Play Ready Golf

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (March 11, 2013) During a recent event on the Dallas tour, we had four groups (16 players) penalized for violating the Golf Channel Am Tour pace of play policy. Penalties may clearly change the outcome of the event, take you or members of your group out of a skin and cost points and awards.

Tour Players that have competed in a Dallas, Hill Country or Oklahoma tour event that I’ve directed may have noticed “Play Ready Golf” printed rather large on the bottom of the “Notice to Contestants”.

The rules of golf define the proper Order of Play with USGA Rule 10-2 during stroke play. That rule however, offers no penalties unless playing out of turn creates an advantage. On the tee, honors; everywhere else, the player within a group who is away (farthest from the hole) hits first.

“Ready golf allows the golfers within a group to take their shots when each member of the group is ready to play. If you reach your ball and are ready to hit, while other members of your group are not yet prepared, then go ahead and hit - even if you are not away.

Here are just a few tips to help speed up play to make your day more enjoyable and keep you off the clock. Be sure to understand that none of the tips have anything to do with rushing your play, but rather help keep you out of a “rush”situation when you get behind.

TEE BOX

• On the tee, pay attention to your partners' drives. If they lose sight of their ball, you can help direct them to it and avoid any searching.

• If you are unsure about the club you’ll play off the tee, bring three, one on each side of your expected play so you’ll have other options readily available.

• Carry an extra golf ball, tees and ball markers in your pocket so you never have to return to your golf bag to find one when needed.

• If you are unsure whether your ball has come to rest out of bounds, or may be lost outside of a hazard, notify your playing partners that you intend to hit a provisional ball and tee it up again so that you won't have to return to the spot to replay the shot.

FAIRWAY

• When two players are riding in a cart, drive the cart to the first ball and drop off the first player with his choice of clubs. The second player should proceed in the cart to his ball. After the first player hits his stroke, he should begin walking toward the cart as the second golfer is playing.

• All players should GO TO THEIR BALLS as soon as possible. The only time players should wait for other players is if the first player's ball is in front of the other players' in such a way that the other players could be hit by the first player's shot.

• Help other players locate lost balls, but do it AFTER playing your shot not before.

GREEN

• Never park the cart in front of the green. Park it only to the side or behind the green. And don't mark your scorecard while sitting in the cart next to the green (do it at the next tee). These practices open up the green for the group behind.

• When chipping around the green, carry both the club you'll be chipping with plus your putter so you don't have to return to the bag.

• Begin reading the green and lining up putts as soon as you reach the green. Don't wait until it's your turn to putt to start the process of reading the green. Do it as soon as you reach the green so that when it's your turn you can step right up and putt.

• Finish out short putts if you won’t be in another players line or through line. Notify the group that “I’ll finish” and make your putts consecutively.

Navigating around the golf course in an efficient manner will help speed the game, won’t cause you any rushing problems when Marshall's put you on the clock and will help keep you out of penalty situations.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

6 Hill Country Players Punch Tickets National Championships - Texas Open

Two Hill Country Winners, Six Others Get National Championship Qualifications

Scott R Chilcutt, Horseshoe Bay, TX (March 3, 2013) The 2013 Texas Open, in its third year at the scenic Horseshoe Bay Resort, on the shores of Lake LBJ in the Texas Hill Country welcomed players from 19 states, representing 22 Tours for the first Major of the year in the Central part of the country.

Excellent, over seeded course conditions, fast and smooth greens along with favorable yardages and a local rule for out of bounds didn't seem to help the scoring. In the over 368 rounds played, nearly a third (29%) of the scores met or exceeded the century mark with only TWO rounds recording sub 80 scores. None of the flights were exempt from the difficult scoring conditions, with the Championship Flight averaging +18 on first day at the par 71 - Ram Rock Golf Course and +14 on the par 72 Apple Rock layout to finish out the event.

Through the challenges, 35 players received 2013 National Championship invitations and the participants raised over $1,400 for the Feherty's Troops First Foundation.

Results:

Championshp Flight: With a pair of 83's and a T7 finish at last years Texas Open, Missouri City, TX member Lynn Cormier would have won the event this year. Cormier bettered that result, opening with a +7 - 78 to lead wire to wire for his second Major Championship and twelfth win on the Am Tour. Playing in the second to last grouping on the final day, Terry Rice of Midland, TX matched Cormier's final round and jumped up two spots to finish in the runner up position. Boerne, TX member Chris Daniluck jumped two spots himself in route to the final National Championship qualification of the flight.

Palmer Flight: Jake Morton finished with a seven stroke advantage en route to his second win in as many attempts and fourth on tour. Morton, carded four birdies on the day to seal his win over Lufkin, TX player and Houston Tour member Frank Wallace. Wallace, just one stroke back after the first round, started the day matching Morton's 10th hole (first of the day) birdie, but couldn't keep it going during the latter holes on both sides. Tino Flores, Houston, TX, edged out a couple of players in front of him on the final day to solidify a top three finish.

Senior Palmer Flight: Two Oklahoma Tour members, tied up in the second spot, four strokes back after the first round battled it out for the championship on Sunday. Beginning the day on the 10th hole, Clayton Badger of Drumright, OK started out his first two and ended his first two holes rocky, falling short of Sapulpa, OK member Curt Howard by a single stroke. Howard battled through a tweaked back in the latter holes to pick up his ninth win on tour and second Major Championship. Overcoming a first nine penalty stroke, Robert Lippert of Copperas Cove, TX went even par with three birdies on his back nine to jump two spots and finish with a National Championship invite. Randy Rollo of Waco, TX carded four birdies on the final round to record the only sub 80 round on the Apple Rock course, finishing in the fourth spot.

Hogan Flight: Bill Troutz of San Antonio, TX started the day two strokes back of the first round leader, Argyle, TX first year player Greg Hawkins. Beginning the round on the third hole of the Ram Rock shotgun, Troutz parred his first three to go up a stroke, ran into mid round troubles, but added a birdie at the par 5 - 14th to ultimately force a playoff. On the 39th hole of the weekend, Hawkins finished out the Championship for his first win on Tour. Aaron Brougher of Spring, TX finished out in the show position for his ticket to the Nationals.

Sarazen Flight: Overnight first round leaders, John Heintz of San Antonio, TX and Las Vegas, NV traveler George Yocum couldn't decide the finish on the second day. The pair started out the day on the 8th hole, where Heintz would take a three stroke lead, then give two back on the 9th. Yocum birdied the par 4 -18th, but let Heintz battle back over the closing holes to force the extended play. During the sudden death playoff Yocum would pick up his first Major Championship and second win on tour. Jon Wendt took eleven strokes off his first day total to edge out the fourth place finisher by a single stroke.

Senior Sarazen Flight: Austin, TX member Homer Turbeville completed the low round of the flight on the final day by five strokes to finish four strokes ahead of a pair tied up in the runner up position. Turbeville, picked up his third win on tour with two birdies on the day and five for the event over Waterville, ME native Lee Brunell now residing in Houston and Mansfield, TX member John Cox sharing the runner up honors and National Championship invites.

 

Next Up:  Hill Country gets back to the course for the Round Rock Open on March 24th. while the Dallas Tour resumes action at the Indian Creek Golf Course on March 9th for the Classic at the Creek. The Oklahoma Tour kicks off the year at the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

    

Kerrville Championship - Comanche Trace

Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 16, 2013)  Comanche Trace Golf Community sits just southwest of the Kerrville Lake Dam on the Guadalupe River and is home of the Kerrville Championship.  Scheduled as the early Feburary opener for the Hill Country Tour, the event was contested on the Rye grass over seeded Comanche Trace Golf Club on the Tom Kite designed Hills/Valley courses.

Friday practice rounds found cold winds and cloudy skies that may have tempted some players to pack up, but were greeted to light winds, sunny and warm skies for the best weather in the events history.  Overnight frost moisture may have left some of the greens soft early in the morning, but they quickly dried out and made for perfect, but challenging greens to go with some tough pin placements.      


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  35 year old Chris Daniluck of Boerne, TX commanded a six stroke advantage over San Antonio newcomer Richard Perez finishing in the runner up spot.  Daniluck birdied the 5th and added another at the tough pin position par 4-10th for his twelfth win on tour.  Visiting Sapulpa, OK player Curt Howard finished three strokes back of Perez for the third place finish.   

Palmer Flight:  Austin, TX player Mark Greene won his first event on tour, the May 2012 Dallas / Hill Country Clash @ Twin Rivers, but has been on the outside looking in until today.  Greene cruised around the front side +3, birdied the par 5-13th to finish the back at +1 for a three stroke advantage over Ron Finnerty of San Antonio.  Finnerty was only one back of Greene on the front, added birdies at 13 and 15, got into a mess at 16, but still stayed a stroke clear of hard charging Todd VanDerSchaegen.  VanderSchaegen of San Antonio played the final 6 holes -2 on two birdies.

Hogan Flight:  New tour member Ronnie Draper of Oklahoma City, OK birdied his first hole in his first event.  Draper, starting on the 10th hole, finished the back nine at even par.  Then he made the turn, went triple, double, bogey on the first three holes, thought to be in trouble he bounced back with another two birdies for his first win.  One stroke back Steven Turner of San Antonio, TX finished with a bogey on his final hole to claim the runner up spot for his best finish on tour.  Dallas Tour member Paul Burleson of Argyle, TX and Shertz, TX player Terry Dennis knotted up the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Devin Brown from San Antonio, TX had a score card with peaks and valleys similar to the surrounding Hill Country landscape.  Two birdies and only one par through eleven holes, Brown found some consistent golf over the final seven holes to record his fourth win on tour, three strokes clear of Converse, TX member Ronnie Davis.  The runner up spot gave Davis his best finish since the 2011 season by two strokes over John Cox of Austin.  Cox struggled on the front side, but came into the club house +6 to round out the top three.  Rene Realme made a three at the par 5 - 13th for one of the skins in the group.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  With over a century and a half of collective wisdom, it took the pair of 75 year old players, Gerald Cato of Bastrop, TX and Clive, IA traveler Mike Murray a playoff to settle the championship.  Cato, birdied his first hole of the day, but had to finish out with pars on his final two holes to get to the overtime.  On the first hole of the playoff, Murray dropped a birdie chip from the fringe to win his twelfth event on tour. A Bogey on his final hole of the day left Austin, TX player Gregg Smith just outside of the playoff one stroke back to finish in the third spot.  

Jones Flight:  Locked out of the Houston event this weekend due to a sellout, James Price of Corpus Christi, TX became the first of three Houston player wins on the day. Price went to the final hole with a six stroke lead on nine pars over Katy, TX member Kris Bixby.  Trying to give the win away, Price took an almost disastrous 11, but hung on for a one stroke win.  Bixby stayed seven strokes clear of the trio of Gary Chrisman of Yukon, OK, Dripping Springs, TX member Eric King and Aaron Seafous of Austin. Todd Burns of Austin eageled the par 5 - 13th for one of the skins. 

Senior Jones Flight:  Another Houston refuge, Michael Bell of Pearland, TX became a five time winner on tour.  Bell made the turn with three straight pars to win by two strokes over a pair in the second spot. Local Kerrville, TX member John Merritt and Mark Boles from Sealy, TX shared the runner up spot six strokes clear of the fourth spot. 

Snead Flight:   Robert Viator of Vidor, TX made it two in a row after winning the late January HOU - Moody Gardens Kickoff Classic.  Viator's four pars on the day were enough to keep the four stroke advantage over San Antonio member Carlos Cruz.  Cruz made a string of pars late in his round to edge out Ramon Colen of San Antonio to round out the top three.

Senior Snead Flight:  Cedar Park, TX resident Dwain Smith outpaced the field for a seven stroke advantage and his third win on tour.  In his first time back to the tour since 2011, Myron Brown of Somerville, TX birdied the par 3 -12th and finished five strokes clear of a pair in the third place spot. Leonard Linkes  of San Antonio and Pflugerville, TX member Thomas Kerwin shared the final podium spot.    

SKINS:

Championship /Palmer:  1 -- Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX; Richard Perez, San Antonio, TX; Steve Trickel, Boerne, TX.

Hogan:  3 -- Ronnie Draper, Oklahoma City, OK. 2 -- Gene Rampy, Bastrop, TX. 1 -- Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Jerry Smith, Salado, TX; Darrell Wilson, Georgetown, TX.

Sarazen:  2 -- Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX. 1 -- Devin Brown, San Antonio, TX; Kirby Rogers, Muldrow, OK; John Cox, Austin, TX; Rene Realme, San Antonio, TX; Ronnie Davis, Converse, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  2 -- Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX; Richard Huyck, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Joe Abreo, Bulverde, TX; Kevin Cox, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX; Alfredo Garcia, San Antonio, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones:  1 -- Mark Boles, Sealy, TX; Mike Jones, Midland, TX; Todd Burns, Austin, TX.

Snead / Senior Snead:  1 -- Myron Brown, Somerville, TX; Leonard Linkes, San Antonio, TX; Charles Mielak, San Antonio, TX; Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX.

Next Up: The Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, sold out after less than two weeks on the schedule, will be held on March 2nd/3rd in the heart of the Hill Country. The Hill Country Tour is back for the Round Rock Open @ Teravista on March 24th. The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 23rd and the Oklahoma Tour will await warmer conditions for the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Embedded Ball Rule



Photo from notestomyself.net

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (January 29, 2013) Most events on the Golf Channel Am Tour have a "Notice to Contestants" to define many of the local rules along with any conditions that may exist that would change the players procedure from the USGA rules of golf.


This past weekend Steve Killion from the Dallas Tour sent me the following message:

I’m watching the Farmers Insurance Open and just saw Casey Wittenberg get relief for an embedded ball in the rough on the fifth hole. Although it was “through the green” it was not a “closely mown area”. If the same circumstance occurs in one of our tournaments, are we entitled to relief?

While we are not privy to the PGA Tours Conditions of Competition for this event, we do know that had there not been some stipulation to the USGA rules on embedded balls, Wittenberg would have been penalized, similar to Tiger Woods the previous weekend.


Absent any local rules that would be otherwise stated in the Notice to Contestants or Conditions of the Event the USGA rules are fairly simple:

25-2. Embedded Ball

A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green. “Closely mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

Occasionally, you may find local rules (Which our Notice to Contestants override) and or local event rules that will use the term: "Embedded Ball Rule In Effect Through the Green".

Through the Green

“Through the green’’ is the whole area of the course except:

a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and

b. All hazards on the course.

In this case it's also pretty clear, you may lift, clean and drop an embedded ball as long as it's not in a hazard or teeing ground, since you'll obviously be able to lift on a green.

Many of you may know that Tiger Woods was penalized two strokes at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for taking relief from an embedded ball in sand in the rough. In this case, the event did stipulate that you could take relief "Through the Green" but the local rules goes on to say that a player may not take relief if his ball is embedded in sand in an area that is not closely mown, i.e. there is no free relief if the ball is embedded in sand in the rough. See the complete R&A explanation here:

Still have a question on the Golf Course about the procedure? Invoke Rule 3-3, IDENTIFY THE BALL YOU INTEND TO SCORE and play two balls. We'll follow up next week with the proper procedure and some interesting situations with 3-3.

Next Up: Hill Country Tour will be back in action at Comanche Trace for the Kerrville Championship on February 16th. The Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, sold out after less than two weeks on the schedule, will be held on March 2nd/3rd in the heart of the Hill Country. The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 23rd and the Oklahoma Tour will await warmer conditions for the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

So Long 2012 - Winter Classic - Hill Country

Scott R Chilcutt, Austin, TX (December 8, 2012)  On the western edge of Austin, TX the Falconhead Golf Club was the site of the Winter Classic - Hill Country.  80 degree temperatures with light winds made for great scoring possiblities on a tough PGA Tour Design track.

82 players from Houston, Dallas and Oklahoma joined Hill Country Tour players for tournament awards and trophies and to finish off the 2012 year and build up points towards 2013 Flight Championship awards, along with National and Senior National Championship qualifications.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:   Boerne, TX player Chris Daniluck birdied his last four of seven holes to overcome a couple of mid round double bogie's and force a playoff with Chase Clayton of San Antonio, TX.  Clayton's consistent round with fourteen pars would carry over to extra holes where he would make par in the sudden death to pick up his second win on tour.  Missouri City, TX traveler Lynn Cormier would card four birdies on the day to round out the top three just one stroke back.

Palmer Flight:  Starting with par on the eighteenth hole in the shotgun format, Dave Davlin of San Antonio, TX would follow up with four birdies in the next five holes to run away from the field on a one over par 73 finish for his ninth win on tour.  Winner in a five way playoff the last trip to Falconhead, Jake Morton of Ft. Hood, TX finished six strokes back and one stroke clear of third place finisher, San Antonio, TX member Ron Finnerty.

Senior Palmer Flight:  First year tour member, in only his second event,  Randy Rollo of Waco, TX birdied the par four, eighth hole for a four stroke win over San Antonio, TX resident Paul Wuerdeman.  Wuerdeman's birdie four on the par five, fifth hole ensured a one stroke cushion over the pair of Michael Fee of Mansfield, TX and Austin, TX local Mark Greene  knotted up in the third spot.

Hogan Flight:  Derrick Matthews became a four time winner on tour by a stroke over another Killeen, TX member in the field, Demetrio Young.  Three stokes back a trio of players headed by New York, NY traveler Philip Mahony,  Tim Haverly of San Antonio, TX and "four O" birthday boy, Gus Aldana of Houston, TX rounded out the top three spots.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Del Valley, TX player Edward Villasana picked up his first win on tour, after prevailing in extra holes.  Playing along side of Villasana, Maurice Mintken of Round Rock, TX  held a two stroke advantage with four to go, but ran into troubles and ended up in the playoff.  Jim Nedry of Lago Vista, TX rounded out the top three just one stroke back.

Sarazen Flight:  John Heintz of San Antonio, TX, (pick from the CD/DC morning line) grabbed his ninth win on tour and defended his championionship at Falconhead after winning the 2012 Championship at Falconhead.  A birdie on the eighteenth hole was just enough to stay two strokes ahead of the pair of  Austin, TX players,  Michael Esquivel and John Cox.  It was Esquivel's second runner up finish in as many tries before he heads to knee rehab and Cox's best finish since his 2011 win at the TPC Sawgrass Open Major.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Bastrop, TX player Gerald Cato finished off his fifth win on tour and repeat winner on the course after winning the 2009 -  ASA - Falconhead Golf Club event.  Birdie on the down hill par three, second hole proved to be enough for a one stroke advantage over John Rogers of Waco, TX.  San Antonio, TX member Richard Huyck overcame a two stroke penalty with two birdies to finish three strokes ahead of the fourth place finishers.

Jones Flight:  Aaron Seafous of Austin, TX became a three time winner on tour and first championship since her promotion to the Jones Flight.  Seafous started out with a par her first hole and stayed steady to edge out first time tour player Todd Burns also of Austin, TX by a stroke.  With the help of birdies on the fifth and ninth holes Dallas Tour traveler, Garrett Tidman of Little Elm ended the day, one stroke back of Burns for the show position.

Senior Jones Flight:  Giddings, TX resident Thomas West continues his streak, now a three-peat streak.  West a winner in his last three outings, including the 2012 Tour Championship @ TPC San Antonio finished the day four strokes ahead of a pair tied up in the second spot. Kerrville, TX resident John Merritt and Charles Cox of Austin finished off a father / son runner up day after son John's earlier finish in the Sarazaen Flight.

Snead Flight:  The Dallas Tour invaded the Snead Flight and took home the two top spots.  Don Freitag from Arlington, TX carded his sixth win and third in his last five outings.  Saginaw, TX member Mike Adcock, no stranger to the runner up spot finished second for the fifth time on tour and third straight in as many attempts. Dwain Smith of Cedar Park, TX and Pflugerville, TX resident Thomas Kerwin shared the third place finish.        



SKINS:

Championship /Palmer:  2 -- Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Mark Miller, Bulverde, TX; Tom Newman, San Antonio, TX; Tony Eno, Ft Worth TX.

Senior Palmer:  3 -- Phillip Holt, Haslet, TX. 2 -- Randy Rollo, Waco, TX. 1 -- Michael Fee, Mansfield, TX; Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  2 -- Gus Aldana, Houston, TX. 1 -- Maurice Mintken, Round Rock, TX; Jim Nedry, Lago Vista, TX; Scott Harper, Ranger, TX; Bryan Wood, Leander, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  1 -- Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX; Richard Huyck, San Antonio, TX; Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX; Rene Realme, San Antonio, TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Ronnie Davis, Converse, TX; Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones / Snead:  1 -- Thomas Kerwin, Pflugerville, TX; Thomas West, Giddings, TX; Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX.

Next Up:  After a break for the Holidays, the Hill Country Tour will be back in action at Comanche Trace for the Kerrville Championship on February 16th.  The Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, sold out after less than two weeks on the schedule, will be held on March 2nd/3rd in the heart of the Hill Country.  The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 23rd and the Oklahoma Tour will await warmer conditions for the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge. 


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com