Golf Oklahoma June - July (Vol. 1, Issue 2)

Golf Oklahoma www.golfoklahoma.org June - July 2011

GIL MORGAN Eluding Father Time, at least most days Swing sage Marshall Smith www.golfoklahoma.org Official publication of the Oklahoma Golf Association

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When it comes to challenging public golf courses, Alabama has more than any other state. In fact, we’re the home of three of America’s 50 Toughest Courses as selected by Golf Digest. Testing your mettle is as easy as visiting Silver Lakes, The Shoals or the stunning new Ross Bridge near Birmingham. They’re part of the mighty Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail – 24 demanding gems that are winning accolades from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Golf Magazine to name just a few.

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Contents

42 Interview with Marshall Smith Features

Departments

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12 Letter from the editor 16 OGA 18 Chip Shots 26 Where we play 38 Pro Profile 39 Amateur Profile 40 Celebrity Profile 46 In the Bag: Irons 48 Competition 52 WOGA 54 Instruction 56 Super’s Perspective 58 Results

Tulsa Country Club reopens after extensive renovation

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Gil Morgan: Oklahoma’s ageless treasure still working hard

32

The Wolfdancer Golf Course at Lost Pines Resort near Austin has rugged charm.

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36

Roman Nose Resort near Watonga offers views and shots rare for Oklahoma.

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On the cover: Gil Morgan, courtesy PGA of America

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Support junior golf by contributing to the OGA Foundation Call 405-848-0042 for more information www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 11

His mandate: Make golf more fun Bob Randquist was superintendent at Southern Hills Country Club back in 1987 when this reporter began covering golf for the now defunct Tulsa Tribune. Randquist was helpful, cooperative, informative and friendly then and he remains so today, 13 years after leaving Tulsa to become the superintendent at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla. His peers think highly of him as well – Randquist was elected to a one-year term as president of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America on Bob Randquist Feb. 11.

As a teenager growing up in Anadarko, Randquist would play his ball as it came to rest, and those lies were often not pretty.

The nine-hole course he played was firm, fast and not always pristine green.

But it was fun.

Now that he’s president of the GCSAA. Randquist would like to see the game take heed of those simple days.

He would like the GCSAA, along with the USGA and PGA of America, to continue to emphasize the ethic to play the ball as it lies.

To provide golf courses that play firm and fast and, to aid in both conservation and cost savings, mix in a little brown with the green.

And to encourage golfers not to worry so much about their scores but choose appropriate tees, play more match play and have more fun.

“On that nine-hole course in Anadarko, we didn’t have irrigated fairways and rough. You learned to hit shots from a variety of lies,” said Randquist. “I used to love playing match play against people who are used to moving the ball all the time. I’m a firm believer that one of the reasons the European team started to do so well in the Ryder Cup is our players were used to pristine, perfect conditions all the time. When the Europeans got a bad lie, they viewed it as an opportunity to be creative and make something happen.”

Ironically, Randquist has been paid the past 32 years to provide just those pristine conditions, first at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa for 19 years and the past 13 at Boca Rio Country Club, where he services a small, wealthy membership of businessmen, many based in the northeast and only on hand in the winter.

The USGA and the GCSAA have been making a joint effort to alter golfer’s expec12 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

tations of golf course conditions as water becomes a more precious commodity across the country. It’s a gradual process. Randquist said golfers will accept turf grass that is dry and rolls better as it helps their distance. He also believes the pressure on superintendents to provide green speeds of 11 or higher is misguided, as it stresses the greens and puts them at risk for disease and potential failure.

“With the way the economy has been, this is the optimum time for the USGA, GCSAA and the PGA of America to promote the message that there is a beauty in playing firm, fast courses and experiencing the challenge of different lies,” Randquist said. “The USGA has the biggest platform and the resources to do this. We can encourage our members to help in the effort.”

“We didn’t develop the expectations of those perfect conditions overnight and it’s probably going to take 10 years to change those expectations. One thing that will drive this movement is the economy, If you want to pay $100 green fees to have those conditions, fine. But there is nothing wrong with going back to the intent of the game and have roughs be rough.”

Randquist is also glad to see that many course designers are finally relaxing the mandate that every course has to be built to challenge the PGA Tour-caliber player. In his own course setup, he follows the philosophy that golf should be fun.

“At the top of my list is to see golf become fun again for people,” he said. “A large number of the courses built in the last 20 years were done so with the philosophy that this has to be a really hard championship course.

The USGA and PGA of America have just launched an initiative, “Play Golf Forward”, that encourages golfers to move up to the appropriate tees and enjoy their game more.

We’re seeing shorter rough, longer fairways and greens just a bit slower. Green speeds of nine to 10.5 on the stimpmeter provide the most enjoyable golfing experience for most golfers. That helps save labor, chemicals and water.”

As the major governing bodies in golf continue to search for ways to turn around the heavy losses in participation over the past 10 years, it’s good to know that Randquist is at the table presenting solid values and common sense.

–By Ken MacLeod

Golf Oklahoma Volume 1, Number 2 Golf Oklahoma Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 200 Tulsa, OK 74136 918-280-0787 Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996 Publisher Ken MacLeod ken@golfoklahoma.org COO/Marketing Director A.G. Meyers agm@golfoklahoma.org Art & Technology Director Derek Hillman derek@golfoklahoma.org Subscriptions to Golf Oklahoma are $15 for one year (five issues) or $25 for two years (10 issues). Call 918-280-0787 or go to www.golfoklahoma.org.

Contributing photographers Rip Stell, Mike Klemme, PGA of America, Golf Oklahoma PGA Instructional Staff Jim Woodward Teaching Professional, Oak Tree National jwoodwardgolf@sbcglobal.net, 405-348-2004 E.J. Pfister Teaching Professional, Oak Tree National ejgolf@me.com Pat McTigue Owner, GolfTec Tulsa and Oklahoma City pmctigue@golftec.com Steve Ball Owner, Ball Golf Center, Oklahoma City www.ballgolf.com, 405-842-2626 Pat Bates Director of Instruction, Gaillardia Country Club pbates@gaillardia.com, 405-509-3611 Tracy Phillips Director of Instruction, Buddy Phillips Learning Center at Cedar Ridge vt4u@yahoo.com, 918-352-1089 Jerry Cozby PGA Professional jerrycozby@aol.com, 918-914-1784 Oklahoma Golf Association 2800 Coltrane Place, Suite 2 Edmond, OK 73034 405-848-0042 Executive Director Mark Felder mfelder@okgolf.org Director of Handicapping and Course Rating Jay Doudican jdoudican@okgolf.org Director of Junior Golf Morri Rose morose@okgolf.org Copyright 2011 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.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 13

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www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 15

From the Executive Director mark felder

On the horizon

Southern Hills to host OGA State Amateur in 2012 Mark Felder

With Ian Davis having moved on to Okla- Country Club. Please register soon for both four PGA ChampionOGA Executive Director homa State University, the title will be up these great events. ships, two U.S. Amafor grabs when the OGA Junior Boys ChamThe biggest news, and a good reason to teur Championships, pionship returns to the excellent Kickingbird start making your 2012 plans now, is that two PGA Tour Championships and a host Golf Course in Edmond June 13-16.

Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa has of other USGA events.

The Junior Championship is turning agreed to be the host site of the 2012 OGA Due to the demand that will follow this into a very special event. This year the Ed- Match Play Championship July 16-18. We’ll announcement, there will be four off-course mond Rotary Club will serve lunch to the be determining our state champion over the qualifiers prior to the tournament, two in the entire field. The Sports Animal Oklahoma City area and two (WWLS) will broadcast live in the Tulsa area. The qualififrom the event from 11 a.m. to ers will be 18 holes of stroke 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14. play and they will be used to Also on the horizon is the pare the field to the low 63 OGA Match Play Championwho will join the defending 2011 Schedule ship which this year will be champion at Southern Hills for contested July 11-14 at MeadJune 13-16: Junior Boys, Kickingbird GC, Edmond match play. owbrook Country Club, home July 11-14: State Amateur, Meadowbrook CC, Tulsa Finally, don’t forget to supcourse of defending champion July 25-26: Senior State Amateur, Gaillardia G&CC, OKC port the OGA Foundation Stephen Carney, also a member Aug. 8-10: Stroke Play, Muskogee CC which is devoted to supportof the University of Tulsa golf Aug. 26-28: Oklahoma Open, Oak Tree CC, Edmond ing junior golf. Anyone wishteam. Be sure to go to www.

Sept. 12-13: Senior Stroke Play, The Trails GC, Norman ing more information about okgolf.org to enter.

Sept. 26-27: Mid-Amateur, Rose Creek GC, Edmond the foundation or to make a The OGA Senior State AmaOct. 10: State Club, The Greens CC, Okla. City donation can contact me at teur will be held July 25-28 at 405-848-0042 or mfelder@ Gaillardia Golf & Country Club okgolf.org. in Oklahoma City and the OGA Stroke Play same championship Perry Maxwell layout Until next issue, keep it in the fairway and Championship is Aug. 8-10 at Muskogee that has played host to three U.S. Opens, hope to see you at one of our events.

Always follow the Golden Rule As we go through life we have a Golden Rule which is the basic thesis as to how we should treat our fellow man. The game of golf is so unique that it too has a Golden Rule which is the basic thesis as to how the game should be played. Golf’s Golden Rule commands us to: play the course as you find it and your ball as it lies. In order to put the rule into effect, the United States Golf Association adopted Rule 13. I suggest that you become familiar with its many provisions as you cannot play a stroke without having it put to use.

The main provision, Rule 13-2, pertains to four areas on the course: (1) where the ball lies, (2) the space in which you manipulate a club to complete a stroke, (3) the space in which the ball will travel as a result of a stroke and, (4) the place in which you drop a ball when taking relief.

You are prohibited from improving 16 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

these areas by actions which include moving or breaking anything growing or fixed, eliminating an irregularity on the surface; and Gene Mortensen OGA Rules removing or pressing Director down loose soil/sand and replaced divots. A violation of Rule 13 results in the loss of the hole in match play, or two strokes in stroke play.

Rule 13-2 also provides exceptions so that there will be no penalty if one commits a prohibited act while fairly taking a stance, making a stroke and the stroke is completed and removing sand and loose soil on the putting green. In effect, you receive the penalty if you do the prohibited act to prepare for the stroke, and not while completing the stoke.

Another subsection, Rule 13-4, applies when a ball comes to rest in a hazard. You are prohibited from testing and touching the surface and touching or moving a loose impediment which lies in that hazard. In a note there are exceptions and those include removing an obstruction and in lifting a ball under a rule.

Rule 13 comes into play on each stroke and, accordingly, it is the rule that is most often breached. Common violations include stepping down behind the ball in tall grass and smoothing the surface after lifting an embedded ball. Another breach occurs when you brush sand or loose soil away from a ball in the fairway. And when one reaches out with a rake to smooth a footprint in a bunker before playing a stroke at a ball in that same bunker.

The Rules of Golf are our friends; learn them and make them work for you. Contact the Oklahoma Golf Association if you have any questions about the rules.

OGA Junior Tour prepares for 10th season morrie rose junior tour director The Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour will soon begin its 10th season serving the needs of junior golfers throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states. During the past nine seasons the OJGT has grown from a tour of six events and 150 members to one that boasts 13 events and almost 300 members. Members are comprised mainly of Oklahoma juniors but have come from as far away as Washington State and Canada. It was developed to give players who want to become outstanding juniors the opportunity to compete in events that are nationally ranked, well operated and with scores sent to college coaches throughout the country. This was to be done with low travel expense and costs to families.

Over the past nine seasons OJGT players have won a USGA Junior Boys Championship, the National Big I Championship, several AJGA championships, the OGA Men’s Amateur Championship, several OGA junior boys’ match-play and stroke-play championships and several WOGA girls’

junior championships. Most of the individual OSSAA individual champions have been OJGT members. Add all of these things up and note that more than 235 OJGT members have gone on to play college golf, and it seems some great things are happening at the OJGT! In this 10th season the OJGT is making changes that will enhance the members’ experiences. First, the season is going back to a more fall-based format. In the beginning the OJGT was strictly a fall tour. Events were held on weekends so players could play without missing school time. With weekend events it was easier for parents to transport players to events without missing work.

Also, more parents could come and watch their boys and girls play. By doing this we have been able to open up the months of June and July for members to play in other local, regional and national events without fear of losing points necessary to qualify for our year-end invitationals and the Red River Challenge. We expect large fields this season, which will strengthen our events for national rankings.

This year the OJGT is in its second year working in conjunction with the Oklahoma Golf Association. This affiliation has brought many advantages to our members.

One in particular is the credibility we gain from being part of the state golf association.

That credibility has now manifested itself through the AJGA. This year seven OJGT/ OGA junior events have been recognized as Performance Based Entry events. This means winners and strong finishers in those events will gain AJGA exemptions from their finishes. Also, the OJGT has received three title sponsorships this year. These sponsors will help us provide players more meaningful events while keeping costs down.

As you can see, the OJGT is making great strides to continue providing our players with the very best in junior golf experiences. Top-quality events, coupled with the promotion of our players, help us maintain our motto “Creating Tomorrow’s Champions Today!” If you are interested in joining us for the 2011 season please contact Morri Rose at 405-408-4487 or email mrose@ okgolf.org.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 17

Chip shots

News from around the state

Former OSU players were out in full support of the 2011 Patriot Cup, from left Chris Tidland, Bo Van Pelt, Hunter Mahan and Rickie Fowler. Photos by Rip Stell

Golf as a force for good

Tour stars again support Patriot Cup For the players, veterans and fans in attendance on a windy and warm Memorial Day, the second annual Patriot Cup was a smashing success.

The event raised money for the Folds of Honor Foundation. It brought professional golf back to the Tulsa area. It showcased The Patriot, the Robert Trent Jones II design that was ranked in the top 50 by Golfweek raters among the Best 100 Modern Courses (1960 and later)..

For the players involved, the event is a testament to the will and focus of Rooney, the former F-16 fighter pilot from Broken Arrow who founded the Folds of Honor Foundation.

“Today is a tribute to Dan and his commitment to what he’s trying to do,” said PGA Tour golfer Bo Van Pelt of Tulsa. “I joke with him all the time to see if he has two body doubles. I don’t know how he does all that he does. He’s like a force of nature. It’s amazing all that he’s been able to do with the golf courses out here and the foundation.

“I’m just humbled that he wanted me to come back. I told him as long as you’ll have 18 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

me, I’ll be here.”

“What Dan and Jacque have done with the foundation is just fantastic,” said Corey Pavin, the recent U.S. Ryder Cup captain now on the Champions Tour. “There is so much need with our military. To educate the families and children of our wounded soldiers is why we’re all here.”

Pavin and Rooney became friends prior to the Ryder Cup, where Pavin brought Rooney over to give an inspirational speech to his players before the matches. While some in the British press misinterpreted the action as jingoistic in equating golf and war, Pavin knew he had found in Rooney one of those rare individuals able to inspire others no matter whether the topic is golf, family or helping others.

“The message I had him deliver was about teamwork and having everyone’s back,” Pavin said. “He’s just a very inspirational guy. When he talks, he’s got great characer and charisma. He makes you believe in whatever the topic is. He’s one of those guys who just has it.”

Rooney’s passion and inspirational abilities have helped the foundation grow from

scratch to an organzation that has now given out more than 2,000 scholarships, including some in all 50 states. The event this year also grew in magnitude with the addition of a paying public. Each of the 15 groups had followers and it appeared there were close to 1,000 spectators on the grounds. All funds raised by ticket sales also go to the FOHF. “Our mission is not to leave any family behind on the field of battle,” Rooney said.

“To date, there are more than 240,000 dependents of someone killed or wounded in battle and 87 percent of those families to not qualify for federal aid for education.”

The mission obviously continues.

ONLINE: Get the latest news on Oklahoma golf at

golfoklahoma.org

Fortunately no one was hurt when a tornado plowed through Cimarron National in Guthrie. The course was quickly reopened.

Mother Nature’s wrath

The deadly tornados that struck Joplin, Mo., and days later parts of Oklahoma did not leave golf courses unscathed.

What was described as either an F2 or F3 tornado that moved through Guthrie on May 25 leveled more than 1,000 trees on the back nine of Cimarron National, one of four courses in Guthrie founded by Duffy Martin. It’s sister course, Aqua Canyon, was not affected and neither was the courses at Cedar Valley.

Head professional Marty Colbert directed a tireless crew that had the course fully reopened in less than two weeks.

“We had a good bunch of guys who were more interested in getting the thing cleaned up than they were how many hours they worked,” Colbert said.

Most of the debris was burned and Colbert said the course is just as playable as before, but took a hit on the back nine esthetically.

“We’ll be replanting a lot of trees,” Colbert said.

The afternoon of the tornado was a scary one for everyone at Cimarron National.

“It was about 600 yards wide and wrapped in rain,” Colbert said. “Nobody could see it. We had a group of 36 golfers out in a tournament and had them down in the basement with me when it went through. We were lucky that no one was hurt. The clubhouse had some minor

damage, but nothing serious.”

The course was hit by a tornado 12 years ago, but with nowhere near the impact. In addition to the tree damage, five houses neighboring the course were destroyed.

Still, Colbert said there is nowhere he would rather live.

“You’ve got to take the good with the bad, but this just shows us how many good things there are to living in Oklahoma,” Colbert said.

The Coves Golf Club on Grand Lake suffered tree damage from the same tornado that leveled Joplin, Mo., on May 22. Course manager Jim Gray said he lost about 50 trees. Several greens were damaged by falling limbs and the clubhouse sustained minor shingle damage.

Shangri-La Resort on Monkey Island did not have tornado damage, but heavy rains washed out some sodding and planting work on the new nine holes currently under construction on the previous Gold Course. Project manager Jason Sheffield said the floods set the construction back about a month.

Greenway to run Clary Fields

Greenway Golf Management has signed a long-term contract to run day-to-day operations at Clary Fields Golf Course in Sapulpa.

Greenway, which also operates Battle Creek Golf Course in Broken Arrow, has

hired Thomas Hnizdo from LaFortune Park to be the head golf professional and facility manager.

“We’re completing a new marketing plan, doing a lot of cleanup work around the clubhouse and redoing the snack bar to get started,” said Ken Campbell, president of Greenway Golf Management.

The Greenway turf management program which has resulted in Battle Creek consistently having among the best greens in the state has also been implemented. Battle Creek Director of Golf Dee Roadman will also supervise operations at Clary Fields.

Boiling Springs reopens

Despite the challenges of significant turf damage due to the harsh 2009-2010 weather, coupled with the demise of its longtime operating group, Boiling Springs Golf Course has beaten the ten-count and reopened.

Boiling Springs, with its striking elevation changes and challenging layout was likely never in real danger of expiring. Still, last September, when the Boiling Springs Golf Association asked the Woodward Municipal Authority to terminate the lease, the future was in considerable doubt.

However, over the winter Woodward officials fielded plenty of proposals for operating the property. Effective March 1, 2012, the city awarded an operating lease to Albuquerque-based JCLA Enterprises, LLC – an www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 19

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organization with experience running municipal golf courses. Co-owner and head pro Jonathan Hart has taken over the day-to-day management.

During the interim, the City of Woodward financed general upkeep of the property, as longtime golf course superintendent Ben Zollinger continued green reseeding efforts as well as several other maintenance projects to keep the course in manageable condition.

April 1 – April Fool’s Day – became a major holiday for northwest Oklahoma’s golfers, as play returned to one of the state’s classic, public gems after a six-month hiatus.

Sporting exceptional conditions despite an extreme drought in the region, as well as cosmetic improvements to foliage and cart paths, the golf course has welcomed golfers back in droves, even implementing a tee time policy for the first time. The course is also hosting tournaments nearly every week through the spring and summer.

Weekday greens fees are $32 with cart, and weekend rates are $39 with cart. Reduced fees are available for junior golfers and seniors, in addition to a daily twilight rate for all golfers. The pro shop features apparel, equipment and a full service grill. Tee times are available by calling (580) 256-1206.

Section to hire new director

The PGA South Central Section was expecting to hire a new executive director by mid June to replace Barry Thompson, who resigned effective May 31 after 19 years on the job.

The section also lost its president when Cimarron Grubb, former general manager and director of golf at Belmar Golf Club in Norman, resigned to take a position with Boone Valley Golf Club near St. Louis, Mo., a position he later declined for personal reasons.

Brian Soerensen, director of golf at Kickingbird Golf Course in Edmond, moved up from vice president to acting president, while Peter Vitali of Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City assumed the role of vice president along with his position as secretary.

Soerensen said the section had interviews lined up in early June and the executive committee would be prepared to make a decision by June 17. “The service that Walter Hopper (former junior tour director who resigned last fall) and Barry Thompson gave our section is immeasurable,� Soerensen said. “The new director will have to make sure the section is run as a business to break even and yet still can offer our members excellent services including tournaments and education.�

Soerenesn said the new director will have to work inside and outside the golf community to raise funds in a time of declining revenues. One of the major section revenue sources was qualifying rounds for the Fort Smith stop on the Nationwide Tour and that event is not returning this year. Another was an affiliation with a passport program that has since ended. “We need to go out and seek additional sponsors and we’re looking at creating new revenue producing programs,� Soerensen said.

Thompson, 50, has been executive director since June 1, 1992, after previously serving as an assistant to previous director Danny Hickman. “My wife and I have been talking about it and we just felt the timing was right,�

Thompson said. “It’s been 19 years and it’s been a fairy tale for a kid who loves golf.

I’ve been around the hardest working men and women in the industry and it’s been an absolute honor.�

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www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 21

The goods

Some things we like to do before and after the round

Hogan lives!

New books only add to the mystique by tom bedell

No extended piece about Ben Hogan can go on for long without mentioning the car wreck in February of 1949 that nearly ended his life, but surely elevated the rest of his career into the stuff of legend.

Not that the Dublin, Texas native hadn’t already begun burnishing the Hogan Mystique with his play before the accident. (And has the word “mystique” ever been applied to any other golfer with such accurate regularity?)

As author David Barrett makes clear in Miracle at Merion: The Inspiring Story of Ben Hogan’s Amazing Comeback and Victory at the 1950 U.S. Open (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010, $24.95), once past his early troubles with a persistent duck hook, Hogan served notice on the tour with his first individual victory in 1940. (He had won a

two-man event in 1938 with Vic Ghezzi.)

He then went on to win the next two tournaments and finished the year as the leading money winner.

He took time off from the Tour in Tulsa in 1943 and 1944 as a member of the Army Air Guard, eased back into playing in 1945, and then began an astounding run of success. As Barrett puts it: From 1946 through 1948, Hogan won 30 tournaments. If you throw in the five events he won after getting out of the Army in 1945, it adds up to a remarkable 35 wins in three-and-a-half years. Some perspective: Tom Watson and Gene Sarazen, two of the greats of the game, each won 39 events in their entire careers on the tour.

The compact golfer who became known as Bantam Ben had one of the most repeatable

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swings in the game’s history--and may have been, Barrett suggests, the first to talk about the notion of a repeatable swing. But part of his legend is how hard he worked at it.

“There’s no such thing as a natural golf swing,” Hogan was quoted in a Time magazine article cover story from January, 1949, an article that portrayed him as a fierce competitor with unmatched focus and desire to win, and one who unnerved his fellow players so that they were thrown off their games. (Sound like any recent model we can think of?)

The article appeared 23 days before the accident on Highway 80 in Texas, when it became apparent that a bus attempting to pass a truck in foggy weather was going to crash into their car, and Hogan threw himself across to the passenger side to protect his wife, Valerie.

It probably saved both their lives, but Hogan’s lower body was injured. But as Barrett makes clear, it was subsequent blood clots and the resultant vascular surgery that led to Hogan’s later physical ailments, rather than the broken bones themselves.

It all made Hogan’s march to victory at the 1950 Open the stuff of Hollywood, and indeed Hollywood obliged, with Glenn Ford playing him in “Follow the Sun,” what some say is one of the worst golf movies ever made (but which I have yet to see, so judgment reserved).

Barrett, at any rate, goes on to accomplish no mean feat--creating some suspense leading up the climax of an event we know the details of. But he finds more details to savor, including a brief portrait of Hy Peskin.

Who’s Hy Peskin? He was the photographer who took what may be one of the most famous sports photos of all time, but surely the most famous golf photo, of Hogan’s one-iron to the green on the 72nd

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hole at Merion in 1950, appropriately on the cover of the book.

There’s also a rather remarkable photo in Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew (Gotham Books, 2010, $22.50) by Kris Tschetter with Steve Eubanks. Tschetter is an LPGA player who came to know Hogan long after his career was over but hers was just forming.

She was attending Texas Christian University and as a talented amateur became a member at Hogan’s club, Shady Oaks in Fort Worth. One day she broke the club’s standing rule--don’t bother Mr. Hogan--and said hello as he walked by. He returned the greeting, moved on, but when he returned later and saw that Tschetter was still practicing said, “You’re still here? Keep working at it.”

For a man who practiced more than anyone before or since (until V.J. Singh came along), Hogan had an eye for stick-to-itiveness, and he became a friend and mentor to Tschetter, who went on to a fine career (one win on the LPGA Tour, and 72nd place on the all-time money list).

Her portrait is the anodyne to stories about the caustic Hogan, the Hogan with the basilisk stare, and the palpable if silent disapproval. Oh, she has some funny anecdotes about how Hogan could make anyone squirm--like pro Tom Byrum who was tardy to the range one day and had to undergo a placidly lethal interrogation from Hogan.

But mainly this is a paean to a Hogan with a quick wit, a softy at heart, and a gentleman at all times. Set in his ways, perhaps, but ways that were far more benign than those usually consigned to the legendary Wee Ice Mon. The photo comes from a video Hogan allowed Tschetter to take of his swing in 1989, which she speculates is the last time it was so captured. The final frame of the sequence is of Hogan’s follow-through, and what’s remarkable is how similar it looks held next to the Peskin photo.

Sure, he’s not as high on his right toe, he’s not as wiry as in 1950, there’s not quite the same arch in the back. But taken about 40 years apart, the two photographs are living testimony to the repeatable swing!

Hogan made himself into a good putter, although that skill faded as his career went on. He often differentiated golf and putting as two different games, yet it needed to be practiced as well.

See HOGAN on page 47

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Ernie Els Wines

A steak on the barbie and red wine Ernie Els had won two of his three major championships when he decided to pursue his passion for wine. In 1999, the South African golfer founded Ernie Els Wines in his home country’s Stellenbosch wine region.

Els, who came to wine later in life (his father was a teetotaler), turned to his family friend Jean Engelbrecht to help found the winery. Engelbrecht was already a well-respected vintner in South Africa; he was also the man who introduced Els to fine wine.

The maiden vintage for Els wines was 2000. Because of Els’ love for Bordeauxstyle blends, the winery has produced blends featuring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot since the maiden vintage. The portfolio now stands at 14 wines.

Corey Bauer, a fine-wine representative for Republic National Distributing, said Els has been putting out “beautiful bottles from Stellenbosch for some time now.

Bauer said South Africa’s wine industry tried to capitalize on Australia’s meteoric success

with Shiraz, a success that has famously flamed out, by following the same business model.

“South Africa has more than 300 years of experience growing and producing worldclass Bordeaux-style wines,” Bauer said, “but they chose the wrong wine to market.”

In addition to Els Signature Blend, South African wineries Glen Carlou and Rust en Vrede also have wines available in Oklahoma. The Glen Carlou is a classic blend, and the Rust en Vrede is Merlot. Both are excellent introductions to South African Bordeaux.

Bauer compared the Cabernets from the region to Washington State reds: brooding black fruit up front, and mouthwatering red fruit on the finish. They are ideal for wine palates in steak country.

In fact, Els, sounding very much like an Oklahoma golfer, told South African wine blog “Got Tannins?”, “I think it’s hard to beat sitting down with a few friends after a game of golf and sharing a nice bottle of wine.

You know, it makes you feel good about life. And being a South African, for me a good steak on the braai (grill) with a nice red wine is a great combination; that’s probably my favorite meal.” www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 23

Where we play

Back in business Tulsa Country Club ready for next century by randy krehbiel

Tulsa Country Club took a big step back so it could take a bigger step forward.

Come July, TCC expects to formally unveil Rees Jones’ thorough renovation of the club’s 103-year-old golf course. The $8.5 million project, which included extensive remodeling of clubhouse facilities, channels the spirit of A.W. Tillinghast’s 1920 redesign.

“What I had to do is kind of bring him back to life,” said Jones. “We brought back Tillinghast’s ideas from the courses of his we’ve worked on over the years.”

The result, said TCC head pro Jeff Combe, is “absolutely fantastic.”

“I’ve been here 20 years,” said Combe, “and I’ve never see this membership so excited.”

The state’s second-oldest continuously operating country club, TCC began in 1908, on the same rolling acreage just northeast of downtown it occupies today. Many historic events in Oklahoma golf history occurred at Tulsa Country Club, including the founding of both the Oklahoma Golf Association and the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association, and the first Oklahoma Open and first state amateur. One of its early pros was Bill Mehlhorn, later a member of the first Ryder Cup team. Gene Sarazen played there, and Byron 24 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Nelson and Sam Snead. JoAnne Carner, then known as JoAnne Gunderson, won the second of her five U.S. Women’s Amateur titles at Tulsa Country Club in 1960.

The original nine holes were laid out

by William Nichols of Muskogee, one of Oklahoma’s leading early golfers; in 1910, Nichols won the first Oklahoma Open on the course. At some point the course was extended to 18 holes.

Tillinghast came to Tulsa to look over the course in 1919, accompanied by Charles “Chick” Evans, who in 1916 had become the first person (Bobby Jones is the only one since) to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in the same year. The following April, Tillinghast signed a one-page contract to redesign the TCC course for a fee of $2,000.

“Plans, which are at present in a tentative state, call for additional yardage of 500 to 600 yards but (it) will remain an 18-hole course,” reported the Tulsa Tribune. “However, it will be (so) completely rearranged that it will be practically unknown.”

Born to moderate wealth and an aversion to convention, Tillinghast spent the better part of his early adulthood hanging around golf’s upper echelons, immersing himself in the game’s history and culture. Among other things, he claimed to have been present the

day the term “birdie” was coined.

Beginning in 1909, when he helped lay out the course at Shawnee-on-the-Delaware, Pa., Tillinghast’s reputation as a golf architect rose rapidly. In 1917, he convinced the membership of the Baltusrol Golf Club to plow up a course where two U.S. Opens had been played and replace it with two layouts of his design. Tillinghast’s genius was in fitting courses to their landscape. In an age of wooden shafts and aerodynamically uncertain balls, accuracy and cunning counted far more than power. He dotted his courses with bunkers and protected greens and did not much care for par fives. Each hole, Tillinghast said, should be an inspiration unto itself.

Alternately charming and abrasive, Tillinghast rarely went anywhere without a pint of refreshment and a pistol. He could be reckless with both, and was known to disappear for weeks on end. But the man could work.

At best count, he designed or redesigned more than 250 courses during his lifetime, including Baltusrol, Bethpage, Winged Foot, Ridgewood and Cedar Crest.

Except for installing grass greens – the previous putting surfaces were sand – the exact nature of Tillinghast’s work at Tulsa Country Club is no longer certain. The course was

altered numerous times over the years, must ing and restoring Tillinghast courses, includnotably in the mid-1960s, when the holes ing Baltusrol and Bethpage. were renumbered and some reconfigured “He saw something really great here,” said to accommodate the relocation of the club- Wood, referring to Jones. house from the east side of the property to the west.

Tillinghast fell from favor as an architect in the 1930s and for decades was all but forgotten, especially with the advent of more dramatic designs in the 1970s and 1980s. He’s back in fashion now, though, presenting Tulsa Country Club an opportunity to polish up its course while upgrading its infrastructure.

In 2005, it formulated a master plan that began with a $2 million makeover of the swimming pool and deck areas. Then came the big bite – reworking the clubhouse and replacing the club’s irrigation and drainage system.

“We were facing the necessity of replacing infraThe architects, Rees Jones and A.W. Tillinghast. structure on our golf course,” said TCC General Manager Jason Fiscus.

The renovations to the course took nearly “We had to decide if we as a club were go- a year; not surprisingly, some members left ing to spend money to replace these parts … as a result. What was surprising, said Fiscus, or really do a good job.” was the number of new members added “The general feeling was that we knew – more than 70 altogether, including 60 golf our greens were at the end of their life span,” memberships. said club president Joby Wood. “We knew “There’s been a tremendous amount of our irrigation system was past the end of its buzz,” said Fiscus. “What’s encouraging is life span. that we’ve seen growth even earlier than we “The challenge was deciding we could do expected.” it,” said club president Joby Wood. “That Although a few holes have seen significant was a big hurdle. We knew we needed to do change, and a 1.3-acre lake has been added to it. Raising the money was the delicate part. the property, the routing and direction of the The key to that was making it affordable to course remain essentially the same. A new our members.” set of championship tees stretch the course The first phase involved renovations to to 7,000 yards at its longest, although it will the 45-year-old clubhouse. The grill room actually be a little shorter for most players. was expanded and redecorated, the pro That’s because Jones installed 37 additional shop and bag room moved and the fitness bunkers -- a Tillinghast trademark -- that area upgraded. The clubhouse is important make the course play a little narrower. at TCC because it gets a lot of family use.

“There are bunkers to avoid, and there are “The improvements to the clubhouse … bunkers to flirt with,” said Jones. allowed us to tackle the course,” said Fiscus.

“Tillinghast is one of my favorite archi“The enhanced facility kept us going.” tects because he believes in shot options.

“The clubhouse projected turned out He wanted to make you think. He had an well,” Wood agreed. “It certainly exceeded open approach to holes, and he had closed expectations.” approaches.”

Jones and his firm were hired in 2008.

Greens have been expanded by a total of They had considerable experience renovat- 10,000 square feet, facilitating a greater vari-

ety of pin placements.

“It is really a nice piece of land,” Jones said. “It’s gently flowing, not too rugged, not too flat. It has a nice flow to it, a lot of change in angles.

“When you have an old site like that, it was chosen for golf. When you go to the desert or to Florida, then you have to make more changes.”

One of the most important aspects of the job was the upgrading of Tulsa Country Club’s outdated, worn out and expensive irrigation system. For decades, TCC has relied exclusively on city water. Now, with the construction of the new pond, it will be able to irrigate more area without buying more water.

“From a superintendent’s standpoint, that’s the most important factor,” said TCC Superintendent Brady Finton. “We’ll probably spend the same amount (on water), but we’ll be able to water the entire property.”

Finton said the planning and execution of the renovations has “been really, really fun.”

“We really wanted to get the Tillinghast flavor,” he said. “We couldn’t go back to Tillie’s actual design, but we could get the feel.”

“This is not a ‘70s or ‘80s golf course,” said Jones. “It’s a pre-Depression course.”

The biggest change is on No. 14, where the green now nestles up to the new lake.

“It will probably be our signature hole now,” said Wood.

Not since building its current clubhouse and rerouting the course in the 1960s had the club taken on the kind of project this one presented. Wood admitted to more than a little apprehension.

“In a club scenario, one of several things you can have is rumors,” he said. “We really had none of that. And the membership has been thrilled to death. They want it to be ready, really ready, before we open it up.

“We thought we’d be getting a lot of ‘Why aren’t we open,’ but we’ve had none of that.’”

The course has been open – in a way. This spring members have been coming out just to walk the cart paths.

“What I hear most is that every hole is so nice now,” said Jeff Combe. “What Rees

See TCC on page 53 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 25

WinStar’s new Golf Academy, and at right a view of WinStar’s brand new putting lab.

WinStar doubles down

Course adds nine holes, Academy by ken macleod

WinStar Golf Course had two major events to celebrate this spring, the opening of a new nine holes and the opening of the WinStar Golf Academy.

The nine-hole addition by original architect D.A. Weibring gives WinStar the flexibility to keep nine holes closed Monday through Thursday while having 27 holes open for play Friday through Sunday.

The new nine holes have been folded into the original 18 to create three distincitive nines.

The East Nine is the old front nine and still probably the most gentle nine. The West nine has six of the new holes and three holes from the orginal back nine. The South Nine has three new holes and six holes from the back nine. The new holes include two long tree-lined par-4s and this nine will now be the most difficult.

“The South Nine was probably three to five shots harder than the other nines,” said Mike Hammond, general manager and director of golf. “Everybody loves the new holes and they were in perfect condition for the opening (May 30).”

All 27 greens are now Mini-Verde, one of the new ultra dwarf Bermuda cultivars.

They were rolling fast and true for the open26 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

ing, Hammond said.

The new 5,000 square foot WinStar Golf Academy has added greatly to the golf experience at WinStar.

The academy offers game improvement and fun to both VIP members as designated

by WinStar Casino and to the public.

In addition to high-tech video swing analysis, the center has a putting lab, two PGA Tour Golf Simulators by About Golf, an extensive fitness center designed and operated

by Titliest Performance Institute licensed staff. The fitness center includes 10 golf specific training devices plus a separate room for working on core strength and another room designated for mental training, where golfers learn to focus and concentrate.

Custom fitting is a part of the experience and the academy has certified fitters in Titleist, Ping and Mizuno.

Buddy Fichera is the general manager of the WinStar Golf Academy and legendary LPGA player Sandra Haynie is one of the top instructors. For more information on the center, call (580) 276-1754.

late June/early July reopening of the original front nine at Oak Tree.

Those holes are now 1 through 6 and 1618 on the West Course. Architect and Oak Tree National member Mark Hayes did the design work with Mike Chambers and his crew on the construction, the same team that worked the past few years on a highly successful renovation of Oak Tree East.

Hayes again went in with the intent of restoring the greens to their original size that Pete Dye created. Using a probe to discover the original gravel subsurface, Hayes found that as much as 15 feet of green had been lost to Bermuda grass encroachment over the years.

“The new greens look monstrous compared to what you’re used to seeing over the years because we restored so much square footage,” Hayes said. “It’s good, because we will have better pin positions. It’s just striking when you first see it. They look a lot wider.”

Oak Tree Country Club co-owner Jeff Bolding is pleased with the renovations to the East Course and the first half of the West Oak Tree West Course. The remaining nine holes will be The renovation of the courses ar Oak Tree updated beginning next winter.

Country Club continues this summer with a “We think our East Course greens are the

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The new clubhouse at Shangri-La Resort should be finished for a late June/early July opening. best in the country,” Bolding said. ‘They are firm, fast and they don’t mark up. And the L-93 we use has proven to be a lot more heat tolerant than some of the newer varieties.”

The West Course rebuild includes all new greens and greenside bunker complexes, some new fairway bunkers and the addition of water features on the par-3s.

“The second hole we just tore it all up and rebuilt the hole,” Hayes said. “There will be a water feature all down the right side of the

hole and the green went from about 8,400 sively on the horizon as one makes the turn square feet to 5,500. The teee will now be to the clubhouse. The pro shop and locker on the same side of the road as the green.” rooms are downstairs along with a bar and patio area. A restaurant and fitness center Shangri-La Resort are upstairs.

The 12,000 square foot clubhouse at ShanThe clubhouse is eagerly anticipated by gri-La Resort near Afton should be ready for the rapidly growing Shangri-La membera late June or early July opening, at least to ship, now numbering over 400. Project manthe ground floor level, according to Shangri- ager Jason Sheffield said the reaction to the La project manager Jason Sheffield. improvements by new owner Eddy Gibbs The native stone building looms impres- has been astounding.

Rose Creek’s new clubhouse has proven a huge hit with members and guests.

28 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Recent floods slowed the building of nine new holes on the the former Gold Course site. Once those are completed, existing greens on the 18-hole will be renovated nine holes at a time.

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The former clubhouse is being converted into a women’s lockerroom.

Director of Golf Chad Lamb said the new clubhouse has been a big hit with members and guests.

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Gil Morgan XXXXXXxxxxxxx

Still Looking Ahead

by john rohde

Oklahoma’s ageless wonder Gil Morgan by ken macleod

30 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Gil Morgan’s golf game is just good enough to keep teasing him to remain on tour. Here is one example how: Morgan shot his age with a 7-under-par 64 during the second round of the Toshiba Classic on March 12. It was the first time the Wewoka native has ever shot his age. Shooting your age at the local municipal course when you’re 74 is impressive, but doing it when you’re 64 while in a Champions Tour event is rarified air.

Now in his fifth decade as a touring pro, Morgan’s swing remains timeless. It is a stroke of envy, even with the steady onslaught of 20-somethings who swing out of the Foot-Joys. The man awaiting the arrival of his second granddaughter still possesses a swing that keeps good time. He has become a grandfather clock -- tick-tock, tick-tock.

When Dr. Gilmer Bryan Morgan II turned professional in 1972, he was fresh out of the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis.

He and wife Jeanine agreed to give the Good Doctor one season to make golf his career.

If his scores were too high, Morgan literally would see his future as an eye doctor.

The man with lousy eyesight – he has poor depth perception, which is kind of important in golf – has since pocketed $25.2 million as a touring pro and just shy of $20 million since joining the 50-and-older circuit.

Just 11 days after his 50th birthday, Morgan won his first senior event and promptly won at least one tournament for nine straight seasons. He ranks third all-time on the Champions Tour with 25 career victories, trailing only Hale Irwin (45) and Lee Trevino (29).

Though Morgan’s last tour victory came at Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2007 and physical ailments remain, he remains a regular on the circuit. Intoxicated by his golfing prowess, Morgan apparently is having trouble knowing when to say when.

Morgan initially was thinking 60 might be his retirement age, or he would at least cut back from his usual tournament schedule.

Though not as good as he once was, Morgan is still better than many who are younger.

“Obviously it’s hard to give it up a little bit,” Morgan said. “Bottom line, I’m still able to hit the ball a pretty good distance (280.3yard driving average). I still have my basic length. Obviously, my consistency is not nearly as good. I think if I was in a situation where I couldn’t hit it as far, I’d be more inclined to slow down a little faster.”

Morgan still believes in himself. “My swing still seems OK,” he said, which is about as close to bragging as Morgan gets.

Morgan’s primary frustration is his inconsistency. He’ll take two steps forward, then two steps back. During a recent stop, he

Always gracious, Morgan enjoys the fans wherever he plays.

For the first 15 years or so Morgan was on the PGA Tour, total prize money remained steady before starting to climb in the late 1980s. From 1997, the season after Morgan joined the Champions Tour, prize money on the PGA Tour increased an astounding 300 percent in one decade. That percentage has now leveled off due to the recession and the loss of some title sponsors.

The lost of sponsors in the Champions Tour came on the heels of the tour reducing its overall tournament schedule, which created an imperfect storm. Now those joining the Champions Tour already have won tens of millions in prize money and reaped the rewards of a lofty pay scale. When the senior tour originated in the early 1980s, it was viewed as a “mulligan” for touring pros who never had a chance to cash in on their talents.

“It has changed over time,” Morgan said.

“It’s become more and more business-like as the guys who have been on the big-money situation on the regular tour keep coming forward. Most of the guys who come to the senior tour don’t seem as receptive (to the fans). We (seniors) are still pretty easy to get along with all the pro-ams and stuff.

I haven’t been on the regular tour in so long I don’t know exactly what it’s like. I know they have entourages, psychologists, teachers. Players have got a whole slew of people.

It (the senior tour) has really been great for a lot of players who have the opportunity again and build up a retirement fund that maybe they didn’t have a chance to do be-

made eagle on No. 17 and followed with a double-bogey on No. 18. “Just gave it right back,” Morgan said. “Doesn’t make much sense. I don’t know, just stupid stuff.

“I can’t really put a handle on why I’m so inconsistent compared to what I used to be.

It’s just everything. I’ve had rounds where I play 14 or 15 holes pretty good, then I kind of lose it for some reason. I don’t know whether it’s because it’s late in the round, concentration, whether I’m getting tired a little bit from an aging standpoint or something. It’s not one thing. It’s a bad drive one hole, a 3-putt the next hole, can’t get it up and down the next hole. It’s not anything I can put my finger on and say ‘This is the culprit.’ I’ve been slowing down a little bit here lately. I don’t play as much as I normally do and I’m going to play a little bit less this year.”

In the 40 years or so since Morgan joined the tour, he has witnessed an explosion in the golf industry, and now is seeing the calm See MORGAN on page 47 after the storm.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 31

DESTINATIONS

Wolfdancer is a A rugged challenge awaits in magnificent resort near Austin

The 10th hole at Wolfdancer Golf Club at the Lost Pines Resort.

32 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

beastly beauty

W

olfdancer Golf Club is a resort golf course like Mount Everest is a nature stroll.

The 7,205-yard design by Arthur Hills at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, just east of Austin near Basrop, Texas, is -- as billed – both “challenging and thoughtprovoking.”

And then some.

Instead of a soft resort design, Hills provided guests and members at Wolfdancer a challenge they won’t soon forget and will be eager to embrace again.

Ben Hogan said he never just mindlessly tried to hit the ball down the middle but that each shot should have a purpose. Well, this

is Hogan country, and you will definitely need to follow his advice to put yourself in the ideal positions to attack the second and third shots at Wolfdancer.

The course has amazingly varied terrain.

The first 11 holes are played through what you would think of in the Texas Hill Country: rolling prairies, wooded ridge lines with commanding views, lots of pine and spruce.

Then you play the downhill par-3 12tth hole and it’s like stepping through a veil.

Suddenly you could be 1,000 miles to the east, playing a rich parkland course framed by pecan trees. You’ve descended into the Colorado River corridor, where the topsoil is sandy loam compared to the clay bones

of the rest of the course. Suddenly the Bermuda is greener, the trees are larger and the greens are flatter and more receptive.

“You can definitely see and feel the difference,” said Eric Claxton, the director of golf.

“It’s like you’ve walked into a course on the East Coast. It’s like you’re in a 300-year-old park.”

Hills lets each set of holes play to the strength of its unique terrain. Both sides have their own challenges. To play either the tips or the next set of tees up at this course, you should be less than a five handicap and capable of carrying the ball 250 yards in the air.

But there are plenty of other teeing opwww.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 33

The par-3 12th hole at Wolf Dancer is the gateway to a dramatic change. tions. Unlike some designers, who just guard every green with menacing bunkers, there are all sorts of choices available here -- just not necessarily easy options. You’ll want to leave time to play as many rounds as possible during your stay.

The third hole, a 603-yard par-5, is aptly named All of Texas, and it seems you can see much of the state from the elevated tee.

You can particularly see bunker after bunker dotting the fairway, so choose your line carefully. The two par-3s on the front side, holes 4 and 6, are huge challenges, the first for its length and the latter due to a green that slopes dramatically back to front and left to right, making pin placement crucial.

And so it goes, each hole requiring well thought-out and executed shots. Not what

you might consider typical of a resort course, but a lot more fun for many.

The Hyatt resort itself is equally ideal for golf buddy trips, family vacations or corporate meetings. The Django Spa will sooth muscles tired from a full day of golfing, horseback riding, kayaking on the Colorado River, swimming in the Crooked River at the water park. There are horseshoe pits, a basketball court, other games for the kids and the 1.100-acre McKinney Roughs Nature Park ideal for hiking and bird watching.

The “lost pines” are Loblolly Pines that survived far west of their brethren in East Texas and throughout the South.

You don’t have to leave the resort for great food or drinks or even live music, though downtown Austin is just 20 miles away.

Callaway Performance Center at Barton Creek

Most golfers associated the famous Barton Creek Resort with great golf, spas, tennis and entertainment. But not everyone knows that one a dozen Callaway Performance Center east of Carlsbad is located on property in the Fazio Foothills pro shop.

Run ably by PGA professional Chad Haverland, the high tech center can measure every aspect of a golfer’s swing, from swing speed, ball speed, launch angle and spin rates. Haverland can calculate clubs with proper swing weight, shaft flex, launch and lie angles. Guests can be custom fit and the clubs shipped anywhere. A one-hour fitting is $75 for a resort guest and $100 for the public, with 50 percent of those fees refunded with the purchase of either irons or woods.

Without changing a golfer’s swing, Haverland has seen some dramatic results from just being properly fit, a lesson for all golfers regardless of whether one gets an opportunity to visit the center.

“I’ve seen golfers pick up 20 yards of distance and also be more accurate,” Haverland said. “We’ve gotten some really nice testimonials.”

For more information about the Callaway Performance Center, call 512-329-GOLF.

34 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

For More Information www.wolfdancergolfclub.com (512) 308-WOLF

LET’S GO GULFING!

If you and your buddies are looking for a custom golf package in the middle of paradise, forget Bermuda, and take a look at Gulf Shores in Alabama.

Featuring nine world-class golf courses, 32 miles of sugar white sand beaches and teal blue water. All in one special place. Visit letsgogulfi ng.com.

Call 1-888 -815 -1902 today! www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 35

Wild Wild West

Try Roman Nose for canyon golf by ken macleod

photos by thomas welborne

Use the natural landforms, but don’t lose your footing when playing Roman Nose.

Rattlesnakes sunning themselves on a rock. Turkey vultures soaring over deep canyons. Long views of gypsum cliff walls with a green perched precariously in the midst.

Fairways that rise, plunge, or bend gently off the natural landforms.

Roman Nose Golf Course near Watonga is not your parkland golf course. It’s Wild West canyon golf at its finest.

Tripp Davis was charged with adding nine holes to the original Floyd Farley design back in 1999. It was a tough job finding room for nine additional golf holes in the wild and he’s got the scars to prove it.

“We were going from 13 tee down to 13 fairway (a steep vertical drop) and I started sliding,” Davis said. “I’ve still got a scar from the cactus barb I caught in my thumb. I’m telling you, building that course was dangerous.”

The result, however, is one of the most fun and unique tests of golf in the state.

A recent visit showed the course to be in excellent condition from tee to green. The course is in Oklahoma’s State Park system and there is a completely rebuilt and renovated lodge on site that had its grand opening last fall. Stay and play packages start as 36 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

low as $50.

Roman Nose has many memorable holes including a couple that are a bit controversial. The first of those, the par-4 fourth hole, requires a drive over a chasm to a landing area, then a second shot uphill over a second chasm to a green perched high on the hill. It requires two good shots, but is fair.

The toughest hole on the course is the par4 11th, a blind tee shot in which golfers are encouraged to cut off as much as they dare over the trees to a narrow fairway canted right to left that sends even shots that land in the fairway back into the woods or into tall grass. There is no way to tell where your drive will wind up. Only the removal of about 500 trees could fix this hole and that’s unlikely.

The rest of the course, however, is a delight. There are elevated tees, fairways sloping both directions in which you can use the the landforms to aid your shot, greens perched high on cliffs that provide stunning views of the country.

The holes designed by Davis are noted easily as the greens are much more complex than those on Farley’s original nine. New holes include #3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15,

16, 17 and 18.

“It was a lot about connecting the dots out there,” Davis said. “There wasn’t always a lot of land that you could use. But it was fun to build.”

Davis is partial to holes 14 through 16, a solid stretch of scenic, playable holes with a nice western feel.

For More Information www.oklahomaparks.com Course - (580) 623-7989 Lodge - (800) 892-8690

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 37

MAHOGANY’S PRO PROFILE

Ron Streck Give Ron Streck a choice between a day on the golf course or at Disney World and it’s a close call. Ron lives in Tulsa with wife Jody and has three children, Juliane, Justin and Reagan. He has a charity golf tournament each fall at The Oaks Country Club, where he grew up playing. His time now is divided between playin and a variety of personal and business interests.

Ron, fill us in on what you’re spending most of your time on today and how much competitive golf you have left.

Not much this year. My cousin and I are part-owners in a golf course in Estero, Fla. (Grandezza Golf Club). We are also involved in manufacturing of heaters, supplemental and commercial. I may play a few times this summer.

You grew up at The Oaks and are still a member and have a charity event there. What was playing there as a kid like and who really got you into golf?

My dad got me into golf, was taking me to the driving range at age ei At 21st and Yale there was a range when I was a kid. Playing as a kid was the best, I got to play with a lot of older kids that were really good, Bob Karlovich, Jack Steinmeyer, Ladd Larson, were just a few. I could not hit as far as them, so I worked on my short game real hard so I could compete with them. It made me a great bunker player.

money, kid. I said, “OK, I can do that, how much are the bets?”

Another guy said $5, $2 down automatics. They said you’re playing in the last group, I don’t remember their names. I was walking, they were riding carts.

I shot 68, I made putts from everywhere and I left with $85.

When we were in the restaurant afterwards it was pretty quiet.

One of the guys said to me. “Are you coming back next Tuesday?”

I said I’ll ask my mom. They all laughed and one them asked me how old I was. When I told them I was 14 all but one shook their heads. I had to wait about an extra hour for my mom to pick me up, so I walked down to Sipes grocery store and bought a six-pack of pop. I was in seventh heaven, I drank all six before she showed up. She had no idea I was playing grown men for money, nor did anyone else except them.

I had many other games later, played guys when I played in the City Match Play, and different local stuff. Somebody would say, “You play pretty good for trophies; how do you play for money?” I always would say, “I don’t know, but I would like to try it.” Never thought about the money; it was a result of the competition. I don’t ever remember being nervous, just focused on trying to make birdies or pars or whatever it took to win.

How often growing up did you play for more money than you had in your pocket?

Too many times, I guess I was lucky more than smart. The time I remember the most, I was 14, my mom dropped me off at Lafortune Park. I had $20 in my pocket. $7 went for greens fee.

I walked over to the Tuesday game; one of the guys said that’s Hank Haney was your roomthe Streck kid. I asked if I could play. One guy said we play for See STRECK on page 40 38 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

CHARLESTON’S AMATEUR PROFILE

Mike Hughett Mike Hughett, 52, has won 13 OGA championships, more than any other player. A vice president and controller for The Nordam Group in Tulsa, Hughett plays out of the Owasso Golf & Athletic Club. He played college golf for Oral Roberts University and for Nebraska in his hometown of Lincoln his senior year. Mike and wife Sherry have three children.

You aren’t the only competitive golfer in your family, are you?

Definitely not. I grew up in a golfing family and both my brother and father were very competitive players. In 1996, my brother (who is a club pro) qualified to play in the U.S. Open at Oakland Hills and I caddied for him. That same year my father qualified for his only U.S. Senior Amateur and I qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur. It was a pretty special year for our family.

going 5 holes in sudden-death to win. With temperatures around 100 and being 42 years old at the time, I was both mentally and physically exhausted.

The OGA awards large pewter plates for both wins and runner-up finishes. How many of those do you have and is it an interior decorating nightmare?

I’d guess at least 25, but Mark Felder of the OGA thinks the number is closer to 30. I have a few plates at the office but as By our count, you’ve won 13 for the rest, my wife has grown OGA titles, including the State tired of them lately and has put Amateur Championship in them away. I think it would be 2001, the Stroke Play in 1986 great if the OGA changed its and 2000, the Mid-Amateur style of trophy. My ’86 strokeChampionship in 2000, 2007 play trophy was a very nice enand 2008, three OGA Four graved silver tea set and platter.

Ball titles and you’re the two- Since then, it has been nothing time defending champion in the but pewter plates.

Senior Stroke Play and the Senior Four-Ball (with Eric Muel- How have you kept your comler). What was the most grati- petitive fire over the years when fying victory and why? so many young players today Prior to any of my OGA titles, seem to burn out on the sport I won my first State Amateur in if they don’t make it to the PGA Nebraska when I was only 18 Tour. and it was very special because First, I have always believed it was on my home course and I (and still do) that I can get betwon in a sudden-death playoff. ter. This is what drives me to I also won the 1981 Nebraska keep practicing and not grow State Match Play, beating my tired of the game. Secondly, as brother in the 36-hole final. an amateur that has always had However the 2001 State Amateur jobs that didn’t allow me to take was the most difficult and the time off work that much, I never most rewarding. Not only was it put too much pressure on myself at Tulsa CC, where I used to be a and didn’t get down if I had a member, but there were a num- bad day. I think I always put golf ber of things that I overcame, in the proper perspective. One of including being 3-down with 3 to go in my semifinal match and See HUGHETT page 41 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 39

LOOK WHO’S PLAYING

Streck, continued from 38

Bob Stoops takes on Augusta National Though bitten late by the golf bug, Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops now has serious golf fever just like the rest of us. He made his third trip this spring to Augusta National, where he and his brother Mike were guests of Tulsa businessmen Bret Chandler, president of Rib Crib Corp., and oilman Bob Berry. When in town, he plays whenever possible at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club, at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club or Gaillardia Country Club, and manages to get in a round at Southern Hills Country Club every summer.

His brother Mike Stoops may be the best golfer in the family and this year posted a 79 at Augusta, including an eagle on the second hole. But Bob Stoops had his own highlights, including a 30-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole and a chip-in birdie on the third hole on his way to scores of 86 and 87.

Stoops discussed his trip with the hosts of the Mastercraft Collision Golf Oklahoma Hour (Saturdays 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on The Sports Animal) and again later with Golf Oklahoma. Some excerpts: What is it that draws you to the game?

You can’t ever master it. I’ve given up the aggravation, because I realized I don’t have the time it takes to work on it and prepare and really get yourself ready to play, and I respect it enough to know that if you don’t, you’re not going to go out there and play real well.

There’s so many moving parts. You start to get it figured out and then you don’t play for a few weeks and all of a sudden, you’re back to square one.

How did you get your start?

I started my senior year in college and then as a graduate assistant. My brother Mike is a really good player. He used to walk around 40 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

mate at TU. He would often try to draw you into discussions about the swing. How the neighborhood and take one of my dad’s much interest did you have in those chats? clubs, which would make him mad. But he Not much about the swing. We were would be flopping shots from yard to yard. roomates for three years and good friends.

We have all these postage stamp yards with My focus on golf was competing, and I had single lane driveways and he would flop already done a lot of that before I ever got from one yard to the next or over two yards. to college. You cannot teach what’s in your We would be shaking our heads, going heart and head, but you can certainly screw ‘what’s he doing walking around with that it up by blaming it on a swing. golf club.’ But now it’s paid off for him. He’s the only one from You helped launch the metal-driver era on our neighborhood the PGA Tour. What was the funniest or that can play. strangest reaction you received to the new clubs and technology?

You’ve played Jack Nicklaus on the driving range at the Oakmont and 1979 Memorial Tournament. I purposely some other great got right behind him on the range. The courses in addi- first three shots I hit with it, he kept turntion to Augusta ing around, but saying nothing. The fourth National. How do he turned around and said, “What the hell you rank them? is that, Strecker?” I said, “It’s a metal wood, I’d have to put would you like to hit it?” He said, “It looks Augusta National like a driving-range club; I would never use up there at the top. something like that” I laughed then, and a All those other few years later I was playing with him at courses, you could Inverary, Jackie Gleason Tournament. I was say they’re your using it and so were many others. I rememfavorite because ber after hitting a couple of shots during the you get a different round, he came over to me and asked if that experience at all of was the same club as on his range at Methem. I found Oak- morial. “It sure is,” I said. After the round mont incredibly he came up to me on the practice tee and difficult. The high tried it. He did not get one right then, but grass everywhere I know he was playing one a few months and the different later. Never say never. places you can lose a ball. Augusta Na- You were the first golfer to complete the tional, tee to green is very challenging but cycle by winning on the PGA Tour, Nationvery manageable, it’s the greens that give you wide Tour and Champions Tour. What has trouble. Oakmont, from seeing it and experi- been your most memorable or satisfying encing it, I found it really, really rough. career win and why?

The Texas Open in 1978. My mom and dad Did you get home in two on 13 or 15? were there cheering me on. I shot a tour reNo. I was left in the water both days on cord for 36 holes the last two rounds, 63 – 62, 13. I hit driver the first day. The caddie told and won the tournament by one shot over Lee me to hit the 3-metal. Second day I asked Trevino, Ben Crenshaw and Hubert Green. him for the 3-metal, which I love that club. I pulled it left into the water again.

You were a great all-around athlete growing up and particularly loved basketball.

What is the most striking thing about see- If you could have turned pro in any sport, ing the course in person? what would it have been.

It’s breathtaking. All the fairways that Probably basketball. I knew I was too merge. The thing that struck me about it is short for a pro career. When I played there there is no rough. You can hit your ball un- was no 3-point shot, I could dunk it, but you der a pine tree, which I’ve been known to could not do that either. Being 5-11 was not do, and still find it and have a good lie. The an ideal size in those days for guards. After hills are higher than they appear on televi- I knew I wanted to play golf for a living, I sion. I got tired walking around there two never really thought about it, and that was days. my senior year in high school.

Hughett, continued from 39 the things I’m most proud of is that I’ve won state titles over a span of nearly 35 years and hopefully there are still more to come.

Congratulations Mike on your great run!

Do you enjoy a weekly game at your home club and does there have to be something on the line?

I have been at the Owasso Golf & Athletic Club since it opened in 1999. While we play pretty much the same game each week, there doesn’t have to be anything on the line for me to enjoy playing. I just like playing with guys who love the game as much as I do and don’t take their game too seriously.

Tell us something about Mike Hughett that would surprise our readers.

I made it through local qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur nine times between the years 1983 and 1999. These qualifyings are not easy and I haven’t made one since then.

The surprising thing is that during that same period of time, my only OGA title was the 1986 stroke-play. The other 12 OGA titles all occurred from 2000-2010, after I turned 40. I guess you could call me a late bloomer.

My goal now is to get back to the U.S. MidAmateur at least once more before I’m eligible for the Senior Amateur.

Owasso Golf & Athletic Club (918) 274-4884 • Memberships starting at $110!

Any hobbies or interests besides golf?

I’ve always had a passion for cars and enjoy working on them myself. I’ve accumulated a lot of tools and equipment over the years and I think if I hadn’t made a career in finance, I may have ended up being a mechanic. My kids all drive older BMWs and I’m the first one they call when something’s not working right with their cars.

Favorite golf course you’ve ever played and best round ever and why?

If I had to pick a favorite course, it would probably be Pinehurst No. 2. I played this course a lot in college and then took my father there about 13 years ago. There is virtually no water or OB in play but it really forces you to use all the clubs in your bag and be creative around the greens. As for the best round ever, to me it’s not the lowest score but which round was head-and-shoulders above anyone else on that day. In the first round of the ’86 OGA State Amateur, I was about the last group in the field to tee off about 2:30 and the conditions that day were difficult for everyone. I shot 68 which doesn’t sound that great by today’s standards, but I had a 6-shot lead over the best amateurs in the state.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 41

Marshall Smith

Wisdom of the ages

“I like to think I can take what is there and help someone.

You have to keep it simple and I have an eye to do that.”

“You keep your head back. You keep your weight back. It’s like all of the sports.

The head weighs a lot. It gets down or forward, everything is ruined.”

by clay henry photos by rip stell

Marshall Smith at Peoria Ridge Golf Course in Miami.

42 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

M

arshall Smith still enjoys playing He needed a lot of work there. I showed him stars like Ben Hogan that produced in-roads the game of golf. At 85, he still all of my shots and he perfected them. He for Smith. Hogan sometimes would spend hits all his shots pure. may be the Tour’s best sand player now. We part of the winter practicing in Miami with Beating his age has not been a problem did some work on the rest of his game, too. Smith shagging balls. since he shot 61 – with bogeys to end each He came to see me a lot here in Miami for “Hogan’s swing was just like Ky’s,” Smith nine – just after he turned 65. But he’s wor- a couple of years and I’m excited with what said. “Same principles, same thoughts. ried. Most courses he sees place the senior he’s done.”

That’s still what I teach, what Ky showed tees too close to the markers the regular It’s all stuff Smith learned from Laffoon, me. Ky gave me everything he knew and he membership plays. a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour in the was the best.”

“That’s my pet peeve right now,” Smith 30s and 40s. He never won a major but was Those thoughts have spread through the said. “How many players with money in the in the top 10 in the Masters, U.S. Open and game. bank have quit the game because “One of Ky’s best friends was they can’t get home on par fours Claude Harmon,” Smith said. because they’ve made the course “So all of the roots for what the so long?

Harmons taught, they all came “These over-70 players could from Ky. be helping our game and our “Oh, you will hear some say clubs, but they’ve given up. They they’ve come up with this or could put a set of tees right bethat new, but it isn’t new. It hind the women’s markers and came from Ky and it’s old stuff. they could still play. And they are I showed some things to Gary the ones with the money to supPlayer years ago that Ky taught port the game – buy clubs, pay me. Now Player takes credit. It’s dues and support our game.” from Ky. I see those things in the It makes both common and South African swings that Player is teaching. It’s mainly Ky Lafeconomic sense. foon thoughts.”

“I played last week, just five Working with Smith seems holes,” Smith said. “I made pars simple. He makes subtle changes on all of them. But I stopped in stance, ball placement, shoulwhen I got to a hole that I der alignment and weight transcouldn’t reach in two. I just fer. Quickly, it all falls into place. couldn’t get home from that set One thing sets up another. He of tees. That shouldn’t happen. usually fixes swings in 15 minI know I’m speaking for a lot utes. Hardly ever does he rebuild of senior players that love the anything. game, but it breaks their heart “I like to think I can take what because they can’t get home on is there and help someone,” he any of these courses.” said. “You have to keep it simple Smith has always made comand I have an eye to do that. mon sense with his approach “It comes down to the left hand to golf. The Miami, Okla., busiguiding, the right elbow staying nessman has been a state golf close to the body, waiting at the treasure all of his long life. He’s top – and waiting some more taught some of the game’s great.

– then dropping the right hand He gave Hale Irwin his first lesstraight down into your right sons in nearby Baxter Springs, Marshall on the range at Peoria Ridge which is dedicated to him. pants pocket and then releasing Kan. One of the game’s legendary teachers, PGA Championship 16 times. He was third the right shoulder down the target line. It Smith’s basic swing thoughts go back to his in the ’37 PGA, fourth in the ’46 Masters and really is that simple. The key thought, drop your right hand into your pocket.” days playing every Monday with former fifth in the ’36 Open.

It’s that simple if posture, alignment and PGA Tour star Ky Laffoon. It was Laffoon’s A native of Zinc, Ark., Laffoon retired to approach – with weight behind the ball Springfield, Mo., where his regular matches head placement are correct. That’s where he through the swing – that has made Smith a included Smith. They’d play at Springfield starts. Sometimes that’s where he finishes, favorite with many Tour stars for the last 50 CC or in Kansas City CC on Mondays so too. years. the club pros could join on their days off.

“I tell my students to lay their head back If you love Luke Donald’s pause at the top “We’d have five or six,” Smith said. “The on the pillow and stay there,” Smith said. in perhaps the game’s most classic swings or courses were closed. That was in the 50s, “You keep your head back. You keep your the way the Englishman performs in bun- 60s, 70s and the start of the 80s. Every Mon- weight back. It’s like all of the sports. The kers, tip your cap to Smith. Donald is one day, all through the year -- we didn’t miss head weighs a lot. It gets down or forward, of his students. many Mondays. There would be a little everything is ruined.

“The swing doesn’t have to be long. It “Luke came to Miami several times,” Smith money involved, but not much.” said. “He was really terrible in the bunkers.

It was Laffoon’s relationship with Tour doesn’t take effort. What it takes is keeping www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 43

the weight back. I don’t want any dancing. through the years, often to play at a charity The right foot might come up at the end, but tournament Smith organized at Shangri-La., it’s not forced up.

“I can still play at 85 because I’ve still got balance. I learned that in hand-to-hand combat in the Navy in World War II. I would have gotten killed except I learned balance. You better keep your head back or it got knocked off.”

It’s the basis for what Mickey Mantle did on the baseball field in his Hall of Fame career with the Yankees. Mantle was Smith’s best friend from the time they competed in baseball, football and basketball.

Smith grew up in Quapaw, Mantle in Commerce.

“Casey Stengel would call when Mickey hit a slump with too many strikeouts,” Smith Marshall with his wife Corinne. said. “He knew I understood Mickey. It usually was a case of Mickey not at nearby Monkey Island. They were so close keeping his head back. That’s all it ever was. that Mantle came to him when he became Your weight has to stay back on the baseball sick. Smith took him to see W.K. Warren at swing, just like golf.” his Tulsa hospital. Warren got him diagnosed Smith was Mantle’s life-long golf instruc- quickly then to a cancer treatment specialist tor. And famous athletes flocked to Miami in Dallas. Smith is still thankful for Warren’s

44 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

quick intervention in Mantle’s care.

Through Mantle, Smith taught many of baseball’s legends. They wanted to play golf in the off months and came to Miami with Mantle. It spilled into other sports, too. Basketball and football greats came to Miami.

“Athletes always want to learn golf,” he said. “What I usually had to do was figure out their injuries first. So many of them had gotten beaten up playing their sport and you’d have to build their swing around knees, shoulders or whatever else they had ruined.

But a lot of them could really play after you figured that out.”

The real fun for Smith is at the other end of the spectrum, the youth student. He’s still taking them and they still win. Skyler Young, 14, shot 70 to win the top age group at the US Kids tournament at Onion Creek in Austin, Texas, earlier in the spring.

“Skyler has been with me since he started,” Smith said. “His family moved from Northwest Arkansas to Austin, but he still comes back to see me. I’m really proud of him as a student and a person.”

Don’t underestimate the value of the last part of Smith’s statement. Discipline and respect are integral parts of his teaching methods.

“I teach discipline – my students are going to say ‘yes, sir,’ or I won’t have them,” he said. “I’ve walked away from plenty. I will help someone who has no money, but I won’t work with someone who has all the money if I don’t see discipline and respect.

“Golf can give you so much and it can be an important part of your life for so many reasons later on. But the key is for you to keep respect. I want my students to be gentlemen and ladies. If they do that, the game gives back. I see it give back to so many – if they show discipline, respect and the desire to help others. That’s what I emphasize to my young students.

“If I don’t see that they are listening to that part of my lesson, I tell the parents to find another teacher.”

That doesn’t happen often. He’s got mostly great memories of all of his students, including the greats of the game.

“I worked with Mickey Wright, probably the best woman golfer ever,” he said. “She came to Miami for several years, sometimes

staying one week with me. I went through every area of her game. After she left here, she won four (U.S. Opens).”

Wright won 82 times on the LPGA Tour, including 13 majors. She won the U.S. Open in ’58, ’59, ’61 and ’64.

Smith isn’t looking for a big teaching load.

He closes his appointment book for the day at three lessons. He turns down chances to fly to Tour events to teach. Craig and Kevin Stadler, longtime students, wanted to pay his expenses to a west coast event recently.

Smith declined.

“I just don’t want to travel anymore,” Smith said. “I did that for a long time. It was a lot of fun to walk out on that practice range at a PGA Tour event and have players come to you. But I just let them come to Miami now. They still do, too.”

Smith has a new arrangement with Nike golf. He still gets calls from companies looking for his approval on equipment. He likes some of the new clubs on the market, but privately pooh-poohed some of the so-called revolutionary developments by manufacturers. Some fixed things that weren’t broken.

“I’ve talked to the people at Nike about putting pressure on the USGA to shorten the length on some of these monster courses so they are playable for everyone,” he said.

“I’m on a mission right now. The USGA can get that done. They can and should have tees for our older players. The manufacturers can make that happen, along with the USGA. I’m going to keep working to make that happen.

“Financially, that’s what our game needs right now. It’s the wealthiest section of our population. We should make sure they are still able to play the game.

“I wake up around 3 a.m. these days. At my age, you don’t sleep much. When I get up, I try to think of things to help others. I call it my angel time. I try to be an angel at 3 a.m. and come up with something that will benefit someone else.

“I’ve come up with a lot of ideas that time of the morning. It might be who needs some flowers for the day. But of late, it’s about where the senior tees need to be. That’s what I want to give the game right now, tees for the player who has given up on the game.”

Smith insists he’s no angel. He loved it when a columnist once referred to him as an “old codger” in a newspaper article. Old codgers sometimes still have pure thoughts.

Clay Henry is the editor of Hawgs Illustrated and a long-time area golf writer.

Golf Course Construction

Recent Projects Cedar Ridge Country Club

Broken Arrow • Cart Path Improvements

The Patriot Golf Club

Owasso • Cart Path Improvements

Silverhorn Golf Club

Edmond • Creek Crossing Repais and Gabion Wall

Cedar Creek Golf Course

Broken Bow • 18 Hole Irrigation Installation

Forest Ridge Golf Club

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Congratulations Marshall “Mott” Smith on all of your success in helping others to reach their next level! www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 45

IN THE BAG: IRONS

Making an impression Barr helps Miura Golf gain U.S. toehold by ed travis

The day after K.J. Choi won the Players Championship with Miura CB 501 irons in his bag, we had the chance to talk with Adam Barr, president of Miura Golf, about this Japanese company making a major push to become better known to American golfers.

Katsuhiro Miura, company founder and chief club designer, has the well-earned reputation of conceiving clubs with high playability and quality, particularly for better players. The brand is not well known in this country though the naming of Adam Barr should help since for over a decade Barr was a high-profile business and equipment reporter for the Golf Channel.

meaning that there are people behind it, a family of people and their trusted employees. Communications is one of my particular charges at the company. There are stories to tell behind every club, every process, every subtle movement of Mr. Miura’s hands as he grinds his decades of experience into each clubhead. Distribution involves carefully expanding our network of independent dealer/ fitters so people can more easily get in touch with Miura and touch the clubs. The process is well under way; we have added at least a dozen U.S. dealers alone this year.

You asked about R&D. The center of this is the mind of Mr. Miura, as well as those of his sons, Yoshitaka and Shinei. They always Being one of the most recognizable mem- have some ideas going, testing, prototypbers of the golf media after your time on ing. We never feel in a rush to bring out new the Golf Channel, what are the biggest models. It’s more a matter of when an idea is challenges moving over to the equipment ready. Some of our most popular models, for side of the business?

The switch has really been rather exciting.

It’s a different way to work, and the biggest challenge is changing the pace of the projects I work on. In media, you may have a number of things going, but most of them are shortdeadline; build them, hone them, get them on the air or online. Now, I have a full plate of projects, but many of them are much more long-term. They take some patience, some willingness to adjust. Every day I try to push the proper rocks up the proper hills, with the Miura Golf’s latest - the Passing Point help of my teammates, and then do it again 9003 forged cavity-back irons were introthe next day, and the next. duced this year.

Miura sells its clubs primarily through custom-fitting shops; what can you tell us about plans regarding R&D, marketing and distribution?

Of course, the dealers usually come to us and want to get involved, and we make sure they’re qualified and then welcome them into the fold. When we got this new interest from Eastern Europe and Russia (Miura just signed its first dealership in Russia), we were pleased because it means the message is making its way around the world, even to spots where golf’s popularity is just budding.

As far as a business plan, you can envision it in three columns: marketing, communications, distribution. In marketing, our primary goal is to continue to build and protect the Miura brand as a hallmark of excellence in golf clubs. In addition, it is a personal brand, 46 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

let to finished product, the patient, Japanese way of manufacturing all set Miura apart.

But most of all, it is the existence of a person, a Miura family member or a small cadre of employees trained by the family, standing behind every club that makes us different.

Excellent production is always more important with us than mass production.

And then there are the specific methods -spin-forging the forged hosel piece onto the forged head at the heel, for instance. This process allows us to forge the toe-to-heel portion on its own. Mr. Miura has demonstrated that doing it that way yields a finer grain structure with no voids, ensuring the purity of the strike that players are looking for. Forging the head plus hosel in one piece would stretch the grain undesirably.

What do you consider your flagship product and what are its best features?

Very hard to pick one leading model.

If compelled, I would have to go with the Tournament Blades, as pure an expression of muscle back, narrow-sole, shot-working excellence as can be found in this world.

It’s very simple, but every angle, location and blend in the steel is well thought out.

The top-line look at address is thin, but subexample, the Tournament Blades, have been stantial enough to promote confidence. The in the line for five years. That’s unheard of length of the hosel and its weight brings the in the modern golf-equipment economy. But center of gravity in a tiny bit toward the keeping models in the line until new ideas heel, encouraging a solid, sweet-spot strike. mature builds trust with golfers, we think.

The toe is a little up, but not way high. The That said, once an idea is ready, we go. shape just stops people in their tracks.

The new Passing Point 9003, which came out April 1, is the latest forged-iron creation. Can you give us an idea of what you see as Yoshitaka-san and Shinei-san, with the con- the future of Miura Gol? sultation of their father, spearheaded the We see a golf world where Miura is new model, which offers some turf interac- known to at least 10 times the people who tion and trajectory help for golfers who need know about it now. We see expanded distriit, but who still want a forged feel. Early re- bution, but never a mass-market approach. views are enthusiastic.

Whatever we do, we will work to retain the inspirational, special nature of the brand.

What are Miura’s strengths and competi- The personal element, the literal hands-on tive differentiation? involvement of the Miura family in improvGood question. The personal touch, the in- ing the games of golfers the world over, will sistence on unswerving top quality from bil- be at the center of everything we do.

Morgan, from page 31

kind of bothering me.’ He said, ‘Enjoy it while you can, because it gets a lot worse.’

He didn’t miss it by very far. They just keep creeping in there, all the little aches and pains. I get so much stiffer so quick. I feel like now I almost have to take a practice swing where I never used to, just so I can loosen up a hair.”

Morgan still has no set expiration date on tour. The 2014 U.S. Senior Open Championship will be staged on his home course at Oak Tree National in Edmond, but he remains uncertain if he will compete in the event at age 67. “I just didn’t know if they allowed walkers out there or not,” Morgan joked. “I’d like to play because it’s right here at home. At the same time, you just never know. I’ll probably try it.”

When he finally does retire, Morgan admits he’s not sure what will come next. “I keep wondering what I can do,” he said. “I haven’t really come up specifically with anything I want to do. I thought about teaching a little bit, maybe trying to help high schools or colleges around here, or golf-course design. I haven’t really thought about anything other than golf-related stuff really.”

fore on the regular tour.”

When the Champions Tour had 40 or so stops, it gave players a chance to win when prominent figures such as Irwin, Trevino and Morgan took a week off. The senior tour now has 25 stops with a break every three weeks or so. Top players miss fewer stops, making it more difficult for secondtier players to win.

“Today, it’s almost the same field every week except for a handful of players,” Morgan said. “Everybody rests at the same time, and everybody plays almost every week. It’s kind of a Catch-22 for the guys. It’s becoming an all-exempt tour. Winning is about the only way to stay on the senior tour if you don’t have enough career money. Almost everybody who comes from the regular tour today has enough money to push somebody else off. It’s a pretty exclusive situation right now, and it’s getting more so every year.”

Morgan stills battles aches and pains.

Shoulder, neck, back, elbow and knee problems have since been joined by a bad finger, arthritis and tendonitis in the wrist. “When I first got out there, I was talking to this other pro and telling him, ‘My shoulder’s kind of John Rohde is a columnist for The Oklahoman bothering me. My neck and my back are and can be found at www.NewsOK.com.

Hogan, from page 23 One of Hogan’s oft-repeated observations was that, “There isn’t enough daylight in any day to practice all the shots you need to.” Another: “Every day you miss practicing, it takes one day longer to be good.”

What’s an amateur to make of such daunting comments?

Hogan reportedly told one enquirer that the secret to golf could only be found “in the dirt,” meaning through endless practice. In his 2009 tome, Ben Hogan’s Magical Device: The Real Secret to Hogan’s Swing Finally Revealed, Ted Hunt attempted to describe what that secret really was, and he’s back with a sequel of sorts: Ben Hogan’s Short Game Simplified: The Secret to Hogan’s Game From 120 Yards and In (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010, $16.95).

For those who respond well to instruction books (I confess that I usually don’t), this covers all the bases--actually starting from the putting surface and moving to 120 yards out--with specialty shots, problem shots and plenty of Hogan anecdotes and photos to sweeten the pot.

Tom Bedell is surely out practicing somewhere. in Vermont.

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For membership information Call Jeff Tyrrell at 580.475.0075 or visit WWW.TERRITORYGOLF.COM PO Box 1228 Duncan, Oklahoma 73534 www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 47

Augusta State derails OSU STILLWATER, Okla. – This time there was no victory in the stroke play portion to lament and say, ‘what if” on the format.

Top-ranked Oklahoma State could not prevail in the stroke play or match play portion of the NCAA Championship at its home course with a team many were ready to coronate as one of the best of all time. Just as it couldn’t two years ago with many of the same players plus Rickie Fowler.

That’s golf. As Kevin Tway and Morgan Hoffmann join Fowler in the pro ranks to be followed next year by Peter Uihlein, it’s very possible that their eventual success will make folks look back and shake their heads in disbelief that the school’s 11th national championship eluded this lineup of college superstars.

Which means you have to give all the more credit to Augusta State, a team that looks like a combination of biology professors and their unruly students, but plays with icy precision and verve. The par on the 17th hole by Augusta State’s Carter Newman, a 25-footer after both his tee shot and second shot were in the tangled rough right of the fairway, was one of the all-time clutch pars in NCAA history. He went on birdie the 18th hole and the first playoff hole to steal the deciding match from OSU’s Sean Einhaus. Augusta State went on to claim its sec48 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

OSU’s Peter Uihlein, above, and Kevin Tway, right, could not stop Augusta State from repeating as NCAA champions. ond consecutive NCAA crown the following day against in-state rival Georgia.

With Uihlein intent on returning for his senior season, classy OSU coach Mike McGraw will likely get another chance to be right in the mix when next year’s title is decided. The sterling play of Einhaus and freshman Talor Gooch means OSU will build around those three, and the competition for the remaining two spots is apt to be fierce from holdovers such as Ian Davis, the 2010 OGA Junior Champion, and Karsten Majors from Bixby, as well as incoming freshmen such as Colton Staggs from Jenks and Tanner Kesterson, a first-team AJGA All-American from Plano, Texas.

“I like winning. I don’t like losing, so that’s pretty much the gist of it,” McGraw said after. “But in golf, you lose a lot and in life you lose a lot, you just deal with it, and hopefully you learn a good lesson about yourself.

If our kids will look inside themselves, and truly look inside, they’ll find some answers that are going to make them a lot better.”

Gooch is a budding star. He was solid in all three rounds of stroke play and blitzed both his opponents in match play.

“Talor Gooch is kind of an unusual kid; he’s calm inside and out. He may be churning inside, but you can never tell it. He played as well as I’ve seen him play. In the post-season, he knocked it out of the ballpark. He played really, really well,” McGraw said.

Eagles claim NAIA championship While OSU foundered and the University of Central Oklahoma finished third in Division II, the Oklahoma Christian University Eagles did their part, winning the NAIA National Championship in blowout fashion at TPC Deer Run in Silvis, Ill. OC’s Oscar Stark won the individual title, Axel Ochoa was second and the Eagles finished 22 strokes ahead of runneru-up British Columbia. All five Eagle starters were named first-team NAIA All-Americans while Stark was the winner of the Jack Nicklaus award as the top golfer in NAIA. The Eagles took the lead in the first round with a three-under 281 and never looked back over the next three rounds. The final tournament score of 1150 gave the Eagles their second national championship, with their previous championship occurring just two years ago in 2009. The Eagles finished second in 2010 behind Oklahoma City University, but beat the No. 1 squad by 49 strokes.

“It is an amazing feeling to win after all of our close finishes,” head coach David Lynn said. “It was a very special year. We worked incredibly hard to prepare for this event, and to win in the fashion we did was extremely satisfying.”

NAIA winner Oscar Stark accepts his award from Jack Nicklaus. pion for the Eagles, with the one-two finish

by Stark and Ochoa now reigning as the best in program history.

Ochoa closed with a final-round 71 to come in on par and finish five strokes behind Oklahoma Christian teammates Preston Wilkins, Vilhelm Bogstrand, Oscar Stark, LoStark to capture the runner-up finish. gan Herbst and Axel Ochoa celebrate on the 18th green at TPC Deer Run. “I couldn’t be more proud of Oscar and Stark held the individual lead wire-to- it was my last college event,” Stark said. “It Axel,” Lynn said. “What a way to go out as wire following a first-round 4-under 67. He feels awesome to contribute to the second seniors. Oscar dominated from start to finwas the only player who finished under par national title for OC, and especially to win it ish and was incredible this week.” overall. for Coach Lynn, who has been looking forLogan Herbst and Preston Wilkins tied for “It feels incredible to be able to perform on ward to this for quite a while.”

13th and Vilhelm Bogstrand tied for 37th for top when it really matters, especially when Stark is the first individual national cham- the Eagles.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 49

HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS REVIEW through 15, but righted himself with a birdie on the 16th hole and pars on 17 and 18.

Boys Class 5A

Class 5A - Chickasha senior Taylor Williams won his second consecutive state golf championship finishing a dozen strokes ahead of runners-up Seth Morgan of Ardmore and Casey Fernandez of McAlester.

Last season, Williams won the 5A title after a four-hole sudden death playoff against Fernandez.

There wasn’t any drama in the team race either as Ardmore finished 65 strokes ahead of Chickasha to claim the Tigers’ fourth straight golf crown and sixth in the last seven years.

Boys Class 4A

Guymon senior Trey Fankhouser made his first victory a sweet one, winning the Class 4A individual championship at Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City.

A disastrous tee shot sent him deep into the rough on the par-3 17th hole. But Fankhouser recovered for a bogey, then birdied the 18th for a 2-shot victory over Fort Gibson’s Tyler Colston, Fankhouser led Guymon to its first team state title.

Boys Class 3A

Tishomingo celebrated the Class 3A state championship by tossing coach John Capps Edmond North’s Alec Heinen splashes out of a bunker at Cedar Ridge Country Club into a pond at Cimarron Trails in Perkins. Senior Luke Coppedge led the way for Tishomingo, shooting a 1-under 71, including a front nine 33, good for a second-place finish in the individual race behind Cascia Hall’s Charlie Saxon, who won his third consecuEdmond North, perhaps feeling right at ished at 930, followed by Jenks at 934, Bro- tive individual title.

Consecutive eagles on the back nine home in winds gusting to 35 mph, came ken Arrow at 950, Edmond Memorial 955, helped Saxon, a University of Oklahoma from behind to deal Jenks a bitter defeat in Union 972 and Norman North 974. the final round of the Class 6A State ChamThe Huskies counted final rounds of 76 signee, shoot a final-round 73 to clinch medpionship at Cedar Ridge Country Club.

by Austin Fuller, 78 by Sam Humphreys and alist honors.

The Huskies won the crown for a record Nick Heinen and 79 by Caleb Meyers. seventh consecutive year. Jenks had won the “They are grinders,” said Edmond North Boys Class 2A six years previous to Edmond North’s streak coach Jeff Doherty. “Today was all about HINTON — Quinton’s Justin Ary shot a and was positioned to regain the title with a grinding. In this wind, with this course and final-round 74 to hold off a pair of Oklaho5-shot lead heading into the final round. these pin positions, it was not about going ma Christian School golfers.

Jenks senior Colton Staggs, who took a low. It was about making smart shots and Ary finished with a 217. Jackson Ogle and 5-stroke lead in the individual race into the taking what you could get. You had to man- Rustin Purser of OCS were at 218. Oklahofinal round, shot 82 over the final 18 holes age your game today. What they did was ma Christian won its third consecutive team played on his home course. That opened the prove there is activity in those brains.” title with all five golfers finishing in the top door for Taylor Moore of Edmond Memorial Moore, a junior who has committed to seven, including Preston Schaefer, fourth; to repeat as Class 6A individual champion, the University of Arkansas, said he had little Alexander Hall, fifth, and Scottie Verplank, as his final round of 4-over 75 put him at hope for making up a 6-shot deficit to Staggs seventh.

226, one better than Staggs and Jenks team- on his home course and didn’t realize he had mate Brendon Jelley, who closed with a 77. until Staggs’ father came up to congratulate Girls Class 6A Union won its first girls state golf chamEdmond North slipped past Jenks by four him after the round. shots in the team race. Edmond North finMoore had slipped to 5-over on his round pionship in convincing fashion and - with

Huskies, Redskins win

Saxon claims third title in 3A boys

50 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

three freshman starters - could be poised for more to come.

The Redskins outplayed defending champion Jenks by 23 shots, 641-664, with Broken Arrow a distant third at 677. Choctaw was fourth at 729, followed by Ponca City and Edmond North at 747.

Union freshman Emma Allen put together consistent rounds of 78-77 in windy conditions on a Meadowbrook Country Club course that gave most of the young ladies fits. Allen was the only contestant to shoot two rounds in the 70s and she nearly forced a playoff with Jenks senior Alex Koch, who preserved her one-shot victory with a gritty 7-foot par putt on the 18th hole.

Koch opened with a 73 but battled her way out of trouble to capture her seasonlong goal of winning the state championship. She tied for third a year ago.

Taylor Moore repeats as 6A champion.

Creek was a distant third.

Girls Class 4A

Tuttle had four players finish among the top 11 in cruising to the Class 4A title.

Kendra Mann of Harrah won the individual crown by 11 shots over Hannah Ward of Poteau.

Girls Class 3A

Comanche posted a strong secon dround to pass Bethel for the 3A title at Dornick Hills in Ardmore.

Chandler’s Caitlin Swisher won the individual title with scores of 82-77.

Girls Class 2A

Oktaha rolled to the team title as sophomore Kailey Campbell won the individual crown at Sugar Creek Canyon in Hinton.

Campbell had a three-stroke lead going Girls Class 5A into the final round and was paired with One year after winning the Class 4A girls the other top finalists, Courtney Stuever of state golf title by 25 shots, the Fighting Irish Washington and Maci Arrington of Hinton. won the Class 5A state title by 26 shots at Campbell finished with a four-stroke win, Bailey Ranch in Owasso. while the team won by 59 strokes and set a McGuinness won the team title by 26 2A girls record for lowest stroke total at 665. strokes over Altus while Edmond Deer

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 51

WOGA News and Notes

Brooks, Yearwood lend a hand The Women’s Oklahoma Golf Associa- WOGA website at WOGA.US to enter and founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation, tion kicked off its 2011 Season with the First for more information on Women’s Golf in began the tournament honoring our particiAnnual WOGA Cup May 16-17 in Enid at Oklahoma. pants who had served in the military and also the Oakwood Country Club.

In related news, the Women’s Oklahoma gave a presentation on the Folds of Honor The new championship consisted of four- Golf Hall of Fame held two successful spring All proceeds from The Classic will help person teams from courses around the state. fund-raising events. Patty Coatney, Hall of fund the 2011 Oklahoma Girls’ Junior Golf The format is a Ryder Cup Style Championship, July 11-12 at the points format with handicapped Oaks Country Club in Tulsa and four-ball, foursomes and singles the 2012 Women’s Oklahoma Golf matches.

Hall of Fame banquet scheduled The full field consisted of 19 for Apri1 29, 2012, at the National teams and ended with a climatic Cowboy and Western Heritage sudden victory alternate shot playMuseum in Oklahoma City. off between Indian Springs CC and Quail Creek CC. On the first sudWinners of the 2011 Clasden victory hole, Theresa DeLarsic Tournament zalere hit her approach from 130 1st Low Gross: Rusty Riggs, yards within two feet to capture Mark Carson, Casey Woods, Nathe win for Indian Springs. The than Bednar winning team consisted of There2nd Low Gross: Andrew Brewer, sa DeLarzalere, Laurie Campbell, Ron Neill, Steve Bunn, Matt GilRoni Warren and Marcia Thrutchlispie ley. The format was very popular 3rd Low Gross: Beth Heaton, and will likely replace the WOGA Bob Heaton, Jennifer Hoyt, John Spring Mixer held every spring.

Hoyt The Championship was dedi4th Low Gross: Leigh Ann Fore, cated to the late Carol Collins, Connie Cope, Mary Harvey, Rea lifetime Enid resident, WOGA becca Davis Supporter and former USGA Rules 1st Low Net: Brad Dentis, Seth Official who was influential in Nimmo, Jeff Morrell, Marc Chaspromoting Women’s Golf in Oklatain homa and in the United States.

2nd Low Net: Nancy Ross, Judy Sheila Dills, WOGA Secretary and Dayton, Gwyn Schroeder, Patsy long time friend of Carol, gave a Gore memorable tribute honoring her 3rd Low Net: Susan Hall, Pat dear friend. Carol’s sons, David The husband and wife team of country music stars Garth McKamey, Linda Roggendorff, Ann and Craig presented the Women’s Brooks and Trisha Yearwood flank WOGA Hall of Fame Cowan Oklahoma Golf Association with a golfer Patty Coatney at the Classic at The Patriot.

4th Low Net: Shannon Devlin, donation at the awards luncheon to go towards the new WOGA Scholarship Fund.

“It was a very exciting championship and a great way to start our season,” said Susan Hall, president of the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association. “There is a lot of momentum building with WOGA and we encourage all golfers to support the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association. All membership proceeds go towards the programs and services WOGA provides to juniors and women golfers in Oklahoma.”

Next up on the WOGA Calendar is the prestigious Women’s Oklahoma State Amateur Championship to be played June 20-23 at the Muskogee CC where Whitney McAteer from Tulsa will defend her title. Entry deadline is June 13. Check out the new 52 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

Fame member directed the “Women Teaching Women” event held at Stillwater Country Club on March 28. Fifty participants enjoyed the instruction clinic by professional golfers Janice Gibson, Jackie Hutchinson, Annie Thurman Young and Stephanie Brecht. Helping with the clinic were Amy Weeks, Lee Ann Fairlie, Janet Miller and the Hall of Fame board of directors.

The Women’s Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame also hosted the Hall of Fame Classic golf tournament on May 23 at the Patriot Golf Club in Owasso.

The “Classic” Golf Tournament, a major fund-raising event for the Hall of Fame, was directed by board member Janet Miller. A wonderful golf course was played by a full field of 24 teams. Major Dan Rooney, the

Dave Sharpe, Stephen Fater, Stuart Sullivan

WOGA CUP RESULTS First Place Team Indian Springs CC Teresa DeLarzelere, Laurie Campbell, Marcia Thrutchley, Roni Warren Second Place Team Quail Creek CC Lynette Hyde, Linda Maddoux, Patsy Homsey, Leslie Young Third place Team Oak Tree CC Cherie Rich, Nan Dyer, Gerrie Climer, Glenda Radigonda

TCC, from page 25 has done is made the golf course enjoyable to everybody. Our membership has grown so much in terms of families, and he’s made it so that everyone can use it.”

A former member who had moved out of town visited recently, Combe said, and could hardly believe the transformation.

“He said, ‘I’ve heard from all my friends about it, but you really can’t describe it until you see it.”

TCC has only the highest praise for Jones and his team.

“What Rees has done is he’s balanced off the course,” said Combe. “Before, the only real difficulty was around the greens. Now the greens are back to Tillinghast greens, and the bunkers cause more difficulty off the tee.

“Every hole has it’s own look. We don’t have any holes that repeat themselves.”

Combe said Jones adapted Tillinghast’s principles, such as the use of fairway bunkers, to contemporary standards of play.

“He put the bunkers in according to how the hole would play today, as opposed to back then,” Combe said. “But you get a real sense of what it was like back when Tillinghast did it.”

Jones sounds just as enthusiastic.

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Chipping basics

Choose club based on lie When chipping out of the rough, the first thing to consider is the condition of the lie.

How thick and how long is the rough? Is it sitting down in the rough or laying on top of the grass? If you are fortunate enough to catch a lie with the ball sitting up, then count your blessings, but remember not to ground your club. Instead, keep your club hovering near the top of the grass and play a normal chip shot. This will prevent you from swinging under the ball and coming up short.

Of course, the shot that causes the most trouble is the one sitting down in the thick stuff. This shot must be played with a sand wedge (54-56 degrees) or Lob wedge (58-60 degrees). You folks that only chip with a pitching wedge or nine iron have very little chance of success with this shot.

Why? Because if you use a conventional chip and run technique your swing path and angle of approach will be too “inside” and “shallow” resulting in a “duff” or a shot that sends it screaming across the green.

Don’t be afraid of the lofted wedges. Follow these steps and you will be amazed at your success.

1.Aim your body left with 70 percent of your weight on your front foot, while aiming your clubface at the target (photo 1). This will create an outside/in swing path as well as a steeper angle of approach. The higher and softer you want to hit the shot the more you should aim your body left while still aiming your clubface at the target.

2. Swing along your body line (see photo 2).

3. Swing club back with a good amount of wrist hinge. This will also help create a steeper angle of approach (photo 3) 4. Keep your hands ahead of the clubface at impact and follow through with your hands finishing next to your left pocket with the clubface facing the sky (photo 4). The ball with come out with a higher trajectory and land softer giving you great control over the shot.

5. With a little practice you will not only be getting up and down more, but holing it out will be a strong possibility. Good luck!

Pat Bates Director of Gaillardia Golf Academy pbates@gaillardia.com 405) 509-3611

ONLINE: Get local, national, equipment, and travel stories online at golfoklahoma.org

The moment of truth

Proper back swing builds consistency I like to think of this position at the top of the swing as the moment of truth. A golfer that can complete his or her back swing syncing the proper shoulder turn, wrist cock and arm swing makes for a better downswing.

Any time the club points differently at the top of the swing there has to be a downswing compensation in order to get the club back to the ball, often relying on hands and timing to square the face.

There are different ways to reach this position and you will see this on the various tours. However, when the club moves in and up the right amount in the back swing or following the shaft plane established at address this makes it easier for all shots.

Chipping and pitching and sand play are easier if the club swings back at the correct angle. If the club moves under that plane

going back (Raymond Floyd) you have to come over the top of that back swing to get back to the ball. If the club moves above that angle going back (Jim Furyk) you have to reroute the club back down from the inside to get the club back to the ball.

Both of these players mentioned have obviously had great careers and learned a way to compensate quite well in hitting full shots and having great short games. Remember if you can swing the club back to this position consistently your chances of retuning the club down to the back of the ball are greatly increased.

By Tracy Phillips Director of Instruction Buddy Phillips Learning Center, Cedar Ridge Country Club 918-352-1089

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www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 55

SUPERINTENDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

PRESENTED BY

Dealing with pesticides

The name is worse than the reality by jared wooten

A pesticide is a chemical used to prevent, repel, or destroy pests. Pesticides are used in many different areas of agriculture, one of those areas being golf courses. Golf courses are a small fraction of the land use, compared to the acreage of farmland across the nation, yet golf courses have come under fire for their pesticide use.

When you compare the golf course industry to all other agricultural industries, golf courses use less than one percent of all pesticides in the United States. Golf courses rank 31st in herbicide use, 38th in fungicide use, and 47th in insecticide use. It seems the very word “pesticide” carries with it a huge negative connotation throughout the golf world. For example, the medical field uses some of the same products used on golf courses, and in 2007 the EPA outlawed the use of the pesticide Lindane on golf courses, however this product remains in the medi-

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cal field market for the treatment of head and body lice in children.

There are several different categories of pesticides, but the most common pesticides used on golf courses are herbicides, for weeds and grasses, fungicides for fungus, and insecticides for insects. There are also biological and cultural practices that superintendents use each and every day to lower pesticide use as much as possible, but without pesticides the game of golf and the everyday playing conditions would suffer dramatically.

Recently, there has been a huge push to restrict the use of pesticides on golf courses. In Canada and some parts of the United States, herbicides have been banned completely.

Why are we headed in this direction? The concern is over the toxicity of certain pesticides, and yes there are pesticides that are extremely toxic to humans. However, su-

perintendents typically go out of their way to first use biological and cultural practices.

When it comes time to apply a pesticide, superintendents usually have a variety of different pesticides they can use and most superintendents will always use the safest products in the safest application methods for not only the maintenance staff, but for the golfers.

All pesticides and every chemical substance in the U.S. have a certain toxicity level. These levels can be measured using the LD50 scale. The LD50 values represent the dose of a substance required to kill half of a test population (usually mice or rats) after a specified duration. These values are frequently used as a general indicator of a substance’s acute toxicity (lower number equal higher toxicity). With that being said, how

do common golf course pesticides compare to everyday household items.

Keeping the chart above in mind, how many people use table salt, caffeine, aspirin, gasoline, and nicotine on a daily basis? How many of those people know that almost all of those products are more toxic than the most commonly used pesticides on golf courses? With the information above in mind, why the firestorm over the ban of pesticides?

It all relates to the snowball effect of the word itself. For years the negative connotation associated with the word pesticide has grown, and as each year passes and more pesticides are deemed as poisons by the public, the harder it will be to convince the public that pesticides, used properly, are not only beneficial to the golf industry, but safer than most items they use on a daily basis.

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SCHEDULES & RESULTS PATRIOT CUP At The Patriot, Owasso (par-72) May 30 Pro or Celebrity/Military 1 (tie), Tom Pernice Jr./Brian Donarski, Josh Teater/A.J. Winters, and Scott McCarron/Merle Norman 66; 4, Martin Maritz/Curt Munson 67; 5 (tie), Todd Hamilton/Buck Walters, Gary Woodland/Michael Campbell, and Harrison Frazar/ George Jones 68; 8, Rickie Fowler/Scott Rooks 69; 9 (tie), Tom Lehman/Joseph Eccleton, Loren Roberts/Steve Coatright, Brett Quigley/Bruce Butters and Chris Tidland/Thomas Tansil 69; 13 (tie), Vince Gill/Bryan Stoniecki, Scott Simpson/ Dave Ciancelli,, Craig Stadler/James Hullender, Dan Rooney/Kaleb Grimm, Mike Reid/Michael Korbas, Brad Faxon/Terry Bull, Colt Knost/Ramon Padilla and Scott Piercy/Rick Poplin 71; 21 (tie) Bo Van Pelt/.Russ Meyer, Corey Pavin/ Brendan Dlouhy, Olin Browne/James Bell, and Peter Jacobsen/David Kirst 73; 26, Hunter Mahan/Douglas Moore 74; 27, Jim Kane/John Wynn 77; 28, Brian Whitcomb/Cliff Burgoyne 78; 29, Larry Mize/Mike Arellano 79; 30, Bill Self/David Jones 80; 31, Rich Lerner/Colin Thomas 81; 32, Allan Wronowski/Terrance Barker 86.

Patriot One Best-Ball: 1, Vince Gill, Bryan Stoniecki, Craig Stadler, James Hullender, Tom Russell 60; 2, Brett Wetterich, Bruce Benner, Josh Teater, A.J. Winters, Peter Broome 60; 3, Tom Pernice Jr. Brian Donarski, Scott Piercy, Rick Poplin, Paul Sisemore 62; 4, Scott Simpson, Dave Ciancanelli, Harrison Frazar, George Jones, Dave Dierinzo 62; 5, Colt Knost, Ramon Padilla, Mike Reid, Michael Korbas, Barry Hyde 63; 6, Todd Hamilton, Buck Walters, Brian Whitcomb, Cliff Burgoyne, Jim Seabury 63; 7, Corey Pavin, Brendan Dlouhy, Gary Woodland, Michael Campbell, Bobby Lorton 63; 8, Tom Lehman, Joseph Eccleton, Hunter Mahan, Douglas Moore, Steve Haworth 64.

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COLLEGE MEN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP At Karsten Creek, Stillwater (par-72) May 31-June 5 Team Match Play Quarterfinals: Georgia def. Illinois 3-1-1, Duke def.

UCLA 3-1-1, Oklahoma State def. Ohio State 3-1-1, Augusta State def. Georgia Tech 3-2.

Semifinals: Augusta State def. Oklahoma State 3-1-1, Georgia def. Duke 3-1-1.

Final: Augusta State def. Georgia 3-2.

Team match-play qualifying: 1, UCLA 286-288298 – 872; 2, Georgia Tech 283-290-302 – 875; 3, Oklahoma State 292-293-294 – 879; 4, Illinois 291-287-301 – 879; 5, Georgia 291-288-305 – 884; 6, Ohio State 291-299-297 – 887; 7, Augusta State 294-294-300 – 888; 8, Duke 303-293-293 – 889.

Did not qualify: 9, Texas A&M 289-301-300 – 890; 10 (tie), Michigan 307-292-293 – 892 and Iowa 304-292-296 – 892; 12, Southern Cal 303289-303 – 895 and Texas 299-301-295 – 895; 14, Alabama 288-292-316 – 896; 15, Arkansas 296-298-303 – 897; 16 (tie), San Diego 300-304294 – 898 and San Diego State 295-301-302 – 898; 18, Arizona State 303-293-303 – 899; 19 (tie), California 300-299-303 – 902 and Kent State 304-302-296 – 902; 21, LSU 306-294-305 – 905; 22, Northwestern 306-296-304 – 906; 23, Florida 300-299-309 – 908; 24, Tennessee 308-299-303 – 910; 25, Pepperdine 309-310-300 – 919; 26, Kennesaw State 295-312-314 – 921; 27, North Carolina State 310-308-304 – 922; 28, Oklahoma 313-304-313 – 930; 29, Arizona 302310-321 – 933; 30, Colorado State 307-322-308 – 937.

Individual leaders: 1, John Peterson (LSU) 7465-72 – 211; 2, Patrick Cantlay (UCLA) 72-69-71 – 212; 3 (tie), Peter Uihlein (Okla. St.) 73-69-73 – 215, Patrick Reed (Aug. St.) 69-75-71 – 215,

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Cameron Peck (Texas A&M) 68-74-73 – 215, J.J. Spaun (SDS) 69-75-71 – 215 and Lion Kim (Mich.)

69-75-71 – 215; 8 (tie), Michael Weaver (Cal) 71-71-74 – 216 and James White (GT) 67-7376 – 216’ 10 (tie), Austin Cook (Ark.) 70-74-73 – 217, Harris English (Ga.) 70-71-76 – 217 and Todd Baek (SDS) 72-72-73 – 217; 13 (tie), Chris DeForest (Ill.) 72-72-74 – 218, Luke Guthrie (Ill.) 72-69-77 – 218, Brinson Paolini (Duke) 72-72-74 – 218 and Bank Vongvanij (Fla.) 74-73-71 – 218; 17 (tie), Brad Smith (Ohio St.) 72-74-73 – 219, Max Homa (Cal) 73-74-72 – 219 and J.T. Griffin (GT) 73-72-764 – 219.

Other scores: Ryan Sirman (OU) 71-72-77 – 220, Kevin Tway (Okla. St.) 77-74-72 – 223, Morgan Hoffmann (Okla. St.) 75-73-75 – 223, Talor Gooch (Okla. St.) 72-77-75 – 225, Sean Einhaus (Okla. St.) 72-80-74 – 226, Abraham Ancer (OU) 77-76-75 – 228, Riley Pumphrey (OU) 80-75-81 – 236, Michael Schoolcraft (OU) 85-81-80 – 246, Ben Klaus (OU) 90-84-86 -- 260 NCAA DIVISION II At The Shoals, Florence, Ala. (par-72) May 17-20 Team leaders: 1, Lynn 291-291-282 – 864; 2, Abilene Christian 298-294-286 – 878; 3 (tie), Central Oklahoma 295-304-282 – 881 and CSUMonterey Bay 294-293-294 – 881; 5, Central Missouri 296-297-292 – 885.

Individual leaders: 1, Kyle Souza (Chico St.) 70-71-71 – 212; 2, Daniel Young (Lynn) 70-73-69 – 212; 3 (tie), Andrew Green (C. Okla.) 71-72-70 – 213, Jake Murphy (Coker) 74-67-72 – 213, Richard Gouveia (Lynn) 69-73-71 – 213 and Zack Van Dolah (C. Mo.) 70-71-72 – 213.

NAIA At TPC at Deere Run, Silvie, Ill. (par-71) May 24-27 Team leaders (29 teams): 1, Okla. Christian 281-293-283-293 – 1,150; 2, British Columbia 293-295-293-291 – 1,172; 3, SC-Beaufort 294291-295-301 – 1,181; 4, Malone 293-302-300-287 – 1,182; 5, Lewis & Clark State 289-314-293-287 – 1,183; 6, Grand View 294-295-297-300 – 1,186; 7 (tie), Cumberlands 295-294-302-298 – 1,189 and Johnson & Wales 297-288-305-299 – 1,189; 9, Texas Wesleyan 298-306-291-302 – 1,197; 10 (tie), Oklahoma City 297-296-301-305 – 1,199 and Lee 292-300-298-309 – 1,199.

Individual leaders: 1, Oscar Stark (Okla. Christian) 67-70-70-73 – 280; 2, Axel Ochoa (Okla.

Christian) 71-74-69-71 – 285; 3, Justin Lower (Malone) 74-71-72-69 – 286.

Other scores: Preston Wilkins (Okla. Christian) 73-75-71-75 – 294, Logan Herbst (Okla.

Christian) 73-74-73-74 – 294, James Marchesani (Okla. City) 68-74-80-77 – 299, Michael Palmer (Okla. City) 79-73-74-74 – 300, Vilhelm Bogstrand (Okla. Christian) 70-76-76-79 – 301, Cameron Meyers (Okla. City) 78-78-73-75 – 304, Elliot Groves (Okla. City) 74-76-77-79 – 306, Clark Collier (Okla. City) 77-73-77-81 – 308.

SOONER ATHLETIC At Cherokee Hills GC, Catoosa (par-70) April 26-27 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma City 287-279-292 – 858; 2, Oklahoma Christian 284-287-295 – 866; 3, Southern Nazarene 293-284-297 – 874; 4, Lubbock Christian 286-292-299 – 877; 5 (tie), Oklahoma Baptist 291-298-301 – 890 and Rogers State 286-298-306 – 890; 7, Wayland Baptist 305-295-293 – 893; 8, Mid-America Christian 319-302-312 – 933; 9, John Brown 328-323-334 – 985; 10, Northwestern (Okla.) State 336-323334 – 985.

Individual leaders: 1, Preston Wilkins (Okla. Chr.) 66-72-72 – 210; 2, Elliot Groves (Okla., City) 72-67-674 – 213; 3 (tie), Clark Collier (Okla. City) 72-71-71 – 214, James Marchesani (Okla. City) 72-72-70 – 214 and Facundo Garcia (Lub. Chr.) 70-70-74 – 214.

BIG 12 At Prairie Dunes GC, Hutchinson, Kan. (par-70) April 25-27 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma State 283-292-270-

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294 – 1,139; 2, Texas A&M 286-296-275-295 – 1,152; 3, Texas 287-291-284-298 – 1,160; 4, Texas Tech 286-299-281-297 – 1,163; 5, Missouri 300-302-276-295 – 1,173; 6, Oklahoma 287-292288-311 – 1,178; 7, Baylor 296-299-291-297 – 1,183; 8, Nebraska 286-303-297-308 – 1,194; 9, Kansas 290-303-286-317 – 1,196; 10, Colorado 291-307293-317 – 1,208; 11 (tie), Iowa State 302-305-293320 – 1,220 and Kansas State 296-306-298-320 – 1,220.

Individual leaders: 1, Morgan Hoffmann (OSU) 70-69-68-73 – 280; 2, Kevin Tway (OSU) 6673-71-75 – 285; 3, Jordan Russell (Texas A&M) 77-69-66-74 – 286; 4 (tie), Peter Uihlein (OSU) 74-75-69-75 – 288, Chandler Rusk (TT) 71-73-6975 – 288 and Stuart Ballingall (Mo.) 74-73-68-73 – 288.

Other scores: Ryan Sirman (OU) 66-74-73-77 – 290, Riley Pumphrey (OU) 72-73-71-76 – 292, Talor Gooch (OSU) 73-75-67-78 – 293, Abraham Ancer (OU) 73-71-72-79 – 295, Sean Einhaus (OSU) 79-76-66-76 – 297, Eduardo Castiello (OU) 82-74-72-80 – 308, Michael Schoolcraft (OU) 76-80-75-79 – 310.

C-USA At Texarkana (Ark.) CC (par-72) April 24-26 Team scores: 1, Central Florida 293-289-280 – 862; 2, Memphis 281-299-284 – 864; 3, Tulsa 289-288-291 – 868; 4 (tie) Houston 288-297-286 – 871 and UAB 291-294-286 – 871; 6, East Carolina 289-295-290 – 874; 7, Marshall 293-293292 – 878; 8 (tie), SMU 278-313-293 – 884 and Southern Mississippi 291-297-296 – 884; 10, Rice 295-306-297 – 898; 11, Texas-El Paso 309-301299 – 909.

Individual leaders: 1, Jonathan Fly (Memphis) 67-73-69 – 209; 2, Greg Eason (UCF) 69-72-69 – 210; 3, David Watkins (ECU) 69-74-68 – 211; 4, John Young Kim (TU) 72-68-72 – 212; 5 (tie),

Johannes Veerman (TU) 71-71-72 – 214 and Curtis Reed (Houston) 70-73-71 – 214.

Other TU scores: Stephen Carney 71-73-74 – 218, Chris Worrell 75-76-73 – 224, Arie Fauzi 75-7679 – 230.

SUMMIT LEAGUE At Primm Valley GC, Primm, Nev. (par-72) April 18-19 Team scores: 1, Missouri-Kansas City 303-280277 – 860; 2 (tie), IUPUI 297-292-281 -- 870 and Southern Utah 296-295-279 – 870; 4, IPFW 301-301-283 – 885; 5, Oral Roberts 308-295-283 – 886; 6, Western Illinois 306-291-294 – 891; 7, South Dakota State 306-297-292 – 895; 8, Oakland 309-296-291 – 896; 9, North Dakota State 308-306-306 – 920; 10, Centenary 332-315-299 – 946.

Individual leaders: 1, Michael Powell (IUPUI) 72-69-67 – 208; 2, Will Robson (UMKC) 72-67-70 – 209; 3 (tie), Nolan Meyer 77-70-67 – 214 and Victor Mikaelsson (UMKC) 74-72-68 – 214; 5, Jeff Evans (S. Utah) 71-75-69 – 215; 6 (tie), David Holtgrewe (ORU) 75-73-68 – 216, Ben Engle 73-74-69 – 216 and Drew Imel (IPFW) 74-73-69 – 216.

Other ORU scores: Jake Spencer 80-73-70 – 223, Bryan Boaz 79-74-71 –- 224, Shannon Allen 74-75-77 – 226, Kyle Spencer 83-79-74 – 236.

WOMEN NCAA CENTRAL REGIONAL At Warren GC, South Bend, Ind. (par-72) May 5-7 Team leaders (24 teams): 1, UCLA 291-301-298 – 890; 2, LSU 295-303-296 – 894; 3, Minnesota 301-297-299 – 897; 4, Arkansas 307-303-289 – 899; 5, Notre Dame 298-305-298 – 901; 6, Ohio State 306-301-298 – 905; 7, Stanford 302-306300 – 908; 8, Wake Forest 312-304-293 – 909; 17, Oklahoma State 312-312-313 – 937.

Individual leaders: 1 (tie), Megan McChrystal (LSU) 72-75-71 – 218 and Stephanie Kono (UCLA) 74-76-68 – 218; 3 (tie), Emily Tubert (Ark.) 75-69-75 – 219 and Austin Ernst (LSU) 7472-73 – 219; 5, Cheyenne Woods (WF) 75-76-70 – 221.

Oklahoma State scores: Jayde Panos 73-7679 – 228, Jade Staggs 78-74-81 – 233, Jocelyn Alford 79-82-81 – 242, Hillary Wood 82-87-77 – 246, Josephine Janson 90-80-76 – 246.

NAIA At Link Hills G&CC, Greenville, Tenn. (par-73) May 17-20 Team leaders (25 teams): 1, Cal Baptist 319-314312-307 – 1,,167; 2, Embry-Riddle 323-305-315309 – 1,252; 3, Shorter 326-305-319-304 – 1,254; 4, Oklahoma City 330-306-314-305 – 1,255; 5, Lubbock Christian 325-302-324-314 – 1,265.

Individual leaders: 1, Kylie Barros (Br. Col.) 7374-75-75 – 297; 2, Danielle Bellet (Dak. Wesl.)

77-74-75-75 – 301; 3, Nathalie Silva (CBU) 76-73-73-80 – 302; 4 (tie), Laura Jones (OCU) 77-77-76-73 – 303 and Fabys Barreto-Guzman (E-R) 78-73-78-74 – 303.

Other OCU scores: Taylor Howard 83-77-79-7976 – 315, Paige Martin 85-77-80-74 – 316, Tanya Tibshraeny 86-75-79-82 – 322, Madison Haley 85-81-80-82 – 328.

SUMMIT LEAGUE At Primm Valley GC, Primm, Nev. (par-71) April 18-19 Team scores: 1, Oral Roberts 313-307-291 – 911; 2, Western Illinois 315-320-303 – 938; 3, Oakland 317-313-309 – 939; 4, North Dakota State 320325-302 – 947; 5, Missouri-Kansas City 323-318309 – 950; 6, South Dakota State 316-324-312 – 952; 7, IUPUI 329-324-331 – 984; 8, Southern Utah 334-332-322 – 988; 9, Centenary 354-357343 – 1,054; 10, IPFW 365-370-342 – 1,077.

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SCHEDULES & RESULTS Individual leaders: 1, Amy Anderson (NDS) 7277-70 – 219; 2, Tiffany Robbins (ORU) 76-73-73 – 222; 3, Mara Kovac (Oakland) 71-78-75 – 224; 4, Tara Peterman (W. Ill.) 77-81-70 – 228; 5, Crystal Reeves (ORU) 78-77-74 – 229l 6, Lyndsay Wandrey (W. Ill.) 74-77-79 – 230; 7, Eve Santillan (ORU) 81-76-74 – 231.

Other ORU scores: Alheli Moreno 81-82-70 – 233, Kylie Bollenbach 78-81-79 – 238.

SOONER ATHLETIC At Heritage Hills GC, Claremore (par-71) April 18-19 Team scores: 1, Lubbock Christian 333-320 – 653; 2, Oklahoma City 323-340 – 663; 3, Wayland Baptist 327-337 – 664; 4, Southern Nazarene 340-345 – 685; 5, Oklahoma Baptist 358-358 – 716; 6, Northwestern (Okla.) State 361365 – 726; 7, Rogers State 365-363 – 728.

Individual leaders: 1, Rachel Dansby (LC) 79-82 – 161; 2 (tie), Anna Schoop (LC) 87-76 – 163 and Madison Haley (Okla. City) 82-81 – 163.

OKLAHOMA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS May 9-10 Class 6A At Cedar Ridge CC, Broken Arrow (par-71) Team leaders: 1, Edmond North 308-311-311 – 930; 2, Jenks 309-305-320 – 934; 3, Broken Arrow 317-307-326 – 950; 4, Edmond Memorial 314-323-318 – 955; 5, Owasso 330-324-316 – 970; 6, Union 323-331-318 – 970.

Individual leaders: 1, Taylor Moore (EM) 76-7575 – 226; 2 (tie), Brendon Jelley (Jenks) 76-7477 – 227 and Colton Staggs (Jenks) 73-72-82 – 227; 4, Eric Kline (Ponca City) 81-75-72 – 228; 5, Brodie Hinkle (Union) 78-75-76 – 229l 6, Nick Heinen (EN) 76-76-78 – 230, Class 5A At Dornick Hills, Ardmore (par-70) Team leaders: 1, Ardmore 313-308-300 – 921; 2, Chickasha 329-335-322 – 986; 3, Durant 335326-342 – 1,003; 4, Lawton MacArthur 339-334337 – 1,010; 5, McAlester 346-332-333 – 1,011.

Individual leaders: 1, Taylor Williams (Chickasha) 72-70-70 – 212; 2 (tie), Casey Fernandez (McAlester) 74-73-77 – 224 and Seth Morgan (Ardmore) 80-72-72 – 224; 4, Andrew Riesen (Ardmore) 72-81-74 – 227; 5, Blake Rhodes (LM) 75-75-78 – 228.

Class 4A At Lake Hefner GC, Okla. City (par-72) Team leaders: 1, Guymon 308-302-301 – 911; 2, Clinton 311-310-306 – 927; 3, Elk City 322-309300 – 931; 4, Cushing 309-314-312 – 935; 5, Ada 319-310-312 – 941.

Individual leaders: 1, Trey Fankhouser (Guymon) 72-66-75 – 213; 2, Tyler Colston (Fort Gibson) 71-73-71 – 215; 3, Ben McNeal (Cushing) 75-71-73 – 219; 4, Joby Gray (Elk City) 76-72-74 – 222; 5, Matthew LeGrange (Guymon) 71-79-73 – 223.

Class 3A At Cimarron Trails, Perkins (par-72) Team leaders: 1, Tishomingo 310-307-322 – 939; 2, OKC Heritage Hall 318-315-323 – 956; 3, Plainview 308-321-330 – 959; 4, Cascia Hall 322-315332 – 969; 5, Metro Christian 336-320-314 – 970.

Individual leaders: 1, Charlie Saxon (CH) 7075-73 – 218; 2, Luke Coppedge (Tish.) 77-74-71 – 222; 3 (tie), Jackson Hess (Okmulgee) 72-8074 – 226 and Tyler Hargus (Bethel) 77-77-72 – 226; 5, Zack Harber (Hugo) 76-74-78 – 228.

Class 2A At Sugar Creek Canyon, Hinton (par-72) Team leaders: 1, Okla. Christian School 296-288296 – 880; 2, SW Covenant 329-326-336 – 991; 3, Velma-Alma 342-329-335 – 1,006; 4, Burns Flat 339-340-330 – 1,009.

Individual leaders: 1, Justin Ary (Quinton) 73-7074 – 217; 2 (tie), Jackson Ogle (OCS) 75-70-73 – 218 and Rustin Purser (OCS) 71-72-75 – 218; 4, Preston Schaefer (OCS) 76-72-77 – 225.

GIRLS May 4-5 Class 6A At Meadowbrook CC, Tulsa (par-71) Team leaders: 1, Union 320-321 – 641; 2, Jenks

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330-334 – 664; 3, Broken Arrow 346-331 – 677; 4, Choctaw 371-358 – 729; 5 (tie), Edmond North 380-367 – 747 and Ponca City 387-360 – 747.

Individual leaders: 1, Alex Koch (Jenks) 73-81 – 154; 2, Emma Allen (Union) 78-77 – 155; 3, Erica Carangalan (Union) 78-81 – 159; 4, June Tigert (Mustang) 77-84 – 161; 5 (tie), Jessica Hollock (Broken Arrow) 79-83 – 162 and Allison Self (EN) 84-78 – 162.

Class 5A At Bailey Ranch GC, Owasso (par-72) Team leaders: 1, McGuinness 319-327 – 646; 2, Altus 331-341 – 672; 3, Deer Creek 348-350 – 698; 4, Duncan 366-363 – 729; 5, Bishop Kelley 377-375 – 752.

Individual leaders: 1, Megan Blonien (Altus) 69-73 – 142; 2, Lexi Sadeghy (McGuinness) 76-75 – 151; 3, Caitlin Farris (McGuinness) 73-79 – 152; 4, Taylor Arnold (Pryor) 79-78 – 157; 5, Abby Thompson (Deer Creek) 80-82 – 162.

Class 4A At Lake Hefner GC, Okla. City (par-73) Team leaders: 1, Tuttle 346-332 – 678; 2, Hilldale 362-357 – 719; 3, Clinton 365-356 – 721; 4, McLain 355-369 – 724; 5, Poteau 369-359 – 728.

Individual leaders: 1, Kendra Mann (Harrah) 7476 – 150; 2, Hannah Ward (Poteau) 82-79 – 161; 3, MaKenzi Waggoner (Piedmont) 83-79 – 162; 4, Payton Taylor (Seminole) 79-84 – 163; 5, Mackie Lockhart (Clinton) 87-78 – 165.

Class 3A At Dornick Hills, Ardmore (par-70) Team leaders: 1, Comanche 386-378 – 764; 2, Lone Grove 396-383 – 779; 3, Plainview 384-398 – 782; 4, Purcell 390-393 – 783; 5, Bethel 379410 – 789.

Individual leaders: 1, Caitlin Swisher (Chandler) 82-77 – 159; 2, Natalie Donahue (Victory Christian) 85-80 – 165; 3 (tie), Megan Gowens (Purcell) 84-86 – 170 and Ashton Gores (Plainview) 84-86 – 170; 5, Ashley Spann (Comanche) 90-85 – 175.

Class 2A At Sugar Creek Canyon, Hinton (par-71) Team leaders: 1, Oktaha 332-333 –- 665; 2, Hinton 361-363 – 724; 3, Washington 368-387 – 755; 4, Mooreland 380-380 – 760.

Individual leaders: 1, Kailey Campbell (Oktaha) 75-76 – 151; 2, Maci Arrington (Hinton) 78-77 – 155; 3, Courtney Steuver (Wash.) 78-79 – 157; 4, Emery Fox (Oktaha) 80-80 – 160.

OKLAHOMA JUNIOR GOLF TOUR HUDIBURG AUTO GROUP HIGH SCHOOL CLASSIC At John Conrad GC, Midwest City (par-71) May 29-30 Boys: 1, Nick Heinen 70-70 – 140; 2, Jett Johnson 73-68 – 141; 3, Cullen Stahl 70-75 – 145; 4 (tie), Brendon Jelley 71-75 – 146 and Eric Kline 72-74 – 146; 6, Dillon Mooreland 74-73 – 147; 7, Trent Mewbourn 75-73 – 148; 8 (tie), Christian Keller 73-76 – 149, Alexander Hall 74-75 – 149 and Tyler Hargus 74-75 – 149.

Girls: 1, Alexis Sadeghy 73-74 – 147; 2, Megan Blonien 76-72 – 148; 3, Anna Kim 78-75 – 153; 4 (tie) Hannah Ward 77-77 –154 and June Tigert 79-75 – 154; 6, Kendra Mann 77-79 – 156; 7 (tie), Emma Allen 83-74 – 157 and Erica-Marie Carangalan 78-79 – 157; 9 (tie), Jordan Leibold 81-78 – 159 and Abby Thompson 82-77 – 159.

U.S. OPEN LOCAL QUALIFYING At Southern Hills CC, Tulsa (par-70) May 9 Qualifiers: 1, Robert Streb 66; 2 (tie), a-Morgan Hoffmann and John Young Kim 69; 4, Dustin Wigington 71; 5 (tie), a-Clark Collier, Martin Maritz and Trent Whitekiller 72. First alternate: 8, Greg Mason 73.

OKLAHOMA SPRING FOUR-BALL At Twin Hills G&CC, Okla. City (par-72) May 16-17 1, Daniel Funk/Preston Wilkins 63-63 – 126; 2, Jeff Coffman/Briam Birchell 63-68 – 131; 3, Heath Myers/Scott Kedy 66-68 – 134; 4, Chris Lee/Jay Smith 67-68 – 135; 5, Clark Collier/Kyle Hudelson 67-69 – 136; 6, Don Cochran/Rick Bell 67-70

– 137; 7 (tie), Cooper Johnson/Jeb Blacketer 7070 – 140 and Jay Betchan/Wesley Moffatt 70-70 – 140; 9, Joshua Walker/Ryan Overland 73-68 – 141; 10 (tie), Scott Mastell/tony Ellison 68-74 – 142, John Austin/Mark Austin 71-71 – 142 and Joel Paden/Dustin Gunkel 72-70 – 142.

OKLAHOMA SENIOR SPRING FOUR-BALL At Twin Hills G&CC, Okla. City (par-72) May 16-17 1, Jon Valuck/James Reid 65-68 – 133 (won playoff with birdie on 1st hole); 2, William Lavender/Rex Hughes 66-67 – 133; 3, Michael Hughett/Eric Mueller 64-70 – 134; 4 (tie), Greg Anderson/Drew Litsch 66-69 - -135 and Mark Allert/Brad Miller 66-69 - -135; 6, Bob Sine 70-66 – 136; 7, Ken Kee/Richard Koenig 68-69 – 137; 8, Brent Taylor/Shawn Barker 71-67 – 138; 9, Mike McCurdy/Scott Ward 73-66 – 139; 10 (tie), Craig Martin/Mike Ford 71-69 – 140 and Neill Dubberstein/Brett Merrell 69-71 – 140.

TULSA GOLF ASSOCIATION FOUR-BALL MATCH PLAY At Page Belcher GC (Stone Creek) May 20-22 Championship flight Quarterfinals: Bill Dobbs/Dave Wing def. Greg Horne/Jay Sallinger 2 and 1, Steve Hughes/Richard Hunt def. Clint Hill/Michael Raines 1-up; Kirk Fryer/Jeff Mueller def. Tim Hoagland/Ken Kee 5 and 4; Frank Billings/Richard Mattiussi def.

Danny Funk/Colton Staggs 6 and 5.

Semifinals: Dobbs/Wing def. Hughes/Hunt 2 and 1, Funk/Staggs def. Hoagland/Kee 3 and 2.

Final: Dobbs/Wing def. Funk/Staggs 3 and 2.

A flight Final: Tim Wilson/Tom Wilson def. Ed Cohlmia/ Mike Lusnak 4 and 3.

MATCH PLAY At Emerald Falls. Broken Arrow April 30-May 1 Championship flight Second round: Brad Shirley def. Brian Key 1-up; Clint Hill def. Jason Gulley 2 and 1, Steve Hughes def. Clint Burley 4 and 3; Danny Funk def. David Jordan 8 and 7.

Semifinals: Shirley def. Hill 3 and 2; Hughes def.

Funk 3 and 2.

Final: Hughes def. Funk 3 and 2.

President’s flight Final: Blaine Bacon def. Richard Hunt 1-up (19).

A flight Final: Mark Fairbairn def. Burch Williams 1-up.

WOMEN’S OKLA. GOLF ASSOC. CUP At Oakwood CC, Enid May 16 1, Indian Springs CC No. 1 (Teresa DeLarzelere, Laurie Campbell, Marcia Thrutchley, Roni Warren) 9.5; 2, Quail Creek CC (Lynette Hyde, Linda Maddoux, Patty Homsey, Leslie Young) 9.5; 3, Oak Tree CC (Cherie Rich, Nan Dyer, Gerrie Climer, Glenda Radigonda) 9; 4, Oakwood CC Lucky Ladies (Linda Wiens, Michelle Jansen, J.J. Crenshaw, Claudelle Thomas) 8.5; 5 (tie), Oakwood CC Divot Dvias (Kim Caruthers, Christie Collins, Sheryl Douma, Cyndi Witek), Adams GC (Marge Harvey, Sue Meller, Debbie Wood, Pam Bonifield) and Dornick Hills CC (Rose Whatley, Belynn Whatley, Shirle Millsap, Martha Atwood) 8.

GOLF CHANNEL OKLAHOMA TOUR THE OPEN AT CHERRY SPRINGS At Cherry Springs, Tahlequah (par-72) 1. Jeff Boyer 72; 2, Curt Howard 77; 3, Marcus Tackett 85.

THE OPEN AT ROSE CREEK At Rose Creek, Edmond (par-72) April 30 1, Jeff Boyer 72; 2, Curt Howard 87; 3, Brandon Henry 88.

FOREST RIDGE CLASSIC At Forest Ridge, Broken Arrow (par-72) 1, Brad Christianson 77 (won playoff); 2, Jeff Boyer 77; 3, Curt Howard 80.

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Alabama offers something for golfers of all abilities.

Namely, a big ol’ slice of humble pie.

When it comes to challenging public golf courses, Alabama has more than any other state. In fact, we’re the home of three of America’s 50 Toughest Courses as selected by Golf Digest. Testing your mettle is as easy as visiting Silver Lakes, The Shoals or the stunning new Ross Bridge near Birmingham. They’re part of the mighty Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail – 24 demanding gems that are winning accolades from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Golf Magazine to name just a few.

If you’d like to combine time spent in the beach with a little time spent relaxing on the beach, there are a half-dozen more world-class public courses on Alabama’s gorgeous Gulf Coast featuring designs by the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jerry Pate.

And more great golf finds are sprinkled throughout the entire state. Truly, if you’re looking for great golf and genuine hospitality on your next trip, you owe it to yourself to w w w. a l a b ba a m a .t .t ra ra av vel experience all Alabama has to offer.

62 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org

winning isn’t every thing.

how you do it, is.

GentleMan JaCK is a reGistereD traDeMarK. ©2011 JaCK Daniel’s. GentleMan JaCK rare tennessee WhisKeY, alCohol 40% BY volUMe (80 prooF). DistilleD anD BottleD BY JaCK Daniel DistillerY, lYnChBUrG (pop. 361), tennessee.

2008 Masters ChaMpion trevor iMMelMan

it’s good to be a gentleman.

Stay on your game: enjoy responsibly.

www.golfoklahoma.org •••••• 63

64 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org