All Posts - Page 68 of 214 - United States Golf Teachers Federation

22 Dec 2019 admin

1994-2019…Celebrating 25 Years!

It has been 25 great years growing the game of golf in Canada! Times have changed and so have we. Reflecting back on how our federation grew and competed before the regular use of the internet and social media is astonishing. The administration team of Bob Bryant and Kristine Darnbrough, along with our pioneer members and wonderful facilitators, truly deserve a great “thank you” for their efforts, support and contributions!

Rounds played are up in Canada, and the overall participation has grown over the past few seasons after some difficult economically affected years. Canada boasts the largest percentage of population that plays golf at least once a year worldwide. So, golf in Canada is still pushing forward. The members of the Canadian Golf Teachers Federation are enjoying new opportunities and successes in the industry, thanks to golf facility operators seeking new alternatives to traditional practices. Our members’ passions and efforts are helping to re-energize facilities that have been burdened with outdated thinking and elitism that prevents new customers from feeling welcome, let alone encouraged to start.

Canada is very diverse in many ways and so is the CGTF. We have many instructors that communicate using languages beyond English and French. Lately, the CGTF certification schools have been very appealing to international participants to attend. Having a lower-trading Canadian dollar and attainable travel visas make Canada a very attractive destination to pursue a career in teaching golf. We are proud to think that we are now sharing golf in places that have no access to Golf Teachers Federation training locally.

In this 25th year, the top indicator of membership engagement has been the positive response to upgrade courses. Knowing and seeing our members wanting more information to pass along has been a welcome site. We have more Masters-level graduates this year than the past 10 years combined, and we have one more course to follow in August 2019. Golf in Canada is going very well, and the CGTF sends best wishes to all fellow World Golf Teachers Federation members!

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16 Dec 2019 admin

Harman Back On Top In Southeast

Mark Harman made a statement that he is still a force to be reckoned with at GlenLakes Country Club in Weeki Wachee, Florida, this past May. The reigning World Cup champion from Ridgeland, South Carolina, set a Southeast Region Championship scoring record of seven under par to best Ron Cox of Henderson, Tennessee, by five shots. Richard Crowell from Pensacola, Florida, and Rich Lively of Rockledge, Florida, took third and fourth, grabbing the balance from the $1,200 purse. Thanks goes out to GlenLakes head pro Tom McCrary, who has hosted us for several years.

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16 Dec 2019 admin

Abraham’s Team Wins League Title, Tournament

USGTF member Walt Abraham, head golf coach of Athenian High School in Danville, California, led his squad to the BCL-East league round-robin regular season title and also the league post-season tournament title. The team finished 9-1 in match play and next heads to the Division 2 championship tournament. The league title marks the seventh time in Abraham’s 11 seasons as head coach that Athenian has taken that honor. Athenian fields a young squad of three freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors, with three players earning all-league honors.

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16 Dec 2019 admin

Golden Repeats As Southwest Regional Champion

Cole Golden shot an opening round 69 against a strong field that featured several current and past USGTF champions at a windy Ridgeview Ranch Golf Course, which hosted the USGTF Southwest Region Championship May 4-5 in Plano, Texas. Tough, tricky greens and somewhat wet conditions after several days of wet weather had hit Texas earlier in the week greeted the competitors. Southwest Region director Bruce Sims and Master Lee carded 76 the first day, while Brent Davies and Chris Tyner shot 77. Grant Gulych, Jeff Kennedy, and D.B. Merrill came in with 78.

Golden continued his fine play on day two and was never threatened, as only Davies was able to get within three shots on the back nine before Golden responded with a birdie on the next hole. Golden finished with a 69-74 – 143 for a 1-under-par total. Davies finished in second place after shooting 70, which was the low round of the day, for a 147 total. Lee played solidly all day after shooting a fine round of 74 for a 150 total, coming in third place. Canadian Gulych finished in fourth place 78-77 – 155; Texas’ Tyner finished in fifth place with 77-80 – 157; Ruben Ramirez finished sixth with 83-75 – 158; Merrill finished seventh with 78-82 – 160, and Jeff Kennedy finished eighth at 161. Thanks goes out to all USGTF players who participated, especially Jim Peters, Craig Johansen, Jaejin Kim, Kevin Kim, Jihun Yang, Scott Lundgren and J.D. Winkle.

Sims also hosted a very nice pre-tournament dinner on Friday night, where there were lots of camaraderie and discussion about our great game. USGTF players came from Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ontario Canada, and several parts of Texas to play in this fine event.

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12 Dec 2019 admin

Junior Camps and the Evolution of The Instructor

By Graham Lewis, USGTF Teaching Professional Townsend, Georgia

My first introduction to the USGTF was in the fall of 2009. I met a gentleman on the practice range at Sapelo Hammock Golf Course in Shellman Bluff, Georgia, where I worked part time in the pro shop. After a few exchanges on the art of the golf swing, he explained that he was a teaching professional at a country club in Vermont. His name is Alan Jeffery and he received his Master Golf Teaching Professional certification from the USGTF. Alan convinced me to consider learning more about the USGTF.

The certification course at Jones Creek Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia, was led by Mark Harman. During the five days of the course, I be-came confident that my knowledge of the Golfswing was good until Mark asked me, in the verbal final, what would I do with a student with a chicken wing. My answer will remain unpublished but a passing grade was received.

Once back at Sapelo Hammock, the owners of the club at that time gave me the go ahead to establish a golf academy. Along with one-on-one instruction, my first priority was starting a junior camp program during the summer months. The first junior camp had six kids ranging in ages from 8 to 13. Instruction was provided by me, the only instructor at the time. During the four half-days of the camp, each junior received instruction in all aspects of the game, with emphasis on the four basic fundamentals: grip, posture, alignment and ball position.

All instruction was confined to the putting green, chipping green and practice range, and clubhouse question-and-answer sessions were held during the only water break of the three-hour session. The only training aid used was an alignment rod. Each junior was given a three-ring binder which included pictures and explanations on every part of the game. My sources were Golf Magazine, Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf and the USGTF’s first edition of How To Teach Golf.

At the close of camp, each junior proudly demonstrated their knowledge of the basic fundamentals and received a camp picture and a certificate.

Since that first camp, attendance has grown to between 25 and 30 kids for each camp in June and July. Additional instructors have been added, and the range of ages has expanded to 5 to 16. Juniors are divided into three groups based on age. One group will be on the putting green, while another is on the chipping green and another on the practice range. Each group changes location every45 minutes after a water break in the clubhouse, where prizes are given during question-and-answer sessions. The highlight of the camp is the last day, when everyone plays a nine-hole scramble with their parents and grandparents driving the carts. A lot has been learned these past eight years on how to run a successful camp.

In summary, the changes to the original camp of 2012 are:

To satisfy demand, the range of ages has increased to 5-16.
With the increase in camp sizes, we now have three groups of juniors based on age.
Each camp now has a higher percentage of girls participating.
Parents and grandparents are encouraged to watch.
The kids are given two water breaks instead of one.
Question-and-answer sessions have been expanded to include more questions from the kids rather than just from the instructors.
Playing a scramble with parents and grandparents driving the carts. Early camps had younger kids playing with older kids. We now try to have teams divided by age and ability.
Numerous training aids have been added, and target signs have been used at close range on the practice area (similar to the TV show “Big Break,” where they broke the glass).
Volunteers for control and safety have been added, especially for the younger kids.
I have become more open to new ideas. The three-ring binder has been replaced by the Bob Dimpleton book Golf 101. This cartoon version of learning how to play golf is a great hit with the younger kids. Another example is when I expressed skepticism at a suggestion to include a short-course layout using foam balls and a hula hoop for a hole. At first I considered it to be too “Mickey Mouse,” but then I remembered at 16 years of age I learned to play in my backyard with a wiffle ball and soup can for a hole. My only instruction came from Hogan’s Five Lessons book and a mirror. The short course is a big hit.

These changes and improvements to the academy camps have been made possible by the inclusion of additional instructors from the USGTF, PGA, LPGA and a high school golf coach. The latest and most significant addition to our last two camps has been our own Mark Harman.

Mark and I have become good friends ever since he explained to me what a chicken wing was.

The one thing that has remained constant from the first camp and every one since is that safety, fun, and instruction, in that order, remain the priority.

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6 Dec 2019 admin

Like America and Apple Pie…It’s Golf and Family Ties

What are the first memories that you have of golf? If you started the game as a kid, they probably have to do with a family member – usually a parent – who introduced the game to you. Many golfers look back on those days with great fondness and nostalgia. There is no better family sport than golf. Four family members can all play in the same group, something that is difficult to do in other sports. You can indeed do the same thing in tennis if you’re playing doubles, but unless the skill level is relatively similar among the four, it can make for a difficult time. Since golf, of course, doesn’t have other players affecting your playing of the game, it doesn’t matter if there is a skill disparity, even a great one, among those in the same group. Golf also has an amount of down time that others sports do not offer. In tennis, there is constant action. In bowling, there is always someone rolling the ball down the lane. But in golf, most of the time is spent walking or riding to the next shot, so there is ample time for conversation and bonding. Some of the best friendships golfers have were formed on the golf course. Indeed, it’s not uncommon for golfers to have mainly or only golfers as friends. The game also tends to lend itself to easy conversation that may not be found in other venues. Those who are parents know how tough it is sometimes to have conversations with their children as they get older, especially teenagers. But for some reason, conversation while playing golf seems to come naturally for most participants. It has been said countless times that golf is also a metaphor for life. A well-known adageis that if you want to truly get to know a person’s character, play 18 holes of golf with them. It is the rare person who changes the character and behavior they exhibit outside the course once they step onto the first tee. Life lessons can also be imparted to our younger family members as they play the game. Perhaps a child is having a tough time that day on the course and they feel like quitting. Teaching them to persevere on the course is a good lesson that can carry them through life. Let’s face it – although we say golf is fun, it’s also difficult to excel at. If someone wants to play scratch golf or better, they have to put in countless hours over countless days over countless years, unless they are some sort of athletic freak. Golf can teach our children the valuable life values of determination and perseverance, and keeping a calm mind when things go awry. Although the game can understandably lend itself to temper tantrums and worse, we must always remember that unless the game directly affects our well-being as a professional golfer, it’s only a game to the rest of us. How we do doesn’t affect our lives in any way, shape, or form, and it’s important to keep this perspective. These are the things that our younger family members, and sometimes even ourselves, should take to heart.

The lessons children learn on the golf course, from perseverance to patience, often mirror the lessons they need in everyday life. Struggles, mistakes, and frustrations become opportunities to build character and resilience, while the calm moments teach them the value of focus and perspective. Families that encourage these lessons create stronger bonds by showing children that success isn’t about perfection but about growth and effort. In many ways, games like golf become metaphors for life itself, reminding us all that setbacks are temporary and persistence leads to progress.

Just as these life values are nurtured within families, there are also moments when families face challenges that require guidance beyond what love and patience alone can resolve. Disputes over parenting, property, or separation can place incredible strain on relationships, making it important to seek trusted support that prioritizes both fairness and compassion. Sterling Lawyers in Fond du Lac provide that balance by offering legal clarity while keeping the well-being of families at the center of their work. This kind of guidance allows families to move forward with confidence, ensuring that the lessons of resilience and calm taught on the course also carry through in life’s more difficult transitions.

Those same principles of patience, steady guidance, and learning through challenge become especially important when families encounter legal crossroads that can feel unfamiliar and overwhelming. After the strain of personal conflict or uncertainty, having clear explanations and realistic expectations can make a meaningful difference in how people cope and move forward. LaFrance Family Lawyers in Tampa approach these moments with a commitment to honest, clear, and effective legal advice, helping individuals understand their options without adding unnecessary stress. Their focus on open communication and practical guidance ensures clients feel supported and understood throughout the legal journey, allowing families to navigate change with the same resilience and perspective that steady them in other areas of life.

Parenting rarely comes with a straight fairway. Even the most devoted families hit unexpected sand traps—teen behavior that suddenly shifts, co-parenting schedules that strain the week, or disagreements over what “discipline” should actually look like. These challenges can leave parents feeling as though they’re swinging in the dark, hoping for contact and praying for calm. Yet, much like a young golfer learning to adjust their stance, families who seek guidance early often find steadier footing and a renewed sense of teamwork at home.

When those challenges begin to stretch beyond kitchen-table solutions, professional support becomes less of a luxury and more of a lifeline. Skilled attorneys who focus on Family Law help parents navigate the emotional and legal complexities that accompany custody arrangements, visitation concerns, and long-term parenting plans. By offering structure during unpredictable seasons, they give families the clarity they need to rebuild trust, protect their children’s well-being, and move forward with a shared sense of purpose.

Many golfers also take buddy trips specifically to play that golf course they always wanted to play. Our friends are not technically family, but they certainly are in terms of the bonds that we create and share with them, and there is nothing more natural than traveling with friends to hit the links.

One of the things that athletes in team sports say they miss once they retire is the camaraderie among their teammates. A family atmosphere can certainly be created in such an environment. But although golf is an individual sport, the family atmosphere most certainly is prevalent among members of the men’s or ladies’ golf associations at many clubs, or even among a regular Saturday foursome. Other individual sports have a more difficult time duplicating that sense of belonging to a family. Golf has given all of us who love the game a lot, and for that we are grateful. But aside from the actual playing of the game itself, perhaps the most enduring memory we will have once our playing days are done is the family ties that are created, regardless if we are related or not.

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2 Dec 2019 admin

Transition to Impact

By Thomas T Wartelle, USGTF Teaching Professional Washington, Louisiana

We know the moment of truth is impact. The golf ball does not care about a teacher’s opinion; the ball is only influenced by physics. There are five human performance factors that influence the golf ball at impact. They are as follows: 1) clubface position, 2) club path, 3) centeredness of contact,4) angle of approach, and 5) clubhead speed. All great ball strikers achieve a high level of each of these components.

Therefore, the question arises, “How can we maximize a golfer’s impact position?” Besides basic fundamentals such as the golfer’s “GPA” (grip, posture and alignment), dynamics in the swing can have a great influence on the impact position. For this discussion, let’s break it down from transition at the top of the swing to impact.

We must first establish that mass (COM) is not pressure (COP). For this discussion, pressure (COP) is the reference point. During the backswing, there should be a “loading,” or pressure, applied to the heel of the trail leg. In their backswing, powerful Tour players reach over 80 percent pressure on their trail foot when their transition begins. Transition actually starts before the golfer reaches the finish of the backswing. For most Tour players, this begins when the lead arm is parallel to the ground on the backswing. The body is actually moving in two directions at once. The midsection, or torso, should shift the pressure towards the target. The sensation is the clubhead is lagging behind as the body begins its transition by transferring pressure and uncoiling towards the target. The reality is there is no delay of the release, but simply a forward swing pressure creating a powerful action.

On the downswing, the torso should pressure-shift toward the target and then rotate with a feeling that the lead hip and glute are pulling or rotating away from the ball. This is very similar to a squat movement into the lead glute. At the halfway down (lead arm parallel to the ground) point, the vast majority of Tour players will see a peak in the total force under the lead foot (70 percent or more).

As the impact position is approached, the spine angle is maintained with a feeling of the lead hip rotating and pushing back into a wall. The lead leg will somewhat straighten naturally at impact as the lead hip begins to rise higher than the trailing hip. In this position, the golfer is maximizing the “ground forces” and creating maximum torque and energy. Some Tour players and long drivers even have a jumping motion at impact as they are applying tremendous force into the ground.

The dynamics of the golf swing (transition move and pressure change) influence the five human performance factors at impact. Clubface position at impact and club path at impact can be affected; however, centeredness of contact, angle of approach, and clubhead speed are directly correlated to transition and pressure flow from trail foot to lead foot.

How does this all relate to teaching? An interesting observation can be made in the above photos. Without describing any of the above, we use a simple drill in the gym of throwing a medicine ball against the wall. Notice that all of the positions are achieved by using a simple, athletic motion.

For more teaching info or tips, visit the USGTF website or Thomas T Wartelle / TTW Golf on YouTube or Instagram.

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26 Nov 2019 admin

Revisiting “The Stroke” and Looking at the Target

By David Vaught, USGTF Teaching Professional Bradenton, Florida

It is often said necessity is the mother of invention. This applies to golf instruction, and golf in general in many circumstances, one of which is the creativity of an experienced instructor when it comes to helping golfers improve their game. With that thought in mind, I felt it appropriate to look again at a method to help golfers improve their putting.

Many years ago, a major golf publication published an article about looking at the target while putting. The basic conclusion was that the average golfer could improve their putting by 28 percent. To quantify that, the average golfer would drop about four to six strokes per round. The first premise is simply common sense. When one begins reciting the list of sports where the athlete looks at a target, it is not a short one. Throwing a baseball or softball, bowling, throwing a football, darts, curling, cornhole, and the list goes on. We train our brains and muscles to work this way from the crib.

Should we start a “looking at the target while putting” revolution in golf? Of course not. This can simply be a tool for teaching. One very useful outcome of practicing this for putting would be distance control. Again, think about why we look at the target for the other sports. It triggers a response in our brain that we are born with and utilize at a very young age. That skill is the judging of distance, using our eyes in coordination with the speed and effort put forth into the motion that achieves the desirable distance – exactly what the average golfer needs to do to improve their putting. Keep in mind what we know to be true: The overwhelming majority of three putts are a result of poor distance control.

Simply using looking at the target as a drill over time can improve distance control greatly, and it improves confidence. We have all seen the putting stroke that moves the putter back in a rapid pace and then slows down the putter head dramatically through impact. I have yet to see a golfer that putts looking at the target do this. Not once, ever.

Why, you might ask? During a stroke while looking at the ball, many golfers subconsciously or consciously alter the motion. Decelerating, twisting the face and increasing grip pressure are just a few of the issues we see through impact with the average golfer. Some do so more than others, and some do it, but not consistently – just on those days when the putting goes awry through a lack of confidence or trust. Have you seen a golfer panic during the backstroke and unnaturally accelerate the putter through impact? If you have ever played, I guarantee you have. Our objective for rhythm ratio for putting is 2:1,which is the time from takeaway to transition(2), and time from transition to impact (1).This is 100 percent on tour, by the way. It is amazing how close the average golfer achieves this ratio while looking at the target. Another benefit is that the average golfer also tends to be much more stable with the body during the stroke while looking at the target. Instinctively, they realize a lot of excess movement in the core and legs would jeopardize their ability to strike the ball solidly.

It also builds confidence in the motion. The key word here is motion. As the great Gary Wiren has stated as a pillar of his teaching philosophies, “Swinging hits, not hitting swings.” We could write an entire book on this subject, but keeping on point with putting, our goal is for the ball to get in the way of the putter. When watching great putters on the men’s and ladies’ tour, you cannot differentiate between the stroke with the ball and without the ball. They are just making a stroke, which is the goal. You will rarely see this with an average golfer. Looking at the target reinforces making a “stroke” to the average golfer. Their brain becomes much more in tune with the motion and the force required to reach the desired destination, instead of their focus being the strike or the ball. I have also had students over the years admit that practicing this assisted them in curing the dreaded yips.

To try this, start short and make sure the setup is sound first. Once some proficiency is established, which is usually quick, vary the distance for each putt. Instructors who have the improvement of the students as their foremost objective are most always willing to think outside the box and are not timid about introducing new ideas to their students. Who knows, they might even start using this on the golf course!

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22 Nov 2019 admin

Max Faulkner Returns Claret Jug to the British Isles

By Mike Stevens, USGTF Teaching Professional Tampa, Florida

In 1951 the Open Championship was played outside Great Britain for the first time. The site was Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, which hosts once again this year. I could not find a reason for going there other than it is a beautiful course with magnificent landscape. I guess the R&A just wanted a change of pace.

The odds-on favorite going in was defending champion Bobby Locke of South Africa. Max Faulkner, the eventual winner, on the other hand was a decent player with a few minor tournament victories in England. Born on England’s south coast in 1916, he was introduced to the game by his father Gus, a former assistant to the great James Braid. Max was a multisport talent, but golf seemed to be his favorite pastime. He joined his dad as an assistant pro after his schooling and started getting some notoriety as a potential player until the big one began. From 1939 to 1945, he played exactly two rounds of golf while serving his country in defeating the German war machine.

Once peace returned, Faulkner went back to work on his game, which came back quickly, but what he was most noted for was his dashing attire in bold colors and cheerful disposition. Entering the ’51 Open, he had a good feeling about his chances. He played Portrush in the Irish Open at21, finishing third, and felt it favored his power fade as most of the holes have a right-hand curve. He al so believed a very light putter, one of the many he owned, would come in handy on the fastest greens of all Open venues. His premonition was correct, needing only 51 putts with the magic wand in the first two rounds to top the leaderboard with a score of 141. The final two rounds of the Open in those days were played on the same day, and Max, playing well in the morning round, came to the 16th hole well in the lead, but hit a disastrous drive that landed within two feet of a barbed-wire boundary fence. But Max believed it was his day. Rather than chip out, he took his 4-wood and with his backside against the barbs, he abruptly cut the ball out over the OB fence, curving the ball on to the putting surface. His playing partner, American Frank Stranahan, walked over and commented to him that it was the finest shot he had ever seen. Faulkner would finish the third round six shots clear of the field.

Here is where the story gets even more interesting. After a brief respite, Max headed for the first tee. As he walked, a young boy approached and asked him to sign a ball, but Faulkner was reluctant, not wanting to be distracted. Then the boy said, “You’re going to win,” and at the urging of the boy’s father who mentioned how much it would mean to the boy, Max signed the ball – Max Faulkner, Open Champion 1951. For the first time, he let the thought of blowing a big lead enter his mind, and struggled a bit coming home in 74. There were no scoreboards at the time, so runners were dispatched to and from to let people know what was going on with players still on the course. Word came in that Tony Cerda had turned in 34 and was a threat to catch the leader. A bit later, the word was that three fours on the final holes would tie Faulkner. A final messenger approached Max and related to him, “Cerda’s taken six; it’s your Open.”His dream had proved true – he was the Champion Golfer of the Year. The Claret Jug held by South African Bobby Locke would be returning to Britain.

Max Faulkner would go on to win 16 tournaments in Europe, but never another Open Championship. It was his crowning achievement and all he ever wanted. He also played on five Ryder Cup teams, including the surprise 1957 team in which Britain won for the first time since 1933.

Another interesting chapter in his life came in1973 during the Open at Troon. He was paired with Gene Sarazen when Sarazen recorded a hole-in-one at the famed Postage Stamp. It was Sarazen and Walter Hagen who were models for Faulkner’s snappy attire on the golf course.

Max Faulkner played for six decades, observing golf from the hickory era to the many changes in ball and club technology. A true sportsman, he could have played professionally at tennis, cricket or soccer, but golf was his true love. On the 50thanniversary of his triumph in the Open, he was honored with the Order of the British Empire for his service to golf. He lived out his remaining years in Sussex and passed away in 2005 after contracting pneumonia at the age of 88, a true gentleman of the game who should not be forgotten.

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15 Nov 2019 admin

24th Annual United States Golf Teachers Cup®

HUANG TAKES U.S. CUP TITLE; RICHARDS ENDS GULYCH’S REIGN

Of all the places that the United States Golf Teachers Cup has been played in its previous 23 years, it would be difficult to say that there was a more beautiful setting than the 2019 edition featured. Sedona, Arizona, was the venue for the 24th playing of the USGTF’s national championship event, held this past October at Oakcreek Country Club. Participants from all over the country and several international competitors teed it up at the Robert Trent Jones design.

Shouting (Hunter) Huang, from Atlanta, Georgia, staged an incredible rally the final day to win the U.S. Cup for the first time, overtaking first-round leader and seven-time champion Mark Harman with a brilliant final nine-hole score of 31, allowing him to edge runner-up Jose Esteves of uerto Rico by two shots. Huang finished with scores of 75-68 – 143 in taking down top honors.

Most of the field struggled to put a good score on the board the first day, with Harman leading the pack at 74. Huang and Esteves, along with Costa Rica’s Alejandro Duque, were a stroke back at 75.

“I got off to a slow start as I was three over for the first three holes,” remarked Harman. “When my 74 held up for the lead, I was surprised as the field was strong and the course was there for the taking.”

Duque fired a strong 34 on the outward nine the second day to forge into the lead at +1 for the tournament, a stroke ahead of both Esteves and Harman. Huang shot a pedestrian 37 and was three strokes behind, and although he birdied the par- 5 10th hole, so did his three closest competitors.Esteves made the first move when he also birdied the 11th and 12th holes and parred the 13th, taking a two-shot lead over Harman, and led Duque and Huang by four. It looked all but over for the latter two, but Huang had other ideas. Starting on the 14th hole, Huang ripped off his own birdie barrage with four in a row while each of his closest pursuers all had a double bogey during that stretch.

By the time he got to the 18th hole, Huang, playing with Esteves, had a two-shot lead over the eventual runner-up in a stunning turn of events. Starting on the 14th hole and ending on the 17th, Huang outscored Esteves and Harman by six strokes, and Duque by five. It was a display of golf that is sure to become legendary in U.S. Cup lore. “It was incredible to watch,” said Esteves. Duque wound up in third while Harman faded to fourth.

Huang’s victory capped off a fine season of play in USGTF events. He also won the USGTF Central Region Championship in August, becoming the first in USGTF history to win both a region championship and the U.S. Cup title in the same year.

Richards thwarts Gulych’s attempt at three-peat

Grant Gulych from St. Thomas, Ontario, had a chokehold on the United States Senior Golf Teachers Cup, winning the first two titles in an event that was inaugurated in 2017. With his experience and playing resume, Gulych was one of the favorites to win and certainly was in strong position after a first-round 71.

However, complicating the matter for Gulychand the other competitors was the presence of Christopher Richards from Trinidad & Tobago, making his first appearance at the U.S. Senor Cup. Richards also had a formidable resume that included winning the individual 2007 World Golf Teachers Cup championship and the 2010 U.S. Cup. Richards fired a first-round 70 that could have been so much better, but the Oakcreek course proved to be a tricky opponent for Richards. The Trinidadian managed to make six birdies, but two bogeys and a double bogey derailed what could have been a special round. Canada’s Dave Belling, a two-time U.S. Cup champion and individual 2003 World Golf Teachers Cup champion, lurked two strokes off the pace at 72, followed by Steve Simer at 73 and Michael Wolf at 75.

Playing together in the final round, Richards and Gulych both went out in even-par 36 while Belling was at 37. Simer and Wolf both failed to break 40 and no longer posed a threat. The contest was still close after 12 with Richards clinging to a one-shot lead when he engaged in fireworks of his own. A birdie on #13, followed by an eagle on the drivable par-4 14th staked Richards out to a three-shot lead over Gulych, and that effectively was the turning point. Gulych managed to cut the lead to one shot entering the final hole, but a bogey there ended his chances. Richards carefully two-putted from short range for his own bogey, sealing the deal. He finished with scores of 70-70 – 140, while Gulych’s strong defense of his title fell just short at 71-70 – 141. Belling wound up third at 72-70 – 142.

The Super Senior division of the U.S. Senior Cup was closely fought as John McGaugh from Calimesa, California, overcame first-round leader Daniel Lee from Kenmore, Washington, to win by two strokes with scores of 77-73 – 150. A four-way tie at 155 by Jim Perez, Ken Butler, Bruce Sims and Vito Cisternino highlighted the strength of the 60-and-over crowd. All were eligible for overall U.S. Senior Cup honors as their division played from the same tees as did the Senior division.

Longtime competitor Pat Church from Eugene, Oregon, and a USGTF Hall of Fame member, captured her first Ladies division title. Gary Focken from The Villages, Florida, fired scores of 78-74 – 152 to defeat runner-up Jim Peters from Newport, Kentucky, by five shots in the Legends division.

For the first time ever, a concurrent pro-am was contested in conjunction with the U.S. and U.S. Senior Cups. Players were invited to bring an amateur partner with them and compete in the same format that is conducted at Pebble Beach every year on the PGA Tour. Seventeen teams teed it up as the amateurs got to see their professional partners up close in a national championship professional event. A clinic was held after the first round, conducted by Wolf and Gulych.

Duque and his amateur partner Diengo Chou fired a two-round total of 129 in a fourball format that included the professional playing at scratch and amateur receiving 80 percent of their course handicaps. Focken and his amateur partner Terry Edwards also shot a 129, but lost in the tiebreaking procedure where the professional’s score in the final round determined the winner. Steve Fine and his amateur partner Cliff Armstrong finished third at 133.

Oakcreek Country Club was in outstanding shape and may well have been the best-conditioned course in the 24-year history of the United States Golf Teachers Cup. The bentgrass greens rolled fast and true, and the fairways were green and lush. Redtinged sand bunkers that contrasted with the hue of the grass, along with well-placed and well-maintained ponds, completed the aesthetically pleasing aspects of the course. Sedona itself is one of the USA’s mostvisited tourist locations with almost three million visitors finding the time to make the worthwhile trek to northern Arizona’s incredible scenery. Sedona features spectacular red rock formations and a high desert climate, creating a stunning beauty that many wll never forget for the rest of their lives. It was certainly a venue that lived up to its billing, and all participants who weighed in said it was one of the most enjoyable places they’ve ever played.

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