136 golfers from across Kansas City and Kansas played in a Region-Wide Net Stableford Event this past weekend. The format was simple, play at a local club and participate with your partner in a fun, competitive event.
Teams were comprised of men, women, and mixed genders.
Patrick Anderson and Mike Thompson took home the overall win, carding 45 Stableford points. The team played their round at Tiffany Greens.
The event resulted in a 4-way tie for 2nd place at 44 Stableford points.
Other notable teams include the mixed partner duo Chuck and LouAnn Buss who had 43 points. Shirley West and Carol Collins also fared well with 43 points. Both teams played at Winfield Country Club.
The father/daughter team comprised of Gary and Megan Lucas tied for 12th place with 42 points. The team participated through The Topeka Country Club.
Top participating clubs include Smoky Hill Country Club in Hays, KS who had 11 teams and Winfield Country Club in Winfield, KS who had 13 teams participate.
The Re-Open Open directly benefitted Central Links Golf Member Clubs by awarding the top performing golfers gift certificates to be used at Member Club prior to June. We recognize that Member Clubs have been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic and we wanted to support them through this event.
In 2020, we moved from the USGA Handicap System to the World Handicap System. Now, everyone in the world is using the same Handicap System. We’ve outlined a few reasons why you should be keeping a handicap about your local club or Eclub.
1. Allows you to compete fairly in a number of different formats
Whether you are playing match play or stroke play, Stableford or Four-Ball, your Handicap Index allows players of differing abilities to compete on an equitable basis. Read Appendix C of the Handicap Manual for recommended Handicap Allowances for various formats of play.
2. Tracks your progress and reflects your potential
Your handicap will display your past scores and your index will reflect what your potential could be. Each time you play and post a score, you will receive a Handicap Index Revision the next day. You can also keep your hole-by-hole stats in the USGA GHIN Mobile App.
3. Easy Score Posting
Your GHIN membership through Central Links Golf allows you to post scores on ghin.com, the GHIN Mobile App, and access to any score posting kiosk. Be sure to play and post on the same day in order for the Playing Conditions Calculation to accurately be applied, if applicable. Posting on the same day also ensures that your Handicap Index is accurate for the next day of play.
4. Tournament competition for men, women, and juniors
Your Handicap Index allows you to play in Central Links Golf tournaments and access to USGA Championships. Our tournaments are open to golfers of all ages and abilities, there is something for everyone!
5. Discounts on travel, concert tickets, sports tickets, and more*
Your GHIN membership allows you to use Affinity Travel Benefits, where you can save up to 70% on travel and entertainment for any time of year.
6. Stay Up to Date
You will receive a GHIN Newsletter in your inbox on the 1st and the 15th of every month. This newsletter focuses on golf-related news, Rules of Golf & Handicapping Education, upcoming events, and past results.
7. Hole in One Recognition
When your golf course submits your Hole-in-One, you will receive a Hole-in-One certificate and mention in the GHIN newsletter.
8. Opportunity to be chosen for regional team events
Players who compete in Central Links Golf Tournaments can be chosen to play for a regional competition team. A few of our regional competitions include 4-State, Kansas/Nebraska Cup, Fore State, Mid America Cup, and more.
9. “What’s your handicap index?”
Once people find out you play golf, they’re sure to ask you this question, and now you’ll have an answer.
10. Motivates you to improve
Because an index will track your progress, you will be motivated to continue improving. We give our yearly awards to the Most Improved Golfer in our region, maybe this year it could be you!
What would you add to this list?
*May take up to 14 business days after joining for Affinity Travel Benefits to activate
Golfers of All Skill Levels See Improvement with Custom Fitting
Club Champion fitters create instant success
With advances in golf club technology, most golfers could easily hit the ball farther and more accurately. Yet golfers of all skill levels still struggle with distance, consistency and other elements of the game that could be tightened up with a custom club fitting like the ones offered at Club Champion.
A Golf Digest study found that eight out of nine custom fit golfers lowered their score by as much as six strokes per round and added up to 21 yards off the tee after a Club Champion fitting. Even more impressive, higher handicap golfers saw the most improvement, dispelling the idea that only scratch golfers are “good enough” to be fitted.
“It never ceases to amaze me that golfers buy clubs off the shelf and assume they’re right for them. Whether you’re a great golfer or a casual one, getting a custom club fitting is one of the quickest ways to improve your game,” says world-renowned instructor and Club Champion brand ambassador David Leadbetter.
The nation’s #1 premium fitter, Club Champion delivers a Tour-quality fitting that produces longer, more accurate shots, with a nearly 100% satisfaction rate. Their approach is unbiased; no specific vendor is promoted. The only goal is to find the best combination of components to lower your scores.
The company has a unique coupling system that allows them to combine any head and shaft together, so golfers hit the precise combination to be custom built for them. Club Champion is the only fitter to offer 45,000+ interchangeable head and shaft combinations on-site at all of their national locations. The equipment available for demo is far more expansive than what’s offered at competitive companies, and the variety allows the master fitter to find exactly the right combination to complement a golfer’s swing. Those golfers don’t have to wait to test the suggested clubs – they get to hit the exact club that will be custom built for them.
“The proof is in the results,” says Florida resident Dave Greer. “The fitting process was amazing. The fitter first identified the proper shaft and then found the right head. With each combination, I was able to see the improved results statistically laid out on screen. I picked up 10-20 yards in distance. It’s worth every penny spent just to see the looks on your playing partners’ faces when they see the results of your changes.” Club Champion stores nationwide are offering a FREE fitting for a limited time: fitting costs are waived with an equipment purchase of $500 or more. Terms apply; please call (888) 340-7820 or visit clubchampiongolf.com for more information.
Ron Brewer, a member at Wolf Creek Golf Links in Olathe, has accomplished some cool feats over his time playing golf. Ron is 74 years old and has been playing golf for 55 years – some career highlights of his golfing journey are playing in the 1997 US Senior Open as an amateur (and he made the cut!), being a two-time Heart of America Four-Ball Champion, and a one-time Kansas City Amateur Champion.
However, Ron’s most recent accomplishment is arguably the most impressive: With Ron’s recent ace on the 2nd hole at Wolf Creek Golf Links, he has now eagled all 18 holes at Wolf Creek in his lifetime. You read that right – every single hole. That means 4 different aces, 4 eagled par 5’s, and many amazing hole outs for 2 on par 4’s.
Ron’s journey at Wolf Creek Golf Links began in 1982, with his first eagle coming at the 7th hole (a par 5). His first hole in one at Wolf Creek was at the 5th hole in 1985 – “The 5th hole has been very good to me over the years. I’ve made 4 (aces) on that hole”, Ron said.
His most memorable “eagle” was when he made back to back eagles on holes 6 & 7 (where he made a 2 followed by a 3 – a nice scorecard view!).
Throughout Ron’s lifetime, he has made 10 hole-in-ones. Many of us search for just one ace in our lifetime, but Ron puts that he has been “very lucky and blessed” to not only make aces and eagles but to just enjoy the experiences that golf has given him over the years.
When asked if he has any specific new goals for himself now that he has completed his “18 Eagle” goal, Ron replied, “At 74 years old, I’m just trying to not get worse.”
Seeing as Ron keeps making eagles, it sounds like he is only getting better.
Brian Boston, of Hutchinson, KS, a past board member of the Kansas Golf Association who has volunteered as a rules official for more than 30 years, has been chosen as a recipient of the Virgil Parker Award.
A longtime North Central Section Chairman for the Kansas Junior Golf Association, Boston also served on the Kansas Golf Association Board of Directors representing Prairie Dunes Country Club from 2005 to 2010.
Boston was a member of the USGA Public Links Championship Committee from 2008 to 2010.
Created in 1997, the Virgil Parker Award is given at the discretion of the Executive Committee to those individuals that have made an impact on golf and golfers in Kansas through significant volunteer efforts. The award is named after a man that was a volunteer leader of the Kansas Golf Association even during a successful amateur golfer career in the Wichita area. Virgil Parker was an expert of the Rules of Golf, a president of the Kansas Golf Association, and a member of the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame.
“Brian’s longtime support and promotion of junior golf in the central part of the state for over 30 years and support of amateur golf in the Sunflower State is the personification of what the Virgil Parker Award stands for,” said Casey Old, Director of Rules & Competitions-Kansas. “We are proud to recognize his countless days of service and giving back to the game that we all love.”
Past Recipients
Merle Reynoldson, Junction City Gary Conover, Wichita Bill Knox, Salina Lew Golden, Topeka Jerry Goforth, Lawrence Larry Barrett, Colby Scott Brooks, Wichita Jack Simpson, Wichita Bill Conrey, McPherson Brian Boston, Hutchinson
The first time, when he was 66 years-old, he carded a 65 in a tournament at The Cardinal Club in Louisville, KY. An old friend told him then to “write this down when you get home. Keep a record of these,” referring to times when you shoot your age or better.
It was good advice.
On April 28, at the age of 73, multiple-time KGA and KCGA champion, Don Kuehn accomplished the feat for the 150th time with a score of 71 on the Posse course at Paradise Pointe (Smithville, MO).
Along the way there have been course-record tying rounds, come-from-behind victories and a couple of holes-in-one to add to the list.
Asked if any of these scores stood out above others, Kuehn recalled the 2018 Railer at Sand Creek Station (Newton, KS) when he had rounds of 66, 69 and 71 to win by a record 14 strokes over the field of younger seniors; and last year’s Sunnehanna Senior Invitational (Johnstown, PA) where rounds of 68, 69 and 70 were good for an 8 shot victory.
“But there were others that meant an awful lot at the time, too,” Kuehn said. “I tied the course record twice at the Outlaw at Paradise Pointe with rounds of 64. And I have had some low ones at the Senior Porter Cup (Niagara Falls, NY) and the Geranium Senior Invitational (Stockbridge, GA).”
Whether it’s a local tournament, a national event or a casual round with the guys, Kuehn says “it’s always a goal when it looks possible, to finish a round strong and not kick away the chance to write another good one down on the list.”
Asked if it gets harder to shoot your age as the years add up, Kuehn quipped “Every November (his birthday) it gets one shot easier!”
Recently, there has been a significant increase in the number of golfers choosing to walk over riding in a cart. We’ve been a big fan of this trend for years, as walking is said to be good for heart health and weight loss, among several other health benefits. As a staff, we put together a list of our favorite golf products for walking the course.
Get a push cart.
The stigma for golfers who use a push cart isn’t what it used to be. After Dr. Neil Wolkodoff, medical director of the Colorado Center for Health and Sports Science conducted a study on the physical benefits of using a push cart, golfers began seeing push carts as a competitive advantage. He is quoted in this Golf Digest article saying “people who push a cart have a lot fewer [health] issues, and a lot less potential for issues. The golf swing is tough on the back no matter how you look at it. If you can use a push cart and keep one more stress away from the back that’s a great thing.” As for what type of push cart to get, we recommend Clicgear. Customize your color and swag all you want, this push cart is lightweight and easy to travel with from course to course.
Put your walking shoes on.
Our staff raves about the performance of FootJoy’s MyJoy Pro SL (Women’s Link). A simple Google search will prove this model has been named The #1 Shoe in Golf. Made with Fined Tuned Foam, this shoe is perfect for walking the course.
Sun protection is key.
When you are walking, you don’t have the added shade protection that you might find in a cart. Here are some of our favorite products for keeping your skin out of the sun.
SParms Sun Sleeves – The market has really grown for golfers wearing sun-protective clothing. SParms has been very popular on the LPGA Tour and the company has styles for both men and women. Sun sleeves are designed to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. The sun sleeves from SParms are accredited with UPF50+ by ARPANSA, as they are an Australian company. Contrary to some belief, sun sleeves create a cooling effect on the skin when worn.
Prizm Golf from Oakley – These sunglasses were made for golfers. Oakley claims the Prizm model is engineered to help you spot transitions between the fairway, fringe and rough, and gauging distance with accuracy to help you read the course better.
It’s all in the bag.
Whether you are into an athletic style or traditional, these bag options have you covered.
PING – A classic athletic golf bag, made to be carried. The Hoofer Lite model weighs in a whopping five pounds, making it the perfect carry bag.
Nelson Hill – Each Nelson Hill bag is uniquely handcrafted in limited quantities in the heart of Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. Made from heavy waxed canvas and thick, luxurious Horween leather, this bag is made for style and function.
No more rangefinders.
Our Executive Director, Doug Habel, is a big fan of the Golfshot App – Whether you are using an Apple Watch or another smart device, this app will help you play your best on nearly any course. Some features include GPS distances, scoring & statistics, Golfscape AR, GHIN Handicap Index, and voice assistant.
Whether you have been walking for years or just started last week, we hope you find these suggestions helpful! We’re always on the hunt for the next great golf gadget. What are some of your favorite golf products you can’t live without?
It is often hard for us as working individuals to find time to play golf at our home club throughout the year. However, despite the busyness of our lives, we always find time to sneak in a round here and there. For Gary Kipp, his life journey with golf started as a simple hobby but turned into something much greater – a national exploration of golf. Gary Kipp, a retired Navy Flight Officer and Commander from Wichita, Kansas, has played a round of golf in all 50 states in the United States of America.
Playing
golf, let alone in all 50 states, was not a goal of his to start with – Gary
grew up in Wichita in Hilltop, right across the street from LW Clapp Golf
Course, and had a paper route that took a paper to LW Clapp every morning. He
borrowed a set of golf clubs and started playing golf at the age of 14 in 1960.
He recalls the greens fees at his home club were only 75 cents a day to play
all day. Oh, how nice it would be to play for 75 cents today! Gary said, “72
holes a day was a piece of cake!”
As
his love for the game grew over time, Gary began to play at the courses located
in military bases across the country as he traveled. Six months after he
graduated from Fort Hays State University, Gary was drafted into the Navy. He
became a Naval Flight Officer flying in P3 Orions, whose primary mission was to
hunt and track submarines. After completing 4 years active duty and 21
years in the Naval Air Reserve, he retired as a Commander (LtCol) in the Navy
when he was 48. Throughout his journey in
the Navy, he began to play more and more courses located within military bases,
which got him thinking he could really complete his 50 states goal. Here are
some of Gary’s highlights of his golfing journey across the United States and
many military bases:
Alaska: Gary remembers being on a 13-man flight there… he was the only passenger with golf clubs. Gary played at the Elmendorf Air Force Base, in Anchorage, AK. Gary said, “You see a lot of deer in Kansas, but in Alaska, I was able to see a few moose!”
In California, Gary not only played at the course located at the North Island Naval Air Station, but he also played famous courses such as Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, and others. Gary says, “this was his most memorable experience of all 50 states.”
In Boston, Gary played a round and then rented a car, went to Maine to play golf, then drove to play more golf in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island’s Newport Naval Station, and then back to Boston and he flew home. “One-week trips really helped knock out my goals”, Gary said.
The last two stops in Gary’s journey of golf in all 50 states were to Idaho and Montana. Gary flew to Spokane, WA, and rented a car and drove to Idaho. In Idaho, he played the Coeur d’Alene Island Green Course (pictured below, one of Gary’s favorites).
Once he finished playing in Idaho, he drove the next day to Anaconda, Montana, to the Old Works Golf Course for his final state (#50). The course was unique, as it was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is famous for its black bunkers and waste areas composed of crushed black slag leftover from copper mining in the area. Quite the unique course to end on!
The most difficult states to cross off
were the western states because of how expansive it is. “I couldn’t play them
the same way as the northeastern states. It was almost an effort to knock one
state off at a time in that area… Oregon was hard. I had to wait until I
visited a cousin in Portland at Pumpkin Ridge (another of Gary’s favorites). Luckily,
I crossed off Washington when I played in Seattle while I was in the Navy
Reserves.”
Once
the journey was over in Montana, Gary was elated that he finally completed his
amazing goal, but he also realized he needed to find a new goal. “After I did
it, I told my buddy, ‘Rich, it’s all over. I don’t have anything else to look
forward to now. Somebody just let all the air out of the hot air balloon.’”
Gary
is still heavily involved in golf and other aspects of his community. For the
past twenty years, Gary has made an impact in his community through the caddy
program at Flint Hills and as a golf coach. In 1996, Gary went through a professional
golf coaching seminar in Phoenix, Arizona, and became certified to teach golf. When
he came back to Wichita, to McConnell AFB, he taught golf there for about 5
years, between 1997-2001. Once the unfortunate events of “9/11” struck our
country, it became hard to get onto the base and then the golf course closed.
Once that ended, his attention turned to the caddy program. In 1997, Flint
Hills National opened and developed a caddy program. Caddies got to play free
on Monday, so Gary started caddying there. After a few years, Gary became an
instructor for the caddies at Flint Hills for 17 years, between 2001-2018.
Gary
is still a busy man who is finding new goals to set – his most recent goal that
he hit was shooting his age. Gary shot a round of 73 one month after completing
his “50 states” goal. Gary has experienced a lot of amazing things throughout
his life, but he will never forget his life journey of playing golf in all 50
states. Gary said, “I can’t say that I liked every course, I played some just
because I was traveling through there, but it was an unbelievable experience
that I will never forget.”
No matter the course, no matter the score, it is always a blessing to be able to play the beautiful game that is golf. Gary’s story is a special one and should motivate us all to go out and make time for a round of golf – no matter which state it’s in.
Join us for women’s golf conversations, virtually.
We are feeling the itch to get out and play some golf, however, we know that might not be possible for most women throughout KC and KS.
We will be hosting a weekly webchat with Central Links Golf staff and area female golf professionals covering all things golf – Rules, Handicapping, swing tips, fitness, stretching, drills, and more. Get your golf on with our golf nerds.
Schedule:
Sally Krystyn – Tuesday, March 31 Courtney Mahon – Tuesday, April 7 Penny Hickman – Tuesday, April 13 Kristen Samp – Tuesday, April 21 Wendi Brandt – Tuesday, April 28 Registration is free. All webinars will be held from 9:30-10:15 AM
Click Here to watch the recorded session Click Here to view the handout from Penny Hickman Click Here to view the Playing Conditions Calculation handout
The USGA announced this afternoon that scores with any modified hole are permissible and should be posted for handicap purposes. This announcement comes in response to the many different safety measures golf facilities are taking at this time. These recommendations will be in effect throughout the United States until further notice by the USGA.
