Changes Could Be Coming Soon for the Way
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PRESORT STD APRIL U.S. Postage THE SOURCE FOR NORTHWEST GOLF NEWS PAID 2021 ISSUE The oldest golf publication in the Northwest – Since 1988 Port Townsend, WA Permit 262 Southwest Washington is loaded with high quality golf courses Inside Golf takes a look at Southwest Washington and what the courses in this region have to offer. We’ll also explore some of the options golfers have while traveling with an RV and the overnight parking at golf courses like Sage Hills in Warden, Wash. (right). Many of the courses in SW Washington are close to the I-5 corridor. See the special section for more. WHAT’S NEW Changes could be coming soon for the way IN NW GOLF amateurs receive prizes and keep eligibility The USGA and The R&A have announced propos- position in the game and the value in maintaining ers. To achieve this simplified approach, the following als for significant changes to the Rules of Amateur amateur status Rules to safeguard all the ways golf is key changes are proposed: Status that govern the game worldwide. played and enjoyed. • Eliminating the distinction between cash prizes Clarkston native Dahmen These proposals result from a modernization initia- The result is a set of Rules that redefine the distinc- and other prizes. scores first win on Tour tive that has identified a clear need to bring the Rules tion between amateur and professional golf and provide • Using the prize limit as the only way an amateur up to date to reflect today’s global amateur game and a condition of eligibility – amateur status – for amateurs can lose amateur status through their play (meaning Pacific Northwest native Joel Dahmen has ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply. who compete in golf competitions. that entering or playing a competition as a professional found his way into the PGA Tour winner’s circle The proposed Rules, along with explanations to As part of the modernization effort, it is proposed would not, of itself, result in the loss of a player’s by winning the Corales Puntacana Resort and key changes, have been posted on usga.org and randa. that the new Rules will identify only three acts that will amateur status). Club Championship. It was the first PGA Tour victory for the org and the organizations are now inviting feedback result in a golfer losing their amateur status: • Removing restrictions from the Rules surrounding 33-year-old Dahmen, who is from Clarkston, from golfers and stakeholders. Comments were ac- • Accepting a prize in excess of the prize limit. competitions such as long-drive events, putting com- Wash. and went to the University of Wash- cepted through Friday, March 26, with the new Rules • Accepting payment for giving instruction. petitions and skills competitions that are not played as ington. Dahmen finished the tournament at 12 scheduled to be adopted on January 1, 2022. • Accepting employment as a golf club professional part of a tee-to-hole competition; and under par winning by one shot. This review reaffirmed amateur golf’s important or membership of an association of professional golf- • Eliminating all sponsorship restrictions. Dahmen had finished second twice on the PGA Tour and had 12 top-10 finishes before notching his first PGA Tour career victory. Tacoma’s Highlands celebrates 90th anniversary in 2021 Central Oregon Shootout The win comes with plenty of perks - includ- ing being exempt on the PGA Tour through 2022, an invite to this year’s PGA Championship returns with a three-day and an invite to next year’s Players Champion- ship. tournament at some of the Congratulations Joel. area’s best golf courses Looking for a tournament? The 2021 Central Oregon Shootout is set for April 23-25 at some of Central Oregon’s top golf courses There are plenty to choose including Black Butte, Eagle Crest and Aspen Lakes. If you are looking to stay competitive in the But things might look a little different this year due 2021 golf season, the Pacific Northwest Golf to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Association and WA Golf make it easy for you There will be no Thursday evening gathering, with a series of some terrific tournament. Here everyone will get their Tee prizes the morning of the is a look at what they offer for 2021 for both the first day of play in correspondence with flighted course PNGA and WA Golf. PNGA tournaments: rotations. • June 8-10: Senior Men’s Amateur at Wine The fee as is the same $650 per team. In lieu of the Valley, Walla Walla, Wash. Thursday eve gathering, an increase in the value of Tee • June 8-10: Super Senior Men’s Amateur Prizes & KP’s prizes will take place. at Wine Valley, Walla Walla, Wash. The tournament format calls for three different • June 8-10: Senior Women’s Amateur at formats including best ball, scramble and stableford. Wine Valley, Walla Walla, Wash. The plan is calling for split tees and tee times instead • June 8-10: Super Senior Women’s Ama- of a shotgun. Tee times will most likely start at 9:30 teur at Wine Valley, Walla Walla, Wash. a.m. • July 19-23: Women’s Amateur at The Home Course, DuPont, Wash. All Team members are encouraged to ride together. If • July 19-23: Women’s Mid-Amateur at The you traveled together, are staying together and playing Home Course, DuPont, Wash. together, you can ride together. There will be two carts • July 26-31: Men’s Amateur at The Idaho per group, you can decide to walk or ride. Club, Sandpoint, Idaho. For questions call 541-595-1292 or email Dmc- WA Golf Championships: [email protected]. • May 13-14: Men’s Four-Ball at Desert Canyon, Orondo, Wash. • May 13-14: Senior Men’s Four-Ball at Desert Canyon, Orondo, Wash. Chambers Bay will be in May 17-18: Women’s Four-Ball at Rainier Golf and CC, Seattle. the USGA spotlight when • June 15-16: Senior and Super Senior Women’s Amateur at Fairwood CC, Renton. • June 15-17: Women’s Amateur and Mid- it hosts Four-Ball in May Amateur at Fairwood CC, Renton. Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash. will find See www.thepnga.org for more events. itself in the national spotlight again when it hosts the USGA Men’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship May Rules Quiz 22-26. Chambers Bay, along with The Home Course in A player chips his third shot up a hill in stroke DuPont, Wash. will host the first two qualifying rounds play. The ball didn’t quite make it to the top of of the tournament before the teams who qualify get set the hill and began to roll back to him. While it is for the match play part of the tournament. rolling back down the hill, he moved a divot he had This will be the first USGA championship to be held created out of the way so that the ball didn’t hit it. He chipped and putts to complete the hole. He at Chambers Bay since the 2015 United States Open that was won by Jordan Spieth. The U.S. Amateur in didn’t know that moving that loose impediment Highlands Golf Course in Tacoma is hitting a milestone this summer with its 90th an- was not allowed and returned his scorecard with 2010 was also held at Chambers Bay and The Home a score of 6 for the hole. The Committee became niversary. The course, which sits along Highway 16 near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, has Course was again the companion course for that tourna- aware of his actions before the competition was undergone several improvements led by new owner Jack Connelly. One of the biggest has ment as well. completed. As the lead official how would you been the re-modeling of the clubhouse and opening of a new restaurant and outdoor patio For more information on the USGA Four-Ball rule? See Page 2 for the answer. area. More improvements are on the way to the course. See inside for more on Highlands. Championship, see www.usga.org. • Page 2 • • InsIde Comments • • Inside Golf - April Issue 2021 • Wildfire Golf Club: Even the sand traps are a treat at this Phoenix-area golf resort As we stepped to the first tee of the Wildfire’s Faldo Course, the starter gave us his usual spiel. Make sure to use a 90-degree rule, stay away from the greens with the carts, the fact there will be a beverage cart rolling around the course and where Bob Marlatt the rest rooms are located (always important when Publisher there is a beverage cart roaming the premises of course). Steve Turcotte And one last nugget he threw in there. “Enjoy Editor-Advertising the 108 bunkers.” Did we hear him right? Yes, enjoy Steve the 108 bunkers. That’s 1-0-8. And after 18 holes Kathy Marlatt at the Wildfire Faldo Course, we found plenty of Turcotte Operations Manager them. And these just weren’t little guys around the fairways and greens, some of these were so big it the Faldo Course winds around the hotel and swim- Contributing Writers looked like a desert. ming pools. It’s enough to distract you for a while, Jeff Coston, Pat Campbell, But I will say that is what makes the Faldo until you hit a ball in one of those 108 bunkers. Ryan Young Course at Wildfire a treat - the bunkers, the large But it is a treat and if you are looking for a place greens, the inviting fairways and the surround to get spoiled for a day, this is the place.