Sorry to inform most of the members reading this article, but the odds reveal that you probably aren’t among the top 1% of members who are scratch players.
Hopefully you accept our apologies for bursting any bubbles or offending our vast membership that is mostly made up of those with high single-digit or double-digit handicaps that play the game for the love of it and the camaraderie that it brings with it.
So now that we have that out of the way, EVEN if you aren’t a scratch golfer vying for the open flight club championship, there is still a place for you in SNGA tournaments. A very special place.
The SNGA offers tournaments for all players, but sometimes we, as the board and staff, think that our membership thinks that the tournaments are only for the best players. The facts are that we offer net tournaments and a special SNGA Tour for players just like you.
SNGA Tour Is Perfect for All Golfers
The SNGA Tour is a group of events that have been specifically created for avid golfers who want a more casual tournament atmosphere than the grind of our Championship Tour. The SNGA Tour is perfect for players looking for that enjoyment of the game, but desire something on the line to get the competitive juices flowing.
Golf with fun and meaning; it doesn’t get much better than that.
Our SNGA Tour events are open to all golfers, even non-members and every level of handicap, and are played at the top golf courses throughout Southern Nevada. Participating in SNGA Tour events will also earn points for golfers who are seeking Player of the Year honors plus each event offers gift certificates.
A year-long schedule is available and golfers may play in as many—or as few—tournaments as they wish. The SNGA Tour culminates with the annual playing of the SNGA Tour Championship at a prestigious Vegas golf course. As an example, the 2016 championship takes place at the stunning Bear’s Best Las Vegas, a Jack Nicklaus course.
Variety is also the spice of life on the SNGA Tour. There are Individual, Partner, 9 Hole and Skill Challenges in the form of a one-day contests and there is a format for every golfer. All events are flighted based on the handicap indexes of the players and typically include 2- to 3-flights depending on the overall size of the field. Golfers are able to choose the tees from which they are most comfortable playing. All events are open to both Men and Women. In fact, a team in the Partner Events can consist of two men, two women, or one of each!
The value offered to Southern Nevada golfers is unmatched when they play in an SNGA Tour tournament. Events are priced reasonably with the entry fee never exceeding $79 for SNGA Members. Join the premium SNGA Players Club and receive a hat and shirt plus $10 off on registration so it is only $69 per tournament and that includes cart and range balls.
The 2016 Tournament of Champions is underway at Rio Secco Golf Club! 54 players are competing in the first tournament of the year for the Southern Nevada Golf Association.
In the Championship Division, first round leader Jeremy May battled Jack Trent on the back side, but couldn’t hold the lead as Trent birdied the final 3 holes to win by 4 strokes. May ended up in second place with the 2015 SNGA Player of the Year and former PGA Tour Professional, Ed Fryatt.
Fourth Place went to Kelly Knievel, the son of Evel Knievel, with a two round total of 149.
In the Super Senior Field, Larry Keever held on to the victory over the two time Super Senior Player of the Year, Frank Abbott. John Kelley captured the Super Senior Net championship with a salty 65 net on the final day.
The Senior Division Championship went to John Turk, after holding off the likes of Steve Fink and Gary Carpendale down the stretch. Turk made a terrific up and down on the final hole to finish off against SNGA Senior Championship. The Senior Net went to Randy Burton, who is the defending Nevada State Senior Net Championship. Burton shot 141 Net after two day to clip Joe Rada by 5 shots.
Lastly, the Net Division winner was Paul Kulon with a two day total of 148 after the supposed winner, Mark Dudenuke, forgot to turn in his scorecard.
The next event on the SNGA’s Championship Series schedule is the Primm Amateur Championship on February 13-14.
Thank you to Eric Dutt, Todd Wright and the Rio Secco staff for hosting this tournament on this fantastic course! Rio Secco is one of SNGA’s favorite stops every year!
American Dream Can Be Realized Through Chick Evans Scholarship Fund
If you had the opportunity to listen to Tom Fitzgerald, the volunteer treasurer of the Southern Nevada Golf Association, discuss the historic, prestigious and meaningful Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship program, you would run through a wall to help him and his fellow Evans alumni and alumna bring the program to Southern Nevada.
The good news for the youth of Southern Nevada is that plans are in the works and successfully establishing the program in Southern Nevada could happen sooner than later, giving young caddies in Southern Nevada a chance to earn the lucrative scholarship.
Fitzgerald, who caddied at Broadmoor Country Club in Indianapolis as a youth, was a recipient of the Evans Scholarship and used the full-ride which includes tuition, room and board, to earn an undergraduate Business/Accounting degree at Indiana University.
“Earning that scholarship and taking advantage of it was the launching pad to the rest of my life,” says Fitzgerald, who is working with fellow alumni and other key golf leaders to bring the program to Southern Nevada. “Quite literally, this is the American dream come to life. I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t give back and try to help the next generation, just like I was helped as a young man.”
Chick Evans was a famed lifetime amateur golfer from Chicago who played the game for its purity, tradition and sportsmanship. He won both the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in 1916 (Bobby Jones is the only other golfer to ever do so), but despite massive pressure to turn professional, Evans remained true to his amateur roots.
He did, however, devise a plan to defer anything he earned from golf to help fund the Evans Scholarship. Evans worked with the Western Golf Association to create the program and over the last 80 years more than 10,000 caddies have earned scholarships totaling more than $320 million.
Currently there are 910 Evans Scholars enrolled at Big 10 universities or the University of Oregon or Colorado. In 2016, an additional 250 scholarships will be given away to worthy youth who serve as caddies.
Just recently, Jake Keady became the first youngster ever from the state of Nevada to earn an Evans scholarship and he is now enrolled at Oregon. Keady earned a 3.96 GPA in his first semester. In all, Evans Caddie scholars average a GPA of 3.2 and enjoy a graduation rate of 95%. The scholarship is valued at $70-80,000 annually for each student.
Fitzgerald says that while people and organizations are supportive of the idea about bringing the caddie program to Southern Nevada, the hot weather in the summer when kids are available to hit the courses is a barrier to entry in addition to other challenges. But he believes he and others are close to agreements with key organizations, leaders and golf courses that would bring the program to life.
Prospective Evans Scholarship recipients are judged on four criteria. The student must have good grades, have a true financial need plus be an all-around student. The kicker that makes it a challenge for student caddies in Southern Nevada to qualify is that to be considered for the scholarship, the student must have caddied at least a minimum of 100 rounds throughout their high school career. With very little opportunity for junior caddies at Southern Nevada caddies area courses, hitting that total-round minimum is nearly impossible.
The hard work and inspiration of Fitzgerald and others, including the 30 Evans alumni living in Southern Nevada, could change that soon.
WGA Caddie Academy Gives Female High School Caddies Opportunity Now
The WGA Caddie Academy was recently created to give high school girl caddies the chance to meet the required minimum of 100 rounds, even if they don’t live or have access to caddie jobs. The Western Golf Association’s Caddie Academy completed its fourth summer in 2015, providing a group of 43 female high school students from across the nation the opportunity to work at golf and country cubs along Chicago’s North Shore. Applications are now being accepted for 2016.
For seven weeks, the girls lived in the Northwestern University Evans Scholarship House and had a chance to caddie daily at one of eight participating clubs.
This unique program allows its participants – with an emphasis on minorities and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds – a chance to experience the benefits of being a golf caddie, from learning life lessons to being around successful adults. The girls are selected as freshman and give a three-year commitment to the program. Those who complete the program are eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship.
“The Caddie Academy provides a special, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for hard-working young women to be introduced to caddying and the sport of golf,” says the WGA’s Mike Maher, who helps oversee the Program. “Their ultimate reward is a chance to earn a full scholarship to college.”
Help the Cause
Fitzgerald and his group welcome support and hope to work with area golf courses, golf course owners and managers, and any others who are interested in helping the program blossom to life in Southern Nevada. Contact Tom Fitzgerald at 702.458.0800 or email him at TFitz551@aol.com.
SNGA Tournaments are for All, Not Just the Best Players
Sorry to inform most of the members reading this article, but the odds reveal that you probably aren’t among the top 1% of members who are scratch players.
Hopefully you accept our apologies for bursting any bubbles or offending our vast membership that is mostly made up of those with high single-digit or double-digit handicaps that play the game for the love of it and the camaraderie that it brings with it.
So now that we have that out of the way, EVEN if you aren’t a scratch golfer vying for the open flight club championship, there is still a place for you in SNGA tournaments. A very special place.
The SNGA offers tournaments for all players, but sometimes we, as the board and staff, think that our membership thinks that the tournaments are only for the best players. The facts are that we offer net tournaments and a special SNGA Tour for players just like you.
SNGA Tour Is Perfect for All Golfers
The SNGA Tour is a group of events that have been specifically created for avid golfers who want a more casual tournament atmosphere than the grind of our Championship Tour. The SNGA Tour is perfect for players looking for that enjoyment of the game, but desire something on the line to get the competitive juices flowing.
Golf with fun and meaning; it doesn’t get much better than that.
Our SNGA Tour events are open to all golfers, even non-members and every level of handicap, and are played at the top golf courses throughout Southern Nevada. Participating in SNGA Tour events will also earn points for golfers who are seeking Player of the Year honors plus each event offers gift certificates.
A year-long schedule is available and golfers may play in as many—or as few—tournaments as they wish. The SNGA Tour culminates with the annual playing of the SNGA Tour Championship at a prestigious Vegas golf course. As an example, the 2016 championship takes place at the stunning Bear’s Best Las Vegas, a Jack Nicklaus course.
Variety is also the spice of life on the SNGA Tour. There are Individual, Partner, 9 Hole and Skill Challenges in the form of a one-day contests and there is a format for every golfer. All events are flighted based on the handicap indexes of the players and typically include 2- to 3-flights depending on the overall size of the field. Golfers are able to choose the tees from which they are most comfortable playing. All events are open to both Men and Women. In fact, a team in the Partner Events can consist of two men, two women, or one of each!
The value offered to Southern Nevada golfers is unmatched when they play in an SNGA Tour tournament. Events are priced reasonably with the entry fee never exceeding $79 for SNGA Members. Join the premium SNGA Players Club and receive a hat and shirt plus $10 off on registration so it is only $69 per tournament and that includes cart and range balls.
Course Spotlight: Angel Park Mountain is an Arnold Palmer delight
Angel Park, overall, is billed as “the world’s most complete golf experience.” What is located at the facility lends proof to that statement because Angel Park features two Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole courses, a light par 3 course, a lighted putting course and driving range, a restaurant and bar with large patio area, plus a fully-stocked pro shop, and other amenities such as a junior program and member loyalty clubs. Angel Park is professionally managed by OB Sports.
The Mountain Course at Angel Park is a fun course to play. The course is a par 71 and measures 6,722 yards from the tips. There are sweet views of the mountains and the Las Vegas valley from the tee boxes, fairways and greens. Overall, the holes offer enough intrigue to keep a golfer’s attention throughout the round.
“Playing the Mountain Course is a great experience for a lot of reasons, but two of those are the views golfers get of the Spring Mountains one way and the entire valley the other way,” said Angel Park Head Professional Tony Blasius. “We have the best of both worlds when it comes to the views. As for the golf, the course isn’t overly long, but you need to be on point with where you hit approach shots into the greens because they are very challenging. The greens aren’t big as far as square footage, but there are a lot of slopes and there is plenty of movement on the greens. Sometimes you believe you have a downhill putt, but because of the natural slope of the terrain it could be level or even uphill. The greens roll very well and as I talk to you today they are rolling about an 11 on the stimp meter.”
The Mountain course opened in 1990 and has been a local and visitor favorite ever since. The course is located in Summerlin. The Angel Park patio has become a Happy Hour hotspot and features live music and other specials at certain times throughout the year.
Local golfers can sign up for the OB Sports Vegas Card loyalty program and earn discounts and free golf at Angel Park plus Legacy Golf Club and Durango Hills Golf Club, two additional OB Sports Las Vegas facilities. The card is available for $149 and guarantees members the lowest available rate at any of the courses plus free golf just for signing. A loyalty points system allows golfers to earn additional free rounds.
OB Sports offers member tournaments each July and December and golfers can play in two of the tournaments each month. Plus golfers also receive a free birthday round of golf and free rounds on the putting course and Cloud Nine short course plus free range balls. In all, golfers will receive a minimum of five free 18-hole rounds of golf in addition to the other free benefits, discounts and ability to earn more free golf.
Golfers also have the option to add the USGA/SNGA handicap service to the membership for $30. That gives members access to SNGA discounts and the ability to play in SNGA tournaments. Sign up today at http://www.angelpark.com/obsportscard.html.
Sue May is an institution when it comes to Southern Nevada golf. May has been pacing the fairways of area golf courses as a rules official for 25 years—in addition to working several U.S. Men’s and Women’s Open tournaments and other high-level United States Golf Association events—is being awarded the prestigious Ike Grainger Award on Feb. 6 on Coronado Island. May is scheduled to be recognized during the USGA Annual Meeting and Service Awards Dinner to be held at the Hotel del Coronado near San Diego.
The Award is named in honor of Isaac B. Grainger, who served on the USGA Executive Committee in 1945 and later rose to the office of USGA President in 1954. Grainger remained active as a volunteer in the years following his Presidency and was still a consulting member of the Rules of Golf Committee in 1994 (his and the USGA’s 100th year). Ike continued to serve until his death on October 18th, 1999, just short of his 105th birthday.
“I am extremely honored to be recognized for my service, but I guess this means I have been doing this for a little too long,” said May with a laugh. “I never thought I would make it 25 years, but it has been special. What really stands out to me are the friends I have made and the people I have met over those years. We are a close-knit family and I have become personal friends with people who I have served the game with during that time. That is what has meant so much to me and what I will always cherish.”
Appropriately, while May commented about receiving the award, she was mentoring others during a USGA rules seminar. In addition to overseeing seminars, May has helped organize rules officials and operate many of the biggest tournaments in Southern Nevada. She has worked the Nevada Open, numerous local amateur tournaments and also local and regional U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur qualifiers.
May has also written rules columns for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and other publications, and is always ready to give a ruling or assist another rules official with a question.
“I am thrilled to inform you that 2016 marks your 25th year as a USGA Committee Member,” wrote Emily von Doehren, USGA Senior Director in the official letter recognizing May for her dedication. “You are scheduled to receive the USGA’s Ike Grainger Award, which recognizes Committee Members serving 25 years. Congratulations on this marvelous milestone.”
There is no “May” about it. Sue is a worthy honoree.
Abbott shot 66 in the final round of the SNGA Championship to win at Cascata for the fifth consecutive time. This is Abbott’s third straight SNGA Championship and he has won back to back Cascata Amateur’s in the summer of 2014 and 2015. Abbott also took home his second straight Super Senior Player of the Year Award.
In the Super Senior Net Division, Jim Olsen shot one under par over 36 holes to secure the Championship. John Kelley finished in second, one back, with an even par total of 144 Net for two days.
In the Championship Flight, Mark Vukovich surprised everyone with a come from behind victory to win his first SNGA event. Vukovich chased down first round leader Ed Fryatt to win the championship by one shot. Fryatt didn’t go away empty handed though, the former PGA Tour player won his first SNGA Player of the Year since the early 90’s.
The 2014 Player of the Year, Kenny Ebalo, finished in third place with a score of 149.
In the Senior Division, Gary Carpendale proved again that he is the class of the field by winning another SNGA Major. Carpendale won the City Amateur Championship earlier this year for the fourth time in five years and on Sunday, secured his second Senior Player of the Year in three years.
John Turk finished in second place with a score of 150 for two days.
The Senior Net Championship went to Randy Westby, the President of the North Dakota Golf Association. Westby shot 152 net over the two days to win his first championship with the SNGA.
The Net Division Championship was decided in a playoff with Todd Kirby, Rob Zoine and Ed White competing for the award. All players tied at 148 Net for the two days, but Kirby ended up winning the Championship for his first major with the SNGA. Mr. White took second, while Rob Zoine finished third, but more importantly, secured his 3rd consecutive Net Player of the Year.
Thank you to Eric Dutt and his great staff at Cascata for making this a highlight on the SNGA Schedule every year. The support is important to keep our Association in the glowing position it is today!
The season end championship starts on Saturday at Cascata Golf Club when 47 players tee off at the SNGA Championship.
The player of the year will be decided in a number of different divisions as it is coming down to the wire. Here is a recap of the players and their point totals in each division:
Championship Division
Edward Fryatt – 1422.50
Darrell Lutey – 1014
Kenny Ebalo – 1005.67
Senior Division
Gary Carpendale – 1081.17
James Hill – 948.33
Brian McShane – 825.50
Super Senior Division
Frank Abbott – 1895
Jeffrey English – 726
Al Kueker – 624
Net Division
Rob Zoine – 990.67
Ed White – 911
Dan Rinaldi – 517
Senior Net Division
Jim LiCausi – 899
Brian McShane – 889.17
Randy Burton – 692.67
Super Senior Net Division
Tom Richardson – 1064.67
Frank Abbott – 854.67
Al Kueker – 650.67
The Points Races will all restart for the 2016 Season after the SNGA Championship!
TaylorMade Golf Experience, located on the Las Vegas Strip, was named a Top 50 Stand Alone Driving Range in America in the December issue of Golf Range Magazine for the second-straight year.
Las Vegas, Nevada –For the second consecutive year and the third time in four years, TaylorMade Golf Experience has been selected a Top 50 Stand Alone Driving Range in America, as deemed by the editors and voters from Golf Range Magazine, the official publication of the Golf Range Association of America. The combination of service, location, amenities and more helped secure the award for the Las Vegas local and visitor favorite.
The TaylorMade Golf Experience features a 113-stall, two-tiered lighted driving range in addition to a large clubhouse with retail area, state-of-the-art fitting areas including the outdoor Flight Deck Experience, short game practice areas, the Eric Meeks School of Golf, a lighted 9-hole golf course, and the new Flight Deck Bar & Grill. The facility is popular with both Las Vegas locals and tourists who are visiting the Entertainment Capital of the World. Celebrities and golf professionals also enjoy playing and practicing at TaylorMade Golf Experience.
“Once again, our service and commitment to providing the highest level experience to our customers has been recognized, and we are thrilled to accept this award,” said Kenneth Stauffer, Director of Operations. “The TaylorMade Golf Experience offers something for every level of golfer and we are always seeking new ways to make our facility unique and different, but our core mission is to provide the best practice experience possible and that is why earning this recognition is so meaningful to our staff and owners. We thank the voters for again selecting us and this will inspire to us to work even harder in 2016.”
The mission statement of the Golf Range Association of America is to harness the combined power of all golf range owners, operators and staff at all types of facilities to grow their revenues, enhance their careers and help grow the game of golf.
TaylorMade Golf Experience is owned locally in Las Vegas by the Boreta Family, but is jointly operated with TaylorMade-adidas Golf, the international golf club company. The late Voss Boreta, who was inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in 2015, was a golf retail industry icon who founded Las Vegas Golf and Tennis, a retailer which has been operating in Las Vegas for more than 40 years, in addition to the TaylorMade Golf Experience.
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, TaylorMade Golf Company sells golf equipment, footwear, apparel and accessories under the TaylorMade, adidas Golf, Adams and Ashworth brands. TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company posted 2014 sales of €913 million.
TaylorMade Golf Experience Highlights:
– 113-stall, lighted driving range with synthetic and natural turf hitting stalls – 10,000 square feet of retail space featuring TaylorMade Golf and other major brands – Master Club Fitting Professionals on staff – Indoor State-of-the-art Performance Center for demos and club fitting – Outdoor Flight Deck and Tour-Level Fitting Experience – Flightscope® Technology – Free Fittings with every club purchase – GC2 Smart Camera System & HMT Head Measurement in-use in Performance Center – 9-hole lighted Par 3 course designed by Robert Cupp – Putting greens – Short game areas – The Flight Deck Bar & Grill – Perfect host facility for events of any size – Located on Las Vegas Boulevard minutes from Las Vegas megaresorts and airport – Eric Meeks School of Golf
For more information about TaylorMade Golf Experience, visit TaylorMadeGolfExperience.com, follow @TMGEVegas on Twitter and like Facebook.com/TaylorMadeGolfExperienceLasVegas. Also available is the TMGE Weekly Email newsletter. For additional information and reservations, call702.896.4100. Address: 6730 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
TPC Las Vegas is the home of professional golf in Las Vegas, but for this winter you can make it your personal home of amateur golf. The annual 2015-16 TPC Las Vegas Winter Pass is on sale now and offers golfers 12 18-hole rounds of golf with cart, two additional 9-hole rounds of golf after 2:30 pm, 15% off food and beverage and pro shop merchandise. The cost of the card is only $650 (that’s about $50 per round) and another great benefit is you can share your rounds with your golfing buddies.
Rounds can be played from now through March 7, 2016. To order, visit the link or call TPC Las Vegas at 702.256.2500 ext. 1.
Players such as PGA TOUR stars Charley Hoffman, Ryan Moore, Scott Piercy, Bill Lunde and others play and practice at TPC Las Vegas. Now you can, too. Call or click here today!
SNGA Continues to Grow Junior Golf in Southern Nevada
About a year ago, when the SNGA staff and board of directors committed to operating and organizing junior golf tournaments in Southern Nevada, it was a seminal moment for the future of the game in the Las Vegas area. The SNGA—with the support of other major Southern Nevada associations including the PGA of America, Southwest Section, Southern Nevada Chapter, and The First Tee of Southern Nevada—created the Las Vegas Junior Golf Association and a quality first year of operations has been completed.
More importantly, plans for this coming year are in place that will build upon the positive momentum. SNGA junior programs are expected to see dramatic growth in 2016 and the organization will reach new heights on many levels. An expansive schedule of high-level tournaments plus the entry-level junior series have been set and juniors will, again, have the opportunity to play some of the best golf courses in Southern Nevada.
There are also plans underway for a new developmental program and other new opportunities for kids are in the works.
Also, we are thrilled that the winter issue of Las Vegas Golf and Leisure Magazine includes a large guide to Southern Nevada junior golf so if you are interested in learning more about the game, please pick up a copy and check out more about the evolution of junior golf here in Southern Nevada.
Also you can visit LVJGA.org for more details. Now is the time to be signing kids up for the various organizations so please take the time to make your child’s plan for 2016.
Also, we appreciate the support of our entire membership as we grow junior golf in Southern Nevada. Donations are always welcome. If you are interested in donating please contact us at (702)906-0839
Now is the time to take a moment to ensure that your membership with the Southern Nevada Golf Association is up-to-date and ready for 2016. If you are a member of a course or other club, you are probably OK and your membership has been automatically renewed.
But there are several official, associate SNGA member clubs. If you are a member of one of these, you need to be sure to renew so when the calendar turns to January 1, 2016, you aren’t left without a GHIN handicap or other services. The benefits of joining an association club are plentiful and include a handicap, the ability to play in SNGA tournaments, a subscription to Golf Digest and Las Vegas Golf and Leisure Magazine, and other benefits.
SNGA member clubs that need to be renewed:
If you are a member of one of the following associate SNGA member clubs, you need to act today to renew your membership. Call 702.458.4653 with questions or click to the following page to get started with your renewal: Click HERE
Thank you to Karl Larcom and his great staff at Coyote Springs for making us feel so welcome! The golf course is in awesome shape and should be played by SNGA members looking for a break from their regular Las Vegas routine.
Also known as the Long Putter Rule, players that use this anchoring method need to have an understanding of what this really means. The SNGA is here to help!
CLICK HERE to see the whole story from the USGA and tips about what you can and cannot do going forward.
The SNGA, along with every surrounding State and Regional Golf Association, will observe this new anchoring rule as of January 1, 2016.
