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Week 13 Recap

Well, It’s getting down to a 2 horse race at the top of the League:  Ron and Ian and Tony and Luis are only 2 points apart as we wind down the Initial Competition of finding the League Champions. Kevin and Russ are lurking nearby, but unless they go 80-0 over the next 2 weeks it is most likely over for them.

It is often said that less is more so I’ll be signing this note off as Les Moore.

Ian and Kevin R. each got another Birdie. Ian leads the Pool with 5 and the also rans are stuck at 3. Step it up campers…

The most exciting thing that happened in week 13 was Ryan Open Mouth Insert Foot Farrell subbed in for Luke Dengue Fever Alves. He brought the written and the verbal banter reminiscent of his Member Days in our League. Jenna warned him that engaging Rusty Potty-Mouth Burdick was a bad life choice, but he just couldn’t control himself. The highlight, if you can call it that, was on the par 4 number 13th hole: 1st shot all you got and then a difficult 2nd shot over water and/or hill and dale to a green recently protected by a red-tailed hawk(s). Tee shots were issued and Ryan Weak Hitter Farrell was first to play his 2nd shot. He pulled out a 3 wood, “Rusty, hold my beer”, and deftly faded that bad boy over the water and onto our green settling nicely 20 feet professionally below the hole. I honestly can’t remember a better approach shot during my years in the league. Well done indeed Ryan. I proceeded to dub my 2nd shot just over the cart path and onto the severe slope of the bank on the right. Next shot was toward the green, but long. Kevin and Jenna were playing too, but my focus was laser-like on Ryan…and a hawk that had not moved from 3 feet off the green between the green and the pond. We had seen it during or 2nd shots and I thought it rather odd that it remained on the ground for so long. Was it hurt? Didn’t seem to be. When we approached I was able to see that it had killed a muskrat and was trying to decide whether to eat it whole or fly off with it. Turns out he couldn’t do either one. As we got onto the green and Ryan wimped his first putt about 10 feet another hawk flew out of the trees and hit the first hawk knocking him off the prize muskrat. As the first hawk recovered his senses about 10 feet away a 3rd hawk came at him and a small tussle ensued with one of them flying off and the victor eyeing the hawk with the muskrat still on the ground. Ryan, visibly shaken by this nature encounter, asked if we could skip this hole and return on Thursday to finish it instead. My response was “we’re settling this now you milk-toasty, carrot-topped SOB”. I popped a mediocre chip out of the cabbage and had 15 feet remaining. I then nudged a putt to about 2 feet with a tricky left to righter. Ryan obviously upset by the death of the muskrat then wobbled his 2nd putt that finally rested 2 feet above the hole. He looked at me anticipating a “good-good” proposition. At a loss for words I did mutter to Kevin, “no way I’m giving him that” and then announced “You’re going to need to putt that”. Ryan cockily stated, “If that’s how you want it, I’ll just drop this and you with a single stroke of this putter”. He then hit it too hard and lipped it out about 4 feet from the hole. “Pick that piece of shit up for what, a 6”? I then slide mine in for a 6 and split the hole. 

Ryan did recover on the next hole with a par, but the mental damage was already done. Final score: Rusty 14 Ryan 6. There were 2 others playing the match but I don’t have the time or the words to professionally describe how Kevin beat Jenna 12-8.

So, check the standings and the matchups for week 14. Only 2 weeks left of Regular Competition and then the playoffs.

Respectfully submitted,

Rusty and Subbing for Luke Ryan “I hate Rusty” Farrell

2019 League Intro

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the 3-Ring Circus that is the Shipley Golf League version 2019. There is plenty to get to so grab your favorite beverage and settle in.

Luke and I just concluded the Winter Meetings about the league. The venue this year was Aruba. Quite windy, but warm. And as you know the wind doesn’t effect Luke’s game a bit. We discussed several ways to improve the pace of play; those thoughts are shared with you in the notes below.

All invitees have until March 17th to declare their intentions of Playing this season or Not Playing this season.

Particulars:

1-Season starts on April 17th, Wednesday’s 

2-Greens Fee is $26 per week. 18 weeks x $26 = $468 + $25 prizes = $493 

Pay Russell Burdick (12 Plant Ave, Hudson MA 01749) by check or by electronic transfer:  Account Number 004661868409,  Routing Number (paper & electronic) 011000138, Routing Number (wires) 026009593.

3-No strokes are given on par 3’s. Continue to use current hdcp to calculate the Net scores. 

4-There are now assigned tee-times for each foursome. No Grace period. Go out on time; if late, run to catch up with your group. Each hole you don’t play you lose and record  the maximum allowable for that hole.

5-USGA reduced the time to look for lost balls this year. So have we. 1 minute maximum. Then your opponent drops a ball for you to hit. One stroke into the junk, one stroke for the dropped ball and you are now hitting your 3rd shot.

6-Maintain pace of play. If the Ranger tells you to step it up, step it up. If the Ranger tells you to pick it up and go to the next tee-box, pick it up and go to the next tee-box. Record double bogeys for each player in the group and then keep up the pace of play.

7-If you can’t or refuse to improve your pace of play Your Team will be assigned the last tee-time each week for the rest of the season.

8-Anyone with a handicap of 14 or more are now required to use the Yellow Tee Boxes. Your name will be highlighted in Yellow on the Standings page for that week that it applies. As your play improves you can move to the Blue tees, not before.

9-Handicaps are now calculated using the middle 10 of the last 14 scores(throwing out the lowest 2 and the highest 2). This has no material effect on your handicap, but will reduce the number of times it changes during the season.

10-Birdie Pool: $20 to get in. Regular Season Only. Payout is 60,30,10.  Must putt out all birdies and eagles: no gimmies. It doesn’t matter whether you are playing from the Blue or Yellow or Red tees. Kevin Riley is the current favorite. There will be a Special Prize if anyone manages to beat him this year. Sorry Kevin, my job is to whip these savages into a frenzy….

11- Notes concerning subs and playoffs will follow.

Luke and Rusty