Divot Mix

"The fact of the matter is, golf is a Scottish game. It is naturally Scottish, as natural to our instincts as the seaside linksland is natural to the setting. It was the Scots, after all, who took the game and did something with it when everybody else was busy making crossbows." -- Dan Jenkins

Name a new course at the home of golf

Golf fans around the world will have a chance to carve their name in history next month when St. Andrews Links Trust runs a competition through its Web site to find a name for its seventh course, which is under construction.

It will be the first time in 600 years of history at the home of golf that golf fans and the public will have the chance to suggest the name of a new course.

Visitors to www.standrews.org.uk will be invited to send in suggestions from Nov. 1 to Dec. 1. The best names will be submitted to the Course No. 7 Working Party to select the winning name. The identity of the new course will be announced in January.

Competition winners will be invited to play one of the first rounds on the new course when it opens in 2008 and will be invited to the official opening ceremony along with VIPs from the world of golf.

Course No. 7 is under construction on a cliff top site to the south east of St. Andrews centered on Kinkell Point and Brownhills Farm. The 220-acre site features spectacular views over the town of St. Andrews and out to the North Sea.

The internet competition follows the success last year of an auction on the Links Trust Web site for the tee plaques from the Old Course which attracted bids from around the world. The sale of the tee plaques raised £15,000 (approx. $28,000) for St. Andrews Links Junior Golf Association.

Full details for the competition and weekly information bulletins regarding the history and nature of the land at Course No 7 will be provided at www.standrews.org.uk. To send in an entry email namecomp@standrews.org.uk beginning Nov. 1. The deadline for entries will be noon British time Dec. 1.

World Golf Hall of Fame to welcome five new members

The World Golf Hall of Fame will welcome five new members into the Hall of Fame at its annual Induction Ceremony Monday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.  The Class of 2006, which includes Larry Nelson, Vijay Singh, Marilynn Smith and the late Mark McCormack and Henry Picard, will bring the Hall of Fame's membership to 114.

"The five inductees entering the Hall of Fame this year are truly deserving of the honor," said Jack Peter, sr. vice president and COO of the Hall of Fame.  "The contributions and successes each has brought to the sport have added a great deal to its history.  We look forward to their stories being recognized at the ceremony as well as being preserved in detail throughout the museum."

Selected in the Lifetime Achievement category, McCormack, the founder of IMG, will be introduced by Hall of Fame Member Arnold Palmer.  Palmer became McCormack's first client in 1960, initiating the era of sports management and marketing that was the foundation for IMG, considered the world's foremost sports, entertainment and media company.

Nelson, elected on the 2006 PGA Tour ballot, will be introduced by Hall of Fame Member Gary Player.  Nelson credits a Player-written golf tip as serving to inspire him early in his golf career.  For years, Nelson has regarded Player as a close friend and an individual who is a "consummate professional."

Picard, the Veteran's category selection, will be introduced by Hall of Fame Member Beth Daniel.  Picard, a highly respected teacher, worked with Daniel on her game at the Country Club of Charleston, where they were both members.

Singh, elected on the 2005 PGA Tour ballot, will be introduced by Ted Forstmann, chairman and CEO of IMG Worldwide.  Singh and Forstmann have been partners in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and in the Dunhill Links Championship, and they share a business relationship and close friendship.

Smith, a Lifetime Achievement inductee and one of the 13 original founders of the LPGA, will be introduced at the ceremony by Hall of Fame member Kathy Whitworth. Whitworth and Smith enjoy a friendship and camaraderie having played against each other in the 1960s and 70s.

For more information on the ceremony call 904-940-4123 or visit http://www.wgv.com.

Toro, Disney and The First Tee create Future Leaders Forum

The Toro Co., Walt Disney World Resort and The First Tee have joined to develop an innovative educational program surrounding the game of golf. The Future Leaders Forum will be a three-day immersion in the sport, business and science of golf, which will also provide character education to prepare tomorrow's leaders for college and the future.

The forum will involve up to 50 high school students, who will be selected through an essay competition and application process from among the top students enrolled in The First Tee Life Skills Education program. It will be held annually, with the inaugural event taking place in November 2007 coinciding with the long-running PGA Tour event at Walt Disney World Resort.

Students will attend learning sessions on horticulture, turf management, human relations, hospitality, marketing, technology, environmental sciences and the sport of golf. They will also shadow tournament staff to learn what it takes to run a PGA Tour tournament.

"We would like to thank Walt Disney World Resort, The Toro Co., and the PGA Tour for creating this wonderful opportunity for our participants," said Joe Louis Barrow Jr., executive director of The First Tee. "The opportunity to interact with and learn from some of the most respected experts in the industry is an incredibly valuable experience. This relationship and learning platform only increases our participants' potential for success."

The program for the Future Leaders Forum is being developed by curriculum professionals at The First Tee, with insight from Toro and Disney. Some of the concepts in development or under consideration include:

• Insight into the Disney Institute – Exposure to executive-level programs focused on building leadership skills, people management and customer service skills.
• Innovation in education – Explore opportunities presented through turf management schools and programs focused on golf course hospitality and business.
• Preparing for college – In conjunction with The First Tee's PACE program, students will gain knowledge on evaluating colleges, the application process and preparing for college entrance exams.
• Inside look into the operations of Disney – Students will get a rare look behind the scenes.
• Maintaining the beautiful grounds of Walt Disney World Resort – Learn how Disney horticulturists and groundskeepers use Toro equipment to help maintain the grounds.
• New technologies in turf – Look at how Toro innovations are shaping the turf industry. Advancements in alternative fuel sources, and irrigation solutions that promote smart water management.

"These young students represent our future – individuals who one day could become leaders in our industry," said Mike Hoffman, chairman and CEO of the Toro Co. "We're excited to have this opportunity to further our relationship with The First Tee and Disney, as we work together on an initiative important to all of us."

The application process will be open to all 202 Chapters of The First Tee in 46 states, but a maximum of 50 students will be selected to participate. Nominees must be either a high school sophomore, junior or senior enrolled in the Birdie-certified life skills program, with at least three years of active participation in their Chapter.

Tecumseh looking for an old engine

If there's an old snow thrower lurking somewhere in your maintenance facility, Tecumseh Power Co. wants to hear about it. The company is looking for the oldest working snow thrower powered by a Tecumseh Snow King, Lauson or Power Products engine.

As part of their "100 Years of Winter Power" celebration, Tecumseh will give the owner of the oldest working snow thrower a new snow thrower powered by a Tecumseh Snow King engine—up to a $1,500 retail value. The owner of the second oldest snow thrower will receive a Tecumseh Winter Survival Package worth up to $250.

The company is also offering the owners of the two oldest ice augers their choice of a new Jiffy or StrikeMaster ice auger. The owner of the third oldest ice auger will receive a Tecumseh Winter Survival Package.

To claim the prize for the oldest working snow thrower or ice auger, the owner must contact an Authorized Tecumseh Servicing Dealer. The dealer will verify the working condition and age of the machines and enter them in the contest.

A dealer who offers the oldest snow thrower will get their choice of several available tropical vacations for two or $1,500 cash. The second oldest will get a gift credit card worth $500 and an anniversary Tecumseh Snow King jacket.

All entries must be submitted by Jan. 31, 2007, and winners will be announced on March 1, 2007. For more, visit http://www.WinASnowKing.com.