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Spring Triple Threat

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108 women from across Kansas and Kansas City came out to play in the first Women’s Event of the Year on Monday, May 17. Canyon Farms Golf Club hosted the fun “triple threat” 6-6-6 format; six holes Four-Ball, six holes Chapman Alternate Shot, and six holes Scramble. Despite the weather and wet course conditions, the tournament was played without delay.

Leading the event as Overall Gross Champions was the team of Sharon Henes and JoAnne Bridgnell (+4). The team performed their best in the Alternate Shot and Scramble formats, carding a total of 3 birdies for the day.

The Overall Net Champions were Monica Bury and Daleen Spradlin who carded a Net five-under-par for their round. The team won the scorecard playoff by having the lowest Alternate Shot aggregate total.

The next women’s event hosted by Central Links Golf will be the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship on June 5-6 at Sand Creek Station.

STT Flight Winners

First Flight:
First Place Gross: Tracee Lechner + Barbara Cusick
Second Place Gross: Mary Larson + Mary Kolich
First Place Net: Kendra Beaver + Lyndsey Baxter
Second Place Net: Erin Priddy + Karen Hass

Second Flight:
First Place Gross: Jill McAtee + Tracy Singh
Second Place Gross: Patricia Seber-Bradley + Joni Caldwell
First Place Net: Rose Schuh + Peggy Rickets
Second Place Net: Kathy Stuntz + Victoria Jewett

Third Flight:
First Place Gross: Judy Moning + Iris Vorhies
Second Place Gross: Kelly McFarland + Brenda Head
First Place Net: Susan Koralewski + Janice Wiley
Second Place Net: Tawnya Neal + Kim Ekiss

Fourth Flight:
First Place Gross: Donna Nelson + Beth Schmitt
Second Place Gross: Deb Nittler + Reatha Juden
First Place Net: Holly Grier + Mary Dalsing
Second Place Net: Sondra Jordan + Linda Schuttler

Special Events

Closest to the Pin:
Flight 1: Mary Kolich
Flight 2: Karen Clothier
Flight 3: Christy Kleweno
Flight 4: Valerie Wente

Skins:
Rose Schuh + Peggy Ricketts – Hole #12
Iris Vorhies + Judy Moning – Hole #6

No Holes-In-One means $370 will be donated to the Girls Performance Initiative.

KC Match Play Down to Two

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After a week off from competition after Mother Nature postponed the semifinal matches of the KC Match Play Championship, we are finally down to two competitors. The top four agreed to play Monday, May 24th at Swope Memorial at 4:00 p.m. Doug Albers was facing Alex Springer and Ben Pearson was up against Zach VanDolah.

1 seed Pearson had a strong front nine and was 2 up over VanDolah making the turn. Zach fought back to tie the match through 13 holes after two birdies, but Pearson rebounded with a win on the 14th hole. VanDolah tied the match once again with a birdie on 17 and with two pars on 18, the match would go extra holes.

VanDolah and Pearson both parred the 19th hole, and after almost driving the green on the Par-4, 20th hole, VanDolah had a great chance at birdie. He would convert his birdie chance and win the hole and match against 1 seed Pearson.

In the second semifinal match, Doug Albers was in full control most of the match. He quickly got out to a 3 up lead through the first five holes and again through 10. Springer tried to dip in to the lead with a birdie on the 11th hole, but after a few pars and a bogey on 15th, the match was heading to 16 tee dormie. Albers and Springer would both par the 16th hole, and Albers clinched his spot in the final with a 3 & 2 victory.

The Championship match is set between Zach VanDolah and Doug Albers. A date and time is to be determined and will be updated on the website and social media. Live scoring will be available.

Final Four Postponed due to Weather

Championship Sunday at Swope Memorial never began as thunderstorms rolled in to Kansas City. The semifinal matches of the KC Match Play Championship were first delayed until noon with the hopes of at least getting one round of match play in, only to have the golf course become unplayable due to the amount of rain throughout the morning.

An unfortunate delay to our first championship of the year, but the semifinals will be scheduled at a later date that is yet to be determined. Opponents will work with each others schedules to determine an open date and more information will be relayed at that time. A champion of the 2021 KC Match Play Championship will be crowned of the following players: Doug Albers, Ben Pearson, Zach VanDolah, or Alex Springer. Stay tuned.

Top Seeds Set for Semifinals in KC Match Play

Despite some early rain, day two of the Kansas City Match Play was completed in narrowing down the field from 16 to its top four semifinalists. 1 seed Ben Pearson continued on after an easy victory of 5 & 4 over Jesse Helms and then defeated Brian Fehr 3 & 1 to clinch the first semifinalist spot.

2 seed Doug Albers defeated Jordan Bobert in his Round of 16 match 5 & 3 and then took out Drew Carlson 3 & 2. He faces 3 seed Alex Springer in his semifinal match after Springer defeated Ian Boat 2 & 1 and then Hank Simpson 5 & 3.

5 seed Zach VanDolah defeated 4 seed Lane Wallace in his quarterfinal match in 21 holes after taking out Jim Gates 2 up in the Round of 16. In unusual fashion, four of the top five seeds have advanced to the semifinal round.

The semifinal matches are scheduled for Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. The weather forecast predicts some thunderstorms, but we hope to begin on time and any weather delays will be updated on the website and event page.

Full results for the event can be found here >>

Day One Concludes for KC Match Play

The 2021 Kansas City Match Play Championship returned to its traditional May date after COVID forced its reschedule to last Fall for 2020. The Friday morning stroke play qualifier began at Swope Memorial with 100 players vying for the top 32 spots to advance to match play, including the first female in the field – Julia Misemer.

Doug Albers, Leawood, KS, and Ben Pearson, Overland Park, KS, both tied for low medalist honors in the qualifying morning session with a three-under, 69. Albers’s card was highlighted with five birdies and the only blemish coming on the Par-4, 7th hole with a double bogey. Pearson carded six birdies on the day with a few bogeys. Watson Challenge Champion, Alex Springer, finished at one-under, 71, along with Lane Wallace, Zach VanDolah, and Kade Prentice to make the only six players under par.

Tied for 26th position at 77 (+5) was the magic cut off number and saw 15 players in a playoff for the final 7 spots to advance to match play in the afternoon to fill the field. The top ten seeds were set: Ben Pearson, Doug Albers, Alex Springer, Lane Wallace, Zach VanDolah, Kade Prentice, Ryne Fisher, Brian Fehr, Will Harding, and Daniel Duffin. 9 of the lower seeds won their match to advance to the Round of 16. Pearson, Fehr, Springer and Harding all won handily with 6 & 5 victories. Kade Prentice defeated Jeff Mason 4 & 3 and Hank Simpson clinched their ticket to the next round with 4 & 3 and 4 & 2 wins. 20 seed Nick Noland upset 13 seed Michael Garden 2 & 1 and 26 seed Michael Foster upset 7 seed Ryne Fisher in 20 holes.

The field is down to the top 16 and matches are set to begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning depending on the weather conditions. Any weather delays will be communicated to players and updated on the website.

Honoring Outstanding | Women in the Golf Hall of Fame

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In honor of Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight the women in Kansas City & Kansas who have made an impact on the game of golf.

Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame

Since its establishment in 2012, the centennial year of the KCGA, The Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame has recognized outstanding women who have contributed to the success of the game in the Kansas City region. Each of these Hall of Famers distinguished themselves on, and off, the course.

Here is a brief summary of the accomplishments of these exceptional women:

Miriam Burns (Horn) Tyson began playing golf at an early age under the tutelage of Milburn Head Professional Harry Robb, Sr. She won seven KC Women’s Match Play championships, the Trans-Mississippi, and two Women’s Western Amateurs. However, none of those feats compare to her 1927 victory in the United States Women’s Amateur. She retired from competitive golf at the age of 26, in 1930. Ms. Tyson was a 2013 inductee into the Hall of Fame.

Opal Hill took up the game rather late in life after her doctors advised her to get more fresh air and exercise. She practiced her new-found passion relentlessly and went on to win four Trans-Miss titles, three Women’s Western Amateurs, the North & South, three Missouri Women’s Ams, and two Western Women’s Opens. On the local scene, she captured fourteen Kansas City championships. She became just the third woman to turn professional and was one of the founding members of the LPGA.

Karen (Schull) MacGee graduated from Kansas City’s Southwest High School in 1961 and was already an accomplished player in local events under the guidance of Blue Hills Pro Leland “Duke” Gibson (Hall of Fame 2013). Between 1960 and 1980 she won seven Missouri Women’s Amateurs, five Kansas Women’s Amateurs, and seven Kansas City Match Play Championships. She joined the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Marian Gault lead the Kansas City Golf Association’s Junior Girl’s program for thirteen years, recruiting young players and encouraging them to play the game she loved. She won the Missouri Women’s Amateur in 1952 and ’55 and was runner-up four other times. She won the Kansas City Women’s Match Play six times, was runner-up in three other appearances, and was a qualifying medalist eight times. Gault was recognized as the area’s top woman player in 1948, ’52, ’54, and ’55 and was the first recipient of the Missouri Women’s Golf Association’s Bernice Edlund Award for outstanding conduct, demeanor, and sportsmanship.

Jean Pepper dominated the women’s game in this area between 1934 and 1942. She won the Women’s Match Play Championship in 1934, ’36 and ’37 then won three-in-a-row from 1939 – ’41. Her losses in those years were to fellow Hall of Famers Opal Hill (1938) and Marian Gault (1942). She had bested Gault in the 1941 final.  In the Missouri Women’s Amateur, she captured medalist honors in 1939 and ’40 on her way to three consecutive titles from ’39 to ’41. She joined the Hall of Fame in the class of 2018.

Maxine Johnson virtually “owned” the game in and around Kansas City in the period following the Second World War. In the 1950, ’51, and ’52 Women’s Match Play Championships she was runner-up to Marian Gault, but she went on to capture seven titles between 1953 and 1962. She won the Missouri Women’s Amateur in 1951 and was runner-up in 1956 and defeated Hall of Famer Karen (Schull) MacGee for the 1957 title. Playing against the stars of the LPGA in the KC Women’s Open, she was low amateur in 1956 and never finished worse than T-5 (amateur) in the six years in which she competed.

Mary Jane Barnes was the first woman to lead the Kansas City Golf Association as president (2001 – 2003) and her tenure marked a significant turning point for the organization. Under her leadership, the KCGA hired its first full-time Executive Director, expanded tournament opportunities for local players, and increased services to member clubs. Ms. Barnes qualified for three USGA Championships and was the Women’s Club Champion at Kansas City Country Club an unprecedented eighteen times. She served on the USGA’s Women’s Mid-Amateur Committee for 25 years and received the prestigious Ike Granger Award in 2014.

These outstanding Kansas Citians are representative of the many great (and near-great) players who have graced the fairways of the golf courses in our region. The Board of Directors of Central Links Golf is committed to recognizing the accomplishments of all the people, male and female, who continue to distinguish themselves through their accomplishments in the game we all love.

“The goal of the Hall of Fame is to preserve our past and honor the accomplishments of those who made golf in this area great,” said Greg Dunn, president of Central Links Golf. “Our classes of inductees have included amateurs, professionals, men and women, contemporary as well as historic figures, pioneers, golf administrators, superintendents, and teachers. We are very proud that our Hall of Fame is all-inclusive and has recognized the greatest of those who have contributed so much to the enjoyment of our game.”

Kansas Golf Hall of Fame

A number of outstanding women have been inducted into the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame since its founding in 1991. Several professionals, a number of amateurs, and two who were recognized for their contributions to the game. What follows is a brief summary of the accomplishments and contributions of these individuals.

Deb Richard is one of only three Kansas women to have won a USGA Championship as the winner of the 1984 US Women’s Amateur. From 1979 to ’84 she was tough to beat on the local scene having won the Kansas Junior Girls (1979) the State High School Championship (1979, ’80, and “81), and the Kansas Women’s Amateur (1982 and ’83). At the University of Florida, she won seven tournaments, three SEC Championships, and was All-American from 1983-’85.  She won five times on the LPGA Tour before retiring in 2005. She was enshrined into the Kansas Hall of Fame in 2006.

Marge Page joined the Kansas Hall of Fame in 2004 as a Contributor to the Game. She organized the Wichita Junior Golf Foundation in 1973 to give low-income children the opportunity to learn the game of golf. Ms. Page donated or raised money to pay for green fees, lessons, and equipment for the 10-17-year-old golfers and arranged for them to take lessons at public courses during the summer. Decades later, the WJGF continues to serve hundreds of young golfers each year.

Nadine Harrison served as President and Vice President of the Wichita Women’s City Golf Association as well as the President of the Women’s Trans-Mississippi Golf Association. She was appointed to the prestigious Women’s Committee of the USGA and was a rules official at the US Women’s Open and the Curtis Cup. In 1958 she received the Mike Murra Achievement Award recognizing her work with junior golf and promoting golf to the public in Wichita. Ms. Harrison joined the Kansas Hall of Fame in 1994.

Natasha Fife was a five-time Kansas Women’s Amateur Champion and seven-time Senior Amateur Champion along with her seven Wichita Women’s Amateurs and three Broadmoor Amateur titles. She received a Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Wichita State and was named women’s athletic director there, a position she held for thirteen years. The Natasha Fife Women’s Golf scholarship, awarded to members of the WSU women’s golf team honors her dedication to the game and efforts to influence the participation of countless others. She entered the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Jean Ashley Crawford was the dominant force on the amateur golf scene in Kansas from the early 1950s to the mid-’60’s. During that time she finished in the top four in the Kansas Women’s Amateur Championship seven times, was a member of three US Curtis Cup teams (1962, ’64, and ’66) and in 1965 she defeated Anne Quast (5&4) to win the USGA Women’s Amateur Championship. Ms. Crawford was also runner-up in the national amateur on two other occasions (1960 and 1967). She served as non-playing Captain of the Curtis Cup and was on the USGA Women’s Committee. She joined the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Judy Bell accomplished more than perhaps any other woman in advancing the game of golf. Space does not allow a full accounting of her accomplishments, suffice to say, she has been inducted into six different Halls of Fame (including the World Golf HoF); received the Bob Jones Award from the USGA in 2016; was the first woman to serve as President of the USGA; competed in 38 USGA championships; won three KWGA Amateurs (the first at age 15); played on the Curtis Cup teams of 1960 and ’62; Captained the Curtis Cup teams of 1986 and ’88; the USGA Women’s State Team Championship trophy was named in her honor. She joined the Kansas Golf HoF in 1991.

Marilyn Smith holds a place of high honor among Kansas golfers, having won three consecutive Kansas Women’s Amateurs (1946-’48) and the Intercollegiate Golf Championship while playing for the University of Kansas. Smith was one of the 13 founding members of the LPGA and, as a professional, won twenty-two times including two major championships.  Ms. Smith served as president of the LPGA from 1958-’60, during which time she established the LPGA division for teaching and club professionals. After her playing career ended, she turned to teaching. She was inducted into the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame in 1991 and the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2006.

Trailblazers, pioneers, volunteers, accomplished players, and contributors who made the game of golf what it has become today. These outstanding women are representative of so many people who give of themselves to advance the standards we come to expect of ourselves and our fellow players. These Hall of Fame honorees are the “tip of the iceberg” when discussing the state of the game and its rich history in the state of Kansas. Others whose names we may not yet recognize will surely follow their example and etch their names on the trophies and plaques that commemorate the champions of tournaments made possible through Central Links Golf and its member clubs.

Standing on the shoulders of these giants, the future looks very bright, indeed.

Written by Don Kuehn, Chair
Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame Committee

KC Hall of Fame Adds Four

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Central Links Golf — the product of a merger of the Kansas City Golf Association and the Kansas Golf Association in 2020 — has named four outstanding individuals to join the Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame.

Rob Wilkin, Head Professional and General Manager of Heritage Park Golf Course in Overland Park, leads this year’s class. The 18-time Midwest PGA Section Player of the Year played college golf at Coffeyville (KS) Community College and the University of Kansas. He has played in ten major professional championships including the 1988 US Open, four PGA Championships, the 2011 US Senior Open and four Senior PGA Championships. Wilkin has played in every Watson Challenge since its inception and outlasted the event’s founder and namesake in a five-hole playoff for the title in 2016.

Amateur standout Steve Groom of Raytown joins the Hall on the strength of his outstanding playing career. A perennial contender for local and state Player of the Year honors, Groom has amassed more than 40 championships in Missouri, Kansas and Kansas City. He has qualified for nine USGA Public Links tournaments, five US Open Sectionals, two US Mid-Ams and one US Senior Amateur. In 2018 he lead the field in the British Senior Amateur Championship after the first round. In 2014 he carded an impressive 59  (33-26) at Bay Breeze in Biloxi, MS.

For more than 40 years, Dave Fearis served the game of golf as a leader among golf course superintendents at the local and national levels. From 1985 to 2000 he was the Superintendent at Kansas City’s Blue Hills Country Club. He served on the boards of the Heart of America Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation and the Leawood Golf Advisory Board. From 2000 to 2007 he held various offices in The First Tee of Greater Kansas City and was its president in 2006-07.

The first woman elected as President of the Kansas City Golf Association, Mary Jane Barnes, led the organization into a new era of professional management. Under her leadership the organization hired its first full-time Executive Director and expanded tournament opportunities for local players and  increased services to KCGA member clubs. Ms. Barnes was also an accomplished golfer in her own right having chalked up 18 Women’s Club Championships at her home club, Kansas City Country Club and played in two USGA national championships. She served on the USGA’s Women’s Mid Amateur Committee for 25 years, earning her the coveted Ike Granger Award.

Ms. Barnes joins the Hall of Fame as a Committee Selection.

“The Hall of Fame was created in 2012 as part of our celebration of the centennial of the KCGA,” said Greg Dunn, president of the newly formed Central Links Golf (CLG). “Our goal is to preserve our past and  honor the accomplishments and contributions of those who made golf in this area great. Central Links is committed to continuing the tradition established prior to the merger of the KCGA and the Kansas Golf Association.”

“Over the first three classes of inductees,” he said, “we have recognized amateurs and professionals, men and women, contemporary as well as historic figures, golf administrators and superintendents and players and teachers. We are very proud that our Hall of Fame is all-inclusive and has recognized the greatest of those who have contributed so much to the enjoyment of our game.”

Previous inductees in the class of 2012 included professionals Tom Watson, Stan Thirsk, Leland “Duke” Gibson; 1927 US Women’s Amateur Champion Miriam Burns (Horn) Tyson; founding member of the LPGA Opal Hill; long time KCGA Executive Director Bob Reid; and pioneering course superintendent Chester “Chet” Mendenhall.

In 2014 the honorees were teaching and touring professional Bob Stone; amateur stand-out Karen (Shull) MacGee; and “The Foursome” a group of African-Americans who integrated the links at Swope Park in March 1950.

The 2016 class recognized “The Father of Kansas City Golf” James Dalgleish; amateur player Marian Gault; and Bill Ludwig, long-time Board member, volunteer and champion player.

The 2018 class brought  touring professional and outstanding amateur Jim Colbert; Jean Pepper who was the “player to beat” in the 1930’s and 40’S; Frank Kirk who was instrumental in the establishment of the First Tee program and has served on the Boards of various golf organizations; and Maxine Johnson who dominated women’s golf in the 1950 in the region.

Nominees are voted on by a broad cross-section of local electors: all members of the CLG Board, living members of the Hall of Fame, the Executive Board of the Midwest Section PGA, representatives of the Golf Course Superintendents Association and emeritus members of the CLG Board. Five nominees appeared on this year’s ballot and each voter was able to cast three votes.

Because of restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s honorees will be inducted at a later date.

“It is our goal to be able to afford these worthy individuals an appropriate forum to be recognized by the Kansas City golf community as soon as that can be done in a safe manner”, said CLG President Dunn.

Antiquated to Updated: The Evolution of Club Fitting

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By: Cassandra Bausch

If you were to define a “golf club fitting”, your definition would likely vary from that of your playing partner, your father or even the local pro you use for lessons. You may have been fitted at your club a decade ago for your current set, while your playing partner might swear by their futuristic swing analysis session. In an industry with simultaneously so many innovations and so many traditions, it can be hard to know when modernization is truly the best option for your game.

Take golf equipment, for example. Each year, manufacturers release a new model touting faster ball speeds, longer carries, more accurate shots. From a sales perspective, this makes complete sense but from a practical standpoint, is there evidence to support the claim that new equals better?

“In short, the answer is yes,” said Nick Sherburne, master fitter and founder of Club Champion, the nation’s #1 custom club fitter. “We’re in a unique position since we see every model from every brand. Independent club tests back the claims and so do our informal findings.”

The principle is the same with club fitting: if your father’s iteration of a fitting found better equipment options, does that mean a modern version of Dad’s fitting can really give you an even greater competitive advantage?

Sherburne is so sure that the answer is yes that his brand is offering 50% off their custom club fittings to prove it. This winter special — 50% off all fitting types with a $500 equipment purchase — is active from November 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021. Those seeking out a putter fitting are only required to purchase a new putter for the 50% fitting discount to apply.

At any price, the insight and edge a golfer gains after a fitting is priceless. Club Champion uses technology every step of the way, from TrackMan swing analysis during a club fitting, Science & Motion’s PuttLab to optimize the putter, to PUREing machines that orient each shaft optimally into each clubhead during the build process. The mentality is show-not-tell: let the golfer see the improvement in real-time because the data doesn’t lie.

A Golf Digest study found that eight out of nine custom-fit golfers lowered their scores by as much as six strokes per round and added an average of 21 yards off the tee. That same study found over 13 yards extra distance with fitted irons. And that doesn’t even address the improvement in control and overall accuracy found with a fitted set.

“What we do is both an art and a science,” said Sherburne. “Every level of golfer can see massive improvement with a club fitting when they’re willing to embrace a modern fitting process — even if it looks a little different than it did back in the day.”

In short, this is not your father’s club fitting, and thank goodness for that.

For more information or to book your Club Champion fitting, call (888) 340-7820 or visit clubchampiongolf.com.

Holiday | Golf Gift Guide

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Stay Warm

Trendy. The golf hoodie trend is here to stay. No matter where you stand on this debate, we can all agree hoodies provide warmth in the cold winter months. Here are some of our favorites for the course:

Own your inner Fleetwood. Another trend making a comeback is the golf cardigan. Tommy Fleetwood can be seen wearing Nike’s Dri-FIT Player in Navy.

Wooly warm shirts. Winter runners have figured out how to stay warm & active. These cozy shirts from Runnin Rabbit blend polyester & merino wool to wick away moisture while keeping you warm. Men’s Re-Run | Women’s Ribbit

Techy Favorites

Stay swinging. Keep your swing in shape this winter with Swing Caddie. Paired with a golf net, golfers can keep their game up anywhere – including the garage! Bonus: all proceeds from the Swing Caddie link here will benefit Youth on Course in Kansas City.

DJ for your crew. Bushnell’s Wingman speaker provides a way to listen to music and receive audible GPS distances – all while mounted to your cart with BITE magnetic technology.

Handicap Index. We would be remiss if we didn’t suggest a GHIN Handicap Index as a great gift for the avid golfer in your life. Handicaps can be purchased through a member club or online Eclub in Kansas City and Kansas here.

Accessorize

Handy. Asher golf gloves have become the newest way to express your style on the course. Asher also offers custom gloves that match your colors and logo. Asher gloves: Men’s | Women’s

Travel in style. The most innovative backpack for golfers. The Birdie Bag from Stitch Golf can convert from a backpack to a carry-on and even into a cooler. This backpack includes easy to use cooler inserts, which keep items cold for 24 hours. The work insert offers storage space for work materials.

A Year unlike any other. We can all agree that 2020 has been a very weird year. Hot Birdie Golf has made several clever items that reflect this year and celebrate the 2020 Masters tournament being so unusual. Ballmarks | Tee Shirts

Best foot forward. Duca del Cosma has disrupted the golf shoe industry by focusing on design with top-quality leather material and Arnflex comfort technology. The company’s attention to detail has lead to several award-winning pairs of shoes, even recognized by Golf Digest’s Hot List. We love the Women’s Festiva Coral Golf Shoe and the Men’s California Navy/Red Golf Sport Shoe.

Made for women. We are obsessed with these new hats made by women for women. All the players at the Kansas Women’s Amateur were gifted one and they were certainly a crowd-pleaser. Vimhue hats are designed for a range of different ponytail heights and can be adjusted for circumference. Get free shipping with code: “MERRY”. X-Boyfriend | Sun Goddess

Men’s California Navy / Red Golf Sport Shoe

For the Home

Lie + Loft. This company of creators connects golf to home through beautiful modern artwork. Check out the Course Map Collection featuring contemporary golf course artwork. Central Links Golf members can get 20% off with code CLG20.

Drink up. Upgrade your favorite golfer’s drink with these Golf Ball Shaped Ice Cubes from Uncommon Goods.

Hole-in-One. Did someone you know make a hole-in-one this year? Honor their achievement with a custom piece from ClaireWDesign. The painting includes a picture of the hole and information regarding the hole-in-one that was made.

What did we leave off our list? Drop a comment below and let us know!

Snowball Open

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Register Here

Who is Eligible: Anyone with an active GHIN number & valid handicap index 

Who Can I Play with: Anyone – teams can be two men, two women, or mixed   

  • Team members must both play at the same golf course but may play on different tees if desired. 
  • You may play on more than one team if desired 
  • The full team entry fee applies for each team on which you play 

Format: 2-Person Net Stableford Best Ball with 85% handicap (per WHS Allowances) – the best Stableford point total of the two partners is used on each hole 

  • 25-30% of teams will win a prize  
  • Prizes will be Central Links Golf Gift Certificates which may be used at any Central Links Member Club for merchandise (other uses are at the sole discretion of the club)  
  • Special Prize for the pair with the lowest score and lowest temperature played 

Where: Any Central Links Golf Member Club 

When: December 4-6 – play your round at your club or the course of your choosing between December 4 and December 6.  The overall leaderboard will be available all weekend long. Prizes will be calculated on Monday, December 7, and results will be published as soon as they are available. 

Why: Let’s have fun and cap off a great year of golf with a friendly competition 

How Much: $40 per team paid at the time of registration (green fees/cart fees not included) 

What This Is: a FUN opportunity to get some friends together to enjoy a great day on the course 

What This Is NOT: a super-competitive event  

What We Expect: Golfers to play by the Rules of Golf, play the ball down, enter scores into the app honestly, and post scores to GHIN after finishing on the date of play 

FAQs: 

How Do I Register? You can register on our website HERE. 

How will I get my prizes? You will receive your certificate via email which may be redeemed at any CLG member club. 

Can junior golfers participate? Yes, junior golfers may participate.  If a junior golfer plays with an adult and the team wins a prize, only the adult will receive a certificate.  If a team of two juniors wins a prize, the prize money will go to Youth on Course.  These steps are taken to comply with KSHSAA/MSHSAA requirements about high school athletes accepting gift certificates as a prize. 

How will I submit my score? You will need to download the USGA Tournament Management App from the Apple App Store or Google Play.  On Thursday, December 3rd, you will receive a GGID and Rules Sheet via email to enter your scores for your team through the mobile app.  Login using the GGID only (if your club uses USGA TM, do not use your club ID to login).  You may view the Leaderboard all weekend in the app or on our website. 

Do I post my score to GHIN?  Yes – you should post your score to GHIN on the same day that you play just as in any other round. 

Golf Gab is Back!

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Come chat with the Ladies at Central Links Golf as we discuss a variety of golf-related topics. We will have featured guests that range from 2020 champions to area golf professionals. There will be new fresh content each week and opportunities for you to engage! We’re looking forward to another great season of Golf Gab.

2020/2021 Schedule

November 17 – Kickoff the new season with 2020 Players of the Year & CLG Champions
December 1 – PCC Adjustment, Abnormal Course Conditions, and Yoga with Sally Krystyn, LPGA. Orange Whip mentioned by Sally can be found here. Get a discount with the code “Sally Krystyn”.
December 15 – Effective practice in 30 minutes with Kristen Samp, PGA/LPGA
January 5 – Kansas Golf Foundation, Rules of Golf, and Mental Game Tips with Gianna Augustine, LPGA.
January 19 – A panel discussion about the benefits of playing golf for women in business. Panelists include:

  • Kristin Tyson | President, CrossFirst Bank Kansas City ​
  • Angela Hurt | CEO, Veracity​
  • Rachel Smith | Owner, Smith Mohlman Injury Law​
  • Erica Brune | CEO, Lever 1 ​
  • Melissa Windon | Co-Founder, Driving Pursuits Kansas City​
  • Heidi Thummel | Director of Business Development, GBA

February 16 – Courtney Mahon, LPGA & Mary Leahy, Callaway

All sessions will take place on the first & third Tuesday from 9:30-10:15 AM and will be recorded.

Register for all sessions here >>

Topic requests can be sent here >>

2020 Players | of the Year Announced

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It was an eventful first year for Central Links Golf, the newly merged association between the former Kansas City Golf Association and Kansas Golf Association. Despite the pandemic, the association saw a record number of golfers registered for events.

Players of the Year have been determined for the 2020 season. It was a hard-fought battle between many golfers for their titles. Players of the Year are decided based on performance at events and points earned. Points lists can be found here>>

Men’s Players of the Year

Kansas City Men’s Player of the Year, Kansas Player of the Year, and Kansas Mid-Am Player of the Year – Park Ulrich

In Kansas City:

Park Ulrich was the runaway winner of the 2020 KC Amateur Player of the Year.  Park finished over 500 points ahead of this year’s runner up.  Park started his run in June by finishing 3rd in the Kansas City Four-ball Championship which he and his partner turned into a Heart America Four-ball Championship in September at Lawrence Country Club.  In July, Colbert Hills was the site of his first title in 2020, the Kansas Amateur.  Park claimed the trophy after an impressive run through a strong field.  Just two weeks later he finished 4th at the Kansas City Amateur Championship.  Park made a deep run in the KC Match Play championship before another top-6 finish at the Kansas Mid-Amateur championship in late October.  Park also qualified for his first USGA Championship this year when he and is partner were medalists at the US Four-ball Qualifier at Canyon Farms.  He will play in the championship at Chambers Bay in May.

In Kansas:

Ulrich became the first player to claim both the Kansas Player of the Year and Kansas Mid-Amateur Player of the Year in the same year in 2020.  Ulrich dominated the Kansas golf scene in both individual and team competitions.  On the team competition side, Ulrich was part of two winning teams at the Heart of America Four-Ball Match Play Finals with Davis Cooper in August and the Mid-Amateur Team in September with Doug Albers.  Ulrich captured the 110th Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship in July at Colbert Hills.  Ulrich also recorded a runner-up finish at the Kansas City Amateur in August and a top ten finish at the Kansas Mid-Amateur in October to round out his dominating season.

Kansas City Senior Men’s Player of the Year – Steve Groom

Steve Groom has been one of the top players in Kansas City for many years.  Steve claimed yet another Senior Player of the Year title in 2020.  Steve won two major titles in 2020: the KC Amateur Championship and the KC Senior Match Play Championship.  In addition to multiple top 3 finishes in StateLine events, he had a strong top 10 finish in the Kansas Senior Amateur Championship in August. 

Kansas Senior Men’s Player of the Year – Sean Thayer

Garden City’s Sean Thayer captured the 2020 Kansas Senior Player of the Year award by edging two time defending Senior Player of the Year Greg Goode of Salina in a very close points race that came down to the final event of the season.  Thayer recorded victories at the Konza Prairie Amateur in June, Senior Series Championship in September and teamed with Greg Goode to take the Kansas Four-Ball Masters Division title in June.  Thayer also posted top five finishes at the Kansas Senior Amateur, High Plains Amateur and the Railer Stroke Play Championship.  Thayer also was medalist at six Senior Series events and posted top ten finishes in seven others.  In the season ending Kansas Mid-Amateur, Thayer tied for low senior honors with Greg Goode to take the 2020 Kansas Senior Player of the Year crown by a slim 24 point margin over Goode. 

Women’s Players of the Year

Senior Women’s Player of the Year – Martha Linscott

Martha Linscott wasted no time garnering her first Senior Women’s Player of the Year Award after becoming eligible only this year.  Linscott has been an exceptional competitor in this area for many years having competed in 11 USGA Championships in her career, so this award is a fitting accomplishment. 

She opened the season with a strong finish in the Kansas City Women’s Match Play Championship against a field of mostly collegiate players, advancing to the quarterfinals.  She followed that performance with a 7th place finish at the Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.  She was the only senior golfer to make the cut at The Prairie Invitational, earning her first Low Senior award at that championship.  She cemented the award with her stellar play in September with a tie for 6th place at the North & South Senior Women’s Championship at Pinehurst, NC, and a victory at the Kansas Women’s Senior Championship at Manhattan CC.  Congratulations Martha!

Women’s Player of the Year – Audrey Judd

The Women’s Player of the Year points list was surprisingly dominated by mid-amateurs.  Audrey Judd of Olathe, Kansas narrowly edged fellow mid-amateur Katy Winters or Wichita, Kansas for the Player of the Year honors.

After taking a year off from competition after completing her collegiate eligibility at the University of Nebraska, Audrey Judd opened strong at the Kansas City Women’s Match Play.  She was the medalist in the stroke-play qualifying round and advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion, Carmen Titus, in the round of 16.  She just missed advancing to the semifinals with a 2&1 loss to active University of Kansas player and 2020 Missouri Women’s Amateur Champion, Abby Glynn.  She followed that performance with a T3 at the Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, earning a spot in The Prairie Invitational.  Her competition wrapped up with a Runner-Up performance at The Prairie Invitational in what was a very strong field of golfers including the best collegiate players and mid-ams from the entire region.  Congratulations Audrey!

Junior Players of the Year

Boys Player of the Year – Davis Cooper

The 2020 Junior Boys Player of the Year is Davis Cooper of Overland Park, Kansas. Cooper had a fantastic season that was highlighted by a victory in the Kansas City Junior Championship and Heart of America Four-Ball Championship with his partner Park Ulrich. Cooper finished runner-up in the Kansas Junior Amateur at Salina Municipal and finished as a quarterfinalist in both the KC Junior Match Play and Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship at Colbert Hills. He finished out his summer season as a pivotal member of the KS/NE Junior Cup team that defeated Nebraska at Prairie Dunes CC. We wish Davis all the best as he has joined the Kansas University’s Men’s Golf team this fall and embarks on his college golf career!

Girls Player of the Year – Julia Misemer

The 2020 Junior Girls Player of the Year is Julia Misemer of Overland Park, Kansas. Misemer had another strong season this year, winning the Kansas City Junior Championship at Swope Memorial and defending her 6A State Championship title at Hesston Golf Course by four shots. Misemer also placed tied for third at the 2020 North & South Junior Championship at Pinehurst and finished third at the Kansas Junior Amateur Championship. She capped off a great summer by qualifying for the 2021 Women’s Four-Ball Championship with partner Brooke Biermann and was an important member of the 2020 Mid-America Junior Cup team that recently retained the Cup against St. Louis. Julia is in her junior year of high school at Blue Valley West and we can’t wait to see what she does next season!