Golf

When my daughter Meredith started playing competitive golf, I asked her if she wanted me to follow her. I told her that if I made her nervous, I would understand. She said she preferred that I walk with her for two reasons. First, I could help look for lost balls. Secondly, she was afraid that a fellow competitor might attempt to incorrectly call a rule infraction on her and that I might be able to intercede. While I've searched for many balls, her latter concern has only happened twice.

The Jessamine County/Wilmore Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday night to reject a proposal that would have allowed a Jack Nicklaus golf course and subdivision. Planners voted 6-0 to reject the rezoning of 461 acres for the Forest Creek Golf Course which was proposed for U.S. 68 and Murphy Lane. The land is current zoned agricultural and if approved, the rezoning would have allowed for residential development. However, since the planning commission is only a recommending body in the matter of zone changes, the matter will now go before the Wilmore City Council, which is the deciding body.

Centre College used a 2-under par 70 from freshman Mike Janok on Saturday to win the Old Bridge Invitational. The Colonels shot a 293 to beat Thomas More by 17 strokes. Centre won the Thomas More Classic earlier in the week. Chris Conkright added a 73 for Centre while Derek Tingle, Tyler Current and Alex Zimmerman each shot 74 (the low four scores count in the team total). Tyler Griffith shot 75 and Rus Whalen 78. Centre goes into the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tourney this weekend in Georgetown, Texas, as the third seed.

Blake Jones loves playing golf. He loves playing basketball, too. And he loves the idea that he can continue to do both when he heads off to college. The Boyle County senior will join both the basketball and golf teams at Campbellsville University, saying he believes that school gives him the best opportunities in the two sports. Jones was expected to sign letters-of-intent today in the presence of coaches from both teams, something he said he didn't think was possible a year ago. "I love basketball, but I thought my only way to go to college was to play golf," Jones said.

The state says that the only way Danville Country Club can remain private and serve its members alcohol is to have a golf course liquor license. Voters in the Indian Hills precinct will decide Tuesday whether the club will be allowed to serve liquor-by-the-drink. If they do approve it, the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control said the club will be able to serve alcohol in its restaurant and on the course. John Clay, executive director of the ABC, explained how the liquor laws apply to the country club.

The West Jessamine boys' golf team got a boost from Nate Johnson to win the Montgomery County Boys Invitational Tournament in Mount Sterling Saturday. Johnson shot a 73 to win third place among individual finishers. Fred Allen Meyer, Jordan Wood and Travis Rose each shot a 78 while Connor Haas added an 81 to give the Colts a team-total 307. The effort was five strokes better than Trinity's 312. Greenup County shot a 317 to third place. The Colts followed the tournament win with a win over Danville in match play Monday at Connemara.

I decided not to attend the Ryder Cup on Saturday. Too much sun and too much walking on Thursday and Friday took its toll on me. I did, however, enjoy watching the matches on television, especially since I'd become more familiar with some of the players and holes. Lenny Midden and I went back on Sunday. This time I was well prepared with a cap, sunscreen, binoculars, a map of the course, and the singles pairings. I also stopped at the golf shop to purchase a Ryder Cup radio, which I wish I had done on Friday.

STANFORD - Taylor Hafley is thrilled to get the chance to play golf in college, but he said he's just as happy with the college he's chosen. The Lincoln County graduate has committed to play for Wittenberg University, an NCAA Division III school in Springfield, Ohio, that he said left a good impression on him from the first time he visited. "I love golf, and it's a dream to get to play, but I tried to really look at it without golf in the equation and (look at) what the school would be like," Hafley said.

The Lincoln County High School boys' golf team bid farewell not only to its seniors but also its coach at the Patriots' annual awards banquet. Lincoln seniors Taylor Hafley and Lincoln Nevels played out their final holes of golf as Patriots in the regional and state tournaments this season. Following the two around the course until the end was Coach Willie Hoskins. After 23 years as head coach of the Patriot golf team, Willie Hoskins has decided to retire from coaching and turn the reigns over to a new coach.

Flora Montgomery called to tell me about the time her late husband Bob played a round of golf with country and pop singer Glen Campbell. Hazard businessman L. D. Gorman arranged the outing. Montgomery said that on the evening before the match, Bob was extremely nervous about playing with such a celebrity. In the end, he had nothing to fear. Campbell had evidently partied a little too hard the night before and was feeling rough that morning. He finally pulled himself together and after a while began to whistle.