'God made this place to be a golf course'

Nestled on 450 acres near Ohio's Appalachian counties, Longaberger Golf Club, a 7,225-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills design, has drawn rave reviews from many of the PGA club professionals in the field for the 37th Club Professional Championship.

By Bob Denney, PGA of America

NASHPORT, Ohio (PGA.com) -– One of America's best public-access golf courses will host its first national championship Thursday, testing a field of 156 PGA Professionals in the 37th PGA Club Professional Championship.

This showcase event for PGA Professionals, featuring a $450,000 purse, is contested on one of nature's showcase stages, some 45 minutes east of Columbus. The 7,225-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills design covers some 450 of the 950 total acres that rest on the northern edge of Ohio's Appalachian counties.

"God made this place to be a golf course," said Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah, the 1995 PGA Club Professional Champion, who played for Brigham Young University in 1987 when the NCAA Championship was in Columbus. "They obviously didn't move much dirt. It's a neat, neat place. I like it. Someone had a hand in it, and someone more than us little humans."

The nation's finest PGA Professionals, representing 39 states and The Netherlands, will challenge Longaberger's demanding, sloping greens while bidding to win the Walter Hagen Cup and a first-place check of $60,000.

"This course is in really nice shape and a great place for this Championship," said Bill Schumaker of Columbia City, Ind., 54, the oldest member of the field whose 25th overall appearance marks the 20th anniversary of his 1984 national championship. "It's an awesome place. They've got to be really proud of what they've got here."

"The CPC is our national championship and I still think it's still very important. I don't know if I will keep playing a lot longer. But again, it's such a well-run tournament and it's nice to be around with everybody. I still enjoy the competition; I know I can't compete to win any more, but I can still make the cut if I play good. I enjoy the week."

Schumaker is on track to break the all-time record for CPC rounds played (77), which he shares with the late Larry Gilbert, the only three-time champion.

"I was talking to a guy whom was in the CPC when I won it 20 years ago," said Schumaker. "I bet from that tournament there aren't maybe two or three of us still around."

The 37th PGA Club Professional Championship, televised live by The Golf Channel to a potential audience of some 58 million, is presented by Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra; Buick and Club Car. The Greg Norman Collection, Amstel Light and Buckler are supporting sponsors. The Golf Channel is an exclusive media partner and the PGA Tour a contributing partner.

Don Berry of Brooklyn Park, Minn., the 2002 PGA Club Professional Player of the Year, won't be surprised by the course conditions.

"The turf is the same, the bentgrass greens and fairways remind me of our facility," said Berry, the head professional at Edinburgh USA Golf Club in Brooklyn Park. "This has got more elevation change and a little more trees than Minnesota courses. But, they are very similar. I feel I can adjust, I just hope my game can."

Defending Champion Tim Thelen of Richmond, Texas, who also won in 2000, is joined in the field by Schumaker and the following past Champions: John Traub of Rochester Hills, Mich. (1980), Brett Upper of Phoenix, Ariz. (1990), Ron McDougal of Deal, N.J. (1992), J.R. Roth of Flushing, Mich. (1993); Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah (1995); Wayne DeFrancesco of Baltimore, Md. (2001); and Barry Evans of Charleston, W.Va. (2002).

Chris van der Velde of Voorhout, Holland, an affiliate of the Georgia PGA Section, will be the first entrant to compete in the CPC who is employed overseas. He is the director of golf at Golf Park Groendael in the Netherlands.

The Championship began in 1968 and is limited to PGA members employed as golf professionals. Past Champions include legendary Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg and Bruce Fleisher. The top 25 finishers earn a berth in the 86th PGA Championship, Aug. 12-15, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.

The PGA of America, founded in 1916, is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.

Copyright 2004 by PGA.com. All rights reserved.