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B -State
Serving Southern Illinois

and Greater St. Louis
Coming at You from

Dancing Rabbit (P. 20)
September
2010
Page 2 Bi-State Golf www.BiStateGolfPublishers.com September 2010
CONTENTS
Editor’s Column................................................................................... 3
The PING Tour, Pt. 2........................................................................... 4
Is the Tiger Era Over?......................................................................... 6
Jim Carroll in From the Woods
A Golf Truth that Isn’t True............................................................... 9
by Ed LeBeau
With Kye Goalby at St. Louis C.C................................................... 10
by Greg Beabout
Emmanuel Bishop: a Very Special Golfer....................................... 13
What’s Wrong with the LPGA Tour?.............................................. 14
by Steve Chanderbhan
Down Economy Pinches Courses, Benefits Golfers........................ 17
by Ed Schafer in View from the Gold Tees
Student Golfer of the Month: John Stimac..................................... 18
Golf Resort Review: Dancing Rabbit............................................... 20
by Gene Vanek
Baseball Players: Fragile of Clumsy?.............................................. 24
by Michael Tolle in The Tolle Call
The Orchards Gets a Facelift............................................................ 26
A Golf Hole You Won’t Believe......................................................... 26
Hillside Tips by Barbara Blanchar...................................................... 27
Bi-State Golf’s End-of-Year Awards................................................ 28
The Heat Goes On by Mike Suhre..................................................... 29
Two Experiences of a Lifetime at Whistling Straits........................ 30
by Greg Beabout
Letter to the Editor............................................................................ 34
Illinois Course Listing....................................................................... 35
Missouri Course Listing.................................................................... 36
Name This Hole Contest.................................................................... 37
Punch Line Contest............................................................................ 38
Chip Shots........................................................................................... 39
Advertiser Index................................................................................. 39
B -State
Serving Southern Illinois

and Greater St. Louis
Bi-State Golf Magazine

Published and Distributed by:
Bi-State Golf Publishers, LLC
PO Box 316, Troy, IL 62294
BiStateGolf@gmail.com
www.BiStateGolfPublishers.com
Printed by the Belleville News-Democrat
September 2010 www.BiStateGolfPublishers.com Bi-State Golf Page 3
A Note fr m the Editor

Wow! What a summer. What a a hobby. Over the last two years, he’s been doing a lot of
year. The year still has a few months yet behind the scenes work with the magazine, and he wants
to go, but the summer is just about over. more time to devote to his full time career at the university
And as far as weather is concerned, I and his academic writing.
couldn’t be happier. But if you think My situation is different. I am retired from the federal
the sweltering heat is tough on golfers, service, so I have more free time than Greg. But I retired
just think about the people who must in 1994—that’s 16 years ago. I’m still south of 70, but
By Gene Vanek work in those temperatures to keep the not that far. We moved a few months ago to a country
courses in shape for us to play. Mike place with some acreage and a lake, and I’m not keeping
Suhre writes about it in his column this month. up. Besides that, I haven’t had time to play in the Oak
We have so much packed into this issue, our last Brook senior scramble for months now, and I’m itching to
of the season, that I hardly know where to begin. And return.
since I have to save space at the end of this column for a We want you readers to know how we value the many
big announcement, I’ll be ultra brief and mention some kind comments we hear from you. We are grateful that you
highlights. find our humble little pulp journal worthy of your attention.
Jim Carroll speculates about Tiger’s future, and Mike We also want you to know that the slick PGA Section-
Tolle laments the fragility of today’s baseball players, while affiliated magazine that began publication two months ago
Ed Shafer celebrates his first-ever hole-in-one. Our golf has nothing—absolutely nothing—to do with our decision
instructors, Ed Le Beau and Barbara Blanchar, as usual, to retire. They are geared toward a different audience and
offer solid advice on improving your game. I personally supported by high profile advertisers that we haven’t even
had the pleasure of playing golf at, and reviewing, a bothered trying to contact. We have a well-established
golf course rated among the best in the country by Golf niche, and we’ve stuck to it. It’s the recreational golfer
Magazine and Golf Digest—Dancing Rabbit in Choctaw, with modest golf tastes.
Mississippi. What we’ll miss most, however, is the relationships
Feedback indicates that some felt we skirted the bounds we’ve built with our corps of loyal advertisers. I won’t
of political correctness with our Punch Line cartoon last list them here because there are too many, but just page
month (others thought we went beyond it). Perhaps we did, through this issue and you’ll see them. And let me say one
but man, did we ever get some funny entries. I should say more thing about our advertisers: they are, on the whole,
that our cartoonist, Garry Wehmeyer, is not to be blamed. among the most conscientious and honorable business
He drew it, but it was my idea, so if there’s a fatwa to be people I have ever worked with.
issued, it should be on me, not Garry. The cartoon this It’s been our mission to give public golf courses and
month is a bit tamer, but just a bit. related businesses in our area a vehicle for targeting the
The golf magazine gods were with us this month. Greg audience they need to reach with their message. I believe
Beabout secured a press pass to the PGA Championship at we have done that and I think they’d agree. But we’re
Whistling Straits. There he had two incredible, once in a not leaving them high and dry. A highly motivated and
lifetime, up close and personal experiences. I’ll give you enthusiastic man is purchasing Bi-State Golf and intends
two hints about what you’ll learn when you read his story: to continue it in much the same way as we ran it in the
1) you’ll learn more about Tiger Woods as a person than past. Some of our readers may remember the magazine he
you knew before, and 2) you’ll understand even better how published in the early 1990s, Missouri Fairways. He also
Dustin Johnson’s fatal faux pas could have happened. helped form Golfstar Media, a company that produced
Greg’s experiences at Whistling Straits could be taken several CDs such as The Fairway Guide: St. Louis. We’ll
as an omen—an omen that we’d never be able to live up to leave it up to him to sell himself and the magazine to our
a scoop like his in the future, so maybe we ought to hang it advertisers, but Greg and I will do whatever it takes to
up and retire on a high note. Well folks, I am announcing facilitate a smooth transition, and we might continue to
that we are not only retiring Bi-State Golf for the season, write a course review now and again next season. We will
Greg and I are retiring from our current roles with the be available to Bryan if he feels the need to call on us.
magazine. The magazine to be back next season, but it It has been our privilege serving you. Long live Bi-
will have a new editor and administration. Here is what State Golf.
tipped the scales. -Gene Vanek
Greg has always enjoyed writing for the magazine as genevanek30@gmail.com
tour made us forget all about that. Pete punched in While we were there, Dad’s freshly constructed
the secret code to open….The Vault! PING clubs were delivered along with his new bag.
Many people have heard about The Vault. It PING took his picture right there in The Vault, and
contains gold-plated versions of PING clubs that later used that photo in an ad for a December issue
have been used by PGA and LPGA Tour players to of Golfweek. The time we spent in The Vault was the
win tournaments. The room is about 12 feet square climax of our trip, and a fitting end to an enjoyable
and has a ceiling height of about 9 feet. Two walls day. We truly had the experience of a lifetime.
are densely filled from floor to ceiling with the heads More information about PING can be found
of the clubs exposed. Currently, there are about at www.PING.com and I encourage anyone who is
2500 clubs in The Vault and the list continues to interested to visit PING Golf in Phoenix. You may
grow. Ironically the most recent addition was from not get the grand tour that we were privileged to have,
the Travelers’ tournament, Bubba Watson. There is a but I guarantee that PING will treat you well.
box of cotton gloves on the wall so that a club can PING offers free walk-in indoor fittings in our
be removed to examine. The name of the player, the Fitting Department Monday through Friday between
tournament and the year of victory are engraved on 7:30am and 4:30pm MST. Group tours of our factory
each club head. PING gold plates two copies of the (assembly areas only) are conducted on Tuesdays,
club that a Tour player uses to hole the final shot to Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:00am. Reservations
win a tournament. PING adds one to the vault and are required, and no children under 9 years old are
sends the other to the player….a real honor, and the permitted. Call 602-687-5385 for more information.
players love getting that golf club.
The Era Ends of non-answers and icy glares they would receive if
they pushed too hard. So they were gentle. Tiger tried
The eyes said everything. The to keep all of it focused on the on-course activities,
words were finally there also. As his swing, his chipping and putting. But everyone,
were the numbers, 74, 72, 75, 77. including Tiger, knew the real question, the only
By Jim Carroll We’ll start with the numbers. Most question everyone in the room and outside the room
of you will recognize them. Those was asking. “How has all of this affected your play?’
were the four round scores of Tiger Woods in the Finally, after more than half a year of dodging it, he
World Golf Championship’s Bridgestone tournament. answered. “It’s been a long year,” he said. A follow-
They added up to 78th place among the elite 80 players up was asked. The answer was the same, “It’s been a
invited to compete. I watched some of his play during long year.”
the first three days and when I went off to work on It needs no interpretation. He might have said it
Saturday I told my friend Gary, who just happens differently. “Yes, what started last Thanksgiving night
to be the biggest Tiger Woods fan I know, “He just has cost me my wife, maybe my kids, a ton of money,
doesn’t care.” and my reputation.” He could have said that but “It’s
Then there was the interview after the final round. been a long year” says it anyway.
The writers probed and prodded, knowing the type Then there were the eyes. Sad, hollow, without anger,
but also without focus. ‘Maybe it’s over for me,’ the
eyes said.
As I write this last column of the season it occurs
to me that upwards of three-fourths of my writing this
year has been about Tiger. Some, maybe all of you,
may be sick of it by now. But I can’t think of a bigger
personal and professional downfall any other athlete
has taken, not to mention the best known athlete in
the world. So, I’ll write some more. Then I believe I
can make a semi-promise that I will never write about
Tiger Woods again.
The Tiger Woods era is over. It would have ended
sometime anyway as he finds himself in his mid-30s
now being pursued by fearless, talented men in their
20s. But he ended it prematurely through his own
choices. Wait. I might be wrong. He had been making
those choices during the years he was at the top of the
world, intimidating every golfer who tried to stand up
to him. Maybe the off-course choices he was making
only made him focus more when he was on the course.
Perhaps it’s more accurate to say the Tiger Woods era
ended only because he got caught.
Am I saying he will never win again? Absolutely not!
He will win. He will win another major or two, or
three. He’s too talented not to. He may break Jack’s wasn’t a simple violation of a rule everyone knows.
record for major wins, although I wouldn’t run out He didn’t know he was in a bunker, because the fans
and bet an entire paycheck on it. But the era during were standing in it also, obscuring its outline and
which he had folks who never played a round of golf leaving him to believe his ball just rested on some
in their life, and who wouldn’t know Jack Nicklaus loose sand. It’s done and over. There are no appeals.
from Jack the Ripper, glued to their sets, showing But there’s always blame in the aftermath of such
up at tournaments just to watch him, will never be things, and it’s my job to identify the real culprits.
repeated. Not by Tiger, anyway. The times he would First, of course, there’s Johnson himself. The
intimidate his competition by his mere presence are player is ultimately responsible for everything he
over. does. He was advised by way of a supplemental rules
All eras end. The Celtics and Yankees of the sheet that every bunker on the course, yes, all 1000 of
60s, Jack versus Arnie, them, would be played as
Jack versus Trevino, Jack a bunker whether or not it
versus Watson. They all was inside the ropes. Did
fade away. Usually it’s he read the rule?
because of aging, and Then, there’s his
they go away gradually. caddie, whose job it is to
This one ended for a keep things like that from
different reason, having happening. He certainly
nothing to do with age, read the rule, and he
and it ended abruptly. He had the time to observe
opened the door for others the situation as his man
to walk through, and the prepared to make the
men who took advantage shot. But he was helping
were not Mickelson, Els with distance and club
or Singh. If they had I selection. Reportedly,
wouldn’t be writing of the caddie was more
the era’s end. It would distraught afterwards
just be an interruption. than Johnson. He knew
Instead, we have Rory he blew it.
McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Is it over? Now we have to look
Bubba Watson, Jason at the PGA. Was it a
Day. Hunter Mahan, Sean O’Hair and a host of 20 stupid idea to put every bunker in play as a bunker
somethings taking the game over. Even a guy named rather than declaring some, the ones people wandered
Dustin Johnson. I haven’t even scratched the surface through like mountain goats, waste areas, where
have I? International players took three of the four grounding the club would have been OK? Would
majors this year. it have been smarter to move the ropes back so the
Those who follow golf for the sake of golf will crowd could not interfere as they were allowed to do?
revel in the new era being granted to us. Those who Was Whistling Straits a proper venue for the PGA’s
only followed golf to see Tiger will need to find a new annual showcase?
game. Finally, we come to the referee. Every group had one
and he or she was announced on the first tee along with
Who’s At Fault? the players. Were the referees just casual observers
holding an honorary title or did they have some duties
Everyone knows the facts, golfers and non-golfers to perform? I asked a local PGA rules official and he
alike. Dustin Johnson was banned from a playoff for told me that anyone given the title “referee” should
the PGA Championship because he grounded his club play the role of referee, whose job it is to interpret and
in a bunker resulting in a two stroke penalty. But it See ERA • Page 8
ERA • FROM 7
enforce the rules. Fine, but no one asked for a ruling,

so did the referee have a duty to step in and remind
the player of the rule?
“That varies from one rules official to another,” my
friend said. “If it were me, I would have just reminded
him that he was in a bunker. I would not have told
him he could not ground his club. It’s his job to know
that. But under the circumstances I would have felt
it my job to just give him the factual information as Right here in the Bi-State Area!
to where his ball was. In my opinion the referee fell Check out the Missouri
asleep.” and Illinois Course listings
Isn’t that the way it always goes in sports. When on pages 35 & 36.
there’s an issue, blame it on the referee.
Pull it out and keep it on file!
Straight Back, Straight Thru: Sounds Good, Works Bad!

I have a top ten list of golf truths that are actually false. “Straight back, straight thru” is near the
top of the list. At first glance keeping the clubface square to the target line seems so obviously true. At
second glance it is tragically so false.
But don’t take my word for it (or anybody else’s). Prove this for yourself. Find a straight line on
the ground (e.g., the edge of your driveway, the hardwood flooring in the house, etc.) Assume that line is
your target line and set up to that line as if you were going to make a golf shot down that line.
First, pretend to make a side-armed toss down that line. Notice that when your forearm is parallel
to the ground at the end of your backswing your thumb pointing up. Notice that when your forearm is
By Ed LeBeau parallel to the ground at the end of your forward swing that your thumb is pointing up. Repeat this tossing
Heartland motion very slowly and notice that in neither the backswing nor the forward swing is the palm of your
Golf Schools
hand ever square to the target line.

Second, now make that tossing motion and keep the palm of your hand square to the target line. On the backswing you
will observe that keeping the palm square results in you needing to turn the palm down and the path of the backswing becomes
inside out. As you begin the forward swing you then need to reverse the turn of the palm. In order for you to keep the palm
square as you pass the midpoint of the toss, you will find that you now need to turn the palm up and to the right. Repeat this
“straight back, straight thru” toss very slowly and you can see how complicated it is and how it results in your tossing the ball
to the right of the target line.

You can use this tossing experience to understand “straight

back, straight thru” in your golf swing. Your thumb represents
the toe of the club. The palm of your hand represents the
clubface. When you make the golf swing “straight back,
straight thru” you will note that on the forward swing you need
to rotate the shaft to keep the clubface square, which opens the
clubface and results in shots that are high and right.
When you toss, your hand is thumb up at parallel in the
back swing and thumb up at parallel in the forward swing.
When you make a golf swing the club should be toe-up at
parallel in the backswing and toe-up at parallel in the forward
swing.
“Straight back, straight thru.” One more bad idea you
can cross off your list of swing keys.
GOALBY • FROM 10 shape are listed in the top 100 by Golfweek!
a “sympathetic restoration.” Kye Goalby developed As our round came to a conclusion on No. 18,
similar concerns about tradition and retrieval while the wind came up. I tried to keep my approach shot
working with Tom Doak. With the help of old below the breeze, but the blustery airstream got the
photographs from the 1921 U.S. Amateur (which was better of my shot. My ball ended up in a deep bunker
held at the St. Louis short of the green.
Country Club), they Kye Goalby cheered
were able to visualize me up by reminding
the needed changes in me that Sam Snead
their restoration work. was in the same spot
Over the last during the final round
decade, Kye Goalby of the 1947 U.S. Open.
has worked with Tom That delighted me in
Doak designing and a way. A measure of
renovating some of golf’s greatness lies in
the best courses in the its tradition – and our
world. In addition to ability to participate
his work in St. Louis, in it. We’ll keep an
he has traveled to eye on Kye Goalby’s
interesting locations, Photographs from the 1921 U.S. Amateur were used career as he extends
for the “sympathetic restoration” at St. Louis CC. his concerns about
both in the U.S. and
in other parts of the the art of design and
world. Eleven of the courses he has helped design or the traditions of the game into the future.
Meet Emmanuel Bishop:

A Special Olympics Golf Star
The golf community in the bi-state region is developed between Emmanuel’s parents. His mother
embracing 13-year-old Emmanuel Bishop. At tended toward a therapeutic model of remediating
Spencer T. Olin where he practices, it’s not unusual weaknesses. Perhaps with physical therapy, progress
for golfers to pause at the range to admire his swing could be made in the acquisition of certain gross
or to challenge him in a contest on the putting green. motor skills. So Emmanuel went to tennis camp.
Emmanuel lives with Four times!
Down syndrome, a condition As his father put it, he “still
in which extra genetic material cannot hit a tennis ball for the life
is associated with challenges to of him,” and he cannot bounce a
the way a child develops. In the basketball or catch a baseball.
case of Emmanuel, it has turned So how is it that Emmanuel
out that something else is also in never misses with a golf swing?
his genes: a natural golf swing Recalling Emmanuel’s
and a love for the game. fascination with the golf ball
Victor and Gloria Bishop, flash card, his father went to
Emmanuel’s parents, are not Wal-Mart and bought him a
golfers. But they are hopeful plastic set of golf clubs. Before
that they can draw on the warmth long, Emmanuel was launching
and hospitality of the golfing toy golf balls all over the house.
community in our area to find a Pock-marked walls and broken
knowledgeable practice buddy lamps serve as evidence of
for their son. Their ideal would Emmanuel’s natural abilities
be to find a retired person who playing golf. The moral of the
shares Emmanuel’s love of golf story, according to Victor Bishop,
to help mentor Emmanuel as he is to follow your child’s sports’
practices and grooves his game. strengths, ability and interests.
The impact of Down syndrome varies widely Instead of seeing his son’s challenges as problems
from child to child. It affects about one in every 800 to be overcome, he focused on cultivating his son’s
babies. There are many resources within communities
See STAR • Page 16
to help kids and their families who are living with the
condition.
The story of how Emmanuel Bishop became a
golfer is complicated and intriguing.
The single most significant intervention for pre-
school age children with Down syndrome, at least
in Emmanuel’s case, was sight-reading using flash
cards. Emmanuel has been home schooled, and his
parents taught him with a set of sports flash cards
that contained images of bowling balls, softballs,
volleyballs, etc. Even as a toddler, Emmanuel
gravitated to a flash card picturing a golf ball.
In deciding how to aid their son’s physical
development, a sort of philosophical schism
In Praise of Famous
Female Golfers
Before you read my article, of ladies’ golf. It’s not easy. In sum, the LPGA does
I invite you to take this little quiz: not have the same kind of draw as the PGA.
name at least one of the top three (Note: Some might think this data (particularly
players on the LPGA Tour’s Official the disparity in prize money) is an example of deep-
Money List. The answers appear at rooted and widespread gender bias. Even the disparity
the end of this column. in popularity (real or perceived) between the PGA
First, an admission: according and LPGA could be interpreted as an example of this.
By Steve
Chanderbhan to my “job description” at Bi- In fact, this entire article could be the launching pad
State Golf, my monthly offering is for grand sociological debates about gender equality
supposed to consist of reflections on the major national in sports. That said, it is not my intention to dive into
(professional) tours. Regrettably, to this point, I had these broader issues here. Let’s just stick to the golf
not yet devoted a piece to the LPGA. That changes for now, please.)
right here. The question is this: why is the LPGA less popular
In a sense, this admission offers a way into right now? I think one reason is the relative lack of
exploring part of the problem I want to address. I try recognizable superstar golfers in the LPGA at this
to write stories about the national scene that will be time.
of interest to the average fan – at least as it appears to In the past, the LPGA has been blessed with some
me. And, if only on casual observation, it appears to such stars. We are not far removed from the heydays
me that the average fan in America is more interested of two all-time greats: Lorena Ochoa and Annika
in the PGA than the LPGA. Sorenstam. Before them, Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak,
Beyond casual observation, there are other and even Laura Davies were recognizable standard-
indicators as well; chief among these is revenue. bearers of ladies’ golf. For those who want to reach
During the economic downturn of 2009, the PGA Tour further back, don’t the names Juli Inkster, Nancy
lost just one event from its 2008 schedule, and prize Lopez, Meg Mallon, and Patty Sheehan ring some
money dipped from $279 million to $275 million. bells? If you were talking about women’s golf, these
On the other hand, the LPGA lost 7 tournaments that were the names on the tip of your tongue.
were on its 2008 schedule, including the popular What’s more, these were ladies who were
Michelob Ultra Open in Williamsburg, VA; the tour recognized for their prowess on the course. Each
also lost one more in 2010. Prize money in the LPGA was a superstar primarily for her golfing ability. Take
dropped from $64 million to $47 million. Sponsors Sorenstam for instance. She won 72 titles (3rd most
are unwilling to put forward the money to host among all women golfers in history) and became the
tournaments; one likely reason they are so hesitant first female to play in a PGA event. Lorena Ochoa’s
is that they do not expect an adequate return on their 27 titles is nothing to scoff at. Indeed, all the ladies
investment in the tournament. And where does this above were bonafide winners. They were able to
revenue come from? You guessed it – galleries. draw a vital demographic of fans to tournaments: star-
Given this, it follows that the LPGA is not as popular. gazers who want to see good golf. This they could do
Whatever the cause, LPGA tournaments do not draw even when they weren’t winning!
the same sorts of crowds as PGA tournaments. But what about now? Who do we talk about on
Ratings and media coverage tell the same story. In the LPGA today? I take it that some of the LPGA’s
the 2009 season, NBC and CBS averaged a combined most recognizable golfers are not known and talked
Nielsen rating of 2.0, whereas LPGA ratings average about for their golfing ability.
around 0.8. Further, go to any sports website (sports. Michelle Wie, for example, is known for her
yahoo.com, or espn.com) and try to find the coverage potential (and, as yet, unfulfilled) prowess on the
course. A lot of (marketing) eggs were placed in value on which the LPGA was founded: engaging
Wie’s basket; setting aside the question of who’s and entertaining our customers and fans.” After all,
responsible, it seems Wie has done nothing but drop she also noted, the LPGA is a U.S.-based tour. This
them. While she remains one of the main draws at seemed to me to be a less-than-veiled swipe at the
LPGA events, her continued lack of success on tour vast number of Asian golfers on tour – who, granted,
is frustrating to all parties involved. have degrees of proficiency varying from “fluent” to
Natalie Gulbis is another recognizable name to “virtually none.”
many, and I will grant that she has played solidly at The fact that Bivens would even think to insist
certain points in her career (particularly 2005-2006). on such a manifestly controversial policy indicates
However, she has just one win to her name and is that the highest levels of administration in the LPGA
much better known for her modeling see a problem with their best golfers.
and television exploits. She’s currently Yes, these golfers are successful on
th
ranked 64 in the world. Christina the course, but they may not be the
Kim is a very popular player on tour most relatable to the galleries and
who has had some recent success; still, sponsors, in spite of their efforts on
th
she is ranked 46 . and off the course. To say nothing of
This is certainly not to say there the sociology behind this, the LPGA
aren’t great golfers on the LPGA tour. seems to be losing the interest of the
Far from it – there are several solid general American public and corporate
players out there. Just look at recent sponsors, whose money keeps the tour
major winners Paula Creamer, Cristie afloat, as a result. Bivens’s memo was
Kerr, Morgan Pressel, and Yani Tseng. a desperate (and misguided, in my
Michelle Wie: loads of
Alexis Thompson made news for being opinion) attempt to save her ship.
potential, but...
the youngest player to qualify for the Notice the double bind in which the
U.S. Women’s Open, and her game is LPGA finds itself, even if only from a
extremely promising. These ladies have made (and business standpoint. A good number of the golfers
maintain) their names by their work on the course, by who do succeed on the course aren’t marketable; the
and large. superstar golfers are not recognizable. And the golfers
And, of course, I would be remiss not to mention who end up getting marketed are not consistent within
the sizable contingent of great Asian golfers on the the ropes; the recognizable ones are not superstar
LPGA tour. As of August 16, thirty of the top fifty golfers. Take stars who do not succeed as golfers;
players in the world (including six of the top ten) hail add golfers who succeed but are not stars, and you’re
from either Korea, or Japan, or Taiwan. Tseng is the liable to lose a sizable contingent of patrons and
latest superstar in the group; she has won three majors television viewers.
and she’s only 21 years old! This year alone, eleven How can this be helped? First, a point about the
of the fifteen tournaments that have been played thus See PRAISE • Page 16
far have been won by Asian golfers. Since 2005, nine
of the twenty-four majors played were won by Asian
golfers. It is little disputed that most of the best golfers
on the LPGA come from across the Pacific.
But here there enters yet another delicate issue – a
cultural disconnect between the LPGA’s best golfers
and fans and sponsors here in America. Need evidence?
One need only consider LPGA commissioner Carolyn
Bivens’s controversial 2009 memo, in which she
insisted that all LPGA golfers must come to have
some proficiency at speaking English. Bivens wrote
in the cover letter, “We do not view this as punitive
… but rather as underscoring the importance of a core
STAR • FROM 13 PRAISE • FROM 15
gifts, interests, and natural abilities. golfers who get the lion’s share of attention now:
The next step involved a trip to the local Target I’ve written before that no one is bigger than the
store where Mr. Bishop bought his son a junior game; however, the line could do with some nuance.
set of real golf clubs. Despite Mr. Bishop’s lack Personalities are needed so we fans can have someone
of knowledge about golf, he printed a golf swing with whom to identify, but those personalities are
sequence, took him to the driving range, and laid the usually forged in the context of the game. Why
pictures on the ground. The young boy took a glance have Tiger and Phil – even John Daly – gained and
at the photos and, in imitation, began a series of solid maintained the stature they have inside the ropes? It
golf shots on the range. starts with this fact: they were (are) successful golfers.
Next came golf lessons. Weekly sessions at Golf fans love good golf!
Clinton Hill with Dan Polities helped Emmanuel to Second, note that the success of the LPGA is not
develop good swing habits. determined unilaterally; rather, it is determined by a
At Belk Park, Mark Morfey taught Emmanuel to relationship between the tour and its fans. So perhaps
putt using a wooden two-by-four with markings and the LPGA would do well to use some creativity to
a center point for proper stance and direction. market its better golfers more heavily. Perhaps we
In fact, Emmanuel Bishop’s golf skills are all would do well not to focus on, say, Michelle Wie
developing to the point that he has become a standout until she actually wins something worthwhile (other
at the Special Olympics. The competition involves than her one major – major disappointment). Instead,
six skills. Golfers are given five balls at each skills market and talk about Ai Miyazato, Yani Tseng, and
station: short and long putting, pitching, chipping, JiYai Shin; get a buzz going around them! I, for my
and ball striking with an iron/hybrid and a driver. small part, will be more diligent about this in future
At the Illinois Special Olympics District Qualifier, articles.
Emmanuel recently recorded the best qualifying And what about us fans? Well, we could be better
individual golf skills score in Illinois across all age at following the good golf of the LPGA, regardless
divisions for both males and females! Emmanuel is of who’s playing. Who cares if an American isn’t
hoping to participate in the Illinois Special Olympics anywhere near the top of the leaderboard; if we just
on September 11-12 at Hickory Point Golf Course in watch, we might see good golf worth our attention.
Decatur, IL. (And if you were willing to watch Louis Oosthuizen’s
If there is a golfer in our community who would like British Open romp on Sunday, you have no excuse on
to become a golfing buddy and mentor to Emmanuel this score!) Yes, the tour needs personalities forged
Bishop, we can put you in touch with Emmanuel’s by the game, but those aren’t worth a thing unless we
parents. Please contact us at bistategolf@gmail. make the effort to pay attention to them.
com. If the LPGA is lacking recognizable superstar
golfers, we fans can do our part to help make the best
golfers on tour more recognizable; the LPGA and
media can do their part to help make them superstars,
and they’ll take care of the golf bit. It’s also worth
keeping in mind what’s so enticing about the game
of golf to begin with: the game itself, which many of
us play. How can we not stand up and cheer for great
golf? I’m not saying we shouldn’t have our favorites,
but let’s remember why we are interested in them in
the first place: they’re playing the game we play, and
we love these players for being excellent at what they
do.
Answers to the quiz: As of August 23, the top
money earners were: 1. Ai Miyazato; 2. Na Yeon
Choi; 3. Jiyai Shin. How many did you get?
View from the G ld Tees

Have you noticed how many does tend to take business away from the smaller guys that
good deals there are out there for those have welcomed seniors to good, fun courses to play for
of us who are retired but not exactly reasonable rates for a long time.
rich duffers? Without naming names or The sky is not falling, of course, and it will all work
getting into the exact greens fees, I want itself out over the next few years as the economy (slowly)
to say that the golf courses in the Bi- continues to recover. Courses are learning new ways to
State area seem to be making it possible cut operating costs with grasses that need less water
By Ed Schafer for us to find good places to play even and mowing and, unfortunately, making do with fewer
though money seems to be getting employees. You do what you have to do to make it all
tighter. work.
The downside, of course, is that many courses are And I guess I think all of us golfers have a part to play
feeling the pinch themselves. Course operators, as a group, in this situation, too. I have to say I have truly enjoyed
always seem to be upbeat about things, but when asked taking advantage of the Walters Golf Management specials
privately how their courses are doing, many answer with at such places as Sunset Hills, Bogey Hills, Stonewolf,
some version of, “We’re getting by.” Far Oaks and Gateway National. But I also want to keep
Golf courses are, by their very nature, labor intensive playing the courses like The Prairies, Arlington Greens,
things. Course operators know they have to keep the Stonebridge and the many other courses that have taken
grounds in good condition to draw golfers. That’s not such good care of us over the years.
always easy for the smaller, leaner courses that have to
See DEALS • Page 19
compete with the higher-end courses which, in efforts
to boost their own bottom lines, have begun offering us
average golfers some pretty attractive specials.
A little research reveals that this is not just a local
problem and that this area is really much better off than
many of the vaunted “golf destinations” around the
country. I read that the golf Mecca of Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, has lost one-fifth of its courses to bankruptcy and
foreclosure in the last couple of years. From 125 courses
to 100. I personally have seen the problems even the ultra-
high-end courses on Maui are having.
Reports say the private clubs, which were overbuilt
badly a decade ago as developers tried to get a jump on
the demand caused by the expected swarm of retiring
boomers, are struggling with declining memberships.
Younger prospective members often want more than just
a golf course; they want pools, spas and workout facilities
as well.
I assume some of the really exclusive clubs in the
St. Louis area are pretty well immune to the economic
downturns that affect the rest of us. But when I drive past
some of these wonderfully manicured courses I usually
notice something missing—golfers. What a waste.
As we have seen in our area, even some of the private
clubs are opening play to the public on a limited basis to
get some additional revenue. That’s great for us, but it
Bi-State Student Golfer of the Month:

John Stimac
John Stimac got off to a fast start during the 2010 BSG: With regard to golf, what have you been up to
fall high school golf campaign. A senior at East Alton- this summer?
Wood River, Stimac was victorious at his school’s first JS: I practiced just about every day and I played in
tournament. The inaugural “Battle for the Hickory Stick” the PGA Junior Tour. It was the first time I ever played in
was held at Belk Park. Soon after that championship, we it. The PGA Junior Tour is a chance to stay sharp playing
had a conversation with John Stimac. competitive golf and to see how you stack up against other
high school golfers from the area. I played in tournaments
Bi-State Golf: You won the first golf tournament of at Old Warson, Eagle Springs, the Woodlands, Bear Creek,
your senior year of high school. Can you tell us about it? the Prairies in Cahokia, Rolling Hills, Oak Brook, and Belk
John Stimac: This is the first time that our high Park. It was great and a lot of fun. [The results from the
school hosted this tournament. We called it the “Battle Gateway Section of the PGA show that John was one of the
for the Hickory Stick”. The tournament was at Belk Park, top players in the region this summer. He finished in the
which is our home course. We invited eight teams. Our top five in almost every tournament he entered, including
team won. I shot a 76, which was the lowest individual a PGA Junior Tour victory at Eagle Springs.]
score by four strokes.
BSG: How did you learn the game of golf?
JS: My dad taught me when I was little. He showed
me how to swing when I was seven years old. I never
really played much until I was twelve. That’s when I really
started to try. I liked it, but I never played competitive golf
until last year, during my junior year of high school.
BSG: So this is really just your second competitive

season playing high school golf? Were you involved in
athletics during your freshman and sophomore years of
high school?
JS: My freshman and sophomore year I played
football. My freshman year, I was planning to play running
back and linebacker on the football team. During the first
hitting practice, I broke my arm. I couldn’t carry the ball
after that, but I could still play linebacker with a cast on
my broken limb. In the first game, I broke my leg. I was
out for the rest of the year. In my sophomore year, I played
wide receiver and safety, but then I hurt my back during
the football season. I finished out the year, but then I said,
“You know, I’m tired of getting hurt. I’m going to try
playing golf to see how this works.” I fell in love with it.
BSG: In Illinois, the golf season for both boys and

girls is in the fall. The high schools are divided into three
divisions, and the East Alton-Wood River Oilers are a mid-
DEALS • FROM 17
sized school that competes in division 2A. Tell us about On a purely personal note, the sparse play on one
your experience last year on the Oiler’s golf squad. course a few weeks ago was a real drag for me.
JS: I had a pretty good year. I was medallist six times, I’ve been playing golf for many, many years and have
and our team played well, winning 19 times. I made it to had all kinds of close calls for a hole-in-one but never had
sectionals, but I missed going to the state tournament by a the satisfaction of seeing one of my fine iron shots drop
few strokes. It was a good season. into the cup.
Well, on what was the hottest day of the year, up to
BSG: Your coaches at East Alton-Wood River are that point on July 23, I hit an 8 iron off the new silver
Marc Sobol and Dillon Brasher. Do you and your coaches tees on the 12th hole at Emerald Greens and watched as it
have some goals set for this season, both for yourself and rolled toward the flagstick.
for your team? “Great shot,” said one of my playing partners as he
JS: We’re going to have a very good team this year, bent down to tee up his ball. “You should have a tap-in
and we’re hoping to set the East Alton-Wood River school bird.” Then I realized I couldn’t see the ball anymore. But
record for wins for our golf team. Our coach wants us there are undulations on the green and I thought maybe it
to advance to the sectionals as a team. My teammates are rolled past the cup and out of view.
Michael Sabatino, Marc Sobol, Cody McKay, Matt Dare, “That might have dropped in,” I said, not wanting to
Josh Dare, and Alex Ennis. There has never been a golfer get excited or anything.
during the history of our school to go to state. We’re “Couldn’t see it,” said my buddy, taking a practice
hoping to break that this year. swing.
My other friend in the threesome was busy pouring
BSG: You mentioned that the home course for your some energy drink into a cup of ice back at the cart when
high school is Belk Park. How do you like playing at he heard me.
Belk? “Did I miss something,” he asked, snapping the
JS: I love it, I really do. I like it a lot. I’ve played lid down on the cup and running a straw into it, totally
it so much I feel like I know it like the back of my hand. oblivious to what must have been a great golf shot.
It’s got real nice fairways and the greens are really good The upshot is that I didn’t know until we walked up
right now. I played it a lot when I was little, so I’m really onto the green and found my ball in the cup that I had
familiar with it. It suits my eye. my first hole-in-one. I was going to let out a whoop, but I
looked around and realized that there wasn’t another group
BSG: How would you characterize your golf game? anywhere in that area of the course and there wouldn’t be
What is the best part of your game? anyone but the two guys with me to hear it.
JS: I would probably say it’s my ball striking. I can A hole-in-one and nobody but the two friends with me
hit the ball pretty good. When I get my putter going, I can to share it with. The good news is that there wasn’t anybody
score some pretty low rounds, but when it’s a little off, I in the clubhouse bar to buy drinks for. No bartender, even.
kind of struggle. None of us drank, anyway, so I compromised and bought
lunch at the local Steak ‘n Shake. That’s life in the fast
BSG: You’re just beginning your senior year of high lane.
school. Have you thought about your plans after you Anyway, it’s a good way to wind down a golf season.
graduate from high school? It has been a lot of fun and having this magazine to write
JS: I would love to play golf somewhere in college. for made it even better.
I’m not too sure what I would like to study. This year, I’m I know writer Greg Beabout is writing about an
hoping to find out more about what I would like to pursue incredible experience at Whistling Straits, so I thought I
in my college studies. It would be a lot of fun to play golf would call attention to what John Paul Newport of The
in college next year. Wall Street Journal erroneously reported prior to play
about the sand on the course:
BSG: We want to wish you and your team good luck “…the vast majority of those bunkers lie so far from
this season. All the best to you. the greens and fairways they might as well be Hollywood
JS: Thank you very much. backdrops for all they will come into play this week.”
Boy, was he wrong.
A Review
By Gene Vanek is a small portion of the ancestral homeland of the
Its beauty captures your attention; Choctaw Indian Nation.
Its personality captures your heart. In Choctaw language, Bok Chukfi Ahithac
Anonymous means “the creek where rabbits dance,” and the
name Dancing Rabbit was selected for the Golf Club
Augusta you can play. to celebrate the endurance and perseverance of the
Golf Magazine Mississippi Choctaws. At the same time, however,
it recalls a sad chapter in our country’s history, and is
Let me introduce you to Dancing Rabbit as it was summarized in the Dancing Rabbit yardage booklet.
introduced to me. In September 1830, a treaty was signed between
Dusk was falling as we put our bags in the Fairway the United States and the Choctaw nation. With it,
House on The Azaleas course, the only cottage the Choctaws gave up the last of their homelands,
located directly on the golf course at Dancing Rabbit. originally 20 million acres. The treaty allowed
Our back patio was just yards from the third fairway, Choctaws the choice of going to a new Choctaw
but a thick strip of forest blocked it from our view. Nation in Indian Territory, Oklahoma, or staying in
So our magazine’s cartoon artist, Garry Wehmeyer, East Mississippi on a portion of their homelands to
and I decided to take a walk down the winding path
through the hushed darkened woods to get an advance
glimpse of the golf course we were to play early the
next morning.
As the path cleared the towering pines and oaks
and we stepped onto the tee, a scene met our eyes
that took our breath away—a graceful, rolling, forest-
lined fairway, exquisitely manicured, and emitting an
emerald glow through the misty dimming daylight.
And on the spongy Bermuda grass under our feet, not
a blade of crabgrass, not a scrap of cellophane, not a
sunflower seed or cigarette butt, not even a broken
tee. Think of what awesome meant 20 years ago
(unlike the casual and shallow use of the word today).
We were awed—awed in the truest sense of the word.
Standing there on those pristine grounds, I had the
feeling that if golf were a religion, Dancing Rabbit
just might be its Sistine Chapel.
How It Came to Be
Dancing Rabbit is located in Choctaw, Mississippi,

and is part of the Pearl River Resort, the Southern The elegant southern plantation style Dancing Rabbit
United States’ first comprehensive luxury gaming clubhouse sits just yards from the first hole of both
resort. The property on which the complex sits The Azaleas and The Oaks courses. There are
8 luxury King suits on its second floor.
become U.S. citizens. Those that left were forced to When Fazio first laid his eyes on the land he was
endure the infamous Trail of Tears relocation. asked to transform into a golf course, he realized that
The ancestors of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw he was being granted the special privilege of applying
Indians chose to stay, but the choice proved difficult. his design skills to a lush unspoiled forestland of rare
Treaty allotments that rightfully belonged to the beauty, with a topography ideal for golf. And Fazio
Choctaws were either never granted or were stripped seems to have been the perfect choice to oversee the
away by force, fraud and deceit. The Mississippi project, his design philosophy being to create a look
Choctaws lost their land. that is in keeping with the natural surroundings.
But the Mississippi Band of Choctaws persevered According to Dancing Rabbit’s Director of Golf,
and today is a leading economic spirit in east central Mark Powell, “He (Fazio) was given free reign on
Mississippi and beyond. The Dancing Rabbit Golf approximately 750 acres.” It was decided that two18-
Club land is in the same location along the Dancing hole golf courses would be built, one to be called “The
Rabbit Creeks where the Choctaw people used to Azaleas” and the other “The Oaks.” The Azaleas and
gather. the clubhouse opened in 1997; The Oaks debuted two
The chief executive officer of the Mississippi Band years later, in 1999.
Choctaws today is Miko Beasley Denson. (“Miko” is
the Choctaw term for chief or leader. The previous
leader, Phillip Martin, used the title “Chief.”) Miko
Beasley Denson is himself an avid golfer.
Miko Beasley Denson,

the Mississippi Band of
Choctaws Chief.
Rock outcroppings and water are plentiful on The Oaks.

This is No. 11.
The Designers
The Choctaw leaders were wise to recruit two

of the foremost golf course architects in the world
to design and develop their pristine forest acreage
into a premiere golfing facility, Tom Fazio and Jerry
Pate. Fazio is one of our country’s most prominent
golf course designers, having been named by his
peers in a Golf Digest poll as “Best Modern Day Golf
Course Architect” in 1991, ’93 and ’95. And Jerry
Pate, for years a Tour player of considerable renown Azalea bushes frame the 13th green. When in full bloom,
they provide a spectacular multicolored backdrop
and former U.S. Open champion, is not just a notable reminiscent of Augusta National.
name. He’s been involved is golf course design for
the past 19 years, having worked with Pete Dye, Bob
Cupp and Ron Garl, in addition to Tom Fazio. See DANCING • Page 22
DANCING • FROM 21
greens in our area, imagine the beating they took 8½
Related, but Unique hours south of us. While Dancing Rabbit’s greens did
show some effects from the heat, we found them quite
If The Azaleas and The Oaks are twins, they are playable. And one can easily see that they’ll bounce
certainly fraternal rather than identical twins. The back nicely as cooler weather sets in.
Azaleas, as you might expect, is decorated with many Now for The Oaks. I won’t have as much to say
thousands of azalea bushes. And when the azalea about The Oaks, the reason being that I didn’t get a
bushes are in full bloom around Masters-time in mid- chance to play it—it was closed as its greens are being
April, the views on The Azaleas are spectacular. In converted from bent grass to Champion Bermuda.
fact, Mark Powell says that “Everyone compares By the time you read this, it probably will be open.
Azaleas to Augusta National.” While I didn’t walk The Oaks fairways and putt its
Several creeks meander through The Azaleas greens, Powell treated me to a personal golf cart tour
Bermuda fairways, with waterfalls adding to the of the course, so I can offer some insights.
beauty and pleasure of the golf experience. But water Unlike The Azaleas Bermuda fairways, The Oaks
in the form of lakes and ponds is scarce indeed, coming features zoysia fairways and Bermuda roughs. And
into play in a significant way on only one hole, the unlike the absence of ponds on The Azaleas, ponds
18th. The course is generously, but fairly, bunkered and lakes abound on The Oaks. They come into play
in the typical Fazio deep face style. Another tenet of significantly on Holes 2, 5, 7, 8 and 11, and sometimes
Fazio’s design philosophy is that however beautiful on #18 depending on pin placement. The Azaleas is
the course, appearance never takes precedence over
“playability,” and this is clearly apparent with the
dogleg holes on The Azaleas. While there are several
of them, all are moderate to subtle, and none precludes
even the short knocker from a chance at making par.
The bent grass Azaleas greens are large, No.18
being half a football field deep, and 10 others are The Golden Moon
Casino Hotel shadows
within 10 yards of that distance. In keeping with
The Oaks’ 5th green.
Fazio’s emphasis on playability, however, the putts
on the Azaleas greens are eminently readable. Only
one green, No. 18, merits special mention of contours
in the yardage book; this wonderful finishing hole
is rated the 2nd hardest on the course. If you think
the brutally hot summer has been hard on bent grass
No. 18 is a fabulous but difficult finishing hole. It rewards the golfer who reaches the green this stunning view.
No.7 in a special category of courses that are not in
the top 100 that ought to be.
There are two casino hotels at the resort, and both
offer golf packages, as does the Hilton Garden Inn
located right on the Dancing Rabbit parking lot. The
Dancing Rabbit Clubhouse Package features 8 elegant
King suites on the 2nd floor of the Dancing Rabbit
clubhouse. Then there is the Fairway Foursome
package, the one my group was on. The package you
choose depends on your needs and desires, but when
I go back to Dancing Rabbit, I’ll do so on the Fairway
Dancing Rabbit’s Director of Golf Mark Powell (right rear) Foursome package again.
and Golf Shop Clerks, Sonny Davis and Connie Bell.
certainly not without its hazards, but The Oaks is a The luxurious King suites
true risk-reward golf course. Many holes tempt the on the second floor of
golfer to “go for it” with an excellent chance for birdie the clubhouse are booked
if the shot is successful, but a penalty stroke when it’s with the Clubhouse
Golf Package.
not. It would be a blast to play in a scramble at The
Oaks with a long hitter on your team.
Not only do The Azaleas and The Oaks play
differently, they have a different look and feel. The The layout of the resort is such that when you
Oaks features many scenic rock formations and more park your car, you can put your keys in your golf bag
waterfalls than The Azaleas. Many of its fairways and leave them there until you’re ready to go home.
slope toward the green, while the slopes are mainly Shuttles are readily available, and if you’re on the
tilted uphill on The Azaleas. It’s likely a big reason clubhouse or the Fairway Foursome Package, you can
why average golfers tend to prefer The Oaks, though drive your private golf cart right up to the front door
most want to play both courses. of the casino, as I did. Just remember to take the key
A characteristic shared by both courses is large with you when you go in to gamble, dine at one of the
greens, though The Oaks greens are 2.67 yards many fine restaurants and maybe take in a show by a
shallower on overall average. The decision to convert big name entertainer, dozens of whom have appeared
them to Champion Bermuda was a wise one, to be there, like Bill Cosby, Travis Tritt and Willie Nelson,
sure. It was the final step in giving the golfer a chance or are on their way, like Randy Travis and Jay Leno.
to enjoy two distinctly different golf experiences,
both beginning within a few hundred short yards of A Destination Stop-Over
the same clubhouse! Dancing Rabbit is a marvel—a
true design masterpiece. NFL great Mike Ditka had this to say about
Dancing Rabbit: “If you don’t enjoy Dancing Rabbit,
Value, Convenience, Extras you probably won’t enjoy heaven either.” And the
best time of the year for you to enjoy Dancing Rabbit
Space limitations do not permit me to expound at undoubtedly is the spring, when nature is in full bloom
length on the outstanding value-for-dollar advantages and the temperatures are comfortable. But if you are
offered by the Pearl River Resort and Dancing one of those Florida winter snow birds, you should
Rabbit. But keep in mind when you check out the give serious thought to making Dancing Rabbit a stop
rates and golf package options on their website, www. along your way. The courses will be in great shape,
DancingRabbitGolf.com, that at The Azaleas, you’ll the weather is likely to be ideal and off season rates
be playing the 34th best golf course in the country, will be in effect. But whenever you go, you’ll be glad
you went. I guarantee it.
according to Golf Magazine. And The Oaks is ranked
The Tolle Call

Of Mice and Men
Is there anyone more delicate than frequent DL appearance, 88 of the 157. In the era of
today’s Major League baseball set-up men, closers, and pitch counts, today’s pitchers
player? We are a long way from are coddled compared to previous generations.
the days of Bob Gibson finishing Detroit’s Justin Verlander pitched the most innings in
an inning after his leg was broken 2009, with 240. Adam Wainwright led the Cardinals
By Michael by a line drive. Now, outfielders with 233. Looking back, Bob Gibson beat 240 nine
Tolle already hurt suffer setbacks on the times and tied it once. He pitched 278 innings or more
treadmill (Ludwick; I’m still sorry to see him go), seven times, and broke 300 twice. Still, pitching is an
pitchers called up to replace an injured hurler go on unnatural action repeated over and over again. Add
the disabled list (DL) themselves after 22 innings the chance of a ball coming right back at you from 60
pitched (Ottavino; remember him?), burly outfielders feet 6 inches and it’s no wonder a lot of pitchers get
separate shoulders after a gentle dive on the soft injured.
outfield grass (Stavinoha), and players take months to I know players in other sports get hurt too. Football
recover from sore backs (Penny, who likely will end players especially go down in large numbers. That’s
up getting paid well over $2 million per win). somewhat to be expected, though, when you have
Then there is David Freese, this year’s poster 300-pound players constantly slamming into each
boy for injuries. He was having a good year for the other and players cutting on a dime to avoid tacklers.
Cardinals, fielding well, hitting well. He suffered a Baseball is essentially a non-contact sport, and I’m
bone bruise to his ankle and went on the DL June 28. not referring to Brendan Ryan batting. I don’t think
While on the DL, he dropped a weight on his foot, the other major sports, one contact (hockey) and one
breaking a toe. It took more than a month, but he allegedly non-contact (basketball), see the number of
finally started on a rehab assignment in the minors. injuries that baseball does. For example, in the 2009-
In his first appearance, he tore tissue and damaged a 2010 NBA season, at a point roughly equivalent to
tendon in that same ankle. That’s understandable, I where we are now in the baseball season, there were
suppose, since he was performing an unusually risky 28 players out for a significant length of time. There
maneuver—rounding a base. Now he’s gone for the are only about half as many NBA players as MLB
year. players, but the percentage still is much lower.
I sometimes wonder if the Cardinals should Maybe baseball players aren’t fragile so much as
change their nickname to the Fragile Porcelain Mice, clumsy. I remember when Mike Matheny severed
the name of a well-known St. Louis rock band, which tendons and a nerve in his right finger while handling
took it from a David Letterman Top 10 list for most a hunting knife he had just received as a birthday
unlikely football team nicknames, or something like gift. I remember Vince Coleman and his run-in with
that. But, in fairness, they do have some Gibby-like the automated tarp at Busch Stadium. Both of these
characters, including Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, injuries knocked key players out of the playoffs.
Chris Carpenter, and Yadier Molina. Also, are the We’ll never know for sure, but it’s very possible these
Cardinals any more fragile than other teams? injuries cost the Cardinals a championship or two.
It appears not. As of August 3, there were 157 The Cardinals also aren’t out of the ordinary
players on the DL. Every team had at least two. when it comes to unusual injuries. The Rays recently
The Nationals and Athletics led with nine each. The were stung when pitcher Grant Balfour hurt himself
Cardinals had six, only a fraction of a player over the roughhousing with a pitching coach. He’ll be out 4-6
average. Not surprisingly, pitchers made the most weeks. Earlier this year, the Angels were bedeviled
9) Wade Boggs hurt his back when he lost his
balance while trying to put on cowboy boots.
10) John Smoltz burned his chest while ironing a
shirt that he was wearing.
What, they never heard of Vince Coleman? He
deserves a spot in the Top 10.
It might seem cruel to make fun of players hurting
themselves, so I’m going to end on a conciliatory
note. Lots of people get hurt in silly accidents or local
amateur sporting events—it’s just not newsworthy
unless you are a public figure like a highly paid ball
player. I believe few, if any, ball players are faking
their injuries. Some may have a low pain tolerance
(J.D. Drew), but I’m convinced almost all would
prefer earning their money to sitting on the bench
watching their teammates play. I suspect nobody
feels worse than Penny, Freese, and the other injured
Cardinals, and I wish them a speedy and complete
J.D. Drew: Never known as The Iron Man recovery, even if they end up on another team. Let’s
when star Kendry Morales hit a walk-off home run, hope the Cardinals’ DL grows shorter, not longer, as
then broke his leg jumping at home plate in the ensuing the season winds down. We need all the help we can
celebration. He’s out for the year. There are many get to beat the Reds.
other examples—the Marlins’ Chris Coghlan hurting
his knee while hitting Wes Helm with a pie as Helm
was being interviewed after a game-winning hit, the
Cubs’ Sammy Sosa going on the DL after sneezing,
the Rockies’ Clint Barnes falling while carrying deer
meat up a flight of stairs, presumably after using a
knife similar to Mike Matheny’s. The website Weird
Things offers its Top 10:
1) Nolan Ryan was bitten by a coyote.
2) Phil Niekro injured his hand shaking hands
too hard.
3) Chris Brown injured his eye by sleeping on
his eye wrong.
4) Rick Honeycutt injured his wrist while
flicking sunflower seeds in the dugout.
5) George Brett hit his foot on a chair and broke
his toe while running from the kitchen to the
TV to see Bill Buckner hit.
6) Kevin Mitchell strained a muscle while
vomiting.
7) Ricky Bones hurt his lower back getting
out of a chair while watching TV in the
clubhouse.
8) Odiebe McDowell cut his finger buttering
a roll at the Texas Ranger’s welcome home
luncheon.
Changes are Coming to

The Orchards
Belleville, IL. Schaupeter Golf Design has played and maintained on a modest budget.” Changes
received the green light to renovate two holes, Nos. to the teeing ground, cart path, and putting surface
16 and 17, at The Orchards. On August 11, 2010, should increase the risk-reward character of the hole.
the concept plan was completed. Tree removal has On No. 17, the putting surface will be made larger
already begun. and moved back while a bail-out area will be added to
During the off-season, holes 16 and 17 will be the right of the green.
shut down while the new design is implemented. During the off-season renovation, golfers can
Completion of the project is scheduled by the spring still play The Orchards. For special prices and
golf season in 2011. offers, golfers can call (618) 233-8921`or visit www.
The principal architect for the new design is Art orchardsgolfclub.com.
Schaupeter. Schaupeter previously worked with
Keith Foster. He has been involved in the
design of several courses in the bi-state
area, including Gateway National and
Persimmon Woods.
The changes at The Orchards are
motivated in part because the growth
of forested areas limited air movement.
That presented course maintenance
challenges, especially during periods of
intense summer heat.
No. 16 at The Orchards is a short
par four. The new design flows from
Schaupeter’s philosophy. “The pendulum
has swung back toward the strategic,
engaging and fun golf course that can be
Tree clearing and renovations have begun on No. 16 at The Orchards.
A Most Unusual Hole
No. 3 at Evergreen Golf Course in Colorado is indeed a

most unusual golf hole. It’s a short par 3, just 110 yards,
but the green is located on the other side of a high ridge
from the teeing ground. To take aim, golfers must align
themselves with the natural “v” opening formed by the
rocks on the large boulder directly in front of the tee.
Evergreen Golf Course is a municipal course owned by

Denver County in Colorado and located 30 minutes west
of downtown Denver in the Rocky Mountains.
Uneven Lies
We don’t always get the nice flat lie we prefer, so here are some tips for those
situations where the lies are less desirable.
By Barbara
Blanchar
The Lie Tips

Side hill/ Ball above feet: Play ball in the center of your stance.
Grip down on the club.
Stand up a little taller.
Ball will go left. The more lofted the club,
the more it will go left
(aim right accordingly.)
Side hill/ Ball below feet: Play ball in the center of your stance.
Bend your knees more than normal.
Ball will tend to go right (aim slightly left.)
Keep knees bent thru impact!!
Uphill: Play ball slightly forward in your stance.

Tilt your shoulders parallel with the hill.
Ball will go higher and shorter than normal because you have added
loft to the club by tilting your shoulders.
Allow your weight to be more on your right foot at address.
You may need to add another club for the size of the hill.
Downhill: Play ball slightly back in your stance.

Tilt your shoulders with the hill.
Ball will go lower and farther than normal because you have
delofted the club by tilting your shoulders.
Try to keep the club swinging low down the hill through impact.
The 2nd Annual Bi-State Golf Awards

By Steve Chanderbhan

Since we’re going into hibernation for fall and winter, it’s time to hand out some
end-of-the-year awards! The envelopes please …
The Gene Vanek PGA Player of the Year the proverbial water coolers at the office. Tiger
Award: Elin Nordegren had all of us talking, golfers and non-golfers
* “After all,” Gene says, “She’s the top alike. That’s entertainment!”
money earner on the PGA Tour” this year.
The Steve Chanderbhan Rookie / Young
The Barbara Blanchar LPGA Player of Gun of the Year Award: Martin Kaymer
the Year Award: Yani Tseng * Lost amidst the hubbub at the PGA
* She won her 2nd and 3rd majors this year – Championship was Kaymer – you know, the
and she’s only 21. She’s everything Michelle winner. This is no fluke. Just 25, he already
Wie was supposed to be by now but isn’t. has 6 European Tour wins. Although he missed
(Honorable Mention: Ai Miyazato) the cut at the Masters, he had top ten finishes
at the other three majors this year. (Honorable
The Mike Suhre Local Golfer of the Year Mention: Yani Tseng)
Award: Derek Lamely
* I’d love to give this to Mike again; he The Greg Beabout “Give This Man A
is just that awesome of a person. Still, let’s Mulligan” Award: Dustin Johnson
give some love to Lamely, who hails from * Hole #2, Pebble Beach, Sunday, U.S.
Belleville, IL. He won the Puerto Rico Open Open, or hole #18, Whistling Straits, Sunday,
with weekend rounds of 63 and 66. PGA Championship. Pick one.
The Ed Schaefer Champions’ Tour The Mark Morfey Weirdest Rule Issue
Player of the Year Award: Bernhard Langer Award: Dustin Johnson
* After winning the Senior British Open * Hole #18, Whistling Straits, Sunday,
at Carnoustie, Langer jetted from Scotland PGA Championship. ‘Nuff said. See Greg
to Seattle and won the U.S. Senior Open at Beabout’s article on his experience there in
Sahalee the very next week! He’s even in the this month’s issue!
running for a Ryder Cup spot again! (I hear
Mr. Schaefer’s on Corey Pavin’s short list; Jim The Michael Tolle Non-Golf Sports
Gray said so.) Personality of the Year Award: Sam
Bradford
The Jim Carroll Most Entertaining * No, we aren’t going to the Dome to
Player of the Year Award: Tiger Woods see A.J. Feeley. (Honorable Mentions: Jim
* In Jim’s words, “It isn’t even close. The Delaney,Big 10 Commissioner, for dangling
player who entertained me the most, who the carrot of joining the Big 10 in front of
captured my almost total attention, was Tiger Mizzou; Dan Beebe, Big 12 Commissioner,
Woods. Entertainment doesn’t necessarily for saving the league from sure death by
mean laughter. If it did, I’d go with the bribing – er, convincing – Texas to stay; Stan
clown--John Daly. But entertainment to me is Kroenke,new owner of the Rams)
capturing attention, causing discussion around
Suffering a Sweltering Summer

Unfortunately, I do not have much It’s tricky keeping a green healthy in the hot
to write about in terms of my golfing. temperatures. If you think you can grow a green in your
The Gateway PGA schedule gets a little back yard, please talk to you local superintendant before
thin in July and the first part of August making such a poor decision. In the summer, the greens
for events I will play in. They have a lot have to be watered only enough to keep them alive. If
of pro-am events but I don’t like to ask they are watered too much, they’ll become diseased from
By Mike Suhre people to ante up money to play with the moisture. If they are watered too little, they will die.
me. So, in the middle of the summer, What this means is, in the middle of the day, when it is
I take a little break from the game and do my best to help unbearable to be outside, the grounds crews are pulling
Oak Brook run efficiently. The article this month is a hoses around the course to hand water the greens. Why
Thank You to the grounds crew at Oak Brook. can’t they just turn on the sprinklers? If you turn on the
As I’m sure you’ve seen, golf courses have taken a big sprinklers, you will over-water areas that don’t need it. By
hit with the terrible summer weather. I cannot remember hand watering, you can assess the condition of the green
a summer with worse conditions for local grounds crews and manually put water in the places that need it.
to combat. With the relentless heat and the 2-4 inch rains After arriving at the course at 5:00 a.m., you have to
that provide little temperature relief, some superintendants spend the last two hours of your day dragging a 100 foot
in the area are struggling to keep their jobs. I have heard one inch hose around the greens. This is not an easy chore.
that some courses are losing many of their greens. In this Most courses employ college kids to do this task due to
heat, courses with a novice superintendant, poor air flow the physical demands. If you come out to Oak Brook, you
around the greens, and rates priced low enough to attract a will always see Fred out with the hose. Granted, there are
lot of golfers further stressing the greens, the turf is going some college kids working with him, but he is the go-to
to struggle. guy. With this dedication, Oak Brook is always in great
Fortunately for Oak Brook, we have arguably the most shape.
experienced staff in the area. Our Superintendant, Fred Dennis Harris keeps all of the equipment at Oak Brook
Ehlke, has been at Oak Brook for 32 years now. He got in working order to allow the surfaces to be manicured.
there just after I was born and has, to my knowledge, lost The hot conditions are hard on the equipment, and I can
only one green in all that time. That happened before I can promise you, working on a mower in a shed with no air
remember and I can remember trying to hit a driver over conditioning is no treat. Without Fred and Dennis, I guess
#19 creek when it was still #1. Our head mechanic and we’d be one of 2010’s horror stories of. I know the PGA
grounds crew member, Dennis Harris, has been with us of America says the Golf Professional is the backbone of
for over 25 years. With their wealth of knowledge about the golf industry, but without a competent grounds crew,
our course, they have been able to keep Oak Brook open there would be no golf to play.
and in good shape even when Mother Nature has been So to all the outside crew at Oak Brook: Fred, Dennis,
unkind. There are very few courses in the area where the Mike, Hank, Vernie, Don, Tommy B, Max, Chad, and Josh,
top two members of the grounds crew have over 57 years thanks for keeping it green. Without you guys, I don’t
experience at their current jobs. know where we’d be. With you, I can rest assured we will
Most people have no idea the time, money and live to see another summer.
man hours it takes to keep a course green in such harsh PLEASE REMEMBER PATRIOT DAY WEEKEND
conditions. As a kid growing up, I remember Fred talking SEPTEMBER 3-6. I don’t care where you play or if you
about how if the temperature and humidity add up to more play. Just bring a minimum of $1.00 to the course of your
than 160 for an extended period of time, the grass will start choice. If you don’t know where the money goes, look up
to get stressed. I really can’t think of a time of day in the www.foldsofhonor.com. Take a look at the people’s lives
last month where these two measures did not add up to 160 you are helping. Oak Brook is going to have some fun
or more. Usually, even in the hot summers in St. Louis, giveaways and I need every dollar I can get to reach my
you will get nighttime temperatures in the high 60’s. I goal of $9,000. Come out and show support to those who
don’t think we‘ve had a temperature in the 60’s since the have given everything to protect your freedom.
ground thawed in March.
A Wild Finish at the 2010 PGA Championship
By Greg Beabout the final major of 2010. We got to pick which day
I went to Whistling Straits hoping for three things: to attend, and I chose Sunday. I attended with an
to see Tiger Woods in person, to observe the crowd’s old friend from Wisconsin. We had a true “guys”
reaction to Mr. Woods, and to witness the “changing weekend. He got us tickets to the Packers football
of the guard” with the new young talent on tour. game Saturday night in Green Bay, and he went with
I got all that and more. Much more. me to Whistling Straits for the final day of the PGA
I was almost hit by two golf balls: one from Tiger Championship.
Woods, and the other the now infamous wayward The passes that the PGA sent us didn’t allow
shot of Dustin Johnson on the 72nd hole. access inside the ropes with the television cameras.
Here’s a bit of personal background. In the late That didn’t bother me; I was very happy to mix with
1990s, soon after Whistling Straits opened, I played the fans, and it turned out that I was as close as the
the Pete Dye “masterpiece.” Frankly, I came away cameras to the real action.
questioning whether I I’ve been to a lot
had wasted my money. of professional golf
I agree with most tournaments, but I’ve
everything published never attended a major
in last month’s issue of championship – and I’ve
Bi-State Golf about the never seen Tiger Woods
course: it’s strikingly in person.
beautiful, giving the The top golfer in the
illusion of a trip to an world was scheduled to
Irish sea-side links tee off three hours before
course. At the same time, the leaders. We had hoped
the course strikes me as to watch him warm up on
a bit contrived. Equating the driving range, but the
Whistling Straits to an On the par five second hole during the final round of play crowds were so massive,
Irish links course seems at the 92nd PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Tiger we couldn’t get close.
Woods made an amazing shot to reach the green in two.
like thinking that a visit We walked ahead to
to the castle at Disney’s the second hole, a long
Magic Kingdom is par five, and found a spot
comparable to the European original. If you want a near the putting green.
great and true Wisconsin course, play Lawsonia in After Tiger made birdie on the first, word spread
Green Lake. quickly among the fans. Hushed whispers multiplied
When I played Whistling Straits eleven years ago, as his recognizable red shirt and familiar confident
the (required) caddy explained to us before the round gait came into view. He was 600 yards away, but
began that the course has over 1,000 bunkers. All instantly, everyone’s gaze turned away from the
sandy areas outside of the fairways and away from players before us on the putting green and toward Mr.
the putting greens were to be treated as waste areas. Woods.
I was unaware that a different local rule was in effect His drive, of course, was off line, finding a sandy
for the PGA Championship. waste area 270 yards from the green. After studying
More background: this summer, the PGA provided his lie and turning to his caddy, someone near me with
Bi-State Golf magazine with two single-day passes to binoculars announced, “He’s got a wood.” Slashing
out of the straw and sand, his approach amazingly
reached the green, settling just in front of us, 25 feet
below the hole. Tiger had a realistic shot at eagle.
We were all doing the math. Could he mount a
comeback?
As Tiger approached the green on No. 2, the fans
gave him a standing ovation. Next to me, a young
father lifted his five-year-old daughter so she could
get a view. I heard his excited voice as Tiger Woods
marched toward the green. “Do you see him? That’s Just to the left of Dustin Johnson, Greg Beabout of
the greatest golfer in the world.” Bi-State Golf (in an olive green shirt kneeling in the shad-
ows) watches the infamous shot from the “sand”
I half expected that I might see fathers shielding on No. 18 at Whistling Straits.
their daughters, but that’s not at all what happened.
Golf fans are a forgiving sort. Woods commanded two yards from the edge of the putting surface.
attention almost like a deity. Woods scrambled out of the bunker and
Tiger’s eagle putt stalled near the hole, leaving a immediately approached the fans. He asked us, “Did
tap-in birdie. that hit someone?”
That left us with a decision. If we followed Tiger, Everyone pointed at the bald guy with the red
we would have to fight through his legion of admirers knot growing on his cranium.
for occasional glimpses. Tiger handled the situation with grace. He took
We decided instead to head for No. 6 where we off his glove, autographed it, and handed it to the
watched Phil Mickelson. injured fan. Acting like a complete gentleman, Woods
The sixth at Whistling Straits is an interesting risk- See PGA • Page 32
reward hole. It’s a short par four to a very difficult
horseshoe green. The Sunday pin was cut on a narrow
ridge. The smart play is to lay up off the tee, then
use a wedge to leave an uphiller for birdie. The big
hitters can reach the putting surface with a monster
drive, which is quite tempting when the testosterone
is running.
As Woods mounted the elevated tee, disappointed
fans were hearing that Tiger had struggled on Nos.
3 and 5. From the sixth tee, rather than playing it
safe and smart, Woods smashed his driver toward the
tiny green. His shot faded right and headed into a
very deep bunker directly opposite the green from my
front row position.
When it was Tiger’s turn, he descended into the
sand pit, and we were unable to see his swing. He
must have skulled it. I saw the sand blast, and then
I heard a loud knock just next to me. Tiger’s shot
clunked into the head of a middle-aged man about
five feet away from me. (Next to the thwacked victim
was a six-year-old boy, his mother, then me.) The
ball ricocheted off the nearby skull, over the rope, and
onto the chest of a well-endowed, attractive female
marshal. From there, Tiger’s golf ball bounced
softly into the thick grass just in front of me, about
PGA • FROM 31
and the young German, Martin Kaymer, following
shook the hand of the wounded man and graciously him in with a steady run of pars, the bar was set for
apologized, flashing his familiar smile. Woods even Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson in the final two
asked the marshals to make sure that they got proper groups. We focused especially on Johnson as he
medical attention for the fan. made two spectacular birdies to move into the lead
I was going to point out to Tiger that his ball had with one hole to play.
also bounced onto the marshal, and that perhaps Tiger
should autograph her shirt on the spot where she was
struck by his ball, but I kept this thought to myself.
After examining his shot and pulling a wedge,
Tiger took a full swing. I was very close, so it was
easy to see his club slide through the thick grass and
under the ball, moving it less than two feet. Frustrated,
Woods then semi-chunked his next attempt, which
slid well past the hole.
By sinking his comebacker, Woods saved bogey.
I could almost see steam coming out of Tiger’s ears.
The hopes of a comeback were over.
We decided to hold our position on the sixth green.
Over the next several hours, we had a close-up look After completing his round, Dustin Johnson heard
at group after group of the tour’s new youngsters from a rules official that there was concern that he
along with several established stars: Ernie, Vijay, illegally grounded his club in the “Sand” on the
final hole of the 2010 PGA Championship.
Elkington.
The best drive we saw came from Bubba Watson,
who launched it 350 yards onto the green. However, At that point, we made a decision to move. It was
his shot rolled just past the pin and off the back, obvious that the tournament was going to be decided
settling a few feet from me. Watson failed to get up on the final hole, so we scurried briskly through the
and down, yielding a mere par. swelling crowd to position ourselves where we could
After viewing the last pair, we moved to the see the final action. We paused along the side of a
back. We found a perfect location atop the bleachers hill on No. 18, over 200 yards away from the putting
on No. 16. From there, we could see both No. 16, surface. That was as close as we could get to view
a reachable par five, and 17, the signature par three. the final green. Our attention was on the young Irish
Each of those holes produced a wide range of scores. player, Rory McIlroy. If he sank his birdie putt, he
The leader board was bunched and changing rapidly. would move into a tie for the lead.
With Bubba Watson in the clubhouse at 11-under Just then, a ball came whizzing at me. It settled
on the ground a few feet from me. I soon learned that
it was the shot of Dustin Johnson.
The next ten or fifteen minutes of action are
difficult for me to describe. I have been to enough
golf tournaments to know that the most exciting
moments are when the players get into trouble. Those
are also the opportunities for fans to get very close to
the athletes. So, having found myself standing near
Johnson’s golf ball, I had no intention of giving up
my spot. I wanted a firsthand look at the shot that was
going to decide the tournament.
The fans tightened in around Johnson’s ball.
Media personnel carrying television cameras bustled a three-hole playoff, which Kaymer won on the final
into position. Earlier in the day, the cameras and
photographers had been spread out over the entire
course, but they now converged on the wispy long
grass alongside the final fairway. In order to retain
my spot, I stood next to one of the television camera
operators.
At the time, none of us even considered whether
Johnson’s ball was in a sand bunker. To me, it looked
like it was sitting on hardpan. The texture of the
packed ground was firm, a mixture of trampled straw
and compressed sandy clay.
In fairness to the marshals, they did what they
could to control the fans. However, this was the final
group on the final hole. Official attendance figures
At the 92nd PGA Championship, the victorious Martin
have not been released, but there were perhaps 40,000
Kaymer of Germany lifted the Wanamaker Trophy.
people on the course that day, and virtually everyone
at that time was watching on the final hole. It was
the only time during the tournament up to that point hole.
when so many people were all watching on one hole. We don’t yet know whether Martin Kaymer will
The marshals created an opening about six feet go on to win multiple majors and become perhaps the
wide for Dustin Johnson and his caddy to walk to the next Bernhard Langer. I suspect that the 2010 PGA
ball. His caddy set down his clubs immediately on at Whistling Straits will be remembered not as the
the “hardpan” behind the ball. Johnson took his time place where Kaymer won his first major, but as the
surveying his lie and deciding his strategy. tournament where Dustin Johnson grounded his club
After Johnson arrived, it took quite a bit of time on the final hole.
for the marshals to move the fans in order to widen the I will leave it to others to discuss the subtleties of
opening to the green. Three or four different times, that two-stroke penalty.
we were told, “We need more space. Everybody While I was on the course, I was unaware that
take three steps back.” I stuck close to the television the PGA had made a special local rule, declaring that
camera operator. Where he moved, I moved. all sandy surfaces would be treated as hazards. On
I have to confess that, while watching it live, I reflection, this seems like a foolish rule for a contrived
did not notice whether Johnson grounded his club. course. The next time the PGA is contested at
It wasn’t a consideration. At the time, I didn’t even Whistling Straits, it would seem better to distinguish
question whether I was standing in a sandy hazard. more clearly between sand bunkers and waste areas.
The only issue at hand was whether, with a one-stroke One last thought. I have written in the past about
lead, he would lay up into the fairway or try to hit it the difference between viewing a golf tournament on
over the creek to the green. television compared with attending in person. I did
Of course, the rest of the story has been replayed so by drawing a distinction between narrative and
many times over the last several weeks. Johnson drama. Television is typically better at telling the
went for the green. His six-iron carried the water but story of the tournament as it unfolds, but being there
settled in the long grass left of the putting surface. is more dramatic.
He wedged it up to eight feet but then missed his putt. My experience at Whistling Straits certainly was
Thinking he was in a three-way tie for the lead as dramatic. Having almost been hit twice, I can only
he walked off the 72nd hole, a rules-official notified add that there is one other difference. When watching
Johnson that he was in a hazard when he grounded a tournament on television in my living room, I never
his club. The two-stroke penalty dropped him out of have had to contend with wayward golf shots!
the lead. Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson played
Letter To the Editor
Here is a letter (actually an email) we received from a reader. We hope you can follow it.
Dear Mr. Vanek,
Pasted below, please find a short article. I would appreciate it if you would consider
whether you have space in your fine journal to publish this defense.
Thank you,
Billy Campbell-Shears
In Defense of Pulp
by Billy Campbell-Shears
The magazine phase of America’s own kaleidoscope of literature divided itself by a natural evolution into two classes. They
are, as their writers and publishers have so aptly dubbed them, “pulps” and “slicks.”
Golf, the greatest game of all, was always destined to spawn a literature superior to other sports. The old adage rings mostly
true: the smaller the ball, the better the read. Granted, there are no poets who sing of table tennis and ping pong balls; no bards
ponder the subtleties of playing keepsy with glass marbles. But golf, that fickle lover, has many who woo her with whispered
written words.
Few great books extol the sports with big balls.
It is unsurprising that golf and the printed page have jumbled the usual patterns of magazine publishing.
Historically, the pulps were printed solely to provide amusement for persons incapable of understanding more pretentious
literature. The sensational cover art at the five and dime once included Spicy Detective, Man’s Adventure, Argosy, True, and
Amazing Stories. Ten cents would buy the latest issue – and entry through the medium of low-grade, coarse paper into the
activities of every imaginable sort of adventurer.
The writing in the pulps created sharply drawn characters narrated by strong voices. “Who knows what evil lurks in the
hearts of men? The Shadow knows!”
The slicks, in contrast, have but one common trait:
the glossy quality of their pages. The writer’s voice is
subordinated, first by the sleek photographs on fleshy folio, and
then by ever-more polished, lustrous, silken ads.
Stylishly seductive images carefully cultivate the
consumptiveness of corporate capitalism. “That’s shiny. I want
it.” The reader of slicks is invited to assume a receptive role,
like a maiden lured. “Take me. Take me.”
Among the slicks, a ranking in terms of literary quality is
evident to the perceptive magazine rack browser. An empirical
study can be completed at the “bookstores” of any airport
between connecting flights. Specialty slicks are found arranged
by subject, from Astronomy to Working Mother.
Regrettably, the niche journals of our nation have become,
in many cases, catalogues for advertisers interested solely in
enticing the idle rich and encouraging others to pretend they can
afford more than they have.
At the dreadful extremity of the rack slouch the
Hollywood gossip glossies. These low slicks confirm that you
can’t judge literature by its cover – or by the quality of the
printed page.
In this case too, the literature of golf validates the doctrine
of reversal. Like the cabretta leather of that sweat-stained
glove in the bottom of your bag, there’s a knowing comfort
in fingertips tarnished by the textured newsprint ink of a golf
pulp. The humble pages of such a rag are the place where avid
duffers have found wit, charm, and a touch of mischief.
Besides, pulp paper is more easily re-cycled, and it
provides excellent bedding for guinea pigs and other household
pets.
This is a listing of Illinois golf courses in and near the St. Louis metro area. Space limitations do not allow us to print yardages, course ratings and slope ratings for every set of tees on
the golf courses. We asked the courses to provide this information for the teeing area on their course generally used by the average male golfer. In order to give you a better picture of
the range of difficulty available at a particular course, we have included the number of tee sets available on the course. Please note that for 9-hole courses, the Course Ratings should be
doubled if you are playing 18 holes. To make it easier to judge the relative difficulty of a course, Slope Ratings are listed assuming a full 18 holes will be played (the USGA says that 113
is the slope rating for a course of average difficulty).
We will not be able to repeat this listing every month. This information will be available at any time, however,
on our website, www.bistategolfpublishers.com.
Illinois Golf Courses # of

Holes Par Yards
Course
Rating
Slope
Rating
Acorns Golf Links Waterloo, IL 618-939-7800 18 72 6,700 72.3 125

American Legion Edwardsville, IL 618-656-9774 9 35 2,652 N/A N/A
Annbriar Golf Course Waterloo, IL 618-939-4653 18 72 6,841 72.8 136
Arlington Greens Granite City, IL 618-931-5232 18 72 7,104 N/A N/A
Belk Park Golf Course Wood River, IL 618-251-3115 18 72 6,827 71.0 118
Bent Oak Golf Course Breese, IL 618-526-8181 9 36 3,290 N/A N/A
Cardinal Creek Scott Air Force Base, IL 618-744-1400 18 72 6,149 67.4 118
Carlyle Lake Carlyle, IL 618-594-2758 9 36 3,258 35.2 62
Clinton Hill Country Club Belleville, IL 618-277-3700 18 71 6,600 70.6 129
Cloverleaf Alton, IL 618-462-3022 18 70 5,743 66.8 113
Columbia Golf Club Columbia, IL 618-286-4455 18 71 6,050 68.1 105
Columbia Bridges Golf Club Columbia, IL 618-281-3900 18 72 6,988 N/A N/A
Elmwood Belleville, IL 618-538-5826 9 36 3,030 N/A N/A
Fairfield Golf Club Columbia, IL 618-281-7773 18 71 5,822 N/A N/A
Far Oaks Golf Club Caseyville, IL 618-628-2900 18 72 6,926 73.3 141
Fox Creek Golf Course Edwardsville, IL 618-692-9400 18 72 7,027 74.1 141
Gateway National Golf Links Madison, IL 618-482-4653 18 71 7,178 75.0 138
Governors Run Golf & CC Carlyle, IL 618-594-4585 18 72 7,013 73.9 131
Grand Marais Golf Course Centreville, IL 618-398-9999 18 72 6,727 71.7 126
Greenview Centralia, IL 618-532-7395 18 70 6,120 69.2 116
Hickory Ridge Golf Center Carbondale, IL 618-529-4386 18 72 6,863 73.3 137
Indian Mounds Fairmont City, IL 618-271-4000 18 59 3,381 55.6 113
Indian Springs Fillmore, IL 217-538-2392 18 70 6,348 N/A N/A
Lockhaven Country Club Godfrey, IL 618-466-2861 18 72 6,679 71.8 132
Locust Hills Lebanon, IL 619-537-4590 18 72 6,014 67.2 105
North County Country Club Red Bud, IL 618-282-6590 9 35 2,842 31.7 57
Oak Brook Golf Club Edwardsville, IL 618-656-5600 27 71/36 6,641/3,190 70.5 118
Piper Glen Springfield, IL 217-483-6537 18 72 6,985 73.5 132
River Lakes Golf Course Columbia, IL 618-281-6665 18 70 5,748 65 104
Robert P. Wadlow Golf Course Alton, IL 618-465-9861 9 70 2,952 35 57
Rock Spring Golf Course Alton, IL 618-465-9898 9 35 3,015 N/A N/A
Roland Barkau Memorial Okawville, IL 618-243-6610 18 71 6,513 N/A N/A
Rolling Hills Golf Club Godfrey, IL 618-466-8363 18 71 5,731 66.1 100
Roseland Golf Course Alton, IL 618-462-7673 9 36 3,050 N/A N/A
Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Alton, IL 618-465-3111 18 72 6,941 73.5 135
Staunton Country Club Staunton, IL 618-635-2430 9 36 2,972 33.8 56
Stonebridge Golf Club Maryville, IL 618-346-8800 18 71 6,170 69.0 121
Stonewolf Golf Club Fairview Heights, IL 618-624-4653 18 72 6,943 74.0 141
Sunset Hills Country Club Edwardsville, IL 618-656-8088 18 72 5,800 73.6 138
Tamarack Country Club Shiloh, IL 618-632-6666 18 71 6,282 68.2 106
The Legacy Golf Course Granite City, IL 618-931-4653 18 71 6,414 70.4 114
The Orchards Belleville, IL 618-233-8921 18 71 6,787 69.0 121
The Prairies of Cahokia Cahokia, IL 618-332-6944 18 71 6,700 72.0 127
The Ridge Waterloo, IL 618-939-4646 18 72 6,522 N/A N/A
The Woodlands Golf Club Alton, IL 618-462-1456 18 71 6,400 68.9 117
Timber Lakes Golf Course Staunton, IL 618-635-4653 18 72 6,960 N/A N/A
Triple Lakes Millstadt, IL 618-476-9985 18 72 6,205 68.0 100
Twin Oaks Golf Course Greenville, IL 619-749-5611 9 36 3,200 N/A N/A
Wolves Crossing Jerseyville, IL 618-498-3178 18 70 6,000 N/A N/A
Yorktown Golf Course Belleville, IL 618-233-2000 18 54 2,146 N/A N/A
This is a listing of Missouri golf courses in and near the St. Louis metro area. Space limitations do not allow us to print yardages, course ratings and slope ratings for every set of tees on
the golf courses. We asked the courses to provide this information for the teeing area on their course generally used by the average male golfer. In order to give you a better picture of
the range of difficulty available at a particular course, we have included the number of tee sets available on the course. Please note that for 9-hole courses, the Course Ratings should be
doubled if you are playing 18 holes. To make it easier to judge the relative difficulty of a course, Slope Ratings are listed assuming a full 18 holes will be played (the USGA says that 113
is the slope rating for a course of average difficulty).
We will not be able to repeat this listing every month. This information will be available at any time, however, on our website, www.bistategolfpublishers.com.
# of # of Course Slope
Missouri Golf Courses Holes Par Yards Tees Rating Rating
Aberdeen Eureka 636-938-5465 18 72 6,665 5 71.9 124

Ballwin Ballwin 636-227-1750 9 36 3,200 6 23.1 116
Bear Creek Wentzville 636-332-5018 18 72 6,535 4 71.5 130
Berry Hill Bridgeton 314-731-7979 9 36 2,762 3 33.0 110
Birch Creek Union 636-584-7200 18 72 6,565 4 71.2 126
Cottonwood De Soto 636-337-8803 9 36 2,975 3 34 117
Country Lake Warrenton 636-456-1165 18 71 5,242 3 63.8 105
Creve Coeur Creve Coeur 314-432-1806 9 35 3,000 4 33.8 109
Crown Pointe Farmington 888-706-4682 18 72 6,357 5 70.3 118
Crystal Springs Quarry Maryland Heights 314-344-4448 18 71 6,331 5 70.3 125
Cuba Lakes Cuba 573-885-2234 9 34 2,675 4 32.9 115
Deer Creek House Springs 636-671-0447 18 71 6,000 4 71.1 135
Eagle Springs Florissant 314-355-7277 18 72 6,000 3 69 117
Eagle Springs Florissant 314-355-7277 9 27 1,270 2 N/A N/A
Elmwood Washington 636-239-6841 9 36 3,000 3 33.8 107
Emerald Greens North County 314-355-2777 18 70 5967 4 69.6 125
The Falls O’Fallon 636-240-4653 18 71 6,017 4 68.3 119
Family Golf Kirkwood 636-861-2500 9 N/A 1,124 3 N/A N/A
Fourche Valley Potosi 573-438-7888 18 72 6,370 4 71.1 129
Golf Club of Florissant Florissant 314-741-7444 18 72 6,112 4 68.4 119
House Springs House Springs 636-671-0560 9 36 2,960 3 33.8 115
Incline Village Foristell 636-463-7274 18 71 6,008 3 68.4 119
Innsbrook Resort Innsbrook 636-928-3366 18 70 6,100 4 66.9 126
Joachim Herculaneum 636-479-4101 9 36 2,650 4 34.8 107
Landings at Spirit Chesterfield 636-728-1927 18 72 6,406 5 69.6 114
Lead Belt Bonne Terre 573-358-3573 9 36 3,024 2 34.3 115
Links at Dardeene O’Fallon 636-978-7173 18 72 5,700 4 67.0 110
Meramec Lakes St. Clair 636-629-0900 18 71 6,358 4 69.8 120
Mid-Rivers St. Peters 636-939-3663 18 71 6,255 4 68.7 121
New Melle Lakes New Melle/Wentzville 636-398-4653 18 71 5,947 3 69.8 126
Norman K. Probstein St. Louis City 314-367-1337 9 35 3,195 5 N/A N/A
Normandie Bel-Nor 314-862-4884 18 71 5,990 3 68.3 121
Paradise Valley West St. Louis County 636-225-5157 18 70 6,000 3 67 114
Perryville Perryville 573-547-8036 9 35 2,840 4 33.2 117
Pevely Farms Eureka 636-938-7000 18 72 6,752 4 72.9 132
Pheasant Run St. Charles County 636-379-0099 18 57 3,000 3 N/A N/A
Pomme Creek Arnold 636-296-4653 18 69 5,090 3 N/A N/A
Quail Creek South St. Louis Co. 314-487-1988 18 72 6,460 4 70.7 130
Raintree Hillsboro 636-797-4020 18 72 5,785 3 68.4 120
Riverside Fenton 636-343-6333 18 69 5,384 2 65.5 98
Riverside Fenton 636-343-6333 9 27 948 1 N/A N/A
Ruth Park University City 314-727-4800 9 35 3,109 3 34.0 119
St. Ann St. Ann 314-423-6400 9 34 2,696 3 32.5 53.5
Ste. Genevieve Ste. Genevieve 573-883-2949 18 72 6,056 4 68.2 107
St. Peters St. Peters 636-397-2227 18 70 5,526 3 66.9 117
Sugar Creek High Ridge 636-677-4070 18 70 6,094 3 70.1 126
Sullivan C.C. Sullivan 573-468-5803 18 71 6,262 4 69.6 123
Sun Valley Wentzville 800-737-4653 18 72 5,940 4 68.1 122
Sunset Lakes Sunset Hills 314-843-3000 18 72 5,966 4 67.0 113
Tapawingo Sunset Hills 636-349-3100 9 36 3,064 6 35.2 133
Tapawingo Sunset Hills 636-349-3100 9 36 3,195 6 36 134
Tapawingo Sunset Hills 636-349-3100 9 36 3,027 6 33.3 130
Terre du Lac Bonne Terre 573-562-7091 18 72 6,000 4 68.3 118
Terre du Lac Bonne Terre 573-562-7091 9 36 2,971 3 N/A N/A
?
Name This Contest!
Can you identify this golf hole? If you can, you may be eligible to win two free rounds on the golf
course on which it is located. Send your entry by email to bistategolf@gmail.com or by regular mail to
Bi-State Golf, P.O. Box 316, Troy, IL 62294.
All correct entries will be placed in a hat

with the winner determined by blind draw.
Entries must include the full address and
phone number of the entrant. Entries lacking
this information will not be considered.
Only one entry per person, please. Deadline:
September 30th, 2010.
Hint: This par 3 is the signature hole on

a BSG advertiser’s course. We give it high
“Mark’s”
August’s Winner
?
Name This Contest!
In the Norman K. Probstein clubhouse at
Forest Park, Rich Estopare holds the hat
while Patrick Kelly picks the winner.
Congratulations to
Dennis Garland
from O’Fallon, MO
for correctly identifying the hole pictured
in our August contest.
The hole is the 5th on the Forest Park

Dogwood course.
Good luck in this month’s contest.

FREE GOLF CONTEST

Write the winning punch line for this cartoon
for a chance to win a free 18 hole round of
golf for a foursome, cart included, at beauti-
ful Arlington Greens Golf Course in Granite
. City. Entries should be sent by email to
bistategolf@gmail.com or by regular mail to
P.O. Box 316, Troy, IL 62294.
All entries must be received before

September 30th to qualify.
Note: Do not clip the cartoon

and send it back to us. Send us
your punch line only. Be sure
to include your mailing address
and telephone number in your
entry. Entries lacking this in-
formation will not be consid-
ered.
The August Winner

Congratulations to
LET’S GET OUTTA HERE! This guy
just made two triple bogeys and a four
putt. He’s ready to blow!
Charles Seib
from Fenton, MO
for sending in the winning entry to the
August punch line contest. Charles wins a
free round of golf for four, cart included,
at Arlington Greens Golf Course
in Granite City.
More entries in Chip Shots,

page 39.
Here are some honorable mention entries to the August Punch

Line contest that were too good not to share.
Hold it! No sandals on this course! His drives are not great but his sand shots are the
Terry Carroll, Swansea, IL best I’ve ever seen.
Carla Fight, St. Louis, MO
He’s using one of those new I.E.D.’s. You know….
an Improvised Explosive Driver. This guy would make one helluva hole-in-one.
Robert Tock, St. Paul, MO Steven C. Lindmark, Maj., USAF, Scott AFB, IL
His caddie told him he needed to hit an explosive It’s a training device that keeps him from coming
shot off the tee. over the top. The first time he does……BOOM!
Loretta Keil, St. Louis, MO He’ll never do it again.
Dennis Garland, St. Louis, MO
Osama hates losing a skin.
Loretta Keil, St. Louis, MO All this time, we’ve been looking for him in caves,
and he’s just been playing the back nine over and
Is this Jim McLean’s latest golf “remake” project? over.
Dr. Loren Klaus, Glen Carbon, IL Billy Shears, Eureka, MO
He sure has an explosive swing. He’s been playing well, but I expect him to blow up
Ron Mense, Waterloo, IL before the round’s over.
Garry Walker, Newton, IL
He’s Freddie Boom Boom Couples’ cousin from
Afghanistan.
Gary Burch, Sappington, MO
Advertiser Index
Annbriar 40 ProAm Golf 6
Arlington Greens 25 St. Louis Golf Tour 27
Belk Park 5 Stonebridge 12
Columbia Golf Club and Bridges 8 Sunset Lakes (Coupon) 17
CustomWorks Golf 34 The Orchards 11
Eagle Springs 12 The Ridge 18
Fox Creek 31 Timber Lakes 13
Indian Springs 15 Triple Lakes (Coupon) 27
Oak Brook 8 Triple Lakes Sr. Scramble 9
Prairies of Cahokia 2 Twin Oaks 32

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B -State

Serving Southern Illinois

Coming at You from

Serving Southern Illinois

Bi-State Golf Magazine

A Note fr m the Editor

enforce the rules. Fine, but no one asked for a ruling,

Straight Back, Straight Thru: Sounds Good, Works Bad!

You can use this tossing experience to understand “straight

Meet Emmanuel Bishop:

View from the G ld Tees

Bi-State Student Golfer of the Month:

BSG: So this is really just your second competitive

BSG: In Illinois, the golf season for both boys and

Dancing Rabbit is located in Choctaw, Mississippi,

Miko Beasley Denson,

Rock outcroppings and water are plentiful on The Oaks.

The Choctaw leaders were wise to recruit two

The Tolle Call

Changes are Coming to

Tree clearing and renovations have begun on No. 16 at The Orchards.

A Most Unusual Hole

No. 3 at Evergreen Golf Course in Colorado is indeed a

Evergreen Golf Course is a municipal course owned by

The Lie Tips

Uphill: Play ball slightly forward in your stance.

Downhill: Play ball slightly back in your stance.

The 2nd Annual Bi-State Golf Awards

Suffering a Sweltering Summer

A Wild Finish at the 2010 PGA Championship

Dear Mr. Vanek,

Illinois Golf Courses # of

Acorns Golf Links Waterloo, IL 618-939-7800 18 72 6,700 72.3 125

Aberdeen Eureka 636-938-5465 18 72 6,665 5 71.9 124

All correct entries will be placed in a hat

Hint: This par 3 is the signature hole on

The hole is the 5th on the Forest Park

Good luck in this month’s contest.

FREE GOLF CONTEST

All entries must be received before

Note: Do not clip the cartoon

The August Winner

More entries in Chip Shots,

Here are some honorable mention entries to the August Punch

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