2012 u.s. amateur championship program

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PLAYING FOR HISTORY.

TRUSTINGTHE SCRIPT.

U.S. AMATEURCHAMPIONSHIP® BALL COUNT

NEAREST COMPETITOR

25124

U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEURCHAMPIONSHIP® BALL COUNT

NEAREST COMPETITOR

1377

©2012 Acushnet Company. Source: Darrell Survey. U.S. Amateur Championship®, U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship® are registered service marks of the United States Golf Association® and are used with permission. The USGA does not endorse or sponsor Titleist or its products in any way.

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FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME®

For more than a century, the United States Golf Association has sponsored programs that make the game more enjoyable for all golfers — amateurs and professionals; public- and private- course players; low and high handicappers. Whether it be writing and interpreting the Rules, formulating the USGA Handicap System™ that makes the game fair, or conducting national championships, the USGA acts in the best interests of the game.

To learn more about the USGA, please visit www.usga.org or call 1-800-345-USGA and join with us today in bene�ting the greatest game of all.

© 2012 USGA

2012 U.S. AMATEUR | 5

14 USGA Maintains Its Focus

16 U.S. Amateur Conditions of Play

18 History of the U.S. Amateur

20 U.S. Amateur Champions

26 Kraft Takes Home 2011 Title

30 Tradition Runs Deep at Cherry Hills

32 Hole-by-Hole look at Cherry Hills

52 CommonGround’s Appeal

54 Hole-by-Hole look at CommonGround

64 Amy Alcott Tees It Forward

68 Outside the Ropes

26

Madison, WI | (800) 685-0036www.wisgolfer.com/killarneygolfmedia

[email protected]

PUBLISHERJohn Hughes

GENERAL MANAGERJim Kelsh

ASSOCIATE EDITORRick Pledl

EXECUTIVE EDITORErin Eagan

SENIOR DESIGNERAli Head, Dunlop Associates, Inc.

ADVERTISING ACCOUNTEXECUTIVEPamela St.Amant

PUBLISHED BY:

112TH U.S. AMATEUR l AUGUST 13-19, 2012

ContentsTABLE OF

64

ON THE COVER: Phil Mickelson, then a 20-year-old Arizona State student, follows his shot en route to winningthe 1990 U.S. Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills.

6 | 2012 U.S. AMATEUR

elcome to the 112th United States AmateurChampionship, conducted by the United

States Golf Association.The U.S. Amateur, along with the U.S. Open andU.S. Women’s Amateur, was first held in 1895. Oneday older than the U.S. Open, it is the USGA’s old-est national championship. This championship haslong identified many of the finest champions in thegame, from Bob Jones, Arnold Palmer and Jack

Nicklaus to Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Please join us in congrat-ulating all of the talented qualifiers who earned a berth in this year’shighly competitive field.We are delighted to return to Cherry Hills Country Club, a club that

has long been a great friend of the USGA. Designed by William Flynnand opened in 1922, Cherry Hills is hosting its ninth USGA champi-onship and second U.S. Amateur. Phil Mickelson captured the U.S. Am-ateur title at Cherry Hills in 1990. The club has also been the site ofthree U.S. Opens: 1938, won by Ralph Guldahl; 1960, won by ArnoldPalmer; and 1978, won by Andy North. CommonGround Golf Course, which will serve as the companion

course for stroke-play qualifying, is a public facility that is also the homeof the Colorado Golf Association and Colorado Women’s Golf Associ-ation. Their mission – “To provide everyone in the state with a first-classenvironment in which to comfortably learn, enjoy and support thisamazing game and all that it offers” – is certainly in keeping with the efforts of the USGA and the U.S. Amateur Championship, and we applaud them for their efforts.While you are here, we hope you enjoy two beautiful golf courses and

the great competition that this national championship provides. Mayour gathering here at Cherry Hills and CommonGround foster lastingmemories of a great week of championship golf.

| Glen NagerPRESIDENT, UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION

FROM THE USGAGLEN NAGER l USGA PRESIDENT

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n behalf of Cherry Hills Country Club andCommonGround Golf Course, I would like to

congratulate the 312 competitors who have qualifiedfor the 112th U.S. Amateur Championship. Also, I especially want to thank the 800-plus volunteers andstaff members whose hard work at both venues hasmade this championship possible. In addition I wantto thank the membership of Cherry Hills CountryClub for their continued commitment to championshipgolf and their support of the 112th U.S. Amateur

Championship. Finally, welcome to the many spectators who will witness theworld’s best amateur golfers competing for the right to forever be known asa U.S. Amateur champion. While Cherry Hills Country Club has hosted numerous major national and

international golf championships, the 2012 U.S. Amateur offers CommonGroundGolf Course their first opportunity to host a major event. Coincidentally,CommonGround was designed by the highly respected Tom Doak, who alsoheaded a major restoration of the Cherry Hills course several years ago.We are especially excited about the quality of the two courses which will

challenge the players. They provide a distinct contrast in styles. Owned bythe nonprofit Colorado Golf Association and Colorado Women’s Golf Association, CommonGround is a veritable treasure trove of "for the goodof the game" initiatives. With a commitment to tradition and excellence,CommonGround is a masterpiece for the ages that it is easy to walk, worthyof the highest level of competition, and most importantly fun to play. Cherry Hills, in contrast, is a 90-year-old William Flynn design with a long

and storied history with championship golf. The club has played host to nineUSGA championships, including what many consider to be the greatestmajor championship of all, the 1960 U.S. Open. The course is regarded as aclassic among America’s greatest courses and will challenge every aspect ofthe game for the finest amateurs in the world. Hosting major championships such as the U.S. Amateur would simply not

be possible without the generosity of its corporate friends and supporters. Iwould particularly like to recognize and thank HealthONE and FirstBankfor their support of the championship.Good luck to all competitors. We hope you all play your best and have a

very memorable experience during the 2012 U.S. Amateur Championship.

Jeff Dorsey2012 GENERAL CHAIRMAN

OWelcome JEFF DORSEY

GENERAL CHAIRMAN


CHAMPIONSHIP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEBACK ROW (L-R) Dave Troyer Director of Golf – CommonGround, Tracy Richard Director of Agronomy – CommonGround, Ed MateExecutive Director – Colorado Golf Association, Jim Hillary Executive Committee, Mike Burke Grounds Superintendent – Cherry Hills, GeorgeSolich Executive Committee, Kevin Hood General Manager – Cherry Hills,Jeff Crawford Executive Committee, John Ogden Head Golf Professional– Cherry Hills, Clayton Cole Executive Committee, Becky GutrichExecutive Committee, Joe Gallion Executive Committee, Scott FisherExecutive Committee, John Gart Executive Committee

FRONT ROW (L-R) Stan Cohen Executive Committee, Chris ManleyExecutive Committee, Rick Collier Executive Committee, Beth JackmanExecutive Committee, Jeff Dorsey General Chairman, Christie AustinExecutive Committee, Pocky Marranzino Executive Committee, KathyWalker Championship Director

COMMITTEEMembers

Jim Jackman Volunteer TentJane Buckley Hospitality and

Player ServicesSue Moore Hotel & AccommodationsSteve Owsley TransportationBrady O’Donnell ParkingPatti Cuje Volunteer TentBrad Moody Legal and Insurance

Lisa Goodwin VolunteersTerri Johnson Future Sites

HospitalityChuck Babb Practice RangeJohn Babb Practice RangeSusie Packer Walking Scorers and

Standard BearersBert Johnson/Ed Bernau Ecology

CHAMPIONSHIP COMMITTEE

Members


CLUB STAFFBACK ROW (L-R) BJ Johnson Executive Administrative Assistant, Mike Burke Grounds Superintendent, Kevin Hood General Manager, Lynn Lightell Controller, Chris Franke Assistant Clubhouse Director, Kaylor Russell Assistant Catering Manager, Terry Andersen Clubhouse Director, Joe Piazza Executive ChefFRONT ROW (L-R) Jason Hirsch Facility Maintenance Manager, Maura Peterson Catering Manager, Eli Edgerly Member Services Manager, Cindy Cutler Communications Manager, Kevin KlemenzAssistant Grounds Superintendent

GOLF STAFFBACK ROW (L-R) Derek Rush, Sarah Fine,Casey McKinnon, CassieCaputo, John OgdenFRONT ROW (L-R) Joe Brown, Mike Marsili,Nate Philpott, Jeff Brummett, Jim Owens

PersonnelCHERRY HILLS

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he United States Golf Associ-ation (USGA) has served as

the national governing body of golfsince its formation in 1894.A nonprofit organization head-quartered in Far Hills, N.J., theUSGA sponsors programs thatserve everyone who loves andrespects the game of golf. These essential services benefit all golfers,whether they are amateurs or pro-fessionals, public- or private-courseplayers.Today, the USGA is composed ofan executive committee of 15 vol-unteers who lead the organization’spolicy-making functions; a staff of300 professionals who direct the association’s day-to-day functions;a nationwide network of 1,200 dedicated volunteers; and morethan 9,000 private and publiccourses, clubs and facilities. In 1975, the association formedthe USGA Members Program tohelp support the game and theUSGA. Today, more than 700,000golfers around the nation are

USGA Members.The USGA supports and acts incooperation with national, regionaland local golf associations in areasof common interest. The Associationalso represents the USA in relationswith golf associations around theworld.Based on a shared passion and respect for golf, the USGA is dedicated to preserving its past, fostering its future and championingits best interests for the good of the game.

CONDUCT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPSThe USGA conducts 13 nationalchampionships each year, drawingmore than 35,000 entries from morethan 80 countries. These includethe U.S. Open, the U.S. Women’sOpen and the U.S. Senior Open,along with 10 national amateurchampionships and the biennialState Team Championships. TheUSGA also helps conduct four in-ternational competitions — theWalker Cup Match, the Curtis Cup

THE USGA

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Match and the Men’s and Women’sWorld Amateur Team Championships.

WRITE AND INTERPRET THERULES OFGOLFThe USGA and The Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews,Scotland, together govern the gameworldwide, including joint adminis-tration of the Rules of Golf to safeguard the tradition and integrityof the game.

REGULATE AND TEST GOLF EQUIPMENTThe USGA continually tests golfequipment for conformance to theRules of Golf. Without such rigor-ous equipment testing and researchprograms, advances in technologycould overtake skill as the majorfactor in success.

MAINTAIN THE HANDICAP AND COURSERATING SYSTEMSThe USGA Handicap System™helps to ensure that all golfers cancompete on an equal basis. TheUSGA Course Rating System™ en-sures that golf courses are rated in

relation to all other courses. TheUSGA Slope System® adjusts aplayer's USGA Handicap Index®

according to the difficulty of acourse. As a result, no matter whomgolfers play with — or where theyplay — they can enjoy a fair game.These systems are used in morethan 50 countries on six continents.

FUND TURFGRASS AND ENVIRONMENTALRESEARCHSince 1920, the USGA has been aglobal leader in funding researchthat benefits golf in the areas of turfgrass and resource management,sustainable development and envi-ronmental protection.

CELEBRATE GOLF’S HISTORYTo help celebrate and preserve thegame’s heritage, the USGA collectsand displays golf artifacts, memora-bilia, images, books and artwork atthe USGA Museum and ArnoldPalmer Center for Golf History atthe USGA’s headquarters in FarHills, N.J.


ENTRIES Open to amateurs who have a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4. Entries closed June 27.

STARTING FIELD 312 players

ConditionsSCHEDULE OF PLAY Monday, Aug. 13 First round, stroke play (18 holes)

Tuesday, Aug. 14 Second round, stroke play (18 holes) After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 64 scorers, who will advance to match play.

Wednesday, Aug. 15 First round, match play (18 holes)

Thursday, Aug. 16 Second round, match play (18 holes); Third round, match play (18 holes)

Friday, Aug. 17 Quarterfinals, match play (18 holes)

Saturday, Aug. 18 Semifinals, match play (18 holes)

Sunday, Aug. 19 Final, match play (36 holes)

U.S. AMATEUR

OF PLAY


SECTIONAL QUALIFYING36 holes stroke play, scheduled at 97 sites, between July 9 and Aug. 1

EXEMPTIONS FROM SECTIONAL QUALIFYING• Winners of the U.S. Amateur Championship the last 10 years(2002-2011)• Runners-up of the U.S. Amateur Championship the last three years• Semifinalists of the U.S. Amateur Championship the last two years• Quarterfinalists from the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship• Any player who qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open Championship• From the 2011 U.S. Open Championship, those returningscores for 72 holes.• From the 2012 U.S. Senior Open Championship, the amateurreturning the lowest 72-hole score• From the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, winners in 2010and 2011 and the runner-up in 2011• From the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, winnersin 2011 and 2012 and the runner-up in 2012• From the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, winners in 2011and 2012 and the runner-up in 2012 • From the USGA Senior Amateur Championship, winners in2010 and 2011 and the runner-up in 2011• Playing members of the two most current United States andGreat Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Teams (2009 and 2011)• Playing members of the two most current United States Men’sWorld Amateur Teams (2008 and 2010)• Winner of the 2012 individual NCAA Division I Men’s GolfChampionship.• Winners of the British Amateur Championship the last fiveyears (2008-2012)• Winners of the most current Asian Amateur, Mexican Amateurand Canadian Men’s Amateur Championships• From the current Men’s World Amateur Golf Rankings, the top50 point leaders and anyone tying for 50th place as of June 27,2012 (Must have filed an entry by June 27, 2012)• Special exemptions as selected by the USGA

he U.S. AmateurChampionship was

born in 1895 because of acontroversy. In 1894, twoclubs — Newport (R.I.)Golf Club and New York’sSt. Andrew’s Golf Club —had conducted invitationaltournaments to attract the nation’s top amateurplayers.

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AMERICA’S OLDEST GOLFCHAMPIONSHIP DATES TOAN 1894 DISPUTE BETWEENTWO EASTERN CLUBS

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Newport’s stroke-play tournamentwas won by club member W.G.Lawrence, who triumphed over afield of 20 competitors. The match-play competition at St. Andrew’s attracted 27 golfers and was won byLaurence Stoddart of the host club. Both clubs proclaimed their winnersas the national champion. Clearly,golf needed a national governingbody to conduct national champi-onships, develop a single set of rulesfor all golfers to follow and promotethe best interests of the game. Withthat, representatives from five clubsfounded the United States Golf Association on Dec. 22, 1894. As a result, in 1895, its first fullyear of operation, the USGA con-ducted Amateur, Open and Women’sAmateur Championships. The Am-ateur and Open Championships wereconducted at Newport Golf Clubduring the same week of Octoberand Charles B. Macdonald becamethe first U.S. Amateur champion. The Amateur Championship isthe oldest golf championship in thiscountry – one day older than theU.S. Open. Except for an eight-yearperiod from 1965 to 1972, when itwas stroke play, the Amateur hasbeen a match-play championship. Over the years, as interest in thegame grew and the number of qual-ity players increased, it became nec-essary to establish a nationalhandicapping system to determinewho was eligible to compete in theAmateur. The USGA’s first nationalhandicap list, which was publishedfor the 1912 championship, was the

forerunner of the present-day USGAHandicap System. Throughout its history, the U.S.Amateur has been the most covetedof all amateur titles. Many of thegreat names of professional golf,such as Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer,Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, CraigStadler, Jerry Pate, Mark O’Meara,Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson and TigerWoods, grace the Havemeyer Trophy. It was, however, longtime amateurRobert T. Jones Jr. who first attractedmedia coverage and spectator atten-dance at the Amateur Championship.Jones captured the championshipfive times (1924, ’25, ’27, ’28 and’30). His 1930 victory was a stun-ning moment in golf history, when,at Merion Cricket Club in Ardmore,Pa., Jones rounded out the GrandSlam, winning the four major Amer-ican and British championships inone year. Sixty-six years later, in 1996,Woods attracted similar interest andenthusiasm when he won a recordthird consecutive U.S. Amateur atPumpkin Ridge Golf Club in NorthPlains, Ore. In 1994, Woods, at 18,entered the record book as theyoungest ever to win the AmateurChampionship. In 1996, he brokeanother record when he won, havingregistered 18 consecutive match-play victories. In 2008, Danny Lee ofNew Zealand became the youngestwinner at 18 years and one month;the record was again broken in 2009by Byeong-Hun An of Korea, whowon the title at 17 years, 11 monthsand 13 days.


1895: Charles B. Macdonald d. Charles E. Sands, 12 and 11; Newport (R.I.) G.C.; All match play; Entries: 32

1896: H.J. Whigham d. J.G. Thorp, 8 and 7; Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton, N.Y.; Medalist – 163, H.J. Whigham; Entries: 58

1897: H.J. Whigham d. W. Rossiter Betts, 8 and 6; Chicago G.C., Wheaton, Ill.; Medalist –174, Charles B. Macdonald; Entries: 58

1898: Findlay S. Douglas d. Walter B. Smith, 5 and 3; Morris County G.C., Morristown,N.J.; Medalist – 175, J.H. Choate Jr.; Entries: 120

1899: H.M. Harriman d. Findlay S. Douglas, 3 and 2; Onwentsia Club, Lake Forest, Ill.;Medalist – 168, Charles B. Macdonald; Entries: 112

1900: Walter J. Travis d. Findlay S. Douglas, 2 up; Garden City (N.Y.) G.C.; Medalist –166, Walter J. Travis; Entries: 120

1901: Walter J. Travis d. Walter E. Egan, 5 and 4; Country Club of Atlantic City (N.J.);Medalist – 157, Walter J. Travis; Entries: 142

1902: Louis N. James d. Eben M. Byers, 4 and 2; Glen View Club, Golf, Ill.; Medalist –79 (18), Walter J. Travis; Entries: 157

1903: Walter J. Travis d. Eben M. Byers, 5 and 4; Nassau C.C., Glen Cove, N.Y.; Allmatch play; Entries: 140

1904: H. Chandler Egan d. Fred Herreshoff, 8 and 6; Baltusrol G.C. (Original Course), Springfield, N.J.; Medalist – 242 (54), H. Chandler Egan; Entries: 142

1905: H. Chandler Egan d. D.E. Sawyer, 6 and 5; Chicago G.C., Wheaton, Ill.; Medalist – 155 (36), Dr. D.P. Fredericks; Entries: 146

1906: Eben M. Byers d. George S. Lyon, 2 up; Englewood (N.J.) G.C.; Medalist – 152, Walter J. Travis; Entries: 141

1907: Jerome D. Travers d. Archibald Graham, 6 and 5; Euclid Club, Cleveland, Ohio; Medalist – 146, Walter J. Travis; Entries: 118

1908: Jerome D. Travers d. Max H. Behr, 8 and 7; Garden City (N.Y.) G.C.; Medalist –153, Walter J. Travis; Entries: 145

U.S. Amateur Champions (1895-2011)

Five-time U.S. Amateur champion Bob Jones.

All photos courtesy of the USGA

U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONS


1909: Robert A. Gardner d. H. Chandler Egan, 4 and 3; Chicago G.C., Wheaton, Ill.;Medalists – 151, Robert A. Gardner, Charles Evans Jr., Thomas M. Sherman; Entries: 120

1910: William C. Fownes Jr. d. Warren K. Wood, 4 and 3; The Country Club, Brookline,Mass.; Medalist – 152, Fred Herreshoff; Entries: 217

1911: Harold H. Hilton d. Fred Herreshoff, 37holes; The Apawamis Club, Rye, N.Y.;Medalist – 150, Harold H. Hilton; Entries:186

1912: Jerome D. Travers d. Charles Evans Jr., 7 and6; Chicago G.C., Wheaton, Ill.; Medalists –152, Charles Evans Jr., Harold H. Hilton;Entries: 86

1913: Jerome D. Travers d. John G. Anderson, 5and 4; Garden City (N.Y.) G.C.; Medalist –148, Charles Evans Jr.; Entries: 149

1914: Francis Ouimet d. Jerome D. Travers, 6 and 5; Ekwanok C.C., Manchester, Vt.;Medalists – 144, R.R. Gorton, W.C. Fownes Jr.; Entries: 115

1915: Robert A. Gardner d. John G. Anderson, 5and 4; Country Club of Detroit, GrossePointe Farms, Mich.; Medalist – 152, Dudley Mudge; Entries: 142

1916: Charles Evans Jr. d. Robert A. Gardner, 4and 3; Merion Cricket Club (East Course),Ardmore, Pa.; Medalist – 153, W.C. FownesJr.; Entries: 160

1917-18: No Championships, World War I 1919: S. Davidson Herron d. Robert T. Jones Jr., 5 and 4; Oakmont (Pa.) C.C.;

Medalists – 158, S. Davidson Herron, J.B. Manion, Paul Tewkesbury; Entries: 1501920: Charles Evans Jr. d. Francis Ouimet, 7 and 6; Engineers C.C., Roslyn Harbor,

N.Y.; Medalists – 154, Robert T. Jones Jr., Fred J. Wright Jr.; Entries: 2351921: Jesse P. Guilford d. Robert A. Gardner, 7 and 6; St. Louis C.C., Clayton, Mo.;

Medalist – 144, Francis Ouimet; Entries: 1591922: Jess W. Sweetser d. Charles Evans Jr., 3 and 2; The Country Club, Brookline,

Mass.; Medalist – 144, Jesse P. Guilford; Entries: 1611923: Max R. Marston d. Jess W. Sweetser, 38 holes; Flossmoor (Ill.) C.C.; Medalists –

149, Charles Evans Jr., Robert T. Jones Jr.; Entries: 1431924: Robert T. Jones Jr. d. George Von Elm, 9 and 8; Merion Cricket Club (East

Course), Ardmore, Pa.; Medalist – 142, D. Clarke Corkran; Entries: 1541925: Robert T. Jones Jr. d. Watts Gunn, 8 and 7; Oakmont (Pa.) C.C.; Medalist – 145,

Roland R. MacKenzie; Entries: 1411926: George Von Elm d. Robert T. Jones Jr., 2 and 1; Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course),

Springfield, N.J.; Medalist – 143, Robert T. Jones Jr.; Entries: 1571927: Robert T. Jones Jr. d. Charles Evans Jr., 8 and 7; Minikahda Club, Minneapolis,

Minn.; Medalist – 142, Robert T. Jones Jr.; Entries: 1741928: Robert T. Jones Jr. d. T. Phillip Perkins, 10 and 9; Brae Burn C.C., West Newton,

Mass.; Medalist – 143, George J. Voigt; Entries: 1581929: Harrison R. Johnston d. Dr. O.F. Willing, 4 and 3; Del Monte G. & C.C., Pebble

Beach, Calif.; Medalists – 145, Robert T. Jones Jr., Eugene V. Homans; Entries: 1621930: Robert T. Jones Jr. d. Eugene V. Homans, 8 and 7; Merion Cricket Club (East

Course), Ardmore, Pa.; Medalist – 142, Robert T. Jones Jr.; Entries: 175

Arnold Palmer won his U.S. Amateurtitle in 1954.


First Year of Sectional Qualifying (1931) 1931: Francis Ouimet d. Jack Westland, 6 and 5; Beverly C.C., Chicago, Ill.; Medalists –

148, Arthur Yates, Charles H. Seaver, John E. Lehman; Entries: 5831932: C. Ross Somerville d. John Goodman, 2 and 1; Baltimore C.C. (Five Farms, East

Course), Timonium, Md.; Medalist – 142, John W. Fischer; Entries: 6001933: George T. Dunlap Jr. d. Max R. Marston, 6 and 5; Kenwood C.C., Cincinnati,

Ohio; Medalist – 141, John W. Fischer; Entries: 6011934: W. Lawson Little Jr. d. David Goldman, 8 and 7; The Country Club, Brookline,

Mass.; All match play; Entries: 7581935: W. Lawson Little Jr. d. Walter Emery, 4 and 2; The Country Club, Cleveland,

Ohio; All match play; Entries: 9451936: John W. Fischer d. Jack McLean, 37 holes; Garden City (N.Y.) G.C.; All match

play; Entries: 1,1181937: John Goodman d. Raymond E. Billows, 2 up; Alderwood C.C., Portland, Ore.;

Medalist – 142, Roger Kelly; Entries: 6191938: William P. Turnesa d. B. Patrick Abbott, 8 and 7; Oakmont (Pa.) C.C.; Medalist –

146, Gus T. Moreland; Entries: 8711939: Marvin H. Ward d. Raymond E. Billows, 7 and 5; North Shore C.C., Glenview,

Ill.; Medalist – 139, Thomas Sheehan Jr.; Entries: 8261940: Richard D. Chapman d. W.B. McCullough Jr., 11 and 9; Winged Foot G.C. (West

Course), Mamaroneck, N.Y.; Medalist – 140, Richard D. Chapman; Entries: 7551941: Marvin H. Ward d. B. Patrick Abbott, 4 and 3; Omaha (Neb.) Field Club;

Medalist – 144, Stewart M. Alexander Jr.; Entries: 6371942-45: No Championships, World War II 1946: Stanley E. “Ted” Bishop d. Smiley L. Quick, 37 holes; Baltusrol G.C. (Lower

Course), Springfield, N.J.; Medalist – 136, Robert H. “Skee” Riegel; Entries: 899

All Match Play (1947-64) 1947: Robert H. “Skee” Riegel d. John W. Dawson, 2 and 1; Del Monte G. & C.C.,

Pebble Beach, Calif.; Entries: 1,0481948: William P. Turnesa d. Raymond E. Billows, 2 and 1; Memphis (Tenn.) C.C.;

Entries: 1,2201949: Charles R. Coe d. Rufus King, 11 and 10; Oak Hill C.C. (East Course), Rochester,

N.Y.; Entries: 1,0601950: Sam Urzetta d. Frank Stranahan, 39 holes; Minneapolis (Minn.) G.C.; Entries: 1,0251951: Billy Maxwell d. Joseph F. Gagliardi, 4 and 3; Saucon Valley C.C. (Old Course),

Bethlehem, Pa.; Entries: 1,4161952: Jack Westland d. Al Mengert, 3 and 2; Seattle (Wash.) G.C.; Entries: 1,0291953: Gene Littler d. Dale Morey, 1 up; Oklahoma City (Okla.) G. & C.C.; Entries: 1,2841954: Arnold Palmer d. Robert Sweeny, 1 up; Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe

Farms, Mich.; Entries: 1,2781955: E. Harvie Ward Jr. d. William Hyndman Jr., 9 and 8; Country Club of Virginia

(James River Course), Richmond, Va.; Entries: 1,4931956: E. Harvie Ward Jr. d. Charles Kocsis, 5 and 4; Knollwood Club, Lake Forest, Ill.;

Entries: 1,6001957: Hillman Robbins Jr. d. Dr. Frank M. Taylor, 5 and 4; The Country Club (Anniver-

sary Course), Brookline, Mass.; Entries: 1,5781958: Charles R. Coe d. Thomas D. Aaron, 5 and 4; The Olympic Club (Lake Course),

San Francisco, Calif.; Entries: 1,4721959: Jack Nicklaus d. Charles R. Coe, 1 up; Broadmoor G.C. (East Course), Colorado

Springs, Colo.; Entries: 1,696



1960: Deane Beman d. Robert W. Gardner, 6 and 4; St. Louis C.C., Clayton, Mo.; Entries: 1,737

1961: Jack Nicklaus d. H. Dudley Wysong Jr., 8 and 6; Pebble Beach (Calif.) G.L.; Entries: 1,9951962: Labron E. Harris Jr. d. Downing Gray, 1 up; Pinehurst (N.C.) C.C. (No. 2 Course);

Entries: 2,0441963:Deane Beman d. Richard H. Sikes, 2 and 1; Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa;

Entries: 1,7681964: William C. Campbell d. Edgar M. Tutwiler Jr., 1 up; Canterbury G.C., Cleveland,

Ohio; Medalists – 143, Marvin “Vinny” Giles III, Robert Greenwood Jr.; Entries: 1,562

All Stroke Play (1965-72) 1965: Robert J. Murphy Jr., 291; Robert B.

Dickson, 292; Southern Hills C.C.,Tulsa, Okla.; Entries: 1,476

1966: Gary Cowan 285-75; Deane Beman,285-76; Merion G.C. (East Course),Ardmore, Pa.; Entries: 1,902

1967: Robert B. Dickson, 285; Marvin“Vinny” Giles III, 286; BroadmoorG.C. (West Course), Colorado Springs,Colo.; Entries: 1,784

1968: Bruce Fleisher, 284; Marvin “Vinny”Giles III, 285; Scioto C.C., Columbus,Ohio; Entries: 2,057

1969: Steven Melnyk, 286; Marvin “Vinny”Giles III, 291; Oakmont (Pa.) C.C.; Entries: 2,142

1970: Lanny Wadkins, *279; Thomas O. KiteJr., 280; Waverley C.C., Portland, Ore.;Entries: 1,853

1971: Gary Cowan, 280; Eddie Pearce, 283;Wilmington (Del.) C.C. (SouthCourse); Entries: 2,327

1972:Marvin “Vinny” Giles III, 285; Mark S.Hayes, Ben Crenshaw, 288; Charlotte(N.C.) C.C.; Entries: 2,295

All Match Play (1973-1978) 1973: Craig Stadler d. David Strawn, 6 and 5; Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio; Entries: 2,1101974: Jerry Pate d. John P. Grace, 2 and 1; Ridgewood (N.J.) C.C.; Entries: 2,4201975: Fred Ridley d. Keith Fergus, 2 up; Country Club of Virginia (James River Course),

Richmond, Va.; Entries: 2,5281976: Bill Sander d. C. Parker Moore Jr., 8 and 6; Bel-Air C.C., Los Angeles, Calif.; Entries: 2,6811977: John Fought d. Doug Fischesser, 9 and 8; Aronimink G.C., Newtown Square, Pa.;

Entries: 2,9501978: John Cook d. Scott Hoch, 5 and 4; Plainfield (N.J.) C.C.; Entries: 3,035

36-Hole Stroke Play Qualifying Before Match Play (1979-Present) 1979: Mark O’Meara d. John Cook, 8 and 7; Canterbury G.C., Cleveland, Ohio;

Medalist – 134, Bob Clampett; Entries: 3,9161980: Hal Sutton d. Bob Lewis, 9 and 8; Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.;

Medalist – 139, Fred Couples; Entries: 4,008

Tiger Woods won his third consecutive U.S.Amateur Championship in 1996.


1981: Nathaniel Crosby d. Brian Lindley, 37 holes; The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco, Calif.; Medalist – 145, Joe Rassett; Entries: 3,525

1982: Jay Sigel d. David Tolley, 8 and 7; The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.; Medalists – 141, Bob Lewis Jr., Robert Stanger Jr.; Entries: 3,685

1983: Jay Sigel d. Chris Perry, 8 and 7; North Shore C.C., Glenview, Ill.; Medalist –139, Clark Burroughs; Entries: 3,553

1984: Scott Verplank d. Sam Randolph, 4 and 3; Oak Tree G.C., Edmond, Okla.;Medalist – 137, Scott Verplank; Entries: 3,679

1985: Sam Randolph d. Peter Persons, 1 up; Montclair G.C., West Orange, N.J.; Medalist – 134, Sam Randolph; Entries: 3,816

1986: Stewart “Buddy” Alexander d. Chris Kite, 5 and 3; Shoal Creek, Shoal Creek,Ala.; Medalist – 137, Leonard Mattiace; Entries: 4,071

1987: Bill Mayfair d. Eric Rebmann, 4 and 3; Jupiter Hills Club (Hills Course), Jupiter,Fla.; Medalist – 141, Scott Gump; Entries: 4,084

1988: Eric Meeks d. Danny Yates, 7 and 6; Virginia Hot Springs G. & C.C. (CascadesCourse), Hot Springs, Va.; Medalist – 137, Tom McKnight; Entries: 4,320

1989: Chris Patton d. Danny Green, 3 and 1; Merion G.C. (East Course), Ardmore, Pa.; Medalist – 137, Eoghan O’Connell; Entries: 4,603

1990: Phil Mickelson d. Manny Zerman, 5 and 4; Cherry Hills C.C., Englewood, Colo.; Medalist – 135, Phil Mickelson; Entries: 4,765

1991: Mitch Voges d. Manny Zerman, 7 and 6; The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tenn.; Medalists – 136, Allen Doyle, John Harris; Entries: 4,985

1992: Justin Leonard d. Tom Scherrer, 8 and 7; Muirfield Village G.C., Dublin, Ohio; Medalist – 136, David Duval; Entries: 5,758

1993: John Harris d. Danny Ellis, 5 and 3; Champions G.C. (Cypress Creek Course), Houston, Texas; Medalist – 139, Brian Gay; Entries: 5,614

1994: Tiger Woods d. Trip Kuehne, 2 up; TPC at Sawgrass (Stadium Course), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Medalist – •132, Hank Kim; Entries: 5,128

1995: Tiger Woods d. George “Buddy” Marucci Jr., 2 up; Newport (R.I.) C.C.; Medalist – 137, Jerry Courville Jr.; Entries: 5,248

1996: Tiger Woods d. Steve Scott, 38 holes; Pumpkin Ridge G.C. (Witch HollowCourse), North Plains, Ore.; Medalist – 136, Tiger Woods; Entries: 5,538

1997: Matthew Kuchar d. Joel Kribel, 2 and 1; Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4 Course),Lemont, Ill.; Medalist – 136, Roger Tambellini; Entries: 6,666

1998: Hank Kuehne d. Tom McKnight, 2 and 1; Oak Hill C.C. (East Course),

Jay Sigel won consecutive U.S. Amateurs in 1982 and ‘83.



Jack Nicklaus, top photo, won his second U.S. Amateur Championship in 1961 at Pebble Beach. Phil Mickelson, above, wonthe 1990 title at Cherry Hills Country Club.

Rochester, N.Y.; Medalist – 136, JoelKribel; Entries: 6,627

1999: David Gossett d. Sung Yoon Kim, 9 and8; Pebble Beach (Calif.) G.L.; Medalist –143, Gene Elliott; Entries: 7,920

2000: Jeff Quinney d. James Driscoll, 39holes; Baltusrol G.C., Springfield, N.J.;Medalists – 137, Jim Salinetti, Jeff Wilson; Entries: 7,124

2001: Ben “Bubba” Dickerson d. RobertHamilton, 1 up; East Lake G.C., Atlanta, Ga.; Medalist – 134, ChrisMundorf; Entries: 7,762

2002: Ricky Barnes d. Hunter Mahan, 2 and1; Oakland Hills C.C. (South Course),Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Medalist –135, Bill Haas; Entries: 7,585

2003: Nick Flanagan d. Casey Wittenberg, 37holes; Oakmont (Pa.) C.C.; Medalist –138, John Holmes; Entries: 7,541

2004: Ryan Moore d. Luke List, 2 up;Winged Foot G.C. (West Course), Mamaroneck, N.Y.; Medalist – 139,Ryan Moore; Entries: 7,356

2005: Edoardo Molinari d. Dillon Dougherty,4 and 3; Merion G.C. (East Course),Ardmore, Pa.; Medalist – 135, JamesLepp; Entries: 7,320

2006: Richie Ramsay d. John Kelly, 4 and 2;Hazeltine National G.C., Chaska,Minn.; Medalist – 138, Billy Horschel,Entries: 7,182

2007: Colt Knost d. Michael Thompson, 2and 1; The Olympic Club (Lake Course),San Francisco, Calif.; Medalist – 137,Jason Kokrak; Entries: 7,398

2008: Danny Lee d. Drew Kittleson, 5 and 4;Pinehurst R. & C.C. (No. 2), Village ofPinehurst, N.C.; Medalist – 134, Robbie Fillmore; Entries: 7,298

2009: Byeong-Hun An d. Ben Martin, 7 and 5; Southern Hills C.C., Tulsa,Okla.; Medalist – 140, Tim Jackson;Entries: 6,948

2010: Peter Uihlein d. David Chung, 4 and 2;Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash.;Medalist – 136, Jeff Wilson; Entries: 6,485

2011: Kelly Kraft d. Patrick Cantlay, 2 up;Erin Hills, Erin, Wis.; Medalist – •132,Gregor Main; Entries: 6,265

• Record qualifying score in championship proper(1994, 2011)* Record score for stroke play (1970) § Record entry (1999)


KRAFT WINS

2011 U.S. AMATEURelly Kraft, 22, of Denton,Texas, defeated Patrick Cant-

lay, 19, of Los Alamitos, Calif., 2 up,to win the 2011 U.S. AmateurChampionship at 7,760-yard, par-72 Erin Hills in Erin, Wis.“It’s awesome. It’s just great,” said

Kraft, a three-time Conference USAPlayer of the Year while at SouthernMethodist University. “It’s such anhonor to win this championship. Imean there’s none other better thanthis one.” In victory, Kraft received exemp-

tions into the 2012 U.S. OpenChampionship and British OpenChampionship, as well as an invita-tion to the 2012 Masters Tourna-ment. He was also named to the2011 USA Walker Cup Team, whichdeparted a few days later for Royal

Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland. “(USA Team Captain Jim Holt-

grieve) walked up to me on thegreen and told me, ‘See ya in Scot-land.’ And I was like, ‘Wow.’ I didn’tknow what to say,” said an obviouslyelated Kraft, the Havemeyer Trophysitting at his side. “I just won thetournament and then they told methis. I about had a heart attack.” Kraft also joined Hank Kuehne

(1998) and Colt Knost (2007) as SMUMustangs to win the Amateur title. It was Cantlay, a UCLA sopho-

more who held the top spot in theWorld Amateur Ranking, who drewfirst blood in the match, making abirdie on the opening hole. How-ever, Kraft was not intimidated byhis opponent. Three birdies in anine-hole stretch gave him a 4-up

K


IT’S AWESOME. IT’S JUSTGREAT. IT’S SUCH ANHONOR TO WIN THISCHAMPIONSHIP. I MEANTHERE’S NONE OTHERBETTER THAN THIS ONE.

– KELLY KRAFT

“

“


advantage by the 16th hole. Not to be outdone, Cantlay began

to rally when he converted a 60-foot putt for birdie on No. 17. Hethen won No. 18 with a bogey whenKraft hit two bunkers on his ap-proach shots, giving Kraft a 2-uplead going into the lunch break. “It’s hard to get up that much on

the No. 1 amateur in the world,”said Kraft. “I was happy being 2 up.Even losing the last two holes themorning round, I was still happybeing 2 up. If you would have toldme that before we started, I wouldhave taken it.” “Obviously I had a positive frame

of mind going into 17, 18, justbased on my play earlier this week,”said Cantlay, who had made come-backs on those holes in his earliermatches with Russell Henley andMax Buckley. Cantlay’s momentum continued

after the break. He pulled withinone hole when his approach shot tothe par-4 22nd hit the flagstick and gave him a 6-foot birdie putt.Kraft’s bogey on the par-3 24ththen squared the match. Another Kraft bogey on the par-4

28th hole handed Cantlay his firstlead since the third hole of themorning round. But back-to-backCantlay bogeys at Nos. 33 and 34gave the lead back to Kraft. After a missed par attempt on the

36th green, Cantlay took off his capand conceded the victory to Kraft. “I kind of figured if he missed

that, then he would concede the

hole,” said Kraft. “I’ll take whateverway it comes.” Kraft came into the championship

slightly under the radar, despite2011 victories at the Trans-Missis-sippi Championship and TexasState Amateur. Not highly recruitedout of high school, he completedhis four years of athletic eligibility atSMU after the 2010-2011 season.With plans to complete his sociol-ogy degree, Kraft was still entertain-ing thoughts of entering PGA TourQ-School in 2011 until taking theAmateur title. “I’m going to have to see how

long I can stay amateur for, becauseI don’t get (the championships) if I turn pro,” said Kraft with a smile.“But I mean that’s just great. I triednot to think about it too much yesterday. You know, I just tried tofinish today. And now I can thinkabout it all for a while.” On the other hand, Cantlay had

one of the more heralded amateursummers in recent memory. Hegarnered low-amateur honors at theU.S. Open and finished in the top-25 at three other PGA Tour events,carding an amateur-record-low 60at the Travelers Championship.While he was certainly disappointedwith his Amateur outcome, he wasable to find a modicum of solace inhis week at Erin Hills. “I went 5 and 1 this week,” said

Cantlay. “I think that’s not too bad.Going into the Walker Cup, I feelconfident about my game and feelreally good about the team we have.”


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CHERRY HILLS C.C.


ell-known golf course architectWilliam Flynn designed the Denver-area Cherry Hills Country Clubcourse, creating one of the country’stop championship venues. The clubwas founded in 1922 and for $4,500,members procured Flynn’s services.Flynn redesigned Shinnecock Hills –now a four-time U.S. Open site andone of five founding United StatesGolf Association clubs.Cherry Hills first earned its place

in the pantheon of championshipgolf hosting the 1938 U.S. Open.Ralph Guldahl won that champi-onship, but it is often rememberedfor Ray Ainsley’s 19 on the par-4 16th.Cherry Hills has a tradition of

hosting major golf championships.The 2012 U.S. Amateur will be theninth USGA national championshipconducted on the layout. It is one ofonly three courses, including WingedFoot and Hazeltine National G.C., tohave hosted the U.S. Open, U.S.Senior Open, U.S. Women’s Openand U.S. Amateur.Besides the USGA competitions,

Cherry Hills also hosted two PGAChampionships and is the 2014BMW Championship host site.2012 is the second U.S. Amateur

contested at Cherry Hills. Phil Mick-elson won the 1990 championshipas an Arizona State University all-American, becoming the secondleft-handed USGA champion (RalphHowe III won the U.S. Amateur

Public Links two years earlier).Mickelson defeated his former highschool teammate Manny Zerman inthe 36-hole final.The 2005 U.S. Women’s Open was

the last USGA event at Cherry Hills.Korean Birdie Kim holed an improb-able bunker shot for 3 at the 72ndhole to edge amateurs Morgan Presseland Brittany Lang by two shots.Cherry Hills was the site of a

legendary Arnold Palmer 1960 U.S.Open final-round comeback. Palmertrailed by seven strokes entering thefinal 18 holes – back then competi-tors played 36 holes on the last day– and few gave him a chance. Palmerdrove the par-4 first hole en route toa 65 and a two-stroke victory overamateur Jack Nicklaus. Four-timeOpen champion Ben Hogan’s final -round bid to win a record fifth titleevaporated after a disastrous double-bogey at the par-5 17th. Two yearslater, Nicklaus beat Palmer in an 18-hole playoff at Oakmont C.C. – the firstof his four U.S. Open titles. Nicklausalso returned to Cherry Hills in 1993to win the U.S. Senior Open.In the 1960s, President Eisenhower

called Cherry Hills his western WhiteHouse. More recently, NFL Hall ofFame quarterback John Elway callsCherry Hills home.In 2008 the course underwent a

restoration with renowned golfcourse architect Tom Doak and waslengthened to over 7400 yards.

Tradition runs deep at Cherry Hills

� HISTORY �

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CHERRY HILLS GCCHERRY HILLS C.C.


his is one of the most famous starting holes inall of golf. It is here where Arnold Palmer drove thegreen in the final round of the 1960 U.S. Open tocome from seven shots behind to win his only U.S.Open. Today, the hole plays 395 yards with a slightdogleg left requiring an accurate tee shot. Thegreen is guarded by bunkers on the left side and issmall in size with movement in all directions.

T

PAR 41HOLE

YARDAGE 395

CHERRY HILLS C.C.CH

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he second hole is one of thetighter holes at Cherry Hills. Theentire right side of the fairway islined with trees, while bunkersguard the left side. The green isrelatively flat, but there is a hiddenlake that guards the left side of thegreen. This is where Vic Ghezzidefeated Byron Nelson to win the1941 PGA Championship, and itplayed as the hardest hole in the2005 U.S. Women’s Open.

2HOLEPAR 4

YARDAGE 417

T

PAR 43HOLE

YARDAGE 323

his par 4 could be one of themost exciting holes for the U.S.Amateur. The majority of the players are capable of driving thegreen, but the dome green falls offin all directions with closely mowngrass and is very difficult to keep awedge to hold, let alone a driver.Be aware of Little Dry Creek,which comes into play over thegreen. Players will feel this is a certain birdie hole, but many willwalk off the green scratching theirheads after making a bogey.

T

CHERRY HILLS C.C.



his dogleg-left par 4 requires a well-placed tee shot to the right side of the fairwayto avoid the overhanging trees that guard theleft half of the fairway. The short-iron secondshot will allow players to make some birdieshere, but be aware of the difficult two-tieredgreen and the trouble that lurks long.

PAR 44HOLE

YARDAGE 436

T


PAR 55HOLE

YARDAGE 552

his short par 5 requires a very accurate teeshot for players to go for the green in two. Thetee shot is guarded by a creek to the right anddeep bunkers to the left and the fairway is only26 yards wide between the two hazards. Thegreen has the most slope of any at Cherry Hillsand requires a precise shot. Any shots left andshort will end up in one of the deepest bunkerson the course and shots long will leave the players with a virtually impossible chip or pitch.

T

CHERRY HILLS C.C.


PAR 36HOLE

YARDAGE 165

he relatively short par 3 gives the players achance at making a birdie. However, the short ironneeds to be well placed to avoid the bunkers thatsurround the green and a small creek to the left.The green is severely sloped from front to backand requires players to keep the ball below thehole. A shot over the green will leave players witha near-impossible second shot and have themhoping to make a bogey.

T


CHERRY HILLS C.C.

PAR 47HOLE

YARDAGE 417

he majority of players will hit a fair-way wood off the tee to avoid goingthrough the fairway on this dogleg-left.Those who try to cut the dogleg will haveto negotiate the large bunker complexthat helps guard the left side of the hole.The green has a soft slope from back tofront and is guarded by a bunker on theleft and a severe fall off to the right.

T


istorically, this is where Cherry Hills starts toshow its teeth. Players walking off this green with a par will feel as if they made a birdie. The hole requires an accurate fairway wood or hybrid to avoidlarge bunkers both left and right of the green. Errantshots to the right bring Little Dry Creek into play.This is where Arnold Palmer made his only bogeyin his final-round 65 during the 1960 U.S. Open.

H

PAR 38HOLE

YARDAGE 274


CHERRY HILLS C.C.

PAR 49HOLE

YARDAGE 484

his uphill par 4 is one of the most difficultholes at Cherry Hills. The tee shot needs to be bothlong and accurate. The fairway is crowned, whichbrings the deep rough on the left into play alongwith a large bunker on the right. The players willonly see the top of the flag on their second shots toa severely sloped green guarded by a large bunkerin the front. In the final round of the 1985 PGAChampionship, Hubert Green matched LeeTrevino’s second shot to within three feet and madebirdie, allowing Green to retain his one-stroke advantage and eventually win the championship.

T


PAR 410HOLE

YARDAGE 449

his is one of the most beautiful but demand-ing holes at Cherry Hills. Players will need anaccurate tee shot to a fairway which is severelysloped from right to left and guarded by a largebunker and trees on the right side. The secondshot must be precise to a right-to-left-slopinggreen with bunkers on both sides. A right-sidehole location will require a precise short iron forplayers who decide to challenge the hole location.

T


CHERRY HILLS C.C.

PAR 511HOLE

YARDAGE 596

he 11th hole will provide a great opportu-nity for birdie for the players. The uphill teeshot is guarded by a bunker on the left and outof bounds just off the right side of the fairway.A large cross bunker 110 yards short of thegreen is what players will have to navigate ifthey choose to go for the green in two. Thegreen is somewhat large, but severely slopedfrom back to front. Any putts from above thehole will make even the best putters nervous.

T

PAR 312HOLE

YARDAGE 220

his beautiful but challenging par 3 overwater requires a precise iron shot. Any shotthat lands just short of the green will findits way back into the hazard and anythinglong leaves the player with a virtually im-possible pitch. The green is divided in themiddle with a severe mound, which makesbeing in the right quadrant a must.

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CHERRY HILLS C.C.

PAR 4

YARDAGE 429

his straightaway par 4 requires an accurate tee shot to avoid the deep grassmounds on the left and the large fairwaybunker to the right. Players who success-fully negotiate the drive will be left with ashort iron to a very small and tricky green.Anything over this green is a mistake. Thishole arguably cost Jack Nicklaus winningthe 1960 and 1978 U.S. Opens.

T13HOLE


PAR 414HOLE

YARDAGE 521

he 14th at Cherry Hills is the toughest holeon the course. The hole plays to a slight dog-leg-left and has the widest fairway on thecourse. The second shot is downhill with thegreen guarded by Little Dry Creek to the leftand a large bunker to the right. The green is severe and putting is a challenge for all levels of play. This is where Phil Mickelson closed outManny Zerman to win the 1990 U.S. Amateur.

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CHERRY HILLS C.C.

PAR 315HOLE

YARDAGE 245

his long par 3 plays slightly down-hill to a very small green guarded bybunkers on both sides. Shots movingtoo far left could find their way intoLittle Dry Creek, which is closer thanit looks from the tee. The green hassubtle movement from back to front.

T


PAR 416HOLE

YARDAGE 446

any who play Cherry Hills for the firsttime walk away declaring the 16th hole as theirfavorite hole on the golf course. The majorityof players will hit fairway woods or hybrids offthe tee to stay out of Little Dry Creek, whichworks its way through the right side of the fairway and then cuts across the middle of thefairway. The second shot is usually played withthe ball below the players’ feet to a green thatslopes the opposite way. The green is severeand guarded with bunkers on the front left and the right half. Ray Ainsley’s 19 at this holeduring the 1938 U.S. Open is still the highest score on an individual hole in U.S. Open history.

M


CHERRY HILLS C.C.

PAR 517HOLE

YARDAGE 553

en Hogan lost the 1960 U.S.Open at the par-5 17th by hittinghis third shot into the watershort of the green, opening thedoor for Arnold Palmer’s victory.Today, the hole has two sets ofcross bunkers that need to benavigated. An accurate tee shot isa must to allow players a chanceto either go for the island greenin two or to lay up short of thewater. The green looks quitedocile, but is quite perplexing.

B


PAR 418HOLE

YARDAGE 487

he 18th hole at Cherry Hills is one of the most difficult finishing holes in allof championship golf – just ask LorenaOchoa, who made a quadruple-bogeyeight in the final round of the 2005 U.S.Women’s Open costing her the champi-onship. Water runs down the left side ofthe fairway and high rough guards theright side. The second shot plays uphillwith the clubhouse in the background.The green is very challenging and protected by large bunkers on both sides.

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COMMONGROUND G.C.


hile Cherry Hills Country Clubis an old hand at hosting major na-tional and international golf cham-pionships, CommonGround GolfCourse is the new kid on the block.Though the public course located

in Aurora is the newest in Colorado,it’s already highly regarded. That’sborne out by the three-year-old facility, which is owned and operatedby the Colorado Golf Associationand Colorado Women’s Golf Asso-ciation, being selected as the com-panion course for the stroke-playportion of the U.S. Amateur.Coincidentally, CommonGround

was designed by the highly respectedTom Doak, who also headed a majorrestoration of the Cherry Hills courseseveral years ago. Doak designed orco-designed four of the top eightpicks on Golfweek magazine’s 2012list of the best modern courses.CommonGround sits on the site

of the former Lowry Air Force Basegolf course, which was renamed MiraVista Golf Course when it went publicin the mid-1990s. But, starting inSeptember 2007, Doak and his Renaissance Golf Design team builta completely new course on the 350-acre site. Though CommonGroundis located in a diverse urban neigh-borhood, there are no residences onthe property, which features panoramicviews of the Denver skyline and theRocky Mountains.Suffice it to say that current United

States Golf Association Executive

Director Mike Davis was duly im-pressed when he first visited Com-monGround.“The impression could not have

been better,” Davis noted. "When Ileft, I said to Ed (Mate, the CGA’s executive director), ‘I hope peoplearound Denver realize just how goodthis golf course is.’”In fact, in 2010 Golfweek named

CommonGround one of the 20 bestnew courses in the country. Five new teeing grounds have

been added for the U.S. Amateur,with the course playing to par 70 forthe championship.But CommonGround is far more

than a highly respected golf course.Being run by the nonprofit CGA andCWGA, it’s a veritable treasure troveof “for the good of the game” initiatives.The accompanying nine-hole Kids

Course, which was significantlyfunded by a $175,000 grant from theUSGA, is the home of a plethora ofjunior outreach efforts, which bringthe game and instruction to many dis-advantaged youngsters. Young peopleinvolved in the CGA’s developmentalprograms are allowed to play the KidsCourse for free. Additionally, Com-monGround is home to the new So-lich Caddie and Leadership Academy.Golf Digest recognized the CGA

and CommonGround for their workwith junior golfers by naming the association one of five national winners of the 2010 Junior Develop-ment Awards.

CommonGround hasextraordinary appeal

� HISTORY �

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lthough long, theopening hole providesplenty of fairway to aim atoff the tee. Your best angleof attack on your approachshot will be from the leftside of the fairway, but becareful of the fairwaybunkers protecting thatside. Once on the green,players will face a variety ofbreaking putts dependingon the hole location.

A

lthough the second hole is the shortesthole on the course, it is by no means easy.While treated to a spectacular view of down-town Denver, players will face a tee shot to anelevated green complex with a dangerous hazard to the right of the green. Once on thegreen, players will be looking at one of the flatter greens that the course has to offer.

A

PAR 4 1HOLE

YARDAGE 485

PAR 3 2HOLE

YARDAGE 144

COMMONGROUND G.C.


s the first par 5, the third hole pro-vides players plenty of options to choosefrom as they navigate the hole and try toavoid strategically placed bunkers and thecarefully thought-out mounding complexsurrounding the entire green. Once safelyon the green, players will face one of thetougher greens on the golf course.

tanding on the elevatedtee of the fourth hole, players will be forced to decide how much of thedogleg left that they wantto bite off. The approachshot calls for an accurateshot, as the green is narrowand is designed with a couple of obvious plateaus.

A

S

PAR 5 3HOLE

YARDAGE 636

PAR 4 4HOLE

YARDAGE 458


PAR 4 5HOLE

YARDAGE 508

PAR 3 6HOLE

YARDAGE 187

tanding on the tee of the fifthhole, players will find it hard tobelieve they are in the middle ofthe city as they gaze down thefairway of this long par 4. A longtee shot down the right side willgive players the best opportunityof making par. Once on the11,000-square-foot green, players will hope they hit it nearthe flagstick, or a four-putt willbe a possibility!

o you remember Tiger Woods’ chip on hole16 at the 2005 Masters? Well, the sixth hole willgive players the chance to relive that shot. Fromtee to green, there is a strong resemblance tothe famous par 3 at Augusta. The tee shot callsfor a carry over water to a slightly elevated greenwith a monster right-to-left ridge running downthe center. Players will need to keep their focusthroughout this hole to avoid a big number.

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COMMONGROUND G.C.

ole 8 is a staff favorite.With nothing to work with,Doak and his team createdone of the most interestingand fun holes to play on thegolf course. The green isprotected by bunkers onboth the left and the right,and the front of the green isa false front, which will return balls back to the fairway if not hit far enoughonto the green.


PAR 5 7HOLE

YARDAGE 534

he seventh hole is one of the better scoring opportunities at CommonGround. Flanked on theright by Tom Doak’s favorite bunker complex onthe course, this short par 5 is reachable in two. Becareful when attempting to get home, as a depressionwith a dangerous fairway bunker awaits those whofail to clear the obstacle. The green, the smallest onthe course, will take some skill to hit.

PAR 4 8HOLE

YARDAGE 349

T

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PAR 4 9HOLE

YARDAGE 394

PAR 4 10HOLE

YARDAGE 436

his uphill par 4 places apremium on accuracy ratherthan distance. With bunkersguarding both sides of the fair-way, players will be rewardedby hitting a solid tee shotdown the dead center of thefairway giving them a goodlook at the green. Players ableto navigate the greensidebunkers will be faced with anumber of tricky putts on thisback-to-front sloping green.

he back nine beginswith the demanding anddownhill 10th hole. With a slight dogleg-left, the optimal tee shot will call fora gentle fade to set theplayer up for the tricky approach shot into a well-protected green. Once onthe green, players shouldnot have a problem gettingdown in two.

COMMONGROUND G.C.

T

T


PAR 4 11HOLE

YARDAGE 508

he first thing playerswill notice on the 11th holeis two fairway bunkers withmassive faces that will needto be avoided at all costswith the tee shot. There is a lake protecting the leftand back of the green, and a bunker and trees tothe right.

PAR 3 12HOLE

YARDAGE 216

outed directly toward Mt. Evans, thisbeautiful par 3 provides players with a spec-tacular view of the Front Range. For most, thetee shot will call for a carry over a creek to the green, which is tucked at the edge of the wetlands and surrounded with bunkers andhazards. Once on the green, players will face a variety of undulations and slopes.

T

R


PAR 4 13HOLE

YARDAGE 469

ith a complex of bunkers on the rightside, the ideal tee shot on the 13th will bedown the left center of the fairway. Playerswill want to avoid hitting their drive too farand ending up in a well-placed bunker inthe middle of the fairway. Although onebunker protects the right side of the green,the challenge lies in hitting the green andnot leaving a difficult up and down.

PAR 3 14HOLE

YARDAGE 227

ith visions of Scotland, the14th hole was designed with alarge mound obscuring the viewof the right side of the green.With no bunkers on the hole,players can take aim knowingthat their second shot will be offgrass regardless of where theyend up. With the green slopingaway from play, and plenty of undulations, the 14th hole offersone of the more challenginggreens on the course.

COMMONGROUND G.C.

W

W


PAR 4 15HOLE

YARDAGE 501

ring everything you’ve got to the chal-lenging 15th hole. This long, uphill par 4will test the best of players. Assuming aplayer successfully places his tee shot inthe middle of the fairway, the work hasonly begun and he will be faced with along second shot to a two-tiered green.

he 16th is another staff favorite. Designed around anumber of large mature trees,this dogleg-left par 4 is reminiscent of many classicpark-style private courses.The tee shot will requireplayers to aim toward theright side of the fairway. They will face a challengingdownhill second shot to agreen surrounded by bunkers.

PAR 4 16HOLE

YARDAGE 498

B

T


PAR 3 17HOLE

YARDAGE 211

he long uphill 17th hole maywell be the most challenging par3 on the course. The upside-down, bowl-shaped green isframed with a visually stunningbunker complex on the left sideand a stand of pine trees directlybehind the green. Players will berewarded by knocking their teeshot close to the hole, as longerputts on this green are difficult to get down in two.

erhaps the most interesting hole on thecourse, the par-5 finishing hole providesplenty of visual stimulation standing on thetee. Players will have to make a consciouseffort to aim their tee shot toward the fatpart of the fairway and will face an intimi-dating second shot uphill to a blind landingarea. The green is relatively small, providinga good chance of finishing with birdie.

PAR 5 18HOLE

YARDAGE 590

COMMONGROUND G.C.

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THE TWO-TIME USGA CHAMPION IS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUTTHE JOINT PGA OF AMERICA-USGA INITIATIVE

BY HUNKI YUN

HALL OF FAMER

Amy Alcott supportsTee It Forward

PHOT

O CO

URTE

Sy O

f AM

y Al

COTT


undreds of people call theUnited States Golf Associa-

tion every day. They have questionsabout the Rules of Golf. They wantto buy tickets for the U.S. Open.They are curious about the stan-dards for equipment.No matter his or her question or

comment, nearly every caller has apassion and love for the game –even the Hall of Famers. Not longafter The PGA of America and theUSGA launched TEE IT FOR-WARD last July, Amy Alcott calledthe USGA to offer her support forthe national initiative encouragingplayers to play from the set of teesaligned to their driving distance.The winner of two USGA cham-

pionships, the 1973 U.S. Girls’ Jun-ior at Somerset Hills Country Clubin Bernardsville, N.J., and the 1980U.S. Women’s Open at RichlandCountry Club in Nashville, Tenn.,Alcott is a longtime member of theUSGA’s extended family. Nowmostly retired from tournamentgolf, the 56-year-old Californianhas been a consultant at manyclubs and is an advocate for makingcourses more accessible andplayable, especially for women.Her philosophy aligns perfectly

with the goals of TEE IT FOR-WARD, which has become a year-long initiative in 2012 after asuccessful two-week pilot programlast summer in which more than230,000 golfers moved up to ashorter set of tees and shot lowerscores, played more quickly and

had more fun.Recently, Alcott worked with ar-

chitect Gil Hanse on a restorationof the classic A.W. Tillinghast-de-signed course at Ridgewood Coun-try Club in Paramus, N.J., whichhas hosted three USGA champi-onships, including the 1990 U.S.Senior Open. Alcott and Hansewanted to add a shorter set of teesfor women. Hanse was havingtrouble convincing the committeeuntil Alcott joined the discussion.“When Amy walked into a room,

there was an instant sense of au-thority,” recalled Hanse. “All of asudden everybody changed theirminds and they were all very en-thusiastic.”Enthusiasm certainly is one of

Alcott’s notable traits, and she re-peatedly uses the word “fun” to de-scribe TEE IT FORWARD. If anygolfer wants to enjoy the gamemore, there are few better examplesthan Alcott. After all, she is thewoman who first leaped into thelake after winning the KraftNabisco Championship, startingone of the best – and, yes, most fun– traditions in golf.

USGA: I GUESS THE OBVIOUS FIRSTQUESTION IS, WHICH TEES DO YOUPLAY FROM? Amy Alcott: I play from the men’stees or sometimes a little more for-ward. It’s never been an ego thingfor me. I go by the distance of thecourse, and it’s all about being ableto hit a par 4 in two.

H


IS THE ABILITY TO REACH THE PAR 4SCOMFORTABLY A REASONABLE STAN-DARD IN CHOOSING A SET OF TEES?I think that’s what the game is all

about. At the same time, there shoulddefinitely be some challenge to it.What makes a great golf course iscontinuity and variety: right-to-leftholes, left-to-right holes. I’m a big believer in short par 4s.

Holes like No. 10 at Riviera Coun-try Club (in Pacific Palisades, Calif.),where I grew up playing. At Ridge-wood there’s a short 4 (the Centernine’s 291-yard sixth, known as the“Five and Dime.”) Those are greatholes.

ISN’T THERE ALSO A PLACE FORLONG PAR 4S?I also think that there should be

holes where you have to hit twoamazing shots. And if you don’t,you’re chipping. That’s part of theart of improvement, learning howto get the ball up and down aroundthe greens.But if there are more than a cou-

ple of those from the tee you’replaying from, then you might bestretching it. If you’re having to re-ally dig deep and the only way tomake par is to get the ball up anddown, it’s not really fun.

YOU MENTIONED RIVIERA’S 10TH, PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS DRIVABLEPAR 4 IN GOLF. AS A PLAYER ANDARCHITECT, DO YOU FIND THAT SHORTHOLES ARE MORE INTERESTING THANLONG HOLES WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TOHIT IT AS HARD AS YOU CAN?

Oh, yeah. I like to stand on that teeduring the Northern Trust Openand watch the guy pros play thehole. Some of them drive the greenor they just hit the perfect lay-upshot. But if they miss on the wrongside, they’ll make five or six on ahole where they had a shot at mak-ing two. That’s the uniqueness of the

game – not the length factor, whichhas taken a lot of the artistry out ofthe game. I’ve suggested to a lot ofgood men players that one out of10 rounds they go play the forwardtees. They come back and tell mehow much their short games haveimproved.

YOU’VE PLAYED WITH A LOT OF MENOF ALL ABILITIES. ARE A LOT OF THEMPLAYING THE WRONG SET OF TEES? I think sometimes when people

are excited to play a famous course,they want to play as far back aspossible. It’s never been to meabout how long the course is. Agreat course is a great course re-gardless of where you play from.The goal is to get past the machoaspect that length is what the gameis all about. In Scotland and Eng-land, it’s a ground game and dis-tance is not as important. One of the developments of the

past few decades has been the ad-dition of more sets of tees. Thereused to be two or three, but nowthere are five or six. You almost can have too many. I

believe that four or five sets of teesare reasonable, provided they are


applicable. I just did some consul-tation with Gil Hanse at Ridge-wood. They have a very activewomen’s group there, and we out-lined several new tees that madethe course more playable. At most golf courses, I think the

women’s tees have been almost anafterthought. They are too long forthe average woman golfer. In thatcategory, I would include also higher-handicap males, junior golfers, sen-ior golfers. So you don’t just wantto call them the women’s tees.

IS THERE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDEBETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN WHEN ITCOMES TO DISTANCE?I don’t think the philosophy re-

ally changes between men andwomen. I think golf courses needto become more distance-friendlyoverall. I think golf courses almostneed to develop a more generic setof tees instead of calling themblack, blue, red or whatever. Sopeople can look at the scorecard,just see the length – 5,500 yards,6,400 yards, 7,000 yards – and de-cide what they can handle. Ulti-mately, that would be more fun formore people.

IS PLAYABILITY FOR ALL LEVELS OFGOLFERS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHAL-LENGES OF DESIGNING A COURSE?That’s what you have to keep in

mind. Most golf courses have beenbuilt from the back going forward,and women really have never beenconsidered. And not just women,but juniors and half the men who

should be playing more forwardanyway. I think you can still make the

course challenging from the most-forward tees. You want the bunkersto come into play. You want thelanding area where the fairwayturns. You want to create some-thing that’s fun for everybody.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS TOMAKE GOLF MORE FUN? I always suggest it at courses that

I’ve gone to, but I think a fun one-day tournament would be to con-vert every hole into a par 3. Forexample, if you turned every hole atSomerset Hills into a par 3, youcould make some great golf holes.You could do that with a lot of

courses. Golf isn’t just about hitting a lot

of drivers. I grew up playing on myfront lawn, chipping and puttinginto soup cans, out of the ivy andover rose bushes and hedges – thelittle Alcott Golf and Country Club.I just loved having a wedge in myhands.

IS THERE ANY VALUE IN PLAYING ALONG COURSE?You could argue that if the average

golfer plays a golf course with 430-yard par 4s and they always missthe green, that’s good practice. It’sdefinitely great practice to play acourse that’s too long for you.But as far as the enjoyment of

scoring, playing it forward is defi-nitely the way to go. You’ll havemore fun.


rom the first tee shot to thefinal putt, millions of golf fans

follow the U.S. Open in June eachyear with great interest. At the con-clusion of the championship, thesefans, who had been so keenly fo-cused on the U.S. Open and theUnited States Golf Association fora week, will turn their attentionelsewhere.The reverse, however, is not true.

The USGA remains dedicated toserving millions of everyday golfersthrough many year-round activi-ties, programs and initiatives thatare as much pillars of the Associa-

tion’s mission as the U.S. Open.While a tiny percentage of golferscompete in a U.S. Open, U.S.Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur or anyof the other 10 national champi-onships conducted by the USGA,many tee it up under the Rules ofGolf, maintain a USGA HandicapIndex® and putt on greens developedand maintained with the help of theUSGA’s funding and expertise.“I don’t think people realize that

we spend an average of $70 millionannually on activities and programsfor all golfers,” says USGA Execu-tive Director Mike Davis.

Outside the RopesIN ADDITION TO CONDUCTING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, THE USGA HAS BEEN FOSTERING THE GAME OF GOLF FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY

BY HUNKI YUN, USGA

F


In addition to representing theultimate expression of the USGA’slongstanding mission of identifyingnational champions, here are someways that these championshipshighlight Association activities thathelp to protect, promote and gov-ern the game.

COURSE CARE AND SUSTAINABILITYDuring the U.S. Open, a small

army of superintendents andagronomists help to prepare thecourse as a stern, fair test of golf.While most golfers know aboutthese efforts, not many are familiarwith the USGA’s work on behalf ofall courses. The USGAGreen Section’s re-gional agronomistsshare their expertisewith thousands ofcourses annuallythrough the Turf Ad-visory Service, whichallows millions ofgolfers to enjoy thegame on well-condi-tioned courses.In addition, the

Green Section hasfunded dozens of research pro-grams that help to make golf moresustainable. Grasses developed withUSGA funding require less waterand fewer inputs, reducing the costof course maintenance. Pat Gross, a California-based

agronomist for the Green Section,cites 2012 U.S. Open site TheOlympic Club, in San Francisco, asa high-profile example of a facility

embracing a sustainable approachto course care by using recycledwater for irrigation. Also, a recentredesign has allowed Pinehurst No.2, the host of the 2014 U.S. Openand U.S. Women’s Open, to reducethe water it uses for irrigation by 50percent.

GROWTH AND INCLUSIONFrom the start, the lone require-

ment for playing in USGA champi-onships has been skill. “We onlycare about what’s on the scorecard,”says Mike Butz, the USGA’s seniormanaging director of Open cham-pionships and association relations.

Davis cites the sec-ond U.S. Open, in 1896,as an early example ofthis democratic phi-losophy. That year,several players threat-ened to boycott thechampionship due tothe participation ofJohn Shippen, anAfrican American, andOscar Bunn, a NativeAmerican. USGAPresident Theodore

Havemeyer upheld the entries ofBunn and Shippen, who finishedtied for sixth.In 2011, players from more than

80 countries applied to play inUSGA championships. The USGAalso encourages new players fromdivergent backgrounds through itssupport of The First Tee, the Boys& Girls Clubs of America andLPGA-USGA Girls Golf, as well

“I DON’T THINKPEOPLE REALIZE

THAT WE SPEND ANAVERAGE OF $70MILLION ANNUALLYON ACTIVITIES ANDPROGRAMS FORALL GOLFERS.”

– USGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTORMIKE DAVIS


as numerous local junior golf programs.“It is incumbent upon us to ad-

vocate a vision for the game that istruly open and welcoming,” saysUSGA President Glen Nager. “Thatis how we can sustain the game.”

THE RULES OF GOLFThe USGA published its first

edition of the Rules of Golf in1895, before it conducted its firstchampionship. For more than acentury, golf has stood alone as asport in which honor and integrityare not ideals, but values that mil-lions of golfers exhibit every day. “Only in golf is it common for

competitors to call penalties onthemselves,” says John Boden-hamer, senior managing directorof Rules, competitions and equip-ment standards. “This honesty iswhat makes golf unique amongsports.”Whether in a USGA champi-

onship or in a weekly leaguematch, the same Rules apply, mak-ing the Rules a common threadthat unites millions of golfersaround the world, regardless oftheir level of play.

HANDICAPPINGThe USGA Handicap System™

has always been linked to compe-tition, since it allows golfers of different skill levels to play againsteach other, a rarity in sports. Although handicaps are not applied at USGA championships,the Handicap System plays an integral role in determining eligi-bility. Each championship has a

maximum Handicap Index®, rang-ing from 1.4 for the U.S. Open to18.4 for the Girls’ Junior and Senior Women’s Amateur.

HISTORY AND TRADITIONSPreserving golf’s history and

traditions is one of the USGA’s keymissions. Much of American golfhistory has been made at USGAchampionships, including FrancisOuimet’s landmark victory in the1913 U.S. Open, Bill Wright be-coming the first African-AmericanUSGA champion at the 1959 U.S.Amateur Public Links Champi-onship, and 13-year-old Aree Songbecoming the youngest USGAchampion at the 1999 U.S. Girls’Junior.A celebration of the game’s

milestones, as well as a review ofthe shifting role that golf hasplayed in the larger world, are ondisplay at the USGA Museum, located at the Association’s head-quarters in Far Hills, N.J.

VOLUNTEERSThe USGA relies heavily on

volunteers to conduct its champi-onships, from the army of 5,500 atthe U.S. Open to smaller crews atamateur championships. This servicemirrors the commitment to thegame displayed by the 1,200 vol-unteer committee members whohelp the USGA’s nearly 300 staffmembers carry out the Associa-tion’s functions.“The USGA is a volunteer organ-

ization,” says Davis. “We couldn’tdo what we do if it weren’t forpeople giving back to the game.”

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