Great Moments in Golf By Lyn Nelson, CEO/Executive Director
Excitement was in the air because of the U.S. Open at beautiful Pebble Beach Golf Links. Watching the transition of the famous facility as it read- ied itself for the tournament was amazing. Congratulations to the hundreds of Pebble Beach em- ployees, thousands of volunteers and especially to the United States Golf Association who sets the standard of golf excellence for the entire country. Northern California is a
host location for many profes- sional and highly-ranked amateur events. Many of the best courses in the nation are in our area with top 100 courses such as Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, San Francisco Golf Club, Spyglass Hill, Pasatiempo, Mayacama, Olympic Club, CordeValle, Meadow Club, Harding Park and Darkhorse, among others, on the lists. Not long ago, someone
asked me what the most trea- sured thing I have learned or gained through golf. I thought about it for a few minutes since there were lots of experiences that were special; I am fortunate to have a career in the indus- try and I have had some great times playing the game on some amazing courses. The simple truth is the most treasured part of being around the game is the friendships and relationships that are built on the course. Golf is unique. We celebrate
great shots hit by our playing partners, even when they are opponents. We love to share the tip we learned from a pro, or something we picked up on TV. Some of my dearest friends came through golf. In team events we play in for charitable causes or club events we learn to cheer and coach and encourage one another, not to mention getting a good giggle now and
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then or “knuckle busting” or “high fiving” that great shot. Golf is fun; it’s meant to be shared and enjoyed. I know all of us who have touched a club and played the game have a great moment to reflect on. It’s what makes us come back and savor our time with friends. I have met many people who have been mentored by someone in golf. I have known many people, including myself, who benefitted by someone’s kindness in sharing their enthusiasm for the game. How lucky we are to be part of the golf, and my thanks to you for being part of the NCGA. On a business note, the
membership department has some exciting upcoming pro- grams to grow club member- ships. In August we will launch the “Fill Your Foursome” program that is based on member referral. For every three new members a current NCGA member brings in to their club, that member will earn a complimentary foursome at either Poppy Hills or Poppy Ridge. The foursome must be played between November 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011; complimentary weekend and holiday play will be after 12:00. We hope this program will pro- vide a nice incentive to bring in new members and to give those members a nice way to experi- ence both our championship facilities and enjoy the benefits of being an NCGA member. Lastly, we launched a news-
letter that was distributed to club administrators and officers of all NCGA clubs. The inten- tion of this newsletter is to keep you informed on offerings and new programs of the NCGA. We strive to constantly grow programs that provide discounts to you at golf courses or lifestyle vendors that NCGA members use. We are relying on the club administrator to forward this PDF newsletter to their mem-
bers. It’s interesting to note that we only have about 70% of our membership’s e-mail addresses. We are hoping to reach more of you through this new communi- cation vehicle. I don’t know how many
of you have read the book The Match by Mark Frost. It’s a story of two local amateurs in the 1950s, Ken Venturi and Harvey Ward, who play a match against Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson at Cypress Point. It was played at a time when amateur golfers were as heralded as professionals. It’s a great book; I won’t spoil the storyline but it is very much worth the read. The interesting thought is how celebrated ama- teur golf was in that era and how large the crowds were to watch the great matches played. Recently, several U.S. Open
qualifiers were held through- out Northern California with accomplished professionals playing as well as top amateurs to win a spot to compete at Pebble Beach. Half Moon Bay Golf Links tested players with the highest qualifying score in the country at 73, and Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento hosted more than 2,500 specta- tors. As tough as the economic times are, there are great events being played through NCGA amateur events in addition to Northern California PGA and LPGA chapters that offer spectacular opportunities to watch golf for free. What a great opportunity to catch a rising star as he/she gains experience playing competitively. . .there are many Northern California players on tour today such as Matt Bettencourt, Ricky Barnes, Natalie Gulbis, Pat Hurst and Julie Inkster to name just a few. Let’s grow numbers and sup-
port great play and come out and watch the amateur game. The extensive tournament schedule is posted on the NCGA’s website at
ncga.org.
NCGA GOLF
Editorial, Advertising & Business Office 3200 Lopez Road/P.O. Box NCGA Pebble Beach, CA 93953 831/625-4653 Fax: 831/625-0150 Internet Address:
www.ncga.org E-mail:
ncgainfo@ncga.org
Communications & Magazine Fax: 831/622-0560
Course Rating & Handicapping and Membership Fax: 831/622-0549
Rules & Competitions Fax: 831/622-0580
Poppy Hills Golf Course Golf Reservations: 831/625-2035 Fax: 831/626-5421 Administration: 831/625-1513 Golf Shop: 831/622-8239
Poppy Ridge Golf Course Golf Reservations: 925/455-2035 Fax: 925/455-2020 Administration: 925/447-6779 Golf Shop: 925/456-8202
Editor and Publisher Hilary Heieck
Assistant Editor Scott Seward
Contributing Editor Kendall Matous
Art Direction & Production Great Graphics, Laurie Lee
2010 Publication Dates Fall Edition .......................Oct 15
Photos in the magazine: Hilary Heieck, Scott
Seward (cover shot). Some photos supplied by featured golf courses and credited when necessary. For rates and space information for the
above publication, please contact the NCGA of- fice (831/625-4653) or Western United States— Tom Black, 301 East Ocean Blvd., Suite 300, Long Beach, CA. 90802 (562/590-5143). NCGA Golf Magazine (ISSN-0744-1347)
is published quarterly by the Northern California Golf As- sociation, 3200 Lopez Road, Pebble Beach, 93953. All rights reserved, including right of re- production in whole or in part in any form. Members pay an annual subscription fee of $1. Printed in U.S.A. Please send change of address notice on Member Change form (avail- able at your club). Periodical postage paid at Pebble Beach, CA and additional mailing of- fices. Advertising contained herein does not constitute endorsement by the Northern California Golf Association. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NCGA Golf Magazine, P. O. Box NCGA, Pebble Beach, CA. 93953-1157.
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