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.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Scott Clark Now Playing on Butch Harmon Tour
The UGA has just learned that Scott Clark has turned professional and has been playing in the Winter Series of the Butch Harmon Tour in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With Dustin Pimm joining the Canadian Tour last week the UGA PPR list has lost two of its top players.
The web page for the Butch Harmon Tour is not very informative about the Winter Series. The results of the tournaments are not listed on the page.
However, through an exasperating hunt and peck method one can discern the total amount of money earned by some of the players on the tour, but it doesn't provide information about the number of tournaments played.
The money winnings from those from Utah are listed as follows:
Jake Ellison, $19,950
Clay Ogden, $10,725
Ken Ebalo, $9,300
Nick Becker, $8,283
Nick Micek, $4,425
Scott Clark $1708
With Dustin Pimm joining the Canadian Tour last week the UGA PPR list has lost two of its top players.
The web page for the Butch Harmon Tour is not very informative about the Winter Series. The results of the tournaments are not listed on the page.
However, through an exasperating hunt and peck method one can discern the total amount of money earned by some of the players on the tour, but it doesn't provide information about the number of tournaments played.
The money winnings from those from Utah are listed as follows:
Jake Ellison, $19,950
Clay Ogden, $10,725
Ken Ebalo, $9,300
Nick Becker, $8,283
Nick Micek, $4,425
Scott Clark $1708
Friday, March 14, 2008
BYU Wins UNLV Spring Invitational
BOULDER CITY, Nev. (March 12, 2008) -- The No. 35 BYU women's golf team battled hard at the UNLV Spring Invitational to secure a first-place tie with Washington State.
"We just keep playing better and better," said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. "Our team is getting more confidence in each other and in their individual abilities."
This was BYU's second consecutive victory at the UNLV Spring Invitational and their first win on the season. After finishing round two in second place at 1-over-par, the combined efforts of several Cougars pushed the team to victory in round three. Freshman Jade Bollinger led BYU and boasted a career-high score at the tournament, as she shot under par in each round and finished 71-71-70-212. In round three, Bollinger fired an impressive 2-under-par 70, hitting four birdies on the back nine.
Sophomore Daphne Vines shot 1-under-par 71 to boost the Cougar score in the final round. For senior Juli Erekson, round three proved to be come-back time as she fired 3-under-par 69 to advance from 46th to 25th place overall in the tournament.
"Our team is on the rise," Nyhus said. "This is just the beginning of great play this season."
The UNLV Spring Invitational consisted of 96 competitors from 18 teams, including No. 45 Indiana University and No. 46 Washington. The overall individual winner was Cathryn Bristow of Oregon, who shot 69-69-70-212. Washington State tied with BYU for first place at 5-under-par, followed by Oregon in third place.
"In the next few weeks, we hope to continue to develop more confidence and improve our shots," Nyhus said.
The Cougars will next be in action at the BYU Dixie Classic on April 1 and 2 in St. George, Utah.
"We just keep playing better and better," said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. "Our team is getting more confidence in each other and in their individual abilities."
This was BYU's second consecutive victory at the UNLV Spring Invitational and their first win on the season. After finishing round two in second place at 1-over-par, the combined efforts of several Cougars pushed the team to victory in round three. Freshman Jade Bollinger led BYU and boasted a career-high score at the tournament, as she shot under par in each round and finished 71-71-70-212. In round three, Bollinger fired an impressive 2-under-par 70, hitting four birdies on the back nine.
Sophomore Daphne Vines shot 1-under-par 71 to boost the Cougar score in the final round. For senior Juli Erekson, round three proved to be come-back time as she fired 3-under-par 69 to advance from 46th to 25th place overall in the tournament.
"Our team is on the rise," Nyhus said. "This is just the beginning of great play this season."
The UNLV Spring Invitational consisted of 96 competitors from 18 teams, including No. 45 Indiana University and No. 46 Washington. The overall individual winner was Cathryn Bristow of Oregon, who shot 69-69-70-212. Washington State tied with BYU for first place at 5-under-par, followed by Oregon in third place.
"In the next few weeks, we hope to continue to develop more confidence and improve our shots," Nyhus said.
The Cougars will next be in action at the BYU Dixie Classic on April 1 and 2 in St. George, Utah.
TEAM LEADERBOARD
Place School Total
T1 BYU 293-284-282--859 -5
T1 Washington State 285-289-285--859 -5
3 Oregon 292-291-286--869 +5
T4 Texas Tech 292-286-292--870 +6
T4 San Francisco, U. 291-290-289--870 +1
6 UNLV 284-302-287--873 +9
7 UC Davis 296-294-285--875 +11
8 Campbell Univ. 297-293-293--883 +19
9 Idaho 297-293-297--887 +23
10 Washington 293-297-298--888 +24
11 Indiana Univ. 295-299-295--889 +25
12 Fresno State 301-293-296--890 +26
13 Colorado State 304-294-303--901 +37
14 Sacramento State 299-301-302--902 +38
15 New Mexico State 305-302-296--903 +39
16 Kansas State 311-301-303--915 +51
17 Eastern Washington 322-315-290--927 +63
18 Long Beach State 321-309-310--940 +76
Player Leaderboard
Place Player Total
T3 Jade Bollinger 71-71-70--212 -4
T8 Daphne Vines 72-71-71--214 -2
T13 Natalia Jimenez 73-70-72--215 -1
T25 Juli Erekson 77-74-69--220 +4
T47 Ashley Childers 78-72-76--226 +10
Saturday, February 23, 2008
BYU Women Finish 11th at Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge
PALOS VERDES, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2008) -- After three rounds of play at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, the tournament ended Wednesday with BYU tied for 11th place.
"There were a lot of good things happening out on the course today," said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. "We just need to put it all together and make better shots."
Junior Natalia Jimenez and sophomore Daphne Vines led the Cougars throughout the tournament, finishing tied for 28th place with a score of 229.
Senior Ashley Childers had a strong third round, shooting a 2-over-par 73, and finishing the tournament tied for 32nd place.
Nyhus looks forward to the golf team improving their play in the next couple of weeks.
"We are capable of playing better, and next tournament we will," she said. "The next few weeks will be a good time to practice and prepare for Arizona."
The Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge consisted of 84 competitors from 15 teams. The overall individual winner was Natalie Sheary of Wake Forest who shot 72-71-72-215. UCLA won the tournament with a team score of 24-over-par.
The Cougars' spring play will continue when they travel to Tucson for the Arizona Wildcat Invitational February 25 and 26.
"There were a lot of good things happening out on the course today," said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. "We just need to put it all together and make better shots."
Junior Natalia Jimenez and sophomore Daphne Vines led the Cougars throughout the tournament, finishing tied for 28th place with a score of 229.
Senior Ashley Childers had a strong third round, shooting a 2-over-par 73, and finishing the tournament tied for 32nd place.
Nyhus looks forward to the golf team improving their play in the next couple of weeks.
"We are capable of playing better, and next tournament we will," she said. "The next few weeks will be a good time to practice and prepare for Arizona."
The Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge consisted of 84 competitors from 15 teams. The overall individual winner was Natalie Sheary of Wake Forest who shot 72-71-72-215. UCLA won the tournament with a team score of 24-over-par.
The Cougars' spring play will continue when they travel to Tucson for the Arizona Wildcat Invitational February 25 and 26.
Final TEAM LEADERBOARD
Place School To Par Today Total
1 UCLA +24 +5 288-299-289-876
2 Florida +31 +10 298-291-294-883
3 Southern California +35 +17 298-288-301-887
4 Arizona State +37 +7 302-296-291-889
5 Stanford +48 +10 300-306-294-900
6 Wake Forest +52 +17 301-302-301-904
7 Oklahoma State +57 +18 303-304-302-909
T8 Arizona +62 +13 308-309-297-914
T8 Pepperdine +62 +26 298-306-310-914
10 Texas A&M +63 +29 304-298-313-915
T11 TCU +73 +25 306-310-309-925
T11 BYU +73 +32 298-311-316-925
13 Denver, Univ. of +78 +27 316-303-311-930
14 Michigan State +87 +28 312-315-312-939
15 Ohio State +90 +34 309-315-318-942
Final Individual Leaderboard
Place Player To Par Today Total
T28 Natalia Jimenez +16 +12 73-73-83-229
T28 Daphne Vines +16 +10 73-75-81-229
T32 Ashley Childers +17 +2 75-82-73-230
T70 Jade Bollinger +30 +9 82-81-80-243
T70 Juli Erekson +30 +11 77-84-82-243
Monday, February 18, 2008
Wes Butterfus Shoots Remarkable 26 for Nine Holes
A remarkable round was shot earlier this year that has not had the attention it deserves.
Wes Butterfus, a recently reinstated amateur who owns Zions Golf in St. George, was playing in the Coral Canyon Pro-Am and shot an almost unbelievable 26 on the front nine, that’s ten under par.
He was playing from the white tees at a yardage of about 6,000 yards. He was on a team consisting of Nick McKinlay, Blake Bird, and Terry Monsen.
He actually began the round on the tenth hole and he shot one over par on that nine.
He made a ten foot eagle putt on the par five first hole. He had a tap in birdie on the par five second hole.
Things really got good when he aced the par three third hole using a nine iron from 149 yards. That put him five under par after just three holes on the nine.
On the long uphill par four fourth hole his approach shot was 30 feet above the hole with a delicate fast downhill putt. He barely tapped the putt and it trickled into the hole for a birdie.
He drove the green on the short downhill par four fifth hole and amazingly drilled his 35-foot putt for his third eagle on the nine.
On the short par three sixth hole he sank a five foot birdie putt.
On the long par four seventh hole he hit his drive in the fairway bunker, but got a seven iron onto the green and had to settle for a dismal tap in par.
On the short par four eighth hole he drove to the fringe of the green, missed his 30-foot putt and settled for birdie.
On the ninth hole he finished with a ho-hum par after just missing a 15 foot bump and run chip shot.
It is surely one of the most remarkable scores in Utah golf history.
His round consisted of three eagles, four birdies, and two pars.
Combined with his other nine he shot an 18-hole score of 63.
Wes Butterfus, a recently reinstated amateur who owns Zions Golf in St. George, was playing in the Coral Canyon Pro-Am and shot an almost unbelievable 26 on the front nine, that’s ten under par.
He was playing from the white tees at a yardage of about 6,000 yards. He was on a team consisting of Nick McKinlay, Blake Bird, and Terry Monsen.
He actually began the round on the tenth hole and he shot one over par on that nine.
He made a ten foot eagle putt on the par five first hole. He had a tap in birdie on the par five second hole.
Things really got good when he aced the par three third hole using a nine iron from 149 yards. That put him five under par after just three holes on the nine.
On the long uphill par four fourth hole his approach shot was 30 feet above the hole with a delicate fast downhill putt. He barely tapped the putt and it trickled into the hole for a birdie.
He drove the green on the short downhill par four fifth hole and amazingly drilled his 35-foot putt for his third eagle on the nine.
On the short par three sixth hole he sank a five foot birdie putt.
On the long par four seventh hole he hit his drive in the fairway bunker, but got a seven iron onto the green and had to settle for a dismal tap in par.
On the short par four eighth hole he drove to the fringe of the green, missed his 30-foot putt and settled for birdie.
On the ninth hole he finished with a ho-hum par after just missing a 15 foot bump and run chip shot.
It is surely one of the most remarkable scores in Utah golf history.
His round consisted of three eagles, four birdies, and two pars.
Combined with his other nine he shot an 18-hole score of 63.
Four Utahns to Receive Distinguished Service Honor
Four Utahns will be commended for their commitment to advancing sports during the Paul Ream Scholarship/Distinguished Awards Banquet being sponsored by the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation.
Being honored for their long years of service to sports are Randy Hollis, sports editor of the Ogden Standard-Examiner; Dale Mildenberger, athletic trainer at Utah State University; Don Norton, president of Far West Bank; and Joe Watts, Executive Director of the Utah Golf Association.
Mildenberger, Utah State's athletic trainer for more than 30 years, is a member of three professional halls of fame and part of USU's new training complex at Romney Stadium bears his name.
During his more than 30 years as a sports writer and editor for the Standard Examiner of Ogden, Hollis won several awards and also coached youth softball and involved in community service and humanitarian work
Don Norton has been a major donor and supporter to sports in Utah County, including funding scholarships and youth sports teams.
A former sports editor of newspapers in Logan and Provo, Watts has worked as the Utah Golf Association's executive director for nearly 20 years, a period of remarkable growth for the UGA.
The banquet also honors eight high school students who will receive $2,000 college scholarships donated by Paul Ream. Ream recently passed away and has been giving the scholarships for more than a decade.
The dinner will be held at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy on Tuesday, February 12th. Horsd’oevres will be served in the reception area at 6:15 pm. The doors to the banquet room will be opened at 7 pm. It is open to the public at the cost of $35 per plate. Reservations can be made by sending a check to
Utah State Sports Hall of Fame Foundation
in care of secretary Scott Mayne,
10182 S. Cornerstone, South Jordan, UT 84095,
or by calling him at 801-253-7361.
Being honored for their long years of service to sports are Randy Hollis, sports editor of the Ogden Standard-Examiner; Dale Mildenberger, athletic trainer at Utah State University; Don Norton, president of Far West Bank; and Joe Watts, Executive Director of the Utah Golf Association.
 |
| Joe Watts, Executive Director of the Utah Golf Association, to receive Distinguished Service Honor. |
Mildenberger, Utah State's athletic trainer for more than 30 years, is a member of three professional halls of fame and part of USU's new training complex at Romney Stadium bears his name.
During his more than 30 years as a sports writer and editor for the Standard Examiner of Ogden, Hollis won several awards and also coached youth softball and involved in community service and humanitarian work
Don Norton has been a major donor and supporter to sports in Utah County, including funding scholarships and youth sports teams.
A former sports editor of newspapers in Logan and Provo, Watts has worked as the Utah Golf Association's executive director for nearly 20 years, a period of remarkable growth for the UGA.
The banquet also honors eight high school students who will receive $2,000 college scholarships donated by Paul Ream. Ream recently passed away and has been giving the scholarships for more than a decade.
The dinner will be held at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy on Tuesday, February 12th. Horsd’oevres will be served in the reception area at 6:15 pm. The doors to the banquet room will be opened at 7 pm. It is open to the public at the cost of $35 per plate. Reservations can be made by sending a check to
Utah State Sports Hall of Fame Foundation
in care of secretary Scott Mayne,
10182 S. Cornerstone, South Jordan, UT 84095,
or by calling him at 801-253-7361.
Women Finish 11th at Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge
PALOS VERDES, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2008) -- After three rounds of play at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, the tournament ended Wednesday with BYU tied for 11th place.
"There were a lot of good things happening out on the course today," said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. "We just need to put it all together and make better shots."
Junior Natalia Jimenez and sophomore Daphne Vines led the Cougars throughout the tournament, finishing tied for 28th place with a score of 229.
Senior Ashley Childers had a strong third round, shooting a 2-over-par 73, and finishing the tournament tied for 32nd place.
Nyhus looks forward to the golf team improving their play in the next couple of weeks.
"We are capable of playing better, and next tournament we will," she said. "The next few weeks will be a good time to practice and prepare for Arizona."
The Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge consisted of 84 competitors from 15 teams. The overall individual winner was Natalie Sheary of Wake Forest who shot 72-71-72-215. UCLA won the tournament with a team score of 24-over-par.
The Cougars' spring play will continue when they travel to Tucson for the Arizona Wildcat Invitational February 25 and 26.
"There were a lot of good things happening out on the course today," said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. "We just need to put it all together and make better shots."
Junior Natalia Jimenez and sophomore Daphne Vines led the Cougars throughout the tournament, finishing tied for 28th place with a score of 229.
Senior Ashley Childers had a strong third round, shooting a 2-over-par 73, and finishing the tournament tied for 32nd place.
Nyhus looks forward to the golf team improving their play in the next couple of weeks.
"We are capable of playing better, and next tournament we will," she said. "The next few weeks will be a good time to practice and prepare for Arizona."
The Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge consisted of 84 competitors from 15 teams. The overall individual winner was Natalie Sheary of Wake Forest who shot 72-71-72-215. UCLA won the tournament with a team score of 24-over-par.
The Cougars' spring play will continue when they travel to Tucson for the Arizona Wildcat Invitational February 25 and 26.
Final TEAM LEADERBOARD
Place School To Par Today Total
1 UCLA +24 +5 288-299-289-876
2 Florida +31 +10 298-291-294-883
3 Southern California +35 +17 298-288-301-887
4 Arizona State +37 +7 302-296-291-889
5 Stanford +48 +10 300-306-294-900
6 Wake Forest +52 +17 301-302-301-904
7 Oklahoma State +57 +18 303-304-302-909
T8 Arizona +62 +13 308-309-297-914
T8 Pepperdine +62 +26 298-306-310-914
10 Texas A&M +63 +29 304-298-313-915
T11 TCU +73 +25 306-310-309-925
T11 BYU +73 +32 298-311-316-925
13 Denver, Univ. of +78 +27 316-303-311-930
14 Michigan State +87 +28 312-315-312-939
15 Ohio State +90 +34 309-315-318-942
Final Individual Leaderboard
Place Player To Par Today Total
T28 Natalia Jimenez +16 +12 73-73-83-229
T28 Daphne Vines +16 +10 73-75-81-229
T32 Ashley Childers +17 +2 75-82-73-230
T70 Jade Bollinger +30 +9 82-81-80-243
T70 Juli Erekson +30 +11 77-84-82-243
Plans Unveiled For New Southern Utah Golf Resort
The developers of Sand Hollow Resort in Hurricane, Utah, have unveiled plans for Southern Utah's newest destination golf resort.
Located 15 minutes from St. George in the state's southwestern corner, Sand Hollow Resort will feature more than 1,700 private residences, vacation villas, 27 holes of golf at Sand Hollow Golf Club, spa and fitness center, pools and water features. A water park, spanning 15 acres, will include a modified lazy river that winds through a series of pools stretching from the top of the park, through the villas, and to the resort entrance. Groundbreaking for the project is scheduled to take place later this year.
The resort was introduced at a news conference at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club, site of the Nokia Champions Challenge. Hosted by Johnny Miller, the two-day golf tournament features prominent PGA and LPGA Tour players, including Mike Weir and Annika Sorenstam. Sand Hollow Golf Club will be a "sister course" to Thanksgiving Point, as both golf courses will managed by Vanguard Golf Management Group.
"Today is a significant stepping stone in Sand Hollow Resort's shift from dream to reality," said Thomas R. Seneca, president of Sand Hollow Resort and one of the developers. "We are genuinely excited about what we're going to bring to the Southern Utah region, and invite people to come join us in what will be a wonderful resort experience."
The two golf courses will be designed by John Fought, a noted architect with a number of award-winning layouts on his resume. Fought, a collegiate golf star at Brigham Young University, will design 27 holes for Sand Hollow Golf Club. The club will include the 18-hole Championship Course and a nine-hole walking course (to be called Honourable Links). The layouts will incorporate ridgelines, canyons and various elevations to create a challenging golf experience.
The resort is located near Sand Hollow State Park and Zion National Park. The resort can be accessed via direct flights to St. George from Los Angeles or Salt Lake City, or a 90-minute drive from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.
For more information about Sand Hollow Resort, call 435/656-0579 or visit www.sandhollowresort.com.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Utah Golf Takes Sixth In St. George
(UWIRE) SALT LAKE CITY — The first round on Monday of the Pat Hicks Invitational went well for the Puttin’ Utes as they ended the day tied for sixth.
Utah finished the day at two strokes over par, 12 strokes behind the leaders from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. However, the second place spot is three strokes away.
"We knocked off some rust today," said head coach Randall McCracken.
This is the first tournament for Utah since last fall and will serve as a chance to fine-tune their game as they head into the spring season.
Junior Chance Cota led Utah with a 2-under-par 70.
Senior Steve Broker finished day one 1-under-par with a 71, and senior Chris Gresh posted a 73. Senior Nic Larson finished with a 76, and senior Dustin Pimm finished with a 78.
In the individual competition, freshman Derek Adams posted an 80, while freshman Chase Hite finished 10 strokes behind the leader with a 75.
Utah will finish the St. George-based tournament Tuesday.
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