ON THE FIRST TEE...
With Nick Dietzen
Just like that another chapter in the history books of amateur golf in Montana is written. The MSGA just completed the state’s two longest-running amateur championships with the Men contesting their championship at Laurel Golf Club and the Women returning to the original host – Butte Country Club.
Both events included some history, with the Men’s Amateur seeing a playoff span over two days, with the winner, Liam Clancy, headed to Hazeltine National for the U.S. Amateur Championship coming up in two weeks.
On the women’s side, Lauren Greeny picked up back-toback victories for the first time in 15+ years, and Jo Smith set a record with her fourth Senior Amateur Championship.
The MSGA team has spent eight of the past 12 days on tour between the events and spending time with course staff, players and volunteers.
One of our rules officials, Shanda Imlay of Missoula, was the 1977 Women’s State Amateur Championship and twice the runner up. Shanda has officiated several of our championships and while she usually is in constant motion on the golf course attending to matters
with players and exhibiting her deft touch of anticipating scenarios. At the Women’s Amateur I was riding with her as we trailed the final group. Member play had begun, and it was entirely possible that they could catch the lead group given that play had started on both
1977 Women’s State Amateur Champion Shanda Imlay of Missoula adds to the playing experience of the MSGA State Amateur in ways that most would not recognize.
sides due to an imminent forecast that could have jeopardized the event, and we were running a few minutes behind schedule. The members were respectful of course, but Shanda drove the cart in the fairway behind to provide just enough buffer to make it obvious to the group behind. That type of anticipation could have helped make a critical putt quiet versus a cart driving up from behind.
It's all in the details for event organization and we are proud of the staff and clubs we work with on an annual basis that create great tournament atmospheres and cover the bases to not only ensure a fun experience, but a safe one and get ahead of potential issues.
Tim Bakker, our Tournament Director is in his second season and patrols the weather alerts in advance, anticipates areas where rules questions may come up and whether it’s 9-minute intervals for 10 minutes between starting times, no detail is too small for him to consider.
We are fortunate to have great help and as Shanda told me after we reviewed a rules question with a player during the final round, “I love being able to educate our players on the rules. Sometimes they aren’t sure about terminology or how to proceed and it’s great when they take an interest and want to know how to do things correctly.”
My role at tournaments is usually to stay out of the way of important things and attend to matters like making sure Tim eats at least one meal during the 16-hour day and working on pronunciations on the tee box while starting.
In all seriousness, in my conversations with players during the past two events, the
MSGA ABOUT US
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OFFICERS
PRESIDENT................................. Mary Bryson
VICE PRESIDENT....................... Peter Benson
TREASURER..................................... Bill Dunn
PAST PRESIDENT........................... Carla Berg
WOMEN’S CHAIR...................... Teresa Brown
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Russ Cravens, Bill Dunn, Ron Ramsbacher, Brett Bennyhoff, Teresa Brown, Rod Stirling, Mary Bryson, Sparkey McLean, Tracy Paine, Karen Rice, Joe Rossman, Peter Benson, Lisa Forsberg, Marcia Hafner, Carla Berg, Cheri Ellis
MSGA STAFF
Executive Director......................................... Nick Dietzen
Tournament Director...................................... Tim Bakker
Communcations Coordinator.......................... Ty Sparing
Operations Manager............................. Michael Williams
Membership Operations Director............... Emily Hulsey
Online Support................................................. Ian Hulsey
Graphic Design & Content Coordinator......... Katie Fagg
USGA Boatwright Intern............................... Josh Austin
USGA Boatwright Intern................................. Jess Miller
USGA Boatwright Intern.......................... Cora Rosanova
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Dietzen ............................. 1 (800) 628-3752, ext. 2
406GOLF STAFF
Editor in Chief............................................... Nick Dietzen Consulting Editor........................................ David Bataller Staff Writer........................................................ Ty Sparing Graphic Designer............................................... Katie Fagg
Montana State Golf Association P.O. Box 4306 Helena, MT 59604
1 (800) 628-3752 www.msgagolf.org
main takeaway was that no matter if it was a player in their first state event or the eventual champion – they all had first tee jitters, nearly everyone had something special marking on their golf ball.
In my opinion after starting hundreds of golfers -- golf is more fun when we clap for one another on the tee box and help each other out along the way. While not every player will enter the history books or have their name etched on a trophy, it was an awesome sight to see a former champion providing assistance to recent winners.
Furthermore, knowing that in the postround social tables, history lives on forever if you were in Todd’s group when he picked up the snake on hole 12.
Todd Sisson of Bozeman with his new little friend. Never a better time to practice social distancing on the golf course!
GREENY, CLANCY WIN MONTANA STATE AMATEUR TITLES
BY NICK DIETZEN & TY SPARING MSGA Executive Director & Communications Coordinator
Lauren Greeny of Bozeman and Billings' Liam Clancy won respective Montana State Amateur Championships in historic and dramatic fashion in the past couple of weeks ‒ an exciting display of top-flight amateur golf in the Treasure State.
Greeny Enters Record Books With Win
Some history was made at the 107th Montana State Women’s Amateur Championships on July 30, as records fell and champions were crowned. Held at the Butte Country Club,
golfers across three championship events had a sprinkle of rain to deal with during the third round of play, as they vied for the top spot on their respective leaderboards.
For only the third time in the last thirty years has a women’s golfer won the Montana State Amateur Championship two years in a row. Lauren Greeny of Bozeman managed to join Jasi Acharya (2004-05) and Rachel Warren (2007-08) in the rare category of back-toback winners. The MSU golfer is now one of just 21 women in the history of the event to win multiple times.
If last year’s playoff win over Valentina Zuleta was a nail-biter, this year Greeny took a share of the lead in the first round and continued to put distance on the rest of the competition over the next two days. Her 218 (+5)
Bozeman's Lauren Greeny became the third woman in the last 30 years to win back-to-back Montana State Amateur Titles.
overall score gave her a commanding eleven-stroke victory over second place. She also saved the best for last with a third-round of 69 (-2) which was the low individual round of the tournament and included six birdies (holes 1, 3, 5, 14, 16, 18). It is the third year in a row that a Montana State University golfer has won the Women’s State Amateur.
Tied for second place at +16 was Stevensville’s Macee Greenwood and University of Montana golfer Kylie Franklin. Greenwood had a share of the lead going into the second round but couldn’t quite keep up with Greeny who made very few mistakes. The Boise State golfer Greenwood had a third round of 75 that included birdies on holes 1 and 5 to go along with 10 pars. Franklin meanwhile shot a 76 on the final day with birdies on holes 4, 6, and 14 and eight pars made.
Another tie for fourth place at +18 was between cross-state rivals Scarlet Weidig and Hannah Ports. Weidig is another MSU golfer and two-time defending Montana State Match
Play Champion. She climbed a fair bit up the leaderboard on the final day after posting a third-round score of 71 (E). One of the frontrunners coming into the tournament, Weidig had a sluggish first round that prevented her from competing for the top spot, but once again found herself with a top four finish after ending up in third place last year. Her final round consisted of a birdie on hole 1, a bogey on hole 16, and pars on everything else.
Ports meanwhile is another University of Montana golfer who recently finished runner-up to her sister Raina in the 4th of July tournament in Whitefish. She had two birdies (holes 9 and 10) en route to a third day score of 79 (+8).
Tied for sixth place at +20 was Montana Tech golfer Emma Woods, and UM golfer Elle Higgins. Higgins also rose up the leaderboard after a solid third round of 71 (E). She had one of only two eagles recorded over the course of the entire tournament, which she accomplished on the par-5 hole 1. She also added a
Great Falls High's Hanna Boyd (T-9; +25) earned the Carla Berg Award as the low junior player in the field.
birdie on hole 4, and 13 pars on the day.
Woods started a little slow on the front nine, but with five birdies on the back nine (holes 10, 13, 14, 17, 18) and three pars, she finished at 74 (+3) and tied for sixth place for the second year in a row.
In eighth place at +23 is UM golfer Raina Ports, and rounding out the top ten was a tie for ninth place between UM’s Kate Bogenschutz and Great Falls High golfer Hanna Boyd, who finished at +25. Boyd was the youngest competitor to crack the top ten and as the low junior player in the field, her name will be etched on the Carla Berg Award.
In the Mid-Amateur Championship, Helena’s Darah Newell Smith captured herself a six-stroke lead after the first round and never looked back, ultimately winning the event by 10 strokes with an overall score of +15. Newell Smith had two birdies (holes 3 and 10) and 11 pars over the third-round, putting her at 77 (+6) for the day. Having previously won the Montana State Junior Championship in 2004, the Montana State Amateur in 2010, and now the Montana State Mid-Amateur this year, Newell Smith continues to add more accolades to an already impressive playing career.
In second place from Kalispell was last year’s champion Jackie Mee, who finished at +25 overall. The former Carroll College standout, Mee scored a 75 (+4) in the third round, which tied Newell Smith for lowest individual round of the tournament. It included birdies on holes 11 and 13, and ten pars hit.
In third place at +35 was another former Mid-Am champion, Ennis’ Susan Haskins who won the event twice in a row back in 2020 and 2021. She had a birdie on hole 7, and ten pars over the third round. Following Haskins in fourth place was Dillon’s Ashley Willett at +43, and rounding out the top five was Missoula’s Son Fleck, who finished at +60 over three rounds.
MSGA Hall of Famer, Jo Smith, won her record fourth Montana State Senior Amateur
Title, managing to outlast past champions Deb Porcarelli and Susan Court over the three rounds. Smith shot a +47 overall with a third round of 86 (+15) that included seven pars. Missoula’s Smith had previously won the title in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
Smith definitely earned the title this year, playing with past champions Porcarelli (two titles) and Court, a three-time winner in 2010, 2014 and 2019. The top three performers in this year’s Senior Amateur now have a collective nine titles between them. In second place was Great Falls’ Porcarelli who came into the event having won the last two championships. She had a third round of 90 (+19) that included seven pars and put her at +53 overall. Following Porcarelli was Helena’s Court who also had a third round of 90 (+19). Her three-day score of +55 put her in third place.
Missoula’s Carol Van Valkenburg earned fourth place honors at +58 and Bozeman’s Gay Elliot finished in fifth place at +64.
Congratulations to the winners Lauren Greeny, Darah Newell Smith, and Jo Smith on a job well done! We would also like to give a special thanks to the Butte Country Club for hosting yet another successful State Amateur event. An updated leaderboard can be FOUND ONLINE as well as through the Golf Genius App via GGID: 24MSGAWA.
Clancy Wins Men's Title in Sudden Death
It took an extra day and four extra holes to determine the 107th Montana State Amateur Champion. Liam Clancy outlasted Nate Bailey on the fourth playoff hole of sudden death, Sunday at Laurel Golf Club.
The two home-club standouts teed it up on hole 18 Sunday morning to resume a playoff that had begun Saturday Night with daylight fading. Both players parred the 18th hole and moved to the 10th. The challenging par-four saw Bailey find a water hazard on the right side
and ultimately a double-bogey as Clancy narrowly secured victory by bogeying the hole and claiming the title and a berth into the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship in August at Hazeltine National and Chaska Town Course in Chaska, Minnesota.
An hour-and a-half lightning delay in the final round and two-playoff holes prevented a finish at the 107th Montana State Amateur on Saturday evening. Play was suspended and Billings’ Clancy remained tied after two playoff holes to determine the title winner. It was an electric final round that saw the three-time State Amateur winner Bailey tied at -4 with former Wyoming and MSU-Billings golfer Clancy.
Bailey came into the day tied for first place and ended in the same situation after his third-round score of 73. The RMC golf coach had two birdies on the day (holes 4,14) and three bogeys.
Liam Clancy who was a Montana Class A champ in 2015 for Billings Central, and played
golf for his hometown MSU-Billings Yellowjackets, stayed in the mix overall after back-toback rounds of even par. Playing on his home course Clancy caught fire in the third-round with six birdies (holes 2,4,11,12,15,18) and only two bogeys to finish at 68 for the round and -4 overall after three rounds.
Billings’ Sean Benson, who was last year’s co-runner-up with Bailey, caught fire in the third round by tying Kade McDonough’s tournament single-round low of 67, as he catapulted himself back up the leaderboard and in contention for the title. Benson, who won the 2021 Montana State Four-Ball Championship, had six birdies on the day (holes 4,7,11,14,17,18), but it wasn’t quite enough to take over the lead as he finished in third place overall.
Laurel’s Carson Hackmann, the 2021 Montana State Junior champion finished in fourth place at -2. He had two birdies on the day (holes 4, 10) that capped off an impressive three-day performance on his home course.
Liam Clancy of Billings needed an extra day and four extra holes to win the 107th Montana State Amateur Championship over Nate Bailey.
In fifth place was Missoula’s Kade McDonough who followed his second round of 67 with a third round at 71. With yet another solid State Amateur performance, the future Utah Ute McDonough earned a record fourth Schwartz Memorial Award, given to the low round junior score (18 & under).
After back-to-back rounds of 70, Bozeman’s Joey Lovell had a handful of late round bogeys in the third round that took the two-time State Amateur winner out of overall contention and into a tie for sixth place.
Tied with Lovell was Laurel High School’s All-State golfer Sam Norman. Norman who will represent Montana in the Montana/Alberta Junior Ryder Cup in August had two birdies on the final day (holes 15, 17) and only one bogey on his way to a tie for sixth with Lovell. In eighth place was Deer Lodge’s Nick Prygocki at +1, in ninth place was Billings’ Riley Kaercher at +2, and in tenth place was Billings’ Samuel Berry at +5 over three rounds.
The Laurel Golf Club won this year’s Barnett Cup by twelve strokes. Named after legendary Montana golfer Don Barnett, the Barnett Cup recognizes the low two-person team from the same club. Laurel golfers had such a good showing in fact, if they formed two teams, they would’ve finished one-two in the Barnett Cup standings. The two players representing Laurel this year were Bailey and Norman.
In the Senior Amateur Championship, Billings’ Jerry Pearsall won the title by four strokes over Missoula’s Bill Dunn. Keeping mistakes to a minimum, the 2019 State Senior Tournament champion Pearsall managed to keep the healthy lead he established in round two en route to his first ever State Senior Amateur title. His round three of 72 was the best of the tournament for Pearsall, which featured two birdies (holes 3, 5) and only two bogeys.
Bill Dunn finished up in second place, the first time in a few years that he didn’t take
home the title trophy. A first round that saw seven bogeys made it tough for Dunn to make up the ground over the next two days as Pearsall never wavered from his consistently solid play. The MSGA Hall of Famer Dunn nevertheless made an impressive climb back up the leaderboard with a second round of 74 and a third day score of 70, which was marked by an eagle on hole 9 and a birdie on hole 18, and was the low round of the entire Senior’s Championship.
Third place in the Senior’s Championship went to Bozeman’s Tom White at +10, and rounding out the top five was a tie for fourth place between Bozeman’s Todd Sisson and Billings’ Mike Follett who both finished at +12.
Missoula’s Cory Bedell came into the final round of the Super Senior Amateur Championships at +9, just one stroke back from the lead. After a grueling three rounds of golf in the intense Laurel heat, Bedell saved his best single round score for last, shooting a 74 on the last day of play to win the title by two strokes. With three bogeys in the first nine holes, Bedell played mistake free golf the rest of the way, garnering a birdie on hole 12, and eight pars on the back nine. This is the third State Super Senior title he has won in the last four years.
Bozeman’s Lee Levine was second place in the Super-Senior’s Championship at +13. Levine had two birdies in his final round on holes 5 and 8. Following Levine in third place was Bozeman’s Timothy Haas at +23, in fourth place was Polson’s Carl Funk at +25, and in fifth place was Billings’ Cal Stacey who finished up the three rounds at +25.
Thanks to Laurel Golf Club and their staff for playing great hosts to an unforgettable championship. And as a reminder: An updated leaderboard can be FOUND ONLINE as well as through the Golf Genius App via GGID: 24MSGAMA.
1. Who introduced you to golf?
My spouse, Cardwell first introduced me.
2. Who influenced you the most in your golf life?
Again, my spouse and then the golf pro here at our home course, Jim Wallinder. They both encouraged me and entered me in my first tournament, the club championship, of all tournaments. From there I was hooked on the game.
3. What MSGA program are you most passionate about and why?
Junior Golf. When I first got involved with golf, we made every effort to play and involve our children. We provided transportation for them and their friends to play in every junior event we could in eastern Montana. When they played high school golf, I attended every school invite and state championship. I was deemed the team mother for not just our school but three others as well. And the girls' chaperone since all the coaches were males.
Today, even though our children are all grown, I am still involved with juniors. All three of our adult children are high school golf coaches and I am an assistant golf coach here in Sidney. And now our grandchildren are playing as well. I feel I am still encouraging kids to enjoy and have fun in this wonderful game.
4. What is your favorite course in Montana and why?
I have not played all the Montana courses but have played about 2/3 of them. I would have to say that Yellowstone Country Club is my favorite. YCC was the host in 1992 where I played my first state championship. I remember thinking to myself when I walked out onto the course that my “game had arrived.” I was now respectable enough of a player to be playing in the state championship. So YCC has always held a special place in my heart and I have enjoyed the help and respect of the professional staff over the years.
5. What is a dream golf course you’d
Carla Berg (left) hands out the first Carla Berg Trophy given to the junior with the best score at the Montana
like to play once?
There are several courses I would have loved to play when I was younger and able to—The Prairie Club in Nebraska, Bandon Dunes in Oregon and Whistling Straights in Wisconsin. And there are a few here in Montana. But now my dreams are when I lay my head on the pillow.
6. What is your dream celebrity foursome (living or deceased)? Why would you choose them?
I would love to see a foursome of Arnie (Palmer), Freddie (Couples), Jordan (Spieth) and Condoleezza Rice. They are all members of Augusta National. I think not only the game would mesmerizing and fascinating but the conversation and stories would be entertaining.|
7. What’s your most memorable moment on a golf course?
While I have several, I would have to say Charley Pride. In 1983 Charley was performing at our county fair and the Friday before his show he came out to the club and played with Cardwell, our pro and another friend. I and my lady friends played in the
group in front of them. I shot the best 9-hole round of my life in front of him and capped it off with a very respectable back nine.
While Cardwell took $10 off of him, he made the comment he was glad he wasn't playing against me because he would have owed much more. He then went on to play couples league that evening with the pro's daughter as his partner and closed out the evening with an impromtu concert in the clubhouse.
8. If you could change one thing about the game of golf what would it be?
It would be a Rules change. Free relief in the fairway if your ball comes to lie in a divot.
9. What brought you to the MSGA? What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the board/staff?
I started out with the MSWGA as a delegate to the annual meetings. I was elected as a Director to the board and then in 1998 I was elected Executive Director of the MSWGA. Following my election to the MSGA Board of Directors in 2015 as the first woman to serve the MSGA, we begin working on a merger of the MSWGA and the MSGA. In 2019 we completed the merger and I served as the VP of the board and then two years as board President. We now have the State Seniors under the same umbrella of the MSGA.
In this twenty-first century we have our organization unified and doing a great job going forward. The MSGA is the guardian of golf in Montana and the future looks bright. Which circles us back to my passion — the juniors and the future.
Bonus: Lay up or go for it?
My first impression is to go for it. However, now that I don't hit the ball as well, I would have to assess my options and risks.
Trophy to Celi Chapman. The Carla Berg Trophy is Montana Women's State Amateur Championship.
THE MISSOULA STORM OF JULY 2024
BY TY SPARING MSGA Communications Coordinator
At around 9:30 PM on July 24th, a massive storm hit Missoula and Mineral County, with wind gusts that reached upwards of 109 miles per hour and left roughly 40,000 residents and
businesses without power. Lightning repeatedly flashed across the sky as trees and powerlines throughout the region toppled over, creating a scene the next morning right out of a disaster movie. My family was part of those affected, finally receiving power and internet access 40 hours later, while many others remained waiting throughout the weekend.
A massive lightning bolt strikes Missoula, which along with 109mph wind gusts left 40,000 without power. (Photo courtesy of KPAX)
For days Missoula was littered with tree debris, powerlines dangling everywhere, traffic lights that didn’t work, and Northwest Energy crews driving around putting up a heroic effort in getting the city back in working order. Likewise, the Community Emergency Response Team and National Guard were called in to help deliver water and bagged ice at Fort Missoula, while the Montana Red Cross set up at the elections center offering showers and the ability for residents to stop by and charge electronics.
Chainsaws and generators were heard everywhere. Residents were advised not to enter creeks or float in the river due to so many downed power lines and were asked to conserve water as the city only had access to 50% of the water tanks. By the afternoon of July 26th, Governor Gianforte declared a State of Emergency in the area.
As one can imagine the local golf courses took quite a hit as well, reflecting the broader destruction in Missoula. Linda Vista was a prime example of the heavy toll the storm took, stating on their Facebook page that after full inspection they had 56 full size trees fall
over and 31 tree sized limbs break off. Hole five alone at Linda Vista lost 13 full size trees along with 14 tree sized limbs.
Other courses had similar loss of trees and went days without power as well. The University of Montana Golf Course lost 12 trees. Canyon River Golf Course announced that they sadly lost their signature tree on hole 18, while the roof of the barn at the Ranch Club flew off. The Missoula Country Club hosted several “work parties” in which members were given complimentary meals with music and a bar cart in return for help picking up the debris-filled course.
It took days for the clubs in the area to get cleaned up enough for play to resume, but it's likely there will be a long road ahead getting everything back in order. Despite the state of emergency conditions in Missoula and Mineral Counties, the aftermath of the storm was yet another proof of Montana resilience and the ability to come together as a community in times of disaster.
Updates on the storm can be found on the Missoula County Website.
The roof of the barn at The Ranch Club in Missoula was blown off during the storm.
- 406GOLF - AUGUST 1, 2024
Toppled trees and branches were strewn about Missoula Country Club after the storm.
Many trees littered fairwrays at Larchmont Golf Course in Missoula. (Photo Courtesy of Martin Kidston, Missoula Current)
A tree snapped close to its base at Canyon River Golf Club in Missoula.
Large trees were uprooted at Larchmont Golf Course in Missoula. (Photo Courtesy of Martin Kidston, Missoula Current)
Reigning State Match Play Champion Kade McDonough (back hat) and brother Karson assist with cleanup at Missoula Country Club. (Photo
Courtesy of Kurt McDonough)
Kade McDonough shows the sheer size of the trees - and roots - uprooted during the massive storm that hit Missoula in July. (Photo Courtesy of Kurt McDonough)
THE PUTTING-CLOCK CONTEST OF 1913
BY TY SPARING MSGA Communications Coordinator
While at the Butte Country Club recently for the Women’s State Amateur Championships, a few people were taking note of an interesting trophy that was on display. It’s a small silver and copper cup that has etched on it, “P.N.G.A – 1913 – Putting Clock Winner.”
It’s an interesting award from a bygone era, and it got us wondering about the context of that event, and few of us out of the loop wondered, ‘what is a putting clock?’
As one can quickly imagine, a putting clock aka ‘clock-putting,’ is when a golfer picks out 12 points in a circle on the green and putts at
each of those locations. As I came to learn later it’s a fairly common practice technique in our contemporary era, an exercise that I should probably give a try considering the shambled state of my putting game.
However, I couldn’t quite find any specific instances of putting-clock contests happening in our present day. I certainly found putting competitions, like the FCG World Putting Championships where junior golfers around the globe compete by going from station to station on a putting green. Then there’s the World Putting Tour that’s put on by Putting World Global out of Scottsdale, Ariz. It’s inaugural event was held in March at Putting World’s 18-hole indoor putting facility where
players competed over a $100,000 total purse, with the winner taking home a whopping $25,000.
Nevertheless, a putting clock competition did in fact take place at the Butte Country Club in 1913 and it was hosted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA), an organization that the MSGA recently joined this past January. Back before the MSGA was formed in 1917, the PNGA held regional events that drew many of the best golfers in the northwest, and every so often the host site was in Montana.
This occasion was the 13th annual Pacific Northwest Championship tournament and to make it special they ordered “45 loving cups of sterling silver and copper ornamented with silver” from the Hight & Fairfield Jewelers and Opticians company in Butte. The event itself was composed of five days’ worth of men’s and women’s qualifying rounds and match play rounds, along with a bevy of side-games like long-driving contests, 50 & 75 yard “approaching” contests, and then of course day long putting competitions.
There were two types of putting competitions and prizes were awarded each day: the 9-hole putting prize where players kept track of how they putted during their qualifying rounds of golf, and then there was the putting clock competition. Golfers would go round the circle and tally up every putt, with winners generally scoring somewhere in the low-20s or high teens. The cup in question at the Butte Country Club likely belonged to Miss Berta Opitz, Mrs. Elizabeth Earle or Mr. Chauncey L. Berrien, all from Butte and all three winners of at least one putting clock PNGA cup, among other awards also received. Earle also went on to win the overall women’s championship. Berrien meanwhile went on to become the President of the MSGA in 1931.
Four years later in 1917 the Montana State Golf Association was formed, and tournament organizers –
of which Berrien was one of – took a page out of the PNGA playbook when they put on the very first Montana State Amateur Championships. Along with tournament play, the newly formed MSGA decided on conducting daily 9-hole putting contests. This time it was a Red Cross event in which proceeds were donated and rather than cups, contestants won Red Cross medals for their respective events. Winners of the very first putting contest that year were Mrs. H.A. Frank in the women’s division
and 12-year-old Jack Roche Jr. in the men’s, both of whom were from Butte.
In subsequent years the MSGA added more and more contests, further reflecting the influence of the PNGA tournament held in 1913. For the next couple of decades, the Montana State Amateur Championships conducted driving contests, approach contests, and both the 9-hole and putting clock competitions, all eventually fading away during the years of the great depression and World War II.
The 1913 Pacific Northwest Golf Association Putting Clock winner's trophy.
THE GREAT GREEN DEBATE: FAST VS. FUN
BY JESS MILLER USGA PJ BOATWRIGHT JR. INTERN
Imagine this: you and your buddies hit the greens early one morning, only to find the putting conditions vastly different from what your afternoon tee-time friends describe. What's the deal? It's not just about how well you putted; it's about how greens change throughout the day.
Greens are like living, breathing creatures. Grass grows, slows, and reacts to the day's changing conditions. Superintendents walk a tightrope, nurturing just enough growth for recovery without letting the greens slow too much as the day wears on. Yet, weather throws curveballs—humidity makes greens "sticky," rain softens them, and foot traffic, especially from those with aggressive soles, tramples them unevenly.
Now, let’s talk speed. Faster greens sound glamorous, right? Speed isn’t free—it comes
with high costs and higher stakes. Imagine fewer hole locations and increased wear on your favorite greens. Maintenance becomes a high-wire act, pushing the turf to its limits. Bad weather or bad luck? Your greens could suffer for months.
And the play? Fast greens mean more challenging putts and chips, potentially turning your leisurely game into a frustrating marathon. Do we really want golf to feel like a constant battle against the greens?
Embrace balance. Let superintendents set the speed that's right for the course and skill levels. Enjoy the game for what it is—a challenge, yes, but also a joy. And remember, if you feel like rushing that two-footer, think twice. Play it like you bowl. Count every pin, respect every rule, and savor every putt.
For a deeper dive into the reason behind these green changes and the hidden costs of faster speeds, check out the detailed articles on the USGA website.
The cumulative effect of countless footsteps is just one reason why putting green conditions change throughout the day. Tread lightly!
GOT SHADE? TALL FESCUE TO THE RESCUE!
BY JOHN PETROVSKY
USGA GREEN SECTION EDUCATION MANAGER
There are many reasons why hybrid bermudagrass is the go-to choice for fairways and rough. It provides a reliably good playing surface during the busy summer season, and advancements in cold and drought tolerance make the newer varieties more resistant to extreme weather.
Throughout the history of bermudagrass breeding, talented turf scientists have improved many important traits, but its dislike for shade still challenges superintendents. Although some bermudagrass varieties tolerate shade a bit better than others, there isn’t much hope for it under large trees with dense canopies.
A solution that has worked well for golf courses facing this issue is to convert bermudagrass rough under and around trees to turf-type tall fescue. Improved varieties of tall fescue are well-adapted to the transition zone thanks to turf breeders who have been hard at work improving disease, drought and heat tolerance.
Compared to bermudagrass, cool-season grasses have higher photosynthetic rates and lower respiration rates in shaded environments, allowing tall fescue to maintain acceptable quality with 70% reduction of full sun (Wu et al., 1985). The daily light integral (DLI; measured in moles per square meter per day) is a measure used by turf researchers to quantify how much light grass needs. While bermudagrass generally has a DLI requirement of
USGA
Replacing struggling bermudagrass rough with turf-type tall fescue significantly improved how the areas under these large trees look and play.
about 25 or more, under certain management conditions, some tall fescue cultivars have been reported to have DLI requirements under 10 (Meeks et al., 2015).
If you’re looking for locations at your course where tall fescue might be a better option in the rough, you can map weak areas around trees, take drone photographs to see the extent of tree shade, or use a sun-tracking app on your phone to evaluate where shade falls throughout the year.
Tall fescue can then be established in these areas from seed or sod, depending on the time of year and how quickly you need to have turf coverage. Some courses mow tall fescue areas slightly higher than the bermudagrass rough,
but tall fescue is surprisingly tolerant of lower mowing heights and I’ve seen it do just fine at two inches.
Converting bermudagrass rough under trees to turf-type tall fescue is a strategy that has worked well for superintendents across the transition zone, from Oklahoma to North Carolina. Superintendents have said that the difference in how tall fescue areas look and play compared to the surrounding bermudagrass has not been an issue with golfers, and different turf is certainly better than bare ground. So, if tree shade is preventing your bermudagrass rough from reaching its full potential, consider making the switch to turftype tall fescue.
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USGA
Pruning or removing trees that shade playing surfaces can improve course conditions and reduce maintenance costs.
The Idaho Golf Association and WA Golf’s Ladies Golf & Wine Getaway is a member benefit for IGA, WA Golf and OGA members and is restricted to players who hold a handicap in one of the above associations.
Each registrant will be added to a pending list and will be manually moved to a confirmed list. There are 14 king bed rooms and 14 double bed rooms available on a first-come, first-served basis.
REGISTRATION FEES:
• One Golfer (Alone or with one other Non-Golfer) = $900
• Two Golfers sharing a Room = $715/player (total due at registration = $1,430)
WHATS INCLUDED?
• Two nights lodging at Marcus Whitman (Check-in Thursday, August 8th, 2024; Check-out Saturday, August 10th, 2024)
• Two rounds of golf at Wine Valley (Thursday & Saturday)
• Resort Fees
• Tee prize
• Competition fees for both rounds of golf
• Closest to the Pin Prizes & Long Drive for Thursday and Saturday
• Transportation to and from wineries on Friday
• Wine tasting fees at Dunham Cellars, Woodward Canyon & L’Ecole 41 Winery
• Boxed lunch on Friday
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Thursday, August 8th
Round 1 @ Wine Valley Golf Course - 2:30 pm shotgun
Check-in at The Marcus Whitman Hotel after round 1
Friday, August 9th
Charter bus pick up at hotel for wine tasting – 10:30 am
First stop: Dunham Cellars + box lunch (provided) 11:00 am -1:30 pm
Second stop: Woodward Canyon & L’Ecole 41 Winery (half of the group will go to one winery and the other half will go to the other winery. Then we will switch after an hour.) 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Saturday, August 10th
Check-out of hotel room at Marcus Whitman Hotel
Round 2 @ Wine Valley Golf Course –Tee times start at 11 am (10-minute intervals)
EXTRA NIGHTS STAY:
Should be booked directly with the hotel.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
Tuesday, July 15th - 3:00 p.m. MST
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lexie VanAntwerp: Manager of Member Services(208) 342-4442 - lexie@idahoga.org
