The Metropolitan Vol 10, No 4 (June 2023)

Volume 10 | No. 4

The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

The Metropolitan

Issue 4 | June 2023

Inside the Issue 4 Curt’s Corner

A message from the Executive Director

5 By The Numbers

Play

10 Amateur Series

20 What’s Next for

MAGA?

Monthly Schedule and Deadlines

Event #2

Event No. 2 was a hit at Stonewolf Golf Club! Season Point Standings are in full swing.

Yardage Book 12 The Bogeyman Merging the Future of Golf

Junior Amateur The Regions best Junior Golfers were crowned.

21 POY

Player of the Year Standings Update. Where do you stand?

with the USGA

The USGA welcomes Pathways Interns and names 2024 US Adaptive Open Site

8 The 9-Hole

Championship

Four Divisions competed in a quick, fun weekend face-off.

9 USGA Qualifiers US Girls’ Junior Amateur and US Junior Amateur Qualifiers are Complete!

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14 Golf Fitness

Hub

24 World of Golf

16 Sup’s On

26 Normandie

Sway: Excessive lower body movement during your backswing.

Summertime Fans

18 Rules Center

How long can you wait for your ball to drop when overhanging the hole?

WHO ARE WE?

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.

WHAT WE DO:

22 Keeping Up

6 Metropolitan

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

- 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 nine (9) 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 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. Junior Amateur • U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur U.S. Amateur Four-Ball

See the World’s Champions from the month of June

Reimagined

An update on the renovation project of Normandie Golf Club and the UCamp.

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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 2023 PJ BOATWRIGHT INTERNS Anna Marriott, Communications Josh Plohr, Operations Amari Sewer, Operations

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 Members! Half the year is over as I write this month’s Corner! Probably a broken record looking and writing about how fast the year and season goes by. I usually end with thanking you for reading, but this month I’m going to kick off the Corner with a thank you. I am always amazed at the people who mention to me they look forward to receiving the next edition, that means a lot to me and my team who work to put The Metropolitan together.

Summer officially started with the spike in temps we have seen at the end of June and after a couple weeks to breathe championship season has heated back up as well. The 24th Metropolitan Junior Amateur visited Sunset Country Club a couple weeks ago with 72 juniors teeing it up. Sunset has been wonderful in recent years and this year saw some of the region’s best young juniors tackle an amazingly conditioned golf course. Up for grabs were the Barbara A. Berkmeyer Trophy for the girls’ and James M. Holtgrieve Trophy for the boy’s . Avery McLaughlin stamped her name for the second time in our girls’ championship while John (Bubba) Chapman continued his fine play in 2023 with the boy’s title.

Continuing the junior theme we went across the river to Spencer T. Olin for the U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Amateur Qualifiers the following week. With 67 boy’s and 33 girls’ seeking spots in their respective USGA championships.

Spencer T. was a great test and also in great condition, 3 boy’s and 2 girls’ are off to compete in a USGA championship.

As we head into the 2nd half of 2023 I want to give a quick mention to our many volunteers...who keep us ticking! Our Rules Committee has been busy with our championships and welcoming, mentoring several new members throughout June. Also, our course raters have been busy keeping up with our course rating service, led by Ron Rhoades and Jayne Watson! Thank you to all of you who assist us in providing these services to our member clubs and golfers, you are simply the best in the biz!

Coming up in July we have the 31st Metropolitan Women’s Championship, U.S. Amatuer Qualifying and U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying. So I lied...I am thanking you again here...appreciate you reading the latest edition of The Metropolitan! Stay cool...

Issue 4 | June 2023

By The Numbers 6 - The age at which Tiger Woods made his first hole-

in-one. The ace took place on May 12, 1982. Woods, who has misremembered making his first ace at the age of eight, was born on Dec. 30, 1975, which makes him 6 at the time of the hole in one. The event happened at Heartwell Golf Course in Long Beach, Calif. Heartwell is a 2,143-yard par-3 course with a par of 54 and it’s still around today, if you’d like to try. By the way, Woods has collected 20 aces over his lifetime.

151 - The number of British Opens the event at Royal

Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside, England represents, when it is conducted July 20-23. The “Open Championship,” as it is known in Europe, is the oldest of golf ’s majors, first conducted in 1860. This championship will be the 13th at Royal Liverpool. Rory McIlroy captured the last British Open at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He opened the tournament with a 66 and went wire to wire to capture the third leg of the career Grand Slam. McIlroy won the 2014 PGA at Valhalla a month later, but has not won a major championship since. Some other notable British Open winners at Hoylake include Tiger Woods, Peter Thomson, Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones.

4 - As in days, as in the time it normally takes a player to

complete the 18 holes of Nullarbor Links, aka the longest golf course in the world. The par-72 course, located in Southern Australia, is spread over 848 miles … that’s right, miles! The unique design features one hole in each of 18 towns along the Eyre Highway. In other words, this is not course you would want to walk, even with a pull-cart. While it is recommended to set aside for days to complete a round, speedy players have been known to finish in three days.

273 - Scott Langley’s score in the 2018 Web .com

(now Korn Ferry) Panama Championship at Panama Golf Club. The score amounted to 7-under par, good enough to capture the championship, Langley’s only win during a 10 year professional career. The Parkway South High grad also made the cut at the 2010 U.S. Open as an amateur, after winning the 2010 NCAA individual championship at Illinois. The lefthander also won the Metropolitan Open in consecutive years, 2008-09, and the Metropolitan Amateur in 2010. Langley retired from pro golf in 2021 and in December 2002 became the USGA’s head of men’s player relations.

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- The percentage of the world’s golf courses that are located the United States. According to a 2021 report by the National Golf Foundation, 38,081 golf courses exist across 206 countries and dependent territories. More than 16,000 of those courses are in the U.S., or 42 percent.

While the U.S. has by far the most, it is not close to being the most golf-intensive. While the U.S. has 0.004 layouts per square mile, the UK is the most golf-centric nation in the top 10 of “most courses,” boasting a density of 0.033 per square mile, or a course every 22.8 square miles. In terms of volume, Japan has the second-highest number of golf courses globally and is the only non-English-speaking country in the top 5.

1998 - The year Persimmon Woods Golf Club

opened. The highly-regarded layout covers 6,939 yards from the back tees and is a classic Midwestern design.

Persimmon will host the 2023 Metropolitan Amateur for the third time Aug. 3-5. The club also staged the championship in 2003, when Scott Edwards beat Shawn Jasper in a three-hole playoff, and in 2013, when Kyle Weldon won his second consecutive Jim Tom Blair Trophy.

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The Metropolitan

Metropolitan Junior Amateur

The 24th Metropolitan Junior Amateur Championship at Sunset Country Club was held on June 21st and 22nd. With the first group teeing off at 7:30am, all players were able to make their way around the course by 4:15pm. There were four divisions totalling 66 players : Boys 13 and under, Boys 15 and under, Overall Boys, and Overall Girls. It was a warm sunny day in the area with a few clouds later in the afternoon.

In the Overall Boys division, fierce competition ensued with only two players finishing at even par or better. Bubba Chapman from Bellerive Country Club showcased exceptional skill, securing a solo first-place finish by carding an impressive two-under (-2) par. William Bomkamp of Forest Hills Country Club closely followed Chapman on the leaderboard, ending the day at an even (E) par. Augie Johnson of Whitmoor Country Club, Dominic Mazzola of Forest Hills Country Club, and Clayton Becher of Persimmon Woods Golf Club all shared the third spot, each scoring four-over (+4) par.

In the Overall Girls’ division, Reese Reinhardt of Fox Run Golf Club sits seven strokes above the competition at four-over (+4) par. After a rough start to her round, Reinhardt was able to fight back mid-round to earn three birdies that would keep her score lower than her competitors.

Avery McLaughlin of Bellerive Country Club sits in solo second at eleven-over (+11) par. In her first year in the overall Girls’ Division, the 2022 Girls’ 13 and under winner Morgan Nute of the Metropolitan eClub put together a round that would place her in solo third at fourteen-over (+14) par.

In Round 1, the Boys’ age divisions took to the course, showcasing remarkable talent. In the Boys’ 13 and Under Division, John Deluca of Forest Hills Country Club demonstrated a commanding lead with a solid round of six-over (+6) par. Deluca’s exceptional performance placed him an impressive nineteen strokes ahead of Subaru Kikuchi from The Quarry at Crystal Springs, who currently holds second place at twenty-five-over (+25) par. Meanwhile, in the Boys’ 15 and Under Division, Hudson Shy from Bogey Hills Country Club

Issue 4 | June 2023

eClub had a difficult Round 1, but made a ten-stroke improvement in Round 2 to finish in solo third place at thirty-over (+30) par.

John DeLuca of Forest Hills Country Club came into the Final Round with a nineteen stroke lead in the Boys’ 13 and Under Division. Though claimed the top spot with a score of five-over (+5) par, while Caden Fehr he was unable to duplicate his performance of six-over (+6) par, DeLuca of the Country Club of St. Albans follows closely behind, three strokes still held the two lowest rounds in the division. Totalling seventeen-over back at eight-over (+8) par. Shivom Korgaonkar of the USGA/Met (+17) par, DeLuca was the 13 and Under Division Champion. Following Amateur Golf Club secured the third position at ten-over (+10) par. behind in solo second place, Subaru Kikuchi of The Quarry at Crystal Springs finished the championship at fifty-four-over (+54) par. In the After another beautiful day at Sunset Country Club, four juniors came Boys’ 15 and Under Division, Hudson Shy of Bogey Hills Country Club out triumphant after Round 2 of the 24th Metropolitan Junior Amateur. led the way after Round 1, but a tough Round 2 left him finishing in The Boys’ 13 and Under Division kicked things off at 7:30am, followed fourth place. Caden Fehr of the Country Club of St. Albans sat in by the Boys’ 15 and Under Division. Rounding out the tee times were second place following his first round, and he capitalized on his position the Girls’ Division followed by the Overall Boys’ Division. After Round in the Final Round. Improving by eight strokes, Fehr finished the day at 1, Bubba Chapman, John DeLuca, Hudson Shy, and Reese Reinhardt even (E) par and the tournament at eight-over (+8) par to be the 15 and were each the leaders in their respective divisions.

Under Division Cham pion. Shota Tiger Kikuchi of The Quarry at Crystal Springs also made improvements to his scorecard for Round John ‘Bubba’ Chapman of Bellerive Country Club entered the Final 2 by returning a five-over (+5) par for the day and sixteen-over (+16) Round at two-under (-2) par. Looking to put together another good par for the championship. Kikuchi, much like his younger brother, also round, Chapman started his day with a birdie on Hole 1. Adding two finished solo second in his division. more birdies and enduring two bogeys on the front nine, he concluded the first half of the day at one-under, accumulating a Throughout the Championship, Bubba Chapman was the only player to commendable three-under (-3) score in total. The back nine proved return a score under par with his Round 1 score of two-under par. Only to be more challenging for Bubba, but he skillfully maintained control three players posted even-par rounds: Augie Johnson, William over his game, concluding the championship at one-over (+1) par. This Bomkamp, and Caden Fehr. Hole 12 seemed to outstanding display secured the championship title for Chapman. rank as the hardest hole based on field Augie Johnson of Whitmoor Country Club sat at four-over (+4) par performance, while Hole 10 ranked as the after Round 1, and was ready to put the pressure on his competitors in easiest. Mack Freeman of Forest Hills Round 2. Though his round was back-and-forth, Johnson was able to Country Club made the only eagle of the come into the clubhouse at even (E) par for the day and remain at championship during his first round on four-over (+4) par to finish in solo second place. After putting together Hole 16. an even (E) par performance on day one, William Bomkamp of Forest Hills Country Club had a rougher day two to finish in solo third place at Out of a field of 66 players, four six-over (+6) par. came out triumphant. Bubba Chapman (Overall Boys’), Reese Reinhardt of Fox Run Golf Club was able to shoot just four-over Avery McLaughlin (Girls’), (+4) par in Round 1, but Round 2 proved more difficult. A few hiccups Caden Fehr (Boys’ 15 and in her round left Reinhardt finishing the championship twenty-twoUnder), and John DeLuca over (+22) par and in solo second place. Avery McLaughlin of Bellerive (Boys’ 13 and Under) are Country Club started the day at eleven-Over (+11) par. McLaughlin the 2023 Metropolitan Junior came ready for the Final Round and improved upon her Round 1 score Amateur Champions. by one-stroke. With a ten-over (+10) par Round 2 score, McLaughlin beat Reinhardt by one-stroke with a total of twenty-one over (+21) par to be the Girls’ Division Champion. Peyton Cusick of the Metropolitan

Full Results

Photos

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The Metropolitan

Issue 4 | June 2023

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Click on Image for Full Results

Competing on July 17-22 at USAFA Eisenhower Golf Club

Vincent Featherson

Jim McLaughlin

Photos

USGA Championship Qualifying

Jackson Unteriner

Robert Hogan

Emma Hill

9-Hole Championship John DeLuca

Eileen Love

It was a warm one out at Ruth Park Golf Course for the 9-Hole Championship. Players across four divisions competed to win with both gross and net scores. In the Junior Division, John DeLuca of Forest Hills Country Club went home with the hardware with a score of even par (E). Emma Hill of the Metropolitan eClub took the trophy with her gross score of three-over (+3) par in the Women’s Division. Eileen Love of the St. Louis Women’s Golf Association walked away with the Women’s Net trophy with a net score of one-under (-1) par. Jim McLaughlin of Norwood Hills Country Club came in with a score of two-over (+2) par to win the trophy for the Senior Men’s gross scores. Vincent Featherson of the Metropolitan eClub at one-under (-1) par to take home the Senior Men’s Net trophy. Robert Hogan of Gateway National Golf Links came in with a bogey-free four-under (-4) par and the Men’s Division gross score title. Jackson Unteriner of the USGA/MetAmateur GC let those strokes help him out in the Men’s Net Division and carry him to victory with a net score of two-under (-2) par.

Full Results Competing on July 24-29 at Daniel Island Club

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The Metropolitan

Event #2 Stonewolf GC

Issue 4 | June 2023

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

It was a great day at Stonewolf Golf Club for the Amateur Series Event #2. A warm day with sun and a few clouds made it a perfect day for golf. 93 players across seven divisions took to the course in a shotgun start at 9:00am.

Players had a blast as they made their way around the course, while building comradery and friendships. As in any round there were some ups and downs, but with some skill and a dash of luck, four players carded an eagle during their round.

Players have started earning points to gain entry into the Series Championship. There are still 4 events left to earn those points!

The Amateur Series Photos

Results 10

Results: Open Division - Luke Lasley Senior Open - James Storey Super Senior Open - Tom Mueller Net Division - Anthony Arcese Senior Net Division - Dave Draucker Super Senior Net Divsion - Byron Watts Women’s Net Division - Maureen Dowling

Name 1 2 T3 T3 T3

Open Division

Chris Wagner Luke Lasley Clint Bohannon Colin Stolze Nicholas Bogue

Affiliation

Points

Metropolitan eClub Kokopelli GC Metropolitan eClub Westborough CC Aberdeen GC

130 100 90 90 90

Senior Open Division 1 2 3 4 5

Super Senior Open Division

Name

Affiliation

Points

James Storey Brett Newton Paul Downing David Schilp David Rudd

Glen Echo CC Metropolitan eClub Old Hickory GC Bogey Hills CC CC of St. Albans

180 140 130 100 90

1 2 T3 T3 5

Net Division Name 1 2 3 T4 T4

Affiliation

Points 1 2 3 4 T5 T5

Women’s Net Division 1 2 3 4 T5 T5

Affiliation

Maureen Dowling Whitmoor CC Carla Fight St. Peters GC Pam Lenhard STL Women’s GA Linda Meyer Whitmoor GC Denise Faus Annbriar GC Marty Ganz LPGA Amateur GA

Affiliation

Points

James Oslica Kevin Ortyl Dan Abegg Michael Mervis Tom Mueller

Metropolitan eClub Sunset CC Sunset Hills CC Metropolitan eClub Glen Echo CC

190 140 110 110 100

Senior Net Division

200 Anthony Arcese Metropolitan eClub 140 Oak Brook GC Kyle Fuehne Trevor Nickerson USGA/MetAmateur GC 130 Edwin Edwards USGA/MetAmateur GC 100 100 Ballwin GC Justin Zhang

Name

Name

Points

Name

Affiliation

Dave Draucker Dave Wasmuth Daniel Delaney Gregg Johannes Joe Golembeski Kenneth Neal

190 Far Oaks GC 150 Metropolitan eClub 130 Metropolitan eClub 90 Metropolitan eClub USGA/MetAmateru GC 85 85 WingHaven CC

Super Senior Net Division Points 190 140 130 95 80 80

Name 1 2 3 4 5

Affiliation

Stephen Weinstock Westwood CC Old Hickory GC Jim Lundergan The Quarry at CS Dennis Clark Metropolitan eClub Byron Watts Metropolitan eClub Bill Slantz

For Full Standings, Click Here

Points 170 150 130 100 90

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The Metropolitan

Issue 4 | June 2023

Merging the Future of Golf The Bogeyman Dan O’Neill

As June turned to July, people still were opining about the

meaning of the marriage between LIV, DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. But the truth is, until the details are worked out, no one knows.

Initially, anger was expressed by those who claim the moral high ground. PGA Tour stars like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, who resisted the fat Public Investment Fund checks from Saudi Arabia, are unwelcoming toward those who did not.

The righteous indignation is understandable, as it appears the likes of Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith etc. sold their souls only to come out the other side, richer and no worse for wear. Perhaps that will be the case, perhaps not. We still don’t know.

Story after story has called the new arrangement a “merger,” suggesting a union between equals in the professional golf universe. Is that the case or, buried in the announcement lede, is a loud “Uncle!” being declared?

Under the truce, the LIV, at least as we know it, is almost certain to tap out, while the PGA Tour will continue to conduct tournaments. This wasn’t an arm-wrestling draw between Bluto and Popeye, more like Bluto pinning Olive Oil. The PGA Tour features 47 FedExCup events in 2023. By comparison, the LIV

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has a second season of 14 events. To suggest they stand eye to eye is to put Val Kilmer’s Batman in the same context with Christian Bale’s version. No comparison.

In the end - if golf’s big deal even goes through - the LIV never hit the hole. The Saudi-back circuit made a splash, no denial.

Greg Norman and the gang grabbed TMZ headlines by signing some names, although not enough of them, and none recently.

Regardless of the roster, the LIV product never was part of a serious golf conversation. Koepka’s PGA Championship victory in May likely was the first time you heard those capital letters in a golf-centric sentence. That is, a discussion that included significant shots, scores or outcomes. Otherwise, the only thing provocative about the LIV was the mind-boggling bucks involved.

Example: Name the starting lineup for the “Cleeks?” How about the best player on the “Majestics?” Where did the “RangeGoats” finish in Singapore?

Better yet, can you even say what those names refer to? Thought not.

The names are just a few of the LIV’s four-player “teams,” although Nick Faldo recently put the concept in proper perspective. “Nobody’s really interested,” Faldo told ESPN. “They’re not going to get the sponsorship that they want. They call it a team (event) and it’s not because it’s stroke play. You see your mates on the putting green and say, ‘Play well,’ and you see them in the scorer’s tent and say, ‘What did you shoot?’ That’s it.

A team is out there helping, shoulder to shoulder. That’s a true team.”

With its teams, 48-player fields, zero cuts, 54-hole formats, shotgun starts and lack of TV exposure... the LIV is to professional golf what Rogers Hornsby and the 1935 St. Louis

Browns were to major league baseball. The ‘35 Browns drew 80,922 fans - not over a weekend, mind you, over a season!

Their per-game average was 1,044, which probably included groundskeepers and concession workers. Frankly, that number seems comparable to the size of LIV galleries. That said, the analogy is a bit unfair because the Browns, for better or worse, played baseball, the same way everyone else played it. The LIV isn’t attempting to play professional golf, it’s trying to re-invent it - and it’s not working.

Right now, the so-called merger between Jay Monahan’s PGA Tour and Yasir al-Rumayyan - who governs the Saudi’s $620 billion PIF - remains little more than an agreement to reach an agreement. The details will be challenging. There remains legal obstacles to climb, federal regulators to satisfy... and the possibility the whole thing falls apart.

And in the end, rest assured, bad feelings or not, it will be about money. The Saudis got the PGA Tour’s attention, but their model was unsustainable. Even silly money is better invested in established brands. The LIV will fade to black, but the Saudis will remain a significant corporate partner in big-league golf.

In the meantime, the devil, and/or delights, will be in the details.

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The Metropolitan

GOLF FITNESS HUB

SWAY

> Excessive lower body lateral movement away from the target during your backswing.

Issue 1 | February 2023

Here are a couple exercises to try out!

> Swaying makes it difficult to develop a proper weight shift during transition and the downswing. > Inability to having a stable platform to drive your weight off of during transition, will cause the golfer to lose power and try to develop speed in an inefficient sequence.

THE BODY-SWING CONNECTION > In the golf swing, it is very important to be able to coil around your trail hip during the back swing. > Right hip internal rotation needs to be adequate to be able to have full rotation around the hip rather than swaying. >If the body is unable to rotate around the right hip due to joint or muscular restrictions than lateral movements will dominate the pattern. > Lateral stabilization is crucial while rotating during a large shoulder turn. It is very important to have the ability to separate the upper body from your lower body in the golf swing. > Limited trunk to pelvic separation is usually caused by reduced spinal mobility and shortened lat flexibility. > Strength and stability of the gluteal musculature is directly proportional to the ability to laterally stabilize the trail leg during the back swing. > The main glute muscle involved with this motion is the glute medius muscle.

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Dr. Zach Cutler

Sports Chiropractor and TPI Certified

Family Golf and Learning Center @FGLCPERFORMANCE

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The Metropolitan

Sup’s On: Summertime Fans Nick White

Bellerive Country Club

What the heck are those for?? Why are they so loud and why does it have to be so close to the green?

This time of the year, the St. Louis heat can be sweltering and when the humidity kicks in, it can be unbearable. For us golfers, the high heat and humidity this time of year has us sweating buckets.

Just like you’ve heard before, it’s true that we sweat so that our bodies can cool down. Well, plants and humans aren’t so different after all! Instead of “sweating”, plants use & lose water via transpiration, which has a cooling effect for plants (especially

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bentgrass greens) . The big difference: The higher the humidity and the more you’re sweating; the less a plant can transpirate & cool itself down.

That’s where air movement comes into play. At your home golf course, you may see a fan or two around some Greens, or you may have heard your Golf Course Superintendent talk about tree removal and increasing air movement around greens. That’s because air movement is crucial, especially on Cool-season bentgrass greens. Cool season grass can survive very warm temperatures (100 degrees F +) as long as there is enough air movement over top of the canopy to allow the plant to still perform the transpiration process, and “cool itself”...

Issue 4 | June 2023

successful, the better our playing conditions will be on the golf course. These fans “break up” the relative humidity over the Green by adding air movement, which in turn cools down the canopy temperature.

Steady winds are even better than fans, but in some corner-pockets of your property, fans may be the only option.

I speak for all superintendents in asking that if you see one of these fans on the golf course, please don’t turn it off, and know that is just one piece of the equation that’s helping keep conditions great for everyone. And next time you see hot temperatures in the forecast, hope for high winds as well for your Super’s sake!!

How much air movement? Well, that can be complicated... as there are a lot of factors to determine whether the grass can survive or not (relative humidity, wind speed, canopy temperature, soil moisture, etc.) One thing we do know is the better environment we can make for our plants to be

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The Metropolitan

On The Edge

Rules Center

During the 2021 Solheim Cup, Nelly Korda had a putt for eagle that stopped just short, right on the lip of the hole. As one does when a ball sits just short, Korda had fallen to her knees in disbelief and passion. Before she could even stand nor make her way to the ball, her opponent, Madelene Sagstrom on Team Europe, picked up the ball as to say the next stroke was conceded. Europe had made their birdie putt which they thought tied the hole, but this would turn out to be wrong.

The Rules Officials had to step in, even calling back up from the official watching via TV to confirm. Sagstrom failed to allow Korda the time to approach her ball and the subsequent 10 allotted seconds for an overhanging ball to drop. Sagstrom tried to argue that the ball was not overhanging and would have never gone in, but due to her actions denying the chance that it could have fallen in (confirmed by the referee, observer, and TV observer), Korda’s ball was deemed holed for eagle and Team USA won the hole.

John further explains overhanging the hole --> Dear John: I stroked my 25-ft birdie putt on the par-3 16th hole at Porto Cima from the bottom tier up to the top tier. The Ball started out with good pace, slowed down nicely as it rolled up the ridge, headed dead straight toward the hole, and then stopped just short, overhanging the lip of the hole. I walked to the hole and waited a little bit, yelled encouragement to the ball, waited a little bit more, after which my ball finally fell into the hole. I thought that I made a birdie, but the guys we were playing against said it was a par because the ball took too long to fall into the hole. Who was right?

- HungOver

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Issue 4 | June 2023

Balls Overhanging Hole Dear HungOver: I don’t suspect there is any money riding on this answer, is there? Rule 13.3 governs a ball overhanging the lip of the hole. The rule has limited patience. The player has a reasonable amount of time to reach the hole plus 10 seconds more for the ball to fall into hole (after a putt, chip, pitch, bunker shot, any shot). If the ball falls into the hole before the 10 seconds are up, the ball is holed with the previous stroke (a birdie in your case!).

After 10 seconds, the ball is deemed to be at rest, period. This is true even if the player thinks it may still be moving (the criterion is the ball overhanging lip of hole for 10 seconds, not whether the ball is still moving). Indeed, even if the ball were moving as the player tapped it in the hole, there would be no penalty for making a stroke at a ball in motion, because the ball is deemed at rest. If the ball falls into the hole after 10 seconds, the player is deemed to have holed out with his last stroke and must add a penalty stroke (amounting to a par in your case).

This is why you often hear players start counting aloud to 10 in such circumstances.

These 10 seconds are a protected period to which the player is entitled.

All players should stay clear of the hole and avoid any pretext of influencing the movement of the ball (e.g. jumping near the ball, removing the flagstick from the hole, knocking the ball away, blowing on the ball). In match play, if an opponent moves the players ball within the 10-seconds window (e.g. as if to quickly concede the next stroke), there is no penalty, but the ball is deemed holed with the previous stroke (Rule 13.3b). In stroke play, if another player moves the ball within the 10-second window, he or she incurs a two-stroke penalty, and the ball is replaced on the lip of the hole. Should the player tap his ball into the hole within 10 seconds, the window is voided, and the ball is holed.

A ball lifted or moved by the player before the 10 seconds expire is treated as at rest and must be replaced on the lip of the hole.

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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Issue 4 | June 2023

Up Next for MAGA Deadlines

Registration Deadline

US Senior Amateur Qualifier

Sunset Hills CC

July 5

Metropolitan Amateur

Persimmon Woods GC

July 5

SIGA Championship

Green Hills GC

Amateur Series #3

Glen Echo CC Forest Hills CC Lake Forest CC

US Mid-Amateur Qualifier

Amateur Series #4

July 5 July 16 July 19 July 30

July Schedule Women’s Amateur

July 10-11

Westborough CC

SIGA Championship

July 15-16

Green Hills GC

US Amateur Qualifier

July 17-18

Meadowbrook CC

US SeniorAmatuer Qualifier

July 20

Sunset Hills CC

Amateur Series #3

July 24

Glen Echo CC

Player of the Year Points Standings 1 2 3 T4 T4 6 7 8 T9 T9 T9

Men’s POY

Name

Affiliation

Tony Gumper Peter Weaver Max Kreikemeier Chad Niezing Justin Bryant Ryan Eckelkamp Adam Pfeiffer Chris Kovach Carter Goebel Jason Landry Trigg Lindahl

Old Hickory GC Bellerive CC Forest Hills CC Metropolitan eClub St. Louis CC Franklin County CC Spring Lake CC Old Hickory GC Metropolitan eClub Greenbriar Hills CC Gateway PGA Jr GC

Events

Wins

Points

1 0 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 0

1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

750 700 575 550 550 375 215 210 200 200 200

Events

Wins

Points

0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

300 300 172.5 125 100 72.5 60 50 35 35

Events

Wins

Points

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

150 125 100 75 50

Senior Men’s POY T1 T1 3 4 5 6 7 8 T9 T9

1 2 3 4 5

Name

Affiliation

Brian Lovett Buddy Allen Paul Neeman Joseph Malench Scott Niehaus Mike O’Neill David Pfeil David Strickland Richard Barks Tom Sinak

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

Women’s POY

Name

Affiliation

Kathy Glennon Liz Moore Casey O’Brien Carol Bloss Tina Jones

CC of St. Albans Algonquin GC Old Warson CC The Legends CC CC of St. Albans

*For Full Standings Click the Underlined Heading*

20

21

The Metropolitan

Keeping Up with the USGA

Sand Creek Station to Host 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open Championship The USGA announced on Wednesday that Sand Creek Station, in Newton, Kan., will be the host site of the 3rd U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, set to be held July 8-10, 2024. The course previously hosted the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

“We are thrilled to announce the next chapter for our newest championship,” said Greg Sanfilippo, USGA senior championship director. “As we head into the 2nd U.S. Adaptive Open in just a few weeks, we’re excited to build on the legacy of last year’s inaugural event, which saw support from across the entire golf community. We know Sand Creek Station and the City of Newton will help us build on the foundation we started in Pinehurst and allow us to continue to showcase the abilities and stories of these incredible athletes.”

This will be the second USGA championship conducted at Sand Creek Station, a public course that opened in 2006 and is managed by KemperSports. In 2014, Byron Meth defeated Doug Ghim in 37 holes in the 89th and final U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship ever contested. The course was designed by Jeffrey D. Brauer and is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. It takes its name from the Sand Creek, which borders several holes, and the town’s long history as a stop on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.

“I can’t think of another championship that means more to me than the Adaptive Open,” said Chris Tuohey, regional manager for KemperSports. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime for Sand Creek Station and our community. We look forward to welcoming the world’s best adaptive players with open arms.”

This will be the 23rd USGA championship contested in Kansas, which most recently hosted the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, won by Noah Goodwin with a 1-up victory over Matthew Wolff in the championship’s final match. Prairie Dunes Country Club, in Hutchinson, leads the way with eight championships hosted, including the 2002 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2006 U.S. Senior Open and three U.S. Women’s Amateurs.

“We are so pleased to welcome the USGA back to Newton and Sand Creek Station for the Adaptive Open Championship,” said Newton Mayor Leroy Koehn. “It’s an honor to host a championship of this magnitude, with such remarkable athletes. This will be a tremendous event for our community, and our team looks forward to welcoming them and watching them take on our course.”

The U.S. Adaptive Open is open to both male and female professional and amateur golfers with a Handicap Index of 36.4 or less and an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD Pass.

The championship is contested over 54 holes of stroke play.

Multiple sets of tees are utilized, and carts are permitted for all players and caddies. A player’s Handicap Index® is the primary factor in determining the field, with the USGA reserving at least five male player spots and two female player spots per impairment category.

22

Issue 4 | June 2023

20 Pathways Interns Joined the USGA at the 2023 U.S. Open Demonstrating a commitment to foster a welcoming and inclusive golf industry by providing more work opportunities, the USGA has hired 20 students from underrepresented communities for its 10-day Pathways Internship Program, held during U.S. Open Championship week in Los Angeles.

Launched in 2022 as the Lee Elder Internship, the career training program returns as part of the USGA’s four-pillar U.S. Open community engagement strategy that aims to utilize USGA resources and expertise to propel a healthier future for the game. Supported by foundational sponsor Deloitte, as well as Cisco, Sentry Insurance, NBC Sports, Peter Millar and host community partners The Los Angeles Country Club and Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC), the program aims to expose students to various career offerings in golf.

Miller, best known as a player, broadcaster and course “The Pathways program helps to break down barriers to the game and is critical to funneling more individuals with diverse backgrounds and talents into golf,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “I know future leaders of our game exist among this year’s class, and I can’t wait to get to Los Angeles to see them in action. The experience will change lives and open new worlds of opportunity – for all of us.”

Following the program’s announcement in December 2022, the internship committee received more than 300 applications. In order to help eliminate barriers to participation, all Pathways interns will have their travel and expenses fully covered, in addition to receiving a stipend for the week.

Ranging from a rising sophomore to graduate students and representing 20 accredited institutions that include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the interns will travel to Los Angeles for the immersive program that highlights a variety of career paths through job shadowing and networking with industry leaders. ..................

The USGA, working closely with Deloitte, NBC Sports and LASEC, developed the curriculum that focuses student training sessions by their identified areas of interest, known as “pathways.” Students will visit venues in Los Angeles to learn what it takes to host major sporting events in the country’s second-largest city. ..................

On-site at The Los Angeles Country Club, students will hear directly from USGA leadership and shadow USGA team members across all championship functions, including broadcasting, communications, corporate hospitality, merchandising, course setup and operations. Based on their major and personal interests, interns will be placed in one of three areas – Business of the Game, Storytellers of the Game, or Architects of the Game – to partake in hands-on learning experiences.

To Read More Click Here.

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Issue 4 | June 2023

The Metropolitan

PGA Tour

Memorial Tournament - Viktor Hovland RBC Canadian Open - Nick Taylor U.S. Open - Wyndham Clark Travelers Championship - Keegan Bradley Rocket Mortgage Classic - Rickie Fowler

DP World Tour

Porsche European Open - Tom McKibbin Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed - Dale Whitnell BMW International Open - Thriston Lawrence Betfred British Masters - Daniel Hillier

LPGA

Korn Ferry Tour UNC Health Championship - Jorge Fernandez Valdez BMW Charity Pro-Am - Adrien Dumont de Chassart Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open - Ricky Castillo Compliance Solutions Championship - Jimmy Stanger Memorial Health Championship - Paul Barjon

Mizuho Americas Open- Rose Zhang ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer- Ashleigh Buhai Meijer LPGA Classic- Leona Maguire KPMG Women’s PGA Championship- Ruoning Yin

PGA Tour Champions

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Asian Tour

Kolon Korea Open - Seung Su Han

24

June Champions

Epson Tour

Champions Fore Change Invitational- Alena Sharp FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship- Siyun Liu Island Resort Championship- Tsai Ching Tseng

American Family Insurance Championship - Steve Stricker DICK’S Sporting Goods Open - Padraig Harrington U.S. Senior Open Championship - Bernhard Langer

World of Golf

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The Metropolitan

Normandie Project Update:

Normandie UCamp Three weeks of the UCamp at Normandie Golf Club are in the books.

Urban Golf of St. Louis heads up this program to introduce young kids from within the community to golf. They are learning golf terminology, etiquette, and the fundamentals to swinging a golf club. The kids are even learning the role of a caddie as they walk from tee to green on the 18th hole at Normandie, and see how one completes a hole.

The team at Urban Golf is also finding ways to encourage and inspire these young souls to be the best versions of themselves. They are providing the knowledge and tools to help the kids strive to reach their goals in and outside of golf. Local speakers and personalities, including former NFL wide receiver Brandon Williams (now working for the Battlehawks), come at the end of each day to talk to the kids and share their personal journeys in life. The goal is that these kids see others just like them reach their dreams, and believe that they too can lead a successful life.

For a glimpse into the camp, click here.

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

Course Design for a New Normandie

26

“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 Niclaus on his involvement in Normandie Reimagined

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Volume 10 | No. 4

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Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

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

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