chicago district golfer july 2010

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JULY 2010 CHICAGO DISTR ICT GOLFER | 5

GUEST ESSAYBy Clair Peterson

GUEST ESSAY

Not long ago, it was a scenario few wouldhave predicted.

This year, the JohnDeere Classic will cele-

brate its 40th anniversary on the west-ern border of the CDGA as many ofthe worlds top players gather at TPCDeere Run in Silvis, Ill. to compete fortheir share of a $4.4 million purse.

The lowest of the top-five JohnDeere Classic finishers not alreadyqualified to play in the British Openwill receive an exemption into theworlds oldest and most internationalmajor championship.

And the tournament will ensurethat he and others are able to get thereas conveniently as possible. OnSunday evening, after the final round,he will join more than 20 of his fellowprofessionals on luxury charters thatwill fly them directly from Quad CityInternational Airport to Scotland.

At a time when a number of PGATour events around the country areconcerned about their survival, theJohn Deere Classic continues a steadyupward trajectory, as it raised $4.63million for charity in 2009, making itNo. 1 in per capita giving and No. 5 onTour in total charity dollars raised.

It hasnt always been the case. The likelihood that the Quad Cities-

based tournament, which began as anunofficial event in 1971, would lastfour decades was a bet no oddsmakerwould have taken. Several times thetournament came to the brink of shut-ting down for any number of reasons:the lack of adequate prize money, noreliable title sponsor, bad dates, weakfields, rained-out pro-ams and over-whelming debt.

But each year, through tireless volunteerism, ingenuity and supportfrom local governments, civic groupsand the Tour, the event lived on. It is

the areas only major league sportsevent and the community has worked collectively to keep it.

After years of living on the edge ofextinction, the tournaments fortuneschanged dramatically in April 1997.Thats when John Deere, whose worldheadquarters is in Moline, Ill.,announced a nine-year title sponsor-ship agreement with the PGA Tourbeginning the following year.

At the same time, Deere, a manufac-turer of agricultural and golf coursemaintenance equipment, entered intoan agreement to be the official golfcourse equipment supplier of the Tourand lease maintenance equipment foreach of the Tours owned or operatedTournament Players Club courses.Deere also provided 385 acres of sce-nic, company-owned land to the Tourfor the design and construction of TPCDeere Run, where the tournament hasbeen played since 2000. Deere sincehas extended its sponsorship twice andcurrently is committed through 2016.

Over the years, another major chal-lenge has been, and to some extent stillis, when it is played. The tournamentstarted as a fall event, but in 1974 itwas moved to the summer, directlyopposite the British Open, to serve as astateside alternative.

Unable to attract the high-profilestars who were across the pond, thetournament moved back to the fall in1990. The new dates attracted betterfields, but also battled cold, rainyweather and a competition in anunwinnable battle with football.

By 1997 the tournament was backin the summer, and in 2004, theClassic moved to the week before theBritish Open. Although the pre-Britishdate still made it difficult to convinceplayers to commit to the event, it gavepeople a new way to think about solv-ing the eternal date problem.

A solution came after Cedar Rapids,Iowa native and 2007 Masters champi-on Zach Johnson joined the tourna-ment executive board. Through discus-sions with Johnson and others, it wasdetermined the best way for the tour-nament to improve its field would be tofind a way to ease the transportationissue of players going from westernIllinois to the British Isles. The idea ofa chartered jet would alleviate thenightmarish problem of players losingluggageor worse, their clubs.

The jet would come in lieu of majorpurse increases. But instead of theJohn Deere Classics date being animpediment to playing the event, play-ers would begin to view the jet as theopposite: a reason to play.

The strategy worked. The year priorto the jet, 2007, seven British Open-eli-gible players competed at the JohnDeere. In 2008, 20 players did. Thenumber then jumped to 24 and thisyear, due to popular demand, a secondjet has been added.

Forty years after the PGA Tourcame to the Quad Cities, the tourna-ment is still improving. Heres hopingtodays struggling events can find part-ners the quality of John Deere.

Clair Peterson has been the John DeereClassic tournament director since 2002.

Its been a long and winding road the John Deere Classic has traveled, but the trip is getting smoother

Comments are solely the opinion of the author and not neccessarily those of the CDGA. Letters and opinions are welcome at [email protected].

Clair Peterson

Finding our way

6 | CHICAGO DISTR ICT GOLFER WWW.CDGA.ORG

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CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLFER (ISSN: #1087-6502) is published six times annually by theChicago District Golf Association, Midwest GolfHouse, 11855 Archer Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439.Periodical postage paid at Lemont, IL 60439 andadditional mailing offices. Editorial offices arelocated at Midwest Golf House, 11855 ArcherAvenue, Lemont, IL 60439. POSTMASTER: Sendaddress changes to Chicago District Golfer,Midwest Golf House, 11855 Archer Avenue,Lemont, IL 60439. One-year subscription is $15.Copyright by Chicago District Golf Association. Allrights reserved. The advertising space provided inChicago District Golfer is purchased and paid forby the advertiser. None of the products or servicesare necessarily endorsed by Turnstile Publishing,the CDGA or its affiliates.

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CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATIONFOR EVERYONE WHO PLAYS THE GAME

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The listing of the CDGA professional staff is available at www.cdga.org.

V O L U M E 2 1 , N U M B E R 3

Robert E. Allgyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shoreacres

Richard Andre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ridge CC

Thomas R. Artz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sportsmans CC

Guy Arvia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Exmoor CC

Randy Becker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Winnetka CC

Daniel M. Blouin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Village Greens of Woodridge

Andrew Boling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chicago GC

Mary Burgland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Soangetaha CC

Michael Camino, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Conway Farms GC

Gordon L. Campbell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ruth Lake CC

Frank Charhut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wilmette GC

Steven L. Cherveny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Foxford Hills GC

John A. Childers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elgin CC

Michael J. Choate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .North Shore CC

Michael E. Clark, D.P.M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CC of Decatur

Edward Clissold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Westmoreland CC

Henry Close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aldeen GC

David Crockett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .At Large

Guy Crucil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Medinah CC

Robert J. Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Indian Hill Club

Ronald Davidson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Makray Memorial GC

Anthony DeMarco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Olympia Fields CC

Michael J. Dickman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Flossmoor CC

Robert Dutton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Timber Creek CC

Jeffrey D. Echt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lake Shore CC

Richard Estlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Terrace Hill GC

William Finn, M.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Riverside GC

Michael Forde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Butler National GC

Larry Fulgenzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Old Wayne GC

Mary Garrison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Winnetka GC

Thomas A. Gilley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Flossmoor CC

Kevin Gratkowski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lost Dunes

Roger D. Greer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Skokie CC

Michael Griem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Exmoor CC

Howard Haberkorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Boulder Ridge CC

James J. Hager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lake Barrington Shores GC

Thomas J. Haggerty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Butterfield CC

J. Loren Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Blackstone GC

Eugene N. Halladay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hinsdale GC

John L. Hammond, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evanston GC

John Henderson, M.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CC of Peoria

Robert Hinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Panther Creek CC

Edward J. Hockfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hillcrest CC

John C. Hoelscher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WeaverRidge GC

Betty Kaufmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Knollwood Club

Peter Keffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aldeen GC

Karl Keller, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kankakee Elks GC

Jack Kieckhefer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mauh-Nah-Tee-See CC

William Kingore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beverly CC

Gary B. Koch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .At Large

Bill Koeneman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .At Large

Daniel R. Krpan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Boulder Ridge CC

Laurence J. LaBoda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kemper Lakes CC

Josh Lesnik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Glen Club

Gregory Liebovich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Big Foot CC

R. Scott Malmgren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Glen Oak CC

Christopher R. McClear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .At Large

Richard McCombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oak Park CC

Elston Mitchell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pontiac Elks CC

David Mortell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Balmoral Woods CC

Thomas E. Mott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rockford CC

Edward Mulcahy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Midlothian CC

Rudolph E. Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Schaumburg GC

H. Steven Nichols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Champaign CC

Clay Nicolsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mistwood GC

Lawrence Oakford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Woodstock CC

James J. OHagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Park Ridge CC

John Ozag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rolling Green CC

John Paladino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Forest Hills CC

Arthur W. Peters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ruth Lake CC

Roger L. Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lincolnshire Fields CC

Ronald Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .White Eagle GC

D. William Robertson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PrairieView GC

John Rolfe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Northmoor CC

Michael Rooney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Butler National GC

James F. Rudwall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ivanhoe Club

Samuel M.Sallerson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bryn Mawr CC

Michael J. Scheer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LaGrange CC

Richard J. Skrodzki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LaGrange CC

Laura Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .St. Charles CC

Darryl Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Red Tail Run GC

C. Nelson Strom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stonewall Orchard GC

Mike Sullivan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bloomington CC

Nancy L. Sullivan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Westmoreland CC

James Troy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Crystal Tree G & CC

Kenneth Urbaszewski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Deerfield GC

David A. Usiak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Crestwicke CC

Anthony M. Viola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Old Orchard CC

Timothy Vola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Harborside International

Ben Waldie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .St. Charles CC

David A. Walters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Crystal Lake CC

Joe Williamson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Briar Ridge CC

James E. Winslow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inverness GC

J.C. Wise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Plum Tree National GC

Thomas Allison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beverly CC

Steven S. Birky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Harrison Park GC

William R. Buecking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .At Large

C. Daniel Cochran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Biltmore CC

Frank DAmbra, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Biltmore CC

David A. Esler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Black Sheep GC

Charles E. Hodgson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Arrowhead CC

Gerald R. Hodgson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pekin CC

Nick Mokelke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cog Hill G & CC

Mike Nass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cantigny Golf

Dennis A. Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pekin CC

Thomas H. Roth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inverness GC

Don Schwarz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Prestwick CC

Lawrence W. Schweik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bartlett Hills GC

Lorraine Scodro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Midlothian CC

Philip Shannabarger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Den at Fox Creek

Gerald Skoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cog Hill G & CC

Rebecca A. Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chalet Hills GC

A. Glenn Stith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Arrowhead GC

Robert J. Stracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Northmoor CC

Marianne Zito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stonebridge CC

PRESIDENTMatthew L. Pekarek, Village Links of Glen Ellyn

FIRST VICE PRESIDENTKeith Frankland, Village Greens of Woodridge

SECOND VICE PRESIDENTDavid Haverick, Glen Flora CC

VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGEJames B. Madison, M.D.,Illini CC

VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGEChristine L. Stevens, Cress Creek CC

SECRETARYAlan J. Hunken, Bob OLink GC

TREASURERMichael J. Grandinetti, Calumet CC

GENERAL COUNSELSheldon Solow, Briarwood CC

EX-OFFICIOJerry Williams, Olympia Fields CC


Features24 CAREER DAZEBy Jim Owczarski

For several name players who have beensuccessful at the District or state levels, acareer in golf still is their top priority.

30 HISTORY LESSONBy Len Ziehm

Though the Western Amateur is 108 years old,the site of the 2010 event predates theprestigious championship.

32 TIME SAVERSBy Ed Sherman

With our busy schedules making it moredifficult to fit in 18 holes, the opportunity to playnine holes is an option gaining in popularity. 37

July 2010 | Vol. 21 No. 3

COVER: Joe Affrunti (photo courtesy PGA Tour). CONTENTS: (from top): Valerie Lawrence (photo by BuzzOrr/CDGA); Skokie Country Club (photo courtesy WesternGolf Association); and The Wilds Golf Club (photo by PeterWong).

37 GOLF IN THE CITYBy Amy Parker

The Chicago Park District courses provideconvenient access to golf without ever havingto leave the city.

DepartmentsGUEST ESSAYClair Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

AROUND THE CDGAClub Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Fit for Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Aces in the Crowd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Tournament Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

FACILITY FOCUSSanctuary Golf Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

DESTINATIONMinneapolis/St. Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

GEMS OF THE CDGAThe second (Woodside nine) at Cantigny Golf . . . . 42

RULESIts match play or stroke play, but not both . . . . 44

30

18


Around theCDGAFOUNDATION FOCUS | NAMES IN THE NEWS | CLUB CORNER | IN THE NEWS | TOURNAMENT UPDATE | FIT FOR GOLF | CDGA UPDATE

A GOLFERS BALANCE AND upperbody/lower body separation are two physi-cal components to ones game that couldalways improve. A great exercise to helpplayers improve their balance and also create some separation between the upperbody and lower body is called the storkturn.

There are two ways to do the stork turnexercise: either supported or unsupported. Itis best to start to do this in the supportedposition first and progress to unsupportedonce a person feels confident that his balanceis good and he can still perform the move-ment as well.

Supported stork turn Stand up tall and place both hands

on top of a golf club, upright in front of you.Lift one leg and hook your foot behind the

supported knee. Keeping the shoulderscompletely still, take the unsupported kneeand rotate it across the supported leg. Repeat10-15 times, again maintaining your balanceand keeping the upper body still. Switch legpositions and repeat 10-15 times in theopposite direction. Do two or three sets oneach leg.

Unsupported stork turn (advancedexercise)

Repeat the instructions above but withyour hands crossed gently across yourshoulders.

Remember to consult your physicianbefore starting an exercise program. Formore information on AthletiCos GolfPerformance Center, call 630-572-9700 orvisit www.athleticogolfcenter.com.

Tom Asuma

FIT FOR GOLFHelp to improve your balance

TWENTY YEARS AGO, it was an easy and obvious decision fora player to choose between a forged and an investment castset of irons.

Forged irons were small blade-type irons, muscle-backs asthey were known. Cast irons were larger cavity-backs, easierto hit with a generally higher ball flight. The good playersalways played forged, and the rest of us played cast. Life waseasier back then.

Things are different now. Forged irons are now availablein very forgiving cavity-back designs, and cast clubs are avail-able in muscle-back or blade designs. These days, it is criticalthat a player is able to differentiate between the processes(forged vs. cast), and the design (blade vs. cavity-back). Bothcast and forged as well as cavity-back and muscle-backs havetheir advantages and disadvantages.

Investment cast clubs are just that: cast. A hard stainlesssteel heated into a liquid form is poured into a mold. Thisproduces a very hard club head, generally lacking the feel ofa forging. Yet, because the material used is so hard, the facescan be made thinner than a forging, creating a club that canproduce hotter faces increasing ball speed and distance.

Forgings, on the other hand, are stamped or forged intoshape from soft carbon steel. This produces a softer clubhead with more feel. It is generally believed that well-madeforgings, because they have a more consistent metal density,provide better distance control.

Cavity-back irons generally will have a lower center ofgravity that will produce higher launch angles. They willalso have more of the overall weight around the perimeterof the face, making the club more forgiving on off-centershots. Cavity-backs also have a deeper center of gravity,which reduces back spin and increases a clubs stability, ormoment of inertia.

Muscle-back, or blade-type irons, have a higher center ofgravity that produces lower launch angles and are generallyless forgiving on off-center shots. Because the weight ismore forward in a blade, it tends to spin more. The weightalso tends to be more toward the heel, which will cause theclub to close faster at impact. This allows a player to workthe ball more easily.

Ultimately, players today should throw off previouslybelieved notions regarding either forged or cast irons.Forgings now are successfully used by players of allhandicap levels, just as castings are used by the best playersin the world. What matters is if a particular club head suitsa players individual needs as it relates to the launchconditions required to improve shot-making.

A certified club fitter will help any player determinewhat those specific launch conditions are and find thesuitable club head/shaft combination to achieve thosegoals.

Joseph Jung

Forged or cast: What has changed?

CLUB CORNER


Aces In The Crowd recognizes noteworthyaccomplishments by people in the CDGA coveragecoverage area. Prospective candidates for Aces InThe Crowd may be submitted via e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

Nicole JerayBerwynJeray advanced through sectionalqualifying at Twin Orchard CountryClub in Long Grove and earned aspot in the U.S. Womens Open, tobe played July 8-11 at Oakmont(Pa.) Country Club. She shared medalist honors byshooting 72-73145; five players from a 73-player fieldat Twin Orchard, one of 15 qualifying sites around thecountry, advanced to the championship. This will beJerays second Womens Open; she played in 2001 at PineNeedles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C., butshot 77-72 and missed the cut.

Kyle PetermanShermanA recent graduate of WesternIllinois University, Peterman wasselected to play as an individual inthe NCAA West Regional inBremerton, Wash. After finishingtied for 16th at the Summit League Championship, he missed earning an automatic spot but was given an at-large bid from the selection committee. He tied for 16th in the regional, falling short of advancing to the national championship. This year, Peterman hadtwo wins, finished in the top five in 10 out of 12 events and led the Summit League with a 71.5 scoringaverage.

Chuck BuescherPeoriaBuescher made two holes-in-oneduring the same round at CascataGolf Club in Boulder City, Nev., inmid-May. For his first, he holed an 8-iron from 139 yards at the par-3seventh. Buescher, 65, then aced the 150-yard, par-3 12thwith a 6-iron. They were the third and fourth career holes-in-one for Buescher, a longtime high school and collegecoach and now a radio color analyst for Bradley Universitybasketball games. The odds against a golfer making twoholes-in-one during the same round have been estimatedto be as high as 67 million-to-1.

ACES IN THE CROWDMADE IN CHICAGO | NEWS AND NOTES | CHIP SHOTS | PEOPLE AND PLACES | CDGA ONLINE | ACES IN THE CROWD | TOURNEY TICKER

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Corey KonieczkiRockfordKonieczki signed a national letterof intent to play on the mens golfteam at Marquette Universitystarting in the fall. A graduate of Boylan Catholic School inRockford, he was a four-time team MVP and helped thesquad win four conference titles and a regionalchampionship. He also won six high school tournaments,including back-to-back medalist honors at the NIC-10Championship. Other top performances include a third-place finish at the Big I National Championship with a6-under-par 274.

A NUMBER OF PGA PROFESSIONALShave found new homes in 2010. JohnKohler moved to Coyote Creek GolfClub from Canton Country Club; ScottSandfort joined Algonquin Golf Clubfrom Elgin Country Club and KurtUniek is now located at RavisloeCountry Club after working atMidlothian Country Club.

Others at new locales includeJoseph Sterr (Springbrook GolfCourse), Cory Ferrell (Old OakCountry Club), Keith Pike (SugarGrove Golf Center), Daniel Lee Waters(Bob OLink Golf Club), Jeffrey A.Perdew (Chicago Highlands Club),Bryan Luedtke (Plum Tree NationalGolf Club) and Michael Napoleonmoved from TPC Scottsdale to theKinetic Performance Center.

Golf World magazine recentlynamed Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Coursein Chicago as its 18th best nine-holegolf course in the country. The ChicagoPark District golf course measures3,240 yards.

Third-year PGA Tour pro KevinStreelman isnt just becoming a stapleon golfs biggest stage; hes becomingone in the digital world. The Winfieldnative has become a presence onlinewith not only his Web site (www.kevin-streelmangolf.com), created by his wife,

Courtney, but with his involvement onTwitter (@Streels54) and Facebook(Kevin Streelman Fan Club).

But his biggest impact can be felt onyour mobile device. Streelman, alongwith S-Squared Golf, helped create theGolf Like A Tour Pro phone application,

which is nowavailable on theiPhone, iTouchand Android.

It just wasreally an idea bymy neighbor andbusiness partner(Larry Slivka)that we could usethis incredibletechnology to

give us quick, accurate information andvideo information on how I play thegame of golf, Streelman said. It has over50 different shots, everything from uphill,downhill, sidehill, buried lie, tight lie,first-tee jitters, hitting a hook, hitting acutalmost every shot I really comeacross and what I think about and whatadjustments I make in my setup in orderto handle a particular situation.

Its a relatively inexpensive technology,too. It only costs $4.99.

For the cost of a single ball peoplewill have pretty much all of my secrets tohow I play the game, Streelman said.

Jim Owczarski

On the move

Kevin Streelman

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Parts of Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course are adjacent to Lake Michigan.


Around the CDGAFOUNDATION FOCUS | NAMES IN THE NEWS | CLUB CORNER | IN THE NEWS | TOURNAMENT UPDATE | FIT FOR GOLF | CDGA UPDATEAround the CDGA

TOURNAMENT UPDATERADIX CUP

IPGA team snags another win against amateurs

Bob Moran

Started playing: I picked up the game when I worked asa caddie at Twin Orchard. Dream foursome: Phil Mickelson, Phil Ogden, BobbyJones Favorite moment: Playing friendly games at Wynstone. Why tournament golf: Its the greatest challenge for yourgolf game. You have to find the right rhythm, have solidcontact and be solid all around. If you could play a round anywhere, it would be: PrairieDunes, Hutchinson, Kan. Final thoughts on the game: The game of golf is a great stress reliever and a lot of fun. Its a great individualchallenge. I think it probably ranks right up there withboxing as the toughest individual challenge in sports.

BULL VALLEY GOLF CLUB inWoodstock, Ill., is considered by many tobe one of the crown jewels amongnotable private country clubs in theMidwest. Chicago landscape architectHarry Vignocchi and his childhoodfriend, Steve Sidari, are co-founders ofthe club that opened in the fall of 1989.

Vignocchi and Sidari enlisted golfcourse architect Dick Nugent to designthe layout among nearly 200 homesites and dozens of acres of preservednatural terrain. The course winds itsway through both tree-lined forests and sweeping meadows and featuresseveral stunning vistas along the way.

Bull Valley was the site of U.S. Opensectional qualifying and the CDGAAmateur Championship in 2010.

The downhill, par-3 13th hole atBull Valley Golf Club is arguably thehardest par 3 on the course. The holemeasures 220 yards at its longestfromthe tees that are affectionately knownthroughout the golf course as the Tipof the Horn.

The tee shot must carry a pond thatcomes up to the front of the green. Theright side of the green is guarded by alarge cluster of trees, and two deepbunkers catch most shots hit left of thegreen. The green itself slopes sharplyfrom the back right to the front left.

The ideal shot is to the middle orfront left portion of the green to leavean uphill putt to most hole locations.

FEATURED COURSE

Bull Valley Golf ClubTHE ILLINOIS PGA professional teamregained possession of the Radix Cupfor the first time since 2007, defeatingthe CDGA Amateur team, 10-8, in mid-June at Oak Park Country Club in RiverGrove, Ill.

The pairing of Frank Bruno andDavid Paeglow led the way for theprofessionals by winning all threepoints in their match. John Ehrgott andDave Ryan led the amateur effort,tallying 212 points, while BradHopfinger and Kyle Peterman, eachcompeting in their first Radix Cup,scored two points for the CDGA team.

The Radix Cup, named after formerCDGA president and event founderHarry E. Radix, is an annual team

competition between the top amateurand professional golfers in the state.Players from each side are selected bythe respective organizations previousseasons point standings.

The annual matches are contestedbetween groups of two-person teams ina better ball, match-play format withthree points available in each of sixmatches: one for each nine and one forthe total.

With the victory, the IPGA increasedits overall lead in the series to 32-15-2.The event, however, has become muchmore competitive over the past 15yearssince a tie in 1995with theIllinois PGA having eight victories inthat time to the CDGAs seven.

FEATURED PLAYER

Bob Moran, Kildeer

RADIX CUP RESULTS

June 9 Oak Park Country Club, River Grove, Ill.

CDGA IPGA

Rick LeHew/Todd Mitchell 12 vs. Scott Baines/Connie DeMattia 212

John Ehrgott/Dave Ryan 212 vs. Gary Groh/Mike Harrigan 12

Joe Emerich/Jeff Kellen 0 vs. Frank Bruno/David Paeglow 3

Troy Logan/Steve Sawtell 112 vs. Billy Rosinia/Marty Schiene 112

Brad Hopfinger/Kyle Peterman 2 vs. Ben Putka/Matt Slowinski 1

Mark Roche/Tim Sheppard 112 vs. Steve Orrick/Mark Miller 112TOTAL 8 TOTAL 10

Foundation outing is another fundraising success

SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1944, theSunshine Through Golf Foundation hasstrived to enrich the lives of those less for-tunate, beginning with World War II vet-erans and continuing today with veter-ans, juniors, individuals with specialneeds, and the economically disadvan-taged. Over the recent off-season, theFoundation took the first steps toward aprogram that could change the game forall golfersat least those who choose toutilize a golf cart in the course of play.

In association with several specialrecreation associations, cart and golfindustry leaders, the Foundation hasassembled a task force working with thehope of redesigning the modern golf cartto better accommodate individuals with awide range of physical challenges.

This idea came about from seeingpeople who have disabilities that dontneed the use of a fully handicap-accessi-ble cart, yet a regular cart doesnt givethem the ability to play, said Foundationadvisor Carl Hopphan.

The task force has begun research tofind feasible, cost-effective changes thatcan be made to the current two-passengergolf carts available today. Modificationsbeing researched include:

A seat side bar/arm rest that has theability to fold out to allow easier accessinto and out of the seat.

A side step that will allow golferswho have trouble lifting their leg to stepup into the cart.

A steering wheel with decreasedresistance to allow for a driver with

diminished upper body strength. A stabilized split seat that allows a

golfer to slide or swivel out and remainseated while swinging a club.

Forward/reverse lever system sim-plified into a push-button system.

An automatic motor shutoff whenthe seats are extended or a side seat out.

The challenge for the task force is tofind a cost-effective solution that makessense for not only golf courses, but alsocart manufacturers.

Some of the single-rider specialtyvehicles in the market can cost more thantwice as much as a current golf cart, saidEric Nadler, committee member and vicepresident of sales for Nadler Golf Car.Our goal is to design a vehicle thatalmost everyone can operate safely andeffectively at a reasonable price where golfcourses would accept these units.


Around the CDGA

FOUNDATION FOCUSFOUNDATION FOCUS | NAMES IN THE NEWS | CLUB CORNER | IN THE NEWS | TOURNAMENT UPDATE | FIT FOR GOLF | CDGA UPDATE

Strategizing to make a more useful cart

THE SUNSHINE THROUGH GOLFFoundation held its 10th annual golfouting June 14 at Beverly CountryClub in Chicago. The outing providedparticipants with an opportunity toplay one of Chicagos premier privateclubs.

After completing recent renovations,Beverly was home to the 2009 USGASenior Amateur Championship andnamed one of Golfweeks top 100 classicgolf courses (those constructed before1960) in the country. In August, Beverlywill add hosting an Illinois State AmateurChampionship to its accolades.

The outing is a popular draw forDistrict golfers with event amenities suchas a limited field, caddies for walking anda tee package from Titleist. However, asfunds raised at this years golf outingtotaled over $100,000, participants alsohave a Foundation focus.

The golf outing began at Rich HarvestFarms in 2001, after the idea to have an outing was suggested by CDGA Governors Thomas Allison and SheldonSolow. Allison and Solow, the outings co-chairs, felt confident they could successfully incorporate an outing into the Foundations annual fundraising efforts.

Ten years later, the outing has become the Foundations

cornerstone fundraising event, raising more than $1 millionin the last decade and regularly reaching its 24-team capacity. When discussing the success of the last 10 years,Solow said, Golf is a wonderful game because you have a lot of nice people who want to do a lot of nice things for people.

Foundation athletes (from left) Anthony Lewaniak, Chris Rinaldi and Ray Strzewskipose with a trophy from the 10th annual golf outing at Beverly Country Club.

CDGA

Scott Langley

MADE IN CHICAGO | NEWS AND NOTES | CHIP SHOTS | PEOPLE AND PLACES | CDGA ONLINE | ACES IN THE CROWD | TOURNEY TICKER


NEWS AND NOTESCDGA Days at Six Flags July 22-25

GOLF RANGE MAGAZINE, a publicationof the Golf Range Association of America, recentlynamed the top 100 golf ranges in America for2010 and the state of Illinois claimed eight on the list.

Year after year, the quality just keeps gettingbetter, said Steve di Costanzo, founder of GolfRange Magazine. All of these facilities havedistinguished themselves in the areas of teachingand training, operations and community outreachprograms. These facilities and their owners andoperators play an important role in grass roots

golf, golf club and equipment sales and offeringfamily recreational programs.

The Midwest section of the top 100 golfranges included eight (out of 31) from the state ofIllinois:

All Seasons Golf Learning Center, Normal

Cog Hill Learning Center, Lemont

Golf Center Des Plaines

Golf Nation, Palatine

Links & Tees Golf Facility, Addison

The Links at Ireland Grove, Bloomington

Skokie Sports Park

Zigfield Troy Golf, Woodridge

Eight local ranges are recognized

THE MENS GOLF TEAM from theUniversity of Illinois did not qualify intothe match play portion of the NCAAChampionship, but the trip to TheHonors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn., justoutside Chattanooga, still was a grandsuccess.

Junior Scott Langley became the firstBig Ten Conference player to win theindividual title in 11 years, since LukeDonald of Northwestern in 1999. He hadscores of 70-68-68206, 10 under par, tofinish two strokes ahead of Alex Ching ofSan Diego and Peter Uihlein ofOklahoma State.

In the team standings, the Illini fin-ished 19th, eight strokes out of a playoff

for the last ofeight spots in thematch play fieldto determine theteam champion.

Langley pre-viously finishedtied for 24th at the Big TenChampionships,then tied for sev-enth at the WestRegional, help-ing the Illinibecome one of30 teams to compete at theNCAA final.

Langley takes NCAAindividual crown

THE CDGA, in conjunction with Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, are pleased toannounce CDGA Days at Six Flags. From July 22-25, CDGA members may purchase a one-day admission tothe park for $26a $30 savings. Members should visit www.sixflags.com/greatamerica and utilize thepromo code CDGA on that page. Members may print their own tickets to then be presented at the gate foradmission. Passes for parking, meal deals and flash passes also are available for purchase online.

BIG TEN CHAMPS

Individual winners from the Big 10 at the NCAA Championship:1932 J.W. Fischer, Michigan1936 Charles Kocsis, Michigan1944 Louis Lick, Minnesota1945 John Lorms, Ohio State1947 Dave Barclay, Michigan1950 Fred Wampler, Purdue1951 Tom Nieporte, Ohio State1955 Joe Campbell, Purdue1956 Rick Jones, Ohio State1961 Jack Nicklaus, Ohio State1985 Clark Burroughs, Ohio State1998 James McLean, Minnesota1999 Luke Donald, Northwestern2010 Scott Langley, Illinois

T here arent that many places atSanctuary Golf Course some-one cant play a shot from.Except from the fescue, thatis. Dont even think about it.

From the fairways? Of course. Therough? Go for it. The bunkers?Certainly. A shot has even been playedfrom up in a treeonce.

But the fescue? Theres no rescue.Director of golf Bob Schulz made

sure of that shortly after he arrived atSanctuary Golf Course, the pride of theNew Lenox Park District, in July 2005.

Sanctuary opened in 1996 after adecade of planning and building, alongwith a timeout after some ancient

Indian remains were found near whatbecame the practice range. A ceremoni-al boulder near the entrance commem-orates the past, and while some heartom-tom drum beats in the fallitssurely the band at nearby Lincoln-WayCentral High School in a practice ses-sionthe focus is on the present. Andon the fescue, which thrives.

The secret here is to keep it in the fairway, Schulz said. The rough isgnarly, but it can be forgiving.

The fescue isnt. As architect SteveHalberg intended, its there on mostholes with the exception of the twoback in what Schulz calls Jurassic Parkthe cozy point on the north end of thecourse across Marley Creek, where the14th and 15th holes sit. Once extreme-ly long, then cut back to nothing,Schulz and superintendent DougEggert collaborated on getting thelength just right. Which is to say, thelength where players look for about 10 seconds, utter something thatsunsuitable for young ears, sigh and thendrop another ball.

When I came in, everything was the same height, and it was mostly allhardpan, Schulz recalled. I said, Letslet it grow up.

The result was not only visuallyimpressive, but it brought back thecharacter of the course. What hadevolved into a mostly wide-openprairieall or parts of at least 11 holes can be seen from the veranda of the clubhouseturned into athinkers course. No longer can someone just smack driver 14 timesat least, not without paying the price. Thats demonstrated every July when the course is the site of aqualifier for the Illinois State AmateurChampionship.

Were one of the first sites to fill up,and its interesting to see how many dont come back the following year,Schulz said. This is a course wheresomeone comes in, says, I should shoot73 here, and they shoot a 79.

One of the reasons is how Halbergworked around the flood plain thecourse sits on by elevating every tee andgreen. The lofty locations equate tomore length.

Youve got to hit a club more,Schulz said. At 16, its a club and a halfmore.

FACILITY FOCUS

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Sanctuary Golf Course has longwelcomed players of all ages and abilities; its the fescue that puts up a fierce defenseBy Tim Cronin

The third hole at Sanctuary Golf Course


All Grown Up


The wise golfer will catch on quickly,but Sanctuarys no pushover. Thecourse record of 65, by Martin Bozek ofHickory Hills at the State Amateurqualifier four years ago, is impressive.The runner-up that day shot 71.Sanctuary yields low scores grudgingly.

It also enthusiastically welcomes thepublic. Except during years of so-called100-year floods, which inundate thelayout every four or five years,Sanctuary serves up around 36,000rounds annually, up about 40 percentsince Schulz arrived. Hes promotedoutings, leagues and especially juniorgolf on summer Tuesdays. Those arethe mornings and early afternoonswhen many a foursome has pulled upto the clubhouse, spied an emptyparking lot, and were stunned todiscover the course was jammed.

Sorry, fellas, its junior day, Schulzsays.

A group composed of 40 kids just sixyears ago boasted 452 last year. Its $20to join and $10 to play as many holes aspossible from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on nineof 10 Tuesdays starting in early June.The exception: July 6, when the IllinoisState Amateur qualifier is followed by aU.S. Kids tournament.

Does it cost me money? Probably,

Schulz said. But were a park districtcourse, and it is our future playing.

Those juniors will eventually grow upand turn into full-rate customers who arecrazy about the game, and perhapsSanctuary. Say, like Matt Eilers, a NewLenox steel broker. It was Eilers who hitthe shot heard round Sanctuary, from atree on the par-4 14th on a cold, wet dayseveral years ago. But Eilers, whose careerbest round of 79 came on the course, did-nt hit his tee shot there.

One of my customers threw a cluband it was caught in the tree, Eilerssaid. I think it was his pitching wedge.It was a greenside tree.

Eilers pulled a cart alongside thetree, clambered up and found the club.At that point, an idea prevailed.

One of the guys thought it would beneat if I played a shot up there, Eilerssaid.

Naturally, he did, and one of thegroup caught it on camera. A legendwas born.

All you juniors, dont try this athomeor on the course. Youll be crazyadult golfers soon enough. For now,just stay out of the fescue.

Tim Cronin covers golf for the SouthtownStar.

No. 18 at SanctuaryGolf Course

FACTS AND FIGURES

ADDRESS: 485 Marley RoadNew Lenox, IL 60451

PHONE: 815-462-4653

WEB SITE: www.golfsanctuary.com

18-HOLE GREEN FEES: $21-$45depending on day and timefor non-residents and $16-$31 for residents.

CDGA TOURNAMENT: Illinois StateAmateur qualifier, July 6.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

SIGNATURE HOLE: The fifth is a 568-yard par 5 from the tips and it offers adeceptively wide view from the tee. Justdont hit it left because the sweeping doglegtightens severely at the second landing areaand the green is difficult as well.

HOLE WHERE A BOGEY GOLFER CANMAKE BIRDIE: The par-4 second, 376yards at full distance, has out-of-bounds onthe left but otherwise is a pushover,especially when the hole is cut in the rightfront. Driver, wedge, one putt.

HOLE WHERE A SCRATCH PLAYERWILL FIGHT FOR PAR: The par-4 ninthwas stretched to 452 yards when headprofessional Bob Schulz added a tee back inthe trees. That means a haul of perhaps 240yards to reach the fairway.

EXTRA BALL INDEX: 312 (on a 1-to-10scale). Theres water on nine holes, but insome cases a player has to be a spray hitterto find it.

ABOUT THOSE INDIANS: Anarcheologist who participated in theexamination of Native American artifactssaid the site of Sanctuary was occupiedfrom about 1000 to 1630 by a series ofencampments. Pottery was similar to thatfound with the Winnebago, Iroquois, Miamior Illinois tribes. The remains of threebodies were reburied in Oklahoma. Theartifacts are held by the Illinois StateMuseum.

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT: Dont besurprised if a kayak comes by on the holesadjacent to Marley Creek. The creek, whichwinds through New Lenox, is often used byrecreational rowers.

Local knowledge: The wind can fool you.Were in a valley, Schulz said. We get alot of wind, but it changes. Watch the flagson adjacent holes to see what yourecontending with.

Tim Cronin

{Knees, Shoulders, Hips, Feet, etc.}

Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush physicians are known for

innovative care in areas ranging from sports medicine, joint

replacement, upper and lower extremity reconstruction, and

spine surgery to cartilage restoration, pediatric orthopaedics,

limb preservation, trauma, and orthopaedic oncology.

Pioneering technology and cutting-edge treatment are what

makes the orthopaedic program at Rush the Chicago areas top

rated program year after year.* Hip Resurfacing, No-Cast Wrist

Fracture Repair, Cartilage Restoration, Minimally Invasive Joint

Replacementprocedures all developed in part due to the

research and development efforts of Midwest Orthopaedics at

Rush surgeons.

Its no wonder that U.S.News & World Report ranks the

orthopaedic program at Rush University Medical Center as

#10 in the nation and the top-ranked program in Illinois.

*Source: 2008 U.S.News & World Report Best Hospitals: Orthopedics

For more information about Midwest Orthopaedics atRush or to schedule an appointment, visitwww.rushortho.com or call 877 MD BONES.

T e a m P h y s i c i a n s f o r t h e C h i c a g o B u l l s a n d C h i c a g o W h i t e S o x

The physicians of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush

DESTINATION

Minneapolis/St. Paul

In the Twin Cities and elsewhere throughout Minnesota,the golf season is relatively brief but full of passionBy Jon Roe

CHICH ICAGO DISTR ICT GOLFER | 19

innesotas golf sea-son isnt just on theFourth of July, nomatter what youmay have heard to

the contrary. Most of the time the golfseason in Minnesota lasts from the firstpart of April all the way throughHalloween, or maybe even Thanks-giving. This year, in fact, golfers wereplaying as early as mid-March.

No matter when the season starts,golf is a popular activity in Minnesota.The state ranks among the top fivenationally for number of golfers percapita. Approximately one in fiveresidents of Minnesota claim to begolfers, according to the National GolfFoundation.

Golf is so popular that Minnesota isthe only state to have been the site for every one of the 15 national and international championshipsconducted by the United States GolfAssociation.

Best of all, however, the golf and thegolf courses in Minnesota are top-notch without a top-notch price tagthat accompanies some populardestinations.

DAY ONEStart the first day with a choicea

modern-day course designed by BobbyWeed or an old-style layout with lotsand lots of history.

Stoneridge Golf Club, in thesuburbs on the east side of St. Paul,offers a links or prairie look with plentyof challenges and elevation changes.Whether its negotiating a tee shotbetween an old barn and a huge oaktree, or dealing with a lengthy par 4and par 3 on back-to-back holes,Stoneridge is a picturesque test.

In the afternoon, move on to ahistory book of holes at Keller GolfClub in the northeast suburbs of St.Paul. Keller was the site of the St. PaulOpen from 1930 to 1967. The rollingcourse also was the site for the PattyBerg Open on the LPGA Tour. All thestars of both tours played at Keller:Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Cary

The 13th hole at Keller Golf Club

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Middlecoff, Patty Berg, Kathy Whitworthand Beth Daniel.

Keller also was where two PGAChampionships, 1932 and 1954, wereplayed with Olin Dutra winning the firstand Chick Harbert the second. Thechallenge at Keller is not overpoweringlength of the holes, but staying inside theelm-lined fairways and hitting thesmallish greens. And be sure to stop inthe clubhouse, where pictures galore of

all the games greats who played at Kellerare on display.

An 18-hole green fee at Stoneridge is areasonably priced $79, while at Keller itis a mere $35.WEB: www.stoneridgegc.com www.co.ramsey.mn.us

Try to be done before the rush-hourtraffic so a 30-minute drive can bemade to downtown Minneapolis.

Thats where the spanking new TargetField, home of the Minnesota Twins, is located. There is all sorts of ball-park cuisine available from the usual hamburgers and hot dogs toCuban and other Latin American fareand numerous taverns along the corridors.

For visitors who might want to stay in St. Paul for the evening, see a play orlisten to musical performances at theOrdway Theatre, then walk across RicePark to the charming bar at the St. PaulHotel.

DAY TWOIf variety is the spice of life, the second

day of golf in the Twin Cities can offer alot of options.

Start with a morning round at TheLegends Golf Club in Prior Lake, about a30-minute drive south on Interstate 35Wfrom downtown Minneapolis. Designedby local architect Garrett Gill, TheLegends is considered by many players tobe one of the best daily-fee courses in theTwin Cities.

A scenic mixture of ponds and woodsframing both parkland and links holes,The Legends has some of the mostchallenging par 3s in the state. The clubhas won numerous awards as the bestnew and suited-for-business course in thenation.

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DESTINATION

Minneapolis/St. Paul

The ninth hole and clubhouseat Rush Creek Golf Club

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The second hole at The Wilds Golf Club

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An open fireplace in the mainclubhouse and a balcony patio arecomfortable locations for meals anddrinks. The green fee at The Legends is $79.WEB: www.legendsgc.com

There are plenty of good choicesthat are just a short drive away for anafternoon round, and two of them arein nearby Prior Lake: The Wilds or TheMeadows.

The Wilds, designed by TomWeiskopf and Jay Moorish, windsthrough a wetlands area at the startbefore a series of holes climb and diveover some large hills. The Meadows isless than 5 years old and is anadditional feature of the Mystic LakeHotel and Casino complex less than amile from The Wilds. The Meadowsalso meanders over some hills andthrough wetlands.

For either course, expect to payabout $80.WEB: www.golfthewilds.comwww.mysticlakegolf.com

When the afternoon round iscompleted, a trip to the Mystic LakeCasino can add or subtract from theNassau bets on the golf course. Or areturn to downtown Minneapolis canconclude with a stage show at the

State and OrpheumTheatres on HennepinAve. or a late-nightrefreshment at theProhibition Bar on the27th floor of the FoshayTower, which presents agreat view of the townbelow.

DAY THREEOne of M-SPs top

public golf facilities isRush Creek in suburbanMaple Grove, which isno more than a 30-minute drive fromMinneapolis.

Rush Creek was designed by two highlyrespected golf course architects, BobCupp and John Fought, and is a pet golfproject of the late Duncan MacMillian,whose family founded Cargill, Inc.

Rush Creek has been the site of a U.S. Amateur Public Links (2004) and the LPGA Tours Samsung World Championships. Built throughseveral wetlands, Rush Creek concludeswith a very good par 5 wrapping around wetlands, dominated by eye-highcattails.WEB: www.rushcreek.com

An appropriate way to conclude a visitto the Twin Cities is to experience the Mall

of America in suburban Bloomington. TheMall, also known in the Twin Cities asMOA, is the largest covered shoppingcenter in the country. Some odd factsabout the place: It has some 500 stores, itsown ZIP code (55425) and attracts some40 million visitors annually, more thanDisney World, Graceland and the GrandCanyon combined.

Here a visitor can exhaust himself andhis wallet, but its a good place to do so; its only a 5-minute journey to the Minneapolis-St. Paul InternationalAirport.

Jon Roe, who retired in 1999 as a sportswriter at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune,has covered golf in Minnesota for morethan 40 years.

DESTINATION

Minneapolis/St. PaulP

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The 15th atStoneRidge Golf Club

A VISIT TO BURGER HEAVENIf, by chance, a visitor to Minneapolis

finds himself with time to killheres onetime a golfer might not be opposed to arain-shortened roundthe locals certainlywill recommend a visit to Matts Bar onCedar Avenue South.

It is home to the Jucy Lucy (yes, itsspelled without the i, which lendscredence to its claims of originality),which patrons claim is one of best burgersin the city or the entire Midwest.

Its two burgers sealed together aroundthe edges, which turns the melted cheesebetween the patties into a hot, bubbly,lucious concoction. In fact, delivery of theJucy Lucy always comes with more friesthan one person can possibly consumeand a warning from your server: Warning,hot cheese ahead.


By Jim Owczarski

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CAREERDAZEFor several name players who have beensuccessful at the District or state levels, acareer in golf still is their top priority

Rob Grube

T o those who wish to play it professionally, golfis more than a game. It is life itself, played outover 18 holes four days a week.Every stroke given away means money, and onthe mini-tours, where theres already too littlecash to go around, that only compounds the pressure to succeed and get to the next level.

But that hasnt deterred many players who, in recentyears, enjoyed great success in CDGA or statechampionships. Theyre still fighting the good fight.

To others, golf still is an important part of their lives, justnot the most important part.

ROB GRUBE: There are no set formulas to get to the PGATour and no guarantee of immediate success. It can happen,however, and Hinsdale native and Palo Alto, Calif. residentRob Grube seemed destined for such a quick start two yearsago after turning professional following a stellar career atStanford University.

The four-time All-American received a PGA Tour and threeNationwide Tour sponsor exemptions right out of schooland played well.

He didnt expect to earn enough money in those starts togain status, but he did play well enough to give himconfidence heading into his first try at Q-school.

Unfortunately, Grube failed to earn any status in 2008. Or 2009.

It was frustrating not to make it the last two years justbecause it carries so many consequences for the rest of theyear, Grube said. I played well on the PGA Tour andNationwide Tour stages so I knew I was good enough to playout there, but then not playing well in Q-school, that wastough.

This year Grube is playing a full Canadian Tour scheduleand will mix in some Tar Heel Tour events as well, and his


game is rounding into form.The 24-year-old won the Canadian

Tours Riviera Nayarit Classic in Nayarit,Mexico in late April, when he held orshared the lead for all four days.

There were nerves and there alwaysare, but what was a little different aboutthis one is I felt I handled them better,he said. Instead of being worried that Ihad nerves, I went in expecting thatthere would be nerves and just tried tofigure out how to deal with them andhit good shots.

The victory came on the heels of a tiefor 10th the week before at the CoronaMazatlan Mexican PGA Championship.

I knew I was playing well, he said.And I really liked the course; it fit myeye and I got off to a really hot start,shooting 64-66 the first two rounds. Itall kind of came together as it tends todo when you win.

Grube doesnt anticipate any moresponsor exemptions this season andwill give Q-school another shot this fall.He has adjusted to being on the road for30-plus weeks a year, and he says thepro game has forced him to consistentlyshoot low scores on the weekend. Incollege, he could follow up a 65 and a66 with a 72 and still win. That is notthe case as a professional.

Learning how to consistently shoot low rounds whenyoure playing well was a skill that I feel like Im better at nowthan I was in college, out of necessity, he said.

Until then, he will try to continue to improve on the mini-tours this summer. Despite some success on golfs biggeststages, Grube doesnt focus on what was projected for himcoming out of Stanford, but rather what he can do toimprove.

You shouldnt focus on, Whats my status? or I shouldbe on the PGA Tour. I dont really get caught up in that, hesaid. I get caught up in, I should be playing at this level,and if I feel like if I play golf at that level consistentlyobviously there will be ups and downs and not a flattrajectoryif I play well and focus on getting better, theneventually Ill get where I want to go.

BRAD MAREK: Marek, now 26, won the Illinois StateAmateur Championship in 2005. He turned professional in 2008 and realized quickly that while his short game was superb, his overall ball-striking lagged behind hiscompetitors.

My whole amateur career I never really hit the ball thatwell, in terms of hitting fairways or greens, he said. I just

kind of skated by on having a really good short game andthat can get you far in amateur golf, but when youre playingfor money, that will add up to a lot of 10th- (and) 12th-placefinishes.

Professional life, and the struggles that come with it, hasbeen what hes expected, but he does admit it has taken hima bit longer than he anticipated to make it.

You know in the back of your head it could be a longer-term process than you want it to be, he said. Its just takena little bit longer than I thought to elevate my overall ballstriking to the level that it needs to get to for me to besuccessful and winning events out on tour.

BRIAN CARROLL: Carroll, 26, is in his fourth full-time season on the NGA Hooters Tour and feels like he is on theverge of contending for his first championship.

Im not going to go into the season saying Im looking towin this many times, he said. I set goals for myself, but Implaying to get myself in contention and get that experienceplaying near the lead and trying to win the tournament.

He is also preparing for another run at PGA TourQualifying School in the fall. He made it to the second stagein 2008 and also was a successful Monday qualifier for thePGA Tours John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill..

Brad Marek

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While those experiences proved to him he can play at ahigh level, like Marek, he admitted the road to the PGA Tourhas been bumpier than expected.

I thought, coming straight out, that I would do a little bitbetter right at the start, he said. But the talent at this levelis so deep. There are so many guysthat are jut as good as you are and youhave to play well each week. You haveto be sharp each week or youremissing cuts.

CARLOS SAINZ, JR.: The 23-year-oldElgin native, who won the CDGAAmateur in 2008, is just beginning hisprofessional odyssey after turningprofessional in January. He advancedto the second stage of Q-School as anamateur.

I dont think I was there mentallyto get through second stage, but thatjust comes with time and experience,he said. I definitely learned a lot andIm going to take those experienceswith me next time.

Sainz earned full exempt status onthe Canadian Tour after making itthrough its qualifying school. Hechose to play the Canadian Tourbecause of its ties with Nationwideand PGA Tour events north of theborder; if he is in the top five on themoney list, he is automatically enteredinto those events.

Sainz credits his improvement thelast two years to two teachers out ofOld Waverly Country Club inStarkville, Miss., P.J. Trolio and TimYelverton.

Im doing nothing but improvingat a pretty drastic rate every monthbecause of these two guys, he said.Its been really, really fun.

He also plans on participating inabout half a dozen Monday qualifiersas well.

This summer, Sainz will betraveling out of his hometown andpracticing out of Bull Valley Golf Clubin Woodstock.

JOE AFFRUNTI: In this, his sixth fullseason as a professional, the 28-year-old earned full status on theNationwide Tour through Q-School.

Theres just something that clicks, something thathappens at an event or a qualifier and you know that youregame is good enough to get out there and play out there,said Affrunti, who won consecutive CDGA Amateur titles in2000 and 01.


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Carlos Sainz, Jr.

That click came in 2009, beginningwith a Hooters Tour victory in thesummer. His game rolling, he Monday-qualified for a Nationwide Tour eventand finished in the top 10 the weekbefore Qualifying School.

Right there I realized I could go outthere and play with these guys, he said.It just happened to be right when I wasgoing in to Q-School.

Riding high, he made it through thefirst stage. Then he won a Hooters Tourevent before the second stage. He wonanother mini-tour event before the thirdstage and now finds himself one stopaway from the PGA Tour.

My game actually peaked at the endof the year, which in a way, is the onlytime that really matters, he said. Itstough that Q-School comes around onlyonce a year, but it worked out.

Through the first four months of the2010 season, Affrunti had made the cut infive of seven Nationwide Tour events andfinished inside the top 25 three times.

My game hasnt changed but,mentally, you convince yourself youre agreat player and you can win everyweek, he said. When youre playing

really well you think so clearly. When you tee it upyoure like, How many under am I going to go today?Then you just play. Thats when the game is super fun.

T.C. FORD: It was the summer of 2007, and Ford wascaddieing on the PGA Tour for former Northwesternroommate Tom Johnson.

Johnson had hoped to inspire Ford, the 2004Illinois State Amateur champion, by showing his friendthat his game wasnt that far removed from tourquality.

At that point, Ford had experienced moderatesuccess for two years on the Hooters Tour after turningpro near the end of 2004, but rather than inspire him,the loop showed him just how far he had to go.

Unless youre one of the best in the world, youcould be on Tour for a year and then youre back onNationwide and you have so much invested that youcant stop; you have to keep going, Ford said. Therewere a whole lot of factors that led to switching gears.

Halfway through 2007, Ford left the game for amore stable job at Merrill Lynch in his hometown ofMandeville, La., near New Orleans.

He didnt play for two years to focus on his new


Joe Affrunti

career and familyhe married his highschool sweetheart, Mikaela (whocaddied the final 36 holes and threeplayoff holes of his Illinois State Amvictory)but he picked up the sticksagain in 2009 and regained hisamateur status later that year.

Now 28, he is looking to get back tocompetition.

My goal is to win the LouisianaState Amateur now to go with myIllinois State Amateur, he said. Ialready have the 2012 (USGA) Mid-Amateur at Conway Farms on mymirror at home. I need to keep workinghard at my business, but that keeps megoing. Golfs a game that no matterwhat level you are, there are things toconquer and ways to get better.

RICH DUKELOW: Dukelow, a formerIllinois State Amateur champion and a two-time CDGAPlayer of the Year, knows what his younger counterparts aregoing through.

The 41-year-old professional at Cantigny Golf in Wheatonturned pro after college in 1991, but by 1994 he realized his

game wasnt going to translate to the tour.He bounced around several jobs before realizing he had to

be around the game again, so he regained his amateur statusin 1996 and began competing. He did so for eight yearsbefore turning pro again in 2004.

I just didnt know a whole lot,Dukelow said of his first time around asa professional. What I know about thegame now I didnt know back then. Idont think I understood what it took tomake it, to be honest with you. I thinkits a little more clear now.

Now hes eligible to play in the PGAof Americas Professional NationalChampionship, which could get himinto the PGA Championship. He alsocompetes across the state in IPGAevents.

The game still offers the ability todream, even for a veteran.

I dont know what the future holdsfor me in golf, he said. If you didnthave hope in golf, youd never playagain. Youre always hoping the best isyet to come, but it takes hard work. Im41, so I have to work extra hard. But Ihave goals and dreams. I still believe Ican do something pretty specialplaying golf, but who knows when itllcome or how itll come.

Jim Owczarski is a sports writer for theBeacon News in Aurora.


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Jim Beam Club

Though the WesternAmateur is 108 years old, the site of the 2010 event predates the prestigious championship

Last year the WesternGolf Association madewhat some consideredto be a rather boldmove, pulling its presti-

gious Western Amateur out of itslongtime home at Point O Woodsin Benton Harbor, Mich., and con-ducting the 107th staging of thechampionship at Conway Farms,a relatively new Lake Forest coursebut one that has established itselfas a great tournament site.

The move not only ended a 38-year Western Amateur stretchat Point O Woods, it also started astint of at least seven straight yearsin the Chicago area.

This years Western Amateur,scheduled for Aug. 2-7, will beplayed at Skokie Country Club inGlencoe. Skokie, as rich in historyas the tournament itself, datesback to 1897, when a group ofChicago businessmen purchasedthe land with the purpose ofbuilding a nine-hole course.

The first golf at Skokie wasplayed two years before the firstball was struck in the WesternAmateur in 1899 at Glen View Club.Skokie expanded to 18 holes in 1904 andenjoyed its greatest moment in 1922,when Gene Sarazen won the U.S. Openthere.

Skokie has been an infrequent tourna-ment site since then, but big things havebeen going on there.

The first 18-hole version at the clubwas designed by Tom Bendelow, whosemany creations also included Medinahand Olympia Fields. In 1914 the clubbrought in another famous architect,Donald Ross, to revamp the layout andhis work remained in play until 1938,when William Langford and TheodoreMoreau, two of the top architects of that

era, made some major revisions.In 1999, club members opted to

enhance the courses reputation as a Rosscourse and brought in Ron Pritchard toupdate the layout. The well-received finished product will get its most publicviewing yet when the Western Amateur isplayed for the 108th time.

Over the years, Skokie was the hostclub for the 1909 Western Open and the 1998 U.S. Senior Amateur, which was won by Chicagos own Bill Shean, Jr.Last year, Skokie made an impact in the younger ranks as site of the WindonMemorial, an elite college event hosted by Northwestern University, and the Western Amateur will continue


History

W E S T E R N A M A T E U R P R E V I E W

WHAT: 108th Western Amateur

WHERE: Skokie Country Club, 500 Washington Ave., Glencoe

WHEN: Aug. 3-7

SCHEDULE: 18 holes stroke play Tuesdayand Wednesday; 36 holes stroke playThursday. The top 16 players advance tomatch play. Two rounds of match play onFriday; semifinals and final matches arescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 7.

LAST YEAR: John Hahn defeated ZachBarlow in the final, 3 and 2.

NOTABLE EVENTS AT SKOKIE C.C.: 1909Western Open, 1922 U.S. Open, 1998 U.S. Senior Amateur

By Len Ziehm

LESSON

FACT BOX

that tradition.Skokies a great golf course and has a

wonderful membership with great ties tothe Evans Scholars Foundation, saidVince Pellegrino, who made his debut asthe WGAs tournament director at lastyears Western Amateur. The trickything about the course will be the greencomplexes and how fast the greens can be.

Theyll present a challenge for 156players, all invitees for the second straightyear. Dropping the qualifying rounds led to last years Western Amateur havinga field ranked the third-best among

amateur events in the world. This yearsfield might be even stronger.

It's important to our membership togive back to the game, and serving as the host site for the Western Amateur is a wonderful way to do that, saidSkokie President Charlie Denison, andits an excellent opportunity for us toshowcase our course to the world's topamateurs.

John Hahn, who won last years title asa junior at Kent State University, will seekto become the Westerns first repeatchampion since PGA Tour mainstayJustin Leonard triumphed in 1992 and

93. Hahn defeated the University ofIllinois Zach Barlow, the then reigningIllinois State Amateur champion, in lastyears title match.

This time Hahn will have to beat out,among others, Chen-Tsung Pan, lastyears Western Amateur medalist; U.S.Amateur champion Ben An; U.S. Mid-Amateur winner and Masters tourna-ment participant Nathan Smith; and well-regarded up-and-comer Peter Uihlein.

One of golfs most rigorous tests, theWestern Am format calls for 72 holes ofstroke play qualifying, and then matchplay for the top 16 survivors. It takes agreat player to win this tournament, asshown by the roster of champions.

The tourneys all-time star was ChickEvans, who won eight times beforefounding the Evans Scholars Foundationin 1930. Cousins F. Chandler Egan andWalter Egan combined for five titles andfour runner-up finishes from 1899-1907.

More recent champions include suchnotable names as Jack Nicklaus (1961),Tom Weiskopf (63), Andy North (71),Ben Crenshaw (73), Curtis Strange (74),Scott Verplank (85), Phil Mickelson (91)and Tiger Woods (94).

Nicklaus, Woods, Crenshaw, Verplankand Weiskopf also went on to win theWGAs premier event, the Western Open,later in their careers. Over the years,Western Amateur winners have comefrom 24 states, Canada, Australia andNew Zealand.

Last years tournament marked thefirst time in 52 years the Western Amateurwas held in the Chicago area. Prior toConway Farms, though, the tournamentwas played at one time or another at GlenView, Onwentsia, Midlothian, ChicagoGolf Club, Exmoor, Flossmoor (formerlyHomewood), Westmoreland, Hinsdaleand Bob OLink.

Skokie marks the second of what is aseven-year run at Chicago-area courses,followed in 2011 by North ShoreCountry Club, then Exmoor CountryClub, the South Course at OlympiaFields Country Club, Beverly CountryClub and Rich Harvest Farms.

Len Ziehm is a golf writer for the ChicagoSun-Times.

The 12th hole (left) and No. 3 (below) at Skokie Country Club


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With our busy schedules making it more difficult to fit in 18 holes, the opportunity to play nine holes is an option gaining in popularity

ack when it was decided 18 holes would be thelength for a round of golf, they didnt have suchthings as corporate meetings, youth soccer organi-zations or TiVo. Players could take all day.

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On a recent May morning, PatrickNugent (white shirt) and MikeNowak, both of Chicago, begantheir nine holes at 7:52 (left) andwere finished an hour and 49minutes later (above).

By Ed Sherman

Flash forward to 2010. If golf were invented today andsomebody said it would take 4-5 hours to play 18 holes, thelikely response might be, Who has that kind of time? Makeit nine.

In this modern age of dwindling free time and finances,the nine-hole option is gaining traction in recreational golf.More and more, players are embracing the notion that half around of golf is better than no round. Golf course operatorsalso are offering their customers reduced prices to get golfersto at least play nine holes.

Ive been a proponent for nine holes for years, said JimKoppenhaver, president of Buffalo Grove-based PellucidCorp., a consulting company for golf courses. When you askpeople why they arent playing, the No. 1 thing they say istime. I found an old survey from 1988. It said the top reasonwhy people didnt play was time. Have we not learned any-thing in 20 years?

Josh Lesnik, the president of KemperSports, says his com-pany, which manages golf courses throughout the country,has observed more public venues adjusting in recent years.

A lot of players at private facilities take advantage ofoptions to play three, six, nine, 12 holes, whatever timeallows, Lesnik said. Now weve seen public courses comeup with offers to do something similar, allowing the daily-feeplayers to fit golf into their schedules.

The biggest beneficiaries have been the operators of nine-hole courses; there are more than 25 in the Chicago area.Pottawatomie Golf Course in St. Charles saw an increase of2,000 rounds in 2009, a huge jump considering the state of


The third hole at Pottawatomie Golf Course.

the economy.Jim Wheeler, the head professional at Pottawatomie,

thinks the courses relatively low fees are a deciding factor.During most times, players are able to get in nine holes forless than $20.

Were a good bargain, Wheeler said. Were picking uppeople because they are changing what they do with theirmoney. Playing 18 holes is not a family option for golf. Hereits more reasonable for four people to go out and have fun.

Time is a big issue for Jered Weiland. As vice president ofoperations for Billy Casper Golf, he oversees the operationsof the Cook Country Forest Preserve and Chicago ParkDistrict courses. With his business demands and a family,spending four or five hours on the golf course rarely is anoption.

Over the past few years, Ive almost exclusively onlyplayed nine holes, Weiland said. I dont have the luxury ofplaying a leisurely round of 18 holes. When youre not work-ing, its hard to go out and play golf. You need to go homeand spend special time with the family.

One of Weilands courses, Sydney R. Marovitz, a lakefrontcity track that handles more than 50,000 rounds per year,recently was ranked as the 18th best nine-hole course in thecountry by Golf World magazine; Pottawatomie placed 15thand Woodstock, a private club, was 19th.

Pottawatomie was designed by legendary architect RobertTrent Jones, Sr. in 1939. Playing at just over 3,000 yards, it features Joness first island green on the par-4, 345-yardthird.


The Chicago skyline is always in view atSydney R. Marovitz Golf Course.

Theres a stigma that nine-hole courses are just for young(new) or older players, Wheeler said. I try to remind people when they call that, yes, were a regulation course.Weve got a lot of good holes out here.

There are several nine-holers that do cater to beginners.Even then, some take an extra step. Libertyville-based archi-tect Rick Jacobson designed Glenview National 9 with theidea of making it accessible for new players while still provid-ing some challenges for better players. He built multiple teeboxes and other features on the greens.

Its nice transitional type of facility, Jacobson said. Wehave some double greens and some water. We try to providesomething for everyone.

Plenty of traditionalists scoff at the notion of only playingnine holes. If they cant play 18, theyd rather not play at all.

Lesnik, though, is quick to point out the United StatesGolf Association allows you to post a nine-hole score on yourhandicap record. So it hardly is a wasted exercise for the serious golfer.

And for golfers who just want to have fun and enjoy thegame, the half-full glass, nine holes, is a viable option.

Ed Sherman is a recently retired golf writer for the ChicagoTribune. He also writes a sports business and weekly golf blogfor Crains Chicago Business.


POTTAWATOMIE GOLF CLUB, ST. CHARLESThe St. Charles Park District course is a treat. For golf buffs,youll get to play a layout by legendary architect Robert TrentJones, Sr. Even if you dont know much golf history, youllappreciate the landscapes along the Fox River. The par-35course features Joness first island green, at the par-4 third.

SYDNEY R. MAROVITZ, CHICAGOIts hard to beat a course that has views of the Chicago skylineand Lake Michigan. If youre not careful, you can hit your drive inthe lake at the par-5 fifth. The par-35 course is a popular draw,and on the positive side, youll have plenty of time to enjoy thescenery.

DOWNERS GROVE GOLF COURSEIn the late 1890s, C.B. Macdonald, one of the pioneers of golf inAmerica, organized the fundraising that permitted the design andconstruction of the nine-hole Chicago Golf Club. That club latermoved to Wheaton, and on the original site is Downers Grove GolfCoruse, which had several owners until the Downers Grove ParkDistrict purchased and renamed it in 1968.

Ed Sherman(A full listing of nine-hole courses is available at cdga.org.)

THREE NINE-HOLE WINNERS


T he Chicago area is home toseveral hundred golf courses,and as is the case in most largecities, a majority of them are locatedoutside the city limits.

For those looking for a course insidethe city walls, dont look much further.The Chicago Park District offers greatgolf, right in the heart of the city.

The courses make up only a smallpart of the facilities managed by thepark district, but they play an importantrole in Chicago golf. With reduced ratesand convenient locations, golf is avail-able to just about anyone.

Municipal golf is huge in Illinois,said Jered Wieland, the vice president of operations who oversees the courses. I think Illinois has the highestnumber of municipal golf facilitiesowned by park districts, whereas elsewhere the city owns it.

Sydney R. Marovitz gets the most rounds ofthe Park Districts courses.

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The Chicago Park Districtcourses provide convenientaccess to golf without everhaving to leave the cityBy Amy Parker


The Chicago Park District, formed in1934, is one of the countrys oldest. Itconsolidated several park commissionsand came about as a way to provide out-door activities, programs and events to adensely populated area. The golf courses,part of the original park commissions oracquired over time, have become an inte-gral part of Chicagos golf scene.

Currently, the Chicago Park District ishome to six golf courses, three drivingranges, three learning centers and twominiature golf courses. With more than500 programs and events a year, the parkdistrict includes 7,600 acres, 570 parks,534 baseball fields, 90 gardens, 10 muse-ums, two conservatories and severalother facilities, with the golf courses sit-ting right on top of prime real estate. Andfor those who play the game, its a hugeamenity to be able to play right in the cityand not even require the use of a car.

We get a good number of out-of-townfolks that go to Jackson Park because itsthe only 18-hole facility, Wieland said.They also go to Sydney R. Marovitzbecause its the closest to downtown.Those two places get a lot of what I call

transient play. The other courses aremore like community golf courses.Whoever lives around there plays therebecause its convenient. Either they worknear a golf course or live near the course.

There are nice nine-hole tracks that youcan stop by on the way home from workand let the traffic die down.

Jackson Park Golf Course was one ofthe first public golf courses west of theAlleghenies. It opened in 1899 as nineholes in the spot where the driving rangeis now, and another nine holes wereadded a year or so later when it movedacross the street to its current location.One of the oldest municipal courses inthe country, it is home to the ChicagoCity Amateur, now in its 106th year.

Some of the regulars have beenplaying here for 20 years, said WadePike, the assistant general manager.We also get a lot of out-of-town guests.Its home to the City Amateur, whichhas been played here every year exceptfor a few.

chicago district golfer july 2010

Documents

johndeere classic finishers

thejohn deere classic

number of reasons

quad citiesbased tournament

anunofficial event

number of pgatour events

quad cityinternational

total charity dollars