The Northern Texas 2020 PGA Professional Championship was conducted on August 17 and 18 at the Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch (South & North Courses). The Championship was presented by Club Car and OMEGA, supported by Titleist, FootJoy, NIKE, and TaylorMade. Supporting partners of the Championship were AT&T Byron Nelson, Golf Channel, and PGA TOUR.
Chad Moscovic, PGA director of instruction at Brook Hollow Golf Club, captured first place in the Championship with impressive rounds of 65-67-132, 10-under par. This win marks his second overall Individual Major Championship and second Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship. Defending champion Matt Lohmeyer, PGA teaching professional at GOLFTEC – Montgomery Plaza, started the final round one shot back of lead but couldn’t catch up. Our own PGA Professional, Craig Pullen, tied for 35th.
The Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship featured 99 PGA Members who were competing for a spot in the 54th PGA Professional Championship. Robson Ranch was proud to hold this tournament on our golf course. It reflects the reputation our Club has been building over the past several years for its playability. And the course has never been in better shape. We are open to the public so come give us a try. Our Wildhorse Grill is also open for dine-in meals following all CDC and Denton County guidelines. For golf reservations call (940) 246-1012. Restaurant reservations can be made at (940) 246-1001.
Outdoor activities continue in great earnest as residents try to fill their days as a respite to either working at home or enjoying retirement in this new paradigm called COVID-19. Whether it’s walking, swimming, stroking a paddle or tennis ball, tossing a horseshoe, honing softball skills or riding a bike, we are redefining what it means to be an “active adult.” We’ve even taken many of our exercise, yoga and stretching classes outside with fantastic participation. It is amazing how much better you feel in the great outdoors.
There are other silver linings to being restricted to our homes. Families are coming closer together. Wives and husbands actually are talking. Schools have taken on a whole new look and feel for our kids, teaching us all lessons in flexibility and adaptability.
We have also discovered a brand-new way to communicate as we move into the realm of “Zoom,” a concept that has taken on a whole new meaning enhancing the ability to interact, study or work remotely. Now, just like Dick Tracy, we are seen talking into our Smart Watch. Technology of all types continues to astound us. Even artificial Intelligence (AI) is coming into our lives at a fairly rapid pace.
Should we really be surprised? We see accelerated change all around us. But this writer is committed to stop and smell the roses along the way. Color abounds in the gardens at Robson Ranch, Denton.
Parks and Green Space Are Vitally Important
By Jesse Davis, Denton City Councilman
When I was a kid I practically lived outside. Thankfully, we couldn’t afford cable or video games until I was in high school. So naturally I spent more time running around outside than on the couch. My mom had a big central Denton backyard with great climbing trees and creeks nearby to explore. My dad lived on the edge of town, where houses gave way to pastures, farms and deep post oak groves. We kids hopped fences, evaded bulls, shot BB guns, and generally got into all kinds of outdoor mischief. Don’t get me started reminiscing about camping with the Boy Scouts—I’m sure there’s a whole book there.
Today’s world is very different. More kids today grow up in apartments, or in houses built much closer together with smaller yards. New houses don’t have trees big enough for climbing, and creeks are conveniently diverted into concrete drainage channels. Many parents don’t feel safe sending their kids outside to play without tight supervision.
This is more than unfortunate—it’s a public health crisis on low boil. Studies show that children learn better with regular physical, outdoor activity. Even the simple act of walking builds connections in the brain and helps maintain good circulation and pulmonary function. Even minutes a day outside create much needed Vitamin D in the body. Our health suffers without these things, because our bodies were designed to work better in a natural environment.
You can see why parks and green space are a priority for me on the City Council. I see providing these as a core function of City government, right along with streets and public safety. Denton has hundreds of acres of parks, urban forests, and greenbelts. We have miles of trails, a number of fishing lakes, and many acres of good, mature trees. We have the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center, a 2,900 acre preserve, and more playgrounds than you can shake a stick at. These are places where any resident or visitor can experience the outdoors free of charge. They are also natural preserves, home to abundant wildlife and priceless urban forests.
But we’re not done yet. Our stated goal is a City park within a 10-minute walk of any home in Denton. Earlier this year, we struck a deal for two 50 acre parks and four smaller parks in the Hunter and Cole Ranch developments—a total of 124 acres of green space with many miles of public trails. We also negotiated conservation easements to preserve Pilot Knob and the other environmentally sensitive areas there for all Denton resident to enjoy into perpetuity. We also acquired 71 acres of parkland in the eastern part of town and have many additional projects in the works.
Most of this we are able to do through negotiation with developers, or using funds that developers are required to pay into our Park Fund. But in addition, in fall 2019 Denton voters approved a $5 million bond package specifically for parks and open space preservation. Thank you Denton for recognizing the importance of time spent outdoors, and for joining me in preserving natural spaces for generations to come.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me on these issues and any others before the Denton City Council. You can reach me by email at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you, and I’ll see you around town!
.jpg)
