Golf Notebook: PGA of America is offering free golf
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The PGA of America is trying to get more people playing golf, and it is trying to make the process as easy as a tap-in birdie. Not to mention very, very affordable.
Like, free.
The association's national campaign is called "Play Golf America" and is designed to get more people involved in the game and stimulate more play from those who are golfers. Locally, the program is being offered by members of the Tri-State section of the PGA of America, who are donating their time for free lessons and club-fitting and are providing reduced rates for family golf, couples golf and women -- some of the targeted areas for growth.
"We talk about how tough the industry is all the time -- there's no growth," said Bob Collins, director of golf at Oak Tree Country Club in West Middlesex and chairman of the campaign for the Tri-State section. "They're still building golf courses and we think we have something here where we can start getting players involved and growing the game.
"And it's so easy for a user."
A computer user, that is.
The process is simple: Go to "playgolfamerica.com" and put your zip code in the box provided at the top of the home page. Click on "search" and you can find all the participating clubs, courses and ranges within a 10-, 20- or 30-mile radius of your home.
Each course lists which of the 11 programs they will offer, including new golfers, general adult, family golf, couples golf, women, seniors, business golf and college students. April has been designated free club-fitting month by the PGA of America. May is free lesson month.
In addition, the Tri-State PGA has scheduled two Play Golf America Days -- May 20 at Scally's Golf Center in Moon and May 28 at Tam O'Shanter GC in West Middlesex -- in which participants will receive free instruction, club-fitting and more.
"We've asked all our section pros to put their program up on the Web site and I'm really, really excited the way they're starting to get involved," Collins said. "We're trying to create some awareness in the area and to get people to play. People always want to know, where do I go for a class? Where do I go if my kids want to learn? You can find it in there."
Trivia
Michelle Wie is the youngest female to Monday qualify for an LPGA Tour event, doing so at the 2002 Takefuji Classic when she was 12. Before Wie, who was the youngest player to Monday qualify for an LPGA Tour event? Answer at end.
Day with Phil
Dave Willett got more than a new sport-utility vehicle and a chance to play with Phil Mickelson, Brett Favre and country singer Toby Keith when he won a contest sponsored by the Ford Motor Co.
He received a 2004 Masters flag autographed by Mickelson and a boatload of memories after playing in the pro-am with them March 1 at the Ford Championship at Doral.
"It was more like, 'Let's just go out and have some fun, who cares how good we score,' " said Willett, a West View resident and volunteer firefighter. "It was as if we were a group of friends just kidding and playing a round of golf. That is how the three of them made me feel. It was great."
When they finished their round, Mickelson shook hands with Willett and handed him an autographed Masters flag -- "Dave, Thanks for a fun day" -- that Willett will hang on his wall.
"I am still in shock with the entire experience," Willett said. "I can't believe this has happened to me."
Forecast is good
In an ideal world, course superintendents would like a blanket of snow to cover the ground from mid-December until the end of February, thus protecting the grass from biting wind-chill temperatures and providing plenty of moisture in a spring thaw.
But, even though there has been minimal snowfall since December, superintendents are not worried about problems such as crown hydration or winter dessication because the temperature has been above average, almost spring-like, for most of the winter. Those problems typically occur when the grass is exposed to wind and freezing temperatures.
"I think we'll be OK because we haven't had those cold temperatures, especially for an extended time," said Tom Bettle, superintendent at Birdsfoot Golf Club in Freeport. "And when it has been windy, the temperature has been warmer, for the most part. Everyone should come out of [the winter] just fine."
Crown hydration occurs when excess moisture caused by higher temperatures gets inside the grass plants and freezes when the temperature drops, causing the plant to explode.
Winter dessication can occur when the amount of water lost by a plant exceeds the amount picked up by the roots. Greens are especially susceptible to those problems because the grass plant is cropped so tight.
"It's been a pretty good winter," Olde Stonewall superintendent Rich D'Ambrosio said. "It's nice to have a snow cover on the greens to protect the grass, but then we haven't had to worry about any problems with snow mold."
Quotable
PGA Tour player and ABC analyst Paul Azinger on the tour's new TV deal, which eliminated ABC and ESPN and includes a 15-year agreement with The Golf Channel: "You've got ESPN on in all the bars, and then golf comes on, which is good for the players. The Golf Channel's not on in too many bars."
Dissa and data
Iselworth and Lake Nona, golf communities located just 25 minutes apart in Orlando, Fla., were ranked No. 3 and No. 15, respectively, in America's Top 100 Golf Communities by Travel & Leisure Golf. Both communities are Tavistock Group developments, making Tavistock the only developer with two properties in the Top 20.
Former PGA champion Steve Elkington, a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour, has joined the MacGregor Golf Tour staff and will play MacGregor equipment.
Trivia answer
Natalie Gulbis, who set an LPGA Tour record in 2005 for most money earned without a victory ($1,010,154), was 14 when she Monday qualified for the Longs Drugs Challenge in 1997.
First Published March 25, 2006 12:00 am
