Merry Christmas!! As we move through December and edge closer to the beginning of 2025, I can’t help but reflect on many of the high points that made 2024 so special for Indiana golf. Crystal Morse, the head professional at The Legends Golf Club, received the PGA’s Player Development Award. Ted Bishop received the Sam Snead Award from the Metropolitan Section of the PGA, which recognized his “exceptional contributions to the Met section and the broader golf community.” Morse and Bishop work together as coaches for the Franklin Community High School boys and girls golf teams, based out of Legends Golf Club. Tony Pancake, Director of Golf at Crooked Stick Golf Club, was the recipient of the 2024 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year Award. This is the highest annual honor given to a PGA Golf Professional and is awarded for leadership, strong moral character, plus their record of service to the PGA, as well as the game of golf. Robert Koontz, PGA, at the French Lick Resort in French Lick was named the PGA of America Merchandiser of the Year in the Resort Category. And, finally, Indiana Fever basketball superstar Caitlin Clark made an appearance on the LPGA Tour when she played in the Wednesday pro-am at The ANNIKA. To add to the Indiana flavor of the event, two Indy 500 drivers served as honorary caddies on the back nine of the pro-am for both Clark and tournament namesake/LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for an early beginning to the 2025 golf season here in Indiana. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! MIKE MAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SUBSCRIBE Back 9 Media Group Also Publishes: Ohio Golf Journal Michigan Golf Journal American Golf Journal Back 9 Report Indiana Golf Journal
32 06 16 24 38 2024: The Year That Was 5 Top 2024 Indiana Golf Stories Professional Golf & The USGA Are Turning Me Off! LIV vs PGA Tour Golfer’s Letter To Santa Two Inducted Into Indiana Golf Hall of Fame Basketball Superstar Caitlin Clark Hits The Links In LPGA Event Ode To The LPGA 06 12 18 20 24 16 22 26 Brent & Kate Edwards Volunteer On LPGA Tour Sarah Butler Toting The Bag On The LPGA Tour Holiday Wine Guide 28 32 36 Texas Two Step Our Favorite Videos 38 42 FIND INSIDE Indiana Golf Journal is Published By Back 9 Media Group Publisher: Fred Altvater, USGTF Teaching Professional Advertise with Indiana Golf Journal, Contact us for more information Be sure to take advantage of the links to social media, videos and other content provided within the articles Indiana Golf Journal
Golf experienced a topsy turvy 2024. Golf at the local level has never been stronger, but the professional game has suffered an enormous popularity shift away from watching on their big screens. Grass roots golf has grown exponentially, since COVID reared its ugly head in 2020. Tee sheets are nearly full every day, golf resorts are continuously booked at record levels and the money spent on expansion and renovations to existing courses is at record levels. Bottom line: Golf, on the whole, is at a very good place, but professional golf is not. 2024: The Year that Was I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but I am seeing a trend over the past two years that doesn’t appear to be a good thing, for golf, going forward. Declining Viewership For years the PGA Tour has had its way with very little competition and enjoyed the spoils of hundreds of hours of tournament coverage on network television, plus the huge profits generated by its schedule of professional golf tournaments. Golf fans watched with rapt attention and were fascinated by the skills and shot-making abilities of toplevel professional golfers. Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods elevated the game to new heights and television ratings continued to grow, especially when Woods became the dominant golfer in the world. Television networks were eager to throw millions of dollars at the tour for the broadcast rights. Palmer even helped create a new network, The Golf Channel, to deliver even more golf content to avid golfers 24/7/365. Now that entity is owned by Comcast Indiana Golf Journal
NBC and it has not been delivering the profits corporate bosses would like to see. Golf fans around the world benefitted from the additional coverage and over time more and more air-time became dedicated to LPGA Tour events, helping to raise their purses for women’s golf. Tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour are regularly aired. It seemed golfers could not get enough golf to satisfy their ever-growing demand for coverage. USGA Golf Ball Roll Back But something has changed. Television ratings for professional golf tournaments have slipped by over 30% and that trend does not seem to be changing any time soon. How long will tournament sponsors accept lower ratings and the high cost of sponsoring a PGA Tour event? million casual golfers in America only about 3,000 try to make their living at the game. Why is the USGA making decisions for the whole of golf based on the very small percentage of professionals? Award-winning golf courses designer, Tom Fazio spoke with Back 9 Report and had a few interesting comments about the USGA’s proposal to roll-back the golf ball. Watch the full interview HERE. Insert Tom Faziovideo thumbnail here When golf is experiencing all-time high participation numbers, why is the USGA trying to make it less attractive for the average golfer to enjoy the game? The USGA and R&A plan to make the golf ball rollback effective in January 2028 for professional golfers and 2030 for recreational golfers. The rollback is intended to reduce the impact of increased distances on future golf course design and maintenance. Of the 12,000 golf courses in this country, slightly more than 45 golf courses host PGA Tour events every year. Of more than 20 Major Championships Results The four major championships saw three of the biggest names in the game grab the hardware and the big checks. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau all won majors this year. Plus, all have now won at least two major titles.
Scottie Scheffler Continued to Dominate in 2024 Last season, Scheffler added another Green Jacket to his closet and in 19 starts recorded seven wins and two runners-up, while not missing a cut, plus racking up $29 million in earnings. His wins also included THE PLAYERS in March and the Tour Championship, at the end of the season, where he collected a measly $20 million bonus. Xander Schauffele Won Two Majors Xander Schauffele shocked no one last year by winning two major titles, the PGA and The OPEN Championship. He has been one of the most consistent players, since he joined the tour and everyone knew it was just a matter of time before he grabbed a major win. The 2024 PGA Championship was held at Valhalla, outside of Louisville, Kentucky. Xander showed his true grit by firing a final round 65 to edge Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke. At the OPEN Championship held at Troon, in Scotland, Xander was tied for second, one shot behind the leader Billy Horschel, as he teed it up on the final day. Horschel fired a solid 68 Bryson DeChambeau Won 2nd U.S. Open Title Even though DeChambeau left the PGA Tour and competes on the rival LIV, his win at the on Sunday, but Schauffele posted a 65 to win by two shots and hoist the Claret Jug. Since he joined the professional ranks in 20215, Schauffele has amassed a total of nine PGA Tour wins and over $57 million in career earnings. He now has two major titles, plus the 2021 Olympic Gold Medal. Even more scary, at the age of 31, his best years may yet be ahead of him. 2020 U.S. Open provided an exemption into the 2024 major championships. Bryson came up just a bit short in the second major of the year at the PGA Championship finishing one shot behind the winner, Xander Schauffele. He kept his hot play going and won his second U.S. Open at Pinehurst in June to solidify his position in professional golf as one of the players to watch every time he tees it up. He also made a ton of new fans at the PGA and the U.S. Open by continually engaging with fans and being available for interesting interviews. Indiana Golf Journal
Rory McIlroy Had So-So Year McIlroy entered 19 events in 2024, won twice, added one runner-up and collected seven Top 10 finishes. He earned over $10 million, but failed, once again, to earn another major championship victory. His last major championship win came over ten years ago, when he won both the PGA and the OPEN Championships, in 2014. LPGA Continues to Grow wedges. It appears that may be a solid plan as he just won his 6th DP World Tour Race to Dubai in November. Although 2024 was just a so-so campaign for Rory, hopefully this is a harbinger of what is to come in 2025. Rory is one of the most popular players in the world and has been one of the best golfers on the planet, since he turned professional in 2007. He is considered to be one of the very best drivers of the golf ball of all time, but his short game seems to let him down at times. In an effort to improve in 2025 and possibly win another major he is working hard in the off season to change his swing to become more accurate with his Women’s Open was $11 million, KPMG Women’s PGA offered $10 million, the Evian paid out a total of $6.5 million and the Women’s OPEN Championship purse totaled $9.5 million. These are numbers that have never been seen in women’s golf before. Several regular events had purses of $3 million and new sponsors are continuing to raise the stakes for the women’s tour. the biggest and best yet. With 35 events spanning several continents, the best women golfers in the world played for a total of $123.5 million. Nelly Korda, Yuka Saso, Amy Yang, Ayaka Furue and Lydia Ko won the five major championships on the LPGA Tour this past year. The Chevron Championship offered $5.2 million, the U.S. Continuing the trend set by former LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan, the 2024 LPGA season was Chevron Championship Nelly Korda is by far the best player on the LPGA Tour and started her year with five wins, including the first major championship of the year, The Chevron Championship. A final round 69 lifted her two strokes over Maja Stark for the win. U.S. Women’s Open Japan’s Yuka Saso held off her countrywoman, Hinako Shibuno to win the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Golf Club in Pennsylvania. This was Saso’s second U.S. Women’s Open title as she previously won in 2021.
Women’s British Open The LPGA’s biggest feel-good story of the year happened at the Women’s British Open Championship held on the Old Course at St. Andrews. The historic Scottish links course has always recognized the feats of great golfers through the years and this was no exception. Lydia Ko slipped past a host of top women, including Nelly Korda, to collect her third major title. More importantly it gave her the necessary points to qualify for the Golf Hall of Fame. Ko has long been one of the most popular players in women’s golf and her accomplishments were celebrated around the world. She has had one of the best careers ever and we look forward to seeing her win more in the future. 2024 Wrap Up Even though viewership is down across the board for golf coverage on television, golf has never been stronger at the grass roots level. More women and juniors are taking up the game, plus tee sheets are continuously filled and golf travel resorts are recording record numbers of rounds played. On the whole golf is good, but declining viewership for professional events is troubling. KPMG Women’s PGA Championship In June, Amy Yang won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Seattle. Originally from South Korea, Yang has been winning golf tournaments, since she was a teenager in Australia. She has competed on the LPGA Tour since 2008 and has six wins in the United States to go with three titles on the Ladies European Tour and two wins in Korea. Evian Championship Another player from Japan, Ayaka Furue grabbed the Evian Championship held in France. The 24-year-old turned professional in 2019 and this was her first major title. Furue has six career victories in Japan and joined the LPGA Tour in 2022 via Q-School. She won the 2022 Trust Women’s Scottish Open for her first LPGA Tour title. International Competition After losing or tying three of the last four Solheim Cups, Stacy Lewis captained her U.S. Squad to a 15.5-12.5 win at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club outside of Washington D.C. The Presidents Cup was held at Royal Montreal Golf Club, but the results were very similar to the other 14 times this exhibition has been competed. Led by Canada’s native son, Mike Weir, the International team put up a valiant fight, but in the end lost once again to Jim Furyk’s American team, 18.5-11.5. This has been a lopsided event since it began in 1994 and has lost all relevancy as a big-time sporting event. Indiana Golf Journal
Top Five 2024 Indiana Golf Moments to conclude the 72-hole event at nine-under-par. In that final round he had stormed back from six shots behind the leader to secure a one-stroke victory and the $270,000 first-place check. His birdie on the par-five 18th hole clinched the victory. Thornberry moved up to 16th place in the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, which earned him a 2025 PGA Tour card. “If I was one shot worse, I wouldn’t have got my card,” admitted Thornberry. 1) Braden Thornberry Wins Korn Ferry Tour Championship In October, the next generation of PGA Tour players competed for four rounds on The Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort for the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Championship. After the conclusion of regulation play on Sunday, Braden Thornberry’s name was atop the leaderboard and was declared the winner. In the final round, Thornberry shot a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 By Mike May Indiana Golf Journal
2) Annabelle Pancake Successfully Breaks Into Professional Golf Zionsville native Annabelle Pancake had two stellar playing performances on the Epson Tour, which is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour. In June, Pancake played in the Epson Tour’s Otter Creek Classic in Columbus, finishing in a tie for 13th. In August, she received a sponsor’s exemption to compete in the Epson Tour’s Four Winds Invitational in South Bend. She finished in a 4th -place tie, firing a final-round threeunder-par 69, the only round under 70 that day. 3) Zionsville Secures Girls State Title In October, Maggie Nobbe guided the Zionsville High School Eagles to their second IHSAA State Girls golf team title. Freshman Taylor Snively of Zionsville captured the individual honors with an even-par 144. “These girls went out there with total confidence and with no fear. That was our motto for these two days and that’s what these girls did,” said Nobbe. Zionsville finished the 52nd annual state finals with a 627 score, following up its first-round total of 315 with a 312 in round two. That was good enough to overcome first-round leader Noblesville (310-322632). Hamilton Southeastern placed third with 652, one-shot ahead of fourth-place Westfield.
4) Zionsville Boys Golf Team Wins State Championship 5) Adam Schenk Plays Well At The Masters In April, Vincennes resident and Purdue University graduate Adam Schenk made his first career appearance in this year’s Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Schenk was the only Indiana resident in the field of 88 players at this year’s Masters. Playing in the Masters, as a rookie, is not an easy task as most first-time participants often miss the cut. Schenk beat the odds and finished in a tie for 12th place, which earned him a spot in the field for the 2025 Masters. During this year’s four rounds at the Masters, Schenk was the model of consistency as he recorded 47 pars, 13 bogeys, and 12 birdies. In the final round, one of Schenk’s most impressive and memorable shots was his 55-foot putt for a birdie on the par-three 12th hole. It was the longest converted putt by any player in the fourth round at this year’s Masters. Both Adam’s wife Kourtney and their son AJ were in Augusta to share the Masters with Adam. One of Schenk’s Indiana-based sponsors is the French Lick Resort. In June, the Zionsville High School Boys golf team won the IHSAA Boys Golf Finals at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. The secondranked Eagles fired a first-round 16-over-par 304 and a secondround 8-over-par 296 for an overall 24-over-par 600 to clinch their first team state title in 20 years. Led by first-year head coach Adam Wood, who won the individual IHSAA State Title in 2013, the Eagles placed three golfers in the top-15 and four in the top-40 to overcome runner-up and topranked Westfield (605) and thirdplace finisher Hamilton Southeastern (606). Fairfield junior Brayden Miller posted a two-day, 36hole score of 68-71-139 (5-under-par) to win the IHSAA’s individual state title. Indiana Golf Journal
Two Hall of Fame Inductees and Indiana Players of the Year amateur and professional. A standout at Purdue University, Williamson earned three First Team All-Big Ten honors and was named 2002 Big Ten Player of the Year. His amateur success includes winning the Indiana Match Play, Amateur, and Open championships, while his professional career saw victories on the Canadian Tour and strong performances on the Nationwide Tour. Currently the Director of Golf at Orange County National in Florida, Williamson’s contributions continue to shape the game. From Indiana Golf Indiana Golf Hall of Fame welcomed two new members in 2024. Terry Werner Terry Werner, an accomplished amateur golfer from Dyer, Indiana, has enjoyed a prolific career across state, regional, and national competitions. His Indiana Golf Association (IGA) accolades include four Senior Amateur Championships and numerous team and individual titles. Werner also excelled in Illinois, winning multiple Chicago District Golf Association championships, and has represented Indiana on the national stage, including three U.S. Senior Amateur appearances. With over 20 club championships at Briar Ridge Country Club and countless other victories, Werner’s legacy as a fierce competitor and ambassador for the game is well-earned. Lee Williamson Lee Williamson, born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, has left an indelible mark on golf as both an Players of the Year Indiana Golf celebrated outstanding achievements across multiple divisions with the following Players of the Year: • Matt Vogt (IGA John K. David Player of the Year): Highlights include wins at the Indianapolis Open, Indiana FourBall Championship, and multiple top-5 finishes in major state tournaments. Indiana Golf Journal
• Michael Williams (IGA Senior Jerry Nelson Player of the Year): Achievements include victory at the Senior Match Play Championship and qualification for the U.S. Senior Amateur. • Julia Potter-Bobb (IWGA Alice O’Neal Dye Player of the Year): Notable finishes include a quarterfinal appearance at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and a championship win at the Women’s Match Play. • Jake Cesare (Boys Junior Program Player of the Year): 2024 Boys Hoosier Junior Champion and a 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball qualifier. • Ressie Lemmon (Girls Junior Program Player of the Year): Multiple Junior Tour wins, including at the Junior Tour Championship and PGA Great Lakes Junior Series. • Jaxon Calhoon (Junior Tour Boys Player of the Year): Achievements include wins at the Junior Tour Championship and Buffy and Alice Mayerstein Age Group Championship. • Addison Meadows (Junior Tour Girls Player of the Year): Championships include the Junior Tour and Masters Tour titles, plus multiple top finishes. • Gavin Davis (Boys Prep Tour Player of the Year): Points leader and multiple event winner, including the Buffy and Alice Mayerstein Championship. • Nellie Lemmon (Girls Prep Tour Player of the Year): Points leader with six wins and a standout low round of 74 at Crestview.
While golf, on the whole, is very healthy, private and public courses’ profits are experiencing record levels, but there are a few problems in Shangri La. I have religiously followed the PGA Tour, major championships, Ryder Cups, the LPGA, Solheim Cups, Symetra & EPSON Tours, the DP World Tour, the Ladies European Tour, the Asian Tour, the Australasian Opinion: Professional Golf & The USGA Are Turning Me Off!! By Fred Altvater Why is this? Could it have been avoided? With the addition of the Signature events, bigger purses and limited fields the top players only play in those tournaments and the majors. These $20 million purses were necessary to compete with the LIV’s largess, but it has split the PGA Tour into two factions, The Haves and The Have Nots. Tour, Champions Tour, PGA Tour Canada, LatinoAmerica Tour, and every other professional golf tour in the world for over 30 years. I am sorry to say, I have reached my maximum. I have attended hundreds of professional tournaments and yet today I find professional golf nearly unwatchable on my big screen. Indiana Golf Journal
USGA Golf Ball RollBack As a 73-year-old man, I can tee it forward and still not reach most greens in regulation. Why do I want to play a game that the regulators of golf want to limit my enjoyment of this wonderful game? The USGA in their infinite wisdom has threatened to roll back the golf ball for several years and they officially made it clear this year that they intend to do so in 2028 for professionals and in 2030 for average golfers. I’ll be 79 by then and even shorter off the tee. I am really looking forward to using a shorter golf ball. NOT! It seems to me that they are missing the point. Because the talent pool has become so split from players defecting to the LIV side, nonsignature regular season PGA Tour events resemble Korn Ferry Tour tournaments with names not quickly recognizable. With the new changes that were announced coming in 2026, the fields will continue to decrease and the void between top-tier PGA Tour members and the lesser-known professionals will become even greater. The bigger problem for the PGA Tour is that I am not the only one that has been turned off by the lack of competitive balance on tour. Even though play at the local level is up dramatically, television viewership has declined by over 30% and is still trending downward. PGA Tour sponsors are not happy. These are not the people you want to disappoint because they pay the bills and keep the lights on. With outside investment in the PGA Tour, the investors will want a return on their money. Will that require charitable giving, such an important segment of professional tournaments, to be reduced, as well? I understand the need for a professional athlete to maximize his earning potential, a pro never knows when injury will curtail a promising career, but the exorbitant amounts of money being thrown around in professional golf today seems obscene. Could this have been avoided? Maybe, but who could have foreseen a sovereign country, like Saudi Arabia, devoting its massive wealth to completely destroy one of the best golf leagues in the world?
LIV vs PGA Tour was formed to improve Saudi Arabia’s image as a solid international citizen, but it has completely split the professional golf ranks worldwide. The PGA Tour has had its way with profits generated by its schedule of professional golf tournaments and the golf public’s fascination with the skill level of top-level professional golfers. Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, as well as many others grabbed the attention of casual golfers back in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Arnold Palmer and television were made for each other and golf became must-watch TV in the 1950’s. Jack Nicklaus carried the ball in the 1960’s In 2024 the fireworks between the PGA Tour and the LIV continued to rage with golf fans becoming increasingly unhappy with the greed and ultimate destruction of the professional game. This continuing saga began in 2021, when Greg Norman, who has had an issue with the PGA Tour for many years, found someone with very deeppockets to fund a rival professional golf league. LIV By Fred Altvater Indiana Golf Journal
and 1970’s to become golf winningest major champion. In 1968, Nicklaus and Palmer authored a successful break from the PGA of America and formed the PGA Tour, which led us to the current PGA Tour. In 1996, along came Tiger Woods and escalated the sport even farther. Television networks were eager to throw millions of dollars at the tour for the broadcast rights. Arnold Palmer even helped create a new network, The Golf Channel, to deliver even more golf content to avid golfers 24/7/365. Now that entity is owned by Comcast NBC and it has not been delivering the profits corporate bosses would like to see. Golf fans around the world benefitted from the additional coverage and over time more and more air-time became dedicated to LPGA Tour events, helping to raise their purses for women’s golf. Tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour are regularly aired. It seemed golfers could not get enough golf to satisfy their ever-growing demand for coverage. But something has changed. Television ratings for professional golf tournaments have slipped by over 30% and that trend does not seem to be changing any time soon. We keep hearing rumors that a deal is getting done, but with the defections declining, a $1.5 billion infusion of cash from outside investors to the PGA Tour and increased purses in America, thus keeping the players happy, I don’t see any impetus for the PGA Tour to settle for any kind of deal the Saudi’s could offer. The real question is, How long will the Arabs want to continue to subsidize a losing proposition?
Basketball Superstar Caitlin Clark Hits The Links In LPGA Event By Mike May Last month at the LPGA’s ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, the WNBA’s newest superstar, Caitlin Clark participated in the Wednesday Pro-Am. The Indiana Fever superstar also participated in the Women’s Leadership Summit. Two legendary LPGA players were in Clark’s group, current world #1 Nelly Korda and LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. Clark played all 18 holes, while Korda played only the front nine with Sorenstam finishing on the back nine. In Clark’s debut in an LPGA pro-am her day began on the driving range at 6:40 AM. Twenty minutes later, she was on the first tee surrounded by fans wearing replica jerseys from her days playing for the University of Iowa and, most recently, with the Indiana Fever. The gallery was large and well-behaved. Clark was impressed by Korda’s play, even though it was just a pro-am. “The way she (Nelly) hits the ball is just satisfying,” said Clark. “It’s pretty awesome. It’s fun to be out here and get to see an upclose look at how she does things, just so smooth and really good at what she does.” After the round, Clark reflected on her early connections to Pat Eastman Indiana Golf Journal
the game of golf and why she continues to play the game. “My dad. I loved it,” said Clark. “My dad played a little bit growing up. You know, I really love it (golf). I love being outside, being with my friends. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon or the morning, whatever it is, with your family and friends. That’s what I love about it.” While she was in Florida under warm and sunny weather conditions and played a sport that is drastically different than basketball, Clark did talk about what she’s doing in the offseason to improve her level of play on the basketball court next season. “Besides the actual basketball skill part, I think getting stronger,” concluded Clark. “I’m in the weight room a lot just building that strength. It was hard going straight from the college season to the professional season. “ Despite the fact that Clark is now in the midst of basketball’s off-season, she remains busy and on the go. “I’m still so busy,” added Clark. “I got to get things done that I haven’t been able to do during basketball season. Everybody thinks I have a bunch of free time, but I have been busy. I like to keep myself in a routine and working out, whatever it is. It’s been a lot of fun and I enjoyed it.” Sorenstam, the LPGA Hall of Famer was especially impressed by the WNBA superstar. “She has some power off the tee,” remarked Sorenstam. “Very thankful to her to take the time to be a part of our event. She’s an athlete. You can tell.” When her basketball days are over, could we see Caitlin Clark trying to make it onto the LPGA Tour as a professional golfer? Pat Eastman Pat Eastman
Golfer’s Letter To Santa Indiana Golf Journal
I hope you enjoyed your off season and you, Mrs. Claus, the elves, as well as the reindeer are looking forward to another big Christmas. I have been a very good boy this year, well mostly anyway. I was wondering if you could help me out? I need to upgrade my golf game and I really need your help. I know I could gain accuracy and distance if I just had a new pair of SQAIRZ Golf Shoes. Their research proves that these technological marvels add stability to the golf swing and extra yards off the tee. Boy, do I need that! I really like those Volvik Golf Balls with their bright variety of colors. It helps differentiate your ball from your playing companions and is easier for me to find in the woods and tall grass where my ball always seems to land. You know Santa, it gets pretty cold up here in the north and my game would certainly improve if I could practice throughout the winter months. ACE Indoor Golf has everything to install a simulator in my man cave. Those guys are the BEST! Oh yeah, my golf wardrobe could use a little update. Many of my old golf shirts have shrunk, faded, or are so wrinkly, I am ashamed to wear them. GearUp Sportswear has the best golf shirts and apparel for every golfer, even gorgeous ladies’ styles. I know the other members of my club will appreciate my improved appearance on the course. PLUS, you play better when you look better. My putting has been somewhat lackluster and I think a new SuperStroke Putting Grip would help reduce those pesky three-putts. They have them in a variety of colors and sizes, plus they are available with my favorite NCAA, NFL, NHL and Marvel Comic characters. That would be so cool! I have put on a few pounds this year and I am not as flexible as I need to be. GolfForever helped propel Scottie Scheffler to the No. 1 spot on the World Golf Rankings, maybe it would help me shed a few pounds and shave a couple strokes off my handicap. Just one more thing, Santa. With this year’s gifts helping to improve my game, I’m sure I will want to visit a few new and exciting golf courses. I’s sure I can fit in a golf trip to BOYNE Resort, French Lick Resort, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Gaylord Golf Mecca, Treetops Resort, or Pinehurst next year. As always, I’ll leave a little chocolate cheesecake and cognac by the chimney for you. Gee Thanks, Santa. Hope you have a safe flight on Christmas Eve. Your Friendly Golfaholic, Fred Dear Santa,
As we approach the end of 2024, We’ve seen performances that will go down in L-P-G-A lore. Those seven wins by Nelly (Korda) deserve top billing, her five straight wins were simply thrilling. After Nelly won the Chevron, she jumped in that big pond. It’s the Chevron champions’ aquatic bond. Hannah Green had two wins in Asia and one in L-A. Her Wiltshire win was a clinic of how to play on the L-P-G-A. There were another three victories by Ronny Yin, One was a victory in Shanghai, a hometown win. Lauren Coughlin had two wins in her breakout year. Expect more success from Lauren as I don’t expect her to disappear. What can be written or said about Lydia Ko……..that we already don’t know? Her Olympic win put her in the L-P-G-A Hall of Fame. To earn that honor, you must have a top-notch game. Lydia is the only golfer with Olympic medals colored bronze, silver, and gold. That kind of athletic success is historic and never gets old. One of Lydia’s big wins was The Open at St. Andrews on the Old Course. She won because she avoided the pot bunkers….and the thick, nasty gorse. THE LPGA IN 2024: WHO WON AND WHERE? By Mike May Indiana Golf Journal
The Evian winner was Ayaka Furue (Food-A-Way) who won in France. She prevailed because she knew when to throw caution-to-the-wind…..and take a chance. At Evian, Jodie Ewart-Shadoff missed the cut by far, But her first-round ace won her a brand new Porsche car! Yuka Saso’s U.S. Open win was the result of superior play. She clearly loved that U.S. Open layout in Lancaster, P-A. Amy Yang won the P-G-A, sponsored by K-P-M-G. That Sahalee win was simply meant to be. Linnea Strom’s final-round Shoprite-60 was finished well before TV coverage began. To win, she had to patiently wait and watch the golf like a fan. Jasmine (Suwanapura) picked up her third career win at Walmart’s Pinnacle C-C. That means she’ll wear three facial victory stars for all to see. The Solheim Cup attracted a large crowd every day. The vast majority of fans were there to cheer for Team U-S-A. U.S. captain Stacey Lewis led her team with her heart and soul. Winning the Solheim Cup was always her goal. At Solheim, the most enthusiastic U.S. player was Megan Khang. She led by example for the rest of the U.S. gang. This poem also honors Ally (Ewing) and Brittany (Lincicome) who are jumping off the L-P-G-A ‘train,’ They will soon start living life in a different lane. We will still see Lexi (Thompson) compete from time to time. But, the exact details won’t be revealed in this year’s rhyme. Finally, Jeeno’s (Thitikull) win at CME will go down in history, The key to her win was the 3-3-3 finish to secure the victory. Roses are red and violets are blue. It’s always an honor crafting this poem for each of you.
Hoosier’s Volunteer At CME Group Championship United States. In final round, they walked with Linnea Strom of Sweden, Ryann O’Toole of the U.S, and Grace Kim from Australia. Kate always uses this opportunity to watch the mannerisms of each player, in an effort to learn something to improve her own game. “The players are very focused and calm. I always enjoy watching how they react to both good and bad shots. The LPGA players are so good, but their shot game is super impressive. I noticed they played some very creative shots While the winner of the LPGA’s CME Group Tour Championship and the $4 million first-place check was Thailand’s Athaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul, there was also a Hoosier presence at this tournament. For the third-straight year, two of the volunteers were the father-daughter tandem of Brent and Kate Edwards, from Evansville. They worked together ‘inside the ropes,’ Brent as a walking scorer and Kate held the portable scoreboard for the players in their group. In the third round they walked with Sei Young Kim from South Korea and Andrea Lee from the By Mike May Indiana Golf Journal
around the green which I try to incorporate into my style.” One of the perks of walking and working ‘inside the ropes’ is that many of the players give them a gift at the conclusion of the round, as a way of showing their appreciation for assistance on the scoring. “I got a signed ball from most all the players I worked with. I enjoy putting these balls in my room in a display case.” Throughout the round, Brent and Kate normally only interact with caddies, but this year in Naples, Kate actually chatted with several players before, during, and after their rounds. “I spoke with several of the players about their golf careers. I congratulated them on a great 2024 season, and asked about their plans for 2025. We spoke a bit about where they live, colleges they attended and how they progressed to getting on the LPGA tour. It’s neat that the players are from all over the world and travel frequently to many countries to play.” After one of her rounds, Kate even spoke briefly with the women’s Olympic Gold Medalist, Lydia Ko. While Kate was inside the ropes as a volunteer at the CME Group Tour Championship, one day she would love to be ‘inside the ropes’ as a competitor playing in a dream foursome with Charley Hull, Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson.
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WALKING THE WORLD’S FAIRWAYS – WITH A GOLF BAG IN TOW “I am a golfer, or I was a golfer, but I don’t play much anymore. I grew up in northern Minnesota, about 10 miles from the Canadian border. During my six years on the varsity team at Roseau High School, my team won the state title twice, finished second twice and fourth twice. Individually, I placed in the top ten every year, including a fourth-place finish in the eighth grade and finally winning the individual Minnesota Class A state girls golf title as a senior in 2002 (7381,154). I was inducted into the Roseau High School Hall of Fame in 2015.” After high school, Butler kept climbing up the golf ‘ladder.’ “I played college golf at the University of Minnesota and attempted to play professionally for four years.” Butler realized that, while she was a talented golfer, she was not good enough to make it as a playing professional. ‘Plan B’ became a reality, which included a stint as a college golf coach at Old Dominion University, Iowa State University and Colorado State University, between 2014-2020. By Mike May The keys to being a successful golf caddie are; ‘show up, keep up, and shut up.’ Caddies must be on time, be able to carry a 30-35 pound golf bag for 18 holes, and know when to talk and when to be quiet. It also helps to know a little bit about golf. One of those individuals with the unique job title of a professional golf caddie is Sarah Butler from suburban Minneapolis. Butler has had a consistent presence on the LPGA Tour, since 2021, carrying the golf bag for a number of LPGA Tour players. “I have worked for Lindy Duncan, Cydney Clanton, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Jane Smith, Joy Chou, Kristy McPherson, Jenny Coleman, and Elizabeth Szokol,” said Butler, 40, who is now working for Australian golfer Sarah Kemp. Butler only worked one tournament for Szokol, the team event at the LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, in July 2023. Along with her partner Skokol and Cheyenne Knight won the tournament. Prior to becoming a caddie, Butler was an aspiring golfer.
“I knew a couple of caddies and was interested in trying something new after college coaching for seven years. I asked a fellow caddie friend if she knew anyone looking for a caddie and she responded an hour later saying I had work for the next five weeks.” Butler has survived in this very unique profession by being focused on collecting key details, on a daily basis. “Being a professional is very important. I get the course work done early in the week. I try to pay attention to everything going on around me during the rounds, whether that is club selection, golf ball reactions, or wind directions. It’s all important to the decision-making process during the actual tournament.” For Butler, a typical LPGA Tour day starts early and can often finish late. “I typically wake up three hours before the tee time. I like to have some quiet time for myself before the day gets going. I like to have about 45 minutes at the golf course prior to meeting the player so, depending on the player, this could be two hours before the tee time or more. After the round, typically, there’s a brief practice. If we play early, we will grab lunch and then practice for 20-30 minutes following the round. If we play late, what we do afterwards depends on daylight and what is in store for the next day. Most of the time, I call it a day after a late round to get ready for the next day.” While out on the course with Sarah Kemp, Butler’s biggest Indiana Golf Journal
contribution is providing mental and emotional support. “I tend to think I’m pretty calm and that’s one positive trait for any caddie to have -- calmness in stressful situations. Kempy (Sarah Kemp) has been on Tour for a long time so she’s been in many different situations, but I want to be able to support her in good and hard moments.” Being a caddie is a perfect job for Butler, since her experiences as a child were so sports-centric. “I loved playing all sports growing up, especially baseball. We played football, or baseball every day during recess, depending on the time of year. I also enjoyed playing basketball, but tore my ACL my freshman year of high school and stuck to golf after that.” Since the LPGA Tour conducts events throughout the U.S., in western Europe, in Canada, and throughout Asia, Butler has been to more countries than many international diplomats. She, of course, has a list of her favorite golf destinations in this country. “A few of my favorites are Wilshire CC in Los Angeles; Upper Montclair CC in New Jersey; Congressional CC in Bethesda, Maryland; Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania; and, of course, the Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.” Two tournaments that change venues every year are the ones which Butler doesn’t want to miss. “The Canadian Open and the U.S. Open are the two best events for caddies. They treat us really well. There are many options for recovery including a massage therapist.” When Butler is not working as a caddie at a golf tournament, she likes to relax and ‘recharge her batteries’ at home. “In my time away from the Tour, I like to recover. When I’m home during an off week, I like to caddie at a course called Spring Hill in Minnesota. It’s walking-only and I carry two bags so it’s a great workout. If I’m not on the course, I’m probably watching sports.” Wherever Butler goes in golf, she knows that the keys to surviving and thriving on the golf course as a caddie remain having the ability ‘to show up, keep up, and shut up.’ She has clearly mastered all three skill sets.
Holiday Wine - Do’s and Don’ts or Rose of Pinot Noir. If duty calls for a red, always go with a lighter-bodied red such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Gamay Noir, or Blaufrankisch. At Christmas, if you enjoy red wines, then pairing with leg of lamb, standing rib roast, or pork loin can result in a wine match made in heaven! With beef or lamb dishes, I recommend an aged Bordeaux, where the tannin and oak will be better integrated. Bordeaux is mainly a blend of Cabernet and Merlot. Other full-bodied red wines that are a good By Kurt Wieneke Part of the glorious aspect of Holiday Season is the chance for sit-down feasts with family and friends. But, picking out the perfect wine to go with your holiday meal can be a daunting task for anyone! In this article, allow me to give you a few simple tips to ease your mind and keep you focused when you visit your favorite wine store. Here are the top five things to consider when pairing a wine with a holiday meal: 1. Match the wine to the meat, not the sides. 2. Choose higher acid wines that will balance and cut the richness of holiday meals. 3. Choose wines that are simple and fruity, not complex or sweet. 4. Red wines with higher tannin, oak, or alcohol can overpower subtle food flavors. 5. Savory notes in a wine can complement the savory notes in meats. A traditional Thanksgiving meal is certainly not an easy task for wine pairing, mainly because of the complex variety of flavors and sweet things like candied yams and cranberry sauce. Riesling is probably the best choice for either turkey or ham dinner at Thanksgiving. Pro tip: find and serve a sparkling Riesling from Germany. The style is called ‘Sekt’. Other good wine choices for turkey are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Indiana Golf Journal
match with holiday beef or lamb dishes would be Syrah, Sangiovese, or Nebbiolo – think French Rhone, Tuscan Red, Barolo, or Barbaresco. When it comes to pork roast, I tend toward a more medium-bodied red such as Zinfandel or Australian Shiraz. Let a perfect wine choice be your hole-inone this year! From the heart of Indiana, may your holidays be blessed with family, friends, and excellent wines.
Texas Two-Step Texas has a rich history of producing outstanding golfers. Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson both hailed from the Lonestar State. More recently major champions, Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler are both Texas natives. The state has hundreds of great golf courses to please any golfer’s appetite, but when you are considering your next golf adventure, add the ‘Texas Two-Step’ Austin and Frisco to your itinerary. Horseshoe Bay Resort We visited Horseshoe Bay Resort in November and came away very impressed. Located one hour west of the Austin airport visitors from the north can arrive before noon and be on the first tee by one p.m. Located in the Texas Hill Country the views from the courses are amazing, plus the rolling terrain creates challenges on the course. Sitting beside LBJ Lake, Horseshoe Bay currently has four golf courses, Slick Rock, Apple Rock, Ram Rock and Summit Rock. All four are challenging, but playable for every skill level. The hills allow for elevated tees to wide accommodating fairways, tempting golfers to swing for the fences. With arroyos, trees and streams throughout the property, sometimes a more sensible approach is advisable. By Mike May Indiana Golf Journal
Another hazard is the thousands of deer that reside in and around the four courses. I have never seen, or been as close to mature bucks, as we were at the resort. Horseshoe Bay also has a private club membership aspect. The Yacht Club, Cap Rock restaurant and the Summit Golf course are reserved for members only. Not to worry, that still leaves three exciting courses to play and seven other options for a memorable dining experience for visiting guests. Rich Beem, who resides in the Summit Rock community. You can watch the entire interview HERE. Place Rich Beem video thumbnail here If you want to soothe those achy muscles after your round check Surrounding the Whitewater 360 Sports Club, adjacent to the hotel, sits the Whitewater Putting Course. This is not puttputt as you may know it. It is comprised of Zoysia grass and the 18-holes wind through rose gardens and waterfalls with exotic birds as your gallery. This is an enjoyable activity for the entire family, even if they are not true golfers. It is also lit at night for night owls. While at Horseshoe Bay we had the opportunity to chat with former PGA Champion
out the Bayside Spa. It has been recognized as one of the world’s leading spas with its own personalized skincare brands, serving guests at HorseShoe Bay for almost three decades. Omni PGA Frisco For the second leg of the “Texas Two-Step” we visited the new Omni PGA Frisco, home of the PGA of America and two new courses. Frisco, Texas is a suburb of Dallas sitting approximately 30 miles north of the downtown area. When the PGA decided to move their national headquarters from Palm Beach, Florida, they chose this rapidly growing Texas community. With DFW airport only 20 minutes away the site made perfect sense. PGA Professionals from the western side of the country have long complained about the long trek to visit PGA Headquarters for additional training, or meetings. Sitting in the middle of the nation with a major airport hub makes getting to PGA Headquarters much easier. Omni made a huge commitment to the PGA investing over $500 million in their high-end guest rooms and suites. There are 13 restaurants on the property to assure you won’t go hungry. A large outdoor swimming pool, world-class Mokara Spa and nearly 130,000 square feet of event space, which makes this the perfect choice for any wedding, family get together, or corporate outing. For golf groups that want to stay together, there are also ten four-bedroom ranch houses, overlooking the huge putting green and first tees for both courses, perfect for buddy’s golf trips, bridal parties, or other groups. Indiana Golf Journal
With the outstanding service, amenities and beautiful architecture it is easy to forget about the two Fields Ranch courses. Designed by Beau Welling and Gil Hanse, they will please every golfer. With just enough topographical movement to create both uphill and downhill holes. They are pleasing to the eye. The Fields Ranch West Course, designed by Welling, is more of a resort style course with wide fairways and undulating greens. The bunkering is plentiful, but easily avoided. Welling always gives golfers options for a safer play. Severe elevated greens with serious undulation and false fronts, create short game issues. Be advised, most golfers will not escape without at least a couple three, or four-putt greens. championships, including two PGA Championships, the LPGA’s KPMG PGA, as well as other amateur championships are schedule to be competed on the Fields Ranch East Course. As they say, “Everything is bigger and better in Texas.” Horseshoe Bay Resort and Omni PGA Resort certainly meet that standard. Hanse’s East Course was designed with major championships in mind and will host several major championships for men, women and senior professionals in the future. Steve Stricker won the 2023 Senior PGA Championship, the first major tournament held on the Fields Ranch East Course. Over the next 12 years six major
VIDEOS One of the Best Golf Designers in the World, #TomFazio talks, the new Richland Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee, USGA rolling back golf ball & sustainability in golf course design. Former PGA Champion Rich Beem chats with Back 9 Report about Horshoe Bay Resort near Austin, Texas and why he lives there. Best-Selling Author, Jim Dodson talks about his new book coming out next year, plus announces possible movie deal for his book, “Final Rounds.” Tom Fazio Talks New Course, Ball Rollback & Sustainability Former PGA Champ Rich Beem Talks HorseShoe Bay Resort Best-Selling Author Jim Dodson Talks New Book & Movie Deal Watch Now Watch Now Watch Now Indiana Golf Journal
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