Tuesday, Aug. 6, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Cal Olson may not be as noted a golf course architect as Pete Dye or Tom Fazio, but that may change once the Players Island Golf Club opens in October.
Olson has designed an 18-hole championship course, which winds along the Virgin River, that promises to be challenging when played from the championship tees yet enjoyable for the mid- to high-handicapper when played from the forward tees.
Playing to a length of 7,011 yards from the back tees and 5,200 from the forward tees, the Players Island Golf Club is set to open to the public on Oct. 1
"Things are coming along real well," said Lorre Hammond, administrator for the golf course. "We're right on schedule and it's greening right up.
"It's looking real good -- it's absolutely beautiful. It's just amazing when things start growing how fast it changes. The fairways and greens are getting greener, all the lakes are filled, the waterfalls are running and the wetlands area just looks beautiful."
The Virgin River borders four of the holes while four man-made lakes come into play on another eight. The signature hole may prove to be No. 13, a 280-yard par-4. The tee shot will require a carry over native desert to a skimpy landing area well guarded by bunkers, right and left.
For those who choose to drive the hole, the green also is heavily guarded by sand front and rear.
"Players Island Golf Course is a challenge not designed or built for the faint of heart, but rather a tribute to Mother Nature and the finest, most demanding elements of our sport," said Duke Rohlffs, vice president of golf operations at Players Island. "The course can be played but more to the point, it should be experienced."
Players Island Golf Club, located off I-15 at exit 120 in Mesquite, is taking booking for groups and will begin accepting reservations for individual tee times (for play beginning Oct. 1) at the end of this month. Call 1-888-711-GOLF or 1-702-346-6781 for tee times.
Chip shots ...
* NEVADA STATE AMATEUR: A field of 138 of the state's top amateur golfers will compete Wednesday through Friday in the Nevada State Amateur at the Oasis and Palms golf courses in Mesquite. Competition will be held in the gross, net and senior divisions. Among the local amateurs competing for the state title will be 1995 Southern Nevada Golf Association Player of the Year Frank Acker, Brady Exber and 1995 SNGA Net Player of the Year Jim Licausi. Licausi is the defending champion in the net (handicap) division. Last year's winner in the championship (gross) division was Rich Varcelo from the Northern Nevada Golf Association. Larry Felasina, also from Northern Nevada, won the senior division in 1995. Larry McGovern of the SNGA said that entries are down for this year's tournament, despite the fact it is being played on two championship-caliber golf courses. "It's not really as good as we had hoped," McGovern said. "We set it up on two golf courses this year so we could have a full field of 240 golfers, but we weren't able to fill the field." The Nevada State Amateur will begin at 6 a.m. each day and players will alternate between the Oasis and Palms golf courses the first two days.
* AROUND THE GREEN: Fox Broadcasting continued its expansion into sports broadcast and cable programming when it acquired a 33 percent share of The Golf Channel last Friday. As part of Fox's acquisition of The Golf Channel, Fox Sports said it will work with TGC management to expand the 24-hour cable channel's presence and distribution as well as enhance its production, marketing and promotion. The Golf Channel is in 3.5 million homes, although it not yet is available in Las Vegas. ... Former UNLV golfer Skip Kendall finished in a tie for 11th place at last weekend's Nike Tour Gateway Classic in Lake St. Louis, Mo. and earned $3,750. Another former Rebel, Bobby Elliott, finished one shot back of Kendall in a tie for 13th place and pocketed $2,863. ... The Knights of Columbus is holding its inaugural charity golf tournament to benefit the Nevada Special Olympics on Saturday at the Sun City Golf Course. The four-person scramble will begin at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start and prizes will be awarded for the top teams, longest drive and closest to the pin. A new Cadillac automobile will be offered for a hole in one. The entry fee is $125 per person. Call 363-4492 or 870-8474 for additional information.
* UPCOMING EVENTS: The 78th PGA Championship will be held Thursday through Sunday at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. Steve Elkington is the defending champion of the $1.75 million major. TBS and CBS will televise. ... The Senior PGA Tour is in Ada, Mich. for the $850,000 First of America Classic at Egypt Valley Country Club. Jimmy Powell won last year's event. ... The LPGA Tour will stage the $500,000 Ping Welch's Championship at Blue Hill Country Club in Canton, Mass. Beth Daniel is the defending champion. ... The Nike Tour is in Kansas this week for the Wichita Open. David Toms won last year.
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