IGA Course Rating Volunteer: Bruce Martini

1 – Where are you originally from? If not from Idaho, what brought you here? 
I was born in Portland, Oregon and spent my first 10 years in St. Helens...just downriver from Portland. My wife & I moved our family of four (two elementary-age kids then) to Boise in 1992 from Southern California. My maternal grandparents lived in the Treasure Valley from the 1890s until 1917. I am the first of all my relatives to return to Idaho.
 
2 – What is/was your career occupation? 
I started working for an international civil engineering firm in Los Angeles in several different positions including scientific computer programming. After 10+ years working in many locations, I started my own construction company. After our son was born, I decided to go back to university to get an earth science degree & credentialed to teach secondary education. When we moved to Boise, I taught math, earth science, and technology classes for a local high school until retirement. 
 
3 – What is it about the game of golf that you love so much? 
The people, history and outdoors! 

4 – What made you want to volunteer for the IGA? When did you start? 
I was working part-time at a local golf course after retirement. In spring 2009, my boss Jerry Breaux suggested I explore the IGA Course Rating program to give back to the game. He had been recruited to find volunteers by Russ Peterson who had recently moved to Idaho & participated in the rating program. I did and the rest is history.
 
5 – What do you hope to get out of volunteering for the IGA? What motivates you to keep coming back? 
I have played every hole of golf in the IGA region as a result of being on the rating team. I enjoy golf and the people who play golf. No matter one’s ability, the enjoyment doesn’t diminish with time. 
 
6 – What has been your favorite memory from volunteering for the IGA? 
The many places I visited for USGA Calibration Training that I was fortunate enough to attend. 

7 – What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering? 
The golf courses are many and varied, plus the other volunteers and IGA staff are fascinating to get to know and share the rating experience with. 

8 – What is your fondest memory on the golf course? 
Playing first rounds with our then young two kids and then playing the many rounds with a great person who became well-known in the golf world…Tom Lehman.
 
9 – When were you introduced to the sport? By who? 
My dad took me with him to a rural golf course in a small Oregon town called Scappoose in the mid-1950s. 
 
10 – What is your home club? How often do you play? 
RedHawk is my current home club...I work as an ambassador more than I play due to recent medical issues.  
 
11 – What's something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know? 
 I managed several offices in Nigeria in the mid-1970s for my international civil engineering firm. 
 
12 – Who would be a part of your dream foursome to play a round of golf with? 
My dad, Jerry Breaux and Tom Lehman 
 
13 - What has been your favorite golf course that you have played? 
Several in Scotland, including the Old Course at St. Andrews...and whichever course I am playing/measuring/rating that day. 

Bruce and his wife, Maggie, share a kiss on the beach in San Diego, California.

14 – Describe your golf game in six words 
Many years and many, many shots. 

15 – What's one item that you can’t live without? 
Maggie...my wife of 50+ years.

2023 Match Play: A new class of champions have been crowned

Written by Shane René, P.J. Boatwright Media and Communications Intern

The 2023 IGA Match Play Championship came to close Friday afternoon, ending with the kind of drama we’ve all come to expect from golf’s original format. Jerome Country Club played firmer and faster as the week went on, ramping up the difficulty as the field whittled its way down from 70 players to six. 

With six divisions — four of them competing over the course of 72 holes — the 2023 champions run the gamut from familiar faces to rising stars in the Idaho golf scene. IGA board member Karen Darrington and Fran Matthias returned to the IGA winners’ circle, while junior stand-outs Caroline Caven and Derek Lekkerkerk took home their first non-junior titles.  

MEN’S DIVISION:  

Derek Lekkerkerk

The final match in the men’s division featured two of the top junior players in Idaho, both of whom made quick work of the fields in front of them.  

Trevor Garus, a capital high senior and UCLA commit, took on the title of the No. 1 seed and brought the game to back it up. In his four matches, he played beyond the 16th hole just once, with margins of 5 & 4 and 8 & 7 in his first two matches. 

Storming out of the other side of the bracket, the No. 11 seed Derek Lekkerkerk might have been a surprise addition to the championship match if you’d never seen him play. Lekkerkerk moved seamlessly through quality competition in each round before meeting his toughest test in the championship match.  

Lekkerkerk hugs friends after winning his final match.

“I’ve known Trevor for quite a while,” Lekkerkerk said. “[My thought process] was the same it’s been for the last couple of days. I kept saying to myself: ‘Process oriented, neutral to positive.” 

Lekkerkerk had his back against the wall as the championship match, which had been close all day, moved into the final three holes. One down with three to play, the soon-to-be Colorado State freshman made birdie on the par-5 16th to square the match, before pars on 17 forced the match on to 18. 

Lekkerkerk found the fairway, and hit a quality approach to 20-feet right of a tucked-left hole location. Garus, finding trouble right off the tee, advanced his second shot just short of the green and chipped it up to inside of 10 feet. But Garus wouldn’t need to hit the putt as Lekkerkerk rolled it in for birdie to win the championship on a green surrounded by friends and family.   

“I love [match play],” Lekkerkerk said. “I feel like it’s a lot more of a battle and it brings out that competitive side. In stroke play events, the last day is what kinda feels like match play when it’s just you and the other guy. But you kinda get that last-day Sunday high every match and I love that part of it.”  

Caroline Caven

WOMEN’S DIVISION:  

In the Women’s Division, Caroline Caven introduced herself to the field and let everyone know she was here to stay. 

Caven, a junior player out of Cole Valley Christian, showed up on Wednesday morning excited to play in her first ever non-junior IGA event and cruised through her opening match with a 4 & 2 victory.  

“I was excited to be out here playing with some older women and just seeing how they play different and seeing the strategy behind match play,” Caven said.  

In her semifinal match, Caven ran into a tough test against No. 1 seed Christine Cho from Northwest Nazarene University. Caven found herself 3 down through the front nine but hung around to force the match to the 18th hole where she would advance to the championship.  

“That back nine was one of the best rounds I’ve ever played,” she said.  

While trying to close out her final match, Caven found trouble on the par-5 16th and was forced to take an unplayable. After the drop, she knocked her 4th shot from about 70 yards onto the green, where she would use two putts to tie the hole and close the match. 

“I was really proud of that shot afterwards because I was kinda like: ‘okay, I can still tie the hole, I’m still in this, I’m good,” she said.  

SENIOR WOMEN’S DIVISION:  

Karen Darrington

If you see her name in the field, she usually has a good chance of winning. And once again, Karen Darrington showed her competitors why she’s the one to beat in what was a comfortable setting at the 2023 IGA Match Play.  

“This is kind of like home to me,” Darrington said. “I grew up in Twin Falls and my brother lives here and he likes to caddie for me. We had a great time together... I always look forward to that relationship.”  

But Darrington’s victory this week was a far cry from a cake walk. After a comfortable 3 & 2 victory in the opening round, No. 4 seed Abby Black took her to extra holes. Darrington was finally able to close the match on the 22nd hole. 

“I knew it was going to be a tough match and Abby is one of my best friends,” Darrington said. “I could have finished it off on like the 16th hole and it just kept going.”  

In the championship match, Darrington faced Marylin Celano, who had managed to win her first two matches in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion on the 18th hole. But Darrington proved to be too consistent on what she says was one of her best ball striking days of the week. She closed the match on the 15th green, winning 4 & 3.   

“We had a great field; it was really tough. You can’t look past any match. I just tried to look at one match at a time because you can’t move on if you don’t win each match... I like match play, so I’m just thrilled to win it.”  

Jason Clifford

MEN’S MASTER-40 DIVISION:  

Jason Clifford says he’s not going to let match play change the way he plays his own game, and his game proved good enough to beat a strong Master-40 division at the 2023 IGA Match Play Championship.

Clifford, the No. 4 seed coming into the week, sailed through the first round, with a 4 & 3 victory, but he was forced to battle from there. He lost his momentum late in his second-round match against Ryan Hansen, dropping the last two holes to find himself in a playoff, where he closed the match on the 1st hole.   

“That match was tough,” Clifford said, “Ryan played really well.  

Clifford says he focused on simply keeping the ball in play and forcing his opponents to make birdies. That formula worked well in the championship match against Brian Riff, where he took an early lead and never gave it back, locking up his match play title with a birdie on the 16th hole.  

MEN’S SENIOR DIVISION:  

Jay Sutton

In a stacked men’s senior division, 2014 Senior Amateur champion Jay Sutton came out of the No. 4 seed to take down No. 1 seed Darren Kuhn in the championship match.  

“If you look at the senior group we had here, anybody could have won this thing,” Sutton said. “I’ve got a lot of good friends here... and they are all great players.”  

Sutton snuck through his first two matches on thin margins, winning 2 up and 1 up, respectively, taking down 2019 Senior Amateur champion Scott Vermeer in the quarterfinals.  

In the championship match, neither Sutton or Kuhn were able to get more than 1 up at any given time, trading blows the whole way. Kuhn, sitting one down on the 18th tee, made birdie to force the match into extra holes, where Sutton would end the match and clinch his title. 

“It was a great match,” he said. “It was up and down all day.”   

Sutton says the secret to his week was his ability to get the ball up and down, which he did at a 77% clip. He credits an old friend and short-game master, Joe Stump, for helping him sharpen up his game around the greens. 

“That makes a big difference,” Sutton said. “When you start missing greens a little bit, if you can get it up-and-down, you’re really going to go somewhere.”  

Fran Matthias

MEN’S SUPER-SENIOR DIVISION:

Another familiar winner, Fran Matthias, breezed through the Men’s Super-Senior division, needing no more than 14 holes to close either of his matches.  

The six-man field was the only division to play a seeding round of stroke play on Wednesday, where a cool, calm and collected 73 bought Matthias the No.1 seed and Thursday morning bye. He says avoiding a match on Thursday morning was important to help him feel fresh for his final two matches.  

His championship match squared him off against a familiar face in Bob Lutz, who has multiple IGA titles to his name.  

“It was fun to see Bob Lutz come through, he’s a close friend of mine,” Matthias said. “Bob said he got a good night's sleep and he’s still a great golfer for somebody in their 80s — the guy can flat-out play.”  

Matthias says the championship match turned on the 10th hole where he knocked his second shot close to go 3 up. He rode that momentum through the 14th hole, where the match ended with a pair of pars.  

Unnecessary Flop Shots: Musings on Match Play

*Note from the author: Sometimes good ideas are late to the party. “Put Me Down For a 5,” my weekly column about all things golf, has been renamed “Unnecessary Flop Shots.” This article is the second of this series, following my first column on how we talk about (and use) tee markers.

Match play championships have become a novelty in the modern game, and it deserves a bigger spotlight

Written by Shane René, USGA P.J. Boatwright Media and Communications Intern

Things were going just according to plan for Kris Fenwick as she made her way through the turn in the first round of 2023 IGA Match Play Championship. The No. 2 seed in the Senior Women’s Division had won three consecutive holes to find herself 4 up through 10, firmly in control of her match against Marilyn Celano.  

In match play, momentum is king, and Fenwick had plenty of it.  

But then Celano bounced back with a birdie on the par-5 11th to pause Fenwick’s momentum and cut her own deficit down to three. After trading pars on holes 12 and 13, Celano rolled in another birdie on 14. As they walked off the 16th green, the match was square. 

A difficult up and down from long left of the 17th green matched another routine par from Fenwick, moving the match to the 18th hole where Celano rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt to advance into the semifinals. Fenwick’s tournament had come to an abrupt end. 

In match play, momentum is king, but he’s not always loyal.  

“What are ya gonna do?” Fenwick said with a laugh.  

As I watched Celano’s putt rattle into the back of the hole, having successfully flipped a match that had been drifting out of reach for the better part of four hours, I was reminded of what’s so beautiful about single-elimination match play. This kind of rapid changing of the tide — whether it be a heroic comeback or harrowing collapse — lives at the core of what makes match play so compelling. It’s unkind and unfair; merciful and rewarding; impossible to predict. The undercurrent can change direction without notice, and suddenly you’re a mile down shore wondering how you could have lost.  

“The momentum shift was so subtle,” Fenwick said. “I didn’t really change anything... and then it was tied. I can only think of two swings I wish I had over again; neither one was horrible, but just bad enough.”  

Despite the rarity of match play championships in the modern game, match play represents golf in its original form. When itinerant fisherman invented the game in the sand dunes of Scotland some four centuries ago, stroke play never crossed their minds. 

Even Old Tom Morris, were you lucky enough to see him as you walked off the 18th hole at St. Andrews, probably wouldn’t ask “what did you shoot?” He’d want to know who you beat.   

In fact, the ubiquity of stroke play is something of an American invention. In 1911, the USGA introduced the word “par” to establish the expected score of an expert player on a given hole (that’s right, ‘expert’ player; stop crying about bogeys!). If you look back at major championship results prior to that year, scores were listed in terms of the total number of strokes made over the course of the tournament. This evolution played a critical role in making stroke play the game’s dominant format, leading players to prioritize their success against the course rather than against the player beside them. By emphasizing total score, we’ve de-emphasized a competitive element that makes many other sports so engaging for broader audiences. 

“You’re definitely more aware of what the other person is doing.” Fenwick said. “It’s not that it changes my strategy, it just puts more pressure on you, or it doesn’t if they hit a bad shot... In stroke play... you’re just worried about your score, or you know that tomorrow you can make up a shot or two if you just had a bad hole. Whereas match play, you know every swing where you stand and there is that little bit more pressure.”  

Match play is much more of a competitive waltz than a lonesome walk. You can’t afford to withdraw from the world and focus on yourself. You’re forced to engage — to react and respond — to someone who’s out to beat you and you alone.  

Skeptics of match play cite the randomness and small sample sizes as the format’s critical flaw, and they make a fair point. The reason 72-hole stroke play is played on professional tours is because it’s the most reliable way to identify the best players. With a larger sample size, the cream tends to rise to the top — you can only get hot for so many holes. 

But if you’re going to tell me you don’t love to see the underdogs prevail, I better not catch you filling out a bracket next March.   

Not only has match play become a novelty in organized competitive golf, it’s also less commonly played by recreational golfers. Looking to maintain their handicap (which is a valuable thing for all players), many golfers will go out with their Sunday foursome and focus on their own score. What they miss out on is a much more dynamic format. In match play, a sloppy eight won’t ruin your round — you’ve only lost one hole, or, if your buddy makes nine, you’re walking off the green with a big, fat, cheeky grin on your face.  

Wouldn’t life be better if we all had a reason to smile at snowmen on the scorecard?   

IGA to create Idaho Golf Hall of Fame; introduces two new competitions

Written by Caleb Cox, Executive Director

I’ve always been intrigued by history books and by the people who have gone before us. I believe there is
a very important role for us all to play in preserving the history of the golf community, and the remembrance of the ones who brought us here.

It’s possible that, like myself, you may not have lived here long and are still experiencing things for the first time as an Idahoan. Still, others have lived here for many years and may remember the stories that have made up the history of Idaho golf.

I invite each of you to join me in the coming season in exploring and learning the history of the game in Idaho and remembering those who have blazed a trail for us today.

There are several endeavors that the IGA has embarked upon this year in the honor and preserving of our rich history. In previous writings, I announced that the IGA will be launching the Idaho Golf Hall of Fame. I am very pleased to say that the first class of members of the Idaho Golf Hall of Fame will be inducted in a ceremony scheduled to be held in the late summer of 2024.

This endeavor has been one that the IGA has been working on tirelessly and is an effort that we are greatly looking forward to launching in the coming months. Having an Idaho Golf Hall of Fame is a great looking glass for us to continue to honor those who have been major contributors to the wonderful history that this state possesses in the game.

In addition to the Hall of Fame, the IGA will be looking to bring back two different competitions from our history this year that possess great tradition in the IGA and will enhance our current events.

Jackie Gasser of Twin Falls was well known in the amateur golf community as a fun and lighthearted personality, a fierce competitor, and an individual dedicated to the support of amateur golf in the region. In addition, Jackie was a vital member of the IGA Board of Directors for more than a decade and a member of the PNGA Board of Directors for nine years.

Jackie Gasser (far right) competed in numerous IGA championships, including the event that was named after her.

In 1982, the Gasser Cup was created as a team trophy awarded within the Idaho Women’s Amateur competition. Pitting participants from across the state in a club vs club competition, the Gasser Cup was a staple of the Idaho Women’s Amateur for nearly 40 years and is sure to be an integral part of this competition in 2023.

Keith Stanwood was a PGA Professional at Purple Sage Golf Course in Caldwell. Keith was well-known and dedicated to the teaching and coaching of players. He was a two-time recipient of the Golf Professional of the Year in the Northern Chapter of the Rocky Mountain PGA.

Keith Stanwood

In 1987 the IGA created the Stanwood Cup as a memorial to Keith’s untimely and unfortunate passing. The Stanwood Cup was contested as part of the Idaho State Amateur for more than 30 years as a bragging rights competition for clubs around the state. The competition format is where the best two of three scores are taken each day from three-player teams from the top three handicaps of each club, thereby creating
a two-day team score where the best club team wins. This format was a stalwart of the State Amateur for many years, and we are very excited to bring it back to the Amateur in 2023.

These are the stories of loved ones of the IGA community, and it is truly an honor to begin this journey in learning and remembering the names of these icons of Idaho golf.

Put Me Down For a 5: What we talk about when we talk about tee boxes

A case for reconsidering who plays from where, and why.  

Written by Shane René, USGA P.J. Boatwright Media and Communications Intern

I spend an outrageous amount of my time thinking about golf.  Whenever I’m not getting lost in the melodrama of PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf, I spend a lot of that time thinking about recreational golf — the game reserved for people who can’t feed their family with a good week of ball-striking and a hot putter.   

Recreational golf is, unfortunately, plagued by a number of barriers to entry. A starter set of clubs and a bag will cost a few hundred dollars at minimum; add golf balls, shoes, gloves, clothes and things can get pricey before you’ve even paid a greens fee. It also takes a lot of time, and finding five free hours amidst the chaos of life isn’t always easy. But even if we put the financial burden aside, and assume time is for killing, golf can seem like an impossibly difficult game to a novice player.   

Of course, the unrelenting difficulty of golf is what makes it so enchanting. It is maddening and rewarding in decidedly unequal parts, and there is something beautiful about the pursuit of rare satisfaction amidst hours of getting humbled by grass. But that’s not a very compelling pitch. If we want recreational golf to thrive, introduce new people to the game and keep our facilities flush with cash, we have to make that difficulty more accessible. We have to create a culture within the game that encourages success and enjoyment above all else. I’ve come to believe that this problem has a natural starting point, and the way we talk about and utilize tee boxes is in desperate need of an overhaul. 

The first time I ever thought critically about tee boxes was in middle school. My friends and I were out at Shadow Valley Golf Course, holed up in the pro shop waiting to make the turn.  

“Let’s play the back nine from the red tees,” I said, hoping to take a few birdies and some confidence home with me after a miserable front nine.   

“Did you bring your purse for the ladies’ tees?” my friend chirped back.  

“The forward tees,” interjected a woman whom neither of us knew. “Not all women play from the forward tee.” And she was right — tees have colors and yardages, not ages or genders.  

As I’ve gotten older, playing competitive golf through high school and into college, I think back on that interaction quite often. I now know and have watched many women play from a wide range of tees, moving further back as they improve, and then forward as they wish. The IGA’s own Lexie VanAntwerp, a skilled player and former club professional, says she almost exclusively plays from the forward tee when she has the choice.

“It’s still hard, it’s just more fun.” VanAntwerp said. “There’s no reason to grind it out hitting 3-woods or hybrids into par-4s. I have more fun with my 9-iron and wedges.”  

Men, I've noticed, are much less likely to do the same. Stubborn and proud, they tend to chain themselves to the “mens’ tee,” ensuring that the first time they break 80 is “legit.” And when they dribble their tee shot short of the “ladies' tees,” the self-imposed emasculation shows no mercy. Such a perspective is unhelpful to men, disrespectful to women, and disruptive to anyone trying to have a good time.  

This tee-box ethic creates two primary issues. First, it ties tee boxes to identity (age and gender), which is an incredibly limiting, if not archaic, way to determine how someone should engage with a round of golf. If you look carefully at a scorecard, you’re unlikely to find tee boxes listed with any association to age or gender. What you will see are course ratings for men and for women (usually for every tee box), a women’s par, and women’s stroke index. Each of those metrics are divorced from how the game is actively played and are only relevant to handicapping, which separates male and female players to account for significant disparities in average distance. But tee boxes themselves can, do, and should exist independent of age and gender, open to anybody who wishes to play them. 

The second issue is one of pride and legitimacy. Perhaps the hardest rounds of golf to watch are the ones in which someone trying to shoot in the 70s for the first time makes a double on the last hole to shoot 80 or 81. Those are the rounds that expose golfers to the game’s ruthlessly thin margins and produce the scar tissue that can make this game so discouraging. My suggestion to anyone in this situation, regardless of the target score, is to move up a box and disabuse yourself of the notion that your score is any less legitimate because of the yardage. As long as you leave the mulligans and licorice rope at home, 79 will always be 79.  

This argument may sound familiar. The USGA and the PGA of America have partnered up for “Tee-it-Forward” campaigns over the last handful of years based on Adams Golf founder Barney Adams’ belief that many golfers were robbing themselves of a good time by teeing it up much too far from the hole. Tee-it-forward campaigns often come with a chart connecting average driving distance to an ideal playing length to guide golfers to the most suitable tee box. Alternatively, a 2020 Golf.com article proposed taking your average 5-iron distance and multiplying it by 36 to produce an ideal playing length (example: 150 yard 5-iron x 36 = 5,400-yard ideal course length). A USGA survey following the “Tee-it-Forward" campaign found that moving up a tee box or two was overwhelmingly positive. More than 50% of players reported faster rounds and an increased desire to play again, 85% said they had more fun, and more than 90% of players said they would continue to “Tee-it-Forward." 

(Credit: United States Golf Association)

These guidelines have great utility for any player, and it’s fair to place my argument in the broader “Tee-it-Forward" bucket, but deciding what tee you should play doesn’t need to be so mathematically rigid. Consider your distance and consider your skill level, but always prioritize the reason you’re out there: to enjoy yourself.     

Whether you’re a scratch player or just picked up a club, try playing from the forward tee. Set a target number, perhaps a score you’d only dream of shooting, and go get it. Then move back a box and try it again, moving back each time you hit your target. Skilled players will learn how to score, and beginners can make things easier on themselves. 

You can also build your own set up, picking your tee box on each hole based on your own criteria for what makes a fun golf hole. Want that short par-four to be drivable? Move up a box. Did you hit a wedge into the last two par-3s? Mix things up and move it back on the next one.  

If you’re worried about how playing from different tees might influence your handicap, there is no cause for concern. Since the adoption of the World Handicap System, your index is now portable, adjusting with the course rating for each tee box so your sandy buddy won’t get sandier if you drag him to the forward tees with you. And if you take my suggestion to play from an unrated collection of tees, the USGA has a process for posting those scores. (You can always contact your club pro or the IGA with any handicap questions).   

So, next time you go play, experiment with the tees you play from. See your home course through a different lens, shoot lower scores, and enjoy the game. Life is too short to lay up on par-4s. 

IGA Championships Volunteer: Paul Nelson

1 – Where are you originally from? If not from Idaho, what brought you here? 
Hailey, Idaho 
 
2 – What is/was your career occupation? 
I am retired from Suez Water of Idaho (now Veolia). 
 
3 – What is it about the game of golf that you love so much? 
I like golf because it is a sport I can still play with my sons. 

4 – What made you want to volunteer for the IGA? When did you start? 
I started volunteering with the Junior IGA (Idaho Junior Tour) in 1995 when my oldest son was eight years old and playing in the junior tournaments and volunteered again when my youngest son started playing junior golf. Now that I’m retired, I have more time to volunteer. 
 
5 – What do you hope to get out of volunteering for the IGA? What motivates you to keep coming back? 
I get to learn more about the game and the rules. Volunteers help the IGA programs/tournaments and that helps the IGA to continue to be successful. 
 
6 – What has been your favorite memory from volunteering for the IGA? 
One of my favorite memories was volunteering with the Junior IGA (Idaho Junior Tour) and my youngest son was six years old and won his very first three-hole tournament. 
 
7 – What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering? 
The IGA is a great organization, the people are fun, and what’s better than hanging out at a beautiful golf course. 

8 – What is your fondest memory on the golf course? 
In 2019 my sons and I did a golf trip to Palm Springs and one of the courses we played was the PGA West Pete Dye Stadium Course. 
 
9 – When were you introduced to the sport? By who? 
I was introduced to golf in 1986 by my older brother Mike. 
 
10 – What is your home club? How often do you play? 
I don’t have a home club, but I mostly play at Boise Ranch. 
 
11 – What's something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know? 
The only golf lessons I’ve taken were through the Boise Community Education Program when I first started playing. And you can tell! 
 
12 – Who would be a part of your dream foursome to play a round of golf with? 
My two sons and Brooks Koepka. 
 
13 - What has been your favorite golf course that you have played? 
PGA West Stadium Course in Palm Springs and Circling Raven Golf Club in Idaho.  
 
14 – Describe your golf game in six words 
One. Good. Hole. Keeps. Me. Playing. 
 
15 – What's one item that you can’t live without? 
My family.

The Road to College Golf

Chris Carew followed his career with the Idaho Junior Tour into three different levels of collegiate golf, then returned to the IGA to help develop junior golf in his home state.


Chris Carew is a former Idaho Junior Tour player who went on to play golf at the collegiate and professional level. After a brief stint with professional status in 2020, Chris returned to Idaho where he began coaching the Men and Women's golf teams at The College of Idaho while helping the Idaho Junior Tour run events in the summertime.

The college recruiting process for sports teams can be difficult and confusing. Using his years of knowledge and expertise on the subject, Chris has written a guide of sorts to make the process more manageable for those looking to play competitive golf at the next level.

“The process of going through recruitment for college golf can be a daunting one. I remember having absolutely no idea where to start and did not take the initiative to educate myself early on... Starting this process early with the proper tools… will give you the best chance at playing for a school that will help grow your game…”

CLICK HERE to read more of Carew’s advice for juniors looking to make the leap to the collegiate level, and Q&As with college coaches.

Source: https://www.idahojuniortour.org/roadtocoll...

Pfeifer wins another U.S. Disabled Open

Credit for story given to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association

Chad Pfeifer won the 5th United States Disabled Open on Wednesday at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. It was the second title for Pfeifer in the last three years.

But the way the dominant player in disabled golf won another title was so unexpected.

Pfeifer, of Nampa, Idaho, started the final round tied for the lead, but found himself three shots behind after eight holes to Jeremy Bittner – who was a scorching 4-under through his first six holes. Plus, Pfeifer didn’t make a birdie on the Ryder Course for the second consecutive day.

“I wouldn’t think there was any way I wouldn’t make a birdie,” said Pfeifer, who made six in the first round.

What mattered, however, was Pfeifer kept making pars and eventually Bittner gave him an opening that Pfeifer charged through. For the second consecutive day, Pfeifer made 16 pars and two bogeys for a 73 that gave him a two-shot victory over Bittner. Pfeifer, who lost part of his right leg while serving in the Army in Iraq in 2007, finished at 4-over 217.

“It means a lot to win,” Pfeifer said. “I know I have a target on my back because a lot of guys are looking to try and beat me. That doesn’t always make it easy.”

Competition is nothing new for Pfeifer. After losing his left leg above the knee to a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq, Pfeifer turned to golf as part of his therapy, and the retired Army corporal and Purple Heart recipient has devoted much of his life to helping others through the game of golf. He has competed on Golf Channel’s “Big Break” series, and was given a sponsor’s exemption to play in the 2015 Albertsons Boise Open, later trying to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour. He won the 2021 U.S. Disabled Open, is a three-time National Amputee Champion, and competed in an exhibition at the PGA TOUR’s Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in January 2022. Pfeifer founded Moving Foreward, which uses the game of golf to provide education, assistance and motivation to people with disabilities.

Eliseo Villanueva was hoping to defend his title after he started the final round tied with Pfeifer, but he bogeyed the first two holes and finished third after a 77.

The consolation for the 56-year-old from Fayetteville, North Carolina, was he won the overall Senior Division title.

Five-time PGA Tour winner Ken Green of West Palm Beach, Florida, shot 73 and finished tied for fourth with Jack Bonifant at 9-over 222.

Bittner made it look easy early in his round, as he tried to improve on last year’s runner-up finish to Villanueva. Bittner birdied the first hole, eagled the par-5 fourth hole when he holed a 50-yard chip and birdied the sixth to take the three-shot lead.

“It was fun to watch,” Pfeifer said, “but it was not fun to be on the opposite end of it.”

But Bittner’s lead vanished when he made a triple bogey at the par-4 ninth, after he couldn’t find his tee shot. He made a bogey on his second tee ball.

“Just a bad swing at 9,” said Bittner, who lost a part of his left leg when he was 4 due to a lawnmower accident. “No excuses; I just pulled it. There’s a big mental adjustment you need to make after coming off that hot start.”

Bittner fought back with birdies at the 10th and 13th holes, but five bogeys on the back nine had him settling for another second-place finish.

“It’s always fun to be in the mix, to have that rush of adrenaline everyone who plays competitively wants to have,” Bittner said. “It was an emotional roller coaster, but congrats to Chad. He played solid. He kept his head down, and he earned it.”

Pfeifer took the lead for good when Bittner bogeyed the 15th hole. Another bogey by Bittner at the 17th hole allowed Pfeifer to play the final hole conservatively with a bogey.

One of Pfeifer’s skills is his unflappability during a round. He never gets too up or too down.

You would have never known, for instance, he didn’t make a birdie in his last 36 holes by his actions on the golf course.

“I’m sure some of that is through my military training,” Pfeifer said. “If I hit a bad shot, nobody is shooting at me.”

The United States Disabled Open is run by the U.S. Disabled Golf Association with the PGA of America serving as Presenting Partner of the Championship.

Click HERE for original story on the PNGA’s website.

Clutch, the gene all winners seem to have

Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications

BOISE, Idaho—A pair of Nighthawks stole the show at the opening event of the Idaho Golf Association’s 2023 tournament season Sunday afternoon at Boise Ranch Golf Course.

The duo of Colton Sisk and Gabrielle (Elle) McCord carded the low score of the tournament amongst the three divisions of golfers—shooting 67-68=135 (-7) to with the Southern Hills Flight. The Oak Hill Flight was taken by couple Wade Dishion and Kimberly Darnall who carded a final score of 6-over par (148). And last but not least, the winner’s circle for the Valhalla Flight was claimed by two teams at 23-over par (165): Zackary & Nicole Hall and John & Kelly Ianson.

With the field being nearly double the size in comparison to 2022’s snow out, players from around the IGA grabbed their playing companions in droves to compete in this unique but challenging Chapman format—a team event where two players hit a drive, switch, and play their partner’s tee shot and then play the best ball into the hole from there—as a great warm-up for what will be a fun season of competitive golf for IGA members.

SOUTHERN HILLS DIVISION

Sisk and McCord more than managed the surge of high-quality players who had been breathing down their necks since opening tee shots were struck Saturday morning. After two solid rounds, this power duo from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, claimed an impressive two-shot victory, considering the field strength they had to overcome. Having both length and precision off the tee, these two college players had an advantage that most of us only dream of when hitting the links—playing from parts of the golf course that are infrequently touched.

Gabrielle McCord (left)/ Colton Sisk (right)

With a field-leading nine birdies, Sisk and McCord relied on each other’s strengths throughout the duration of the event. When key-saving par putts fell and nicely tucked approach shots landed within a few feet of the hole, the duo proved early on that they would be the toughest foe for any and all groups playing in the event—just ask any person who competed against the newly-appointed Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year (McCord).

Fellow playing partners Robb Price and current University of Cincinnati player Brooke Patterson, as well as Burke Spensky and Shawnie Dakan, did not make it easy for the eventual victors. The Spensky-Dakan duo holed out for an eagle on the par-4 first hole, while Price and Patterson rolled in their fair share of birdies; however, the Nighthawk duo ascended above the rest in this tough 36-hole event.

“I thought it was really enjoyable,” McCord replied in response to being asked whether or not she and Sisk enjoyed the format. “I feel like we ham and egged it really well. We never both messed up at the same time. It was really nice…We played well together.”

Top-5 for the Southern Hills Division finished as follows:
1- Sisk & McCord (-7)
2- Price & Patterson (-5)
3- Spensky & Dakan (-4)
4- Kenny Walker & Cali Hipp (+2)
5- Tim Damico & Andrea Haney (+4)

OAK HILL DIVISION

A little home-field advantage swung the direction of Sunday’s Oak Hill Division winners, Dishion & Darnall.

Having started the second round with three bogeys in their first four holes, Dishion and Darnall quickly relinquished their two-shot lead just moments into the final round, even giving up sole possession of the lead on the final hole of their front nine.

Divisional runner-ups, Michael Kaes & Dorothy Sells, had chomped at the heels of the eventual winners for most of the final round but found an unpatchable leak in their hull—bogeying six of their closing nine holes—as the team boat eventually sank by the time scorecards were signed and submitted.

Kimberly Darnall (left)/Wade Dishion (right)

Knowing that their competitors were right there for most of the day, the boyfriend-girlfriend combo hung tough for just long enough thanks to some clutch shots in the final stretch of holes.

Having no more than 30 yards left on the par-4 sixth hole, Darnall played a beautiful low pitch off a tight lie to about 10 feet left of the pin. On a shot that could have been majorly chunked or skulled 20 yards over the green, Darnall had just enough zip to her to ball that all Dishion had left was a little left-to-right putt for par.

Then, on the following hole, Darnall found herself with yet again another difficult chip, but this time she was coming out of some thick rough to a flag that was set on the back portion of a “two-tiered” green. (Dishion had done a great job of getting the ball to that point after a gnarly lie in the rough.)

Playing a similar shot but with a little more roll, she again put her boyfriend in a prime position to eliminate any further big numbers on their scorecard—having already made a triple bogey on the difficult par-4 third hole.

Balling out with the championship on the line, Darnall stepped up and earned the title of Lone Ranger as the only player to hit the green in her group on the uphill par-3 12th. Dishion then proceeded to sink the 25-footer for the win—quickly telling his partner they just won the event. (Darnall refused to know anything about the leaderboard until the final putt dropped.) Talk about C-L-U-T-C-H.

Top-5 for the Oak Hill Division finished as follows:
1- Dishion & Darnall (+6)
2- Kaes & Sells (+9)
3-Mike & Dara Alverson (+12)
T4- Heathe & Lisa Pom-Arleau (+14)
T4- Bruce & Tracey Robinett (+14)

VALHALLA DIVISION

Grit and determination would be the best words to describe the efforts put in by the eventual co-winners of the Valhalla Division: the Halls and the Iansons. On a course that definitely showed its teeth this last weekend, competitors like the Halls and Iansons faced long, wet rough and non-traditional hole locations for those who play Boise Ranch on a consistent basis.

Zackary Hall (left)/Nicole Hall (right)

Though they both sat at the top of the leaderboard or near it following the opening round, the second set of 18 holes proved to be a night and day difference for the victors. With only one hole of double bogey or worse between the two groups on Day Two, the teams showed they did not want a repeat of Saturday’s round.

Both teams looked impressive on Boise Ranch’s front nine, each shooting a sub-40 score. With a more difficult back nine awaiting them, the two teams battled it out, despite being in separate foursomes.

“This is probably our first IGA event in a few years, and we just decided to play this one short notice,” John Ianson stated. “We came in with low expectations and ended up working out pretty good…We are pretty accepting of each other’s misses…I am just lucky to have a good partner.”

With a one-shot lead heading into their last hole—having started on hole 17–all the Iansons needed was par, which the Halls had managed to do in the group in front of them—putting themselves in the best position possible to win the event. With a chance to finish alone at the top, the Iansons gave a shot back to the field on the tricky downhill 17th hole and became co-winners with the Halls.

Kelly Ianson (left)/John Ianson (right)

“We’ve done it a few years, and we know what to do and know what not to do,” Zackary Hall said. “We were playing well together and knew we had a chance.”

Top-5 for the Valhalla Division finished as follows:

T1- J. Ianson & K. Ianson (+23)
T1- Z. Hall & N. Hall (+23)
3. Allan & Lynnae Gliege (+25)
4. Les Quinn & Lynn Stroud (+31)
5. Tim & Linda Klena (+32)

FINAL NOTES

The IGA would again like to congratulate all the winners of the 2023 Mixed Couples Chapman and say thank you to everyone who participated in it. A big thank you goes out to Boise Ranch GC for hosting us and helping make this event a success.

CLICK HERE for the final leaderboard.

2023 Mixed Couples Chapman Payout

The IGA is...

Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications

Like most people out there, I always get asked what I do for work. When I mention that I work in the golf industry, many people react with righteous jealousy. Their typical responses include questions and statements like “Are you a professional?” or “Wouldn’t that be an awesome job.” Yet, not too long after my initial response, I am immediately asked what it is that the Idaho Golf Association does.  
 
It always strikes me, especially when so many of the people that I interact with golf, that people do not know what the IGA does. People flock to its website, Boise Golf Show tent, and phone number to renew their annual IGA membership—knowing that the IGA can do that for them. But, anything beyond that seems foreign.  
 
So, what is it that the IGA does? What are its core services? Does really anything else besides getting a handicap renewed pertinent to every golfer in Idaho? Well, let me answer what it is that IGA does and why.  
 
The IGA’s motto is “promoting the best interest of amateur golf in Idaho”—a simple but profound statement. The main purpose or goal of the IGA is to help golfers have the best experience they can while on a golf course except for lowering their scores. That is on the golfer! 
 
The IGA knows that golf means something different to each person. For some, it is a recreational activity and is enjoyed leisurely. For others, golf may be deemed a second religion—something a person “eats, drinks, and sleeps.” Whatever one’s relationship is with golf, the IGA can and wants to play a role in that person’s experience with the best sport in the world.  
 
How can it do that? Sit back, relax, and I’ll explain! 
 
HANDICAPPING 
 
Where one gets a handicap might be the first and possibly the only thing a golfer associates with the IGA. One’s Handicap Index is what allows a player to be a part of a men’s or women’s league or in cahoots with one’s friends during their weekly weekend matches. That magical number for each golfer, regardless of how high or how low it is, is what makes this game fun and fair for anyone of any age.  
 
The Handicap System is run and maintained by the USGA and The R&A. These governing bodies have implemented a set of rules which every golfer who holds a handicap is asked to follow—keeping to the old adage that golf is a game of integrity. Each club or course association has a Handicap Committee that is made up of fellow golfers who help regulate its own Handicap Roster.  
 
On the state level, the IGA is the only entity within its jurisdiction—seeing that Washington Golf governs Idaho’s panhandle—that can issue official USGA handicaps. So, if an individual wants to hold and maintain a Handicap Index, it must come through the IGA. So, for 40 dollars a year, that person gets this beloved number that is monitored as it goes up, down, or sideways with every round posted. And, if anybody needs help answering some of golf’s toughest questions about the Handicap System, give Lexie VanAntwerp, the IGA’s Manager of Member Services, a call. She’s quite good. 
 
COURSE RATING 
 
Probably the most unknown core service the IGA offers is Course Rating. Does anyone really know what those funny numbers mean on the back of any scorecard? Well, those numbers are actually determined by the rating that each golf course receives from the IGA’s Course Rating team. 
 
One of the main purposes of each rating is to help determine what each player’s Course Handicap should be in relation to par, or what each golfer should relatively shoot whenever they play golf. 

Carl Adams, one of the IGA’s more experienced Course Raters, fills out his Form One following a morning on the course at The River Club.

A Course Rating is when a group of volunteers, led by the IGA’s Manager of Course Rating Nicole Rutledge, walk every hole on a course from every set of tees and perform an assessment on the course of how it plays for both the scratch and bogey golfer for men and women. That rating takes into account elevation, doglegs, green size, bunker depth, and the rest of the gamot.  Charts are then filled and calculations are made to help determine the overall difficulty of the course.  

So, the next time someone is looking at those funky numbers, realize that the slope and course rating numbers are not necessarily how slopey the course is in terms of left-to-right tilt, but the difficulty in relation to par for bogey and scratch golfers of each sex—helping to set a realistic number for each Handicap Index holder for what “par” is for them and what they should expect to shoot.  
 
CHAMPIONSHIPS 
 
Some may say that the IGA’s championships are its bread and butter and may even be considered the face or image of the IGA. Through hard work and dedication, Nicole Bird, Manager of Rules and Competitions, has led the charge to offer top-caliber events for elite amateur golfers throughout Idaho—from the juniors to the super-seniors for both men and women.  
 
IGA championships give golfers the opportunity to showcase their talents against the best. And, it is never a bad thing when someone gets the chance to play some of the best courses that Idaho has to offer. Best players, best courses, what more could be wanted? 
 
The formats for these events incorporate different styles of golf, which make it that much more fun. Our championships are as such: 
 
-IGA Match Play Championship 
-Idaho State Amateur 
-Idaho Women’s State Amateur 
-IGA Senior Amateur 
-IGA Mid-Amateur 
-IGA Four-Ball Championship  
-Tournament of Champions 
-Senior Tournament of Champions 
 
Several of our events are even segmented into divisions, giving players a better opportunity to win against people of their own age and skill level. To put the cherry on top, our players get additional chances to win shop credit for having a good NET performance. 
 
These events get amateurs inside the ropes and provide sensations similar to having “fluttering butterflies” in their stomachs. Who wouldn’t want to see what they are made of? 
 
IDAHO JUNIOR TOUR 
 
As golf continues to grow, its future is already being influenced by upcoming generations. Golf in Idaho is no different, and its golfing future is being molded by those who play on the Idaho Junior Tour.   
 
Dividing the state into four divisions—the only situation where the IGA deals with the northern panhandle—kids aged 8-18 have the opportunity to play against kids their own age in a competitive format. With a handful of “regular season” tournaments, kids earn the right to play in the Junior Amateur, which is being hosted this year by Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Washington, based on their performances throughout the season.  
 
For the younger age groups, the Junior Tour hosts nine-hole tournaments, while the older kids play the full 18 holes.

Reid Hoppock, a Junior Tour player, watches while he barely misses a putt at the IMG Academy Junior World Championships at Canyon Springs GC last summer.

Junior Tour Director Cecilia Baney and her team have worked tirelessly on creating a system that encompasses the qualities of golf that we all love: hard work, dedication, integrity, competition, etc. Yet, while teaching the kids these valuable lessons through competition, the Junior Tour is always finding more and better ways to set up juniors with the skill set to be ready to play golf in high school and then college.  
 
If someone hasn’t seen the number of kids from Idaho who will be playing college golf this coming season, please go to the Junior Tour’s social media accounts and comb through the big handful of players who will be lighting up the scoreboards for their respective teams.  

WRAP-UP 
 
As one can see, the IGA’s core services are centered around its members. The hope and desire is for individuals to enjoy their time on the golf course to whatever degree of love they have for the game. 
 
The IGA wants everyone out on Wednesday nights for league play or to have their daughters test the waters of competitive golf. Whether an individual golfs in their newest polo shirt and PGA Tour-looking trousers or in a t-shirt and cargo shorts, the IGA wants everyone to be a part of its community. There is a service or function for everyone, and the IGA wants to help find it! 
 
These core services are what help the IGA fulfill its motto of, “promoting the best interest of amateur golf in Idaho.”  

IGA Course Rating Volunteer: Russ Peterson

1 – Where are you originally from? If not from Idaho, what brought you here?
I am originally from California; born in Sebastopol, high school in Concord.  My wife’s sister and brother-in-law moved to Caldwell in 1968 and her parents followed in the late 70s, so we had been coming to Idaho for a long time. We first moved here in 2000 from Mesa, Arizona. We returned to Mesa in early 2005 but returned to Idaho for good in June 2008.

2 – What is/was your career occupation?
I was a career officer/pilot in the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force, I was fortunate to land a job as an airline pilot, first with Horizon Air in Portland then with America West (now American) flying out of Phoenix.

3 – What is it about the game of golf that you love so much?
I love the competition and the fact that it is a game for a lifetime. You can play golf at any age.

4 – What made you want to volunteer for the IGA? When did you start?
I had been a Course Rater for the Arizona Golf Association; when we returned to Idaho in 2008, I stopped by the IGA office and offered my services as a Course Rater. In early 2009, I was asked to manage the IGA’s Course Rating program. I did that for several years, first as a volunteer and then as a part-time independent contractor. Also, in 2009, I attended my first USGA Rules of Golf Workshop and began volunteering as a Rules Official at IGA and PNGA events.

5 – What do you hope to get out of volunteering for the IGA? What motivates you to keep coming back?
I get the satisfaction of giving back to the game of golf; I have played it most of my life and it is good to give something back to the game I love. The people I am associated with through the IGA keep me coming back.

6 – What has been your favorite memory from volunteering for the IGA?
My best memories are of the people who I have come in contact with through the IGA. I have been fortunate to meet people high up in the USGA as well as many of our “grassroots’ players here in Idaho.

7 – What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering?
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people with similar interests, namely golf. Some of my closest friends today are people I have met through the IGA.  

8 – What is your fondest memory on the golf course?
I have many fond memories: playing Pebble Beach Golf Links, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort and Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge; lately, it is shooting 67 at Ridgecrest Golf Club last summer. That was my career low round, and I did it with two good friends I had met through the IGA Course Rating program.

9 – When were you introduced to the sport? By who?
I was introduced to golf by a great aunt and uncle who were members of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. My first round of golf was with them at MPCC.

10 – What is your home club? How often do you play?
I am a member at The Club at SpurWing. I play five or six times a week when the weather permits.

11 – What's something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
I recently went on a short-term mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya.

12 – Who would be a part of your dream foursome to play a round of golf with?
My son, my son-in-law and any one of my four grandsons.

13 - What has been your favorite golf course that you have played?
I have played a lot of very good ones, but Bay Hill is probably my favorite.

14 – Describe your golf game in six words
Fairway, green, three putts, another bogey!

15 – What's one item that you can’t live without?
The Bible.

Forget Par - Aim for Your 'Target Score' Next Round

APRIL 11, 2023 | LIBERTY CORNER, N.J.
By Terry Benjamin

How do you define “playing well”? How can you set a reasonable goal for the round, especially on an unfamiliar course or a new set of tees?

The short answer: by knowing your target score.

While “target score” isn’t defined within the Rules of Handicapping, it is certainly a term that every golfer with a Handicap Index® would benefit from knowing. Here are three key things to know about target score:

What is it?

A target score is the score you will shoot if you “play to your handicap.” Think of it in the same way as a professional would think of par.

How do you determine it?

Course Handicap™ +  par of the tees you’re playing = your target score. If your Course Handicap is, say, 20, and par is 70, your target score is 90.

For ease of calculating your Course Handicap, use the USGA’s calculator.

How often should I shoot it?

Your Handicap Index measures your demonstrated ability when you’re playing well – so to play to your handicap takes a solid performance. Generally, players shoot their target score about 15-20 percent of the time and can expect to shoot 2-4 strokes higher in most rounds.

Since your Course Handicap changes from one set of tees to another, you can also use target score to identify the most appropriate set for you. At the very least, knowing your target score before starting a round lets you better anticipate the challenge that lies ahead.

IGA Championships Volunteer: Karen Edwards

1 – Where are you originally from? If not from Idaho, what brought you here?
Los Angeles, CA, is where I was born.  We lived in the “Valley,” so I was a valley girl before there was such a thing! I was working in San Diego and not happy with my job. My family was moving to Idaho from Northern California, where we had other family. I decided to move here as well even though I had never visited. I love the outdoors and there was so much to do here.

2 – What is/was your career occupation?
I moved here in 1976 and worked for the Idaho Water Users Association for 43 1/2 years. I was a one-girl office, along with my boss, so I did whatever needed to be done. When I retired in 2019, my title was Office and Program Manager. During that time, I worked for three different bosses.

3 – What is it about the game of golf that you love so much?
Meeting new people. I was 33 when I started playing golf. Because of golf, I now have lifelong friends, which include Nicole Bird’s mother-in-law, Kay Wilt.

4 – What made you want to volunteer for the IGA? When did you start?
I’ve volunteered at the Albertsons Boise Open since it started and that is only once a year. I was looking for more volunteer opportunities in 2022 when I learned about the IGA’s need, and of course, I jumped at the chance since it had to do with golf.

5 – What do you hope to get out of volunteering for the IGA? What motivates you to keep coming back?
Meet more people who share my love of all things golf. I loved shuttling the junior golfers and asking them where they were from. The U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier was also fun since I got to meet many players, boys and girls, who came from other countries. The future of the LPGA and PGA is bright. My motivation to keep coming back is to encourage those I get to meet.

6 – What has been your favorite memory from volunteering for the IGA?
Being retired, I needed to find some new purpose in my life. Helping others and volunteering do that for me.

7 – What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering?
It is so fun watching our local golfers, whether they are juniors, women or men competing in a sport you can play throughout your entire life.

8 – What is your fondest memory on the golf course?
Getting my one and only hole-in-one at Ridgecrest Golf Course on Hole No.12 in 2007.

9 – When were you introduced to the sport? By who?
My first boss took up golf. He was always leaving work to go play, leaving me at the office by myself, and encouraged me to try it. I bought a used set of clubs and was hooked. I joined the Twilight League at Warm Springs Golf Course and jumped right in even though I didn’t have a clue what all the terminology meant! Nicole’s mother-in-law was the president at the time, and I was always asking questions! She has ended up being one of my lifelong friends, and I’ve been playing the game ever since.

10 – What is your home club? How often do you play?
Warm Springs Golf Course. I used to play a lot, along with tournaments, until my body started giving out on me. I’ve turned into a fair-weather golfer, but I still try to play once a week.

11 – What's something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
If I carry a purse it has to be big enough to carry everything. My golf bag is the same. My golf friends have learned this and know if they need anything such as nail clippers, aspirin, warm clothes, etc., they know I’ll have it and will share. If I’m playing with new people and I hear they need something, I’ll offer it to them, even if they are my opponent.

12 – Who would be a part of your dream foursome to play a round of golf with?
Nancy Lopez, Meg Mallon and Annika Sorenstam (My grandparents came to the U.S. from Sweden!)

13 - What has been your favorite golf course that you have played?
Princeville and PoiPuBay in Kauai…on a golf trip with Nicole’s mother-in-law.

14 – Describe your golf game in six words
It comes and goes…oh well!

15 – What's one item that you can’t live without?
Having a dog in my life. Being single, a dog gives me companionship, someone to come home to, and gives me unconditional love.

Modifications Made to Qualifying for USGA Amateur Events

MARCH 22, 2023 | LIBERTY CORNER, N.J.
By Julia Pine, USGA

In an effort to continuously enhance and evolve the competitor experience, the USGA is announcing significant modifications to its amateur championship qualifying model for the first time in more than 20 years. These changes, which will take effect for the organization’s four premier amateur championships beginning in 2024, will allow the events to retain their openness while ensuring that high-caliber players are provided ample opportunity to earn a spot in the field and that qualifying can be conducted at the highest level among growing entries and field sizes.  

“The openness and aspirational nature of our championships is a defining characteristic of USGA championships,” said Brent Paladino, senior director, Championship Administration. “As the number of entries and qualifying sites have continued to increase on a yearly basis, we looked at ways to evolve our structure to ensure the long-term sustainability of qualifying without excessively burdening Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) and host clubs. These revisions will provide players with additional pathways to our championships through traditional qualifying, expanded exemption categories and performance in state, AGA, regional and national amateur championships.” 

In 2022, the USGA accepted 44,737 total entries and collaborated with AGAs to conduct a combined 678 qualifiers across 15 championships. 

The most significant revisions for 2024 are to the U.S. Amateur, which will move from a one-stage, 36-hole qualifying format to a two-stage qualifying format with 45 18-hole local qualifying sites and 19 18-hole final qualifying sites. Other adjustments include: 

  • Exemptions for state, AGA, regional and national amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings; 

  • Expansion of World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR) exemption category to top 100 ranked players (previously 50);  

  • Establishment of local exemptions, which include top finishers in USGA championships, state/AGA amateur championships and top 600 WAGR players. 

Changes to the other championships/ qualifying structures are outlined below:

U.S. Women’s Amateur 

  • Modest reduction in qualifying sites through the establishment of geographic rotations; 

  • Exemptions for state, AGA, regional and national amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings;  

  • Expansion of WAGR exemption category to top 50 players (previously 25). 

U.S. Junior Amateur / U.S. Girls’ Junior 

  • Alignment of qualifying structure to encourage AGAs to conduct joint or concurrent qualifying;  

  • Exemptions for state, AGA, regional and national junior amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings;  

  • U.S. Junior Am expansion of WAGR age-filtered exemption category to top 100 (previously 85);  

  • U.S. Girls’ Junior expansion of WAGR age-filtered exemption category to top 50 (previously 40). 

There will also be a lowering of Handicap Index® limits across all four championships and modifications to the performance policy that will be announced later. Determinations on the individual state, AGA, regional and national championships that will be part of the 2024 exemption criteria will be published prior to the release of entries for the respective championship. 

The modifications will result in a net reduction of 94 qualifying sites, while providing more opportunities for players to earn a spot in a USGA championship through expanded exemptions, state/AGA amateur championships and traditional qualifying. 

Entries for 2024 USGA amateur championships will open next spring. The 2024 U.S. Amateur will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.; the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur will be held at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.; while the 2024 Junior Amateur will be held at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; and the 2024 Girls’ Junior will be played at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif.  

Click HERE to view this article and others on the USGA’s website.

IGA Course Rating Volunteer: Winston Yost

Winston Yost at St. Andrews Links - The Old Course in Scotland.

1 – Where are you originally from? If not from Idaho, what brought you here?
       I moved to Idaho in 2014 to be closer to my first grandson. Prior to that, I lived in Colorado.

2 – What is/was your career occupation?
       I was a pilot for Continental Airlines for 38 years. I ended my career flying the B-777.

3 – What is it about the game of golf that you love so much?
       The competition.

4 – What made you want to volunteer for the IGA? When did you start?
       I’ve played many courses throughout the U.S. and Europe, and I’ve always wondered how a course
        got its rating and who did it.

5 – What do you hope to get out of volunteering for the IGA? What motivates you to keep coming back?  
        I love to volunteer for something I enjoy. Some years there are a significant amount of changes in the Course Rating Guide and some years there are just a few. I’m not only volunteering but learning something new.

6 – What has been your favorite memory from volunteering for the IGA?
       The rating at Whitetail Golf Club was memorable because I’ll probably never get a chance to play there again.
                   
7 – What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering?
      If one is curious about how a golf course is rated and enjoys playing golf, then come out and volunteer to join the rating team. I would say it takes about a year or seven ratings to understand the process. That’s how long it took me. And, I am still learning new things every year I do it.

8 – What is your fondest memory on any golf course?
I got to hit range balls alongside Arnold Palmer at his Bay Hill Club & Lodge. I also was able to take a photo with him.

9 – When were you introduced to the sport? By who?
      I was introduced to the game by my dad and played on the high school golf team.

10 – What is your home club? How often do you play?
       I play out of Warm Springs Golf Course in Boise, Idaho, where I teed it up 86 times in 2022. I know this because I keep a spreadsheet of all the rounds of golf I play and who I play with throughout the year.

11 – What's something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
       I was on a team that qualified for the National Oldsmobile Scramble finals in Orlando for three different years in the 1990s.

12 – Who would be a part of your dream foursome to play a round of golf with?
     This is a typical question often asked of golfers. My answer is that I have played many rounds with pros and some PGA Tour players. All of them are fun to watch except me. At this stage of my life, I’m just happy to play with whomever I’m paired with.

13 - What has been your favorite golf course that you have played?
         Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland

14 – Describe your golf game in six words or less.
        Jekyll and Hyde

15 – What's one item that you can’t live without?
       This could be a trick question…I’ll have to think about this one.

Welcome to 2023

Written by Caleb Cox, Executive Director 
 
As I try to muster hope for sunnier days and warmer temperatures — all thanks to the six extra weeks of winter so graciously given to us by the groundhog some 2,500 miles away — I wanted to pause and reflect on a few things that have been making the golfing landscape in Idaho much brighter. 

One of the biggest changes to this landscape, or so in the last few years, has been the new way that many of us are enjoying our golf clubs in the wintertime. Several years ago, there were very few public places in Idaho where you could go with a group of people to play a round of golf on a simulator or fine-tune your game in the winter months. We all knew the small handful of people that would brave the cold and get out to play a round in January just to say they did, but for the majority of us, this was not our norm. 

Today though, it is apparent that this landscape is changing in our great state. Golf courses have joined the movement by putting in simulators and indoor hitting bays for indoor tournaments, practice, and club fittings, while new entertainment venues continue to pop up regularly with the latest and greatest ways for golfers of all abilities to swing their sticks indoors without breaking any televisions or windows.

But, indoor simulators and the really bright lights next to the interstate aren’t the only ways that golf exists during the winter months. Many players turn to greener pastures by traveling to warmer climates as a way to feed their golf itch in the dog days of winter. 

Left to right: Steve Mattis, Vikki Mattis, Tracey Robinett & Bruce Robinett (2023 Vegas Getaway)

We, at the IGA, kicked off the winter season with some December golf in Palm Desert, California. Nearly 50 golfers joined us in our inaugural Palm Desert Getaway as we played three championship-style courses: La Quinta Resort Mountain Course, Desert Willow Resort Mountain View Course and Indian Wells Golf Resort Celebrity Course. These courses were in great shape, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather as our participants enjoyed beautiful green fairways in 70-degree weather. While this was the IGA’s first getaway in recent history to the desert, it was a very successful endeavor, and we look forward to possibly returning to Palm Desert later this year or early 2024. 

Also returning this year was the IGA’s annual Las Vegas Getaway.  Per usual, 120-plus people from all over the state of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest joined us for three days of fun, competitive golf at the Revere Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada. This event is always one of our favorites because it gives us a chance to get out of the cold, and sometimes snow, and back on the golf course with many of you. This year’s weather and competition did not disappoint. 

It has been great to see the many ways that wintertime golf has grown this year for Idaho players. I don’t know about you, but swinging clubs in the winter is a wonderful thing for me. It helps remind me that the unwanted gift so willingly given to us by Punxsutawney Phi will go away and that we will once again get to chase that little round ball around the green grasses we so desperately miss. 

IGA fills newly created Junior Golf Administrator position with familiar face

Chris Carew (Junior Golf Administrator)

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Golf Association is pleased to welcome another member to its team — making the official number, seven.

With much excitement, Chris Carew has accepted the new Junior Golf Administrator position - a newly created spot on the Idaho Junior Tour team. Prior to joining the staff full-time, Carew spent the last two summers as the Southwest District Coordinator for the Junior Tour. In addition, Carew has served as the assistant head coach for the College of Idaho men’s and women’s golf teams for the last two seasons.

Carew has additional experience in the golf industry as a former USGA P.J. Boatwright Intern — having spent his 2020 summer as the Championship Operations Intern at the IGA. He also turned professional following college, where injury and COVID-19 derailed his chances of going through Q-School and pursuing his dream of playing on Tour.

As a result of his hire, Carew stated: “I am excited to be a part of the IGA, and in specific, the Idaho Junior Tour where I can now serve in a bigger capacity. I am thrilled at the opportunity to help grow junior golf across the state.”

Outside of work, Carew enjoys spending his free time with his girlfriend, Belén Montgomery. The two of them enjoy the outdoors, whether that be camping or hiking with their two dogs: Simba and Emma. When time allows, Carew also enjoys making his way around the golf course.

“I’m excited to bring [Chris] on to the Junior Tour,” exclaimed Junior Tour Director Cecilia Baney! “He has been a part of the Junior Tour the last couple of seasons as the Southwest Coordinator and Hogan Cup Captain. Because of his gregarious personality, [Chris] has been able to build great relationships with our juniors, parents and club professionals. He brings a wealth of knowledge with his experience in playing collegiate golf and coaching at the collegiate level. I am excited to continue growing the Idaho Junior Tour with him on board.”

The IGA officially welcomed Carew to the staff on Feb. 1, 2023.

 

IGA Championships Volunteer: Kathy Steele

1 – Where are you originally from? If not from Idaho, what brought you here?
I was born in New Bern, North Carolina, and grew up mainly in Springfield, Virginia.  My husband’s job with Boise Cascade is what brought us here, and in 2001, we made our third move back to Boise. This last move is the longest I have ever lived anywhere. We have moved seven times in 21 years for my husband’s job.

2 – What is/was your career occupation?
I was a flight attendant for United Airlines for five years. I also worked for the Yakima Washington School District as a special education aide for 8 ½ years.

3 – What is it about the game of golf that you love so much?
I love the fresh air, the exercise, and meeting fellow golfers.

4 – What made you want to volunteer for the IGA? When did you start?
I had just finished volunteering 50 hours a week for the Special Olympics World Winter Games here in Boise and needed to find something else to fill my time. So, when the opportunity came up to help with the IGA, I jumped on it. I believe I have been volunteering with the IGA for about eight years.

5 – What do you hope to get out of volunteering for the IGA? What motivates you to keep coming back?
I love meeting new people and getting to go to different golf courses in the Boise area.

6 – What has been your favorite memory from volunteering for the IGA?
Getting to shuttle junior golfers from all over the world as they tried to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur & U.S. Girls’ Junior.

7 – What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering?
It is fun, and the IGA staff is well-organized and delightful!

8 – What is your fondest memory on the golf course?
My three holes-in-one.

9 – When were you introduced to the sport? By who?
When I was in junior high; however, I didn’t really take up the game until 1985. My father got me started.

10 – What is your home club? How often do you play?
Hillcrest Country Club (Boise) is my home course. I like to play at least three times a week.

11 – What's something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
That I was a flight attendant.

12 – Who would be a part of your dream foursome to play a round of golf with?
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam

13 - What has been your favorite golf course that you have played?
Old Course - Saint Andrews Links (Saint Andrews, Scotland)

14 – Describe your golf game in six words
Lousy, but I keep hanging in.

15 – What's one item that you can’t live without?
My phone with GPS for golf courses.