OUR WEEK IN GALLUP

LOCAL NEWS: Good news: our fees will remain the same. Furthermore, we will, once more, have the "early bird" discount. Therefore, the $460.00 individual memberships will have a $60.00 discount and the customer will only pay $400.00. Senior memberships will be $255.00 instead of $300.00. To get the "Early Bird" discount, you must pay memberships before May 1st, 2007. The golf course remains closed due to the ground temperatures. Bob Weekes, our golf course superintendent, has been taking ground temperatures every day and he still feels it is too cold to open our golf course and that we should wait a little longer. How long? It just depends on the weather. Bob Weekes will tell us when it is safe. PGA & LPGA: PUTTING REIGNS THE LAST TWO WEEKS ! The last two weeks, we have seen how the short game has ultimately come on top. First, Charles Howell III beat Phil Mickelson in a playoff, when the short game master, Mickleson, could not get up and down on #18 in regulation and then on the third playoff hole, while the less recognized, Howell, made saves in three consecutive holes, one of them, an outstanding par on the second playoff hole after being "jail" (#10 at Riviera). Then, this weekend, Mark Wilson, a man who almost quit the Tour but stayed persistent at the insistence of his wife and friends, made more putts from outside 10 feet than anyone in the tournament, including a 40 footer on the 16th hole in regulation and a 35 footer on the first hole of the playoff to avoid elimination. He "sealed d' deal" with an 11 footer on the third hole for birdie, while Coceres missed from about 9 feet. Young Camilo Villegas missed from 3 feet to continue the playoff after an outstanding pitch from high rough.... and the story goes on and on! Moral of the story? PRACTICE YOUR SHORT GAME! EVERYBODY HAS A STORY: Mark Wilson played the minitours, the Nike Tour, went to "Q-School" 8 times and it took him 111 starts for his first win. Jose Coceres is one of 10 siblings, nine of them men, four of which became golf professionals and is the main bread winner for all of them as they grew up. Boo Weekley had his son in the gallery, but not his wife; what's the story there? And of course Camilo, a Colombian, little tiny CentralAmerica country with 3 golf courses, is one of the best in the world (his brother coming on fast also). We get enthusiastic by Tiger's game, but there is more than Tiger in the PGA Tour. A FUN DAY OF GOLF: On Monday the 5th of March, I had the first round of 2007 with some of Gallup golfers. Eight of us went to Grants' Coyote Golf Course. Tom Gonzales and myself, luckily won the first nine holes (33), Ray Bradford and Brian Rohrer won the second nine (32), Kenny Bean and Ruben Sanchez won (32) the third nine, and if we would have had more daylight, I am sure that Andrew Blanco and "Long Drive" Anthony Silva would have won the fourth nine. The last nine, late in the afternoon in which we were allowed to play together, was pretty exciting, our team came tied to the last hole, but Kenny Bean stole the show with a 50 footer (we missed from 30 feet). Like I mentioned above, "Putting Rules the last two weeks"! While the weather was not perfect, it was very bearable and did not mind the breeze and cool weather: WE NEEDED TO PLAY GOLF!! Thanks to Manny (PGA) & Julie Martinez for their courtesies!