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StateLine Tour Shakes Frosty Start

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The 2016 Kansas City Golf Association season got off to a frosty start at Loch Lloyd.

A 90-minute frost delay awaited the 106-player field for the first StateLine Amateur Tour event of the year.

However, once the sun went to work on the frosty greens and fairways, senior division winner Charlie Shorgl wasted no time claiming his first event victory of the season.

Shorgl birdied five of nine holes stretching between holes four through 12, en route to a one-under, 71 round. His birdie on No. 12 was critical in allowing him to overcome troubles on No. 17 and 18 and securing his one-stroke victory over Kevin Handlan and Steve Groom, who each shot a 72-even, respectively.

Matt Kelley joined Shorgl at one-under, 71, picking up the open division title at Loch Lloyd. Kelley countered a trio of bogeys with four birdies of his own.

Open division runner-up Michael Hillyard turned in an even, 72, while Luke Lutgen rounded out the top 3 at one-over, 73.

Two golfers split the legends division title.

Both Jim Seward and Bob Bezek carded even, 72s, while David Hornaday claimed a solo third place finish at one-over, 73.

Mike Berlin took the players division title, posting a two-over, 74. Eddie Sanchez, Jr. followed Berlin with his three-over, 75 and three-way tie for third rounded out the top 3 places for the players.

Finally, Addie Chapin led the women’s players division with an eight-over, 80. Jettie Bezek narrowly missed sharing a claim for first with her nine-over, 81. Janelle Krohn rounded out the women with her 19-over, 91.

The StateLine golfers prepare for the second event of the tour, April 23 at Blue Hills Country Club.Shorgl Loch Lloyd

USGA’s Rainwater Presents Handicap Services Seminar at Blue Hills CC

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The USGA’s Lee Rainwater was back at it Wednesday, presenting a USGA Handicap Services Seminar at Blue Hills Country Club for over 50 attendees.

The audience, comprised of local golf pros and volunteers, listened to Rainwater’s presentation on the importance of sound handicap services and handicap ratings to effectively manage and maintain handicaps for both golfers and courses.

This presentation followed Tuesday’s Course Rating Workshop at Oakwood Country Club where KCGA and KGA course raters learned how to properly and effectively rate area courses.

To learn more about USGA Handicap or Course Rating services, visit the USGA websiteRainwater.

KCGA, KGA Course Raters Learn from USGA’s Lee Rainwater

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Oakwood Country Club played host to numerous Kansas City Golf Association and Kansas Golf Association course raters Tuesday to hone their skills on course rating.

The USGA’s Lee Rainwater led a course rating workshop and on-course application of his teachings, preparing the associations’ volunteer course raters for the upcoming season.

Course raters are an important and invaluable group of volunteers to golf associations across the country. These volunteers and practices allow local clubs and associations to accurately pair golfers and events to courses capable of challenging the best amateur golfers in the area.

The KCGA constantly relies on volunteers to assist in presenting the best events possible to the KC area. Areas volunteers are involved include rules officiating, scoring and course rating.

If you’re interested in becoming a rules official or course rater in the future, contact the KCGA to find out how. Course Rating

Youth On Course “Sure Way” To Get Kids Into Golf, Forbes Says

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Forbes.com recently highlighted and applauded Youth On Course as a “sure way” to get youth and junior golfers on courses across America.

The entire article is available on the Forbes’ website.

For those still unfamiliar with Youth On Course, the initiative helps subsidize rounds of golf for golfers between the ages of 6-18. These YOC members are ensured to never pay for than $5 for a round of golf at participating golf courses.

The program originates from the Northern California Golf Association and just recently expanded to the Kansas City area.

For more information on YOC, visit their website and view all of the participating courses throughout the KC MetroYOC Forbes

Great Life Golf and Fitness, Orion Management Solutions Support Youth On Course

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Great Life-Orion

The Kansas City Golf Association and Youth On Course announced its partnership in growing the game last week with the news of the Youth On Course expanding to the Kansas City area.

Now, youth golfers participating in Youth On Course have local courses to enjoy the opportunity to play golf.

Golfers who register for the Youth On Course initiative receive green fees at $5 or less at participating courses.

Two groups, Great Life Golf and Fitness and Orion Management Solutions, signed up to support and provide facilities, 11 local courses in total, for youth golfers.

The courses are as follows:

Great Life Golf and Fitness:

Drumm Farm Golf Club (Independence, MO)
Liberty Hills Golf Club (Liberty, MO)
Leavenworth Golf Club (Lansing, KS)
The Oaks Golf Club (Leavenworth, KS)
River Oaks Golf Club (Grandview, MO)

Orion Management Solutions:

Adams Pointe Golf Club (Blue Springs, MO)Cardinal Hill Golf Club (Liberty, MO)
Heart of America Golf Academy (Kansas City, MO)
Minor Park (Kansas City, MO)
Swope Memorial Golf Course (Kansas City, MO)
Sycamore Ridge Golf Course (Spring Hill, KS)

KCGA & KGA Announce a “Heart Partnership”

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The Kansas City Golf Association and the Kansas Golf Association have agreed to begin a new chapter for the historic Heart of America Four-Ball Championship.   Commencing in August 2016 the two golf associations will collaborate to present a reformatted match play only championship for amateur golfers in the Midwest.

The jointly presented 2016 Heart of America Four-Ball Championship will be held August 8-10 at Milburn Country Club, one of the area’s best venues that recently saw some re-routing of holes to make room for a new clubhouse.

KCGA Executive Director Doug Habel remarked that “the Heart of America Four-Ball Championship has a long and storied history in the Kansas City area. I could not be any happier that the championship is returning to the calendar and that we have this opportunity to work beside the Kansas Golf Association to bring a truly unique event to the golf community in Kansas and Kansas City. Milburn always provides a great stage on which to determine a champion, and I expect that to be the case again for this championship.”

Each Association will conduct a qualifier event for golfers from their respective regions.  The top 16 teams from each Association will then be seeded into a four-ball match play bracket.  The left side of the bracket will pit the KCGA teams against each other and the right side will seed the KGA teams.  This will result in the finals always being a KCGA team against a KGA team. The KCGA will host the event in 2016 and the KGA will assume hosting responsibilities in 2017 and the two associations alternating years going forward.

The KCGA will conduct its qualifying event on June 13th and 14th using two venues; Staley Farms and Canyon Farms.  All teams will play one round at each golf course.

Kim Richey, KGA Executive Director, announced that the Kansas Four-Ball Championship will become the “qualifying event” for the new Heart of America Four-Ball Championship.  It will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12 at Eagle Bend Golf Course in Lawrence, Kansas.  The 36-hole four-ball stroke play championship will be open to all golfers regardless of place of residence or age, with the top 16 teams based on residence becoming the KGA’s representative teams for The Heart.  The full details will be announced in January.

“This is an exciting time for golfers in Kansas, Kansas City and the Midwest.  Our two golf associations will combine golf’s most competitive format with the challenge of outstanding venues to build an annual contest to showcase the best amateur golfers in an atmosphere of a friendly rivalry.  The KGA is very honored and pleased to have forged this partnership ‘of the Heart’ with our friends in Kansas City,” stated Richey.

For more details on the new Heart of America Four-Ball Championship and how to qualify, contact either the KCGA or the KGA or visit their website.   Full details available in January.

Kansas City Golf Association                                                                    Kansas Golf Association

www.kansascitygolfer.org                                                                           www.kansasgolf.org

 

 

Kuehn Edges Welsh at Nicklaus Club

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Nicklaus Club at Lionsgate hosted the fourth Stateline Amateur Tour event on Tuesday, May 26th.

It was a cool and cloudy day at the Nicklaus Club at Lionsgate as Steve Groom led the 105-golfer field posting a 73 (+1), including two birdies on the day. Three strokes behind Groom in the Senior division was a two-way tie for second between Kevin Handlan and Ward Zerger as they posted 76 (+4).

In the Open division, there was a two-way tie between Alex Higgs and Michael Greene for first place as they posted 74 (+2). Falling one stroke short of first place was a two-way tie between Dave Cunningham and John Lovell at 75 (+3). Ryan Murdock led the Players division as he posted a 75 (+3). Four strokes behind Murdock was Marko Ungaschik at 79 (+7).

In the Legends division, Richard Landon led the way in gross scoring as he fired a 74 (+2), carding one eagle and two birdies. The runner-up was Don Marchi at 75 (+3). There was a two-way tie in net scoring between John Pawsat and David Hornaday. Hornaday and Pawsat fired 69 (-3). Kailee Kuehn led the Women’s division as she edged Ann Welsh by one stroke to claim the win as she fired a 72 (E). Welsh finished runner-up at 73 (+1).

Click here for full results at Nicklaus Club at Lionsgate.

The 2015 KC Junior Tour is in the Shadows

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OLATHE, Kan. – The 2015 Kansas City Junior Tour wrapped up the season with the championship at Shadow Glen Golf Club on Monday, August 10.

Shadow Glen is a Tom Watson design that is built to be an 18-hole championship course in the rolling hills and wooden terrain. It is intended to give beauty and challenge to the golfers around the area.  The KCJT Championship consisted of 113 junior golfers from around the Kansas City area to compete one last time at Shadow Glen. Throughout the season, the junior golfers have accumulated points depending on their finish at each event.

James O’Connor from Greenwood, Missouri, led the boys 16 and up division as he earned 86 points on the year to claim the 2015 player of the year award. Joe Bultman from Shawnee, Kansas, led the boys 13 to 15 division as he tallied 76 points on the year to earn the 2015 player of the year award in his division.

Brianna Walker from Liberty, Missouri, dominated the girls 16 and up division as she racked up 96 points to earn the 2015 player of the year award. Julia Misemer controlled the girls 13 to 15 division as she tallied 96 points to win the player of the year award in her division.  The prep division was led by Drake Krumme from Lenexa, Kansas, as he won the 2015 player of the year award in the division.

The low-score of the day in the boys 16 and up division was posted by Cole Gage at 76 (+4). There was a four-way tie for the lowest score in the girls 16 and up division as Meg Green, Brianna Walker, Caroline Klemp and India Guame – all posted a 78 (+6). The low-score of the day in the girls 13 to 15 division was posted by Rosalyn Klausner at 86.

Six juniors posted an eagle at Shadow Glen, including Eddie Fromm who fired the low-score of the prep division at 35 (-1), Cole Elling who led the boys 13 to 15 division at 71 (-1) and Will Harding in the boys 13 to 15 division also fired an eagle.  Isabella Hadden in the girls 13 to 15 division posted an eagle on hole number 10.  Nikki McCurdy posted two eagles on the day and Haley Bell inked an eagle on her scorecard as well.

Click here for final results at Shadow Glen Golf Club.

winners

Cunningham Shines at Lawrence Country Club

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – The seventh event of the 2015 Kansas City Junior Tour was hosted at Lawrence Country Club on Monday, July 27. There were 69 total junior golfers that competed against one another as they were split into five different divisions.

Lawrence Country Club is known for its rolling hills with tree-lined fairways as well as the five lakes across the course to enhance the difficulty of play. The boys 16 and up division played the bronze tees, a 6,062-yard, par 70 course as the boys 13 to 15 played the silver tees, a 5,621-yard course. All of the girls and the prep division played from the gold tees, a 4,858-yard course.

The boys 16 and up division consisted of a 25-golfer field that was led by Trystan Tovkach who fired 73 (+3). Tovkach had three birdies on the day to finish three-strokes ahead of the runners-up Mott Griffin and Ben Hadden at 76 (+6).

The boys 13 to 15 division consisted of 23-golfers and led by Andrew Cunningham who posted an impressive 70 (E) that included three birdies. Three strokes behind Cunningham, who posted the lowest score of any boys, was the runner-up Garrett Clark at 73 (+3). Owen Hill finished third with a 75 (+5).

Nikki McCurdy dominated the girls 16 and up division as she led the way as she fired 76 (+6). Behind McCurdy was Meg Green at 85 (+15). Isabella Hadden managed the girls 13 to 15 division as she fired 92 to win the division. Five-strokes behind Hadden, was Rosalyn Klaussner as she posted 97.

On his home course, Will Hedges won the prep division as he fired 37 (+2) on the front nine. Hedges had two birdies on the day to finish three strokes ahead of the runner-up William Rau. Rau posted 40 (+5), including one birdie.

The Kansas City Junior Tour only has two more events before the championship at Shadow Glen Golf Club. All competitors on the KCJT at invited to compete in the championship on August 10.

Click here for KCJT standings.

Click here for full results at Lawrence CC.

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The First Round of the 2015 KC Amateur Is In the Books at Shoal Creek

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2015 KC Amateur Championship began play at Shoal Creek Golf Club on Friday, July 17. The Championship is a three-day, 54-hole tournament with a cut after 36-holes, consisting of four divisions.

Players may compete in four separate flights of the Kansas City Amateur: the Open flight, Players flight, Senior flight and Legends flight. Golfers must have an index of 3.4 or less to participate in the Open flight. A handicap index of at least 1.0 but not more than 18.2 is required for the Players flight. The Senior flight requires an index of 18.2 or less and at least 50 years of age by the first day of the championship. Finally, a player must be at least 60 years of age by the first day of the championship for the Legends flight. All the golfers are competing in gross scoring.

The summer weather finally hit Kansas City as the 121-golfers arrived throughout the day to compete in their designated divisions, battling the temperatures that rose near 100 degrees. The heat did not affect Steve Groom and Mark Worthey in the Seniors division, consisting of 17-golfers, as they tied for the lowest score of any division posting an impressive 68 (-3) on the day.

The Legends division consisted of 11-golfers as Robert Nelson II and Andy Smith are tied for first, both firing 71 (E). One-stroke behind the leaders in the Legends Flight is Jim Lodes with a 72 (+1).

The leader of the Players division is Matt Foster as he posted a 79 (+8). Two-strokes behind Foster is a two-way tie for second between Jack Blair and Pat Hansen, as they both fired 81 (+10).

Matching the low score of the day, 68 (-3), with Groom and Worthey is Preston Fleenor leading the Open division. Fleenor fired six birdies on the day to lead the field. Trailing Fleenor by one-stroke is a three-way tie for second between Jeff Mason, Mark Terranova and Jon Platz at 69 (-2).

The Kansas City Amateur Championship will continue play tomorrow morning at 7:30.

Click here for full results of day one.