Bulletin E-Edition:
Ed Carson, Maverix Golf Tour
By Zack Hall / The Bulletin
Published: February 17. 2010 4:00AM PSTEd Carson
The Bulletin continues its regular offseason Tee To Green feature in which we introduce to readers a Central Oregon golf professional or other notable member of the local golf community. This week, meet Ed Carson, co-founder and co-owner of Central Oregon's Maverix Golf Tour since 2005.
Carson grew up in Lake Oswego and has played golf from the age of 10. But Carson was more interested in other sports as kid.
He attended the University of Oregon and majored in graphic design. By the time he graduated from UO in 1975, Carson was playing golf more frequently. Quickly, it developed into a passion, and in about two years he cut his handicap index from about a 15 to single digits.
He moved to Central Oregon shortly after college to run his family's bicycle shop. In 1977 Carson opened his own graphic design company in Bend, Design of the Times, which he still owns and operates.
Carson continued to play golf and often played competitively. In 1996 he turned in the lowest score of any amateur at the Northwest Open, an annual pro-am played that year in Bend at Awbrey Glen Golf Club.
Carson eventually made the acquaintance of fellow Central Oregon golf enthusiast Stein Swenson.
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Years later the two decided to organize their own weekly competitive golf tour, and in 2005 they started the for-profit Maverix Golf Tour. Carson and Swenson have nursed the growth of the tour since, running weekly tournaments at golf courses all around Central Oregon.
Q: What led you to start your own golf tour?
A: We both (Carson and Swenson) became passionate about competitive golf and so we thought: Why not form a group where we are playing the ball down, putting them all out, and playing like they do on the (PGA) Tour? Obviously it's on a much smaller scale. It gets the guys' juices going to actually compete, so (a primary purpose of the Maverix Tour is) to help tune up our games and make us ready to compete in some of the major events.
Q: What brought you to Central Oregon?
A: The beauty of the area. I had some family and friends that lived here. I actually came to run my family's bicycle business they owned a Schwinn franchise back in the '70s. So I came here to operate that. But then I decided to pursue my graphic design career.
Q: What are some of the challenges in bringing new golfers into Maverix during the current economic recession?
A: Expendable income is tight right now, and so that is the challenge. The present economy is definitely a stumbling block for a lot of people. But beyond that, I don't think there really are any other issues. People seem to like the concept of competitive golf and playing different courses on a weekly basis. The overall concept is well-accepted, and it is just getting people that can commit to the financial aspect of it.
Q: How much golf do you play?
A: Well, I play in all of our Maverix events, so that is at least once a week. And then I try to compete in the major events around the Northwest, like the Northwest Open, the Oregon Open. And then in addition to that, both Stein and I are members at Juniper Golf Course (in Redmond), so we play up there. So I would say probably on the average during the season I play two to three times a week.
Q: What is your lowest score ever?
A: The lowest score I ever shot on a regulation golf course would be a 68. I've done that about five times now. I know I did it at Widgi (Creek, in Bend). I've had four holes-in-one. My big claim to fame in golf was that I was low amateur in the Northwest Open in 1996 at Awbrey Glen. So that was quite an honor for me.
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