After finishing his first career at 18, years that is, Jason Sims became a head pro at his home course.
Cascades Golf Course is now in the charge of new, yet familiar hands as the 95th City Golf Tournament kicks off on Saturday morning. The changes come after the departure of former club pro Aaron Craig, who left for the same role at Harrison Lakes in Columbus, and course superintendent James Richardson switched to Indiana University’s Pfau Course.
While Sims steps up from golf programs coordinator for the past 11 years, Jackson Cowden, a long-time clubhouse presence himself, was elevated to fill that role. Leading the course maintenance now is former assistant Brad Scroggins.
Three great candidates made promotion from within the choice to make and for a smooth transition. Sims took over on April 3. His official title is facility manager, having started out as a shop attendant under then manager Dan Hilker (who is now at Pfau), then Jason Calhoun and finally Craig.
“I always dreamed about being a golf pro once I decided to get into the golf business and it’s cool to be able to do it while staying in one facility,” Sims said.
Working his way up
Teaching was Sims’ first career choice when he headed off to college. In high school, golf was his ‘third’ sport after basketball, Jason’s father Gary is the head girls’ coach at Edgewood, and cross country. Jason did end up as a teacher of sorts, but his classroom is now where near a school building.
“I wanted to be an elementary teacher,” Sims said. “Originally, that was the plan, but I got out because I don’t agree with standardized testing. So to still graduate in four years, I needed to find a major so I wouldn’t have to take fifth year. So I became a sports and recreation management major.”
About the same time he was changing majors, Calhoun convinced him that summer to delve a bit more into golf.
“I always enjoyed playing golf, but I hadn’t thought about getting into the business of it as a career path,” Sims said. “But it’s worked out.”
A career path to cart paths and interestingly enough, he sees Cowden, a Vincennes grad, working his way up the same ladder, having now invested 13 years at Cascades. He’ll no be in charge of organizing outings and leagues for the course.
Due to their familiarity with Cascades, they have hit the ground running, said Sims, who is looking to add his touch to the course, but isn’t giving anything away just yet. Long term, however, he’d like to see zoysia tee boxes to go with the new zoysia fairways.
“I have some things up my sleeve, I’ll keep close right now,” Sims said. “Someone in the golf business who is in the role that I’m in once told me to make some kind of change every two years. It can be dramatic, or small, just something to help things stay fresh.
“That always stuck with me. Whether it’s cosmetic or something from a golf standpoint, a lot of people don’t like change, so it may ruffle some feathers.”
Day’s time again
Current University of Southern Indiana standout Jace Day, will start another run at the top as the No. 2 seed after winning the qualifying tournament June 24-25.
Day, the 2021 qualifying and match play champ, opened with a sizzling 65 that featured two birdies to open and two to finish with seven overall.
But any chance he had at the tourney record (Ike Martin’s 131) faded with two bogeys on the front nine on a stormy Sunday. He still finished with a 74 for a 139 and a three-shot win over Mitch Oard (69-73—142). Logan Vernon (70-74—144) was third. There were 28 players in the qualifier and a 160 took the 15th and final spot in the top flight.
Jason Bannister, last year’s champ and a teammate of Day’s at USI, is back to defend his title and is the automatic No. 1 seed but runner-up Doak Henry Jr. is not in this year’s field, neither is perennial challenger and 2020 champ Nick Burris.
Overall, there’s a strong collegiate golf presence in the top eight seeds with current players Vernon (St. Mary-of-the-Woods), Drew Todd (Ball State) and Jacob Paine (Franklin).
EuDaly, Martin claim titles
Four-time champion Gary EuDaly took the top spot in the Senior qualifier, running away from the field in Round 2 with a 2-under 69 for a 143 total. He beat first-round leader and 2021 City Senior champion Jim Alexander (72-77—149).
They were well ahead of Matt Seifers and Rick Scheid, who tied for third at 157. All 15 qualifiers made the field with Matt Till not returning to defend his title, making EuDaly the No. 1 seed.
Martin was the winner of the Super Senior qualifier, opening with a 68 and following with a 74 for a 142 and a seven-shot win over Bob Hasty, making his return to the tourney after a short absence, Jeff Smith and Robin Harper, who all had 149s. There were 22 bidding to make the championship flight with a pair of 163s tying for 15th and leading to a playoff, which Dick Meacham won over Brett Daniels to advance.
More: All-time City Golf champions
Rest of the field
This year’s tournament includes 125 participants, a bit more than last year.
Three regular flights of Super Seniors and just one for Seniors will open Saturday. There will be five regular men’s flights which will begin play on Sunday.
More: Different strokes: How City Golf Tourney, Cascades have changed in 30 years
The junior boys field is back after a year’s absence, but has just four players and will not start until next weekend. There is no women’s field for the fourth year in a row with just one player signing up.
CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT QUALIFIER RESULTS
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP: Jace Day 65-74—139; Mitch Ord 69-73—142; Logan Vernon 70-74—144; Jake Miller 70-76—146; Drew Todd 71-75—146; Harrison Carmichael 74-72—146; Jacob Paine 72-77—149; Brian Muehlhaus 75-75—150; Chad Osborne 75-77—152; Jeffrey Algood 75-78—153; Darren Fuller 79-76—155; Brayden Bunger 76-80—156; Chad Stout 77-79—156; Marc Guyer 80-77—157; Robert Wise 79-81—160. Did not qualify: Aaron Hancock 79-84—163; Stacks Stacks 85-79—164; Brad McLaughlin 80-85—165; Matt Newman 81-85—166; Charles Osborne 79-87—166; Gerald Sloan 91-76—167; Jim Southern 84-83—167; Drew Hannell 82-87—169; Jeremy Wise 87-85—172; Jason Storm 91-85—176; Nick Zwissler 92-84—176; Michael Spangler 93-88—181; Brian Wise 89-95—184.
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Gary EuDaly 74-69—143; Jim Alexander 72-77—149; Matthew Seifers 77-80—157; Rick Scheid 78-79—157; Tim Gillespie 77-83—160; Mark Chestnutwood 82-80—162; Henry Nethery 75-87—162; John Kaser 79-85—164; Chuck Vernon 83-84—167; Ken Wilson 82-89—171; Matthew Grubb 88-85—173; Dan Smith 95-85—180; Jon Hunt 88-92—180; Rick Scherer 93-95—188; Jan Bond 100-96—196.
SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Ike Martin 68-74—142; Bob Hasty 74-75—149; Jeff Smith 75-74—149; Robin Harper 74-75—149; Dan Neubecker 74-78—152; Don Chastain 78-77—155; Roger Rainbolt 76-80—156; Tom Smith 79-79—158; Kirby Gann 80-79—159; David Devitt 79-80—159; Mike Vernon 82-78—160; Gary Blackwell 79-82—161; Joe Beane 80-81—161; Fred Cooksey 76-86—162; Dick Meacham 83-80—163*. Did not qualify: Brett Daniels 84-79—163; John Cantwell 81-83—164; Marty Hutsell 84-81—165; George Finley 82-83—165; Robbie Vernon 79-87—166; Brian Werth 86-83—169; Gary Walters 88-86—174.
CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT TEE TIMES
SATURDAY
PHIL TALBOT MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
7:30 am: [1] Jason Bannister vs. [16] Robert Wise; [8] Jacob Paine vs. [9] Brian Muehlhaus. 7:40 a.m.: [4] Logan Vernon vs. [13] Chad Stoute; [5] Harrison Carmichael vs. [12] Darren Fuller. 7:50 am [2] Jace Day vs. [15} Marc Guyer; [7] Jake Miller vs. [10] Chad Osborne. 8:00 a.m.: [3] Mitch Ord vs. [14] Brayden Bunger; [6] Drew Todd vs. [11] Jeff Algood.
PAUL GRAY SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
8:10 a.m.: [1] Gary EuDaly, bye; [8] John Kaser vs. [9] Chuck Vernon. 8:20 a.m.: [4] Matt Seifers vs. [13] Jon Hunt; [5] Tim Gillespie vs. [12] Dan Smith. 8:30 a.m.: [2] Jim Alexander vs. [15] Jan Bond; [7] Henry Nethery vs. [10] Ken Wilson. 8:40: [3] Rick Scheid vs. [14] Rick Scherer; [6] Mark Chestnutwood vs. [11] Matt Grubb.
ROSS RUSH SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
9:00 a.m.: [1] Rory Brown vs [16] Dick Meacham; [8] Roger Rainbolt vs. [9] Tom Smith. 9:10 a.m.: [4] Robin Harper vs. [13] Joe Beane; [5] Bob Hasty vs. [12] Mike Vernon. 9:20 a.m.: [2] Ike Martin vs. [15] Fred Cooksey; [7] Don Chastain vs. [10] Kirby Gann. 9:30 a.m.: [3] Jeff Smith vs. [14] Gary Blackwell; [6] Dan Neubecker vs. [11] David Devitt.
SENIOR REGULAR FLIGHT
(First) 9:40: [1] Joe McWhorter, bye; [4] Ramesh Venkataraman Vs. [5] Mike Vernon. [2] Robert Milam, bye; [3] Burke Geene, bye.
SUPER SENIOR REGULAR FLIGHTS
(First) 9:50: [1] Paul Wilson vs. [8] Doak Henry; [4] Steve McDonald vs. [5] Marty Hutsell. 10:00 a.m.: [2] Brett Daniels vs. [7] George Finley; [3] Robbie Vernon vs. [6] John Cantwell.
(Second) 10:10: [1] Brian Werth vs. [8] Gary Walters; [4] Mike Thomas vs. [5] Paul Toddy. 10:20 a.m.: [2] Jim Sims vs. [7] Jim Shea; [3] Sam Jantaraweragul vs. [6] Craig Spanburg.
(Third) 10:30: [4] Mark Deal vs. [5] Tom Dukes; [3] Rand McKamey vs. [6] Charlie Gill. [1] Steve Englert, bye; [2] Steve Layman, bye.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington City Golf Tournament: New crew in charge at Cascades