Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005060055
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
For the first time in the tournament's six-year history, the top finishers will earn points toward the American Junior Golf Association title.
To conform with AJGA guidelines, the Robertson will increase from 36 to 54 holes and is moving from its customary dates in late June to July 16-18.
"We're not part of their official tour, but we're one of their Rolex Point events," said Ned Baber, special events chairman for the Robertson committee. "It should enhance our field."
One-third of the 1989 field of 162 was from out of state, including 11 players from Ohio, nine from Tennessee and at least one each from Texas, California, Michigan and Florida.
"It took about a year or two to review us," Baber said. "They had a lot of questions about how we operated, what our financial support was, community involvement, press coverage and history."
The AJGA will hold its tournament of champions the same week, "but we had a hard time getting those kids anyway," Baber said. "The other kids have nowhere else to go."
The previous AJGA stop is in Louisville, Ky., and many of the players in that field are expected to go on to Roanoke.
Baber said 75 percent of the field will be determined by handicap and record, but organizers will try to preserve a local identity by holding a qualifying tournament June 25 at Roanoke Country Club.
The age cutoff for the Robertson previously was 17, but the AJGA accepts 18-year-olds who have not enrolled in college. As a result, the age groups this year will be 13-14 and 15-18 for boys and 13-18 for girls.
\ Hunting Hills Country Club has selected Glen "Roby" Roberson of Asheville, N.C., as its new head golf professional. He will succeed Tim Reynolds, who has entered private business.
Roberson, 42, most recently was the head pro for four years at Northgreen Country Club in Rocky Mount, N.C., home of the ACC Tournament. Previously, he was the pro for five years at Connestee Falls Country Club in Brevard, N.C.
Roberson, a graduate of Mars Hill (N.C.) College, taught in high school before joining the Air Force as a computer programmer. He was 27 when he landed his first professional job as an assistant at Biltmore Forest in Asheville, N.C.
"A number of things figured into the move," said Roberson (pronounced Robb-er-son). "Our family wanted to get back to this kind of topography. We missed the mountains very much. Also, I'm excited to be part of an area that's so golf-enthusiastic. You don't know how good you've got it."
Roberson served on the executive committee of the Carolinas PGA and has played in the National Club Pro Championship.
"As far as an area of expertise, I do enjoy teaching very much," Roberson said. "Because I enjoy teaching, I do consider it one of my strengths. I also want Hunting Hills to be very service-oriented. I don't want our members to have to touch their clubs except when they're on the course."
One of Roberson's bigger adjustments was to the tight, tree-lined Hunting Hills layout.
"It's a shotmaker's course," said Roberson, who hopes to play the Virginia PGA circuit when his pro-shop duties allow. "The last couple of rounds, I've been around par, but you can't just walk up to every hole and hit a driver."
\ Mike Smith, who was a member of Hunting Hills when he won the Roanoke Valley Hall of Fame championship in 1989, will defend his title for another team, Roanoke Country Club. Smith played out of RCC before going to Hunting Hills.
\ David Layman, golf coach at Roanoke College for the past five years, announced his resignation Friday. Layman also is a teacher and girls' basketball coach at Cave Spring High School. . . . John Crooks, a top amateur golfer in Roanoke during the early 1980s, has been named golf coach at Campbell College in his hometown of Buies Creek, N.C.
\ Sam Taylor of Roanoke College shot a 77 at Sleepy Hole in Portsmouth to tie for first place in the college division of the Virginia Intercollegiate Golf Championship.
A heavy downpour prevented a playoff and Jeff Smiley of Longwood took home the championship trophy on a match of cards. Longwood won the team championship with a four-man total of 315, 11 strokes ahead of the Maroons.
\ Virginia finished fifth in the ACC golf tournament, but trailed co-champions Clemson and N.C. State by only eight strokes, the closest the Cavaliers have been to the winning total in 32 years. Junior Fred Widicus shot a final-round 64 to finish in a third-place tie, two strokes behind individual champion Jason Widener from Duke.
\ Jason Perdue, a Division III All-American at Roanoke College, has returned to the valley as a federal probation officer and plans to resume his amateur career as soon as he recovers from an Achilles' tendon injury. . . . Virginia Tech golf signee Scott Rardin finished 12th in the 1989 Texas State Junior. Rardin moved to The Woodlands, Texas, from Salem before his senior year. . . . Roanoke Country Club professional Wayne Holley has been selected vice president of the Middle Atlantic PGA. . . . Pete Dodd, who previously operated Drive-a-way range on Lee Highway and more recently has been the proprietor of Poplar Forest outside Lynchburg, is part of a group that has opened a Golf USA discount store in Promenade Park on Virginia 419.
by CNB