By Rick Colvin
The individual Stableford game July 28 on the Deer Creek led to some extraordinary scores, including three players who racked up more than 40 points.
In Stableford scoring, a net bogey is worth 1 point, a net par, 2 points, a net birdie, 3 points and a net eagle, 4 points. A total of more than 40 means that a player had to likely score points on just about every hole. For example, 18 net pars would add up to only 36 points. Another wrinkle in the game: players were competing to score the most points in their foursome. That produced 13 winners, whose totals ranged from 33 points to 42 points.
Frank Schepis and Mark Lastner each had 42 points, the highest of the day, to win their foursomes. Schepis, with a handicap index of 6, shot a 72, the result of, in his words, “making a lot of putts.” Lastner said he shot his best round in two years and credited a new set of PXG clubs as well as the camaraderie and support of “a great group of guys.” Gary Poleynard was one point behind, with 41, and also won his foursome. He said his driver was working well and he sank his third shot on the 18th hole from 120 yards for an eagle.
Paul Warhola, whose handicap index is 12.3, shot an 80 to score 38 points. He birdied the par 5 3rd and 18th holes with 25-foot putts. Warhola said he got a boost from his foursome. “We had a great group!” he said. “It really affects performance, doesn’t it!” He also said he had just finished reading Raymond Floyd’s book, “The Elements of Scoring,” for the third time. “I hit ‘comfortable shots’ that took trouble out of play,” he said.
Another winner, Mike Morris, scored 39 points and made a 20-foot putt from off the green for a net eagle on the 14th hole. John Higgins, who had 36 points to win his foursome, putted in from off the green for a birdie on the par 3 2nd hole.
Other winners: Rick Cricenti, William Delaney, Brian Harkleroad, David Martin, Bryan Morton, Michael Peebles, and Robert Rubin.
Highlight Reel
Scott Stockslager birdied holes 1, 7, 9, and 16 and shot a 78. Mike Towson chipped in from the front bunker on the par 4 10th hole for a birdie. Greg Snyder also chipped for a birdie on No. 10. Bob Gardner hit his second shot on No. 11 to 7 feet and sank the putt for a birdie.
Wednesday Night Scramble
Finishing with a clutch eagle on the par-5 3rd hole, the team of Bobby Balmes, Don Sturtz, Page Thompson and Deer Creek Head pro Spencer Scheeler won a skin and took top honors with a 7-under 29 in the July 27 game on Deer Creek. Deer Creek Assistant Pro Joey Tilton, Peter Altman, and Bill and Liam Horne won a skin with a birdie on the 1st hole. Marshwood Assistant Pro Courtland Keyes, Mike Mella, David Johnson, and Jack Welch won a skin on the par 3 2nd hole, hitting it close to the back left pin position.
Membership Notes
David Montague and his wife, Carolyn, moved to The Landings July 4 from the Seattle, Washington area. He continues to work as a technology executive for Amazon. David’s most memorable round of golf came at Chambers Bay in Washington with Carolyn in shortly after the 2015 U.S. Open. “It was a whole lot of fun walking in the path of the pros and trying our hand on those bumpy greens!”