The Metropolitan Vol 13, No 7 (October 2026)

Volume 13 | No. 7

The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

Issue 7 | October 2026

The Metropolitan

Inside the Issue 4 Curt’s Corner

A message from the Executive Director

12 Tony Stevens

Cup

McLeansboro’s Fifth Cup

5 By The Numbers 13 100 Hole Hike

Play

Yardage Book

20 The Bogeyman Blurred Lines

22 Sup’s On

100 Years of the Golf Course Superintendents Association

Raising funds for Youth on Course

The Series Championship

U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying

Match Play: Making Concessions

26 POY Standings

Back to Berkmeyer

Local Golfers who played at USGA Events

28 Keeping Up

8 Metropolitan

18 Mid-America

Senior Amateur Four-Ball

Bohme and White for the Win

9 USGA Qualifiers

U.S. Women’s Amateur FourBall Qualifying

10 Sobbe Cup The Absolute Legends

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24 Rules Center

17 The Metro to

6 Metropolitan

the USGA

Junior Cup

Team Metropolitan Puts Up a Fight at Bogey Hills

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:

14 Amateur Series 16 USGA Qualifiers

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

Final Player of the Year Standings

with the USGA

USNDP Adding State Teams

30 World of Golf

See who championed events around the world.

Foundation 32 Normandie

Reimagined

The latest on the renovation project at Normandie Golf Club!

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

The Metropolitan

Metropolitan Staff Executive Director

Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org

Curt Rohe - Executive Director

Director, Member Services

Caroline Buchan - caroline@metga.org

Foundation Executive Director Walker Hill - walker@metga.org

Controller

Melisa Simpson - melisa@metga.org 2026 PJ BOATWRIGHT INTERNS Cannon Wolk Gabby Dethrow Emma Wyeth

EXECUTIVE BOARD Officers Scott Engelbrecht - President/Treasurer Mike Marquart - Secretary At Large Members John Bugh Emily Dannegger Stan Grossman Rick Meyer, Jr John Moore Mick Wellington Advisory Committee Skip Berkmeyer - Chair Brad Carpenter Jay Delsing Shawn Jasper Chris Kovach David Pfeil THE METROPOLITAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan O’Neill MVGCSAA John Thorman EDITOR Caroline Buchan

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By The Numbers

Curt’s Corner

I was beginning to wonder if fall was ever going to get here...whether the leaves were actually going to fall or if the grass was going to keep growing right through Christmas! However, I think we have finally turned the corner. Although, I will admit, I am a little grateful for that incredible weather that allowed us to finish conducting championships through the end of October! The last couple of months have been busy as we wrapped up another season of events. We finished things off with the Mid-America Junior Cup, always a fantastic way to close out another busy season. It brings together some of the top juniors from St. Louis and our cohorts across the state in Kansas City. While we didn’t bring home the Cup this year, it was a fantastic weekend at Bogey Hills with a great group of young men and women competing in this annual tussle for bragging rights. October 1 marked a pretty special milestone for me...25 years since returning to the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association in a full-time capacity. I had spent two seasons interning with the Metropolitan from 1998–99 before heading off to Franklin County Country Club in Washington to begin what I thought would be some sort of career in golf. Then, in the summer of 2001, Tom asked me to return to the Metropolitan. He created a new position for me, one that, quite honestly, I had no clear vision of where it might lead. Well, 25 years later...half my life...and here I am! At our 4-Ball Championship this fall, held at Franklin County CC, three different people asked me what I was going to do once the tournament season was over...when I wasn’t doing THIS anymore. I get that question quite often. I’m not sure if people think I volunteer for this, but they always seem a little surprised when I tell them this is actually my full-time career! Twenty-five years later, I owe a lot of people, and I mean A LOT of people, a heartfelt thank you. I am immensely grateful for the people I have crossed paths with, the many I have had the pleasure of working alongside, and the places this great game has taken me. As I shared in a Facebook post on October 1 (some of you may have seen it), golf is a humbling game in so many ways. Playing the game can be incredibly humbling. I’ve witnessed it firsthand with some of the finest golfers this region has ever seen. But it can be equally humbling as a golf administrator, something I experienced firsthand this season. I don’t take any of it for granted. The opportunities, the relationships, the experiences, and the people who have been part of this journey have made these 25 years incredibly rewarding. Thank you to everyone who has played a part along the way...the players who participate in our events, fellow golf administrators, golf professionals, superintendents, volunteers, board members, friends, and family who have supported me throughout this journey. I am truly grateful. Here’s to another season in the books and, hopefully, many more great years ahead! Keep it in the fairway!

2424

The number of years that have passed since the St. Louis area had a golf re-birth on the scale of the approaching reopening of Normandie Golf Club at Emerson Park. One has to go back to the re-launch of courses at Forest Park in 2003 to find a similarly dynamic project. There has not been a new golf facility built in the area since Gateway National Golf Links opened its doors in 1998. And on the Missouri side, the calendar goes back to 1995 and the unveiling of Missouri Bluffs. But “Normandie Reimagined” is headed toward a Spring 2027 finish, giving St. Louis golfers a new experience to anticipate next golf season. The club closed in 2023 to begin transforming the famous 124-year old grounds - originally imagined by Robert Foulis - into a Jack Nicklaus Signature design. Recently, the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association and partners hosted a special “First Twelve” event to give donors a sneak peak and opportunity to play 12 completed holes. As they say in the review business - critics are raving.

66- During the second round of the 1989 U.S. Open on Oak

Hill’s East Course. Four aces were recorded within a span of less than two hours, on the same hole (167-yard par-3 No. 6) and with the same club (7-iron). Here’s how it went down, to coin a phrase: At 8:15 a.m., Doug Weaver, playing in the first group of the day, landed his tee ball 15 feet right of the pin, and it settled in the jar. At 9:25 a.m, Mark Wiebe put his 7-iron eight feet left of the stick and … Yahtzee! At 9:50 a.m., Jerry Pate landed seven feet past the hole and came in the backdoor. And finally, at 10:05 a.m., Nick Price’s shot followed Weaver’s path, landing eight feet right of the flagstick before disappearing. At the time, Oak Hill’s historian and mathematician Fred Beltz calculated the probability of the four aces at 410 quadrillion to one, while Golf Digest rated the chances at a more modest 332,000 to one. The National Hole in One Association estimated that four holes in one in the same round, on the same hole, would not happen again for another 190 years. So, we still have more than 150 years to go.

Issue 7 | August 2026

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77- The number of shots you’ll need to make par on the 7th

hole at Satsuki Golf Club in Japan. The Satsuki hole is considered to be the longest golf hole in the world at about 1,080 yards, which figures to take a typical golfer around seven shots to reach the green and deposit the pill in the cup. On a side note, the “Satsuki Seven” might be a promising fit for the Ol’ Bogeyman’s game, in that he is accustomed to taking seven shots to complete a hole.

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The number of years in age separating the youngest winner in major championship golf history and the oldest. Young Tom Morris was 17 years old when he won the 1868 British Open and at Prestwick Golf Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland the youngest major winner. On the flip side, Phil Mickelson was 50 when he won the 2021 PGA Championship on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, SC.

11 The number of Masters winning green jackets in circulation

at any given time. That is, players who win the Masters are allowed to take the famous jacket off the Augusta National grounds for one year. At that point, it must be returned and housed at the club. The only champion to break the rule was Gary Player. After he won the first of his three Masters titles in 1961, Player took the jacket home to South Africa and never returned it. When tournament co-founder Clifford Roberts called about it, Player famously responded, “If you want it, come and fetch it!” Augusta eventually allowed Player to keep the jacket at home under the condition that he never wear it in public.

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<<<<<<< Back to Berkmeyer <<<<<

The Metropolitan

Issue 7 | October 2026

The Final Round of the 34th Metropolitan Senior Amateur Championship was postponed due to weather and course conditions. After giving the course time to drain and dry up a little, play began on Friday at 12:00 a.m. at Quincy Country Club. Following the postponement, some players had to withdraw from the competition due to time constraints and prior commitments, but those that were able, made their way back to Quincy for one more day. Skip Berkmeyer, Marty Schmelzle, and Ken Caldwell all led their respective divisions after Round 1.

The net age divisions went off first. In the 55-64 division, Marty Schmelzle of the USGA/MetAmateur GC produced a second good round for the week. Coming into the day, Schmelzle was net even par. Today, he added six strokes to his total to finish the week at net six-over (+6) par and take home the hardware. In the 65 and over division, Ken Caldwell of the Metropolitan eClub im proved upon his Round 1 score. Starting the day at net ten-over, Caldwell produced a second round of net eight-over. Caldwell takes the title in his division at net eighteen-over (+18) par. Then it was time for the championship players, competing for the George F. Meyer trophy. Coming into the Final Round, Skip Berkmeyer led at four-under par with Matt Lewis at two-under par and four players at two-over par. Berkmeyer of The Legends Country Club started out strong in the second round, extending his lead to five-under after the fourth hole. On the eighth hole, he hit some trouble and wound up falling back to one-under through thirteen. Determined not to lose any more strokes to the field and finish strong, Berkmeyer found one last birdie on Hole 17 and coupled it with four pars on those last five holes to end the round twoover for the day. Together with his Round 1 score, this had Berkmeyer finish the championship with a total of two-under (-2) par.

der for the day after a bogey on Hole 5. David Strickland of Tapawingo National Golf Club made three consecutive birdies on holes 4 through 6 and then carded another on the 10th to also start cutting into the lead.

The back nine started to slow players’ scoring down. Strickland would make four bogeys on the back, but ended the day on high note with a birdie on 18. Strickland finished tied for third at three-over (+3) par. He was tied with David Johnson who had four birdies today to better his first round score by one and finish three-over (+3) par. Moore continued to keep a close proximity to Berkmeyer, adding a birdie on the 12th, but a bogey on Hole 14 started to close the door of a great comeback as the number of holes left to play lessened. After reaching the final hole and despite knowing the time was up, Moore ended the day with one more birdie for a second round score of two-under and a total of even (E) par. At the conclusion of the championship, Skip Berkmeyer successfully closed out the competition to take home the title of 34th Metropolitan Senior Amateur Champion. This is Berkmeyer’s second Metropolitan Senior Amateur title having won the first in 2024. It also marks his 13th Metropolitan Championship title. John Moore is the runner-up in what feels like deja vu for the golfer. Moore was also the runner-up to Berkmeyer in 2024. He may have had to wait an extra day and fight for it, but it was a sweet ending for Berkmeyer as he adds to his collection of titles.

Full Results Photos

Unfortunately, Lewis was one of the competitors that had to withdraw from the competition, which gave Berkmeyer a bigger buffer heading into the final round. John Moore of Spring Lake Country Club got off to a hot start, carding birdie on the first two holes. This allowed Moore to start cutting into the lead Berkmeyer had. He made the turn at one-un-

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Issue 7 | October 2026

Bohme and White for the Win U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball It was another picture perfect day at Franklin County Country Club for the Final Round of the 17th Metropolitan Four-Ball. Sunny skies and comfortable temperatures were once again present as players made their way around the course. Following the first round, Bryan Bohme and Jason White led the pack at seven-under par. In the Senior Open division, David Bremer and Paul Neeman led at five-under par, while Terry Souchek and William Wunderlich led the Senior Net division at net seven-under par. The Senior Net division kicked off the day by hitting the course first. Terry Souchek and William Wunderlich held a three shot lead coming into today and used that to their advantage. With two birdies on the front and three birdies on the back the pair returned a second round score of four-under par. Souchek and Wunderlich successfully ended the championship on top at net eleven-under (-11) par. David Otto and Michael Derbak came in on fire in the Final Round. After a Round 1 of two-under par, Otto and Derbak pushed up the board with a second round of six-under to finish with a total of net eight-under (-8) par and in second place. Finishing in a tie for third at net six-under (-6) par were the side of John Epps and Peter Robinson with the side of Bill Slantz and John Schranck. The Senior Open division went next. Leaders Bremer and Neeman had a slower second day on the scoreboard. Just three birdies had the pair end the round at two-under par for a total of seven-under (-7) par. The side of Brian Lovett and David Strickland came out hot in the Final Round. With three birdies on the front, they were making steady progress, but four birdies on the back sent them up the leaderboard. Combining Round 1 score of four-under with the Final Round score of seven-under, Lovett and Strickland took the title at eleven-under (-11) par. Finishing one stroke behind in the round and total, Tom Sinak and Patrick Riordan were second at ten-under (-10) par. The side of Skip Berkmeyer and Brian Martin ended the championship in third at eight-under (-8) par after a second round of five-under. Buddy Allen and Brian Hall were fifth at five-under (-5) par behind Bremer and Neeman. Closing out the day and championship was the Open division. The side of Bryan Bohme and Jason White and the side of Ryan Eckelkamp and Tony Gumper found themselves playing a second day together. The two sides practically picked up where they left off. Bohme and White were flying through the first nine, carding five birdies and an eagle. The back nine was where things began to slow for the duo, but one birdie later they returned a Final Round score of seven-under par. Eckelkamp and Gumper were hanging in there on the front nine with three birdies. After the turn, the partners carded 5 birdies to end the day six-under par. Bohme and White concluded the championship at fourteen-under (-14) par to hold off Eckelkamp and Gumper who finished twelve-under (-12) par.

Full Results Photos Round 1 Recap

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Kevin Jeske and Kyle Szcesniak finished the week in third at three-under (-3) par. Bobby Drummond and AJ Porter finished fourth at two-under (-2) par. The side of Mike and Carson Walton along with the side of Michael Hornak and Tim Hill were tied for fifth at even (E) par. At the conclusion of the 17th Metropolitan Four-Ball Bryan Bohme and Jason White walk away as the Champions. Brian Lovett and David Strickland are the Senior Champions, while Terry Souchek and William Wunderlich are the Senior Net Champions.

I

Qualifier

Sixteen golfers gathered today at Bogey Hills Country Club for the 2027 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier. The field saw sunny skies and warm temperatures as they made their way around the course. The eight teams were ready to give it their all as they competed for one spot in next spring’s championship field. The course played to a par 71 at 5,900 yards for the stroke play four-ball. The competition was tough as the field all remained within four to six strokes of one another throughout the day. In the end, only four strokes separated the field. In the second group of the day were the side of Fernanda Diaz-Pizarro of Mexico and Kylie Yiengst of Wyoming, DE. The Maryville University golf teammates carded one birdie and one bogey on the front to make the turn at even par, then made two birdies on the back nine to come into the clubhouse at two-under (-2) par. At the time, they were the lowest score in the clubhouse with some strong groups following behind. Directly behind the Diaz-Pizarro and Yiengst group was a talented grouping, featuring the side of Maddison Moltich of Surprise, AZ and Betsy Mitchell of Kansas City, MO with the side of Anna Bell of Poplar Bluff, MO and Sarah Bell of Cape Girardeau, MO. Moltich and Mitchell had a rough start to the day with a bogey on Hole 1, but pulled it together quickly to card two birdies on the front nine and two birdies on the back nine. This brought the duo into the clubhouse at threeunder (-3) par. The Bell sisters were able to remain bogey free through 16 holes with three birdies in the first 10. On Hole 17, the Bells were unable to prevent a bogey, however, they got it back with a birdie on the last by Anna. This had them join their playing partners in the clubhouse at three-under (-3) par. In the final group of the day, the side of Nicole McGuire of Bloomingdale, IL and Amy Beanblossom of Winnetka, IL were looking for a last minute push into the top. The Wash U teammates made the turn at even par with two birdies and two bogeys. A bogey free back

nine and birdies on Hole 15 and 17 gave them hope heading into the last. Having to settle for par on the 18th, McGuire and Beanblossom entered the clubhouse at two-under (-2) par. With the day’s competition complete and scores verified, there were two ties that had to be settled. The sides tied at two-under had to determine who would get the second alternate spot, while the sides tied at three-under had to determine who would get the qualifying spot, leaving the other as first alternate. The playoffs began on Hole 1 with the second alternate playoff going first. The side of McGuire and Beanblossom against the side of Diaz-Pizarro and Yiengst made their way down the first hole. This playoff would only need one hole as Diaz-Pizzaro and Yiengst managed to sink the putt needed to claim the second alternate position. Next came the qualifier playoff: the Bells against the side of Moltich and Mitchell. Having already played the entire day together, the group knew this would be a battle. They made their way down Hole 1, where both sides would complete the hole in the same number of strokes. Then they turned to Hole 18. It was there that all would get onto the green in two with a look at birdie. Anna Bell, Moltich, and Mitchell would all just miss their birdie putts, leaving it down to Sarah Bell. Calmly, she took her stroke and watched as the ball rolled into the hole for birdie to clench the qualifying spot for team Bell. Heading to the 12th U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, VA on May 15-19 are Anna Bell and Sarah Bell. Waiting on the sidelines will be Maddison Moltich and Betsy Mitchell as first alternates and Fernanda Diaz-Pizzaro and Kylie Yiengst as second alternates.

Final Results

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THE ABSOLUTE LEGENDS

The Metropolitan

Issue 7 | October 2026 for The Legends, 2 & 1. In the professional match, Brian Schmersahl and Michael Herbig faced off. Herbig took the early lead on the first hole, but Schmersahl was right behind. Schmersahl won the next four holes to go 3 Up. Trying to hang in there, Herbig won holes 6 and 8, but it wouldn’t be enough. Keeping things at bay by tying each hole and with a win on Hole 14, Schmersahl closed the match on Hole 17 to claim a second point for The Legends at 2 & 1. Playing alongside the pros was the singles handicap match. Andy Roth and Josh Cocking were in a contentious battle through the sixth hole. Cocking won Hole 3 and Roth won Hole 4 and the rest were tied through Hole 6. On Hole 7, Cocking kicked into gear. Roth would only be able to capture holes 9 and 15, while Cocking would take holes 7, 8, 10, 12, and 17. Glen Echo earned their second point from Cocking’s win 3 & 1. The handicap senior four-ball match was the last match of the day and would be an important factor for the cup. Brian Martin and John Siebert dominated the match minus a few holes in the middle. Kevin McLaughlin and Nathan Calcari won four holes including holes 5, 9, 10, and 12. Martin and Siebert were 2 Up through 4, then 3 Up through 7. The match was back to all square after McLaughlin and Calcari’s mid-round run, but Martin and Siebert regained their speed. Winning holes 14 through 16, Martin and Siebert won their match 3 & 2 to claim the third full point for The Legends. With just one match still on the course in front of them, this point nearly sealed the deal for The Legends Country Club.

It was a beautiful autumn day for the Final of the 33rd Thomas O. Sobbe Cup. All summer, clubs of the Metropolitan have been battling against each other in an eight man team match play competition. After making it out of the round robin group stage, 16 teams moved on to the knockout playoffs. By the end of the summer, two teams - The Legends Country Club and Glen Echo Country Club - remained. The Legends Country Club was the number 2 seeded team while Glen Echo Country Club was the number 8 seeded team. Meeting at a neutral site for the final, the two sides met at WingHaven Country Club to determine who would take the Sobbe Cup back to their club and have the bragging rights as the best club team for the next year. The eight man teams feature five different playing divisions for the matches. They consist of 2 singles scratch matches, 1 singles professional match, 1 singles handicapped match, 1 handicapped four-ball match, and 1 handicapped senior four-ball match. Team The Legends fielded Skip Berkmeyer and Corey Choate as the singles scratch matches, Brian Schmersahl as the professional match, Andy Roth as the singles handicapped match, Jack Soetaert and Jim Roth as the handicapped fourball match, and Brian Martin and John Siebert as the handicapped senior four-ball match. Team Glen Echo fielded Drew Pranger and Michael Becker as the singles scratch matches, Michael Herbig as the professional match, Josh Cocking as the handicapped singles match, Jay Ott and Zach Kratofil as the handicapped four-ball match, and Kevin McLaughlin and Nathan Calcari as the handicapped senior four-ball match. In this final face-off, the single scratch matches went off first. Skip Berkmeyer took on Drew Pranger, while Corey Choate faced Michael Becker. It took four holes between Berkmeyer and Pranger before anyone broke the stalemate. Pranger won the fourth to go 1 Up and held on to it for a few holes. Berkmeyer brought it back to all square on the seventh. The back nine is where Pranger picked up some momentum that Berkmeyer couldn’t break through. Winning holes 10, 14, and 16, Pranger closed the match 3 & 2 to get Glen Echo its first point.

The handicap four-ball match - that went off second to last - was mostly controlled by The Legends side of Jack Soetaert and Jim Roth. Jay Ott and Zach Kratofil tried to mount a comeback twice, but couldn’t quite hold out to the end. Soetaert and Roth won the first hole, but was short lived with Ott and Kratofil’s win on the second. Ott and Kratofil took their first and only lead on Hole 5. Soetaert and Roth took it back on the next hole and then won holes 7 and 8 to make the turn 2 Up. Ott and Kratofil were able to tie the match by the thirteenth. Making their way up 17, the group caught wind that the match behind them had finished and secured the third point for The Legends. Glen Echo would need to win a full point to tie the team totals and force a playoff. The Legends needed only to tie the match to get a half point and win the cup. On the 17th green, Roth played the hero for his team as he sunk his putt to win the hole. This meant that the side was 1 Up with 1 to play and the best Glen Echo could do was get a half point. The Legends Country Club was guaranteed the Sobbe Cup. In the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie - and race against a setting sun - the sides decided to call the 18th hole a tie. The Legends Country Club collected 4 points while Glen Echo Country Club collected 2 points. The Legends Country Club won their first Thomas O. Sobbe Cup and walk away with their heads held high.

Full Results Photos

Meanwhile, Choate and Becker were in a close match up. Choate took the first lead on Hole 2, but Becker tied it up on the next hole. Winning Holes 5 and 7, Choate went 2 Up in the match. Becker then came back on Holes 8 and 10 to take the pair back to where they started. Becker would only win one more hole in the round after this. Choate took control to win on the eleventh, thirteenth, and sixteenth holes, which would be enough to end the match on Hole 17. Choate claimed the first point

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The Metropolitan

Tony Stevens Cup Photos Full Results

The Tony Stevens Cup has completed its 39th playing of the competition. This event sees teams from Southern Illinois golf clubs compete against each other across 27 holes of golf in one day. Split into 9 holes at a time, there are three formats that get played: four-ball, a modified chapman, and foursomes. Ten teams signed up to play this year with two clubs submitting two teams. Each team has six players that pair up for all three formats. The competition was held at Rend Lake Golf Course, a 27-hole facility. The first portion of the day kicked off with the four-ball format. Apple Creek Golf Club got off to a hot start. All three pairings for Apple Creek shot even par or better. Matt Hefley and Tom Portner brought in the lowest score for their team at three-under par, while Aaron Coon and Koby Watson shot two-under par. Together they took their team to the top of the leaderboard at five-under (-5) par. Blaith Belangee and Brandon Bullard shot even par, despite it not counting towards the team score. Greenview Golf Club and McLeansboro Golf Club #1 finished the four-ball tied in second at one-under (-1) par. Greg Kuder and Carey Wolfe shot two-under to be paired with Tyler Fleeman and Sam Beggs score of one-over for Greenview. For McLeansboro #1, Jeff Grey and Shayne Downen carded one-under to couple with Bryan Warren and Chris Hopfinger’s score of even par. Benton Country Club, Indian Hills Golf Club #1, and Indian Hills Golf Club #2 were all tied at even (E) par. Next in the day’s schedule was the modified Chapman format. Apple Creek Golf Club took the chance to extend their low score to stay on top. Blaith Belangee and Brandon Bullard were the low scorers for the team this time around with a score of two-under. Aaron Coon and Koby Watson contributed a round of even par to help the team finish the round two-under (-2). Adding the two rounds together, Apple Creek sat squarely on top at seven-under (-7) par. Greenview Golf Club and McLeansboro Golf Club #1 also scored two-under (-2) par in the second session. Tyler Fleeman and Sam Beggs along with Greg Kuder and Carey Wolfe both shot one-under for Team Greenview. McLeansboro’s team produced similar results to round one with Jeff Gray and Shayne Downen shooting two-under while Bryan Warren and Chris Hopfinger shot even par. Greenview and McLeansboro #1 pulled into a tie for second with a total of three-under (-3) par. Indian Hills Golf Club #1 and Benton Country Club both shot one-over in the Chapman format to sit in fourth with a total of One-over (+1) par. The final portion of the day was the foursomes format - also known as alternate shot. This is when the tide began to turn. Apple Creek Golf Club began falling back from their lead with the sides of Matt Hefley plus Tom Portner and Aaron Coon plus Koby Watson carding eight-over for the final 9 collectively. Apple Creek ended the day with a total of one-over (+1) par. This opened the door for teams like McLeansboro Golf Club #1 and Greenview Golf Club to creep in. Greenview Golf Club would close their final holes of the competition at six-over par to bring their total to three-over (+3) par. McLeansboro Golf Club #1 swooped in with the best score of the format at four-over par. Corey Phillips and Chris Hart shot five-over, while Jeff Gray and Shayne Downen added a one-under score to the pot. At the end of the day McLeansboro #1 tied Apple Creek at one-over (+1) par. With Apple Creek Golf Club and McLeansboro Golf Club #1 tied at the conclusion of play, a champion still needed to be determined. They turned to the tie breaker: the third score from the alternate shot that was not included in the team total. For Apple Creek, Blaith Belangee and Brandon Bullard scored eight-over as a foursome pair. Bryan Warren and Chris Hopfinger shot six-over as a foursome pair to secure the win for Team McLeansboro #1. This is McLeansboro Golf Club #1’s fourth Tony Stevens Cup title since 2021 and fifth overall.

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100 HOLE HIKE 100 Hole Hike On Tuesday, October 20, ten golfers gathered at Yorktown Golf Course for the 3rd St. Louis 100 Hole Hike. The 100 Hole Hike is a fundraiser for Youth on Course - an organization that helps provide junior golfers access to affordable rounds of golf for $5 or less. In 2025, we blew past our goal and raised $15,475. We set our sights even higher for 2026 with a goal of $16,000. So how does the Hike work? Each Hiker signed up to participate raises funds through their community of fellow golfers, friends, family, and coworkers. Then, on the day chosen, the Hikers play (and walk - hence the Hike part) 100 holes of golf in one day. Hikers do have the option to form a Hike Team. As part of a team, Hikers can all complete the 100 holes individually or they can work together by trading off throughout the day to complete the holes. Brian Daniels, Bobby Drummond, Joseph Katke, Brian Lein, Ryan McMullen, Alex Nebrig, Jeff Pelizzaro, Curt Rohe, Michael Sansone and Thomas Will all threw their hat in the ring to take on this challenge. Curt Rohe represented the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association. Brian Lein and Thomas Will represented Team Five Iron Golf. Brian Daniels, Bobby Drummond, Joseph Katke, Ryan McMullen, Alex Nebrig, Jeff Pelizzaro, and Michael Sansone represented Team 18Strong. The St. Louis 100 Hole Hike kicked off bright and early at 7:30 am. All 10 golfers started the day, eager to get the ball rolling. Having already begun their fundraising efforts, the group had successfully raised over $13,000 prior to the start of play on Tuesday. As the group made their way around the course - 5 and a half full loops plus one extra hole - they continued to raise funds while enjoying the company and camaraderie that came along the way during play. By the end of the day, over $14,000 had been raised and all 10 golfers completed 100 holes of golf individually. The team continued to push with determination to get closer to our goal by reaching out to friends, family, and the golf community, sharing the success of their 100 Hole Hike journey. As people saw that the Hike was completed and a few pledges that were made based on performance were upheld, we have been able to reach:

$15,898

RAISED FOR YOUTH ON COURSE

All proceeds from the St. Louis 100 Hole Hike go directly back into our golf community in the Metropolitan. There are 1,724 kids registered with Youth on Course in the Metropolitan alone that will be able to benefit from this. For every $100 donated, Youth on Course is able to provide approximately 15 affordable rounds of golf to kids. So, that means through the St. Louis 100 Hole Hike donations, Youth on Course can provide more than 2,200 rounds of affordable golf to local kids. If you wish to support this initiative and help us reach our goal of $16,000, the donation link is still live! It’s not too late to make your impact - after all, this is all about access to golf for the kids!

Donate!

3

The Metropolitan

Another season of The Amateur Series has come to completion. Six season events and a championship later, we can say who the top players of the series have been. The top 16 of each of the seven divisions were invited to play in the championship field. The divisions include: Open, Net, Senior Open, Senior Net, Super Senior Open, Super Senior Net, and Women’s Net. After the six series events, seven golfers topped the season points standings. Those seven included Colin Hall in the Open division, Andrew Orban in the Net division, Ken Allgeyer in the Senior Open division, Ricky Gildehaus in the Senior Net division, Robert Sigmund in the Super Senior Open division, Kevin Ortyl in the Super Senior Net division, and Kelly Lenox in the Women’s Net division. The Amateur Series Championship was a two day championship at The Falls Golf Club. Round 1 was a shotgun start at 9:00am on Monday. Following the first round, there were seven outright leaders - one in each division. Paul Oehrlein of the USGA/MetAmateur GC led the Open division at five-over par. Tyler Bean of Aberdeen Golf Club led the Net division at net even par. Rob Reidelberger of St. Clair Country Club sat on top of the Senior Open division at three-under par, while Gregg Johannes of the Metropolitan eClub sat on top of the Senior Net division at net even par. Kevin Erxleben of Annbriar Golf Club led the Super Senior Open division at eightover par and Tom Shrine of the Metropolitan eClub led the Super Senior Net division at net eight-under par. Maria Morrison of the St. Louis Women’s Golf Association sat at the top of the Women’s Net division at net one-under. Players returned for the second round, ready to battle it out for the crystal. The open divisions began on Hole 1, while the net divisions began on Hole 10 beginning at 8:00am Tuesday. In the Open division, Eric Fogleman of The Courses at Forest Park made a move up the leaderboard. Following a first round of six-over, Fogleman shot a

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Issue 7 | October 2026

second round of seven over for a total of thirteen-over (+13) par. Jon Myers of the USGA/MetAmateur GC also had a first round of six-over par, and coupled it with a second round of nine-over to finish in second at fifteen(+15) par. Paul Oehrlein carded a second round of twelve-over to fall into third at seventeenover (+17) par. The Net division leader held strong in Round 2. Tyler Bean added a round of three-over par to his score to finish the week on top with a total of net three-over (+3). David Parker of the Metropolitan eClub started the day at four-over par and improved by one stroke in the second round to end in second at net sevenover (+7) par. Jason Zack of the Metropolitan eClub had back to back rounds of four-over to finish in third at net eight-over (+8) par. Rob Reidelberger had a fair lead after round one in the Senior Open division. Reidelberger had added a second round score of three-over to take home the hardware at even (E) par. Kevin Goalby of St. Clair Country Club was in second at fourteen-over (+14) par, while Ken Allgeyer of Sunset Country Club was third at fifteen-over (+15) par. In the Senior Net division, Gregg Johannes managed his game to hold on to the top of the leaderboard. With a second round of one-over par, Johannes claimed the title with a total of net one-over (+1) par. Jeffrey Sullivan of the Metropolitan eClub combined rounds of two-over and four-over to finish in second at net six-over (+6) par. Curt Wooter of Grey Beard Golf Club carded a second round of even par to end the week in third at net seven-over (+7) par. The Super Senior Open division saw some leaderboard movement. Robert Sigmund of Sunset Country Club had a round one of nine-over. He coupled that with a second round of four-over to take the top spot on the leaderboard at thirteen-over (+13) par. Bill Schmidt of the USGA/MetAmateur GC paired rounds of ten-over and four-over to end in second at fourteen-over (+14) par. James Oslica of the Metropolitan eClub was

third at sixteen-over (+16) par after rounds of nineover and seven-over. In the Super Senior Net division, Stephen Weinstock of Westwood Country Club carded two solid rounds of net under par. A Round1 of three-under and Round 2 of three-under, Weinstock took the top spot at net net five-under (-5) par. John Epps of the Metropolitan eClub added a second round of six-under to his first round of three-over to finish in second at net three-under (-3) par. Tom Shrine started the day on top, but a second round of sixover left him to end the week in third at net twounder (-2) par. Maria Morrison was the only lady to be under par in the first round in the Women’s Net division. She was looking to stay on top and just held on. A second round of nine-over had Morrison finish at net eight-over (+8) par to take home the hardware. Pam Lenhard of the St. Louis Women’s Golf Association added a round of five-over to her first round score of four-over to put the pressure on Morrison and end in second at net nine-over (+9) par. Denise Faus of the St. Louis Women’s Golf Association ended the week in third at net fifteen-over (+15) par. Eric Fogleman, Rob Reidelberger, Robert Sigmund, Tyler Bean, Gregg Johannes, Stephen Weinstock, and Maria Morrison all walked away with the crystal hardware in their respective divisions.

Results Photos Season Points Leaders: Open - Colin Hall Net - Andrew Orban Senior - Ken Allgeyer Senior Net - Ricky Gildehaus Super Senior - Robert Sigmund Super Senior Net - Kevin Ortyl Women - Kelly Lenox

15 1

From the Metro to the USGA U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier

The Metropolitan

O

n the first day to feel like fall has finally arrived, players gathered at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course for the 2027 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. 120 golfers forming 60 sides signed up to play in the hopes of claiming one of the three spots in the championship field. The day saw cooler temperatures, a light breeze, and cloudy skies throughout the day, making for a comfortable day for golf. The course played to 6,960 yards and a par 71. As players made the turn, scores were collected and entered into the online system. It quickly became clear that the competition was tight. Even with the low scores on the front nine, it was the back nine where some teams began to separate themselves and fight for the top. For a while, seven-under (-7) par was looking like a comfortable place to be in the clubhouse. Three sides ended the day at seven-under, including the side of Steven Hyten and Matthew Lewis of Edwardsville, IL, the side of Brinson Paolini of Charlotte, NC and Nathan Stamey of Biltmore Lake, NC, and the side of Kevin Gillick of Scottsdale, AZ and Adam Kmak of Bulverde, TX. Paolini and Stamey were the only team that came out of the first half of the field at seven-under or better. The rest of the low score action came from the second half of the field. The first team to come in with a better score than Paolini and Stamey was the side of Tanner Haeberle of Salix, IA and Corey Matthey of Sergeant Bluff, IA. This duo was just two-under at the turn before lighting it up on the back nine. Together, Haeberle and Matthey fired seven birdies on the back nine to enter the clubhouse with a total score of nine-under (-9) par. Six of the seven birdies came from Matthey. The pair took the lead in the clubhouse, but still had some time to wait before their spot was sealed.

Things were starting to close in with just five tee times left on the course as the side of Trenton Mierl of Austin, TX and Reese Roberts of Dallas, TX walked into the scoring area. The Mizzou golf teammates just needed to keep the momentum going after making the turn at five-under par. Three birdies and an eagle by Mierl made that possible. On the back nine, the duo carded three more birdies. They came into the clubhouse at eight-under (-8) par and threw the side of Flemming and Williams into a potential playoff. In the second to last group of the day, the side of Kevin Gillick and Adam Kmak made a last minute effort to get their name in the mix. After making the turn at three-under, the pair made four birdies on the back. Unable to get one final birdie on 18, the side finished the day seven-under (-7) par. This would put them in a tie with the two other teams at seven-under and an alternate place on the line. With scores finalized, two teams were in, two teams were on the cusp, and three teams were eyeing an alternate place. The side of Sam Migdal and Joe Migdal were officially in, earning the qualifying medalist honors. Joining them in the field are the side of Tanner Haeberle and Corey Matthey. Then came time for the playoffs. The three sides tied at seven-under made their way to nine tee to begin their playoff for the second alternate place. One hole was all it took for this group. After making their way up the hole, the side of Hyten and Lewis bettered the score of their opposition to take a claim of the second alternate place.

Just behind them was the side of Hyten and Lewis with their sevenunder score. Things were looking good for those three groups until Keenan Flemming and Joseph Williams of St. Louis, MO finished their round. Flemming and Williams were four-under through the first nine holes. They started the back with two birdies before hitting a short lull in the round before another birdie on 15. They made their way up the last and Williams sunk a putt for birdie on 18 to jump into the conversation. With a score of eight-under (-8) par, Flemming and Williams pushed the seven-under teams into playoff territory while taking a place directly behind the leaders.

Simultaneously, the two sides tied at eight-under went to the tenth tee to decide their fate. On the green of Hole 10, Flemming and Williams finished the hole first with a birdie to put the pressure on. Mierl and Roberts were not ready to give up just yet, though, and also sunk a birdie putt to keep the playoff alive. Then they turned to Hole 10. The approach shots from the fairway would prove to be the crucial piece of this hole. Roberts would send his second shot to land in tight to the flag. Williams would be off the front side of the green, Flemming on the far left of the green, and Mierl on the front fringe. All three would make an attempt to get in the hole in 3, but would be unsuccessful. Roberts calmly stepped up to tap his short putt into the hole and claim the qualifying spot for his team.

A few groups later, the side of Sam Migdal of St. Louis, MO and Joe Migdal of Chesterfield, MO came flying into the clubhouse. This pair of brothers are finding a knack for four-ball play, qualifying for the national championship twice in previous years. Making the turn, they were sitting comfortably at four-under par. The momentum got hot on the back nine with Sam firing five birdies on Holes 12-13. Joe’s contributed birdie on Hole 11 pushed the pair to the top of the leaderboard. The Migdals concluded the day at ten-under (-10) par

Making the trip to Erin Hills next spring for the 12th U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship will be the sides of Sam Migdal and Joe Migdal, Tanner Haeberle and Corey Matthey, and Trenton Mierl and Reese Roberts. Waiting on the sidelines will be the side of Keenan Flemming and Joseph Williams as first alternate and the side of Steven Hyten and Matthew Lewis as second alternate. The championship is set to take place May 22-26 in Erin, Wisconsin.

Final Results 16

to surpass the competition.

U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Portland Golf CLub

Ellen Port St. Louis, MO

~ Round of 32 (+12 - 19 Holes - Lost 1 Down) ~

U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Portland Golf CLub

Kathy Glennon St. Albans, MO

~ Round of 64 (+20 - Lost 3&2) ~

U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Portland Golf CLub

Tina Jones St. Louis, MO

~ Missed Cut (+47) ~

U.S. Mid-Amateur Sand Valley Resort

Ryan Sullivan Imperial, MO

~ Missed Cut (+7) ~

U.S. Mid-Amateur Sand Valley Resort

Chris Kovach Manchester, MO

~ Missed Cut (+6) ~

U.S. Mid-Amateur Sand Valley Resort

Chad Niezing Manchester, MO

~ Missed Cut (+10) ~

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The Metropolitan

Issue 7 | October 2026

In the 28th Mid-America Junior Cup, the two sides of the state met once again to compete. Eight junior golfers from the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association and eight from Central Links Golf were selected to compete. The Mid-America Junior Cup is a Ryder Cup style, match play invitational event with foursome, four-ball, and singles rounds. There are a total of 16 points available in the matches with teams needing 8.5 points to win the Cup. Team Central Links needs just 8 points to retain the cup as the defending champion. This year’s competition was hosted by the Metropolitan at Bogey Hills Country Club.

Each team consists of four boys and four girls. Two boys and two girls must be aged 15 and under, while the remaining four players will compete as the 18 and under. All players play in all format sessions.

The weather for the weekend could not have been better for the competitors and spectators alike, with sunny skies and warm temperatures for late October. Both teams were feeling confident, stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. The competition kicked off with foursomes on Saturday morning. In this format, the teams pair one boy and one girl to

Team Metropolitan: play together for their side in this alternate shot. The first match paired Madison Pyatt and Anthony Moore for Team

Metropolitan versus Alexi Omillian and Colin Hoffmann for Team Central Links. The first four holes went back and forth between the two sides. Omillian and Hoffmann picked up steam in the middle, but Pyatt and Moore forced the Haley Castello match to the 17th. They would fall 2 & 1 with the point going to Team Central Links. The second match of the morning saw Haley Castello and Henry Glarner for Team Metropolitan take on Kennedy Kaus and Patrick Mayor for Team John DeLuca Central Links. This was a dominating performance for Castello and Glarner. The pair did not give up a single hole to Henry Glarner their opponents and were 4 Up through four holes. Gaining on hole 8, 12, and 13, Castello and Glarner put the match to bed 7 & 5 to give Team Metropolitan its first point. Anthony Moore

Madison Pyatt In the third match, Team Metropolitan paired Ally Suhre and Hudson Shy to face Gabby Vineyard and Connor MacGee of Team Central Links. Suhre and Shy got off to a slow start and quickly realised they were going to be fighting an uphill Annie Rothery battle. Vineyard and MacGee didn’t allow one hole to go to The Metropolitan on the front nine and were 5 Up through Hudson Shy 9. Suhre and Shy turned things around and won Hole 10, then Hole 13 and 15. Despite their efforts, Team Metropolitan would fall 3 & 2 to see Team Central Links take a second point. The final match of the morning was Team Metropolitan’s Ally Suhre

Annie Rothery and John DeLuca against Team Central Links’ Lynn Powell and Josh Fratzel. There was a little give and take in this match. Each side won on the first two holes before Rothery and DeLuca took the lead on Hole 4 thanks to DeLuca’s tee shot landing about two feet from the hole. Powell and Fratzel rallied back to make the turn 1 Up and go 2 Up Team Central Links: by Hole 12. Rothery and DeLuca won Hole 14, but were unable to get another. Team Metropolitan would fall to Team Central Links 3 & 1 in this match. At the conclusion of the foursomes, Team Central Links led with 3 points over Team Metropolitan with 1 point.

Josh Fratzel The afternoon format switched the teams into a four-ball with boys and girls playing against their own gender. First out Colin Hoffmann was Castello and Pyatt for Team Metropolitan against Kaus and Omillian for Team Central Links. Castello and Pyatt were the first to lead after winning Hole 2. Kaus and Omillian got hot on Hole 5, winning four holes in a row. Castello and Kennedy Kaus Pyatt won Hole 9 to make the turn on a positive note, though it was short lived with the opponents getting Hole 10. Team Connor MacGee Metropolitan held on and won Holes 14 and 17 to force the match to last, where Team Central Links would win 2 Up. Patrick Mayor Second out were Rothery and Suhre for Team Metropolitan to take on Powell and Vineyard for Team Central Links. Alexi Omillian Powell and Vineyard were the first to win a hole, but Rothery and Suhre kicked into form on Hole 5. Winning three holes, Lynn Powell Suhre and Rothery made the turn 1 Up and picked up two more hole wins on the back. Suhre and Rothery secured a point for Team Metropolitan with a 2 & 1 win. The third match of the afternoon was the Metropolitan’s Glarner and Gabby Vineyard Moore versus Central Links’ Hoffmann and Mayor. Both sides won in the first two holes before Hoffmann and Mayor took a 2 Up lead through nine. Glarner and Moore tried to mount a comeback on the back winning holes 11 and 13, but they eventually fell 2 & 1 to Central Links.

The final match of the day saw DeLuca and Shy for Team Metropolitan face Fratzel and MacGee for Team Central Links. The front nine was a tightly contested match. Fratzel and MacGee won the first hole before DeLuca and Shy won holes 3 and 4. Central Links took Hole 5 and the match remained at a stalemate for the rest of the front nine. After the turn, DeLuca and Shy started to find their stride. Winning holes 10, 11, and 13 Team Metropolitan was 3 Up. The next went to Central Links, Metropolitan, then Central Links. DeLuca and Shy would close the match out, 2 & 1, with a clutch putt by DeLuca on the 17th green to get the Metropolitan another point. The four-ball points were split evenly with Team Metropolitan and Team Central Links each taking two. After a long day of golf, Team Metropolitan had collected 3 points, while Team Central Links sat on top with 5 points.

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Heading into the Sunday singles matches, Team Metropolitan was facing a daunting battle, needing 5 and a half points out of 8 to win the cup. The team came ready to put up and good fight and make no mistake that they gave it everything they had. The first match of the day was Madison Pyatt versus Kennedy Kaus. Kaus got off to a good start and Pyatt was fighting to keep things within reach. Pyatt was able to win holes 2, 7, 10 and 11, but Kaus pulled ahead to take the match 4 & 3 and claim the first point of the day for Team Central Links. Next out was Haley Castello to take on Alexi Omillian. With the front nine looking like a similar fate, Castello won holes 2 and 7, but Omillian still made the turn 3 Up. Castello won holes 10 and 11 and took her match to the 17th green. It was there that she would fall to Omillian 2 & 1. The first boys on the course were Henry Glarner against Patrick Mayor. Glarner came out on fire, winning 5 of the first 8 holes. It wasn’t until Hole 9 that Mayor got one back. Making the turn, Glarner was 4 Up. Mayor won holes 10, 13, and 15 on the back, but it only made a small dent with Glarner taking holes 11, 12, and 16. Glarner grabbed the first point for Team Metropolitan with a 4 & 2 win. Behind this match was Anthony Moore versus Colin Hoffmann. Hoffmann took the early lead of 2 up through 3, but Moore minimized the damage by winning holes 4 and 7 to tie the match up. Hole 9 saw Hoffmann gain momentum that Moore just could not fight off. As Hoffmann won 5 in a row, Moore would fall 5 & 4 and see another point go to Team Central Links. With 3 points on the board, Central Links had secured the cup half way through the matches. In the fifth match of the day, we sent out Ally Suhre to take on Gabby Vineyard. Suhre was ready for a fight. Vineyard took the first hole, but Suhre came back to win the next two. Vineyard got holes 6 and 7, but Suhre tied the match on the eighth. The back nine is where Suhre gained speed, only giving away one hole. With four holes won on the back, Suhre grabbed a 3 & 2 match victory and a point for her team. Next up was Annie Rothery against Lynn Powell. On the front nine, Powell seemed to have control with Rothery winning just one hole. After making the turn 3 Down, Rothery found some momentum and tied the match back up by Hole 13. Trying to hang in there, Rothery pushed the match to Hole 17 where she would fall 2 & 1. Second to last of the day, John DeLuca took on Josh Fratzel. This match stayed evenly split for the first nine with each golfer winning two holes and making the turn tied. A win on 10 for Fratzel and a win on 11 for DeLuca proved this could be a long match. Fratzel managed to find a 2 Up lead through 13. DeLuca stayed in the game, winning holes 15 and 16 then tying Hole 17 to take the match to the final hole. It was on the 18th green that the match would be decided and DeLuca would fall and see Fratzel take the match 1 Up. The final match of the day was Hudson Shy versus Connor MacGee. It didn’t take long to see this match would be a tussle to the end. The first four holes went back and forth from Shy to MacGee. On Hole 5, it looked like Shy might be gaining some momentum, winning holes 5, 6, and 8. MacGee reentered the chat on Hole 9 with Shy making the turn 2 Up. Through Hole 16, Shy won 2 holes while MacGee won the rest. After the 15th the match was tied. Shy pushed the match to the 18th and gave it his all to find another hole and point for his team, but he would fall to MacGee who took the last point to Team Central Links 1 Up. In the singles, Team Metropolitan claimed 2 points and Team Central Links took the other 6 points. At the end of the weekend, Team Central Links would claim the Mid-America Junior Cup for the third year in a row with 11 points. Team Metropolitan would walk away with just 5 points. Despite the outcome, Team Metropolitan showed a lot of promise with spectators getting to see some incredible shots. The team kept a positive spirit throughout the two days, supporting one another and building a lasting memory. The future of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association is looking bright and this team proved that.

Full Results

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Photos

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Issue 7 | October 2026

The Metropolitan

x

The Bogeyman

T he line between amateur and professional sports used to be straight and bold, easy to draw and easy to read. A baby could do it.

But the line has blurred considerably in today’s environment, and is nearly indiscernible in some places. Golf has a unique place on the landscape of separation.

Blurred Lines

Amateur golf has always maintained its own lane, a residence that is cherished and celebrated. The USGA and local golf associations conduct numerous championships and ceremonies, advancing the sanctity and tradition of the amateur DNA. That strain of the game has been anything but subservient to the professional variant. Play for pay is never to be confused with play for honor. But like the revenue amassing sports of football and basketball, golf has been infiltrated by the arrival of name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation. Top college athletes are making bank now. Example: Tiger Woods’ son - Charlie Woods - has committed to play golf at Florida State University. At the same time, he recently signed a partnership deal with TaylorMade. His estimated NIL market valuation has been set at $3 million a year. For perspective, that sum is about $1 million more than his iconic dad earned as the PGA Tour’s top money winner (and Masters champion) in 1997. To accommodate such incongruities, golf has made the rules on amateur status a bit more pliable. If he qualifies, Charlie Woods and other NIL college athletes are still eligible to compete in a U.S. Amateur and/or Walker Cup. Officially if not antithetical - they retain amateur status. However, that does not put an end to the ambiguities in the amateur-versus-pro debate. A recent controversy has swirled around former pro tour players regaining their amateur status.

Dan O’Neill 20

Seven of the eight quarterfinalists at the 2026 men’s U.S. Mid-Amateur were former pros. Things came to a head when 41-year old former PGA Tour player Colt Knost applied for

reinstatement. Thursday USGA slammed on the brakes, denying the request and announcing it was re-evaluating the reinstatement guidelines, as well it might. Just days later, Mike Sposa, a 57-year old veteran of more than 174 starts on the PGA Tour - and a reinstated amateur - captured the U.S. Senior Amateur at Baltimore Country Club. Meanwhile, 33-year old Stuart Grehan, a former pro, won the British Amateur and Irish Amateur last June - another reinstated participant. More recently, Grehan defeated world No. 1 amateur Preston Stout twice in singles to lead Great Britain & Ireland to its first Walker Cup title since 2015. The team was captained by Dean Robertson, the first professional to supervise since 1922.

“It would be hypocritical for me to state otherwise.” Moreover, as Holtgrieve suggested, it’s not like the amateur game is being flooded with professional gunslingers. “I think that if you had great success on the professional tour, why would you want to come back to amateur golf?” he said.

The line is getting blurry. All of the transitional headlines are paradoxical issues for the governing bodies of golf to consider: Should a ceiling exist concerning professional-to-amateur transition? And if so, should the parameters be based on professional earnings, professional starts, professional years or other factors? Should a pro-to-amateur portal be operated under some statue of limitations? Or, should it be open at all? Is it right for a college player making lucrative NIL bucks to be eligible for amateur competitions? Should professionals or former professionals be eligible to captain a Walker Cup team? As golf re-evaluates the situation, these are questions with which the USGA and R&A wrestle. The answers are not cut and dry. Late in his career, after winning a U.S. MidAmateur and playing on three Walker Cup championships, celebrated St. Louis amateur Jim Holtgrieve gave the pro circuit a spin. From 1998 to 2005, Holtgrieve competed on the Senior PGA Tour/Champions Tour. In 2005, he applied for reinstatement and regained his amateur status in 2007. Holtgrieve then captained the U.S. Walker Cup teams in 2011 and 2013, overseeing a victory at National Golf Links in ’13.

did in my pga tour career!”

And Knost pointed to an obvious discrepancy, when you put the NILearning college players in the mix. Posting in social media, Knost wrote: “There are amateur golfers nowadays making more than I

That said, this scribe might argue that even an unsuccessful pro enjoys competitive advantages. Most amateurs, especially those out of college, must find alternative ways to earn a living, other pursuits and responsibilities that require their time and attention. They do not benefit from the experience of playing with or against seasoned pros on a regular basis. They can not commit full time to practicing and polishing their skills. In that vain, talk to a club professional about how often he or she plays or practices. The answer is likely to be “almost never.” In short, the playing field is not level for amateurs and pros when it comes to the pursuit of par. And in terms of competition, that discrepancy is more meaningful than comparing bank accounts. It’s a different world, and golf has to find a place for both of its occupants - amateur and professional - to co-exist. But finding the sweet spot of purity and integrity, clarifying the blurred line between amateur and professional is going to be a challenge.

In short, and as Joni Mitchell might say, Holtgrieve has looked at these clouds from both sides now. “As far as amateur reinstatement, I am completely on board.” said Holtgrieve, whose 2013 U.S. team won the Walker Cup.

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The Metropolitan

Issue 7 | October 2026

Sup’s On:

100 Years of the Golf Course Superintendents Association

Dan Lloyd

call this initiative “Grounds for Good,” and we currently have four field renovation projects underway.

Country Club of St. Albans

At the national level, much of the GCSAA’s focus today is on government advocacy. In some areas, legislation that negatively impacts golf course maintenance has been enacted without sufficient consideration of scientific research or a full understanding of the practical implications. Golf course superintendents are, by and large, excellent environmental stewards who genuinely care about protecting the properties entrusted to us. In fact, a love of nature and the outdoors is what draws many of us to this profession in the first place.

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. I recently attended the centennial celebration at its headquarters in Lawrence, Kansas, which included speeches from golf author Tom Coyne and a Q&A session with Jack Nicklaus. Fresh off the GCSAA centennial celebration, I thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss what the GCSAA is, what it does, how it has evolved over the years, and most importantly why it matters to all of us who love the game.

One hundred years ago, golf was still relatively new in this country. Just as golf pioneers were learning how to play the game, someone had to figure out how to maintain the courses. There were no academic programs, no textbooks, and barely any specialized tools. A group led by our founder, Col. John Morley, came together in Toledo, Ohio, to compare notes, connect with others facing the same challenges, and create an organization. The founding principle was simple: We are stronger together than we can be alone. That spirit of camaraderie remains a cornerstone of our association today, strengthened by a century of research, publications, and knowledge passed down through generations of golf course superintendents. Even so, our profession is still relatively young when compared with more established agricultural crops and their long histories of agronomic research. Research, product development, and environmental protection are evolving rapidly, and the GCSAA is right in the middle of that progress.

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Like many national associations, the GCSAA is supported by local chapters. Our St. Louis-area chapter is named the Mississippi Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association (MVGCSA), an unfortunately long name that we affectionately refer to as “The Valley”. Our local chapter provides our membership with educational and social opportunities, publicizes job openings and equipment for sale, supports research and scholarships, and gives back to the community through significant philanthropic efforts. Our charitable arm donates $20,000+ annually to the Wee One Foundation, which helps golf course maintenance professionals facing unexpected medical expenses. Research contributions of about $10,000 annually directly fund projects that help us understand modern issues, while another $10,000 of annual scholarships support the future of our association members.

The GCSAA plays an important role in communicating that commitment, promoting the science behind our practices, and strengthening the public’s understanding of the environmental stewardship and professionalism that define our industry. Next time you enjoy a great day on the course, take a moment to appreciate the people and the profession working behind the scenes to make that experience possible.

New in 2026, we also received a grant that allows us to put our expertise to work in a new way: helping renovate athletic fields for local schools that lack the financial resources to tackle these projects themselves. We

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Rules Center Conceded Putt, But To Concede Or Not

Issue 7 | October 2026

The Metropolitan

To Concede

Match Play can be tricky, especially when for those that don’t play it very often. Though most of the Rules are the same, there are certain scenarios that differ slightly. One is the concession of putts. In stroke play, one must hole out - meaning the ball must meet the bottom of the hole. In match play, a players play of the hole may end before that occurs - in the case of a concession, which means your opponent declares your next stroke good or in the hole. In the Walker Cup, we saw the importance of understanding a concession come up. During the morning foursomes, Team Great Britain and Ireland’s (GB&I) Niall Sheils Donegan and Josh Hill had a putt to win the hole on the 9th. Team USA’s Josiah Gilbert and Ryder Cowan had already completed the hole with par. Sheils Donegan missed the birdie putt on the left and then proceeded to scoop the ball back under the thought that the hole was tied.

Dear John: A group is playing a four-ball match and putting out on the 7th green. One player says to an opponent, “You can have that 4-footer. It’s good.” The opponent protests, “You don’t have to do that. I can make it.” He lines up the putt, makes the stroke, and misses! Confusion breaks out. Should the opponent count the extra stroke?

--ShouldaListened

Dear ShouldaListened: And how much was the bet?

Assuming there are no extenuating circumstances, the opponent must count their score with the conceded putt (Rule 3.2b(1)). Once a stroke, hole, or match is conceded, it cannot be declined or withdrawn (Rule 3.2b(2) last sentence). It’s done. What’s an example of an extenuating circumstance? Perhaps the player first asks, “What’s that putt for”? The opponent replies that they have taken five strokes, having actually made four strokes. If the opponent fails to correct their mistake before the player makes the concession, the opponent will have given “wrong number of strokes taken” (Rule 3.2d(1) third bullet). The opponent will be disqualified from the hole and the concession invalidated.

The problem? Team USA had not conceeded the next putt... With the ball rolling past the hole by a foot, it was likely that Team USA would have said “it’s good”. However, there was still the chance and option to make Team GB&I putt the next stroke - especially when USA was down in the match. Since nobody had said or indicated a concession yet, the ball was still in play and the hole was not yet completed for GB&I.

Here are a few more points. Concessions should be stated clearly so there are no misunderstandings. In four-ball match play, either partner may make a concession (although it’s a good idea if they agree in advance). If a player’s putt has been conceded, and they go ahead and putts to help with their partner’s next stroke, their score for the hole stands, but the partner’s score for the hole cannot count for the side (Rule 23.6 Exception).

It didn’t take long for a conversation to ensue on the green between the two sides and a Rules Official. In playback videos, you can see Hill in the background walking as if to go to the ball and then stop in shock as his partner pulls the ball back. Team USA was also in shock and began talking to their opponents before calling in the official. With the assistance of the Rules Official, it was determined that the putt had not been conceeded by Team USA and that Team GB&I would take a one stroke penalty on the hole. This left Team GB&I to lose hole 5 strokes to 4 strokes and make the turn 3 Up instead of 4. This snaffoo didn’t hold them down for long as Team GB&I went on to win the match 4&3 and then later the Cup.

Dear John: Side A-B is playing side C-D in a high-stakes (for them) four-ball match. A’s tap-in putt for a 4 has been conceded and B has picked up (out of the hole), giving side A-B a 4 for the hole. It’s D’s turn to putt for side C-D. He has an 8-footer for a 3 to win the hole. His partner (C) has a 4-footer on the same line for a 5. D asks C to putt first (partners can decide in what order they wish to play when its their turn), so that he (D) can get a “read.” A and B counter that strategy by conceding C’s putt. But C goes ahead and putts anyway, just missing the hole by a few inches. A and B immediately claim the hole, protesting that C should have picked up his ball after the concession and not putted. Were they right?

The lesson here is to make sure that you have been given a clear and concise concession. Inversely, if you are the one giving the concession, make sure that it is clear, concise, and preferably audible so everyone involved is aware. If the concession is not clear, do not touch your ball. Double check with your opponent if you are even slightly unsure that they gave a concession. Concessions can catch you up if you’re not used to them. The one thing to note is that they are FINAL. There’s not takes back. Once you say a ball is good, the hole is over for that player or side. You can’t reverse it and you can’t decline it. So what happens if your opponent concedes your next stroke - can you hit that putt anyways? In a four-ball match play it can depend on where the ball is located, but for foursomes and singles, it is pretty simple.

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Player Putts Anyways..

John explains more on Putts Conceded -->

~~ Four-Ball Match Play: Partner Read Help ~~

--CoughItUp

Dear CoughItUp: In a word, yes. Normally, C

would have been permitted to play out the hole after their putt was conceded. However, in this instance, the whole point of C putting was to give their partner a good read (i.e., show them the line of play). As C’s act after the concession indeed provided assistance to D, they (D) are disqualified from the hole! A had already scored a 4 for side A-B. The putt conceded to C for a 5 counts as the score for side C-D (Exception to Rule 23.6, Side’s Order of Play). So, A and B won the hole, as they made a request for a ruling before anyone played from the next tee (Rule 20. 1b(2)). 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 3 | May 2025

The Metropolitan

*Standings as of 10/31/26. For Full Standings Click the Underlined Heading*

---

Men’s POY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 T9

Name

Affiliation

Ryan Sullivan Justin Bryant Harper Ackermann Chris Kovach Chad Niezing Brad Carpenter Bryan Bohme Corey Choate Conner McCall Jarrett James

Tapawingo National GC St. Louis CC Metropolitan eClub Old Hickory GC Meadowbrook CC Franklin County CC Meadowbrook CC The Legends CC Vandalia CC Chester CC

Events

Wins

Points

4 2 2 3 2 4 4 5 3 2

1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0

2052.5 1155 1100 942.5 800 745 710 640.83 625 625

Senior Men’s POY 1 2 3 4 5

Name

Affiliation

Skip Berkmeyer Buddy Allen John Moore David Strickland Paul Neeman

The Legends CC Sugar Creek GC Spring Lake CC Tapawingo National GC Persimmon Woods GC

Events

Wins

Points

3 7 4 5 5

1 1 1 2 1

1152.5 1077.5 1070 1065 770

1 2 3 T4

1 2 T3

26

Affiliation

Mike O’Neill Robert Trittler John Ellis Jim Dunn David Johnson

Metropolitan eClub Persimmon Woods GC SIGA eClub Norwood Hills CC The Legends CC

Women’s POY

Name

Affiliation

Gracie Piar Mia Rallo Annabelle Bush

Old Hickory GC Norwood Hills CC Whitmoor CC Old Hickory GC Metropolitan eClub

Paula Sanchez Lozano

Alaina Ervin

Events

Wins

Points

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0 0

925 700 525 400 400

Events

Wins

Points

6 3 2 2 2

3 1 1 0 0

1612.5 1600 837.5 675 587.5

Events

Wins

Points

6 3 2 3 1

0 1 1 0 0

1637.5 1137.5 862.5 437.5 400

SIGA Men’s POY 1 2 3 4 5

Name

Affiliation

Bryan Warren River Stilley Cy Norman Bryce Doughty Jeff Gray

McLeansboro GC SIGA eClub Apple Creek GC SIGA eClub SIGA eClub

SIGA Senior Men’s POY

Super Senior Men’s POY Name

To see which events are eligible for points, click here.

Events

Wins

Points

4 4 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

737.5 510 200 200 200

1 2 3 4 5

Name

Affiliation

Tom Portner Jeff Gray Mike Castellari James Starkweather Jim Giacone

Green Hills GC SIGA eClub Salem CC SIGA eClub Benton CC

27

The Metropolitan

Keeping Up with the USGA

Issue 7 | October 2026

All 50 States Join USNDP State Junior Team Program LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (October 13, 2026) – The United States National Development Program today announced that all 50 states have joined the USNDP State Junior Team Program, establishing a nationwide player-development pathway for elite junior golfers well ahead of schedule.

initial goal was establishing teams in all 50 states by 2033.

on guidelines provided by the USGA.

Nine states joined the program in 2025: Idaho, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin and California (Northern).

The milestone comes three years after the State Junior Team Program launched with seven pilot states in 2024. Created to expand, strengthen and diversify the pipeline of junior golfers ages 13-18, the program provides athletes with development, competition and talentidentification opportunities within their home states.

The program grew to 30 states following the announcement of 14 additional participating states in 2026. Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, South Dakota, Texas and Washington and will name their inaugural teams by the end of this year.

In February, Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament Charities committed $1.5 million over three years to support the expansion of the State Junior Team component of the USNDP, helping accelerate the growth of the program.

With the remaining 20 states now committed to join in 2027 (full rosters by 2028) and identify teams by the end of next year, the program has reached nationwide participation five years ahead of the USGA’s original 2033 goal.

“Our Allied Golf Associations and PGA of America Sections have been instrumental in bringing this program to life,” said Daly-Donofrio. “They understand their junior golf communities better than anyone, and their commitment has helped us create a pathway that can identify and support talented athletes across the entire country. Reaching all 50 states is an exciting milestone and opportunity to strengthen these programs and help more juniors pursue their goals in the game.”

“This is a significant moment for the U.S. National Development Program and for junior golf in this country,” said Heather DalyDonofrio, managing director, U.S. National Development Program. “When we launched the State Junior Team Program, the vision was to create meaningful development opportunities for young athletes across the country. Having all 50 states committed to the program brings that vision to life and gives us the foundation for a truly national pathway. Most importantly, it will allow more young golfers to access the resources, coaching and competitive opportunities that can help them reach their full potential.”

“It has been incredibly gratifying to see the vision for the USNDP State Junior Team Program come to life, and having all 50 states on board is an amazing milestone,” said Scott Nye, director of golf at Merion Golf Club and captain for Team Pennsylvania. “In our first season with Team Pennsylvania, I saw firsthand the pride our players took in representing their state, supporting one another and building friendships that go well beyond the golf course. The support we received from clubs and so many people throughout the state made the experience even more special. Having worked in golf in Pennsylvania since 1990, seeing our team walk onto some great courses with Team Pennsylvania bags and uniforms filled me with tremendous pride and excitement for what the future of this program can become.”

The State Junior Team Program began with California (Southern), Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee. The

Missouri residents of the Metropolitan are elligible for the

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association is part of Team Missouri!

Missouri team. We are working together with the Missouri Golf Associaition, Central Links Golf, Gateway PGA Section, and Midwest PGA Section to form and select the the team that will represent Missouri. The state team will launch and join the US National Development Program in 2027.

More About Team MO

28

State Junior Teams are established through collaboration among the USGA, Allied Golf Associations (AGAs), PGA of America Sections and relevant state junior golf programs. State committees oversee team selection criteria and program operations based

To be state junior team eligible, a player must be a U.S. citizen, cannot be enrolled in college, must be 13 years old by Jan. 1 and not reach his/her 19th birthday by July 15 of the year in which they would compete on a State Junior Team. “My experience with Team Southern California was incredibly valuable,” said Jaden Soong, former Team Southern California athlete now in his first year on the U.S. National Junior Team. “It’s an outstanding program. The resources and opportunities that we had really helped me improve my game on and off the course. Making the jump from the State Junior Team to the National Junior Team is something I worked hard toward. It’s great to see that the work you put in pays off, and it motivates me to keep improving and make the most of this opportunity.” Announced in 2023, the USNDP is designed to ensure that American golf is the global leader in the game by focusing on six key pillars: talent identification, access to competition, national teams, athlete resources, player development and relations, and financial support. The USNDP is supported by founding partners Ally Financial and Sentry Insurance as well as philanthropic giving to fulfil the USGA’s commitment to providing pathways to elite levels of the game, regardless of financial situations.

With this addition, all junior members of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association are eligible for a state team! As an organization that geographically covers areas of two states, we are working with both Team Missouri and Team Illinois, ensuring there is a voice in the room for our junior golfers that meet the eligibility requirements.

+

29

World of Golf

The Metropolitan

Walmsrt NW Arkansas Championship Yuna Nishimura LOTTE Championship Jeeno Thitikul Buick LPGA Shanghai Ruoning Yin BMW Ladies Championship Yuri Yoshida Maybank Championship Miyu Yamashita

Solheim Cup Team Europe La Sella Open Charlotte Heath Buccellati Ladies Italian Open Casandra Alexander Aramco Korea Championship Miyu Yamashita HERO Women’s Indian Open Pornanong Phatlum

Guardian Championship Carla Bernat Escuder Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout Kary Hollenbaugh

30

Epson Tour Championship

Reagan Zibliski

Biltmore Championship Jacob Bridgeman Presidents Cup Team United States Bank of Utah Championship Austin Smotherman Baycurrent Classic Michael Brennan Butterfield Bermuda Championship Austin Smotherman

Simmons Bank Open Alvaro Ortiz Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship Sandy Scott Compliance Solutions Championship Sandy Scott Korn Ferry Tour Championship Austin Hitt

Digital Commerce Group Open Etienne Papineau ATB Classic Charlie Crockett Dominican Republic Tour Championship Joey Savoie

Blu Label Unlimited Ladies Challenge Kaylah Williams

Omega European Masters Thriston Lawrence Amgen Irish Open Shane Lowry BMW PGA Championship JJ Spaun FedEx Open de France Matt Fitzpatrick Alfred Dunhill Links Adrian Meronk Alfred Dunhill Links Team Adrian Meronk & Tom Chaplin Open de Espana Grant Forrest DP World India Championship Eugenio Chacarra Genesis Championship Yuto Katsuragawa

Rosa Challenge Tour John Gough English Trophy Frederik Kjettrup Open de Portugal Sebastian Friedrichsen Abu Dhabi Challenge Liam Nolan Hainan Open Lars Van Der Vight Hangzhou Open Hamish Brown

Blu Label Unlimited Challenge Luke Brown Stella Artois Players Championship Deon Germishuys

Issue 7 | October 2026

Sanford Invitational Zach Johnson PURE Insurance Championship Zach Johnson Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic Steven Alker Constellation Furyk and Friends Vaughn Taylor SAS Championship Vijay Singh Stifel Charity Classic Rory Sabbatini TimberTech Championship Darren Fichardt

Northern Ireland Legends Steven Alker European Legends Cup Johan Edfors Reignwood Legends Championship Jean Hugo Senior Italian Open Craig Farrelly

BJ’s Charity Championship Becky Morgan + Trish Johnson Legends Return to Eagle’s Landing Yvonne Cox-Holmes

31

The Metropolitan

Closing In at Normandie We are SO close Metropolitan! Through September and October, we have been able to grass approximately 99% of the golf course! In the last week of October, we completed the laying of sod on the driving range and Hole 10. There is a small work zone path along the outskirt left side of Hole 10 that has not been done just yet due to some bridge installation work that is ongoing. As soon as that bridge work is done, we will get the final pieces of sod onto the ground. We are extremely excited about the future of this property - and let us be the first to say, it is BEAUTIFUL & BRIGHT! We know you are getting antsy in anticipation to get back on this beloved course. As soon as you are able to book a tee time, we promise we will let you know. That time is not quite here yet, but hang on friends... The time is coming soon as we get closer and closer to a 2027 spring opening. Our focus is now on the construction of the maintence building, clubhouse construction, and of course the continued healthy growth of the course. Your upport in these final stages is crucial. Let’s Get It Done STL!

www.normandiereimagined.com **Course Opening Date will be publicly announced once it is determined. Stay tuned.

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For more information on the Normandie Renovation Project and how you can help, visit https://www.normandiereimagined.com or contact normandie@metga.org

Follow Us:

“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

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Volume 13 | No. 7

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Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association

Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association MAGA

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