Concert offers private golf clubs a formula for success

No. 12 at Heathrow may be one of the most attractive island green holes in golf. (Joy Sarver Photos)

HEATHROW, Florida – Concert Golf Partners describes itself as “a boutique club hospitality company. ‘’

It builds its own capital to fund new projects and add amenities. Also, pointed out vice president  of public relations Michael Abramowitz, “we never give an assessment.’’

That formula has worked since Peter Nanula and Susan Dunnavant left Arnold Palmer Golf to start their own company. Nanula remains the chief executive officer and Dunnavant the chief operations officer.  They wanted to acquire 10 private courses at first.  Now they have 37 with No. 38 soon to be announced.

This is the story of their first one, near the company headquarters in Lake Mary, FL.  It actually started as two clubs in 2011.  Heathrow Country Club and The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes are just a mile apart.  Now they are one – Heathrow Legacy Country Club.

Heathrow has an 18-hole course designed by veteran Florida architect Ron Garl. Legacy has a tricky layout designed by Tom Fazio. In between is a tennis center that once was a stop on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Billie Jean King all competed there.

A new logo, made with golf tees, was a necessity after Heathrow and Legacy were merged into one club.

The two clubs were purchased in 2011 and were operated separately for 10 years. Now they are one. Legacy may be the more challenging course but the late Payne Stewart was one of the first touring pros affiliated with with Heathrow and Jim Thorpe, a long-time PGA Tour regular, has been a member for nearly 20 years.  Annika Sorenstam’s junior invitational has also been played there.

Legacy had the most memorable golf event there, however.  Tiger Woods was just a budding star in 2001 when he was recruited to do a commercial for Buick there.  Woods, along with camera crews, hid in the woods behind the par-3 12th hole.  When a foursome came to the tee Woods walked out and challenged them to a hole-in-one contest.  No surprise, he was the closest to the hole, hitting a lefthanded 7-iron  to 10 feet.  The commercial became famous and Woods’ path through to the tee has been dubbed the “Tiger Trail.’’

Shawn McGuigan was the Legacy’s head professional then.  Now he is the assistant general manager and director of golf for both facilities.  He’s especially proud of the Top Tracer range that has become a special attraction and the first in Central Florida.

A state of the art Top Tracer Range has become a popular attraction at Heathrow Legacy.

Concert is growing fast.  It added six new clubs in just over a year and brought in four in 2024 alone.

Those six were The Club at Pasadera in Monterey, Calif.; TPC Jasna Polana, in Princeton, N.J.; Golf Club of the Everglades, in Naples, FL.; The Georgia Club, near Athens, Ga.; and Walden on Lake Conroe and Northgate, both near Houston.

“We’re not going out and saying we want to buy 100 clubs,’’ said Abramowitz.  “We have a criteria, but we certainly want to grow.’’

Heathrow Legacy has 2,100 members, but size isn’t the only criteria to determine acquisition.

Shawn McGuigan, the assistant general manager at Legacy, was there before the clubs were merged.

“Every acquisition we poll members and see what their biggest desires are, ‘’ said McGuigan.  “In every acquisition we send our professionals there to make sure the transition is perfect.  Lately we’ve been trying to pair clubs together.’’

When a club faces a crisis it’s Concert that takes care of it, not the club members via what can be annoying assessments.  West Lake, in Augusta, Ga., for instance, endured the brunt of Hurricane Helene.  The storm knocked down over, 1,100 trees, but nine holes reopened in just two weeks and all 18 a few weeks later.

All the clubs in the Concert portfolio are private. They’re sprinkled across the country. Eighteen states have Concert clubs with Florida leading the way with nine.

Dunnavant describes “The Concert Way’’  as an innovative, multi-step program that facilitates smooth transitions for both club members and the previous ownership.

“Concert makes annual capital investments in our clubs aimed at elevating the amenities, service levels and overall member experience while building and maintaining a thriving club environment,’’ she said.

The tennis courts at Heathrow Legacy have been used by some of the greats of that game.

LIV changes set the stage for an eventful PGA Merchandise Show

ORLANDO, FL. – The PGA Merchandise Show , which takes over the Orange County Convention Center this week, is the annual kickoff to the golf season.  All phases of the industry are represented at this mass gathering that spotlights all that’s new in the sport.

The industry-only show, awaiting its 72nd staging, draws nearly 40,000 visitors.  It begins with a Demo Day at Orange County National on Tuesday, then three days of exhibits, presentations and special events at the Orange County Convention Center.

This year’s most significant new developments came a few days early, however, with the LIV Golf League making the biggest splash. In the last days before the big show LIV announced that Scott O’Neil will replace Greg Norman as its new chief executive officer and that Fox Sports will broadcast all 54 holes of the LIV’s 14 tournaments in its fourth season.  The CW Network handled TV coverage for LIV’s first three seasons. Fox will give the fledgling circuit a big profile boost.

The Saudi-backed circuit has been Chicago’s lone tournament organizer consistently bringing big-time golf to the area in recent years.  Chicago’s been a tournament site the first three years of LIV’s existence and Bolingbrook Golf Club will return as the site of its 12th tournament this year, on Aug. 8-10.

The season climax will have a Midwest flavor with the Bolingbrook stop starting it off. New sites will then take over the last two weeks of the season – the Individual Championship at The Club at Chatham Hills in Indianapolis Aug. 15-17 and the Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, MI., Aug. 22-24.  The Cardinal is a Ray Hearn design that opened for play in 2024.

MEANWHILE  Chicago golfers have other good things ahead:

The Chicago District Golf Association has announced the largest competition slate in its 112-year history with more that 100 events throughout Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.  Two of the oldest events have new twists.  The 94th Illinois State Amateur will be played at Stonebridge, in Aurora, July 15-17 and the 92nd Illinois State Women’s Amateur will be under CDGA guidance for the first time June 16-18 at The Grove in Long Grove. The CDGA will also move its second Chicago Adaptive Open to  Fox Bend, in Oswego.

Batavia-based club manufacturer Tour Edge has extended its partnership with Bernhard Langer, the winningest player in PGA Tour Champions history.  He’s won six times since first signing with Tour Edge in 2021.

The John Deere Classic, Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event, will put tickets for the July 2-6 event at TPC Deere Run on sale in early April. The JDC was the PGA Tour’s Most Engaged Community and Best Title Sponsor Integration award winner for 2024.

The Illinois PGA has announced its award winners for the 2024 season. Heading the list is Beverly’s John Varner, as Professional of the Year; Christopher Oehlerking, The Golf Practice, Teacher of the year: Ed Stevenson, The Preserve at Oak Meadows, PGA Executive of the Year; Connor Burke, Butterfield, Assistant Professional of the Year;  Kevin Weeks, Cog Hill, Youth Player Development Award; and Eva Rogers, Medinah, Player Development Award.

Winnetka Golf Club has been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, joining an elite group of courses worldwide to be recognized for environmental stewardship.

 

Golf Travel Writers group is looking for new adventures

Broader travel might be possible thanks to new GWTA members Stephan Guertler (left, from Austria) and Grant Fraser, from Canada.

My biggest focus at this 72nd PGA Merchandise Show was getting the word out on my latest project.  I’d been coaxed into being the new president (or, I think the title should be executive director) of the Golf Travel Writers of America. It’s a 20-year  old organization that has been led by Bruce Vittner, a very nice guy from Rhode Island who befriended Joy and I in our early years attending the show and got us involved in the GTWA.

Bruce didn’t want to keep up the grind of leading the group and wanted me to do it.  I was reluctant at first, but decided that reorganizing the group would be a worthwhile project as well as potentially being fun.  That led to me being in charge of the annual meeting, held at the PGA Merchandise Show, and I was delighted by the turnout.

Joy is now the GWTA treasurer and two other friends, Tom Gorman and Dan Vukelich, had joined me in getting the reorganization going.  We had 22 enthusiastic travelers attend the annual meeting, some returning members and some new ones.  When it was over we had an international membership, with Stephan Guertler (Austria) and Grant Fraser (Canada) on the greatly revised roster.

We hope to revive a past GTWA feature, a golf outing held around the show dates. We have one scheduled on Friday at Heathrow Legacy, the first course in the Concert Golf Partners string of 36 private clubs.  Weather might hamper this one, since it’s been cold and raining most of our time here in Orlando but Concert’s Michael Abramovitz – a long-time GTWA member – is optimistic we can get the event in before everyone leaves town.

The search for new golf destinations brought this group together at the PGA Merchandise Show.

Nick Price has designed a special layout at Florida’s Soleta course

 

Soleto partners David Turner (left) and Charles Duff (second from right) join course designer Nick Price (second from left)  and David Leadbetter, who designed by practice area, at the club’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Joy Sarver Photos)

MYAKKA CITY, Florida – Not all great golfers have evolved into great golf course designers.  Nick Price is one who did, as underscored by his just unveiled Soleta course, located a few miles east of Sarasota, FL.

As a golfer Price, now 67, was one of the great ones.  No doubt about that.

He was the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Rankings for 43 weeks in the 1990s, a decade in which he topped the PGA Tour money list twice, won the PGA Championship twice and the British Open once and took back-to-back Western Open titles in 1993 and 1994.

Oh, yes.  The South African-born Price was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003. Enough said about his playing ability, though his heyday was three decades ago.

Price found his way into course design, but it took a while.

“I started with architecture toward the end of my career but didn’t want to do anything,’’ he said.  “You don’t want to when you’re playing well.’’

Four years into his career on PGA Tour Champions that changed.

“I developed a serious elbow injury and had surgery,’’ he said.  “When I came back after a year I couldn’t play, so I retired.’’

And a career in course design kicked in.  He did 11 co-designs with established architects like Tom Fazio and Steve Smyers before creating his own course.  He started his own design firm in 2001 and has has his name on 27 courses (as either designer or consultant)  in the Dominican Republic, Ireland, South Africa, Mexico and China in addition to Florida. He lives in Hobe Sound, which is also the site of McArthur Golf Club – a layout he co-designed with Fazio.

Soleta is basically a golf course now, but here’s an artist’s rendering of the projected finished project.

Soleto is something different. The name is from the Native American word for sandhill crane.  It’ll eventually be a full-fledged family-oriented private club with about 275 local members and another 100 national ones.  At least that’s the plan. On the December day when Soleto officially opened Soleto already  had 170 members. Initiation fee is $115,000.

What makes the course special are its meandering (Price calls it “free-standing”) tee areas.  They’re as long as 120 yards with eight sets of color-coded markers on each tee.  (Only three were designated for play on opening day).

The tee areas aren’t of the runway style at more courses.  The Soleto tees are spread around; some even have doglegs.

“I want the members to understand the versatility of the course and enjoy its variety,’’ said Price. “I’ve played on all four corners of the world and have gotten to see a lot of different types of golf.  This one is more links-style but I want them to keep in mind that they don’t have to play from a certain spot.’’

The par-3 seventh hole shows how versatile Soleta can play. At left is a tee shot from a front tee, with no water involved. At top/right is a tee further back with water into play and bottom right shows tee placement possibilities on a dogleg, the end result being a challenging long carry over much more water.

Soleto was built on what had been a cow pasture. About 2,000 trees were moved in the construction process.  Water comes into play on only two holes (Nos. 11 and 16) and the scorecard says the layout can be played as short as 5,145 yards or as long at 7,411 yards – with plenty of options in between. The No. 8 green is 65 yards long.

Also most noteworthy is the liberal use of sugar sand, a white variety indigenous to the area. It’s all over the layout and creates all sorts of challenges.  In short, you have to make contact with the ball first. If your clubs hit the sugar sand first no telling where the ball might go.

The course is a par-72 with the 598-yard fifth the longest par-5.  The par-3 seventh is the most picturesque hole and seems the most fitting as the signature hole. The Fish Camp behind the fifth green and sixth tee box is located near the Myakka River and will be used for special events.  No. 17 provides the always popular driveable par-4, measuring between 236 and 333 yards.

Sugar sand, a fine sand indigenous to this Florida area, gives Soleta a special touch.

 

Price made 22 trips to Soleto from the start to the completion of construction about a year later.

“There were times you had to be here a lot,’’ he said. “That what makes a golf course playable.’’

Soleto is going to be much more than a special golf course.  It’ll have a new clubhouse, 93 homesites (but in view from only two holes) and racquet sports facilities.

Price isn’t the only popular  golf personality involved in the project.  David Leadbetter, the famed instructor, designed the 30-acre practice facility that will open soon.  It has the latest in TopTracer technology, with four cameras covering all 16 hitting bays on the range.  There’ll also be a chipping green, a putting course and a par-3 course to be called the Colt (the name for a small crane).  The short course will have six greens and nine tee boxes.

The highly upscale TopTracer technology  gives Soleta one of the best practice areas in the country.

 

Illinois PGA shortens its section championship tourney

 

Golf schedules at the local level aren’t usually announced until late winter or early spring but the Illinois PGA revealed two major developments in its 2025 schedule.

The Illinois PGA Championship – officially the Illinois Professional Championship now – will be reduced from 54 to 36 holes next year. The tournament, scheduled for Aug. 25-26, has traditionally been contested as a three-day, 54-hole event.

“More (PGA) sections are doing that,’’ said Andy Mickelson, director of golf at Mistwood in Romeoville and tournament committee veteran.  “It opens the opportunity to use more sites.’’

Mickelson was the tourney champion in 2021, tied for section in 2023 and tied for third this year when Brian Carroll took the title. Mike Small, the University of Illinois men’s coach, won the tournament a record 14 times.

The IPGA’s biggest event, the Illinois Open on Aug. 4-6, will also  have a notable new site in 2025.  It’ll be played at Kemper Lakes.  The Kildeer site hosted two major championships on the pro tours – the 1989 PGA Championship and the KPMG’s PGA Championship in 2018 on the Ladies PGA circuit.  Kemper also hosted the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1992.

While Kemper was a long-tie site for the IPGA Match Play tournament it has never hosted an Illinois Open. Sites are still not determined for the IPGA’s other two major events, the Match Play and the the IPGA Players Championship.

PGA TOUR WRAPUP: Sunday’s wrapup to the RSM Classic in Sea Island, Ga., concluded the 2024 PGA Tour season – a campaign that suggests its Illinois-connected players may have trouble making as many tournament appearances when the 2025 campaign begins in January.

The top 125 in this year’s FedEx Cup standings earned PGA Tour cards for next season.  Arlington Heights’ Doug Ghim, at No. 71, survived but Northwestern alum Dylan Wu (132), University of Illinois alum Adrien Dumont de Chassart (139),  Wheaton’s Kevin Streelman (142) and Northbrook’s Nick Hardy (147) didn’t.  Streelman and Hardy are past champions and that may help them get into some events.

Players in the top 150 did earn conditional status for 2025, but the PGA Tour – citing slow play concerns –has announced a reduction in field size at some events.

HERE AND THERE:  This IPGA named its new officers. Mike Picciano, of Bull Valley in Woodstrock, is the new president with Mickelson the vice president and Jamie Nieto of Royal Fox, in St. Charles, the secretary.  Cog Hill’s Kevin Weeks and Mistwood’s Dan Bradley are newcomers to the board of directors.

Tyler Wolllberg, assistant at The Grove in Long Grove, has been named the director of golf at Pine Meadow, in Mundelein. He replaces the retired Dennis Johnsen.

Terry Hanley, general manager at Cantigny in Wheaton, has announced his retirement effective at the end of this year.

 

 

LIV Tour will return to Bolingbrook in 2025

The PGA Tour made its last Chicago area visit in 2019 and the other national golf organizing groups have been absent longer than that.  Not the upstart LIV Golf League, though.

LIV, the Saudi-backed circuit that is waging a well-publicized battle with the PGA Tour, announced Tuesday that it will be playing for a fourth straight year in the Chicago area. Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove, was the tournament site In LIV’s first two seasons.  Last year the tourney moved to Bolingbrook Golf Club, and Bolingbrook will also host the next visit, on Aug. 8-10, 2025.

The Chicago stop will also kick off the first-ever Midwest swing for LIV.  The following week the circuit will play at The Club at  Catham Hills in Westfield, Ind., near Indianapolis. That stop will be LIV’s first visit to Indiana.

Bolingbrook’s tournament will be a bit different than last year’s.  Last year’s was announced well into the season and was played as the circuit’s season Individual Championship.  Spain’s Jon Rahm was the big winner, taking both that tournament and the season-long titles.  Next year’s tournament will be a standards regular season stop, just like the two played at Rich Harvest.

Rahm was a three-shot winner with an 11-under-par 199 total for 54 holes this year on a layout designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest.

Bolingbrook mayor Mary Alexander-Basta was delighted by Tuesday’s announcement.

“We’re excited to welcome the eyes of the golf world and LIV Golf Tour back,’’ she said. “The 2024 event was a tremendous success, and we look forward to building  on that momentum to bring another world-class event to tour community.’’

LIV is far ahead of previous years in setting up its 2025 schedule.  The return to Bolingbrook and first-ever visit to Indianapolis were part of an announcement that also included the circuit’s first tournament at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Korea and the return to Dallas, Spain and the United Kingdom for tournaments.

“LIV is growing across the globe in new and returning markets,’’ said LIV commissioner and chief executive officer Greg Norman.  “We’re excited to build on the tremendous success we had last year at new venues in Chicago, Dallas and the UK, where we set new league attendance records.’’

The next season begins Feb. 6-8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  The Indianapolis stop Aug. 15-17 will be the season’s final regular season event. Chatham Hilla was the last design by the late architect Pete Dye. It’ll lead into the season-ending Individual and Team championships.  Dates and sites for those events haven’t been announced.

LIV plans another 14-tournament schedule and has set dates and sites for 10 events.

HERE AND THERE:  Dennis Johnsen, one of the area’s longest-standing club professionals, has announced his retirement.  Johnsen spent 50 years in the golf business. The last 20 seasons were as director of golf at Pine Meadow in Mundelein, which followed a long stint at Pheasant Run in St. Charles. Johnsen was a leader in the creation of the PGA Junior League and the Illinois Super Senior Open.

Fresh Meadow, a Hillside course that opened in 1924, has closed for good.  Owned by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the public course was known as Fair Lawn when it opened. Future use of the property has not been announced.

Mike Small, head coach of the University of Illinois men’s team,  has signed a special recruit in Dujuan Snyman. Originally from South Africa, Snyman finished in the top four on the Australian Boys Order of Merit in each of the last four years.

 

 

 

 

Home Town Takeover TV series will take Sebring in a new direction

This three-dimensional mural spotlights the Central Florida orange groves and is sure to catch the interest of visitors to Sebring’s City on the Circle. (Joy Sarver Photos)

SEBRING, Florida – This charming town of about 11,000 in Central Florida has long been known for its robust golf courses and a famous auto race. Legendary golf course architect Donald Ross started the golf scenario when he designed the Pinecrest course in 1923 and the Sebring International Raceway, which opened in 1950,  is one of the oldest continuously-operated road tracks in the United States.

Now, while those attractions continue to flourish, Sebring is making big progress in another direction.  Its downtown area is about to get major television exposure. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency spearheaded a campaign to get Sebring a place on “Home Town Takeover!,’’ a smash hit as a series on HGTV.

In early 2025 Sebring will be the focal point of the series in which Ben and Erin Napier headed a team of renovation experts that revitalized the area known as “City on the Circle.’’

“We applied for the first season,’’ said Kristie Vazquez, executive director of Sebring’s Community Development Agency.  “Over 5,000 cities responded, and we were chosen for the third season.’’

Cities in Mississippi and Alabama were sites for the well-received series’ first two seasons.

Ben Napier announced Sebring’s selection in February and the downtown area has been buzzing with activity ever since. The goal has been to breath new life into the town with work projects on several homes, several local businesses and the historic aspect that is unique to Sebring.

Said Napier:  “Renovating one house at a time is an awesome experience, but the chance to give support to an entire town, where we can help bring an entire community back to life – that’s something we wanted to try.’’

The Sebring CRA has the task of “carrying out economic revitalization, promoting renovation of buildings and assist in coordination and promotion of downtown events.’’

Circle Park will be in the center of the action in the Home Town Takeover television series.

With Home Town Takeover involved the renovation work will get widespread attention.

Vazquez said the show was looking for cities of about Sebring’s size, and its circular downtown was a big plus. There are few such cities left that have a  downtown area situated around a circular park.  Sebring’s has six avenues feeding into Circle Park.

Sebring’s entire downtown is a designated 1920s Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.  The positives of that will be enhanced when TV viewers see the renovation work unfold.

The Circle Theater, built in 1923, had been stagnant for almost a year before it was completely renovated. Sophie’s Café, Brew-Haha’s Burger Emporium and Sebring Soda & Ice Cream Works area also among the businesses benefitting from the renovation projects and a stunning three-dimensional mural spotlighting the orange groves so prominent in the area will be a big eye-catcher for visitors.  They’ll combine to make  City on the Circle a busy place.

The 101-year old Circle Theater underwent a total renovation in Sebring’s new look.

While the pending TV exposure is exciting, it’s not the only attraction impacting Sebring. On the golf front Fore Indoor Golf Club is about to open.  It has Uneekor Eye simulators and a pool table, creating what owner William Carroll calls a great entertainment atmosphere with climate control.

A five-year renovation at what had been the Spring Lake golf facility is also paying off.  Spring Lake had an 800-yard par-6, which was the longest hole in Florida. Its gone now and what had been a 45-hole complex in the 1970s has been reorganized.

Now known as the Sebring International Golf Resort, it now has three nine-hole courses and a Steve Smyers-designed 12-hole par-3 course.  Our touring group participated in the Citrus Golf Trail Open pro-am, preceding a Minor League Golf Tour event at Sun N ’Lake course, and Pinecrest, looking better than ever, was the site of our more traditional Durland Cup scramble.

And, only 22 miles from Sebring, work is beginning on a highly-upscale private facility in the little town of Venus.  A little mystery is attached to this project, known as High Grove.  It’ll definitely be high-end, as an initiation fee is $200,000 and membership will be capped at 250. Gil Hanse, one of of the hottest of today’s golf course designers, heads the architectural team.

The club plans to have more of a national membership with construction heating up on Jan. 1. Limited lodging and an active orange grove will be on the 1,200-acre property and the course will be walking -only.

Morgan Purvis, the director of membership, said the club is not planning to include residential property and High Grove will have “one single owner.’’ Purvis, who lives in Aiken, S.C.,  wouldn’t name him, but did describe the owner as “an incredibly passionate active golfer.’’

The target for High Grove being in full operation is Feb. 1, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Sebring International Raceway has been declared “the birthplace of American endurance racing.’’   Its premier event – 12 Hours of Sebring – will next be staged on March 15, 2025. The golf and auto racing enthusiasts all figure to benefit once the City on the Circle renovations are completed. auto racing fanatics all figure to benefi

Yunii del Cueto, has Sophie’s Cafe ready to provide delicious Cuban food to Circle visitors.

The 301 is an eatery, brewery and distillery that will appeal to a wide range of visitors.

 

HGTV worked with Sebring’s Community Redevelopment Agency on the Home Town Takeover series.

 

 

 

 

 

Caitlin Clark will make her next pro-am at the LPGA’s Annika tourney

Caitlin Clark was a big hit in her first pro-am at the John Deere Classic. (John Deere Classic photo)

Caitlin Clark may be a basketball whiz, but she is making inroads in golf, too.

In July, 2023, Clark made her first golf appearance playing in the pro-am at the John Deere Classic, the PGA Tour stop at TPC Deere Run – a course located near the boarderline of Illinois and Iowa.  Now, on Nov. 13, she’ll be the featured at the pro-am warmup for The Annika, the last event of the Ladies PGA Tour’s regular season at Pelican Golf Club in Bellair, FL.

This is a big deal, as Clark’s popularity has been clearly evident via social media – and not just with basketball fans.

Barry Cronin, the veteran media relations director of the John Deere Classic, believes that Clark’s pro-am round at the John Deere, was the start of something big. She played nine holes with Zach Johnson, then the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, and the other nine with Ludvig Aberg, an up-and-coming PGA Tour star from Sweden.

“That pro-am was the first taste of her super stardom to come,’’ recalled Cronin.  “She was on the (media interview) podium with Zach afterwards and most of the questions went to her. It was like she was the PGA Tour player.  Zach admitted that she was the star of the show that day.’’

Having grown up in DesMoines, Iowa,  and starring for the University of Iowa women’s basketball team, Clark already had a local following at that tournament.

“There were thousands, mostly young girls, wearing her No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes jersey around the course,’’ said Cronin. “She was disappointed in how she played, but clearly she was a competent golfer.’’

Things have changed since then.  Now more than basketball fans in Iowa know about Caitlin Clark.  Her play for the Indiana Fever gave the Women’s National Basketball Association a big boost,  and Clark has learned more about golf.  She’s even dabbled recently with with being a professional golfer in her offseason – perhaps jokingly, perhaps not.

Anyway, Clark’s appearance at the Pelican will boost a 72-hole tournament that is rapidly becoming among the most popular on the LPGA circuit.  She will be paired with tournament host Annika Sorenstam in the pro-am and their honorary caddies will be IndyCar drivers Colton Herta and Marcus Ericsson.

Sorenstam, a golfing legend, won’t meet Clark until tournament week, but she’s looking forward to it.

“What she has done is amazing for women’s basketball but also for women’s sports, young girls and women in general,’’ said Sorenstam.  “For her to come out here, it’s awesome that she plays golf.  She really has an interest.  It’s going to draw a lot of attention.’’

Golf-wise, The Annika is a significant event even without Clark.  Two-time champion and world No. 1 Nelly Korda will be there as will Lilia Vu, the defending champion and world’s No. 2-ranked player.  The field will be solid because of its dates.  The following week is the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, one of the biggest money events in women’s golf, at Tiburon in Naples, FL., and the traditional start of the 2025 season is also in the Sunshine State. The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Championship will be played Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at Lake Nona, a club in which Sorenstam is a member.

Clark’s role will supplement — but not overwhelm –The Annika tournament.

“She’s an ambassador for women and sport,’’ said Sorenstam.  “She seems very athletic.  I’m sure she can do anything she puts her mind to. She played quite a bit of golf growing up, and I believe it’s one of her passions when she’s not on the court making three-pointers.’’

Sorenstam is sure Clark will be worth watching as a golfer, not just because she’s a special athlete.

“I’ve only seen her swing on social media,’’ said Sorenstam, “but I’m not so worried about her.  I don’t think she’s worried either.  She’s an athlete.  She’s used to big crowds. I’m sure she’ll shine, no matter what she does. She’s going to do awesome.’’

 

 

Ghim is getting close to his first PGA Tour win

This PGA Tour season wasn’t the best for Chicago regulars Kevin Streelman, Nick Hardy and Doug Ghim.  None qualified for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which concluded the 2023-24 season in September.

The fall events, though, have been most encouraging for all three.   Streelman, who Wheaton, had a tie for third and Hardy, from Northbrook, notched a tie for eighth two weeks ago in the Black Diamond Championship in Utah.  It was the best finish of the season for both of them.

Arlington Heights’ Doug Ghim did even better on Sunday, finishing solo second in the Shriner Chidren’s Open in Las Vegas.  That was a career best for the 28-year old who attended Buffalo Grove High School and starred for the University of Texas before turning pro in 2018. He made it to the PGA Tour in 2020 and is still without a victory, but Sunday he came close.

Eventual champion J.T. Poston and Ghim played in the final group on Sunday. Poston, who won the John Deere Classic – Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event – in 2022, and Ghim turned the tournament into a two-man duel in the final 18.

Ghim was within two strokes of Poston on the 18th tee and hit a great approach to the final green, leaving him a six-foot birdie putt. He made it, putting the pressure on Poston to sink a four-footer for par to avoid a playoff. Poston made his putt, too. to claim the title.

It climaxed a stirring final round in which Ghim posted a better score (a 6-under-par 65) but couldn’t top Poston on the tournament leaderboard.  Poston won by a shot with a 22-under-262 for the 72 holes.

“I did everything I could,’’ said Ghim.  “I haven’t had the best history in final rounds and final groups, so this definitely is going to be a little badge on my chest.’’

The strong showing on his home course also earned Ghim, who now lives in Las Vegas, a place in this week’s no-cut, $8.5 million ZOZO Classic in Japan.

“A lot of players who would like to be there won’t be able to,’’ said Ghim,  “so it’ll be a fun challenge.  It’s fun playing on the other side of the world, too.  I’m grateful for the opportunity.’’

BITS AND PIECES:  Roy Biancalana, of The Hawk in St. Charles, won the Illinois PGA Senior Match Play title for the fourth straight year…Lance Olson, of Champaign took the IPGA Senior Championship….Dan Stringfellow, of Medinah, is the Chicago District Golf Association’s Player of the Year and Glen Przbylski, of Frankfort, claimed the same honor for senior players….The University of Illinois men’s team will host an NCAA Regional at Atkins Golf Club, in Urbana, in 2025.

 

 

 

Another of the golfing Ten Broeck family has passed on

The Ten Broeck brothers (from left) Rick, Lance and Jim made a big impact on on the Chicago golf scene. ( Betty Weinstein Photo)

Sadly another member of the golfing Ten Broeck family has passed on.

Rick Ten Broeck died at 76 on Oct. 10 after suffering complications from Parkinson’s disearse and dementia.  His younger brother Lance was 67 when he died in April, 2023, in Florida. They were two of the eight children of Willis and Eleanor Ten Broeck, both long-time members of Chicago’s Beverly Country Club .

The Ten Broeck golf saga blossomed in 1968 when older brother Jim won the Illinois State Amateur at Prestwick, in Frankfort.  Rick finished second that day, with Lance serving as his caddie.

Jim also won the club championship as a junior member at Beverly, a South Side private club that is rich in golf history. Jim and Rick played college golf at Arizona State and Lance at Texas.  Rick and Lance outdid Jim  with their golf accompllishments in succeeding years.

Rick, the father of three children, lived in Evergreen Park at the time of his death.  His father Willis was a multiple winner of the Beverly club championship, but Rick won it a whopping 18 times. He also won two Illinois Opens – in 1973 at Barrington Hills during his brief fling in the professional ranks, and in 1981 at Bon Vivant, in Bourbonnais, as a reinstated amateur.  He was also an Illinois Amateur of the Year twice and the Chicago District Golf Association’s senior player-of-the-year in 2005 and 2006.

Lance carried the family name even further golf-wise.  Like Rick he starred in the sport at Brother Rice High School.  Lance’s first big splash on the national scene came at the 1975 U.S. Open at Medinah when – as a 19-year old amateur – he made the cut and tied for 49th place. He was also an Illinois Open champion, winning at Flossmoor in 1984.

His subsequent stay in the professional ranks was a long one.  He played on the Nationwide, PGA and Champions tours and won the 1984 Magnolia Classic before it was an official PGA Tour event. (It’s now called the Sanderson Farms Championship).

Lance also was a successful caddie.  His Florida neighbor, Jesper Parnivik asked his to carry his bag in the 1999 Greater Greeensboro Open, and Parnevik won the title by two strokes over Jim Furyk. Lance continued to work as a caddie but could also get into some events as a player.  The most noteworthy of those was in the 2009 Valero Texas Open.

He was on Parnevik’s bag in that PGA Tour stop in the morning and then was told he could fill the spot of a player who had withdrawn in the afternoon.  He did it, and posted a score lower than Parnevik’s.

A celebration of Rick Ten Broeck’s life will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 27 at Beverly Country Club.

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