Golf

In a word, unexpected. Not as an insult, but as a pleasant surprise for the West Jessamine girls’ golf team that has worked all year for a trip to Bowling Green to play in the state tournament. “The girls’ goal all season has been to go to the state tournament as a team,” West coach Jen Brown said. “The five girls have been playing together for three or four years. For them to get to go to the state tournament as a team was really important to them.

George Rogers Clark High School senior Drew Ison, seated, third from left, signed scholarships to play golf and be a cheerleader for St. Catharine College near Springfield. Attending the signing were, from left, seated, George Rogers Clark cheerleading sponsor Ruthie Thornberry, Ison’s mother, Naomi Emmons-Ison, Clark golf coach Ann Baldwin; back row, Clark cheerleading coach Jennifer Graham and cheerleading sponsor Nella Payne, Kim Ritche, St. Catharine College golf coach Joan Rizer; Clark County Athletic Director Ryan Noland and GRC Athletic Director Robbie Graham.

He didn’t win the tournament he’s dreamed of winning on his home course since he was a youngster, but Danville’s Ben Fuqua insists Sunday’s experience will only be detrimental to his career if he doesn’t learn from what happened. Fuqua, a recent University of Kentucky graduate, shot a 4-under par 68 in Saturday’s first round of the J.E. Butler Memorial at Danville Country Club and trailed leader Zach Wilson by one shot. However, Fuqua and Wilson both shot 6-over par 78’s in the final round to finish well back of winner Scott King of Somerset, who added a 2-under par 70 to his first round 71. “You can’t simulate the final group atmosphere in every day golf,” said Fuqua.

Jim Murray: Who did Mercer's (golf) team lose to??? Larry: Mercer lost to Russell County and Taylor County in a four-team match at Campbellsville. Not quite sure how Jay is counting his wins and losses, but that's the match they lost.

There may actually be two Tee Cup Invitationals going on at the same time. You have the golfers in the championship flight, a good mix of veterans and college-aged golfers all going for a win. And then you have golfers like Barbara Brummett and Gerry Sharpe, two Danville Country Club members who want to play well, but like the social aspect of the tournament as much as the golf itself. “It's a great social event for our club. It brings in women from all over the state. We have them from Cincinnati, and I played with a woman from Louisville today,” said Brummett.

When I worked in public accounting in the late 1970s, one of our audit clients was the Anaconda Aluminum Company in Akron, Ohio. We always stayed at The Holiday Inn next door. As we arrived one Sunday evening, golf great Tom Watson and his wife Linda were checking in. They were there for the World Series of Golf being played at Firestone Country Club. Linda Watson was insisting on a room with a king size bed. The night clerk informed her that the only one available was the Presidential suite and that he would have to call the hotel manager for approval to let them have it. "Would you please?"

The fair weather Thursday brought the unexpected sight of golfers hitting the links again at the recently closed Old Bridge Golf Club, but the owner said the situation may only be temporary. Bruce Brown, who leads the club’s ownership group in addition to serving as general manager and head golf professional, said the run of good weather after a harsh winter season prompted the course to reopen. The restaurant, however, remained closed. “Right now, we are going to open on some pretty days, and hopefully we can get some people to come out for that,” Brown said.

Following a tremendous four years leading the West Jessamine girls’ golf team, senior Emily Haas has decided to take her talents to Louisville as she signed with the University of Louisville on Nov. 10. Haas ended her high school career with an eighth place finish at the state finals in October, shooting an 8-over-par. As a junior, Haas placed second at 11-over and 12th and 13th as a sophomore and freshman, respectively. She was also the 2009 KGA-PGA Junior Player of the Year.

Boyle County’s Kelsey Joslyn shot a 72-78—150 to take medalist honors for Lindsey Wilson at the Bill Sergent Invitational on the Crooked Creek Golf Course in London over the weekend. The Lindsey Wilson freshman beat her teammate, Jennifer MacKinnon, to win her first collegiate title and help the Blue Raiders win the team title by 28 strokes with a 624 total, compared to 652 for Campbellsville.

Defending champions Rodney Clements and Cosville Rogers used a late birdie barrage to post a 12-under-par 60 and capture the second annual championship of the Better Ball Tournament Saturday at the Winchester Country Club. Finishing tied for second in what turned out to be a three horse race to the end were the teams of Tom Muncie and Will Hodgkin and Chad Abner and Clint Raney with a 61. Fourth place went to Jim Fluty and Jason Martin (64) and tied for fifth with scores of 65 were John Stotts and Dudley Taylor and the duo of Todd Denham and Dee Birkes.

Bobby Baldwin won't get much sleep this week or this weekend for that matter. He doesn't mind the sleepless nights this time of the year. The Winchester Country Club head golf professional has been busy preparing for the 77th edition of the Memorial Tournament that begins Saturday and concludes Monday. Baldwin is in his 38th season as tournament director and is used to the preparation and hype surrounding the event. The tournament features a match play format, making it one of the most unique events in the state.

The Centre College women's golf team tied for ninth place Friday in the NCAA Division III championships at Destin, Fla. The Colonels, who were ranked ninth entering the 72-hole tournament at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, shot 325 in the final round to finish at 1,296. Freshman Kathleen Kennedy was the team's low scorer. She shot a second straight 80 in the final round to finish at 319, leaving her in a tie for 22nd place. Alyssa Brown and Allison Hancock each shot 78 in the final round.

The Centre College women's golf team was in eighth place entering the final round of the NCAA Division III championships at Destin, Fla. The Colonels shot 324 in Thursday's third round at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. They were in a group of six teams in sixth through 11th places separated by only 11 shots as the final round of the 72-hole tournament began today. Freshman Kathleen Kennedy led the Colonels for the second straight day, shooting 80 for a 54-hole total of 239 that left her tied for 21st place.

With warmer weather back in the bluegrass now is a great opportunity to pick up what many consider to be the greatest game ever played.  It is now easier than ever to learn how to play golf and more importantly, have fun playing golf.  There are many reasons people take up the game.  Whether it's for fun, business, fitness, or competiveness, golf has something to offer for everyone. If you are new to the game of golf, avoid common mistakes like purchasing a set of cheap clubs, picking a random golf course, and showing up ready to play.  This can be a very humbling experience and will likely lead you to never wanting to play golf again.  So if you've been thinking about picking up the game of golf, take the advice below to make your experience as good as possible: Instruction Golf is not a sport that is easily acquired on one's own.  It's also best to leave the instruction to the ones that do it for a living.  There are several PGA professionals in our area that offer great instruction at an affordable rate.  Individual lessons will help you learn the game faster, but tend to be a more expensive option.  I recommend starting out in a group setting.  Group lessons are a great way to not only get quality instruction at an affordable rate, but also give you the opportunity to meet other aspiring golfers like yourself.  Group lessons are typically conducted for men and women, women only, and also for junior golfers.

Wilmore native Steven Brooks' journey to success took some detours, yet through its rough patches, his efforts culminated with a career first on April 30. A one-time basketball player at West Jessamine High School, Brooks had only dabbled in playing on the grasses of a golf course. His change to a new hobby, however, took a turn when he won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament on that late April day, claiming the conference player-of-the-year award along the way with his play throughout the season.

The more Centre College golf coach Bruce Brown watched Allison Hancock play, the more he liked what he saw from the then-Sayre High School player. “At that time, she was a good player. On the golf course, she was really serious. She didn't goof around,” said Brown, the former head pro at Old Bridge Golf Club. “She had the right mechanics then, but not the maturity to work her way around the course like she has now. That just comes with age. She knows when to punch out and what to do. She is so smart now on the course.

Alyssa Brown tied for second to lead Centre College to victory in the eight-team Southern Athletic Association Women's Golf Championship at Highland Park Golf Course in Birmingham. She had rounds of 79-74-76 for a 229 total while teammate Allison Hancock was fifth at 76-82-74 - 232. Whitney Miller tied for sixth (80-74-80 - 234) and Kathleen Kennedy (80-81-79 - 240) was 12th. Michaela Manley tied for 18th with a 248. Centre had a 935 (107 over par) team total. Birmingham Southern was second seven strokes behind at 942. In men's play at Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta, Ala., William Trent tied for ninth (76-74 - 150)

Defending champions Rodney Clements and Cosville Rogers used a late birdie barrage to post a 12-under-par 60 and capture the second annual championship of the Better Ball Tournament Saturday at the Winchester Country Club. Finishing tied for second in what turned out to be a three horse race to the end were the teams of Tom Muncie and Will Hodgkin and Chad Abner and Clint Raney with a 61. Fourth place went to Jim Fluty and Jason Martin (64) and tied for fifth with scores of 65 were John Stotts and Dudley Taylor and the duo of Todd Denham and Dee Birkes.