Championship golf runs through the veins of the Florida-based Radford Yaun family who also have strong ties to Liberty and Sullivan County.

Following in his father and mother's championship golf footsteps, 18-year-old Jonathan Yaun, last week, was named to one of the Ping All-American teams. Despite a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his college, Liberty University had two of its top golfers named to the 2020 GCAA/PING All-America team by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

Redshirt junior Kieran Vincent and sophomore Jonathan Yaun were both named to the GCAA/PING All-America honorable mention team, joining 28 other players on this national list.

With Vincent and Yaun's selections, the Liberty men's golf program has had four All-Americans in the last two seasons.

In 2019, current senior Ervin Chang and graduated senior Gabe Lench were named to the GCAA/PING All-America honorable mention team.

Prior to the 2018-19 season, Liberty had only had one All-American in program history. Robert Karlsson was named to the GCAA/PING All-America third team in 2012.

Vincent and Yaun, who were also named to the GCAA/PING All-Region East team last week, posted the top two scoring averages in program history during the shortened season.

Yaun posted a 70.78 season stroke average, playing in all nine of Liberty's team events it was able to complete before the season was cancelled on March 13.

Vincent finished the season with a 71.17 stroke average, playing in six of the team's nine events. The redshirt junior missed three events during the fall schedule due to an injury.

The previous season stroke average record was held by Karlsson, who finished the 2010-11 season with a 71.28 stroke average.

Yaun finished the season as the top ranked golfer in the ASUN.

Jonathan is part of the Liberty based Yaun family where the game of golf goes together like bacon and eggs.

He is the son of championship golfers Radford and Meredith Yaun who make their home in Mineola, Florida.

The Sullivan County golf scene remembers Radford (Rad) Yaun while living in Liberty when he won the New York State Amateur Championship in 1976 at the Grossinger Golf Course and the New York Junior Amateur Championship in 1972 in Jamestown, NY.

Meredith, originally from the Phildelphia, PA area and has won the prestigious Lady Seminole Golf Championship at Florida State University in Tallahassee and turned professional in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1983 and won the 1986 Scottish Open Championship.

The Rematch is a go

The much-rumored and highly-anticipated rematch between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson is officially a go.

“The Match: Champions for Charity” will pit Woods and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning against Mickelson and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady in a two-on-two live golf competition with all donations and fundraising to benefit COVID-19 relief.

Turner Sports has confirmed the event will air live on TNT, “Tournament organizers are currently working with state and local government and public health officials on competition and production logistics to ensure the event follows safety and health protocols.”

While a date and venue have yet to be officially confirmed, Sunday, May 24 is a likely date and it is expected to be contested in South Florida.

Ed's Outlook

Some good news and some bad news on the local golf scene. The bad news as reported in our last week's edition is that the legendary Monster Golf course has now been delayed with a potential opening date of 2022.

Some good news is that three golf courses report that they are now open full time. Those facilities include the Tarry Brae and Lochmor. The Villa Roma will be open full time starting Saturday.

Bob Menges reports that the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club is looking at a mid-May opening with leagues getting underway the first of June.

Local golf professionals are also noting that it has not been determined yet if they will be allowed to give golf lessons this year.

What a beautiful day last Saturday produced and both the Fallsburg Municipal Lochmor and Tarry Brae golf courses each had over 140 plus golfers with many of them being from New Jersey and the New York City area.

We drove by the Tarry Brae golf course and saw two people in a cart thinking it was a husband and wife and also thinking that scenario was probably OK but according to Pro Geoff Walsh at Tarry Brae they received orders that husband and wife couples or same family members had to be in separate carts.

The golf courses that are open have asked folks to call ahead to book tee-times and that you must pay by touch free credit/debit cards only, the club house and driving ranges are closed, one golfer per golf cart, do not touch the flag-stick, no sharing of golf equipment.

No definite openings at Sullivan County Golf & Country Club in Liberty or the Twin Village Golf & Winter Park in Roscoe with each giving indications they are looking to open around May 1. We have been told that the membership-golf carts arrangement between the two clubs will be available to membership golfers again this year.

The Sullivan County Thursday night men's travel league is hoping to open a much shorter season maybe around June 1.

No Golf Cart

Rule In Effect

The State of New York just cannot make up their minds if golf carts are allowed on open golf courses.

Tuesday the state issued the new rule that carts are “prohibited” except for approved mobility-accessible carts.

Also no caddies or non-golfing guests allowed on the golf course, no bunker rakes and golfers cannot touch the flagstick.

Golf Tip

By Bob Menges

We all have different ways of doing things on the golf course, which is why one technique or strategy might work for one person but not another.

For example, some of us will visualize the shot we want to hit in our mind, because it helps us execute the shot. For others, they have to experience the shot.

With that said, (or written, in this case) it never hurts to try something new. So here are several “pep talks” you can create to help build your confidence for the next round.

After each round of golf, take 60 seconds to sit quietly and replay your three best shots of the round. Visualize them in slow motion and lock every detail into your memory. They'll comeback to cheer you in the future.

Tell someone about your best shot of the day, but never talk about your worst shots.

Professionals can usually remember every shot during a tournament, but there is one shot they “just don't recall” ...its their worst shot. Let the bad shots go, and never, ever talk about them.

After every shot, remember to say, “great shot” and mean it when you say it....the results may not be exactly what you wanted, but the ball went where you hit it. So go and do it again.

Breathe before every shot or putt, remember to breathe deeply and softly. It will relax your whole body and allow you to focus on the task at hand.

Make it a part of your pre-shot routine to consciously expect a good shot. As you pull the club from your bag... smile. As you look down the fairway or line up your putt....smile.

As you stand over the ball...smile. Expect the best.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, have fun out there. Yes, it can be very challenging and frustrating at times, but it is intended to be a form of enjoyment. Enjoy the day, the weather and the time with friends. Chances are, you'll enjoy the wonderful game of golf as well.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available when the course opens in mid-May. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323, 845-866-5567 or via email at bobmenges22@gmail.com.

Putting Tip

By Geoff Walsh

Three putting is one of the most common mistakes that the average player makes to ruin good scores.

Not only is it wasted strokes but it creates a bad mental attitude that is hard to shake.

The key is not three putting is to become proficient at the “short ones,” inside 10 feet. To do that you must develop a good stroke that starts the ball on the proper lines with the correct speed. This of course takes practice and sometimes a second set of eyes, preferably those of a golf professional.

A good drill to work on this is to find a hole on the putting green that has a little bit of slope. Space six balls evenly around the hole starting at three feet, putting around the horn until you can make them all from that distance. Then move the circle out a few feet at a time until you are 10 feet away. You'll find that making them all is not easy but in the process you will face all the breaks from the different angles around the hole. Use this drill on a regular basis and hopefully your confidence will grow and your three putting will become a rarity.

Geoff Walsh is a Class A PGA Professional at the Tarry Brae Golf Course at 387 Pleasant Valley Road, South Fallsburg. At this time private lessons are not available. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by telephone at 845-434-2620.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the sport of Golf and brings over 60 years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. When leagues open up please send league and tournament information to Ed at 845-439-8177, email to bght75@gmail.com or fax at 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.