ARIZONA GOLF AUTHORITY

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Bill Huffman’s Arizona Golf Blog Sewailo Golf Club & Notah Begay Light Up Tucson

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

The golf buzz in Tucson these days is all about the city’s latest, greatest golf course, Sewailo, the first true champion- ship layout to be built in Arizona in the past five years. Adding to the excitement: former PGA Tour player/ Golf Channel analyst/architect Notah Begay has his name on it.

Sewailo, pronounced “Say-why-lo,” is an enterprise of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, which also owns Casino Del Sol. The casino is in the southwestern corner of Tucson off Valencia Road, and the 7,500-yard golf course, which is managed by Scottsdale-based Troon, is directly south of the casino.

Begay and his NB3 Consulting Company served as the driving force for Sewailo, with help from fellow architect Ty Butler and the tribe.

So what does Begay, a budding star in both the architectural and broadcasting industries, think of his third course, which follows Sequoyah National in Cherokee, N.C., and Firekeeper Golf Club in Topeka, Kan.?

“It’s vastly different from anything I’ve done yet, chiefly because we had to move a lot of dirt to create the type of big-theater feel we were after,” said Begay, a three-time All-American at Stanford and a four-time winner on the PGA Tour.

“What we came up with in working with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe is a golf course that is a hybrid between a desert and parkland style of layout. It’s a golf course that is in harmony with the desert, and that’s really the heritage of the Pascua Yaquis, who according to their history come from the ‘Flower World.’ ”

Landscapes Unlimited, which works with Begay on all of his projects that are done exclusively with Native American tribes, had the task of moving 30,000 shrubs and trees, as well as hundreds of saguaros and other indigenous plants.

According to Begay, the planting and replanting were quite successful on the 100-acre property that includes 14 acres of lakes and 1 mile of creeks. Additionally, there was a massive amount of rockwork done throughout Sewailo, including bridges and green settings.

“Sewailo has three distinct feels or segments to the golf course,” said Begay, 40, who has an economics degree from Stanford and once shot 59 in a Tour event, the third player in history to do so.

“There are lakes and streams at the beginning, and then the water disappears and you’re in the desert before the water re- emerges. And from the first tee to the 18th hole, there are lots of wildflowers. That was my goal, to implement the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s story into the golf course.”

The Yaquis migrated from Mexico to Arizona way back in 552 AD, where they lived between the Yaqui and Gila rivers. The history of the tribe can be found at www.pascuayaqui-nsn.gov. Sewailo is the Yaquis’ biggest enterprise following the casino, which today employs more than 700 members. The course also could add as many as 75 jobs to the payroll.

Dan LaRouere is the course’s general manager, after spending the last 20 years as the GM of the Westin La Paloma, also in Tucson, and says the hype for Tucson’s latest property, which follows the opening of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain in 2008, “has been off the charts.”

“This is a golf town with lots of great golf properties, and we’re the new guy in town. Plus, we’re managed by Troon. “It seems that everybody is talking about us, and that’s probably the reason we’ve already booked so many tournaments.

LaRouere noted, “It’s a beautiful golf course in a beautiful desert-mountain setting, with lots of water, bunkers and wildflowers.” He also labeled fairways as “generous,” with green settings that are “as good as any I’ve seen in Arizona.”

“The secret will be to navigate your ball through the strategically placed water because it will get you if you hit an errant shot,” LaRouere said. “And the bunkers, which are on nearly every fairway and around every green, also must be negotiated if you’re going to shoot a good score.”

The 18th hole is the perfect example, as the fairway and near- island green bring water into play. It is a dramatic conclusion that crescendos at the finish, although LaRouere wasn’t quite ready to concede that the 18th is Sewailo’s signature hole.

“That’s a matter of opinion. A lot of people think that, but a lot of people also think Number 3 is pretty special,” he said. “The third hole is a short par 3 over water, and, personally, I’m leaning to Number 3.”

One thing is already dead-solid perfect about Sewailo, LaRouere added. And it’s all about the guy who worked for four years with the tribe to conceptualize the idea.

“Notah Begay is a rock star to Native Americans, not just with the Yaquis,” he said.

Begay, who is one-half Navajo and one- quarter San Felipe and Isleta, understands his role for the tribes he builds golf courses for to a “T.” He also gets golf, which makes for a terrific one-two punch.

“The vast majority of the tribe has never played golf, doesn’t really know the game, and so my role is to help them form their ideas,” said Begay, who has several other projects with Native American tribes in various stages.

“I’m like a facilitator in that my experiences in golf help bring things to life for them,” he said. “And golf is a very tough business these days, so I want to make sure I’m going to get them a golf course that will be so good that it’s profitable.”

How good is Sewailo, according to the guy who dreamed it up?

“I think we hit a home run, although we still have to see how the people take to it,” Begay said with cautious optimism. “I think the water holes are exceptional, and we were very creative in that we brought in lakes to fill in all the dirt we moved to make mounding and bunkers. And we moved a lot.

“In the end, it was a very balanced project, and the cooperation and input from the tribe goes a long way in explaining why Sewailo is so phenomenal.” Visit Sewailo Golf Club at www.sewailogolfclub.com

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona – all 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

January 3, 2014
Mesa Country Club Renovation Lives Up To Club’s History

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Mesa Country Club always has had a storied history, laced with tradition and ingenuity. Now, thanks to some new ideas and renovation efforts of its members and management team, the club that dates back to 1948 is adding another chapter.

Over the summer, MCC closed its doors and went to work on the golf course, which holds the distinction of being a William P. “Billy” Bell original. Maybe that name is familiar, as Bell’s work in Arizona includes the Adobe Course at the Arizona Biltmore and Encanto Golf Course in Phoenix, and Randolph Park North in Tucson.

This time around, noted Texas architect Tripp Davis and his team of associates oversaw some $300,000 to $400,000 in changes, many of which were made by the members themselves. Among other things, Davis & Co. specializes in renovations, and more recently redid prestigious Preston Trail Golf Club in Dallas, Wichita Country Club and the OU Course in Norman.

Among the many upgrades that greeted MCC’s members when they opened the doors in late October after a spectacular overseed:

*Several greens were reshaped and enlarged to their original specs to bring the bunkers back into play as well as to provide more cup locations. Additionally, all greens received new grass, with Tiff Dwarf Bermuda being the choice in order to ensure perfect putting surfaces in all weather.

*About 150 yards was added to the golf course through five new tee boxes to bring it more up to date and to counter advances in technology. The par-72 layout now stretches 6,900 yards with five par 3s, five par 5s and eight par 4s. And just to keep “teeing it forward,” several new forward tees also were added.

*Five new fairway bunkers were added and one new greenside bunker, while several other bunkers were moved. Additionally, all bunkers were filled with new sand.

*Lakes the guard the entrance to the club’s signature ninth hole were enlarged and reshaped, with new stacked stone replacing old worn-out-looking boulders. The cart path also was reworked on that hole, and just for good measure, a fountain that lights up at night was added for ambience.

*The clubhouse was remodeled from the lobby to the restaurant, as well as the patio, which was increased in size and spruced up with a new “blue” fire pit. New accordian-styled doors bring in the Arizona evening.

Among the other changes, the club named a well-known club operations director in Jeff Lessig. The head pro remains Scott Wright, who has been at the club for the past six years.

Lessig, who has a long legacy of his own in Arizona, had been the general manager at such clubs as We-Ko-Pa and most recently SunRidge Canyon. But asked if he was ready for the jump from public to private golf, he never hesitated, probably because his roots go back to Ohio’s famed Canterbury Club, where he once served as an assistant pro under the legendary Duff Lawrence.

“My first job here in the Valley was under Duff at Desert Highlands,” Lessig pointed out, noting that Lawrence, who holds the distinction of being Arizona State’s first All-American in golf, also was the GM at Paradise Valley Country Club.

“To date, I’ve only been here a couple of months, so it’s a little premature to know how it will all work out. But I’m feeling at home. The club has such a great history that (the job) just feels right.”

According to Ben Keilholtz, a member at the club who works for Scottsdale-based Bluestar Golf and Resort, and who served as a consultant for the renovation, the reaction to the changes have been just shy of off the charts.

“Essentially, we changed 12 of the 18 holes, although all 18 were touched in some way or another,” Keilholtz explained. “The goal was to modernize the club, to update the clubhouse, and to get it to 300 golfing members, because the charm of the club is you never worry about a tee time.”

By comparison, 300 members would be bare minimum at places like Phoenix, Arizona or Paradise Valley Country Club. And you would definitely pay much, much more to belong to those other clubs considering MCC is just $4,000 up front with $300 monthly dues.

How can they do it? Well, it doesn’t hurt to have a five-figure water bill that is probably the lowest of its kind in Arizona golf. That’s right, because of a grandfather-type deal with the City of Mesa, and the fact it still only irrigates 85 acres despite being a parkland-style golf course (aka, lots of trees), MCC really can hold down the expenses compared to its peers in the private sector.

“(The membership drive) is going really well,” Keilholtz added. “And every new member means more cool stuff. And when you consider we need about 50 more new members, well that’s a LOT of cool stuff.”

MCC has a wonderful past, as is sits on the corner of Country Club and Fairway drives on what once was the site of a former Hohokam Indian settlement. Through the years, it grew from the dream shared by the late Lyle Stevens and Dwight Patterson, the father of the Cactus League, to be “thee golf club” in Mesa, rivaling Arizona, Phoenix and Paradise Valley in terms of the elite private golf experience in Arizona.

Personally, I’ve always loved to play the golf course, which is traditional in every sense with a lot of interesting par 3s and par 5s that roam up and down the club’s two distinct elevations. And the membership at MCC could not be more easygoing and yet highly tuned in to golfing their balls.

They play a two-man “Derby” over the back nine every week that generates some nice pots, and there’s also a two-man scramble called “Little Mesa” that is played over the last three holes. The MCC “culture” also includes three member guests – the Joe Bartko Honors tournament, named after the long-time pro who led the membership for 33 years (1974-2007); the Pow-Wow, a tribute to the Hohokams that has been played for 32 years; and the season-ending Invitational, which next year will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Plus, the ladies have a tournament called the Sweet Swinger that brings in over 200 entries every year.

Certainly some big hitters have teed it up at MCC over the years, like former presidents Dwight Eisenhauer and Gerald Ford. And current Champions Tour Michael Allen has been a member and a “player” in those club games for the past 10 years.

But these days, those bankers and real estate barons of Mesa no longer make up the membership at MCC. They have been replaced by families, which love to play golf, and the younger the better. According to Wright, who also played a key role in the renovation, the club can’t have enough young members if its future is to remain bright.

“That’s our biggest goal at the moment, to bring in younger as many younger members as we can,” said Wright, who once was an assistant pro at famed Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania before working at both Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club and San Marcos Golf Resort here in the Valley.

“And to that end, Jeff and I have already started doing that, as our membership offer to members under 45 has to be the best deal of its kind in the Valley.”

No kidding. If you’re 45 or under, you can have your $4,000 initiation divided into 60 payments over the next five years with no interest. That means for $57 a month plus the $300 monthly you can afford to belong to a private club. If you and your wife each played five times a month, that’s $36 per round.

Plus you get great accessibility from not only Mesa but Tempe and Scottsdale, too, as well as complete practice areas for your game, three dining options, a junior Olympic-sized pool, six lighted tennis courts, and a fitness center. That’s right, for $357 a month!

“Affordability has never been an issue. It’s more a matter of awareness,” Keilholtz explained. “Once the word gets out, that Mesa Country Club is back, I think a lot of people are going to realize that this truly is the best deal for private golf in the Valley.”

I’d have to agree. Even though it’s all brand new, MCC’s message goes back to the early days, when ingenuity led to tradition and, ultimately, a great history that continues to unfold.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona – all 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

November 19, 2013
LPGA Founders Cup Gets New Title Sponsor

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

It’s been a busy summer for Chris Garrett, the tournament director of the LPGA Founders Cup. There had been his weeks of preparatory work at the Solheim Cup up in Denver, and, of course, a little on-going topic of conversation called . . . uhmmm . . . finding a title sponsor for his event.

Notice I did not include RR Donnelley, the tournament’s title sponsor for the past three years when the Founders Cup was held at Wildfire Golf Club near the J.W. Marriott Resort in Phoenix, in Garrett’s title – and with good reason!

RR Donnelley, the global provider of print, digital and supply chain supplies that is headquartered in Chicago, has experienced sluggish, if any, growth in the last two years. RR Donnelley could be back March 17-23 at Wildfire in some capacity, but title sponsor isn’t expected to be one of them.

Garrett, who is harder to pin down than a roadrunner, said he’s not sure what’s coming down the pike, except that “we will be in Phoenix.”

This was kind of a given, as I had talked with LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan during the final round of this year’s tournament. According to Whan at the time, he has not been able to work out a new contract for the event beyond this year. The commissioner and RR Donnelley officials had met several times during tournament week, he said, without reaching a renewal.

“I’ve given (RR Donnelley) until this summer (to renew),” Whan said at the time. “But if they don’t re-up, we’re confident that we can find another sponsor.

“Phoenix is a great market, and the LPGA needs to be in this market. And that isn’t taking anything away from RR Donnelley. They have been the best, and their business is on a nice comeback, so I remain very hopeful.” Apparently 2013 has not been much better business-wise, or least to the level RR Donnelley had hoped for. But Garrett said his boss still is all over the flag when it comes to the tournament remaining in the Valley.

“All those things he said (in March) remain true,” Garrett said. “We’re not sure of the role RR Donnelley will be in, but we will be in Phoenix.

“I just met with Commissioner Whan (two weeks ago) at the Solheim Cup, and he said, ‘You’ve got the same amount of money you did last year, and don’t go backwards.’ That’s our plan moving forward, to do the same as we did last year.”

Say this about the Founders Cup, which pays homage to the 13 Founders of the LPGA, including our very own Marilynn Smith who lives in Goodyear: It has gotten better and better, and I’m not just saying that because its three champions are Hall of Famer Karrie Webb (2011), Taiwan’s (formerly No. 1) Yani Tseng (2012) and the current champ, Stacy Lewis, who rose to No. 1 in the world following her big win at Wildfire only to be currently residing at No. 2.

The contract that ran out this year was a three-year deal. Rumors have it that Whan has lined up a three- or possibly even a six-year contract with a title sponsor. Garrett, however, said “that stuff is confidential,” although he did provide somewhat of a timetable on how it all could unfold.

“I would expect all the legal stuff (with a new sponsor) to be worked out in the next four to six weeks,” Garrett said. “I’d like to have something ready to announce by mid-September.

“We’ve been pretty quiet this summer, because in the Valley, June, July and August, are pretty slow times,” Garrett said. “Plus, there’s other contracts that need to be signed, like with the J.W. Marriott, and other sponsors, although those kinds of contracts are much simpler than working out a deal with a title sponsor.

“But with timetables, you have to be patient and thorough. That’s why I’d hate to tell you one thing, and then end up doing another. Really, all I can say is we’re going forward.”

Garrett is sharp guy. He and his staff, which includes his assistant, Kristy Nutt, have been impressive in a short time, improving the tournament every year since it burst on the scene. Or had you forgotten that the first tournament in 2011 happened very quickly, like within a few months?

Plus, you’ve got to give Whan some credit for coming up with the concept, as it really does look back to the Founders as well as paying it forward by making the tournament’s official charity the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf. True, the $1.5 million purse is kind of middle-of-the-pack or below, but the $225,000 first prize is a good thing. And, hey, you get to spend a week in Phoenix when the rest of the country’s weather is pretty much horrible.

Garrett certainly understands his product.

“We’re excited the way this whole thing has come together in the first three years, with the players, the Hall of Famers, the Founders and girls’ golf,” he said. “We just want to make it a better tournament for everybody involved.”

The way to do that, of course is to line up a title sponsor that will be here for six years, although at this point, three years would be good. But how do you make it better than it already is, because the Founders Cup really does rock, especially for the young girls that flock to it?

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I feel like we’ve shot a solid 70 at this tournament,” said Garrett, who also is the tournament director for Lorena Ochoa’s LPGA event in Mexico.

“But it’s like golf: You want to make a few more birdies and a 67 or 68. So we’ll keep doing things better, and looking for that perfect tournament. In the meantime, I hope the fans, who have been fantastic, will continue to support us.”

Seriously, how can they not when the tournament director is shooting for a 59. It’s so true that success always starts at the top — meaning I can’t wait for the fourth edition of the LPGA Founders Cup.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona – all 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

August 29, 2013
Colegrove Captures Arizona Amateur Championship

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Evidently hard work, self-confidence, imagination and perseverance still play critical roles in the game of golf. Just ask Christian Colegrove, who came out of nowhere to capture the 89th Arizona Amateur Championship.

Colegrove, a 20-year-old senior at the University of Arizona and a virtual unknown as the No. 57 seed in the Arizona Golf Association’s marquee event, left a talented field of veterans, collegians and high school kids scratching their heads after he blazed his way through the bracket at Scottsdale’s stately Pinnacle Peak Country Club last week (July 29-Aug. 3). Even the final match, where he dispatched another unknown, 18-year-old James Russo of Scottsdale, in 19 holes had people asking: “Who’s Christian Colegrove?”

Now we know.

“I knew I was probably a long shot coming into this, but to be 100 percent honest, yes, I thought I could win it,” said Colegrove, who played baseball as a kid until he blew out his right arm and then started playing golf left-handed his senior year at Chandler Basha High School.

“Earlier this year in Tucson, I won the club championship at LaPaloma. Prior, in my senior year of high school, I won a JGAA event at Encanto. Other than that, I really didn’t have any real notable success.

“But I kept steadily improving, and that’s what kept me going. I also began to gain a lot of confidence, not just skill-wise but in the mental game, and I kept entering AGA events just trying to make cuts.”

That’s right, for the past two years, Colegrove had entered the AZ Amateur and failed to make the match play. In fact, last year at the Gallery, Colegrove played so poorly, “I was at the bottom of the pack after stroke play.” And it wasn’t all that impressive this time around in qualifying on Monday and Tuesday at Pinnacle Peak except his 71-73 got him the 57th out of 64 seeds and that was all he needed to state his case.

Oh, yes, and one other “key change,” as Colegrove called it, that came midway through his second round of qualifying.

“I hadn’t been making any putts, so on the second day on the 10th hole, I switched to cross-handed,” Colegrove said of the left-hand low style of putting. “I hadn’t putted that way in over two years, but sometimes when things aren’t going well you need to try something different.”

The results were uncanny even if Colegrove did need an incredible 112 holes in six matches – an average of 18.6 holes per match – to get the job done. That included 19 holes in both his semifinal victory match over Arizona State’s Austin Quick and Russo.

“I had a lot of good vibes going in because I knew I had worked hard,” he said. “So it was a privilege and an honor to win this tournament on such a big stage.”

In the aftermath, Colegrove, who said his game “wasn’t really good enough to play college golf for the Wildcats,” praised the only two people who have taught him in the ins and outs of the game in recent years.

“My dad (William Colegrove) has really helped me a lot, first in baseball and then golf,” he said. “And my mom (Cara Black) has brought a lot to it, too, mostly by helping me to always see things differently.”

Certainly changing his putting style after he had already started the tournament was a big leap of faith for Colegrove. But keeping his cool and being patient to the end against Russo, a former Scottsdale Chaparral standout that is headed to South Mountain Community College, also was huge. Especially after Colegrove had hit back-to-back tee shots out of bounds on the 12th and 13th holes of the championship match.

“I didn’t let it get to me, and as a result I halved that (13th hole) with a bogey, and that turned out to be pivotal,” said Colegrove, who missed a 10-foot birdie on the 18th hole to send the match into overtime before he birdied the first extra hole (No. 1) to seal the deal.

“Christian played well, putted great, and he deserved to win,” said Russo, who was playing in the match play portion of the AZ Amateur for only his second time after losing in the first round of last year’s tournament.

“I guess I never would have picked me to make it to the final match going into the week, a lot of fun and a great experience. I played some really good golf to get there, although I was a little shaky (in the final match). I’m not sure if it was my nerves because I’ve never played in anything this big before.”

Of course, neither had Colegrove, who turned out to be a giant killer.

“Believe it or not, if there was one match this week that kind of set the tone and got me over the hurdle of winning at this level, it was the first one against (Kristoffer) Marshall, who just won the Arizona Mid-Amateur,” said Colegrove, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right arm in high school before deciding to move on to golf.

“All my matches were tough, though. One day I had to go 24 holes (to beat Russell Bergstedt III), and I was so exhausted. But I came back 30 minutes later to play in the (Round of 16) and win again (against Pima Community College player David Chung, 3 and 2). I think for the week, I played something like 148 holes of golf, and that’s probably why neither myself nor Russo had our ‘A’ games for the final match. But I give (Russo) credit for sticking with it, and battling me all the way, especially on that back nine.”

Russo had won the first hole to go 1-up, but Colegrove claimed the next three holes and led, 2-up, heading into the back nine. Nip and tuck they went down the stretch until both finished the 18 holes all square to set up the one last shootout at the par-5 first hole.

Asked what he’ll take from his career-changing victory, Colegrove said he wasn’t sure. At the moment, he added, “I don’t even have another tournament on my schedule although I’m sure that’s going to change once I have a little time to savor this victory – and I am going to savor it for awhile.”

“It was such a big physical feat, playing all that golf and having so many incredibly tough, long matches, like the one I played against the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals,” he said of his 3-and-2 win over Bryan Hoops of Chandler. “So I was struggling a little with my swing a little there at the end.”

But there are crossroads on the horizon, and Colegrove said he plans to sit down with his two chief advisers soon and decide which fork in the road he’s going to be on.

“Before going into college, I told my dad my goal was to have options when I graduate, like if my golf game improved enough maybe I’d try the minitours, or if it didn’t, I’d get my degree in finance early and maybe go into graduate school,” said Colegrove, who will get his degree in December, almost a year early.

“Now, after winning the Amateur, I want to keep playing golf and see how far I can progress. When the improvement stops, then I’ll reassess my goals.”

Such thinking is what earned Christian Colegrove — perhaps the biggest surprise winner in years — the 89th Arizona Amateur Championship.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona – all 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

August 5, 2013
Mickelson Rewrites Legacy with Open Win

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Phil Mickelson’s victory at the 142nd Open Championship on Sunday was pure shock and awe. Even more than that, it changed the perception we have of the player I’ve always considered the People’s Choice.

Seriously, I can’t think of a bigger moment in a major championship since Jack Nicklaus captured the 1986 Masters at the age of 46. Not even Mickelson’s first win at the Masters in 2004 — when he broke a 12-year, zero-for-46 drought in the majors — was more captivating or improbable.

“The best round of my career,” Lefty proudly proclaimed in the aftermath of his three-shot victory over Sweden’s Henrik Stenson at magical Muirfield Golf Club in Scotland, where he came from five shots back in the pack with a sterling 66 to snatch the Claret Jug.

“I hit some of the best shots I’ve ever hit, and certainly it was my best round putting. . . . I never knew if I’d be able to win this tournament. I hoped and I believed, but you never know . . . until about an hour ago.”

It’s the thing that people love the most about Phil: He tells it from the heart, and doesn’t mind giving us those extra details that make his most personal thoughts our thoughts. It’s why he’s the modern day Arnold Palmer, and why even those who don’t play the game admire him.

Sure, Mickelson won his fifth major and moved to No. 2 in the world behind Tiger Woods, but even more than that, Phil established himself as the most interesting man in the world when it comes to golf.

I mean, had third-round leader Lee Westwood prevailed, it would have been a good story, the Brit’s first major, especially at his country’s Open. Or had Woods claimed his 15th major after a five-year drought, yeah, that would have been good stuff. Even the other guy who grabbed the lead during the final round, Australia’s Adam Scott, would have been compelling had he added the Open title to this year’s green jacket just a year after Scott blew the British to Ernie Els.

Instead, we got the rarest of moments, where “Phil the Thrill,” the guy who has experienced more heartbreaks in the majors than all of the above, gave us a homestretch run that was one for the ages. Yes, only the golf gods fully understand how difficult it was to make birdie on four of the last six holes of a golf course that was as slick as the back of a Cadillac.

First, there was the birdie at the 13th, a putt that the reigning Waste Management Phoenix Open champ said was pivotal.

“I was behind, obviously, the whole day, and I was 1 over for the championship, and I hit a really good 5-iron in there,” Mickelson said of the shot that set up the 10-foot birdie. “It was a putt that was going to make the rest of the round go one way or another.”

This time, in his 20th appearance in the Open, it finally went Phil’s way, and he added another birdie at No. 14 for a share of the lead. That was followed by a huge save from seven feet after he got a bad break at the par-3 16th. Then, while walking down the 17th fairway after just hitting back-to-back “career 3-woods” that left him putting for eagle from 35 feet, it suddenly dawned on Mickelson that he was in the driver’s seat.

“As I was walking up to the green at 17, that was when I realized this was very much my championship, in my control, and I was getting a little emotional,” he revealed in a statement you would never hear come out of the mouth of Tiger.

“I had to kind of take a second to slow down my walk, and try to regain my composure, because not only do I still need a two-putt birdie, but I also needed to make a tough par on 18, and I fortunately made birdie on both.”

That’s where the tournament really became unique TV, as first Mickelson first embraced his long-time caddie, Jim Mackay, in what led to tears from the guy better known as “Bones.” Then, one by one, his three kids that look an awful lot like their father, jumped into his arms followed by his wife, Amy. That the family laughed and cried while scrumming for a good minute or so also was a photographer’s dream. And then Lefty grabbed long-time agent Steve Loy and well-known coach Butch Harmon to complete what was terrific theatre.

Think you’d ever see such a parade of humanity from Westwood or Woods or even Scott for that matter? And that’s what makes Mickelson so different from all of his peers.

Asked by the Golf Channel why he was crying so hard, Bones said what a lot of people were thinking: “It was for Phil. “

When Amy was interviewed later, she said that despite all the doubts about her husband’s chances in the Open, where he had but two top-10s and missed four cuts, including the last one, she always believed.

“He’s always optimistic, always thinks he can get it done,” she said, adding that when Phil left the house Sunday morning he told her, “I’m going to get us a Claret Jug.”

Mickelson’s sunshine attitude, the one that some people have questioned for its sincerity but now we know is as real as his never-ending smile, also was reflected to Harmon, who said he had told Mickelson prior to the round that he needed to get to even par or 1 under if he wanted to have a chance on Sunday.

“He said, ‘I’m going to be better than that,’ ” Harmon related, adding, “He wasn’t lying.”

And so Mickelson joined Seve Ballesteros, Byron Nelson and Peter Thomson on the all-time list with his fifth major, leaving 12 players still ahead of him. Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo are next on that list with six majors, and it would be conceivable that Lefty can still catch Tom Watson (eight majors) or Gary Player and Ben Hogan (nine each) if he truly is, as he says, “Playing the best golf of my career.”

Sure, Mickelson never is going to pass Walter Hagen (11 majors) or Tiger (14) or Jack Nicklaus (18), but here is an interesting stat: Since he won his first Masters back in 2004, Phil’s won five majors to Tiger’s six. And considering how dominant Woods has been in the modern era, I, for one, think that elevates Mickelson’s status as a player considerably.

Chances are Mickelson might be a little burnt out when he plays in the PGA Championship next month at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y. After all, this is whirlwind stuff, and when last seen Phil had yet to release his clutch on the Claret Jug. (Yeah, he’s going to hang on for quite awhile.)

But I do like his chances at the next U.S. Open, which takes place next June on his 44th birthday at a place he is very familiar with, Pinehurst No. 2. Who can forget his epic battle with Payne Stewart there in 1999, when Mickelson, waiting nervously for his first child, watched in disbelief as Stewart made a 22-foot birdie on the final hole for the win. Four months later, Stewart was dead from a fatal Lear-jet crash.

As we all know, Mickelson has had five runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open since then, including one last month at Merion Golf Club outside Philadelphia, which makes him the player with the most near-misses ever in the national championship. Or as Phil said about the U.S. Open in reference to the possibility of joining Nicklaus, Woods, Player, Hogan and Gene Sarazen, as the only players to ever win the career Grand Slam: “I’m a leg away. But it’s been a tough leg for me.”

It’s why people love Phil: He treats his failures just like his successes in that he learns from both, as Arnie once did. And Mickelson had an insightful response when a reporter asked him how he was able to bounce back so quickly after Merion.

“You have to be resilient in this game, because losing is such a big part of it,” he said. “After losing the U.S. Open, it could have easily gone south; where I was so deflated I had a hard time coming back.

“But I looked at it and thought I was playing really good golf. I had been playing some of the best in my career. I didn’t want it to stop me from potential victories this year, and some potential great play. I’m glad I didn’t, because I worked a little bit harder, and in a matter of a month, I’m able to change entirely the way I feel.”

Such a positive thought is the difference between Phil and Tiger, and might just be what’s ailing Woods now. The chip on Tiger’s shoulder seems to grow a little bit larger with each setback in the majors, or are we to make something different out of his latest collapse?

Asked by reporters what’s wrong with his game on the big stage, where he has gone 25 over par on the weekend in his last seven majors, Tiger, who had several well-documented, profane-laced tirades on Saturday and Sunday, when he shot 72-74 to finish tied for sixth, got testy: “I’ve won 14 (majors). It’s not like I lost my card and can’t play out here.”

Obviously, there is a great divide between the game’s two biggest names, and it has nothing to do with the nine majors that Woods has on Mickelson. Tiger might be the greatest golfer of his time, but he’s always guarded and uptight with his world. Mickelson is the game’s greatest personality, giving fans his time while always bearing his good-natured soul. (Have you seen the latest ESPN commercial with Mickelson and Scott Van Pelt? See it!)

Plus, Phil remains humble to the end; Tiger not so much. When asked about his prediction to Amy, that he was going to bring home the Claret Jug, Mickelson made light of it: “I just felt I was playing some of the best golf I’ve ever played, and that we were going to try to get something that we didn’t have, which was a Claret Jug. There were no predictions because you just don’t know what’s going to happen out here.”

Well, now we do, and it was a beautiful thing. Certainly Lefty’s perfectly played victory at Muirfield might go down in history as the defining moment in the career of the game’s greatest left-hander.

Or as Phil put it: “This is just a day and a moment that I will cherish forever. This really is a special time, and as fulfilling a career accomplishment as I could ever imagine.”

Few would argue that no one deserves it more than Phillip Alfred Mickelson.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona – all 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

July 22, 2013
Why I Love the Bloody Open

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

When it comes to the Open Championship, just never make the mistake of calling it the British Open. As a friend from over the pond once told me: “Only Americans refer to it as the British. Everyone else in the entire world calls it ‘the Open.’ ”

For some odd reason, such bloody snobbery appeals to me when it comes to golf. And considering we’re returning to Scotland this year, the country where the game was born, and to magical yet mysterious Muirfield Golf Club, no less, it just got me thinking about how much I love “the Open.”

That feeling goes back to my childhood, when I would watch the tournament early in the morning on TV – yes, a black-and-white set. I still remember how the putts would leave a tracer-like effect on the screen, so you could see how the ball traveled from the moment it left the blade until it arrived at the cup. I was fascinated. (Who would have guessed that’s now a “special effects” feature of every golf broadcast, proving that the game has come full circle?)

Of course, the BBC was a new and different media to me back in those days, and this announcer guy Peter Alliss was sensationally sarcastic and a little salty, at least compared to his American counterparts. Alliss, the guy who gets credit for the golf cliché “Hit the ball, Alliss (most believe it’s “Alice”),” is a big part of why I have enjoyed the Open to the max over the years. Alliss, who is picking recently crowned U.S. Open champion Justin Rose “to go on and on and on” this week at Muirfield, only makes cameo appearances these days, which is why it’s important — at least to me — to listen to the entire broadcast each day.

Alliss has been “the Voice of British golf” for almost 40 years, same as his sidekick, Ivor Robson, the Open Championship’s emcee, so to speak. Robson with his distinguished yet high-pitched voice is the gentleman who makes the introductions annually on the first tee of the Open, with his trademark: “And now from the United States . . . Tiger W-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ds!” He almost sounds like a boxing announcer, except its better. It’s British, baby! (Think Austin Power.)

I still love to get up early in the morning, except now the Open is earlier than ever. Because it’s carried live, we’ve got about an eight-hour difference, meaning they’re teeing it up while most people are sleeping. But for some reason, I instinctively pull myself out of deep sleep when it comes to the Open if for no other reason than to see if it’s going to be one of those days when the wind erects flags and the rain goes sideways. Sad to say, it won’t happen this week, as the forecast calls for sunny skies with temperatures in the mid-70s. The wind won’t get beyond a whimpering 8 mph, which will leave the tall grass mostly untrampled.

Thankfully, this time around we won’t have to listen to Nick Faldo, an announcer who has the right dialect but obviously has spent too much time in America. Sir Nickie just doesn’t stack up against these Alliss and these BBC guys. The three-time Open champion, who won two of his Claret Jugs at Muirfield, is skipping his usual gigs with ABC and the Golf Channel to tee it up in the tournament at age 56. (Be careful what you wish for!)

During his press conference Monday, Faldo called his somewhat surprising appearance in the field “the last chance I get to walk with fellow Open champions.” After his game bombed big-time three years ago at St. Andrews, who would have guessed Faldo would put his ego on the line again? And, no, this won’t be anything close to what 59-year-old Tom Watson did three years ago at Turnberry, or, for that matter, Greg Norman in 2008 at Royal Birkdale at 53.

“I’m trying to bust my buns and get to learn this golf course, because it’s like a main road out there – hard and fast,” said Faldo, who probably knows he’s in over his head. “The bottom line: I hope by the end of the week I’m inspired, like all of us.”

Apparently Faldo likes his chances of winning about as much as he does the co-favorites, Woods and Rory McIlroy. “(McIlroy) is still testing clubs,” Faldo pointed out in his somewhat arrogant, “he doesn’t have a chance” style. “Tiger is in a different mode, where he’s winning regular tournaments but he gets to the majors and something happens. There’s a little dent in there somewhere. He hits the wrong shot at the wrong time, where before Tiger would hit the right shot at the right time.”

Yes, the Open is inspiring and unpredictable despite Faldo, which is why they occasionally crown champions like Paul Lawrie and Ben Curtis and . . . John Daly. Or as Ernie Els, “the defending defender” put it during his media gathering on Monday, “Any player is good enough to win an Open.” And the Big Easy means it.

“Phil seems like he’s comfortable (in the Open) after so many years (of being uncomfortable),” added Els, who won the Claret Jug at England’s Royal Lytham & St. Annes Course last year and also was the winner at Muirfield in 2002, the last time the Open was held there.

Ernie is an astute, down-to-earth guy, as Mickelson is coming off a win last week at the Scottish Open. But Lefty has a track record of not playing well in this tournament even though he tied for second in 2011 before shooting himself in the foot last year with a 78 on Friday that sent him packing. But if a runner-up finish in this year’s U.S. Open could serve for momentum, you never know about “Phil the Thrill.” And the Claret Jug could be the perfect elixir, Els explained.

“Winning the Open Championship, you can actually have the actual trophy and keep it for a year,” Els said, beaming like a kid. “I know it went around the world in the last year, and it was a wonderful time.”

Yes, the Claret Jug inscription ceremony is hard to beat, just like the bagpipes and the crusty presentation by the Royal & Ancient Club of St. Andrews. Not surprisingly, and unlike their brethren at Augusta National Golf Club, the R&A stubbornly keeps hosting its events at all-male clubs like good ol’ Muirfield and everybody keeps turning a head to the notion of equality because, after all, this is THE Open.

Asked about the all-male status, Els gave a thoughtful answer that tried to cover both ends of the opinion spectrum even if he failed badly. “(Muirfield has) been here for many years, and they’ve never thought about changing their policy. We play the Open Championship on this wonderful course, and I’m not going to miss it for the world, whether it’s got, unfortunately, this policy or not. In fact, I’m going to play it in the Sahara Desert if I have to.”

Muirfield is a big part of this 150-year-old tournament, ranking fourth in most Opens held there with 15, the first dating back to 1892. Sure, I don’t agree with the all-male philosophy, but I’m all about tradition, and it lives on at Muirfield.

“(Muirfield is) the No. 1 reason I’m playing,” said Faldo, adding that when it comes to the old guys running the club and excluding women, “That’s for the club to decide.”

Yes, don’t mess with the Brits when it comes to all-male golf clubs that host the Open, which also include St Andrews and Troon. And don’t ever – EVER! — call it the “British Open” if you know what’s good for you.

Just turn off your alarm, lay back on your pillow and savor one of golf’s greatest treasures. The real world can wait.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete golf blog archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona – all 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

July 15, 2013
Troon Privé Adds Pine Canyon & Torreon Clubs

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

After five years of relatively sluggish-to-no growth, or in some cases financial disaster, the private golf scene in northern Arizona seems to be on a bit of a resurgence. Amazing, when you consider that pretty much every club north of Payson but Forest Highlands in Flagstaff has been through the wringer.

Pine Canyon Golf Club, Flagstaff, Arizona

Especially coming out of this economic funk in good shape are the Pine Canyon Club in Flagstaff and Torreon Golf Club near Show Low. One of the reasons I can say this is because both private clubs recently hired Scottsdale-based Troon Privé to manage their operations and agronomy. Troon Privé is the private arm of Troon, and includes about 40 elite clubs around the globe, including the Ocean Club in the Bahamas, Cordillera in Colorado, Pronghorn in Oregon, and Silverado in Napa, Calif., to name just a few.

Both Pine Canyon and Torreon fit into that spectacular mold, perhaps Pine Canyon a tad more than Torreon. I say that because, if you’ve ever been to Pine Canyon, the clubhouse complex is off the charts. Located east of I-17 and south of I-40 on the outskirts of Flag, Pine Canyon would dominate any other small-city market if not for the presence of Forest Highlands, the pioneer of all that’s private about summer golf in Arizona.

Still, Pine Canyon, which opened in 2004, has made its niche by being a little bit more family-oriented than its Flagstaff rival, and I’ll take Pine Canyon’s clubhouse any day over either of the two retreats at Forest Highlands. Some of my golf buds that are lucky enough to tee it up at Pine Canyon tell me it’s got a membership that is “really friendly,” and I think that’s a big deal if you’re in the market these days. Flagstaff, with its Northern Arizona University campus and lots of great eateries and breweries, also is nothing but fun for a mountain town.

Rather than quote you a bunch of prices about how much property is going to cost at Pine Canyon, let’s just say plenty. I can be a little more specific about golf memberships, which range from $60,000 (refundable) to $30,000 (non-refundable) to $10,000 (sport membership with limited golf). There’s even a $40,000 (non-refundable) membership available to non-residents.

Besides a new management company, Pine Canyon also has new owners. That would be Taber Anderson’s True Life Companies. If that last name looks familiar, it’s because Taber is the son of Lyle Anderson, who developed many of Arizona’s most influential private clubs, including Desert Highlands, Desert Mountain and Superstition Mountain.

Kevin Betts, the new general manager at Pine Canyon, says that all of the newness has translated into lots of interest in his club. And while he’s just getting used to Flagstaff, “everything so far has just been awesome.”

“Pine Canyon is a wonderful club, whether you’re talking about the golf course, the clubhouse, the pool, the membership, or just walking through the pines,” said Betts, who was the GM at The Phoenician for the past nine years.

“I guess most perceive us as a summer club, but we’re year-round (with skiing in the winter). And with our new owner and their visions, the future could not look brighter.”

As for the Jay Morrish-inspired Pine Canyon golf course, it boasts some picturesque holes although I’ve always thought it was more on par with the Meadows Course at Forest Highlands and not the Canyon, which is the highly-decorated, Morrish-Tom Weiskopf design that set the standard for mountain golf in Arizona way back in the mid-1980s. It’s a standard that no one has ever equaled.

Sure, there are holes at Pine Canyon like Nos. 16 and 18 that give a little bit of that Augusta National-like feel. But the ones I always remember are Pine Canyon’s pair of “19s” – the 85-yard tee shot over water to an island green that ends your round (No. 19, the betting hole), and the traditional bar in the clubhouse. I can’t imagine a better way to end your round.

Like I said, if you’re thinking about a place to play for the entire family that’s just a two-hour drive from the Valley, Pine Canyon looks pretty good these days. It’s basically established, and its financial problems seem to be in the rear-view mirror. You can check out other details at www.pinecanyon.net.

Torreon, too, is all about the dad, mom and the kids, maybe even more than Pine Canyon when you consider they’ve dedicated 10 acres to family-friendly facilities that range from a trout pond to an equestrian stable, as well as Torreon’s 36 holes of golf.

Yes, it’s about a three-hour drive from the Valley, or three-and-a-half hours from Tucson, but that will get you up to about 6,300 feet above sea level, which is the altitude you need to be at to receive noticeable relief from the heat.

According to Joe Long, the general manager at Torreon, his club is no longer Arizona’s best-kept secret.

“After four years of recession, we’re finally starting to bounce back, and a big part of that has been the arrival of Troon Privé,” said Long, who happens to be a tennis pro who somehow found his way into private golf.

According to Long, Torreon always has been a stable club financially thanks to its long-time owners, Desert Troon. But the club had relied more on word-of-mouth than a major marketing campaign, which is why when the economic downturn came it dropped Torreon from 485 members down to around 400 members.

“Troon Privé has got us back in the big picture, which is very important when you consider how many clubs we’re competing with for summer golf,” he pointed out.

Long is right down the middle of the fairway with that assessment. And the difference between Torreon and Pine Canyon, besides 36 vs. 18 holes of golf, is that Torreon is more affordable. You’re talking about million-dollar-and-up homes at Pine Canyon versus homes at Torreon that boast more of a range, from $199,000 to $1.4 million.

Memberships at Torreon are a deal, too, and the formula is simple: $20,000 initiation fee if you own property, and just $350 a month. Seriously, it’s hard to find those kinds of numbers for such quality golf.

About the only drawback, Long added, is the nearby town of Show Low.

“It’s our weakness,” he said, sheepishly. “The place is just a little too sleepy compared to Flagstaff, probably because we don’t have any college students.”

That may be a plus or minus, depending on your view of college kids. And forget about Show Low, as Pinetop is just up the highway along with Sunrise Ski Park.

Laurie McCain, who has been selling homes at Torreon since it opened in 1999, said there are numerous reasons why people love the club, which is located in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, where the pines don’t grow quite as tall as they do in Flagstaff’s Coconino Forest.

“We’re affordable, casual, friendly and family-oriented, and it’s a mix of avid golfers from both Phoenix and Tucson, as we draw from both metropolitan areas,” McCain explained. “People really enjoy the atmosphere, and it’s easy to meet friends.

“Plus, people really love to play our golf courses, both the husbands and the wives. I mean, we had a ladies day member-guest recently, and we had 144 players.”

That’s impressive, when you can get 144 women to turn out to play golf at a destination golf course. But we’re not surprised, either, as Robert von Hagge’s two gems, the Tower (original) and Cabin, are dramatic and distinctive. The club itself designates four holes as signature – No. 8 and No. 15 on the Tower, and No. 9 and No. 12 on Cabin – but we would bet there are at least a dozen or more that could easily merit such status.

I’ve always said that von Hagge, who died in 2010, was the van Gogh of golf course architects, and there were certainly moments of sheer brilliance at Torreon. In fact, you can check it out at www.torreon.com.

So what’s it going to be: Pine Canyon or Torreon? The feeling here is, the time is right (again) and you can’t go wrong with either of them, especially with Troon Privé in charge.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete golf blog archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona. All 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

July 2, 2013
Mickelson Has ASU Golf Team On Its Way to Top 50

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Tim Mickelson looks back and laughs, while insisting that there never was a real defining moment of panic in his debut season as the Arizona State men’s golf coach. Indeed, if there were any doubts about the 2011-2012 campaign, a year of that saw the Sun Devils plunge to No. 83 in the country and miss the NCAA tournament, it didn’t come from the little brother of ASU icon Phil Mickelson.

“I always felt like we were on the right track,” said the younger Mickelson, who shook up his team last summer after his initial season by paring the roster almost in half and bringing in three freshmen and a transfer from East Tennessee State.

“I know that a few of our fans disagreed with that – us being on track. In fact, I even got an email from one of them in October, saying that I should be fired. It was like, ‘Whoa, dude, after just one year (on the job)?’ I just don’t think they really understood the state of the program.”

Imagine how that disgruntled fan(s) feels now after Mickelson pulled off what has to be the biggest resurgence in college golf for 2012-13. Ranked most of the season between No. 63 and 82, the Sun Devils made a late-season charge, entered the West NCAA Regional at No. 50 in the polls, and promptly qualified with a gutsy performance as one of 30 teams that will play this week (May 28-June 1) in the NCAA Championship in Atlanta.

That’s right, nobody came from farther down in the rankings to earn a spot in the six-day shootout that is set for the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.

“I’m proud to say that (this week) we’ll be representing ASU in the NCAA tournament for a 50th time, which is a really cool milestone,” said Mickelson, pointing out that only Oklahoma State (69), Texas (59) and USC (54) have been to the big dance more.

“It’s something we’re going to talk a little bit about when we get to Atlanta. I want the guys to know just how special this really is. Sure, the goal is to finish in the top eight and gain the match play (portion of the tournament). But they’re also going to get some wonderful experience out of it – they’ll know what it feels like — and that’s invaluable for such a young team going into next season.”

After dominating men’s college golf for most of this season, No. 1 California is the heavy favorite this week along with No. 2 Alabama, which has the experience factor. It’s certainly no easy feat that after three days of medal play (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), in which the individual champ will be crowned after 54 holes, and then the final eight schools will battle it out in a team vs. team format until one survives the match-play gauntlet to win the NCAA title.

Shoot, ASU came from similar depths at the regional, which was hosted at the ASU Karsten Course in Tempe, rallying on the final day to get the fifth and final spot over No. 9 Duke. That its top three players were all freshmen certainly bodes well, as Trey Ka’ahanui (tie for ninth), Max Rottluff (T20) and Jon Rahm (T23) led the way. And as Mickelson pointed out, Spencer Lawson (T25), his junior transfer, and Scottsdale sophomore Austin Quick (T41), also contributed.

Mickelson said he had expected strong performances from Rahm, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and Rottluff, a highly recruited standout from Germany. But Ka’ahanui, a 19-year-old from Tempe McClintock, well, that was “my biggest surprise.”

“Trey had struggled off the tee in the fall, but when he got his chance this spring, he seized it,” Mickelson said. “I could see it coming after he realized he didn’t have to hit his driver off every tee. Hey, he hits his 3-wood farther than most guys hit their driver, and when he scaled it back, he actually became a better driver of the ball when he did use that club.

“That part of his game certainly showed in the final round of the regional, when he helped us pull away from (No. 9) Duke with a (career best) 65. And all the guys came through at one time or another, which is why we’re going to Atlanta.”

Mickelson called Ka’ahanui “a stud athlete who plays any sport well.” He wasn’t necessarily a standout his senior year at McClintock, but Mickelson knew that Ka’ahanui had won the AJGA Heather Farr Classic as an eighth-grader, and state 4-A high school titles his sophomore and junior years before he sort of bottomed out as a senior and failed to finish in the top 20 at state. Oh, yes, and there was one other factor that came into play — Ka’ahanui’s older brother, Trent, had played for Mickelson when Tim was the coach at the University of San Diego.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with Tim,” said Ka’ahunui, who moved here from Hawaii when he was just a small child and grew up playing Shalimar Golf Club, just a few miles south of ASU.

“Tim’s not really a disciplinarian, but we all know exactly what he expects. He’s a really, really good teacher, but he still lets us play our game. He kind of lets us figure it out on our own, and I think that’s probably the reason we kept getting better as the season went on.”

The name Mickelson always brings great expectations, that’s true. Phil Mickelson is probably the most well-known, former ASU athlete in history along with the late Pat Tillman. But Tim Mickelson just might be onto something, the way he’s bringing his Sun Devils along slowly but surely. Plus the good players are starting to multiply, which also is a good sign.

For instance, Mickelson already has another great freshman on the team in Alberto Sanchez from Nogales, who played most of the season before struggling this spring. And Mickelson’s got three solid incoming freshmen in Nicola Galletti, a Phoenix kid who moved here from California a year ago; Ki Taek Lee, a standout from Palm Springs, Calif.; and Scottsdale’s Blake Cannon.

“Two of those three (incoming freshman) will play next year, as will Alberto,” Mickelson predicted. “So I love the direction we’re heading, and getting to the (NCAA) tournament this year, well, that’s just a really big bonus.”

Let’s see, the current five plus three more equals eight players vying for a five-man team, a situation that ever coach wants to be in, especially those who arrived at one point to find the cupboard bare. No doubt Mickelson is savoring his future.

“What does this season mean to me, personally?” Mickelson asked rhetorically. “Well, I think we’re a little bit ahead of where I thought we might be, and that’s nice.

Then he added with a wink: ““And I think there’s a good chance I’ll have a job next year.”

Ya think?

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete golf blog archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona. All 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

June 14, 2013
USGA and R&A Anchoring Ban: The Long and the Short of It

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Well, it’s official even if it’s not going to be over with for at least another two and a half years. And when all is said and done, I’m not sure the U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews might have changed a darned thing.

I’m talking about the ban on anchored putting, Rule 14-1b, that was announced jointly by the game’s ruling bodies Tuesday and will take effect in 2016. We all knew it was coming after a drawn-out, 90-day comment period. In fact, the decision took so long to reach, yet was so predictable, I almost wanted to scream: “What are you waiting for?”

In a joint statement by the USGA and R&A, one that came at 5:00 a.m. in Arizona (hey, only the East Coast and Europe counts, correct?), the USGA and R&A cited the definition of the stroke as “freely swinging the entire club” to explain their rationale for instituting the ban. That four of the last six majors had been won by players using a long putter, including most recently by Adam Scott at the Masters, might have had more to do with their decision.

Naturally, Scott immediately told the Australian version of Golf Digest that he’ll keep “doing what I’ve been doing.”

“Now we’re making rules for the betterment of the game based on zero evidence? Incredible!” Scott told the magazine. “If I have to separate the putter a millimeter from my chest, then I’ll do that.”

This week I was talking to Kirk Triplett, one of the smarter guys who play the game professionally, about the long putter. The long-time Scottsdale resident, who got his degree in mechanical engineering, has experimented with both the long and the short of it, and gone back to short. And like a lot of his peers who play on the Champions Tour, guys like Tom Lehman for one, Triplett said that after almost 25 years of the long putter hanging around, it was way too late to make the change.

“It’s just silly the way this is all working out,” Triplett said. “The USGA and R&A should be making rules that make the game easier for the average player, not more difficult. And the PGA Tour, which is more skill-based, should be making rules like (14-1b).

“So the irony is the USGA is making (anchoring) illegal for the average guy while the Tour might very well make it legal for the pros. And it could happen, because (the Tour) has talked about making its own set of rules for years now, and from what (Commissioner) Tim Finchem has already said about anchoring, I think the Tour is on the other side of this fence (from the USGA and R&A).”

Triplett said he felt the ruling came down as a “whim of the USGA, and I think that’s unfortunate golf.”

“You look at the game, and it’s changed significantly over the years, from rocks and feathers to rubber, and from hickory shafts to steel and graphite. Our sport has changed perhaps more than any other sport in history and we’ve always adjusted to the changes. So I don’t see how this is going to make any difference.”

Lehman, another well-regarded pro from Scottsdale who has rolled it from both sides but also prefers the traditional method, was even more emphatic.

“You look at somebody like a Keegan Bradley (2011 PGA champ), the way he putts, or Webb Simpson (2012 U.S. Open champ), the way he putts, and they’ve been doing it that way since they’ve started,’’ said Lehman, arguing against the idea that the long putter comes into play late in the career, when players lose their putting touch.

“To tell them, no, you couldn’t use that anymore, I think you would have a huge fight on your hands. I support those guys in that fight, because boy, it’s a long time after the fact, and the horses are way out of the barn by now so how do you call them back in?

“I’m personally not in favor of outlawing it. I don’t think it makes a bit of difference. “

The fight is coming, BTW, at least according to my golf writing friends on Facebook. Many of my colleagues who cover the Tour on a weekly basis insist that a group of players that include Bradley, Scott, Carl Pettersson and part-time Scottsdale resident Tim Clark, to name a few, already have banded together and might sue the USGA and R&A over the ban, claiming the ruling bodies are taking away their livelihood. After all, drive for show and putt for dough, right? Seriously, if players can sue over deer antler spray, this certainly might be a more legitimate cause.

But the Long Putting Gang is waiting to see how the Tour will handle this, and if they’ll even go along with it. Certainly the PGA Tour’s statement that followed the announcement of the ban was icy at best: “We will now begin our own process to ascertain whether the various provisions of Rule 14-1b will be implemented in our competitions and, if so, examine the process for implementation.”

Apparently the Tour will have a comment period of its own, and hopefully that 30 days won’t be drawn out like the 90-day wait by the USGA and R&A that turned out to be more like six months. In the meantime, you might want to look up the word “bifurcation.”

The PGA of America also wasn’t exactly jumping on the USGA-R&A bandwagon. In fact, PGA ‘prez’ Ted Bishop, whose troops run the golf clubs across the country, might be the biggest proponent of the anchoring ban. In the PGA’s official reaction to the ban, Bishop stated that it’s “not in the best interest of recreational golfers, and we are concerned about the negative impact it may have on both the enjoyment and growth of the game.” I know a few club pros who said the long putter will still be in good standing at their clubs, regardless.

There are others who disagree with the ruling, although I think the everyday golfer is kind of oblivious to it. That’s because only about 2 to 4 percent of them use the long putter, while 18 percent of the pros have brought it into play. Besides, the everyday guy doesn’t belong to the USGA or R&A anyway, so who cares about rules? Hey, they’ve been taking mulligans, rolling their balls in the fairway, and giving “gimmes” for years. It’s the way they play.

What was interesting was the reaction in Europe – or the lack of reaction. Golf World quoted Sandy Jones, the chief of the British PGA as saying: “It does seem to be more of an American problem, one that has a lot to do with the speed of the greens over there. Eliminating variables in the stroke (anchoring) is much more helpful when the greens are slick.”

So why did golf’s ruling bodies institute the ban? USGA president Glen D. Nager called it “necessary,” and that was about as poignant as it got.

“Our best judgment is that Rule 14-1b is necessary to preserve one of the important traditions and challenges of the game – that the player freely swing the entire club,” Nager said. “The new rule upholds the essential nature of the traditional method of stroke and eliminates the possible advantage that anchoring provides, ensuring that players of all skill levels face the same challenge inherent in the game of golf.”

That certainly seemed like a better answer to me than the one provided by Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A: “We recognize this has been a divisive issue but after thorough consideration we remain convinced that this is the right decision for golf.”

The first time I heard the anchoring ban argument, it was because kids were flocking to the long putter. Then it became the advantage on slick greens theme, and I’m sure there will be others before this quarrel is settled.

Golf manufacturers and gurus like Dave Pelz have railed against the ban on anchoring, some of it selfishly. Still, I have yet to see one single shred of scientific evidence that says those who go long and need to anchor while putting have an advantage over their opponents. I guess I’m just not a purist, preferring to let people do whatever it takes to get the ball in the cup (barring croquet mallets and pool cues). Hey, the game is tough enough!

That’s what bothers me about this ruling, and I’m a guy who always has putted in the traditional style with a regular — or is that “short”? — putter. I tried to putt with the long putter once, but had no touch when it came to lagging the ball (some say I don’t have much touch with the shorter version, either). But I’ve watched guys like Bradley, Simpson and Scott putt with their long wands, and it certainly looks like a back-and-forth putting stroke to me.

Now we’ve got another divisive ruling when the game is struggling to maintain its numbers. I’m not sure about the timing, or whether the USGA and R&A have once again fallen on their own swords, as they did with the square grooves battle that they lost 20-some years ago.

How will the anchoring ban pan out? Unfortunately, I think we are years away from knowing if Rule 14 1-b will be the end of an era, or the beginning of an error.

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June 6, 2013