Tuesday Nights with Johnny or Skins 101

Or any other night for that matter. One of the highlights of my golf season has been a seemingly regular Tuesday night skins games with Jim Mason and Brad McAreavy. As the season progressed we even slipped in a few extra nights here and there.

The format: 9 holes, East course (more often than not), confirmation required. The outcome: Brad and Jim winning holes, failing to confirm and then on the 9th hole Schantz shows up to take home most of the skins.

The details: Brad picking up 3-footers he "thought" were conceded and then dissing everyone (well actually just me) for stinking up the place but winning all the cash. JUST KIDDING BRAD! I had to throw this out there to pull your chain! Just so you don't feel lonely there was also the fact that Dave Fries would show up after 5 or 6 holes and try to get in on the action. He did try to explain how it would be fair if we let him. Hey, I might be just a home builder, Brad's in the car game and Jim is "just" an internist but we're not dumb enough to fall for Dave's convoluted reasoning!

Really, it did get rather ridiculous after a while. And I did kind of stink it up a few nights but somehow I would show up on the 9th hole, someone would miss a 3-footer and I would win. Just the way they teach it in Skins 101 - win the holes that matter.

Can we change the format of the club championship to a skins game? Actually, I think I'll quit while I'm ahead because the only person whose luck can hold up for any length of time is Jim Mason (probably because he's good, not lucky).

Gold Update

Well it looks like I lost my dollar back to Dr. Mason. Gold made an intraday move above $1,000 today. It did close under $1,000 but I did clearly state in a previous post that intraday moves would qualify. Why do I insist on specifying everything? Now I can't even wiggle out of paying off!

Seventeen Again - 2009 Club Championship Round Up

The last time we saw Dr. David Fries roaming the 17th fairway of the East course on Labor Day he was marching to victory in the 2007 club championship. In a comeback for the ages Carter Lucas defeated David 2 up for his eighth club championship title.

The weekend featured perfect weather with light winds, sunny skies and temps in the low 70's. The East course was in perfect condition with firm greens running at 12+ on the stimp meter. The crew placed four players in the championship bracket - Brad McAreavy, David Fries, John Schantz and Jim Mason.

Brad bowed out early in a match-up with Carter Lucas. David defeated Matt Kaul, Jim took down Mark Dugan with a classic display of putting and John Schantz defeated George Kavanagh (where I closed out a 1 up victory with a 35 foot downhiller for 4 on the 18th hole). The Fries and Mason victories setup a quarter final showdown between the two former club champs.

While Cater Lucas was battling back from 3 down to Jamie Lamb, Jim and David were locked in a free-for-all match. With no halved holes from the 6th hole in David fought back from one down to win the last three holes for the victory. With Schantz, Mason and Fries all in the same quarter final bracket a Schantz victory would secure another spot in the finals for the crew. I obliged by defeating Brendan Glavin 4 and 2.

In a rematch of the 2007 semis Schantz and Fries squared-off again. After running in a 20- footer for par on #1 and a 1-up lead I watched David play one over golf for the next 14 holes. David's fine display was highlighted by a holed bunker shot for birdie on #8 and tee shot on #15 to 18" to close out the 4 and 3 victory.

The championship match between Lucas and Fries threatened to become one-sided after the opening 18 holes on the West course. In what can only be described as a stunning display of golf David shot a 68 to take a 4-up lead into the afternoon round. Dr. Fries's round was punctuated by a brilliant stretch where birdied 7,8,9,10 and eagled 11 to go 7-up on the match. His bid to take an 8-up lead failed when his 12-foot birdie putt at #12 would not fall. Dropped shots at 13, 15 and 17 lead to the final margin.

As the afternoon round began David extended his lead to 5-up with a fine sand save on #2. The turning point of the match may have come at #3. Hitting first David's tee shot finished 8-feet from the hole after nearly going in - no small feat considering the rock hard green. When Crater missed the green and his chip shot finished 20 feet from the hole it appeared David would take a 6-up lead. However, David misjudged the speed of the slippery downhill putt and the resulting 3-putt lead to a halve.

Carter then reeled off wins on 4, 5, 6 & 7. Game on.

Carter's momentum was shaken when he 3-putted 8 for bogey. However, the favor was returned on #11 as Carter made a fine par from the back fringe while David 3-putted from 40 feet. A missed fairway at #14 lead to another bogey for Fries and suddenly, improbably the match was all square. Both players found the green at #15 and the hole was halved with pars.

Was one of these champion golfers going to step up and hit the big shot or could one grind out four pars hoping it would secure the victory?

The answer would come on #16. David's tee shot just found the long rough right of the fairway and his approach shot would release to the back of the green. Carter's tee shot stayed in the first cut and his high, spinning approach to the tucked front left pin hit the green took one hop and rolled to 3 feet. David's 60 foot downhiller came within an inch but missed. Carter holed-out and now took command of the match.

Both players hit poor drives at 17 but solid second shots left each 35 yards from the back right hole location, Dave from the fairway, Carter in the front left bunker. Dave's chip shot bit up too quickly while Carter hit a fine bunker shot to 12 feet. Dave's 60-footer did not go in and Carter now had a putt to win the championship. He calmly stepped-up and ran it in, center cut. Carter deserve all the credit in the world for not giving up. But Dave fought every step of the way and carried himself like a champion. As his lead disappeared he didn't lose his cool and kept on marching forward.

Maybe next year?

Schantz is Club Champ!

No, not me. But congratulations to my son, Jason, who captured the 9-hole boys title. It's about time someone in the Schantz household brought home some hardware.

White Men Can Jump

In what can at least be termed a small surprise, Brad McAreavy elevated his game in club championship qualifying this past weekend.  After opening with an 81 on the West course Brad came back with solid 77 on the East and158 total (Brad gets extra credit for being the only person to come out of the pack and make the championship bracket). That was good enough to earn a spot in a 4 for 1 playoff for the 16th seed.

The prize? A date to play seven-time and current defending club champ Carter Lucas next weekend.

Brad made a smooth par on the 1st hole to defeat Kieth Knight, John Post and Dave Pelusio and earn his first trip to the championship flight. Just remember, Brad, once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away Mark Collier took down Mark Dugan in an opening round match. You to can earn an automatic spot on the Harmon Cup team with a victory over Carter.

Brad will be joined by fellow crew members Dave Fries (78,75 - 151) John Schantz (78,76 - 154)and Jim Mason (79,77 - 156). Dave was co-medalist (but lost the title in a playoff to Matt Weins).

With the new West course blue tees scores were expected to be higher this year so it was somewhat surprising to see a 158 total playoff when 160 or higher played-off the past few years.

Thanks to Dave Fries for reminding me on the range that no one on the range had ever shot a better score than me on the East course.

One

Fourth hole, West Course, new Blue tee, 195 yds, 3 iron. Who else? Jim Mason. Congratulations. Thanks for the drinks and letting me witness my first ace.

Spring Fling

The official flocksome season ended last week. A number of games were played starting in mid-March in both good and foul weather. I did not post any summaries since I was mostly busy skiing. That and I don't believe we've ever included spring results in the Captain's rankings. But, if I had to guess, I would say that:

1. Jim Mason, despite a bad back and crooked driver, probably won money.
2. Brad McAreavy and Mike LaBue probably got more than their share of bad breaks.

I do know that Jim McLaughlin made his maiden appearance and walked away a winner and Rob Turner made and appearance and also came out ahead. Dave Fries was rumored to be playing some fine golf (a little shaky with the putter but everything else is strong) and Doug Lyon has also displayed fine early form, especially with the driver. And nobody can play worse early season golf than myself. I need a few thousand range balls under my belt before my game resembles golf. Another reason the ski slopes look really good in March.