The Metropolitan Vol 11, No 6 (August 2024)

Volume 11 | No. 6

The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

Issue 6 | August 2024

The Metropolitan

Inside the Issue 4 Curt’s Corner

A message from the Executive Director

U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying Results

WHAT WE DO:

Qualifiers

5th Amateur Series Event at Lake Forest CC

Yardage Book

18 The Bogeyman TBD

Amateur

8 Metropolitan

Illinois Amateur

2

Record Number of Interns

28 World of Golf

See who championed events around the world.

30 Up Next for MAGA

Check the Deadlines & Monthly Schedule

- Provide GHIN Handicap Service to 140+ Member Clubs under the World Handicap System - Provide the USGA Course/Slope Rating service to our Member Clubs - Regional authority on the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status - Conduct twelve (12) Metropolitan Championships each season - Conduct USGA Qualifying for eight (8) USGA Championships each season - Conduct three (3) Championships in Illinois - Conduct the Amateur Series of Events for golfers of all ages and abilities

METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Amateur Championship Open Championship Women’s Amateur Championship Junior Amateur Championship Senior Amateur Championship Four-Ball Championship 9-Hole Championship East Side Amateur Normandie Amateur (hiatus during construction) Old Warson Cup (Match Play Championship) Shogren Cup (Match Play PGA Pros vs. MAGA Amateurs) Sobbe Cup Mid-America Junior Cup Amateur Series

ILLINOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS Southern Illinois Amateur SIGA Championship Tony Stevens Cup

USGA QUALIFYING ROUNDS

U.S. Open • U.S. Amateur U.S. Mid-Amateur • U.S. Senior Amateur U.S. Women’s Open • U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur U.S. Amateur Four-Ball • U.S. Amateur Women’s Four-Ball

32 Metro Hall of 20 Golf Fitness

Hub

What happened to the Women’s Amateur?

Importance Pre-Round Stretching & Recovery

12 Women’s

22 Sup’s On

Amateur Update

with the USGA

Year Standings

Four-Ball

10 Southern

26 Keeping Up

31 Player of the

Bryant Believes at Bellerive

6th 9-Hole Championship has been completed

WHO ARE WE?

13 USGA

17 100 Hole Hike

6 Metropolitan

Lean on Club, It Breaks

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association An Allied Golf Association of the USGA providing a variety of golf services to clubs and golfers in the Metropolitan St. Louis, Central, and Southern Illinois region.

5 By The Numbers 14 Amateur Series

Play

24 Rules Center

Co-Existing... Behind the Scenes

Champions

34 Normandie

Reimagined

An update on the renovation project of Normandie Golf Club.

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The Metropolitan

Curt’s Corner MAGA STAFF

Curt Rohe - Executive Director

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org

DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Caroline Buchan - caroline@metga.org 2024 PJ BOATWRIGHT INTERNS Will Coleman Jason Denham Brennan Strubberg

EXECUTIVE BOARD Officers Scott Engelbrecht, President/Treasurer Mike Marquart, Secretary At Large Members John Bugh Stan Grossman Kelli Kirchoff Mike Marquart Rick Meyer, Jr John Moore Mick Wellington ADVISORY COMMITTEE Scott Thomas, Chairman Tom Barry Skip Berkmeyer Chris Kovach Ryan Eckelcamp Tom Portner Curt Rohe

THE METROPOLITAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan O’Neill MVGCSAA Dr. Zach Cutler

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Greetings golfers! I usually end my Corner each issue with a thank you for reading, so this time I am going to begin with that...so thank you for taking the time to open and read The Metropolitan! I want to give a shout out to our Director, Communication Caroline Buchan and the time she puts into putting this all together for our members and readers. While I am out and about quite often I hear from you, our members, how much you enjoy getting the next issue to read and that makes me proud of where this newsletter has come in 10 years! Also, thank you to the many others who contribute to the content...The Bogeyman, the Mississippi Valley superintendents, John Thorman, Zach Cutler and our sponsors! If you are interested in ad space please reach out to Caroline, the numbers we reach each issue is pretty impressive.

The jewel of the summer took place in August, the 34th Metropolitan Amateur Championship at Bellerive Country Club. It was a fabulous championship captured by Justin Bryant. Bellerive was a fantastic host and we could not be more grateful to them for hosting the area’s most significant amateur championship for the 3rd time. The golf course was in fantastic condition for the 3 days, Nick White and his crew had it dialed in to test the area’s best amateurs. Congratulations to Justin on his win and he became the first to his name on the trophies of the Junior Championship, Old Warson Cup and now the Amateur Championship!

September 26 myself and staff will participate in the 100 Hole Hike to raise money for Youth on Course (YOC) in the region. We will be joined by teams from 18STRONG and Family Golf & Learning Center where the hike will also take place. Youth on Course is a national organization that we are proud to be a partner with providing low cost golf for YOC members, $5 or less to play YOC facilities in the area. It will be a great day at Family Golf with these other teams. If you care to donate to support these efforts, please visit this link: https://www.100holehike.org/METGA24/MetAmateurGA2024 This issue concludes our monthly issues for the season, our next issue will come after October and be a total wrap up of the championship season.

Few more things are on the plate, the 32nd Senior Championship, Amateur Series Championship and Mid-America Cup matches are on the horizon.

Thanks again, hit em straight!

Issue 6 | August 2024

By The Numbers 531 - No doubt, you have wondered how many

rounds of golf are played each year. Well, you’ve come to the right place: In 2023, 531 million rounds were played, according to the PGA of America. It represented the fourth straight year that more than 500 million rounds were conducted. And according to the National Golf Foundation, in 2020, there were roughly 16,100 courses at 14,100 facilities in the U.S. Of that total, 75 percent were open to the public, 2,500 municipal and 7,900 daily-fee.

That left approximately 4,025 private courses. Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz later in the column.

8 - The number of players who have won PGA Tour

events after turning 50. They include Craig Stadler, Fred Funk, Phil Mickelson, John Barnum, Jim Barnes, Davis Love III, Art Wall Jr. and Sam Snead. The oldest, of course, was Snead. He captured his 82nd and final victory when he was nearly 53 years old in the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open.

330 - Jack Nicklaus won a record 18 major

championships and had 73 PGA Tour victories. Many consider him to be the greatest player in the history of the game. And this is where he ranks on the PGA Tour career money list. He earned $5,734,031 during his career. That ranks 330th, or behind St. Louis products Jay Williamson (No. 325 on the list) and Adam Long (276). In fact, Matt Kuchar, who never has won a major and has 64 fewer PGA Tour victories, has earned some $54 million more (10th) than Nicklaus.

82 - This was the third-round score for Tiger Woods

in last April’s Masters. It was only the fifth time Woods has carded a score in the 80s as a professional, only the third time in a major. He had an 80 in the first round of the 2005 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay and an 81 in the third round of the 2002 British Open at Muirfield. Woods’ worst score as a pro came in 2015, an 85 in the third round of the Memorial. Woods has missed 17 cuts at the majors since 1995. He’s been cut or withdrawn from seven of the last eight majors, excluding his 60th at the Masters.

16.2 - This is a good number to remember if you’re

playing golf in Florida. It refers to Rule 16.2, which covers dangerous animal conditions and how to take relief. If you’re in Florida, most of the dangerous animal conditions will involve alligators, or perhaps a Burmese python. The rule gives examples of other dangerous animals such as venomous snakes, stinging bees, fire ants, and bears. Most importantly, it clarifies that free relief is not available for other non-animal dangerous situations like cactus or playing a ball near the edge of a cliff.

1764 - This is the year 18 holes was established as

the standard for a round of golf. It happened in a roundabout way, if you will. No one knows precisely when golf was first played in St. Andrews, but from the earliest days, perhaps as far back as the 1300s, the “course” was made up of 12 holes carved from the ground. Players started astride the first hole and hit “out” to the second; from that one to the next, and the next … 11 times until reaching the final hole. Then they turned around and played in, which was another 11 holes for a total of 22. In October 1764, The Society of St. Andrews Golfers decided it would be better for the links if the four first holes were converted into two. Thus, the existing 12 holes became 10, which equaled nine holes of play each way for a total of 18. Thus, the standard was born.

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5

The Metropolitan

Bryant Believes at Bellerive

Once again, it was a hot and sunny day for the Final Round of the

34th Metropolitan Amateur Championship at Bellerive Country Club.

41 players made the cut after the second round and returned for one

last go at the title. Five of these players are past Metropolitan Amateur

Champions. Tied at the top of the leaderboard were Corey Choate, Drew

Pranger, and Justin Bryant at one-over (+1) par. All known for being

exceptional golfers, this teed up the Final Round to be a battle to the finish. Kennan

Flemming sat in solo fourth at three-over (+3) par, while Tom Buffington and Sam Migdal were tied for fifth at four-over (+4) par. Six players - Skip Berkmeyer, Chad Niezing, Justin McCoy, Parker Lawrence, Max Kreikemeier, and Brad Carpenter - sat just four back of the lead at five-over (+5) par. With a stacked leaderboard featuring past champions and proven skilled golfers, they were not ruled out of the equation either. All were hoping that a good round on the final day at Bellerive would lead to hoisting the Jim Tom Blair Trophy.

We saw players move around the leaderboard all day in the Final Round, but Max Kreikemeier of Forest Hills Country Club brought in the lowest score of the round. Kreikemeier shot a bogey-free front nine followed by an even back nine, despite a few bogeys, to finish the day at two-under (-2) par. This round was enough for Kreikemeier to move through the crowd and climb up the leaderboard into a position just off the lead at three-over (+3) par for the championship. Kreikemeier played five groups in front of the leaders, so he had to wait to see his fateful finish. The next two lowest rounds came from Jason Landry of Greenbriar Hills Country Club and Bryan Bohme of Meadowbrook Country Club at one-under (-1) par. This was the best round of the weekend for both players and pushed each up the leaderboard. Bohme would finish just outside of the top ten in a tie for eleventh at eight-over (+8) par, while Landry moved into a tie for fifth at six-over (+6) par.

Chad Niezing of Meadowbrook Country Club spent the day following the Kreikemeier’s pairing on the course. Niezing almost had a bogey-free front nine, but a mishap on Hole 9 ruined that. Niezing tried to get his wits back on the back nine and it was looking like a dreary round was upon him until an eagle on Hole 17 - coupled with his three birdies on the front - brought him back to even par for the day. Niezing would finish the weekend at five-over (+5) par and in solo fourth place. The group behind Niezing featured past champion, Skip Berkmeyer of The Legends Country Club. Berkmeyer managed his round to finish the championship at six-over (+6) par and in the tie for fifth.

When it came down to the three tied at the top, anything was possible. Justin Bryant of St. Louis Country Club was placed in the pairing before the last due to the order in which the tied players came into the clubhouse for the second round. Bryant knew he would need to not deviate too far from the score he had coming into the day if he

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Issue 6 | August 2024

were to make his champion dreams a reality, and he did just that. On both sides of the course, Bryant shot one birdie, one bogey, and seven pars to finish the round at even par. This would leave Bryant at one-over (+1) par for the championship and waiting to see what his opponents would do behind him.

Drew Pranger of Glen Echo Country Club and Corey Choate of The Legends Country Club were the final pairing of the day. Choate tried to play a factor in the race for the top spot, but was just unable to find stable ground to make birdies to cancel out the bogeys. This would leave Choate to finish the weekend at six-ove (+6) par and joining Landry and Berkmeyer in the tie for fifth. Pranger fought throughout his round to stay toe-to-toe with Bryant. The three-time past Champion knew Bryant would not give up easily, and that it was on himself to force his way to the top. Even though he remained close, Pranger struggled to find that last birdie needed to force a tie - or multiple to win. As this final group made their way up Hole 18, everyone looked on - including Bryant - to see if Pranger could somehow make a last minute birdie from the greenside bunker in an effort to force a playoff. With Pranger unable to convert the shot, Bryant could take a sigh of relief and enjoy the moment of knowing he would be the Champion when the final putt was dropped. As for Pranger, finishing a second day in a row at two-over par, he would fall to three-over (+3) for the championship and meet Kreikemeier in the tie for second.

Justin Bryant is the 34th Metropolitan Amateur Champion at one-over (+1) par and can sleep well knowing it is his name that will be engraved on the Jim Tom Blair Trophy. After years of competing in this championship, Bryant had belief that he could be victorious at Bellerive and he was. Drew Pranger and Max Kreikemeier leave as co-runner-ups. Rounding out the top ten for the championship are Chad Niezing, Jason Landry, Skip Berkmeyer, Corey Choate, Sam Beggs, Ryan McKillips, and Keenan Flemming. Bellerive was a true test for these golfers, and each one pushed themselves to achieve greatness. Only one could wind up on top, and Justin Bryant triumphs at Bellerive for the 34th Metropolitan Amateur title.

Full Results Recaps:

Photos

Round 1

Round 2 7

The Metropolitan

15th Metropolitan Four-Ball

It was a great day for golf at Franklin County Country Club for the final round of the 15th Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship. There were overcast skies and temperatures in the lower 70s. Play began at 7:30am with the senior net division, followed by the senior division, and then the Championship division.

In the Senior Net division, Bill Slantz and John Schranck came into the final round with the lead at three-under par.

Curt Wooters and Matt Hall were also under par at one-under when the day began. The side of Slantz and Schranck needed to hold the competition off to take home the prize and that they did. Coming in with a second round net score of two-under par, Slantz and Schranck brought their total to five-under (-5) par. Wooters and Hall were left behind with a second round score of even par that kept their total at one-under (-1) par. Michael Mervis and Tim Leonberger made a comeback today with a net score of two-under, which placed them in third at three-over (+3) par for the championship.

Up next was the Senior division with Buddy Allen and Brian Lovett in the lead at three-under par at the start of the day.

Close behind at two-under were the sides of Tony Nolfo and David Strickland, David Bremer and Paul Neeman, and Patrick Riordan and Tom Sinak. Allen and Lovett left nothing to chance today, shooting a bogey-free seven-under par.

This would bring the team’s total to ten-under (-10) par to take home the win four strokes above the competition. Four back were David Bremer and Paul Neeman at six-under (-6) par. Their second round of four-under par pushed them into solo second. As for the side of Riordan and Sinak as well as the side of Nolfo and Strickland, they could not break their round one stalemate and would finish in a tie for third at five-under (-5) par.

Bringing it home with the last tee time of the day were the Championship division leaders at five-under par, AJ Porter

Issue 6 | August 2024

and Ryan Sullivan. Porter and Sullivan never relinquished their lead during the final round. The pair shot another bogey-free round of seven-under par, bringing their championship total to twelve-under (-12) par. With no other side able to catch them, Porter and Sullivan are the champions. Coming into the second round, the four teams tied at three-under par were Trip Sanfelippo and Blake Skornia, Corey Choate and Jason White, Ryan Eckelkamp and Tony Gumper, and Rob Scherer and Scott Kirchoff. The side of Skornia and Sanfelippo stayed toe to toe with the side of Choate and White throughout the final round. With six to play the two sides were still tied for second at seven-under par. Within those last six holes, Skornia and Sanfelippo fell back, leaving Choate and White to try to keep their position. Choate and White powered through to finish the day with a score of four-under par, bringing their total to seven-under (-7) par. In the final grouping of the day were Eckelkamp and Gumper, who started off the day rocky, but turned a new leaf after Hole 3. The pair found their groove to card 10 birdies from Hole 5 on, to make their round score eight-under par. This brought Eckelkamp and Gumper to elevenunder (-11) par for the championship and slipped them into second place over Choate and White.

AJ Porter and Ryan Sullivan are the 15th Metropolitan Four-Ball Champions at twelve-under (-12) par. Buddy Allen and Brian Lovett are the Senior Champions at ten-under (-10) par. Bill Slantz and John Schranck are the senior net champions at five-under (-5) par.

Full Results

Photos

Port & Sullivan Allen & Lovett

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Slantz & Schrank

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The Metropolitan

Issue 6 | August 2024

It was a beautiful Saturday at Green Hills Golf Club for the Southern Illinois Amateur with warm temperatures and sunny skies. There were 45 players in two divisions in this year’s competition. The men’s division played two 18-hole rounds today, while the senior men played 27 holes. The course played to a par 71.

The senior division returned to the course for 9 more holes.

When play of the final nine holes concluded, Two were tied at the top at four-under (-4) par. Those players were Joseph Malench and Kirk Viehl. Malench shot even par in his final nine to stay at four-under, while Viehl shot one-under to bring his total to four-under to tie Malench. The pair were then sent off into a playoff. Viehl won the playoff on the first hole to claim the Senior Southern Illinois Amateur title. David Speicher finished in third at one-under (-1) par. John Moore of the Metropolitan eClub and Tom Sinak of Meadowbrook Country Club ended the day in a tie for fourth at one-over (+1) par after both returning bogey-free final nine hole scores.

After the first round, Brady Kaufmann of the Metropolitan eClub led the group at five-under (-5) par. Kaufmann had seven birdies across the round. Joe Migdal of Persimmon Woods Golf Club came in just behind Kaufmann at three-under (-3) par with six birdies during his round. Sitting in third after Round 1 was Gus Maloney of Lake Forest Golf & COuntry Club at even (E) par.

In the senior division, Joseph Malench of the Metropolitan

Full Results 10

eClub was leading the pack at four-under (-4) par following the first18 holes. Malench holed six birdies during his round.

Kirk Viehl of the Metropolitan eClub was sitting in second at three-under (-3) par with five birdies. David Speicher of Cardinal Creek Golf Course was just behind at two-under (-2) par at the end of the first round.

Following a short break for some lunch, players were back on the course. The overall division was out to play another full 18 holes.

Joe Migdal put together a second round under par. With his second round score of two-under, Migdal’s three birdies brought him to five-under (-5) par for the tournament for the win. Brady Kaufmann had a little less luck in the second round and would finish the day with a total score of three-under (-3) par. Coming in with the third group of the day, Kaufmann did have to wait to see what Migdal would do. Brandon Bullard of the SIGA eClub went low in the second round with five birdies to card a Round 2 three-under and finish the day even (E) par. This left Bullard in solo third place at the end of the day. Sam Beggs of the Metropolitan eClub and Parker Boehne of the SIGA eClub finished the day at two-over (+2) par to end in a tie for fourth.

Photos 11

The Metropolitan

Issue 6 | August 2024

Women’s Amateur Update

USGA Championship Qualifying

After a long awaited time, we finally have an update on the 32nd Metropolitan Women’s Amateur Championship!

Following the aftermath of the sinkhole that opened up in the park of Alton, IL, facilities have been given the green light to reopen. Spencer T. Olin Golf Course reopened its doors on Saturday August 17 to golfers. Now that there is an open course, we have been able to negotiate new dates for the Women’s Amateur Championship and ... We have officially rescheduled the 32nd Metropolitan Women’s Amateur Championship to October 15-16 at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course.

For those that were previously registered, please check your email for the update to your registration. We understand that this change in date may change availability for some. For those previously registered, you should have received an email with information on what to do should you need to withdraw from the championship. If you were not previously registered and would now like to join the field, we have reopened registrations. Click the Red Button to go directly to the registration portal and get signed up!

We thank you for your patience during this time as we all awaited the reopening of the course. Please spread the word that we are back in business for the Metropolitan Women’s Amateur and that there is still time to sign-up!

Click the images for Full Results

Register!

Competing September 21-26 at Kinloch Golf Club

Competing September 21-26 at Broadmoor Golf Club

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Competing August 24-29 at The Honors Course

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The Metropolitan

Issue 6 | August 2024

Amateur Series Standings 7 Divisions, 6 Events, 1 Great Series

Presented by

Open Division 1 2 3 4 5

The fifth Amateur Series event is in the books, leaving just one to go! At Lake Forest Country Club, players enjoyed a beautiful summer day as they took on the course. After grinding their way around the eighteen greens, we had our results.

Only 1 event stands between the players and the Amateur Series Championship now. Who will we see at the end of September?

Event #5 Lake Forest CC

Results Results: Open Division - Chad Crawford Senior Open - Paul Downing Super Senior Open - Michael Mervis

Mike Quesenberry

Photos 14

Net Division - Justin Zhang Senior Net Division - Gregg Johannes Super Senior Net Divsion - Dennis Clarke Women’s Net Division - Becky Balzraine

Marge Behrens

Name

Affiliation

Points

Gus Maloney Fred Friedman Justin Towell Andrew Mertz Yash Rao

Metropolitan eClub Metropolitan eClub Sunset Hills CC Metropolitan eClub Whitmoor CC

235 210 145 135 120

Senior Open Division 1 2 3 4 5

Super Senior Open Division

Name

Affiliation

Points

Paul Downing Chris Strieter Nick Kausch Jeffrey Retych Eric Fogleman

Old Hickory GC Metropolitan eClub Metropolitan eClub Landings at Spirit GC Metropolitan eClub

390 335 230 192.5 190

Name 1 2 3 4 5

Net Division 1 2 3 4 5

Affiliation

Points

Dauffus Jackson Justin Zhang Tim Pudlowski Will Roestel Tyler Bean

Old Hickory GC Ballwin GC Metropolitan eClub Metropolitan eClub Aberdeen GC

340 230 205 186.67 180

1 2 3 4 5

Women’s Net Division 1 T2 T2 T4 T4

Affiliation

Anita van Housen Metropolitan eClub Maria Morrison St.Louis Women’s GA Sandy Franklin Whitmoor CC Carol Stampley Whitmoor CC Marge Behrens St.Louis Women’s GA

Points

William Schmidt USGA/MetAmateur GC 365 325 Mike Quesenberry Lake Forest CC 300 Ray Jankowski Metropolitan eClub 255 Michael Mervis Metropolitan eClub 250 Joe Philpot Metropolitan eClub

Senior Net Division

Name

Name

Affiliation

Points

Name

Affiliation

Curt Wooters Joe Blandina Gregg Johannes Chris Vana Chris Isaak

295 Grey beard GC 265 Metropolitan eClub 250 Metropolitan eClub USGA/MetAmateur GC 235 Innsbrook Resort GC 227.5

Super Senior Net Division Points 240 230 230 210 210

Name 1 2 3 4 T5 T5

Affiliation

Metropolitan eClub Peter Robinson King Edmonston Berry Hill GC Sunset CC Kevin Ortyl Birch Creek GC Ron Spradley The Quarry at CSGC Dennis Clarke Stephen Weinstock Westwood CC

For Full Standings, Click Here

Points 290 245 235 220 200 200

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Issue 6 | August 2024

WHAT DRIVES YOU?

September 26 Family Golf & Learning Center The 100 Hole Hike is the ultimate golf fundraising challenge, where golfers play 100 holes of golf in one day to raise money for Youth on Course.

Youth on Course is a non-profit organization.

How the Hike Works:

1. Sign-up as a Hiker 2. Set Your Fundraising Goal 3. Ask your Community of friends, family, & coworkers to donate to your goal 4. Come on September 26 to participate & complete your 100 Hole Hike at Family Golf & Learning Center

Happy hour vibes?

Supporting local charities?

Celebrity sightings?

Rope-line views?

Join us for whatever drives you!

Ways You Can Support: Steve Flesch, 2023 Champion

Pro-am foursomes, hospitality packages and tickets available at AscensionCharityClassic.com. © 2024 Ascension. All rights reserved. Players subject to appear.

SEPTEMBER 5–8

1. Donate to a Hiker’s Goal 2. Become a Hiker & raise funds 3. Watch & cheer on the Hikers on September 26 4. Caddie for a friend that is a Hiker

About Youth on Course Become a Hiker

Donate

Our Goal: $5,000 17

The Metropolitan

Issue 6 | August 2024

Fortunes of War and What Not The Bogeyman Dan O’Neill

E

ver been on the golf course and discovered one of your clubs is damaged?

Chances are, the club was a driver, and the discovery made shortly after the club was the target of a frustrated outburst.

You’re not proud of it, but just sayin.’

There have been occasions when the damage renders the club inoperable - perhaps a broken shaft, or a dented head. There also have been occasions when the damage has not been so severe, perhaps a bend, or a scratch or a crack. On those occasions, speaking personally, the defiant Ol’ Bogeyman has soldiered on.

Fact is, there have been times when he finished the round with that compromised club, maybe even finished the season.

Fortunes of war and what not, ay?

So it was with special interest that we read the reports about Matt Fitzgerald and his cracked driver at the BMW Championship. Fitzgerald was beside himself when PGA Tour officials denied his request to swap out a cracked driver. Instead, the officials enforced the USGA Model Local Rule G-9, which dictated a player was not allowed to go to the bullpen and replace his driver due to a crack.

Fitzpatrick was playing for his FedExCup playoff life at that point, hoping to advance to the big bucks at the Tour Championship. He was on the eighth fairway, after his drive with the cracked club did not behave as he planned. And he let the officials have it.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,” he declared. “(The club face) is caved in. There’s an obvious crack there that’s causing a defect of ball flight.

“So I’m going to have to use 3-wood for the rest of the day? That’s what you’re telling me? This is outrageous, it’s an absolute disgrace. I’ve literally just watched a ball do a completely different thing from the whole morning. It couldn’t be more obvious.

“I understand the rule, but at the end of the day, it’s your opinion. It’s opinion, not fact.”

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To demonstrate his frustration, Fitzpatrick dismantled the driver-head altogether on the next tee and finished the round with only 13 clubs.

Now, this was heat-of-the-moment stuff, a lot on the line, easy to understand Fitzpatrick’s reaction. Anyone who watched John McEnroe or Jimmy Connors play tennis can cut Fitzpatrick some slack in that regard. After all, the Tour Championship features a lucrative prize pool, with $25 million going to the winner; even the player who finished last got $550,000.

Fitzpatrick’s protests were supported by his playing mate Scottie Scheffler, who also felt the ruling was unfair.

Two things to keep in mind, however, The “opinion” to enforce the rule was not formed by just one rogue official - several officials looked the club over and concurred. “In our assessment, not only with the first official but also a couple of others including myself, that threshold of being significantly damaged hadn’t been met,” PGA Tour chief referee Stephen Cox said.

“Although there was a small crack in the face, there was no separation in the metals, and on that basis, that threshold wasn’t met, so his only choice in that case was to continue using that club. Now, if that club were to get worse, then we would obviously continue to reassess, and at that point, he may have been able to have taken it out, but in his case, I think he chose not to continue to use it and proceeded with his 3-wood from then on.”

Fitzpatrick bogeyed No. 8 and doubled No. 10. But he played considerably better over the last eight holes and finished with a 2-under-par 70. It was his best round of the tournament - cracked club notwithstanding - just not good enough to make the FedEx cut.

Bottom line - and yes, disgraceful as it is, this is an opinion and not a fact - I don’t think the fit by Fitzpatrick’s had a leg - or a driver - to stand on.

A PGA Tour player should be more than capable of playing an effective round of golf while hitting something other than a driver off the tee. Would he prefer his driver, maybe. But is he doomed without it?

People have won major championships without using a driver. Fitzpatrick ranks 90th on the PGA Tour in Off The Tee, 95th in Driving Distance, 150th in Total Driving Efficiency and 54th in Driving Accuracy. Sure, from week to week, the statistics can be deceiving. And Fitzpatrick has improved his long game in recent times, adding length. But the season-long numbers still suggest the driver is not Fitzpatrick’s bread and butter, his “Wonder Boy” in the rack, his sword from the stone difference maker.

Pounding putts has always been Fitzpatrick’s strength. That is, his numbers and his reputation indicate his scoring does not lean heavily on his ability to drive the ball.

That is, he’s an elite professional player. He should be able to adjust.

At the same time, rules are NOT made to be broken, certainly not in golf. The rule invoked at the BMW may seem “ridiculous,” and so what. Welcome to the club. Golf

has a lot of head-scratching dictums. But they are rules you are supposed to know and honor. That’s part of the deal.

John Wood, a former caddie who has become a TV analyst, and who also is the US Ryder Cup team manager for next year’s match at Bethpage, offered this perspective on what happened.

“The rule is written this way to counteract the “spring effect” or “characteristic time” rule measuring ball speed with a driver, or basically how thin a driver’s face can be,” he said in a social media post. “A driver must be “significantly damaged” to be replaceable, which basically means cracked all the way through or caved in/collapsed completely.

“If pros were allowed to replace a driver with any sort of a crack, manufacturers would build the faces as thin as legally possible. It is a roundabout way of controlling distance.

“Written this way, manufacturers have to build their drivers with a bit of a ‘buffer zone’ so they don’t crack more often. The thinner the face, the faster the ball comes off, the more often they would crack and be replaced with another one also pushed right up against the limit.”

That said, Wood added he was sympathetic to Fitzpatrick’s cause. “Matt’s driver was obviously unusable after he found the crack,” he added. “I don’t think it’s a good rule either, but that’s the reason.”

Whether it’s a good rule or bad rule is a bit beside the point - it’s a rule. If you want to protest, if you want to change it, the time to do so is before it comes into play.

Fitzpatrick might curse his bad luck, curse the timing of the crack, curse the shoddy quality of the manufacturing.

But his bone should not be picked with the PGA Tour officials. Where rules are concerned, golf doesn’t make exceptions.

Fortunes of war and what not.

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The Metropolitan

GOLF FITNESS HUB

Issue 1 | February 2023

“Bridging the Gap between the Body and Golf. Generating Consistency, Longevity, and Pain-Free Golf ”

Importance of Pre-Round Stretching

• This is a topic talked about amongst all athletes, but not all athletes take the 5-10 minutes to stretch before their sporting events.

• Young golfers might get away with not stretching before their rounds, but as golfers get older the importance of stretching before rounds becomes greater.

• Stretching before your round has many positive effects including, increased blood flow to prepare the muscles for activity, increased range of motion and flexibility, and to optimize your performance now that blood flow, range of motion, and flexibility is achieved.

• Proper pre-round stretching, and warm-up has been shown to decrease the risk of injury during your round or sporting event.

Here are a couple exercises to try out!

Importance of Post-Round Recovery

For videos on exercises and more tips to improve your golf game mobility, follow these links:

Recovery

Stretching

• Many golfers and athletes overlook the importance of post-round recovery.

• Post-round recovery includes stretching, cool-downs, Normatec compression etc.

• Stretching and the use of Normatec Compression after your round will aid in the elimination of lactic acid and help get your body prepared for your next round.

• Don’t surpass the importance of both pre-round stretching and post-round recovery and check out the stretching below that you can start to incorporate into your routine.

Youtube

Instagram

TikTok

@golfandtraininginstitute

Dr. Zach Cutler, DC

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Owner of Golf and Training Institute; Sports Chiropractor; Titleist Performance Institute Specialist

@GOLFANDTRAININGINSTITUTE

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The Metropolitan

Issue 6 | August 2024

Sup’s On: Co-Exist... Behind the Scenes Chad Fetter

Bogey Hills Country Club

It’s an interesting operation if you think about it. How many

other industries must create a product while being directly in the line of fire? Golf course maintenance operations ride a fine line between being productive and not being disruptive. Every facility has different levels of maintenance, but every operation starts the same, dark and early. Our goal each day is to get out ahead of morning tee times and setup the golf course without getting caught. Not an easy task depending on how much work is scheduled for the morning and most importantly, who’s in the first group. After setup, the rest of the day’s work is being done in and around golf. Finding a way to co-exist as a golfer and a maintenance worker is key. Understanding we don’t want to intentionally be disruptive to the golfer and with a little communication everyone can have an enjoyable experience.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a single or speedy twosome or threesome coming hot out the gates.

Getting chased around during setup only leads to frustrated golfers and maintenance workers. If the acceptable, projected elapsed time for a round of golf is around 4 hours, why do some golfers think its ok to play a two or three hour round as the first group? While they are in the fairway with hands on their hips, staff members are rushing to complete a task, leading to mistakes and lack of quality. This is now the setup that has been presented to the remainder of the entire days golfers, all created by the first groups inconsideration or the sneaky group off the back nine. Giving golf course staff ample space and time to complete tasks will result in a better playing experience. This goes for frost delays too. Please be mindful, we hate frost delays more than golfers do! Nothing worse than being at work, but not being able to work. We get the golfers out on the course as soon as possible.

Our members at BHCC are pretty well trained by the information I have published and relationships between golf course maintenance operations and the golf shop. Being considerate of the work being done by the maintenance staff ensures the golfers are going to get the best playing conditions and experience on a daily basis. Weather, staffing and equipment can all lead to

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different challenges that affect the golfer. Early morning storms can delay the start of setup. Short staffed or new staff members within their training period can result in a slower setup. The occasional equipment breakdown can create challenges and slow the operation down as well. Understanding every maintenance operation will encounter some challenges and may slow down your round, will keep players from losing their cool.

As a manager, safety is our number one priority. We do our best to “jump around” from hole to hole if possible, to avoid golf. Mowers are always going to be encountered at some point. If they don’t see you coming, try to at least make some sort of contact to make them aware of your presence. If the golf course is packed full of players, we try to do some tasks from back to front. Working backwards usually only results in bothering a particular golf group once during their round. While we have had an overall pleasant summer, hand watering greens during golf play is tricky. Showering greens is a necessary evil during summer months and there is no easy way to avoid golf.

Understanding the staff member only wants to do their job and move on to the next green is important. I guarantee we just want to get on and off the green as fast as possible so please give staff members the right of way during the process. Being impatient and deciding to swing away while a worker is still on the green is dangerous and will not go over well.

Understanding the simplest correlation between golfers and golf course maintenance operations is we both need each other. We need you to create revenue to keep us running and you need us to provide exceptional playing conditions. Being mindful of cart traffic and communicating with staff members can help us all coexist resulting in an enjoyable experience.

I do a weekly update for my club that has a lot of general golf course conditioning information in it. If interested, check it out!

BHCC Weekly Update

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The Metropolitan

OH SNAP!

Rules Center

Rory McIlroy and his driver, a dynamic duo. What can seem like a inseparable pair. It’s not everyday that you see a driver snap from McIlroy, and especially not in the way that it did. During the BMW Championship on the 9th hole, McIlroy sent his tee shot down by a stream. Of course this was not the shot he was hoping for and he bent down to pick up his tee while leaning on his club. There was clearly some frustrated pressure applied to the club when leaning over, which led the club to bend and then SNAP! The shaft of the club broke straight in half.

This situation led to some spectator speculation and criticism as to if this was done on purpose and just how angry McIlroy was about the stroke. Surely this was just a freak accident.. Right?? Nevertheless, he was unperturbed enough to move on to hit an indredible second shot while standing in the stream and saved par. As for the critiques and criticisms, who is going to prove that McIlroy purposefully snapped his driver in front of a crowd, fellow competitors, and tv cameras, while doing so in such casual way that it is not blatantly obvious that he planned or wanted to snap the driver? McIlroy leaned on his club as many of us do. Did he apply more pressure than normal on the club due to his previous shot result? Possibly, but there’s truly no way of knowing with 100% certainty. Unless Rory comes out and admits he wanted to snap the driver and did so on purpose, we can only assume it was as is said: a freak accident.

For those that love to see McIlroy hit driver, have no fear, he was not left empty handed for the remainder of the round. The key piece to this puzzle of “how is that so” is the following: it was a non-abusive to the club accident.

Should it have been proven that he purposefully abused his club, such as snapping it over his knee or throwing it into a tree which resulted in damaged, he would not have been able to replace the club. Club abuse is not tolerated under the replacement Rules. Since it appears the club just simply gave way during a routine tee pick up utilizing the cluba s support (which we have all done), Rory is entitled to a few options under Rule 4.1 - should he not want to just continue on without a driver in the bag. Let this be a lesson to us all: be careful when applying pressure to a club when using it as a prop, support, or crutch; you never know when it will just.. SNAP!

John explains Club Replacement --> Dear John: I had just made my putt on the 10th hole. I walked to the hole, bent over to retrieve the ball, leaned on my butter for support, and... SNAP, my putter shaft gave way, bending in half. Was that a penalty? Now what?

- SnapToIt

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Issue 6 | August 2024

Lean on Club, It Breaks

Dear SnapToIt: I’m very sorry the club broke as that probably hurts on several fronts. There is no penalty for damaging or breaking a club. Damaging the club while using it for support is not considered abuse so the player has the following options (Rule 4.1a(2)): 1. Continue using the club “as is” in its non-conforming state 2. Repair the club (e.g. pliers) 3. Replace the club since it is damaged (i.e. “part, feature, or property of club is changed”; Rule 4.1a(2)) Whatever the player does, he or she must not unduly delay play (Rule 5.6a). Here are some (involved) qualifiers regarding replacement of a damaged club. The player may not add or borrow another club selected for play by anyone playing on the course (even if playing in a different group or a different competition). Similarly, the player may not assemble a club during the round from parts carried by or for the player or any other player on the course (Rule 4.1b(4)); however, the player may have another club or parts brought to them (e.g. from clubhouse or trunk of car in parking lot; Clarification 4.1b(4)/1). Also, the player may not use another club that he or she previously declared out of play before or during the round (Rule 4.1c(1)).

The penalty for using a club replaced in a wrong manner is two strokes per hole in stroke play (four strokes maximum for the round; Rule 4.1b). In match play, the state of the match is adjusted by deducting one hole for each hole where such a breach occurs (deduction of two holes maximum for the round; Rule 4.1b). Upon realizing a club was replaced in a wrong manner the player must declare that club out of play before making the next stroke (Rule 4.1c(1)); penalty of disqualification). Note that a club which has broken into pieces need not be declared out of play (i.e. it is no longer considered a club and doesn’t count toward 14-club limit; Rule 4.1b(1)).

Once the round is over, the player should remove the damaged club from their bag, so as not to risk starting their next round subject to penalty for carrying a non-conforming ckub (i.e. the damaged club counts toward the 14-club limit, and the player is disqualified if he or she makes a stroke with a non-conforming club that counts toward their score; Rule 4.1a and Clarification 4.1a(1)/2). Incidentally, a playoff in stroke play is a new round, but continuation of a match in match play is the same round, not a new round (definition of ROUND and Rule 5.1).

Lastly, Model Local Rule G-9, when implemented by the Committee for the competition, limits when a damaged club may be replaced (e.g. a club or clubface is not “broken or significantly damaged” solely because it is cracked).

This edition of the Rules Center features an excerpt from MAGA Rules Official John Thorman’s e-book Let’s Get It Right

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The Metropolitan

Keeping Up with the USGA

Issue 6 | August 2024

USGA Invests in Shaping Future Golf Industry Leaders with Record Number of Internships LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (August 7, 2024) – Recognizing a growing interest in golf-related careers, the USGA is helping funnel emerging talent to a broad range of job opportunities that exist in the game.

In total, the USGA supported 323 interns in 2024 – a number that is nearly equal to that of the USGA’s current full-time workforce – reflecting the organization’s focus on career development to foster a stronger, more welcoming game. As part of that commitment, the USGA directed recruiting efforts toward reaching individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.

These efforts resulted in a 59-percent increase in applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds across the P.J. Boatwright Jr. Internship Program from 2023 to 2024 and a 12-percent increase in women participating in USGA internships.

This year’s pool of interns represents a broad spectrum of disciplines – including students majoring in science and technology, data analytics, research, education and non-profit management. The interns were then matched with USGA core service and program teams that leveraged the interns’ knowledge while also providing a platform for progress and growth.

“It’s important that we don’t think of these young people simply as interns, but rather the future leaders of our game,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “The proof is in the numbers – we are providing more opportunities and in turn, seeing higher percentages of USGA interns working full-time across the golf industry.”

Of note, 201 individuals are completing P.J. Boatwright Internships this year across the USGA’s network of 57 Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) – a record-high for the program focused on providing interns with paid, on-the-job training in golf administration. In 2024, the USGA provided $2.1 million in grants to AGAs – a portion of which came from philanthropic contributions – to support wages, travel costs and AGA operational support.

The Boatwright program began in 1991 and has had a large impact. Across AGAs, 33 percent of executive directors and 38 percent of all AGA staff members are former Boatwrights. Upon completion of the program, interns will join a network of more than 3,300 alumni working across sports and beyond who launched their careers as Boatwrights.

As golf evolves, so too do the roles and functions of interns. In 2024, a number of interns are immersed in specialized areas focused on sustainability and inclusion initiatives, including supporting adaptive golf programs, turfgrass research and management through the USGA’s Green Section, diversity programs and advanced technologies.

Earlier this summer, 112 undergraduate and graduate students had the opportunity to intern at the U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., providing them with first-hand access and exposure to job functions that power a major sporting event. Championship and Merchandising interns were immersed in a variety of operational jobs, while the 24 Pathways Interns took advantage of career exploration and networking opportunities.

Research released by the American Golf Industry Coalition in 2023 highlights golf’s $102 billion economic impact and the 1.65 million jobs that are powered by the sport. Serving as executive sponsor of the Make Golf Your Career workstream, Whan represents the USGA’s commitment to collaborating with partners across the golf industry to identify, attract and engage more talent from diverse backgrounds to lead the game forward.

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The Metropolitan

PGA Tour

Wyndham Championship - Aaron Rai St. Jude Championship - Hideki Matsuyama BMW Championship - Keegan Bradley

Korn Ferry Tour

Utah Championship - Karl Vilips Pinnacle Bank Championship - Matt McCarty Magnit Championship - Max McGreevy Albertons Boise Open - Matt McCarty

PGA Tour Americas

BioSteel Championship - Barend Botha Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open - A.J. Ewart CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open - John Keefer

PGA Tour Champions Boeing Classic - Stephen Ames Shaw Charity Classic - Ken Tanigawa Ally Challenge - Stewart Cink

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Issue 6 | August 2024

World of Golf

LPGA

August

Portland Classic - Moriya Jutanugarn

Olympics Gold - Scottie Scheffler Silver - Tommy Fleetwood Bronze - Hideki Matsuyama Gold - Lydia Ko Silver - Esther Henseleit Bronze - Lin Xiyu

DP World Tour

LET ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open - Lauren Coughlin AIG Women’s Open - Lydia Ko

Epson Tour Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic - Pornanong Phatlum

D+D Real Czech Masters - David Ravetto Made in Denmark - Frederic LeCroix

LPGA Legends

Challenge Tour

U.S. Senior Women’s Open - Leta Lindley

Irish Challenge - Joakim Lagergren Farmfoods Scottish Challenge - Brandon Robinson Thompson Vierumaki Finnish Challenge - Christofer Blomstrand Indoor Golf Group Challenge - Joakim Lagergren

Sunshine Tour

FNB Eswatini Challenge - Daniel van Tonder Vodacom Origins of Golf - Jean Hugo SunBet Challenge Times Square Casino - Thriston Lawrence

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Up Next for MAGA

Issue 6 | August 2024

Player of the Year Points Standings Men’s POY

Deadlines

Registration Deadline

Metropolitan Senior September 4 Bogey Hills CC Amateur September 25 Rend Lake GC Tony Stevens Cup (SIGA) Amateur Series Invite Only The Quarry GC Championship Metropolitan Women’s Spencer T. Olin GC October 2 Amateur Invite Only Glen Echo CC Mid-America Junior Cup

Sept-Oct Schedule Annbriar GC Sept 3 Senior Amateur Sept 18-19 Bogey Hills CC Amateur Series Championship Sept 23-24 The Quarry GC

Amateur Series #6

Tony Stevens Cup

Sept 29

Rend Lake GC

U.S. 4-Ball & Women’s 4-Ball Qualifiers

Oct 3

The Legends CC

TBD

Glen Echo CC

Mid-America Junior Cup

1 2 3 4 5 T6 T6 8 9 10

Name

Affiliation

Sam Migdal Blake Skornia Justin Bryant Joe Migdal Ryan Eckelkamp Chris Kovach Corey Choate Drew Pranger Max Kreikemeier Jimmy Siegfried

St. Louis CC Algonquin GC St. Louis CC Persimmon Woods GC Franklin County CC Old Hickory GC The Legends CC Glen Echo CC Forest Hills CC Metropolitan eClub

Events

Wins

Points

3 4 3 3 8 4 4 3 3 5

0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0

1157.5 1050 925 835 824.17 765 765 740 697.5 665

Events

Wins

Points

3 4 1 4 5 4 3 3 3 2

2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

712.5 625 605 585 392.5 322.5 305 270 260 242.5

Events

Wins

Points

5 5 4 2 2

1 1 1 0 1

1800 1287.5 1150 987.5 950

Senior Men’s POY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name

Affiliation

Brian Lovett Buddy Allen Skip Berkmeyer Paul Neeman Brian Hall David Bremer David Strickland Patrick Riordan Joseph Malench John Moore

Bellerive CC Metropolitan eClub The Legends CC Persimmon Woods GC Persimmon Woods GC Persimmon Woods GC Tapawingo National GC Meadowbrook CC Metropolitan eClub Metropolitan eClub

SIGA Men’s POY 1 2 3 4 5

Name

Affiliation

Jeff Gray Bryan Warren Bryce Doughty Aaron Jones River Stilley

USGA/MetAmateur GC McLeansboro GC SIGA eClub SIGA eClub SIGA eClub

*For Full Standings Click the Underlined Heading*

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Hall of Champions 2024 Chris Kovach Old Warson Cup

Ryan Cole Metropolitan Open Joe Migdal

Kirk Veihl

Southern Illinois Amateur

Senior Southern Illinois Am

Justin Bryant

Metropolitan Amateur

Team Metropolitan

Brian Hall

Robert A. Shogren Cup

Senior Old Warson Cup

Allen & Lovett

Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball

Slantz & Schrank Metropolitan Senior Net Four-Ball

Porter & Sullivan

Metropolitan Four-Ball

9-Hole Championship

Blake Skornia East Side Amateur

Harper Ackermann Junior Amateur Sarah Hyten

Girls’ Junior Amateur

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DeLuca & Tiefenbrunn

Junior Amateur Age

Luke Lasley

SIGA Championship

Brian Lovett East Side Senior SIGA Championship

Boys-Women-Senior-Super Sr

The Metropolitan

Normandie Project Update:

Keep Up with the Foundation The Metropolitan Golf Foundation owns Normandie Golf Course and is behind the Normandie Reimagined project in conjunction with Beyond Housing. As this project continues forward, we want you to be in the know that is why we encourage you to follow the Metropolitan Golf Foundation on social media. We will be posting updates and information about this venture as much as we can to keep the public in the loop. Use the links below to follow the Foundation across the social media landscape.

Follow Us: MetroGolfFoundation on Instagram MetropolitanGF on Facebook and X Metropolitan Golf Foundation on LinkedIn For more information on the Normandie Renovation Project and how you can help, visit https://www.metga.org/nicklaus-and-normandie or contact normandie@metga.org

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“The appeal of this project to me was to be involved in an effort that could serve as a catalyst to change needed in our country today, beginning with parts of St. Louis County. Restoring Normandie for a community in need will have a long-lasting positive impact on the lives of youth in St. Louis.”

-Jack Nicklaus on his involvement in Normandie Reimagined

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, Flickr, & YouTube

Volume 11 | No. 6

Follow Us!

@MetAmateurGA

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association MAGA

Phone: 314.567.6262 Email: info@metga.org Web: metga.org

11724 Lackland Industrial Dr St. Louis, MO 63146