Category: Arizona Golf News

From the Arizona Golf Authority Golf News Desk

GLENDALE, Arizona – Tony Adolf says he’s been playing golf “for about two years,” and that his regular playing partner, Mark Swearingen, “has been playing forever, even on the golf team in college.”

They both reached the summit of the game Thursday, June 28^th at Bellair Golf Club when Tony aced the 12^th hole and Mark then aced the 13^th right behind him.

“It was bedlam,” Tony shared, “and lucky for us, the beverage cart was right in the middle of it all. I had five witnesses for mine, and Mark had six for his!”

Playing as a low-season ‘summertime sixsome’ from the white tees, Tony and Mark were joined by regular companions Victor Columbi, Dean Alley, Allen Van Loof and Tim McGuire.

At the 178-yard 12^th “I was the last to tee off and I hit 5-wood, just as the beverage cart pulled up,” Tony shared. “The ball didn’t get more than 20-feet off the ground but it rolled, and rolled and I watched it disappear in the cup.”

Mark saw it go in as well and was the first of the group to high-five Tony on the tee.

“I got my clubs as a gift when I retired from the military a couple years ago,” Tony said, “and these are the guys that made me come out and take up the game. Mark told me that in over 40 years of playing, including all his college golf, he’d never had a hole-in-one.”

That was about to change.

The sixsome and the beverage cart moved to the 130-yard 13^th tee where Mark stepped up and holed his tee shot.

“Unlike my ugly shot,” Tony shared, “this was the most beautiful 9-iron you’ve ever seen. It pitched a foot in front of the cup and hopped right in the hole.”

The two “acers” made good on their customary libation obligation and set the Bellair clubhouse and Iron Works Restaurant abuzz with the news of their round. And the consensus “needle” from the close-knit sixsome was this, “That’s Mark, he just wouldn’t let Tony have his day.”

The big news also reminded everyone of an interesting fact regarding Bellair Golf Club teaching Pro Dennis O’Brien. Aces? Dennis has 14!

Click Bellair Golf Club to visit our Arizona Golf Course Reviews Directory Guide List and read the AZGA Player’s Review for every golf course in Arizona.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

From the Arizona Golf Authority Golf News Desk

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – This summer, thanks to four Valley golf courses, you can scratch your golf itch and support the First Tee of Phoenix at the same time. ASU Karsten, Eagle Mountain, Longbow and the Raven-Phoenix golf clubs are all participating in an attractive program called “Tee It Up at 10 for the First Tee.”

Here’s the good news: Each course will reserve one tee time each day, Monday through Friday, between 10 and 11 a.m. on their tee sheet for the Tee it Up at 10 foursome. The reservation will be sold for $100 to the first player to telephone the golf course and request the reserved Tee it Up at 10 tee time.

Here’s the great news: The entire $100 is donated directly to the First Tee of Phoenix!

The Tee it Up at 10 program tee times during the 10 o’clock hour will be available from June 11 through August 31, 2012 at all four golf courses. Telephone the golf courses directly to purchase the reserved tee time. Each course’s advance booking policies determine how far in advance the Tee it Up at 10 reservation may be purchased.

“We noticed that nationally, The First Tee posted a goal of raising 100 Million dollars,” said Daryl Crawford, Director of Golf for ASU Karsten Golf Course.  “We thought it was a great idea and through the common thread of OB Sports [the management firm for all four clubs], we now have four golf clubs participating at a local level to help them reach their national goal.”

In addition to donating the tee time fees, each golf course is also collecting donations of used and gently used equipment, e.g. clubs, shoes, balls, pull carts, umbrellas, clothes, for The First Tee of Phoenix. It’s a great incentive to clean out your garage and provide kids around the Valley with the tools they need to take up the game.

“Junior golf has always been one of our top priorities at Longbow and for the OB Sports team in general,” said Jay Larscheid, General Manager of Longbow Golf Club.  “Plus, the program allows us to direct the proceeds back into junior golf efforts here in Arizona. In the end, this is a strong incentive to gets more Valley kids playing the game of golf.”

The First Tee of Phoenix teaches youngsters the game of golf by focusing on important core values such as responsibility, respect, integrity and confidence, all of which are keys to success not only on the golf course, but in life.

Telephone each golf course directly to book the special Tee it Up at 10 tee time:

ASU Karsten: (480) 921-8070   Click: ASU Karsten Golf Course Review

Eagle Mountain Golf Club: (480) 816-1234    Click: Eagle Mountain Golf Course Review

Longbow Golf Club: (480) 807.5400   Click Longbow Golf Course Review

Raven Golf Club – Phoenix:   Click: Raven-Phoenix Golf Course Review

Click the Arizona Golf Authority Arizona Golf Courses Guide List Directory and read the AZGA player Arizona golf course reviews for all 350 golf courses in Arizona at www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

From the Arizona Golf Authority Golf News Desk

TEMPE, Arizona — Lindsey Weaver of Scottsdale, Arizona took home her ninth AJGA championship trophy after a two-hole sudden death playoff against Allisen Corpuz of Honolulu.

Blake Barens of Villa Park, Calif., won his first AJGA event after scoring even-par 70 to edge the competition by one stroke.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the PING Phoenix Junior at ASU Karsten was a 54-hole stroke play competition played on the par-70 ASU Karsten Golf Course. The event featured 57 boys and 21 girls, ages 12-18, from 15 states, Colombia, Mexico and Thailand. The Boys Division played the course at 6,858 yards while the Girls Division played the course at 5,977 yards.

Weaver carded a final round 2-over-par 72 and Corpuz carded a 1-over-par 71. Both finished the tournament at 1-under-par 209. Each made par on the first playoff hole, but on the second, Weaver made birdie to secure the victory.

After losing this tournament last year in a playoff, it meant a lot to Weaver to win it in the same fashion. This victory was also special for the Scottsdale local as she looks forward to a future at the University of Notre Dame.

In the Girls Division, Corpuz finished in second place, while Bethany Wu, of Diamond Bar, Calif., finished at even-par 210 to take home third place.

Barens’ even-par round on Thursday was exactly what was needed to withstand the competition.

“It was playing really tough out there, so I knew it was not about who was going to go really low; it was more just about surviving out there,” Barens said. “I found out I was about tied going into No. 15, so I knew I had a chance; I just had to hold on.”

Cody McManus of Phoenix and Dean Sakata of Diamond Bar, Calif., finished tied for second at 2-under-par 208. Zachary Wright of Phoenix and James Lee of Albuquerque, N.M., finished tied for fourth in the Boys Division.

Click AJGA PING Scoreboard to view final results for entire field.

Click ASU Karsten Golf Course to visit our Arizona Golf Course Directory List and read the AZGA Player’s Review for every golf course in Arizona.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

From the Arizona Golf Authority Golf News Desk

Cave Creek, Arizona – Tatum Ranch Golf Club is offering avid players the opportunity to sample the private country club lifestyle through their new Summer Membership program.

The golf course, designed by Bob Cupp, opened in 1986 and is both an entertaining and challenging layout that’s matured quite nicely. Generous fairways make it playable for everyone, as do seven, yes, 7 sets of tee markers. Skilled players will be tested from the 6,856-yard tips (72.2 / 135), while friends and family can choose their own comfortable yardage and everyone can enjoy a day of recreational golf, together.

Although the Club is technically located in Cave Creek, it’s right on the edge of both Scottsdale and North Phoenix, just north of Loop-101 on Cave Creek Road – quite convenient to drive to, actually.

The Tatum Ranch summer membership includes:

• Access to the 18-hole championship golf course 5/1 through 9/30/2012
• Seven-day advance Tee Times, any day after 9:00am – cart fee applies
• Access to the driving range and practice facilities 5/1 through 9/30/2012
• Full access to the swimming pool, fitness center, clubhouse amenities and social events
• Preferred rates at OB Sports managed golf courses; check out www.obsports.com/travel

Only a limited number of Summer Memberships are being offered at $1000, so act quickly. Come September 30, if you like the country-club lifestyle, you have the opportunity to upgrade to full membership – at which time, Tatum Ranch will credit the $1000 Summer Pass payment against the initiation fee for any of several full-golf membership categories.

For help with the Summer Memberships at Tatum Ranch Golf Club offer call 480.585.2399, email Ellen Haboush, Director of Membership at ehaboush@tatumranchgc.com or visit www.tatumranchgc.com/summer for all the details.

Click Tatum Ranch Golf Course Review for the complete story on the golf course.

Then visit our Arizona Golf Course Reviews Directory and check out the AZGA Player’s Review for every golf course in Arizona.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.