Just this month, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Junior Series Championship for players 10 and under was held, and it wasn’t uncommon to see 7-year-olds competing.

Next week, the CGA will go to the other end of the spectrum, holding a championship for players potentially 10 times that old.

The fifth annual CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play, with separate age divisions for golfers 60 and older and 70 and older, will be contested Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 22-23) at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club (pictured) in Aurora.

Seventy-seven competitors are signed up for the event, including seven of the eight former champions in the 60+ and 70+ divisions. Those past champs include, in the 60+ competition, Robert Polk (2015), Kary Kaltenbacher (2014) and Bob Cloud (2013). And in the 70+ age group, every past winner is back: Kirk Miller (2015), Roger Gunderson (2014), Joe Morrill (2013) and Jim Collins (2012).

Add into the mix entrants Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Kent Moore and John Olive, 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier Robin Bradbury and recent CGA senior champion Harry Edwards, and the fields are formidable.

Each division will play 36 holes over the two days.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE. 

Winning state championships seemed to come pretty easily for Robert Polk from 2005 to ’09. For that four-year stretch, the Parker resident won a remarkable seven CGA titles, including five individually.

Then the floodgates seemed to close. For six years, the Colorado Golf Club member was shut out in his attempt to add to his CGA championships.

But on Wednesday, the drought ended — at last.

Just three months after turning 60 and becoming eligible to compete in the CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play, Polk (pictured) won the event in his “rookie” year.

“It’s always great to win state titles; it’s why we play,” said Polk, who just recently fully retired. “It’s very exciting. I also won the Senior Stroke the first time I played in it (in 2005), which is kind of fun. But the first goal of every season is to win state championships.

“I thought all day, this would be the first one in six years. To win again is special, having been so long, And you start thinking, ‘Am I going to win again or not?’ Hopefully this will allow me to play really well again.”

Polk was one of two first-timers in their respective age divisions to claim the Super-Senior Stroke Play titles on Wednesday at Pueblo Country Club. While Polk prevailed in the 60-and-over event, Kirk Miller, a 70-year-old from Estes Park Golf Club, came out on top in the 70-and-up tournament.

For Polk, he’s now won three CGA Senior Stroke Plays, one Senior Match Play, one Super-Senior Stroke Play and two Senior Four-Balls, along with the 2007 CGA Mid-Amateur. It was the first CGA title for Miller.

Polk, who took a two-stroke lead into the final round, shot a 4-over-par 75 on Wednesday to finish at 4-over 146, good for a three-shot victory. David Merritt of Meridian Golf Club closed with a 76 to place second at 149. Dan Grigsby of Todd Creek Golf Club carded a final-round 77 to finish third at 150.

Polk’s lead was never seriously threatened on Wednesday. He made a couple of birdies, but he pointed to an 8-foot putt he holed for par on No. 13 after missing the green long as a key point.

“It was a beautiful par putt. When I made that, I thought it would be my day,” said the three-time CGA Senior Player of the Year. “Sometimes par putts can be the most important ones.

“On 16 tee, I was three up and just murdered it off the tee, chipped to 3 feet and missed it. Then I three-putted the last two greens. I really played very solid other than that. I never felt like I was not going to win.”

In the 70-and-older competition, Miller (left) tied for the lowest round of the day — a 9-over-par 80 — to win by three. The former University of New Mexico golfer played the final six holes in 1 over to check in at 15-over 157 for 36 holes.

Joe Morrill of Eagle Ranch Golf Course, the 2013 70-and-older champ, was runner-up at 160 after carding an 84 on Wednesday. Bob Sims of Clubcorp Colorado finished third at 162 after closing with an 83.

“This feels great,” Miller said of earning his first CGA championship. “I just turned 70 in June. There is something good about getting old.”

Miller, who trailed by one entering Wednesday, took the lead for good from Morrill with a par on No. 11, then helped his cause with his only birdie of the day, a 5-footer on No. 15.

The victory comes on the heels of Miller’s previous top golf accomplishment, winning the super-senior division of the Estes Park Labor Day Tournament.

CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play
At Par-71 Pueblo CC

60+ Division
Robert Polk, Colorado Golf Club 71-75–146
David Merritt, Meridian Golf Club 73-76–149
Dan Grigsby, Todd Creek Golf Club 73-77–150
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor Country Club 76-75–151
Robert Bulthaup, Valley Country Club 77-74–151
Jeffrey English, Commonground Golf Course 77-75–152
Jim LeMar, Meadows Golf Club 78-74–152
Gary Kephart, Eisenhower Golf Club 75-78–153
John Olive, Broadmoor Golf Club 77-76–153
Ed Thiele, Eagle Ranch Golf Course 84-71–155
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course 76-79–155
Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado 75-80–155
Roger Gunderson, Commonground Golf Course 77-79–156
Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s 82-75–157
Jim F Pierce, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf & CC 77-81–158
Paul Yoon, Colorado Springs Country Club 76-82–158
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor 81-78–159
Rick Pirog, Clubs at Cordillera 79-80–159
Rod Walters, Heritage at Westmoor 79-80–159
John Sostman, Meadows Golf Club 82-78–160
Russell L Roehrkasse, Colorado Springs Country Club 76-85–161
Scott Crone, Pinehurst Country Club 79-82–161
Tim Daniel, Eaton Country Club 81-81–162
Randy Miller, Boulder Country Club 82-81–163
Ken Tai, Perry Park Country Club 84-80–164
Doug Jones, Tiara Rado Golf Course 81-84–165
Bob Cloud, Commonground Golf Course 84-82–166
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park Golf Course 84-83–167
John Leamon, Littleton Golf & Tennis Club 87-82–169
Bill Weinman, Clubcorp Colorado 84-87–171
Marc Sims, Eisenhower Golf Club 86-85–171
Mark Barkley, Clubcorp Colorado 84-90–174
Bob Miller, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s 98-97–195
Norm Nuwash, Saddle Rock Golf Course 94-104–198
Dicky Laner, Trinidad Golf Course 102-104–206
Sean Forey, Bear Creek Golf Club 77-DQ
Terry Gillespie, Thorncreek Golf Club 83-DQ
Steven Hill, Aurora Hills Golf Club 88-NS
Chuck Fisher, Legacy Ridge Golf Course WD
Dan Birnley, Conquistador Golf Course WD
John Livingston, Colorado Avidgolfer Passport C WD
 
70+ Division
Kirk Miller, Estes Park Golf Club 77-80–157
Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch Golf Course 76-84–160
Bob Sims, Clubcorp Colorado 79-83–162
Chet Baker, Foothills Golf Course 83-80–163
Tom Vickers, Club at Crested Butte 85-81–166
Lawrence Covell, Country Club at Castle Pines 84-84–168
Matt Quinn, Estes Park Golf Club 79-89–168
William Schmit, Heather Ridge Golf Club 86-83–169
John Litvay, Collegiate Peaks Golf Course 85-91–176
Bob Brown, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s 90-95–185
Dick Schmaltz, Elmwood Golf Course 89-97–186
Gary Cowan, Broadmoor Golf Club WD
Joe Streater, Collindale Golf Club WD
 

Perhaps Bob Cloud was inspired by the jets from nearby Buckley Air Force Base that were flying overhead Tuesday during the second annual CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play Championship.

Those fighters get up to speed very fast and possess a certain “wow” factor.

That’s also a pretty good description of how Cloud performed Tuesday at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora — at least for half of his round.

Cloud, who plays out of Bear Creek Golf Club, birdied his first two holes and shot a spectacular 6-under-par 30 on the front nine to vault past his nearest competition. And despite giving back three shots to par on the back nine — while shooting a personal tournament-best 3-under-par 69 — Cloud won the 60-and-older event by five strokes.

How good was Cloud’s front-nine 30? To the best of his knowledge, the lowest nine-hole score he shot before Tuesday was 34.

“It was a crazy nine holes,” said the 61-year-old Denver resident (pictured at left). “In any sport, sometimes the planets align for you. It was just nutty. On the front nine, I had seven 3s and five in a row. That’s crazy.”

Thanks largely to his eagle and four birdies on the front side, Cloud posted nine 3s on his scorecard overall Tuesday as he finished at 1-under-par 143 for 36 holes. The former USGA Senior Amateur qualifier won a CGA championship for the first time.

“I’ve played in a lot of CGA events, and to win one is kind of a dream come true,” Cloud said. “It’s just a great thrill. I’ve won (club) events before, but it’s just different when you can say you won a state championship.”

Tom Warren of Fossil Trace Golf Club placed second at 148 following a 72 Tuesday, while Mark Runyan of Canongate Colorado was third at 149 after closing with a 71.

In the 70-and-older competition, Joe Morrill of Eagle Ranch Golf Course went birdie-eagle on his 15th and 16th holes Tuesday to earn the title. The 73-year-old shot an even-par 72, leaving him at 8-over 150. That was three strokes better than defending champion Jim Collins of the Country Club at Castle Pines, who closed with a 75.

(The two champions are pictured at top, with Morrill at left in the photo.)

Cloud started out the second round one out of the lead, but he made tap-in birdies on holes 1 and 2 and sank a 40-foot par on No. 3. Then on the par-5 sixth, he hit an 8-iron second shot from 158 yards to 10 feet, then drained the putt for eagle.

Cloud followed that up with a 10-foot birdie on 7 and a 15-footer on 9.

Add it up, and it’s a smooth 30.

“And I lipped out two birdies,” he noted. “I should have shot a 28 or a 29. … And I thought I had a chance to shoot 59 the way I was hitting and putting the ball.”

But he put those ideas out of his mind when he remembered shooting a 71 in the first round of the 2011 CGA Senior Stroke Play — then following it up with an 81.

Cloud (pictured at left) didn’t make any birdies on the back nine, but by then he had opened up a nice lead. He made three bogeys on the back side, and needed to hole 20- and 10-foot putts to avoid double bogeys on Nos. 10 and 15, respectively.

All told on Tuesday, Cloud needed just 29 putts in his round.

Warren, like many of his fellow competitors, was very impressed by Cloud’s front-nine performance. But he sees how a player could get on a roll at Murphy Creek.

“The thing about this course is you have to think on every shot, but every hole can be a birdie hole,” Warren said. “I had 17 birdie putts and made two of them, and one of them was a two-putt. I can’t fault anyone else for winning the tournament when I left myself high and dry.”

Cloud was the only player to break 70 during the Super-Senior Stroke Play.

As for the 70-and-over tournament, Morrill trailed Collins by two after 14 holes Tuesday. But Collins lost a ball and made bogey on his 15th hole, while Morrill birdied his 15th and eagled his 16th, the par-4 seventh hole at Murphy Creek.

For the eagle, Morrill chipped in from about 20 yards. (He’s pictured at left picking the ball out of the hole.)

“It was one of those lucky things,” said the Eagle resident, a regular playing partner of Harry Johnson, winner of the CGA Senior Match Play and Senior Stroke Play this year. “And that was the turning point of the match.”

Morrill, winner of the super-senior division of a past CGA Senior Stroke Play, finished fourth — behind Collins, among others — in the 70-and-older division last year, but he’s gained considerable confidence since.

“I was a very mediocre to sub-mediocre putter — until this year,” Morrill said. “Don’t ask me why but I don’t yip anymore. I have the same putter, the same grip. … So there’s hope for everybody. That’s really why I’ve been able to compete this year. This is the best year I’ve had in the last five.”

CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play
At Par-72 Murphy Creek GC in Aurora

60 & OVER DIVISION
Bob Cloud, Bear Creek GC 74-69–143
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace GC 76-72–148
Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado 78-71–149
Sean Forey, Bear Creek GC 78-72–150
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC 79-75–154
Jim LeMar, Meadows GC 78-76–154
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor 84-71–155
Daniel Dymerski, Columbine CC 73-82–155
Frank Hernandez, Pelican Lakes G & CC 77-79–156
Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk GC 80-76–156
Jim Pierce, Saddle Rock GC 80-77–157
John Sostmann, Raccoon Creek GC 74-83–157
Steve Ivy, Pelican Lakes G & CC 80-77–157
John Leamon, Littleton GC 79-79–158
Robert Espinoza, Riverdale GC 82-76–158
Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills GC 81-77–158
Richard Barg, Meadow Hills GC 81-78–159
Bill Knobbe, Raccoon Creek GC 82-78–160
Bill Weinman, Canongate Colorado 83-77–160
Bob Rognmoe, Raccoon Creek GC 83-77–160
Dan Birnley, Conquistador GC 81-79–160
Fredrick Steffers, Patty Jewett GC 81-79–160
Alton Marsh, Fossil Trace GC 81-80–161
Steven Hill, Aurora Hills GC 84-78–162
Bob Sims, Canongate Colorado 82-81–163
Dan Grigsby, Legacy Ridge GC 87-76–163
Dave Bell, Hiwan GC 84-79–163
Art Pitman, Denver Amateur Golf Tour 84-80–164
Chuck Fisher, Riverdale GC 89-75–164
Doug Jones, Tiara Rado GC 84-80–164
Jeffrey English, Colorado AvidGolfer Passport Club 85-79–164
Terry Pettit, Mariana Butte GC 85-81–166
David Farabaugh, Broadlands GC 81-86–167
Jeffrey Wagner, Fox Hollow GC 85-82–167
Steven Humphrey, Legacy Ridge GC 88-79–167
John Vanderbloemen, Haymaker GC 83-85–168
Louis Gerig, CommonGround GC 83-86–169
Michael Clark, Heritage at Westmoor 82-87–169
Terry Hymans, Canongate Colorado 85-84–169
Ed Hollister, Omni Interlocken GC 86-85–171
Dennis Hartman, Wellshire GC 88-84–172
Bill Hancock, The Club at Flying Horse 87-86–173
Rick Newberg, Hiwan GC 92-82–174
John Livingston, Colorado AvidGolfer Passport Club 92-85–177
Gary Custer, Patty Jewett GC 91-87–178
Danny Wyrick, Spring Valley GC 90-89–179
Daniel Kinney, SouthRidge GC 97-83–180
Ron Crowder, Broadmoor GC 96-86–182
Charlie Ogren, Collindale GC 95-89–184
Phil Talbott, Buffalo Run GC 96-97–193
Jerry Kidney, Overland Park GC 84-WD
Ken Tai, Perry Park CC 89-WD
Kronin Kelley, Heritage at Westmoor 83-NC
Larry Pate, Fox Hollow GC 95-WD
Rod Walters, Heritage at Westmoor 84-WD

70 & OVER DIVISION
Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch GC 78-72–150
Jim Collins, CC at Castle Pines 78-75–153
Bruce Kaldenberg, Broken Tee GC 80-77–157
Ken Schweitzer, Eisenhower GC 79-80–159
Richard Sage, Indian Tree GC 81-80–161
Loren Warburg, Fox Hollow GC 84-81–165
Tom Latourrette, Bear Creek GC 83-82–165
Bill Holmes, Boulder CC 87-80–167
Paul Scheidig, Applewood GC 88-80–168
Dave Lawson, Hyland Hills GC 90-80–170
Dick Schmaltz, Elmwood GC 84-86–170
Fred Blanchfield, Spring Valley GC 91-80–171
Bill Bogdanoff, CommonGround GC 90-84–174
Matt Quinn, Estes Park GC 86-89–175
Michael Straud, Aurora Hills GC 89-87–176
Armando Torres, CommonGround GC 89-88–177
Bill Myers, Meadows GC 87-91–178
Alan Cooper, Wellshire GC 85-94–179
Bob Brown, Desert Hawk GC 111-92–203
Jon Burnett, River Valley Ranch GC 94-WD
Richard Langston, Broken Tee GC 91-WD
Wayne Klassen, Littleton GC 98-WD