Tee to Green

Couple's event on tap Sunday

The next in the season-long fun-filled Couple's Events will be held beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 25. This month's event is truly unique, with a two-person best ball combined with a "pick a pro" component. Couples are allowed to pick a golf professional who will play 18 holes and then their gross score will be added to the couple's best ball score. Registration is available in the golf shop to all interested players.

Men's State Amateur

going strong

The 2004 Montana State Men's Amateur championship is on this week at Whitefish Lake Golf Club with the final round set for Friday. The four days of golf feature most of the best players in the state with any number of competitors capable of four good rounds and walking away with the crown of Montana's finest player. Needless to say, these events don't run themselves and countless volunteers are giving their time to ensure that the championship is huge success.

Local members are very proud of our course and are always willing to donate their time to help host special events like the State Amateur. Some examples of major contributions by volunteers include WLGA President Tom Sparby, who organized the on-course crew that help as ambassadors, fore caddies, pace of play monitors and friendly faces to all the competitors. Mary Ann Rodman once again stepped forward and agreed to be in charge of the scorer's table for all four days. Huck Cross, the tournament committee chairman, has helped organize the event again this year and in addition to handling the registration responsibilities will be available all week for a variety of tasks.

Tim Olson and his golf professional staff will be managing the event under the watchful eye of the State Golf Association Executive director Jim Opitz. Dick Collins and this crew will do double duty all week with the regular course maintenance tasks plus the high demands of tournament playing conditions. The crew will be on site early in the morning and return for an afternoon shift to get the course ready for the next day's competition.

A big thanks to all the volunteers, employees and players that are making the 2004 Men's State Amateur Championship such a memorable event.

Experienced junior players meet Thursday morning

All junior players with a couple of years of golf experience are invited to special practice and clinics each Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Dane Thorman and Mike Micklewright donate their time to teach the weekly sessions and help players improve all aspects of their games. It's a guarantee that even the best players can walk away each week with a game improvement technique or approach to lower their scores.

Rules of the game

The "stroke and distance" penalty is called such, as the player incurs a stroke penalty and also loses the distance gained from the previous stroke. The stroke and distance penalty is one option when taking relief from a water hazard or an unplayable ball. Rule 20-5: Making the next stroke from where the previous stroke was made. When the player elects or is required to make his /her next stroke from where a previous stroke was made he/she must proceed as follows:

a) On the teeing ground: The ball to be played must be played from within the teeing ground. It may be played from anywhere on the teeing ground and it may be played. (Between the makers)

b) Through the green and in a hazard: The ball to be played must be dropped.

c) On the putting green the ball must be placed.

Flathead Valley Junior Tour

Next week the Junior Tour travels to Ronan's Mission Mountain Golf Course for the sixth leg of the summer competition. As always the event will be free to all entrants with the only requirement to notify either Whitefish or Ronan of your intention to participate. This past week Tyler Holtet and Alex Micklewright made the trek to Libby to play the Cabinet View course.

Rake the bunkers please

Did you know that a golf course often has as many as five times more sand bunkers than greens? Maintenance of bunkers can take more time than greens if we expect them to be in great shape when we play. Just like fixing a ball mark or divot is an expectation of the player, so is raking a sand bunker whenever you use it. Few players ever rake a bunker they haven't used, but that same player may fix several divots and ball marks created by other less thoughtful players. Other than the deer, racoons, household pets and other animals, whenever you enter a bunker you should take the time to rake.

Let's hear it for John Klinepeter

John Klinepeter deserves our special thanks for being so diligent at filling divots with sand and seed on the golf course everytime he plays. A lot of players carry divot mix bottles in their carts to repair divots, but John carries a very large container as he walks the course during his round. If we were all as diligent at John we couldn't find open divot holes on the course.

Sunday barbecue

Each Sunday evening, from 5 to 9 p.m., the Whitefish Lake Resturant offers a barbecue on the deck for members and guests to enjoy. Friday night music on the deck has remains a popular event for locals and visitors each week.