“THINGS ARE GOING awesome,” Peninsula Golf Club PGA Pro Chad Wagner said recently when I inquired about his first six months in the position.
I was checking in for some details on the club’s 56th annual Port Angeles Shotgun Tournament set Saturday and Sunday, May 27-28. Details on that tournament will follow.
Wagner took over as head pro for the semi-private course back in December, moving over from an assistant pro position with The Cedars at Dungeness when Cedars partnered with Peninsula members to operate the golf shop and run the golf course operations.
The club has installed a new swing simulator that features 84 full courses.
“We put in a full swing simulator in the back room,” Wagner said.
It’s the same model that Jason Day and Tiger Woods and other pros have in their house and practice on.
Wagner said Pebble Beach is the most popular course offered, but it also includes PGA Tour stops like Harbour Town amongst the selections.
Wagner coached the Port Angeles High School girls golf team this spring and also held a popular junior golf clinic during spring break that drew 26 kids — all part of Wagner’s plan to teach the game of golf and get more youth out on the course.
Some of the more select players from the clinic have been invited to play for Peninsula’s PGA Junior League team this summer, competing locally against teams from Cedars at Dungeness and other squads from off the North Olympic Peninsula.
Wagner also said he will be coming to a television set near you soon.
“We shot a commercial with Sonny Sixkiller and we put in a billboard by the Safeway [East Port Angeles],” Wagner said.
“We want to grow the club’s membership, but we also want to get people to realize Peninsula is a semi-private course and there are opportunities for the public to play here.”
Wagner also praised course superintendent Mike Hammel for efforts at working through a snowy and wet winter and a rainy spring.
“The golf course is in fantastic shape. It’s so nice out there right now,” Wagner said.
“The greens are rolling fast and true and I really can’t say enough about how hard our maintenance crew and Mike Hammel have worked to get it looking this good.”
As for the Port Angeles Shotgun (May 27-28), a two-person best ball will open the competitive portion of the event with a 10 a.m. shotgun start on Saturday.
A two-person shamble format (select best drive) is the format of Sunday’s play, also with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.
Multiple divisions are planned with a 60-team entry limit.
Wagner said the event will include a practice round with a spouse, and 7 Cedars Casino is offering a free play and food voucher for golfers.
The entry fee is $240 per team and includes the practice round, some “pretty cool” tee prizes, KPs, hors d’oeuvres on Saturday, lunch and drink tickets and an optional honey pot.
Players will compete for a merchandise-based prize fund.
For more information, or to register, phone Peninsula Golf and Country Club at 360-457-6501.
Discovery Bay clinics
Weekly golf clinics with head pro Jeff Kent will start Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Discovery Bay Golf Club near Port Townsend. Cost for each clinic is $10 and includes range balls and club rental, if needed.
The venerable course received some beautification work recently thanks to Greg Miller and Rich Boyd. The pair worked around the practice putting green, upgrading the path to the green and additional landscaping as well as adding a new pull cart and shoe cleaning area.
The work looks great (see photo).
Miller also earned first place low net honors at the Canterwood Golf &Country Club (Gig Harbor) Pro-Member Tournament.
Discovery Bay is still a little damp due to the amount of rain so far this spring, but is in otherwise excellent condition according to general manager Randy White.
“Greens are firm and rolling smooth and fast,” White said. The daisies which grow in bunches on the oldest portion of the course and have been known to swallow up white golf balls, have been sprayed.
Through Sunday, golfers can play 18 holes with a cart for $25, or walk the course for $18.
Starting Monday, two golfers can pay $59.95 for 18 holes with a cart.
Be sure to mention the special when checking in at the pro shop.
Pirate golf tourney
Peninsula College’s annual Pirate Athletic Association Golf Tournament is planned for Cedars at Dungeness in Sequim on Saturday, June 3.
The event raises funds for scholarships for Peninsula College men’s and women’s soccer and basketball players.
All skill levels are welcome to come out and enjoy the four-person alternate shot scramble with friends.
Players will receive 18 holes of golf, food and drinks out on the course, Peninsula College gear, a chance to win a car from Wilder Auto and a shot at a 50/50 cash prize.
The entry fee is $100 per player.
Four hole-in-one prizes are planned, including a chance at a $10,000 payout.
Players also can purchase a $20 package that includes two mulligans and two raffle tickets.
Extra mulligans can be purchased for $5, and there’s no limit on the number of mulligans each team can purchase.
Three division winners will be crowned, along with a women’s division winner.
Winners will receive pro shop credits.
To get in the game, phone Cedars at 360-683-6344.
Aces aplenty
Ron Grant of Sequim collected his third career ace while playing Cedars at Dungeness on Tuesday.
Grant used his gap wedge and a Titleist Pro VIx ball to hole out on the 125-yard, par-3 eighth hole.
His shot was witnessed by Jeff Upchurch, Gil Goodman and Robert Mares, all of Sequim.
Nice shooting, Ron!
Earlier this month, Keaton Wayne Gaines of Port Angeles knocked in his first ever ace while playing the 142-yard par-3 fourth hole at Cedars at Dungeness.
Gaines used an 8-iron and a Nike Mojo ball on the shot which was witnessed by Joel McGehee and Robert Reinking of Sequim.
Last month, Sequim’s Karl Dryfhout shot his sixth career ace while playing the 129-yard 11th hole at Cedars.
Dryfhout used his 6-iron and a Bridgestone ball to shoot the ace.
The shot was witnessed by Arnie Fredrickson and Ferhan Kayihan of Sequim.
