FBGC Championship - Spring 2025 - Preview

Headed back up to Lake Jovita for our 2nd Major this Sunday. We'll be on the North course for an early 8am shotgun start. Be sure to check what tee you start on.

 

Also... twice this season we've almost had groups tee off without a player who was running late. Remember, you get the max score for every hole you miss.

 

I always find it funny when people are running late and calling/texting Dear Leader, especially when they aren't in his group. Not only can he not help you, he doesn't want to help you. He wants you to get max scores, lose the event, and purchase pitchers.

 

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Everyone is on WHITE as usual unless you tell me you're moving back. The 55/25 guys can play White/Green combos. I moved up the usual suspects, but a couple of you who are aging better can also join them if desired. 

I've been playing with ways to show performance metrics, over time and by individual course. Still not sold on what to use... and definitely not sold on it being worth the effort... but here's Lake Jovita North's "Total Strokes Gained: Net" in our five outings (players in Sundays field only):

 

This should give you an idea of who to bet on. And more importantly... who not to bet on.

 

Long drive on #8 since people bitched about doing it on #1 last time. 

 

See you Sunday.

Match Play - Spring 2025 Recap

Tall Mike continues his quest for what would be a record-setting 5th season title, winning for the 2nd time this season at a very difficult Temple Terrace course. His 5-hole stretch of even-par (gross) — on holes 6 through 10 — vaulted him up the leader board after a shaky start.

 

Adam tied Moostie, picking up his 6th ever victory thanks to an impressive 41 (gross) on the front. Only Dave was better (37). Adam has jumped from the cellar to Group B territory, and can hopefully make a run at a title, assuming he maintains eligibility for the Final Event. He needs to play in two of the next three tournaments... or be within 600 points of the overall leader... to make it to Calusa Country Club.

 

Speaking of... your overall leader is still the Dearest of Leaders... without a victory.

 

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Temple Terrace has so much potential. However...

 

It's not "worth*" $95+... the greens weren't rolling smooth... most of the greens are too small, as discussed back in 2018 with historical images that are unfortunately not active anymore... it's rated way too easy**... there are still too many trees on the side of fairways... the bunkers weren't great (and they should remove some of them).

 

*I don't think we fully understand what golf is "worth" at the moment 

**TT is tied with Bloomingdale as the 6th most difficult course in our history (out of 82 courses)

But almost every landing spot is 100-150 yards wide from OB to OB. The most recent hurricanes have helped a lot with trees, especially on the back nine. Most of the claustrophobic feeling off the tee is visual. There was actually grass on the fairways this year. The greens — aside from their bumpiness — were receptive and the speed/slopes were a great challenge.

 

The 16th hole is really the only kick in the dick out there. Maybe also the 17th. Both would be drastically improved with bigger greens and some tree trimming. 

We've now played there four times since 2018. Let's look at the four-round Best Ball performance by Gary — who always finishes middle of the pack — and John — who is prone to shank his way to DFL:

 

 Not a lot of birdies... but proof even these guys can figure it out.

 

Anyway, we'll continue to monitor TT's growth with their influx of cash. But we probably won't go back until Casey is on the verge of winning another season.

 

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Next week's Major is at Lake Jovita (North). It's an 8am shotgun. Pairings are posted, but we're one bail away from dropping a tee time. Not that we want to drop a tee time... but if you know your wife isn't going to allow you to golf, go ahead and bail sooner than later.

 

They've also jacked our rates up from $80 to $100... even though we just played there in late January for the lower price. Fun times.

 

See you Sunday.

Match Play - Spring 2025 Preview

Notes:

- Long drive on #13 - straight away par 4 (all the 5s are doglegs)

- All public roads are OB.

- Curbs are considered OB

- Balls that cross a road are OB - even if ball ends up in another part of the course

- Free drops are mandatory off practice greens (9th hole) and allowed from practice bunkers (9th hole), and practice tees (9 and 10)

- Flower beds and roped trees are ground under repair (free drop)  

 

 

10am tee time at Temple Terrace this Sunday.

 

Pairings are set, in order of current standings. Ride with your opponent. Regular stroke-play tournament is going on at the same time... with the Match Play portion at 80% handicap allowance.

 

Use whatever hole-by-hole handicaps are on the physical scorecard. Don't trust what I have on the blog is accurate. Here's the most recent scorecard I have:

 

 

Everyone is on WHITE tees... although I preemptively moved Melberg and Ho back to Blues. Let me know if that's not right, or if anyone else wants to move.

 

The pro tells me the greens are "the best shape they've ever been." Unfortunately, I can't afford their rack rate to go verify. Remember there is NO range at Temple Terrace.

We've officially played here 3 times, with higher handicaps winning:

 

2018 - Faz (14 handicap)

2019 - Danny (32 handicap!!)

2024 -  Topor (24 handicap)

 

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Match-Ups (w/ Strokes):

 

Chandler vs. Casey (2) - Casey leads series 2-1

Marcus vs. Troy (1) - Marcus' first ever Match Play event

 

Moostie vs. Gorecki (10) - Series tied 1-1

Faz vs. John (7) - First time ever playing each other

 

Reid (8) vs. Melberg - Reid leads 1-0

Ho vs. Gary (8) - First time ever playing each other

 

Geoff (3) vs. Buchert - Buchert leads series 1-0

Brendan vs. Adam -  Brendan leads series 1-0

 

Topor (16) vs. Dave - First time ever playing each other

Dave [ghost] vs. JW (11) -  Doesn't count for or against Dave

 

See you Sunday.

The Concussion - Spring 2025 Recap

Nice day out at The Groves for this season's iteration of The Concussion. The consensus of those who hung out afterwards say they like it better than Big Cypress (North)... which is interesting because everyone was praising Big Cypress last season.

I'm hoping to to book us at Countryway next season (although it's apparently not in the USGA/GHIN database at the moment).

Anyway, Gorecki stood on the 18th teebox with a big lead at -4 (net). The 18th was rightfully changed to a par-5 a few years ago, allowing a couple of lay-ups to still produce a "par." 

 

It's short enough that you can cut the corner and get home in two with a short iron.

But Gorecki had no interest in any of that. After choosing the first lay-up option... he pulled the rip-cord and ejected off the course — finishing with a BIPSIC max 10. Because he got two pops on the hole, the 10 became an 8, and he shuffled to the clubhouse at -1 (net).

 

Shotlink data provided by Casey

 

Only Chandler could catch him with a par on the final hole, but he predictably choked it away with a bogey from 100 yards out. And it should have been way worse.

This is Gorecki's 2nd time winning The Concussion — the previous coming in 2016! He's now on a 3 calendar-year streak of winning a tournament.

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The Groves produces a lot of birdies, as we had 24 and 1 eagle. To me, that's the definition of fun golf.

We're off next week for a make-up we don't need. Then we're playing Match Play at the less fun Temple Terrace (10am). Not that it's a bad track by any means... but it's a grind... rated the 8th most difficult course in our Club's history.

Which is good because the owed pitcher list is down to only two!

The pro told me the greens are "the best they've ever been."

From here on we're going out in order of standings, so those of you at the bottom of the list — and behind Gorecki & Tall Mike — have only yourselves to blame.

See you in a couple of weeks.

The Concussion - Spring 2025 Preview

8:30am this Sunday at The Groves.

Long drive on #16 (par 4). Right side of this hole doesn't look like OB... but it is.

I couldn't get the guy to tell me exactly what we will be charged. Rate is "somewhere between $40 and $45." So if it's much higher than that... tell them Jason said we had a group rate.

There is a range at the course.

 

Everyone is on the tips.

See you then.

The Open - Spring 2025 Recap

Rookie Marcus won his first ever event — and Major — with a solid -2 (net) at Glen Lakes. Ending the round with 3 pars was clutch, as I assume he knew he was in contention.

If he didn't know... then shame on his playing partners for not telling him every step of the way!

 

Super impressive by John to somehow put the wheels back on, finishing solo 3rd with a 50-41 (gross). The exact opposite happened to Reid, who was leading (by a lot) most of the day... carding 39-49 for solo 4th.

Anyway, it was a weird day out on the course. The weather was cooler and more overcast than expected... and somehow also pretty humid. The lack of wind made it extremely scoreable — if you could avoid the blow-ups that lurk around every corner.

As JW said... the course has some sneaky OB, but it never feels claustrophobic.

Today was one of the biggest standard deviation of hole-by-hole scores I've ever seen. We recorded 16 birdies.. but also 9 max scores. Only two players — Chandler and Casey — finished without a triple bogey (or worse). 

It's a good test of golf. Conditions were solid. It would be cool if GL was closer. It would be even cooler if we could go out before noon. But for $65 it's gotta be one of the best value options out there.

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We're playing early this upcoming Super Bowl Sunday. Tee time is 8:30am at the Groves.

It's our last week of randomized pairings, so I'll try to do that in front of witnesses again (we had 2 Member witnesses this week) to quell all the conspiracy theorists.

Whatever group you fall into, it should be a very quick day. You might even get home before your wife's boyfriend departs!