John Lieser's St. Cloud Times Golf Column, July 30, 2015

     The 3M Championship starts tomorrow at the TPC Twin Cities in Blaine. 2014 champion Kenny Perry will defend his title against the spikes of Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, and former University of Minnesota star Tom Lehman, a two-time Champions Tour Player of the Year.
     From Friday through Sunday, spectators get into the tournament free, and what a great opportunity to see the current crop of seniors compete. Moreover, on Saturday, August 1, Annika Sorenstam, Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley will return as well as fan-favorites Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player to compete in the “Greats of Golf” Challenge. Tom Weiskopf and three-time 3M Championship winner Hale Irwin make their debuts in the “Greats of Golf” Challenge.
     With the Big Three of Palmer ( age 85), Nicklaus (age 75), and Player (age 79) competing, parents and grandparents of young children should try to take these budding golfers out to see these legends play, since the time to see the Big Three is finite. That experience will be remembered as a young Albany Phenom can attest.
     On Saturday, June 26, 1965, I recall taking a young and precocious Albany teenager, Joe Hasbrouck, down to the $100,000 Keller Open to watch today’s legends------- Palmer, Nicklaus, Gene Littler, Bobby Nichols, Cary Middlecoff, Ray Floyd (winner), Smoky Joe Campbell and the charismatic Champagne Tony Lema compete. Back then, $5 was the cost of admission. This week it’s free.

GOLF NOTES:

     Whispering Pines GC in Annandale is a tree-lined course that I played when it first opened as a nine-hole layout in 1986. Owner Elmer Schmidt expanded the course to 18 holes in 1998, and current owners, Mark and Amy Dvorak, purchased the course a few years ago.
     During a current round, the improvements have been remarkable. Greg Simon, the course superintendent, had the greens at a wonderful pace, which was a 9 on the Stimpmeter, and that speed is the perfect pace for the average golfer. The most visible improvement was an addition which doubles the size of the clubhouse; that expansion makes post-round food and libations a relaxing way to unwind. If you have not played this scenic layout, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.
     On Friday, July 17, the Rich Spring GC held its annual senior tournament. Host professional Shannon O’Neil and his staff ran a splendid event and course superintendent Jim Johnson and his grounds crew had the course, especially the greens, in superb shape. Here are the gross and net flight winners:
     Championship Flight: Gross: Mark Becker (71) Net: Steve Peterka (68)
     First Flight: Gross: Dan Brannan (75) Net: Roy Lommel (67)
     Second Flight: Gross: Pat Utz (82) Net: Linus Guggenberger (70)
     Third Flight: Gross: Mark Klein (79) Net: Greg Sorensen (64)
     Fourth Flight: Net: Dick Zapf (60)

     At the Koronis Hills GC 18-hole Adult/Child Scramble held on July 19, Dave and Luke Johnson shot 68 to prevail. The next two places went to St. Cloud father-son duo of Joel and Steve Ploeger (69) and Cathy and Tommy Wuertz (70).
     The Apollo Activities Scramble at Wapicada GC on July 24 attracted 110 golfers. Winning the five-person scramble with a record score of 54 (-18) was the quintet of Samantha & Billy Sommers, Mark Krueger, Eric Carr, and Jared Crimando.
     The annual Two-Person scramble was held at the Long Prairie CC on July 26. The Sauk Centre duo of Robby Polipnick and Brent Egan shot 64 (-8) to prevail in a scorecard playoff among the four teams that tied. Long Prairie CC, which opened in 1927, is one of the finest courses in Central Minnesota for beauty and playability.