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The year 1995 witnessed a variety of monumental developments. A little-known guide to the World Wide Web — Yahoo! — was founded, along with auction site eBay. Louis Farrakhan organized the Million Man March in Washington. Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s Major League Baseball record for consecutive games played. That year also marked the debut of Orange County Golf magazine, which subsequently branched out to Los Angeles Golf and San Diego County Golf before being incorporated as Southland Golf. Since 15 years is a milestone number — especially these days — in the publishing business, we thought we’d look back on the past decade and a half on the regional golf scene.  TIGER WOODSAnyone who followed sports knew about this golf phenom, who was born and raised in Cypress, a middle-class Orange County suburb. His amazing amateur career only continued after he graduated from Anaheim’s Western High School in 1994 and enrolled at Stanford. In 1995, Woods repeated as U.S. Amateur champion, earned Pac-10 golfer of the year honors and made the cut at the Masters, finishing 41st. In 1996, he again won the U.S. Amateur and turned pro, signing huge endorsement deals and winning almost $800,000 in eight PGA Tour events. He had two major victories by the end of 1999, including a record-breaking win at the 1997 Masters. He really erupted in 2000, when he won nine times, including three majors. He’d add 45 more victories the rest of the decade, claiming nearly one out of every three events he entered. Numbers alone don’t explain the enormous impact Woods has had on the game, from ensuring high TV ratings to sparking interest in golf among people who wouldn’t have otherwise thought about picking up a club. His importance to the PGA Tour is further illustrated by his self-imposed exile as 2010 began. When Woods returns is anyone’s guess, but even out of the game he remains professional golf’s biggest story, and that should continue for years to come. TERRIFIC TOSHIBA Southern California’s professional golf events have enjoyed remarkable success in the 15 years of Southland Golf. Los Angeles’ PGA Tour event, now called the Northern Trust Open, saw both Mike Weir and Phil Mickelson win back-to-back titles. San Diego’s event (now called the Farmers Insurance Open) saw Tiger Woods and Mickelson win six and two titles, respectively. The Bob Hope Classic continued its run as an entertaining celebrity event, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship continued its reign as one of the LPGA Tour’s crown jewels. Arguably the most successful local tournament is the Toshiba Classic, which debuted in 1995 and is played annually at the Newport Beach Country Club. The star-studded senior event has raised more than $12 million for local charities over the past 12 years, making it the highest-grossing charity on the Champions Tour. Its 1,000-person volunteer army (including 2008 Champions Tour Volunteer of the Year Sue Rietzel), along with the support of corporate sponsor Toshiba and the infrastructure supplied by tournament host Hoag Hospital, has helped make the Toshiba a centerpiece of Orange County social and sporting life.  LEFTY DOES ALRIGHTTiger Woods has nabbed the lion’s share of headlines over the last 15 years, but what San Diegan Phil Mickelson has done over that same period would make any other golfer green with envy. Lefty turned pro in 1992 and won five times on the PGA Tour until his breakout year of 1996, when he won four tournaments. He would win at least twice every subsequent year but 1999 and 2003. His greatest accomplishment was his electrifying victory in the 2004 Masters, when he finally shedded the monkey off his back en route to winning his first major. He followed that up with a PGA Championship victory in 2005 and second Green Jacket in 2006. He lost a lot of close ones, too, finishing second in a major six times including five U.S. Opens. Mickelson, who turns 40 this year, remains one of the world’s most exciting and accessible golfers — and certainly one of the all-time greats. UP AND UP By 1995, high-end daily fee public golf wasn’t the risky proposition it was five years earlier. When Tustin Ranch Golf Club opened in 1989, no one knew for sure if a course that charged $45 on weekdays could last in a marketplace that, for most of its history, had offered two golf options: elite private clubs and affordable municipal courses. But the course flourished and paved the way for venues such as Tijeras Creek, Coyote Hills, Oak Creek and several more that opened in the 1990s. It also helped pave the way for the advent of luxury golf at courses such as Pelican Hill. The trend continued in the 2000s, as many more courses from Santa Barbara to San Diego opened, and a big name made big news when Donald Trump announced in 2002 that he’d purchased the troubled property known as Ocean Trails in Rancho Palos Verdes. It’s now known as Trump National Golf Club. With the exception of the Coachella Valley and a handful of properties owned by Native American tribes, high-end daily fee golf construction ground to a halt by the end of the decade. But the existing courses are determined to thrive in cloudy economic times, proving there is a need for such facilities. ECONOMIC HARDSHIP No one could have anticipated the national calamity that erupted in late 2008, when it seemed that America’s financial system was on the brink of collapse. The lingering economic uncertainty affected the golf industry as much as any sector of the economy, since every aspect of the game — courses, equipment manufacturers, retailers and teaching professionals — is intertwined. People are out of work — or afraid of being out of work — and hanging on to the extra money they might have. That means fewer people are playing golf, buying clubs or taking lessons. How this shakes out is anyone’s guess. But the companies that survive will be leaner and more efficient, and those fortunate enough to still have money to play golf might be able to benefit from lower green fees and equipment discounts. LOSING OUR SKINS For most of its existence, the Skins Game was the king of golf’s “Silly Season.” The unique four-player event, nationally televised during Thanksgiving weekend, was an annual institution in the Coachella Valley that attracted stars such as Fred Couples, Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Annika Sorenstam. But by 2006, when Stephen Ames and Fred Funk joined Couples and John Daly on the tee, people began to wonder if the once-illustrious contest had lost some shine. Apparently it had, because in May 2009, owner IMG said a combination of plummeting ratings and the poor economy forced title sponsor LG to pull out. It has yet to resurface. LOCAL CONNECTIONS The story of men’s professional golfers with area ties doesn’t begin and end with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Consider Anthony Kim. Though only 14 when the decade began, the Los Angeles native and La Quinta High graduate turned pro in 2006 and finished second at his first PGA Tour event. He won twice in 2008 and has remained a contender since then. Orange native Hunter Mahan, who concluded a successful amateur career at Oklahoma State in 2003, has won more than $10 million on Tour. Coto de Caza’s Paul Goydos, a two-time winner, forced Sergio Garcia to a playoff in 2008 at The Players Championship. Other Southland products who have captured PGA Tour events in the last 15 years include Corey Pavin, Charley Hoffman, Pat Perez, and Chris Riley. In the years to come, don’t be surprised to see local 20-somethings Kevin Na, John Merrick and Rickie Fowler break through. OPEN ARMS San Diego and the city-owned Torrey Pines Golf Course basked in the spotlight of the 2008 U.S. Open. The USGA announcement sparked a campaign in the city — mostly funded by private dollars — to ensure that San Diego would live up to the momentous occasion. But no one could have anticipated what transpired: a David-versus-Goliath battle straight out of Hollywood. On one side was Rocco Mediate, a scrappy journeyman; on the other was superstar Tiger Woods, who later revealed he was dealing with a torn ACL and two stress fractures in his left leg. The few thousand people fortunate enough to be at Torrey Pines for the Monday playoff witnessed one of modern golf’s greatest days. The buoyant Mediate and hobbled Woods exchanged the lead several times over the front nine, but by the end of the 10th, Woods held what appeared to be a decisive three-stroke lead. But consecutive bogeys by Woods and three birdies by Mediate, including a 25-foot putt on the 15th hole, gave this newfound hero of the masses a one-stroke lead heading to the final three holes. Both men parred the next two holes, setting up the finale. Woods reached the par-5 18th green in two, while Mediate needed three shots to reach the putting surface. Woods narrowly missed a 45-foot eagle putt but sank a 4-footer for birdie. Mediate’s 20-foot birdie slid by the hole and led to par, forcing a sudden-death playoff won by Woods on the next hole. For Woods, it was his 14th major title, and the last time he’d play in 2008. For Mediate, he earned immediate canonization into the Golf Everyman pantheon. For Torrey Pines, the city of San Diego and everyone who experienced it, it was something to never be forgotten. EQUIPMENT EVOLUTION In the mid-1990s, high-tech drivers were all the rage. Fifteen years later, everyone is still talking about them. But the evolution of golf equipment isn’t limited to the clubs major golf manufacturers promote the most. From GPS-equipped rangefinders and multi-layered golf balls that optimize spin to hybrids and space-age shaft constructions, nearly every facet of golf saw revolutionary advances. Arguably the most important equipment evolution has been clubfitting. Once regarded as something only serious players should consider, it’s become commonly accepted as a relevant and affordable procedure for golfers of all skill levels.  HEADING INLANDIn the late 1990s, it was easy to be excited about golf if you lived along the 15, 91 or 60 freeways in San Bernardino, Riverside or northern San Diego counties. The area was one of the fastest growing in the country and golf course operators were excited about the population boom. From 1999 to 2003, 10 courses opened in an area that hadn’t seen many new ones built for more than 20 years. They ranged from Oak Quarry in Riverside (pictured) in the west, Landmark at Hemet in the east, Temecula’s CrossCreek in the south and Fontana’s Sierra Lakes in the north. Offering well-manicured courses with affordable green fees, as well as access to the greater Palm Springs area, the area seemed to be Southern California’s new golf frontier. But by the end of the decade, with the Inland Empire ravaged by unemployment linked to the housing collapse, business at courses was flat, at best. Two had closed, many had been sold and new golf course construction had stalled. THE INFORMATION AGE The Internet was available in 1995, but few individuals and companies were capitalizing on its power and reach. By 2000, many had merged on to the information super highway, and golf was no different. Perhaps the biggest impact the Internet has had on golf was the ability to book tee times online. Setting the local standard was click4teetimes.com, an Orange County-based website that launched in 2002. In the eight years since, the site has evolved, allowing golfers to learn extensively about courses and book times without much hassle. Besides tee-time booking services, the Internet also has been grasped by retail equipment outlets such as Worldwide Golf Shops, which operates Roger Dunn Golf Shops and The Golf Mart. If the age of technology has taught us anything, it’s that the golf industry should continue to seek out digital opportunities. MANAGEMENT FLOURISHES In 1995, American Golf was the name of the game in corporate golf management. Fifteen years later, a wide spectrum of management companies are operating. Billy Casper Golf, which manages seven Southern California properties; KemperSports, which also manages seven, including Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda; and Troon Golf, which manages five, including the Indian Wells Golf Resort and the Classic Club, are three of the five largest golf management companies in the country. OB Sports, which manages Tijeras Creek Golf Club, and Heritage Golf Group, based in San Diego, rank among the top 20. STEADY AS IT GOES Through the peaks and valleys and fires and floods of the past 15 years, local golfers could always count on the steady leadership of the Southern California Professional Golfers’ Association and the Southern California Golf Association. Whether participating in a tournament, keeping a handicap up to date, taking part in a clinic or relying on their expertise in everything from golf rules to golf history, local golfers are fortunate to have these two groups involved in the game.  YOU GO, GIRLS!No sector of the golf population made larger strides over the last 15 years than women. That’s well illustrated in the superior programs at Los Angeles powerhouses UCLA and USC. The Trojans and Bruins have combined for three team national titles in the last seven years, with USC winning in 2003 and 2008 (pictured) and UCLA victorious in 2004. Additionally, three Women of Troy have garnered individual national titles since 1998. Both schools have finished in the Top 10 each year since 2006. The list of USC All-Americans include many Southland products, including Irene Cho and Becky Lucidi, while UCLA counters with Tiffany Joh, Charlotte Mayorkas and Jane Park. That dominance shows no signs of relenting. USC’s Jennifer Song is currently the nation’s top-rated collegiate golfer, while fellow Trojan Lizette Salas and UCLA’s Sydnee Michaels and Stephanie Kono aren’t far behind. GETTING THE WORD OUT When this magazine launched 15 years ago as Orange County Golf, it was a two-person operation created out of a spare bedroom in Brea. Today, it’s Southern California’s premier regional golf publication and an integral part of the golf community. More important than the success of the publication — which was helped in 2000 by merging with Churm Media — is its impact on local golf. From creating the Southland Golf Hall of Fame to supporting charity tournaments, the magazine and website offer a monthly avenue for anyone interested in the region’s courses, personalities, trends and products. |
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