Maga E Vents O’T Oole Begins Term As Usga P Resident a L Ook Back
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Vol. 1 No. 1 ThMe etropolitan St. Louis CC #16 ly Present ud ed B PLAYERS OF THE Pro y YEAR FOR 2013 UPCOMING EVENTS Exclusive Corporate Partner 2014 USGA E VENTS MEN Skip Berkmeyer US O PEN QUALIFYING May 13 SENIOR MEN Missouri Bluffs GC Jeff Johnson Entry Deadline: April 23 US W OMEN ’S OPEN WOMEN May 20 Catherine Dolan Lake Forest CC Entry Deadline: April 30 SENIOR WOMEN Ellen Port MAGA E VENTS O’T OOLE BEGINS TERM AS USGA P RESIDENT A L OOK BACK ... Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., founder of OLD WARSON CUP From 1941-1944, a Metro Open the MAGA and longtime Executive MAY 3-4 Tournament, with amateur and Director, began his term as president OLD WARSON CC professional divisions, was held of the USGA in February 2014. He - I NVITATIONAL - across the area. The first event becomes the second St. Louis resident to assume the position, following the was held at Lake Park GC (today NORMANDIE AMATEUR legendary Hord Hardin, who was Grand Marias) at 52nd and State May 17-18 USGA president in 1968-69. Streets in East St. Louis. The Normandie GC Rising through the ranks as a rules key match featured Meadow - Entry Deadline: May 10 official, Tom quickly gained a brook’s Tom Draper, who would reputation as one of the very best. EAST SIDE AMATEUR win the 1971 US Senior Ama - Throughout his career, he has June 14-15 teur, and Cardinal Pitcher Dizzy officiated golf at the highest levels, Dean, who played out of Nor - earning the respect and admiration of Lockhaven GC mandie. Draper downed Dean in his counterparts. His ascension to Entry Deadline: June 7 their match. In the following president of the USGA signifies a years, the event would be played break from tradition as he is the first See page 19 for full schedule at Meadowbrook and Normandie to do so coming from the officiating before ending in 1944. side the the game. (Continued on page 3) Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association • 11777 Clayton Rd. • St. Louis, Missouri 63131 314.567.MAGA • Fax: 314.261.9250 • [email protected] The Metropolitan January-February 2014 STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Curt Rohe - [email protected] CURT ’S COMMENTS DIRECTOR , F INANCE Hello, welcome to the first Jennifer Langford - [email protected] edition of The Metropolitan ! We are very excited to launch METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIPS this new, all digital newsletter Amateur Championship to provide current news and Match Play Championship events of the Metropolitan Open Championship Amateur Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship (MAGA). Curt Rohe Junior Amateur Championship Executive Director Senior Amateur Championship You, our members, will Metropolitan Cup Matches exclusively receive The Four-Ball Championship Metropolitan via email eight (8) times in 2014. Four of the Mid-America Junior Cup issues will be bi-monthly, off-season issues, along with 4 monthly editions, keeping you up-to-date with MAGA USGA QUALIFYING ROUNDS news and events during the “golf season.” US Open Qualifying (Local and Sectional) US Senior Open Qualifying We are very excited to have Jim Healey, St. Louis’ golf US Amateur Qualifying historian, join us as our Editor/Publisher of The US Mid-Amateur Qualifying Metropolitan . Jim is the foremost authority of the history US Women’s Mid-Amateur of the game in the St. Louis region. Having written the US Junior Amateur Qualifying book Golfing Before the Arch and worked with several St. US Amateur Public Links Qualifying Louis clubs to write their anniversary / history books. Jim’s US Senior Amateur Qualifying expertise in writing and photography is going to make The US Women’s Open Qualifying Metropolitan one of the finest regional golf association US Amateur Four-Ball newsletters in the country. US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball The all digital, interactive layout will give you the EXECUTIVE BOARD opportunity to experience The Metropolitan via computer, Stanford S. Grossman – President Emeritus tablet or other mobile device. The articles will allow Thomas J. O’Toole, Jr. – Vice-President readers to get updates with direct links to the MAGA Thomas O. Sobbe, Jr. – Vice-President website, WWW.METGA.ORG and other sites M. Ray McCraine – Secretary referenced. Additionally, the format will allow readers to G. Scott Engelbrecht – Treasurer print the newsletter if so desired. G.F. (Rick) Meyer, Jr. – At-Large Member H. Mick Wellington – At-Large Member The first edition will provide our members with a sampling of things to come in the coming year. However, ADVISORY COMMITTEE we also want to hear from you and we want to know what Scott Thomas, Chairman you want to read about. We have setup an email address Dustin Ashby dedicated to The Metropolitan for feedback, it is: Tom Barry [email protected] . This newsletter is for YOU Skip Berkmeyer and it will be about YOU, our individual members. Jim Dunn David Rhoads Enjoy this inaugural edition. If you would like to reach Curt Rohe me at anytime, please email me personally at [email protected]. 2 The Metropolitan January-February 2014 O’T OOLE ASCENDS TO PRESIDENCY (Continued ) CONNECT WITH US ... Tom has been associated with the USGA since 1988 Visit us on FACEBOOK and has served as a Rules official at more than 125 USGA championships, including every U.S. Open since 1990. He Or for the Latest begins his sixth year as a member of the USGA Executive Updates... Committee, having served three years as vice president, and secretary in 2010. In 2013, Tom chaired the At TWITTER Championship and Compensation Committees, while serving on the Audit, Commercial, Handicap, International Team Selection, Management, Rules of Golf and Joint Rules of Golf Committees. Learning the game from the ground up, Tom started RULES OF GOLF CORNER as a caddie, became a rules official, started a golf association and rose at dawn to mark courses. One of the premier administrators in the game, Tom’s rise to the presidency is, USE OF MULTI-FUNCTIONAL to some, long overdue. Considered a populist president by ELECTRONIC DEVICES many, Tom comes into the position with perhaps more knowledge of the game than any of his predecessors. The Rules of Golf have been relaxed in regard to His relationship with Jim Holtgrieve is legendary. use of multi-functional electronic devices (Cell Though ten years his senior, Tom caddied for Jim during Phones) and distance measuring devices (DMDs). You many of his championships, including his win at the 1981 can now use your phone to check on weather U.S. Mid-Amateur at Bellerive CC. It was Holtgrieve who conditions as long as there is nothing on the device first suggested to Tom that he become involved with the that would allow you to measure the temperature or USGA. After introducing him to Tom Meeks, then Senior wind conditions at your specific location. You can also Director of Rules and Competitions, O’Toole was hooked. use the compass on your electronic device as long as it Tom’s passion for the rules of the game became legendary. provides only directional information. His longtime friend, Mike Davis, Executive Director While you can now use these devices you must still of the USGA, believes that Tom’s presidency will mark a be aware of other Rules of Golf that could be violated new era within the USGA. by using them, i.e. unduly delaying play, texting Perhaps it was former USGA president Jim Hyler, another player about what club he used at a particular who has summed it up best: “For 25 years, he has volunteered hole, calling a golf instructor for a swing tip. much of his time to do a lot of great things for golf. It is very The USGA further has announced that DMD’s fitting that he has gone through the ranks. He is someone who will now be allowed at all amateur championships and defined himself early and has remained incredibly passionate qualifiers in 2014. They will still not be allowed at any about golf. He has a rich history, and we are lucky to have him.” of the Open Championships. As long as the Local O’Toole is a partner in the law firm of Mickes Rule allowing DMDs (Laser Rangefinders, GPS or Goldman O’Toole, LLC, where he chairs the firm’s Apps installed on a cell phone) is enacted you can use Business and Corporate Group, with a practice focused on any device or application that measures distance only. real estate. He received both his undergraduate degree The qualifications that make a multi-functional device (1979) and law degree (1985) from St. Louis University. legal have also been changed. Please click this link to Married, he has a 14-year-old son and a seven-month see an excellent flow chart that details these changes. old. A member of Old Warson CC, Tom is well aware of “Can I Use My DMD? ” If you have any doubt if your the challenges facing him during his presidency. DMD is legal always check with the Committee prior “We have to encourage more people to play the game,” to starting your round. O’Toole said. “We have to figure out why golf isn’t growing. We have to be worried about the future of the sport. This is Contributed by Tom Wohlgemuth, MAGA Rules serious. If we are going to be leaders – if we even have a game to Committee. The Rules of Golf Corner will feature a govern – we have to focus on the game’s health.” member of our Rules Committee. 3 2013 Y EAR IN REVIEW GATEWAY CUP MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP For the first time in years, the Metropolitan Season The 18th Metropolitan Match Play Championship at did not commence with the Match Play Championship Old Warson CC had another outstanding field as the in May.