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Date: 20 Sep 2006 12:52:06
From: Thor
Subject: This one goes to eleven!!
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The Spinal Tap (these go up to eleven!) RSG-Ohio 2006
took place last week in the southern and eastern parts of CowLumbus.
The 'up to eleven' phrase now is in the Oxford English Dictionary
meaning to exceed normal capabilities. RSG-Ohio 2006 was the
eleventh RSG-Ohio, and each year seems better than the last. As
always, I can relate a few events, but cannot capture the essence of
the camaraderie and good feeling that only comes from a long
weekend of golfing with great friends both old and new.
It started early for me, on Thursday afternoon, when I met the
man who was to become Rock Pile and his friend Phil for a round
at Muirfield Village, where The Memorial tournament is held each
year. Phil has a brother who invited us to play and of course I
jumped at the chance. It was fantastic playing that course which
I have seen and watched closely for so many years... knowing how
the ball would bounce on the green, remembering shots that the
pros had hit. It was wonderful! Thanks Phil!
Then back home for final preparations and then awake early for the
RSG-Ohio Pre-Warmup Round on Friday at Blacklick Woods. I arrived
and took care of business with the course, and then walked back to
the parking lot. First to arrive was no surprise: the little red
truck of Bill-O! Not coincidentally, he was playing with me in
the first group. Then others arrived - it is SO good to see each
face and shake hands and hugs. Scott had even brought me a very
thoughtful gift of Bunnahunnabunabanuhubbanain! Thanks, Scott!
Also in our group were Dave Tutelman and Stemmah. I had a Nassau
match against Stemmah, and I easily won the front 9 4-up. Meanwhile
Dave T, who is a master storyteller, told us stories when we waited
between shots... they always seemed to begin "We were a foursome at
Hominy Hill", and Stemmah picked up on that and throughout the weekend
this phrase was used humourously, especially when Dave T began to
speak. On the back, Stemmah came alive and not only won the back, but
halved the total so no money exchanged hands. Good comeback!
The weather, by the way, was perfect.
In the afternoon, we played a course that until recently was a
private course. I was blessed with the presence of Her Royal Hotness
herself, Kelly Newell, and we played a fun match against Barefoot Jon
Green and The Stork (John Griffin, who organized some RSG-Indiana
events years ago). We beat the Jo[h]ns for a beer, but the joking,
laughing and fun talk were what made the round great.
We sat on a timber wall behind the 18th green, sipping our victory
brew and watching groups come in. This green is evil, and several
bets were made, including one where Tex told Neal-San Bell that he
would get $100 if he got up and down from the back bunker. Nope. Was
actually over the green in two from there. I then offered the
staggering sum of $1 if he got up and down from that point, but he had
had enough and just picked up his ball.
We headed to dinner at The Red Robin, and took lots of pictures and
told tales of the day... then some met for a Homebrew Exchange at
one of the hotels. We gathered outside one of the side doors where
they let us (well, maybe nobody asked), and sampled various homebrews
that Rock Pile and award-winner-and-master-beer-judge Chuck B had
brought. It was fantasmic! I especially liked Haggis Squeezin's, and
was honored to have an RSG-Ohio ale. Much too late, I went to bed.
After breaking 80 on both rounds on Friday, I hoped my game was ready
for The Main Event(TM). But as per usual, I cannot seem to play well
in my own tournament. The Players Club is quite hard, it was very
foggy and I got off to a poor start and never recovered. By the time
we got to the impossible run of holes 14-16, I was just trying to make
a birdie to win a skin, but couldn't do it. I did achieve the
greatest 9 on a hole ever, though! I hit a ball left woods, then
a provisional right woods. Then my 5th shot was right down the middle
(I didn't call it a provisional, and was a bit unsure of the
status of the first ball if I had actually found it). Then my 6th
faded into the trees just short of the green, and had to hit a low
shot over a very steep bunker - my attempt was 3 inches short. Laying
seven, my ball was solidly buried under that lip. I heard Tex and
Mark Georg discussing my shot, and I figured I would be lucky to get
it out, much less up and down. I literally swung my lob wedge as
hard as I could and it just got over the lip and onto the green. I
really really wanted to make that 20 footer.... and did, staying in
single digits, wooohoo!. I had arranged for the course to fly the
RSG-Ohio flag on the 18th hole, and it was a welcome sight when
we finally arrived.
The groups staggered in, brutalized by this tough course and
especially the finishing holes. But one golfer shined very brightly
and shot an incredible 74, becoming both RSG-Ohio Champion (based
on net score) and Premier Golfer (based on gross score).
ANNOUNCING THE RSG-OHIO 2006 ELEVENTH ANNUAL CHAMPION:
Shawn Beachy!
ANNOUNCING THE PREMIER GOLFER OF THE YEAR:
Shawn Beachy!
The Champion and Premier golfer is Shawn Beachy, who also was the
Champion in 1997. I met him on RSG way back in 1995 or 96.
Congratulations, Shawn!!
I had unknowingly totally screwed up the great scoring spreadsheet
that Tex had created, and we had to find an original copy and re-enter
all of the data. A very BIG and special THANKS to Tex for the work he
has done on this spreadsheet and for entering all the scores as well!!
We had a wild and crazy awards ceremony, with a golf towel for each
donated by Toucan Golf (http://www.toucangolf.com), plus prizes
donated by Clubmaker Online (http://www.clubmakeronline.com),
Parabolic golf (http://www.parabolicgolf.com), The Club Dor
(http://www.clubdor.com), Birdie Balls (neat practice balls -
http://www.birdieball.com), Rain Chute (http://www.rainchute.com), and
many many more personal donations by those attending. I won't try
to list them all. Also, a photo of each group teeing off was donated
by Super Dave and Bob's Action Photo (http://www.bobsactionphoto.com).
The photos should be online there soon. Super Dave also announced
each match on the tee and their history and credentials. It was great.
Then came what is always my favorite part of the event: Match Play
Madness (TM)!! Chaos on the first tee as pairings are made.
Handicaps - bah, they don't indicate much in MPM. For more
information regarding Match Play Madness(TM), see
http://rsgohio.com/mpm.txt
We watched as John Yoshizawa hit his tee shot way way right into the
parking lot. Deuce and I hurried over there - we wanted to see this!
And his ball had come to rest in a patched area that was all cracked.
See it (and eventually more RSG-Ohio pictures) here:
http://rsgohio.netfirms.com/rsgohiopics/nfpicturepro/thumbnails.php?album=4
or here:
http://tinyurl.com/q6j8s
He had a bad lie in the parking lot! John arrives and gamely takes out
his sand wedge. He eyes the ball... lifts his club... and...
TAKES A PRACTICE SWING!!!
Awesome! He looked at the scuffed sole of his club, shrugged his
shoulders, and hit a great shot back in play. I hear he halved the
hole. A new legend born of Match Play Madness (TM). John, you gotta
come back every year! No, you can't borrow my clubs!!! :-)
I played a match with Mike Dalecki (a single digit handicapper like
myself, I think... maybe), and played it to a half. We played stymies
this year, but none occurred in our group. Deuce Dean (Ohio) and Jon
Green (World) were the other match. The 9th hole (these are 9-hole
matches), is a shortish par 3, with a large, well-bunkered, green.
As we played the 7th and 8th holes we could hear the roars increasing
as each group finished. I was in the second-last group. We joined
the wild crowd after we finished and watched the final match come in.
It turned out that the overall matches were halved. This was a good
showing for Ohio, because we usually lose. Now, I think we had other
halved matches in previous years, and we left it at that. This year,
however, with that par-3 beckoning, and the crowd wanting a playoff, I
said
"This hole - you and me."
Stupidly, I said it to Tex... Doh! John Pflum caddied for me and
Scott Newell caddied for Tex. If we halved, then the caddies would
play the hole again. Tex hits the green and has a 20 footer for bird.
I push my ball into the bunker. Advantage: World. I study the lie
and know I have to make a good shot. I hit a few practice shots to
get the feel of the sand and make my shot.... to less than 2 feet,
and right in Tex's line. He gave me the putt, lipped his out, and
we had a half. Last chance for a tiebreaker, it was Pflum vs Scott. A
quirk: they had to play with my and Tex's clubs. Scott made a bogie,
Pflagstick had a long putt from the fringe which he left 6 feet short.
He lined it up and there was a huge roar when he made it to win the
matches!!
See it here:
http://www.rsgcincinnati.com/files/OH_2006_make_a_putt.avi
If this doesn't play in Windows Media Player you may need to
download this codec:
http://download.divxmovies.com/XviD-1.1.0-30122005.exe
It was so kewl. Then to Hoggy's for great food, beers, and stories.
I always have a prize for the best story of the events so far... this
night 16 different stories were recounted and voted upon. I told the
tale of John Yoshizawa and his practice swing in the parking lot, and
that was the winner! The prize went to John (who was not at dinner).
Unfortunately the prize was not a new sand wedge!
After dinner, some headed to The Peddler for a beer. I was too tired
and did not stay long but I have heard tales which I am not supposed
to tell about what happened there and Beyond the Minivan....
Sunday morning dawned bright and, uh, well not bright - it was FOGGY.
We had a long fog delay which made me anxious, as I was playing with
Sir Plow in our annual match against those Pesky Canadians, David
Sneddon and Patrick Inglis. I birdied the first hole (a par 5) to go
1-up, and then rode Sir Plowinske's coattails the rest of the way to
victory. The country is safe once again from those Pesky Canadians!!
The rest of the groups finished and some had to leave right away. The
goodbyes began. It is hard when you all go home. Then to the parking
lot and more goodbyes. Another RSG-Ohio was over. I hope you all had
as much fun as I did! And I hope you all come back next year!
-- Thor
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Date: 20 Sep 2006 16:48:10
From: Thor
Subject: Re: This one goes to eleven!!
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RB wrote:
> Thor wrote:
> > The Spinal Tap (these go up to eleven!) RSG-Ohio 2006
> > took place last week in the southern and eastern parts of CowLumbus.
> >
> > The 'up to eleven' phrase now is in the Oxford English Dictionary
> > meaning to exceed normal capabilities. RSG-Ohio 2006 was the
> > eleventh RSG-Ohio ..... <snip> ..... I hope you all had
> > as much fun as I did! And I hope you all come back next year!
> >
> > -- Thor
> >
>
> Thanks for the report! I'm still bummed that I couldn't make it this year.
Me too! But since you and Rock have a challenge match, I know you
both will be there next year!!! Otherwise you forfeit! Wait...
which team
are you on again?
-- Thor
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Date: 20 Sep 2006 18:57:16
From: RB
Subject: Re: This one goes to eleven!!
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Thor wrote:
> RB wrote:
>> Thor wrote:
>>> The Spinal Tap (these go up to eleven!) RSG-Ohio 2006
>>> took place last week in the southern and eastern parts of CowLumbus.
>>>
>>> The 'up to eleven' phrase now is in the Oxford English Dictionary
>>> meaning to exceed normal capabilities. RSG-Ohio 2006 was the
>>> eleventh RSG-Ohio ..... <snip> ..... I hope you all had
>>> as much fun as I did! And I hope you all come back next year!
>>>
>>> -- Thor
>>>
>> Thanks for the report! I'm still bummed that I couldn't make it this year.
>
> Me too! But since you and Rock have a challenge match, I know you
> both will be there next year!!! Otherwise you forfeit! Wait...
> which team
> are you on again?
>
> -- Thor
>
Depends on how the Irish fare against MSU this weekend. :-p
--
Ron
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Date: 20 Sep 2006 18:00:23
From: RB
Subject: Re: This one goes to eleven!!
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Thor wrote:
> The Spinal Tap (these go up to eleven!) RSG-Ohio 2006
> took place last week in the southern and eastern parts of CowLumbus.
>
> The 'up to eleven' phrase now is in the Oxford English Dictionary
> meaning to exceed normal capabilities. RSG-Ohio 2006 was the
> eleventh RSG-Ohio ..... <snip> ..... I hope you all had
> as much fun as I did! And I hope you all come back next year!
>
> -- Thor
>
Thanks for the report! I'm still bummed that I couldn't make it this year.
--
Ron
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