ARIZONA GOLF AUTHORITY

Tag: arizona golf course

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
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
Quintero Golf Club Q-Card

From the Arizona Golf News Desk at the Arizona Golf Authority

$495 Q-Card Offers 10 Rounds – No Restrictions – June 1 – August 31

PEORIA, Arizona. – Quintero Golf Club General Manager Tom Wilcox announced today that Quintero’s popular Q-Card is back for 2013 and on sale now.

The Q-Card, good from June 1 – August 31, is a summer golf package that offers 10 rounds of golf with no restrictions (including cart) for only $495 (+tax). Q-Card rounds are fully transferable and can be used individually or divided up within a group.

“With Father’s Day coming up, this makes a perfect gift for those golfing dad’s out there, or just a great gift for yourself to get a fantastic deal for summer play at Quintero,” Wilcox said.

Q-Cards can be purchased at the Quintero Golf Shop or by calling (928) 501-1500.

Quintero Golf Club, formerly Quintero Golf and Country Club, is a semi-private club that recently opened for daily-fee play in November of 2011. This accessible, yet secluded club is located 45 minutes northwest of downtown Phoenix in the high Sonoran Desert, and sits at elevations between 1,986 and 2,670 feet in the stunning Hieroglyphic Mountains.

Quintero is ranked among the “Top 100 Residential Courses” and “American’s Greatest Modern Courses” by Golfweek, and was recently ranked second in the state of Arizona by both Golfweek and Golf Digest. For more information about Quintero Golf Club or to make a tee time reservation, go to www.quinterogolf.com or call (928) 501-1500.

Click Quintero Golf Course – Arizona Golf Course Reviews at the Arizona Golf Authority.

June 14, 2013
JGAA Hosts Willie Low Invitational at Phoenix Country Club

From the Arizona Golf News Desk at the Arizona Golf Authority

PHOENIX, Arizona – The Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) is set to host the annual Willie Low Invitational, honoring the late Willie Low, one of the Valley’s top golf professionals for nearly half a century. Started in 1969, the event has showcased the talents of junior golfers from across the state. Past winners have included two-time champion and current PGA TOUR golfer Billy Mayfair along with Ted Purdy.

Willie Low influenced many of the Valley’s top juniors, including Howard Twitty and a young George Boutell who would later go on to win the 1962 Arizona Amateur Championship and then post a stellar career at Arizona State University, earning All American status.

Low began his golf career at Lakeside Golf Club in Los Angeles during the 1920’s where he became lifelong friends with the likes of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and other celebrities.

“I am not certain how it came together, but I would bet that he introduced these great celebrities to Bob Goldwater Sr. and after 70 plus years of Phoenix Opens, the Valley of the
Sun has been the beneficiary of these friendships,” said ASU Hall of Fame golfer, George Boutell.

Low came to the Valley in 1931 as the Head Golf Professional at Phoenix Country Club and stayed there until his retirement in 1972. He was awarded the Anser Award by the Southwest Section PGA in 2004, honoring individuals whose positive efforts have influenced the history of Arizona golf. Mr. Low was also a member of the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame.

“The Willie Low Junior Invitational is a tribute to Low’s passion for the game that was demonstrated through his interest in young people”. said Scott Frisch, current Head Golf Professional at Phoenix Country Club. “This tournament is a chance for all of us to reflect on the work of this great man in helping build the foundation for generations of golfers to come”.

Some of this year’s top participants will include Alec Bone, Brenden Bone, Sam Triplett, Hayden Webb and Prescott Mann, a top finished in last year’s event. In the girl’s field top finishers Megan Knadler and Miranda Reyes will be competing once again. Other top competitors participating this year will be Kaylee Knadler, Ariana Macioce, and Alisa Snyder.

The 2013 Willie Low Invitational will get underway on June 11 at Phoenix Country Club.

About the Junior Golf Association of Arizona

Founded in 1983, the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) is a non-profit organization that introduces Arizona’s youth to the game of golf and helps junior golfers develop golf and life skills through competitive programs and tournaments. In addition to developing programs at schools and assisting Arizona golf courses with their junior programs, the JGAA conducts more than 100 programs and activities, including etiquette clinics, tournaments, and college prep seminars throughout Arizona each year. The JGAA awards two scholarship funds annually to high school senior members of the JGAA for their college education – the Tres Arnold and the John Wolfinger Memorial College Scholarships. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2013, JGAA’s strong belief in teamwork and cooperation continues to guide the organization and is instilled in all of its members. Visit www.jgaa.org

June 7, 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.

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 6, 2013
Is TPC Scottsdale Renovation Really Worth $15 Million?

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

Brad Williams has been on the job for just a few months as the new general manager and director of golf at the TPC Scottsdale.

For the most part, the former boss at the TPC Boston has been low profile since he assumed the reins from Bill Grove, who retired following the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open.

I finally caught up with the easygoing Williams last week, and during our conversation I asked him about his early experiences on his new job.

“Oh, it’s been great. I’m loving it,” said Williams, who once was the head pro at the TPC Scottsdale (2000-2002). “In fact, it’s been near-perfect with the exception of that story in Monday’s paper.”

“That story” Williams was referring to ran in the Arizona Republic under the headline: “Critics question Scottsdale’s spending on TPC.”

In the article, the Republic detailed how the Scottsdale City Council planned to pay for a $15 million renovation of the TPC’s Stadium Course rather than the renovation being the responsibility of the PGA Tour, which hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open on that course annually. It also pointed out how the City of Scottsdale has paid fees totaling almost $26 million to keep the TPC Scottsdale running since it opened in 1987.

But what probably riled Williams, at least a little bit, was the part about how the $15 million deal that also involves updating the TPC’s clubhouse had been met with criticism from “a loosely organized group of Scottsdale residents concerned about municipal spending.” And it also mentioned how those critics were threatening possible legal action if the City Council didn’t reconsider and get a better deal from the Tour.

Oh, yes, and in exchange for that $15 million renovation, the newspaper reported, the Tour will increase its fees paid to the course over the next 20 years by a mere $4 million, as well as extend the contract for the Waste Management Phoenix Open by six years through 2022. There were other details about the project, which doesn’t include the TPC’s lesser known Champions Course, but those were the big ones.

Being a skeptical sort, I also questioned whether the TPC Scottsdale really needs a $15 million facelift. Seriously, for $15 mill you would think that you could blow up the Tom Weiskopf-Jay Morrish design and build an entirely new one, although you might not have quite enough dough for the course and the clubhouse, too.

But after talking with Williams and the guy who ram-rodded the deal through the Scottsdale City Council, Mayor Jim Lane, I think everybody in Scottsdale should just chill on this subject and let it happen. It’s all good for Scottsdale and the entire Valley, especially the $90 million a year economic impact punch the tournament provides, and here’s why:

Contrary to what many are assuming, Lane told me, the project is not being funded by the city’s taxpayers. Instead it’s a combination of the monies received from the city’s hotel bed tax, as well as that aforementioned $4 million from the Tour.

“We felt like we worked a very hard but fair deal with the Tour,” Lane said. “And (the renovation is) going to happen regardless (of what some might say).”

According to the Republic article, an attorney representing opponents of the deal has urged Lane and the City Council to renegotiate more favorable terms. The article also cited Mark Stuart, a financial analyst and leading opponent of the TPC deal, who claimed that the most well attended tournament in professional golf has no real direct benefits to Scottsdale, and threatened legal action if the city goes through with the project.

“That’s strictly nonsense,” said Lane of the crowds at the TPC that often swell to over 500,000 fans for the week, and the worldwide TV coverage that showcases Scottsdale’s beautiful weather during a period when most of the country is caught in winter’s woes.

“People can threaten whatever they want, but we’re very comfortable with what we’re doing in financing this project.”

So why do we need to renovate the Stadium Course at the TPC Scottsdale, the one that gets the highest green fee in Arizona (approximately $300 in peak season)? Lane and Williams have slightly different perspectives on this project, which again will be spearheaded by Weiskopf, but both are pertinent.

“First and foremost, this is a golf course that has been owned by the City of Scottsdale for almost 30 years, and so it’s our golf course we’re funding,” Lane said. “Scottsdale is all about golf. It’s how we portray ourselves to the world.

“In the bigger picture, it also represents the entire Valley. So we want it to look good for not only Scottsdale, but all of Arizona.”

Adding to that, Lane said the 7,218-yard, par-71 layout needs to be “more challenging.” But Williams said that, from the Tour’s perspective, “We don’t think our goal is to make the TPC more difficult but rather to modernize it for today’s game.”

“Golf fans still want to see birdies and see players play well, so we don’t want to change that,” he added. “This will bring it into the 21st Century.”

Williams said that among the changes that will occur from April 1 to mid-November, 2014, when the course will be shut down for the renovation, are the following:

*The greens will be completely stripped down 4 to 5 inches in depth, new materials added, and grown back in with “a few subtle changes.” A few holes, like Nos. 2, 3 and 4, might end up in new locations.

*Restructure the tee complexes, which could add or subtract length.

*Rebuild and reshape bunker complexes, while strategically removing some and adding others. All will have new sand.

*Renew cart paths and reposition desert landscape, although Williams promised the “Tiger Rock” from the 1999 Phoenix Open is to remain status quo. “Wouldn’t dream of removing that,” he said with a laugh.

*Update the irrigation system and plant.

*Remodel the clubhouse, adding new locker space and a new indoor dining room for the players and their families, as well as redoing the TPC Grille.

“It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but basically we want to enhance the players’ experience while maintaining the tournament’s image as one of the best on Tour,” Williams said.

This will be Williams’ first time handling a project of this magnitude, although he does have some experience in the area of remodeling a facility while he was at the TPC Boston.

“But this is my biggest project, and I’m really excited,” he said. “I’m confident that we can get this done on time, because one of the good things about it is we’ve been in the planning stages for some time. We’ve really thought it through.”

Evidently others are getting on board. This week the Republic endorsed the project in an editorial entitled: “Phoenix Open Funding Wise,” stating that a “renewed commitment is of vital importance for this city.” The op-ed page even took a shot at the critics, calling their claims “unfounded and utterly ludicrous.”

Although the editorial never mentioned it, I’ll give you one more reason why this $15 million renovation is more than justified: It keeps the lifeline of precious charity contributions generated by the Waste Management Phoenix Open flowing throughout the Valley.

Indeed, the Phoenix Open never has gotten the recognition it deserves for its philanthropic ways. But every year the Thunderbirds, the civic group that runs the Waste Management Phoenix Open, raises $4 million or $5 million or $6 million for charity – or over $52 million in the last 10 years alone.

That sum raised by the Waste Management Phoenix Open is more than the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Coyotes have raised combined. And just think of all the taxpayer money that has been spent on those professional sports over the years!

Certainly the completion of the renovation is something to look forward to when the TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course opens anew in 2015, Williams added.

“It’s the year we’ll unveil the golf course, and the Super Bowl returns to the Valley, “ he said. “Should be a very exciting time around here.”

Yes, Brad Williams has been on the job for just a few months, but he seems to be fitting in just fine.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog for all of Bill Huffman’s articles.

Visit the Arizona Golf Authority’s Arizona Golf Course Reviews for an “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona.

May 22, 2013
Why Woods Won’t Win the Masters

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

The Masters is upon us. Doesn’t it feel good?

After a West Coast Swing that weathered wind, hail and snow, after a Florida campaign that gave us (more) rain and darkness, it’s springtime in Augusta, Ga., the home of the Masters. And for the first time in a long time, it really is spring in the South, which is just coming out of harsh winter, although gusty winds and thunderstorms appear to be the strongest possibility for the first two rounds of this week’s tournament.

Oh, yes, and for the first time in what has seemed like a really long time (or a little over two years), Tiger Woods enters the Masters as the No. 1 player in the world, a privilege he once held for 12 consecutive appearances in this annual romp through the dogwoods and azaleas.

Yes, Planet Golf seems to be once again aligned on its axis, which means that despite the last of Tiger’s four green jackets coming way back in 2005, he’s the heavy favorite again.

According to the bookies in Las Vegas, Woods is 5 to 2 to win the season’s first major, meaning if you put up $2 on Tiger to win you’ll earn $5 if he does. Even for Woods those are pretty staggering odds for a favorite in Vegas. By comparison, Woods’ purported nemesis, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlory, the No. 2 golfer in the world, is next best at 8 to 1, with three-time winner Phil Mickelson at 10 to 1. Everybody else is 20 to 1 or higher.

Heck, Woods is commanding 10-to-1 odds if he wins by at least five shots, and you’d think those odds would be higher. There also are 16-to-1 odds available for him chipping in at No. 16, like he did at magical Augusta National in ’05, as well as 16 to 1 to go wire-to-wire.

If you’re thinking about betting him to finish in the top 10, my best advice is to forgetta-bout-it. At 1 to 4 you can only make $1 for every $4 you wager.

Really, for not having won a major in almost five years, and the last one came at the 2008 U.S. Open for Tiger, those are some overwhelmingly strong numbers for the guy who is chasing Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors while stuck at 14 and counting.

But here’s a news flash just in: Despite all the pretournament hype, I don’t think it’s going to happen. Not that I haven’t been wrong about Tiger before, especially at the Masters.

Remember, Tiger has won only four of the 15 Masters he’s entered as a pro (three more as an amateur), and that’s without every really giving one away. True, he already has three wins this season, but his other three outings included two finishes in the 30-something range and a missed cut. If anything, his season can be characterized as hot or cold.

Besides, no one really ever wins the Masters; the Masters wins them. (With the exception of Nicklaus, of course!) That Bubba Watson overcame Louie Oosthuizen’s double eagle at No. 2 in the final round of last year’s tournament with an equally ridiculous shot of his own on the very last hole (out of the woods, no less) is added proof that you just never know what player will emerge when it comes to the Masters.

I mean, Martin Laird, the Scotsman from Scottsdale who won the Valero Texas Open on Sunday to punch the last ticket to Augustaville, has as good a chance as Tiger. Or how about Lefty, who is playing in his 20th Masters? He usually does pretty well around there after finishing T3 last year?

Personally, I’d stay away from the Tiger Woods bets and not simply because the odds aren’t worth it. Yes, he’s playing fantastic, leading the statistical categories for putting, eagles and scoring average (68.33), the perfect combination to get the job done. But it just doesn’t add up when it comes to the unpredictable nature of this major that is played out in the tall Georgia pines.

Here are three good reasons why I wouldn’t bet on Tiger – the competition, the distractions and the fickle nature golf, especially at the Masters.

First of all, there are at least 20 players who could win this besides the aforementioned McIlroy, Mickelson, Oosthuizen and Watson. They include Keegan Bradley, Stewart Cink, Fred Couples (no, I’m not kidding), Luke Donald, Jason Dufner, Padraig Harrington, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Stricker and Lee Westwood.

Any of those guys could beat Woods, which I would, well, bet are the real odds for Tiger’s chances at the Masters – 20 to 1. And you could probably add great players like Ernie Els or Adam Scott, as well as past champions like Angel Cabrera and Vijay Singh, to that list of those capable of catching a Tiger by his tail.

As for distractions, not surprisingly Woods is back to his old tricks, trying to snub the media whenever possible. Still, is it a good idea to refuse an interview with Sports Illustrated when the magazine is making you the cover story for an unbelievable 21st time? It’s just one of several sensational topics that could get on Woods’ nerves as the week plays out. (Besides Lindsey Vonn being his new girl friend, that is.)

And then there’s the nature of the game, which is the favorite seldom wins, although Woods has done his best over the years to disprove that notion. Or as a colleague once said to me about picking winners when it comes to golf: “It’s not predictable, like football or horse racing.”

Naturally, few people are buying into my theory on why Woods won’t win the Masters. In fact, Steve Stricker, Tiger’s good buddy, told the Golf Channel that Woods all but has this green blazer locked up.

“It looks like he has a ton of confidence with that putter,” Stricker said after playing a practice round with Tiger on Sunday.

“We talked about pitching and chipping. I asked him what he tries to do. It’s mutual. He’s the best player in the world, No. 1 again. So it’s fun to bounce things off of him.”

Sorry, Tiger, it’s not going to happen, winning for a fifth time. I am absolutely, most definitely and, well . . . probably, maybe sure about this. Or let’s just say I’m playing the odds.

April 9, 2013