Last Minute Golf Trip

We had a spot open up last minute for the annual golf trip that I go on that is taking place this weekend.  We are playing 5 rounds at Reunion.  One round Thursday, two rounds Friday, two rounds Saturday.  The rounds Friday and Saturday are the competitive rounds, so it wouldn't be essential to make Thursday's practice round.  We have villas Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  Tall Mike plans on driving to Golf League Sunday morning, so you don't even have to miss a League event if you feel the need to put your body through that much golf.  I might even try to work out a deal with the Commissioner to get you Hangover Bar credit if you can fill this spot.  No guarantees though.

The spot has already been paid for and it is non-refundable, so it would be up to you to decide how much you want to refund this person, if anything.  That is your own moral dilemma to worry about.

I know it is last minute, but if anyone can and wants to fill the spot please let me know asap by either posting or texting me.

The Hangover - Spring 2023 Preview

As previously mentioned, we'll be at World of Beer by the airport at 7pm on Saturday. Show up to be eligible for the Hangover side pot on Sunday. Lightning are playing at 7, and there's also Final Four games going on.

For the golf, we're going to Cypress Creek for the first time since Summer 2021 - the day Casey won the hole-in-one pot ($854). The pot will only be about $528 on Sunday... so probably not worth winning.

Default tees are the WHITE tees. Let me know if anyone wants to move back (I got Dan's request for the Blacks).

I have not played here since Casey made the ace and subsequently beat me 5&4 in Match Play. I'm told there are new owners and they've done *some* renovation. A handful of trees have been removed, although it's never enough.

 

I was told by Michael — who is the GM, I think — that range balls (small) are included for our group. Rate is $65+ tax.

Recent reviews online give it 4 of 5 stars, but complain about pace. Speaking of...

 

Our first group out (my group) last week was slow. We had nobody in front of us and we played in 4:20. Let's speed that up this week. Drop people off at their ball and then head to yours. And don't wait until all 3 of your competitors have teed off before getting out of the cart and pulling a club (Gorecki).

FBGC Championship - Spring 2023 Recap

Geoff and JW shared a victory yesterday, snapping 14 and 27 tournament losing streaks. Both rounds look impressive on paper — an ideal high-handicap performance with a ton of bogeys and few doubles+.

 

Adam initially held a huge lead of -9 (net) after shooting a career best 38 (gross) on the front. But he eventually woke up from his balloon-filled haze and crashed back down to Earth with a smooth 54 on the back.

We intently watched the leaderboard in the clubhouse as Geoff and JW finished their rounds. The consensus was that JW would win outright, since Geoff is a choker down the stretch. Both received two pops on 18... and both proceeded to record double bogey (net pars).

 

The anti-climactic finish was best case for Reid, as nobody at the "top of the table" earned significant points. But Geoff is now one of four people within a victory of overtaking the top spot.

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Speaking of Champions, let's check on our defending season Champion, Buchert:

So hot right now.

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We always talk about who chokes at the end of rounds... which is an important discussion when it comes to the Rapture draft and pairings. So I wrote some Excel code to look at the previous 2-seasons YTD (15 events) and graph out everyone's average strokes to par (gross) by hole.

 

What sticks out to me is how bad Buchert, Darren, and Gary begin their rounds. People who get noticeably worse are Chandler, Reid, Crum, Danny and Topor. Geoff is worse at the end of rounds, but not to the extent that it's his Achilles' heel.

 

Also Troy plays the 18th hole quite poorly.

We might need to add in more seasons to get a better picture... but comment your thoughts and if your chart helps in any way.

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Next week we're playing at Cypress Creek at 9am. Update your RSVPs now, as I might need to cancel a tee time. Or if you have any guests that want to play, get them signed up ASAP.

 

Our season party will be held at World of Beer by International Mall. I'll be there around 7pm to get food and watch the Lightning game. Stop by any time after that to be entered into the shadow Hangover side-game.

Or you can attend Mike Ho's birthday part at his place in the lagoon to also receive credit.

 

See you sometime soon.

Hangover Bar Suggestions

One of our Board Members suggested we poll the attendees of next week's Hangover outing:

What bar do you want to host our Club's season party?

What could possibly go wrong allowing you people to make suggestions? Make a comment to have your voice heard, and probably ignored.

Golf Net

Hamilton told me a couple of weeks ago he has a golf net bought during the pandemic.

I believe it's this thing, which comes with the hitting mat.

He says he's getting rid of it for free, as long as you pick it up from his place (Lakeland I think). Let me know if you want it and need his info.

FBGC Championship - Spring 2023

Hope everyone had a nice spring break. We're back this week for the 2nd Major of the season - at Lake Jovita (North) - 7:50am - $70+ tax.

Ho is getting us out as a member of Jovita... so it's all under his name. Get there early if you want to use their range, which is included in our cost.

Standard tees are the WHITE tees... but let me know if you want to move back. The 55/25 Club is allowed to play the Green/White if they'd like.

Course notes:  Jovita is working on some of the bunkers, which are marked "Ground Under Repair" with white paint. If you go into one of those, you get a free drop out of it. Make sure it's a bunker that's actually marked with white paint.

 

See you Sunday.

Hangover Info

Only 15 people IN for the Hangover in a couple of weeks. I’m going to book something soon for 16 unless more people get in. 

Info on the Hangover bar will be announced soon.  

Match Play - Spring 2023 Recap

Like it or not — and most of us don't like it — we were due to play Crescent Oaks. It had been 7 years since our last visit, and it's not deserving of our "shadow ban" list.

I'm glad it's over. The 1st and 18th holes are perfect bookends to that layout. There were 10 max scores (28%) on those two holes. Five Members failed to record a par on the back nine! (Topor is now 55 holes away from tying Gorecki's streak of 70 consecutive holes without a par!)

There are some things Crescent Oaks should do to improve:

• Remove / trim a handful of oak trees. 
• Add like 30 OB stakes on various holes to clearly define the field of play
• Expand all 18 greens, which have definitely shrunk over the past 10+ years
• Get creative with the tee box choices. Perhaps add a Blue/White combo
• Fill in some bunkers (they did this in a few spots). You're never getting a TOUR event, so why is it so penal off the tee?

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Where us commoners struggled, Melberg saw an opportunity — shooting a new FBGC Course Record 77 (gross) with 3 birdies and nothing worse than bogey. His -1 (net) was a thing of beauty. Maybe he's poised to make a run at a title, something many low-handicap doubters thought was possible.

And then there was Troy... who had the Club-best +2 (gross) on the final seven holes... resulting in an unbelievable charge up the leader board to tie for the victory. Troy has had a very rough start to the season. If he can shoot -1 (net) at Crescent Oaks, he might just achieve his goal of being a 2023 Rapture Captain. Gotta get his money's worth out of those custom shirts!

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Shoutout to Crum for his career-tying best finish ever (3rd), despite carding three max-9s. I'm told he would have easily won with a little more course management. One day he'll learn... but today he's just not ready.

I'll get yelled at if I don't mention Topor's new FBGC Course Record of 123.

I don't believe the 12 bad pitchers is a record for one event, but at the rate some of you are adding to the Deadbeat List we might need a keg party after the season. This gives me an excuse to post one of the many things I track: "Bad Pitchers per Season" (through 2022). Note how everything jumped after the 2020 handicap changes, and how many more bad pitchers are owed in Spring vs. Summer:

PpR = Pitchers per Round

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We're off the next two weeks for Spring Break and a Make-Up Week we don't need. Enjoy the time off.

Next event is March 26th at Lake Jovita (North). First tee time is 7:50am. Cost is $70 plus tax.

The cost we're quoted is always included on this blog, and in the top of the tee-sheet / leader board. Please check that before paying. I hear some people have been overcharged.

See you in a few weeks.

Match Play Handicaps - Spring 2023

Assuming nobody else bails (big assumption) here are the strokes for each match:

Reid vs. Gorecki (8)

John vs. Danny (8)

Gary (2) vs. Chandler

Melberg vs. Geoff (11)

Faz vs. Moostie (4)

Dave vs. Crum (14)

Travis vs. Troy (1)

Adam (9) vs. Dan

Ho vs. Topor (12)

Mark up your cards based on the hole-by-hole handicaps on the physical scorecard. It might differ from various apps.