ON THE FIRST TEE...
With Nick Dietzen
The Montana State Golf Association Board of Directors convened in Great Falls for the organization’s annual meeting.
2024 has been a banner year in a lot of ways as we chart our course for the next several years through Strategic Planning in addition to strengthening partnerships locally, statewide (Montana High School Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, PGA Chapters and Montana Colleges and Universities). Regionally, we joined the Pacific Northwest
Golf Association in 2024 and nationally our partnerships with the United States Golf Association and International Association of Golf Administrators continue to evolve and mature.
As we begin transitioning away from tournament season, we are focused on delivering for our membership through expansion of programs, member benefits and serving the golfer at large. The mission statement for the MSGA is “To promote golf to serve and connect the Montana golf
Did you know... The MSGA provided free memberships to 1,412 junior golfers statewide
community.” What does this mean beyond words on a page?
You might not be aware of some of the programs and partner organizations that your MSGA Membership helps strengthen. Did you know…
• The MSGA Delivered $20,000 in grant funding to develop opportunities to connect juniors to the game of golf through schools and community programs.
• The MSGA Awarded $21,600 in scholarship awards to graduating seniors in their higher education pursuits.
• The MSGA Supported collegiate golf programs in the amount of $20,000 statewide to ensure continued opportunities for competitive scholar-athletes.
• The MSGA awarded over $15,000 in partner support to local and regional golf organizations like the aforementioned GCSAA and PGA sections and chapters.
• The MSGA through partnership with Youth on Course has subsidized rounds for juniors to provide access via $5 green fees at participating
MSGA ABOUT US
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OFFICERS
PRESIDENT................................. Peter Benson
VICE PRESIDENT................ Ron Ramsbacher
TREASURER..................................... Bill Dunn
PAST PRESIDENT........................... Carla Berg
WOMEN’S CHAIR...................... Mary Bryson
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bill Dunn, Ron Ramsbacher, Brett Bennyhoff, Rod Stirling, Mary Bryson, 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................................. Jess Miller
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
member clubs.
• The MSGA provided free memberships to 1,412 junior golfers statewide – a 139% increase from 2023!
The six bulleted items total over $120,000 in philanthropic support to serve and connect the Montana Golf Community of which you are a member!
In the coming months we will continue to share successes of how your membership creates opportunities and strengthens the game statewide. We also are excited to announce some enhanced partnerships, member benefits and news that will benefit not only competitive golfers or junior golfers, but all members.
We love to hear what matters to you and why you are a member. We want to continue promoting the game, our courses, our golfers and share stories across the Treasure State.
Our 406golf publication is the starting place for disseminating these stories and news, but we always love to hear from our membership, so please share news, thoughts and highlights from the game that connects us all – golf. We are committed to promoting, serving and connecting and it is through this mission that we thank you and are proud to announce that the game is vibrant, and membership is strong as we reached the largest membership count in 2024 – 21,480 members. Next year, we hope to gain many more friends, fans and members. Stay tuned for more good news this offseason and as always…
Thank you for being part of our community!
COMING TO BIG SKY COUNTRY: OLD WORKS TO HOST 2025 PNGA SENIOR MEN’S AMATEUR
BY TOM CADE PNGA Director of Communications
The PNGA will conduct its Senior and Super Senior Men’s Amateur Championship at Old Works Golf Club in Anaconda, Mont., on September 16-18, 2025. It will be the first championship held in the state since the Montana State Golf Association (MSGA) partnered with the PNGA earlier this year.
The first time a PNGA Championship was held in Montana was in 1913, when the PNGA Amateur was held at Butte Country Club. The winner of that championship was future PNGA Hall of Famer A.V. Macan. In 1947, while serving as the PNGA executive secretary, Macan donated the trophy to the PNGA to be used as the perpetual trophy of the PNGA Amateur. The trophy still bears the Butte CC logo, and continues to this day to be that championship’s perpetual trophy.
The PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur was held at Yellowstone Country Club in Billings in 1995, and is the only other time a PNGA Championship has been held in Montana, until the Seniors and Super Seniors tee it up at Old Works next year.
The Macan Cup, donated by PNGA Hall of Famer A.V. Macan in 1947 (while serving as the PNGA Executive Secretary) still bears the Butte Country Club logo from 1913.
The course has already developed a reputation of hosting significant local and regional events. It was the site of the 2023 Montana State Amateur, as well as that year’s Men’s Senior and Super Senior Amateurs. In August of this year, Old Works hosted the Montana Cup Matches, a Ryder Cup-style competition between the state’s best amateurs and the PGA professionals of the Yellowstone Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Section PGA. The club has also hosted several collegiate events.
“The fairways are wide and generous, while the greens are guarded by bunkers and are very big,” said Todd Lupkes, the course’s general manager. “Very challenging if the player doesn't play the right tees, and we can stretch it out to 7,700 yards if we want.”
Lupkes has been at Old Works since the spring of 2020, after several years at Palouse Ridge in Pullman, Wash. Palouse is managed by CourseCo, Inc., and when they took
over management of Old Works in March of 2020, Lupkes saw an opportunity to take the Jack Nicklaus design and make it shine.
“We’re in the process of re-grassing the fairways to Kentucky bluegrass, and the rough to Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass for quicker green-up after the long Montana winters,” Lupkes said.
First held in 1965, past champions of the PNGA Senior Men’s Amateur include a stable of Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame inductees, such as Tom Brandes, Pat O’Donnell, Chris Maletis, Kent Myers, Ken Forster, Dr. Jack Lamey, Dr. John Harbottle, George Holland, Erv Parent, and Carl Jonson.
The PNGA Super Senior Men’s Amateur has been conducted since 2010.
Although the MSGA became one of the PNGA’s member associations on January 1, 2024, the state had already played a role in
the PNGA’s long history. Opened in 1899, Butte (Mont.) Country Club was one of a handful of established clubs in the region during that era. The club was invited to attend the PNGA’s founding meeting on Feb 4, 1899, but they did not send a delegate, so is not considered one of the PNGA’s six founding clubs, but the club would host several PNGA events during the first part of the 20th century.
The annual yearbooks published by the PNGA in the early 1900s regularly included Montana as having clubs as members of the PNGA.
Old Works, which last year completed a remodel of its clubhouse and now includes a new restaurant and renovated pro shop, is a championship golf course that has earned recognition in Golf Digest on multiple occasions as one of the 100 greatest public courses in the U.S., as well as consistently
being ranked as one of the 10 best courses in Montana. On top of being a true destination for players from all over the Northwest, it’s an ideal fit for a PNGA Senior and Super Senior Men’s Amateur, as it provides the ability to test players in all facets of the game and offers great flexibility in yardage with multiple teeing options.
“I think players will be excited to travel to a new venue,” said Nate Schroeder, PNGA director of championship. “It will be a great opportunity to compete at a golf course that most have heard about but haven’t had an opportunity to visit until now.”
The course’s par-5 sixth hole was featured as one of the “Great Holes of the Northwest” in the March 2024 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine.
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the site on which Old Works Golf Club was built had been a large-scale copper smelting operation
that began in 1884. Capable of processing 3,000 tons of ore daily, it eventually closed and lay idle until 1983 when it became a Superfund cleanup site. In 1989, Anaconda citizens formed a group to promote the construction of a world class golf course on the site. Through cooperation between the community, ARCO, state and federal agencies along with Nicklaus, ground was broken on May 26, 1994, and the course opened in 1997.
As one of the largest Superfund waste areas in the U.S., the site was also one of the most challenging to design. Nicklaus' first signature design in Montana incorporated many historic relics of the copper smelter, from the flue and oven remains, to fairways that border and wind their way between black slag. The slag, a by-product of the copper smelting process, is also featured in all the bunkers on the course, providing a stunning contrast to white bunker sand found on other courses.
BY TY SPARING
MSGA Communications Coordinator
MSU-Billings Women win Briarwood Shootout, Men Finish Second Overall
The MSU-Billings golf teams stuck close to home for their fourth event of the season, the Briarwood Shootout. Held October 7-8
Briarwood Shootout ‒ Women
The Briarwood Golf Club Billings, MT October 7-8, 2024
Pos. Player School
1. O. Tipasathien MSU-B 79 71 +6
2. E.Tannenberger MSU-B 79 77 +12
3. Gia Vargas MSU-B 80 80 +16
T4. Pygmy Kompoj MSU-B 80 81 +17
T4. Chase Caruso L-C State 81 80 +17
6. Giulia Belfontali L-C State 82 80 +18
T7. Isabella Barquet L-C State 87 76 +19
T7. Dallis Shockey L-C State 83 80 +19
9. Haylee Adams MSU-B 84 81 +21
10. Jane Barry L-C State 83 83 +22
11. Grace Stroh U. of Mary 86 81 +23
T12. Kyra Allen SD Mines 89 80 +25
T12. K. Schroeder SD Mines 85 84 +25
T12. Natalia Gomez L-C State 90 79 +25
six teams showed up for two rounds at The Briarwood Golf Club in Billings.
The Yellowjacket women’s team has been on an absolute tear this season and it continued at the Briarwood Shootout as they won their now record third victory of the season, while individually Orraya Tipasathien won her fourth tournament in a row, also a new MSU-B record.
MSU-Billings Athletics
MSU-Billings star Orraya Tipasathien won her fourth individual title in a row at the Briarwood Shootout, a new school record.
Posting their lowest team score of the season, MSU-B had five golfers place in the top ten, including the top four spots. Tipasathien once again led the way at +6 (150), winning the event by six strokes. Her second round of 71 was the only individual round of the tournament to go below par. Having already broken the MSU-B record this early in the fall season, the way Tipasathien is playing she might very well put the women’s records out of reach for a long time.
In second place was Ella Tannenberger at +12 (156), followed by Gia Vargas in third place at +16 (160), and Pygmy Kompoj finished up in a tie for fourth place at +17 (161). Haylee Adams was the fifth Yellowjacket in the top ten having placed ninth at +21 (163).
The men’s team likewise played well, finishing in second place overall at +13 (589), and had the individual titlist in Graedon Woodward. Woodward had two rounds in the sixties and won the event by one stroke, finishing up at -7 (137). He led the field with thirteen birdies.
Joining Woodward in the top ten was Ryan Badger and Kaopun Akmaneenin who tied for seventh place at +5 (149).
For full results, CLICK HERE.
MSU Billings' Graedon Woodward posted two rounds in the sixties and won the Briarwood Shootout by one stroke, at -7 (137) overall. MSU-Billings
UM Athletics
UM at the Tri-State Invitational
The Grizzlies were back in Spokane for the Tri-State Invitational held October 6-7. Playing at The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course, golfers had thirty-six holes of play against three other Big Sky Conference teams and a few individual golfers from Gonzaga and Washington State.
As a team UM was a little up and down, with a handful of double bogeys that kept them from competing for the top spot. They finished third as a team at +22 (598).
Despite a slightly disappointing finish, the Tri-State Invitational showed that there’s a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the direction the team is moving towards. Soph-
Tri-State Invitational (Women)
The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course
Spokane, Wash.
October 6-7, 2024
omore Elle Higgins for instance finished in a tie for third place at +3 (74-73), while freshman Bella Johnson ended up in a tie for ninth place at +6 (76-74). Johnson led the field with nine birdies over two days while Higgins was second with eight.
Kate Bogenshutz finished her second round with four birdies over the final ten holes to join her teammates Higgins and Johnson in the top half of the field. Bogenshutz ended up tied for fourteenth place at +7 (73-78).
Gonzaga’s Taylor Mularski won the individual title with a score of +1 (73-72), while Idaho won the team event at +11 (587).
For full results CLICK HERE.
University of Montana sophomore Elle Higgins finished in a tie for third place at +3 (74-73) at the Tri-State Invitational.
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Diane Thomason Invite (Women)
Finkbine Golf Course
Iowa City, IA
September 30 - October 1, 2024
Tschetter, Greeny Shine for MSU at the Diane Thomason Invite
After a strong team performance the previous week that included a record setting individual win by Lauren Greeny, the MSU Bobcats were back at it September 30-October 1 at the Diane Thomason Invite in Iowa City, Iowa. Playing three-rounds at the Finkbine Golf Course against fourteen other teams, MSU once again proved they are one of a handful of teams to beat within the Big Sky Conference.
As a team Montana State finished in third place at +50 (914), just a few strokes off Big Ten schools Iowa and Wisconsin who finished first and second respectively. Considering the quick turnaround and the long trip from Idaho to Iowa to play against high caliber teams, it had all the makings of a let-down type of tournament. Yet the Cats showed some grit and pulled off an impressive showing in Iowa.
Two golfers in the top five certainly helped the cause as newcomer Becca Tschetter took
home titlist honors in her very first tournament wearing the Bobcat logo, and Lauren Greeny who finished in fourth place. The fifth-year graduate student Tschetter recently transferred over from Grand Canyon University. She had to sit out the first two events of the season due to NCAA rules, but made a quick statement in her first opportunity, winning the Diane Thomason Invite by three strokes with a final score of +3 (219). Three straight rounds of 73 with nine birdies scattered throughout were enough to overcome the rest of the field.
Following two Big Ten golfers who tied for second at +6, Lauren Greeny ended up at +7 (223) which was good for fourth place. Like Tschetter, Greeny had nine birdies over the three rounds and will head back to Bozeman having established herself as one of the top golfers in the Big Sky Conference.
Diane Thomason, whom the invite is named after, is a hall of fame former Head Golf Coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes and the USA National Golf Team.
For full results, CLICK HERE.
MSU's Becca Tschetter beat a host of Big 10 golfers to win in Iowa.
Carolll College Invitational Held at Bill Roberts Colf Course in Helena
For most teams in the Frontier Conference the final event of the fall season was held October 6-8 at the Bill Roberts Golf Course in Helena. The Carroll College Invitational was a three-round event for the men, and two rounds for the women’s teams.
Once again Rocky Mountain College won both team events and had the individual men’s winner in Kristjan Burkelca. On the women’s side it was Providence’s Laila Jalill that put the Frontier Conference on notice.
RMC’s men’s team only had a four-
stroke lead over Montana Tech after going ten-under in round one but the second day they managed to put a bit of distance on the Orediggers. Going into the third round with a twenty-stroke lead, the Battlin’ Bears cruised to victory with a final score of -27 (833). Montana Tech finished in second at even par (860) and Carroll College ended up in third place at +44 (904).
Once again Kristjan Burkelca led the way for RMC, winning medalist honors at -11 (204) over the three rounds. The sophomore from Slovenia had fourteen birdies throughout the tournament and two eagles. Both eagles came on the par five ninth hole.
Carroll College Invitational - Men Bill Roberts Golf Course Helena, MT October 6-8, 2024
Rocky Mountain College Athletics
Sophomore Kristjan Burkelca had fourteen birdies and two eagles en route to the individual title at the Carroll College Invitational.
Following Burkelca in second place was teammate Aidan McDonagh at -8 (207). In third place at -3 (212) was a tie between two Orediggers, Joe McGreevey and Gabe Witham. Another tie rounded out the top five as Rocky Mountain teammates Jared Smith and Jake Johnson finished at -1 (214).
For full men’s results, CLICK HERE.
RMC also won the women’s team event, beating Montana Tech by five strokes at +35 (611). They had three players tie for second place at +6 (150): Isabella Downing, Kadence Fischer, and Tyla Potgieter. In another example of how talented the Frontier Conference is getting, Carroll College fin-
Carroll College Invitational - Women
ished in third but broke a program record for lowest team score at +47 (623).
University of Providence’s Laila Jalil won the two-round event by four strokes at +2 (146). She had seven birdies throughout the tournament. With the win and her runner-up performance the previous week, Jalil has established herself as one of the top golfers in the Frontier Conference. It’s also the first Argo golf victory since 2018.
Following Jalil at +6 (150) was the trio of Rocky golfers, along with Carroll College’s Celi Chapman who has also caps off an impressive fall season.
For full women’s results, CLICK HERE.
University of Providence’s Laila Jalil won the two-round Carroll College Invitational by four strokes at +2 overall.
U of Providence Athletics
Beartooth Invitational at Laurel Golf Club
Another Frontier Conference showdown, the Beartooth Invitational, was held September 30-October 1 at the Laurel Golf Club. Both men’s and women’s teams had three rounds of golf to play in the span of two days. The only caveat was the MSU-Billings women’s team entered the event.
The Yellowjacket team did pretty well for themselves too as Orraya Tipasathien won her third straight tournament, as she continues to establish herself as one of the top college golfers in Montana. Her three-round overall score of +14 (230) was two strokes ahead of second place. MSU-B’s Gia Vargas joined her teammate Tipasathien in the top ten, having finished in eighth place at +25 (241).
Beartooth Invitational (Women)
Laurel Golf Club
Laurel, MT
September 30 - October 1, 2024
In second place was University of Providence’s Laila Jalil who finished with an overall score of +16 (232). Jalil transferred over to the University of Providence this past spring after a successful season at North Idaho College in which she earned the Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year award.
Tied for third place at +20 (236) was Rocky Mountain College’s Kadence Fischer and Grace Metcalf. They were followed by fellow Battlin’ Bears Isabella Downing who finished in fifth place at +23 (239) and Tyla Potgieter who tied for sixth at +24 (240).
Montana Tech’s Samantha Benson led the team as she tied with Potgieter, and she was followed by Emma Woods and Franchi Ceartin who tied for ninth place at +34 (250).
MSU-Billings' Orraya Tipasathien won her third straight event, establishing herself as one of the top college golfers in Montana.
Hayden Foltz
Beartooth Invitational (Men)
Laurel Golf Club
Laurel, MT
September 30 - October 1, 2024
Pos. Player School R1 R2 R3 Total
1. Kristjan Burkelca RMC 69 70 72 -5
2. Aidan McDonagh RMC 70 75 75 +4
3. Tyler Avery MT Tech 77 72 73 +6
T4. Adam Hyde-Lay RMC 75 76 73 +8
T4. Jacob Johnson RMC 77 73 74 +8
6. Landon Olson MT Tech 81 73 72 +10
T7. Carson Hupka MT Tech 76 75 79 +14
T7. Colby Friedrich Prov 78 75 77 +14
T9. Jared Smith RMC 80 76 76 +16
T9. Joe McGreevey MT Tech 81 76 75 +16
T9. Joe Opitz MT Tech 78 77 77 +16
T9. Colin Wade MT Tech 77 79 76 +16
T13. Tanner Hanson RMC 83 78 73 +18
T13. Q. Haigwood MSU-B 79 76 79 +18
15. Nolan Wilson RMC 76 83 77 +20
T16. J. Hammond Carroll 78 82 78 +22
T16. Makstr McIntyre RMC 81 76 81 +22
With four players in the top ten, Rocky Mountain won the team event at +61 (637), which was thirty-one strokes in front of second place MSU-Billings. After beating RMC in the previous weeks event, the Montana Tech women’s team finished in third place at +105 (681).
For full women’s results, CLICK HERE
The Battlin’ Bears won the men’s team event as well at +15 (879), with each round scored in the 290’s – the only team to shoot less than 300 throughout all three rounds. Montana Tech finished in second at +59 (923) and RMC’s “B” team finished in third at +79 (943).
On the individual side RMC’s Kristjan Brukelca finished at -5 (211) and won the
event by nine strokes. Having recently transferred over from UTEP, Brukelca led the field in pars made. Teammate Aidan McDonagh finished in second place at +4 (220).
Montana Tech’s Tyler Avery split up a top five consisting of four RMC golfers. Avery ended up at +6 (222). Tied for fourth at +8 (224) was teammates Adam Hyde-Lay and Jacob Johnson. Tech’s Landon Olson finished in sixth at +10 (226), followed by another Oredigger Carson Hupka who finished in a tie for seventh at +14. Tied with Hupka was Providence’s lone top ten golfer, Colby Friedrich. RMC’s Jared Smith and Montana Tech’s Joe Mcgreevey, Joe Opitz and Colin Wade all tied for ninth place at +16 (232).
For full men’s results CLICK HERE
Rocky Mountain College's Kristjan Brukelca finished at -5 and won the individial title by nine strokes over teammate Aidan McDonagh.
Hayden Foltz
BY TY SPARING
MSGA Communications Coordinator
It’s already been an eventful high school golf season as players start to gear up for the divisional and state championships. There are a few names we’ve seen littered atop the leaderboards before, and a few new faces making their presence known. It’s certainly been a competitive Class A and Class AA season for both boys and girls, and there are many names that could realistically take home the state crowns.
CLASS A STATE TOURNAMENT
Class A golfers played at a different site than their Class AA counterparts October 3-4, opting for Polson Bay Golf Course as opposed to AA's Northern Pines Golf Course in Kalispell.
It was another historic win for Frenchtown’s Katie Lewis as she claimed her third straight Class A title with a final score of +7 (75-76). Playing consistent as usual, Lewis led the field with 24 pars and was the only golfer to post a score below 80. The very first hole of the tournament she hit her only double bogey but
put the afterburners on the rest of the way en route to a nine-stroke victory. Lewis has already established herself as one of the best high school female golfers in Montana’s history, and this summer she’ll have a chance to be the only golfer to ever win three straight high school state championships and three straight Montana State Junior Championships.
Griz fans might be happy to hear the recent news that Lewis verbally committed to take her talents to Missoula next year.
In second place was Park High’s Anna Lende who had back-to-back rounds of 80 for a final score of +16 (160). Hamilton’s Cameron Burnett finished in third place at +17 (161), Big Fork’s Keni Wade ended up in
Frenchtown’s Katie Lewis won her third straight Montana Class A state title at Northern Pines Golf Course in Kalispell at +7 overall.
Bill Speltz
fourth place at +19 (163) and Billings Centrals’ Berkley Park rounded out the top five at +20 (164).
With three golfers placing in the top ten, Billings Central won the girls team title. They got off to a sixteen-stroke lead in the first round and by the end of the tournament they ended up winning by 42 strokes at +109 (685). Along with Berkley Park’s fifth place finish, teammate Jordan Nielsen finished in sixth place at +21 (165) and Kiya Ford tied for tenth place at +32 (176)
On the boys side of things, it was Polson freshman Max Milton that won medalist honors at -8 (136). In a championship in which we watched the historic high school career of Katie Lewis come to a close, so too might we have witnessed the beginning of another one in Milton. Over the two days the talented youngster led the field with eleven birdies and twenty-two pars made, including a blistering first round of 66 that that saw Milton hit five birdies over the first nine holes. He followed that up with another solid 2-under round of 70 to win the event by three strokes. Along with the state tournament, the Polson golfer won three other events this season and is a name to keep an eye on moving forward.
(140), followed by two Billings Central golfers – Caleb Fornshell in fourth place at -2 (142) and Colin Jensen finished up in fifth place at even par (144).
In second place at -5 (139) was Laurel’s Sam Norman. Norman, who is a mainstay on top of junior leaderboards had twenty-five pars made in his last high school tournament for the Locomotives. He has recently committed to play golf at Rocky Mountain College.
In third place was Sawyer Gentry at -4
The Laurel Locomotives found themselves back on top with another team championship trophy. After narrowly losing to Polson last year, Laurel came back this season to win their sixth Class A state title in the last eight years. It didn’t come easy however as their score of +22 (598) was just two strokes ahead of Billings Central. Along with Norman’s second place finish the Locomotives placed two more golfers in the top fifteen: Royce Taylor tied for tenth at +6 (150) and Gabe Glassing finished in thirteenth place at +9 (153).
For full results CLICK HERE.
Polson freshman Max Milton won medalist honors at -8 overall, leading the field with 11 birdies and 22 pars over two days.
Instagram
CLASS AA STATE TOURNAMENT
The Northern Pines Golf Course in Kalispell hosted one of the more exciting Class AA State High School Golf Tournaments we’ve seen in a while this past October 3-4. Close scores across the board as both boys and girls golfers finished off the season in dramatic fashion.
Billings Senior’s Becca Washington took home the individual title on the girls side after posting a 74 on day two, the lowest round of the tournament and exactly what she needed to erase a three-stroke deficit and force a playoff with Great Falls High’s Hanna Boyd. Gusty conditions didn’t phase Washington as she came out aggressive and card-
ed a birdie on hole two, and an eagle on the par-5 hole five which put her right back into contention with Boyd. The two golfers ran away from the field the rest of the way and after 18 holes were completed, they were tied at +11 (155) overall.
The wind and rain certainly heightened the tensions, but after parring the second playoff hole Washington came out the victor. It’s the second year in a row Billings Senior has produced a state champion, with Kenzie Walsh taking home last year’s title.
It was fitting in a way that Boyd and Washington were tied after regulation considering they were the two most dominant golfers in their class this year, having won six of the eight tournaments that were held this fall. Boyd’s second round of 77 was the second lowest of the tournament, and her first round of 78 was the third lowest, making her the only competitor in the field to post both rounds under 80. She also led the field with 23 pars made over two rounds en route to a runner-up finish.
Joining Boyd and Washington in the top five was Bozeman’s Kira Connell who finished in third place at +19 (163), and tied for fourth at +21 (165) was Gallatin’s Kiah Holmes-Morrissey and Billings West’s Mielle Kavran. Along with garnering All-State honors, Kavran hit a hole-inone on the fourth hole during round one.
After a couple years of third place finishes the Gallatin High girls team finished at +121 (697) and took home the title trophy by just a stroke
Billings Senior’s Becca Washington took home the Class AA individual title on the girls side, posting a +2 (74) on day two, the lowest round of the tournament. Hunter D'Antuono / Flathead Beacon
over Billings West. Their depth helped tremendously this year as three players cracked the top ten. Along with Holmes-Morrissey, Addison Bleile finished in seventh at +29 (85-88) and Charlotte Rasper finished in a tie for eighth place at +30 (174).
The boys side of things likewise went down to the wire as Missoula Sentinel’s Hudson Goroski caught fire in the final round with a 32 on the back nine that included an eagle on the par-five hole ten, and a birdie on hole thirteen to put himself in a tie with Bozeman’s Cooper Bourret. A clutch birdie on seventeen gave him a one stroke lead and after parring out on eighteen Goroski became the 2024 boys AA champ with a final score of -3 (141). Coming into the day three strokes off the lead, Goroski’s 68 tied for lowest of the tournament and was just enough to give him the win over Bourret.
At -2 (142) Cooper Bourret was the only other golfer in the field to post a total score
under par. Following Bourret in a tie for third place at +1 (145) was another Sentinel Spartan, Jack Shaefer, and Glacier’s Same Engellant. Tied for fifth place at +2 (146) was Capital High’s John Gilbert and Flathead’s Dylan Morris.
It was a close race in the team event as well, as Glacier High squeaked by Sentinel by two strokes to repeat as champions. They came into the second day in third place but caught fire, finishing with a team score of 290, which was the best collective round of the tournament by seven strokes. Finishing at +16 (592), Glacier placed Engellant in third and Torren Murray in seventh place at +3 (147). After a sluggish first round of 79, Murray matched Goroski’s tournament low of 68 in the second round, vaulting him back up the leaderboard. Luke Nelson and Jonah Wynne were next for Glacier having tied each other for twelfth place at +8 (152).
For full results CLICK HERE.
Missoula Sentinel’s Hudson Goroski shot a -4 (68) in the second round of the Class AA State Tournament - including an eagle on 10 and a birdie on 13, that tied for the lowest round of the event, propelling him to the title at -3 overall.
Hunter D'Antuono / Flathead Beacon
DEBUNKING HANDICAP
INDEX® MYTHS
BY DANNY VOHDEN USGA Senior Manager, Communications
We’ve heard the myths around why golfers don’t have a Handicap Index, but do you know the facts?
I just started playing and am not sure what a Handicap Index is.
A Handicap Index® is a portable number that measures your demonstrated ability; for example, 15.2. The maximum Handicap Index is 54.0 for all players, so no matter your skill level, all players are encouraged to get a Handicap Index.
Don’t forget that 9-hole scores are acceptable for handicap purposes. So even if you prefer to
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play nine, a Handicap Index is still for you!
I don’t have a home course.
You don’t have to be a member of a private club or some other “green grass facility” to get a Handicap Index. Anyone can sign up at usga. org/getahandicap or by contacting their local Allied Golf Association.
Sometimes I decide to pick up and move to the next hole.
That’s OK! Having a Handicap Index can actually help you improve pace of play. When posting your initial scores to establish a Handicap Index, the maximum hole score is par + 5, so you can pick up once you’ve reached that number (for example, if it’s a par 3, pick up once you’ve hit 8).
Once you have a Handicap Index, the max hole score becomes a net double bogey, which is equal to double bogey + any handicap strokes you receive on the hole. In casual rounds, you can pick up whenever you reach that number and still post your score!
I’m not good enough to have one.
There are plenty of reasons to establish and maintain a Handicap Index, no matter how often you play or how competitive you are, if at
all! You can use a Handicap Index to:
• Have a universal number that represents your game. The Handicap Index calculation is the same for millions of golfers worldwide.
• Track your individual progress over time and set goals for your game.
• Have a more accurate evaluation of your performance in each round. For example, a 95 on a difficult course may be more impressive than a score of 92 on an easier one – and having a Handicap Index will show that.
• Set a target score before your round –which is the score you would shoot if you play to your ability. Players can expect to shoot 2-5 strokes higher in most rounds, so when you play to your target score, you’ve had a great day! (Target Score = Par + your Course Handicap™ from the tees being played.)
• Have a fun and fair game with your friends. Even non-competitive players can have fun in a four-ball match among friends, with the losing team buying the post-round beverages!
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FREE 30-DAY GHIN TRIAL AVAILABLE NOW FOR ALL GOLFERS
BY ANDREW DZURITA USGA Brand Communications Manager
The United States Golf Association (USGA) has expanded access to its Golf Handicap Information Network® (GHIN) mobile app presented by Sentry with the introduction of a 30-day free trial for golfers who want to track progress but don’t yet have a Handicap Index®.
“For years, we’ve heard recreational golfers express interest in a Handicap Index and curiosity about what GHIN has to offer,” said Tom Padula, USGA senior director of GHIN. “By removing the barrier to entry with a free trial of the GHIN app, they can now post scores, use the app features and get a sense of their scoring potential with an Estimated Handicap Range.”
Designed to enhance the golf experience for all players, the GHIN app's technology helps users manage their playing statistics through several features that include score posting,
games, and course management features like GPS and putt break maps. With over 77 million scores posted on an annual basis by over 3.2 million active Handicap Index golfers in GHIN, the app is one of the most widely used game management apps available to players today.
“Overall, our goal with GHIN is to provide golfers with the best possible tools to track their performance and progress with a Handicap Index, while also playing fairly and equitably with anyone in the golf community,” said Padula. “New enhancements in the product reflect our commitment to continuous improvement and delivering exceptional value to our users, who can expect more innovation in the coming months.”
Both iOS and Android users can download the USGA GHIN app at no cost through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Once users create a free account and post scores from 54 holes of play (any combination of 9-hole
and 18-hole rounds) they receive an Estimated Handicap Range (e.g. 0-5, 5-10, 10-15, etc.), and then the 30-day trial begins.
In addition to obtaining an Estimated Handicap Range, users on a free trial can post and track total score, hole-by-hole scores and other statistics, such as number of putts, driving accuracy and approach shot accuracy. At any point during the trial, users can unlock their Handicap Index by signing up for membership to their local Allied Golf Association (AGA) using their GHIN Trial Number and utilize the full suite of features the GHIN app has to offer.
Since the advent of the World Handicap System™, the USGA has invested significantly in popular enhancements to the GHIN technology to meet golfer needs, boasting a range of new features, including:
• Score Posting (Total Score, Hole-byHole Score and Hole-by-Hole Score with Stats)
• Stat Tracking (Number of Putts, Approach Shot Accuracy and Driving Accuracy)
• Course Maps & GPS
• Enhanced GPS Features (Putt Break Map, Approach Shot Heat Map, Shot Tracking)
• Games & Group Scorekeeping
• Apple Watch Integration
• Golfer Lookup
• Handicap Calculator
The GHIN app is fully integrated with the World Handicap System and the Rules of Golf, which the USGA also oversees in its governance function, to ensure fair and equitable play for all golfers. More than 3.2 million golfers in the U.S. alone maintain a Handicap Index, across a wide range of playing abilities.
Download the GHIN app now on iOS or Android, and for more information about the app and its features, please visit www.GHIN.com
IT’S HIP TO BE SQUARE
BY TOM GOULD USGA CENTRAL REGION AGRONOMIST
In my travels during the first few weeks of my tenure as a USGA agronomist, it is evident that fall has set in and the hustle and bustle of the growing season is lessening. With declining temperatures comes an opportunity for superintendents to accomplish some project work before winter sets in and freezes the soil. One frequently overlooked project is straightening rectangular teeing areas. This process improves
aesthetics, provides consistent teeing width and orients golfers to the line of play.
It is important to ensure that a rectangular tee box is aimed at the golfer’s target, whether that is a green or fairway landing area. To ensure that tee boxes are oriented to the line of play, it is important to establish right angles on all corners. You want the sides of the tee parallel to the line of play and the front and back perpendicular.
So, how do you establish right angles in the field? One option is to use the Pythagorean theorem. In order to avoid flashbacks
It is easy for rectangular tees to lose their proper shape during the growing season. The fall is an excellent time to reorient them.
USGA
to algebra class I won’t break down the math, but those interested can find a guide here. If algebra isn’t your speed, tools like a double right-angle prism can be used to orient the tee to the target and square all the corners. Even if linear tees are rounded at the ends, finding square corners will ensure the long edges are parallel to the line of play.
Optimizing teeing widths to accommodate mowers and sprayers should be considered. If tees are being mowed with
Click Here for more from the USGA Green Section Record ‒including the latest articles and videos on sustainable management practices that produce better playing conditions for better golf.
a triplex mower, consider resizing them to accommodate complete passes. For those who do not employ GPS sprayers with individual nozzle control, adjusting the widths of your tee boxes to accommodate a complete boom width of your sprayer will allow you to accurately apply plant protectants and minimize overspray.
If there are any questions about how realigning teeing areas will work at your course, reach out to your regional USGA agronomist for more information.
USGA
Tees are sometimes treated as an afterthought, but their condition and location have a big impact on the golf experience.
