Today is Gorecki's birthday. He's 39. Feel free to relive some of the best moments in Gorecki's DPT Golf history:
Stroke and Distance Dispute - July 2012 - Gorecki learns about stroke and distance. More accurately, he's repeatedly told about it. Complete with pics and video of him proving our point.
Virtual Gorecki - July 2012 - We have the technology, but we shouldn't have built him.
Gorecki's Memorial - April 2014 - Gorecki is immortalized on the internet. The tribute to his shitty golf game has almost 500 views!
Gimmie Zone - July 2014 - Gorecki removes his shoes, begs for a gimmie, and reminds everyone that he just hit a good chip.
Questionable Drafting - September 2014 - Gorecki is somehow not picked last during our inaugural Ryder Cup draft.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Copperhead Voucher & Valspar Tournament
The Copperhead deal is back! After skipping last year due to course renovations, we can now buy tickets to the Valspar Championship which includes a round on the Copperhead course (restrictions apply).
$125 gets you an any day ticket to the tournament, a voucher to play the course, and a hat. It's slightly more expensive than two years ago ($115), and it might not include a parking pass. Anyway...
You can buy the ticket here.
Make a comment if you're interested. If enough people want to do it, we can try to hold our finals there next season like we did in Spring 2014. If we can't get the numbers or dates to work, at least you'll have a voucher to go play a PGA Tour course. You know... where Jordan Spieth won his first of 5 events last year.
$125 gets you an any day ticket to the tournament, a voucher to play the course, and a hat. It's slightly more expensive than two years ago ($115), and it might not include a parking pass. Anyway...
You can buy the ticket here.
Make a comment if you're interested. If enough people want to do it, we can try to hold our finals there next season like we did in Spring 2014. If we can't get the numbers or dates to work, at least you'll have a voucher to go play a PGA Tour course. You know... where Jordan Spieth won his first of 5 events last year.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Golf this Sunday - 10/4/15
Darren and I are going to book a round this Sunday morning. Who else wants in? Location TBD.
Monday, September 21, 2015
TPC San Antonio Update
I'm going to be asking for a final quote soon, and then we'll pull the trigger on the 2016 trip to TPC San Antonio. Here's a quick breakdown:
If anyone else is interested, you have about a week to let me know.
- Fly Southwest on the morning of Friday, February 26th. We might squeeze in a warm-up round at a The Quarry Golf Club near the airport.
- Check in that afternoon at the JW Marriott San Antonio (on site at TPC).
- February 27th - Play on the Oaks Course, home of the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open.
- February 28th - Play the Canyon Course, home of the Champions Tour San Antonio Championship. This event will be televised later this year starting October 16th.
- February 29th - Back on the Oaks Course for some more punishment.
- Fly out that night back to Tampa on Southwest.
If anyone else is interested, you have about a week to let me know.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Weekly Update - 9/15/15
Checked out Orange County National this weekend with a few league guys. Courses were decent... not mind-blowing but a pretty nice set up. Their "lodge" is basically a 1980's motel in the middle of the property next to the putting green. It'd be interesting to do the Ryder Cup there, which would allow some of you to stumble out of the door 2 minutes before your tee time. I'll add OCN to the list of potential 2016 locations, along with Mission Inn and Reunion.
Oh... Big John also shot a personal best 84 out there despite a bunch of three putts. Good to see him playing well.
----------------------
Speaking of the Ryder Cup... we really should rename it. But first, a history lesson:
In 1921, no American golfer had ever won the British Open. Back then most American professionals couldn't afford the travel and the winner only received 75 pounds. So Golf Illustrated came up with an idea to raise money and send 12 American Golfers to St. Andrews. It was decided they would sail to Gleneagles and play a warm-up tournament. Someone suggested a British team challenge the Americans, resulting in a 10 v 10 exhibition (Britain winning 9-3). Gold medals were given to all participants.
While America lost the exhibition match, they accomplished their goal when Jock Hutchison won the British Open two weeks later. The United States had its first taste of British blood, and would continue to quench its thirst by winning 10 of the next 12 British Opens.
As more and more Americans traveled to Britain to compete, a "golf enthusiast" named Samuel Ryder decided to donate a trophy for an annual team exhibition starting in 1927. Ryder was an English businessman who didn't become an avid golfer until age 50, at which time he began to sponsor local tournaments. In 1925 he hired Abe Mitchell as his swing coach, who is allegedly the guy on the top of the Ryder Cup.
So basically, the event was named after some dude who donated the trophy which cost about $5,600 in today's dollars. We don't need to spend that much. I've been periodically searching the internet for some ridiculous things we could use, preferably a bronze statue I could attach to a wooden base. Nothing yet has piqued my interest, although a bronze bust of Vladimir Putin has come close. The search continues...
In the meantime, throw out some suggestions for the name of OUR team competition. And if you're ever out and spot something that might be "trophy worthy," send me a pic of it.
Oh... Big John also shot a personal best 84 out there despite a bunch of three putts. Good to see him playing well.
----------------------
Speaking of the Ryder Cup... we really should rename it. But first, a history lesson:
In 1921, no American golfer had ever won the British Open. Back then most American professionals couldn't afford the travel and the winner only received 75 pounds. So Golf Illustrated came up with an idea to raise money and send 12 American Golfers to St. Andrews. It was decided they would sail to Gleneagles and play a warm-up tournament. Someone suggested a British team challenge the Americans, resulting in a 10 v 10 exhibition (Britain winning 9-3). Gold medals were given to all participants.
While America lost the exhibition match, they accomplished their goal when Jock Hutchison won the British Open two weeks later. The United States had its first taste of British blood, and would continue to quench its thirst by winning 10 of the next 12 British Opens.
As more and more Americans traveled to Britain to compete, a "golf enthusiast" named Samuel Ryder decided to donate a trophy for an annual team exhibition starting in 1927. Ryder was an English businessman who didn't become an avid golfer until age 50, at which time he began to sponsor local tournaments. In 1925 he hired Abe Mitchell as his swing coach, who is allegedly the guy on the top of the Ryder Cup.
So basically, the event was named after some dude who donated the trophy which cost about $5,600 in today's dollars. We don't need to spend that much. I've been periodically searching the internet for some ridiculous things we could use, preferably a bronze statue I could attach to a wooden base. Nothing yet has piqued my interest, although a bronze bust of Vladimir Putin has come close. The search continues...
In the meantime, throw out some suggestions for the name of OUR team competition. And if you're ever out and spot something that might be "trophy worthy," send me a pic of it.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Orange County National
Got one spot for Orange County National this Sunday (9/13/15). $30 gets you a round on BOTH of their courses, which are supposed to be really nice (I've never played there). Tee time is 9am, and you'd be playing with me, Darren and Reid.
First one who comments or contacts us gets the final spot.
*UPDATE*
Big John is allegedly joining us. Stay tuned for other outings...
First one who comments or contacts us gets the final spot.
*UPDATE*
Big John is allegedly joining us. Stay tuned for other outings...
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Scotland & TPC San Antonio
Quick update since a couple of you have asked. The big Scotland trip in 2017 is STILL on. You have about 3 months before I have to include you in the quote. Payment would be made sometime around March 2016. Read more about the trip here.
Rachael is planning an itinerary for any WAGs who want to go, where they spend a couple of days in London and then meet back up with the golfers in St. Andrews. It's an option that should save the girls money, and give them a little more to see and do. More on that later.
As far as the golfers... we got myself, Gary, Darren and JW as solid commitments. Ben M. is considering. The idea of playing 4 rota courses and 2 other amazing tracks is driving Dave crazy. And JW knows a completely separate group of guys who might want to get in on the trip (which should help drive down costs). So keep thinking about it. Be sure to invite your dad or anyone else not in the league. And keep me posted on your thoughts.
------------------------------------
Our 2016 trip looks to be TPC San Antonio (home of the Valero Texas Open). We'd be playing two rounds on Greg Norman's Oaks Course, and one round on Pete Dye's Canyons Course (where the Senior tour plays an event later this year). We're looking at the last weekend of February, and staying 3 nights in the JW Marriot resort on-site. Cost for the golf, hotel and flights would be about $1,300.
So anyway, all are welcome. Just let me know soon-ish if you'd be interested.
------------------------------------
I'll post up the tentative 2016 Spring schedule soon. Next season we won't be changing any dates, so get your calendars in order and let me know if there are any conflicts where most of the league would be affected.
Rachael is planning an itinerary for any WAGs who want to go, where they spend a couple of days in London and then meet back up with the golfers in St. Andrews. It's an option that should save the girls money, and give them a little more to see and do. More on that later.
As far as the golfers... we got myself, Gary, Darren and JW as solid commitments. Ben M. is considering. The idea of playing 4 rota courses and 2 other amazing tracks is driving Dave crazy. And JW knows a completely separate group of guys who might want to get in on the trip (which should help drive down costs). So keep thinking about it. Be sure to invite your dad or anyone else not in the league. And keep me posted on your thoughts.
------------------------------------
Our 2016 trip looks to be TPC San Antonio (home of the Valero Texas Open). We'd be playing two rounds on Greg Norman's Oaks Course, and one round on Pete Dye's Canyons Course (where the Senior tour plays an event later this year). We're looking at the last weekend of February, and staying 3 nights in the JW Marriot resort on-site. Cost for the golf, hotel and flights would be about $1,300.
 |
| 18th on the Oaks Course. |
So anyway, all are welcome. Just let me know soon-ish if you'd be interested.
------------------------------------
I'll post up the tentative 2016 Spring schedule soon. Next season we won't be changing any dates, so get your calendars in order and let me know if there are any conflicts where most of the league would be affected.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
2015 DPT Ryder Cup Recap
Our second "Ryder Cup" event is finally over, and it was an excellent weekend for our league. We were able to continue the precedent Faz and Chandler set last year... and there are a few suggestions we'll look into going forward.
World Woods was a great set-up for us and we'll probably never find a better value. Both courses were in excellent shape (minus the expected punched greens on Rolling Oaks) and the villa was perfect for our group. In future years I'll give us some higher-end options... so think about what the weekend is worth to you.
On to the recap!
---------------------------------
Buchert put together a team based on height, not only in stature but also ballooning handicaps. On paper it looked like Darren's team could coast to a victory. The first day of matches didn't change that assumption.
In round one (Four-Ball) the day started with Dave/Darren vs Tall Mike/JW. The orange guys were each getting 10 strokes which might give them a slight advantage, but apparently they didn't decide to start playing actual golf until they were down 5 through eight holes. Strong play on the second nine cut the deficit to one with three remaining, but Dave/Darren ultimately ended the match on the 17th hole.
Gary/Brendan went back-and-forth with Buchert/Gorecki the entire round, winning holes 16 and 17 to put Blue up 2-0.
Faz/Guest ran into a red hot (orange hot?) Chandler/Reid team, getting stomped 5&4. After the first round the score was Blue 2, Orange 1.
----
The second round (Chapman) saw the biggest beat-down of the weekend. Darren/Brendan failed to win a single hole against Buchert/Tall Mike, losing 7&5. However, this spanking was planned as each captain put together a "sacrificial lamb" team.
Buchert's sacrifice was a JW/Gorecki pairing against Gary/Guest. Sure... most knee-jerk logic would say Gary/Guest would win easily. But JW/Gorecki were getting 12 strokes as a team! They made the most of it going 2-up through eleven holes until a lightning delay cooled Gorecki's old bones. Orange lost 5 of the next 6 holes to ruin a much needed upset.
Dave/Faz vs. Chandler/Reid was very competitive and the only match of the day to go all 18 holes. The Blue guys balanced each other perfectly to win the match 2 Up.
After two rounds the score was Blue 4, Orange 2. The only way Orange had a shot was to dominate singles the next day.
----
The captains decided to do the standard random pairings, with one forced match of JW vs. Darren. That contest wasn't as close as the scorecard indicates, with Darren struggling to finish the day. JW won 4 & 2 and picked up the title of "Darren's Daddy."
The first singles match to actually finish was the 6 & 5 clinic Tall Mike put on the putter-diseased Guest. Look for Guest to try different putting techniques in the off-season, including: the claw grip, left hand low, side saddle, broom stick, counter balanced weights, etc...
Faz was the next guy to win, beating Buchert 3 & 2. Buchert, who has been consistently good all year long, shot an atrocious 51 on the front nine. He played better on the back but it was too little, too late.
Chandler struggled late but ultimately closed out Gary on the 17th hole, winning 2 & 1. Gary blew up his round by losing a point on his only stroke-hole of the day (after a perfect drive).
Reid took Dave all the way to the final hole, where he had one stroke left in his sandbag. Reid definitely needed it, halving the match and proving he was an excellent 3rd selection in the draft.
Score at this point: Blue 5.5, Orange 5.5.
Only Brendan vs. Gorecki remained... a contest that had Gorecki miraculously 1 Up through 15. Brendan was in great position to tie the match, but double-hit his chip on 16 to halve the hole with net 5s. Unbelievably, Brendan double-hit again on the next hole to lose the match and the cup. Since everyone was anticipating a final hole showdown, there wasn't a gallery around to witness the violation. But Brendan showed amazing class by calling the penalty on himself.
By protecting the integrity of the game, Brendan was the real MVP of the weekend. But hey... props to Gorecki for winning the deciding point (with a triple bogey). It was by far the best any of us have ever seen him hit the ball.
Final score: Orange 6.5, Blue 5.5.
---------------------------------
You can find all the results by going to the "Ryder Cup" tab at the top of the blog, and selecting the appropriate year. Each summary also has detailed scorecards from each match.
I'm also going to add (per Reid's request) everyone's overall match-play records. Look for those on the "Stats" page later this week.
World Woods was a great set-up for us and we'll probably never find a better value. Both courses were in excellent shape (minus the expected punched greens on Rolling Oaks) and the villa was perfect for our group. In future years I'll give us some higher-end options... so think about what the weekend is worth to you.
On to the recap!
---------------------------------
Buchert put together a team based on height, not only in stature but also ballooning handicaps. On paper it looked like Darren's team could coast to a victory. The first day of matches didn't change that assumption.
In round one (Four-Ball) the day started with Dave/Darren vs Tall Mike/JW. The orange guys were each getting 10 strokes which might give them a slight advantage, but apparently they didn't decide to start playing actual golf until they were down 5 through eight holes. Strong play on the second nine cut the deficit to one with three remaining, but Dave/Darren ultimately ended the match on the 17th hole.
 |
| The Dub tees off on #1 Pine Barrens. |
Gary/Brendan went back-and-forth with Buchert/Gorecki the entire round, winning holes 16 and 17 to put Blue up 2-0.
Faz/Guest ran into a red hot (orange hot?) Chandler/Reid team, getting stomped 5&4. After the first round the score was Blue 2, Orange 1.
----
The second round (Chapman) saw the biggest beat-down of the weekend. Darren/Brendan failed to win a single hole against Buchert/Tall Mike, losing 7&5. However, this spanking was planned as each captain put together a "sacrificial lamb" team.
Buchert's sacrifice was a JW/Gorecki pairing against Gary/Guest. Sure... most knee-jerk logic would say Gary/Guest would win easily. But JW/Gorecki were getting 12 strokes as a team! They made the most of it going 2-up through eleven holes until a lightning delay cooled Gorecki's old bones. Orange lost 5 of the next 6 holes to ruin a much needed upset.
Dave/Faz vs. Chandler/Reid was very competitive and the only match of the day to go all 18 holes. The Blue guys balanced each other perfectly to win the match 2 Up.
After two rounds the score was Blue 4, Orange 2. The only way Orange had a shot was to dominate singles the next day.
 |
| Blue Team... and Guest. |
----
The captains decided to do the standard random pairings, with one forced match of JW vs. Darren. That contest wasn't as close as the scorecard indicates, with Darren struggling to finish the day. JW won 4 & 2 and picked up the title of "Darren's Daddy."
The first singles match to actually finish was the 6 & 5 clinic Tall Mike put on the putter-diseased Guest. Look for Guest to try different putting techniques in the off-season, including: the claw grip, left hand low, side saddle, broom stick, counter balanced weights, etc...
Faz was the next guy to win, beating Buchert 3 & 2. Buchert, who has been consistently good all year long, shot an atrocious 51 on the front nine. He played better on the back but it was too little, too late.
Chandler struggled late but ultimately closed out Gary on the 17th hole, winning 2 & 1. Gary blew up his round by losing a point on his only stroke-hole of the day (after a perfect drive).
Reid took Dave all the way to the final hole, where he had one stroke left in his sandbag. Reid definitely needed it, halving the match and proving he was an excellent 3rd selection in the draft.
Score at this point: Blue 5.5, Orange 5.5.
Only Brendan vs. Gorecki remained... a contest that had Gorecki miraculously 1 Up through 15. Brendan was in great position to tie the match, but double-hit his chip on 16 to halve the hole with net 5s. Unbelievably, Brendan double-hit again on the next hole to lose the match and the cup. Since everyone was anticipating a final hole showdown, there wasn't a gallery around to witness the violation. But Brendan showed amazing class by calling the penalty on himself.
 |
| Phil Mickelson is watching... |
By protecting the integrity of the game, Brendan was the real MVP of the weekend. But hey... props to Gorecki for winning the deciding point (with a triple bogey). It was by far the best any of us have ever seen him hit the ball.
Final score: Orange 6.5, Blue 5.5.
 |
| 2015 DPT Ryder Cup Champions. |
---------------------------------
You can find all the results by going to the "Ryder Cup" tab at the top of the blog, and selecting the appropriate year. Each summary also has detailed scorecards from each match.
I'm also going to add (per Reid's request) everyone's overall match-play records. Look for those on the "Stats" page later this week.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
2015 Ryder Cup Preview
First, the pairings so we can easily reference it this weekend:
Round 1 - Saturday 8/22 - 8:25am - Pine Barrens Course - White Tees
Four-Ball Format (strokes in parenthesis)
Group 1: Dave (0) / Darren (4) vs. Tall Mike (10) / JW (10)
Group 2: Gary (1) / Brendan (10) vs. Buchert (0) / Gorecki (17)
Group 3: Faz (2) / Guest (9) vs. Chandler (0) / Reid (6)
Round 2 - Saturday 8/22 - 1:31pm - Rolling Oaks Course - White Tees
Chapman Format (strokes in parenthesis)
Group 1: Darren / Brendan (2) vs. Buchert / Tall Mike (0)
Group 2: Gary / Guest (0) vs. JW / Gorecki (12)
Group 3: Dave / Faz (0) vs. Chandler / Reid (1)
Round 3 - Sunday 8/23 - 9:33am - Pine Barrens Course - White Tees
Singles Format. Parings will be decided Friday night.
-----------------------------------------------------
Payment
Everyone has already paid me $80 for the two nights in the villas (Friday & Saturday night). We pay individually for the golf each day. Morning rounds are $42 plus tax. The one afternoon round we play should be $10.
Villa Location
Address is: 6175 W Oak Park Blvd., Homosassa, FL 34446
It is NOT located inside World Woods. It's left (west) of the Suncoast Parkway exit. World Woods is immediately to the right (east).
Check In
I can get the keys at 3pm, but I'll be up there around 2pm. Make a comment to this post and let me know who you're riding with and about what time you'll arrive. Depending on the weather, I'll be out at the range and using their practice facility for a bit on Friday. They have a 9-hole par 3 course and a 3-hole practice course. So text me when you're on your way so I can make sure the villas are unlocked.
Rooms
Each villa has 3 rooms, containing two twin beds. We'll separate into teams so choose your own roommate.
Food
Gorecki is bringing a propane grill. I suggest everyone pack some sort of cooler with beers and steaks. There's a Publix and Walgreens a couple of miles from the villa, so you can get anything you forget.
Entertainment
There will be less to do than in Sebring. Looks like there's a really sketchy pool hall nearby. Gorecki is bringing a poker table... he and Brendan also have some poker chips and whatnot. Bring dollar bills for Banko.
Course Conditions
World Woods drains well. They punched the greens on Pine Barrens a couple of weeks ago. We'll be playing alternate shot on freshly punched greens on Rolling Oaks. But it's only one round and everyone has to deal with it. Last time I was up there after they punched it really wasn't even an issue. Expect thunderstorms Saturday during our second round. We'll be waiting it out and doing anything we can to finish. So bring rain gear.
Round 1 - Saturday 8/22 - 8:25am - Pine Barrens Course - White Tees
Four-Ball Format (strokes in parenthesis)
Group 1: Dave (0) / Darren (4) vs. Tall Mike (10) / JW (10)
Group 2: Gary (1) / Brendan (10) vs. Buchert (0) / Gorecki (17)
Group 3: Faz (2) / Guest (9) vs. Chandler (0) / Reid (6)
Round 2 - Saturday 8/22 - 1:31pm - Rolling Oaks Course - White Tees
Chapman Format (strokes in parenthesis)
Group 1: Darren / Brendan (2) vs. Buchert / Tall Mike (0)
Group 2: Gary / Guest (0) vs. JW / Gorecki (12)
Group 3: Dave / Faz (0) vs. Chandler / Reid (1)
Round 3 - Sunday 8/23 - 9:33am - Pine Barrens Course - White Tees
Singles Format. Parings will be decided Friday night.
-----------------------------------------------------
Payment
Everyone has already paid me $80 for the two nights in the villas (Friday & Saturday night). We pay individually for the golf each day. Morning rounds are $42 plus tax. The one afternoon round we play should be $10.
Villa Location
Address is: 6175 W Oak Park Blvd., Homosassa, FL 34446
It is NOT located inside World Woods. It's left (west) of the Suncoast Parkway exit. World Woods is immediately to the right (east).
Check In
I can get the keys at 3pm, but I'll be up there around 2pm. Make a comment to this post and let me know who you're riding with and about what time you'll arrive. Depending on the weather, I'll be out at the range and using their practice facility for a bit on Friday. They have a 9-hole par 3 course and a 3-hole practice course. So text me when you're on your way so I can make sure the villas are unlocked.
Rooms
Each villa has 3 rooms, containing two twin beds. We'll separate into teams so choose your own roommate.
Food
Gorecki is bringing a propane grill. I suggest everyone pack some sort of cooler with beers and steaks. There's a Publix and Walgreens a couple of miles from the villa, so you can get anything you forget.
Entertainment
There will be less to do than in Sebring. Looks like there's a really sketchy pool hall nearby. Gorecki is bringing a poker table... he and Brendan also have some poker chips and whatnot. Bring dollar bills for Banko.
Course Conditions
World Woods drains well. They punched the greens on Pine Barrens a couple of weeks ago. We'll be playing alternate shot on freshly punched greens on Rolling Oaks. But it's only one round and everyone has to deal with it. Last time I was up there after they punched it really wasn't even an issue. Expect thunderstorms Saturday during our second round. We'll be waiting it out and doing anything we can to finish. So bring rain gear.
Monday, August 17, 2015
DPT Masters - Summer 2015 Recap
The soggy Summer 2015 season has finally come to an end. Lake Jovita played brutal yesterday despite being one of the best draining courses in the region. Already on the longer side of our standards, shots plugged in bunkers and the uncut rough made advancing the ball extremely difficult. So maybe it's of no surprise that the winner was someone who hits the fairway almost 70% on average.
Chandler won his third tournament in a row to reclaim the DPT Cup for a record third time. His net score of 69 was the only round under par, winning by a comfortable 5 strokes. Dave, Guest and Buchert all tied for 2nd at +2.
The season was pretty competitive throughout, and we saw a lot of guys drastically improve their handicaps. A bunch of league members are near their lifetime lowest index, and a few of us shot our best rounds ever. Brendan's -16 (net) to start the season might not ever be beat. And I doubt we'll see a 7.1 drop in handicap over six months like we did with Darren.
We take a long break due to football... but many of us still play weekly during the off-season. Check the site for random outings, especially once your favorite college and pro teams rack up a few losses. We currently have 8 vouchers to a Arnold Palmer course in Orlando that we need to use soon (more on that later).
But first, it's Ryder Cup week! In a bit I'll put together a preview with all the information you need to know.
Chandler won his third tournament in a row to reclaim the DPT Cup for a record third time. His net score of 69 was the only round under par, winning by a comfortable 5 strokes. Dave, Guest and Buchert all tied for 2nd at +2.
The season was pretty competitive throughout, and we saw a lot of guys drastically improve their handicaps. A bunch of league members are near their lifetime lowest index, and a few of us shot our best rounds ever. Brendan's -16 (net) to start the season might not ever be beat. And I doubt we'll see a 7.1 drop in handicap over six months like we did with Darren.
We take a long break due to football... but many of us still play weekly during the off-season. Check the site for random outings, especially once your favorite college and pro teams rack up a few losses. We currently have 8 vouchers to a Arnold Palmer course in Orlando that we need to use soon (more on that later).
But first, it's Ryder Cup week! In a bit I'll put together a preview with all the information you need to know.
Friday, August 14, 2015
Masters Update
We're dropping down to 3 groups, so we're officially full.
Tee time is still 9am on Sunday.
Tee time is still 9am on Sunday.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Jamaican Open - Summer 2015 Recap
It felt like Jamaica yesterday... which might explain why two "brown" guys played well in the heat, humidity and soggy fairways. Yes, Chandler (hey, thats me!) won his second consecutive event by shooting his age on the front nine. In a display of lights out putting (only 12 putts on the front), literally everything was dropping leaving his playing partners shaking their heads. Standing on the short par-3 15th, Chandler was still -2 (gross!). But a topped shot into the marsh derailed what would have been an unbelievable round. Despite the triple bogey and two following bogeys, the 75 is now the lowest league score in history (if you don't count Countryway or Faz's 74 on a par-68 Babe Zaharias).
But just as impressive was tournament host Reid, who started his day: 6-6-6-6-8. He was +7 (net) after those five holes, completely on tilt and headed toward the double-pitcher zone. But he went +3 (gross) on the next twelve holes to finish as the only other player under par (net). It's proof that you can still put the wheels on after a horrendous start to the round.
Taking out Chandler and Reid, the scores were really quite terrible. Yeah, Waterlefe is a tough course and the heat was unbearable. But it's funny that more guys showed up drunk/hungover to this event than the JW Hangover tournament. And most of you people could benefit from hitting a few balls before the round.
-------------------------------
We're playing Lake Jovita (South) this Sunday at 9am. I was able to talk them down to the member/guest rate of $50 (range balls included). Jovita has two of the best courses in the area, but both are long and punishing.
Only four people have a shot at winning the cup (Chan, Dave, Reid, Guest). Everyone else with at least 4 tournaments played this season can join the field in hopes of taking home a decent payout. We have a couple of guys who don't meet that requirement, but they're still welcome to play for side bets.
See you all out there.
But just as impressive was tournament host Reid, who started his day: 6-6-6-6-8. He was +7 (net) after those five holes, completely on tilt and headed toward the double-pitcher zone. But he went +3 (gross) on the next twelve holes to finish as the only other player under par (net). It's proof that you can still put the wheels on after a horrendous start to the round.
Taking out Chandler and Reid, the scores were really quite terrible. Yeah, Waterlefe is a tough course and the heat was unbearable. But it's funny that more guys showed up drunk/hungover to this event than the JW Hangover tournament. And most of you people could benefit from hitting a few balls before the round.
-------------------------------
We're playing Lake Jovita (South) this Sunday at 9am. I was able to talk them down to the member/guest rate of $50 (range balls included). Jovita has two of the best courses in the area, but both are long and punishing.
Only four people have a shot at winning the cup (Chan, Dave, Reid, Guest). Everyone else with at least 4 tournaments played this season can join the field in hopes of taking home a decent payout. We have a couple of guys who don't meet that requirement, but they're still welcome to play for side bets.
See you all out there.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Jamaican Open - Venue Change
Pebble Creek, as expected, is still flooded. They're open but it's cartpath only... which honestly isn't a huge deal at a flat course like PC. But their drainage is one of the worst in Tampa. I've seen multiple lost balls in the middle of the fairway.
Reid's out there now and at least has confirmed there's no way it's going to dry up by this weekend. So I'm making the executive decision to move the event down south where there hasn't been constant monsoons.
The Jamaican Open will return to Waterlefe for the 3rd time in it's history, at 9:00 AM!
I realize that's early in the morning, but we need to get out before the rain and have time to wait out a few isolated showers (if needed). The good news is they're charging us $40... and I found a $10 off coupon. Print that shit here!
So do yourself a favor and don't stay up until 4:30am the night before with your wife. And don't get so drunk that you lose your car keys on Saturday. And don't wake up in the morning, look at the radar, and start begging the league to stay inside.
Wake up early. Put on your big boy pants. And get down to the course in time to warm-up if you need it. And make sure your shirt is one of the colors below. It's a $2 penalty paid to Reid (money offsets cost of his trophies) if you're "reppin" the wrong attire.
Oh... and if you talk to or see one of the guys who constantly doesn't "read the blog"... you might want to tell them about the venue change.
Reid's out there now and at least has confirmed there's no way it's going to dry up by this weekend. So I'm making the executive decision to move the event down south where there hasn't been constant monsoons.
The Jamaican Open will return to Waterlefe for the 3rd time in it's history, at 9:00 AM!
I realize that's early in the morning, but we need to get out before the rain and have time to wait out a few isolated showers (if needed). The good news is they're charging us $40... and I found a $10 off coupon. Print that shit here!
So do yourself a favor and don't stay up until 4:30am the night before with your wife. And don't get so drunk that you lose your car keys on Saturday. And don't wake up in the morning, look at the radar, and start begging the league to stay inside.
Wake up early. Put on your big boy pants. And get down to the course in time to warm-up if you need it. And make sure your shirt is one of the colors below. It's a $2 penalty paid to Reid (money offsets cost of his trophies) if you're "reppin" the wrong attire.
 |
| Does your shirt look like one of those colors above? No? You owe $2 to Reid. |
Oh... and if you talk to or see one of the guys who constantly doesn't "read the blog"... you might want to tell them about the venue change.
Monday, August 3, 2015
JW Hangover - Summer 2015 Recap
Tampa got drunk on rain this weekend, washing out the motivation for most of our league to hang out and golf. The competition to find the best excuse to stay at home was fierce... with Gorecki ultimately winning by sending a screen shot of a weather radar, while at the same time suggesting we go to TopGolf which would require him to drive 25 miles in the very storm he was afraid of.
But the golf gods rewarded those of us who knew how to use technology. Countryside was miraculously open for play, but Bradenton had almost no rain all weekend and the storm system looked like it would somehow avoid the area on Sunday. Faced with sitting inside and not doing anything all day, six brave and dedicated golfers rolled the dice and drove down to Esplanade.
Sure enough, other than a few soggy spots on the front nine, most of the course was dry and not even cart-path only. The sun actually peeked out of the clouds for a bit on the back nine. And two champions emerged despite having real hangovers, because you know... they went to the bar the night before.
Dave and Chandler, with identical handicaps, both shot gross 80s to split the money. But each of them choked away a solo victory at various parts of their round. Dave made two atrocious double bogeys on the back nine, both short par 4s (342 & 300 yards). While Chandler had six three-putts during the round, an insane stat considering he only made eight bogeys.
Yesterday was the smallest field since the JW Hangover a year ago (Summer 2014), causing only the top 3 to earn points. Darren took 3rd place points thanks to his usual chipping and putting clinic. Ironically, he probably would have won the event if not for a missed 2-footer and a bladed short chip. Maybe that was the golf gods punishing him for losing his Man Card on Saturday night.
---------------------------------------------
Two people (Gorecki & Gary) are officially eliminated from winning the DPT Cup this season. A bunch more will be eliminated after next week. Reid is going to book us 3 groups at Pebble Creek... but we'll have to check in with them throughout the week since that course notoriously doesn't drain well. More info on that after he makes the tee times.
There are 4 guys I haven't heard from regarding this Sunday, and only 3 spots available.
Hey Reid... don't forget to book 3 tee times...
---------------------------------------------
A couple of people asked about the World Woods check-in situation. We're staying up there Friday and Saturday night. I'm taking Friday off and going up in the afternoon, so I'll have the keys and everything all set. All you have to do is go to the villa (I'll post the address later) whenever you want that day/night. After I check in I'll probably head to the course to practice a bit. So when we get closer to the event, I'll be asking everyone their arrival plans to make sure nobody is locked out.
But the golf gods rewarded those of us who knew how to use technology. Countryside was miraculously open for play, but Bradenton had almost no rain all weekend and the storm system looked like it would somehow avoid the area on Sunday. Faced with sitting inside and not doing anything all day, six brave and dedicated golfers rolled the dice and drove down to Esplanade.
Sure enough, other than a few soggy spots on the front nine, most of the course was dry and not even cart-path only. The sun actually peeked out of the clouds for a bit on the back nine. And two champions emerged despite having real hangovers, because you know... they went to the bar the night before.
Dave and Chandler, with identical handicaps, both shot gross 80s to split the money. But each of them choked away a solo victory at various parts of their round. Dave made two atrocious double bogeys on the back nine, both short par 4s (342 & 300 yards). While Chandler had six three-putts during the round, an insane stat considering he only made eight bogeys.
Yesterday was the smallest field since the JW Hangover a year ago (Summer 2014), causing only the top 3 to earn points. Darren took 3rd place points thanks to his usual chipping and putting clinic. Ironically, he probably would have won the event if not for a missed 2-footer and a bladed short chip. Maybe that was the golf gods punishing him for losing his Man Card on Saturday night.
---------------------------------------------
Two people (Gorecki & Gary) are officially eliminated from winning the DPT Cup this season. A bunch more will be eliminated after next week. Reid is going to book us 3 groups at Pebble Creek... but we'll have to check in with them throughout the week since that course notoriously doesn't drain well. More info on that after he makes the tee times.
There are 4 guys I haven't heard from regarding this Sunday, and only 3 spots available.
Hey Reid... don't forget to book 3 tee times...
---------------------------------------------
A couple of people asked about the World Woods check-in situation. We're staying up there Friday and Saturday night. I'm taking Friday off and going up in the afternoon, so I'll have the keys and everything all set. All you have to do is go to the villa (I'll post the address later) whenever you want that day/night. After I check in I'll probably head to the course to practice a bit. So when we get closer to the event, I'll be asking everyone their arrival plans to make sure nobody is locked out.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Weather Update
Countryside got very light rain compared to South Tampa today. But more rain might be on the way.
I'll call them around 7am to see what their condition is. We also have the option of heading down to Bradenton depending on tomorrow's storms. They basically had no rain today, so Waterlefe, RiverStrand, Eslpanade are all options (Stoneybrook has no tee times until 2pm).
Esplanade would be a 12:15pm round... but again... all this depends on what the storms look like tomorrow. Check back here for more details, but I'll try to text everyone.
**UPDATE**
Esplanade has us booked at 12:15pm. Check back here around 9:30am, since we still need to monitor the weather a bit just in case.
Bradenton is still missing the rain. I'm sure that won't last all day... but we should be good to go. See you down there.
I'll call them around 7am to see what their condition is. We also have the option of heading down to Bradenton depending on tomorrow's storms. They basically had no rain today, so Waterlefe, RiverStrand, Eslpanade are all options (Stoneybrook has no tee times until 2pm).
Esplanade would be a 12:15pm round... but again... all this depends on what the storms look like tomorrow. Check back here for more details, but I'll try to text everyone.
**UPDATE**
Esplanade has us booked at 12:15pm. Check back here around 9:30am, since we still need to monitor the weather a bit just in case.
Bradenton is still missing the rain. I'm sure that won't last all day... but we should be good to go. See you down there.
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