Friday, April 30, 2010

Luke Carpenter is "Ace in the Hole"

Luke Carpenter stepped to the sixth tee today in the second round of the 44th ASGA Match Play Championship at Hurricane Country Club in Bryant and pulled an 8-iron from his bag for the 167-yard downwind shot. A few seconds later he and fellow competitor Greg Brown were feeling a major rush of excitement from Carpenter's first-ever HOLE-IN-ONE!

Anytime is a great time to make a hole-in-one, but to make one in a tournament round -especially a "major" in the state amateur ranks makes it all the more special. Ironically, Carpenter made four bogies, four pars and a 1 on the front nine for a two-over par 38, but shot 35 on the back for a 73 His 149 total easily advanced to match play. Brown shares his I-Phone photo of Carpenter pulling his ball out of the hole - CONGRATULATIONS LUKE!!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Kudos to Arkansas Golfer Magazine Publisher

Kudos and thanks to Stephanie Bolding Hopkins - the publisher of the Arkansas Golfer magazine - for all her hard work selling advertisements, working with the graphic designer and printer - and producing such a top quality publication for the ASGA.

This magazine is a direct membership benefit and is mailed to approximately 15,000 in the spring and fall each year. The statewide golf calendar of all "open" tournaments from member clubs/courses is in the spring issue.

Stephanie is shown competing in the 103.7 "The Buzz" Scramble - where she drove it on the green of the 13th hole - a mere 240 yard wallop.

Interested advertisers can contact Stephanie at stephhop2002@gmail.com or call the office at 501-455-2742.

Thanks Stephanie for your tireless dedication and devotion to the ASGA!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Big Creek Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Big Creek Golf & Country Club, located in Mountain Home, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Lang Zimmerman, managing partner and the entire staff at Big Creek including Ediie Roethlisberger, PGA Professional and Brent Edens, GCSAA Superintendent, have been great supporters of the ASGA for the past decade as host of numerous ASGA Championships including the Senior Match, Men's Match, Ozark Junior Challenge, Mid-Am, Mid-Senior & Public Links and in 2010 will host the U.S. Amateur Qualifying Round on Monday, August 9.

Big Creek has received numerous awards, including Five Stars from Golf Digest Places to Play in 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 and was named Best Course in the State by Golf Digest 2005-2006. An inaugural member of the Natural State Golf Trail, Big Creek features Zoysia fairways and Bent Grass greens and is designed by world-renowned architect Tom Clark. For more information including rates, log onto www.bigcreekgolf.com

Monday, April 19, 2010

Bizarre Ending on PGA Tour with Lengthy Ruling

Many of us probably watched the playoff between Jim Furyk & Brian Davis yesterday at the Verizon Heritage Classic. The ending was bizarre - to say the least. After making an 18-footer on the final hole to get into the playoff, Davis 2nd shot to the first playoff hole (#18) wound up in Calibogey Sound to the left of the green, marked with a RED line indicating it was a lateral hazard. The ball rested on sand and among some reeds. With Furyk on the green and probably going to make par, Davis elected to play his shot out of the hazard (he could have taken a drop under penalty of one-stroke and possibly chipped in for par). During the backswing, his club touched one of the brown reeds behind his ball and he continued the stroke blasting to about 25 feet past the hole. He immediately called Tour Official Slugger White over and indicated he had touched the reed on his backswing (TV replays also clearly showed this action). What happened next was almost as bizarre as the touching of the loose impediment as it seemed to take forever with multiple conversations on the radio between White and other Tour officials. The simple act to me would have been for White to pull the reed to see if it was a "loose impediment" which he finally did, confirming it was indeed a loose impediment. Rule 13-4c: "the player must not touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard.....penalty = two strokes." The Tour got it right after what seemed to me to be a much longer delay than needed. Maybe because it was a playoff caused the delay but Davis admitted he touched it and hats off to him for calling the penalty on himself proving once again golf is a gentleman's game!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

ASGA Staff Dedicated to Golf

The ASGA hired me in December 1990 when Charles "Monk" Wade retired and the first thing I told the search committee was "don't hire me if you are looking to replace Monk Wade, because he is irreplaceable." Not long after my labor of love with the ASGA began, I asked my father for advice: "Son, surround yourself with the most talented people in the world and you will look smarter everyday" were the prophetic words he said to me.


Well, that is exactly what I have done since 1990 and the current staff is shown, from left: Jessica Ross, Director of Junior/Women's Golf; Terri Green, Director of Membership; Jay Fox, Executive Director; and Mac Stubbs, Director of Handicapping. Ross begins full-time duties May 7; Green joined the staff Jan. 2008; and Stubbs began part-time in 1994 as "computer specialist" and became full time in 1996. This staff is dedicated to serving ASGA individual members and member clubs - as well as working with the talented men and women of the Board of Directors and Arkansas PGA Chapter! Great advice Dad - I surrounded myself with a talented staff and 20 years later still look smart (maybe a little more gray on top too!)