Divot Mix

"It's not the walking or the swinging that tires you at golf: it's the thinking or more often the ineffectual effort of trying to think and not knowing how to do it that wears you down." -- Tommy Armour

Jack Nicklaus named 2005 Old Tom Morris Award winner

Jack Nicklaus, one of golf's most influential forces on and off the course, has been selected to receive GCSAA's 2005 Old Tom Morris Award. The award will be presented Feb. 10 during the 2005 Golf Industry Show, in Orlando.

The award, GCSAA's most prestigious, is presented each year to an individual who "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris."

Morris (1821-1908) was greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland; a four-time winner of the British Open (1861, '62, '64 and '67); and ranked as one of the top links designers of the 19th century.

"Jack Nicklaus truly embodies the spirit of the award," said GCSAA President Mark J. Woodward, CGCS. "Few, if any, rival his lifetime contributions to the game. He has touched nearly every aspect of the game, and has done so with the utmost class, integrity and excellence."

Nicklaus has been named "Golfer of the Century" or "Golfer of the Millennium" by almost every major golf medium in the world. He was also named the Individual Male Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated , and one of the 10 Greatest Athletes of the Century by ESPN. In 2001, he was honored with the first-ever ESPY Lifetime Achievement Award and became the first golfer - and only the third athlete - to receive the Vince Lombardi Award of Excellence. In 2003, he was honored with the Muhammad Ali Sports Legend Award.

He is the only player to have won each of the game's majors at least twice (six Masters, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens, and three British Opens) and is a two-time U.S. Amateur champion. He is the only player to have completed the career "Grand Slam" on both the regular and champion tours.

A five-time winner of the PGA Player of the Year Award, Nicklaus has been the PGA Tour's leading money-winner eight times and runner-up six times. He has played on six Ryder Cup teams, captained two others, and served as U.S. Captain for the 1998 and 2003 Presidents Cup competitions. He will serve in that role again next year.

Considered one of the world's leading golf course designers, Nicklaus was named GolfWorld Architect of the Year in 1993, and in 1999 Golf Digest named him the world's leading active designer. In 2001, he was named recipient of both the Donald Ross Award (American Society of Golf Course Architects) and the Donald Rossi Award (Golf Course Builders Association of America). He and his wife, Barbara, reside in North Palm Beach, Fla., and have five children.

Nicklaus joins a list of highly respected past honorees, including Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Tom Fazio, Gerald Ford, Bob Hope, Byron Nelson, Ken Venturi, Ben Crenshaw, Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, Nancy Lopez, Tim Finchem, Walter Woods, Pete Dye and Rees Jones.

EPA and Weather Service adopt new UV index

The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Weather Service have announced a new Global Ultraviolet Index, which replaces the existing UV reporting methods in the United States.

Developed by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Environment Program and other international organizations, the Global UV Index is designed to better help people understand which precautions to take to protect themselves from different levels of UV radiation. These guidelines will standardize reporting of surface UV radiation levels in the United States with those in other nations. Canada also is adopting the guidelines.

“The standardization of guidelines for reporting UV risks is a landmark venture of governments and health organizations working together to save lives,” said Conrad C. Lautenbacher, NOAA administrator. “The Daily NOAA/EPA UV-Index is computed using the forecasted ozone data, a radiative transfer model, forecasted cloud amounts and the elevation of the forecast cities.”

“With summer around the corner and sun-drenched beaches beckoning, it's easy to forget that the sunlight that feels so good can be harmful,” said Mike Leavitt, EPA administrator. “Our new UV index is a quick and easy way for people to know when it's important to use sun screen and how to avoid too much sun.”

The UV Index is a measure of the amount of skin-damaging UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. “We are excited that the U.S. is adopting the Global UV Index,” said Dr. James Spencer, co-chair of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. “If people use the Index to protect themselves from the sun during peak UV intensity hours, their chances of UV-related health problems—like skin cancer—will decrease greatly.”

The National Weather Service and EPA will provide daily UV forecasts for 58 major metropolitan areas, as well as forecasts by zip code. Information about the Global UV Index, including downloadable files and links to sites about UV radiation, is available on EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvilaunch.asp.

The NOAA National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing the economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For a map of the U.S with the indexes visit the Climate Prediction Center's Current UV Index Forecast , A text version is also available at http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/us/ultraviolet.asp .

EPA's SunWise offers UV indexes based on zip code or cities at http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.asp .

Golf a favorite at program for disabled youth and children

When a couple of dozen kids from Catherine T. Elementary School in Lantham Md. Recently took part in the inauguration of the National Initiative on Physical Fitness for Children and Youth with Disabilities at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Golf was a distinct hit.

“It sure giveS them great self-esteem,” says Cal Smith, an instructor with Project GAIN (Golf Accessible and Inclusive Networks) from Toledo, Ohio. “It is things like this that pique their interest and give them the opportunity to experience golf and find out if they will like it.” Participating organizations included the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.

The USGA is heavily involved with such programs and has made four grants totaling $328,608 to Project GAIN since September 2001. The current grant extends through 2005. Through the assistance of former USGA president Trey Holland, the USGA has published “A Modification of the Rules of Golf for Golfers with Disabilities.”

Golf was one of seven sports showcased for the children. The USGA's booth included two synthetic putting greens, a mat for kids to hit foam golf balls and two single-rider golf cars. One of the golf cars was owned by Potomac, Md., resident Bob Schmonsees, 57, who has been paralyzed from the waist down for the last 20 years from a skiing accident, yet still plays four to five times a week.

“Today we recognize both the need for this program and the hard work ahead for all the partners who have agreed to bring mentors and mentees together to provide individualized programs of physical activity for young Americans with disabilities,” said Dr. Margaret Giannini, the director of the Health and Human Service Office on Disability.

Participants in the program were encouraged to earn the awards sponsored by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the “Presidential Active Lifestyle Award” and the “Presidential Champions Award.”

Following the formal program, which had the slogan “I can do it, you can do it!” the children were given the opportunity to sample the various sporting activities.

Eleven-year-old sixth-grader Jarrett Rogers struggled at first to make contact with the foam ball, whiffing a couple of times before Smith stepped in and provided quick instruction. Rogers was sending the ball airborne moments later.

“He's got a real good swing,” said Smith. “I'm impressed.” The 57-year-old Smith, a retired Army cryptologist, started with Project GAIN in January after spending five years as a recreational therapist.