Tee Times spring 2022 edition

Spring 2022 Keeping Golfers Connected in TN, KY, MS, AL, NC

Brandt Snedeker

Return engagement Simmons Bank Open looks to build on strong start at The Grove Pages 2-3

Spring 2022

2021 Champion Austin Smotherman

Inside!! not needed: Country 4 Experience Hills caters to all levels of golfer Into the sunset: Mike Nixon left Tennessee 14 Golf Trail courses better than he found them Back in business: Steve Kirkpatrick 19 unretires, opens club repair shop

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Simmons Bank Open looks to build on first year’s success

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor

Tour.

The tournament quickly has turned into one of the top stops on the Korn Everybody agrees that the first ren- Ferry Tour, and not just from a fan’s dition of the Simmons Bank Open perspective. Players, according to Korn Ferry Tour event under the di- Brandt Snedeker, love it. rection of the Tennessee Golf Founda“All of the feedback I got from the tion was an unqualified success. players, this was the best event on the That’s saying a lot given that almost tour last year,” Snedeker said at the up until the first tee shot there was tournament’s media day. “We’re gothe uncertainty of the seemingly nev- ing to make it better every year going er-ending Covid-19 pandemic, poor forward. I can’t thank Simmons Bank weather conditions were present on enough for their partnership to make a nearly daily basis, and what used this event what it is. I look forward to to be the Nashville Open was being making it better every year and growplayed at a new venue further away ing it into the premier event on the from Nashville.

Korn Ferry Tour.”

But what could have been high hurTennessee Golf Foundation Presidles to overcome turned out to be dent Whit Turnbow said the success nothing more than slight speedbumps of the tournament begins with comalong the road to success. munity involvement. That success Considering that the Simextends beyond the ropes, mons Bank Open raised though. It’s about returning more than $275,000 for loproceeds from the tournacal charities and that attenment into the charities that dance cracked the 12,000 benefit middle Tennessee. mark despite the weather “This event at its core is and pandemic challenges, about our community,” he there’s no doubt that the said. “It’s about pouring our tournament set itself up for resources into this commufuture success. nity to better it for everyWith the calendar turned one here today and everyWhit Turnbow to 2022, the question is one who will come behind what can the Simmons us when we are all gone. We Bank Open due for an encore? Tour- couldn’t do it without fantastic partnament officials are confident they ners. It is truly a labor of love and a can build on the momentum from the mountain of work.”

2021 event. The tournament is schedThe Simmons Bank Open certainly uled for May 5-8 at The Grove in Col- made an impression on Korn Ferry lege Grove, just south of Nashville.

Tour president Alex Baldwin.

Austin Smotherman won the 2021 “The success of the inaugural Simevent and has graduated to the PGA mons Bank Open for the Snedeker

Brandt Snedeker speaks about the impact the Simmons Bank Open had on his foundation at the recent media day at The Grove

Foundation in 2021 cannot be understated,” she said in a release. “Every aspect of the tournament exceeded expectations, and this tournament has quickly emerged as a favorite of our players. I have no doubt that this tournament will continue to get better and better because of the hard work and passion of the Tennessee Golf Foundation and their incredible staff.”

Tournament director Mike Hammontree survived his first year planning and organizing the event. He promises it will be bigger and better in 2022 and beyond. He also said he learned quite a bit in his first year heading it up.

“I learned the famous Mike Tyson quote, and it’s very accurate, that everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth,” Hammontree said. “We got punched pretty hard in the mouth on the first day with four inches of rain, and I learned that my staff was well prepared, our partners were well prepared, the Grove was well prepared and the golf course was fantastic.

“I learned to trust people,” he added.

“I had been a one-man show for a long

time and this was a stretch for me, for sure, to have so many other people involved and they all stepped up to the plate.”

Hammontree admitted he was somewhat anxious about last year’s event.

“I didn’t know how people would respond with driving a little bit further away,” he said. “We had a new host, new event, horrible weather. I’ll never forget when (The Grove owner) Mike Green stopped me as I was passing by in a cart and he was in a cart, we were weaving in and out of spectators on Thursday at 11 o’clock and he said there’s 2,000 people out here. He said, ‘what are we going to do?’ I told him I didn’t know but that we were going to enjoy it. I think we were all surprised.

“This year, if we get a decent weather week we certainly have built an event that people would want to come to and be a part of,” Hammontree continued. “We’ve got some fun things for people to do.”

New initiatives for this year’s Simmons Bank Open include: • Partnering with Hero Hut, a nonprofit organization focusing on building community for veterans and first

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Spring 2022

clusive environment. Kulture City is the leading non-profit for sensory accessibility and acceptance for those with invisible disabilities.

• Partnering with Nashvillebased Hattie B’s to donate meals to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. For each registered volunteer at the 2022 tournament, Hattie B’s, Simmons Bank and the Simmons Bank Open will donate four meals, with the goal of providing 30,000 meals to the Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee.

• On Friday, May 6, the tourMike Hammontree, SBO nament will host “Foundation Tournament Director Friday” at The Sandtrap hospitality area, celebrating local non-profits that specialize in responders through collaborative spaces at events nationwide. The providing support for children and Hero Hut will feature food and bever- families in the community.

Hammontree said more bleachage hospitality for community heroes ers are being added so there will be and their families, in addition to offering local resources and networking grandstand seating for everyone.

Several new hospitality areas will be opportunities available to veterans.

• Partnering with Kulture City to added throughout the course, and the make the tournament a Sensory in- sponsors’ pavilion will again highlight

Simmons Bank Open May 5-8, 2022

all of the great chefs and cocktail programs around the area.

Hammontree said organizers also will take advantage of the calendar for some special themes.

“Thursday of tournament week is Cinco de Mayo and that’s always a great time,” he said. “Friday is Foundation Friday and we expect a lot of support for that. Saturday is the Kentucky Derby, so we’ll have some tie-ins for that. Sunday is Mother’s Day, and yes, we are putting forth a fun event for people to come out and enjoy it.

Providing a great professional golf experience and social setting are paramount to the tournament’s success, but tournament officials remain committed to making sure that its charitable endeavors continue to grow.

The Snedeker Foundation is the primary recipient of proceeds and Snedeker remains thankful for what the Simmons Bank Open provides in terms of financial support.

“The main reason (2021) was such a success is because of the people involved with it,” the longtime PGA Tour pro said. “Mike Hammontree and his staff do such a good job. I am just a con-

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duit to help people come together for such a great cause and for us to raise as much money for Middle Tennessee as possible. Of that money we raised last year, it’s going to get redistributed to the community whether it is through Our Kids, which helps kids who have been sexually abused to get the treatment and care they need or the Sneds Tour, which is actively involved in trying to grow and have 2,500 members this year. We have over 105 events for kids to play golf in the state of Tennessee and that is something I am very passionate about.

“We’ve gotten involved in afterschool programs and are giving kids access who need tutors or life coaches to help get them through difficult times. It’s been a great kind of year for our foundation and what we have been able to do.”

With the tournament already entrenched with its position on the Music City’s sport scene, Hammontree is looking forward to the future.

“We have a lot of good things ahead – a nice five-year plan ahead of us and we look forward to being able to carry it out,” he said.

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Here for a Good Time

At Country Hills, it’s all about the experience

By Justin Onslow Tee Times Associated Editor

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has affected every golf course in various ways, but almost universally in one: More people are playing golf. As a result, it’s more important than ever that course management and staff is focused on facilitating an environment that makes everyone feel welcome.

At Country Hills in Hendersonville, Tennessee, that’s always been the focus. PGA Director of Golf Brad Shirley didn’t need to alter his management philosophy when record numbers of golfers flocked to Country Hills in the last couple years. Instead, he simply amplified it.

“The silver lining (of the pandemic) was just the sheer numbers of people that chose to come play golf, whether it was so they could have four hours of normalcy without a mask and enjoy the outside or maybe they were at home working or something so they had more spare time so they could

come play a little golf,” Shirley said.

“Not just us, but I’m pretty sure most every golf course should have had record years the last couple years because of the amount of people.

“In the end, people are going to go where they get good service and have a good time. Golf courses come and go in terms of the conditions and all that, but we’re just excited about the repeat business we’ve seen the last couple years because golfers enjoy their time here.”

A public 18-hole golf course owned by the city of Hendersonville, Country

(l-r) Rusty Pence, head assistant/ teaching professional and Brad Shirley PGA cover details for an upcoming tournament

Hills is exactly what you’d expect from a well-operated and well-maintained track in the booming Middle Tennessee market. It’s a challenging 6,211yard course (from the tips) with lush Bermuda, lots of elevation change (as the name of the course might suggest) and a staff that’s focused on inclusion and repeat business. The best way to ensure that: Making people feel right at home – especially the new golfers who picked up the sport during the heart of the pandemic.

“We’ve always taken that approach here, mostly because a lot of places don’t,” Shirley said of the inclusive atmosphere he and his staff promote.

“We want everybody to enjoy their time, have a good time and not feel like they’re doing something wrong or are rushed.

“I think everybody has kind of had to take that approach. A lot of these people are brand-new golfers and they don’t know. You can either alienate them and keep doing business the way you did the last several years or adapt and be a little friendlier.”

Shirley’s tenets for making that a reality are simple: Lean on a terrific maintenance crew to keep the course in great shape, spearhead a staff that cares about its golfers and focus on all the details, big and small.

For the latter, Shirley and his staff spent the winter working on upgrades to the clubhouse, painting and rearranging, with plans for new windows

Brad Shirley PGA Director of Golf

and carpet – all in the name of creating a welcoming environment – as well as working on cart path repairs from the winter weather and adding a section of cart path on No. 4. They’re also focused on trimming back some trees to ensure plenty of sunlight to keep the Bermuda growing strong in some key areas.

But in totality, Country Hills is every bit the same as it was in 2021 and 2020 before that. It’s a quality course run by quality people who want nothing but a quality experience for the golfers who choose to spend their money there.

“It’s still kind of the same old theme here at Country Hills,” Shirley said.

“We’re situated just perfectly, pricewise. We’re certainly not the most expensive or glamourous golf course, but we’re generally always in good shape. I’m very fortunate that my staff has been here for years. That makes things a lot easier. We’re just a big fan of people coming here and enjoying it and just having a good time.”

Indeed, that’s what you can expect at Country Hills, each and every time.

Spring 2022

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From tHE Editor

By Gregg Dewalt

A new era is on the horizon for Tee Times

T

he media landscape has been changing ever since Al Gore invented the internet – or something like that.

The way consumers get their news these days is dramatically different from even 15 or 20 years ago, let alone 30 or 40 years ago. At Tee Times, we’re adapting as well.

In the past, we have published as many as nine issues per year with only limited exposure online. Well, that’s changing, and it’s changing for the better. Beginning with this issue, Tee Times Paper will only be published in a print format on a quarterly basis. Going forward, you’ll be able to find the paper in pro shops in spring, summer, fall, and winter.

That doesn’t mean we’re going away. Instead, with our new website that is launching May 9, you will be able to find us on a daily basis at www.teetimesgolfnews.com.

To be honest, the move was overdue. It enables us to provide more golf content in a more-timely manner. Tournament results can be posted immediately to the website upon conclusion of the event. Feature stories won’t have to be confined to a certain space. There is a freedom to write.

We’ll be able to provide more national content as well.

Advertisers will get more bang for their buck, with ads posted both in the hard copy of the paper and on the website.

Best of all, you won’t have to be at a golf course to find us. Simply bookmark the new site and visit us daily on your laptop, desktop,

PUBLISHER Joe Hall pgegolf@bellsouth.net

EDITOR Gregg Dewalt teetimesgregg@gmail.com

phone or tablet to see what’s happening in the world of golf.

Moving to a digital format has been on the minds of publishers Joe and Carol Hall for quite some time. During the winter hiatus for Tee Times Paper, Joe and Carol decided to pull the trigger and make the move.

Here’s what they have to say about the move: “Nearly 30 years of publishing golf news, articles, results, and information through printed issues, time has come for a change. Change can be progress and, in this case, we think change WILL definitely be progress for Tee Times paper and its loyal followers.

“Most golfers are familiar with the monthly printed publication being seen and picked up at golf courses, driving ranges, retail shops, sports bars, and other locations throughout the southeast region. Tee Times has taken pride in being able to see those printed issues in the locker rooms and golf shops of public courses and private country clubs along with the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and on the tables of restaurants among other places.

“With the change in the way consumers receive communications and news, we realize that in order to provide content for our readers we must adjust the way we deliver information and the platforms needed to do so.

Beginning with the 2022 publishing year, Tee Times Paper will be a quarterly print edition with print dates of April, July, October, and January. The distribution of the printed Tee Times Paper will be the same as in the past with more locations added to our list.”

Effective May 9 TeeTimesGolfNews.com will launch a robust, engaging, interactive website

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Justin Onslow

SENIOR EDITOR David Widener widecard@aol.com

Joe Hall

along with several social media platforms. This site and the social media reaches will bridge the gap between the Tee Times Paper and have more current, relevant content for our readers. It will actually enhance our coverage of golf in the region and provide opportunities for our advertisers to reach more readers, therefore assuring the sustainability of the oldest regional golf news outlet.

We and the staff at Tee Times Paper felt the need to adapt to the changing times, and it is our goal to provide our readers and followers with MORE golf information than ever. We appreciate the support our readers and advertisers have given us in the past and we are excited to take on a new chapter with you in golf.”

- Joe Hall

“The idea of building a new website, TeeTimesGolfNews.com hit Joe and I like a

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

TECHNICAL ADVISOR Jimmy Phillips

Carol Hall

bolt of lightning. We experienced a new found enthusiasm, and in turn it sparked so much interest among our staff and our advertisers. It could not come at a better time for us, allowing us to reach out to golfers who want their golf news to be just that - breaking news.

Going to a quarterly Tee Times regional publication will allow us more time between issues to concentrate on providing enhanced content for the paper, but will allow our advertisers a one-two punch to reach golfers, driving them to our website for local and regional golf news.

We know we have the support of our longtime advertisers to achieve this, and look forward to this year with a new focus.”

- Carol Hall So, there you have it – a new outlook for Tee Times Paper and a new website – teetimesgolfnews.com launching May 9.

We hope you enjoy all that we have going forward.

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96th Schooldays tournament set for June 7-9 at McCabe GC PGA Tour professional Brandt Snedeker admits that when he was growing up, the Metro Parks Schooldays golf tournament was always a priority when he was figuring out his summer tournament schedule.

Tennessee Golf Foundation President Whit Turnbow often was in the field competing against Snedeker. In fact, 26 years ago Turnbow, a senior in high school that year, won the tournament.

Snedeker, then a high school sophomore, was the medalist in the qualifying round and reached the tournament semifinals before being eliminated.

Recently, both took part in giving back to the tournament. At the media day for the Simmons Bank Open, Snedeker and Turnbow presented Mike Organ of the Tennessean with a ceremonial check for $10,000 in order to secure the tournament’s future.

The 96th annual tournament is free for ages 12-17 and will be played June 7-9 at McCabe.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without junior golf,” Snedeker told Organ. “I played in every Schooldays event I could growing up.

It was a tournament I circled every summer.

It was something I always wanted to win or play well in. It was a big deal.”

Snedeker and Turnbow have been invited to the first day of the tournament to formally present the check.

Snedeker and Turnbow have been invited

(l-r) Tennessean’s Mike Organ, PGA Tour Brandt Snedeker, and Whit Turnbow, President Tennessee Golf Foundation to the first day of the tournament to formally present the check.

Snedeker, a Vanderbilt graduate, said playing in the Schooldays each year taught him more about golf than simply how to swing or putt.

“It gave me something to shoot for and taught me how to prepare and practice,” he said. “It taught me how to win and how to fail. That’s part of it. It gave me something to work for. If I played great or I played poorly here’s what I needed to do.”

The best part of Schooldays is that it has remained free for all participants.

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FYI 2022 Men’s Golf Association Tournament Schedule April 23 May 7 May 21 June 4-5 June 18 July 2 August 6-7 August 20 Sept 17 - 18 October 1 - 2

Handicap Match Play Qualifier Two Man Match Play Qualifier Legacy PGA Old Pals Legacy US Open Stableford Annual Pass Holders Championship Two Man Best Ball Ryder Cup Tour Championship

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McCabe

Coming...

The 96th Annual Tennessean/Metro Schooldays Tournament June 7 - 9, 2022 Thank you to the Tennessee Golf Foundation’s check presented to Mike Organ of the Tennessean Newspaper.

The funds are to help with Tennessee’s longest running junior tournament, also thanks to Brandt & Mandy Snedeker’s Foundation.

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Two Rivers Parkway • 615-889-2675

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2009 Sevier Street • 615-880-1720

7 5

Congratulations to Tee Times Associate Editor, Justin Onslow and wife, Lauren on the recent birth of Avery Oliver Onslow.

Here is an avid golfer/ fisherman in the making.

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By David Theoret Tee Times Contributor Golf courses in Tennessee have a lot to offer: Mild winter weather, a variety of grass surfaces, and lots of elevation changes.

The Tennessee River Golf Club is an embodiment of that.

Tennessee River Golf Club is an 18-hole championship golf course located next to the Tennessee River in the rolling hills of Decaturville, Tenn. The course was originally named the Fisherdale Golf Resort.

General Manager and superintendent Chad Smith’s parents Clare and Dianne Smith purchased the course in 1997 and over the years they have rebuilt and revamped the golf course. In fact, if it wasn’t for his parents working every day and investing in the property, there probably would not be a course.

As Smith tells it, “The course was established in 1993 as a 9-hole layout. The other nine had been planned out but never built.

The back nine was added in 1998, and holes were redesigned and rerouted; in fact, only 3 of the original holes are part of the current layout.”

The Tennessee River Golf Club offers golfers four sets of tees. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,455 yards with a course rating of 69.7 and a slope of 119. I found that the White tees (6,035/68.1/117) provided a good challenge a let me leave with a little dignity still intact. Seniors typically play from the Yellows (5,328/64.6/105) and ladies from

the Reds (4,792/68.4/108). Par for everyone is 72.

As you play your way around the course, you’ll encounter is 18 uniquely different holes; each with a character and flavor all its own. Lush Bermuda fairways lead to pristine bentgrass greens, the only bent grass greens in the area. Some holes are wide open, with a minimal amount of trouble, several have tree-lined fairways; there are uphill and downhill elevation changes, and water hazards that come into play on at least 10 holes.

No. 1 is an interesting and challenging par 4 that plays 370 yards from the White tees. Climbing up to the elevated tee box, you’ll see a pond in front of you and seemingly nowhere to hit the golf ball. Upon further inspection, you’ll find that there’s a lot of room in the fairway left of the pond. A good drive will still leave a mid to long iron uphill into a large green that slopes back to front. Par is a great way to get started.

The second hole is ranked the easiest par 4 on the course. This 330-yard, dogleg right requires a blind tee shot (aim at the grey house in the distance). A good tee shot down the left side will leave a short pitch shot extremely downhill into a very small green with a bunker front right.

Short, but by no means a pushover.

The third hole is another blind tee shot that plays downhill. It’s a short hole – 275 yards – and favoring the right side will leave the best angle into another small green.

At 422 yards from the White tees, No. 4 is handicapped the hardest hole on the entire layout. It’s long and dead straight; there’s a pond on the left side that can catch an errant drive. A good drive followed by a wellstruck approach shot will go a long way in taming this beast. Bunkers guard either side of the green. The green is big enough that it could be a two-club difference between a front and back pin placement.

Photo credits: Belinda Theoret

Tennessee River Golf Club – Come for the day, stay for the weekend

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The next 4 holes provide a little bit of a break. No. 5 is a 186-yard par-three that plays over water into a green protected on either side by large bunkers. No. 6 is a dogleg left par 4 that plays 359 yards. A good drive will leave a short pitch shot into a large green surrounded by sand.

The seventh hole plays 500 yards from the white tees, and is the only par 5 on the front nine. This dogleg right starts from an elevated tee box and plays downhill with a pond on the left at the bottom that should not come into play. No. 8 is a scenic 152yard par-three that plays over water with woods on the right if you shank it.

The ninth hole requires a well-struck tee shot to make it to the corner of the dogleg. Do that and the hole gets a lot easier.

Anything short of the dogleg will force you to play a big fade if you want to find the green.

The back nine starts with a good-looking par 4. The 10th hole once again starts from an elevated tee box and features a lake down the entire left side. It presents somewhat of a risk/reward scenario from the tee; the more of the lake you cut off with your drive, the shorter your approach shot will be. At 390 yards, it will take two wellstruck shots to find the green.

No. 11 is a straightaway par 4 that plays 363 yards. Do your best to avoid the tree on the left side along the cart path. There’s also a small pond on the left side that has seen its share of errant tee shots. Avoid these pitfalls and things get a lot easier.

No. 15 is a fun little par 3 that plays con-

siderably downhill and far less than its stated yardage of 100 yards. The woods on either side of the green provide the only hazards on this hole. It’s a great chance to boost your ego.

No. 17 is probably Tennessee River Golf Club’s signature hole. It’s a picturesque par 3 that plays 155 yards over water into a very wide, shallow green.

Tennessee River Golf Club ends with a good-looking and challenging par 5 that plays 486 yards. You start from an elevated tee box and play around the lake on the left.

The hole is best played down the right side as much as possible. The green slopes subtly from back right to front left towards the water. Par is a great way to end your round.

Are you part of a group that likes to get out of town for the weekend and go play golf?

Tennessee River Golf Club has a 2-story, 3-bedroom home that comfortably sleeps up to 12 people. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, so bring food and beverages, upstairs and downstairs living room areas with large, flat-screen TVs, a screened-in patio area, and a gas grill. Rentals are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Call the pro shop for the latest rental deals!

The Tennessee River Golf Club offers golfers a little bit of everything: weekly golf games, golf leagues, tournaments, stay and play rates, public play, memberships, private golf instruction, and a full practice facility.

Give them a call at (731) 852-2582 or visit their website at www.tennesseerivergolfclub.com!

Spring 2022

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LPGA Amateurs of Nashville Spring Kickoff at Hermitage Golf Course Tee Times Report The LPGA Amateurs of Nashville held its spring kickoff event recently at Hermitage Golf Course.

The group is the recreational amateur arm of the LPGA Family. As the largest women’s golf amateur community in the world, they provide organized playing and learning opportunities for members of all ages and abilities through a variety of local and national events. As a member, you are connected to thousands of other members globally.

The LPGA Amateur Golf Association began in 1991 and was originally known as the Executive Women’s Golf Association. Later, it was rebranded and now falls under the LPGA umbrella. Since its inception, the LPGA Amateur Golf Association has served as a portal to golf and touched the lives of thousands of women of all skill levels.

LPGA Amateur Golf As-

sociation has chapters throughout the United States and internationally.

The Nashville chapter was established in 1996 and the membership reflects a cross-section of individuals from across the Middle Tennessee area that all share a common link - golf. The LPGA Amateurs – Nashville is your best place to get involved, get connected and to have fun playing the game of golf.

The Nashville chapter offers opportunities for members six days a week. There are golf leagues every day except Friday and Saturday.

In addition, there are organized golf play dates at Tennessee golf courses at least two weekends a month.

The Nashville Chapter offers many golf opportunities for women who want to play golf.

Susan Shivas is president of the Nashville chapter.

At its kickoff event, members were treated to a buffet brunch while socializing, a business meeting was conducted and 36 players

Spring Kickoff 2022 elected to brave chilly temperatures to play 18 holes. There were door prizes and goody bags were distributed.

Hermitage Director of Food and Beverage David Cottrell, Director of Special Events Monica Bates and Director of Golf Chris Pierce coordinated all of the activities.

Everyone is welcome, including those who want to learn how to golf, those who enjoy playing casual golf and the more experienced players.

Women considering membership in the Nashville chapter are welcome to participate in two events before joining. For more information, go to https://chapters.lpgaamateurs.com/home/chapter/ TNNA

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEWS

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President Susan Shivas

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Spring 2022

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Opinion

By David Widener

Member Golf Writers Association of America

Vanderbilt cruised to the Mason Rudolph Championship title

List’s long journey back Vanderbilt men dominate Mason Rudolph event to Masters ends I

t’s been a long journey but Luke List, a 3-time All-American at Vanderbilt University, was back playing in the Masters where his PGA Tour career began in 2005 when he earned a spot in the field by being the runner-up in the 2004 U.S Amateur.

That year he shot 6-over-par to finish tied for 33rd place and had a hole-inone in the par-3 contest.

His return came as a result of winning the Farmers Insurance Open in January, but it wasn’t easy. Trailing by five shots entering the final round, List rallied to finish 15-under-par to tie for the lead.

He then won with a tap-in birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Will Zalatoris to take home $1.5 million.

Even more important is the victory makes him exempt through the 202324 Tour season.

The journey to get to that point covered nine years (2013-2022) and 327 Tour tournaments without a victory although he came close several times and won twice on the PGA Tour’s development tours.

“To get that first win is definitely a relief,” List says. “I’m just happy with how positive I stayed. Living in Augusta the past four years and driving past Augusta National, I can’t tell you how much this (playing in the Masters again) means to me. It’s a special place and I

List was a standout golfer at Vanderbilt

Luke List was all smiles after winning the Farmers Insurance Open

might get emotional.”

Looking at List’s stats it’s hard to imagine he has only one Tour victory.

Ahead of the Valero Open, List was 11th in the FedEx Cup standings with 816 points, just six points shy of cracking the Top 10. He ranks fifth on the Tour in driving (316.4 yards), in Greens in Regulation (72.92), and 14th in official money won ($2,387,572). His scoring average is 70.18 and he has a career low round of 63 accomplished three times: 2019 RSM Classic, 2020 Shriners for Children Open and 2021 John Deere Classic.

Putting seemed to be the trouble spot in his game (he ranks 203rd on Tour) so he hired a new putting coach, Stephen Sweeney, in December. It apparently helped him get his first victory.

The 37-year-old List comes from a swimming family as both his parents were All-America swimmers at the University of North Carolina and his two sisters were collegiate swimmers, but he hated swimming practice so he turned to golf.

List went off with 125-to-1 odds to win, but unfortunately his dream win didn’t come to fruition. List shot rounds of 77-75 and missed the cut, but that should deter him from having a fine season. Here’s hoping List has more wins in his future.

Tee Times Report Vanderbilt’s men’s golf team continues to dominate the Mason Rudolph Championship.

For the seventh time in tournament history, and for the fifth time since 2015, Vanderbilt won the Mason Rudolph Championship.

Starting the final round with a 12-stroke lead over Liberty at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, Vandy shot a tournament-record 806 to finish 46-under-par and beat Liberty by nine strokes.

“Super excited for our guys and proud of how they played all week,” Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh said. “That was as close to a complete tournament as we have played so far this season.”

Sophomore Cole Sherwood (-17) finished with a three-day total of 196 and became the first Commodore to win the event since John Augenstein in 2018.

Augenstein was present Sunday for Sherwood’s win.

The 17-under-par through 54 holes was one stroke off the Mason Rudolph Championship record set by Ty Harris of Georgia State in 2004.

Sherwood held off teammate Reid Davenport who carded back-to-back 66s and finished 13-under-par for the tournament. Liberty teammates Jonathan Yaun (-12) and Isaac Simmons (-11) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Vandy freshman Gordon Sargent placed fifth with a 9-under-par after 54 holes.

Sherwood’s triumph was his second of the season. His 196 also matched his own program record set earlier this season at the Cabo Collegiate.

“Obviously, Cole played awesome this week and he’s continuing to do a lot of things at a really high level,” Limbaugh said. “I thought his birdie putt on No. 9 was a really big putt and it settled him down after a bogey on No. 8 and he got his flow back then finished really strong. Reid was really good today and was so in control physically and emotionally all tournament long. I’m proud of how Gordon showed up and played in a final round just like we all expected him to. Also, proud of the way Matthew (Riedel) competed.

Vandy’s Cole Sherwood poses with his medalist trophy along with Legends Club Micah Hicks, Director of Golf

“Liberty has a good team and they pushed us which ultimately makes us better. I thought our team was resilient and I’m proud of how they responded and finished. Winning is never easy and it was our first time playing with the lead going into the final round so there is always a lot to learn about yourself in these moments.”

The Commodores made 23 birdies in the final round and never really allowed Liberty to get within striking distance.

Vandy has now won three tournaments and finished second in another since Feb. 23.

Harrison Ott (-4) placed 15th and William Moll (+1) tied for 34th overall in helping the Dores to victory.

Vanderbilt had a trio of golfers competing as individuals in Riedel, Jackson Van Paris and Michael Shears. Riedel’s 69 vaulted him into the top 10 thanks to birdies on three of his final five holes.

Van Paris (E) came in tied for 28th while Shears (+1) tied for 32nd.

“We are learning more about our team each time we play and I like a lot of what we learned. I also know that there are a lot of things we can improve upon and do more consistently,” Limbaugh said.

“We have to keep pushing forward mentally knowing we have the capability to accomplish our goals with the right effort and right focus on the right things.

“We know actions determine outcomes and it’s about working to continue to create the right habits so we can be our best when our best is required.”

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2021 Tennessee PGA Section Awards Golf Professional Of The Year

Jeff Houston, PGA

Fairfield Glade Community Club

Distinguished Career Award

Distinguished Career Award

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2021 Tennessee Secti

The Tennessee PGA held th Jani-King Awards Lunche at The Factory in PGA Professional Development Award Joe Hallet, PGA

Vanderbilt Legends Club

Bill Strausbaugh Award R. Kedric Perkins Jr., PGA Jackson Country Club

Richard Eller Growth of the Game Award Matthew Poff, PGA Gatlinburg Golf Course

Merchandiser of the Year - Private Brent Ratliff, PGA Windyke Country Club

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ion Awards

heir Annual Meeting and eon February 28, 2022 n Franklin, TN

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“Each of our award winners deserve the recognition they have received. They work tirelessly to grow the game, better themselves and make a positive impact on everyone around them. Congratulations to the winners at both the Section and chapter levels.”

– Clayton Hromadka, Executive Director

Teacher of the Year Joe Hallet, PGA

Vanderbilt Legends Club

Youth Player Development Award Tammy Lohren, PGA Three Ridges Golf Course

Merchandiser of the Year - Public/Resort Jon Goin, PGA

Timber Truss Golf Course

Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Joey Batuello, PGA Holston Hills Country Club

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Trailblazer: Nixon leaves Tennessee Golf Trail courses better than he found them

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor When Mike Nixon was named special assistant to the commissioner a little more than a decade ago, he had a simple goal for the Tennessee Golf Trail’s courses.

He wanted to leave them better than he found them. That’s the credo for many hard-core golfers when they play a round- fix an extra ball mark; fill an extra divot; do a little extra raking in the bunkers; pick up that extra trash blowing across the course.

As Nixon’s title changed to Director of Golf Operations for the Tennessee State Parks, the task he assumed was quite a bit bigger than those seemingly small items. He was charged with overseeing a vast array of courses across a sprawling state, make them better, and do it within a meager budget.

As he retires from his post, Nixon is confident that he left the Tennessee Golf Trail better than he found it, but at the same time realizing there is plenty more work to be done.

“I had a chance to make them better and that’s all I really wanted to do,” he said. “I got to work with a great bunch of people.”

There is plenty for Nixon to hang his hat on as he walks away. Under his direction, capital projects completed include: • Installed the Pickwick Landing irrigation system along with two new restrooms on the golf course.

• Installed the Fall Creek Falls irrigation system along with two new on-course restrooms.

• Redesigned and installed new Champion Bermuda greens at Henry Horton and built six new tees.

• Redesigned and installed new Champion Bermuda greens at Paris Landing and built or renovated 12 tees.

• Designed and renovated the bunkers at Montgomery Bell using a polymer and gravel mixture in line with the Better Billy Bunkers. Also, built seven new tees with spoils given to us by the county solid waste

Mike Nixon poses in his office before retiring

management operators.

Other projects funded through nonstate money included: • Qualified for $1,000,000-plus in grants from Tennessee Clean Energy (TVA) and the Office of Sustainable Practices in order to purchase electric equipment for the golf courses.

• A donation from the Jacobsen Company was also secured in the form of six electric walk-behind mowers for Cumberland Mountain.

The TVA funding went to the purchase of electric greens mowers for all nine TSP golf courses along with many other pieces of electric equipment for the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. The funds also went to electrify six golf cart facilities in order to convert 428 golf carts from gasoline to all electric.

Conservation also was at the forefront during Nixon’s tenure: • With the addition of the electric mowers for all of the TGT courses they were able to finalize Standard Operating Procedures for all of greens maintenance.

• Also, to exceed environmental guidelines, approximately 150 acres of previously maintained golf course property on the TGT has been returned to its natural state or planted with native grasses. Paul

Nixon spent 36 days at Henry Horton renovating its greens

Carter, the Director of Agronomy and superintendent at Harrison Bay started this project and acreage has been added nearly every year.

• All nine Tennessee Golf Trail courses are Audubon and Groundwater Guardian certified.

Nixon said he is proud that he was able to bring in the major projects on time and under budget. And, he said the courses finished in the black for the first time in history in 2021.

“Barely,” he said. “That’s a good time to leave.”

One project of which Nixon is most proud is the installation of new greens at the Henry Horton state park course for $300,000.

“We did those greens in 36 days,” Nixon said. “I spent 34 straight days there - I came home for my anniversary, took my wife to dinner and we went to see “America” and I went back to Henry Horton the next day. It was fun.”

Nixon worked alongside Morris Brown, who owns Champion Turf Farms, to get the greens done on time and within the budget.

“He was on his old blue tractor and I was on a skidder,” Nixon recalled.

“We get more compliments on those greens. A lot of people say those are the best Bermuda greens in Tennessee.”

Perhaps the most important thing during Nixon’s tenure is that he fought the funding battles and let the course professionals and superintendents do their thing. That earned their respect.

“He’s been unbelievable,” said Neil Collins at Henry Horton State Park. “One thing that is so unique is

that he lets the golf managers and professionals run their business. He’s always there to lend a hand and offer advice.”

Collins said that because Nixon is an accomplished golfer, he understands the ins and outs of what it takes to make golf courses successful.

“He’s done a good job marketing and is well-connected in the Tennessee golf community,” Collins said. “He has laid a great foundation and articulated what his plan was and what the Tennessee Golf Trail needed going forward. He’s going to be greatly missed. One thing impresses me is that he truly loves the game more than anyone I know.”

Jared Melson, whom Nixon hired as the head professional at Tims Ford, echoes what Collins said.

“I can’t imagine doing his job,” Melson said. “He handles a lot of the politics of the business in Nashville and keeps people off our backs. He’s been good at that. He lets us do the job and doesn’t micromanage.”

At Harrison Bay, Robin Boyer calls Nixon “without a doubt, the best boss I ever had.”

“He was a good listener and attentive to our needs,” Boyer said. “Mike tried his best to elevate our golf course to what it could become. He realized that we could be the flagship for the entire trail being that we were near a metro area.”

Boyer also said Nixon was a “handsoff boss.”

“He would come visit and we might go play or hit balls or roll some putts on the greens,” Boyer said. “If he didn’t like a certain way we were doing See Trailblazer on page 15

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things, he would creatively suggest better ways to do it.”

Keith Hickman at Paris Landing said he would be retired now if not for Nixon.

“I love Mike and I loved working for him.” Hickman said. “He fought the battles. You could call him with a problem and he would try to get it done on the state level. He brought expertise to the trail. He knows everybody and was huge at getting a lot of stuff done.”

Nixon said his philosophy for giving golfers a good value begins with good greens.

“Everybody knows, and this is not rocket science, but I have been very adamant about what we do maintenance wise,” he said. “We start at the greens and go out. If you don’t have good greens, you don’t have anybody playing. If you have bad greens, you are dead in water. We have been able to supply reasonably good greens and some really good greens over the past 10 years.”

When talking about his tenure, Nixon often refers to what he considers a shortcoming of his time working in state government.

“I can say right up front that my biggest failure is not being able to get funding to facelift our golf courses,” he said. “They are really good but the bunkers and cart paths everywhere need work, and with a little bit of sprucing up – we might not be the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail - but we could be dadgum close.”

Nixon said he hopes to be remembered for how blessed he was to have had an “opportunity to give back to the game, to the state, to be a public servant.”

“It was my job to make them better,” he said. “I just wanted them to be better when I left than when I got here. I think they are considerably better. I’m just really happy to be able to do something worthwhile that a lot of people are enjoying. That makes me happy that people are enjoying them and we are giving them a good value.”

Now, he’s ready to relax and work on his own golf game.

“Could I have done better?” he said.

“Yeah. I am really going to regret not being able to get the funding that we really needed. With the right funding, I could put us in a spot where we would be good for the next 25 or 30 years from a maintenance standpoint.

I want somebody else to make them better. I can sleep at night knowing that they are better now than when I got here. I’ve done my bit.”

Mike Nixon and Arnold Palmer

Conservation, environmental programs were key issues during Nixon’s tenure

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor During Mike Nixon’s tenure as the Director of Golf Operations for the Tennessee State Parks, the Tennessee Golf Trail courses received numerous awards.

Nixon, who credits Paul Carter, the Director of Agronomy for the Tennessee Golf Trail, with providing the impetus for many conservation honors, said not many people understand how important the Golf Digest Green Star Award was for the The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. “It was huge,” Nixon said. “That’s the biggest honor you can get. We are the only real public course that has ever won it. We got crazy publicity out of it.”

Carter, who also is the superintendent at Harrison Bay, said conservation and environmental issues have been important throughout his career. Nixon, he said, facilitated implementation of many of the Trail’s conservation efforts.

“Our golf course is unique in that it is on state park property and there are no houses around, so it has always been our mission that it is an oasis to get away from the hustle and bustle of the world and escape to nature,” he said.

Harrison Bay, which has a bald eagle camera, is certified with Audubon International as a cooperative sanctuary and certified with the Groundwater Foundation as a groundwater guardian green site. It is one of 12 courses in North America that is certified with the golf environment organization in Europe.

“We have won numerous awards for our environmental projects and Mr. Nixon has championed us on all of those and supported us,” Carter said. “He has provided us with the resources and the backing to do those projects. He made them a priority and he made it so much easier for us to do what we wanted to do on the course.”

Here’s a partial list of awards and distinctions attained during Nixon’s tenure: Awards • Golf Digest Green Star Award to Harrison Bay: The most coveted award in golf for conservation had never been awarded to a small market golf course.

Former winners were renowned courses such as Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, and Kiawah Island.

• Environmental Leaders in Golf Award: This award went to Harrison Bay and Paul Carter.

Commendations • USGA Commendation for Environmental Stewardship: Given went to the Bear Trace, the Tennessee Golf Trail, and Paul Carter. Harrison Bay is listed as one of the 8 most environmentally friendly courses in America.

• Transportation Forum Awards and Green Fleet Certifications were awarded to the Tennessee Golf Trail/TSP for the electrification of 428 golf carts, changing them from gasoline power to electric power.

Distinctions and Accreditations • All nine of our Tennessee Golf Trail courses are Audubon and Groundwater Guardian certified.

• Golfweek Magazine has listed several courses as the Best Courses to Play in Tennessee and the Tennessee Golf Trail as one of the Best Golf Trails in America.

• Harrison Bay is listed as one of only 10 GEO certified (Golf Environmental Organization) courses in America.

• Earth Day Celebration at Harrison Bay, in partnership with Jacobsen Worldwide, provided over 60 million ‘hits’ on Golf Channel, CNN, Radio and TV stations, and print media where viewers or listeners could hear Tennessee Golf Trail, Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, or Tennessee State Parks mentioned.

• The Tennessee Golf Trail courses host events that impact Tennesseans,

Jack Nicklaus and Mike Nixon

putting over $750,000 directly into state and local charities each year. Also, even being a state entity, the TGT deposits over $700,000 back into state and local government’s each year in the form of sales tax.

Nixon, a past winner of the Lew Frank Award from the Tennessee Golf Foundation, is proud that the Tennessee Golf Trail continues to support junior golf. It hosts events ranging from Special Olympics and Sneds Tour to First Tee programs, middle and high school teams and PGA Junior tournaments.

He noted that TGT golf professionals have won numerous awards over the past 10 years including TPGA State and Chapter Awards in many categories, including Golf Professional of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Merchandiser of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

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One of Tennessee’s finest

By Bobby Greenwood, PGA Tennessee golf has produced many great players throughout its history.

Players like Memphis’ Cary Middlecoff, Clarksville’s Mason Rudolph, Nashville’s Lou Graham, Chattanooga’s Gibby Gilbert, and Knoxville’s Joe Campbell just to name a few back in my era.

There are different levels of greatness that most people are not aware of. For instance, I am not on the same level as these five players. Why? Because some were former Ryder Cup players or

have won major titles and some are World Golf Hall of Fame members.

The Tennessee Golf Foundation inducted two great players into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame this past February - 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel and former PGA Tour winner David Gossett who had a stellar amateur career that included NCAA First Team All-American in college. He also won the 1999 U.S. Amateur.

Both were highly worthy of being inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame members.

However, there are many other

truly great golfers from Tennessee; both pro and in the amateur ranks, just perhaps like me, not on that elite level of excellence.

Cookeville’s Bobby Nichols was indeed one of the notable players. More importantly, he was a wonderful man that everyone seemed to love. Let me share a page I wrote in 2008 for a book to be written about my dear friend, Bobby Nichols.

-- REMEMBERING BOBBY NICHOLS, PGA

By Bobby Greenwood in Bermuda, October 2008

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When I was asked, six months ago,

by Buddy Pearson to write something for his book about my dear friend Bobby Nichols, I thought it would be easy. But I just could not seem to do it … my heart was heavy every time that my thoughts went to my best buddy and the realization that he was gone.

As I write this, I am in Bermuda at the Grand Slam of Golf, and the Mid Ocean Golf Club is a beautiful place. This morning, as I watched Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington and Trevor Immelman hit practice shots, it reminded me of a time Bobby Nichols and I drove to Nashville to watch Arnold Palmer and Gary Player play an exhibition at the Richland Golf and Country Club. Bobby and I always were students of the game and we have shared many hours of practice and study in an effort to try to become better golfers ourselves. We have traveled many miles together in our quest to improve. Perhaps this is why I have finally chosen this time to attempt to write something for Buddy Pearson’s book.

Bobby Nichols would be surprised, delighted and maybe even a little embarrassed by this book; for he was someone who was by nature shy and yet he loved encouraging people. He tried hard to live his life so he wouldn’t ever let anyone down.

As a young boy, Bobby caddied for me at the Cookeville Country Club and we became the best of friends.

Later, our mutual love for basketball brought us even closer together. We played church league basketball together. We played hard and fast. After I broke my wrist in one game, I warned Bobby that due to poor refereeing the games had become too rough and for him to be careful. He promised that he would.

But try as he may, his competitive spirit drove him to be a leader on the church league basketball team.

And within 2-3 weeks, Bobby injured his knee that required surgery in Nashville. I stayed with him at night in the hospital.

Many years later, after Bobby became ill, the last two weeks of his life was precious… and also terrible. Again, he asked me to stay with him every night in his home and also in the hospital. During those pain-filled midnight hours, I learned a lot. We rededicated our See Memories on page 17

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Memories... life to the Lord, confessed our sins to one another and prayed many sincere prayers together.

In an effort to explain what Bobby Nichols meant to me - just let me say, I now have no one in Cookeville who can talk about the deeper truths of playing competitive golf tournaments - even the PGA Tour.

Bob won many tournaments in his playing career including the Tennessee Open, the Met Open, Tennessee Player of the Year, etc. One night as we sat together in his living room, Bobby said, “I would give up all my tournament wins if only the pain will go away.” That really put things in perspective for me once again.

So, there are many reasons why Bobby Nichols was honored by the Tennessee PGA Section with the Tennessee Cup Matches MVP named the “Bobby Nichols Most Valuable Player Award”. He has also been selected by the Tennessee PGA Section to captain the professional team of the Tennessee Cup matches on four different occasions! Bobby was a giving and caring Christian man. He never ceased to amaze people with his kindness and generosity. With his devout Christian faith, Bobby exhibited a sense of humility that is rarely seen in the world of sports.

Not many people know that Bobby Nichols was a giver. He shared with me many secrets of his benevolent nature. And we would discuss how some people would try to cheat or con Bobby. With his Godly wisdom, he would say, “The Bible says, ‘Suffer yourself to be defrauded’. Just don’t let yourself be guilty of cheat-

ing anyone.”

When his mom was in the Cookeville nursing home for several years, Bobby would prepare vegetable juice with his blender at his home and take it to his mom every day! I tried to help Bobby as best I could in his time of need, but, needless to say, I was not nearly as good a nurse as he was.

I know Elaine, Kim and I and others wish we could have done more; but I can only say that we did the best that we knew to do. I was so proud to see how his friends loved Bobby Nichols.

I was proud of the Tennessee PGA for showing up in force for Bobby’s funeral in Cookeville. All of the officers of the PGA were there, as were many of Bobby’s fellow PGA professionals. Bobby touched countless people in the community, the golf industry; and the community was brought together by the shared love and sorrow.

The Bible says, “Rejoice at death and cry at birth.” I know and understand that is true but, I have never met anyone that got the hang of it. Nevertheless, I truly believe that Bobby Nichols is with God and I have to be happy for him. I miss him. He died like a champion and I was able to tell him that on his deathbed. The Bible says: “Godly wisdom brings sorrow.” I miss Bobby very much. I am sad here in Bermuda.”

Born in Algood, Bobby Nichols grew up as a caddie at the Cookeville Country Club and would go on to be a four-year letterwinner on the Tennessee Tech University men’s golf team (1959-63), including be-

Breaking News!!!

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*Remembering a good friend, Bobby Nichols.

“Thanks be to God for putting a great man, like Bobby Nichols, in my life. Looking forward to playing another round of golf with you in heaven.” - Bobby Greenwood, PGA, November 23, 2017. ing the team captain his senior season. After winning the 1991 Tennessee Open, Bobby Nichols made a profound impact on the golfing community during his lifetime.

While junior golf was always a priority for Nichols, so was coaching the golf teams at his alma ma-

ter. A 32-year veteran with Tech athletics, Nichols was inducted into Tech’s Hall of Fame in 1990. After a battle with cancer, Nichols died at the age of 66 on March 16, 2008.

In 2011, he was officially inducted into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame.

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Mechling, Maddox honored with Paul Warren Memorial Award

Tee Times Report

Each year two junior golfers are honored with the Paul Warren Memorial Award at the VinnyLinks.

The award is presented in memory of Paul Warren, the late son of teaching professional Johnny Warren.

This year’s honorees are Solia Mechling and Dayton Maddox. The two recipients had their names inscribed on the Paul Warren Memorial Award plaque recently and received a monetary award that covers membership to the Sneds Tour and up to nine tournament entry fees for the duration of their junior golf careers. Both are 14 years old. Maddox attends Beech High School while Mechling is homeschooled.

Upon receiving their awards, Maddox and Mechling each expressed gratitude for being selected. Each player had their parents in the audience. Maddox was joined by his father Russel, his mother Alicia, and his brother Kai. Mechling’s father (Scot) and mother (Lissette) were also in attendance.

“This award is very important to me because as a competitive golfer I strive to play my best golf while under pressure, and this award allows me to do just that,” he said. “Also, one of the goals I have set for myself is to gain experience in tournament golf. This award allows me to play in tournaments and gain more experience, making me a better golfer.”

Mechling echoed Maddox’s sentiments.

Dayton Maddox “It means so much to me to have been selected for the Paul Warren award knowing that many others might have been selected,” Mechling said. “Being a competitive golfer, this opens opportunities for me to play at a higher tier. Through hard work and perseverance, this award will give me the ability to improve my golf game. It was truly an honor to meet the Warren family.”

Joseph Brown, Senior Program Director, and Hannah Sudbury, Program Director for the First Tee of Tennessee, introduced the honorees to the guests.

Also attending were Whit Turnbow, President of the Tennessee Golf Foundation, and past TGF president Dick Horton and

Solia Mechling Johnny Warren and his family.

Turnbow said the Paul Warren Award function is one of his favorite days.

“One of my favorite days each year is gathering with the Warren family and honoring Paul with the presentation of this award to a couple of deserving young golfers,” he said. “To have Mr. Horton present and be able to carry on his vision for the game in Tennessee and at the same time provide an opportunity through scholarships for two golfers to play the Sneds Tour is something very special for the Tennessee Golf Foundation” Paul Warren’s father, Johnny, spoke on how golf had touched his life in countless

(l-r) Joseph Brown, First Tee Senior Program Director, Jordan Drake, Lorie Warren Drake, Johnny Warren, Hannah Sudbury, First Tee Program Director, Dick Horton, former, TGF President, and Whit Turnbow, President of Tennessee Golf Foundation, kids, Hays and Kennedy Drake- 2022 Paul Warren Award winners, Dayton Maddox and Solia Mechling

2021 award recipient Benjamin Wade ways.

“The staff at the First Tee does a great job and have a multitude of young, deserving candidates for the Paul Warren scholarship,” Johnny Warren said. “This year they have once again picked two outstanding recipients for the award. Our family is extremely proud and humbled to have Paul’s name attached to this scholarship.

“Paul played junior golf on many local municipal courses, just as I did, and also played on what is now the “Sneds Tour”.

He was a remarkable young man that lived the core values that are taught at First Tee of Tennessee.”

Warren credited Lissa Bradford for her work in making the award possible.

“Lissa has been a very special friend to our family for many years and we know her willingness to put this together is a labor of love,” Warren said. “Special thanks to Whit Turnbow and the Tennessee Golf Foundation for their commitment and financial support to the Paul Warren Scholarship. I especially would like to acknowledge Dick Horton for his presence. His encouragement, help and support over the years has meant so much to me and my family. I would also like to thank Joe and Carol Hall for all the time and work they do to promote the game we all love so much.”

Benjamin Wade, a 2021 winner, talked about how the award impacted his life.

“During the summer I was elevated from the 13-15 tour division to the 1315 Masters division,” he said. “At the end of the summer, I placed third at a Masters tournament at the Towhee Club. I would shoot my best tournament round (76) at Willowbrook Golf Club later that fall season. Recently I was invited to play at the Jim Thorpe Invitational at Championsgate in Orlando, where I had a top 5 finish.”

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Kirkpatrick is back in the game with new club repair shop

By Gregg Dewalt Tee Times Editor It wasn’t long into retirement that Steve Kirkpatrick began missing the interaction with his former customers at GolfRX in Mount Juliet.

Make no mistake, Kirkpatrick was staying busy after selling his teaching/club fitting/repair business, even working part-time at one of golf ’s big box businesses.

But, Kirkpatrick admits, it wasn’t the same. Now, the veteran PGA of America professional is back in business, albeit downsized from full service to just club repair. And, he’s fine with that.

He’s now the proud owner of Kirkpatrick Golf Club Repair (www. kirkpatrickgolf.net; 615-760-5810) at 2547 Lebanon Pike in Nashville.

The new store is near the airport and centrally located near Donelson Pike.

So why couldn’t the 69-year-old Kirkpatrick stay retired instead of jumping back into the grind?

“About two years ago I thought I was ready to retire,” Kirkpatrick admitted. “I had an opportunity to sell the business and went ahead and did it. About three or four months into retirement I got bored, to be quite honest with you. I didn’t really have anything to fill my time. I had been working close to 40 years and I think I didn’t do very well with that change in lifestyle.”

After deciding to return to the workforce on a part-time basis, Kirkpatrick found work at Golf Galaxy. Although he enjoyed it, something was missing.

That something turned out to be running his own business.

“Midway through that venture I realized I really missed having my own shop,” Kirkpatrick said. “I was used to owning my own biz. I decided I wanted to look into owning my business – somewhat like GolfRX - but I didn’t want to invest the time, the money and the stress of opening

a full-service shop like I had.”

Instead of teaching and doing club fittings, Kirkpatrick turned back to something he enjoyed most – club repair.

His new business was slated to open in early April. Joining Kirkpatrick in the shop will be long time PGA professional Gary Robinson. Robinson also enjoys club repair and brings a lot of experience to the job.

“I missed he camaraderie with my customers and friends,” he said.

“I kind of thought of my shop like Floyd’s barber shop on the Andy Griffith show, where people come in and have a cup of coffee and talk. It’s more like seeing your friends much more than having a business.”

Kirkpatrick said he also realized there was a market for what has become somewhat of a vanishing part of the industry. Where in the past head golf professionals or assistants often had club repair among their duties, now that service has gone away at many clubs and courses.

Times have changed and so has the job description for many club and public course professionals, who now have more administrative duties to perform.

“I had done a lot of work for people in in club repair the past 10 years, so I felt like I would have a fairly good customer base to start with,” Kirkpatrick said.

Kirkpatrick will offer a variety of services: • Regripping • Reshafting • Loft and lie adjustment • Frequency matching • Putter adjustments “Most categories of club repair work we should be able to do,” Kirkpatrick said. “We’ll carry a good inventory of grips and shafts, and generally we will be able to offer same-day regripping and next-day service on reshafting if the shaft is in stock.”

Kirkpatrick said a point of emphasis is customer service.

Business Hours

Monday-Thursday 9am - 4pm CLOSED Friday Saturday- 9am - 3pm CLOSED Sunday

At his work station, removing iron head from a shaft “I think that is one area that is really lacking,” he said. “I think people want to go somewhere where they feel welcomed and appreciated; somewhere where they know the person had a good reputation and is going to do a good job.”

Kirkpatrick recommends regripping your clubs at least every two years or sooner depending on the amount of play. He also said many people don’t know that putters can be adjusted not only for length, but for lie and loft.

Adjusting the lie angle of an iron He also will shorten or lengthen clubs upon request, along with adjusting swing weights.

But the new venture is really more about returning to having his own shop and interacting with new and previous customers.

“I missed customers coming and seeing them and helping them,” Kirkpatrick said. “It was an important part of my life and I felt like I didn’t have it any more. It’s something I get a lot of satisfaction out of and it’s the main reason I started back.”

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A Good Cause

Surprise donation honors Lee Elder, benefits Nashville golfers

By Justin Onslow Golfing giant Lee Elder passed away on November 28, 2021 at the age of 87. The first African-American golfer to play in the Masters, Elder’s legacy in golf was profound and widespread, paving the way for so many who followed in his footsteps.

Elder, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, had Ted Rhodes to thank in many ways. Rhodes broke the color barrier in professional golf in 1948 (though the PGA would fail to lift its “Caucasians only” rule until 1961) and, even more specifically, was a mentor to Elder after the pair met in the 1950s when Elder took on boxing legend Joe Louis (a Rhodes student) in a golf match.

That connection that formed during the heart of the American Civil Rights Movement was an engine that drove change in professional golf, so much so that just a month after Rhodes’ death in 1969, Cumberland Golf Course in Nashville was renamed Ted Rhodes Golf Course in his honor.

It’s fitting, then, that Elder would be recognized at Ted Rhodes Golf Course, less than a month after his death, by a

man who simply wanted to raise awareness about how much both icons did for golf.

An Incredible Gesture Just a few days after Elder’s death, head PGA professional at Ted Rhodes Golf Course, Audie Johnson, listened to a voicemail from a number he didn’t recognize. The man at the business end of the message wanted to talk about some ideas he had for honoring Elder following his passing. It was important, the man said, that they do something to raise awareness about Elder’s legacy and the part Rhodes’ played in all of it.

That man was Mark Rivers, co-owner of Sweetens Cove Golf Club near Chattanooga – widely considered one of the premier nine-hole courses in the country. Rivers just wanted to do something special for Elder’s memory, and he wasn’t out for recognition for himself.

“We started thinking of things and he tossed out a few ideas,” said Johnson, recalling the initial conversation with Rivers. “He decided he wanted to have everybody play one day, on him, in honor of Lee Elder.

“This was on a Tuesday. We looked at

Audie Johnson & Staff (L-R) William Wigfall, Gail Burke, Jim Ayers, Audie Johnson, PGA/GM, and Rick Newman (“The Closer”) my tee sheet a couple days out. Saturday, Dec. 4th, the weather was supposed to be great and the tee sheet was absolutely booked. He didn’t want any advertisement on the front end. He wanted people to walk in there and for us to be able to tell Lee Elder’s story.”

Rivers’ idea was that he would foot the bill for every golfer’s greens fee at Ted Rhodes that day, simply asking that Johnson and his staff explain to each golfer why they weren’t asked to pay a dime to golf that day.

“He (Rivers) paid all the greens fees,” Johnson said. “Anybody that came in the pro shop – my tee sheet was full that day – we told the story of what we were doing and everybody played for free.”

That equated to 148 rounds of golf and 148 golfers who got a nice surprise and a little education about a pair of men who were nothing less than pioneers in the sport of golf.

“That Saturday morning, we had posters everywhere,” Johnson said. “What a surprise for 150 people on a beautiful day when I got to tell them they’re playing for

free. The looks I got and the thankfulness people showed was really incredible.

“Mark never came by. He only reached out through emails and phone calls. He didn’t want to advertise it at all because he wanted people to show up and get a surprise and get a story.”

Rivers never asked for (or expected) thanks for his generous donation, though he did get plenty of thanks from Johnson and his staff, who sent Rivers a video message with the first couple groups to hit the No. 1 tee that day and who have a sign from the pro shop to present to Rivers when the crew can head east to play at Sweetens Cove.

Johnson also called the course to procure an email address where golfers could reach Rivers and thank him for his generosity. “[Rivers] got an overwhelming response from the players emailing,” Johnson said.

“It was just one of those feel-good things.

All the patrons felt great and my staff felt great at the end of the day. It was really a special day.”

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Tennessee Golden Girls Golf Group still going strong Tee Times Report Each fall a group of about 110 women over the age of 50 gather at one of the Tennessee State Parks golf courses.

One of the main purposes of the gathering is to renew friendships cultivated over the past 32 years that the Tennessee Golden Girls Golf Group has enjoyed. Most of the women are retired, but some still are in the workplace.

The group was formed in 1991 in part because there were few amateur and recreational tournaments available for women. Early on, the first few members spread the word about the group when playing in any other tournaments they attended.

In 2020, the committee dropped age eligibility from 55 years old to 50 years old due to declining membership. The committee also expanded membership to include women that live within 25 miles of the Tennessee border. Now, players from Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi are included in this membership.

Each year for three days, though, golf is the centerpiece of the group’s camaraderie.

Some of the players turn the event into an extended vacation – arriving early to get in a few more rounds of golf, do some shopping and exploring, and to find new restaurants.

Business meetings are conducted before and after the tournament.

Montgomery Bell State Park hosted the annual tournament for 29 years before a scheduling glitch forced the group to move to Henry Horton State Park, which has served as host for the past two events and this year’s tournament. Both Montgomery Bell and Henry Horton are ideal locations for the tournament due to their centralized location.

The group has enjoyed its association with Henry Horton State Park. Tournament director Denise McMillan said the event has run smoothly thanks to Henry Horton PGA Professional, Neil Collins.

“Neil Collins has worked with us to make the course and golf-experience for our ladies positive and fun,” she said.

Now in its fourth decade of existence, McMillan said the Tennessee Golden Girls Golf Group has been able to maintain consistent membership because of the need for tournaments such as this one.

“Even though this tournament is scheduled just once a year and we have no other play dates or meetings, we have maintained and grown our membership”, she said.

McMillan encourages anyone interested in joining to contact her.

“The Tennessee Golden Girls Golf group is a vibrant, golf-loving group of ladies that enjoy fellowship, camaraderie, and competition,” she said. “We encourage ladies of all skill levels to join us at the TGGGG 3-day tournament at Henry Horton State Park

2021 tournament Golden Girls

OFFICERS:

Welcoming You – L to R: N’Gaio Wesenberg, Kitty Dalley, Shelia Bozeman, and Denise McMillan October 3-5, 2022.”

For more info: https://tennessee goldengirlsgolfgroup.org/

N’gaio Wesenberg - President Judy Willis - Vice President Stacia Scanlan - Secretary Treasurer - Linda Bacon Membership - Shelia Bozeman Tournament Director Denise McMillan Prizes and Awards - vacant Historians - Patsy Houghton and Shelia Bozeman

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Bonnie Taggert Obituary Barbara (Bonnie) Taggert, lovingly known as WOO, born into life September 9, 1942, born into eternal life March 25, 2022, surrounded by her devoted husband Joe, and family.

Bonnie grew up in Lafayette, California, the only daughter of Barbara and Ralph Johanson (deceased), brothers Brad (deceased) and Ralph (lovingly known as Buz).

She married Conrad Rasmussen, and together they had a daughter, Cheryl (Sister John Dominic) before moving to Music City where daughter Connie was born.

Bonnie’s personality, zest for life and creative talents made her a natural in the music business, starting at Top Billing with Tandy Rice, then Warner Brothers Records, then Capitol Records, as Director of Creative Services, culminating with her own agency, BRPR. Her first client was world renowned guitarist and producer, Chet Atkins.

During her career, she was infamous for her support and commitment to discovering and promoting up and coming artists. Numerous, now famous, artists spent many a night on her sofa to escape another night of sleeping in their car.

In 1990, Bonnie married professional golfer, Pro Joe Taggert and a whole new career started – in GOLF – with another renowned guitarist and producer, Vince Gill.

Together, Bonnie and Pro Joe helped Vince visualize his passion and support for junior golf, creating and directing his Junior-CelebrityProfessional Golf Tournament – THE VINNY – running for 27 years, raising more than $9 million dollars for junior golf programs in Tennessee.

Bonnie is survived by her husband, Joe; her daughters Cheryl (Sister John Dominic), Connie Dalton (Connie’s sons Matthew Dalton and Hayes Dalton), Joe’s daughters, Julie LaPenna (Richard), Jill Baltz (Chris), Jennie Mills (Kevin), Jan Blanton (John); numerous loving grandchildren and great grandchildren.

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Belmont’s Flynn honored

Scott Flynn, PGA, Head Men’s Golf Coach at Belmont University and a member of the Tennessee PGA Section, was named the winner of the 2021 Labron Harris Sr. Award presented by the Golf Coaches Association of America in cooperation with The PGA of America. The Harris Award is presented to the college or high school coach and Class A PGA Professional whose support of the game through teaching, coaching and involvement in the community has helped ensure the continued growth of the game of golf and who represents the finest qualities the game has to offer.

“I’m sincerely humbled and grateful to receive this year’s Labron Harris Sr. Award”, Flynn said. “Coach Harris set a great example for all of us with respect to both his college coaching accomplishments and contributions to the game of golf. My thanks to the GCAA committee and the PGA for even being considered and I’ll do my best to live up to the high standards set by Coach Harris.”

Flynn is in his 14th year leading the Bruins, and his program has seen increasing success both on and off the course. He has had two NCAA Championship Qualifiers, two Ohio Valley Conference Golfer of the Year winners, two OVC Freshman of the Year and nine different players earn All-OVC honors. His teams

have won nine team titles and finished in the top-five at the OVC Championship six times; including a second-place finish in 2021.

Flynn came to Belmont with over three decades of experience in playing, teaching and promoting the game of golf. He is a Class A member of the Tennessee PGA Section and has worked extensively with numerous elite players at both the collegiate and professional levels.

Flynn has also served in senior leadership capacities at some of the country’s premier golf and resort properties. Flynn has also taken a hands-on leadership and coaching role in a number of youth golf and life skills development programs including The First Tee. In addition to his role at Belmont, Flynn is the Director of Golf at the Golf House Tennessee Learning Center in Franklin, Tennessee.

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Zalewska Wins SoCon Medalist Honors

Gator Todd, Harrison Ott, Jackson Van Paris, Gordon Sargent, Reid Davenport, Cole Sherwood, Matthew Riedel, Scott Limbaugh

Vandy men surge to Prestige title in California

Tee Times Report

Vanderbilt ran away from the field during the final round of The Prestige on the Greg Norman Course at PGA West in La Quinta, California, to claim its first team title since the 2021 Kingston Springs Regional and first outright regular-season team title since October of 2020.

Vandy shot a 14-under-par 270 in what was far away the best round in the final round.

Only one other squad in the 24-team field shot under par in the third round as Vanderbilt wound up with a three-day total of 868 to beat Oregon by 10 shots.

“We just talked about coming out and just being excited and really competing to our standards and having a little fun and playing with some freedom,” Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh said. “The guys just got rolling.”

The Dores were led by Gordon Sargent, Reid Davenport and Cole Sherwood who each finished inside the top 16. Davenport fired a 5-under-par during his final round and came in third overall (+1), just four shots back of individual champion Ludvig

Aberg of Texas Tech.

Sherwood (+2) finished fourth after a 3-under-par 68 on Wednesday. Sargent (+8) had Vanderbilt’s best score of the day at 6-under-par and tied for 16th overall.

“Reid was solid as a rock out there – he hit 17 greens and putted unbelievable,” Limbaugh said. “Cole Sherwood had a really good week from start to finish. He’s really coming into his own as a player. Then just proud of a freshman like Gordon Sargent to bounce back from a round like (an 83 on Tuesday) and to have the courage and internal fortitude to come out there and shoot 65 to help lead us to our first win of the year.

“Just a great kickoff to the spring season.”

Matthew Riedel shot a 71 and settled for a tie for 28th at 10-over-par for the tournament. He had an eagle on No. 8.

Jackson Van Paris (tied for 77th; +17) was 4-over-par for his final round.

Vanderbilt was in sixth place and five shots behind leader Texas Tech going into the final round. But The Dores quickly surged into the lead and made the turn up five strokes on Oregon at 9-under-par for the round.

Vandy’s Sattelkau earns SEC golf weekly honor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt junior Celina Sattelkau was named Southeastern Conference Golfer of the Week in early March, the league office announced.

In her first start of the 2022 spring season, Sattelkau posted a season-low round of

Celina Sattelkau

2-under-par during the final round and 1-under-par for the tournament to match a career-best finish while tying for third place at the 10th edition of the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.

Out of 90 individuals, Sattelkau was one of four to finish the 54-holes under-par and was the top SEC player in the competitive field playing on the Pete Dye Course at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

The Neustadt, Germany, native surged six spots after the second round, making five birdies, which tied for the second-highest birdie total (11) for the tournament. She was also the co-leader in par-5 scoring (4-under) with Alabama’s Polly Mack throughout the tournament.

The top-three finish marks the first since stroke play at the 2021 SEC Championships and third overall.

Sattelkau was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and named first team All-SEC in 2020-21.

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH---A marathon turned into a sprint at the Southern Conference Women’s Golf Championships. That was literal and figurative for Chattanooga Mocs junior Dorota Zalewska who captured medalist honors, the seventh in program history.

She and playing partner Becca Earl of Wofford dueled throughout their 54 holes at Barefoot Landing’s Dye Course. Zalewska was one ahead of Earl and Furman’s Sophia Burnett at 2 over heading to the 17th tee with Burnett several holes behind.

Zalewska measured her options on the 111yard hole playing into the wind. She chose a pitching wedge and took an easy swing on it to account for distance and wind speed. The ball hit just short of the hole, hit the stick and fell straight down for an ace.

Earl birdied there and then chipped in for

birdie on 18 to get to even with Zalewska eyeing a 5-footer for par.

The putt went dead in the heart of the hole for a 1-under total of 215 for the tournament. It’s the third win of her career, second of the season.

“We knew the distance (on 17), and I hit a great shot,” Zalewska shared. “We saw it bounce and then the ball disappeared.

Coach said ‘I think it’s in’ and then I heard Brenda (Paider, Sports Medicine) and Kenny (Jones, Compliance) screaming.

“I had no idea the putt on 18 won the tournament until Wofford’s coach congratulated me on winning and then I turned around and coach (Murray) said yeah. I’m excited to get to play in the NCAA Tournament. I remember when Moni (Monica San Juan) won and went when I was a freshman. I said then that one day that would be me.

SoCon winner Dorota Zalewska gets a victory ride from her Chattanooga teammates

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