WGA Play Day Results for March 28th 2012

Another banner day for the National Golf Club Ladies!  The day started out with a bit of chill in the air.  It was cold enough for Pia to threaten abandonment of WGA Play day but she toughed it out and the day turned out to be warm and sunny with a bit of that old Scottish wind.  We had nineteen 18-holers and four 9-holers competing for big money today in the First Presidents Cup of the year.

The 9-holers had Mrs. Karen Mamuzic topping the Gross Division with a score of 58 and Beverly Logan cashing her second check of the year with a score of 41 net to wrap up the 1st place honors in the Net Division.  Nice work ladies, don't spend it all in one place.  Oh wait a minute you can only spend that in one place, my bad.

We had some real fireworks in the 18 hole division.  Our steady Eddie, Mrs. Norma Hyland went from second place last week to 1st place this week to capture 1st place money in the Gross Division with a nice round of 82.  Great work, Norma!  The real newsmaker of the day was Lisa Butcher posting her career best round at National that started off with a nice birdie chip in on the 17th hole.  High fives were flying post round in the Pro Shop for Lisa.  Her career best round of 84 for a net 64 was good enough to capture 1st place in the Net Division by 7 shots.  What a great round.  Congratulations to Lisa!  Can you guess what her devoted husband had to say about her excellent round?  "Just think how good you would be if you practiced."  Thanks for the words of encouragement, Pat.

We had two chip in's today.  Hole number #9 was had by Susie Points and hole #17 of course, by Net Champion Lisa Butcher.  The birdies were also flying today with 5 total.  Susie Points lead the way with two birdies on holes #9 & #17 followed by Dot Kennihan on #7, Cindy Tew on #16, and Lisa Butcher on hole #17.

Great work to all the ladies and we look forward to seeing you all at next week's WGA Play Day.

NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE SWITCHING TO A 9:00AM SHOTGUN START

Let's have little less talking out there an a little more practice ladies!

Bob loves the Ladies!  I'll take two he says.

Diane Tate staring one down as Susan sits in the cart trying to  remember the details of the Bunker lesson she took a year ago.

Stephanie thought the wind was blowing harder on that one as it flew straight over the flag.

Where did you say you wanted me to put my camera, Susie?

Cindy Boals loading up to pipe one down the middle while Bev Harper is all smiles waiting for her turn.

Pia driving one over the water with ease.  

Couples Golf March 25th 2012

Lorraine Chalas showing the group how it's done on the 13th hole.

The first of this years Couples Golf Events was completed on Sunday, March 25th despite some threatening weather.  As the day started we had some beautiful warm weather with s few clouds forming but as play commenced at 1pm the big rumbling clouds moved in and it looked a bit ominous.  Nothing could deter our couples from finishing though.  We had a few doubters who when hearing a few rumbling sounds of thunder were motivated to move closer to the clubhouse.  Rick Knight heard some loud thunder but assured me based on his scientific background it was miles away.  Turns out that guy has brains to go along with those rugged good looks.  Dodging a few raindrops along the way the Couples finished in just over 4 hours then sat down in the Cornerstone for a nice meal.  While they waited for their meal they watched the UNC Tarheels being ousted from the NCAA tournament and Tiger winning his first PGA tour event in two years.  According to Ronnie that guy might be back on track.  Just before dinner Gordon stepped to the bar and announced the big winners of this years first Couples Golf.  The closest to the hole winners were announced first with Rick Knight throwing inside of 6ft on the 9th to collect $10 in shop credit.  Not to be outdone Stephanie Stokes hit a beautiful shot that finished inside of 10ft to best all the other ladies for her closest to the hole finish on the 12th hole.  Enjoy that $10 in shop credit Stephanie!  Now on to the team winners.  We paid out 3 places in the event with the team of Steve Schwerin, Chip & Pat Peterson taking the 3rd place spot ($10 per couple) with a score of 60.  Lorraine was home nursing an injured back but assured me she would be happy to spend the $10 in shop credit that her hubby won for being part of the 3rd place team. The 2nd place winners ($20 per couple) were Dave & Lynn Dunn along with Ray & Becky Deaton.  They turned in a score of 58.7.  Only 7 tenths of a shot out of a tie for 1st place.  Every time those two couples team up they are cashing a check.  Great work Dunn's & Deaton's!  The big winners of this years first Couples Golf is Russell & Stephanie Stokes along with Lorraine Chalas and Rick Finnin.  Paul Courneya had numerous complaints about the group behind them hitting the ball to far which turned out to be long hitting Dr. Stokes.  The team capitalized on his distance to bring home the bacon.  The score of 58 was just good enough to capture the first place prize of $30 per couple.  Great work team Stokes, Chalas & Finnin!  Thanks to all the couples for coming out and playing.  Even though the weather was not ideal we had a nice showing with 28 players.  Hope to see you next time.  Couples golf in April will be on the 29th.  It will be a 1pm shotgun start with dinner to follow in the Cornerstone.

At least the weather was nice for the practice before the start.  Play started on time despite multiple threats of bodily harm to pro shop staff (namely me) if it started to rain.  Sorry Mrs. C.  At least it didn't rain the whole time.

Pat Black cleaning up another one of Jim's messes on the 9th green.

Dave Harper wanted to make sure I caught on Camera the vibrant Yellow outfit he was sporting.  Sorry Dave I don't know what went wrong with my camera. 

I did however manage to capture this beautiful blue jacket that Bev Harper was wearing.

The Mamuzic's Look on as Joel Tew stripe one up onto the 15th green.

Ouch!  Just a little bit farther Rick.

Chip Peterson launches one as Pat looks on in amazement.

Another banner day for the ladies today on their WGA play day.  We had a total of 26 ladies playing today.  Twenty one ladies in the 18 hole division and 5 ladies in the 9 hole division.  The weather had a bit of everything in it today.  A chill in the air this morning which gave way to bright warm sunshine (with plenty of pollen) then a tiny rain shower to cap it all off.  This did not phase my ladies though they came through with some blazing scores in both the Gross and Net divisions.  To top out the Gross division in the 18 holers newcomer Sharon Fields carded an 81.  She had a great front nine score of 39 and ended up edging out our steady Norma Hyland who took second place with 84.  Nice going, Sharon!  The Net Division was a real battle with Becky Deaton claiming first place money with a red hot round of 66.  Our Becky is known to do that from time to time.  Nice work Mrs. D!  Susie Points was hot on her heels with a very nice round of her own of 67 which was good enough for second place prize money by 4 shots.  Great job, Susie!  In the hotly contested 9 hole division we had Paula McEachen trying her hand in the 9 hole game (She has been a regular with the 18 hole ladies).  Paula took home top honors in the Gross Division with a score of 57.  Nice work, Paula!  The net division was close with Mrs. Logan draining a 30 foot put to come within two strokes of the eventual winner, Mrs. Cathy Roofe who shot a nice 44 net.   Last but not least we had Lynn Dunn chip in on the third hole for the lone chip in of the week.  She took home a cool $12.50 for her efforts.  Great work, ladies!  See you next week for the First President's Cup of the year.

Who is that lady fishing balls out of the lake?  She must be getting someone else's ball out for them because I know she would never hit one in there.

What a putt!  Beverly Logan drains a 35 footer on the 18th hole. 

That does not phase Cathy one bit as she calmly steps up to her ball and finishes with a two put victory in the Net division of the 9 hole ladies.

Look at how close Karen Finegold hit that ball to the hole.  What a shot!

Lynch, Boals and Finegold discussing strategy on the 9th green.

WGA Opening day a SUCCESS!

It was a foggy start to the much anticipated WGA Opening day with a few people (Pia) talking about the cold weather.  The day turned out to be a beautiful one with 80 degree March weather.  How could you ask for a better day?  National Golf Club opened up after a major green renovation project which had the course closed since November 21st.  We really don't appreciate something as much until we don't have it anymore and I think that is what many of our members were feeling about their beloved golf course.  The ladies were all smiles this morning and excited to get back out on their Nicklaus masterpiece.  I could not think of a more fitting way on this exciting day, than to have our Ladies christen the reopening of the course.  Like I always say, "Ladies first." The ladies began the year with a nice breakfast before play commenced at 10:00 am this morning.  The format for the day was to mix the 9 holers and the 18 holers for a captains choice event.  We had 7 teams of 4 competing for the big money today along with some side money for the Chip in pot.  The team of Dot Kennihan, Karen Finegold, Lois Lee, and Pat Blank captured first place money with a score of 59.  The team of Susan Courneya, Wanda Little, Betty Lynch, and Beverly Logan were edged out by only 4 tenths of a shot.  The first place team was helped along with Pat "The Chipper" Blank who had 3 chip ins on holes 2,8, and 16.  It seems like it would be hard to loose with one of your partners chipping it in all the time.  Mrs. Butcher got a piece of the Chip in pot with a nice shot on the 10th hole.  Congratulations to the winning teams and to all the ladies for a very successful opening day event.  We look forward to next week's event and hope to have as many players!

Carts are staged and ready to go.  All we need now are some ladies

Here they are waiting for some delicious breakfast.

Susan and Norma want to know who is in charge of the weather?  I told them it was Tom for the morning and I was in charge of the weather for the afternoon.

Paula McEachen singing praises for hitting one down the fairway on hole #16

Phyllis Hudson putting up the hill on #15 while her teammates look on.

Stephanie Stokes showing her short game prowness on the 14th hole.

Cathy Roofe striking a pose on the 14th while her teammates Tracy Lorenz and Norma Hyland look on.

Long hitting Buckland stripes another one down the center.

Striking a pose for the camera here.  Looking good Mrs. B.

Pat "The Chipper" Blank conducting a short game clinic near the 13th green.

Dot has never missed one from that distance and she is not about to start now!