By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor
For those of you unfortunate enough to live in the North, you must be salivating at the thought of the spring golf season.
Hold on, Tiger. You ain't the man you used to be. You can't just jump up and go straight to the golf course after a long winter of sloth and mold.
Now, you will find any number of charlatans willing to sell you their total golf fitness regimens. These sleazoids always assume you're a golfer interested in a cleaner, healthier way of living and golfing. I've seen you out on the course, and I know that's not the sort of thing you're "into."
So here is my total golf fitness regimen for the "real" golfer:
• For God's sake, you have to strengthen your core! This involves eating really hard food, like jawbreakers. Eat a bag of those and have your neighbor punch you in the gut to see if your core is all it can be.
Options: Month-old fudge, Purina Dog Chow, pine bark.
• You also have to really work your obliques, I mean really work the hell out of them. Here's the perfect exercise for that. Lie flat on your back with knees bent slightly wider than your hips. If you have really fat hips, you're either going to have to really stretch your knees like in a cartoon, like The Elastic Man from India, or just skip this exercise. In fact, if you have really fat hips, just skip playing golf, nobody wants to see you out on the course.
Now, you slim-hipped people reach your hands to the ceiling like you're crying out for the Lord Jesus Christ to spare you from your miserable existence. You can hold light hand-weights, or not. What do I care? Lift your head and chest toward the ceiling and rotate to reach both hands just outside of your fat, right knee. Repeat on the left side. Now, take a breather. Ask Christ for forgiveness.
• Breathing exercises: Breathing properly and deeply is critical, especially for those tense moments on the course when normally you would start crying.
This deep-breathing exercise involves attending your local adult movie house, or calling up one of those sites on your Internet browser. Follow your instincts. It's either that or follow mine, and then you're looking at jail time.
• Horizontal abduction/adduction: I can't give you much help here, because I always get "horizontal" confused with "vertical," and I have no idea what adduction is. Who came up with that word, anyway? It's a stupid word and should be eliminated from the English language, if it's even English.
• Standing hip rotation: Don't do this. It makes you look like a girl.
• Alcohol fitness: How many times have you lost $2 Nassaus because while you were getting hamboned, your playing partners were just holding up that bottle of Jack Black pretending to drink?
Well, no need to waste good liquor. You can still drink and maintain your competitive edge. You just need to build up a tolerance. Stand upright in a dark closet, with a wide stance, and suck it down. Keep drinking until your wife leaves you.
• Aerobics: Ha! Don't make me laugh. This is golf!
• Putting: Don't bother to practice putting. Putting in golf is overrated. I play golf maybe 200 times a year and I've yet to meet anyone who can putt. You either make it or you don't. If you miss, just keep putting until the ball goes in the hole. Simple.
• Seniors: As we age, our bodies react differently, so seniors must prepare for golf differently than young punks. An important thing to remember is that there is an inverse relationship of increased ear hair to laughably short drives off the tee.
So keep those ear hairs trim and neat. If you're proud of your thick mane of ear hair, don't sweat it. If you're short off the tee, you're probably small in other areas, and I think you know what I'm talking about.
• Excuses: A healthy psychological outlook is a must for Better Golf. If you can convince yourself that the snap hook you hit into the weeds over there is not your doing at all, you'll retain the confidence needed to excel in the game.
The first time you smack one of your all-too-typical lousy shots, turn to your playing partner and snarl," "Will you stop that!" Look at him, looking all hurt and everything. Who would have thought golf fitness could be so much fun?
• Torque development in the downswing: This is so important, I can barely contain myself. This is vital to any golfer who has ever wanted to improve his score. You could even say it is absolutely critical in terms of reaching your full potential as a golfer and knowing what it is to be truly human.
• Alignment and posture: Face the target squarely and stand erect, with your rump jutting out slightly. Feels a little silly, doesn't it? Can you think of another situation in life where you would position yourself in such an odd manner? I can't.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Jacobsen Win is a Victory for The First Tee of Portland
On February 23 and 24th in Kaanapali, Hawaii Peter Jacobsen and Fuzzy Zoeller rallied to win the Wendy’s Champion Skins Game, winning six skins and $320,000 in alternate shot play to beat defending champions Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. It was the second appearance for both Jacobsen and Zoeller and their first as a team.
It was a nice win for Jacobsen and Zoeller, but the real winner was The First Tee of Portland who this week received a $16,000 contribution from Peter Jacobsen as his designated charity for the event. Each player agrees to donate five percent of their winnings to the David Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and another five percent to the charity of their choice.
Jacobsen’s gift comes at a good time for The First Tee of Portland as they start spring clinics, after school programs, and the summer golf program at Heron Lakes Golf Course in North Portland. The money will be used in the organization’s outreach to inner city and minority participants. The First Tee provides year-round instruction by PGA Professionals and experienced volunteer instructors. Equipment and lessons are provided at little or no cost to each participant. Golf equipment and supplies are obtained through donations.
Quincy Heard, executive director of The First Tee of Portland credits program graduate Anna Jenks with securing the donation from Jacobsen during time she spent talking with him earlier in the year when she was a player at the Wal-Mart First Tee Open in Pebble Beach. Jenks, from Battleground, Washington, is a Senior at Prairie High who began golfing at age 10 and started with The First Tee program in 2003. An article from the Winter Issue of GolferGirl magazine is attached for additional information on Jenks’ trip to Pebble Beach.
The First Tee® of Portland (http://www.pyga.org/) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that began in 1994 as the Portland Youth Golf Association (PYGA). Our mission: to impact the lives of young people by providing educational and mentoring programs that incorporate life skills, character development, family values, and personal growth through the game of golf. Since its inception, PYGA has introduced the game of golf and its values to over 10,000 participants in the Portland metropolitan area.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Bristow & Little Lead Record-Breaking Day
LAS VEGAS – University of Oregon junior Cathryn Bristow and freshman Kendra Little capped a record-breaking day for the women’s golf team in final round action Wednesday in the UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational at the Boulder Creek Golf Club in nearby Boulder City, Nev.
Bristow shot her third consecutive under-par round Wednesday to win the event by two strokes, and Little broke the school single round record with her five-under 67.
As a team, the Ducks ended with a three-round school best (292-291-286-869) and climbed two positions to finish in a third-place tie with No. 48 Texas Tech (292-286-291-869), while Washington State and tied for the team win (285-289-285-859) with No. 35 BYU (293-284-282-859).
Oregon scored its fifth individual victory the past three years courtesy of the Huapai, New Zealand native Bristow who shot a two-under 70 Wednesday to win the overall tourney title (69-69-70-208) by two strokes.
“I knew that as long as I put myself in the right position off the tee I’d give myself great opportunities,” Bristow said. “The course had wide fairways, so I was aggressive to give myself the best birdie putt chance. With my wedge game 100 yards in, I was hitting it fairly close to the pins consistently, so that allowed me to relax even if I did make a bogey. I was hitting the ball well on the greens, too, and reading the putts well.”
Bristow’s final day scorecard featured birdies on five holes, the seventh, 10th, 11th, 16th and 17th holes, bogeys on the third, 12th and 13th holes and par scores on the other 10 holes.
“After the two bogeys (early on the back nine), I was pretty annoyed with myself,” Bristow said, “and tried to refocus and stick to one shot at a time. That next hole I was able to keep it on the fairway and get par so that helped settle me down.”
Bristow began the day tied for the lead on the par 72, 6,202-yard course with Idaho’s Kelly Nakashima who shot a 76 Wednesday and finished in a tie for eighth place. Texas Tech’s Ulrika van Niekerk carded a 69 Wednesday to climb a position into second place (69-69-70). BYU’s Jade Bollinger (71-71-70-212) and Washington’s Christina Yoon (73-72-68-212) tied for third place.
“I knew the other girls around me were playing pretty well, but in reality I wasn’t worried about anyone else,” Bristow said. “I stayed focused on what I was trying to do. I was nervous to start with today, so I did my best to stay relaxed when I was out there and focus on staying on the fairway and the things that I’ve been working on in practice.”
Bristow celebrated her third career victory after she won twice by one stroke in 2005-06 - her collegiate debut, the fall OSU Invitational (70-74-73-217), and the spring regular season-ending Illinois Invitational (74-72-146).
Other Ducks to score wins the past two seasons include sophomore Felicia Eastick who opened the 2007-08 season with a win in the Giustina Memorial in Corvallis (74-69-74-217), and former teammate Kim McCready won the Baja Classic in Baja, Calif., to open the spring slate in 2007 (70-75-145).
Bristow’s three scores this tournament gives her six rounds of par or better among her 21 rounds this season. The pair of 69 scores tied her season best from the fall’s Stanford Intercollegiate, although that previous score was on the par 71 Stanford Golf Course. She also shot a pair of 1-under 71’s in the Heather Fall Memorial in Denver last fall.
Also making history, Duck freshman Kendra Little carded a school record 5-under 67 final round to jump into a tie for fifth place overall (72-74-67-213). Little’s score Thursday – the best of the tourney – bettered the previous Duck record of 4-under shot by Kim McCready in 2006 (67, -4), Paula Patterson in 1997 (68, -4) and Jerilyn White in 2001 (68, -4).
“Initially, I had no idea it was a record when Kate (Hildahl) told me,” Little said. “When we found out that we had a team school record, too, it was nice to be able to enjoy the moment together.”
Little staked her second top-five collegiate finish with her fourth-place Edean Ihlanfelt Invitational effort in Seattle last fall, and three more top-15 placings and another top-25 effort in her seven collegiate tournaments. Among her 21 collegiate rounds, the Eugene, Ore., native and Sheldon High School product has shot six rounds of 72 or better - a 67 (-5), two 69’s (-3, -2), a 71 (-1) and two 72’s (par).
“It was a lot of fun today, although the last two or three holes it was a little stressful,” Little said. “No matter how well you’re playing you can never relax for one second because you have to concentrate and keep your head steady. I got off to a poor start yesterday, so I wanted to set a good tone early today. On holes 9-12 I didn’t hit any of the greens, but was able to save par when bogeys were looming so that also gave me confidence. During the tourney, our team talked about how score-able the back nine. It was reassuring after I survived the previous rough stretches, so I knew I could still put up a good number. I’m glad to finish strong.”
On Wednesday, sophomore Kate Hildahl added UO’s third round of par or better on the day and improved to 42nd overall (78-74-72-224), nine places better than her overall ranking after the second round. Sophomore Felicia Eastick and Erica Omlid added final round scores of 77 Wednesday and finished in ties for 46th (75-74-77-226) and 56th places (76-75-77-228).
Thanks to its previous team season-low rounds of 291 and 292 on Tuesday and Monday, UO enjoyed a three-round tally of 869 that improved upon the previous school record of 885 that it shot once during the 1996-97 and 1999-2000 seasons. Oregon’s Wednesday round of 286 ( -2) also appears to be its best ever based on the records available.
“It was an incredible day. It was so fun to see them make so many birdies and play really solid,” Oregon head coach Shannon Rouillard said. “We really focused on getting relaxed before each round and staying that way. We tried to have the players go out with no expectations, and they took the day as it came. We weren’t trying to win the tourney or shoot ourselves in the foot the first day. We tried to let each day be itself, and take it one day at a time. This is a huge confidence booster going into our home event.”
Hole-by-hole results from each round are available at the www.GolfStat.com website, and more information on the event is located at UNLV’s www.UNLVrebels.com athletic department website.
Looking ahead, the Ducks look forward to the home tourney in 1 1/2 weeks, the Duck Invitational at Eugene Country Club, Monday-Tuesday, March 24-25
“I can’t remember if we’ve had a player shoot three rounds in the same tourney under par – so that says a lot about Cathryn’s performance,” Rouillard said. “Kendra also showed great maturity and attacked the course with confidence and skill. Felicia had two rounds of 75 or better and was knocking on the door. Erica (Omlid) is continuing to improve her game, and this was her first tourney with three rounds in the 70s so that’s a turning point for her, and she continues to get more competitive. She’s doing a great job and working hard and seeing those improvements as a results. Kate (Hildahl) has really taken a turn for the positive mentally. She’s learned that she can play a great round of golf and still score well even if she’s not hitting it perfect. “
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational
Boulder Creek Golf Club - Boulder City, Nev.
Par 72, 6,202 yards
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Team Standings – 1t, Washington State, 285-289-285-859. 1t, BYU, 293-284-282-859. 3t, Oregon, 292-291-286-869. 3t, Texas Tech, 292-286-291-869. 5, San Francisco, 291-290-289-870. 6, UNLV, 284-302-287-873. 7, UC Davis, 296-294-285-875. 8, Campbell, 297-293-293-883. 9, Idaho, 297-293-297-887. 10, Washington, 293-297-298-888. 11, Indiana, 295-299-295-889. 12, Fresno State, 301-293-296-890. 13t, Colorado State, 304-29-4303-901. 13t, Sacramento State, 299-300-302-901. 15, New Mexico State, 305-302-306-913. 16, Kansas State, 311-301-302-914. 17, Eastern Washington, 322-315-288-925. 18, Long Beach State, 321-309-312-942.
Individual Standings – 1, Cathryn Bristow, Oregon, 69-69-70-208. 2, Ulrika van Niekerk, Texas Tech, 70-71-69-210. 3t, Jade Bollinger, BYU, 71-71-70-212. 3t, Christina Yoon, Washington, 73-72-67-212. 5t, Kendra Little, Oregon, 72-74-67-213. 5t, Therese Koelbaek, UNLV, 71-71-71-213. 5t, Christina Stockton, San Francisco, 69-72-72-213. 8t, Kelly Nakashima, Idaho, 68-70-76-214. 8t, Jee Park, UC Davis, 71-71-72-214. 8t, Jessica Potter, San Francisco, 73-70-71-214. 8t, Chelsea Stelzmiller, UC Davis, 76-69-69-214. 8t, Daphne Vines, BYU, 72-71-71-214.
Oregon Individual Results – 1, Cathryn Bristow, Oregon, 69-69-70-208. 5t, Kendra Little, Oregon, 72-74-67-213. 42, Kate Hildahl, 78-74-72-224. 46t, Felicia Eastick, 75-74-77-226. 56t, Erica Omlid, 76-75-77-228.
ADDITIONAL PLAYER / COACH COMMENTS
Cathryn Bristow
“I knew the other girls around me were playing pretty well, but in reality I wasn’t worried about anyone else. I just stay focused on what I was trying to do. I was nervous to start with today, so I did my best to stay really relaxed when I was out there and focus on staying on the fairway and the things I’ve been working on in practice.”
“After the two bogeys, I was pretty annoyed with myself, and tried to refocus and stick to one shot at a time. That next hole I was able to keep it on the fairway and get par so that helped settle me down.”
“It was nice to be following Kendra all day and see her put up great scores – that gave me confidence that I could do the same.“
“I knew that as long as I put myself in the right position off the tee I’d give myself great opportunities. The course had wide fairways, so I was aggressive so I could give myself the best birdie putt chance. In my wedge game from 100 yards in, I was hitting it fairly close to the pins consistently so that allowed me to relax even if I did make a bogey. I was hitting the ball well on the greens, too, and reading the putts well.”
“We had great weather every day, around 75 degrees with just a little wind at most.”
Kendra Little
“It was a lot of fun today, although the last two or three holes it was a little stressful. No matter how well you’re playing you can never relax for one second because you have to concentrate and keep your head steady. Initially, I had no idea my score was a record when Kate (Hildahl) told me. When we found out that we had a team school record, too, it was nice to be able to enjoy the moment together. We’ll take what we can get, and it’s something we can build on.”
“I knew Cathryn was playing well during the round, and knew she would do well based on how she plays. It’s comforting to have someone behind you with that kind of experience and ability and that gives you more confidence in your game.”
“I got off to a poor start yesterday, so I wanted to set a good tone early today. After I made a birdie on the second hole, that was good. Then on holes 9-12 I didn’t hit any of the greens, but was able to save par when bogeys were looming so that also gave me confidence. During the tourney, our team talked about how score-able the back nine was. It was reassuring after I survived the previous rough stretches, I knew I still could put up a good number. I’m glad to finish strong.”
“After yesterday’s round I finally felt that I knew the course pretty well. The first round there were a couple holes I wasn’t sure about. Overall, I drove the ball particularly well this week. I knew that on this course it was key is to position yourself well off the tee. It was nice to get the rolls on the desert type course, something you might not get in Eugene this time of year.”
“Playing in the desert, it’s different coming out here, adjusting from the 55 and rainy weather to the dry, clear 75 and 80 temperatures. It can be a little shock if you let it. In the past, I’ve usually played well in hot weather so I was looking forward to it. It’s important to be able to adjust from cold to warm climates since we’ll probably face that again later in the spring.”
“I’ve been trying to work on my short game over the winter. I’m making the strides I need to and that comes from practice. One thing that held me back last year was my short game, and that helps keep your scoring consistent.”
Shannon Rouillard
“I can’t remember if we’ve had a player shoot three rounds in the same tourney under par – so that says a lot about Cathryn’s performance. Kendra also showed great maturity and attacked the course with confidence and skill.”
“Felicia had two rounds of 75 or better and was knocking on the door. Erica (Omlid) is continuing to improve her game, and this was her first tourney with three rounds in the 70s so that’s a turning point for her, and she continues to get more competitive. She’s doing a great job and working hard and seeing those improvements as a results. Kate (Hildahl) has really taken a turn for the positive mentally – she’s really matured. She’s learned that can play a great round of golf and still score well even if she’s not hitting it perfect. “
“For our team it was an incredible day. It was so fun to see them make so many birdies and play really solid. This is a huge confidence booster going into our home event. The practice round was the windiest day, but it was calm the last three days. We knew the golf course could be very score-able, so it doesn’t surprise me with all the under-par rounds. All the par 5 holes were reachable in two for Cathryn and Kendra, and Kendra may have even birdied all the par 5s one day. They had several opportunities for eagles during the tourney.“
“We really focused on getting relaxed before each round and staying that way. We tried to have the players go out with no expectations, and they took the day as it came. We weren’t trying to win the tourney or shoot ourselves in the foot the first day. We tried to let each day be itself, and take it one day at a time.”
“It was a pretty typical desert course, slightly hilly but not bad. The ball was rolling well. It was warm, and the course was quite firm - some of them even had problems getting their tee in on the third tee. The fairways and tee boxes were green, but everything else was brown. Not many trees, and there were some waste areas which you can hit out of – could be sand or rocks leading into the natural terrain – and we played those pretty well. There was a little bit of water and normal bunkers.”
Bristow shot her third consecutive under-par round Wednesday to win the event by two strokes, and Little broke the school single round record with her five-under 67.
As a team, the Ducks ended with a three-round school best (292-291-286-869) and climbed two positions to finish in a third-place tie with No. 48 Texas Tech (292-286-291-869), while Washington State and tied for the team win (285-289-285-859) with No. 35 BYU (293-284-282-859).
Oregon scored its fifth individual victory the past three years courtesy of the Huapai, New Zealand native Bristow who shot a two-under 70 Wednesday to win the overall tourney title (69-69-70-208) by two strokes.
“I knew that as long as I put myself in the right position off the tee I’d give myself great opportunities,” Bristow said. “The course had wide fairways, so I was aggressive to give myself the best birdie putt chance. With my wedge game 100 yards in, I was hitting it fairly close to the pins consistently, so that allowed me to relax even if I did make a bogey. I was hitting the ball well on the greens, too, and reading the putts well.”
Bristow’s final day scorecard featured birdies on five holes, the seventh, 10th, 11th, 16th and 17th holes, bogeys on the third, 12th and 13th holes and par scores on the other 10 holes.
“After the two bogeys (early on the back nine), I was pretty annoyed with myself,” Bristow said, “and tried to refocus and stick to one shot at a time. That next hole I was able to keep it on the fairway and get par so that helped settle me down.”
Bristow began the day tied for the lead on the par 72, 6,202-yard course with Idaho’s Kelly Nakashima who shot a 76 Wednesday and finished in a tie for eighth place. Texas Tech’s Ulrika van Niekerk carded a 69 Wednesday to climb a position into second place (69-69-70). BYU’s Jade Bollinger (71-71-70-212) and Washington’s Christina Yoon (73-72-68-212) tied for third place.
“I knew the other girls around me were playing pretty well, but in reality I wasn’t worried about anyone else,” Bristow said. “I stayed focused on what I was trying to do. I was nervous to start with today, so I did my best to stay relaxed when I was out there and focus on staying on the fairway and the things that I’ve been working on in practice.”
Bristow celebrated her third career victory after she won twice by one stroke in 2005-06 - her collegiate debut, the fall OSU Invitational (70-74-73-217), and the spring regular season-ending Illinois Invitational (74-72-146).
Other Ducks to score wins the past two seasons include sophomore Felicia Eastick who opened the 2007-08 season with a win in the Giustina Memorial in Corvallis (74-69-74-217), and former teammate Kim McCready won the Baja Classic in Baja, Calif., to open the spring slate in 2007 (70-75-145).
Bristow’s three scores this tournament gives her six rounds of par or better among her 21 rounds this season. The pair of 69 scores tied her season best from the fall’s Stanford Intercollegiate, although that previous score was on the par 71 Stanford Golf Course. She also shot a pair of 1-under 71’s in the Heather Fall Memorial in Denver last fall.
Also making history, Duck freshman Kendra Little carded a school record 5-under 67 final round to jump into a tie for fifth place overall (72-74-67-213). Little’s score Thursday – the best of the tourney – bettered the previous Duck record of 4-under shot by Kim McCready in 2006 (67, -4), Paula Patterson in 1997 (68, -4) and Jerilyn White in 2001 (68, -4).
“Initially, I had no idea it was a record when Kate (Hildahl) told me,” Little said. “When we found out that we had a team school record, too, it was nice to be able to enjoy the moment together.”
Little staked her second top-five collegiate finish with her fourth-place Edean Ihlanfelt Invitational effort in Seattle last fall, and three more top-15 placings and another top-25 effort in her seven collegiate tournaments. Among her 21 collegiate rounds, the Eugene, Ore., native and Sheldon High School product has shot six rounds of 72 or better - a 67 (-5), two 69’s (-3, -2), a 71 (-1) and two 72’s (par).
“It was a lot of fun today, although the last two or three holes it was a little stressful,” Little said. “No matter how well you’re playing you can never relax for one second because you have to concentrate and keep your head steady. I got off to a poor start yesterday, so I wanted to set a good tone early today. On holes 9-12 I didn’t hit any of the greens, but was able to save par when bogeys were looming so that also gave me confidence. During the tourney, our team talked about how score-able the back nine. It was reassuring after I survived the previous rough stretches, so I knew I could still put up a good number. I’m glad to finish strong.”
On Wednesday, sophomore Kate Hildahl added UO’s third round of par or better on the day and improved to 42nd overall (78-74-72-224), nine places better than her overall ranking after the second round. Sophomore Felicia Eastick and Erica Omlid added final round scores of 77 Wednesday and finished in ties for 46th (75-74-77-226) and 56th places (76-75-77-228).
Thanks to its previous team season-low rounds of 291 and 292 on Tuesday and Monday, UO enjoyed a three-round tally of 869 that improved upon the previous school record of 885 that it shot once during the 1996-97 and 1999-2000 seasons. Oregon’s Wednesday round of 286 ( -2) also appears to be its best ever based on the records available.
“It was an incredible day. It was so fun to see them make so many birdies and play really solid,” Oregon head coach Shannon Rouillard said. “We really focused on getting relaxed before each round and staying that way. We tried to have the players go out with no expectations, and they took the day as it came. We weren’t trying to win the tourney or shoot ourselves in the foot the first day. We tried to let each day be itself, and take it one day at a time. This is a huge confidence booster going into our home event.”
Hole-by-hole results from each round are available at the www.GolfStat.com website, and more information on the event is located at UNLV’s www.UNLVrebels.com athletic department website.
Looking ahead, the Ducks look forward to the home tourney in 1 1/2 weeks, the Duck Invitational at Eugene Country Club, Monday-Tuesday, March 24-25
“I can’t remember if we’ve had a player shoot three rounds in the same tourney under par – so that says a lot about Cathryn’s performance,” Rouillard said. “Kendra also showed great maturity and attacked the course with confidence and skill. Felicia had two rounds of 75 or better and was knocking on the door. Erica (Omlid) is continuing to improve her game, and this was her first tourney with three rounds in the 70s so that’s a turning point for her, and she continues to get more competitive. She’s doing a great job and working hard and seeing those improvements as a results. Kate (Hildahl) has really taken a turn for the positive mentally. She’s learned that she can play a great round of golf and still score well even if she’s not hitting it perfect. “
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational
Boulder Creek Golf Club - Boulder City, Nev.
Par 72, 6,202 yards
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Team Standings – 1t, Washington State, 285-289-285-859. 1t, BYU, 293-284-282-859. 3t, Oregon, 292-291-286-869. 3t, Texas Tech, 292-286-291-869. 5, San Francisco, 291-290-289-870. 6, UNLV, 284-302-287-873. 7, UC Davis, 296-294-285-875. 8, Campbell, 297-293-293-883. 9, Idaho, 297-293-297-887. 10, Washington, 293-297-298-888. 11, Indiana, 295-299-295-889. 12, Fresno State, 301-293-296-890. 13t, Colorado State, 304-29-4303-901. 13t, Sacramento State, 299-300-302-901. 15, New Mexico State, 305-302-306-913. 16, Kansas State, 311-301-302-914. 17, Eastern Washington, 322-315-288-925. 18, Long Beach State, 321-309-312-942.
Individual Standings – 1, Cathryn Bristow, Oregon, 69-69-70-208. 2, Ulrika van Niekerk, Texas Tech, 70-71-69-210. 3t, Jade Bollinger, BYU, 71-71-70-212. 3t, Christina Yoon, Washington, 73-72-67-212. 5t, Kendra Little, Oregon, 72-74-67-213. 5t, Therese Koelbaek, UNLV, 71-71-71-213. 5t, Christina Stockton, San Francisco, 69-72-72-213. 8t, Kelly Nakashima, Idaho, 68-70-76-214. 8t, Jee Park, UC Davis, 71-71-72-214. 8t, Jessica Potter, San Francisco, 73-70-71-214. 8t, Chelsea Stelzmiller, UC Davis, 76-69-69-214. 8t, Daphne Vines, BYU, 72-71-71-214.
Oregon Individual Results – 1, Cathryn Bristow, Oregon, 69-69-70-208. 5t, Kendra Little, Oregon, 72-74-67-213. 42, Kate Hildahl, 78-74-72-224. 46t, Felicia Eastick, 75-74-77-226. 56t, Erica Omlid, 76-75-77-228.
ADDITIONAL PLAYER / COACH COMMENTS
Cathryn Bristow
“I knew the other girls around me were playing pretty well, but in reality I wasn’t worried about anyone else. I just stay focused on what I was trying to do. I was nervous to start with today, so I did my best to stay really relaxed when I was out there and focus on staying on the fairway and the things I’ve been working on in practice.”
“After the two bogeys, I was pretty annoyed with myself, and tried to refocus and stick to one shot at a time. That next hole I was able to keep it on the fairway and get par so that helped settle me down.”
“It was nice to be following Kendra all day and see her put up great scores – that gave me confidence that I could do the same.“
“I knew that as long as I put myself in the right position off the tee I’d give myself great opportunities. The course had wide fairways, so I was aggressive so I could give myself the best birdie putt chance. In my wedge game from 100 yards in, I was hitting it fairly close to the pins consistently so that allowed me to relax even if I did make a bogey. I was hitting the ball well on the greens, too, and reading the putts well.”
“We had great weather every day, around 75 degrees with just a little wind at most.”
Kendra Little
“It was a lot of fun today, although the last two or three holes it was a little stressful. No matter how well you’re playing you can never relax for one second because you have to concentrate and keep your head steady. Initially, I had no idea my score was a record when Kate (Hildahl) told me. When we found out that we had a team school record, too, it was nice to be able to enjoy the moment together. We’ll take what we can get, and it’s something we can build on.”
“I knew Cathryn was playing well during the round, and knew she would do well based on how she plays. It’s comforting to have someone behind you with that kind of experience and ability and that gives you more confidence in your game.”
“I got off to a poor start yesterday, so I wanted to set a good tone early today. After I made a birdie on the second hole, that was good. Then on holes 9-12 I didn’t hit any of the greens, but was able to save par when bogeys were looming so that also gave me confidence. During the tourney, our team talked about how score-able the back nine was. It was reassuring after I survived the previous rough stretches, I knew I still could put up a good number. I’m glad to finish strong.”
“After yesterday’s round I finally felt that I knew the course pretty well. The first round there were a couple holes I wasn’t sure about. Overall, I drove the ball particularly well this week. I knew that on this course it was key is to position yourself well off the tee. It was nice to get the rolls on the desert type course, something you might not get in Eugene this time of year.”
“Playing in the desert, it’s different coming out here, adjusting from the 55 and rainy weather to the dry, clear 75 and 80 temperatures. It can be a little shock if you let it. In the past, I’ve usually played well in hot weather so I was looking forward to it. It’s important to be able to adjust from cold to warm climates since we’ll probably face that again later in the spring.”
“I’ve been trying to work on my short game over the winter. I’m making the strides I need to and that comes from practice. One thing that held me back last year was my short game, and that helps keep your scoring consistent.”
Shannon Rouillard
“I can’t remember if we’ve had a player shoot three rounds in the same tourney under par – so that says a lot about Cathryn’s performance. Kendra also showed great maturity and attacked the course with confidence and skill.”
“Felicia had two rounds of 75 or better and was knocking on the door. Erica (Omlid) is continuing to improve her game, and this was her first tourney with three rounds in the 70s so that’s a turning point for her, and she continues to get more competitive. She’s doing a great job and working hard and seeing those improvements as a results. Kate (Hildahl) has really taken a turn for the positive mentally – she’s really matured. She’s learned that can play a great round of golf and still score well even if she’s not hitting it perfect. “
“For our team it was an incredible day. It was so fun to see them make so many birdies and play really solid. This is a huge confidence booster going into our home event. The practice round was the windiest day, but it was calm the last three days. We knew the golf course could be very score-able, so it doesn’t surprise me with all the under-par rounds. All the par 5 holes were reachable in two for Cathryn and Kendra, and Kendra may have even birdied all the par 5s one day. They had several opportunities for eagles during the tourney.“
“We really focused on getting relaxed before each round and staying that way. We tried to have the players go out with no expectations, and they took the day as it came. We weren’t trying to win the tourney or shoot ourselves in the foot the first day. We tried to let each day be itself, and take it one day at a time.”
“It was a pretty typical desert course, slightly hilly but not bad. The ball was rolling well. It was warm, and the course was quite firm - some of them even had problems getting their tee in on the third tee. The fairways and tee boxes were green, but everything else was brown. Not many trees, and there were some waste areas which you can hit out of – could be sand or rocks leading into the natural terrain – and we played those pretty well. There was a little bit of water and normal bunkers.”
Monday, March 3, 2008
2008 Senior Open Can Boast Of Volunteers From All 50 States
Far Hills, N.J. - Ron Diltz and Mike Kelly first became acquainted when their sons began playing high school football in Anchorage, Alaska. They quickly discovered a mutual love for outdoor activities – hunting, fishing and even golf – and their friendship soon extended beyond Friday night games.
Even after Kelly moved back to his native
This summer, the get-together will take place a little closer to Kelly’s backyard in
“I sucked him in,” said Kelly. “I only live a couple of miles from [The Broadmoor], so it seemed like the right thing to do.”
Diltz will be one of many individuals making a long trek to Colorado Springs this July to be part of the 3,000-plus volunteer force for the Senior Open (July 31-Aug. 3). In fact, this year’s championship will have volunteers from all 50 states. It’s the first time that a volunteer from every state has participated in the same championship.
|
|
| The USGA would have a difficult time conducting championships without volunteers' participation. (John Mummert/USGA) |
The participation from near and far even had the management company that handles the U.S. Senior Open for the USGA pleasantly surprised.
“It’s very unusual [to have all 50 states represented],” said Jeff Yeager, the volunteer manager for Bruno Event Team. “I would say 40 to 45 states [is normal], but to get over the 45 mark, it’s something of a unique status.”
Part of the lure is this year’s site. The Broadmoor is a world-class resort located in an area where there are plenty of alternative activities when people are not on-site working. Yeager said The Broadmoor, which attracts guests from throughout the world, also solicited volunteers through various means of communication.
“We had started a waiting list of about 100 volunteers, but after looking at a few numbers, we have almost added all 100 of those [people] from our waiting list,” said Yeager. “So it’s been really terrific.”
Some people love being a part of the championship so much that they keep coming back.
“We’ve made the Senior Open part of our summer vacations so we can get out and see new parts of the country,” said Cato, who is retired. “This will be our first visit to
In 2005, the two served on the transportation committee. Last year, they were walking scorers. Cato went with Jim Thorpe and R.W. Eaks in the final round. In ’05, Cato said he drove Gil Morgan, Fuzzy Zoeller and Thorpe. He also got to meet Tom Watson. This year, they will be on-course marshals, just like in 2006 at Prairie Dunes in
“Especially in transportation, you get to meet a lot of [contestants] because you are right there with them,” said Cato. “When you are working out on the course, you see them but you don’t necessarily get to talk with them.
“But we’ve enjoyed it and it’s been a good experience. We haven’t decided if we are going to do it next year [at Crooked Stick] or not. We’ll probably make that decision after this year’s tournament.”
Of course, having the championship in a smaller market like
The retired Kelly moved back to
“You can get lost in places like
Just seeing a major golf event in person is a big opportunity for Diltz.
Diltz admitted that his outdoor activities of choice are hunting and fishing. But he does enjoy an occasional round of golf, including an indoor version played on a simulator.
“I’m just a weekend hacker,” said Diltz, a sales manager for an office supply company in
Pronghorn Recognized As One Of America's Top Communities
Pronghorn, the premier private golf community in the Pacific Northwest, is proud to announce that Travel & Leisure Golf has named Pronghorn in the magazine’s "
Fairways & Greens and Golf Digest have recognized Pronghorn as their top pick for private golf courses in the U.S and among the top five for "
Pronghorn is ranked No. 8 in Travel & Leisure Golf’s "Top 100 Golf Communities" which represents the best golf communities in the country based on amenities, real estate offering, and challenge and playability of each course.
Also, Pronghorn’s Tom Fazio course recently ranked No.4 in Golf Digest’s "
In addition to Pronghorn’s top-ranked Fazio course, their Jack Nicklaus course has past been ranked in Golf Digest as the No.2 pick in 2004 for best new private course in
OSU wins golf tournament
Under cloudy and windy conditions, the
Both teams were competing with their junior varsity squads.
Despite the windy weather conditions combined with added distance off of the tees and difficult pin locations, the Beavers finished 10-strokes better than the competition with a 297.
“The conditions were very tough today, probably added five or six shots from yesterday. Anything around par today was a great score,” OSU coach Brian Watts said. “Our guys battled and fought hard and came away with a win, I’m proud of those guys and it was a lot of fun to watch them compete this week.”
Alex Williams, playing as an individual, took home the first-place prize, finishing 1-over par with a 143.
“Alex is very patient out on the golf course and usually plays within himself. I don’t think he ever got himself into too much trouble today and played very solid golf,”
Jeremiah Oliver and Tyler Simpson finished in a tie for second place with matching scores of 144. Oliver posted a 73 and Simpson a 75 on the second day.
Clayton Moe finished the tournament tied for 8th after being 8-over for the day. He shot a 2-under 69 in the first round. Freshman Brandon Taylor finished in 12th place, shooting a 6-over 77.
The Beavers will compete Monday at the USC Collegiate Invitational.
Team scores: 1. OSU 282-297-579 (+11); 2.
Hole-in-one
Dan Van Dusen of
Golf Galaxy Golf Tour Tees Off in April
Portland, OR – The Portland chapter of the Golf Galaxy Golf Tour, a "Real Tour for the Average Golfer", will be in full swing Saturday, April 19 with the first of its 2008 tournaments.
Portland is one of more than 50 cities offering events sponsored by Golf Galaxy, Callaway Golf, Golf Magazine, PGA Tour Partners, Shaftix, Green Buddy, Zero Friction Tees and Player's Pass. The tour is designed to give average golfers the opportunity to experience the fun, friendly competition of tournament golf at a variety of great local courses.
Portland Tour Director Eric Jason is excited about the growth of the tour. "This is the first golf tour that caters to the average golfer who scores in the 90's, 80's or 70's. There are no mandatory membership fees or dues, events are flighted so every team has a chance to win every time they tee it up, tournaments are played on weekends, and it's very affordable. On top of that, you can win great prizes." Jason said.
All tournaments are two-person team format events played on Saturdays and are open to men, women, and juniors who normally score 95 or less for 18 holes. Players receive merchandise payouts (in the form of Golf Galaxy Gift Cards) to maintain amateur status. The tour offers more than $1,000 in prizes (with full field) per event and a point system that crowns a "Player of the Year". Although there are no mandatory membership fees or dues, players may upgrade to "VIP" status and receive discounts on tournament entry fees, Golf Galaxy Golf Tour logo'd merchandise, great products from Callaway Golf and other valuable golf offerings. Players and sponsors may learn about tour schedules and locations, VIP Memberships, national and local sponsorship opportunities and other tour related information by visiting www.PortlandGolfTour.com.
The Portland Tour tees off on Saturday, April 19 at Chehalem Glenn GC in
Sat. April 19 at Chehalem Glenn GC in
11:00 AM - 12:21 PM tee times.
$82 entry fee ($72 for VIPs) including riding cart.
2 Person Best Ball Format.
Sat. May 10 at Camas Meadows GC in Camas, WA.
11:00 AM - 12:21 PM tee times.
$91 entry fee ($81 for VIPs) including riding cart.
2 Person Best Ball Format.
Sat. June 28 at Club Green Meadows in
11:00 AM - 12:21 PM tee times.
$87 entry fee ($77 for VIPs) including riding cart.
2 Person Best Ball Format.
Sat. July 26 at Tri-Mountain GC in
12:00 AM - 1:21 PM tee times.
$83 entry fee ($73 for VIPs) including riding cart.
2 Person Best Ball Format.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Eric Jason
971.570.4515
Email: info@PortlandGolfTour.com
Website: www.PortlandGolfTour.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Eastick Cards 71 in Gator Tourney Second Day
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 47 University of Oregon women’s golf team shot a 295 – the fourth-lowest of the round - in Saturday’s second day action in the Lady Gator Invitational.
UO climb four spots into 11th place and counted scores on the par 70, 5,907-yard Mark Bostick course from sophomore Felicia Eastick (71) – the sixth lowest of Saturday, sophomore Kate Hildahl (73), freshman Erica Omlid (75) and junior Cathryn Bristow (76).
In the overall standings, Hildahl climbed seven spots and is tied for 28th overall (77-73-150), and was followed by Eastick (39th-t, 83-71-154), Bristow (50th-tie, 80-76-156), Omlid (50th-t, 81-75-156) and freshman Kendra Little (73rd-t, 85-78-163).
Junior Blair Ressler also played Saturday as an individual and her best round of the tourney moved her into a tie for 77th (88-77-165).
Overall, Florida’s Tiffany Chudy carded a one-under 70 Saturday to climb one position into the lead and owns a two-stroke advantage (69-70-139) over Louisville’s Cindy Lacrosse (69-72-14) and Gator teammates Whitney Myers (70-71-141) and Jessica Yadloczky (70-71-141) who were tied for second place. First-day leader Sydney Crane shot a 78 Saturday and fell into a tie for 11th place (66-79-145).
As a team, Florida extended its lead by three strokes (280-283-563) over No. 26 Louisville (290-286-576), Ole Miss (third, 293-292-585), No. 17 Wake Forest (301-295-596), No. 36 Georgia State (fifth, 299-301-600) and No. 34 North Carolina (sixth, 292-310-602).
Other teams in the field included South Florida (seventh, 306-302-608), No. 46 Augusta State (eighth, 305-305-610), Kentucky (ninth, 313-298-611), North Carolina-Greensboro (312-301-613) No. 47 Oregon (11th, 321-295-616), UT Chattanooga (12th, 308-310-618), Colorado (13th-tie, 312-309-621), Florida International (13th-tie, 310-311-621) and Florida Atlantic (15th, 320-311-631).
Complete results are available at the www.GolfStat.com website, and more tournament information is located at the University of Florida’s www.GatorZone.com website.
Looking ahead, the Ducks return for third and final round action Sunday.
UO climb four spots into 11th place and counted scores on the par 70, 5,907-yard Mark Bostick course from sophomore Felicia Eastick (71) – the sixth lowest of Saturday, sophomore Kate Hildahl (73), freshman Erica Omlid (75) and junior Cathryn Bristow (76).
In the overall standings, Hildahl climbed seven spots and is tied for 28th overall (77-73-150), and was followed by Eastick (39th-t, 83-71-154), Bristow (50th-tie, 80-76-156), Omlid (50th-t, 81-75-156) and freshman Kendra Little (73rd-t, 85-78-163).
Junior Blair Ressler also played Saturday as an individual and her best round of the tourney moved her into a tie for 77th (88-77-165).
Overall, Florida’s Tiffany Chudy carded a one-under 70 Saturday to climb one position into the lead and owns a two-stroke advantage (69-70-139) over Louisville’s Cindy Lacrosse (69-72-14) and Gator teammates Whitney Myers (70-71-141) and Jessica Yadloczky (70-71-141) who were tied for second place. First-day leader Sydney Crane shot a 78 Saturday and fell into a tie for 11th place (66-79-145).
As a team, Florida extended its lead by three strokes (280-283-563) over No. 26 Louisville (290-286-576), Ole Miss (third, 293-292-585), No. 17 Wake Forest (301-295-596), No. 36 Georgia State (fifth, 299-301-600) and No. 34 North Carolina (sixth, 292-310-602).
Other teams in the field included South Florida (seventh, 306-302-608), No. 46 Augusta State (eighth, 305-305-610), Kentucky (ninth, 313-298-611), North Carolina-Greensboro (312-301-613) No. 47 Oregon (11th, 321-295-616), UT Chattanooga (12th, 308-310-618), Colorado (13th-tie, 312-309-621), Florida International (13th-tie, 310-311-621) and Florida Atlantic (15th, 320-311-631).
Complete results are available at the www.GolfStat.com website, and more tournament information is located at the University of Florida’s www.GatorZone.com website.
Looking ahead, the Ducks return for third and final round action Sunday.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Bandon Trails Makes Golf Magazines Top 100 Golf Courses
Bandon Trails, OR, USA
Green Keeper: Ken Nice
Bandon Trails was the third course built at the Bandon Dunes resort. As such, and with
no ocean frontage like the other two courses, one might think the course was destined
to be the least appealing of the three. Nothing is further from the truth,
as highlighted by the all-world 15th green complex.
If you were Mike Keiser, what would you do?
You have overseen the unprecedented development of two world class courses in a short period of time. Considering that you own nearly 2,500 acres, you still have plenty more property for additional golf.
What would make for the ideal third golf course? Certainly, you want it to complement the other two as opposed to compete against them. Building a third course along the cliff top is out of the question as you don�t own the property to do so. Your property includes some tumbling dunes south of the first two courses in which as many as five or so holes could be found but that�s it. Rather than stay by the coast, what if you turn inland and build a course that offers shelter from the winds that sweep across the other two courses? Golfers would likely appreciate the break in the elements as well as a change in scenery on a four day trip.
With those well thought-out ideas in mind, Keiser contacted the firm of Coore & Crenshaw to determine their interest in building such a course. Long a fan of their work at Sand Hills Golf Club for his friend Dick Youngscap, Keiser welcomed the opportunity to work with Coore & Crenshaw himself. In turn, Bill Coore had been impressed by the astonishing success of the Bandon Resort and was delighted to come inspect what land might be available.
Initially, Howard McKee, the highly respected (and admired) planner and architect for the resort, and Coore went to the area near today�s 9th green/10th tee. There was already road access to the general area, which was relatively level. A clubhouse and parking could have been easily and efficiently built.
Coore started walking the property and the mature fir, spruce and cedar trees were the features that first caught his eye. The land east (i.e. where no holes ended up being built) of the 9th green/10th tee had a few rolls - no great landforms but pleasant nonetheless.
Coore walked the property for several days, venturing farther and farther west from the potential clubhouse site. He came to Round Lake (near today�s 7th tee) and keep walking east until he came into a meadow (where today�s 16th hole resides). Captivated by the beauty of this portion of the property, he continued poking about and found what would eventually become two of the one shot holes, the 5th and 17th. Howard McKee later told Coore that this little meadow area was one of his very favorite spots on the resort�s vast property.
With evening setting in and standing on what became the 17th green, Coore needed to return to the main lodge. There was a 500 yard strecth of dunes nearby that headed in the right general direction, so off Coore went. With each subsequent inspection of the property that week, Coore found himself repeating this same walk - the land and its features pulled him this way. Unfortunately, by doing so, he was stepping outside the loose boundaries that had been established for the third course, which is to say one that was inland and that provided respite from the wind.
Coore spoke with Keiser, who not surprisingly was open to the free exchange of ideas. With Coore now in the dunes, Keiser urged him to find more holes there. Try as he might, the property to the right of what became the 1st fairway was triangular in nature. Potentially, there were three holes there, two of which would have been one shot holes. In the end, it felt like they were forcing the issue but today�s 1st hole was easy for Coore to spot as was the downhill 2nd.
However, from the spot of the 2nd green, Coore was stuck. Across the entrance road was a thick forest and Keiser had grave concerns: how could Coore & Crenshaw make the golfer want to keep playing golf? What would it take for the golfer to remain happy in leaving the thrilling dunes country after just two holes??
Like all golf architecture students, Keiser is a big admirer of Cypress Point and how Alister MacKenzie moved the golfer in and out of different landscapes. Thus Keiser knew conceptually it could be done but under no circumstances did he want the golfer to suffer a let down ala the walk from the 5th green at Spyglass to the 6th tee, where the golfer knows that he is leaving the inspired coastal portion of the property never to return.
The fact that the 18th hole paralleled the 1st hole and ran through the same magnificent dunes country helped Coore convince Keiser that no such let down would occur. Still, Coore & Crenshaw had to make something of the 3rd hole - this would be the key moment in the evolutionary process of Bandon Trails' routing. The other playing corridors were taking shape nicely, including the site of the 14th tee and finding the amphitheater for the 15th green.
Keiser was familiar with Coore & Crenshaw�s work at Friar�s Head where they so successfully transitioned in and out of disparate landscapes by the use of long three shot holes. Betting that Coore & Crenshaw would find a way to do it again, Keiser signed off on the general configuration of holes that became the final routing.
As we see below, the final result is that the golfer is transported seamlessly over 300 plus sprawling acres from dunes into an expanded meadow then through a forest and back to the meadow and to one final dune hole. Only Cape Breton Highlands Links in Nova Scotia, which is also routed over a similarly vast amount of land, can compete with Bandon Trails for variety of landscapes. Apart from the tee to green walks on both courses, they also represent two of the great walks from green to tee in the game. Given how Coore relied on the deer, logging and hiking trails to maneuver around the property in the early days, and given its diverse walk through nature, Bandon Trails is an apt name, as we see below.
A wide variety of shot requirements emerged during the construction of this
Coore & Crenshaw course. Pictured above is the drivable par four 8th.
Holes to Note
1st hole, 390 yards; The first and Home holes enjoy a pure dunesland setting with their respective fairways providing the most random bounces on the course. As with every hole at Bandon Trails, and virtually every hole that Coore & Crenshaw design, there is plenty of fairway width, though that may not be readily apparent from the tee. Like the grand master architects that preceded them during the Golden Age of golf architecture, Coore & Crenshaw give the golfer every opportunity to enjoy a bold, positive day driving the ball. The requirements asked of the golfer become more exacting the closer one gets to the green. In the case of the first, a spine divides the green into a lower and upper half with the green deeper than it appears from down in the fairway.
The approach to the 1st plays uphill through a saddle in the dunes.
2nd hole, 215 yards; From a tee high on a dune, the golfer has a clear view of the green nestled among dunes thirty feet below. The green is on a diagonal to the golfer and the immediate problem is how to control the ball from such an exposed tee location, given the windy nature of the Oregon coastline. The green and its grass surrounds offer beautiful contrast to the dunes and the evergreen trees. The land contours are such that the wise play is often to aim left of the green and let the ball feed toward the putting surface. However, there is a rub in adopting this playing tact: the golfer can�t readily discern where the fairway ends and the putting surface starts! This superb bit of green keeping by Ken Nice is altogether unique in American golf and it is impossible to overstate Bill Coore�s enthusiasm for seeing his design presented in this manner. With the firm, tight fairways running at nearly the same speed as the greens, every imaginable recovery shot is available to the golfer, both here at the 2nd as well as throughout the course. Some might elect to play a pitch and check shot with their Titliest Pro V1s while the traditionalists will delight in playing bump and run shots and watching the ball react to the subtle ground contours that were captured during construction.
The 2nd hole plays through dunes to a green well below the tee.
Hard to tell where the 2nd green begins or ends, thanks to the flawless
presentation by Green Keeper Ken Nice and his crew.
3rd hole, 550 yards; As previously discussed, transitioning from the massive sand dunes of the first two holes to this portion of the property was the crucial moment. As seen at Friar�s Head, and again here, nobody is better at moving in and out of diverse landscapes than Bill Coore and as at Friar�s Head, Coore uses a long three shotter to handle the transition seamlessly, right down to exposing the sand dune that was sixty yards past the 3rd green. Mike Keiser was rightly worried throughout construction as to how well this transition would be accomplished. Almost shockingly, this hole became one of the finest on the course and the end result clearly demonstrates that Keiser hired the right team.
Hard to believe but this was once a thick forest. The golfer's eye on the 3rd tee
is now drawn to the sandy hazards before him. As such, he hardly
notices he has left the dunes country.
Artist Josh Smith's painting of the 3rd shows how Coore pulled
the sandy contours down the length of the hole.
The imaginative bunker 90 yards shy of the 3rd green as well as the exposed sand dune
in the background make the transition from dunesland to meadow a seamless one.
David Zinkand's handiwork on the green features a clever falloff in the
back that whisks balls off the putting surface.
4th hole, 410 yards; Coore & Crenshaw's routing of the course brilliantly captures a ridge within the 4th fairway, and the strategy of the hole spins off that landform. Carry it and the golfer has a good view of the green. If the golfer�s drive slides to the right and fails to clear the twelve foot ridge, the approach is blind. The fairway ridge was one of the most pleasant surprises of the course's construction. Initially this area was so thick with trees and underbrush that Coore could not literally move through it. The treetops made it appear flat on the topography map. Only once a centerline cut several feet wide had been made, did this natural ridge start to make itself known. James Duncan excitedly called Coore over to the 4th fairway once the ridge's discovery was made: they knew immediately it meant the hole would have its own special playing characteristics. Indeed, Duncan's clearing of the course deserves special recognition. Take here at the 3rd and 4th holes with their connected fairways. As noted, it was originally forested but Duncan cleared it in such a natural manner, leaving no uniform or linear tree lines anywhere. In addition, he was able to pick out the trees in certain areas while not disturbing the low lying vegetation underneath. Finally, as seen in the photograph below, Duncan's leaving the clump of trees on the right of the 4th fairway combined with Jeff Bradley's bunker work underneath adds immeasurably to the hole's visual appeal.
A view from the 4th tee shows the dominant spine that runs on a diagonal from the tee.
Ideally, the tee ball carries the ridge and ....
...stays on the 30 wide yard fairway past the ridge, stopping short of the string of bunkers
cut into a far hillside. If accomplished, the golfer enjoys a view of the green for his
approach. As with the sandbelt courses in Australia, Ken Nice has the short
fairway grass feed directly into the bunkers, reversing years in America
whereby hazards have been mistakenly rung with rough. As presented by
Nice, the fairway bunkers play larger than their actual footprint,
gathering balls into them from well away.
5th hole, 135 yards; As first appreciated in 1990 with Coore & Crenshaw�s design at Kapalua Plantation, the two architects will do all they can to avoid forced carries to greens or at the very least provide alternative routes. If Coore & Crenshaw expire all options and there is no alternative but to create a forced carry to a green, they will likely ala the 8th at Kapalua opt for a one shot hole. By doing so, they guarantee the golfer a level stance and perfect lie to best prepare him to tackle the forced carry. In the case here at the 5th, the natural feature of the gully was an obvious attraction to Coore as he walked the property in search of the ideal routing. He opted to keep this one shotter modest in length and the three bunkers carved out of the gully�s far bank highlight and enhance the terrain�s brawny nature. However, the hole�s primary defense is its putting green. Along with the monstrous 11th green, this one at 48 yards long is the biggest on the course and features the boldest interior contours. Highly unusual to find a short hole with such a big green, it nonetheless places great emphasis on accuracy as the tee ball must find itself relatively near the hole, be the day�s hole location up front where the green is narrow, or left on top of a ridge or well back right. Otherwise, a three putt (or worse!) is almost the assured outcome. So good is the green and its playing qualities that the author places this hole with any of the world�s finest holes of similar length, including the 9th at Myopia Hunt Club (a particular favorite of Mike Keiser�s) and the 15th at Cypress Point. In its own way, the bold contours within the large green place similar demands on the golfer�s short iron tee ball as the 6th at National Golf Links of America, a particular favorite of Ben Crenshaw�s.
Even from this view from the tee, the contours within the 5th green are evident.
As seen from the left front of the 5th green, the green is high in the front before giving
way one and half feet to a lower middle and then rising nearly four feet to the back
edge. According to Coore, 'I'm sure people think we made it up
but the landforms were just there.'
Bandon Dunes Makes Golf Magazines Top 50 Golf Courses
Bandon Dunes, OR, USA
8th hole, 360 yards; A clever hole with five cross bunkers to contend with some 200 yards from the tee. The exceedingly wide fairway beyond encourages the player to open his shoulders. Now the architect has the player, for the approach is much easier from the right side - where there is a bunker - thanks to the slope off the front left greenside bunker. The eighth is a refreshing and original hole and its back left hole location is one of the best hole locations of the resort's fifty-four holes.
The challenge off the eighth tee is evident.
10th hole, 360 yards; The tenth has a wonderful golf quality that is too rarely seen, the kind of hole in that there is no one right way to play it. Though the ocean holes get the attention for all the obvious reasons, the interior holes at Bandon Dunes best display Kidd's talents. Though plenty of dirt was moved to create the 10th, a number of interesting angles are the worthwhile result. The best angle into the green is from the left edge of the fairway but on the other hand, the shortest route to the green is straight ahead off the tee. You decide, and the odds are that during your stay, you will experiment with the different approach angles into the green. The strategy is reminiscent of Riviera�s all-world 10th hole and anytime that is drawn on as inspiration, promising golf follows.
Kidd's use of angles makes the tenth an intelligent short par four. As seen above,
the shorter route leaves a blind approach.
11th hole, 385 yards; With a bunkering scheme evocative of the 12th at Sunningdale Old, Kidd tries to lull the golfer to play to the right on both his tee ball and approach shot, and from either location, Kidd's trap is sprung. There are a series of bunkers down the left hand side of the fairway and miles of room to the right but the angle from the right into the green is a miserable one as the right front greenside bunker must be contended with and the green is pitched from right to left and runs away from the player. The one bunker guarding the front-right corner of the green dominates the approach and the cautious player is tempted to play to the right where little trouble seems to lurk. Of course, once there, his flop pitch is desperately difficult as he must get it up on top of the ridge while stopping it on the green which runs away from him.
The closer the tee ball comes to these bunkers down the left of the twelfth fairway,
the better one's angle is into the right to left sloping green.
12th hole, 200 yards; A good example of Scottish frugality, this time with bunkering. There is but one bunker here, but that is all the player sees, thanks to its steep revetted face. The green is similar to the Road Hole with both the angle of the green and the key bunker. The cliff makes an altogether satisfactory replacement for the hazard of the road, although it is not as close to the green.
As seen from the right, the single bunker dominates the play at the one shot twelfth.
14th hole, 360 yards; Kidd's favorite hole and yet another appealing two shotter under 400 yards. A precise tee shot needs to carry a bunker some 205 yards from the tee that is smack in the middle of the fairway while still staying short of or to the side of another fairway bunker at the 235 yard mark. On top of that, the hole plays into the prevailing wind. The angled green is tucked against the hillside and offers the best approach from the left.
The attractive backdrop to the 14th green.
15th hole, 185 yards; As with the 11th and 12th, one bunker dominates the green. At 14 feet deep, this green side bunker also happens to be the deepest one on the course. The green sits on top of an exposed knob and offers no help whatsoever to those who miss the green. It would not be difficult to imagine the golfer having difficulty finding the green with their first shot, let alone their second. Great satisfaction follows a well struck shot, especially since the hole was further enhanced when the tee was moved twenty yards to the right during the winter of 2000/2001.
The difficult uphill 15th, with the challenging greenside bunker guarding the front right.
16th hole, 365 yards; A rarity, in the sense that the hole definitely plays better in a particular wind direction. In this case, that is downwind and there is simply no more thrilling shot at the resort than trying to drive the green with a favorable breeze helping. Watching a ball in line with the cliffside trying to navigate successfully to the green is a treat. Although a superb drive is required, the green is open from this angle and fairly receptive. Conversely, for the average golfer or if its into the wind, the second shot becomes the focus of the hole after a lay up off the tee to the fairway. The single pot bunker that is flush against the center of the green dictates the approach, depending on the angle of approach. The further towards the cliff the tee ball is played, the more open (but blind) the approach is. From the left side the golfer stares at the throat of the bunker and must decide whether their wedge play is sharp enough to try to carry the bunker to a middle or left pin, or play to the wide part of this large green. Once again, what the bunkers lack in size, they make up for in bite and can easily help ratchet up the score.
The stunning 16th hole, the golfers last taste of the Pacific.
In hindsight, Bandon Dunes faced a difficult task of maintaining its initial acclaim when golf's top two architectural firms (Doak's Renascence and Coore & Crenshaw) followed it with the second and third courses at the resort. For instance, Coore's tremendous routing at Bandon Trails highlights some of the routing weakness at Bandon Dunes. Given that there was no real estate concerns and a relatively blank canvas, the golfer is faced with several regretable long tee to green walks at Bandon Dunes. More importantly, the starting and finishing points of the first, ninth and and eighteenth holes are the least distinctive holes on the course.
Fortunately, Kidd continues to refine Bandon Dunes (ironically, a sign that it wasn't as good as everyone initially thought). In the winter of 2000/2001 alone, the second and sixth green complexes were grassed in and made more playable, the ninth and 15th tees were relocated to their ideal locations, and the 17th fairway and its bunkering was dramatically enhanced down the left hand side. Kidd�s ability to implement strategic golf holes and effective use of bunkers show the promise that lies ahead in a career that has already led him to several other wonderful commissions throughout the world.
Pacific Dunes Named Top 10 Golf Course in America by Golf Magazine
Pacific Dunes, OR, USA
Green Keeper: Jeff Sutherland
14th hole, 135 yards; Hitting from one dune across a valley to a green which was found by lopping off the top of another dune, this is an altogether clever hole with everything falling away from the plateau green. Any ball that fails to find its mark may well end up fifteen or more yards from the green.
The 14th plays along a ridge line with trouble (often severe) both right and left. This is
the golfer's last view of the ocean as the course turns inland for the final four holes.
15th, 540 yards; Along with the 12th, the 15th was the hole that always concerned Keiser as the golfer for the last time must cross the plain. Coupled with the fact that the golfer is leaving behind the ocean for good, no one wanted there to be any sense of a let down. There won�t be, as this hole offers that rare example of a hole that plays almost quite well whether downwind or into the wind. The green is loosely modeled after the Foxy Hole at Royal Dornoch. Downwind the golfer will need to squeeze his drive into a narrow neck to have a chance of reaching it in two and the sense of bounding a long-iron up onto the plateau green makes for fine drama. Into the wind, the fairway is an obstacle course as the player must negotiate a number of bunkers, the primary one of which is one smack in the middle of the fairway some 90 yards short of the green.
The view from the 15th tee shows the nest of bunkers 220 to 90 yards from
the green with which the golfer hopes to get past in two. Tne last one at
90 yards from the green is in the middle of the fairway.
As this view from the 16th tee shows, there is no need for greenside bunkering on the 15th.
The property for the fourth course (Old Macdonald) is in the distance.
16th hole, 340 yards; A favorite kind of hole, where the sight of the flag to the right lures the golfer further in that direction than is wise. In fact, the ideal play into this angled green is from the far outside of the dogleg, a tact that Renaissance also employed with great success at the 5th at Riverfront GC. In this case, the difficulty is compounded by one of the lumpiest fairways on the course and a short iron from an awkward stance is never a bargain. The green is on a natural shelf at the base of a sand dune and in a similar vien to the 6th, a birdie will prove far more elusive than the yardage indicates. With the wind from the north (behind and left to right), the player may also bash his drive near the green, taking his chances on getting a decent lie and stance in the hollow short and right of the green. From there, though, the 30-yard pitch is difficult enough to have players argue as to whether they would rather be 100 yards out in the fairway or 20 yards short of the green. The aspect of having appealing two shotters under 350 yards was foremost in Doak�s mind when he routed the course. Many of his favorite courses in the world � Crystal Downs, St. Andrews Old, Royal Melbourne West, Pine Valley � have such holes and Doak was determined for this to be the case at Pacific Dunes as well.
Finding a level stance is part of the challenge to approaching the 16th green.
The wonderful shelf green at the 16th, the angle of which suggests
that approaches be played to it from the outside of the dogleg.
As the approach to the 16th is typically downwind, a 'good' pitch will often land short of
the center of the green only to find this back bunker to the left of the green.
17th hole, 210 yards; Located in a sea of gorse, this one shotter is visually impressive. The four degree right to left slope in the 8,500 square foot green coupled with the ten foot deep left front bunker create much of a classic Redan dilemma. Considering that the vast majority of modern courses that are built in windy environs put too much of a strain on the average golfer, Doak cleared a wide area to the right of the green so that the hole remains playable in even the summer winds. However, for those who like to see the screws tightened on the penultimate hole, some will lament the absence of the back right bunkering normally associated with a classic Redan.
The dramatic 17th: the play is over the bunker in the foreground
(which is 40 yards short of the green) and then let the right
to left slope of the land do the rest of the work.
18th hole, 590 yards; Played through a valley between two dunes, Don Placek�s detailed bunkering work makes the hole. Of special interest is the unique green side bunker that visually appears as one with another one that is actually sixty yards away on the far hillside. Such artistry is rarely found in golf architecture today and comes when the architect has his best people on site for as long as possible.
Placek's bunkering makes the 18th hole.
Having looked at the holes individually, one interesting aspect of the course is found in studying its routing: the lumpy, bumpy 1st and 2nd fairways which lead to the plain that the 3rd, 4th, and 6th fairways are on before returning to the dune country for the 8th and 9th holes. The back nine enjoys the same change of pace: the par five 12th fairway shares the same plain as the 3rd and 4th and leads the golfer into the dunes for the mighty 13th with its heaving fairway. However, the 15th fairway returns again across the once gorse filled plain and leads to two of the lumpiest fairways on the course, the 16th and 18th. Such to-ing and fro-ing is nothing short of ideal. Doak used three of the three-shotters (3, 12, and 15) to chew up the plain.
Given that Pacific Dunes enjoys one of the thirty or so finest sites ever for a golf course, does the design equal the setting? Absolutely, as is partially evidenced by its world top twenty status by GOLF Magazine. In the past, the quality of some of Doak's designs have been undermined by poor maintenance practices (e.g. Lost Dunes is consistently too wet while Apache Stronghold suffers from poor turf quality). Mercifully for Doak, here on one of his greatest canvases, he was blessed with an excellent green keeping crew right from the start. Green Keepers Troy Russell and Ken Nice originally oversaw the grow-in and the green keeping for its first several years. When Nice assumed responsibilities for the sister course Bandon Trails, Jeff Sutherland stepped in. The end result is that these three men and their crew have achieved uniform fast and firm playing conditions throughout. The golfer has multiple options on how to play his approach shot into such greens as the second, fifth and eighth. Whether he elects to bank the ball off the short grass that surrounds these greens or play toward the middle of the greens in a more conventional manner, all options are available to him. In addition, the firm conditions allow Pacific Dunes to provide the raw challenge associated with the world's finest links. If greens like the sixth and sixteenth were soft and holding, the course's requirement for precise approach shots would be diluted. Fortunately, such is not the case. The right men are in place and the fast playing conditions throughout the course are as good as any in the United States, allowing this design to reach its full potential.
Bill Coore made the most meaningful remark about Pacific Dunes when he said to a group of architects in March, 2001, 'Pacific Dunes is the highest compliment to golf course architecture and it is what we should all strive for.' Every student of architecture � as well as every golfer � needs to make the trip to see how special golf can be when the design equals its glorious setting.
The craftmanship and strategy on offer at Pacific Dunes is the equal of its setting.
This bunker complex is between the 4th and 12th fairways.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Oregon Golf's Eight-place Finish At Hawaii-Hilo Best Since 2001
(UWIRE) EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon men’s golf team shot a combined 5-under-par last week at the University of Hawaii-Hilo Intercollegiate, good for an eighth-place finish. The finish was the Ducks’ best at the tournament since finishing fourth in 2001.
For Oregon, Pa’auilo, Hawaii native Sean Maekawa led the way, shooting an even par 70 in the final round to finish tied for No. 23 at 1-under-par. He was followed by fellow freshmen Jack Dukeminier and Isaiah Telles, who both shot 1-over-par in the final round to finish tied for No. 26 at even par for the tournament.
Senior Joey Benedetti shot a final round 70 to finish 39th and Derek Sipe shot the Ducks’ low round of the last day at 69 to finish 47th.
No. 10 Stanford shot a combined 27-under-par to win the event for the second year in a row, edging out No. 8 USC and Arizona State by three strokes. Sun Devil Jesper Kennegard won the individual honors with a final round 66 to finish at 13-under-par for the tournament.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)