Netzel’s 65: One to remember

Updated: August 5, 2011 7:11PM

It’s safe to say that the Legend at Bristlecone is Charlie Netzel’s all-time favorite golf course.

The 6,804-yard par-71 track in Hartland, Wis. has been the site of Netzel’s best career rounds.

In Netzel’s last round there, the Lyons junior shot a 6-under par 65, the best score of the tournament in the American Junior Golf Association’s McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends July 15.

Netzel (75-75-65—215) placed fourth in the field of 73 and finished five shots behind winner Doug Ghim, an Arlington Heights resident and sophomore at Buffalo Grove.

“I think it’s a pretty hard course. I love the course. I love the greens and I love to putt there,” said Netzel, a Western Springs resident.

Netzel shot a 67 at the same tournament in 2010, but par for the course that day was 69. Flooding from heavy rains earlier in the tournament shortened two par-4 holes to par-3s.

“I played great golf (this year),” Netzel said. “I didn’t miss any shots.”

It was the kind of round any golfer dreams about. Netzel saved the strip from his scorecard since the official scorecard is turned into tournament officials. The strip is pinned to the bulletin board in his bedroom and he has kept the ball.

The memorable round didn’t start off so memorable. Netzel bogeyed the par-4 first hole, but recovered with birdie on the par-4 No. 2. He double bogeyed that hole in the first round.

Netzel would birdie six more holes at Nos. 7, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15. The birdies at Nos. 12 and 14 came on par-3s.

His longest putt came at No. 12 where he made a putt of 20-30 feet for birdie. Netzel said the rest of his birdie putts were within 15 feet.

The round pushed Netzel up the leaderboard from a tie for 24 place after two rounds.

“It was one of the best times I’ve ever played (golf),” Netzel said. “I’ve hit the ball there well before, but didn’t make putts.”

Netzel was the only Lyons golfer to compete in last year’s Class 3A state meet. He tied for 19th.

Five of Netzel’s Lyons teammates played last weekend in the Illinois Junior Golf Association’s Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship: Kevin Carlson, Daniel and Ryan Hudson, Christopher Sekula and Peter Swanson. Netzel did not qualify for the event and played in another tournament against a field of college-aged golfers in Chesterton, Ind. A friend of Netzel’s father, Tom, worked at the course and suggested that Charlie play in the tournament. Charlie was not among the top scorers.

“It was a good opportunity to play against other kids in college that are four to five years older than me,” Netzel said.

Netzel has been working on his short game this season. Since the La Grange Country Club lacks a driving range, Netzel uses the practice green regularly. His goal is to bring the rest of the Lyons team with him to the state meet in Bloomington.

Chick Evans tourney

Lyons senior Katie Ellis, who tied for 17th in the state girls meet, qualified for match play at the Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship. Ellis (78-72—150) had a fifth seed, but lost in the first round of 16 in match play to 12th-seeded Renee Solberg, 4 and 3. Julia Calbi of South Barrington was the Chick Evans girls champion.

Junior Ryan Hudson was one of five Lyons boys golfers to qualify for the Chick Evans tournament. Hudson (78-75—153) tied for 35th.

“This was my first Chick Evans,” Ryan Hudson said. “I had an exciting time, but I wish I could play a little better.”

He led the other Lyons members, including Kevin Carlson (79th), brother Daniel Hudson (87th), Peter Swanson (134rd) and Christopher Sekula, who had to withdraw during the second round to attend another event.

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