Author: lenz

Don’t rule out vets Haas, Moore in final round of the JDC

Lucas Glover’s second shot to the par-5 tenth hole at TPC Deere Run on Saturday drew a crowd. He had holed out with a 3-iron from 255 yards for a double eagle on Friday and gave it a good try for another albatross, hitting to 12 feet and sinking the putt for an eagle.

SILVIS, IL. – The Las Vegas odds-makers didn’t believe experience mattered much when they sized up the John Deere Classic field earlier this week. The top five betting favorites – Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Joaquin Niemann, Sunglae Im and Matthew Wolff — are all between the ages of 20 and 22.

But what do those odds-makers know anyway?

Those young guns may have played well lately on the PGA Tour, and the JDC is a tournament known for producing first-time champions. Of the young hotshots, though, the best entering Sunday’s final round is Morikawa and he’s in a tie for 12th, four strokes behind co-leaders Cameron Tringale and Andrew Landry.

While Tringale and Landry hit the 54-hole stop at TPC Deere Run at 16-under-par 197 on Saturday, their status is precarious at best. Six others are within two shots of the lead, and that group includes a couple of battled hardened veterans who were among golf’s elite not too long ago.

Bill Haas, who posted Saturday’s best score with a 7-under-par 64, was the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup champion in 2011. He’s a shot behind the co-leaders and Ryan Moore, who finished his third round birdie-eagle-birdie, is one swing behind Haas.

Moore’s win in the 2016 JDC triggered his selection to the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and he went on to score the winning point against the Europeans that year. His win in the JDC, in effect, helped Moore become a national hero – at least for awhile.

“It (winning at TPC Deere Run) definitely kick-started that run, and I played good, solid golf from there all the way through the Ryder Cup,’’ said Moore.

A win Sunday wouldn’t have the same effect, since it’ll be Moore’s last competitive round for awhile. He’s skipping next week’s British Open because his wife is expecting their third child.

“I’m in an on-call situation right here,’’ said Moore. “She’s still a few weeks out, so it was comfortable being here. I won’t be going to the British because that’s just way too far away and I would not feel comfortable being that far away a few weeks with baby No. 3 is on the way.’’

Haas posted his lowest round of the year on Saturday, and it gave him a big lift.

“I certainly haven’t been seeing many mid-60 rounds in the last two years,’’ he said. “The game is not easy. It’s been beating me most weeks. Hopefully if I keep working hard days like this will happen.’’

Haas, now 37, realizes the landscape of the PGA Tour is changing. Players are getting younger and younger.

“We’re starting to see maybe the trend is younger is better,’’ he said. “The average age on Tour has gone down since I was a rookie Experience doesn’t seem to hold as much weight. I’m just going to have to play my game, and hopefully it’s enough.’’

Co-leaders Tringale and Landry aren’t exactly kids, either. Both are 31, but they’re careers haven’t been as noteworthy. Landry’s only win was at the Valero Texas Open last year, but he’s had only one top-10 finish this season.

Tringale has gone winless in 10 years on the circuit. This year he’s tied for fifth twice, the last time at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit two weeks ago.

Landry had the lead at the turn on Saturday but made bogeys at Nos. 11 and 12. He rallied with three birdies after that, though.

“I just got tired,’’ said Landry. “It was really hot out there. My golf swing started feeling a little bit shaky, my body was not really turning and I was arming it out there rather than really hitting solid shots.’’

He’ll take precautions to avoid that repeating itself in the final round.

“I need to bring more food in the bag, drink more water,’’ he said. Landry may also have to deal with being a relatively new father. His son, just 18 months old, and travels with him.

“It’s absolutely hectic. I’m about to leave here and get ready for bedtime for him,’’ said Landry. “It’s good to get off the course, just forget about everything and get away from the game. He’s a blessing.’’

But Landry still hasn’t figured out how to balance family life with tournament golf.

“Whenever someone does figure it out, please let me know because I would live to know,’’ he said.

TPC Deere Run’s par-5 tenth hole drew a bigger gallery than usual on Saturday when Lucas Glover arrived at the tee. Glover made the tourney’s first double-eagle in 19 years there on Friday and put his drive in the fairway again. He went for the green in two again, got within 12 feet and holed his putt for eagle.

Donald makes the cut at JDC, joins those chasing Vegas

SILVIS, IL. – Luke Donald is seven years removed from being the world’s No. 1 golfer, but he’s showing signs of regaining the form that made him that good, and that’s saying a lot.

Donald was sidelined for nearly a year with back problems. During the time off he lost his PGA Tour membership but he’s on the way to regaining it. His play over the first two rounds of the John Deere Classic is proof of that.

Back-to-back 68s have Donald at 6-under-par 136 for the first 36 holes at TPC Deere Run. He’s safely inside the cut line entering Saturday’s third round, though he’s a distant seven strokes behind leader Jhonattan Vegas.

Jhonattan Vegas was delighted with his play in the second round of the JDC.

Vegas, from Venezuela, matched the best round of the tournament with his 9-under-par 62 on Friday and hit the halfway stop at 13-under-par 129. He’s one swing ahead of Andrew Landry and two in front of Lucas Glover, who made the shot of the day. He holed his second shot from 255 yards on the par-5 tenth for an albatross.en route to posting a 64. It was the first double eagle at the JDC since 2000 – Frank Lickliter had one at No. 2 that year — but the seventh on the PGA Tour this season.

Donald, 41, starred at Northwestern before rising to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings, a status he held for 55 weeks between 2011 and 2012. During most of that time he lived at least part-time in Northfield, and he is the great Chicago hope in this year’s JDC.

“We’ve had a place in Jupiter, Florida, since 2006,’’ said Donald. “For a few years we’d just go there in the winter but when my girls started in school we had to make a decision and Jupiter won out because of the weather. I loved that house, but we were spending less and less time in Chicago.’’

The Northfield house was sold a few months ago as Donald was starting to regain his form. His game isn’t all there yet, but it’s getting there.

“I feel pretty solid,’’ he said. “A back issue is always something you have to manage, but I’ve had no issues on the course. The last time I did was at the Sony (in Hawaii in January) and I took some time off after that.’’

Andrew Landry hit his approach shot into a tree on this shot at No. 6, leading to a bogey that dropped out of a share of the JDC lede.

He returned in March at the Valspar Championship, in Florida, and tied for ninth – his best finish since resuming tournament play. His fitness level is improving now. As proof of that he’s survived the 36-hole cut in three straight tournaments and is hopeful of a good finish at the JDC to get more FedEx points towards regaining full playing privileges.

“My game is in a pretty good place,’’ he said. “Thirteen birdies in the first two days is a good sign that my confidence is coming back. I hadn’t played here since 2003. After that I was a European Tour member and played the Scottish (Open) before The (British) Open. It’s nice to be back here. This is a good course for me. You hit lots of wedges and it’s not overly long.’’

After this weekend Donald won’t play again until the Wyndham Championship, in North Carolina, Aug. 1-4 a week before the FedEx Cup Playoffs begin. Donald won’t get into next week’s British Open unless he wins on Sunday and he will need two very solid finishes to have a chance of making it into the PGA Tour’s postseason series.

Chances of Donald playing in either the British or FedEx Playoffs are slim, but regaining full membership isn’t. Mizuno, his equipment company since 2004, has no doubts Donald will be playing full-time again. He was awarded a new contract in January, months before his comeback was in full swing.

“I’ll have three or four starts after the Wyndham to get enough points, and I might take a money list exemption to play fully next year so I won’t have to worry about it,’’ said Donald.

In the meantime he’s in the big pack chasing Vegas, who holed over 100 feet of putts on Saturday in a bogey-free round that included nine birdies.

“It was probably the best I’ve felt all year,’’ said Vegas. “I hit the ball extremely well. I was obviously super solid from the beginning all the way to the end. Ball-striking was impeccable. I can’t wait for the weekend. The course is usually soft, and it’s been a little firmer because of the warm conditions. It’s the best I’ve ever seen it.’’

Vegas posted his round in the morning and Landry caught him in the afternoon. He fell a stroke back when his second shot from the rough on No. 6 hit a tree. That shot, on his 15th hole of the day, led to a bogey and Landry finished with a 65.

Diaz’ 62 tops an unusual first round at the John Deere Classic

Roberto Diaz focused on making the FedEx Cup Playoffs while taking the lead at the JDC.

SILVIS, IL. – The 49th John Deere Classic meant the return of the PGA Tour to Illinois for the first time in 2019, but Thursday’s opening round had a different feel to it.

There was the usual abundance of low scoring, with the best saved for last. Mexico’s Roberto Diaz, in the last threesome to tee off, shot a 9-under-par 62 to open a two-stroke lead over Adam Long and Russell Henley after Round 1. Still, notable stars of the past were either missing or off form.

There was no Steve Stricker, a three-time winner and loyal JDC supporter who opted to play in the Bridgestone Constellation Senior Players Championship instead. Two-time winner Jordan Spieth thought about coming but didn’t, and there hasn’t much excitement over the defending champion, Michael Kim.

Luke Donald tapped in a six-inch birdie putt at No. 18 to get his game going in the first round of the JDC.

Kim set scoring records in his win at TPC Deere Run last year but took a string of 18 consecutive missed cuts into his title defense. He didn’t show signs of shaking his slump, posting a 73. Then there was Zach Johnson, the face of the tournament on many levels. He shot 72, his first over-par round in the JDC since 2008. His streak of 41 in a row at par or better came to an end.

And finally there was the unusual shortage of local PGA Tour players. Not even Wheaton’s Kevin Streelman was on hand – and the scenario surrounding his absence from the $6 million event was a weird one.

Streelman had just won Monday’s Rockford Pro-Am, a fixture around John Deere Classic time, at the Aldeen course in Rockford. After shooting a 6-under-par 66 there he made a quick check of his emails and found a most interesting one.

It read: “There has been a withdrawal from The Open. There is a space for you if you’d like to play? Thanks.’’

Jonathan Tippletts-Aylmer, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club’s entries manager, had sent it and Streelman was at a loss for words.

“My mind’s everywhere,’’ he said then.

And it was. Streelman had already committed to the JDC, an event he had played in eight times since 2009. Coming off his best finish in the tournament (a tie for seventh) last year, Streelman has been a JDC mainstay.

The news of the player withdrawal – it was John Daly, who pulled out because he wasn’t allowed to use a cart – made national news. Streelman’s elevation to the field didn’t. He got into the British off his place on the Official World Golf Rankings, where he is No. 85.

Streelman was left with decisions to make on the fly. He could have still played in the JDC because tournament director Clair Peterson provides a charter flight to the British site immediately after his tournament ends. Streelman, though, needed to get his passport and proper clothing. Both were at his home in Arizona, and he also needed to line up a caddie for next week because his regular bag-toter wasn’t going to make the trip..

So, Streelman made a heart-felt apology to Peterson before withdrawing from the JDC, then had a session with swing instructor Jim (Doc) Suttie at Black Sheep, in Sugar Grove, picked up his necessities in Arizona and headed across the pond for more on-site preparation there. Streelman has played in five British Opens, the last in 2015, and never did better than a tie for 54th place at Royal Liverpool the year before that.

Peterson’s charter flight will take off on Sunday, but will be only about half-full. In 2010 a second charter flight was needed to get all the JDC participants to St. Andrews but only about 60 will travel to Royal Portrush on Sunday night.

Getting on that plane isn’t Diaz’ main concern, however.

“My goal right now isn’t to get into the British Open,’’ he said. “That’s not in my mind right now. It’s to get enough points to make it into the (FedEx Cup) playoffs. There are four events left, and this is crunch time.’’

Diaz, nicknamed Porky, needs to get into the top 125 in the FedEx standings to make it into the first playoff event. He is now No. 158. Diaz’ previous best round on the PGA Tour was a 65. In the last five rounds on the PGA Tour a player has posted a 62, Diaz being the most recent.

Long and Henley would like to be on the jet. Long, with a morning tee time, won the Desert Classic in California in January, then missed 11 cuts in the next 17 tournaments including the last three in a row. Henley, an afternoon starter, is trying to snap a string of four straight missed cuts.

Henley was paired with former world No. 1 Luke Donald, who is in the JDC field for the first time since 2003. He posted a 3-under 68.

Dylan Meyer gets into this JDC thanks to a hot round in qualifier

Dylan Meyer, the former University of Illinois star, has been basically mediocre since turning professional at the 2018 U.S. Open. He took a big step forward on Monday, however, when he shot a 7-under-par 65 to survive the qualifying round for the John Deere Classic, this week’s PGA Tour stop at TPC Deere Run in downstate Silvis, IL

Meyer made a big splash in his first pro event, tying for 20th in the 2018 U.S. Open. He also finished seventh and earned $119,114 in the Sanderson Farms tournament in Mississippi at the end of the 2018 PGA Tour season.

His first full season as a touring pro hasn’t been encouraging, however. He missed the 36-hole cut at the Valspar Championship in Florida in March and made only one cut in 14 starts on the Korn Ferry (formerly Web.com) Tour – the PGA’s alternate circuit.

Monday was different, however. Meyer finished fourth in the JDC qualifier at Pinnacle Country Club in Milan and will tee it up with the PGA Tour regulars when the tourney begins its 72-hole run on Thursday. The top four in Monday’s second stage of JDC qualifying advanced to the main event.

The Western Amateur champion in 2016, Meyer played in the JDC last two years on sponsor exemptions. Last year he played all four rounds, finishing in a tie for 43rd place.

Stricker opts for Champions’ major

JDC tournament director Clair Peterson came up 0-for-2 on popular players becoming last-minute entries into his field. Three-time winner Steve Stricker and Jordan Spieth, who won the tournament twice, both told Peterson they were “50-50’’ on coming to TPC Deere Run last week but neither entered.

Stricker, coming off a six-stroke victory in the U.S. Senior Open in South Bend, opted to stay on the 50-and-over circuit. He’ll play in one of that tour’s major events — the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship this week in Akron, Ohio.

“The John Deere Classic will always, always have a special place in my heart,’’ Stricker said via Twitter. “It was a tough decision.’’

Milestone IWO starts with format change

The Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open will celebrate its 25th anniversary next week, and it’ll also undergo a change in format. Instead of being contested over three days the 54-hole competition will be played over just two at Mistwood Golf Club, in Romeoville.

In the past the tourney’s pro-am had been on a Sunday. This time it’s on Monday. The tournament calls for 36 holes on Tuesday with an 18-hole climax on Wednesday, July 17, for those who survive the 36-hole cut.

The IWO will highlight a big week for the top women players. The 119th Women’s Western Amateur will also be played next week at Royal Melbourne, in Long Grove. The Western Golf Association will take over management of the tourney for the first time, and there’ll be a 120-player field of the nation’s top amateurs.

There’ll be stroke play rounds for the entire field on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 16, to determine 32 qualifiers for the three-day match play portion of the tournament. Sarah Arnold of St. Charles, who won the Illinois Women’s State Amateur last month, and Megan Furtney, an 18-year old who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, head the local players in the field at Royal Melbourne.

Past champions include Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, Nancy Lopez, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis and Ariya Jutanugarn

Big week for Szokol

Winnetka’s Elizabeth Szokol enjoyed her best week yet in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour. Shooting a 65 on Sunday she tied for 26th place in the Thornberry Creek Classic in Oneida, Wis., and earned $17,341.

The LPGA competes in the Marathon Classic in Ohio this week and its developmental Symetra Tour has the Donald Ross Classic in French Lick, Ind. Both tee off on Thursday.

State Amateur returns to Cantigny

Cantigny, in Wheaton, has hosted the Illinois State Amateur four times in the last 22 years and will be the site for the tourney’s 89th staging next week. The format calls for 18 holes on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 17, and a 36-hole finale for those surviving the cut on Thursday, July 18.

The State Am figures to be a wide-open affair with recent stars Tee-K Kelly, Nick Hardy and Patrick Flavin now in the professional ranks and Spring Grove’s Jordan Hahn, the winner in 2018 at Bloomington Country Club, not among the entries.

Hahn, a tower of strength at 6-foot-8, shot a tournament record 61 while finishing second to Flavin at Calumet Country Club, in Homewood, in 2017 before getting the victory a year later. He completed a solid collegiate career at Wisconsin in June.

Raven’s Claw

(Published in wheretogolfnext.com)

Location: Pottstown, Pa.

Architect: Ed Shearon.

Opened: 2005.

Par: 71

Yards/Rating/Slope: Black tees 6,73961,9/131; Blue 6,386/69.6/128; White 5,995/67.7/124; Yellow 5,357/63.7/116; Red 4,824/67.0/111.

Saturday morning green fee: $69

Caddie Service: No.

Walker friendly: Yes.

Fairways: Bent

Greens: Bent

THE REVIEW

For starters: It’s the home course for the Symetra Tour’s Valley Forge Invitational and will also host both of the outings held during the International Network of Golf’s 30th annual Spring Conference in 2020. The course record is held by a woman. One of the Symetra players, Louise Ridderstrom of Sweden, shot an 8-under-par 63 in 2018.

Play because…: Shearon lives in the Pottstown area and operates a major landscaping business but he has also designed several other courses. This one was built on 177 acres with traditional-looking family homes mixed in with some of the golf holes.

Takeaway: The most surprising feature is the remains of an old house in the fairway off the No. 1 hole. Golf professional Jim Bromley said it dates into the 1700 or 1800s but doesn’t know why it’s there. The rest of the course is marked by a good use of big bolders to guide players around the layout. The greens are testy and undulating. The course name comes from the presence of several such birds in the trees on the site.

THE COURSE:

Best Par-5: No. 10 (634 yards from tips/619/519/486/451) It’s the last of par-5 on the course, and a challenging one for more than just its extraordinary length from the back tees. Second shots must carry a waste area and the green still won’t be easy to reach. The two-level fairway is higher on the right side than it is on the left the putting surface is most challenging. No. 7 is 111 yards shorter and designated as the No. 1 handicap hole, but No. 10 is a monster that won’t be forgotten.

Best Par-4: No. 9 (404 yards from tips/377/362/307/284). This very well designed hole starts a tough three-hole stretch called The Claw. The tee shot must be on the left side of the fairway and well-struck to offer a clear approach to the green. The approach is the most demanding shot on the course, as the opening is narrow and the green elevated. Come up short and you can wind up in a waste area.

Best Par-3: No. 14 (137 yards from tips/125/117/100/85). Yes, it’s the shortest hole on the course and, yes, it’s the easiest according to handicap but this shorty falls at a nice place in the rotation and looks much different than the other par-3s. Not only is it shorter but there’s water fronting the green. Not a hard hole, but a fun one..

THE RATINGS (1 to 10 scale, 10 being the highest)

Food/beverage: NA. (We weren’t there when meals were served).

Pro shop: 8

Clubhouse: 9

Difficulty: 8

Pace of play: 10 (Had the course to ourselves throughout the round.

Overall: 8.2

Rater: Len Ziehm

INFORMATION

Phone: (610) 495-4710.

Website: www.ravensclawgolfclub.com

Facebook: @Ravens Claw Golf Club

Twitter: @RavensClawGolf1

Instagram: ranvensclawgolfclub

Wilson, Tour Edge are benefitting from the success of their players

If ever there was a time for Chicago’s two major golf equipment companies to celebrate, this is it.

The biggest reason was Gary Woodland’s victory in the U.S. Open. Woodland signed with Wilson less than a year ago, and player endorsements do bring attention to product lines. Wilson, long based in River Grove and now headquartered in Chicago, may be the bigger beneficiary from recent player success – but is certainly not the only one.

Batavia-based Tour Edge got the good vibes started. President David Glod decided to jump into the player endorsement mode big-time about two years ago, and it’s paid off. He has focused largely – but not entirely – on players on PGA Tour Champions with Scott McCarron doing the best.

McCarron won the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in April, the Insperity Invitational in May and the Mastercard Japan Championship in June. The victory in Japan was McCarron’s fifth victory using Tour Edge’s Exotic clubs in the last two years.

At the time of this printing players using Exotic clubs were first or second in the previous 37 PGA Tour Champions events and McCarron was the 50-and-over circuit’s top money-winner with $1,766,221. In fact, he was a whopping $831,052 ahead of his nearest rival.

McCarron wears the Tour Edge logo on his sleeve and that’ll be prominent as he battles for the coveted Charles Schwab Cup during the rest of the 2019 season.

“We’re having a blast watching the meteoric play of (McCarron),’’ said Glod. “Scotty has brought us a new level of exposure and awareness, as have all of the other players who have put Tour Edge clubs into play on PGA Tour Champions.’’

The rest of the 2019 Tour Edge staff hasn’t been bad either. Tom Lehman has won twice on PGA Tour Champions. Duffy Waldorf has 17 top-25 finishes and Tom Petrovic has been a runner-up five times. Bart Bryant and Scott Dunlap also have notched a win on the 50-and-over circuit using Exotics clubs.

And then there’s Phyllis Meti. She showed that Exotics aren’t just for men, winning her third Women’s World Long Drive title and hitting the longest drive ever by a woman – 405 yards.

Tour Edge has just begun announcing its newest product lines. They are sure to draw attention thanks to the performances of McCarron and his colleagues on PGA Tour Champions.

As good as all that is, none matches the profile boost that Woodland provided Wilson with his win at Pebble Beach in the 119th U.S. Open. Tim Clarke, who heads Wilson’s golf division, added Woodland to the company’s player ambassador staff last winter and Woodland delivered big time.

“We couldn’t have a better story for our brand,’’ said Clarke. “It was unbelievable.’’

Kevin Streelman, who had been Wilson’s top gun on the PGA Tour though he didn’t qualify for the U.S. Open, agreed via Twitter.

“I’m so happy for Gary and his entire family,’’ said Streelman. “I’m proud of the classiest company and the best-looking clubs in the business. I’m proud to be an ambassador and member of the team.’’

Back in golf’s good old days Wilson’s clubs were played by numerous champions. Woodland used Wilson’s irons and 5-wood and donned the company’s hat and glove en route to his dramatic victory.

“It was a pretty strong endorsement that our equipment works,’’ said Clarke. “ We still have had more major champions playing our clubs than any other company.’’

Wilson was founded in 1914 and its products also are used in football, basketball, tennis, baseball, volleyball and soccer. For now, though, the sport in the company’s spotlight is golf – and that’s not for the first time.

Woodland won the 62nd major title playing Wilson clubs. The first Wilson player to do that was Gene Sarazen in 1931.

“That was pretty much the starting point. It started the movement for companies to start signing players,’’ said Clarke.

Woodland, who grew up in Kansas and turned pro in 2007, began testing Wilson clubs in Naples, FL., in late 2018. Prior to that he had three wins on the PGA Tour – the Transitions Championship in 2011, the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2013 and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2018 – so he was no slouch.

He played Wilson clubs for the first time competitively at Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in November, where he tied for eighth place in that limited field event. His connection to Wilson and its clubs became official shortly after that.

Woodland’s first event of 2019 was the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawait in January. He tied for second there and had three other top-10s before winning the U.S. Open. A $2.2 million payday there boosted his career winnings to $25.2 million.

One of the world’s oldest club manufacturers, Wilson has been making clubs for champions for decades. Others using Wilson clubs when they won a big one included Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Nick Faldo, Ben Crenshaw and Padraig Harrington.

It’s commonplace that major championship winners receive bonuses from their equipment companies, and Clarke said that’d be the case with Woodland – though Clarke was coy about what that reward will be.

“It’s complicated,’’ said Clarke, “but everything has a price and obviously there’ll be a reward. I was 100 percent sure that he’d win a major when we signed him, and I even thought that it would be this year. We believe that elite athletes drive consumer awareness.’’

Streelman has won twice in his solid career on the PGA Tour. Other Wilson players on the circuit are Brendan Steele, Troy Merritt and Ricky Barnes.

Want a unique golf experience? Check out Poland — in Maine

The walk to the first tee at Poland Spring is the start to a round on a most historic course.

POLAND, Maine – We’re always looking for unusual golf experiences, and this time we found one in Poland.

Poland, Maine, that is.

Chances are you won’t think of Maine when you’re talking golf. It’s nothing new at Poland Spring Resort, however. Golf has been played there since 1896. For the last 10 years it’s hosted one of the most enticing golf packages that we’ve come across.

The state of Maine has only about 140 courses, most of them public and many of those nine-holers. Still, Maine has its place in American golf history thanks to the Poland Spring Resort. It is — by most accounts — the oldest resort golf course in the country. The resort has only one Donald Ross course, but there was golf there before Donald Ross arrived.

“We start with Arthur Fenn,’’ said Cyndi Robbins, a remarkable woman who started working at Poland Spring 45 years ago as a waitress and is now the resort’s owner. “He’s an important part of our history.’’

Cyndi Robbins has helped golf grow at Poland Spring for nearly 50 years.

Cyndi married Mel Robbins, who took over the ownership of the resort in the 1970s after they were married. When Mel passed away 11 years ago Cyndi opted to keep this historic place going and she’s done an admirable job of that.

The town may be best known for the mineral water that has long been produced there, but Robbins makes a strong case for recognizing the importance of golf and Fenn as well. Fenn designed the first course on the property, a nine-holer, in 1896.

A top player himself, Fenn attracted many other top golfers to the resort in the early 1900s. Most notable were Harry Vardon, the famous professional from England, and Scotsman Willie Anderson, the only golfer to win three straight U.S. Opens. Most of the golf professionals of that era were from England or Scotland.

Poland Spring historians consider Fenn the “first American-born golf professional and course designer.’’ He played with the best golfers of his era, too, but isn’t as famous as the Vardons or Andersons because he didn’t stray much from Poland Spring to compete in the big national tournaments.

Fenn’s daughter Bessie also was part of the operation, and she is considered the “first woman golf professional in charge of a club.’’

The Maine Inn is located just a few steps from the No. 1 tee at Poland Spring

The resort goes much further back than the Fenns. An inn has operated continuously on the property since 1797. It was called the Wentworth Ricker Inn then, and the Ricker family owned the resort for almost 150 years.

“The Rickers hired Fenn because they wanted to be involved in golf,’’ said Cyndi Robbins, noting that subsequent owners all felt the same way. “We still get people coming just because of our golf course. Some who never played our course have come just because of Donald Ross.’’

The legendary Ross was hired by the Rickers to convert Fenn’s nine-holer into 18 holes. Ross started work in 1913 and finished the job in 1915, and the course hasn’t undergone any major changes since then. The course measured 6,380 yards when it opened and is a 6,178-yard par-71 from the back tees that’s called The Links at Poland Spring now.

“In World War II some of his features were let go,’’ said Cyndi Robbins. “We’ve worked to restore what we can.’’

The Maine Golf Hall of Fame is also housed on the property, which features the Maine Inn – a Colonial-style building with a huge porch and stately white pillars. It’s the center for a wide variety of activities offered at the resort. Poland Spring, though, still has just the one golf course.

Many resorts have multiple courses these days, and – rather than build more of courses at the expense of the resort’s other entertainment offerings – Robbins opted to start the Maine Golf Trifecta.

She invited the owners of two nearby privately-owned public courses – Spring Meadows at Cole Farms, in the town of Gray, and Fox Ridge, in Auburn – to join forces on a golf package. Neither Spring Meadows nor Fox Ridge offers lodging so package participants stay at Poland Spring.

Poland Spring’s big putting green can accommodate plenty of golfers.

Spring Meadows and Fox Ridge are much newer courses, and the mix of layouts offered to those joining the Trifecta covers all levels of players. Poland Spring’s course is short, flat and historic. Spring Meadows is the most fun with stunning elevation changes. Fox Ridge has some similar features but is a tougher challenge. The most skilled players will like it the best.

The Maine Trifecta has been in effect for 10 years and benefitted all three facilities. For $319 participants can play all three courses, receive two nights of lodging at Poland Spring and four all-you-can-eat buffet meals. With upgraded accommodations the price goes up to $349.

“It’s been 10 years in the making and we have something very unique,’’ said David Pollard, co-owner and manager of Spring Meadows. “We are 15 minutes apart and the owners have come together. That’s unheard of. We’re very proud of what we’ve done.’’

Spring Meadows, celebrating its 20th anniversary, is a family-owned operation and Pollard’s brother Brad owns a restaurant across the street from the course. Robbins also has a restaurant, Cyndi’s Dockside, that is separate from the resort.

The No. 8 hole at Spring Meadows, in the town of Gray, is a fun short par-4 (above) while Maine Golf Trifecta partner course Fox Ridge, in Auburn, (below) has a most memorable island green

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Georgia’s Jekyll Island is a golf destination that’s had two lives

JEKYLL ISLAND, Georgia – Jekyll Island has been a golf destination for over a century, but things have changed a lot since golf was first played there in 1898.

It thrived when the rich and famous hung out there. That ended in 1942. Now it’s a state park. Georgia is a state rich in golf resorts and is also boasts Augusta National, the home of the Masters, and East Lake, the home of the PGA’s Tour Championship. At least 20 PGA Tour pros live on Sea Island.

And yet, the state’s biggest public golf facility is Jekyll Island State Park. With 63 holes now, it’s a golf destination that has had two distinct lives.

From the late 1800s until 1942 in was a private playground for the wealthy. In 1948, after a period of decay during World War II, it was opened to the public.

History-wise, Jekyll Island stands tall from what went on there many decades ago. As a retreat for America’s wealthiest — people with last names like Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Pulitzer and Astor either lived or hung out their regularly – Jekyll Island was one of America’s first golf destination.

The Jekyll Island Golf Club was the 36th club to gain a charter with the U.S. Golf Association in 1886, though the members didn’t open a course until 1898. Scotsman Willie Dunn, runner-up in the first U.S. in 1899, designed an 18-holer and Horace Rawlins, the man who beat him in 1895 at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island, was Jekyll’s first head professional beginning in 1899.

Rawlins won the inaugural U.S. Open with rounds of 91-82, two strokes better than Dunn. The tournament, only a one-day affair back then, was contested the day after the three-day U.S. Amateur.

Just how long Rawlings hung around is uncertain, but the second head pro was also a notable player and stayed much longer. Karl Keffer would win the Canadian Open in 1909 and 1914. In between those wins (in 1910) Keffer was hired as Jekyll’s second head pro. Only one Canadian golfer, Pat Fletcher in 1954, has won the tournament since Keffer last did it.

Keffler was Jekyll’s head pro until 1942 and during his time on the job the club got serious about golf. The members wanted a better course than the original one and a second course was started in 1910 with legendary Donald Ross the architect. It’s now on the grounds of the Oleander course — toughest of Jekyll’s three 18-holers — but Ross no longer has his name on it.

Some say Ross was fired during the construction process, which was hampered by drainage problems.

“My understanding,’’ said present director of golf Spencer Brookman, “was that he was hired to build the course and got it started, then he was either terminated or they couldn’t get the course dry enough.’’

That course wasn’t open long before the members lured Walter Travis to design another one. That was a big deal as Travis was the first three-time U.S. Amateur champion (1900, 1901 and 1903) and the first non-Brit to win the British Amateur in 1904. He was also a prolific writer and course architect, and Great Dunes was one of his last creations. It opened in 1928, a year after his death.

Fourteen years later the wealthy left, many feeling the Island was too vulnerable to enemy air attacks with World War II looming. There were no workers to keep the place afloat anyway, and in 1947 the state of Georgia took it over and named it Jekyll Island State Park. That ended the first phase of Jekyll Island’s life as a golf destination and started the second, which continues to this day.

When Jekyll Island State Park opened to the public for the first time on March 1, 1948, golf was not an option. Neither the Oceanside Course, now Great Dunes, or the Club Golf Course that Ross designed was playable. Both were overgrown, and it took years to get the sport re-established on the Island.

The State turned over what had been Ross’ design to architect Dick Wilson and he created what is now the Oleander course. It opened in 1964. Pine Lakes, the most family-friendly course on the Island, opened in 1968 after a combined design effort by Wilson and Joe Lee. Indian Mound, a Lee creation, was constructed in 1975.

Great Dunes was reduced to nine holes in 1955 when the Island was undergoing difficult financial times.

“That course has become more and more popular since we redid the greens and re-routed Nos. 1 and 9 toward the ocean,’’ said Brookman. That project was completed last September.

With all 63 holes up and running the Island became tourist destination again and some of the scenes in the golf-themed movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance,’’ were shot there.’’

“Oleander is more of a shot-makers course with more doglegs,’’ said Brookman. “It plays a lot longer than it looks. Pine Lakes is a little easier but still hard since it was redone in 2005 (by architect Clyde Johnston).’’

The courses are a center of amateur golf two weeks every year when – on consecutive weekends – they host a U.S. Kids Regional, which draws 320 youngsters, and the biggest of college tournaments. The Jekyll Island Intercollegiate, hosted by Atlanta’s Ogelthorpe University, brings together 64 men’s and women’s teams from the NCAA Division III ranks.

The three 18-hole courses are player-friendly and reasonably priced. The terrain is relatively flat, so walking is an option for those who want the exercise, and the power carts have a state-of-the-art GPS system. Lodging and dining options on the Island is more than ample.

Once the state purchased the Island there was definitely a push to rebuild,’’ said Brookman. “Now you can park your car, play 54 holes and never have to get back in your car. That sets us apart from other places.’’

The Links at Greystone

(Published in wheretogolfnext.com)

Location: Walworth, N.Y.

Architect: Craig Schreiner.

Opened: 1995

Par: 72.

Yards/Rating/Slope: Championship tees 7,215/74.3/130; Blue 6,594/71.6/127; White 6,033/69.8/125; Gold 5,277/65.7/109. Women: White 6,110/74.8/134; Gold 5,277/70.8/116.

Saturday morning green fee: $67 (includes cart. Carts are required before noon).

Caddie Service: No.

Walker friendly: Yes.

Fairways: Bent

Greens: Bent

THE REVIEW

For starters: The Odenbach family, which built three courses as a sidelight venture to its mining and quarry company, sold this course to settle a family estate in 2000 and then bought it back in 2016. The family has been dedicated to golf in the Rochester area since 1979 and family members are involved throughout the operation of Greystone.

Play because…This is one of designer Schreiner’s first creations. Based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., he worked with Hurdzan Design Group and collaborated on courses with veteran tour players Larry Mize and Nick Price. Schreiner designs are also located in Minnesota, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nebraska, Virginia and Oklahoma.

Takeaway: Originally called Greystone Golf Club, this layout isn’t a true links course. It has lots of trees on its 270 acres but it’s a quality layout. The Greystone name comes from the use of grey stones on two dramatic holes – the par-3 sixth and par-4 18th. The feature that really jumps out, though, is the double green serving Nos. 9 and 18. It provides a great view from the clubhouse.

THE COURSE:

Best Par-5: No. 16 (595 yards from tips/553/518/482). As the last par-5 in the rotation, the course’s longest hole is called “Heaven or Hell.’’ The path to the green is a narrow one compared to the rest of the course. There’s woods and water on the left and trees on the right.

Best Par-4: No. 7 (408 yards from tips/381/339/300). No. 18 — the designated signature hole – is a par-4. So is No. 4 – the No. 1 handicap hole. No. 5, though, is more memorable because of the approach required to the very elevated green. You need a drive in the fairway to set it up and you don’t want to be long on your second shot.

Best Par-3: No. 6 (178 yards from tips/139/115/91). Certainly not the toughest of the course’s short holes, it is the most memorable because of the brick wall fronting the green. A fun hole in a pleasant setting.

THE RATINGS (1 to 10 scale, 10 being the highest)

Food/beverage: 8

Pro shop: 9

Clubhouse: 9

Difficulty: 8

Pace of play: 7

Overall: 8.5

Rated: Len Ziehm

INFORMATION

Phone: (315) 524-0022.

Website: www.greystonelinks.com

Facebook: @The Links at Greystone

Twitter: #thelinksatgreystone

Instagram: NA.

Is the 1-iron coming back? This Chicago company thinks so

I’ve been reluctant to write about golf equipment, feeling that should be left to experts on new technology or championship level players. Occasionally, though, I make an exception, and this is one of those times.

Joe Jung, a Chicago guy, is a big reason for that. I met Jung at last month’s International Network of Golf’s Spring Conference in Sebring, FL

While Chicago’s major golf equipment manufacturers Wilson and Tour Edge were also represented, the Demo Day portion of that annual four-day event produced an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with more unusual products. Golf always has plenty of those, but Jung has done the unthinkable. He’s co-founder of a company that is bringing back the 1-iron.

Remember the old saying, “Only God can hit a 1-iron.?’ I believed it, but Jung disagrees – even though the manufacturers of that club are almost nonexistent.

“It’s only us,’’ said Jung, who grew up in the Rogers Park section of Chicago and now lives in Lindenhurst. His company, New Ground Golf, was established last year in Lombard.

Jung started as a caddie at North Shore Country Club in the 1970s. He played college golf at Northeastern Illinois, then managed a Strictly Golf retail store in the Chicago area. Later on he held jobs with – among others — club manufacturers Callaway and MacGregor as well as Zero Friction and Volvik.

His partners in New Ground Golf include Lon Varchetto, who spent more than two decades at the long-time Chicago club manufacturer Northwestern.

One-irons haven’t been much of a factor in golf since the 1980s, much to Jung’s chagrin.

“A lot of us, those of us with steep swings, were disappointed when hybrids came out and long irons went away,’’ said Jung. “We have iron swings. You can’t get steep with a hybrid because the hybrid will go right under the ball and the ball goes straight up in the air.’’

New Ground doesn’t manufacturer just 1-irons. It also produces 2- and 3-irons.

“They’re all very easy to hit and affordable,’’ said Jung. “The whole idea is to have clubs you can hit high or low, out of bunkers. You don’t have clubs like that anymore.’’

Maybe Jung is right. Maybe the time is right for the 1-iron to make a comeback. As always, it’ll be the recreational players like you and me who will determine whether such a club works or not.

Jung wasn’t the only Chicago guy to show off his wares at the ING event. An old friend, Angelo Papadourakis., was there with the new Sacks Parente putter line. Angelo’s a Merit Club member who had invented the Swing Smart, a club attachment that intrigued me a few years back.

While he remains involved with Swing Smart, Papadourakis’ putter line is much different. He is executive vice president of sales for Sacks Parente Golf, based in San Pablo Camarillo, Calif.

“I started a consulting business in golf technology and those guys told me they were bringing some technology to putting,’’ said Papadourakis.

Steve Sacks had been with Wright Putters, Rich Parente with Old Hickory and Callaway and Parente’s son Gene runs Golf Laboratories, which performs tests on the clubs of many manufacturers.

The key to the new Sacks Parente putters is their balance point.

“We’re coming out with mallets and blades, and all have ultra low balance points,’’ said Papadourakis. “So, when you putt with one, the putter always wants to get square and release. You don’t have to fight it or steer it. It feels different, very unique. It has a really nice feeling.’’

These putters don’t come cheap, though. The starting price point is $600.

“Because of the metals we use, it’s premium product,’’ said Papadourakis. “We call it a performance tool.’’

Choose a Sacks Parente putter with a carbon fiber shaft, and that means an upgrade. The price goes up to $900. The top-of-the-line Tour Head model, which is milled in Texas, is $1,200.

One other product on display, the Golf Skate Caddie, had a Chicago connection. Ken Koldenhoven, the president for the company with exclusive rights to sales in the U.S. and the Bahamas, grew up in Orland Park and attended Carl Sandburg High School. While the bulk of his family still lives in the Orland Park area, Koldenhoven now resides in West Palm Beach, FL.

The Skate Caddie also merits attention, and that was particularly evident after the PGA of America allowed John Daly to use a traditional power cart in this year’s Senior PGA Championship. Using a Skate Caddie would have been a better option than the standard power cart, Koldenhoven believes.

“With a Skate Caddie he’d be able to stand and see what’s going on,’’ Koldenhoven said. “They’d also be good for officials to use because they’d be up higher and could see more.’’

The Skate Caddie is one of the latest modes of on-course transportation. There were two previous versions before the present one was introduced.

“The others had a motor in the front and a motor in the back,’’ said Koldenhoven. “We moved both to the back to free up the steering motion in front. That makes it a whole lot easier to steer.’’

That’s in sharp contrast to the GolfBoards, which have made inroads at many Chicago area clubs as well as nation-wide. I tried a GolfBoard and found it fun, but – perhaps because I was never much into skiing – needed more time to learn how to use it. Koldenhoven has no issue with GolfBoards.

“They’re safe, too. We’re both safe,’’ he said. “We’re both all about making golf a better game.’’

While we gravitated to the Chicago products there were a couple other interesting ones. The Putting Arc is an elaborate set of training aids designed to encourage better performance on the greens. Its product line has items ranging from $7.95 to $79.95.Dave Hamilton, the president and co-inventor, is from Shannon, Miss.

And then there was the 4YardsMore golf tee. It’s produced by Greenkeepers, Inc., of Philadelphia and is billed as “the first and only tee proven in both robotic and field tests to improve distance.’’

I tried that tee and had trouble finding those extra four yards, but then again that could be just me. All the products were worth a try, but making a purchase? That’s another matter.