V S G A GOLFERS OF THE YEAR
VSGA SUPER SENIOR MEN ’ S GOLFER OF THE YEAR
Charles Green III
HOME CLUB : The Virginian Golf Club
QUICK TIP Green spent 30 years using a long putter . But when the USGA adopted a change to rule 14-1b at the start of 2016 — prohibiting anchoring with a long putter — Green tried to make the switch back to a short putter . He was miserable . It wasn ’ t until he spoke to a fellow competitor at an event in Florida that he decided to switch back .
“ I was pretty good ( with the short putter ) on the putting green , but when I got a little pressure on me , it was terrible . I went back to kind of a yippy stroke ,” Green said . After playing a practice round for a super senior event , “ I was really apprehensive about using it the next day . I asked a guy who used a long putter what to do , and he said , ‘ I ’ m using a long putter , I ’ m not just anchoring it .’
“ He showed me how to do it . I went back to the house and got the long putter and used it , and I finished third in the tournament . If I had used the short putter in that tournament , I probably would have finished 50th .”
CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT In his first year as an eligible super senior ( ages 65 and over ), Green had one major goal : to top the season-ending points list . He accomplished that feat . As is the case with many of the over-65 set , Green was just happy to get on equal footing again with players closer to his skill level . It ’ s not easy playing against 50 year olds when you ’ re closing in on retirement age .
Green showed he still had it , rallying for a one-shot win at the 31st VSGA Super Senior Stroke Play Championship at Fawn Lake CC .
“ That just happened to be the first tournament ,” he said . “ I was playing well coming into it and got pretty lucky to win it , really . I knew after that if I kept winning or kept coming close to winning , I ’ d do all right .”
OFF THE COURSE Golf and work keeps Green busy , but he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren in his free time away from the course .
2016 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
» In his first VSGA championship as an eligible super senior , Green outlasted Lynn Wessman and Jon Abbett down the stretch to secure a one-shot victory in the 31st VSGA Super Senior Stroke Play Championship at Fawn Lake Country Club in Spotsylvania . Green shot 74-75 for a two-day 149 .
» No . 1 in VSGA Super Senior Player Rankings .
» Won the 2016 Bay Creek Amateur Super Senior championship .
» Won the 2016 Southwest Virginia Open Super Senior title .
» Paired with Bob Rotella and tied for second at the 4th VSGA Super Senior Four-Ball Championship at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club .
32 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2017 vsga . org