Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Spanish Trail pro jumps to Walters

Roberts, 60, chooses new job over retiring

By KEVIN IOLE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Jerry Roberts, who developed a reputation over 20 years as one of the top club professionals in the country, has left Spanish Trail and joined Walters Golf.

Roberts' contract as head pro at Spanish Trail Country Club, where he served since 1985, expired Jan. 31. Roberts, 60, said he had planned to retire but couldn't pass up Walters' offer.

Walters has created an invitation-only club for 100 members at his Bali Hai and Royal Links golf clubs. Those members will have unfettered access to at least one of the courses 365 days a year.

Walters named Roberts "Captain of the Club," saying he is a natural for the position.

"Ask anyone in Las Vegas golf and they'll tell you he's probably the most respected guy in town," Walters said. "He's the pro's pro. I feel fortunate to be able to hire him."

Roberts was the only head pro Spanish Trail had before being replaced by Warren Webster this month. Roberts said his new job is to cater to the members of what Walters hopes will be the most member-friendly club in the country.

"A lot of the people (Walters) plans to invite to join are people I already have a relationship with," Roberts said. "This is a special deal, because it's just a golf club. It's not a country club with a pool and tennis and all of that. This is a club for people who love golf and have a passion for the game and want to be in a club with people who feel the same way.

"Everything in the club is going to be designed to be golf at its finest. Nothing will distract us from that. It's a great opportunity for me to be in on the ground floor of something I think could be very unique and successful."

• BALI HAI HONORED -- Roberts will have something to brag about when he welcomes his first members to Bali Hai. GolfWeek Magazine recently named it one of the best 40 resort courses in the country.

• SORENSTAM A LONG SHOT -- Jeff Sherman of The Palms race and sports book has made LPGA Tour star Annika Sorenstam 500-1 to win The Colonial, a PGA Tour event in May to which she has received a sponsor's exemption.

Sherman, who has become the country's top golf oddsmaker, made Sorenstam 7-2 to make the cut, 1-5 to miss the cut and set an over-under of 76.5 on her first-round score on the par-70 course.

• LOCAL PROS DEADLOCK -- There was a three-way tie for first in the Eagle Crest Pro-Pro-Pro, the most recent tournament for the Las Vegas chapter of the Southwest PGA.

The team of Chris Schindler, Jason Edmiston and Jim Neighbors combined on a 4-under-par 54 at the par-58 Eagle Crest to tie for first with two other threesomes: Chuck Matlack, Dan Hammell and Mike Stewart; and Chadd Kaiser, Jim Hadley and Tony Silva.

• DESERT PINES REOPENING -- Desert Pines Golf Club, which closed Dec. 14 to remove fungi from the greens, should be reopened by the end of the month, Walters said.

"I don't want to open until it is perfect, and we're getting very close to that point," Walters said.

Kevin Iole may be reached by phone at 396-4428, fax at 396-4408 or e-mail at kiole@reviewjournal.com.