The 2017 PHAT Championship

The grounds crews were up extra early making the course immaculate for the tournament.

The 4th annual PHAT finale was again hosted by the beautiful Troy Burne Golf Club over in Hudson, Wisconsin.  It is fitting that one of the premier courses in the Twin Cities metro area was  the stage for the inevitably premier play by all of the PHAT members, except for a couple of players with vowels and/or consonants in their name.

The practice green was a mass of PHAT players honing their putting games before the tournament

The first hole was strangely absent of galleries early on.  Later immense crowds would gather...

It was an absolutely perfect day with minimal clouds and light breezes to start the day.

The PHAT members took advantage of the calm early conditions.  By hitting the range.

Jim menacingly chased away the members of the fake-news media that were getting too close to the range.

 Jason wisely stretches those quads while Chad and CJ meditate simulateously

A lot of text book swings were on display.  There was an amazing lack of swing coaches and sports psychologists on the range.

An apparent sniper knocked Bill of balance. 

Il Padrino warms up with an amazing short game regiment

Soon enough, even the best of range-rats like every member of PHAT, have to take it to the course.  With a mighty lash of his Driver, Brad opened the first round of the championship.

Perfect alignment: check.  Perfect balance: check.  Perfect club line: check.  Typical.

Not to be outdone, Chad stripes another tour level drive onto the first fairway.

Jeff outwardly stands stoically while Chad putts on the 2nd.  Inside he was doing the Carlton across the green after a dirty, dirty birdie.

Jeff leaped out to an early lead with a birdie on the diabolical second.  He led wire to wire.  Normally you would think that would be good enough for the W, but not in the PHAT.  A trio of other contenders matched Jeff's clubhouse lead by all posting 73s.

 Jim tees it up on the tight 10th.

 CJ on the 12th.  This shot was stuck to 2 feet.  CJ may have posted the most impressive round of the morning with a string of 10 straight pars to close out his round.

For some PHAT members, the vulture circling the 18th green portended the outcome of their rounds.

After the first round was complete, it was the Tour leaders Bill and Jason on top of the leaderboard, Smooth swinging CJ, with his stunning string of pars also joined the leaders, as did dark horse Jeff, who led wire to wire.  This was a first ever tie during the PHAT tournament.  As the second 18 commenced, the crowds were able to witness a double treat.  Even more thrilling golf, as well as a sudden death playoff thrown in as a bonus.

In a controversial decision Jeff Hiel decided to play a seldom used cards buried deep in the bylaws of the PHAT rulebook, and make a substitution.   Leaders Bill, Jason, and CJ were joined by Jeff's doppelganger Ric Flair.

Ric was unable to withstand the blistering competition put forth by the other competitors, whose swings were so grooved by this 19th hole.

CJ's string of consecutive pars ended at 11 holes.  After a opening par he faltered on the tough second hole, scoring a bogey.

Despite mounting tough campaigns, no one could beset Jason Beeler.  His steady play on the first 2 holes meant he won the sudden-death playoff.  In doing so he not only won a handsome little purse, he also put a stranglehold on the year long race for the PHAT Championship.  With the title all but locked, we turned our focus to other players on tour.

There were other gripping stories up and down through the leader board (mostly down).  Like Kelly literally knocking his socks off, or pants up.  Whatever that saying is.  Last year Mr. Anlauf shocked the world by winning both rounds at Troy Burne and becoming the PHAT Champion.   

This year was not to be another repeat.  Plagued by having to witness the spasmodic drives of Kris, Kelly's game could not recover.

Pants on the ground 

Pants in the air. Rally Socks on.

Mike slapping around on his paint filled second 18.  An impressive 50/56 split led the field. 

Tensions mounted on the putting greens.  As the scores went up so did the pressure on all involved.  While the gentlemen of the PHAT would never resort to anything but the utmost propriety and respect to one another outwardly, it was apparent to all present that underlying undercurrents of vitriol were bubbling just under the surface.

Ryan stalks Chad like some kind of large calved jungle cat.  The secret service watches on in the distance.

While many of the early favorites in Vegas to rebound on the second 18 faltered on the back nine, one shining star made his move up the leader board.  Mr. Winterquist decided to buck the trend of constantly bogeying or worse.  His stellar even play of 38/38 found him atop the leaderboard in the waning minutes of light.

 Ryan hitting his lob wedge high into the gusting winds on 11.

Looking from atop the 13th tee; Chad, Chris, Ryan, and Todd all had a stunned look on their faces when they witnessed Kris actually make a par.  Either that or they saw a Sasquatch.

As the cheers echoes through the pines, in a very Augusta like atmosphere the sun began to set on the 2017 PHAT.

And onto the 18th....

It would all come down to the final hole of the final round.  Could Ryan hold onto his 7 stroke lead, or would something amazing happen?

 Kris hits one in tight to save par.  Sure he hit his drive 120 yards, but a par save here earned a smattering of applause from the wedding guests attentively watching the finish.

Chris uses his intimidating stare down technique to try rattle his playing companions.

 Chad hitting up to a mere kick in.

 Ryan putting the hex onto Chris' swing.

More dart throwing by Todd.

 As each foursome walked up the 18th to the green, a thundering smattering of applause could be heard, if you listened closely.

Looking like a young Marcello Mastroianni, Chad Meschke couldn't mount the run many prognosticators expected.

 Despite a late night putting clinic on the eve of the championship, Todd was unable to find the magic with the flatstick down the stretch of the last 36 holes.

The always hydrated Mr. Young lined up his final putt.

Despite not being in the last group, Ryan ran away with the second round title.  With a short chip, all he needed to do was not six putt.

To make matters interesting, Mr. Winterquist attempted to six putt to force a playoff.  He was unsuccessful in his bid when one of his increasingly short putts actually found the bottom of the cup.

An early favorite, Brad was last seen with his foot firmly on the accelerator of his cart heading over a ravine adjacent to the 18th hole.  There were rumors of a triple digit score being involved, however at press time this could not be confirmed.

 Chris attempts to bribe Ryan into retro-actively entering a few more aces onto his card.

 Nick Smith, with his even keel temperament was money on the greens.  A late surge was not enough to overcome some early missteps.

 The same early mistakes cost the mad bomber, aka Jim.  After several howitzer misfires on the 7th hole of the first round, Mr. Crowley's bid for a bounce-back second round fell short.  He did finish second behind Ryan for the round.

 CJ's mistake free stretch of holes solidly came to an end on the back nine of the second round.  Despite that silky smooth swing, trouble can find even the best of players on this course.

 One of the truly inspiring stories of the day, Bill tried to play golf without any arms.  But look at that on plane swing!

The tour leader for much of the year, Mr. Starken lost his grip on first place last week to Mr. Beeler.  Despite mounting a furious campaign on the day, his comeback fell short.

Beeler coasted into the 18th leaking a bit of oil but he gave the crowd what they came to see on the final hole, with an all too easy looking par.

 Bill attempts a new putting stroke he saw on YouTube

 Jeff attempts too late to simultaneously spear Jason with the flagstick and impale him with his putter.  His efforts failed thanks to Jason's supernatural reflexes.

 After the attempted culling on the 18th, CJ and Bill had to step in to separate Jeff and Jason

After the dust settled, and the scores were tabulated by the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers Jason Beeler was certified as the 2017 PHAT Champion.

Congratulations Mr. Beeler!

Until next time.  Hit em straight.  Or at least look like you're going to.

Save Hiawatha Golf Course

The Minneapolis Park Board voted last month to shut down operations of its South Minneapolis Hiawatha Golf Course at the end of the 2019 season.
Hiawatha is the course closest to my home.  While I am loathe to see courses close this one in particular has several things going for it:

• Location to the urban population

• A great first tee program serving that urban population

• It serves 5 schools as their local course

• A rich history nationally with African American golf.

• It is actually making money

The reasons behind the planned closure are many but ultimately boil down to groundwater. Specifically the pumping of water off the course.  This course was built on land originally called Mud Lake.  It was dredged in the 1931 and the course was opened in 1934.
Years of what could be argued as mismanagement or neglect of this watershed have led to rising waters from silt inflow into Lake Hiawatha.  Rising waters means problems for local houses and their basements.

The golf course pumps water into Lake Hiawatha to keep its fairways dry. That is the crux of the issue. Too much water is being pumped into the lake by the course. It has been pumping more water into Lake Hiawatha than allowed by its DNR permit. In fact, it has been pumping over 250 million gallons of water a year. The DNR is recommending that pumping be reduced to 90 million gallons a year, which they say is enough to keep nearby homes dry.  There are alternatives to reducing the water levels though.  Those alternatives start to hit political roadblocks though.  See this article from the local South Minneapolis paper, Southside Pride for some insight into this controversial subject. The park board wants to shut off that pumping and close the course.  They say they want to convert the course to some kind of park space - but without the pumping I think the land would revert back to its origins of a shallow Mud Lake.  There is no actual plan for what the land would become, only that it no longer be a golf course.

A grass roots movement has sprung up to save the course.  Between now and the scheduled closure date a local election will occur.  It may be a change to the park board members could change the fate of Hiawatha golf course.
You can visit the site here:

savehiawatha18.com

Golfing Sand Hollow Part 2 - Front 9

Hole 1 

Par 4
447 | 432 | 414 | 404 | 371 yards

The opening hole is a great par 4 to ease into your round.  Not a short hole, but a massive fairway is offered since the first and ninth hole share this area.  There is OB down the right side but there is plenty of room off the fairway down that side before you would find that.

The line off the tee is just straight down the hole at the Resort's hotel or the greenside bunker complex.  The scrub down the left is pretty far away, around 290 yards, depending on your tees.

If you play down the right side of the hole you will need to then carry the large bunker complex that sits about 65 yards short of the green.

Looking to your left is the first of many stunning views that you will find on the course.  I mean come on, this is ridiculous!

From the left side of the fairway, the approach into the green is much more open than down the right side.  The fairway does narrow to a small neck as it passes by the bunker complex.

As you hit your approach into the green be aware that this green, like many on the course is enormous.  A pair of bunkers does flank the left side of the green but really this green is so large that only a terrible shot is likely to find a home down in that sand.

A shot of the first green taken from the back right corner.  This green is a large oval and is almost 60 yards from front to back.  While not the most undulated surface, that is a good thing as you can have some very long lag putts on this one.

Hole 2 

Par 5
577 | 556 | 545 | 497 | 446 yards

The first par 5 of the day is a long one.  From the tee your view to the hole is partially obscured by the scrub brush in front of the tee.  The fairway you can see is dominated by a large center bunker that sits about 230 yards from the tee.   It is possible to carry that bunker.  While the bunker plays tricks on your eyes, this fairway is actually pretty large.  At the bunker the fairway actually stretches almost 80 yards across.  

This is the first hole where you start to experience some of the tremendous red rock formations on the course.  While these are not in play they do make for a great backdrop to the hole.

The large central bunker has a rather elevated face, making a lengthy exit from it unlikely.

Beyond that bunker the hole descends towards the green. Another bunker jumps out from the right, narrowing down the hole about 100 yards from the tee.  At this bunker the hole turns to the right, with the green tucked off the center line of the hole.

Closer to the green, a pair of bunkers frames the far edge of the fairway and will collect wayward long second shots.  For those playing this as a three shot hole, you just need to layup short of the right cross bunker, or just to its left for a wedge into the green.

The approach from the left side of the fairway, here from about 120 yards, is fairly open.  The green here slopes back left to front right.  A slope to the left of the green is to be avoided, as is the bunker that guards the front right corner of this triangular shaped green.  Finally, a pair of bunkers sit behind the this much smaller green, than you find on the first hole.

Hole 3 

Par 3
208 | 195 | 182 | 170 | 134 yards

Set in front of an outcropping of red rocks, this longer par 3 at first appears rather unimposing.

However, subtle hazards await you off the tee.  A pair of bunkers visually frame the front corners of the hole but should not come into play.  A false front of the green, especially on the right half of the hole can repel balls not hit far enough.

The green is about 50 yards wide and 35 yards deep so even if you find the green off the tee, you may have a very long couple of putts.  As you can see, the green also runs off to the left and back behind the hole.

Hole 4 

Par 4
463 | 439 | 429 | 402 | 344 yards

The 4th is a dogleg left which features a pair of waiting bunkers down the right side of the fairway off the tee.  The closer of these is about 200 yards away and the further is 280 yards.  Finding the fairway is key here as the boundaries of this hole is framed by the same brush that sits in front of the tee boxes.  In general this brush is some really thick stuff, so unless you get really lucky any ball hit into it is likely not to be found much less played.

The fairway narrows to only about 30 yards adjacent to the second bunker.  If you play short of that or can get over it you have a little more generous landing zone.

Our playing partners included William Dale Beddo. Here, Dale is teeing off on the 4th hole.  Dale is an accomplished golf architect, having worked with both Nicklaus and Palmer at times.  His career is winding down with his final work being the BYU course.  He also was involved in a new private course being built nearby to Sand Hollow called "The Rock"

Dale was a great guy to play with.  He put up with my Dad and I hacking around with him.  Dale is probably the best golfer I have ever played with personally.  It was just awesome to watch him play.
Check out this card on found online of a tournament he was in, enough said:

Anyways back to the 4th hole, the closest bunker off the tee is shown here.  If you get into this one, or the next one on the wrong side you have to just chip out with those high faces towards the green.  You can see the green off to the left as the hole turns and then descends back towards the resort's hotel.

The approach into the green is largely unguarded.  There is a large bunker on the left but it is some 40 yards short of the green and is more a visual distraction than an actual hazard.  There is one small bunker sitting of the right side of the green.

This is another large oval green, close to 40 yards at its widest.  After you finish this tough long hole, make sure to stop and admire the view back up the hole to the mountains beyond.  Wow!

Hole 5 

Par 4
355 | 347 | 306 | 292 | 244 yards

The 5th turns back and plays opposite and just adjacent to the 4th hole.  Significantly shorter this is an easier hole for that reason and for the wider fairway to tee off into.  A large bunker sits down the right side about 250 yards out.  There is plenty of room to miss that and stay in the fairway, which is 80 yards across at its widest point.

Another shot from the forward tees and the absolutely stunning backdrop of Signal Peak, located in the Pine Valley Mountains in the Dixie National Forest.

Looking off to the right on the hole you can see the kind of thorny scrub that awaits wayward shots.

The approach into 5 must traverse a pair of bunkers flanking the fairway.  The left bunkers is some 20 yards in front of the green but the right one wraps around the front corner of the green.

This green is circular and around 30 yards across.  There is room to miss long with a sloped collection area wrapping around below the back of the green.

Hole 6 

Par 4
493 | 468 | 442 | 430 | 354 yards

Another longer par 4.  This one is a relatively narrow dogleg left.  While the previous hole offered a wide fairway, this hole shows more teeth.  Off the tee you see a long bunker down the left.  This is not really in play as it can easily be carried.  A good line is just on this bunkers right edge.

Over the crest of the hill from the tee the hole descends slightly all the way to the green.  Sitting around 280 yards from the tee is a rock outcrop in the center of the fairway.  I can imagine a few people having hit a good drive might land on this thing, sending there ball who knows where.

From that rocky outcrop you have maybe 170 yards to the center of the green.  A big bunker looks to just out from the left.  This hazard is again more visual intimidation than a true hazard being about 50 yards short of the green.

The other bunker, down the right stretches from about 30 yards out to the edge of the green and presents more of a problem on your approach.

With the high face of the bunker on the right, hitting into there can quickly spell problems.  There is plenty of room to miss left of the green, and even room behind the green, where another slope behind the green funnels balls into a collection area.  There is even a bunker located back there, though I can't imagine it gets a visitor more than a couple times a month.

The green is another large oval canted diagonal from the fairway.  At its longest dimension it is close to 50 yards, so taking that into account on your approach is important so you don't end up taking more putts than you'd expect.

Looking back up the hole you can see the small elevation change as the hole descends from about 180 yards to the green.

Hole 7 

Par 5
577 | 563 | 537 | 500 | 453 yards

The second par 5 on the front requires carrying the cross bunker that runs into the fairway from the left side.  Another trap that is more of a visual challenge than one you'll need to contend with.  A good drive will not have a problem carrying that.

Over the top of this first bunker is another expansive landing area before another cross bunker on the left squeezes the hole down.

On your second shot should you carry the left bunker, another one joins the fun from the right about 50 yards from the green.

A final pair of bunkers sit covering the front left of the green.

Should you play up the right side of this hole, and carry the bunker down that side, the approach into the green is wide open, like is shown here.

The green is another oval shape, with a much wider dimension then depth as you approach.  The green is relatively flat to the rest of the hole so long shots in can run up, should youo avoid the various bunkers along the way.

Hole 8 

Par 3
162 | 158 | 141 | 135 | 121 yards

A short par 3 that offers plenty of sand and a deep green to make up for the distance of the tee.  A trio of bunkers hug the right side of the green. With another large bunker below the green on the left.

There is room to miss short but the green is elevated and the slope in front of the green will repel balls away that do come up short.

This hole is at the base of another great red rock formation.

With the green turned diagonally from the tee, there are a lot of possible pin placements with the green again stretching almost 50 yards from front to back.

Hole 9 

Par 4
433 | 404 | 374 | 364 | 317 yards

The final hole plays back to the clubhouse. An uphill hole, this hole actually begins your slow climb up to the pinnacle of this course on the back nine.  The backdrop of this hole is incredible with the clubhouse perched up above the green and in front of the large rocks.

It is about 240 yards to the first bunker down the left side.  That sand squeezes down the fairway slightly, but over the top of it is a wider landing area some 50 yards across.

The hole plays uphill the whole length so on your approach make sure to take enough club to account for that.  Your approach will need to carry the large bunker front and center.  You also must navigate a pair of traps on the right side of the green

Up on top of the hole is another massive circular green that is 30 or more yards across.

A look back from near the clubhouse of the ninth green and the fairway down below.

Front Nine Conclusion

The first 9 holes at Sand Hollow were fun to play.  The holes had length to them but the large firm fairways offered plenty of room to swing away.

While I was playing here I found myself thinking it felt a lot like The New Course I played in Orlando.  While this course didn't offer quite the wall to wall fairways like that course did I did feel it had a very "links-y" atmosphere to it.  The holes didn't feature much if any of the "target" style golf I associate most of the courses in the Southwestern U.S.

Honestly though probable the most memorable thing about the front nine were 2 things not directly related to the golf course itself.

The first would be the marvel at watching Mr. Beddo control his golf game.  That was a truly a thing of wonder to witness.  I think it also elevated my game just trying to somewhat keep up, or to be honest, just not embarrass myself!

The other most memorable mention goes to the stunning scenery.  With the distant snow-capped Dixie Mountains, and the more localized red rocks, the colors were just so amazingly vibrant.

And while these things made for a fun round, it wasn't the font nine that keeps me thinking back to this round as maybe one of my favorites played out in the Southwest.  Nope, the reason this round shot to one of my favorites in a long time is what awaits on the back nine...

Back to the Introduction...

To the back Nine...