ORLANDO, FL — The Golf Travel Writers of America underwent a leadership change this year, with George McNeilly taking over as its president.

GTWA is a professional organization for golf travel writers, editors, broadcasters and other media professionals who focus on covering golf destinations and the broader golf travel industry.  Its mission is to uphold high standards of journalism, share industry expertise and deliver reliable, engaging coverage of golf experiences world-wide.

“No press releases or agency content can match the credibility and authenticity of third-party media that have no vested interest in the success or failure of a golf course, resort or sporting event,’’ McNeilly said. “The most important thing is for our members to respect the history and heritage of our organization.’’

GTWA dates back 21 years when it was a labor of love for the creators, Bruce Vittner and John Edwards. They wanted to create a forum for freelance writers. Golf travel writing has changed a bit since the founding in 2005.

“The landscape continues to change rapidly, as most credible storytellers in media centers or on assignment are not full-time employees,’’ said McNeilly.  “I’m not sure those craving amplification for their businesses fully understand the decline in staff and budgets at news organizations and really appreciate the broad reach and dedication of our members.’’

For working media who meet the qualifying criteria, membership provides meaningful benefits, access to a network of experienced peers, opportunities for collaboration, professional development and increased visibility with a dedicated community focused on the craft.  It also connects writers with industry partners, tourism groups and destinations.

“That makes GTWA an ideal place to grow professionally, stay informed and strengthen one’s presence in the golf media landscape,’’ said McNeilly. “Everything starts with a conversation.  We’re moving into a more modern era, and we also want to be seen as the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for those who travel and write about a sport we all deeply care for.’’

This year’s transition began with the crafting of revised bylaws and a simple mission statement: `To inform and engage golf fans and participants with integrity wherever the sport is played, watched, attended, written about or visited.’’

Some members suggested that the organization needed a new name, but the majority quickly rejected the idea.

“We’ll always be doing something that involves writing,’’ said McNeilly.  “The GTWA is even more relevant, as we distribute on emerging platforms to more people than ever.’’

Incoming vice president Alan Darty, publisher of Golf One Media, led a team that has redesigned the association’s website to better serve the needs of a membership that includes broadcasters, podcasters and credible influencers who share the organization’s mission.

“Golftravelwriters.com is a one-stop hub for golf-related businesses to experience the quality work of our members and to connect with them,’’ Darty said.

McNeilly’s own career experiences should greatly benefit the organization.  For the past 14 years he has taught Sports Business at Full Sail University and writes about professional golf and destinations when he’s not in the classroom

Before that he was a senior executive at ESPN for more than a decade after beginning his career as an award-winning multimedia broadcaster, producer and writer with experience from four Olympics, 17 Super Bowls and many of golf’s biggest events.

In addition to McNeilly and Darty the  GTWA executive committee includes Dan Vukelich (secretary), Joy Sarver (treasurer) and this writer, as president emeritus. The organization is now based in Orlando, FL.  For more information visit http://golftravelwriters.com. Membership information is available there.

“We want to be welcoming,’’ said McNeilly. “So many people are multi-medium now. We’ve got to bring that mindset. The word is continuing to spread.  There’s ample opportunities for all contributors to provide value to the audiences and destinations that we’re serving.’’

Thomas Detry was a stalwart on some of coach Mike Small’s powerhouse teams at the University of Illinois, but he was in a more interesting position as a touring pro over the weekend.

Detry figured to be defending championship in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, one of the most popular PGA Tour events, until he made the decision to give up a full time PGA Tour card  to play on the  lucrative Saudi-based LIV Tour.

In that capacity  Detry made his LIV debut in that circuit’s first tournament of 2026, in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia. It wasn’t just the money that led to Detry switching circuits.  He likes team golf. LIV has it, the PGA Tour doesn’t. He also got drafted by a good team.

Dustin Johnson, captain of the 4Aces, made Detry his top draft choice. The 4Aces also had Thomas Pieters on its four-man roster and Johnson’s caddie and Detry’s bag-toter knew each other.

“I’ve known Thomas since we were 8 or 9 years old,’’ said Detry. Both grew up in Belgium and played collegiately at Illinois.

“Thomas and I grew up playing golf together,’’ said Detry.  “We hadn’t really seen each other the last four-five years so it was nice to finally be back together.’’

The fourth member of the team was supposed to be Patrick Reed, and Detry made friends with him immediately.

“I congratulated him after he won at Dubai (a recent European Tour event),’’  said Detry.  “I practiced with him and had lunch with him last week.  Then I got the news on social media that he had moved on.  It was a shock.’’

Reed, who bolted the PGA Tour to join LIV  for its first season in 2022, decided to follow another LIV original — Brooks Koepka — back to the more established circuit and he followed up his win at Dubai by capturing last week’s Qatar Masters as well.  Definitely a hot player, but Detry was still happy with his switch after Miguel Tabuena, of the Philippines, replaced Reed in Saudi Arabia.

“I always loved the team atmosphere,’’  said Detry.  “When I played in college I was always playing for something more than myself. Playing with DJ and good friend Thomas was a dream start on a new job.’’

Detry, now 33, played at Illinois from 2012-16 and was the Big Ten medalist as a senior.  He turned pro in 2016 and was ranked No. 22 in the Official World Golf Rankings a year ago.  He also got off to a fast start as a LIV player, gaining a share of the first-round lead in the circuit’s first-ever 72-hole tournament after posting a 65 in Saudia Arabia. He wound up in seventh place, which earned him a $2.2 million paycheck, and the 4Aces finished third in the team competition.  That meant the foursome will divide another $900,000.

Australian Elvis Smylie, also making his LIV debut, was the champion in Saudi Arabia, earning $4 million, and Chris Gotterup replaced Detry as the reigning champion in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He beat Hideki Matsuyama in a Sunday playoff to pocket a $1,656,000 paycheck.

“I enjoyed the week,’’ said Detry.  “I’ve got a team surrounding me and supporting me now.  It was a different environment than what I’d been used to.  I didn’t really know what to expect, or how I’d react to the music playing.  It didn’t bother me at all.’’

Adjustment is no problem for Detry.  He speaks four languages – Dutch, French, Spanish and English – and will use everyone as he splits time with LIV and the European Tour this season.

 

 

THIS COLUMN WAS NAMED THE WINNER OF THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF GOLF MEDIA AWARDS IN THE FEATURE WRITING CATEGORY. IT APPEARED IN THE JUNE ISSUE OF THE CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLFER IN 2025.

 

 

This month marks the 50^th anniversary of Medinah Country Club’s second U.S. Open. The first was in 1949 when Cary Middlecoff won the title.  The last was in 1990, when Hale Irwin was the champion.

The ’49 tourney was most notable for who didn’t win and who wasn’t there.  Middlecoff won by a stroke over Clayton Heafner and Sam Snead.  It was one of four runner-up finishes in the Open for Snead in the only major championship he didn’t win. Ben Hogan was recovering from a serious auto accident and didn’t play, and it was the last Open for two-time winner Ralph Guldahl, a legendary player in those days.

Then Chicago went 26 years before hosting another U.S. Open.

In 1975 the winner was Lou Graham, who took the title in a playoff with John Mahaffey.  It was my third U.S. Open as golf writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, and I eventually covered 27 of them, but, I’ll never forget my first one at Medinah. It’s etched in my memory book for lots of things besides who won. I’ve been covering golf  for nearly 60 yards, but I doubt it would have been nearly that long had the U.S. Open not been brought back to Medinah 50 years ago.

Back then the U.S. Golf Association didn’t schedule U.S. Open sites 10 or 20 years in advance, as it does today.  Medinah was announced as the ’75 site in 1972, and that changed a lot of things in the way golf was covered by the Chicago media.

Golf didn’t get nearly the attention it received once the word was out that Medinah had landed the big one. In that long dryspell  Chicago beat writers covered only local events plus the Western Open.

In anticipation of the interest the Open at Medinah would stir I was suddenly sent to the Opens at Oakmont in 1973 (where  little-known Johnny Miller shot a final-round 63 to win the title) and Winged Foot in 1974 (where Irwin survived on a course so difficult the tourney was dubbed the “Massacre at Winged Foot’’).

Things were a lot different at Medinah. The young hotshot, Tom Watson had won his first PGA Tour event in the 1974 Western Open at Butler National and started the Medinah Open 67-68 , a tournament record for 36 holes. He fizzled after that, shooting 78-77 on the weekend.

Frank Beard was the 54-hole leader, but he shot 78 on Sunday and tied for third with Hale Irwin, Bob Murphy and Ben Crenshaw. The playoff featured a PGA Tour journeyman, Graham, against a young star who would wind up a journeyman as well in Mahaffey.  The leaderboard had star power, though.

Jack Nicklaus, bidding for his fourth U.S. Open win,  had a chance to tie for the lead with a birdie putt on the 15^th  hole in the final round, but he missed that one and then finished with three bogeys and wound up tied for seventh with Peter Oosterhuis.

Irwin tied for third with Beard; Crenshaw, then a 23-year old hotshot who would go on to win two Masters titles and a Western Open;  and Murphy.  At 288 they were just a shot out of the playoff.

Arnold Palmer tied for ninth – his last top-10 in a U.S. Open — with Watson and Pat Fitzsimons. Future U.S. Open winners Ray Floyd and Andy North were in a tie for 12^th.

With Graham failing to get up-and-down from a bunker on the 72^nd hole, he and Mahaffey finished regulation play at 3-over-par 287 and headed to a Monday playoff. Graham opened a three-stroke lead as 12 holes and went on to capture his only major championship, though he did win six times on the PGA Tour.

Interviewing was more casual back then than it is now.  I approached Mahaffey while he was having breakfast before the Monday playoff, asked how he was feeling and he replied “Not so good.  I have an allergy to grass.’’

I didn’t think he was kidding, and Mahaffey did go on to win the PGA Championship in 1978.

Anyway, Graham shot 71 to Mahaffey’s 73. The winner’s check was only $40,000. U.S. Open winners didn’t hit the $1 million mark until 2002.  Graham was 11 strokes behind Watson at the halfway point, and that led to him making the biggest comeback by a champion.

Though golf’s bigger names didn’t match up to Graham and Mahaffey that week, there were no regrets about the drama the tournament provided and Medinah’s course proved a worthy challenge to the world’s best players.  The Chicago golf crowd was just happy to have a U.S. Open on home soil, and that soil at Medinah would get tested again and again – but on much altered courses.

Medinah members called for renovations of the No. 3 layout for the 1990 U.S. Open and then again for the 1999 and 2006 PGA Championships. An even bigger redo was just completed in preparation for the 2026 President’s Cup coming to the club.

Some footnotes from ‘75:

The low amateur was 22-year old Jerry Pate, who would win his first tournament as a professional at the U.S. Open in Atlanta the following year.

Chicago’s own Lance Ten Broeck, then 19 and headed for the University of Texas, was the only other amateur to survive the 36-hole cut. Pate was six strokes behind Graham and Mahaffey and six ahead of Ten Broeck.

Gary Groh, who won the Hawaiian Open on the PGA Tour before having a long run as the head professional at Bob `O Link, matched Pate’s 293 for the 72 holes.

Hale Irwin won the Western Open at Butler National the following year and captured his third U.S. Open at Medinah in 1990 in an epic playoff.  Irwin and Mike Donald battled through 18 holes before Irwin won on the first extra hole – in effect the first sudden death playoff in U.S. Open history.

Graham, now 87, won his last PGA Tour event in 1979.  He made 450 cuts in 623 starts on the PGA Tour and played on three Ryder Cup teams. After turning 50 he played on PGA Tour Champions through 2001 but never won on the 50-and-over circuit in 239 starts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEBRING, FL. —  Mike  Jamison, executive director of the International Network of Golf, started holding Fall Forums at the Inn on the Lakes Hotel in 2022, ending a run of annual Spring Conferences that started at Hilton Head, S.C., in 1990. It ran through 2019 when the Sebring Raceway Hotel hosted before the pandemic shut down the event for two years.

Whether held in the fall or spring, the ING’s feature event brought  media members together with golf industry leaders in a comfortable, productive setting . This staging was different, though.

While there were the traditional two golf outings on the four-day schedule, the presentations were  loaded with information on what’s new in the golf world.  Two – by Peakvision’s Dave Feaser and Tour Edge’s David Glod and Matt Neely – were done via Zoom calls.  The others, of varying length, were done in person.  All were captivating and informative. It created a perfect blend of fun and education and concluded with a Jamison announcement on a major change in the event for 2026. More on that later.

In the meantime, here’s how the latest Fall Forum unfolded.

RON GARL, the long-time Florida-based golf architect and ING member, has worked on over 300 courses around the world. We have long awaited the creation of a Ron Garl Golf Trail in Florida, and both courses played in this ING outing – Golf Hammock and Country Club of Sebring – were Garl designs.

A Trail must wait, but Garl provided a lowdown on his Florida courses and the many he has done internationally. The most striking part of his presentation, though, came when he addressed the state of the industry. He has some concerns, and suggestions.

“One way to grow the game would be for courses to offer free golf on Monday afternoons.  They’d be walking rounds after school is out, and the rounds would be free “only if you bring a kid. ‘’

He also suggested a different formula in purchasing season green fees.

“You don’t buy memberships,’’ he said.  “You buy tee times and you buy them for foursomes.’’

Thought-provoking?  I certainly think so.

TOUR EDGE’s Glod and Neely came from their headquarters in Batavia, IL., to provide a step-by-step  look at how clubs are designed and marketed. Glod especially knows the process inside and out, as he’s been doing it for over 40 years.

Some interesting sidelights:

“Yes, we’re using Artificial Intelligence in the design phases,’’ said Glod. “ You need to keep the guardrails on AI.  Otherwise you can get out of control, but  AI can take us outside the box a little more.’’

So, what’s the future of AI in golf?

“That’s a tough one,’’ said Glod. “Think about it.  A driver is extremely intricate.  It’s more for testing right now but we’re making human decisions.’’

Tour Edge has just come out with the first ball in company history.

“That was all driven by (new president) Tim Clarke, who came from Wilson,’’ said Glod. “We know our balls meet the standards, but we’re on the Champions Tour now (with most of its player ambassadors), and those guys are hard to change. We have a large presence there, but we’ve got to move on. Our next focus will be on the 30 to 50 year olds.’’

PEAKVISION started 25 years ago and owner and chief executive officer Dave Feaser and his son Nicholas bought the company in 2017. It’s based in Conway, S.C. Their present product is non-polarized sunglasses.

“That highlights everything,’’ said Feaser.  “They’re the only pair of sunglasses you don’t take off.  They provide wonderful clarity on the golf course. You can see the course like you’ve never seen it before, and they help on a cloudy day.’’

Jan Stephenson, the World Golf Hall of Famer, gave them a verbal endorsement during the Feaser’s presentation. He also says they’re good for pickleball and tennis and combat eye fatigue, but they’re not offered in prescriptions.  Cost ranges from $100 to $160.’’

STEPHENSON also unveiled her latest business venture. It started with discussions about a movie on her life, but she didn’t like the script.

For now she’s working with Tony Leodora on a book about her life.  Leodora has already written Chapter 25 and predicts it will be “a blockbuster….I’m stunned every day with what she had to overcome.’’

“And we didn’t have to make anything up,’’ said Stephenson, who has – among other things – recovered from breast cancer. While the book will come first she believes the movie and/or a screen play will follow.

SID MINER, a Sarasota, FL., resident, stopped by to promote the National Association of Left-Handed Golfers.

This group was founded in 1936 and its annual tournament will celebrate its 90^th anniversary in 2026. That event is Sept. 22-27 in St. Paul, Minn., but the group has a full tournament schedule prior to that.  First event is the Florida State Championshp March 17-18 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

AND FINALLY, Jamison caught the Fall Forum attendees by surprise in announcing that the Spring Conference will return in 2026.  It’ll be held June 1-3 at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Ga. It has six 18-hole courses and Gary Lofano, director of marketing and communication,  welcomed the ING members on behalf of The Landings.

Jamison said there would be a limit for ING members, from 30-36, at this Spring Conference. More details will be available when ING returns to the PGA Merchandise Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. From January 20-23.

 

 

OCALA, FL. – An 18-hole par-3 course is unusual. More often than not they’re nine-holers.

This 18-hole par-3 is called the Skills Course at The Club at Ocala Preserve. It’s played as a par 54 with the shortest hole at 63 yards and the longest at slightly over 200 depending on your tee choice.

The same layout’s first six holes are called the Gallery Loop, and it’s designed for golfers with time constraints.  Want to squeeze in a few holes?  This one is for you.

There’s also a Players Loop, also six holes but designed with one par-3, four par-4s and one par-5.  Those holes range from 155  to 520 yards, a more diversified layout for players with limited time available.

And there’s more.

Tour the Players Loop three times and you have a full-fledged 18-hole experience that plays at 6,700 yards and a par of 72.

Even though the course is almost 10 years old, the hole routing is innovative or revolutionary, take your pick.

If you want to play a match – and members frequently do – there’s a Horse Course layout where players can select their own tee preferences. There are no defined tee boxes.

No matter what version of the course is played, the unique white sand bunkers are a strategic factor. The tees, where needed, are unusual, too.  They have only one marker, not two.  You can tee off on either side of that marker, wherever you choose.

Two other things you should know:  the course is built on only 50 acres (most 18 holers require over 100) and the scorecard – at least the one given us for the Skills layout – provided only the hole numbers and the pars.  There was no yardages and the hole handicaps were not listed.  There were just blank spaces for players to write in their scores.

In nearly 70 years playing this game I’ve never found a course like this one.

Ocala Preserve, called Trilogy when it opened in February of 2016, was designed by Oklahoma-based architect Tripp Davis and Tom Lehman, a long-time tour player with impeccable credentials.

Lehman, now 66, is a sometimes competitor on PGA Tour Champions but in his heyday he won the 1996 U.S. Open and also captured titles at two of the most prestigious PGA Tour events – the Tour Championship and Memorial.

For one week in 1996 he was No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings. In 2006 he was the captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team and in 2009 he won his first start on PGA Tour champions.  This man knows his golf.

Ocala Preserve is part of a 600-acre community that includes a seven-acre lake and a very pleasant clubhouse that has a great view of the course and the most enjoyable Salted Brick restaurant and bar. Walking, biking and hiking trails as well as a spa are also part of the community ambience.

While Ocala Preserve has a membership the course is open to the public on certain days each week.  For details check out www.ocalapreserve.com.