After seven years in New Orleans, where he worked as assistant pro at English Turn Golf and Country Club and New Orleans Country Club, Stephen arrived in Birmingham at Greystone Golf & Country Club in 1996. In 2001, he was appointed head professional at Greystone's Founders Course and later that year, he became director of golf for the club. As director of golf, Stephen oversees the total golf operations at the club's two courses, Legacy and Founders. He also teaches golf, manages a staff of 30, and runs golf events, among other duties.

As golfers across Alabama prepare for the upcoming tournament season, Stephen recommends exercise. "The first thing you need to do to properly prepare for the golf season is work out, including stretches that will prepare your body for all the twisting and turning it will do over the next months," he says.

And to get your swing ready for the season, "start at the green and work your way backwards to the tee," Stephen continues. "Work on your putting first and then your short game, moving your way back to the full swing and ending with the driver. It's easier to build a good swing with shorter, more concise strokes and then lengthen it instead of the opposite."

The Old Committeeman arrived at his usual chair in the XIX Hole a bit out of breath and found Stan waiting for him with his championship file spread out on the octagonal table ready for action.

"I apologize for being late," the O.C. said. "This afternoon I was invited to play a round at my friend's club a few blocks away, but we were delayed playing as promptly as we usually do at that club. Moreover, we were further delayed because the slow group ahead of us was required to treat us to some refreshments as an atonement in their 19th Hole.

"Since we are going to review in some detail the problems of pace of play and handicapping that will confront you as chairman of the club championship, I will first give you a quick review of how my friend's club copes with slow play. Their local rule on it is if the four-ball ahead of you loses one full hole on the group ahead of them, they have two holes to catch up or they must invite the group behind them to play through. If they don't do either, they must provide the group being held up a refreshment of their choice after the round in the 19th Hole. The outcome of this local rule is that most club golfers do not want to be branded slow players, so they usually pick up their pace to avoid the public humiliation of having to buy refreshments for the group they delayed.

"My thought is that here is a self-regulatory procedure to get players to move it," continued the O.C. "I have experienced their treatment if they don't. I recommend it to you as a pace of play condition in your championship."

"This is very interesting," Stan replied. "I have been toying with trying to get some volunteers to be pace monitors, stationed throughout the course, to keep the play moving. But your idea is a very tempting alternative. I am going to give your idea some serious through. Perhaps you will go with me to this club to review it in greater detail."

"I'll be glad to," the O.C. said. "Just let me know when you want to go."

"With one matter out of the way," Stan said, "let's discuss handicapping and the problem of members not posting all their scores in a timely way. I spoke to the handicap chairman and was told that he and his committee were embarking on a campaign to list each week the club members who played and who posted. The next question is, who played and did not post? The handicap chairman is asking the golf shop to prepare a list indicating all this; that is, who played, who posted and who did not.

When this list is displayed, the non-posting player will have two weeks to correct their errant ways or experience the posting of their lowest score in the last twenty rounds as the score for any missing postings. Peer review will probably get things going. The handicap chairman recognizes that all this will take some time and effort. For me, I hope he does because I detest a smug club golfer entering a club tournament with a hustler's handicap and walking off with an undeserved trophy."

The Old Committeeman replied, "All this sounds very good and you are right when you say that a trophy hunter, not playing in a proper sporting manner, should not win. I came up with a similar handicapping idea, and if the handicap chairman's plan does not work, you can make it a condition of the championship that the last twenty handicap scores of the entrants will be reviewed and compared with the club records of charges for golf carts or other sign-up sheets. Any player without a posted score for any dates in the last twenty will get a posting of the lowest score in the last twenty. When I thought of this the other day, I reviewed my last twenty postings as if I had not posted two scores during that time and factored in postings of my lowest score. The result was that my handicap would have been reduced by one stroke. Observation: With club members hitting mulligans at the first tee and with their playing winter rules thirteen months out of the year, the requirement to play the ball as it lies in your championship gives them a real handicap challenge, and this possibility of a small reduction in handicap will send them further into outer space. Either method will correct any non-posting of scores for handicaps as your championship nears.

"We have covered these two subjects well," the O.C. concluded. "Now, we must review course set-up and rules together with local rules. I'll give them special thought, as I know you will, and I'll be in touch."

Stan said, "Thank you for this good review. I have all this to think about, plus the remaining matters. Please wish me well. I must go now. Again, many thanks. Good night."

Stan left and the O.C. asked James if he had any unsigned tickets.

"I have closed the register and the unsigned one will be here tomorrow," James replied.

"Very well then, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, James."

"Good night, sir."

Emily Cooper, a former Hoover High School golfer, is severely hearing impaired. When she graduated from Hoover in 2004, Emily interviewed for a scholarship from the Lady Legacy Scholarship Foundation (a division of the Ladies Birmingham Golf Association). When Emily chose to attend an out-of-state college, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, N.Y., she became ineligible for the Lady Legacy scholarship; however, with the organization's new grants program, it was able to find a way to assist Emily anyway.

“The board awarded Emily a $500 grant that was used for communication equipment so that she might stay in touch more readily with her mom here in Alabama,” says Lady Legacy Board Member Kim Ware. “We have since awarded her an additional $590, which was used for a hearing aid storage device and computer software.”

The grants program is “one of the most important additions to the Lady Legacy Foundation,” says Board Member Jean Miller. “The Lady Legacy grants program offers financial assistance to high schools, educational activities, individuals or other charitable organizations to support young women’s golf programs.”

In addition to grants awarded to individuals like Emily, the Foundation has also awarded grants to the girls’ golf teams at Hewitt-Trussville High School, Pinson Valley High School, Gardendale High School and Shades Valley High School.

In addition to grants, the Lady Legacy Foundation, along with the Women's Alabama Golf Association, awards college scholarships for young women with an interest in golf. While the grants program does not operate by an application deadline, both organizations have an April deadline for scholarship applications. If you know of a young lady with an interest in golf who plans to attend a college or university in the state of Alabama, encourage her to apply for one of these scholarships.

For more information or to apply for a 2007 scholarship award from the Lady Legacy Scholarship Foundation, visit www.lbgagolflinks.com/ladylegacy.asp. For more information or to download a scholarship application from the Women's Alabama Golf Association, visit www.womensalabamagolf.com/scholarships/Scholarships.asp.

Stephanie Clanton loves to dance, water ski and snow ski, and after a year at the AGA, she’s adding golf to the list. After graduating from Samford University with a degree in journalism and mass communication, Stephanie joined the AGA in March 2006 as Communications Manager. Her duties include gathering and updating stories and information for the newsletter and the AGA Web site, assisting with the coordination of major tournaments and events, and serving as liaison to the Women’s Alabama Golf Association.

“The purpose of my job is to reach out more to golfers here in the state and hopefully allow them to feel more connected to our organization and each other,” Stephanie says.

So far, her work at the AGA seems perfect for Stephanie. “I enjoy traveling, and we do quite a bit of it here at the AGA,” she says. “I love being able to see some of the most beautiful locations in Alabama and the Southeast. I also love working with all of our staff here in the office. We are a team, and everyone works so hard together to make sure every task is accomplished successfully.”

When she’s not working, the Birmingham native enjoys teaching dance at Hoover High School and traveling to the beach and the lake. A longtime skier, Stephanie has recently begun learning to play golf so she can enjoy her travels with the AGA even more.