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With a (-10) 61, Sunset View Golf Course Head Professional Casey Fowles wins his second consecutive America First Davis Park Open on September 5^th in Fruit Heights, Utah.

Last year’s victory at Davis Park required extra holes with Joe Summerhays, but with a 61 and tying the course record, extra holes were not necessary as he topped Davis Park Assistant Professional Zach Johnson by two strokes to claim his second Davis Park Open victory in as many years.

“I played well on that course growing up so it’s been fun to go back and play as I’m older,” Fowles said of winning two in-a-row.

“It’s just a great bunch of guys up there. I just have good memories and good vibes there.”

With nine birdies, an eagle and a bogey, Fowles certainly had “one of those days the stars aligned and everything went well.”

“It was just one of those days where the ball bounced my way and went in the hole,” he explained. “I didn’t really do anything super outstanding; I just hit it good enough, made a bunch of putts, had a couple of good bounces, chipped one in and made a long eagle putt. It was just one of those days where everything went right, which doesn’t happen very often.”

With the 2019 Utah Section Championship just two weeks away, Fowles currently sits in 7^th in the Omega Player of the Year race. He may be a few spots out of the season-long race but needs to be considered as a front-runner going into the Section Championship at Toana Vista in Wendover September 17-18.

As for the Davis Park Open Senior Division, Bloomington CC Head Professional Scott Brandt secures another win for his season with a (-2) 69, two strokes ahead of Davis Park Head Professional Brad Stone and Henry White.

Brandt currently sits in second place in the Omega Senior Player of the Year, right behind Senior Section Champion Ryan Rhees.

Brandt won the Gladstan Open Senior Division in May and hasn’t finished outside the top 5 since the Tony Basso Group Black Diamond Open in July, where he finished 6^th.

For full results click HERE.

Ryan Rhees, head professional of The Oaks Golf Course in Spanish Fork, Utah, is now three-for-three in qualifying for the PGA Senior Professional Championship, this time he qualified with a win in the 2019 Utah PGA Senior Section Championship at Alpine Country Club August 26-27 in Alpine, Utah.

“Feels great,” Rhees said about the win. “It’s a big tournament for the seniors and we have a lot of good players in our Section, so anytime you get a win it feels great.”

Rhees claimed the lead after round one with a (-6) 66, three strokes in front of Bloomington Country Club’s Scott Brandt and four strokes ahead of Jimmy Blair.

“Particularly the first day I drove it really well, so that set me up with a lot of wedges,” Rhees said. “I was able to reach the par 5s in two and I was able to eagle 17. So mostly the tee shots on the first day set me up and I was able to make a few putts.”

All that was needed for Rhees in the final round to finish off the win was an even-par round. His three-stroke lead remained the same over Brandt, who shot even, and new senior Section member Mark Owen, who shot (-2) 70 to finished tied for second.

“I made some putts this week,” Rhees continued about his good play. “I probably made three or four putts over 15 or 20 feet.”

Rhees, Owen, Brandt and Blair, who shot a second-round 71, will all represent the Utah Section PGA in the 31^st PGA Senior Professional Championship October 3-6 at the Fazio Foothills & Coore Crenshaw Courses at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin Texas.

This will be Rhees’s third time playing in the PGA Senior Professional Championship in three years of playing in the Senior division.

“Last year I played good enough to make the cut, but didn’t play good enough to get in the Senior PGA Championship,” he said. “There are a lot of good players so you’ve got to play really good to make it in that top 35.”

Rhees uses this qualifying opportunity as a goal every year, whether it was the PGA Professional championship or the Senior Professional Championship.

“It’s always something you try to shoot for,” Rhees continued. “Luckily I’ve played in seven or eight of the regular ones. It’s something to look forward to the end of the year if you’ve played good enough.” As for the rest of the season, Rhees plans to play in the Davis Park Open, the Section Championship in Wendover and then will head to Austin Texas in hopes to play well enough to earn a spot in the Senior PGA Championship.

By Mike Sorensen, Deseret News

For Sam Saunders and Kelton Hirsch it wasn’t about the money as they battled in a sudden-death playoff at the conclusion of the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open Sunday afternoon at Riverside Country Club.

Saunders had already wrapped up the $20,000 professional’s first prize, while Hirsch had locked up low amateur honors and wasn’t eligible for any cash. This was purely about competing and trying to get a victory.

The two golfers put on a show for the spirited gallery around the 18th hole with some terrific shots, and in the end it was Saunders, a 27-year-old from New Mexico, who claimed the title with a par on the second hole of the playoff.

“That’s why I play golf, I loved every moment of that,” Saunders said after the victory. “I really don’t play golf for money — it helps to prolong my career playing in these tournaments — I love playing golf and competing. That was really fun.”

Saunders had to withstand one of the most stirring comebacks in Utah Open history, as Hirsch, a 23-year-old junior-to-be at BYU, made up five strokes in five holes to force the sudden-death playoff. It wasn’t just making up the strokes, it was how he did it that was so thrilling.

The two were playing in the final group with Phoenix pro Blake Cannon and with five holes to play, Saunders was 15-under par for the tourney, while Hirsch was 10-under with several golfers bunched between them on the leaderboard.

Hirsch, the 2017 Utah State Amateur champion, had just made three bogeys in five holes to seemingly fall out of contention, when he said to himself, “You can either crumble and keep making bogeys or make a run at this thing. So I just flipped it on and said, let’s be aggressive … and make a run at it.”

He birdied 14 and 15, then hit his wedge at 16 within 3 feet and sank that for a birdie. Now he was only down two, but when he hit his tee shot left into the rough at the par-3 17th, he faced a seemingly impossible shot to a pin tucked on the left side, leaving him with less than 10 feet of green to work with.

However, he hit an outstanding flop shot that settled within inches of the cup, nearly going in.

“It was spectacular, probably the best chip shot I’ve ever seen,” said Saunders.

“Maybe my best of all time,” added Hirsch.

With Saunders making bogey on the hole, the margin was down to one, but it looked like Hirsch was out of it when at 18 he hit over the left bunker on his drive and then left his approach some 30 feet below the hole. However, he rolled the putt in and celebrated with a fist pump, forcing a playoff.

The two played No. 18 a second time and again Saunders had the edge, hitting within 10 feet, while Hirsch was 25 feet away. But again Hirsch rolled in his putt, forcing Saunders to sink his to stay alive.

“I play for a moment like that to make a putt to win or continue — there’s no feeling like it,” Saunders said. “I hit a great putt and it went in.”

The third time the two played 18, Hirsch’s luck ran out as he missed a 7-footer for par after hitting in the front bunker and Saunders two-putted to finally claim the trophy.

Park City pro Steele DeWald finished third, just one shot back at 203 after shooting the best score of the tournament, an 8-under-par 64, Sunday along with Las Vegas pro Mitch Carlson.

“That was a solid round, one of the better rounds I’ve played,” said the 32-year-old DeWald, who will try PGA Tour Q School this fall.

Saunders often gets mixed up with the other Sam Saunders, who is a regular on the PGA Tour and is the grandson of Arnold Palmer. He said people used to ask him about his grandpa and he one time got charged by the PGA Tour for some travel and had to have the other Saunders reimburse him a thousand dollars.

He won the Colorado Open, which featured a $100,000 first prize, three weeks ago and will defend his New Mexico Open title later next month. He said he’d like to play the PGA Tour someday, but this fall will try to qualify for the European Tour.

Hirsch will return to BYU with increased confidence after his fine week, following up on a second-place finish at the Salt Lake City Open last week. “To be able to bounce back like that really proved to myself and to a lot of people I can play and compete with the best of the pros,” he said. “I had two great finishes.”

By Bryson Lester, SUU

The Southern Utah Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the SUU Athletics Hall of Fame Committee have announced the 2019 Hall of Fame class to be inducted on October 25 at the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Part of that induction is our very own Zach Johnson, assistant professional at Davis Park Golf Course and multiple-time Omega Player of the Year.

“Honoring those that had a major impact on this university and department is one of the most important things we do each year,” SUU Director of Athletics Debbie Corum said. “I am so honored that we get to welcome these fantastic individuals back to campus and celebrate everything they did during their time in Cedar City. 

A lifelong T-Bird, Zach Johnson competed for the university from 2001-05 and was an extremely solid competitor on the collegiate golf circuit.

To this day, Johnson’s college stroke average ranks 18th in SUU history, putting him among the best to ever tee it up for the Thunderbirds. 

Johnson’s impact on the program has been felt since his graduation, however, as he has continued his career in golf he has continued to do so while promoting SUU every opportunity he gets.

In 2018, Johnson made national news as he qualified for the PGA Championship. He has also played in, and won a number of highly competitive golf tournaments since leaving Cedar City. Some of Johnson’s other career milestones include winning the 2018 TaylorMade National Championship, as well as the 2013 Utah Open. 

“Zach is the epitome of what a great T-Bird is, both in his time here playing with us and since he’s moved on,” SUU head golf coach Richard Church said. “He has stayed very involved with the program, he’s dedicated his time to growing the game of golf in the state of Utah, along with the fact that he has been and forever will be a T-Bird. I’m very proud of Zach and we can’t wait to celebrate him as a member of our Athletics Hall of Fame.” 

The third-annual Siegfried & Jensen Utah Women’s Open saw a new venue and new champion this year, being played at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club in Lehi on August 5-6.

After Lea Garner won the first two events at East Bay Golf Course, no one knew what to expect this year with a larger field and different course, but Annika Borrelli, sophomore at the University of San Francisco came in, took the first-round lead with a (-5) 67 and never looked back with a final-round (-4) 68.

Borrelli had a one-stroke lead over Utah Women’s State Amateur champion and multiple-time winner on The Cactus Tour Sirene Blair and Utah PGA Junior Series alumnus Christiana Ciasca, who were both tied for second at (-4) 68.

And with two-time champion Garner only three-strokes back, Borrelli needed a solid final round to take home the trophy.

“I’ve been a first-round leader before,” Borrelli explained, “and it unfortunately usually gets to my head. This was the first time where I was just trying to play my game, go hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot.”

The game plan worked as she made the turn tied with Blair but then proceeded to fire off five back-nine birdies, including the last-two holes.

“Definitely my putting,” she said about what was working well. “I made some good putts and good saves. My dad and I had a great strategy going reading the lines and also the pace, I give a lot of credit to that.”

Before the Utah Women’s Open, Borelli had only played in one other Utah-based event, a college tournament down south in St. George. She enjoyed the experience and made sure to make a return visit during her summer schedule. And as for next year, she plans on defending her title in the 2020 Siegfried & Jensen Utah Women’s Open.

“Yeah, I’ll be back,” she said with a smile, holding the champion trophy.

As for the growing professional division, Blair took home the low-pro honors and check after close calls the last-two years.

“It feels really good,” Blair said about her low-pro honors. “I’ve had kind of a rough year so it’s kind of nice to have something that can boost my confidence.

“I definitely made a lot of putts today, I was grinding really hard on the greens and they have the greens rolling so nice. Nice and fast. Just pick a good line and put a good stroke on it and it’ll go in.”

Blair made the turn at one-under for the day, tied with Borrelli, although she finished the back nine in 36, it was good enough for the $2,500 low-pro payout.

“I don’t know what it is about this event,” she said about her performance in the first-three events. “It’s just run really smoothly. The girls are great, a lot of them I played junior golf with so it’s good to see familiar faces. Everyone plays well typically, everyone goes low and the courses are set up to score so it’s always fun to see and fun to play.”

The Brigham Young University Women’s Golf Team took the third-place spot in the event with Assistant Coach Juli Erekson and incoming-freshman Kerstin Fotu, coming off her Utah Women’s State Am win, finished with a tournament-total four-under par.

In only its third year, the Utah Women’s Open continues to grow and become a crucial stop in the women’s schedule for Utah golf and for several traveling professionals. We owe a big thank you to the title sponsor Siegfried & Jensen for supporting it each year and for our presenting sponsor Fairways Media for supporting women’s golf in Utah.

Another thank you to Thanksgiving Point Head Professional Tele Wightman and Superintendent Jason Robert and their staff for hosting us this year. The course was in excellent shape and provided a true test for the Utah Women’s Open.

If you know Mark Owen, Mountain View Golf Course head professional, you know he’s a competitor. He played just about every sport growing up and he’s seen a lot of success locally as a golf professional in city opens and Utah Section events.

He’s got a new avenue for competition now that he’s reached the young age of 50 years old, which he rightfully claimed “the new 30.” Owen took advantage of the opportunity to compete in his first-ever Utah Senior Open at Toana Vista Golf Course in Wendover July 31^st-August 1^st and left as the champion.

The Utah Senior Open, which annually honors a Utah golf legend, this year being Riverside Country Club member Doug Marriott, is not an easy event to win. Some of the best golfers in Utah find themselves in this senior category, which makes for an extremely-competitive event.

Owen started hot with a bogey-free round of (-6) 66, providing a one-stroke lead over Steve Schneiter, a four-time Utah Senior Open champion, and Kirk Siddens (a), two overly-accomplished Utah golfers.

“I had a really easy round, didn’t even have a chance to make a bogey,” Owen said of the first round. “I made 6 birdies, no bogies.

“Today was a lot different,” Owen continued. “The wind was different, little harder, different pins, harder pins. I didn’t hit is as good, scraped it around for one over.”

A final-round one over was all he needed to claim the 2019 Doug Marriott Utah Senior Open. He slimmed by with a one-stroke overall victory over amateur Steve Poulson at (-4) 72-68. Schneiter finished second in the Professional Championship flight and tied for third overall at two-under.

“Winning always feels great,” Owen said. “I don’t feel like a senior yet, 50 years old is not what it used to be. I guess it’s the new 30.

“I knew my birthday fell a couple weeks before this event and I did pinpoint this as one of the events I would play in,” Owen continued. “All the guys I’ve looked up to for years have played in it. A couple honorees have played in it that are some of my really good friends and it’s just something I’m happy and excited to have my name attached to for now on, it’s cool.”

Owen has played in two events as a senior so far: the Brigham City Open and the Utah Senior Open. He’s two-for-two with wins.

Bruce Summerhays, a Utah Senior Open regular, not only won the Legends flight, reserved for golfers over 70, but also claimed the Super Senior flight with his ever-consistent play of (-3) 69-72.

With four birdies and an eagle in his first round, Summerhays held a one-stroke lead over past-champion and Bloomington Country Club Head Professional Scot Brandt. Summerhays would go on to seal his win with an even-par final round and leave Wendover with the Super Senior trophy. The Utah Senior Open is special event we look forward to every year, whether it’s celebrating the tournament honoree, spending time with Section members and Utah golfers throughout the state or joining forces with the Utah Golf Association. Thank you to all who support the event and a special thank you to our Wendover friends and to Toana Vista Golf Course and Staff.

The 2019 Utah PGA Junior Series Major season has come to a close with an exciting finish at the Promontory PGA Junior Major Championship as Braxton Watts, Nathan Giles, Kyla Hoster and McKenzie Schow have earned exemptions into the 2019 Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open and Utah Women’s Open.

Two exemption spots were up for grabs in the Boys 15-18 and Girls 15-18 divisions; one for the winner of the Promontory PGA Junior Major Championship and one for the winner of the season-long Majors Points race.

In Kyla Hoster’s case, she claimed the top spots in both categories. Hoster played in three of the four Majors and won the Davis/Valley View Major and the Promontory Championship. She won at the Pete Dye Promontory Course on July 29^th with a (+7) 79, one-stroke over Ellie Hair’s 80, which gave left her in first place in points as well.

Hoster and McKenzie Schow were tied in the points race leading into the Promontory Championship, however, with Hoster finishing in first in both spots, the points exemption fell to the second-place spot. Schow’s points cushion was just enough to get that second spot into the 2019 Utah Women’s Open at Thanksgiving Point on August 5-6^th with a third-place finish at Promontory.

“It’s a really proud moment for me,” Hoster said of qualifying for the third-ever Utah Women’s Open. “I know it’s a big tournament. I think it’s a big achievement.”

Braxton Watts of the Boys 17-18 Division must feel right at home at the Promontory PGA Junior Championship as he successfully defends his 2018 title this year with a tournament-low (-4) 68 on the Dye Course. Watts won the 2018 Promontory Championship played on the Nicklaus Course.

Not only did he defend his Promontory title, he also went back-to-back Major wins, winning the Gladstan/The Oaks Major to qualify for the season-ending major.

Accrediting his driver and “striping it” in almost every fairway, Watts qualified for the 2019 Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open at Riverside Country Club August 16-18^th with an eight-stroke win.

“It means a lot,” Watts said of the Utah Open. “I’m really pumped to get out there and play Riverside. I didn’t get to play last year due to family, so I get to go play now, I’m excited.”

Claiming the second exemption spot into the Utah Open for the boys was Provo-resident Nathan Giles, who won the Boys Majors Points race by the skin of his teeth.

Giles trailed Landon Herndon in the points race by a slim margin going into Promontory but would leave with the lead by a mere five points with a score of 75, including birdies on three of his last four holes.

“It feels awesome, it’s actually my biggest goal this year to qualify for the Utah Open,” said Giles. “I’m super excited to play in it, and it’s my home course so it’s going to be fun.”

In the Boys 15-16 Division, Spencer Clayton went low with a (-2) 70 to take home the trophy. Clayton’s five birdies helped secure the win over second-place finisher Giles.

Kihei Akina, who won the Gladstan/The Oaks Major, shot an even-par 72 on the challenging Promontory Club course to win by three over Emmitt Harris.

To round out the Girl’s Divisions, The Romney sisters took control of the two younger flights. Savannah Romney won the Girls 15-16 Division with an 82 and Victoria Romney claimed the Girl’s 13-14 Division with a 79.

The two sisters will be playing for the same Corner Canyon High School Girls Golf Team as the summer season winds down. The 2019 Utah PGA Junior Series Major Season was our best season yet thanks to our Utah Section PGA Professionals hosting our membership at their great courses and for our ever-supportive and growing membership. We owe a big thank you to Promontory Director of Golf Ryan Kartchner and Head Professional Cole Carlson for hosting us at the Promontory Dye Course. What a great opportunity for our juniors!

Six major champions were crowned at the Utah PGA Junior Series Davis/Valley View Major on July 10-11^th at Davis Park Golf Course and Valley View Golf Course. With exemption spots into the season-ending Promontory Major Championship, scores were low, competition was tight and playoffs were needed in the second major of the season.

The lowest score of the tournament came from the youngest boy’s division. Emmitt Harris of the Boys 13-14 division held the lead after round one at Davis Park with a (-1) 70 and secured that lead the rest of the way by firing a (-4) 68 at Valley View in the final round.

With six birdies and only two bogies, Harris proved to be too good to catch and is now a Utah PGA Junior Series Major Champion.

If a 5-under two-day total score from a 14-year old wasn’t exciting enough for the Davis/Valley View Major, a playoff was needed to determine the winner of the Girl’s 17-18 division between Kyla Hoster and Mckienzie Schow.

Hoster grabbed the lead early by shooting a 69 at Davis Park, but steady play from Schow on day two led to a tie at (+4) 147 at the end of the final round at Valley View. After they tied the first playoff hole, the par-4 10^th at Valley View, they continued to the par-5 11^th.

Hoster drained a 10-foot birdie putt to seal the deal as Schow’s birdie just barely slipped by.

“Yesterday it was putting and today was getting my approach shots close,” Hoster said about what was working well to get the win.

“It feels really good,” she said about the win and qualifying for Promontory. “It’s a relief, there was a lot of pressure. I feel very confident right now.”

The win put Hoster in first place on the Girls Major Points list, 20 points ahead of Schow going into next week’s Utah County Rumble Major at The Oaks and Gladstan Golf Courses.

Two exemption spots into the 2019 Utah Women’s Open are on the line for the winner at the Promontory Major Championship and the top spot on the season-long Girls Major Points list.

More low scores were made in the Boys 17-18 division as Porter Brackett started the event hot at Davis Park with a (-4) 67, providing a three-stroke lead going into the final round at Valley View over Landon Herndon.

Brackett would hold onto his lead on day two with a (+1) 73, finishing three-under for the major while Herndon maintained his second-place spot with rounds of 70-79.

“My putting is what saved me,” Bracket said.

The putter certainly made the difference as he drained four birdies and an eagle on day one to provide the cushion needed going into the final round.

With his win, Brackett will now compete for the exemption spot into the 2019 Utah Open by playing in the Promontory Major Championship. The winner at Promontory will earn his ticket to Riverside Country Club in Provo and the overall Major Point list winner will also earn an exemption.

Bracket currently sits in second on the points list behind Caysen Wright, who won the Boys 15-16 division at the Davis/Valley View Major with rounds of (-4) 68-71. Wright had a three-stroke leading going into the final round and held off a charging Jackson Rhees, who shot 69 at Valley View and Nathan Giles, who maintained his second-place spot with rounds of 71-73 after it was all said and done.

Wright, one of the few who shot under par at Valley View, matched all his bogies with birdies in the final round and was able to get one more to provide an extra cushion in his five-stroke win.

Claire Whisenant was able to mount a comeback-win with steady rounds of 75-77 to win the Girl’s 15-16 Division and punch her ticket to Promontory while Madalyn Hadley expanded on her 7-stroke first-round lead by shooting 82-83 to win the Girls 13-14 Division.

We’re lucky and fortunate to play on such championship-caliber courses like Davis Park and Valley View. A big thank you to Head Professionals Brad Stone and Dustin Volk and their staffs for being gracious hosts and for running the Davis/Valley View Major. Our third major of the season will be the Utah County Rumble Major at The Oaks and Gladstan Golf Courses. This will be the last opportunity to earn exemption into Promontory.

By Jesse Dodson

Dustin Pimm and Chris Gresh, assistant professionals at Mountain View Golf Course and Mick Riley Golf Course, respectively, have been playing golf together since the age of 10 and have now become 2019 Utah Section PGA Four-Ball Champions by defeating Matt Baird and Tele Wightman 5&4 Wednesday, July 10^th at Valley View Golf Course.

The weather-delayed Four-Ball Championship finally came to be this week as matches started Monday and concluded Wednesday.

Pimm and Gresh came into match play as the 4^th seed. They established a little trend throughout the event as to the fashion they won each match. After a first-round bye, Pimm and Gresh defeated Team Maurer/Padilla 1 up, then faced Team Meyer/Roberts and won 5&4. They would go on to face Team Edwards/Johnson, 2018 runner-ups, and slipped by with a 1 up victory and finished it off with another 5&4 victory in the final match.

“You know, Monday we get here and we actually hit it really good we just couldn’t make enough putts, luckily we made it by Neil and Brock,” Pimm said. “Yesterday we finally got the putters going, which was good to see the ball go in the hole. Today it just all came together.”

Pimm and Gresh got off to a quick start by winning the first hole with a birdie and they never let go of that lead. They extended their lead to 3 up by the turn and quickly jumped to 4 up with a 35-foot birdie by Pimm on the par-four 10^th. They sealed the deal with a birdie on the 14^th hole to win.

“In a couple matches this week we got down early so we were fighting back and today we got up and kept making birdies,” said Pimm.

“It was good to get off to a good start for us,” Gresh added. “It was the first time we birdied number one this week, so to get that out of the way was good.”

“I think we fed off each other,” Gresh continued. “He had great-hole stretches, I had great-hole stretches. I mean, just to be able to watch each other hit good shots and know that it’s out there. We kept telling ourselves to hit good shots and they’ll eventually fall and they did today.”

The two were “due,” as Pimm explained. They played junior golf together and even played for the same University of Utah team.

“It’s awesome, especially for both of us,” Gresh said. “We haven’t played as much as we used to, we’ve both had surgeries. To come out and play against a great field and win this, it’s awesome.”

Pimm is nine-months removed from back surgery, where he thought there was a chance he’d never play golf again. Today, alongside Gresh’s stellar approach shots and consistency off the tee, you’d never expect either had recently recovered from surgeries as they combined for seven birdies in 14 holes and won in convincing fashion.

A big thank you to Utah Section PGA President Dustin Volk and his Valley View staff for hosting us and for Charley Carlson and our sponsors for making this event possible.

Tournament bracket HERE

*Annotated by ABC 4 Sports Director Wesley Ruff for Father’s Day*

My dad started writing poems and stories (with hand-drawn artwork) when I was in high school. He wrote this one about playing golf with my brother at the old Spanish Fork Golf Course and Country Club probably around 1975. It still makes me laugh, because it’s all true and brings back some great memories of a Utah golf course that no longer exists, and a time that unfortunately is gone as well.

Our story takes place at the Spanish Fork Municipal Golf Course and Country Club. A pretty fancy name for a nine-hole course built on an alkali flat, just north of the little town of Spanish Fork; not that it doesn’t have class or a certain air about it. The “class” comes from the local pro, “Little Max.” A great, good-natured man who dishes out the beer and golf lessons with equal ease, and whose singing and remarks over the mic are half the reasons to play here.

WR: Little Max, as my father affectionately called him, was Max Gardener, the head golf pro at the old Spanish Fork Golf Course, and was the first pro when they moved to the new Spanish Oaks golf course. He was awesome and one of the friendliest guys around. He was always humming or singing, and he was a pretty decent player as well.

Slim and I are here to battle the course and each other for the weekly family championship. Slim is the nickname of my eldest son. He can hit a golf ball a mile, but generally has trouble as to direction. Me, I’m a slicer, but I have a pretty fair short game. It’s mainly short off the tee, come to think of it.

WR:  My brother’s real name is David, but when he was a baby, he was long and skinny and my dad gave him the nickname of Slim. That’s all I’ve ever called him. I never call him David; he’s always been Slim to me, although he is not as “slim” as he once was!

We begin on number one; naturally, you say, but as every third hole ends up back at the clubhouse, most people just start any place they can squeeze in. You must remember this is not St. Andrew’s, and things are a little more relaxed here.

First, we must establish our alibis, like “Smashed my finger at work, sure hurts to grip my club,” or “My back has been giving me a lot of pain lately, I hope I can make it around.”

Finally, all the preliminaries aside, we begin the great match. Slim has the honors, a carry-over from the last match.

As he prepares, he takes four or five vicious practice swings, each one resulting in a huge divot being blasted out of the ground and sent flying down the fairway. You can hear Max’s groan in the background. He will have to move the tees as we go because slim does a little damage to each one.

Just when I think he’s more intent on trying to get deep enough for the water, he steps up and hits a beautiful 350-yarder. Too bad it went straight right to number two fairway.

I lunge at mine and get 300 yards, 150 to the hole and 150 to the right as my slice takes me to the rough. Now the rough here reminds me of the sidewalk in front of my house: hard and bare with just a few weeds in the cracks.

I’m away so I lash at the ball which, by the way, is trying to hide under a very ugly but recognizable weed. I escape permanent injury as my three wood lodges in the roots of this mistake of nature, but it will be several days before the swelling goes down in my wrists. The ball kind of stays low and jumps down in the grass, like a scared rabbit hurrying from one hiding place to another.

Slim is ready as the ball goes screaming past my head; he disappears in a cloud of dust and up-rooted weeds. He is in the fairway, but his hook has moved him closer back to the tee than to the green. He corrects that with a very nice third shot that almost makes the green. I blade a seven-iron and go over.

As the first hole is a par four, we are both in very good shape. He chips 10-feet past and my Texas wedge is next to the cup. We both two putt for couple of easy double bogeys and go to the second hole.

Two is a long par five straight away. Rough on the right, alkali and cattle on the left. Slim lets go a big banana, just missing an older lady chipping on number-one green. Good lie, though. I sky mine short of the ladies’ tees, but still in the fairway. While Slim is busy trying to explain to the older lady that he wasn’t trying “to gun her down,” I slip my ball on a “fairway tee” and catch a pretty fair three wood. Slim as the adrenaline going after arguing with the old gal and hits a bad-temper shot a ton. The ball crosses the rough, the fairway and bounces safely off a fence post, scaring hell out of some half-starved Herefords who are soaking up the afternoon sun.

Another three wood I reach the green with my nine iron. Slim drove in the bunker, but gets down in two for par. I bogey, to go one down.

The third is a short par three back to the clubhouse. Slim hits a nine-iron to the back of the green while my five iron is still short of the bunker. I chip on and snake in a long putt for an easy par. Slim two-putts but keeps his lead.

Four is a par-four, little dog leg left over a small pond of alkali water and cow manure. Slim is going to try and drive the pond, so he takes a few extra practice swings, turning the tee into a disaster area of bare ground and scattered divots. Slim’s swing may not be of the classic mold, but it is fast. His back swing alone has been estimated at 200 mph. His theory being – do it fast before anything bad happens. He jumps on the ball and starts it low and straight at the pond. It turns right and kind of tracks the right bank of the pond, coming down inside the water hazard, but not in the water.

My slice put me in the fairway, the fairway of number six, but a topped three wood, a fat five wood and I can get on with a nine iron. Slim, meanwhile, has got ready and makes a swing like he was beheading a snake, out comes the ball, chased by a load of mud, water and I could have sworn there was a frog in that mess. He rolls a nine iron to the fringe and gets down in two. I take two putts to go two down.

Number five is a long par 3 – well, long for me. OB left. Slim hooks it OB then sends a hard “worm burner” 10 feet from the green. I go 70-yards right and take two chops to reach the green. We both get in from there in two. I get one back and take the honors.

WR: Playing with my mom and dad and brother at the old Spanish Fork course are some of my best golf memories.  We played there almost every single day in the spring, summer and fall. We would go as a family as soon as my dad got off work and we finished with dinner, and most nights we would stay until it was too dark to play. Max would leave and lock up the pro shop, and tell us to lock the gate to the parking lot when we left.

It’s time to make my move. Number six is a par four dog leg right. No OB, trees left, but out of my range; rough and car path right. I can let it all hang out. I rise up my right leg and kind of jump down at the ball as my arms, muscles tight with tension, lash wildly around my body. I catch it pretty good. It slices way right, comes down on the car path, bounces and rolls as I scream encouragement, “Go, you beauty, go!”

Slim says, “Nice drive, dad,” and after tearing up the tee area, lets fly with a high hook, way left to the seventh fairway. We agree to try and meet at the green and wander off in almost opposite directions.

Slim hits a beauty, almost on and, after I shank one 60 yards more to the right, I go over with the third shot. A cuffed chip, two putts and I go another stroke down as Slim gets down in three and has the honors back.

Seven is a par five, dog leg right OB all along the right side, and after the turn, OB on the left, too, as the fence around the sewer plan borders the fairway.

The wind is calm – well, calm for Spanish Fork. That means it’s only about 20 mph right in our face. That’s another thing, although you are always changing directions on the course, the wind is always in your face.

We pause for a couple of Buds as we get up enough courage to leave the safety of the tee.

The old gal Slim had trouble with is just chipping on six and tells us to keep it moving. That’s a liberal translation of what she really said. I can’t repeat it, but that was the general idea.

Slim digs up four or five beautiful large divots. Then sends the ball deep left in the trees between six and seven fairways.

To keep from slicing, I smother a duck-hook straight left, just behind the same old gal. After listening to more verbal abuse from her, I toe a three wood back to the right fairway. Another three wood slices around the outside of the OB stakes. A very good shot!

Slim’s shot prunes some limbs and leaves off the trees but makes it to the fairway. A very nice four wood and he’s only 40-yards from the green. My five wood puts me in the bunker as Slim then blades his chip 20-yards past the green.

My ball is in a big footprint and I make a desperate chip to get it out and re-damaged my already sore wrists. The ball comes out and somehow stays on the green. Slim blades another one past the hole, but still on. We both putt good, getting down in two. He keeps the two-shot lead and the honors as we move to number eight.

WR: Dad started playing golf with some friends, and one day got a hole-in-one, so he bought a new set of clubs, gave me his old set, and got a set for my brother. That’s how we got into the game. We never took any formal lessons, but Max would wander out and give me some tips while I was hitting balls on the alkali hard-pan between holes 1 and 2.

Number eight is referred to as “Max’s Mattress.” A very tough par three. The slanted green has a deep valley running down the middle. To three or four putt this green is quite common. Left is OB, trees on the right, one good place to lose a few strokes.

Slim hooks OB and I get a chance to get back in the hunt. I slice way right through the alkali dust. Slim’s next tee shot is long, putting him over the green, a very poor place to be. I play a nine-iron short, but on line. One more chip and I’m on and ready to grab some strokes. Slim blades his chip which rolls up the back, picks up speed and goes off the front of the green.

I try not to laugh, but can’t keep from snickering a bit. He blades another chip that goes like a bullet up the green, hits the flag, jumps three-feet up in the air, sort of hangs there like it doesn’t know what to do, then, just like that, it disappears in the bottom of the cup.

Now it’s Slim’s turn to snicker. I’m only three-feet away, but two putt, the second which does a sick wobble around the hole before going in. Only one chance left.

WR: Dad is older now, coming on 89. But we still get out and play a couple of times a year. He can still hit it OK, but he gets frustrated that he can’t play like he used to. My mom was the club champion at Spanish Fork 5 or 6 times. In fact, her name is still on the plaque there in the clubhouse. Her back is shot and she hasn’t played for years, but playing with my dad and brother is always a highlight for me.

Nine is a long, long par four. The highway parallels the left side which is OB. On the right is a pond, shaped to stay under anything that slices. Across the road is the small Spanish Fork Airport. The runway is aimed right in front of the ninth tee. Planes crossing in front and people going by in cars, yelling instructions, add to the handicap. I often wonder how you would score an airplane.

The drive here being so important, Slim really does a job on the tee area. It will be months before it recovers.

After all that warming up, he hits one 350-yards – right down the middle of the road. It bounces over a VW, whose driver slams on the brakes and almost rolls trying to avoid being hit. More verbal abuse. I never did like VW’s or the S.O.B.’s who own them. After trading insults and threats, he puts on his car and digs out, while being passed by two girls on their 10 speeds. I hit while Slim is trying to find a ball with just the right amount of smiles on it. My slice covers the entire length of the pond before splashing in. as it’s a lateral hazard, I still get some distance.

Slim’s “B.F. Goodrich – We’re the Other Guys” clears the pond and rolls forever in the rock-hard rough.

I take my drop, by carefully placing the ball on a small tuft of grass. I make a pretty fair pass at it, but get more height than distance. Once more with my trusty three-wood and I’m within range.

Another huge cloud of dust and Slim’s ball appears like magic in the fairway. His nine iron is on, but my topped seven iron rolls up closer. He two putts, while mine does a snake dance and drops home.

WR: I always have a great time playing with dad. He still thinks he can beat me, even at 88 years of age! He still plays really fast-no warm up swings, just step up and hit it. He’s got two holes-in-one, which is exactly two more than I have! He’s the man!

Slim wins again – but what a tough match. We go report to “Little Max” and grab some more beer.

“Boy, Max,” I begin, “did we ever hit that ball sweet today.” Max keeps singing as he puts the Buds on the counter.

Next week I’ll win for sure. I just figured out what I was doing wrong. I’ve got to get my right hand over a little more and…

Wesley Ruff: My dad was the one who got me into golf, and who instilled in me a love of sports in general. From playing basketball in the driveway, water skiing, ping pong, bowling, and especially golf, it allowed us to spend time together and relax, and also to try to beat each other. All great memories. I hope there are many more to come. Happy Father’s Dad! I love you!