TPC Summerlin is the home of the PGA Tour’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and owns a deep history of golf moments. On Feb. 1, the SNGA’s Tournament of Champions is scheduled for the course and some new, local amateur history is sure to be made. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
Among the professional history at the course is Tiger Woods’ initial PGA Tour victory, and local pros Kevin Na and Ryan Moore earning PGA Tour victories. Moore became the first former UNLV star to win the local PGA Tour event and Na has won the Shriners twice, joining Jim Furyk as the only multiple champions in event history. Furyk has won it three times, each time with the final rounds being played at TPC Summerlin.
“TPC Summerlin is proud to host the 2021 SNGA Tournament of Champions,” says Mike Messner, TPC Summerlin head professional. “It’s an honor to hold such a prestigious event, with 2020 champions from the SNGA, WSNGA, and golf clubs throughout Southern Nevada. We look forward to seeing incredible play from all the competitors.”
The players in the Tournament of Champions field include club champions, Women’s SNGA champions, Nevada State Golf Association champs and SNGA champs. It is a who’s who of Vegas amateur golf, both net and gross.
The Field
Frank Acker
Four-Ball Championship Senior Gross
Clark County Senior Amateur Senior Net
Reflection Bay Amateur Silver Gross
Boulder City Amateur Silver Gross
Henderson Amateur Silver Gross
Frank Arone
Red Rock Country Club Championship
Red Rock Country Club Senior Men’s
Stuart Austin
Siena Golf Club Men’s Gross
Edgar Balagtas
Las Vegas Muni Boys Men’s Club Champion
Aaron Bartels
Henderson Amateur Net
Peter Bartmus
Chimera Silver Net
Boulder City Amateur Silver Net
Arroyo Silver Net
Cameron Barzekoff
Reflection Bay Amateur Championship
Anthony Becker
Four-Ball Championship Silver Net
Jason Berton
Las Vegas City Amateur Net
Arroyo Net
Charlie Berydas
Four-Ball Championship Net
Tracey Blake
Women’s Southern Nevada Amateur Silver Net
David Bondurant
Red Rock Country Club Championship
Red Rock Country Club Men’s Club Champion
Chris Boyer
DragonRidge Country Club Championship
DragonRidge Country Club Senior Men’s
Kim Braaten
Women’s Southern Nevada Amateur Gross
Red Rock Country Club Net
Red Rock Country Club Ladies Club Champion
Christina Brandt
Women’s Southern Nevada Amateur Net
Gordan Brixi
Chimera Championship
Gabriele Buonacorsi
Anthem Country Club Ladies Club Champion
Jim Cail
TPC Las Vegas Silver Net
Mike Calczynski
Coyote Springs Net
Patrick Carlin
Four-Ball Championship Senior Net
Reflection Bay Amateur Silver Net
Gary Carpendale
Las Vegas Senior City Amateur Senior Gross
Four-Ball Championship Silver Gross
Keith Carroll
Craig Ranch Mens Golf Club Championship
Margaret Cashwell
Tournament of Champions Women’s Net
DragonRidge Country Club Ladies Net Champion
Guy Cate
Craig Ranch Mens Golf Club Net
Sam Choi
Aliante Golf Club Senior Net
Attilio Cicchini
SouthShore Country Club Senior Men’s
SouthShore Country Club Senior
Ron Clabaugh
Tournament of Champions Silver Net
James Corey
Arroyo Senior Gross
Trevor Coss
Nevada State Net Amateur Championship
Bear’s Best Net
Cascata Amateur Net
Mark Dopheide
Las Vegas Senior City Amateur Silver Net
William Duenas
Nevada State Senior Amateur Senior Net
Kenny Ebalo
Boulder City Amateur Championship
Tournament of Champions Championship
Nevada State Mid-Amateur Championship
Southern Highlands GC Men’s Club Champion
Jeffrey English
Bear’s Best Silver Gross
Chimera Silver Gross
Tournament of Champions Silver Gross
Brady Exber
Southern Nevada Amateur Championship
Bear’s Best Championship
Four-Ball Championship
Tournament of Champions Senior Gross
Evagelia Faaesea
Las Vegas Senior City Amateur Senior Net
Cy Fernandez
Paiute Golf Club Men’s Club Champion
Steven Fink
Boulder City Amateur Senior Gross
Las Vegas Senior City Amateur Silver Gross
Brian Freymueller
Coyote Springs Senior Net
Henderson Amateur Senior Net
Kamdin Ganir
Coyote Springs Championship
Tom Ganley
Anthem Country Club Senior Gross
Scott Gardener
Paiute Golf Club Gross
Scott Gardner
TPC Las Vegas Senior Net
John Garrett
Arroyo Silver Gross
Fay Geddes
Women’s Southern Nevada Amateur Platinum Division Net
Tammy Gephardt
Nevada State Women’s Quad Net
David Golder
Tournament of Champions Senior Net
Josh Goldstein
Anthem Country Club Men’s Gross Champion
Morgan Goldstein
Nevada State Women’s Am Championship
Dario Gonzales
Nevada State Senior Amateur Silver Net
JJ Gresco
Clark County Amateur Championship
David Haddock
SNGA Championship Net
Royal Links Silver Net
Mike Hayes
Anthem Country Club Net Match Play Men’s
Brooke Hempel
Los Prados Golf Ladies Club Champion
Ronda Henderson
Nevada State Women’s Partners Gross
Women’s Southern Nevada Amateur Silver Gross
Tournament of Champions Women’s
Boulder City Golf Course Boulder City Women’s
Tony Herrell
Henderson Amateur Silver Net
John Horton
Tournament of Champions Net
Lisa Houser
Siena Golf Club Ladies Club Champion
Kathleen Howard
Nevada State Women’s Partners Net
Phil Huseby
Royal Links Silver Gross
Cascata Amateur Silver Net
Drew Hyde
Anthem Country Club Team
Jett Isoda
Cascata Amateur Championship
Sherry Jackson
DragonRidge Country Club Net
Nevada State Women’s Am Silver Gross
DragonRidge Country Club Ladies Gross Champion
Jimmy Jamie
Las Vegas Golf Club Net
Veronica Joels
TPC Summerlin Ladies Net Commissioners Cup Champion
Let’s face it … we all have a golf bucket list that includes a tee time at a world-class golf resort along with impressive accommodations. But for many of us, it’s usually just a wish that doesn’t come to fruition. For Mark Burton, he can now check this item off his list as he won the SNGA-sponsored ‘The Bucket List Sweepstakes-Play Pebble Beach.’ contest. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider. staff
The contest, which drew more than 15,000 entries, featured a prize package that includes two nights at The Lodge of Pebble Beach, two rounds of golf–one at Pebble Beach and one at The Links at Spanish Bay–and $500 to cover caddie fees. Overall, it winds up being a $5,000 experience. Stick close to SNGA.org for information on future contests and other member benefits.
Burton sees winning the contest as amazing, but feels a bit guilty because he is a relatively new golfer.
“I’m certainly lucky to have won this trip which is every golfer’s dream,” the 71-year-old said. “But I’ve only been playing golf since 2016, so I’m definitely a newbie.”
He said once he started playing golf he found out he needed to have a handicap to play in tournaments, so he turned to the SNGA. That led to him receiving e-mails from the association, which included the latest one about the bucket list contest.
The rest, as they say, is history. And now, Pebble Beach is in his future.
“With the COVID situation, I’m not sure when I’ll be able to go, but I’m working on my game to get better,” said Burton, who retired after working in the finance and investment world.
He added he’s been working with Ryan Mills.
“I bought a lessons package from him and made a commitment to improve my game,” he said.
Helping bring the contest to fruition was Brian Foster, former Executive Director of the SNGA. Foster is now the Managing Director of the National Golf Association Media Network, the group that helped set up the promotion.
“Our primary goal is to help state and regional golf associations grow their memberships, and events like this help a lot,” Foster said. “It’s definitely an impressive prize package.”
Foster said the association’s group has a variety of packages they offer, with more in the works.
“We run contests with Pebble Beach and Cabo San Lucas,” he said. “We’ve also worked with local PGA sections to offer winners free golf for a year.”
Also helping put the contest together was Greg Knuth, founding member and U.S. director of Underpar.com. The company’s main business is offering players access to golf courses at reasonable prices. But they also reach out to golfers with platforms, such as this contest.
“Places like Pebble Beach want to reach avid golfers and this type of event is a great benefit for everyone,” Knuth said. “We’ve had a lot of good dialogue with Pebble Beach. We talked to them about the benefit of giving someone a chance to win the trip and what good will that would have for them. And at the same time it gives the association a chance to attract new members with this kind of prize package.”
In the end, Burton has a simple outlook on his trip to one of golf’s most prestigious sites.
“I just want to do my best out there and have fun,” he said. “Every once in awhile I have a pretty good round so that helps me stay positive. I’m hoping to have a good score on at least one hole to make myself proud.”
Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame inductee and golf executive Eric Dutt, and RecruitLook Junior Golf Tour director and experienced media host Tommy Canale, have created The Gof Zone podcast, which will dive into many unique topics surrounding the world of golf including feature interviews with Tour players, golf tips and instruction, course and trip information, and more. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
“The Golf Zone is everything you can think of pertaining to the world of golf,” says Canale. “We discuss all golf related topics; this includes current and past PGA Tour Players, golf industry professionals, celebrities who love the game, junior golfers and junior golf events, golf resorts, golf tips, and more. Our goal is to have fun, bring you great content, offer some excellent golf tips/advice, and bring you a different perspective on the game of golf.”
The first episodes are launched and guests included Chip Beck, who shot the fabled 59 at the PGA Tour’s Las Vegas Invitational, Don Rea, Secretary of the PGA of America and owner of Augusta Ranch Golf Club in Arizona, John Swantek, Producer & Talent at PGA Tour/Host of Talk of the Tour Podcast, Rees Jones, the esteemed Golf Course Architect known as the U.S. Open Doctor and Ed Gowan, Executive Director-AZ Golf Association, among others.
Episodes also feature sponsors that offer listeners special offers and deals. Among the recent deals were 25 percent off green fees at Reflection Bay and $4 off the unique Fly Band Band.
The Beck interview featured great stores about Sam Snead, JC Snead, Lee Trevino and Chi Chi Rodriguez. Jones’ interview discussed his decades of golf architecture plus recent trends in golf course design and how to balance a quality golf experience for the player while also offering a feasible design for golf course maintenance and other factors.
Eric Dutt is the President of Resort Golf Partners with info available at www.resortgolfpartners.com and he currently also is director of operations of the Jack Nicklaus-designed Reflection Bay Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas.
He began playing golf in Las Vegas at the age of six. By the age of 10, he was working at a golf course. He played collegiate golf at Purdue from 1977- 1981 where he won three individual titles in his four years as a Boilermaker. His team won the 1981 Big Ten Collegiate Conference Title. At age 17, Dutt won the Nevada State Amateur. He’s been in the golf business since the age of 21.
Dutt’s golf career since then includes helping run PGA, LPGA and Senior PGA Tournaments in Las Vegas and overseeing various Las Vegas Courses including the Badlands, Rio Secco, Cascata and Reflection Bay. He worked closely with Butch Harmon for twenty years and is now President of his own company, Resort Golf Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in high end resort golf course operations.
Dutt was inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in 2008.
Tommy Canale is the host of “Before the Lights” podcast in addition to The Golf Zone podcast.
Canale has a vast background in public speaking, mobile disc jockey and as an on-air radio personality. He holds a Dual Master’s Degree in Sports Management and Sport Coaching, served as an Athletic Director/Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Illinois Valley CC for seven years.
Tommy is the Director of the RecruitLook Junior Golf Tour, operated the Streator Junior Invitational, founded the Streator Junior Golf Association, and currently helps high school golfers and athletes obtain a college scholarships. He hails from Streator, IL and currently resides in Las Vegas, NV.
This is it. This is your final warning. You MUST have provided an email address for you to access the GHIN products including the app and GHIN.com moving forward and as of Jan. 11! Also, you may need to reload the app on or after January 19, a key date.
This new process is being done “to improve data security and privacy, the USGA will be introducing Golfer Digital Profiles on Monday, January 11th. Each golfer will need a unique email address in GHIN to create a profile to access the GHIN Mobile App and ghin.com. Additionally, all minor golfers (under the age of 13) will require a guardian to manage their accounts. Please see the Minor Guardian User Guide and information about Digital Profile Preparation in the Tools and Resources section of the Admin Portal.”
FAQ About New Process
Q: Why and when will golfers need to create a digital profile with a unique email address to log in to the GHIN mobile
app and ghin.com?
A: In order to improve data security and golfer privacy, golfers will need to create a digital profile to access the GHIN
mobile app and ghin.com beginning in early January 2021. Users are required to have a unique email address to create a
digital profile and access the GHIN mobile app and ghin.com.
Q: How do golfers add an email address to their profile so that they can create a digital profile in January 2021?
A: Golfers can request that their Club Admin or the SNGA update their profile within the USGA Admin Portal.
Q: How will golfers access the GHIN mobile app and ghin.com with their digital profile?
A: When creating their digital profile, golfers will set a password for their account. A golfer will then log in to the GHIN
Mobile App and ghin.com with their email address or GHIN Number and the password they created.
Q: If golfers share an email address (e.g. spouse/partner), can they create a digital profile and login with the same email
address?
A: No, only one digital profile can be tied to one unique email address. The first person to setup a digital profile will
“claim” that email address. Another email address must be provided and loaded into the USGA for the other golfer
before a digital profile can then be created
Q: What if golfers do not provide an email address, how can they post a score?
A: If golfers do not provide an email address, they will not be able to create a digital profile and log in to the GHIN
Mobile App or ghin.com. They will be able to access a Club Kiosk or have a Club Admin post a score on their behalf.
Q: Since golfers under the age of 13 cannot supply an email address, how can they have their scores posted?
A: A minor (defined as age 12 and under in this scenario) will need to be tied to a guardian’s account within the USGA
Admin Portal. In January 2021, the guardian will see a “Change Golfer” link when logging in to the GHIN Mobile App and
ghin.com. Here the guardian can change who they are posting scores for. A score cannot be posted on the club/course
Kiosk by a minor as of the time of implementation of digital profiles. A Club Admin can also post a score on behalf of a
minor via the USGA Admin Portal.
Q: What happens if a golfer forgets their password?
A: There will be a “Forgot Login Information” link on the GHIN mobile app and ghin.com login page. The golfer will just
need to supply their GHIN Number or email address and a reset password email will be sent to their email address on
file. Additionally, within the Admin Portal, there will be a “Reset Password” button within the golfer profile that will
trigger a reset password email to the golfer
Obviously, there are plenty of puns to use when a person named Hawk takes over as treasurer of an organization, like Dr. Johnathan Hawk has for the Southern Nevada Golf Association in 2021. We’ll keep them to a minimum, but the first-year executive committee member will be “watching and observing like a hawk”, and looks forward to furthering the SNGA’s mission along with his fellow directors. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
Hawk brings meaningful experience to the role as he currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer of Nevada State High School, a network of eight public charter schools in Las Vegas and Reno, which serves over one-thousand 11th and 12th grade students in a real-college experience where they take college courses at the local universities and colleges in Nevada with the support from staff.
He is also ingrained in the game of golf as a participant in the SNGA net division, and the father of a daughter (Hailey) and son (Andrew) who play the game. Andrew is one of the top junior players in Southern Nevada and was all-league at Foothill in 2019 prior to the Covid-19 postponement. He is currently a +3 handicap and finished tied for 15th at the 2020 Nevada State Amateur competing against the best amateurs of all ages in the state.
For all of these reasons, Hawk, a member at DragonRidge Country Club, believed now was the time to give back to the SNGA and extend his influence to the organization.
“The game of golf is a lifelong sport with individuals at all levels and it has always been important for me to stay involved in my community and find organizations that fit my personal values of being healthy and helpful to others,” says Hawk about his new voluteer position. “The SNGA connects with these values and brings a tireless commitment to the weekend golfer to those challenging themselves to be the best. My mission is to watch the funds to allow management to carry out their business and bring value to the membership and my goals moving into a leadership position are to become more actively involved, assist in increasing membership and help provide value to the organization.”
Hawk played basketball at State University of New York College at Fredonia and then received his Master’s and a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but prior to his kids taking up golf about seven years ago, he was only a casual player. But in short order, he has become an 8 handicap as he attempts to keep up with Andrew, who first inspired him to get involved.
“About seven years ago, my son and daughter started playing the game, so it forced me to take a look at the game from a much more serious perspective,” says Hawk. “In the fall of 2017, my son challenged me to sign up for an SNGA tournament and I was a regular in the SNGA Net Division for a couple years.”
SNGA 2021 Board
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Kenny Ebalo – President
Sue May – Vice President
Debra Koch – Secretary
John Hawk – Treasurer – Note John is not new to the board but is new to the executive committee and position of treasurer
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Kenny Ebalo – President
Sue May – Vice President
Debra Koch – Secretary
John Hawk – Treasurer
David Roger – Legal Counsel
Frank Abbott
Andrew Bednar – NEW TO THE BOARD
Larry Goins – NEW TO THE BOARD
Ronda Henderson
Karen Herness – WSNGA Representative
Karl Larcom – PGA Representative
Kendal Murphy – SNJGA Representative
Tim Quinn
Hendra Wijaya – NEW TO THE BOARD
More About Hawk
Dr. Johnathan David Hawk is the Chief Operations Officer of Nevada State High School (est. 2004), a charter school that serves 1000 11th and 12th grade students getting an early college experience. Dr. Hawk’s main roles as the school’s visionary are big relationships, governance, R&D, keeper of the culture, creative ideas, and big problem solver. John was a former high school math teacher for five (5) years in the Clark County School District and trainer for the Regional Professional Development Program of Southern Nevada for three (3) years. Graduate of the State University of New York College at Fredonia and Master’s and a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is husband to Dr. Wendi Hawk and father of two children Hailey (18). and Andrew (16). He also serves as an at-large member of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce.
There are a lot of friendly golfers in Southern Nevada who volunteer to help the grand ole game, and at the top of that list is Connie Patterson, a longtime member of the Las Vegas Women’s Golf Association (LVWGA), the oldest and most historic women’s golf group in the area. Now the Member Spotlight deservingly shines upon her. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
Patterson was introduced to the game of golf as a 17-year old, but didn’t take to the sport officially until a move to Southern Nevada. But she made up for lost time, first starting to play casually before joining the Southern Nevada Golf Association for Business Women (SNGABW) in the late eighties. She then also joined the Executive Women’s Golf Association and also the LVWGA, which plays out of the historic Las Vegas Golf Club.
And she has made an impact on and off the course, serving in key roles and winning titles.
She served as President, Vice President, Secretary and WSNGA representative of the SNGABW, and President, Secretary, WSNGA Representative and is currently the Tournament/Playday chair for the LVWGA. She also served on the SNGA’s course rating committee for a short time and has volunteered at SNGA and junior golf tournaments in addition at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
On the course, Patterson has been the low net Winner twice in the SNGABW Club Championship and the gross winner (in her flight) twice. She also won the low net of the LVWGA Club Championship twice and is a former Match Play champion. She also has a winning record in the invitational tournaments sponsored by the various women’s golf clubs and has two career holes-in-one.
“The first thing I think about golf is how fortunate I am to be able to have golf as my number one pastime,” says Patterson, who retired from nursing in 2000 and has spent every Tuesday since playing with the LVWGA. “Spending those four hours outdoors, being challenged both physically and mentally, and enjoying the socialization means a lot to me. Plus there is a sense of belongingness when you are out there.”
As for the WSNGA, she believes the future is bright and is happy with how local groups are working together to grow the game.
“Women’s golf is becoming bigger and more popular, but golf continues to be best known as a man’s game,” says Patterson. “But the WSNGA fosters women’s golf and in its partnership with SNGA has afforded more inclusion for women players.”
The Boulder City Women’s Golf Association checks off all the boxes if you’re looking to join a club. Good players? You bet…some with plus handicaps. Challenging golf course? Yep…Boulder City Golf Course is one of the oldest in the Vegas area and also will test players. Friendly membership? Absolutely. Need any more reason to join? Well, they’ve got them. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
The Boulder City Women’s Golf Association, which was formed in 1974, has a membership of around 100 women–and that number is on the rise.
“We’re one of the fastest growing associations in the area,” said Sandy Jenkins. “A couple of our players are plus-handicaps and that encourages a lot of others to try and play against some of the best players around.”
Jenkins, who has been a member for 20 years, is a past president, a past vice-president and the treasurer more than once. “You name it, I’ve done it,” she said with a laugh.
Lynne Miller, the current president, added the group is just a fun-loving bunch of women who love their golf.
“It’s a great group of ladies,” she said. “We even have ladies who drive all the way over from Summerlin to play. We’ve got a diverse group when it comes to handicaps but the one thing is we’re all competing against the course.”
Ah, yes, the course. The group’s home course, Boulder City Golf Course, proves to be an ideal setting for the ladies. “It’s a good challenge but it’s fair,” she said. “And it’s reasonably priced.”
Jenkins pointed out that everyone is welcome. “We have a woman in our league who is in her 90s and still plays 18 holes every Tuesday, our play day, and is a really decent golfer,” she said.
Jenkins said a main reason for the association’s success is simple. “A lot of friendships have been formed through the group,” she said. “The group just has a great time.”
The association isn’t just for golfers. “We also have a few social members who don’t play golf but come out to help with our invitational and other festivities,” Jenkins said.
Miller said if you’re still on the fence about taking the leap and joining, they have a solution.
“Come and join us as a visitor,” she said. “You can play as a guest two times before you join in so come over, play the course, meet the ladies and then form your own opinion.”
For more information, call or text Peggy Allesee, membership chairperson, at 702.930.4550 or email her at bcgolffriend@yahoo.com.
‘Tis the season to enjoy time with friends & family, and spend time relaxing and focusing on our minds and bodies. When we think of a “beauty routine,” we most likely think of cleansers, masks, sunscreen, lotions and serums. LightStim and LED Light Therapy is a great way of treating your skin after or before a long day on the course and I am completely all about it!
I have been using LightStim LED skin treatment for the past 4 months as a part of my skin routine. For me personally, it has done wonders for my skin. LED Treatments were once upon a time available ONLY for professional application… and now, with LightStim, you can have self-application LED treatment in the comfort of your own home while watching your favorite television show and cuddling with your pets.
Here are a few Questions & Answers to know about how to LightStim:
What does LED Light Therapy do?
Much like how plants nourish themselves by absorbing sunlight, LED Light Therapy works naturally with the body to help eliminate fine lines and wrinkles, destroy acne, and reduce pain by emitting healing rays of red, and infrared light.
How often can I use LightStim?
Every day! This is fitness, for your skin, meaning the more consistently you use, the better your results will be!
Should LightStim be a part of your daily skin routine?
Yes! Consistency is key to getting the most out of LightStim. Once you reach you healthy skin goal, you can continue to use daily or use as part of your routine skin maintenance of 2-3 times a week
How long do the results last?
We’re constantly fighting the aging process and our body slowing down, so this can vary person to person. Consistency will always lead to longer lasting results. Many people reported seeing results lasting weeks or even months after pausing treatment!
Is LightStim for everyone?
LightStim is for everyone! All skin types, tones, colors, and health, no contraindications even through the FDA.
After using the LightStim can I be exposed to the sun?
Yes! LightStim will not cause sun sensitivity. With that said we’re still big fans of sunscreen as a partner in healthy aging.
Visit | https://lightstim.com/ to purchase your very own LightStim Therapy Device and let me know how you are loving you skin.
UNLV golfer J.J. Gresco (Championship) and former Silver Net division player of the year John Kelley (Net) won titles at the 2020 Clark County Amateur, which was held Nov. 21-22, 2020, at Boulder Creek Golf Club. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Championship
J.J. Gresco had an ace up his sleeve in winning the Championship Division.
Well, not literally up his sleeve, but he did have an ace during the first round and it helped him win his first SNGA title. Gresco, a senior at UNLV, also won the 2019 Nevada State Amateur championship and had an ace during that tournament.
Gresco had a hole-in-one the par-3 17th to get to one-under-par after the first day of the tournament. Up to that point he had a lone bogey to go along with 16 pars.
The second day he didn’t wait nearly as long for the fireworks display as his seven-birdie, no-bogey round helped him post a seven-shot victory. During the final round he had two stretches, one on each nine, where he put three straight birdies on the scorecard.
“The biggest thing is I didn’t make any mistakes,” Gresco said.
He said the first day was a weird one. He shot one-under-par with no birdies. He had the bogey on his second hole and his ace on the 17th with a bunch of pars scattered in.
“I just couldn’t make any putts the first day,” he said. “But it was an effortless round. It was a pretty easy week for keeping big numbers off the scorecard.”
He added the ace definitely gave him a boost in confidence.
“It was my fourth one and all of them have come in competition,” he said. “And I won three of the four events so if I get a hole in one there’s a good chance I’m winning that week.”
The hole-in-one came with a seven-iron from 189 yards.
“It kind of rolled in from the side,” he said. “There’s a bank in the middle of the green and we all knew it was there. It rolled about 20 feet and just trickled in.”
He noted that three of his four aces have come with his seven-iron.
Heading into the second round his birdie-less streak continued for the first three holes with pars. On the par-5 fourth hole he hit the green in two leaving him with a 15-foot putt for eagle.
“I was telling myself, ‘now watch, I’ll make this for eagle and still not have a birdie in the tournament,’ ” he said. “But I wound up with the birdie and that got things going.”
And in a big way. He added two more straight birdies and was off and running and on cruise control.
“My proximity to the hole was much better today,” he said. “Yesterday I was 15-20 feet away on most of the putts and today I gave myself much closer looks. And today the putts were dropping.”
Overall, the two days left Gresco feeling confident as he awaits, hopefully, to tee it up with UNLV again in the spring.
“I was pretty much in the fairway all week,” he said. “I hit almost every fairway. The greens I missed I gave myself great up and down chances. I really managed my golf game well this week. It gives me a lot of confidence going forward.”
Championship
J.J. Gresco, 71-65—136
Skyler Ngo, 76-67—143
Kyle Meade, 72-71—143
JJ Gresco
John Kelley
Net
John Kelley, the 2019 Silver Division Player of the Year, won for the first time in 2020 as he won the Net Division crown.
Kelley played his last four holes in four-under-par to rally for the two-shot victory. In his final round, Kelly posted two net eagles including one in that final three-hole stretch. He added six net birdies over the second day.
“It was really exciting,” Kelley said. “I don’t normally play in the Net event. I played Thursday and Friday in the Silver Net and then decided to sign up.”
He said the weekend play was definitely unexpected.
“I really played over my head,” he said. “The last two days I hit the ball really solid, kept it in play and made some putts. It seems so easy to do when you do it but it’s so hard most of the time.”
He said being in contention was nerve-wracking early in the final round.
“I was definitely a little nervous today,” he said. “I hit it in bunkers the first two holes. I bogeyed the first and then made a par on the second and then managed to straighten it out a little.”
He added his confidence will definitely be buoyed by this win…maybe.
“It should help, but I’m an amateur so who knows what the next round will bring,” he said with a laugh. “I’m old enough to know I don’t have this game figured out.”
LAS VEGAS, NV (Nov. 20, 2020)–Kelly Knievel (Senior) and Cyrus Whitney (Silver) won gross titles at the 2020 Clark County Senior Amateur while Frank Acker (Senior) and Tony Troilo (Silver) claimed net crowns. The tournament was held Nov. 19-20, 2020, at Boulder Creek Golf Club –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Kelly Knievel
Frank Acker
Cyrus Whitney
Tony Troil
Senior
Kelly Knievel picked up victory No. 5 of the 2020 season, rallying past Brady Exber to win the Senior Division title by a stroke.
It was definitely a streaky two days for Knievel.
He started the two-day event with a two-under-par round after getting off to a five-under-par run over his first seven holes. A double bogey on the ninth hole slowed the momentum and he played his final nine at one-over-par.
He started the second day bogey-par-bogey before he played the next five holes in five-under-par, a stretch that included an eagle and three birdies. He then closed out the final round with three birdies on his back nine.
“Who knows about golf,” Knievel said with a laugh.
Knievel said the eagle definitely turned the momentum around. “I got lucky and chipped it in,” he said. “I made almost every putt from there on in. It’s all about making putts and I made a lot of them.”
Knievel again laughed when asked about his success in 2020.
“I’m not hung over in the morning,” he said about his number of wins. “That’s got my game on a good, even track going forward.”
With five victories in 2020, are there goals going forward?
“I’m not a guy who sets goals,” he said. “You’ve just got to play with what you bring to the course. You’ve got to get the ball in the fairway, hit the green and make some putts. Golf’s not any more complicated than that.”
Senior
Kelly Knievel, 70-67—137
Brady Exber, 68-70—138
Todd Roberts, 75-68—143
Senior Net
Frank Acker posted his fourth victory in 2020 (fifth counting a team victory), but this one wasn’t the title he was hoping to win as it came in the Senior Net Division.
“It’s the second time I’ve won this tournament in the net,” he said. “I started off with a 33 on the front today and I was trying to win the whole thing but just couldn’t keep it up. But I played pretty good and I’ll certainly take the win.”
He said the par 5s wound up being the difference.
“Today I just didn’t play the par 5s well,” he said. “They are all gettable but I was never in position to birdie one. Whether it was a bad drive or one reason or another I just didn’t make any.”
He added the rest of his group took advantage of the scoring holes. “Kelly (Knievel) made an eagle and we had a couple of other eagles in our group,” he said. “You have to get those par 5s and I just didn’t get it done.”
He added his solid play recently has him optimistic.
“I’m just feeling better,” he said. “I’m going to physical therapy four times a week for my back and I’m getting more speed and stamina. Overall it’s pretty good. It’s nice to be able to swing a little bit.”
Senior Net
Frank Acker, 68-69—137
Jeff Coppens, 72-69—141
Terry Martin, 72-72—144
Silver
Cyrus Whitney won an SNGA title for the first time in almost three years, putting up 10 birdies over the two days in winning by two strokes.
“I had both hips replaced last year and I’m just getting back into form,” he said. “I’m back to feeling almost 100 percent. Obviously I’m very happy.”
He added he played two solid days of golf.
“My driving and putting were standouts,” he said. “I only had one bad drive and no three putts. And I had 10 birdies and for me that’s really good.”
He added an unfortunate situation could have spelled disaster but, in the end, no damage was done.
“I lost a ball on a par-5 but still parred the hole,” he said. “I hit a five-iron approach with the second ball to about five or six feet and so I made eagle on the second ball. I was just hoping to get out of there with a bogey and not derail my round and managed to make a par.”
Silver
Cyrus Whitney 71-70—141
John Turk, 69-74—143
Dan Parkinson, 73-71—144
Silver Net
Tony Troilo, who late in 2019 got back in the SNGA winner’s circle after a 15-year absence, won another title as he breezed to a 13-shot victory in the Silver Net.
Troilo posted three net eagles to go along with 15 birdies (nine net and six natural) in coasting to the win.
“My mindset was to not make mistakes on the greens and I didn’t have any three putts either day,” Troilo said. “I had a real good two days on the greens.”
He said even his mistakes didn’t hurt him.
“It seemed like even when I hit a bad shot it was bad enough that I still wound up OK,” he said. “I definitely had some luck.”
He said he played two steady rounds, something that usually doesn’t happen.
“I had six natural birdies so I’m happy,” he said. “I play this course a lot so I know how to read the greens. My problem is I usually try too hard to make the first putt and leave myself with a six-footer coming back. These two days I worked on lagging the putts leaving no-brainers for pars and a few of them fell for birdie. I usually have blowup holes but these last two days I avoided them.”
He added there’s no doubt which club in his bag he leaned on the most over the two days.
“When it’s this time of year, I can putt from anywhere,” he said. “That’s a big advantage. I can’t chip to save my life. When I have to chip I can bring any number into play.”
Yana Wilson and Riana Mission are two of the top young players in Southern Nevada and now they have even more proof of that as they teamed up to qualify for the 2021 USGA Women’s Fourball to be played at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. The 2020 event was canceled due to Covid-19. Mission and Wilson shot 65 in the qualifier at Las Vegas National Golf Club.
In true 2020 fashion, the result wasn’t official until it was posted on Instagram.
Later, via text, Wilson, who is homeschooled but plays for Coronado High, added the following:
“I just loved playing with Riana during the qualifier,” wrote Wilson. “We had each other when one of us was in trouble. And we were both focused and determined. She’s the best four-ball partner I’ve played with.”
Mission is a Clark High School senior and has committed to play at University of San Francisco and also won the Nevada State Junior 15-18 girls division earlier this year. Wilson is 14 and one of the country’s top players and a former champion of the Drive, Chip and Putt competition at The Masters.
Royal Blue is a “go to” golf color during any season. It looks so beautiful and stands out against the various greens that are found on the golf course. Royal Blue is also one of the most versatile colors and will make a statement by turning even the most average ensemble into something vibrant. Mixing and matching Royal Blue accessories will also enhance your outfit and give it more of a pop.
During the Nevada Women’s State Amateur Championship held at Reflection Bay Golf Club, we conducted a Project Fairway survey asking all the ladies what their favorite color was to wear on course. Many of the ladies chose and loved wearing the color blue when playing golf!
GREENS IN REGULATION (GIR)
Alignment is one of the most important parts of your basic golf set-up. It is also important to note that with proper alignment you will hit more greens in regulation which leads to lower scores. Here are three steps that I want to share with you on how I get my alignment in check so I can swing freely towards the target every time!
Step 1: On the practice range, select a mid-iron (preferably your 9 or 8 iron) and choose a target which best fits the distance you hit your selected iron. Once you have selected your target, stand behind the ball and place a long iron club or an alignment stick on the ground in line with your target line.
Step 2: Address the golf ball. Make sure that your feet, hips, shoulders, and club face are parallel to your club on the ground. Draw an imaginary line with your eyes from your alignment club to your target and back to your alignment club a few times. See your shot. Feel your shot. This will help you get comfortable seeing your target line and feeling the proper way you should align. This also will help you mentally be confident that you’re making all the right steps to hit a perfect shot.
Step 3: With the set up complete, it’s time to pull the trigger! Your alignment club will also help guide you with a proper swing path. Trust your swing and trust your alignment.
The PGA Tour Superstore is a major supporter of the Southern Nevada Golf Association and amateur golf in this area, and they are once again inviting SNGA members to save 15 percent from Dec. 2-5 during the SNGA Shopping Days event. Plus, check out the latest in golf gear and make sure to get custom fit by their trained staff.
“This is the perfect time to holiday shop or just come down and treat yourself,” says PGA Tour SuperStore Las Vegas area marketing manager David Connolly. “We like to say that if it’s on the Tours, it’s here, so come by and say hello and allow our experts to custom fit your clubs to help improve your game.”
PGA Tour Superstore is located in Downtown Summerlin. Please bring SNGA membership identification.
At PGA TOUR Superstore, we believe that everyone should have access to the latest in club fitting technologies and a knowledgeable staff FREE of charge. Stop by any PGA TOUR Superstore location to work with a PGA TOUR Superstore Certified club fitter and use launch monitor technology to analyze ball-flight characteristics, or to use fitting tools from all of the major manufacturers to get your shot pattern dialed in. We have the tools and expertise to help you with any aspect of your game, from being fit for the best driver to finding the putter that suits your game.
The Southern Nevada Chapter, Southwest Section, PGA of America, is excited to announce a new event that uses golf as a platform for giving back to the community. The new “Birdies for Good” fundraiser takes place on Monday, Nov. 30 at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Golf Summerlin. SNGA members can support a local PGA of America professional and help charity.
Several area PGA Professionals will play 72 holes, all in one day, in an effort to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas and the Southwest PGA Foundation. The pros hope SNGA members will support the pros as they “play for a purpose” by making a financial pledge for every birdie made by the pros that day. The professionals playing are Glen Lee, Matt Henderson, Jim Delaney, Troy Helseth, Travis Long and Tim Sam and include some of the top players in the chapter and former players of the year.
“Birdies For Good was started in 2p19 by the Southwest Section of the PGA, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities in Phoenix and after a successful inaugural event that raised over $47,000for the Section’s Foundation and RMHC, the decision was made to take the event ‘section-wide’ in ’20 to include the Las Vegas and Tucson Chapters of the Southwest Section,” says Pat Kreger, Southern Nevada PGA executive director. “The event enables local professionals to raise funds for the Chapter’s Foundation initiatives (PGA Hope, PGA Jr. League, etc.), as well as for all the great RMHC programs, through the game our professionals love and have dedicated their careers and lives to helping.”
To donate, SNGA members can visit BirdiesforGood.com then simply choose the Las Vegas area professional you would like to support, as well as the amount per birdie you would like to contribute on behalf of each professional. Participants will complete 72 holes on a ‘Par 3’ layout for the event. Sponsorship and major gift opportunities are available by contacting Pat Kreger, Southern Nevada Chapter PGA Executive Director, at (312) 576-0045 or pkreger@pgahq.com.
Las Vegas National Golf Club, site of the 2020 SNGA Tour Championship Dec. 3, has crowned dozens of PGA Tour and LPGA Tour champions in its long history, which dates back to 1961 when it opened as the Stardust Country Club. That opening year, the course hosted the LPGA Championship, a major, which was won by future hall of famer Mickey Wright. Some seven or so decades later, the course still determines champions when it comes to high-level local and regional amateur tournaments and USGA qualifiers. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
“This is a special place and is a very appropriate host course for the year-end tournament of the SNGA Tour,” says Joe Kelly, director of marketing and operations and a member of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame. “It’s a great combination of a historic golf event, hosted by a historic Las Vegas golf club for the oldest golf organization in the state of Nevada. It’s a true golf trifecta.”
The SNGA Tour is a series of one-day tournaments on the SNGA schedule that includes six divisions, championship, senior and silver in both net and gross. The Tour championship celebrates the end of the 2020 season with many of the top players competing. Many new players and different winners were highlights of the 2020 season.
“We always like to tell our players that the 1-day SNGA Tour events are a good stepping stone to our 2-day championship series events,” says Tim Brand, SNGA director of rules and competitions. Someone can give a 1-day event or a couple of 1-day events a try and get a feel for tournament golf and then decide if they would like to continue to play tournament golf and/or step up and play in a 2-day championship. The Tour Championship is a nice way to end our season and Las Vegas National is a perfect course for it.”
Besides Mickey Wright, other champions crowned at events at Las Vegas National at either the Sahara Invitational, LPGA Championship or Las Vegas Invitational include Tiger Woods, Sandra Haynie, Lanny Wadkins, Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus, among many others.
Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City has quietly and confidently built an extremely solid reputation as a tournament host course. That will happen when a layout has been a host facility for high school events, top amateur tournaments, college events and qualifiers for PGA Tour tournaments. And recently the course was named as a host facility for several NCAA golf championships and, as has become an annual tradition, the course will host the SNGA Clark County Amateur and Senior Amateur. The CC Senior Am is set for Nov. 19-20 and the regular CC Am is Nov. 21-22. — By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
The NCAA selection committed voted to hold the Division III men’s national golf championship in 2024, the Division II women’s national golf championship in 2025 and the Division II men’s 2026 national championship at Boulder Creek. General Manager Andy Schaper and head professional David Enyeart worked with Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas Events and NCAA officials to earn the tournaments.
“Boulder Creek is so well-known in golf,” Lisa Motley, LVCVA director of sports marketing, told the Boulder City Review about the honor. “Three events being awarded to one venue is almost unheard of.”
Schaper and Enyeart are also thrilled and it continues to build the strong tradition at Boulder Creek, which was designed by Mark Rathert, who still keeps an eye on things at the layout.
“I am very proud of the golf course at Boulder Creek and it was our vision to create a golfing experience for the municipal golfer that would emulate traits found at the exclusive clubs in Las Vegas,” Rathert told me earlier in 2020. “The course design took advantage of the natural sandy terrain and was accentuated with lakes, streams and waterfalls to provide an oasis feel on many holes. The design promotes long-term sustainably for maintenance requirements, while also offering quality conditions at an affordable price per round.
“The design concept for Boulder Creek embraces each nine having three environments that include desert, arroyos and water hole oasis. That keeps the holes from becoming monotonous. With that said, my favorite holes are those that offer choices from the tee such as #2, #7 and #9 on Desert Hawk and #4, #7, and #9 on Coyote Run. One feature incorporated into my green designs was taking advantage of the site scale where putts often look uphill or downhill, but are actually much less severe than they look or feel. The good player has to keep in mind the site slopes toward the dry lake far off in the distance and has a great influence on what is level or not.”
The top players in the SNGA now play the course, which has become the traditional spot for the County Amateur. In 2019, Kelly Knievel (Senior) and Patrick Woerner (Silver) came away with gross titles while Joe Rada (Senior) and Tony Troilo (Silver) won net titles. In the regular amateur, Ty Sullivan won the championship division and Joel Reinoehl won net.
“Boulder Creek is a modern, resort-style course within a natural desert landscape and more wide-open spaces than Boulder City Golf Course,” says Enyeart. “I love the fact that when you are playing Boulder Creek, each hole has its own individual characteristics and qualities. It’s also a fair, but challenging course. And even though it is played in a desert setting, it shouldn’t be confused with a desert course because there are minimal forced carries and the holes are laid out right in front of you.”
