The 1st Annual TRGA Christmas Party, sponsored by LAWNKeepers was a great success. It was nice to see everyone there!
"What a great party. Our thanks to Tom and Cathy McClintock and Lawnkeepers for creating the idea and having the TRGA as the guest of honor. They were wonderful hosts! Happy Holidays to all."
2012 TRGA Schedule
May 5 – Fox Hollow Golf Course, La Crosse, WI (Saturday)--D
May 19 – Viroqua Hills Golf Club, Viroqua, WI (Saturday)--A
June 3 – Cedar Valley Golf Club, Winona, MN (Sunday)--B
June 10 – Forest Hills Golf Course, La Crosse, WI (Sunday)--C
June 17 – River Run Golf Course, Sparta, WI (Sunday)--D
June 24 – Drugan’s Castle Mound, Holmen, WI (Sunday)--A
July 7 – Hiawatha Golf Club, Tomah, WI (Saturday)--B
July 22 – Trempealeau Mt. Golf Club, Trempealeau, WI (Sunday)--C
August 25 – TRGA Championship, Round 1, Bridges Golf Club, Winona, MN (Saturday)--E
August 26 – TRGA Championship, Round 2, La Crosse Country Club, Onalaska, WI (Sunday)--E
September 8 – TRGA Broken Cup, Drugan’s Castle Mound (Saturday)
2012 TRGA Juniors Schedule
(Ages 12 to 18)
Thursday, June 14: Viroqua Tournament at Viroqua Hills Golf Club, Viroqua, WI
Thursday, June 21: Winona Tournament at Bridges Golf Club, Winona, MN
Wednesday, June 27: Trempealeau Tournament at Tremp. Mt. G.C., Trempealeau, WI
Wednesday, July 11: Fox Hollow Tournament at Fox Hollow G.C., La Crosse, WI
Wednesday, July 18: Forest Hills Tournament at Forest Hills G.C., La Crosse, WI
Wednesday, July 25: Sparta Tournament at River Run Golf Course, Sparta, WI
(Ages 8 to 13)
Monday, June 11: Coulee Golf Bowl Tournament at Coulee Golf Bowl in Onalaska, WI
Monday, July 9: Walsh’s Golf Tournament at Walsh Golf Center in La Crosse, WI
Monday, August 6: Ettrick Tournament at Ettrick Golf Course in Ettrick, WI
Special Announcement!!
Dear TRGA Member,
We're having a party! Break up the off-season a bit and get together with your TRGA friends. Presenting, the first annual TRGA Christmas Party presented by LAWNKeepers of LaCrosse. A proud sponsor of the TRGA. We're on! Friday, Dec 16th from 5 til 8. Boot Hill Pub, St. Andrews room. Free beer, wine, pop and hors d oeuvres'. While it lasts. Cash bar. Piano music. Door prizes. Maybe some gambling and other surprises. All TRGA competitors and their significant others plus any people affiliated with the TRGA including sponsors and course representatives are invited. If you want em, invite em. LAWNKeepers, their affiliates and guests will also be in attendance but the focus of the evening will be on the TRGA.
Best regards,Margaret Olsen, Executive Director
Thank you for your participation! We look forward to a great 2012 season!
To All My Friends of the TRGA,
I'm sure most of you by now know that my family and I lost our home over Father's Day weekend this year. A storm drain filled during torrential rainfall on that Saturday night flooding the house and causing the East wall of the house to collapse making it unlivable and being condemned.
My family and I wish to express our sincere thanks for the generous gift we received from all of you. This is and has been a very trying time for my family. Receiving your gift was one extreme spirit lift from the situation we are facing. I always have known how great everyone in the TRGA is, but now my family and I know just how exceptional all of you are. We also appreciate all of the support, kind words, and prayers that all of you have shown me in person and in thought. My family has known how much the TRGA and the game of golf mean to me, so I found it truly meaningful to have their support in getting back to playing during a time where there is still so much to do. It really was great to be able to finish up the season with all of you. I was at a loss for words when Daron Schmitz presented me with the donation, but now I feel there aren't
enough or strong enough words to say thanks to all of you.
Please remember that in return, if I can ever be of help to any of you, please allow me to return the favor. Again, thanks to each and every member of the TRGA. I look forward to competing with you next season.
Sincerely,
The Tim Peterson Family
"Come out and watch some of our local golfers in the State Jr. Boys Championship at La Crosse Country Club next week, Aug. 8-10th. Cheer on the local talent!"
Click on this link for more information:
http://wsga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/wsga11/event/wsga1143/index.htm
Nominations are now being accepted for the Rose Jewelers Sportsmanship Award!
This is the 13th year for the Rose Jewelers Sportsmanship Award. This award is dedicated to one male and one female player from the entire TRGA membership who best exemplifies the spirit of the game of golf and the TRGA. Nominees for this award should meet the following criteria:
• Promotes/advocates the game of golf
• Conducts themselves in the spirit of the game
• Displays sportsmanship
• Shows proper etiquette
• Has rules knowledge
• Displays uncompromising integrity
Please take a moment to complete this nomination form and return no later than Sunday, July 31st, to the TRGA office. The TRGA Players Representative Committee will review the nominations and select the male and female recipients. A brief testimonial for each nomination is encouraged to assist the Committee with their decision. Awards will be presented at the President’s Reception following round two of the TRGA Championship on August 28th. Last year’s recipients of the twelfth annual award were Roger Jasperson and Jean Marie Weissenberger. Award recipients receive a Wittnauer Golf Watch courtesy of Rose Jewelers.
| Written by Bob Lamb – www.boblamboutdoors.com |
| Wednesday, 11 May 2011 18:12 |
|
The Three Rivers Golf Association, recognized as one of the strongest tournament organizations in Wisconsin, begins its 16th year on Saturday at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Barre Mills. Granted, spring hasn't been favorable for golfers to get the kinks out of their swings, but hopefully, sunny skies will grace the 18-hole Fox Hollow course on Saturday. And a large field is ready to test the scenic layout. TRGA officials, as well as players are anxious for another season featuring top-notch tournaments at several of the Coulee Region's finest golf courses. "Earlier this spring, all the facilities were invited to an informal meeting. It was to welcome the new operators in the association and to let them know about the TRGA," said TRGA president Bill MacAskill,PGA professional at The Bridges Golf Club in Winona, Minn. "In addition to having Margaret Olsen on site doing everything she does for all of us, the gathering focused on having all TRGA tournaments run consistently from event to event," MacAskill said. "The owners/operators of the events are committed to bringing the very best experience to each TRGAevent. They are eager to get to know our players and community sponsors. Best of luck. Have a great 2011 season." Olsen, nicknamed, "Squib," begins her 11th year as executive director of the TRGA. And, true to her previous 10 years, Olsen is anxious for Saturday's tourney opener. "There are 10 courses in the association again this year. Of them, three facilities are under new management," Olsen said. "So, our first goal is for people to get to know each other before the season begins, and to see themselves as a team of courses offering 10 consistent tournament venues for golfers in our region. With that spirit, we hope to do the same for our juniors tournaments and to support other exciting juniors events that will be hosted in our area this year." The TRGAis also placing extra emphasis on player recruitment in 2011. "Thanks to a wonderful gesture from The Bridges in Winona and The La Crosse Country Club in Onalaska, many of our college players will have the opportunity to participate in the season championships," Olsen said. "Both facilities offered to move up the dates of the championships to late August. In the past, the two-day season finale was scheduled after Labor Day, which left student golfers returning to school before the championships were played," she said. "Now, it will be possible for them to contend for Player of the Year honors. And those familiar veteran players in the TRGA are excited to take on the youngsters at the end of the season when all the pressure is on, Olsen said. "As one who has known some players as junior golfers since the age of eight, I'm especially grateful to The Bridges and the La Crosse Country Club that college players will be able to participate." The TRGA also plans to make speed of play more of a priority this season. "We're making progress, thanks to increased awareness and cooperation from our players," Olsen said. "From 2009 to 2010, we improved our overall average pace of play by 14 minutes. That's huge. Based on the time the last group of the day finishes the round, we averaged 4 hours, 34 minutes in 2010." Olsen said this year's goal is to get a field of 100-plus golfers into the clubhouse in less than 4 hours, 30 minutes per group. "And it's an achievable goal to reach that magical number of 4 hours, 15 minutes average for an entire season," she said. "Rest assured, the TRGA is on track for yet another great season of competitive, first quality events at all of our locations," Olsen said. "Be hopeful for great weather, but at the same time prepare for the challenges that Mother Nature can provide. Either way, it will be great golf at great venues." |
Jill Preeshl, a senior at Upper Iowa University, from Onalaska, WI, was voted by the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) Coaches as the 2011 Women’s Golfer of the Year. This marks the second year in a row Preeshl has garnered this award. This season she was the medalist at the NSIC Championship and named to the NSIC All- Tournament Team. Her stroke average was 78.6 and she was named NSIC Golfer of the Week three times. Her strong play this spring earned her three tournament victories.
Jill will join the rest of the UIU women’s golf team this upcoming Sunday-Tuesday, May 1-3, when they visit St. Paul, Minn. to compete in the NCAA Central Region Tournament. This is the fifth consecutive season that UIU has been invited to the tournament as a team.
by Bob Lamb, Bob Lamb Outdoors
Spring is just around the corner.
I can tell.
Margaret "Squib" Olsen sent me the 2011 Three Rivers Golf Association schedule this week.
Olsen and TRGA course members do a remarkable job arranging... and cooperating... to schedule several adult and juniors tournaments throughout the summer months.
Squib is excited about the upcoming season. Ditto TRGA players. Me, too.
Hopefully, snow will disappear quickly, green grass will sprout up and another golf season will spring eternal.
Editors Note
Republished with permission from Bob Lamb Outdoors. Bob will cover the TRGA throughout the season.
The WPGA Junior Foundation is pleased to announce Ben Skogen as the Junior Boys Player of the Year for 2010. Ben is a 15 year-old from Onalaska and started his year off by finishing second at Junior Championship with a second round 66. Ben’s stroke average was 73.8 in WPGA events in 2010. This past summer and he finished in the top 4 in 6 events. Ben went on to secure his title by finishing runner-up at the year end Lake Arrowhead Invitational.
Nick Byom, formerly of Blair, WI, and former TRGA player, is the 9th recipient of the WPGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year award. He has been employed at The Legend at Bristlecone for the past 7 years and during that time became a PGA Member in 2010. Assistant golf professionals have many challenging roles to play and Byom has gained valuable experience in those roles.
Over the years Byom has taken on more responsibilities that have helped lead him to be a well rounded assistant golf professional. Presently he has a hand in a lot of the aspects of the day to day operations at The Legend at Bristlecone. One of his main responsibilities is to oversee the outside operations, which includes hiring, training, and managing a staff of 12 employees. He has also played an integral role on the merchandising side of things. With the mentoring of a former Merchandiser of the Year he has been involved with the ordering, invoicing, selling, and staging of the golf shop during his tenure.
Outside of his day to day responsibilities at the golf course, Byom enjoys competing in section events and recently got involved with the assistant’s board of directors. In 2010, he was appointed to be WAGPA Tournament Chairman and became a member of the WPGA Tournament Policy Board. On the playing side of things the Lake Mills resident had several top finishes at WPGA events and claimed a sixth place finish in the Assistant Player of the Year standings.
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the green
Not a golfer was stirring, not even one seen.
The golf gloves were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that a tee time soon would be theirs.
Little duffers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of birdies danced in their heads.
My friend in her visor, and I in my cap,
Had just stored our clubs for a long winter’s nap.
With the course frozen over and no one about,
I was walking alone when I heard someone shout.
Away down the tenth fairway I ran in a flash,
but I slipped on some ice and oh, what a crash.
The ice on the hill showed off such a glow
Right down to the half frozen hazard below.
It was a disaster, or so it appeared,
Until I was saved by a guy and reindeer.
With one hand on his cart and one raising a glass,
I knew in a moment this golfer had class.
His game was amazing, hotter than hot
And he whistled, and shouted, and called every shot!
“Now draw it! Now, fade it! Now onto the green!
Like Tiger! Like Arnie! Like Hogan and Snead!
Right down the middle! The ball, it flew far!
Now chip in! Now pitch in! Better than par!”
I was still falling fast, nearly into the burn
When the man and his cart had just made the turn.
Down on my butt with my back nearly broke,
This man scooped me up without missing a stroke.
With a sigh of relief I gave him a nod
And saw that his reindeer was naught but a dog.
They were out chasing geese and getting some practice,
I thought for a moment it might be Jack Nicklaus.
He was dressed all in Nike, from his head to his toes,
His clothes were all high tech, he was dressed like the pros.
A bag full of golf clubs he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a winner, not just some hack.
His eyes - they were focused! his demeanor - most serious!
He had on his game face, you just knew he meant business!
Still I couldn’t believe when I peeked at his card,
On the front nine the man had shot nine under par!
The stump of a cigar held tight in his teeth,
Whenever he putted he never would peek.
He had a smooth stroke straight to the cup,
Then he’d look up and smile when he heard it go “plop.”
He was steady and straight, boy, could he stroke it,
I thought, with some practice, I too could smoke it!
I’m quite sure that no one could get in his head,
Quite simply, I’d bet many tourneys he’d lead.
He spoke not a word, but went right on playing,
That this was a great round goes without saying.
Six birdies, three eagles and soon he was done.
When he’d finished eighteen, he’d shot fifty one!
He turned in his cart, put the dog in his car,
And faster than lightning bellied up to the bar.
Then I heard him exclaim, “sure this was nifty,
but think, if I’d dropped one, it could have been fifty!”
GOOD GOLFING TO ALL AND TO ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Entry forms for the TRGA Championship, and Nomination forms for the TRGA Rose Jewelers Sportsmanship Award are now available for download.
We will be using Flight Order "E" for the Championship: M5, M4, M3, WF, WC, M2, M1, MC
CLICK HERE to go to the download page.
It’s Almost Here!!
The long awaited 4th Annual Broken Cup will be held Saturday, August 28th at Drugan’s Castle Mound. The fun match play format for men’s flighted divisions and women has become a popular unofficial event for players. For 18 holes within each foursome, teammates play a partner best ball, plus individual matches against their opponents. Each match is worth one point, so there are three points in play per foursome. A 1/2-point each is awarded for ties.
Six flights (men’s First through Fifth, plus the Women’s division) are split by the committee into two teams. Four players from each flight are represented. They are selected from the current TRGA point standings, and then placed into their respective flights by index, based on predetermined parameters. Handicaps are used and strokes given where applicable.
Players have the opportunity to play golf with people from other flights, enjoy a little lunch, a bit of razzing, and lots of laughs. The Broken Cup is a relaxed change of pace as we approach the conclusion of our TRGA season.
April 23, 2010 - During the recent off-season the TRGA team enlisted the help of The BLÜ Group – Advertising & Marketing to re-design our website and consult with us on overall branding and growth strategies. The new website was designed around the premise that we wanted the players to have a better overall experience through a user-friendly navigation, online registration (online payments being explored), and more information such as tips and individual player information.
Players - Please submit your information to the association for inclusion on the website. Send your Name, City, Home Course, USGA Handicap, and “Why I Love Golf” to info@trgagolf.com along with a picture (optional, but encouraged). Thank you.
We also wanted to increase the exposure for our sponsors and member courses. Each sponsor is acknowledged on the home page and they now have the opportunity to provide additional information about their company.
*Sponsors are encouraged to e-mail us a paragraph or two about their company with any appropriate links. If we do not have a current logo or ad, please send that to us as well. We sincerely appreciate all your support and want to give you as much exposure as possible.
Each member course has a page dedicated to them so players can get all the information they need to prep for a tournament or set-up a time to play during any other time of the year.
Finally, we want to acknowledge the extraordinary effort put in by The BLÜ Group. This incredible Onalaska-based ad agency, in addition to Kevin Drewiske and Jeremiah Shimshak, put in countless hours (at no cost to the Association) to pull everything together. Their customer service is second-to-none. BLÜ continues to work with us to improve the overall experience for our players, sponsors, and member courses so that the TRGA remains a viable, growth-oriented, and proactive organization for years to come.
As always, we welcome your feedback and are interested in hearing your opinions about the new site. Please send your comments to trga@trgagolf.com and if you like what you see…please spread the word.
I recently received an email from Tom Fischer;
Learned a valuable lesson last week in Black River. Started out with a double, triple, quad, double, double, double. Was +15 after the first 6 holes! I would never do it, but felt like pulling a "did not finish" and walking off after 6 holes. Then, something happened. Made a few corrections, dug down a little, and played the last 12 holes at +9! Finished tied for third, got 11 points, and $42.50! The lesson learned is never get down, never give up. There's always the next hole to play. Anyway, thanks again, and I'll see you tomorrow.
Footnote: The very next week at Drugan's Castle Mound, Tom won by a single stroke.
The Three Rivers Golf Association is very pleased to announce a new Title Sponsor for 2008. We have partnered with Big Sky Cattle, LLC and VPP Group, LLC to continue our tradition of providing a schedule of first-class competitive events at our area facilities. And, we’re determined to continue giving our patrons and sponsors a series of first quality events they can enjoy and of which we all can be proud. As we enter our 13th season, we are excited that Rick Stewart and Montana Stewart have stepped forward enthusiastically to continue the high standard of integrity and determined energy that we all have for the game of golf and the development of golfers in our area.
In a letter from the Stewarts, they wrote, "On behalf of our companies, VPP Group, LLC and Big Sky Cattle, LLC we are honored to take this role with the TRGA. We feel that this is a great opportunity for us to help support an organization that fosters such great competitions and camaraderie among so many. We are also proud to help promote a game that is so near and dear to our hearts, and to other golfers of all ages in our area. We are looking forward to the best season yet for the TRGA!"
Margaret Olsen, Executive Director
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