Published: April 29, 2008 11:43 pm      

ADAM VANKIRK: Need some golf?

If you’ve got the golfing itch, you’ll like this news. Eagle Ridge Golf Course at Yatesville Lake is set to reopen Thursday after it was forced to close down last fall.

The course, which is just a handful of years matured, shut down because playing conditions had deteriorated too much. High temperatures and a shortage of rainfall were the major contributors.

The fairways have now been re-seeded with bent grass and a reopening ceremony is scheduled for May 7 at 11 a.m., when guests will be allowed to tour the new driving range, clubhouse and course. The ceremony is open to the public.

Eagle Ridge was recognized in Golf Digest’s rankings for Best New Affordable Public Course in 2005. The course features five sets of tees, ranging from 4,655 yards to 6,630 and gives you the opportunity for some spectacular views on Yatesville Lake.

New clubhouses

Hidden Cove Golf Course at Grayson Lake is set to better accommodate its golfers this season with the opening of its new clubhouse.

Construction on the clubhouse began last season and is now complete. It rests between the front and back nines and has a large deck that offers some serious lounging, equipped with nice views, after a tough round.

Eagle Ridge finished its clubhouse last season.

More information on Hidden Cove and Eagle Ridge, both state-operated courses, can be found online at www.parks.ky.gov.

On to the NFL

A former Ironton standout who played in two national championship games at Ohio State is going to get his shot at the NFL.

While Tyler Whaley wasn’t drafted over the weekend, the Cincinnati Bengals did call the former Buckeyes’ fullback and express interest in him. After the draft, the Bengals offered a contract and Whaley accepted right away.

Whaley, at 6-foot-1 and 265 pounds, worked his way from a non-scholarship lineman to a regular at fullback last season at Ohio State. He is set to begin workouts with the Bengals, his favorite pro team growing up in Ironton, this week.

Cats in NFL

Three players who were instrumental in Kentucky’s success the past couple seasons have signed NFL free-agent contracts.

Linebacker and SEC-leading tackler Wesley Woodyard has signed with the Denver Broncos. Center Eric Scott and running back Rafael Little have signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Seven players in all from UK’s 2007 senior class are now with NFL teams. Quarterback Andrew Woodson (New York Giants), tight end Jacob Tamme (Indianapolis Colts), receiver Keenan Burton (St. Louis Rams) and receiver Steve Johnson (Buffalo Bills) were all drafted last weekend.

The deadline for renewal of 2008 Kentucky football season tickets is today. They can be renewed online at ukathletics.com.

EKU coach set to retire

Eastern Kentucky’s women’s basketball coach, Larry Joe Inman, has announced he is retiring after 20 years at EKU.

Inman won 480 games in his 28-year coaching career, including 10 Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championships and six OVC tournament titles. He won the conference Coach of the Year award eight times.

Inman is EKU’s all-time winningest coach with 319 victories. Before joining EKU, he coached eight seasons at Middle Tennessee State.

Herd or Wildcats?

Marshall baseball will be looking to do something not many teams outside of the Southeastern Conference have been able to for a while now when the Herd travels to Kentucky for a game tonight at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington.

The Wildcats have a 22-1 non-conference record in 2008 and haven’t lost a non-conference game at home in more than a year, their last coming to Morehead State on April 18, 2007.

Kentucky’s lone non-conference loss of the season came last week in front of a record crowd at Louisville. The Wildcats have a 33-11 record on the season.

Marshall is one of the hottest team in the Conference-USA right now, winning eight of its last 10.

Kentucky leads the all-time series with Marshall 26-10, with the last meeting coming in 2006, a 7-6 Wildcat win in Lexington. UK has won four consecutive meetings in the series, with the last defeat coming in 1998.

First pitch is slated for 6:30 tonight.

ADAM VANKIRK can be reached at avankirk@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.