USGTF Monthly Newsletter Archives - Page 61 of 140 - United States Golf Teachers Federation

1 Jan 2019 admin

Editorial – New Rules Will Take Time to Absorb

At the golf course where I work and teach in Savannah, Georgia, our men’s league in December adopted the use of the new Rules of Golf earlier than the official start date of January 1, 2019. On one of my rare days off, I signed up to play in the Tuesday individual game and was looking forward to playing under the new rules with official competition on the line.

Let me say, it was a weird experience! Now, we’ve all bent the rules somewhat when playing casual golf, but this was a whole different animal when putting pencil to scorecard. In particular, it was somewhat strange to be tapping in a putt with the flagstick in the hole and not receiving a penalty. The first time I did it, it felt almost like deliberate rules-breaking…except you weren’t. Removing leaves from the bunker before you played your shot didn’t seem right, either, but that’s our new reality, as is smoothing out your line of putt.

As expected, the flagstick rule was the most prominent difference in the way the round was played. My fellow competitors almost every time elected to keep the flagstick in while putting downhill, and tending the flagstick on a long putt is really no longer necessary. I feared that the new rule would result in one person wanting the flagstick out, the next person wanting it in, etc., but that did not turn out to be the case. For the most part, I elected to keep it out because that’s what I’m used to, but Dave Pelz’s research showing it’s almost always beneficial to keep the flagstick in the hole still resonates with me, so I may adopt that protocol.

By the time you’re reading this, the new rules will already be in effect. For more information, visit the USGA website at www.USGA.org.

By Mark Harman, USGTF National Course Director

Editorial – They Called it “The Match”

Tiger vs Phil. The hype was all there. As if it was the run-up to a heavyweight fight. Now, I’m not opposed to such events; challenge matches in golf go all the way back to Allan Robertson and Old Tom Morris. Remember Sergio against Tiger several years back? This one seemed a bit contrived, however. There were several putts conceded that might just have been done to keep the match going as long as possible. I have no doubt that both tried their best, but the play was less than stellar, and it did not seem to have much of a grudge factor; more like two good buddies out for a stroll at someone else’s expense. If anything, it did put golf on the front pages at a time when most people have put their clubs into winter hibernation.

As far as “The Match,” however, this one pales in comparison to one that took place at Cypress Point in 1954 between amateurs Ken Venturi and Harvey Ward against pros Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan. The event is described in the New York Times bestseller by Mark Frost titled, ironically, The Match. This was great golf. The group recorded 28 birdies over the eighteen holes and ended with Hogan and Nelson winning 1-up after Hogan rolled in a 10-foot putt to top Venturi’s 12-footer just before. Interestingly enough, the match was set up by none other than Eddie Lowery, who caddied for Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open at Brookline.

I would not mind seeing more such competitions among today’s elite. To me, match play is intriguing. Just look at how popular the Ryder Cup has become. Maybe it’s time to bring back Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf.

By: Mike Stevens, USGTF Member and contributing writer

2019 Set For February in Costa Rica; Entry Info

La Iguana Golf Club in Herradura, Costa Rica – approximately 90 minutes by car from Costa Rica’s main airport in San Jose – is hosting the 14th biennial World Golf Teachers Cup February 13-15, 2019. This is the first World Cup to be played outside the United States since 2013. The 2nd biennial World Senior Golf Teachers Cup will also be contested.

The entry fee is $475 and includes four days of golf (practice round included) and range balls, prize money, and a closing banquet and awards ceremony. The Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort (www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjols-los-suenos-marriott-ocean-and-golf-resort) is the host hotel, but there are other quality options in the nearby town of Jaco that are also available at a lesser rate:

Oceano Boutique Hotel & Gallery: www.OceanoJaco.com

Hotel Mar de Luz: www.MarDeLuz.com

Hotel Pochote Grande: www.HotelPochoteGrande.com

Los Ranchos Hotel: www.losranchosjaco.com

Best Western Jaco Beach: www.BestWesternJacoBeach.com

For those flying into San Jose, rental cars are also available for the trip to La Iguana and the Jaco area for prices comparable to those in the U.S. If you’ve never been to Costa Rica, now is the time! Meet your fellow WGTF members from around the world and have a great time exploring the paradise that is Costa Rica.

This four-day event features a the two-day World Golf Teachers Cup and World Senior Golf Teachers Cup individual championships that begin on Wednesday, February 13 (Tuesday, February 12 is set aside for a practice round with a optional skins game). The final day of the individual championships on Thursday, February 14, will also feature concurrent team qualifying for match play on Friday, February 15, which will determine the team winner. Every effort will be made to place everyone on a team, but for those whom a team spot is not possible, a separate event will be held that day so no one is left out. For more information and to enter, please visit www.WorldGolfTeachersCup.com.