Hall & Fisher Win ASGA Women's Scramble

Congratulations to Taylor Fisher (left) and Carrie Hall, winners of the 2009 ASGA Women's Scramble yesterday at Hot Springs Country Club. Cippy Smith (center), chairman of the ASGA Women's Committee and Secretary of the ASGA Board of Directors is presenting the trophy. Fisher is the reigning ASGA Junior Girls Player of the Year and will be attending Univ. of Missouri - Kansas City this fall on a golf scholarship. Hall is an AWGA Board Member and both players are from the host club. A full field of 36 teams participated. Check out all scores of all four flights at www.asga.org

Duke Birdies Final Hole to Make Cut

Ken Duke birdied the 18th and final hole of the second round of the Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth and appears he will make the cut on the number at even-par.

Duke fired a one-over 71 yesterday and a one-under 69 today. he moved from 79th after round one to T65th. He is only seven shots behind tournament leader Steve Stricker.

He currently ranks 111th on the Fed Ex Cup Standings and 133rd on the PGA Tour Money List with $257,337 in official earnings.

This is about the time of year Duke breaks out and starts to play well. Let's keep our fingers crossed that is about to happen for one of the nicest people ever to play golf in this state. He is a great ambassador for the game of golf and for the state of Arkansas! GO KEN!

Razorback Golfers Advance to NCAA Semi-Finals

The Razorback Men's Golf Team advanced to the NCAA Semi-Finals this morning in Toledo, Ohio with a 3-2 victory over Washington. The #4 seeded Hogs are the only team in the top four to advance to the semi-finals.

Top seeded Oklahoma State lost to #8 Georgia (Arkansas's next opponent) while second seeded Arizona State fell to #7 Texas A&M and third seeded Southern Cal fell to number 6 Michigan.

Conway's Jason Cuthbertson, a Razorback senior, won his match over Chris Kilmer 3 & 2.

The program is rising to the top again under third-year coach Brad McMakin. The Hogs are fresh off a #2 finish to Georgia in the SEC tournament and can enact the sweetest form of revenge in the semi-finals! GO HOGS!

Randy Beaver - 2007 PGA Professional of the Year

Randy Beaver was named the 2007 Arkansas PGA Chapter Professional of the Year and received the award at the Annual ASGA Awards Banquet at Chenal Country Club. He is surrounded by his family including his wife, Debby (to his right). On Debby's right is their daughter Mikki and her husband Dan Hosman of Jonesboro. To his left is his daughter-in-law Lindsey and his son Mitch. (Photo courtesy of Wayne Smith)

Randy Beaver Photos - A Tribute

Randy Beaver (red shirt) and Nicklaus Benton are shown watching the 2008 ASGA Senior Match Play at Rolling Hills Country Club in Cabot.

Nicklaus Benton was the 2007 ASGA Junior Boys Player of the Year and also won back-to-back ASGA Mountain Valley Junior Match Play titles in 2007 and 2008.

Randy Beaver Photos - A Tribute

Randy Beaver (red shirt) presented the 2008 ASGA Senior Match Play Trophy to Champion Stan Lee. Rolling Hills Country Club in Cabot was a great site for this event - mainly because of Randy Beaver and his maintenance crew.

During the 2008 tournament, Randy went for a chemo treatment one day and came back to Rolling Hills to check on the status of the senior match play. We all encouraged him to go home and take care of himself - but he cared deeply for other people. Because he was Pro/GM/Supt. at the host site, he felt he had to be there!

Photos of Randy Beaver - A Tribute

I am going to post some photos of Randy Beaver, as a lasting memory to honor him for all the contributions to the game of golf.

This photo is Debby & Randy Beaver at the 2007 Nike Cup Matches at Hot Springs Country Club!

Governor's Cup Stays Home 3rd Year in a Row

Congratulations to the 10 mid-amateurs and 8 seniors representing the Arkansas State Golf Association at the 4th Annual Governor's Cup at Chenal Country Club May 14-16 (see photo).

The Arkansas team won for the third consecutive year against the team representing the Mississippi Golf Association. Last year the matches came down to the final putt of the final match on the final day. This year was not quite as close (23-13) - but still exciting to win. Also special thanks to Captain Wyn Norwood and Assistant Captain Trey Schaap!

Randy Beaver - A Giant of a Man

The game of golf lost a dear friend on Thursday, May 21 with the passing of Randy Beaver, GM/PGA Professional/Superintendent at Rolling Hills Country Club in Cabot for the past 23 years. Randy's battle with pancreatic cancer ended at the age of 53. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Debbie and his daughter, Mickey and son, Mitch and a handful of grandchildren.

I am a better man for knowing Randy Beaver - and anyone that spent more than 30 minutes around him would say the same thing. Randy had a passion for life and a deep desire and hunger to play golf at the highest ability. He was never afraid of any shot and felt he could birdie every hole, no matter how long or how many obstacles came into play.

At six-foot, five inches tall and over 300 pounds, he was a giant of a man - but not just in size. He was a giant of a man in character and integrity and was one of the finest Christian men I ever knew. At least 500 people turned out for the visitation and funeral at Lonoke Baptist Church, where Randy faithfully served as a Deacon.

Randy's suffering is over - and he is playing the heavenly fairways now. He will be missed by many - men like Randy are few and far between on this earth. Randy will live on in our hearts and our memories of him will never fade.

(Be sure and read the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Thursday, May 28 as Golf Writer Jeff Slatton is writing about the life of Randy Beaver!)

Need Rain? Schedule an ASGA Tournament

Anyplace out there need rain? Anyplace outside of Arkansas, I mean because the Land of Opportunity has had its fair share this year. With the economy like it is, the ASGA can use all kinds of revenue. We will bring an ASGA Tournament to your city - which will guarantee rain!

Today, 72 women (36 teams) ventured over to Hot Springs Country Club for the Annual ASGA Women's Scramble and guess what - RAIN! About and hour-and-a-half of heavy rain fell on the Park Course beginning around 3 p.m., mixed with intermittent lightning causing a suspension of play (I can hear the air horns, can you??)

As I understand it from one of our staff, many of the women found the sale table at HSCC and hopefully contributed to the local economy. Barry Howard, GM/Director of Golf, always has a good selection of women's clothing and accessories for his members (and guests) to enjoy.

The bad news for the golfers is once play resumed, it looked like "carts on path" would be required from not only today's rain, but the already saturated ground at HSCC!

Want rain in your area - the ASGA is for hire!

Superintendents - Golf's Hidden Heroes

Golfers in the Natural State are lucky to play on some of the finest courses anywhere - and the maintenance crews led by our outstanding stable of superintendents that work long hours to provide the best playing conditions possible.

We owe a big pat on the back to these men and women and always take the time to say thank you because I know they appreciate it. The ASGA has had three Championships thus far in May - all have been affected by weather. The Men's Match and Mid-Senior Match Play at Big Creek in Mountain Home had numerous rain delays. But Brent Edens, superintendent and his crew, had the course in remarkable shape despite all the problems Mother Nature threw our way!

The Governor's Cup at Chenal was played on the tail-end of record rain-fall mid-May - and Jed Spencer, Superintendent and his crew went above and beyond the call of duty to get the greens as firm and fast as possible. Last week, Nick Birch, Superintendent at Hurricane Country Club in Bryant, also had his greens firms and fast, despite several holes literally being "under water" just a week before the Senior & Super-Senior Match Play.

Often we do not see these superintendents hard at work - they arrive early at their facilities, often before the sun comes up and stay sometimes until well after dark. If you are proud of the condition of your course, take time to let the superintendent know. "Thank You" will mean a lot, I promise you!

An Outdoor Game Must Deal With the Elements

Golf is an outdoor game and inclement weather is far too often a factor. Such was the case for the 43rd Annual ASGA Men's Match Play and 1st Annual ASGA Mid-Senor Match Play the first weekend in May at Big Creek Golf & Country Club in Mountain Home. Over the four days of play - two 18-hole stroke play rounds and two days of matches, the participants endured about 8 hours of rain delays. But somehow Mother Nature let us complete the tournament on schedule. Patience, dry towels and a really good rain suit were a must.

Hats off to Brent Edens, golf course superintendent and his crew for all their hard work. Brent had the zoysia fairways and bentgrass greens in perfect condition and it was the only way the course was playable. Over an inch of rain fell on Saturday and roughly the same amount fell Sunday. But when the dust settled (HA HA) - the winner in the men's match was also the sentimental favorite and hometown hero Kirk Brown. Stacey Shiew won the first ever mid-senior division.

Also, PGA Professional/Metereologist Eddie Roethlisberger was "right on the money" in his radar predictions about when the rain would arrive and how long it would last. Knowing the area was a key to the success of getting the players off the course safely when threatening weather moved into the Mountain Home area. Big Creek has now hosted the ASGA Men's Stroke and Match, ASGA Senior Stroke and Match and the Ozark Junior Challenge.

Rules Violations Get "Everyone"

I could make excuses like it was cold (40 degrees), but the simple fact is I was penalized two strokes under Rule 11-5 in an "Eskimo" tournament this winter. I should have read the rules sheet. Instead, I asked the starter, "what tees are we playing?" Long story short, we played the BLACK Tees on the first hole and I made eagle on the make-shift par-6 from the 1st tee to the 8th green with three great shots and holed a 20-footer. When our group got to the second hole, which was the 18th tee, I teed it up on the BLACK tees and played a nice sand wedge over the pond on the 70-yard hole to the 10th green.

"Jay, why are you the first divot?" one of my fellow-competitors asked. I looked around befuddled. We were about sixth or seventh group to tee off and there should have been numerous divots. About then we noticed the BLUE tees about 15-yards to the right of where the BLACK tees were and there were lots of divots. I immediately knew I had played the wrong tees and also immediately knew from 19 years of studying (and sometimes teaching) the rules of golf the penalty was two strokes and I had to correct my mistake.

I wanted to blame somebody else - but the real truth is I did not read the rules sheet, which read "BLUE tees #2." It was cold, and I was trying to stay warm at the first tee. Long story short, I shot a four-under par total for 9 holes, but with the two stroke penalty, wound up at two-under par. I lost the tournament by one stroke. I felt foolish. I should have read the rules sheet. Had I not made eagle on #1 and had the honor on #2, somebody else would have been penalized. Rules have consequences when they are violated - and this time it cost me the tournament and a nice gift certificate in the golf shop!

Golf Tournaments Have Rules

Have you ever noticed all golf tournaments have rules? In most tournaments, there is even a "rules sheet" that contains all the local rules for the course. When tee times or starting times are used, the "starter" will hand out the rules sheet. It is ALWAYS a good idea to get to first tee 10 minutes early so you will have some time to read the local rules sheet.

For example, in all ASGA and Arkansas PGA Chapter Tournaments, distance measuring devices such as Bushnell Rangefinders or Skycaddies, etc. are allowed by "local rule" in accordance with USGA Decision 14-3/0.5. This decision, one of over 1,200 in the USGA Decision Book, states the device must measure distance only and the measuring device cannot contain gradient (slope) or wind - even if that particular feature is turned off or diabled. The penalty for using a measuring device that does not conform is pretty severe - DISQUALIFICATION! Or as my friend Tom Meeks, the retired Senior Director of Rules and Competitions for the USGA says, "they are a trunk slammer."

The USGA does not allow the use of such a measuring device in USGA Qualifying Rounds and USGA Championships. Not all state and regional golf associations allow them either - although well over 50% of state associations are now allowing the use of these devices.

Welcome to Fox Tales

Welcome to Fox Tales, a new blog dedicated to the experiences of Jay Fox, Executive Director of the Arkansas State Golf Association. Quite a few people have been suggesting I write a blog, so here goes. Most of my writing will be about golf, the happenings of the ASGA, and of course the rules of golf.

This is my 19th year with the ASGA, 17 as Executive Director, after being hired in January 1991.

I have seen a lot and learned a lot in 19 years - about golf and of course about people. I think it was Sam Snead (or maybe Bobby Jones) that said "golf doesn't produce character, it reveals it."

If I have the quote wrong, maybe I am close as I am simply pulling it off the top of my head! Stay tuned for more information about golf in Arkansas and throughout the United States. There is also lots of information at www.asga.org - check it out!