable shot into the green. If you feel a little more daring, you can try going straight at the green by hitting over the trees on the right; the green is reachable. Just be sure to avoid the bunkers that guard the front of the green. Push your tee shot right and you’ll be hitting three off the tee! Number 13 is a 382-yard par 4 and can play tough from the White tees; at 451 yards from the back tees, it plays more like a par 5 for the average golfer. Either way, it’s a long dogleg left and takes a good poke off the tee just to get to the turn. Pull your tee shot left and long and you could easily find the bunker that guards the corner. A well-struck tee shot will leave a mid to long iron into a small green that is virtually unguarded but can be tough to hold. Par is a great score here. The last two holes at Lake Tansi Golf Course are perhaps the strongest. Number 17 is a challenging 400-yard par 4 with a lake guarding the front of the green. There’s plenty of room to hit driver off the tee. A good drive will still leave a mid-iron into a relatively small green with a bunker front right. Play it a couple of times and it’s easy to see why No. 17 is handicapped the hardest on this side. The finishing hole at Lake Tansi Golf Course is a daunting 541-yard par 5 dogleg left. For many players, it will take wellstruck shots just to reach the dogleg. Once again, the hole is best played down the right half of the fairway, leaving a manageable shot into the green. Playing down the right also takes the pond on the left out of
A look at No. 17 fairway from the green
Gavin Darbyshire, PGA
play. However, if you pull your approach shot left, you may find the wet stuff. Make par or better and consider your round a success. After your round be sure and stop by the 19th Hole Restaurant. The 19th Hole can be found in the Lake Tansi Golf Course clubhouse and is a favorite watering hole for not only golfers but locals as well. It can be tough to find a table around lunch or dinner time. It’s open early (6:30 a.m.) for breakfast; they also serve lunch and dinner. For breakfast, the Hungry Golfer special is quite popular and comes with eggs, potatoes or grits, bacon, sausage, ham or corned beef hash, and toast or biscuits and gravy. Lunch features a vast array of sandwiches, burgers, dogs, and tacos. Dinner is served until 7 pm and offers a wide variety of choices, all for $10 including side. Daily specials are available as well. Need help with your game? Lake Tansi’s Head PGA Golf Professional Gavin Darbyshire can probably help fix your problem. He’s been a Class “A” Professional for over 23 years and a proud recipient of the PGA Standard of Excellence Award. Gavin has been certified by Titleist through the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) and as a club-fitter. Gavin is passionate about helping others and has a gift for teaching
the game of golf. Whether you’re a beginner, junior or seasoned player, Gavin will help by simplifying the process and make it fun and enjoyable along the way. Stay and Play packages are a big part of what Lake Tansi has to offer golfers, especially those traveling from out of state. Although there are several condos that line the fairways of the first two holes, what has become popular with golfers are the beautiful lakefront cottages. Each cottage has two bedrooms with double beds in each room and sleeps four people comfortably. These cottages feature modern appliances, hardwood floors, and flatscreen televisions. The beautiful 550-acre Lake Tansi is literally steps outside your back door. The club can accommodate up to 68 overnight guests at a time. To book your next Stay and Play package at Lake Tansi Golf Course you can visit their website at www.laketansigolf.com or give them a call at 1-800-600-9913.
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Moving on up: Will Wright overseeing Nashville-area GOLFTEC operations By Justin Onslow Tee Times Associate Editor
Last July, Will Wright assumed the role of Regional Manager for GOLFTEC operations in the Nashville area, which included oversight of GOLFTEC locations in both Brentwood and Cool Springs. Soon, he’ll have a third location under his care in the form of a new center in west Nashville. Wright began with GOLFTEC in 2014, fresh out of the Golf Academy of America. Then-owner Andrew Braley, who has since sold his Nashville locations back to GOLFTEC corporate management, hired
Wright as an instructor at his Memphis location, and Wright soon joined the team in Nashville. When Braley sold back to corporate, GOLFTEC wanted a regional manager to oversee Nashville’s operations, and they chose Wright as the man for the job. “They were looking for a regional manager, and because I had pretty much been here the longest and have some pretty good leadership skills and had worked at both locations here in Nashville, they felt I was the best fit for the job,” Wright said. It’s a role into which he’s settled nicely, especially considering how much the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted
Wright’s Quarantine Tip for Staying Sharp By Will Wright One thing a lot of golfers don’t think about is shoulder tilt throughout the golf swing. At GOLFTEC, shoulder tilt is measured precisely in degrees, and we’re able to see from that data exactly how golfers should be positioning their shoulders at setup, the top of the swing and at impact. Generally speaking, Tour-level players have an average shoulder tilt of 11 degrees at setup, which we’ll call “11 degrees right” for a right-handed golfer. That means the right shoulder is set up slightly below the left.
At the top of the swing, that number flips to 36 degrees left and finishes at 39 degrees right at impact. Those numbers may vary slightly from golfer to golfer, but that’s a good benchmark when dissecting shoulder tilt data. Why is this important? For starters, shoulder tilt helps with the swing plane and how much a golfer is able to shape his or her shots. A golfer who keeps his or her shoulders fairly level throughout the
the flow of business. As of the time of publication, GOLFTEC operations in Nashville should just be getting back closer to normal. “Right now, we’re trying to get open on a limited-schedule basis May 4,” he said. “The governor has the stay-at-home order extended through April 30. Whenever the governor lifts that order, we’re going to open back up. “We’ll want to get in and clean and set our schedule books and contact our students to get back in.” It’ll be a few more days after that before GOLFTEC in Brentwood and Cool Springs begins bringing students back in, with
entirety of the swing is more likely to experience an outside-in swing path and all kinds of contact issues, from hooking and slicing to fat and thin shots. During this time of social distancing, when it’s not always easy meeting with an instructor or getting out on the range, there are some simple drills you can do to work on your swing and improve as a golfer. Here’s a good one to work on shoulder tilt. Start with placing a club across your shoulders, as Continued on page 19
Will Wright extra precautions in place for limiting the amount of people in each center at a given time. Wright says they may consider extending business hours so they can spread out appointments for lessons and club fittings. Not long after that, the new location will open in the Nashville West Shopping Center. Paul Brannon, who’s currently a golf professional at the Brentwood GOLTEC location, will be taking charge of that center with some help and oversight from Wright. “I’ll go over there a couple times a month or once a week to help him (Brannon) run the operation and sit in on lessons and provide some leadership and moral support,” Wright said. “Just to make sure everyone’s having fun and enjoying their job.” While GOLFTEC instructors have remained in contact with their students throughout the shutdown – including remote lessons – Wright expects there to be a steady flow of appointments once the centers open up in earnest. It’s golf season, after all, and now’s the time to take advantage of everything GOLFTEC has to offer.
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May 2020
Bridgestone unveils new Tiger Woods edition balls On the heels of the most-talked about golf ball launch at the 2020 PGA Merchandise Show, Bridgestone Golf, the No. 1 ball-fitter in golf, has unveiled its highly anticipated new version of the popular TOUR B XS – Tiger Woods edition balls. The new TOUR B XS-TW balls, a strong collaboration between Tiger and Bridgestone, deliver a game-changing combination of driver distance and greenside control, thanks to Bridgestone’s new REACTIV Urethane® cover. From a performance perspective, the TOUR B XS-TW edition balls are identical to the standard TOUR B XS model that Woods currently is using in all professional competitions. The 2020 TOUR B XS-TW balls feature the unmistakable “TIGER” sidestamp that replicates how the 15-time major winner marks his balls. In addition, new commemorative packaging that recalls Tiger’s emotional first major championship in more than a decade, last April, makes these balls just as suitable for a collector to display on a shelf as they are for play on the course. The new TOUR B XS-TW featuring a REACTIV cover has been partially responsible for an increase in Tiger’s driving distance and substantially more greenside spin. REACTIV is the golf world’s first smart Urethane – using an “impact modifier” to deliver a shock
absorbing soft cover on slow impact shots for more spin and control - and high resilience on high impact shots for more power and distance. The material reacts differently depending on the force of the impact. In essence, on the violent impact of a driver, REACTIV rebounds quicker than other urethane covers, generating more ball speed and longer distance. On the softer touch and feel of wedge shots, REACTIV keeps the ball on the face longer, allowing golfers to impart more spin and have better control in the short game. “Tiger Woods has proudly stated that he has never been more involved with the design of a golf ball from birth of concept to final model, than he has with the new 2020 TOUR B XS golf ball, so it is only fitting that we offer a version to consumers with the same TIGER sidestamp that Woods himself uses,” said Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager for Bridgestone Golf. “Combining this incredible new ball with some really cool new packaging that was taken
from the 72nd green at Tiger’s huge major win last spring, should really appeal to golfers and collectors. This ball truly is a celebration of the nearly 20year relationship Tiger has had with Bridgestone’s engineers throughout his playing career.” The Bridgestone TOUR B XS-TW was available for retail in mid-March and has a price-point of $44.99 per dozen. For more information on the TOUR B XS-TW and the entire family of 2020 TOUR B balls, visit www.bridgestonegolf.com.
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TGA tournament schedule remains in holding pattern By Justin Onslow Tee Times Associate Editor Despite the pall the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown over most organized sporting activities for the past few months, golfers can still get out and play the game they love in a safe, healthy fashion. Many courses throughout the country have remained open, and as the weather continues to improve – especially in the mid-South – golf will remain a great physical distancing-approved activity. Several Tennessee Golf Association (TGA) member clubs have remained open for business after taking the appropriate precautions to keep their patrons safe. Unfortunately, the TGA itself has had to cancel some tournaments in March and April with an eye on a reshuffled qualifier schedule that will resume when state and local officials deem it appropriate for less stringent physical distancing. Chad Anderson, who serves as the Executive Director for the TGA, provides an overview of what to expect once things start to settle down and return closer to normalcy. “As of right now, we’ve only postponed one tournament,” Anderson said. “That was our Senior Match Play that was scheduled for May. It has been pushed back to October. We have a contingency plan for the events that are scheduled in June, but we have not made that call yet. We’re going to let things play out and see if things take a turn for the better or the worse and see what the state allows us to do.” One major June event still in a holding pattern is the Tennessee State Open Championship, tentatively scheduled for June 2-4. June 2 is still a month away, but the seven qualifiers leading up to that tournament – originally scheduled to start on May 11 – will be rescheduled for the week prior to the Open Champi-
“We have a contingency plan for the events that are scheduled in June, but we have not made that call yet.” Chad Anderson TGA Executive Director onship. The following week features the Tennessee Women’s Amateur Championship at Tennessee National, followed by the Tennessee Senior and Super Senior Four-Ball Championships at Chickasaw Country Club in west Tennessee. “We’re just excited because we have a great lineup of championships this year,” Anderson said. “The State Open returns to GreyStone. Our Women’s Amateur is at Tennessee National, which is the first time that club has hosted a women’s championship for us. “The Senior Four-Ball travels to west Tennessee for the first time in its 50year history, Chickasaw Country Club, which hasn’t hosted an event for us since the 1960s. We’re really excited to get back to that club and to get that championship on the west side of the state. We’re trying to get more events to the Memphis area.” Because that trio of tournaments all take place in early to mid-June, the TGA is being especially measured with its planning in the hopes that, should things calm down in the coming monthplus, it can still host those events without a hiccup. “To give us our best chance to play the State Open the first week of June, we’ve pushed everything as late as we can, hoping that golf courses will be ready to host qualifiers and players will be ready to play,” Anderson explains. When things do settle down – and assuming that happens in the next couple months – golfers have plenty of reasons to look forward to what lies ahead on the TGA schedule, chief among them a new match play format for the Ten-
nessee Match Play Championship July 7-10. “We’re really excited about our Match Play Championship,” Anderson added. “We’re at a great match play course at Lookout Mountain, but we changed the format this year where we adopted the PGA Tour’s WGC match play format. Sixty-four players play from the very beginning and it’s pod play. Each player is guaranteed three matches. “The feedback we’ve received from the players has been awesome. Match play is just such a great form of golf that we just don’t get to play as much anymore. I think that will be the most anticipated event on our calendar for years to come
with that new format change.” For those worried about the hassle of registering for TGA tournaments with so much uncertainty in the scheduling process brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Anderson has some words of encouragement. “Registration is still open for us, and we want people to have the confidence to go ahead and register,” he says. “We’re not charging right now; we’re just putting people on a pending list. If an event doesn’t happen and we cancel it, they were never even charged. We want people to get excited about getting out to compete without having to worry about the financial side of it for now.”
Tennessee State Open Greystone Golf Club June 2-4 2020
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Lynx Golf unveils groundbreaking Junior Ai clubs, accessories Lynx Golf has unveiled the Junior Ai range of clubs and accessories, engineered to suit youth golfers better than any brand on the market by accurately and proportionately re-sizing all aspects of the equipment to meet the unique needs of junior players of all ages and sizes. Available this spring at select retailers and LynxGolfUSA.com, the collection offers different club head sizes and weights across six height coded sections. Each includes a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, irons, wedges, a putter and matching bag.
As an example of how Lynx resized the clubs to benefit different segments of junior golfers, a 6-iron in the smallest blue section measures 7% lighter and shorter than the next size up, the red section. Similar levels of difference continue through the remaining orange, green, black and silver sections with clubs getting progressively larger, longer and heavier. Each size will be available in both right- and lefthanded versions. Many junior clubs in the industry are cut shorter but with the same thickness as adult clubs and feature identical hosels and ferrules as those used in adult equipment. As a result of extensive research coupled with the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence, the Junior Ai range includes re-tooled grips, heads, shafts, ferrules and hosels designed to be smaller, lighter, and sized to the proper proportions as the rest of the club. “Because of the way we have developed these junior golf clubs, sizes grow proportionately with the child,” says Steve Elford, CEO of Lynx Golf. “It is important, because children have slower swing speeds and less power than adults, so to include adult-sized components in a child’s golf club does not give them the correct feel and weighting that they ought
to have. It’s a perfect model for scaling up to adulthood and one which takes account of the child’s strength development and increased swing speeds as they get older, stronger, and more confident.” Clubs will be sold individually with pricing as follows: • Driver (Titanium) - $103.00 each • Driver (Alloy) - $48.00 each • Fairway Woods (3 and 5) - $48.00 each • Hybrids (3 and 4) - $48.00 each • Irons (5i, 6i, 7i, 8i, 9i, PW, SW) - $29.00 each • Wedges (52 degree, 56 degree, 60 degree) - $29.00 each • Putter - $35.00 each Beyond creating superior performing clubs, Lynx has also addressed the matter of golf ball weight. The Junior Ai golf ball is lighter than standard, making it easier for juniors to get the ball airborne and have more fun. The reduced weight translates to faster flight from the face and a higher trajectory, allowing for greater distance despite slower club head speeds. In fact, independent testing conducted by German-based T&K Golf Research has shown that the Junior Ai driver paired with the Junior Ai golf ball outdrove the nearest competitor by an average of 50 yards. “Children have pliable, developing bod-
Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park Golf Packages
ies, and their joints can be subject to strain and potential injury when clubs are too heavy, or they struggle too hard to get a ball in the air. The lighter Junior Ai ball is proportioned to give young golfers the ability to get the ball airborne and hit shots longer than they would with normal junior equipment,” says Stephanie Zinser, CFO of Lynx Golf. “We also hope the Junior Ai range gives young golfers a better chance of finding success early in their golfing journey and more enjoyment in our beautiful sport. If any company was going to champion the young golfer, it would have to be us – Steve and I have seven children between us and can apply our own experience to the mission.” For more information visit: www.lynxgolfusa.com, or follow @LynxGolfUSA on Twitter.
Burkesville, KY 866-903-7888
Flexible golf packages allow you to choose your length of stay, lodging, and golf options. And don’t forget to take in the views. Package pricing and course information at parks.ky.gov/golf. For details on Kentucky State Park lodging, camping, dining, events, and activities visit parks.ky.gov.
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“the nation’s finest”
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What we can learn from past Masters Champions By Gregg Steinberg Tee Times Contributor With the pandemic, the PGA Tour has suspended any play for a few months. With that suspension comes no real-time golf tournaments. The good news is that the Golf Channel as well as other stations are re-playing final rounds from tournaments past. The better news is that we can learn so much from these champions, particularly their mental toughness under pressure. Take the pre-eminent Masters in 1986 won by Jack Nicklaus. There are so many mental game lessons to be learned but here are a few: • On No. 15, Jack turns to his son, Jackie who was caddying for him, and says, “3 would go a long way.” What Jack is doing here is saying, “I am going to make an eagle and win this thing!” Jack is the master of positive self-talk and you too need to master this key mental game fundamental.
• At the start of the day, Jack thought if he shot 65 that he could win. He had a specific goal in mind which drove his focus and motivation. In fact, Jack was right as he shot a 65 to win by one over Tom Kite and Greg Norman. • Speaking of Norman, he needed a birdie to win the tournament as he came up 18. Instead, he blew his 4-iron dead right and made a bogey to lose by one to Jack. This shows us that even the greats can choke under pressure. So when you do choke, and you will, give yourself some grace and know that everyone does choke under pressure at certain times. • Do you know who was paired with Jack on the final round? It was Sandy Lyle, and he won in 1988. Sandy learned from Jack how to play your best under pressure. When you watch these final rounds in the future, don’t just observe what the greats do under pressure, but emulate them! Let’s fast forward to the 1995 Masters in which Ben Crenshaw won. Earlier in the
week, his great friend and mentor, Harvey Penick, died and on Tuesday, Ben went to his funeral. Perhaps it was Harvey’s angel that helped him win, however here are some keys that we can learn from this situation: • His death put golf into perspective. Golf tournaments are not life or death. I believe that gain in perspective took the pressure off Ben to win his second Green Jacket. • The mental game lesson here is that
Jack Nicklaus 1986
Tiger Woods 2019 next time you are in a tournament that is important to you, keep it all in perspective. You will feel less pressure, and most likely, play much better when it counts. Let’s fast forward one more time to the 2019 Masters in which Tiger Woods won his fifth green jacket. This victory was one of the greatest career comebacks as we may see in our lifetime, and there are many mental game lessons to be learned. Here are two that standout: • It took thousands of hours to rehab his back in the gym as well as it took thousands of hours to rework his swing around his back issues. We only see the final outcome but not all the hard work. Nothing comes easy to anyone, not even Tiger Woods. Next time you do not play as well as you like, ask yourself if you paid the price of hard work. • At the start of the final round, Tiger was a few strokes behind the leaders. He made a few bogeys on the front nine, but as he said, “I remained patient”. In a lot of cases, when amateurs are not scoring well, they force the issue and go for too much. Be patient and let the score happen. It worked for Tiger and it can work for you! Dr. Gregg Steinberg is a professor of Sport Psychology at APSU. He was voted by Golf Digest as one of the greatest sport psychologists. He has been the mental coach for the Vanderbilt Men’s golf team as well as the mental game coach for NCAA champion University of Florida men’s golf team. You can see more mental game tips at www.masteringgolfpsychology.com. Go to this site for your free mental game e-book as well as free vids.
May 2020
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Around Nashville Fairways Wayne Evans
Superintendent of Sports/ Golf Clubhouse Operations
Metro Parks courses will open when given the go-ahead
Covid-19? Seemingly out of the blue, Americans began to hear about a fast spreading virus in China. Then it advanced to Europe and then onto Washington and New York City. Nobody could fathom that this would reach every state, including Tennessee. Who knew how it was about to affect our lives, that our federal, state, and local governments would have to step up and enforce policies unheard of in our lifetime? Officials went about shut down nonessential businesses and Nashville Mayor John Cooper, upon advice from health experts, shut the Metro Golf Courses and Parks down knowing that safety of our patrons and em-
ployees was paramount. Much thought went into allowing the golfers to continue playing, walking at no charge while following guidelines of proper safe distancing and being mindful not to litter the golf courses. While the clubhouses are closed,
we have continued to maintain our courses with limited staff for now. We have allowed people to walk and play our courses because we felt that golf was one activity that people could enjoy while practicing safe social distancing. We don’t have a set date for reopening. Hopefully, Metro Parks Courses will open around the time the mayor allows the city to begin phase 1 of reopening the city. We might have to restrict customers to one at a time in the clubhouse and continue walking only with the cups turned upside down, no water coolers, no rakes in bunkers, and several other measures to keep people safe from exposure to Covid-19. Also, we may adjust our hours or days of operation depending on staffing levels available in an effort to provide a safe place to play going forward. Stay tuned for upcoming changes, as the way we operate will likely change several times throughout the foreseeable future. https://www.nashville.gov/Parksand-Recreation/Golf-Courses.aspxStay safe, play well - Wayne
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We Love Our Golfers!!! 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
Nashville Mayor John Cooper gives daily updates
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Life is altered, but Tennessee Golf Trail is open H
ow in the world can things change this fast? Sixty days ago we were in a really good place golf-wise - people were out playing a lot, rounds were up, it was not a really cold winter, and the Masters was just around the corner. In a blink of an eye everything changed. Instead of giving you the same message about this terrible pandemic that has altered our world, the one that has caused us irreparable harm and loss of life, the message that we hear constantly every day, I am here selling HOPE. We all know what we have to do, so let’s do it without dwelling on the negative, but instead let’s be positive and take what we can get going forward. Things change, some for the better, some for the worse, but we are a constantly evolving society and we will deal with this going forward.
OPEN!
I say we go forward with hope and face the challenges in front of us with the idea that things will get better. All of us need to do our part to achieve this so let’s do our part, and a little more when we get the opportunity. Here is a positive item—the Tennessee Golf Trail is open for play! We have a few rules, like everyone else in regard to our play, and we appreciate your help in abiding by those regulations for the near future. Please be sure and read the signs and ask our personnel for any help you might need in relating to how our operations are running at the moment. You can visit our websites for more information before you make plans to play - advance tee times are advised for sure as it makes everyone’s job easier and offers you, the customer, an easier experience to get out on the course in a timely manner. I am sure we will offer more services each week while we practice our social distancing and our product disinfecting guidelines. We need to be cautious so we can continue to stay open and offer our guests the opportunity to play golf and be outside in the fresh air. Personally, I would like to give a shout out to our golf course staff, both inside and outside, for the job they are doing under extenuating circumstances. We are doing some things that many of us have never been involved with considering varying situations that are very fluid and change daily. Some seem very different, such as not touching flagsticks and being without bunker
rakes, coolers, and sand bottles which brings me to a topic that is always on my mind. Help the superintendents. Now more than ever before we can use your help. Please repair your ball marks (and one more) on the greens. Try to leave a bunker in better shape than you find it, and repair your fairway divots as best you can until our rakes and sand bottles return. I think you will find our courses in excellent condition with some of the best putting surfaces around. Please help us keep them that way. Thanks to all for supporting the Tennessee Golf Trail, and I look forward to seeing you all very soon. Much obliged, - Mike
Spring is Here A message of Hope!
May 2020
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Continued from page 12
Wright’s Quarantine Tip for Staying Sharp
Legacy re-opens; bunker project nearly complete While we had lots on tap going into the 2020 season, including great tournaments, league play, Couples 9 & Dine, and plans for the youngsters again this year, along with so many others in the golf industry we were blindsided with onset of COVID-19. Officials in Springfield, where we are located, in an effort to slow the virus progress, closed us for a period of 17 days. The best news is that as of April 24 we were back open for regular play with guidelines set in place by the CDC and other governing entities. We understand and know that everyone is happy to follow rules in order to get to play this game we all love. It was great to see long time members and golfers from our area once again and eager to return to play our Legacy Golf Course. The Legacy moved up to No. 2 in the annual Golf Advisor ranking for Tennessee’s public golf courses. That’s an eightplace jump in the rankings after we were rated No. 10 from 2016-2018. We attribute the jump to No. 2 due to improved course conditions and a commitment to customer service. We want to get even better, though. Part of the commitment to continue to improve is a bunker renovation project. We are currently putting the finishing touches on five bunkers that will be back in
Welcome Back!
play soon. That will leave only four more bunkers to renovate and the project will then be complete. We are also replacing cart paths on a yearly basis as needed. The golf course is in great shape with the crew’s good maintenance this spring ahead of the summer season. We look forward to seeing you soon. - Kevin Holler and Chet Frazier
Golfers’ Choice 2019- 2020 Public Golf Courses in Tennessee The Legacy • #2 Course in Tennessee!
illustrated here. Make body turns to mimic your swing, and pay close attention to where the end of the club is pointing. At address, the club should be pointing up slightly. By the high point of the turn, the club should be pointing down at a much steeper angle. Finish the turn as if you’re finishing your swing and the end of the club should again be pointing up, almost the same degree as it was pointing down at the high point of the swing. It’s a simple drill that can have drastic results on the range and on the course. You can even take it a step further and do the same drill while only balancing on your left foot (for a right-handed golfer), as the left leg is the center of balance while making a correct golf swing. Stay safe, keep working on those swings, and come see us at one of our three Nashville GOLFTEC locations soon.
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The Tennessee Golf Trail— a great place to play and stay! Come enjoy warm Tennessee hospitality and beautiful scenery at these nine courses located within lush Tennessee State Parks. Pick your choice of a hotel, cabin or camping stay, and make new memories this summer! To learn more, and make your reservations, visit
Cumberland Mountain
tngolftrail.net
Warriors’ Path
Montgomery Bell
At press time, our state is monitoring the COVID-19 situation and the importance of slowing its spread with efforts that may impact travel and gatherings. Please call before visiting any of the courses on the Tennessee Golf Trail, to ensure that the course of your choice is ready for your visit.
Paris Landing
1 All courses are Audubon International Certified and are Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.
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Annual passes available.
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* Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses
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The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain State Park 407 Wild Plum Lane Crossville, TN 38572 931-707-1640 The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay State Park 8919 Harrison Bay Road Harrison, TN 37341 423-326-0885 The Bear Trace at Tims Ford State Park 891 Wiseman Bend Rd Winchester, TN 37398 931-968-0995 Golf Getaway Package
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The Golf Course at Fall Creek Falls State Park 626 Golf Course Road Spencer, TN 38585 423-881-5706
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The Golf Course at Henry Horton State Park 4358 Nashville HWY Chapel Hill, TN 37034 931-364-2319 Stay and Play Packages
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The Golf Course at Montgomery Bell State Park 800 Hotel Avenue Burns, TN 37029 615-797-2578 Play and Stay Packages
tngolftrail.net
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The Golf Course at Paris Landing State Park 285 Golf Course Lane Buchanan, TN 38222 731-641-4459 Stay and Play Packages
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The Golf Course at Pickwick Landing State Park 60 Winfield Dunn Lane Pickwick Dam, TN 38365 731-689-3149
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The Golf Course at Warriors’ Path State Park 1687 Fall Creek Road Kingsport, TN 37663 423-323-4990
