Category: Uncategorized

Boone’s Jim Curell passes away

Schroeder-Stark-Welin Funeral Home in Boone will be live streaming Jim Curell’s service on Friday, April 24, at 10 a.m. This can be viewed from their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/SchroederStarkWelin/

 

Jim Curell, 67, of Boone, passed away Sunday afternoon, April 19, 2020. Curell, affectionately known as ‘The Legend’, was a household name on the Iowa golf scene for over 50 years.

Curell was described recently by Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member Rick Brown as being a gentleman golfer in the truest sense of the word.  He had a homemade swing that produced outstanding results.  He was  a three-time winner of the Lake Creek Amateur (1979, 1981, 1999), twice a champion at the Northwest Amateur ((1982, 1988) and low amateur at the Iowa Open (1992). Curell also was victorious at the 1980 Tournament of Champions and 1987 Iowa Mid-Amateur. Curell earned IGA Player of the Year honors in 1979.

Once Curell entered the Senior Division, he was still a force to be reckoned with – winning the 2005 IGA Four-Ball Senior Division with partner Bruce Gervais, 2011 Senior Match Play and was the 2014 Iowa Masters Senior Division champion. Curell was the IGA Senior Player of the Year in 2010 & 2011 and twice qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur (2010, 2011).

In addition to his wonderful playing record, Curell gave back to the game that had given him so much.  Upon his retirement from Redeker’s Furniture in Boone, he began helping maintain the grounds at his home course, Honey Creek.  He also served in a volunteer capacity on the committee that administers the Iowa Masters at Veenker each year.

Curell will be remembered by all golfers as having a true passion for the game of golf and as one of the most respected players to play on the IGA circuit. Our sympathies go out to Curell’s wife, Kim; sons, Andy and Ryan and grandchildren, Alex, Josie, & Will.

A small, private service will be held for family on Friday, April 24, at Schroeder-Stark-Welin in Boone. A memorial celebration of Jim’s life will be announced for a later date this summer. Memorials may be made to the family and will be used to memorialize Jim with a stone bench to be placed at Honey Creek. You can view Curell’s obituary by clicking here.

We encourage you to share your favorite memories of “The Legend” in the comments section below.  We will share these memories with Kim and all of Jim’s family. 

2020 Hall of Fame Induction Rescheduled to Sept 10

The 2020 Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines on Thursday, September 10th.

The induction ceremony for the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame “Class of 2020” has been set for Thursday, September 10th.

The new date for the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Induction Ceremony has been set.  Beth Bader, John Benda and Judd Gibb will join the Hall of Fame on Thursday, September 10th during a ceremony held at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines. The ceremony was originally scheduled for April 16th but was postponed due to concerns about the coronavirus with travel and congregating in large groups. 

The induction of the three will bring the total number in the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame to 86. Read about the accomplishments of the three inductees by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.

Tickets to the September 10th ceremony are $50.  Food will be served prior to the induction ceremony taking place. You can sign up to attend by clicking here or you can call the IGA office at 515-207-1062.

The general schedule is as follows:

  • Thursday, September 10th
  • Wakonda Club (3915 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, IA 50321)
  • 6:00 p.m. to approx 7:30 p.m. – Social hour and dinner
  • 7:30 to approx 9:00 p.m. – Induction ceremony
  • 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. – Mingle and take photos

Click here to read about Beth, John and Judd’s various accomplishments.

SIGN UP TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY

Update on IGA Championships (March 30, 2020)

March 30, 2020

Dear IGA Members and Iowa golfers,

We hope this email finds you and your families safe and healthy. Like all of you, we are looking forward to things getting back to normal. Hopefully, that is sooner rather than later but the truth is, no one can really say for sure.

Many of you participate in IGA Championships and might be wondering whether we plan to cancel or postpone any events. On Friday, our Board of Directors met and discussed this, in consultation with recommendations from our Rules & Competitions Committees.

It was determined not to postpone any of our championships at this time. We do have a plan in place, should we need it, to postpone events until June 1st. We will make a decision whether to go forward with that plan – or any variations thereof – around mid-April. Our first championship is the Iowa Mid-Amateur slated for May 8-9 at Sunnyside CC in Waterloo. (link to entire schedule) Should that happen, we will notify our membership via email, website notices and social media posts. We have established potential new dates with our host clubs for all events in May (Mid-Amateur, Women’s Mid-Am Series, Four-Ball, Senior Match Play), meaning none would be canceled.

As time passes if it looks like we won’t be able to hold any championships until later than June 1, we would have to make decisions on what events to cancel and which ones to postpone. At that point, there would not be enough space on the calendar to hold everything in that tight of a window. Obviously, the further that “go-date’ gets pushed back, the more events will be subject to cancellation. We hope it doesn’t come to that but we will have plans in place nevertheless.

If an event is postponed and a current entrant cannot play on the new dates, we will refund that entry fee in full. If an event is canceled, all entrants will be refunded their entry fees in full.

If you have any questions please reach us at [email protected] or call our office at 515.207.1062. We are (mostly) working from our homes at this time, but there is one person in to cover the office during our normal hours.

Finally, we encourage all of you to follow the best practices recommended by the WHO and CDC in all your daily activities, whether that includes playing golf or not. Courses have implemented strict restrictions on social distancing and you should strictly adhere to those. Stay at least 6 feet away from your playing partners at all times, including the tee boxes and greens. Try to walk rather than ride, but if that isn’t possible, do not share a cart (unless it is with someone from your own household). Remember, it’s just as much about how other people might feel as it is about your own comfort level.

Please be assured that when IGA Championships do take place, we will adhere to the letter and spirit of all guidelines outlined by the experts. We will be committed to ensuring the safety of our players and volunteers at all times.

Take care, everyone.

-IGA Staff and Board of Directors

IGA Member Clubs address current COVID-19 situation

Below is a list of how IGA Member Courses and others are handling the current events with Coronavirus (COVID-19). Opening / closing of facilities is subject to change. Please call the course before heading out. A directory of IGA Member Clubs can be found by clicking here.

Click here for a list of best practices that other facilities are doing around the country (courtesy of the Iowa PGA)

Airport National Public Golf Course (Cedar Rapids) – At this time the golf course and driving range will remain open. The mini golf course will be closed, it will be too hard to maintain the six feet of separation on the mini golf course. Food & Beverage concession will be open, although not the full menu. Seating area closed in the clubhouse.

Amana Colonies Golf Club – Open for play. Practicing the following: Social Distancing. No more than two foursomes in Clubhouse at one time. Do not congregate with more than your foursome. All Food and Beverage will be on a ‘To Go’ basis. Beverage Cart will be available based on business levels. Golf Cart steering wheels will be sanitized before and after each round. No Putting Green Flagsticks Practice Balls will be in pyramids on the Driving Range. No Ballwashers, Bunker Rakes, or Water Coolers on the course. Players are to leave Flagsticks in at all times. Recommended ‘Gimmes’ inside 6 feet. Credit and Debit Card only. No Cash transactions.

Ankeny Golf & Country Club – Club House is closed. Course is open to walkers and private carts. No food or beverage to go. Asking our members to follow safe social distancing. No more then 5 to a group one to a cart . We are using foam noodle in holes and no touching of flagstick.

Bear Creek Golf Course (Forest City) – Open to walking on the front nine and carts on paths only on the back nine. Course is following the protocols for COVID-19.

Beaver Creek Golf Course (Grimes) – The golf course will be open starting Monday, March 23rd. Food options will be limited with no dining in the clubhouse. Encouraging credit card transactions only.

Beaver Hills County Club (Cedar Falls) – Open as of April 1.

Blue Top Ridge At Riverside – Opening April 1, with restrictions and guidelines.

Briarwood Golf Club (Ankeny) – Golf course open and will be using best practices.

Brown Deer Golf Club (Coralville) – Are still open for play. Additional cleaning and sanitizing being done to reduce chances of transmission. Steering wheels, seats etc being sanitized as well. All rakes removed from course and starting to use raised cups to eliminate need for flags to be touched and no reaching into hole for balls.

Buena Vista University Golf Course at Lake Creek (Storm Lake) – Golf Course is set to open April 1, weather pending. Clubhouse hours and facilities are limited and asking all golfers to respect the guidelines given to us from the IGA.

Bunker Hill Golf Course (Dubuque) – Facility shut down through April 13 and will evaluate then.

Bunker Links Golf Course (Galesburg) – The Governor of Illinois has imposed a “Shelter in Place” order for the entire state through April 30th. Also, he has declared that all Golf Courses in Illinois are considered “Non-Essential” businesses and they are all closed through April 30th.

Cedar Ridge Golf Club (Charles City) – Opening Saturday, March 28th with the following recommended practices (click here).

Crow Valley Golf Club (Davenport) – Golf Course is suppose to open on Wednesday (3/25). F&B open for pick up only. Pulling rakes, flipping cups, no ball washers, etc. Carts and push carts will be available at this point. Range will be open. Golf Shop open on limited basis. Golf Shop member services very limited

Davenport Country Club – Golf shop is closed. Doing 15 minutes interval tee times. 1 per cart.

Des Moines Golf & Country Club – All food service will be discontinued at this time until at least March 31. To go beverages for the golf course will be available from the Casual Bar. For now, all club events and outside events are cancelled through Monday, March 30.
The golf courses are open for normal hours. If taking a golf cart, we ask that all of you take your own cart; think social distancing. We will have the bag room staffed, but for the safety of the staff, we ask that once you pick up your clubs, we ask you keep them with you for the short term. Ball washers, bunker rakes and sand bottles will be removed for the time being. When playing we recommend that you do not touch the flagsticks. Golf Pro Shop is closed, phones answered from 10-4 Friday thru Sunday. The locker rooms will be open however we ask that you do not gather in groups in these areas. The reception desk will be staffed for your calls from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Dubuque Country Club – Course is open and is abiding by best practices and Governor Proclamation, clubhouse closed but serving to go orders.

Edmundson Golf Course (Oskaloosa) – Course is open and will be using best practices.

Elmcrest Country Club (Cedar Rapids) – Facility open and is using best practices.

Emeis Golf Course (Davenport) – Open but following best practices – Iowa residents only.

Emerald Hills Golf Club (Arnolds Park) – Currently open.

Flint Hills Municipal Golf Course (Burlington) – Opening Wednesday, March 25 with the following guidelines in place (click here).

Finkbine Golf Course (Iowa City) – Closed due to weather and not having an internal clubhouse workspace due to finishing up construction of new clubhouse. Temps are also factoring into not opening. However athletics at the University of Iowa has closed off facilities for at least two weeks.

Gates Park, Irv Warren, and South Hills (Waterloo) – Still open for business. Not holding any sanctioned events and will be removing our tables and chairs from the pro shops. No sit down food service or beverages per the Governors mandate.  Have implemented extra sanitization of fixtures such as door handles etc. and will encourage patrons to utilize the “best practices” you have listed.

Gardner Golf Course (Cedar Rapids) – Limited service – golfers check-in, go play. Can stop for packaged food and restroom at turn. No gatherings in clubhouse. No ballwashers/sand trap rakes/ water coolers on course. Cleaning down touch points regularly.
NOTE: Ellis-Jones closed (haven’t opened for season yet) / Twin Pines open (possibly walking 0nly – call for updates)

Glynns Creek Golf Course (Long Grove) – Beginning April 6, course and driving range will be open to Iowa residents only. Clubhouse is open for takeout food and beverage, no eating or drinking in Clubhouse. May not gather around the Clubhouse either, must go or go onto the golf course.

Grinnell College Golf Course – Closed as of 3/13.

Harvest Point Golf Course (Oskaloosa) – Course is open and recommending best practices to golfers as they visit.

Harry Mussatto Golf Course At Western Illinois University – The Governor of Illinois has imposed a “Shelter in Place” order for the entire state through April 30th. Also, he has declared that all Golf Courses in Illinois are considered “Non-Essential” businesses and they are all closed through April 30th.

Hickory Grove Golf Course (Oelwein) – Open with 1 cart per person.

Hunters Ridge Golf Course (Marion) – Course is open for play as of March 13th. Made it a priority to meet all of the new restrictions made earlier by our Governor. All customers do is check in, get any F&B items needed, play golf, and head home.

Indian Bluff Golf Course (Milan) – The Governor of Illinois has imposed a “Shelter in Place” order for the entire state through April 30th. Also, he has declared that all Golf Courses in Illinois are considered “Non-Essential” businesses and they are all closed through April 30th.

Indian Creek Country Club (Marion) – Will open next Monday, March 23rd. Lower bar is open to get beer/ pop, candy and chips, then you must take it outside. No flag sticks, cups are in upside down, which leaves the cup up an inch or so, if your putt hits the cup, your shot is holed. No water jugs filled by staff, one person per cart. Restrooms are open, but lockers rooms are limited to max of 10 people.

Indian Creek Country Club (Nevada) – Opening Monday, March 23rd. Will be open for our members all day, every day and for non-members 10a-4p daily. Do not have carts available to rent at this time. Asking people to call ahead for tee times. Are only allowing 1-2 people in clubhouse at one time and ask that all patrons follow the guidelines given to them by the staff working.

Indianola Country Club – Course is open and food is available to order to go.

Lake Bracken Country Club (Galesburg) – The Governor of Illinois has imposed a “Shelter in Place” order for the entire state through April 30th. Also, he has declared that all Golf Courses in Illinois are considered “Non-Essential” businesses and they are all closed through April 30th.

Lake Panorama National Resort (Golf Course) – Open for golf, recommending best practices for our golfers.

Lakeside Municipal Golf Course (Ft. Dodge) – Opening 3/30 with many procedures in place.

Majestic Hills Golf Course (Denison) – Course is open, but is following your recommendations as far as “best practices”. Will also have food and beer for carry out only during normal restaurant hours which are 11-1:30 and 5:00-8:00. This is subject to change in the future.

Muscatine Municipal Golf Course – Staying open, and will remain open barring any unforeseen circumstances with current world events. All food is cash and carry, most menu items are still available. Will also include in standard practices to disinfect and sanitize steering wheels, seats, support bars, sand bottles, and rental equipment after each use. One person per cart

Oakwood Country Club (Coal Valley, IL) – The Governor of Illinois has imposed a “Shelter in Place” order for the entire state through April 30th. Also, he has declared that all Golf Courses in Illinois are considered “Non-Essential” businesses and they are all closed through April 30th.

Okoboji View Golf Course – Will open April 1st. Clubhouse is closed for in-house dining, but golfers may pickup packaged food (chips, candy, pop, beer) at counter to go. Will also have a full kitchen staff and golfers can order from our menu, but need to take it to go. Carts will be sanitized between use and social distancing will be encouraged as in one person per cart.

Palmer Hills Golf Course (Bettendorf) – Open except F&B carry-out only, carts allowed.

Pheasant Ridge Golf Course (Cedar Falls) – Open except for F & B carry-out only, carts allowed.

Prairie Links Golf Course (Waverly) – Will not be closing the clubhouse, but would like to minimize the amount of traffic inside the clubhouse as much as possible. Current operation hours will be as follows: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  Those hours will update as we get warmer temperatures and more daylight.  We will continue to keep you updated as time goes on. Carts will be sanitized after each use with disinfecting wipes or a bleach based product.  On the course we also want to minimize golfers touching the same surfaces. We recommend leaving the pin in at all times, and playing with gimmies (3ft, 6ft, 10ft). While walking is the safest way of playing, one rider per cart will be recommended for the foreseeable future.  Rakes, ball washers, and garbages will be removed from the course.

Rice Lake Golf & Country Club – Open as of March 27. Are currently now allowing carts and recommend one cart per person (unless family). Will be following these measures (click here to read).

Spirit Hollow Golf Course (Burlington) – Course open, f/b carry out only.

Tara Hills Country Club (Van Horne) – Open to members and public. Driving range is currently open and are washing balls as they are being picked up along with washing/sanitizing range bags. Clubhouse is open by window service only. Food and Beverages are being served to go from this area with a limited menu. Club carts are available to rent, and are being sanitized thoroughly after each use. Port O Johns are placed on course along with one outside of clubhouse. Hand sanitizer is present. Golf course is following all guidelines stated by the IGA.

The Legacy Golf Club (Norwalk) – Due to the poor weather and forecast are currently closed through Sunday, March 22nd. Certainly hope to be open next week with better weather and if the Governor allows us to do so and recommending best practices to golfers as they visit the facility.

The Preserve on Rathbun Lake (Moravia) – Closed from Sunday, March 22 through Wednesday, May 13. Will reopen Thursday, May 14. Walking will be allowed at no charge, please be respectful of our course and of others. No facilities will be available. Please do not remove flags, bring sanitizer for while you play, bring a snack.

Thunder Hills Country Club (Peosta) – Facility is open and is using best practices.

Tournament Club of Iowa (Polk City) – Planning to open Monday, March 23rd. No more than two foursomes in Clubhouse at one time. All F&B will be on a ‘To Go’ basis. Bev Cart will be available based on business levels. Golf Cart steering wheels will be sanitized before and after each round. No Putting Green Flagsticks. Practice Balls will be in pyramids on Driving Range. No Ballwashers, Bunker Rakes, or Water Coolers on course. Players are to leave Flagsticks in at all times.

The Meadows Golf Club (Asbury) – Currently are closed to all non-residents of Dubuque County as they were experiencing a tremendous amount of play from both Wisconsin and Illinois and felt it best to do their part to “flatten the curve” by only allowing local play. Facility is using the following procedures for those who are playing (click here).

The Preserve on Rathbun Lake (Moravia) – Facility currently closed today.

Timberline Golf Course (Peosta) – Will be opening Wednesday March 25. 10 AM to 5 PM daily. Will be observing Best Practices for golfers including single cart usage if desired will be used. Flagsticks remain in the hole, do not touch. With cups having inserts in them to keep ball from dropping to bottom of hole. Tee times will be spread out to 15 minute intervals to encourage social distancing. A total of 4 players in clubhouse at a time.

Tournament Club of Iowa (Polk City) – Open for play with long list of guidelines/requirements.

Valley Oaks Golf Course (Clinton) – Open for play. Are following all the regulations set by the state. Only 5 people allowed inside at a time to check in and get food and prepackaged beverages to go and exit promptly. No congregating on clubhouse premises.

Veenker Memorial Golf Course (Ames) – Open for play. Restrictions are weather based only. If the forecasted temp is 50 degrees or higher, will be open. Currently limiting F&B to prepackaged “grab & go” only, limiting numbers of people in clubhouse at one time, sanitizing all surfaces regularly.

Veterans Memorial Golf Club (Clear Lake) – Currently open for carts. Clubhouse is open to facilitate the use of the golf course. Will be following these guidelines (click here).

TPC at Deere Run (Silvis, IL) – The Governor of Illinois has imposed a “Shelter in Place” order for the entire state through April 30th. Also, he has declared that all Golf Courses in Illinois are considered “Non-Essential” businesses and they are all closed through April 30th.

Wakonda Club (Des Moines) – Open but to walking only, clubhouse doing only carry out for F & B.

Waverly Municipal Golf Course – Facility is open but pro shop closed, only checking in players via online or call in cc

Westwood Golf Course (Newton) – Open for play, limited hours, 12 minute tee times.

IGA Statement on COVID-19

MARCH 13, 2020

IGA Statement to Member Clubs & Courses
The COVID-19, Coronavirus is at the top of everyone’s minds, including those of us at the Iowa Golf Association.
In the spirit of being cautious, the IGA will be shifting the remaining in-person rules of golf seminars (scheduled for March 14, 21, 28 & April 4) to a web/video option for the attendees.
We will also be postponing the planned Hall of Fame Induction (scheduled for April 16th) at Wakonda Club.  A new date has not yet been determined.
At this time, the IGA is planning on continuing with its competitions as scheduled. Our first event is to be held Monday, May 4th (U.S. Open qualifying). However, we will be continually monitoring the situation as it develops in the coming days and weeks.
The health and well-being of the public is always paramount. The goal, of course, in any moment of public health concern is to be guided by expert information, grounded in scientific and medical data, and sourced from public health and government authorities.  Here is a website where you can find much information relating to the pandemic.
We encourage our member clubs to take the proper precautions as they welcome their members and customers.  Some things to keep in mind include:
  • Encourage staff and golfers to wash their hands. If you can’t wash them on the course, please use a hand sanitizer.
  • Limit touching of the face, including your mouth, nose, lips or eyes, as much as possible.
  • Sanitize objects that a lot of people touch, or that you touch often (including your phone!). (Note: The Rules of Golf allow players to keep the flagstick in the hole)
  • Practice social distancing. Stay 6 feet apart.
  • Tell those that are sick or at risk to stay home.
  • No handshakes & hugs– Golfers should suspend the practice of shaking hands and hugging. This includes on the 1st tee and on the 18th green where a friendly handshake or hug have been long-standing acts of proper sportsmanship. As an alternative, we recommend a friendly nod, a tip of your cap, or a simple wave as a form of greeting or sportsmanship.
  • Remember that those who are at the highest risk are:
    1. Older adults
    2. Those with heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease
It is good to think that we can employ these “best practices” yet still play the game we know and love, so we hope this does not affect the business of golf too much around the state.
If you have any questions for us at this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out.  You can call us at 515-207-1062 or email us at [email protected].

First ever Women’s Golf Summit set for March 1, Iowa Golf Summit follows the next day

The Iowa Golf Council (Iowa Golf Association, Iowa GCSA and Iowa PGA) will host two golf summits in early March.  The Women’s Golf Summit will be held on Sunday afternoon, March 1 while the Iowa Golf Summit will be held the next day, Monday, March 2.  Both summits will be hosted by Otter Creek Golf Course and Conference Center in Ankeny and are presented by Miller and Sons Golf Cars (Britt).

This will be the fourth Iowa Golf Summit the group has co-conducted, taking place every other year.  It will be the first time for the Women’s Golf Summit.  The general theme for both events will be “Bringing People to the Game” both as players but also as potential career opportunities.

The Women’s Golf Summit (Sun, March 1) will consist of three different panel discussions, as well as networking, socializing and even the chance to get a lesson from a PGA professional.   There will be a focus on bringing more women to the game, both as players and also shedding light on entry into golf as a career.  In addition, we will discuss ways to utilize golf to help advance your business careers outside of golf.

You can view more information, including a complete schedule, and sign up for the Women’s Golf Summit here.

Henry DeLozier of Global Golf Advisors will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Golf Summit (Mon, March 2) where he will give a talk on “Millennials and Golf”.

Honored by BoardRoom magazine with its 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award, Henry has been recognized each year as one the “Most Influential People in Golf” since 1999 by Crittenden publications for his worldwide recognition as a thought-leader. He is the current Board Chairman for Audubon International.  He serves as an expert source for Bloomberg News, Business Week, CNBC-Squawk Box, the Financial Times of London, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.

He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University (BA – English) where he was an All-America golfer.

Also on hand to speak at the Iowa Golf Summit will be Rhett Evans, CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Hunki Yun, Director of Outreach, Education and Partnerships of the USGA, and Scott Kmiec, Senior Director, Career Services of the PGA of America.  All will give talks with focus on bringing more people to golf.

You can view more information, a complete schedule, and sign up for the Iowa Golf Summit here.

In addition to terrific education, these summits provide terrific networking opportunities for speakers and attendees.

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in golf is welcomed to attend.  If you are a decision-maker at your club, employee at a course, or involved in the golf industry in some way, or if you are just an avid golfer, you should seriously consider attending the Women’s Golf Summit, the Iowa Golf Summit, or both.  The Women’s Golf Summit is NOT restricted to female attendees, although females who play and work in golf are encouraged to attend. Board and committee members, Golf Professionals, Superintendents, Managers & department heads as well as Golf Sales Reps, Golf Coaches and anyone with ties to the golf industry will realize great value from either of these summits.

Cost?

The fee to attend is the Women’s Golf Summit is $40 per person.  The fee to attend the Iowa Golf Summit is $60 per person.  You can sign up for both for $80 (save $20).  Both summits include food & beverage throughout the day.

Place?

The Iowa Golf Summit will be held at the Otter Creek Golf Course and Conference Center in Ankeny, Iowa.  Otter Creek is located at 4100 NE Otter Creek Dr, Ankeny, IA 50023.

Click here to register for either Summit

2019 IGA Annual Awards Banquet Recap and Photos

The 2019 IGA Annual Awards Banquet took place Friday, December 13th at Echo Valley Country Club in Norwalk.  It was a wonderful night with many deserving honorees in various categories.

See the 2019 IGA Annual Awards Banquet Photo Gallery

 

The following individuals and courses were honored –

PGA Pro of the Year – Aaron Krueger, Wakonda Club

Club Manager of the Year – John Dinnebier, Briarwood Golf Club

9-Hole Superintendent – Kory Brown, Ballard Golf and Country Club

18-Hole Superintendent – Ryan Lux, Echo Valley Country Club

9-Hole Course of the Year – Holstein Country Club

18-Hole Course of the Year – Cedar Rapids Country Club

Phil Josleyn Inspriational Player of the Year – Jim Campbell, Albia

Click here to read more about these Annual Award winners

Player of the Year – Tripp Kinney, Des Moines

Senior Player of the Year – Gene Elliott, West Des Moines

Super Senior Player of the Year – Jim Campbell, Albia

Read more about the Men’s Players of the Year (Kinney, Elliott, Campbell)

Women’s Player of the Year – Amelia Mehmet-Grohn, Ames

Senior Women’s Player of the Year – Kelly Grimes, Indianola

Read more about the Women’s Players of the Year (Mehmet-Grohn, Grimes)

Junior Girls’ Player of the Year – Paige Hoffman, West Des Moines

Junior Boys’ Player of the Year – Matthew Garside, Bettendorf

Read more about the Junior Players of the Year (Garside, Hoffman)

Book on Iowa Golf History – Golden Harvest – Available for Purchase

PURCHASE YOUR COPY TODAY!!!

Golf came to Iowa in the late 1800s, planting the seeds for a rich harvest of golf history.

Much of that history, long forgotten, comes to life in “Golden Harvest. Iowa’s Rich Golf History.”

Written by 11-time Iowa Sportswriter of the Year Rick Brown and commissioned by the Iowa Golf Association, this book is a must-read for those who love the game.

“It’s amazing how much work Rick did in researching and writing this chronicle of Iowa’s golf history,” said Chad Pitts, IGA executive director.  “This book gives the reader a much deeper dive into stories they already knew as well as introducing them to some amazing things that we didn’t know anything about until now.”

Iowa is the home to major champions Jack Fleck, Judy Kimball and Zach Johnson. It’s also the home to 254 nine-hole golf courses, the most of any state in the nation.

It has produced many champions who had success in and out of Iowa, like Jack Rule, Steve Spray, Barb Thomas Whitehead, Ann Casey Johnstone, Lucile Robinson, Art Bartlett, John Jacobs, Mike McCoy, Gene Elliott, Sean McCarty, Ken Schall, Joe Brown, Edith Estabrooks, Rudy Knepper and so many more. Their stories are chronicled in these pages.

This is a book that looks back at the growth of a sport that really took off after the IGA was founded in 1900.

It also touches on stories you might not be familiar with, like Harry Vardon and Ted Ray playing an exhibition in Sioux City in 1920. Or Byron Nelson, in the middle of his record 11 straight victories on the PGA Tour in 1945, losing an exhibition match in Dubuque.

There’s the story of Sioux City’s Knepper, who reached the semifinals of the 1922 U.S. Amateur at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass. His victories over British stars W.B. Torrance and Cyril Tolley earned him the nickname “Lion Tamer” by Atlanta newspaperman O.B. Keeler, best known for covering Bobby Jones’s Grand Slam legacy.

And did you know that Sioux City once hosted a PGA Tour event and Waterloo was home to an annual LPGA stop?

There’s the story of Sam Snead, who came to Round Grove Golf and Country Club in August of 1959, shot 62 and then was on an airplane that tried to take off on a 1,500-foot-long grass runway and ran through a fence instead. It was a story that Snead embellished over the years.

This book tells the remarkable tale of the four generations of Smiths who have made golf their livelihood, and visits the rich tradition of the sport in the state’s unofficial golf capital, Waterloo.

Most of the game’s greatest players, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Patty Berg and Babe Didrikson Zaharias, have teed it up in Iowa. And the state has also hosted an impressive collection of events, from the U.S. Amateur to the U.S. Senior Open and the Solheim Cup.

You’ll read about George Roddy, the first African-American golfer in University of Iowa history, who captained the team but wasn’t allowed to play in a Big Ten Championship because of the color of his skin.

And there’s the story of Iowa’s greatest con man and golf champion, Floren DiPaglia.

Iowa has long had a reputation for a strong summer golf schedule, helping create and crowning many champions you’ll read about in these pages.

“Golden Harvest” will be available to the public on or about November 15.  Proceeds from book sales will benefit IGA Foundation programs and services.

To purchase copies visit this link or call the IGA office at 515-207-1062.

 

READ THE INTRODUCTION

READ THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Des Moines Men’s City Tee Times & Results

Sunday’s round will be a noon shotgun due to weather in the metro area

The 2019 Des Moines Men’s City Championship begins on Friday, August 16th at Waveland Golf Course.

Waveland Golf Course has been the host site since the inaugural event in 1903, making it one of the oldest championships in the country.

Tee times for Friday are expected to be released by the staff at Waveland sometime Wednesday evening (Aug 14).

The IGA does not run the Des Moines Men’s City Championship. It is administered by the staff at Waveland. Please refer all questions to them.

You can view pairings and follow the action here.

 

 

 

Follow USGA Senior Amateur Qualifying (Men’s & Women’s)

JULY 30 – Cedar Rapids Country Club plays host to two USGA Senior Amateur qualifiers today, one for men and one for women.

22 men will be vying for one qualifying spot while 16 ladies will play for four positions into their national championship.  The women’s national championship will also be hosted by Cedar Rapids Country Club from August 24 thru 29.  The men’s championship will be held at Old Chatham GC in Durham, North Carolina over the same dates.

Women’s qualifying will begin at 8:00 a.m. while the first men’s group will tee off at 9:20 a.m.

You can view tee times and results for both qualifiers using the links below.

Women’s USGA Senior Amateur Qualifying

Men’s USGA Senior Amateur Qualifying

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