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Despite all their wisdom about running the United States ‘Golf Association, those same officials seem every year at Open time to try to trick up the venue. No need to trick | Hallman puts brand name on up U.S. Open _ |Waterloo minor boys fastball R:’memlwr, you read it here first. The Tiger is toast. Long live he Goose. Uhat‘s right, folks. Uhe Dean of Ontario Golf Writers â€" that would be me â€" is officially heralding the end of Eldrick Woods® remarkable tenure as the best golfer in the world and turning the title over to Reuet Goosen, at least for this week. Others aspiring to the throne would be Phul (the Thrill} Mickelson. Emmie (the Big Easy} Hs and Mike (Canada, eh} Weir to name just a few, and it all follows the completion Sunday of one of the most bizarre U.S. Open golf championships since those babies have be televised. It‘s truly sad to see young Mr. Woods no longer a factor in major golf events after his brilliant victoryâ€"filled career but that‘s show biz and nobody said it was going to last forever. Weep not for the Woodsman, he‘s gathâ€" ered enough coin to actually be able to join that ritzy New York golfl course called Shinnecock Hills. Although it wasn‘t as exciting as watching Weirsy win the 2003 Masters major, Sunday‘s backâ€" nine twoâ€"man duel between Goosen and 2004 Masters champ Mickelson was good TV until Phil sold the farm by threeâ€"putting the 17th hole, just minutes after actually taking the lead from Goosen. Tiger was never a threat as it _ _ tumned out, shooting three rounds over par including his closâ€" ing sixâ€"over 76. And you know the reign has come to an end when a virtual unknown â€" with apologies to his family â€" amaâ€" teur by the name of Spencer Levin beats him by two shots. And speaking of farms. how about Shinnecock Hills? The course dates back to the late 1800s and is considered a links style layout in the wealthy rural New York State community of Southampton. more commonly referred to as the Hamptons by rich Big Apple types who escape the city smog by going there every weekend. For a guy who‘s been writing about golf for more than four decades, the complaining about the condiuon of the greens at Shinnecock comes as no surprise. And when it was all said and done Sunday night, only two players did finish under par. Does the USGA. or any governing body of golf, feel that they have to make the course so tough that it beats up on the best players in the world? Is that designed to make a high handicap hacker like myself feel better? 1 want to see prestigious events played on tough courses. but not ones that remind m@@f the Waterloo Golf Academy‘s putting layout, Hard, fast and severely sloping greens might be OK at Disney World, but they‘re just stupid at U.S. Open sites. It‘s almost as if they‘re saying: We‘ll show those highlyâ€"paid professionals a thing or two. No more 15 to 20 under par. You‘ll be lucky if you break par in winning the coveted U.S. Open. Until the last couple of years, that was long my complaint with the beloved Masters championship, which 1 felt was all about putting on ridiculously fast and hilly greens. Ditto for the Glen Abbey golf course in Oakville, which will be the locale for this year‘s Bell Canadian Open in September. Fairway Lumber â€" Your Decking and Fencing Specialist y * VÂ¥ Right Service &Â¥ Right C C J Â¥ Right Advice _Â¥ Right S Â¥ Right Product Â¥ Right I cmsost "The Right Choice" F C TEX Continued on page 24 Service _Â¥ Right Quality Advice _Â¥ Right Selection Product Â¥ Right Price |_to wear those same colours There have been other sucâ€" _ body in the community to "We just think it‘s a great ‘ when they play junior or _ cessful examples of branding _ come forward and do that." sport and as a family we want |_senior ball. locally with the Jr. Rangers in Detenbeck said the goal is _ to promote it more and get the "The problem was you _ Kitchener being the most _ to attract and keep more talent _ grassroots level up a bit more," | _ were tagged with a gold, black _ highâ€"profile example. But _ in the game that has seen its _ said Hallman. "We‘d like to |_ and white uniform and then _ Waterloo has also had success _ numbers drop in the past few _ build on this, have more tourâ€" ! you reached a certain point _ itself with the Waterloo Ravens _ years. "It would be nice if we _ naments locally, and perhaps and you were dropped into a _ and Waterloo Wolves hockey _ could be back to 600 or 700 _ foster the support all the way red, white and blue Twins outâ€" _ brand names. kids," said Detenbeck. through." Siskins fill in the coaching blanks red of trying to figure I out what name to call your Waterloo minor boys fastball team? Well local supporters of the game have come up with the solution for you. With the backing of the wellâ€"known Hallman family, who have thrown their hats behind local fastball over the past decade with both their money and their time, all the local boys teams will now be known as the Waterloo Hallâ€" man Twins. Stu Detenbeck, president of Waterloo Minor Fastball, said the organization was looking for a way of branding the program so that there would be some continuity from when a boy joins the organization until he he gradâ€" uates from it. The goal is to put on the same uniform at the lowest levels and have the boys aspire to wear those same colours when they play junior or senior ball. "The problem was you were tagged with a gold, black and white uniform and then you reached a certain point and you were dropped into a red. white and blue Twins outâ€" Kimmel, who was a hardâ€"nosed centre with the Sutherland Cup winâ€" ning Siskins in 1983â€"84 and 1984â€"85, is expected to bring the same attitude to the club as an assistant to new head coach Randy Harbach. 1e changes to the Waterloo I Siskins Junior B Hockey Club continue with the addition of forâ€" mer Sutherland Cup winning player Al Kimmel to the coaching stall. Kimmel. who was an NHL referee trainee for three years, and wore the zebra stripes in the OHI. and IHL, is moving from calling the game to coaching the game. "He also had an inkling that he‘d like to give it a go," said Siskins general manager Bob Playford. "He seems to be SPORTS By Bos Viminac Chromicle Staff By Bos VrBANaC Chronicle Staff â€" lim Hallman, left, and the Hallman family have put their stamp on Waterloo fastball teams like the Waterloo Hallman Midget Twins arrayed behind him. fit." said Detenbeck. "It just "It‘s not any different that Supporting the continu made sense to bring those _ what the Ravens or what the Jr. _ health of fastball, a game programs together and brand _ Rangers have done," said _ andhis brothers played, is w it right up from the starting _ Detenbeck."It‘s thesameidea. _ Jim Hallman and the Terrad point." "It was just nice for someâ€" _ by Hallman jumped on boai There have been other sucâ€" cessful examples of branding locally with the Jr. Rangers in Kitchener being the most highâ€"profile example. But Waterloo has also had success itself with the Waterloo Ravens and Waterloo Wolves hockey brand names. i Kevessaener Jt A* Hackey Clutb a good fit. and he‘s very well respected in the hockey community." Playford was asked if be thought Kimmel‘s addition might help the refâ€" erees relent on all the calls they make against his club. He joked that it could only help. "That‘s our new theory," laughed Waterloo Siskins Detenbeck said the goal is to attract and keep more talent in the game that has seen its numbers drop in the past few years. "It would be nice if we could be back to 600 or 700 kids," said Detenbeck. Payne. a constable with the Waterâ€" loo regional police, also played for the Waterloo Warriors and competed at the CIS hockey championship. "They‘re a good crew." said Playâ€" ford. "These guys did a really good job of working with Randy in the midget hockey program." Nane of them have coached junior Continued on page 24 Harbach, who successfully revived the Waterloo Major Midget Wolves proâ€" gram. has also added assistants Darren Snyder and Mike Payne to the team. Snyder is also wellâ€"known in the local hockey community. After playing at Cornell for a few years. he came home to guide the University of Waterâ€" loo Warriors to the national champiâ€" onship tournament. Playford. "If you can‘t beat them, join them." Supporting the continued health of fastball, a game he and his brothers played, is why Jim Hallman and the Terraces by Hallman jumped on board.