DGA a NJ Golf Club
June
2019
Spooky was in somewhat better shape, even with slow greens. Rich, newly married, Fitzgerald and Jim Petronchak tie for first 1 stroke ahead of Billy the kid. Birdies were scarce on the slow greens but I guess the sand was to some guys liking (how many bunkers to you have to hit to get 3 sandies?). Mr. Rinaldi makes a return from the injured reserve list making his wife happy.
Castle Course - Scotland (6/1/19)
Three DGA's and one guest played the Castle course straight from the airport with two caddies. One was great and one was a good looking boy. The good looking boy wacked Ron in the head with a golf bag and the scar is still visible five days later- Ron avoided surgery, but was in a fog for 4 or 5 holes. The weather was very nice for Scotland - mid 60's. Ron Emma nips Des by one shot after staggering in with a 7 on the last hole. The castle course sits on a hill above the town of ST. Andrews and offers great views of the town and the sea.
Carnoustie - Scotland (6/2/19)
Three DGA's and one guest played Carnoustie links in nice conditions. All four of us had good caddies, except the caddies got both Ron and Tony wet on 18 with bad advice on that hole (lay up - goes right in). Des birdied the #3 handicap from 140 yards from the hay - hit a 9 iron to two feet. Tony and Mike hit the 230 par 3 with 5 irons. Mike said best par of his life. Des played the first four holes in one over par, then proceeded to make 8 on the 5th hole. The course lived up to expectations. definitely will play again in the future.
Kingsbairn - Scotland (6/3/19)
Three DGA's and one guest (Tony Tufts) played Kingbarns in very difficult conditions. 40 MPH winds and high 40's without the wind chill. Rained on us four or five times, but it wasn't steady. We had four caddies, but Des got the only decent one. Course was terrific. One par three on the back - 118 yards. caddie says Ron hit your 7 iron - like all day right OVER the green. Both Des and Ron made great sandies. Tony had two amazing birdies and Mike had another. Two of the three hit the flag stick with 10 feet of extra pace - thank god for the new rule. Des hit the last green from 140 yards with a 6 iron.
St. Andrews Old Course - Scotland (6/5/19)
Quite a day at the Old Course - it rained until about 1 PM and the temps were in the high 40s - then it stayed cloudy but 'warmed up to the low 50s" until the 18th when we had a little light rain. Des Sinclair records 8 nets on the front nine and one "other" and then hangs on to win by one over Mike Jeffries. Ron birdies the brutal 16th hole - knocking it to 3 feet. Mike birdies 8 - on the 9th tee he was going to lay up but his caddie said "you will be the only guy in the last 4 years not to go for it." Mike takes out driver and drives the green - then 2 putts from 100 feet for his second birdie in a row. On the 17th - Mike hits his drive "a bit right and hits a provisional in pretty much the same spot. As Mike and his caddie round the corner of the Old Course Hotel there is a group of 20 guys yelling and pointing. It was Mike's first ball and according to one of the guys "it hit the roof of the Jigger Inn then off a tree, a sign and then bounced down the path ending up in the rough about 150 yard from the pin. His caddie hands him and 8 but the crowd is saying 7 - he goes with 8 and ends up in front. Naturally they heckled his caddie - all in good Scottish fun!
Royal Troon - Scotland (6/6/19)
A great weather day at Royal Troon - sunny, windy and 60 - the forecast for the 3 weeks leading up to our trip showed rain every day! Des Sinclair and Ron Emma tie for the win. The first 6 holes were into the wind and the rough was brutal - in some places 2 feet high just off the fairway. We all played better on the back with more favorable winds mostly at our backs. At the famous par 3 "The Postage Stamp" Mike Jeffries hits it to 15 inches and makes the only birdie of the day. Our guest Tony - missed the green right and ended up with a lost ball - hard to imagine on a 135 yard hole but the rough was that deep. In one of the funniest moments of the trip - Ron is practicing his chipping before the round and loses a ball in the rough near the practice green. This was an omen. Another great track that has hosted the Open Championship most recently in 2016 when Stenson outlasted Mickelson.
Prestwick - Scotland (6/7/19)
Another great weather day for the west coast of Scotland - Sunny and low 60s - with plenty of wind of course. For the last day of our trip we decided to play a "shamble" - everyone hit drives and then we took the best one and played in from there - we played our own balls on the par 3s. Prestwick hosted the first Open Championship in 1860. This is a great track - we played 6551 yards - and that included 5 par 4s at 430, 432, 444, 453 and 458. There are 2 iconic holes with bind shots - one a par 3 and the other a par 4 has a blind second shot with a huge bunker just in front of the green. Des made a great 4 from that bunker. If we were playing our own balls - not sure anyone would have broken net 75.
One other thing we did on the trip was take a day off in the middle - we played Saturday, Sunday and Monday and took Tuesday off. Ron and Des went to a distillery and Mike and Tony a craft brewery. We were all refreshed and ready to go on Thursday at the Old Course.
Green Knoll - WS Qualifier #3 (6/8/19)
World Series Day and Green Knoll was probably in the best shape we've ever seen, but the wind and rough made for some higher than normal scoring. Billy Bylina, who didn't know his score until 30 minutes into Bar Time wins with a Net 69 for a 1 shot victory over Cavallo and he qualifies for World Series. Grote starts hot on the front nine but records a Johnny. Golf twins Perry and Fitzgerald recover from bad front nines and shoot well on the back for their Johnny's... Three PQR's were played, see the scores below.
The 'Summer of Charlie' continues ….Eleven DGA'ers Played Warrenbrook on a perfect weather day. One other, Charlie Connors, played some other course as he shot 65 to win by 4 shots. Nice shooting Charlie ! In individual match play, Min defeats Shawn Smith. What was the score guys? Couldn't find it on the cards. Babo perfectly executes Chapter 13 of his 'How to Manage Your Handicap' best seller.
Neshanic Valley R/L (6/22/2019)
It was great golf weather at Neshanic. Sunny, warm but there was a wind. Not many scores below par and Mansour Rismanchi comes away with the 1 shot win over Billy "Coco" Bylina. Bill's gross 78 wasn't enough. Mansour was tied for second on the front and ties for Net par 3's so it wasn't enough to support the round for the boys at $7 a Coors Light at the newly reinstated bar at Neshanic. I'm guessing GKG next time we play Neshanic?
Once the Coors Lights kicked in Dave Perry got things going on the back with a net 32. Dave also took full advantage of his super hole and birdied 13 for a net 1 and won the net eagle pot with 3. Ron Emma made a rare appearance and finished ties with Jim Rinaldi with 2 greenies. Rich Fitzgerald had a Johnnie, winning the front with a net 31 and the proceeded to shoot a net 45 on the back.
It took 33 holes but there was finally a winner. Rutigliano beat Schuler 4&3.
On a very hot and humid day Billy the Kid uses a scorching front nine for a 4-shot win over Andrew, Mansour and Petro. Rough was high and if you hit in the fescue - almost no chance to find it. Billy defeated Ron Jr in match play. Jeffries and Rinaldi rallied for a 70 in PQR. Frank and Larry struggled to a 77 in PQR. The beer line was a robust 77. Jay had an emergency with on of his crew and had to leave after the 8th hole. His guys is ok. Billy's grandson was rushed to the hospital but is ok too.