By TONY CHERBY
BUENA VISTA— While the Ocean City Senior Tuesday Golf League has just come out of the gate and anyone can win our “Race to September,” our points leaders are Ralph DeLanzo (16), Bill Gardner (12), and Tony Cornell and Dane Mayson (10 each). Sure, it’s very early but believe it or not, as of June 18 we completed a fourth of our 2024 matches.
In addition to one for Most Points, trophies are also bestowed at our end-of-the-season banquet for players who end with the best averages in Gross Score, Net Score, and Putts. But since those relate to rounds played, and that count varies from 1 to 4, calling out those leaders now is meaningless; however, based on what has happened over the last several years, the three or four players who come out of the gate fastest in May and June usually end up being the ones in contention coming down the homestretch in September.
In addition to our major awards, we also recognize best single-round accomplishments for the year for the fewest one-day putt total, and the four “Closest of All Closest to the Pins” on the par 3s. In our league, we have plenty to play for in addition to seven weekly cash prizes that, while small, confer bragging rights – at least for a week or so.
I will report on the leaders in all these categories from time to time as the season progresses. Discussing this now is not very meaningful, and about as entertaining as watching toast grow. Or is it watching grass burn? You get the picture.
Here are match results: Ralph DeLanzo 4 Mark Lapham 0; Doug Baird 4 George Curtis 0; Bill Gardner 4 Dane Mayson 0; Jim Hurston 3 Rich Hawthorne 1; Bill Brandreth 4 A ghost 0; Dave Carter 2 Bill Wright 2; Tony Cornell 4 Charles Smyth 0; Rick Schultz 4 Stan Borucki 0.
Bob Van Zandt and Roger Probert are former members who have hopped back on our bus after being AWOL for about five years. We also have three new members: Tom Bowman, Frank Coppenbarger, and Ron Kelly. All five have to establish handicaps for Buena Vista, so they won’t be eligible to compete in regular matches, or for those major awards until after three rounds. Members are also reminded that they must complete at least 75 percent of all rounds we end up playing to be eligible for the “Big Four” trophies in September. Last year, with 1 rainout, that count was 10.
When I wasn’t looking, someone decided that we should add another category to compete for, that being the week’s “Best Dressed Golfer.” I was volunteered as judge and jury to select the winner out of four nominees, guys who surfaced somehow and were nominated by someone unknown. Anyway, the nominees this time (and hopefully the last time) were Bill Wright for his Fourth of July accoutrement, Frank Coppenbarger for his pumpkin shirt and safari hat, Bill Gardner for his cool lime shirt (but his floppy hat cost him any shot), and Rich Hawthorne for his hat and shirt that kind of matched, and for a pair of socks that really will make that freight train take that dirt road. And the winner, so say I, is Frank Coppenbarger.
As if all this wasn’t enough, someone also suggested that we recognize the player who ends up in the most sand traps each week; last year I looked at Buena Vista using Google Maps and assiduously found 57. A few weeks ago, someone asked Bobby for his tally. Bobby is the manager of all things exterior, and of getting us locked, loaded, and off each morning. He said there are 61 traps. In either case, there sure are a ton of those horrible places.
The first winner of this questionable achievement, based on Bill Wright’s exacting computations, and his alone, is Tony “The Sheik” Cornell who ended up in at least one trap on every hole on his back nine. Also on our website you can see some questionable photographic evidence of what he looked like in one of them go to: ocstgl.golfleague3.net/
SHOT(S) OF THE DAY Cornell’s long drive, 2nd shot, and 15-foot birdie putt; all that, despite 2.4 pounds of sand in each shoe and left front pocket.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Low Gross Ralph DeLanzo (89)
Low Net Bill Gardner (70)
Low Putts Dave Carter (31)
CLOSEST TO THE PINS:
No. 5 David Carter 18’11”
No. 8 Frank Copperbarger 2’7”
No. 12 Rich Hawthorne 8’4”
No. 17 Rich Hawthorne 3’4”
BIRDIES Mark Lapham, Bill Gardner, Tony Cornell
MOST PARS Bill Wright (7)
At top, Vying for “Best Dressed Golfer” in the Ocean City Tuesday Senior Golf League action were Bill Wright, Frank Coppenbarger, Bill Gardner and Rich Hawthorne. Frank was declared the winner.
