VISIT THE GOLF ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA WEB SITE AT WWW.GAPGOLF.ORG FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND NOTES Harold McFarland & Maxwell R. Marston July/August 2009 Volume 3 • Issue 3 2009 Hall of Fame Class INSIDEINSIDE Member Club Spotlight: West Chester G&CC Is your course down with brown? WALKER CUP VISITS ICONIC MERION GC Permit No. 1158 No. Permit Bellmawr, NJ Bellmawr, PAID U.S Postage U.S PRSRT STD PRSRT President’s Letter Golf Association Promoting Junior Golf of Philadelphia Executive Committee inutes of the 1922 Annual Meeting of the Golf Association of ––––––––––––––––––– Philadelphia include a report from John Franklin Meehan, a fine President: M amateur player, golf course architect/contractor and the president Mr. Richard P. Meehan, Jr. of several member clubs with ties to North Hills Country Club, Sandy Run Huntingdon Valley Country Club Country Club and Spring Ford Country Club. His biggest contribution to Vice-President: golf in Philadelphia may be his efforts to promote junior golf in the early Mr. J. Clark O’Donoghue years of the 20th century. Riverton Country Club Frank Meehan was a devoted advocate of junior golf; he is credited Treasurer: with lifting the prestige and conduct of the Golf Association’s junior champi- Mr. Frank E. Rutan, IV onship. In his report as chairman of the Association’s committee on junior Philadelphia Cricket Club championships, he urged his colleagues to conduct the Junior Secretary: Championship under the same high standards as the Association’s premier GAP President Rich Meehan Mr. Christopher J. Terebesi events, the Amateur and Open championships. Chester Valley Golf Club Eighty-seven years later, on July 29, the atmosphere was exciting at Merchantville Country Club on General Counsel: the first day of match play. Blaise Straka, head PGA golf professional at Merchantville, announced the Mr. A. Fred Ruttenberg names of contestants on the first tee while club members, including President Roy Gustafson, applauded Woodcrest Country Club the players and watched some fine golf. I am not describing the scene at the Association’s Open or Immediate Past President: Amateur championships; I was on hand for the Association’s Junior-Junior Championship for boys Mr. Daniel B. Burton between the ages of 10 and 13. Bent Creek Country Club By the smiles all around, the Merchantville members seemed to appreciate the player introductions as much as the juniors. It seems that the goal of Frank Meehan, to conduct the junior championships at Executive Committee: Mr. J. Kenneth Croney the same high level as the championships for adults, was met and surpassed. Sunnybrook Golf Club In fact, the Association staff and volunteers strive to hold all Association events at the highest level. Dr. Thomas G. Frazier We appreciate your feedback to improve the tournament experience. The best of competition and sports- Gulph Mills Golf Club manship was on display in our recent championships as was just the simple joy of playing the game. Mr. John C. Holsten I witnessed pure joy at the second annual Brewer Cup when Michael Dougherty of Huntingdon Aronimink Golf Club Valley Country Club holed his final putt to win in front of O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., himself and supporting Mr. William H. Iredale fellow club friends who came to follow the final match. Rich Steinmetz, PGA Professional from Spring Merion Golf Club Ford Country Club, outlasted a rain delay and a talented field to win the Open Championship at Bent Mr. Andy M. Karff Creek Country Club. Conrad Von Borsig, of Concord Country Club and the Association’s reigning Philmont Country Club Amateur champion, finished as the low amateur. Mr. John M. LeBoeuf Our last major of the year produced a new champion with a familiar name. James Kania, Jr., Philadelphia Country Club matched his father’s record by winning the Patterson Cup at historic Llanerch Country Club to become Mr. Chip Lutz the first father and son to complete the feat. The win for James also produced his first Silver Cross LedgeRock Golf Club honor, also matching his father’s achievement. James, Conrad and many other fine graduates of the Mr. Robin S. McCool Saucon Valley Country Club Association’s junior tournaments are competing well and with fine sportsmanship. The Association continues to promote the game and keep members informed through our magazine, Mr. J. Stacey Redican Sandy Run Country Club Web site and electronic handicap revisions with Association news. Spreading the positive message of golf Mr. Terrence J. Sawyer has been harder as many newspapers have been forced to reduce the coverage of golf and several com- Commonwealth National Golf Club mercial regional golf magazines have stopped publishing. We are pleased to welcome MyPhillyGolf.com to Mr. W. Scott Yard the area to provide a source of local and national golf news. MyPhillyGolf.com provides another medium to Whitford Country Club spread news about Association tournaments, highlight member club activities and to promote club mem- bership in the Golf Association. Ex-Officio Mr. Jack C. Endicott Part of the Golf Association’s mission is to promote golf; I’m happy to share some good news in this Manufacturers Golf & Country Club area. Many of our Member Clubs are focused on junior golf as a way to promote the club. Lookaway Golf Club encourages members to invite grandchildren into the junior golf program, Laurel Creek Country Club is running a junior camp open to all area juniors and Merchantville Country Club started a caddie program. Caddie programs are a good way to introduce boys and girls to the game. Some of them may eventually want to join a club. Passing the game to the next generation will bring back the joy that golf has given us. Member club leaders have shared their strategic efforts for the future with me. The blueprint for the future is not the same old, same old. Clubs are evaluating their strengths and rethinking how to deliver their services in order to attract new members. Executive Offices: Many are starting with a blank sheet for budgeting purposes and only including costs that are 1974 Sproul Road, Suite 400, Broomall, PA 19008 necessary to deliver high quality services in an efficient manner. I am encouraged to hear that junior golf initiatives are high on the list of services to be funded by the Association’s Member Clubs. Please Mailing address: P.O. Box 808 • Southeastern, PA 19399-0808 let us know what your club is doing to promote junior golf. Telephone: 610-687-2340 • Fax: 610-687-2082 Web site: www.gapgolf.org VISIT THE GOLF ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA WEB SITE AT WWW.GAPGOLF.ORG FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND NOTES 2 Golf Association News & Notes of Philadelphia The prestigious Eastern Four Ball Huntingdon Valley, Pa., resident Open by carding a 1-over-par 71 at will be competed in the Philadelphia said. “He put his maximum effort his home course in early July… area this year due to the on- into recruiting me. He explained Nicholas Reach, who plays out of going course renovations at everything and showed great inter- the CC of Scranton and Glenmaura Congressional CC. Applebrook GC est in me. He was just an honest National GC, advanced to the semi- and Aronimink GC will share host- person, and that’s what I was look- finals in the U.S. Junior Amateur ing duties for the three-day event ing for in a college golf coach.” Championship, which was held July set for Oct. 23-25. The Eastern Four Galbreath, a graduate of Lower 20-25 at Trump National GC in Ball started in 1970 and has seen Moreland High School, feels that Bedminster, N.J. Reach, of numerous Walker Cup participants Nova Southeastern is a good fit, Moscow, Pa., won four matches and top Amateurs compete over the both academically and athletically. before falling to James Hwang, years. Nathan Smith, a recent “I just really want to go down there 3&2. It was his first, and will be his Walker Cup selection and the cur- and do well in school,” Galbreath, only appearance, in the Junior rent Pennsylvania Golf Association 18, said. “Also, I’d really like to start Amateur. Reach, winner of the 2008 Amateur champion, and partner every tournament that I possibly Christman Cup, will turn 18 next Larry Lis are the defending champi- can. I’d like to improve upon every May… Saucon Valley CC in ons. There is a Middle-Amateur as aspect of my game. I haven’t really Bethlehem, Pa., played host to the Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon well as Senior division… Robert been playing well this summer. I’d Valley CC captured a record four 64th U.S. Women’s Open July 9-12. Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley like to go down there and get my Junior Boys’ Championship titles Eun-Hee-Ji, 23, edged Candie Kung CC will attend Nova Southeastern confidence back.”… Zachary Herr from 2004-08. by a stroke after draining a 20-foot- University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., of Jericho National GC fell to Nick er for birdie on the 72nd hole… in the fall. Galbreath, a four-time McLaughlin of New Castle, N.H., in for the win… Chris Lange of Richard Umani of Philadelphia Junior Boys’ Championship winner a playoff for the AJGA’s Overbrook GC competed in the U.S. Publinks GA traveled across the (2004-05, 07-08) and three-time CorseMax/Philadelphia Runner Senior Open at Crooked Stick GC in pond for the British Senior Open Junior Player of the Year, looks for- Junior on Aug. 13 at Stonewall Carmel, Ind., July 27-Aug.