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RIPVince Was Last Man Standing

Listed as an upset pick by the CMGC Oddsmaker, Vince managed to lose the fewest balls and emerge on top of a second straight Challenge at Tree Links with a net 75. Scott B. lit up the front nine in 40 strokes and posted a 3 under par at the turn. A shaky start by Vince that included a free drop from the Beverage Cart led to an even par front and a 3 stroke deficit. The field pulled closer together when the highest score posted on #15 was a triple bogey 7 and big numbers on #16 sealed the deal.

The Challenge is a game of attrition. As prognosticated by our Oddsmaker, posting "no big #s" is a requirement. Tree Links' most challenging track in central Ohio reputation reinforced

 Final results for the 2003 Challenge
VR 47 + 48 = 95 - 20 (18.2) = 75
SH 42 + 47 = 89 - 11 (10.8) = 78
JMc 49 + 46 = 95-14 (13.0) = 81
SB 40 + 57 = 97 - 14 (13.3) = 83
SK 52 + 55 = 107-21 (19.4) = 86
RJ 49 + 63 = 112-21 (18.9) = 91
EH 73 + 92= 165-38 (36.4) = 127
itself with several new club records. The course plays much harder than its 123 slope rating thanks to steep hills, hard, fast and small greens, blind shots, gnarly rough and poison ivy filled woods that line most holes. The winning total of 3 over par was up from last year's even par.

Low tech golfSucceeding at golf is a steep uphill battle given the part-time way we all approach this game. It is interesting to note that in an era of unparalleled marketing hype, the golf bag of this year's Challenge winner held lots of "old fashioned" weapons. Used wound Titleist balls dredged from a lake? A first generation titanium driver from 1995? Ping Eye 2 irons from 1982? A wooden headed Stan Thompson Ginty from 1977? A Ping Anser Dalehead putter from 1969? Could it be that the game, at least at our level, comes down to something other than high tech equipment? The equipment is a lot of fun and offers a depth to golf that many other sports lack, but as Bobby Jones observed, "the most important (dimension) in golf is the space between our ears."

SharpiesThe Rules of Golf are nearly as inflamatory as the Handicap System and adhereing to the Rules has sparked many a conversation. Such a conversation was sparked during the 2003 Challenge when confusion arose over the identity of one player's ball. The Rules are absolutely clear in the need to identify your ball, "it is a question of fact" whether or not your ball is your ball. There is no room for speculation nor lattitude for guesses. Thankfully, the solution to ball identity conflicts is extremely simple. A quick poll of the June 24th Golf Meeting attendees indicated that 100% of the attendees carry a Sharpie for uniquely marking their golf balls. In most cases, simply knowing exactly what model and number ball you are about to hit is adequate, although Jeff relayed a story from MB02 where he found two identical balls under a bush and had to return to his previous spot to proceed under the lost ball rule. Since many of our events come down to a single stroke, each one counts. Buy a Sharpie, it's the best way to avoid penalty strokes!

For the record, here were the CMGC Oddsmaker's odds for the 2003 Challenge field:

The CMGC returns to The Phoenix Golf Links for the Summer Heat on July 26th. Bob won the last Summer Heat at The Phoenix by blistering the course with a gross 79 in what may have been better titled the Summer Breeze. See you there.

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