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header from the publisher
I sell Real Estate in Golf Central Magazine Where Turf Life Lives Publisher: Terrie L. Purdum Editor in Chief: Shannon Coates Regional Partner: Doug Hollandsworth,
Volume 19, Issue 6
Founder-Georgia Golf Trail
Space Available ...in the only glossy,
full-color magazine dedicated to Golf in the Southeast.
Editor Emeritus: Joel Jackson, CGCS Retired Chief Fertilizer Spreader: Eric Rasberry Golf Gym: Ken Pierce Ambassador of Buzz: Jennifer Jolly Associate Editor/Photographer: Greg Corbo Photographers: Lynn Pelham, Brion Price, Peter Hakansson Mike Coonan, Becky Galloway Senior Correspondent: Rick Harris, Sr.
Junior Correspondent: Bella Dovhey International Correspondent: Dove Jones Contributing Writers: Jay Golden, PGA; Greg Wise, Bob Bolton, Greg Corbo, Elisa Gaudet, Mike Jamison, Mike May, Ron Heller, Rich Styles, Fred Seely, Deb Shuck, JL Quebbeman, Mitch Sadowsky, Linda Williams-Sieg
Graphic Design: Melahn Cable, melahn@mac.com Website Design/Network Support: ryjo.com Golf Central Magazine is published monthly by: Sand Hill Publishing & Public Relations 1549 Warrington Court, Winter Springs, FL 32708
NEW PHONE: 321.765.7550 E-mail: info@golfcentralmag.com
O M M A G . C N T R A L O L F C E W W W . G
One call does it all.
321.765.7550 Terrie Purdum Publisher
Some of you may be wondering why this month’s Letter from the Publisher looks like it does? Well, I can explain. I had an encounter in the Media Center at the RSM Classic in Sea Island, GA., showing Davis Love III some love. A fellow publisher, Don Allan, of Golf Pennsylvania recognized me and said, “Hello.” We naturally exchanged publications and both paged to one another’s Letter from the Publisher. What I discovered was his letter looked more like a Real Estate ad? I asked him, “How do you get away with this?” His reply: “This is all people want from me!” I’m personally elevated by sharing the news along with our message every issue everywhere I go. From Jekyll Island to Sea Island to Brunswick to The King & Prince. Back to the Sunshine State hit Amelia Island on the way down to Ponte Vedra and stopped in at Nona Blue for a bite and cocktails with the Sawgrass people at PGA HQ. Hope you all enjoy our Magazine, Happy Holidays! If you need me you’ve got my number... Golf Central Magazine | 1549 Warrington Ct Winter Springs FL 32708
©2018 Golf Central Magazine. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Editorial contributions are welcome, but Golf Central Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited proposals, manuscripts and photographs. All materials submitted not accompanied by a selfaddressed stamped envelope will not be returned. Mailing, electronic mailing or faxing of contributions constitutes an expressed warrant on the part of the contributor that all material is original and does not infringe on the rights of others. Golf Central Magazine retains all reprint rights and reserves the right to edit any submitted material to meet our specifications for publishing and or use in advertising or promotion. The Publisher and staff are not responsible for any loss or grievance by any person or persons whatsoever, due in any way or in part to the content of this publication. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse to accept any material deemed inappropriate or in bad taste.
2017 Want to participate in a fun, global species-counting competition?
Ask the staff at your local golf course if they are participating in BioBlitz 2017! 518-767-9051 www.auduboninternational.org
6
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
! s in ta n u o M e th to e p Esca
Nestled on the north shore of beautiful Lake Lure in the foothills of western North Carolina sits an escape, Rumbling Bald Resort on Lake Lure. Surrounded by the towering cliffs of Rumbling Bald Mountain, our 3,000+ acre property is home to a private white sand beach, children’s water park, distinct dining experiences and numerous hiking and biking trails, all tailored for relaxation in our authentic mountain getaway. Our two championship golf courses weave themselves through the property and are specifically manicured for world-class play.
WINTER SOLSTICE Our most popular “stay & play” package is back for the winter starting at just $159* and includes: • One night resort lodging • Two rounds of golf at Apple Valley (pp) • Access to all resort amenities *Per person based on double occupancy in a standard Apple Valley. Includes all tax and fees. May not be combined with other offers, discounts or previously booked reservations. Exclusions may apply. Offer valid through 03/19.
For more information on all available Specials & Packages, call 828.694.3050.
Disccer more at RumbingBald.com
Volume 19, Issue 6 Feature Story pgs 38-39
19th Hole 48 Starry Nightcap Tavern Carolina Golf Central 20 Fayetteville Cart Girl 14 Gabriella Bueno FEATURE 38 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions
26
Florida Golf Central 46 Black Diamond Ranch Georgia Golf Central 44 Bobby Jones Golf Course Golf Bachelor 30 Alex Weightman
Departments
Golf Fore Charity 34 The Fat Guy Open Golf Travel 26 Pueblo Bonita Pacifica Resort & Spa 32 Poplar Grove Growing The Game 12 John Bell In Memory Of 12 Pam McCloskey-Brosnihan Florida Junior Tour On The Green 18 Bonita Bay Club Stay & Play 10 Jekyll Island Club 40 Springdale Country Club
16 24 42 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68
LPGA Competitive Spirits Grip It & Sip It Freddy's Fairway Thoughts North Florida PGA South Florida PGA PGA of America Product Showcase Turf Life Turf Life Turf Life Golf Fitness
20
What's New 22 Gen i2 Golf Ball
30
golfcentralmag.com
Jan. 17-20, 2019 • Orlando, FL • Live on
Celebrities scheduled to appear.
LPGA Champions. World-Class Celebrities.
One Unforgettable Week. At Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Orlando
Alfonso Ribeiro
Larry the Cable Guy
Rob Riggle
Brooke Henderson
7x LPGA Tour Winner Qualified to play.
Justin Verlander
Tickets and information at
DiamondLPGA.com Presented by
Ray Allen 1811-9090
stay & play On a small island
located off the coast of Georgia, an exclusive hunting lodge for America’s millionaires was being built in 1886 called the Jekyll Island Club. As the years went on, the interests of our millionaires began to change from hunting to the game of golf. At the turn of the century, Jekyll
10
Island Club built one of Georgia’s first golf courses along the ocean front landscape of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Located less than a mile from the Golf Clubhouse, today the former club of millionaires is a fully functioning resort. With private group lodging in our historic cottages or room accom-
modations in either the Jekyll Island Club or Jekyll Ocean Club, the Jekyll Island Club Resort offers hospitality and golfing pleasure to guests from around the world. The 63-hole Jekyll Island Golf Complex offers challenge and diversity for novice and experienced golfers alike. Jekyll Island features three 18-hole courses; Oleander, Pine Lakes, and Indian Mound, and the 9-hole course Great Dunes. Demanding, picturesque and known for its water holes, Dick Wilson’s Oleander design is ranked consistently among the state’s best. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has called Oleander’s 12th hole “the most demanding par 4 of any daily fee course in the state.” Pine Lakes, another Wilson design, has undergone extensive renovations by Clyde Johnston Designs, Inc. of Hilton Head, SC, to improve the golf course’s overall aesthetics and playability with increased green size and two new lakes. While this course has undergone some changes throughout the years, it remains Jekyll Island’s Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
longest course. Wide fairways and large, sloping greens typify the Indian Mound course designed by Joe Lee. The layout of the course through woods and beside lakes showcases Jekyll’s spectacular scenery. Finally, the historic Great Dunes, a nine-hole course remodeled in the 1920’s by Walter J. Travis, is an authentic links course with elevated tees, small greens and ocean breezes. Some of the holes on Great Dunes were part of the original course laid out in 1898. While the Jekyll Island Club was an exclusive retreat for millionaires,
it now serves as the perfect golf and vacation retreat. The Resort offers complimentary transportation to and from the Jekyll Island Club Resort.
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Other resort amenities include two swimming pools, tournament level croquet, and the Jekyll Wheels bike shop- offering bike rentals to cruise the 22 miles of paved bicycle paths. The Resort’s historic Grand Dining Room is a AAA 4 Diamond restaurant featuring continental American cuisine in an elegant Victorian setting. Located in the AAA 4 Diamond property Jekyll Ocean Club, Eighty
Ocean Kitchen and Bar serves locally inspired meals and unique cocktails. The Wharf Restaurant offers a casual atmosphere featuring seafood. The Jekyll Island Club Resort is the perfect spot for golf groups with accommodations in the Clubhouse, Jekyll Ocean Club, or the historic cottages. Whether you’re planning a leisurely golf vacation or a business conference with golf as an important recreational interest, you’ll find golfing at the Jekyll Island Club Resort to be a “landmark experience.”
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growing the game
Losing a Leg, but Not Losing Hope In 2011, John Bell was involved in a traumatic motorcycle accident, leaving his left leg amputated above the knee. He was also left with a crushed skull, broken back and many other health issues. This accident though, did not stop Bell
others ways to adapt to the new
using Power Tee a lot lately while
lifestyle and how to stay positive. Bell
training. I used Power Tee to help
also attends the Annual Amputee
prepare me for the Veterans Char-
Coalition Conference every year.
ity Tournament this past week-
Power Tee is honored to be a part
end and the Phoenix Cup back in
of his comeback journey. “I will say
October. I was a Phoenix Cup vice
that Power Tee is the main reason
captain of 15 members represent-
for me getting back in the game.
ing Team USA with the USAGA.”
from finding his true passion. Realizing he would never be able to go back to the job he loved, an operator of heavy equipment, he knew it was time to focus on what mattered most; family and friends. He found a new passion for helping others who have gone through the loss of a limb. Working with organizations like the Never Say Never Foundation, U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance, and local Amputee Support Groups, Bell shows 12
With being an above knee amputee,
To learn more about Bell’s jour-
I have had to completely change my
ney and see all the amazing things
golf swing, and with Power Tee I was
he has done for the disabled golf
able to save all my energy not load-
community, email him at oneleg-
ing the ball and focus on my swing
bell@gmail.com or check out his
and stance,” Bell says. “I have been
website onelegbell.com
.
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
With award-winning dining experiences, a booming craft beer scene and exceptional year-round golf on courses along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, plus Jerry Pate’s Kiva Dunes and Arnold Palmer’s Craft Farms in Gulf Shores, from the mountains to the coast, you can take it all in.
www.GolfAlabama.org
Kiva Dunes Golf & Beach Resort, Gulf Shores
header cart girl
Where did you grow up? I was born in Brazil, but I have lived in Orlando since I was three years old.
Which group of people did you associate most with in high school? I wouldn’t say I associated with any particular
group in high school… I tend to get along with everyone!
What is your favorite sport to play? Favorite to watch? I did gymnastics when I was growing up, it was really my first love for sports. I also ran track from middle school to high school. A great game of basketball is so entertaining to watch, no matter what team you root for! Do you enjoy playing golf? Are there any golfers in your family? I will be honest, I am
not the greatest golfer. My step dad is definitely the golfer of the family.
What do you feel makes this club special? Four
Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando is so special because of our willingness to go above and beyond, not only for our guests and members, but for our team as well.
What is your favorite part of being a cart girl? What is your
least favorite part? My favorite part of working the beverage cart is being able to enjoy nature on such a beautiful courseTranquilo is actually a certified Audubon Sanctuary. Ironically, this is also my least favorite part during the summer time… Florida heat is no joke!
What is your memorable moment working as a cart girl? I
love moments when I’m able to truly connect with a club member or resort guest… Each connection is so unique that it is impossible to pin point just one favorite!
What is the funniest thing you’ve ever seen on the golf course? The funniest thing I’ve seen on the golf course is when a guest got stuck on the green and it was cart path only!
What type of music do you prefer? I love any music that resonates with me and the mood I’m in at the moment.
What hobbies do you enjoy? In my spare time, I enjoy lifting weights, shopping, and baking.
Favorite comedian? My favorite
comedian of all time has to be Katt Williams!
Favorite charity to support? There are so many incredible charities with such amazing causes… I would have to say I most appreciate those that support women and children.
What else would you like for us to know about you? I am currently in the process of getting my real estate license, as well as my esthetician license!
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Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
R A I SI NG
TH E
PAR
New Luxury Homes in West Palm Beach From the $500s Introducing the Residences at Banyan Cay, a private gated community inside the Nobel House Resort & Golf Club with an array of resort-style amenities, just minutes from Downtown West Palm Beach. OPTIONAL GOLF MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE TO THE NEW JACK NICKLAUS SIGNATURE GOLF COURSE
1 AND 2-STORY • 3 TO 4 BEDROOMS • 3 TO 4.5 BATHS • 1,863 TO 3,101 A/C SQ. FT.
LIVEATBANYANCAY.COM • 561-530-2363 SALES CENTER 3089 GIN BERRY WAY, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33401 Plans, elevations,Golf speci cations, features, colors, designs, dimensions materials6are all subject to availability, and subject to change or substitution at any time and without notice. SobelCo expressly reserves the right to make modi cation, revisions and changes as may be required for lot t or by governmental Central • Volume 19, and Issue bodies and law, or other reasons as set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Illustrations of elevations are artist’s depictions only. Stock photography includes stock images and is used to depict the spirit of lifestyle and not for speci c references. For more information consult a sales representative. CBC017578
15
adies orth florida Professional PGA north Golfflorida Association PGA north Ladiesflorida Professional PGA north Golfflorida Association PGAheader north Ladi
Thompson Wins CME Tour Championship With one stroke of her putter, Lexi Thompson erased two seasons of bad memories and brought a glorious smile to her face. With a final-round 2-under 70, Thompson captured the CME Group Tour Championship at 18-under 270, earning a four-stroke win over second-place Nelly Korda. “It’s been a long year. Just the up and downs and just the things I’ve been dealing with, they all kind of hit me this year,” said Thompson, who
and Carlota spoke openly of her battles
her first victory of 2018 in
with personal demons
the year’s final event. “I kind of just wanted to
throughout the year. “To be able to end the year
think to myself the whole
like this and just keep on
day, just keep on making
fighting throughout the
birdies, keep on going for
whole year has meant the world to
Ciganda in the final group, Korda
the pins like you have been the last
me. Just shows anything is possible.
pulled within two with a birdie at No.
three days, and don’t worry about
13. But Thompson’s birdie at No. 14,
other players,” said Thompson, who
combined with Korda’s bogey, gave
extended her winning streak to six
Thompson entered the day three
Thompson a four-stroke advantage.
years, the longest active streak on
strokes clear of Korda and held that
After putting her approach to No.
the LPGA Tour. “Just focus on your-
You have to fight through whatever you’re going through.”
16
advantage for much of the fourth
18 within 6 feet, Thompson con-
self and keep on doing what you
round. Playing with Thompson
verted a two-putt par and earned
have been the last three days.” Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
On Wednesday, Nov. 14, actor Mark Wahlberg joined CME Group Chairman and CEO Terry Duffy and LPGA players Brittany Lincicome and Mo Martin and Steele Ford, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® at the LPGA season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., and competed in a “Beat the Pro” Closet-tothe-pin competition, which raised more than $100,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.
Kenny Perry and Trevor Immelman have made Transitions® lenses part of their game.
www.TurfLife.club Come see us at the PGA Show booth #3516
On the PGA TOUR®, vision is a golfer’s most important equipment. Transitions lenses adapt to changing light to help golfers see more comfortably in all light conditions and help protect eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Visit your local Vision Source doctor, Dr. James Podschun, located at 2828 Casa Aloma Way, Suite 400 in Winter Park, FL 32792, to ask which Transitions lenses are right for you. 407-671-0960
P ER FORMANCE SUNW E A R
Transitions and the swirl are registered trademarks and Transitions Adaptive Lenses is a trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc. ©2012 Transitions Optical, Inc.
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
transitions.com
17
on the green
Bonita Bay Club named an America’s Greenest Club Not only has Bonita Bay Club been named one of America’s Greenest Clubs, but it is the first private club in the country to earn the distinction. Bonita Bay Club’s green initiatives, programs and activities contributed to its America’s Greenest Clubs designation from Prevo Health Solutions, a purpose-driven sustainability company that recognizes clubs that have implemented eco-friendly practices such as increasing conservation and recycling efforts, and reducing energy and water consumption. “Bonita Bay was founded on a vision of sustainability and living in harmony with nature,” said Dan Miles, Bonita Bay Club general manager and chief operating officer. “That purposeful philosophy continues today, driven by a shared commitment and environmentally conscious culture among our club members and employees.” The America’s Greenest Club distinction complements Bonita Bay Club’s Audubon Sanctuary designation and its 18
Distinguished Club, Platinum Club and
located between Naples and Fort Myers,
America’s Healthiest Clubs recogni-
as well as two Tom Fazio courses span-
tions.
ning more than 1,000 acres of preserved
“With the tremendous support of
cypress wetlands and pine flats with no
its members, board and staff, Bonita
residential development at the nearby
Bay Club leads by example,” said Rick
Bonita Bay Club Naples. The club’s
Ladendorf, Prevo’s Founder and CEO.
newly designed Sports Center offers 18
“Their innovative leadership team has
Har-Tru tennis courts and one of the
created a club of choice that is also
region’s most active tennis programs
known for being a great employer and a
directed by a USPTA Master Profes-
good neighbor.”
sional, five new pickleball courts, and a
Bonita Bay Club has recently opened
zero-entry resort-style pool. Nearby, the
up a limited number of full golf mem-
60,000-square-foot Lifestyle Center fea-
berships for candidates residing outside
tures a state-of-the-art fitness center,
of Bonita Bay. Members enjoy three
spa and salon. For more information,
Arthur Hills-designed courses within
visit www.bonitabayclub.net or call the
the 2,400-acre Bonita Bay community,
membership office at 239-949-5061. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
carolinas golf central
Gates Four Golf & Country Club
Fayetteville, NC: Swatville of the South Baseball legend Babe Ruth’s notorious
exhibition game led to the recently
was able to trot around the bases be-
first dinger as a pro took place in 1914
signed George Herman Ruth to be
fore it was retrieved – translated into
at Cape Fear Fairgrounds near where
dubbed “The Babe.” And his innate
an ability to knock the cover off a golf
the marker stands today in Fayette-
power – the bat boy that day claimed
ball; although maybe not as consis-
ville, North Carolina. The intra-squad
the ball was swatted so far that Ruth
tently fine as the big man might have liked.
Ruth’s dynamic persona and im-
mense power would no doubt blend in well with the Fayetteville golf scene if he were around today. Several area courses are of major-league caliber and many holes would have likely “fit the eye” of one of the greatest sports figures ever.
Still, you don’t have to be of
Ruthian stature to enjoy the variety of challenges Fayetteville golf has to offer – even short knockers can enjoy precision shots over cypress tree-laden ponds and native grasses, between classic Sandhills bunkers, and through tight, tree lined chutes of trees. But if you are a big hitter and like to cut the Cypress Lakes Golf Course 20
ball from the left side or draw the ball from the right, here are some holes Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Bayonet at Puppy Creek that should have you licking your chops as you step up to the tee box on your next trip to the “Swatville of the South.”
Holes Nos. 5 and 13 at Anderson Creek Golf Club An upscale layout by Davis Love III, the 7,215-yard course was his first foray into design in his native state and was named North Carolina’s “Best New Course” for 2001. It is located in Spring Lake, just minutes from Fort Bragg and not far from downtown.
According to PGA Professional Jon
Hockaday (who actually has an old black and white photo of Ruth playing golf hanging above his office desk), Babe would have loved these two Anderson Creek offerings in particular.
Holes Nos. 11-13 at Bayonet at Puppy Creek This uniquely-named and big-time maintained layout by Willard Byrd opened in 1995 in Raeford. It stretches to 7,021 yards. The course is a product
Anderson Creek Golf Club
of the Carolina Turf Company, thus guaranteeing strong conditions and
view of a large community lake. It also
state. He gets to direct players across a
challenges fit for the multitude of com-
features a stately three-storied club-
6,943-yard layout that combines chal-
petitive tournaments that have been
house and dining at JP’s Bar and Grill.
lenging and scenic golf along with an
held there in the past, including some
Okefenokee Swamp-like feel on certain
mini-tour events.
the course is the 408-yard, par-four No.
holes.
6. Though best conquered with two pre-
driveable par 4 on the course at 356
cise shots across a hard dogleg left, the
holes at his course is the 437-yard No.
yards, it is fairly straight. Actually, the
hole begs for a Ruthian high-hard fade
4, due to its length, relative tightness
trio of holes Nos. 11 through 13 really
or a big-bopping draw from the other
and its hard turn from right to left.
set up well for a lefty’s power fade.
side of the plate.
While a Ruthian block would likely
Hole No. 6 at Gates Four Golf & Country Club
Hole No. 4 at Cypress Lakes Golf Course
leave the power hitting in the trees or
Though No. 10 is probably the most
The hardest handicapped hole on
One of the harder handicapped
Robert Wilson is the PGA head golf
even deeper into the swamp, a properly
1967, the 6,895-yard course has been
professional at Cypress Lakes in Hope
maneuvered cut over trees would leave
modernized in recent times by Dan
Mills, just off I-95 Exit 41 and one of
the player with a shortish approach
Maples and Kris Spence. It is located
the more memorable layouts not only
shot to the pin.
just south of the city and winds its way
around Fayetteville but also in the
An original Willard Byrd design from
across nice elevation changes in full Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Additional info at www.VisitFayette-
villeNC.com/golf. 21
what's cartnew girl
Smart Ball Technology at a Smarter Price Gen i2 the world’s first smart ball with USGA regulation weight and feel
C
oach Labs, the leader in golf technology with iOT products for training, coaching and mobile gaming, is improving your game with the release of the golf industry’s only smart ball, the Gen i2. The Gen i2 is a full simulator golf ball that is designed for indoor or outdoor use. By putting the swing sensor directly inside the ball, Coach Labs is providing golfers the ultimate golf experience for a fraction of the cost of standard full screen simulators. The Gen i2 smart ball allows you to play a full round indoors in under an hour or take it out on the course and get live real time feedback during your round. The nine-axis sensors inside the Gen i2 provide all the data points that are important to your swing. When connected to Coach Labs’ free proprietary mobile app, golfers get Quick Coaching on how to improve right on the spot. The Gen i2 puts you in control of how and when you want to play. The Gen i2 is the world’s first full swing smart ball with USGA regulation weight and feel,” said Jason Koo, CEO of Coach Labs. “This ball looks and feels just like a normal golf ball, only it’s smarter. Our free app gives you instantaneous feedback and coaching and let’s you maximize your game. You can putt, chip, pitch and drive the ball and get valuable data for every part of your game.” Whether you’re a seasoned player who wants live feedback about your swing on the course or you’re a beginner who’s too embarrassed to learn on the range or can’t afford coaching, the Gen i2 is designed for golfers of all ages and playing abilities. It’s even safe for kids. Coach Labs now offers the Gen i2 in home golf simulator kit for training and gaming. Simulators can cost thousands, as can membership fees to the clubs, so Coach Labs has made it possible for you to play your favorite courses on your
22
phone, whenever you choose. Set up takes seconds with Coach Labs’ professional grade pop-up net, multi-terrain practice mat, 9-axis club and body sensors, user-friendly app and Gen i2 smart ball. Its safe anywhere: your living room, garage, patio, den, or office. To begin, download the user-friendly app and create a profile. Once your profile is created, all you’ll need to do is connect your sensors, select your gaming or training experience, then start playing. With our mobile gaming, you will be able to play with friends near and far or join tournaments for prizes online. With the coaching, you will get launch monitor data points (distance, body movement, club position, etc.) that are important to your swing and feedback on how to improve. “Coach Labs makes the most innovative and effective smart training aids on the market.” said Coach Labs partner and FOX NFL SUNDAY host, Curt Menefee. “Make your practice perfect practice with The chart above compares the other top “smart trainthe Gen i2.” ing” aids and demonstrates the incredible value of the Coach Labs has made golf simulation Gen i2 smart ball, both in price and training options. affordable and portable. The Gen i2 is designed for golfers, ranging in all ages and skill levels Easy pop-up net and provides all the features Gen i2 app for iOS and benefits of a golf simand Android ulator right inside the golf ball. Improve your play with the Gen i2 launch monitor embedded smart ball and golf simulator package. The Gen i2 smart ball retails for as low as $99 (two pack) and the Gen i2 all-inclusive simulator package for $299. For more information, visit www.coachlabs.com.
Gen i2 smart ball
Club and body sensors
Multi-terrain golf mat
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE The PGA TOUR has assembled one of the finest golf instruction teams in the game at the famed TPC Sawgrass facility located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Led by top-ranked golf instructor, Todd Anderson, expert instructors will begin with a complete assessment and develop a plan to quickly improve all facets of your game.
LEARN MORE TOURPERFORMANCECENTER.COM (904) 280-2452
By Dove Jones
competitive spirits
single-barrel, handcrafted whiskeys distilled with the same integrity, attention to detail, and excellence Mr. Jones was known for on and off the course. Due to the small batch, single-barrel process, and resulting limited quantities, these exceptional whiskies are being exclusively presented to and allocated to the finest golf clubs and resorts. The collection will not be available in traditional retail stores. The first release of The Clover Whiskey Collection includes – a 10-year aged, single-barrel, straight Tennessee bourbon, a 4-year aged, single-barrel, straight Bourbon, and a 4-year aged, straight Rye whiskey to be released in the Fall of 2019. Visit www.thecloverwhiskey.com to learn more, to find out where you can enjoy The Clover, and to sign up as a member of The Clover Club and be notified of future Clover releases, tastings
Robert (Bobby) Tyre Jones had a little-known, secret weapon – a small, four-leaf clover medallion given to him by his mother for good fortune and which he carried throughout his exemplary life including – the thirteen major victories, the 1930 Grand Slam, his military service during WWII, and his courageous battle against syringomyelia. The Clover Whiskey takes its name from this highly cherished personal possession of Mr. Jones and supports
during his travels to competitions
the family’s mission to sustain their
around the world was enjoying “three
grandfather’s legacy as golf’s greatest
fingers” of the finest local whiskies. As
Whiskey Collection support The Bobby
gentleman and amateur champion.
such, the family developed The Clover
Jones Chiari & Syringomyelia Founda-
Whiskey Collection featuring the finest
tion’s mission to find a cure.
One of Mr. Jones’ greatest pleasures 24
and other special events. A portion of the sales of The Clover
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
ARNOLD
PALMER
CELEBRATE GOLF’S
Greatest LEGENDS PLAN YOUR VISIT TODAY.
WORLD GOLF VILLAGE | ST. AUGUSTINE, FL | worldgolfhalloffame.org
By Dove Jones
golf travel
Quivira Golf Club at the Pueblo Bonita Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico While we’ve still been visiting traditional high-end à la carte properties there’s been a revolution in all-inclusive resorts. Over the past decade or so the traditional model of basic – accommodations, amenities, cuisine and watered-down drinks – has been replaced by world-class – accommodations and amenities and best of all – full-strength cocktails. Hallelujah! Nowhere has that model been
more elevated than at the Pueblo Bonita Pacifica Golf and Spa Resort in Cabo San Lucas. The laundry list is very long of all the deserved accolades and honors they have been awarded for their exceptional amenities accessible to residents and visitors alike. Starting with the Jack Nicklausdesigned Quivira Golf Course. Upon opening it garnered the prestigious
Cabo's iconic window to the world 2014 Best New International Golf Course by GOLF Magazine, immediately followed by Golf Digest acclaiming it as one of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World. The iconic signature Par 4, 5th and Par 3, 6th holes with their dramatic cliff top setting over the sea are becoming as recognizable as the storied Par 3, 7th at Pebble Beach. Eventually there are plans to build a second 18-hole championship links so the current routing is a panoramic tour of the entire landscape. It flows between desert vistas adjacent to verdant fairways, climbing to stunning rocky cliff top views over the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean before winding back to the clubhouse. Along the way you are fortified by mini oasis offering complimentary delectable bites from beef sliders to shrimp quesadillas and beverages to match. After holing out on the 4th green you are treated to a hairpin turning cart ride up what seems like a forever hill until you come to a small cantina-style refreshment stop. The view is mesmerizing over
Welcoming Lobby at Puebla Bonita Pacifica 26
the cliff to the resort and beach in Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
At most old school all-inclusives your recreational options were limited. Here at Pueblo Bonita Pacifica there is a world-class spa, miles of beach, an incredible huge beachside swimming pool and boutique shopping options. You are also a short ride from all the town of Cabo San Lucas and its surroundings have to offer. Take a whale watching tour, go deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, shop the markets, try the exhilarating Zip Line or sample a variety of local restaurants and bars. But if your idea of relaxing is never having to leave the property you’ll still never be bored with the question –What do you want for dinner? Beachside fire pit & s'mores -Puebla Bonita Pacifica
Poolside breakfast one direction and to the imaginative drivable Par 4, 5th hole to the other. It’s hard to make a decision on which I enjoyed more, relishing my delectable shrimp quesadilla and the view or making birdie after driving the 5th green. In full disclosure, I didn’t hit it like Dustin Johnson, the green is located at the bottom of a hill that is easily reached with a carefully positioned iron or fairway wood. Not going over the green into the sea is more of a challenge. The course straddles mile marker 0 on the tip of the Baja Peninsula and passes directly by the historic church at that significant geographical landmark. Although very playable you’ll be ready for the next oasis at the 10th with delicious and welcome beef sliders – go ahead wash them down with a cerveza or a margarita you can even take a roadie. The back nine plays away from the water as it winds back to the clubhouse and the 19th hole but the views are equally as stunning. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
The driveable par 4, 5th at Quivira Golf Course 27
Quivira's signature cliff top par 3, 6th
lous food options and spa services, let alone replaying the course again and again but to spend more time in your room. That’s right spending more time in your room – besides sleeping. With commanding views over the beach to the sea, the ultra luxuriously appointed rooms are so comfortable they rival spending time outside. The new Tower rooms at Pacifica even come with a 24-hour butler. Don’t believe me? The Pacifica was one of three Pueblo Bonita resort properties recognized in the recent Condé Nast Traveler 2018 Reader’s Choice awards for excellence. The other option is to acquire your own piece of paradise so you can return whenever your schedule permits. There are a variety of real estate options to suit every lifestyle. Just be prepared for lots of visitors! For more information on experiencing the ultimate in all-inclusives, please visit www.pueblobonito.com/resorts/pacifica/
Craving steak? The beachside Quivira
leave hungry. Italian? How could
clubhouse turns into a true steakhouse
you pass up a restaurant named
each night with indoor and outdoor
Fellini’s. There are more outlets but
seating and views over the sea. How
you get the idea – this is NOT your
about fine dining on local favorites?
parent’s all-inclusive. My personal
The Peninsula Restaurant will sat-
favorite for desert is The Market
isfy every craving. Mediterranean?
at Quivira offering up individual
There’s Siempre. Sushi? Try Pescados.
stalls with the finest hand made
Just a coffee and a pastry? Bocados
chocolates, macaroons, donuts,
even has an Internet café. A drink
cakes, ice creams and also serves
before or after dinner? Refresca will
various light on-the-go casual fare.
refresh. Love being poolside? Swim up
The newest outlet, The After, sports
to the Aquabar Aire or indulge at the
pub and their oversize flat-screen
Aire Restaurant. Gourmet Mexican?
TV’s at The Market will ensure that
LaFrida’s elegant setting matches the
now you never have to miss a putt,
innovative cuisine. Japanese and fresh
basket, goal or touchdown from your
Sushi with stunning beach views?
favorite players when on vacation.
Tazuna satisfies. Asian Fusion? Zao Shen Asian Kitchen won’t let you 28
You’ll wish you booked a longer
Make paradise your own with one of the many real estate options available
stay – not only to try all the fabuGolf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
S a d d le br ook R e s o r t • p referred go lfers p ac kag e
“We are proud of the work done on the golf courses, greens, and new Golf Training Center and Range ... come play and enjoy your stay!”
Experience
Renewed Golf Courses
Receiving Rave Reviews!
Great golf is only the beginning.
Preferred Golfers Package Includes: ◆
Accommodations in a Deluxe Guest Room, 1 or 2 Bedroom Suite
◆
Full Breakfast Buffet
◆
18-Holes of Golf (cart & greens fees), including arrival and departure days
◆
Welcome Gift
◆
Unlimited Use of the Practice Facility
◆
Nightly Club Cleaning and Storage... and More!
For Seasonal Package Pricing and Reservations Call 813-907-4401 Groups of 12 or More Call 813-907-4726
5700 Saddlebrook Way ◆ Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Ph: 813.973.1111 ◆ Fax: 813.973.1312 ◆ saddlebrook.com
golf bachelor
Name the three most important things to you in this world. Family, mental illness awareness, sushi.
What do you fear the most? Not being able to afford a pinball machine
What three people would you most like to play with in your fantasy golf foursome? Tiger Woods, Bill Clinton, Mark Wahlberg
Relaxed evening at home, or nightclub and cocktails? Home drinking cocktails dancing in my underwear to 80s music. Favorite comedian? @TheeJewfro Favorite television channel? Food Network Where were you born? Did you grow up there? Evansville, Indiana (YES)
Last book you read? This Magazine because I’m in it =)
Is “acting your age” over rated? SOOOOOO OVERRATED, I’ve
Favorite charity to support? Nami.org & American
been acting 16 for 15 years now.
Foundation for Suicide Prevention
High school group you hung out with the most; nerds, jocks, stoners, preppies? Our golf team was intense!
What else would you like for us to know about you?
times at Mystic Dunes Golf Club.
What would you like to do for a living? Own a Taco Bell
and KFC.
Whom do you most admire for their inner and outer beauty? @Alex7hegreat
Tell us about your first kiss? Wendy Peppercorn at the City Pool on one hot day.
Steak, chicken, or seafood? Seafood ALL DAY Tell us something about yourself that only your closest friends know. I have A huge tattoo on my right butt cheek (from
when I worked in radio).
What three things would you need to survive on a deserted island? Clean Fresh Water, Wilson Volleyball, Spork (yes a spork).
What do you find to be the most annoying habit people demonstrate on the golf course? When people treat their
round like they are playing the US OPEN… You can play well/quick and have fun at the same time
30
Alex Weightman
What do you do for a living? Answer phones and make tee
I went from 315lbs to 210lbs in 6 months with hard work and discipline. Also, I was in radio for 7 years as an on-air personality in Indiana and Miami.
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
golf travel
Sam Snead’s Final Design Sam Snead was the owner of a universally revered golf swing. He had a distinguishable style of play, with an emphasis placed on pinpoint accuracy and effortless power. Slammin’ Sammy’s picture-perfect swing carried him to 82 PGA Tour wins, the most of all time. Later in life, Snead began to dabble in golf course design. He had a hand in several courses, most notably The Slammer & Squire Course at World Golf Village and The Club at Savannah Harbor. When looking at Snead’s work in golf course design, his preferred style of golf is readily apparent. Before his passing in 2002, Snead worked on the design for Poplar Grove Golf Club alongside Ed Carton, former protégé of Tom Fazio. Fifteen of the 18 holes at Poplar Grove feature an elevated tee box, granting golfers the feeling of bombing drives just like Snead. Split fairways provide a bevy of options while greens are small yet straightforward, designed to reward accurate approach shots. This off-season, Poplar Grove – lo32
cated in Amherst, Virginia, just 20 and 45 minutes from Lynchburg and Charlottesville respectively – will undergo a $3M renovation to completely restore the Snead / Carton original design. Carton, who in addition to Fazio, worked with Michael Hurdzan and Raymond Floyd before hanging out his own shingle, will oversee the project. With ground breaking this fall, Phase I of the renovation will feature a renewed selection of bunkers and teeing areas, replaced fairway drainage and cart paths, and two brand new restrooms with comfort stations for
on-course access. A $400k tree clearing project will provide golfers with more strategic options and better views. Poplar Grove will also align with Textron to add a brand-new fleet of golf carts and a comprehensive new equipment package. Carton, based locally, will ensure Snead’s vision for the bucolic property carries on. Snead’s lore connects this area of the Blue Ridge Mountains to golfers in the Southeast, which boasts some of his finest work as a golf course designer. He grew up and began his journey to the World Golf Hall of Fame – located at the same complex that houses The Slammer & Squire in Florida – just two hours from Poplar Grove in Ashwood, Virginia. To bring his work full circle, Poplar Grove will reopen in 2019, the same year as the 45th Anniversary of Snead’s induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. “Poplar Grove is a rare, original design inspired by one of the greatest players this game has ever seen,” says Frank Murphy, CEO of Poplar Grove. “We’re looking forward to Ed leading the renovation and we’re extremely Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
excited to unveil the new-look Poplar Grove this spring.” The centerpiece of Poplar Grove is the historic Manor House, which houses the club’s food and beverage operation and bedrooms for wedding accommodations. The house will undergo a full restoration that includes a modern update to the interior, and a Phase II addition of 4,000 square feet, which will include member exclusive areas, a full bar and an indoor/ outdoor dining area with seating for 120. Poplar Grove Golf Club opened in 2005 to much acclaim. Featured on Golf Digest’s “Best New Upscale Public Courses,” the property seeks to return to its halcyon days under the close watch of the man who helped bring it to life. The target completion date for all Phase I renovations is Spring 2019. For more tee time and membership information, call (434) 946-9933 or visit www.poplargrovegolf.com.
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
33
header
The 24th Annual Fat Guy’s Open Charity Golf Tournament, presented by Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc., was held at Hawk’s Landing Golf Club. All proceeds from this event benefit the Frank Bracco Memorial Scholarship and support The Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools. Anyone who has seen an Orlando Magic basketball game knows super fan Dennis Salvagio, aka The Fat Guy. Dennis is the host of this annual golf tournament. Dennis can be seen at Magic games getting the crowd started by holding up signs for the camera that read “Cheer With The Fat Guy” or “Make Noise With The Fat Guy.” Once again, the tournament was a huge success and has become a must for several area businesses that have been involved for over twenty years. For information on how you can become part of this event next year, please call Tournament Director – Michael Gibbons 407-620-9165 or via email gibbons1820@earthlink.net.
Pictured: Shawn Goos, John Ingram, Jean Vansmith – Exec. Director of the Seminole County Public Schools Foundation ,Dennis Salvagio – The Fat Guy, Michael Gibbons, Gordon Wright. 34
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
1 WEEK 224 THOUSAND $4.55 MILLION OF PREMIER GOLF
TOURNAMENT ATTENDEES
DONATED IN 2018
FEB 25 - MAR 3, 2019
To support our mission through a tournament partnership or to purchase tickets, please visit
thehondaclassic.com
golf history header
By Ron Heller
8th fairway - photo by Andie Joh
Perhaps the most iconic
golf shot ever taken was Gene Sarazen’s 1935 downhill 4 wood second shot on the 15th hole at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta Ga. It was a double eagle and Gene went on to win the Masters that year. What made this shot so spectacular was the difficulty of the downhill lie; the ability to launch the ball skyward and slow it to a stop went it hit the pin in the middle of the 15th green. The shot was even more miraculous when you consider the incline of the green; the water dividing the fairway from the green; and the body of water over the green. But, few realize what ‘magic’ made this shot possible; you’re about the read how it was done. Historians have to note that the Masters was in its infancy. Players had only played the course a few times and the course always won. In addition, golfers were not used to the undulations of the course; they hardly ever practiced on steep inclined lies. Sarazen had one up on the other
original plan for highland park 36
hole 9 - 490y March after he drove up Hwy 98 from Miami. He turned off onto Hwy 27 3rd hole - 1937 and drove the winding scenic hills of central Florida which was rich with Masters participants. citrus groves; literally thousands of On his way north from south Florida orange and grapefruit trees. where the tour played in March of When he reached the area just south each year, Sarazen always took the of the town of Lake Wales he pulled last week of March or the first week of off the dirt road and parked his car at April off from competition. With the the end of a path that led to a beautiful Masters being the first week of April Spanish styled hacienda where in 1935, Sarazen preferred to be rested northern visitors resided during the and to just practice the types of shots winter months: It is where Gene would he would face at Augusta National GC. stay while he practiced on the adjacent So, Gene Sarazen small course unknown to very few. stopped by his Today it’s known as Highland Florida friend’s property Golf Club. It celebrates over 90 years just south of Lake of golf played on its rolling hills that Wales, Fl. in late give all golfers numerous uphill and downhill lies; not just Gene Sarazen. It is one of Florida’s historic golf courses. Day after day Gene would take a bag of balls and hit shots from every angle and lie. Few people played the course in those days so Gene practically had the course to himself. Over the years however, many played and enjoyed this scenic wonder. Last year new ownership took over and A. J. Hill now is the general manager and golf superintendent. She is a marvel and intends to bring this once fascinating course back to its glory days. The course has 18 championship holes playing to over 6100 yards and has three tees for players of all handicaps. Call for tee times 863-679-9478. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT MATTER THE MOST.
DON'T IGNORE YOUR IMAGE..EMBRACE IT! Image matters. Design, Graphics and Signs are a chance to make a first impression with a new customer, a way to inform, identify and direct the public and a way to create a brand and image for your facility. Don't ignore your Image... Embrace it. Whatever your requirements are, we will work with you to select the best method suited for your project and budget. TrueBlue Designs, Inc. offers a complete range of services that put your name, logo, or message on virtually anything. We strive to meet each client's individual needs, deadlines, deliver positive results, and add value to your property and or business(es).
SIGNS. PRINT. GRAPHICS. 407.326.6800 | TBDsigns.com PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
GOLF TORNAMENT SIGNAGE
BANNERS & SIGNICADE AND MUCH MORE
Hole Sponsor Signs
37
feature header
We’re
Diamond Resorts Brings LPGA Tour to Orlando with New Tournament of Champions
Back!
The LPGA Tour hasn’t had a tournament of champions in more than a decade.
But that’s about to change for the 2019 season with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Presented by Insurance Office of America.
To be held Jan. 17-20, 2019, at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Orlando in Florida, the tournament will be a true champions’ event with only LPGA winners from the 2017 and 2018 seasons qualifying to compete. Presented by
They will be playing 72 holes with no cut for $1.2 million in official prize money, and with one of the top fields of women golfers in the world, the competition will be tough. And there’s a twist.
The women will be playing alongside a roster of worldclass sports and entertainment celebrities who will be competing for their own $500,000 purse using a modified Stableford scoring format.
“This is not your mom and dad’s golf tournament,” said Mike Flaskey, Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts, a global leader in the hospitality, vacation ownership and entertainment industries.
38
38
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6 Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
TOP RIGHT Diamond Resorts Celebrity ambassador and country music hit-maker Cole Swindell performs during a private evening event. Swindell is scheduled to compete in the 2019 tournament. MIDDLE RIGHT Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and LPGA Tour champion Brooke Henderson speak to media. Henderson is qualified for the 2019 tournament.
BOTTOM RIGHT Cy Young Award winner and baseball legend Roger Clemens signs autographs for fans. Clemens is scheduled to compete in the 2019 tournament.
“We hold great concerts and events in the evenings and focus on hospitality, which is a big part of what we do at Diamond Resorts, so we’re bringing that together with the professional golf element mixed with celebrities – it’s way more than just a golf tournament. In fact, it will be the place to be in Orlando that week.”
To date, 36 LPGA players have qualified to compete, including Brittany Lincicome, Brooke Henderson, Marina Alex, Shanshan Feng, Georgia Hall, Nasa Hataoka, Eun Ji, Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Danielle Kang. Cristie Kerr, In-Kyung Kim, Sei Young Kim, Katherine Kirk, Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko, Jessica Korda, Mi Hyang Lee, Minjee Lee, Mirim Lee, Stacy Lewis, Pernilla Lindberg, Haru Nomura, Anna Nordqvist, Annie Park, Inbee Park, Sung Hyun Park, So Yeon Ryu, Thidapa Suwannapura, Angela Stanford, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie and Amy Yang.
Confirmed celebrities include Hall of Famers, All-Stars, MVPs and superstars from major sports, such as: Marcus Allen, Jeremy Roenick, Mark Rypien, Justin Verlander, Brian Urlacher, Charles Woodson, Roger Clemens, John Smoltz, Ray Allen, Jon Lester, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, Mark Mulder, Jerry Rice, Mardy Fish, and former NASCAR champion Michael Waltrip. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Actors, personalities and entertainers include Alfonso Ribeiro, Jack Wagner, Cole Swindell, Rob Riggle, Blair O’Neal, Larry the Cable Guy and Chad Pfeifer, who is a Bush Institute Warrior Open Champion. Threesomes may include a combination of LPGA champions and sports or entertainment celebrities, and some with all LPGA players or all celebrities, so fans could see their favorite LPGA champions playing alongside their favorite baseball star.
“Whether you’re a golf fan or not, whether you watch professional golf or not, people like Larry the Cable Guy, they like Lee Brice, they like Cole Swindell, they like Marcus Allen,” said Flaskey. “So, we’re appealing to a whole different set of fans and audiences. When you combine the two together, you pick up the golf demographic along with those who enjoy the celebrity element, and the result is something pretty special.” Thursday and Friday rounds of the tournament will air on Golf Channel, and Saturday and Sunday rounds will air on NBC, preceded by an hour-long Golf Channel lead-in. But nothing will beat being on the course for this inaugural event.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW at DiamondLPGA.com and range from $30 for a single day pass to $60 for a four-day grounds pass. For more information about the tournament, visit
DiamondLPGA.com
or follow Diamond Resorts on Twitter @DiamondResorts #DiamondLPGA. 39
By David Theoret
stay & play
Springdale Country Club has a rich and flavorful history Fred Tingle had a vision. Tingle was the executive of the Butterick Corporation in Manhattan, NY, the creator of the first graded sewing pattern. Fred saw himself as a golf course owner, one day retiring to the mountains – somewhere - and running a little nine-hole course he had built, well into his golden years. As fate would have it, 550 acres of land in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina that he had his eye on became available. Fred had hesitated when this same piece of property was for sale several years earlier and, as the
saying goes, if you snooze you lose. Now, this very property was being auctioned off on the courthouse steps of Waynesville, North Carolina. Fred didn’t hesitate the second time. The land that Tingle purchased had at one time been the site of Springdale Farm, a girls camp in the early 60’s where the kids spent their summers harvesting vegetables, milking cows, collecting eggs, hiking the trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains and tubing the cool waters of the Pigeon River. Unbeknownst to Fred at the time, Springdale Farm would become the main provider of all of the milk, eggs and vegetables used at his new venture. In 1968, Springdale Country Club opened as planned – Fred’s nine-hole dream. Golf’s popularity was on the rise and soon after opening, Fred and his wife Eunice realized that nine holes were simply not enough. In 1972, Fred opened up the second nine and the Springdale Country Club as it is known today was born. After building the second nine, Fred and his wife Eunice would sit around the clubhouse waiting for golfers to show up. Since the area wasn’t exactly teeming with golfers ready to beat down their door and play a few rounds, Fred and Eunice decided they were going to
40
have to do something different in order to entice golfers up and down the east coast. They decided to build a few cabins and a small restaurant on the property and promptly took out a small ad in Golf Digest, announcing their new Mountain Golf Packages. Slowly but surely, people began to show up. They saw firsthand all that Springdale had to offer and began to tell their friends. Business picked up for the Tingles and before they knew it, golfers were coming down from Canada and the Great Lakes region and up from the hot summer sun of Florida to experi-
ence mountain golf and the delicious food served up at the restaurant. Rather than hire a restaurant staff, the Tingle’s employed local moms and grandmas to cook up tasty Southern home-cooked dishes: biscuits and gravy in the morning, fried chicken, mountain trout, chicken pot pie and meatloaf in the evenings. The food was served family style as it is today, allowing guests to eat all that their hearts desired. What had started out as a nine-hole dream had now become a full-fledged golf resort. Unfortunately, Fred Tingle passed away in 2005 and Eunice continued to own and operate the resort. After years of making a go it, it just became too much and Eunice finally agreed to sell Springdale Country Club. In early 2018 the new owners took over and during
the past several months, conditions have improved greatly. When I visited the course in June, I found it to be in great condition, however ownership did not agree and is continuing to make improvements, not only to the course, but other amenities on the property as well, including the reopening of a full-service bar that will feature live entertainment and is sure to be a hit with the locals. Look for it to be open on your next visit. From the back tees, Springdale Country Club measures 6,812 yards with a course rating of 72.5 and a slope of 130. It will test the best golfers around. Mere mortal men can choose to play from the White Tees (6,437/70.7/124) while seniors will prefer the gold (5,734/68/117). Ladies will most likely opt for the Red Tees (5,421/72.4/121). Fairways are lush and green and water in the form of ponds and mountain streams can come into play on at least nine holes. Trees more so than bunkers are the hazard of choice along the fairways, however sand is strategically placed around many greens to catch errant approach shots. The greens are large for the most part and putt well with subtle undulations. All in all, Springdale will provide a fun and fitting challenge for golfers of all abilities.
The mountains can have a profound affect on a golf course. Case in point is the green on Number 7. The green looks like it slopes dramatically from front to back, however the mountains can play tricks on you, and it is actually the opposite. Once you realize what’s happening, it makes things interesting the rest of the way around the course. I have it on good authority that the nines are going to be reversed and the course will once again be played as it was originally routed. The (soon to be) front nine starts out with a links golf feel as it meanders through the valley bordering the east fork of the Pigeon River with lovely mountains views of Sugar Top and Rocky Face. The first six holes offer more generous landing areas off the tee and are fairly wide open. It’s
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
a good opportunity to gain the accuracy you will need on the back side. The final three holes on the outward nine are the start of what will be an exciting round of mountain golf. The (soon to be) back nine takes you on a roller coaster ride through the mountains, with huge elevation changes. In addition to challenging golf holes, you’ll enjoy stunning scenery, including breath-
much since the days of Fred and Eunice Tingle. When you book a stay and play golf package at Springdale Country Club, here’s what a typical day consists of: 1. Drive your golf cart up to the clubhouse for breakfast. 2. Enjoy your southern buffet breakfast and head to the first tee (or driving range if you’re really committed) with a full belly. 3. Play the front nine. 4. Pick up snacks and beverages at the turn and get ready to take on the back nine. 5. Play the back nine.
taking views of Cold Mountain. The par 4, 13th (soon to be 4th) is Springdale’s most memorable – and challenging – hole. Affectionately dubbed The Springdale Spasm, this hole is sure to cause you fits; if you haven’t played it before, best of luck. It’s a 414-yard (White Tees), uphill, dogleg right that requires length of the tee, just to have a peak at the green. To complicate matters, there’s a mountain stream that runs down the right side of the fairway and crosses it at the 150-yard mark. Hit it right off the tee and forget about it. Complete the first task successfully and all that’s left is a long iron or hybrid, down a very narrow fairway to an elevated green, protected by bunkers on either side. In addition to very affordable membership opportunities, Springdale offers some of the best Stay and Play golf packages in the North Carolina Mountains. All packages include lodging, a daily breakfast buffet, golf, golf cart, family style dinners, and daily housekeeping service. Many of the vegetables are grown in Springdale’s gardens, so come hungry. All rental units can accommodate at least four people in each unit. Springdale offers guests a variety of accommodations including golf villas, roundhouses (literally) and cottages. The Golf Watch Villas are the resort’s premium accommodations and overlook the 10 and 11 holes and feature 2 large bedrooms –
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
one on each side of the villa - with the living room and kitchen in the middle. Each bedroom has 2 full size beds and a full bathrooms, washers & dryers, and a covered deck with outside seating. Springdale’s Roundhouse accommodations have 2 bedrooms with 2 twin beds in each room, 2 full baths, and a full size kitchen and living room. The Roundhouses are the perfect accommodation for a group of 4 looking to spend some quality time on the golf course and then enjoy their own bed at night. Springdale also offers Country Cottages and Forest Homes, each with 2 bedrooms with 2 twin beds in each room, 2 full bathrooms, a full size kitchen and spacious living room. Whatever your group is looking for, Springdale can provide. The modus operandi hasn’t changed
6. Return to the clubhouse, lie to others in your group about your best shots on The Springdale Spasm. 7. Enjoy a family style dinner. 8. Drive your cart back to your accommodations, relax and get ready to do it all again the next day. If this sounds like something you and your golf buddies (or spouses, of course) would enjoy, call Springdale Country Club at (828) 235-8451. Springdale Country Club does not offer online booking, instead they prefer the old-fashioned talk-tosomeone-on-the-phone approach. That’s how they’ve done business for years. For more information, visit their website at www.springdalegolf.com.
grip it &header sip it
Numanthia 2014 • THE ESTATE SIGNATURE. • Blend: 100% Tinta de Toro. • Color: Bright cherry-red with ruby highlights. • Aroma: A powerful and intense wine. Fresh yet silky, offering an explosion of fruity flavors such as ripe raspberry, blackberry and cherry. It boasts a complex nose with spicy notes, among them mint, cloves and tobacco. • Palate: Firm on the palate, with a harmonious, balanced, fleshy development. On balance, what is most noticeable in this wine is its structure, body and depth. Its finish is firm and persistent, with a refreshing acidity and touches of mocha, shiitake mushrooms and spices. • Food Pairing: Rack of lamb with herb crust.
Termes 2015 • THE VIBRANT EXPRESSION OF TORO. • Blend: 100% Tinta de Toro. • Color: Cherry-red with purple highlights. • Aroma: Complex and persistent notes of red fruits such as raspberry and red currant, with fresh aromatic herbs aromas such as thyme and eucalyptus. • Palate: A vibrant wine, with a fruity and fresh attack. Full body and persistent, this wine shows well-integrated and round tannins. An intense finish for a really elegant and well-balanced wine. • Food Pairing: Jamón Serrano.
Termanthia 2013 • THE DIAMOND OF TORO. • Blend: 100% Tinta de Toro. • Color: Deep red with a garnet edge and a dense texture. • Aroma: A concentrated, uniquely complex aroma with multiple layers. The scent of ripe plums and cherries joins that of violets and black olives, thus creating a wine that is balanced and harmonious. • Palate: Boasts a generous volume on the palate, with firm, fine tannins. Its complex and intense structure makes it an elegant, balanced wine where the subtle, complex aromas of mocha, tobacco and dry figs are a perfect match for the black fruit notes. The finish is long and persistent, with mineral, spicy and smoky notes. • Food Pairing: Roasted suckling lamb or chocolate millefeuille with red fruits.
Grip it and Sip it. 42
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Reynolds Lake Oconee
Welcome to the Georgia Golf Trail Stone Mountain Golf Club
The Georgia Golf Trail has something no other state has to offer anywhere in the country, 23 top resorts that have first class golf and accommodations second to none. From the mountains to the coast, come play golf where legendary golfer Bobby Jones lived and helped build a reputation of golf history that you won’t find anywhere.along the Georgia Golf Trail.
Sea Island
• Arrowhead Pointe • Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa • Brazell’s Creek • Callaway Gardens • Chateau Elan • Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee • Harbor Club on Lake Oconee • Highland Walk • Innsbruck Golf Club • Jekyll Island Georgia • Lake Blackshear • Lanier Islands – Legacy Golf Club • Little Ocmulgee • Meadow Links • Old Toccoa Farm • Reynolds Lake Oconee • Sea Island • Sea Palms Resort & Conference Center • Stone Creek Golf • Stone Mountain Golf Club • The Creek • The Lakes • The Club at Savannah Harbor • The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
Learn more about where to gofor and what Package to see on Quote Lake Oconee by visiting www.Facebook.com/LakeOconeeTracy Call Today 770-266-0331 a Golf | Check us out online at georgiagolfandtravel.com 43
By Dove Jones
georgia golf central
Atlanta's “New” Bobby Jones Golf Course
Atlanta’s oldest public golf course debuted in 1932 and was named after, with his blessing, the world’s most celebrated golfer and Atlanta’s favorite sporting son – Robert “Bobby” Tyre Jones, Jr. After winning his momentous and historic Grand Slam (the US Open, US Amateur, The Open Championship and The Amateur Championship) in 1930 Jones retired from competitive golf and returned to his Atlanta law practice and other golf projects closer to home, most notably the creation of Augusta National GC. Sadly throughout the years and after Jones’ passing too early in 1974 from syringomyelia, the Bobby Jones GC had seen better days and was in danger of being lost to development. In a remarkable leap of faith and perseverance this November saw the rebirth of the Bobby Jones GC; not only as a fitting tribute to the Jones legacy, but a gift to the future of the game. Almost a decade ago, Marty Elgison, an avid golfer and the Jones family lawyer for over two decades had the idea to renovate the original Bobby Jones GC to something worthy of Jones’ name. He enlisted Bob Cupp, another son of Atlanta and a worldrenown, award winning, golf course architect, to assist. What Cupp came back with was innovative and revolutionary, perfect as a nod to Jones and his achievements but also controversial and very expensive. Time and technology had moved on from the original layout of well under 7,000 yards and there was no room to expand given the confines of being located in Buckhead, one of the city’s most expense neighborhoods. In addition, the course had been laid out in a flood plain. Therefore it was always wet and the land was overgrown with vegetation and too many trees. Cupp’s 44
Dr. Robert T. Jones IV assumes his grandfather's famous pose
Superintendent Kyle Macdonald and his assistant "Rugby" solution? Take the existing course to dirt and rebuild as a reversible ninehole layout that could stretch to over 7,000 yards twice around from the tips. It would also be a nod to the Old Course in St Andrews that figured so prominently in Jones’ life as it too is a reversible routing. In addition, there would be room for a proper 40-station two-sided range, short game area and a 6-hole short course, the “Cupp Links” just for junior golfers 12 and under. But that was just the start of the
innovative concepts that will define this facility as a true “grow the game” municipal model well into the future. It takes a village, or in this case a city and beyond to create a project of this magnitude. The estimated price tag of over $25 million would have been enough to scare even the most seasoned golf industry professionals from starting, but not the key members of the Bobby Jones GC Foundation. Elgison enlisted fellow lawyer and past golf professional, Chuck Palmer, to spearhead the fund raising effort. To date the Foundation has raised over $23 million with under $4 million left to complete the capital project before turning over to the self-sustaining operations under the management of Atlanta-based Mosaic Company. The project has captured the imagination of golfers beyond Atlanta, much like the links of St Andrews draw visitors from all corners of the globe, so will the people of Georgia (as the course has a land lease with the state) be proud to share their golf oasis. What makes this project so special? First and foremost is the playing experience – It’s FUN! When I lived in Atlanta 20 odd years ago, fun was not the word I would have used – more like slog – just a means to get out and swing the club. Now it’s a layout that everyone can enjoy. Not to mention the superb course condition superintendent, Kyle Macdonald, and his team have created including smooth, fantastic true rolling greens, something the former course never enjoyed. The two nines, Azalea and Magnolia, play in opposite directions, so there are three routings. On various days players will play either the Azalea or Magnolia twice around and on certain days there will be a shotgun start on either nine and after all have completed nine holes they will move to the nearest tee on the opposite nine and play the course in reverse. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. On the day we played we started on Azalea No. 6 and after holing out on our 9th hole, Azalea No. 5, we then teed off in the opposite direction on Magnolia No. 5 to finish our eighteen on Magnolia No. 4 green. Even on days when playing either nine twice around the fact that it utiGolf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
The Azalea and Magnolia nines are clearly marked with directional signage
Artist rendition of Murray Golf House scheduled to open late 2019
lizes the Longleaf Tee System of eight separate tees and two pin positions cut on every large double green ensure that boredom is never an issue. Beginners and pros can play together and be either challenged or gain confidence. Georgia-based Club Car has equipped the course with a fleet of its finest carts that are all enabled with the new Shark Experience at no extra upcharge. These provide players with unparalleled connectivity and personally customized entertainment including music streaming, live TV, GPS yardage tracking, digital scorecards, Bluetooth capabilities, and more. Unknown to many, Jones himself was an innovator in the game, and he would be pleased at how technology and creativity has been integrated into all aspects of the facility. It will boast
the latest in innovative and cuttingedge technology, taking a contemporary approach to the classic game of golf. For example, indoor bays will offer technologically enhanced instructional and monitoring features to enhance their golf skills. The Foundation and the facility are also passionate that golfers of all abilities and ages find a home at BJGC. Junior golf programs will be through the YMCA, US Kids, GA PGA Section, GA State Golf Assoc. and other youth oriented programs and the “Cupp Links” short course will only be for players 12 and under. They are also working with the neighboring Shepherd Center, a local, world renown, nonprofit hospital providing medical care and rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord injury,
BJGC is a golf oasis in the heart of Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and other neuromuscular limitations, to create a state-of-the-art program for adaptive golfers. Next fall the Murray Golf House will open and be the new home to the Georgia PGA Section, Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, Georgia State golf teams, a room dedicated to recipients of the USGA’s Bob Jones Award, the 10th Hole refreshment outlet, a well-stocked pro shop and other unique features. Even non-golf playing family members can enjoy the facility with court time at the on site Bitsy Grant Tennis Center or a walk or run on the adjacent Atlanta PATH Connector Trail that weaves through the city. To make tee times or for more information please visit www.BobbyJonesGC.com.
Overview of BJGC complex 45
florida golf central
Story and photos by Greg Wise
Well, We Have All Heard “A Diamond in the Rough” In 1957, Carol Channing in 1957 introduced… “Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend.” To a golfer, if you connect the past with the present and you come up with, ”Diamonds are a Golfers Best Friend.” Especially if they are Black Diamonds… The rarest gem of them all… and they are wrapped in a Tom
Fazio Golf Design. Not 18 holes… Not 36 holes… but 45 holes of Tom Fazio Design and nothing is the same. Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida boosts 45 holes of Champi-
onship designs from Tom Fazio. The “Quarry” is by far the most intriguing of the courses at Black Diamond Ranch. As you play through ever changing elevations, you finally
enter the “Quarry” holes (13 through 18) and you are challenged with the Lime Rock Quarry and some of the most beautiful views in golf. Holes 14, 15 and 16 play around the rim of the largest quarry on the property. Not to be outdone, “The Ranch” 18hole course takes on it’s own style for flair and challenge. Matching wits with large massage bunkers and well-manicured fairways that seem like serpents wandering through the grasses. The final piece of the Black Diamond experience is the “Highlands” course. A 9-hole challenge and like the name implies, takes on the flavor of the typography with a massive amount of up and down elevation changes. Black Diamond Ranch is very much an exclusive closed country club lifestyle to live and enjoy these incredible courses. With that being said, Black 46
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Diamond Ranch has a “Stay and Play” program that allows you to experience the 45 holes of Tom Fazio Design. Staying on property in very well-appointed homes. Experience the fine dining of the Master Chef. Lounge in the pool after your round of golf, or even plan time for a workout in the onsite fitness facility. Tom Fazio is a true master in taking a blank canvas and creating a unique and dramatic golf environment to challenge your golf to the max. Black Diamond Ranch is one of those grand masterpieces that is worth your time to experience. Surprisingly, not too many people talk about it, except those that live in the community, but there is a separate, well hidden 4 additional holes of Tom Fazio Design. These Par 3 holes are nestled in the community and take on a flavor of their own. A simple (okay, just kidding about simple) walking course is perfect for the extra little bit of time that you may have left at the end of a day. Or maybe just to practice short game shots on an equally designed and maintained Tom Fazio Design Golf Course. It’s time to plan that next golf outing with friends and hit the links at Black Diamond Ranch. For more information: www.blackdiamondranch.com
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Visiting Black Diamond Ranch. I met Karl Hertel, working the grounds of this golf course. He stopped what he was doing to ask me if everything was okay. We started talking and I learned that Karl had been at Black Diamond since 1992. 26 years with the same company I asked? Karl responded, “I’m 71 years old, I have a medical condition that doesn’t allow me to play competitive golf anymore, so this is my way to stay involved and giving back, enjoy the fresh air and a beautiful piece of property.” Karl also commented, “What else am I going to do? Stay home, feel sorry for myself and vegetate, like so many others. I’ve never been that type of a person.” Watching Karl head off on his mower and realizing how lucky a company should feel having a quality employee like Karl working for them. I guess it says a lot about the company that he works for.
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19th hole
Starry Nightcap Tavern Back in the woods on the edge of the Cumberland Plateau sits a unique place like no other. Starry Nightcap Tavern is nestled beside a quaint little creek under a plethora of stars. The owner, Lisa Poe, had a dream and through hard work and determination, she turned that dream into a reality. Designing everything on her own, the tavern itself is quite amazing. Rustic and laid back, with a family friendly atmosphere, you can’t ask for much more than this! They serve craft beer, have live entertainment twice a month, karaoke every Friday night, and stream football games on Saturday. However, you feel right at home just sitting and enjoying your beverage of choice on the lower deck under the stars.
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Games such as cornhole, bad mitten, washer boards, horse shoes, and a variety of card games will keep you entertained. Hammocks are welcomed, and they have two or three they can set up if you forget yours! Cabin rentals and tent sites will be up and running late fall to early spring. Lisa plans to have 6-8 cabins for rent, numerous tent sites, and an eventual pay lake for fishing. In the meantime, feel free to soak your feet or enjoy your beverage in the small creek beside the tavern. For all of the horseback riders, there will soon be a hitching line for your horses while you come in and enjoy a craft beer. Kayaking is nearby as well as is an array of hiking trails. This is a very friendly place to visit, with excellent customer service and music playing constantly in the background. If beer really isn’t your thing, the tavern has sodas, coffee, and water to quench your thirst. Everyone is welcome! Stop in at the Starry Nightcap Tavern for a visit, and you will leave as a friend!
5455 Nashville Highway Deerlodge, TN 37726 www.facebook.com /StarryNightCabinRentals/
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
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GET INVOLVED Although the national promotion of Patriot Golf Day is over Labor Day weekend, you can play golf any time of the year to support the families of our fallen and disabled service members. Here are a few ways to get involved.
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freddy's fairway thoughts
Illustration by Greg Wise
By Fred Seely
Freddy’s
Fairway Thoughts Perhaps it's politically incorrect to bring this up,
but don't the PGA Tour's diversity efforts (The First Tee, etc.) need a trip to the service department? Best I can tell, there are 1½ American golfers of color out there today (Harold Varner III and the AsianAmerican you-know-who) compared to 50 years ago when there was no diversity effort yet we saw guys each week like Lee Elder, Charlie Sifford, Rafe Botts, Jim Dent and Jim Thorpe, and frequently saw others like Charlie Owens, Bobby Stroble, Pete Brown and Nate Starks.
“Growing the game?” The best black college golf team in our state is at Bethune-Cookman, which starts one black and four foreign kids. There are three high schools in our county which were “black” schools prior to integration and which still are predominately black. None have golf teams. I'll bet your area is the same. Maybe it isn't politically incorrect to talk about such things. Aren't we being told that we have to grow the game”? • One indicator of high quality of a club is how many USGA events it gets. Add Country Club of Charleston to the list. They had the Women's Amateur in 2013 and next year get the Women's Open. It's a Seth Raynor course with massive greens and sneaky fairway bunkers, and should now go on a short list for more. • A dying breed is golf writers. No Florida newspaper has a person who devotes at least half time to coverage of our sport and staff cutbacks have overburdened the reporters who are left after the massive cutbacks. Same in your state, I bet. • Yes, there still are members of the Golf Writers Association of America. Their annual championship will be at the Hammock Beach club in Northeast Florida. • You know Paul Tesori as a caddie (Vijay Singh, lately Webb Simpson) but he's also a very good player. He was once runner-up in the Florida Amateur (to Chris Couch) and just won the Mid-Am division of the St. Augustine Amateur, a very good tournament. • The Joseph C. Dey Award goes annually to the person 52
chosen by the USGA as its top volunteer and a Floridian gets presented it when the association has its annual banquet in February at San Antonio. He's Tom Dudley of Jacksonville, a former FSGA president and a perennial A+ scorer in rules quizzes. You've seen him on TV at major championships (he's the guy in the red cap who gave Tiger Woods the putting rule in this year's Open) and, if you're around state events, you probably have seen him there, too. • Excitement up our way with the reopening of a new and improved course in Jacksonville Beach. In an era when munys are struggling, the enlightened leaders of the beach community saw the wisdom of investing money (a reported $2 million) to fix up the old girl, which is so old its original architect was Sam Snead. Former Palmer Course design architect Harrison Minchew did the drawings and turned them over to Allan MacCurrach to move the dirt. The city then hired former Ponte Vedra pro Bruce Mohler as its general manager, got PV's Trevor Hughes to be its superintendent and lured pro David Leininger away from a nearby country club. The public responded on opening weekend with a sold-out double shotgun both days. • One more note on the course. Champions Tour's Fred Funk set the course record a few days before the official opening with 69. By the by, he's back in Ponte Vedra after a short move to the Palm Beach area. Rumor is that he couldn't sell his house in Marsh Landing CC. • With new rules taking effect on January 1, there's a big rush to learn. State golf association report that most of their seminars are sold out. • Kudos to Mike and Linda Jamison, who have kept the International Network of Golf going for over 25 years. They've provided a needed venue for vendors, media and others in the industry to get together to discuss the common needs. Part of the membership fee lets you into their fantasy contest, which requires you to choose a player in every PGA Tour event BEFORE the season starts, and you can only pick each guy once. Payoff is by the total money won and it's not as easy as it sounds. ING will be a presence, as always, at the PGA Show and will have their Spring gathering this year at Sebring, the Central Florida town, where your average joe knows about only the race track but the golfer knows its dandy courses. • A pal asked how he could improve his game and I suggested he go to the range at our club and watch how a good player practices. A few days later, I saw him again and he said he didn't learn anything. “I watched (Steve) Melnyk for at least a half-hour and all he did was stretch, chip and putt.” Oh. Questions or comments? fs4569@comcast.net. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
orth florida PGA north florida PGA north florida PGA north florida PGA north
By Steve Morris
The 2018 PGA National Award Winners have been announced and the North Florida Section is proud to have Section Member, Ken Juhn, as this year’s recipient of the Patriot Award. Juhn has put in years of incredible work and devotion for veterans in not only the Tampa area, but nationally as well. Ken Juhn, a 32-year PGA Member, based in the North Florida PGA Section, and the PGA Head Professional at Terrace Hill Golf Center in Temple Terrace, Florida, is the recipient of the 2018 Patriot Award. This honor bestows special recognition on a PGA Professional who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States. Golf has become a therapeutic part of the rehabilitation process for many Veterans with disabilities, and Juhn established Terrace Hill Golf Center as the premier facility in the Tampa Bay area for Veterans living with physical/cognitive challenges to experience the game in a welcoming environment. Ken is a three-time recipient of his Section’s Patriot Award (2013, ‘17 and ‘18). Additionally, his selfless acts have earned him community-based awards, including the “Service to Mankind Award,” “Friend of the Team Award” and “Man of the Year Award.” Our 39th Annual Meeting was highlighted with a special keynote speaker. Lou Holtz, college football legend spent time with our members sharing his insights, passion and great stories! Lou loves the game of golf and plays regularly. We are so appreciative of him giving his time to our Section en-
Lou Holtz
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Ken Juhn tertaining and inspiring our Members. Thank you Lou! Our Annual Meeting featured some great round table discussions along with a presentation from the PGA of America about the importance of diversity and inclusion. Insights about the new rules of golf were discussed as well. There was even a putting contest held throughout the morning for attendees to add a little fun and competition to the day. Thank you to all of our sponsors who were in attendance with their displays. A special thank you to Global Golf Sales for presenting our 39th Annual Meeting.
The Annual Jerry Porter Cup Chapter Challenge wraps up our tournament season. Ten of the best players from each Chapter gathered for some competition and fun at our homesite Reunion Resort. Each Chapter plays each other in a match play format with the Chapter who wins the most points taking the Jerry Porter Cup. This year’s 2018 Jerry Porter Cup Champions was the West Central Chapter: Jon Mansfield, Greg McClimans, Keith Kulzer, John Reynaud, Brad Lusenhop, Andrew Rilling, Kevin Kenny, Gary Koch, John Falcone and Jim Garrison.
Jerry Porter Cup Chapter Challenge
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
January 17-20, 2019 • Orlando, FL • Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Orlando
Get Close to the Action LPGA Champions and World-Class Celebrities to Play Side by Side
Find out more and get your tickets today at
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Awards & Hall of Fame Night The South Florida PGA hosted their Annual Awards & Hall of Fame Night, recognizing the movers and shakers of their PGA Section. Awarding those who have exhausted their efforts in the golf shop, on the course and around their community by giving back. Fifteen out of the 1,800 members of the South Florida PGA Section were recognized for their talents and passion for the game of golf. Supported by Discover Global Network, the evening included a cocktail hour to preempt the dinner and show emceed by Golf Channel’s Tim Rosaforte. Not a stranger to this event, Rosaforte has hosted the SFPGA Awards & Hall of Fame Night five times and was inducted in 2012 to the SFPGA Hall of Fame. Each award winner was recognized and invited to the stage to share a few words and thanks, and to receive their reward. The most notable awards given in-
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clude our Golf Professional of the Year and our Hall of Fame Inductees. Ken McMaster, PGA, General Manager of Miromar Lakes Golf Club was awarded the highest honor a PGA Professional can receive – Golf Professional of the Year. McMaster, has shown his commitment to upholding the values of the PGA of America and mentoring younger Members and Associates throughout his career. McMaster currently serves as the Section Membership Outreach Chairperson and is a Master Professional and has previously won the Bill Strausbaugh Award in 2017. Two stars of the evening included our Hall of Fame inductees, Warren Bottke, PGA and Brendan Cunningham. Bottke has been teaching the game of golf for 43 years, but currently serves as a PGA Teaching Professional at PGA National Golf Club. Over those four decades, Warren has taught 25 touring
professionals, mentored countless PGA Professionals and Apprentices and in 2017 teamed up with DaVinci Sports to open a golf academy in Beijing, China. Bottke shared his personal life journey to the audience last night, laying the foundation for his career of investing in the next generation of golfers. Also inducted last night, Brendan Cunningham of Naples was recognized for his 30 years of serving as the Official Starter for the Section. Brendan is known for his presence on the first tee, setting the tone and pace for every event he served as a starter. Cunningham dedicates his free time to the First Tee chapter of Naples and has also served as an official starter for the PGA and LPGA Tour. Last night, Cunningham expressed how last night was one of the best nights of his life, thanking friends and family for their support and imploring all in attendance to give back to the game.
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
SAVE THE DATE
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10 PGA Professionals Run in the 2018 TCS NYC Marathon
PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, whose mission is to impact lives through golf, announced the foundation raised more than $50,000, as an official charity team of the New York Road Runners (NYRR), for the 2018 TCS NYC Marathon. As a charitable partner, PGA REACH assembled a team of 10 PGA Professionals (Team PGA REACH) from across the country to participate in the race, while raising funds and awareness for PGA REACH programming. The roster includes: • Kyle Heyen, PGA (Team Captain): PGA Head Professional, Hiwan Golf Club, Evergreen, Colo., Honorary District 9 Director • Jeff Adkerson, PGA Master Professional: Mississippi State PGM Program Director, Starkville, Miss.; Honorary President Gulf States Section • Tim Burr, PGA: Director of Golf, Blackhawk Country Club, Danville, Calif. • Jason Epstein, PGA: Director of Athletics, Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Md. • Nathan Kalin, PGA: Director of Golf, Fremont Golf Club, Fremont, Neb.; President, Nebraska PGA Section 58
• Nick Knee, PGA: Head Golf Professional, Sandia Golf Club, Albuquerque, N.M. • Michelle Murphy, PGA: CEO, Murphy Performance Golf, Syracuse, N.Y. • Trent Rathbun, PGA: General Manager, Whisper Rock Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz. • Joe Sutter, PGA: Head Golf Professional, Quarry Oaks Golf Club, Ashland, Neb., • Bill Troyanoski, PGA Master Professional: General Manager, Half Moon Bay Golf Links, Half Moon Bay, Calif.; President, Northern California PGA Section In 2017, Team PGA REACH raised nearly $29,000 to support programming for its 3 core pillars: Youth, Military and Diverse populations. Team PGA REACH raised more than $50,000, smashing their initial goal of raising $30,000. NYRR is the official charity sponsor of the TCS NYC Marathon. PGA REACH is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to positively impact the lives of youth, military, and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
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Awesome Maps Golf Map
The new Awesome Maps Golf Map is a hand illustrated world map featuring over 400 of the world’s best golf courses, from world famous venues such as Cypress Point Club and Carnoustie, to lesser known gems such as Cape Kidnappers and Hirono. The map includes information about course style, signature holes, water hazards as well as major championship and Ryder Cup history, helping you to track where you’ve been or inspiring you to future golf trips! The maps are hand-illustrated by US artist Tim Bower, who also illustrates for Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, Links and Golf Week, using gouache and then digitally assembled to retain the beautiful texture. The perfect addition to brighten up any home or office, the map is available in either a paper poster edition (38” x 22”) or 100% cotton canvas print (59” x 35”). All maps are printed and shipped with love from Berlin, Germany by Awesome Maps. awesome-maps.com.
Tour Edge Exotics EXS
Looking for an ultra-premium golf club for Dad that’s loaded with all the tech and innovation you know he wants, but without breaking your Holiday budget? Tour Edge has your answer with their new Exotics EXS driver, fairway metals and hybrids. The entire Exotics EXS line of metalwoods feature a ton of gameenhancing innovations that has led the clubs to already be in play and collecting Top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour Champions. The loaded-with-technology driver features a Flight Tuning System (FTS) that includes interchangeable weights, an adjustable hosel that allows for plus two or minus two degrees in loft, RollFace Technology for an expanded sweet spot and Dual Carbon Fiber placement for ideal weight distribution. The new ultra-premium, high-performance clubs are in stores now with the EXS driver selling for an amazing $299, the EXS fairway metals for $229 and the EXS hybrid for $199. Visit www.touredge.com for more information!
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Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
Tune Driver
There is a long standing relationship between music and sports. For example, competitive runners set their pace by the rhythm of a favorite song. Moreover, athletes of every type often listen to music in order to “psych up” before training or to cool down after a game. Golf has never been the type of sport that has a nexus with music, but that doesn’t mean the same psychological benefits of music cannot be applied to a relatively silent sport. Instead, music tends to be absent from both training and informal competition among golfers because there are limited means of playing it. Music has become more accessible, but existing technologies limit golfers as it requires the use of headphones or portable speakers that bear their own inconvenience. While headphones may distract listeners from their game and surrounding environment, high-quality speakers are typically cumbersome and ill-suited to the golf course. Tune Driver Technologies is a tech startup striving to eliminate these limitations and provide golfers with the means to easily listen to music while on the range or golf course. With their unique, patented design, Tune Driver has a product that can conveniently provide audio enjoyment to golfers, which may actually help them improve their game. The Tune Driver Bluetooth speaker allows for easy portability without sacrificing excellent sound quality. The rechargeable, battery operated speaker is shaped just like the head of a driver and is affixed to a 42” shaft, so as to fit perfectly in a golf bag. Research in sports psychology identified several key benefits to having music in a sporting environment, such as regulation of emotional impulses, synchronization of movement, and attainment of “flow” in one’s performance. It is easy to see how these benefits could positively affect the game of golf. Order today at thetunedriver.com
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Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
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#2 Osprey
Designed to Conserve and Protect Water Consisting mainly of pine flatwoods with pockets of cypress and xeric oak scrub vegetation communities, Raptor Bay Golf Club is located in Bonita Springs along Florida’s Gulf Coast. It is situated on over 500 acres with 22 acres of lakes, more than 200 acres of native vegetation and nature preserves, and 125 acres of wetlands and adjacent buffers. Thirty acres of the site is an “eco-park,” containing diverse natural habitats preserved in perpetuity under multiple levels of conservation easements. Halfway Creek, classified as a Florida Outstanding Water, runs through the property and drains into the Estero River and then into Estero Bay. Estero Bay on the western border of the property is an Aquatic Marine Preserve. All these things, plus the human population growth rate of 20% in Southwest Florida, made water and wildlife the driving ecological factors steering the design and construction of Raptor Bay in the fall of 2000. To protect the water quality in the lakes on the property and downstream of the project, Raptor Bay incorporated an innovative design feature that raised the bar on water quality protection. To treat storm water runoff, Raptor Bay created 22 acres of 62
Phytozones buffers limited turf “phytozones.” A phytozone is generally defined as a shallow forebay at the edge of a lake. But this unique design at Raptor Bay integrates the treatment benefits of both a detention basin and a created wetland. These phytozones are characterized by a wide earthen berm that separates a shallow pool from the main body of the lake. Each is constructed to
receive runoff directly from the stormwater drainage system or from swales around the lakes. When the runoff is discharged into the phytozone by either pipe or swale, it is slowed, detained and filtered before flowing into the main body of the lake allowing the settling of solids and any pollutants. Jason Brod, CGCS, who has been superintendent at Raptor Bay since the summer of 2000 Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
states, “Continuous water quality monitoring results show that quality remains good, and that the phytozones continue to function as they were initially designed to do.” Heavily planted in native vegetation selected for the ability to take up and filter dissolved nutrients, the phytozones also provide habitat and feeding areas for wading birds and other wildlife including alligators. One of the main benefits to birds in particular is that they can forage and rest on the berms away from predators and any errant golf balls. Raptor Bay designer Raymond Floyd also created a unique course design with the use of native sand and palms with no formal bunkers and with roughs incorporated into waste bunkers. In addition, on all tees, only the tops are grassed, and mulch and native plants are used in surrounds and approaches.
Phyto construction These conservation design concepts result in the irrigation of only 52 acres of turfgrass for the 18 holes of golf which is about half of a traditional golf course’s irrigated acreage. Raptor Bay achieved Audubon International Gold Signature Certification on March 7, 2002. Now over sixteen years later, there have been a few projects to update drainage and other aspects of design that come with age,
but Raptor Bay has produced a sustainable project through their impressive application of sustainable development principles in construction and the use of best management practices in operation and maintenance. This blend in project design and resource management will continue to protect the waters of Florida for many years to come. To learn about phytozones first hand, visit www.raptorbaygolfclub.com.
#7 Hawk Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
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SUPERSpotlight: Jeff Plotts TPC Sawgrass
Jeff Plotts
While much of the United States is
THE PLAYERS— one of the premier events in all of golf and well known for its iconic, island green 17th hole—returns to March for the first time since 2006. After Webb Simpson cruised to a record-setting victory last May, significant updates and improvements have been made to THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and practice grounds to ensure ideal tournament conditions. From October 31 to November 4, the Stadium Course underwent a wallto-wall overseed of the greens, tees, fairway and rough, and the course remained closed to the public for three weeks to allow for optimal growth and conditioning. Four kinds of seed were spread: Rye/Fine Fescue on the fairways and rough and Velvet Bent/Poa Trivialis on the greens. Returning visitors to TPC Sawgrass will notice that the new grounds will appear greener
and lusher, a product of the rye grass’s composition and, not to mention, very appealing to the eye. Jeff Plotts, Director of Golf Course Maintenance Operations at TPC Sawgrass, oversees a team of more than 80 people in the Golf Course Agronomy and Landscape Departments at TPC Sawgrass, and his dedicated staff has been working countless hours to provide a pure and challenging test for the 144 pros who will compete in March. “Our Bermuda grass base will not be fully growing by the time of the tournament, so overseeding the golf course gives us the best advantage to have actively growing turf to help produce the best championship playing surfaces possible,” said Plotts. “Divots and ball marks will recover quicker, and the rye grass will handle foot
shoveling snow this time of year, the maintenance and operations staff at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is trimming and grooming fairways and greens to prepare for the world’s best golfers when they arrive for THE PLAYERS Championship this March (March 12-17).
The agronomy team at TPC Sawgrass overseeds the Island Green 17th hole at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on November 2, 2018 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Credit: Ben Jared/ PGA TOUR)
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Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
A close-up look at the overseed process on the 13th green at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on November 1, 2018. (Credit: Ben Jared/ PGA TOUR) traffic better than Bermuda grass on its own. When you look at the changes and improvements that have been made to the course since 2006, the last time the tournament was hosted in March, the entire facility has been enhanced literally from the ground up. TPC Sawgrass will be challenging, modernized and fully-prepared to host the best players in the world with its new March date.” Plotts, a graduate of the University of Georgia where he studied Environmental Science and Horticulture, joined TPC Sawgrass from TPC Scottsdale (home
to the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open) in 2015 and has been a member of the GCSAA for nearly 25 years. His extensive industry experience as a golf course superintendent has also included stints at courses in Georgia, Tennessee and Korea. Plotts has been a part of many significant course renovation projects throughout his career, but he doesn’t take his work lightly—after all, some of his primary ‘customers’ are the best golfers in the world. “When the last ball rolls in and the
last putt [is] made on Sunday [at THE PLAYERS], that’s when I kind of relax and go, all right, well, here’s what we did good, here’s what we need to improve upon…And for all of us as a group, it takes everybody to make this championship really what it is, and I think we’re all going to learn a lot this year. And what we learn this year is only going to make us better even for the next year. And I think that’s how we’ve been so successful at THE PLAYERS, we just continue to grow each year and learn what we need to do a little better.”
THE PREMIER GOLF MARKETING AGENCY
Trusted• Respected• Connected• How can we help?
321-303-9684 www.golfmarketinginc.com Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
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Sixth Annual ‘Mowing Patterns Contest’ Winner
Kyle Calhoon
the position of Grounds Manager for the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Hartford Yard Goats in 2016. In 2017 and 2018, he received the Diamond Pro Eastern League Sports Field Manager of the Year award. Calhoon graduated from Penn State University with a certificate in Turfgrass Management. Calhoon will be Hartford Yard Goats 2018 STMA Mowing Winner included in a future issue of SportsTurf, Loons. Formerly Head Groundskeeper STMA’s official monthly publication. for the Greeneville Astros (Rookie, His design will also have a custom Houston Astros), Rensel won with the poster featured at the 2018 STMA Conelaborate design he produced at Dow ference & Exhibition (January 22-25) in Diamond Stadium. Phoenix, Arizona. More information: 800.323.3875. Last year›s winner was Kelly Rensel, www.stma.org Head Groundskeeper at the Great Lakes
Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) – the organization for 2,700 men and women professionals overseeing sports fields worldwide and critical to athlete safety – names Kyle Calhoon, Sports Turf Manager at the Hartford Yard Goats (Hartford, Conn.), its sixth annual “Mowing Patterns Contest” winner. Calhoon was selected via a Facebook voting contest from Oct. 22 to Nov. 23 for his intricate design at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, home to the Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A, Colorado Rockies). “Kyle continues to elevate awareness of the sports turf industry through his impeccable field art,” says Kim Heck, CAE, CEO of STMA. “Finding the perfect balance of safety and visual appeal can be challenging, yet he has managed to accomplish this impressive feat.” With expansive experience in Major League Baseball (Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees) and the National Football League, he most recently held
Kyle Calhoon
STMA is the non-profit, professional association for men and women who manage sports fields worldwide. Since 1981, it has provided education, information and practical knowledge in the art and science of sports field management. More than 2,700 members across 34 local chapters oversee facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums. Sports include football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, rugby and horse racing. 66
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
CELEBRATE A Golfing Renaissance Charlotte Harbor National at Bobcat Trail is the newest jewel in the Gulf Coast Golfing Crown. Owner Rich Smith, former CEO of the North Florida Section of the PGA of America cordially invites you to enjoy a unique new level of the golfing experience. A multimillion dollar renewal of the greens and fairways, completely updated club and facilities plus a new dimension of regular entertainment all combine to offer Gulf Coast Golfing enthusiasts a new destination to play.
Call today and book your tee time. CELEBRATE the all new Charlotte Harbor National.
1350 Bobcat Trail • North Port, Florida
(941) 429-0500 golfthenational.com
golf fitness
Golfing and Dieting – The Fraternal Twins
Ken, Vicki and Jeffrey
Success or Failure with Either Depends on Your Commitment. If you are reading this you are probably a golfer. It could also be that you have been on a diet at some point in your life. It’s even possible that you are a golfer on a diet. To be candid and revealing, I struggled with weight issues for a large (no pun intended) part of my life. I went from a chubby Ken Pierce kid to a lean 205 pound professional ice hockey referee, to a 327 pound married guy, to a happier and healthier, 80 pounds lighter, golf swing training products creator in pursuit of helping golfers get more fit for golf. Your success or failure in golfing or dieting depends totally on the goals you set and your commitment to doing what it takes to reach those goals.
By Ken Pierce President, GolfGym, LLC
don’t commit the time it takes to follow up with the teachers instructions on the range. • Dieters often don’t make it through the entire program because they fall of the wagon and miss their “regular” food and drink. We monitor the scale or the scorecard too much. • Golfers are likely to be discouraged with their progress when the scorecard reveals a lack of improvement or lower scores. • Dieters get discouraged because, after weighing in a few times, they find that their plan is not producing weight loss as quickly as they were anticipating. There are many more similarities (and I’m sure you can add your own list), but you get the point. You must decide what you want to accomplish, establish a mindset that you will achieve that goal, and commit to the process. The truth is that if you want to be successful at golf or dieting, you have to make a lifestyle change. There is no “Silver Bullet”.
Making a Lifestyle Change Means: 1. Make a new plan. Determine the outcome you want in advance. Out with the old, in with the new. 2. Don’t focus on the scorecard or the number on the scale. 3. Commit the time and effort it will take to produce the results you want. 4. Don’t quit – Trust the process – Don’t give up. To learn more about my journey with golfing and dieting, suggestions, and additional resources to help with both, please visit: https://GolfGym.com/Golfing-Dieting.
Consider this… We have too many choices. • Golfers have thousands of videos, books, articles and training products to choose from that can “fix” any golf swing problem. • Dieters have hundreds of diet plans available from Nutrisystem to Paleo to Fasting to The South Beach Diet to Atkins to Weight Watchers, and many more.
We expect immediate results. • Golfers (generally) take a lesson or two to be “fixed”. Then, 68
Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
STAY AND PLAY THE
Just 60 miles south of Disney World is one of the most affordable golf destinations anywhere in the country.
Stay & play for as little as $99/person/night
including room, golf, and complimentary breakfast. (based on double occupancy)
VisitSebring.com for details.
in memory of
Staub, Kovelesky Win Inaugural Pam McCloskey-Brosnihan FJT Event at Quail Ridge
Pam McCloskey-Brosnihan
Nicklas Staub of Boynton Beach and Chloe Kovelesky of Boca Raton won the inaugural Pam McCloskey-Brosnihan Florida Junior Tour event at Quail Ridge Country Club. Staub (71-140) won the 13-15 boys division by two strokes over Joshua Stewart of Winter Springs, while Kovelesky won a two-hole playoff against Caroline Patterson and Kaitlyn Schroeder after they each finished at 1-under 143. Quail Ridge gave the juniors firstclass treatment during the event, including tee gifts, Callaway and TaylorMade representatives were on site with demo clubs and launch monitors, there was an ice cream social after the first round, free lunch after the second round and in addition to the customary
trophies, Staub and Kovelesky the winners’ names were etched in history on a permanent trophy inside Quail Ridge’s new clubhouse.
Chloe Kovelesky won the girls division 70
Along with the title and trophy, Staub and Kovelesky -- who qualified for the Drive, Chip & Putt finals -- received a one-year membership to Quail Ridge Country Club, whose former members include Masters champions Sam Snead and Claude Harmon. The tournament is named in honor of Pam McCloskey-Brosnihan, who served as Quail Ridge’s Head PGA Professional for 21 years before she died after a lengthy cancer battle in 2014. Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen was at Quail Ridge on Sunday, watching his son, Leo (75-147), finish tied for fifth. It marked the first time the Florida State Golf Association’s premier junior tour, which has produced recent major champions such as Brooks Koepka and Lexi Thompson, held an event that has been named and endowed after a golfer, in perpetuity. Funded by the Palm McCloskey-Brosnihan Foundation, the FSGA will offer a scholarship in Pam’s name -- $2,000 a year for four years -- to a Palm Beach County junior golfer who demonstrates determination, drive and passion for the game. “We could not think of a better way to honor Pam’s legacy than to partner with the FSGA and their junior program,” said Dan Brosnihan III, Quail Ridge’s PGA Director of Golf and Pam’s former husband. “As a past FSGA champion and Head PGA Professional at Quail Ridge, Pam dedicated her life to the game of golf. Golf Central • Volume 19, Issue 6
TOURISM. It’s a break for everyone. Our more than 66 million annual visitors aren’t just good for the tourism industry, they’re good for everyone who lives here. Tourists pay over $436 million in sales taxes, they pay to improve our infrastructure and helped build many of the public venues companies and residents enjoy. They are a major reason that businesses not directly associated with tourism are thriving, too.
Over the years, tourist numbers have attracted the great dining, shopping and entertainment opportunities that exist here, and have helped create many other businesses who serve the needs of our growing metropolitan area. The bottom-line is that tourism creates jobs, businesses and a better quality-of-life for everyone. Including you.
THERE ARE A MILLION THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN FOR YOUR COURSE TO BE PLAYABLE.
AND YOUR GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT IS THINKING ABOUT THEM ALL.
The pH of this.
The growth of that.
Too much moisture.
Not enough moisture.
Looking out for the environment.
To learn more visit gcsaa.org/GC
Looking out for the health of the course. And that’s just over coffee.
So say thanks to your golf course superintendent. Or make that, thanks a million.
WE BELIEVE Making a positive change in the life of a child is one of the most significant things you can do.
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