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Sawgrass Country Club: Original “Home” of THE PLAYERS Championship

May 10, 2011 By admin

Doing a little research with the Sawgrass CC archives.

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter continues his exclusive “Play-Write” series recently playing the East-West nines at Sawgrass CC that hosted THE PLAYERS Championship (then known as the Tournament Players Championship) from 1977 to 1981 .

THE Players Championship is synonymous with the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass with its iconic island green on the par-3 17^th hole.

This year (2012) is the 30^th anniversary of the first PLAYERS held at TPC Sawgrass when in 1982 Jerry Pate won by two strokes and three architect Pete Dye and Commissioner Deane Beman into the lake and then dove in himself.

That would be Jerry Pate’s last win on the PGA TOUR but the first of annual PLAYERS Championships on the Stadium Course.

The Ed Seay plaque found near the first tee of the East Nine. He and Arnold Plamer designed more than 250 golf courses together.

The Ed Seay plaque found near the first tee of the East Nine. He and Arnold Palmer designed more than 250 golf courses together.

The story of THE PLAYERS began many years before when Beman became commissioner of the PGA TOUR in March 1974 and implemented, then improved upon the idea of the first commissioner Joseph Day.

Beman, the only modern-era professional player to become commissioner of his own sport staged the first PLAYERS, then known as the Tournament Players Championship in August in his first year at the helm.

Fittingly, Jack Nicklaus the player of the time and of the 20^th century won that first event played at the Atlanta Country Club.

Al Geiberger won the next one which was contested in the 100-degree August heat of Texas at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

The tournament came to Florida for the first time with a new date on the schedule but with a familiar champion. Nicklaus won the third edition at Inverrary Golf & Country Club in South Florida on March 1^st, 1976.

The first hole on the East Nine. A gentle start but then things get topsy turvy quite quickly.

While successful, the tournament had the feel of a traveling circus with no home or even a good spot on the schedule.

Beman had a dream to bring the PGA TOUR headquarters to the Jacksonville, Florida area and to have a permanent home for the tour’s marquee event.

His successor, current Commissioner Tim Finchem made the March-to-May schedule change four years ago and the “fifth major” rising star came into perfect celestial alignment with its more historical peers.

Now we are able to enjoy the top five tournaments with a sense of measured buildup and timing: the Masters in April, The PLAYERS in May, The United States Open in June, the British Open in July and the PGA Championship in August.

In between that traveling circus pitched in three different states and the tradition we now know as The PLAYERS on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was a very important five year period.

It was then that the Tournament Players Championship, today’s PLAYERS was enacted at Sawgrass Country Club, its original “permanent” home.

The always dicey par-3 6th hole on the East Nine.

Beman brought the tour and the tournament to Ponte Vedra Beach in order to build upon the excellent volunteer organization support of the Jacksonville Open.

He found a golf course at Sawgrass Country Club that was a natural fit for a premium world-class golf tournament.

Sawgrass CC opened in 1974 and was designed by local golf course architect Ed Seay.

Seay went on to partner with golfing legend Arnold Palmer to design and build more than 250 golf courses worldwide.

Sawgrass CC is Seay’s masterpiece the same as Augusta National being the pride and joy of Alister MacKenzie.

Seay opens with a traditional short par-4 that lays there in its beauty all for the golfer to see including the flagstick on the green.

The ever present and difficult sawgrass, after which the club is named.after.

Then he begins to challenge the golfer by limiting the vision of what is in front of them by hiding the greens from the tee on the dog-leg right par-4 second, the par-5 dog-leg left fourth and the dog-leg-right par-4 fifth holes.

The presence of the ocean is introduced quickly with the roar of the surf clearly audible on the second tee. The fourth green is only a 9-iron shot from the sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean.

To befuddle the golfer even more amidst the unpredictable ocean breezes Seay routed the East nine in a counterclockwise fashion and the West nine in a clockwise fashion.

While each nine goes out and returns to the clubhouse area the golfer never arrives at a point of comfort with the magnitude or direction of the wind.

To get to that clubhouse the same large lake brings water into play right on the final three holes of the East and on the left of the final four holes of the West.

The variety and difficulty of Seay’s Sawgrass gem is evident in the champions it produced during those five years of hosting the TPC events.

Four of the five- Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd are World Golf Hall of Famers.

The first champion at Sawgrass Mark Hayes is the only exception.

The winning scores confirm the genius of Seay’s design and the impact of the ocean winds.

Both Nicklaus and Hayes won with plus-1 scores.

The shrubbery saws it all, Sawgrass Country Club.

Why were Beman and the PGA TOUR unable to purchase Sawgrass CC?

Perhaps the real reason is revealed in Beman’s recently released book Golf’s Driving Force.

Whatever the reason THE PLAYERS Championship moved another one-half mile inland on the golf course Beman conceived and with the help of Pete Dye had it designed and built.

Though still a shocker at times the new course snuggled within trees plays much easier than during the Sawgrass CC era.

David Duval’s minus-3 total in 1999 is the highest winning score on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

To fully experience the history of THE PLAYERS Championship at its original home, play the East-West routing at Sawgrass CC, if given the opportunity.

With my buddy Stokes Hill…

A real treat to be a guest at an ocean side club and play a historic course today with my buddy Stokes, host of 5 PLAYERS, completely renovating the West now, playing the East & South which will be renovated next 2 years, Trevino won here & at Merion, great Ed Seay design, 40th anniversary if club in 2014! (Facebook Post with 4 pics, Andy Reistetter, 6-13-13)

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey, Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

2011 World Golf HOF Induction: Ford, Ozaki, Pres. Bush, Els, Chirkinian, & Hutchinson

May 9, 2011 By admin

Seve Ballesteros, 1957-2011

What began on a sad note Saturday morning with the passing of Seve Ballesteros crescendoed to the most joyous of notes Monday evening with the induction of Ernie Els—the last of six to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame (WGHOF).

In between was the Saturday evening preview of the new inductee exhibits as well as the Sunday evening dinner for the inductees, members of the Hall and their friends and family.

Throughout the weekend, with the world present, the World Golf Village was the place to be—the place to be seen and the place to enjoy and celebrate golf’s rich traditions and history.

At 2:10 a.m. local time in his hometown of Pedrena, Spain, Ballesteros—the legendary five-time major champion and 1999 WGHOF inductee—passed after a courageous two-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer.

As guests arrived on Saturday, they were greeted by a portrait of Seve in his WGHOF induction jacket on an easel adorned with flowers and a big black ribbon.

In front of the Class of 1999 Portrait.

Larger than life, Seve’s way of playing the game of golf inspired millions and his early presence in the Hall of Fame continued his legacy. At age 42 Ballesteros came in with Amy Alcott and Lloyd Mangrum in only the second induction class in St. Augustine in 1999. The year before Johnny Miller and Nick Faldo received the highest honor a golfer can achieve.

After the initial sadness gave way in part to a celebration of the life of a man who touched us all, the focus of the induction weekend turned to the six new inductees- President No. 41 George H. W. Bush, CBS Sports’ Frank Chirkinian, Ernie Els, Doug Ford, Jock Hutchinson and Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki.

Their golfing careers and lives were brilliantly captured in impressive displays by Director of Exhibits Andrew Hunold, and were exhibited along the far wall of cavernous Shell Hall.

Lifetime Achievement inductees President Bush and Executive Producer Chirkinian’s notable items include, respectively, cowboy boots with golf spikes furnished by the Secret Service and five Emmy and two Peabody awards for creativity and excellence in golf broadcasting.

WGHOF Induction Class of 2011: Doug Ford, Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, President No. 41 George H. W. Bush, Ernie Els, CBS Sports’ Frank Chirkinian, & Jock Hutchinson (L to R).

Veterans inductees Doug Ford and Jock Hutchinson include, respectively, the green jacket from his 1957 Masters victory and the “mashie iron” used during his 1921 British Open victory.

Voted in on the International Ballot, Ozaki donated part of his extensive Japanese sword collection as well as the trophy from his 100th career win at the 1996 Dunlop Phoenix.

Els and his wife Liezl, daughter Samantha and son Ben were the highlight of the induction weekend.

Fellow WGHOF member and South African Gary Player paid Els the highest compliment while writing the foreword to Els’ first book “How to Build a Classic Golf Swing” back in 1995.

Els, a global golfer, won his first of three majors at age 24 at the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont CC and emerged to high expectations as the “next Jack Nicklaus.”

Player thought “the first Ernie Els” was a more apt and deserving tag.

Sixteen years later, Els richly deserves a distinguished place in the Hall of Fame where his legacy both on and off the golf course will be preserved.

With Ernie Els when he won the 2008 Honda Classic!

Being inducted on the first ballot at the young age of 41, like Ballesteros, says it all in terms of respect and admiration by his peers, the golfing world and his fellow 135 members of the Hall of Fame.

When asked why he thought he was voted in so soon, Els’ response was vintage Els—unassuming, humble, graceful and backed up with merit.

“I think everybody here (in the WGHOF) is unique in their own way. You don’t get inducted in here without doing something to catch people’s attention. There’s a criteria that I fell into and people feel that I should be here. It’s great to be in this Hall. To answer that question, you might have to ask somebody else.”

Seated in the audience with mother Liezl and sister Samantha, watching father Ernie on stage, 9-year-old Ben (who has autism) may have enjoyed the induction evening more than anyone else.

Sometimes we forget our golfing heroes and celebrities are husbands or wives, fathers or mothers or sons or daughters as well.

With WGHOF Member Louise Suggs in front of her bronze relief plague on the Wall of Fame.

Ernie Els has always put his family first, and he and Liezl’s Els for Autism foundation is another example of his willingness to give back, as was his inspiring presence in St. Augustine for the induction weekend.

There were many other memorable moments from the 2011 WGHOF induction ceremony, and it was hosted by NBC Sports by the Golf Channel’s own Dan Hicks.

Doug Ford told funny old stories about Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan and winning more in early week betting than in the tournament.

The introduction of Hall of Famers included 87-year-old Louis Suggs, Dr. Charlie Sifford and Nancy Lopez—who currently has her own exhibit “Pride, Passion & Personality” at the Hall. Living Hall of Fame members rarely slow down.

CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz’ moving presentation of Frank Chirkinian, who passed only 68 days before being inducted into the Hall of Fame, was a highlight. A video acceptance speech that was recorded only days prior to his death was played and put into perspective what it means to be inducted into the WGHOF.

With my NBC spotter buddies!

Nantz came on stage later to present President Bush and told a funny story about facilitating a golf game between Bush and President Clinton when they first came together to head the relief effort for the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.

Fellow South African Johann Rupert introduced Ernie Els as deserving of the title of gentleman and noted a three-letter word for elegance- E-L-S.

The night of special moments ended with a humble and heartfelt acceptance speech by Ernie Els.

For the first time ever, the 13th World Golf Hall of Fame induction in St. Augustine and the 38th PLAYERS Championship came together in a single week and it was a smashing success!

While the induction ceremony is “Super Bowl Sunday” for the World Golf Hall of Fame, don’t forget it is nearby and open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and the day before and of induction.

In addition to an intimate insightful connection with all 136 of its members, guests are engaged with interactive features including putting on 19th century greens with hickory clubs and “guttie” balls, or on fast modern greens in the guise of a Shells’ Wonderful World of Golf match.

World Golf Hall of Fame

Play for real at any of the world’s best courses on the full-swing simulator or take your game outside to play the challenge hole or putt the 18 holes of the putting course.

While the WGHOF did not invent the magic of the game of golf, it does preserve it and creates an inspirational connection for its guests to the game, it’s history and it’s most distinguished contributors whether professional or amateur players, supporting celebrities, writers, architects, presidents or lifetime contributors.

If you can make it out to THE PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass you are only 25 miles from the Hall of Fame in St. Augustine. As Bob Hope says,” if you love golf, you got to go.”

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer as well as a Research and Broadcast Assistant for the major golf broadcast companies. He spends time on all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.

Reistetter resides within a couple of miles of the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame and THE PLAYERS while pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached by e-mailing him at AndyReistetter@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Featured People, People in Golf

Memories of the 2011 PLAYERS Championship won by K.J. Choi!

May 9, 2011 By admin

A picture of Ted Dill and Jimmy Davis from 2010… I still see them smiling and having fun as do all Players volunteers…

The 2011 PLAYERS came with sadness in the volunteer community as Ted Dill and Jimmy Davis had passed since the last Players. There are thousands of volunteers and likely others who had passed that year but both of these guys were part of the tightly knitted Course Prep crew as were their widows Chris and Miss Marion respectively. Ted was the quiet yet extremely creative one and Jimmy the outgoing and funny one, at least to me.

The crafty Ted Dill wrote daily clues in prose that would lead volunteer seekers to a hidden treasure and was the expert BBQ man for the after Players cleanup day. Or as Chris would say, he was a Wiley Coyote!

I remember the day after I told Jimmy that I was interested in the history of the Players he brought in a bunch of old Players books, including the 25th Anniversary one, for me.

Rain delayed the third round on Saturday afternoon for 4-1/2 hours. At the end of the third round on Sunday K.J. Choi trailed Graeme McDowell by one stroke. GMac would falter with a final round 79 while Choi and David Toms would both shoot 70 to force a playoff. The playoff was short lived with K.J. winning the tournament with a par on the first extra hole.

This year marked my first Players Facebook post as follows:

PLAYERS week is here! World Golf Hall of Fame Inductions tonight! TROML Baby! (Facebook Link, May 9th, 2011, Andy Reistetter)

[Show slideshow]

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, People in Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

2011 FCA More than a Breakfast with Pros at THE PLAYERS Championship!

May 4, 2011 By admin

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter attended the “Breakfast with the Pros” event sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) on Wednesday of the 2011 PLAYERS. Professional golfer Kevin Streelman and Grammy Award winning recording artist Toby Mac were the featured guests. With an unusual connection to Tiger Woods, here is his account of the experience.

Grammy Award winning Toby Mac was the headliner for the Fellowship for Christian Athletes (FCA) “Breakfast with the Pros” on Wednesday morning during PLAYERS week.

I tried to remember back when I was a teenager and a high school athlete.

Getting up early for breakfast with my golf team and then going to the PLAYERS did not happen in my hometown of Binghamton, New York.

It did happen for a lot of Northeast Florida high school golfers on Wednesday at the 2011 PLAYERS.

Given the smiles, laughter and general buzz as the kids filed through the buffet breakfast lines, I have to admit it was likely easier for them than for me to make the 7 a.m. breakfast bell. Probably because their mother woke them up and Dad drove them there.

Two things struck me immediately that morning.

The first was that it was May 11, exactly six months before the interesting date of 11-11-11.

The date of November 11, 2011 is being chosen by many solitary figures, as singular as those six ones in the date, to be their wedding day.

I wondered how this fellowship experience, for what seemed like a thousand young people, would make them a stronger, taller “one” able to coexist with the other seven billion “ones” in this world of ours?

The second was that this was the same place I came to as part of the overflow world media gathering back on February 19, 2010, the day Tiger Woods addressed the world at the clubhouse at nearby TPC Sawgrass.

I realized the FCA breakfast commanded twice the convention center space of the Tiger Woods gathering.

One crowd was older, supposedly wiser and working.

The other crowd was younger, full of life and not working, or were they?

I wondered what impact, if any, the Tiger Woods scandal had on these young folks?

What impact will today’s breakfast have on them and what will be different in their lives in six months on 11-11-11?

I was hungry, so I joined the youth movement and loaded up my plate with eggs and bacon and grabbed an orange juice on the way to finding my table.

Most tables were clusters of color coded teams with matching team logos on their shirts. I realized the youngsters ranged from middle school through college. Some tables were mostly girls, others just guys and many mixed.

Todd Lewis from the Golf Channel was the Master of Ceremony and acknowledged how blessed he was to have his job and to be able to interface with the world’s greatest golfers.

One by one, pro golfers popped up from around the cavernous room, grabbed a microphone and shared their faith, testimony and connected with the young people in the room. Folks whose names you would recognize for sure: Mark Wilson, Stewart Cink, Fred Funk, Zach Johnson and Aaron Baddeley.

Others maybe not as famous but whose words and faith were just as strong and penetrating: John Rollins, Scott Stallings, Jonathon Byrd, Jeff Klauk, Bryce Molder, Chris Stroud, Kenny Knox, Tommy Gainey and Webb Simpson each had their turn to share their faith.

Zach Johnson echoed the life message present throughout the morning… “Don’t get caught up in the highs or the lows (of life), work hard, pursue, and persevere.”

Molder, of the Georgia Tech gang of Cink, David Duval and Matt Kuchar, takes pride in his school and noted he finds as much pleasure in his friends playing well on tour as he does when he is playing well.

Baddeley recalled how fortunate he was to win early in his career in 2006 on Hilton Head Island on Easter Sunday.

Stroud told the story of being paired with Wilson in the final round of the 2006 Q-School.

With nine holes to go, he was seemingly out of it, while Wilson was comfortably on his way to earning his tour card.

As fate would have it, Stroud birdied five holes coming in, shot 65 and earned his card with a T16 finish.

Wilson played poorly, missed a critical 6-footer on the last, shot 74 and headed for the airport thinking he missed his chance.

As fate would have it, Wilson made it on the number and won his first PGA Tour event the following spring at the Honda Classic. This year, he has won twice already.

Stroud’s one word to describe Wilson’s faith and golfing pursuits is “strong,” and he encouraged the young athletes in the room to do it like Wilson did with a great attitude and perseverance.

Simpson read his favorite biblical passage, Titus 3:3-7 from his cell phone:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (New International Bible Version)

This was not a “cookie-cutter” event, but rather, a unique sharing of faith with the hope of inspiring young people to find their way in life, their own unique way for the benefit of others as well as themselves.

In the end, it may have been the energy, jubilance and smiles of the young that inspired the old.

Toby Mac then took the stage and brought the audience out of their seats with several songs including his lead-in “Love is In the House.”

“Mama always said it’s a matter of fact that when love is in the house the house is packed.”

It seemed the lyrics matched the event.

Streelman then joined Toby on stage and urged us all to “enjoy the journey (in life) as much as the destination.”

“Streels” told the story of how he and Mac paired up for the Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year when his friend, Paul “Stanko” Stankowski, couldn’t play with Toby Mac, so he invited him to.

Toby, who started playing golf at age 13 and played Division II golf at Liberty University in Virginia, was quite nervous leading up to the pro-am and developed a certain type of golf shot that rhymes with Verplank.

He shared swing video with Streelman and was able to straighten his swing out before his Pebble Beach debut.

Together, they played well, coming within two strokes of making the cut, which is no small achievement for a rookie team at Pebble Beach with beautiful weather and huge galleries this year…

On stage, Kevin and Toby “ham ‘n egged” it for quite some time reflecting back to the time they were the age of the people in the audience.

Toby shared how he found Christ and then invited his father to go to church with him. After that, everything “flipped” for his family, and though at times his identity waivered, he emphasized what an important time in life those teen age years are.

His breakthrough realization in life was when he decided to write about what is important to him. His music became the ultimate passion then versus being a task that needed to be done.

As his final lyrics of the morning encouraged the youth once more… “If we got to start something, why not here, why not now?”

For me personally, in my life, I did not have to remember something I will never forget.

The impact of coaches like Fran Heath and organizations like the Christian Youth Organization (CYO) had a profound impact on my life growing up in central New York State.

We had the PGA TOUR there as well with the B.C. Open at En Joie Golf Club. I was there to see in 1974 when local golfer Richie Karl made a 35-foot putt to beat Bruce Crampton in a playoff.

While Karl may be the last club professional to win on the PGA Tour, his victory that day was the first of many times in my life that golf, faith and inspiration would converge in my life.

The Wednesday FCA breakfast was another time. It was as inspiring as K.J. Choi’s playoff win over David Toms at the 2011 PLAYERS. It was as inspiring as David Toms’ win the next week at Colonial CC, his first in over five years.

Be inspired. When the tour comes to your town, attend the FCA breakfast.

Reistetter resides within a couple of miles of the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Filed Under: Featured People, Hickory Golf, People in Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

Preview: 2011 THE PLAYERS Championship

May 2, 2011 By admin

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter continues his exclusive “Play-Write” series recently playing the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and writing about this week’s PLAYERS Championship. This is the ninth article in his “Play-Write” series.

Driving down PGA TOUR Boulevard the turn onto Championship Way may be elusive if you are not paying attention to the matter at hand.

After all, it is a neighborhood and the corner anchoring the East-West buildings of the PGA TOUR headquarters look residential if you can see them amidst the garden-like landscaping of the Sawgrass Players Club community.

This is the American home of golf.

Right there on that corner of Championship Way and PGA TOUR Boulevard stands the aluminized portrait of the game’s all-time greatest golfer, “Champion Emeritus” Jack Nicklaus.

Nicklaus won the very first PLAYERS Championship, which was then known as the Tournament Players Championship, in 1974. With even-year frequency, he triumphed in 1976 and 1978. The Golden Bear is the only three-time champion in the tournament’s 37-year history.

The drive that winds down Championship Way and then rises to reveal the majestic Mediterranean-Style Clubhouse is like no other in golf.

From TOUR headquarters to TOUR playground this ride sets the stage for an exciting visit to the most iconic golf course and golf hole in the world—the famed par-three 17th with the island green.

Along Championship Way, one is introduced to the tall pine trees, sprawling oak trees with a splash of palm trees that grace the property. TPC Sawgrass—home of THE PLAYERS—is what former PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman envisioned and built with the design assistance of the great golf course architect Pete Dye.

After passing the headquarter buildings some water comes into view but one has to wait until putting the peg in the ground on the first tee before it comes into play.

The first green is there off to the right but it is hidden by one of Dye’s signature spectator viewing mounds.

As the road curves along its path there are a total of 31 champion portraits beginning with “the great one” and ending with 2010 Champion Tim Clark.

Like Nicklaus, two-time champions Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Hal Sutton and Davis Love III only have one lamppost rendition with the multiple years of victory noted below their portrait.

As PLAYERS tradition calls for, defending champion Clark’s portrait was erected late last week immediately before the commencement of this year’s event.

Another tradition at THE PLAYERS is volunteering and charitable giving.

The PLAYERS volunteer organization led by Red Coat Chairmen date back officially to the 1965 Jacksonville Open. The roots are deeper than that and go back to the 1945 when Sam Snead won the first one here on Florida’s First Coast.

Current Executive Direct Matt Rapp and Tournament Chairman Jim Fuller have made their own signature improvements in this the fifth year of the PLAYERS with a May date.

While the golfers will have “fun in the sun,” the patrons will have it “made in the shade” with the additional of several upscale gathering and relaxing venues to enjoy between golf shots.

The UBS Stadium Village has been enhanced and improved with the one-third replica of the par-three 17th hole still a hole anyone can play when they come out to the PLAYERS Championship.

Two volunteers I have worked alongside the past few years on the course prep team, Jimmy Davis and Ted Dill, passed on over this past winter to the promised eternal golf course in the sky.

Their friendship and generosity, along with other volunteers that have passed on, will never be forgotten at THE PLAYERS or within the Northeast Florida communities.

A record $4.8 million from the 2010 PLAYERS benefited nearly 100 First Coast charities.

The Stadium Course is in excellent condition. The growing season this spring was optimal. Hot and sunny weather is predicted through tournament time. Look for “firm, fast and fair as can be on a Dye course” conditions for this post-Mother’s Day competition.

The big year of change before Mickelson’s victory in 2007 came with a new clubhouse and major golf course renovations including the extensive rebuilding of every fairway and green.

TPC Sawgrass General Manager Bill Hughes, Head Golf Professional Matt Borocz and Golf Course Superintendent Thomas Vlach and their staffs are prepared to make this year’s experience the most magical ever for players, spectators and the millions watching the acclaimed NBC Sports broadcast on television.

What golfers have won and not won the PLAYERS?

The first PLAYERS was staged 10 years after Arnold Palmer won his last of seven majors at the 1964 Masters. Though well past his prime, Palmer played in a dozen PLAYERS with his best finish a T40 coming in 1977.

It would have been nice if Gary Player had a portrait on one of those posts as well. He played in 10 championships and posted top-10 finishes in 1976 and 1980.

Tom Watson competed in his prime at the PLAYERS on 26 occasions though never won. With nine top-10s his closest pursuit of the title was a distant second to the hot Lanny Wadkins in 1979.

The man who analyzes the action at the PLAYERS for NBC Sports had his chances as well. Playing in 14 PLAYERS, Johnny Miller won his second major after the creation of the PLAYERS and 15 other PGA TOUR events but nary a PLAYERS Championship.

Most of the best golfers have won the best tournament in the world, including Lanny Wadkins (1979), Lee Trevino (1980), Raymond Floyd (1981), Tom Kite (1989), Nick Price (1993), Greg Norman (1994), Tiger Woods (2001) and Phil Mickelson (2007).

Those are six current World Golf Hall of Famers and two future inductees.

The creator Beman and architect Dye are also in the Hall of Fame in large part for their noncompetitive PLAYERS triumphs.

Hale Irwin, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price, Vijay Singh, Larry Nelson, Hubert Green, Jose Maria Olazabal, Payne Stewart, Ernie Els and Curtis Strange all had chances in their prime but did not win.

Isn’t that strange?

As the players emerge from the TPC Sawgrass locker room heading to golf’s finest stadium they pass a sign that reads, “Through this tunnel pass the greatest golfers of the world competing for the right to be called the PLAYERS champion.”

Not everybody is destined to win THE PLAYERS Championship or is good enough to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Perhaps this is the year that Ernie Els does both?

“PLAYERS’ Passion” catch the excitement on NBC Sports or make that left turn onto Championship Way and come out to the Stadium Course to see something spectacular.

Reistetter resides within two miles of the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

Play Royal Isabela in Puerto Rico… Be Inspired!

April 1, 2011 By admin

Royal Isabela is Pebble Beach and the Old Course at St. Andrews reincarnated in one! Photo courtesy of Joann Dost & Royal Isabela.

Puerto Rico is known as “the enchanted island.”

The Golf Links at Royal Isabela will become known as one of the most fascinating and inspirational charms of the golfing world.

Suffice it to say that if you want the experience of playing Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Old Course at St. Andrews in the same day go to Puerto Rico now and play Royal Isabela.

You won’t be disappointed and you will remember it for the rest of your life.

If not for playing golf on the cliffs with dramatic ocean vistas then for the variety of golfing habitats experienced and their magical blending into one awesome round .

It is written that wisdom is looking beyond what seems to be.

If you look beyond what seems to be at Royal Isabela the experience may be more than memorable, it may change your life.

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt brothers Stanley and Charlie Pasarell have discovered, nurtured, and are now presenting an inspirational place for the golfing world to enjoy and treasure as well.

Or perhaps a place of passage for you to venture into the next step in your life’s journey?

One sees the profile of the Taino Indian face in the cliffs off the tee on the 12th hole.

Beyond the beauty of Isabela is the inspirational story of Isabela.

This is the island Borinquen- “the Land of the Valiant Lord,” and the heritage of the indigenous Taino people.

One sees the profile of the Taino Indian face in the cliffs off the tee on the 12^th hole.

One feels the spirit that looks proudly out into the ocean proclaiming “this is our land, a special place that we protect so it will be here for all of eternity.”

The story of Isabela is the story of Stanley and Charlie’s great grandfather- Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía. That man born in 1855 published the first novel by a Puerto Rican author in 1894.

Gandia’s naturalist novel dealt with the difficult realities of life in the remote and mountainous regions of his beloved homeland. A land and heritage he so loved that he was an advocate for Puerto Rican independence after the Spanish- American War.

A love of the Puerto Rican land has passed down to the current generation.

The story of Isabela is the story of a son that answered a call from his father in 1978 to return home to Puerto Rico to help rescue the family business from bankruptcy. The company prospered and is now one of Puerto Rico’s most successful privately-held companies.

The family sold their majority interest a few years back to Edwin Perez who is Stanley and Charlie’s other partner in Royal Isabela.

A respect for family and doing what one needs to do to be successful.

The green of the par-3 17th hole is perched high above the ocean. You don’t want to know where the tee is! Photo courtesy of Joann Dost & Royal Isabela.

The story of Isabela is the story of the preservation of nature, heritage and the land. Everything on the property, with the exception of the exceptional Mini Verde putting surfaces on the greens is native to the 426 acres of Royal Isabela.

“Once an era, the land has its way. It speaks and we listen. It beckons and we follow. It commands and we obey. So it is- and so it always will be- we are not the creators of Royal Isabela, we are its caretakers.” -Stanley and Charlie Pasarell

The game of tennis may have never before impacted the game of golf in such a creative and awe inspiring manner.

Charlie, a friend and teammate of tennis great Arthur Ashe at UCLA, was the No. 1-ranked men’s singles tennis player in the United States in 1967.

Stanley played his collegiate tennis at Stanford University and represented Puerto Rico in the Summer Olympics in Mexico City in 1968.

While at Stanford Stanley shared the cover of the “Stanford Golf & Tennis” magazine with Tom Watson.

The Pasarell link to golf was much stronger than a magazine cover.

Golf became a part of the family when their father Charlie Sr., an accomplished tennis player that played in the 1953 U.S. Open (tennis), accepted a challenge to quiet the talk that “golf was so much tougher to play than tennis.”

The bet was simple- could he break 100 the first time he played a round of golf?

At age 40 he took lessons on his lunch hour and went to the driving range to practice at night.

The result?

Charlie Sr. made an 18 foot putt on the last hole to shoot 99.

Together, brothers Stanley and Charlie Jr. played, studied and analyzed Scottish and Irish golf courses similar to what insurance salesman Pete Dye did in the early 1960s as he transformed himself into a golf course architect.

With my host, Stanley Pasarell on the scenic 17th green at Royal isabela.

The Pasarell brothers teamed up with architect David Pfaff who started his career as the original and only associate of Peter Dye and Associates in 1965. With experience nearby at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and the philosophy of hands-on, personalized course design, Pfaff was a natural to complete the Isabela design team.

The result was a “tropical Scotland” type golf course that was ready for play in 2009.

I was invited to play the day after the Puerto Rico Open. Mariel Prieto, the Director of Marketing and Real Estate received me warmly and Brother Stanley acted as host.

Brother Charlie was in Indian Wells, California fulfilling tournament director responsibilities at the BNP Paribas Open an ATP sanctioned tennis tournament that is part of the 2011 ATP World Tour.

Charlie is one of the founding members of the ATP (association of Tennis Professionals) and was elected and served in the ATP board for more than 25 years, the longest tenure of any board member to date.

The ATP headquarters is less than one mile from the PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Perhaps there are more ties between tennis and golf than previously thought.

Miguel Suarez- one of the most respected golf professionals in Puerto Rico, both as a player and as a teacher. Director of Golf at Royal Isabella.

My playing partner was Miguel Suarez, the Director of Golf, at Isabela.

Suarez is an acclaimed international golfer that started playing golf at the nearby Punta Borinquen Golf Club- the first public golf course in Puerto Rico. Miguel was educated on the mainland and played on mini-tours once winning the Golden Bear Tour Championship.

Suarez is the story of a kid who played all sports including golf stating at age 9 at summer golf clinics, then chose golf and played golf every day starting at age 16.

One of the most respected golf professionals in Puerto Rico, Suarez oversees the national Junior Golf League, a program he created to give back to the game which has given him so much.

Having competed in all four of the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Opens, his game was as hot as the blazing Puerto Rican sun.

Ever play with someone who hit every fairway, their approach shots seemingly covered every flagstick, hit nearly every green and putted like a demon?

Suarez recorded 5 birdies alone on the front side and shot a 5-under 68 from the blue tees playing a little social golf with mere amateurs.

The “blues” are 6,804 yards with a rating of 75.7 and a slope of 145.

Suarez holds the course record of 2-under 70 from the tips or so rightly labeled as the “naturals” at Isabela.

The “naturals” are 7,667 yards with a rating of 80.3 and a slope of 155.

That is not a typo- a rating of 80.3 and a slope of 155.

With Jose Perez in front of the logo windswept tree on the 18th fairway.

Our forecaddie was Jose Perez who caddied for Paraguay’s Carlos Franco the week prior in the Puerto Rico Open.

Does one’s golfing life get any better than this?

The front nine goes inland with an equatorial parkland sort of design.

The par-5 first hole is memorable with a peephole view of ocean in the V-shaped gap between two hillocks to the left of the green.

One encounters the first flavor of Scotland with a sod faced bunker to the left of the second green.

The uphill 155-yard par-3 fourth hole gave me a sense of Texas hill country golf with live oak trees and stone ruins behind the green.

The fifth green is dramatically placed in front of the earlier sneak preview of the ocean. The hole was on the upper level of a triple tiered green. My ball not only spun back to the lower levels but rolled another 30 yards down the hill in front of the green.

Tropical paradise- not!

The sixth hole makes its way back to the high point of the property where the clubhouse area is found.

Here is where you sense the buoyant brothers may have encountered a disagreement, a fork in the road with respect to hole design with designer Pfaff coming to the rescue.

Whereas it is said that Palmer and Nicklaus butted heads a bit designing the “King and the Bear” in northeast Florida and the resolution was that each took a nine to design. At Royal Isabela each brother won out by designing a sixth hole of their own with a common tee.

We choose to play to Charlie’s green to the right in front of the clubhouse.

We played the Charlie version, an uphill 622-yard par 5 hole with the green sitting below the clubhouse.

The other Stanley version, following the right fork in the road is a really uphill 493-yard par 4 hole that finishes on a high point with ocean vistas.

Please note again that we played Charlie’s par 5 and hence a par 73 golf course. Okay so it was a 544-yard par 5 birdie opportunity versus a difficult par-4.

The next three holes were the earliest holes to open and form the dreaded triangle- a designer tool to completely befuddle the golfer’s sense of trade wind direction.

After missing the meandering Scottish burn off the tee, the second shot on the par-4 seventh hole is the first true links feel of Royal Isabela- a prelude of what is to come on the ocean front back nine.

My round began to deteriorate with an unforced error into the water hazard short of the par-5 eighth green. In reality my thoughts of the Charca del Diablo or Devil’s Pond began when we made our way past the island 9th green on our way to the seventh tee.

Much like Dye’s Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, this threatening triangle of an otherwise beautiful non-intimidating Royal Isabela (at least up to this point) gives you many bad thoughts to think about much too soon.

Bridge walkway to the island green on the par-3 ninth hole.

I did tighten up my Bermuda britches and managed to land one safely on the devilish island green of the 174-yard par 3 ninth hole. In fact I would only lose that one ball for the entire round at Isabela.

Feeling safer now that the tormenting triangle was behind us we were warmly greeted by Stanley’s dog Dunas who knowing there was food to be had followed us up to the clubhouse for a lunch of flat iron streak at the turn in the open-air grill.

The transition from the lush parkland of the front nine to the more barren ocean facing links of the back nine is as evident as the vastness of the ocean from the 10^th tee.

One sees the links of the distant holes and can sense being on a high elevation that goes to the edge of the ascertainable golfing grounds. It is there that the cliffs drop straight down 350 feet to the level of the sea.

It is there in the distance near the double green of Isabela on the steep face of the rock that the Taino warrior protects these sacred grounds. The elevation protects golfers from the sea but not from the wind or other hazards of the Pasarell-Pfaff designed Royal Isabela.

Two sod face bunkers guard a second shot that cuts the corner on the 578-yard par-5 10^thhole. Another one short right of the green minimizes the bailout area. A golfer must be accurate even in the wind by the sea. This is true links golf.

View of 11th green looking north.

Instead of the scorecard par-3 11^th hole we play Brother Stanley’s future private home site par-3 whose green is perched on the cliffs. Miguel notes that this is admittedly a 100-yard par-5 hole.

Given the green complex namely the bunkers and the slope of the putting surface not to mention the distraction of the thunderous Atlantic Ocean below I agreed without question.

Walking away with my “par-5” I was completely overtaken with the beauty of Isabela.

Seeing the majestic view off the 12^th tee with the prominent profile of the Taino Indian face I went with driver and put one in play on the 435-yard hole along the cliffs.

After nearly making a 6-footer for birdie, Miguel cried out that there were whales to be seen off the coast. The rare and impressive Humpback whales visit this area every year on their migratory route to the North Atlantic where they mate during the summer months.

Now my golf game was completely lost. I was in the “feeling one with nature” zone no longer “in only the golf zone.”

Royal Isabela’s 13th hole, tall palm trees with a vista to the south.

The 13^th hole, Palm Grove traverses an old grove of coconut palms. Like the “W” at the finish line in the 1963 film “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” I had my eye on those tall, thin palm trees for a couple of holes now.

It’s a Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful World.

One of the most spectacular views is from the perch of the 13^th green looking south. The cliffs end at the shoreline there and what you see down below is another mile of native dunes with the approaching white lined surf.

As if Royal Isabela’s 3.5 miles of shoreline is not enough, she is part of the larger Costa Isabela development which owns the land of dunes far below cliffs. The same is true on the north side of the property.

All told there are plans for four more golf courses and my guess is one each will be built at sea level on the dunes to the north and south and two more inland perhaps along the meandering Guajataca River.

After taking in the view and appreciating the vastness and diversity of the landforms on the property we played the 443-yard par-4 14^th hole that takes us back north along the cliffs to the elbow-shaped double green with the 12^th.

The 14th is a double green with the 12th. The perfect whale viewing spot looking west into the Caribbean Sea.

The name of the hole is Hidden Pearl, a tribute to great-grandfather Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía’s artistic creation. Though now that Royal Isabela is coming onto the world golfing scene in full bloom it is debatable whether or not it is still a hidden pearl.

The final cliff-hanging shot is where the Atlantic Ocean once again comes into play at the dramatic 200-yard par-3 17^th hole. For the first time on this strategic thinking course one must carry the ocean and a gorge for there is no bail out route.

This is perfectly fitting in golf and in life for there are times we must work through and not go around a difficulty.

I remember the inscription in the Ben Hogan instructional book my older brother gave me as a young boy: “Golf is a lot like life, the more you read, understand, and become educated about it the easier it is to meet its challenge.”

I took a hybrid 3 and pushed all thoughts out of my mind with the exception of feeling and making a solid, confident, and balanced swing. The well-struck ball flew out over the ocean and gorge, landed with friction and ended up on the back fringe of the green from where I two-putted for a heavenly par.

The 18^th is a difficult 491-yard uphill par-4 hole aptly named “Ruins” with the remnants of a house and rock wall on the inside of the sweeping dog-leg-left fairway that takes you back up to the gracefully but royally placed clubhouse.

Playing Royal Isabela is a spiritual golfing experience not to be missed!

On the right side of the fairway you will find the wind-swept native oak tree- the logo tree of Royal Isabela.

Royal Isabela’s logo reminds us that golf is all about the wind and its impact on the golfer.

Having played Royal Isabela it seems my life and my thoughts linger a bit more these days.

Making the acquaintance of Isabela has somehow impacted my soul.

For more information on Royal Isabela please visit the web site www.royalisabela.com.

Royal Isabela is shown by invitation and appointment only. Please contact Mariel Prieto, Marketing Director, at 787.565.7710 or mprieto@royalisabela.com for more information.

Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Travel Golf

2011 John Hayt Collegiate Invitational at Sawgrass CC: Arkansas Upset Win!

March 1, 2011 By admin

Host John Hyat (with microphone), coach Brad McMakin (with trophy) and the 2011 Arkansas Razorbacks team champions.

Coming into the 20th rendition of the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational, No. 13 Arkansas was the lowest ranked Top-20 team in the field behind Florida (3), Auburn (9), and LSU (10).

After what is known as the “first collegiate major of the year” at the famed Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., the Razorbacks team, along with Head Coach Brad McMakin and Assistant Coach Barrett Lais, took home the trophy.

Coming from 7 strokes back of Auburn, the five-man team (counting the best 4 scores each round) won on the strength of a closing 66 by Ethan Tracy, a junior from Hilliard, Ohio, and a 67 by Will Pearson, a freshman from Memphis, Tennessee.

Tracy and Pearson went from shooting the two highest scores the day before to basically lapping the field in much more difficult conditions in the closing round on Tuesday. Whatever Coach McMakin said to them on Monday night was the right thing to say and produced dramatic results.

Arkansas’ team score was boosted by Sebastian Cappelen, a freshman from Odense, Denmark who shot 69-70-73 (212) to finish joint second in the individual competition with Auburn’s redshirt sophomore Blayne Barber from nearby Lake City, Florida.

Jamie Marshall, a senior from Castle Rock, Colorado contributed to the Arkansas team victory with a 70 in Round 1. Austin Cook, the true Razorback on the team and a sophomore from Jonesboro shot a pivotal 73 in Round 2 to stay within reach of the higher ranked Auburn team.

Auburn, led by Barber (212) and sophomore Michael Hebert (213) from Orlando, finished 2nd two strokes behind Arkansas. LSU, led by Andrew Loupe (216), a senior from Baton Rouge was 3rd another two strokes back of Auburn.

Florida, the top-ranked team in the field of 15 universities, finished T6. There was consolation for the Gators with Phillip Choi winning the individual championship as Matt Every did in 2005, Camilo Villegas in 2002 and Steve Scott in 1999. However in each of those three years Florida walked away with the team title as well.

Choi’s 7-under 209 total, with 68-71-70 consistency, was as remarkable as Tracy and Pearson’s closing rounds on the difficult par-72 6,895 yard East-West Sawgrass CC that hosted THE PLAYERS Championship from 1977 to 1981.

Some say the premier event on the PGA TOUR was moved across the street to Pete Dye’s diabolical Stadium Course because Sawgrass CC, with the stiff ocean breezes, was too difficult for the professional golfers.

The collegiate golfers love coming to Sawgrass CC to enjoy the hospitality of Club President Jim Scielzo and General Manager Barry McDonald.

University of North Florida (UNF) Head Coach Scott Schroeder heads up the tournament with expert help from the operations team at Sawgrass- Director of Golf Greg Lecker, Head Golf Professional Billy Pomeroy and Golf Course Superintendent Matt Durkee.

As the golfers enter the clubhouse they see portraits of PLAYERS’ champions Mark Hayes (1977), Jack Nicklaus (1978), Lanny Wadkins (1979), Lee Trevino (1980) and Raymond Floyd (1981).

Talk of inspiration for the youth of the game of golf: There you have four Hall of Famers.

Hayes and Nicklaus won THE PLAYERS at Sawgrass CC with plus-1 totals.

To play Sawgrass CC in a major competition must be a challenging experience, though one that is a good measure of a golfer’s ability.

A quick look at current PGA TOUR players in addition to Villegas and Every that have fared well in the Hayt Invitational include Michael Thompson (Alabama), Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina), Kevin Chappell (UCLA), Casey Wittenburg (Oklahoma State), D.J. Trahan (Clemson), Brandt Snedeker (Vanderbilt), Bubba Dickersen (Florida), Luke Donald (Northwestern), Carl Pettersson (NC State), and Chris Couch (Florida).

The 2011 tournament will be remembered for the weather that made playing the Ed Seay designed course different each of the three days of competition.

In Round 1 on Sunday, it was warm and calm. Monday brought a south wind and Tuesday a north wind with cooler temperatures to test the players.

Seay, who passed in 2007, teamed up with Arnold Palmer to design more than 250 golf courses worldwide.

“Pugie,” as he was known to his friends, masterfully designed the East and West nines to parallel the ocean with the typical east wind playing as a cross wind. The first nine goes counterclockwise and the second nine going clockwise out and back to the clubhouse area.

Changing winds and changing hole directions plus Seay’s well-bunkered greens and water on 14 of 18 holes challenges the game’s best shot-makers.

The collegiate amateurs did get a taste of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass courtesy of General Manager Bill Hughes. On Monday evening each team participated in a fun three-hole challenge over the finishing 16, 17 and 18th holes formally known as “The Gauntlet.”

Informally, the well-hazarded holes are known as “The Water Closet,” encouraging golfers to “flush” their iron shots or get “closeted” out by the water right and long of 16, surrounding the 17th and down the entire left side of 18. If they don’t flush ’em they get flushed down the leader board.

The University of Central Florida Knights won the 3-hole competition with a record 6-under par (for the 4 best out of 5 scores) led by Englishman Greg Eason going eagle-birdie on the 16th and 17th. Let’s see that on a Sunday during The PLAYERS… can you say the name Craig Perks?

John Hayt, the tournament host, namesake and sponsor with his wife Gerri presided at the awards ceremony. Hayt is a well-known Jacksonville businessman and UNF golf enthusiast.

Local golfers, as well as collegiate golfers, benefit from his generosity playing the unique and innovative Golfplex at UNF that bears his name.

Jacksonville-based companies Swisher International and Web.com were platinum sponsors.

There was only one suggestion to improve for next year—Arkansas needs to remember to bring their team flag!

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer covering all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.

Reistetter resides in Pont Vedra Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida and pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it.

Please comment directly on this article or email him at AndyReistetter@gmail.com

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

2011 (January & February) Year in Review- 60 Pictures & 60 Memories!

March 1, 2011 By admin

2011 January & February in Review: 60 Pictures & 60 Memories!

The Mr. Hickory team… world renown hickory club restoration expert Harry Horton and former GCS Director and good friend Joe DeWulf… minus sons Joe & Tim and buddy SJ!

The year 2011 started for me with fireworks in downtown Jacksonville, FL at The Landing…

The fireworks were spectacular…there is a spectacular year 2011 now in progress…

Putting the icing on the cake for my “adopted mom” and friend Sarita’s New Year’s Day birthday… how could you forget?

Too many cooks in the kitchen… and one has a knife! — with Susie O’Dell.

The L’Atrium gang gathered to wish Sarita a Happy Birthday!

The birthday gal with granddaughter Lauren helping to hold things UP!

I love volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL…. like Arnold Plamer says… if you love golf (or want to visit with Andy) you gotta go!!!

Why do I love it? Because of the people I meet like 96 (yes 96) years old Loyce from Jacksonville… still drives and mows her own yard!

Captions continued below the gallery...

[Show slideshow]

Across the pond at The Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland without leaving the Hall of Fame!

Oh well… some friends! … there’s always next year DUSTIN or CAROL my Hawaii buddies!!!

Now settling in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida… after 4-1/2 years of storage facilities I am once again launching my Mr. Hickory Golf business… 40 sets of authentic, professionally restored and playable hickory shafted clubs… for corporate or charity outings…

A hickory outing in Las Vegas at the 2006 Golf Collectors society national show…

The Mr. Hickory team… world renown hickory club restoration expert Harry Horton and former GCS Director and good friend Joe DeWulf… minus sons Joe & Tim and buddy SJ!

The Mr. Hickory Team including Mr. 59 himself Chip Beck at Shores Acres CC north of Chicago…

Here’s an oldie but goodie- that’s the Gregory with the King himself, Mr. Palmer!

Okay- my home away from home is the Clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass- home of THE PLAYERS in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida… standing in front of Tiger Woods “better than most” putt as tagged by Gary Koch to Johnny Miller on NBC Sports….

In the President’s Cup boardroom at TPC Sawgrass… it’s been a while!!!

Okay maybe this is my home away from home… my absolutely favorite bar for a number of reasons!

That’s my buddy bartender Mitch that got me into the club with the top of my very own Stein No. 67… (not the real number but close… kept confidential for a number of reasons…)

Ahhh… a picture of the full Stein No. 67 with my bew friend Bill a wine drinker!

Where I work out- yoga, weightlifting, spin class and swimming… though not all on the same day!

The beach!

After 3 years of walking the beach searching to find my first “shark’s tooth” I finally did it! also found an “olive shell” which I am told is quite rare for this area! Thank you to all my “shark’s tooth finding” coaches over the years!

Another fun day volunteering at the Hall of Fame- this time with Dan at the modern putting green… Dan was and is a pioneer First Tee volunteer almost from its inception in Nov. 1997… and will be 90 years old on September 27^th

You meet all sorts of interesting people at the WGHOF… this is 14-year old Minsoo Kim from South Korea with his coach Nathan Kang from Orlando… its winter over there and Minsoo has been coming to Nathan’s golf school for a few months for the last 5 winters! His swing looked good in the simulator… maybe a future star of the game!

Spotted a red-tail hawk on the ground trying to dig something up or make a final kill… gosh nature is so amazingly beautiful!

That’s my real estate agent Sarita who made it happen as we closed on my condo!

Golfer Dude playing the Valley course at TPC Sawgrass

My old home away from home at Panera Bread!

Great golf course as challenging as the Stadium…

Hill of Flags at TPC Sawgrass

The 19th at TPC Sawgrass with Janice & Rob.

The Binghamton 4some in annual skins game before the PGA show in Orlando. — with Phil VanRiper, Jimmy Mauro and Stan Lisk.

Stan the Man, Binghamton’s Polish Pro as Jimmy Mauro affectionately calls him… celebrating our match skins win…

Great golf course—Jacksonville Beach Golf Course!

The only way to move your stuff economically!

Condo party- the yoga gals minus a couple… — with Paula Meyns, April Ann and Maureen L Kane.

The yoga gals and cousin Em

With representation from the TPC 19th and my neighbor at L’Atrium.

The boys!

Me and the girls at the party (not my idea).

Fun crowd!

Dancing, dancing, dancing!

Taking a comedy workshop… the club owner said it was okay to take the picture but just don’t tell them you are a comedian (yet)…

With Ileza Schlesinger the first female winner of the Last Comic Standing…

Outside the PGA Show in Orlando.

Was part of a small group interview with Annika…

Lou Gramm of Foreigner performed Friday night and took me back to those college days!

Received a free golf book from Dave Pelz… definitely will help my game!

With Katherine Roberts, President, Yoga For Golfers… — with Katherine Roberts.

Walking with Tom Watson at Turnberry… at the show and was really there at 2009 Open as well…

Relaxing after the show at the Peabody…

With nephew David and his son Xander…

The 18th at Pebble Beach… so very amazingly beautiful place!!!

Filed Under: Featured People, People in Golf

2011 PGA Tour Week 8: WGC Match Play: Euros Storm to the Top in the World of Golf

February 27, 2011 By admin

Martin Kaymer congratulates Luke Donald on his WGC – Accenture Match Play victory. Photo Credit: European Tour

With snow on the ground in the morning, a hail storm in the afternoon, by nightfall in the Arizona desert four European golfers have stormed to the top of the world of golf.

In the 13th edition of the World Golf Championship Accenture Match Play, Martin Kaymer displaced Lee Westwood and became the 14th golfer to be World No. 1.

On Sunday when Luke Donald defeated Kaymer for the Match Play championship, he leapfrogged from World No. 9 to No. 3 behind only Kaymer and Westwood.

2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell rounds out the European Top 4—the first time since March 1992 when Ian Woosnam (No. 1), Nick Faldo (2), Jose-Marie Olazabal (3) and Seve Ballesteros (4) led the world rankings.

With Tiger Woods No. 5 and Phil Mickelson No.6, then Paul Casey (7) and Rory McIlroy (8), the Euros hold six of the top eight spots.

The world order in golf has changed significantly since Phil Mickelson won the Masters nearly one year ago.

McDowell won at Pebble Beach, South African Louis Oosthuizen won the Open at St. Andrews and Kaymer beat Bubba Watson in the playoff at Whistling Straits in the PGA Championship.

Then McDowell won the Ryder Cup for the Europeans in Celtic Manor in Wales to end the year 2010 completing the monumental shift in golfing prowess.

Now it looks as though America’s aged golfing stars are being passed by with only the young Matt Kuchar at World No. 10 coming into his prime.

We might very well see Westwood win his first major this year, and Donald or Casey too.

Okay, maybe the sky is not falling in for the Americans. Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan have developed quite nicely in the last year as well.

But the change has been as dramatic as Donald’s domineering performance in the six rounds of match play at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Resort.

Donald never trailed in any of his matches en route to his third and biggest win on the PGA Tour, but his first in five years.

The deepest he was all square in any of his matches was through 10 holes versus Martin Kaymer in the Championship Match, and Edoardo Molinari in the second round.

The Northwestern graduate trounced three Americans on his way to the title—6&5 over Charley Hoffman in Round one, 5&4 over Ryan Moore in the quarterfinals and 6&5 over Matt Kuchar in the semifinals.

Perhaps history will look to the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines as the last low point of Donald’s career, and the last high point of Tiger Woods’ career.

Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff to win his last (to date) major championship.

Donald had to withdraw during the fourth round on the 16th fairway after suffering a tendon injury to his left wrist which required surgery.

Donald came back at Tiger’s Chevron Challenge tournament late in the year; though he missed the Ryder Cup at Valhalla.

Donald, on the mend, had a decent year in 2009, and then again last year finishing second at East Lake in the TOUR championship. He was a member of the victorious European Ryder cup team in Wales last fall.

Now the artsy Donald has resumed his winning ways and is at his highest ever position in the world golf rankings at No. 3.

Woods, on the other hand, continued his winning ways in 2009, but then went winless in 2010 for the first time in his career and has yet to win his 15th major on the way to surpassing Nicklaus’ 18.

Golf’s “February Frenzy,” as coined on The Golf Channel by host Kelly Tilghman, produced outstanding drama over the five days of competition.

Steve Stricker on his 44th birthday was beaten by Matteo Manassero, a 17-year-old Italian golfer and the youngest ever in the event that features the Top 64 in the world golf rankings.

Tiger Woods, the No. 1 seed in the Sam Snead bracket, could not even tee off in his first round match against Thomas Bjorn until the first three matches of the day played through on the first tee heading to a sudden death conclusion.

Woods lost to Bjorn in 19 holes after watching defending champion Ian Poulter get beat by Stewart Cink on the 19th (first) hole.

Other No. 1 seeds, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, lost in Round 2 to Rickie Fowler and Nick Watney, respectively.

Kaymer, the fourth No. 1 seed, became the new World No. 1 golfer after his semifinal win over Bubba Watson. The 26-year-old is the second German to do so (Bernard Langer).

With another WGC event one week away, and the Masters only five weeks away, the real drama in golf may be upcoming.

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer covering all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.

Reistetter resides in Pont Vedra Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida and pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it.

Please comment directly on this article or email him at AndyReistetter@gmail.com

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

2011 PGA Tour Week 7: Aaron Baddeley Is Back With a Win at Riviera CC

February 20, 2011 By admin

Move over 20-somethings with three or more PGA Tour wins…there’s an “old guy” that joined the club on Sunday!

Aaron Baddeley, Champion of the 2011 Northern Trust Open at Riviera CC. Photo Credit: SuperSport

Aaron Baddeley, only 25 days short of his 30th birthday, won the Northern Trust Open at the famed Riviera CC for his third PGA TOUR victory.

There is a “young-gun” winning six-some now—Camilo Villegas, Hunter Mahan, Sean O’Hair, Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim, and Baddeley. Johnson is the only 20-something with four wins to his name.

It has been four seasons since Baddeley’s last win at the 2007 FBR Open plus another year to wind the clock back to his maiden win at the Verizon Heritage.

The last of his four Australian tour wins also came in 2007.

Baddeley is back winning by two strokes after shooting all four rounds in the 60s.

The Aussie finished in the Top-10 for the second straight week after a T6 last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, marking the first time he has back-to-back top 10s since August 2007.

Baddeley had dropped to World Number 274 at the end of 2010. With this win he jumps from No. 224 to 73.

It was a challenging Sunday for the child of destiny, who came out on tour with so much promise and expectations in 2000.

Playing partner and gallery favorite, Fred Couples started the final round with three birdies though in the end would suffer a Sunday 73 to finish T7.

Baddeley certainly took notice but was not rattled.

“I was still just trying to focus on my game and just try to do what I needed to do,” Baddeley said. “I was still right there, I was still only one back. It wasn’t like I was three back. For me it was just trying to keep doing what I was doing.”

“I enjoy playing with Freddie. He’s really a great bloke.”

The father of two faced challenges early in the back 9 double bogeying the difficult par-4 12th hole.

But even then he still held a two stroke lead over Couples, Robert Allenby and Vijay Singh, who bogeyed the 13th.

After a bounce-back birdie made possible by a masterful long putt with lots of break, Baddeley put it into coast mode heading to the clubhouse.

“(I made) probably the best putt of the week right there. That really got me back on track.”

A great second shot on par-5 17th sealed the victory. Hitting from the 5th fairway Baddeley hit a high fade through a distant gap in the Eucalyptus trees to get back into position on the hole and career wise.

“Just being able to forget everything and being able to hit that shot, that’s part of the plan was just to be able to let it go and hit shots, so it was great.”

“It’s definitely been a couple of long years, but it was worth every bit, and I really feel that the last couple years is actually what made it easier today just because of having to battle and having to grow into so much for a couple years, the character that was just built in me.”

He credits being back with his childhood and long time coach Dale Lynch for the resurgence in his career.

“To be able to come home—come back to Dale really felt like coming home because it felt like I was becoming a kid again, and that’s what made it fun, you know.”

In reality this man of faith was never really far from home.

“I’m one to quote scripture a lot, especially when I’m out there. One of my favorites is 2 Timothy 1:8. It says, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and a sound mind.” Whenever I get a little bit nervous I always quote that just because I know that — I mean, as the scripture said, it said God didn’t give us a spirit of fear. So, yeah, I always quote that. It helps calm me down just knowing I’m out there and the Lord’s with me.”

Baddeley is a man of patience with great humbleness as well.

Last summer at the Greenbrier he opened with a 65 and a rookie reporter asked him about his chances in the upcoming PGA Championship.

“I’m not in Whistling Straits right now. I got to win this week. I plan to be there. That would be nice. Have to have a good weekend and just try and get out there and have a chance to win on Sunday.”

Well that Sunday came and he made the most of it at Riviera CC.

Baddeley (73) is now the eighth highest ranking Aussie behind Robert Allenby (OWGR No. 26), Adam Scott (27), Geoff Ogilvy (28), Jason Day (40), Richard Green (60), Brendan Jones (64) and Stuart Appleby (68).

Baddeley is the third Aussie to win in L.A., with Scott winning in 2005 and Allenby in 2001.

This year’s International President’s Cup Team Captain Greg Norman took notice and issued a congratulatory note: “Riviera has once again given up a victory to an Aussie, proving that the quality of players coming out of my homeland thrive on tough golf courses. Aaron has been very successful on tough, demanding and difficult tracks with his previous victories and this victory is no different, and one that is long overdue! He now catapults himself into a strong position to secure a spot on this year’s International Presidents Cup Team. I have always been a fan of Aaron, and personally, I am proud of him and his victory at the Northern Trust Open. As Captain of the International Team this year, I know he would be a very valuable asset to the team.”

With time to earn a spot on the team or get a captain’s pick similar to Adam Scott in 2009 at Harding Park Baddeley knows what a spot on that team would mean.

“To play a Presidents Cup in Australia, that would be like an absolute dream. I remember watching in ’98 going down there and seeing the guys, Freddie, seeing Jim Furyk, seeing all the guys down there, seeing Norman playing, all those guys. I wanted to play in Presidents Cups. So it’s definitely something that I’m going to keep working hard towards to try and make that team.”

Baddeley is back in the Masters where in 5 starts his best finish is T17 in 2009, the year Angel Cabrera won.

“Yeah, I’m excited about that, very excited.”

As we all are with your victory in L.A.

Congratulations and Happy upcoming Birthday… you are coming into your prime as a golfer and it will be exciting to watch!

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer covering all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.

Reistetter resides in Pont Vedra Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida and pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it.

Filed Under: Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf