The Open - Spring 2026 Recap

Lexington Oaks proved itself a worthy major host, punishing the field yesterday with blustery conditions. The greens were excellent — much faster than they appeared — and fairly receptive. Fairways played firm and fast, literally like Scottish links, with just a hint of grass. You had to play the ball well back in your stance to compress it properly.

Early signs pointed to anything under net-par winning the day. Even those at +6 net at the turn still had a realistic shot at decent points with a strong back nine.

The par 3s were brutal. Putting the blue tees in the "correct" spot on #2 — something Lexington Oaks rarely does — was idiotic, especially with wind in the forecast. Worse, the fun short par-3 13th was tipped all the way back, so only a handful found the green in regulation. Congrats to Tall Mike for winning our first-ever Closest to the Pin contest ($13 club credit).

He also took the event with a rock-solid -2 net, parring the final three holes to seal it. His +3 gross on the par 3s was the best of the day (matched by one other Member). Topor, by contrast, was +12 gross on them!

Moostie extends his season lead and is on pace for a league-tying 5th championship.

Dan overcame a nightmare start, played the final 13 holes in +1 gross, and finished 2nd.

Chandler (possibly me) held a 3-shot lead heading to 16 before a pants-shittingly bad course-management decision. He finished 3rd and still leads Dan slightly in the overall standings. 

------------------------------ 

No make-up round next Sunday — enjoy the week off. We're back in two weeks at Countryway!

I'm struggling to find a February Match Play venue. If anyone wants to book something, comment below. Check the Sunday Morning Rack Rate grid on the blog sidebar if you want to see how bad prices are at the moment.

See you in a couple weeks.

The Open - Spring 2026 Preview

The first Major of the year is here, and we're back at Lexington Oaks for the 9th time. As the new course preview on the right shows, there are no repeat winners in any of those seasons! This place doesn't give a damn who you are.

It's a mishmash: wide holes, narrow ones, short pokes, long slogs. The shaggy (and soggy) conditions around the greens frustrate good players, and actually give higher handicaps a fighting chance — as they're usually shit when everything's pristine anyway. We've seen low scoring days (2018, one pitcher owed... thanks, Chandler) and outright bloodbaths (2020, a then record 13 pitchers earned).

The real appeal is the location — central for most of the Club — and they've finally removed/lost some problematic trees. Specifically on #17... the chute's gone, the left-side lake is visible, and the most punishing par 3 in Club history is a little less sadistic.

Sure, I heard the usual grumbling from our back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back Strokes Gained: Mouth champion (Mike Ho) about hosting a "Major" here, but variety matters. Horses for courses is not good for the game.

That's why I scheduled Jovita as the Skins Game this season — as we've overused it as a Major. Lo and behold, Chandler (yes, me) has now won 3 of the 6 events on the South course, gobbling up coveted DPT Points whenever we visit. Rotating Majors (and Match Play) spreads the big points around instead of crowning the same few guys every time. Technically, Buffalo Creek should probably host a Major, especially now that Jovita is no longer a "deal."

Tee time Sunday is 10:20am. It'll be slow — but apparently many of you "prefer" this. Green fees are $68 plus tax; don't pay a penny more. Range balls are not included. Pairings are randomized. The weather should be pretty nice.

Long drive on #11.

We also have the first Full Field Closest-to-Pin this year. Your $1 entry was already paid in your dues, and winner takes all on hole 13 (a fun short par 3). Group A sets the marker; final group picks it up.

Local rule this week: Drop zones on #14 and #18 are no longer marked. If you hit into the shit off the tee, drop on the other side of the bridge at the red tees.

I don't believe anyone has been dumb enough to play the tips at Lexington Oaks. But if you're feeling masochistic, speak up. I've bumped Gorecki to the WHITE, so if any other 55/25 Club members want to move up, say the word.

 See you Sunday.

Skins Game - Spring 2026 Recap

It was a beautiful day for golf last Sunday... until it wasn't.

Jovita South is historically tough — top 19% in difficulty with a median score of +6 to par — mostly thanks to those fast, undulating greens. Three-putts are everywhere, and Gary somehow managed a 5-putt (with six putter strokes)! Excellent lag putting is crucial if you want to score.

Two guys separated themselves with impressive flat-stick accuracy: Chandler and John, combining for 21 pars and 4 birdies. Chandler smashed the course record with a 74 (gross), barely making mistakes and taking advantage of a few lucky bounces.

Right behind was Big John with 9 net birdies and a net eagle — echoes of the "Greatest Match Ever Played" in 2017. He needed par on the last to tie for the win. After reaching the green in two, he faced a 40+ footer for birdie.

Then the skies opened with a torrential downpour, soaking everything in sight. Before John could putt, he had to watch Topor hit an "Adolf" in the greenside bunker, dragging out the suspense even more while accumulating untold moisture in his already struggling shirt fabric. Most of the league watched from the comfort of the clubhouse as John left his birdie try a few feet short (thanks to the sudden pooling water on the green). His par putt lipped out at 90 degrees. Game over.

The rest of you were terrible.

------------------------------ 

 

It needs to be discussed how Group 3 finished 30+ minutes behind Group 2, which probably altered results. But there is also plenty of chatter about Group 4 (threesome) barely keeping up with slow-ass Group 3 (foursome). So there's seven different people to blame for John, Topor, and Crum getting soaked.

I refuse to believe you people are unaware when you're slow. You have phones, watches, and eyeballs. You can see when there's no group ahead holding you up. Which means some of you just don't care that you're jamming up the course and screwing with outcomes (like the last group playing in a monsoon). 

Get off your phones. Stop walking away from the cart without a club. Drop people at their ball then go to yours. Read putts while others play. Stop being selfishly shitty.

 ------------------------------ 

 

We're off next week for MLK because years ago a few of you whined about your kids not being in school.

The following week we're at Lexington Oaks for our first Major! I waited too long on "better" courses that never got back to me, and unfortunately my last-resort options already had the 25th tee sheet open. So the start time is later than desired (10:20am), which will guaranteed us a 5+ hour crawl. Perfect for you selfish Members to plod along unnoticed.

At least the Oaks has a deep history with our League, and the price helps offset the $40 blindside increase Lake Jovita just hit us with.

See you then!

Skins Game - Spring 2026 Strokes

Assuming nobody moves tees... here are the strokes everyone gets for the group specific Skins Games (80% allowance):

Ho (0)

Dave (0)

Dan (2)

 

Melberg (0)

Chandler (2)

Adam (3)

Faz (3) 

 

Reid (0)

Geoff (0)

Buchert (0)

Billy (1) 

 

Moostie (0)

Gary (0)

Brendan (1) 

John (0)

Crum (1)

Topor (5)

The Classic - Spring 2026 Recap

On the 13th tee box, I told my group the day "reeked of a Tall Mike victory." Dreary weather, tough course, slogging pace, frustrating conditions — perfect for him to grind bogeys and sneak in birdies, including two on par 3s!

Moosite was the only player net under par yesterday and won easily by 3 shots. That's his 19th Club victory; now he's chasing a 5th league title and potentially a 5th Rapture Captaincy.

Second place went to Dan with a mind-blowing 76 (gross) — a new course record. He birdied 3 of the last 4 to finish even (net), which is usually plenty to win in those conditions.

We knew it'd be soggier than usual after Saturday night's rain. I'm not one to complain about tee boxes (the ball is on a tee, after all), but hitting drivers while standing in mud was next-level frustration.

The greens, though, were the best I've ever seen at HO: receptive, deceivingly fast, and rolled true. We heard about plenty of 3-putts and even a few 4-putts.

It's good to have regularly scheduled golf back.

-------------------------

 

This week is the Skins Game, at Lake Jovita (South). We are not shotgun-starting, as we are first out at 7:30am. It's a throwback to the "Two B's Early Bird Classic" — an defunct event that was held twice back in 2012/2013.

 

We go out in order of Course Handicap, so let me know what tees you want to play.

 

The "55/25" group can play White/Green or Green. I've already moved Gary and Gorecki up as far as they can go.

 

Let me know if anyone else wants to move.

 

 

See you Sunday!