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Notes for Next Week's Two-Man Scramble
In our first attempt playing a two-man scramble, a couple of items should be mentioned. First, this is a net scramble played from the blue tees. Handicaps for the pair will be calculated as the average of their indexes (not blue tee handicaps) and that average will then determine their team handicap. This is NOT a shamble like we have always played. In this scramble, players will play from the team's best shot on every stroke through the hole and record a single score per hole for the team on their scorecard. Participation in the weekly side game MUST be done as a pair and payouts will be paid accordingly. Be sure when letting me know that you are playing next week to mention who you are partnering with! If you are wanting to play but don't have a partner, let me know that too and I'll do my best to pair you up. If we're unable to pair you with a partner, you are definitely still welcome to come and play your weekly round.
Congratulations Jake Vieth, Our New Club Champion!
Jake Vieth proved best in the last round of this year's Club Championship tournament. For the two rounds, Jake shot an even par 142 after following up his first round one over par with a second week 70 to secure the victory. Finishing runner-up in the gross flight was ten-time champion Bill Barry who still has a great game and shot two over par 144 for the two week event. Things got very interesting coming down the stretch as Jake made bogey on the short par 5 17th hole but held a two shot lead over Bill going into the final hole where both players made birdie to close it out. Finishing in 3rd place in the gross flight was Kyle Barry who is also a previous champion. Kyle followed up what was a disappointing first round for him with a second round one under par 70 to shoot 148 for the two weeks securing third place.
The A flight in the net division of the tournament was captured by Max Robertson. Max, the first round leader in the gross flight, struggled a bit in the second round but the 4 handicapper played well enough to win the A flight by two strokes over his nearest competitor with a two week total net 141. Finishing in second was Will Stark, a 10 handicap who ended net one over par for the two weeks. Rounding out the top five in the A flight was Bernard Cruz at net 144, Kent Gurney at net 145, and Lou Casselle at net 147.
The B flight was captured by Mario Zuniga who had far and away the best net score of all players in the event. Mario, a 16 handicapper shot a pair of gross 83's for an eight under par net 134 and a seven stroke victory for the tournament. In second place of the B flight was Pete Biscan, a 17 handicap who stormed back with a net 63 in the second round to score a net one under par for the two weeks. Rounding out the top five in the B flight were Daniel Balsells at net 147, Kevin Hobbs at net 149, and Byron Balsells at net 150. Congratulations to all who cashed in this year's championship!
Two Man Scramble Up Next in October
For the first time in many years, we've added a true two-man scramble to the tournament schedule. To be played from the blue tees, be sure to partner with the right partner whose strengths in the game compliment yours. The date for the fun is October 26th so mark your calendars and we'll see you there!
NOTE: Major Changes Made to Tournament Schedule!
The club received notice this week that the course will be punching greens on the 5th and 6th of September this year which is quite a bit earlier than in years past. This has impacted our Club Championship tournament which was originally scheduled for the two weeks of August 31st and September 7th. We definitely do not want to play a round of that tournament on freshly punched greens. Instead, we have moved the Chicago Format tournament up to August 31st and moved the Club Championship to September 21st and 28th. To hopefully ease the pain, an additional tournament has been added and the final three tournaments of the year following the championship adjusted to dates accordingly. Please check out the updated Tournament Schedule.
Renew Memberships or Join Our Club Online
All existing members needing to renew their memberships or any new members wishing to join our crazy group can now do it all online as a part of the SCGA website by clicking here. This is a new and completely optional way to pay your annual dues. Existing members and those wishing to join may still pay in person either in cash or by check if you prefer. If you have any questions, feel free to either email us or track down on Saturday morning and we'll do our best to answer them.
Join The Hole-In-One Pot
Congratulations go out to John Hennes for his hole-in-one on the seventh hole and becoming the third member to capture the hole-in-one pot! The previous winners were Bill Barry on #3 and Mark Carlton on #16. On this one, John's playing partners raved at the perfect shot that took one hop and disappeared into the hole. What this means for the rest of us is that it's time to re-enter with the hopes that we can join that elite group.
If interested, contact Bruce Wilder to get signed up. The $10 entry is a one-time payment good until another ace wins the pot. The hole-in-one must be scored at Whispering Lakes on a Saturday morning during regular men's club play. Click here to see who's already on board.
New Guest Guidelines
With the club growth we have experienced in the last year along with the limitation of required tee times, it has become necessary to establish some guidelines on bringing guests to join us on Saturdays. First, guests can only be accommodated on a space-available basis. The first priority for tee times must be for club members. Second, no guests should be brought on any tournament day. Tournament days have bigger draws and especially with different tournament formats, it is not the opportune time to bring non-members. Finally, we are going to begin limiting the number of guests to one per member on any given week. If any member wishes to bring multiple guests, a guaranteed tee time cannot be determined until Friday morning when the groups are established and shared. If there is space available at that point, the multiple guests will be welcomed. If you have multiple guests and require a guaranteed tee time, it is suggested that you contact the pro shop and get a time outside of the men's club set tee time reservations. Thank you to all for your understanding and cooperation in this. It is appreciated.
Net Double Bogey to Replace Equitable Stroke Control!
Handicap index calculation for members is changing beginning January 1st as the new Rules of Handicapping are introduced and implemented in the United States. First, your index will be based on the 8 best scores out of the past 20 posted scores rather than the lowest 10 scores out of the last 20 as it currently does. This change should be minor but you may see a change in your index after the 1st of the year even if you haven't played.
Additionally, the maximum score for each hole will now be limited to a Net Double Bogey. This can be calculated as par + 2 + the number of handicap strokes you receive on that hole. This calculation will be the same for all golfers and there are no longer different maximum scores based on a range of values that an individual's current handicap fits within.
Finally, beginning January 1st, handicap index updates will be made daily so your handicap will change the day after you post a score. On days you don't play, obviously no update will take place. As for player handicaps used for weekly and club competitions, our Men's Club will continue to update and post players' indexes twice a month on the 1st and 15th of each month. So for side games within your foursome, it will be up to you whether you use each player's current index or their posted index. But for participation in our group side game and tournaments, all players will play to the handicap posted in the pro shop. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with Bruce Wilder, our handicap chairman and resident expert on these changes!