“Golf Course Review - TPC Jasna Polana” plus 3 more |
- Golf Course Review - TPC Jasna Polana
- Golf Tidbits: Too little, too late for PGA Tour?
- Golf Tidbits: Kaymer, Watson overshadowed by Johnson
- Golf course transition to private management complete
| Golf Course Review - TPC Jasna Polana Posted: 09 Sep 2010 09:58 AM PDT Golf Course Review - TPC Jasna Polana By Philip Sokol, Director of Operations Princeton, NJ (Sports Network) - FACTS AND STATS: Course Architect: Gary Player (1998). Year Opened: June, 1998. Location: Princeton, New Jersey. Slope: 144. Rating: 74.8. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,098. Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 396 Yds 10 - Par 4 432 Yds 2 - Par 3 145 Yds 11 - Par 3 188 Yds 3 - Par 5 534 Yds 12 - Par 5 543 Yds 4 - Par 4 324 Yds 13 - Par 4 456 Yds 5 - Par 4 388 Yds 14 - Par 4 430 Yds 6 - Par 4 452 Yds 15 - Par 4 440 Yds 7 - Par 5 609 Yds 16 - Par 4 318 Yds 8 - Par 3 203 Yds 17 - Par 3 200 Yds 9 - Par 4 491 Yds 18 - Par 5 549 Yds Par 36 3,542 Yds Par 36 3,556 Yds Key Events Held: Champions Tour - Instinet Classic (2000-02), Shell's Wonderful World of Golf (1999), Gary Player Challenge (2001-03). Awards Won: Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Systems by Audubon International, Top 100 Golf Shops in America - by Golf World Business magazine, Golf Digest/Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards. Website: www.tpcatjasnapolana.com HISTORY: In Polish it means bright meadow. In golf, Jasna Polana means beautiful golf course. Originally, TPC Jasna Polana was the country home of John Seward Johnson of Johnson & Johnson fame. Yes, the same company that produces BAND-AIDs, Listerine and all those baby care products. Johnson was one of the sons of Robert Wood Johnson, co-founder of Johnson & Johnson. While still married to his second wife, J. Seward had an illicit affair with his Polish immigrant cook/chambermaid Barbara Piasecka. Although the age difference was 42 years, the duo married just a week following his divorce from wife number two, and Johnson for many years enjoyed the 230-acre estate until his death of prostate cancer in 1983 at the age of 87. The current Mrs. Johnson enjoyed her new lifestyle and enlisted world-renowned architect Wallace K. Harrison to design a home fit for a king ... and queen. Harrison, who was the lead architect for the United Nations headquarters, not to mention Rockefeller Center and the Metropolitan Opera House, fashioned one of the most elite residences in the country. Four years and $30 million later, the Jasna Polana's 46,000-square foot mansion was complete. Not only did the estate include lavish furnishings, it included 32 toilets, 15 fireplaces and two cellars, one for storing art, the other for 10,000 bottles of wine. Belgian and Flemish tapestries adorn the entrance, along with antique flooring and marble mantlepieces. A bitter battle ensued following Mr. Johnson's death between Piasecka Johnson and the children. J. Seward had left his entire $500 million fortune to his wife, changing his will one month before his passing and leaving his six children from his previous marriages nothing. Three years and 200 lawyers later, an out-of-court settlement was reached, but Mrs. Johnson was awarded $350 million and the Jasna Polana estate. As the years went by, Mrs. Johnson's time at Jasna Polana began to dwindle, as she began spending more time abroad in her native Europe. With that in mind, her nephew, Christopher Piasecki convinced his aunt to turn her legendary estate into a private golf and social club. Thirteen years after J. Seward's passing, plans were authorized to build a monumental golf course on the elegant grounds, and none other than Gary Player was commissioned to design the layout. Player, nicknamed the "Black Knight," has won 164 times around the globe, in an amazing career that's spanned five decades. The nine-time major champion has also designed more than 300 courses around the world, including such standout layouts as Blair Atholl, Leopard Creek and The Links at Fancourt (all in his native South Africa), as well as Taiheiyo Club (Japan), Geneva National (Wisconsin) and The Wolverine at Grand Traverse Resort (Michigan). Not only was the lavish property turned into a golf course, but the main residence was transformed into a clubhouse and restaurant. Just one year after opening, Hale Irwin and Tom Watson squared off in Shell's Wonderful World of Golf. Irwin, the all-time winner on the senior circuit battled Watson, who had just turned 50 a month earlier, but it was Watson who prevailed in front of several hundred people. For three seasons (2000-02), TPC Jasna Polana played host to the PGA's Champions Tour. Gil Morgan enjoyed great success, as he captured the first two tournaments at Jasna Polana and then finished 15th in the final year of the event. In 2000, Morgan led the final 13 holes of the event, as he set a tournament scoring mark of 199 to defeat Bruce Fleisher and Bob Murphy by four shots. For the week, Morgan made birdie on the par-5s 10 of the 12 times he played them during the tournament. It should be noted that Arnold Palmer competed in his 1,000th official Tour event that week, tying for 64th. Morgan set a new course record the next season, as he carded an opening round of 63, leading from start to finish for his 20th career Champions Tour title. After a bogey on the 15th hole during the final round dropped him into a tie for the lead, Morgan bounced back with birdies on 16 and 18 to secure the win. It was Isao Aoki's turn in 2002, as he came from two shots back to win for the ninth time on the elder circuit. Trailing Jim Thorpe heading into the final round, Aoki birdied four of his last seven holes to defeat John Jacobs by four shots. Aoki was the only player in the field to shoot three rounds in the 60s (69-67-66). Course designer Player carded rounds of 72-72-76 to tie for 45th. For the week, the course played to a scoring average of 73.139, making it one of the hardest courses on Tour that year. Maintained and operated by the PGA Tour, the course and its grounds have continued the tradition that the Johnson family brought to the region. Beautiful, majestic and exquisite are words that certainly come to mind. REVIEW: The opening hole at Jasna Polana is a simple, dogleg left par four. Just enough to whet your appetite. Avoid the fairway bunkers on the right and you'll have just a short iron to a long and narrow putting surface. Sloping from back to front, you must be dead-on target if you're to hit the green. Miss right and you'll find a deep bunker that sits well below the putting surface, making for an almost impossible up and down. Left and you'll find a chipping area and mounding that won't allow you to get it close. The beauty of the course really begins on the second. Only 145 yards from the tips, this par three plays downhill towards a kidney-shaped green with a spine in the center. Bunkers right and deep and a stream that wraps around from the front towards the right sees plenty of action. Pick the right stick or a three-putt could hamper your efforts. One of the several signature holes, the third is a beautiful par five of only 534 yards. However, you'll need to bang two big hits to get home in two, as the hole plays uphill after the tee shot. Bending to the left, the third requires a drawing tee ball that must bypass a pair of fairway bunkers. The eye candy is the creek/waterfall on the right side from 150 yards in, that front the putting surface. To keep you honest, the rolling fairway to the left, for us shorter hitters, is accessible, but don't forget the stream to the right. Even with a successful layup, your approach will be from an awkward lie. The green is the longest on the course at 45 paces and with a back-right flag, watch out! A seven never looks good on the scorecard. The fourth is a risk-reward par four of just 324 yards. Fairly straight off the tee and playing slightly downhill, you'll be tempted to launch a blast in an effort to reach the green. One small problem, or should I say several? Large, sand-splashed bunkers pinch the landing area to a point where just 10 paces of opening remain in front of the green. The smart play would be with a fairway metal off the tee, leaving a wedge to another back-to-front sloping green. With five gaping bunkers in full view, take the high road and make birdie the old fashioned way. Don't underestimate the length of the fifth. The 388 yards on the scorecard does not show that this slight dogleg right par four plays uphill from tee to green. The corner is guarded by sand, while the left side features tall trees that frame the hole beautifully. The green is quite long and undulating with three traps protecting the narrow surface. Another back-right flag can add a few gray hairs to the scalp. The sixth is the most difficult hole on the course. At 452 yards, this rugged dogleg right par four requires a big tee shot just to reach the fairway. Not only that, it must steer clear of the mounding and bunkers to the right. Even with a successful tee ball, a medium to long iron will remain to the smallest green on the front side. Just 28 paces in depth, the putting surface is wide and tight, requiring a pinpoint approach. Not the easiest thing in the world with a four-iron. Miss short or left and you'll end up in the beach and long, well, let's just say you'll have a better chance at getting a deer tick than a par. A chance to get a shot back, albeit a small chance, awaits at the seventh. The longest hole on the course, this par five stretches to 609 yards, although it plays downhill from the fairway. A large landing area is quite enticing, but just make sure you miss the guarding fairway bunkers, otherwise you'll have no choice, but to lay well back of your intended target. Trees protect the entire left side, as the hole bends towards the left. The putting surface, which sits well below the fairway, is expansive, but can be negotiated into a birdie. If the pin is tucked away in the front-right corner behind the bunker, don't get cute, even with a sand wedge. Play towards the center and leave yourself 15-20 feet, otherwise you'll short-side yourself into a bogey...or worse. When Gil Morgan carded his course-record 63 in 2001, he made a double-eagle on seven, holing a three-iron from 256 yards out. The par-three eighth is another signature hole at Jasna Polana. Beautifully landscaped with a pond, a stream and a stone bridge, this gem will certainly get your attention when you reach for a long iron. At 203 yards, it's the longest of the quartet and plays every bit of its yardage. The bailout area to the left sees plenty of action, as the stream to the right comes surprisingly close to the green. Any shot long will carry down a hill and into the woods, or if you're lucky, into the back bunker, so another accurate stroke is required. Small solace that the putting surface is the easiest on the course. I personally have a love-hate relationship with the ninth hole. Don't get me wrong, it's a great hole. I just can't seem to make better than six. First of all, it's 491 yards and a par four. Second, it plays uphill off the tee over a ravine to a semi-blind fairway. Third, I can't seem to stay clear of the aiming bunker fronting the left portion of the fairway. Even if you negotiate all of the above, you'll still have a long iron or fairway metal towards the downhill setting green. Bunkers left and right, not to mention thick rough guard the long putting surface. I think I need to pick the right tees! The back nine opens with another wonderful hole, the uphill, par four 10th. From a chute of trees, your tee shot is played over a crossing bunker to the fairway, that's straddled by bunkers on both sides of the landing area. A medium to long iron awaits to the elevated green, that's just 28 paces in depth. A false front will repel balls down the fairway and any shot left might fall off into a chipping swale. The putting surface can be had, but only if your distance control is spot on. Number 11 plays as a downhill par three of 188 yards. A fairly simple hole with little trouble, so this can be a real chance to take advantage. A few pointers here, take one less club, avoid the bunker on the right and attack the smallest green on the course. Piece of cake, right? At 543 yards, the par-five 12th is a real birdie opportunity. Yes, the tee shot is uphill, but the fairway is very generous, as long as you avoid the sand down the right. The big hitters can certainly get home in two, but for us mere mortals, just a long iron or fairway metal to the wide open approach area, will leave a flip wedge to a well guarded green. This time, just 27 paces in length, so any shot close could result in birdie. The 13th is one of the longest par fours on the course, stretching to 456 yards from the gold tees. Bunkers cover both flanks of the landing area, so not only is length an issue, but accuracy as well. A medium to long iron will be needed to reach one of the longest greens on the back nine, not to mention one of the narrowest. A chipping area over the bunker to the right sits well below the green. Tame this beast and you might post a low score. With an offset tee box, the 14th needs a little bit of thought as to where to place your tee shot. The fairway is appealing with plenty of room, so let loose. The trio of traps down the right must be avoided, as they possess big lips to carry. A medium iron, at most should remain to a very receptive green, with a pair of horseshoe bunkers on the right. Slightly elevated, so adjust your approach for your best shot at three. The final four holes at TPC Jasna Polana are as good as they get. First up is the downhill, dogleg left par-four 15th. Of the last four, this is the most difficult of the quartet. The tee shot is pivotal, as it must move from right to left, avoiding sand right, trees left and a forced carry over a natural area. The approach should be with a mid to short iron to a two-tiered green fronted by sand. A back-left pin placement, with trees left and rear will certainly place the best players on edge. In the 16th, Player created a wonderful, risk-reward par four of just 318 yards. With a lake on the right, bunkers to the left and a sliver of a green to shoot out, it's the ultimate gamble. If you choose to lay back, no problem, as the fairway is generous for your iron or fairway metal, but you'll need pinpoint control with your approach, as the green, although very long, is very tight with plenty of sand playing havoc. One of the easiest holes on the course and certainly one of the most entertaining. In contrast, the par three 17th is not so easy, but very thrilling. Similar in length to the eighth, this beauty is played over a lake to a wide, split-level putting surface. The green features a bunker in front and rear, mounding and chipping areas to the left and behind and a roller coaster surface. A back- right pin will bring the lake into play and when the wind is up, you better play left. The green is just 26 paces in depth, but twice that in width, so missing on the wrong part will result in a three-putt. Need I say more? If you thought the 17th was thrill ride, wait to your reach the par-five 18th. It's 549 yards of downhill run and fun. Bending to the left, you must hit the fairway off the tee to take advantage of the sloped landing area, which will propel your shot towards a plateau that gives the player the best chance of getting home in two. Cutting through the fairway around the 100-yard mark is a stream that comes into play, especially if you're laying up. The safer play is to the right, leaving an uphill pitch to steeped putting surface, while towards the left you are left with a shorter approach on a much more level lie. Either way, you'll have a difficult time getting it close, as the green slopes hard from back to front and plays uphill. To get home, you'll have to hit your best three-metal to splice the trio of traps guarding the promised land. Who said golf's easy? FINAL WORD: It's hard to say this, but the beautiful estate and grounds might actually overshadow the golf course. Having said that, you can imagine how spectacular the property must be, because the Gary Player-designed course is wonderful. First and foremost, the course is meticulous. From tee to green and everything in between, TPC Jasna Polana is wonderfully manicured. Cascading waterfalls, streams, ponds and beautiful gardens ... this course has plenty of eye candy. As far as the golf course goes, it's a real challenge. Almost 7,100 yards from the tips, it features a robust slope of 144 and a rating of 74.8. The key here is playing the correct set of markers, otherwise, you'll be in for a long afternoon. The Player tees are reasonable at 6,535, but the most enjoyable set might be a mix of the middle and Player markers. Reaching just 6,281 yards, it boasts a couple of par 5s under 500 yards, six par 4s under 400 yards and four very reasonable par 3s under 165 yards in length. An interesting aspect of the course are the greens. The front nine possess very large putting surfaces, ranging from 28 to 40 paces in depth, while the back nine greens feature six surfaces 30 yards or less. Every complex is unique, with plenty of undulation and of course, plenty of speed. Like most courses, above the hole is death. There are a wide variety of holes at Jasna Polana from the back markers. From several dogleg lefts and rights, to a couple of reachable par 4s, a few risk- reward par 5s and four outstanding par 3s. Although a very private club, the staff are far from stuffy. In fact, they are so accommodating that you'll feel like your one of the members. Speaking of which, the club has several membership choices, from corporate and charter options to social enrollment. Each comes with a hefty price tag. The golf corporate rate can be as high as $95,000 initiation to a social membership of just $12,000. With either choice, you'll have to pony up additional annual dues. As they say, membership has its privileges. It has been documented by Forbes that Mrs. Johnson's net worth now exceeds $2.5 billion, but the philanthropist, who can travel anywhere in the world, still returns home to her treasured Jasna Polana from time to time. And why not, TPC Jasna Polana is a beauty, heaven on earth. Aces, pars or bogeys, send your thoughts to psokol@sportsnetwork.com. 09/02 12:10:49 ET This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Golf Tidbits: Too little, too late for PGA Tour? Posted: 09 Sep 2010 09:58 AM PDT Golf Tidbits: Too little, too late for PGA Tour? By Kevin Currie, Golf Editor Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - A week after Jim Furyk overslept and missed his pro-am tee time, the PGA Tour suspended its own rule that disqualifies a player for missing a pro-am. But has the damage been done? Furyk would probably argue that it has. We have all been there before. You wake up a few minutes after a final started, or 10 minutes before a job interview, or five minutes before you are supposed to be at work and the office is 20 minutes away. It happened to Furyk last week. He was doomed by a dead cell phone battery and woke up less than 10 minutes before his scheduled pro-am tee time. Furyk raced to the course and got there no more than five minutes after he was scheduled to tee off, but was deemed to have missed his tee time and disqualified. "I overslept. I always use my phone as an alarm and it had no power this morning," Furyk explained. After plenty of criticism over Furyk's disqualification, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem suspended the rule for the remainder of the year. The rule that says players must compete in the pro-am to play in the tournament was originally put into place so that players couldn't just skip the pro-am for no reason. But, as Phil Mickelson pointed out, the rule applies to only some of those entered in each week's tournament. "The rule itself applies to only half the field. So if you're going to have a rule that does not apply to everybody, because not everybody played the pro- am, you cannot have it affect the competition," explained Mickelson. "It's got to be a different penalty. It can't be disqualification if it only applies to half the field. "I cannot disagree with it more. I have no idea how the commissioner let this rule go through. It's ridiculous. I made my viewpoint very clear to him." Strong words from the No. 2-ranked golfer in the world, who previously had a run-in with this rule himself. In 2007, Mickelson was stuck in Arkansas due to heavy rain and flooding. The airports around him were closed and he was unable to get to Texas for his pro-am tee time. The tour made an accommodation for that, but if you're 10 minutes away catching some extra shut-eye as Furyk was, no dice. Not only are you out of the pro-am, you are disqualified from the tournament. Furyk has made nearly $50 million in his career on the course. Being kicked out of an event with a $1.35 million first-place paycheck might not be a big deal for him. At the same time, missing the tournament did drop Furyk from third to eighth in the FedExCup playoff points standings. Entering this week's second playoff event, the Deutsche Bank Championship, Furyk is 2,246 points behind points-leader Matt Kuchar. If the disqualification ends up costing Furyk the top spot at the end of the FedExCup points race, there will be even more consternation, not least due to the $10 million first-place paycheck that comes with winning the trophy. To his credit, Finchem heard the complaints and responded quickly. In a statement on Tuesday, Finchem called for the Player Advisory Council to evaluate the current pro-am regulations. "Hereafter, should a player be late for his pro-am starting time, the situation will be handled as a matter of unbecoming conduct," said the commissioner's statement. "Such player will be required to participate in the remainder of the pro-am round and may be required to perform additional sponsor activity. A player who misses his pro-am obligation in its entirety will still be ruled ineligible for the tournament unless he has been excused in accordance with the provisions of the regulations." The players realize the importance of the pro-ams. They get paired with three players that forked over a nice chunk of change - $8,500 or more in some cases - to have the chance to compete alongside the best players in the world. No one ever knows what opportunities could arise from these pro-ams. There's a chance that a tour player could find a new sponsor for himself through a pro- am. Mickelson had this one right. If the rule only applies to half the field, change it or get rid of it. GOLF EN FUEGO I've been golfing for nearly 25 years and have caddied for over 10. Suffice it to say, I've seen a lot of things on a golf course. However, one thing happened last week that most people have never seen before. A golfer at Shady Canyon Golf Course in Irvine, Cal. sparked a fire with a single swing. The poor soul has remained nameless, and who would want to be connected with that? Said player was hitting a shot out of the rough and clipped a rock with his swing. The golf club/rock connection created a spark which lit the rough on fire. Nearly 150 firefighters and 12 burned acres later, the fire was finally extinguished. Who knows, maybe someone yelled 'Noonan' while the guy was swinging. Though in this case, he didn't hit his ball into the lumber yard - he burned it down. MINI-TIDBITS - At one point in his career, Matt Kuchar had just 10 top-10s in 149 starts. This year, he has 10 top-10s in 22 starts. He should be under consideration for PGA Tour player of the year. - People always talk about golf being a gentlemen's sport which polices itself. Junior golfers are taught the rules growing up, and start policing themselves at a young age. Zach Nash, a 14-year-old in Wisconsin, disqualified himself after winning a recent tournament because he had too many clubs in his bag. He realized the mistake after the tournament and turned in his winning medal. He could have gotten away with it, but showed maturity beyond his years in giving up the victory. 09/02 10:38:47 ET This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Golf Tidbits: Kaymer, Watson overshadowed by Johnson Posted: 09 Sep 2010 09:54 AM PDT Golf Tidbits: Kaymer, Watson overshadowed by Johnson By Kevin Currie, Golf Editor Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Dustin Johnson walked away from the PGA Championship as the big story because of his final-hole penalty. What was overlooked was the fact that the penalty gave him a one-over 73 for the final round. Had Johnson shot 71, including the penalty, he would have been part of the playoff. I won't say Johnson played poorly in the final round, but he needed three birdies on the back nine just to get back into position for the win. While Johnson was the story, overlooked was Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson's battle for the title. Kaymer was near the top of the leaderboard all afternoon thanks to his two-under 70. Watson carded three birdies on the back nine to be the first one finished at 11-under 277, as he closed with a four-under 68. Kaymer's round included a bogey on the 15th, while Watson tripped to a bogey on the 17th of regulation. Wipe away either of those bogeys and there is no playoff. Including Johnson, all three players were fighting for their first major championship title. With Johnson out of the playoff, Watson looked in command with a birdie on the first extra hole. However, at the difficult par-three 17th, Kaymer dropped his tee ball within 12 feet and poured in the birdie effort. Watson made par so the two players were tied at six strokes apiece after the first two playoff holes. Much as the 18th did Johnson in with his penalty, and overlooked poor second shot, Watson hit two poor shots on the final hole of the playoff to put Kaymer in the driver's seat. Watson and Johnson are two of the biggest hitters on the PGA Tour, yet Watson was out-driven by Kaymer on the final playoff hole. Playing from the rough, Watson thought his ball would jump out of the gnarly lie. Unfortunately for him, it didn't. His second came up some 25 yards short of the green in Seven Mile Creek. Kaymer, who was also in the right rough, had a much worse lie. After watching Watson's ball splash into the water, Kaymer made the sensible play and pitched down the fairway. The German hit his third to 15 feet to put pressure on Watson. The left- hander from Florida pitched over the green with his fourth, then chipped his fifth to about two feet. It was all up to Kaymer. Two putts and he hoists the Wanamaker Trophy. He rolled his par effort just inside Watson's mark. Watson tapped in for double- bogey before Kaymer kicked in his winning bogey putt. Kaymer has won five titles since 2008 on the European Tour, but this was his first on the PGA and his first major championship crown. He became the first German to win a major since Bernhard Langer claimed his second Masters title in 1993. Watson easily could have been crushed by the loss, but was strangely upbeat after the defeat. The reason he was in a better mood than anticipated was the fact that he accomplished one of his life-long goals, qualifying to be a member of the United States Ryder Cup team. The 25-year-old Kaymer claimed his first major, while the 31-year-old Watson coughed up a chance at his first major victory, but proved there is more than winning sometimes. And remember it wasn't just Johnson that struggled on the final day. The two playoff combatants came from the sixth-to-last group (Watson) and third-to- last group (Kaymer). Had anyone else in those final six groups, say Jim Furyk, Steve Elkington, Rory McIlroy or Nick Watney, thrown up a low score on Sunday, said person would have made Johnson's troubles and Kaymer's win a moot point. That didn't happen, so let's celebrate the champion and not dwell on what could have been. EVERY'S SUSPENSION COME AT A CURIOUS TIME PGA Tour rookie Matthew Every was arrested in a hotel back in July when he was caught in a room where marijuana was being smoked. The case has not gone through the court system as of yet, but the PGA Tour has made its ruling. Before Every, or his lawyers, could plead the charges down or even plead guilty, the PGA Tour suspended Every for three months for 'conduct unbecoming' a PGA Tour player. Golf Week magazine reported the suspension, and Every's agent later confirmed it to various media outlets. The PGA Tour does not comment on player suspensions. The timing of the suspension is curious, in relation to when Every can return as well as his tour status going forward. He will be eligible to return for the final event of the Fall Series, the Children's Miracle Network Classic, while he battles to keep his tour card. Every currently stands 144th on the money list. By the time he returns, he'll surely be lower on that list and will need a tremendous finish at that event. The tour could have suspended him a week later, therefore wiping out any chance he would have at keeping his tour card for next year, but didn't go that far. He will have a chance at getting into the top 125 on the PGA Tour money list, the cut-off for players to retain their playing privileges for next year. Every would likely need to win or finish solo second to earn enough money to jump inside the top 125. Those finishing from 126-150 on the money list maintain conditional status for next year, but aren't guaranteed entrance into events. The question in my mind is that if Every is unable to finish inside either the top 125 or top 150, would he be eligible for an extension of his eligibility from this year? Normally, those extensions are granted due to injury, or extenuating circumstances such as a death or illness in the family that kept a player off the tour for an extended period of time. In Every's case, he was suspended so it is unlikely he can get by trying to fight for more eligibility, though it makes for an interesting case. MINI-TIDBITS - This week's Wyndham Championship is huge for those outside the top 125 on the FedEx Cup points list. The top 125 players get into next week's first playoff event, The Barclays, but only the top 100 play the following week at the Deutsche Bank Championship. A win this week for someone like Brendan Pappas, currently No. 200 on the points list, would be huge. Pappas could jump from 200th into the mid-60s, which would get him into the first two events and a strong finish in either of those would secure the third event as well. - Tiger Woods finished outside the top 10 in the last two majors for the first time since he went three straight outside the top 10 from the 2003 PGA Championship to the '04 U.S. Open. 08/19 11:31:39 ET This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Golf course transition to private management complete Posted: 09 Sep 2010 12:30 PM PDT By Jon Johnson The Mt. Graham Golf Course is under new management, but not much has changed. Burt Watkins is still the golf pro; prices have remained the same; and the holes are where they were. What has changed has been cosmetic improvements, such as pulling weeds, rerouting floodwaters and planned tree replacement as the crews get ready to seed, according to Springbok Advisory Board member Art Sanders. Sanders owns the land adjacent to the golf course that is proposed to be developed. City Manager David Kincaid said he believed the transition to be going well. "The transition certainly isn't perfect, but it's going very smoothly," Kincaid said. "I think, in the end, everybody is going to have a better product." The Safford City Council was previously sold on a development plan from Springbok CEO Jeffrey Holt that illustrated the creation of a $500- to $700-million master-planned golf course community consisting of up to 36 holes of golf, a resort, community recreation center, condominiums and single-family residences. The new plan for the area, however, is slower, more controlled development, according to Sanders. Springbok leased the golf course from the city for $120 per year. The city, however, will pay Springbok $16,666 per month for the first five years to maintain, manage and operate the golf course. Springbok has assumed all costs incurred, including manager Burt Watkins' contract with the city and all other employees. Watkins' contract expires June 30, 2011. Sanders said Springbok has hired a consultant from Borders Golf to help clean up the course. He said players have given their approval as to the quality of the course. A previous plan to move golf course holes has also been scrapped, and Sanders said he likes the holes where they are. The only move planned at this time is to move a tee box this winter to make it more challenging. "I don't anticipate making any major changes to the golf course that we have now," Sanders said. "Once we get it all filled up and we need more space, then we'll put in another nine holes, but that's probably years down the road. We're just trying to get it to play as good as it can." Development of homes is still planned but at a slower pace than previously outlined. Springbok will be submitting plats for homes to the Thatcher Town Council. Sanders said the company has a developer from Phoenix who has shown interest in building the homes and believes five have already been sold. He said the process will be slower, with a few models built at first. He hopes to break ground before the year is over. "We're going to start slow," Sanders said. "We're not just going to build a whole bunch of empty houses. We'll probably build 10 to begin with . . . It will be one of those things that just kind of picks up steam as it goes along." Sanders said one of the main reasons for taking the development at a slower pace is to ensure the course remains open throughout any additional construction. "We want to make sure that people can still play golf," Sanders said. "That's the most important thing to us." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Yahoo! News Search Results for Golf To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment