Member Troy Collins Passes

ASGA offers our condolences to the family and friends of our member for many years, Troy Collins. He played in an event as recently as October 13, 2020. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Linda  and the rest of the family.

Don Pratt, ASGA Past President and often a part of an ASGA foursome of Bob Remey, L.D. Washington and of course Troy has some great memories to share below. These include some thoughts made in Troy's Obituary handed out at his Memorial Service last weekend and some feelings that Don shares with us all. RIP Troy.

Troy was an amazing father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather.  He leaves behind a great legacy and hearts forever impacted by his unconditional love.

Troy was employed by Texas Motor Vehicles and Austin ISD.

Troy Played baseball, softball for many years and had a genuine love for golf. 

We lost a good friend and fellow golfer on December 31, 2020.Troy Collins passed on that day.Troy was a long time golfer and member of the Austin Senior Golf Association.Troy passed from Stage IV Lung Cancer. He neither complained about it nor let it known of his illness so it was a surprise to all to learn of his passing. He was laid to rest on January 15, 2021.   

Troy Collins loved to laugh, joke and kibitz with those he played. He could be mischievous and intense in his playing the game of golf. It was always a joy to play the game of golf with Troy. He will be missed.  

May he sit on the right hand of God.   Be Well my Friend.         

        Don Pratt


 

President's Message -- January 18, 2021

Free of Politics, Race and Financial Barriers. Simply Free.

I Have a Dream.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

Mr. King's famous speech above became one of my favorite readings to represent the feeling that I have as a person.  I have his birthday, January 15th on my calendar saved for each year and I always read it again.

The last couple of businesses

Canada Geese in Formation

that I was involved with used a philosophy that I eventually named the Wingmate Philosophy. The philosophy was based on the idea that Canada Geese fly long distances when they migrate in a V formation that under close scrutiny all but one bird has someone to fly behind to make their flight easier. Every few miles they rotate and another single bird leads the flight. They all get a chance to lead. The rest are good followers. I saw it differently and believed that you could take it further and that all different kinds of birds could fly together if they opened up their minds. You could have eagles, sparrows, doves, humming birds, crows, etc. flying with the geese together as a team. You get the point.

It was this thought that drew me to the ASGA. All you have to do is read the list of members under the Handicaps and realize we are very diverse. It is up to us to keep it that way by continuing  to support each other and take turns leading. We must never let politics, race or finance interfere with ASGA. We must be simply free to teach, respect rules and play the game of golf.

Mr. King believed in talking it through peacefully and even the Canada Geese, making a lot of noise when they fly over, are likely not criticizing .. Scientist have come to the conclusion that actually the birds following seem to be making positive sounds and are likely saying their equivalent of  "Good job. Keep  it up!"

Thanks Mr. King. We are all still flying and in my personal opinion are gaining on your dream.

On behalf of the ASGA Board of Directors and Austin Senior Golf League,

Travis McWhorter

President

President's Message -- January 11, 2021

 Good News Bad News at Kizer, Annual Senior Membership Value, Plus Grand Prix Review.

Steve Hammond, PGA, Clay / Kizer Golf Courses has advised and asked me to update our ASGA membership regarding Golf ATX changes for 2021.

The Good News is that the Kizer course is now available to play at the same rate as other city courses for Annual Senior Card holders and at the same $3 green fee rate Monday thru Friday. In the past Kizer was available at the Annual Senior Card $3 rate only a couple days per week.  See the city website for complete details.

The bad news is that in the past few years Kizer has allowed non-card holders playing in the Kizer ASGA events to have the same However, beginning with the January 19th event at Kizer the actual Kizer green fee of $27 will be charged. This will apply to all non-Annual Senior Card holders. Annual Senior Card holders will continue to pay only $3 plus cart if needed along with the event entry fee of $5.

So the overall news is that if your are an Annual Senior Card holder your green fees will not change and you will have much more access to Kizer at the Senior Card rates. If you are not a card holder you might think about buying one. If you play only the Kizer course for a year you will break even with only 24 plays. If you play a combination of Kizer and all the other city courses it will take between 24 and 37 rounds to break even.  This is all according to Steve and obviously if you play 50 or more rounds like many of us do there is a lot to be saved. All courses can sell you a membership. The Annual Senior Card  is $567 for residents and $620 for non residents and is good for one year from the date of purchase. ASGA is only pointing this out and you have to do the math for yourself.  I personally am an Annual Senior Card holder.

The Grand Prix is back and better than ever! 

Click for
larger Image

The commemorative plaque has been expanded and is back on the wall at Lions. It is located between the two bulletin boards to your left as you move toward the back exit and the blank score cards table. Stop and visualize your names on the next line later this year and go out and play to finish as near the top of your flight as possible. Play as often as you can and the points will add up.

Thanks are in order for Paul Redden and his committee for listening and finding a way to limit the programming changes, but to add a lot of excitement to the overall experience.  Paul as chair of this committee also committed the time to do the programming so that Bruce Jones and Bill Burke can get the standings updated shortly after each event played this year.

The 2-Person Team annual Grand Prix competition has not changed. You and your playing partner for the event will secure points on each 2-person event you play as a team. The individual portion  has become the all new Individual All-In competition and will lead to a lot of increased excitement and points earned every time you play any event ( individual, 2-Person, 4-person and others that might come along. All will earn Individual All-In points.)

An introduction to the better than ever Grand Prix Program, the new Grand Prix Points Program and the up-to-date standings for both categories beginning with the October 27, 2020 event are on the ASGA website under Member Programs and then Grand Prix Championship. We have linked here for a shortcut to visit now.

2021 is here with increased access to all city courses Annual Senior Card holders along with greater inspiration to play more from the Grand Prix expansion. This will be a fun year.

On behalf of the ASGA Board of Directors and Austin Senior Golf League,

Travis McWhorter
President

President's Message -- December 21, 2020

Thanks For Speeding Up Play, Reviewing Important Key Points  and Merry Christmas!!

 It was not quite the Indy 500 mile race (The record fastest race for 500 miles is under  three hours) but we did a great job Tuesday the 15th at Lions 5 mile golf event (our fastest first group out finished in well under 4 hours.)  It is possible that our last group could do under 4 hours at some point. The last team out finished in 4 Hours and 20 minutes Tuesday. That is almost 1 hour better than the week before. Thanks so much for the speed up. There is no need to race, but moving along at a nice pace of 4 hours or close is so rewarding and Lions loved it too.

Four things to review:

1. The NEWS Update on August 26th reported an early Christmas Gift. It said:

   "Your Board took the following actions:
   

   At this point we have canceled both annual major events, so we are extending every current member at the end of this fiscal year for another year of membership at no cost. LET ME BE CLEAR. IF YOU ARE A MEMBER IN 2020, YOU OWE NO DUES FOR 2021. KEEP YOUR $10 RENEWAL. IT IS A GIFT FROM SANTA AND YOUR ASGA BOARD."

2. The hole-in-one jackpot stays in play until some one wins. It has not been won recently. Please go to Membership Programs on our website and click on HOLE-IN-ONE JACKPOT. If your name is listed you are in and if not you cannot win until you enter. There are 72 currently listed. The entrance is $5 until some one wins again. Shawn Higgins, Event Chairman, handles that fund.
   
   
3. Please call the courses plus notify your foursome if you are canceling and not playing an event you were signed up to play.  Give them time to find a substitute. 
   
   
4. 2020  has two more events and then 2021 will take over. I am rooting for a great 2021. 2020 was a difficult year in lot of ways, but I am thankful we kept ASGA together and that about 200 of you are paid up members at this point with a lot of fun ahead. New members male and female are welcome to join if they are 62 or older.
   

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

On behalf of the ASGA Board of Directors and Austin Senior Golf League, 

Travis McWhorter, President

 

Merry Christmas!

 

President's Message -- December 13, 2020

Playing Faster, Scoring Lower and Winning a Big Paycheck

When we had that long layoff, I had nostalgia for our group. We are back now. Maybe we are  enjoying our time on the course too much. Our first groups last Tuesday at Lions finished in less than 4 hours. Some of our later groups did not finish until well over 5 hours from their start time. We are bleeding into the time the courses have reserved for other players and in some cases making it difficult for them to finish their rounds. Lions has advised us of this issue and has asked us to help them by improving. Also, when you feel your time will be on the slower side please request 4 and preferred tee time near the last.  We must all speed up all through all flights and playing in more than  4 and 1/2 hours is not acceptable!!

The playing faster issue has plagued us before but not so many over 5 hours. We must work together by foursomes and individuals to correct it as quickly as our next event. 

Speaking of nostalgia we went back into the News stories on our website and found the following excerpts from a write-up from Sam Jenkins our previous Event Director (Alias Sammy Charles in 2019) . It is as follows:

"Some do's and don't's: Do consult the ASGA website often, especially the NEWS site. Yea, go ahead, click on it, yea, really. you might be surprised at what you might find. Do speed up! Everyone likes a unhurried but undelayed round. I'm slow, but I know I'm slow. So what do I do to keep me from being a drag on my team and the other groups? I try to putt continuously once I start.  I start walking to my cart after I putt out until I am at least half way to my cart. I take one practice swing, really, just one.  I'm out of my cart with club in hand before it is my time to hit. I don't wait to be driven to my ball if my cart mate is hitting his ball within quick walking distance of mine, I don't spend more than three minutes looking for a ball while I have a barrel full at home. It's just a ball, not your wife's diamond ring!"

Well said Sam. I played with Sam and he kept up totally. Go to News and read the entire article. We keep them on our website for you to read.

So with speed of play in mind our current Event Chairman, Shawn Higgins, Handicap Chairman, Bill Burke and I decided to have conversation with some other of our faster players to see what 8 things they would suggest to speed us up. We plan to post them at the clubhouses counters in the future as a reminder. Here they are.

1. Keep within one hole of  the group in front of you. Look back to see if the group behind you is waiting on you. Speed up as a group until you catch up and until you close the gap. Maintain a healthy gap with those trailing you.
2. If you are at your ball and can hit without any risk to anyone, hit it! Play ready golf!!
3. Help those in  your group with their ball flight when teeing. If there is any way you can give them directions or point out their ball as you pass by in route to your ball please do so.
4. Finish out your putt without marking if at all possible. Be ready to putt!
5. When feasible let the shortest drivers hit first so they can depart first. Red tee players get as close as you can to your teeing area while green/white tee players are hitting.
6. Take less waggles and practice swings and stop looking at every angle of a putt. Just "take dead aim" and hit the ball as Harvey Penick taught!
7. Don't spend more than 3 minutes looking for a lost ball. You can take the line of flight where it went into the woods and hit with the same one stroke penalty you would have if you found. When your group is behind you can save time by not looking. Take your line, your medicine and hit the replacement ball. Save 3 minutes when you can!!
8. Manage your push cart and your electric cart as to where you park around the greens. Think about the the next hole and where the exit to your cart would lead you off the green the quickest and out of the way of those following!
   

The Marshals have the authority to warn those when over 1 hole down to catch up and when they do not in a reasonable period and the gap gets to 2 down, the group must move over and let the next group through or be DQ'D. Then the group needs to keep up or it will happen again. This in fact slows you and all following players down. KEEP UP!

If we can not speed up enough to be courteous golfers our next step would have to be looking at penalty strokes as a remedy.  None of us really want that, so speed up every time we play!

Okay, so we can't guarantee lower scores like the headline mentioned. Our headline was to get you to read this News story and to let us all have more fun. It would not surprise any of us if you got on with it and practiced  the ideas we have shared you would play better and win more money and put a smile on all of our golfing faces and the courses would like us much more, too. Play Faster Now, Please!

On behalf of the ASGA Board of Directors and Austin Senior Golf League, 

Travis McWhorter, President