Central Texas Golf News

A golfer’s vision of the target line on left-to-right breaking putts is the single most important factor in his or her ability to make putts. Almost all right-handed golfers tend to agree that left-to-right breaking putts seem to be more difficult to make than right-to-left breaking putts. Should these putts prove to be difficult for you, I offer the following simple solution.

First, simply observe where your vision focuses on your last glance from the golf ball toward the direction of the hole just prior to beginning the stroke. The hole draws the attention of most players’ eyes as they set up to make their final observation toward their intended starting direction of the ball, however, the hole is where you want the ball to end--not begin.

Atradition dating back almost 30 years, the annual Texas Joe Black Cup is the Lone Star State’s version of the Ryder Cup, packed with the intensity and competitive spirit of the biennial matches that pit the United States against Europe, and topped off with a bit of local flair that makes it such a highly-anticipated competition.

This year’s tussle between the Southern Texas PGA Professionals and the Northern Texas PGA Professionals is set for Nov. 9-10 at the private and prestigious Miramont Country Club in Bryan. Last year the Northern Section took home the Cup 14 ½ to 9 ½, and took command of the overall series, which stands at 14-13-1 in favor of the NTPGA.

They come from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and as far away as California to play golf in Kerrville. “They” represent the almost 100 golfers already signed up to play in the 6th Annual James Avery Hill Country Golf Classic that is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, November 13th – 15th, 2009, at Comanche Trace, Riverhill Country Club, Comanche Trace and Scott Schreiner Golf Course. 

Born on the concept of bringing golfers to Kerrville and “showing off” the community, tournament chairman and former Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board, B.K. Cody said that he and Harold Wilson, President of Bank of the Hills, were talking in 2003 about the need for a local golf tournament that brought people into our community from all over the state. “We felt it was an easy sell to out-of-town golfers to play three great courses in three days with a chance to experience the Hill Country life. In the golf community around the state, people can’t believe a town our size has three high quality golf courses. Many towns our size would like just one of that quality,” Cody added.

Allen McDougall standing bag pendant Runner Up at 2009 TexasOn land chockfull of history, this highly ranked course is more than just a pretty face

By Steve Habel
Special to The Golfers Guide

Even though Avery Ranch Golf Club is just seven years old, the course has received a certain level of notoriety beyond its years. Various publications have lauded Avery Ranch for its suburb course conditions, its clubhouse, its dining area, its overall design and even for its cart girls.

And all the kudos are well earned. Avery Ranch is a 7,121-yard championship daily fee course set on 226 acres and offering five tee placements that will challenge the low-hand-icapper while creating an enjoyable golfing experience for all levels of players.

A Gem of the Hill Country

By Mike Innis

Just west of downtown Fredericksburg, TX is the site of one of my favorite golf courses. Carved out of the rolling hills, streams, and oak forests, the setting is stunning. The carefully crafted fairways and greens offer a challenge to all levels of players, and you can pick the tee box from which you’d like to play from any of the four available.

The course plays 6,500 yards from the tips, while higher handicappers can select from tee markers which will give them a course of 6,100, 5,700, or 5,100 yards in length. The 2 par 5’s on the front nine, numbers three and five, are personal favorites. On number three you get to hit your tee shot up and (hopefully) over a cliff and a creek.

Ten Advance to 2010 PGA Professional Championship

College Station’s Tim Thelen capped off his third South Texas PGA Professional Championship victory with an impressive final round of 66 at Fredericksburg’s Boot Ranch Golf Club. The 5-under-par effort in the third round of the 54-hole event turned a two-shot deficit into an easy five-shot win.

“The first two days, I played pretty solid golf,” Thelen said. “I really just didn’t miss a golf shot during the final round. I only missed two greens and my putts were just going in. In this section, with as many good players as the STPGA has, it’s just fun to go play and win. It’s tough, but it’s fun.”

Thelen, who earned $7,750 with the win, bested Austin’s David Von Hoffman and Houston’s Ryan Polzin by six strokes.

Another battle is brewing. The setting will be Miramont Country Club in Bryan, and the issue will be settled Nov. 9-10 when the Southern Texas PGA hosts the 29th renewal of the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches.

The Ryder Cup-style tournament features teams of Southern Texas PGA Professionals against a similar team of Professionals from the Northern Texas PGA. The tournament was established in 1981 to honor Texas native Joe Black, who was then completing his first term as president of the PGA of America. 

SAN ANTONIO - The 25th Anniversary of the AT&T Championship presented by Alcatel-Lucent, scheduled for Oct. 19-25 at Oak Hills Country Club, is working toward its greatest field ever with a mixture of top Champions Tour players, plus legends and long-time favorites heading the early commitment list.

Two-time defending champion John Cook is among the initial commitments for the $1.7 million dollar tournament along with Loren Roberts, Mark O’Meara and Jay Haas, plus Hall of Fame legends Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite, Ray Floyd, Lanny Wadkins and Hale Irwin. 

The First Tee of San Antonio, in partnership with the City of San Antonio, will be initiating an Adopt-A-Park program at Brackenridge Park, beginning on National Public Lands Day, Sept. 26th.  Participants with The First Tee of San Antonio will be volunteering their time on one Saturday a month to help pick up the trash and recyclable items in a portion of Brackenridge Park.

National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2008, 120,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, removed trash and invasive plants planted over 1.6 million trees. This is the16th annual celebration.

Class A PGA Professional Jeremy Wiernasz has been named Head Golf Professional at the PGA Tour’s TPC San Antonio, a private-resort club now under development in the Texas Hill Country that is scheduled to open in January 2010. For the past three years, Wiernasz has served as a member of the professional staff at TPC Scottsdale, home to the Tour’s FBR Open. The announcement was made by TPC San Antonio General Manager Jimmy Terry.

“We are delighted to have Jeremy join the management team at TPC San Antonio, and are confident his considerable operational expertise, experience hosting professional golf tournaments, and passion for the game will help distinguish the club among the country’s premier tournament, instructional and resort golf venues,” Terry said.