Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2022 - 30

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Hello, Summer!
* BY MIKE MALONE *
While April seemed to drag on
forever, we golfers are most appreciative that the rainy, cold
and cloudy Spring eliminated the drought in much of our State.
Our patience has been rewarded, and we can celebrate the long
daylight hours, the warm nights and our love of the game outdoors.
Players and spectators alike have many opportunities to get
into the swing this summer. I especially encourage you to support
our two State Amateur Championships: the MGA Men's
Amateur will be played at Olympic Hills Golf Club in Eden
Prairie July 18-20, and the MGA Women's Amateur will be
hosted by Rochester Golf and Country Club July 27-29. The
incredibly talented men and women competing in these two
events are the best amateur golfers in the state. Their success is
reflective of their dedication and the accessibility of the game
in Minnesota.
At the professional level, the 3M Open, a PGA Tour event
showcasing some of golf's best talent, visits the TPC Twin
Cities, an Arnold Palmer designed beauty, July 21-24. Look for
two-time MGA Amateur champ Tom Hoge, 32, of Fargo, N.D.,
who is having a banner year.
For fans of LPGA Tour legends, the Land O'Lakes Legends
Classic returns to the Meadows at Mystic Lake, Aug. 11-13. This
event features talented LPGA touring professionals over the age
of 45.
You may have read about Minnesota's newest golf course
additions in the previous issue of the magazine: The Loop in
Chaska and the Gravel Pit in Brainerd. The former is a par 28
with designed for golfers with disabilities, environmentally sustainable
and fun for golfers of all abilities, and the latter is a
13-hole short course meant to challenge with classic risk-reward
choices. Just as The Loop and The Gravel Pit are new concepts, I
encourage you to rethink how you play your home course- " to
change your normal. " Try playing from a different set of tees, or
using just your irons, or leaving some clubs out of your bag. The
challenge may add a new spark in your game!
Every non-profit organization owes much of its success to the
efforts of its volunteers, and the MGA is no exception. We benefit
year-round as a result of our volunteers. MGA rules officials
30
PRESIDENT'S
DESK
" Try playing from a
different set of tees,
or using just your irons,
or leaving some clubs
out of your bag. "
are highly trained volunteers, who unselfishly spend their time
attending rules seminars and participating in online rules education.
This winter I participated in Wednesday evening " Rules
on Tap " online video conference education to expand my rules
knowledge. In addition to learning, I was excited to touch base
with people from around the world. Dinner may have been a
late affair during our weekly sessions, but I had no complaints
when I realized that participants in London and Perth were
learning in the wee hours of the morning. A special thank you
to Doug Hoffmann, MGA Rules & Competitions Director, for
hosting the series.
Have a great summer. I wish you and yours all the best.
MINNESOTAGOLFER Summer 2022
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2022

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