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Daytona Beach, Golf & ONE DAYTONA: “From Fairway to Speedway”

January 19, 2018 By admin

CLICK HERE for Andy’s FEATURE ARTICLE on his golf trip to Daytona!

Walking along and playing some golf at ‘The Riv!’

I enjoyed a great weekend of golf in Daytona Beach with an introduction to ONE DAYTONA! Here are the highlights via my social media posts and pictures! More will be written, stay tuned and keep those engines revving!

Enjoying Daytona Beach! Left Binghamton, NY on Wednesday at 4 pm… drove 17 of next 26 hours… 16 hours turnaround at home in Ponte Vedra Beach… teed it up at 1:12 pm today Friday on the Hills Course at LPGA International… Golf Travel Writers Association fam trip courtesy of Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau… staying at brand spanking new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at One Daytona across from the Speedway… nice 30-footer for birdie on the last! TROML Baby! #DaytonaBeach (Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 1/19/18)

Played ‘The Riv,’ a must experience if ever near Daytona Beach… a golf course of challenge, nostalgia, & fun! Four Meyers generations since 1953- Franklin-Bill-Eric-and now Ryan! Home of Ryan and Matt Every junior golf… Every & his Bay Hill triumphs & Arnold Palmer have a strong presence here. Great place, no tee sheets just PGA professional Mike Boss, pic with kids on practice putting green a tribute to the Myers legacy. My competitive benchmark for Ely Park GC, if given the opportunity… (Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 1/20/18)

Great Sunday round on the Jones Course at LPGA International to wrap up the GTWA Daytona Beach “fairway to speedway” golf trip! Great golf & super accommodations at the Fairfield Inn & Suites at ONE DAYTONA! Started off in the rain, ended in the sunshine, with a few birdies along the way! Onward to the PGA Show in Orlando! (Facebook Post with 30 pics, Andy Reistetter, 1/21/18)

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Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Featured Golf Resorts & Courses, Travel Golf

Chuck Will of the CBS Golf Team Passes at Age 91 after a Legendary Career!

December 19, 2017 By admin

Frank Chirkinian (left) with Chuck Will. Photo Credit: Golf.com

Chuck Will… I never met the man, as he retired ten years before I came looking for work with CBS Sports on the PGA TOUR, but I feel like I have through the people he and Frank Chirkinian hired and developed over many years. From the stories I have heard, I think Michael Bamberger aced his eulogy for the man behind the scenes. With gratitude to Michael for doing so and to Mr. Chuck Will for all that he did to bring golf into the lives of millions around the world!

By Michael Bamberger, Posted on Golf.com on Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Strange, powerful forces — in this case the PGA Tour and CBS Sports — had to work in tandem to produce a person as spectacular and unique as Chuck Will, who died in his home outside Philadelphia, some hours after the Eagles’ victory over the New York Giants Sunday afternoon on FOX. Will’s TV was tuned to it, but only because there was no golf to watch on CBS. He was 91.

Chuck Will had various official titles over his decades with the only network for which he worked, but his main role in his adult life was as the alter ego to Frank Chirkinian, another son of Philadelphia and the man who all but invented golf on TV. If you like the Masters on CBS, you are admiring Chirkinian’s work and the legacy of it. Only some would know that it was Chuck Will who got the broadcast out of the CBS production truck and into your living room. He did it with a force of personality the likes of which will never be seen again. Ask anyone who knew him.

All through golf, or at least in a certain segment of it, there were tributes in the wake of the news, some public, most otherwise. Will’s caustic humor and immense insight into people left an indelible mark on all who knew him. If you happened to see Jim Nantz, flying home after working the Steelers-Patriots game in Pittsburgh, you would have seen a man raining tears. But also from scores of other CBS golf people, active and retired, he hired, inspired and befriended over the years, including spotters, cameramen, producers, statisticians, announcers, electricians, gofers, boom operators and the rest.

The people Will hired and knew in the game came from every walk of life. He had a particular soft spot for down-on-their-luck caddies and he could see in the game’s stars — Nicklaus, Palmer, Floyd, Faldo, Woods — both their foibles and their inherent greatness. Will was as clear-eyed as a man could be. That’s why Chirkinian depended on him so. Will hired and groomed the man who eventually took over Chirkinian’s role, Lance Barrow.

Last year, Will, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, shared some insights into two golf icons, Chirkinian and Palmer. He said, “Arnold was built for the camera. He was flamboyant. He walked off that tee and he was striding. He was leading and he was going to win again. But they needed somebody to put that camera on the guy’s face and know exactly how long to leave it there, and that guy was the little Armenian.”

David Feherty never did a ‘Feherty’ on Chuck Will that I know of… Photo Credit: David Cannon/Getty Images

Will had a nickname for every person he knew, and that was what he called Chirkinian. He called Earl Woods “The Colonel,” Clifford Roberts “The Old Man,” and Gene Sarazen “Squire.” (Not “The Squire.” Other people used that.) Over the years, and later aided and abetted by David Feherty, Will developed a whole bit, rooted in reality, about the different types of “a–holes” that populated the PGA Tour. He was profane but his vocabulary was precise and his grammar was perfect.

Chirkinian’s domain was the art of the golf broadcast, the storytelling that is at the heart of any live sporting event. (The two men also produced U.S. Open tennis for CBS for years.) The mechanics of it all fell to Will. His own father was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and Will inherited the ability to roll with whatever came, to expect the unexpected. (Bad weather, golf balls hit into odd places, slow play, boring leaders, blowout winners.) He was a TV natural, even if his training for it had been as a cardboard-box salesman.

Chuck enlisted in the Navy at age 17, during World War II, and served on the USS San Juan in the South Pacific.

He earned seven battle stars. He knew a world far more demanding than anything the PGA Tour or its broadcasts could ever require. With the lights on, he was cool, even if the tournament unfolding before him was not complying. When the Army-Navy game was played in Philadelphia on Dec. 14, the CBS broadcasters had a nice shout-out to Will, while remembering his father, too. Twenty years into retirement, he was not remotely forgotten.

Charles Edward Will, a trim and dapper man, came up in a different time. He got by on his wits, his wit, his storytelling, his candor. He knew what he was: a high-class Philadelphia golf bum who had found a home in the Directors Guild of America. He could play, and he competed in one U.S. Amateur. He once shot 65 in a Philadelphia tournament. The local golf writer wanted to write up Will and his subpar round. Will said, “Talk to somebody else.” He had taken a slide from work.

It was Chirkinian who got Will to stop drinking and it was Will who could tell Chirkinian what was really happening on Tour, even when the boss didn’t want to hear it. Likely nobody knew more about the Tour’s underbelly than Chuck Will, because so many of the caddies were indebted to him — literally — and they told him about the life on Tour as it existed beyond the reach of the CBS cameras. How exactly that informed and improved the network’s coverage is impossible to say. But it did.

Anticipating the final chapter of his life, Will once said, “I’ve instructed Kathleen, my beautiful bride who remains 29 years younger than I, to buy a first-class ticket to San Francisco, carrying my remains in a box or urn. I want her to get in a car, drive south to the Seal Rock lookout, to that little parking spot there and, with Cypress Point right behind her, distribute me into the Pacific, with the barking seals.”

Seal Rock is up the road up the beach from Pebble Beach, and Pebble was one of Will’s favorite Tour stops, along with Augusta, Hilton Head, Colonial, Hawaii, Westchester, Doral — and every other place the travel department of CBS Sports sent him. In a sense, but only that, Will’s life on tour was limited. From a swivel chair in a trailer in another TV compound, with a phone in one ear and his tinted glasses on his nose, Chuck Will had his eyes on every player, caddie, wife, official, groupie, sponsor and equipment guy on Tour, whether he could see them or not. There is no device that can measure such unique vision. But anybody who knew Chuck Will knew that he had it.

Filed Under: Featured People, People in Golf

Congratulations to Rookie Austin Cook, 2017 RSM Classic Champion at Sea Island!

November 19, 2017 By admin

Austin Cook, 2017 RSM Classic Champion! Photo Credit: QCOnline.com

Here comes another one of those young fellows destined for glory on the PGA TOUR!

You have to love Austin Cook’s perseverance, talent, and success! Today and along the way. Solid collegiate career as a Razoeback for the University of Arkansas. Turned pro right after college in 2014. NO GO on the Web.com Tour after finishing T130th in its Qualifying Tournament. Then he went the Monday Qualifying and mini-tour route to success.

The 2017 RSM Classic was only his 14th PGA TOUR event with at least one tournament each of the past five years. He Monday-qualified for the 2014 FedEx St. Jude Classic and finished T13 earning $100K. Then he made six out of seven cuts in 2016 after Monday-qualifying and finishing T11 in the 2015 Shell Houston Open. He made $500K in 2015 and that got him into the Web.com Tour Finals where he finished one out of a tour card for 2016. Persevering to the PGA TOUR for this 2017-2018 season via finishing 20th on the 2017 Web.com Tour.

Way to go Austin Cook!

The Sea Island Golf Club Defines Southeast Golf!

Way to go to you if you get the opportunity to play the Sea Island Golf Club! It is a great golfing experience and as I wrote about, it defines Southeast Golf!

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort: A Magnificent Restoration!!!

November 15, 2017 By admin

Not only did I survive but I thrived playing the Ocean Course in the wind!

Mark Twain once said: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

Andy Reistetter now says: “The two most important days in a golf travel writer’s life is the day a golf course re-opens after a restoration project and the day I get to play it.”

For the fabulous Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort those days were November 2^nd, 2017 and November 15^th, 2017.

This is the 174-yard par-3 17th, part of the famed closing stretch named “The Bear!” Claw,”

On the afternoon of Friday, October 7^th, 2016 the eye of Hurricane Matthew passed by Palm Coast churning at 120 mph, which is designated as a Category 3 hurricane.

Amazingly this tragic event with its devastation to the golf course was not only reversed but improved upon over a 13-month period.

As detailed in the press release below, “the Hammock Beach Resort owners and resort managers—Salamander Hotels & Resorts— took a long-term view regarding conditioning (of the golf course) and opted to conduct a complete course restoration in conjunction with Nicklaus Design.”

‘Joey’ Burch is the kind of guy you want to meet (and interview if you are a writer) when you visit the Hammock Beach Resort… Joey said something simple, profound, and heartfelt to me- “It’s good to see golfers on the golf course again!” I could not agree more!

“Staying true to Nicklaus’ masterful design, the Ocean Course restoration has included the re-grassing of all fairways, greens and rough with the salt-tolerant Platinum Paspalum, as well as the reconstruction of each tee box, bunker and green complex.”

Having played the golf course before and after the restoration it is my opinion that they took a great golf course and made it even greater with subtle design changes and the best grass that money can buy and grow next to an ocean!

Scoring 46-37 as I transitioned from a somewhat sheltered (and shattered) first nine to a wide open second nine in a 25-30 mile Nor’easter wind I would have to say “let her blow!”

Perfect day for clam chowder which kicked in to enable me to start the second nine with two birdies!

The greens were ultra-pure and ultra-fast both uphill and downhill and into the wind and downwind too!

I say bring back the PGA TOUR or invite the LPGA and let those men and women give it a go too! Actually the PGA TOUR Champions played on the second more inland resort course designed by Tom Watson—the Conservatory Course. Watson did not win but Bernard Langer did in 2008 while Keith Fergus won the inaugural event the year before.

The Salmon Burger with House Made Chips!

Besides playing the magnificent Ocean Course I was treated to a delicious lunch in the signature restaurant of the Hammock Beach Resort—The Atlantic Grille. I went with a bowl of the New England Clam Chowder and the Salmon Burger on a Brioche Bun. The tasty, the sweet, and the meat sustained me throughout the afternoon round of sunshine and challenging winds!

It was a great day playing the renovated and newly improved Ocean Course! Though I missed Opening Day the press release and great pictures below, including Lee Elder, the barrier-breaking, four-time PGA TOUR winner and Tennis Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl, make me feel like I was there!

Bravo Salamander, as this type of commitment and dedication is unparalleled!

Ocean Golf at its finest, at least on the second nine for Andy Reistetter!

The Florida Golf Collection of Sheila Johnson, the founder of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, goes west from Palm Coast through Orlando via the elegant Reunion Resort which is embellished with Nicklaus, Palmer and Watson Signature Course designs and then a bit south to the famed Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, which has four golf courses and hosts the a PGA TOUR event on its Copperhead Course.

Playing any one of the nine Salamander golf courses is a treat but why not start at the Ocean and Conservatory Courses in Palm Harbor and play them all?

Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort Re-opens after 13-month Restoration Project

Jack Nicklaus Signature Design now features new salt-tolerant greens, fairways and rough

11 / 02 / 2017

PALM COAST, FL – The famed Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, today re-opened after a 13-month restoration project.

The ceremonial first foursome at the re-opening of the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach comprised (from left to right): Paul Propis, the resort’s golf committee chairman; Lee Elder, the barrier-breaking, four-time PGA TOUR winner; Brad Hauer, Hammock Beach Resort’s director of golf; and Tennis Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl
Photo Credit: Gregory Heck

A ceremonial event, attended by golf, tourism and elected officials, featured a first tee foursome consisting of Lee Elder, the barrier-breaking, four-time PGA TOUR winner; Tennis Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl; Brad Hauer, the resort’s director of golf; and Paul Propis, vice president of the resort’s board of governors and golf committee chairman.

The Palm Coast, FL, resort is managed by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel company founded by Sheila Johnson, and is part of the Salamander Golf Collection.

Renowned for its six Atlantic Ocean-hugging holes and closing stretch named “The Bear Claw,” the Ocean Course has been closed since October 2016 after high winds and storm surge from Hurricane Matthew caused damage across the majority of its holes. The resort’s owners and Salamander took a long-term view regarding conditioning and opted to conduct a complete course restoration in conjunction with Nicklaus Design.

Renowned for its six Atlantic Ocean-hugging holes and closing stretch named “The Bear Claw,” the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, re-opens after a 13- month restoration project. Photo Credit: Ryder Haske

Staying true to Nicklaus’ masterful design, the Ocean Course restoration has included the re-grassing of all fairways, greens and rough with the salt-tolerant Platinum Paspalum, as well as the reconstruction of each tee box, bunker and green complex.

The new salt-tolerant grass was tested by high winds and storm surge caused by Hurricane Irma in September, but the turf stood up well and the restoration project completion was only pushed back a few weeks.

“Today, the Ocean Course reclaims its position as one of the finest golf courses in the country,” said Salamander Founder & CEO Sheila Johnson, who also serves as an executive committee member of the United States Golf Association. “The location is unique, the views are exquisite and the conditioning now matches the spectacular locale. We thank Lubert-Adler, the resort’s owners, for its commitment to the game of golf, and are honored that the Ocean Course rejoins the rotation within our Salamander Golf Collection.”

The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach re-opened on November 2 after a 13- month restoration project. Photographed, from left to right, are: Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Terry Bechtold, managing director of Hammock Beach Resort; Sheila Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts; Amy Wilde, president of ACP Communities; Brad Hauer, director of golf at Hammock Beach Resort; and Neill Faucett, managing principal of Lubert-Adler.
Credit: Gregory Heck

In addition to the Ocean Course, Salamander is also re-opening its North Course at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa Bay on November 3 – just 24 hours later. The course, designed by Larry Packard, had been closed for four months for a renovation of its greens.

As one of only a handful of courses in the Southeast to feature Platinum Paspalum, the Ocean Course’s new surface features thick, short grass blades. Tolerant of all seasons, the grass is able to withstand seasonal temperature changes yet maintain a beautiful verdant year-round look. The addition of new and bright white Angle-G sand has also significantly brightened the already visually appealing course.

The course’s dune line, which is over a mile long, continues to be carefully restored to state conservational specifications. Newer and stronger dunes are forming, which offer greater environmental protection while also offering golfers some of the most stunning ocean views on the East Coast.

“By replacing Bermuda grass with the salt-tolerant Platinum Paspalum, we now offer golfers one of the purest surfaces in the game,” said Brad Hauer, director of golf at Hammock Beach Resort. “And, in addition to improved playing conditions for golfers of all levels, the views of the Atlantic Ocean are simply incredible.”

Hammock Beach Director of Golf Brad Hauer hits a ceremonial first tee shot at the re-opening of the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort. The course re- opened on November 2, 2017 after a 13- month restoration. Photo Credit: Gregory Heck

The Ocean Course originally opened in April 2000. And, while the integrity of the original design has been retained through the recent restoration, new forward tees have been added to each hole, making six on each. This allows the par 72 course to play as short as 4,100 yards, but retain a challenging overall length of 7,201 yards from its back tees.

Throughout the Ocean Course’s restoration project, Hammock Beach’s other championship layout, the highly-rated Conservatory Course (Tom Watson), has continued to accommodate guest and member play.

The restoration of the Ocean Course follows a number of previous enhancements at Hammock Beach Resort. The resort has recently renovated its grand lobby, refurbished all 15,000 square feet of indoor meeting and event spaces, and re-opened its signature restaurant, The Atlantic Grille.

In mid-November, it will launch its boutique accommodation option: The Lodge at Hammock Beach, which offers an intimate accommodation option overlooking the Ocean Course. It features 20 guest rooms, direct beach access and provides guests with the unique “Lodge Experience” – a VIP service including amenities and daily breakfast. With spectacular ocean views, the Atlantic Grille, led by new Executive Chef Kevin Luque, is serving “Shore to Table” cuisine, highlighting local, freshly caught seafood.

Just south of historic St. Augustine, Hammock Beach Resort presents true luxury nestled among nature and offers an upscale escape surrounded by scenes of Old Florida, with more than 300 luxurious and spacious accommodations. There are numerous golf and social membership options available at the coastal oasis, which operates as both a private club and resort. It offers storybook experiences with two highly renowned and ranked golf courses designed by legends Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, a 10,000-square-foot ocean-inspired spa and fitness center, multiple restaurants and bars, a multi-level pool complex with adult and children’s areas, oceanfront meeting space, a marina and tennis center, and miles of coquina-laden coastline.

For more information, call Hammock Beach Resort at 866-841-0287 or visit www.hammockbeach.com. Hammock Beach Resort is located at 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast, FL 32137.

About Salamander Hotels & Resorts

Salamander Hotels & Resorts is a privately owned and operated company based in Middleburg, VA, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded by entrepreneur Sheila Johnson in 2005, the company has a luxury portfolio featuring two distinct collections. The Signature Collection includes the stunning Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, a 340-acre equestrian-inspired property near Washington, D.C.; The Henderson, a 170-room grand beach resort in Destin, FL; NOPSI New Orleans, a new 217-room luxury historic hotel re-imagined which opened in July 2017; and Hotel Bennett, a 179-room luxury hotel in Charleston, SC, opening in summer 2018. The Golf Collection includes the famed Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, which hosts an annual PGA TOUR on its Copperhead Course; the elegant Reunion Resort in Orlando, which includes Signature Course designs from Nicklaus, Palmer and Watson; and the recently renovated oceanfront Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, FL, home to layouts by Nicklaus and Watson. All Salamander properties are members of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. For additional information, visit www.SalamanderHotels.com.

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey, Featured Golf Resorts & Courses, Northeast Florida, Travel Golf

Social Media Preview: The Ocean Course at the Hammock Beach Resort!

November 15, 2017 By admin

WOW, what a resort, and what a golf course! Knocked down by Hurricane Matthew last year, but with

The gorgeous and all-inspiring 174-yard par-3 17th hole on the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort!

Jack Nicklaus Design’s help and 13 months of repair and renovation, the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort has come back to life better than ever! Think about that, the damage to the six ocean-hugging golf holes, actually the entire golf course was impacted, yet the long-term vision, dedication, and financial commitment by Sheila Johnson and Salamander Hotels & Resorts has preserved one of America’s ocean front golfing experiences! True to Nicklaus’ masterful design, re-grassing with salt-tolerant Platinum Paspalum, reconstruction of tees, bunkers and green complexes, a legendary golfing experience is back alive, thriving, and open to golfers worldwide!

Nothing better than playing golf oceanside!

This is a true Ocean Course with a mile long encounter with the Deep Blue. Speaking of the Deep Blue, lunch in the Atlantic Grille was outstanding! More to be written on this amazing golfing experience! Welcome back Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort!, we missed you and are happy to be experiencing your treasures again!Many thanks for hosting Andy’s Golf & Travel Diary! PS: in the market for some new equipment so played with a rental set of Taylormade M2 irons, hybrids & driver! WoWie there is hope for my game! SOTO TP Collection putter was pretty sweet too! (Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 11-16-17)

Here are some pics and a press release too!

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Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort Re-opens after 13-month Restoration Project

Jack Nicklaus Signature Design now features new salt-tolerant greens, fairways and rough

11 / 02 / 2017

PALM COAST, FL – The famed Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, today re-opened after a 13-month restoration project.

The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort re-opened on November 2 after a 13-month restoration project. Pictured are holes 17 and 18. Phot Credit: Ryder Haske

The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort re-opened on November 2 after a 13-month restoration project. Pictured are holes 17 and 18. Photo Credit: Ryder Haske

The Palm Coast, FL, resort is managed by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel company founded by Sheila Johnson, and is part of the Salamander Golf Collection.

First Foursome of
Lee Elder, four-time winner on the PGA TOUR and the first African American to play in The Masters, talks with Sheila Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, at the re-opening of the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort. Photo Credit: Gregory Heck
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The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach re-opened on November 2 after a 13-month restoration project. Photographed, from left to right, are: Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Terry Bechtold, managing director of Hammock Beach Resort; Sheila Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts; Amy Wilde, president of ACP Communities; Brad Hauer, director of golf at Hammock Beach Resort; and Neill Faucett, managing principal of Lubert-Adler. Photo Credit: Gregory Heck

The course’s dune line, which is over a mile long, continues to be carefully restored ¬to state conservational specifications. Newer and stronger dunes are forming, which offer greater environmental protection while also offering golfers some of the most stunning ocean views on the East Coast.

Hammock Beach Director of Golf Brad Hauer hits a ceremonial first tee shot at the re-opening of the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort. The course re-opened on November 2, 2017 after a 13-month restoration. Photo Credit: Gregory Heck

For more information, call Hammock Beach Resort at 866-841-0287 or visit www.hammockbeach.com. Hammock Beach Resort is located at 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast, FL 32137.

About Salamander Hotels & Resorts

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey, Northeast Florida

The Omni Grove Park Inn, An Unmatched American Treasure in Asheville, NC!

November 8, 2017 By admin

I am thinking you will have a wonderful and eye-opening experience at the Omni Grove Park Inn, same as I did!

The Omni Grove Park Inn is a fascinating destination and a true adventure! A place where you cannot stay and visit without taking with you an experience to share for many years to come! Of course, this was perfect for a self-proclaimed golf and life voyager and documentarian such as me!

The magnitude of the Omni Grove Park Inn is massive yet it seems every little corner is intriguing and is a story in of itself! Chimneys, so big that Santa Claus and his sleigh could fit down through, have hidden elevators inside in addition to massive fires. Another lesser known unadvertised secret is a window on the outside of a regular-sized chimney that you will have a hard time finding without a tip (see picture caption below).

The inspirational quotes in the granite stones of the Omni Grove Park Inn guide us on our way to a peaceful rest—from Thoreau (‘Be not simply good—be good for something’); Emerson (in part, ‘every man is a quotation from all his ancestors’); and Thomas Jefferson (‘How much pain have cost us the evil that have never happened.’) There are many more inspirational aspects to be enjoyed by you as so many other souls have enjoyed, for the last hundred years and counting.

A visit to the Omni Grove Park Inn is unique, ultimately comfortable, and certainly a soul-searching experience; and we have not even teed it up on the historical Donald Ross championship golf course!

Fore, let’s do that now!

The presence of Donald Ross permeates the Grove Park Country Club!

First a bit of the golf course history which predates the 1926 Donald Ross design by twenty six years! In 1894 a group of Asheville residents created the Swannanoa Country Club. Their course of five holes was laid out the next year by a member and located in West Asheville. Remember the timing of this from a historical perspective. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island, formed in 1891, claims to be the oldest formal organized golf club in the United States. In that same year of 1894 the United States Golfing Association was created in New York City by delegates from the Newport Country Club (RI), the Saint Andrew’s Golf Club (Yonkers, NY), The Country Club (Brookline, MA), Chicago Golf Club (IL), and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Talk about having deep roots in American golf lore, this golf club has it!

The golf course, original Grove Park Inn (C), Vanderbilt Wing (L), and the Sammons Wing (R) are all nestled together on the slope of Sunset Mountain. Photo Credit: Frontier Group Inc.

In 1899, the golf course relocated to the end of Charlotte Street nearby the present-day Omni Park Grove Inn. In 1910 the Grove family chipped in to hire Musselburgh, Scotland’s Willie Park Jr., who combined with his father won a total of six Open Championships. The Park’s were rivals of Old Tom Morris and his son Tommy Junior who together won a total of eight Opens. Fellow Scot Donald Ross first appeared on the scene in Asheville in 1913 to redesign Willie’s work. Ross then went on to design a whole new layout in 1926 for what would then be known as the Country Club of Asheville. Elaine and Charles Sammons, the prior owners of the Omni Grove Park Inn, went from partial to full ownership in 1976. Known as “The Big Swap,” the Grove Park Inn received the now Grove Park Country Club in its very own front yard whereas the private country club took a golf course at Beaver Lake. But for the golf-loving owners at the time, that was not enough so they renovated the golf course in 1984, nearly ninety years after its inception. The famed links were completely restored in 2001 to recapture the spirit and form of the original 1926 Donald Roses design masterpiece. Golf, below Sunset Mountain, at the Grove Park Inn was launched into its second century of existence.

No better sight outside your hotel window or feeling knowing that you will be teeing it up come morning!

The golf course at the Omni Grove Park Inn has hosted the world’s best players over the years. Soon after the original 1926 Ross design grew in, the likes of Harry Vardon and Ted Ray competed in an exhibition. The PGA’s Asheville Land of Sky Open ran for eighteen years through 1951 with the legendary Ben Hogan winning three consecutive years from 1940 to 1942! Some of the Hogan Hawk legend evolved here as one day he had a tap-in birdie on the par-3 7th hole and the next posted an eleven trying and eventually escaping from a ravine. His playing partners noted that the expression on the face of Hogan, the Hawk, never changed from one day to the next! Even the great Bobby Jones came to Asheville and the Grove Park Inn to play the lower mountain golf course that he so enjoyed!

Nice touch with the old entrance to the CC of Asheville being preserved and respected!

But that was then and now is now and let me tell you that this is a great, not-to-be-missed golfing experience! The first nine is the lower nine and can jump up to bite you big time same as it did Hogan. The second nine, closer to the Inn, especially the Sammons Wing, takes you on a challenging and picturesque journey up the gradual slopes of Sunset Mountain.

I particularly liked the par-5 12^th hole, not because I birdied it with a nice little pitch and 10-foot putt, but because it is a series of rolling hills and valleys that need to be navigated a certain way in order to have visibility as to where you are going—classic, pure and strategic Donald Ross! The 12^th hole eventually meanders by the old entrance and stone wall of the original Country Club of Asheville. Give me a beautiful golf course with great shot values and a touch of history and I am a happy golfer!

The Bynum House with the back 17th tee alongside up to the right in this picture!

At the far high point of the golf course, near the par-3 17^th tee, stands the stately stone Bynum House. It was the first piece of property to be sold outside the Grove family in 1920 and it took seventy-nine years to return to the Grove Park Inn in 1999. Enticingly, there is a historical picture of an elaborate party inside the house yet the sign warns one not to get too close. The back tee is situated right next to the house so you can sort of get a glimpse inside. There wasn’t any party or function the day I played, hence no invitation. Perhaps you will be luckier both with an invitation and your tee shot on the 17^th!

The narrow tee shot from the back tee on the par-3 17th alongside the Bynum House! Golf Shot, which I unfortunately did not execute well that day!

Distracted by history and the need to voyage and document, I found myself unprepared when faced with the 171-yard tee shot. Literally in the shadows of the modern Sammons Wing, yet matching the historic part of the Omni Grove Park Inn, the 17^th, while one of Ross’ short holes, is eternally narrow. On that hole on that day I was wholesome entertainment for anybody gazing out their window. The eighteenth is a great finishing hole, nearly all downhill with a dog-leg left fairway that bottoms out and then rises up to another ingeniously elevated and inverted-saucer-sloped green.

Like your visit to the Inn, playing the Omni Grove Park Country Club will be memorable, exhilarating, and fun. A lifetime memory with alternating views of the distant mountains and the majestic red-clay-tile roofed Grove Park Inn. I find it hard to believe, but true, that the Inn was designed from a sketch by Fred Seely, the son-in-law of Edwin Grove, the successful pharmaceutical entrepreneur and namesake of one of America’s true treasures. The sketch and the Inn are remarkably similar.

Seely sketch of the original Grove Park Inn, uncannily similar to what was built!

Basically you need a week, or minimally four nights to get a thorough feeling of the Omni Grove Park Inn! Be sure to take the tour offered on Wednesday mornings at 9 am. Mine was done by a very knowledgeable young lady named Becky from Sales and Marketing. Not surprisingly I also learned that she had a minor in history. One of the best tours I have ever taken. She brought Grove, Seely, and the Sammons to life! The story of the resurrection of the hotel and its transformation into a world-class destination resort for post WWII presidents, movie stars and we the coming and going multitudes is well documented! Don’t miss the elevator ride inside the chimney, the third-floor Palm Court with its skylight, and of course the secluded window in a chimney!

The view up from the entrance of the hidden underground spa… You can see the red clay tile of the roof of the main inn!

And the spa, the spa, the spa—constructed underground so as not to obstruct the room views of Asheville and the opposing mountains, at a cost of 42 million dollars when it opened in 2001.

And the cuisine, the cuisine, the cuisine—I so enjoyed the Edison, an innovative and artistic restaurant in design and food, so much I went back there every night of my stay! Discover Edison for yourself or enjoy the Sunset Terrace of the Blue Ridge dining room known for its Friday night Seafood Buffet, Saturday night Prime Rib Buffet, and Sunday Champagne Brunch.

The city of Asheville is literally at your doorstep. The Omni Grove Park Inn is featured Stop No. 6 on the 10-stop Grayline Hop-On, Hop-Off historic tour of Asheville. With no hopping, you can make it around in less than two hours. It’s a great way to see Asheville!

Nothing beats witnessing a sunset from the terrace of the Omni Grove Park Inn! This is the one I had the pleasure to enjoy!

For every season there is a reason to visit the Omni Grove Park Inn. My season was the 25^th Anniversary of the National Gingerbread House Competition but if you miss the actual competition, no worries, as there is an exhibit highlighting it year-round. In a way that is the story of the Omni Grove Park Inn—you will experience its history, all the way back to its founding in 1913 while enjoying the modern luxury that no other resort can match!

Oh, I almost forgot, here is the picture of the window on the outside of a chimney down around the golf clubhouse!

Below is a picture gallery from my visit and below the pictures are my real-time social media posts:

Can you tell I was excited to be at the Omni Grove Park Inn?

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Arrival!

I am here, it is The Omni Grove Park Inn, and it IS Spectacular! OMG, the history (since 1913), the architecture, & their five–star service! Unbelievable beautiful sunset tonight. Room overlooking the golf course, a 1924 Donald Ross design that actually goes back to the 1890s & Willie Park. How am I supposed to sleep tonight? Too excited to play this historic venue in the morning! TROML Baby! (Facebook Post with 30 pics, Andy Reistetter, 11/6/17).

Paired up with a turkey!

I have had to play golf with some turkeys in my life but this was ridiculous!!! Not to name names… (Facebook Post with 1 Pic, Andy Reistetter, 11/8/17)

Great round of golf on this vintage 1926 Donald Ross golf course! With roots back to Willie Park in the 1890s, host of the PGA TOUR in the 1940s & 50s, an expert renovation back to pure Donald Ross was done in 200! Love the Donald Ross quotes & the ‘Hawk’ story too! Here is a great golf course that has stood the test of time & is a thrill, historic & modern, to play! More to be written on this experience! A BIG thank you to Head PGA Golf Professional Simon Andres & direct from Cork, Ireland Assistant Frank Holly for hosting Andy’s Golf & Travel Diary! (Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 11/8/17)

Ms. Becky, Tour Guide Extraordinaire!

Sad to check out this morning… but a great way to end my stay with the Wednesday 9 am group tour of the Omni Grove Park Inn. Tour guide Becky, a.k.a. Marketing Expert & Historian was terrific! Oreos, pig babies, & thermometers in the walls! More to be written about my visit… Bye Bye Asheville for now… (Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 11/8/17)

Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Featured Golf Resorts & Courses, Travel Golf

The Waterfall Club in Clayton, Georgia; Even More Spectacular in the Fall…

November 5, 2017 By admin

The colors are brilliant at The Waterfall Club especially when the sun peaks out late on a Sunday afternoon!

So came a Fall 2017 visit on top of the initial Summer 2016 visit to The Waterfall Club in Clayton, Georgia! Hoping for a Trifecta with a Spring 2018 visit to cover all seasons except winter! First time stayed in a private residence, this time in the Walnut Lodge Suite which came with an unbelievable view of Lake Burton! David Feherty may have stayed in Coach Saban’s place on the lake but nothing really beats staying on-course with all the comforts of home and more, fine dining, lake access and the club’s own pontoon boat, a spectacular view and all the fresh air that you can breathe in! This is a private residential country club with lots for sale and a brilliant lodge for the members and their guests. Blessed to be a guest now for two visits and to be able to experience The Waterfall Club and Lake Burton! See the link to the article below!

Summer view of Signature Hole No. 2 with Doc Daryl Wiley.

Heading back to The Waterfall Club in Clayton, Georgia on the way to Asheville on the Reprise of the 2017 Fall East Coast Golf Journey! Had a great time there last year and will see the fall colors in peak season this weekend! Amazing place with amazing people, amazing views, and amazing golf! See you soon Chris Schindler! (Facebook Post with 1 Link; Andy Reistetter, 11/3/17)

The Waterfall Club in the N. Georgia Mountains- Beyond Expectations (Summer 2016)!

Fall view of the Signature Hole, the par-3 2nd hole with a 210 feet drop in elevation from tee-to-green!

I can’t tell you how beautiful The Waterfall Club is! Words & pics don’t do it justice! Mountain autumn golf at its best, actually Super Best with bent grass greens! Velvet like greens but still FAST with lots of slope! Shooting 77 with three birdies makes it special too! Super special staying onsite in the Lodge in the walnut suite! Played here last summer, autumn now, hoping for a spring round in the future! Chris Schindler, thanks for hosting Andy’s Golf & Travel Diary! (Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 11/5/17)

Jason LeBlanc You picked a stellar time. Sorry I missed you Andy!

Morning view from the Walnut Lodge Suite!

Andy Reistetter I did Jason! Sorry to miss you too! I also missed the Daryl C Wiley clan this time too! But I did see Chris and all 18 glorious golf holes, they really could all be signature holes!

Andy Reistetter Seriously Jason LeBlanc, you have me at Goodbye! With a view like this to awake to from the Walnut Lodge Suite I don’t ever want to say goodbye to the Waterfall Club! If invited, I will be back! Lifetime TROML Experience for sure!

Jason LeBlanc I hope you know you are always welcome.

Here are the pictures from the Fall 2017 visit:

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Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey, Featured Golf Resorts & Courses, Travel Golf

Heartbeat of High Hampton Inn…

October 10, 2017 By admin

Fall 2017 East Coast Golf Journey starts tomorrow as I head to the High Hampton Inn & Country Club, my favorite place in the NC mountains… last time there I met Gaynor & Hap a delightful couple in their 90s. I was able to capture their love story in videos in this article… sadly they have since passed and their daughter made my day by sharing that “the video interview you did of them has become a treasure for our family and Gaynor’s family. Her sons discovered their mother on the internet when she died! Hap and Gaynor both enjoyed the tape many times before they passed. Thanks for the great memory of them.” Love like they had is eternal! God Bless Gaynor & Hap! I will be celebrating them as I hike and golf in a most beautiful place especially this time of year! Hope to see y’all along the Fall 2017 ECGJ… (Facebook Post with 1 link, Andy Reistetter, 10/7/17)

Enjoy the Mountains of North Carolina at High Hampton Inn & CC

Okay, so I wasn’t the one who invited Nate. I regardless, it feels restorative to be back at High Hampton Inn & Country Club. The people here are like family! Setting, historic & comfortable accommodations, room big enough to bring the whole family, what more could one want or need? Incredible first day of the Fall 2017 East Coast Golf Journey! (Facebook Post with 30 pics, Andy Reistetter, 10/8/17)

Quiet morning, tasty breakfast, some TROML Journaling & I am a happy resort guest…feeling & being my Splendid Spiritual Self with Spiritual Love & an overwhelming sense of unity, peace, joy, & freedom! TROML Baby am I… thank you for hosting me High Hampton Inn & Country Club… a beautiful setting of serenity of self & nature… (Facebook Post with 2 pics, Andy Reistetter, 10/9/17)

Day 2 was as exceptional as Day 1 at the High Hampton Inn & Country Club… I so identify with the peace, traquility, & joy of this place! Partial title of my article came to me literally when I heard a rhythmic thump, thump in my room last night. The Heartbeat of High Hampton… Short drive to visit Asheville yesterday & Sylva on the way home to High Hampton. After all, home IS where the heart is as long as it IS beating! Enjoy this day like it is your last! TROML Baby Forever! (Facebook Post with 30 pics, Andy Reistetter, 10/10/17)

Bye Bye for now to all the wonderful people, guests & staff, of High Hampton Inn & Country Club! Tasty omelette, some OJ, & started reading the ‘The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi’ book I picked up at City Lights Bookstore in Slyva yesterday. TROML Baby! Onward to the North, the 2017 Fall East Coast Golf Journey continues… next stop is… (Facebook Post with 30 pics, Andy Reistetter, 10/10/17)

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Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Travel Golf

Web.com Tour Champion Jonathan Byrd & the FINALS 25 Heading to the PGA TOUR!

October 2, 2017 By admin

Jonathan Byrd with the champion’s surf board after winning the 2017 Web.com Tour Championship!

The next wave of Web.com Tour and Web.com FINALS have come ashore and are heading to the 2017-18 PGA TOUR. The Top 25 from the regular season, led by Brice Garnett, are now joined by another FINALS 25, led by Web.com TOUR Champion Jonathan Byrd and Peter Uihlein who earned $386 more than Byrd in the cumulative four-event playoffs.

Byrd, who won for the first time in 18 Web.com events this year, had missed the last two playoff cuts after finishing T31 in the first event. Playing in nine PGA TOUR events his only Top-10 finish came in July, a T5 at the John Deere Classic. His last of five PGA TOUR wins came at the January 2011 Tournament of Champions, his entry gained by his walk-off ace in the playoff in Las Vegas the Previous October.

Jonathan Byrd, 2017 Web.com Tour Championship Winner!

Struggling the last two years, the 39-year old Byrd came into this week tied at No. 66 in the FINALS 25 Rank. Burnt out, his wife Amanda gave him permission to miss the tour championship. That support triggered a change in his mindset and after a Saturday practice round he felt the course matched his game. With his new “be athletic and be aggressive’ attitude he made eight birdies in his first round 7-under 64. He followed that with seven more in Round 2 (65) and eight more in Round 3 (64). All it took in the Monday final round was four in his bogey-free 67 to win by four strokes over Shawn Stefani and Sam Saunders.

Saunders had started the week with a record-setting 59. The Atlantic Beach CC resident and de facto player host followed that with a 66 to lead at the halfway point by two strokes over Julian Etulain (weekend 74-70 to finish T20 and rank 44 in the Finals 25) and four over Byrd. Saunders nemesis was the par-5 18^th hole which although he birdied on his way to the 59, he double-bogeyed in Round 2 and bogeyed in Round 3. A par on the last in the final round and a T2 finish will take him back to the PGA TOUR for the fourth year in a row.

Who would catch the next wave to the PGA TOUR?

There was excitement all week as to who would make it into the FINALS 25 and who would drop out with a 2017-2018 PGA TOUR card on the line. As many that come into glory the same number fall out. This year the number was five and here are the “5 IN & 5 OUT.”

5 IN: Jonathan Byrd, from T66 to 2^nd,, with the win; Shawn Stefani, from T47 to 7^th, with a T2 finish; Matt Jones, from T47 to 17, with a T5 finish; Cameron Tringale, from 49 to 18, with a T5 finish; and Tom Hoge from 31 to 23 with a T12 finish.

5 OUT: Adam Svensson, from 17 to 26, missing the cut; Ben Crane, from 18 to 27, did not play; Matthew Southgate, from 20 to 28, missing the cut; Cameron Percy, from 25 to 29, finished T20; and Ryo Ishikawa, from22 to 31, finishing T40.

Of course as the action of the tournament came to a climax during the final round there were some who were in, then out, and then back in. Likewise there were some who were out, then in, and then back out.

Approaching his 16th hole of the final round (the 7th), Seamus Power was No. 26, then he bogeyed and ended up No. 25 as the Bubble Boy! Go figure!

The Bubble Boy was Seamus Power who started at No. 19 on Thursday and finished at No. 25, just $2,688 ahead on No. 26 Adam Svensson. Starting on No. 10, he was near the end of his round playing the par-5 7^th where the scoreboard projected his rank as No. 26. Outside a tour card, he needed to get it up-and-down from a tight lie short left of the green. His 40-yard pitch landed a foot short in the front left bunker. After his sand wedge he just missed a 15-footer for par. The bogey seemingly putting his out of reach of a tour card.

Power’s par-par finish seemed to seal his destiny until Matt Harmon, in the 25^th slot, came along and three-putted the 18^th for a bogey. That knocked him out of the FINALS 25 (ended at No.32) and allowed Power to move into the FINALS 25.

Power dodged another bullet when Roberto Castro came along in second-to-the-last group and nearly drained a 30-foot eagle putt. Castro finished at No. 30.

Jonathon Byrd, by virtue of his Web.com Tour Championship win, and 49 other golfers based on their year-long and/or FINALS play are heading to the PGA TOUR! Congratulations, well done!

Here are the details of all fifty 2017-2018 PGA TOUR members:

The FINAL 5 of the FINALS 25!

The first twenty-five tour cards have already been awarded to the Top-25, the Golden Boys, of the 22-event regular season (in order of finish, then (country, age; Web.com career starts, wins, wins this Web.com season; PGA TOUR starts, wins): 1. Brice Garnett (USA, 34; 104, 2, 2; 75, 0), 2. Sam Ryder (USA, 27; 45, 1, 1; 1, 0), 3. Abraham Ancer (Mexico, 26; 60, 1, 0; 20, 0), 4. Andrew Landry (USA, 30; 53, 2, 1; 19, 0), 5. Stephan Jaegar (Germany, 28; 73, 3, 2; 4, 0), 6. Talor Gooch (USA, 25; 22, 1, 1; 2, 0), 7. Kyle Thompson (USA, 38: 292, 5, 1; 55, 0), 8. Andrew Putnam (USA, 28; 93, 2, 1; 25, 0), 9. Chesson Hadley (USA, 30; 44, 4, 2; 96, 1), 10. Ben Silverman (Canada, 29; 38, 1, 1; 1, 0), 11. Nate Lashley (USA, 34; 50, 1, 1; 1, 0), 12. Adam, Schenk (USA, 25; 48, 1, 1; 0, 0), 13. Andrew Yun (USA, 26; 70, 0, 0; 0, 0), 14. Ted Potter Jr. (USA, 33; 109, 2, 0; 75, 1), 15. Austin Cook (USA, 26; 51, 0, 0; 10, 0), 16. Zecheng ‘Marty’ Dou (China, 20; 24, 1, 1; 3, 0), 17. Conrad Shindler (USA, 29; 25, 1, 1; 2, 0), 18. Aaron Wise (USA, 21; 16, 1, 1; 8, 0), 19. Matt Atkins (USA, 26; 65, 1, 1; 2, 0), 20. Xinjun Zhang (China, 30; 23, 0, 0; 2, 0), 21. Brandon Harkins (USA, 31; 26, 0, 0; 1, 0), 22. Lanto Griffin (USA, 29; 24, 1, 1; 2, 0), 23. Beau Hossler (USA, 22; 14, 0, 0; 12, 0), 24. Ethan Tracy (25, 1, 1; 4, 0), 25. Roberto Diaz (Mexico, 30; 80, 0, 0; 5, 0).

Jonathan Byrd, 2017 Web.com Tour Championship Winner!

The second twenty-five FINALS tour cards earned during the four-event playoff that cumulated this week at the Web.com Tour Championship (in order of finish, then (country, PGA TOUR or Web.com) age; Web.com career starts, wins, wins this Web.com season; PGA TOUR starts, wins): 1. Peter Uihlein (USA, PGA TOUR, 28; 5, 1, 1; 30, 0) 2. Jonathan Byrd (USA, Web.com, 39; 69, 2, 1; 366, 5) 3. Nicholas Lindheim (USA, PGA TOUR, 32; 59, 2, 1; 22, 0) 4. Bob Oppenheim (USA, Web.com, 37; 169, 1, 0; 28, 0) 5. Ryan Armour (USA, PGA TOUR, 41; 241, 1, 0; 103, 0) 6. Sam Saunders (USA, PGA TOUR, 30; 83, 0, 0; 98, 0) 7. Shawn Stefani (USA, PGA TOUR, 35; 34, 2, 0; 121, 0) 8. Jonathan Randolph (USA, PGA TOUR, 29; 56, 0, 0; 52, 0) 9. Bronson Burgoon (USA, PGA TOUR, 30; 61, 0, 0; 29, 0) 10. Keith Mitchell (USA, Web.com, 25; 43, 0, 0; 1, 0) 11. Tyler Duncan (USA, Web.com, 34; 30, 0, 0; 1, 0) 12. Denny McCarthy (USA, Web.com, 24; 44, 0, 0; 3, 0) 13. Troy Merritt (USA, PGA TOUR, 31; 71, 1, 0; 155, 1) 14. Tom Lovelady (USA, Web.com, 24; 25, 0, 0; 0, 0) 15. Martin Piller (USA, Web.com, 31; 151, 6, 1; 48, 0) 16. Alex Cejka (Germany, PGA TOUR, 46; 48, 1, 0; 355, 1) 17. Matt Jones (AUS, PGA TOUR, 37; 103, 0, 0; 241, 1) 18. Cameron Tringale (USA, PGA TOUR, 30; 8, 0, 0; 217, 0) 19. Brett Stegmaier (USA, PGA TOUR, 34; 76, 0, 0; 59, 0) 20. Corey Conners (Canada, Web.com, 25; 27, 0; 10, 0) 21. Steve Wheatcroft (USA, PGA TOUR, 39; 145, 2, 0; 150, 0) 22. Chad Collins (USA, PGA TOUR, 39; 150, 2, 0; 180, 0) 23. Tom Hoge (USA, PGA TOUR, 28; 82, 0; 70, 0) 24. Joel Dahmen (USA, PGA TOUR, 29; 53, 0, 0; 17, 0) 25. Seamus Power (Ireland, PGA TOUR, 30; 51, 1, 0; 25, 0).

By the way, the PGA TOUR players dominated in the FINALS 25 by a count of 17 to 8!

It was a fun week at the 2017 Web.com Tour Championship at Atlantic Beach Country Club!

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

Byrd Birdies his way to the Third Round Lead at the Web.com Tour Championship!

September 30, 2017 By admin

Jonathan Byrd matched his eight-birdie count performance of Round One, a total of 23 so far against three bogeys in 54 holes, to take the third round lead at 20-under over a cooling off Sam Saunders who shot a 12-under par 59 in Round One.

Byrd, Number 55 on the Web.com Tour in 17 events (T5 in Panama and T8 in Winco final regular season event) and No. 170 on the PGA TOUR in nine events (T5 in John Deere Classic best finish) this year has gone T31, CUT, CUT in the FINALS so far has posted three consistent rounds of 64-65-64 to get to the 20-under mark so desired in Round Two by the newest Mr. 59 Sam Saunders.

After Round Two Saunders shared that his private goal was to get to twenty-under par. A birdie on the last would have done it but instead he recorded a double bogey after taking five strokes to get it in the hole from short of the green with a fluffy lie in the rough.

Sam Saunders in bunker on the 18th in Round 3.

In Round Three, a birdie at the last would have gotten him to that 20-under mark. His second shot 7-iron downwind from 198 yards buried in the front right greenside bunker. He blasted out and lipped out the birdie putt from 18-feet. His nemensis reared its ugly head again with another rimmed out short putt resulting in bogey (also on Hole Nos. 7 & 11). With the bogey he fell to two strokes behind Byrd at 18-under par going into Sunday’s final round of the FINALS!

Cameron Tringale posted 65-66-65 and at 17-under is three shots back of Byrd in solo third place. Tyler Duncan, Rob Oppenheim, and Bronson Burgoon are tied for fourth place four shots back of Byrd. There are eleven players within six shots of Byrd, with six strokes being the best come-from-behind victory in the 23-year history of the Web.com Tour Championship.

Besides the championship, there are 25 additional 2017-2018 PGA TOUR cards at stake between the FINALS playoff between PGA TOUR players (Nos. 126-200 on FedExCup Final Points List and Web.com Tour players (Nos. 26-75). Web.com Tour players Nos. 1-25 can play to improve their ranking. Nineteen of the 25 did play, thirteen made the cut and Ben Silverman (No. 10) and Matt Atkins (No. 19) have fared best and are at T8, with a possible record tying comeback victory in the works for Sunday.

Remember when it comes down to the Bubble Boys, those slightly inside the FINALS Top 25 and those slightly outside, it all comes down to the money won in the Web.com Tour Championship. And not just by the players involved but others who may influence the outcome by their finish. The difference between tying for a place and winning it outright can be pivotal. For those higher up on the leaderboard, a place means more money and increased volatility.

A putt made or a putt missed on the last hole can mean someone is in and someone is out!

An elated Sam Saunders after his opening 59 gives him a 3-stroke lead in the 2017 Web.com Tour Championship!

Play well all but it would be nice to see Sam Saunders break the 20-under score early in his final round and eagle or birdie the last to win his first big professional event almost to the day a year after his grandfather, our golfing hero, Arnold Palmer passed. Or simply because he is a great guy and the consummate professional golfer!

More below on the projected FINAL 25 standings going into the final round of the FINALS. Looks like the PGA TOUR guys have the lead 14:11 which is pretty much in line with the 75:50 representation in numbers. ALL these guys are good!

The FINALS 25 Projected Rank after three rounds of the Web.com Tour Championship with their FINALS playoff entry criteria (Web.com 26-75 and PGA TOUR 126-200) and their position going into the final round of the FINALS: