Superintendent wins BASF tournament with new clubs

Someone stole Steve Jones’ golf clubs shortly before he traveled to Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina in mid-August to play in the BASF Superintendent’s Cup Match at the People vs. the Pros annual event. But that didn’t stop the 54-year-old golf course superintendent at the Greenville Country Club in South Carolina from winning the match. With a new set of Titleists replacing his clubs that were stolen from the Riverside Course’s storage area, Jones beat Ron Dobosz, golf course superintendent at Ludlow (Mass.) Country Club in Ludlow, 2-and-1.

Jones, who hadn’t played Pinehurst No. 8 prior to the week of the PvP event, received $10,000 cash and $10,000 worth of BASF product for Greenville. Dobosz, a scratch golfer, received $5,000 cash for his second place finish.

“I love my new clubs, but I like my old putter better because I putt better with it,” Jones said. “I played the same as earlier in the week.”

“This place is paradise,” Dobosz said. “I played well, but I didn’t get any stokes in this tournament.”

Dobosz and Jones were a bit nervous before and during the match because they don’t typically play in matches like theses.

“I met Ron two nights ago,” said Jones, a left-handed golfer. “We both went out to have fun. We loosened each other up. This tournament is not as cutthroat as people think. It’s no big deal.”

The Superintendent’s Cup match was played on the Tom Fazio-designed Centennial Course, which has an Audubon Sanctuary designation. The course, which is 7,000-yards long from the tips, was built in 1996 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pinehurst Resort.

Jones, who was leading the entire match, received nine stokes on the toughest nine holes of the course: two, four, six, eight, nine, 10, 11, 14 and 18. Jones’ largest advantage came after the 10th hole, which he parred to go up four stokes. Dobosz came back the next couple holes, and Jones was only up two stokes after the 13th hole, which Jones bogied and Dobosz parred. The match finished on the 17th hole. Jones two putted for par, and Dobosz bogied the hole.

“I knew he was going to come back,” Jones said about Dobosz. “I tried to make some pars, but I got tired. This is the first time I’ve walked a course, other than working on one, in quite a while.”

The 35-year-old Dobosz used irons off the tee a lot during the match.

“I haven’t been hitting the driver well all week,” he said. “Steve hits the driver a mile.”

Jones, who’s been a superintendent for 19 years and has spent 36 years at Greenville Country Club, said he’s not quite sure what he’ll do with his winnings.

“My wife suggested a new bathroom,” said. “But I might give her half and keep half.”

Jones’ wife, Sarah, wasn’t with him at the tournament, but she encouraged him to play well and bring home the money.
This year is the first time Jones qualified for the PvP tournament.

Jones, a member of Upstate Turfgrass Association (part of the Carolinas GCSA) won a regional qualifier tournament in June at Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, N.C. His scores from the three-day qualifier tournament at Pinehurst were: 71 (net) in Round 1, 75 in Round 2, 72 in Round 3. His total was 218.

Dobosz, who just started at Ludlow about a year ago, won a regional qualifier tournament in July at Juniper Hills Golf Course in Northboro, Mass. He’s a member of the New England GCSA. Dobosz’s scores from three-day qualifier tournament at Pinehurst were: 69 (net) in Round 1, 75 in Round 2, 73 in Round 3. His total was 217.

“The green chairman at Ludlow said if I didn’t play in this tournament he would fire me,” Dobosz said.
Asked what Dobosz, whose wife was with him during the tournament, would do with his earnings, he said jokingly, “Paying off the shopping bills from Pinehurst.”

The Superintendent’s Cup Match is scheduled to air on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The 2006 BASF People vs. the Pros had 200 participants, 100 in each age division. Included in the field were 22 superintendents from 18 GCSAA chapters. Those in the 49-and-under division, aside from Dobosz, were:

• Danny Allen, member of the Carolinas GCSA (Midlands Turfgrass Association) and superintendent at Camden (S.C.) Country Club
• Jim Bluck, member of the Michigan GCSA (Northern Michigan Turfgrass Manager’s Association) and superintendent at Forest Dunes Golf Club in Roscommon, Mich.
• Howard Champagne Jr., member of the Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA (Gulf States GCSA) and superintendent at The Island Country Club in Plaquemine, La.
• Jeff Comer, member of the Hi-Lo Desert GCSA and superintendent at Avondale Golf Course in Palm Desert, Calif.
• Craig Felton, member of the Central Texas GCSA and superintendent at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio
• Lane Ferguson, member of the Georgia GCSA and superintendent at Creekside Golf & Country Club in Hiram, Ga.
• Polo Hernandez, member of the North Texas GCSA and superintendent at Bear Creek Golf Course in Forth Worth, Texas
• Mike Lyons, member of the Wisconsin GCSA and superintendent at Old Hickory Golf Club in Beaver Dam, Wis.
• Nate Pehrson, member of the Nebraska GCSA and superintendent at Indian Trails Country Club in Beemer, Neb.
• Howard Pillsbury, member of the Central Illinois GCSA and superintendent at Northridge Hills Golf Course in Jacksonville, Ill.
• Mike Shields, member of the North Florida GCSA and superintendent at Jacksonville Naval Air Station Golf Course in Florida
• Steve Walker, member of the Carolinas GCSA (Cape Fear GCSA) and assistant Superintendent at Lockwood Folly Country Club in Shallotte, N.C.
• Craig Werline, member of the Eastern Shore GCSA and superintendent at Peninsula Golf & Country Club in Milford, Del.
  Those in the 50-and-over division, aside from Jones, were:
• Bill Anderson, member of the Carolinas GCSA (North-South GCSA) and superintendent at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, N.C.
• Dana Anderson, member of the North Florida GCSA and superintendent at Magnolia Point Country Club in Green Cove Springs, Fla.
• John Chernega, member of the Pennsylvania GCSA (Greater Pittsburgh GCSA) and superintendent at Cherry Wood Golf Course in Apollo, Pa.
• Ronald Kirkman, member of the Golf Course Managers Association of Cape Cod and superintendent at Needham Golf Club in Needham, Mass.
• John Malloy, member of the Minnesota GCSA and superintendent at Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie, Minn.
• Steve Phillips, member of the Ohio GCSA and superintendent at Sebastian Hills Golf Club in Jamestown, Ohio
• David Stone, member of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association and superintendent at The Honors Course - Chattanooga, Tenn.

The location for the 2007 People vs. the Pros event hasn’t been decided yet. GCN