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| Harlene-The "Hardt" and Soul of the AGA
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Summer 2007
What can you say about long-time AGA volunteer Harlene Hardt? To our other volunteers and tournament players, she’s part den mother, part care giver, part drill sergeant and occasionally executioner. It all depends on the time and place.
For the past several years, Harlene has been in charge of the AGA’s first tee at tournaments. “What a great job!” you might think. After all, you get to meet and greet all the players before they start their rounds. However, there’s a dark side to that role. Imagine having to tell one of your top players to add two strokes to his score before he even makes his first stroke at the ball. But it is quite evident that Harlene takes her responsibilities very seriously and has learned well from our master starter, Doc “Add Two” raves. Harlene can be your best friend until your starting time arrives . . . but just don’t even think about being late to the tee. Because she takes no prisoners—“just give me the facts. Were you here and ready to play when I called your group or not? No? Then, add 2 strokes and hit the ball!”
She’s not hard-hearted, just a great golf official and someone who can keep the best interests of all the players in focus. It’s clear to all of the other volunteers that she is their “Hardt & Soul.”
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| Robin the Rules Robot
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Spring 2007
Robin Farran has been volunteering with the AGA as a Rules Official and recently joined with Dave Patterson in an expanded role to assist with Tournament Operations. There is much more Arizona Golf members should know about Robin, however, like the fact that his given name is not really “Robin” although the “ROB…” part is correct. The real last two letters are “…OT”—see the illustration. For those who have come to know him, he really is the C-4PO of the AGA (a more advanced protocol droid)—the white hair is for effect, denoting advanced golf wisdom.
Whether you want to know the fifteenth word under Rule 20-3b—Lie of Ball to be Placed or Replaced Altered (it’s “altered”), or what happens when a player plays two balls from a tee and can’t tell “which is which” after finding them together in the rough (pick one, hitting four), Robin has taken Rules of Golf knowledge to its highest level. In addition to entertaining many people weekly with emails of curious situations, he also is one of the most respected rules experts in the USGA family, working many of the championships throughout the country.
Originally from upstate New York where he worked many years for Kodak, Robin is one of the AGA’s best friends. Say “hello” should you have the chance to meet him…an easy way would be to ask Ginger Monroy in the AGA office to schedule a Rules seminar for your club. If you can coerce Robot, err, Robin, into “What-If’s,” you will have a great time. P.S. Make sure there’s plenty of liquid refreshment available—all good Robots need regular lubrication.
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| Dave "Barney" Barnes
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Winter 2006
Outgoing AGA President Dave Barnes is quite mellow by nature, with an eternal happy face and positive attitude, so the Barney headcover he was affectionately presented with is not at all misplaced. In fact, he actually married into the Barney Family. He and fellow-mellow wife, Barbara Barney Barnes (yes, her maiden name is Barney), lead a placid life, loving friends and golf everywhere they go.
Dave reputedly pledged to “make everyone happy in the AGA” in his induction speech beginning his first term as president of the association in 2005. Barney has been a positive influence on the AGA Executive Committee since 2001, the past two years as president.
We’re not ready, however, to send him to the Barney pasture—he’ll now take on the responsibility of president of the Arizona Golf Foundation and will become a member of the Council of Past Presidents.
An accomplished player (+1 handicap), Dave finds time to practice occasionally in between visits to Rochester as western project manager for Kodak Imaging’s services in the medical field. A member of Ahwatukee Country Club, he pledges to build another happy golf family at that club just as he has for the AGA from Taiwan to Peru to Scotland as the association’s representative.
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| USGA Rules of Golf staff for thirty years
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Spring 2006
Tom Meeks has been a central figure in the USGA's Rules and Competitions Department
for thirty years. He has been at the center of preparations and operations of the US Open,
US Amateur, Walker Cup and all of the USGA's 13 Championships during that time.
He has left his stamp as a staff member of the Rules of Golf Committee, always a proponent of the best interests of the players.
Although Tom is probably best known because of his visibility at the US Open, his lasting legacy is best preserved in the hundreds of golf lovers throughout the country who have learned the rules through his seminars. When the USGA and PGA joined to promote rules learning, Tom was the one who developed the teaching materials and slides that made these classes both entertaining and highly effective. Most USGA rules people today owe at least a major part of their abilities to Tom's work.
As a long-time basketball referee and jogger, he'll be spending most of his time back home in Indianapolis with wife Susie and the grandkids.
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| U of A men’s golf coach for more than two decades
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October 2005
Rick LaRose is one Wild Cat: not some fluffy kitty. His constant verbal barbas are the teeth and claws that alternately deflate and encourage his players, friends and program donors, all with the intent of making the University of Arizona golf programs better. His apparently tough and caustic exterior masks a dry sense of humor that keeps his players and opposing coaches guessing, and drives a search for excellence that is matched only by the successes of his ex-players - both in golf and in life.
He was once heard chastising a player for three putting on a fast, downhill green, by holding a club at a 45-degree angle pointing up the shaft and saying, "This is uphill; the other way is DOWNHILL!" Everyone BUT the player and Rick laughed. On the other hand, when anyone around him needs a boost in morale, he is first to say something supportive and positive…making him a great partner in any tournament.
An excellent baseball player (fast pitch) and former water polo coach, it comes as no surprise that he has been responsible for two decades of golf excellence at the University of Arizona. As a testament to his successes, fellow coaches have elected him to the Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. Both men's and women's teams compete annually for the NCAA championships, and it's rare that either one falls out of the top rankings among collegiate programs for very long.
When so many in sports are willing to accept an excuse for failure, LaRose continues to demand that his players make a continuing effort to improve. This also applies to his own golf, where Rick continues to be competitive in regional amateur tournaments, several of which he has won as a senior golfer.
Rick is a great supporter and contributor to all aspects of Arizona Golf. Wilbur and Wilma's teams aside, the game is better in Arizona because of Rick LaRose.
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| Jim Frazier Has the Mike—
Everybody Duck
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May 2005
Jim Frazier’s service to Arizona Golf has occurred for as long as anyone can remember, including many years as a Thunderbird —several of which were spent as the executive director. His Thunderbird beads for service look more like a lasso than a necklace. Jim was on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Golf Association for many years—serving as its President from 1992-
1993. Jim’s contributions to the AGA primarily focused on improved communications,
fostering the changes to the Board of Governors and creation of the Delegate program,
improving the AGA’s magazine, now Arizona the State of Golf, which has received acclaim
in the association world.
None of his efforts are more memorable, however, than those times he grabs the microphone and entertains golf audiences with his acerbic wit. For the past several years, he has been the Master of Ceremonies at the AGA Awards Dinner. Everyone
in attendance is fair game for him—especially current AGA presidents. Before the meetings every one of them has commented on Jim’s wit and has wondered how they were going to be “roasted” by him.
The dinner people talk about over and over occurred in 2001 when he presented our immediate past president, Tom Beach, with a commemorative thank you gift. The gift that year was a piece of Indian pottery —or so everyone thought. The pot set next to Jim on the podium as he gave an eloquent (and lengthy) description of the origins of this particular piece of pottery— describing the Indian family in great detail and announcing that this was the last piece of pottery created by this individual before his passing. As Jim reached over to pick up the pottery for the presentation —it apparently slipped out of his hands, fell to the floor and broke
into a hundred pieces. You could hear the loud gasping sounds come from all in the audience—
followed shortly thereafter by howls of laughter! Gotcha Tom!!!
Since retiring, Jim has remained actively involved in this game he loves. He was instrumental in the transition of Moon Valley to member ownership and continues to promote the game through his continuing efforts in many areas.
Jim Frazier is a true friend of golf and golfers. However, just remember that when he has the microphone, he will not take himself seriously, nor anyone else within range.
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| All Hail the Coach
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March 2005
Pre-WWII natives of Arizona are hard to find these days—but our Spring, 2005 “Character of Arizona Golf” is just that. Bill Mann, known simply as “Coach” to his friends, was born in Prescott
on July 21, 1924, and has been tied to the state ever since. Although Bill always considered himself to be only a recreational golfer, he has spent much of his life around the game. He became familiar with golf through his father, the golf professional at the old Hassayampa course in Prescott and later at Phoenix Country Club.
Then, as “Coach” at Arizona State University, he led the men’s golf team from 1961-1975 and then again in 1987. During his tenure, the Sun Devils finished in the top ten seven times. Notable students included Howard Twitty, Charlie Gibson, Tom Purtzer, George Boutell, Joe Porter and Bob Gilder. In 1988 he was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 2000 the ASU Sports Hall of Fame. It is often said that once golf gets in your blood, it stays there—once the passion cries out to you, it becomes you. This is the essence of
“Coach.” Now retired and unable to play golf because of a broken neck suffered in an auto accident several years ago, Coach Mann has found a way to feed his passion and desire to be close to the game.
Anyone who plays in AGA Championships, SWSPGA Championships, college tournaments or PGA Tour events has had the opportunity to experience the work of this fine gentleman of the game. He now channels his energies into producing works of art called SCOREBOARDS. Like an artist, he can be seen with his multicolored array of oversized marking pens filled with liquid ink—a portion of which invariably shows up on his hands and, sometimes even on his clothes.
Often at the golf course from early morning until the last player’s score is posted, Coach can even be seen putting the finaltouches to his boards after the awards and trophies have long since been presented. Coach is an icon in the state—we are happy to have him as part of our family!
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| AGA PROFILE: Jerry Graham
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Winter 2004
During his long career in the sports business, when AGA past president Jerry Graham was given the opportunity to choose, he chose bowling. (Several comedians have suggested such a choice to Bob Hope or Jack Lemmon after watching them swing at a golf ball.) Jerry’s choice worked out for the best, though, as he became a senior executive for Brunswick Corporation. In his forty years with them, the concept of “sports business” led to financial prosperity and an insightful perspective on the mix of sport and business – where they mesh and where they don’t.
The game of golf is changing, and the AGA has been adapting to those changes because of Jerry’s vast experience overseeing and contributing to similar cultural divergences in tennis and bowling. The parallels and challenges are strikingly apparent today. As bowling scores rose
thanks to technical improvements in equipment, millions more people were lured into the game, much like what happened in tennis. Profits soared, and corporate visions dominated the games. Prices, too, soared, and growth collapsed. People left those games in droves as skill was overmatched by power and pricey equipment. The concept of being able to “buy improvement” eventually diluted interest. Jerry has long warned of these dangers that others are now sensing happening in golf (see Out of Bounds on page 47). Clearly golf cannot afford the additional land, water and money necessary to fight a cold war against improvement. When the perception exists that one must buy new equipment to achieve a certain level of ability, golf may succumb to
the pestilence of greed that led tennis and bowling backwards. As Jerry moves to the position of Arizona Golf Foundation President this year, we look forward to further benefits from his unique vision to help Arizona Golf continue to prosper, and benefit all levels of golfers statewide . . .
(aside to Jerry: Please spare us from any more 200 games!).
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| Now OnThe Clock--DOC GRAVES!
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Fall 2004
Volunteer work is selfless work. There is no, “What’s in it for me?” with volunteers. But when someone logs 20,000 hours of volunteer service for golf in Arizona, there should be some reward at the end – and that is the case with Doc Graves, who was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. Graves was inducted on November 21, 2004 at Camelback C.C. along with Louise Solheim, Mark Kizziar and Paul McGinnis.
Doc Graves is the most recognizable figure in amateur tournament golf today. A friend and confidant to most of Arizona’s tournament players (both amateur and professional), he works at nearly every significant local event in Arizona every year. But this is only part of his legacy of contributions.
In addition, Graves has served on the Arizona Golf Association Board of Directors and Arizona Golf Foundation Board of Directors. He has been Rules Chairman, Tournament Chairman, Course Rating Chairman and is the primary source of course-measuring services for the past 20 years. No one – simply, no one – has given more time or personal attention to benefit golf and golfers in Arizona. If you love the game of golf, Doc is your friend.
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