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TOURNAMENTS PGA club professional tourney begins in Florida October 24

TOURNAMENTS, 11 A few of the club pros and "a lot of members wanted it," is par 71, but has a United States STATISTICS, 12 apprentices who play in the initial according to Ken Anderson, PGA Association rating of 72.4. The series of tournaments set to start in tournament administrator. "It course's 83 sand traps and steady NEW GOLF COURSES, 12 Florida later this month may feel provides them, especially the guys wind make it play much longer than COMPANIES, 12 uncomfortable at some point, up north, with a place to play other its 6,819 yards, says club pro Dave TRAINING & EDUCATION, 12 believing their game has left them than Disney World," he said, Lidele. The Pete Dye-designed and that it cannot be retrieved. The RENOVATIONS, 12 referring to the five tournaments course also features Bahia grass, a uneasiness may strike in late held each winter at the complex. wiry Argentinian turf which makes LABOR, 12 afternoon following a drive that has PGA officials hope the series will the golf ball difficult to control sunk into one of those fairway- gain more stature than the isolated around the greens. length "waste bunkers" at John's tournaments for club pros The series' next 72 holes will be Island Country Club; or maybe sponsored every so often by an played at the 7,174-yard Sawgrass while looking for a ball sliced into individual or corporation. Country Club in Jacksonville. This the Tifdwarf bermuda rough at One way to accomplish this 31/2-year-old course is par 72 and , where goal is returning almost all of the has water hazards on 15 holes. Mark Hayes won the Tournament entry fees to the players and Hayes scored 289 here at by shooting another is choosing top-quality golf Tournament Players Championship one-over-par. Alas, it is not the sun, courses. The John's Island course in March, the highest winning score but the Professional Golfers' Association's selection of courses for their first winter tour that should give club pros the test of skill many have requested. PGA CLUB PROFESSIONAL TOURNAMENTS The club professional tournament series will begin FIRSTSERIES: October 24 at John's Island's north Oct. 24-25, 27-28 John's Island CO, Vero Beach, Fla. course in Vero Beach, Fla., and Oct. 31, Nov. 1,2-3 Sawgrass CO, Jacksonville, Fla. finish March 3 at Woodlake Country Club in San Antonio. SECOND SERIES: Between these two events will be 26 Nov. 17-18,21-22 Boca West CC, Boca Raton, Fla. 28-29, Dec. 1-2 other tournaments in Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas for THIRD SERIES: the estimated 13,000 club pros and Dec. 5-6 Mayacoo Lakes CC, West Palm Beach, Fla. registered apprentices across the Dec. 8-9 Indian Springs CC, Boynton Beach, Fla. Dec. 12-13, 15-16 nation. Eastpointe CC, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. PGA officials have decided on FOURTH SERIES: a format of seven "series" of Jan.5-6, 9-10 Singing Hills CC, San Diego, Calif. tournaments, each series Jan. 12-13, 16-17 Carlton Oaks CC, San Diego, Calif. consisting of four 36-hole events. FIFTH SERIES: Club pros and apprentices must Jan. 19-20 Stardust CC, San Diego, Calif. apply to play in each series and Jan.23-24 San Luis Rey CC, Bonsall, Calif. only 160 golfers will be allowed to Jan. 27-28, 30-31 Desert Hills CC, Yuma, Ariz. participate on a first-come, first- SIXTH SERIES: served basis. The cost for each Feb.6-7 Kingwood CC, Houston, Tex. series is $1,050, including $50 for Feb.9-10 River Plantation CC, Conroe, Tex. the PGA's administrative costs. The Feb. 13-14, 16-17 Bear Creek Golf World, Houston, Tex. remainder will be divvied up for prizes, but no formula has yet been SEVENTH SERIES: Feb. 20-21 Woodlake CC, San Antonio, Tex. decided on by PGA officials. Feb. 23-24, 27-28 Pecan Valley CC, San Antonio, Tex. The association hierarchy says March 2-3 Woodlake CC, San Antonio, Tex. it has established the series since of any PGA tour championship this year. The deadline to apply for each RENOVATIONS series is about two weeks before it will begin, Anderson said. Club pros who have played in 12 or CCC makes changes more PGA championships, in club and course excluding the four major championships and the Canadian Improvements have continued at Open, are not eligible. Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Md., even after last year's National PGA Cham- pionship. In the clubhouse, a gas-fired imitation lava rock grill STATISTICS has replaced an electric unit in the mixed grill room. Meat cooked on Municipal golf survey The approach to the seventh the new apparatus drops juice onto available from NGF green is typical of the the rocks, which shoot flavorful tough new Magnolia course. TRAINING & EDUCATION smoke back to the meat. As a Women make up 23 percent of special feature, the grill can be put golfers at municipal courses in the Twenty-seven holes have been on a slant so that steaks can be urban areas of states on the Pacific built and 36 more are planned at Assistant pros may get cooked to varying degrees of Coast; there are hardly any club the residential-resort community. financial assistance "doneness" at the same time, sim- managers at these facilities across The latest nine, the "Magnolia," ply by putting pieces to be well- the country who belong to the club is a par 36 and measures 3,216 Golf shops in Maryland and done on the lower end of the grill. managers association; and, a yard. It was designed by touring Virginia have been approved to Also, casters have been put on majority of municipal courses in the pro Arnold Palmer and GOLF provide on-the-job training under a the chairs so that diners can turn rural areas of 18 states aren't BUSINESS Advisory Board mem- Gl educational benefits program in- either way to chat with neighbors — earning a profit. ber/ architect Ed Seay. itiated by Tom Kennedy, assistant creating a more informal, friendly These are some of the findings The 3,500-acre development, to head professional Steve Tobash atmosphere. from a National Golf Foundation which is connected by a causeway of Army Navy Country Club, As a result, business has in- survey of the country's 9- and 18- to the mainland, also includes a Arlington, Va. Kennedy, the first to creased 20 percent in the 120-seat hole municipal golf courses, tennis club, swimming complex, qualify for training benefits as an room, according to manager Kim "covering all facets," says NGF and clubhouse. assistant golf shop manager, is Saal. Executive Director Don A. Rossi. chairman of veterans benefits for Out on the course, a new, There are gads of numbers on the Middle Atlantic PGA Section's fourth nine designed by George greens fees, the amount of rounds assistants committee. and Tom Fazio has been seeded played and by whom, golf car and Ten assistant pros had qualified and should be ready for play next financial operating statistics, pro for the benefit as of July. They will summer — giving CCC two 18-hole shops and how club pros earn their COMPANIES receive up to $3,000 in monthly courses. The new nine holes on the money. The survey splits the benefit payments over a 2-year other side of bordering Persim- country's municipal courses into Toro distributorships period. mon Tree Rd. will be reached nine urban and rural sections, so sold in two cities It is possible that other assis- through a new tunnel under the operators can compare their tants in other states could receive road. They will connect with the course with others in the immediate similar benefits. The first step, Ken- "middle" nine at the fifth hole and area as well as with those from The Toro Co., Minneapolis, has nedy points out, is to get the ap- be holes 6 through 14. A halfway other parts of the nation. sold two more of its branch proval agency in the state, usually house will be built at the 10th tee. distribution centers, leaving the firm The survey is available from the department of education, to ap- The new 18 will measure 6,706 three company-owned centers in foundation headquarters for $1. prove the program. Then applica- yards from the back and 6,248 metropolitan Los Angeles, San The address is 200 Castlewood tion for benefits must be made to from the middle tees — compared Francisco, and New York. Dr., North Palm Beach, FL 33408. the Veterans Administration. with 7,075 and 6,560 for the cham- The Cleveland area franchise Golf professionals seeking in- pionship course. was sold to a former Toro formation should contact their state employee, William Schaefer, and department of education or nearest Carl Krasny, chairman of a VA office. nonrelated Cleveland-based firm. NEW GOLF COURSES The firm will handle turf and irrigation products and operate U\BOR from Solon, an eastern suburb. It Course adds nine will be called Schaefer Turf and designed by Palmer Irrigation Co. Minimum wage boost The Pittsburgh center was sold passed by the House Nine new holes featuring five to Richard B. Spitler of Stone doglegs and five water hazards Mountain, Ga„ and George C. Minimum wage legislation which have opened at The Landings on Gumm of Carmel, Ind. They will will further boost labor costs for Skidaway Island, Ga. handle only consumer products. clubs was moving through