June 2018 Archives - United States Golf Teachers Federation

3 Jun 2018 admin

USGTF Regional News: Golden Takes SW Title, Northeast Championship Up Next

USGTF regional action kicked off this past May, with the Southwest Region Championship up for grabs. Cole Golden from Wichita, Kansas, fired rounds of 74-75 – 149 to take the title at Ridgeview Ranch Golf Course in Plano, Texas. Master Lee and SW Region director and host Bruce Sims finished second at 151, with Vito Cisternino another three shots back. Other regional championships are fast approaching:

Northeast – The USGTF Northeast Region Championship will be held Friday, June 15, at Mountain View Golf Course in West Windsor Township, New Jersey. The Northeast championship regularly draws the largest number of participants of any USGTF regional event with over 40 players. All WGTF members, regardless of residence or level of membership, are eligible to play. For more information, please contact Northeast Region director Bob Corbo at (609) 580-5997 or through email at bcgolfcoach@gmail.com. The entry fee is $165 and includes golf and prizes. Participants will play from separate tees based on age and gender.

Northwest – The USGTF Northwest Region Championship will be held Thursday and Friday, July 26-27, at Haggin Oaks golf complex’s MacKenzie Course in Sacramento, California, with region director Bert Jones serving as the host. The entry fee of $199 includes golf and prize money, and division play will be based on the number of entrants. To enter, send your name, age, gender, telephone number, email address and a check for $199 to Bert Jones, USGTF NW Region Director, 9722 Rim Rock Circle, Loomis CA, 95650. The entry deadline is July 1.

Southeast – The USGTF Southeast Region Championship will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 28-29, at Shingle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, with region director Mike Stevens serving as the host. Shingle Creek Golf Club was designed by the Arnold Palmer Design Company. Senior golf course architect Thad Layton says, “We set out to do something resolutely different at Shingle Creek. Orlando is a golf town and our backyard. As such, we sought to build a golf course that would inspire and challenge every type of golfer. Through a hands-on approach and countless hours on site, we handcrafted a golf course with design features reminiscent of some of the finest classic golf courses in the world.”

A prize fund of $1,000 and the Southeast Trophy is assured with a field of 12 players, and divisions by age will be offered. It is also a good opportunity to catch up with fellow members and plan future events for the section. The entry deadline is July 15. If you have any questions, contact Mike Stevens at ams1127@msn.com. The entry fee is $185 and entries should be sent to the USGTF National Office at USGTF, 1295 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd., Port St. Lucie FL, 34952, or you may call the office at (888) 346-3290.

Central – The 2018 USGTF Central Region Championship will be held at Pine Knob Golf Club in Clarkston, Michigan, on Saturday and Sunday, August 4-5, with region director Brent Davies serving as the host. The first tee time Saturday will be at 12:00 noon and 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. The entry fee of $199 is for two days of golf, cart, range, prize money, and lunch after the Sunday round, with monies paid out on the gross and net two-day totals. Practice rounds will be available after 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 3, for $40. To enter, please send your $199 entry fee to: Brent Davies, 5223 Parview Dr., Clarkston, MI 48346.

Pine Knob is an upscale public course with 27 holes, tree-lined fairways, water, bunkers, great greens, and is an outstanding place to play. Hotel deals will be available at the Olde Mill Inn of Clarkston (some may remember this location from the 2015 Kelly Cup), a rustic lakefront look with an up-north feel. These rooms will go very, very fast! Participants will need to call (248) 623-0300 or go online at www.oldemillinnofclarkston.com to book. One-person rooms start at $65, two-person rooms at $85, and it is not too early to book. Clarkston is located 45 miles northwest of Detroit right off I-75; a 75-minute drive from the Blue Water Bridge; 60 minutes from Windsor, and 90 minutes from Toledo.

“PRO” File – Touring Professional Cary Middlecoff

Quick – name the top 10 all-time winners on the PGA Tour. Names like Snead, Nicklaus, Woods, Hogan and Nelson quickly come to mind, with Casper and Hagen not far behind. But sitting there in 10th place is a name that seems to be forgotten among modern golf fans, and that name is Dr. Cary Middlecoff. Middlecoff was, in fact, one of the most dominating players of his era. Three times he won six tournaments in a year (1949, 1951, 1956) and won more tournaments than anyone during the 1950s. He was a multiple major winner, capturing the U.S. Open in 1949 and 1956 and the Masters in 1955. Although he is seemingly lost to history today with hardly any mention by golf pundits and writers, he was, according to the New York Times, a “glamorous figure” in his prime. Upon his retirement from professional golf, he became a television commentator in a career that lasted 18 years. Middlecoff completed dentistry school and was commissioned in the Army as a dentist, but when he won a tour event as an amateur, he quickly gave up filling cavities for filling golf holes with birdies. He passed away in 1998 at the age of 77.

Cary Middlecoff’s transition from dentistry to golf is a reminder that the skills of focus, precision, and discipline transcend professions—and that excellence in one field can unexpectedly pave the way to greatness in another.

While Middlecoff left behind dental drills for fairways, many dental professionals today continue to hone those same qualities in their own practices, combining technical expertise with a deep commitment to patient care. A dentist st george residents regularly recommend knows that behind every confident smile is careful planning, clinical precision, and a personalized approach that puts the patient first.

Whether it’s restoring a single tooth or performing a complete smile makeover, the dedication required echoes the same attention to detail that once helped Middlecoff dominate the greens. Just as he mastered both dentistry and golf, today’s leading dental professionals bring a blend of science, artistry, and compassion to everything they do—proving that true mastery, no matter the field, always begins with care.

A perfect smile has always been about more than appearance; it’s about restoring confidence, improving function, and giving patients the freedom to live without hesitation. For those who have lost one or more teeth, the gap is not only physical but often emotional as well, impacting everything from how they chew to how they interact with others.

Modern restorative dentistry bridges that gap by offering solutions that look natural and feel seamless, allowing patients to once again enjoy the simple joys of speaking, laughing, and eating without worry. The transformation goes beyond the mirror, touching nearly every aspect of daily life. Among the most trusted solutions are comfortable and durable dental implants, which provide a foundation that feels remarkably close to natural teeth while offering long-lasting stability.

Unlike temporary fixes, implants integrate with the bone, creating strength and permanence that give patients confidence in every bite. They are carefully designed to blend in with the surrounding smile, restoring not just functionality but a sense of wholeness. With every treatment plan tailored to the individual, implants stand as a reminder that true dental care is about more than replacing what was lost—it’s about helping people reclaim the fullness of their lives with precision, artistry, and compassion.

In moments of urgent need, that same blend of skill and empathy becomes even more critical—especially when a cracked crown, knocked-out tooth, or sudden abscess demands immediate attention. An emergency dentist chicago provider operates at this intersection of precision and presence, stepping in when timing and trust matter most. These professionals are often the calm in the storm, offering not only swift intervention but also a reassuring presence when pain or panic might otherwise take over.

It’s in these high-pressure scenarios that the depth of their expertise truly shines—where their ability to assess, adapt, and act can turn a potentially traumatic situation into one of relief and resolution. Dental emergencies may come unannounced, but the quality of care in those moments leaves a lasting impression—reminding patients that even in chaos, they’re never alone.