By TONY CHERBY
BUENA VISTA—Tom Gahr, the Ocean City Tuesday Senior Golf League’s awards coordinator, will be presenting two Ocean City High School golf team players graduating this year with $750 grants at the school’s annual awards ceremony June 3.
We’ll announce the recipients’ names shortly. We’ve been doing this every June for about 12 years. The awards are funded by our members and by Heritage Links Golf Club in Ocean View. Ron Prettyman represents Heritage Links. He and his family, who own that great nine-hole “short course,” have exhibited a degree of support that is as good as it gets in the grand tradition of giving that golf in America is all about. We thank him for Heritage’s generous support in this endeavor.
Our second week of play was marked by a second week of glorious spring weather that showcased the lush emerald fields at Buena Vista Country Club. It’s a pretty place, offering a nice ride through the pinelands of South Jersey that’s included with your greens fees at no extra charge. Then there was the golf, which did not come close to matching the lovely landscape.
I’m not sure what happened this time around the ballpark, but our final tallies were “a bit” higher than usual. Only two of us broke 90. (A 90 for cotton tops is the new 80.) Gerard Burton’s 88 took Low Gross for the day and our most prolific low grosser, Ralph Delanzo, came back to the barn with a nice 89.
Ralph was the “lonesome end” in his foursome; which, if you do the math, means it was a threesome. That means he had to battle a “ghost,” which happened to be Burton.
The next best score was 95, thrown in by Rich Hawthorne. Rich had a close match with Bill Gardner. Bill had a 96 but, thanks to his higher handicap, Fire Marshal Bill pocketed all 4 points.
In another notable dustup, George the Inspector Curtis and Jack Hiner were in a virtual dead heat when they came to their final hole, the monstrous par-5 10th. Only two pars appeared there this day, posted by Burton and Bill Wright; last week, only one made an appearance. But prevail Curtis did with a fine bogey, always a good score there. GC took the match, 4-0.
Here are the other match results: Rick Schultz 4, Gerard Burton 0; Charles Smyth 4, Tony Cherby 0; Dave Carter 2, Tony Cornell 2; Ed Lyons 3, Doug Baird 1; Jim Hurston 3, Bill Wright 1; Dane Mayson 3, Stan Borucki 1.
I’m giving Doug Baird “Shot of the Day” honors. His approach shot on the par-5 seventh rattled betwixt and between the flag and the cup and settled down 6 or 7 inches from the Promised Land. “What might have been” might have been the only eagle we’ll see this season.
Finally, a most hearty welcome to our newest member, Frank Coppenbarger. Frank is the retired Philadelphia Phillies director of team travel and clubhouse services. (I’m hoping to hear a bunch of stuff about The Krucker.) Hawthorne says he’s the one who talked to Frank about hopping on our bus. He climbed aboard anyway.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
LOW GROSS: Gerard Burton (88)
LOW NET: Ralph Schultz
LOW PUTTS: Ed Lyons (31)
CLOSEST TO THE PINS:
No. 5 Smyth 18’1″
No. 8 Gardner 27’4″
No. 12 Wright 26’4″
No. 17 Burton 2’2″
BIRDIES: Burton (2) on 3, 17; Borucki on 8; Baird on 7
MOST PARS: DeLanzo (6)