Divot Mix

"No golfer ever gets so consistently good that he can't use some constructive advice. No matter how many trophies he may win, he can't analyze and remedy his own faults." -- Byron Nelson

USGA executive committee nominated

The United States Golf Association has nominated officers and executive committee members for the election that will take place at the association's annual meeting Feb. 4, 2006 .

Walter W. Driver Jr., 60, has been nominated to serve a one-year term as president, replacing Fred S. Ridley, who complete the second of his one-year terms as president.

Ridley will retire from the executive committee following 12 years of service, including four years as chairman of the championship committee

The other nominated officers of the executive committee are: James E. Reinhart and James F. Vernon as vice presidents; Emily R. (Missy) Crisp as secretary; and Fredric C. Nelson as treasurer. Nelson has served as general counsel for the past three years.

In addition to Nelson, the three other new members of the executive committee will be William M. Lewis Jr., Pat McKinney and Steve Smyers.

The other seven returning members of the executive committee will be: Craig Ammerman, Dr. Lewis H. Blakey, James T. Bunch, Irving Fish, James B. Hyler Jr., Cameron Jay Rains and Loren Singletary.

Glen Nager, 47, a partner in the Washington , D.C. , law firm of Jones, Day, Reavis and Pogue, has been chosen as the Association's next general counsel.

Current committee members who will retire along with Ridley are Paul D. Caruso Jr., Mary Bea Porter-King and Bruce C. Richards.  

Sports Illustrated covers U.S. Open preparation and the aftermath

Paul Jett, CGCS, had the distinction this summer of setting up a golf course for the U.S Open for the second time in six years. As a high-profile, media-savvy golf course superintendent, and scratch golfer, Jett got his share of coverage prior to this year's open, but this time, after the grandstands were emptied, Sports Illustrated took a look back at the work of Jett, his staff and volunteers.

The article by John Garrity, includes everything from the USGA's new Turf Tester, to comments from players, with discussions of localized dry spots, syringing and why Pinehurst No.2 wasn't a repeat of Shinnecock.

It even covers the ever-present Stimpmeter, which Jett has apparently found a good use for. He carried so often during the week that he started putting with it. "I can putt much better with this than I can with my putter," he said.

For the complete article, visit http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/magazine/06/28/gp.pine0627/index.html.

Golf Range names top short courses

With the golf industry looking for ways to attract and retain players, one of the focuses has been on facilities that offer alternatives to 18-hole layouts. Now, Golf Range Magazine , a trade publication on golf ranges and short courses, has announced its list of America 's Top Short Courses.

As part of the magazine's annual effort to recognize leading golf facilities that are either Par 3 courses or Executive courses, the magazine's editorial staff and freelance writers reviewed submissions for layout and design; customer service; community outreach and community involvement.

The list is divided into Executive Courses , with a variety of par 3's and 4's usually less than 5,200 yards and Par Three Courses . "It's really an impressive group of facilities that are doing a lot to make the game more responsive to time issues, access issues and playability issues," said Steve di Costanzo, the founder and president of Golf Range Magazine. "These facilities are very welcoming and accommodating for a wide spectrum of players: both novice and experienced.”

Top Executive Golf Courses

• Challenge Course at Eagle Crest (Redmond, Ore.)
• Glen Course at Creekside Golf Course (Valparaiso, Ind.)
• Hank Haney Golf Ranch ( McKinney , Texas )
• Hilltop Golf Club (Alexandria, Va.)
• Incline Village (Incline Village, Nev.)
• Tommy Jacobs' Bel Air Greens (Palm Springs, Calif.)
• Legacy Links & Fox Creek (Smyrna, Ga.)
• Meadow Links & Golf Academy ( Cincinnati , Ohio )
• Mystic Ridge Golf Course ( Oakville , Ontario Canada ))
• Charles Yates Golf Course (Atlanta, Ga.)

Top Par Three Courses

• Button Hole (Providence, R.I .)
• Blue Rock Golf Course (South Yarmouth, Mass .)
• Divine 9 at Callaway Golf Center (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• The First Tee of Virginia Beach at Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, Va.)
• Holly Ridge Golf Club (South Sandwich, Mass.)
• Midway Par 3 (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
• Oaks North Golf Course (San Diego, Calif.)
• Orange County Nationals' “Tooth” (Winter Garden, Fla.)
• Town of Palm Beach Golf Course (Palm Beach, Fla.)
• Threetops at Treetops Resort (Gaylord, Mich.)

Additional biographical information on the courses is available online at http://www.golfrange.org/top10.html

Golf course superintendents weigh in on issues

The professionals responsible for the playability of the nation's golf courses have offered their opinions on a variety of subjects through the 2005 GCSAA Leadership Survey.

The computer-based survey questioned more than 860 golf course superintendents on trends in golf and golf course management.

“These surveys mine a wealth of valuable information from golf course superintendents,” GCSAA President Timothy T. O'Neill, CGCS, said. “The responses also reveal the breadth and complexity of management issues these professionals face on a daily basis. Golf courses are financial, recreational and environmental assets to communities and golf course superintendents enhance the value of the facility in all three areas.”

Growing the game
Thirty percent of superintendents polled said they have implemented alternative golf course set-ups and/or events to attract new or nontraditional golfers and have achieved a 70-percent success rate. The most popular include night golf, short course, par-3 events and alternative setups.

In defense of par?
Concerns have been raised that the latest and greatest technological advances to golf equipment are challenging the integrity of the game. Evolving golf ball/club technology has prompted some courses have been renovated or remodeled to compensate for the changes in distance and accuracy. But is it an isolated trend, or are more and more facilities following suit? Twenty-one percent of superintendents said that they have recently undertaken a course renovation or remodeling solely to compensate for changes in golf ball/club technology or intend to.

Where the wildlife is
Golf courses are located in diverse settings and provide invaluable wildlife habitat. Golf course superintendents not only manage the golf course for playability; they also foster environmental stewardship on the course. In this year's survey, superintendents were asked if they have added or subtracted wildlife habitat at their facility in the last five years. An overwhelming 52 percent said they have added wildlife habitat, with 14 percent of those adding a significant amount (six or more acres) and 38 percent of these adding a small amount (less than six acres). Of the 14 percent that have added six or more acres, 40 percent have added more than 10 acres. Of the 38 percent that have added less than six acres, 71 percent have added two to six acres.

Golfer etiquette
Sixty-four percent of superintendents identified the failure to repair ball marks on the putting green as the most common breach of golfer etiquette. This finding was consistent with the 2000 survey, which also cited unrepaired ball marks as most common breach of etiquette. Not fixing divots also was a concern with 36 percent citing it as the second most common breach of etiquette. Not raking bunkers was third. Interestingly enough, 26 percent of those polled said the most common complaint from players were unrepaired ball marks.

Eye of the storm
Conditions were ripe last year for a busy and destructive hurricane season. Fifteen named tropical systems, including nine hurricanes and six major hurricanes, slammed into the eastern seaboard, leaving in their wake an estimated $45 billion in damage. Florida was hit the hardest, with four hurricanes in six weeks. Golf course superintendents were asked about the effect the hurricane season had on their courses. Four percent said their course was directly hit by a hurricane, while 32 percent said their course was somehow affected by hurricane-related weather. Of those who indicated they were directly hit by a hurricane, respondents estimated an average of nearly $900,000 in damage expense plus loss of revenue in U.S. dollars, with the highest clipping $9.8 million.

Click here for the complete set of results from the 2005 GCSAA Leadership Survey.