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From day one, 5 Under Golf Center CEO Austin Williams has vowed that his facility was going to be one of the nation’s very best, most versatile facilities for golfers of all levels. The Golf Range Association of America once again says Williams has not only talked the talk but walked the walk.

Williams was recently informed that the 12,000-member GRAA has deemed his facility a winner in its “American Top 50 Range” in the Stand-Alone Category. That’s a repeat from 2020 when 5 Under was also saluted with a GRAA “Range Renovation Award.”

To be eligible for Top 50 Range consideration, GRAA guidelines say a golf facility “must not only offer a wide range of amenities but be one that also shows a wide variety of available programming that benefits all levels of skill and promotes the growth of the game of golf.”

Anyone with the least bit of familiarity with 5 Under knows it’s done all that and more under the leadership of Williams, who is a nine-time Beaumont city champion. Adding to the luster of 5 Under’s accomplishment and awards is the fact it had to battle through the worst of the COVID 19 pandemic and shutdowns to get where it is today.

Just to briefly refresh, 5 Under was the first facility in the United States to offer TopTracer range and Top Golf Swing Suite technology in one location. It offers 20 outdoor covered hitting bays powered by TopTracer Range technology and indoor swing suits with the option to virtually play over 140 courses. Numerous other games are available.

Williams, naturally, was elated at the added recognition for the facility located at 5945 College St. in Beaumont.

“We are honored to be among a stellar list of top golf ranges in the United States,” he said. “We wanted to be thought of as one of the top facilities in the country and these awards say we are. We are so flattered they selected us.”

Among 5 Under’s many offerings beyond its hitting bays are frequent Demo Days from the game’s top club manufacturers, golf leagues, top of the line equipment and golf attire and a dining facility with a sports bar environment.

The spoils of being named a Top 50 Stand Alone included a Sterling Cut Glass award crystal, recognition in the January Golf Range magazine and networking opportunities with other GRAA winners.

CHIP SHOTS: It was another tough week for Andrew Landry. The PNG ex posted rounds of 77-74 in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. It was Landry’s fifth consecutive missed cut and seventh in nine starts during the 2021-22 season. He is skipping this week’s Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach, Florida.

Chris Stroud, who is coming off a solid showing two weeks ago at Pebble Beach, is in the field at the Honda. So is Lamar ex Dawie van der Walt who has missed the cut in five consecutive tournaments.

Ties were the order of the day in the Monday Senior 50 Plus 2 ball at Babe Zaharias. On the front, the team of Brian Sweeny, Steve Wisenbaker, Larry Reece and Charles Perez posted minus 5 to tie the foursome of Jim Cady, Danny Robbins, Bob Luttrull and Lonnie Mosely.

On the back, the Cady team finished minus 2 to tie with the team of Ed Holley, John Jessen, Butch Cross and Dan Flood and the foursome of Bill Hanley, Cap Hollier, Jerry May and Paul Duplantis.

The Super Saturday 2 ball saw the team of Doug LeBlanc, Hollier, Jeff Rinehart and Dan Harrington score a sweep, winning both sides with minus 1.

All points count was the format for the Wednesday Zaharias DogFight. Tying for first with 27 points was the team of Holley, Dwayne Morvant, David Buchanan and Bill Jones and the team of Bob West, Rusty Hicks, Mosley and Larry Foster.

Port Neches-Groves is hosting its 11^th annual Boys Golf Team Fundraiser at Zaharias. Format is a 4-person scramble, with an entry fee of $400 per team. Contact PN-G coach Jerry Honza at 409 719-3949 or jhonza@pngisd.org to enter a team.

All proceeds go toward paying for travel, equipment, uniforms and practice expenses for the boys’ golf team.

Golf news should be e-mailed to rdwest@usa.net