Golfing News & Blog Articles

Need to Know: GHIN Email Update January 2021

In order to improve data security and golfer privacy, golfers will need to create a digital profile to access the GHIN mobile app and ghin.com beginning in January 2021. Shared emails on multiple accounts will not be supported. Adult users are required to have a unique email address to create a digital profile for access to the GHIN products.

For more info, or to provide an email, please contact your Club Administrator.

-NCGA Staff

October 1, 2020

Rule of the Month: Out of Bounds/Lost Ball/Provisional

Topic Overview:

Lost balls can cost you. Just ask Harris English, who opened the final round of the recent U.S. Open by losing a ball on the first tee (see below). As a result, his chances instantly plummeted. But there is also help should you find yourself in that situation.

If you hit your ball out of bounds or lose it (you have three minutes to search for your ball before it becomes lost), your only option is to go back to the spot of your previous stroke to play under stroke and distance. The only exceptions to this are if your ball is lost in a penalty area (when you can use any of the penalty area relief options) or lost in an abnormal ground condition or in an obstruction.

A final exception is when a new Local Rule which provides an alternative to stroke and distance relief is in effect. This Local Rule is recommended for casual play and not for competitions involving highly-skilled players. If it is in effect, for two penalty strokes, you can estimate the spot where your ball is lost or went out of bounds and then find the nearest fairway edge that is not nearer the hole than the estimated spot. You can drop a ball in the fairway within two club-lengths of that fairway edge point, or anywhere between there and the estimated spot where your ball is lost or went out of bounds. To see this visually and learn more about how this optional Local Rule works, click here.

If you think that your ball might be out bounds or that you might not find it, you can play a provisional ball to save time. You must announce that you are playing a provisional ball before doing so. If you are then unable to find your original ball, or you find it out of bounds, your provisional ball is your ball in play under stroke and distance, and you don’t have to take the time to walk all the way back to the spot of your previous stroke. Click here to learn more about playing a provisional ball.

September 29, 2020

Former WNBA All-Star, Sheri Sam, Named Managing Director of the Northern California PGA Foundation

September 22, 2020

USGA CEO Mike Davis to Transition to Golf Design

The USGA today announced that CEO Mike Davis will leave the organization by the end of 2021 to pursue a life-long passion for golf course design and construction.

In the next step of his professional journey, Davis will team with accomplished golf course designer Tom Fazio II in a new business venture, where together they have formed Fazio & Davis Golf Design.

Davis, who joined the USGA in 1990, became the Association’s seventh executive director in 2011 and its first Chief Executive Officer in 2016. In the CEO role, Davis is responsible for managing all aspects of the association’s day-to-day operations, including its core functions, essential programs and human and financial resources. He serves as a member of several golf-related boards, including the International Golf Federation, World Golf Foundation, World Golf Hall of Fame and Official World Golf Rankings.

“Leading the USGA has been such an honor, and I’m grateful for the many wonderful years I have had with this great organization,” said Davis. “While I am excited for my next chapter, my work here is not done, and I look forward to furthering our mission to better the game over the next 15 months.”

September 21, 2020

Jim Furyk Wins PURE Insurance Championship

Jim Furyk joined Arnold Palmer and Bruce Fleisher as the only players to win their first two PGA TOUR Champions starts, beating Jerry Kelly with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff in the PURE Insurance Championship.

The 50-year-old Furyk won The Ally Championship last month in Michigan in his tour debut. Palmer won his first two events in 1980, and Fleisher accomplished the feat in 1999.

“I feel very fortunate, it means a lot,” said Furyk, who had longtime caddie Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan on the bag. “When I won at Ally, I hadn’t won in over five years. It’s why we play the game, it’s why you work so hard, it’s to have this feeling. I feel honored I guess to be mentioned with AP. I look at the hard work I put in a lot of this year through our delay, our break.”

Furyk and Kelly both laid up on the par-5 18th in the playoff, with Kelly hitting his approach to 10 feet and Furyk following with a 90-yard wedge to 3 feet. Furyk holed his birdie try after Kelly pulled his attempt.

Pairings/Results 

The post Northern California Open appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

Pairings/Results 

The post NorCal Senior Open appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

September 20, 2020

NorCal’s Bryson DeChambeau Wins U.S. Open

Clovis native Bryson DeChambeau is now a U.S. Open champion.

DeChambeau, who honed his skills as a junior on the Junior Tour of Northern California, shot a final-round 3-under 67 Sunday at Winged Foot to win the title by six shots.

He joins Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to win an NCAA individual title, a U.S. Amateur title and a U.S. Open.

“It’s just an honor. I don’t know what else to say,’ DeChambeau said. ” It’s been a lot of hard work. Mr. Nicklaus has been always awesome to me. He gave me a sponsor’s invite. Tiger has always been great to me. I can’t say thank you enough to them for them helping me push me along to be a better person and a better golfer, as well. But to be in the likes of the names of that company is special. I’ll forever appreciate that.”

The post NCGA Weekend Net Tour – The Ridge appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

Guardian Management of Handicap

Beginning in January 2021, digital profiles will be required for all golfers accessing the GHIN Mobile App and ghin.com.

Per the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), golfers designated as minors (under 13 years of age) will not be able to provide an email address, create a digital profile, or directly access GHIN Golfer Products (Kiosk, GHIN Mobile App, ghin.com).  Their profile must be linked to a guardian who can access the products and post on their behalf.  A minor is defined as a golfer who is under 13 years of age per the date of birth in their golfer profile.

The Guardian Management program will be introduced in mid-October to provide adequate time to link a guardian to each minor before digital profiles are introduced in January 2021.

Included below are suggestions as to how you and your clubs can prepare for this change to minimize disruption.

Sept. 14, 2020

Stellar Pro Field for PURE Insurance Championship

Different Format Due to COVID-19

Pebble Beach Golf Links has a long, storied history and for a handful of professionals entered in the 2020 PURE Insurance Championship, they will be returning to the site of some of their greatest career accomplishments. That is certainly the case for Tom Kite, Mark O’Meara, Davis Love III, and Kirk Triplett when the PGA TOUR Champions event tees off Friday, Sept. 18 at the famed layout overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Kite claimed the lone major of his great career when he captured the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has witnessed O’Meara winning no fewer than five times, Love III twice. Triplett’s great memories are recent as he is not only defending champion of the PURE Insurance Championship, defeating Billy Andrade on the first playoff hole in 2019, but he went back-to-back with victories in this tournament in 2012 and 2013.

This year’s PURE Insurance Championship, with a $2.1 million purse, will have a different look from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There will neither be First Tee junior players in the field nor any on-course spectators. Eighty professionals will be joined by 80 amateurs for the 54-hole event and the action can be followed on the Golf Channel, which will air the tournament all three days including Sunday’s final round live from noon to 3 p.m. PDT. Championship co-host Poppy Hills Golf Course also will not be used, with all play being held at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

In addition to the four who have made their mark at Pebble Beach, the field is loaded. Every player ranked in the Top 10 of the Charles Schwab Cup Money List is entered, including No. 1 Bernard Langer, No. 2 Miguel Ángel Jiménez, No. 4 Ernie Els, and No. 8 Fred Couples. Jerry Kelly, ranked No. 7, comes in with a hot hand after winning last month’s Bridgestone Senior Players Championship — the lone major played this season on the Champions Tour.

September 9, 2020

USGA Announces Plans for Golf House Pinehurst, Test Center and Five U.S. Open Championships at Pinehurst

In an effort to expand its impact in golf and extend its mission to champion and advance the game, the USGA will establish “Golf House Pinehurst” in North Carolina, to include a new equipment-testing facility, innovation hub, museum/visitor center and offices by 2023, and host five U.S. Open Championships in the golf-rich state by 2047.

The announcement adds four U.S. Open Championships to be contested on the famed Pinehurst No. 2 course – in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047 – to the already scheduled 2024 event. The decision accelerates the USGA’s strategy to stage its premier golf championship at America’s most iconic venues with greater frequency. By doing so, Pinehurst Resort & Country Club will serve as the USGA’s first anchor site for the U.S. Open.

“There is no better place for the USGA to plant new roots than the Home of American Golf,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “Thanks to the vision of North Carolina, Moore County and Pinehurst leaders, we are taking a bold step forward and forging a long-term commitment that will elevate our championships, foster greater innovation in golf, and ultimately help grow the game.”

“The USGA’s North Carolina history in golf is legendary, from Arnold Palmer to Webb Simpson, and we welcome this new chapter in golf history with the USGA’s new hub in Pinehurst,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “We welcome the USGA’s selection of our state for this significant new component of its operations and new jobs, and look forward to growing with the game across North Carolina.”

September 2, 2020

Patriot Golf Day Celebrated This Labor Day Weekend

Benefitting Folds of Honor, PGA HOPE and Military Families

The 13th Annual Patriot Golf Day will honor the sacrifice of our nation’s military heroes across America this Labor Day Weekend (Fri.-Mon., Sept. 4-7), by raising awareness and scholarship funds for the families of fallen and wounded Veterans.

Serving as “the most heroic round of golf you will ever play,” Patriot Golf Day began as a grassroots fundraising initiative over Labor Day Weekend in 2007, with golfers nationwide encouraged to add an extra dollar to their green fees to fund Folds of Honor scholarships. Over the last 13 years, the effort has grown to encompass onsite donation boxes, a variety of fundraising events, tournaments and golf marathons led by PGA Professionals and golfers nationwide.

Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that has provided more than 28,000 educational scholarships to spouses and children of fallen and disabled Veterans, and PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) are the hosts of Patriot Golf Day. Beginning this year, the two organizations have joined together to expand and grow annual fundraising efforts for both Folds of Honor and PGA HOPE to better serve the needs of Veterans and their families through the game of golf. PGA HOPE is the flagship military program of the PGA of America’s 501(c)(3) foundation, PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH.

Sept. 1, 2020

Rule of the Month: Order of Play/Ready Golf

Topic Overview:

When starting a hole, generally the player with the lowest score on the previous hole plays first. After starting a hole, the ball farthest from the hole is usually played first. However, the Rules encourage “ready golf” to help improve pace of play as long as it is done in a safe and responsible manner.

In four-ball play, you and your partner can play in whatever order you think is best when it is your side’s turn to play.

FAQs:

Playing Out of Turn to Save Time

Q.Can I play out of turn to save time?

A.The answer depends on the form of play. In stroke play, you may play ready golf in a safe and reliable way. In match play, you and your opponent may agree that one of you will play out of turn for a particular stroke to save time (see Rule 5.6b(2)).

August 28, 2020

JTNC Alum Adrian Davis to Compete in APGA Tour Events

The African American Tour Quest’s (AATQ) amateur golfer Adrian Davis of San Leandro is scheduled to compete in two Southern California APGA (Advocates Pro Golf Association) TOUR events on August 30 and September 1-2.

The first 18-hole tournament will take place at Montebello Country Club in Montebello on Sunday. The second tournament is the Tour Championship (APGA’s signature event Sept. 1-2) , which is a two-day, 36-hole event at
Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry.
Davis, 19, has extensive amateur experience including competing on the Junior Tour of Northern California and has competed in numerous tournaments throughout Northern California—which earned him an “Amateur Exemption” to play in the APGA TOUR’s final tournaments for the 2020 season that features a field of top-notch Black professional golfers from throughout the U.S.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I want to make the most of it. I thank APGA a million, it’s going to be exciting,” said Davis.

In addition, AATQ director of player development and former pro golfer Jeff (JC) Callaway will serve as his caddie.
Recently, Davis was featured in Golden State Warriors’ star Steph Curry’s “new brand” commercial.

–NCGA Staff 

August 18, 2020

Haggin Oaks Women’s Mentor League

by Dianna Stein

For the casual woman golfer, it can be intimidating to take the step from hitting balls and putting on the practice green to actually teeing off on the first tee.  As this pandemic continues to redefine what is the new normal in our daily lives, more women are turning to golf as a way to stay physically and mentally healthy through these challenging times.  To help transition them from the technical instruction part of the game, Linda Reid, Women’s Golf Ambassador at Haggin Oaks Golf Club, has created a program at the Sacramento-based complex that is nothing short of amazing.

I arrived early to see for myself what was attracting 60 women on a Wednesday morning for nine holes of golf.  Linda has recruited 17 volunteers that mentor these motivated ladies who want to improve their comfort level on the golf course.  She pairs them up with these experienced golfers who spend their time explaining to the students not how to swing the club, but the things that are just as important in the overall game of golf:  How to improve your pace of play, course management, where to mark your ball, why you NEVER walk in the line of another person’s putt, proper club selection, and that quiet means quiet when someone else is setting up their next shot.

The energy surrounding this early morning gathering is contagious.  The welcoming staff at Haggin Oaks, from the PGA Director of Golf Mike Woods, to the cart personnel, understand that this is a group to welcome and respect from a business standpoint as well as from a golfer’s viewpoint.  Not only does the Wednesday morning gathering fill up fast, Linda Reid has also created a Thursday evening “Business Women’s” program, with an energetic group of ladies steadily showing up every week to finish off their busy day relaxing and enjoying the camaraderie of each other’s company, while honing their golf game in the cool evenings of the Central Valley.

August 17, 2020

JTNC Alum Ollie Osborne Runner-up At U.S. Amateur

JTNC alum Ollie Osborne came within one hole of winning the U.S. Amateur Championship.

Osborne, who  lives in Reno, fell, 1-up, Sunday to winner Tyler Stafaci after Strafaci hit a beautiful 4-iron shot onto the 36th green, hsetting imself up for a tap-in birdie.  He was trying to follow in the footsteps of former JTNC Player of the Year Bryson DeChambeau, who won the U.S. Amateur title in 2015 while playing at Southern Methodist University. SMU is where Osborne currently competes collegiately.

Osborne came out of the gates in the morning 18 on fire, registering three consecutive birdies – two of which won holes 1 and 2 – and upping his margin to 5 up with birdies on Nos. 10, 11 and 12, the latter a tee shot to 3½ feet that was conceded.

Then Strafaci got on a roll, winning No. 13 with a birdie (his eagle putt from 48 feet just nicked off the flagstick), 14 with a 3-foot birdie putt and 15 with a 9-foot par putt. An 8-foot birdie on 17 trimmed the deficit to one hole, and when both players birdied 18, the morning round ended with Osborne holding a precarious 1-up lead.

August 9, 2020

NorCal Connection: Cal Alum Collin Morikawa Wins PGA Championship

Cal-Berkeley alum Collin Morikawa came across the Bay and made history at the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park.

The 23-year-old, a two-time All-America Scholar who graduated from Cal in 2019, carded a clutch eagle on the par-4 16th and held on from there for a final round 64 to win his first major championship title in what was just his second start in a major.

Morikawa is the third-youngest winner of the PGA Championship since World War II, behind only Rory McIlroy and Jack Nicklaus. He also becomes the youngest player to break 65 in the final round of a major victory ever.

“It’s amazing. It’s been a life goal of mine since I was a little kid,” said Morikawa, a native of Los Angeles. “I felt very comfortable from the start of my career, as a junior, then as an amateur and then turning pro last year. To finally close it out here in San Francisco…it’s pretty special. It’s pretty much my second home where I spent the last four years.”

August 4, 2020

PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park: The Players

As this week’s PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park gets set to tee off, we thought we’d take a look at some of the facts and figures heading into the championship, courtesy of Elias Sports 

August 3, 2020

PGA Championship: Architects Talk TPC Harding Park

In a recent article in the UK’s Golf Today, writer M. James Ward caught up with some Northern California golf architects Gary Roger Baird and Poppy Hills Golf Course co-designer Bruce Charlton to talk about TPC Harding Park, host of this week’s PGA Championship.

The following is part of the article’s Q & A session:

How significant is having public courses host the PGA Championship in back-to-back years with Bethpage Black in 2019 and this year at Harding Park and with The Ocean Course at Kiawah to follow in 2021?

Gary Roger Baird: I feel it brings all golfers closer to the game they play. It is tremendous for promoting golf and is significant for a means to increase visibility, which can result in a positive income for ongoing maintenance and golf course demands.

Cary Bickler: Very significant. It’s the right time in the history of prestigious golf tournaments for venues to be held on public courses 3 years in a row. These back-to-back PGA Championships on public golf courses creates another level of interest for a wider audience. Knowing these courses are accessible and open to the public brings an exciting and welcoming option for golf enthusiasts.