There’s a reason Arnold Palmer is front and center on the “Century of Golf in Colorado” poster that the CGA commissioned for last year as part of its 100th anniversary celebration.

When it comes to the unforgettable fashion in which Palmer won the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club — overcoming greats of the past (Ben Hogan) and the future (Jack Nicklaus) — it doesn’t get much bigger in the history of Colorado golf — or golf in general.

It pretty much says it all that a book about that tournament was titled, “Golf’s Greatest Championship”. Golf World magazine later called 1960 “The Greatest Year in Golf”.

There are plenty of places around the world that can draw a major connection with Palmer (pictured in 2009 at Cherry Hills), who passed away on Sunday at age 87. But suffice it to say Colorado would be near the top of the list.

Here are some of the memories which Palmer specifically left us in the Centennial State: 

— My most indelible personal recollection came during a one-on-one interview with Palmer in the player lockerroom at Cherry Hills. In essence, this was The King in his castle, the place where he was coronated.

As we were chatting, Palmer was fiddling with the biggest wad of cash I’d ever see a person carry. It was several inches thick, tightly bound by rubber bands that were stretched considerably. That was Arnie — bigger than life in so many ways.

— Though Palmer won six major championships as a professional besides the 1960 U.S. Open, that event — and the final round on June 18, specifically — seemed to define his career. 

Trailing by seven strokes going into the second 18 of a 36-hole Saturday, Arnie hitched up his pants and let ‘er rip with a drive on the 346-yard first hole at Cherry Hills. 

Despite the green that year being totally surrounded by rough, Palmer’s tee shot found the putting surface and he two-putted for birdie from about 20 feet. He chipped in for birdie on No. 2 and ended up making six birdies on his first seven holes en route to a final-round 65. That was good enough to leave the closest of his late-tournament challengers — Nicklaus and Hogan — in his wake, along with the rest of the field. The 47-year-old Hogan, who had hit his first 34 greens in regulation that day, finished bogey-triple bogey to finish ninth. Nicklaus, a 20-year-old amateur paired with Hogan that day, placed second. In that remarkable final round, the lead changed hands a dozen times.

Palmer punctuated the victory with his famous visor toss on the 18th green. Skip Manning, an 11-year-old at the time, grabbed the visor and held onto it for 48 years until presenting it to Palmer in person in 2008. The headwear then went to the USGA Museum.

Palmer later said of driving the first green that day in 1960, “It took me four days to find that green — but when I did, the whole thrust of my life was altered.”

And it put Cherry Hills, already one of the country’s most notable courses, on another level.

When Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Ron Moore was the general chairman of the 1985 PGA Championship hosted by the club, he called Arnie driving the first green in 1960 “one of the three or four most famous (shots) in golf history. It put Cherry Hills on the map and was one of the most significant features of Arnold’s career. That was the only U.S. Open he won.”

And, of course, Palmer driving the first green has since been commemorated with a plague beside the first tee at Cherry Hills.

Palmer talked about his go-for-broke style on the eve of the 1985 PGA Championship at Cherry Hills.

“My father always told me to ‘go get ’em. It’s not going to come to you,'” Arnie said then. “I would much rather suffer the consequences than to not go at all.

“I always took a shot at whatever I saw. I never thought of it as that big a gamble. I just felt that you did what you had to to win. And that’s the only thing that’s ever mattered to me in golf — winning.”

In the wake of claiming the title at the 1960 U.S. Open, Palmer later in the ’60s became a member at Cherry Hills and he paid periodic visits over the years to the historic club. That included one in 2010, when Cherry Hills celebrated the 50th anniversary of his victory. 

As he said in his 1985 apperance, “I came here for the first time in 1960 and have been a member for about 20 years. There is definitely some sentimentalism to it. I’ve certainly gotten a lot of support here.”

He also was on hand when the Palmer Cup — a Ryder Cup-style competition between college players from the U.S. and Europe — was held at Cherry Hills in 2009. The matches are named for him.

“(1960) was my only (U.S.) Open win; it was the highlight of my career,” Palmer said during that visit seven years ago. “I’d won the Masters in 1958 and 1960 in squeakers, then I won the Open by two shots, and it was a good shot (in the arm) for me.”

Palmer told the story countless times, but he never failed to entertain audiences with his recollections of the final day of the ’60 Open at Cherry Hills.

Trailing leader Mike Souchak by seven shots after the third round, Arnie encountered Pittsburgh Press sports writer Bob Drum, a good friend of Palmer’s, in the locker room before the final 18.

“I said, ‘Bob, if I shoot 65, do you think that will win?'” Palmer recounted. After at first ignoring Palmer, Drum said, ‘”‘Nothing’s going to help you.'”

Palmer noted that at the 1960 Masters, Hogan gave Palmer the Hogan driver that The King used for his famous shot at Cherry Hills. But given his endorsement deal at the time, Palmer admitted “making it look like a Wilson driver.” Then he added, “I’m not sure how I did hit it that far.”

After winning the U.S. Open, Palmer took the step — unusual back then for many American players — of going to the British Open. On his way over to St. Andrews in Scotland, Palmer traveled with Drum, and Arnie noted in a conversation that no amateur was going to duplicate Bobby Jones’ feat of winning the Grand Slam — claiming the U.S. Amateur, British Amateur, U.S. Open and British Open in the same year. So Palmer brought up the idea of a new Grand Slam — the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship. Drum wrote about the notion shortly before the 1960 British Open and “it caught on right away,” said Palmer, noting that that was the genesis of the modern Grand Slam.

Palmer gave that Grand Slam a run in 1960, winning the Masters and the U.S. Open before finishing a shot behind winner Kel Nagle in the British Open. Palmer would win the British Open each of the following two years.

Add in Arnie’s huge charisma quotient in those early days of TV, and he was a figure that may very well never be matched in golf.

“Some guys have got it,” two-time major champion and NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller said once during a TV special on Palmer. “He’s certainly the John Wayne of golf, with a little Clint Eastwood thrown in. … He was the perfect guy at the perfect time to bring in televised golf. We needed a superstar. Arnie was the man.”

— Arnie in Other Colorado PGA Tour Events: Palmer played in The International at Castle Pines exactly once — in the inaugural year of 1986. In fact, the then-56-year-old was done after one official round — and on Wednesday, no less. He scored minus-4 Modified Stableford points that day and failed to advance in the daily-cuts format that was then in place. … Palmer also competed in another PGA Tour event in Colorado during his 50s — the 1985 PGA Championship at Cherry Hills. The previous year, the PGA of America had given The King a lifetime exemption into the PGA Championship. Palmer made the cut in ’85 at Cherry Hills, but finished in 65th place. … At the 1967 PGA Championship at Columbine Country Club, Palmer was more of a factor, placing 14th. … Palmer missed the cut in the 1978 U.S. Open.

— A Colorado King as a Senior Too: Although — for obvious reasons — when people think of Palmer and Colorado, they mostly associate him with the 1960 U.S. Open, that wasn’t his only tour-sanctioned victory in the state. The King also won the first Denver Post Champions of Golf, in 1982 at Pinehurst Country Club, and finished fourth in the same Senior Tour event each of the next three years.

In the last tour-sanctioned tournament he played in the state, Palmer placed 52nd at Cherry Hills in the 1993 U.S. Senior Open that Nicklaus won.

In 2007, Palmer would return to Colorado to be the first recipient — outside Will Nicholson Jr., himself — of the Nicholson Award, given in the Centennial State for a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the game of golf. (At left, Arnie signed a program for the event.)

— Grandson Lived in Colorado: Sam Saunders, grandson of Palmer and a PGA Tour player himself, lived in Fort Collins from late 2012 until earlier this year, when he and his family moved back to Florida — St. Augustine, to be exact.

— Courses Designed in Centennial State: Palmer designed — or co-designed with Ed Seay — several courses in Colorado. Included are Bear Creek Golf Club in west Denver, Lone Tree Golf Club, Eagle Ranch Golf Club in Eagle, and the old South Course at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs.

With just a few days left in the year, it’s almost time to turn the calendar page to 2016. But before we move on, it’s worthwhile to reflect on the top stories of 2015 in Colorado golf. This marks our seventh consecutive year of compiling the rankings, and for suspense sake, we like to go in reverse order, from 25 to 1, then note the honorable-mention selections.

And away we go …:

25. Delich’s Third CGA Senior Match Play Title: David Delich of Colorado Springs became the sixth golfer to win the CGA Senior Match Play at least three times. Full story: CLICK HERE. But that was hardly the former hockey standout’s only significant golf accomplishment in 2015. Delich also qualified for the U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Mid-Amateur, won the senior division of the Charlie Coe Invitational (with Ben Hargis) and earned CGA Senior Player of the Year honors for the second time.

24. Another Honor for Bell: Part-time Colorado Springs resident Judy Bell, the first female president of the USGA, accepted an honorary membership at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews in Scotland, becoming one of the first female members at the historic club. Full story: CLICK HERE.

23. Eaton ‘Unretires’ from CWGA Play, But Falls Short of Another Win: Almost two years after “retiring” from CWGA championship play after accumulating the second-most titles in CWGA history, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton decided to return to action in an association championship in 2015. But after winning the CWGA Senior Stroke Play each of the first four times she competed in the event, Eaton had to settle for runner-up this year, as Jill Gaschler prevailed by two for the title. Full story: CLICK HERE.

22. Bertsch Wins Web.com Event, Regains PGA Tour Card: Shane Bertsch of Parker notched his third career victory on the Web.com Tour — and first in a decade — when the 45-year-old prevailed in the Rust-Oleum Championship in Westlake, Ohio. That helped Bertsch finish high enough on the season-long money list to regain his PGA Tour card for the first time since 2012. Full story: CLICK HERE.

21. Coloradans Shine at Junior America’s Cup: The CGA has been fielding teams in the Junior America’s Cup annually since 1975, and this year the Coloradans matched their best finish ever in the event that features representatives from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico. The CGA placed third in the 18-team field in Flagstaff, Ariz. The Coloradans also were third in 2011 at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen. Full story: CLICK HERE.

20. Craig Stadler, Finke to be Inducted: Former Masters champion Craig Stadler, a resident of Colorado for more than two decades, and Ann Finke of Colorado Springs, the first female member of the Colorado PGA and a national leader in junior golf, were voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. Stadler, an Evergreen resident since 2003 and a Coloradan since 1994, has won 13 times on the PGA Tour, including the 1982 Masters, plus nine times on the Champions Tour, along with the 1973 U.S. Amateur. Finke has been a fixture on the Colorado golf scene for three decades. During that time — all spent at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs, where she’s now director of instruction — she’s given about 38,000 lessons, more than 40 percent of those to juniors. Full story: CLICK HERE.

19. Moores Go Back-to-Back in USGA Qualifying: Janet Moore earned medalist honors for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur qualifying the day after husband — and fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer — Kent Moore was medalist in U.S. Senior Amateur qualifying. And one day after the back-to-back feat, the Moores hosted a kickoff event leading up to the Century of Golf Gala, for which they served as honorary chairs. Full story: CLICK HERE.

18. Recent Skull Fracture Doesn’t Stop Saunders: Sam Saunders of Fort Collins finished tied for fourth in the Web.com Tour’s Hotel Fitness Championship for the second straight year, but that hardly was the most remarkable thing about his performance. No, it was the fact that Saunders played that well just weeks after suffering a fractured skull and an epidural hematoma in falling while riding an electric scooter in late August. He spent two nights in intensive care. Full story: CLICK HERE. Earlier in the year, Saunders posted his best finish ever on the PGA Tour, placing second after a playoff in the Puerto Rico Open. 

17. Nosewicz, 31, Oldest Winner of CGA Match Play Since ’90s: Most winners of the CGA Match Play in recent years have been college-aged. But 31-year-old Nick Nosewicz prevailed in the 115th Match Play this year, becoming the event’s oldest champion since 1994. Full story:  CLICK HERE.

16. Weinstein Makes History: Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch recorded the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 age division of the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego, placing 15th. Full story: CLICK HERE. Also in 2015, Weinstein won the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and the CJGA Junior Series Chamionship. 

15. Broken Tee Earns National Player Development Award: Broken Tee Golf Course in Englewood received a prestigious national honor, earning the 2015 Player Development Award from the National Golf Course Owners Association. The award is given to “a course which has implemented a true and tested player development program, providing effective return-on-investment and an overall welcoming atmosphere for new golfers of all ages.” Full story: CLICK HERE.

14. Record-Tying Round at Inaugural AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior: Reese Ramsey of Austin, Texas not only set a course record at CommonGround but he tied the low round in the 37-year history of the AJGA with a 10-under-par 61 that vaulted the 16-year-old to victory in the inaugural AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior. Full story: CLICK HERE. Earlier in the event, competitors made three holes-in-one in a single day. And three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin held a clinic on the eve of the tournament, just days before his 70th birthday.

13. Oraee Makes Round of 16 at U.S. Amateur, Earns CGA Player of Year Award: Former University of Colorado golfer David Oraee put together a memorable U.S. Amateur, finishing second out of 312 players in the stroke-play portion of the event. Then he advanced to the round of 16 in match play before losing to Paul Dunne of Ireland, who made many headlines over the summer for sharing the British Open lead after three rounds. Also in 2015, Oraee became the first CU player since 2008 to compete in the NCAA men’s finals, and he went on to capture the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Award. Full story: CLICK HERE.

12. Fossil Trace’s Hajek Adds to Colorado PGA’s National Award Winners: The Colorado PGA and its members have made it a very pleasant habit in recent years to earn PGA of America national awards, and 2015 was no exception. Jim Hajek, the PGA head professional at Fossil Trace Golf Club in Golden, was named national Public Merchandiser of the Year. Hajek became the eighth Colorado PGA national honoree in the last nine years. Full story: CLICK HERE.

11. Littleton’s Leibold Wins National USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award: Nick Leibold of Littleton earned a prestigious national honor for leadership, being named the male recipient of the 2015 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award. The award was created to recognize one male and one female junior golfer who demonstrate leadership, character and community service through their involvement with the Leadership Links program, a joint initiative founded by the USGA and AJGA to further develop junior golfers through volunteerism. Full story: CLICK HERE.

10. Jobe Wins Champions Tour Q-School Finals: Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Jobe, who turned 50 on Aug. 1, will go into his rookie season on the Champions Tour in style after winning the Q-school tournament outright. It was a big shot in the arm for Jobe, who has had limited status in recent seasons and has competed in just six PGA Tour events in the last two years. Full story: CLICK HERE.

9. CoBank Takes Over Title Sponsorships of Colo. Open Championships: After a dozen years of being known as the HealthOne Colorado Open, the venerable tournament will undergo a name change as the third title sponsor in the history of the event comes on board. After the conclusion of the 51st Open and with Denver mayor Michael Hancock on hand, tournament officials announced that Greenwood Village-based CoBank has signed a five-year agreement to become title sponsor of the Colorado Open, Colorado Women’s Open and Colorado Senior Open. Full story: CLICK HERE. The final HealthOne Colorado Open saw Jimmy Gunn make two eagles in the final seven holes to overcome 2013 champion Zahkai Brown. Gunn went on to earn his Web.com Tour card for 2016, while Brown landed conditional status.

8. 100th CWGA Match Play is One for the Books: The CWGA Match Play Championship was contested for the 100th time, with current social media phenom Paige Spiranac (left) edging Brittany Fan for the title. In the 35-hole final, the two players combined to make 22 birdies and were 15 under par. Full story: CLICK HERE.

7. Kupcho Blows Away Field in CWGA Stroke Play: Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster continues to amaze with her periodic dominance of tournaments in Colorado. Particularly eye-catching in 2015 was her 21-shot victory in the CWGA Stroke Play Championship, making it one of the largest — if not the largest — margin of victory in an event which dates back to 1948. The 18-year-old was 16 under par for three rounds. Also this season en route to repeating as CWGA Player of the Year, Kupcho won her second straight 4A state high school title, placed third in the Big “I” National Championship, made it to the final 16 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur before falling to eventual champion Hannah O’Sullivan, and posted three top-10 finishes in the fall as a freshman at Wake Forest. Kupcho currently sits 70th in the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings. Full story: CLICK HERE.

6. Trifecta for Rohrbaugh: Not only did Doug Rohrbaugh match a record by winning his third consecutive Colorado PGA Professional Championship, but he continued to break the standard he’s previously set by claiming the title at unprecedented ages (53 in this case). Full story: CLICK HERE. Besides Rohrbaugh’s accomplishments in Colorado, the Carbondale resident competed in six events on the Champions Tour, placing as high as 15th.

5. Two More National Championships Set for Colorado: Colorado was awarded not one but two USGA championships in the final several months of 2015, marking the 32nd and 33rd USGA national championships to be set for the Centennial State. The association announced that the 2018 U.S. Senior Open will be held at The Broadmoor the same year the Colorado Springs resort turns 100 years old. Full story: CLICK HERE. Then the next year, Colorado Golf Club will host the U.S. Mid-Amateur, with CommonGround Golf Course serving as the second stroke-play course. Full story: CLICK HERE.

4. Colorado Golf Greats Pass Away: There’s no getting away from the passage of time, but far more than the usual number of people who have made an indelible mark in Colorado golf passed away during the course of the year. A partial list includes Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Warren Smith (a national PGA Golf Professional Hall of Famer), Jim Bailey (a life member of the PGA of America) and Jay Morrish (a renowned golf course architect). Also passing were former CGA president Bill Waggener, highly-regarded performance coach and psychologist Denise McGuire, longtime Colorado PGA professional Marv Mazone, and respected and well-liked volunteer rules official Joe Salvo, to whom the CGA dedicated its championship season. Suffice it to say the Colorado golf community is poorer for their passing.

3. CGA, Colorado PGA Join Forces for Junior Golf: When the executive directors and the staffs from the CGA and the Colorado Section PGA met in October 2014 to determine what programs it made the most sense to team up on, junior golf ended up major priority No. 1. A year later — after plenty of brainstorming, meetings and work on all sides — the seeds bore fruit as it was announced that the CGA and Colorado PGA are joining forces in a major effort to bolster junior golf in the state. Included will be a Junior Tour, including four junior major championships, and a developmental Junior Series. Another aspect of the collaboration will be the creation of a website that acts as a clearinghouse for all things junior golf-related in Colorado, including but not limited to registration for Junior Tour and Junior Series events; the PGA Junior League; the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, which exposes school kids to the game through P.E. classes; the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy; and the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. Full story: CLICK HERE.

For the 2016 junior tour schedule, CLICK HERE.

2. Colorado Golf People of the Century Honored: As part of the Century of Golf festivities that marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CGA, six Colorado golf People of the Century were named and then honored at the Century of Golf Gala held last month at The Broadmoor. The honorees were:

Man of the Century — Will Nicholson Jr.
Woman of the Century — Judy Bell
Golf Professional of the Century — Charles “Vic” Kline
Superintendent of the Century — Dennis Lyon
Male Player of the Century — Hale Irwin
Female Player of the Century — Barbara McIntire

“This is one of those moments where you need to take it all in — to be able to say, ‘I was in the room when these people were honored.'” noted CGA executive director Ed Mate. “I mean, they’re legends of golf in Colorado. Of all the things we could have done to celebrate 100 years, I think this may be the most important, honoring these six people.” Full story: CLICK HERE.

1. Century of Golf Gala Draws 1,250 People, Raises $380,000: Choosing the Colorado golf story of the year was pretty much a no-brainer in 2015. After all, how many times do you have an event that attracts 1,250 people including a who’s who of Colorado golf, have Jack Nicklaus as a featured guest, honor six People of the Century, and raise $380,000 for the Colorado Golf Foundation — and its mission of youth development through golf — in the process? The Gala at The Broadmoor was the culmination of a year of initiatives and events built around the 100th anniversary of the CGA’s founding. “We made the most of the centennial,” Mate noted. The Gala was “the biggest golf gathering of our time. We raised a ton of money. We launched an exciting relationship with the PGA. It’s a home run. I look back on this as a special year. It’ll be a tough act to follow.” Full story: CLICK HERE. (Pictured at top are Nicklaus and Mate chatting on the 18th green of the East Course at The Broadmoor, where Nicklaus defeated Charlie Coe to win the 1959 U.S. Amateur)

Honorable Mention:

— Fort Collins HS Golfers Finish 1-2 in 5A State Meet in Their Hometown

— Welch Becomes First Player to Win All Age Divisions of Jr. Series Championship

— Former CU Golfer Talley Earns Ladies European Tour Card

— Keating, Trujillo, Chin Earn Spots in Drive, Chip & Putt Finals at Augusta

— DU’s Korte Fires 65, Overcomes 4-Shot Deficit to Win CGA Stroke Play

— Chitkoksoong, 14, Becomes One of Youngest Winners of CWGA Jr. Match Play

— Bruckner Becomes First Two-Time Winner of Colorado Senior Open

— Strauss, Medalist at U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier, Goes On to Earn LPGA Tour Card

— At Boulder CC, CU Posts Best Pac-12 Finish Ever (5th), Beats Nation’s No. 1 Team

— Keffer Finishes Off Threepeat at Colorado PGA Assistants Championships

— CU’s Edwards Named One of Nation’s Top 20 Men’s College Coaches in Survey

— CSU-Pueblo’s Kim Finishes 12th in NCAA Div. II Women’s Finals

— Former DU Golfers Kempter, Sue Kim Earn Symetra Tour Victories
Kempter: CLICK HERE.
Kim: CLICK HERE.

— Coloradan Hannah Wood Notches Individual Win as College Freshman

— Flatirons GC’s Brown Ties for Senior Title at National Superintendents Tourney

— Denver-Area Resident Duval Becoming Analyst for Golf Channel

— Langston Departing State After 23 Years as Highly-Regarded Rules Official

The records aren’t complete — the sites of the CGA Stroke Play are only noted back through 1978 — but what records are accessible indicate that never before have both the CGA Match Play and Stroke Play been conducted at the same course in a single year.

Until this summer, that is.

CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA, will host the 79th CGA Stroke Play Thursday through next Sunday (Aug. 13-16). Four weeks ago, the 115th CGA Match Play concluded at CommonGround, with Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course claiming the title.

Though CommonGround is the home course of the CGA, the association didn’t plan to have both of its “state amateurs” at the course in 2015. Originally, CommonGround was going to host the Stroke Play, while the Mountain Course at The Broadmoor was to be the site of the Match Play. But heavy rains in the spring caused enough damage to the Mountain Course that officials at The Broadmoor said it wouldn’t be ready in time for the Match Play. So, two weeks before the championship was scheduled to start, the CGA moved it to CommonGround, the Tom Doak-designed course that opened in 2009 and that served as the second stroke-play course for the 2012 U.S. Amateur that Cherry Hills Country Club hosted.

“That’s where owning a golf course is helpful,” said Ed Mate, executive director of the CGA, which otherwise would have had to do considerable last-minute scrambling to find a suitable venue.

So we’ll have a little history made this summer with the two state amateurs taking place at the same site five weeks apart.

There were two years in the last four decades that the CGA Match Play and Stroke Play were held in very close proximity — both geographically and date-wise.

In 1982, the two events were linked and played in one seven-day period in July. After four days of the Stroke Play — which competitor Kent Moore remembers being contested at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs — the top 16 finishers advanced to the Match Play, which was held at the nearby West Course at The Broadmoor. In the 36-hole Match Play final, former University of Colorado All-American Rick Cramer defeated Moore, 3 and 2, completing a sweep of the Stroke Play and Match Play in 1982. Will Nicholson Jr., of Denver, just a half a year after completing his term as president of the USGA, officiated the Cramer-Moore final.

The next year, a similar format was used, though the top 32 in the Stroke Play at The Broadmoor’s South Course advanced to the Match Play at the Country Club of Colorado.

This year, with both the Match Play and Stroke Play at the same course, the situation would seem to favor Nosewicz. After all, he won the Match Play at CommonGround last month with a 4 and 3 final victory over Connor Klein. At 31, Nosewicz became the oldest winner of the Match Play since 1994. (Nosewicz is pictured above during the Match Play final.)

And besides winning the Match Play at CommonGround, Nosewicz tied for second last year in the CGA Stroke Play after leading through three rounds at Lakewood Country Club. And it should be noted that the player who won last year’s Stroke Play, David Oraee of Greeley, won’t defend his title as he’ll be playing practice rounds next weekend in preparation for the U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields in suburban Chicago.

The other runner-up from last year, Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo Country Club, will be in the field at CommonGround, as will Klein.

The only former CGA Stroke Play champion entered — as of Friday — was 2012 winner Steven Kupcho of Heritage at Westmoor.

Other notable players in the Stroke Play field are 2014 CGA Match Play winner Cody Kent of The Club at Ravenna and four-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Country Club.

Whoever is crowned champion come Aug. 16 will join an illustrious list of winners of the Stroke Play. That list includes Babe Lind (1941, ’42 and ’48), who was part of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of inductees; Hale Irwin (1963, ’64 and ’65); Bob Byman (1971, ’72 and ’73); Steve Jones (1981); and Brandt Jobe (1985). Irwin, Jones and Byman all went on to win on the PGA Tour, and Jobe has also had a long run on the world’s top golf circuit. And between them, Irwin and Jones have won four U.S. Opens.

Next week will mark the second CGA Stroke Play CommonGround has hosted. Zahkai Brown won there in 2011 before claiming the HealthOne Colorado Open title in 2013 and placing second in that event in 2012 and ’15.

In all, 84 players will compete next week at CommonGround, with a cut to the low 40 and ties coming after two rounds.

For living scoring starting on Thursday, CLICK HERE.

CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora opened five years ago this month, but just in the short period since 2009 it’s gone through plenty of ups and downs.

Only two months before its grand opening, a fire swept through about 130 acres of land just west of the course, but it burned itself out just left of CommonGround’s fifth hole.

Then last September, with more than 14 inches of rain falling in just six days, the Westerly Creek Dam that borders the course did its job — flood control — by protecting land and real estate in nearby areas of eastern Denver and northwestern Aurora. But in the process, it also collected the overflowing water from Westerly Creek on the golf course for weeks on end, killing a lot of grass in the process. At one point, nearly half the course was under water, at some points 6 feet deep of it.

It took nearly a month before the water drained off the course completely, and by then eight holes were damaged severely and the turf on five greens died.

But there have been plenty of positives at CommonGround as well. The Tom Doak-designed course, which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA, has drawn accolades to the point that it served as the second stroke-play course for the 2012 U.S. Amateur. And CommonGround became the home of the highly respected — and imitated — Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, as well as the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program and many community outreach programs that have benefited both youth in the area and the game of golf. Along the way, the course received a $175,000 USGA grant that helped the associations build the nine-hole Kids Course at CommonGround.

In the grand scheme of those ups and downs, suffice it to say that Thursday most certainly fell into the “up” category. After a concerted recovery effort following the flooding, $350,000 in repairs and $750,000-$850,000 in lost revenue, CommonGround held a grand reopening of all 18 holes of the championship course during the Colorado Golf Foundation golf tournament presented by Citywide Banks. (Note: The course will fully re-open to the general public on Sunday.) In addition, the new community putting green at CommonGround (left) was dedicated — in memory of David Herlinger, a golf lover and former Lowry Redevelopment Authority chairman. And the day raised money for Colorado Golf Foundation-supported programs at CommonGround, including the Solich Academy, the Hale Irwin Program, the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools Program, and CommonGround’s community partnerships.

To get the championship course back up to full speed after 8 1/2 months and so much work was gratifying to many of those in attendance.

“It’s exciting for me,” said Tom Lawrence, president of the CGA last year when the floods hit. “Since going out there in the fall, I had been holding off to really take a look. I’ve only played the nine hole (modified course) once or twice since then. I stayed away from looking at the damage. I was pointing to this day so when I got out there, I wanted to see it when it was all finished. So I’m really excited today.

“It’s like a rebirth. I think the whole community is pretty excited about it.”

Five greens — Nos. 5, 6, 11, 12 and 14 — on the west side of the course — were resodded this spring, using about 46,000 square feet of sod grown on a farm in Idaho. (The 11th green is pictured above on Thursday.) Other areas of the course affected were dormant seeded in the fall. All told, about 22 acres of the course required significant work post-flood.

“The resodded greens, you can’t believe how good they are,” said Will Nicholson, the former USGA president who serves as the manager of the CommonGround board. “The key to playing golf is the greens. There are some rough spots in the fairway, but people put up with that as long as the greens are good. And the grass has really popped in the last week now that it’s warmed up.”

CommonGround superintendent Bobby Martin has been roundly credited in helping get the course back fully on its feet, and CGA vice president Joe McCleary has been of considerable assistance given his professional background. McCleary is a former superintendent at Saddle Rock Golf Course and currently serves as a superintendent of stormwater operations for the City of Aurora. He’s also been on the CommonGround board of directors since it was formed.

“If you look at (CommonGround) every day like Bobby and the staff do, you don’t see the improvements as much,” McCleary noted. “If you come back and visit it every week — like I kind of have done — you’re pretty amazed. We’re just hoping the golfers feel the same way. You’ve got to understand it’s not going to be perfect (right away), but you had to open it sometime.”

Getting CommonGround back to operating fully after eight months of being curtailed has taken considerable effort from many individuals, including CommonGround, CGA and CWGA staff, and the CommonGround board of directors.

“Everybody put their shoulder to the wheel and it’s back where it is right now,” Nicholson said.

Lawrence remembers making multiple calls on a daily basis for a couple of months to deal with CommonGround-related matters in the wake of the flooding — to Nicholson, to CGA executive director Ed Mate, to other board members, to the CommonGround management staff.

“Will Nicholson and I got on the phone when it was raining, then I came out two days later because quite frankly you couldn’t get out here (at first),” Lawrence noted. “But once I got out here it was shock. It was just a giant lake. It was shock and it was sadness because the golf course had matured over the years it’s been open to become this gem. Then to see that happen …”

Added McCleary: “I never imagined what happened happening. It was one of those things I never thought I’d see in my lifetime. I’ve been all involved in planning of the golf course and we’d talked about the flood-control dam. (But) you never think it’s going to happen. Driving over and looking at it was pretty unbelievable.”

But, said Lawrence, “then you quickly transfer into a business mode. What do we do? How can we fix it and where do we go from here?”

That eventually brought CommonGround to the point it was on Thursday — reopening all 18 holes of the championship course five years to the month after initially opening.

As CommonGround director of golf Dave Troyer noted on Thursday, “After the first grand opening five years ago, I didn’t think we’d have to do this again.”

Besides getting the full golf course back, Thursday marked the dedication of the 21,700-square-foot community putting green, which was originally supposed to be dedicated last October.

The staff at CommonGround wasted no time utilizing the undulating putting surface. Just hours after local dignitaries and officials hit the first putts on the green toward a nine-inch-wide hole (pictured above), Big Brothers and Big Sisters were stroking putts there (pictured at left). And for good measure, Ping donated 15 putters for use on the new green.
 

In at least one respect, and perhaps others, Phil Lane will be that.

Lane — who is about to begin a two-year term as president of the CGA, succeeding Tom Lawrence — resides in Colorado Springs and has for most of his life, which makes him unusual for the golf association’s top volunteer position. Almost all past CGA presidents have lived in the greater Denver metro area, but Lane will be an exception.

“We’re the Colorado Golf Association, not the Denver Golf Association,” noted Lane (pictured above). “So how do we add value to (CGA) member clubs outside Denver and make them feel part of the CGA’s mission and work, and reward them for being associated with the CGA?”

That will be one of many things on the plate for Lane, the CGA Board of Governors and the association staff in 2014 and ’15 and perhaps beyond. COgolf.org discussed such matters recently with Lane as he gears up for his two-year term as CGA president. (Note: A feature story on incoming CWGA president Joanie Ott will be posted on COgolf.org next week.)

Besides the CGA bringing in a new president heading into 2014, it’ll also have four new members of the association’s Board of Governors: Carl de Rozario of Columbine Country Club and Ballyneal, Doak Jacoway of Cherry Hills Country Club, Tom Markham of Valley Country Club, and Chris McClain of Canongate Colorado. Departing the board after years of service are Steve Anderson, Rick George, Jim Hayes and Don Sall. To see brief biographies on all of the CGA’s Governors, CLICK HERE.

Lane, a 48-year-old who owns undergraduate and Masters degrees from Northwestern University, is currently a private investor and businessman. For many years he worked for Pepsi and in his family’s longstanding business as a large Pepsi franchisee in Colorado and surrounding regions. That franchisee business was sold just over five years ago.

Besides the CGA, Lane sits on the boards for the Nature Conservancy and the YMCA, and in the past he’s served on the board for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. He’s a member at the Broadmoor Golf Club and Castle Pines Golf Club.

“Phil is really engaged in civic projects,” noted Ed Mate, executive director for the CGA. “He has a very diverse background in civic and community projects. He’s helped guide other non-profits, which is a valuable asset for us. Today’s CGA is no longer your dad’s CGA. We have a far broader and deeper reach in the community.”

As for the CGA work that lies ahead for himself, the board and the staff, Lane foresees several priorities:

— Getting CommonGround Golf Course, owned by the CGA and CWGA and home to many golf-related community outreach programs, back to its former self after suffering significant damage from the September floods. CommonGround is operating as a nine-hole facility — in addition to the nine-hole Kids Course — while the eight damaged holes are restored.

CommonGround is home to the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program and many other “for the good of the game” and junior development initiatives.

“Getting the course up and running full-speed is clearly a top priority for us,” Lane said. “People have been great, playing the nine-hole course, the junior course, hitting balls and supporting (the golf shop and dining facility), but we have to focus our efforts in getting that back up and running (full-bore) as soon as possible in 2014. Obviously, that was an unforeseen need. The flooding threw us a bit of a curve, but we’re working through the challenges and we’ll come back stronger on the back end.”

— Enhancing the collaboration with the CWGA and other major golf organizations in the state.

Regarding the CWGA, Lane said, “We’re working better than we ever have with the CWGA. We need to continue to find ways to work more closely together and serve members better than ever before.”

— Helping the newly formed Colorado Golf Foundation get its legs.

Founded early this year, the Foundation aims to provide assistance for innovative programs that use the game of golf to instill hard work and self-reliance in young people.

“There are a lot of organizations that want to promote golf,” Lane said. “How do you find a balance between all of them and not have groups pulling on the same rope from two different ends? We want to make sure we’re all rowing together.

“The (lead) gift George Solich gave is fabulous, and under Will Nicholson’s leadership (as foundation chairman), it will take off in 2014. And the CGA will be intimately involved with how it evolves over its lifetime.”

— Celebrating the CGA’s centennial in 2015.

“That’s a huge opportunity to highlight all the great things that have happened over the last 100 years, (and) to have a year-long celebration of the game.”

The CWGA, by the way, will reach its 100-year anniversary the following year, in 2016.

Lane has served on the CGA Board of Governors for more than four years, under the presidencies of Bill Fowler, Jim Magette and Lawrence.

“They all brought great strength and passion and leadership,” Lane said. “I hope I can continue the momentum and continue to strengthen our board. There are always opportunities to find new people and to tap into the talent of the existing board. It’s a personal interest of mine to get the most out of the board. And Ed (Mate) and I also want organizational development to bring out the best in the staff.”

Lane didn’t start playing golf until well into adulthood, but he’s certainly dived head-first into the game since. He served as co-general chairman for the 2008 U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor, and joined the CGA board the following year. And now becoming the CGA president is another big step in that regard.

“I love golf, and any opportunity to give back to the game in a small way gets me excited,” he said. “It should be a fun, interesting two years.”
 

With the year drawing to a close, it’s time to play one final 18. In this case, we’ll run down the top 18 Colorado golf stories of 2012, then throw in some honorable-mention selections at the end.

And just for the sake of a little suspense, we’ll start with the 18th-biggest story.

18. Woodard Inducted into National Black Golf Hall of Fame, Voted into Colorado Golf Hall of Fame: 2012 was a big year for longtime Coloradan Tom Woodard, now the director of golf for the Foothills Park & Recreation District. In March, he was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame, then in October he was voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, along with fellow Colorado PGA professional Alan Abrams and Jimmy Vickers. COLORADO GOLF HALL OF FAME FULL STORY, NATIONAL BLACK GOLF HALL OF FAME FULL STORY

17. Tourney Routs by Eaton, Humerickhouse: There were a couple of lopsided state tournament victories that went beyond the norm. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton prevailed by 16 shots in the CWGA Senior Stroke Play at the course on which she grew up, Greeley Country Club. STORY And in winning his third straight CGA Mid-Amateur, Keith Humerickhouse was a dozen shots ahead of the runner-up, marking the biggest margin in the event since 1991. STORY Then Humerickhouse put an exclamation mark on the year by proposing to his girlfriend in the midst of his acceptance speech for the CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year award.

16. A Lucky Seven Straight for Kent Denver: Kent Denver, coached by Bob Austin, set a Colorado record by winning its seventh consecutive state high school boys team championship, this time in Class 3A. STORY 

15. Bertsch, Jacques, Huffer ‘Open’ the Door: Three Coloradans qualified for the top USGA championship for their respective gender. Shane Bertsch of Parker earned a U.S. Open berth for the first time since 1998. STORY And Becca Huffer and Kelly Jacques made it through qualifying at the Broadmoor to punch their tickets to their first U.S. Women’s Open. STORY Then in December, Jacques joined former University of Denver golfer Stephanie Sherlock in earning LPGA Tour status in 2013. STORY

14. Jones Joining Nicholson in Colorado Sports Hall of Fame: Former USGA president Will Nicholson Jr., was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in April. STORY And after being voted in in October, 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, a former University of Colorado golfer, will follow suit in the spring of 2013. STORY

13. Ringsby Hits the National Stage: Calli Ringsby of Cherry Hills Village had a memorable 2012 tournament season. She swept both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play STORY and Junior Match Play titles. Then she was one of just four American girls selected to compete in the USA-China Youth Golf Match. STORY

12. Lee Adds Still More Variety to Her Accomplishments: With a nine-shot victory in the CWGA Stroke Play, Somin Lee became just the second player in history to win the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, Junior Match Play, Stroke Play and Match Play. Lee joined Wendy Werley as the only golfers to capture all four of those titles during their careers. STORY

11. Colorado PGA Keeps its Streak Going: For the sixth and seventh time in six years, the Colorado PGA earned national awards from the PGA of America. Dale Smigelsky, the director of golf at Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins, was named PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities, while George Kahrhoff, head professional at The Country Club at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, earned the Merchandiser award for private facilities. STORY The Colorado PGA also was among the national leaders in the “Get Golf Ready” initiative in which PGA and LPGA professionals teach people everything they’ll need to know to play golf with confidence — in five lessons, usually for $99 total. The idea is to bring new and former golfers into the game as seamlessly as possible in a no-pressure environment.

10. Tolan Doubles Up in Colorado Open: Coloradan Derek Tolan won his second HealthOne Colorado Open in the last four years, this time rallying after trailing by four strokes with six holes to play. STORY

9. Bermel Departs CSU After 13 Years: After 13 successful years at the helm of the Colorado State University men’s team, Jamie Bermel resigned to take the same job at the University of Kansas. Bermel’s teams went to the NCAA regional tournament in 12 of his 13 years, and in 2011 the Rams earned a berth in the NCAA Finals for just the second time in program history. Overall, the Rams won 18 multi-team tournaments in Bermel’s tenure, including two conference titles. Former national assistant coach of the year Christian Newton succeeded Bermel at CSU. STORY

8. Near Miss in College Finale for Knous: Colorado School of Mines golfer Jim Knous finished up his college career with a flourish. After leading most of the final round of the NCAA Division II national finals, Knous finished second, losing in a playoff. STORY

7. Mallon, Neumann Will Lead the Way at Colorado Golf Club: The leadership of the competing teams for the 2013 Solheim Cup matches that will be played at Colorado Golf Club in Parker was set early this year. Meg Mallon, winner of 18 LPGA Tour events in her career, will captain the U.S. squad, while 1988 U.S. Women’s Open champion Liselotte Neumann will be her European counterpart. STORY 

6. CU Women Score NCAA Breakthrough in Colorado: An NCAA women’s regional golf tournament was held in Colorado for the first time, and the University of Colorado took advantage of its host role at Colorado National by advancing to the NCAA Finals for the first time in program history. STORY

5. Kupcho Rallies from 9 Down in Final Round to Win CGA Stroke Play: After starting the final round nine strokes out of the lead and in 16th place, Steven Kupcho posted one of the biggest final-round rallies ever by a winner of the CGA Stroke Play. His final-round 66 at Fort Collins Country Club gave him the title as a 19-year-old. STORY

4. Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy Debuts: The CGA and CWGA launched a unique initiative to promote the use of caddies and foster candidates for the Evans Caddie Scholarship at the University of Colorado. The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course — which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA — provides a powerful incentive to use caddies by paying all of their base fees. The program’s mission is to use caddying and the game of golf to help kids learn how to succeed in life. STORY

3. Stacy Gains Spots in World Golf Hall of Fame: Part-time Colorado resident Hollis Stacy earned one of golf’s biggest honors by being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Stacy, who lives in Lakewood during the summer, won 18 times on the LPGA Tour, but particularly excelled in USGA events. She won three U.S. Women’s Opens and three U.S. Girls’ Juniors. STORY

2. Austin Departing Powerful USGA Executive Committee: Not many women preceded Coloradan Christie Austin as a member of the USGA Executive Committee, one of golf’s most powerful governing bodies. But after six years in that role, Austin will be stepping down in February. STORY 

1. U.S. Amateur a Hit in Colorado: The U.S. Amateur was held in Colorado for just the fourth time, with Cherry Hills hosting and CommonGround being the second stroke-play course. The week started with Jack Nicklaus, winner of 18 major championships and two U.S. Amateurs, playing the role of spectator as son Gary competed. It continued with two players with strong Colorado ties — Michael Schoolcraft and Justin Spray — qualifying for match play. And it ended with largely unheralded and 63rd-seeded Tennesseean Steven Fox winning a final in 37 holes after being 2 down with two holes left. Fox (pictured above with his dad Alan) was the the highest-seeded player to win the U.S. Amateur since the USGA began the seeding process in 1985. About 4,500 fans attended the final day, one of the largest totals in recent U.S. Amateurs. STORY

Honorable Mention: Former University of Colorado athlete Hale Irwin followed the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in receiving the Nicholson Award given for a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the game of golf. Later in the year, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program was launched, with the initiative designed to nurture the budding careers of exceptional young golfers in the state. … After Ray Makloski won the CGA Senior Match Play in May, son Jimmy claimed a CGA title of his own (the Junior Stroke Play) in June. Later in the year, University of Denver golfer Andy Yang qualified for the U.S. Amateur shortly after sister Jennifer advanced to the U.S. Women’s Amateur. … Former college hockey standout David Delich won the CGA Senior Stroke Play the week after placing second in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, which marked the best finish by an amateur in that event since 1999. … Despite dozens and dozens of entrants both years, Lone Tree Golf Club repeated as champion in the season-long CGA Team InterClub Championship. … Nicole Zhang made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur after qualifying for the event in Colorado. … At age 14, Jordan Sahm of Centennial qualified for U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. … Cherry Creek’s Mackenzie Cohen, who shot 93 in the first round of the 5A state tourney in 2011, posted a score 26 strokes better in the final round of this year’s meet en route to an improbable victory. … Six-time CGA Player of the Year Rick DeWitt, who had never before competed in an event on the PGA, Champions or Web.com Tours, qualified for the U.S. Senior Open.
 

Last week was a national coming-out party for CommonGround Golf Course, and the event certainly attracted many dignitaries.

Jack Nicklaus was on hand to watch his son, Gary, play a stroke-play round in the U.S. Amateur. Former USGA president Will Nicholson Jr., was likewise there, along with USGA Executive Committee member Christie Austin and course architect Tom Doak.

And, of course, there were the U.S. Amateur competitors, including most of the biggest names in amateur golf: U.S. Open low amateur Jordan Spieth; Beau Hossler, the 17-year-old who led the U.S. Open during round 2; and the world’s No. 1-ranked amateur Chris Williams. (Spieth is pictured in orange above at CommonGround with No. 2-ranked Justin Thomas.)

CommonGround, just 39 months after opening, put its best foot forward to all. And now we’ll see if being the second stroke-play course for the U.S. Amateur leads to a sole hosting role for another USGA championship in the next five or 10 years.

As for how CommonGround — which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA — fared in the stroke-play portion of the U.S. Am, several officials came away impressed.

“I think it held up exceedingly well,” said Nicholson, a member of the CommonGround Board of Directors as long as there’s been such a board. “And I have heard nothing but compliments about the golf course from players and officials. One of the (USGA) Executive Committee members played out there (a couple days after the stroke-play rounds) and said, ‘I wasn’t impressed when I drove up, but when I played the golf course I walked away impressed.'”

Added USGA executive director Mike Davis: “In full disclosure, I didn’t get here until we started match play, but based on everything I heard (CommonGround) was a wonderful, wonderful venue. It couldn’t have been a better companion course for stroke play.

“It’s got so many great storylines that go with it beyond just being a marvelous architectural, fun course that’s well-conditioned. I think the thing that’s so appealing is it’s a great story. Very affordable golf, it focuses on junior golf and now it has a great caddie program (the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy). And it’s close to the city. It’s a model we’d love to see in a lot of other cities around the country.”

CommonGround was certainly a stark contrast to Cherry Hills Country Club, the primary host of the U.S. Amateur. And not every player liked the public layout, but many thought it was a worthy venue.

“It was good. I really like it actually,” Hossler said. “The greens are really good and firm and pretty fast. You have to definitely drive it well because of the fescue and everything off the fairway. It’s a good track. This is definitely a challenge, especially if it gets windy.”

Thomas, who advanced to the semifinals of the Amateur, concurred.

“I liked (CommonGround). It was really cool,” he said. “It’s very similar to the other course we played for the U.S. Am two years ago (the Home Course in Washington, which will host the 2014 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links). It’s really firm and fast and it’s in perfect shape. It’s just a good course.”

Probably no one would have expected it, but the lowest round of the stroke play came from Cherry Hills, not CommonGround, as medalist Bobby Wyatt fired a 7-under-par 64 on Day 1. But that was certainly the exception rather than the norm. Overall, CommonGround’s stroke average for the two days of stroke play was 72.3. Meanwhile, Cherry Hills yielded 76.2.

“A lot of people say, ‘No one will remember the companion course,’ but we will,” CGA executive director Ed Mate said. “The other thing that’s kind of neat, comparing and contrasting, (Cherry Hills) is not a golf course that yields driver. But at CommonGround, that opportunity was there. I think it produced a more well-rounded 36-hole qualifier because the two courses complemented each other pretty well. And the green complexes are every bit as challenging at CommonGround as they are at Cherry Hills.”

Most importantly, when looking ahead, the movers and shakers at the USGA thought CommonGround stood up well as a USGA championship test.

“I think it was a wonderful choice for our companion course,” said Austin, who as a member of the Executive Committee has plenty of pull in deciding on future USGA venues. “Not only is it a good story, but it’s a good track. It’s a good test of golf. I thought it played hard but fair for a lot of the field, The course was in perfect condition considering our heat this summer. So we were very pleased — really really pleased.”

So the time might come in the not-too-distant future that CommonGround hosts a USGA championship on its own. A U.S. Public Links Championship has been mentioned, but a U.S. Women’s Amateur or a U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links might be more likely.

“Assuming that CommonGround wants us and invites us, I can’t imagine the committee wouldn’t look favorably on that,” Davis said.

As a longtime resident of Colorado — and an at-large member of the CWGA Board of Directors — Austin knows CommonGround’s story well and is a big supporter of the course and all the “for the good of the game” initiatives that take place there.

“I hope someday we can have one of our championships there — the WAPL or a Publinks,” she said. “I think the CGA and CWGA are open to that idea. We’ll have to talk to them about it and get a letter in. That’s really what initiates our interest is the course saying, ‘We’d be interested’. They need to show some interest — and I think verbally they have. We’ve already been out there, so that helps, but we’d need to do a little bit more work on which (championship) would be appropriate.

“But (the USGA) loves coming to Colorado. If you were out there (Sunday at Cherry Hills, where 4,500 people attended the final of the U.S. Amateur) you saw the support. This is a great sports town, and they just don’t see enough national ranked amateur golf here.”

Mate, for one, is certainly interested in CommonGround hosting a future USGA championship, but there are financial aspects to be considered.

“We built the golf course to host championships, and that’s high on the priority list,” he said. “But we have to weigh all the other things we’re trying to accomplish there, including cash flow. Hosting USGA championships is great and wonderful, and it’s great to see the best players play on your golf course, but it also costs you a lot of money. The USGA doesn’t pay you a course fee, so you’re displacing a lot of rounds and revenue, not to mention some of your out-of-pocket expenses like trailers and roping and transportation and all the things that go into it. If money weren’t an object, we’d be hosting something right away. But we have to consider the whole thing.”

That said, Mate makes it clear he would love to see a future USGA championship at CommonGround, and if he had his druthers, it would be a women’s championship of some sort.

“We could do so many more things with the course from a set-up standpoint,” he said. “We had to build five new tees for (the U.S. Amateur) to make some of the strategy of the bunkering be relevant. For the women, we could do all kinds of things.”

For the record, sites for the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Women’s Publinks and men’s Publinks are set through 2014.
 

“I’m very familiar with the inner workings of the CGA,” noted Irwin, who has served on the association’s tournament committee for the last seven or eight years. “So this is another area to get involved with to help give back to the game.”

That “giving back to the game” is a common theme among the Board of Governors, the big-picture guiding body of the 97-year-old non-profit CGA. The board consists of 30 members — including former USGA president Will Nicholson Jr. — who serve renewable three-year terms, plus legal counsel Ed Timmins. (A meeting of a past board is pictured, with current CGA president Tom Lawrence sitting at far left.)

Irwin, vice president of Hale Irwin Golf Services and winner of five CGA championships, is among three newcomers to the board. Joining him are Tom Gysin — a Lakewood Country Club member (like Irwin), lifelong Coloradan and an owner of Homestead Title — and Gary Albrecht, a lawyer who plays out of CommonGround Golf Course, which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA.

“It’s often said that all great non-profits are run by volunteers, and the CGA is certainly included in that,” executive director Ed Mate said. The Board of Governors “is one of the things that makes the CGA a great organization. Some governors are from public courses, some are from private clubs, some are scratch players, some have high handicaps. But all the board members have one thing in common: They all love golf. They’re passionate about the game and want to give back.”

The board and the CGA’s paid staff meet four times a year, with the primary business meetings held in conjunction with the Colorado Golf Awards Brunch in November and the Season Tee-Off Luncheon at the Denver Golf Expo in February.

“The board isn’t going to tell the staff how to run tournaments or how to rate courses,” Mate said. “They’re involved in mission-statement stuff, big decisions.

“The staff is the ‘how’ and the board is responsible for the ‘what’.”

For example, the biggest single decision the CGA and CWGA boards made and reaffirmed in recent decades was purchasing the golf course at the former Lowry Air Force Base, and constructing and running the new CommonGround Golf Course.

In addition to attending the quarterly board meetings, governors serve on various committees that also meet regularly. For example, because he’s a regular at CommonGround and is a big advocate for youngsters, Albrecht will play a major role in overseeing the new Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround.

The Board of Governors’ nominating committee is always on the lookout for talented people to eventually add to the board, and the governors try to strike a balance among board members based on geography (where governors resides in the state), the type of clubs they represent (public, private, resort, etc.) and other factors.

But the bottom line is all governors have to be committed to the CGA’s mission — to represent, promote, and serve the best interests of golf in the state of Colorado — and to the association’s many developmental programs and “for the good of the game” initiatives.

In other words, as Mate said, they have to be passionate about golf and about giving back to the game.

For a list of all the CGA governors, including brief biographies, CLICK HERE.