I RATHER HAVE THE TRAPPER WITH THE SKINS....

Now that there is no golf professional or golf course superintendent (two different positions that required totally different skills), the city is facing pretty much what they faced back in 1980-1981: the golf course will be managed by people who other than knowing what end of the club to hold, know little or nothing about golf operations, even if they are well meaning. The truth is that Lance Allgood doesn't really have the time, and probably didn't even want to do it, but out of loyalty to the city, felt he had to say "yes". His loyalty has to be commended and should be appreciated, however, we would like to see leadership which starts with the recognition that he needs help, and not in the way of a day of two of "training" by an expert coming to Gallup, but in a permanent basis. Lance knows first hand, that this is not easy task, and that the golf course needs the help of a professional that has the time to time to spend there, both in the operations and in the maintenance, so a quick recovery of a 20 year regression can start A.S.A.P.

This is an emergency! The conditions, which directly affect the amount of play (reduced to less than 50% of when play was managed by a PGA Professional), have reversed to the early 80's! That is a quarter of a century of regression! If you want to salvage part of the golf season, and begin building public trust, put pride aside and do something now! If you wait for the  "task force" to tell you the course is in bad shape and we "need help by someone", it'll be too late and the rest of the season is lost. Think I am exaggerating? Tell me how many "task forces", or golf committees have made a difference? These are usually called once there is an emergency for not taking action, and of course, to take "responsibility" for something that should have been done long before their "suggestion" is ever made. Take for instance 2007: we had weeds all over the golf course for 6 months (March - August), and no one wanted to do anything about it, and "voila!" the golf committee decides that they should be cut (not before RMCH complained about it), and overnight, the weeds were gone! (well, it took a week).

Now, we see that Tommy Noe is out there asking for an opportunity to help the city that saw him grow into adulthood, but Tommy has much more than "local blood", and he is not just another guy who "wishes" and "says" he can help; he has the experience that reminds me of the old Texas saying; "in matters of practicality and results, I rather hire the trapper with the skins in the back of this truck, that the man with diplomas on his wall". Tommy has all the skins out there; all sizes and all game; direct and indirect experience in over 30 courses built all over the world! And now, someone is trying to see if he is qualified? Give us a break! The time is NOW!

In 2006, we hired someone "with credentials" (diplomas), which included "helping build" exactly one golf course, or at least 30 less than Tommy Noe! The selection by the research committee, which included Allgood,  proved to be a mistake, as, after almost four years, we now know that all these credentials in "education" were worthless if left in the office and in "plan after plan". Noe has both, skins and diplomas. The fact is that then, like now, we needed someone that was a proven "trapper", not someone who "said" he'd be one.  That the city made a big deal about their man reaching "Class-A" status in the Golf Course Superintendent's of America at the end of 2008 (something that he was supposed to have had when he applied in 2006), should have been a sign for things to come, but everyone was clueless as they ignored this little detail. Wow!

Right now, Fox Run needs someone with the experience in successfully managing people, someone who knows how to operate heavy equipment and mowers, someone who can build drains without $$ expensive contracts $$ to local engineers, someone who does not mind using a pick and a shovel when needed, someone who can teach, first hand, how to do certain things, someone who does not mind learning from the crew where needed, someone who knows how to improvise. We are certainly tired of someone who needs every duck in a row, to get things done... maybe; especially if that someone spends more time in city hall, than in the department he was trusted with. 

We do not need any more expensive and worthless "junk science" projects, like the "signature hole" (really, can anyone tell me what was Weekes thinking, first in destroying over 50,000 sq ft of perfectly healthy grass that was once used to repair bad areas, and now we have nothing?), which in the long run will cost four times as much as it cost in the first place, or someone who will destroy existing, precious aclimated grass that could be used elsewhere, or someone who will cut "half dead" trees which are still "half alive" instead of trying to save them, or spend $20K in a report that will never be used, and so many other things that cost upwards to an additional $500K of your tax dollars!!!

No one heeded verbal or written warnings, always dismissing them as exaggerated or ill intended. Surely, if the money came out of their own pockets, they wouldn't be so uninterested in doing the right thing. Who knows, maybe they will anyway.

3rd ANNUAL "OLD TIMERS" TOURNAMENT; SATURDAY, MAY 22nd

The the III Annual Old Timers Benefit Scramble, will be played at our golf course this coming Saturday, May 22nd. This scramble, last won by Tom Chee, Travis Chee, Kevin Chee & Danielle Chee (not signed up yet), has slowly been becoming a favorite of all of us who are reaching some sort of "senionity", or shall I say... SENIOR AGE (where we don't have 20-20 vision because of another number called "59 and over"!).

Ernie Abeita, who aced #5 last year, pictured here with all the "Abeitas" and the "daddy" of all "old timers" in baseball, Alfred "Porky" Abeita (L-R) - Marco, Ernie, Kenny & Porky, who aced #5 last year during this event, and his team, have not signed yet either, actually, none of the teams in the top 5 from last year, have signed up yet... and neither has Andrew Dominguez (left)SO HURRY UP!!!

There will be a steak lunch, prizes, door prizes, prizes for the winners, prizes for non winners, closest to the pin contest (maybe you can make some cash), etc.

Call the Pro-Shop to sign up at 505-863-9224...

PAUL HANSON MEMORIAL - NICE DAY, GOOD FOOD AND 4 SCHOLARSHIPS!

The 26th edition of the Paul Hanson Memorial ended up with forty players and four scholarships for deserving students, this time, all girls (pictured is school superintendent, Ray Arsenault with the recipients... to view more pictures, click here). This event is the only event in Gallup that raises fund for academic scholarships, and is highly appreciated.


The sunny day with slight breeze was perfect for golf, as was camaraderie and the steaks that followed play. Two teams completed a 26 year run of yearly representation, "Bogey Men", this year represented by Bob Lewis, Bill Lewis, Alan Lewis & Scott Hamilton, and "Patriots", this year represented by Shirley Wilson, Lavon Clark, Pat Holloway & Marylou Condrey.... and both teams won their divisions, "Bogey Men" with a nifty 56 on the par 69 course (several holes have been modified due to conditions) and "Patriots", by default as the only all female team... however, with a group of golfers whose lowest handicap is 38, their it is hard to imagine that their 77, which brought a 55.5 net score, would have been beat; CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!


Other results were as follows: 1st Net: "No Hacker Left Behind" (Bruce Jones, Brad Vergien, Bud Knight & John Taylor); 2nd Gross "Just Haft'a Golf" (John Hartog, Mark Heckart, Randy Slaughter & Scott Armstrong), 2nd Net: "Back in 6 Hours" (Roy Talker, Michelle Talker, Dean Harris & Sammy Chioda).

All the above players received a plaque and a gift certificate. Third place gross and net, received plaque only. 3rd Gross "Stripes" (Porky Abeita, Marco Abeita, Isidro Chavez & Charles Stewart) and 3rd Net: "Financial Fore": (Larry Binkley, John Samford, Kevin Powers & Paul Cassidy).

A special thanks to Robert Gintowt, John Samford, Mary Jean Hoover and Jennifer Stanley for the coordination of the whole event, from invitations, to teams, to food and most importantly, to the sponsors who make these scholarships possible!

"FRIENDS OF GOLF IN GALLUP" - FINAL RESULTS

"Friends of Golf in Gallup" founder, Gary Leloff, presented the results of his golfer survey to mayor and City Council on Tuesday, May 11 during the “Work Session”. Eight other golfers were present.


Along with the contents of his presentation, Gary presented a packet that included: his views on the results of his survey, survey results, additional comments on each of the 18 questions by the golfers, extended comments that were not related to the questions, graphs, copy of the original blank survey and the letter mailed to the golfers. It also included results of two other surveys, one by the National Golf Foundation (2007) and one by RMCH-CS which was done in September of 2009 during the annual Charity Invitational. Gary said to the council that he would gladly make all original surveys available to City Council if so asked. No one asked.


Except for a brief moment in which there was a tense exchange started by Mayor Harry Mendoza, who misunderstoofd staff about the motive of the survey and the source of our local conditions, and where he attempted to divert the attention from the results, the presentation went very well, and was well received by the majority of the city council. Gary was thanked by the city manager, R. Dave Pederson, and councilor Bryan Wall. Later, Mr. Pederson, informed the audience and Gary that he would study the results in order to make future decisions on who should be in the upcoming “Task Force”.


We will keep you informed as to what decisions will City Hall make concerning the future of the golf course. You can see the survey results on the right side by clicking on the appropriate “FOGIG” (Friends of Golf in Gallup) links that you would like to open.


P.S. Over 400 surveys were mailed, 131 were answered, but only 128 were included in the results as the last three (3), came the day all packets were already being prepared for the presentation.


P.S. 2: A great big “THANKS” to Gary Leloff, not only for his personal expenditures, which, without the purchased database exceeded well over $700.00, but more than anything for his commitment and courage to try rally the community and city council to address important issues about our assets and resources that affect our youth, and therefore, our “Quality of Life” in Gallup.

PAUL HANSON MEMORIAL BREAKS THE "QUARTER CENTURY" MARK...

(to see current teams in the field, click here)
(you can click on a picture and it will get larger)
Next week, on Sat. May15th, the Paul Hanson Memorial will host their 26th anniversary. It is the longest running fundraiser here and a tradition with many: "Bogey Men", AKA - "The Lewis Family and Friends", pictured right in 2009 (Scott Hamilton, Alan Lewis, Bill Lewis and Bob Lewis), have participated every year!

And, of course, we will miss Mary Batson (pictured below), whose 2010 participation would have also been her straight 26th appearance. She always played with "Patriots", but, Mary, an avid golfer, "professional volunteer" in her beloved Women's Golf Association and a friend with the Hanson family, passed on late last year.

At the moment, we do not know if any of the Hanson family members will participate this year, as they all live in Oklahoma and parts of Texas. Also pictured, during the "Quarter Century" Paul Hanson Memorial last year, Mrs. Hanson and son, Brian.

John Samford (Business Services Director) and Robert Gintaut, Athletic Director, will be in charge of this year's event. To enter your team, call me at 979-GOLF or call Jennifer Stanley at 721-1092.

As always, it will be a 4-Man Team, you have to name your team, there will prizes on almost every hole (long putt, long drives, short drives, straight drives, closest to pin and others), and the top three teams in gross and net, will be recognized. The handicap system used will also be the same, Modified Sheer as modified by Ed Ping, former Gallup McKinley Schools Athletic Director.

Hurry up and sign up.... don't miss it!

UPDATE ON "FRIENDS OF GOLF IN GALLUP"...

According to Gary Leloff, his "Friends of Golf in Gallup" survey is getting very good feedback, as more than 100 surveys have been received... 115 to date and more to come (deadline is this coming Saturday, May 8). By the responses, he says, most golfers want to have a voice on what goes on at their golf course.

Gary is trying to get on the city agenda for the public meeting of May 11, 2010 to present the results and a report, and also, to see what needs to be done so that "Friends of Golf in Gallup" is considered to have representation in the newly suggested "Golf Task Force", to be named by the City Manage, Dave Pederson.

We will keep you informed!!

FRIENDS OF GOLF IN GALLUP... (Putting your money where your mouth is)

We often hear people giving suggestions, complaining or fixing the world. Most of the time though, it is all posturing. Posturing is not for Gary Leloff, who as a businessman, only wants results, and not empty promises, and he wants action...

Back in 2007, he was told that the golf course would improve "from the inside out", starting with the greens, then the fairways and at the end the teeing areas and roughs. He was also told that the pumps and irrigation system would be a priority, or we were in danger of losing the whole golf course. It is Gary's opinion, which he shares with many others, that none of this has been done, beginning with the pumps and irrigation system and ending with how the conditions of the course have been handled.

On Saturday, April 17, Gary spent well over $500.00 of his money to print and send a survey to over 400 golfers. He mailed it first class and included a first class stamped envelope for easy returning of a survey that concentrates on the course, its present direction and conditions. I encourage all to fill it up and send it back. One more thing, surveys with personal comments, for or against anyone in particular, will not be counted.

Gary's desire is to form a group called, "Friends of Golf in Gallup" that would like to concentrate in one thing only: improving the golf course conditions and spending our limited resources the right way for better returns.

REMEMBER: return your survey of "FRIENDS OF GOLF IN GALLUP", the envelope is already stamped and it will take you less than five minutes to answer it.

SHARING A LAUGH WITH HOWARD MENAPACE WAS ALWAYS SPECIAL...

Sometimes you are sitting with someone you care for a lot, and you both know it might not be long before you cannot longer see each other again face to face. It is an awkward moment and look for the "right" words to express a sincere, "I have really enjoyed knowing you and the times we spent together. You really helped make my life a little better (as he did so many others)...." but nothing comes to mind. Perhaps there aren't any "right words", and silence becomes the voice that says, "It's OK, I know what you are thinking, and I enjoyed knowing you too. We can talk about something else". I felt like that two weeks ago when I visited Mr. Howard Menapace at his home in Gallup.

As most everyone knows by now, Mr. Menapace was very ill and passed on last Friday the 12th. I was lucky enough to have visited him on a day that was much better for him than most in the recent past. The physical pain of the horrible disease that was eating him from the inside out seemed to have subsided at least for a few hours, and he looked comfortable enough to carry a long conversation. Yesterday (Tuesday) I was about to ask family permission to go visit him again when one of his grandsons informed me that he had passed on last Friday.

On the day of the visit, as it was always his way, he made it very easy on the other side to have a conversation, which he unselfishly always made it about someone or something else. Though in the end, we spoke for nearly 90 minutes, it only felt like 5. Too quick, too short and not enough time to share all that you have in mind. We spoke about kids, family, pictures (he evidently loved pictures of all his family to be very visible all over the house), dogs, Gallup, Rico Motors and how it started, how I came to Gallup, about his ranch, his hunting days, my girls, his golf game and, yes, our rounds together (fewer than I would have liked). He found it funny -and I find ironic-, and we both laughed, when I told him I registered Republican when it was a Democrat who actually encouraged me to become an American Citizen.

We also had a good laugh when I told him I had brought him a couple of pictures that I thought he would enjoy having, one of which I told him, was a favorite of mine. With a big smile and a little extra energy that seemed to have taken over him, he said, "I bet I know which one it is!" I told him, "No, it's not that one (I knew which one he meant). I was going to bring that one also, but I couldn't find it", he followed with, "You were going to bring me the one where I threw the club". I corrected him, "Mr. Menapce, we both threw a club. Remember? It was a competition?" He laughed and asked, "who won?" Neither of us could remember.

The "club throwing competition" took place several years ago on Hole #14, during the Special Olympics Pro-Am that Mr. Menapace and his family "title" sponsored for many years, and later co-sponsored with other local businesses. Though part of the team changed from time to time, he never missed one and I always enjoyed his competitiveness. No matter how good or bad he was playing, he wanted to better the next hole. Whatever you do, you always want partners who never give up!

Anyway, it just so happens that Mr. Menapace was pretty much of a perfectionist, and if he could not do something right, or at least didn't perform at the level he thought he should "perform", he would get frustrated. So, if he missed "one too many shots", he tended to release his frustration by throwing a club or two, after which, he usually played much better. I happen to be the same way (except, that as the club professional, I was always supposed to act "professionally" and lead by example) so I knew exactly what he felt.

That day, if memory serves right, he had missed a short putt on #13, and as we got to #14 tee, you could see fire and smoke coming out of his ears. We all knew that he really wanted to throw a club, but was trying to calm down and not do "something inappropriate" by showing "self control". That is when I decided to have a "club throwing competition" (I was not doing so good myself) and offered the challenge, which of course, he immediately took! (Actually, I'm not sure that he would have been the type to ever refuse any challenge).

As I said above, I don't remember who won, but that is unimportant; what is important is that we all laughed, and from there on, he played the last five holes very well, helping us to our best finish ever, a second place (we never won our local pro-am). Truly, if there is one person I wish I would have shared more rounds with, is Mr. Menapace. He really made you feel at ease and enjoy your time with him.

....Oh yes! The pictures! There was no question that family was always "his best friends", and his "personal company". He spelled "golF" with the "F" in front, as in "F-A-M-I-L-Y". I never saw him at the golf course with any local friend, a businessman or strange people as guests. Family was so special to him, that outside the family business and the daily grind, he tried to reserve at least one thing for after business hours, in this case, golf.

When he saw the two 8x10's (his last team in the RMCH in 2008 and his last team for the 2007 Special Olympics Pro-Am), he smiled and said, "These were really good times. I always enjoyed myself. Thanks". No sir, thank you!

THE DAY GOLF MET GYMNASTICS

When I wrote a satire of golf in the Olympics (Sep. 11, 2008), I never thought I would sometime meet a real Olyumpic coach. I did. Now the question is, truly, What do gymnastics and golf have in common? All and nothing, depending on what angle you take to make the comparison.

Let's start with nothing: stand on the first tee at any golf course, and imagine any of the golfers on the first foursome, doing tricks on the high bar or the pommel horse... can you? Point made.

I don't care if it is Rex Good, Alex Alvarez, Gary Leloff and Angelo Pomponi; or Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, the potential major winners of 2009 (trick question here: who were the winners of the four major champioonships and who beat these four guys in 2009?). If you can imagine any of these guys doing gymnastics, in any rotuine or aparatus, you have far more imagination than I do. Now, let's think about similarities:

1. Both are difficult sports, if for different reasons
2. In gymnastics and golf, you need concentration, lots of it. In gymnastics, a little hesitation, your hand one inch farther right than you should, and it is the difference between a 9.875 and a 9.525, the difference between gold and nothing; in golf, one little doubt in your swing, one little distraction, and it is the difference between winning by one, or tying and then losing the playoff.
3. In gymnastics and golf, the performer spends a lot less time performing than the length of the event: a gymnast performs 4-6 routines worth 30-40 seconds each, or a maximum of 4 minutes out of a 5 hour gymnastics meet; while a golfer also spends less than 5 minutes actually swinging the club out of 5 hours at the golf course. What you do the rest of the 5 or so hours at your "stadium", has as much to do as what you do when you are performing.

Do you see any more similarities. There might be, but they are hard to find, particularly for one whose only contact with gymnastics has been through NBC or ESPN.

Now, meet Ed Burch (pictured with wife Kay above). Mr. Burch is a gymnastics coach and youth mentor with many accomplishments, among these: he was inducted into the USA Hall of fame in 1998, an honor he rightfully earned by coaching over 40 gold medal winners of various national meets, but most notably, he has been senior member or the national Olympic coaches and has coached 5 young men to Olympic teams over the years: Joey Hagerty, Mihai Bagiu, Chainey Umphrey, Lance Rignald (two time team member) and Trent Dimas, the only American male to win a golf medal in the Olympics, in 1992. So why do we care in Gallup? Well, Mr. Ed Burch happens to have done all of this from his gymnastics school, Gold Cup Gymnastics, in Albuquerque, NM! Yes, his is right in our backyard so to speak of, or if you prefer, he is in the house and we are in the backyard, at any rate, a small drive and you meet this man.

Presently, he doesn't coach males at all, he coaches girls, one just having won the national title at age 15. But, what does all of this have to do with golf anyway?

I'll tell you what: Mr. Burch, at the request of former Gold Cup Gym Booster President, Bob Zollinger from Gallup, agreed to talk to a female athlete who plays golf for the University of Washington about what it takes to "go to the next level", what it takes to put talent and work together to win. Sort of like a "sports psychologist" who really knows what he is talking about out, out of experience, not out of text books in college... also like a father, mentor and coach.

It was not only an honor meeting Mr. Burch face to face (really guys, do you know what you have in New Mexico and/or the area golfers call the Sun Country Section?), but, as a sports fan and father, it was a pleasure listening to him talk about his experiences with young athletes, their successes or failures, and mostly, their lives beyond athletics, and how athletics shaped and helped their business lives.

If I listened well while he was talking to this 20 year old young woman, performing at your best in athletics is as much as preparation (physically and mentally) and the will to win (you have to hate to lose), as it is about setting your priorities, one of which is falling in love with what you do; in other words, if golf becomes work and it is not as satisfying anymore, it will be difficult to succeed, in short, your success will be far higher when when you find the joy of "playing" a game and not "working"... when golf is just a game!

Inspiration has as much to do in winning as prespiration, now the question is: did Mr. Burch now inspire a future U.S. Open winner, or a future attorney, or a Pulitzer prize winner, or all?... Thank you for spending your time with us, and now, we'll be watching more of what comes from Albuquerque!

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.... "KIDS"

Friday morning, after a visit to our golf course which was closed (first time ever that our course is closed the Friday after Thanksgiving Day), I decided to take a trip to play golf in Grants at Coyote del Malpais, and have a round with the noon group that usually has a game with my fellow PGA professional, Manny Martinez. I couldn't have picked a better day...

To help me avoid having to rush when I arrived, our neighboring friends had placed me in the last group out. I arrived at their west parking lot, next to #1 tee, just as the first of three groups was already playing their second shots on #1 and was happy to know that I had not delayed anyone.

When I arrived at #1 tee, the first person I saw was a very polite young man, who came to greet me and shaking my hand said, "Matt Murdoch, nice that you came to play". I shook his hand and in a clumsy way I answered, "thank you, I recognized your face, couldn't remember the name". Yeah right! I was truly embarrassed because I did not recognize who he was, and at the moment, not even the name made sense. Frankly, I couldn't have recognized him after more than 10 years since I last saw him as a teenager in Grants, nor could I have thought that he'd be there to play with the noon group.

Since Matt was in the second group off, I never gave it another thought... for a few minutes. I got my clubs ready -and Brandie- on the cart that my old friend Charlie Harding and I would be sharing, and then he introduced me to our team: Zeff ...., George.... and none other than Edee Murdoch, a long time friend and high school rival of my oldest golfing daughter, Paola.

Edee won the NM State Championship in AAA four consecutive times, and in great style, always with scores in the 70's and occasionally in the 60's. She went on to earn a golf scholarship at Kansas State, and then stayed in the golf business for some time, while starting a great golf program for ladies called "Sticks for Chicks" that still fills up every year.

She now works a "regular" job, as she put it, but it involves golf, something she is still very good at (she shot 71 from the men's white tees). Edee of course, is Matt's sister and just as Matt was hitting his second shot to the first hole, is when it became clear that the polite young man who had shook my hand, was Edee's brother and how clumsy I must have looked.

Matt, now married and with a little three year old girl, also went to school on a golf scholarship, and unlike his sister, stayed in the golf business, and is now a PGA Professional at Mission Hills Golf Club in Kansas City. Matt, who won the city championship several times in Grants before turning professional, shot a 64 on Friday and "waxed" us pretty good. Manny Martinez should be happy to have mentored Matt, who chose golf as his career.

Matt and Edee, are the son and daughter of Bob and Judy Murdoch. Bob was the golf coach in Grants for many years, and should be proud of his program, as many of the kids truly excelled in the game... and of course, he should be proudest of his mentoring beyond golf. See you in Kansas "kids"!