Still Roadtripping!!

A whirlwind tour continues, last time I talked to you all I was on my way to the USGA Committee meeting in Houston, Texas. As usual when the USGA is involved everything is done first class. There were many great speakers during the weekend; I will only hit a couple of the highlights for you. Fellow blogger and USGA Regional Director Wendy Uzalec did a great job on her presentation on how to mark a golf course for a championship. On the second day, Pete Bevaqua from the USGA talked to us all about what goes on behind the scenes at the US Open. Last year, 350,000 kegs of beer were consumed during the event. Who says that beer does not go with golf!! Come on!! The event ended Saturday afternoon with a round of golf at Panther Creek Golf Course which is apart of The Woodlands complex. Somebody we all know from the MGA staff won the event, but he does not want to brag!! (Way to go me!!)

After the great trip to Houston, I then headed to the Big 12 Championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas. At the event I had the privilege of being a walking rules official, it was a treat to watch the stars of tomorrow battle it out on a fabulous golf course. As usual Oklahoma State won the team championship; the defending national champions are loaded and ready to make another run. People have always asked me how Oklahoma State is so good year in and year out. Well first off it has to do with tradition; the Cowboys have won multiple national championships and also conference championships. Secondly it has to do with facilities and opportunities. Karsten Creek, the home golf course for Oklahoma State is wonderful. The golf course is very challenging and also it has state of the art practice facilities for both programs. Third of all, the players that go to Oklahoma State are very bright; these kids do more than just get it done on the course. They are also very good in the classroom. On top of that each kid is first rate, I have never once seen a player from OSU make a scene, or not answer a question with either a yes sir or yes ma’am. Great programs attracted the great kids and players. In my own eyes, I wish that more college coaches would take a chapter from the OSU book and make more of these kids act and respect the game and people involved in the game with more respect. I get sick and tired of watching young players act like they are better than what they really are. I hope in the future that our junior programs can kick this habit in the butt!!!

From Hutchinson, I headed on down to Bolivar and Springfield for some more successful senior series events at Silo Ridge and Rivercut. Both of these events were sold out in advance, so if you are looking to play in these senior series events make sure to get your money in quickly because they are filling up.

We are now at Old Kinderhook, at the Lake of the Ozark, for the Senior 4 Ball, we have 86 teams. 42 teams in the net flight and 44 in the scratch flight. With all of the recent rain, the course is in great condition. Just one thing, do not hit in the rough, you may never get it out. Well, time to get the course ready for the event. Until next time.

See you on the tee.

Scott

Let the Madness Begin!

A new beginning has started at the Missouri Golf Association. The first two Senior Series events, presented by Callaway Golf, have been completed. The events were held this past Monday and Tuesday at Leawood South Country Club and Swope Memorial. From the response of the players it was a huge success! With having the inclement weather last weekend in the Kansas City area, we still finished the rounds. Both golf courses were in great condition considering the amount of rain they received a few days before. I am looking forward to this series this summer and I think it is going to be a big hit for everyone involved!!

I am on my way to the USGA Committee meeting held at The Woodlands in Houston Texas for the next couple of days. It is a chance to learn and see what is going on with the USGA for the upcoming year, there are also break out session to attend. I am looking forward to hearing USGA Director of Regional Affairs for the Midwest Region and fellow blogger Wendy Uzalec, http://ihatetoslice.blogspot.com/, give her presentation on the proper way to mark a golf course for a competition. Also, I am looking forward to hearing David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA, speak and inform us on what is new in the world of golf as he sees it. This should be a very good meeting.

From there, I fly back to Kansas City Sunday morning and head straight to Hutchinson, Kansas for the Big 12 Championship. The event is being held at Prairie Dunes Country Club, which is ranked in the top 20 best courses in the country each year. When I played for Kansas State back in the 90’s Prairie Dunes hosted the Big 8 Championship each year. They also have hosted the Women’s US Open and just recently the US Senior Open. What a great and tough golf course. I have not been back since my senior year when I competed in the last Big 8 Championship, before they converted into the Big 12. As you can imagine the wind is always a factor on that course. I remember my sophomore year playing the 5^Th hole in a strong wind, the hole is only about 440 yards, however I had to hit driver, then another driver off the deck and then a full 8 iron to get to the green. Then two holes later on the 7^Th hole I hit a driver and sand wedge straight down wind to a 512 yard par 5. That is what makes the course great and that much more challenging. It should be fun being a walking rules official for two days and watching some of the top college golfers in America compete in one of the best golfing Conferences. I will be keeping you all informed with what is going on from the event each day.

Finally, if you have not entered the Senior Series events for the Springfield area, you need to go online and enter them, they are filling up quickly. Also do not forget to enter the Missouri Am, the deadline for this is May 17^Th.

See you soon on the first tee.

Scott.

Midwest Boys Finish Strong at Masters!!!

What a great week of golf! Yes, the weather was not the normal warm and perfect Masters weather however, it brought out some great golf. What a great weekend for the Midwest boys!!! First off with our very own 2006 MGA Player of the Year, John Kelly, becoming the low Amateur at the Masters. What a great thrill for us to have one of our own walking down the historic fairways of Augusta National and playing well.

Then, having another Midwesterner, Zach Johnson, end up winning the Masters!! It was an emotional and great thrill for me as well watching Zach. I had the pleasure of playing many rounds of golf with Zach in college when he was at Drake. For some reason our college teams got paired together a lot. In college Zach was 150 pounds soaking wet and did not hit it that far, however he could get it up and down out of a trash can. I remember one round in particular at the University of Kansas tournament at Alvamar, in the morning round when it was cold and windy (imagine that in Kansas) that Zach hit only five greens and had 24 putts and shot two under par. That was a normal round for him back then. After college when we both turned pro, we traveled together to the mini tour events. You will not find a more down to earth person with a work ethic second to none!! It just shows that you do not have to come from a well known college or be a big time junior to make it on the tour!! Way to go Zach!!!

Two weeks ago, I got the pleasure of going out to Scottsdale, Arizona for a few days and playing some golf at Desert Mountain. What a beautiful place with some great golf courses. If you want a challenge then go play Renegade from the gold tees to the gold flags. Each hole has two sets of hole locations, the white flags are the easy of the two. Each gold flag is tucked behind water or a bunker. We did not play gold to gold, thank goodness. We played blue to gold and that was more than enough for me!! On Thursday I experienced one of the top five golf experiences of my life when I had the opportunity to play Whisper Rock. For those of you who do not know, Whisper Rock is an exclusive all men’s club in Scottsdale. The likes of Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Paul Casey and many other PGA pro’s as members. Last year in the Club Championship Geoff Ogilvy (2006 US Open Champion) took second place in the club championship by 10 strokes. Gary McCord won his third Senior Club Championship title. Pretty good competition. They have 36 wonderful holes, the upper and lower courses. We played the upper course that day, each group has their own forecaddie and if you would like you could have your own caddie as well. Even though I was just a guest I was treated like royalty, each staff member that was working new your name and made sure that you had everything you needed. The ambiance is what made it that wonderful. I did not want to leave and I hope to get a chance to go back again someday.

We are under one week before our first event and we here at MGA are excited to see you all real soon.

See you on the tee,

Scott

Getting Ready!

Kelly Plays Final Practice Round at Masters
Senior tees off Thursday at 7:44 a.m.

by Kyle CoburnMUTigers.com Photographer

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Mizzou senior John Kelly (St. Louis, Mo./CBC) completed his third and final practice round today at Augusta National Golf Club. Starting his day at at 8:30 a.m., Kelly and his caddie, friend Barr Blanton, walked the back nine before taking a break for lunch and and a nap before the par-3 contest.

Kelly enjoyed the par-3 contest he competed in Wednesday afternoon, paired along with Davis Love III and 2006 Ryder Cup team member Vaughn Taylor. The Tiger senior finished the contest 1-over.

Kelly is grouped with Love, a two-time Masters runner-up, and Ben Crenshaw, a two-time Masters champion, for Thursday's and Friday's rounds. "Playing with Davis and Crenshaw tomorrow is going to be a thrill of a lifetime. I just have to stay in the moment," said Kelly.

"It's going to be the start of the biggest stretch in my life thus far and if I can just keep my emotions in check, I think I am going to be ok. That is going to be the hardest thing, I am sure I am going to be extremely nervous. But I'll just try to maintain my composure, and put my best foot forward," said Kelly.

Kelly will tee off at 7:44 a.m. (CT) on Thursday and 10:51 a.m. (CT) on Friday. The Masters will be televised on USA for the first two rounds, and then CBS on the weekend.

"Whatever happens, happens. It's going to be an unbelievable experience, and I am looking forward to tomorrow."

Just Another Day!!!

Kelly Joins Crenshaw, Ballesteros
for Practice at Masters
Tiger senior also lunched Tuesday with two-time champ

by Kyle Coburn MUTigers.com Photographer

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Mizzou senior John Kelly (St. Louis, Mo./CBC) completed his second practice round today for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Starting on the back nine, Kelly was joined in a dream foursome by Ben Crenshaw, Masters Champion in 1984 and 1995, Seve Ballesteros, also a two-time Masters winner in 1980 and 1983, and Jerry Pate, who won the 1976 U.S. Open.

Kelly played the front nine alone after having lunch with Crenshaw, who along with Davis Love III will join Kelly for first- and second-round pairings on Thursday and Friday. The Tiger senior received many tips from Crenshaw, a veteran of 36 Masters tournaments. "Ben Crenshaw kept reiterating to me that you cannot get aggressive on the greens, you have to play high and soft and let it die in the hole," Kelly said.

Support for Kelly was once again strong on the course, as fans came from every direction to shake his hand and take photos with him between holes. "I am loving the support and hopefully I can play well for everybody," Kelly said. "I played with Vaughn Taylor yesterday and he kept saying that he had never seen anyone that has had so much support from one school. I was kidding with him that if I heard one more `Go Mizzou' I might have to switch bags to get a little more under the radar."

Kelly will complete another practice round on Wednesday morning and then will compete in the Par 3 contest in the afternoon. Tournament rounds begin on Thursday and will be televised on USA Network.