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MSGA HELPS GOLF IN MANY VARIED WAYS
BOATWRIGHT INTERN HAS LEARNED TO LOVE THE GAME
LICENSE PLATES FOR JUNIOR GOLF
The idea was the brainchild of Carla Berg, Executive Secretary of the Montana State Women's Golf Association and Cindy Reimers of Sun Mountain Sports. An artist associated with Sun Mountain drew up several designs and the Montana State Golf Association selected the final plate. The design includes the MSGA/MSWGA logo, a golfer in the foreground with mountains as a backdrop, and the model thereon "Golf the Big Sky." Jim Opitz, executive director of the MSGA, says the plates will originally cost $35 (over and above your regular fees and taxes) and will be $20 per year for a renewal sticker. The MSGA will get $20 from the original fee to be split with the Women's Association, $10 goes to the Montana State Prison for setting up the printing, and $5 goes to your County Treasurer. After the first year the $20 renewal fee all goes tot he two state associations. Since both the women's and men's state associations are heavily involved in the junior golf program, most of this money will benefit Montana's young players.
WHITEFISH HOSTING GIRLS JUNIOR AMERICA'S CUP One of the most prestigious junior golf tournaments in the country, the Girls Junior America's Cup, comes to Whitefish July 27-31. Since the America's Cup rotates among the eighteen participating state, sectional, and provincial associations, this is truly a "once (maybe two or three times) in a lifetime event." Teams will converge on the Whitefish Lake Golf Course for the 5-day event from 18 separate states and sections in the U.S. Teams will also attend from Canada and Mexico. Obviously to host an event of this magnitude requires a great deal of volunteer effort and, of course, money. Mary Ann Rodman (406-862-3713) of Whitefish is spearheading the volunteer department and is looking for host families, walking scorers and various other types of volunteers. It seems to be a great way to spend a few days away from the daily routine, foster the game of golf, and perhaps see some future LPGA players in action. In the past such current LPGA members as Grace Park Brandie Burton and Dorothy Delasin have played in this event. As is usual with these types of events, they involve the outlay of goodly amounts of money despite the joint sponsorship of the event by Whitefish Lake GC and the Montana State Golf Association. There are four levels of sponsorship: Bronze, $25 to $149; Silver, $150 to $249; Gold, $250 to $499; and Platinum, $500 plus. Sponsorships should be sent to @003 Girls Junior Americas Cup, CJAC Sponsor, PO Box 591, Whitefish, MT 59937. Teams (often more than one from the more populated states) will be on hand form Mexico, British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado. Even if you don't have the time, desire or disposable income to otherwise participate, you should set aside some time to take a look at some of the competition. The various teams are always strong representatives of their sponsoring organization and are composed of some of the strongest female golfers in the Western United States, Mexico and Canada. As Rodman says, "we only get to host this every 18 years so let's make this a great year."
A LITTLE TOWN WITH A BIG WELCOME It is most likely the smallest town to ever host a statewide State Golf Association event, but when Shelby sets its mind to it, it does its best to make a sporting event something to be remembered. Does Dempsey-Gibbons come to mind? Anyway, the Marias Valley Golf Course has been seeking for some time to get on the rotation for Montana State Golf Association events. A few years ago the MSGA awarded the 2003 Men's Mid-Amateur Tournament to the club situated along the banks of the Marias River some 8 to 10 miles south of Shelby and they appear to have jumped on the opportunity. Marias Valley sent out a letter, scorecard and a brochure to just about every potential golfer in the state earlier this year. Given the fact that in recent years clubs in more populous areas have been hesitant to play host to any of the four Montana "majors," the welcome mat, which has apparently been laid out in Shelby, is refreshing. Those who have played the course (because of its somewhat remote location that is far fewer than the course deserves) comment on its playability and condition and feel it is a true test of golf for a state event. Marias Valley features a good deal of water and generous vistas of trees which make straying off course not only an adventure but costly (think penalty strokes and $4 balls). It has four sets of tees on each hole, but most likely those will be varied throughout the three-day tourney, which runs August 21-23. The course rating and slope for the three sets of tees that will be used are: 71.5 and 122, 69.2 and 118, and 65.2 and 108. The course has a full-service golf pro shop, a practice area, chipping and putting greens and food and beverages are available. Travis Clark is the host professional and Tom Russell is the course superintendent. It seems that if the Board of Directors at Marias Valley have their way, the 2003 event may be only the first of many future "majors" at the course just south of the Canadian border.
STATE JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS Montana's junior golfers converged at Missoula Country Club June 23-24, to compete for top honors in three age divisions (boys and girls): 16-17; 14-15; and 13-under. The top four overall finishers in both the boys' and girls' competitions qualified for the Junior America's Cup, July 28-31. The boys' tourney is in Las Vegas, while the girls' tourney will be hosted by Whitefish Lake Golf Club. Mike Frye of Culbertson shot a 2-under-par 69 Tuesday to capture the boys' 16-17 age division. Frye, who shot an opening-round 73, completed his two rounds at MCC in even-par 142 to post a three-shot victory over first-day leader Josh Hedge of Bozeman. Tyson Bickford of Great Falls won the boys' 14-15 honors, carding a 3-over 74 to finish at 151. Opening-round leader Jeff Allen of Dillon shot a 77 on Tuesday and finished at 153, followed by Geoff Oliphant of Billings at 157.Sam Krause claimed a five-shot victory in the boys' 13-under division. He finished at 155, followed by K.C. Kindle of Malta at 160. Britney Hayes of Bozeman, the reigning Montana Women's Amateur champ, came from a one-stroke deficit to win the girls' 16- 17 division over Darah Newell of Helena. Hayes shot a 3-over 76 on Tuesday and closed with a total of 154. Newell shot an 81 to finish at 158. Great Falls' Tina Bickford and Billings' Rachel Warren tied for third at 165.Maresa Jenson of Whitefish was victorious in the girls' 14-15 division, closing with an 84 and a total of 167. Runner-up Rose Stepanek of Billings was 26 strokes behind. Morgan Lee of Great Falls claimed the girls' 13-under crown by one shot over Whitney Lamb of Missoula. Full field results can be found at www.montana.net/msga/.
HIGH
SCHOOL GOLF CHANGES - FOR THE BETTER Quietly a change has come about in Montana high school athletics and the consensus seems to be that it is a good one. Last fall the state's bigger schools started competition in the fall (it has historically been conducted in the spring) and acceptance has been enthusiastic. There were a lot of people, high school administrators, coaches, golf pros and even parents who have been agitating for a change for some time. There was also a good-sized cadre of those who opposed it. Jim Haugen, executive director of the Montana High School Association which oversees athletics in Montana's high schools, said a lot of discussion went into the proposal. "Before we did it we sent out a survey to 43 pros across the state. We got a vote of 27-4 in favor and two of the ones opposing it said they would be in favor if we started the season after October 15." He said the MHSA and the state's high schools had been considering the change and then "the AA superintendents said they would take their schools' golf programs away from MHSA supervision if we didn't change." Haugen said that from his perspective it's been a good move. "All we've gotten have been compliments," he said. The move, at least thus far, has only affected the state's larger schools, those in class AA and A, since the B and C classification schools voted to retain the old spring season at least for now. That determination by the smaller schools makes some sense when you consider
it. As Jim Opitz, executive director of the Montana state golf association,
says, "most of the B and C schools use public courses for their practice
and competition and that's a difference." As Opitz, who is also athletic
director for both Helena high schools, explains it, " the bigger
schools use a lot of private courses and we have to keep in mind the wants
and desires of the members of those courses. In the spring everyone wants
to get out on the course and when members are itching to get out and they
can't because of a high school golf tournament it can create some real
problems. In the fall, after Labor Day, a lot of those members have other
things to do: hunting, watching football, etc., and they aren't using
the courses." Opitz, who has the unique double view mentioned, also notes another reason for the B-C decision. "The smaller schools have less overlap in athletics with a spring season. A lot of their potential golfers are also in football or girls volleyball and they thus have a conflict in the fall. They don't have the pool of athletes to draw from that the larger schools do." Ray Hunthausen, golf pro at Helena's Green Meadow County Club and an early proponent of the idea said, "when it was first suggested there was some opposition primarily from up in the Northwest because that is apparently their heavy tourist use season." Oddly enough Kalispell (Northern Pines and Village Greens) will be hosting the state AA-A tourney this fall. Hunthausen pointed out some of the benefits he, other pros and obviously both Haugen and Opitz see in the new season. He said, " The primary benefit you get is the weather and the fact the courses are in much better shape. In the spring you get a lot of rainouts and can have some terrifically cold weather the kids have to contend with. This generally is not a factor in the fall." Opitz added "we've had Invitationals in the spring where the kids have had to play on temporary greens because of course conditions." While no one mentioned it, it seems another factor dictating fall play is the viewpoint of greens superintendents. Getting a course ready for play during dicey weather in the spring is difficult enough without having to prepare it for a tournament. Opitz said that even in the large schools some of the kids have to make a choice between football or volleyball and golf. "I think overall we lost some good kids to the other sports but we gained some (from spring sports) as well," he observed. Opitz also commented that even with the change it is still hard to get courses to allow high school play but that "generally the kids now feel like they're welcome when they go some place to play and that they are not in the way." Julie Murray, a high school golfer in Helena, likes the change citing weather, condition of courses, and the fact that she can use all summer to get ready for competition. Hunthausen pointed to this latter item as perhaps his prime reason for backing the change. "This way the kids have all summer to practice, play in other competitions and get ready for the high school season. When they compete in the fall they are in peak form. This is important since our kids are competing against kids all over the country for college scholarships." Julie's father, Bill, pointed out another advantage typical of a parent's viewpoint, "This way we can get back to Friday-Saturday competition which means the kids will miss less school." This observation comes from the fact that many courses, because of member pressure, will not allow the high schools to compete on Fridays and Saturdays but require Invitationals on other days of the week. Opitz perhaps summed it up best: "Change is always hard, but in the long run this was best for the kids." And for the game of golf.
STATE TOURNAMENTS THROUGHOUT STATE As is normal, the sites for the five statewide tournaments this year are spread across this great state of ours. Rarely does one area of Montana host more than one of the "majors," and this year is no exception. The oldest of the state events, the Montana Men's Amateur, will be conducted this year in the Capital City at Helena's Green Meadow Country Club. Dates for this event are July 21-25. From July 21 -24 the Yellowstone Country Club in Billings plays host to the 86th Women's Amateur Championship. This is combined with the Montana Women's Senior Amateur Championship. More than 300 of the state's veteran golfers will gather August 4 - 7 in Great Falls for the Montana Seniors Tournament. This will be conducted at two courses: Meadow Lark Country Club and Eagle Falls. Shelby will be a first time host to the Men's Mid-Amateur in late August. Marias Valley will be the site for this event, which is set for the 21St through the 23rd. And the state's younger golfers will be competing this year at Missoula Country Club in the State Juniors event. As far as the future is concerned, Polson has indicated an interest in hosting the Junior event in the near future and Ronan may play host to the Women's event in 2004. It is good for the game of golf in Montana to see more courses willing to join the rotation of the various tournaments and this could bring about changes in the current schedule. Until further notice, however, this is the schedule for the near future: MEN'S AM WOMEN'S AM and SENIOR AM MID-AM SENIORS JUNIORS
AN EVER GROWING
RESPONSIBILITY How about the MSGA's responsibility to constantly rate and rerate golf courses in the state so they conform to standards set by the United States Golf Association with an eye toward equitable handicaps throughout the state. It seems a year doesn't go by when several new golf courses are constructed, which then require a rating by one of the rating teams certified by the MSGA and the USGA to do this work. Add to that the requirement that courses be rated on a regular basis and the occasional rerating required by extensive reconstruction of part or all of an older course, and you have plenty of work for an ever decreasing cadre of raters. As an example of the proliferation of courses John Frankino, captain of the rating team in the Helena area, points out that his district currently includes 30 separate golf courses within less than 150 miles of the Capital City. Only a few years ago that number was only half of today's roster. Being on a rating team requires a certain commitment of time to the game, which many are apparently unwilling to undertake. One must attend a rating seminar here in Montana and undergo the training for he job. Neither of these require an arduous commitment, but there is time involved in coordinating one's schedule with other team members. Then more time must be spent taking a day to travel to/from a golf course and actually performing the rating. Additionally Frankino says that many people who have signed up for teams have quit because of a lack of work rather than too much. "We've been trying to overcome this problem within the MSGA by scheduling 3 or 4 courses each year for the various teams to work on so that we can keep our people up to date and train new raters. We have 12 to 14 courses on the schedule to be rated this year throughout the state and we have a schedule pretty much in place through 2012." This of course will be altered as new courses are built and put in play. Course rating has become much simpler as well and is not the voodoo magic it once appeared. Frankino said that now teams basically look at things that can accurately be measured such as landing areas, width of fairways and greens, and size of traps sorry bunkers. These figures are then fed into computer tables. Gone are some of the more esoteric items that used to be considered and that many felt were over or underrated when compiling a handicap or slope rating for a course. "The new programs will make rating more accurate," Frankino said. "Most of the stuff now is non-discussion and we have a spreadsheet (which is constantly updated) for our teams that incorporates everything. We are a long way from when we began." Frankino added that there are still onsite adjustments that a team makes but these rarely affect a result to a large degree. Gary Sisson of Bozeman, a long time member of the MSGA Board of Directors, commented "all of us (the MSGA and the golfers of Montana) should be proud and grateful for the work the rating teams have done and continue to do in the state." Frankino also said that work is continuing on distributing the MSGA markers that will be installed on the various tees at member clubs. The markers which bear the MSGA emblem and the accurate yardage from that particular tee location are being placed this spring at Butte Country Club, Missoula Country Club, Marias Valley in Shelby and Riverside Country Club in Bozeman. Since the markers are placed on at least three tee locations (red, white and blue) for each hole, that's 54 markers for each course. At a cost of $ 11 each, this is a good-sized budget item for the MSGA.
If
you really want to get better at golf,
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