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Green is the theme on golf courses around the area

The myth is finally broken as I was going to wash my car and, well, you know the rest. But the best thing of all was I did not have to wash it as the weather saved me from dropping a gazillion quarters in that diagonal slot. Good news for both yours truly and our area golf course,s as the moisture came in at the most opportune time.

Green is the theme now as I saw the amateurs, including my neighbor, tooling around mowing their lawns for the first time this season. This moisture should help the advancement, and growth, of the improvement from last fall’s renovation of the Hillcrest Golf Club course. This water should also aid in helping your approach shots stick better on the greens, but do not expect to relish that professional looking backspin. Now, I have no trouble developing a backspin, just ask any or all trees that get in the way of my shot. Presto backspin!

Let us get down to business as the 2016 Columbine Classic Duet Golf Tournament registration window is open until May 7th for the upcoming June 15-16 event at both the Glacier Club and Dalton Ranch Golf Club courses. This year’s beneficiary is the Adult Day Care Center at “Our Place” in Durango. This tournament also continues to support the Fort Lewis College women’s golf team with donations going to the Nick Turner Scholarship. The entry fee is $200 per player, which includes all the amenities of this prestigious event, and there are some unbelievable donations included this year. There is a 10-stroke handicap differential on each team, and if more than 25 teams sign up by the May 7th deadline, a random drawing for each team will follow on May 8th. Call either the Dalton Ranch Pro Shop at 247-8774 or Cathy Gaskell at 769-0479 to climb on board.

Hillcrest Golf Club

The Express Employment Professionals-Best Ball and Scramble tournament will be held May 7-8 at Hillcrest. The entry fee is $50 per player and there is a $500 added prize purse courtesy of the sponsor. You can choose your own partner with the stipulation that the maximum handicap spread is no greater than eight strokes. The Championship Flight is exempted from this rule. Tee times will begin at 8 a.m. both days, and prizes will be awarded on both the gross and net side of scoring. Hurry to see if you can still get in on the action by calling the Hillcrest Pro Shop at 247-1499.

Let’s start to refine your 2016 game with the Adult Clinic at the Hillcrest May 10-12. Get ready to break old habits and usher in improvements to your game under the tutelage of HGC Head PGA Professional John Vickers. The clinic will run all three days from 5:30-6:45 p.m., and the cost is just $75 per person. The sign-up sheet is in the pro shop, so stop by and get enrolled to elevate your game.

And, speaking of elevating your game, one of best ways to improve is to upgrade your sticks, and that brings us to the much anticipated Demo Days. Hillcrest Golf Club will host two early-season new club demonstrations courtesy of Ping and Titleist. The Ping Demo Day is May 13th from 4-7 p.m., followed by the Titleist Demo Day May 22nd from 1-5 p.m. Here is your chance to get hands on from the latest developmental offering from two of the top names in golf equipment. The rest is up to you, so grab a friend and get out on the course.

Dalton Ranch Golf Club

Dalton Ranch’s next big event is the Spring Four Ball, which will be contested May 21-22. I mention this in passing as the deadline for registering for this popular annual event has come and gone, but the excitement for this tournament is ramping up.

Dave Bray has covered the local golf scene for 35 years. He can be reached at dbray3751@gmail.com



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