Bill Shea, Director of Golf/general manager at The Cedars at Dungeness, presents funds raised from the 2019 Golf 4 Grads tournament to Liam Payne, Sequim High School senior class vice president. Submitted photo

Bill Shea, Director of Golf/general manager at The Cedars at Dungeness, presents funds raised from the 2019 Golf 4 Grads tournament to Liam Payne, Sequim High School senior class vice president. Submitted photo

GOLF COLUMN: Cedars duties call for Bill Shea

BILL SHEA, GENERAL manager and director of golf at The Cedars at Dungeness, has stepped away from his duties as the Sequim High School boys golf coach.

He’s going out on top, having led the Wolves to four consecutive Olympic League golf championships and a 40-0 regular season match record in the past four seasons.

That includes consecutive second-place finishes at the Class 2A State Golf Championships in 2018 and again late last month.

The Sequim boys also have a streak of 46 consecutive Olympic League match victories and last lost a league match on April 9, 2015.

Coached a lot of talent

Simply put, Shea has overseen a tremendously talented group of young golfers.

“I feel that’s its great to end on top but we’ve been on top the entire time,” Shea said. “The kids who have come through have been exceptional kids and I’ve loved the kids, I’ve loved the experiences as their coach.”

That includes coaching his son Jack, a two-time All-Peninsula Boys Golf MVP now playing on the Western Washington University men’s golf team.

Shea enjoyed catching this season’s team — a group full of high achievers on and off the course.

“The team GPA was 3.75,” Shea said. “It blows me away how smart the kids are and how much time they put in to their academics as well as their athletic endeavors.”

Two of Sequim’s seven valedictorians were on the boys golf team in Blake Wiker and Liam Payne.

“On the trip to state, they were both on computers grinding away with school finishing up in two weeks. And they also were practicing for the state tennis tournament. From a time-management perspective, their accomplishments are very impressive.”

“With the hotel project coming, my work role will be ramping up considerably,” Shea said. “I’ll still help with swing and instruction here on property, but won’t be coaching the team in any official capacity.”

The Cedars at Dungeness is owned by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and the tribe is building a resort hotel alongside its 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. Shea expects the resort to draw more out of area players to the course but added there will still be plenty of space available on the tee sheet for players here on the Peninsula.

SkyRidge Sweet 16

SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will celebrate its 16th anniversary with a tournament Saturday.

The two-person modified Chapman event will have a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

The entry fee is $80 per team and there is a $30 honey pot available per team.

For more information, or to sign up, call 360-683-3673.

SkyRidge also partnered with two area fundraising efforts on June 1.

In the morning, the course hosted The Dungeness Bay Sea Hawkers, a Seahawks booster club raising funds for the Sequim Boys & Girls Club. SkyRidge contributed $400 to that worthy cause. Later that afternoon, SkyRidge hosted a tourney fundraiser for the Sequim 5th Grade Select AAU boys basketball team with the course donating $64o to the team’s fundraising efforts to play at nationals in Florida later this summer.

Golf 4 Grads a hit

The Sequim High School Class of 2019 graduated last Friday and then enjoyed a safe and sober grad night party.

A Golf 4 Grads tournament held at The Cedars at Dungeness in early May raised $8,700 for the grad night party.

Sponsors included 7 Cedars Casino, Anytime Fitness, A-M Systems, OSP Sling Inc., Payne Law P.S., Bliemeisters Wood Works Inc., Lakeside Industries, Wilder Auto Center, Bill Rinehart Consulting, Swinerton Builders and Team McAleer RE/MAX Prime.

The Cedars will host its second annual U.S. Open Tip and Tuck Tournament on Sunday — the date of the final round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Intended to put players’ skill levels to the test, the course will be set up in its most challenging manner. The Cedars can’t play 7,000-plus yards like Pebble Beach, but “it will play as tough as it can possibly play,” according to organizers.

Tee times are available all day for the individual stroke play event. There will be handicap and Callaway flights.

The cost is $70 for the public, $30 for members or employees.

Call the pro shop at 360-582-4900 to book a time.

‘Couples Therapy’ tourney

The first Couples Therapy Invitational golf tourney at Sunland Golf & Country Club is set for June 22-23. Format is a two-person shamble on day one, and two-person best ball on day two. Breakfast will be served both days at 8 a.m., followed by play beginning with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

Cost is $250 per team. Fee includes one range token (per day), lunch on both days, on-course competition prizes and payouts (KP,longest/straightest drives) and more.

Registration deadline is today Call 360-683-6800 or visit www.sunlandgolf.com.

Ping demo

Port Ludlow Golf Course will host a Ping demo day on Thursday, June 27.

The event is by appointment only from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Call the pro shop at 360-437-0272 to set a time to be fitted by a Ping Golf expert.