Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 22

THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2008 C7 COURSE SNAPSHOT Summer deals benefit juniors jnfr- 1 REPUBLIC FILE PHOTO Ken McDonald Golf Course Where: 800 E. Divot Drive, Tempe. Course type: Public, traditional-style design with mature trees and wide fairways. Designed by Arthur "Jack" Snyder, it opened in 1974 and is owned by the city of Tempe, Vital statistics: Three sets of tees at 6,743, 6,316 and 5,782 yards; 50 bunkers; water in play on eight holes; rated at 71.5 with slope of 125 from back tees. Amenities: Lighted driving range, two practice greens and short-game practice area; pro shop; full-service restaurant.

Current greens fees: $12 before 1 p.m.; $8 after 1 p.m.; junior and senior discounts and monthly passes available. Why play here: The wide fairways and traditional design make this a player-friendly course, and it is among the Valley's better values. It also features one of the Valley's more active men's clubs with about 100 players. Tee timesinformation: tempegolf.net or 480-350-5250. SI ,11, l'l JACK KURTZTHE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Courses such as Aguila, in Laveen, are helping juniors play summer golf for little to no money.

RULES QUIZ You are unable to find your golf ball in the allotted five minutes but continue to search. After two more minutes, you find the ball and play it from that spot. What is the ruling? See answer below. GETTING EQUIPPED Hot summer rates A sampling of low-cost golf programs for juniors this summer: Ken McDonald, a Tempe municipal course, charges $5 for nine holes and $8 for 18. Tempe also offers a $15 pass good for unlimited golf for 30 days at Ken McDonald and Rolling Hills courses.

At Coyote Lakes in Surprise, the junior plays for free with a paying adult, and the adult receives the lowest greens fees of the day, which is about $1 per hole. If junior plays rate is $10 for 18 holes. I Phoenix nine-hole courses at Aguila, Encanto and Palo Verde offer a $5 rate, but juniors can play for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Phoenix courses also offer lessons for as low as $5 for beginners and a 30-day pass good at all courses for $26. The Futures Course at the 500 Club in northwest Phoenix allows juniors to play unlimited free golf if they attend an etiquette course, which costs $20.

Dobson Ranch, a Mesa municipal course, has rates of $3.25 for nine holes and $5.50 for 18. Riverview, another Mesa facility, charges $4 for nine holes and $3 for a repeat nine. Thirty-day passes good at both courses on weekdays are $35. Juniors can play nine holes for $4 every day at Shalimar Country Club in Tempe. Palm Valley in Goodyear charges $5.50 per round for juniors if they play with a paying adult.

Juniors who attend a Palm Valley golf school can play unlimited free golf when accompanied by an adult. Toka Sticks in Mesa has a weekday rate of $5 for juniors and a 50 percent discount on weekends, good year-round. At the ASU Karsten Course in Tempe, the rate is $1 for juniors when they play with a paying adult, at the rate of $1 per hole. First Tee of Phoenix, open to kids 3-17, has a membership fee of $50 and members then play year-round for $1 per round. The program is free for kids 3-5 and also offers monthly "fun days" and tournaments.

If the Valley's searing summer heat is a major issue, Antelope Hills, a 36-hole Prescott facility, might provide the solution. It offers low-cost camps and "play days" for juniors, and has an afternoon junior rate of $7 for 18 holes. Note: Greens fees in Arizona can change rapidly. Golfers are advised to check current rates before booking. TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spider putter The spiel: This new putter pushes weight to the perimeter, which combined with a light, strong aluminum core, reduces twisting for consistent distance on off-center hits.

Two movable weights allow the player to change the head weight for a more customized feel, and a tita CQ3 nium face insert promotes forward spin for a smoother roll off the putter face. Available in lengths of 33, 34 and 35 inches. Cost: $199. SHARE YOUR STORIES If you have a tale to tell or would like to share your favorite things about golfing in Arizona, let us hear from you at golfarizonarepublic.com. Please be brief (150 words or fewer) and include your name and phone number.

If your submission is chosen for publication, you will receive a small but fabulous prize. QUIZ ANSWER The ball was lost and therefore out of play when the five-minute period expired. When you played a stroke with that ball, you played the wrong ball, incurring a loss of hole in match play or a 2-stroke penalty in stroke play under Rule 15-3 of the Rules of Golf. Also in stroke play, if you fail to correct the error before hitting your next tee shot, you are disqualified under Rule 27-1. THE LAST WORD "Talk about putting my foot in my mouth." Retief Goosen, who suggested during the U.S.

Open that Tiger Woods was exaggerating his knee injury Programs offer youths ways to stay on course By John Davis The Arizona Republic The summer's school vacation break is about half over, but that still leaves plenty of time for junior golfers to take advantage of summer golf programs, which are growing every year, around the Valley. There are plenty of low-cost -and in some cases free options for kids to get into or stay in the game at a time when the price of just about everything is climbing. "Most every golf course has a fairly good junior-golf program because they realize if the future of our game," said Eddie Grant, director of the growing junior program for the Southwest Section of the PGA. "They have clinics and junior-golf passes, a huge range of things being offered." For starters, there is the Kids Play Free program offered by the city of Phoenix in which kids 17 and under can play unlimited free golf every day through Aug. 31 at its nine-hole courses when accompanied by a paying adult.

Among other summer rates for nine holes are: $3.50 at Dobson Ranch in Mesa; $4 at Shalimar Country Club in Tempe and Riv-erview in Mesa; and $5 at Ken McDonald in Tempe. "Our golf courses really do extend a welcome to kids during the summer," said Tom Cunningham, executive director of the Junior Golf Association of Arizona. "There are so many opportunities for clinics and playing golf, from class and receive an ID card that allows them to play unlimited free golf the entire summer. "It has been a lot of fun to be part of this and a neat experience to see the kids come out and, in many cases, bring their parents along," said Program Director Sheila Peterson. "You can't beat that." Along the same lines, the SWSPGA introduced its FUNda-mental Golf Program this year for juniors, in which they attend classes on playing in a fast, safe and courteous manner.

Graduates receive an ID card, which is honored by participating courses that offer reduced, and sometimes free, rates for golf, range balls and equipment. About 22 courses in Arizona have signed up for the program, which Grant hopes eventually will be adopted by all of the state's courses. As more courses come online, Grant said, the program plans to offer a discount pass for juniors similar to the popular Southwest Tour Pass. "What (golf courses) are coming to realize is that they might not be helping themselves tomorrow or next week, but in the years to come; this is the lifeblood of golf," Grant said. "Giving kids special programs and access to courses at a lower rate just fits with the entire idea of what junior golf is about." Information about more facilities offering junior summer programs is available at the SWSPGA Web site, southwest.pga.com.

The Arizona Golf Association also has a list of programs at azgolf.org (click on Upcoming Events). the private club on down to the municipal courses. "I think a lot of courses have found it to be a nice fill-in in recent years for those slower months. It also helps them attract adults who come with their kids to play." Many of those courses are trying to attract younger and older golfers alike by offering free golf to juniors accompanied by paying adults. "Courses are being creative in what they're doing to get families out there," Cunningham said.

"Knowing they can get families to their facilities, they have a better chance of capturing them to become regular customers." Two such programs are offered at Coyote Lakes in Surprise and the ASU Karsten Course in Tempe. At Coyote Lakes, juniors can play for free with a paying adult, and the adult greens fees during the summer are about $1 per hole. At ASU Karsten, the "Future Champions program," which now runs year-round, offers a similar twilight deal with juniors paying $1 when they play with a paying adult, who pays $1 per hole. "That's 10 bucks to play nine holes with your son or daughter," ASU Karsten Golf Director Daryl Crawford said. "We think it's a great program.

I only wish that more people would take advantage of it." The Futures Course at the 500 Club in Phoenix is in the fourth year of one of the Valley more successful junior programs, with about 1,200 kids involved. They pay $20 to attend an etiquette TIPS FROM THE PROS From SunRidge Canyon Golf Club head pro Jeff Newell. Reach him at 480-837-5100. Stay aggressive Too often, amateurs try to pick the ball out of the sand tentatively only to have the ball either stay in the bunker or rocket across the green. To correct this, don't try to hit the ball.

Instead, aggressively hit an inch behind the ball and don't decelerate or stop at the sand. Follow through, and the ball will ride up and onto the green on a clump of sand. Putting posture Putting is a personal skill, with many ways to get the ball in the hole. One common way is to stand fairly upright, making sure your eyes are directly over the ball and allowing your arms to dangle straight down without tension. Grip the putter lightly and swing with your shoulders on an inslde-to-square-to-inside arc.

On long putts focus more on feel, making sure to look at the target (which may not be the hole) as you take practice strokes. On short putts, focus more on the line and keep your head still by listening for the ball to drop in the hole instead of peeking. Trouble shot Every golfer needs a trouble shot he or she can easily execute, especially in a pressure situation or from the junk. A good one is a punch-draw. Play the ball back in your stance, close the clubface a little and hit down on the ball.

It's normally a half-swing with a low, abbreviated finish. It's an extremely easy shot to hit, and most importantly control, and it can keep you from making a bad situation worse. Outlook: Last year, France's Gregory Havret beat Phil Mickelson with a par on the first playoff hole. Mickelson bogeyed three of his last five holes, dropping strokes on No. 18 in regulation and the playoff.

Mickelson and Ernie Els, the 2000 and 2003 winner, are in the field along with Adam Scott, Angel Cabrera, Henrik Stenson, Michael Campbell, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. The highest top-10 finisher not otherwise exempt for the British Open will earn a spot. will earn spots in the July 31-Aug. 3 tournament at Sunningdale, England. Michelle Wie and former University of Arkansas star Stacy Lewis received sponsor exemptions for this event.

Wie missed the cut in the U.S. Women's Open in her most recent start. PGA EUROPEAN TOUR: Scottish Open Today-Sunday: Loch Lomond Golf Club, Glasgow, Scotland. TV: Golf Channel (today-Friday, 7-10 a.m.; Saturday, 6-9 a.m.; Sunday, a.m.). THIS WEEK ON TOUR PGA TOUR: John Deere Classic Today-Sunday: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, III.

TV: Golf Channel (today-Friday, noon-3 p.m.) and Channel 5 (Saturday-Sunday, noon-3 p.m.). Outlook: Kenny Perry, the Memorial and Buick Open winner, tops the field. He also will play the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee next week, skipping the British Open. The highest top-10 finisher not otherwise exempt for the Open will earn a spot at Royal Birk- dale.

Last year, Jonathan Byrd won his third PGA Tour title at this event, birdieing three of the final five holes for a 1-stroke victory over Tim Clark. LPGA TOUR: Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Today Sunday: Highland Meadows Golf Club, Sylvania, Ohio. TV: ESPN2 (Friday, 11 a.m.-l p.m.; Saturday, 1-3 p.m.; Sunday, 3-5 p.m.). Outlook: The top five LPGA Tour members after 36 holes not already in the Women's British Open All You Can Play Pay By The Hole! Jpijpjjrjr PucMc Golf Club Weekday i Weekend 99 He'w'N $77 JL per person P1 realestate Discover a great place to live. AHWATUKEE Countr) Oxib 480.893.1161 Coupon Coupon iuv many per person SATURDAY SUNDAY $282 I $212 $25' CROWNE PLAZA MONDAY FRIDAY (pS Arizona fM Golf Resort kail aho coNreiKNit cum 425 S.

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