Randall Couch, one of the more respected golf professionals in Georgia, has announced he will retire as director of golf at Druid Hills Golf Club in February.
Couch, 64, entered the golf business after leaving the U.S. Army and spending some time as an insurance salesman. He worked briefly at Berkeley Hills under Luke Barnes and joined the Druid Hills staff in 1970 under head professional Butch Hansen. When Hansen left in 1972, Couch was promoted and has held the job for 38 years.
"When you've got a great membership like we've got, it's easy," Couch said. "I'll always appreciate what they did for me and how they allowed a 24-year-old to become their golf professional."
During his tenure Couch has overseen the course's change from Bermuda to bentgrass greens, the resurrection of the Dogwood Invitational amateur event, and the 2003 course renovation with architect Bob Cupp.
Couch will work through Feb. 28 and then becomes the club's "professional emeritus." He has been granted full access to the club and can play and teach as much as he would like.
PGA
Most rules violations cost a player only a couple of strokes. This one cost Georgia alum Ryuji Imada a few more. Imada took 26 penalty shots at the Mission Hills Star Celebrity Pro-Am for violating the local lift, clean and place rule.
The Asian Tour, which was overseeing the event, requires players to replace their ball within the length of the scorecard rather than the standard full club length, which is the rule on the PGA Tour. Imada's playing partner, former U.S. Amateur champion Danny Lee, pointed out the error to Imada on the 12th hole.
Imada told officials he had broken the rule, but couldn't remember the exact number of times. He estimated 13 infractions and assessed himself 26 penalty shots, two strokes per violation. He wound up signing for a 24-over 97.
"I'm an idiot," Imada said. He came back to shoot a 72 in the second round, but still finished last in the 18-player field.
Nationwide
The sprained wrist that kept Chris Kirk out of the penultimate Nationwide Tour event in Jacksonville turned out to be a broken wrist and prevented the former Georgia star from competing in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship. He withdrew on the eve of the event when an MCI revealed that his muscle sprain was actually a fracture at the base of his left thumb.
The injury, which he said would need 3-4 weeks to heal, prevented Kirk from making a run at the Nationwide money title. He wound up No. 2 on the earnings. Kirk, who had two victories in 2010, said he was disappointed, but was ready to move on and look at the bright side. He has earned his PGA Tour card for 2011 and will be in the field at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.
Etc.
Expect the Georgia PGA again to take a lead role in helping with the 89th PGA Championship next summer at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Players from the Georgia Section are having a best-ball tournament Monday on the Highlands Course. In 2001, when the event was last held at the Athletic Club, Georgia PGA member Stephen Keppler of Marietta Country Club, struck the first competitive shot of the championship.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
