Despite his best efforts, Austin Greaser missed the 36-hole cut at the 86th playing of the Master’s Championship by three shots finishing at 151.  The Vandalia resident and North Carolina Junior still has a great deal to be proud of and many positive thoughts to build from.  In this writer’s opinion, the main takeaway is his game can compete at the highest level.   He also tied with the #1 Ranked Amateur in the World, Keita Nakajima, for Low Amateur.  

His driving distance, which is becoming increasingly important, is better than the average player in the field.  However, if you consider the number of past champions in the field that stat can be a bit skewed.  His greens hit was also a bit better than the field average of 57%. When he missed the green, he got up and down 1/3 of the time.  His putting, which is likely one of his best assets, did not measure up as he was near the bottom of putts per hole compared to the field.  To be fair, it was his first event of what will hopefully be many more rounds over Augusta National.

His eyes and the eyes of the Miami Valley Golf Community now look forward to his US Open Appearance at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass beginning on June 16th and then his return trip to the US Amateur in Mid-August at Ridgewood CC in Paramus, NJ.

• 3pm-7pm on CBS

Sunday, April 10th

• 2pm-7pm on CBS

Fans can also stream the 2022 Masters online at Masters.com as they will stream portions of the event including Masters On The Range, Holes 4-6, Amen Corner, Holes 15 & 16, Broadcast, Masters Radio, and My Group. Broadcast will also be available on FuboTV, ESPN+, and Paramount+.

As we start to gear up for all the Volunteer Opportunities coming this season, we thought we would spotlight those who already make a difference for our game. 

Our first Spotlight is pointed at Middletown’s Jeff Jena, who as you will see, is used to working in the spotlight.  

To understand why

- Usually when we are talking about developing power with golfers the first thing that comes to their mind is rotation exercises, or rotary power.  While it is only one of the four primary sources of power it is definitely a major one.  The primary muscle groups we work when training rotary power are the abdominals, primarily the obliques.

To develop rotary power, you must challenge the core.  At its most basic concept, we challenge the core by maintaining a solid, stable trunk while the extremities perform the movement.  This is where you can get creative and turn almost any exercise into a “core” exercise.

For The Complete Article...

So you’ve just won the Masters. Now what? After a tearful hug with loved ones behind the final green, and a quick trip to the scoring area to avoid any De Vincenzoesque shenanigans, you are whisked to Butler Cabin for the always awkward green jacket ceremony. The cabin is much bigger than it appears on TV; the entire lower level serves as a TV studio during Masters week. A club official will be waiting with a half-dozen green jackets, having guessed your size but offering a variety of choices. You only have a few seconds to decide. In the heady moments after his victory, as he was being spirited into Butler Cabin, Zach Johnson was asked for his size. “Um, er, well…” Overwhelmed by the moment, he couldn’t summon an answer. Luckily his agent Brad Buffoni was on hand to bark 40 regular.

To Read More...

SOPGA Jr Event Scholarship Program

The Southern Ohio PGA, through the PGA REACH Southern Ohio Foundation, is pleased to introduce the new Junior Golf Grant beginning in 2022. The program will provide financial assistance to qualifying juniors to help offset the cost of Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour events. 

“The introduction of the Junior Golf Grant is our next step in contributing to the growth of golf throughout the Southern Ohio PGA Section” noted Southern Ohio PGA Junior Golf Committee Chairman, Joe Falardeau, PGA. “We’re excited to expand our support of young golfers inspired to play the game our PGA Professionals love.”

For More

With a second-place finish in both driving and chipping disciplines, Mia Hammond of New Albany, Ohio, sat atop the Girls 14-15 leaderboard. On the 18th green, she expertly sunk both putts. However, Ella Walsh of Tucson, Ariz., also knocked both her putts in, forcing a putting playoff. In Hammond’s third putt attempt, her ball stopped just short of the hole but close enough to solidify the win in putting and the overall age group.

“It has been so hard to take it all in,” Hammond said of the last few days preparing for the National Finals. “It has always been a dream of mine to make it to Augusta National – whether it’s to watch the Masters or play in this tournament.”

Moraine Country Club has a rich history surrounding its golf course and traditions. One of those traditions is the caddie program. Moraine has a strong relationship with the Western Golf Association (WGA) and an excellent track record of producing Evans’ Scholars who attend either Miami University or Ohio State University.  Complimentary to the Evans Scholarship is the Moraine Caddie Scholarship program. This scholarship opportunity was created locally at Moraine by a group of members of the club.  Recipients may attend any university or trade school of their choice.  Annually Moraine recognizes caddies that excel as leaders on the golf course, in the classroom, and those who are loyal to the caddie program through these two outstanding scholarship opportunities.

If you are looking to become a caddie for the upcoming season there is still time. The club will host new caddie orientations today, on April 9, 16, and 23 at 9:00 AM. Each session will last approximately 90-minutes. Those interested will only need to attend one session. At the conclusion of the orientation perspective caddies will have the opportunity to sign-up for an on-course training. The caddie season at Moraine runs April-October with some limited out of season caddying opportunities during the late fall months.  Prospective caddies must be 14 years old and the program is designed for High School and College aged young men or ladies.

For more information, contact the golf staff at Moraine CC at 937-293-6391 or Mr. Jonathan McEldowney, Caddy Master at jmceldowney@gmail.com 

The Masters Contest, back for it’s 19th Time and presented by our friends at Mercedes Benz of Centerville, drew a record 589 Entries.  This year’s contest was divided into 10 Groups.  The player that was selected the most came out of Group 1, with 2007 Champion, Zach Johnson receiving 50.6% of the selections in that group.  Next up was Scottie Scheffler out of Group 2 with 47.7%, followed by our area’s own Austin Greaser with 44.8% out of Group 4, which was the Amateur Group.

If you made selections, you would have received your selections in your confirmation email.  The top three finishers will receive personalized golf balls of their choosing.

Thanks again to Mercedes Benz of Centerville and Alex Huang for managing the contest!

To See all the Selections

Back for it's fourth year, the 2022 Season Challenge to post more rounds of golf during our active season then in 2021 will begin on March 15th and end at the end of our Active Season, November 30th.

The winner will receive a Gift Certificate to the Miami Valley Golf Shop of the winners choosing.

The drawing will be held in December for those who registered for this challenge and posted more rounds of golf in 2022. 

Golfer's chances for wining the Grand Prize will increase based on the number of scores posted over their 2021 total. 

To be eligible you must have posted at least 5 rounds in 2021 and be an active member of the MVGA/GHIN System Handicap System

For More or to Register

Now in it's second year, Miami Valley Golf through our Golf Next programming is once again offering our member facilities and junior programs across the Miami Valley to use our resources to develop and register golfers for their Lesson Programs.  

If interested you can learn more here!

The Raiders are traveling this week to Nashville, TN as they will compete in the TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate. The team looks to continue their momentum before returning for their Wright State Invitational on the 17th and 18th at Heatherwoode Golf Club.

The University of Dayton women's golf team wrapped play at the Colonel Classic this week finishing in the Top-10 as a team and led by senior Sarah Frazier finishing T11 individually. They will compete again on the 16th and 17th in the Jaguar Invitational hosted by IUPUI.

The Dayton Men's team competed in the Irish Creek Intercollegiate this past week where they finished 9th as a team and were led by Junior Kyle Schmidt, who finished at 3-under-par and in a tie for 15th.

This past Monday and Tuesday,  the Yellow Jackets finished up play at the Music City Invitational at Hermitage Golf Course in Nashville, TN.

The Wittenberg women's golf team returned to action at the Eva Shorb Weiskopf Memorial over this past weekend. The team finished in 3rd place as they posted scores of 378-367-745. Sophomore Ellen Frame led the tigers as she finished in 3rd place individually.

The Lady Tigers return to action next weekend at the IU-East Spring Invitational at Forest Hills Country Club.

The Wittenberg Men's team competed in their first event of the spring this Monday and Tuesday at the Hershey Cup in Hershey, PA. The Tigers took the top spot by 7 strokes as they shot scores of 294-288-582. The team is currently ranked 5th in Division III and are looking to compete for a national title this year. They are back in action on Monday and Tuesday at the DIII Showcase in French Lick, Indiana.

A player’s tee shot on a par-3 hole is thought to come to rest in an area of tall grass. The player finds a ball, lifts it without marking it, decides that it is a stray ball and discards it. The player has second thoughts, returns to the spot where the stray ball was discarded and discovers that it was his or her ball in play. The player makes the next stroke from the teeing area, with the result that the tee shot comes to rest on the putting green. The player holes the putt. What is the player’s score for the hole?

A. 4  /  B. 5  /  C. 6  / D. 7

In match play, A, whose ball lies in the general area, is not sure if he or she is allowed relief from an immovable obstruction that lies in a penalty area. B is also unsure. They agree that A should play two balls. A decides to do so and before playing chooses the second ball to count. A plays the original ball as it lies in the general area and plays the second ball according to the abnormal ground conditions Rule.

What is the ruling?

A. A gets the general penalty for playing a wrong ball.

B. There is no penalty for playing two balls and the original ball counts.

C. There is no penalty for playing two balls and the second ball counts. 

For the Detailed Answer

Local qualifying begins in May. Entrants will play in girls’ and boys’ divisions in four age categories, with scoring centered around skill development in driving, chipping and putting. Local Qualifying Sites are Tri-City Golf Ranch, Heatherwoode, Southwest Golf Ranch, The Golf Club at Dublin and Blacklick Woods Golf Course

For More Info or to Register

And Don't Forget to  Keep in the Loop by following MaddenNext online and through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Ohio Golf Journal
Golfweek
The Fried Egg 
The Morning Read
Global Golf Post
From the Short Grass Archive 

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