The Metropolitan
Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association
Provide GHIN Handicap Service to 140+ Member Clubs under the World Handicap System
Provide the USGA Course/Slope Rating service to our Member Clubs
Regional authority on the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status
Conduct twelve (12) Metropolitan Championships each season
Conduct USGA Qualifying for eight (8) USGA Championships each season
Conduct three (3) Championships in Illinois
Conduct The Amateur Series of Events for golfers of all ages and abilities
Executive Director
Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org
Director, Member Services
Caroline Buchan - caroline@metga.org
Foundation Executive Director
Walker Hill - walker@metga.org
Controller
Melisa Simpson - melisa@metga.org
2026 PJ BOATWRIGHT INTERNS
Coming Soon
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Officers
Scott Engelbrecht - President/Treasurer
Mike Marquart - Secretary
At Large Members
John Bugh
Stan Grossman
Rick Meyer, Jr
John Moore
Mick Wellington
Advisory Committee
Skip Berkmeyer - Chair
Brad Carpenter
Jay Delsing
Shawn Jasper
Chris Kovach
David Pfeil
THE METROPOLITAN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dan O’Neill
MVGCSAA
Dr. Zach Cutler
John Thorman
EDITOR
Caroline Buchan
Curt’s Corner
Curt Rohe - Executive Director
Welcome to 2026 and our 13th season bringing you The Metropolitan! Hard to fathom two months have gone by into the new year...new schedules are out, registrations opened this past week for Metropolitan Championships and the Amateur Series and score posting started again on March 1.
As we look ahead to our first event, the 6th Shogren Cup April 19-20, let’s take a look at a few highlighted events for the coming year. The 36th Amateur Championship will be back at The Country Club of St. Albans July 30-August 1, our 3rd trip back to St. Albans where Jim Holtgrieve and Drew Pranger captured titles in 1994 and 2018 respectively. We are excited to get back to Quincy Country Club for the Metropolitan Senior Championship in September, hard to believe it has been 22 years since we conducted the Senior at Quincy where Ed Schultz captured the second of his two senior titles. Lastly, the 102nd SIGA Championship will be played at Apple Creek Golf Club in Makanda, IL, formerly Keller’s Crossing, is a fabulous track south of Carbondale and will be a great host for the SIGA Championship...which we encourage ALL Metropolitan golfers to come compete in.
A few updates for the championships this year. First, we have two qualifiers scheduled for the Amateur Championship... July 9 at Stonewolf and July 13 at Birch Creek to give golfers options on when and where they choose to qualify if not exempt. For the seniors, we are adding Super Senior (65+) divisions to championships where we had senior divisions (i.e. East Side, Southern Illinois Amateur) and will be identifying a Super Senior Player of the Year at the end of the season. In the Metropolitan Senior Championship, with the addition of the Super Senior (gross competition) the Age Divisions will all be played at Net only.
We reinvigorated the Advisory Board at the end of 2025 and put them right to work! The Player of the Year points systems were reviewed and modifications were made across the board for Men, Senior Men, Women’s and adding the Super Senior. The Southern Illinois Player of the Year points were also updated to better reflect and align with the Metropolitan Players of the Year. The SIGA Championship previously mentioned above was also added to the Metropolitan Player of the Year Points Systems. And we are grateful for the support of Rapsodo as the presenting sponsor of the 2026 Metropolitan Player of the Year races!
With score posting season open, let’s hope for fair weather as spring kicks off here in a couple weeks. Thank you for your support and taking a little time to read this new edition of The Metropolitan!
Keep in the short grass!
109
By The Numbers
- The number of DUI arrests made at this year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open in February. According to the authorities in Arizona, there also were 35 DUI drug arrests, 113 civil speed citations and 21 distracted driving citations. The average known Blood Alcohol Content for those arrested was .150; a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher is legally considered over the limit and impairment. The 2026 version of the golf championship experienced a slight increase from the numbers of 2025, which featured only 80 DUI busts. More than 130 officers and deputies participated in the task force to keep things under control at “The People’s Open.” Meanwhile, Chris Gotterup emerged as the winner, outlasting Hideki Matsuyama in a playoff to secure a $1.72 million prize.
minefield, barbed wire and military fortifications. The hole features an astroturf green, high winds and the risk you might come across North Korean border guards along the way. Chances are, they will not let you “play through.”
23
23
50
50
- The birthday that Tiger Woods celebrated on Dec. 30, 2025. The occasion marked seven years since his last major (2019 Masters) at the age of 43 and 48 years since Woods appeared on the Mike Douglas Show at the age of 2. All that said, the young man has done all right for himself, one might say. His career winnings on the PGA Tour amount to $120,999,166. And according to Forbes, Woods has a net worth of $1,300,000,000. What’s more, he won’t have to spend any of that on college tuition for his son Charlie, who recently accepted an invite - and no doubt quite a bit of NIL money - to play golf at Florida State. Charlie Woods, 17, is ranked No. 21 in the American Junior Golf Association, but he might definitely rank No. 1 in name recognition.
192
- The number of yards to cover on the par-3 hole at Camp Bonifas, South Korea, which is located in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The hole, which sits meters from the North Korean border, is considered to be the most dangerous golf hole in the world. It was constructed for U.S. soldiers at the camp and is surrounded by an active
- The number Hall of Famer Ted Simmons wore for the St. Louis Cardinals, and also the score Tommy “The Silver Scot” Armour scored on the par-5 17th hole at Shawnee Country Club during the 1927 Shawnee Open. That is, it was the first recorded “Archaeopteryx,” which is the term used to define a score of 15 or more over par. Perhaps the reader is unfamiliar with this score, but the Ol’ Bogeyman knows it well. Surprisingly, Armour’s 18-over 23 on the par-5 came just one week after he beat Harry Cooper in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. So the next time you’re trying to handicap a tournament, throw “momentum” out the window.
2
2
- The number of players in U.S. Open history that have won the national championship after advancing through both qualifying stages. Ken Venturi was the first to achieve the feat in 1964 at Congressional Golf Club, while Orville ”Sarge” Moody was the last to do it in 1969 at Champions Golf Club. Moody was a 14-year Army veteran (hence the nickname) and it was his only PGA Tour victory. Speaking of the U.S. Open, the USGA will conduct the 126th national championship June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southhampton, N.Y. Local qualifying action (18 holes) will take place from April 20 through May 18 at 110 sites across 46 states. The 36-hole final qualifying rounds will take place at 13 different sites, including 10 in the U.S. and one each in England, Japan and Canada. If you’re feeling it, the MAGA will conduct the local qualifiers on Tuesday, May 5 at Winghaven Country Club. And may the course be with you.
2 0 2 6 Metropolitan Season
Championship Schedule
Shogren Cup
Greenbriar Hills Country Club
April 19-20 (Invitational)
East Side Amateur
Gateway National Golf Links
May 9-10
Open Championship
Lake Forest Country Club
June 18-20
SIGA Championship
Apple Creek Golf Club
June 27-28
Junior Amateur
St. Clair Country Club
June 29-July 1
Women’s Amateur
Algonquin Golf Club
July 7-8
Amateur Qualifying
Stonewolf Golf Club [Q Option 1]
July 9
Old Warson Cup
Old Warson Country Club
July 11-12 (Invitational)
Amateur Qualifying
Birch Creek Golf Club [Q Option 2]
July 14
9-Hole Championship
Ballwin Golf Club
July 25
Amateur Championship
Country Club of St. Albans
July 30-August 1
Southern Illinois Amateur
Green Hills Golf Club
August 22
Senior Amateur
Quincy Country Club
September 10-11
Four-Ball Championship
Franklin County Country Club(MO)
September 28-29
Tony Stevens Cup
Rend Lake Golf Club
October 18
Sobbe Cup Final Matches
TBD
TBD
Mid-America Junior Cup
TBD
TBD (Invitational)
2026 USGA Qualifying Schedule
TheBob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the USGA. Established in 1955, this award is presented in recognition for an individual who demonstrates the spirit, personal character, and respect for the game as exhibited by Bob Jones.
Jones was a highly skilled amateur golfer, winning nine USGA Championships and five international championships. The only major of today he never played was the PGA Championship, and the only one he did not win was the Masters - though he was the co-founder of the tournament. He completed the original Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, British Amateur, and The Open in 1930, a feat we will likely never see again.
As if Jones’ achievements weren’t enough to earn him praise from the golfing world, it was his character that made him truly remarkable. He believed in the integrity of the game. Twice he called himself for a penalty in the U.S. Open that no one else had seen. The first time he did this his playing partner and even officials tried to talk him out of applying this penalty to his score, but he insisted. Jones had a spirit for the game and subsequently became a great influence for all future generations. He carried himself and the game with great respect in regards to his fellow competitors.
Now, the USGA honors his legacy through the Bob Jones Award. The 2026 Bob Jones Award Recipient is Ellen Port.
Ellen Port of St. Louis, MO embodies what this award is all about. Like Bob Jones, she has had a successful career as an amateur golfer, having won seven USGA Championships. Only four golfers have more titles than her. But it is the way she carries herself that has made a lasting impression on the game.
Port is known locally for her dominating performance as a seventeen time champion of the Metropolitan Women’s Amateur and twenty-four time recipient of the Metropolitan Women’s Player of the Year. She even made history in 2021 when she won the [men’s] Metropolitan Senior Amateur at her home club of Sunset Country Club. Nationally, Port is known for her seven titles from the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur (1995, 1996, 2000, 2011) and U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur (2012, 2013, 2016).
In 1994 and 1996, she was selected to represent the USA in the Curtis Cup. Her success on the course coupled with her leadership impact led her to being named captain of the winning Curtis Cup team in 2014, which was played right here in St. Louis at St. Louis Country Club.
Both on and off the course, Port treats every golfer with respect. She is genuinely excited to see the next generation of golfers making their way into the game and cheering them on as they make strides towards their goals.
Whether she is playing with a 17-year old kid, her peers, or someone she has looked up to in the game, Port does so with the same grace, joy, and respect for each. Off the course, she holds a kindness and appreciation for each person that helps make it possible to play each day and that makes a difference in the game.
Much like the namesake of this award, Port believes in the integrity of the game. She’s not afraid to call herself on a penalty and believes in her competitors to do the same. Throughout her coaching career at both the high school and collegiate level, she instilled these fundamental principles into her athletes while leading them to compete state and national championships, respectively.
She has made a profound impact on those she has coached, captained, and played alongside. Port has never stopped encouraging future generations, especially girls and women, to get in the game. She provides insight, inspiration, and reassurance to all that there is a place for them to play and enjoy golf.
The accolades Port has collected over the years, including three different Hall of Fame inductions, have made her a name to know, but it is the joy, humility, and integrity she brings that make her a person to remember.
With this award, Port joins a long list of distinctive and prestigious names in the game. She joins the rank alongside Francis Ouimet, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Barbara Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam, Lee Elder, Tiger Woods, and so many more. Port is the 72nd recipient of this award.
Ellen Port was presented with the Bob Jones Award on February 28 in New York City at the United States Golf Association Annual Meeting. Executive Director, Curt Rohe and Founder as well as former USGA President, Tom O’Toole were present to represent the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association and celebrate this great honor with her. She was surrounded and embraced by family and friends at the presentation. We are proud to know Ellen and serve witness as part of her legendary golf legacy.
An Appointment At Albans
The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association is pleased to announce the host site of the 36th Metropolitan Amateur Championship will be the Country Club of St. Albans. This will be the club’s third time hosting this championship: first in 1994, again in 2018, and now in 2026.
The Country Club of St. Albans’ Lewis and Clark course was created by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. As the name implies, the course was created in honor of the legendary explorers. The course opened in 1992, and soon thereafter hosted the Metropolitan Amateur Championship. The designers embraced the natural surroundings, making sure to preserve natural habitats for resident wildlife and plant species to thrive. The land has a rich history from the early days of this country. From pioneers and their travel west to the civil war, St. Albans has seen many things - not to mention an array of golf talent.
The Country Club of St. Albans has proven a worthy championship course. The Lewis and Clark Course has served as the host for the Metropolitan Open Championship seventeen out of the twenty years. It has also held USGA Qualifiers and the 2009 U.S. Men’s State Team Championship. The 2017 Junior PGA Championship was played on these coveted fairways - which Rose Zhang and Akshay Bhatia won. Both courses have hosted the final of the Sobbe Cup for the Metropolitan and countless championships from local and state associations. In 2025, Lewis and Clark was ranked the 11th best course in the state by Golf Digest.
the Open Championship. This occasion marks the club’s third time hosting the region’s most significant amateur event, now in its 36th year. The formidable Lewis & Clark Course is renowned for testing the area’s best players, having previously yielded champions Jim Holtgrieve in 1994 and the three-time champion Drew Pranger in 2018.”
There were 14 years between the first two hostings of this championship at the Country Club of St. Albans. Cutting that time frame in half, both the Metropolitan and the club are excited for this return after just 8 years.
“We are excited to welcome the region’s finest amateur golfers back to The Country Club of St. Albans,” said Andy Crowe, the General Manager. “Hosting this championship for the third time—following memorable events in 1994 and 2018—reflects our Club’s deep commitment to championship-caliber golf. St. Albans is a special place to compete, and we look forward to partnering with the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association to deliver another remarkable amateur championship.”
The 36th Metropolitan Amateur will take place from July 30 through August 1, 2026 on the Lewis and Clark Course. Registration opened on March 4, 2026 on the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association website.
As we look forward to the return to this beautiful host site for this championship, Metropolitan Executive Director, Curt Rohe, has this to say, “We proudly announce that the Country Club of St. Albans will once again host the 2026 Amateur Championship. St. Albans has a distinguished legacy of supporting championship golf in the region, including a remarkable 17-years as the host of
For players that are not exempt into the Championship field, we will hold two qualifiers this year. Players must play in one of the two qualifiers for the chance to play in the Championship. The Qualifier options are: Stonewolf Golf Club on July 9 and Birch Creek Golf Club on July 13.
For the Players By the Players
TheMetropolitanAdvisoryBoard
The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association has revitalized the Advisory Board for 2026! The Advisory Committee is comprised of golfers of varying age and experience. Each member of this board has been called upon to serve in this role to provide informative insight and input into the golfer experience through the association. We rely on feedback to further enhance the services we provide. The Advisory Board are our eyes and ears out on the course. They have real time experience and see the things that you see. With their vast range of competitive experience, this board has seen all levels of competitive golf. They know what makes an event great and what golfers like to see both on and off the course.
Welcome the Metropolitan Advisory Board:
We entrust this Advisory Board to give honest feedback and present us with well thought out proposed changes or alterations that will best serve all golfers. We invited each of these members at the end of 2025 to join the Advisory Board and put them right to work. They discussed a number of things, but most notably, suggested alterations to the Player of the Year system and reviewed championship exemptions. They took into discussions and considerations both personal opinions and outside influence of what they have heard and seen while interacting with other golfers.
The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association continues to be guided by the Executive Board:
Scott Engelbrecht - President
Mike Marquart - Secretary
John Bugh
Stan Grossman
The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association is proud to announce the Players of the Year Presented by Rapsodo.
Rapsodo is a sports analytics company that specializes in affordable, portable, easy-to-use, data-driven sports technologies for baseball, softball, and golf. Rapsodo’s golf launch monitors allow you to access professional level visibility into your game through data and analytics. Their systems can be used both indoors and outdoors, so you never have to be bound by course availability and weather conditions.
This year’s Player of the Year Standings are presented by Rapsodo. As the sponsor of the Player of the Year system, the Metropolitan Men’s, Women’s, Senior, and Super Senior Players of the Year will be presented with a MLM2PRO Mobile Launch Monitor + Golf Simulator. The MLM2PRO can factor and measure 13 different metrics. It can be used on the range or at home for all of your practice needs and can access 30k simulated courses.
Before the start of the 2026 Season, the Player of the Year points system was reevaluated. A revamp of the points system was made with the oversight and suggestion of the Association Advisory Board. The advised changes were approved by the Executive Board. New Player of the Year point allocations can be found on the Metropolitan website under the Competitions menu tab.
The most notable change to the Player of the Year Points system is the addition of a Super Senior division. This is the first time we will award a Super Senior Player of the Year and it therefore has a brand new points system. The Super Senior award will be given to a player that is aged 65 years old or older. Championships that have included both Open and Senior divisions will now also include a Super Senior division. In the Men and Senior divisions, we have added the SIGA Championship as an eligible Player of the Year points opportunity. This provides a 300 point opportunity for the men and a 200 point opportunity for the seniors for the respective champions. We have also updated the point allocations for the Old Warson Cup to further reflect the significance of surviving as one of the final four competitors.
Rick Meyer, Jr.
John Moore
Mick Wellington
Tom O’Toole, Jr. - Emeritus
The Southern Illinois Men and Southern Illinois Senior Player of the Year have also had some updates and changes made to reflect the changes made to the Metropolitan points.
Men’s
Brad Carpenter Skip Berkmeyer ~Chair~
Jay Delsing
Shawn Jasper Chris Kovach David Pfeil
x The Bogeyman
It’s been nine years since the big leagues of golf came to St. Louis. You have to go back to 2018 to find the PGA Tour on the local schedule. That’s when the gang was all here for the 100th playing of the PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.
Exciting Golf Season in St. Louis Loading
Brooks Koepka captured the crown and Tiger Woods captured the hearts as he waved farewell on his way off the property. If you’ve been missing those days, miss no more. The return of the PGA Tour is just one of the highlights of what promises to be a terrific 2026 St. Louis golf season.
That said, it seems improbable Woods might return to Bellerive. His last official appearance in a PGA Tour related championship was a missed cut at the 2024 British Open. In October, 2025, Woods underwent a seventh back surgery. He has not competed since and, while he has suggested he might try to play at the Masters in April, the notion he could be teeing it up at Bellerive in six months seems far-fetched, at best.
That said, since we’re dabbling in long shots, where Woods is concerned the BMW may not be the only game in town.
On Oct. 19-25, the Stifel Charity Classic will set sail at Norwood Hills Country Club. The PGA Tour Champions event, formerly known as the Ascension Charity Classic, has become a staple on the St. Louis golf schedule, as it enters a seventh year.
Last year’s edition, the first for the Stifel title sponsorship, was a doozy. Thomas Bjorn dropped a 35-foot putt to beat Cameron Percy in a playoff. That said, the ’26 version of the championship promises to take things up a notch.
certainly that opportunity.”
To expound, Woods turned 50 on Dec. 30, so he is eligible to play with the Silver Set. All he would need to do play a Champions event or two during the season and earn enough purse to crack the top 72 on the Charles Schwab Cup money list and qualify into the Stifel field. If he’s open to using a cart, and he reaches a point physically where he is able, that seems quite achievable. After all, it’s Tiger Woods. So is it silly to think Woods could be at Norwood Hills? You make the call.
Regardless, the Stifel playoff field will be littered with the top players on the Champions circuit.
The ’26 season includes a few other highlights. The city could be proud of Ellen Port, who was honored with the USGA’s Bob Jones Award in late February. The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates the spirit, personal character and respect for the game exhibited by Jones, a winner of nine USGA championships. For her part, Port has seven.
As always, Bellerive sets the stage. On Aug. 18-23, the FedEx Cup BMW Championship returns to St. Louis’ home of championship golf - aka Bellerive. The same championship was conducted at Bellerive in 2008 - almost 20 years ago - at which time Camilo Villegas prevailed for his first PGA Tour win. The Columbian, popularly known then as “Spiderman” at the time because of his “Spidey” way of reading putts, has experienced a lot since then, including the loss of a 22-month old daughter to brain cancer.
Villegas, 44 now, broke a nine-year winless streak with a victory in 2023. He’s still out there, grinding away. As for Koepka, he just recently was welcomed back into the PGA Tour fold after jumping ship for the Saudi-led LIV Tour in 2022. It’s entirely possible Koepka, whose great uncle was former Cardinals second baseman Dick Groat, could be back at Bellerive come August.
Starting this year, Stifel becomes the first leg of the three tournament series to determine the season-ending winner of the Charles Schwab Cup. From St. Louis, the playoff advances to the Simmons Banks Championship Oct. 26Nov. 1 in Little Rock, Ark., then concludes with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship Nov. 19-25 in Phoenix.
At the Genesis Invitational in late February, Woods reiterated his stance that he will not consider using a cart to compete on the PGA Tour, but …The 15-time major championship winner also said he does not rule out the possibility of using a cart to play on the PGA Tour Champions, which allows carts at most of its events.
Some of the past winners of the Bob Jones are Francis Ouimet, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Nancy Lopez and Woods. Not bad company, ay?
And come July 30-Aug. 1, the jewel of the MAGA schedule - the Metropolitan Amateur Championship - will be conducted on the marvelous Lewis and Clark Course at the Country Club of St. Albans. The Tom Weiskopf-Jay Moorish layout has been the site of numerous magical moments in St. Louis golf history.
So get ready. Spring is almost here, and so is an exciting season of golf in St. Louis.
“That’s something that, as I said, I won’t do out here on this tour because I don’t believe in it,” Woods explained. “But on the Champions Tour, that’s
Sup’s On:
Mike Leech Director of Operations, MVGCSA
Bogey Hills Country Club is building a new maintenance facility. The Falls is dredging its pond to improve water storage capacity. St. Clair Country Club is undergoing a pond renovation. Forest Hills is constructing a new greenhouse. And that list could go on and on. The ladies and gentlemen of the Mississippi Valley rarely take a break.
The MVGCSA has also had a busy winter preparing for our annual Wee One St. Louis Golf Tournament, which supports the Wee One Foundation. Building on the success of our inaugural tournament last year when we raised just over $90,000 to assist golf course maintenance workers facing medical hardships, we are excited to continue growing this event.
Registration is currently open for returning players, and we expect a limited number of additional spots to become available for those interested in joining us at Boone Valley Golf Club on May 18. Last year’s event was an incredible experience, and we’re proud to say it may have been “The Fastest Charity Outing on Grass,” with pace of play coming in right at four hours.
Elsewhere, we continue to strengthen our relationship with the
A Valley Update
“What do these guys do all winter?!”
University of Arkansas Turfgrass Program and State Technical College of Missouri. At this year’s GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Orlando, we hosted a fantastic turnout of members and students at our annual Hospitality Night.
Both programs also represented themselves well by fielding teams in the annual Turf Bowl Competition. These programs will continue to supply the GCSAA and MVGCSA with talented young professionals, helping our industry keep pace with the growing demand for golf and golf course management expertise.
This year in The Metropolitan, readers will hear from superintendents across the region. Superintendents from Country Club of St. Albans, Normandie Golf Club, Bellerive Country Club, Gateway National Golf Links, St. Louis Country Club, St. Clair Country Club, and Bogey Hills Country Club will be featured in the “Supe’s On” articles.
It also feels like the perfect time to thank Curt Rohe and the leadership of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association for providing this valuable
opportunity to communicate directly with golfers throughout our region.
Having seen the golf industry from many different perspectives, I know that the relationship between golfer and superintendent can sometimes be challenging to cultivate. Opportunities like this allow us to share our story, explain our work, and strengthen that connection with the golfers who enjoy the courses we care for every day.
Rules Center
It’s
Bananas!
At the 2025 Australian Open, Rory McIlroy found himself in a slippery situation when his ball came to rest near and practically under a small tuft of brush. The only problem? A banana peel laying in the brush...
On the 2nd Hole, a Par 4, McIlroy’s tee shot missed left and rolled under the banana peel brush. I know what you are thinking: the banana peel is a loose impediment, right? And can be moved without penalty?
Yes, the banana peel is a loose impediment. And normally, yes, you would be able to move it out of the way, but not this time. Technically, McIlroy could have moved it, but he opted not to due to the close nature of the peel to his ball.
Even though you are entitled to remove a loose impediment, you cannot do so without penalty if it causes your ball to move. If your ball moves while and due to you removing a loose impediment, you will be subjected to a penalty for moving your ball.
McIlroy did not want to take the chance of his ball moving and incurring the penalty, so he did what any seasoned professional would do: play through the peel. He ultimately ended up with a double bogey on the hole, but he gave it a fighting chance and minimized potential damage of an extra stroke there.
So, let this be a lesson to all golfers and spectators. Next time you eat a snack on the course, maybe find a waste bin to dispose of your trash - no matter if it is considered decomposable nor how far off track it is. You never know when it might be YOU who is faced with a slippery situation of deciding to move or not to move. And you don’t want to be responsible for hurting someone elses game.
But what happens if the impediment impeding your shot is coming from above you?
Loose inImpediment Tree
Dear John: My drive on the par-4 12th hole at the Lake Forest Country Club (Take St Louis, Missouri) bounced down the bank left of the fairway. My ball was under a tree. A branch with a forked stick caught in it was hanging down about shoulder height above my ball (see top right picture). It interfered with my stance and area of swing, so I took the liberty of removing the stick, resulting in the branch springing upward leaving me a clear shot (see bottom right picture). Was that legit?
--Stick’EmUp
Dear Stick’EmUp: You did just fine. The stick had fallen and snagged the branch. It was a loose impediment. It is a natural object no longer part of a growing or attached natural object (e.g., a living or dead tree). Generally, the player may remove a loose impediment anywhere on or off the course without penalty, so long as their ball is not moved in the process (Rule 15. la; one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced). The branch springing out of the way was your good fortune.
If, instead, a portion of the branch had snapped but not separated (i.e., still attached, see bottom left picture), and been hanging down, it would not have been considered a loose impediment. The player must not break off such a snapped portion of the branch if doing so improves conditions affecting the stroke (Rule 8.la). There would be a two-stroke penalty in stroke play and loss of hole penalty in match play. subsequently taken.
Snapped but Still Attached
John explains more on Loose Impediments -->
Keeping Up with the USGA
Floridian Kevin Hammer Elected USGA’s 68th President
The USGA announced it has elected Kevin Hammer, of Boynton Beach, Fla., as its 68th president at the Association’s Annual Meeting in New York, N.Y. Hammer will serve a two-year term spearheading the USGA Executive Committee, the volunteer-led policy-making board that provides essential oversight and organization to the USGA’s full-time staff.
Hammer brings a lifetime of golf experience to the role. He grew up in a “golf house,” as the son of a PGA Tour and PGA of America professional and runner-up in the 1960 U.S. Junior Amateur. Hammer’s family home was a revolving door of players, golf course architects, caddies and golf club experts. He earned first-team American Junior Golf Association All-America honors, played collegiately at the University of Florida, and qualified for multiple USGA championships. Following his amateur career, he has brought his passion for the game to numerous leadership roles, notably serving on the USGA Executive Committee since 2022 and spending 10 years on the Florida State Golf Association Board of Directors, including two years as FSGA President from 2020-21.
“I am fortunate to have spent my entire life around the game I love,” said Hammer. “In that time, I’ve learned that golf has the unique ability to bring people together – from elite professionals to junior golfers, families and communities. As the 68th president of the USGA, my focus will be on preserving the true spirit of the competition, accessibility, and fun that defines golf and the people who make it worth playing.”
On the USGA Executive Committee, Hammer has concentrated on expanding the game and fostering the next generation of American golfers at every level of the sport. He chaired the USGA Championship Committee and served on the Compensation & Leadership Development, Governance, Investment, International Team Selection and Nominating Committees. During that time, he led a future site strategy to bring all 15 USGA championships to the finest venues in the country, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, Walker Cup, and Curtis Cup. He has also supported the U.S. National Development Program, which provides training, development, and funding for the country’s most talented junior players.
“Kevin brings a wealth of experience and a deep, lifelong respect for golf’s traditions, but he also possesses a forwardthinking mindset that is vital in this evolving landscape,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “He understands the challenges and the opportunities facing golf today, and I’m energized by the prospect of partnering with him over the next two years to keep driving our mission forward.”
Professionally, Hammer has been with Merrill Lynch for more than 25 years. He currently serves as the managing director of the firm’s Rubin, Hammer, Eaton & Conrad Wealth Management Group, which manages investments for individuals, families, foundations and professional athletes.
He is joined by two new members on the Executive Committee, Brenda Corrie Kuehn of North Carolina and Suzy Whaley of Florida, each beginning a three-year term. Additionally, Leslie Henry of Texas, Bryan Lewis of Michigan, Michael McCarthy of California and Andy North of Wisconsin each begin their second three-year term on the Committee.
They all will serve on the Executive Committee alongside Andrew Biggadike of New Jersey; Dianne Dixon of Florida; David Dorton of Georgia; Virginia C. Drosos of Texas; Sinclair Eaddy Jr., of Maryland; Cathy Engelbert of New Jersey; Jim Gorrie of Alabama; and David Leitch of Virginia.
Kuehn and Whaley assume seats vacated by Fred Perpall, of Dallas, Texas, whose term as USGA president concluded yesterday, and Courtney Myhrum, of Pittsburgh, Pa., who retired after consecutive three-year terms on the Executive Committee.
Now available is the USGA’s 2025 Annual Report, which was released at the meeting and can be found here.
Content from the 2026 Annual Meeting can be accessed here, which includes all who were elected and recognized, including annual USGA award recipients Ellen Port, of Missouri (Bob Jones Award in honor of her sportsmanship, character and lifelong contributions to the game), Jerry Lemieux, of Ohio (Joe Dey Award recognizing exemplary service as a volunteer), Paul R. Latshaw, of Pennsylvania, (USGA Green Section Award honoring a career that set new standards for the superintendent profession) and Stephen Proctor (Herbert Warren Wind Award “Matchless: Joyce Wethered, Glenna Collett and the Rise of Women’s Golf,” in recognition of notable achievement in golf literature).
USGA Recognitions at Annual Meeting
The Following were awarded and presented at the USGA Annual Meeting at The Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City on February 28:
> Bob Jones Award - Ellen Port
> USGA Green Section Award - Paul R. Latshaw
> Joe Dey Award - Jerry Lemieux
> Herbert Warren Wind Award for Golf Literature - Stephen Proctor
The USGA has appointed the following:
> President - Kevin Hammer
> Executive Committee (1st Term) - Brenda Corrie Kuehn (NC)
> Executive Committee (1st Term) - Suzy Whaley (FL)
> Executive Committee (2nd Term) - Leslie Henry (TX), Bryan Lewis (MI), Michael McCarthy (CA), and Andy North (WI)
Departing from the USGA Executive Committee:
> Fred Perpall, President (TX)
> Courtney Myhrum (PA)
To See the full USGA Executive Committee, Click Here.
Hilton GV Tournament of Champions
Nelly Korda
Honda LPGA Thailand
Jeeno Thitikul
World of Golf
Sony Open Hawaii
Chris Gotterup
The American Express
Scottie Scheffler
Farmers Insurance Open
Justin Rose
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Chris Gotterup
WM Phoenix Open
Colin Morikawa
The Genesis Invitational
Jacob Bridgeman
PIF Saudi Ladies International
Charley Hull
Bahamas Golf Classic
Taylor Dickson
Bahamas Great Abaco Classic
Ian Holt
SuperSport Ladies Challenge
Celina Sattelkau
NTT DATA Ladies Pro-Am
Celina Sattelkau
The Panama Championship
Ian Holt
Astara Golf Championship
James Nicholas
Dubai Invitational
Hero
Nacho Elvira
Dubai Desert Classic
Patrick Reed
Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship
Freddy Schott
Qatar Masters
Patrick Reed
Magical Kenya Open
Casey Jarvis
Mitsubishi Electric Championship
Stewart Cink
Chubbs Classic
David Toms
Staysure Marbella Legends
Jamie Donaldson
Vic Women’s Open
Lydia Hall
Vic Open
Cameron John
Quinovic
New Zealand PGA Championship
Austen Truslow
SDC Open
MJ Viljoen
CIRCA Cape Town Open
Will Enefer
NTT DATA Pro-Am
MJ Daffue
Jonsson Workwear Durban Open
Oliver Bekker
Elvis Smylie
Adelaide
Anthony Kim
New Year, New Update
It’s a New Year and we are getting closer to the Normandie Reimagined dream coming true! As we start to thaw out from the winter months and move into spring, we are able to pick back up on the renovation progress. Even when the work on the course has been paused, we have conitnued our fundraising efforts and organizing plans with the junior programming partners. We are getting excited for the remaining holes to be complated and for all of you to see it!
We are working as quickly as we can. We sincerely appreciate all of the support, excitement, and patience as we make this a reality. We want to give you, the community, the best golf course, facility, and programs possible, and that is what we are driving towards every day.
“The appeal of this project to me was to be involved in an effort that could serve as a catalyst to change needed in our country today, beginning with parts of St. Louis County. Restoring Normandie for a community in need will have a long-lasting positive impact on the lives of youth in St. Louis.”
-Jack Nicklaus on his involvement in Normandie Reimagined
