Harvey Penick's old stomping grounds set for renovation
October 6, 2012 - 6:30pm
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John Holmes
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Harvey Penick
The PGA of America
PGA instructor Harvey Penick, shown here with a student in 1975, spent his life helping golfers improve their games.

Harvey Penick, the legendary instructor of major winners Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite as well as generations of other golfers, got his start in golf as a caddie at Hancock Park Golf Course in Austin, Texas. And now, the venerable city-owned course is scheduled to get a long-overdue renovation.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, the goal of the makeover is to return the course to "something close to its origins, starting with an extensive irrigation project." There also are plans to re-route the current nine holes to something similar to the original 18-hole layout, the paper said, adding that some interested groups are trying to obtain an historical designation for the property.

"We want to keep Hancock operating as a golf course, and we want to improve its condition and make it more playable and enjoyable for everybody," City of Austin Director of Golf Kevin Gomillion told the Statesman. "It actually is not a lot of land, only 40 acres. In recent years it has been used mostly by beginners and retirees. At the same time, it’s not an easy course. So, we want to improve the conditions, re-shape some of the holes and make it playable for everybody."

No specifics on the budget or timetable for the work have yet been released.

Founded in 1899 just north of downtown, Hancock Park is Austin’s oldest golf course as well as the oldest continually operating course in Texas.

Hancock was the original home of Austin Country Club, which the newspaper called "the center not only of golf, but of the elite of Austin society." In 1950, Austin Country Club moved and sold the course to the City of Austin, which then sold off the front nine and kept the back nine as a nine-hole course. Over the years, it became neglected and run down.

Penick began caddying at Hancock Park during his grade-school years, and became the head professional after graduating from high school in 1923 – the club asked him to take over while he was still a student, but his parents wouldn’t let him. He left the Hancock location when Austin Country Club relocated in 1950, eventually serving as head professional for almost half a century.

Among his students were World Golf Hall of Famers Crenshaw and Kite, as well as Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls and Kathy Whitworth. Other outstanding students included Sandra Palmer, Terry Dill, Don Massengale Rik Massengale and Davis Love Jr., who went on to become a prominent instructor in his own right and the father of Davis Love III. Penick also served as head coach at the University of Texas from 1931 to 1963, and led the Longhorns to 21 Southwest Conference championships in 33 years.

Penick was honored by the PGA of America as its Teacher of the Year in 1989, and in 1992 he and co-author Bud Shrake wrote “Harvey Penick's Little Red Book,” which became the biggest-selling golf book ever published. He died in 1995, and in 2009 was posthumously inducted into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame.

 
Michael Phelps sinks 153-foot putt
October 5, 2012 - 5:34pm
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John Holmes
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Michael Phelps and Oscar Pistorious
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Michael Phelps (l) and Olympic runner Oscar Pistorious posed for a photo after both lost their balls in the tall grass on the third hole at Kingsabarns on Friday.

Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps plays to a 16-handicap, but he looked like a major champion on one hole Friday.

Phelps is playing this week in the European Tour’s Dunhill Links Championship, a pro-celebrity event similar to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on the PGA Tour, held each year on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

Phelps hit his drive on the par-4 sixth hole at Kingsbarns up to the front edge of the green. From there – 51 yards away from the pin – he pulled out his putter, gave it a rap and watched the ball roll – and roll, and roll – right into the hole. In all, it took the ball about 17 seconds make its journey from putter to cup – that’s about as long as it takes Phelps to swim 50 yards.

With his handicap, Phelps’ eagle-2 became a net hole-in-one.

''That was the longest putt I've ever holed,'' said Phelps, the owner of 18 Olympic gold medals. ''It was pretty incredible, watching it dive in was a pretty cool feeling. So to be able to have a net hole-in-one was pretty special.

Elsewhere this week, Phelps has been playing to his handicap. He and pro partner Paul Casey finished 36 holes at 9 under – 12 shots behind the team leaders, Thongchai Jaidee and his amateur partner, Hugh Courtney Jr.

For more coverage of the Dunhill Links, click here.

 

 
Intangibles punctuate Couples entry into Hall
October 5, 2012 - 4:30pm
Posted by:
John Kim
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Fred Couples
The PGA of America
Fred Couples has meant more to golf than an already impressive number of wins and accomplishments

 

One item that's been making the buzz around golf circles over the last few weeks - including at the Ryder Cup, has been out loud debates over the merits of Fred Couples as the most recent inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame.  
 
My reaction has been consistent, which is to say: "Are you kidding me? Who's questioning this?"
 
Yes, the numbers are the numbers and I won't argue that there are golfers - some that will not end up immortalized in St. Augustine - that have comparable or even better lifetime stats. Still, 15 wins and a major championsihp on the PGA Tour and 8 more wins on the Champions Tour - as well as his influence and participation as a Ryder Cup player and assistant captain (and a recurring role as captain of the Presidents Cup) is nothing to sneeze at. 
 
There are a million places to view his career accomplishments, no need for me to list them all.  But if you really want, here's a good listing of his golf resume. 
 
And how do you measure perhaps the greatest impact of Fred Couples career and influence on golf - his ability to attract fans and players to the game? I've been to a few Champions Tour events - and there's basically Fred Couples and everyone else (in terms of crowd size).  Heck, I've been to a few practice rounds at the Masters and there aren't five players out there that draw a bigger crowd.  Isn't that the type of golfer we should be celebrating?
 
Tom Spencer of CBS Sports recently wrote a great piece about Couples and his induction into the Hall of Fame.  Take a look and appreciate that Couples' career and contributions certainly deserve to be a permanent fixture in the history of the game.
Mickelson's big shot on 'Monday Night Football'
October 5, 2012 - 12:11am
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John Holmes
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Phil Mickelson
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Phil Mickelson will try to generate cash for children's literacy at an upcoming San Diego chargers game.

Phil Mickelson is one of the new owners of the San Diego Padres, but his next sporting appearance will be with his hometown Chargers. And, in typical Mickelson fashion, there’ll be big money on the line.

At halftime of the Monday Night Football game between the Chargers and the Denver Broncos on Oct. 15, Mickelson will take to the field and try to win as much as $1 million for charity with his vaunted short game. In the "KPMG Chip 4 Charity," Mickelson will tee it up in one end zone of Qualcomm Stadium and take aim at the other end zone to win money for First Book, a non-profit organization that provides new books for needy children.

In that far end zone will be a green and three rings. If Mickelson hits the green, he’ll win $50,000 – enough to buy 20,000 books. A shot that ends up inside the rings would net him anywhere from $100,000 (40,000 books) to $1 million (400,000 books). The money will be donated by KPMG, which also sponsors Mickelson on the PGA Tour.

KPMG’s Family for Literacy program teamed with Mickelson and First Book to create the "Blue for Books" program in March 2012. That program encourages golf fans to purchase Mickelson’s authentic blue KPMG Tour hat at www.PhilsBlueHat.com. KPMG donates all the net proceeds to First Book, which provides deserving children three books for each hat sold.

"My wife, Amy, and I, feel strongly that literacy and education are critical to the future success of today’s youth," said Mickelson. "I am extremely proud to be part of the Blue for Books campaign and it’s just great to know that for every blue hat I see out in the gallery each week, three new books are in the hands of kids who need them most." 
Get Golf Ready at Troon facilities this month
October 3, 2012 - 5:49pm
Posted by:
John Holmes
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Troon North Golf Club
Courtesy of Troon Golf
Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., will host its Get Golf Ready Clinic on Oct. 27.

Are you ready to Get Golf Ready? You still can, even though autumn is here.

In conjunction with the PGA of America's Get Golf Ready program, more than 70 Troon Golf facilities across the United States are hosting introductory golf clinics specifically designed to introduce juniors and beginners to the game in a fun, affordable and educational way.

The clinics are being held throughout the month of October. And to make them accessible to as many people as possible, participation costs only $20 for adults, while juniors 17 years of age and younger are free. Each golfer also will be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of five Callaway Golf starter sets. At the conclusion of each clinic, participants will be able to continue their pursuit of the game by registering for a Get Golf Ready program, which includes five additional instructional classes starting at just $99.

"Growing participation in our game is critical to the success of our industry," said John Easterbrook, Troon’s executive vice president of operations. "We take our responsibility very seriously to be a leader in growing the game and by partnering with the PGA of America, we are confident that our combined efforts will make a strong impact on encouraging more people to experience the joy and entertainment that golf provides. We strongly believe that making beginners' introduction to golf more fun and affordable will result in more dedicated players adopting the sport."

Entering its fourth year, Get Golf Ready has introduced golf to thousands of people who had never played golf or had minimal experience in the game. Participants learn the basics of chipping, putting, full swing, half swing and bunker play, as well as how to use and maintain golf equipment, keep score and navigate the course. Significant on-course learning opportunities are part of each lesson, as well as background on the game's rules, etiquette, history and values.

To sign up for a clinic and to view a complete list of facilities participating in Troon's Player Development Month, visit www.TroonGolf.com.

For more information on the Get Golf Ready program, visit: www.playgolfamerica.com/ggr.
Ryder Cup TV ratings best since 1999
October 1, 2012 - 3:46pm
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John Holmes
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Ryder Cup on TV
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The ratings for this Ryder Cup are up about 20 percent over the last Ryder Cup held in the United States.

The Ryder Cup's final day drew its highest preliminary TV rating since the last big comeback 13 years ago, NBC Sports said on Monday.

Sunday's coverage earned a 4.1 overnight rating and 9 share, NBC told the Associated Press. That was the best since a 6.3/15 for the U.S. comeback in 1999 in Brookline, Mass.

The preliminary rating was up 21 percent from the last Ryder Cup in the United States, a 3.4 for the U.S. victory at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky., in 2008.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned to a program. Shares represent the percentage of all homes with TVs in use at the time. Overnight ratings measure the country's largest markets.

 

 
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