Despite a sunrise air temperature of 37 degrees and a 45-minute frost delay to the start of November’s final round, there were surprisingly few defections among the members scheduled to play on the cart-path-only Magnolia course. As it turned out, the rapidly warming sunshine had players in shirtsleeves by the end of the round.
Flight 1 winners with 128 Team Stableford points included David Foley, Gary Hobbs, Bret Hardy and Lewis Warren. In second place with 124 points was a threesome of Ron Thomas, Larry Batanian and Ed O’Donnell. The team of John Higgins, Rich Emmons, John Bellucci and Robert Jackson placed third with 122 points.
The Flight 2 team of Don Snyder, Rich Thomas, Scott Happ and Brian Piening fared best overall with 138 points. Second place in Flight 2 with 127 points included David Ryan, Bob Benson, Randy Choat and Ken Ritz. Third place went to Steve Thomas, Brad Battista, Bob Lynn and Bill Delaney with 122 points.
In the Skins competition, Mike Allen cleaned up with net skins for both birdie and eagle. Rick Hartbrodt and Bill Delaney each scored double eagles, while three additional eagles went to Bruce Decker, John Garone and Tom Richards. A final birdie to share the purse was collected by Robert Jackson.
MEMBERSHIP NOTES
Scott and Romaine Ireland are still hunting for a permanent base in The Landings and renting here until they find it. Meanwhile, Scott is an active LMGA member and continues to play every chance he gets. A former harbor and river pilot and graduate of the State University Maritime College at Ft Schuyler, NY, three of his children—a son and two daughters—followed him into maritime careers. One daughter worked here at the Port of Savannah and another currently captains a Staten Island Ferry! Scott grew up and honed his game at New York City’s Silver Lake municipal golf course on Staten Island. His “very streaky” single-digit handicap proves conclusively that a public course can yield great golf results.
Charlie and Diane Pellenberg are also native New Yorkers transplanted to The Landings one year ago, and he’s been a LMGA member just a few months. His favorite golf memory happened while playing at a charity Pro-Am event in Princeton, NJ. Facing a daunting shot over a par 3 water hole, pro Jan Stephenson urged him on and promised his ball wouldn’t go in the water. His shot missed the water hole, he said—but still went into the drink when he hooked it into a nearby home’s swimming pool.