GEORGIAPGA.COM GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM «« MARCH 2011 Future the upswing at Gwinnett course Collins Hill following path of Mystery Valley

By Mike Blum

hen CGL, a Savannah- based course management company, assumed operations of WDeKalb County municipal course Mystery Valley a decade ago, its task was Collins Hill is a rolling, to restore some of the shine to one of tree-lined layout metro Atlanta’s most popular daily fee the back nine and practice facilities. Mystery Valley range on the other. Prior to The company succeeded on that from either I-85 or Georgia 316, and being re-named, the course was count, upgrading the course conditions of elevating the status has drawn a large percentage of its play known as Springbrook GC. and operation at Mystery Valley, of a facility that has struggled to over- from within the county, even with its John Crumbley, who helped oversee which again offers one of the most come a largely negative image that has convenient location to non-Gwinnett the improvements at Mystery Valley as affordable, quality golf experiences in been attached to it for many years. golfers living north or east of Atlanta. the club’s Director of Golf and General the Atlanta area. The one thing Collins Hill GC has The history of Collins Hill GC is a bit Manager, is now CGL’s Director of CGL’s most recent venture is Collins always had going for it is its location in murky, with its origin dating back to the Golf Operations for Mystery Valley and Hill in neighboring Gwinnett the heart of Gwinnett between 1960s. At one time, it was two separate Collins Hill, with Scott Hare the County. The company took over opera- Lawrenceville, Suwanee and Buford. courses on either side of Camp Perrin Director of Golf/GM for Collins Hill. tion of the course on Jan. 1 of this year, The course, which is owned by Rd., with the current clubhouse and and faces a somewhat greater challenge Gwinnett County, is easily accessible front nine on one side of the road and [ See Collins Hill, page 6 ]

Georgia Golf Business Georgia Golf Course Owners Association

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MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 3 Instruction Fore You

3021 Kalah Place, Marietta, GA 30067 770-933-04GA • 770-953-6638 (Fax) golfforegeorgia.com • [email protected] PUBLISHER Golf Media, Inc. • John Barrett EDITOR Mike Blum JUNIOR GOLF COORDINATOR “Hit it Further with Less Effort” Ashley Hanna SOCIAL MEDIA/ CREATIVE SERVICES By Ernie Boshers this swing we coil the energy in Over-swingers: Chelsea Hanson PGA Director of Instruction our backswing and release the CONTRIBUTORS Ernie Boshers The Georgia Trail at Sugarloaf energy through the ball in our stop trying to force the swing. The swing Steve Dinberg downswing. This action is much should build speed. One of the most Al Kooistra Hit it further with less effort. like a rubber band being pulled common reasons for over swinging is golfers Lake-Finlay Image Group Georgia Golf Course Owners Association That statement has been around back and once it is completely try to hit the ball from the top of the swing MARKETING & ADVERTISING golf forever. Most golfers that taut, it is released. Both the easy- with the smaller arm muscles vs. core mus- John Barrett, Sales have ever played this game have swingers and the over-swingers cles. The change of direction from back to Rick Holt, Corporate Sales told themselves that they should not swing can benefit from this analogy. forward is a critical area of the swing. This ART DIRECTOR so hard. They have probably even shared The easy-swingers need the under- little 1/10 of a second is where almost all Lori Montgomery this little tidbit of knowledge with others. standing that the rubber band needs to be swings flaws start. GEORGIA SECTION, We are incredibly smart creatures and we all released to get it to go the maximum dis- PGA OF AMERICA OFFICERS know that when we swing too hard we lose tance. The over-swingers need the I hear constantly about how “PGA President control and miss the center/solid contact understanding that the rubber band can’t Professionals make it so easy.” Club Patrick Richardson, PGA • [email protected] with the ball. The trouble is that we don’t be forced during the release. Can you speed for most professionals is over 125 mph Vice President Brian Stubbs, PGA • know that we swung too hard until after the imagine pulling a rubber band back and and the typical amateur club speed is only 90 [email protected] fact and we see the not-so-perfect result. trying to slow it down at the release in order mph. However, the amateur looks like he is Secretary It helps to understand some of the rea- to guide it? Can you imagine pulling a working and swinging much harder. The Mark Mongell, PGA sons that we swing so hard and what we rubber band back and trying to push it fur- smoothness of the professional swing comes [email protected] Honorary President can do to overcome this innate desire. First ther as it is released? These are two from the transition from the backswing to Jim Arendt, PGA • [email protected] as a general rule, men are the biggest common flaws. the forward swing. This transition is smooth abusers of this swing infraction. It is rare All teachers face the same dilemma. We and slow in order to let the club build CHAPTER PRESIDENTS when a typical female golfer over-swings. I constantly are attempting to get the easy- speed. Central Chapter President am not saying that it doesn’t happen; only swingers to get out of their comfort zone If the club starts off too fast the golfer is Jarred Reneau, PGA • [email protected] East Chapter President that it is rare. Women typically swing too and swing more aggressively and we are trying to force the swing much like trying to Bob Elmore, PGA • [email protected] carefully, trying to control the swing constantly trying to get the over-swingers force the rubber band. This gives a forceful North Chapter President and not releasing the energy from their to contain the violence and hit the ball in appearance and a jerky non-smooth action. Richard Hatcher, PGA • [email protected] coiling action. the fairway. A PGA Teaching Professional can guide you AT- LARGE DIRECTORS Men on the other hand, because of through your swing and show you ways to Daryl Batey, PGA certain aggressive tendencies that require Easy-swingers: increase you distance, accuracy and repeata- [email protected] intensive professional therapy, tend to over- bility by swinging with less effort. Roger Cherico, PGA swing and not maintain their balance and stop trying to control the swing and let it Good luck and may the non-force be [email protected] pace (tempo). It is not completely fair to go. This is not easy and even though it with you! John Crumbley, PGA [email protected] group all women golfers in the same group, sounds easy, do not be misled. We as Jeff Dunovant, PGA or for that matter all male golfers. For fair- humans find it difficult to give up control in You can reach Ernie Boshers at [email protected] ness we’ll group these tendencies into many parts of our life, especially when we 770-487-4653 ext. 1, or at John Godwin, PGA [email protected] easy-swingers and over-swingers instead of want a specific outcome. You want the ball www.gatrail.com. Boshers is the Director Scott Mahr, PGA female and male. to go where you want it and giving up the of Instruction at the Georgia Trail at [email protected] The powerful and effective golf swing is control is a real challenge. Sugarloaf in Duluth Michael Raymond, PGA not designed to be controlled. To produce [email protected]

SENIOR DIVISION President Dan Mullins, PGA • [email protected] INSIDE THIS ISSUE Assistants’ Division President Jared Morton, PGA • [email protected]

FEATURES: Georgia PGA preview ...... 16 Executive Director Mike Paull DEPARTMENTS: Assistant Executive Director/ Masters preview: PGA pro-file: Junior golf Director Scott Gordon ...... Golf Fore Juniors ...... 25 Tournament Director Pat Day, PGA Phil & Tiger 8 Brian Stubbs ...... 18 Operations Manager Eric Wagner

Forecast Section Assistant Traci Waters Georgians in Masters ...... 10 PGA Championship Georgia Golf Business...... 26 field update...... 20 FOREGeorgia is produced by Golf Media, Inc. Davis Love: Golf Talk ...... 28 Copyright ©2010 with all rights reserved. captain...... 12 Mini-Tour preview ...... 21 Reproduction or use, without permission, Georgia tournament schedule ...... 29 of editorial or graphic content is prohibited. Nationwide Tour: Georgia college preview ..22 Georgia PGA web site: www.georgiapga.com. Course reviews ...... 30 Please send press releases Roberto Castro...... 14 GSGA preview ...... 24 to [email protected]

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MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 5 Caption

“What the public got at Mystery Valley, that’s what they can expect at Collins Hill.” —John Crumbley

the modest yardage, although a few of what may be the toughest hole on the holes conclude with slightly uphill the course. approaches, most notably the 9th, the The 11th hole exceeds 400 yards from lone par 5 going out. both the blues and whites, with another Positioning off the tee is vital, with the sloping fairway, this one tilting to the driver staying in the bag most of the way right. The second shot has to carry a lake for longer hitters. Almost that fronts the green, although there is every hole features tree lines some bailout room to the left of another tight to both sides, with the slick putting surface guarded by bunkers downhill 3rd one of the pinching in on either side. few where an errant drive There are only two short par 4s on the might find the refuge of a incoming nine, but neither is a pushover. parallel fairway. The dogleg right 12th has yet another Among the more sharply sloping fairway and green to exacting tee shots is on the match. Keep it under the hole, especially Collins Hill 2nd hole, with a fairway when the pin is cut back left, or suffer upgraded with that tilts severely to the left the consequences. The narrow 18th fea- while the hole bends tures one of the larger greens on the new management slightly to the right. The course, but is not an especially [ Continued from the cover ] landing area is hidden by demanding finishing hole, assuming you Treacherous 4th green the terrain, leaving some stay out of the trees. anxious moments after a tee shot Preceding the 18th are the longest par Crumbley recognized the challenge he, month’s stretch of that hugs a little too close to the left side 3 and par 5 on the course. The tee shot Hare and the Collins Hill staff mild weather, with some of the more and the possibility of rolling into the on the par-3 16th has to negotiate a faced when CGL assumed operation of sloping surfaces sporting some truly trees or a very awkward lie. creek just short of the well-bunkered the club. scary putts from above the hole. Another hole where a decision green as well as trees that pinch in on “There’s been such poor management “The people who have played here in regarding club selection and placement either aside, with the down-and-up 17th for years. There hasn’t been a real super- the past have noticed the changes,” Hare off the tee is vital is the 6th, one of three offering a more generous corridor tee to intendent for some time. Just having says. “Now the place looks like it’s holes in the 300-yard range on the green to offset the ample yardage a bit. somebody doing routine maintenance cared for.” opening nine. The hole turns fairly The incoming nine also includes a pair and putting money into the course; One of the changes that already has sharply to the right, with plenty of of stout par 4s (14 and 15), both of in six months people will see a huge been made was the removal of the back trouble awaiting for those who go left, which have uphill approach shots and difference.” gold tees, leaving Collins Hill with a hit it through the fairway or challenge tiny creeks well short of the green that Crumbley says Collins Hill “is right standard blue-white-red, three-tee align- two small water hazards at the corner of can come into play if you get out of posi- where Mystery Valley was ten years ago. ment. The blue and white tees may be the dogleg. tion or suffer a miss-hit. There was just a small core of people adjusted a bit, lengthening the blues to The 7th hole begins with the lone Given the track record CGL has estab- supporting it.” somewhere between their listed yardage forced carry off the tee, but any well- lished in the Atlanta area with its efforts CGL has a five-year agreement to of around 5,900 yards to something struck shot will make it to the fairway, at Mystery Valley, the regulars at Collins manage Collins Hill, which has been the closer to the former gold yardage of which turns left and a little uphill to one Hill have good things to look forward to. subject of reports in recent years about 6,363. The current white tees are 5,569 of a number of greens that are slightly And those unfamiliar with the course or its lagging financial fortunes and on the card and the reds 4,826, with the elevated with some pronounced drop- having experienced its recent struggles uncertain future. course playing to a par of 71 (72 from offs along the edges. have a reason to give it a fresh look. Improvements to course conditions the forward tees). Several of the putting surfaces, which Under CGL’s management, Mystery have already begun, and with its loca- Even with the absence of length, the tend to be small with minimal Valley has continued its long commit- tion, playability and affordability, slope rating at Collins Hill is 128 from bunkering, have a healthy amount of tilt, ment to junior golf that was spearheaded Crumbley says, “This course will be suc- the sub-5,900-yard blue tees and 122 with the par-3 4th at the top of the list. by former head pro Dave Ayers, and cessful. Anything we do to improve it from the whites. The hole measures barely over 100 yards Collins Hill is positioned to do that in will be a home run. What the public got The two nines play appreciably dif- from the blue and white tees, but if you Gwinnett. at Mystery Valley, that’s what they can ferent. The front is short, narrow and come up a bit short, there’s a good The course offers discount rates for expect at Collins Hill. rolling, with the landing area on several chance your ball will roll halfway back to Gwinnett residents, as well as for juniors “This is a golf course anybody can holes out of view from the tee due to the the tee down the hill. It’s also a distinct and seniors, with the non-resident rates play. It won’t beat you up, it has an inter- terrain. With just one par 5, a string of possibility that putts from above the hole still very affordable. Frequent visitors to esting layout, it’s pretty and it’s fun short par 4s and two par 3s of minimal to a front pin position will wind up in a the course can take advantage of its to play.” distance, the opening nine bears some similar position if you get a little too annual pass. Those who have braved the mostly resemblance to City Club Marietta, with aggressive with them. unpleasant Winter weather since CGL a real chance for scoring provided you The back nine presents more of a For more information on took over have already begun to notice a keep it in play off the tee, which can be a challenge from a yardage standpoint, Collin Hills Golf Club difference both on and off the course. real challenge. and is not much more generous in 770-833-5400 The relatively new Champions Bermuda With several holes playing downhill, terms of width. After a fairly tame, www.collinshillgolf.com greens were rolling nicely during last the front nine can play even shorter than downhill par-5 opener, you encounter

6 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM MARCH 2011 2XWKHUHWKHELJJHVWKDQGLFDSLVNHHSLQJ\RXUKHDGGRZQ

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MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 7 Mickelson nearing Woods’ Augusta win total

shot on 15 after holing out for a 2 on the Phil’s Masters record a match for Tiger’s par-4 14th. Even when Mickelson hasn’t won, as in

TV DINBERG STEVE 2009, he almost upstaged the eventual By Mike Blum (Angel Cabrera) with one of the wildest final rounds by a contender in hen won the Masters. Trailing by seven shots with the 1997 Masters by a 18 holes to play, Mickelson went out in staggering 12 strokes – 30 to close within one of the lead. Despite just a few months into a double bogey at the 12th, he still was in hisW first full season as a tour player – position to win late in the round, but most experts felt it was a foregone con- missed a pair of short birdie putts, as he clusion that he would surpass the six turned a possible 63 (or lower) into a 67. Masters titles amassed by . Woods, meanwhile, has not required When Woods collected his fourth green the kind of theatrics that are almost rou- jacket in 2005, it seemed inevitable that tine for Mickelson to claim his four green he would not only surpass Nicklaus for jackets. He simply demolished the field in career wins in the Masters, but in total ‘97, won a star-studded final round battle majors as well. in 2001 that fizzled in frustrating fashion Woods scored his 14th major triumph at the finish, and plodded his way to one in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in 2008, of the least satisfying fourth rounds in taking the rest of the year off to recuperate golf’s Grand Slam events, it took Phil Masters lore, particularly from some of the tournament history the next year despite a from knee surgery. Mickelson more than a decade as a tour tournament’s greatest champions. Gary scoreboard loaded with the game’s elite. Almost three years later, Woods is still player to capture his first major title – the Player shot 64 on Sunday (30 on the back The lone Woods triumph in Augusta sitting on four Masters titles and 14 2004 Masters. nine) to overtake a host of players in 1978, that actually required some heavy lifting at majors overall, and does not appear to be Mickelson won a major in three straight and Nicklaus matched Player’s back nine the finish on his part came in his 2005 particularly close to adding to either total. years, but after scoring a second victory in score for 65 and a victory over most of the duel with the almost hopelessly outgunned While Woods was winning in Augusta in three years in ‘06, did not win game’s elite players in ‘86. Nick Faldo Chris DiMarco. Woods produced his his first start as a profes- a fourth major title until last year. closed with four birdies on the last six most memorable Masters shot – the off- sional in one of With three victories in Augusta in the holes to shoot 65 and beat the ill-fated the slope chip-in on 16 – and a clutch Tiger last seven years, plus top-10 finishes in 11 Scott Hoch in a 1989 playoff, but like birdie on the first playoff hole, but did his Woods of the past 12 Masters, Mickelson has Player and Nicklaus, was in the advanta- best work of the tournament in the supplanted Woods as the player most geous position of coming from behind in Sunday morning conclusion to the third likely to win over Augusta National’s the final round. round, with no live TV coverage. stretched out layout, at least by those who Mickelson’s win in 2004 was unique in The CBS cameras provided surprising value performance over celebrity. Masters history, in that he began the final evidence of some extremely poor shots by Prior to claiming his first major in day with a lead, lost it fairly early in the Woods down the stretch, but he overcame Augusta in ‘04, Mickelson had numerous round and found himself trailing Ernie his stumbling finish in regulation. close calls in Augusta (four 3rd place fin- Els by three strokes on the back nine. Six years later, Woods is still looking for ishes including three in a row prior to his Sandy Lyle also gave up the lead when he a fifth Masters title, as his record in breakthrough), plus a pair of runner-up won in ‘88, but never trailed by more than Augusta has been transformed from win showings in the U.S. Open and a 3rd and a shot, and other than his famous fairway or don’t contend to contend but don’t a 2nd in the PGA, the latter at Atlanta bunker shot on the 18th, did not produce win. Woods has finished T3, T2, 2nd, T6 Athletic Club in 2001. a whole lot of other heroic moments en and T4 the last five years, squandering an Mickelson never actually gave a major route to his victory. excellent opportunity to win in ‘07 and away (at least until the ‘06 U.S. Open at In two of his three Masters wins, failing to put any sort of pressure on Winged Foot), but was unable to capi- Mickelson has produced a series of high- Trevor Immelman the next year. talize on numerous chances. All that lights on the dramatic group of finishing One of the mostly overlooked aspects changed in ‘04, when he rattled off five holes at Augusta National. Last year’s of Woods’ career record is his inability to birdies on the final seven holes to cap one comeback approximated that of 2004, as win a major championship in which he of the great finishes in Masters history. he played his last seven holes in 4-under, did not have the lead after 54 holes. Twice Final round comebacks are a staple of missing a short eagle putt at the 13th after in ‘07, he was handed control of majors STEVE DINBERG his epic 6- from the pine straw. early in the final round but was unable to Although Mickelson’s win in ‘06 lacked take advantage of either gift. his usual flair, he won in true Mickelson Then came the 2009 PGA at Hazeltine, Masters of the Masters Tiger Woods has four fashion last year, even if he spread out his where be booted away a final round lead Masters titles, the last in 2005. Since then he has moments to remember throughout the for the first time in a major, shooting a week. He began on Thursday with an dismal 75 to lose to Y.E. Yang by three finished 6th or better five straight years. Phil eagle-birdie-birdie run on 13, 14 and 15 after beginning the day two ahead. Mickelson has three Masters victories, all since that positioned him nicely for the rest of Since then, Woods’ carefully con- 2004. He has finished outside the top 10 just the week. structed world has come crashing down on He made Saturday a day to remember, him. He is winless for more than a year, once in the past 12 years. nearly notching three straight eagles on the same trio of holes, just missing a pitch [ See Masters, page 27 ]

8 MARCH 2011 MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 9 STEVE DINBERG 10 from theGeorgia stateline. Floridadent ofnorthwest notallthatfar Georgia Bulldog home have qualified,alongwithformer history. Eight golferswhocallthestate group ofGeorgians inthefieldrecent he moved from Iowa totheGeorgia coast. the Masters in2007,butthatwasbefore coveted green jacket. Tommy Aaron Mize and1973Masters champion Duval Love close, mostnotablySea Island’s victory overvictory astunned giving himatotallyunexpectedplayoff replayed onthe11thhole pitch-and-run in1987,withhismuch Masters history By MikeBlum I The listincludestwoformerMasters This year’s Masters includesthelargest Georgia resident Since Georgians then,afew have come seek greenjacket group of Georgians Large Mize thelasttowinMastersinhomestate and ex-Georgia Tech great GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM . But nonehasbeenabletojoin most memorablevictoriesin golfer lastwontheMasters. t’s been24years sinceaGeorgia champions (Johnson andMize),champions (Johnson Larry MizeLarry a recent British Open champ ( Championship winner as theproud owner ofa Love from the1990s( Zach Johnson ). Afullone-third scored oneofthe ) andaPGA , aresi- David Davis Davis won . champion. finishes The tworunner-up joining Crenshaw asatwo-timeMasters would notcrackdown thestretch, in ‘99,butOlazabalfor aMasters victory deny Crenshaw asecondMasters title. National, butitwasn’t quiteenoughto a spectacular66onSunday atAugusta colleague ofLove’s latefather. Love shot teacher andmentor attended thefuneralearlierthatweek of edged outby Crenshaw, whohad most emotionalMasters ever, Love was a lastsecondspotinthefield. Orleans theweek before Augusta togain invitation listin‘95,winningNew nearlywasleftoffthe 2007, butvery Masterscompeted inevery from 1991to Masters, buthisfirstsince2007.He next year. Cup teamagainstLove atMedinah scheduled tocaptaintheEuropean Ryder Maria Olazabal Crenshaw Sea Island resident to wasrunner-up five-year spaninthe‘90s. The longtime inAugusta,tory finishing2ndtwiceina field, Love hascometheclosesttoavic- selected 2012U.S.Ryder Cup captain. Augusta inApril, alongwiththerecently the state,andallfourwillbeplayingin Georgia residents orattendedcollegein of the2010Ryder Cup teamwere either Love madeanotherstrong challenge In whatturnedouttobeperhapsthe This willbeLove’s inthe 19thstart Of theGeorgians inthisyear’s Masters Georgians infield Jonathan Byrd Bubba Watson Heath Slocum Zach Johnson Stewart Cink Larry Mize Davis Love in 1995andtoSpain’s in ‘99,withOlazabal Harvey Penick Jose Ben , a Immelman was 3rd in‘08behind weekend. He tiedfor10thin2006and timehe’sthe top30every madeittothe made thecutninetimesandfinishedin for since1998. major championshiphehasnotqualified years, withthe2003Masters theonly has played inAugusta 13ofthelast14 since hegraduatedfrom Georgia Tech, the Hawaiian Open. only strong showing wasatiefor9thin four timesin‘03. one ofjusttwotriumphssincehewon his lonetournamenttitlesince2006and ries camein2008theDisney Classic, U.S. Open. Masters by tyingfor6thin the2010 nament. He qualifiedfor this year’s could behislastappearanceinthetour- ends, isfacingthepossibilitythatthis daysaftertheMasterscoming afew since 2007,andwithhis47thbirthday Mickelson the leadwitheventual winner Championship atBaltusrol after sharing that Summer, tyingfor4thinthePGA atasecondmajortitlelater serious run Open at Pinehurst andmade hislast coming in2004. in theMasters forLove, thelastone are amongsixshowings of7thorbetter giving Cinkamuchlesscompressed Championship hasbeenmoved toMay, of expiringandthe Players ceased toexist,theHeritage isindanger where he’s won twice. Heritage ClassiconHilton Head Island, where helives; theMasters andthe the BellSouth Classicat TPC Sugarloaf, compete inthePlayers Championship; consecutive weeks. In order, Cinkwould siderable significancetohiminfour prospect ofplayingfourevents ofcon- years ago,whenhefacedtheannual is notnearlyashecticitwasseveral Augusta thelasttwoyears. In his13Masters Cinkhas starts, Cink In onthe fourstarts West Coast,Love’s The lastofLove’s 20PGA Tour victo- Love hasnotplayed intheMasters In 2005,Love placed6thintheU.S. Since then,theBellSouth Classichas Cink’s lateMarch/early April schedule , whohaslived inmetro Atlanta after 54holes. , butmissedthecutin Trevor Phil [ See Georgians,[ See page27] since 2008,withhisMasters debutin‘03 of ChampionsinHawaii. inthe season withavictory Tournament invitation untilheopenedthe2011 playoff hole,butdidnotearnaMasters highlight reel hole-in-oneonthefourth latelastseasoninLas Vegastory withhis both 2004and‘08. since,hemissedthecutin two starts Callaway Gardens in2002.But inhis rookie inthefinalBuick Challengeat 2003, qualifyingthankstohiswinasa Byrd have longhistoriesinAugusta. remaining Georgians intheMasters field outset ofthe2011schedule. thathampered hisplayatthe injury next fourtournaments,nursingafoot season inHawaii, Johnson skippedthe playoff. out ofthe Watson- Straits, finishinginatiefor3rd, oneshot added asecondmajortitleat Whistling 10th orbetterinamajor. Johnson nearly Championship, itwashisonlyfinishof Masters, anduntillastyear’s PGA not finishedhigherthan20thinthe Augusta inmore than50years. in thefirstover parscore towinin and ademandingcourseset-upresulting victory, withunseasonablycoldweather appearances. He shot1-over 289inhis par forthetournamentinhissixMasters Masters, hasnever matched orbroken Island afterwinningthe‘07 shortly the schedule. played only twoofthefirstsixweeks of onthe a faststart West Coast,where he seasons onthetouranddidnotgetoffto Spring schedule. This willbeByrd’s inamajor firststart Byrd scored PGA hisfourth Tour vic- St. Simons Island resident Other thanMize, noneofthe After playingthefirsttwoweeks ofthe Other thanhisvictory, Johnson has Johnson Cink iscomingoffoneofhispoorest Stewart Cink tied for8thinhisMasters debutin , whomoved toSt. Simons MARCH 2011

Jonathan TV DINBERG STEVE MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 11 Love takes on challenge of Ryder Cup captain Playing experience prepares him for tough task

By Mike Blum three U.S. Opens (1949, ‘75 and ‘90). introduction to the Ryder Cup.” “I would rather not have to make four The selection of Love came as no sur- U.S. captain Tom Watson had told captain’s picks,” Love said. “I watched ince 1995, the team prise to anyone. He is a former PGA Love and playing partner Tom Kite that Corey do it, was an advisor on that. It has won just two of the past eight champion (Winged Foot, 1997), a they were going to play all four matches, was hard to just give advice to a captain Ryder Cups. member of six straight Ryder Cup teams but after drawing Olazabal and on making four picks. Sea Island’s Davis Love was a from 1993-2004), has 20 career PGA Ballesteros in the first three sessions, “The hardest thing to do is going to be Seither a player or assistant captain on five Tour victories and is the son of a Watson altered his plan. to tell those guys that didn’t get picked of those six American teams that lost to PGA professional. “He said, ‘You’re going to get an after- that they didn’t get picked.” their European counterparts, and has Love will be 48 when the 2012 matches noon off’,” Love recalls. “No matter Love has no problem with the two been afforded the opportunity to improve are played September 28-30, and while he what happens, you guys are getting beat additional captain’s picks. both his personal record and that of the remains a competitive player on the PGA up pretty bad.” “I think the system is fine. We identi- U.S. Ryder Cup team. Tour, he has not qualified for the last three Love and Kite won their first fied eight great players and we had four Love was recently named captain for Ryder Cup teams and seems unlikely to encounter with the two Spaniards, but great picks last time. All four picks the 2012 U.S. squad, which will have a do so in his captaincy year. that proved to be the only time Love was played very well. I’ll go back and ask home match when the event is next The European captain will be Spain’s victorious against Olazabal in Ryder Cup Corey how he got to that point, and all played. The host course will be Medinah Jose Maria Olazabal, one of the most play, going 1-4 against him, including a of the former captains I played for and in suburban Chicago, the site of two successful players in Ryder Cup history. 5&4 loss with long time partner Fred get help with making those picks. recent PGA Championships Olazabal competed in seven matches and Couples at the hands of Olazabal and “Ultimately, we just want the 12 (1999 and 2006) and was part of the first two European teams Costantino Rocca in 1999, the last time players that are the most confident and to win on American soil (1987 and ‘95). they faced each other. playing the best when we get back here However, Europe was only 3-4 in Earlier that year, Olazabal had edged to Medinah in 2012.” the seven matches in which Olazabal out Love to win his second Masters title, As a six-time Ryder Cup player (the competed, among them the final and Love recounted a story from the next U.S. was 2-4 with Love on the squad), round comeback by the U.S. at The year’s Masters. Olazabal had brought Love is fully aware of the blame game Country Club in Brookline, Mass., some special Spanish wine for the past played by the media in the aftermath of in 1999, in which Olazabal was a champions’ dinner and had some left a defeat. major participant. over, which he presented to Love. “I’ll never forget sitting besides Lanny Olazabal’s career Ryder Cup record is a “I’ll always remember his generosity, his Wadkins when they had a closing dinner sterling 18-8-5, 16-4-4 in team matches, remembering that he holed a couple of and we all had to sit down and watch the a number of them against Love. Love’s putts coming down the stretch that other team celebrate. He didn’t eat. He overall record is not nearly as gaudy (9- knocked me out of winning a Masters. I had his head hanging down and I 12-5), but is significantly better than know Thursday at the opening cere- thought. I watched Lanny do an incred- Olazabal’s career mark in one area. Love monies we’ll be friends, and Sunday night ible job as captain. He put more passion is 3-1-2 in singles in the Ryder Cup, with when we get done we’ll still be friends. and energy into it. It was the thrill of his Olazabal 2-4-1. He’s a great competitor and a great friend life. And then to lose, and he didn’t do Love and Olazabal have a shared his- and it’s going to be a lot of fun.” one thing wrong.” tory in golf, and Love reflected on it For the next year-and-a-half, Love will As a player, Love knows where the during the recent announcement of his be spending his time as Ryder Cup cap- responsibility lies, and it isn’t who the selection as the U.S. captain. tain promoting the event and captain picks as his wild cards or what “Jose Maria and I go way back. We performing the behind-the-scenes duties order he sends his players out in singles have competed against each other. We required of captains. Then will come the the final day. have shared a lot of trials and tribulations toughest decision a captain has to make “It all comes down to golf, and we through our careers together. He has – the selection of players to fill out the know that golf is a fickle game. It’s not a been a good friend for someone that squad after the automatic qualifiers have fair game. You can play your best and plays the European Tour and that I don’t been determined. still not win. You get bad bounces and see that much. Thanks to 2008 captain , it ultimately comes down to a putt “It’s interesting that we both came out the number of captain’s picks for the here or a putt there, or a shot here or a on our respective tours at the same U.S. team has doubled from two to four, shot there.” time; that my first three Ryder Cup with the automatic qualifiers reduced Love points to the lopsided U.S. loss Davis Love III matches were against Jose Maria and from 10 to 8. , the 2010 in 2004 at Oakland Hills outside

STEVE DINBERG Seve Ballesteros, which is quite an captain, kept that system. Detroit. He was playing in the second match of the opening session with Chad Campbell. “The hardest thing to do is going to be “I hit a bad iron shot on the second hole and I think it cost us the Ryder to tell those guys that didn’t get picked Cup. Didn’t have anything to do with Tiger and Phil. Didn’t have anything to

that they didn’t get picked.” [ See Davis Love, page 27 ]

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MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 13 I don’t think I played too conservatively, but the pins were really tough. You can’t let yourself shoot at every pin.” Castro begins first full The one time he had a chance to win, Castro held the lead in Wichita after 36 and 54 holes, shooting 64-63-67 the first three days with 20 birdies in his first 50 Nationwide Tour season holes. But Castro managed just a pair of birdies the final round despite hitting 15 greens in regulation. Tech grad looks to build on mini-tour successes Castro began the day with a one-shot lead and held off the challenge of every other competitor except one – PGA Tour By Mike Blum vided a little stability to his blossoming this year, I’d have a bunch of schedules rookie sensation Jhonattan Vegas, who golf career. on a table and try to figure out where I shot 64 to Castro’s even par 71 to erase a ince he turned pro after gradu- Castro played his way into a was going to play.” 6-stroke deficit. ating from Georgia Tech in Nationwide Tour event in Omaha, just Among his early stops are in Valdosta, Although he was a little disappointed 2007, Alpharetta’s Roberto the second time he had successfully where he played two years ago, and not to capitalize on his opportunity to Castro has spent a sizeable por- Monday qualified on the season, needing Athens, the home of the Bulldogs. win, the runner-up check for $62,100 tionS of his time planning what tour and four playoff holes to make it. He tied for Castro hasn’t played the UGA course gave him status on the tour for the rest of which tournaments he would play. 19th, earning a spot in the field the next since it was extensively renovated several the year and he played in all but one of Castro spent his first three years as a week in Wichita, and proceeded to lead years ago, and doesn’t have any qualms the final 12 tournaments on the tour pro primarily on regional mini- that tournament for most of its 72 holes, about venturing into enemy territory. schedule. tours like the Hooters and Tar Heel (now being edged out the final day when one “I like Athens as a town,” he says. “I’m In his 40 rounds on the Nationwide eGolf) tours, with the occasional of his pursuers closed with a 64 to rele- looking forward to going over there.” Tour, Castro shot higher than 73 only attempt at Monday qualifying for gate Castro to second place. As a non-exempt player, Castro is sub- twice, with more than half his scores in Nationwide Tour events. Thanks to that finish, Castro was able ject to the “re-shuffle” that alters players’ the 60s. Although he was unable to secure a to play the rest of the season on eligibility status on tour at designated “I’ve always been pretty consistent,” he spot on one of the two primary U.S. the Nationwide Tour and turned in periods throughout the season. As a says. “And it was so much fun to be out tours, Castro has made a nice living for several more solid finishes, placing result, it’s vital for players in Castro’s sit- there and playing every week after begin- himself. He won five times in 30 starts between 16th and 21st in four of his uation to get off to strong starts, but he ning the year with no status.” on the Tar Heel/eGolf Tour, added a vic- remaining starts. views it as “not an overly big deal. After just missing out on qualifying for tory in the 2009 Georgia Open and Although Castro barely fell short of “There’s maybe 150 of us in the same the Nationwide , closed out the ‘09 season with a pair of finishing in the top 60 on the money list boat, and I’ll probably get into all of the Castro headed to Q-school, but did outstanding efforts on the Nationwide to earn exempt status for 2011, he is at first eight tournaments, which gives me a not score quite as well as he did during Tour, placing 6th and 12th in the final the top of the tour’s list of non-exempt leg up. I think about half of the 25 guys his four years as an Industrial two events of the schedule. players, and was in the field when the who are on the PGA Tour now were not Engineering major at Georgia Tech, But 2010 began with Castro lacking Nationwide Tour opened its schedule in fully exempt at the start of last season.” where he earned several academic honors status on the Nationwide Tour, and it Panama in late February. Castro enters the 2011 season with a as well as being a first team, second team was back to the mini-tour grind, at least Castro’s family has its roots in South positive attitude, and is looking to “put and two-time honorable mention until a stretch of golf in the Summer pro- America, and he was particularly looking the things I learned the second half of All-American selection. forward to the second Nationwide event last year to use. I learned a lot every week Admitting he was “super nervous” the in Columbia, which is played on a the last 11 weeks and I hope not to make first two days at Q-school, Castro says he course on which his grandmother the same mistakes.” “played well. I had never been there, but played in a tournament almost a half Overall, Castro believes he “played I was right in the mix. Then I had a bad century ago. pretty well” in his half season on tour. “I stretch of holes each of the next “That’s kind of cool,” Castro gave myself a lot of chances. There were two days.” said a few weeks before he was to three or four weeks where I was right Castro fell out of contention, but with embark on his first full season as a there around 10th or 15th heading to his Nationwide Tour status already in Nationwide Tour member. Sunday and I played OK and shot hand, he returned home to Alpharetta Castro’s early season itinerary will take around even and finished 18th or 19th.” knowing he was still just one successful him from South America to Louisiana Castro’s stats were excellent across the season away from a shot at the to California to a pair of stops in board, as he finished 2nd on tour in PGA Tour. his home state, one in the heart of birdies per round (4.4), 3rd in scoring Castro is pleased with the progress he’s Bulldog country. average (69.25), and was between 14th made since leaving college, and begins While Castro will be doing a fair and 26th in fairways hit, greens in regu- his first full season on the Nationwide amount of traveling along with his lation and putting. The one area he Tour with confidence from his six wins fellow Nationwide Tour players, at least would like to improve is his final round as a pro and his excellent play the second Roberto Castro he knows exactly when and where he will scoring average, which was respectable, half of the 2010 season. be playing. but not nearly as good as his averages the “My game has gotten a lot better and “It’s nice to be able to look at one first three rounds. my results have been good. Guys who schedule instead of five,” he said. “Before “I played some decent Sunday rounds. win tournaments tend to keep pro- gressing, and I think that’s a big “I like Athens as a town,” he says. indication of future success.” “I’m looking forward to going over there.”

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MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 15 Georgia Senior Open the following week (May 23-24), and while it is a new home course for the event, it is one the state’s Top Georgia PGA senior players are very familiar with in tournament competition. Tour player Javier Sanchez won the last two years at Callaway Gardens, events at familiar sites ending a two-year run by amateurs (David Nell and Rocky Costa). The E-Z-GO Georgia PGA Barnsley Gardens, Frog, UGA among hosts Championship will be played Sept. 12- 13 at Green Island CC in Columbus, which hosted a Champions Tour for one year. The tournament also serves as the he 2011 Georgia PGA tour- Section’s qualifier for the Senior PGA nament schedule has a PNC Championship. familiar feel, with most of the The Georgia Women’s Open is back at Section’s top events to be SummerGrove GC in Newnan, with playedT at courses that have served as fre- UGA golf team member Emilie Burger quent tournament hosts. looking to defend her title. Amateurs have The Section’s two open championships won the event five of the last seven years, will be played at two of the state’s top lay- with Mariah Stackhouse, the state’s top outs, each designed by the Fazio brothers. junior, winning in 2008, and current The Ziplocal Georgia Open will be UGA assistant coach Margaret Shirley played at Barnsley Gardens in Adairsville the 2006 and ‘08 champion. for the third time in four years after taking The only professional to win in that a trip to the Georgia coast last year at span is Diana Ramage, a college team- Savannah Harbor. The tournament has mate of Shirley’s at Auburn. Ramage now moved up one week on the calendar, and lives in the in the city where she went to will be played July 28-31, two weeks college and is no longer eligible to compete before Atlanta Athletic Club hosts the in the tournament, which has struggled to PGA Championship. draw the state’s top female players in recent years. This year’s dates are July 6-7. Par-3 11th hole at The Frog WARREN GRANT The Berkeley Hills Championship is GEORGIA PGA on the Georgia PGA schedule for a second Amateur Dave Womack won event’s champions over the past decade, year (July 11-12), with Chris Nicol win- Previw last year’s tournament at Georgia with Reeves winning back-to-back at ning the inaugural event last in 2010. National, his home course, the second Seaside in 2002-03. After a year off, the Griffin Classic is time in four years an amateur has won The Yamaha looking for an open spot on the Section’s Samuel Del Val, a rookie tour pro who the tournament. Bob Royak won at the Championship is back at the UGA course schedule, with the original Spring dates played his college golf at Berry, is the Standard Club in 2007. Weinhart won in in Athens, but has a new date, moving abandoned due to a conflict with other defending champion, with Nationwide ‘09 at Heron Bay, with Matt Peterson the from April to Oct, 3-5. The event was tournaments that draw large numbers of Tour player Roberto Castro of Alpharetta 2008 winner at Newnan CC. played at Callaway Gardens from 2006-09 state club professionals. An effort is being winning in 2009, the last time Barnsley The E-Z-GO Georgia PGA before shifting to Athens last year. made to find dates during a crowded hosted the Georgia Open. Championship will again be played at Sea David Potts was last year’s winner, Fall schedule. Dating back to the late 1990s, tour Island GC, with this year’s event returning knocking off three former champions In addition to the Match Play players have won the tournament all but to the famed Seaside course, the site of the along the way, including Weinhart in the Championship, the biennial Peters Cup two times, with Georgia PGA members PGA Tour McGladrey Classic. This year’s finals. He beat fellow Country Club of the match against the GSGA is scheduled for Tim Weinhart (2004) and Jeff Hull dates are Aug. 29-31, just six weeks prior South instructor Shawn Koch and Oct. 16-17 at Capital City Club’s (2007) the only club professionals to win to the PGA Tour stop at the club. Skinner, a veteran tour player/instructor, Crabapple Course, with the Section’s PGA the event since Stephen Keppler captured Craig Stevens won last year at the before taking the title match over PNC qualifier to be played the following back-to-back titles in 1994-95. Retreat course, which has been the host Weinhart. week at Settindown Creek (Oct. 24-25). The Yamaha Atlanta Open is scheduled course for the Section Championship four Eight different players have won the The two courses are among the elite for June 13-14 and will be played at The of the last seven years. The last two times tournament the last eight years, including venues in the state, with Crabapple Frog in Villa Rica. This will be the first the championship was played at Seaside, Spratlin, who won three times in a four- hosting a World Golf Championship time the course has hosted the Atlanta Weinhart won in 2005, with Clark year span from 2001-04. event in 2003 and the site of an upcoming Open, but the standout Tom Fazio design Spratlin capturing the title in ‘08. The Georgia PGA schedule begins NCAA Championship. Among has been the site of the Georgia Open Sonny Skinner, Peterson, Greg Lee, March 15 with the Club Car Pro-Pro Settindown’s tournaments are the Nike (2001-02) and other Georgia PGA events. Hull and Chan Reeves are among the Scramble at the Standard Club. The (now Nationwide) Tour Championship Section’s two Nationwide Tour qualifiers and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. will be played March 28 at Rivermont CC The schedule concludes with the Pro- (South Georgia Classic) and April 11 at Pro Championship, slated for Dec. Griffin seeking a date At press time, the Georgia the UGA course (Stadion UGA Classic). 12-13 at Sea Island GC, with the event PGA was trying to find a spot on the schedule for The first two-day points event is the played on the Seaside and Plantation the Griffin Classic, which was played from TaylorMade- Chicopee Woods courses. Players Championship May 16-17, with 1992 to 2009 but was not held last year. Weinhart the defending champion. Newnan CC will host the Yamaha See 2011 schedule, page 29

16 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM MARCH 2011 MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 17 “The club wants to be involved with the guardianship of the game and has a long history of club involvement. Some clubs Stubbs’ path to top job don’t have that culture.” With his role as the Georgia PGA’s next President nearing, Stubbs has thought about the status of the game. took a slight detour “Golf is in a state of flux. The business looks a lot different than when I got into it in 1994. There’s a completely different Columbus pro enjoys being ‘part of process’ mindset. Golf was really growing then. Every year was better than the previous year. Now it’s a challenge to get people to play more golf. By Mike Blum closer to home, taking a job on the staff was booming across the state. “We need to grow rounds and players, at Atlanta Country Club. “I didn’t ask all the right questions,” he and we (the PGA of America) are the rian Stubbs’ career path has led Stubbs was about to become President says, and as a result, his first head job was experts at the game and business of golf. him to the head professional of the Assistants’ Division when he was at a facility that he feels “did not have a I’m excited about the changes the position at one of the most presented the opportunity for his very good chance to be successful.” PGA of America is making in enhancing prominent clubs in the state, first head professional job, in his home- With the club struggling from the time education.” andB has put him in line to be the next town no less. it opened for play, Stubbs thought there Stubbs received something of an educa- President of the Georgia PGA. was “a risk that this could derail my tion during his stint at Bear Creek, which But prior to becoming the head career because of its lack of success.” went out of business a few years after he professional at the Country Club Bear Creek’s problems – poor layout, left, re-opened under new ownership and of Columbus in 2002, Stubbs’ career questionable managerial decisions, lag- closed again shortly thereafter. path took a detour he worried might ging sales within the development among “I learned a lot,” he says. “That’s a part prevent him from achieving what he them – were not of Stubbs making, and of taking on something new. It gives you hoped to accomplish in the his concerns about having his career neg- a different perspective and you learn golf industry. atively impacted turned out to be things not to do. I still have nightmares Stubbs grew up in Douglasville, a unfounded. sometimes about what I could have small community just west of Stubbs interviewed for the job at done differently. I wanted that to work Atlanta, and spent his youth playing Country Club of Columbus, and says so badly.” golf at West Pines, a modest public “they took a chance on me. I was young, From a course that was there and gone course that has since been acquired 31, and I didn’t have a lot of success as a in a handful of years, Stubbs landed at a by the city of Douglasville and head pro.” club that has amassed a long and distin- extensively renovated. The individuals at CC of Columbus guished history. who interviewed and hired Stubbs recog- “I love old golf courses,” Stubbs says. Brian Stubbs nized his personality and ability and he “The older the better.” GEORGIA PGA has comfortably settled into the head pro- The Country Club of Columbus dates fessional position since taking it in the Fall back a century, with renowned golf course Pro-file After a total of seven of 2002. architect Donald Ross involved in the years as an assistant, evenly divided “I am very fortunate to be where I am,” design of the course, which was success- between Coosa and Atlanta CC, Stubbs Stubbs says of his near decade at the club, fully restored around the time Stubbs After getting to play some of the metro says he “wanted to be a head professional which has been a major player in Georgia landed there. area’s top courses during his days in and interviewed for a lot of jobs.” golf through its long and storied history. During his years at the club, Stubbs has Atlanta Junior Golf, and experiencing a Although his experience was entirely at Once he established himself as the been the host pro for the Georgia variety of top courses during his years on private clubs and his preference was to work club’s head professional, Stubbs says he Amateur and other top amateur, club pro- the golf team at Berry College in Rome, at a private facility, Stubbs came across the still “wanted to be involved” in matters fessional and junior events. He has seen Stubbs decided to become a club profes- proverbial offer he couldn’t refuse. concerning the Georgia PGA, and when first hand the impact the club has had at sional, with his preference to work at a Bear Creek, a daily fee course located in an at-large position on the Board of the annual Fred Haskins Award banquet, private facility. his hometown of Douglasville, was just Directors came open in 2004, he resumed an event honoring the country’s top col- Stubbs didn’t have to look far for his starting the construction process and his work within the Section. lege golfer, named after the first head first job, landing at Rome’s Coosa looking for a head professional to guide it “I’ve always enjoyed being part of the professional at the club. Country Club under Bert Seagraves, one through its growing in process. process,” Stubbs says, with his involve- “To be somewhere that has established of the most highly regarded club profes- Although he had no experience helping ment having the backing of the club’s its place in golf history; you can’t manu- sionals in the state and a past President of take a club “from dirt to opening the membership, despite the time he has to facture something like that,” says Stubbs. the Georgia PGA. facility,” the lure of working in his home- spend away from the club on committee “Not all clubs are as golf-centric as During his time working at Coosa, town was too much for Stubbs to pass up. business. we are.” Stubbs says Seagraves “encouraged me” Through no fault of Stubbs, Bear Creek “That says a lot about the culture of the Stubbs is part of that, and with his to become involved in the Section, and turned out to be one of the least successful club.” Stubbs points out, with CC of duties with both the Georgia PGA and he was moving up the ranks of officers in golf operations ever in the Atlanta area, Columbus featuring two past Presidents Georgia Junior Golf Foundation. is the Assistants’ Division after he moved with its failure coming at a time when golf of the GSGA among its membership. keeping with established by members at the club and professionals who have gone before him. “We need to grow rounds and players and we (the PGA) “They want me to do it and can see the benefit of it. I’ve learned a lot from are the experts at the game and business of golf.” my peers and put that to use here.”

18 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM MARCH 2011 MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 19 20 W professionals. onship event forthecountry’s club National Championship, thechampi- qualify through thePGAProfessional consist of156players, 20ofwhomwill year’s PGA. has wonaPGA Tour event since last 2010 Ryder Cup; andanyplayer who Championship; the24competitorsin since 2007;thetop15inlastyear’s PGA PGA champions;othermajorchampions Aug. 11. Atlanta AC whenthetournamentbegins champions whoare unlikelytoteeitupat including ahalf-dozen orsoformerPGA for the2011PGAChampionship, 61 players hadalready qualified lead intonextmonth’s Masters, Championship events, which early-season WorldGolf in August. pletes theGrand Slam schedule Atlanta Athletic Club, whichcom- including thePGAChampionshipat other three majorsare takingshape, shaping up Championship Field for PGA The fullfieldforthechampionshipwill The earlyqualifiersincludeallformer Going into thetwo GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM Augusta, thefieldsfor beginning nextmonthin major championshipseason ofgolf’s ith thestart before thechampionship, andtypically players inthe World Rankingstwoweeks PGA traditionallyinvitesthetop100 to thisyear’s PGA. Classic, whichisplayed twoweeks prior Championship through theGreenbrier money listfrom lastyear’s PGA Club, alongwiththetop70players ona qualify tocompeteatAtlanta Athletic prior tothePGAChampionshipwill who meetthequalifyingcriteria. complete thefieldafterincludingallthose to with thePGAhavingalittleleeway world classplayers thananyotherevent, for thePNC,including PGA professionals have qualified players in thefinalfield.Nine Georgia CC, willjoin136ofthegame’s best will beplayed June 26-29atHershey (Pa.) Jonathan Byrd annually features more ofthegame’s To completethe156-player field,the Any player whowinsaPGA Tour event The 20finishersfrom thePNC,which who wasoneoftwoGeorgia field ofthefourmajors,and PGA memberstoplayinthe conceded tohave thestrongest 2001 PGAChampionshipat Championship isgenerally club professionals, thePGA Atlanta Athletic Club. Even withthepresence of20

STEVE DINBERG Craig Stevens , Vaughn Taylor in the World Rankings,withGeorgians Molder last year’s Fall Series. Byrd Nationwide Tour in2010. to hisoutstandingplayonthe outside thetop100earlythisyear thanks PGA Tourrookie moving intothetop100inrankings. through thePGAmoneylistorby Jason Bohn season. with bothscoringPGA Tour winslast former Georgia Bulldog team, alongwith members ofthe2010U.S.Ryder Cup Johnson major champions eral years, andwillbejoinedby fellow returns toAtlanta forthefirsttimeinsev- Atlanta Athletic Clubin1981. first ofhistwoPGAChampionshipsat 63-year-old fied forthe2011PGA,amongthem U.S. Open. move uptoqualifyfortheMasters and Seung-yul Noh young stars like outside theU.S.,includingdeveloping the PGAChampionship, 30are from who were notalready qualifiedfor the World Rankingsasof late February pared totheMasters andU.S.Open. group ofinternational competitorscom- deep players of note, withaparticularly PGA fieldwillnotbemissinganyhealthy players around (orinside)thetop50, are alwaysmissingatleastahandfulof failtoqualify.otherwise adds ahandfulofprominent players who Ex-Georgia Techstandout Davis Love Currently, eightGeorgians have quali- Of 39players rankedinthetop80 Unlike theotherthree majors,which secured theirspotswithvictoriesin was hovering around thetop100 Heath Slocum . CinkandJohnson were both Larry NelsonLarry , the1997PGAchampion, looking toqualifyeither , bothofwhomneedto , Matteo Manassero Stewart Cink Chris Kirk Charles How Matt Kuchar Bubba Watson Heath Slocum , whowonthe and was notfar Jonathan and ell Bryce Zach and and and

GETTY IMAGES , Fredrik Andersson-Hed, Sergio Garcia Steve Marino, J.B. Holmes, Rhys Davies, Hiratsuka, , KevinNa, Henrik Stenson, Stephen Gallacher, Tetsuji Noh, Bjorn, Seung-yul , , Brendan Jones, Thomas Palmer,Hansen, Ryan Matteo Manassero, Moore, Fujita, Choi, Hiroyuki K.J. Anders Bo Ikeda, Van Pelt, O’Hair, Sean Ryan Laird, Crane, Martin Ishikawa, Ryo Yuta Watney, Anthony , Kim, Ben Allenby, Robert Kim, GeoffOgilvy, Nick Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Kyeung-tae Retief Goosen,Alvaro Quiros, Tim Clark, late February): World (top 80through Rankings Wilson, Jhonattan Vegas, D.A. Points, Garrigus,Jonathan Byrd, Mark Robert Haas, HeathSlocum,Rocco Mediate, , CharleyHoffman,Bill PGA Tour 2010PGA): winners(after IanPoulter,Molinari, Jimenez, Edoardo , , ,Miguel ,, , Fowler,Rickie Hunter JimFuryk, Mahan, Team members, 2010Ryder Cup: Casey, Molder Bryce SimonDyson, Liang, Kuchar, Matt JasonDay, Paul Dufner,Camilo Villegas,Chong Wen McIlroy,Rory DustinJohnson,Jason Top 15,2010PGA: PGAchampion(2011)– Senior Louis Cink Oosthuizen, Stewart British Openchampions(2007-11): Trevor ZachJohnson Immelman, Masters champions(2007-11): Angel Cabrera Graeme McDowell, Lucas Glover, U.S. Openchampions(2007-11): Hal Sutton Nelson,Bob ,Larry Tway, John Daly, Price, Nick Paul Azinger, Love, Brooks, Mark Steve Elkington, Beem,David Rich Micheel, Toms, Davis Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh,Shaun Yang, Padraig Harrington, Tiger Woods, PGA champions: World through mid-February. Rankings along withthoseinthetop 80inthe of players whohave already qualified, the 2011PGAChampionshipandalist Following istheinvitation criteria for for 2011PGA Qualified players , Robert Karlsson, Ernie Els, Robert Martin Kaymer,Martin Y.E. Bubba Watson, MARCH 2011 G&CC in Albany (April 14-17), Whitewater Creek in Fayetteville (April 21-24), Crystal Lake in Hampton (May 3 viable options for 26-29) and Southern Hills in Hawkinsville (August 4-7). The two Augusta area tournaments are at Savannah Lakes in McCormick, S.C. state’s mini-tour players (April 28-May 1) and the annual Kandy Waters Memorial Classic Sept. 1-4 at Mt. Vintage Plantation in North Augusta, S.C. Hooters, eGolf, new Peach State Tour The Hooters Tour plays 72-hole tour- naments in the standard Thursday to Sunday format, with purses typically each. Gordy, Hughes, McLuen, Del Val right around $200,000. With the advent By Mike Blum and Savannah’s Mark Silvers were also of the Tar Heel/eGolf Tour, the Hooters

eorgia’s sizeable group of mini- AL KOOISTRA among the tour’s winners last year. Tour does not have as large a contingent tour players now has three After a successful first full season, the of Georgia golfers as it once did, but close-to-home options as they Peach State Tour added a Winter Tour, approximately 10 percent of the field for look to climb the ladder playing 14 events from November to the season-opening tournament in Gtoward the Nationwide and PGA Tours. February, with nine early 2011 events Tallahassee had Georgia ties. Both the Hooters Tour, which has been in Florida. Among the Georgians in the field for around for more than 20 years, and the Winners in recent events in Florida the season opener were several who have eGolf (formerly Tar Heel) Tour, which has included Warner Robins’ Chris Wolfe, played on the Nationwide Tour, begun its fifth season, have become estab- former UGA standout Brendon Todd, including Broadaway, Columbus native lished as the top two regional mini-tours who has played the last three seasons on Hugh Royer, former Norcross resident tours in the U.S., with Georgians playing the Nationwide and PGA Tours, and Reid Edstrom, and Nationwide rookie prominent roles on both. Silvers. All three also scored recent and Hooters Tour veteran Will Claxton The newest addition to the mini-tour Brian Harman runner-up finishes, as did Nationwide of Swainsboro. Augusta’s Scott Parel, picture is the Georgia-based Peach State Tour veteran Josh Broadaway of also a former Nationwide Tour player, Golf Tour, which played its first full Albany. Gordy recorded a late 2010 vic- will play the following week in season in 2010 and returns in 2011 year’s Peach State, finishing just ahead of tory in Auburn. Ocala, Fla. with larger purses and a strong group of Albany’s Brandon Anthony. Jay The Hooters Tour began its 2011 Claxton was 21st on last year’s Hooters host courses. McLuen (Forsyth), Jon Kennedy season in late February, and includes 20 Tour money list, and has been a consis- The 2011 Peach State Tour schedule (Hawkinsville) and Michael Gordy tournaments plus three Q-school prep tent performer on the tour the last few includes 25 tournaments, 23 in Georgia (Clarkesville) finished 3-4-5, with Mark events, one of which will be played at years. David Skinns, who played on the and two just across the state line in Harrell (Hazlehurst) and Steve Gilley Callaway Gardens. Of the 20 tourna- golf team at Tennessee and has settled in Auburn, Ala. Among the host courses this (Newnan) 7th and 8th. Michael ments, five will be played in Georgia, metro Atlanta, is a former leading money year are Macon’s Brickyard @ Riverside, Pearson (Alpharetta), Matt Hughes with two others just outside Augusta in winner and was 9th last year, just the Georgia Club, Brasstown Valley, (Dalton) and 2010 Georgia Open South Carolina. Only five tournaments ahead of Will Wilcox, who played his Barnsley Gardens, The Orchard, Jennings winner Samuel Del Val (Athens) fin- on the schedule will be played in states college golf at Clayton State and was Mill, Whitewater Creek, Augusta’s Jones ished just outside the top 10. which do not border Georgia. 11th in earnings. Creek, Alpharetta Athletic Club’s East Brandt and Anthony both won three The five Georgia tournaments will be Former UGA golfer David Miller, a course and Callaway Gardens. times in 2010, with Harrell, Kennedy played at Chattahoochee GC in The Georgia Club, The Orchard and and Pearson capturing a pair of victories Gainesville (March 24-27), Stonebridge [ See Mini-tours, page 26 ] Brickyard @ Riverside will host two events each, with the Georgia Club again the site of the Tour Championship, Aug. 8-10: Auburn Links Aug. 4-7: Southern Hills, Mini-Tours which will be played over 72 holes this Peach State Tour Aug. 15-16: Brickyard @ Riverside Hawkinsville year with the winner receiving $20,000. Aug. 22-24: Callaway Gardens Sept. 1-4: Mt. Vintage Plantation, First place prize money has been March 14-15: Brickyard @ Riverside Aug. 29-30: Orchard North Augusta, SC increased from $5,000 last year to March 21-22: Northwood CC Sept. 12-13: Highland CC Sept. 27-29: Q school prep, $10,000 this year for all 36-hole tourna- March 28-30: Georgia Club Sept. 19-20: Overlook Links Callaway Gardens ments. One-third of the tournaments April 11-12: Landings GC Sept. 26-28: Lion this year are scheduled for 54 holes, with April 18-19: Brasstown Valley Oct. 3-6: Georgia Club Sunbelt Senior Tour $15,000 to the winner. The top 1/3 of April 25-26: Barnsley Gardens (Tour Championship) the field is paid in each tournament, with May 9-11: Orchard April 3-5: Sanctuary Cove, the top three finishers on a season-long May 16-17: Jennings Mill Hooters Tour Waverly points list earning entry fees for PGA May 23-24: Whitewater June 19-21: Maple Ridge, Tour qualifying. June 6-8: Reunion March 24-27: Chattahoochee GC Columbus The Peach State Tour’s 2011 schedule June 13-14: Lane Creek April 14-17: Stonebridge G&CC, June 23-25: Woodmont, Canton begins March 14-15 at the Brickyard, June 20-22: Monroe CC Albany Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Butternut Creek, and plays a minimum of three early week June 27-28: Jones Creek April 21-24: Whitewater Creek Blairsville tournaments each month, with the July 11-12: Orchard Hills Apr 28-May 1: Savannah Lakes, Oct. 4-6: Callahan Links, season-ending Tour Championship set July 18-19: Auburn U. GC McCormick, SC Waleska for Oct. 3-6. July 25-27: Nob North May 26-29: Crystal Lake Oct. 9-11: Pine Hills, Cordele Former Auburn golfer Jimmy Brandt Aug. 1-2: Alpharetta AC East Oct. 13-16: Hawk’s Point, Vidalia was the leading money winner on last

MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 21 2010-11 schedule, including a 3rd place finish in the NCAA Preview and a narrow win over the Jaguars in Macon. Augusta State sets Georgia senior Russell Henley was the tournament medalist at the Brickyard, tying current PGA Tour rookie Chris Kirk for most individual wins in Bulldog history – seven. Other than that tourna- sights on repeat title ment, it was not an especially successful Fall season for Henley, who won the Fred Haskins Award as the country’s top col- Jaguars join ‘Dogs, Jackets as national power lege player and was also Golfweek’s pick as Player of Year in 2010.

UUT STATE AUGUSTA Harris English, Georgia’s other home state senior standout (Thomasville) had a By Mike Blum Front (from left); Patrick Reed, steady but unspectacular Fall, placing or years, Georgia and Georgia Mitch Krywulycz; Back (from between 12th and 16th in all four starts. Tech were the lone college golf left): Taylor Floyd, Carter Senior Hudson Swafford, back in action teams in the state with national Newman, Coach Josh Gregory, after sitting out all of the 2009-10 championship aspirations. Henrik Norlander season, put together a strong showing in FThat suddenly changed last year, when the NCAA Preview, placing 2nd, but Augusta State emerged as a national that was his only finish better than 18th. player, culminating an outstanding The Bulldogs will be looking for better season with a somewhat surprising tri- results from the team’s No. 4 and 5 umph in the NCAA Championship players, with a number of players in the outside Chattanooga. mix for those spots, including Albany The Jaguars returned all five starters sophomore T.J. Mitchell, who made from their championship squad, and three starts during the Fall. after several near-misses in the Fall Georgia’s Spring schedule includes season, remain a legitimate contender for three tournaments in state – a Match a second straight title. Play event at Hawks Ridge March 20-22, the Linger Longer Invitational (hosted by the Bulldogs) March 27-29 at Reynolds Plantation, and the SEC COLLEGE Preview Championship at Sea Island GC April 15-17. Georgia Tech enjoyed an excellent Fall Both Georgia and Georgia Tech season, with a trio of top-4 finishes, showed signs in the Fall of being able to including an impressive win in the make a run at a national title, and the U.S. Collegiate Championship, and a two teams will face off against each other respectable 7th place effort in the three times in the span of a month in the NCAA Preview. early stages of their Spring schedules. Seniors J.T. Grffin and Paul Haley Of the remaining Division 1 schools a trio of Georgia residents among the Reed, Norlander and Newman all had seven top 10s between them in 10 in the state, Kennesaw State is the most five starters. recorded a pair of strong showings last Fall starts, with fellow senior Kyle Scott likely to make some noise, with a strong Macon’s Taylor Floyd and Augusta’s Fall, with Krywulcyz solid for most of closing out the Fall with a pair of top 5s. duo at the top of the lineup and some Patrick Reed are the juniors among the the schedule. The Jaguars finished Junior James White of Acworth momentum from a solid Fall showing. five starters, with Evans’ Carter second at the Brickyard in Macon, just recorded two top-10 finishes, including Augusta State put together two Newman one of a trio of seniors. one shot behind Georgia, and were an individual title in the USCC at Golf runner-up finishes and a tie for 4th in Sweden’s Henrik Norlander and within range of victory in two other Club of Georgia. White won the tourna- the NCAA Preview before closing out its Australia’s Mitch Krywulcyz round out major Fall events. ment by seven strokes, highlighted by a Fall schedule in disappointing fashion. the Augusta lineup, with all five making Augusta’s Spring schedule includes two course record 62 on the Lakeside layout, The Jaguars are a veteran group major contributions in the Jaguars’ visits to California, a pair of tournaments former host of a Champions Tour event. with three seniors and two juniors, with NCAA triumph last June. in South Carolina and an annual event Freshman Richy Werenski finished hosted by the Jaguars, which will be the Fall as the team’s No. 5 player. played at Forest Hills April 2-3, the Redshirt freshman Seth Reeves of weekend before the Masters. Duluth played well in his college debut Tech’s White medalist in Puerto Rico The Jaguars opened the Spring in Macon, and is one of several players Georgia Tech’s James White earned medalist honors for a second time in the schedule with a 3rd place finish in competing for a spot in the lineup 2010-11 season, finishing first in the Puerto Rico Classic. White shot 69-69-68 for a Newport, Calif., eight strokes behind this Spring. 10-under 206 total and a one-stroke victory, with the Yellow Jackets taking second, UCLA. Reed tied for 3rd at 4-under In its Spring opener, Tech took 4th in at 23-under 841 four behind Alabama. Tech’s Kyle Scott was 3rd at 208, with J.T. 206, closing with scores of 66-68. its annual visit to Hawaii. White shot a Griffin T8 at 212 and Richy Werenski T16 at 215. Krywulcyz tied for 10th at 213 with second round 66 and tied for 10th at Norlander shooting a final round 68 to 7-under 209, with Griffin T14 at 210. Georgia placed 4th at 858 led by T.J. Mitchell, who was T13 at 214. Hudson Swafford tie for 17th at 215. Among the team’s Spring tournaments was T16 at 215, followed by Harris English (T20, T16). No. 1 Bulldog Russell Henley Like Augusta, Georgia closed out its are the Callaway Match Play at Hawks had only one score count and was T35 at 219. Fall season with its poorest showing, but played well in its first three events on the [ See College preview, page 24 ]

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and the Atlantic Sun Championship the Fall, leading the team in his first col- March 18-20 at Forest Heights CC. The College preview April 18-20 at Chateau . lege start. Fellow freshman Bryan Fox of Eagles will also play in the Augusta State [ Continued from page 22 ] Just as they did in the Fall, the Owls won Roswell also played in the Panthers’ Fall Invitational April 2-3. their Spring opener, taking a 16-team opener and posted one of just three With three Georgians among their five match play event at TPC Tampa Bay, the rounds in the 60s by the team. primary starters, Mercer got its Spring Ridge March 20-22 and the inaugural host course of a Champions Tour event. Grant Cagle of Gainesville was the third season off to a respectable start with a Yellow Jacket Classic April 16-17 at Golf Kennesaw defeated Charleston Southern Georgia freshman to see action in the Fall, middle-of-the-pack 8th place finish at Club of Georgia. and Campbell before rolling past joining older brother Jared Cagle in TPC Sawgrass. All five starters con- Kennesaw State opened its Fall Marquette in the semifinals and edging the lineup. tributed, including Thomasville junior schedule with a victory in Hattiesburg, Ball State in the title match. The Panthers placed 12th in their Josh Cone, Valdosta sophomore John Miss., and had two players win indi- Greene won all four of his matches, Spring opener at TPC Sawgrass, with Paul Gregory Joseph and Duluth freshman vidual titles. Jeff Karlsson won ending three on the 15th hole and taking and Fowler the team’s top finishers. The Mookie DeMoss. the Hattiesburg event with a 199 total, the other 3&1. Wilson and Klotz both team makes two in-state appearances, Cone led the Bears during the Fall, and was 2nd and 6th in his next went 3-1, with Klotz clinching an opening playing in the Augusta State Invitational posting finishes of 5th in Charleston and two starts. 3-2 win over Charleston Southern. Nagy April 2-3 and the Yellow Jacket Classic 6th in Memphis, with the team twice tying Buena Vista junior Matt Nagy, who won twice in routs and secured a key half April 16-17. for 7th for its best showing. Mercer takes a sat out the 2009-10 season, won an event in the finals, with Wilson and Greene win- Georgia Southern tied for 5th in its Spring trip to the highly regarded Bandon at Daufuskie Island, S.C., and tied for ning by 4&3 margins. Fall opener in Florence, S.C., but that Dunes Resort in Oregon in March, and 2nd in the team’s Fall finale in Sapphire, Georgia State is looking for a better proved to be the Eagles best finish in four plays in the Linger Longer Invitational at N.C. Calhoun senior Chad Wilson Spring showing after a tough Fall season. starts. Statesboro senior Matt Deal was in Reynolds Plantation March 27-29. added a 3rd place finish to help the Owls The Panthers highest finish in the Fall was the lineup in each of the Eagles’ Fall Georgia College, a top team in Division tie for 4th in a tournament in Kentucky. a tie for 8th in Raleigh, N.C. appearances, with McDonough freshman II, placed 2nd in its season opener in Sophomore Ben Greene of Duluth The team’s roster includes nine Will Evans making three starts. Logan Lakeland, Fla., with Duluth senior Billy was in the lineup for all four Kennesaw Georgians among 11 players on the squad, Blondell is the only other senior , Shida earning medalist honors by five matches last Fall, with freshmen Kelby led by seniors Alan Fowler of Gainesville and posted the best finish of the Fall by a strokes at 11-under 205 with scores of Burton of Evans and Jonathan Klotz of and Brent Paul of Columbus. Paul’s tie for Georgia Southern golfer, taking 2nd in 67-69-69. Cochran’s Joe Young tied for Columbus also competing in Fall events. 16th in Raleigh was the best showing by a Florence, where the Southern Conference 7th at 213 for the Bobcats, who started The Owls have a busy Spring schedule, Georgia State golfer in the Fall, and the Championship is played. five Georgians in the tournament. including two tournaments in Florida, lone top-30 finish by a Panther. The highlight of the Eagles’ Spring Georgia College led by seven shots after three in the Carolinas, and in-state events Freshman Tyler Gruca from Milton schedule is the annual Schenkel 36 holes, but wound up four in back of at Reynolds Plantation March 27-29 also appeared in all four tournaments in Invitational, hosted by Georgia Southern West Florida.

24 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM MARCH 2011 Golf FORE Juniors

Tech lands pair Wolfes and Zach Hartman of St. Simons, strokes ahead of David Mackey of Bogart of state standouts and Caleb Morris of Metter. All are ranked in boys 14-15, and was also the overall among the state’s top juniors, with winner. Ted Moon of Lilburn was the 16-19 Georgia Tech has landed two of Georgia’s Wolfes winning the 2009 and 2010 GSGA division winner at 147, one in front of top junior golfers, with both Ollie Junior Championship. Suwanee’s Harry Lambert. Albany’s Tyler

Schniederjans and Anders Albertson GSGA Among Georgia juniors heading out of Joiner shot a second round 68 for a 150 Anders Albertson having already enrolled as freshman. state are Milton’s Patrick Grahek (Notre total to win boys 12-13 by four over Schniederjans has graduated from Dame) and Alpharetta’s Billy Kennerly Spencer Ralston of Gainesville. Harrison High in Cobb County, with ning the GSGA Atlanta Amateur Match Play (Clemson). Alpharetta’s Michael Pisciotta won the Albertson graduating from Etowah High in Championship last Fall. State girls signees include Alpharetta’s boys division of an SJGT event in Cherokee County. Both are eligible to com- Among Georgia’s signees for the Fall of Katie Voll (Ole Miss) and Emee Herbert of Tuscaloosa, Ala., shooting 70-76—146. pete for the Yellow Jackets this Spring, but 2011 were Valdosta brothers Sam and Johns Creek (Tusculum). Pisciotta was the 14-15 age group winner, will find it difficult to break into a deep, vet- Sepp Straka, both nationally ranked jun- with Joe Lewis of Savannah the 16-19 eran lineup. iors The Bulldogs top three players are winner and second overall at 149. Brett With three seniors among the team’s five seniors, with plenty of competition Herbert, Bruton win Barron of Suwanee was second in boys starters, both will have an opportunity to expected for playing spots next season. divisions in SJGT 12-13, one stroke behind the winner. earn playing time next Fall. Defending national champion Augusta Georgia PGA opens schedule: The Schniederjans left junior golf as the No. 4 State graduates three senior starters, and Buster Bruton of Dallas and Emee Georgia PGA Junior Tour began its 2011 ranked player in the U.S., compiling a stellar has signed a top junior from the Augusta Herbert were the boys and girls winners of schedule in late February at Wilmington string of results. He also owns a 2009 GSGA area – Evans’ Cody Shafer. Kennesaw State a Southeastern Junior Tour event at Sea Island Club in Savannah, and continues at Public Links title and was a high school signed another top Augusta area golfer – Island Golf Club’s Retreat Course last month. Macon’s Brickyard @ Riverside March 19-20. teammate of current Georgia Tech golf Evans’ Austin Vick, along with one of state’s Herbert shot 74-77—151 to win the girls (Full schedule, page 29) team member James White on Harrison’s best juniors – Jimmy Beck of Columbus. 15-19 division by one stroke over Registration is still open for the state championship 2008 team. Georgia Southern landed an entire McDonough’s Haley Austin. Roswell’s 2011 season. For information, contact Albertson also has enjoyed success team’s worth of Georgia juniors – Charlie Rinko Mitsunaga won the 12-14 age Georgia PGA Junior Tour Director Scott beyond the junior level, placing second in Martin of LaGrange, Henry Mabbett of group by 14 strokes with a 153 total. Gordon at 678-461-8600 or visit last year’s Dogwood Invitational and win- Griffin, Glynn Academy teammates Scott Bruton shot 73-70—143 to finish two www.georgiapga.com.

MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 25 Georgia Golf Business

Golf a major player in Georgia economy

By Mike Paull home for the season’s final know. Using data collected in 2009, the SRI The Landings near Savannah on Skidaway Executive Director major, the 93rd PGA concluded that the golf industry’s direct Island, and Reynolds Plantation on Lake Georgia PGA Championship at Atlanta impact on our state was $2.4 billion, and Oconee in Greensboro. We are home to Athletic Club, which will be the industry produced a total economic some world class golf resorts with Barnsley Every serious Georgia golfer played on the Highlands impact of $5.1 billion on an annual basis. Gardens Resort in Adairsville, Sea Island knows that Jack Nicklaus holds Course for the third time. Here are some results that might surprise Resort on St. Simons Island and the the record for professional This will mark only the sixth you. Please feel free to share them with Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Club & Spa major championships with a time that two major champi- your group of fellow golfers: just a driver and short iron across total of 18, including six Green onships have been competed the Savannah River from Savannah’s Jackets which he won here in in the same state in a calendar Did you know that the golf industry famed River Street. our great state. year. It will be the fourth time for our state. in the U.S. is larger than the motion On March 8, the Georgia Allied Golf Every serious Georgia golfer knows that Both the current Captain picture industry? Council is hosting “Georgia Golf Day” at Tiger Woods has won 14 major champi- (Rosie Jones) and Ryder Cup Captain (Davis Did you know that golf facilities the State Capitol Building with the goal of onships since 1997, and has perhaps the Love III) reside in Georgia. in Georgia generated over educating our legislators about what the only shot to surpass the Golden Bear’s once Recently, the Georgia Allied Golf Council, $936.4 million in revenue? game of golf means to our state’s economy thought unattainable record. Mr. Woods which consists of five allied golf organiza- Did you know that the state’s golf and how the golf industry is actually a sig- has donned the Augusta green four times. tions in the state — the Georgia Section of industry employs 57,000 Georgians? nificant contributor to the overall One could easily argue that no other the PGA of America; the Georgia State Golf Did you know those employees earn economic well being of our state. state has meant more to the game of golf Association; the Georgia Chapter of the $1.5 billion in annual compensation? After all, as I like to say, “Georgia is than Georgia. We are the home of the great Golf Course Superintendents Association Did you know that 98% of the world’s Golf’s Major Home,” and that my fellow Bobby Jones, and his gift to the game — of America; the Georgia Chapter of the golf cars are manufactured here in Georgia golfers is some serious business. Augusta National Golf Club and the Club Managers Association of America; and Georgia? . We are the home to the Georgia Chapter of the National Golf the PGA Tour Championship and the con- Course Owners Association, commissioned Georgia is the home to Club Car and Mike Paull is the Executive Director of the clusion of the FedExCup Playoffs at East a report done by the Stanford Research E-Z-GO, both based in Augusta, and Georgia Section of the PGA of America, Lake Golf Club on an annual basis. Institute (SRI) and the National Golf Yamaha in Newnan. Georgia is also home and the co-host of Tee Times on Atlanta We are the home to the American Junior Foundation to measure the economic to Golf, Divots Sportswear, Sports Leader 680 The Fan which can Golf Association, which stages the highest impact of the game of golf in Georgia. The MacGregor Golf, Mizuno Golf and U.S. be heard on Saturday mornings levels of competition for junior golfers results were quite significant. Kids Golf. from 7-8 a.m. aspiring to play in college and perhaps on Here are some facts and figures that We are home to some of the finest golf the professional level. In August, we will be every serious Georgia golfer might like to residential developments in the world like

Mini-Tours list as a tour rookie last year, and Also winning on the eGolf Tour last Tech golfers Taylor Hall of LaGrange [ Continued from page 21 ] continued his excellent play as a profes- year was ex-Georgia Bulldog Richard and Chesson Hadley. sional, losing the season opener in a Scott, who now lives on St. Simons The eGolf Tour has played several playoff. Harman, a recent member of the Island. Scott was 13th on the money list events in Savannah the past few years, long-time Hooters Tour member, was UGA golf team, shot 12-under 276 for and opened the 2011 season with a tie but the 2011 schedule is limited to tour- 23rd on the money list in 2010. Other the tournament, closing with a 69 in for 7th at Hilton Head. naments in North and South Carolina, Georgians to start their 2011 schedules which he played his final 11 holes in David Robinson of Sandersville, the with the exception of one tournament in on the Hooters Tour included ex- 5-under. tour’s leading money in 2008, was 16th Virginia and a planned two-week swing Georgia Bulldog David Denham of But Harman was forced into a playoff in earnings last year, splitting his time on this month to the North Africa country Tifton; 2010 Georgia Open champion when Corey Nagy birdied three of the the Nationwide Tour, where he will be of Morocco. The closest the Charlotte- Del Val; mini-tour veteran Hank Kim of last five holes and won on the first playing a third season this year in addi- based tour will come to Georgia this year Jonesboro; and recent Georgia Tech extra hole. tion to competing on the eGolf Tour. is a July tournament in Aiken, S.C., just golfer David Dragoo. In 14 starts on the eGolf Tour last year, Parel was 17th in earnings and fellow outside Augusta. Among the more prominent players Harman notched 11 top-10 finishes, ex-Nationwide Tour player Jonathan The state will also host a number of entered in the first event were Tadd including his first professional victory, Fricke of Covington was 28th. Fricke events on the Sunbelt Senior Tour, the Fujikawa, David Gossett and Casey earning almost $88,000. tied for 4th in the season opener, closing main tour for those who aren’t playing Wittenberg. Former Georgia Tech golfer Roberto with a 69 to finish just two shots out of on the Champions Tour. One of the host The eGolf Tour began its season Castro, who competed in college against the playoff. Parel also played at Hilton courses – Hawk’s Point in Vidalia – will last month at Palmetto Hall on Hilton Harman, was 7th on the 2010 money Head and finished T22. also be the site of a Futures Tour tourna- Head Island, with Savannah’s Brian list, picking up his fifth career win on Of last year’s top 50 money winners, ment this Summer, the first time in a few Harman almost getting his year off to a the tour before moving up to the 12 have ties to Georgia, among them years the top women’s developmental winning start. Nationwide Tour, where he will play Kennedy, Kim, Derek Oakey of tour has made a stop in Georgia. Harman finished 3rd on the money this year. LaGrange, McLuen and recent Georgia

26 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM MARCH 2011 weekend. The Masters is the only non- time he has contended in a major, tying Champions Tour event Mize still plays in, for 5th in the 2007 U.S. Open at but as evidenced by his play the last two Oakmont, just his second major start. years, is still capable of handling the In his two Masters starts in 2008 and lengthened Augusta National layout. ‘09, Watson has stayed around par in One of the players to watch this year every round, tying for 20th as a Masters will be the big-hitting Watson, who has rookie. He out-dueled Mickelson to win emerged in the last year as more than just earlier this year in San Diego, and with his

TV DINBERG STEVE a bomber. Watson picked up his first prodigious length off the tee, will be one PGA Tour win in Hartford and lost in a of the players who will get some notice as Bubba Watson playoff in the PGA. It was not the first a potential winner in Augusta.

Georgians with finishes of 6th, 5th and 7th in the have not been granted. first three tournaments on the schedule Masters preview When Mickelson could not seize his in Masters before taking a three-week break. [ Continued from page 8 ] opportunity to grab the No. 1 spot in the [ Continued from page 10 ] After making the cut in the Masters World Ranking last year due to a post- two straight times as an amateur, Kuchar plays an increasingly limited schedule and Masters malaise, two European golfers his best career showing in golf’s four most made just his second Augusta start as a has not distinguished himself when he’s moved past both Phil and Tiger. prominent events. pro last year, his first since his 2002. given himself an opportunity to contend. Mickelson displayed some positive Alpharetta’s Heath Slocum also was a Kuchar, who recently moved to St. Woods’ confidence has clearly taken a signs at the outset of the 2011 season, late 2010 winner, collecting his fourth Simons from Atlanta, tied for 21st in the major hit, and his aura of invincibility, but his mostly excellent ball striking was PGA title at Sea Island GC last Fall in the 1998 Masters while he was attending which reduced some of the game’s top offset by less-than-stellar putting. inaugural McGladrey Classic. That win Georgia Tech, and returned to Augusta players to mush when they were com- Woods, meanwhile, showed flashes of his helped boost Slocum into the top 30 on for the first time in eight years in 2010, peting against him, has dissipated. former self, but in small and quickly the 2010 PGA Tour money list, earning tying for 24th. Most of those who make their living disappearing doses. Slocum his third Masters invite in the last Thanks a 2010 win in New Orleans, writing or broadcasting about golf keep There will be a lot of stories generated four years. Jason Bohn will be making his second waiting for a return of the pre-scandal before the 2011 Masters, and on this side Slocum has played respectably in both Masters start. Bohn, an Acworth resident, Tiger, but their fervent wishes for him to of the Atlantic, most of them will focus on his starts in Augusta. In 2008 he tied for has two wins in his seven seasons on tour, again become the game’s dominant player Tiger, Phil or both. 33rd, with his final round 69 one of just but his history of competing in majors is two scores in the 60s the final round. He very thin, with a tie fro 36th in the 2006 played solidly last year, tying for 18th at Masters one of just two times he has 1-under 287. A tie for 9th in the ‘08 U.S. made the cut on one of the four Grand Open at Torrey Pines is Slocum’s best Slam events. showing in a major. Bohn made the cut in his first three After his late-season win in the starts of the 2011 season, but did not have McGladrey Classic, Slocum got off to a a high finish in any of them. rocky start this year, missing three straight At the age of 50, Mize made the cut in cuts to close out a disappointing showing Augusta in 2009, grabbing some head- on the West Coast. lines with his opening round 67. The Coming off a career year in 2010, Augusta native and Columbus resident former Georgia Tech great Matt Kuchar nearly made it two in a row last year, roared out of the starting blocks this year missing by one shot of making it to the

competed with for a long time and we Davis Love have played on a lot of teams together. I [ Continued from page 12 ] think that’s what I realized watching, starting with Tom Watson as my first do with what happened on Sunday. I hit captain. He had Raymond Floyd and a crappy iron shot on the second hole of and Tom Kite and Lanny the competition, and we got behind and Wadkins, players like that he knew we never had a chance after that. It just and trusted. seemed we were behind the eight ball. “I think they know that I’m very tra- “Everybody that has played a Ryder ditional in my views of golf and of life, Cup says, ‘If it was only for my half a and that I’m going to be very supportive point, we would have won’. And I think and easy going but a very focused cap- that’s what it comes down to, just one tain. I’m a players’ captain if you can guy making one putt or hitting one good term it that way. I’m going to give them shot and grabbing the momentum.” what they need to be successful. I’m Each captain has his own leadership going to stay out of their way and let style, and Love has a little while to work them show their talents. on his. “I think a good leader knows he’s got “I think the players have known me a great team and just gets them prepared for a long time. There’s a lot of players and let’s them go play.” that will be on this 2012 team that I have

MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 27 as a potential buyer for the Reynolds Plantation courses. The Reynolds family has owned sizeable amounts of land in the Lake Oconee area since the 1920s, and began its residen- tial/golf course development push in the 1980s. The Bob Cupp-designed Reynolds Plantation course was the first of the three original courses built along Lake Oconee, along with Port Armor (since acquired and added to the Reynolds Plantation family) and the Harbor Club. Great Waters, a Jack Nicklaus creation, followed in the early ‘90s, and has been the primary host course for most of the high profile golf events that have been played at Reynolds Plantation. Among them are Andersen Consulting Match Play 17th and 18th holes at The Oconee Club at Reynolds Plantation Championship (which has evolved into the WGC Accenture Match Play event), the Georgia Open and Georgia Amateur, and the 2008 PGA Professional National Championship. Reynolds Plantation courses Since the opening of Great Waters, Reynolds Plantation has added courses designed by Tom Fazio (27-hole Reynolds may be sold to outside group National), Rees Jones (The Oconee) and Jim Engh (Creek Club), along with the acquisi- The past few years have been difficult some of its prized courses due to the real Club, pools, facilities), up for sale. tion of the Cupp-designed Port Armor, ones for a number of high end golf proper- estate downturn that has left major players In a letter to Reynolds property openers, since re-named Reynolds Landing. A sev- ties in Georgia and throughout the country. in the golf industry with mountains of debt. Reynolds Plantation Chairman Mercer enth course, to be designed by Pete Dye, is The Sea Island Co. resort was sold In order to sustain its line of credit with Reynolds III specified three potential pur- on the drawing board. recently in a bankruptcy option and several its lenders, the Linger Longer Development chasers – the Property Owners Association; Reynolds Companies, a distinct entity prominent country clubs in metro Atlanta Company has put its six courses at a smaller group of property owners; and an from Linger Longer Development have changed ownership after undergoing Reynolds Plantation, plus other Club assets independent third party, which Reynolds Company, continues to own and operate severe financial difficulties. and amenities (clubhouses, marina, Lake reported has made an offer. golf facilities outside the Lake Oconee area, Following that trend, one of the state’s One published report cited the Sequoia among them the recently acquired most successful residential/golf club prop- Golf Group, the parent company for the Waterfall in northeast Georgia, which has erties is reportedly in the process of selling Canongate family of courses in Georgia, been renamed the Lake Burton Club.

Golf Talk

• Jarred Reneau, International City GC, • East Chapter: Golf Professional – Barnsley Gardens’ Merchandiser (Public) Bob Elmore, Bacon Park; Assistant – • Steven Phelps, Brasstown Valley, Brandon Youmans, Sea Island GC; Mahr earns top Merchandiser (Resort) Junior Golf Leader – Chris Dixon, Georgia PGA honor • Brian Dobak, Ford Plantation, Horton Kinderlou Forest; Teacher – Mike Smith Award Shannon, Sea Island GC. Scott Mahr, the General Manager at Scott Mahr • Michael Raymond, Reynolds • Central Chapter: Golf Professional – Barnsley Gardens Resort, has been named Plantation, Growth of the Game Award Jarred Reneau, International City GC; the Georgia PGA’s Golf Professional of • Danny Elkins, Georgia Golf Center, Assistant – Cary Brown, CC of the Year. Bill Strausbaugh Award Columbus; Junior Golf Leader – Mahr came to Barnsley Gardens in the • Bobby Hix, Idle Hour Club, • Bill Heubach, Divots Sportswear, Krag Woodyard, Waterford GC; late 1990s prior to the opening of the golf Teacher of the Year Salesman of the Year Teacher – Bobby Hix, Idle Hour. course, and was its first head professional • Mike Gill, Maple Ridge GC, • Kathy Cousart, Georgia Junior • North Chapter: Golf Professional – before being promoted to General Junior Golf Leader Golf Foundation, Distinguished Jeff Frasier, Chicopee Woods; Manager. He was the head professional at • Jared Morton, Athens CC, Assistant Service Award Assistant – Jordan Arnold, Achasta GC; White Columns prior to joining the staff at Professional • Jimmy Hodges, President’s Award Junior Golf Leader – Mark Anderson, Barnsley Gardens, and has been instru- • Rich Gaffoglio, Capital City Club, Bentwater GC; Teacher – Shawn Koch, mental in the success of both facilities. Merchandiser (Private) Award winners from the three Georgia CC of the South. Other winners of Georgia PGA awards PGA chapters were: for 2010:

28 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM MARCH 2011 2011 Georgia Tournament Schedule

Pro Tour events Nov. 14-15: Senior-Junior, Wallace Adams State Amateur April 4-5: N. Georgia Classic, Achasta Nov. 28-29: Newnan CC (Challenge April 16-17: Junior 4-Ball, TBA April 7-10: Masters, Augusta National Matches) June 6: Houston Lake, Savannah Quarters, May 14-15: CC of Columbus April 18-24: Legends of Golf, Canongate-Sun City June 6-7: Junior Championship, Savannah Harbor (Champions) June 7: Green Island, Jones Creek Eagle’s Landing April 28-May 1: South Georgia Classic, (Qualifiers) June 10: Doublegate June 29-30: Stone Mountain GC Kinderlou Forest (Nationwide) Atlanta Open June 13: Atlanta National, Pinetree July 6-7: Glen Arven CC May 5-8: Stadion Classic, UGA GC June 2: Eagle’s Landing June 20: Crystal Falls, Berkeley Hills July 18-19: Charlie Yates GC/East Lake (Nationwide) June 6: The Frog, Orchard Hills June 27: Jennings Mill Aug. 20-21: Callaway Gardens Aug. 11-14: PGA Championship, June 7: Cartersville CC Sept. 10-11: Kinderlou Forest Atlanta Athletic Club Georgia Open Oct. 1-2: Forest Heights CC Aug. 26-28: Vidalia Championship, USGA qualifiers Oct. 22-23: Georgia Club Hawk’s Point (Futures) July 11: Cartersville CC May 9: U.S. Open (local), Dunwoody CC Dec. 10-11: Tour Championship, Sept. 22-25: Tour Championship, East Lake July 18: Berkeley Hills May 16: Women’s Open, Druid Hills Sea Island GC Oct. 13-16: McGladrey Classic, Sea Island GC July 19: The Frog May 17: U.S. Open (local), River Club May 19: Women’s Public Links, Oaks (Summer Series) June 6: U.S. Open (sectional), Hawks Ridge Georgia PGA GSGA/GWGA June 7: Public Links, Woodmont June 27: UGA GC March 15: Pro-Pro Scramble, March 25-27: 4-Ball Tournament, June 27: Senior Open, St. Ives July 11: Hawks Ridge Standard Club Houston Lake/Southern Hills June 27: U.S. Junior, Marietta CC July 14: Chestatee March 28: Valdosta Nationwide qualifier, April 4-6: Senior Women’s Match Play, June 28: U.S. Girls, White Columns Aug. 3: White Columns Rivermont CC Doublegate CC July 19: Women’s Am, Settindown Creek April 11: Athens Nationwide qualifier, UGA April 12-13: Super Seniors, Cartersville CC July 19-20: U.S. Am, Capital City Southeastern May 16-17: Chicopee Woods Players April 19-20: GWGA 4-Ball, Jekyll Island GC Crabapple Championship April 29-May 1: 4-Ball Championship, Aug. 1-2: U.S. Am, Standard Club Jan. 15-16: Sanctuary Cove May 23-24: Georgia Senior Open, Green Island CC Aug. 8: Senior Am, Governors Towne Club Feb. 12-13: Sea Island GC Newnan CC May 20-22: Mid-Am Championship, Aug. 18: Sr. Women, Sea Island GC – Retreat March 5-6: Forest Hills GC May 31: Pro-Assistant, Sugarloaf Kinderlou Forest Aug. 25: Women’s Mid Am, Rivermont April 16-17: Douglas G&CC June 13-14: Atlanta Open, The Frog June 14-17: Women’s Match Play, Aug. 28: Women’s Mid-Am, The Landings May 14-15: CC June 26-29: PGA PNC, Hershey, Pa Sunset Hills Aug. 29: Mid-Am, Brickyard June 1-2: Orchard Hills July 6-7: Georgia Women’s Open, June 20-22: Junior Championship, June 7-8: Pinetree CC SummerGrove Augusta CC June 27-28: Idle Hour July 11-12: Berkeley Hills Championship June 20-22: Girls Championship, College/Amateurs July 25-26: Hawks Ridge July 28-31: Georgia Open, Barnsley Piedmont Driving Club March 18-20: Schenkel Inv., Forest July 25-26: Brunswick CC Gardens June 28-29: Women’s Top 60, Heights Aug. 2-4: Championship, Aug. 22: Assistants’ Championship, TBD Brickyard @ Riverside March 20-22: Callaway Match Play, Saugahatchee CC, Opelika, Ala Aug. 29-31: Section Championship, July 7-10: Georgia Amateur, Cherokee CC Hawks Ridge Sea Island GC July 26-28: GWGA Championship, March 27-29: Linger Longer Inv., State Parks Tour Sept. 12-13: Senior PNC qualifier, Cuscowilla Reynolds Plantation Green Island CC Aug. 24-26: Senior Championship, April 2-3: Augusta State Inv., Forest Hills March 26-27: Lakes @ Laura Walker Oct. 3-5: Match Play Championship, UGA Forest Heights April 15-17: SEC Championship, April 16-17: Meadow Links Oct. 16-17: Peters Cup, Capital City Aug. 30-31: Senior Women’s Champ., Sea Island GC May 14-15: Hard Labor Creek Crabapple Barnsley Gardens April 16-17: Yellow Jacket Inv., June 4-5: Georgia Vets Oct. 24-25: PGA PNC qualifier, Sept. 10-11: Public Links Championship, GC of Georgia June 23-24: Jekyll Island GC Settindown Creek Chestatee April 18-20: Atlantic Sun Champ., Aug. 13-14: Arrowhead Pointe Dec. 12-13: Pro-Pro Championship, Sept. 27-28: Women’s Team Chateau Elan Sept. 3-4: Highland Walk Sea Island GC Championship, Wilmington Island June 15-18: Southeastern Am, Oct. 22-23: Brazell’s Creek Oct. 6-9: Atlanta Amateur Match Play, CC of Columbus Nov. 5-6: Bridgestone Battle at Wallace Seniors Division Rivermont CC June 29-July 2: Dogwood Invitational, Adams GC (vs. Canongate team) Oct. 29-30: Team Championship, Druid Hills GC Dec. 3-4: Champion’s Cup, Hard Jan. 24-25: Kinderlou Forest Georgia Club Labor Creek Feb. 7-8: Doublegate CC Nov. 9-11: Senior 4-Ball, King & (Women) Feb. 28-Mar 1: Wallace Adams (Jamboree) Prince/Sanctuary Cove American Junior March 21-22: Summit Chase Feb. 27-March 1: Kinderlou Forest April 4-5: Willow Lake (Dan Parrish) Challenge April 2-3: Savannah Quarters May 2: Orchard Hills (Qualifiers) April 1-3: Liz Murphey Collegiate, UGA GC April 16-17: CC of the South May 10-11: Newnan CC Mid-Am April 22-24: Junior All-Star, Chateau Elan June 20-21: Mystery Valley (Red Dobbins) April 13: CC of Columbus May 29-30: Pre-season Junior, July 18: Chicopee Woods April 17: Landings, Savannah Juniors Chateau Elan Aug. 15-16: Jekyll Island (Division April 18: Monroe CC Georgia PGA June 7-9: WindStone GC, Ringgold Championship) April 19: Towne Lake Hills June 14-16: Coosa CC, Rome Sept. 26-27: Canongate GC (Lee-Weir) April 20: Orchard Hills Feb. 26-27: Wilmington Island Club July 26-28: Jones Creek, Augusta Oct. 24-25: Legends (Tour Championship) April 21: Southern Hills March 19-20: Brickyard @ Riverside

MARCH 2011 GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 29 Course Reviews

Scales Country Club (Public) Jones Creek Golf Club (Semi-Private) 474 Scales Creek Rd., Homer; 706-677-3333 777 Jones Creek Drive, Evans STAFF: Larry Loggins is the PGA Head Professional/General Manager; 706-860-4228; www.jonescreekgolfclub.com Sam Houston is the Superintendent. STAFF: Gregg Hemann is the PGA Director of Golf; Drew Belt is the Golf Professional PAR/YARDAGE: Scales CC is a par 72 with five sets of tees: Black (7,205 yards); PAR/YARDAGE: Jones Creek plays to a pair 72 with five sets of tees: Championship Blue (6,368); White (5,609); Yellow (5,203) and Red (4,781) (6,894); Blue (6,631); White (6,276); Yellow (5,743) and Red (5,354). COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.4/138 (Black); 71.2/133 (Blue); 67.8/125 (White); COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 73.4/139 (Championship); 72.1/136 (Blue); 70.6/132 (White); 67.6/120 (Yellow); 68.4/122 (Red). 68.2/122 (Yellow); 71.8/126 (Yellow). ABOUT THE COURSE: Scales Country Club opened for play in 1999 as Scales Creek, but ABOUT THE COURSE: Since it opened in the mid-1980s, Jones Creek has been considered the course was sold four years later and re-named Hammer’s Glen. The Scales family one of the state’s top daily fee layouts, providing the Augusta area with its first upscale recently re-acquired the course and returned it to a slightly shortened version of its orig- course that was accessible to public play. The club went through a brief stretch when it inal name. Whatever the name, the course has been considered one of the best in converted to private status, but has been semi-private for a number of years. Local owner- northeast Georgia since it opened, sporting an excellent Mark McCumber design that has ship and management has provided more stability than the club has enjoyed in some not changed a great deal over the years. McCumber’s quality layout features a distinct con- time, and the course will again be a popular stop for visitors during Masters week. Jones trast between the two nines, with the tree-lined front nine tighter than the back, which Creek was the first solo design for acclaimed architect Rees Jones, with Tom Fazio con- makes up for its more generous corridors with the bulk of the hazards in play. There is a sulting on some re-design tweaks. Fazio softened the greens complexes, but other than sizeable difference in yardage between both the black and blue tees as well as the blues the 16th hole, which has been shortened and flattened a bit, the character of the course and whites, but several of the back tees are no longer used, considerably reducing the has not changed a great deal over the years. Jones Creek presents a strong but fair test, tour-length numbers from the tips. From the blues, Scales CC is a very playable layout that with a terrific mix of holes and a well-spaced group of tees that provide comfortable will test all aspects of your game without placing excessive demands on any particular options for every player. Jones’ layout includes a quartet of par 5s that require some one. Scales CC does not play quite as long as its yardage thanks to the slightly downhill thought and precision to avoid hazards that are very much in play on three of them. The nature of a number of the holes, among them a pair of scenic but perilous par 3s on more par 3s are highlighted by one of the state’s most appealing over-water short holes (No. 2, hazardous incoming nine. The back nine also includes a back-to-back pair of short-ish par which not so short from the tips) and a much shorter but still testy hole (15) that offers little 4s with all sorts of trouble (11 and 12). The greens complexes are not especially difficult, margin for error. There are a few par 4s with ample length, but the diverse group of two- although a number of approach shots have to deal with an obstacle or two, in part due to shotters includes several that offer scoring opportunities provided you can find the the terrain, which results in some drop-offs along the edges. The course is easily accessible fairway on a number of holes that are either relatively tight or feature doglegs where from the northeast Atlanta suburbs and is worth the ride thanks to the quality of proper positioning off the tee is vital. The greens are mostly on the large side and have McCumber’s layout and the reasonable rates. benefited from a switch to Bermuda surfaces.

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