BUENA VISTA — Ralph Pansini was the leading money winner for the day in the Ocean City Senior Golf League, after manufacturing a two-birdie round on his way to a bunch of great results.
First, he shot a league-leading score of 87, which paved the way to a winning low net 66. And this is only the beginning of his story. Ralph’s trek around the track also was highlighted by an 8’ 1” Closest to the Pin win on hole 5, wherein and thereafter he canned his short-sticker for the first of his two birdies. His second birdie came on the par 3 17th. Congratulations, Ralph, on one marvelous round of golf.
Footnote: Cornell and I made sure to check out how our customized drop zone on hole 17 works. We sacrificed our scores to benefit all our members with the research knowledge that we gained; in other words, we intentionally dunked our tee shots for their sake. I refer here to the special drop zone on hole 17 that you can find in the Local Rules on our website; the one that is quite precisely defined as being “under the tree.” Check out our local rules. I dare you. (You will be the first to do so.) Bottom Line: The drop zone works. This is so thanks in no small part to the fact that the branches under the tree extend way, way out toward the green side of said tree.
Golfers sometime forget that those four pars-3s on just about every standard 18-hole golf course are where we can really help our bottom lines. The advantage here is obvious when you think about it. We can actually get to at least within a chip ‘n a putt of a green four times. If we could only do something about those sand bunkers.
Pansini brought his son along as a guest. We always make room for guests in our league. We can use the extra cash. And that nice young fellow can hit the ball a proverbial mile. He got birdies on both par-5s (3 and 7) on the outward nine, thanks to 250-plus yard drives. He then bagged a third birdie on hole 9 on his way to a sparkling 39. Thanks for bringing the kid along, Ralph. His limber countenance reminds us of a time when we didn’t have to decide whether we really needed that dime on the ground before making the onerous effort to scoop it up. Then again, some of us will take a header for a nickel and worry later about becoming ambulatory once more.
Speaking of birdies, a few weeks ago I predicted that we would never see another one on Satan’s own back yard, i.e., hole 10 or “A Day at the Beach;” this, after Bill Wright bagged one there whilst accompanied by one of his chartreuse spheres. Anyway, guess what? I shanked that one. Dan Stang proved me wrong, dead wrong. Steely Dan only recently arrived from his winter quarters in South Carolina, took home a 4 on 10 as well. And there were “only” four 8s and one 9 on 10 this time, so we’re getting better. And then two holes later, which put him somewhere around hole 12, Dan the Man did can a second feathery fellow on his way to a Closest to the Pin win. That’s a 2 on 12, a hole where you must thread the bunkers. Welcome back to beautiful downtown South Jersey, Dan.
And then Tom “Da Coach” Gahr, who graced us with his presence this week because it didn’t rain in Rehoboth Beach, also came up with a great birdie. He bagged his feathery fellow on hole 15. (I looked up synonyms for “birdie.” There are no good ones that make sense in the golf world. “Shuttlecock” is the closest one that I found. So, I must self-congratulate myself; “feathery fellow” works for me.) By the way, how’s this for a hole’s name? “Nice. Nice. Not Thrilling. But Nice.” Yes, that’s what someone conjured as the official moniker for No. 15.
The only other sub-90 effort this week besides Pansini’s was recorded by a first timer to our league, Mark Lapham. And he did it on his very first at Buena Vista. Mark shot an 88. I know it was his first time because I met him on the driving range before our day commenced. After introducing myself, I asked Mark how in the world he found out about our Gang of Merry Pranksters. As Jack Paar used to say, “I kid you not.” when I tell you that Mark’s reply was, “My wife read about your league in this crazy article that they let some nitwit put in the paper downa shore. Who the heck is he, anyway?” To which, I replied, “Rich Hawthorne. You should see his driver and his 3-wood.”
Anyway, welcome to the pack, Mark. I am late in issuing the same greeting to three others who are now on our bus. So I will right now because, around here, you are either “On the Bus or Off the Bus,” which by the way is a literary reference from the hazy ‘60s which I don’t remember all too well most days, if at all. Our 2022 additions to the league are, besides Mark, Ed Lyons, Rick Schultz and Rick Frank.
The Points Standings in our Race to September looks like this:
Cristella 18
DeLanzo 15
Keenan
Cornell, Wright, Hiner 12
Carter 11
WEEKLY WINNERS:
LOW GROSS Ralph Pansini 87
LOW NET Ralph Pansini 66
FEWEST PUTTS Tony Cherby 30
CLOSEST TO THE PIN
No. 5 Ralph Pansini 8’1”
No. 8 nessuno
No. 12 Dan Strang 12’2”
No. 17 Rich Hawthorne 15’
