Vincents Chipping Tips

Vincent Johnson,an Oregon Junior Golf and OSU alum, shares the keys to his chipping technique and how it may help you.  He recently created this tip during his time at Walt Disney World as a contestant on The Golf Channel’s Big Break Disney.

 

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For more on Vincent, click on any of the following links:

Tuesday, 24 November 2009	My Big Break Experience - NASCAR Challenge
Sunday, 8 November 2009	My Big Break Experience - The Lob Wall
Monday, 2 November 2009	My Big Break Experience - Breaking Glass
Friday, 23 October 2009	My Big Break Experience - The Home Run Derby
Thursday, 15 October 2009	My Big Break Experience – Episode One

More on Vincent Johnson -  Click Here

Submit Your Achievement

Have you scored a Hole-In-One, posted a Double Eagle, or maybe you’ve shot your age.  If you have, we want to know.  Register online, and we’ll send you a certificate (suitable for framing)!

Click Here to Register Your Achievement Today!

(Note:  You must be a member in good standing of an OGA Member Club to receive a certificate!)

Holes-In-One

Click Here for a list of recent Holes-In-One

Shot My Age

Click Here for a list of those members that recently shot their age or better (on a regulation length golf course)

Double Eagles

Click Here for a list of recent Double Eagles

How To Post Your Score Online

The OREGON GOLF ASSOCIATION encourages golfers to post their scores where they are played; however, this is a great option for returning scores, especially when you are on the road and don't find it convenient to post the score at the golf course.

If a golfer is a member of a club that allows it, scores can be posted directly to GHIN through this Web Site. The scores will immediately become part of the golfer’s scoring record and will be at the club’s handicap computer the next time it connects to the GHIN network.  The USGA Handicap System allows clubs the option of allowing its members to post scores via the Internet. Click Here to Register your GHIN number on our website so that you can begin to post scores, lookup other player handicap information, see your score history and more. 

Click Here to Register your GHIN number

Then visit the home page to login with your username and password to Post scores, update your GHIN record and view your score history.

2008 Year In Review

By Lynn M. Myrick, President & Barb Trammell, Chief Executive Officer
   
This past year represented one of change, growth and renewed optimism for the Oregon Golf Association.  Together, we navigated our way through our first full year as leaders of the Association and got to experience some exciting insights into what the future holds for our organization.  Along the way, we developed partnerships with some of our allied associations that will be invaluable for growth – not only for the OGA but for the game of golf itself.

We helped establish the Oregon Alliance for Golf along with the four “core” Oregon Chapters of organizations that represent the golf industry – the PGA of America, the Golf Course Owners Association, the Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Club Managers Association.  Through this alliance we hope to promote initiatives that benefit all of golf by contributing to the betterment of the game.  By cultivating relationships with our key partners in the industry we establish a bond that enables us to work together to achieve common objectives. 

Additionally, our partnership with the Pacific Northwest and United States Golf Associations has helped strengthen our relationships with our allied organizations both regionally and nationally.

On the home front, the OGA staff is to be commended for all the great accomplishments of the past year and for the continued improvement in customer service that all of you have come to know and appreciate.

The staffs of both the Association and the OGA Golf Course came together in a spirit of cooperation to “hunker down” when times got tough with the economy in an effort to preserve resources and streamline operations and at the same time promote and uphold the mission and values of the organization. The entire staff is to be commended for their contributions to the team.

With a growing volunteer base, the OGA looks forward to 2009.  We launched new websites to provide even more opportunities to serve all our stakeholders with news, information, education and other resources.  Our goal is to improve our overall communication efforts and we invite your feedback as we continually look for ways to add tangible value to your membership. 

We encourage all members to get involved with the OGA and give back to our great game, and allow us to show you that we’re “your partner on and off the course.”

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To download a printable copy of the annual report, click here.

Other Achievements

Have you done something else that is noteworthy? 

Each year the Oregon Golf Association recognizes achievements by members, OGA Member Clubs, PGA Professionals, Golf Course Superintendents and the golf courses within our region for achievements on and off the course that make significant contributions to the game of golf or our communities at large. 

Let us help tell your story!  Or maybe consider nominating someone for an award!  All you need to do is tell us the details by writing us.  Use the Contact Us form or email news@oga.org

What is the OGA Tour?

NOTICE: In 2010, the OGA Tour will provide gross and net competitions, casual days and women's only events.  Currently, we are redesigning our website and plan to "go live" with the OGA Tour pages February 8, 2010.  To see a preliminary competition schedule, CLICK HERE.

All posts within this page relate to the 2009 OGA Tour, please return on February 8 to access an updated 2010 OGA Tour homepage.

The inaugural OGA Tour promises to be a fantastic addition to the many current benefits of OGA Membership.  It’s a new addition to the ever-growing list of OGA benefits, providing an opportunity for OGA Members to experience fun, non-competitive events at a selection of the region’s Private, Resort and Daily Fee courses – in some instances, there might be the chance to play a course not otherwise open to the general public. Courses throughout the region have partnered with the OGA to provide incredible playing opportunities throughout 2009.

Download a printable entry form for all OGA Tour events by clicking here

Online registration, fee and event information can be found by clicking here
NOTE: You will need your GHIN number to register.  Please call the OGA office with questions, (503) 981-4653.

Click the video below to learn more about the OGA Tour.

Click Here for a schedule of confirmed events.

OGA Tour events will offer packaged discounts that, in addition to green fees, may also include cart, range balls, tee prizes, meals, lodging, or more!

For more information on all the benefits you receive when you join an OGA Member Club, click here.

The OGA Tour Schedule

Download a printable entry form for all OGA Tour events by clicking here

Online registration, fee and event information can be found by clicking here
NOTE: You will need your GHIN number to register.  Please call the OGA office with questions,  (503) 981-4653 .

The following OGA Tour events have been confirmed for our inaugural year. If an event is not listed, event details are still being determined with the host course and will appear when details are finalized.

Date	Course	Location	Registration	Pairings
May 3	Pumpkin Ridge - Ghost Creek	North Plains, OR	closed	info
May 8	Lewis River Golf Course	Woodland, WA	closed
May 16	Awbrey Glen Golf Club	Bend, OR	closed	info
May 19	Riverside Golf & Country Club	Portland, OR	closed	info
May 24	Tokatee Golf Club	Blue River, OR	closed
May 26	Chambers Bay Golf Links	University Place, WA	closed	info1 2
June 1	Persimmon Country Club	Gresham, OR	closed	info
June 9	Quail Run Golf Course	LaPine, OR	closed	info
June 16	Aspen Lakes Golf Course	Sisters, OR	closed
June 18	Sandpines Golf Links	Florence, OR	closed
June 22	Royal Oaks Country Club	Vancouver, WA	closed	info
June 27	Meriwether National Golf Club	Hillsboro, OR	closed
July 17	Tetherow Golf Club	Bend, OR	closed
July 18	Crosswater Golf Club	Sunriver, OR	closed
Aug 16	Centennial Golf Club	Medford, OR	closed
Aug 29	Emerald Valley Golf Club	Creswell, OR	closed
Sept 9	Myrtle Creek Golf Club	Myrtle Creek, OR	closed
Sept 18	Tualatin Country Club	Tualatin, OR	closed	info
Oct 12	Wine Valley Golf Club	Walla Walla, WA	closed

Please direct questions and comments regarding the OGA Tour to Craig Winter, or  (503) 981-4653 .

Online Junior Golf Resources

To access any of the sites listed below, just click on the banner associated with each site.
If you have a favorite site please contact us and let us know.  We'd love to add it to our list.

General 

The official Junior Golf Site of the UGSA, the PGA Tour, the PGA of America,the LPGA, NGCOA, the GCSAA and the World Golf Foundation.

First Tee Chapters/Golf Camps

	The official webpage of the First Tee - The Children's Course
	The official webpage of the Woodburn Area Youth Golf Association, a First Tee Programming Affiliate of the First Tee - Children's Course.
	The official webpage of the First Tee - Portland Chapter
	The official webpage of the First Tee - Willamette Valley Chapter

 Competitions and Tournaments

	Your gateway to Junior Tournaments from around the world, rankings, articles, and much more in the world of Junior Golf.
	Information on national junior golf tournaments and college golf scholarships.
	Junior golf tournaments for boys and girls. Use this site to find ranked junior golf tournaments across the United States.
	A national junior golf organization for kids ages 11-18. Gives junior golfers the opportunity to compete in tournaments at the national level.

College

Since 1989, 90% of the college golf scholarships nationwide have gone to readers of this guide including young PGA and LPGA Tour winners.

Etiquette with Animations

The first section in the Rules of Golf, the Etiquette Section, is frequetly passed over while searching for the definitions and the Rules of Play.  The section is first because it is the most important section in the Rule Book.  Etiquette lays the foundation for the Rules including the "Spirit of the Game."  Click the image above to access an interactive guide to Etiquette complete with animations.

(Note: free Flash player required - click here to download)

Online Application for Amateur Reinstatement

Apply for Reinstatement to Amateur Status

Before beginning an application, it is important to note the following:

• Holding membership in an organization of professional golfers (including apprentice status membership in the PGA) is a breach of Rule 2-2. If you have held membership in such an organization, you must resign your membership before your application will be considered. If, after all other violations of the Rules ceased, you used your membership card to receive any benefit that would not otherwise have been available to you, then please identify the date that you last received any benefit from your membership. This will determine the date your period awaiting reinstatement will commence.

• If you participated on a tour or mini-tour, please include the approximate total number of events when asked under Rule 3-1.

The routine period awaiting reinstatement is one or two years from the date of the last act contrary to the Rules of Amateur Status. Please note that longer periods may be prescribed in the case of an applicant who has played extensively for prize money. This period can vary depending on the type and length of violation, and is retroactive to the date that you last worked or played as a professional.

The regulations governing reinstatement are set forth in Rule 9 of the Rules of Amateur Status.

Once completed, your application will first be submitted to the State or Regional Golf Association in your area for review, and then to the USGA for processing. After the USGA has reviewed your application, a letter will be sent to you by e-mail with the decision regarding your reinstatement date. Please make sure the spam blocker on your e-mail program will accept all e-mails from usga.org. Please note the application process may take 1-2 weeks.

Please contact the USGA Amateur Status Department at 908-234-2300 or the Oregon Golf Association at 503-981-4653 with any questions about the application process.

On-Line Reinstatement Application

About the Oregon Golf Association

The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) was formed in 1924 to conduct the Oregon Amateur golf championship which included both Men and Women.  The OGA is a 501(c) 6 non-profit amateur golf association governed by volunteer, amateur golfers who employ a full-time, professional staff of nine people.

Today, the OGA has evolved into a non-profit entity of more than 270 public and private clubs numbering approximately 50,000 members throughout Oregon and SW Washington.  The OGA is unique in that its membership is comprised of all demographics including Men, Women, Adults, Seniors, Juniors, Private and Public golfers.

Licensed by the United States Golf Association as guardian of the game of golf for this region, the OGA promotes enhancement and expansion of the game of golf by protecting the game’s integrity and valued traditions, as well as promoting opportunities for all that want to play by leading in the development of member and information services.

Subsidiary businesses include Oregon Junior Golf Fund, Inc. (OJGF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable foundation and OGA Golf Course, Inc. (OGAGC).

OJGF oversees a nationally recognized junior golf program for over 1,100 youth in Oregon and SW Washington.  Each year, the Oregon Golf Association presents more than 60 days of competition and more than 6,000 rounds of competitive golf for Junior Golfers ranging in age from 8 through 17.  It also has developed one of the premiere regional junior golf competitions in the country, the Hogan Cup.  Hogan Cup alumni include tour players such as Bobby Clampett, Fred Couples, Joe Rassett, Jack Renner, Lennie Clements, Scott Simpson, Rick Fehr, Robert Gamez, Bill Sanders, Kirk Triplett, Jim Nelford, John Fought, Peter Jacobsen, Jeff Quinney, Casey Martin, Michael Putnam, Ricky Barnes, Jason Gore and Tiger Woods. 
 
The OGA is one of eight amateur golf associations in the country that owns and/or operates a for-profit public golf course.  More than 40,000 rounds of golf are played annually at the OGA Golf Course, located in Woodburn, Ore.

USGA Handicap System Rules

More Online Resources about Handicapping.

How to Become A Member of Oregon Junior Golf

Every year, parents of junior golfers (age 8-17) may register their child in Oregon Junior Golf through our online registation process. 

Registration will open April 15 and will close July 12.  The membership fee in 2009 will remain at $20. 

The junior golf packet, (which contains pertinent information and entry forms to state and regional events), will be mailed to registered members in early May.  It is important to note that tournament registration will not be available until May 13th.

Members will also be able to enter a few of the events on-line as well as view real-time results for those events, statistics. Player-of-the-year points standings will be posted for ALL events. Registration opening dates vary by event.

 

2009 OGA Net Series

NOTICE: In 2010, the OGA will replace the Net Series with the OGA Tour.  The OGA Tour will provide gross and net competitions, casual days and women's only events all administered by the OGA.  Currently, we are redesigning our website and plan to "go live" with the OGA Tour pages February 8, 2010.  To see a preliminary competition schedule, CLICK HERE. All posts within this page relate to the 2009 OGA Net Series, please return on February 8 to access an updated 2010 OGA Tour homepage. The OGA Net Series is a partnership between area golf courses and the OGA where we sanction events geared toward the average OGA member.  The intent of the Net Series is to provide players of all skill levels the opportunity to play a series of events throughout the region.  Each event will award Net Series points based on your overall net finish.  The top 2 women and top 3 men at the end of the 2009 OGA Net Series Point List will earn free entry into the 26th Oregon Net Championship. 2009 OGA Net Series Point Lists WOMEN'S POINT LIST 2009 Champion Rusty Beckel, Eastmoreland Golf Club Runner-up Karen Herness, Eastmoreland Golf Club MEN'S POINT LIST 2009 Champion Steve Morison - Emerald Valley Golf Club Runners-up Don Montel - Emerald Valley Golf Club Chad Sawyer - Eastmoreland Golf Club CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 OGA NET SERIES POINTS SCHEDULE

2008 FINAL WOMEN'S POINT LIST Barbara Gee - 2008 Women's Points Leader Rusty Beckel - Runner-up 2008 FINAL MEN'S POINT LIST Jonathan Romano - 2008 Men's Point Leader Chad Sawyer & Korban Romano - Runners-up

Please direct comments or questions regarding OGA Net Series Point Lists or competition results to: Craig Winter, Manager of Rules Education and Special Events @   (503) 981-4653   or cwinter@oga.org The schedule below reflects events confirmed as of April 13, 2009.  Entry forms and results will populate as they become available.

History of the OGA

Today the OGA has developed into a non-profit entity of more than 270 public, private and associate clubs throughout Oregon and SW Washington with over 50,000 individual members.  As guardian of the game in our region, our mission is to foster the enhancement and expansion of the game of golf by leading in the development of member and information services, the promotion of opportunities for all that want to play, and protection of the game’s integrity and valued traditions.

Although the OGA of today has many facets and areas of activity (even owning its own golf course), its only original purpose was the conduct of championship tournaments. The OGA was founded 80 years ago because one man, Ed Nuestadter of Tualatin CC thought the three clubs in Portland which had been conducting the Oregon Amateur championship (Tualatin CC, Waverley CC and the Portland Golf Club) needed some help.

The Oregon Amateur started in 1904 when 11 men and 13 ladies competed at Waverley CC. Waverley was the only course in the Portland area at the time and it continued to hold the event every year through 1916. It was played at Gearhart GL in 1917, cancelled in 1918 due to World War I and played at Waverley, Portland GC and Tualatin from 1919 through 1923. As the years passed and fields grew larger, and as new courses were built, it became evident that the clubs could use some help with the tournament; and so the Oregon Golf Association formed.

Many of the individuals who were involved with association activities are mentioned in the Four Part History of the Oregon Golf Association written by original Executive Director Dale Johnson. We greatly thank Dale for the many hours he took in researching, compiling and writing this history.

Become an OGA Volunteer

COURSE RATERS

Each year, course rating teams assist the OGA in measuring, compiling and analyzing the physical attributes of over 40 Oregon and SW Washington golf courses including (but not limited to) roll, elevation changes, doglegs and forced lay-ups, prevailing winds, altitude, topography, fairway width, green target size, recoverability and rough, bunkers, out of bounds and extreme rough, water and other hazards, trees, green surface and psychological reactions.  These measurements provide each course with accurate measurements for each set of tees including yardages, course rating and slope and are essential to the OGA Handicap program ensuring that players of differing abilities are able to participate in enjoyable and competitive games.

TOURNAMENT ASSISTANCE GROUP (TAG) TEAM 

Without the assistance of the TAG Team it would be impossible to provide an enjoyable experience to all competitors at OGA events.  TAG Team members serve as Starters, Rules Officials, Marshals and Scoring Officials.  The Starter sees to it that groups tee-off on the proper starting hole at the proper time and is also responsible for distributing the official scorecards, reviewing playing procedures, and answering any inquiries a contestant might have prior to play.  Rules Officials assist players in the proper execution of the competition and acts to prevent players from breaching any rules.  Scoreboard Officials are responsible for seeing to it that scorecards are properly turned in, maintained in their proper order and assisting in posting scores on the scoreboard or internet.  Marshals are essential to the smooth operation of a championship round ensuring that a reasonable pace-of-play is maintained by and for all groups.

OFFICE ASSISTANCE

Whether its helping us maintain our historical library, answering phones, assisting with mailings or helping us maintain our databases, volunteers are necessary to help us keep on top of our projects so that our staff can deliver unparalleled service to our members.

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANCE

We are always looking for support at our championships in areas of photography, videography, and news/story writing, and we are also looking for content contributors for our website.

Interested in becoming a Volunteer?  Click Here to fill out an application form or contact the OGA at (503) 981-4653 for more information.

Establish An OGA Corporate Partnership

Golf is also the sport of business and now the Oregon Golf Association is willing to provide a select number of companies an ideal year-round platform for reaching the Pacific Northwest’s most avid golf audience. Those companies looking for the right vehicle to drive business should consider creating a meaningful and measurable partnership with the OGA and its 50,000+ passionnate golfing members in Oregon and Washington. 

Image is everything and we’ve got it.  As a partner, you’ll tap the equity of the regional governing bodies for the sport, along with our vision and our values.   Our core values and beliefs include being community-spirited, forward thinking, proud of our heritage, and committed to serving our members by providing quality facilities, services and benefits that are welcoming, hospitable, are customer service oriented and provide an excellent value.

With our relationship you’ll be able to capitalize on close, relevant and appreciated connections with an affluent and influential audience. In golf, the Pacific Northwest has never looked better.  Our courses are being recognized more and more on an international stage having hosted more than 10 major amateur and professional championships in just the past five years.

The OGA's goal is to be able to have the resources to expand direct tangible benefits to our members, as well as develop additional resources so that we may enhance the services we presently offer the golf community whether its programs such as Junior Golf, The First Tee, the
First Green, Evans Scholarship Funds or other opportunities to boost the game of golf at facilities across the region.

Companies interested in reaching golf’s enthusistic and diverse demographics are invited to contact the Oregon Golf Associations to see if a partnership program can be tailored to meet their needs.  A limited number of Official Partner opportunities are available.  Inquiries should be made by contacting Eric Yaillen at the OGA.

USGA Green Section - Northwest March Update

Sometimes Black Layers Can Be Good
By Larry Gilhuly, USGA Northwest Director
March 11, 2010

The use of a check plot demonstrates the use of black sand and its impact on green-up.  

The damage done to greens last summer and this winter has been well documented in regional updates, webcasts (https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usga/view?id=CDP6H3), and local golf publications. Progress is being made at some golf courses with a material to help greens recover from winter damage – black sand. Before the preliminary results are discussed, some background information is needed.

Researchers have shown that the use of properly-sized USGA sand can warm the putting green surface in a manner similar to turf covers. When combined with covers, the temperature increase at the turf canopy is even more dramatic. Also, for courses with ice coverage or extended snow coverage, the advantages of using an inert, dark material to rapidly remove snow and ice have been documented. But what about Poa annua-dominated greens found in a much milder climate? Will black sand improve the recovery on greens, or simply be a waste of money with covers remaining the best answer? Based on what has happened at two golf courses in British Columbia and Oregon, the use of black sand as a recovery enhancer deserves a close look for courses that still have weakened greens.

Marine Drive Golf Club is located in the lower mainland of British Columbia, with a mild climate similar to Washington and Oregon. Their greens took a major hit this winter, with natural recovery starting in late January-early February from the ongoing El Nino weather pattern. In early February, they decided to "jump-start" their greens with the application of 300 lbs./1000 sq. ft. of black sand from a source in Idaho, and they seeded bentgrass after spiking. When discussing the use of this product, Superintendent Wade Hawksworth was very positive about the money spent, and sees the additional benefit of smoothing the Poa annua surfaces. Thus far, the results have been very good, with the membership observing a very visual effort to improve the greens. Wade estimates that he will open several greens at least two to three weeks earlier than if the darkening agent was not used.

Another example is Illahe Hills Country Club, located in Salem, Oregon at the northern part of the Willamette Valley. As with his counterpart to the north, Superintendent Bill Swancutt applied black sand (400 lbs./M) on some of his worst areas, and he also had the foresight to place a piece of plywood down before sand application. The photo shows the distinct difference in color and regrowth compared to the grass under the plywood-covered check plot. Mr. Swancutt reports an expected two-week faster recovery of his worst greens.

These examples do not in any way imply that turf covers should be discarded in the recovery process. Marine Drive GC used both covers and black sand on some of their worst greens with even better results, while many other golf courses in western Oregon and Washington have had very good recovery with covers only. However, for courses that may have only a portion of a green that is damaged, and they do not wish to deal with how covers will impact play, the use of black sand offers another way to enhance recovery without daily cover removal and replacement. For superintendents facing a similar situation, this may be the first time that "black layer" has ever been discussed in a positive light.

Source: Larry Gilhuly, lgilhuly@usga.org or 253-858-2266

2010 Evans Scholars Recipients

As members of the Oregon Golf Association, a portion of your dues goes to fund the Evans Caddie Scholarship Fund.  In 2010, 9 scholars representing high schools throughout Oregon were recently awarded the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship, a one-year full tuition and housing scholarship renewable for four years - a potential value exceeding $50,000 per scholar.  The program is administered by the Western Golf Association and supported locally by the Oregon Golf Association and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association. Oregon scholarship finalists were interviewed at a Selection Meeting held March 4 at Portland Golf Club.

There are four primary criteria for scholarship grants. (1) Candidates, who are nominated by their golf clubs, must have a strong caddie record, with a minimum of two years of outstanding service. (2) Candidates must have an excellent high school academic record, achieving above a B average in college preparatory classes. Applicants must also provide ACT college test scores to further determine academic potential. (3) Candidates must demonstrate significant financial need. Over the years, the Evans Scholars Foundation has assisted thousands of young people from families with very modest financial means. (4) Finally, letters of recommendation from club and high school officials attest to the applicant’s high moral character.   This year, 24 Oregon candidates were nominated by 6 courses with OGA Member Clubs. Those who were not finalists did not meet one or more of the above criteria. 

Course	2010 Candidates	Current Scholars	Evans Alumni
Bandon Dunes	13	9	4
Oswego Lake	2		12
Portland	4		14
Riverside	1		15
Shadow Hills	1		8
Waverley	3	3	39
Bend		1	1
Eastmoreland		4	16
Emerald Valley		1
Heron Lakes		3	12
RedTail		1	1
Rose City		4	13
Royal Oaks		4	6

The graduation rate for Evans Scholars (nationally) is 90 percent, far above the national average of under 50 percent for all students entering four-year colleges and universities.  The average GPA for an Evans Scholar is 3.22.  The average GPA for Evans Scholars currently attending Oregon is 3.38, and at Oregon State it is 3.21 -- for a cumulative average grade point of 3.298.  Congratulations to our scholars!

Presently there are 15 Evans Scholars attending the University of Oregon, 10 attending Oregon State and 1 attending the University of Washington who were recipients of scholarships.  The total Evans Alumni in the Pacific NW include Oregon (181), Oregon State (58), Washington (196) and Washington State (22).

The annual funds required to maintain the tuition, housing and administration of the $10 million annual program (the largest individually funded program in the nation) are generated from more than 35,000 WGA Par Club Members, 100,000 participants in the WGA Bag Tag program, alumni contributions, endowments and proceeds from the BMW Championship a PGA TOUR event.  Locally, additional funds are raised through an annual fundraiser and contributions from the Oregon Golf Assocaition as well as the Brian Henninger Foundation and Tournament Golf Foundation Inc, organizers of the LPGA Safeway Classic.  

Tudor Bertea Portland GC	Andy Santos Bandon Dunes	Maddisson Hawk Riverside G & CC
Michael Gtritzmacher Waverley CC	Nicholas Lamberger Portland GC	Hunter Hensler Bandon Dunes
Tyler Klein Bandon Dunes	Rachel Ledig Bandon Dunes	Caitlyn McLauhlin Bandon Dunes

Click Here for more pictures from this year's Selection Committee event.

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SAVE THE DATE!
Evans Cup of Oregon
September 27, 2010 -  Portland Golf Club

This year’s popular event will take place at Portland Golf Club on Monday, September 27, 2010. With the continued popularity of this annual event, we expect the field to fill quickly. Clubs are encouraged to field teams of individuals that will actively bid on the outstanding live auction items at the conclusion of play; it is through these auctions that the majority of funds benefiting our Evans Scholars are raised. You are also encouraged to send in your entry, with payment, by the registration deadline TBD to guarantee a spot for your team.  Entries returned without the entry fee paid in full will be placed in a hold status  until full payment is received.

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ABOUT THE ASSOCIATIONS

The OGA (Oregon Golf Association) is a non-profit entity of more than 300 private, public and associate clubs throughout Oregon and SW Washington with approximately 50,000 individual members. As guardian of the game in Oregon and SW Washington, their mission is to foster the enhancement and expansion of the game of golf by leading in the development of member and information services, the promotion of opportunities for all that want to play, and protection of the game’s integrity and valued traditions.

The PNGA (Pacific Northwest Golf Association) is a 501(c) 3 charitable, international amateur golf association dedicated to preserving the true spirit of the game of golf and promoting activities beneficial to golfers in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Over the past 100 years, the Association has been a pioneer in developing competitions and services to its members. Today, the PNGA remains committed to being a truly "regional" organization providing benefits and services to its members and member clubs throughout the Northwest. The PNGA territory is broken down into five zones, which are: Zone 1 - Oregon; Zone 2 - Eastern Washington; Zone 3 - Western Washington and Alaska; Zone 4 - British Columbia and Alberta; and Zone 5 - Idaho and Montana. The PNGA currently has 687 member clubs and approximately 225,000 individual members.  All members of OGA Member Clubs are also members of the PNGA.

The WGA (Western Golf Association) was founded in 1899 by 11 Chicago-area golf clubs and is today supported by more than 500 member clubs in states throughout the nation. Its headquarters are in Golf, Ill., which also is home to the Glen View Club, host of the first Western Open and Western Amateur championships in 1899. The WGA also administers the Western Junior championship, the first such national competition in the history of American golf, as well as the BMW Championship, and oversees the prestigious Chick Evans Caddie Scholarships. 

The Evans Scholars Foundation, founded in 1930 when the first two Evans Scholars, Harold Fink and Jim McGinnis, attended Northwestern University, is among the nation’s largest privately funded college scholarship programs.  The Foundation, established by famed Chicago golfer Chick Evans, has provided college educations to nearly 9,000 caddies while making tuition scholarship payments totaling more than $100 million. 

More than 840 caddies annually attend college on Evans Scholarships. Most Evans Scholars attend one of the 14 universities where the Foundation owns and operates a Scholarship House. The scholarships are funded through contributions from more than 100,000 golfers, including 37,000 WGA Par Club members. All proceeds from the BMW Championship also benefit the Program.

Since its founding in 1899, the Western Golf Association has conducted more than 302 championships for professional and amateur golfers from throughout the United States and worldwide. The three WGA-sponsored tournaments have featured the nation’s top professional, amateur and junior golfers. It's trophies bear the names of golf's greatest names including: Chick Evans, Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Price, Tiger Woods, Ben Crenshaw, Justin Leonard, Phil Mickelson, Curtis Strange, Hal Sutton, Lanny Wadkins, Tom Weiskopf, Scott Verplank, Jim Furyk, Fred Couples, Scott Hoch, Tom Lehman, Craig Stadler, Corey Pavin, and Bobby Clampett.

The Elements of an OGA Partnership

We welcome the opportunity to tailor a solution that can best fulfill your specific marketing needs. 

THE BENEFITS OF AN OGA PARTNERSHIP
Connect your brand year-round to the thousands of avid golfers and loyal members of the Oregon Golf Association and a powerful regional media footprint.  We develop custom partnerships so you can tap the value of a one-on-one relationship with golf’s most valuable consumer and fulfill your specific marketing goals and objectives. 

If you’re looking for the right vehicle to drive your business, there’s nothing like leveraging the affinity we have with our passionate golfing members in Oregon and SW Washington.  The strength of your brand combined with the passion of our members is a powerful combination.  You’ll be able to capitalize on close, relevant and appreciated connections with an affluent and influential audience.

With the Oregon Golf Association, you’ll be speaking with your targets, not at them. Unlike a commercial interruption, your message is woven right into the action, reaching decision-makers where they are passionate and while they’re engaged.  How engaged are they?  How many email marketing programs can boast more than a 60% open rate!! 

Rather than a perfunctory 30-second spot or partnerships tied into short-term special events; you have an opportunity to establish a long-term message integrated into their lifestyle.  When you support something they care about, they’ll support you. Reaching our affinity group provides you the opportunity to capitalize on a relationship with members who’ll have a higher propensity to buy Verizon Wireless’ products and services over those of your competitors.

As a partner, you’ll tap the equity of the regional governing body for the sport, along with our vision as well as those core values integral to our sport such as honesty, integrity, civility, sportsmanship, respect, responsibility and judgment.   Additionally, with this relationship, you’ll be able to capitalize on close, relevant and appreciated connections with an affluent and influential audience.

So, whether you’re interested in finding ways to acquire new customers, strengthening current customer relationships or promoting your products and services, being one of the select few to participate with the Oregon Golf Association together provides you an ideal year-round marketing platform for reaching the Pacific Northwest’s most affluent, active and influential demographics.

The following summarizes the marketing inventory that could be included in a partnership depending on your investment:

• Web Site:  The OGA web site is the go-to source for information about the game of golf, local tournament information, tournament results, entry information and more!  Your partnership may include clickable banner advertisements that you may change at your discretion. 

Google Analytics (2009): Annual – Visits (218,753), Pageviews (734,237), Absolute unique visitors  (77,750), Peak Season (June 2009): Visits (38,301), Pageviews (130,055), Absolute unique visitors (14,869), Average time on site (4:07).  Additionally, we have specific microsites for our championships such as the Oregon Amateur.  For the week of the Oregon Amateur in 2009, Google analytics for that website were as follows: Visits (11,482), Pageviews (30,840), Absolute unique visitors (3,828), Average time on site (4:10).

• Event Branding:  As a partner, you may choose to take advantage of opportunities to promote and distribute information at select Association events. More than 9,200 rounds of golf are played as part of these events.  For instance, you could be included in championship collateral materials such as scorecards, hole location sheets, and player mailers. You could also place on-site banners/signage at select events.

Other events:  In addition to our championships, sponsorship opportunities are also available at several other OGA events including:

o The Evans Cup of Oregon
o The Oregon Youth Best-Ball Challenge (to support The First Tee at the Children’s Course and Oregon Junior Golf)
o OGA Annual Meeting (October 2010)
o The OGA Tour (14+ non-championship competitions for individuals, partners, seniors, and women with a season ending Tour Championship in 2010 at Bandon Dunes Resort)
o OGA Rules of Golf Seminars and Clinics
(2,000 golfers attended Rules seminars in 2009).

The type of inventory available at these events may include Presenting, Team, Hole, Hole-in-One, or Hospitality (Lunch, Dinner) sponsor. 

• E-Revisions:  Your partnership can be included in more than 580,000 personalized emails which are sent to subscribers for their official USGA Handicap Index update.  With an open rate that far exceeds any national average our open rate averages about 75%, there is no better electronic media opportunity available.  (The off-season Feb. 1 eRevision had a 62% open rate as of Feb. 11).

• Handicap Posting Stations:  Nearly 200 golf courses in Oregon and SW Washington have Handicap Posting terminals with more than 2.5 million rounds of golf posted at these courses providing more than 12 million pageviews. Additional pageviews Your partnership can include a static banner advertisement that can be changed at your discretion on all handicap posting screens and will also be included on the posting station’s screen saver.

• Access to Membership Database: Deliver your affinity/activation message to the Oregon Golf Associations’ proprietary mailing list of more than 36,000 avid golfer households either as a stand-alone mailer or in conjunction with the mailing of Pacific Northwest Golfer.  This opportunity is available exclusively to our partners and is not offered at any price á la carte. You would be responsible for paying the cost of materials and the mailing itself.

• Online Video:  An opening billboard and your 30-second digital commercial announcement can wrap around tournament recaps of four major championships.  The commercial can summarize your partnership or can be any message you desire!

• Magazine Advertising:  As a Partner of our Association, your brands can be promoted in each issue of Golf Oregon (regional sections inserted in Pacific Northwest Golfer) which has an audited circulation and is mailed quarterly to more than 35,000 homes!

• Corporate Hospitality:  Whether it is hosting a complete corporate outing or just some complimentary foursomes, a partnership/sponsorship package can include opportunities to host your clients at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore.  The OGA Golf Course has been recognized as one of the top 8 Golf Courses in Oregon by Golf Digest’s Best Places To Play and is one of only 17 Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary courses in Oregon.

The OGA is committed to work with our Partners to put together win-win arrangements that include a variety of different elements such as those listed above. As a non-profit membership organization, our underlying goal with partnerships is to a) offset current expenses so that we have resources to improve member services, and/or b) offer new member benefits.

For more information, contact Eric Yaillen at the Oregon Golf Association.

OGA Names 2010 PNGA Cup Team

The Oregon Golf Association recently announced the members who will make up Team Oregon at the 5th PNGA Cup Matches which will be held May 6-7 at Tumble Creek Club Roslyn, Wash.

The PNGA Cup is a Ryder Cup match that includes foursome, fourball and individual match play competitions, and is considered the only of its kind because it is a team contest including men, women, mid- and senior amateur players.  Teams represent each of the allied state and provincial associations that are part of the PNGA (Oregon, Washington, Idaho and defending champions - British Columbia).

Team Oregon captures the first two titles including the inaugural matches at Seattle Golf Club in 2006 and repeated the following year at Victoria Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia.  In 2008, the teams from Oregon and Washington tied at the end of the scheduled compeition, with Washington taking the title in a one-hole playoff. 

Team Oregon this year includes:  Mid-Am Men: Eric Fiskum, Jim Dunlap, Chad Sawyer and Matt Newcombe; Master-40 Men: Bill Winter and Rick Dimick; Senior Men: Chris Maletis and Patrick O'Donnell; Mid-Am Women: Lara Tennant and Loree McKay; Senior Women: Penny Saenguraiporn and Joan Edwards-Powell

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Mid-Amateur Men:

Eric Fiskum
Qualified – 2009 US Amateur Championship
2009 PNGA Cup Team
2009 Hudson Cup Team
2009 Oregon USGA State Team
2008 Hudson Cup Team
2008 PNGA Cup Team
Tied 2nd -  2008  OGA Tournament of Champions
Round of 32 – 2008 Oregon Amateur
Tied 4th – 2008 OGA Team Championship
Qualified for 2008 US Mid – Amateur
2007 PNGA Cup Team
Round of 32 – 2007 Oregon Amateur
Tied for 9th – 2007 OGA  Tournament of Champions
Tied for 6th – 2007 Oregon Mid-Amateur
Winner – 2006 OGA Tournament of Champions
2006 PNGA Cup Team
Runner up – 2005 Oregon Amateur

Jim Dunlap
2009 Oregon USGA State Team
2009 Pacific Coast Morse Cup Team
2009 Hudson Cup Team 
Champion – 2009 OGA Tournament of Champions
2008 OGA Player of the Year
2008 PNGA Cup Team
2008 Hudson Cup Team
Round of 16 – 2008 US Mid-Amateur Championship
Qualified – 2008 US Open Local Qualifier
Low individual – 2007 OGA Team Championship
Qualified for 2007 US Amateur
Tied 2nd – 2007 Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship
 
Chad Sawyer
Medalist – 2009 - US Mid-Amateur Qualifier
Champion – 2009 Oregon Public Links Championship
Round of 32 – 2009 US Mid –Amateur Championship
2009 Hudson Cup Team
2nd – 2009 Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship
Champion - 2008 Oregon Public Links Championship

Matt Newcombe 
Tied 3rd – 2009 OGA Team Championship
Tied 2nd – 2009 OGA Tournament of Champions
2009 Hudson Cup Team

Master-40 Men:

Bill Winter
Round of 32 – PNGA Amateur
Round of 16 – 2009 Oregon Amateur
Round of 32 - 2008 Oregon Amateur
Tied 20th – 2009 North West Open
5th – 2008 OGA Tournament of Champions
9th – 2007 Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship
Low Individual – 2006 OGA Team Championship
Qualified for 2006 US Mid-Amateur Championship

Rick Dimick
4th – 2009 OGA Tournament of Champions
Tied 3rd – 2009 Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship

Senior Men:

Chris Maletis
Champion – Inaugural OGA Players Championship 
Champion – PNGA Senior Amateur Championship
Tied 2nd Washington Senior Open
Tied 8th – 2009 Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship
2009 Senior Hudson Cup Team
2009 PNGA Cup Team
2008 Senior Hudson Cup Team
2008 PNGA Cup Team
Champion – 2008 PNGA Master 40
Tied 2nd – 2008 Oregon Senior Men’s Stroke Play
Tied 6th – 2008 PNGA Senior Amateur
Tied 4th – 2008 Senior Washington Open
Champion – 104th Trans-Mississippi Championship (third title)
Champion - 2007 PNGA Senior Men’s Amateur
2nd – 2007 Oregon Senior Men’s Stroke Play
2nd – 2007 Senior Washington Open
Alternate – 2007 US Senior Open Qualifier
2004 Golfer of the year
#50 in the Golfweek / Titlest Senior Amateur Rankings

Patrick O’Donnell
2009 OGA Golfer of the Year 
2009 PNGA Senior Player of The Year
Low individual – 2009 OGA Team Championship
Round of 16 – 2009 US Senior Amateur Championship
Medalist – 2009 US Senior Amateur Qualifier
2009 PNGA Cup Team
2009 Senior Hudson Cup Team
2nd – 2009 Oregon Senior Open (Low Amateur)
Champion – 2009 Oregon Senior Men’s Stroke Play
2008 Hudson Cup Team
Champion – 2008 Oregon Senior Amateur
Champion – 2008 Oregon Senior Men’s Stroke Play
Tied 10th – 2008 OGA Tournament of Champions
Champion – 2007 Senior Men’s Stroke Play
2nd – 2008 Senior Men’s Stroke Play

Mid-Amateur Women:

Lara Tennant
Champion – 2009 Oregon Women’s Stroke Play
4th – 2009 OGA Tournament of Champions
Semifinals – PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
2009 Oregon USGA State Team
2009 PNGA Cup Team
2008 PNGA Cup Team
Champion – 2008 Oregon Mid – Amateur
2nd – 2008 Oregon Women’s Stroke Play
3rd – 2008 Oregon Women’s Team Championship
Runner up – 2007 Oregon Amateur Championship
Low Individual – 2007 OGA Women’s Team Championship
Champion – 2007 Oregon Women’s Stroke Play
Round of 64 – 2007 US Mid-Amateur Championship
2007 PNGA Cup Team
Champion – 2003 Oregon Women’s Mid-Amateur
Round of 64 – 2006 US Women’s Amateur Championship
2007 Oregon USGA State Team
2007 OGA Women’s Performance Points Leader

Loree McKay
Champion – 2009 PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur
Champion – 2009 PNGA Senior Women’s Team
Champion – 2009 Oregon Senior Women’s Stroke Play
Champion – 2009 Oregon Women’s Mid-Amateur
2nd – 2009 OGA Tournament of Champions
2009 PNGA Cup Team
2009 Oregon USGA State Team
2008 PNGA Cup Team
Medalist/ Runner Up – 2008 Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur 
2nd – 2008 Oregon Senior Women’s Stroke Play
Champion – 2007 Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur 
Champion – 2007 Oregon Mid-Amateur Champion
3rd – 2007 Oregon Senior Women’s Stroke Play
2007 USGA State Member
2007 OGA Senior Women’s Performance Points Leader

Senior Women:

Penny Saenguriaporn
Runner up  – 2009 Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur 
Tied 5th – 2009 Oregon Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship

Joan Edwards – Powell
Champion – 2009 Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur
Six Time - Oregon Senior Amateur Champion
Champion  – 2008 Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur
Runner up – 2007 Oregon Senior Amateur
Member, PNGA Hall of Fame

 

 

Webinar - Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf

This is the first in the Webinar series of "Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf".

We will be discussing the TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series, the Tournament Scoring Requirements and what it really means, Preparing a Resumé, Email Communications with your prospective coach, how to Connect with College Coaches and finally picking a College that is right for you.

See the full College Golf Basics Tutorial Series:
1. Intro/The College Golf Basics
2. Playing College Golf; Important Information to Know
3. How To Get College Scholarships, Golf Scholarships & Financial Aid
4. How to Find Minority College Scholarships
5. College Golf The Recruiting Process by Dianne Dailey; DI Women's Golf Coach
6. Selecting the Right College Golf Coach, College Golf Team and College
 
The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf.
 
March 18, 2010 5:00 PM PT
 
To learn more and register visit http://tourresourcecenter.com/webinars

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Enter the Promo code golftrc to save $10 Off of a new Tour Resource Center membership. The promo code is: golftrc   
Register now by going to http://TourResourceCenter.com or golfTRC.com
Offer Expires: March 31, 2010

Yada Shoots 69 As Portand State Vikings Post Best Score in Four Years

Las Vegas, NV - Freshman Britney Yada was at it again, shooting a three-under par 69 to lead her Portland State team in the first round of the UNLV Spring Invitational.

It was Yada’s second sub-par round in a week as she comes off her best performance as a Viking at the Fresno State Lexus Classic on Mar. 1-2.
In that tournament, she shot a six-over par 220, including a one-under par second-round 71.

On Monday, Yada bettered that single-round performance a three-birdie, no-bogey 69 at Boulder Creek Golf Club. Her three-under par score is the sixth in Portland State history and just one off the school-record of 68, shot by Taya Battistella in 2003.

Yada, who led her Vikings to a six-over par 294 on the first day of a three-day, 54-hole event, is tied for fourth, four shots behind Kayla Mortellaro of Idaho, who shot seven-under 65. In all, 16 of the 95 players competing broke par on Monday

The Vikings’ 294 score ties for the third-best single round in school history, and the best in four years. This, despite having just four available players for this week’s tournament.

Leading the tournament is host UNLV, which shot a team score of seven-under par 281. Idaho is three shots back at three-under 285.

Sophomore Tiffany Schoning also had a good day, shooting two-over par 74, her best score this season. She is currently tied for 29th. Junior Kalyn Dodge matched her season-best score with a 75. She is tied for 44th. Another junior, Alexia Brown shot 76 on Monday and is tied for 49th.

The UNLV Spring Invitational continues with 18-hole rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday. The 54-hole event is being played at Boulder Creek Country Club, a 6,246-yard, par-72 course.

TEAM NOTES: Normally, five players compete for a four-player team score in collegiate golf tournaments, but injuries and other issues allowed the Vikings to travel only four players... Yada’s 69 is the best score by a Viking since Kayla Morinaga shot a second-round 69 in the 2007 Heather Farr/Colorado Memorial... there have now been 28 under par rounds in PSU history... Brown has shot four straight rounds in the 70s, and seven of the last eight...  Schoning has shot eight of 10 rounds in the 70s during the 2009-10 season... Yada has shot no worse than 78 in her last seven rounds... Portland State is the only Big Sky Conference team competing at the UNLV Spring Invitational... six teams ranked in the top 50 are competing in the tournament - the Vikings stand ahead of three of them.

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Team Scores
1. UNLV, 281
2. Idaho, 285
T3. Ball State, 289
T3. Missouri, 289
5. Texas Tech, 292
6. Baylor, 293
7. Portland State, 294
8. Nebraska, 295
T9. Wisconsin, 298
T9. Tulsa, 298
T9. BYU, 298
T12. Texas State, 300
T12. New Mexico State, 300
14. Texas, 302
15. Campbell, 303
16. Oregon State, 304
17. Wyoming, 310
18. Washington State, 311

Individual Scores
1. Kayla Mortellaro, Idaho, 65
2. Valdis Jonsdittar, Texas State, 67
3. Therese Koelbaek, UNLV, 68
T4. Britney Yada, Portland State 69
T4. Kristtini Cain, Ball State, 69
T4. Amanda Jacobs, Idaho, 69
T4. Kristen Schelling, UNLV, 69
T8. Lene Hafsten-Morch, Baylor, 70
T8. Hannah Lovelock, Missouri, 70
T10. seven players Tied at 71
 
Portland State Scores
T4. BriTney Yada, 69
T29. Tiffany Schoning, 74
T44. Kalyn Dodge, 75
T49. Alexia Brown, 76

Webinar - Playing Between the Ears

A mental skills webinar for competitive golfers hosted by Michael Riggs, M.Ed.   He is the president of Performance Consulting, Ltd., and the creator of the highly acclaimed mental skills program, ONE WAY GOLF.

The complete golfer is a well-prepared individual - physically, as well as, mentally. While most players admit that "the game within the game is between the ears", mental skills training is an often overlooked ingredient as a golfer assembles a performance program. The degree of mental preparedness of a player is often the difference between success and failure.

Topics to be covered in this webinar:
• Improving confidence
• Reducing nervousness and anxiety
• Enhancing concentration and focus
• Developing more effective imagery
• Developing more effective practices and pre-shot routines
• Putting it all together for a championship performance!
 
March 16, 2010 4:00 PM PT
 
To learn more and register visit http://tourresourcecenter.com/webinars

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Enter the Promo code golftrc to save $10 Off of a new Tour Resource Center membership. The promo code is: golftrc   
Register now by going to http://TourResourceCenter.com or golfTRC.com
Offer Expires: March 31, 2010

Notice Regarding USGA Forum on Equipment Rulemaking

In keeping with its mission of service to the game of golf, the USGA actively works to improve the operations of all its core functions, from conducting national championships to promoting environmentally sustainable course management practices to implementing and modifying the rules governing golf equipment.

Now that the first rollback of golf equipment in more than 75 years has been initiated, we believe that this is an appropriate time to evaluate the process utilized for formulating equipment rules.

In an effort to improve the equipment rulemaking process, the USGA will hold a forum on the process of equipment rulemaking in Fall 2010. The forum will be held at Golf House in Far Hills, N.J., on a specific date to be determined and announced at a later time. We will invite all stakeholders in the game to participate, including manufacturers, players, media, golf organizations and other interested parties. The main purpose of this forum is to allow stakeholders the opportunity to make their views on equipment rulemaking known to the USGA, and to each other. Appropriate protocols will be established to allow an efficient and fair opportunity for those wishing to participate.  

We anticipate that the forum will provide input that can help the USGA enhance the rulemaking process, including procedures for making new equipment rules, changing existing rules, and modifying rule-associated measurement systems, as well as enhancing the associated processes for implementing such changes.

Examples of topics for discussion include:

• The process by which new equipment rules and rule changes are proposed
• Timing and communication of USGA research projects that potentially could lead to rule changes
• Timing and communication of proposed equipment rule changes
• The process and timing for implementing changes to measurement systems and other rule enforcement methods
• Procedures for considering changes to non-performance related rules
• Consideration of the impacts of potential rule changes and the evaluation, after an appropriate time period, of the results of implemented rule changes
• The process of commenting on proposed rule changes, including confidentiality considerations
• Timing of the implementation of rule changes
• The decision-making process, including communication of the reasons for enacting new equipment rules or changing existing equipment rules
• The appropriate balance between technology and skill in player performance

The forum can also provide an opportunity for discussing the process by which the USGA renders rulings on individual items of golf equipment submitted for evaluation, as well as consideration of the ways in which relevant information about these rulings might be communicated publicly.

The USGA welcomes additional input on the matters that might be discussed at the forum on the process of equipment rulemaking. Those wishing to provide input are encouraged to submit ideas to Dick Rugge, Senior Technical Director, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, NJ 07931, Fax 908-234-0138, e-mail: drugge@usga.org. So that logistical matters can be managed appropriately, please let us know if you have interest in attending this event.

Nike Golf Adds More Acceleration to Fairway Woods

BEAVERTON, Ore. (February 17, 2010) – Nike Golf is adding more speed to its new SQ MACHSPEED line with the addition of the Nike SQ MACHSPEED fairway woods.  The new SQ MACHSPEED fairway woods will use the power of Total Swing Aerodynamics to help golfers hit the ball farther and straighter.

As with the recently announced Nike SQ MACHSPEED drivers, the SQ MACHSPEED fairway woods are loaded with ground-breaking technology, specifically the combination of square technology and Nike’s Total Swing Aerodynamic Design. 

Nike’s Total Swing Aerodynamic engineering moves air faster across the sole, over the crown and around the skirt for incremental swing speed advances.  Nike designed the SQ MACHSPEED fairway woods to optimize the aerodynamics throughout the entire swing and to deliver more speed and reduce drag. 

TOTAL SWING AERODYNAMIC DESIGN
Nike’s Total Swing Aerodynamic design reduces drag throughout the entire swing, which results in a faster clubhead and increased ball speed. 

Fast Start - At the beginning of the downswing, the tapered heel geometry and toe-side aerodynamic Nike PowerBow design promote smooth air flow around the head for quicker acceleration.

Acceleration - As speed increases, so does drag force.  But the aerodynamic Nike PowerBow and sole diffuser designs keep the airflow smooth and close to the club surface, reducing drag and encouraging a faster acceleration.

Maximum Speed - Drag reduction through-out the downswing allows the club to reach its true maximum speed, delivering maximum energy to the ball.

Availability:  February 25, 2010 at golf shops and golf specialty stores nationwide

SQ MACHSPEED Fairway Woods

Men’s:  Loft Options:  3 (RH/LH); 4 (RH); 5 (RH/LH); 7 (RH); All available in:  A,R,S,X
MSRP:  $239.99

Women’s: Loft Options: 3 (RH); 5 (RH); 7 (RH); All available in W (women’s) shaft.
MSRP: $239.99

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Located at NIKE’s World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to ushering in the future of this great sport by developing ground-breaking innovations that enable and inspire athletes to become better.  For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.com.  To follow Nike Golf on Twitter visit www.twitter.com/nikegolf and to become a fan on facebook go to www.facebook.com/nikegolf.  To check out videos from Nike Golf subscribe to our You Tube Channel at www.youtube.com/nikegolf.

Nike Golf Adds More Energy and Speed to SQ MACHSPEED Line

BEAVERTON, Ore. (February 23, 2010)– Nike Golf is adding more energy and speed to its exciting new SQ MACHSPEED line of clubs with the introduction of the SQ MACHSPEED hybrids. Nike athlete Suzann Pettersen used the new hybrids in competition for the first time at the Honda PTT LPGA event in Thailand, where she finished second.

As with the Nike SQ MACHSPEED drivers, fairway woods and irons, the SQ MACHSPEED hybrids use the power of aerodynamics to help golfers hit the ball farther and straighter – all due to speed. Nike’s Total Swing Aerodynamic technology is designed to create a higher initial ball velocity and launch angle with less spin.

“The key to gaining more distance is to increase ball speed. The key to increasing ball speed is through aerodynamics,” said Tom Stites, Director of Club Creation for Nike Golf.  “We’ve been able to optimize aerodynamics in the total golf swing.  This helps to create a faster clubhead and ball speed.”

Nike’s Total Swing Aerodynamic Design moves the air faster across the sole, over the crown and around the skirt for incremental swing speed advances.

For maximum stability and forgiveness in all kinds of lies, the SQ MACHSPEED hybrids feature Tour proven square technology by moving weight out and into the corners. A 455 ultra thin steel face delivers hotter response and longer shots.

Availability:  February 25, 2010 at golf shops and specialty stores nationwide.

Men’s Loft Options:  #2/18-degree (RH/LH); #3/21-degree (RH/LH); #4/24-degree (RH/LH); #5/27-degree (RH/LH); #6/30-degree (RH/LH); All are available in S,R,A
MSRP:  $179.99

Women’s Loft Options:  #5/25-degree (RH); #6/30-degree (RH); W
MSRP:  $179.99

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Located at NIKE’s World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to ushering in the future of this great sport by developing ground-breaking innovations that enable and inspire athletes to become better.  For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.com.  To follow Nike Golf on Twitter visit www.twitter.com/nikegolf and to become a fan on facebook go to www.facebook.com/nikegolf.  To view Nike Golf’s videos subscribe to our you tube channel at www.youtube.com/nikegolf. 

 

Nike Golf Introduces its Fastest, Longest Irons Ever

BEAVERTON, Ore. (February 8, 2010)– With a passionate desire to inspire consumers to become better golfers, Nike Golf has introduced the fastest and longest irons the company has ever developed to date - the Nike SQ MACHSPEED irons.

Due in stores on February 25, 2010, the SQ MACHSPEED irons represent three key functions: speed, stability and launch.  Speed leads to distance.  Stability leads to forgiveness.  And launch leads to functionality.  The key advantage for golfers with the SQ MACHSPEED irons is that they combine a high launch with increased distance. 

“With MACHSPEED, we’ve developed a very fast iron through new and dynamic construction that works,” said Tom Stites, Director of Club Creation for Nike Golf.  “This iron is all about helping golfers increase their ball speed in order to generate distance.  Our patented PowerBow technology allows golfers to launch the ball high and increase distance – a perfect combination to improving your game.”

Speed and Distance
To achieve speed and distance, the two-piece SQ MACHSPEED irons have a higher CT (Characteristic Time) in the wider areas on the face resulting in faster ball speeds and longer distance.  The new game-improvement Nike irons feature a combination of AM 355 alloy and an off-the-face weld construction that creates a thinner, hotter face and a wider sweet zone.  The new SQ MACHSPEED construction offers an extremely hot center area that expands lower on the face where the ball is more likely to be in contact to prevent a decrease in distance.

Stability and Forgiveness
The SQ MACHSPEED irons provide stability and forgiveness because of Nike’s PowerBow technology. Nike’s innovative PowerBow technology was first introduced in its earliest SQ product, the groundbreaking Nike SasQuatch driver in 2006.  The Nike PowerBow creates an extremely deep center of gravity and provides a wider sweet spot.

Launch and Functionality
Completing the three key functions of the Nike SQ MACHSPEED irons is the launch capability.  The SQ MACHSPEED features a deep undercut behind the face, which repositions 50 grams of weight out and back to the PowerBow for high launching shots that travel far and land softly. 

Availability – February 25, 2010 at golf shops and specialty stores nationwide

Men’s: 4-PW, AW; Steel:  S,R,A; RH/LH; MSRP: $839.99   MAP: $699.99
Men’s:  4-PW, AW; Graphite:  S,R,A; RH/LH; MSRP: $959.99    MAP: $799.99

Women’s:  5H, 6H, 7-PW, SW; Graphite: W (RH); MSRP: $959.99   MAP: $799.99

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Located in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to ushering in the future of this great game by developing ground-breaking innovations that enable athletes to perform at their physical and mental peak.  For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.com. To follow Nike Golf on Twitter visit www.twitter.com/nikegolf and to become a fan on facebook go to www.facebook.com/nikegolf. 

How to Post Golf Deals

Did you know the average OGA Member plays more than 50 rounds of golf a year and in total are responsible for more than 75% of the rounds played in a given season? 

Golf Deals is a FREE service provided by the Oregon Golf Association to golf courses that host OGA Member Clubs and members of allied associations including the OGCSA, OPGA, CMO and OGCOA.   In order to take advantage of this FREE Service and the ability to reach the avid golfers of the Oregon Golf Association, all "Deals" must offer active OGA members with a special offer that is better than any offer made available to the general public.  You decide what that it.  It could be greater discounted green fees, a value added bonus such as a free hot dog, range balls or cart with a paid green fee -- you decide!

How it works.

• A designated representative of the golf course (or golf related entity) completes the electronic form including contact information.
• The OGA receives an email informing us that a deal has been created.
• The OGA contacts the Golf Course to ensure the content is accurate and meets requirements before publishing the deal to the OGA website.
• When published, the deal will feed the OGA Facebook Fan Site, the OGA Twitter site and will also be sent to all golfers that have subscribed to receive the OGA Deals Blog via email (sent between 3am and 5am) or RSS Reader.

Have questions?  Contact Eric Yaillen via email or by phone at (503) 981-4653. 

Interested in other digital marketing opportunities?  Click Here.

Viking Women in 8th At Fresno State Classic

Fresno, CA - Freshman Britney Yada fired a career-low, one-under par 71 in the second round of the Fresno State Lexus Classic and is currently tied for sixth place, four shots back of the lead heading into Tuesday’s final round.  UC Davis is in the lead, anchored by Oregon Women's Amateur Champion, Amy Beth Simanton of Lake Oswego.

Yada became just the ninth Viking in history to shoot an under par round in competition. Her 74-71=145 score has her four shots behind Miki Ueoka of Santa Clara (69-72=141).

Meanwhile, Portland State shot its best single-round score of the 2009-10 season with a 12-over par 300 in round two.

The Vikings are in eighth place heading into Wednesday’s final round.
PSU shot 310-300=610 on Monday. The leader is 23rd-ranked UC Davis at 288-294=582. Thirty-seventh-ranked San Jose State is at 585.

The 14-team tournament, hosted by Fresno State, is being played at Copper River Country Club, a 6,043-yard, par-72 course.

Also playing well on Monday was junior Alexia Brown, who carded 79-74=153. The second round score was Brown’s best in four tournaments this season. She is tied for 28th among 74 golfers.  Senior Danielle Ranallo is tied for 37th at 80-75=155. Sophomore Tiffany Schoning is tied for 50th with 77-81=158. Junior Kalyn Dodge shot 81-80=160 and is tied for 61st.

TEAM NOTES: The Vikings’ previous-best team score this year was a first-round 301 at the Heather Farr/Colorado Memorial... the Vikings are second among three Big Sky schools competing, one shot behind Sacramento State (609) and well ahead of Eastern Washington (670)... junior Stephanie Johns, last year’s leading scorer for Portland State (77.43), is missing her fourth tournament in five outings this season with a back injury... Yada’s 71 is the best round by a Viking since Johns’ shot a 70 in the 2008 Bulldog and Eagle Invitational... there have now been 27 under par rounds in PSU history. The school scoring record is 68 by Taya Battistella (2003).

Fresno State Lexus Classic
hosted by Fresno State
Copper River Country Club, Fresno, CA
Mar. 1-2, 2010
6,043 yards, par 72
14 teams/74 golfers

Team Scores
1.  UC Davis, 288-294=582
2.  San Jose State, 296-289=585
t3. Fresno State, 301-296=597
t3. Santa Clara, 292-305=597
5.  UC Irvine, 302-301=603
6.  Gonzaga, 302-302=604
7.  Sacramento State, 308-301=609
8.  Portland State, 310-300=610
9.  Nevada, 306-305=611
10. Boise State, 310-304=614
11. Cal Poly, 308-311=619
12. Cal State Fullerton, 308-313=621
13. Seattle, 324-318=642
14. Eastern Washington, 331-339=670

Individual Scores
1.  Miki Ueoka, Santa Clara, 69-72=141
T2. Cristina Corpus, San Jose State, 74-69=143
    Amy Simanton, UC Davis, 74-69=143
T4. Alice Kim, UC Davis, 70-74=144
    Hali Coppin, Fresno State, 75-69=144
T6. Victoria Fallgren, Gonzaga, 69-76=145
    Britney Yada, Portland State, 74-71=145
    Julie Shutler, Sacramento State, 72-73=145
    Madeleine Ziegert, San Jose State, 72-73=145
T10.Demi Runas, UC Davis, 72-74=146
    Katrina Delen Briones, San Jose State, 73-73=146

Portland State Scores
t6. Britney Yada, 74-71=145
t28. Alexia Brown, 79-74=153
t37. Danielle Ranallo, 80-75=155
t50. Tiffany Schoning, 77-81=158
t61. Kalyn Dodge, 81-80=161

2010 Junior Schedule

Employment Opportunities

The Oregon Golf Association is currently accepting applications for three non-permanent seasonal positions at our Woodburn, Ore. offices. Individuals interested in either position should send a cover letter and resume to: 

MAIL: Oregon Golf Association, 2840 Hazelnut Drive, Woodburn, OR 97071
EMAIL: info@oga.org

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POSITION - COMPUTER ASSISTANT (NON-PERMANENT/SEASONAL)

JOB DESCRIPTION - The person in this role will help us continue to implement the Microsoft CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System.

The ideal candidate will have some familiarity using databases and spreadsheets.  The position will require data entry, creation reports, views and workflows as well as testing integration with third-party applications such as Constant Contact.

AVAILABLE - March 2010

REQUIREMENTS
* Computer skills: (Preferably Windows XP or higher, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
* Knowledge of Microsoft CRM helpful. (including process such as creating views, workflows, reports)
* Knowledge of Database Management helpful.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills
* Ability to learn new software programs
* Knowledge of golf and/or golf administration extremely helpful
* Strong work ethic and willingness to learn

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POSITION - P.J. BOATWRIGHT INTERNSHIPS (NON-PERMANENT/SEASONAL) for the Oregon Golf Association and Oregon Junior Golf.

JOB DESCRIPTION - The P. J. Boatwright Intern will perform many administrative and managerial duties for the Oregon Golf Association’s various programs and activities.  The Intern must be able to exercise initiative and independent judgment in completing the tasks necessary to the smooth, professional operation of the OGA.

This internship will provide extensive training and experience in tournament administration.  It will also involve exposure to all aspects of golf administration including member services, handicapping, course rating, communications, media relations, junior golf, and general office administration. This position will provide a well-rounded experience for an individual seeking a career in golf administration.

AVAILABLE - MAY 2010

REQUIREMENTS
* Computer skills: (Preferably Windows XP or higher, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills
* Knowledge of golf and/or golf administration extremely helpful
* Knowledge of GHIN's Tournament Pairing Program (TPP) extremely helpful
* Ability to learn new software programs
* Strong work ethic and willingness to learn

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Individuals interested in either position should send a cover letter and resume to: 

MAIL: Oregon Golf Association, 2840 Hazelnut Drive, Woodburn, OR 97071
EMAIL: info@oga.org

Nike Signing Bonus Promotion

NATIONAL NIKE GOLF SIGNING BONUS EVENT and More!
Saturday, March 6, 2010

Nike Golf is partnering with leading golf retailers to offer a day to celebrate new Nike Golf product technologies now available at golf course and golf retailers around the country.
This is an opportunity for consumers to:

• Get their Nike Golf Signing Bonus!
• Demo the entire line of new product innovations from Nike Golf
• Get Custom Fit
• Enter the NIKE GOLF SIGNING BONUS SWEEPSTAKES!  You can visit www.nikegolf.com and enter for a chance to win great VIP Nike Golf product experiences!  Winners will receive unique Nike Golf experiences including a trip to the Nike World Headquarters campus, product packages and more!  Sweepstakes runs March 6 thru May 31.

How can consumers earn a Nike Golf Signing Bonus?  When you purchase specially marked NIKE clubs you will  earn up to $200 in store credit toward NIKE GOLF product as follows:
• $100 credit with purchase of VR Driver
• $75 credit with purchase of the SQ MACHSPEED Driver
• $200 credit with purchase of SQ MACHSPEED Irons
• $100 credit with purchase of Slingshot Mixed Sets

Where is the Nike Signing Bonus offered?  Available at the OGA Golf Course and participating green grass and retail golf stores in Oregon and SW Washington.

When does the Nike Golf Signing Bonus program end?  May 31, 2010.

You are also invited to come to the OGA Golf Course on Sunday, March 7 from 10am to 3pm to Demo the full line of Innovative Nike Products and get a custom fitting experience from Nike’s Mike Langley.

Nike Golf is an Official Partner of the Oregon Golf Association. 

What is a Casual Day?

An OGA Tour - Casual Day is your opportunity to get inside the gates and onto the fairways of some of the very best private courses around. No competition, just a relaxing round at a wonderful course.  The OGA has parntered with some of the very best private clubs in the region to provide access to a limited number of players on a selected day.  Play from any set of tees, keep score only if you want to but be sure to have a good time during a 2010 Casual Day.

Courses currently on the 2010 Casual Day Schedule include:

Willamette Valley Country Club located in Canby.  This lush private course will have just crowned the Men's and Women's Oregon Amateur Champions at the 101st occurance of Oregon's premier Amateur Championship and is opening it's doors to a limited field on Tuesday, July 20th.

Riverside Golf and Country Club located in Northeast Portland.  Known for having some of the best course conditions in the state and home to one of the most prestigeous Junior Golf events in the United States, the Eddie Hogan Cup, Riverside will welcome a limited number of guests on Monday, October 25th.

To register for events and view the full 2010 OGA Tour Schedule click here.

Corvallis Country Club added to Partner Series

The OGA Tour - Partner Series schedule is complete with the recent addition of Corvallis Country Club on Monday, August 23. Click here to view the complete schedule or register for events on the 2010 OGA Tour.

Corvallis Country Club is a Private Course located in Corvallis, Oregon.  With Spectacular views of the surrounding Coastal Mountain Range, the club offers a beautiful classic Pacific Northwest setting for an enjoyable round of golf. The 6,171-yard, par 71, newly remodeled layout, winds through lakes, bunkers and 200-foot Douglas fir and native white oak trees to provide challenging play and scenic views on every hole.

2010 Evans Scholarship Selection Meeting

YOU'RE INVITED!*

Evans Scholarship Selection Meeting
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Portland Golf Club
Continental Breakfast: 8:00am
Interviews begin: 9:00am

* Please respond with your availability to Vickie Kain at 800-643-6410 or vickie@thepnga.org at your earliest convenience and no later than Friday, February 26.

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Each year, the OGA, PNGA and the Western Golf Association work together to award several young scholars and Evans Caddie Scholarship.  A portion of every OGA Member's dues goes to help fund this scholarship in Oregon and SW Washington. 

The WGA-sponsored Evans Scholars Foundation administers one of the nation’s largest privately funded college scholarship programs. The scholarship provides a one-year full tuition and housing scholarship renewable for four years - a current potential value exceeding $50,000 per scholar. Since 1930, more than 9,000 deserving young caddies have earned their college degrees through Evans Scholarships.  In Oregon, there are presently more than 250 Evans Alumni. 

The graduation rate for Evans Scholars (nationally) is 90 percent, far above the national average of under 50 percent for all students entering four-year colleges and universities.  The average GPA for an Evans Scholar is 3.22.  In 2008, eight (8) scholars received a sponsorship and in 2009 we awarded six (6) scholarships.

There are four primary criteria for scholarship grants. (1) Candidates, who are nominated by their golf clubs, must have a strong caddie record, with a minimum of two years of outstanding service. (2) Candidates must have an excellent high school academic record, achieving above a B average in college preparatory classes. Applicants must also provide ACT college test scores to further determine academic potential. (3) Candidates must demonstrate significant financial need. Over the years, the Evans Scholars Foundation has assisted thousands of young people from families with very modest financial means. (4) Finally, letters of recommendation from club and high school officials attest to the applicant’s high moral character.

Once a student meets this criteria they are evaluated and hopefully are invited to present themselves at an Evans Scholarship Selection meeting where those in attendance make a final determination whether to award a scholarship.

Helping Junior Golfers with Expenses

By Bernie Loehr, USGA Director, Amateur Status and Rules of Golf

Article courtesy of www.usga.org

The good news for junior golfers today is that there are many opportunities for them to hone their games by competing against other junior golfers in local, state and national competitions limited to junior golfers.  The bad news is that it can be very expensive to travel around the country to participate in several competitions.  Fortunately, the USGA Rules of Amateur Status allow junior golfers to receive help with these costs.

Under the Rules, a junior golfer is defined as an amateur golfer who has not reached (i) the September 1 following graduation from secondary school or (ii) his 19th birthday, whichever comes first. So unless a golfer is 19 and in high school or 18 and in college, he should become familiar with the Rules that apply to junior golfers receiving expenses.  It should be noted that while these age limits are used when applying the Rules of Amateur Status, Committees which conduct junior competitions may use different age limits for determining who is eligible to participate in their competitions.

The Rules allow a junior golfer to receive any amount of financial support directly from a family member or legal guardian.  If a junior golfer is asked by his grandparents what he would like for his birthday, he may suggest help with expenses to compete in golf tournaments.

A junior golfer may also receive funds directly from sources other than family members when the funds will be used to cover expenses in competitions limited to junior golfers (e.g., the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship).

If a junior golfer wishes to receive funds to participate in a competition that is not limited to junior golfers (e.g., the U.S. Amateur Championship), he may still receive financial support from sources other than family members, but the funds must be approved by and paid through the golfer’s state or local golf association.  The forms to be completed by the sponsor and junior golfer when the expenses are to be paid through the state or local golf association can be found on the USGA's website at: http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Amateur-Status/Amateur-Status/ under Individual Tournament Expenses.

A player’s expenses associated with a competition normally include transportation, lodging, meals, entry fees and caddie/cart and practice fees. He should ensure that any expenses he wishes to have funded are reasonable.  He may not receive funds for general living costs that are not associated with a competition.

Although a junior golfer may receive financial support from sources other than family members, he must not promote or advertise the source of any expenses received.  Therefore, a junior golfer may not publically recognize the donor of the expenses or wear or carry anything that has the donor's logo.  The junior golfer could issue a generic statement thanking his supporters such as “Tom Smith thanks those who have supported him in golf competitions.”  Also, a junior golfer must not accept expenses, directly or indirectly, from a professional agent or any similar source under any circumstances.

As it is recognized that some parents may be concerned about their son or daughter traveling to a competition, the Rules allow one parent or legal guardian to accept expenses from an outside source to accompany the junior golfer to the competition.

While the USGA Rules of Amateur Status allow junior golfers to receive and use funds from sources other than family members as described above, in some cases state high school athletic associations and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) may prohibit or limit the receipt and use of such funds.  Therefore, before accepting or using funds from a source other than a family member, the junior golfer should check with his high school athletic association and the NCAA to determine if receipt and use of such funds could affect his high school or collegiate eligibility.  He may contact the NCAA at:

National Collegiate Athletic Association

700 W. Washington Street

P.O. Box 6222

Indianapolis, IN 46206-6222

Phone: 317-917-6222

Website: www.ncaa.org

A junior golfer should also maintain detailed records of any funds received from sources other than family members and how those funds were used in case the USGA, NCAA or local high school athletic association wishes to review the sources and uses of the funds.

If you have additional questions concerning junior golfers receiving expenses, contact Bernie Loehr, Director, Amateur Status and Rules of Golf at the USGA at: 908-234-2300 (x1238).

Willamette Valley to host OGA Tour Casual Day

The OGA is excited to announce the addition of another Portland area course to the OGA Tour schedule for 2010, Willamette Valley Country Club.  The course will host a Casual Day event during the height of the summer golf season - Tuesday, July 20.  Willamette Valley will also host the 101st Oregon Amateur during the 3rd week of June.  Here is your chance to play the same course as the very best amateur golfers in Oregon.  Click here to view the complete schedule or register for events on the 2010 OGA Tour.

From www.willamettevalleycc.com:

"Willamette Valley Country Club proudly boasts one of the most highly respected 18-hole championship golf courses in the Pacific Northwest. With 156 acres of secluded farm land to work with, Shirley Stone designed the original layout of this course which has become a 7,200 yard masterpiece. In 1994, Bill Robinson was hired to develop the second phase of Willamette Valley Country Club’s long range master plan and thirteen years later, Craig Schreiner accepted the challenge by becoming the third architect of record charged with further improving upon what has become known as the “hidden gem” of the Willamette Valley. This course provides six different sets of tees allowing all levels of golfers an opportunity to challenge themselves. The sixteenth hole has become the signature hole of Willamette Valley Country Club. It is a short but difficult dog-leg left par 4 which requires an accurate approach shot over the pond to a large yet drastically undulating three tier green."

 

USGA To Hold PNW Green Section Conference at Waverely CC

The USGA, in conjunction with the Oregon Golf Course Superintendants association is hosting the Pacific NW Green Section Conference at Waverley CC on Monday, March 15.

The schedule for the conference includes the following presentations/discussions:

• 7:30am - Registration & Continental Breakfast


• 8:00am - Organ-ick!  The Bane of Good Growing and Playing Conditions
  (Larry Gilhuly, USGA NW Director, Green Section)


• 8:45am - Mowing, Rolling and Green Speed – Oh My!
  (Rob Golembiewski, Associate Professor, Oregon State University)


• 9:45am - Feeling Groovy – the Changes to the Rules in 2010
  (John Spitzer, Assistant Technical Director, USGA Technical Department (Live Meeting)


• 10:30am - Unobtainium - Wanting Championship Conditions All the Time
  (Derf Soller, NW Region Agronomist, USGA Green Section)


• 11:15am - Proper Course Marking – The Rules are the Rules!
  (Craig Winter, Manager - Rules Education, OGA)


• 12noon Lunch  


• 1:00pm - From the Fire to the Freezer – Damage to Putting Greens West of the Cascades
  (Panel: Forrest Goodling, Portland GC, Steve Kealy Glendale CC, Rob Golembiewski, OSU)


• 2:00pm - The Value of Golf in Washington – Oregon’s Next!
  (Paul Backman, Executive Director, Northwest Turfgrass Association)


• 2:30pm Adjourn

REGISTRATION DEADLINE - MARCH 8, 2010

Register online at www.ogcsa.org or click here for a registration form: 

-$55 per person (if paid by March 8, 2010)
-$60 per person (if paid after March 8, 2010)

Questions concerning the seminar should be directed to: 
Larry Gilhuly Tel: (253) 858 2266 or email: lgilhuly@usga.org

GCSAA, PGA and CMAA EDU points available.

Free Webinar - “Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play Junior Golf”

Please be our guest to a FREE Webinar Event hosted by the Tour Resource Center's CEO Georgina Lewis.
 
Junior Golfers looking for the landscape on how to connect with college coaches, picking a college that is right for you, and how to prepare a resume for college will be discussed in the "Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play Junior Golf" webinar offered only tonight February 09, 2010 at 7 PM EST.  See the link below to register.
 
http://TourResourceCenter.com

FREE Webinar Event

This is the first in the Webinar series of Playing College Golf
 
 
"Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf". We will be discussing the TRC College Golf Basics Tutorial Series, the Tournament Scoring Requirements and what it really means, Preparing a Resume, Email Communications with your prospective coach, how to Connect with College Coaches and finally picking a College that is right for you. The Tour Resource Center is your direct source for information on collegiate golf.
 
Event Info
 
Title:   Tips for Juniors Who Want to Play College Golf
Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST
 
To Register Visit  http://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/528586417
or to learn more about Webinars visit the www.TourResourceCenter.com/webinars

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

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System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

What is the Senior Series?

The Oregon Golf Association has secured a first rate reputation for the quality of our Championship events though, at this elite level, less than 5% of our 50,000 members are eligible to participate.  The Senior Series is open to anyone age 50 or older by the event date, regardless of skill and, at all OGA Tour events, you can expect a more relaxed format, incredible prizes, flighted divisions and plenty of excitement.

All events are shotgun starts and, when you arrive on site, you should proceed to the check-in table to pick up your scorecard, Local Rules sheet and find out your starting hole and parining.  When you check-in you will also have the opportunity to enter the gross or net skins game.  All entries are just $69 for OGA Members ($85 for non-OGA members*) and includes golf and warm up balls on the range.

About 15 minutes before the start, you'll be asked to gather for a brief series of announcements and in no time you'll be on your way to your starting hole.  Fields are limited to just 104 players ensuring a great pace at all OGA Tour events.  You'll play with three or four other players all of similar ability and during your round you'll be playing not only for score but will have the opportunity to win prizes based on your flight including: closest to the hole, straight drive and longest putt.  At select events fantastic hole-in-one prizes will also be awarded for that extra lucky shot including: full iron sets, clubs, gift cards, and trips to Pebble Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Scotland and a trip to the Masters.

At the end of the round you'll return your scorecard and results will be tabulated on-site with awards to be presented about 30 minutes after the completion of play.

Those that play well enough will win prize vouchers to be redemed at the host course and also earn OGA Tour Performance Points.  At the end of the season top point earners from each series (Individual, Partner, Senior) will be invited to compete in the OGA Tour Championship to be held October 23 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

The OGA Tour also includes competitive events for Individuals and Partners.  In addition, non-competitive Casual Day events and events for Women Only are also available.

To view the compelete OGA Tour schedule or sign up for an event, CLICK HERE.

*non-OGA Members are not eligible for all prizes, please see the Regulations and Policies for additional information.

What is the Partner Series?

The Oregon Golf Association has secured a first rate reputation for the quality of our Championship events though, at this elite level, less than 5% of our 50,000 members are eligible to participate.  Everyone is eligible for Partner Series events regardless of skill and, at all OGA Tour events, you can expect a more relaxed format, incredible prizes, flighted divisions and plenty of excitement.

The Partner Series events are played in the Four-Ball format popularized by the Solheim and Ryder Cup Matches.  More complete information on the Four-Ball format can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

Don't have a partner?  No problem, just sign-up as single and the OGA will, if possible, pair you with another single.

All events are shotgun starts and, when you arrive on site, you should proceed to the check-in table to pick up your "team" scorecard, Local Rules sheet and find out your starting hole and parining.  When you check-in you will also have the opportunity to enter the gross or net skins game.  All entries are just $69/player for OGA Members ($85/player for non-OGA members*) and includes golf and warm up balls on the range.

About 15 minutes before the start, you'll be asked to gather for a brief series of announcements and in no time you'll be on your way to your starting hole.  Fields are limited to just 104 players ensuring a great pace at all OGA Tour events.  You'll play with another "team" of similar ability and during your round you'll be playing not only for score but will have the opportunity to win team prizes based on your flight including: closest to the hole, straight drive and longest putt.  At select events fantastic hole-in-one prizes will also be awarded for that extra lucky shot including: full iron sets, clubs, gift cards, and trips to Pebble Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Scotland and a trip to the Masters.

At the end of the round you'll return your scorecard and results will be tabulated on-site with awards to be presented about 45 minutes after the completion of play.

Those that play well enough will win prize vouchers to be redemed at the host course and also earn OGA Tour Performance Points.  At the end of the season top point earners from each series (Individual, Partner, Senior) will be invited to compete in the OGA Tour Championship to be held October 23 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

The OGA Tour also includes competitive events for Individuals and Seniors.  In addition, non-competitive Casual Day events and events for Women Only are also available.

To view the compelete OGA Tour schedule or sign up for an event, CLICK HERE.

*non-OGA Members are not eligible for all prizes, please see the Regulations and Policies for additional information.

What is the Individual Series?

The Oregon Golf Association has secured a first rate reputation for the quality of our Championship events though, at this elite level, less than 5% of our 50,000 members are eligible to participate.  Everyone is eligible for Individual Series events regardless of skill and, at all OGA Tour events, you can expect a more relaxed format, incredible prizes, flighted divisions and plenty of excitement.

All events are shotgun starts and, when you arrive on site, you should proceed to the check-in table to pick up your scorecard, Local Rules sheet and find out your starting hole and parining.  When you check-in you will also have the opportunity to enter the gross or net skins game.  All entries are just $69 for OGA Members ($85 for non-OGA members*) and includes golf and warm up balls on the range.

About 15 minutes before the start, you'll be asked to gather for a brief series of announcements and in no time you'll be on your way to your starting hole.  Fields are limited to just 104 players ensuring a great pace at all OGA Tour events.  You'll play with three or four other players all of similar ability and during your round you'll be playing not only for score but will have the opportunity to win prizes based on your flight including: closest to the hole, straight drive and longest putt.  At select events fantastic hole-in-one prizes will also be awarded for that extra lucky shot including: full iron sets, clubs, gift cards, and trips to Pebble Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Scotland and a trip to the Masters.

At the end of the round you'll return your scorecard and results will be tabulated on-site with awards to be presented about 30 minutes after the completion of play.

Those that play well enough will win prize vouchers to be redemed at the host course and also earn OGA Tour Performance Points.  At the end of the season top point earners from each series (Individual, Partner, Senior) will be invited to compete in the OGA Tour Championship to be held October 23 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

The OGA Tour also includes competitive events for Partners and Seniors.  In addition, on-competitive Casual Day events and events for Women Only are also available.

To view the compelete OGA Tour schedule or sign up for an event, CLICK HERE.

*non-OGA Members are not eligible for all prizes, please see the Regulations and Policies for additional information.

Marketing Yourself to College Coaches

So You Want to Play College Golf
By Shannon Rouillard, Collegiate Search Partners

By now you should have some “inside” knowledge on character qualities that coaches will be looking for when they watch you compete.  If you haven’t figured that out yet, click here to read my last article.   You have hopefully also done some research in narrowing down your choices of schools that you are going to target.  What’s the next step?

Unless you are a “blue chip” player (i.e. one of the best in the country), you need to market yourself to coaches and get your name in front of them so they will want to come and watch you play in a tournament.  Your first task is to write a letter of introduction or cover letter and a golf resume.  This can be a time-consuming task, but take a weekend and get it done!  It will prove to be worth your time in the long run.  Here are some points to consider including in your cover letter:

1) Your name, high school, graduation year, GPA
2) Explain to the coach why you are interested in their school and perhaps something that you know about their program (show them that you have done some research already)
3) Highlight your accomplishments academically and/or athletically
4) Let the coach know you are interested to learn more about their school

In your golf resume, include personal and competitive information (especially scores and the yardages of the courses you played).  I can’t tell you how many times I looked at a resume with no scores on it, just the place finish!  That resume went to the bottom of the pile.  I don’t want that to happen to you!  Also, be sure to include a list of upcoming tournaments and dates.  Last, attach a list of references and their contact information.  Coaches like to talk to people who know you and can vouch for your character even before making contact with you.

College coaches receive countless cover letters and resumes every year.  Find something unique and different about yourself to help you stand out from the crowd.  You want the coach to keep reading and want to learn more about you.  Take advantage of this opportunity and put your best foot forward.  You can do it!  

Good luck!

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Shannon Rouillard, former Women’s Golf Coach at the University of Oregon and Assistant Women’s Golf Coach at the University of California, is founder of Collegiate Search Partners. CSP is committed to counseling young athletes and their parents in managing the recruiting process with the intent of earning an athletic scholarship.  If the thought of the recruiting process is overwhelming…If you don’t know which schools to target…If you feel the pressure of financing a college education…Call Shannon for answers!  

Visit www.collegiatesp.com and contact Shannon for “The #1 Secret to the Recruiting Process” report.

Perfect Posture for Golf

The common theme of the winter months for us Oregon golfers continues to be ‘off season’ training. As we have discussed before, this is the most intense time of training compared to other seasons and other months of the year. Professional golfers have a shortened time period from the time they get off tour till the next season-typically late November through mid to late January. Luckily, for the casual to serious golfer, we have a little more time to play with.

The focus of the winter months are in these primary areas:

• golf swing technique
• previous golf performance analysis (what you did right last season and what needs to improve for next season.)
• body composition changes (lose fat, gain muscle, get fit, try new fitness routines)

One of the most important things you do in your training is to work on strengthening your posture.

Many golf instructors refer to golf posture as “spine angle.” If you’ve taken lessons or have spent much time learning proper technique to improve your game, you have most likely heard the phrase many times. Good posture for the golf swing can greatly influence your ability to produce power. Without stability and strength in your postural muscles, you will see breakdowns in technique as well as recurring injuries and general weaknesses in your body and game.

Good posture improves your swing and lets you transfer more force when you strike the ball. And what do most golfers want? They want to hit the ball as far as is possible for their talents and abilities and they want to do so with some level of consistency.

Remember the body slowly adapts to poor posture, and some body parts, like the neck, shoulders, back, and hips, can be overused to balance out for lack of strength or restricted motion in other areas of the body.

Some common problems that are affected by posture are:
o Difficulty keeping your eye on the ball during your swing.
o Difficulty to transfer force from the lower body to the upper body.
o Compromised swing patterns.
o Poor club head speed and club control.

You have probably seen this simple exercise many times before. Yet, it is a great exercise to do to begin your postural training this winter.

Fit Band Seated Row

- Sit with legs extended in front. Begin by securing a band around your feet. Extend arms in front of the body and hold the band with a neutral grip. Keep your elbows close to your side while you use your back muscles to pull the band straight back.

If you have access to dumbbells, here is a gym variation.

Single Arm Dumbbell Row

 
- Place dumbbell in one hand while grasping the side of a chair or bench. Lift one leg backwards as your upper body leans forward. Focus on good posture with abs contracted. Pull weight directly up to your side using your back and shoulder muscles then proceed back down. Keep elbows in close to your body.

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About Susan Hill Susan is president of FitnessforGolf.com, a web-based company based in Bend, Ore. specializes in golf fitness training programs.  Susan has worked with close to a thousand golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge. Her work has been featured in Golf Illustrated, Travel Golf, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Self Magazine, Atlanta Golfer, ESPN and more!  She’s worked with everyone from recreational golfers, competitive golfers, golf teaching professionals and aspiring players and has trained some of the top college golf teams, young ‘promising’ juniors who went on to play professional tours and even some touring professionals.

 

 

 

 

 

Harrington Leads Gateway Tour Money List

By Jon Levy - Staff Writer

With a birdie on Trilogy GC at Vistancia’s ticklish par-3 17th and a par on its challenging par-5 closer, 29-year-old, Scott Harrington (68/64/71-203, 13-under par) solidified the story of the Winter Series’ second week by slimly holding off Nathan Tyler (62/72/70-204) for a one-stroke victory, worth $16,000, in his first start of the year.

Click Here for the full story.

Learn the Rules from the OGAs experts!

The OGA will be running two different courses to help you better understand the Rules of Golf.

• Rules of Golf Workshops will provide complete instruction on the 34 Rules of Golf and their Decisions and all instructors will have obtained the highest possible certification on the grueling USGA/PGA Rules Exam.  

The first workshop will be held March 5-7 at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, OR. 

At the conclusion of the workshop, attendees will be able to take an optional examination to test their knowledge and/or qualify to work as a certified OGA Rules Official at local amateur championships or high school, college and professional events.

• On-Course Rules Clinics are one day (8am-2pm) of Rules instruction that takes you out on the course to provide a hands-on learning environment.  Topics covered include Water Hazards, Bunkers, the Putting Green, Obstructions and Abnormal Ground Conditions, Provisional Ball, Ball Unplayable and much more.

The first clinic will be held Saturday, March 27 at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, OR.

Registration opens February 8.  Click here to download a registration from and view the full schedule.  If you prefer to register online click here for more information.  Contact the OGA at 866-981-4653 or contact Craig Winter for more information.

How to register for an OGA Rules Event

OGA Rules of Golf Workshops and On-Course Rules Clinics require that you register in order to attend.  You can register for OGA Rules events online, by phone or fax and by mail.

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REGISTER ONLINE
Online registeration is only available to participants who wish to pay with a credit/debit card and have and active GHIN number.  This is the fastest and easiest way to register for an OGA event. In order to register online you will need to create an OGA Profile.

Note 1: If you have previously registered for the OGA website to be able to post scores and participate in forums, you will need to create a new login and password.  This is a separate system.

Note 2: If you have registered online for OGA events previous to January 1, 2010, you will need to create a new login and password.  The OGA has changed our event registration provider as of January 1, 2010.

To register online you will need only your GHIN number and a credit or debit card - click here and follow the on screen instructions.  If you have not yet registered click "Click Here to Register" in the middle of the page.  In addtion, when you are looking at the schedule, it is recommended that you select the appropriate season.  For example Rules events are all listed under the "2010 Meetings and Seminars" from the season drop down menu.

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REGISTER BY PHONE (credit/debit, cash, check or money order)

To register by phone, simply call the OGA at (866) 981-4653.

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REGISTER BY MAIL/FAX (credit/debit, cash, check or money order)

Click here to download the registration form, fill it out and either fax to (503) 981-7599 or mail to:

Attn: OGA Rules Events
Oregon Golf Association
2840 Hazelnut Drive
Woodburn, OR 97071

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Still having difficulty, just call the OGA at (866) 981-4653 and we'll be happy to assist you.

Regulations and Policies for OGA Tour Competitions

This post contains Regulations and Policies for OGA Tour Competitive events, listed in alphabetical order including: Contact, Dress Code, Entry/Eligibility, Flights, Format, Legal Disclaimer, Pace of Play, Practice Rounds, Prizes and Points, Registration, Rules, Staring Time/Paring Information, Tees, Ties, Withdrawls

CONTACT: Please contact the OGA with questions regarding OGA Tour events (866) 981-4653 or e-mail here.  Please do not contact the host site.

DRESS CODE: Traditional golf attire is required and must be kept and clean throughout your time on facility property.

ENTRY FEE/ELIGIBILITY:  The entry fee includes: 18 holes of golf and warm up range balls.  At most venues, competitors wishing to use a cart will pay an additional fee on-site (fee varies from $10 - $16/rider).  All cart rentals are available on a first come first serve basis.  In addition, $20 from every entry will be forwarded to the prize fund to be awarded based on Net and Gross finish.  A full field event (104 players) will have a $2040 prize fund.  For additional information on eligibility for the prize fund and points awarded see "Prizes and Points" below.

The $69 OGA Members rate is available to active members of an OGA Member Club.

The $85 Standard Rate include all others participants.  If you have an active GHIN number from another association you may register via the online register system.  If you do not have an active GHIN number you must contact the OGA to register for this event.  Note that non OGA Members are not eligible to earn prizes (except for hole-in-one prizes where applicable) or OGA Tour points toward qualifying for the OGA Tour Championship on October 23, 2010 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

FLIGHTS:  Events may be flighted, based on field size.

FORMAT: All OGA Tour Competition Series events are 18 hole stroke play gross and net competitions.  Partner events are Four-Ball events (see Rule 31 - Four-Ball Stroke Play).

LEGAL DISCLAIMER:  I have noted the requirements for acceptance into this event and am qualified for the division I have entered.  I understand that entries are subject to approval or rejection at any time (including during the event) by the OGA, at its discretion, and by the host club.  The reason for rejection may include unbecoming conduct.  The OGA assumes no liability for any conditions of this event.  Upon submitting this entry form and subsequently attending this event,attendees agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the OGA and its respective affiliates directors, officers, employees, agents, and assigns from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities and losses, including, without limitation reasonable attorney's fees and costs and expenses of litigation, arising out of any negligent act or omission herein.  The OGA reserves the right to alter any of the conditions and schedules herein.  The decision of the OGA in any matter shall be final.

PACE OF PLAY:  All scorecards must be returned within 5 hours.  If a scorecard is not returned within 5 hours, the competitor will not be eligible to receive prizes or points for the event (except for closest to the hole, straight drive, long putt and hole-in-one prizes, where applicable).

PRACTICE ROUNDS: At public and resort facilities, if you would like to schedule a practice round you should contact the course directly to arrange.  At private facilities, practice rounds are not included in your entry.  PLEASE DO NOT CALL PRIVATE FACILITIES ASKING FOR PRACTICE ROUNDS!

PRIZES AND POINTS:  All prizes conform to the Rules of Amateur Status.  The Prize fund is determined by multiplying the number of competitiors by $20.  Points are awarded based on the OGA Tour Point Schedule.  Top performers throughout the year will be invited to participate in the season ending OGA Tour Championship to be held at Bandon Dunes Golf Links on October 23, 2010.

All OGA Members with a current USGA Handicap Index are eligible to earn prizes and points.  OGA Members without a current USGA Handicap Index will only be eligible to earn prizes and points in the gross competition.  If you are not an OGA member, you are not eligible to earn prizes (except for hole-in-one prizes where applicable) or points.

An optional side-game will be available to participants that will pay both gross and net payballs.  Participants will have the option to enter the side-game upon check-in at each event.

All prizes will be announced and awarded approximately 30-45 minutes after the final scorecard is received.

Points will be awarded within 5 days of the competition and posted on the OGA website: www.oga.org

REGISTRATION/DEADLINE: Please click here for complete registration information.  You may register for all events until 8:59pm PST the Tuesday prior to the event (exception, if the event is on scheduled on Wednesday, the deadline will be the prior Tuesday).

RULES: The Rules of the USGA shall govern all play.  In addition, see the OGA Local Rules and Conditions of Competition for additional Local Rules and Conditions that will be in effect during OGA Tour competitions.  All players are required to check-in prior to each event where a Local Rules sheet will be distributed containing additional course specific Local Rules (check-in will be available up until 20 minutes before the competition begins).

It is recommended that you view the below video for some basic Rules situations and OGA Tour specific policies.  In addition, please contact the OGA for more information regarding Rules of Golf Events available throughout the year.

STARTING TIMES/PAIRING INFORMATION:  All competitions are shotgun starts.  All players must be at their assigned starting hole ready to play when the competition begins.  Due to the short window between the registration deadline and the competition date, the OGA does not guarantee that players will receive starting hole and pairing information prior to checking-in the day of the event.  Check-in will open 75 minutes before the competition starts and close 20 minutes prior to the competition start.

TEES: All play will be from the standard front tees for men and standard front tees for women.  This is subject to change based on course conditions.

TIES: Should the competition result in a tie for either points or prizes, the USGA scorecard method will be used to determine final positions.  Should a tie still remain ties will be decided by lot.  All other positions resulting in a tie will not be broken.

WITHDRAWLS:  If you withdraw, you must do so before the registration deadline either online or by notifying the OGA.  The registration deadline for all events is 8:59pm PST the Tuesday prior to the event (exception, if the event is on scheduled on Wednesday, the deadline will be the prior Tuesday).  Your registration fee will be refunded minus an administration fee according to the following schedule:

4 weeks prior to registration deadline: $15
1 week prior to registration deadline: $25
Prior to registration deadline: $30

If you fail to cancel by the deadline date, the entire registration fee will be forfeited.

Is the OGA Tour right for you?

The OGA Tour provides multiple different options for players of all abilities including:

Competition Series

Series competitions are gross and net flighted events run from April through September for players of all skill levels.  In all of the competitions players will compete for points to earn an invitation to play in the OGA Tour Championship to be held Bandon Dunes in October.  All events will feature great prize packages including:

-over $2000 in gift certificates (based on a full field)
-closest to the hole, straight drive and longest putt
-optional gross and net skins game with cash payout
-at select events, hole-in-one prizes valued between $10K - $20K!
-all events conform to the Rules of Amateur Status

Individual Series - Bring your best and compete with others in these gross and net flighted 18-hole stroke play competitions.

Partner Series - Pick a partner (or let us assign one to you) and compete in a gross and net flighted 18-hole Four-Ball (play your own ball throughout the round but score with the better ball score) stroke play competitions.

Senior Series - Exclusively for players 50 and over.  Compete in these gross and net flighted 18-hole stroke play competitions.

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Casual Events

Women Only - Experience casual events created by the OGA exclusively for women.  Group lessons from PGA and LPGA professionals, etiquette, 9-holes in a fun relaxed format, food and wine tasting.

Casual Days - No competition, just a casual round of golf at the region's premier venues - Bring a friend or meet new golfing buddies over 18 holes on the some of best courses in the region.

 

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To view the 2010 OGA Tour Schedule, please click here.

 

How to enter an OGA Tour event

You can register for OGA Tour events online, by phone or fax or by mail.

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REGISTER ONLINE (online registration will not be available until Monday, Feburary 22)
Online registeration is only available to participants who wish to pay with a credit/debit card and have a GHIN number.  This is the fastest and easiest way to register for an OGA event. In order to register online you will need to create an OGA Profile.

Note 1: If you have previously registered for the OGA website to be able to post scores and participate in forums, you will need to create a new login and password.  This is a separate system.

Note 2: If you have registered online for OGA events previous to January 1, 2010, you will need to create a new login and password.  The OGA has changed our event registration provider as of January 1, 2010.

To register online you will need only your GHIN number and a credit or debit card - click here and follow the on screen instructions.  If you have not yet registered click "Click Here to Register" in the middle of the page.  In addtion, when you are looking at the schedule, it is recommended that you select the appropriate season.  For example OGA Tour events are all listed under the "2010 OGA Tour" from the season drop down menu.

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REGISTER BY PHONE

To register by phone, click here to view the schedule and pick out your event or events and call the OGA at (866) 981-4653.

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REGISTER VIA FAX OR MAIL

Click here to download an entry form, fill it out and either fax to (503) 981-7599 or mail to:

Attn: OGA Tour Entry
Oregon Golf Association
2840 Hazelnut Drive
Woodburn, OR 97071

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Still having difficulty, just call the OGA at (866) 981-4653 and we'll be happy to assist you.

Interested in hosting an OGA Tour event?

The OGA Tour is a program administered by the Oregon Golf Association designed to appeal to both competitive and casual golfers of all skill levels.  The competitive events include three distinct series for Individuals, Partners (Four-Ball format) and Seniors.  The non-competitive events include those created exclusively for women and others open to all players. OGA Tour events are open to everyone and are held throughout the region, primarily from April - October on both weekdays and weekends. 

How does a facility benefit by hosting an OGA Tour event?

1. Your facility will be promoted for free to the region's most avid golfers.
   a.  E-revisions sent 26 times/year directly to over 30,000 OGA members
   b.  Direct mail advertising to over 250 OGA Member Clubs representing over 50,000+ Members
   c.  www.oga.org - the OGA's website gathering over 1 million unique page views/year
2. The OGA Tour provides competitive pricing with minimal hassel
   a.  All events are run by the OGA with a focus on minimizing the impact upon your staff and membership
   c.  Pace of play is a priority at all competitive events
   d.  A full field event can provide over $7500 in revenue with little to no staff involvement for you.
3. Pick the right demographic that matches who you want to experience your facility.
   a.  Competition
   b.  Casual
   c.  Seniors
   d.  Women
   e.  Partners

To learn more about hosting an OGA Tour event, please contact the OGA at (866) 981-4653.

Bandon Dunes to host OGA Tour Championship

This season, an exciting new competition series will be administered by the OGA for golfers of all skill levels with three distinct competitive series (Individual, Partner and Senior) where competitors have the opportunity to earn points in order to qualify for the OGA Tour Championship.  The OGA Tour will debut its 2010 schedule at Riverside G&CC on Monday, April 19 and will conclude with the inaugural OGA Tour Championship on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at Bandon Dunes Golf Course.

All full-field events will have flighted divisions and net and gross prizes totaling over $2,000. Select events will have hole-in-one packages, including a trip to the Masters Tournament valued at $20,000. In addition to great prizes, golfers will earn points toward qualification into the season-ending OGA Tour Championship to be held on October 23 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Entry into each series event will be just $69. In addition to the competitive events listed below, the OGA will also hold non-competitive casual events, including events designed just for women.

Below is a listing of all currently confirmed competitive series event dates. For an up-to-date event calendar, or to register for events and for any further information, please visit www.oga.org.

Monday, April 19 – Riverside G&CC - Portland
Sunday, April 25 – Camas Meadows GC - Vancouver
Friday, May 21 – Diamond Woods GC – Monroe
Friday, May 28 – Heron Lakes GC (Great Blue) - Portland
Sunday, June 6 – Sandpines GL - Florence
Friday, June 11 – Awbrey Glen GC - Bend
Saturday, June 26 – Stone Creek GC – Oregon City
Saturday, July 17 – Michelbook CC - McMinnville
Wednesday, August 11 – The Reserve Vineyards & GC - Aloha
Thursday, August 26 – Quail Valley GC - Banks
Monday, September 13 – Creekside GC – Salem
Saturday, September 18 – Spring Hill CC - Albany
Sunday, September 26 – Sandpines GC - Florence

OGA Tour Championship
Saturday, October 23 – Bandon Dunes Golf Resort -  Bandon

The OGA Tour Championship will be a limited field invitational event to determine the 2010 OGA Tour Champions.  After every OGA Tour event, the respective point list will be updated.  Click here to view the OGA Tour Point List home page.

OGA Tour Point Schedule

Throughout the year, competitors in OGA Tour events will have the opportunity to acquire points toward earning an invitation to the OGA Tour Championship to be held at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on Saturday, October 23, 2010.  Points will be awarded for both gross and net finish in Individual, Partner and Senior events though each of the three series will have a separate point list.

Points to be awarded at any given event will vary depending upon the field size.  Thus, winning an event with 100 competitors will be worth more than winning an event with only 50.

Click here to see the OGA Tour point schedule.

Individual Series Point List

Partner Series Point List

Senior Series Point List

USGA Obtains Injunction against ISaAC Scoring Systems

Far Hills, N.J. – The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey has issued a permanent injunction against ISaAC Scoring Systems, LLC, protecting the trademarks of the United States Golf Association. 

On Jan. 19, 2010, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey issued a permanent injunction that protects USGA trademarks against infringement by entities that use USGA trademarks in an unauthorized manner to market, offer or sell handicap calculation services. The court issued the injunction as the result of a lawsuit filed by the USGA last year.
 
The injunction was issued against ISaAC Scoring Systems, LLC, an internet golf service company based in Houston, Texas. ISaAC Scoring Systems, as well as its partners, associates, agents and related parties are permanently prohibited from using USGA trademarks, in particular USGA®, Handicap Index® or GHIN® in marketing, offering or selling its handicap calculation services. The injunction also prohibits ISaAC Scoring Systems from purporting to offer a USGA Handicap, USGA Handicap Index, USGA Handicap Index Card or USGA Handicap Service. 

The injunction also prohibits ISaAC Scoring Systems from creating the false or misleading impression that the company or related parties are in any way affiliated with or approved by the USGA. The injunction protects the USGA’s trademarks and means that ISaAC Scoring Systems cannot make claims that it is a resource for acquiring or maintaining a USGA Handicap, that its services comply with the USGA Handicap System or that it offers a qualified USGA Handicap Index.

OGA Tour Preliminary Schedule Announced

This summer an exciting new competition series will be administered by the OGA for golfers of all skill levels. The OGA Tour will debut its 2010 schedule at Riverside G&CC on Friday, April 16.

All full-field events will have flighted divisions and net and gross prizes totaling over $2,000. Select events will have hole-in-one packages, including a trip to the Masters Tournament valued at $20,000. In addition to great prizes, golfers will earn points toward qualification into the season-ending OGA Tour Championship to be held in October.

Entry into each event will be just $69. In addition to the competitive events listed below, the OGA will also hold non-competitive casual events, including events designed just for women.

Click here for a listing of all currently confirmed event dates and to register to participate.

Northwest golf courses hit hard by winter

by Adam Bjaranson, KGW Sports
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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Casual golfers already have enough to worry about. Their stance, swing, and follow through are a few examples. Now, in Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, they may need to worry about the course’ condition.

“Environmental conditions are something we cannot control”, says Phil Lagao, President of the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association.

The severe weather and record breaking low temperatures which hit our region last month has had a major impact on area golf courses, particularly the putting greens.

“If grass doesn’t naturally harden up, it becomes injured very easily with the sub-freezing temperatures. Because of that, the ‘poa’—which is the dominant grass grown on the greens in western Oregon--- it becomes very sensitive to cold snaps. And because of that, we saw a lot of winter damage”, says Rob Golembiewski, a turf grass specialist from Oregon State University.

Golembiewski added that it’s really a combination of mother nature, and human nature that will cure the damaged greens.

“We need warmer temperatures, and while the temperatures have warmed up a little this week and people want to get out and golf in the 60-degree weather, the grass doesn’t respond ‘that’ quickly. Soil temperatures are slow to respond, so people just need to be patient as we move forward”.

Right now, in mid-January, it’s the putting greens that are the major area of concern. Golfers probably won’t notice a change in the way each green plays, but the main concern is with the greens long-term health.

Lagao is confident that the regions course greens keepers will be able to come out of this looking better than ever.

“It’s hard work to produce these greens, but I have faith that our guys and gals can do it”.

And while the putting greens will eventually improve, the golfing public must be patient because turf recovery from freezing injury is generally very slow, even if growing conditions are favorable.

It’s likely that golfers will have to use “temporary greens” as an alternative. They’d like to eliminate traffic wear on the injured turf altogether.

“It’s a test for a lot of guys, but we have a lot of tools and information to battle this. And hopefully, we’ll come out better than when we went into it”, says Lagao.

Display Advertising

Pacific NW Golfer is a regional publication from the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) that is distributed to all members of the Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Columbia Golf Associations.  Golf Oregon is a regional insert included in PNW Golfer, but only included in magazines sent to OGA Members in Oregon & SW Washington.

The magazine is a benefit of membership in the OGA.  Members wishing to receive the quarterly magazine must have a valid mailing address in their GHIN handicap record.  In 2009, a bonus 5th edition was created but only distributed digitally to those members with valid email addresses in their GHIN record.

Click Here for a Media Kit for Pacific Northwest Golfer including publication dates, specifications, editorial calendar and important demographic information. 

Click Here for a Media Kit for Golf Oregon and the other regional inserts produced by the PNGA.

Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine

Click Here to read the December 2009 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine.

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Click Here to Read the September 2009 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine

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Click Here to read the July 2009 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine.

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Click Here to read the May 2009 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine.

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Click Here to read the March 2009 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine.

Free Subscription to Global Golf Post

The OGA is offering an opportunity for a Free subscription to the Global Golf Post, a new weekly digital publication that launched its first issue this week.  A subscription also serves as an entry in a sweepstakes to win an all expense paid trip for four to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in the fall of 2010. (No purchase necessary).

GLOBAL GOLF POST is the first designed-for-digital weekly golf news publication. It is published overnight Sunday and delivered to your email address before 7AM, 50-weeks per year. It will include a complete summary of the competitive game of golf as played the around the world the previous week, at both the professional and amateur levels. GLOBAL GOLF POST will also provide serious golfers with the latest equipment news and credible travel features.
 
GLOBAL GOLF POST will be distinguished by its insightful commentary, provided by an amazing group of talented, award winning golf journalists from around the world. Led by Brian Hewitt, formerly of the Golf Channel and Golfweek, this edit team represents the greatest assemblage of golf journalistic talent anywhere in the world.

In addition, for every member or friend that signs up to receive GLOBAL GOLF POST, the publisher will donate $1 to Oregon Junior Golf Fund, Inc.
Even better, when you sign up you'll be entered into a sweepstakes to win an all expense paid trip for four to the extraordinary Bandon Dunes Resort next fall.
 
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION AND YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO BANDON DUNES!

Warner Pacific Golf Launches Prep Coaching Clinic

PORTLAND, Ore. - Warner Pacific (Ore.) Athletics is pleased to announce a clinic for Oregon high school golf coaches titled “The Successful High School Coach – Techniques for Developing a Winning Program.”

The event will be presented in partnership with the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association and hosted at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis, Ore. Also endorsing the event are the Oregon Golf Association, the Golf Coaches Association of America, the PGA western section and Oregon State University.

Directing the clinic will be Warner Pacific head golf coach James E. Robertson. With over 20 years of experience, Robertson has coached at every level of college golf including NCAA Division I, PGA and LPGA Tours and has also coached international club layers.

“I am so pleased that all these groups have come together to make this clinic happen,” Robertson said. “For Warner Pacific to assemble this kind of support from the golf community is a real blessing and we have a first class clinic for our backers and the coaches who attend. It has also raised the profile of Warner Pacific College.”

In his time as the Knights’ head coach, Robertson observed a lack of resources for high school level golf coaches and started to think of ways to help.

“This clinic meets a real need in the high school coaching ranks,” Robertson said. “Many golf coaches in high school are doing it as a secondary part of their job and are not equipped to build good programs or develop young golfers. They really want to, but might not know where to start. This clinic will give them the tools they need to become better coaches and start helping their players develop good habits on the golf course.”

The event is scheduled for Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. PST. Cost is $35 by pre-registration or $40 at the door.

A schedule and registration form can be obtained from the OACA website: www.oregoncoach.org.

December Temperatures Wreak Havoc on Courses West of Cascades

In addressing the problems, the causes and the cures, the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association commented that “Winter injury” is a term used quite often this time of the year in northern states and refers to damaged turf caused by any or all of the following: freezing injury, desiccation, ice cover, frost-heaving, traffic, and low temperature pathogens. 

Numerous golf courses in Western Oregon and Washington have reported extensive putting green injury as a result of freezing injury and desiccation. In the past two weeks, similar damage has been observed at public, municipal, private and resort courses.    A majority of the damage turf is associated with areas that have the deepest pure sand root zone mixes. Turf areas with native soils or modified sand profiles received very little to no damage. The native or modified sand profiles not only insulated the turf better during the freezing temperatures, but also retained more moisture compared to straight sand which aided during the high winds and winter desiccation.

It should be stated that nothing could have been done to avoid the injury that is being observed.  To illustrate this point, creeping bentgrass, the most cold tolerant turfgrass species, can be taken from the field in June and is easily killed at about 32oF, while plants taken at peak hardiness in early January in northern climates can survive down to -35oF.  Poa annua, which is the predominant grass grown on putting greens in the Pacific Northwest, is far less cold tolerant than creeping bentgrass.  The fall of 2009 was mild leading up to the cold snap that we received in mid-December.  Temperatures went from highs in the 50s down to below 10oF almost overnight and temperatures remained below freezing for almost a week.  Poa annua is not adapted to survive these freezing temperature extremes when it does not harden off.

Poa damage was probably greater in part due to the overall health of the turf going into the winter months.  In late-September many golf courses were hit with an unforeseeable outbreak of pythium which is more commonly found in areas where you have high temperatures along with high humidity for extended periods of time.  No pythium outbreaks have ever been seen in the Pacific Northwest like what was observed in the Portland and Seattle areas this past fall.  As a result of the Poa recovering from the pythium outbreak, it was in a weakened state heading into the winter months. It is well documented that maximizing energy production from healthy turfgrass photosynthesis in the fall is essential for winter hardiness.  Weakened turf is much more susceptible to freezing injury and desiccation.

While putting greens will eventually improve, the golfing public and club memberships must be patient because turf recovery from freezing injury and desiccation is generally very slow even if growing conditions are favorable.  In the meantime, there are things that golf courses superintendents can do including establishing temporary greens to eliminate traffic wear on the injured turf and bringing samples of injured turf indoors where it is warmer to determine how much of the turf stand is still alive.  Once the extent of the damage is known, superintendents can determine the appropriate plan of action and hit the ground running once warmer temperatures reappear.  

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2010 OGA/USGA Handicap Index Revision Schedule

Clubs should transmit to GHIN no later than 9pm the day prior to the scheduled revision.

REVISION	NOTES	MONTH	DAY	DAY OF WEEK
OS1	Off-season Revision 1	January	1	Friday
OS2	Off-season Revision 2	February	1	Monday
1	Season Starts	March	1	Wednesday
2		March	24	Wednesday
3		April	7	Wednesday
4		April	21	Wednesday
5	Deletion Deadline	May	5	Wednesday
6		May	19	Wednesday
7		June	2	Wednesday
8		June	16	Wednesday
9		June	30	Wednesday
10		July	14	Wednesday
11		July	28	Wednesday
12		August	11	Wednesday
13		August	25	Wednesday
14		September	8	Wednesday
15		September	22	Wednesday
16		October	6	Wednesday
17		October	20	Wednesday
18		November	3	Wednesday
19		November	17	Wednesday
20	Season Ends	December	1	Wednesday

 Click Here for a printable poster of the revision schedule.

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Handicapping Notice

Although local scores are not valid to your official handicap between now and February 28, you are under obligation per the USGA Handicap System, the OGA and your club to post rounds played in year-round golf associations if you travel throughout the winter. This is crucial to maintaining accurate handicaps and promoting fair play. To do our part, we will provide off-season updates to your Handicap Indexes on January 1 and February 1, 2010.  Click Here to Learn How to Post Scores in Sunbelt States

Thanks for your cooperation, and have a great winter!  The 2010 golf season will commence on Monday, March 1st. 

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Occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread may be defined as “ground under repair” (Rules of Golf, Rule 25 - Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green). Please check out www.usga.org under Rules for a detail of GUR.

Remember that as time goes on and the weather worsens, if an individual golfer invokes some sort of Preferred Lie when we are in season he/she still must post their score. We encourage Handicap Committees to make it part of their Handicapping Policy to be specific in describing conditions in which a local rule may be invoked when needed, to help protect the course or to promote fair and pleasant play. (USGA Handicap System Manual 2008-2011, Section 7, Preferred Lies, p.47).

Click Here and Help us spread the word about the correct procedure when finding it absolutely necessary to touch the ball and the correct use of Preferred Lies/Winter Rules - especially as it applies to the USGA Handicap System.

 

Digital Advertising Opportunities

More than half of our members receive their USGA Handicap Index via our eRevision. Unlike most commercial emails, members regularly open their eRevision at a rate of more the 75%. That means more than 20,000 avid golfers will see your message.

Our members are mature, affluent, and sophisticated consumers.  Readers are likely to be among their community’s business and civic leaders. They are very active travelers and willing to spend a little more to make their trips special. They enjoy luxury automobiles, fine wine and dining, jewelry and top-quality accommodations when traveling.  They also want to read about the game they love and the courses and resorts they are likely to play. They are eager to learn about the latest technology or the most up to date fitness and instruction advice – all for the sake of improving their game and enjoying the experience.

Click Here to download the OGA Digital Ratecard for 2010.

Where will your golf game and academics best fit in college golf?

So You Want to Play College Golf
By Shannon Rouillard, Collegiate Search Partners

By now you realize that playing in a “year-round” tournament schedule is critical to your recruitment.  In addition, you also have some “inside” knowledge on character qualities that coaches will be observing when they watch you compete.   Now what? 

If you haven’t started already, you need to do some research! 

You need to see where your academics and golf game are best going to “fit” and you need to narrow down your field of choices.  Here are some resources and questions you need to answer:

• List schools that you would consider attending


• Research school’s academic and athletic websites


• Are your grades good enough?  


• Do they offer your potential academic major? 


• Where does your golf game fit into the school’s golf program?  Golfstat’s Prep Report and Interactive Score Conversion can be of great assistance in this area (Remember:  your scoring average should fit into the top 3 players on that college team for a college coach to realistically consider you) Click Here for more info.


• What are the school’s facilities like (weight room, academic services, treatment center, etc…), golf practice facilities, courses?


• What school’s can you/mom and dad afford?


• Size of the school? 


• Size of town?


• Weather an issue?


• Close or far from home?


• What level do you want to play at…Division I, II, III, Junior College or NAIA?

There may be other questions that are pertinent to you, so be sure to address them.  Also, follow tournament scores more closely on Golfstat.  This will not only make you more educated about many school’s golf programs and players, it will also keep you motivated and focused on your academics and improving your golf game.  You can do it!  Good luck!

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Shannon Rouillard, former Women’s Golf Coach at the University of Oregon and Assistant Women’s Golf Coach at the University of California, is founder of Collegiate Search Partners, a consulting service designed to counsel young athletes and their parents in navigating and managing the recruiting process with the intent of earning a college scholarship.  Personalized services guide clients in their overall personal and player development, demystify the expectations and realities of college athletics, and prepare them for life after graduation.  Visit www.collegiatesp.com and contact me for a FREE “What should I be doing?” action plan.

What’s Your Goal in 2010?

Happy New Year!

Many of you are probably pondering some new year's resolutions, and I'm sure some of you are already hoping for the weather to improve enough for you to get back onto the golf course.  

As an avid golfer, you might be thinking its time to begin preparing for the 2010 season along with what you should do to improve your game.  Why settle for less?

But where to start?  You deserve the most accurate, sophisticated, and detailed information available. With that in hand, you can decide which strategies you’ll use and which ones you’ll leave to the pros.

Playing well and basic improvement in your game takes much more than just an understanding of golf. It means understanding every aspect of their physical and mental being and what factors influence their performance. Annika Sorenstam said, "I practice less golf, and I spend more time in the gym. But I know that if my body is in good shape, I’ll be able to swing the club the way I want to."   

• Are you physically fit for golf?
• Are you technically fit for golf?
• Are you mentally fit for golf?
• Do you have any injuries or tight areas on your body preventing you from achieving your optimal swing?
• Do you have muscle imbalances which force you to behave a certain way in your swing and perhaps not the way you choose to swing?

Maybe it’s time to find out which physical restrictions may be holding you back from a higher level of playing. That's why the OGA and Fitnessforgolf.com are partnering to offer OGA members and friends and exclusive opportunity to have access to golf specific fitness tools and resources to give you a competitive edge.  It is a private, member’s only, online golf fitness website dedicated to the improvement of golfers. Here, you will learn the exercises, stretches and training methods used by the top golf professionals playing on the tour today. It doesn’t matter if you are competing at the highest level in golf or simply aspire to, this website will give you the tools you need to be successful.

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DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR OPPORTUNITY AND PREPARE TO WIN

Now through January 7, the OGA and FitnessforGolf.com are offering a limited, one-of-a-kind special exclusive to OGA members and friends.    During this time, you can join FitnessforGolf.com and not only save $25 off the normal annual membership, AND you will receive a FREE Golf Stretch Guide.  Click here and type in “OGA’ into the discount code box to receive this exclusive offer.

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When we introduced this offer earlier this month, it appeared a few of you had questions about the service that I offer through FitnessforGolf.com so I thought this would be a great time to give you some detailed information on my background and program.

I used to work full time as a golf fitness trainer at Sunriver Resort. I was lucky enough to train hundreds of golfers from around the country who were in town on vacation or involved in local tournaments in addition to locals. I got so many requests for follow up golf fitness programs from clients in different states that I decided I should try setting up a membership site with all my training programs so golfers could get high quality golf training information at an affordable cost.

I was fascinated with how professional golfers trained their bodies and prepared for tour events. I began a quest to find out how the very best prepare. This quest led me to interviews with many of the top trainers who were working with the very best pros. I interviewed trainers for Mike Weir, Annika Sorenstam, Sean O’Hair, Phil Mickelson and others. Then, I began an interview series with other top golf experts including golf swing instructors, mental game gurus, and other related experts on injury management and other related subjects. These are all featured on FitnessforGolf.com.

My career changed over the years and allowed me to train top tour players like Allison Hanna Williams (2003 Oregon Amateur champion) and Jill McGill as well as to the Hank Haney Academy where I was responsible for training up to 150 very talented juniors in their quest for college scholarships or earning their way onto the professional tours. I am now a recognized top golf trainer and have written for many major golf magazines as well as been featured on ESPN. I have hosted my own radio show on golf fitness and you can find my brand new book, Going for The Green: Prepare Your Mind, Body and Swing for Winning Golf available at all local and national bookstores. I have been recognized as the Golf Fitness Trainer for the South American Golf Federation as well as the PGA of Mexico. I was also a featured speaker at the TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) World Golf Summit.
 
After years of development and lots of hard work, I believe I have created an online golf fitness program that gives golfers of all levels a real hands on training experience and a peak into the world of professional golf. My program contains many of the exact same tests used to screen professional players to determine their strengths and weaknesses. It is a self administered test, but allows you to see how best to improve your game based on your own set of personal information. My program has over 80 golf fitness programs designed to accommodate those who prefer to work out at home as well as those that have full access to a gym. The program is all delivered online so you are given immediate access to the information. It is not a DVD or CD, but an online experience that allows you to simply log on and enjoy all the exclusive interviews, golf fitness training programs and other resources designed specifically for golfers. There are hundreds of pages of resources for you to learn and grow from. You also get access to me for any ongoing questions you may have.

I look forward to seeing you in the membership site and hope you will take advantage of the exclusive offer provided only to members of the OGA.

Yours in fitness, health and better golf,
Susan Hill
www.fitnessforgolf.com

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DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR OPPORTUNITY AND PREPARE TO WIN

Now through January 7, the OGA and FitnessforGolf.com are offering a limited, one-of-a-kind special exclusive to OGA members and friends.    During this time, you can join FitnessforGolf.com and not only save $25 off the normal annual membership, AND you will receive a FREE Golf Stretch Guide.  Click here and type in “OGA’ into the discount code box to receive this exclusive offer.

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About Susan Hill Susan is president of FitnessforGolf.com, a web-based company based in Bend, Ore. specializes in golf fitness training programs.  Susan has worked with close to a thousand golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge. Her work has been featured in Golf Illustrated, Travel Golf, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Self Magazine, Atlanta Golfer, ESPN and more! She’s worked with everyone from recreational golfers, competitive golfers, golf teaching professionals and aspiring players and has trained some of the top college golf teams, young ‘promising’ juniors who went on to play professional tours and even some touring professionals.

My Big Break Experience - The Finale

The finale of the Big Break Disney Golf aired a couple weeks ago with finalists Kevin Erdmann, Tony Finau and Mike Perez. 

As you saw, all the guys were still there to watch the final contest.  We never really left after being eliminated.  We just enjoyed a great Disney vacation on The Golf Channel until that final day.

We were all miked up, so that the producers could have some outside commentary from the guys.  I was a little surprised in how little they used us and included us in the show.  It was almost like we really weren't there.  But, of course, this episode wasn't about us...it was about who would win The Big Break Disney Golf.

From what I heard from the fans that approach me, I think almost everyone was surprised at who was in the finale -- with the exception of Tony.  Let's face it, the two guys that seemed to be up for elimination the most were Kevin and Mike.  But each time they were just good enough to make it through to the next show.

That's really what this show was all about.  It wasn't necessarily one the discovers the guy with the best raw skills and talent...because competitive golf is more than that.  Its also about how well you manage your game on the course and how well you handle pressure.    Handling pressure is the key in this show.  In many of the contests, what you would see on the show more than anything was how guys handled the pressure.  Guys like Blake, Mike and Kevin didn't seem to handle it as well as the others, and that's why they were always in elimination challenges. 

What you also see is that no matter what the skill level, there's always a little bit of luck involved because in the end, the game can come down to fractions of an inch.  And in this contest, since you never a really warmed up and you're not playing a regular round of golf, good timing also helps.

In the end, being able to play a full 18-hole contest is what helped Mike the most.  He was one of the more talented guys out there, but you just never really saw it in the other challenges.  After Tony showed he is one of the best by taking a commanding lead after 9-holes, Mike used his emotions and passion to fire himself up and pull himself back into contention with some great approaches and putts.  Each time Mike clawed his way a little closer to Tony, there was a little extra pressure for Tony to deal with and as a result Tony might not have made the best decisions.

That's the beauty of match play....and even though they were scored on strokes, it was essentially a match.  When Tony pulled out his driver on 17, he made a bad decision.  Sure, he was hitting it well and its probably his favorite club...but he is extremely long off the tee, and on this hole it got him into too much trouble.  With all that adrenaline pumping through his veins, he hit it too long ...the ball hit the cart path and took a tremendous bounce into the water.  With the lead (and most likely the win) in his pocket, Tony made a bad decision and paid the ultimate price.   Instead of the competitors having to step up to beat him...he beat himself and fell back to the pack, leaving the door wide open for Mike.

Remember what I said about luck?  Throughout the match, Tony was missing some very makeable birdie putts, skirting the edge of the hole a couple times that could've given him an even bigger lead had they gone in...but they didn't.  Mike, on the other hand, was sinking some bombs that most would've been happy with walking away with a 2-putt.  Each time, that took a little wind out of Tony and ultimately kept Mike in the game.  That's the fighter aspect of Mike. He kept saying "I don't have it," and at the beginning, he didn't.  He just kept plugging away and pushing himself to player smarter and better.  In the end, he came out on top.

So that was my Big Break experience.  I came back home over the holidays and will now be heading back to Phoenix to work on my game and prepare to hit the tour circuit.  I've laid out a 3-year plan to play the Gateway Tour, Canadian Tour, Nationwide Tour and PGA Tour.  The bigger events will require a lot of Monday qualifying hopes since I do not have any current status on any the Nationwide or PGA Tour.

If you are interested in supporting my efforts, you can click here to read my Golf Investment Prospectus.

Registering for Championships and Events in 2010

IMPORTANT-PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING

The OGA is changing its online registration and scoring system in 2010.  Because of this, All players must create a new profile for 2010 including a new username and password.

All Championships require that you be a member in good standing of an OGA Member Club and have an active USGA Handicap with that club.

You can register for most OGA Championship events online and all OGA Championships by phone or mail.

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REGISTER ONLINE
Online registeration is only available to participants who wish to pay with a credit/debit card, are active OGA Members who know their GHIN number.  This is the fastest and easiest way to register for an OGA event. In order to register online you will need to create an OGA Profile.

Note 1: If you have previously registered for the OGA website to be able to post scores and participate in forums, you will need to create a new login and password.  This is a separate system.

Note 2: If you have registered online for OGA events previous to January 1, 2010, you will need to create a new login and password.  The OGA has changed our event registration provider as of January 1, 2010.

To register online you will need only your GHIN number and a credit or debit card - click here and follow the on screen instructions.  If you have not yet registered click "Click Here to Register" in the middle of the page.  In addtion, when you are looking at the schedule, it is recommended that you select the appropriate season.  For example Championships are all listed under the "2010 Championships" from the season drop down menu.

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REGISTER BY PHONE (credit/debit, cash, check or money order)

To register by phone, simply call the OGA at (866) 981-4653.

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REGISTER BY MAIL (credit/debit, cash, check or money order)

Click here to access the schedule and download the applicable entry form, fill it out and mail to:

Attn: OGA Championship Entry
Oregon Golf Association
2840 Hazelnut Drive
Woodburn, OR 97071

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Still having difficulty, just call the OGA at (866) 981-4653 and we'll be happy to assist you.

Prepare to Win this Off-season!

It’s the off season that becomes the most critical time to evaluate exactly where you are in each of the major components of the game, technical, physical, and mental. Naturally, everyone has a different set of strengths and weaknesses and we are also at different stages of development.

Preparing to win means to think, practice and prepare with a purpose. This year, the Oregon Golf Association will be working to provide you the help you need to give you the confidence you need to reach your full potential and achieve your goals in both fitness and in golf.

Golfers who perform well and meet their goals and expectations have a history of preparing to do well. This means they literally sit down and work through a whole process of improvement. This begins with an assessment of where they are now and a list of action steps that need to be taken to get to the next level of achievement or goal in golf.

The reason many golfers don’t go through this process is because they are either unclear of exactly how this is done or they feel they do not have access to the resources to perform these tasks.

We’re Here to Help You Prepare to Win!

To start, the Oregon Golf Association is partnering with Susan Hill who currently trains golfers of all levels at and is president of FitnessforGolf.com, a web-based company based in Bend, Ore. specializes in golf fitness training programs. 

Susan has worked with close to a thousand golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge. Her work has been featured in Golf Illustrated, Travel Golf, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Self Magazine, Atlanta Golfer, ESPN and more!

Now through December 23, the OGA and FitnessforGolf.com are offering a limited, one-of-a-kind special exclusive to OGA members and friends.    During this time, you can join FitnessforGolf.com and not only save $25 off the normal annual membership, AND you will receive a FREE Golf Stretch Guide. 

Click here and type in “OGA’ into the discount code box to receive this exclusive offer.

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A message from Susan Hill

As we end yet another season, I thought I would share with you a few lessons from what I have learned over the years as I have worked with amazing golf teachers, other top golf fitness trainers and mental game gurus.

Regardless of a teachers’ specialty (mental, physical or technical), we all share a mission to teach golfers to ‘win’. As it turns out, golfers don’t become winners overnight. It is a very thoughtful and strategic process that takes time and attention.   It all boils down to one common denominator – ‘preparation’.  That’s where I hope I can help.

One of the reasons I built FitnessforGolf.com was to make these tools completely accessible to every day golfers. Based on my knowledge of the body and the golf swing, I can help you to understand where your physical strengths and weaknesses are.  For instance:

• If you have tight hips or perhaps just a tight lead hip, then it will affect the way you swing the club and the way you perform your pivot. You need to know this!  And I can help you fix it!

• If you have tight shoulders or one tight shoulder, depending on whether it is your left or right arm, this will show itself as a ‘slice’ or shortened motion on your follow through. You need to know this, too! And I can help you fix it!

The purpose of your training, then, is all about accelerating your development as a player and reaching your peak sooner. Let me take you through this off season with exercises, stretches and workouts that will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to play your best golf ever.

How strongly do I feel about golf training and making progress? Well, up until now, my career has depended on it. If I can’t help a player make progress with their game, then there is no point to my training.

Ironically, what is one of the biggest frustrations most golfers face? Making progress and seeing real life results for all their work.

So, I have a solution I think can help.

Yours in fitness, health and better golf,
Susan Hill
www.fitnessforgolf.com

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About Susan Hill Susan is president of FitnessforGolf.com, a web-based company based in Bend, Ore. specializes in golf fitness training programs.  Susan has worked with close to a thousand golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge. Her work has been featured in Golf Illustrated, Travel Golf, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Self Magazine, Atlanta Golfer, ESPN and more! She’s worked with everyone from recreational golfers, competitive golfers, golf teaching professionals and aspiring players and has trained some of the top college golf teams, young ‘promising’ juniors who went on to play professional tours and even some touring professionals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U of O’s Bristow Qualifies for LPGA

Cathryn Bristow, a former member of the Univeristy of Oregon Women's Golf team,  has become just the third New Zealander to gain entry to the LPGA Tour.

Bristow, who represented New Zealand at last year's Espirito Santo world teams championship, finished in a share of 22nd place in the five-round final stage of the LPGA Q-School tournament in Florida.She missed by one shot in gaining her full playing rights to the LPGA which will limit automatic entry to the biggest tournaments on the circuit next year.

"At first when I saw I had missed by one shot for the top-20 I was disappointed. But once I had time to take it in and realise what it meant and that I had got my card for next year I was overwhelmed," Bristow said.

"It's pretty cool. I am very excited and to tell the truth it's not sunk in yet. This is exciting for me personally but when I found out that I am just the third New Zealander to do it is great. To represent New Zealand on the Tour next year is doubly exciting and I'd like to think we will have a few more in the years to come."

Bristow, 25, fired a final round even-par 72 for a five round total of one-over par at Daytona Beach GC in Florida, and produced some consistent performances in the tough five-rounder.

"I played really well this week. In the main I hit the ball well. The key was my putting though. I really putted exceptionally and made some key putts that kept me in there."

The University of Oregon graduate said she had to keep calm in today's vital final round.

"I thought about a score that I had to make. Then I just told myself that I could not think about that and put any ideas of that out of my mind. I was nervous but also excited about today. I just tried to enjoy it and have fun."

The left hander returns home to Auckland next week to take some time out before preparing for a return to the United States next year, where she hopes to base herself in Houston, Texas.

Bristow, who competed in the inaugural Women's New Zealand Open this year as an amateur, is keen to compete in the event which could be her professional debut at the new Pegasus course near Christchurch in February.  "I've been following progress and heard about it. I would love to be able to play in it again. It was fantastic to be part of it in Clearwater and I think that experience playing in that environment helped me today."

Bristow was New Zealand's leading amateur last year, finishing fifth individual in the Queen Sirikit Asia Pacific Teams and was the leading New Zealander in the Espirito Santo tournament.

 

What College Coaches Look For in Recruits

So You Want to Play College Golf
By Shannon Rouillard, Collegiate Search Partners

Hopefully, by now you have had a chance to sit down and ask yourself some important questions that I talked about in my last article.  If you haven’t done that yet, at some point you will need to (Click Here).  If you have, you are now one step closer to finding the “right” school for you.

The recruiting process is just that, a process, and there are no short cuts through the process.  The next step seems like an obvious one, but critical to the marketing of your golf talents and abilities.  It is boosting your competitive golf schedule. 

You need to make sure that you are not only actively participating on your high school team, but also playing in other junior events (i.e. Oregon Junior Golf, PNGA, AJGA, IJGT, FCWT, USGA etc…) throughout the year.  If you are unable to play in national events, try to play at least regionally.  If it fits into your schedule and doesn't conflict with major Junior events and you qualify, you can also try some adult events such as the Oregon Men's or Women's Stroke Play or Oregon Public Links Championship.  Coaches want to see how well you play in bigger, more competitive tournaments. 

In addition, playing throughout the year allows coaches more opportunities to go out and watch you play. Here are a few things that coaches may be observing at junior events.  Specifically on the range, coaches will look at:

• Your athleticism, swinging technique and fundamentals
• How you practice, are you disciplined and focused? Are you using any training aides or are you just going through the motions?
• Are you going through your pre-shot routine and picking targets or scooping and hitting balls with no intention?

Second, junior players want a college coach to see them play their best.  Of course coaches also want to see junior players play well.  However, coaches really want to know how you react to difficult situations.  Some examples are:

• A big number made on a hole
• A bad bounce into a hazard
• A number of missed short putts

How you handle these situations can be a deciding factor in a coach recruiting you.  Are you able to display mental toughness, poise, and maturity?  If so, you will be a step ahead of those who don’t.

Third, coaches will evaluate how you carry and present yourself?  Are your clothes pressed, shoes clean, nicely groomed and walk like a mature, young adult?  Believe it or not, coaches pay attention to these matters.  Remember, once you get to college you are not only representing yourself, but also your institution with it’s logo on your shirt! 

Last, once the tournament round is over, coaches are curious to see how parents interact with their junior player.  Does mom or dad interrogate you about your round asking you why you hit a certain club in a particular situation or are they supportive no matter how you play?  Coaches who witness the former will think twice about recruiting you.

As I have illustrated, score is not the determining factor when a coach is evaluating you.  Tournaments are an opportunity for you to show character qualities that cannot be put on paper.  So put your best foot forward!

Good luck!

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Shannon Rouillard, former Women’s Golf Coach at the University of Oregon and Assistant Women’s Golf Coach at the University of California, is founder of Collegiate Search Partners, a consulting service designed to counsel young athletes and their parents in making educated choices in navigating and managing the recruiting process. Personalized services guide clients in their overall personal and player development, demystify the expectations and realities of college athletics, and prepare them for life after graduation.  Visit www.collegiatesp.com and contact me for a free action plan on points you need to cover each year in high school.

Safeway Classic Donates $1 Million for Local Children’s Charities for 4th Consecutive Year

Portland, Ore. -- Tournament Golf Foundation (TGF) and the Safeway Foundation, today announced that local children’s charities would benefit from $1 million in proceeds from the 2009 Safeway Classic. 
 
The 2009 Safeway Classic presented by Coca-Cola was the 38th consecutive year the LPGA tour event was brought to Portland by TGF.  The event, originally called the Portland Classic, has now donated more than $14 million to local children’s charities since its inception in 1972, with $11 million coming in the past fourteen years with Safeway as title sponsor.  2009 was the fourth consecutive year and fifth in total that the tournament has generated at least $1 million for charity.
 
The Safeway Foundation and Tournament Golf Foundation will disburse the funds to local organizations in Oregon.  The main charities from the 2009 event include Easter Seals of Oregon, the Evans Scholars Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland, Trillium Family Services, Police Activities League, the Children’s Course and Oregon Junior Golf.  In addition, many other local children’s charities will be impacted with supplemental distributions from the 2009 tournament.
 
“Thanks to the incredible support of Safeway, our other sponsors, our volunteers and record crowds, we are pleased that we were able to meet our goals for giving from the 2009 tournament.  The past year has been a difficult one for many non-profits and businesses and so we know that these donations come at a critical time for many organizations that are vital to the success of our event,” said Tom Maletis, President of TGF.
 
“The Safeway Foundation is proud to partner with TGF to provide this support to programs that impact such a wide variety of charities throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington,” added Steve Frisby, Safeway’s Portland Division President.
 
The tournament was held on the Ghost Creek course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club for the first time in 2009.  The move to the new venue was met with record crowds.  Over 87,000 fans attended the 2009 tournament, breaking the attendance record set the previous year at Columbia-Edgewater by over 15,000.  “2009 marked the fourth consecutive year of record crowds for the event,” said Maletis.  “This is a testament to the growing popularity of the LPGA in the Northwest.”
 
The 2010 edition of The Safeway Classic, presented by Coca-Cola, will again be held at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club August 16-22, with the 54-hole tournament proper being played Friday-Sunday.  The purse will be $1.5 million. 
 
“Safeway is thrilled to continue our sponsorship of the Safeway Classic. The 2010 event will mark the 15th anniversary of Safeway as title sponsor,” said Frisby.  “In addition to being a great event for fans, the money that is distributed to local charities in Oregon makes it even more rewarding for our organization.”
 
MJ Hur won the 2009 event in a two-hole playoff with Michelle Redman and Suzann Pettersen. The field for the 2010 event should be excellent, according to Maletis, coming two weeks after the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
 
TGF is looking for new volunteers to supplement the current group of over 1,000.  Interested individuals can contact the TGF office at 503-626-2711 or visit the website at www.safewayclassic.com.
 
Tournament Golf Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) charitable non-profit organization, is a local Portland area group of volunteers who donate their time and provide the primary operations for the annual event.  Begun in 1972, the group is now comprised of 42 local individuals and couples.
 
Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America based on sales.  The Company operates 1,739 stores in the United States and Western Canada, and had sales of $44 billion in 2008.  The Company’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.  Safeway’s Portland division operates 116 stores in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
 
For more information on the Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola and Tournament Golf Foundation, visit www. safewayclassic.com. For more information on Safeway Stores, visit www.safeway.com.

Welcome to the OGA’s Golf Deals Blog

Stay turned for information on how your course can promote its programs to the most avid golf audience.

If you have questions, please send them to Eric Yaillen c/o news@oga.org

In order for any deal to be approved, it must contain an offer that is EXCLUSIVE to any active member of an OGA Member Club.

 

Welcome to the OGA’s Golf Equipment News Blog

In 2010, the OGA will be providing you with more of the information you regularly seek.  We'll be reporting on all the developments we learn of in the area of new golf equipment as well as any changes to the Rules of Golf as it relates to equipment.

Welcome to the OGA’s Golf Tips Blog

In 2010, the OGA will be providing you with more of the information you regularly seek.  We'll be working with the PGA Professionals in the area to provide you with some useful tips to get you started as well as some insight as to whom you might want to work with when it comes to improving your game.

Welcome to Fitness For Golf

Fitness for Golf is dedicated to the health, well being and performance of golfers worldwide. We believe that by enhancing one’s physical abilities and areas of focus including strength training, flexibility, stamina, stability and nutrition, we can change the outcome of the golf swing for each individual. We will strive to establish a precedent for the future of golf performance everywhere. We will offer the most advanced and comprehensive fitness related information for golf available on the internet today. Powerful golf performance begins with a strong powerful body. Our goal will be to educate golfers on the optimal functioning of their bodies in the golf swing.

We are unconditionally committed to the performance enhancement of all golfers and all levels of play, male or female, 1 handicap or 30. Each golfer will have the opportunity to learn what is being taught at the most sophisticated and prestigious golf performance centers nationwide-only in the comfort of their own living space.

Our Vision For the Future
Fitness For Golf aims to change the focus of golfers away from the notion that golf is a simple leisure activity with little physical requirements. In fact, just the opposite is true. Golfers are athletes and golf itself is explosive in nature. To hit the ball far, you must produce the maximum range of motion and force in the joints at the hips, spine and shoulders. Golf can and will produce injuries in an unfit, tight and ill-prepared body. However, a few simple changes can improve the enjoyment and performance of golfers at every level. We will serve as your leader in fitness education as it relates to golf in bringing the information you need most.

OGA Winter Series Events

For the fourth consecutive year, the OGA will again hold its popular Winter Series of events at the OGA Golf Course. 

Here is the 2010 schedule for OGA Winter Series Events:

Stormy Stableford, Saturday, January 23 
Gross Results  -  Net Results

St. Patrick's Men's Four-Ball, Saturday, March 20
(Entry Deadline Extended - Wed. March 17)
Click Here for an Entry Form

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 Registering for Championships and Events in 2010

IMPORTANT-PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING

The OGA is changing its online registration and scoring system in 2010.  Because of this, All players must create a new profile for 2010 including a new username and password. 

All Championships require that you be a member in good standing of an OGA Member Club.  You are also required to have an active GHIN number to participate.  To help create your new profile, we recommend that you use your GHIN number. 

If you create a profile without a GHIN number, it will not allow you to register for any event.  If you register with your GHIN number and you don’t have a handicap, you may not be allowed to enter the tournament.  Please ensure that you have at least five scores posted to your GHIN number before the last revision date (that’s what is required to establish an Official USGA Handicap Index) posted for the championship you are entering. Then, you will be allowed to register if your Handicap Index falls within the eligibility range. 

Click Here to Create A New Profile

 

The Most Aggravating Things Golfers Say and Do (from the Superintendent’s Perspective)

The Most Aggravating Things Golfers Say and Do (from the Golf Course Superintendent's Perspective)
USGA Green Section Webcast – Tuesday, January 12th, at 2:00 PM Eastern
 
Come on golfers - you can take it! Come join this lighthearted look at some of the most outlandish things golf course superintendents and USGA agronomists hear from our favorite people - our players. USGA agronomists Larry Gilhuly and Jim Moore have a combined 51 years experience on the USGA staff and are both very avid golfers. They will share the results of a survey conducted of the entire USGA agronomic staff and superintendents from all across the country regarding some of the suggestions, observations, and actions golfers have "shared" with us.

Below you will find the link to join our webcast. However, it is very important that you read the text below describing how to install Microsoft Live Meeting CLIENT (not the web access option) before you attempt to join the meeting. If you have not installed the Microsoft Live Meeting CLIENT software properly you will not be able to hear the audio during the meeting.

Join the meeting. https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usga/join?id=MDZB3H&role=attend

Audio Information:
To hear the webcast you will need speakers on your computer and Microsoft Live Meeting CLIENT installed. If you have a computer microphone, you will be able speak to others as well.

First Time Users:
To save time before the meeting, check your system to make sure it is ready to use Microsoft Office Live Meeting.

Troubleshooting:
Unable to join the meeting? Follow these steps:

1. Copy this address and paste it into your web browser: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usga/join
2. Copy and paste the required information:

Meeting ID: MDZB3H
Location: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usga

If you still cannot enter the meeting, contact support
(http://r.office.microsoft.com/r/rlidLiveMeeting?p1=12&p2=en_US&p3=LMInfo&p4=support)

____________________
 
The following information is provided to help you attend and enjoy USGA Green Section live on-line conferences. Please take the time to read this document prior to trying to attend the meeting.

Overview: 
We all recognize the importance of staying up-to-date with trends in our game and industry. Historically, one of the most effective means of getting new information was to attend educational sessions at turfgrass conferences, USGA family meetings, etc. In today’s economy, it is likely that the cost of travel and time away from the workplace will greatly reduce the ability of many of us to attend as many meetings as we have in the past. Fortunately, there is now another option. On-line conferencing (also called “webcasting” or “web conferencing”) is a new and exciting tool to allow people to share information via the Internet without the need for costly travel. The USGA and the Green Section has implemented this technology to better serve the game and industry of golf.
 
What you need to attend: 
                       
1) You will need a reliable and constant broadband Internet connection to attend and enjoy the online meeting. Slow, intermittent connections will not work. Dial-up and satellite connections will not work. Wireless connections are prone to periodic disconnects that you might not notice when browsing the web or working with e-mail. However, during our online meeting a constant “stream” of audio is sent to your computer. Should your connection be broken even for a very short period of time, you may experience an interruption in the audio.
                       
2) You must use a PC (not a Mac) and Microsoft Internet Explorer as your web browser.
                       
3) The USGA uses Microsoft Office Live Meeting to “broadcast” our on-line meetings and educational sessions. For you to attend one of our Live Meetings, you will need to download and install the Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 Client. This program must be installed on the computer that you will use to attend the meeting (see the next step).
 
Installing Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 Client 
As mentioned above, you will need to install the Live Meeting Client on the computer you will use to attend the meeting. Please do the following well before the meeting date.
                       
1) When you click the “check your system” link below, you will be taken to a Microsoft site that will check your system to see if you have the latest version of the Live Meeting Client installed. If not it will walk you through the installation. (Note: DO NOT choose the web access option during installation. You will not be able to hear if you do.) Be sure to watch for messages in Internet Explorer to allow the installation. Once installed, you will be taken to a test Live Meeting site that indicates you have successfully installed Live Meeting (in various languages). If you see this site you are all set. When the date and time for the Green Section webcast arrives, all you will have to do is click the link to join the meeting.
               
2) Here is the link to check your system . Please do this well before the meeting date. It is very difficult and sometimes impossible to help you through the installation once the meeting time approaches. 
 
Joining the Meeting 
Once you have successfully installed the Live Meeting 2007 Client as discussed above you are ready to join the Green Section live webcast. Note that you may not be able to join the webcast until within 30 minutes of the start time.
 
Troubleshooting 
If you are having trouble installing the Live Meeting Client:
                       
1) Be sure you have permission to install programs onto your computer.
                       
2) Be sure to watch the information bar near the top of Internet Explorer during installation for messages. Depending on your security settings, you may have to repeatedly allow Microsoft to install plug-ins such as Active X. We have used Live Meeting extensively and have not had any problems so don’t hesitate to allow the installation.
 
If you are having trouble with your audio during the meeting:
                       
1) As mentioned above, any interruption in your connection can result in your audio being disconnected. Attendee’s should be able to reconnect through the Voice & Video pane. Click on the Voice & Video tab at the top of the page. You will see a small phone with an “X” next to it. Click on the phone to disconnect. Then, click on it again to “Join Audio”. Depending on your connection, you may have to do this multiple times throughout the meeting. If you did not install the Live Meeting Client, and instead selected the web access option, you will not receive audio. You will need to exit and click on check your system to repeat the installation.
 
If you are having other problems feel free to contact either the USGA tech support group at 800.222.8742 (ask for the PC help desk) or call Jim Moore at 254.848.2202 (jmoore@usga.org). 
 
James F. Moore
Director, Green Section Construction Education Program  

Golfing Etiquette Basics

Golf is a game of rules and etiquette, and it is quite important to know the essentials of golfing etiquette before you go up to the tee to play your first game of golf.

Golfing etiquette dictates that it doesn’t matter whether you are playing alone, in a twosome or in a foursome, you must always wait your turn. You must also remain aware of the group on the next hole and wait until they are well ahead of you before hitting your ball.

Golfing etiquette also means that it is never correct to “hurry” the group in front of you. If you are playing with others, wait for your turn to hit the ball; never hit at the same time as another player.

While you are waiting for your turn to play, go to your ball and determine what golf club you will select and how you are going to hit the golf ball with it. This is called “ready golf” and keeps the game moving along. Don’t rush anybody, just be ready for your turn.

Another nice piece of golfing etiquette, especially for the novice is ‘playing through’. For example, if your team is holding up the players behind you, say because you are consistently over par, let them play through. You would simply wave them through, or if they are near enough, ask them if they would like to play through. You will never make an enemy by doing this!

When someone is taking a shot, you should be standing behind them and you shouldn’t make any noise! It is very distracting to be about to to tee off and just as you draw back, someone decides to play with coins in their pocket or noisily unwrap a bar of chocolate.

Replacing divots. Let’s say you are on the fairway and you hit the ball a bit thick and a clod of dirt and grass goes flying, golfing etiquette says that you ought to replace it. On some courses you just put the clod back and step on it to press it down, but on most courses, there is a sand/seed mixture on the course to put into the divot. Also, if your ball makes a deep impression when it lands on the green, you should use your divot tool to repair it.

As soon as you have completed a hole, replace the flag and leave the green quickly so that the next players can play that hole. Count your score and write it on the scorecard when you’re back at your cart.

Of course, there are many more rules of golfing etiquette, but these simple ones will enable you to get through the course without making anyone annoyed. If we all keep to golfing etiquette we will keep the game dignified, right?

Two Golfers Sign Letter of Intent with OSU Women’s Golf

CORVALLIS - The Oregon State women's golf program has signed two golfers to National Letters of Intent head coach Risë Lakowske announced Friday.

The 2010-11 recruiting class consists of Lauren Sewell (Renton, Wash./Kentridge HS) and Seshia-Lei Telles (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin HS).

"I am thrilled to add Seshia and Lauren to the OSU women's golf team," Lakowske said. "We feel that these are two of the best players in this signing class and two of the best junior players in the Pacific Northwest. They represent what is potentially the best class we've recruited in the recent history of our program, and we are very proud of the fact that they are both from the Pacific Northwest."

Sewell is a two-time qualifier for the Callaway Junior World Championships and played in the USGA Junior Girls' Championships in 2009. She is a two-time 4A district champion and was the 2008 South Puget Sound League Player of the Year. Sewell also played on the 2007 and 2008 Girls' Junior America's Cup team for the state of Washington and won the 2006 Washington Junior State Championship.

"They are a great fit for our program," Lakowske said. "Lauren is very mature in her golf game and is very advanced in the mental aspects of her game, and Seshia has one of the best short games I've seen, both are things we work on daily with our teams."

"Oregon State was a natural choice for me," Sewell said. "I want to play in the Pac-10, I really like the coaches and the girls on the team and everything about OSU. It is just a great fit for me."

Telles is a three-time qualifier to the Callaway Junior World Championships and is a three-time member of the Oregon Girls' Junior America's Cup team. She is a two-time winner of the Peter Jacobsen Junior Championship, and won the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) Junior Stroke Play Championship in 2009 and the OGA Junior Championship in 2008. Telles has been first team all-state each of the last three years with top 10 finishes at the 6A state championship each season.

"I'm very excited to get the best player in the class of 2010 from our state in Seshia," Lakowske said. "We really want to continue to bring the top talent in Oregon to Oregon State."
"I really bonded with the team and coaches when I was on my official visit," Telles said. "They were all very welcoming. I've loved OSU ever since."

So You Want to Play College Golf

By Shannon Rouillard

In 1988, when I was searching for the right school to play my college golf, it was an exciting, stressful and time-consuming task at best! 

There was no such thing as the Internet!  The library, magazines, “snail mail,” and a landline phone proved to be my only means of researching the “right” college for me. 

Luckily, Dean Frischknecht had just come out with his PING College Golf Guide, which proved to be, and still is, a great resource to navigate the college golf recruiting process.  Fortunately, I found my opportunity to play at the collegiate level at the University of Oregon.

Now with information so readily available, especially on the Internet, there is so much more to decipher and sort out.  The fact remains , however, it’s still a daunting task.

So you might be asking, “where do I start?”  Well, it starts with YOU! 

The first task is to sit down with your parents and conduct a personal assessment and be sure to write down your answers.    You need to ask yourself a number of questions such as:
• What do you want to get out of your college golf experience? 
• Why do you play golf? 
• Do your parents say you have to go to college or is it something that you want to do too? 
• What are your priorities? 

Here are some examples of the answers you might have:
• Get a degree and graduate
• Be a part of a team
• Be an active participant of a team
• Become a touring professional
• Become a PGA/LPGA club or teaching professional

Be thorough in your assessment and list your responses in order of importance to you. 

This honest, personal assessment is critical to your future success academically and athletically.  It may seem elementary right now, but it will serve to give you purpose for your 4-5 years in college. 

Once you are in college, you are going to be spending a majority of your time either in class, studying, practicing or playing golf, not to mention competing! 

Playing golf or any sport at the next level is a major commitment.  You want to be prepared and ready for it. 

You can do it!  Good luck!

Shannon Rouillard, former Women’s Golf Coach at the University of Oregon and Assistant Women’s Golf Coach at the University of California, is founder of Collegiate Search Partners, a consulting service designed to counsel young athletes and their parents in navigating and managing the recruiting process as well as making educated choices. Personalized services guide clients in their overall personal and player development, demystify the expectations and realities of college athletics, and prepare them for life after graduation. 

Visit www.collegiatesp.com for more information and personalized service.

Check your Grooves - Database Now Available

Though it is unlikely you will be affected by the New Groove Rule, the USGA has created a searchable database should you wish to check if your clubs will conform to the New Groove Rule.

Click here to access the USGA Searchable Database

Does the New Groove Rule apply to you?  Click here to visit the OGA Forum to learn more about the New Groove Rule.

My Big Break Experience - NASCAR Challenge

This was the NASCAR episode and our first challenge was to drive the ball down pit row at the race track and cross the finish line. We were really surprised with the difficulty of the shot.  No matter how long a hitter you were, the ball had to bounce at least 10 times before it would rach the finish line. 

I originally thought the challenge would be one of accuracy and not of horsepower.  If it was horsepower guys like me and Gipper would be at an advantage because we regularly outdistance the other guys. Kevin, to our surpirse, set the bar early and I think that his draw really helped offset the natural slope of the track.

The shot is far more difficult than it looks simply because your hitting on a asphalt track which is ever so slightly banked to the right. You could hit what you think is the exact same shot twice thinking it is landing in the exact same place, but one bounds across the finish line and the other just seems to curve off the track.  I remember that my second shot was equally as good as the first, landing 3-4 yards from the first one...both were great swings that split the track, but one just missed crossing the finish line and I was sent to the elimination challenge where we played B-R-E-A-K, the Big Break's version of HORSE!

Each of us was able to select a location to hit from and the added bonus was that whoever hits it closest was able to add an additional letter to the competitor of their choice. I think you saw that for the most part, we were piling on Andrew giving him letters whenever we could.  Everyone wanted to send him to elimination, and he was the first one sent to the next stage.

At that point Gipper and I were tied in the lead with only one letter each, so when he had the chance, he gave me a letter.  I completely saw that coming.  What's he gonna do...give it to his brother?  That left him in alone the lead, and Since only one person from this game was going to move on to the next show, it was a great strategic move -- especially since he ultimately made it.

When it came to the competition to determine who would be sent home, I felt really good.  It was one of the first times I felt calm and not too nervous which looking back was probably not a good sign.  We had three different places to play from where we were to hot it into a 20-foot circle.  Each time we were successful we earned a point and each of us who made it to three points was safe and unto the next show unless we were tied forcing a sudden death playoff.

From the yardages we were at, I certainly thought I could get it done.  Coming from the Northwest where I honed a decent short game on on Poa Annua and bentgrass considering the yardages we were hitting from, I certainly thought I would make it through, but in the end, I think my lack of experience in playing from Bermuda rough really hurt my chances.  I was really disappointed that I could not stop the ball within 20-feet of the hole.  That's just not me.

This challenge was the most competitive overall. I was consistently coming closer that the other guys. But sometimes in this competition it comes down to a matter of inches.  I had three chances to be safe and one more to at least force another attempt and you'd think with all those opportunities I'd get at least one of them in.  I really was shocked to not move on.

There's so much build up to just one shot, in a regular tournament there so many opportunities to help yourself out and right the ship if need be.  But here just one swing (not even a putt) could mean your done for the day and onto the next show, or done completely.  Its unlike any pressure I've ever felt, including when I teed it up for the first time in a PGA Tour event when I played the Northern Trust Open at Riviera.

I was certainly disappointed that I only lasted six episodes.  I would have liked to have won the whole thing.  If it was a regular golf competition, I think my chances would have been better against these guys.  One of the best things I'll take from my experience on this show is that it helped teach me how to deal with pressure.  The pressure here was much more than any I've ever faced in any tournament setting so I think that learning and now knowing what it takes to handle that extreme pressure will help me down the line.

So what was next for me -- well it was the walk to the "losers lounge."  When I got there, the guys were really surprised to see me.  J.R. said "all you could do is make it one more day?"

Although we couldn't even talk with the guys that were left in the show, 1 by 1 more would join us.  It was really fun to hang out with the guys.  It was 6 days without competition and an opportunity to vacation at Disney World until the last show where we would all be back together. 

All in all, it was two of the best weeks of my life. 

After that show, I'll fill you in on my plans for my future.

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Vince Cellini conducts the exit Interview with Vincent Johnson

Lift, clean and cheat is just a myth!

If you refer to Preferred Lies and Winter Rules as "Lift, clean and cheat" I would submit that you simply do not understand the Local Rule.

Let's start with a quick two question quiz:

1) Preferred Lies can be used:
      a) anywhere on the course
      b) fairways and rough only - but not within 36" of trees and out of bounds
      c) only in closely mown areas, through the green
      d) anywhere through the green

2) The Committee posts a sign near the first tee that reads only, "Winter Rules Today," and provides no other clarification or posting regarding how to proceed under the Local Rule. In stroke play, a player's ball comes to rest in a bush in a water hazard and the player uses preferred lies to place the ball 20 yards away, closer to the hole in the middle of the fairway.  How many penalty strokes has the player incurred?
      a) no penalty is incurred
      b) 1 stroke
      c) 2 strokes
      d) the player is disqualified

Answers

1) c - Preferred Lies or Winter Rules can only be utilized in closely mown areas, through the green (which means any areas through the green cut to fairway height of less and is described in depth in the post below).

2) a - no penalty is incurred - though this seems odd, if the Committee doesn't fulfill their responsibilities, a player must not be penalized for proceeding in a way the Committee did not forsee.  The Rules of Golf are a carefully drafted code that are designed to handle whatever situation a player may end up in.  Local Rules, by their very nature modify this carefully drafted code (and are only allowable if first approved by the Ruling Bodies).  "Winter Rules Today" is an example of a poorly written Local Rule.  No matter how poorly written, it is still a Rule!  There is no requirement in "Winter Rules Today" for the ball to be "on the ground," "in the fairway" and there is no mention of how far the ball may be placed nor if it must not be placed closer to the hole.  Thus, 20 yards away, outside of the hazard and closer to the hole is perfectly acceptable.

If you have used Preferred Lies to lift a ball that lies in the rough and place it a small distance from where it was lifted – please read on because you are not using "Preferred Lies".  If you are on a Committee and work at a course that posts a sign reading only “preferred lies” or “winter rules” – please read on, you are not living up to your obligations under the Rules of Golf.

If the Local Rule for Preferred lies is in effect, it applies to the photo above and 
not to the photo below.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING HANDICAPPING:

The purpose of this post is to clear up the many misunderstandings circulating about preferred lies with respect to the Rules of Golf.  Note that regardless of whether the Committee, your group, or you as an individual golfer “decide” to use Preferred Lies, or other Local Rules discussed in this post, you are still required by the Rules of the USGA Handicap System to post your score.

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My primary job with the Oregon Golf Association is to help others interpret the Rules of Golf.  The beginning and the end of the open handicap season signals that golfers throughout the region often find areas golf courses deteriorating due to poor weather.

Of all Rules this Local Rule, Preferred Lies (also called Winter Rules), is quite clearly the most misunderstood Rule in Golf.  I want to first make clear that the OGA has no problem with a Committee employing Preferred Lies when course conditions are poor – in fact, we would encourage them to.  The Local Rule provides the relief necessary to allow for an enjoyable playing experience even in the worst of conditions.  The problem is not the Rule itself but the prevalent misapplication of the Rule, which leads to artifically low scores and it's undeserved alter ego, "Lift, Clean and Cheat."

The Rules of Golf allow the Committee, not a player or group, the option to employ preferred lies in any closely mown area, through the green.  Through the Green includes all areas within the boundaries of the course except:

1. Hazards (includes all bunkers & water hazards, including lateral water hazards on the course)
2. The putting green (specific to the hole you are playing)
3. The teeing ground (specific to the hole and tee color you are playing)

Combined with closely mown areas (those areas mown to fairway height or less) this leaves a restricted area for this Rule that includes fairways, the fringe, dew strips or closely mown walkways and tee boxes.  For a visual description of what constitutes closely mown areas through the green, I have included photos at the bottom of this post.

The allowable Local Rule for Preferred Lies may be found in the appendix of the Rules of Golf.  When the Committee has employed Preferred Lies, a player whose ball lies in a closely mown area, through the green may mark, lift, clean and place through the green (within an area defined by the Committee – often 6”,a club length or the length of the scorecard) no nearer the hole.  Likely you are already familiar with the application part of the Rule.  

Note that the Rule not only restricts the areas that it may be used but the Committee is also required to provide guidance when the Rule is in effect.  Why?  Without guidance, my group may decide we can place within two club lengths, no nearer the hole, your group may decide to allow just 4” while another may be comfortable moving the ball 30 yards closer to the hole.  If the Committee only provides "Winter Rules Today" as guidance these are all perfectly acceptable applications.  In fact, with "Winter Rules Today" as Committee guidance, it would also be acceptabel to take your ball that lies through the green in a tree and place the ball in the middle of the fairway.

The appendix covers suggested wording for a Committee that includes both the procedure and what penalty would be incurred by a player that either breaches the Rule itself (e.g. two stroke penalty in stroke play or loss of hole in match play for placing or substituting where not allowed) or simply errs in the procedure (e.g. one stroke penalty in all forms of play for not marking before lifting).

Two additional Local Rules provide relief from poor conditions and can also be found in the appendix to the Rules of Golf.  These are 

1. Cleaning Ball and
2. Embedded Ball Through The Green.

Both of these options may be extended to any area that lies through the green and are not, like Preferred Lies, restricted only to areas that are closely mown.  

I’ll begin with Cleaning Ball.  This Local Rule allows a player to mark, lift, clean and replace in an area defined by the Committee and may be used anywhere through the green.  Golfers are universally familiar with the procedure when your ball comes to rest on the putting green as they practice it dozens of time each round.  This procedure for this Local Rule is exactly the same.  Note that I have underlined the last step of the procedure, replace.  In the Rules, “replace” has a very different meaning than the “place” used in the procedure for Preferred Lies.

For example, my drive ends up just off the fairway, either in a horrible lie in the rough or hopelessly in the roots of a tree.  The Committee has employed the Local Rule as listed in the appendix for Cleaning Ball anywhere through the green.  I am permitted to mark, lift, clean, and replace my ball.  When I replace, though my ball will be clean, I am left with the same horrible lie in the rough or hopeless lie in the roots of the tree.  If my ball lands in the fairway, this is also through the green and I would be permitted to clean my ball but under Cleaning Ball, I would replace it on the exact spot I lifted it from.

Between the two Local Rules addressed so far, Preferred Lies vs. Cleaning Ball, the two main differences are:

1. Preferred lies, though more generous in allowing the player to place the ball some distance from where it came to rest, no nearer the hole, it is far more restrictive in the area on the course where it may be utilized.
2. Cleaning ball is exactly the opposite.  It is far more restrictive in that it requires you to replace the ball exactly from where it was lifted but is more generous in where on the course it may be utilized.

The Rules of Golf, specifically Rule 25-2, Embedded Ball, provides free relief to any ball that embeds in any closely mown area through the green.  The third Local Rule, Embedded Ball Through The Green may be employed by the Committee to extend the area where a player will receive free relief from an embedded ball to any area through the green.  The procedure is quite simple.  Lift, clean and drop as near as possible to where it embedded, no nearer the hole.  Note the requirement to mark is absent in this Rule.  Because the likelihood of a ball embedding in the rough is high year round in the Northwest, the OGA strongly encourages all clubs and Committees to employ this Local Rule year round to provide equitable playing conditions to all.

Note that the Committee may use a combination of these Local Rules.  For example, Preferred Lies can be used in any closely mown area, through the green, Cleaning Ball may be employed in any area through the green and Embedded Ball Through The Green may also be employed all at the same time.  Unless you hit your ball into a hazard (remember bunkers and water hazards are not through the green) you will be entitled to mark, lift and clean it.

If all three Local Rules are in effect, when your ball comes to rest in

1. a closely mown area, through the green you will be rewarded for your accuracy by being allowed to place, 
2. through the green outside of closely mown areas you will be required to replace it in the exact lie from where it was lifted, and 
3. you will receive relief from an embedded ball anywhere through the green.

Below is a visual representation of where these Local Rules may be employed at your course.

The light blue shaded areas in the image above diagram all areas that Preferred Lies, or Winter Rules, may be adopted.  The Committee may further restrict the application to individual holes or specified areas.  The areas in light blue are closely mown areas, through the green and include:

1. Fairways
2. The fringe of all putting greens
3. Tee boxes (but notice in the top left that this does not include the teeing ground as the teeing ground is not through the green)
4. Though not present on this hole, if your course has dew strips or walkways that are through the green and mowed to fairway height or less, they would also apply.

The image above is a visual depiction of the parts of the course.  The white shading is out of bounds.  Special attention should be paid to:

1. The teeing ground (specific to the hole and tees being played)  TOP LEFT, LIGHT GREEN 
2. The putting green (specific to the hole being played) TOP RIGHT, LIGHT GREEN
3. All hazards on the course (including bunkers, water hazards, and lateral water hazards) RED
4. Everything else in this picture is through the green.

The Local Rules for "Cleaning Ball" & "Embedded Ball Through The Green" may be employed anywhere that is not shaded above though like preferred lies the Committee may restrict the application to a more restrictive area.

One last thing, if you have read this post – I ask that you please pass it on.  Sharing this with others will create equitable playing conditions and more accurate handicapping for everyone playing the game.  If you have any additional questions don’t hesitate to contact Craig Winter by phone (503)981-4653 x 222 or e-mail, rules@oga.org.

Thank you for your interest in the Rules of Golf!

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This blog has been republished from an earlier Outside Agency post dated March 18, 2009.

How to Learn the Rules of Golf

(The first of a multi-part series on Learning the Rules of Golf)

The Oregon Golf Association is fortunate to have highly dedicated volunteers that donate their time for OGA Championships and serve on regional committees.  Many also volunteer at USGA Championships, serve on USGA Committees and, on a local level, are an invaluable asset to the courses and clubs where they frequent.

Though they come from different backgrounds and maintain a wide variety of interests outside the game of golf, they have one thing in common – they have invested the time necessary to learn the Rules.  For this, there is no substitute.

The knowledge of how to prepare a course for a competition and daily play, drafting Local Rules and the delicate relationship between a wrong ball, a substituted ball, a ball in play and a lost ball cannot be learned with shortcuts.  They are learned through study, repetition and experience.

The Rules of Golf are a beautifully crafted code that defines how the game is played and I encourage you to embark on the highly rewarding journey of learning them.  Learning the Rules is much like playing the game – though we cannot strike every ball perfectly, when it happens, that “I can’t wait to do it again feeling” is waiting for you on every page. .  . you just need to put in the time.

Still interested in learning the Rules . . .

Step 1)

Get a copy of the current Rules of Golf.  You can purchase one from most State or Regional Golf Associations (order one from the OGA here), directly from the USGA or at many golf specialty stores.  In addition, you can access the online text of the Rules at no cost from the USGA’s website by clicking here.

Step 2)

Don’t believe everything you hear and read, especially on TV.  Announcers for the most part have, at best, a rudimentary understanding of the Rules.  The largest obstacle I find in teaching the Rules of Golf is distancing students from the misinformation they have internalized.

Step 3)

Read the definitions . . . over and over and over.  There is no single more important thing you can do in learning the Rules.  There are only 51 defined terms that cover just 14 pages.   When learning them, pay special attention to defined terms within definitions (all defined terms in the Rules are italicized).  This “circular” nature is not just found in the definitions but is integral to the interplay of the Rules themselves.   You cannot become proficient with the Rules without first memorizing the definitions.

Step 4)

The second most important thing to remember . . . is to complete step 3!  Nearly three quarters of all the questions I receive are answered by referring the interested party to just one definition.  The definitions are the language of the Rules and those that overlook this fact will often say the Rules of Golf read like a foreign language.

That’s it for now.  Enjoy your journey set to kick off with Abnormal Ground Conditions and I’ll see you once you arrive at a Wrong Putting Green.

 

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The Oregon Golf Association provides over 50 free Rules of Golf presentations reaching nearly 2000 golfers yearly. To contact the OGA with your questions or comments or to schedule a free Rules of Golf presentation, please call (503) 981-4653 or write rules@oga.org.

 

Decisions on the Rules of Golf, 2010 revisions

Far Hills, N.J. (Nov. 16)

Following the two-year review cycle with The R&A, Ltd., the United States Golf Association has announced 28 new Decisions, 51 revised Decisions and one withdrawn Decision for the 2010-2011 edition of  “Decisions on the Rules of Golf.” The changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2010.

“Decisions on the Rules of Golf” contains more than 1,200 entries, most of which are situations posed in a question-and-answer format, to address specific circumstances under the Rules of Golf. While the Rules of Golf follow a four-year review cycle (the next revision being in 2012), the Decisions are reviewed every two years.

“The changes to the Decisions for 2010-2011 represent a fine-tuning of the solid foundation provided by the Rules,” said James T. Bunch, USGA secretary and chairman of the USGA’s Rules of Golf Committee.

The USGA and The R&A have also issued a joint statement of principles regarding the use of electronic devices, including distance-measuring devices. The USGA and The R&A first allowed the use of distance-measuring devices by local rule in January 2006 and are reaffirming that these devices may be used to measure only distance and must not be able to measure other conditions such as wind speed or direction, the slope of the ground or the temperature. Neither the USGA nor The R&A anticipate adopting the local rule at any of their championships.

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The text of the new and revised “Decisions on the Rules of Golf,” as well as the full text of the joint statement of principles, can be found on the OGA Online Rules Resource page.

Handicapping Notice

Although local scores are not valid to your official handicap between now and February 28, you are under obligation per the USGA Handicap System, the OGA and your club to post rounds played in year-round golf associations if you travel throughout the winter. This is crucial to maintaining accurate handicaps and promoting fair play. To do our part, we will provide off-season updates to your Handicap Indexes on January 1 and February 1, 2010.  Click Here to Learn How to Post Scores in Sunbelt States

Thanks for your cooperation, and have a great winter!  The 2010 golf season will commence on Monday, March 1st. 

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Occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread may be defined as “ground under repair” (Rules of Golf, Rule 25 - Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green). Please check out www.usga.org under Rules for a detail of GUR.

Remember that as time goes on and the weather worsens, if an individual golfer invokes some sort of Preferred Lie when we are in season he/she still must post their score. We encourage Handicap Committees to make it part of their Handicapping Policy to be specific in describing conditions in which a local rule may be invoked when needed, to help protect the course or to promote fair and pleasant play. (USGA Handicap System Manual 2008-2011, Section 7, Preferred Lies, p.47).

Click Here and Help us spread the word about the correct procedure when finding it absolutely necessary to touch the ball and the correct use of Preferred Lies/Winter Rules - especially as it applies to the USGA Handicap System.

Posting Scores When Traveling to Sunbelt States During the Off-Season

Although local scores are not valid to your official handicap after December 1, you are under obligation per the USGA Handicap System, the OGA and your club to post rounds played in year-round golf associations if you travel throughout the winter.  This is crucial to maintaining accurate handicaps and promoting fair play. To do our part, we will provide off-season updates to your Handicap Indexes on January 1 and February 1, 2010. 

Many associations are members of the IGN (INTERNATIONAL GOLF NETWORK) which makes it easy to post where you play.

Look for “Guest Score Posting”, when posting at an away course computer.  If playing in Utah, Southern Nevada or Utah (and Southern California until December 31) which are not GHIN Associations, look for “IGN” and “Oregon Golf Association” when posting scores.  Your scores will then be sent via IGN to GHIN (Southern California joins GHIN on January 1, 2010). 

If you are unable to post at your winter site, you may either bring your scorecards home for posting, or if your club allows Internet Score Posting,  register  and create a User Account on www.OGA.org to easily post your scores or you can post scores on GHIN.com.

PLEASE HELP THE OGA, YOUR CLUB, AND YOUR HANDICAP CHAIR KEEP HANDICAPS ACCURATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BY POSTING ALL LEGAL ROUNDS, NO MATTER WHERE YOU PLAY, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR PLAYING PARTNERS TO DO THE SAME!
 
Thanks for your cooperation, and have a great winter!

The 2010 Golf Season in Oregon & SW Washington
begins Monday, March 1st

Should You Post Scores As Course Conditions Decline?

If golf course conditions decline, most of the time you would not automatically want to turn to the use of Preferred Lies. Occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread may be defined as “ground under repair” (Rules of Golf, Rule 25 - Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green). Please check out www.usga.org under Rules for a detail of GUR.

Remember that as time goes on and the weather worsens, if an individual golfer invokes some sort of Preferred Lie when we are in season he/she still must post their score. We encourage Handicap Committees to make it part of their Handicapping Policy to be specific in describing conditions in which a local rule may be invoked when needed, to help protect the course or to promote fair and pleasant play. (USGA Handicap System Manual 2008-2011, Section 7, Preferred Lies, p.47).

The following is the official Oregon Golf Association position regarding the establishment of a Local Rule at OGA Member Courses to deal with unpleasant course conditions.

Playing the ball as it lies should be in force if at all possible though the following two Local Rules may be used when the Committee determines that extreme course conditions prevent the proper playing of the game.

Note that the Rules of Golf provide two options that are materially different from one another. If conditions require the Committee to extend relief outside of closely mown areas* only Option #1, Cleaning Ball is available – Option #2,

Preferred Lies/Winter Rules is not an option under the Rules of Golf outside of closely mown areas*.

Option #1 – Cleaning Ball Appendix I, Part B/4b
Through the green* (or a more restrictive area, e.g. on the 6th – 10th holes) a ball may be lifted, cleaned and replaced without penalty.

Note: The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted under this Local Rule – see Rule 20-1.

Option #2 – Preferred Lies/Winter Rules Appendix I, Part B/4c

A ball lying on a closely mown area* through the green* (or specify a more restrictive area, e.g. at the 6th hole) may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within (define distance [e.g. 6”, one club length]) of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.

If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke. If a player incurs the general penalty for a breach of this Local Rule, no additional penalty under the Local Rule is applied.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULES: MATCH PLAY – LOSS OF HOLE; STROKE PLAY – TWO STROKES

*Definitions 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.

Closely mown area means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less. Should you have any questions regarding the position above, please contact the Oregon Golf Association.

OGA Honors Its Volunteers for 2009

WOODBURN, ORE. (November 4, 2009) – Each year the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) recognizes the contributions made by its volunteers for their contributions to the organization and the game of golf.  “Volunteers are the life blood of the game, and giving back to the sport is simply what it’s all about,” noted OGA CEO Barb Trammell.  “We are blessed to have a large group of devoted volunteers caring enough about the game of golf to give countless hours of their time to help us ensure that the services we provide, whether it’s a championship or golf course rating, are conducted at the highest level,” she added.

Awards are presented to honorees representing volunteers in championships, junior golf and course rating with one named overall volunteer of the Year.  In 2006, the OGA renamed the Volunteer of the Year Award in honor of Bill Worden, an OGA volunteer who was the tragic victim of a traffic accident while on a course rating trip.

This year marked the first full season with Gretchen Yoder taking over responsibilities as the Manager of Course Rating and Handicapping.  "It was a year of learning and many lessons were learned the hard way," said Yoder.  "There are so many people who have helped me to be able to accurately and efficiently perform the duties of Course Rating. I could not have done it them, especailly those who stepped up to grow our program."

The first volunteer honoree was awarded to Gail Phillips of Eugene, Ore. "Gail has been there to help, sometimes on very short notice, for most of this year’s rating events," noted Yoder.  "She started volunteering for the OGA several years ago, now serving as one of our Team Leaders. She has been integral to teaching our new course rating volunteers as well as me."  Phillips is a member of Eugene Country Club.

Gene Chambers of Aloha, Ore., who plays at Meriwhether National, was named an honoree for his efforts with the Tournament Assisting Group (TAG) Team. Previously a basketball referee and bringing a great knowledge and background of sports to the TAG team, in his second full year on the team, he worked more than 10 days in 2009.  Gene is always eager to do more and learn more even showing up at a tournament that he wasn’t scheduled at just so he could ride around with a rules official to learn more about becoming a rules official. He is the type of person who volunteers because he enjoys it, and not for any personal gain.

"Every year we seem to have a new volunteer who is a real go-getter, trying to do as much as possible to assist the association," said Brent Whittaker, OGA Director of Tournament Operations.  "It seems appropriate that we recognize a Rookie of the Year, and this inaugural award goes to Jesse Castillo of Crewsell, Ore."  Castillo retired from Qwest last year allowing him time to be one of the most active volunteers.  He's volunteered at both adult and junior tournaments but also is a member of the OGA Course Rating team as well. He also volunteered his time assisting the Pacific Northwest Golf Association at their championships, as well as any other place or time his services could be put to use.  After playing in the Oregon Senior Men's Stroke Play Championship and missing the cut, the underterred Castillo came back to volunteer on the final day of the competition.  At Emerald Valley Golf Club where he plays, he marshals, helps with their Junior Golf program, and is a resident handyman fixing carts and broken plumbing and any odd jobs that need to get done there!

Finally, Owen Osborne of Black Butte Ranch, Ore. was named the overall Volunteer of the Year.  Osborne has worked on the OGA Course Rating team for seven years and this year was one of the Team Leaders who attended the annual USGA Course Rating Calibration Seminar along with Yoder.

“This is the fourth one I’ve been to, and there’s no doubt about it, you learn something every time you come,” said Osborne. “[The USGA staff and Course Rating Committee members] try to make it so there’s something unusual that you have to think about.”

Owen Osborne (pictured on the right) leads a Course Rating Team. 
He is shown here filling out a Form 1.

The purpose of a Calibration Seminar is to get consistency. Consistency in course rating helps ensure that everyone’s USGA Handicap Index translates to any golf course, regardless of the association was responsible for rating or where the course is located.  Based on the USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating of a particular set of tees at a golf course, a golfer’s Handicap Index converts to a Course Handicap, representing the number of strokes needed to play to the level of a scratch player – or the Course Rating of a particular set of tees. The purpose of having a Handicap Index is to make the game fair and equitable for everyone who plays.

"I can’t say enough about how much Owen has helped me this year," said Yoder. "From attending the Calibration seminar to helping me with the nuts and bolts of scheduling teams for course rating, he has been there, just a call or email away. He has taken new volunteers under his wing and helped me to teach local Course Rating seminars."

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About the OGA

The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) was formed in 1924 to conduct the Oregon Amateur golf championship which included both men and women.  The OGA is a 501(c)(6) non-profit amateur golf association licensed by the United States Golf Association as a regional governing body for Oregon and SW Washington with responsibilities including the rating and measuring of all golf courses as well as administering and overseeing the USGA Handicap System®.  We have relationships with nearly 100% of the regulation-length courses in the region – both public and private.  OGA member clubs are comprised of nearly 50,000 avid golfers responsible for more than 2 million rounds of golf in the region amounting to more than 75% of all rounds played.  Not including the money spent on equipment and apparel, our members have a direct annual economic impact exceeding $250 million. 

In addition to its core business, the OGA also has subsidiary businesses including the OGA Golf Course, one of the premiere public daily fee courses in the region and a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary as well as Oregon Junior Golf Fund, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation which is renowned for administering one of the best competitive junior golf developmental programs in the nation.

My Big Break Experience - The Lob Wall

I was really excited about this challenge.  First, it's the Lob Wall!  And I think they changed things up a bit this year.  One thing was the location.  We were in the Magic Kingdom in front of the castle.  Second, not only did we need to clear the wall, but we had to land the ball in a net on the other side. 

The wall itself was about 12-feet high and we we hitting from about 15-feet from the front of the wall.  The net on the other side was about 8-feet in diameter and was only 10-feet from the back of the wall.  There was so little room for error. It seemed the best approach was to clear the wall with as little room to spare as possible otherwise there was little chance to hit the net.  What's even more difficult is that I only carry a 58-degree wedge.  Some of the other guys had 60-degree and 64-degree wedges so that should've given them some advantage getting the ball up and down.

The task in this immunity challenge was to hit three lob shots.  If you got it in the net on the first or second shot, you'd earn 1-point.  The last shot was worth 2-points.  Whomever made the most points wins immunity and automatically advances to the next show, while the remaining guys would go onto another immunity challenge.  Andrew set the bar by getting his last shot in the net and earning two points. 

It's such a bizarre shot.  When I got there, and remember we really had no practice or warm-ups, I chose to try something that no one else did.  I chose to stand on the ground, not on the mat.  That meant that the ball was a little above my feet, but I felt that would give me a better opportunity to get under the ball and get it up quickly.  Apparently I was right since I nailed my first shot and got a point.  I just missed hitting the net on the second shot...but then I hit my third shot just right and into the net for 2 more points and eliminating Andrew.  Taking three out of the four available points.

I was one of the early players, so I had to wait and see how the rest of the guys did.  It felt like it took forwever. But in the end, I won the challenge and $5,000.  Now I have to wait to actually get the prize.  They don't pay out any of the actual prizes until the full series ends so it'll be a great Christmas present!

You hear a lot from the guys on the show how intense the pressure is on the show.  It really is.  I never felt so much pressure in my life, and it was great training for handling the stresses of competing daily for a paycheck. I felt like I dodged a bullet since the next immunity challenge was a long iton shot to a very small green.  As one of the longer hitters, I might have had an advantage on that one since I would probably be hitting a shorter iron, but I really felt the lob wall shot played even more to my strengths.

As I mentioned last week, I was playing in the first stage of the PGA Tour Q-school.  I really thought I could shoot a good number, and I go off to a good start, but my second and third rounds left a little to be desired and I shot my way out of the opportunity to advance to the next stage. I struggled on the back nine, which was interesting since I liked the back nine better than the front.   

I had plenty of unforced errors and I just wasn't ready to play.  I think my lack of experience cost me as I may have been a little too aggressive at times.  I also looked ahead a little too quick and was already practicing and playing in the second stage.  Now my plans have to change.

Now I am planning to play the Gateway Tour again and I might check out a  new tour called the Pacific Coast Golf Tour. The one thing for sure is that as I travel around Southern California lately, its bizarre how many people have come to recognize me.  In all, maybe it'll help me find the best path for the next year and try to get into as many Nationwide Tour events as I can. 

My Duramed Futures Tour Q-School Experience - Making the Cut

I made the cut after the fourth round in the Duramed Futures Tour Qualifier here in Lakeland, Florida, and after having a good first three rounds, today was a bit of a different story. I hung in all day and finished with a 78, good enough to make the cut, putting me in the final round tomorrow, played at Lake Region Golf Club.

I can’t even begin to explain the emotion that has gone into the last four days of golf. My first round was definitely full of the jitters. I was nervous the entire front nine until I drained a 15 foot slider for par at the par 4 seventh hole. Sometimes it only takes one swing, one putt, one something to turn the butterflies off and really get you comfortable in your round-that putt was it. I turned at 3-over and started dropping putts to make 3 more birdies and 1 bogey to shoot a 1-over 73.

Tuesday’s round was at Ridgewood Lakes Golf Course, a resort style course that has large fairways, and even larger greens, it’s a good thing because the wind started blowing at 8 am and never stopped. This was by far my best putting round of the four days. My dad and I added up my footage and came up with 160 feet of putts made including a 30-foot downhill slider on the first hole and three in a row on the backside from 15-25 feet! I worked my way through a not-so-great ball striking day to post a 2-over par, 74.

Yesterday, we teed it at The Club at Bridgewater, in my opinion, the hardest and definitely most visually intimidating golf course of the four this week. Battling a persistent 20 mph wind all day, patience was key. Again, I made the turn at 3-over par after making my first 3-putt of the week as well as two bogies with a 9-iron in my hand, a bit frustrating to say the least.

A birdie at the par five 10th calmed me down a bit and then it was just a matter of getting in and dealing with the wind. Unfortunately it wasn’t just the elements that were trying, but also my stomach. The final 5 holes I dealt with one of the worst stomach aches I’ve ever had while playing. Bad enough that I had 2 officials following me, continually asking if I was going to be okay as I was doubled over in pain anytime I wasn’t hitting a shot. Needless to say, I somehow found myself with 4 birdie opportunities within 10 feet in the final 6 holes, and only managed to capitalize on one, leading to my 2-under, 34 on the back nine. It sure would have been fun to make a few more coming in! I’ll take 74 on that course any day!

Today, was a brutal battle with the wind as well at Huntington Hills. The front nine we fought a steady 25mph wind with gusts up to 30mph that wreaked havoc on the entire field. I hit a lot of solid shots and put a lot of good strokes on the ball, but for some reason I just never scored. With only two birdies on the scorecard, I posted a 6-over par 78, not exactly wonderful and definitely not good enough to feel confident that I had made the cut.

For the next hour, we played the scoreboard watching game, NOT FUN.

By 4pm, it was time to celebrate! I made the cut (top 90 and ties out of a 275-person field) and will be playing the final round tomorrow! I tell ya, it feels so good to be back competing and even better that I was able to stay patient and hang in to get to this point. My work isn’t over, but tomorrow promises to be a fun day at Lake Region. After two years off of competitive golf, I can now proudly say that it’s all worth it in the end, funny, it’s only the beginning!

Birdies Forever, Julie

PNGA Names 2009 Players of the Year

Federal Way, Wash. (Tuesday, November 3, 2009) – The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has announced their 2009 Player of the Year recipients. The PNGA Player of the Year candidates are nominated by the various state and provincial golf associations that comprise the PNGA (Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington), and are selected by a vote of the PNGA Championship Committee and members of the Northwest Golf Media Association. Awards are annually given in the six different categories: Men’s, Women’s, Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’. The awards are officially presented at the PNGA Annual Meeting in the spring.
           
The 2009 winners include Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C. who received the Men’s award; Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. received the Women’s award; Patrick O’Donnell of Clackamas, Ore. received the Senior Men’s award; Jackie Little of Port Alberni, B.C. received the Senior Women’s award; Zach Wanderscheid of Goldendale, Wash. received the Junior Boys’ award; and Erynne Lee of Silverdale, Wash. received the Junior Girls’ award.
           
Nick Taylor, who was also named Player of the Year in 2008, picked up right where he left off and continued to impress in 2009, marking one of the most extraordinary men’s amateur seasons by a Northwest player in recent memory. Taylor won five NCAA tournaments, finished runner-up in both the NCAA West Regional and Pac-10 Championship, finished 9th overall in the NCAA Championship, and received both NCAA First Team All-American and Pac-10 co-Player of the Year honors while playing for the University of Washington. The season was just getting started when his college season ended. Taylor would go on to win the prestigious Sahalee Players Championship, finish runner-up at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, finish 3rd in the Canadian Men’s Amateur, and place 36th at the U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, NY, receiving the medal for Low Amateur. Taylor is currently the Royal and Ancient’s No. 1 ranked amateur golfer in the world.
Sue Kim has been awarded the Women’s Player of the Year honor for her remarkable success this year. Kim’s accomplishments include winning the gold medal at the Canada Summer Games, finishing runner-up at both the Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Amateur and Canadian National Women’s Tour Quebec, a 3rd place finish at the B.C. Women’s Amateur, a 4th place finish at the Canadian National Future Links Pacific Championship, and a very impressive round of 64 finish at the Ladies British Amateur Championship.
           
Patrick O’Donnell solidified his Senior Player of the Year honor with a most impressive 2009 season. His accomplishments include winning the Oregon Senior Stroke Play Championship, a runner-up finish at the Oregon Senior Open, and reaching the quarterfinals of the Oregon Senior Amateur. O’Donnell’s most remarkable finish this year was advancing all the way to the round of 16 at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Beverly Country Club in Chicago, Ill.
           
Jackie Little, also a 2008 Player of the Year recipient, made another strong statement in the senior ranks during her incredible 2009 season in which she won five championships – the Royale Cup National Women’s Senior Amateur, PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur, Alberta Senior Women’s Amateur, and the B.C. Zone 6 Women’s and Senior Women’s Amateur.. Little also finished runner-up at the B.C. Women’s Mid-Amateur, 4th at the B.C. Senior Women’s Amateur, and had an impressive finish at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur making it to the round of 32.
           
Zach Wanderscheid had a remarkable summer, starting his season with medalist honors at the U.S. Open Local qualifier held at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash. He would go on to have impressive showings at the PNGA Men’s Amateur, making the round of 32, and finishing runner-up at the Washington Junior Golf State Championship. Wanderscheid finished the season by winning the PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur Championship at the University of Idaho Golf Course in Moscow, Idaho.
           
Now a 16-year-old, Erynne Lee had another fantastic season and is very deserving of her second consecutive PNGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year award. Lee made the Round of 16 at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur and the Round of 32 at the U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship. Her AJGA finishes were equally impressive, winning the Kathy Whitworth Invite, finishing runner-up at the Junior at the Traditions, 3rd at the Stockton Junior Classic, and 8th at the PING Invitational. Lee also had a 7th place finish at the Junior PGA Championship and was recently named a second team Rolex Junior All-American.
           
Each year, the PNGA conducts 15 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors, and seniors throughout the Northwest. PNGA championships are recognized as among the finest amateur events in North America.  Each has a long and unique history with some of the greatest names in golf as past champions, including Joanne Carner, Fred Couples, and Tiger Woods, to name just a few.

The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) was founded on February 4, 1899.  It is a 501(c)3 charitable, international amateur golf association dedicated to preserving the true spirit of the game of golf and promoting activities beneficial to golfers in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

The original purpose of the PNGA was to conduct a regional amateur championship for men and women.  For more than 110 years, the Association has been a pioneer in developing competitions and services and its mission has grown and evolved. Today, the PNGA remains committed to being a truly “regional” organization providing benefits and services to its members and member clubs throughout the Northwest.