June 2, 2016 Results
We had 99 players show up for our annual trek to Belk Park on the outskirts of Bethalto, IL. It's always a pleasure playing at this course because it's always well kept and other than the fact that some of the holes seem to get longer each year the maintenance crew here knows just how to groom and grow a wonderful product. This year was no exception, the course was close to immaculate. I will say one thing tho, they certainly know how to grow a tough rough. Our foursome should know, we spent (read wasted) a lot of time in that rough stuff. And it ain't easy to come out of either. But the fairways were great and the greens were superb. Too bad it's such a long trip for most of us because at the price we paid it would be a pleasure to play on a regular basis.
Let me digress a bit here, and probably bore you to tears. I've got some history with the Bethalto area. Back in the early '70s my wife and I used to be heavily involved in sports car racing. I did not race a car, I'm not that crazy, but we did help a friend, who lived in Bethalto, prepare a small British sports car (MG Midget) to wit I was one of the mechanics that helped keep it in fine tune, and believe me anyone who knows the old British sports cars knows they were in constant need of fine tuning. We had that little motor (948cc to be exact) pumping out as much horsepower as we could wring from its four tiny cylinders. We tried everything we could, legally, to get that extra ounce of advantage and sometimes it worked, sometimes not.
Anyway, we would spend many nights until close to midnight, tweaking that little devil and then get on the road and head to our home, which at the time was in Afton, arriving at the house probably close to one AM and then getting up at some ungodly early hour to trudge into work. But, at the time I was still in the Air Force and you know what they say about the military, we're on duty 24 hours a day. You know what tho, that was perhaps 45 years ago and even I was younger then so I could take it.
There is a bit of irony in all this. One of the courses we play (September 22nd this year actually) is the Bear Creek Golf Course near Wentzville. Hole #7 parallels a road (Pointe Prairie Road to be exact). The other side of this road now has a subdivision of nice homes. Back in the early 70's it used to be property owned by one Clem Vehige who decided in the early '60s to let the Sports Car Club of America and the NHRA build a combination drag strip and road racing track on his land. It lasted until the mid 80's when it was sold for development. Anyway, I spent many a weekend at this location frantically trying to keep my friend's little sports car in top shape for a variety of races. So, each time we play that hole at Bear Creek I longingly look across that road at times that used to be.
Sorry about the diversion but occasionally it's fun to recall what you used to do for kicks before more serious things like golf get in your way.
If you want results from yesterday, tarry no longer, here they are.
Results:
Players: 99
Playoff hole: #9
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Flight "A"
In First, Running away with the whole shootin' match with a very smooth -11(61) was the Ron Muse, Ed de la Pena, Larry Knopfel, and Bert Schott team. This is as it should be with a Muse/de la Pena pairing. The other two guys were along to enjoy the scenery. But, I do have it on good authority that Larry Knopfel personally conquered #3 hole alone to preserve the team's great record. Until then he was leaving a few descriptive words on the course that can't be put into type for this august crowd.
In Second at very respectable -10's were the Dave Hitt team, via the SCP.
In Third was the Wayne Lamborn team.
The Steve Comfort team shot 64 while the Stew Pagenstecher team and the Joe McDaniels teams came in at -7(65's).
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Flight "B"
Every team in this flight shot -5(67)
In First was the Erle Craig team.
In Second was the George Eickhoff team.
in Third was the Norb Loebs team.
Following them were the Lee Readus team and the Ron Smith teams also at the 67 score.
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Flight "C"
Three teams shared the top spot in this flight at a very respectable -4(68)
In First was the Bob Eubank team.
In Second was the Lee Hanson team.
In Third was the Don Zugmaier team.
The George Blaney team and the Dee Ridenhour team came in at -3(69).
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Flight "D"
Three teams shot -2(70) for the day.
In First was the Jim Dwyer team .
In Second was the Doug Nolte team.
In Third was the Max Saunders team.
Following at -1(71's) were the Larry Riedisser team and the Bob Thibodeaux team. The Jon Meyer and the John O'Toole teams shot 73's while the Dave Gillett team had a 74 and the Paul Villhard team took home "EOD" (Effort of the Day) award with a 75.
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One more digression; our team pulled off one of the feats of the day, or season if you will. You've all heard of a sand save in golf where the player salvages a par after having to play from a greenside bunker? Well, have you heard of a water save? Picture hole #11, the not too long par 5 with the raised green protected by water down below with a cart path splitting the ponds. Well, we were in decent shape with a drive that left us about 180 yards from the green. Muscling up, we all thought that with one good swing among four accomplished golfers surely one of us could easily make it over the water and even possibly onto the green setting us up for a possible eagle. Right!!
All four went in the water. Fortunately, one of our poor shots bounced off the cart path and went in the pond to the left. So, we put our balls down close to the point of water entry and proceeded, with our 4th shot for those that are keeping track, to put some of our shots on the green. One shot ended up perhaps 10-12 feet from the cup. Our coolest player calmly sank the putt for a routine par - voile` a water save. In the words of Jimmie V. - don't give up, don't ever give up.
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Awards:
Closest to the pins for the day:
#3 Wayne Lamborn
#8 Bob Haddad (an inch or so from going in - I sure hope you guys let Bob putt out on that one) How many aces do you have Bob?
#12 Rich Graeff
#17 Paul Villhard