Ed Beidel is like a lot of golfers: He and his wife don't have much time to play anymore, not with a job that requires him to travel from his Orlando, Fla.-based office. But he believes he has hit on a nice alternative -- and he is helping to bring it to completion in Greensburg.

Beidel, a Fox Chapel native and Penn State graduate, is a golf course architect who has worked on courses such as Pinecrest Country Club and Ebensburg Country Club.

Beidel's latest project is Cherry Creek Golf Club, a former executive course that commissioned him to change holes, build new tees and fairways and re-route the 6,000-yard, par-70 layout. The $1.2 million makeover is scheduled to be completed this month in time for a May 23 grand opening. Greens fees are $36 (with cart) weekday, $47 weekend.

"I have no problem at all with courses like these," said Beidel, a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. "In today's day and age, I've been speaking to groups trying to promote family golf and less time-committed golf. I know a lot of people who don't play golf anymore because it takes so long.

"If we are going to introduce more people to golf, we need to have more women golfers and more junior golfers. We need to make it a recreational outlet. They don't always have to go out to a bigger course where they might feel intimidated."

Cherry Creek, which originally opened in 1994 as an executive course, might be just the alternative.

At slightly more than 6,000 yards, Cherry Creek is long enough to challenge the decent player but not daunting enough to overpower or intimidate the novice player. Beidel made it even more player-friendly, taking the first two holes -- a 150-yard par-3 and a 500-yard par-5 -- and turning them into three new par-4 holes that will better facilitate pace of play.

He did it by making the first hole a dogleg right and building a new green in what was the second fairway; constructing a new fairway and green on an undeveloped piece of property to make a new No. 2 hole, a 380-yard par 4; then building new tees for the third hole that will play sharply downhill to the old No. 2 green, which has been expanded to a two-tiered surface.

Also, in order to eliminate traffic confusion on the course, Beidel renumbered some of the holes, turning Nos. 3, 4 and 5 into Nos. 12, 13 and 14. The par-3 10th hole was eliminated.

"We wanted to lengthen some holes and make it more challenging, but we also wanted to make it fair for the novice golfer," Beidel said. "A lot of people were looking for golf balls because they were bouncing off cart paths that were improperly routed and bouncing out of play. We tried to make subtle changes that were also quality changes."

What is Fuzzy Zoeller's real name? Answer at end.

I never got to meet Phil Harison, even though I would see him for four days every year. But I listened to him, the way you would listen to the rain hitting the roof at night.

He would only say six words. At least, that's all I ever heard him say. But, then, that's all I ever wanted to hear him say.

It wasn't so much what Harison said that enthralled me. It was the way he said it, the simplicity of it all. He had a Southern drawl and an understated manner, and every year I loved to hear him stand on the first tee at the Augusta National Golf Club and introduce the players.

He did not use a microphone, nor did he try to accommodate for not having one. He did not spout off background, or hometowns, or tournaments won, or major titles held when a player approached the tee, like they do at other tournaments. He did not yell so everyone could hear. The beauty was, you had to be quiet to hear Phil Harison.

And every time he uttered those six words, the sensation was still the same:

"Fore please, Jack Nicklaus now driving."

Harison was one of two people to attend every Masters since the tournament began in 1934. For 60 years, he served as the starter on the first tee, introducing everyone from Ben Hogan to Arnold Palmer to Tiger Woods. His delivery was always the same, never changing for any player.

Two years ago, Harison badly injured his back in an auto accident but recovered enough to make it back to the first tee to start the 2007 Masters. He had only enough strength to introduce the first couple groups. Fortunately, I got to hear those six stirring words one last time.

Harison, who was 82, died of natural causes recently. When I walk past the first tee at Augusta National next time, I think I might just listen and say, "Fore please, Phil Harison now talking."

Olde Stonewall, the best public course in Western Pennsylvania, just got better. And tougher.

The course designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Frye, which is in Ellwood City and carries a $160 greens fee, has lengthened three holes with new tees and now measures 7,103 yards.

The changes:

• No. 2, a downhill par 4 with a nasty pot bunker in the middle of the fairway, has been lengthened 34 yards with a new elevated tee that gives the player a better view of the fairway. The new tee makes the hole play 426 yards and allows the white markers and black markers to be moved back an extra tee box.

• No. 15, the second of back-to-back par 3s, has been lengthened to 241 yards with a new tee, creating one of the most visually daunting shots in the area -- over a ravine to a narrow, deep green that falls sharply off the left side.

• The par-4 18th has been lengthened another 20 yards to 484 yards by moving the grey championship markers back to the former white tee for No. 2. That allows the black markers to be moved back 35 yards to the former championship tee.

The First Tee of Pittsburgh will begin its spring open clinics Monday at the Bob O'Connor Golf Course in Schenley Park, offering three levels of golf instruction that also include life skills.

The Target Level is for beginners, ages 6 to 8; the Par Level is for novice golfers, ages 8 to 18; and the Birdie Level is for all players who have previously passed Par certification.

The three-session clinic dates are May 5, 12 and 19; May 6, 13 and 20; or May 7, 14 and 21. Rain dates also are included. The sessions run from 5:15-7 p.m.

Cost for three sessions is $5 per participant for families with a household income under $49,999 and $25 per participant for families with a household income of $50,000 and above. No child will be turned away because they cannot afford the sessions.

Registration forms are available at the clubhouse in Schenley Park or can be downloaded at thefirstteepittsburgh.org. For questions, call The First Tee of Pittsburgh at 412-622-0108.

• The Tri-State PGA's Play Golf America Day will be May 10 at the Tam O'Shanter Golf Course driving range in West Middlesex, featuring free instruction by local professionals and a Cobra long-drive exhibition by five-time world champion Jason Zuback at 2 p.m. Junior clinic begins at noon. A men's and ladies' clinic is at 1 p.m. Free lunch and drinks are included. Call 724-981-3552.

• Entry has opened for the World Amateur Handicap Championship, the world's largest single-site amateur golf tournament Aug. 25-29 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. New golfers registering online at www.worldamgolf.com receive a $50 discount. Entry is $550 and includes four rounds of golf and gift bag with more than $150 in merchandise.

Frank Urban Zoeller. His initials (FUZ) formed his nickname.