Play Ready Golf

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

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

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

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

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

TEE BOX

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

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

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

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

FAIRWAY

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

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

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

GREEN

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

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

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

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

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

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

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

 

 

Classic @ The Creek, Dry but Windy!

Scott R Chilcutt, Carrollton, TX (March 9, 2012)   Indian Creek Golf Club a premier 36 hole daily fee facility in Carrollton was the returning host of the second event of the calendar year on the Dallas Tour.  60% - 80% rain chances for the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex didn't stop 124 tour players from the second consecutive sellout on the Dallas tour.  Cloudy and misty at times, along with some very windy conditions didn't stop some very favorable scoring.

The Tournament Champion Trophy, returned back on the tour after a short sponsorship hiatus,  with the help of Carlisle's Engraving of Lewisville, TX.  Burnie Rodgers overtook Denine Taylor by a stroke on the back nine of the scorecard playoff to take home the prize.

"BIG WINNER":  Oklahoma Tour member, Sammie Martin of Elgin, OK made the trip to the event in spite of a better half that was closely approaching her due date.  Contacted on the fifth hole, Martin had to race off to be with his wife for the delivery of a healthy, 7 lb 2 oz baby boy.  Congratulations to the Martins. 



RESULTS:

Championship Flight:   Midland, TX member Terry Rice matched his career low AM Tour round of three under par from his 2009 DFW Masters at The Tribute win to defend the 2012 Classic @ The Creek Championship.  Rice, with five birdies on the day, picked up his ninth win on tour, six strokes ahead of second place finisher John Bohling from Lewisville, TX.  Bohling went out in +1 on three birdies to finish two strokes ahead of a trio in the third spot.  Edmond, OK traveler Al Swanson, Dheeraj Jangalwa of Dallas, TX, and absent from the tour since 2011, Nick Quast from Grapevine, TX returned to share the third place honors.

Palmer Flight:  Chris Wadle from Coupland, TX grabbed his second win on tour by two strokes over Dallas, TX member Ivan Zweig.  Wadle bounced back from a double on the par 4 - 4th with five straight pars to go out in +3.  Zweig followed a tough opening hole with two birdies on the day,  to edge out Gregory Haddon from Rowlett, TX by a stroke after Haddon birdied his first and last holes on the day.

Senior Palmer Flight:   In his second event on tour, Jeff Feyerherm from Whitney, TX went +2 on the back nine to command a three stroke win over Lewisville, TX resident Mark Taylor.  Taylor's birdie on the par 3 - 4th was just enough to edge out three players in the third spot.  Rockwall, TX player Rick Davis, Fort Worth, TX standout Sean Fenton and Oklahoma Tour member Dave Kirby from Edmond, OK split the third place finish.

Hogan Flight:  Gabriel Brisco from Mesquite, TX cruised to his first win since being promoted to the Hogan Flight in July, 2012 and third on tour.  Brisco went out in +3, added a birdie on the par 5 - 11th and came back to the club house in +2 to hold a four stroke advantage over a pair knotted up in the second place spot.  Hill Country Tour member, Wes Reed from Corpus Christi, TX and Frisco, TX player Chad Maynard matched 81's to split the second and third place points.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Windy conditions didn't bother the West Texas native, Jim Sumner of Odessa.  Sumner a first time winner at the prestigious 2012 TPC Sawgrass Open Major,  played the back nine one over par to pick up his second win on tour by three strokes.  All alone in the second spot, Sanger, TX player Steve Killion carded three birdies on the day, including one at the par 4 - 17th to cancel out a Giant Skin in route to a two stroke cushion over two players in the show position. Randy Sellers of Lewisville, TX and Arlington's Jordan Minyard finished T-3.

Sarazen Flight:  Richard Marr from The Colony, TX last taste of victory came during his impressive 6 of 7 win year in 2010.  After a triple of the par 4 -2nd Marr played out the final sixteen holes in +6 to finish two strokes in front of Bedford, TX resident George Peddy.  Melvin Wilson III of Dallas, TX birdied two of his last three, including a Giant Skin on the 16th  to get within one of Peddy and round out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  The "always driver off the tee, unless it's a par three", Burnie Rodgers of Haslet, TX had a +7 round going to the 18th when he decided to tee up a three wood.  The caution may have contributed to a double bogey that would open the playoff door for Grand Prairie, TX member Ken Benjamin with a par on his final hole.  Three extra holes later, Benjamin would hold his fourth trophy on tour and first since the 2011 Championship @ TPC Craig Ranch .  The +9 finish was Rodgers best score on tour and best finish since his self promotion to the Senior Sarazen Flight. John Cox  from Mansfield, TX finished three strokes back to take the third place honors on two birdies.

Jones Flight:  Vaughn Jackson of Euless, TX marched into victory lane for the first time in three years on tour.  Jackson, with his first round in the 80's finished three strokes ahead of Parker, TX member Dion Casto alone in second place with his best finish since a move to the Jones Flight.  New member Robert Glittenberg of Rowlett, TX followed up his T3 during his first event on tour to hold off Trecia Wood by a stroke.

Senior Jones Flight:  Recently relocated back to the Lone Star state from the West Coast, Ray Blackshear, now residing in Hideaway, TX recorded his tenth win on the Am Tour.  Blackshear maintained a seven stroke advantage over Dallas, TX member Lloyd C Reid Jr.  Reid kept his own seven stroke lead over the pair of Mike Logsdon from Wylie, TX and Euless, TX member Tom Stockton rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:  First year member Tom Reynolds of Belton, TX had the flight covered by three strokes on the front nine, but ran into a trouble hole on the par 5 - 11th.  Reynolds bounced back with a par on the 12th, but could only hold on to a share of the top spot when another new comer Christopher Johnson of Duncanville, TX went +1 over his last two holes.  After the two hole sudden death playoff, Johnson picked up his second win in as many attempts.   Normally relegated to the runner up spot, Saginaw, TX member Mike Adcock finished one stroke back for the third place finish.

Senior Snead Flight:  Doyle Fleming from Haslet, TX knotched his third win of the points year and sixth on tour with a seven stroke advantage. North Richland Hills, TX resident Luis Dayer had a two stroke lead heading to the back, but couldn't keep the momentum, falling into the runner up position for his best finish on tour two strokes ahead of Billy Hendrix of Flower Mound, TX.                          



SKINS:

Giant Skins:  1 -- Terry Rice, Midland, TX; Melvin Wilson III, Dallas, TX.

Championship:  2 -- Dheeraj Jangalwa, Dallas, TX; Terry Rice, Midland, TX.  1 -- Al Swanson, Edmond, OK; John Bohling, Highland Village, TX; Jeremy Frenzel, Fort Worth, TX; Adrian DelaGarza, Coppell, TX.

Palmer / Senior Palmer: 2 -- Rick Davis, Rockwall, TX. 1 -- Ivan Zweig, Dallas, TX; Jeff Bolton, Midlothian, TX; David Canu, Allen, TX; Gregory Haddon, Rowlett, TX; Kem Albritton, Garland, TX; Sean Fenton, Fort Worth, TX; Danny Nicholls, Mansfield, TX; Jeff Feyerherm, Whitney, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  3 -- Steve Killion, Sanger, TX. 1 -- Jordan Minyard, Arlington, TX; Scott Harper, Ranger, TX; Scott Leavelle, Colleyville, TX; Nancy Geihl, Grand Prairie, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  2 -- George Peddy, Bedford, TX; Melvin Wilson III, Dallas, TX. 1 -- John Cox, Mansfield, TX; Scott Lane, Plano, TX; Dave Ducray, Plano, TX; Chris Gassaway, North Richland Hills,TX.

Jones / Senior Jones:  2 -- Ray Blackshear, Hideaway, TX; Trecia Wood, Frisco, TX. 1 -- Gary Chrisman, Yukon, OK; Vaughn Jackson, Euless, TX; Dion Casto, Parker, TX.

Snead / Senior Snead:  1 -- Tom Reynolds, Belton, TX; Leo Washington, Watauga, Tx; Thomas Rauch, Arlington, TX; Christopher Johnson, Duncanville.

Next Up:  The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Frisco Lakes Challenge on March 30th at The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes, registration closes Friday, March 22nd.  Registration closes for March 24th Round Rock Open on Friday, March 15th.  The Oklahoma Tour kicks off the year at the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge.  

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

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

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

128 Players Compete Across 12 Flights - Grand Prairie Classic

Scott R Chilcutt, Grand Prairie, TX (February 23, 2013)  One year departed from arguably the most horrid golf conditions ever, with torrential cold rains, the Grand Prairie Classic returned to a more normalized February opener.  Overnight frost held up the start of the shotgun format for one hour, but gave the players more time to wake up, warm up and get ready for the day.

Tangle Ridge Golf Club, in Grand Prairie, one of the top Municipal courses in the DFW Metroplex, once again showed how it can keep the course in tournament condition over the winter.  While the frost delay eliminated any morning greens maintenance the course played fair for the sold out competition of 128 players, from five states representing 6 different tours. 




RESULTS:

Championship Flight:   First timers on the tour take the top two spots. 35 year old Jeremy Frenzel  from Fort Worth, TX carded three birdies in route to a +2 - 74. Frenzel mustered a four stroke advantage over McKinney, TX newcomer Travis Ray.  Ray, with three birdies of his own, started the round shaky, but finished the back nine in one under par to carry a four stroke lead over Jeff Shores  of Irving, TX rounding out the top three.

Senior Championship Flight:   With traveling visitors helping to fill the rare Senior Championship Flight field, Edmond, OK member Al Swanson  picked up his second win of the 2013 points year and fifteenth victory of his Am Tour career. Swanson birdied his second hole of the day, added one later at the par 5 - 13th to stay one stroke ahead of Allen, TX first time player John Long. Long played the front nine in +1, added a birdie on the 18th to edge out Grand Prairie, TX local Larry Vannatta.  Vannatta's lone birdie on the par 4 - 16th hole earned him half of the giant skins pot.

Palmer Flight:   Ethan Smith  from Edmond, OK turned 16 just after the 2012 National Championships.  Disappointed with his finish at the nationals after winning the Palmer Flight player of the year in Oklahoma, Smith starts the year out with his fourth win on tour.  Smith's birdie on the 18th was enough to stay one stroke clear of a pair of Dallas members tied up in the second spot.  Diana, TX member Keith Childress  played his final six holes in one under par to share the runner up position with Ivan Zweig  of Dallas after Zweig bogeyed his final two holes.

Senior Palmer Flight:   Previously a Championship flight player, Curt Howard  of Sapulpa, OK spent the winter eligible for the Palmer group and finally bit the bullet to make the change, clearing the way for his eighth win on tour and first since the April 2012 The Open @ The Tribute.  Playing along side of Howard, pairing partners, Kem Albritton  of Garland, TX and Mansfield, TX member Danny Nicholls  tied up the second place finish.  With only five holes to play, Albritton seemed to have the tournament.  Howard birdied the 18th, Nicholls doubled the 18th while Kem made a mess of the 1st hole to give Howard the four stroke advantage.

Hogan Flight:   On hiatus from the tour with only one start (last years rain soaked Grand Prairie Classic) since the 2009 season, Midlothian, TX player Jeff Bolton played the front nine in +3 with a birdie on the par 3 - 9th.  Bolton finished two strokes ahead of second place finisher Scott Harper from Ranger, TX. Harper, with consecutive birdies on the 12th and 13th holes edged out Flower Mound, TX newcomer Mark Rainwater. Rainwater bounced back from a first hole double to birdie his 2nd hole on tour to pick up the podium finish in his first time out.

Senior Hogan Flight:   One of the divisions that for many events during the past few years has been combined with the Mid Am group brought out one of the larger fields, in what might be considered the aging of the Hogan Flight in Dallas. Gregory Stairs  from Mansfield, TX a main stay in that Senior Hogan Flight took advantage of the extra competition to pick up his fifth win on tour.  Stairs played his final nine holes out of the shotgun two over par to finish two strokes clear of a pair knotted up in the second place spot.  Jalil DaneshFar  from Trophy Club, TX and Edmond, OK traveler James Surber shared the runner up honors.

Sarazen Flight:   With 20 players to make the call for the flight, visiting Arkansas Tour member  Jay Williams  of Van Buren, AR picked up the big win on two birdies to lead fellow tour traveler Kirby Rogers  of Muldrow, OK by a single stroke.  Rogers was able to hold on to the second place finish despite woes on three of the holes by a single stroke over a pair tied up in the third spot.  Nick Easen  of Keller, TX and running south from the snow Oklahoma Tour member Gary Schuessler  from Wichita, KS held it close to finish out with T3 finishes.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Just able to get into the event prior to the sellout and ultimate waiting list, Jamie Sansom  of Frisco, TX made the most of his work schedule change.  Sansom, grabbed his ninth win on tour by a single stroke over Denver Tour member Terry Poindexter  of Highlands Ranch, CO.  Poindexter made birdie on the par 5 -8th to stay two strokes clear of local Ken Benjamin  of Grand Prairie, TX rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight:   Shawn Privat  (\Pre-voh\) of Allen, TX made it two for two.  Privat, with two wins and a runner up finish in his three events on tour recorded three birdies on the day to finish three strokes ahead of Combine, TX tour rookie, Charles Crooks.  Crooks with birdies on the par 4 -3rd and par 5 -5th secured the runner up spot by three strokes over two players tied in third.  Robert Glittenberg  newcomer from Rowlett, TX and Denton, TX member Bolaji Harris  shared the show position.  10th place finisher Dion Casto  made his lone birdie on the par 4 - 15th profitable by sharing one of two Giant Skins.

Senior Jones Flight:   Gordonville, TX player Keith Bruce  picked up his first win on tour minutes from his home at the October 2012 Border War at Rock Creek Resort  and many thought it was a home field advantage.  Since then he's had a third place finish to go with his second win on tour 90 miles south of his home.  Bruce finished the day with a ten stroke advantage of first year member Lloyd C Reid Jr  of Dallas.  Reid hung on to his best finish, one stroke clear of the trio of Erich Brehm  of Sunnyvale, TX, Lewisville, TX member Ron Hardy  and Tom Stockton of Euless, TX.

Snead Flight:   Christopher Johnson  of Duncanville, TX played his way into his first win, in his first event on tour.   Despite a ten on the par 5 -18th hole, Johnson held on over recurrent runner up, Saginaw, TX member, Mike Adcock.  Adcock made it his fourth 2nd place finish of the year with a birdie on the par 3 - 4th hole to maintain a one stroke advantage over Clyde Reynolds of Belton, TX. 

Senior Snead Flight:  Oklahoma Tour traveler Rick Henthorn  from Yukon, OK recorded his eleventh win on tour.  Henthorn, a regular traveler to Dallas Tour events parred his last hole of the day, the tough par 3 -17th to finish one stroke clear of Arlington, TX player Thomas Rauch.  The runner up finish for Rauch was his best finish on tour.  Five strokes back, Larry Tolson  of McKinney, TX rounded out the top three.                          



SKINS:

Giant Skins:  1 -- Larry Vannatta, Grand Prairie, Tx; Dion Casto, Parker, TX.

Championship / Senior Championship:  2 -- Tony Peppler, Dallas, TX; Jeremy Frenzel, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Jeff Shores, Irving, TX; Neill Osborne, Lake Charles, LA; Larry Vannatta, Grand Prairie, Tx; Milton Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX; Kyle Lewie, Waco, TX.

Palmer /  Senior Palmer:  2 -- Kem Albritton, Garland, TX; Keith Childress, Diana, TX. 1 -- Adrian DelaGarza, Coppell, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  1 -- Jeff Bolton, Midlothian, TX; Nancy Geihl, Grand Prairie, TX; Steve Killion, Sanger, TX; Randy Sellers, Lewisville, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  2 -- Melvin Wilson III, Dallas, TX; Jay Williams, Van Buren, AR. 1 -- Kirby Rogers, Muldrow, OK; Higinio Sustaita, Fort Worth Tx.; John Cox, Mansfield, TX.

Jones /  Senior Jones:  2 -- Gary Chrisman, Yukon, OK. 1 -- Ron Hardy, Lewisville, TX; Charles Crooks, Combine; Artis Stewart, Houston, TX; Dion Casto, Parker, TX; Shawn Privat, Allen, TX; Becky Rice, Lewisville, TX.

Snead/ Senior Snead:  2 -- Rick Henthorn, Yukon, OK. 1 -- Mike Adcock, Saginaw, TX; Christopher Johnson, Duncanville; Thomas Rauch, Arlington, TX; Doyle Fleming, Haslet, TX.



Next Up:  The Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, sold out after less than two weeks on the schedule, will be held on March 2nd/3rd in the heart of the Hill Country. The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Indian Creek Golf Course on March 9th for the Classic at the Creek.  The Oklahoma Tour kicks off the year at the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge while the Hill Country gets back to the course for the Round Rock Open on March 24th.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

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

Embedded Ball

Photo from notestomyself.net

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

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

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

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


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

25-2. Embedded Ball

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

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

Through the Green

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

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

b. All hazards on the course.

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

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

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

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


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

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