ELK CITY NEWS MAKERS 2011...

Barring some late heroics from anyone, our 2011 list of News Makers is complete.

1.- ANYA ALVAREZ had everyone in Elk City watching the U.S. Women's Open last July. It was her first year as a professional and the first time she tried to qualify for the biggest prize in golf. Anya made the cut in a nail biter, when after 10 holes in her second round (which was delayed 36 hours for her group) she reached 10 over par. With eight holes to go and needing to finish 3 under par at the tough Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, she went eagle, par, par, birdie, par, bogey, birdie, par in the last eight holes to make the cut "on the number". Despite a bad 3rd round, Anya finished with an even par round of 71 in a tie for 61st. Anya also qualified for the NCAA Championships where she finished inside the top 30 and ended up with the 3rd lowest scoring average at the University of Washington. She also holds the record at her Alma Matter for the lowest scoring record in one year and the lowest tournament score in any event played by the team (13 under par in Boulder City, NV).

2. JOBY GRAY. Not the first time a 16 year old wins a club championship somewhere, but to our knowledge, first time in Elk City. However, it is not his age that made his feat that made the news, but the fashion in which he won makes him one of the best local champions ever. Joby scored two 65's for a 12 under par 130 and won by 14 shots. Joby placed 4th in the state tournament earlier in the year and had several top three finishes in the Oklahoma Junior Tour. As well, he got his first taste of U.S.G.A. competition when he competed in the qualifiers for the U.S. Juniors (75-75 at Jimmy Austin) and the U.S. Amateur (75-72) at the Oklahoma City Golf & C.C.

3.- ANN COWAN. This avid golfer won the Women's Champiosnhip. The 58 year old held college golfer Haley Gunkel. Ann also competed in several other events, winning her flight in the Women's Southern Amateur in South Carolina playing 5 very tough matches. Here is the deal with Ann: if the temp is 40 or more, you can bet she'll be calling her friends to play  a round of golf. Only one person plays more than Ann, but he doesn't have a job... yet!

4.- ZACH POOLE. Shot 66-69 and held off Cory Smith's sharge on the second day of the "4th of July" Tournament. It was Zach's only tournament in Elk City of 2011.

5.- CORY SMITH. Our quiet and sweet swinger former club pro, playing very little golf during the year and limiting his play to "for fun" rounds and a few scrambles, almost came back to win the longest individual tournament in Western Oklahoma, Elk City's "4th of July" Tournament. Cory shot rounds of 69-67 and lost by one to Zach Poole (Oklahoma City). Cory also led his team (Sean Cowan, David Dawly & Joel Burleson) to win the fun KECO Invitational with a nifty 51. With Brother Russ, he won the Wendy Nagle Benefit with a score of 57. With two different partners, Cory helped win the Bedlam Cup in October. Those were the only four events Cory participated in.

6.- HARRY PAYNE. This was the fist time that Elk City had a "Senior" flight for the Club Championship and Harry, 70, made the best of it by scoring 75-73 and winning by two shots. Harry beat some stiff and younger competition and you couldn't have been around a happier champion.

7.- DAVID DYSON & TAYLOR NEIDY beat some really stiff competition from the brother sister Dustin & Haley Gunkel and husband wife team of David & Rachel Poole. David and Taylor scored 61-56 and won by two over the other two teams (for the record, David and Rachel won the playoff for second place).

8.- PAUL GUNKEL & DON MURPHEY. These two avid golfers and close friends, won their respective flights in the Club Championship; Paul won the "A" flight, Don won the "B" flight.

9.- ELK CITY TEAM WINS OPENING GPN BANK BEDLAM CUP. A new tournament was hosted in Elk City, an interclub event in which this year, only two teams participated. A total of 38 local players participated in different age group flights and Elk City won 3 out of 4 flights.

10.- HOLES IN ONE are the dream shot of most golfers. First mention here goes to Logan Gore (age 15), who made two this year! (#7, #10); then you have Brock Walker who aced #13; Jeremy Gray and Rick Rex, both of whom aced #17; Mitch Kendall aced #5; Michael Womack aced #7 and last, but not least, on a visit to his family during the summer, Billy J. Smith aced #10.

CONGRATULATIONS

TO ALL!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

MORE UPDATES.....LPGA "Q-SCHOOL"

Anya & I before Round 3

--- As most of you know, as you were all suffering a cold front in Elk City, I was caddying for Anya in Daytona Beach in the finals of the "LPGA Q-School" in temperatures of 75 degrees and winds of up to 25 mph. It wasn't to be this time, a bad second round of 83 in high winds that went from bad to worse, was almost impossible to overcome. She needed a 70 on the last round, but scored a 76. The other two rounds were 74 and 73. None of the rounds were her best golf. The strange thing is that the 83 was on a day where she missed only one fairway with a driver that was working all day long, long and straight and was hitting her irons solid (never missed the center spot on the club), but somehow, just could not get the right club in her hand and ended up in horrible places from where par was all but impossible. Golf, like nerves, is unpredictable.

Being someone optimistic about her future and someone who makes lemonade out of any lemons given to her, not everything is "doomsday": she has full status on the Futures Tour which she intends to use and is determined to qualify from there so she does not have to go to "Q-School" again. She will also be playing other tournaments, including some state opens.

Mac & Kathy Steen swing
in front of their fernery.

While in Daytona, we met some amazing people. We were invited to stay at private housing with Mac & Kathy Steen. Kathy, a retired teacher, has been a volunteer at the LPGA finals for several years, but it was the first time they opened their home to a visiting player. They are both occasional golfers. Mac is a retired orthodontist turned "fernery" (beautiful tropical plants) owner, grower and operator. They also have all the citrus fruit trees you can imagine. Their house is right on the edge of Lake Charles in Deland, FL, and they were great hosts to Anya and myself. Thank you!

--- On Saturday night, as all "Okies", we watched the "Bedlam Game" where Oklahoma State made a statement for the National Championship by stumping on the Oklahoma Sooners (winner of our poll and my favorite college team). We'll see what the powers to be have to say. Of course we all want OSU to play LSU, but it will be a tough sell for all those Easterner coaches (O.S.U. beat 5 top 25 teams while Alabama only 2, in additon, their only loss was a week after a tragedy where it was obvious the team was playing with a heavy heart), who might want a repeat of a 9 to 6 boring game. Regardless, congratulations to well known OSU fans at Elk City golf and C.C.: David Dyson, Bob Maine, Mike Clinton, Ricky Nagle, Brad Gilbert and all the rest of you who bleed orange: this was your happy year! (and we hope it gets happier for you!)

--- So Tiger Woods wins for the first time in a little over two years. His fans hope it is the beginning of another run to his quest to break Jack Nicklaus record, his detractors hope he is just another Fred Couples who was great in the "silly season" (all the after season tournaments). Now, this is not a "tournament", it is an exhibition of sorts, so while he should be happy for his play, the field only included 18 players. No question he was the best golfer on earth for about 10 years and one of the best of all time, and like him or not, it is kind of boring to watch a tournament without him around the leaders: there are those who watch to see a loss, and there are those who worship him and want him to win everything. That aside, perhaps he is able to learn from all that happened the last two years, makes things right (or as right as he can), and become the person his fans would like him to be, and the role model he can be, and, perhaps, like Ben Hogan (for far different reasons) 55 years ago, he is able to win some new fans... if that happens, it can only be good for golf.

--- Pro-Shop will remain open during the winter months as we will have some specials for Christmas in balls, accessories and several other house and office gifts.

UPDATES...

Ann Cowan inspecting
her work: her own most
demanding judge!

Mona was busy staining
old floors.

Finally! Mona and I have moved out of Sayre, where we had been living since last March, to a home in Elk City, just 3 miles away from the golf course. It happened two Saturdays ago, sandwiched between the last tournament of the year (GPN Bank Bedlam Cup) and the week I was to leave to caddy for my youngest daughter, Anya in the LPGA finals (where I am at the moment). Since golf weather has not been very good lately, it has given us a little extra time to fix some things at home, and of course, continue unpacking (I can't believe how much junk one accumulates over time!).

This door gave Brad Gilbert and
crew many headaches! (we bought
the wrong dimentions!!)

In the end, we couldn't be more grateful to several people who personally helped Mona, and I make this transition easier and as inexpensive as it was possible. Their time, help and support helped much more than anyone who wasn't around can imagine, so, from the bottom of our hearts: thank you to Ann Cowan (who else if not her who gets things rolling?), Terry "T.A." Anderson, Joe Wynn, Brad Gilbert, Myra Baker with her staff and last, and last but not least, my daughter Paola & husband Jeff from Oklahoma City.

Low temperatures and high
winds do not stop aspiring
athletes.

All this assistance, including painting, building, etc., truly helped my whole family as well in another area, which is why I now have enough time to come and caddy for my youngest in the pursuit of her dream: playing in the LPGA Tour.  Depending on her play this coming week in the final stage of qualification, will be her status in the LPGA and/or Futures Tour.

The finals will start on Wednesday (Nov. 30), 5 rounds (90 holes). The first four rounds, will be two each at the Legends and the Champions Clubs of the LPGA headquarters, where the top 70 of 144 will play an additional 18 holes to "reshuffle" for top positions. For her, it has been a long, arduous quest, each qualifying tournament more and more difficult to get through.

"SPREAD YOUR WINGS &
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS",
latest painting by prolific artist
Armando Alvarez (4ft x 8 ft)

From high school, to college to the pro ranks, it has been a long learning experience that talent alone is one thing (and of course needed), but that putting it to work is entirely another; part of it is all about getting fit, hard work -sometimes in the worst possible weather conditions-, and finding time to do do so, particularly if you do not have the financial means to afford not to have a regular job (that is why many seek financial help from sponsors); and part of it, if not most of it, it is about self-confidence: Knowing deep inside you that you are good enough not only to survive there, but that you have it inside you to become a winner, that every shot and every round, have a purpose and a lesson within. 

There is also the managing of your time, working at home (if you have a job), and of course, the traveling, which redundantly as it sounds, it is being away from home and your close ones more time than you'd like to. If this traveling happens to put pressure on your close ones because they do not have the same vision, nor understand that fire inside you to excel in this "silly game" (or any other sport) to make a living, chances are that you will not be able to give 100%  all the time in order to spread your wings and follow your dreams (See picture of painting above right. For more work of Armando, click here or visit "Armando Alvarez Compean on Facebook).

Knowing that no matter the score, husbands, wives or relatives, are there waiting for you with open arms, is an advantage not to underestimate that has inspired many champions.

And finally, you need a little luck as well, so, all of you out there, PLEASE WISH HER LUCK...

LONG PUTTS...

--- Please keep Mr. James Ellis and Mr. Jesse Allen in your prayers and thoughts. Both have personal health issues. Mr. Ellis served the club for over 20 years and paved the path for many of us who work in the golf business, and who somehow ended up following his foot prints in Elk City. Mr. Allen is not a member. In fact, most of you might not know him -or of him-, but I do, as he is a regular during the season. He is one of those quiet people, who collectively make our job easier and better for the growth of the game.

--- Thank you to Dr. Don Bellew for personally singing his book, "Clear Creek: The Moon and Yellowtail" for me. The book is a novel based in true historical facts about the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. According to Dr. Bellew, a part Cherokee Indian, -somewhat shy-, confessed to me, "most of the 'smart' people who have read it, think it is a very good book. I hope you like it too". I will tell you what, you bet I am going to say it is a good book! Dr. Bellew is not a stranger to public service, he was once president of the club as well as mayor of Elk City.

--- Logan Gore makes his second hole in one of the season! There are people who go a lifetime without making a hole in one. Good players too. But Logan Gore beat the odds by not only making one, but two holes in one in a span of 8 months. His first one, earlier in the summer, was on what is now hole #7, and now, last Sunday, he aced hole #10 with a short iron to the difficult green. Logan, playing by himself, was waved through by the pair of Shawn Wilson and Allan Bradley, who witnessed the feat. Now the question is... did Logan at least invite you for a Coke guys?

Billy Bashaw & Family

--- We all say that golf is a "family game", or "a game of lifetime". The thing is, there is proof of it, EVERY DAY. I truly enjoy parents bringing kids to the golf course as much as I enjoy sharing moments on the course with our retired players. It is never "too late" to introduce a kid (3 - 85) to golf, and never to old to enjoy a round of golf.

Who says golf is not
for fun fashion?

--- You want to improve your game in the fall and winter? Forget about beating balls, practice your short game. In the fall and winter, when you do not play as much, your touch around and on the greens goes into hibernation, yet, I see golfers who used to play a lot, just come and beat balls in the range from time to time during the colder months. Spend half of that time on the putting clock and you will see your scores improve.

--- This is "President's Cup" week. The last significant tournament of this season for golf fans and established players. However, for aspiring tour players, men and women, the most significant tournament coming up is the "Qualifying School". For some, the toughest and most pressure packed of all events. Both, the LPGA and PGA Tours have a series of escalating tournaments leading to their finals. The finals of the LPGA feature 144 players who will play 72 holes in two courses first; the top 70 and ties will play an additional day. After the 5th round, it is determined who makes it to the LPGA & Futures Tours. On the PGA Tour side, the men play 6 rounds and play 2 courses as well, and the top players make it to the PGA Tour, the other players to the Nationwide Tour. Both finals are scheduled from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5... I will keep you posted on Anya's progress in the LPGA Finals. Keep her on your mind!

SHORT UPDATES...

Now that the last tournament of the year came to an end, and many have traded golf clubs for a seat in front of the tube cheering for Oklahoma's teams, and for rifles and bows and arrows, our focus will be in short local golf stories or information, and in golf elsewhere, where golf seasons are just starting.

BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST!!! TODAY, THANK A VETERAN! REMEMBER, THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY GOLF ROUNDS TO SPEAK ABOUT WITHOUT THEIR SACRIFICE! (for more info about Oklahoma-Golf & Veterans connection, check on Major Dan Rooney, PGA Professional, USGA member and former F-16 military pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, who founded the Folds of Honor Foundation)

--- New scorecards -with the new rotation (where the "north nine" has become the front nine) will be available at the beginning of the 2012 season. Legacy Bank (Paul Hill), has agreed to supply the scorecards again. The scorecard has been redesigned to where the advertising will not be inside the the scoring area.

--- For all tournament hosts: our 2012 Tournament Calendar original draft will include all 2011 tournaments, most of which will have a comparable date to 2011. Any needed changes will be handled before March 1st, 2012. You may contact any of the board members with whom you usually have contact, or you may contact me at the pro-shop.

--- Anya Alvarez will be playing the finals of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament the first few days of December. Meanwhile, she will be practicing in Elk City from November 15 to the 25th. She hopes to meet more of our new friends and make new acquaintances. Anya is a graduate from the University of Washington where she holds various school records. This year she turned professional, and in her first attempt, qualified for the U.S. Open where, on the second round, played her last 8 holes in three under par to make the cut. She finished the championship with an even par round 71 and now is in the finals of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament. Anya, a frequent speaker against teen violence and child abuse, lives in Pittsburgh, PA where she practices golf full time during the season, works part time at Silverlight Golf Club. Anya writes for various information and/or opinion sources.

--- John Daly quits a tournament... again. His 29th tournament withdrawal in the last 4 years, most of which have been during the middle of a round, the rest of which have been immediately after a bad round. The man really is out of touch with reality, and with what the game represents. Think of this, his fame came when he won the PGA Championship as a ninth alternate. Now, after years of problems, from civil to criminal issues, he continues to ask for sponsors' exemptions. When he plays, you can recognize him for the outrageous clothes he wears more than for his scores. Now, ranked 666th in the world, should be a signal to turn things around, not to continue the downfall. Year after year, he has been given breaks, but John Daly loves to self destruct. Now, Daly took a spot in a national championship (the Australian Open) that could have gone to an alternate like him 20 years ago, and who knows, a new star may have been in the making. It goes to show that if you do not deal with a problem when it is needed, the problem grows (i.e. Penn State).

--- President's Cup coming up next week (Nov. 14-20). The President's Cup is a series of matches, similar to the Ryder Cup (U.S.A. against Europe) of the U.S.A. against the rest of the world who are not European countries. Fred Couples (1992 Masters Champion) will be the U.S.A. captain and Greg Norman (1986 & 1993 British Open Champion) will be captain of the Rest of the World (called "The Internationals"). The matches will be played at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Melbourne Australia.  It will be interesting to see if Tiger Woods ends up playing against Adam Scott in any of the matches, what is Steve Williams going to do now? Tackle his former boss? Note: President George Bush (#41) was the official Honorary Founder of the President's Cup.

ELK CITY GOLF & C.C. WINS INAUGURAL GPN BANK BEDLAM CUP

Captain Bob Maine accepts 1st GPN
Bank Bedlam Cup. Robert Garton
Alex Alvarez pose pose with him.

The Inaugural GPN Bank Bedlam Cup Matches came to an end, and so did our 2011 tournament season. It all ended in a good note for Elk City members.

Cory Smith & Sean Cowan
combined for 136 & 137
respectively with partners.

Although Mangum came back with better scores on the second day (their four score total improved from 281 (67, 71, 71, 72) to 276 (68, 68, 70, 70), and won one of the flights, the lead that Elk City Golf & C.C. had built on Saturday proved to be very difficult to overcome. The final score was 543 (272 - 271) to 557 (281 - 276), a fourteen shot difference.

Josh Milner & Jay Cross,
MVP's Mangum (67-68)

In the end, the difference may have been on the greens, as I witnessed when I rode around the course taking pictures on Saturday, and more closely on Sunday, when I substituted for one of our members who had an emergency:

Jymmy Martin putting on #7

Keith Hulen and myself, were paired with Zac Zachary, a former assistant golf pro now in the car business, and Travis Reese, a school principal (the best school principal I have ever played with!), both of whom are very accomplished players. As an example, in their club championship, Zac shot 65-63 only to be beat by Travis who closed with a 58!  As it turned out, in Elk City they had a great day tee to green, but were clearly disappointed with a score of 70, which could have easily been several shots better had they been able to read the greens.

Jeff Rule, "I'm still shaking!"
after a scary moment when
his ball almsot hit Joe Wynn.

Not everything went wrong
on the greens for our guests!

The best comeback score of the tournament belonged to Kirk Towe and playing captain Robert Garton from Mangum, a team that shaved 10 strokes from their opening score in the "Life Begins at 40" flight (40-49 years old). Their comeback score, combined with the steady team of Rusty Rickerd & Matt Monroe (71-70), helped Mangum win their flight 3 points to 1 (in each flight, the winners were determined by points, not by adding scores). Another team that had a great comeback was Craig Martin & Jack Christian, who shaved 8 strokes from a 74 to a 66 and had the best of Sunday's scores. Jay Cross & Josh Milner were from Mangum, were the best pair of the weekend with scores 67-68.

Jack Christian: I bet the 1st thing
you notice is that this is #11 tee;
the 2nd thing is the great impact
position... nothing else stands out

In retrospect, and although Elk City posted the best 2-Man team score each day (64 by Paul Gunkel & Ronnie Smith on Saturday, and a 66 by Craig Martin & Jack Christian on Sunday), the win was based on the steady play of Cory Smith, Sean Cowan, Jordan Williamson, Brad O'Hara and Tyler Windsor, below are their scores:

"Am I reading this right?"

Cory's teams (paired with Sean on Saturday, and with Jordan on Sunday) shot 69 and 67; Sean (Cory and Dusting Gunkel) shot 69-68,  Jordan's teams had scores of 69-67 (Brad & Cory), Brad's teams had 69-70 (Jordan & Tyler); and Tyler had two 70's (Keith Hulen & Brad). All of these scores counted each day in addition to the 64 and the 66, both posted in the "Wise Fellows" flight (50-59 years of age).

Terry Nichols & Bob Miller
confer about each other's
partner's putt on #6.

In the "Wisest Fellows" flight (60 years of age and over), the best one day score belonged to Craig Phelps & Carrol Anderson, the second best best score was a 76, twice posted by Terry Nichols, he was paired with  senior club champion Harry Payne on Saturday, with Leon Stuart on Sunday.

Dave Bank & Don Andrews
paired for 2 points

In the end, and of more significance for the spirit of the game and the growth of the GPN Bank's Bedlam Cup, was the spirit of competition, sportsmanship and graciousness of all players in both teams, something that somehow carries to one's personal lives with family and work. SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!

Carrol Anderson (R) & Craig
Phelps, could only play one
day, but made the best of it.
Low score of the weekend in
the 60+ flight.

A special thanks goes to Bob Maine (Team Captain) and Mark Russell (President) from Elk City's GPN Bank and their staff for their support and help with this tournament, as well as to: Robert Garton and Jymmy Joe Martin (both from Mangum); Bob Miller, Ann Cowan and Joe Wynn, all of whom used their persuasive means to make this tournament happen by promoting and persuading friends to participate. Thanks to Myra and staff for the well organized and excellent food served during the tournament, and to Ed Hughes and staff for the course set-up, which everyone agreed was great.

And last, but not least, a very special thanks to all of those members who took the time to represent their club. See, you were all presented a nice gift Saturday, both OSU and OU won their football games!

See you at the club!

GPN Bank's Bedlam Cup - Day One

Mangum's Team

The GPN Bank Bedlam Bedlam Cup Matches are played in 2-Man teams playing  2-Man Best Ball (also knows as "2-Man Low Ball"), where both players play their own ball counting the best score of the two in each hole. This year, only two teams participated, Elk City and Mangum. The tournament is flighted in four different age groups (39 & Under, 40-49, 50-59 and 60 & Over), where an older player is allowed to play in a younger flight, but not the other way around.

Elk City's team. Up front, in bright orange shirt,
Bob Maine, team's captain.

It is also expected that the lowest scores should come from the younger players, and in the average this theory held true, but for one "spoiler" from the 50-59 year old flight where Paul Gunkel (56) and Ronnie Smith (58) combined for a 64, the lowest round of the day. The team, which started on #15, was three under par after four holes without a single par: they went birdie, birdie, bogey, eagle (a hole out from 100 yards from Paul Gunkel) and never looked back.

Ron Smith & Paul Gunkel
combined for day's best
score with a 64.

In the race for the Cup, Elk City has a nine shot lead 272 to 281. Elk City had scores of 64 (Gunkel, Smith), 69 (Cory Smith, Sean Cowan), 69 (Brad O'Hara, Jordan Williamson), & 70 (Tyler Windsor, Keith Hulen). Mangum best four teams were: 67 (Jay Cross, Josh Milner); 71 (Travis Reese, Zach Zachary), 71 (Matt Monroe, Rusty Rickerd) & 72 (Forrest Lloyd, Gary Brewer).

Captains Bob Maine & Robert Garton
conferring about their players.

In the flights (played by points won by matching the best score against the best score and the second best score against the second best score), Elk City leads two of the four flights 2-0, and two flights are tied at 1 point per team.

The tournament's last round will be today. For today's pairings, click here.

Note: complete team roster will be published with final results.