Season Finale?

It's not often we get to play this late into the year and even less often do we get a 50 degree day on November 29th.  The day started cold with a frost delay but by 10:00 A.M. temps had risen quickly and we were off. With the weather predicted to finally start turning more seasonable eleven players were ready to go today.  Regulars Schantz, Mason, McAreavy, Lyon, Bronson and Teegardin were joined by Tom Blank, Ron Mack, Ed Kay, A. Kay and Mike Schwert.  With the large field we decided to cap carryovers to a max of two holes and eliminate strokes on #18.  As it turned out we only had one stretch of more than two holes without a win.

The action got off to a quick start as Tom Blank drained a 25 foot birdie putt on #1 for a team win with Andrew Kay.  The normally reserved Mr. Blank was chastised for his excessive celebration when the putt fell.

The 2nd, 3rd & 4th holes were halved.  The team of Doug Lyon and Jim Mason then captured a two-hole win on the 5th when Doug holed out his 12 foot birdie putt.

Jim found himself on the losing end of a two-hole carryover on #6 when he was selected by Ron Mack.  Of course Jim & Ron had to admire the way they went down - to an eagle by Maryland golf star Andrew Kay.  AK reached the green in two with a sold drive and a 253 yard 3-wood and then ran in the 30-footer from the upper level to a front left pin.  The young Mr. Kay shows up for Thanksgiving weekend and records two firsts in two appearances.  A  4 mark sandie eagle on #12 West and the first eagle in Captain & Crew on #6.  Unfortunately for AK the eagle on the 6th was about all he had to write home about today.

The field took down the team of McAreavy-Teegardin on #7 as Ed Kay stiffed his second shot.  He missed the putt but 4 ofr 3 was good enough.

The team of Schantz and AK was defeated on #9 as we both played the hole rather poorly and the field had not one but two birdies.

So the front side ended with no carryovers to the back and a total of 12 marks.

The mark game got a big kick start on #11 with a combination of birdies, sandies and even a sandie birdie for a total of 6 marks. 

The second best shot of the day and once again proving that "chicks dig the long ball" came on the 12th as Brad McAreavy's towering drive found the green and he 2-putted for a team win with Dylan Bronson. If you a re keeping track that's three wins for the team against the field through 12 holes.  It would be the last.

The 13th was played from one-foot-in-the-rough blue tee territory.  The team of Kay & Kay were defeated when Ron Mack ran in a 15 footer for a 4 net 3.  Did I say chicks dig the long ball?  How about "chicks dig older men who can still get it in the hole in regulation".

There were some fine tee shots on #14 played from 225 yards with Brad winning the greenie when his shot finished 12 feet from the hole.  In the end the hole was halved.  The team of Doug Lyon and Ron Mack went down on #15 when Ron could not get the ball in the hole in regulation.  Hey, older guys can be good; just maybe not as consistently reliable as younger guys.

The 16th was halved with a bevy of birdies by Schantz, Schwert, Blank, AK and none more important than Doug Lyon who bailed out Ron when he poured in a 15 footer for the team.  Mike Schwert just missed out on his second eagle of the week.

The 17th and 18th were halved.

Since I keep the records I might just call it the "official" end to the season.  Plus, if I call it now I get to finish an otherwise poor season on a two game winning streak.   And what a difference the West Course makes in the mark game as we totaled 27 marks today.  Nobody was shut out of the mark game and only one player had fewer than two marks.

Think snow - I WANT TO GO SKIING!!!!!

Game Summary:

West Course
Players 11 !!!!!!!!
Carryovers to next hole capped at 2

Total Marks 27

Mark Leader - John Schantz 5
Overall Leader - Brad McAreavy $24

Welcome Back Mr. Schantz

It was a cold and windy day and we managed to scrape together five players for the day - Jim Mason, Bill Schuler, Brad McAreavy, Jim Mason and myself. Both Jim Mason had bailed on playing Friday.  The weather today was worse but it turned out at least I made the right decision.

With only five players that game was back and forth with the biggest winner +$3 and the biggest loser -$4.50.  The biggest excitement in the game was my attempted loner on the 14th.  Playing 225 yds. I hit it to 4 1/2 feet but failed to make the putt and could only tie the hole.  Crap.

Bill Schuler followed my attempt with his own on the 15th.  Unlike me he was successful carding a 4 net 3 for the win.

The other big news was my return to the mark game.  Over the last five games I carded a grand total of three marks and that included a 55 hole markless stretch (but who's counting?).  The mark game was getting a little expensive.  I somewhat made up for that today by capturing 7 of the 9 total marks - birdies on 1,6,10,12 and two greenies got me to the 16th with 6 marks on the day.  My approach on 16 was just short of the green leaving me with a 30 footer for the eagle and (I was thinking about it) a chance to tie Jim Mason's mark record.  Missed it by "that" much.  Rats.

Two players have made a run at Mason's single day mark record in two games and both fell short.  Maybe he is right.  We can get close but we all choke down the stretch!

    
Game Summary:

West Course
Players 5
Carryovers to 9 & 18

Total Marks 9

Mark leader - John Schantz 7
Overall Leader - John Schantz $22

Turkey Shoot at The West Course Corral

Having returned from a 3 day jaunt to Florida I had no intention of playing golf on Thanksgiving Day.  Then I woke up,  looked outside and thought "what the hell were you thinking?".  It was sunny and temps predicted into the upper 40's and no frost overnight.  A quick text to Brad McAreavy confirmed a game was afoot.  Be there at 9:00. Along with Brad and Jim Mason the group included University of Maryland golfer Andrew Kay, his father Ed and newly minted Duke graduate Mike Schwert.

Walking off the first tee provided some excitement and comical relief today.  As I was walking down the hill I heard Ed call my name. Assuming he was teeing off I waived my hand and didn't bother looking.  That was a mistake because the next time he called my name I did look and was promptly run over by his pull cart.  I suppose "run over" is a little strong.  I turned, looked, jumped, the wheel clipped my foot  I flew up in the air and flat on my back.  If  I had stepped on a banana peel it would have been a cartoon scene.  Either way it proved to foreshadow my entire day as I pretty much crashed and burned on the golf course as well.

This was our first trip back to the West Course in over a month and what a difference.  With only six players we tallied 22 marks including three eagles.  Throw in a couple of loners and it was a shootout today.

AK kicked off the mark game on #4 and went alone when his 195 yard tee shot finished just 5 feet from the back right pin.  Four of the five field players were on the back level of the green but no one could hole out.  AK dropped the putt for the birdie, greenie, loner trifecta.

After years(?) of making Jim my partner on #5 he finally returned my unwavering faith and made a birdie for a team win.  Of course if I could make a birdie on #5 every once in a while I wouldn't have to lean on him so much.

AK netted a sandie on the 5th and a greenie on the 8th. Jim followed his birdie on 5 with another at 8.  That completed a Mason / Kay sweep of the marks on the front nine (6 total).

Jim came back with another birdie on the 10th for a team win with AK.  Inexcusably, there were no birdies on the 11th.  However, things were about to get fired up on the 12th.

I was captain and as usual (and to a fault) I waited for Jim and ignored AK's drive into the front left bunker.  After our approach shots we all waited for AK to hit his sand shot.  AK stepped into the bunker, lined it up and nipped it perfectly.  The ball flew three feet short of the hole, skipped, checked ,spun right  and went into the cup!  The first sandie, eagle in C & C history setting a new individual single hole mark total of 4 marks.  It also put AK at eight marks on the day and Jim's single day mark record of nine marks was in serious jeopardy.  There have been a few people who have made a run at the record but Jim will say they all choke down the stretch.  But at this point in the round it was hard to see how the record could stand.


The team of AK and Mike would win #13 followed by a father and son team loss on the 14th. Jim made a sandie on 15 to bring his mark total to four on the day.  Next up the always exciting 16th hole.  With this group of hot golfer there was sure to be some action, and there was.

Jim, playing for the field ran in a 25 footer for eagle to put the pressure on Mike who was looking at an 8 footer for the team.  It was a straight forward putt but with bumpy greens it was no sure thing.  To his credit Mike calmly ran it right in for his own eagle and first mark (actually three) on the day. I managed a birdie to bring the hole total to seven marks.

On the 17th we had another loner attempt.  This time by Ed "The Ghost" Kay. From the back of the tee to a front right pin Ed knocked six feet from the hole and then made the putt for the second greenie, birdie, loner trifecta of the day.  You have to appreciate the 7 handicapper who is willing to give up his strokes and slug out the mark game with our crowd.  Well done.

The 18th was halved and Jim was right.  AK could not manage another mark down the stretch and finished the day with 8 marks.  The longer the record stands the better it looks.

Game Summary:

West Course
Scratch Game
Players 6
Carryovers to 9 & 18

Total Marks 22

Mark Leader - Andrew Kay 8
Overall Leader - Andrew Kay $31