2023 Golf Oklahoma Aug/Sept

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TABLE OF CONTENTS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER, 2023

28

MIKE HUGHETT

CL ASS OF

2023

BO WININGER

32

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Volume 13 Issue 4

STACY PRAMMANASUDH

24

The Goods

...........................................

10 Tom Bedell reviews three worthy new golf books 12 Ed Travis takes a look at the clubs that are winning PGA Tour events in 2023

Chip Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14 15 16 18

Solid debut for Compliance Solutions Championship KickingBird sets new record for revenue in first month Ross McDonald's expertise fuels Tour Quality expansion Russ Myers leaves takes post with Gil Hanse

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15 20 Courses with new Bermuda greens repair, vow to move ahead 24 Hall of Fame Inductees 24 Stacy Prammanasudh 28 Mike Hughett 32 Francis "Bo" Wininger 36 Willliam McDonald is OGA State Amateur Champion 38 Talor Gooch Foundation AJGA Junior Championship debuts 40 Home cooking for Hermann in WOGA State Amateur 42 Collin Bond wins Bass Pro/Payne Stewart AJGA

38 18

36

Departments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 8 8

Letter from the Publisher OGA ED Kevin Stanton WOGA ED Laurie Campbell

9 Rules, Bob Phelps 45 Lessons, Jim Young 46 Schedules and results

42

20

Support junior golf by contributing to the OGA Foundation Call 405-848-0042 for more information 4

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

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August/September Issue 2023 FROM THE PUBLISHER KEN M AC LEOD

I

Roll the ball back!

listen quite a bit to the PGA Tour Network on Sirius XM and some of the lunacy that’s been spewed out since the PGA Tour made its announcement about not agreeing to the rollback of the golf ball has me shaking my head and wondering what I’m missing.

On one show, the host was even lamenting that the guys who clean ponds of used golf balls or the kid who finds his balls in the woods would be out of a job or ball supply.

WHAT? If the restricted ball is used by the PGA Tour, or even the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, other mini-tours, college golf and the USGA’s top events, that still leaves 99.9 percent of us that will never hit it, probably never see it and never worry about it.

This is where I get in an argument with my friend Pat McCrate, who runs one of the best retail operations in the state at LaFortune Park. He insists that the golfers want to play what the pros play and that’s a fundamental appeal of the game.

His organization, the PGA of America, also came out against the roll back.

The Tour players are against anything that will limit their ability to overpower a course. But the club pros are needlessly worrying that consumers will be affected by not playing exactly what the pros are playing..

If the pros are playing a ball that goes a few yards shorter at their swing speeds, I don’t want to play it. Not the brand, the specific ball. And if Rory McIlroy only hits his drive 340 yards instead of 360, that means nothing to me as well in terms of comparison with my own game.

All relationship with the professional game went out the window 20 years ago.

There was a time many moons ago when I hit a 7-iron 155 yards and the pros hit it 165 yards. Now I hit it 140 and the pros 230. How do I relate to that?

The roll back is to protect the classic courses used for major championships and PGA Tour stops. I also heard from the hosts that we shouldn’t worry about protecting the golf courses, that course owners should just go out and build new bunkers or plant new trees and narrow 6

the fairways if they are worried about the courses becoming obsolete for the elite player.

Those are dumb solutions. We don't want a bunch of gimmicks. We want the best courses to challenge the best players. You can use all the land available and still the courses can be overwhelmed.

Take two examples at Southern Hills.

On the par-4 12th hole, even after the 2018 restoration the cross bunker that made it such a great hole years ago is easily flown even when the tees are pushed back nearly to Harvard Ave. Meaning what was once regarded as one of the top par-4s in the country requires only a gap wedge second shot for most. The new ball may make flying that bunker at 310 yards a bit more of a challenge.

On the par-4 third hole, the course went more than 100 yards back from its normal back tee to create a new tee on the par-3 sixth hole and still the pros are able to drive it out to the corner and have a wedge in. There is no where else to go to make the hole a challenge.

The ball companies who will have to create the new ball and the equipment manufacturers who stand to lose some cachet are pushing the PGA Tour to take a hard line on this. And maybe there are some everyday golfers who would be upset that they won’t be playing (if they’re smart) the same ball as Rory. Not any in my group. We long ago lost any connection to the pros when it comes to distance. We see Rory landing a ball on a par-4 green that is 370 yards away and marvel but it’s like watching an alien spacecraft land in your yard. There is nothing remotely relatable about it.

The PGA Tour says it agrees that something has to be done. The PGA of America says the evidence is conflicting. The USGA and R&A have spent years figuring out exactly what that something is that would be the easiest and simplest solution for all concerned.

But no, now the PGA Tour is going to come up with its own solution and the PGA of America wants six more years to study the problem.

Don’t hold your breath.

Roll the ball back and get it over with.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION Volume 13, Number 4

Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 102 Tulsa, OK 74136 918-280-0787 Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996

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COO/Marketing Director A.G. Meyers agm@golfoklahoma.org Sales Sam Humphreys sam@golfoklahoma.org Art & Technology Director Chris Swafford chris@golfoklahoma.org Subscriptions to Golf Oklahoma are $20 for one year (five issues) or $35 for two years (10 issues).

Call 918-280-0787 or go to www.golfoklahoma.org Contributing photographers Rip Stell, Bill Powell Golf Oklahoma PGA Instructional Staff Jim Young Teaching Professional, River Oaks CC 405-630-8183 Ryan Rody Director of Instruction Southern Hills Country Club rrody@southernhilscc.org Pat McTigue Director of Instruction, Meadowbrook CC pmtigue277@gmail.com Maggie Roller Director of Instruction, Cedar Ridge CC maggie.roller@sbcglobal.net, 918-261-1441 Oklahoma Golf Association 2800 Coltrane Place, Suite 2 Edmond, OK 73034 405-848-0042 Executive Director Kevin Stanton kstanton@okgolf.org Director of Handicapping and Course Rating Jay Doudican jdoudican@okgolf.org Director of Junior Golf Morri Rose morose@okgolf.org Director of Rules Bob Phelps bphelps@okgolf.org Copyright 2023 by Golf Oklahoma Magazine. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Golf Oklahoma.

Golf Oklahoma is published by South Central Golf, Inc.

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KEVIN STANTON OGA Executive Director

FROM THE OGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Big changes coming to State Amateur We just finished up our 111th State Amateur Championship. In some of the hottest conditions of the year, there were 288 players who tried to qualify.

The top 32 from each site advanced, causing some intense playoffs to earn a spot into the Match Play. Highlights from the playoffs include a hole out for eagle from 100 yards to advance and a broken putter by a participant for just leaning on it. Fortunately, the individual with the broken putter still made it into the championship.

Southern Hills was a spectacular host for the State Amateur as we were able to show the abilities of the best amateurs in the state at a premier site. Our defending champion, Ian Davis, showed the grit it took to win in 2022 by advancing to the semifinals. He was joined by Ryder Cowan, William McDonald and Mason Falleur. Cowan edged Falleur 1-up while McDonald won 3 and 2 over Davis.

The final match went back and forth with no player getting more than a 2-up lead. McDonald won the 16th hole after Cowan’s ball found the water short of the green. On the drivable 17th hole, both were in close proximity to the green in one. Cowan’s pitch across the green came up short. McDonald had to get fancy with his first bunker shot as he was short-sided, resulting in

LAURIE CAMPBELL

it staying in the bunker. His next shot ended up close to the hole, scoring a par. Ryder’s first putt was a little strong, resulting in a tough comebacker. His putt burned the edge giving McDonald his first State Amateur Championship.

A special thanks to the facilities/staff who hosted this event: Southern Hills Country Club, Lincoln Park GC, and Muskogee GC. We will be making some changes to the State Amateur in the coming years. Our goal is to increase the strength of the field and add to the prestige of this event. One of the big changes is adding exemptions to the Championship. We will now give spots for the following: 1. State Amateur Champions from past five years 2. Runner-up from prior year State Amateur 3. Past two champions in the following events (Could be current year or prior two years depending on schedule): • Stroke Play Championship • Junior Boys Championship • Mid-Amateur Championship 4. Past champions in the following events (Could be current year or prior year depending on schedule): a. Senior State Amateur b. Senior Stroke Play Championship 5. Previous Year OGA Player of the Year

President WOGA

6. Previous Year OGA Senior Player of the Year 7. Low Amateur from the prior year Oklahoma Open 8. Prior year qualifiers for the US Amateur (doesn’t have to be from our qualifier we conduct) 9. Highest 10 ranked players according to WAGR Rankings as of June 1 who meet eligibility requirements Note: This exemption list is subject to change.

All other spots will come from two qualifying sites. The number of spots available at each qualifier will be based on how many exemptions are used and field sizes.

Also, we are adding a Stroke Play Qualifying round to the main host site. This will be used to determine the seedings, and eliminate the confusion of seeding from two different qualifier sites. It will also allow us to have a bigger field than the 64 currently allowed to play, and eliminate the need for a playoff at the qualifiers (number of spots plus ties will advance). The Match Play portion will be reduced to 32 so all play can be completed by Thursday and allow the final match to be the only match on the final day.

Our upcoming events include the Oklahoma Open at Oak Tree Country Club on Aug. 24-26 and the return of the Oklahoma Junior Tour events starting in September.

WOMEN’S OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION

ShaeBug Scarberry stands out WGCA All-American Scholar Athlete: 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List: 2020-21, 2021-22 Troy University Provost’s Honors List: Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023 Troy University Chancellor’s Honors List: Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 University of Tulsa -- Dean’s Honor Roll: Fall 2018, Spring 2019 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team: 2018-19 Women’s Oklahoma State Amateur Champion: 2021, 2022 Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team: 2021 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 I hope to see you at one of our last events Women’s Oklahoma Stroke Play Chamof 2023. The FourBall Partnership on Aug. pion: 2019 USGA Women’s Amateur / Round of 64 21-22 at Shangri-La Resort or the 13th WOGA Cup on Sept. 18-19 at The Club at Qualifier: 2019 Sun Belt Conference Honor Roll: 2019-2020 Forest Ridge.

As the golf season nears its Golf. She excelled in her junior and colleconclusion, I would like to take this op- giate golf careers, including the following portunity to introduce you to the 2021 and achievements: USGA Pub Links Qualifier: 2014 2022 WOGA State Amateur Champion.

Oklahoma State 3A IndividShaeLee Scarberry, daughter ual and Team Champion: 2015, of Debra and Tony Scarberry, is 2016, 2018 an Oklahoma native who gradWomen’s Oklahoma Junior uated from Purcell High School Champion: 2016, 2017 in 2018. She goes by ShaeBug Texas Oklahoma Junior Scarberry in the golf world, Champion: 2016, 2017, 2018 and is known for her colorful (only female to win 3 years in a knee high socks. She is a rerow) cent graduate of Troy UniverOJGT Red River Challenge sity with a B.S. in Hospitality, Shaebug Champion: 2017 Sport, and Tourism ManageScarberry ForeState Team Member: ment, and an Art minor. She recently accepted a job to work for Graves Golf, headquartered in Edmond, as an Event Coordinator. Some of her hobbies include painting and reading. Her future plans are to pursue professional golf as she continues her career with Graves 8

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

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BOB PHELPS

FROM THE OGA RULES DIRECTOR

OGA Rules Director

Oh what a relief it is In Rule 14.3’s first sentence, Dropping Ball in Relief Area, states: “This rule applies whenever a player must drop a ball in taking relief under a rule, … ” This is a frequent occurrence during a round of golf, whether we are taking free relief from an immovable obstruction or taking penalty relief after losing a ball in a penalty area. However, I still see a lot of knowledgeable and competitive players who do not complete the process of taking relief properly.

Determining Reference Point for Taking Relief In all dropping situations, a player must first determine the reference point for taking relief. In penalty relief situations the reference point is easier to determine, it is the spot where the ball last crossed the

penalty area line or where the ball lies when taking unplayable ball relief. When taking unplayable ball relief, the reference point is known, it is the spot of the ball.

Determining the reference point for taking penalty area relief always requires an estimation of where the ball last crossed into the penalty area.

Unfortunately, this is where I encounter disagreement among players. The players involved have the best viewpoint and will normally agree with a reasonable estimation of the reference point.

Properly determining the reference point in free relief situations is a little more complicated. First, does the player have interference from the condition they are seeking free relief? To properly determine if interference exists, the player must choose the club they would use to play the shot with.

For instance, if a player’s ball is in deep grass just off the edge of the green, the player is not allowed to use a driver to determine if interference exists, the player must use a wedge. Once a player determines there is interference from an abnormal course condition, the player must then identify the nearest spot in the same area of the course where there is no longer interference. This is the reference point for taking free relief.

Another consideration is: is it reasonable to even play a shot? If a player’s ball lies between tree roots with no chance to play a shot, the player would not be entitled to relief from a cart path interfering with the player’s stance.

Is it one club length or two?

A player has now identified the proper reference point for establishing a relief area that is either one club length or two club lengths from the reference point. The easy way to remember; if you are taking free relief, your measuring distance is one club-length. If you are taking penalty relief, your measuring distance is two club lengths. However, we now must refer to the

See RULES on page 11

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9

The BOOKSHELF Less Maddening.”

Shackelford is a staunch fan of The Golden Age of Golf Design, which is also the title of one of his now dozen books, mostly on the same subject. His goal here is simple, to “Put bloviating course architecture geeks—guilty here as charged—in their place for waxing about Tillinghast’s overuse of reverse-cambered double doglegs in his postShawnee years.”

Campaigning against cant and pomposity, and the tendency of golf-ranking lists to favor courses that appeal mainly to single-digit handicap raters, Shackelford creates (against his better judgment, he demurs) a rating system for the masses— or, at least, normal people.

“The Most Fun You Can Have Without Taking Your Clothes Off” by tom bedell

W

e’ve had quite a run of golf design books of late. In the April-May issue there was the deep dive into “The Golf Architecture of Donald Ross” by Bradford A. Becken Jr. In June-July there was Richard Mandell’s heady “Principles of Golf Architecture.”

This time out, two more, but far easier to tackle. The word “fun” applies to both, both in the reading, and as a key thematic element: each book in its own way emphasizes that the best golf designs should lead the player to some level of fun. As opposed to torment.

Hence our title above, a quote from Chi Chi Rodríguez cited in neither Geoff Shackelford’s “Golf Architecture for Normal People” (Tatra Press, $30) nor Peter Gray’s “Golfing the British Isles: The Weekend Warrior’s Companion” (Triumph Books, $35), though both are festooned with other quotes pertinent to the game.

Shackelford was so taken with this one by architect George Thomas that he cites it twice within 40 pages: “In speaking of courses, each man believes that his own is far and away better than most others...he brings to mind the niblick shot he played in such and such a match; where else could that have been done? He saw Hagen take a 78 on a course, and no one can prove to him that they have a better layout at so and so.”

As enjoyable as his scattering of quotes are throughout this brisk volume, Shackelford more than holds his own: “… throughout golf history, select killjoys have successfully imposed a perverse belief that great courses are directly tied to their scoring resistibility.”

Because of this, he believes, “The conversation around what genuinely makes for a great course needs a reboot,” and hence the subtitle of the book, “Sharpening Your Course Design Eye to Make Golf (Slightly) 10

It’s the R-E-D system: > R for Remember: Can You Recall Something About Each Hole? > E for Every Day: Could You Play the Course Every Day and Never Tire of It? > D for Dog Friendliness: A Course Where You’d Take a Dog for a Walk The last category may suggest some of the archness that runs throughout the book; Shackelford has a lively and provocative prose style, as contemporary and entertaining as it is informative.

As a sometime course designer himself (he was involved in the re-do of the George Thomas design at the Los Angeles Country Club, site of this year’s U.S. Open), he’s got the goods when it comes to course architecture.

So when he basically suggests it’s worth evaluating courses for the ways they engage you, rather than from pronouncements on high from so-called experts, it’s certainly worth a listen.

There are even ways to evaluate courses, he shows in later chapters, that can help your game (provided you know how to access Google Earth). It will suffice here to say that this will likely be one of the most enjoyable golf reads you’ll have this year.

THE BRITISH ISLES But Peter Gray’s book is right up there, too. Now, it might be said that “Golfing the British Isles” is a coffee table golf travel book, since aside from Gray’s writing the volume

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

is replete with photography by Gary Lisbon, whom I happen to know and have played golf with in his native Australia. (That makes him no less of a sterling fellow and excellent golfer.) His splendid photographs readers can judge for themselves, but what is additionally pleasing about them is that they’re pertinent to Gray’s text.

And Gray’s text almost picks up where Shackelford’s leaves off, in that he has selected 34 courses to profile not because they’re on a best-of list (though many most certainly are), but because they’re the courses he thinks offer the most to weekend warrior players— those “must-play courses that even the weakest among us will enjoy.”

So although Gray includes most of the Open Championship rota courses in his chapters, he omits Royal Lytham & St. Annes for the simple reason that it’s too hard: “The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes once described human existence as ‘nasty, brutish, and short,’ and for me that sentiment also describes Royal Lytham & St. Annes.”

Not for him courses with excessive challenges. It’s not what he thinks the game is about: “Sorry, but you will never catch me playing Pete Dye’s masterpiece, TPC Sawgrass…. I do not question its greatness, but I prefer to have fun when I play golf.” And for Gray, an American, what could be more fun than golf in the British Isles, especially (but not exclusively) on links courses?

For a course to rank in Gray’s mind, it needs to possess four key elements: strategic options, beauty, character and fun. Sound familiar? True, he doesn’t turn up any stunning surprises in his choices. His top 10?

Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Royal Dornoch, St. Andrews Old, Turnberry Ailsa, Royal Birkdale, Royal St. George’s, Ballybunion, Prestwick and Sunningdale Old. Well, who can argue? You can try, but Gray has a commonsensical and disarming prose style that will likely win you over and leave you gazing at calendars wondering if there’s a promising time frame to mount up a trip abroad.

The chapters devoted to his selections seem to have just the right amount of historical background, highlights of particular holes, and a suitably reserved amount of his own travails on some of the tracks. After two days of golf at Lahinch and Tralee, for example, Gray was reeling from a fierce attack of the W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

man Wally lose his last client, and his wife, while he tries to finish his novel and improve his golf game? Will Claire succumb to the charms of two persistent admirers (one, she discovers, under a curse that has given him a small penis), while trying to organize THE FUNNY MOON a fund-raiser for the local dog shelter?

Looking for a good sumClaire can actually communicate mer novel to take your with animals and, while working mind off your rising handion her massage clients, with those cap? “The Funny Moon” by from the “other side.” A particularly Chris Lincoln (Rootstock rambunctious dog from the shelter Publishing, $18.99) should often has arch commentary and sugdo the trick. Not a golf novgestions for Claire. And after Wally el per se, the denouement gets conked on the head by an errant does take place during a golf shot he is briefly inhabited by fiercely contested senior the late persona of Claire’s also ramclub championship match, bunctious southern grandmother, but no spoilers here. who helps him get over his writer’s The story is really about a marriage in turmoil, partially because the block.

While this is all pretty light-hearted—and wife can’t tolerate her husband’s obsession with his golf game. True, a preposterous in keeping with our fun theme—the tale does notion that no reader here has likely ever have more than its share of insights into the idiosyncrasies of long marriages, one hilariencountered, am I right?

Fairly quickly after the great opening line— ous sex scene, and the golf. All in all, well“Claire loved Wally, but lately she didn’t like played. him very much…”—the long-married Wally Tom Bedell’s troubles with golf designs are mostand Claire Scott separate, setting up the basic question of the rest of the story, will they ly self-imposed. He was recently seen shopping for or won’t they get back together? Will ad a bottle of Jameson 18-year-old. shanks. His companions said the only cure was to consume an entire bottle of Jameson 18-year-old. He did and then reeled to the floor. But the next day, the curse was lifted.

4.5 Star Ranking by Golf Digest Beautiful Clubhouse Meticulously Maintained Golf Course

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RULES cont. from page 9 definition of “Club Length,” not “the club used for the shot” when measuring your relief area. Refer to the definition of “Club Length” but for most players it would be the driver. This is important in determining if a re-drop is required. Your relief area is one or two “driver” lengths.

Relief Area Now imagine you have a string the length of your measuring distance, either one or two club lengths. Imagine this string is attached to your reference point and draw a 360-degree circle from this point. Your “relief area” is any part of this circle that is 1) no closer to the hole and 2) avoids interference from what you were taking relief from.

When is Ball Back in Play?

Lastly, the ball must be dropped in the “right way.” This means three requirements must be met; 1) The player must drop the ball, 2) The ball must be dropped from knee height, and 3) The ball must be dropped in the relief area. If a ball is dropped in the “right way” and comes to rest in the relief area, the player’s ball is back in play.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

11

EQUIPMENT

Winningest Clubs on the PGA Tour 1 Scottie Scheffler, who plays its Pro V1 ball and fan favorite Jordan Spieth who TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus uses all Titleist clubs plus a Pro V1x ball, cally tiled olf fans are treat- wedges from the Vokey Design division and tetrahedral pattern but please don’t ask me ed each week to a putter from the Scotty Cameron Putter di- to explain what that is because I can’t.

Stablemate Pro V1x is a four-layer ball, outstanding play vision. Titleist pays many players for teeing up Titleist balls even though they don’t use the difference is having two mantles which by the best in the world. react to help performance with medium and The clubs they use generally are like the clubs.

We decided a look at the equipment long irons. The cover is still a cast thermothose we can buy, though because PGA Tour winners are using and as of plastic urethane but with 40 fewer dimples Tour golfers have the date of writing, through the and they are in the same pattern. years of training, The 25 Tour wins at this writing for British Open and the Barracuda very high swing Championship, here’s what we players using a Titleist ball were split alspeeds and of found for balls, drivers, and irons. most evenly between the Pro V1 and Pro course lots of talent The conversation about the ball V1x. The performance differences mean the models they most frequently used on the PGA those wanting a mid-trajectory flight and use probably won’t softer feel will tee up the Tour begins with be suitable for recPro V1 while playT i t l e i s t ’s reational players. ers looking for Pro V1, Plus, companies Callaway Chrome Soft X higher trajectory which has do tweak equipwith a firmer feel ment supplied to Tour players with shafts or set the standard for will opt for the premium golf balls lofts or weighting not available at retail.

Pro V1.

However, it’s still interesting to look at and players talk The brand with what’s in their bags, especially the equip- about its consistenthe next highest cy and performance. ment that is in the hands of Tour winners. number of victoThe Pro V1, introduced Everyone knows Toursters are paid handTitleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x ries (eight) is Callasomely by club and ball manufacturers, in 2000, was updated in so-called endorsement contracts, running 2023 (updates are every two years) and re- way and their model the Chrome Soft X. tained a three-piece construction with a It is specifically designed for high swing from thousands to sevprogressive gradient core that’s firmer speed players and has a soft urethane cover. eral millions of dollars. at the outside and less so closer Callaway has promoted the soft feel of the And yes, that is a big to the center. This gives more Chrome Soft line while still producing lots factor in what Tour ball speed the faster the of distance and this is a big selling point. players choose to use Rahm, when he switched swing speed as with but remember any of to the Callaway staff, a driver versus an the clubs and balls must said one of the iron as well “work” for the player. primary reasons as less spin He must have confidence was being able for added in his equipment both that to play Chrome carry disit will perform and “fit” his Callaway Apex CB Soft X. tance. swing.

By way of T h e Sound familiar? Weekcomparison, TiPro V1’s end players have the same tleist Pro V1 and c onstrucconcerns.

Pro V1x sell for $55 tion of a solAccording to the webper dozen and Chrome id core with a sites of Callaway Golf and Soft X $50. urethane cover Titleist, the two largest Looking at winning jumped it to the equipment corporations, both drivers it is virtually a dead most played on have top players on their enheat between low spin models, Tour 20 years ago dorsement staff. Callaway Golf the Callaway Paradym Triple Diand the current model pays 31 Tour members, including Callaway Apex amond, Titleist TSR3, Ping G430 retains a cast thermoworld No. 3 Jon Rahm and Xander Pro Series CB and Taylorset urethane covering Schauffele while Titleist can point PING G430 LST Made Golf 388 dimples in a spheriat their staff endorsers, including world No. with by ed travis

G

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Stealth 2 Plus. We especially like the most recent of the Ping drivers, the G430 LST, with the LST standing for Low Spin Technology. The 440cc clubhead is a favorite of Tour players and the carbon fiber that replaces metal on the rear half of the crown wraps around to the front and rear. This allowed Ping engineers to lower the center of gravity and increase forgiveness. Weighting was also improved with a 22-gram movable backweight to give fade, draw or straight bias to the ball flight.

TaylorMade staffers are playing the latest version of the company’s carbon fiber driver, the Stealth 2 Plus, with the highest amount of this strong lightweight material anyone has ever been able to use. The location of weighting in the head is interesting as well, taking the form of two 15-gram weights, one in the skirt at the rear of the head and the other in a sliding track behind the face.

Callaway and Titleist are also neckand-neck for the irons PGA Tour winners have played. Prominent among the various Callaway models being used are the Apex TCB with the TCB standing for Tour Cavity Back. They have a forged head with a cavity back smaller than typically seen on an iron made for recreational players but with a similar purpose, to provide an amount of forgiveness since even the top players sometimes miss the center of the face.

A special feature is the tungsten weighting is injected molded for exact size and location in the head, which varies with the iron loft plus the weight plate on the rear is adjustable for the user’s preference.

Apex TCBs are no longer sold, but Callaway tells me the new Apex Pro Series CBs are expected to be adopted by Tour players as they change for newer irons.

Ping and TaylorMade have also been played for multiple wins, but our attention was drawn to one of Srixon’s ZX Mk II iron models, the ZX7 Mk II which has been used for four victories. They use what is called Srixon’s new PureFrame design, a forged ridge in the interior of the head that is 80 percent thicker and located behind the sweet spot to improve the iron’s feel and control.

The ZX7 MkII has a V-shaped sole for a cleaner strike even when the impact is a little fat or when the lie is not the best.

For those unfamiliar with the design of this sole grind there is more bounce on the front or leading edge and less on the rear trailing edge. Many players like this combination because it also helps with shot shape control.

W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

Gran Habano Corojo #5 Gran Robusto by laramie navrath

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n today’s ever changing cigar market, consistency is key. Like any other product, traits that define a cigar for longevity don’t just happen overnight. Guillermo and George Rico believe in patience. For 4 generations, the Rico family has been farming tobacco and building their business the old fashion way, slow and steady. In 1998, Guillermo Rico established his factory in Danli, Honduras, later becoming the birthplace of Gran Habano premium cigars.

Gran Habano’s hallmark is attention to detail and a high reliance on strict quality control in traditional tabaquero fashion. In 2003, the father and son team released their core line of Gran Habano cigars with three distinct blends, Connecticut #1, Habano #3 and Corojo #5.

Our review will focus on the Corojo #5 in the Gran Robusto (toro) format. At the time,

the Corojo # 5 was considered the strongest blend in the Gran Habano portfolio. Today, this cigar would be considered medium in strength. The filler consists of Nicaraguan and Costa Rican long leaf tobacco with a Nicaraguan Habano binder, all held together by a noticeably red, flawless Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper. The combination produces rich, full-bodied flavors.

The construction of the cigar is perfect, the burn is even with no need for touch-ups. The smoke is very cool on the pallet and the draw is effortless. For those that retrohale, you may notice very pleasant white pepper spices, with hints of cedar, while earth, sweet breads and grains linger on the pallet. The cigar is very well balanced and builds in strength and flavor as you move throughout the different stages of the smoke.

The final third has notes of toasted nuts, dried fruits, and baking spices. With an overall smoking time between 60 to 90 minutes this cigar will hold up nicely for 9 holes of golf.

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COMPLIANCE SOLUTIONS CHAMPIONSHIP • JUNE 22-25

CHIP SHOTS

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Jimmy Stanger

Brendon Jelley

Chris Gotterup

Solid start for state's foray onto Korn Ferry Tour Rob Addington, who runs Anera n providing a home state boost to Sports, which contracted with the Korn the large contingent of Oklahoma Ferry Tour to provide tournament manplayers pursuing their dreams of agement services for the Compliance Soplaying on the PGA Tour, the Compli- lutions Championship, said the first-year ance Solutions Championship debut at event was a success from an operational Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course in Nor- standpoint.

“Overall it was a really good start for man was a bit of a dud. the first year,” Addington said.

From about every other per“The golf course was great, spective, the first year of having the players really. really enthe Korn Ferry Tour event in joyed it and it was one of the Oklahoma was a great success. first events of their season with Only four of the 17 players some significant rough. with strong state ties in the “As they say, if you have a field made the cut. Former Jengolf course in good shape, good ks and Oklahoma State golfer food and a good driving Brendon Jelley and former Mark Lammert range, the players will love Oklahoma golfer Chris Compliance Solutions CEO it and we had all three of Gotterup each finished at 13-under and tied for 21st. Jimmy those.”

The weather was problematic as OklaStanger of Tampa won the tournament at 22-under after a bogey-free, 6-under-par homa weather tends to be. The tourna66 in the final round June 25 put him one ment was delayed by storms on Friday and the heat index soared above 100 deshot clear of Rafael Campos.

As the Korn Ferry Tour closed in on grees on the weekend. That and the lack the playoffs which will determine the of local golfers in contention on Sunday top 30 who advance to the PGA Tour, may have depressed attendance on Sunseveral players with state ties were still day.

Addington said he would look to add in position to advance. Rhein Gibson (Oklahoma Christian), Kevin Dough- some additional shaded viewing areas erty (Oklahoma State) and Logan McAl- for the 2024 event, which will be held lister (Oklahoma) were all inside the top June 17-23.

Compliance Solutions, led by CEO 30 as of late July, but will need strong finishes to stay there. Gotterup, Quade Mark Lammert, a graduate of Oral RobCummins (OU), Kris Ventura (OSU), erts University, signed a five-year conJosh Creel (Edmond) and Jelley were in tract to be the title sponsor. A pre-tourneed of a top-five finish or two to make nament pro-am featuring players from Oklahoma high schools was a big suca drastic move.

by ken macleod

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

cess and will be expanded on for 2024, Addington said.

“Overall it went really well and we built a strong foundation,” he said. “We’ll make a few tweaks. With the heat, it was hard on our volunteers and we will look to have a larger base of volunteers for next year.”

Jelley played in the Compliance Solutions Championship on a sponsor exemption, but his high finish meant an end (for now) to having to wonder week to week if he’ll have enough points to make the tournament field.

“Obviously, every made cut for me is huge, especially a top-25,” Jelley said. “This probably pretty much secures me the rest of the season, where I won’t have to worry too much about sponsor invites or if I’m going to be an alternate or not. It’s certainly a good finish this week and it will end up going a long way.”

Rhein Gibson, a former NAIA AllAmerica player at Oklahoma Christian who now lives in Edmond, finished off an even-par 72 with a birdie on the par-5 No. 18 and tied for 53rd at 8-under 280.

His former college coach, David Lynn – who has guided OC to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the NCAA Division II tournament the past two seasons – caddied for Gibson.

Patrick Welch, playing in his third Korn Ferry Tour event since finishing his collegiate career at OU this spring, tied for 58th at 7-under 281 after shooting a 73 on Sunday.

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News around the state Sponsored by

Kickingbird off to flying start it,” Moore said. “The greens are different contours and some well designed chipping as the $22 million restoration areas around them. It needs six months to of the course and facilities at mature but overall I was pleased with it.”

Moore said he was a fan of the sixth KickiingBird Golf Course in green, but not so much of the 16th, an uphill Edmond a good idea?

Well, the month of July is in the books, and par-3 with a Redan style green in which all shots landing on despite heavy rains the right funnel to early and blisterthe left side. ing heat late, the “I think he crecourse more than ates some awedoubled the revsome pin placeenue in any month ments on six,” of its preceding Moore said of 50 years since it’s the greens which opening in 1973. were redesigned Director of Golf by architect Mike Brian Soerensen Dusenberry. “For said over 7,000 being a 150-yard rounds of golf Pro shop open for business hole, I don’t mind were played, with golfers flocking to the course from dawn to the amount of slope. It it was 200 yards it dusk. Also the new Lookout Restaurant has would be too severe.”

Moore said he preferred the previous green been attracting big crowds of non-golfers for on 16, saying the sloped didn’t leave any pinlunch and dinner.

The new Tahoma-31 Bermuda fairways and shaved pitching areas around the greens have been drawing raves, as have most of the new greens. The biggest lightning rod for “conversation” has been the green on the by ken macleod

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Shaved run up areas on most greens nable options on the right side of he green.

The club has been operating at nine-minute intervals for tee times but Soerensen said it was considering going to 10 minutes at least until the heat breaks. The course overall did over $500,000 in revenue in July where $240,000 was a good month previously.

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par-3 sixth hole, with a valley bisecting large raised areas to the left and right.

“Some love it, some hate it,” Soerensen said. “You’ve got the valley down the middle with some easy pins as that’s where the balls gather. Then you’ve got great pin positions on the left and some on the right. I love it, but everyone has their own opinion.”

PGA Tour pro Taylor Moore, who grew up playing Kickingbird and taking lessons from Soerensen, played it for the first time on July 28 and became a fan.

“I thought they did a really good job with

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CHIP SHOTS

Pro shop, lounge, video bays and club fitting room highlight Tour Quality's new digs.

McDonald's expertise, cool venue have Tour Quality on rise in Tulsa golf or Trackman numbers, an expanded pro shop with putting green, ustom club builders and a game room with large club fitters in Oklahoscreen televisions and ma, will be celebrating games such as cornhole his one-year anniversary of Tour and a bar.

Quality’s expansive store in Tulsa Then there is the custhis August. tom fitting lab, lined When McDonald moved his opwith every conceivable erations from cramped quarters shaft and driver and iron in Broken Arrow to 60th Street Ross McDonald heads, creating tens of and Sheridan in Tulsa, McDonald expanded from mostly club fitting to a cool thousands of possible combinations for place with six giant screens for simulator your next club. by ken macleod

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For those who aren’t golf equipment nerds, McDonald and his associates can guide you through the maze of options based on your swing analysis numbers and their experience. McDonald started his career at Golf Galaxy in 2007 and soon determined he possessed a knack for club fitting.

McDonald branched out on his own in 2014 and quickly established himself as an expert trusted by many of the area’s top professionals as well as hordes of amateur golfers looking to enhance their game.

During our recent visit, one prominent Tulsa teaching professional popped in to outfit his son with new clubs while another prominent manufacturer’s rep stopped in for a chat as well.

“It’s gone better than I ever thought,” McDonald said. “We’re going to do some specials for our one-year anniversary and thank all of our customers who have made it such a great start.”

Tour Quality rents bays by the hour or there are three membership levels, the most premier of which gives customers 24hour access.

For more information, go to tourqualitygolf.com or drop in. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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CHIP SHOTS

Myers takes new post with Hanse there for club members to see on a daily basis and the world to see at the various uss Myers has resigned as su- major championships. What made him perintendent at Southern Hills so good at his job?

“It’s just attention to detail,” Sidorakis Country Club to take a position with the firm of golf course archi- said. “He always knew based on what he was going to do agronomically what tects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner.

Myers, 51, had been at Southern the results would be. He’s a deep thinkHills since 2016 and groomed the club er, extremely intelligent and just one of through the 2021 Senior PGA Champi- the best in the industry. Each year he’s onship and the 2022 PGA Champion- only gotten better and he’s also a great ship, as well as working closely with person and a dear friend.”

Sidorakis pointed to two of Myers’ Hanse and Wagner during the 2018-19 complete restoration of Southern Hills. efforts that have had an enormous He previously was at Southern Hills positive effect on conditions at Southfrom 2006-09 and led the preparations ern Hills. One is the hydronics system for the 2007 PGA Championship and providing cooling (or warming) water the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship. to the root system of every green. The From 2009-15, Myers was the super- other is the initiative to utilize more intendent at Los Angeles Country Club caddies and more walking with push which just hosted the 2023 U.S. Open carts and limit cart traffic particularly on its North Course. Myers worked in the dormant seasons.

Myers said he starts work with Hanse closely with Hanse, Wagner and Geoff in October and Shackelford on the restoration “I can’t say enough good things his end date at Southern Hills of that course. about my time at Southern Hills, was yet to be One of the most respected they gave me every opportunity determined.

H a n s e , superintendents and everything I ever needed to do who has projin the country, the job correctly,” Myers said he – Russ Myers ects lined up through 2026, felt the time said he was was right for a change in direction and the opportunity thrilled to add Myers to his team.

"We obviously have the utmost reto work with Hanse and Wagner on new courses and restorations while being able spect for Russ and his abilities," Hanse to do some of it from his home in Tulsa. said. "It's no secret that Jim and I are very “I can’t say enough good things busy and we wanted to bring on someabout my time at Southern Hills, they one who can take on some of that workgave me every opportunity and ev- load and provide expertise in all areas.

"Russ will be very active in planning erything I ever needed to do the job correctly,” Myers said. “Being a super- of projects from a construction and agintendent is a demanding job and one ronomic standpoint. When we go to a I’ve been doing in some fashion since new project it will have been thoroughly 1988. I thought it was time to retire as researched and prepared from grass seleca superintendent and do something a tion, greens mix, sand selection, how to atlittle different. I’m looking forward to tack the unique elements of different sites.

And as time goes on I'm sure he'll be able this opportunity with Gil.” Southern Hills General Manager Nick to contribute on the design side as well.

"We've worked with Russ on two Sidorakis, who is retiring at the end of 2023, said it was a blow to the club to big projects and known him now for 15 lose Myers, but a national search had al- years. His thirst and passion for knowledge, willingness to be creative and ready begun for his replacement.

“I hate to lose one of the best super- consider a lot of options to solve issues intendents in the country but I’m happy and get things right are what Jim and I for Russ,” Sidorakis said. “It’s a neat op- really respect and have built our busiportunity for him to do something that ness on. Sometimes the answer is not the obvious one and he's incredible in he’s passionate about.”

The results that Myers produced were finding out what that answer is."

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

Southern Hills now replacing both GM Nick Sidorakis and superintendent Russ Myers.

Gil Hanse W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

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CONSTRUCTION ROUNDUP

Bailey Ranch in Owasso reopens August 18 after repairing winter damage to greens and fairways.

Back in business with Bermuda enjoy the new greens before it became evident this spring that they were not greening up. he winter kill damage to new Like Bailey Ranch, The Canyons at Bermuda greens particularly in Blackjack Ridge open its newly sprigged Northeast Oklahoma triggered greens on Aug. 18. The Canyons did not a lot of debate about whether converting close and has been playing on tempofrom bent grass was the right move or not. rary greens all summer, but sprigged all The courses that studied the benefits of 18 greens on the course, its practice green Bermuda versus bent and decided to conand a new chipping green it built for Sand vert are sticking by their decision. Those Springs High School’s use. that struggled annually with bent grass in Director of Golf Brian Talley said the the heat of July and August are also woncourse is concentrating on raising the dering if golfers have selective memories. amount of organic matter in its greens and The severe winter of 2021 which caused considering double tarps to try to prevent Bermuda green loss throughout the tranfuture damage afsition zone was ter suffering severe hard on courses winter kill in both with new Bermu2021 and 2023. da greens, such as Heritage Hills The Canyons at in Claremore has Blackjack Ridge in gone through Sand Springs and three rounds of Heritage Hills in winter kill since it Claremore. Then first elected to conto get hit a second vert to Bermuda in time in three years 2019. This time it when temperaCanyons at Blackjack Ridge in Sand Springs reopens August 18. closed four greens tures plunged to zero degrees with wind chills much lower things we can do in the event of extreme on the course and its putting green for weather events. As we learn more on how sprigging in June and has used temporary on Dec. 20 of 2022 was just cruel.

Not every course with new greens was to protect ourselves I think we’ll be in good greens. It also lost 40 percent of its fairways affected. Oak Tree National in Edmond, shape going forward. We’ve learned that to winter kill.

Head professional David Brun said the with brand new Tif-Eagle Bermuda greens, it’s very important to keep the moisture came through almost unscathed. Not so for content high and also to have a lot of or- new greens will reopen the first week of September and the others that had minor Bailey Ranch in Owasso, which lost por- ganic material in the profile.”

Bailey Ranch had more than 40,000 repairs are now in good shape. Like Bailey tions of 11 of its Tif-Eagle greens as well as at least seven acres of fairways and tee rounds played there the past fiscal year Ranch, he said the course has purchased a boxes. The course elected to close for six when golfers were coming in droves to second set of tarps to put down for severe

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weeks in early July to finish repairs even though it was still serving almost 200 golfers daily.

Bailey Ranch will reopen Aug. 18. The course has purchased a second set of tarps allowing it to put two down on each green in the event of a severe cold snap comparable to last December.

Director of Golf Corey Burd said he and superintendent Chris Cook are confident the Bermuda greens are the right decision for Bailey Ranch.

“We think it’s the right decision for our course,” Burd said. “We’ve ordered the second set of tarps and there are some other

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

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CONSTRUCTION ROUNDUP weather events. Play has remained strong throughout the repairs, which has helped considerably from a financial perspective.

The River Course at The Club at Indian Springs has been using five temporary greens while resprigging five of its new Champion ultradwarf Bermuda greens and it patched others with sod. Superintendent David Jones said the repairs have come in well and the course was set to reopen all greens on Aug. 12.

None of the courses with new Bermuda greens were ready to switch back to bent and the extreme heat in July and early August reminded them why they made the change. It’s very inconvenient to resprig greens in the middle of the summer, but far cheaper and faster than having to resurface bent grass greens lost to heat damage. On the other hand, courses with bent grass watching all the repairs and issues with new Bermuda have good reason to be happy with their choice.

The reality in the transition zone is neither surface is ideal. Bermuda is too susceptible to extreme cold and bent goes south when it’s hot and humid. As weather seems to get more extreme in both directions, it’s going to remain a challenge for courses and their maintenance crews regardless of which surface is chosen.

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2023 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

Stacy P

by ken macleod

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f you drove by the eighth green at Meadowlake Golf Course in Enid on a summer evening in the early 1990s, you might see three figures outlined in the dim glare of a car’s headlights, two small ones with putters in their hands.

That would be Stacy Prammanasudh and her older sister Kerrie, learning the intricacies of putting on Meadowlake’s most undulating green under the watchful eye of father Pravat, known to everyone as Lou. During the daytime it might be flop shots over the fence at the back of the driving range. Or pitch shots to the elevated 14th green after the final group had played through, learning to control spin and distance.

You can draw a direct line from those work sessions into Stacy’s Nov. 12 induction into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame.

She will be inducted in a class that includes Ron Streck, Morri Rose, Mike Hughett 24

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

a winner from start to finish

A winner from junior golf to the LPGA Tour and Bo Wininger. Go to www.oklahomagolfhof. org for tickets and much more information.

Now married to husband Pete Upton and mother to two active boys Ryp and Ryder, Stacy is no longer consumed by golf. In the garage are the same clubs she used when she retired from a 13-year career on the LPGA Tour in 2013 to start a family. She was never an architecture or equipment geek, making it easier to step away. She played in an Women’s All Pro Tour event at her home club Indian Springs in 2022 on a lark to show older son Ryp what mom was known for, but to most there she is a terror on the tennis court, not the golf course.

Yes, the competitive spirit that allowed her to embrace all of Lou’s interesting practice sessions is still there. It just has different outlets.

Lou grew up outside of Bangkok, where he would watch enthralled from a hill outside the gates as others played the game, W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

NOVEMBER 12 • SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB far too poor to play himself. He emigrated know where I stood. I said yes and he said to the United States at the age of 25 and you have to hole this. I hit it to about two after stops in New Jersey and California, inches. Her dad was having a heart attack.”

During many of those events, Pramfound his way to Oklahoma, where he went to business school at Phillips Univer- manasudh had started to notice that legsity in Enid, got a job at George E. Failing endary University of Tulsa coach Dale McNamara was a frequent Co. and met and married spectator. It wasn’t a foreStacy’s mother Brenda. gone conclusion that she He also taught himself would attend TU, but the to play golf by reading full ride offered was comgolf magazines at the old pelling. Arizona women’s nine-hole Phillips course coach Rick LaRose told in Enid, where he once her he would make her had a hole-in-one and a the next Marisa Baena, double eagle in the same exactly the wrong thing round. But when Kerrie to say to the fiercely indeand Stacy came along, he pendent Prammanasudh, transferred his passion who didn’t want to be the for playing into teaching next anyone. his girls.

Stacy had been granted Five years older, Kerrie playing and practice privihad a fine junior career leges at Oakwood Counand went on to be the No. try Club by long-time pro1 bag for Southwest Misfessional Tim Mendenhall souri State, now Missouri and that helped her conState in Springfield. Stacy tinue to develop her pitchwas allowed to play in her ing, chipping and putting first tournament at Forest skills. McNamara was imRidge when she was nine.

Tulsa time pressed by her dedication She remembers the field as and competitiveness. She four players and three got did throw Stacy a curvetrophies. She finished last. ball by retiring between “That was all it took,” her sophomore and junior Stacy said. “I just got years, but when daughsmoked and I said I’m not ter Melissa (Luellen) was doing all this for nothing. named her successor all I want one of those trowas well. phies. That spurred it on “I thought for a second and from then on I was I was going to have to down for all the practice. transfer, but then Melissa I was lucky that I had my was hired and her record big sister Kerrie to comspeaks for itself. If you’re pete with, we would play a former national chamfor Cherry Limeades or pion and going to play on ice cream. “ the LPGA Tour then come Stacy and Lou had back and coach, you’ve plenty of arguments, got some information to but they worked it out. share.”

The trophies also began “It took me about one to pile up. The family day to realize how good didn’t have the funds for she was,” said Luellen, a AJGA or USGA events, 2019 Oklahoma Golf Hall so Stacy started winning everything on a state level, including five of Fame inductee. “Her dad taught her the consecutive WOGA Junior Championships discipline of working on her short game and nearly every high school event she en- and it was so good. I remember in an early tered, including three of four state cham- tournament Suzie Fisher shot 78 and went pionships. As a junior, she lost by a shot to to the range to hit drivers. Stacy told her Wendy Martin, who went on to play at the you don’t need to go hit balls, you need to putt. I told Suzie from then on that University of Oklahoma.

“My coach came up to me before my whatever Stacy was doing in practice, she second shot on 18 and asked if I wanted to should do as well.”

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Father, caddie and mentor Lou.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 • GOLF OKL AHOMA

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2023 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

Signing autographs, studying the next shot and sharing her secrets.

If there was any doubt about her local success translating to a larger stage, her collegiate career erased that. She was a four-time first team All-America, won 10 of 44 events, one shy of Nancy Lopez’ school record and was a three-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

On a national stage only Lorena Ochoa of Arizona, who went on to be world No. 1, consistently gave her fits.

Following her senior season she and Lou, benefitting from over $50,000 raised

by Oakwood members, went on the Future’s Tour, where she won twice and was

named Player of the Year in 2003. She was fully exempt for the LPGA Tour for 2004 and the following year picked up her first LPGA Tour victory, winning the American Franklin Mortgage Championship by three shots over Ochoa, gaining a small measure of revenge for all those runner-up finishes to her in college.

“When Stacy was ready to go pro, we had a lot of members who wanted to help,” Oakwood head professional Tim Mendenhall said. “We raised the $50k in a couple of hours. She paid it back in two years and was on her way. We’re all so proud here of what she accomplished.

“No one worked harder than Stacy. We have girls here who ask what it takes. I tell them Stacy would pull up at 3 after school, chip for an hour, putt for an hour, hit longer shots, then

Sheila Dills, Stacy, Dale and Melissa McNamara.

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

play a few holes. And this wasn’t once or twice a week, this was seven days a week.

We’ve had some great players from Oklahoma but I would put right there at the top.

She’s the best.”

Stacy won once more, the 2007 Fields Open in Hawaii. That year she represented the U.S. and helped the team to victory in the Solheim Cup. Lou remained her caddy until that year at which time husband Pete Upton took over. She retired in 2013 with over $3.5 million in career earnings, 30 top-10 finishes and a lifetime of memories.

Life on the road for LPGA players can be far from glamorous. Driving, sharing houses, practice, making time for family. Stacy had close friends such as Angela Stanford, whom she first competed against in the Texas-Oklahoma Junior, and Katie Futcher, who played from 2006-14 before going into coaching.

“Stacy is down to earth and she’s not go-

Finishing runnerup to Sheila Dills in the 1995 WOGA State Amateur.

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NOVEMBER 12 • SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB

With caddie and husband Pete Upton, TU coach Dale McNamara and in action on the LPGA Tour. ing to sugar coat anything,” Futcher said.

“She’s the kind of friend you’re lucky to have. And though you’re living out your dream, the Tour can be one of the loneliest places in the world, particularly if you’re going back to an empty hotel room. Having Stacy and Lou or Pete, Angela and having a house and a support system is a lifesaver.

“She was always up for anything, shopping, hikes, whatever. Let’s Go is still her mentality. We have an annual ski trip every year now in Montana and ask Stacy to tell you about the first time she went down the mogul hill. She was covered in white, but she was game.”

Stanford said she related to Stacy from the time they met.

“We were from similar modest backgrounds and cut from the same piece of cloth,” Stanford said. “No one ever gave us anything. Players like her are pretty special. It’s one thing to win a lot locally when you don’t have those advantages, but then to move on and be successful against everyone in the country in college, then at the pro level where everyone is elite. Stacy is special. She was always showing up and being super competitive. She made me better and I appreciated it.

“Now that she is no longer on tour we still have a friendship that will last forever.

Whenever we talk it’s like we pick right up where we left off.”

Her life now is filled with the boys’ athletic endeavors – which at this time do not include golf. She teaches fitness classes and has become a skilled tennis player.

Golf? After only playing in a few scrambles over the past few years, Stacy finished tied for 13th in the field of hungry young professionals in the WAPT event. She still W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

has it. She’s 43 now, in two years she’ll be eligible to play in Legends of the LPGA events. There’s no reason to think she will.

Unless one of those trophies catches her eye.

She is and always will be a competitor.

She is a rarity among Oklahoma women over the past 30 years in having had a successful LPGA Tour career. Kendall Dye played parts of five seasons. Before that,

918.832.5544

it was her coach Melissa McNamara who played the LPGA Tour from 1990-2000 and won once.

“I’m very proud of her,” said Lou, now 85. “She worked very hard. She listened to her daddy. Not all the time. She has made it to the LPGA Tour and now to the Hall of Fame. When she put her mind to it, she can do anything.”

www.jonesplan.com

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2023 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

MIKE HUGHETT

RECORD

HAUL by ken macleod

24 OGA titles, 17 runner-up finishes and counting Mike Hughett could serve up quite a champions dinner with the 24 plates he has collected for winning OGA events.

M

ike Hughett won the Oklahoma Golf Association Stroke Play Championship in 1986 at Tulsa Country Club. In 2022, 36 years later, he won the OGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville. He was 63 and then the oldest winner of a MidAmateur Championship in any state’s history.

In between, he won 22 other OGA championships (see chart), including seven fourball titles with a partner. His 24 overall OGA titles are by far the most by any individual, well ahead of Joe Nick with 11.

His sustained excellence extends well beyond the state borders as well. He has been a force in national amateur championships, winning the 2018 and 2020 Dixie Senior Amateur, the 2019 Baltusrol Invitational, 28

Hughett's won the Nebraska State Amateur in 1977, cheered on by brother Bryan.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

the 2021 Woodyard Senior Invitational and coming in top-five in numerous others. He has competed in 17 USGA championships, reaching the round of 16 in both the USGA Senior Amateur and the USGA MidAmateur championships.

All reasons Hughett is becoming only the second strictly amateur golfer to be inducted into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame during the Nov. 12 ceremony at Southern Hills Country Club. He joins Charlie Coe, the legendary life-long amateur from Norman who was generally recognized as one of the top few golfers in the country, even though he never turned professional.

Coe could have been one of the world’s best professionals had he so chosen. Hughett is not that, but is a golfer who, after a self-described mediocre college career at Oral Roberts for three years and Nebraska for one, kept his passion for the game and the competition, kept practicing and never gave up the belief that he could improve. He maintained his strength and flexibility and by the time he turned 50 in 2009, it was over for his fellow seniors. Hughett won 14 OGA senior championships in the next 12 years, including seven victories in the Senior Stroke Play and three in W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

NOVEMBER 12 • SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB

2022 OGA Mid-Am Champion

2021 OGA Senior Stroke Play Champion

the Senior Amateur (match play).

What are the keys to Hughett seemingly getting better each year?

“At 6-1, he’s got a tremendous arc,” said his instructor, PGA professional Pat McTigue of Meadowbrook Country Club.

“Plus he has tremendous hand-eye coordination and fast-twitch reflexes. He’s never had any major injuries or surgery and his back has held up. And he’s just a tremendous competitor.”

Eric Mueller, who teamed up with Hughett to win the OGA Senior Four-Ball Championship in 2009 and 2010, marvels at his friend’s dominance since turning 50.

“He really peaked as a player at about the age of 50 and he’s been able to maintain it

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2019 OGA Senior Stroke Play Champion

2018 OGA Senior Stroke Play Champion

since then,” Mueller said. “The longevity and level of play for the amount of time that he’s done it is really amazing. But he loves the competition. His fundamentals have always been the best part of his game.

Plus, he’s really talented.”

To dominate Oklahoma amateur golf in that fashion, it helps tremendously to have a few things, such as a good job with an understanding boss and an equally understanding wife. Hughett had all that in his long career at Nordam and wife Sherry has accompanied him to many of his out-ofstate tournaments, making mini- vacations out of the trips.

Hughett’s path to Oklahoma began in 1963 when his father, a stockbroker from

2015 OGA Senior State Amateur Champion

2018 OGA Senior 4-Ball Champion

LaSalle-Peru, Ill., about 75 miles west of Chicago, was assigned by his firm to open an office in Lincoln, Neb. Despite not knowing the game, he joined Hillcrest CC in Lincoln, where 5-year-old Mike started hanging out, doing some caddying and learning the game.

He was playing tournaments by age 10 and started shedding other sports and focusing on golf by age 14. As a sophomore, he missed the state championship after fracturing his thumb in gym class, then missed qualifying by a shot as a junior. He made the most of his lone appearance as a senior, winning the state championship.

But he also won his club championship, the city championship and the Nebraska State

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2023 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

Hughett with David Duval Amateur by the time he was 18 and captured the attention of Oral Roberts coach Jack Higgins.

Hughett was at ORU as the school transitioned from Higgins to a flirtation with legendary Wake Forest coach Jesse Haddock to settling on Bill Brogden, who began building ORU into a national power, bring-

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ing in Jim Kane, Joey Rassett and Bryan Norton in the fall of 1977 and Bill Glasson in the spring of 1978.

Hughett played three years at ORU, starting regularly and helping ORU to top-10 finishes in the NCAA Championship before transferring to Nebraska where he finished his collegiate career, winning one event and earning his degree in accounting.

He and Sherry, whom he had met when she was working for the student paper at ORU, decided to move back to Tulsa upon graduation. Pro golf was not considered.

“I heard once from a friend that when Bill was discussing his great teams at ORU with Kane, Rassett, Norton and Glasson, someone asked him, ‘didn’t Mike Hughett play on those teams?’ And Brogden said yes, but he wasn’t that good back then. He got better as he went on.

“I thought at first that wasn’t Hughett en route to an OGA championship very nice, but then I realized he After years of coming close – he lost in was right. I certainly did improve a lot the finals at Dornick Hills to Kurt Nelson from the player I was in college.”

That improvement didn’t come right in 1987 when he three-putted the final away. As a young accountant with two hole – the State Amateur returned to TCC young children in sons Rob and Matthew in 2001. Hughett’s game was peaking, as and later a daughter Allison, time for golf he won the OGA stroke play championship, mid-amateur championship and was scarce.

“I thought something’s got to change,” four-ball championship (with the late Hughett said. “And the first thing that’s got James Reid) in 2000.

At age 42 and using a Ping Anser putter to change is I’ve got to make more money that was so I can do older than somet hing many of about my the congolf game.” testants He was he was hired by a facing, client called Hughett Linear Films was three who also d o w n made him a with three junior memholes to ber at Tulsa play in his Countr y sem i f i n a l Club. That against was in 1986 2001 USGA State Team Championship with St even and the Gary Cowan, left and Tripp Davis.

Rist, but State Amateur was coming to TCC that summer. birdied the last three holes to force a tie With the practice facilities at hand and and won in a five-hole playoff. He then some good instruction from Dave Bryan, defeated Adam Wing, at that time a UniHughett won the Stroke Play Champion- versity of Arkansas golfer, in the champiship by eight shots and lost to Kyle Flinton onship match.

“Tiger had his slam and that was mine,” in the quarterfinals in match play.

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

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NOVEMBER 12 • SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB Hughett said. “Winning all four of the major events the OGA puts on in 13 months was a great achievement for me.”

Even greater may have been his OGA Mid-Amateur victory at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville. The Hughetts lost their youngest son Matthew to brain cancer earlier that year and Mike was playing for him in a field that included nine former OGA champions. When he rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole against Harley Abrams and Austin Schmidt, Hughett’s fist pump was quickly followed by tears.

“This one was for Matt,” he said at the time. “I could feel him up there watching me and pulling for me. I had no doubt I was going to make that putt, none.”

Hughett’s record of being the oldest player to win a state mid-am lasted only two days before 65-year-old Tom Brandes won the Washington Mid-Amateur Championship. Knowing Hughett, Brandes’ record is not safe.

'Kirk Wright, one of the state's other top senior amateurs, has competed with and against Hughett on a state and national level. He has watched Hughett pull off all manner of shots with his usual calm demeanor.

Oklahoma Golf Association – CHA MPIONSHIPS –

(Won all listed below) 1986 Stroke Play 2000 Stroke Play 2000 4-Ball 2000 Mid-Amateur 2001 State Amateur 2004 4-Ball 2006 4-Ball 2007 Mid-Amateur 2008 Mid-Amateur 2009 Sr. Stroke Play 2009 Sr. 4-ball 2010 Sr. Stroke Play 2010 Sr. 4-ball 2011 Sr. Amateur 2012 Sr. Amateur 2012 Sr. Stroke Play 2015 Sr. Amateur 2016 Sr. 4-ball 2016 Sr. Stroke Play 2018 Sr. 4-ball 2018 Sr. Stroke Play 2019 Sr. Stroke Play 2021 Sr Stroke Play 2022 Mid-Amateur

w w w.L aFor tune Park G olf.com 5501 S. Yale Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Venue Tulsa CC Indian Springs Cedar Ridge Hillcrest CC Tulsa CC Tulsa CC Twin Hills Quail Creek Ponca City Ponca City Dornick Hills Oaks CC Tulsa CC Gaillardia Quail Creek Meadowbrook Hillcrest CC Twin Hills Meadowbrook Indian Springs Oak Tree West Gaillardia Oakwood CC Hillcrest CC

24 and counting

"We were in a qualifier at Lincoln Park West and Mike hits a shot on the par-3 right by the clubhouse," Wright said. "It goes in the hole. Someone in the clubhouse runs out and asks if he wants to have a certificate? Mike says no, that's okay. He asks if he's ever had a hole-in-one before.

Mike says, yes, 13 of them. Like it was no big deal."

"You might not know it from watching him but he's one of the greatest competitors we've had out here," said former OGA Executive Director Mark Felder, who perfected his Hughett victory speech over the years from reptition. "He is going to be there in every tournament and not going to give you anything."

In addition to his 24 victories, Hughett has 17 runnerup finishes including at least once in all seven OGA major events, a very Jack Nickklaus-like dominance.

"When I look back at the OGA titles, one of the things I'm most proud of is that I won and finished second in at least one of all seven OGA open, mid-am and senior titles," Hughett said. "I'm sure finishing second so many times inspired me to get better and eventually get the wins" Now 65, Hughett may well add to what is already a Hall of Fame legacy.

“What happens under the lights, stays under the lights!”

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2023 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME

L

ong before his colorful career in Las Vegas, Francis “Bo” Wininger was one of Oklahoma’s finest junior players, a founding and highly successful member of the first Oklahoma State golf teams and a six-time winner on the PGA Tour.

Wininger was a great Bo Wininger natural athat Augusta lete who National, played both circa 1964. football and basketball in

Guthrie in addition to golf. He was the runnerup in the 1940 state high school golf championship and won the event in 1941.

He then served in the U.S. Naval Air Corps during World War II. Upon his discharge, Wininger went to OSU to play golf for legendary coach Labron Harris Sr., who founded the program in 1947. Wininger lettered in 1947-50, and led the team to NCAA finishes of fifth, fifth, sixth and 13th.

He won the Missouri Valley Conference individual championship in 1949 and 1950 and Oklahoma A&M won the conference championship all four years. He also won the 1948 Oklahoma State Amateur Championship.

Wininger went east after graduation, landing a job at Atlantic City Country Club in 1952. He joined the PGA Tour in 1953.

In 1955, Wininger broke through with victories in the Baton Rouge Open and the Hot Springs Open. He won again in 1956 before leaving the tour and its minimal payouts for private business, but joined again in the early 1960s and promptly won three more times in short order. He won the Greater New Orleans Open and the Carling Open in 1962 and then repeated as champ in 1963 in New Orleans. He also won the South Central PGA Section Championship in both 1962 and 1963.

Wininger then accepted a job directing golf operations in Las Vegas at The Desert Inn, home of the PGA Tour's Tournament of Champions. He gave lessons to high rollers and Rat Pack members, hobnobbed with the stars and appeared in an episode of "I Love Lucy."

When Howard Hughes bought the Desert Inn in 1966, he stopped the practice of hosting the Tournament of Champions. Wininger returned to Oklahoma and worked for a short time in the oil business before suffering a stroke in November 1967 and passing away the following month at age 45.

Wininger’s nephew Joe Hall remembers caddying for Bo, hunting with him on his frequent big game trips and listening to his stories as young boy when Bo would return to Guthrie. Bo and his wife Nita (1928-2002) had two daughters, Holly, who was adopted and died of leukemia at age 16 in 1971, and Lisa, whom we have not been able to contact in case any readers know of her whereabouts.

Don Cherry sang at Wininger’s funeral at the First Methodist Church of Guthrie, reportedly one of the largest funerals in town history.

“Bo was a great athlete, always in good physical shape,” Hall said. “But he liked to drink and have a good time. He would party all night and play golf all day.”

They All Knew Bo in Vegas the world’s The Vegas life and times mobsters, biggest celebrities, and golf’s best of 2023 Oklahoma Golf professional players.

Wininger, the head Hall of Fame Inductee Bo professional at the prestigious Wininger were legendary Inn Golf and Desert Country Club, fit right in with them all. The founder , lasvegasgolfinsider .com Wininger legend still o Wininger, a 2023 resonates in Las Vegas inductee into the some six decades after Oklahoma Golf his passing away in Hall of Fame, lived in Las 1967 from complicaVegas during the 1960s, tions of a stroke.

“He was a very charwhen it was blossoming into an internaismatic touring golf tional destination.

Putting the small, desert burg on the professional that knew Bob Hope and Bo Wininger at the 1965 map back then were the most notorious every celebrity in Las Bob Hope Desert Classic. by brian hurlburt

B

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

Vegas and they all knew him,” said Jerry Roberts, a 2008 Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame inductee whom Wininger hired in 1967.

“He was full comp in Las Vegas and that was not common. He never paid for a meal, show or a drink anywhere he went. He was an ambassador for Las Vegas.

“He knew Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr., but he knew them unlike someone who was just an acquaintance.

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(Photo by Leonard Kamsler/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Six-time PGA Tour winner Bo Wininger one of finest golfers in Oklahoma history

NOVEMBER 12 • SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB Bo was their friend.

Bo also always had some big shots coming in from Texas or Oklahoma or somewhere and he always showed them around Las Vegas. He was very generous with his time.”

The Desert Inn was the site of the Tournament of Champions, one of the biggest golf and celebrity events of the day. Bob Hope, Walter Winchell, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and many other A-List celebrities and golfers descended upon Las Vegas each year to partake in the festivities.

The tournament’s queens were also a who’s who of Hollywood and included Barbara Rush, Jane Russell, Stella Stevens, Shirley Jones, Barbara Parkins, Lynda Carter, Ann-Margret and Mamie Van Doren.

The tournament was held in Las Vegas from 1953-1968.

Several times, Wininger qualified for the tournament. He is the only golfer in history to serve as host professional and also to have played in the tournament. He is also said to be the first Las Vegas resident to win an event on the PGA Tour.

Wininger, who Roberts said was a terrific iron player, broke through with his first victory on the PGA Tour in 1955 when he won both the Baton Rouge Open and

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The gruesome sixsome, left to right, Tony Frabbiele, Bo Wininger, Don Cherry, Dean Martin, Myron Friedman and Minny Cardillo. the Hot Springs Open. He won again in 1956 before leaving the tour and its minimal payouts for private business. Wininger started playing again in the early 1960s, and won the 1962 and 1963 Greater New Orleans Open, and the 1962 Carling Open.

According to golfmajorchampionships. com, Wininger qualified for 23 majors, in-

cluding The Masters seven times with a best finish of eighth in 1963. He played in the U.S. Open nine times with a best finish of 17th in 1962 and in the PGA Championship seven times with a best finish of fourth in 1965. He never played in The Open Championship.

Dave Johnson Sr., a 2022 Las Vegas Golf

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2023 OKLAHOMA GOLF HALL OF FAME Hall of Fame inductee, was also hired by come the Director of Golf at the Desert Inn pro at the Desert Inn, and there was this one Wininger and later took over the same posi- Country Club and was in that role for the night when he took me back to the hotel in his Shelby Cobra after a round during the tion Wininger once held at the Desert Inn. He next 25 years.”

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact years Sahara Invitational,” recalled Jack Nicklaus. played in the Utah Open with Wininger just Wininger lived in Las Vegas, but the mark “He had one of the original Cobras. We came two months prior to his untimely passing. back through “I first met the streets of Las Bo through my Vegas at about brother and even 110-to-115 mph. before I met him, I said, ‘Bo, slow I was impressed down!’ And he with his career as said, ‘Oh, I’m just a player,” Johnhaving some fun.’ son Sr. said. “He And I said again, was a very good ‘Bo, slow down!’ player and it Fortunately, Bo was an honor to didn’t kill us there play with him in and he didn’t kill Utah. himself in a car. I What I also think that was as always admired scared as I have about him was ever been in an that he still Labron Harris first team circa 1947. Left to right, Lawrence Glasser, Loddie Kempa, Dick Turner, automobile.” played at a high Bo Wininger, Billy Maxwell and Labron Harris.

Wininger also level in some enjoyed getting out and playing Vegas’ Tour events even while serving as the Des- he left was indelible.

Besides operating the Tournament of other golf courses, including the new Las ert Inn professional. I very much appreciated the example he set for me, as a player Champions and the prestigious Desert Inn Vegas International Country Club that was and as a professional. I find it somewhat course, Wininger enjoyed everything about developed by Marvin Kratter, the owner of the Boston Celtics. ironic that nine years after we played to- the city and who he met while there.

Arthur Nightingale, the club’s first pro“I knew Bo Wininger when he was the gether, I followed in his footsteps to be-

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NOVEMBER 12 • SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB Cardillo, and Tony Frabbiele.

“When we opened the club, I received permission from Mr. Kratter to invite stars out to play, and he said ‘OK’, as long as it wasn’t for what he called ‘self-gain’, and in Vegas there was a lot of ‘self-gain’ going on,” Nightingale said. “The name I gave my favorite group was the ‘gruesome sixsome.’ They were a lot of fun, but I should have used the word ‘awesome’, not gruesome.

How often do you get a group like that? They had the course to themselves for about six weeks. I probably let them overdo it a bit, but Marvin wasn’t there so I thought, ‘why not?’ I think they did more for that course than you could ever justify in a money amount.”

Roberts credits his hall of fame career to Wininger and fondly remembers the way he treated people.

“Everybody wanted to be around Left to right, Waco Turner and Bo circa 1962. him and everybody wanted to sit fessional, said that Wininger was part of with him and spend time with him,” Roba regular group made up of eclectic Las erts said. “He was very personable to evVegans. The players were Wininger, Dean erybody. It didn’t matter if you were a busMartin, singer/golfer Don Cherry, and ca- boy, the manager of the hotel, a celebrity sino executives Myron Friedman, Minny or whoever. He treated everyone like they

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were a regular guy. He also played golf with a lot of the locals, us regular pros, and had some great games — and times.”

Long live the legend of Bo Wininger.

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COMPETITION ROUNDUP

McDonald etches name in OGA history S

outhern Hills Country Club’s drivable par-4 17th hole was Ryder Cowan’s friend all week, until the final match July 12.

Cowan had driven on the green for a key birdie in his 22-hole slugfest with Will Sides in the opening match. He pitched to 8 inches for a huge birdie in his quarterfinal victory over Stephen Carney and drove the green again for birdie in his 1-up semifinal victory over Mesa Falleur.

Needing another birdie on 17 to even up the championship match with William McDonald, Cowan drove just left of the green and pitched to inside 10 feet.

This time he shockingly raced his first putt 4 feet past the hole and missed it coming back. McDonald, who had driven into a greenside bunker but then left his first attempt in the bunker, pitched out and converted the par to etch his name into state championship history.

“I kind of hated to win it that way with Ryder three-putting, but it was a great match,” said McDonald, the tall, smooth-swinging Oklahoma City native who has two years of eligibility left at Cincinnati, coached by former Oklahoma All-American Doug Martin.

“I’ve been playing in OJGT events since I was 13. This is the biggest tournament in the state and this is the best golf course in the state. So it’s really just a dream come true for me to win it here.”

McDonald played the same steady golf in the championship match that had benefitted him in his 3 and 2 semifinal victory over defending champion Ian Davis, and really all week. He joked that he got to play seven rounds at Southern Hills for his entry fee, the best deal ever.

“I drove it awesome this morning and in most of my match with Ryder,” McDonald said. “That makes it so much easier to make pars out here. Also you’re not going to be able to avoid 8-footers for par out here and I was able to make a lot of those, so real happy about that.”

Davis bogeyed five of his first six holes to fall five behind through seven and though he played well from there, never really put any pressure on McDonald, who was a par machine throughout. In the final with Cowan, he made 13 pars along with two birdies and two bogeys.

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Ryder Cowan and William McDonald

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The match, however, was anything but two guys making pars. They only tied three holes. Cowan, who will be a freshman at OU in the fall, birdied the first and bogeyed the second, a sign of things to come. He made brilliant birdies on holes 11 and 15, but also failed to get up-and-down from greenside bunkers three times. He finished with four birdies and five bogeys.

Cowan made bogeys on holes 7 and 8 to fall two down for the first time in his six matches. But as Cowan had throughout the previous five matches, he struck back quickly and did not let the errors compound. He won the next three holes to go 1-up, making a birdie on 11 while McDonald made his only two bogeys of the round on 9 and 10.

“Disappointed to make those two bogeys, but you knew Ryder was going to punch back,” McDonald said. “He’s an unbelievable player. Just happy I was able to come back myself after that.”

McDonald evened the match with a birdie on 13 and took the lead with a conceded eagle on the par-5 16th when Cowan hit his layup shot into a pond right of the green. That set the stage for the dramatics on 17.

Cowan was vying to become the first player in state history to win the OGA Stroke Play, OGA Junior and State Amateur Championship in the same year.

He’ll have to settle for two of the three with a second in the other, still a remarkable year. He and close friend/high school teammate Bryant Polhill, who finished second to Cowan in the OGA Junior, teamed up with Polhill serving as caddy for all six rounds. Polhill will play at Kansas State in the fall.

“It was a good week and always love being with Bryant,” Cowan said. “It was hot out there and I just overcooked that first putt on 17. The second one coming back we read a ball outside on the right and it just didn’t move.

“It was a good match and congrats to Will, he played well.”

Cowan was 4-up early in his semifinal victory over Falleur, who plays at UMKC and hails from Muskogee. Falleur roared back with a birdie on the par4 12th, an eagle on the par-5 13th, won 14 with a par and the par-5 16th with another birdie. Cowan’s birdie on 17 proved the difference, just as his bogey there did in the championship match.

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Vitali on a roll in OGA Senior Championships BARTLESVILLE – Peter Vitali has found that getting to play golf most weekends – something he rarely did in his former life as a PGA professional – suits him just fine.

Vitali continued his victory march across the Oklahoma Golf Association landscape July 18 by winning the Senior Stroke Play Championship at Hillcrest Country Club. Vitali won by two shots over Greg Bray of Jenks, the former head professional at the Golf Club of Oklahoma who recently regained his amateur status.

Vitali left the pro ranks in 2013 and regained his amateur status in 2016. Now a private investment manager with J.P. Morgan, he turned 50 this year and has since won the OGA Senior Amateur Championship at The Trails in Norman over another former professional, Dustin Wigington, who took third at Hillcrest. Vitali is the first to hold both titles in the same year since Mike Hughett in 2012. Vitali now holds three OGA championships simultaneously as he and partner Blake Gibson also won the OGA Senior Four-Ball this spring.

Vitali took command of this one on holes 8, 9 and 10, playing the trio in 4-under to shoot past first-round leader Bray as well as Hughett, who was attempting to land his 25th OGA championship.

The tee box on the par-4 eighth hole was moved up to 275 yards, making it easily drivable but also bringing some difficult pitch shots into play for those who missed the green. Vitali took out his 3-wood and bounced it on the green where it rolled to within 6 inches of the cup for a tap-in eagle. He then birdied the par-5 ninth and 10th holes.

“I had nothing going until that shot on 8,” Vitali said. “Made two solid birdies on the par-5s and then had another good look on 11.

I realized I had a little cushion at that time.”

Bray had a five-shot lead on the field after shooting 5-under 67 in the opening round, then getting off to 1-under start through five holes. But while Vitali was catching fire, Bray had a three-hole stretch in the opposite W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

direction, making bogey on the par-3 sixth, double bogey on the par-5 seventh and bogey on the short par-4 eighth. Suddenly Vitali was three shots out in front, with Hughett as his closest pursuer.

Hughett, however, played the same stretch that Vitali shot 4-under on in even par and didn’t make a birdie after the par-3 sixth. His hopes were dashed permanently on the par-3 16th when his tee shot was a few feet short and went in the pond. He finished with a 2-over 74 and tied for fourth with Blake Gibson. Wigington shot 1-under 71 and took third at 143, a shot behind Bray.

Bray righted the ship and had a chance to apply some pressure down the stretch, but made par on every hole on the back nine. He closed with a 75 after his opening 67.

In the Senior State Amateur final at The Trails CC in Norman, Vitali held off Wigington 2 and 1 on June 16. Vitali overcame an early deficit by taking advantage of Wigington’s troubles off the tee, winning four out of five holes (and nearly all five) during a midmatch stretch. That run took Vitali from a deficit to a 3-up lead through 12 holes and he eventually closed out the match on No. 17.

Peter Vitali “It was tough,” Vitali said. “I just kept my head down and kept grinding, honestly. That was a really hard match. That’s the most I’ve had to focus down and concentrate in years.”

A former collegiate golfer at Connecticut, Vitali spent much of his adult life as a golf professional, working in Florida, Colorado, Massachusetts and New York before moving to Oklahoma (his wife’s home state) and eventually landing at Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City.

A day earlier, he beat another former champion, Blake Gibson, 1-up in the semifinals to earn a title-match berth opposite Wigington, a former NCAA Division II All-America player at Cameron (in 1993) who won 10 professional events before he decided to try and regain his amateur status and begin competing again. Wigington teamed with Conrad Walcher last month to win the OGA Four-Ball Championship at Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore.

“I kind of got the itch again,” Wigington said. “I missed the competition and I’ll probably start playing amateur golf a lot more.”

Blonien wins WOGA Junior Championship

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atalie Blonien of A ltus shot a second-round 2-over 74 and cruised to an eight-shot victor y in the Women’s Ok lahoma Golf Association Junior Championship at the Golf Club of Ok lahoma in Broken Arrow.

Blonien opened with a 5-under 67 to take command of the 36-hole tournament. She finished eight shots ahead of Syrah Javed of Norman, who shot rounds of 73-76 to take second place. Peyton Coburn of Tulsa was third at 155 (78-77), a shot ahead of Megan Kalapura of Tulsa (75-81). Juliana Hong of Norman placed fifth at 157 (80-77).

Natalie Blonien

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COMPETITION ROUNDUP

Preston Albee

Lisa Herman

Albee, Herman win Talor Gooch Foundation Junior Championship OKLAHOMA CITY – Watching Preston Albee and Parker Sands duel down the stretch July 27 at Gaillardia Country Club, one got the sense it could be a preview of the battle for next spring’s Class 6A title.

Only time will tell on that, but it was Albee who prevailed in dramatic fashion in the Talor Gooch Foundation Junior Championship by 3Bird Kids Foundation, Inc., with a birdie on the third playoff hole to record his first American Junior Golf Association title.

Albee, a rising junior at Choctaw, shot a 4-under-par 68 to finish the 54-hole event at 10-under 206. Sands, a rising senior at Edmond North who led after the first two rounds, fired a 70. The duo finished six shots clear of Grant Gudgel of Stillwater and Chase Hughes of Oklahoma City, who tied for third.

“I know in golf, anything is possible, so I just keep fighting,” Albee said. “I get a little nervous before I hit my shots, but once I’m locked in over my ball, I don’t really feel anything, and I think that gives me an advantage over a lot of people and allows me to stay confident.”

Lisa Herman of Jenks made sure there 38

was no doubt as to the tournament’s girls champion, sizzling with a 6-under 66 and closing with a birdie-eagle flourish for a seven-shot win over Yu-Chu Chen of Allen, Texas. Herman, last spring’s Class 6A individual champion for Jenks High School, finished the tournament at 12-under 204 while earning her second AJGA title.

While Herman ran away from her competitors Thursday, Albee made sure Sands couldn’t do the same. Both Albee and Sands went 2-under on the front nine, allowing Sands to maintain the two-shot lead he carried into the round, but Sands bogeyed the par-4 No. 10 while Albee birdied. Albee bogeyed the par-4 No. 11 but birdied the par-4 No. 12 to again pull even.

Sands rolled in a birdie on the par-3 No. 13. Both birdied the par-5 No. 14 but a bad chip shot on an approach by Albee resulted in a bogey on the par-3 No. 15, and suddenly Sands had a two-shot lead with three to play.

Both players ended up in a bunker on the par-4 No. 16. Hitting first, Sands tried to blast out, but instead failed to clear the bunker wall, giving him another shot from the sand. That hurt his approach and he eventually missed a 12-foot bogey putt. Albee,

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

with a better lie in the bunker, was able to salvage par on the hole and the two again were tied.

“I played pretty good,” said Sands, who is verbally committee to play collegiately at Florida. “I just made one mistake on 16. You can’t win tournaments with doubles. It’s just tough to do that.”

After each player birdied the par-5 No. 18, they headed to the par-4 No. 10 for a playoff. Both parred and both birdied No. 11, with Sands hitting a clutch putt from 8 feet after Albee’s birdie.

At No. 12, Albee’s approach shot landed about 10 feet from the hole while Sands was about 15 feet away. Sands barely missed to the right before Albee confidently stroked his putt for the birdie and the win.

“I love playoffs,” Albee said. “I love the pressure.”

Herman started Thursday trailing Chen by one shot, but four holes into the round, Herman held a three-shot lead and stepped on the accelerator from there, even though she said she didn’t realize how far ahead she was.

“Honestly, I was really worried about what I was going to shoot,” she said. “I wanted to stay calm and make pars and just do what you have to do. I was just trying not to think about it and keep to myself.”

She played her back nine in 4-under, with birdies at No. 11 and No. 12. After a bogey

GOOCH continued on pg. 41 W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

OP E R AT ION

UNI T Y

100 HOL E S O F HE ROIC GOL F

OCT

THROUGH

SHOW UP FOR THOSE WHO SACRIFICE ALL.

NO V

28 1 1

It’s the most noble reason to play the game you love and have a boatload of fun. Operation Unity is a HERO100 Golf Marathon event between Oct. 28th (First Responders Day) and Nov. 11th (Veterans Day). Grateful Americans across the nation will play 100 holes at their home club to provide academic scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and first responders.

Together, we'll meet sacrifice with hope.

REGISTER HERE FOH.ORG/OPERATIONUNITY2023

COMPETITION ROUNDUP

Hermann prevails by ken macleod

on home course in WOGA State Amateur

PONCA CITY – Seconds after rolling in an 8-foot birdie putt on the 12th green on her home course, Ponca City Country Club, to take firm her hometown.

Some may have been command of the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur Cham- surprised Hermann decidpionship, Sydney Hermann allowed the ed to attend NAIA power Dalton State 13 memories to wash over her. hours away in “There’s a lot that’s hapGeorgia, where she will be a pened for me here,” she said. fifth-year senior this fall. Oth“I used to come out here for ers may have questioned her kids camp. I worked here all decision to begin Monday’s through high school. I ran qualifying round with a new the kids camp. This place has set of Titlist irons, Ping driver helped raise me. A lot of things and Odyssey putter that she have happened for me here and had never hit before, even in this is at the top of the list.” one practice round. But that’s This being her 4 and 3 vicSydney Coit Hermann, who makes decitory over former Edmond Memorial and current Arkansas State golfer sions she believes are best for herself and Olivia Coit on a sunny July 27 morning in is usually right.

Sydney Hermann “That’s pretty on brand for me,” she said. “I just unwrapped them Monday morning, but I had been fit for them so I figured why shouldn’t I?” The championship match began with Hermann winning the first two holes as Coit struggled with a bogey-double bogey start. But Hermann then bogeyed holes 3 and 4, and Coit had a tap-in birdie on the par-5 fifth hole to go 1-up. Hermann evened the match with a par-4 on the seventh and the two went to the back nine tied.

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“Ever since I was young I’ve never started out very well on this course,” Hermann said. “But I figured if I can get to the back nine and not be three or four down, I have a good chance.”

Ponca City CC begins its back nine with three par-5s in the first four holes. Hermann, who is bombing her new Ping driver about 275 yards, used her length to birdie all three of them. Coit missed a 12-foot par putt on the par-4 11th and suddenly found herself four down through 13.

“I had done well in that stretch earlier in the tournament,” Coit said. “I’m not as long as Sydney, but if I hit my third shots close like I did on 5 I can still make birdies. I didn’t hit my third shots as close today and just couldn’t get any putts to fall.”

After both players made par on 14 and 15, the match was over and Hermann could reflect on the circumstances that led to such a special moment.

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This event was originally scheduled to be held at Shangri-La Resort and Hermann didn’t plan to play, as she is busy with school and preparing for post-graduate work where she would like to pursue coaching. She was shocked and delighted when it was moved to Ponca City CC, an historic course originally designed by Perry Maxwell and also worked on by Don Sechrest.

It was her second time to reach the WOGA State Amateur championship match.

She lost to University of Tulsa coach Annie Young 6 and 4 at The Golf Club of Oklahoma in 2020.

“Annie was 6-under through 13 holes and I was like, you deserve it, take it,” Hermann said laughing.

“I was just happy to get past Taylor Dobson in the semifinals. She was someone I had looked up to since I was a kid.”

Lots of kids will be looking up to Hermann now.

Gooch, continued from 38 on No. 15, she told her father she was going to finish birdie-birdie – but she did better than that.

Herman rolled in a 9-foot birdie putt at No. 17, then used a 6-hybrid on her approach shot on No. 18, rolling her ball to within 6 feet of the pin. She made the eagle putt to finish off her 66.

Her other AJGA win came last September in the Accenture NW Arkansas Junior at Highlands Golf Course in Bella Vista, Ark. She’s currently No. 35 in the Rolex AJGA girls rankings.

Gooch, a former Carl Albert High School and Oklahoma State standout from Midwest City who’s won three times this year on the LIV Tour, presented trophies to Herman and Albee after their wins.

“It’s so cool to have elite junior golfers come to our place and play great golf,” Gooch said, noting that he won his first AGJA tournament at nearby Oak Tree Country Club in Edmond. “It was cool to hand (Albee) his first trophy.”

Gooch praised Gaillardia as a “great, great golf course to play. We’re, in fact, talking with LIV Golf trying to get (a tournament) out here. That’s how good of a course this is.”

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COMPETITION ROUNDUP

Bond wins Payne Stewart Junior Championship at Buffalo Ridge by ken macleod

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ollin Bond of Norman shot 8-under par for 54 holes to capture the Bass Pro Shops/Payne Stewart Junior Championship, an American Junior Golf Association event at Buffalo Ridge Golf Club in Hollister, Mo. Bond, an Oklahoma State commit, shot rounds of 70-65-70 for his 8-under total that pushed him four shots clear of Jacob Fratzel of Shawnee, Kan., who took second at 4-under.

Preston Albee of Choctaw, who won the Talor Gooch Foundation event last week at Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City, placed fifth at 2-under. Rhett Hughes of Oklahoma City finished eleventh at 2-over. His final round of 72 included an ace on the par-3 seventh hole.

In the girls division, Kinslea Jones of Wichita won at 6-over 219 after rounds of 71-75-73. Evyn Cannon of Edmond tied for sixth at 223 (77-71-75). Allie Justiz of Arcadia also had a top-15 finish at 229 (74-71-84).

Collin Bond

Rhett Hughes

Goodman reaches semifinals at Western Am by ken macleod

D

rew Goodman of Norman and the University of Oklahoma battled his way to the semifinals of the 2023 Western Amateur, one of the most difficult tests in amateur golf, before losing 3 and 2 to Christiann Maas of the University of Texas.

Goodman finished second in 72 holes of stroke play against the elite field, shooting 13 under with rounds of 66-74-66-65.

Facing 2021 Western Amateur Champion Michael Thorbjornsen in the Sweet 16, Goodman built an early 2-up lead that eventually dwindled to a tie on No. 16. On the first playoff hole, Goodman tugged a drive into the left rough but made a stellar up-and-down to survive for another hole.

Goodman then capitalized on a mistake from Thorbjornsen on the 20th hole for a dramatic victory. He went on to defeat Jimmy Zheng 5 and 4 in the quarterfinals.

“I was really tense coming out today facing [Thorbjornsen], the best-ranked player here,” Goodman said. “You want to beat the second-best player in the world with all those people watching. Getting that win made the afternoon feel a lot easier. “ Oklahoma State’s Jordan Niebrugge won this event in 2013. Scott Verplank of Edmond and OSU won in 1985 and Charles Coe of Norman in 1950.

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

Drew Goodman at the Western Amateur W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

Oklahoma rolls in Fore State Cup Matches at Cedar Ridge by ken macleod

O

klahoma won nine of its 12 singles matches Tuesday to roll to victory in the Fore State Cup Matches at Cedar Ridge against teams from Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas.

The nine points Tuesday put Oklahoma at 17,5 in the Ryder Cup style competition which also included four-ball and alternate shot matches on Monday. Missouri was second with 14, followed by Kansas 11 and Arkansas 5.5.

“We just had an awesome team,” said participant and future Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association president Louise Johnson. “We came together and everyone played beautifully. And we want to really

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thank Cedar Ridge for putting on such a great event.”

Winning singles matches for Oklahoma were Rebecca Davis, 6 and 4 over Michele Wallace of Arkansas; Patty Coatney, 5 and 4 over Janis Clemons of Missouri; Shaebug Scarberry 4 and 3 over Kiser Pannier of Missouri; Jenni Roller 4 and 2 over fellow University of Tulsa teammate Hanna Robinett of Kansas; Lorie Harned 3 and 2 over Jayne Clarke of Kansas; Teresa DeLazalere 3 and 1 over Pamela Evans of Arkansas; Leann Fairlie 7 and 5 over Lauren Loeb of Arkansas and Maddi Kamass 7 and 5 over Taryn Oversteet of Missouri.

This was the 14th victory for Oklahoma in the 28-year history of the matches.

Oklahoma team members, top row left to right, Jill Johnson, Marna Raburn, Lori Harned, Second row Lee Ann Fairlie, Maddi Kamas, Rebecca Davis, ShaeBug Scarberry, Janet Miller, third row, Pat McKamey, Jenni Roller, Louise Johnson. Front row, Patty Coatney, Teresa DeLazalere, Michaela Dierinzo.

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OKLAHOMA GOLF HISTORY

At Turner's Lodge, PGA Tour's first black golfers showed they belonged to let him know.”

Sifford was the first Black to play in a reakthrough moments for Charlie sanctioned PGA event in Oklahoma, the Sifford and Pete Brown, holders of 1962 Waco Turner Open. He finished in a tie for 21st. the first B r o w n , two PGA Tour a two-time cards among Black winner of golfers, are promithe National nently featured Negro Open, at The Turner’s joined the Lodge Pro Golf Tour in 1963, Museum at Falat age 28. Sifconhead Resort. ford owned a Rare event car, and the photos and golf men traveled memorabilia from together. the players’ OklaIn the 1964 homa appearances Waco Turner are included in the Open, the two exhibit. The mublack pros seum is open free were tied for to the public daily second place in the Falconhead after 54 holes, Resort’s pro shop. in the field of Sifford and 150 players.

Brown shared the The next limelight at the day, Sifford Waco Turner Open in Burneyville.

Charlie Sifford, lining up a putt, was the first Af- fell back into Their play made rican American golfer admitted to the PGA Tour. a tie for sixth. golf history and The Waco Turner Open of 1962 in Burneyville Brown rolled 30-inch social history, pav- was the first integrated Tour event in Oklahoma, a putt into the ing the way for fuand Sifford finished in a tie for 21st place. Pete cup on the ture Black players Brown was the first black golfer to win a PGA 18th green for to participate and Tour event. His victory came in the 1964 Waco a one-stroke win at the sport’s Turner Open. (Photo from Turner’s Lodge Pro Golf Muwin over Dan highest level. seum at Falconhead Resort) Sikes, and disTiger Woods, considered the best male golfer of all tinction as the first Black to win a PGA time, named his son “Charlie,” in part to Tour event. A photo in the museum shows honor Sifford, who broke the color bar- Brown lining up the historic putt, with Sifford holding the flagstick. rier in pro golf in 1961.

The third player in the group, Larry Men’s golf had become the last of the “major” pro sports to integrate, long after Mowry, later told Golf World what he saw football, baseball, basketball and hockey. in Brown. “The tension and tremendous (The LPGA Tour was open to all women pressure were already evident in his face as he stood over a 3-foot putt that spelled from the start).

The PGA Tour’s “caucasian only” member- victory and meant that he would become ship clause was dropped following a 12-year the first of his race to win a 72-hole PGA lawsuit by several African-American golfers, tournament. He hit it right in the middle, and almost fainted.” among them Bill Spiller of Tishomingo.

Brown had two more wins in Oklahoma.

In Burneyville, sponsors Waco and Opie Turner welcomed both Sifford and Brown. At Trosper Park in Oklahoma City, Brown “People were real good,” Brown later told a led wire-to-wire in 1966 and in 1967 to reporter. “Waco Turner owned the course sweep the Southwest Bronze Open.

The unsanctioned event, sponsored by and he told me if anybody gave me trouble

by barbara sessions

B

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GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

the Capitol City Golf Club, attracted a dozen pro golfers along with the mayor of Oklahoma City, Ronald Norick, and a dazzling roster of other amateurs. The 1967 list included former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, Harlem Globetrotter basketball great Marques Haynes (from Sand Springs), and the man who broke the color barrier in baseball, Jackie Robinson, who had been recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Oklahoman Jackie Gers, the state’s lefthanded champion, and brother of Turner’s Lodge head professionals Chris Gers and Aldy Gers, also played.

Spiller, along with Charlie Sifford and Teddy Rhodes, had led their fight for inclusion in the PGA Tour in the 1950s. By the time the “caucasian only” clause was lifted, Spiller’s playing career was over.

Spiller Rhodes and John Shippen, another African-American pioneer, were finally bestowed honorary PGA membership in 2009.

Bill Spiller Then, when the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame was established in 2015, Spiller’s importance to golf was highlighted, as he was named the first inductee.

In lengthy careers, Sifford would win a total of two PGA Tour events, and Brown two.

In 2004, Sifford became the first Black golfer inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He died in 2015.

Brown, born in Port Gibson, was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He died in 2015.

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INSTRUCTION

Club Fitting: Perks, pitfalls and how to make sure you get the most out of it for your game For good reason, club fitting has become an integral part of the club buying experience.

The benefits of proper fitting are numerous. That said, the club fitting landJim Young scape is crowded, confusing and sometimes filled with contradictions. How do we make sure we don’t waste time, money, and strokes?

First things first, let’s list some perks of fitting. They include but are not limited to: • Increased Accuracy: The right club head, length, lie angle, loft, shaft, and grip combination can help you hit it straighter.

• Increased Distance: This one is right at the top of everyone’s list. The good news is it’s always possible, provided you find the right combination.

• Shot Distances/Dispersion: Fitting can help you learn/confirm your yardages with the clubs in your bag and with different shots that you hit (partial wedges for example). It can also help you understand your dispersion (shot pattern misses left/right of target and tendency).

• Improved Short Game: Having clubs, especially wedges with the right loft, bounce, grind, sole width, etc., make chipping, pitching and bunker play much simpler. Also fresh wedges will allow better contact, spin and control.

• Improved Putting: Identifying the length, grip, shape, hosel, alignment aid (or lack thereof), weight and more, can improve your speed and start line.

Having said all of that, here are some traps that you can fall into with fitting: Trying to buy distance: Most new drivers come off the rack at a stock length of 45.5-45.75 inches. Longer can often mean faster but will not necessarily mean more solid contact and so it can be a loss in distance. Given the initial velocity standard on the golf ball and the limits on springlike effect in driver faces, it is extremely unlikely that the new driver on the market is going to be a quantum leap in distance from its predecessor from two years ago. If your fitter is telling you right off the bat how much longer the new driver is, proceed with caution.

Chasing distance with your irons is another errand that can be problematic. Most of the “distance” and “players distance” irons on the market have weighting and lofts that allow for more distance than some irons from the past, but at the cost of spin and stopping power. As a result, you may hit your 7-iron 150 again, but since it’s really a 6-iron it might not stop 46

on the green.

Shafts: Most of the manufacturers have a wide variety of stock options that do not require an upcharge in price. This is true for drivers, fairways, hybrids, irons, wedges and even putters.

If you choose an “exotic” shaft, make sure it’s only because it’s truly better performance.

Fitting “Standards” or “Systems”: Manufacturers and some facilities have fitting guidelines that they will follow. High swing speed players in heavier, stiffer shafts and low swing speed players in light, flexible shafts with high lofts. Better players in “players” irons and average players in “game improvement” irons.

Remember that all these systems are a place for fitters to start, not necessarily finish. Do not assume that just because the Online Fitting Tool recommends something based on a couple of questions that it is the right answer.

Always hit the club first, preferably outside where you can see the ball flight.

Getting new clubs just to have new clubs: I am as guilty of this as anyone. Sometimes I just want the new one and I’d be better off sticking with the old one. Try to make sure you are only switching if it’s better. There is no law that says you must buy new clubs if they do not improve your shots.

That leads us to the next question: What does better mean and how do we define it?

Better with a driver means longer and straighter, with good shots coming more often. If you are not getting more of all these things, your current driver is fine.

Better with fairway woods means even more reliable on those longer shots. For some, that will mean off the tee; for some, longer approach shots; for some, a bit of both. Good reliable fairway woods are hard to replace.

Better with hybrids means they will take the place of an iron or fairway wood and allow you to hit better approach shots than you are already hitting.

Better with irons can mean several things.

More distance where needed, but above all these are precision tools. We want to make sure that we can hit the ball a reasonably consistent distance with e a c h club. If the longer irons do not provide enough of a gap between one another then you look at hybrids or fairway woods instead. Short irons are increasingly strong lofted in some sets so make sure you check distances in wedges as you

GOLF OKL AHOMA • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

transition into short game clubs. Iron technology has not changed all that dramatically overall. There are some stronger lofts with higher flights and if that fits your needs so be it. If you can hit your yardages and your target lines with your very old irons, chances are they could stick around.

Better with wedges means that you can hit chips, pitches and bunker shots with better contact and control as well as hit full shots and other approaches more solidly with better distance control. New wedges are a good idea just because of wear and tear every couple of years.

Better with the putter means you are able to hole putts from 3-4 feet consistently. A good measure is to see if you can make 10 in a row from the length of either your putter or driver depending on your level of proficiency.

For longer putts, can you two-putt or better 10 times in a row from 30 feet? For start line with a putter, can you roll the ball over a quarter from 5 feet away on a straight putt? If the answer is yes to all these questions with your current putter, I don’t care if it was built in the 1960’s, it should stay in the bag.

THE BOTTOM LINE Find a fitter that you can trust, that will go through your bag with you one club at a time, ask questions and experiment with options, think critically about what you need and work with you to build your bag.

Your golf game and your golf equipment represent a big investment of time, effort and money. You should not expect any less.

As always, thank you for the opportunity to help with your game. If there is something I can do for you please don’t be afraid to reach out. Wishing all the best for you and your golf game.

Jim Young Director of Instruction Gaillardia CC 405-630-8183 jyoung@gaillardia.com Instagram: @jpygolf

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 GOLF OKL AHOMA 46 W W •W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG

R E SU LTS : More at w w w.gol fok la homa.org KORN FERRY TOUR COMPLIANCE SOLUTIONS CHAMPIONSHIP AT JIMMIE AUSTIN OU GC, NORMAN (PAR-72) JUNE 22-25 1, Jimmy Stanger 67-66-67-66 -- 266; 2, Rafael Campos 64-72-65-66 – 267; 3, Nicholas Lindheim 70-69-65-64 – 268; 4 (tie), Patrick Newcomb 6768-68-66 – 269, Alan Wagner 64-68-67-70 – 269, Tim Widing 67-65-66-71 -- 269 and Noah Goodwin 68-69-65-67 – 269; 8 (tie), Patrick Cover 66-6767-71 – 271 and Jake Knapp 70-64-65-72 – 271; 11 (tie), Ben Silverman 67-67-70-68 – 272, Mitchell Meissner 66-70-67-69 – 272, Ricky Castillo 70-6368-71 -- 272 and Rico Hoey 65-70-69-68 – 272; 15 (tie), Brandon McIver 69-69-69-66 – 273 and Yuxin Lin 69-66-68-70 – 273; 17 (tie), Mason Andersen 69-69-71-65 – 274, Matt McCarty 69-70-69-66 – 274, Davis Chatfield 69-63-68-74 – 274 and Wade Binfield 69-68-68-69 – 274; 21 (tie), Brendon Jelley 69-69-65-72 – 275, Chris Gotterup 69-69-67-70 – 275, William Mouw 67-69-70-69 – 275, John VanDerLaan 71-66-67-71 – 275, Mark Anderson 6769-67-72 – 275, Patrick Flavin 67-67-68-73 – 275 and Chan Kim 69-68-70-68 – 275.

ALL PRO TOUR AT MUSKOGEE CC (PAR-70) JULY 19-22 1, Sam Fidone 65-65-65-62 – 257 ($20,000); 2, Logan McCracken 64-66-65-64 – 259 ($9,200); 3, Wil Gibson 64-67-60-69 – 260 ($6,350); 4 (tie), Gray Townsend 62-68--66-68 – 264, Derek Castillo 67-65-62-70 – 264, Andrew Beckler 66-69-63-66 – 264 and Ryan Baca 64-64-69-67 – 264 ($3,610); 8 (tie), Grant Engle 65-66-69-65 – 265 and Fred Wedel 65-69-64-67 – 265 ($2,985); 10 (tie), aMesa Falleur 70-67-62-67 – 266 and Chad Sewell 68-67-65-66 – 266 ($2,850); 12 (tie), Charles Kim 66-67-67-67 – 267 and Zach James 70-64-65-68 – 267 ($2,715); 14 (tie), Tanner Gore 66-66-68-68 – 268 and Taylor Bibbs 68-68-63-69 – 268 ($2.535); 16, Trey Winstead 67-70-65-67 – 269 ($2,400).

OKLA. GOLF ASSOCIATION MID-AMATEUR AT QUAIL CREEK G&CC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) JULY 31-AUG. 1 1, Kyle Hudelson 70-68 – 138; 2, Mike Hearne 70-69 – 139; 3, JD Pitts 73-69 – 142; 4 (tie), Trent Mewbourn 72-71 – 143 and Ben Klaus 72-71 – 143; 6 (tie), Brad Moody 75-69 – 144 and JR Hurley 72-72 – 144; 8 (tie), Brett Green 72-73 – 145, Stan Faudree 72-73 – 145, Gerod Black 71-74 – 145, Bryce Newton 72-73 -- 145 and Phillip Bryan 70-75 – 145; 13 (tie), Matthew Rison 75-71 – 146, Harley Abrams 76-70 – 146 and Ben Blundell 76-70 – 146.

WOMEN’S STROKE PLAY AT QUAIL CREEK G&CC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) JULY 31-AUG. 1 1, Avery Blake 73-72 – 145; Kate Strickland 76-73 – 149; 3 (tie), Brooklyn Benn 76-80 – 156 and Drew Dodgion 78-78 – 156; 5, Gracie Doke 81-78 – 159; 6, Mollie Wallis 81-85 – 166; 7 (tie), Emily Baber 86-83 – 169 and Elle Daniels 87-82 – 169; 9, Brianna Maddux 89-81 – 170; 10, Sharon Chaffin 86-87 – 173.

SENIOR STROKE AT HILLCREST GC, BARTLESVILLE (PAR-71) JULY 25-26 1, Peter Vitali 71-69 – 140; 2, Greg Bray 67-75 – 142; 3, Dustin Wigington 71-72 – 143; 4 (tie), Blake Gibson 73-71 – 144 and Michael Hughett 70-74 – 144; 6, Scott Mabrey 70-75 – 145; 7, Brian Cook 71-78 – 149; 8 (tie), Scott Challis 76-74 – 150, Shawn Barker 7674 – 150 and Jason Gulley 75-75 – 150; 11 (tie), Joel Driver 77-74 – 151 and Roger Smith Jr. 75-76 – 151.

Super Senior: 1, Terry Collier 75-71 – 146; 2, Orville Stephens 78-73 – 151; 3, Steve Hughes 78-74 – 152; 4, Art Bennett 75-78 – 153; 5, Jim Curd 77-77 – 154; 6 (tie), Tom Nielsen 77-78 – 155, Craig Collins 77-78 – 155 and Tim Rogers 77-78 – 155.

STATE AMATEUR AT SOUTHERN HILLS CC, TULSA JULY 10-12 ROUND OF 32 Ian Davis def. Greg Mason 4 and 3; Ryan Grimm def. Eric Schuessler 7 and 5; Davis Woodliff def.

Austin Hannah 1-up (19); Luke Morgan def. Jamen Parsons 4 and 2; Dylan Teeter def. Benton

Manly 4 and 2; Charlie Jackson def. Ty Hyatt 2-up; William McDonald def. Phillip Bryan 3 and 2; Dustin Wigington def. Travis Warner 2-up; Caleb Smith def. Jacob Prentice 2 and 1; Ryan Bell def. Brian Birchell 2-up; Mesa Falleur def. Baylor Bostick 1-up (20); Ben Klaus def. Christopher Laughlin 5 and 4; Ryder Cowan def. Luke Phillips 2 and 1; William Sides def. Kyle Hudelson 5 and 4; Stephen Carney def. Jeremy Tandoy 3 and 2; Christian Johnson def. Matthew Rison 4 and 2.

ROUND OF 16 Davis def. Grimm 6 and 4; Woodliff def. Morgan 1-up (19); Teeter def. Jackson 5 and 4; McDonald def. Wigington 4 and 2; Smith def. Bell 3 and 1; Falleur def. Klaus 7 and 6; Cowan def. Sides 1-up (22); Carney def. Johnson 3 and 2.

QUARTERFINALS Davis def. Woodliff 4 and 3; McDonald def. Teeter 6 and 5; Falleur def. Smith 7 and 6; Cowan def.

Carney 1-up.

SEMIFINALS McDonald def. Davis 3 and 2; Cowan def. Falleur 1-up.

FINAL McDonald def. Cowan 2 and 1.

SENIOR STATE AMATEUR AT THE TRAILS GC, NORMAN JUNE 13-19 ROUND OF 32 Christopher Laughlin def. Mark Wallace 4 and 3; Peter Vitali def. Roger Hobbs 5 and 4; Greg Hathaway def. Christopher Lee 1-up (23); Roger Smith Jr. def. Bob Hansen 2 and 1; Scott Mabrey def. Shawn Barker 5 and 4; Blake Gibson def.

Brian Szymanski 5 and 4; Andy Lucas def. Mike Gotcher 4 and 2; Jeff Oakes def. Rick Bell 1-up; Dustin Wigington def. Kirk Wright 4 and 3; Joel Driver def. David Lynn 1-up; Michael Hughett def.

Orville Stephens 7 and 6; Jonathan Valuck def.

John Stansbury 1-up; Steve Hughes def. Kirk Fryer 2 and 1; Guy Child def. Scott Athey 1-up; Jason Gulley def. Scooter Hall 1-up (19), Terry Collier def. Kurt Cummins 1-up.

ROUND OF 16 Vitali def. Laughlin 3 and 2; Hathaway def. Smith 2-up; Gibson def. Mabrey 5 and 4; Oakes def. Lucas 1-up; Wigington def. Driver 5 and 4; Hughett def. Driver 1-up (21); Child def. Hughes 2-up; Collier def. Gulley 4 and 3.

QUARTERFINALS Vitali def. Hathaway 2 and 1; Gibson def. Oakes 3 and 2; Wigington def. Hughett 4 and 3; Collier def. Child 1-up (19).

SEMIFINALS Vitali def. Gibson 1-up; Wigington def. Collier 1-up.

FINAL Vitali def. Wigington 2 and 1 WOGA STATE AMATEUR AT PONCA CITY CC JULY 24-27 CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT Round of 16 Olivia Coit def. Ashlyn Acosta 3 and 1; Peyton Coburn def. Mollie Willis 1-up; Sydney Hermann def. Logan Allen 2-up; Jenni Roller def. Brooklyn Benn 5 and 3; Meghan Charles def. Lilly Whitley 1-up; Reagan Chaney def. Marna Raburn 6 and 5; Michaela Dierinzo def. Emily Leahey 7 and 6; Natalie Gough def. Leeann Fairlie 4 and 3.

QUARTERFINALS Coit def. Gough 2 and 1; Hermann def. Coburn 3 and 2; Roller def. Charles 1-up (19); Chaney def.

Direinzo 5 and 4.

SEMIFINALS Coit def. Chaney 2 and 1; Hermann def. Roller 2 and 1.

FINAL Hermann def. Coit 4 and 3.

OTHER FINALS Championship flight consolation: Leeann Fairlie def. Brooklyn Benn 4 and 3; Presidents flight: McKenna Tatum def. Gracie Doke 7 and 6; A flight: Emily Baber def. Laurie Campbell 4 and 3; B flight: Sarah Lewis def. Linda Sverdrup 4 and 2.

JUNIOR AMATEUR AT GC OF OKLAHOMA, BROKEN ARROW (PAR-72) JULY 11-12 CHAMPIONSHIP 1, Natalie Blonien 67-74 – 141; 2, Syrah Javed 7376 – 149; 3, Peyton Coburn 78-77 – 155; 4, Megan Kalapura 75-81 – 156; 5, Juliana Hong 80-77 – 157; 6, Lily Stanton 76-83 – 159; 7, Josey Cavitt 80-80 – 160; 8 (tie), McKenna Tatum 88-76 – 164, Harlow Gregory 77-87 – 164, Reagan Plank 77-87 – 164 and Emma Fields 82-82 – 164; 12 (tie), Rylee Roberts 87-78 – 165 and Meredith Colby 84-81 – 165; 14, Amy Reavis 81-86 – 167; 15, Elle Daniels 86-82 – 168; 16, Spencer Holleyman 82-87 – 169.

STROKE PLAY/MID-AMATEUR AT THE GREENS CC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) JUNE 26-27 Stroke play: 1, Maddi Kamas 72-75 – 147; 2 (tie), Michaela Dierinzo 78-70 – 148 and ShaeBug Scarberry 77-71 – 148; 4, Natalie Gough 79-74 – 153; 5, Janet Miller 75-80 – 155; 6, Jaeya Mathis 79-77 – 156; 7, Leeann Fairlie 76-82 – 158; 8, Mollie Wallis 85-75 – 160; 9, Sara Armstrong 86-75 – 161; 10, Aubree Vaughan 82-80 – 162; 11, Brianna Maddux 83-80 – 163; 12, Drew Dodgion 83-81 – 164.

Mid-Amateur: 1, Michaela Dierinzo 78-70 – 148; 2, Janet Miller 75-80 – 155; 3, Leeann Fairlie 7682 – 158; 4, Mollie Wallis 85-75 – 160; 5, Aubree Vaughan 82-80 – 162; 6, Rachel Poole 81-84 – 165; 7, Emily Leahey 81-87 – 168; 8, Marna Raburn 82-87 – 169; 9, Leigh Ann Fore 82-88 – 170; 10, Lindsey Pitt 87-86 – 173; 11, Teresa DeLarzelere 87-88 – 175; 12 (tie), Patty Coatney 88-88 – 176 and Kim Bell 87-89 – 176.

TULSA GOLF ASSOCIATION STROKE PLAY AT LAFORTUNE PARK GC (PAR-72) JULY 22-23 1, Brett Wilcoxen 66-68 — 134; 2, Cole Stephenson 66-69 – 135; 3 (tie), Luke Phillips 71-66 – 137 and Delbert Brooks 66-71 – 137.

SENIOR 1, Todd Raffensperger 141; 2, John Creekmore 149; 3, Chris Haught 150.

A FLIGHT 1, Michael Hibbs 147; 2, Ian Wilcoxen 149.

SENIOR A FLIGHT 1, Richard Hunt 144; 2, Mike Monroe 147.

PGA SOUTH CENTRAL WALTER HOPPER TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP AT KICKINGBIRD GC, EDMOND (PAR-70) JULY 31-AUG. 1 BOYS 16-18 1, John Helzer 71-67 – 138; 2, Cobey Riddle 6970 – 139; 3, Brock Jerman 70-70 – 140; 4, Blake Berry 69-72 – 141; 5, Bryson Parker 73-70 – 143; 6, Samuel Bonaobra 72-73 – 145; 7, Blake Cathey 71-76 – 147; 8, Cale Schultz 74-74 – 148; 9 (tie), Coleton Calderon 78-72 – 150 and Bryce Cale 7773 – 150; 11 (tie), Blake Bollenbach 76-75 – 151 and Wyatt Geissler 76-75 – 151.

14-15 1, Grady Thompson 72-66 – 138; 2 (tie), Jones Vrska 66-74 – 140 and Ty Neatherlin 66-74 – 140; 4, Owen Mitchel 74-69 -- 143; 5, Callahan Pappas 75-70 – 145; 6, Wyatt Farley 74-72 – 146 12-13 1, Jackson Lamb 70-72 – 142; 2, Christopher Crawford 78-68 – 146; 3, Bradley Benton 76-74 – 150.

9-11 1, Easton Swallow 69.

GIRLS 16-18 1, Haley Whittern 66-72 – 138; 2 (tie), Kali Freymiller 81-76 – 157 and Lana Bowen 80-77 – 157; 4, Amanda Lane 77-82 – 159; 5, Lauren Dage 86-78 – 164; 6, Katie Moore 83-88 – 171; 7 (tie), Brooklyn Bowman 97-76 – 173 and Kayla Shaull 85-88 – 173.

14-15 1, Gabriella Gross 73-75 – 148; 2, Kelsey Han 81-78 – 159; 3, Kennedy Parker 82-91 – 173; 4, Jackie Yanez 86-89 – 175.

12-13 1, Mya Maguire 83; 2, Addy Morrison 84; 3, Sophia Kennedy 85.

9-11 1, Jasmine Stephens 84.

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