The Concussion - Summer 2025 Recap

The Groves might be the finest test in golf, as it continues to produce a wide range of winners. Birdies (23) and Eagles (4) were abundant. That's equates to a lot of fun! Even Big John had two birdies on his way to a +20 (net)!

 

So while we had Gorecki winning last season with a 20 handicap... yesterday Melberg was victorious with only two pops. His five birdies and one eagle vaulted him up the leader board to get his first win in over a year.

 

Troy finished 2nd with nothing worse than a bogey (which I consider "blemish free"), making eagle (net albatross) on the final hole to jump four players in the standings.

 

Overall the scores were much better than usual for The Groves, with only six quads and two maxes. One of those maxes was Faz on #2, who lost 4.5 strokes to the field on that hole alone! And the entire field played holes 14-16 in +5 (gross)!

 

While we'll continue to visit other venues, The Groves is by far the best short course in town.

 

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We're off next week for 4th of July, so enjoy the time with your families. On July 13th we're headed down to Waterlefe for the first time in 3 years. We need to give them an exact headcount a week before... so update your RSVPs now or you might be charged $100.

 

The same thing goes for Celebration on July 27th.

 

See you in a couple of weeks.

Concussion - Summer 2025 Preview

Headed back to The Groves at 9am this Sunday. Looks like we could be dodging rain, especially later in the round.

 

Rate should be about $53.

 

There is a range if you want to get there early to warm-up. 

 

Everyone is on the tips (Blue).

 

Long drive on #16 (par 4).

 

I believe there is a drop zone near the green on #4. It might even be behind the green. We're going to implement our "Huntington Hills local rule": you can't use the drop zone after your tee shot. Nobody has ever attempted, but there have been threats to aim for the green and just go to the drop zone. One issue is it's impossible to see if your ball even made the hazard. So we'll just squash that nonsense now. Feel free to use the drop zone (if there is one) after your 2nd shot.

 

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As for analysis... the course actually plays quite difficult at +6 median net to par. Troy has won 2 of the 5 events at The Groves. Everyone else has finished all over the board. The course doesn't seem to fit any particular player. Either you're hitting it well or you're buying a pitcher.

 

Good thing they're pretty cheap at The Groves.

 

See you then. 

The Open - Summer 2025 Recap

For most of my golfing life, I've told myself 6 pars would easily break 90. That allowed me to record 3 double bogeys... or a worse blow-up hole... and my 13+ handicap would get me right around even (net).

 

In our first two seasons, when I began my reign of terror, I averaged 7 pars (or better) per round. Today I use the 6-par goal to avoid bad pitchers, which is arguably more important than winning.

 

Topor — with his 24 handicap — made 6 pars yesterday at Countryside (B/L). Sitting at -6 (net) with three holes to go (and 5 strokes!), should have been a cakewalk to the winners circle. But our jolliest Member doubled the final three holes, and missed a 2-foot putt on 18, to share the cake with Billy. It was still an excellent round of golf, but only adds to the "Topor the Choker" legacy.

 

And while Billy was seemingly handed a gift, he also jammed himself by over-sleeping and showing up to the first tee straight from the car. Three doubles and a quad in his first five holes ruined what could have been a career round. He was only 5 over (gross) on the final 13 holes!

 

Reid was also in the mix but basically got what he could out of the round — with both good and bad bounces leading to a solo 3rd. Other honorable mentions go to Buchert who payed excellent and would have been solo 2nd if not for a very confusing 10 on the 12th hole. And Casey had four birdies and an eagle to balance out his three doubles and a triple. 

 

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I was personally happy with the course on Sunday. The greens were great despite being punched a few weeks ago. And it seems like forever since we've had receptive putting surfaces, where balls actually stop (or spin back) on approach. Countryside still has a few more trees they need to remove... but maybe a hurricane will take care of that this summer.

 

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We're playing next Sunday at The Groves, at 9am. There are a bunch of open spots so go ahead and bail now!

 

Speaking of open spots... I'm finding more and more courses are pushing hard for us to guarantee player counts. Regardless of our Club policy, if your bailing ever costs us (me) money... you will be charged for it. So if you're on the fence... or you're doing that thing where you're waiting until the last minute to clear it with your boss... go ahead and change your status to OUT.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to have randoms sprinkled in with our group at some point, as courses try to maximize what they call "premium tee times."

 

See you Sunday!

The Open - Summer 2025 Preview

Long Drive #2 

 

Update your RSVPs now! 

 

First Major of the season is at Countryside (B/L) at an early 8:21am start. Thanks to Casey for setting it up.

 

This configuration of TheSide is short, due to the Bay nine having a few target-golf par 4s. We've actually played a Concussion at this location, before Dear Leader put an end to full-sized courses hosting that tournament.

 

It plays fairly difficult (median net score of +6), and Brendan has won both times we've played it. His handicap is currently soft-capped... so look for him to be near the top of the leader board this week too. 

 

Is Countryside a Major-worthy venue? Well... the PGA TOUR did just play a Major at Quail Hollow, which is a regular stop each season.

 

And Countryside is charging us a Major rate... so at least your wallet will feel like it's at an exclusive venue.

 

And that's really what this Club and League is all about. The illusion of exclusivity. Surely the competition, socialization, and quest to improve doesn't matter. What's important is spending a lot of money to complain about the day, the course, the conditions, your lack of skill, your randomized pairing, and how even being there is causing issues at home. That's the real love of the game!

 

Let me know if you want to move back from the WHITE tees. This is an old, but probably accurate scorecard: 

 

 

 See you Sunday!

Skins Game - Summer 2025 Recap

We've now played Seminole Lake three times in Club history, and it has produced a wide range of winners. It's not overly penal, and the main defense is the rock-hard greens (which were re-built two years ago). Eventually they'll be more receptive, and I'd expect the course to finally get them rolling fast... which will be another diabolical challenge — as there's a ton of movement to them.

But in its current state, approach shots are the overall test. This type of set-up can really neutralize all skill levels, since high and low handicappers alike are going to miss a bunch of greens. When this happens... you might as well have a shit ton of strokes in your pocket.

 

So it's no surprise Gorecki won today, as long as he avoided the massive blow-ups. Two of his three pars were net-eagles. Five of his ten bogies were net-birdies. That's impossible to beat. As long as we overlook his 3x disqualification for not turning in a card, grounding his club multiple times in bunkers, and then "signing" an incorrect virtual card over text.

 

Gorecki has now won three times in his last eight events! He'd be a near lock for Rapture Captain if he hadn't also missed 5 tournaments during that stretch.

 

It's the 2nd week in a row he shot a 43 (gross) on the front nine. And he racked up 16 skins which might be a record.

 

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Melberg finished 5 strokes behind Gorecki, and probably didn't leave enough strokes out there to catch him. It was a solid round even if he didn't seem happy about it.

 

Brendan made par on the final two holes to secure solo 3rd.

 

And Billy tied the bad course record (w/ Danny) at 105 (gross).

 

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Overall the course was a great value. I was shocked how good the greens were rolling (albeit slow) for being punched one month ago. And the head pro seems to like us and want us back.

 

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We're off next week for Father's Day and the US Open. See you in two weeks when Casey hosts us at Countryside for our first Major of the season.

 

Be sure to update your RSVP so he can drop a tee time if needed.

Summer 2025 - Week 2

Seminole Lake

10am

Long drive #13

$80ish

 

This course plays fairly easy, especially after they converted the longest par 4 into a short par 5. The greens are firm and will give us the most trouble... and were punched a month ago. But outside of that it's a pretty straight forward course off the tee.

 

Everyone is on the WHITE tees unless you tell me you want to move back... which some of you should. Let me know now since it'll affect the pairings.

 

Scorecard:

 

 

Week 1 Recap

Mother Nature must be a golfer, because she blessed us with some nice weather to kick off the new season. Sunshine, a light breeze, and just enough moisture in the turf to make it feel like a sponge, but not enough to restrict carts—so, naturally, we considered that a win.

Speaking of wins; only ONE pitcher was owed today... shoutout to Big John, who somehow managed to play an entire round of golf without recording a single par on his way to DFL.

Now, on to the real competition—because yes, some people actually came to play golf. Things were tight at the top with Crum (who had 8 pars), Geoff (who opened with four straight pars), and Gorecki, who was in the hunt until the 18th hole absolutely body-slammed his hopes and dreams.

Geoff “The People’s Champion” posted a strong -4 and then proceeded to do what champions do—sit in the clubhouse with a beverage and refresh the live leaderboard like a fantasy football addict in Week 17 to see if he could be caught. Since Crum and Gorecki were both getting 2-strokes on 18, there was a chance...

Gorecki needed a par on the long 18th to tie… but after doubling 17, he would’ve needed a miracle. Instead, he got a reality check. Better luck next time, bud.

But here comes Crum, somehow armed with FOUR sevens on the card, managed a bogey on 18 to sneak into a tie for first—and in a moment historians will remember forever, claimed his FIRST EVER league victory. Congrats, Crum! 

Honorable mention to Reid, who had enough good holes to snag solo 3rd, but his 6 sixes dragged him down like an anchor tied to a rusty pushcart. 

As for the rest of you? Let’s just say… if you didn’t get named here, it’s because your performance was so forgettable, I already forgot it. Play better next week!