Targhee Village Golf Course is not your father’s golf course. That’s a lie. It totally is. Literally.

Sisters Markida and Mona grew up on their dad’s nine-holer in the heart of Teton Valley just outside of Alta, Wyoming. In a region known for its striking mountain vistas and extreme wildlife, golf is all the sisters have ever known. In fact, they bought the course from dad in 1997 and continue to run it today as a true family operation – Mona Hipkins as the head groundskeeper and Markida Henley running the office.

Located just minutes from the exclusive resort community of Jackson Hole, TVGC competes on a daily basis with world-class, mega-resorts. What keeps locals and tourists teeing up again and again at the little course nestled in the foothills of the magnificent Tetons? Maybe it’s the laid-back attitude.

“It’s peaceful and calm; the scenery is beautiful … and the people are super nice,” says Justin John. The Driggs native has become a regular since picking up the game a few years ago. John, 29, has golfed all around the area but likes Targhee best for the casual, relaxed vibe.

Co-owner Henley realizes that to compete with the exclusive country clubs she needs to offer what they can’t: genuine small town charm. “Where golf is a game not a status symbol,” reads the TVGC motto. And they mean it.

“I think we’ve become so popular because we are unpretentious and it is easy to play here,” Henley says. “You can come out and get a quick round in a before work in the morning or on your lunch break.”

Course regular Beth Vontz agrees. “You can go out and play anytime you want,” she says. “It’s not so stuffy. It’s a fun, friendly place to play.”

The par-36, 3,614-yard course offers full regulation play and is chocked full of inspiring features. John says he enjoys the forgiving fairways but still finds the course challenging no matter how many times he comes back. “The sixth hole gets me every time. It’s a par three over a pond. I lose a lot of balls there,” he says.

Vontz, who loves the uphill run at the seventh, says, “Don’t be fooled into thinking Targhee Village is some rinky-dink track. Mona maintains it like a country club. It’s always in pretty good shape.”

And every TVGC golfer is sure to mention the course’s most noteworthy hazard: moose.

“It’s not every course where you get to see moose crossing the fairway,” John says. Watch for them on holes seven and eight.

Open daily sunrise to sunset. Driving range and two practice holes. Pro shop offers rentals, snacks, and beer. In Idaho, call (208) 354-8577 or (307) 353-8577 for Wyoming residents.

During my visit to Brunswick Islands, I met a group of golfers on their annual buddy trip. For many years they stayed in Myrtle Beach, but a few years ago they discovered the serenity of the Brunswick Islands and have been returning ever since.

What’s the appeal? Located just thirty minutes north of Myrtle Beach, it’s a more secluded, less congested area with less noise, fewer golfers and easier tee times without the next foursome breathing down your neck. Courses are within close proximity so more time can be spent playing golf and relaxing. Whether you prefer golf a la carte or an on-site inclusive plan, Brunswick Islands can accommodate. Here are some island pleasures we sampled.

Where to Play Thistle Golf Club (Sunset Beach), ranked 4.5 stars by Golf Digest for the last six years, has earned the reputation as one of the best-conditioned courses in the area and the only course in the region with 12-minute tee time spacing. Crafted by Tim Cate, this 27-hole Scottish links course sports a wide-open layout, windswept rolling fairways bordered by heather-covered mounds, massive sand bunkers and generous greens all nestled within the serene atmosphere of nature preserves, lakes and abundant wildlife. The facility offers a choice of three nine-hole rotations. The newest nine, the most challenging, offers more risk/reward shots and has three of the meanest, and most talked about finishing holes. The Thistle is named after an ancient Scottish golf society and the purplish, plumed plant that grows wild on the hillsides of Scotland. A collection of artifacts from the original Thistle Golf Club is displayed in the newly built Scottish design clubhouse.

Leopard’s Chase (Sunset Beach), the newest and toughest of the four Big Cats at Ocean Ridge Plantation, which also features Tiger’s Eye, Panther’s Run, and Lion’s Paw, is ranked by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Best New Public Courses in America.” Every twist and turn on this Tim Cate masterpiece presents challenges and incredible scenery. Dramatic elevations, significant mounding, lots of water carries, and fast, undulating greens add to the challenge along with exposure to the breezes that blow in from the ocean. A shot placement course, Leopard’s Chase’s tight fairways demand accuracy. The course is enjoyable even if your score gets ugly. It offers a series of picturesque vignettes such as back-to-back island greens on the front nine and a waterfall on the 18th green, which is hazardous for an approach shot, but also a soothing feature upon completion of your round.

Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center (Sunset Beach) is an ideal destination for golf, family vacations, business conventions and resort living. Sea Trail is named for an historic road that wound through the land that is the present day Sea Trail Golf Resort. In 1791, President George Washington traveled this road as he made his famous Southern Goodwill Tour to promote the new U.S. Constitution. Each of Sea Trail’s three championship courses is named for its architect, including Rees Jones, Willard Byrd and Dan Maples. All three courses have been named as “Courses of Distinction” on Golfweek’s annual “America’s Best Residential Courses and “America’s Best Resort Courses” lists.

You don’t have to battle high slope ratings, as all three courses are playerfriendly and a “breath of fresh air,” especially after playing Leopard’s Chase!

The Maples course has a Pinehurst feel, defined by twisted ancient oaks, tall Carolina pines, massive waste areas and gorgeous views alongside Calabash Creek. The picturesque Jones course, said to be the more difficult one, dazzles with native grasses, wildflower plantings and features a layout with mounded fairways, generous landing areas, elevated bent grass greens and water on 11 holes. The Byrd track, now featuring undulating Champion Bermuda greens, is built around several lakes that come into play on 13 holes. The scenic 18th hole winds between two beautiful ponds leading to a picturesque finish at the Jones/Byrd Clubhouse.

Pearl Golf Links (Calabash), the jewel of coastal Carolina, offers 36 holes (East/West) that wind along the Calabash River. The links style West Course is contrasted by the more scenic, demanding, parkland style East Course which features crowned greens and tight tree-lined fairways that dogleg through the pristine forest.

The easy beginning holes give no clue to the dynamic finishing holes. On the downhill approach to the 16th, you will be in awe of the extraordinary vistas that await you, a coastal fusion of Carolina pines and moss-draped live oaks obscuring the beauty of an immense marshland and the Calabash River.

Farmstead Golf Links (Calabash), crafted by Willard Byrd, is a flat, open track that meanders around sparkling lakes and native grasses. Farmstead is the only area course that plays in two states. Well known for its 18th hole, which was selected by Golf Digest as part of its fantasy design “Top 18 Most Fun Holes in America” (2010). The area’s only par 6, this mammoth 767-yard finishing hole tees off in South Carolina and finishes in North Carolina.

Where to Stay The Winds Resort Beach Club is nestled in the sand dunes of Ocean Isle Beach, one of the south Brunswick Islands. This beachside setting – the ocean is only 100 feet away – is a cozy oasis. The Winds offers a variety of accommodations: bedroom suites with kitchens and balconies overlooking lush palm gardens, pool with Tiki bar and the ocean; for larger groups they offer cottages with spacious living/dining areas, private baths for each bedroom and private outdoor whirlpool spas. The Winds offers customized golf packages to the nearly 20 courses within eight miles and 95 courses within a 30-minute drive. Enjoy a complimentary hot Southern breakfast buffet each morning and relax by the sea after golf. For golfers, it’s the best of both worlds!

Sea Trail Golf Resort is an excellent choice for families and golfers if you prefer to stay where you play. Accommodations include beautifully decorated and spacious privately owned condos with golf course views. Many amenities are included in the Village Activity Center along with complemintary breakfast buffet and shuttle service to Sunset Beach. Stay and Play packages are available.

Where to Eat More than 40 excellent restaurants can be found in Sunset Beach and Calabash, “The Seafood Capital of the World.” Indulge in catch-of-theday seafood at renowned area restaurants. Don’t leave without tasting fish Calabash style – a lightly breaded, fried preparation synonymous with Southern seafood, invented right in Calabash. Here are some restaurants worth trying: Ella’s of Calabash, The Boundary House Restaurant at Callahan’s and Twin Lakes Seafood Restaurant in Sunset Beach.

What do you do when one of your best friends suddenly dies? For many, the obvious answer is to hold services or memorials at the usual places such as churches and other somber gathering places. We chose one of Shawn’s favorite places to hold a party, The ELKS Lodge.

There are some remembrances, however, that cause participants to say, “Holy crap, I can’t wait to do this again next year!”

On that day in August 2010 when I heard that my very close friend Shawn McEachern died in his sleep, I was on the golf course. While waiting for the group in front of us on the second hole, I had time to check the Cubs score for my partner.

First thing I thought was “Why is Handi calling me now?” Life was changed forever as soon as I answered.

Shawn McEachern’s joy for life was evident no matter where he was, but no place more so than on the golf course.

If you didn’t know Shawn, I’ll say that you should have. If you ask around, you’ll find a friend of his in a heartbeat. He worked for more than 20 years in Jackson as a bartender and bar manager at classic nightspots such as The Steak Pub, Rancher, Cadillac and Town Square Tavern. Shawn also had a painting company.

Shawn moved to Arizona, where he eventually died, to help deal with the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

“Do I quit?” I asked myself after hearing the news. Shawn would have called me stupid for doing that, so yeah, I finished the round. Sorry. But I played terribly, of course, distracted by the news and the numerous calls from friends wanting to talk about Shawn and talk about how we could remember him.

I wondered what would Shawn do for me if roles were reversed. It was almost a no-brainer. A golf tournament had to be created in a special way. A month later I organized the first Shawn McEachern memorial tournament in a way I thought he’d do it. If I’m wrong, then so be it.

The details of the tournament are not as important as honoring Shawn’s goal of “seeing some great golf shots,” something he hoped to do every time he went out to play. As far as he was concerned, it didn’t matter what you shot as long as you had fun and did your best.

It is also tradition that the pre-game gathering includes a circle of friends passing around a bottle of Crown Royal, Shawn’s favorite. Wearing green is also observed by most, though not required.

The first two years of the memorial the tournament has been held at Huntsman Springs in Driggs, Idaho, one of Shawn’s favorite courses in the world. I agreed, having played in a few places around the United States and in Europe, including at some of The British Open courses. Huntsman is one of the hardest yet most enjoyable golf courses I’ve ever played. It’s like playing in an amusement park.

Prizes are given for closest to the pin and longest drive, and this year’s event will be the second in which one of the gifts was actually something Shawn owned and hung on the wall. Rhett Thornburn won the long drive in 2011 and it has been on his wall ever since. This year the prize will be passed along to someone new who will also have a year to enjoy the art.

Who knows where and when we’ll play in 2012. At this point I would say only Shawn knows. But I do know we are planning to make it bigger and better and hope to make it a benefit. And we will be accepting entrants for the McEachern Classic all summer long for those who wish to

Story and Photos By Chris “Nezz” Pierce

As a Wyoming golfer increasingly less enthusiastic for the winter months, I look for new and exciting places to visit and get a taste of the local golf culture, including the best restaurants, bars and local hangouts.

With my partner in crime and girlfriend Alyson by my side, seeking out fun new destinations has become a hobby as well as a fun assignment to report on for those looking to get out and play golf in new locations. Not too far away from Jackson is West Wendover, Nevada. Located two hours from Salt Lake City and six hours from Jackson, West Wendover is home to a desert casino town full of the same neon lights as Las Vegas, only on a much smaller stage. Out of nowhere, on a desolate Interstate 80, a mirage appears beyond a row of red cliffs and brightly illuminated casinos that whisper to you for a closer look.

Three major casinos occupy this small desert town and surprisingly give home to gourmet food and entertainment that you would expect to find in a metropolitan city.
The Steakhouse in Rainbow Casino and Café Romanza in Montego Bay Casino are marvelous both in service and cuisine.

Golf in Wendover is played at Toana Vista Golf Course, a 6,820-yard course with a slope rating of 124 and a 72.6 USGA rating. Open February to November, Toana Vista has tight bluegrass fairways and hard desert soil posing as “rough.” Desert sage and scattered rock debris are a few of the natural obstacles facing you on your round. The wild winds of northern Nevada work together to send golf balls into various sand traps and strategically placed water features.

In April, I played in a three-day, one-man scramble and battled wind, rain and snow with other Rocky Mountain golfers looking to get a jump on the next golf season. Alyson’s faithful accompaniment gained her the title “Caddy-Tender” for her enthusiastic praise of good golf shots and humbling shots of liquor for poor execution, thus leading to a mediocre final tournament score. Leaving Wendover after some more gambling and rabble-rousing led us to another trip a month later but this time to the sunny landscape of the Southern California coast.

Orange County, California, is another great destination for the eager Wyomingite anxious to get the golf clubs out. With a quick drive to Idaho Falls and a cheap flight on Allegient Air, flying into Long Beach Airport will get you near dozens of options for golf. Municipal and public courses are in abundance but will often find you stuck in long tee box wait times, but picking the right time to play as well as the right course to play will show you why California is so popular for golf.

The golf course we visited was Pelican Hill Country Club, near Newport Beach. Two Tom Fazio designed courses overlook the Pacific Ocean and get you close enough to taste the sea spray. Breathtaking views of the Pacific and a lush green Newport hillside add to the natural landscape of this golfer’s paradise. We chose the North course, which boasted better ocean views but is set a short distance further from the actual beach. At one point Navy helicopters passed by at eye level over the ocean and offered another stimulating visual during our time at Pelican Hill.

With an affordable twilight price of $150 for 18 holes including cart, it was the $90 bar cart tab that momentarily stole our breath away. Rated as the #1 Golf Resort by Condé Nast in 2012, the course was beautifully designed with long challenging holes, fine coarse California sand bunkers and tightly mowed ryegrass greens. Nearly 7,000 yards long and with five sets of tee boxes, golfers of all skill sets can appreciate the experience of this gorgeous California beach golf course.

As the sun set on the 18th green, I caught Alyson watching the sun slip slowly into the Pacific, Heineken in hand, and thought of one of those country songs about magic moments. We left Pelican with a new respect for the architects that tirelessly plan these master courses and hit the town.

The next couple days were more about relaxing in the sun and acting like buffoons through the Newport and Huntington Beach communities. The next morning we were thrilled to find Charlie’s Chili, a small cafe at the entrance to Newport Pier. As a self-appointed huevos rancheros critic, it was a pleasant surprise to find a new leader in the search for America’s Best. Simple in presentation but amazing in flavor, we filled up while drinking mimosas out of plastic cups and listening to local street musicians fight for air time with different genres of music. It was an amazing trip but the golf bug was only getting more and more hungry as I boarded the plane back to Jackson.

Nevada County, California, Alyson’s hometown, would be the next stop. According to local legend, Nevada County is purposely shaped like a Derringer pistol pointed at the State of Nevada, whose founders were upset about the taking of their already established name. Only 90 minutes from Lake Tahoe, Nevada County is one of the few places in the winter where you can golf and ski in the same day. Made up of several small mining towns and established during the gold rush days of the mid 1800s, Nevada County’s fine golf courses offer competitive rates for the avid golfer and are cut through tall pine trees and contour the unevenness of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Of the six golf courses I had the privilege of playing in the area, two tracks stood out and have since brought me back countless times to play.

The first was Winchester Country Club, a semi-private Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr. golf course, rated as one of the best courses in Northern California.

Northeast of Auburn, CA, Winchester offers tee times to the public and rates as low as $50 for midweek and $95 for weekends and holidays. With amazing views of the Auburn and Sacramento valleys, Winchester’s diverse geology provides an array of stunningly designed golf holes, including a difficult par- 3 island green playing 225 yards from the championship tees. Selecting the wrong club or misjudging wind direction will surely find you re-teeing for another try.

Winchester has all the class and amenities of a private club with a staff that is first rate. From the parking lot to the 19th hole, you are greeted warmly and accommodated throughout the experience and invited into an award-winning and mansion-like clubhouse that overlooks the course. The 10th and 18th fairways are separated by large protruding rock formations that add beauty and intrigue to the overall attractiveness of Winchester.

The last course I played turned out to be my favorite in the area. Only five miles away in proximity to Winchester, Dark Horse is actually a 20-minute drive along a winding country road. Also set back in the trees, Dark Horse plays like a Disneyland ride, each hole a little different than the next. Elevation changes, camouflaged creeks and deep rough challenge even the purest golfer, but the handy GPS navigation and visual layout onboard your cart offers a slight advantage. The first hole is an intimidating driver over a stretch of wetland that with too safe of a line will leave you with a long second shot and a tough introduction to the many reasons how Dark Horse gets its name. The second hole is an uphill par 4 surrounded by traps and an elevated blind green. Hole 3 only complicates matters as it is a 225-yard Par 3 from the blue tees and approaches a large contoured green sloping from back to front. Beautifully crafted around the 1,100 acres it sits on, Dark Horse is a new experience each time I play it.

On one occasion, Alyson and I managed to meet a copy of our future selves. A scratch golfer and his beauty were excited to know that they were not alone in their love of laidback golf outings, music and drinking. “We are an anomaly” She replied, in reference to the love of just being along for the ride, enjoyingsome tunes and cocktails in a beautiful setting, enthusiastic about life and just being together.

We had a blast as the ladies conversed in the carts and the guys talked shop in between tee boxes. We met back at the makeshift clubhouse for a 19th hole beverage and a little relaxation. The clubhouse has the golf shop and restaurant/bar in the same space, which makes for a quaint and intimate setting for the local crowd. I have since been back to Dark Horse a number of times and continue my attempts at slaying the challenging course. The $25 with cart twilight special is by far the best value in the Gold Country region and yet I will continue to seek out other affordable yet highly rated golf courses. All these experiences have been a pleasure to write about and enjoy. With an adventurist enthusiasm for simple pleasures in life, we continue to seek out hidden golf towns rich with excitement and, if nothing else, add a little of our own tempo to each town’s tourist menu. Our next stop is Cabo San Lucas to play Cabo del Sol, a Jack Nicklaus designed Oceanfront course and nicknamed the “Pebble Beach of Mexico.”

Until then, adios and may the golf gods treat you well.

Shape shifting is the basis of the martial arts. Moving from one shape to another with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. The player’s intention is to at some point in the motion strike, throw or apply leverage to the joint of an opponent.

The shape-shifting motions of martial arts are the same shape-shifting motions used in the golf swing. The essential shapes a golfer needs to shift from and to are, firstly, changing from the shape one has when walking up to the ball, to the shape one has at the address position and, secondly, shifting from the shape of the address position to the shape of the impact position somewhere in the back-swing down-swing sequence.

That’s easy to say, hard to do. Why is it hard and how do we make it easy?

First, let’s understand what we mean by the term “hard.” What do you mean when you say something is hard? How do you know something is hard? Generally, I have found people report something as being hard when they have excessive bodily tension or when they have no formula for solving a problem, or no way to know how the hog ate the rhubarb, so to speak. In golf it is always the latter.

If you do not have a formula or algorithm to solve a problem, the method of solution open to you is trial and error. In golf, under the category of trial and error I include all manner of teachers, advice from high-level players, self-appointed experts, charlatans, hucksters and their many methods, tips and fixes. Through the process of trial and error it is possible to happen upon an efficient swing, but it is about as likely as winning the lottery. How’s it working for you?

So I sought a way to make the swing easy, an algorithm, a way to pattern information into chunks that can be understood and usable. I propose that for the player who understands shape shifting, as derived from the martial arts and some fundamental physics, self- assessment and correction are possible. Thus it can be said the good teacher has many students; the superior teacher has no students.

Step one in shape shifting is to understand the shapes of address, impact and the other intermediary and ancillary positions. The player must be able to assume these shapes accurately and hold them as a stationary pose. The reasoning being, if you can’t get there standing still, you ain’t gonna get there going 100 mph.
A way to improve and understand these pose positions is to switch your field/ground perspective. The vases-faces illusion is an example of field-ground switching. The same information is presented to the eye but can be processed in two different ways; you see either the vases or the faces. What this means in shape shifting is, your focus of attention is on what is counterbalancing the active part of the shape.

Imagine a baby who has just learned to stand. The baby stands up, then attempts to reach for something, loses balance and drops down to its haunches. The baby has not learned the necessary counterbalance for reaching. The baby must learn to stick its hind end out a little to balance the hand going forward in order to maintain balance. From these humble beginnings humans learn and take for granted an incredible array of highly complex shape shifting active motions and their counterbalances, most of which are equal to or more complex than a golf swing.

We are almost exclusively conscious of the active motions, the reaching, and unconscious of the counterbalances. An example of this is the surprise we experience when we lift something that turns out to be much lighter than we had predicted and we lose our balance because we had calculated, unconsciously the need for more counterbalance than was required.

We are of course always in perfect balance with the forces, even if we are not in our desired place to be balanced, like when we have failed to properly secure the bungee cord before our jump off the 500 foot bridge. So to achieve your desired balance position look to and become conscious of the counterbalance, for it is the counterbalance that determines and allows for the active motion we desire.

Next the golf swing is a folding and unfolding of different segments of the body, body origami if you will. There is a complex and changing relationship of each body part to the other body parts in relative and absolute space. Each basic component of shape shifting movement, the alphabet of motion, needs to be installed into the player’s motion vocabulary. Failure to learn these basic components guarantees failure when attempting to perform the components in combination. This failure provides an explanation for why a player feels he is doing something that video shows he is clearly not doing, and why a player attempting to imitate a motion misinterprets the essence of the motion.

It is obvious that observation, even in super slow motion, is not sufficient for learning. The eye is often fooled. Previously learned motions from other activities, modified to approximate what the eyes assume fail. Unwanted outcomes demonstrate the eye has been fooled and the misinterpreted motions adapted are inadequate. If you are surprised by the outcome of a swing, you do not own your game. This simply means your counterbalances will not allow you to do what you desire and/or you are unable able to visualize how a certain shape will unfold.

These unwanted outcomes do cause a certain amount of neurotic suffering. If we accept the definition of insanity as “doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different result,” then thinking you are doing the same thing in the same way or thinking you are doing something in the same way as someone else and getting a different result, will cause you to go insane. Any golfer will acknowledge the truth of this concept.
Mercifully, the laws of physics apply equally to all persons.

The inaugural Kristen Karn Classic Golf tournament in September 2011 was both a tribute to our beloved Kris, who died at the age of 40 in a car accident the previous summer, and a true celebration.

Participants reveled in classic Caddyshack fashion, hitting the links with loud outfits, camaraderie and heaps of heckles from the more than 80 players. Dan Karn, Kristen’s newlywed husband, turned 35 that same day and we all got to celebrate with him and his family. However, that day was first and foremost a celebration of the life and spirit of my beautiful and talented sister, Kristen Ardinger Karn.

At the tender age of 10, Kristen was already a natural born athlete.Swimming was her passion, a sport she competed in year round since she was six years old. Trophies, ribbons,and plaques adorned her room – accolades of natural talent.

That summer our parents encouraged us to join the Junior Golf program at the country club in our hometown. Reluctantly, we both agreed, though we would have rather spent those hot humid days at the pool with our friends. Every Tuesday afternoon we would rally around the first tee and watch as our peers whiffed, topped or bumbled drives in attempt to at least reach the fairway … yeah, right! Kristen, on the other hand, stood out.

Kristen’s first round with the club pro was typical for a pre-teen – apathetic, frustrating, and underachieving. But that was only until she found the power of her drive on the back nine. Tall, slender and a bit lanky described her 10-year-old adolescent frame. But that also proved to be the perfect physique for the sport of golf. A natural stance and natural swing, combined with an easy-going attitude resulted in a natural born golfer. As the summer progressed, so did her game. Each year following her debut round, she went on to win trophies for “Best Golfer” or “Most Improved Golfer” in the Junior Golf program.

During Kristen’s early adulthood years, we enjoyed family visits to Hilton Head and Florida where my parents either lived or hoped to retire one day. Between being surrounded by world-class golf courses and wanting to spend quality time with our parents, Kristen found enough encouragement to pick up the sport once more.

Kristen played the game with a sense of humor. Laughing at her own flubbed shots, and me, is what made it so enjoyable for all of us. Inconsistent shots, playing around with her clubs and wanting to rip around in the golf cart were just as fun as hitting the ball.

Our mom was the country club champion several times, and desperately wished that Kristen took it all a little more seriously. “If you only applied yourself, you would make one hell of a good golfer,” she would often say.

“Yeah, but what is the fun in that? At least I don’t make a snowman like Sandy does on every hole!” she would reply, laughing in my direction.

Thanks for your support, Kris! Unfortunately, she was right about how often I needed eight (at least!) strokes to find the bottom of the cup.

By the time she reached her twenties she was hitting the ball further than our father. With her regal height and athletic physique, she would approach the ball with resolve, slowly bringing back the club before unleashing incredible power.

Once again our mom would chime in. “If you only applied yourself, you would make one hell of a good golfer.” As usual, Kristen dismissed any comments from either parent aimed at teaching her the discipline and accuracy that this sport requires to be the best. Like most who play this game, she found great enjoyment in hitting the ball as far as possible. All she wanted to do was to crush her drives down the fairways, hole after hole after hole.

Kristen and Dan Karn shared many memorable days on the golf course. Upon moving to Jackson Hole, where the golfing season is limited and the prices are at a premium, she put her game on hold. When she began dating her soon-to-be husband, Dan, she introduced him to the game of golf, knowing that many of our family vacations revolved around the sport. Like Kristen, he immediately became addicted to the “crush factor” of the game.

With Dan’s 6-foot, 3 inch frame, he could also crush that little white ball! Every moment of free time Kris and Dan had together was spent hitting that elusive white ball around courses all over the valley. At first, her sense of humor was offensive to Dan since she chuckled at every duff, divot, shank, drink shot, kitty litter ball or the occasional air ball. Along the way, the empathetic Kristen would offer tips she learned as an adolescent and together they grew to love the game and each other.

As a gesture of remembrance and love, Dan wanted to organize a fun-filled event where her friends and family could come together and spend the day doing something she loved. The Kristen Karn Classic evolved with help of close friends and the expertise of the staff at Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis. With a phenomenal turnout of 80-plus family members and friends alike, we raised more than $4,000 for the Animal Humane Society of Star Valley, a nonprofit close to Kristen’s heart.

The autumn day was perfect – blue sky, light winds and mild temps. Chef Eric Wilson hosted a delicious dinner. Tons of raffle prizes donated by local businesses were awarded to the lowest-scoring foursome, highest-scoring foursome (my group, of course!), best and worst dressed, and many other dubious achievements. Since it was Dan’s birthday, the gifts were abundant as he won six raffle items, blew out the candles of his homemade cake and had his family from Oregon and Colorado there to celebrate with him.

Many people approached me, and my family, to let us know that they felt Kristen there among us, celebrating, cheering and laughing with the enthusiasm she had for life. This sentiment was the only gift Dan really needed that year!

Hartough’s work, which has achieved a distinguished status, is displayed in the permanent collections of such legendary clubs as Augusta National, Laurel Valley, Pinehurst and Pine Valley, as well as in the personal collections of such golf notables as Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd and Robert Trent Jones Sr.

Jackson Hole serves up a tough climate for entrepreneurs. You’ve got about three months of the year to stack all your chips before the tourists pack up their RVs and head for the next reality respite. In a land of entrepreneurial feast or famine, Joe Rice has concocted an enviable recipe.

Beginning with the Tex-Mex eatery Merry Piglets, adorned with murals of personified piggies in 1989, Rice has established four successful, (open year-round, might I add) restaurants in Jackson Hole. In ’97 it was the unpretentious tavern Sidewinders, followed by the mod lounge/eatery Ignight in 2009 and then the comfy café Dolce in 2011. He and his wife Denise maintain total control over the eateries creating recipes for each menu and cooking in the kitchens when time permits.

“It starts with the staff, you treat your staff the way you want to be treated,” said the local entrepreneur. The folks who manage Rice’s eateries probably agree; all of them have been working for Rice on average more than 15 years.

Of course, Rice pays careful mind to the people paying his bills as well. “The customer is king and you have to treat them that way no matter,” Rice said. But it’s also about offering a cadre of culinary items at different prices, he added, for everyone from Joe Lunchbox to the snooty foodie.
It was 1979 when Rice, still a college student, opened his first restaurant: a salad bar in South Jersey. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” admitted Rice, “but the restaurant garnered a lot of attention because it was before the salad bar craze.”

Thirty-three years later, and 24 years since Rice made his pilgrimage out West, it’s not difficult to understand why he’s successful. Rice is a risk-taker with a passion for his patrons and his people.

Joe’s businesses include: Dolce – dolcejh.com, Ignight – ignightjacksonhole.com, Merry Piglets Mexican Grill – merrypiglets.com, Sidewinders American Grill – sidewinderstavern.com and Sidewinders Wine & Liquor Store.

Keegan Bradley’s wildly successful rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2011 caught much of the golf world by surprise. After all, it’s not often a kid from Vermont, who went to college in the Northeast while spending his summers in Jackson Hole, goes on to win the PGA Championship in his first try.

To those who know Keegan, however, his arrival at the top of the professional golf world at the age of 25 may have been slightly ahead of schedule, but not the least bit unexpected.

“People would ask him what he planned to do after college, and he would say ‘I’m going to be a pro golfer,” recalls Scott Northrup, one of several top local golfers who played with Keegan nearly every day during those Wyoming summers. “They would say, ‘Well it’s good to have a backup plan.’ Keegan would say to me later, ‘Why do I need a backup plan? I was born to do this.’”

Keegan spent three summers in Jackson Hole between 2005 and 2007, living and working with his father Mark Bradley, former head professional and now director of instruction, at Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis. When he wasn’t picking range balls, Keegan was either on the river or working even harder on his game with long practice sessions and round after round with the valley’s best golfers.

“There are so many highlights from that first summer,” said Mark. “He fell in love with fly fishing … he knew this was a special place. He wrote me a note in the fall after he was back at school that said ‘Thank you for the greatest summer of my life.’”

Keegan’s time in Wyoming was between semesters at St. John’s University in New York, where he was a standout member of the golf team. Before graduating in 2008 he posted nine collegiate victories. While in Jackson Hole, Keegan maintained a rigorous amateur competition schedule, participating in state, regional and national tournaments across the West. He claimed two Wyoming State Golf Association titles, winning the stroke play championship in 2006 and the 2007 match play.

During this time Keegan attracted countless friends and fans, impressing each with his enthusiasm, dedication, skill and pure love for the game.

Former Wyoming State Golf Association director Jim Core remembers Keegan handing him his scorecard after a qualifying round for the 2006 Wyoming match play tournament at Three Crowns in Casper. Keegan posted a 62, obliterating the course record by five stokes.

“He had this shit-eating grin on his face and I said ‘How did you do?’” Core recalls. “He said ‘I moved it around pretty good. I think I qualified.’”

Keegan developed a friendship with Core, who was recently inducted into the Wyoming Golf Hall of Fame, that was cemented during many hours on the course and on the wide open roads of the West traveling to and from regional tournaments.

That same year, Keegan shot a 10-under round of 63 in Rock Springs, also a course record, in the Wyoming state stroke play before losing that title by just one stroke.

Keegan cruised to victory in the match play in 2006 by closing out each opponent before the 16th hole. On the receiving end of a 5 and 4 “whooping” in the finals was Brant Kummerfeld.

“He had the whole package. He was a tall kid, ultra confident, very focused with a great putter. He never gave up and made putt after putt after putt,” said Kummerfeld. “I knew he would play on the PGA Tour, no question.”

Despite being competitors, Brant, who at the time was playing golf for a junior college in Wyoming, and Keegan became friends. Keegan went out of his way to introduce Brant to his college coach, which eventually resulted in Brant receiving an offer to play golf at St. John’s University. Brant eventually played for nearby Adelphi University on Long Island, thanks in large part to Keegan’s promotion.

The two keep in touch, most recently connecting at the Phoenix Open, where Brant walked the course with Keegan while he played. “He still calls me by a silly nickname he made up,” said Brant. “Good to see he hasn’t changed.”

Another enduring connection from Keegan’s time in Jackson Hole is Steve White, a former professional golfer who regained his amateur status in the years before Keegan began spending summers in Jackson Hole. Introduced by Keegan’s father at Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis, where White is a member, the two spent countless hours playing together and traveling to amateur contests throughout the west.

White also saw in Keegan the seeds of greatness.

“For a 19-year-old guy there are a lot of things that can creep in,” said White. “But Keegan always seemed to be focused on his game. I knew right away that he had the talent and more importantly the desire to be as good as he wanted to be.”

White recalled several road trips, including traveling to the Public Links Championship in Bremerton, WA, playing together when Keegan won the State Am at Bell Nob, and one that included running out of gas on Interstate 25 outside of Casper. Northrup, who also was along for that road trip, recalls Keegan passing the time waiting for someone to bring them gas by jamming tees into the blacktop and smashing drives down the deserted highway.

White also had the pleasure of playing with Keegan, his father Mark and aunt Pat.

“I don’t think you can downplay the experience he has been able to get from being a part of that great golfing family,” White said.

Pat Bradley won 31 professional tour events and six major championships before retiring in 1995 when Keegan was nine. Keegan attended numerous tournaments in which she competed and has credited her as a major inspiration.
FIRST TEACHER, BIGGEST FAN

Of course no one has been more keenly aware of Keegan’s raw talent, passion for the game and dedication to being the best than his father Mark.

Mark lived in Jackson Hole for 10 years beginning in 1973, but returned to his native Woodstock, Vermont, before having Keegan in 1986 and his younger sister Madison with his then wife Kaye Bradley.

“At the age of three he took a shine to this game like nobody’s business,” recalls Mark, who at the time was a head pro at Haystack Golf Club. “He came to work with me almost every day and absolutely absorbed the game.”

At the age of five, while a student at Woodstock Elementary, Keegan made his career plans clear, scrawling “I wnt to be a PGA playr” in response to the classic kindergarten question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

In the ensuing years, Keegan became a “golf course rat,” says Mark. When he was nine, Keegan would get up well before dawn in order to catch a ride to the course with his dad, often sleeping in the car for a few hours upon arrival.

“It was wonderful for me. He never messed up, he knew everyone, I never had to kick him out of the pro shop,” Mark recalls. “I just had my kid around and it was a pleasure.”

Mark takes credit for giving Keegan a good grip, a solid stance and swing and a love of the game. Beyond that, he mostly gave him his space.

“He would come to me and say, Dad, look at my swing,” Mark said. “A lot of what I did was keep my mouth shut.”

Keegan has been quick to credit his father’s quiet but unwavering support in post-round television interviews. At the conclusion of the PGA Championship, the only tour event that includes the nation’s top club professionals, Keegan thanked his father Mark on national television.

“My dad is a PGA pro out of Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis,” Keegan said. “I know he’s very proud of his PGA Class A status. He taught me. I grew up going to the course with him wherever he was working and playing from morning until night as much as I could.”

Keegan has since elaborated further. “I was a golf junkie, I guess you could say. Because of him I got to go and play. My mom and everybody pitched in and helped me get to where I am today, but my dad is very influential in my golf career for sure.”

Mark also has been enjoying Keegan’s professional career, traveling to numerous tournaments during his Rookie of the Year season in 2011 from Hawaii to Bermuda. This year’s highlights include accompanying Keegan during his first practice round at Augusta National, site of the Masters, in March. Only the world’s top golfers are invited to the sport’s most prestigious event, held in early April, and 2012 marked Keegan’s debut.

“My dad was freaking out; he loved it so much and it was even better because he played really well,” Bradley said to a USA Today reporter in late March. “[Augusta] is one of those places that lives up to your expectations.”

Said Mark, “We pulled on to Magnolia Lane and we just stopped. We said we will sure remember this. Then we got out the cameras.” Indeed, the experience was once in a lifetime for Mark, who visited with Augusta National Chairman Billy Paine, a Jackson Hole summer resident, walked the course with famed caddy Jim “Bones” Mackay and played his best at one of the most exclusive tracks in the world.

Keegan went on to make the cut at his first Masters, eventually finishing in a tie for 27th. “The atmosphere out there is like no other place,” Tweeted Keegan after an opening round of 71. “Everything I thought it would be and more.”
Mark Bradley also soaked in Keegan’s first Masters, posting breathless updates throughout on Facebook that drew scores of “likes” and comments from Keegan’s friends and acquaintances in Jackson Hole.

The kind of quality time the two spent together at Augusta is becoming harder to find as the demand for Keegan’s time has increased. During the first half of Keegan’s rookie year, and even after his breakthrough win at the Byron Nelson in May 2011, Mark would often see his son before and after rounds and walk the course with Keegan, acting as a spotter for errant shots. Now, his galleries are large with plenty of people watching Keegan’s every move and there is little time during tournaments for just hanging out.

“Now, if I travel with him, if we go out for dinner just once that is great,” said Mark. “There is a lot of attention on him. If I call or text him after a round, I just like it when he texts me back and says ‘thanks, Dad.’”

FROM THE HOLE TO KING OF THE HILL

In the years between Jackson Hole and his arrival on the world stage, Keegan steadily worked his way through golf’s minor leagues.

In 2008, Keegan turned professional, competing on the Hooters Tour, or what is similar to baseball’s “Double A” level. He won once in 2008 and again in 2009, earning a spot on the Nationwide Tour, one rung below the PGA Tour. While his achievements during this time were not spectacular, Keegan maintained his laser-like determination to improve his game and reach for the next level.

“Keegan will hit range ball after range ball after range ball,” says Northrup, who caddied for Keegan in two Nationwide events. “He never gives up, and he’s a clutch, clutch guy.”

During his two years on the Nationwide Tour, Keegan did not win but accumulated enough top-five finishes in 2010 to finish 14th on the money list and earn his PGA Tour card for 2011. He made the cut in his first professional tournament, the Sony Open in Hawaii, and posted two top-ten finishes before breaking through for his first PGA Tour win in May.

These days, Keegan may be competing and succeeding on an entirely different level than during his Wyoming days, but his easygoing personality and commitment to the game continue to attract fans and friends, even among those trying to keep him from his next victory. One of his highest-profile new friends is Phil Mickelson, a 40-time winner on the PGA Tour and three-time Masters champ.

“I really like Keegan,” Mickelson said to USA Today. “He’s a great guy. He’s a great player, and I think a lot of him. I think he’s a tremendous talent and I like playing with him. … We’ve had some great practice rounds, good fun. You can be very relaxed around him and he takes things well. You can rough him up a little bit, and he’ll give it right back.”

Two weeks after Keegan’s first practice round at Augusta National, which hosts the Masters, Keegan returned for another practice round via Mickelson’s private jet. Filling out the foursome that day was Tiger Woods and fellow up-and-comer Dustin Johnson.

KEEGAN’S JACKSON HOLE FOLLOWING

Keegan’s schedule has not permitted an extended return to Jackson Hole for a few years, but his local following has grown nearly as fast as his notoriety. Several people remember him fondly from his time in Wyoming; many more follow his career because of their relationship with Mark, a high-profile member of the local community.
On Sundays, when Keegan is in the hunt for yet another win or top-ten finish, Northrup’s Saw Mill Grill in Wilson, Wyoming, will fill up with those rooting for a Sunday charge.

“Even the people who don’t know him feel they have a part of his life because they know his dad or played with him,” said Northrup. “ We even brought in a bell so we can ring it.”

The bell refers to a longstanding Bradley tradition that began with Keegan’s grandmother ringing the bell at the family homestead in Massachusetts whenever Pat Bradley won a golf tournament.

It also resonates with residents that Keegan himself has spoken so highly of his summers living, working and playing in Jackson Hole.

“He’s not shy about expressing his pride of being associated with Jackson Hole and his dad being a pro here,” White said. “The people around here know he is appreciative of the time he spent here.”