Fall has arrived, and the leaves have already started to change colors. Golf here at the Brickyard goes on but with a slight twist. We must aerify our course annually to have optimum playing conditions. With aerification, the course gets beat up a little bit, but we do reduce our greens fees rate. As much as we would like to put off this process, we need to get it done so the healing process will not take as long and the course will be ready in the spring.

The PGA Tour Championship came to a close last weekend at East Lake CC in the heart of Atlanta, a fantastic course. Tiger Woods won the FedEx Cup. No surprise there, as he was the odds-on favorite to win. Phil Mickelson won the tournament with a great rally past Tiger on Sunday, shooting a 5-under 65 for a three-stroke win over Tiger.

After the Tour Championship, the Fall Series starts for the boys on the tour and usually the fields tend to be a little weaker as the rest of the players jockey for position on the money list to be in the top 125 and be exempt for next year. If they don’t finish in the top 125, it is back to Q-school. That is no fun for those who have been there.

There are few local guys trying first-stage qualifying: Brett Melton, Andy Winings and Justin Hueber. Brett is a club pro from southern Indiana. Andy and Justin just got out of college and turned professional, and they have been traveling playing in different pro events. Both had to go through pre-qualifying, and both made it easily. Good luck to those players. You can follow the Q-school action online at www.pgatour.com  in October.

Most events in Indiana are just about over as the Indiana Golf championships concluded last week at Rock Hollow golf club in Peru. There were four divisions, and I competed in the Senior division. As has been the story most of the year, my play from tee to green was pretty good, and it just seems like I am not making any putts. I actually switched putting styles back in August and had some early success, but lately it has been frustrating not to make a few putts that you feel like you should be making.

During the next few months, I will have a few opportunities to play in some events that are typically competitive but fun at the same time. I will play at Scioto CC in Columbus, Ohio, which is the course where Jack Nicklaus grew up playing, and also will return to California for the Straight Down Invitational in November. This time also will allow me to work on some new swing thoughts and also figure out the putting stroke.

But there are still some events to be played here at Brickyard Crossing. Our men’s club year-end tournament is coming up Saturday, Oct. 3. We also are offering our unlimited golf membership this year: If you join now you for 2010, you will receive the rest of this season free as a bonus for joining. For more information on our memberships, call us at (317) 492-6417.

Remember, there is still great golf weather, and we will keep the course open as long as the weather will allow!

Jeff Schroeder

PGA Head Professional

Brickyard Crossing