{"id":2514,"date":"2018-05-24T01:34:47","date_gmt":"2018-05-24T01:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/?p=2514"},"modified":"2022-07-08T18:46:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-08T18:46:11","slug":"ncaa-golf-finals-amp-oklahoma-city-conquer-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/golf\/2514\/ncaa-golf-finals-amp-oklahoma-city-conquer-all","title":{"rendered":"NCAA Golf Finals & Oklahoma City Conquer All"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Karsten<\/a>

Karsten Creek GC: host venue for the NCAA D-I Finals<\/p><\/div>\n

If you love watching college golf in compelling match play team format, set aside more time (or more excuses to one\u2019s significant other) to catch the NCAA Golf Finals over the next few days. For successive weeks, the Women\u2019s and Men\u2019s D-I Championships are being held at Karsten Creek GC, the home of the Oklahoma State University program, in Stillwater, OK. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the Arizona Wildcats women’s golf team beat top-seeded Alabama to take its third national title.<\/p>\n

The men now enter the arena with the same format: four days of stroke play competition followed by two days of intense match play among the final eight low teams. It\u2019s a terrific format that invariably produces high drama and exciting play. Although no Michigan team reached the D-I finals, U. of Michigan\u2019s Kyle Mueller made it into the 156-player field as an individual.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s probably wishing too much to see the top-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys in the final match showdown against its arch-rival, The University of Oklahoma Sooners, the defending national champions. But count yourself lucky if you\u2019re in Stlllwater to see it. Otherwise, don\u2019t miss it on Golf Channel.<\/i> The final day is next Wednesday, May 30.<\/p>\n

The NCAAs in Stillwater provide a timely opportunity to extol the virtues of visiting Oklahoma City\u2014the state capital and its largest city at 1.3 million people\u2014less than 70 miles away.<\/p>\n

After visiting OKC for the first time at the end of February, my wife and I looked at each other and I said, \u201cHey, did I leave my i-phone charger at the hotel?\u201d Okay, I may have said that but I also said, \u201cWow, Oklahoma City is one fun, entertaining and inspiring place to visit!\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are highlights of our well-spent 48 hours in OKC:<\/p>\n

\"Thunder<\/a>

Thunder fans are loyal and loud<\/p><\/div>\n

Oklahoma City Thunder<\/b>\u2014For sports entertainment, it\u2019s hard to beat game night at the city\u2019s NBA franchise at the fittingly named Chesapeake Energy (yes!) Arena in downtown OKC. The Thunder, which just concluded its 10th season, has helped transformed and revitalized the downtown area. But it didn\u2019t do it alone. Oklahoma City residents voted yes to a one-cent-sales-tax initiative\u00a0bringing more than $5 billion in both private and public investment to the city since 1993. This initiative is called the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) and is currently on the third MAPS project. The downtown is alive and jumping with bars, restaurants, shops and other attractions in safe, walkable districts, many with distinct styles. Sometimes, major sports franchises are often over-sold and over-hyped in terms of their economic and civic impact. That\u2019s not<\/i> the case with the Thunder. Being at one of its game, and marveling at the MVP-wizardry of Russell Westbrook, is a rush as its fans are some of the loudest and most vocal in the NBA. And yes, we saw a winning game.<\/p>\n

\"Powerful<\/a>

Powerful lessons are learned at the National Memorial Museum<\/p><\/div>\n

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum<\/b>\u2014An affiliate of the National Park Service and on the Register of Historic Places, this painstakingly conceived and dedicated site tells a powerful story of the events and aftermath of the horrific terrorist bombing of April 19, 1995, that claimed 168 lives. The Memorial Museum provides an insightful and emotional journey into the history of the city, the chaos and extent of the destruction, the investigation and cracking of the case (a lone police officer noticing the culprit\u2019s vehicle without a license plate) and the tremendous community resolve for rebuilding, healing and transformation. The Outdoor Memorial is equally inspiring. One suggestion: revisit The Outdoor Memorial in the early evening to witness how the Field of Empty Chairs is illuminated. Eerie, moving, and indelible.<\/p>\n

\"National<\/a>

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum<\/p><\/div>\n

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum<\/b>\u2014This is an absolutely amazing attraction, and highly recommended even for those whose love of the American West may be confined to John Wayne. The wings and galleries are Smithsonian in scope and quality, so reserve at least several hours to fully appreciate it. The history displayed throughout and especially the classic and contemporary art collection are world-class\u2014such as Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. The firearms collection is also stunning. In short, giddy-up over and visit.<\/p>\n

Overholser Mansion\u2014<\/b>For an informative trip \u201cback in time\u201d to Oklahoma\u2019s pre-statehood days, check out this carefully preserved mansion. Built in 1903 (in today\u2019s dollars well over $1 million), the Overholser was OKC\u2019s first mansion, the proud home of namesake Henry O. who made his fortune in real estate and the mercantile business. The two-story, brick-and-stone 20-room mansion was a sensation in its day for its architecture. Here\u2019s how The Daily Oklahoman<\/i> described it back then after an opening event:\u00a0 \u201cThe house is a sermon on beauty. It is uplifting and ennobling as works of art are ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oklahoma History Center<\/b>\u2014Another must stop for history buffs and the ever curious-minded. Many worthwhile exhibits are here but we were most enthralled with \u201cWe Are Who We Were: American Indians in Oklahoma.\u201d This exhibit represents all thirty-eight federally recognized American Indian tribes currently associated with Oklahoma. Visitors may explore the historic past of Oklahoma\u2019s native peoples, including the infamy of the Trail of Tears, and experience contemporary American Indian cultures. Here, I learned in World War I, OK\u2019s Choctaw tribesmen and soldiers served as code talkers during the trench warfare. In another part of the Center, I noticed an exhibit titled \u201cSit-in Movement,\u201d which honors an act of civil disobedience of Oklahoman Clara Luper at a segregated drug store counter on August 19, 1958, two years before the more famous sit-in at Greensboro, NC. OHC displays life and history in unflinching and interactive fashion, balancing the inspirational with the painful elements of a state\u2019s history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chiluly<\/a>

Chiluly glass art abounds at the OKCMOA<\/p><\/div>\n

OKC Museum of Art<\/b>\u2014Another pleasant surprise. In 1968, the OK Art Center, the forerunner of this museum, purchased the 154-piece permanent collection of Washington DC\u2019s Gallery of Modern Art. Presto! The city\u2019s modest arts community was immediately catapulted into elite national company for its major collection of postwar art. During our visit, the exhibition titled \u201cThe New Art: A Milestone Collection Fifty Years Later\u201d celebrated the Museum\u2019s pivotal acquisition. In 2002, another major acquisition occurred with the purchase of a Dale Chihuly exhibition of glass and drawings, including a 55-foot piece that graces the museum\u2019s entrance. Today, the OKCMOA maintains one of the largest collections of Chihuly glass in the world.<\/p>\n

Downtown and surrounds\u2014<\/b>It\u2019s booming with attractions, hip districts, projects and people-magnet venues such as the 15,000-seat Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, the home of the OKC Dodgers, LA\u2019s Triple A affiliate; the Bricktown Canal (with a nod to San Antonio\u2019s famed canal) that extends into the entertainment district; the nearby Oklahoma River\u2019s emergence as a whitewater rafting mecca, attracting adventuresome kayakers (Olympians train here!) from across the USA; and major facelifts and renovations to the area\u2019s Convention Center and Civic Center Music Hall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Centennial<\/a>

Centennial Land Rush Memorial<\/p><\/div>\n

On our last evening in this bustling yet congenial city, we walked at sunset from our hotel to the nearby Centennial Land Rush Monument<\/b>, a massive installation of the world\u2019s largest bronze sculptures by artist Paul Moore (darn, no relation) depicting the historic events of April 22, 1889, when 50,000 homesteaders gathered at the water\u2019s edge of the unassigned lands. Located at the south end of Bricktown Canal, the monument features 45 awe-inspiring figures suspended in time as they race to claim new homesteads. Don\u2019t miss it.<\/p>\n

Only the NBA-like shot clock of time prevented us from seeing more of OKC\u2019s myriad sights and attractions. Two days were woefully not enough time to capture all what makes this area such a vibrant and eclectic place to live, work and play. Surely, there are <\/i>problems, civic shortcomings and the usual headaches here common to any large urban community. But in light of where the community stood after that fateful April day in 1995, one leaves here thinking anew about the state\u2019s motto\u2014”Labor Omnia Vincit\u201d\u2014Latin for “Work Conquers All”.<\/p>\n

Finally, if asked when we might return to Oklahoma City, there\u2019s a quick and fitting response from this happy cowboy and cowgirl.<\/p>\n

Sooner<\/i> rather than later.<\/p>\n

Where to Play<\/b>: Thinking of the NCAAs, if you wish to divide your state college loyalties, visit Karsten Creek GC in Stillwater on the campus of OK State U. and the Jimmie Austin GC in Norman at the U. of Oklahoma. From OKC, Jimmie Austin is the closer of the two and less pricey than the upscale Karsten Creek. Both are deservedly top-ranked courses befitting the calibre of their golf programs. Closer to OKC\u2014 more modest in both price and presentation\u2014 are such daily fee courses as Earlywine Park, Lincoln Park (West), and Trosper Park. If you have private club connections, find a way to play Twin Hills G & CC in OKC, a Perry Maxwell-designed gem that\u2019s hosted several major championships in its heyday such as the PGA, Western Amateur, USGA Junior and the old Oklahoma City Open once won by Arnold Palmer.<\/p>\n

\"AC<\/a>

AC Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n

Where to Stay:<\/b> For convenience, amenities and a cool ambience, the all-new AC Hotel, a Marriott property in the Bricktown area, is a winner. It reminded us of a boutique European hotel for its minimalist, chic design and its across-the-pond inspired breakfast. But unlike those Euro versions, the AC has more spacious guest rooms. The hotel was the first built in OKC to use more affordable modular construction\u2014a technique where a project is constructed in sections off-site and assembled together on-site. But you wouldn\u2019t notice it unless, like us, you were told. Besides the alert and attentive service, we relished the AC Lounge where we enjoyed happy hour looking out from tall street level windows to the neighborhood. Other room delights: the deluxe bedding, oversized spa-like showers, desk area, enhanced media and the overall sound-proofing of the room and corridors. Quiet and peaceful when it\u2019s needed for weary and happy OKC visitors. Visit\u00a0https:\/\/www.marriott.com\/en-us\/hotels\/okcac-ac-hotel-oklahoma-city-bricktown\/overview\/<\/a><\/p>\n

For more details about the aforementioned OKC sites and attractions, just google any of the sites listed. And visit www.visitokc.com<\/a> for comprehensive travel info.<\/p>\n

Images courtesy of Karsten Creek, Marriott, and VisitOKC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you love watching college golf in compelling match play team format, set aside more time (or more excuses to… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":2517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,17,19164],"tags":[1013130,1013141,1013131,753645,1013133,1013134,1013135,1013136,1013137,1013138,1013139,975981,1013140],"class_list":["post-2514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-golf","category-courses-and-travel","category-offcourse","tag-ncaa-d-i-golf-finals","tag-visitokc","tag-stillwater","tag-oklahoma-city","tag-best-things-to-do-in-okc","tag-ac-hotel-in-oklahoma-city","tag-okc-national-memorial-museum","tag-okc-thunder","tag-okc-museum-of-art","tag-overholser-mansion","tag-bricktown","tag-terry-moore-and-golf","tag-centennial-land-rush-monument"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2018\/05\/info-karsten.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2514"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3608,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514\/revisions\/3608"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}