Ultimate springtime golf fitness tips for "real" golfers

By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor

For those of you unfortunate enough to live in the North, you must be salivating at the thought of the spring golf season.

Hold on, Tiger. You ain't the man you used to be. You can't just jump up and go straight to the golf course after a long winter of sloth and mold.

Now, you will find any number of charlatans willing to sell you their total golf fitness regimens. These sleazoids always assume you're a golfer interested in a cleaner, healthier way of living and golfing. I've seen you out on the course, and I know that's not the sort of thing you're "into."

So here is my total golf fitness regimen for the "real" golfer:

• For God's sake, you have to strengthen your core! This involves eating really hard food, like jawbreakers. Eat a bag of those and have your neighbor punch you in the gut to see if your core is all it can be.

Options: Month-old fudge, Purina Dog Chow, pine bark.

• You also have to really work your obliques, I mean really work the hell out of them. Here's the perfect exercise for that. Lie flat on your back with knees bent slightly wider than your hips. If you have really fat hips, you're either going to have to really stretch your knees like in a cartoon, like The Elastic Man from India, or just skip this exercise. In fact, if you have really fat hips, just skip playing golf, nobody wants to see you out on the course.

Now, you slim-hipped people reach your hands to the ceiling like you're crying out for the Lord Jesus Christ to spare you from your miserable existence. You can hold light hand-weights, or not. What do I care? Lift your head and chest toward the ceiling and rotate to reach both hands just outside of your fat, right knee. Repeat on the left side. Now, take a breather. Ask Christ for forgiveness.

• Breathing exercises: Breathing properly and deeply is critical, especially for those tense moments on the course when normally you would start crying.
This deep-breathing exercise involves attending your local adult movie house, or calling up one of those sites on your Internet browser. Follow your instincts. It's either that or follow mine, and then you're looking at jail time.
• Horizontal abduction/adduction: I can't give you much help here, because I always get "horizontal" confused with "vertical," and I have no idea what adduction is. Who came up with that word, anyway? It's a stupid word and should be eliminated from the English language, if it's even English.

• Standing hip rotation: Don't do this. It makes you look like a girl.

• Alcohol fitness: How many times have you lost $2 Nassaus because while you were getting hamboned, your playing partners were just holding up that bottle of Jack Black pretending to drink?

Well, no need to waste good liquor. You can still drink and maintain your competitive edge. You just need to build up a tolerance. Stand upright in a dark closet, with a wide stance, and suck it down. Keep drinking until your wife leaves you.

• Aerobics: Ha! Don't make me laugh. This is golf!

• Putting: Don't bother to practice putting. Putting in golf is overrated. I play golf maybe 200 times a year and I've yet to meet anyone who can putt. You either make it or you don't. If you miss, just keep putting until the ball goes in the hole. Simple.

• Seniors: As we age, our bodies react differently, so seniors must prepare for golf differently than young punks. An important thing to remember is that there is an inverse relationship of increased ear hair to laughably short drives off the tee.

So keep those ear hairs trim and neat. If you're proud of your thick mane of ear hair, don't sweat it. If you're short off the tee, you're probably small in other areas, and I think you know what I'm talking about.

• Excuses: A healthy psychological outlook is a must for Better Golf. If you can convince yourself that the snap hook you hit into the weeds over there is not your doing at all, you'll retain the confidence needed to excel in the game.

The first time you smack one of your all-too-typical lousy shots, turn to your playing partner and snarl," "Will you stop that!" Look at him, looking all hurt and everything. Who would have thought golf fitness could be so much fun?

• Torque development in the downswing: This is so important, I can barely contain myself. This is vital to any golfer who has ever wanted to improve his score. You could even say it is absolutely critical in terms of reaching your full potential as a golfer and knowing what it is to be truly human.

• Alignment and posture: Face the target squarely and stand erect, with your rump jutting out slightly. Feels a little silly, doesn't it? Can you think of another situation in life where you would position yourself in such an odd manner? I can't.

ISU Rallies at Tiger Classic

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Iowa State men’s golf team used a strong second round to climb into a tie for third place Monday afternoon after two rounds of the Mizzou Tiger Classic. The Cyclones shaved 25 strokes off of their first round score and ended with a two-round total of 589 (307-282).

Sophomore Ben Herrera tied his lowest round of his career, carding a 70 in the second round to lead all Cyclones with a 144 (74-70). Herrera is tied for fourth on the individual leaderboard. Senior Chris Baker was a big part of ISU’s turnaround in the second round, trimming his first-round 78 by nine strokes to end the day in a tie for 10th with a 147 (78-69).

Cedric Bertin shot his way into the top-20, firing rounds of 77 and 71. Johnny Larson wrapped up the Cyclones’ counting scores with a 151 (79-72). Nathan Leary and Adam Seitz also competed.

Indiana’s Jorge Campillo leads all individuals with a 36-hole total of 138 (72-66). The Hoosiers also lead the team race, possessing an eight-stroke lead over Arkansas.

The Mizzou Tiger Classic concludes tomorrow with the final 18 holes. Final results will be posted after play concludes.

Team Results
1. Indiana 294-282=576
2. Arkansas 291-293=584
T3. Iowa State 307-282=589
T3. Wichita State 292-297=589
5. Kansas State 298-293=591
T6. Michigan 299-293=592
T6. Michigan State 300-292=592
8. San Jose State 298-301=599
9. Washington 310-299=609
10. Missouri 305-310=615
11. Xavier 314-304=618

Iowa State Scores
T4. Ben Herrera 74-70=144
T10. Chris Baker 78-69=147
T18. Cedric Bertin 77-71=148
T31. Johnny Larson 79-72=151
T47. Nathan Leary 78-78=156
T50. Adam Seitz 82-75=157*
*competing unattached

Top Individuals
1. Jorge Campillo, Indiana 72-66=138
2. Andrew Landry, Arkansas 69-73=142
3. Randy Hutchinson, Michigan State 72-71=143

Cyclones Finish in Ninth at Mountain View

TUCSON, Ariz. - Iowa State women's golfer Pennapa Pulsawath earned her third top-five finish of the season, finishing in a tie for fourth (74-71-74 =219) at the 10th annual Mountain View Collegiate in Tucson, Ariz. As a team, the Cyclones finished ninth (304-295-304=903) in the 17-team field.

ISU posted a 4-4 record against its Big 12 counterparts this weekend. The Cyclones shot better than Kansas, Colorado, Kansas State, and Baylor.

Freshman Laurence Herman tallied her fourth top-20 finish of the season after carding rounds of 75-74-74 to tie for 15th. Kendra Hanson posted rounds of 76-74-82 to finish in a tie for 61st.

Indiana won the event with a 54-hole team total of 880.

The Cyclones will be back in action on April 6-7, traveling to Norman, Okla. to play in the Susie Maxwell Invitational.

Final Team Standings
1. Indiana 294-295-291=880
2. San Jose State 287-308-294=889
T3. Texas Tech 293-301-297=891
T3. Oklahoma 287-302-302=891
5. Missouri 290-301-301=892
T6. Nebraska 296-299-300=895
T6. Louisville 294-301-300=895
8. East Carolina 299-297-305=901
9. Iowa State 304-295-304=903
10. Michigan 305-298-304=907
11. Kansas 299-308-302=909
12. Colorado 300-304-306=910
13. Kansas State 306-299-307=912
14. Northwestern 302-303-310=915
15. Colorado State 310-305-307=922
16. Baylor 307-309-314=930
17. Boise State 310-317-312=939

Iowa State 903
T4. Pennapa Pulsawath 74-71-74=219
T15. Laurence Herman 75-74-74=223
T61. Kendra Hanson 76-74-82=232
T70. Karly Pinder 82-76-77=235
T80. Victoria Stefansen 79-80-79=238

Individual Leaders
1. Lauren Harling, Indiana 73-70-72=215
2. Erica Moston, San Jose State 68-72-76=216
3. Heather Wright, Oklahoma 69-76-73=218

Upper Iowa Women Ranked #10

NCAA Women's: Division II Teams 
Division I - Division III
                                   Adjusted   Avg.            Rank 
                        Division   Scoring   Drop   Versus#   of  
   Team                  *Record   Average  Score   Top 25   Sced  Wins@
  1 Rollins College       102-  0    75.96   80.02    13- 0   185     3
 2 Nova Southeastern U.  101-  1    76.15   80.84    12- 1   201     1
 3 Tarleton State        100-  2    77.93   83.31    13- 0   327     8
 4 Florida Southern       99-  3    75.35   81.31    11- 2   222     4
 5 Barry University       98-  4    76.83   81.81    11- 4   209     1
 6 Lynn University        97-  5    78.47   86.01     9- 4   205     1
 7 Ferris State Univ.     96-  6    77.74   83.59     7- 5   242     3
 8 Grand Valley State     95-  7    77.33   82.54     4- 1   217     3
 9 Northeastern State U   93-  9    80.96   88.37    11- 3   265     0
10 Upper Iowa Univ.       92- 10    80.27   89.43     5- 3   306     3 

Iowa PGA TaylorMade-adidas Las Vegas Pro-Am Results - March 3-5, 2008

Champions From left to right: BJ Strothkamp, Peter Strothkamp, Michael Scott, Jack Groves, and Jeff Seitz.

The 7th Annual Iowa PGA TaylorMade-adidas Las Vegas Pro-Am was held March 3-5 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A total of 20 five-person teams competed in this quota point format. Teams were comprised of one professional and four amateurs.

The Iowa Section PGA would like to thank Mike Long and Tod Puetz of TaylorMade-adidas for their title sponsorship of this event. Each participant was treated to a nice gift from TaylorMade-adidas for their support of this annual event. As a special surprise Mike and Tod also arranged for a short speech on Monday following golf from renowned golf instructor, Jim Flick.

The golfers competed at Paiute Golf Club (Wolf Course), Dragon Ridge Country Club, and Tuscany Golf Club. The 2008 champions came from Crow Valley Golf Club (see picture) by scoring an amazing 36 points for the overall event.

Results

Round 1

Michael Scott	TEAM #15	16		$ 1,300.00
John Bermel	TEAM #1	11.5		$ 950.00
Bryan Haas	TEAM #7	8		$ 650.00
Jeff Smith	TEAM #18	7		$ 350.00
John Shawver	TEAM #16	6.5		$ 250.00
Adam Luehmann	TEAM #9	6
Derek Birt	TEAM #2	0.5
Corey Schultz	TEAM #14	-2
Sean McCarty	TEAM #10	-4
Curt Schnell	TEAM #13	-5.5
Joe Butler	TEAM #3	-6
David Edwards	TEAM #5	-8
Matt Nice	TEAM #11	-14.5
Gerry Hupfeld	TEAM #8	-17
Adam Turner	TEAM #19	-17.5
Brian Wernimont	TEAM #20	-17.5
Josh Carter	TEAM #4	-19.5
Buz Smith	TEAM #17	-21.5
John Panek	TEAM #12	-31
Todd Fowler	TEAM #6	-35.5

Round 2

Michael Scott	TEAM #15	15	$ 1,300.00
Adam Luehmann	TEAM #9	14	$ 950.00
Todd Fowler	TEAM #6	11.25	$ 650.00
Joe Butler	TEAM #3	10.5	$ 350.00
John Bermel	TEAM #1	9.25	$ 250.00
Corey Schultz	TEAM #14	8.5
Brian Wernimont	TEAM #20	6.75
Gerry Hupfeld	TEAM #8	6.5
John Panek	TEAM #12	2.5
Curt Schnell	TEAM #13	2.25
Adam Turner	TEAM #19	1.25
Buz Smith	TEAM #17	1.25
Jeff Smith	TEAM #18	0
David Edwards	TEAM #5	0
Matt Nice	TEAM #11	-1.75
Sean McCarty	TEAM #10	-4
Derek Birt	TEAM #2	-11.25
Bryan Haas	TEAM #7	-14
John Shawver	TEAM #16	-18.75
Josh Carter	TEAM #4	-19.75

Round 3

Josh Carter	TEAM #4	25.125		$ 1,300.00
Gerry Hupfeld	TEAM #8	23.25		$ 950.00
John Panek	TEAM #12	16.25		$ 650.00
Sean McCarty	TEAM #10	8.5		$ 350.00
Buz Smith	TEAM #17	7.125		$ 250.00
John Bermel	TEAM #1	6.125
Michael Scott	TEAM #15	5
Curt Schnell	TEAM #13	3.625
Brian Wernimont	TEAM #20	3.375
Bryan Haas	TEAM #7	1
David Edwards	TEAM #5	-0.5
Adam Turner	TEAM #19	-1.375
Derek Birt	TEAM #2	-1.625
Matt Nice	TEAM #11	-5.375
Todd Fowler	TEAM #6	-5.875
Corey Schultz	TEAM #14	-6.25
Adam Luehmann	TEAM #9	-7
Joe Butler	TEAM #3	-12.75
John Shawver	TEAM #16	-16.375
Jeff Smith	TEAM #18	-24.5

Final

Michael Scott	TEAM #15	36		$ 1,600.00
John Bermel	TEAM #1	26.875		$ 1,200.00
Adam Luehmann	TEAM #9	13		$ 900.00
Gerry Hupfeld	TEAM #8	12.75		$ 600.00
Sean McCarty	TEAM #10	0.5		$ 500.00
Curt Schnell	TEAM #13	0.375		$ 400.00
Corey Schultz	TEAM #14	0.25
Bryan Haas	TEAM #7	-5
Brian Wernimont	TEAM #20	-7.375
Joe Butler	TEAM #3	-8.25
David Edwards	TEAM #5	-8.5
John Panek	TEAM #12	-12.25
Derek Birt	TEAM #2	-12.375
Buz Smith	TEAM #17	-13.125
Josh Carter	TEAM #4	-14.125
Jeff Smith	TEAM #18	-17.5
Adam Turner	TEAM #19	-17.625
Matt Nice	TEAM #11	-21.625
John Shawver	TEAM #16	-28.625
Todd Fowler	TEAM #6	-30.125

Final Professional (top 10)

Derek Birt	20.5		$ 540.00
Michael Scott	11.75		$ 390.00
Josh Carter	11.5		$ 340.00
John Bermel	10		$ 290.00
Gerry Hupfeld	9.5		$ 240.00
John Panek	7.5		$ 200.00
Adam Luehmann	7.25
Sean McCarty	7.25
Adam Turner	6.5
Bryan Haas	4.5

Peacocks Retain Golden Feather in Orlando

Upper Iowa 15 - Concordia-St. Paul 12

Peacock Golf

The Peacock men's and women's golf team traveled to Orlando, Florida to open their spring season of competition last week. The two teams combined to compete against the men's and women's teams from Concordia-St. Paul in the second annual Golden Feather. After day one, Upper Iowa had a 5-4 lead over Concordia and needed only 8 ½ points of the available 18 points on day two to retain the Golden Feather. The teams battled in singles competition on day two and day three with Upper Iowa clinging to a 10-8 advantage to retain the Golden Feather by a 15-12 score. The teams played the Golden Feather on the Stony Brook Golf Course in Orlando.

On day one, the teams paired off in two-person pairs and competed against the course in three different formats. On holes 1 through 6, the teams play four ball, which is when each golfer plays their own ball and the low score out of the pair is used. On holes 7 through 12, the teams play alternate shot, which is when both men tee off on three holes and both women tee off on three holes and then alternate shots till the putt is holed out. On holes 13-18, the teams play a scramble, which is when both golfers play each shot from the same spot by deciding which resulting shot best suits their team. UIU's results from day one are below:

Upper Iowa Pair || Result || Team Score
Matt Dahlke & Jessica Lang || Won 7 & 6 || UIU 1-0
Bryan Peck & Rachael Schmidt || Won 3 & 1 || UIU 2-0
Adam Winans & Glenna Meyer || Lost 2 down || UIU 2-1
Nick Kuhle & Jill Preeshl || Won 2 up || UIU 3-1
Tucker Bayler & Rochelle Schmidt || Won 1 up || UIU 4-1
Josh Wells & Lindsey Holien || Lost 4 & 3 || UIU 4-2
Tyler Pederson & Laura Taylor || Halved their match || UIU 4 ½ - 2 ½
Craig Signorin & Kelly Rowe || Halved their match || UIU 5-3
Kyle Reisinger & Troy Northrop || Lost 2 & 1 || UIU 5-4

After day one, Coach Chad Markuson said, "There were some very close matches out there today; five matches lasted until the 18th hole. We really got a big swing as the sun was setting. Tyler and Laura walked up to the 18th tee box down one and needed to win the hole to halve the match. Tyler hit a great drive and stuck his approach shot within 10 feet. Laura gave him a great read on the putt and he left it one revolution shy of the birdie. The par was conceded to us and we salvaged half a point from the match."
Coach Markuson continued, "Craig and Kelly had a close match all day and they thought they were done on 17 when Concordia stuck their approach within 7 feet. But Craig and Kelly did a great job getting up and down for a par, while the Concordia pair missed their birdie putts. We took the momentum of 17 and shot par on 18 to rally from behind and halve the match. Overall, we played well today. Matt Dahlke and Jessica Lang got the ball rolling with a big win and it snowballed from there. The freshman pair of Nick Kuhle and Jill Preeshl played solid and picked each other up during the round. They were one up going into 18 and play solid for a par to go 2 up for the win.

On day two, the weather forced four of the eighteen matches to be cancelled although they were all nearly complete. The Peacocks began the day knowing that 8 ½ points separated them from retaining the Golden Feather for another year. The fourteen singles matches that concluded on day two are below:

Singles Pairing * || Result || Team Score
Jessica Lang & Jennie Schader || Won 7 & 6 || UIU 6-4
Laura Taylor & Amanda Bearson || Lost 2 down || UIU 6-5
Lindsey Holien & Carley Paulseth || Lost 3 & 2 || UIU 6-6
Rochelle Schmidt & Molly Noser || Won 4 & 3 || UIU 7-6
Glenna Meyer & Laura Schelander || Won 3 & 1 || UIU 8-6
Jill Preeshl & Kelsey Walt || Won 4 & 3 || UIU 9-6
Josh Wells & Danny Johnson || Won 3 & 1 || UIU 10-6
Tyler Pederson & Nick Jarett || Halved the match || UIU 10 ½ - 6 ½
Craig Signorin & Scott Mathews || Won 5 & 4 || UIU 11 ½ - 6 ½
Matt Dahlke & Klye Lewis || Won 5 & 4 || UIU 12 ½ - 6 ½
Adam Winans & Garrett Larson || Lost 3 & 2 || UIU 12 ½ - 7 ½
Bryan Peck & Nick Galloway || Lost 2 down || UIU 12 ½ - 8 ½
Tucker Bayler & Matt Alford || Lost 3 & 2 || UIU 12 ½ - 9 ½
Kyle Reisinger & Brett Myers || Lost 6 & 5 || UIU 12 ½ - 10 ½
* Upper Iowa golfer listed first.

The Peacocks entered the final four matches on day three needing only one point to retain the Golden Feather. There was a scare for the Peacocks on day three as midway through the matches; all four UIU golfers were trailing in their matches. Rachael Schmidt trailed by as many as four holes and put together a late rally but fell 3 & 2 to cut the Peacocks' lead to 12 ½-11 ½. Troy Northrop was dormied heading into the sixteenth hole and faced a near impossible challenge. In order to salvage a half point and not surrender the lead, Northrop had to defeat his Golden Bear opponent on each of the final three holes. Northrop was up to the challenge as he won the sixteenth and seventeenth. On the eighteenth, Northrop began to feel momentum pointing in his direction. The sophomore drained a 16-footer for par and placed the pressure squarely on the Concordia golfer's shoulders. Northrop knew he had his half point for the Peacocks as he saw his opponent's 7-foot par putt slide just past the edge of the cup.

All the Peacocks needed was a halve from one of their two remaining matches. Kelly Rowe and Nick Kuhle were both still on the course for UIU. Rowe found herself in trouble between two and three much of the match, but rallied on the back nine as she headed to the tee box on eighteen up one. Both players found the water that protects the eighteenth green, but when Rowe hit her drop shot on the green, the freshman knew she had the win and the full point for the Peacocks. Kuhle played in a very tough match that see-sawed back and forth with both golfers gaining control and then losing it. Kuhle was able to fend off all the challenges from his opponent over the final holes to win the final match of the day one up.

The two victories allowed Upper Iowa to retain the Golden Feather for the second year. "I am very proud of how our young golfers handled themselves on the course over the last three days. There were plenty of chances to get rattled out there and they kept their heads and made good decisions and good shots. I also have to thank the upperclassmen as they provided great leadership throughout the tournament when paired with their younger teammates," added Coach Markuson.

The golf teams will now head back indoors to prepare for their next competition. Both teams will get back on the links when they travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. on Mar. 28 and 29 to compete in the Augustana Invitational hosted by future NSIC-foe, Augustana College.

Cyclones Seventh at Rio Pinar

ORLANDO, Fla. – Iowa State senior Cedric Bertin recorded his fifth top-10 finish of his Cyclone career Tuesday afternoon at the Rio Pinar Invitational. Bertin carded a 73 in the final round and ended the competition with a two day total of 213. ISU finished seventh in the team standings.

The Cyclones showed much improvement in Orlando, coming away with a four-stroke lead over Ohio State. Iowa State came in second last week at the Orange County National Triangular, finishing 11 strokes behind the Buckeyes.

Playing in his first 54-hole tournament, sophomore Ben Herrera acquired a top-20 finish, shooting a 216 total. Senior Chris Baker shot a final round of 71 for his second consecutive under-par round. Baker’s strong shooting helped him recover from a 4-over par first round and propelled him into a tie for 26th. The Brownstown, Ind., native climbed 16 spots on the individual leaderboard on the final day.

Joe Cermak and Nathan Leary also competed for the Cyclones.

Host Central Florida won the event, garnering its first team title since 2005. The Knights also claimed medalist honors with teammates Greg Forest and Mike Stern each carding a three-round total of 11-under par.

The Cyclones have three weeks off before returning to action at the Ron Moore Invite in Goodyear, Ariz.

Team Scores
1. UCF 287-274-285=846
2. Wichita State 284-283-291=858
3. Louisville 288-285-286=859
4. Mississippi 280-290-292=862
5. North Florida 295-289-283=867
6. UT-Arlington 290-288-290=868
7. Iowa State 292-282-296=870
8. Southern Mississippi 291-292-288=871
9. Ohio State 288-289-297=874
10. Kentucky 293-286-296=875
T11. UT Chattanooga 291-289-297=877
T11. Memphis 295-283-299=877
13. Tulsa 288-298-293=879
14. South Alabama 297-293-295=885
15. Old Dominion 295-293-303=891
16. Mercer 298-292-302=892
17. USF 299-304-300=903
18. Arkansas State 315-296-295=906

Iowa State 870
T8. Cedric Bertin 71-69-73=213
T19. Ben Herrera 73-70-73=216
T27 Chris Baker 76-71-71=218
T56. Joe Cermak 72-72-79=223
T80. Nathan Leary 78-73-79=230

Individual Leaderboard
T1. Greg Forest, UCF 70-64-71=205
T1. Mike Stern, UCF 72-64-69=205
3. Ian Rochester, Memphis 69-68-72=209

Iowa Golf Hall of Fame to Induct Three

The Iowa Golf Association is pleased to announce the election of three people to the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame. They will bring membership in the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame to 38.

Tom Chapman, Jr., Larry Stewart and Rudy Knepper received the unanimous vote of the IGA selection committee. Knepper, a top player nationally in the 1920’s was the first to be selected under the historical category.

The Class of 2008 will be enshrined on Friday, April 4 at the DMACC Newton Conference Center in Newton, IA. The reception will begin at 6 p.m. with the inductions to follow at 7 p.m. Complete registration information for the induction ceremony can be found here.

Tom Chapman, Jr.

Tom Chapman, Jr., was a two-sport standout at the University of Iowa in golf and basketball after a distinguished career at Fort Dodge High School. Playing for the legendary Ralph Miller, Chapman averaged 16.8 points a game his senior year for the Hawkeyes and shot a team-best 87 percent from the free-throw line.

But it was golf that Chapman, Jr., is best known for. He was a three-time Iowa Golf Association Amateur of the Year (1967, 1972, 1973). Chapman, Jr., won 13 of the state¹s designated championships during his distinguished career. That resume is highlighted by the Iowa Amateur title in both 1967 and 1972.

Chapman, Jr., also won the Herman Sani Invitational twice (1967, 1973); the Northwest Amateur four times (1971, 1972, 1973, 1975), the Fort Dodge Amateur four times (1970, 1971, 1972, 1974) and the Tournament of Champions in 1972.

Chapman, Jr., passed away in 2007.

Larry Stewart

Larry Stewart has been the golf professional at Westwood Municipal golf course in Newton since 1957. He also held the job of superintendent from 1957 to 1982.

Stewart was the Iowa Golf Association¹s professional of the year in 1969 and the Iowa Section PGA¹s merchandiser of the year in 1996. He has run a successful junior program for 47 years running, and has contributed to successful boys¹ and girls¹ golf programs at Newton High School.

Stewart has overseen numerous renovations at Westwood, from adding a second nine holes in the late 1960s to a complete renovation of the original front nine in 1997.

Stewart actually started working at Westwood as a 12-year-old, in 1952.

Rudy Knepper

As a resident of Sioux City, Rudy Knepper blazed a national golfing trail. When he was inducted into the Des Moines Sunday Register Sports Hall of Fame in 1951, Bert McGrane wrote that Knepper “made deeper inroads into national competition than any other player the state has produced.”

It all started in Iowa, where Knepper won three consecutive Iowa Amateur titles starting in 1920. He also won the 1922 Trans-Mississippi championship and was a runner-up to Chick Evans in the finals of the 1921 Western Amateur.

Knepper, who played collegiate golf at Princeton University, qualified for the U.S. Amateur eight times in one 10-year stretch, reaching the semifinals in 1922, and the quarterfinals three times. One of Knepper¹s victims in his march to the semifinals in 1922 was Francis Ouimet. Knepper lost to 1916 U.S. Open champion Chick Evans in the semifinals.

Knepper also had several matches against the great Bobby Jones, losing to Jones in the 1919 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont and again in 1924 at Merion.

More Americans Are Giving Up Golf

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — The men gathered in a new golf clubhouse here a couple of weeks ago circled the problem from every angle, like caddies lining up a shot out of the rough.

“We have to change our mentality,” said Richard Rocchio, a public relations consultant.

“The problem is time,” offered Walter Hurney, a real estate developer. “There just isn’t enough time. Men won’t spend a whole day away from their family anymore.”

William A. Gatz, owner of the Long Island National Golf Club in Riverhead, said the problem was fundamental economics: too much supply, not enough demand.

The problem was not a game of golf. It was the game of golf itself.

Over the past decade, the leisure activity most closely associated with corporate success in America has been in a kind of recession.

The total number of people who play has declined or remained flat each year since 2000, dropping to about 26 million from 30 million, according to the National Golf Foundation and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

More troubling to golf boosters, the number of people who play 25 times a year or more fell to 4.6 million in 2005 from 6.9 million in 2000, a loss of about a third.

The industry now counts its core players as those who golf eight or more times a year. That number, too, has fallen, but more slowly: to 15 million in 2006 from 17.7 million in 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation.

The five men who met here at the Wind Watch Golf Club a couple of weeks ago, golf aficionados all, wondered out loud about the reasons. Was it the economy? Changing family dynamics? A glut of golf courses? A surfeit of etiquette rules — like not letting people use their cellphones for the four hours it typically takes to play a round of 18 holes?

Or was it just the four hours?

Here on Long Island, where there are more than 100 private courses, golf course owners have tried various strategies: coupons and trial memberships, aggressive marketing for corporate and charity tournaments, and even some forays into the wedding business.

Over coffee with a representative of the National Golf Course Owners Association, the owners of four golf courses discussed forming an owners’ cooperative to market golf on Long Island and, perhaps, to purchase staples like golf carts and fertilizer more cheaply.

They strategized about marketing to women, who make up about 25 percent of golfers nationally; recruiting young players with a high school tournament; attracting families with special rates; realigning courses to 6-hole rounds, instead of 9 or 18; and seeking tax breaks, on the premise that golf courses, even private ones, provide publicly beneficial open space.

“When the ship is sinking, it’s time to get creative,” said Mr. Hurney, a principal owner of the Great Rock Golf Club in Wading River, which last summer erected a 4,000-square-foot tent for social events, including weddings, christenings and communions.

The disappearance of golfers over the past several years is part of a broader decline in outdoor activities — including tennis, swimming, hiking, biking and downhill skiing — according to a number of academic and recreation industry studies.

A 2006 study by the United States Tennis Association, which has battled the trend somewhat successfully with a forceful campaign to recruit young players, found that punishing hurricane seasons factored into the decline of play in the South, while the soaring popularity of electronic games and newer sports like skateboarding was diminishing the number of new tennis players everywhere.

Rodney B. Warnick, a professor of recreation studies and tourism at the University of Massachusetts, said that the aging population of the United States was probably a part of the problem, too, and that “there is a younger generation that is just not as active.”

But golf, a sport of long-term investors — both those who buy the expensive equipment and those who build the princely estates on which it is played — has always seemed to exist in a world above the fray of shifting demographics. Not anymore.

Jim Kass, the research director of the National Golf Foundation, an industry group, said the gradual but prolonged slump in golf has defied the adage, “Once a golfer, always a golfer.” About three million golfers quit playing each year, and slightly fewer than that have been picking it up. A two-year campaign by the foundation to bring new players into the game, he said, “hasn’t shown much in the way of results.”

“The man in the street will tell you that golf is booming because he sees Tiger Woods on TV,” Mr. Kass said. “But we track the reality. The reality is, while we haven’t exactly tanked, the numbers have been disappointing for some time.”

Surveys sponsored by the foundation have asked players what keeps them away. “The answer is usually economic,” Mr. Kass said. “No time. Two jobs. Real wages not going up. Pensions going away. Corporate cutbacks in country club memberships — all that doom and gloom stuff.”

In many parts of the country, high expectations for a golf bonanza paralleling baby boomer retirements led to what is now considered a vast overbuilding of golf courses.

Between 1990 and 2003, developers built more than 3,000 new golf courses in the United States, bringing the total to about 16,000. Several hundred have closed in the last few years, most of them in Arizona, Florida, Michigan and South Carolina, according to the foundation.

(Scores more courses are listed for sale on the Web site of the National Golf Course Owners Association, which lists, for example, a North Carolina property described as “two 18-hole championship courses, great mountain locations, profitable, $1.5 million revenues, Bermuda fairways, bent grass, nice clubhouses, one at $5.5 million, other at $2.5 million — possible some owner financing.”)

At the meeting here, there was a consensus that changing family dynamics have had a profound effect on the sport.

“Years ago, men thought nothing of spending the whole day playing golf — maybe Saturday and Sunday both,” said Mr. Rocchio, the public relations consultant, who is also the New York regional director of the National Golf Course Owners Association. “Today, he is driving his kids to their soccer games. Maybe he’s playing a round early in the morning. But he has to get back home in time for lunch.”

Mr. Hurney, the real estate developer, chimed in, “Which is why if we don’t repackage our facilities to a more family orientation, we’re dead.”

To help keep the Great Rock Golf Club afloat, owners erected their large climate-controlled tent near the 18th green last summer. It sat next to the restaurant, Blackwell’s, already operating there. By most accounts, it has been a boon to the club — though perhaps not a hole in one.

Residents of the surrounding neighborhood have complained about party noise, and last year more than 40 signed a petition asking the town of Riverhead to intervene. Town officials are reviewing whether the tent meets local zoning regulations, but have not issued any noise summonses. Mr. Hurney told them he had purchased a decibel meter and would try to hire quieter entertainment.

One neighbor, Dominique Mendez, whose home is about 600 feet from the 18th hole, said, “We bought our house here because we wanted to live in a quiet place, and we thought a golf course would be nice to see from the window. Instead, people have to turn up their air conditioners or wear earplugs at night because of the music thumping.”

During weddings, she said: “you can hear the D.J., ‘We’re gonna do the garter!’ It’s a little much.”

Drake Women Women's Golf Team Seventh After 36 Holes At Baja Invitational

BAJA, CALIF. — The Drake women's golf team stood in seventh place after 36 holes of the Baja Invitational Monday, carding a 327-328=655.

Sophomore Olivia Lansing (Dellwood, Minn.) led the Bulldogs by posting a 76-82=158 over the par-72, 6,094 yard Bajamr Resort course.

Lansing was tied for 12th, 13 strokes behind leader Tyrette Metzendorf of Iowa who fired a 74-71=145.

Freshman Kaitlyn Mauk (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) was tied for 21st with an 81-80=161, while sophomore Elena Vukmir (Wauwatosa, Wis.) was 36th with an 83-85=168.

Sophomore Kelly Godwin (Centerville, Minn.) tied for 38th with an 87-83=170, while freshman Michelle Mathwick (Greenfield, Wis.) was tied for 42nd with a 90-83=173.

BAJA INVITATIONAL
At Baja, Mexico
Team Scoring (after 36 holes)
1. Iowa, 320 304=624 +48
2 Kennesaw State 319 306=625 +49
3 Southern Mississippi 316 315=631 +55
4 Bradley 320 314=634 +58
5 Southern Illinois 324 313=637 +61
6 North Texas, 327 319=646 +70
7 Drake 327 328=655 +79
8 USC Upstate 331 328=659 +83
9 Northern Illinois 340 349=689 +113

Leader - 1. Tyrette Metzendorf , Iowa, 74-71=145.

DRAKE RESULTS
T12 Olivia Lansing 76-82=158
T21 Kaitlyn Mauk 81-80 =161
36 Elena Vukmir 83-85=168
T38 Kelly Godwin 87-83=170
T42 Michelle Mathwick 90-83=173

Best Iowa Golf Courses

Rank	Golf Course	Location
1	Hunters Ridge Golf Course - Hunters Ridge Course	Marion, IA
2	Saddleback Ridge Golf Course - Saddleback Ridge Course	Solon, IA
3	Wakonda Club - Wakonda Course	Des Moines, IA
4	Cedar Rapids Country Club - Cedar Rapids Course	Cedar Rapids, IA
5	Waveland Golf Course - Waveland Course	Des Moines, IA
6	Tournament Club of Iowa - Tournament Club Course	Polk City, IA
7	Glen Oaks Country Club - Glen Oaks Course	West Des Moines, IA
8	Pebble Creek Golf Course - Pebble Creek 1 Course	Le Claire, IA
9	Dodge Riverside Golf Club - Dodge Park Course	Council Bluffs, IA
10	Emeis Golf Course - Emeis Course	Davenport, IA
11	Wildcat Golf Course - Wildcat Course	Shellsburg, IA
12	The Legacy Golf Club - Legacy Course	Norwalk, IA
13	Amana Colonies Golf Course - Amana Colonies Course	Amana, IA
14	The Harvester - Harvester 1 Course	Rhodes, IA
15	Duck Creek Golf Course - Duck Creek Course	Davenport, IA
16	Fox Run Golf Course - Fox Run Course	Council Bluffs, IA
17	Grand View Golf Course - Grand View Course	Des Moines, IA
18	Otter Creek Golf Course - Otter Creek Course	Ankeny, IA
19	Spirit Hollow Golf Course - Spirit Hollow Course	Burlington, IA
20	Quail Creek Golf Course - Quail Creek Course	North Liberty, IA
21	Spencer Golf & Country Club - Spencer Course	Spencer, IA
22	Coldwater Golf Links - Coldwater Course	Ames, IA
23	Crow Valley Golf Club - Crow Valley Course	Davenport, IA
24	Deer Run Golf Club & DR - Deer Run Course	Indianola, IA
25	Hyperion Field Club - Hyperion Field Course	Johnston, IA

UPPER IOWA GIRL RANKED--COLLEGE WOMEN'S RANKINGS VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED FROM NOVEMBER

NCAA Division I Women's Rankings

Golfweek/Sagarin (based on head-to-head competition)

Rank Name (Prev. Rank) High School College Rating (not scoring avg.)

371. Samantha Sommers, (369), St. Cloud Apollo -- Minnesota -- 76.64

404. Olivia Lansing (400), Mounds Park Academy -- Drake -- 76.00

449. Christine Herzog (449), Detroit Lakes -- Minnesota -- 77.44

480. Katie Detlefsen (478), Minnehaha Academy -- Central Fla. -- 77.64

496. Jeana Dahl (495), Fargo South -- Wisconsin -- 77.77

516. Sydney Liles (514), Phoenix (Desert Vista) -- Minnesota -- 77.99

574. Young Na Lee (572), Tamuning, Guam -- Minnesota --78.50

582. Hillary Gerster (576), Andover -- South Dakota State -- 78.53

623. Mary Narzisi (623), Omaha (Martin) -- Minnesota -- 78.91

635. Becky Quinby (636), Benilde-St. Margaret's -- Iowa -- 79.09

833. Paige Bromen (833), Stillwater -- Minnesota -- 80.60

868. Alyssa Williamson (869), Bemidji -- Montana -- 80.87

976. Holly Opatz (978), Bloom. Kennedy -- So. Dakota State -- 81.96

1040. Lauren Huhnerkoch (1040), Burnsville -- Rutgers -- 82.56

1046. Brittany Williamson (1045), Bemidji -- Montana -- 82.63

1131. Kelly Godwin (1132), Centennial -- Drake -- 83.50

1358. Maviann Schuler (1355), Breckenridge -- No. Dakota State -- 88.82

1416. Alyssa Klein (1413), Luverne -- NDSU -- 93.26

Supplemental list, for players who haven't played enough tournaments

89.* Katie Myos, Faribault -- Toledo -- 81.10

107.* Emily Brand, Alexandria -- Minnesota -- 82.08

183.* Chelsey Gannon, Eden Prairie -- Drake -- 87.89

240.* Kim Larson, Pequot Lakes -- NDSU -- 101.78

Golfstat.com Rankings

(These rankings are based on scores, and include some Division II and III players.)

Rank Name High School College Scoring avg. Relative to par

162. Rachael Schmidt Elk River Upper Iowa 75.75 +5.839

Improvements at Shoreline Golf Course Continue

Shoreline Golf sits on the shores of Carter Lake on the Nebraska-Iowa border near Omaha, and its owner/operator has begun a lengthy push to "shine the gem."

"These improvements should have been done 10, 15 years ago," said General Manager/Head Professional Rob Spomer. "Once Landscapes Golf Group took over full operations in 2004, we started to game-plan for the future. All of this construction is showing a commitment to the golf course. We plan to be in the market a long time, so we're trying to make it as good as it can be."

The upgrades and enhancements Spomer referred to at the 17-year-old course include:

• a new irrigation pond;

• practice-range tees that have been tripled in size;

• several improvements to the course design;

• lengthened cart paths, aiming toward a wall-to-wall system;

• a new cart-storage building; and

• the latest upgrade is a 2,000-square-foot addition to the clubhouse that more than doubled the dining area from 90 to 190 seats.

Mike Jenkins, president of Landscapes Golf Group which owns the course, said, "We really like the Omaha market. We operate five courses in the Omaha area, including Shoreline. It has a loyal following and has been a good performer for us."

Even though Shoreline GC is located just five minutes from downtown Omaha, Eppley Airfield and the Council Bluffs' casinos, Landscapes Golf Group (LGG) pushed ahead on the improvements to attract new golfers. Using the muscle of its owner, Landscapes Unlimited in Lincoln, the world's largest golf course builder, Shoreline has pumped several hundred thousand dollars into the facility, with plans to continue the effort.

Practice Range & Golf Course

The immediate project for LGG was the irrigation pond. Ironically, Shoreline was plagued by lack of water until Landscapes dug a half-acre pond and lined it. "Maybe the biggest improvement we made was shoring up our water source, which led to dramatically improved course conditions," said Tom Everett, director of operations for LGG. "Also, superintendent Bill Japp has been a tremendous addition."

Japp, the assistant superintendent at the Players Club at Deer Creek on Omaha for seven years, joined Shoreline two years ago and was on board during other major projects, including complete reconstruction of the practice range.

Work on the range tees began in the fall of 2006, and last June 2 golfers saw the result of the practice area that tripled in size to 42 stations, complete with new irrigation, re-grassed tees, mats to hit off during inclement weather, regraded range and new target greens.

"This is a terrific improvement over the old range," Spomer said, "and it will continue, with spring and fall overseeding to improve the mixture of low-grow bluegrass and ryegrass."

Out on the golf course, new tees have been built on the 6th and 12th holes, and the fairway has been reconstructed on the par-5, 515-yard dogleg-left 9th hole. "Drainage issues have been ongoing on that fairway since the course opened in 1990," Spomer said. "Landscapes crews came in and totally re-graded and rebuilt it, adding bunkers beside the landing area. It's now one of the better holes on the entire course."

As part of a three-year process, Shoreline has added cart paths to the 6th, 10th, 11th and 15th holes in the last year. Spomer, who has worked at Shoreline for nearly two years, said that in the next couple of years the cart path will be continual from the first hole to the last.

Vertical Structures

Meanwhile, construction of another type has enhanced both the clubhouse and cart storage. Shoreline unveiled a 2,000-square-foot addition to the clubhouse that included office and storage space as well as enhanced dining area for the full-service restaurant which offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and hors d'oeuvres buffets.

"Mostly, it is seating space for the dining area," Spomer said, adding that "it was for tournament business. We host business meetings, receptions and holiday parties, but basically the addition was for our tournaments, so golfers can play and eat here. At a big tournament in August, when it's 100 degrees out, people don't want to eat outside. With this, we will be able to keep those tournaments and add others as well."

So far, Spomer reports the word is out to the Omaha region. "Business is up 30 percent from when we started all these projects," he said. "Rounds have jumped by 5,000 a year. I attribute the increase to these changes."

For more information about Shoreline Golf Course, call 712/347-5173 or visit www.golfshoreline.com.

UI Golfer Metzendorf Takes Big Ten Honor

University of Iowa junior Tyrette Metzendorf was named Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week for the first time in her career after helping the Hawkeyes win the Baja Invitational earlier this week. Metzendorf was named individual champion for the Invite and finished eight-over-par (224).

"I'm extremely happy for Tyrette," Head Coach Kelly Crawford said. "She was a little nervous going into the final round Tuesday, but stayed with it. It's a great honor for her and for the team."

The Winter Haven, FL, native has finished in the top 20 in each of the six tournaments she has played in this year, including four finishes in the top 10. Metzendorf's win at the Baja Invitational is the second individual championship of her career. The last was in September 2006 when she won the Hawkeye Intercollegiate.

Earlier this season, Metzendorf broke a school-record for an 18-hole score by shooting a 68 at the Mary Fossum Invitational.

This is Iowa's first recipient of Golfer of the Week since M.C. Mullen in March 1999.

ISU Golfers’ Open Season in Sunshine State

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State women’s golf team will get its anticipated spring season underway this weekend as the team travels to Orlando, Fla., to square off against Central Florida and Purdue in a triangular. The triangular will be in match-play format, so the scores will not count toward their official records for this spring. Each team will play 36 holes at the 6,150-yard North Shore Golf Club on Saturday. This will be the second time this school year that the Cyclones have played against the Knights of Central Florida, while it will be the first against the Boilermakers. The first meeting between ISU and UCF came at the Lady Badger Invitational, when the Cyclones recorded a runner-up finish on Sept. 9-10. The match-play triangular will be good tune-up for the regular season with ISU playing against two top-level Division I teams in Purdue and UCF. The Boilermakers head into spring action ranked by Golfweek as the No. 11 team in the nation. Iowa State’s head coach Christie Martens served as an assistant on Purdue’s staff from 2001-05. Martens helped lead the Boilermakers to the NCAA Championship in each year of her tenure. ISU will head into spring play led by its two seniors Karly Pinder and Kendra Hanson. The two seniors have played in more than 85 rounds during their Cyclone careers and look to close out their careers on a strong note. The duo has recorded six top-10 finishes at ISU. Along with the two seniors, the Cyclones add freshman Victoria Stefansen to the mix this spring. Stefansen, a native of Roervig, Denmark, redshirted in the fall. She participated in the Nykredit Masters, a 2007 Ladies European Tour event in Helsingor, Denmark in September.