Hidden Creek underwent a redesign and partial rerouting in 2012. During the process course architect John Colligan and his associates made every effort to keep the course playable and at the same time, add some new twists to this well-known property.

The par 5 opening hole is one that requires precision as well as length. It measuring 567 yards from the tips and there are a couple different ways to attack this one. If you can bomb it, you can carry the small pond and waste area that cuts into the fairway. If you succeed, you can certainly make a run at the green in two and hopefully get started with a stress-free birdie on the card. For the shorter hitter, you can play this hole as a true three-shot par 5. A hybrid or three-metal leaves you short of the danger, and then you can hoist a mid-iron into a layup area and leave yourself a comfortable wedge number. There is certainly more than one way to skin this cat.

A birdie on No. 1 would be beneficial, as No. 2 and No. 3 are both difficult pars to make. No. 2 is a narrow par 4 with water down the right to collect tee shots that stray that direction. Definitely not a hole for the unwanted slice to make an appearance. Should you locate the short stuff off the tee, you’ll face an uphill second with a bunker guarding the green short.

No. 3 is one of the more unique holes on the property. The fairway is offset to the left of a line of trees. The player can either hit it left of the trees to the fairway, or go right of the trees and attempt to carry a large area of taller rough. During the winter, this grass is primarily dormant, so if you come up a little short, it’s no harm, but once the grass begins to grow in the spring, this route could be treacherous if you don’t have the distance to carry it.

The fourth is a par 3 that can play anywhere from about 125 to 185 depending on which tee you choose. The only real trouble here is the small pot bunker that guards the front right. The par 4 fifth is a dogleg left that plays just short of 400 yards from the back tees. The longer hitters can chew off the dogleg and carry the trees on the left and get it close to the putting surface. Although miss too far left and your ball will find a ditch sometimes filled with water, and other times filled with gnarled grass too deep to search through. The second par 5 of the front is next: the 506-yard sixth. You’ll want to favor the left side of the fairway here to give yourself the best angle of attack for your second, however, a pair of fairway bunkers make the landing area minute.

The seventh is the longest par 4 on the property and the hardest rated hole at Hidden Creek. Measuring 448 from the tips, this one doglegs lightly to the left and requires an accurate tee ball to find a very narrow fairway. Be mindful of where the pin is located for your approach, because the green is over 100 feet from front to back, and can leave you with a difficult two-putt if your iron distances aren’t on point.

No. 8 is basically all intimidation. Water is in play and forces players to carry their ball all the way to the green, or face rinsing one. You can take some extra club and bail out right, but the crowned green makes any up and down a challenge. On a breezy day, the right to left cross wind will push balls toward the drink.

The front nine closes with another par 4. No tricks to this one. There isn’t a dogleg to speak of, just a narrow landing zone and another large green with a bunker guarding the front right. It’s a fair and straightforward way to end the outward nine.

The back nine begins with a south to north par four that used to be turned in the other direction and play a part of the old No. 18. If the prevailing wind is from the south, you can carry your tee ball over the crest of the hill mid-fairway and get some downhill run. If you pull it off, you can chase your ball down near the green. For those who don’t clobber it, you can lay back and leave yourself a comfortable wedge distance and a good look at a three to start the back nine.

The par-3 11th is arguably the most intimidating tee shot on the property. Although it plays only 160 yards, the shot is all carry over water, and there is a bunker up front that basically obscures your view of the putting surface. The water curls around long and left of the green as well, so anything pulled left will be swimming with the fish. As was the case with No. 8, you can always bail out right, but you’ll need to get up and down to save your par.

The 12th and 13th holes are both slight dogleg right par 4s, both a little over 400 yards. A two-hole paradise for those that like to play the power fade. The par-5 14th is one of my personal favorite holes on the course. Trees line the left side of this 545-yard par 5, and the downhill tee shot means you will get a little more distance off the tee. Although it may not look like it from the tee, you want your tee shot to hug the right side (think just left of the cart path). If you get a good bounce, you can run the ball through the trees and have a better look at the green for your second. If you do take that route, you can certainly get home in two.

If you choose to play it more straight away, your second will have tall grass that obstructs your view of the green. Hit it too far, and you run the risk of having to try to force your shot through these tall reeds, or basically turning directly to the right and playing a wedge to the layup area.

Fifteen is the shortest hole at Hidden Creek, a mere 140 from all the way back. A good chance to stick one close and get a tweeter before the stretch run. The final three all run parallel to the frontage road of I-35, and face south. On a day with no or minimal wind, these are some scorable holes. However, if the wind is blowing (and it almost always is from the south during peak season), this trio can pile strokes on to your score. The 16th isn’t long at just 371, but the temptation of trying to hammer a driver to get a scoring club in your hand can lead to trouble. Left is bouncing down the interstate headed for Waco, and right can find trees and some gnarly high fescue. It’s best to slap an iron or hybrid into the fairway and then flight something under the wind to the middle of the green.

The penultimate hole is the longest on the golf course (571 yards) and again, often playing back into that southerly wind. It’s three shots for all but those that have tour caliber length. The one saving grace is that it’s pretty wide open, minus one fairway bunker, for both the tee shot and your second.

The 18th rates as the second hardest hole, and although standing on the tee it may not look that way, it can be one final slap in the face if you aren’t careful. Playing 447 yards from tee to green, this one requires another accurate tee shot as again, anything left will be dangerous to passing vehicles, and missing right means either a long approach, or a lost ball in the trees if you really mail one that direction. If you do find the short stuff, you’ll likely be left with somewhere in the 160-190 range. Not a cupcake approach, especially with any breeze. The one thing head pro Mike Krsnak does want to see improved are the bunkers.

Although they are certainly plenty playable, Krsnak wants to upgrade to a system that improves drainage and does away with the antiquated liner filled sand trap.

Hidden Creek is everything you would expect from the local municipal course. It’s playable, fun, affordable and caters to any handicap. It’s also perfect for charity tournaments and larger groups. If you’re looking for your next round, look no further than Hidden Creek in Burleson.

Hidden Creek Golf Course

Address: 555 E Hidden Creek Parkway
Burleson, TX 76028
Phone: 817-447-4444
Website: www.hiddencreekgc.com
Designer: Steve Plummer (1997), John Colligan (2012)
Year Opened: 1997
Par/Yardage: 72/7,024 (Black tees); 6,563 (Blue); 5,943 (White); 5,605 (Silver); 5,272 (Red)
Greens: Champion Bermuda
Rates: $34 weekday, $44 weekend

Toughest Hole: No. 7, 448-yard par 4. This hole doesn’t exactly set up for the player that can’t control his driver. Anything right is OB, too far left and you can find yourself stymied in amongst the trees. If you can hit a long gentle draw and find the fairway, the second will still be a mid-iron to a very large undulating green where a three-putt can bite you.

Favorite Hole: No. 14, 545-yard par 5. If you’ve read any of my reviews in the past, then you know I’m a big fan of the five-par. This particular one intrigues me because of the risk reward, not on the second shot, but on the tee shot. You can try to carry the trees taking a line right down the cart path, and if you’re long enough, you can make the getting home in two much more likely. You can choose the conventional route, but you’ll have bit of an obstructed view if you do.

Most Intriguing Hole: No. 3, 402-yard par 4. The tee shot makes this hole interesting. You can lay it up left and still have a legit chance at a birdie, or you can try to smash one to the right of the tree line and carry the rough to get it closer to the putting surface. There’s really no right or wrong answer, so it makes this hole a fun test of golf.

The post Hidden Creek Golf Course — A Hidden Convenience appeared first on AvidGolfer Magazine.

At initial glance, the standard cast of characters for any steakhouse adorn the menu. Caesar salad, filet, lobster, potatoes, asparagus. Everything is right where it should be for a fine dining experience. However, as we dove deeper into our visit to Texas Bleu, it was apparent that the creative variations and quality products would make this a clear contender for one of the preeminent dining experiences in the Metroplex.

Chef Rishel presented our party with several dishes on the evening, including a must-try ceviche appetizer. It was fresh and vibrant. The chilled shrimp had a great firm texture which really holds up well to the creamy avocado. Add a little spice from some finely diced serrano peppers, and this app was a hit. If you’re looking to take it to the next level, spoon some over one of the house made chicharrones that accompany the dish, squeeze just a bit more lime over the top, and prepare to have your socks blown off. Our other appetizer was a chef’s specialty that caught us off guard: eggrolls. These finger foods were taken to the next level, stuffed with smoked salmon and mascarpone cheese. They were like the glorious love child of a Chinese take-out crab rangoon and grandmother’s salmon croquettes. They were as delicious as they were unique, and come with a Sriracha honey drizzle that helps this dish tickle all the flavor notes. Sweet, salty, sour, spicy. They’re all there. Even if it’s subtle, Rishel manages to incorporate the big four profiles into all his dishes.

The Caesar salad is a classic steakhouse staple, and as we turn the page to 2018, it seems unlikely that there are many undiscovered ways to improve on this classic. However, Texas Bleu has done just that. Rishel admitted he needed to give credit to the real creator behind this dish to stay out of the doghouse. “This is my mother-in-law’s recipe, and she made me promise I would always include it on any menu I create, and I have to give her the credit,” Rishel said. Well our compliments to the chef(s), as this take on the Caesar isn’t like any you’ve ever tried. The heart of romaine is grilled for just a few seconds to char. This adds a touch of smoke flavor and a bit of warmth. Then the lettuce is dressed with a savory Caesar dressing and shaved parmesan cheese. But what really makes this starter unique are the “croutons.” I put that word in quotation marks because these aren’t your standard petrified bread pieces that often leave you wondering if you pulverized a molar. These croutons are actually fried polenta squares that retain a bit of warmth from the cooking process, and the pillowy soft texture under the fried crunch is a textural delight; they are almost like silky mini-cornbreads. I mean it when I say they help make this Caesar the best I’ve ever tried.

Of course, if you’re headed to Texas Bleu, it isn’t likely for the salad options, although they are top quality and mega fresh. The real stars of this show are the superior entrees. Texas Bleu offers several options for the top of the food chain carnivore, and two different filet mignon options: a 5-ounce petite filet and the 8-ounce for the larger appetites. Both are absurdly tender, so much so, Rishel often bets his diners they can cut it with a fork. I inhaled mine in such short order he never had the chance to extend the same wager my way. If you’re looking for something with a few more flavor profiles, I suggest the flat iron steak with chimichurri. This 10-ounce cut features more meat for your mandible, and is topped with a world-class, flavor-packed chimichurri. If you’re unfamiliar with this topper, it is a combination of parsley, cilantro, garlic and other ingredients buzzed together with some olive oil. It’s versatile, flavorful and adds some punch to this dish. The steak itself has a bit more marbling than the filet, which means it’s not quite as delicate, but is naturally a bit more flavorful. One of Rishel’s biggest influences since taking over everyday operations is his use of pure local ingredients.

“Our biggest thing is if we make it from scratch, we can control the ingredients. It’s not the butter, fat and cream that’s going to get you. It’s the X, Y’s and Z’s that will. The things you can’t pronounce.”

With Rishel’s vision taking Bleu in a new direction, things are changing for the better. Wine is being served by the glass, and there are vino options that are much more reasonable from a price point perspective than under previous management.

“We wanted to give Keller something that was elevated in cuisine that was still approachable. Don’t be something you’re not. We’re Keller, Texas, and we really want to appeal to the residents here and keep that money here,” Rishel said as we finished up our meal.

With the changes have come some additional added bonuses for customers. Rishel now offers a prime rib special on Thursday nights, and Texas Bleu is becoming a popular brunch spot on Sundays. Tip back a Bloody Mary and have that aforementioned flat iron steak with some eggs, or the Texas Benedict, which is country fried quail breasts, an herbed biscuit and poached egg topped with jalapeno Hollandaise sauce. The gluten free wild rice and blueberry pancakes come topped with local honey, and are a crowd pleaser every time. Approachable and home grown has always been the goal for Chef Rishel, and he now has a new vehicle to deliver his fresh creative food to the masses. No matter where you are in the Metroplex, Texas Bleu is worth the trip to Keller. Quaint, intimate dining, with mouth watering next-level cuisine at a price that’s as easy on your bank account as the food will be on your palate.

The post Scene and Be Seen – Texas Bleu Steakhouse appeared first on AvidGolfer Magazine.

These days have been a little rough for John Colligan.

The Arlington-based course architect is a bit uncomfortable with all the attention that’s been placed on him. He hasn’t done anything wrong (we think), nor has he embarrassed himself. No, Colligan is just uncomfortable with all the kudos he’s been getting for his latest projects, and for being featured in this profile.

“I’ve been called a lot of things,” Colligan said before we teed it up at Stevens Park, his latest re-creation that Golfweek tabbed as one of the top 50 municipal tracks in the nation for 2012. “Celebrity is not one of them.”

Many who have played Stevens Park, especially the 15th hole, or Brackenridge Park in San Antonio (another Golfweek top-50 muni) might also call Colligan a genius. At Stevens Park, he took a land-locked and quirky Oak Cliff layout and turned it into a stellar test of golf that offers an amazing view of the downtown Dallas skyline at the 15th. At Brackenridge Park, he revamped a tired A.W. Tillinghast design into a signature amenity for the City of San Antonio.

For Colligan, a native Texan, these renovation projects offered him a chance to work on some classic designs in a state that he truly loves. Yet back in the day, long ago when the economy was strong and golf courses were popping up at a steady rate, Colligan also created some brilliant courses from scratch. The Dallasite and University of Texas at Arlington grad designed such layouts as the Comanche Links course at Squaw Valley Golf Club in Glen Rose, Cleburne Golf Links and Mansfield National Golf Club.

One project he’s currently working on, Luna Vista Golf Club, has a special meaning to him, and could draw even more praise for the jolly Colligan. Known by everyone for years as L.B. Houston Golf Course, Luna Vista was where Colligan first learned the game of golf.

Who would have thought – a place he’s most comfortable at could also make him even more uncomfortable.

– Robert Rodriguez

I went to Dallas Skyline High School even though it was 25 miles away from where I lived. I studied architecture there and the instructors were good because they were registered architects. When I went to the University of Texas at Arlington I didn’t realize how much they taught me at Skyline and how much more I knew over the other students. The preliminary architecture curriculum at UTA was kind of boring because it was everything that I had already done. So I got interested in landscape architect and tailored everything toward golf courses.

My wife nearly stopped my course architecture career before it got started. [Course architect and Golfscapes, Inc. founder] Jeff Brauer called UTA and asked if they had anyone interested in course design. The school gave him my phone number, and when he called my wife answered the phone. Brauer introduced himself and said he liked to talk to me about a job designing golf courses. She thought it was one of my fraternity brothers playing a prank and she almost hung up on him.

There was an instructor at UTA, Dick Myrick, who was an awesome guy and I owe a lot of what I do today to him. He was a positive influence in my career.

Superintendents have the toughest job. I would never want to be one. You’ve got too many bosses – everyone on the golf course knows your business. And Mother Nature is always fighting with you. Every once in awhile you’ll get an “atta boy,” but for the most part it’s a thankless job. Those guys earn their money and they work extremely hard day in and day out. They’re a great group of guys.

Cleburne Golf Links was the last new course my design firm has done, and that opened in 2009. Nowadays it’s mostly renovation work because of the economy. There are just not any new courses being built here; many architects are heading to China to build new courses. They’re making a heck of a lot more money than me, but I’m partial to Texas. Again, we’ve been very lucky.

I never thought I would be doing a project for the City of Dallas, but they had us come over and look at a project for Keeton Park, and then later on Stevens Park and now Luna Vista (formerly L.B. Houston). I’ve done projects for the City of Grand Prairie, the City of Fort Worth, the City of Amarillo, the City of San Antonio – all these municipalities. I’m not saying that’s all we do, but having grown up here in Dallas I had always wanted to do a project for the city.

The Luna Vista project is extra special because L.B. Houston was where I learned to play golf. I can’t imagine too many golf course architects that have had the opportunity to renovate a course where they first started playing golf. All the great memories I had there, it really means a lot to me to do this project.

Luna Vista is on a floodplain and all the greens were at the same elevation. On the north side of the course, the land was higher but the greens were lower. On the south side it was the other way around – lower land, higher greens. What I did was pull the approaches out and soften the slopes so it looks like the greens and surrounding areas are part of the land. By pulling out the approaches and re-contouring the fairways, everything flows and ties in together. It looks like the holes belong there. We also re-routed hole Nos. 3 and 4 to where the third hole is now a par-3 and the fourth hole became a par-4. We also pulled in a lot of the water features closer to the greens and surrounds so they could impact the strategy of the golf course. We’re hoping to open the course in mid-October.

Any renovation project is a lot harder than constructing a new course. You have so many constraints – like at Stevens Park you had the existing vegetation, the creek, the streets crossing through the property. And then you have the people who have played the course for years and liked it the way it was. Usually they don’t like changes. However, if you’re trying to mimic the original architect’s design – just like what we did at the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Brackenridge Park – it’s actually easier because you’ve got a set of guidelines that you going to utilize. You’re given a blueprint – courtesy of the original designer – of what you’re going to mimic.

Each site is unique. At Hawk’s Creek they had wells all over the golf course that they used to test the water because of the jet fuel off of the air force base. I called them “booby traps,” but we had to make sure our grades tied in with them. You have to be aware of the environmental impact. That’s one of the biggest factors that we have to contend with. Even L.B. Houston is unique because it’s all clay, whereas Stevens Park had a lot of rocks with which to contend. Go to Fort Worth and Shady Oaks had some rocks in some areas and sandy soil over by the creek. It was strange at Squaw Valley because one side of the property had more of a clay soil, while on the other side of the creek it was real sandy and silty. So on one piece of property it can change from spot to spot.

I like to go back to golf courses that I’ve designed and talk to people because it gives me good feedback on what they think about the design. I look to see how things are changing, what I could have done differently and better, what’s working. Especially during the design process, we get a lot of input. Certain people think they know as much as, or more than, the course designer. I try to go back to the courses about once a year. You never stop learning.

I’ve often said that you can design the worst course in the world, but if it’s kept in great shape the course is held in much higher esteem. On the flip side, you can create the greatest design on earth, but if it’s not taken care of, people will not like it.

The post A Round with John Colligan appeared first on AvidGolfer Magazine.

One of the newest faces on CBS 11 and TXA 21, Jane Slater is a sports anchor with a sports addiction. She’s done it all – covered Super Bowls, World Series games, the NBA playoffs and even the Pavilion at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
It hasn’t always been easy for Slater – she lost her job as a local sports radio host before joining CBS – but she’s never given up on her goal of covering sports in her hometown.

With the Byron Nelson upon us, Slater took the time to dish on life as a television and radio anchor, the best parts about covering sports in DFW, the places to stay downtown during the tournament, and why she only frequents one or two of Dallas’ hundreds of fine restaurants.

JS: I moved to the Metroplex four years ago after working in Denver. It was an exciting opportunity for me to come back to Texas because I grew up in Rowlett and had always wanted to come back home. As a kid I had watched the famous anchors on CBS, so when I moved back to town and got to the opportunity to work for the news desk, which I did for about two years, I was thrilled.

I could only take working on the news desk for so long. I have all the respect in the world for what those journalists do, but it was just too many natural disasters, too many times knocking on mothers’ doors, asking about their sons or daughters. After awhile it left me with a heavy heart. But you don’t get that with sports – sports is uplifting.

There always seems to be a hero in a sports story, and always a chance for redemption. You might lose a game in a series, but you can always come back and win the next one. I love the fact that there are always great stories that come out of sports.

I started working on the radio with Mark Elfenbein, and it was probably the greatest experience of my life. We had one heck of a year together – I learned so much and grew so much. It took me out of my element – I had so much experience working on the television side, so to be immersed in the radio world for a full year was the ultimate learning experience.

After a year on our show, the radio station decided to go in a different direction and canceled our show. They were looking for higher ratings in our time slot, and that was a tough pill for me. But I understand it, it’s a business decision for the station and another learning experience for me. At that time Gina Miller was leaving CBS and they called me up for an interview and, lo and behold, the next thing I know I’m on CBS 11 and TXA 21, and I couldn’t feel more lucky.

People who live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area want to believe that we are the ultimate sports town, but I’ve lived in places like Denver, and that’s an ultimate sports city, too. Dallas is a great sports town – we love a winner. We want to believe that the Cowboys are going to turn it around and that the Rangers will stop breaking our hearts – we have great fans here, but there are great fans everywhere.

Sports is such a unifier. I can talk with my grandmother, who knows nothing about sports, about the Mavericks or the Cowboys because she tunes in to TXA 21 every day. That’s what I love about sports, and what is so great about this town – there are so many storylines that are universal and anyone can relate to. Sports is like the ultimate ice breaker – it’s a conversation piece between any two people.

As a journalist, covering sports allows me to have a personality as part of who I am professionally. Not that you can’t as a news reporter, but on the news side, there is such a serious tone already woven into the fabric of every story. Sports allows me to naturally portray my excitement, frustration or nerves that I just couldn’t get at behind the news desk.

I’m such a Dallas girl. I spent my weekends as a child at Northpark; I think we ate at Campisi’s every Sunday with my whole family when I was a kid. So when I go over to Fort Worth, it’s foreign to me. I love the feel of it, the pace – it’s probably what people from other states think all of Texas is like, but it’s still a bit unfamiliar to me. I’m just all Dallas at heart – it’s where I feel at home.

The Byron Nelson tournament is a great event for Dallas. I love golf, but what drives me crazy about some of the people that go to the tournament is that they don’t ever make it past the Pavilion. We have such a great tournament right here in our backyard – go out and actually see the tournament! I bet if you went out and surveyed all those people in the Pavilion, more than half of them would say they never see any more than the final hole during the tournament. They couldn’t even tell you who is leading on Sunday.

If you are going to stay in Dallas, you have to stay at The W Hotel. That puts you right in the middle of everything downtown, right where most of the excitement is. If you’d like to be in a bit quieter, more secluded and comfortable area, check out the Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek.

I’m obsessed with Tex-Mex – I think that’s all you should eat while you are here. For me that starts and ends with MesoMaya, which is right down the street from the Perot Museum. If not there, my vote is for Victor Tango’s (on North Henderson Avenue) – you cannot beat their food and drinks. Those two places, that’s really all that I eat!

After dinner, my favorite place to go out is Concrete Cowboy. People may roll their eyes at that, but it’s a great place to go and I always have a great time.

The post Jane Slater appeared first on AvidGolfer Magazine.

Story by Art Stricklin

Brent Harman has hundreds of employees and multiple locations in his multi-million dollar Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse Empire.

But the 38-year-old says he uses the game of golf to remain sane in the pressurized industry, staying connected with his family and the game he loves.

“What is really so neat about the game of golf is that we have three generations, my son at age 8, myself at 38 and my dad at 63, and we still all play together,” Harman said. “It truly is a game for a lifetime.”

The lifetime North Texas resident attended Highland Park High School and the University of Texas before getting an MBA at Baylor University. He now plays golf in his everyday life to stay grounded, stay close to his suppliers and customers, and enjoy time with his friends.

The Harmans purchased Sonny Bryan’s from the Bryan family in 1989, with Brent being named President and CEO in 2004 after first spending six years working at various locations, then learning the corporate operations.

He has been able to combine his love of golf with his savvy business skills and the chance to help others and bond with those he cares about. That’s become evident in his regular family Sunday afternoon rounds at Dallas Country Club, his annual golf trips to Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes in Oregon, and Bryan’s longstanding corporate involvement with the First Tee of Dallas.

The Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse legacy is one of the truly legendary North Texas family restaurant dynasties, in an area that hasn’t had that many. It’s been nearly a century of success for the barbecue kingdom, which started and still exists in Dallas, and has since branched out to the surrounding communities.

The first link in the family chain was Elias Bryan, who opened his first outlet in Oak Cliff on Feb. 13, 1910. Exactly 20 years to the day, Elias’ oldest son, William Jennings Bryan, better known as “Red” to most people, opened up his own outlet. It also was located in Oak Cliff in a retired railroad car known as the “Tin Shack,” where a steady stream of customers could buy hamburgers for 5 cents and barbecue sandwiches for 10 cents.

In 1947, the Tin Shack was replaced by a larger building and the next family generation appeared in the form of William Jennings Bryan, Jr., who picked up the nickname of “Sonny.” He attended nearby SMU with the hope of becoming a stockbroker, but the lure of the family business was too strong for him to resist.

Sonny and his wife, Joanne, became the first Bryan family members to move the restaurant outside of Oak Cliff when they mortgaged a great deal of their savings to open the Inwood Road location on Feb. 13, 1958, the spot that features the schoolboy desk to eat on and still operates today.

Each Sonny Bryan’s outlet still operates on the same philosophy of making only a certain amount of home-cooked goodness each day and warning customers ahead of time to come early or risk it being sold out.

Harman purchased the Bryan Smokehouse from Sonny himself, but kept the same name, décor and long-time North Texas popularity.

The year 2010 is poised to be big for the Dallas-area chain, which has nine restaurants along with a catering company. In February, they will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Bryan smokehouse restaurant in Oak Cliff on the 13th of that month.

Because of the Harman family’s love for golf and support for the First Tee of Dallas, headquartered at Cedar Crest Golf Course, south of downtown Dallas, they came up with a unique promotion that they hope is adopted by all North Texas golfers. Sonny Bryan’s Restaurants will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from the rollback-priced sandwich specials on February 13 to the First Tee of Dallas, with the goal of funding 100 scholarships for kids this year with a contribution of at least $12,000.

“The perfect way to combine our love for golf and a great organization like the First Tee,” Harman said.

Another big event in 2010 will be the first franchise arrangement that will bring Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse outlets to locations all over America. The Harmans will carefully select the owners, but Brent joked he’s not above making the first selections to conform to golf Mecca’s like Pebble Beach, Augusta National, Pinehurst or Bandon Dunes.

“We’ll make our strategic gameplan where we can play golf,” he laughed.

Since his first round of golf at age 12 at the Horseshoe Bay Resort, he has been in love with the game and thrilled with where it can take him. His dad, Walker, originally owned the land where Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine now sits. Brent still makes a monthly golfing journey to Cowboys with his friends, hoping to get in 9 or 18 holes, finishing just before sunset.

This year, he entered his first father-son tournament at DCC, where he and his son, McKay, finished third. “It was an awesome day,” he added.

Harman has taken golf trips to Scotland, Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes, where he said high winds and low temperatures make the challenge factor off the chart. He has also participated in a half-dozen half marathons and recently added mountain climbing to his list of sports accomplishments.

Harman has caddied in two Byron Nelson Pro-Ams, including one memorable round with Fred Funk, and played once with Ted Tryba. He also attended the Ryder Cup in 1995 in Spain, where he watched Dallas’ Corey Pavin work his short game magic.

“The difference between a scratch golfer and a PGA Tour player is huge, but that makes it so fun to watch,” Harman said.

The 10-handicap Harman likely will never take a swing on the PGA Tour, but he’s determined to become a major championship winner in something Texans take almost as seriously, barbecue.

The post Executive Spotlight: Brent Harman appeared first on AvidGolfer Magazine.

The PGA Tour Superstore in Scottsdale sold nearly 3,200 pairs of golf shoes in 2008. What was seemingly just another footwear sell that increased the golf store’s profit margin translated into one of the more pivotal moments in a young man’s professional career. To PGA Tour star Ryan Moore, the purchase of a pair of shoes represented the establishment of a newfound freedom.

Much has changed for Moore’s life since he turned professional in 2005. He has earned more than $4.5 million in prize money on the PGA Tour, and at least that much in endorsement contract monies. Furthermore, he has dealt with enormous expectations placed on him by the media, his fans and, most critically, himself. He had surgery to repair a broken bone in his left wrist that has plagued him since his first tournament as a pro. He has come close, but has not yet won on Tour, which most would have thought to be a foregone conclusion after arguably the best amateur year since Bobby Jones’ Grand Slam.

The closest Moore has come to winning on Tour actually came this past April at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. On an unseasonably blustery Sunday afternoon in April, Moore began the final round in the lead and held onto it until he made bogeys on Nos. 13 and 14 at the newly renovated TPC Four Seasons layout. Yet, he rallied with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to push him back into the lead at 7-under par.

Adam Scott, who was in the group behind Moore, was one shot back and knew going into the final hole that he needed a birdie to tie. And that’s exactly what the Aussie heartthrob did to force the playoff.

On the first playoff hole, the 18th, Scott had a chance to close out Moore, but left his 15-foot birdie attempt woefully short. At the second playoff hole, the par-3 17th, Scott came dangerously close to landing his ball in the pond, carrying the hazard by no more than two yards. Meanwhile, Moore made a dazzling two-putt par from 80 feet to put the players back on the 18th tee box for the third playoff hole.

Moore seemed to be in control, as Scott’s tee shot found the right fairway bunker. Scott’s approach came up short and 48 feet from the pin. But someway, somehow, Scott slithered his putt into the heart of the cup. Moore, who was just off the green pin high, saw his birdie attempt just skim past the cup … along with his hopes for his first Tour victory.

Feeling frustrated about his close calls and in need of a change, he packed up his things from Las Vegas, where he played college golf and lived until late 2008, and moved to Scottsdale. Today, Moore is finally playing pain free. His confidence and swagger are back. Things will be different for Ryan Moore in 2009, and not just with regards to his golf game. There is one noticeable thing absent from Moore’s life: corporate logos.

In a day and age where PGA Tour pros will sell just about any blank space on their shirts, hats and golf bags, Moore is heading in a different direction. The freedom he felt as an amateur had been lost over the past couple of years on the PGA Tour. Once he turned pro he immediately signed lucrative contracts with several major companies, including Ping and Oakley. He was quick, however, to point out that his decision to be logo-free wasn’t because he wasn’t happy with what he had.

“I just wanted to get back to my roots,” Moore said. “It’s more of just me wanting to step out on my own a little bit; not necessarily have anybody to answer to. Play what I want to play, wear what I want to wear and just go be me again. Go be Ryan Moore, not anything else.”

Having the freedom to try different things without having a conscience appealed to Moore’s creative side with regards to the equipment he plays, but surprisingly also to the shirt on his back.
He is taking the look that you’d see when watching old Bobby Jones-era footage and meshing it with today’s urban styles. In a fashion-forward world both on and off the golf course, Moore is trying to turn the clocks back to yesteryear.

“Golf used to be really fashionable and really stylish,” Moore said. “I loved that. Back in the day it followed the trends and I feel like today that’s kind of been lost.”

Moore’s look will conjure snapshots of the more classic, formal golf attire of old. Sweater vests, cardigans, button-down shirts, ties and an array of different hat styles will grace fairways far and wide. And you can be sure of one thing: Moore personally bought and paid for all of the clothes he will don on the PGA Tour. He is one of few, very few, who can say that.

“If I see something, like it and want to wear it, then I’ll wear it,” Moore said.

Paul Goydos is one player who comes to mind when searching for comparisons to the road Moore is heading down. He routinely wears his college alma mater hat, Long Beach State, on Tour. Last year at The Players Championship, he soared to the top of the leaderboard come the weekend. As a result of his stellar play and extensive media attention, he was offered thousands to wear a corporate logoed hat for the remainder of the week. He respectfully declined saying that he just felt more comfortable continuing to show his 49’er team spirit.

Moore is taking it one step further.

Moore has not renewed any of his major endorsement contracts, most notably his contract with Ping and his clothing endorsement with Oakley. He plans to carry a colorful, logo-less golf bag and wear store-bought clothes, which he says he’s purchasing from a variety of stores including Nordstrom, French Connection, Urban Outfitters and American Apparel. But he’s not limiting himself to just higher-end retailers. Having been raised a bargain shopper by his mom, he’s racking up major minutes browsing the racks of discount stores.

“It’s fun having complete creative control,” Moore said. “I’ve been doing some serious shopping. I’ve been shopping so much because I don’t want really any major logo-age, or if it is, it has to be very subtle. Fortunately it was all after Christmas, so I’ve made a killing on all the deals that I’ve gotten.”

The penny-saving ways Moore’s mom ingrained in him as a child will certainly be paying off in 2009 without a guaranteed annual income from endorsements. When asked how much money he’s potentially turning down: “It’s enough that I’m certainly almost embarrassed that I’m not signing with somebody.”

It obviously wasn’t money that drove the decision. It was freedom. A freedom that he feels has been lost since he turned professional in 2005. He always did things his way with regards to his golf game and attire throughout both his stellar junior and amateur career. He felt recently that he wanted to return to those liberties.

Along with the golf shoes, he has even been experimenting with a store-bought driver. He could have gotten the club for free with just a simple phone call, but didn’t want to feel the pressure of having any respective manufacturer expecting him to play a specific club.

He now has the same independence he had as an amateur: to wear what he wants, to play what clubs he wants, and to, essentially, be his own boss.

“Some of it’s the obligation thing. You know, I could be getting the golf shoes with a phone call or two,” Moore said. “If I’m buying it myself, I can wear it if I want to wear it and if I don’t want to I don’t have to.”

Moore has never been hesitant about doing things differently, but completely changing his look and turning down thousands in contract offers has raised a few eyebrows around the Tour.

“Either this is going to make me look like a fool or a genius,” Moore said. “It’s one of those two options … I hope it’s the second one.”

This year won’t be the first time Moore has turned heads among his fans and peers. Looking back on his career, you don’t have to look much further than Moore’s performance at the PGA Championship in 2006.

Standing on the first tee box at Medinah Country Club, outside of Chicago, during the first round, in fact, was the most anxious Moore had ever been on a golf course. He wasn’t jittery because of the magnitude of the situation, or that it was a major championship, or that his high expectations were weighing on his subconscious. He was afraid of two things: 1) making a fool of himself and 2) hurting someone.

With Moore’s surgically repaired left wrist acting up, he discovered that the only way he could hit a ball without experiencing excruciating, shooting pains was to pre-set his wrists by lifting the club nearly parallel to the ground, about two feet above the ball, and start his swing from there.

“I was standing on the range on Tuesday and I didn’t want to withdraw, but if I tried to play I was just going to shoot 90,” he recalled. “I couldn’t hit a drive more than about 200 yards it hurt so bad. So sure enough I just kind of picked a club up and in the air, rather than putting it down at address, took a backswing and it didn’t hurt. So I took a few practice swings and it felt pretty good.”

It didn’t take more than watching his first pain-free shot of the week soar through the air to offer a sense of relief and also a new concern.

“Honestly, my first thought was ‘Oh no.’’’ Moore said. “That didn’t hurt and I hit it good. I knew instantly what was going to happen.”

Moore knew at that moment that he was going to try and play with his newfound pain-free swing. His audacious persona was suddenly alive and well.

“Why not?” he said.

After all, it was only the PGA Championship.

“Now on the tee, from Puyallup, Washington, please welcome Ryan Moore,” the starter’s voice likely boomed, igniting cheers from the thousands surrounding the first tee. Thousands more lined the fairways.

Enter butterflies.

“That first tee shot was by far the most nervous I have ever been on a golf course,” he said. “It’s a major championship and I’m already thinking I’m crazy and now hundreds of thousands of people and the commentators will get to see how crazy I am.”

Ryan Moore is just crazy enough.

“Stuff like that, it’s fun for me. I like being a little different. But I don’t do it just to be different or to be weird, but it was absolutely out of necessity,” he said. “For me it was either withdraw or find some way to get it around the golf course.”

After only playing nine holes Tuesday and nine on Wednesday with his new, non-conventional swing, Moore played fairly solid the first two days, his score totaling 1-under par, safely making the cut. Moore shot bogey-free rounds of 67-69 on the weekend, bested only by tournament winner Tiger Woods’ weekend total. He secured a tie for ninth finish, earning him $165,000 – all this, just days after shooting pains in his wrist almost forced his withdrawal from the event.

Moore’s miraculous play didn’t end at Medinah. He followed his ninth place finish at the PGA Championship with a 12th place showing at the Deutsche Bank Championship, a missed cut at The Canadian Open, and then two consecutive sixth place finishes at the 84 Lumber Classic and the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. He earned around $500,000 during this streak, all while his wrist still wouldn’t allow him to swing the club normally.

No one should be surprised by Moore’s ability to rebound after injury. He completed his historic hot streak through the amateur golfing world in 2004 after having surgery on his pelvis. He captured the NCAA Championship in early June, then two days later had emergency surgery to remove a cyst on his tailbone, forcing a month-long layoff.

However, it wasn’t necessarily the potentially deadly nature of the cyst or the pain that bothered Moore the most, it was being forced into remission when he felt his golf game nearing a peak.

“I had to pull out of the qualifier, which sucked,” Moore lamented. “I was so mad. I was playing amazing at that point in time and the U.S. Open was at Shinnecock that year and I would have played good.”

He flew home, had the cyst removed and then left the clubs in the garage for about a month before returning to tournament play, near his hometown of Puyallup, at The Sahalee Players Championship just south of Seattle. He made his first post-op swings just two days before the event. The lack of preparation didn’t seem to hinder his game the least bit. He shot an impressive 16-under par on a brutally difficult Sahalee layout that played host to the 1998 PGA Championship. He easily won the 72-hole tournament by five strokes.

Moore then waltzed through the U.S. Public Links Championship the very next week, earning a return trip to Augusta National (he also played The Masters in 2003 via his Pub-Links win in 2002), then won the prestigious Western Amateur in extra holes over 2009 PGA Tour rookie James Nitties.

Then came the U.S. Amateur, hosted at Winged Foot Country Club. Moore had a target on his back, just like a certain someone on the PGA Tour.

“Obviously I had the bulls-eye on me at that point in time,” Moore said. “I understood what Tiger feels like a lot of times. If you’re the person people are trying to beat, they’re wasting some of their own energy worrying about you, when you don’t care about them.

“Everybody’s out there trying to beat him and he’s not out there trying to beat anybody else, he’s just trying to play his best and he knows if he plays his best he’s going to win. I understood that feeling. I felt great, confident, and I felt like if I went out and played my best it was going to take someone doing something really crazy to beat me.”

Apparently no one is as crazy as he, as Moore not only took home the medalist honors, but also captured the Havemeyer Trophy with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the 36-hole final match.

Not since Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in 1930 has an amateur dominated a calendar year like Moore did in 2004.

Whether or not he can rekindle his magic with his new look and new attitude remains to be seen. Either way, Moore is doing things his way. So, with store bought shoes, a newly purchased wardrobe and a reinvented disposition, Ryan Moore is back to who he wants to be … himself.

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