Sunday, July 25, 2010

“Golf tournament to be named for Tom Hoffman” plus 3 more

“Golf tournament to be named for Tom Hoffman” plus 3 more

Golf tournament to be named for Tom Hoffman

Posted: 25 Jul 2010 12:53 PM PDT

At its annual golf outing last month held at the South Shore Country Club, the Hingham Sports Partnership announced that its annual golf outing will now be called the Tom Hoffman Golf Tournament in honor of Tom Hoffman who has announced that he will step down after 10 years on the board and seven years as president.

During Hoffman's tenure as president of the HSP the board has re-invested more than $2 million back into the community for local youth and high school level sports programs as well as funded three annual scholarships. HSP vice-president Warren Pelissier made the presentation to Hoffman following a beautiful day for golf.

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Golf course changes suggested

Posted: 24 Jul 2010 08:49 PM PDT

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A golf course architect working for Shawnee County suggests it replace the clubhouse at the county's Lake Shawnee Golf Course and add bunkers, berms and lakes to give more character to its Forbes Golf Course. read more

Golf courses changing with the times, technology to attract more paying customers

Posted: 24 Jul 2010 08:09 PM PDT

By Edgar Thompson

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

BOCA RATON — The golfers of the next generation will still be playing Callaways or Pings, but also will use their iPhones to check their course's Facebook page or fire off a video to their teaching pro for a quick fix from the practice range.

Nearby, a foursome of high-handicappers — one or two wearing Diesel jeans — will be on the first tee, looking to squeeze in a quick six (holes).

This high-tech, laid-back scene would make some purists cringe.

But it also might be the forward thinking golf needs at a time when the sport is slumping like everything else in these tough economic times.

On Friday at Boca Raton's St. Andrews Country Club, no idea was too cutting-edge as general managers and club pros from 30 South Florida private courses and a few of the game's bigwigs, including PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka, held the inaugural Grow Golf Forum.

"If you're to make changes, this is the time to do it," said Jim Singerling, CEO of the Club Manager's Association of America, based in Alexandria, Va.

Singerling said even the "curmudgeons" are willing to consider new ideas these days.

Sterenka said the number of rounds played in South Florida was down eight percent and revenues dipped 10 percent last month compared with June of 2009.

"Those are some challenging numbers," he said.

Few places feel the bite more than Florida, where the sport offers jobs to many and a lifestyle to many more.

Singerling said around 100,000 people make their living in the golf industry.

But jobs are harder to get, especially at the apprentice pro level, where positions in South Florida are at a 20-year low, Sterenka said.

Meanwhile, golfing communities are everywhere, but some residents are forgoing golf memberships to save money.

But once the economy rebounds, the real challenge will be long term.

"In 20 years, I don't want to see our industry look like the tennis industry and what they've gone through," Singerling said.

Tennis' popularity and participation once higher than golf's now lag behind.

To keep it that way, golf must attract young players, women and minorities, the panel agreed.

Craig Martin, the chief operating officer at St. Andrews, said the increasing age of residents — an average of 68 years old — began a drop-off of participation at his club some time ago.

But he said one major obstacle is younger players don't want to spend the time required to play 18 holes. Neither do many women, said Steranka, who also noted, "we need to double the number of women's golfers."

Steranka and Co. believe nine-hole, even six-hole, courses would appeal to new players. The PGA Village in Port St. Lucie is considering a six-hole course, Steranka said.

Courses also might have to consider relaxing dress code restrictions, all the way to allowing players to wear denim.

Finding ways to communicate with players through their PDAs would be another break from tradition.

"This is an advantage," Steranka said, holding up his Blackberry. "You have here the closest location to your customers."

But Steranka said concerns over how to address golf's dwindling numbers have existed for off and one the 1920s.

"This isn't an industry that is going away," Singerling said. "But we do have to be ready as things turn to go forward."

Change will take time, though, especially when no one is sure where to begin.

"This is a complicated issue," said Michael McCarthy, CEO of Addison Reserve in Delray Beach.

But everyone agrees it is an issue.

"If we do what we've always done," St. Andrews' Martin said, "we're going to have what we've always had."

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Golf roundup

Posted: 24 Jul 2010 08:17 PM PDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Bernhard Langer took a three-shot lead in the Senior British Open after shooting a 2-under-par 69 in the third round at Carnoustie on Saturday.

The German has yet to win on the U.S. Champions Tour but is in position to change that after outplaying his nearest rival, Corey Pavin.

The pair set out as co-leaders at 4 under, but three bogeys dropped the American Ryder Cup captain to a 72.

A group of six players go into the final round at 2 under, one shot behind Pavin and four off the lead. Five of them are Americans, reflecting three days of domination at the top of the leaderboard. Joining Larry Mize, Jay Haas, Russ Cochran, Jay Don Blake and Fred Funk is Welshman Ian Woosnam.

Funk climbed more than 15 places after a 67, the lowest round of the day.

Wilson tops Canadian Open with another 65

TORONTO — Dean Wilson shot his third straight 5-under 65 to take a four-stroke lead over record-setting Carl Pettersson, Tim Clark and Bob Estes in the Canadian Open, pulling away with three straight birdies at rainy St. George's.

Before Wilson and Clark teed off, Pettersson shot a 10-under 60 to break the tournament record, missing a 59 when his 30-foot birdie putt from the fringe grazed the left edge on the difficult par-4 18th.

Former Longhorn Estes had a 66, and Clark shot a 69 to match Pettersson at 11 under. A day after matching the then-tournament record with a 62, Kevin Sutherland had a 65 to join Bryce Molder (63), Trevor Immelman (65) and Brock Mackenzie (68) at 10 under.

Pavin will meet Woods about Ryder Cup

American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin will talk to Tiger Woods at next month's U.S. PGA Championship to learn whether he wants to be on his team at Celtic Manor in Wales in October.

Woods is seventh in the points table that will provide eight automatic members for the U.S. against Europe.

He could drop down and need a wild card if the likes of Ricky Barnes and Hunter Mahan outperform him at the Bridgestone Invitational and the U.S. PGA in August.

Choi, Johnson share lead in Sweden

STOCKHOLM — K.J. Choi of South Korea and Richard Johnson of Sweden share the lead at the Scandinavian Masters after the third round, and new British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen blew a chance to join them.

Johnson shot 70 for a total of 10-under 206. Choi had a 71. Oosthuizen bogeyed his final hole to end on a 70 and at 9 under.

Pressel takes third-round lead

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Morgan Pressel took a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Evian Masters, closing with an eagle for a 5-under 67.

The American began the day three strokes behind. She will enter today's final round at 11 under, followed by South Koreans Jiyai Shin (68) and Jeong Jang (70).

U.S. Junior Amateurs

Fourteen-year-old Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., beat Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., 4 and 2 in Ada, Mich., to become the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion. Liu, who turns 15 next month, is more than six months younger than Tiger Woods when he won the first of his three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles in 1991.

Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla., won four of five holes during one late stretch to beat Katelyn Dambaugh of Goose Creek, S.C., 3 and 2 in the finals of the U.S. Girls Junior Championship in Pinehurst, N.C.

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