The Las Vegas City Amateur was back at the oldest golf course in Las Vegas on October 20-23, 2011. This years event was as amazing as the past. The playing fields were littered with past champions, local heroes, and hungry newcomers.

Four straight days of gorgeous weather helped make the event a true success. Four divisions were in competition throughout the week includ-ing the Scratch, Net, Senior, and Super Senior. Each division provided some exciting action and great golf was conducted at the historical Las Vegas Golf Club AKA “Muni”. Story continues on page 3

In This Issue >>>

The Official Newsletter of the Southern Nevada Golf Association

1. Las Vegas City Amateur 2. Las Vegas Golf & Tennis 3. City Amateur (Cont.) 4. Metlife Auto & Home® 5. Misunderstood Rules 6. Butch Harmon 7. WSNGA Silver Cup 8. Bring Golf to a Child 9. Red Rock Golf Classic 10. Matthew Anderson Memorial 11. Clubs for Kids 12. Nevada Homeless Alliance 13. Coronado Charity Event 14. Thank you Local Golf Courses 15. What’s on Tap!

The Grind

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SNGA Home Course Specials for Palm Valley Golf Club and Highland Falls Golf Club

SNGA members receive special rates on tee times with reservations up to

7 days in advance with no restrictions

Special Rates $50 Anytime

$36 after 1:00PM

Visit www.golfsummerlin.com for more information

Call 702-254-7010 for your tee time

2011 Issue Oct.

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2011 Las Vegas City Amateur (Continued from Page 1) 25 years after winning his first Las Vegas City Amateur title, Brady Exber is back on top of Las Vegas amateur golf, winning his 4th Las Vegas City Amateur Championship (1986, ‘00, ‘05, ‘11). Exber fired two consecutive rounds of 66 (-6) to fend off up and coming bomber Joseph Harrison to win the event. The victory is very significant for Exber’s legacy with the SNGA considering the field. The SNGA was pleased to host an event that showcased the talents of players of a heightened caliber nationally. Doug Pool, fresh off his attendance at both the United State Senior Open Championship and the United States Senior Amateur Championship, was in attendance. Pacific Coast participant Joe Sawaia graced the field

as did the 2011 Nevada State Match Play Champion Steven Fink. The en-tire field was full of so much talent and competitive spirit, its no wonder Exber was quoted as saying “It’s really hard to win these tournaments!”. Harrison took the overnight lead on Saturday with an impressive 65 (-7) opening round, but would begin slow on Sunday’s final round opening the door for Exber to walk in and take the lead. Exber blistered the front side on Sunday, firing a 5 under 31, and claiming the lead that he would never again relinquish. Exber would play consistent on the back side and a late rally by Harrison fell short as he hit his second shot into the par 5 18th over the green and out of bounds. A final round 69 by Harrison would give him sole possession of 2nd for the tournament. Michael Hyland made a very positive return to SNGA Tournament play firing a two day total of 135 (-9), finishing alone in third, 3 shots back.

In the Net Division, Keith Hogge rose to the occasion firing two Net rounds of 66, 69 defeating Michael Kearns by 3 shots. Hogge was amped all week for the event, and was even the first player at the course on Saturday morning joking with the professional staff at Las Vegas Golf Club about where the practice balls were. Kearns shot two consecutive Net 69’s to finish in sole possession of second place, his highest finish in any SNGA Tournament this year. Ed Pailes also had his best performance in 2011, firing a two day total of Net 139 (-5), which gave him 3rd place, 4 shots back. The Senior Scratch Division showcased the talents of a great number of play-ers, including Gary Carpendale, whose final round 66 (-6) coupled with an opening round 70 (-2) blitz the field by 5 shots and gave him the Senior Scratch City Am Crown. John Turk finished in second with a two day total of 141 (-3). Jay Grybowski finished in 3rd at 142 (-2). In the Senior Net competition, SNGA regular, and upstanding Las Vegas

resident, Scott Godino came on strong on the second day finishing with a two day total of Net 137 (-7) to beat Jim Massey by 1 shot. Massey fired a blistering Net 66 (-6) on day one, but cooled off considerably

on Friday, opening the door for Godino. Burke Cahill, Senior Net Points Leader, finished in 3rd at 139 (-5). Jim Miller exhorted his dominance in the Super Senior Scratch Division, tak-ing home top honors once again. Miller fired a two day total of 146 (+2) to take a commanding lead in the Super Senior Player of the Year points race. Steve Johnson, champion of the inaugural City Amateur Championship in this division back in 2009, finished in 2nd place at 147 (+3). Ron Ramsey would finish in 3rd place at 149 (+5). William Harvey, father of the 3 time SNGA Major Champion Billy Harvey, showed that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as he posted a double digit under Net total of 132 (-12) to defeat the field by 3 shots. Leo May and Tom Khamis finished in 2nd place at 135 (-9). The SNGA would like to thank all the participants for a wonderful weekend filled with excitement and intrigue. We would also like to thank the Las Ve-

gas Golf Club staff for their professionalism and courtesy. We would like to extend a much deserved thank you to the volunteers, with out them, these events wouldn't be nearly as successful. Finally, we would like to thank our Sponsors, MetLife Auto & Home, Las Vegas Golf & Tennis, and Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion for their support.

Brady Exber 2011 Las Vegas City Amateur

Champion

Keith Hogge Net Division Winner

William Harvey Super Senior Net Division Winner

Gary Carpendale Senior Scratch Division

Jim Miller Super Senior Scratch

Scott Godino Senior Net Division

Winner

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Misunderstood Rules Provided by SNGA

The most famous golf event involving a loose impediment occurred at the 1999 Phoenix Open. Tiger Woods was faced with a long 2nd shot on the Par 5, 13th hole with a huge boulder directly in front of him. With the help of several marshals and gallery members, Mr. Woods was able to move the boulder, a “loose impediment” and proceeded to birdie the hole. Today, we will take an in depth look at some USGA Deci-sions regarding Rule 23 – Loose Impediments. DECISION 23/13 – CLOD OF EARTH: Is a clod of earth a loose impediment? Yes. Loose soil is not a loose impediment except on the putting green. However, a clod of earth is not loose soil. DECISION 23-1/1 – MEANS BY WHICH A LOOSE IMPEDIMENT MAY BE REMOVED: Loose impediments may be moved by any means, except that, in removing loose impediments on the line of putt, the player must not press anything down. This includes removing loose impediments with your hand, golf towel, golf glove, hat, golf club, etc. DECISION 23-1/4 – BREAKING OFF PART OF LARGE LOOSE IMPEDIMENT: If part of a large branch which has fallen from a tree (and thus is a loose impediment) interferes with a player’s swing, may the player break off the interfering part rather than move the whole tree. Yes, remov-ing parts of a large loose impediment is permissible. DECISION 23-1/5.5 – STATUS OF INSECT ON BALL IN BUNKER: Since the ball lies in the hazard, the insect (defined as a loose impediment) may NOT be removed. However, as the insect is animate and capable of moving on its own, the player may take action, such as waving his hand or a club or towel, to encourage the insect to move. DECISION 23-1/6 – REMOVAL OF LOOSE IMPEDIMENTS FROM AREA IN WHICH BALL TO BE DROPPED: Through the green, is it permissible for a player to remove loose impediments from the area in which he is preparing to drop his ball? Yes. DECISION 13-2/5 – REPLACING OR REMOVING UNDETACHED DIVOT: Though a completely detached divot is considered a loose impediment, a partially attached or otherwise replaced divot is NOT a loose impediment and cannot be removed without penalty. Be sure not to touch a repaired or partially at-tached divot prior to making a stroke at your golf ball, this includes stepping down on the divot. DEFINITIONS: NATURAL ICE vs. MANUFACTURED ICE: Natural ice is defined in the rules of golf as either casual water or a loose impediment at the option of the player. Manufactured ice is defined as an obstruction. Remember to take care in removing loose impediments, because if you cause the ball to move in an area other than on the putting green, you will incur a one stroke penalty (RULE 18-2a). For more information and decisions regarding Rule 23, please consult the Decisions on the Rules of Golf (pages 319-327).

Rule 23: Loose Impediments

Have a rules question? Contact the SNGA!

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Las Vegas’ Butch Harmon Named Top Teacher Again; Meet Him and David Feherty Nov 10-11 By Brian Hurlburt

The Golf Digest November 2011 issue will feature the Top 50 Golf Teachers in America. Heading the list yet again is Las Vegas Golf Region resident Butch Harmon. This marks the 12th-straight year Harmon has earned the honor. The poll is conducted with 1,500 of Harmon's peers. Harmon operates the Butch Harmon School of Golf at Las Vegas' Rio Secco Golf Club. You can meet Harmon and David Feherty if you sign up for a special Troops First Foundation – Op-eration Front Door benefit at Rio Secco Golf Club. Not only will Harmon be there but also wounded veterans will be on hand. The Foundation is helping military families get into homes. Visit www.OperationFrontDoor.org for all details of how to support this tournament. Harmon works with the game of golf's biggest stars. That list includes Phil Mickelson, Nick Watney, Natalie Gulbis, and Dustin Johnson among others. Watney is a fellow Las Vegas Golf Region resi-dent who led the FedEx Cup points list for much of the 2011 PGA Tour season. For more than a dec-ade, he has been named the best golf instructor in America. "I began working with Butch through a friend, Sam Reeves, who I met in Fresno where I went to col-lege," Watney has said about Harmon in previous interviews. "... I really honestly believe that he's the best teacher in the world. And I think his track record shows that is the case. So I'm very, very lucky to work with him." Click now to view the official website of theButch Harmon School of Golf in Las Vegas. The Harmon School is located at Rio Secco but also works out of Cascata, one of the world's best golf courses. The cool thing about Harmon is that he and his staff at the School teach the same secrets to everyday golfers as they do to the world's best players. Harmon and his staff of professionals are winding down their 2011 teaching sessions but there is still time to register--or wait until 2012 when their schools are announced. Custom schools are also available. You can call 888-867-3226, option 2 for details or email the school directly at info@butchharmon.com Brian Hurlburt is the Founding Editor of GolfLasVegasNow.com.

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The 2011 Silver Cup Matches were recently contested at Thunder Canyon Golf Club. As always, this event is a favorite among women of Nevada and this year was no different. Each team came to the matches prepared to do battle on the course and to have an opportunity to re-connect with old friends as well as make new ones. The NNWGA, (Northern NV WGA), team jumped out to an early lead, 6-4, in the foursome matches and followed up with 6 additional points in the four-ball format. This left the WSNGA team with some serious work to do in the singles matches the final day. 20 matches went out the final morning and in the end, the NNWGA team was victorious. Hospitality abounded with the NNWGA providing a team of volunteers to provide snacks on the first tee and encourage-ment to all as the players teed off each day. Sandy Hardesty offered her home for the opening social where we all had great fun catching up with each other and enjoyed a fabulous meal.

The Silver Cup Matches are truly a premier event in Nevada. We all are looking forward to the 2012 event! Get your game ready to qualify for next year’s team! It is one of the best golf events in which you can participate! There is no ri-val for the thrill of being part of this team. Our next Fun Day event will be Monday, November 14 at TPC Summerlin. You may enter as a single, twosome, three-some or foursome. This will be an opportunity to play TPC for the VERY affordable price of $50! Come on out and have some fun! No pressure, you can just play with your friends or enter the “pot” game, ($10,) for a little incentive.

Visit www.wsnga.org for more information!

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SNGA Members Step Up To The Plate

To Help Junior Golfers Dear SNGA Member, In last month’s article, I talked about the two new programs that were implemented by SNGA, WSNGA, and The First Tee of Southern Nevada (TFTSN). Many girls and their coaches took us up on our offer to help with the girl’s golf games and the teaching of the coaches so they can be more helpful with their future players. A huge thanks to the Desert Pines staff and Toby Bolton who has generously extended the Monday afternoon free instruction for the High School girl golfers for a few more weeks. 3-5 dedicated girls are still coming out weeks after their season has ended because they want to continue learning and improve their games. Some of the girls that are taking advantage of the instruction have joined The First Tee of Southern Nevada so they can take part in TFTSN’s open clinics that normally take place three days a week at different locations in town (WildHorse Golf Club, Las Vegas Golf Club, & Aliante). These two hour clinics are offered to all members of TFTSN for a nominal fee of $40 for the entire year. Janet Weber and I have been raising money so we can sponsor girls who have the desire to play golf and enter tournaments in 2012, but whose parents cannot afford the costs associated with golf. If you would also like to sponsor a child through The First Tee of Southern Nevada for the 2012 golf season, please refer to the “Bring Golf To A Child” (page 6) menu and contact Danielle Gladd at dgladd@tftsn.org. I also asked SNGA members who had clubs to donate to please contact John from The First Tee of Southern Nevada. Well I am happy to say that 17 sets of clubs were donated to help those children who do not have any golf equipment. Boy’s Golf is just around the corner so if anyone else has equipment to donate, please e-mail John Griston at jgriston@tftsn.org. If you cannot make it to The First Tee of Southern Nevada’s office, let John know and he can make arrangements for a pick up. Thanks for your generous donation of golf equipment. Sincerely, Nicole Dutt-Roberts, SNGA Executive Director

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Nevada Homeless Alliance I have personally spent the last 18 months learning about homelessness in Southern Nevada and it is mind blowing that homelessness has tripled since 2009. It is no longer just adults living on the streets, but now families, the elderly, and youths are making up a large percentage of this increase. Honestly, it is no won-der with Las Vegas leading the Country in unemployment and foreclosures. On November 9th at Cashman Center, Nevada Homeless Alliance is putting on Project Homeless Connect, which is an annual resource fair for homeless individuals and families living in Southern Nevada. There is an expected 3,500 homeless individuals, 700 volunteers, and 90 service related organizations (dental, medical, veterinarian care, housing, etc…) partaking in this much needed event. Each homeless individual will have an opportunity to visit the “Giveways Section” to obtain food and personal care items. Below is a list of items that are needed; Socks, T-Shirts, Hats, Coats, Sweatshirts, Blankets, First Aid Supplies, Bus Tickets – Day Use, & All Hy-giene Items (Travel Size Preferred). If you can help make someone’s life a little better by donating any of the above items, please contact Mich-ele Smith at mlsmith@visionairlines.com or 702-324-6850. Please allow 24 hours for a return phone call or email. Contributions to Nevada Homeless Alliance are tax deductible as provided by law. Let’s all be grateful for our own lives and help those who are not as fortunate as we may be. Nicole Dutt-Roberts

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Southwest League Northwest League Southeast League Northeast League Bishop Gorman –

Bear's Best Arbor View – Silver-

stone Basic – Black Mountain Canyon Springs – Los Prados

Bonanza – Can-yon Gate Centennial – Paiute Coronado – Revere Chaparral – Wildhorse

Clark – Angel Park Cheyenne – Aliante Del Sol – Wildhorse Desert Pines – Desert

Pines Desert Oasis - Eagle Crest & Southern High-

lands

Cimarron-Memorial – Paiute

Foothill – Black Moun-tain Rancho – Sunrise Vista

Pahrump Valley – Mtn Falls

Faith Lutheran - The Palms Green Valley – Legacy Sunrise Mtn - Sunrise

Vista Sierra Vista –

Rhodes Ranch Legacy - Aliante Liberty – Revere Valley – Las Vegas National, Rio Secco

Spring Valley – Siena

Palo Verde – Bad-lands SECTA – Wildhorse

Western – Las Vegas Golf Club

Shadow Ridge – Painted Desert

Silverado – Desert Wil-low

A Big Thank You To Local Golf Course Who Opened Their Doors

To High School Players Dear SNGA Member, It was not so many years ago (ok- maybe 30) that as a youngster I use to trot myself and my golf clubs over to Sahara Nevada (now known as Las Vegas National) excited for another day of practice, socializing, and a few holes on a beautiful course. Back then, I was always welcomed by the staff who made me feel at home. For kids who did not come from parents with money, it was unbelievable to have the opportunity to hang out at golf courses and hone in the skills of a game we all loved rarely paying for practice balls or green fees. As Southern Nevada has grown, the economy has tanked in the last few years, and many courses are concerned about their bottom lines, it is comforting to know that other kids are receiving the same support from our local golf courses that I did so many years ago. With the close of the High School Girl’s Golf season, I would like to personally thank all the golf courses listed below who allowed the girls and coaches use of their practice facility and golf course at no charge. Without their support, there would not be High School Golf Teams. Let’s keep the kids off the street and on the golf course, Nicole Dutt-Roberts SNGA Executive Director

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thoughts... final

Las Vegas National Golf Club Site of the 2009 SNGA Season Opener

What’s on Tap >>>

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2625 N. Green Valley Pkwy. Suite 100 Henderson, NV 89014

702-458-4653 www.snga.org

“No-one will ever have golf under his thumb. No round ever will be so good it could not have been better. Per-haps this is why golf is the greatest of games. You are not playing a human adversary; you are playing a game. You are playing old man par.” - Bobby Jones

The SNGA Championship concludes the 2011 SNGA Tournament Series this year and will be conducted November 10-13, 2011 at Black Mountain Country Club on the Horizon and Founders golf courses. The final major of the season has a lot at stake for SNGA Player of the Year Honors in many of our divisions. Registration closes on November 4, 2011 at 11:59PM PST so register today! For more information and to register for this event please visit www.snga.org.

2011 SNGA Championship Black Mountain Country Club