by Scott BoyleIt was golf approaching the golf of the olden days of the San Juan Amateur at the Hideout in Monticello this past weekend, as the Hideout Shootout and the Hideout Amateur played out to the biggest fields in years.
No less than 70 golfers, or 35 teams (up from 26 last year) participated in the Shootout on Friday, with another 79 golfers playing in the Amateur.
Participants ranted and raved and whooped and hollered and barked and bellowed about the eminence of the golf course under the tutelage of superintendent, Chriss Leavitt, and the excellence of the tournament experience, expertly overseen by club PGA professional, Tyler Ivins.
The tournament continues to grow and grow. A large contingent from Spanish Fork and Hobble Creek golf course in Springville swelled the number of golfers this year to record numbers in the Hideout Amateur era. And those Utah Valley guys dominated the Shootout and the Amateur, with Brady Hughes and Braden Hughes capturing first place overall with an amazing 60 in the best ball, scramble format.
Coming in second was the Vasi/Sweet team, with Rogers/Gallegos in third.
Packard/Argyle were the net winners, shooting a 60 also. Local golfers Dave Moore and Craig Leavitt came in second net with a 61. Jones/Day were third.
Local golfers and hole-in-one specialists, Mike and Cathy Lamb, captured the B flight version of the shootout, followed by Argyle/Harrison and Ligon/Ligon.
B flight net winners were the team of Freshour/Freshour in first with another local pair, Del Hunter and Doug Pehrson, coming in second and locals Jon Young and Sam Crane in third.
The Amateur was a little tighter than last year, when Spanish Fork high school golf coach Jordan Rogers won by 15 strokes and set a Hideout course record (65) in the process.
Rogers was back to defend his crown this year, but couldn’t overcome the steady play of Brady Hughes. Hughes carded the low rounds on both days, 71-70 to win with an brilliant 141 score and besting 27 other A Flight golfers.
Ryan Frazier carded a 142 to capture first place in the net division. Rogers came in with a 148 to make second place gross, tying with Afa Visi.
Monticello City manager, Kelly Pehrson, came in fourth with a 151. Brian Sturdevant, who helped bring the course to optimum conditions, was second in net with a 149. Scott Lee was third at 150 and Rob Wilcox fourth with a 158.
Josh Keyes earned the title of local MVG (most valuable golfer), putting two fine rounds together to capture B flight in Rogersesque fashion, winning by eight shots at 144 over 22 other B flight golfers.
Joe Ligon was second at 152 and 77 year old John Blakely of Cortez was third at 156.
Rick Shipley took B flight net honors after firing a 154. Hideout golfer Marx Powell tied for second along with another famous Hideouter, Dave Moore. And a third Hideouter, Mike Lamb, is fourth.
C flight, wth 29 participants, was topped by Moab-ian Chris Woodward, who fired a 165, beating her husband, Don, by 25 strokes and second place Reed McCourt by two. Steve Powell was third at 169 and Dexter Crane fourth with 171.
Brother Sam Crane won C flight net, shooting 181. Another local, Scott Mitchell, who only took up golf about three years ago, made all that practice pay off by placing second at 187, with Hideout Arizona summer transplant Cathy Lamb tying with Sy Harrison for third.
The large group of golfers evoked memories of past amateurs, when 140 golfers would crowd the old nine hole course. Further nostalgia proved to be the tee time start, instead of a shotgun start.
Sportshorts remembers the excitement of all golfers using a tee time and being announced on the first tee. That added tremendously to the excitement and ambiance of the tournament.
Monticello City Manager Kelly Pehrson reiterated the outstandingness of the tournament and especially applauded Hideout Pro, Tyler Ivins.
Golf in August
As a youngster, the Amateur always signaled the end of the golf season for me. I would pocket all that caddy money, buy school clothes, trade my golf shoes for football cleats and head for the football field.
I don’t remember ever playing golf in Monticello after the amateur until I grew up (kind of, after a fashion) and came back to Monticello as an adult.
Much to my amazement, I found August and September golf, even October, to be the very best golf of the year. The course is always in year round tip-top condition now, but the monsoon rains of late July, August, and sometimes September turns the course into a Shangri La of golf, with picture perfect cool weather, soft verdant green conditions, little if any wind and a quiet golf course.
If you are looking for the best golf of the year, you need to hit the Hideout regularly for the next three months.
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