There will be one years worth of Newsletters kept on this page. The very latest will be printed in its entirety. The others will have links to each one if you would like to go back and catch up on VGA news.

2019 VGA Eagle Newsletter September Q3

2019 VGA Eagle Newsletter June Q2

2019 VGA Eagle Newsletter March Q1

2018 VGA Eagle Newsletter December Q4

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The VGA Eagle

Third Quarter 2019

The Board discussed the issue of players failing to report to the event chairman within the 30 minute time period preceding the first tee time. They agreed to include the following memo in the newsletter.

From: The event coordinators Re: The late policy

As you know, the VGA policy for all events is to check in with the event coordinator at least one-half hour in advance of the first tee time – not your tee time, but the first tee time. Each coordinator has stressed this rule, and yet, there continues to be people who miss the deadline. The reason for this rule is to allow time for the directors to warm up.

If, for some unforeseen reason, you are going to be late, it is your responsibility to contact the tournament director before the one-half hour deadline. You may call the director or another golfer to relay the message that you may be late. He then can make a note that you will be late and see you afterwards to check you in. If you fail to notify the director that you are going to late, he has two options – wait additional time for you to check in or take you out of the net tournament.

Each director spends much time preparing for a golf event. Following are the major steps he must complete for each tournament.

1. Set up the event on Golf Genius
2. Send out invitations
3. Answer e-mails related to the event
4. Answer phone calls related to the event
5. Make note of preferences stated by some golfers
6. Call the course at least two times
7. Create the tournament
8. Assign foursomes
9. Make last minute changes
10. Send an e-mail list of confirmed golfers
11. Send out the tee sheet to the course
12. Send out the tee sheet to the confirmed golfers
13. Prepare a spreadsheet of golfers names to track money collected
14. Arrive at the course at least one hour before the first tee time
15. Check in the golfers and collect money

And after the tournament, he has to produce the results and distribute the money. What does each participant have to do to prepare for an event?

1. Sign up
2. Check in with the director at least one-half hour before the first tee time
3. Contact the tournament director if you are going to be late or cannot come

Please do everything you can to arrive at the events on time. The following will greatly appreciate it.

Fred Baldwin	480-282-3207
Dan Christiansen	602-481-0811
Neal Fisel	623-363-6658
Doug Rankin	480-223-8705

If the ball is found, the rule cannot be used. Also, once a player decides to use the Rule E-5 and drops the ball according to the rule, that ball is in play and the lost ball, if found afterwards, is abandoned.

If you play a provisional ball, you cannot use the rule. However, you may use the rule on the provisional ball.

Also, you may not use the rule if you are reasonably sure the ball is in a penalty area.

While the VGA eliminated the desert rule in lieu of Rule E-5, some courses have their own version of the rule. Check the course’s scorecard for any reference to a local desert rule.

The Board voted to use the USGA option to set a limit of ten on any one hole.  The reason for the rule is to speed up play. A golfer may take a score of ten on a hole at any point. In doing so, he is still in the tournament.

The x-out rule is still in effect. If a player chooses to x-out, then he is disqualified for the tournament.

Highlights from Second Quarter

Aces

At this point in time, two VGA golfers will be sharing the hole-in-one pot. Veteran, Rusty Silverman, scored an ace at the Green Valley Tournament.

This is directly from the horse’s mouth; “Short Par 3, Hole 7, San Ignacio Golf Club, 112 yards, gap wedge. Particulars: Coming off 3 triple bogies, a lucky par, a quad, and a double bogie, I had nothing to lose but relax and let the club do the work. Made a perfect pass at the ball. Ball soared way up in the air. Landed 3 inches right of the cup and with a sloping left to right green, the ball took a tiny hop and jumped right in(to) the hole.” Way to go Rusty!

Rookie, Jim Cox, joined the VGA on June 20 and struck gold on the 26th of June. He  hit a seven-iron on the 152 yard par-three eleventh hole for his first ace. Jim wrote “ I hit the shot perfectly flush and knew it was going to be a good shot, little did I know how good though. The ball landed about a foot past the hole and rolled back into the hole.” Way to go Jim!

Congratulations to both Rusty and Jim. Eagles

Four VGA members scored eagles in the second quarter and pocketed $25 for their good luck. April was a good month to get an eagle.

Zach Hamm eagled the par-five 507 yard 15th hole at Ken MacDonald on April 10. That is the par-five hole that goes around a pond.

Fred Baldwin had his eagle on the par-five 407 yard 17th hole at Palmbrook on April 17. (No,it is not a typo, but in his(my) defense his(my) second shot was well over the green.)

Tom Hecocks holed out his third shot for an eagle on Cave Creek’s par-five 477 yard second hole on April 24.

Ben Hughes, the new father of twin boys, eagled the par-five 531 yard 16 th hole at Union Hills. That is the par five hole with a sloping and difficult green. Union Hills has been very good to Ben since he joined the VGA.

Low net scores for the quarter

There was a spate of low net scores this quarter including 13 scores of 64 who be remembered, but unnamed at this time.

Dan Christiansen – 58 (the low net for the year) at Falcon Golf Club on April 13 Dennis Haigwood (May he rest in peace) – 61 at Falcon Golf Club on April 13 Cathy Harvey – 62 at Raven South Mountain on May 8

Tom Orr – 63 at Encanto on May 11

Alan Yancey – 63 at Stonecreek on May 22

Tom Giljum – 60 at Trilogy Power Ranch on May 29 Eddie Little – 62 at Raven South Mountain on June 8 Neal Fisel – 63 at at Tres Rios on February 23

Low gross scores

Dan Campos – 70 (69) at Dobson Ranch on April 6 Ben Hughes – 69 (64) at Cave Creek on April 20 Dan Campos – 69 (65) at Union Hills on May 4 Ben Hughes – 70 (69) at Encanto on May 11

Dan Campos – 67 (62) at Raven South Mountain on June 8

Dave Dean – 74 (63) at Bear Creek on June 19

Big Dog Bites Standings through July 31.

Dave Dean is back on top of the Wednesday race after a one year hiatus, but he has another dog in the pound. Warren Meehan has tied Dave’s total with 31 points. Larry Burton, John Euler, and Fred Baldwin are within biting distance with 30, 27, and 24 points respectively.

There are two lead dogs in the Saturday race. Fred Baldwin has caught Dan Christiansen and they lead the pack with 26 points each. Rusty Silverman is in third place with 20 points followed closely by Neal Fisel and Margaret Storms with 19  points each. Close behind is Danny Clark with 15 points.

Letters to Arnie Dear Arnie,

My playing partner and I disagreed on how to take relief from an immovable obstruction (an internal fence on the course). I said that he had to take the nearest point of relief and drop the ball. He claimed that he was entitled to his stance and one club length from where the ball came to rest. Which of us was correct? By the way, he played two balls, one form each point of relief, to be sure to have a correct score. Fastidious Freddy

Dear Freddy,

Your partner was correct. When taking relief from an immovable object you should designate the area defined by the total of your stance and one club length no closer to the hole. You may drop the ball anywhere within the relief area. There is no penalty for free relief. And, in cases where you are unsure of how to interpret a rule, it is a good idea to play two balls.

However, if your ball touches or is in an abnormal course condition, ACC, (such as temporary water – including water outside of an overflowed penalty area Larry, a sprinkler head, or ground under repair), then you may take free relief and drop the ball outside of the ACC at the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole. The relief area is limited to one club length from each side of the dropped ball, typically a semi-circle.

You may take free relief from an ACC in a sand bunker as well. Also, under the ACC rule, you also have the option of dropping the ball outside of the bunker in line with the hole for a one-stroke penalty.

VGA Hats for Sale!

The VGA has a selection of good quality hats with our logo. There are two styles including: white with a blue or tan trim for $35, sand with a tan trim for $35 (not shown in the picture), and white with a blue trim and chin tie for $30. There are also white golf hats for $15 and visors for $10. See Fred Baldwin for details.

VGA Hats for Sale!