Year: 2018

Remembering Celia Barquin Arozamena

The Iowa Golf Association and the entire golf community in and around the state wish to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Celia Barquin Arozamena. She was an outstanding amateur golfer with a terrific career ahead of her.

In addition to Celia’s family and friends, we cannot help but think about everyone in the Iowa State men’s & women’s golf programs, the ISU athletics department, and the members and staff at Coldwater Golf Links. To have this type of unspeakable, senseless tragedy happen on a golf course, where we all have spent so much time, makes it that much worse. Please keep all those affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.

Late yesterday, it was made public that the family has established an official memorial fund. It is named the “Remembering Celia Memorial Fund” and those monies will be directed to Celia’s family to be used to honor her memory. We realize many of you did not know Celia personally, however, as a golfer, you are probably still feeling some connection. We thought to send out information on ways to express your sympathy and thoughts was appropriate.

If you wish to contribute monetarily, checks should be made payable to the “Remembering Celia Memorial Fund” and directed to:
First National Bank
c/o Remembering Celia Memorial Fund
405 Fifth Street
Ames, IA 50010.

IGA staff has spoken with ISU representatives and have learned that while the family would appreciate any donations to the above fund, reading memorials or memories about Celia is really what would mean the most to them. Even if you did not know her personally (which is most of us), we are all golfers and share the connection of the love & passion for the game that she certainly had, so even a note expressing sympathy from a fellow golfer would be more than appropriate and much appreciated.

In this regard, the cards or letters can be sent in her memory to:
Remembering Celia
P.O. Box 46
Ames IA 50010

Finally, consider the next time you play a round of golf, just take a moment to think about Celia and how much she loved and cherished the game. We are certain her, her friends and her family would appreciate that.

Best in golf,

-IGA Board of Directors & Staff

Six Iowans set to make a run at 38th U.S. Mid-Amateur

Click here to follow updates & live scoring

A total of six Iowans will be in the field at the 38th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship being held in Charlotte, N.C. Iowa’s Gene Elliott (Top 400 World Amateur Golf Ranking) and Mike McCoy (2013 Mid-Amateur champion; 2015 Walker Cup competitor), who are both exempt into the field, will join Joe Palmer, JD Anderson, Nate Dunn and Kyle Davies. This will be the first U.S. Mid-Amateur contested in the state of North Carolina.

Players will play both Charlotte Country Club (CCC) and Carolina Golf Club (CGC) during the stroke play portion of the event. The field, which begins with 264 players, will be cut to 64, after stroke play rounds are complete, that will advance into match play. A total of 4,709 entries were accepted by the USGA this year for the event, the most since 1997. The U.S. Mid-Amateur is open to any golfer who turns 25 as of Sept. 22 and whose Handicap Index does not exceed 3.4.

Stroke play will begin on Saturday, Sept. 22, with the following tee times (listed in CDT) for those from Iowa:
-Nate Dunn, Cedar Rapids 7:30 a.m. – CGC
-Mike McCoy, Norwalk 6:42 a.m. – CCC
-Kyle Davies, Iowa City 8:20 a.m. – CGC
-Gene Elliott. West Des Moines 11:37 a.m. – CCC
-Joe Palmer, West Des Moines 11:59 a.m. – CCC
-J.D. Anderson, Johnston 12:32 p.m. – CGC

 

Tropical Storm Florence Spares U.S. Mid-Amateur Courses in Charlotte
By David Shefter, USGA

Like many residents of the Carolinas, John Szklinski anxiously watched as Hurricane Florence made landfall late last week. The longtime superintendent of Charlotte Country Club (pictured at the top of the page), the host site for the 38th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, had every reason to be concerned a week ahead of the competition.

Fortunately, Charlotte Country Club and stroke-play co-host Carolina Golf Club were mostly spared from the nearly 8 inches of rain that fell over a two-day period. Two trees came down at Charlotte C.C., one of which landed on the sixth green, but remarkably didn’t affect the putting surface. The course’s two creeks never overflowed and its bunkers did not wash out, bringing smiles to the maintenance staff, because as Szklinski noted, “Nobody likes shoveling wet sand.”

“We were very fortunate,” said Szklinski. “When a creek overflows its banks, you can have a real mess.”

The club’s 29 full-time staffers spent two days clearing the two fallen trees, branches and other debris from the course. By Wednesday, the course was ready for the 264 competitors – the USGA’s second-largest championship in terms of field size – to start their practice rounds on Thursday. Because it has fewer trees, there was less debris to clean up at Carolina Golf Club.

“The beauty is the rain didn’t come down all at once,” said Szklinski, who has been at Charlotte Country Club for 11 years. “It was over a two-, two-and-a-half-day period. That’s not really all that bad.”

Added Bill McCarthy, the USGA’s director of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship: “John and [Carolina Golf Club superintendent] Matthew [Wharton], along with their teams, did an incredible job recovering from Florence. This was no surprise as they are the best in the business.”

Thanks to that cleanup effort, the stage is now set for a world-class field of amateurs age 25 and older to begin their quest for the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy. Following two rounds of stroke play this weekend (one on each course), the low 64 scorers advance to match play, starting on Monday. FS1 will have live coverage of the semifinals and 36-hole final match on Wednesday, Sept. 26 and Thursday, Sept. 27 from 4-6 p.m. EDT. Fans are encouraged to come out and watch the action.

Burkholders repeat at Iowa Wife-Husband, Dethrows win Super Senior Division for fourth time

It was familiar faces atop the leaderboard at the 58th Iowa Wife-Husband Championship this year. Reed and Julianna Burkholder (above) took home the title for the second year in a row. The Burkholders also shared the title in 2015. This year’s event was held again at Lake Panorama National Resort and couples played a modified alternate shot format in which both players would tee off, pick the preferred shot and then alternate from there.

The Burkholders opened with an impressive 68 (-4) in the opening round and followed that up with a 75 (+3) to finish the tournament under par at 143 (-1). Julie and Aaron Stevens were runners-up with rounds of 71-74 (+1). Rounding out the top five were Ryan/Amanda Lambert (+4), Brad/Kendra Henningsen (+4), Molly/Jeff Cleven (+7) and Robin/Doug Webb (+7).

In the Super Senior Division (combined age of 130 or more) Carroll and John Dethrow (right) outdistanced the field by three to win the division for the fourth time overall. The Dethrows, who shot 154 (+10) this year, captured the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Super Senior Division. Last year’s Super Senior champions, Jeanette and Raymond Fredericksen, finished in second place at 157 (+13), while John and Julie Lisle and Mike and Becki Wetter tied for third place at 171 (+27).

Flight winners included:
1st Flight – Kelli Koenigsberg / Kevin Koenigsberg (158)
2nd Flight – Andy Burton / Sheila Burton (159)
3rd Flight – Heidi Foster / Rodney Foster (169)
4th Flight – Eliza Ovrom / Mark Schuling (181)
5th Flight – Phyllis Connolly / Omar Connolly (190)
Super Senior 1st Flight – Tish Keltner / Job Keltner (178)

Click here to see a full recap of scoring.

2019 Rules of Golf – Just Around the Corner

 

January 1, 2019 is going to get here faster than we all think.  That means that the most comprehensive changes to the Rules of Golf to ever take place are almost here.  Today, the USGA announced that they have published the new rules that will go into effect on January 1.

Read the entire release here

2019 will mark significant changes to the rules themselves, as well as significant changes to the way we all learn and research the rules.  For the first time, a “Player’s Edition” to the rules will be published.  This will be shorter than the regular rules book and will be written in the second-person, to allow for better comprehension.  The new rules book will feature more graphics and diagrams and the updated Rules of Golf Mobile App and USGA website will include even more videos, showing examples of the rules and how they should be applied.

Finally, there will no longer be a “Decisions on the Rules of Golf” book.  This is being replaced by the new “Official Guide to the Rules of Golf”, which will be available in November.  The “Official Guide” is currently available via digital formats at usga.org or via your mobile app.

VISIT THE USGA RULES HOME

WATCH 25 SHORT VIDEOS DEMONSTRATING THE NEW RULES OF GOLF

Golf’s Modernized Rules and New Player’s Edition Published

Publications Feature Most Significant Changes to Rules of Golf in More Than 60 Years

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. AND ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND (Sept. 12, 2018) – Golf’s new Rules have been published by the USGA and The R&A ahead of their effective date on Jan. 1, 2019.

For the first time, a new Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf is being introduced to provide a shorter, more user-friendly version of the Rules for golfers at all levels of the game. This version, which will serve as the primary publication for all golfers, features:

• A more intuitive organization with 10 simplified topical groupings

• A “Purpose of the Rule” description at the top of each Rule, to better define why the Rule exists

• Easy-to-follow, full-color diagrams and charts to aid in understanding

• A simpler, more direct writing style

Two million copies of the Player’s Edition will be distributed in the United States and its territories and Mexico by the USGA and a similar number by The R&A in its respective governance jurisdiction, all with the support of Rolex. The new book will be translated into more than 30 languages.

The Player’s Edition is being launched alongside the modernized full Rules of Golf book, which includes some of the most significant changes made to the Rules in more than 60 years.

Thomas Pagel, senior managing director, Governance for the USGA, said, “From the project’s inception, our one goal was to make the Rules easier to understand and apply for all golfers. It sets a new standard in the way we write and interpret the Rules and is central to our efforts to ensure a healthy future for golf. We look forward to continuing that process in the years to come.”

David Rickman, executive director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We are delighted to be rolling out the modernized Rules of Golf today. This is the biggest set of changes to the Rules in a generation and a major step forward in our efforts to make the Rules, and the sport itself, more accessible and more in tune with the way the modern sport is played.”

A new Official Guide to the Rules of Golf is also available in digital format via website and official apps today, with a printed version to be released in November. Designed for golf administrators and club officials, the Guide features Interpretations on specific Rules (which replace the current Decisions) and includes the first jointly-produced Committee Procedures document, providing practical guidance to Committees for running competitions and overseeing general play.

Another key feature is the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. This document is released alongside the Rules of Golf and enables players with disabilities to play fairly with other players with the same or different types of disability and, importantly, with those without disabilities. The Modified Rules were developed in close consultation with the community of players with disabilities and disability organizations.

All of the new books are available in digital formats online at usga.org/rules and the official USGA Rules of Golf app, and through The R&A outside of the United States, Mexico and its territories. A range of explanatory videos and resources is available on both websites to enable all golfers to learn about the 2019 Rules.

Extensive educational programs are being conducted around the world, with the assistance of national and regional associations, to ensure that golfers and administrators throughout amateur and professional golf are ready for the new Rules when they take effect on January 1.

The process to modernize the Rules began in 2012 with the aim of making the Rules easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to help make golf more appealing and accessible for newcomers.

Some of the key changes in the new Rules include new procedures for dropping the ball when taking relief, the elimination or reduction of several penalties, relaxed putting green and bunker rules, and rules that encourage improved pace of play.

Golfers are reminded that the current Rules of Golf remain in effect for the remainder of 2018. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of the review process.

As an extension of its support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A and the USGA’s efforts to modernize golf’s Rules. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the sport, from the leading professional and amateur competitions and organizations to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

# # #

Instructions for Ordering Rules of Golf 2019 Publications from the USGA

Printed copies of the Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf, the complete Rules of Golf, and the Official Guidebook can be ordered at usgapublications.com.

Digital versions exist at usga.org/rules or via the official USGA app found on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Please note that the 2019 version will update today if users have enabled automatic updates on their mobile device.

About the USGA
The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, as well as 10 amateur championships and international matches, attracting players and fans around the world. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, equipment standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings, with a working jurisdiction in the United States, its territories and Mexico.

The USGA is one of the world’s foremost authorities on research, development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and invests in the development of the game through the delivery of its services and the work of the USGA Foundation. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents. For more information, visit www.usga.org.

About The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A runs The Open, elite amateur events, international matches and rankings. Together The R&A and the USGA govern the sport of golf worldwide, operating in separate jurisdictions but sharing a commitment to a single code for the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status and Equipment Standards. The R&A, through R&A Rules Ltd, governs the sport worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, on behalf of over 36 million golfers in 143 countries and with the consent of 156 organisations from amateur and professional golf.

The R&A is committed to working for golf and supports the growth of the sport internationally and the development and management of sustainable golf facilities. For more information, visit www.randa.org.

Leszczynski wins 53rd Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur in playoff, Fortune captures Super Senior Division

It was 9 a.m. and the ladies were off with a shotgun start for the final round of the Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur. A short weather delay towards the end and a playoff made for an exciting end to the Championship.

Three birdies helped Robin Webb shoot the low round of 75 on the second day, which propelled her from tied for fifth to tied for first. Webb is no stranger to finishing at the top of IGA Women’s events, coming off of a win in the Open Division of this years Women’s Amateur.

Laura Leszcznski was also tied for first after round two. She was disappointed with her putting after the first day and thought it was a major contribution to her 84. She was determined to fix it in the final round.

“I had seven three putts and one four putt and knew I wanted to work on my short game. It really paid off today because I got up and down from all over the place and missed very few putts.”

During a 15-minute weather delay today Leszczynski heard that Robin Webb was playing well, but she wasn’t sure of an exact number since Webb was in the group behind her.

After finishing with a 76, Leszczynski put her clubs in her car and waited for results. Once she learned that she would be a in a playoff against Webb she rushed to her car and the nerves kicked in, luckily she had support.

“I was a little anxious so I grabbed Kathy Fortune (fellow competitor and low Super Senior) and said I just need you to come with me to talk to me. She just tried to distract me which is perfect and just what I needed.”

Webb was first to tee off on hole 18 for the playoff, hitting it on the fairway. Leszczynski’s shot went in the left rough, but with 113 yards to the hole, it turned out to be the perfect position. Her second shot left her with a 15 -foot putt for birdie from the fringe, putting pressure on Webb.

Webb’s second shot landed in a bunker, leaving her with an extremely difficult lie to get out of. After an unsuccessful attempt to get up and down Webb conceited the playoff, naming Laura Leszczynski champion of the 53rd Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur.

When asked about her general thoughts of the day she raved about Sunnyside Country Club.

“The course was in fabulous condition. It was one of the nicest golf courses I’ve played all summer and I’ve played a lot of courses outside of Iowa. It was fun to grind it out today on a really good golf course.”

Kathy Fortune posted an 83 for the day, naming her low Super Senior. Other top finishers included first flight winner Beth Duenow and second flight winner Bonnie Jones.  Click here to view full results.

Iowa’s Elliott, McCoy move on at U.S. Senior Amateur

Mike McCoy (right), the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur winner and Gene Elliott (left) have been longtime forces in the amateur game both as teammates and foes. The pair has battled it out for years in Iowa Golf Association events and also on the national stage.

Iowa’s own Gene Elliott and Mike McCoy both won their Round of 32 matches this morning at the U.S. Senior Amateur being played at Eugene Country Club. Elliott defeated Michael Rowley 1 up, while McCoy defeated Robert Funk 2&1.

McCoy will face Buzz Fly and Elliott will take on Ned Zachar (Iowa native) this afternoon in the Round of 16.

Click here to follow live scoring from all matches and to see a recap of scoring from previous rounds.

Iowa’s Elliott, McCoy & Palmer advance in match play at U.S. Senior Amateur

Iowa’s Mike McCoy, Gene Elliott and Joe Palmer (pictured above L-R) all advanced into the Round of 32 at the 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur being contested at Eugene CC, Eugene, OR.

Palmer’s stroke play total of 142 (-2) earned him the #3 seed into match play, while Elliott (144 – E) and McCoy (148 – +4) earned the #7 and #17 seed respectively. Iowa native Ned Zachar (#23 seed) also qualified for match play and won his opening round match.

The Round of 32 matches stack up like this:

McCoy vs. Robert Funk – 9:12 a.m. (CDT)
Elliott vs. Michael Rowley – 11 a.m.
Zachar vs. George ‘Buddy’ Marucci – 11:12 a.m.
Palmer vs. Craig Davis – 11:24 a.m.

Click here to follow live scoring from all matches and for a recap of stroke play qualifying.

Palmer serves up a winner at 40th Iowa Senior Amateur, Sergeant captures Super Senior Division

West Des Moines’ Joe Palmer (above) is used to serving up winners.

Palmer added his name to the Iowa Senior Amateur trophy on Wednesday afternoon for the third time. Palmer won the event in 2013 and 2015 prior to his recent victory.

Palmer, who was in a dogfight with Jon Brown most of the day in the final round, got off to a nice start. Both Palmer and Brown turned in 33 (-3) and Brown pulled ahead after Palmer found trouble on #13 and made double bogey.

Palmer needed something to happen and it did. Palmer birdied three of his last four holes, including back to back on #15 and #16, to outdistance Brown by two when the dust had settled.

“Those (the back to back birdies on #15-16) got the round salvaged,” Palmer said. “I didn’t make many mistakes (early today) and then I hooked it into the bushes on #13 and had to take an unplayable. That kind of derailed me a bit, but I just tried to stay in the moment. It was unfortunate that Jon had some trouble in the bunker (on #16).”

Stay in the moment he did and closed the door on Brown with a 25 foot birdie putt on #18 (pictured right) that looked good from the start. Palmer who will head to Oregon for the U.S. Senior Amateur on Thursday commented that this is an event that is very important to him.

“The bomb on #18 was awesome,” Palmer said. “It looked good about 10 feet out. I don’t want to ever miss this event if I can. I wanted to commit to our senior major (event). I have time to get to Oregon and I am excited to get there.”

Palmer said playing 54 holes and winning the 40th Iowa Senior Amateur is the best prep he could ask for heading into the U.S. Senior Amateur.

“This was as good of a warm up as any,” Palmer said. “One of the keys this week for me was only having to play six holes on the first day (due to weather delay), it was getting dicey out there. I used to consider myself a ‘mudder’, but maybe not so much anymore. It was nice to get a restart and play 30 holes on day two at one under. I was glad to get 54 holes in.”

In the Super Senior Division, Dave Sergeant (left) bettered his age (73) in both the second and third round to win by two strokes over a hard charging Jim Butler. Sergeant put together rounds of 75-72-71 (+2) for the event and admitted he didn’t really know where he stood coming down the stretch. Butler closed with a 33 (-3), including three birdies in his first four holes coming in on the back nine (Butler started on #10).

“I thought Jim was leading with all the birdies he was making,” Sergeant said. “I am really happy to win.”

Click here to see a full recap of scoring.

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