A life - Watertown Daily Times
Transcription
A life - Watertown Daily Times
FR 20 EE 14 C SE O AS P ON Y A life on the LINKS Ives Hill legend Beames a genuine renaissance man *** EXCLUSIVE Guest essay by PGA of America Vice President Derek A. Sprague p. 6 * PLUS Golf co urse directo Tourna ry. m guide. S ent kills clinic. Watertown Golf Inc. Watertown Golf Club is located at Thompson Park, and the excellence of the play here has garnered some national media attention. Golf Digest magazine has called it one of the finest golf courses in Northern New York. THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME - DRIVING RANGE AVAILABLE GOLF LESSONS AVAILABLE - PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED Watertown Golf Inc. Watertown Golf Inc. Watertown Golf Inc. SATURDAY OR SUNDAY GET A FREE BUCKET OF BALLS WITH YOUR PAID GREEN FEES MONDAY - THURSDAY PURCHASE ONE LUNCH GET THE SECOND FREE 20% OFF YOUR TOTAL FOOD BILL IN THE CLUBHOUSE WITH YOUR PAID GREEN FEES 18 HOLES WITH LUNCH INCLUDING GREEN FEES AND CART FOR $35 LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON Watertown Golf Inc. Watertown Golf Inc. Watertown Golf Inc. Watertown Golf Inc. TAKE $10 OFF YOUR PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE IN THE CLUBHOUSE RECEIVE A FREE APPETIZER WITH THE PURCHASE OF TWO SANDWICHES TAKE 20% OFF APPAREL PURCHASES OF $200 OR MORE IN THE PRO SHOP BUY ONE GREEN FEE WITH CART, RECEIVE ONE GREEN FEE FREE $24 VALUE. LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/27/2014. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON Watertown Golf Inc. EXCLUDES ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES PRO SHOP 315-782-4040 RESTAURANT 315-782-5606 1 Thompson Park, P.O. Box 927 • Watertown, NY 13601 www.watertowngolfclubinc.com 2 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF |3 W TO OUR READERS elcome to NNY Golf 2014, your premiere guide to golf in Northern New York published by the Watertown Daily Times and NNY Magazines. What a start to the 2014 season. Despite the late arrival of spring, many die-hard golfers have already taken in more than a few rounds of play, tackling some of the best courses in the north country. As you’ll see in the pages that follow, New York’s north country is home to some of the most Thomas J. Penn prestigious courses in the Northeast. We are excited to have Derek Sprague, general manager and director of golf at Malone Golf Club — and vice president of The PGA of America — contribute once again to this year’s issue. As you might recall, we featured Derek on the cover of NNY Golf in 2012, when he was secretary of the PGA of America. Since, he’s moved up to vice president at the PGA and, in November, will move into the top seat as president of the PGA of America. This year’s cover story is a tale of legendary golf pro Peter Beames of Ives Hill Country Club. Our cover story, “A life on the links,” which is masterfully written by veteran Times sportswriter John Day, begins on page 14. The north country is lucky to have talented folks like Peter and Derek who choose to call it home. (Not to mention the fact that Derek’s club is home to two must-play courses where the bucolic beauty of the Adirondacks shadows a pair of professionally designed 18-hole courses.) While Malone’s character presents many chances to enjoy challenging rounds of golf, one need only drive south to St. Lawrence County where acclaimed courses like Cedar View, Fox Hill, Meadowbrook and Partridge Run are wide open for play. Continue your journey to Jefferson County and cross the Thousand Islands Bridge to Wellesley Island and you’ll reach Thousand Islands Country Club. Travel down Interstate 81 from Wellesley to Watertown and the golf destinations multiply with two amazKen Eysaman ing courses right in the city — Ives Hill Country Club and Watertown Golf Club. Lest we forget Lewis County, which is home to impressive courses like Turin Highlands, Carlowden and Brantingham. Without question, golf in the north country delivers adventure and fun for every ability, age and budget. And, as you’ll see again in our annual charity golf event directory on pages 20, 21 and 22, the north country’s spirit of neighbors helping neighbors continues to shine bright with 89 tournaments set to benefit worthwhile causes and organizations. We hope you enjoy this year’s edition. We each extend our sincere appreciation to the many clubs and businesses advertised in this issue. Without their support, we couldn’t continue this effort. We look forward to seeing you on the links. Fore! Have an epic season, 4 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON G olf Chairman of the Board John B. Johnson Jr. Publishers John B. Johnson Harold B. Johnson II VP News Operations Timothy J. Farkas Magazine Editor Kenneth J. Eysaman Contributing Writers Gregory Gay John Day Photography Norm Johnston, Justin Sorensen, Amanda Morrison, Jason Hunter Director of Advertising Michael Hanson Special Sections Ad Manager Thomas J. Penn Magazine Advertising manager Matthew Costantino Circulation Director Mary Sawyer Ad Graphics, Design Rick Gaskin, Brian Mitchell, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules MARKETPLACE 5th Annual Dick Doe Memorial Golf Tournament ................. 17 Adams Country Club ............................ 7 Alexandria Bay Municipal Golf Course ........................................... 8 Bedford Creek Golf Course ................. 22 Carlowden Country Club ..................... 8 Cedars Golf Course ............................. 18 Clayton Country club .......................... 18 Community Action Planning Council ................................... 8 C-Way Golf Club ................................... 9 First Class Auto Glass ............................ 9 Fuccillo Automotive ............................. 12 Gilbert Greens ...................................... 18 Thousand Islands Country Club ........................................ 11 Gouverneur Country Club ................... 12 NNY Highland Meadows .............................. 12 Hospice of Jefferson County ............... 13 Ives Hill Country Club .......................... 24 Malone Golf Club ................................. 13 Partridge Run Golf Club ....................... 11 Porter Chiropractic ............................... 9 River Golf Adventures .......................... 16 The Elms ................................................ 16 Turin Highlands ..................................... 16 Turning Stone Casino Golf .................... 3 Watertown Golf Club ............................ 2 Watertown Savings Bank ..................... 19 Wellesley Island State Park Golf Course .................................. 22 Willowbrook Golf Club ................... 17, 22 Women’s Council of Realtors Golf Tournament .................... 13 WWTI-TV50 ............................................ 23 NNY Golf magazine is published annually by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2010-2014. All material submitted to NNY Golf becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned. Submissions Send all editorial correspondence to [email protected] Advertising For advertising rates and information email [email protected] or call (315) 661-2308 PRINTED WITH PRIDE IN U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing, LLC, Ithaca, NY Please recycle this magazine. Contents 2014 Season C OV E R 14 A storied career Teacher. Coach. Inventor. Author. Player. Pro. Ives Hill Country Club’s Peter Beames is a living legend. G U E S T E S S AY 6 From the PGA Veep Malone’s Derek A. Sprague shares several reasons why now is no better time than ever before to hit the links. SK I L L S C L I N I C 7 Back to basics A local golf pro shares some of his best tips to lower your score. C O U R SE S 8 Looking for golf? A directory of local golf courses far and wide in NNY and areas beyond. F E AT U R E S 10 Right-left switch For one longtime north country golfer, a new challenge came when he learned to play the game from a different side. 12 Excellent etiquette Golf rules can be a bit confusing, but don’t let a few important pieces of protocol ruin a great day of play. TO U R NA M E N T G U I DE 20 Putt with purpose Looking for a round of golf that also benefits a worthy local charity? We list 89 opportunities for play. T H E 1 9 T H HOL E 14 22 Post-play action See our ‘19th Hole’ directory for some great places to visit after the final shot. 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF |5 G U E S T E S S AY Put fear aside and start swinging B etter late than never. Finally, temperatures are warming up and so are north country golfers and golf courses. This past winter will be one we will remember forever. Unfortunately, many golf courses in the northern tier of the country including the north country and Canada suffered winter kill this spring. Winter kill comes from prolonged exposure to ice. Most grass can survive for about 30 to 60 days under ice but after two months, chances for survival diminish significantly. The reason the grass can’t survive under the ice is because it cannot breathe due to the nonporous surface of the ice. Unlike ice, snow cover is more porous and allows grass to breathe. Remember, grass is a living organism and needs nutrients including oxygen throughout the winter to survive. The good news in all of this is that grass will grow back and does so at a pretty rapid rate depending on the soil temperatures. Grass is really starting to grow now due to the warmer, more humid weather. Just look at your lawn. Most golf courses affected by winter kill should be fully healed by mid-June to early July at the latest. Golfers just need to be a little more patient this year due to the harsh winter. Many leagues and tournaments at local golf courses are now under way. League and tournament play can be very fun. In leagues, you typically get to play with a partner you already know and you play against two other people who you may or may not know. At Malone Golf Club, we have several leagues for men and women, and I often see opponents who didn’t initially know one another hit it off and the next thing you know they are playing together on a nonleague night having more fun. Leagues are good for those 6 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON who say they are too busy to play because they sort of force you to get out to the course at least once per week. Leagues are generally nine holes after work but some leagues are 18. Check at a course near you to see if they offer league play. If you are too late to sign up with a team this year, ask if you can substitute. Subs can usually play every week if they want to because usually someone can’t make it every week. The thought of playing in a tournament can be initially intimidating for those who have never played in a tournament before or for those who don’t think they are that good of a player. Relax; the surprising news here is that you won’t be alone. Once you get over your fear of rournament play, you will have a lot of fun. The beauty of this game is that no matter your ability, you will have at least one Derek A. Sprague vice president The PGA of America KitchenAid in Benton Harbor, Mich., over the Memorial Day weekend. Roger won the Senior PGA and the Senior U.S. Open in 2012. Obviously he is a great Golf is a very charitable sport and you can really make a positive impact on an organization or someone’s life by participating in a tournament. More than $3.5 billion is raised annually through golf in this country. or two good shots that you’ll celebrate and remember for a long time. And your friends with whom you are playing will remember your good (or lucky) shots, too. Sometimes this comes in the form of putting when you sink a long putt to make a birdie for the team or it may be a chip shot that ends up really close to the hole. Of course, you’ll have some bad shots that can be embarrassing, but remember, everyone will have some bad shots so you can all have a laugh at one another. However, the bad shots are quickly forgotten. I recently played with Roger Chapman at the Senior PGA Championship presented by player. I was nervous playing with him and another gentleman I didn’t know. I started out horribly with a lost ball on the first hole we played and I had other bad shots throughout the round. However, I had a few good ones that everyone talked about. I certainly didn’t play my best on that particular day but the few good shots that my group talked about at the luncheon made me feel better. Roger hit a lot of great shots that day but he also missed some putts our team was relying on him to sink. Nobody got upset or angry. We were enjoying each other’s company, the course, and being outdoors. Typically tournaments, especially fundraisers, will play a format called a scramble or captain and crew. In those formats, you play the best shot of the foursome for each shot until the ball is holed out. These formats take a lot of the pressure off you because you can rely on your teammates. Most tournaments will be flighted, which means that your team will be put in a group of other teams with similar playing ability. Flights are sometimes divided by gender. For example, all women’s teams will compete against one another or mixed teams (two men, two women) will be put in a flight together. The moral of this story is that you need to put your fears aside and sign up to play in a tournament. Trust me, you’ll have much more fun than you anticipate. It beats a day in the office or doing chores around the house. There are plenty of charity golf events to play in the north country. (Turn to page 20 for a list of 89 different charity tournaments on tap this season in the north country.) Golf is a very charitable sport and you can really make a positive impact on an organization or on someone’s life by participating in a tournament. Thousands of dollars are raised through golf at Malone Golf Club each year and more than $3.5 billion is raised annually through golf in this country. I’m sure hundreds of thousands of dollars or maybe more than $1 million is raised annually if we added up all of the money that north country golf courses take in during charity tournaments. Enjoy the summer playing golf. Hopefully you’ll join a league or participate in a north country golf tournament. DEREK SPRAGUE is general manager and director of golf for the Malone Golf Club and vice president of the PGA of America. SKILLS CLINIC Follow tips for a better game n From a good grip Use parallel and perpendicular clubs to line up your stance with the ball and help guide your driver straight. Maintain a balanced, athletic stance while hitting, similiar to that which is used in other sports. to proper aim, enjoy the next round of play Tips by Watertown Golf Club pro Christopher A. Bigenhoe. Photos by Justin Sorensen, NNY Golf A wider view of how to use parallel and perpendicular clubs to line up your stance with the ball. For a proper right-handed grip, the right hand should overlap the left thumb. While putting, your arms and shoulders should form a triangle, with the ball in the middle of your feet. Celebrating 55 years of operation, the Adams Country Club offers a challenging 9 hole course that plays to all levels of experience. ACC offers the full package for golf enthusiast including; Carts, Pro-Shop, Rental clubs and the Putter’s Pub & Deli. Enjoy our Italian Steak House, La Bella Fonte, offering a full Dinner menu and Bar. ACC offers full service Banquet and Tournament arrangements. Contact us by using our web-site: www.adamscountryclub.com or call 315-232-4842 10700 US RT 11 – Adams, NY 13605 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF |7 COURSE DIRECTORY JEFFERSON & LEWIS AREAS Adams Country Club 315-232-4842 www.adamscountryclub.com Alexandria Bay Municipal Golf Course 315-482-2127 Bay Breeze Golf Links 315-649-4653 www.baybreezegolflinks.com Bedford Creek Golf Club 315-646-3400 LA Golf Club 315-686-3748 Rustic Golf and Country Club 315-639-6800 www.rusticgolf.com Thendara Golf Club 315-369-3136 www.thendaragolfclub.com Thousand Islands Golf Club Lake Course 315-482-9454/800-928-TICC www.ticountryclub.com Gilbert Greens Country Club 315-527-6652 www.gilbertgreenscc.com Gouverneur Country Club 315-287-2130 www.gouverneurcountryclub.com Langbrook Meadows Country Club 315-375-6372 www.langbrookmeadows.com Madrid Golf Course 315-322-0502 Thousand Island Golf Club Old Course 315-482-9454/800-928-TICC www.ticountryclub.com Malone Golf Club 518-483-2926 www.malonegolfclub.com Watertown Golf Club 315-782-4040 www.watertowngolfclubinc.com Massena Country Club 315-769-2293 www.massenacountryclub.com Cedars Country Club 315-376-6267 Wellesley Island State Park Golf Course 315-482-9622 nysparks.state.ny.us/golf-courses/7/details.aspx Meadowbrook Golf Course 315-389-4562 Clayton Country Club 315-686-4242 www.claytoncountryclub.com Willowbrook Golf Club 315-782-8192 www.willowbrookgolfclubwatertown.com C-Way Golf Course 315-686-4562 / 1-866-CWAYRST www.cwayresort.com ST. LAWRENCE AREA Brantingham Golf Club 315-348-8861 www.brantingham.com/html/golf.asp Carlowden Country Club 315-493-0624 www.carlowden.com Elms Golf Course 315-387-5297 Highland Meadows Golf & Country Club 315-785-0108 www.golf342.com Ives Hill Country Club 315-775-4653 www.iveshill.com Cedar View Golf Course 315-705-4566 Clifton Fine Country Club 315-848-3570 www.townoffine.org/content/Parks/View/1 Emerald Greens 315-541-4854 www.emeraldgreensgolf.net Fox Hill Golf Course 315-764-8633 / www.foxhillgolfonline.com A LEXANDRIA B AY M UNICIPAL G OLF C OURSE 46339 County Route 1, Alexandria Bay, NY Call for more info - (315) 482-2127 Come enjoy this hidden treasure of the 1000 Islands! WEEKDAY RATES WEEKEND RATES 9 Holes 18 Holes $11 $17 $12 (cart) $20 (cart) 9 Holes 18 Holes $12 $18 $12 (cart) $20 (cart) Rental Clubs $7 Enjoy Golf in “The Heart of the Thousand Islands” Carlowden Public Golf OPEN FOR THE SEASON 18 holes w/cart $30 SPECIALS: FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRY. SUNDAY GOLF - $20 (18 holes w/cart) Ask about: Cards can be shared 10 play card $270 20 play card $510 30 play card $720 Call 493-0624 • 4105 Carlowden Road, Denmark, NY 8 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON Partridge Run Golf & Country Club 315-386-4444 / www.partridgerun.com Potsdam Town and Country Club 315-265-2141 / www.potsdamgolf.com LAKE PLACID / SARANAC LAKE Adirondack Golf and Country Club 518-643-8403 www.adirondackgolfclub.com Bluff Point Country Club 518-563-3172 www.bluffpoint.com Cobble Hill Golf Club 518-873-9974 www.elizabethtown-ny.com/Local Activities.htm Craig Wood Golf and Country Club 518-523-9811 www.craigwoodgolfclub.com Harmony Golf Club 518-834-9785 www.harmonygolfclubandcommunity.com High Peaks Country Club 518-582-2300 www.highpeaksgolf.com Lake Placid Country Club 518-523-2556 www.lakeplacidcp.com Raymondville Golf Course 315-769-2759 North Country Golf Course and Resort 518-297-5814 www.northcountrygolfclub.com St. Lawrence State Park Golf Course 315-393-2286 www.nysparks.com/parks/70/details Saranac Inn Country Club 518-891-1402 www.saranacinn.com St. Lawrence University Golf Course 315-386-4600 www.stlawu.edu/athletics/slgc Tupper Lake Golf Club 518-359-3701 www.tupperlakegolf.com Twin Brooks Golf Course 315-388-4480 www.c360.ca/ny/waddington/tb/hole6.html Westport Country Club 518-962-4470 www.westportcountryclub.com COURSE DIRECTORY Whiteface Country Club 518-523-2551 www.whitefaceclubresort.com/club/golf.php SYRACUSE AREA Bellevue Country Club 315-475-5151 www.bellevuecountryclub.com Burnet Golf Club 315-487-6285 www.syracuse.ny.us/parks/burnetGolfCourse.html Cazenovia Golf Club 315-655-8573 www.caz-cc.com Drumlins Country Club www.drumlins.com Erie Village Golf Course 315-656-4653 www.golferielinks.com Foxfire Golf Course 315-638-2930 www.foxfire247.com Lafayette Hills Golf Club 315-469-3296 www.lafayettehillsgcc.com Links at Sunset Ridge Golf Course 315-673-2255 www.linksatsunsetridge.com Liverpool Golf and Country Club 315-457-7170 www.lgpcc.com/course.htm Pearl Lakes Golf Club 315-685-6799 www.pearllakesgolf.com Pompey Club 315-677-3559 /www.pompeyclub.com Trumansburg Golf Club 607-387-8844 / www.trumansburggolf.com Iroquois Golf Club 613-652-4367 / 877-397-4653 Skyridge Golf Course 315-687-6900 www.skyridgegolfcourse.com Tuscarora Golf Club 315-673-2679 / www.tuscaroragolfclub.com Lombard Glen Golf & Country Club 613-283-5318 / 800-554-0285 www.lombardglen.com Sunnycrest City of Syracuse Golf Course 315-473-2674 www.syracuse.ny.us/parks/sunnycrest GolfCourse.html Tanner Valley Golf Course 315-492-8113 Tecumseh Golf Club 315-445-0963 www.tecumsehclub.com Turning Stone Casino and Golf Course 315-361-5140 / 877-748-4653 www.turningstone.com/golf Wa-Noa Golf Club 315-656-8213 FINGER LAKES / ROCHESTER Canandaigua Country Club 585-394-4370 / www.canadaiguacountryclub.com Geneva Country Club 315-789-8786 / www.gccgenevany.com Greystone Golf Club 585-234-4653 / www.rochestergolfcourses.com Mark Twain Golf Course 607-737-5770 www.cityofelmira.net/mark-twain-golf-course Skaneatelas Country Club 315-685-5759 / www.skaneatelescc.com Watkins Glen Golf Course 607-535-2340 / www.watkinsglengolfcourse.com Willowcreek Golf Club 607-562-8898 / www.willowcreekgolfclub.com KINGSTON & ONTARIO, CANADA Brockville Country Club 613-342-2468 www.brockvillecountryclub.com Brockville Highland Golf Ltd 613-342-7883 www.brockvillehighlandgolf.com Cedar Glen Golf Course 613-535-2323 / 888-861-0660 www.c360.ca/williamsburg/cg Cloverdale Links Golf Course 613-774-0076 www.cloverdalelinks.com Gananoque Golf & Country Club 613-382-1670 www.gangolfclub.com Glengarry Golf & Country Club 613-525-2912 / 888-499-4653 www.glengarrygolf.ca Morrisburg Golf Club 613-543-3282 www.morrisburggolf.ca Nationview Golf Course 613-989-5633 www.ottawagolf.com/nationview Prescott Golf Club 613-925-5370 www.prescottgolfclub.ca Sandy Row Restaurant and Golf Club 613-989-2588 www.sandyrowgolf.com Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course 613-659-4999 / 800-268-4536 www.smugglersglen.com Summerheights Golf Links 613-938-8009 www.summerheightsgolf.com Sunnidell Golf 613-498-0775 www.sunnidell.com Glen Lawrence Golf Club 613-545-1021 www.glenlawrence.com Upper Canada Golf Course 613-543-2003 / 800-437-2233 www.uppercanadagolf.com Greene Acre Golf 613-382-4653 www.greeneacregolf.com Wolfe Island Riverfront Golf Course 613-385-9978 www.wolfeisland.com/riverfront Get Well, Stay Well! D R . D ALE S. P ORTER PORTER CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CARE Dedicated To Whole Body Wellness “Installing glass with class” T AKING Y OU B EYOND S TANDARD C HIROPRACTIC. Visit us at www.porterhealthcare.com We work with all insurance companies... Let us help you with your claim! • Auto Glass Repair • Free Mobile Service • Auto Glass Replacement • Custom Glass Cutting 21461 NYS RTE 232 (RICES ROAD) WATERTOWN 315.788.2570 or 877.788.2570 www.FirstClassAutoGlassNY.com 782-4700 1155 Coffeen Street Watertown Just minutes off I-81 at Exit 46 across from Jefferson Community College Rt. 12, Clayton, NY 13624 Pro Shop - 686-4562 email: [email protected] 18 HOLES - Par 71 CLUB SALES AND REPAIRS Motel 686-4214 • Restaurant/Bar 686-3102 www.cwayresort.com 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF |9 F E AT U R E S Longtime golfer Mike Hanson taught himself how to play left-handed after years of playing right-handed. AMANDA MORRISON | NNY GOLF Learning left after right Longtime right-handed golfer teaches self to play left-handed By GREGORY GAY E NNY Golf ven now, two years after Mike Hanson made “the switch,” people still approach him on the golf course, face twisted in bewilderment, and say: “The last time we played, weren’t you righthanded?” This is the trick that Hanson continues to play on north country golfers who see him swinging a club left-handed. But it isn’t intentional. Hanson, Northern New York Newspapers’ advertising director, has always been left-handed in virtually every activity. It’s just that for golf, it took him 35 years to play lefty. Hanson began the sport decades ago swinging right-handed, a matter of necessity because equipment for left-handers wasn’t readily available then. When he arrived at the golf course for the first time, he was given right-handed clubs. He grew comfortable playing right-handed, much like a lefty 10 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON adjusts to cutting with right-handed scissors or working at school at a right-handed desk. “It was pretty easy to do,” Hanson said. “I was never really good at it, but through the years, I hacked away like everybody else does. And you learn the game as you go along, obviously, and you get a little better every year. That’s your ultimate goal is to get a little better all the time. When I started wanting to get better and better, I started taking lessons.” Hanson played right-handed for more than 30 years, working himself down to a stroke average of low 40s for nine holes and mid-toupper 80s for 18 holes. But he started to grow frustrated. His desire to improve wasn’t being fulfilled because he couldn’t see results on the course anymore. “I think I plateaued at one point,” he said. “It wasn’t that I was bored with the game, I was bored with the fact that I couldn’t get any better than I was. “So, two years ago, I just decided that, ‘you know what, I’m left-handed, I’m not getting any better. Why not play left-handed because I’m left-handed anyway?” Hanson contacted Walt Zimm, who builds and custom-fits clubs in Watertown, and ordered a left-handed 6-iron. Then, in the spring of 2012, he went to Willowbrook Golf Club and the left-handed Hanson started hitting balls left-handed, for the first time in his life. “I’d hit a bucket of balls (left-handed) and I’d go away for a few days. And I’d play golf right-handed,” Hanson said. “But I’d come back and I’d pull that left-handed club out and I’d hit the ball again with that one club. I did that for about two or three weeks and before I knew it, I was starting to hit this nice, pure shot, and I was hitting it as far as I was hitting my clubs right-handed. And I thought, “well, gee, maybe I can do this.” Hanson returned to Zimm and asked him to remove the right-handed heads from the clubs and replace them with left-handed heads. At the point of no return, he golfed as a lefty for more than a year and began to realize that his scores were improving again. Excited, Hanson announced to himself, “That’s it, I’m left-handed and I’m gonna keep playing left-handed and that’s all there is.’” Hanson said he still had to go through a process of relearning the game as a left-hander, not only the swing and grip, but other fundamentals of the game. His scores as a left-hander aren’t quite as low as his peak as a righty, shooting in the mid-toupper 40s for nine holes. He said he’s scored a 38 as a lefty already and hopes to be down to the mid-80s for 18 holes by the end of the season. Yet, swinging left-handed has felt natural to Hanson, even after so many years playing right-handed. Willowbrook Golf Course professional Doug McDavitt, who has given Hanson lessons both as right-hander and left-hander, said playing lefty suits Hanson’s game. As a righthander, Hanson played with a sizable hook, McDavitt said. “I don’t think he hits it as far (as a lefty), but he hits it straighter,” McDavitt said. Neither Hanson nor McDavitt have heard of any local golfer making the change from golfing right-handed to left-handed. McDavitt said that periodically — particularly with kids learning to play — golfers will not know what hand they use. They usually rectify that problem by giving the student a broom and asking them to sweep. Hanson, meanwhile, has received mostly puzzlement in response to his switch, particularly when he first took out that left-handed club and started pointing left instead of right. “There were a lot of people who told me I was crazy,” he said. “’Why are you doing that?’ I got a lot of that. ‘If you haven’t got to do that, why are you doing that?’ And I guess my response was always the same, ‘because I can.’” Most people who golf with Hanson, who has competed for years in the Evans Mills league at Willowbrook, now are accustomed to seeing him play lefty. But they still raise an eyebrow when he switches between playing lefty and righty within a single round. “I carry a right-handed 9-wood in my bag for times when I get in trouble up against a tree line or something,” he said. “Instead of backing into the bushes, I can pull the 9-wood out of there and hit it right-handed. And I can still hit that thing 170 yards pure, you know? So that’s always fun. And once in a while I’ll pull my partner’s driver out of his bag and I’ll hit his driver right-handed, and somebody will look at me and go, ‘what are you doing?’” Hanson also has entertained the idea of loading his bag with clubs of alternating handedness, a literal bag of tricks. “How cool would that be?” he said. “A driver left-handed and a 3-wood right-handed and go right down the bag all the way to the putter. A left-handed 9-iron and a right-handed pitching wedge. You could really have some fun with people if you did it that way. You’d probably confuse yourself though.” This kind of “switch-golfing” evokes memories of Mac O’Grady, a professional right-handed golfer who was also a scratch left-hander. He once tried to enter a tournament as both halves of the same team, playing one ball righthanded and one left-handed. Left-handed golfers have existed from Ben Hogan to Phil Mickelson, and although left-handed equipment may have been more difficult to find decades ago, McDavitt said it’s always been around. But the chances of seeing others make the switch from right-handed to left-handed likely will become even more of a rarity because of the availability of left-handed equipment. Also, instructing left-handers is as easy as the click of a switch. “With a computer, it’s easier to teach left-handed people,” said McDavitt, who is also lefthanded. “All I have to do is press a button and the golfer (in the video) is left-handed.” Hanson still putts right-handed. He said he made a concerted effort to putt as a lefty but couldn’t get the ball to go where he wanted. He believes eye dominance, a key element in putting, has prevented him from switching all aspects of his game. But ask him now to define himself on the golf course and he will say, “a left-handed golfer.” “You know I’m not a righthanded golfer who went left anymore,” he said. “I’m just a left-handed golfer.” It just took him 30 years to get there. GREGORY GAY is a Johnson Newspapers sports editor. Contact him at [email protected] or 661-2377. Thousand Islands Country Club 21496 Clubhouse Drive Wellesley Island, New York 13640 “One Island, a thousand reasons to visit...” Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, Wellesley Island is home to the Thousand Islands Country Club. With 36 holes of great golf, 20 luxury villas and suites, Hackers Pub & Grill Restaurant, a 100 slip marina, banquet accomodations, and coporate meeting facilities, TICC provides so many reasons to enjoy the grandur and beauty of the region. For golf getaways, family vacations or corporate outings, we provide exceptional service with personal attention. Corporate, charity and private outings from 12 to 200+ are hosted by our professional staff. We take care of all the details from cart signs to scoring so you and your group may enjoy the round on either or both of our 18 hole courses. Our chef will assist you with any of our standard food packages or work with any special requests. Rates and availability vary depending on the day of the week and time of the season. Call For Info: 315-482-9454 Old Course Pro Shop ext:101 • Lake Course Pro Shop ext:201 • Hacker’s Pub & Grill ext:103 • Villa Reservations ext:207 • Business Office ext:203 • Marina 315-783-9179 (Jake) 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 11 F E AT U R E S Proper etiquette part of game n ‘Gentleman’s sport’ calls for appropriate dress, courtesies By GABRIELLE HOVENDON “Caddyshack” and more like a seasoned pro, there are a few important things to keep in mind. According to Christopher A. Bigenho, pro and golf shop manager at Watertown Golf Club in Thompson Park, proper etiquette can begin even before players set I ouverneur G NNY Golf f you’re new to the game of golf, the complicated rules and etiquette might seem overwhelming. To make sure you behave less like a character from Country Club "A true test of golf with it's hilly landscape and undulating greens" YOUR 4-SOME PLAYS FOR $60! USE THIS Call 315-287-2130 For Tee Times COUPON! 119 Country Club Road, Gouverneur, NY Includes 18 Holes, Green Fees & Carts Sat/Sun/Mon After 11:00AM Driving Range, Pro Shop & Dining Room www.gouverneurcountryclub.com EXPIRES 09/30/14 foot on the golf course. “Number one, call the golf course and find out what’s going on that day,” Bigenho said. “Make a tee time whenever you possibly can. When you’ve made your tee time, that’s when you’re supposed to be on the tee hitting your shot, not checking in.” In addition to being prompt and making reservations, it is recommended that golfers review courses’ scorecards for specific rules before they begin play. The “Golf Etiquette” page on the Professional Golfers’ Association of America website, which provides a comprehensive overview of etiquette on and around the golf course, also recommends that golfers use caddies whenever possible. Doing so helps employ the caddies, many of whom are young golf enthusiasts themselves, and might result in helpful hints and information about the course. The PGA page also emphasizes keeping courses in good shape, a courtesy that the north country golf pros are quick to echo. “The big thing is the replacement of the divots and fixing the ball marks,” said Lanie M. Gerken, golf pro and pro shop manager at Ives. “Golf is a gentleman’s sport, so think beyond yourself. Fix your ball mark, and fix one or two others.” In addition to replacing divots, players should be sure to rake the sand in bunkers and obey rules and signs for golf carts, staying off the green and sticking to marked paths. On the green, they should avoid stepping on the hole as well as FUCCILLO AUTO GROUP SERVICE & PARTS CENTER BRAKES, WIPER BLADES, BATTERIES, TUNE-UPS AND TIRE SPECIALS WE’RE HERE FOR ALL YOUR AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS. • 18 Holes • Gas Carts • Rental Clubs • Driving Range • Chipping Green • Putting Green LET US BE YOUR TIRE SPECIALIST! • All Tires On Location • Lifetime Tire Rotation With Purchase Of 4 New Tires • Email Us For Any Size And Installation Pricing PICK UP AND DELIVERY AVAILABLE CALL OR SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT ONLINE AT Built in 1995, Highland Meadows is one of the best kept Golf Courses in the area. We have 18 holes, a driving range, a restaurant and a bar. A majority of the 18 holes can be seen from the deck which surrounds the clubhouse. 24201 NYS RT. 342 WATERTOWN, NY 13601 • (315)785-0108 www.golf342.com [email protected] 12 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON WWW.FUCCILLO.COM Our service shops have been recognized by their manufacturers as the highest-rated in the industry, with Chrysler’s Five Star Program, Ford’s Blue Oval and General Motor’s Certified Service. Open Mon.-Thurs. 9-8; Fri. & Sat. 9-6; Sun. 10-5; Service & Parts, Mon.-Sat. 8-5 FUCCILLO AUTO MALLS EXIT OFF RTE. 81 • ROUTE 11, ADAMS 232-3222 or 1-800-235-8037 F E AT U R E S on other players’ putting lines (the invisible lines between their ball and the hole), and they should be careful not to stand where they might distract, impede, or be hit by other players. “ According to Bigenho, the best way to let a faster group pass a slower one is with a rolling play-through. Ideal for parthree or -five holes, this strategy involves the first, slower group The big thing is replacement of divots and fixing the ball marks. Golf is a gentleman’s sport, so think beyond yourself. Fix your ball mark, and fix one or two others. — Lanie M. Gerken, golf pro and golf shop manager, Ives Hill Country Club Another important consideration for golfers is their rate of play. To avoid delays on the course, the PGA’s webpage recommends that players take no more than 30 to 45 seconds between the time they select their club and the time they hit their shot. If a player isn’t ready to play a shot, he or she should have someone else in the group go first. hitting their tee shot; waiting for the second, faster group to hit their tee shots as well; and then proceeding to the landing or green as a group, at which point the faster group takes the lead. Last but not least, novice golfers should remember to dress appropriately. In Northern New York, that generally involves avoiding denim, crude or offensive T-shirts and sleeve- less or muscle shirts. “In the north country, the dress codes are pretty relaxed compared to other places in the country,” Bigenho said. “We all request that you wear an appropriate collared shirt with sleeves. You shouldn’t show up in cut-off shorts, whether they’re cut-off khaki or jeans.” Gerken agreed, noting that dress codes for female golfers have loosened up only slightly over the years. Collared shirts are still expected, although dress skirts and skorts are becoming more popular. In the end, she gave one general rule of etiquette that might be said to apply to the entire game, from hemlines to putting lines. “Just be thoughtful out there,” she said. GABRIELLE HOVENDON is a former Watertown Daily Times reporter and freelance writer. Contact her at [email protected]. 4th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014 - SHOT GUN START 9AM MAJOR SPONSOR NYS ROUTE 342, WATERTOWN, NY WOMEN'S, CO-ED & MEN'S DIVISION CAPTAIN & CREW INDIVIDUAL $75. TEAM $300. 18 HOLES, CART & LUNCH INCLUDED WIN PRIZES! CONTACT DEBBIE 315.783.4400 - EMAIL: [email protected] REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JULY 18 SAVE THIS DATE • FRIDAY SEPT. 12, 2014 SWING FOR HOSPICE GOLF TOURNAMENT Watertown Golf Course at Thompson Park Proceeds to benefit Hospice of Jefferson County Captain and Crew Tournament Cost: $75 per person/$300 per team Schedule of Events 8am-Registration / 9am-Shotgun Start Breakfast during registration-bagels, pastry & coffee Burgers & Hot Dogs on the 9th hole Golf Division Male Co Ed must be at least 2 women (minimal cost) Food after Tournament SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 13 Ives Hill Country Club’s Peter Beames holds up a large photo taken by a photographer in Los Angeles that he uses when he goes to speaking engagements. At 67, Beames has spent nearly his entire life around the game of golf. Through his travels and contacts, he has built a career that helped him rub elbows with some of the best players and instructors in the world. COVER STORY A natural passion for the game In golf, Beames still writing a storybook life P STORY BY JOHN DAY | PHOTOS BY AMANDA MORRISON eter Beames wakes up very early every morning and heads to Ives Hill Country Club to begin his day’s work. You might have seen the older gentleman with the Irish hat mowing fairways or greens, setting pins or doing other work to keep the Watertown course in shape. Or you may have seen Beames on the driving range, instructing one of his students in the finer points of the golf swing. There also could be a Beames siting on the course, where he is still refining his game at the tender age of 67. Behind the hat and the Irish brogue, however, is a unique story of a true renaissance man of golf. He’s traveled the world playing and teaching golf, teeing it up alongside some of the greats of the game and instructing thousands of pros and amateurs. Beames’s love for the game of golf is as strong as it was when he first started playing at the age of 3. The Beames story began in his native Ireland and led him to such places as Australia, South Africa, the Far East, all across Europe and to the United States. And for the past 15 years, to the north country, where he’s worked at the Thousand Islands Country Club — for 10 years starting in 1999 — and at Ives Hill Country Club for the past six years. Beames has been acclaimed as one of the top golf instructors of the last century. In his competitive days, which lasted from 1968 to 1981, Beames competed against the likes of Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino. He was Hall of Famer Player’s swing coach through much of the 1970s and still considers the South African one of his dearest friends. But there is so much more to Beames. He’s an author of some eight books, including “Walk Thru to Par,” which has been labeled one of the most important golf instruction books of the last 50 years. He’s been working on an animated screen play for about 20 years. Called “The Boy Who Rode Clouds,” it is being produced by Disney Pixar Studios and could be on the screen in a few years. Beames’s son, Ben, an accomplished musician, is writing the score for the animated feature. In addition, he’s been a model for the Ashworth apparel line for some 20 years. And has been a You Tube sensation with his narrative of “The Golfer’s Creed.” This reporter spent a wonderful two hours with Beames recently, talking about golf and so much more. The stories he can tell off the top of his head. Beames is turned off by those who lack civility and look negativly on their golf game and their life. He loves the fact that golf can teach us so many things that we can use in our every day life. And he is blessed to still be a part of the game through a life that has not always been smooth and on track. And to be able to wake up every day, smell the fresh-cut grass and be thankful for what he calls “The best job I’ve ever had.” AN EARLY START With a father whose hero was the legendary Bobby Jones, winner of golf’s Grand Slam, Beames was destined to become a golfer. Born in Dublin, Ireland, he lived most of his young life in Cheshire, England, around Liverpool. And then was sent off to boarding school at Lytham, site of one of the British Open’s famous courses, Royal Lytham & St. Annes. “The game was all around me, so it was kind of natural that I became passionate about golf,” Beames said. At the age of 21, Beames eschewed joining the British Army and instead decided he would concentrate on golf. He headed off to the United States and ended up cleaning clubs at the golf course at Princeton University. There, he met one Lawrence Rockefeller, 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 15 COVER STORY the fourth son of noted philanthropist and businessman John D. Rockefeller. “Rockefeller was a member of the club, but I had no idea who he was at the time,” Beames said. “The best advice he gave me was to go another 10,000 miles to follow my dream.” Which he did. Beames headed off to Australia to begin a professional career that never quite turned out to be what he had envisioned. But through his travels and contacts, he began a career that helped him rub elbows with some of the best players and instructors in the world. “It was like being in a classroom every day,” Beames said of his ventures to tours in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and Europe. “Every day I learned something that has helped me teach the game of golf.” Beames never won a tournament on any of those tours. He won a few one-day events, but that was it. In 1970, he was actually leading the Australian Masters when he was paired in the third round with Player and Palmer. “There were 10,000 people out watching them and I was along for the ride,” Beames said. “But it was one of the greatest days of my life.” Player ended up winning the tournament, but Beames had a lifetime memory. He finished his playing career in 1981 with a top 20 finish in the New Zealand Open. “I figured that was a good way to go out,” he says now. THE PLAYER CONNECTION Beames first met Gary Player in 1968 when he was at a practice range in Player’s native South Africa. It was the beginning of a bond that has lasted nearly 50 years. “Gary would let me hit balls on the range and practice until the wee hours at his club,” Beames remembers. “He was super approachable and always willing to take the time to talk to you about golf and life. With Gary Player, what you see is what you get. And that’s been one of the kindest, nicest people you will ever meet.” Beames eventually became kind of swing guru and coach for most of the 1970s when the diminutive South African won four majors. Player finished his career with nine majors — four British Opens, three Masters, one U.S. Open, one PGA Championship, 24 PGA Tour events and more than 120 events worldwide. “Gary Player is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met,” Beames said. “And you could always see that on the golf course.” Player, who began competing mainly on the Senior Tour (now Champions Tour) in the 1980s, had a history of back problems. Beames and Player devised a move in the swing called a “walk through,” which took pressure off the lower back and allowed for more freedom of movement. Hence, the book Walk Thru to Par, which was published in 1985 and details the stepthrough approach to the golf swing that Player made famous in his older years. The gist of the best-selling and gamechanging book is something Beames gleaned by watching Player and Billy Casper compete in South Africa in 1970. He noticed Casper would really hit through the ball on impact, releasing the club and relieving the strain on the lower back. Player has said the Beames walk-through technique kept him playing competitive golf many more years. The Beames walk-through approach to the golf swing was again detailed in George Peper’s 2005 legendary book, “The Secret of Golf: A Century of Groundbreaking, Innovative and Occasionally Outlandish Ways to Master the World’s Most Vexing Game.” The chapter written by Beames is titled “A Bold Step.” Peper, the longtime editor of Golf Magazine, called Beames one of the “top 47 teachers of the century.” Among his other books are “Golf Balls Smash Glass Ceilings” and “Tom Parson’s Hut.” He has also done numerous CDs on golf, including one called “Train Your Brian DRIVING RANGE SECUREDBALLSELF-DISPENSING MACHINE Snack Bar - Arcade Pavilion for Party Events Military Discount Most Challenging Mini-Golf You’ll Find! (315) 777-0225 40168 NYS RT. 12, CLAYTON, NY Open 10am10pm www.RiverGolfAdventures.com 4448 EAST ROAD, TURIN, NY 13473 315.348-4327 www.turinhighlands.com Try Our Weekday Golf Special: (Monday - Thursday Only) $30 for 18 holes with a cart and lunch before 11am. $30 without lunch after 11am MAKE IT A SHORT DRIVE FORE SOME GREAT GOLF SAVINGS! 18 Holes, $ 18 Holes, $ 25 Includes 96 Includes Per Cart Person Only 30 Minutes from Watertown 2 Club Lane Sandy Creek (315) 387-5297 Foursome Special Cart The Elms Coupon Offers Expire Sept. 12th, 2014. 16 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON Call The Club House For MILITARY SPECIALS Our Putting Green And Driving Range Are Open Daily FULL SERVICE BAR & GRILL OPEN DAILY Enjoy MICHAEL’S RESTAURANT AT TURIN HIGHLANDS! CASUAL ITALIAN AMERICAN CUISINE SERVING DINNER 5-9PM • THURSDAY PASTA NIGHT FRIDAY & SATURDAY TRADITIONAL FULL MENU DINNING AT ITS BEST! We Open at 7am Mid Season COVER STORY for the Game” with Maggie Connor. THE HOGAN FACTOR Beames has seen most of the great players in the game up close, and he insists Ben Hogan still possessed the best swing ever. “Technically, there were no flaws. And he was able to repeat it over and over,” Beames said. “A lot of today’s teachers make the game too complicated. Hogan didn’t. He just did what he did best and did it over and over. That’s the key.” Beames said the fact that Hogan had the classic bowed-hands position just before striking the ball was the most important reason for his consistent contact. “Getting your hands in the proper position is the most important factor in a good swing,” he said. “Mr. Hogan learned that after having problems hooking the ball in his younger days.” Another swing key for Hogan was that his club was at a 90-degree angle to his spine throughout the swing. “He got closer to that template than any player I’ve ever seen,” Beames said. “When he hit the ball, just the cracking sound was different than anybody else.” Beames actually met Hogan at the Westchester Country Club in 1970. “He was very kind for he knew looking at me with those intense eyes that I knew noth- Peter Beames, wearing a logo jacket from John Ashworth's golf company, LinkSoul, models Ashworth’s apparel. He also helps to maintain the grounds at Watertown’s Ives Hill Country Club. ing about golf but was a seeker,” Beames said. “He later sent me a letter of encouragement.” NORTH COUNTRY MOVE In 1989, Beames was brought to the north 5th ANNUAL DICK DOE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT JULY 12, 2014 - Highland Meadows Golf Club, Route 342 Watertown, NY 4-person Captain and Crew $260.00 PER TEAM COVERS GOLF, CART AND DINNER Shotgun Start 10:00 am FIRST PLACE...............$600 SECOND PLACE ..........$400 THIRD PLACE..............$300 The tournament will provide a scholarship for a graduating IHC senior and will fully fund a NNY Junior Youth Golf Tour Call Highland Meadows at 315785-0108 or Mike Doe at 315783-4488. A car donated by FX Caprara Car Company will be awarded for a hole-in-one For more information visit http://www.dickdoegolf.com country by then-owner Doug Horton of the Thousand Islands Country Club. Horton wanted Beames to run the prestigious Phil Ritson Golf School at TICC. “Doug was one of the nicest men I’ve ever W I LL OW B R OO K WILLOWBROOK G OL F CL UB GOLF CLUB THE NORTH COUNTRY’S ONLY 27 HOLE COURSE! Willowbrook Golf Club is open to the public and is located on Route 37 approximately 5 miles North of Watertown, New York. W LOWBROO IL K GOLF CLUB • Memberships Available • Gas Carts • Driving Range • Pro Shop with Full Line of Clubs & Clothing • Professional PGA Member On Staff - Doug McDavitt. Doug is an experienced teaching professional and club fitting expert. His lessons include a video swing analysis. 25075 NYS Rt. 37, Watertown, NY Pro Shop (315) 782-8192 Lounge (315) 788-8414 “COME PLAY WITH US” www.willowbrookgolfclubwatertown.com 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 17 COVER STORY met in golf,” Beames said. “He took me in and treated me like family.” Beames spent some 10 years on Wellesley Island. During his time there, he taught a golfer named P. J. Simao. “P.J. said he was interested in buying Ives Hill Country Club, and that if I was ever available, to come work for him,” Beames said. “Eventually, I did.” Simao bought the club in 2007. Two years later he hired Beames to teach golf and instruct at his club. “People ask me why I come back here each spring,” Beames said. “I tell them it’s a wonderful place and who wouldn’t want to live here. Except in the winter.” Ironically, Beames’s boss at Ives Hill is now Hunter Horton, Doug’s son who is the course superintendent. “Hunter is just like his dad,” Beames said. “He’s created a family atmosphere here.” THE ASHWORTH CONNECTION Little did Beames know that when he met a young golfer named John Ashworth in the late 1970s, he would forge a lifelong friendship with one of the iconic style makers in golf history. Ashworth later co-founded the Ashworth clothing line, which grew into one of the top sellers in the world. “I saw John at range in LaCosta (California) when he was just a youngster and gave him a few lessons,” Beames said. “He played at Arizona State then and became their No. 1 player. I always knew he would do great things, but never imagined what a success he would become.” Ashworth always remembered Beames and saw something in the Irishman that he hadn’t seen in himself. Ashworth gave Beames a new career at the ripe old age of 61 when the two renewed acquaintances at La Costa. He told Beames he “would make him a star” and signed Beames to a five-year contract as a model for Ashworth Golf Co. in 2008. He even attracted more attention than one of Ashworth’s most famous clients, Fred Couples. “This is a Horatio Alger story that could only happen in America,” Beames once told the Syracuse Post-Standard. “I have tried to be the best golfer and teacher I could all my life, and now, at the end of my career, this happens. It’s crazy.” In most of his photos, Beames portrays a turn-of-the-previous-century golfer wearing a classic brown tweed coat and hat with a tie partially tucked into his shirt. In one ad, he is sitting on a suitcase, his clubs strewn beside him, on a road in the Mojave Desert. He’s holding a sign that says “The Golfers Creed.” His recitation of “The Golfers Creed” in that video was an instant You Tube sensation. Ashworth Golf Co. was sold to Taylor Made-Adidas later in 2008. Since then, after several other golf-related endeavors, Ashworth has founded LinkSoul. Among its clients, besides Beames, are PGA star Matt Kuchar, whose father, Peter, went to high school in Watertown, Australian Geoff Ogilvy, a former U. S. Open champion, and senior tour players Michael Allen and one of Beames’ good friends, Jeff Hart. Also under the LinkSoul banner are surfing star Kelly Slater and actor Mark Walhberg. “John has been one of my best and loyal friends for all these years,” Beames said. Beames still works for Ashworth in Southern California during the winter months. BEAMES THE INVENTOR Along with playing and teaching golf for more than four decades, Beames is always looking for ways to improve the game, especially for amateurs. Thus, he and former Thousand Islands Country Club buddy Dave Hollis of Alexandria Bay came up with a putting training device called the Re-Pete-R. The Re-Pete-R aids as a personal golf trainer without having another person present. The Re-Pete-R enables you to continually putt without changing the grip on your club or stance by The Clayton Country Club is a beautiful and well manicured golf course located just off the shores of The St. Lawrence River in the picturesque village of Clayton. • Open to the Public • Memberships available • Riding Carts • Full Bar • Fun Thursday Night Scramble • Rental Clubs Open late April to early October Dawn til Dusk 2912 yards - Par 35 If you are looking for a challenging golf course in the North Country then Cedars Golf Course is for you. You will be challenged by 15 out of 18 holes with water that comes into play. The ball will need to be placed on the correct side of the fairways and also on the correct side of the green to make it a bit easier for your score. So, keep your driver in the golf bag on a few tees to place it in the right spot to make par. Along with the challenge of the course you will admire several wildlife roaming around with a pleasant view of Tug Hill and the windmills. 105 State St., Clayton, NY 13624 • 315-686-4242 www.claytoncountryclub.com 18 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON COVER STORY dispensing balls repeatedly. That helps build muscle memory to improve your putting. “It’s a great device to help maintain consistency in your putting stroke,” Beames said. “You can use it anywhere and attach it to your bag.” You can go to re-pete-r.com to learn more. HIS FAVORITE THINGS Beames, who counts recent men’s city golf champions Ryan Clark and Tyler Woodward among his former students, has seen much in his lifetime on and off the course. Among his other favorite golf-related things: Best course: Royal Melbourne, Australia. “It’s designed by the same man who did Augusta National, Alister MacKenzie, so it’s a classic design and one of the most difficult layouts in the world.” Favorite player: Besides Gary Player, fivetime British Open champion Peter Thomson of Australia. “An extraordinarily gifted player who just hit the ball so straight.” Best putter: South African Bobby Locke, a four-time British Open champion. “He basically invented the idea of releasing the left-hand through the putt and following it to the hole.” Locke gave Beames one of his putters that Beames still carries around. “It’s probably worth a lot, but there’s so much history in that putter I would never see it.” Best club: An old 1955 MacGregor persimmon driver. “I can still hit it just as far as the new metal woods. You don’t get much feel from metals, and you can shape the ball a lot better with wood.” As for what’s next, Beames said he’ll continue taking his life day to day, year to year. He has always tried to live by one basic philosophy. “Giving his living, and living is giving. It’s all about what you can give to make life better for other people. And by doing that you get so much more self-satisfaction no matter what you do.” JOHN DAY is a Johnson Newspapers sportswriter. Contact him at [email protected] or 661-2360. 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 19 NNY CHARITY golf events CONFIRMED FOR 2014 June 12 Massena Chamber of Commerce Tournament Massena Country Club Massena Chamber, 769-3525 June 13 Ryan Converse Memorial Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 June 14 Glen Park Fire Department Charity Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 June 14 Lewis County Chamber 11th Annual Tournament Brantingham Golf Course Brantingham Golf Course, 348-8861 June 14 Sons of the Legion Tournament Twin Brooks Golf Course Rich Fairbridge, 250-1303 June 16 Cavallario Memorial Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 June 18 Sacred Heart Foundation Tournament Watertown Golf Club Sacred Heart Foundation, 782-3344 June 21 Wounded Warriors Tournament Thendara Golf Club Thendara Golf Club, 369-3136 June 21 Lisbon Girls Basketball Tournament Langbrook Meadows Golf Club Langbrook Meadows, 375-6372 June 22 John Durr Memorial Tournament Twin Brooks Golf Course Scott LaLonde, 393-5851 June 26 B.S.G. Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 June 26 NNYLDA Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 June 26 Petty Open Tournament St. Lawrence University Golf Club Jerry Smilgin, 386-8307 June 27 Lewis County Hospital Foundation Tournament Brantingham Golf Course Tim O’Connor, 376-5110 June 27 Hazelton Memorial Tournament Massena Country Club Massena Country Club, 769-2293 June 27 Cerebral Palsy Tournament The Elms Golf Club The Elms Golf Club, 387-5297 June 27 Malone Civic Center Tournament Malone Golf Club Malone Golf Club, 1 (518) 483-2926 June 28 DiStefano Memorial Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 June 28 Brookhaven House Tournament Cedars Golf Course Cedars Golf Course, 376-6267 June 30 Watertown Savings Bank Junior Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 July 1 Red & Black Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 July 5 Robbie Horton Memorial Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 5 Harrisville High School Booster Club Tournament Cedars Golf Course Cedars Golf Course, 376-6267 July 8 Lyle Simser Memorial Tournanent Carlowden Country Club B. Shambo, 376-2203 July 11 19th Annual Laurence H. Kissel Memorial Tournanent Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 11 Association of the Blind & Visually Impaired Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 12 HAC Tournament St. Lawrence University Golf Club SLU Golf Club, 386-4600 July 12 Laverty Memorial Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Willowbrook Golf Club, 782-8192 July 12 Dick Doe Memorial Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 16 Alice Hyde Medical Center Tournament Malone Golf Club Malone Golf Club, 1 (518) 483-2926 July 17 Sociaety of Military Engineers Scholarship Outing Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 July 17 Highland Meadows Ladies Invitational Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 18 Ellie Van Golf Classic Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 July 18 Indian River Alumni Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 19 Heather Anderson Scholarship Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Willowbrook Golf Club, 782-8192 July 19 Massena Minor League Hockey Fundraiser Tournament Massena Country Club Massena Country Club, 769-2293 20 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON CONFIRMED FOR 2014 NNY CHARITY golf events July 19 Carthage Elks Tournament Carlowden Country Club Adam Fuller, 778-8413 July 19 Helping Hands Tournament Potsdam Golf Club Potsdam Golf Club, 265-2141 July 19 Roger L. VonAmelunxen Foundation Tournament Langbrook Meadows Golf Club Langbrook Meadows, 375-6372 July 21 Junior Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 25 Women’s Council of Realtors Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 25 Carthage Area Hospital Foundation Tournament Carlowden Country Club J. Zando, 493-0456 / 777-2246 July 26 Gouverneur Hospital Tournament Gouverneur Country Club Gouverneur Country Club, 287-2130 July 26 Salute Military Golf Association Wounded Warriors Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 July 26 General Brown Football Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 July 26 Arquiett Memorial Tournament Twin Brooks Golf Course Rob Arquiett, 705-8890 July 29 Heather A. Freeman Foundation Tournament Watertown Golf Club H. Freeman Foundation, 778-5482 August 1 Samaritan Medical Center Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 August 1 AUSA Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Chris Weiss, 955-6806 August 2 Roger Fuller Golf Outing Carlowden Country Club R. Fuller, 543-2788 August 2 Brier Hill Fire Department Fundraiser Tournament Langbrook Meadows Golf Club Langbrook Meadows, 375-6372 August 2 Garrett Loomis Memorial Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Willowbrook Golf Club, 782-8192 August 3 3G Fire Department Tournament Brantingham Golf Course Brantingham Golf Course, 348-8861 August 4 Kinderwood Fundraiser Tournament Thendara Golf Club Thendara Golf Club, 369-3136 August 8 Community Action Planning Council Tournament Watertown Golf Club Watertown Golf Club, 782-4040 August 9 Dick Guyette Hospice Tournament Cedars Golf Course Cedars Golf Course, 376-6267 August 9&10 Highland Meadows Member Guest Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 August 10 Price Chopper Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Willowbrook Golf Club, 782-8192 August 11 Children’s Home of Jefferson County Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 August 13 Ladies Memorial Tournament Carlowden Country Club Ann Eckelmans, 1 (863) 385-5775 August 14 Laborer’s Sam Agati Scholarship Tournament Massena Country Club Massena Country Club, 769-2293 August 16 Towles & Eveleigh Memorial Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 August 16 Trumble Open Tournament Twin Brooks Golf Course Mark Gagnon, 393-6402 August 16 Boys & Girls CLub of Ogdensburg Tournament Langbrook Meadows Golf Club Langbrook Meadows, 375-6372 August 16 Carthage Little League Tournament Cedars Golf Course Cedars Golf Course, 376-6267 Augsut 22 Frederic Remington Art Museum Classic St. Lawrence University Golf Club Debbie Ormasen, 393-2425 August 22 Boy Scouts of America Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Willowbrook Golf Club, 782-8192 August 23 Time Warp Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 August 23 11th Annual Steve Brennan Memorial Tournament Carlowden Country Club John Rohr, 493-0734 August 23 Stu Barkley Memorial Tournament Twin Brooks Golf Course Brenda Rupert, 445-7331 August 24 Pamelia Fire Department Tournament Willowbrook Golf Club Willowbrook Golf Club, 782-8192 August 28 Massena Memorial Hospital Tournament Massena Country Club Massena Country Club, 769-2293 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 21 NNY CHARITY golf events CONFIRMED FOR 2014 August 28 NNY Builders Exchange Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 August 30 Meredeth Fiacco Memorial Tournament Partridge Run Golf and Country Club Suzanne Fiacco, 244-1024 September 6 Clarence Keddy Memorial Tournament Cedars Golf Course Cedars Golf Course, 376-6267 September 6 Morristown Fire Department Fundraiser Tournament Langbrook Meadows Golf Club Langbrook Meadows, 375-6372 September 6 New York Air Brake Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 September 6 Wounded Warriors Tournament Twin Brooks Golf Course Ben Glassing, 250-6969 September 7 Breast Cancer Charity Tournament Gouverneur Country Club Gouverneur Country Club, 287-2130 September 7 Miz Conducts Tournament Highland Meadows Golf Club Highland Meadows, 785-0108 September 9 No Name Charity Classic Thendara Golf Club Thendara Golf Club, 369-3136 September 12 Hospice of Jefferson County Tournament Watertown Golf Club Watertown Golf Club, 782-4040 September 12 Jefferson Rehabilitation Center Tournament Ives Hill Country Club Ives Hill, 775-4653 September 13 Wine & 9 Times 2 Tournament Langbrook Meadows Golf Club Langbrook Meadows, 375-6372 September 14 South Lewis Booster Club Tournament Brantingham Golf Course Brantingham Golf Course, 348-8861 September 19 Massena Central Athletic Hall of Fame Fundraiser Tournament Massena Country Club Massena Country Club, 769-2293 September 20 Friends of St. Lawrence University Hockey Tournament St. Lawrence University Golf Club SLU Golf Club, 386-4600 September 27 Jefferson County Historical Society Tournament Watertown Golf Club Watertown Golf Club, 782-4040 PLAY 27 HOLES! LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE OF TI PARK WEEKLY LUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS! WIDE VARIETY OF MENU ITEMS SUCH AS: LOCATED IN OGDENSBURG. JUST 25 MINUTES FROM ALEX BAY MONDAY NIGHT 50¢ WINGS 5PM UNTIL CLOSE APPETIZERS, PIZZA, CHICKEN CAESAR SALADS, 8OZ. BURGERS, REUBENS & OTHER HOT & COLD SELECTIONS! 18 Holes w/Cart...$25.00 per person 9 Holes w/Cart... $16.00 per person W LOWBROO IL K Rates Subject To Change 25075 NYS Rt. 37, Watertown, NY MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. NOT VALID WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS. EXPIRES 11/01/14 Bedford Creek Golf Course www.bedfordcreekgolf.com GOLFER’S SPECIALS MONDAY, OR THURSDAY: MONDAY,TUESDAY TUESDAY OR THURSDAY: 9 Holes And Cart For 2: ................$30.00 9WEDNESDAY Holes And OR CartFRIDAY: For 2: ........$30.00 WEDNESDAY OR FRIDAY: 18 Holes And Cart For Two: ...........$50.00 PlayFor Before 2:00 PM. 18 HolesStarting And Cart Two: ..$50.00 Not Available Holidays 22 | NNY GOLF | 2014 SEASON 12870 Route 3, Sackets Harbor, NY 13685 315-646-3400 GOLF CLUB 2014 SEASON | NNY GOLF | 23 IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB 1897 Golf Course and Restaurant PUBLIC CASUAL DINING 18 Championship Holes...From Tee To Green One of Northern New York’s Premier Golf Courses For Over 100 years Enjoy, Reconnect with friends and get away to the best golf Northern New York has to offer. Driving Range Available WELCOME Steaks, Seafood, Italian & Fine Wines Open for Lunch & Dinner with a Full Menu and Daily Features. The Ives Hill Country Club Restaurant is the perfect location for any special occasion. The Restaurant and Lounge areas are suitable and well equipped for Large Parties, Receptions, Rehearsal Dinners, Reunions, Business Meetings Daily In-Season Greens Fees: 40 $ HOLES 00 18Includes Greens Fee & Cart Everyday Military Price ... 18 Holes $3000 (includes greens fee & cart) Please Call for Tee Time. Proper Golf Attire Required. PRO SHOP 775-GOLF(4653) RESTAURANT 315-775-IVES(4837) Proper Golf Attire Required Golf Lessons Available 1897 IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB MONDAY $35... 18 HOLES INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART LIMIT 1 PER PERSON IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB TUESDAY $35... 18 HOLES IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB FRIDAY IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB WEDNESDAY $35... 18 HOLES IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB THURSDAY $35... 18 HOLES INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART MUST TEE OFF BEFORE 12 NOON MUST TEE OFF BEFORE 4PM MUST TEE OFF BEFORE 12 NOON EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. 1897 IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB $35... 18 HOLES LIMIT 1 PER PERSON 1897 IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB WEEKEND SPECIAL $35... 18 HOLES INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART LIMIT 1 PER PERSON MUST TEE OFF AFTER 2PM MUST TEE OFF AFTER 2PM EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. 1897 INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART WEEKEND SPECIAL $35... 18 HOLES 1897 INCLUDES GREENS FEE AND CART LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. 1897 1897 LIMIT 1 PER PERSON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON 1897 IVES HILL COUNTRY CLUB SENIORS FOUR-SOME $120 PER FOURSOME 18 HOLES INCLUDES GREENS FEES, 2 CARTS, and 1 BUCKET OF BALLS PER PERSON FOR DRIVING RANGE 62 YEARS AND OLDER, 1 COUPON PER PERSON. MONDAY THRU FRIDAY ONLY MUST TEE OFF BEFORE 12 NOON LIMIT 1 PER PERSON EXPIRES 09/30/14. MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON. 435 Flower Avenue West • Watertown, NY 13601 www.iveshillcountryclub.com