At Yankee Trace, enjoy music with your round

The Golf Club at Yankee Trace in Centerville has had some interesting things going this spring.

First the city of Centerville purchased a new fleet of 110 Club Car carts fitted with The Shark Experience. Speakers under the hood enable the golfers to get music from radio stations across the country. Greg Norman has something to do with the concept.

“I’m old school,” Yankee Trace golf professional Steve Marino conceded. “I never knew I’d like to have music while I played golf, but I like it.” Marino said the sound is pretty much limited to the area near the cart, and there have been no complaints about it from other golfers.

If the new carts weren’t enough to get the Yankee Trace golfers talking, the Swing King hole-in-one challenge on the par 3 seventh hole of the Heritage nine certainly has been.

Before their round, golfers can pay an extra $5 in the pro shop to be eligible to win $10,000 if they make a hole-in-one at No. 7. Or they can put down $10 to win $20,000. Three high-definition cameras record the action on that hole.

It took only two days after the program began for a golfer to collect. Michael James of Centerville aced the hole April 30 and won $10,000.

Marino explained that Swing King is operated by a company that receives most of the proceeds and is responsible for the payoffs. Marino said Yankee Trace is the second course in Ohio using the concept.

In another development at Yankee Trace, a record number of rounds were played last Tuesday when 510 were recorded. The previous high of 454 was achieved nearly 10 years ago. Yankee Trace has 27 holes.

“Tuesday was a perfect day for golf in southern Ohio: shining sun, 72 degrees and outstanding golf course conditions,” Marino said.

Luczka repeats as City champion

Cameron Luczka, a 20-year-old Kettering resident who works at Yankee Trace, proved that his victory in the 2018 City Match Play Championship was no fluke.

Last Sunday Luczka (pronounced Loosh-kuh) made four birdies on the front nine at Madden Golf Course and defeated medalist Bryce Haney, 5 and 4, to repeat as the champion.

Luczka, a junior at Indiana Wesleyan University, defeated Eddie Anderson, 7 and 6, Roger Johnson, 4 and 2, and Luke Van Leewen, 3 and 1, en route to the title. Haney, a member of the Wright State University golf team from Huber Heights who posted a 1-under-par 71 in the qualifying round, eliminated Greg Eldred, 2 and 1, Kevin Flynn, 2 and 1, and Ryan Flick, 3 and 1, to reach the final.

Ten players broke 80 in the qualifying round and another 10 shot 85 or better. There were 24 players in the bracket.

Witt finishes fourth in Ohio Junior

Mason Witt of Jamestown tied for fourth in the Ohio Junior Championship on Wednesday at WGC Golf Course in Xenia. Witt shot (72-71) 143.

Shane Oaks of Beavercreek and Tyler Goecke of Xenia finished in a seven-way tie for sixth place with scores of 145. Jordan Gilkison of Springboro shot 78-69 and tied for 14th at 147.

The overall winner was Andrew Wyss of Canton, who shot (71-70) 141.

Oaks won the 15-U title by beating Noah Wingart of Powell in a one-hole playoff.

Hickory Hills hosts Jr. Amateur qualifier

A few Dayton area golfers aspiring to play in the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in Toledo July 15-20 will be among the 83 participating in the only Ohio sectional qualifier at Hickory Hills Golf Club in Columbus on Thursday.

The names I recognized on the tee sheet include: Witt, Goecke, Austin Greaser of Vandalia, Ryan Quigley of Oakwood and Holden Scribner of Troy.

The Junior Amateur will be played at the storied Inverness Club.

Area players tee it up in Ohio Mid-Amateur

Eight players from the Miami Valley will tee it up Monday in the 54-hole Ohio Mid-Amateur Championship Monday-Wednesday at Findlay Country Club. The Mid-Amateur is for players at least 25 years old.

They include: Pete Betzold, Chris Cadwallader, Brad Dearsman, Josh Elliott, Kevin Grabeman, Kip Gray, Pete Samborsky, Jeff Scohy and Brent Wagener.