Gropple and other Ugliness

Sunday started out cool but sunny with dark lake effect clouds to the north. By the time we reached the 10th green the gropple was falling. By 17 and 18 it was just ugly with a cold wind and lake effect rain.

Only 6 players today so carryovers were to #9 and #18.

A mostly uneventful round early as only 3 holes on the front were won. Jim Mason and I almost stole the 9th with a par but Brad McAreavy made a nice downhill 5 foot putt to salvage a tie for the field.

Things heated up on the back nine with Rich Johnson chipping in on #13 from the right rough 20 yards short of the green to a back pin for a team win. Regrettably, he gave it right back on #14 when he failed to choose Doug Lyon as his partner after Doug hit it to 8 feet. Doug buried the putt and gave the field a win.

Things got downright wild on #17 when Brad chipped in for birdie from the right rough 15 yards short of the green for the team. Doug saved the field by chipping in right on top of him from just in front of the green! My 35 foot birdie putt and Jim's 12 foot sandy putt both burned the edge.

With the weather deteriorating we all made a mess of #18 and were happy to get to the clubhouse with a tie and hope for better weather next weekend. We're looking forward to Oak Hill's 2007 Club Champion - Dave Fries (who was off sharpening his game in Pinehurst) - making his first appearance next weekend.

Game Summary:

Players: 6
Carryovers - to #9 and #18
Total marks 11
Mark leaders - Lyon, McAreavy, Schantz with 3 each
Overall leaders - Lyon, McAreavy, Schantz $9.00 each

Opening Day - The Flock Flies Again

It seems to come later every year but finally opening day for the flock arrived yesterday.

Saturday started with sunny skies and seasonably warm temps. A full field of 10 players was late arriving for the 8:30 tee time. The pace of play was a little sluggish and a number of us are now sporting push carts. Are we starting to get old?

Due to field size carryovers were hole by hole with a cap of four. Our all time money winner, Dr. Jim Mason was not in top form and it only got worse when he failed to make a 3 footer on #12 to lose a 4-hole carryover with his partner Mike LaBue.

For those of us familiar with Mike's history of "bad luck" it was hard to believe he was the victim of the first 3 foot putt Jim may have ever missed in that situation. Jim bounced back nicely with a shot to 7' on #14. He decided to go alone and after I missed my 12 foot birdie putt he calmly poured it in for the birdie, greenie and win - $27, thank you very much.

The hot player of the day was easily Brad McAreavy. Brad covered a back left pin on #4 and made the putt. He duplicated the feat on #17 into a strong wind. When all was said and done Brad had racked up 5 birdies and seven marks. What a way to start the season!

Game Summary:

Players: 10
Carryovers - to next hole
Total Marks 23
Mark leader - McAreavy 7
Overall leader - McAreavy $48