Got 13 people paid for the Rapture. Darren is fairly positive he'll be physically able to play by mid-August. That leaves Ben and Danny as the two who need pushing, unless we can pull in Crum or Greg. They have enough rounds and history with us for the captains to know what they're drafting.
Either way... it's almost time to lock this up. Those two need to get in, or we might be refunding a couple of guys, while potentially raising the rates for the rest of us. ::sad face::
-----------------------
Only Buchert said he had a conflict with moving the Jamaican Open to Saturday, July 21st. However, he graciously agreed to miss it so the rest of us could play the private course. Thank you for your sacrifice, Buchert.
We're booked at 10:30am that day at Grasslands ($50+ tax).
I'll make the change to the site later. But update your calendars or you're going to miss out on a new course for us.
-----------------------
Still need one more member to join Match Play next week. It's not a deal breaker... but would help the pairings. I'll lock everything next week so we can make picks and whatnot.
Friday, June 29, 2018
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
2017-2018 Boozer’s Golf Review Power Rankings
You ask we deliver. At the Boozer's Golf Review, we are here
to please. Unlike the empty promises about sidebar surveys and other
interesting content, we will continue to deliver the goods week in and week
out. With that said,
we have a very strong Summer 2018 Rookie Boozer class. While their golf may not
be anything special, their commitment to one of the age old traditions of our
fine sport has them both in our top 11. As some of the of the legacy boozers of the
group, we want to commend these two fine men, as well as all members who voted
them in, for making boozing great again. 2017-2018 has brought with it many
changes. Some of our previously esteemed boozer's have seen a fall in perceived
value due to off the course infractions while others have taken the opportunity
to step it up on course and fill in the vacancies left by the disgraced.
Without further ado we proudly present your 2017-2018 BGR power rankings.
20. Casey
Rease
Having the longest drive to about 75% of the events and a
severe lack of tolerance keeps this guy from boozing pretty much ever.
Different strokes for different folks, we guess. Did he really get a
championship Yeti for water? Weak.
 |
| The Saddest Yeti |
19. Robert Reid
Reid is a friend of the Boozer's, but not a Boozer himself.
Unless he has a top 3 finish he doesn’t tend hang out in the club house after
the round, however he did pound some coconut water on Sunday and recommended it
with rum. Note taken and will try in the future. He often gets upset about
being ranked low, but we imagine he will wear this one with a bit of pride.
18. Mike
Hauch
Don't know as much about Mike Ho's golf Boozing, but we did
notice some ciders and light beers at the Retreat. Room for improvement, and it
could start July 8 when he has the opportunity to impress some boozing royalty
paired with him that day.
17. Greg
Gleason
He's taking this season off, apparently, but showed some
signs of life with Boozing before. As much as the station wagon may have been a
point of contention, a good boozer can admit when he is wrong and congratulate
Greg on ignoring the station wagon stigma and purchasing perhaps the ideal, non
refrigerated truck, booze mobile.
 |
| Room for the clubs and the kegs |
16. Geoff
Leighly
This Boozer never misses a hangover bar night, which shows
his dedication to the league and his support of the Boozing cause. Decent on
course boozer who will go with some interesting mixed drinks and has a unique
taste in music that overvalues 90's pop.
15. Gary
Brown
We believe it to be common knowledge that there comes a time
where one might outgrow boozing. Gary has done a reasonable job avoiding the
boozing retirement home by having a few either on the course or in the
clubhouse, but we at BGR happen to know another 63-year-old that would rank #1
if he was in league.
14. Dave
Harrington
At The Retreat he made a grand speech about wanting to have
a fun long weekend and bragged that he had already purchased cider's for the
next day's Hangover Invitational. Alas getting home at tree in the morning
proved too much for this pasty young boozer and he lost multiple spots due to
this regrettable violation. A disappointment to all of Irish decent. Additional
deduction as the exclusive cider drinking is almost more than we can take.
 |
| The Great Disgrace |
13. Robbie Wilson
This may be one of the most questionable rankings. Robbie
was number two on a couple of contributors lists until news spread of his lack
of on course Boozing recently. While surprising to many, as the Party Bear, or
Party Robot, is known to drink with the best if needed, his on-course boozing
preference has left him out of the top 10. Redeeming factor: he is always in
for a roadie on the way home.
12.
Chandler Brown
Chandler is a consistent Boozer of the hallowed Budweiser
school. Usually in for splitting a six-pack, he will sometimes abstain due to a
hangover. That must be the downside of being built like a sandhill crane. Alas,
his Boozing game becomes as boring as his golf game. He will provide some good
jokes and club tosses, though.
11. Danny
MacLean
While his commitment to golf is still questionable, it's
only because the man enjoys non-golf, boozing related activities as well.
Rarely does his boozing come without some complaining and we sometimes have to
force feed him his roadie, but in general still a strong addition.
10. Mike
Gorecki
Many will find this ranking surprising, but this boozer has
a beer or two in the bag every week. His consistency with sneaking TBBC beers
onto the course gets him a high ranking. Advance preparation is a rare
characteristic in a boozer and Gorecki is certainly a rare human being. Who
chooses APAs as their boozing beer of choice? This game is all about quantity
(of beers not strokes).
9. Chris Fazioli
A solid Boozer with excellent taste in music is a great addition
to any foursome. While it is not encouraged, to be a true boozer, passing out
on the golf course or breaking something in your drunken fury is a bit of an
initiation right, and we've simply not witnessed that commitment from this
boozer. His Boozing regulator seems to kick in harder than the carts at
Southern Hills.
 |
| He makes a mean chicken parm sub too |
8. Katie
Austin
Katie is a study in lack of consistency when it comes to
boozing. She stopped going out on Saturday nights in an attempt to improve her
game and won in her inaugural season. Since then she has provided the single
greatest drunken performance this panel has witnessed on a golf course, due
mainly to the residual alcohol factor from the night before, but in a more
recent tournament she bummed a beer, took two sips, and gave the rest back! We
simply can't figure out if she is truly a boozer or not, but her ceiling is
extremely high.
7. Ben
Leugers
Beardface's benders are stuff of legend, but in the past
they have caused him to miss rounds, the Spring 2018 Hangover for example.
While many people need some "swing lube" from time to time, this
Boozer is literally unable to play golf without some alcohol in the tank. The
turnaround he put together after buying 3 buckets and a pitcher at the turn at
Tarpon Woods provides proof of his before and after consumption abilities. If
he continues the consistent attendance he's shown this season, he will climb up
these rankings quickly.
6. Mike
Oostenbrink
At the mere mention of Yuengling, a large, goofy-looking
Moose wearing glasses starts dancing through our minds. When your name is
synonymous with a specific beverage, you have reached a special level as a
boozer. Unfortunately, Tall Mike's Little Mike has shown us all the great
threat to all of our boozing careers -- a baby. It's sad that the creation of
one life takes the social life of another. Moostie's last 6 months have been a
case study in the circle of boozer life.
 |
| Moostie |
5. Brendan
Donoghue
Pay close attention or else you may not notice Brendan, or
his boozing. While he may not be leading the charge towards drunkenness, I dare
you to find a time where he didn't order beers from the cart girl once you
announce you are getting beers. He's also a very prepared boozer, which came in
handy this season at Tarpon Woods. He's excellent with the Yeti, and thankfully
the logo on it is somewhat subdued. Lastly, he almost always lets you win if
you're playing him in match play. He's a very giving individual.
4. Darren
Broom
There is a great mystery as to where all of Papa Drippy's
sweat comes from, but we can say with confidence it is the finely tuned boozing
machine that is his body making room for refills. If we had an age based
handicapping system, he might make a push for the championship. He might not be
able to consume the same amount of alcohol as some Boozers ranked above and
below him, but he makes up that ground in consistency. Ordering a double Jack
and Coke as soon as alcohol sales commence on a Sunday morning is almost as
predictable as his drop-kicked 180 yard drive finding the fairway.
3. Brian
Buchert
The creator and founder of "Bag Bourbon" had the
foresight at one point to purchase an entire case of plastic bottle whiskey,
displaying a preternatural foresight and safety-consciousness found only in the
best of the golf Boozers. That case almost lasted an entire month. Off the
course he doesn't let the boozing stop due to silly things like "night"
or a "need of sleep," and he carries the party over smoothly to the
course. The epic performance at Rapture 2 will keep this absentee Boozer high
on this list for years to come.
 |
| The Original Bag Bourbon |
2. JW
Ferguson
Loves a fun round of Booze golf maybe more than anyone in
the league. Contrary to other new fathers he survived a tough 2017 for Booze
golf, which brought a wife and two kids, to still show up for, and Booze for,
14 of the last 18 events. This long-time Boozer has refined the golf aspect of
his Boozing and greatly improved his playability and enjoyment factors after
the "Summer of 100 Broken Clubs." He has also improved his
preparedness level for our Sunday rounds and even makes time for the driving
range Boozing these days.
 |
| The old Dub |
1. John
Webermeier
And it’s not even close. He received all of BGR's first
place votes. He beat #2 pretty soundly in the Drinking to Scotland challenge
(almost getting himself thrown off the flight), and he's the creator of the
premier package, which is the best hangover cure in BGR's opinion. He’s the
drinking equivalent of Adam Scott’s golf swing – no flaws. Bank Roll: Check;
Drinking Ability: Check; Availability: Check; Desire: Check. Undefeated in golf
Boozing to this day.
 |
| Harambe Lives |
And that rounds out our 2017-2018 BGR Power Ranking. Keep in mind, these rankings are a snap shot of this current moment in time. If you feel under represented or that you have been unfairly judged, we encourage you to step up to the bar and get after it before next year's release. Until next time happy boozing.
Temple Terrace G&CC - Course Critique
If we took a poll asking our members to name their favorite courses, what do you think would top the list? I'm guessing Southern Hills, The Ritz MC, and maybe ChampionsGate CC? Lakewood National perhaps? Conditions would obviously play a big part in the responses, but all of those are wide open off the tee with large and interesting green complexes.
In an effort to get more people thinking about WHY they like certain courses, I'm going to hop on the "Golf Architecture Resurgence" bandwagon from time to time, talking about the courses we play. I honestly feel our 20+ handicappers would instantly improve if they thought more about strategy and course management. Golf is a good walk (spoiled) through a park, and should be viewed as a maze needed to be traversed, instead of a straight path on which you whack your balls. Sadly, American courses usually dictate the path you must play.
And that's what is a little disappointing about Temple Terrace G&CC. During the past 96 years, tree over-growth and green shrinkage now force you to play mindless golf. Many holes aren't wide enough to allow a curved tee shot. You can also find the fairway on 12, 13 or 14 and STILL have overhanging oak trees blocking your approach to the tiny greens. Literally (not figuratively) every hole is protected by front bunkers on both sides, so the angle from which you approach the green does not matter. If you don't have a short iron in your hand, you'd better thread the ball through the narrow strip of grass in the front. Quail Hollow (RIP) also had this problem.
But was this always the case at Temple Terrace G&CC? It was built by Tom Bendelow in 1922, an architect who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and constructed over 600 courses in 35 years (mostly in America). Some of his designs include The Country Club of Orlando, East Lake Golf Club, Medinah (#1, #2 and #3), and Palma Ceia. Most of those have been re-designed by architects like Donald Ross and Tom Doak.
Bendelow helped lay the foundation of American golf. But the Scotsman didn't come over here and build narrow tree-lined tracks. That style of golf was offensive to the old guard. So let's compare some imagery of Temple Terrace G&CC from 1950 and 2017. Keep in mind, the 1950 images were taken 28 years after the course was constructed!
Front Nine:
Hole #1 is on the far right of the image ( North --> ). You'll see in 1950 it was a par 5, with the tee box sitting where the clubhouse is today. The scale of the images isn't quite perfect, but the comparison does a great job showing 67 years of allowing trees to overtake a course. Take a trip counter-clockwise around the front nine. Trees now vastly encroach on both sides of every fairway. The changes in width to #5 and #6 offend my sensibilities. And Bendelow's design usually had one side of the green open, allowing pitch shots to be used.
Back Nine:
Hole #10 is at the bottom left ( North ^ ). While I've already complained about 12 through 14... look at #16 and #18. Both are sharp doglegs which require a lay-up or a Gary-hook. In 1950, however, the trees were absent along the road, with fairways widened allowing you the option to take on OB without leaving a punch-out 2nd shot. Basically, you weren't punished for hitting a good ball off the tee, but were vastly rewarded if you could bend it from right to left.
Today, Temple Terrace G&CC has money and membership issues, so none of my analysis is of any help to them. But I'd argue that the loss of original course strategy plays a part in declining membership over the past century. The layout is a complete grind, which makes a hard sell to potential members who don't live in the neighborhood. Nobody plays it and says: "That was fun! I want to play here 20+ times a year!"
They can brag about being "one of the oldest private courses in Central Florida" and "the only 18-hole course on Florida's National Register of Historic Places." But those distinctions imply a historical value that honestly no longer remains. Tom Bendelow would not recognize nor be thrilled about the current layout. And we're only playing a shell of a classic-era design.
Chandler's Fix:
Because I'm a self-proclaimed expert on fixing all problems you didn't know you had, here's what I would do with an unlimited budget and no government regulations (these basically apply to every course on the planet):
1) Oak tree removal and trimming. I'm sure the city of Temple Terrace has laws in place making this difficult. But there are many smaller oaks, that are not 50+ years old or "grand" status, that can be cut down tomorrow. Stop the problem before it gets worse. Trim back any and all limbs overhanging existing fairways. All the tee boxes without grass (#4 is offensive) is due to lack of sunlight, and those nearby trees need to go. Trees on the edge of roads serve as protection for the community, but the inner rows should be drastically thinned and fairways expanded.
2) Bunker removal and reshaping. Their average member is an elderly player who doesn't have a high ball flight. Allow the return of bump-and-run shots by removing a few greenside bunkers. Go ahead and reshape the ones that remain, making a clear spot to avoid which also protects certain pin locations.
3) Green reshaping. They should have done this when they re-sodded the greens a couple of years ago. Expand and make them more interesting. Perhaps build a few template greens like a biarritz, redan or punch-bowl. Some of the green sizes today are laughable. If done correctly, larger greens are not necessarily easier for good players (ie: Shinnecock).
The Winter Park Golf Course outside of Orlando recently did all of these things to their 9-hole municipal last year, and it re-opened up with rave reviews across the country. In just their first year after the renovation, they turned a profit for the first time in decades. Many cities are now studying what they did in hopes of replication. I'm going to go check it out during one of our off weeks if anyone wants to make the trip.
It's always bothered me that Tampa really doesn't have any "great" courses within the immediate city and suburbs. And I know I just wrote 1,000+ words seemingly shitting on Temple Terrace... but it's a nice course that could be vastly improved. Membership was also very pleasant to us on Sunday, so I'm rooting for them.
In an effort to get more people thinking about WHY they like certain courses, I'm going to hop on the "Golf Architecture Resurgence" bandwagon from time to time, talking about the courses we play. I honestly feel our 20+ handicappers would instantly improve if they thought more about strategy and course management. Golf is a good walk (spoiled) through a park, and should be viewed as a maze needed to be traversed, instead of a straight path on which you whack your balls. Sadly, American courses usually dictate the path you must play.
And that's what is a little disappointing about Temple Terrace G&CC. During the past 96 years, tree over-growth and green shrinkage now force you to play mindless golf. Many holes aren't wide enough to allow a curved tee shot. You can also find the fairway on 12, 13 or 14 and STILL have overhanging oak trees blocking your approach to the tiny greens. Literally (not figuratively) every hole is protected by front bunkers on both sides, so the angle from which you approach the green does not matter. If you don't have a short iron in your hand, you'd better thread the ball through the narrow strip of grass in the front. Quail Hollow (RIP) also had this problem.
But was this always the case at Temple Terrace G&CC? It was built by Tom Bendelow in 1922, an architect who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and constructed over 600 courses in 35 years (mostly in America). Some of his designs include The Country Club of Orlando, East Lake Golf Club, Medinah (#1, #2 and #3), and Palma Ceia. Most of those have been re-designed by architects like Donald Ross and Tom Doak.
Bendelow helped lay the foundation of American golf. But the Scotsman didn't come over here and build narrow tree-lined tracks. That style of golf was offensive to the old guard. So let's compare some imagery of Temple Terrace G&CC from 1950 and 2017. Keep in mind, the 1950 images were taken 28 years after the course was constructed!
Front Nine:
Hole #1 is on the far right of the image ( North --> ). You'll see in 1950 it was a par 5, with the tee box sitting where the clubhouse is today. The scale of the images isn't quite perfect, but the comparison does a great job showing 67 years of allowing trees to overtake a course. Take a trip counter-clockwise around the front nine. Trees now vastly encroach on both sides of every fairway. The changes in width to #5 and #6 offend my sensibilities. And Bendelow's design usually had one side of the green open, allowing pitch shots to be used.
Back Nine:
Hole #10 is at the bottom left ( North ^ ). While I've already complained about 12 through 14... look at #16 and #18. Both are sharp doglegs which require a lay-up or a Gary-hook. In 1950, however, the trees were absent along the road, with fairways widened allowing you the option to take on OB without leaving a punch-out 2nd shot. Basically, you weren't punished for hitting a good ball off the tee, but were vastly rewarded if you could bend it from right to left.
Today, Temple Terrace G&CC has money and membership issues, so none of my analysis is of any help to them. But I'd argue that the loss of original course strategy plays a part in declining membership over the past century. The layout is a complete grind, which makes a hard sell to potential members who don't live in the neighborhood. Nobody plays it and says: "That was fun! I want to play here 20+ times a year!"
They can brag about being "one of the oldest private courses in Central Florida" and "the only 18-hole course on Florida's National Register of Historic Places." But those distinctions imply a historical value that honestly no longer remains. Tom Bendelow would not recognize nor be thrilled about the current layout. And we're only playing a shell of a classic-era design.
Chandler's Fix:
Because I'm a self-proclaimed expert on fixing all problems you didn't know you had, here's what I would do with an unlimited budget and no government regulations (these basically apply to every course on the planet):
1) Oak tree removal and trimming. I'm sure the city of Temple Terrace has laws in place making this difficult. But there are many smaller oaks, that are not 50+ years old or "grand" status, that can be cut down tomorrow. Stop the problem before it gets worse. Trim back any and all limbs overhanging existing fairways. All the tee boxes without grass (#4 is offensive) is due to lack of sunlight, and those nearby trees need to go. Trees on the edge of roads serve as protection for the community, but the inner rows should be drastically thinned and fairways expanded.
2) Bunker removal and reshaping. Their average member is an elderly player who doesn't have a high ball flight. Allow the return of bump-and-run shots by removing a few greenside bunkers. Go ahead and reshape the ones that remain, making a clear spot to avoid which also protects certain pin locations.
3) Green reshaping. They should have done this when they re-sodded the greens a couple of years ago. Expand and make them more interesting. Perhaps build a few template greens like a biarritz, redan or punch-bowl. Some of the green sizes today are laughable. If done correctly, larger greens are not necessarily easier for good players (ie: Shinnecock).
The Winter Park Golf Course outside of Orlando recently did all of these things to their 9-hole municipal last year, and it re-opened up with rave reviews across the country. In just their first year after the renovation, they turned a profit for the first time in decades. Many cities are now studying what they did in hopes of replication. I'm going to go check it out during one of our off weeks if anyone wants to make the trip.
It's always bothered me that Tampa really doesn't have any "great" courses within the immediate city and suburbs. And I know I just wrote 1,000+ words seemingly shitting on Temple Terrace... but it's a nice course that could be vastly improved. Membership was also very pleasant to us on Sunday, so I'm rooting for them.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Hangover Invitational - Spring 2018 Recap
Oh... Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club. What could be, if you only had twice as many members and a ton of cash. Instead, we're left with green shrinkage and towering oak trees that gobble more balls than... a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos?
So the greens were punched recently, with big holes, and putting was difficult. Sadly that's just a Florida summer condition which is difficult to avoid. The rest of the course was in great shape, as long as you weren't in thin rough killed by overhanging oak trees.
Yesterday saw the rise of former DPT Champions as Faz went from potentially still drunk and threatening to go home after 6 holes, to dismantling the back nine with a 38 (gross). Chandler limped across the finish line for solo 2nd after making 7 straight bogeys. Moostie's back-nine charge fell a little short for solo 3rd. And Geoff blew up on the final six holes to fall to 4th place.
This season is shaping up exactly like last season, where we don't have any two-time winners (yet). I guess it's a result of handicaps working and larger fields, and definitely makes for a more exciting season. Four events... four different winners... four different 2nd place finishers. Match Play is going to be crucial.
Dave was the Hangover Casualty this season, falling into a cider coma after the bar and failing to wake up until about noon the next day. Those Irish can't hold their booze.
-----------------------------
We have two spots open for Match Play (in two weeks) at Hunter's Green. With 13 members signed up, the pairings would really benefit if we had ONE more member register. If any of those 6 guys change their mind, let me know ASAP.
-----------------------------
In Rapture news... I still need payment ($115) from the following people: Darren,Reid, Dave, Brendan, Ben and Danny.
Darren is going to need a few more weeks before he knows his status... but the rest of you need to secure your spots ASAP... or we'll have to move on without you. Until we're all paid up and people officially commit, we can't hold the draft.
We're only about 7 weeks away! Get on it.
-----------------------------
One final schedule issue... we have the opportunity to get on Grasslands for week 7, a private club out in Lakeland. However, due to member leagues, we'd have to play Saturday, July 21st... instead of our typical Sunday round.
I'm 100% against moving our set schedule around, but this is a special case. We have 13 members signed up at the moment: Brendan, Buchert, Casey, Chandler, Danny, Faz, Gary, Geoff, John, Katie, Ho, Reid and Robbie. Congrats... these 13 will decide if we move the date this season. Everyone else doesn't have a vote because they weren't IN at the time of this post.
If ANY of the 13 people listed above can NOT play Saturday, July 21st (but would still make the round if held on the 22nd), comment before this Friday. If I don't hear any conflicts, we'll make the change.
So the greens were punched recently, with big holes, and putting was difficult. Sadly that's just a Florida summer condition which is difficult to avoid. The rest of the course was in great shape, as long as you weren't in thin rough killed by overhanging oak trees.
Yesterday saw the rise of former DPT Champions as Faz went from potentially still drunk and threatening to go home after 6 holes, to dismantling the back nine with a 38 (gross). Chandler limped across the finish line for solo 2nd after making 7 straight bogeys. Moostie's back-nine charge fell a little short for solo 3rd. And Geoff blew up on the final six holes to fall to 4th place.
This season is shaping up exactly like last season, where we don't have any two-time winners (yet). I guess it's a result of handicaps working and larger fields, and definitely makes for a more exciting season. Four events... four different winners... four different 2nd place finishers. Match Play is going to be crucial.
Dave was the Hangover Casualty this season, falling into a cider coma after the bar and failing to wake up until about noon the next day. Those Irish can't hold their booze.
-----------------------------
We have two spots open for Match Play (in two weeks) at Hunter's Green. With 13 members signed up, the pairings would really benefit if we had ONE more member register. If any of those 6 guys change their mind, let me know ASAP.
-----------------------------
In Rapture news... I still need payment ($115) from the following people: Darren,
Darren is going to need a few more weeks before he knows his status... but the rest of you need to secure your spots ASAP... or we'll have to move on without you. Until we're all paid up and people officially commit, we can't hold the draft.
We're only about 7 weeks away! Get on it.
-----------------------------
One final schedule issue... we have the opportunity to get on Grasslands for week 7, a private club out in Lakeland. However, due to member leagues, we'd have to play Saturday, July 21st... instead of our typical Sunday round.
I'm 100% against moving our set schedule around, but this is a special case. We have 13 members signed up at the moment: Brendan, Buchert, Casey, Chandler, Danny, Faz, Gary, Geoff, John, Katie, Ho, Reid and Robbie. Congrats... these 13 will decide if we move the date this season. Everyone else doesn't have a vote because they weren't IN at the time of this post.
If ANY of the 13 people listed above can NOT play Saturday, July 21st (but would still make the round if held on the 22nd), comment before this Friday. If I don't hear any conflicts, we'll make the change.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Boozer's Review Vol. 3 - Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club
We’ll start this edition of Boozer’s Golf Review by
discussing the key features of a boozer. While many associate boozing with
sloppy golf and disregard for the game, that is not the demographic we
are attempting to connect with. A good golf boozer show’s up on time ready to
play and is not there to ruin anyone else’s time but simply wants to enhance
their own personal golf experience. With that said even the greatest boozer’s
will have their bad days, but we encourage responsible boozing whenever
possible.
On to the course of the week. The historic Temple Terrace
Golf and Country Club. Temple Terrace CC is still in theory a private course
which allows them to set their own rules. Hillsborough County does not allow
alcohol sales prior to 11 am on Sundays, but the esteemed boozer’s of Temple
Terrace have made the decision to allow us to purchase beers far before the
7-11 staff have taken the locks of the coolers. Our guest boozer of the week
took advantage of this inviting atmosphere by loading up a 12 pack at 9:30 am
and pulled one of the oddest moves in modern day boozing when he chose not to
share said 12 pack and stored the remaining frosty cold ones in the trunk of
his car whilst purchasing additional beers in the club house. One of the editor’s of this fun little site was beside
himself upon realizing that there were beers available at tee off and the tight
fisted boozer of the week failed to make him the offer.
There is indeed a cart girl, but this is not your average
beverage cart. In attempt to try and pay the city of Tampa back at some point
the course has re-purposed one of the greens keeping carts and a handful of
coolers and created the beverage flatbed. The driver of the cart similar to the
average mower requires you to go to her if you want service and she uses the
incognito flatbed set up to hide from you if at all possible. Prices on the
cart are very reasonable at $17 for 6 beers. I will note that most courses have
moved to the 16 oz. aluminum bottle in attempt to show boozers some value, but
this special is for 12 oz. cans only.
 |
| *Don't be fooled. Use your boozer knowledge. Only a few domestics actually apply! |
 |
| America's Oldest Domestic Beer |
On the liquor front, I can only attest to sipping whiskey
prices. Woodford Reserve was $9.25 per pour. I feel this is a slight over
price in general but, as golf courses go, on par if not cheaper than average.
The deal of the day was probably the $8.65 pitchers of
domestic after the round. It was a little disheartening to only punish
Gorecki’s 116 with such a small cost, but as no one else was buying a pitcher it
was much easier on this boozer’s wallet to keep the party going at $8.65.
TTCC is the last of a dying breed in that they will allow
you to drive your cart into the parking lot to retrieve your clubs before the
round. This allows the well prepared boozer to supplement a quite reasonable
pricing structure with an array of boozing vittles up to and including pony
kegs, magnums of your favorite wine, or the classic sixer of Tito’s handles.
Overall, I’m of the mind set to consider this course for a 4
out of 5 of Gorecki’s bad pitcher beers, but the cart girl's lack of attentiveness and the po-dunk drink cart set up drags this, once esteemed, course’s
rating to 3.5 of Gorecki’s shamefully bad 116 pitcher beers.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Boozer's Review Vol. 2 - Ritz-Carlton Members Club
Welcome to second edition of our Boozer's Golf Review! We found out this week that Buchert also wants to poach credit for this idea, which would maybe make him a part owner of it. If it does, then congrats on getting whatever percent of zero dollars because this thing is still worth as much as a claim that a pool pump proves a ball is in bounds.
Will they serve me beer before 11 AM, or do I need to bring my own?
This place was fully ready to sell when we arrived in the morning, which makes sense because each drink brings in a lot of revenue. John got a double screwdriver before the round with ease which made his practice facility experience even more enjoyable. He was even able to start a tab in the clubhouse that would work for him on the course and after the round. The second part of the question will be answered a little later.
Is there a cart girl?
More like a cart lady, and she was great at her job. Drink service was quick and friendly. She even called in some hot dogs for the Reases to pick up at the turn. She helped us out getting some post-round beers in the clubhouse, too. Cart coolers were glorious so we didn't have to deal with plastic bags dripping water everywhere as the ice melts. These are the amenities the Boozer really appreciates on the golf course.
How expensive is it?
It sure wasn't cheap. If you went out there particularly thirsty, you'd leave particularly broke. Liquor was around $13/drink and domestic beers were $5 each. That said cart coolers were full of ice, so if you did happen to find a couple Budweisers in your bag when you got out there you'd be able to cool them down and enjoy them during the round. You might also make use of your bag bourbon and get a Sierra Mist to mix to your precise taste. Yes, I said Sierra Mist. They only have Pepsi products out there, so be careful if you order mixed drinks with sodas. So back to the first question, you might want to bring your own to supplement the booze orders you'll make. Food in the clubhouse was pretty typically priced if you needed a post-round snack to reestablish a base.
So what's the verdict?
This place was awesome, but also on the expensive side. That said, you expect higher prices at nicer places, and this was way up there for our league standards. Bar seemed to have a decent scotch and bourbon selection, too. Overall, excellent experience if you came prepared (foreshadowing an off-season post on some Boozer hacks for course preparation) and a good buzz was had by those who sought it. I didn't drive home. 4 cold beers out of 5, and one of them was out of Faz's +10 pitcher.
I'd also like to note that there was a Wawa down the road for roadies, but they didn't have the staple roadie/morning drink of the Boozer's Review in stock. Wawa gets one cold roadie with no ice out of 5 for only having the booze Arnold Palmer drink and raspberry Twisted Teas. Really weak effort, Wawa.
Next week is the official Boozer event of the season, so get your bag bourbon and beer pockets filled up for the Hangover. No booze sold until an hour after the first group tees off. Check back for the review of Temple Terrace next week, too.
Ritz-Carlton Members Club
Will they serve me beer before 11 AM, or do I need to bring my own?
This place was fully ready to sell when we arrived in the morning, which makes sense because each drink brings in a lot of revenue. John got a double screwdriver before the round with ease which made his practice facility experience even more enjoyable. He was even able to start a tab in the clubhouse that would work for him on the course and after the round. The second part of the question will be answered a little later.
Is there a cart girl?
More like a cart lady, and she was great at her job. Drink service was quick and friendly. She even called in some hot dogs for the Reases to pick up at the turn. She helped us out getting some post-round beers in the clubhouse, too. Cart coolers were glorious so we didn't have to deal with plastic bags dripping water everywhere as the ice melts. These are the amenities the Boozer really appreciates on the golf course.
How expensive is it?
It sure wasn't cheap. If you went out there particularly thirsty, you'd leave particularly broke. Liquor was around $13/drink and domestic beers were $5 each. That said cart coolers were full of ice, so if you did happen to find a couple Budweisers in your bag when you got out there you'd be able to cool them down and enjoy them during the round. You might also make use of your bag bourbon and get a Sierra Mist to mix to your precise taste. Yes, I said Sierra Mist. They only have Pepsi products out there, so be careful if you order mixed drinks with sodas. So back to the first question, you might want to bring your own to supplement the booze orders you'll make. Food in the clubhouse was pretty typically priced if you needed a post-round snack to reestablish a base.
So what's the verdict?
This place was awesome, but also on the expensive side. That said, you expect higher prices at nicer places, and this was way up there for our league standards. Bar seemed to have a decent scotch and bourbon selection, too. Overall, excellent experience if you came prepared (foreshadowing an off-season post on some Boozer hacks for course preparation) and a good buzz was had by those who sought it. I didn't drive home. 4 cold beers out of 5, and one of them was out of Faz's +10 pitcher.
I'd also like to note that there was a Wawa down the road for roadies, but they didn't have the staple roadie/morning drink of the Boozer's Review in stock. Wawa gets one cold roadie with no ice out of 5 for only having the booze Arnold Palmer drink and raspberry Twisted Teas. Really weak effort, Wawa.
Next week is the official Boozer event of the season, so get your bag bourbon and beer pockets filled up for the Hangover. No booze sold until an hour after the first group tees off. Check back for the review of Temple Terrace next week, too.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Hangover Invitational - Summer 2018
The Retreat on Saturday is located at: 123 South Hyde Park Ave, Tampa FL 33606. Be there around 8pm. Eat beforehand. Use Uber or Lyft. Bring your WAGs.
Temple Terrace Country Club is loated at: 200 Inverness Ave, Temple Terrace, FL 33617. They do NOT have a proper driving range. You can view their scorecard here. Everyone is on the WHITE tees unless you tell me otherwise. Moving back will get you 1 stroke, possibly 2.
We currently have one spot open for any guests who want to play.
The course is lined with residential roads. ANY ball that ends up in these roads or in the adjacent houses is OUT OF BOUNDS. Meaning you'll have to take a penalty and re-hit from your previous location. If you get to your ball and realize it's OB, you can hit from there for TWO strokes (or make the drive of shame back to your previous spot).
I'm stressing this, because the streets are very much in play on almost every hole. Balls that run toward the oak trees will tend to roll past them and into the street. If you hit it too far over greens, you'll find the roads. Take provisionals to save time, and do not let your playing partners tell you OB is a one stroke penalty.
Temple Terrace Country Club is loated at: 200 Inverness Ave, Temple Terrace, FL 33617. They do NOT have a proper driving range. You can view their scorecard here. Everyone is on the WHITE tees unless you tell me otherwise. Moving back will get you 1 stroke, possibly 2.
We currently have one spot open for any guests who want to play.
The course is lined with residential roads. ANY ball that ends up in these roads or in the adjacent houses is OUT OF BOUNDS. Meaning you'll have to take a penalty and re-hit from your previous location. If you get to your ball and realize it's OB, you can hit from there for TWO strokes (or make the drive of shame back to your previous spot).
I'm stressing this, because the streets are very much in play on almost every hole. Balls that run toward the oak trees will tend to roll past them and into the street. If you hit it too far over greens, you'll find the roads. Take provisionals to save time, and do not let your playing partners tell you OB is a one stroke penalty.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
2018 Rapture - Final Qualifications
The dates are August 17th through August 19th. You need to take off Friday, August 17th. We're playing all three days. Come over on Thursday night, August 16th.
I want to take 16 people (which we did for the first time last year), but I'm afraid we're not going to have the numbers. So we're going to open up registration to everyone. Cost owed to me is $115, and can be paid on PayPal, Venmo or cash this weekend. This cost covers all three nights of the rental houses. Golf will be paid individually at the courses, and there's still a small gambling charge collected later.
As people pay me, I'll check them off the list. Hopefully nobody else bails. If so, we'll try to find someone, or refund payment to those we leave behind.
Official Qualification:
1 - Casey (Captain #1)
2 - Katie (Captain #2)
3 - Darren
4 - Gorecki
5 - Reid
6 - Gary
7 - Dave
8 - Chandler
9 - Tall Mike
10 - Faz
11 - MikeHo
12 - JW
13 - Brendan
14 - Geoff
15 - Danny
16 - Adam
Confirmed to be Out:
1 - John
2 - Buchert
3 - Robbie
4 - Ben
Get your payments to me ASAP, so we can figure out what we're working with. Rapture draft will be held at a date and time TBD based on the captain's availability.
I want to take 16 people (which we did for the first time last year), but I'm afraid we're not going to have the numbers. So we're going to open up registration to everyone. Cost owed to me is $115, and can be paid on PayPal, Venmo or cash this weekend. This cost covers all three nights of the rental houses. Golf will be paid individually at the courses, and there's still a small gambling charge collected later.
As people pay me, I'll check them off the list. Hopefully nobody else bails. If so, we'll try to find someone, or refund payment to those we leave behind.
Official Qualification:
1 - Casey (Captain #1)
2 - Katie (Captain #2)
3 - Darren
4 - Gorecki
5 - Reid
6 - Gary
7 - Dave
8 - Chandler
9 - Tall Mike
10 - Faz
11 - MikeHo
12 - JW
13 - Brendan
14 - Geoff
15 - Danny
16 - Adam
Confirmed to be Out:
1 - John
2 - Buchert
3 - Robbie
4 - Ben
Get your payments to me ASAP, so we can figure out what we're working with. Rapture draft will be held at a date and time TBD based on the captain's availability.
Monday, June 18, 2018
DPT Father's Day Celebration
Last year Gorecki bought golf balls (MOJOs) with a picture of him and his son printed on them. These are apparently called Daddy's Caddy balls. To pay tribute to his son, he would drop them in bodies of water at various golf courses (after which they were probably scooped up by someone else as these burns were usually pretty stagnant while we were there). Well, some other league members liked the tradition so much we decided to keep it going this year. Here are the results.
I was obviously very excited to drop a ball with pictures of me and my kids in the water. Isn't dropping your kids off at a lake and leaving them forever every dad's dream? Great work by Crum taking the photo to get the splash there.
Josh and I were in the same group, hence the unburdening being documented more uniformly. He said that his oldest has been getting better and better at swimming, so that's a good thing.
That's odd. Someone looks disappointed to be symbolically dropping off their "child" and never seeing it again? Different strokes for different folks, I guess. And Big John knows a thing or two about different strokes, hence his wild swings in scoring.
As you can see, we all had a great time thinking about our "kids" out there and love being dads! Let me know if anyone wants to join in next year!
This wasn't in any way orchestrated to point out the absurdity of this act and its worrisome symbolism on a day when several of us spent 7+ hours playing golf with friends instead of celebrating the holiday with quality time with our families.
 |
| The artwork is phenomenal. Thanks to my wife for the accurate renderings. |
 |
| Chandler is Rocco's dad. He's a cat guy, as you can probably tell by his cold, dead heart. |
Chandler decided to drop his Daddy's Catty (see what I did there?) ball in a bush because cats don't like water. How thoughtful! This is a man who really cares that he leaves his cat forever in a place it wouldn't absolutely hate. Glad we aren't unpackaging the undertones of this act too much.
 |
| Frequent league guest Crum happily drops his two lovely daughters in an algae ridden pond. |
 |
| John is the only one sad to see his ball go away forever. His dog Goose must be really great, even though he hadn't seen him in two weeks. |
As you can see, we all had a great time thinking about our "kids" out there and love being dads! Let me know if anyone wants to join in next year!
This wasn't in any way orchestrated to point out the absurdity of this act and its worrisome symbolism on a day when several of us spent 7+ hours playing golf with friends instead of celebrating the holiday with quality time with our families.
DPT Open - Summer 2018 Recap
The only thing hotter than the stagnant air yesterday was Ben's golf game, as the future Rookie of the Year made seven pars en route to a three stroke victory. It was Ben's first ever victory and Major, in only his third official event.
Gary had a few too many double bogeys, finishing second place thanks to an impressive six-par streak. Reid continued his good play with a solo-third effort, while Dub and Casey tied for 4th, earning a few dollars.
The Ritz Member Club was a phenomenal facility. Practice range and course conditions were mint. If you played poorly, it's because you are a poor player. I found the course layout itself to be just a shade below "great." As a whole, it was really well done and nothing was tricked up. But I can't say there were any individually stand-out holes (maybe the 18th?). Still, much better than most courses we play.
Few other notes from the round:
- Below average number of birdies for our members, but also a below average number of double-pars. This probably plays into my analysis of the course being a collection of 18 "solid" holes.
- Of the seven double-pars, the two in my group were natural. Not sure about the other five.
- The season leaderboard is getting crowded again, just like last year. Three different winners... three different second place finishers.
- Speaking of our leader... if you want to experience all 104 of his shots, check out the #GoreckiTracker on Twitter @DPT_golf. It won't change your life. but it is a little bit of #content (you don't need Twitter to view the account).
- We had 22 people playing yesterday, which includes guests. Only one person beat Lauren (Katie's friend) in gross score... Dave with an 81 beat her by a stroke.
----------------------------
Hangover Invitational and bar night is this weekend. More info on that tomorrow. Later today I'll post up the final information for The Rapture, including payment which is now due. Stay tuned!
Gary had a few too many double bogeys, finishing second place thanks to an impressive six-par streak. Reid continued his good play with a solo-third effort, while Dub and Casey tied for 4th, earning a few dollars.
The Ritz Member Club was a phenomenal facility. Practice range and course conditions were mint. If you played poorly, it's because you are a poor player. I found the course layout itself to be just a shade below "great." As a whole, it was really well done and nothing was tricked up. But I can't say there were any individually stand-out holes (maybe the 18th?). Still, much better than most courses we play.
Few other notes from the round:
- Below average number of birdies for our members, but also a below average number of double-pars. This probably plays into my analysis of the course being a collection of 18 "solid" holes.
- Of the seven double-pars, the two in my group were natural. Not sure about the other five.
- The season leaderboard is getting crowded again, just like last year. Three different winners... three different second place finishers.
- Speaking of our leader... if you want to experience all 104 of his shots, check out the #GoreckiTracker on Twitter @DPT_golf. It won't change your life. but it is a little bit of #content (you don't need Twitter to view the account).
- We had 22 people playing yesterday, which includes guests. Only one person beat Lauren (Katie's friend) in gross score... Dave with an 81 beat her by a stroke.
----------------------------
Hangover Invitational and bar night is this weekend. More info on that tomorrow. Later today I'll post up the final information for The Rapture, including payment which is now due. Stay tuned!
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Boozer's Golf Review - Tarpon Woods
Big John brought up a great idea on the course last Sunday, and I've decided to commandeer it.
Welcome to our inaugural Boozer's Golf Review! In the BGR (name pending) we will rate each course's unique abilities to service the golfer who likes to enjoy a more relaxed round in which he or she may not remember all of the holes and potentially falls down for seemingly no real reason. Basically, we will answer a few questions the inquisitive and refined golfer would want to know about each course's booze situation and apply a rating based on the answers and general experience.
Will they serve me beer before 11 AM, or do I need to bring my own?
While they legally could have served beer starting at 8 AM, Beef's decided not to open until 11 AM. This is definitely a BYOB course based on the lack of morning service alone. Our lack of booze cost Beardface around six strokes on the front nine, and the course some easy booze revenue. Not even a fountain soda available for bag bourbon.
Is there a cart girl?
Nope, so bring enough for at least the first nine holes. The one saving grace for on-course booze is that when you make the turn you go right by the clubhouse where access to the restaurant was easy with quick service. Ben preemptively purchased his pitcher at the turn and we were able to finish while the guy filled our buckets with back nine beers.
How expensive is it?
Typical course pricing for league events. The special is five of the 16 oz aluminum Budweiser (or Bud Light if you're a sissy like Darren) bottles for $15. Bonus points for pitcher and wing specials afterwards. It was a far cry from resort pricing, so no need to overly fill your bag before the round. That said, if you wanted to you could have brought a cooler that would fit in the back basket and easily brought it with you.
So what's the verdict?
We didn't get any liquor out there, so we don't have any input on pours or pricing. All in all an it was a decent boozing experience that went from bad to good once we made the turn with bonus points at the end for the clubhouse deals. 3 cold beers out of 5, and one of them was out of Chandler's +10 pitcher.
Stay tuned next week for our review of the Ritz-Carlton Members Club. Rating system and format may change moving forward, so if you have any other questions or comments, please let me know.
Welcome to our inaugural Boozer's Golf Review! In the BGR (name pending) we will rate each course's unique abilities to service the golfer who likes to enjoy a more relaxed round in which he or she may not remember all of the holes and potentially falls down for seemingly no real reason. Basically, we will answer a few questions the inquisitive and refined golfer would want to know about each course's booze situation and apply a rating based on the answers and general experience.
Tarpon Woods
Will they serve me beer before 11 AM, or do I need to bring my own?
While they legally could have served beer starting at 8 AM, Beef's decided not to open until 11 AM. This is definitely a BYOB course based on the lack of morning service alone. Our lack of booze cost Beardface around six strokes on the front nine, and the course some easy booze revenue. Not even a fountain soda available for bag bourbon.
Is there a cart girl?
Nope, so bring enough for at least the first nine holes. The one saving grace for on-course booze is that when you make the turn you go right by the clubhouse where access to the restaurant was easy with quick service. Ben preemptively purchased his pitcher at the turn and we were able to finish while the guy filled our buckets with back nine beers.
How expensive is it?
Typical course pricing for league events. The special is five of the 16 oz aluminum Budweiser (or Bud Light if you're a sissy like Darren) bottles for $15. Bonus points for pitcher and wing specials afterwards. It was a far cry from resort pricing, so no need to overly fill your bag before the round. That said, if you wanted to you could have brought a cooler that would fit in the back basket and easily brought it with you.
So what's the verdict?
We didn't get any liquor out there, so we don't have any input on pours or pricing. All in all an it was a decent boozing experience that went from bad to good once we made the turn with bonus points at the end for the clubhouse deals. 3 cold beers out of 5, and one of them was out of Chandler's +10 pitcher.
Stay tuned next week for our review of the Ritz-Carlton Members Club. Rating system and format may change moving forward, so if you have any other questions or comments, please let me know.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Summer 2018 - Hangover Invitational Information
We're heading back to the original Hangover location, The Retreat at UT. 8pm on Saturday, June 23rd. While attendance isn't mandatory, this will more than likely be the last season there isn't some reward/penalty for attending/missing the bar. It'll also be a great opportunity to voice your opinion on the matter to the Board members.
As always, bring your WAGs, and leave your kids. The Retreat doesn't have food (if they do you don't want it) so eat beforehand.
-------------------
On Sunday, June 24th, we're heading to Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club for the first time in league history. Many reasons why I've never taken us to TT... but the Hangover seems like a good excuse to play something different.
Tee time is 10am (earliest allowed). Maximum players is 16 (next two members to say they're IN get the final spots). Rate is $35+. Greens will be just over a week from being "punched with small holes."
**Gorecki and Brendan took the final spots. Ben is an alternate if he wants in. Which is probably for the best after he bailed the morning of the previous Hangover...
More on this next week.
As always, bring your WAGs, and leave your kids. The Retreat doesn't have food (if they do you don't want it) so eat beforehand.
-------------------
On Sunday, June 24th, we're heading to Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club for the first time in league history. Many reasons why I've never taken us to TT... but the Hangover seems like a good excuse to play something different.
Tee time is 10am (earliest allowed). Maximum players is 16 (next two members to say they're IN get the final spots). Rate is $35+. Greens will be just over a week from being "punched with small holes."
**Gorecki and Brendan took the final spots. Ben is an alternate if he wants in. Which is probably for the best after he bailed the morning of the previous Hangover...
More on this next week.
Monday, June 11, 2018
Week 3 - DPT Open
It's US Open week. It's also DPT Open week. We're playing the Ritz Carlton Members Golf Club for the first time, and we have our largest field ever (6 groups). Tee times start at 10am, and allegedly the practice facility is awesome so get down there with enough time to warm up.
Be sure to go to the correct location: 14605 70th Terrace E, Bradenton, FL 34202
The actual hotel is at the beach in Sarasota, about 20 minutes further away. If you go there, you might as well just stay there and skip golf.
Everyone is on the WHITE tees unless they tell me otherwise. If you're thinking of moving back, I'd recommend the MEMBER which is a blend of BLUE and WHITE.
This is also the last we we will not be paired by standings. One of the many reasons we are capping our membership at 24 people is due to the full hour between the first and last groups. Longer if certain players don't speed up their pre-shot routine. Keep up with the group in front of you.
Be sure to go to the correct location: 14605 70th Terrace E, Bradenton, FL 34202
The actual hotel is at the beach in Sarasota, about 20 minutes further away. If you go there, you might as well just stay there and skip golf.
Everyone is on the WHITE tees unless they tell me otherwise. If you're thinking of moving back, I'd recommend the MEMBER which is a blend of BLUE and WHITE.
This is also the last we we will not be paired by standings. One of the many reasons we are capping our membership at 24 people is due to the full hour between the first and last groups. Longer if certain players don't speed up their pre-shot routine. Keep up with the group in front of you.
Week 4 - Registration
We have 14 people IN with a few ???s. If that doesn't change, I'm only booking 16 spots, and potentially one person could miss out. Update your RSVP as soon as you know if you're in for Week 4.
-------
Also, we have 13 people IN for Week 5 (Match Play) which is a terrible number. That week has a maximum of 16 spots allowed, so we might need to bring a guest or two.
-------
Also, we have 13 people IN for Week 5 (Match Play) which is a terrible number. That week has a maximum of 16 spots allowed, so we might need to bring a guest or two.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Summer 2018 - Skins Game Recap
The only thing more oppressive than the heat today, was the course conditions. Really sad to see a decent course completely lose everything over a two week span. Florida is one of the more difficult places to grow grass. And 14+ straight days of rain can be catastrophic when coupled with bad agronomy decisions. But Tarpon Woods is going to need at least a year to recover from what I saw today.
I'm also going to need a year to recover from how I played golf.
Gorecki, on the other hand, appears to be improving again. And 30 strokes will get you some top finishes if you're trending up. I'm not sure if he's ever led in the standings, but we're officially at DEFCON 3. He's paired with me at the Ritz so the gimmies will be normal, as MikeHo can attest. I can't promise anything about the pace of play (Darryl will probably slow us to Jerky Speed), but at least we'll know after next Sunday if Gorecki is for real, and ready to win his first ever league championship.
Tall Mike played well all day until a couple of hiccups on the back nine. Reid couldn't put the driver down and finished +10 on the final four holes for 3rd. Robbie was also solid until the end to tie Reid.
---------------------
For the skins, we we're divided up into two groups based on handicap. You can see those results on the tournament scorecard. Don't know where that is? You got some learning to do!
Nothing crazy to report, but MikeHo did win a skin in Tier A on the final hole with a bogey. We are terrible.
Just about everyone has been paid out already through PayPal or Venmo.
---------------------
Rapture rankings LOCK after the Ritz. Ben might be OUT, which is going to complicate things, and might force us to bring 12 people. Not the end of the world, but the "bubble" guys are JW, Brendan, Geoff and Danny. Would hate to lose any of them, assuming they're all still going.
Did you put the Rapture days on your calendar? Have you requested off work on Friday, August 17th? Did you tell your WAG? If not, you're already behind and might miss out.
I'm also going to need a year to recover from how I played golf.
Gorecki, on the other hand, appears to be improving again. And 30 strokes will get you some top finishes if you're trending up. I'm not sure if he's ever led in the standings, but we're officially at DEFCON 3. He's paired with me at the Ritz so the gimmies will be normal, as MikeHo can attest. I can't promise anything about the pace of play (Darryl will probably slow us to Jerky Speed), but at least we'll know after next Sunday if Gorecki is for real, and ready to win his first ever league championship.
Tall Mike played well all day until a couple of hiccups on the back nine. Reid couldn't put the driver down and finished +10 on the final four holes for 3rd. Robbie was also solid until the end to tie Reid.
---------------------
For the skins, we we're divided up into two groups based on handicap. You can see those results on the tournament scorecard. Don't know where that is? You got some learning to do!
Nothing crazy to report, but MikeHo did win a skin in Tier A on the final hole with a bogey. We are terrible.
Just about everyone has been paid out already through PayPal or Venmo.
---------------------
Rapture rankings LOCK after the Ritz. Ben might be OUT, which is going to complicate things, and might force us to bring 12 people. Not the end of the world, but the "bubble" guys are JW, Brendan, Geoff and Danny. Would hate to lose any of them, assuming they're all still going.
Did you put the Rapture days on your calendar? Have you requested off work on Friday, August 17th? Did you tell your WAG? If not, you're already behind and might miss out.
Friday, June 8, 2018
Tarpon Woods - Teebox Changes
Gorecki reports Tarpon Woods changed their tee boxes around, and have new gas powered golf carts! Jan Stephenson has been busy!
So whenever a course makes significant changes, they're required to have the USGA re-rate the course from each box. These new ratings immediately go into effect, and are listed on the USGA's database. Usually courses don't have new scorecards printed, since those cost money and they have excess inventory of old cards.
Tarpon Woods went with the rare: "print up new cards with the old outdated ratings" method. A bold move.
Anyway, per our policy I've updated the slopes and ratings to whatever the USGA says they are. Everyone is still on the WHITE tees unless they tell me otherwise.
All the rain has also apparently taken its toll on the course, so conditions will be "challenging." Don't be like Sergio complaining about Chambers Bay. It's the same for everyone.
Rule this week: If your ball is on the green, you can move it away from any sanded dead spots. Just ask your playing partners and make the best of it.
The course was in good shape when we played it in January. Faz was just there on 3/30 and didn't report any issues. Growing grass is difficult sometimes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So whenever a course makes significant changes, they're required to have the USGA re-rate the course from each box. These new ratings immediately go into effect, and are listed on the USGA's database. Usually courses don't have new scorecards printed, since those cost money and they have excess inventory of old cards.
Tarpon Woods went with the rare: "print up new cards with the old outdated ratings" method. A bold move.
Anyway, per our policy I've updated the slopes and ratings to whatever the USGA says they are. Everyone is still on the WHITE tees unless they tell me otherwise.
All the rain has also apparently taken its toll on the course, so conditions will be "challenging." Don't be like Sergio complaining about Chambers Bay. It's the same for everyone.
Rule this week: If your ball is on the green, you can move it away from any sanded dead spots. Just ask your playing partners and make the best of it.
The course was in good shape when we played it in January. Faz was just there on 3/30 and didn't report any issues. Growing grass is difficult sometimes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Monday, June 4, 2018
2018 Rapture Update
Rankings for Rapture qualification lock in two weeks. If you don't have the Rapture on your calendar... then PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR. This goes for the new guys too. August 17th, 18th and 19th. I'll be collecting money soon.
Here are the current rankings (top two would be captains):
1 - Casey
2 - Katie
3 - Darren
4 - Gary
5 - Faz
6 - Dave
7 - Chandler
8 - Reid
9 - Tall Mike
10 - Gorecki
11 - MikeHo
12 - JW
13 - Brendan
14 - Geoff
15 - Danny
16 - Ben
People who are OUT:
Big John
Buchert
Robbie
Greg (I'm assuming)
If anyone else is OUT, let me know. If we lose more people, then we'll only take 12 and it'll increase the cost of housing, perhaps golf. I'm not really open to pulling in outsiders again this year to fill spots. So... update your calendars and let me know.
Here are the current rankings (top two would be captains):
1 - Casey
2 - Katie
3 - Darren
4 - Gary
5 - Faz
6 - Dave
7 - Chandler
8 - Reid
9 - Tall Mike
10 - Gorecki
11 - MikeHo
12 - JW
13 - Brendan
14 - Geoff
15 - Danny
16 - Ben
People who are OUT:
Big John
Buchert
Robbie
Greg (I'm assuming)
If anyone else is OUT, let me know. If we lose more people, then we'll only take 12 and it'll increase the cost of housing, perhaps golf. I'm not really open to pulling in outsiders again this year to fill spots. So... update your calendars and let me know.
Summer 2018 - Classic Recap
The most dominant player in our generation won again this week, strategically missing the Good Pitcher Zone by one stroke. The amount Katie has been able to improve her game, without lessons, and without playing during the off-seasons, is beyond comprehension. Her 88 (gross) was a new personal best, despite playing from a longer distance than usual, and straight-up beat two-thirds of the field. And her handicap Index is getting really close to 19.
A lot of players started off hot, only to fade late in the round. Big John played great, with just one hiccup on the final hole. Gorecki got another birdie, which Gary (his playing partner) couldn't seem to remember happening when asked about it after the round. And Dave shot a 77 to lose by 7 strokes... causing his handicap Trend to go up! Golf is a weird sport.
-----------------------------
Other notes from yesterday:
- Gary continued his unofficial streak of turning in an incorrect scorecard. As in... players scores didn't match their other card or the leader board app.
- Danny looked good on his promise to be the Golden Knight of our league, until 4 double-pars and various triples (plus another quad) derailed his dreams.
- MikeHo missed a bunch of two foot putts... giving him the Chris Guest award of the week. He also debuted on the World Rankings with his 10th league event.
- Darren put 5, maybe 6, balls OB on a course that isn't really tight. Three were on the long drive #8, which is one of the widest fairways we play.
- From the teebox on #7 to about the teebox on #15, Brendan went from first to last on the leader board. Faz was able to film a clip of Brendan entering the Pitcher Zone:
-----------------------------
Next week we're at Tarpon Woods at 9:30am. Depending on rain and maintenance, it could be in rough shape. Just remember, it's the same for everyone and we're only paying $25. We have a few open spots if anyone who is OUT wants to get back IN. See you up there.
A lot of players started off hot, only to fade late in the round. Big John played great, with just one hiccup on the final hole. Gorecki got another birdie, which Gary (his playing partner) couldn't seem to remember happening when asked about it after the round. And Dave shot a 77 to lose by 7 strokes... causing his handicap Trend to go up! Golf is a weird sport.
-----------------------------
Other notes from yesterday:
- Gary continued his unofficial streak of turning in an incorrect scorecard. As in... players scores didn't match their other card or the leader board app.
- Danny looked good on his promise to be the Golden Knight of our league, until 4 double-pars and various triples (plus another quad) derailed his dreams.
- MikeHo missed a bunch of two foot putts... giving him the Chris Guest award of the week. He also debuted on the World Rankings with his 10th league event.
- Darren put 5, maybe 6, balls OB on a course that isn't really tight. Three were on the long drive #8, which is one of the widest fairways we play.
- From the teebox on #7 to about the teebox on #15, Brendan went from first to last on the leader board. Faz was able to film a clip of Brendan entering the Pitcher Zone:
-----------------------------
Next week we're at Tarpon Woods at 9:30am. Depending on rain and maintenance, it could be in rough shape. Just remember, it's the same for everyone and we're only paying $25. We have a few open spots if anyone who is OUT wants to get back IN. See you up there.
Friday, June 1, 2018
Schedule Updates
Got some good courses in the queue this season:
I was worried about the recent rain/flooding, and I didn't want to drag everyone "down south" three weeks in a row. So next week will be up at Tarpon Woods (the course with the Beef O' Brady's), for $25 plus tax (range balls NOT included at that rate). First tee time is 9:30am.
We have 3 spots open at the moment.
A couple of "new to us" courses wanted us, but were either closed for renovations or punching greens next weekend. Whatever... we have some pricier weeks coming up so let's just go enjoy whatever Tarpon Woods has to offer at $25.
--------------------
Gorecki volunteered to book some courses for us and has done a great job. He's got us on the Ritz Carlton Members Club down in Bradenton/Sarasota for our first Major. Gary has been saying for years this is one of the best tracks in the area... and its been on my list for awhile. We'll probably have room for a few guests, so let me know if you have anyone interested in checking it out. Darren's buddy Art will be joining us, for those of you who went on our last two destination vacations.
Rate is $70 after tax, balls included, teeing off at 10am.
--------------------
For the Match Play on July 8th (week 5), I finally got us on Hunter's Green. $50 after tax with range balls included. However, we are only allowed to bring a maximum of 16 players, teeing off at 10:48am. As of this writing, only 12 have registered. So it's a first come, first served situation with the final four spots.
--------------------
Finally, Gorecki is working on Lakewood National for our last event of the season on August 12th. Rate should be somewhere in the high $30s, which is awesome. Stay tuned for that.
I was worried about the recent rain/flooding, and I didn't want to drag everyone "down south" three weeks in a row. So next week will be up at Tarpon Woods (the course with the Beef O' Brady's), for $25 plus tax (range balls NOT included at that rate). First tee time is 9:30am.
We have 3 spots open at the moment.
A couple of "new to us" courses wanted us, but were either closed for renovations or punching greens next weekend. Whatever... we have some pricier weeks coming up so let's just go enjoy whatever Tarpon Woods has to offer at $25.
--------------------
Gorecki volunteered to book some courses for us and has done a great job. He's got us on the Ritz Carlton Members Club down in Bradenton/Sarasota for our first Major. Gary has been saying for years this is one of the best tracks in the area... and its been on my list for awhile. We'll probably have room for a few guests, so let me know if you have anyone interested in checking it out. Darren's buddy Art will be joining us, for those of you who went on our last two destination vacations.
Rate is $70 after tax, balls included, teeing off at 10am.
--------------------
For the Match Play on July 8th (week 5), I finally got us on Hunter's Green. $50 after tax with range balls included. However, we are only allowed to bring a maximum of 16 players, teeing off at 10:48am. As of this writing, only 12 have registered. So it's a first come, first served situation with the final four spots.
--------------------
Finally, Gorecki is working on Lakewood National for our last event of the season on August 12th. Rate should be somewhere in the high $30s, which is awesome. Stay tuned for that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)