Archive for April 2009
Arizona Junior Golf Event Starts May 2nd
29. April 2009 by admin.
QUINTERO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB TO HOST
JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA’S
9TH ANNUAL QUINTERO CACTUS CUP
Ryder Cup-Style Matches to Feature Some of Arizona’s Top Junior Golfers
PHOENIX, Arizona (April 28, 2009) – In just nine short years, the highly-acclaimed Quintero Cactus Cup has played host to some of Arizona’s finest junior golfers. Players like Duke’s Amanda Blumenhurst, college’s top female golfer, Tim McKenney of the University of Florida, Georgia Southern’s Doug Smith and Chad Wilcox of Wake Forest have played in one of Arizona top junior events. Smith, who played in the matches for two years, has continued to shine in local amateur events, including runner-up in last year’s Arizona Amateur Championship. ASU and the U of A also boast Quintero Classic Cup participants including Cameron Edens, Tyler Neal, Erin Tone and Tiffany Tavee.
Featuring the 20 of the finest junior boy’s and girl’s golfers, the 9th annual Quintero Cactus Cup will be played on May 2-3 at Quintero Golf and Country Club in Peoria. It is the only junior golf event in the state that adopts a team concept. Inspired by the Junior Golf Association of Arizona and further enhanced by the golf professionals at Quintero G&CC, the Quintero Cactus Cup featuring Ryder Cup-style matches is thoroughly enjoyed by the golfers and their families. “This event, unlike any other in Arizona really embraces the concept of team play and riding on the popularity of Ryder Cup-style competition, the players really love this event,” said Tom Cunningham, Executive Director of the Junior Golf Association of Arizona. “Couple that with the incredible job the staff and management does for the event at Quintero Golf Club, well you have perhaps one of the finest junior golf tournaments in the country.”
There will be two mixed team matches on Saturday, better-ball and alternate shot, and singles matches, boys against boys and girls against girls on Sunday. The morning rounds will begin at 8:00 AM.
Featured players on this year’s Quintero Cactus Cup include Charter team members: Mieke Canan, Jamie Coking, Kyle Jones, Aleah Kim, Stephanie Kim, Jake Miller, JW Phillips, Tyler Stamets, Nicole Tucker and Brett Wilson.
Founder team members are: Lily Bartell, Henry Canan, Alec Dahlquist, Clayton Kosanovich, Matt McClure, Morgan McClure, Kelli Nakano, Shelby Phillips, Dana Stapleton and Ajay Wilson.
“All of us at Quintero Golf & Country Club, especially the members and staff at the Q enjoy watching the stars of the future compete on our wonderful golf course and look forward to this year’s matches. The JGAA does an exemplary job in providing competitive outlets for the youngsters in Arizona and the Quintero Cactus Cup is definitely a true test of golf and I know all of the players truly enjoy the Ryder Cup-style matches,” said Tom Wilcox, Director of Golf at Quintero G & CC.
Quintero Golf and Country Club has been consistently ranked as a top golf course earning accolades from numerous national golf magazines including, Top 20 Golfweek Magazine Best Residential Golf Course Communities since 2002; Top 20 best course in State by Golf Digest Panel since 2003, #13 in 2007-2008; Selected 3rd favorite Private Club Course in Arizona by local PGA Professionals in Desert Golf Magazine 2006-2008; Named in 2007 Golf Digest Index as one of America’s Top 50 modern Golf Clubs.
For more information on the 2009 Quintero Cactus Cup, contact the Junior Golf Association of Arizona office at (602) 944-6168 or visit the JGAA web site at www.jgaa.org. For more information on all Arizona Golf Courses visit www.arizonasgolfcourses.com .
Golf Industry Association Leaders Respond to USA Today
28. April 2009 by admin.
Dear Editor,
A recent spate of satirical articles including one by Robert Lipsyte (USA Today, April 6) has created an unwelcome distraction for many of the 28,000 PGA Professionals, 20,000 GCSAA Superintendents and 7,000 CMAA Managers at a time we can least afford it. Contrary to the ramblings of Mr. Lipsyte, golf is a vital part of America’s fabric as a sport and, most importantly in these times, as a source of stable employment.
Together our 55,000 members are on the front line of a work force of one million Americans who work at the nation’s 16,000 golf courses, 1,300 golf ranges and hundreds of related golf businesses. Your local golf course is the embodiment of the small business sector which President Obama rightly recognizes as the backbone of American enterprise — employing a multi cultural mix of professional and service personnel who rely on the sport and business of golf to provide food and shelter to their families. In 2005 it was estimated that golf also enabled another one million jobs for the tourism and real estate industries, and all told generates some $61 billion in annual wages.
Our “offices” are also good for the communities they serve. Golf facilities are professionally managed by individuals who have achieved various levels of certification, they serve as managed open green space which provides wildlife habitat, and they help to generate $3.5 billion charity dollars each year.
Finally, we’re equally proud of the values of our sport which sees our greatest athletes compete without referees and call penalties on themselves. Athletes such as Masters’ runner up Kenny Perry, whose courtesy and dignity under trying circumstances, make them role models for the three million kids in America who play golf. Still, our members have been drawn into a dialogue questioning golf’s virtues as a result of articles such as the one USA Today prominently placed in its editorial pages, distracting us from our core duties of serving the 28 million plus people who play golf for fun, health and recreation.
On behalf of all of us who work in golf, let us get back to our real work.
Sincerely,
Jim Remy, PGA
President, PGA of America
Mark Kuhns, CGCS
President, Golf Course Supertintendents Assoc of America
Michael Leemhuis, CCM, PGA
President, Club Managers Assoc of America
Frys.com Open News
10. April 2009 by admin.
Unique Couples Pro-Am Will Be First of its Kind on the PGA TOUR
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Frys.com Open Tournament Director Scott Reid announced today that a third Pro-Am has been added to the calendar for the 2009 Frys.com Open, a PGA TOUR event to be played Oct. 21-25, at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Fry’s and Friends Fore Adoption Pro-Am, the first-ever couples pro-am to be played on the PGA TOUR, will take place on Monday, Oct. 19
Proceeds from the Pro-Am will benefit the Fore Adoption Foundation, an organization created by PGA TOUR golfer Kirk Triplett and his wife Cathi, to help bring together adoptable children in foster care with families willing and able to adopt a child. Kirk and Cathi have already committed to play in the event, as have another one of Scottsdale’s professional golf couples, Arron and Angie Oberholser.
“The Fore Adoption Foundation is an organization that is near and dear to my heart, and I’m thankful that we will have the opportunity to showcase and benefit the Foundation during the Frys.com Open,” Triplett said.
The new Pro-Am was announced at an exclusive sponsor golf outing that was attended by 2008 Frys.com Open champion Cameron Beckman. Triplett, Oberholser and Tom Pernice Jr. also attended the event, held at Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course.
The Fry’s & Friends Fore Adoption Pro-Am package will feature foursomes paired with one PGA TOUR professional. Women and couples are strongly encouraged to participate, although it is not required. The cost for a playing spot is $2,500 per couple or $1,500 for an individual. Each Pro-Am package also includes a participant gift package, 10 general admission tickets good any day and 1 VIP parking pass good all week.
“This is a unique pro-am that has never been experienced before on the PGA TOUR, and I think it will add some excitement and enthusiasm during tournament week,” Reid said. “There are a significant number of female golf fans who often get overlooked; this Pro-Am is a great opportunity for women to get involved.”
The Frys.com Open is part of the PGA TOUR’s Fall Series and will feature a full-field (132 players), four-day tournament with a $5 million purse and $900,000 payout to the winner. The Frys.com Open will be played Oct. 21-25, 2009, at Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course, and the tournament will be televised all four days on The Golf Channel. For more information, log onto www.frysopengolf.com or call (866) 638-1050.
For Arizona Golf Course Information, visit www.GolfCourseWebPages.com
