Published: September 06, 2008 11:39 pm            

Rub of the Green: Holloway set bar for Valley’s young female golfers

Most any young lady who exhibits a passion for the game of golf would be happy to follow in the footsteps of former Terre Haute South standout, Kelli Holloway.

As a South golfer, Kelli recalls, “I had a lot of fun playing high school golf. Tricia Finney was a wonderful coach.” Holloway would go on to win the Terre Haute Junior Championship in addition to claiming medalist honors in the MIC. Along the way she also led her South team to a sectional championship. Before graduating from South, she also won a pair of Mountain Dew tournaments. Her high school record was good enough to earn a golf scholarship to IUPUI.

Finney, who coached Holloway during her four high school seasons, remembered, “Kelli improved greatly from her freshman year. She was a hard worker and an outstanding leader. She motivated the girls on the team to play during the summer. Kelli also had a great personality.”

As a member of IUPUI’s golf team, Holloway was named Mid Continent Conference Player of the Week on multiple occasions. She also set several scoring records before graduating last May.

Kelli served an internship with the National Football League Combine during her undergraduate days. She concluded her studies with a degree in event planning.

After answering an ad on the Internet, Kelli secured a position with the American Junior Golf Association, which provides tournament experiences for junior golfers ages 12 through 18. Tournaments have been conducted in 48 states and Mexico. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have played in numerous AJGA events.

With the AJGA tournament season running from May to November, there are six teams of seven individuals who go to respective tournament sites to work in various capacities to ensure tournaments are conducted in a professional manner.

Immediately after graduation, Holloway was assigned to one of the teams in which five work in operations and two are involved in communications. The AJGA has worked eleven tournaments this summer.

Kelli has just been promoted to a position titled Tournament Coordinator. Now she will fly to various tournament sites around the country.

Oddly enough, Kelli indicates she doesn’t have time to play much golf although she recently had the opportunity to play Victoria National, one of the Midwest’s outstanding courses near Evansville.

Kelli gives much credit to her parents, Patty and Jon for the successes she has experienced in golf and in life. Patty is a registered nurse at Regional Hospital where she has worked for 18 years.

Jon has been head golf professional at Rea Park and Hulman Links at various times besides serving as Terre Haute’s Golf Director. He is now General Manager of CMP Properties where he oversees operations of Fore Seasons and Bogey’s.

There is little doubt that Kelli Holloway is on the fast track to an outstanding career in the golf spectrum where even “the sky may not be her limit.”



• Ron “Pappy” Poore demonstrated a week ago that he still knows his way around a golf course when he fired a smooth 68 from regulation tees at The Landing. Poore captured the ever popular Lawrenceville Amateur Championship a few years back. Well, maybe more that a “few”. Time does fly, but Pappy Poore’s golf swing is still solid.

• Amiable restaurateur, Mark Roman, knew how to lead his scramble team to the winner’s circle in the recent Cannon Tourney at The Landing.

Mark was faced with a short pitch over the small pond on number four when his golf ball landed in the rocks that surround the green. Ninety-nine times out of one hundred the ball finishes in the water, but this time the ball popped up on the green and rolled directly into the cup. The eagle three helped his squad to a one shot victory. Happy members of the team along with Mark included Lee Shipley, Kent Robertson, Tony Maddox and Mike Wilson.

• Congrats are in order to Lloyd Driggers on another club championship at Idle Creek. It’s always a good feeling to be No. 1 on your home course.

• It’s gratifying to see “The Old Man’s Tournament” is still going strong. Instigated by Ernie Horrall Sr., and perpetuated by his son Ernie Tom Horrall and now by grandson Blayd Horrall, this scramble has always drawn a full field of enthusiastic divoteers.

• Devon Klutey continues to play The Landing as though it were his private playground. A recent score card revealed two eagles, five birdies and three bogeys, good enough for a ho hum 66.

• Harvey Cabak grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. Although he took part in various sports obviously, golf was not one of them. There weren’t many golf courses in Brooklyn.

After graduating from Indiana State with majors in psychology and business administration, Cabak managed The Bottom Half at one time and later worked in the automobile business. Now Harvey concentrates on his golf. The lefty hits it long and straight, and he has a career best of 68 since returning to Terre Haute. Cabak proves that you don’t need to “grow up” with the game to be a solid player.

• Tip of the week: To allow room to swing your hands as you hit the golf ball, you need to make sure your posterior protrudes. In other words, stick your rear end out and away from your body; otherwise you won’t have room for your hands to come through as your swing approaches impact.

Keep your head down and your shoestrings tied. We’ll be back.



Wabash Valley golf leagues:

Rea Park Women’s Tuesday 18-hole — Low gross went to Stephanie Meyer with an 82. Low net winner was Linda Pair and Lorri Ugo at 68. Birdies were recorded by Susan Amerman on No. 3 and 13. There were chip-ins by Beth Lowe and Sharon Hamilton on No. 3; Shawn Durand on No. 10 and Lorri Ugo on No. 5 and 11.

Idle Creek Home Builders — (Aug. 26) Low gross: Rusty Gray 39, Charlie Smith 39. Low net: Brian Holley 31, Jack Keidel 31. Longest drive: Jim Lowe (No. 2). Closest to pin: Tim Malooley (No. 3), Smith (No. 5, second shot). (Sept. 2) Low gross: Holley 41, Smith 41. Low net: Lenny Isles 28, Dan Mills 29. Longest drive: Smith (No. 14). Closest to pin: Jack Simpson (No. 12), Smith (No. 16).

Idle Creek Ladies Tuesday Morning Scramble — (Aug. 26) First place: Denise Rowlett, Mary Brannen, Candy LovVron, Cathy Brannen, 36. Second place: Sandy Sato, Mary Cahill, Barb Alcock, Jan Cutter, Bonnie Warn, 38. Closest to pin: LovVron (No. 3). (Sept. 2) First place: C.Brannen, M.Brannen, LovVron, 40. Second place: Susie Colligan, Jan Cutter, 45. Longest putt: Colligan (No. 9). Closest to pin: Cutter (No. 3).

Idle Creek Terminal Sports and Spirits Wednesday Evening — First-place team (best ball): Denise Rowlett-Mike Nuckols 31. Second-place teams (tie): Dave Rowlett-John Love, Nate Tompkins-Matt Love 33. Longest drive: J.Love (No. 11). Longest putt: Nuckols (No. 18). Closest to pin: Da.Rowlett (No. 12).

        

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