Month: July 2012

Kildare Results – Friday, July 27th

As the rains bring the course back to life, scores are falling. The greens are still slow, but they’re rolling truer and putts are having an easier time finding the hole. With eight competitors in Friday’s round, all but one shot below net par. The highest net score was 73. The highest gross score was 83. That’s usually about the average score.

Mike Miller again took low gross with a 76, one stroke better than both Howard Jones and Steve King. King fired a strong net 63 to take low net honors.  Jones finished second with a 66. Mike Wentrup, Tom Hansen and Dan Hourihan tied for third at 68.

Low Gross

  1. Mike Miller – 76
  2. Howard Jones and Steve King -77

Low Net

  1. Stephen King – 63
  2. Howard Jones – 66
  3. Mike Wentrup, Tom Hansen and Dan Hourihan – 68

Jones’ four gross birdies earned him three skins. Steve King, Dan Hourihan and Mike Wentrup each claimed a skin apiece.

The average score for the day was 79.3

Wednesday the 25th of July – Kildare results

Some surprise performances Wednesday as Joel Temple took low gross (no surprise there) with a 76 and Jim Stamatis and Brian Laks tied for second place in the low gross category with 78. Laks ran away from the field in the net division with a 63. Jim Stamatis finished second three shots back with a 66. Joel Temple and Jim Gabriel tied for third place with 67.

The air was heavy and the ball wasn’t traveling as far as it normally does. Golfers were hitting an extra club in many cases. The greens were furry and slow, but scores seemed to fall into the “normal” range for the most part. Continue reading “Wednesday the 25th of July – Kildare results”

Highlights and Lowlights – July 18th

We got through Friday the 13th relatively unscathed, but the stage was set for a bizarre week. The summer monsoons arrived and gave us some much needed moisture. The course is coming alive. The arroyos are living up to their name. The rains brought temperatures down, but they brought the humidity up. For a brief period, we can’t say, “. . . but it’s a dry heat.”

The Wednesday Kildare group met adversity head-on and adversity came out on top. For the first time, there was no winner. For a while it was questionable if there was to be a survivor. Because of maintenance on the Arroyo nine at Gainey (the Dunes is still closed for rebuilding), some of the regulars thought it would be fun to take in a different course. They picked up some tee-times at Anthem, one of the area’s most respected tracks. But between the possible rains, the heat and humidity, injuries, Irish golfing trips and the long drive involved, only a short list of the die-hards signed up to play. It looked like two threesomes would be all the participants. Continue reading “Highlights and Lowlights – July 18th”

Friday the 13th – Kildare Group

Friday’s round was more like a reality TV show. Only those who have survived injuries, could tolerate the heat, suffer through the humidity and dodge lightning strikes made it to the 18th green. While the wounded (Inman, Kildare and Woodsy) waited patiently in the Member’s Grill, the real masochists braved the freshly aerated greens and disked fairways. When the dust had settled, only one person in the field shot better than his handicap would suggest. Obviously someone forgot to tell Mike Miller that the course was unconquerable that day. He fired a gross 72 (net 66). Apparently, it takes impossible conditions to motivate Mike. No one else broke net par, let alone gross par.

Low Gross

  1. Mike Miller – 72
  2. Steve King and Howard Jones – 86!

Low Net

  1. Mike Miller – 66
  2. Steve King – 72
  3. Don Fruchtman and Mikw Wentrup – 76

Take away Miller’s outstanding round and the average gross score Friday was 90.4. The misery was evenly distributed on all 18 holes. #16 Lakes dished out the most bruises, but no hole played at par or below. There were only four birdies all day. Miller had two of them.

July 11th – Kildare Results

The results for the Wednesday Kildare Group at Gainey Ranch are certainly interesting especially when considering that Dennis Kildare wasn’t there and the match didn’t take place at Gainey Ranch. In fact, there were golfers present that weren’t even there when it came to “settle-up” time. Twosomes became threesomes.  Foursomes went to twosomes. One putts became three putts. Things were more than strange. It could have been the heat, the humidity, sunspots, global climate change or quite conceivably, the effect of the cart girl coming over the ridge with the sun squarely behind her.

Grayhawk is by many standards a fine golf course. The greens may have been very fast, but at least they were impossible to putt in the first place. In mathematics there are equations that actually have no solutions. I’m confident at Grayhawk, there are holes where it is physically impossible to insert a golf ball unless you approach it from another dimension. Scientists have spent all that time searching for the Higgs Boson? Big deal. They should have just looked in the cup on 17 at Greyhawk.

Low Gross for the day went to Matt Anzalone with a 78. He’s a “plus one” handicap. Grayhawk showed no mercy to anyone.

Low Gross

  1. Matt Anzalone – 78
  2. Joel Temple – 80
  3. Dave Kopp – 81

Low Net

  1. Jim Stamatis – 70
  2. Mike Tope – 71
  3. Joel Temple – 73

Dan Hourihan and Marty Howe teed off on #1 and were never seen again. Coyotes may have dragged them into the bushes. They may have disappeared when they came into close contact with a Higgs Boson on #17. Or conceivably, their disappearance had something to do with the cart girl appearing on the ridge on #12 as the sun was setting behind her.

Annie’s Song

There are certain events that are rarely, if ever, seen on the golf course. In my lifetime, I’ve had the good fortune of playing roughly three thousand rounds of golf. I’ve actually only seen (thanks to George Stelmach) one hole-in-one. I’ve never witnessed a double-eagle in person. And I’ve yet to see Annie (one of our great cart girls) with anything but a smile on her face. Her beautiful smile has made even our worst days on the course much better than our scores would otherwise permit. I suspect I’ll see the double-eagle before I see Annie’s frown.

This phenomenon became all the more amazing when I learned Annie has an eighteen year old daughter, Angeline, who has been waging an all-out war with bone cancer in her leg. Even for those of us who have experienced the hell of cancer, we can only try and imagine the challenges Angeline and those close to her have undergone. I also know that even with the best of insurance plans, the financial costs of dealing with the “monster” can be overwhelming and devastating.

I felt as if Annie was a part of our family at Gainey Ranch and wanted to do something to help. I wasn’t the only one. Behind the leadership of Marty Howe, Mike Miller, and other members of the Gainey Ranch MGA, everyone pulled together to try and lighten the load financially. To the best of my knowledge, no one was asked to contribute to the cause. However, the thoughtful and caring members of our fine group responded with open hearts and open wallets.

I wasn’t present when Annie was given “the envelope,” however, I understand it was a very moving moment in time. I’m told Annie was touched deeply. I’m certain all of us share the same feelings and hope it helps make her and Angeline’s trials a bit less arduous and contributes to taking a few of the bumps out of the rough road that lies ahead. Even though the contributions were surprisingly generous, I can only say the financial value is small in comparison to the warmth we’ve received from Annie’s ever present smile.

Annie and Angeline have sent the following note of thanks to the wonderful members at Gainey Ranch that expressed their love and concern for them.

Kildare Group – July 6th – The Canadians are Coming!

Canadians conquered Gainey Friday. That’s only supposed to happen in the winter months. Harold Hoeg beat up on the competition by shooting a gross 74 (he couldn’t sink a putt, eh?) and at the same time, winning the net competition with a 67. Marty Howe was right on his heals with a net 68 tying Mike Forde who also fired a net 68.

Low Net

  1. Harold Hoeg – 67
  2. Marty Howe and Mike Forde – 68

Low Gross

  1. Harold Hoeg – 74
  2. Mike Miller – 75
  3. Howard Jones – 80

It’s interesting to note that not only Hoeg and Howe are Canadian born, both Miller and Jones grew up near the Canadian border. It’s all sounding rather conspiratorial, don’t you agree?

The average score was 84 gross and 71.1 net. Were it not for Hoeg and Howe, the field was really quite average Friday. Toughest hole on the course was #9 Arroyo playing at nearly a stroke and a quarter over par. The pin was in front, the easiest position on green. Apparently, the fairway had been placed in a difficult position. I know I had trouble hitting it.