Skirting the Storms - Forest Ridge Classic

Oklahoma Tour Staff, Broken Arrow, OK (March 30, 2013)  Forest Ridge Golf Club, annual home to the season opener in the Tulsa area was true to form for this time of year.  Aerification scheduled a few weeks before each spring event had a little harder time healing this year due to some freezing temperatures, but most rolled well.  

Overnight and early morning thunderstorms seemed to effect only the range, typically a flood zone during those torrential rains, but the course drained well, the sun broke through and the event went off on schedule.

Joe Deere picked up his first Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving with a personal record round.  Giant skins winners came from Championship, Hogan, Senior Hogan and Jones Flight players.




RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  First time tour player, Daniel Cannon of Tulsa, OK made an eagle three on the par 5 -18th to force a playoff with Checotah, OK member James Fowler.  Fowler on hiatus from the tour since 2011 went out in +1 and looked to have things under control.  Fowler then got on a bogey train from 14-16, bounced back with a birdie on 17, but took a six on the final hole to open the door to the playoff.  On the second extra hole, Cannon birdied the par 4 -2nd as he had done in regulation to take home the trophy.  One stroke back, Alma, AR first year member Brett Hubbard rounded out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Recently promoted to the Palmer Flight, Chad Schuchmann of Nixa, MO picked up his first win in the new flight and third of the year.  Schuchmann, over came a couple of bad holes early on to play the back in two over par maintaining a seven shot advantage over a pair tied up in the second place finish.  Tulsa, OK member Brook Lister and James Smith of Claremore, OK shared the runner up points.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Okarche, OK new comer, Rick Herbst held on over a charging, Jimmy Westfall of Oklahoma City, OK for his first win on tour.  Westfall, parred his final three holes to come within one stroke of the win and maintained a two stroke lead over third place finisher John Montazzoli from Edmond, OK.

Hogan Flight:  Catoosa, OK resident, Joe Deere became another first time winner on the day.  Deere came to the club house with a one over par back nine for a four stroke victory over Brandon McCool of Edmond, OK.  McCool, with two birdies on the day maintained a nine stroke advantage over first time local Broken Arrow, OK player Jake Mills.

Senior Hogan Flight:    Rod Haddock of Siloam Springs, AR, played the back nine in +4 - 40 to take the flight championship for the third time on tour and first of the year.  Haddock, a winner last at the 2012 Hard Rock Open @ Cherokee Hill Golf Club finished three strokes clear of Edmond, OK player Michael Hicks.  Hicks played his final four holes in one under par with a birdie on the par 4 - 16th, to edge out Bruce Callich of Checotah, OK and fellow Edmond resident  James Surber by a stroke.

Sarazen Flight:  Battling an off season knee injury and surgery, Arkansas Tour member Kirby Rogers from Muldrow, OK seems to be back in form and in victory lane for the first time this year.  Rogers parred the final hole to maintain a two stroke lead over 28 year old, first year Muskogee, OK player Chad Wheeler.  Charging from a rough front nine, Rogers traveling Arkansas Tour partner,  Jay Williams of Van Buren, AR went one under over the last three holes to round out the top three.

Jones Flight:    Craig Merrill of Roland, AR commanded his eighth win on tour and second of the year by eleven strokes.  Traveling Bakersfield, CA visitor Don Risner completed his 24th event on the points year and recorded his eighth runner up finish to go with his three wins on the year .  Kyle Kuykendall from Yukon, OK finished just one stroke back in the third place finish.





SKINS:

Giant Skins:  2 -- Brett Hubbard, Alma, AR; Michael Hicks, Edmond, OK. 1 -- Daniel Cannon, Tulsa, OK; Brandon McCool, Edmond, OK; Bruce Callich, Checotah, OK; Sammie Martin, Elgin, OK; Ron Walker, Crescent, OK.

Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer:  3 -- Brett Hubbard, Alma, AR. 2 -- Jimmy Westfall, Oklahoma City, OK. 1 -- Daniel Cannon, Tulsa, OK.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  2 -- Brandon McCool, Edmond, OK; Frank Schield, Norman, OK; Michael Hicks, Edmond, OK; Bruce Callich, Checotah, OK. 1 -- Bob Hunter, Lee's Summit, MO.

Sarazen: 2 -- Stanley Emerson, Topeka, Kansas. 1 -- Dewayne Madison, Edmond OK; Tony Solano, Aurora, CO; Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, OK; Melvin Wilson III, Dallas, TX.

Jones:  4 -- Craig Merrill, Roland, AR. 2 -- Carl Eaton, Porter, TX; Don Risner, Bakersfield, CA. 1 -- Sammie Martin, Elgin, OK; Ron Walker, Crescent, OK.

Next Up:  Oklahoma resumes play at the Cowboy Classic - Lakeside on April 13th. The Dallas Tour goes back to back for the Flower Mound Open at Bridlewood on April 7th. Hill Country Tour visits Vaaler Creek Golf Club for the first time at the Battle at Blanco on April 20th.   

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Oklahoma Tour Opens at KickingBird

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (March 16, 2013) Visitors from Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia and Texas were welcomed to the Oklahoma Tour 2013 Season Opener for a full field at the KickingBird Challenge.

KickingBird Golf Course, the site of the season opener for the third straight year on the Oklahoma Tour, once again did not disappoint.  While the Bermuda grass fairways and rough are still in the dormant state the BentGrass greens rolled smooth and fast.  Mostly sunny skies and light southerly breezes helped kick start the temperatures into the high 70's, but gave way to a late afternoon cool down with winds shifting from the north and changing the complexion of the layout.

Oklahoma Tour local,  Tim Mathis of Edmond, OK captured his first Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving by three strokes over a pair in the second spot.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:   Stockton, CA native John Navarro now residing in Edmond, OK went out in even par, overcame a tough stretch on 10-12 with a birdie on the dog legged right par 4 - 13th to win his first event on tour.  Tulsa, OK Bill Robinson another new comer to the tour, finished four strokes back, with another Edmond local Chad Benoit rounding out the top three two back of Robinson. 

Palmer Flight:    Brad Cooper of Lawton, OK picked up his sixth win on tour and first since his two win season in 2010.  Cooper started the day with a birdie on the par 4 - 2nd, but his par on the long par 4 -18th made the difference in the one stroke advantage over Broken Arrow, OK member Allen Sawvel.  Jameson Bradford, of Plano, TX player went on a birdie run from eight through ten but fell one stroke short to Sawvel finishing in the third spot.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Sapulpa, OK member Curt Howard, with his son Tams in town on a visit from Minnesota on the bag, went for his third win in as many attempts.  Howard playing the first eleven holes in -2 on three birdies, held out a two stroke advantage over local Edmond player Dave Kirby.  Kirby making his second start on tour after working on the tournament committee the last two years held on to his runner up spot by a stroke over a surging Clayton Badger of Drumright.  After a slow start Badger, played the last 10 holes in even par to settle with the show position finish.

Hogan Flight:   Jeffrey Banner of Lawton, OK picked up his third win on tour and first since the 2012 Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay.  Oklahoma City, OK tour rookie, Ronnie Draper, a winner in his first time out over a strong field at the Hill Country Tour Kerrville Championship @ Comanche Trace evened things up with a birdie on the par 4 - 13th, but fell short by a stroke at the end of the day.  Edmond, OK local Brandon McCool finished two strokes back for his second third place finish on the year.       

Senior Hogan Flight:   Home field advantage proved important when Edmond, OK partners in crime, Tim Mathis and James Surber had the one, two finish.  Mathis with a tournament low, +3 - 73 grabbed his seventh win on tour four strokes clear of Surber with three birdies on the day.  Surber a winner at the 2013 Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay played the back nine in one over par to hold on to a three stroke advantage over traveling Dallas Tour member Myles Gallemore of Irving, TX.     

Sarazen Flight:   Imran Siddiqi, another local from Edmond, finished out his last three holes in even par to over take Wichita, KS traveler Gary Schuessler for his fifth win on tour and first of the season. Schuessler, coming into his own with a win and two runner up finishes on the points season held on to the second place spot by one stroke over Augusta, KS traveling partner Ernest DeBruler.  DeBruler parred his final two holes to stay out front of a pair of players in the T4 finish.     

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Denver Tour visitor, Tony Solano from Aurora, CO carded his ninth win on tour in his first outing of the points season.  Solano maintained a one stroke advantage over Oklahoma Tour first year member Vincent Gonzalez of Oklahoma City.  Davis Noble of Lake Kiowa, TX just south of the Red River recorded his best finish of the points season rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight:  Gary Chrisman of Yukon, OK bogied the final hole to force an early evening playoff with Crecent, OK member Ron Walker.  With darkness lingering on the first playoff green, Walker appeared to be ready to concede defeat, but after prodding from Chrisman drained a 30' putt for his fourth win on tour.  The pair finished two strokes ahead of another pair knotted up in the third place spot.  K.C. Montgomery of Fairview and Yukon, OK player Kyle Kuykendall split the third and fourth place points.

Snead Flight:  Just one week after walking off the course at an event in Dallas to join his wife for the birth of a new son, Sammie Martin of Elgin, OK commanded his second win on tour. Martin the 2012 Player of the Year in the Snead Flight outlasted 2012 Senior Snead Player of the Year Rick Henthorn of Yukon, OK with a late round birdie on the par 4 -17th.  Henthorn with a birdie of his own on the par 5 -12th stayed three strokes ahead of tour rookie William Perkins of Grand Prairie, TX finishing in the third spot.

SKINS:

Giant Skins:  1 -- Gary Hayes, Chickasha, OK; Tim Mathis, Edmond, OK; Art Wiles, Oklahoma City, OK; Chico Robinson, Powder Springs, GA; Ron Walker, Crescent, OK.

Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer:  2 -- Allen Sawvel, Broken Arrow, OK. 1 -- Brad Cooper, Lawton, OK; Curt Howard, Sapulpa, OK.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  2 -- Tim Mathis, Edmond, OK. 1 -- Gary Hayes, Chickasha, OK; Allan Barnett, Cheyenne, OK; Randy Sellers, Lewisville, TX; Rod Haddock, Siloam Springs, AR; Robert Lakey, Sayre, OK; Art Wiles, Oklahoma City, OK.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  1 -- Christian Williamson, Edmond, OK; Melvin Wilson III, Dallas, TX; Dewayne Madison, Edmond OK.

Jones / Snead:  2 -- K.C. Montgomery, Fairview, OK. 1 -- Ron Walker, Crescent, OK.

 

Next Up:  The Oklahoma Tour backs up the opener with the Forest Ridge Classic in Broken Arrow, OK on March 30th.   The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Frisco Lakes Challenge on March 30th at The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes, registration closes Friday, March 22nd.   Hill Country Tour hits the links after a break for the Texas open on March 24th Round Rock Open on Friday, March 15th.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Play Ready Golf

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (March 11, 2013) During a recent event on the Dallas tour, we had four groups (16 players) penalized for violating the Golf Channel Am Tour pace of play policy. Penalties may clearly change the outcome of the event, take you or members of your group out of a skin and cost points and awards.

Tour Players that have competed in a Dallas, Hill Country or Oklahoma tour event that I’ve directed may have noticed “Play Ready Golf” printed rather large on the bottom of the “Notice to Contestants”.

The rules of golf define the proper Order of Play with USGA Rule 10-2 during stroke play. That rule however, offers no penalties unless playing out of turn creates an advantage. On the tee, honors; everywhere else, the player within a group who is away (farthest from the hole) hits first.

“Ready golf allows the golfers within a group to take their shots when each member of the group is ready to play. If you reach your ball and are ready to hit, while other members of your group are not yet prepared, then go ahead and hit - even if you are not away.

Here are just a few tips to help speed up play to make your day more enjoyable and keep you off the clock. Be sure to understand that none of the tips have anything to do with rushing your play, but rather help keep you out of a “rush”situation when you get behind.

TEE BOX

• On the tee, pay attention to your partners' drives. If they lose sight of their ball, you can help direct them to it and avoid any searching.

• If you are unsure about the club you’ll play off the tee, bring three, one on each side of your expected play so you’ll have other options readily available.

• Carry an extra golf ball, tees and ball markers in your pocket so you never have to return to your golf bag to find one when needed.

• If you are unsure whether your ball has come to rest out of bounds, or may be lost outside of a hazard, notify your playing partners that you intend to hit a provisional ball and tee it up again so that you won't have to return to the spot to replay the shot.

FAIRWAY

• When two players are riding in a cart, drive the cart to the first ball and drop off the first player with his choice of clubs. The second player should proceed in the cart to his ball. After the first player hits his stroke, he should begin walking toward the cart as the second golfer is playing.

• All players should GO TO THEIR BALLS as soon as possible. The only time players should wait for other players is if the first player's ball is in front of the other players' in such a way that the other players could be hit by the first player's shot.

• Help other players locate lost balls, but do it AFTER playing your shot not before.

GREEN

• Never park the cart in front of the green. Park it only to the side or behind the green. And don't mark your scorecard while sitting in the cart next to the green (do it at the next tee). These practices open up the green for the group behind.

• When chipping around the green, carry both the club you'll be chipping with plus your putter so you don't have to return to the bag.

• Begin reading the green and lining up putts as soon as you reach the green. Don't wait until it's your turn to putt to start the process of reading the green. Do it as soon as you reach the green so that when it's your turn you can step right up and putt.

• Finish out short putts if you won’t be in another players line or through line. Notify the group that “I’ll finish” and make your putts consecutively.

Navigating around the golf course in an efficient manner will help speed the game, won’t cause you any rushing problems when Marshall's put you on the clock and will help keep you out of penalty situations.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Oklahomans at the Texas Open

Oklahoma 2 Wins, 4 Punch Tickets National Championships - Texas Open

Scott R Chilcutt, Horseshoe Bay, TX (March 3, 2013) The 2013 Texas Open, in its third year at the scenic Horseshoe Bay Resort, on the shores of Lake LBJ in the Texas Hill Country welcomed players from 19 states, representing 22 Tours for the first Major of the year in the Central part of the country.

Excellent, over seeded course conditions, fast and smooth greens along with favorable yardages and a local rule for out of bounds didn't seem to help the scoring. In the over 368 rounds played, nearly a third (29%) of the scores met or exceeded the century mark with only TWO rounds recording sub 80 scores. None of the flights were exempt from the difficult scoring conditions, with the Championship Flight averaging +18 on first day at the par 71 - Ram Rock Golf Course and +14 on the par 72 Apple Rock layout to finish out the event.

Through the challenges, 35 players received 2013 National Championship invitations and the participants raised over $1,400 for the Feherty's Troops First Foundation.

Results:

Senior Palmer Flight: Two Oklahoma Tour members, tied up in the second spot, four strokes back after the first round battled it out for the championship on Sunday. Beginning the day on the 10th hole, Clayton Badger of Drumright, OK started out his first two and ended his first two holes rocky, falling short of Sapulpa, OK member Curt Howard by a single stroke. Howard battled through a tweaked back in the latter holes to pick up his ninth win on tour and second Major Championship. Overcoming a first nine penalty stroke, Robert Lippert of Copperas Cove, TX went even par with three birdies on his back nine to jump two spots and finish with a National Championship invite. Randy Rollo of Waco, TX carded four birdies on the final round to record the only sub 80 round on the Apple Rock course, finishing in the fourth spot.

Senior Hogan Flight: Edmond, OK member James Surber made up a two stroke deficit after the first day to force a playoff with first round leader Christopher Phillips of Richmond, TX. Surber would take the lead early in the round and lead for most of the day, but finished with a triple to set the stage for the extra duty, where he would finish out his first Major Championship win in a one hole playoff. Phillips, runner up finish, cleared a pair in the third spot by five strokes equaling his best finish at a Major, the 2012 Pinehurst Amateur Championship. Michael Castaneda of League City, TX and St. Louis Tour traveler William Wirtz shared the third place finish and final National Championship qualifications.

Senior Snead Flight: Beverly Hills, FL visitor, Danny Souheaver picked up his fifth major championship and unprecedented 42nd first place finish on the Golf Channel Am Tour. Starting the final round twelve strokes back, hard charging Doyle Fleming from Haslet, TX made up ten strokes with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 10th to finish just two back for his best finish at a Major. Receiving the National Championship invitation for his fifth consecutive year, Rick Henthorn of Yukon, OK and Cypress, TX member Timothy Thayer, his fourth consecutive invite, shared the third place finish by five strokes over the fifth spot.

Next Up:  The Oklahoma Tour kicks off the year at the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge. Hill Country gets back to the course for the Round Rock Open on March 24th. while the Dallas Tour resumes action at the Indian Creek Golf Course on March 9th for the Classic at the Creek.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
    

Embedded Ball Rule



Photo from notestomyself.net

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (January 29, 2013) Most events on the Golf Channel Am Tour have a "Notice to Contestants" to define many of the local rules along with any conditions that may exist that would change the players procedure from the USGA rules of golf.

This past weekend Steve Killion from the Dallas Tour sent me the following message:

I’m watching the Farmers Insurance Open and just saw Casey Wittenberg get relief for an embedded ball in the rough on the fifth hole. Although it was “through the green” it was not a “closely mown area”. If the same circumstance occurs in one of our tournaments, are we entitled to relief?

While we are not privy to the PGA Tours Conditions of Competition for this event, we do know that had there not been some stipulation to the USGA rules on embedded balls, Wittenberg would have been penalized, similar to Tiger Woods the previous weekend.


Absent any local rules that would be otherwise stated in the Notice to Contestants or Conditions of the Event the USGA rules are fairly simple:

25-2. Embedded Ball

A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green. “Closely mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

Occasionally, you may find local rules (Which our Notice to Contestants override) and or local event rules that will use the term: "Embedded Ball Rule In Effect Through the Green".

Through the Green

“Through the green’’ is the whole area of the course except:

a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and

b. All hazards on the course.

In this case it's also pretty clear, you may lift, clean and drop an embedded ball as long as it's not in a hazard or teeing ground, since you'll obviously be able to lift on a green.

Many of you may know that Tiger Woods was penalized two strokes at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for taking relief from an embedded ball in sand in the rough. In this case, the event did stipulate that you could take relief "Through the Green" but the local rules goes on to say that a player may not take relief if his ball is embedded in sand in an area that is not closely mown, i.e. there is no free relief if the ball is embedded in sand in the rough. See the complete R&A explanation here:

Still have a question on the Golf Course about the procedure? Invoke Rule 3-3, IDENTIFY THE BALL YOU INTEND TO SCORE and play two balls. We'll follow up next week with the proper procedure and some interesting situations with 3-3.

Next Up: Hill Country Tour will be back in action at Comanche Trace for the Kerrville Championship on February 16th. The Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, sold out after less than two weeks on the schedule, will be held on March 2nd/3rd in the heart of the Hill Country. The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 23rd and the Oklahoma Tour will await warmer conditions for the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Fianna Hills Open

Saturday, November 17, 2012 (Fort Smith, AR) Players from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas compete for the Fianna Hills Open title!  Arkansas took two trophies, Oklahoma took one, Missouri took one, and Texas took one.

What started as a chilly morning culminated in perfect Arkansas River Valley weather.  Overnight temperatures dipped low enough to make the already fast greens at the Fianna Hills Country Club even a little more firm!  If that wasn't enough, the changing fall colors made golf balls difficult to find.  Read on to see how the battles shaped up.

Championship Flight:    One of the largest fields for the Championship Flight in Arkansas AM Tour history yielded some great matches.  Matthew McKown of Van Buren, AR responded with heart to what could have been a devastating opening quad with six birdies!  Of all the players in contention, Michael Dryer of Bella Vista, AR had the fewest birdies with only one.  Dryer, however, had only 3 blemishes on his card - and they were only bogeys.  McKown was leading with two holes left to play but stumbled.  Steady play (14 pars) and ''a little luck'' (finding a tee shot after hitting two provisionals) are what Dryer credits to his victory.  Even par on the back nine was crucial! One trophy for Arkansas.

Palmer Flight:  Roland Lewis  of Tulsa, OK played well enough on the front nine to  survive a string of bogeys on the back nine which gave Chris Blankenship of Stigler OK a chance to get close! A three over par front nine gave Lewis the cushion he needed to hold off Blankenship's five over par back nine.  Statistically, the two played a very close match - an equal amount of pars and near equal amount of bogeys.  It was the 'others' that cost Blankenship a run to the title.  It was an Oklahoma all the way kind of day in the Palmer flight - one trophy for Oklahoma.

Hogan Flight:  Can you say ''déjà' vu all over again?''  When Bill Matthews of Houston, TX finished his round, he didn't think an 83 would hold up.  Since there were 13 players in the field, he'd have to wait for awhile to learn that he was going to be in a playoff - again - with Pat Weaver of Germantown, TN.  It was a replay of the finish of the Red River shootout at Winstar in June of 2012 when Matthews and Weaver tied after two days and Weaver won in a sudden death playoff.  It tok “three career shots” in his round to get him there, and Matthews was not going to squander the opportunity.  After two holes, Texas would walk away with a trophy and Matthews would have his revenge.

Sarazen Flight:  With four holes left, it was anybody's tournament.  Kirby Rogers of Muldrow, OK held a one stroke lead over Steve Rutherford of Bella Vista, AR.  Matthew Howard of Bentonville was four strokes out, but finishing strong only one over par let him come back for his first win on the AM Tour.  Sinking a couple of long par putts kept him in it and proved to be the difference.  Two trophies for Arkansas.  

Jones Flight:   Most golfers have the 'if only for one hole' story, but for Craig Merrill of Roland, AR, it was that one hole that may have kept him from a chance for victory.  Dean Alexander of Appleton City, MO did, however, earned his first victory on the AM Tour with a couple of birdies on the front nine.  Alexander said he played conservatively by hitting lots of irons off the tee and not 'going for' par 5's when he could have.  Since the greens were so fast, he felt that laying up would be a winning strategy.  It proved to be a four point strategy and he brings a trophy home to Missouri.



For more information:
Paul C. Gomez
Arkansas Director, Golf Channel AM Tour
917-553-3814
pgomez@GCAmTour.com