Houston Links Magazine

Online Edition Archives
Just click on any image below to launch the edition of Houston Links that you would like to read. Please note that these are low-resolution PDF files to keep the file sizes as small as possible, so some images and text may not be as crisp as our print edition. Each edition ranges in size from 12-14 MB. We have included some of the highlights of each edition to help you find the edition you are looking for.

	August 2007 In August, we tell the heartwarming story of Sandy Pierce, one of Houston’s top amateurs who also survived one of the most deadly types of melanomas. His doctor told him “I’m going to have to kill you and then bring you back to life” before Pierce underwent 12 grueling months of interferon treatments. Ten years later, he’s still cancer-free and has a new outlook on life. We also tell the story of Charlie Epps’ relationship with U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina and how a putting lesson from Houston’s ‘Golf Doctor) a few months earlier might have been his key to victory. Bill Rogers was the focus of our Texas Legends feature. We talked to Ashley Knoll as she turned pro. Cory Whitsett started his journey to the U.S. Junior Amateur title. Texas and Texas A&M both named new women’s golf coaches. Shelley McGraw and Stacy Brown won the inaugural WTGA State Four-Ball. Terrence Miskell won the State Public Links title….and much more.
	July 2007 Jack Nicklaus was a childhood idol to several generations of golfers. Now retired from competitive golf, we spent an entire day with the Golden Bear at his newest course, Cordillera Ranch, and talked about his legacy in the game. Read about Stacy Lewis' NCAA Championship--the Woodlands resident is the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world and her trophies are piling up. Check out our extensive coverage of the 98th Texas State Amateur Championship won by University of Texas golfer Charlie Holland. We sit down for a Q&A with the founder of Atlanta-based Canongate Golf, which is bringing its one-club/multiple-course business model to Houston. And in a big win for homeowners in golf course communities, House Bill 3232 passed unanimously. Find out what it means for you and your property. All this and the local golf news and event coverage that you’ve come to expect from Houston Links.
	June 2007 After All-America football careers at Texas, Corby Robertson and Chris Gilbert teamed up to start a youth camp. Four decades later, they also wound up with the state’s No. 1 golf course. Read how and why The Woodlands, which was built on golf since George Mitchell created it in the 1970s, decided to sell its original five courses. Matt Boyd, a former Houston junior star who now plays at Virginia Tech, was only 50 yards away from the worst shooting massacre in the nation’s history but a few days later helped the Hokies win the ACC title. Read about how TSU won its first conference title in 21 years. The Professional Golf Management program at Sam Houston State is cranking out pros who know the game of golf, but also the golf business. And the city of Houston takes the first steps toward a renovation of Gus Wortham.
	May 2007 We focus on the unsung heroes of Texas golf history—the state’s greatest career amateurs. George Rotan, Ed White, Gus Moreland and Ed White played for the love of the game but made it into the fall of fame. We introduce HB 3232, a new law that, if passed, would offer protection to consumers who buy homes on golf courses. We recap Adam Scott’s exciting victory in the Shell Houston Open and give player reactions to the Tournament Course at Redstone. Stacy Lewis played on a sponsor’s exemption and finished fifth in the LPGA’s first major of the year. And we take you on a guided tour of Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club, Texas’ only Greg Norman design.
	April 2007 You might recognize Jim Hardy from his best-selling book and DVD, but how much do you really know about the Houston-based golf pro whose theories are revolutionizing the way the game is taught? We talked to Jim on the eve of the release of his follow-up book: “Plane Truth for Golfers: Master Class.” After reading our in-depth profile you’ll never think about your swing the same way again. We also catch up with Houston golf entrepreneur Dennis Wilkerson, and find out how he plans to top his last venture…Tour 18. And Houston Links celebrates the 50th birthday of the HGA Junior Golf program. We talk to former participants and track the program’s growth from a loose collection of raggedy caddies to an example that the rest of the country wants to follow.
	March 2007 Houston’s biggest golf event of the year—the Shell Houston Open—comes a month early this year and will immediately precede the Masters. Don’t miss our 25-page preview, which has all the information you need whether you plan to attend the event or watch the action on TV. We detail how a group of Ohio-based investors are threatening two of Houston’s most historic country clubs and how city of Houston officials are considering a proposal to bulldoze the city’s oldest course to create a soccer complex. We explore the facelift taking place with the Women’s Texas Golf Association, and examine the difficulty of getting a college scholarship. STPGA President David Pilsner gives his “State of the Game” report. And we follow up on Craig Kanada to let you know how he is capitalizing on his big break on the PGA Tour.
	February 2007 Houston Links announces our eight Players of the Year for men and women in four competitive categories—amateur, mid-amateur, senior amateur and juniors—and gives them a chance to explain how they manage to be successful at work and golf. We mourn the passing of former PGA Tour pro Don Massengale, who was a great role model on and off the golf course. We sit down with Tommy Bolt, who grew up in Houston and became one of the most colorful characters of the early pro tour. We take you on a trip to Mont Belvieu, where this tiny town took a giant leap by building an upscale daily-fee course called Eagle Pointe. The late Claude Harmon and his four sons, who became known around the world as the first family of golf instruction, are honored by the Golf Writers Association of America.
	January 2007 As we begin our third year of serious golf coverage, we take you on a final look back at the highlights and lowlights of 2006. The year ended with an incredible success story when Craig Kanada, a 38-year-old journeyman pro from The Woodlands, earned his third trip to the PGA Tour with a victory in front of a hometown crowd at the Nationwide Tour Championship. Don’t miss his compelling story…it is an inspiration to anyone who has ever pursued a dream. Sadly, the year began with the untimely death of Houston golf legend Dick Harmon, who was mourned all over the world. Houston Links devoted our March sharing Dick’s story through the eyes of those who knew him best. In between, there was lots of serious golf action, including Stacy Lewis’ rise to the No. 1 spot in the national amateur rankings.
	November 2006 We celebrate our first anniversary this month with our biggest, best issue yet. Our November edition is 92-pages of wall-to-wall local golf coverage. It includes special farewell to Arnold Palmer, who called it a career at the Administaff Small Business Classic, and the late Byron Nelson. We relive Tom McGraw’s trip to the final of the U.S. Senior Amateur and describe how close he came to bringing home a national championship. And we have a 23-page preview of the upcoming Nationwide Tour Championship, which will feature the game’s rising young stars Nov. 6-12 at The Houstonian Golf & Country Club. And, of course, we have complete coverage of the Houston men’s, women’s and senior city amateur championships. Youth minister Seth Thornton ran off with the men’s title; Robin Burke defended her women’s title; and Jerry Hudgins defended his senior title with a final round of 18 consecutive pars.
	October 2006 Former University of Houston stars Keith Fergus and Tom Jenkins are among the many golfers over 50 who are enjoying the good life on the Champions Tour. They will be joined in Houston this month by Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, Craig Stadler, Lanny Wadkins and many others at the Administaff Small Business Classic. Our October edition includes a 16-page preview of the event, which will also include a celebrity pro-am hosted by Roger Clemens and Johnny Bench. Redstone CEO David Shindeldecker tells how Redstone got into the golf business. Shelley Richey, our Golf Makeover winner, has her coming out party. Jesper Parnevik, Jeff Maggert, Rich Beem and Tim Thelen share a roundtable discussion on the important role technology plays in golf. Our Men’s, Women’s and Junior sections take provide complete local event coverage. Golf Doctor Charlie Epps and former PGA Tour pro Brad Lardon lead our instructional team’s thought-provoking insights on the swing and the game.
	September 2006 Thanks to spine surgery just three years ago, Stacy Lewis of The Woodlands has overcome a severe case of scoliosis to become the first Houston-area woman to reach the No. 1 spot in the national amateur golf rankings. This month, 66-year-old Mike Rice will defend his title at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. We look back with Rice on his past year and what it meant to become the first Houstonian to win a national amateur title. We look back on the career of developer Bruce Belin, who pioneered the golf course community concept. But he takes us on a tour of his last and best course—Grand Pines at Bentwater. Our Men’s, Women’s and Junior sections take provide complete event coverage. In the first installment of our ongoing series in which readers share their stories on “What Golf Means to Me”, Marlene Summers writes about the role golf has played in three generations of her family. Golf Doctor Charlie Epps and former PGA Tour pro Brad Lardon lead our instructional team’s thought-provoking insights on the swing and the game.
	August 2006 Most people know golf is the game of a lifetime, but it is also a game that teaches youngsters about life. Our cover story explores how exposing children to golf’s core values at a time when their personalities, character and morals are being formed can be more important to your child’s success than a college degree. We also take you to the last day at Treeline Golf Club, which closed its doors and sold its land to residential developers; we interview Lester Hess, an 89-year-old veteran who quit counting how many times he shot his age once he reached 150; we interview executives with Arnold Palmer Golf Management, and how they are attempting to live up to the biggest name in golf; our golf course review team takes you on a trip to The Wilderness; our new Houston Jr. Links section contains 12 pages of junior golf coverage; Steve Gill and son Brett defend their title in the state father-son championship.
	July 2006 The Houston Golf Association has been promoting golf in Houston for the past 60 years, but in an increasingly competitive environment, has enlisted the help of the Houston Texans’ sports marketing arm to raise more money for local charities. Also: local clubs owned by Club Corporation of America and their 20,000 members wait to see how they will be impacted by a possible sale of the company; The Clubs of Kingwood introduce the nation’s first “family-friendly” golf course, equipped with “kid friendly” golf cars; our Men’s Golf section includes 18 pages of tournament coverage, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open qualifiers, the Texas State Amateur, the U.S. Public Links qualifier and the inaugural Carlton Woods Invitational.
	June 2006 As the Texas Golf Association celebrates its centennial anniversary, we honor the founding fathers of Houston golf. Jackie Burke, Jr., shares some of his favorite lessons in excerpts from It’s Only A Game. We go behind the scenes at the Shell Houston Open to honor the more than 1,000 volunteers who make it all happen. We look at the challenges Houston and other cities face operating courses in an increasingly competitive environment. And we provide complete coverage of every major men’s, women’s, senior and junior golf event, as well as a look at what’s coming up. Last but not least, Golf Doctor Charlie Epps joins our instructional team.
	May 2006 Jackie Burke, Jr., is often referred to as the godfather of Houston golf. From his days growing up in the caddie yard at River Oaks Country Club to working as an assistant at Winged Foot to playing the pro tour to founding Champions Golf Club, Burke shares bits of wisdom from his 84 years in golf through excerpts of his hot-selling new book, It's Only A Game. His hard-hitting, straight-talk wisdom is something that every golfer needs to read. We also celebrate the 50th anniversary of Burke’s 1956 Masters victory. He defied the odds by posting the biggest final-round comeback in Masters history in the worst playing conditions on record. More than 60 members of the University of Houston golf team from the past six decades reunited to celebrate their unique place in golf history. The Cougars won 16 national titles between 1957 and 1985 and produced eight individual national titles. Also: HPD Officer Ron Schroeder wins the TGA South Amateur, Cindy Kuykendahl wins the Senior City Amateur and Ashley Knoll of The Woodlands leads Texas A&M to the NCAA Championships.
	April 2006 Jim Nantz parlayed his golf skill and his heavenly voice into the dream job for every golfer and sports enthusiast. He is the voice of CBS Golf, the NFL Today, March Madness and The Masters. Nantz recalls how his career began while playing golf for the University of Houston. Our preview of the Shell Houston Open at the Tournament Course at Redstone is a must read. Two-time defending champion Vijay Singh will try to make it three in a row. Architect Rees Jones takes you on a hole-by-hole tour and we provide the best places to watch, ticket/parking information, event schedule and more. Shelley Richey becomes the first winner of our Golf Makeover contest. Read her winning essay as well as those of other finalists. Our review team learns that “Happy Days Are Here Again” at Cypresswood Golf Club under the new ownership of Foresight .
	March 2006 Dick Harmon devoted his life to promoting golf in Houston and around the world. Dick died suddenly on Feb. 10 at the age of 58, so we have devoted our 68-page March edition to celebrating the life of one of golf's greatest teachers. Through the eyes of more than 30 fellow golf professionals, family members, pupils and employees, we tell the story of Dick's life, his contributions to the game and the lasting legacy that he left behind. Among the many people included in this heartwarming tribute are Charlie Epps, Billy Harmon, Chris Harmon, Ben Crenshaw, Jim Nantz, Lanny Wadkins, Billy Ray Brown, Blaine McCallister, River Oaks' Bruce Davidson, BraeBurn's Ken McDonald, Houston CC's Gordon Johnson and Lakeside's Gary Ray. Also, we review Jackie Burke, Jr.’s new book, It’s Only A Game.
	February 2006 While Tom Penders makes his living as the men’s basketball coach at the University of Houston, he tells Houston Links why he thinks golf is the greatest game. We talk to Penders about his love of golf and his desire to return the Cougar basketball program to its glory days of old. Administaff chairman and CEO Paul Sarvadi talks about the dream golf course he is building in Scotland. In the first of our Texas Legends’ series, Sam Blair sits down with Lee Trevino and tells how he transformed from an urban legend into an international superstar. Our review team crosses the border to Louisiana for the grand opening of Tom Fazio’s new course at L’Auberge du Lac Casino.
	January 2006 At the age of 76, 32 years after he won his last PGA Tour event, Arnold Palmer is still pulling down $22 million a year from endorsements and other business ventures. He tells Houston Links his business success has been as gratifying as his success in golf. The PGA Tour Qualifying School is one of the most difficult tests in all of sport. It is a player's one chance each year to earn privileges on the PGA Tour. We follow the quest of 10 area players and tell you who passed the test. The Houston Golf Association is bringing the top rising young stars on the Nationwide Tour to Houston for the Nationwide Tour Championship. Our review team takes a trip north to Panorama Village, which has been transformed from a private club to a daily-fee facility. Jerry Hudgins won the Senior City Amateur championship. The South team recaptures the coveted Joe Black Cup in the annual Ryder-Cup style competition between the Southern Texas PGA and the North Texas PGA.
	November 2005 Houston’s favorite restaurant owner, Johnny Carrabba, talks about skipping school to play golf and how he learned everything he needed to know on the golf course. At 65, Mike Rice became Houston's first national amateur golf champion with a victory in the U.S. Senior Amateur. Victory tastes sweeter with age, as HPD officer Ron Schroeder claimed his fifth Greater Houston Men's City Amateur title in 13 years. With one of golf's best teachers as her husband and No. 1 fan, Robin Burke wins the Greater Houston women's city amateur title. Benjamin Thorseth and Lisa McCloskey claimed the city junior championships.