18 PLAYERS TAKE ON DAMP BACK NINE!

October 2, 2012-By Don Nichols

After two days of a steady downpour, eighteen ATAGers  showed up on an overcast, but dry, afternoon to take on the more difficult back nine on a wet, but remarkably playable course (no standing water). Tee time pairings had been sent out beforehand based upon the order of e-mail response to the Call For Players, but the Commissioner, seeing the dark overcast skies and mindful of the fact that daylight would be short lived, resorted to “whoever showed up first on the tee” as a means of determining teams and getting the match underway and completed as quickly as possible.

9 UNDER TAKES IT!  DRAW PARTNERS DETERMINE OUTCOME!

The threesome of Ron Majors, John Wymer, and Marty Arnold finished at 3 under but was catapulted to first place with a score of 9 under after randomly picking Don Nichols (he had a good day) as their draw partner. The other threesome in the field-Russ Jobson, Anthony Morgan, and Mike Schmal-was not so lucky, finishing at +1, and improving only to the DAL score of  -1 after picking Danny Morris (he didn’t have a good day) as their draw partner.

Final Results/Scores  10-2-012 Back Nine

Ron Majors (36), John Wymer (49), Marty Arnold (50), Don Nichols-Draw (42)              -9

Danny Morris (46), Scotty Greene (44), Tom Kisgen (46), Tim Martin (49)                       -7

Jim Williamson (43), Henry Sawyer (48), William Thornton (41),Bill Buist (48)               -6

Doug Healy (53), Frank Corrigan (54), Bill Meagher (42), Don Nichols (42)                     -4

Russ Jobson (47), Anthony Morgan (47), Mike Schmal (44), Danny Morris-Draw(46)    -1

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:  Ron Majors   36    The seven handicapper has his best ATAG round of the year, and his best score since September 29, 2009, when he also posted a 36 on the back nine. At even par through the first seven holes, Majors stumbled with a bogey on #17, then redeemed his great round with a birdie on # 18. The even par score of 36 matches former ATAGer Brad Reese for the best round of the year.

LOW NET WINNER: Ron Majors  3 under  It’s rare when the Low Gross winner also wins Low Net but Majors’ net 3 under was one better than William Thornton and Don Nichols who had assumed that they would be in a chip off.

SHOT OF THE DAY:  Ron Majors   36 of them.

PINK LADY WINNER: Frank Corrigan (54)  This was a drama that unfolded right before the eyes of this writer. Playing in the same foursome as twenty five handicapper Corrigan, fifteen handicapper Doug Healy played steadily poor golf, double bogeying just about every hole and even once double hitting a chip shot, and appeared to be a sure lock to win his first Pink Lady of the year. Meanwhile, Corrigan, uncharacteristically playing under some semblance of control, was four shots ahead of Healy going into the last two holes before making a final desperate run at the end, finishing with a double and a max 7 to squeak by a disappointed Healy who could only manage to make bogey (sinks a long putt)  and par (gets up and down) on the two finishing holes. The pivotal point was Corrigan’s ferocious laser sideways shank tee shot on # 18 that tore through the bushes and over the fence into the far end of the lower parking lot where, fortunately, only the sound of ball meeting asphalt could be heard.

BIRDIE CLUB:  The Birdie Train kept rolling, although at a slower pace, as three birds were donated by Birdie Club members, Ron Majors, Bill Meagher, and Don Nichols. Majors remains the Birdie Club leader with a total of 9 birds.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations Of The Commish)

-The players gathered on the upper deck, this time mostly under soft moonlight as the sunset evenings grow shorter and shorter. As usual, the wings were plentiful, the beer was cold, and there were the usual barbs and sarcasms amongst the players.

-There was a mild controversy over the selection process for the draw partners for both of the threesome pairings. The Commissioner did not wait for the last threesome to finish (they were dragging and late to report to the porch) and, instead, used the scorecards of the three foursomes that had completed their rounds as a pool of twelve players to be selected at random by each of the two threesomes. (the number picked that correlated to that person’s name on the three shuffled score cards). This worked out fine for the Commish who was luckily drawn by the winning team but did not go so well for Danny Morris who saw himself suddenly on the losing team. Morris filed a formal protest saying the pool should have consisted of all 18 players in the field. The Commissioner agreed to address this issue during the winter meetings.

-And, speaking of the winter meetings, they are not that far off as there now remains only two more ATAG matches for the 2012 season. The match originally scheduled for October 16 will not be held so that ATAG Steak Night can be hosted during daylight hours. (Details to follow as to time, place, and cost in a separate e-mail blast to the ATAG roster). The match originally scheduled for the last Tuesday of Daylight Savings Time-Oct 30-has also been cancelled due to the course being closed for the Ansley “Boo Bash”.

-The Commissioner announced that he would miss next week’s match as he will be attending the National Commissioner’s Conference in San Francisco. Deputy Commissioner Danny Morris agreed to send out the Call For Players, assemble the pairings, and keep the stats.

That’s it for this week’s recap of the Back Nine match. Look for the Call For Players from Danny Morris early Monday morning.

ATTENDANCE DWINDLES AS ATAG STARTS TO WIND DOWN!

September 25, 2012-By Don Nichols

Despite great weather and a golf course in excellent condition, last week’s match only attracted six players followed by fourteen players this week as the ATAG season starts its wind down with only five more matches left in the 2012 season.

10 UNDER TAKES THE GOLD!  DRAW PARTNERS PLAY KEY ROLE! COMMISSIONER’S “DREAM TEAM” FINISHES DAL!

With only fourteen players, two teams had to rely on draw partners after completing their rounds, each of whom played a role in the outcome. Finishing in first place was the threesome of Jeff Colbath, Russ Jobson, and Anthony Morgan who saw their score increase from 7 under to 10 under after the random pick of Doug Healy as their fourth partner. Meanwhile, the threesome of Tom Kisgen, Doug Gooding, and Bill Buist dodged what appeared to be the cellar by going from 5 over to 4 under with the lucky pick of William Thornton as their draw partner, leaving the hexed Commissioner’s Team of Mike Gaddis, Don Nichols, Mike Schmal, and Doug Healy DAL with a score of 1 under. (Healy escaped as the draw partner of the winning team and thus had to buy himself a beer which he readily agreed to do while jumping in on the photo-op as well).

Final Results/Scores:  9-25-012  Front Nine

Jeff Colbath (42), Russ Jobson (44), Anthony Morgan (49), Doug Healy-draw (45)   -10

Jim Williamson(48), Kiernan Quinn (49), William Thornton (45), Kevin McGlynn(45)  -7

Tom Kisgen (50), Doug Gooding (49), Bill Buist (52), William Thornton-draw(45)   -4

Doug Healy (45), Mike Gaddis (42), Mike Schmal (47), Don Nichols (50)    -1

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:  Jeff Colbath and Mike Gaddis: 42  There were no single digiters in the field but eighteen handicapper Colbath tied 11 handicapper Gaddis for Low Gross Honors.

LOW NET WINNER: Jeff Colbath  -3   Colbath’s matching best low gross of 42 was good enough to take home the 14 bucks in the kitty for his 4th Low Net of the year, putting him back in the race with Tim Martin and Danny Morris for Sandbagger Of The Year.

PINK LADY WINNER: It was a real battle between Tom Kisgen, Don Nichols, and Bill Buist for the “who sucked more” moniker, but  Buist’s three triple bogeys put him at the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 52. Don Nichols made a hard charge at the end in an attempt to earn his first ever  Pinkster, finishing double, triple for his highest ever ATAG score of 50, but was disappointed that he could not overcome  Buist’s early big lead, and Tom Kisgen blew his chances by finishing with back to back bogeys to match Nichols’s score for the penultimate position on the leaderboard.

BIRDIE CLUB:  The Birdie Club members languished somewhat but did manage to cough up three of the little tweeters out of the field of 14 thanks to individual deposits by Mike Gaddis, William Thornton, and Kevin McGlynn, with McGlynn earning admittance to the prestigious club for the first time this year.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations Of The Commish)

-It was beautiful red sky sunset evening on the porch as players gathered in two tables to dine on either chicken wings or grilled hamburgers while consuming one or more, mostly more, of their favorite cold beverage while discussing their respective rounds.

-Before departing for the evening, Tom Kisgen reeled off one of his favorites that most had not heard before and thus was greeted with a good response, but that was it as far as joke telling.

-The Commissioner was chided by the players for what appeared to be an obvious attempt to stack his team with some of the better players on the ATAG Tour in an attempt to win the Golden Ale Trophy. Dubbed the “Dream Team” by the skeptics before the match started, the pairing ended up being the “Bad Dream Team” with the worst score of the day and had to pony up. The Commissioner neither admitted nor denied that the pairing was less than a random selection.

-Since last week’s match on the front nine was only between two threesomes, the Commissioner, who was unable to make it, allowed this week’s competition to repeat the front nine in the rotation. Thanks to Doug Healy, the stats for last week’s match were recorded and reflect that the winners were the threesome of Ron Majors, William Thornton, and Doug Healy at 5 under, and the sponsors were the threesome of Marty Arnold, Scotty Greene, and Bill Meagher at even par. William Thornton won Low Net for the paltry purse, Bill Meagher posted the best low gross score of 39, and Marty Arnold won his third pinkster of the year. Ron Majors and William Thornton kept the Birdie Train rolling with one bird each. Cameo appearances were made in the Grill  by Danny Morris, Kevin McGlynn, and Russ Jobson.

-The Commissioner announced that ATAG Steak Night is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16, to be held immediately after the match. Details to follow in a subsequent e-mail blast.

That’s it for the recap of this week and last week’s match. Next week we return to the more grueling back nine so look for the Call For Players early Monday morning.

FALL ARRIVES EARLY! ALL SPOTS TAKEN!

September 11, 2012-By Don Nichols

It was a beautiful Fall afternoon in early September–mid 80′s, gentle breeze, and blue skies– that greeted 20 players eager to take on the back nine of the Ansley Golf Course after having missed last Tuesday’s match due to the Club being closed after the Labor Day holiday.

13 UNDER EASILY TAKES HOME THE GOLD!

The foursome of Henry Sawyer, Russ Jobson, Marty Arnold, and Kevin McGlynn fell one shot short of tying the best back nine score of the year but nevertheless finished high atop the leaderboard with a score of 13 under, easily bypassing the rest of the field.

This week’s woesome Commissioner’s Team of Jim Williamson, John Wymer, Anthony Morgan, and Don Nichols reluctantly stepped up to the podium to present the Golden Ale Trophies to the victors, as they could only muster a meager score of of 2 under after dropping three shots on the last hole.

Final Results / Scores  9-11-012 Back Nine

Sawyer(42)  Jobson(41)  Arnold(42)  McGlynn (45)                                          -13

Myers(45)  Player(49)  Colbath(51) Danzig(52)                                                   -7

Gaddis(44)  Greene(43)  Healy(44) Pearson(46)                                                   -5

Thomson(51) Martin(44) Thornton(41) Morris(39)                                              -4

Williamson(46) Nichols(45) Morgan(51) Wymer(52)                                           -2

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD: Danny Morris  39   The fourteen handicapper wins or ties Low Gross for the fifth time this year. The only single digiter in the field, Lee Pearson, had a bad day and was not a factor.

LOW NET WINNER:  Russ Jobson  -5    The 21 handicapper finishes with a birdie-”net eagle” and posts a score of 41 to give him the best low net of the day, edging past Danny Morris (who had been contemplating how to spend the money while waiting for the match to be finished) for the 21 dollar purse.

PINK LADY WINNER: David Danzig and John Wymer  52  This was an extremely close match between five players who finished with “fifty something” scores by putting on a dazzling display of double and triple bogeys, but at the end it was Wymer’s clinching double bogey on #18 that enabled him to tie Danzig for the less than prestigious award after Danzig could only make bogey, giving the duo a share in the prize. (much to the relief of Jeff Colbath, Anthony Morgan, and Guy Thomson who fell one shot short)

SHOT OF THE DAY:  Henry Sawyer.  According to his playing partners, on hole #16 Sawyer found himself on the #15 fairway blocked out of an approximate 170 yard approach by the large tree that guards the pond next to the foot bridge. Sawyer managed to punch a 5 iron under the tree canopy onto the green for a two putt par-”net birdie”.

BIRDIE CLUB: The birds were chirping on this day as the usually stingy back nine gave up 7 birdies that were added to the Birdie Club’s coffers. Newcomer Brian Meyers (sponsored by David Danzig)  joined the prestigious Birdie Club in his ATAG debut by making two birdies (on #13 and # 18), and he was joined by  BC members Danny Morris, Jeff Colbath, Doug Healy, Russ Jobson, and Marty Arnold who each added one tweeter to their individual total.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations of the Commish)

-It was a gorgeous evening on the upper level porch as players consumed one or more of their favorite cold beverages while consuming a plentiful platter of complimentary chicken wings while waiting for the results of the match. As usual, the mood was festive and jovial. Out of state member Al Roberds, the Commish’s long time partner in the Member-Member, made a cameo on the porch and joined in with the socializing.

-The Commissioner was totally surprised when he was presented with a  chocolate ice cream birthday cake (actually two)  and treated with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the players. (It seems that “Mrs Commish” had prearranged this, and let it be known to one or more players beforehand that the Commish was to turn 65 the next day but was keeping that milestone event close to the vest.) The unexpected treat was quickly consumed by the players.

-ATAGer Jeff Kohn was reported to be on the road to recovery after undergoing major surgery last week and is expected to be able to continue his recovery at home in a few days. A “get well soon” card was signed by each of the players and mailed to Jeff’s home and all of us at ATAG wish him the best and look forward to his return to the ATAG Tour. (We also hope he can pick up some new joke material during his convalescence.)

-There was much discussion, and much confusion, about the proposed change to the Club’s Bylaws concerning the Life Membership category due to a letter from the Club’s President which was subsequently followed by an e-mail blast to the members. The vote on this issue is scheduled for October 9, 2012

That’s it for this week’s chronicle of the day’s match. Check out the photos in the Gallery and look for the Call For Players for next week’s match when we return to the friendly front nine. Also, since the days are getting shorter, the first tee time will be moved up to 4:50 pm so that all teams can finish before nightfall.

RAINOUT? NOT SO FAST!

“THE REAL OF THE REAL” ATAGERS SHOW THEIR FAITH!

August 29, 2012-By Don Nichols

It had rained steadily all day with a thick cloud cover that had set in and showed no signs of abating– just a miserable rainy day. But lo and behold, at 4 pm, just as the Commissioner was about to send out the “match cancelled” e-mail, the rain stopped, and the radar indicated that the front was moving north. So, instead, the Commissioner sent out a message saying that the rain had stopped, the course was wet, and for each player to decide for himself whether or not to play in the day’s scheduled match.

The Commissioner later revealed that the message was really a ruse to see just who the “real” ATAGers were and, by golly, fifteen of the twenty players who had answered the Call For Players showed up on the first tee. Because of the “namby pamby” no shows (Majors, Danzig, Gooding, Wade, Sawyer), the teams had to be re-assembled as the “real of the real” ATAGers (Scotty Greene quote) arrived, setting up three foursomes and one threesome with a subsequent draw partner, and because of the wet conditions, the Commissioner agreed to let the match be played on the more friendly front nine.

TWO HOLE TIE BREAKER DETERMINES WINNER!

Two teams finished at 11 under and it took the second tie breaker hole to determine that the free beer would go to the foursome of Danny Morris, Kevin McGlynn, Jim Williamson, and Doug Healy who won the second tie breaker hole against the Commissioner’s Team of Russ Jobson, Scotty Greene, Don Nichols, and draw partner Jeff Colbath.

And, speaking of Jeff Colbath, who as the draw partner had jettisoned the Commissioner’s threesome from 5 under to 11 under,  the eighteen handicapper was not left out of the ”slimelight”, as his team-which included Frank Corrigan, Anthony Morgan, and Jeff Kohn-set the bar for the 2012 season for the worst score by a foursome by finishing at 3 over par.

Final Results/Scores   8-28-012 Front Nine

Morris, Healy, Williamson, McGlynn                            -11 wins tiebreaker

Greene, Jobson, Nichols, Colbath(draw)                       -11

Player, Arnold, Gaddis, Kisgen                                       -7

Colbath, Corrigan, Morgan, Kohn                                  +3

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:  Mike Gaddis and Danny Morris   42   Playing on different teams, the two founding member ATAGers “fluked” their way to what turned out to be the best score of the day–and what also turned out to be the worst “best score” of the year as there were no single digit handicappers in the field.

LOW NET WINNER: Marty Arnold  -3    Arnold fires a 43 and wins Low Net for the first time in three years and pockets the 15 dollar purse. This score follows his score of 44 in last week’s front nine match, suggesting the nineteen handicapper is on his way down in the stroke department.

PINK LADY WINNER: Frank Corrigan  62   This is not a typo. Corrigan comes near to besting the all time worst ATAG score (64 set by William Thornton in 2007). The good-natured twenty-five handicapper admitted it was a comedy of errors after he had contemplated not showing up for the match, and was unable to focus as he piled one triple on top of another and ended up “in his pocket” (that’s the “mercy rule” in golf) on several holes. This man is obviously not a sandbagger but may be in need of counseling.

BIRDIE CLUB: The Birdie Club narrowly avoided a shut out but was saved thanks to Birdie Club members Scotty Greene and Danny Morris who each added one to their cumulative total. Greene opened his round with a birdie on #1 and Morris finished his round with a birdie on #9.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations Of The Commish)

-The all day rain, a muggy evening, and a damp porch sent the players into an empty Men’s Grill where they pulled tables together and immediately created a loud bar room atmosphere that reflected the contentment and camaraderie of the “Real of the Real” ATAGers. (The appetizers were plentiful and the beer was cold and continually flowing.)

-Jeff Colbath, a member of the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association (AVVBA) announced that its annual golf tournament to benefit Birdies For The Brave would be held on Monday, October 29, 2012, at the Brookfield West Country Club in Roswell (that’s close to Settindown), and encouraged ATAGers to consider forming some teams or perhaps even sponsoring some holes. Birdies For The Brave is a  military outreach initiative of PGA Tour Charities that is dedicated to supporting the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed forces and their families. The format is a 4 player scramble with a 12 pm shotgun start, and the entry fee is only $150 per player which includes cart, driving range, lunch, drinks on the course, and live/silent auctions along with dinner. It seems the month of October is when all the charity golf events are held, but you may want to consider participating in this one with some of your fellow ATAGers. Doug Healy has volunteered to be the point man for assembling ATAG teams, so please contact him at douglashealy@comcast.net if you want to participate. (I have played in two of the AVVBA tournaments and found them to be a lot of fun and a real bargain for the price)

-In other ATAG news, Tim Martin’s appeal to the ATAG Handicap Committee was recently heard and, though the results of his lie detector test were inconclusive, the Committee was able to confirm that Martin’s handicap of 15 was valid and that his handicap for ATAG matches should be re-instated. (Apparently, though Martin’s scores on Tuesday night indicate a lower handicap player, he can pretty much suck on other days.) Martin, who has not played in the last two ATAG matches in protest of the Commissioner’s action, has demanded an apology from the Commissioner, but, the Commissioner, like all Commissioners throughout the land, is infallible and thus refused to issue such an apology, pointing out that he was merely looking after all of the players interest by enforcing ATAG By Laws and that the ATAG justice system had worked in Martin’s favor.

That’s it for the recap of the 22nd match of the 2012 season. There will be no ATAG match next Tuesday since the Club will be closed after the Labor Day holiday. Look for the next Call For Players early Monday morning on September 10.

GORGEOUS DAY FOR 21/21 MATCH!

8-21-2012-By Don Nichols

It was the 21st of August which, coincidently, was the 21st match of the 2012 ATAG Season that saw yet another full field of 20 ATAGers report on a gorgeous afternoon to smack it around the Ansley Golf Club’s friendly front nine in pursuit of the complimentary thirst quenching Golden Ale Trophy.

SURPRISE ENDINGS!

The first group to finish–Doug Healy, Kieran Quinn, Henry Sawyer, and Marty Arnold– sat on the porch with a score of 12 under, confidently assured of victory as evidenced by the smug look on their faces as each group finishing behind them reported scores nowhere near them. But, not so fast, said the fourth group of John Wymer, Frank Corrigan, Tom Kisgen, and Scotty Greene as they nonchalantly tossed their 13 under scorecard on the table, immediately wiping the smug look off the stunned faces of Healy et al, and underscoring once again the adage that “no matter how good you are, there is always someone better.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner’s Team of Kevin McGlynn, William Thornton, Ron Majors, and Don Nichols sat dejectedly on the porch with a pitiful score of 4 under, ready to pony up as punishment for their poor play when, lo and behold, the last pairing of Bill Meagher, Jeff Kohn, Doug Gooding, and David Danzig trudged slowly up the steps to turn in the day’s DAL score of even par.  Realizing they had somehow dodged the bullet, an ebullient Commissioner yelled out to the players ”guys, let this be a lesson to you….no matter how bad you play, no matter how much you suck, there is always someone else out there who sucks more.” (this embellishment of another old adage got a laugh from all the players except those on the DAL team)

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:   Bill Meagher   40   The five handicapper had the best score of the day but was disappointed that, for the third week in a row, his score did not have a 3 in front of it, something that is expected out of a single digit handicapper.

LOW NET WINNER: John Wymer  -3  Wymer, currently playing to a 22 handicap, collects his second low net win in the last two weeks, matching last week’s score of 44 for a net 3 under. Wymer confessed that he is a career 18 handicapper but is coming off back surgery and is slowly regaining his form which is evident considering his average ATAG score over 11 matches is 46. He is continuing to be monitored by the ATAG Handicap Committee and could face a similar sanction as that imposed on Tim Martin.

PINK LADY WINNER:  David Danzig  52    Past champion David Danzig took home his first Pink Lady of the 2012 season, opening with a triple and then holding off Tom Kisgen, Frank Corrigan, and Kevin McGlynn who fell two shots short with scores of 50.  (Both Corrigan and McGlynn had a chance to either tie or win it outright, but faltered on the last hole by making par.)

BIRDIE CLUB: The Birdie Club maintained its pace, adding four tweeters this week compliments of Scotty Greene-with 2- and one each from Danny Morris and Doug Healy, with Healy making the prestigious club for the first time this year.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations of the Commish)

-It was gorgeous evening in the ATAG Sky box, accentuated by a stunning red sky sunset, and the mood of the players was once again jovial as everyone seemed to mix and mingle, with even some non ATAG players coming up to the porch.

-Making cameo appearances were Tim Martin, PJ Wade, and Russ Jobson, and then a surprise cameo was made by former ATAGer Richard Batelaan who now lives in Dallas, Texas, and apparently fled the city to escape the West Nile virus.

-Tim Martin has appealed the Commissioner’s ruling that lowered his handicap by two points, claiming that the Commissioner had erred in tabulating his scores. The Commissioner has agreed to submit Martin’s scores to the ATAG Handicap Committee who will then compare them to the scores that have been reported by Martin in the Ansley Golf Club GHIN system.

-There was some talk about the recent news that Augusta National had, for the first time in its history, admitted two women into its previous all male  membership. This prompted the Commissioner to ask the players if ATAG should consider a similar move. After about 15 seconds of “you got to be kidding me” stone silence, ATAG spokesman Doug Healy quipped “not today, and definitely not at the point of a bayonet” and the matter went no further from there as the players resumed their self-centered, male dominated, chauvinistic ways.

-There was also some talk about amending the qualification for receiving the Pink Lady in order to make it a more level playing field as this award seems to be dominated by a select few who hold the highest handicaps. The Commissioner agreed to bring this up at the end of the season during the winter meetings where discussions will center around the idea that in 2013 the award should go to the one with the highest net score which would then open up the field to all of the players in the day’s field. (The Commissioner asked that anyone who has an opinion-pro or con - on this issue to send him an e-mail as all players opinions will be taken into consideration.)

That’s it for this week’s recap. Check out the photos in the Gallery and look for the Call For Players early Monday morning for next week’s match.

OVERSUBSCRIBED AGAIN!

COMMISSIONER GIVES UP HIS SPOT!

August 14, 2012-By Don Nichols

It was another oversubscribed response to the Call For Players but, fortunately, those who failed to make the initial cut were last-minute substitutions after game day cancellations by three players, including the Commissioner, who opted out of the match to rest a nagging injury but later appeared on the porch afterwards to tabulate the results and join in the socializing. So, despite a heavy rain earlier in the day and the last-minute shuffling, a full field of 20 players made their way to the # 10 tee box to take on the more grueling back nine.

14 UNDER BLOWS AWAY THE FIELD!  SETS NEW BAR FOR THE BACK NINE!

The team of John Wymer, Tim Martin, Doug Gooding, and Kevin McGlynn combined their respective on and off again skills to “ham and egg” their way around the back yard of the Ansley Golf Club with a score of 14 under, easily blowing away the rest of the field and setting a new bar for the best back nine score of 2012. (previous best this year was the Commissioner’s Team score of 13 under on July 17.) A quick review of their scorecard shows the path to victory with individual net scores of  5 under, 3 under, even, and even.

Where there is the “thrill of victory”, there is also the “agony of defeat”, and that goes to the pairing of Bill Meagher, Scotty Greene, Craig Sellner, and Henry Sawyer, who combined for a paltry score of 2 under to qualify as the day’s sponsor. (A quick review of their scorecard tells the woeful tale, with individual net scores of 7 over, 5 over, 5 over, and one under. Single digiter Bill Meagher even lamented his making an opening triple bogey–his “first ever on the Ansley Golf Course”.  (This is unsubstantiated, of course, and hard to believe. More likely, it is the only one he remembers since any others would have been removed from the memory bank.)

Final Results / Scores  8-14-012   Back Nine

Wymer (44), Martin(38), Gooding (43), McGlynn (44)                                -14

Colbath (19), Williamson (45), Danzig (51), Buist (47)                                  -5

Thornton(44), Arnold (51), Morris (45), Kisgen (44)                                      -5

Kohn (43), Morgan(45), Corrigan (51), Majors (43)                                        -4

Meagher (43), Sellner(55), Greene (42), Sawyer (50)                                      -2

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:  Tim Martin   38   The purported 15 handicapper bests a field of 20, earning both the admiration and the ire from his fellow players. See more on this below.

LOW NET WINNER: Tim Martin  -5   Martin wins an unprecedented Low Net for the 5th time this year, making him the top money winner thus far and the favorite to win Sandbagger Of The Year.  However, an alarming stat shows he is apparently a “documented sandbagger” as well, as the average score  of his last 8 ATAG matches is 41, indicating a 10 handicapper in the disguise of a 15 handicapper. Martin claims that he records all scores but, based upon this revealing stat, which also shows an average score of 43 over the entire season, the Commissioner has, until further notice, arbitrarily reduced Mr. Martin’s handicap to a 13 for subsequent ATAG matches. (Under ATAG Bylaws, Martin can appeal this ruling but is advised not to do so considering the panel of fellow player judges that are likely to hear his case)

PINK LADY WINNER:  Craig Sellner  55   Twenty five handicapper Craig Sellner picks up the Pink Lady for the second week in a row with an assortment of triples and doubles topped off with an opening quad to garner “sucked more” honors, much to the relief of Marty Arnold, David Danzig, and Frank Corrigan who could get no closer to him than a 51.

BIRDIE CLUB: As usual, the Back Nine was stingy with giving out birdies, but the train continued to move along by matching last week’s contribution of three birds–thanks to Birdie Club members Bill Meagher, Scotty Greene, and William Thornton with one each.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations Of The Commish)

-The players gathered on the upper deck although some of the earlier finishers had to be routed out of the Grill by the Commissioner when he arrived on the scene to tabulate and announce the results. No jokes were told, and it was mostly separate table discussions with some intermingling, but the ATAG camaraderie was definitely present as players enjoyed the evening ambiance of al fresco dining and imbibing.

-Scotty Greene made his début return to the ATAG Tour after a prolonged absence sailing the high seas off the left coast, making the cut based upon seniority and the promise to once again host the ATAG Steak Night at his home later in the year.

-Lee Pearson and Russ Jobson made cameo appearances on the porch. (Jobson was one of the game day cancellations so his cameo enabled his “citation” for failure to appear to be removed from the file as “time served.”

-And, speaking of cameos, Ansley member and Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat co anchor Justin Farmer unwittingly made a cameo appearance on the porch, seeking a place to sit and chow down on a hamburger with his two children. ATAGers obligingly gave up one of their tables and accordingly were more cautious with their language and demeanor while in the presence of the young family.

That’s it for this week’s recap. Check out the photos in the Gallery and look for next week’s Call For Players.

ATAGERS DODGE ANOTHER BULLET!

THREAT OF RAIN PROVES TO BE JUST THAT!

August 8, 2012-By Don Nichols

It had been overcast all day with reports of heavy rain just to the north, and at tee time the skies continued to threaten, dropping sporadic light rain drops, indicating that the big release could occur at any time. But the loyal 20 ATAGers who answered the Call For Players would not be intimidated, as five teams assembled on the first tee to take on the front nine in the 19th match of the 2012 season. Then, as the match unfolded, the seemingly constipated skies cleared their systems and were replaced with beautiful white clouds, indicating  once again Mother Nature’s apparent favoritism for ATAG.

11 UNDER TAKES THE GOLD BY ONE!  COMMISH’S TEAM DAL!

It was a close match between two teams, one finishing at 11 under and the other one shot back at 10 under, but coming out on top was the foursome of John Wymer, Mike Gaddis, Craig Sellner, and Ron Majors who held serve on the last hole to take home the Golden Ale Trophy, this week compliments of the obviously miscast Commissioner’s Team of Danny Morris, Jeff Colbath, Doug Gooding, and Don Nichols who earned the “sucked more” moniker by limping in with a net score of 3 under.

Finals Results/Scores: 8-7-012 Front Nine

Wymer(40), Gaddis(47), Sellner(52), Majors (43)                                           -11

Healy(46), Schmal(42), Pearson(42), Danzig(44)                                            -10

Quinn(51),Williamson(46), Martin(43), Kisgen(50)                                         -7

Sawyer(46), Arnold(45), Morgan(50), Meagher(40)                                        -6

Gooding(48), Colbath(51), Morris(45), Nichols(45)                                         -3

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD: Bill Meagher and John Wymer: 40  A twenty two handicapper (Wymer) ties with a 7 handicapper(Meagher) for the best score of the day.

LOW NET WINNER: John Wymer  -7    There appears to be a new sheriff in town as 22 handicapper John Wymer decimated the field with his score of 40, net 7 under, to tie David Danzig for the lowest net score of the year. Wymer, a long time Ansley member but new to the ATAG Tour and playing in only his 9th ATAG match, posted his best round of the year with a score of 40, as compared to his average score over his last 8 matches of 47. This anomaly suggests one of two things–it was a freak occurrence, or, a fluke, if you will. Or, Wymer had intentionally been lying low, waiting for the opportune time to bring his clandestinely cloaked “A” game to the forefront in order to cash in at the expense of unsuspecting ATAGers. The jury is still out, but the Commissioner has nonetheless placed Wymer on the Sandbagger Watch List.

PINK LADY WINNER: Craig Sellner  52   This was an incredibly tight match between Sellner, Kieran Quinn, Jeff Colbath, Tom Kisgen, and Anthony Morgan as each tried their best to suck more than any other player in the field, but twenty five handicapper and  perennial champ Sellner pulled it out thanks in large part to his quadruple bogey on hole # 4 followed by three consecutive doubles that enabled him to slip by Jeff Colbath and Kieran Quinn. Colbath, who opened his round with a four putt double bogey on #1,  made a strong surge by finishing double, triple, and then Quinn had his chance but blew it by making bogey on the last hole, as each of them finished one stroke back with scores of 51. Kisgen and Morgan could not keep the pace and ended up two shots from victory with scores of 50.

SHOT OF THE DAY:  Lee Pearson, known to be a good chipper, was four feet off the green facing a 45 foot chip shot on #6, but managed to move the ball forward some two feet. Then, in a fit of frustration, swatted at the ball with his putter, only to watch it go straight into the hole for a routine par-”net birdie.”  Receiving honorable mention was Doug Healy’s tee shot on # 7 which, according to him, was perhaps one of the biggest slices ever recorded at the Ansley Golf Course (as you know, that’s since 1912)  as the ball sailed way over the creek, the trees, and the homes, landing somewhere on the streets of the Sherwood Forest neighborhood where it is believed to be still rolling along the curbside.

BIRDIE CLUB: The Birdie Club had a tough day on the usually friendly front nine, with only three birdie deposits–but thanks to Birdie Club members, Lee Pearson, Bill Meagher, and Tim Martin, the Birdie Train continued to roll along.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations Of The Commish)

-It was another beautiful, although a little muggy, evening on the porch and this time all 20 players made it up to the top level, fearing further sanctions from the Commissioner. Jim Williamson and Ron Majors were observed making “double down” bets on the finishing teams as to who would make or miss putts, jokes were told by Tom Kisgen and Don Nichols, and then Bill Meagher held court to advise players as to who was liable (the owner of the automobile, the Club, or the golfer) when errant golf shots hit cars that are either moving or parked on Club property when struck. (Since he is not a lawyer, until substantiated we have to consider this heresay, and players are advised to consult their own legal counsel)

-Before the match started, Jim Williamson had unabashedly announced to anyone within earshot that it was his 64th birthday and that he intended to win Low Net which is why his opening tee shot is featured in this week’s Gallery. Of course, his lackluster score of 46-net 1 over-did not come close to fulfilling his prophecy, but he nevertheless received a rousing “Happy Birthday” song from the players on the porch which was then followed by a lighted birthday “cake” (actually, it was deviled egg with one lit candle) as the Commissioner proudly proclaimed “see how we take care of our own?”)

That’s it for the chronicle of this week’s competition. Check out the Gallery and Leaderboard and look for the Call For Players for next week’s match on the Back Nine.

ANOTHER FULL FIELD!

20 PLAYERS TAKE ON THE BACK NINE!

July 31, 2012-By Don Nichols

It had rained in the morning which left overcast skies but a much cooler afternoon than the previous summer scorchers, setting the stage for a pleasant afternoon and a back nine match between a full field of 20 players.

9 UNDER WINS BY ONE!

Grabbing the gusto with a score of 9 under was the foursome of Lee Pearson, Danny Morris, William Thornton, and Russ Jobson which had the right blend of low, medium, and high handicappers to win by one stroke over the Commissioner’s Team despite the winners dropping one shot on #18.

It was also a tight race for which team “sucked more” as two groups finished at 3 under, each faltering on the deciding last hole, with one dropping 5 shots to go from 8 under to 3 under and one dropping two shots to go from 5 under to 3 under. The tie breaker hole # 16 sealed the fate of the 5 to 3 under team of Ron Majors, Doug Gooding, Tom Kisgen, and Doug Healy who are now in the stats as the DAL sponsor of the day’s match.

Final Results/Scores: 7-31-012 Back Nine

Pearson(39), Morris(42), Thornton(44), Jobson(46)                             -9

Gaddis(40), Player(48), Chasteen(51), Nichols(44)                              -8

Schmal(42), Colbath(45), Sellner(50), Williamson(45)                         -6

Arnold(52), Wade(42), McGlynn(46), Morgan(46)                               -3    

Kisgen(51), Healy(44),Gooding(43),Majors(40)                                    -3

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD: Lee Pearson  39  The 8 handicapper grabs Low Gross for the 6th time out of the 10 matches he has played this year, edging past Ron Majors and Mike Gaddis who finished one stroke back.

LOW NET:   Mike Gaddis  -2   The twelve handicapper gets up and down out of the bunker three times to save par and wins by one over Russ Jobson to pocket the day’s purse of 20 dollars.

PINK LADY:  Marty Arnold  52   Arnold wins his second Pink Lady of the year, matching his score of 52 recorded on May 8, 2012, and wins by one over Tom Kisgen. Arnold was trailing Kisgen through six holes but a triple, double, triple finish enabled him to slip past a frustrated Kisgen who could only manage to make double on the concluding hole.

SHOT OF THE DAY:  Jon Chasteen   After a booming tee shot on the par 5  #14, leaving approximately 240 yards to the green, twenty-five handicapper Chasteen followed with an approach shot of that distance that landed on the green some 20 feet away from the pin, setting the stage for a possible eagle and most likely a birdie. Of course, he three putts for a par-”net birdie” as a reminder of the adage that you “drive for show and putt for dough.”

BIRDIE CLUB:  As usual, the back nine was stubborn, but the birdie train continued to move along the tracks with four tweeters added to its cumulative total, thanks to Birdie Club members Ron Majors, PJ Wade, Doug Gooding, and William Thornton.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations of the Commish)

-It was a beautiful evening, so the players (well, most of them) gathered on the upper deck to hear the results of the match and participate in the famed ATAG camaraderie. However, several players departed early, apparently satisfied with playing an ATAG organized 9 hole round, and then immediately left for home, much to the consternation of the Commissioner who took names and will be issuing both a Citation and a Letter Of Reprimand to those who violated team rules..

-Jovialities continued without them, however, as William Thornton and Jim Williamson were observed making “double down” bets on who would make or miss putts as each group finished, and then Danny Morris, Marty Arnold, and Tom Kisgen offered up some jokes that got the group laughing.

- The porch gathering came to an end when foreboding dark clouds that had been gathering in the distance were suddenly over the clubhouse building, indicating that a storm was imminent, causing some of the players to head into the Grill while others, including this writer, headed to their cars before the bottom dropped out.

-On a side note, the Commissioner has informed me that, regrettably, all of the statistical data for ATAG matches for the 2012 season–18 weeks of scores and other stats– were wiped out yesterday by an apparent rogue algorithm that somehow leapt from the New York Stock Exchange into the ATAG database maintained at ATAG Headquarters. The Commissioner has ordered a full-scale investigation.

That’s it for the recap of this week’s match. Check out the Leaderboard and the photos in the Gallery and look for the Call For Players for next week’s front nine match.

BACK TO CAPACITY!

20 PLAYERS ANSWER THE CALL!

July 24, 2012-By Don Nichols

It was a hot, sunny day and a full field of 20 players ignored the heat and the threat of afternoon thunderstorms to answer the call for this week’s match on the front nine, even though the recently punched greens had not yet recovered.

COMMISH’S TEAM SETS THE BAR FOR THE FRONT NINE!

This week’s Commish’s Team of Mike Schmal, Henry Sawyer, Craig Sellner, and Don Nichols set the bar for the best score of the season by posting a net score of 16 under, one shy of the front nine record of 17 under that was set on July 8, 2008, by the foursome of Doug Healy, Lee Pearson, William Thornton, and David Danzig. Like last week, the Commish’s Team overcame their nemesis last hole, this time picking up two shots to conclude their round thanks in large part to Henry Sawyer’s birdie-”net eagle”, and earlier in the round, Craig Sellner’s birdie-”net one” on his double popping hole # 4.  These critical scores, when mixed in with the steady play of Mike Schmal and Don Nichols, were the key ingredients to setting the bar for this season.

Alas, finishing last, both figuratively and literally, was the down and out pairing of Doug Gooding, Bill Buist, Anthony Morgan, and William Thornton which dropped one shot on the last hole to end up at 6 under and earn DAL honors and the right to be the day’s sponsor.

Final Results And Scores: 7-24-012 Front Nine

Craig Sellner (52)  Henry Sawyer (46)  Mike Schmal (40)  Don Nichols (39)               -16

Kevin McGlynn (48)  Tim Martin (39)  Jon Chasteen (50)  Ron Majors (41)                 -14

Bill Meagher (39)  Frank Corrigan (47) Mike Gaddis (43)  Jim Williamson (43)          -10

Doug Healy (44)  Kieran Quinn (53)  Danny Morris (42)  Jeff Colbath (48)                   -7

William Thornton (45)  Anthony Morgan (45)  Doug Gooding (43) Bill Buist (50)       -6

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:   Don Nichols/Tim Martin/Bill Meagher   39   Sixteen handicapper Nichols and fifteen handicapper Martin tied single digiter Bill Meagher for the best score of the day, each posting a 39.

LOW NET WINNER:  Tim Martin (chip off)  -5     Both Martin and Nichols finished at 5 under, setting the stage for the third chip off of the 2012 season. Nichols won the toss and elected to go second, then watched Martin hit a soft pitch shot that landed some 10-15 yards short of the hole, providing an excellent opportunity for Nichols to top that effort and pocket the 20 dollar purse. And that’s just what he did—-topped it. But in a manner that sent the ball scurrying at a rapid pace all the way across the green before it was finally tracked down by a winded Bill Meagher who had volunteered to marshal the shoot out. The chip off win by Martin marked his fourth Low Net of the year and puts him in a tie with Danny Morris for Sandbagger Of The Year. Nichols was later overheard to say that he would ask the Commissioner to require four-time winner Martin to submit to the same drug testing as Danny Morris. (more on the Morris inquiry later-the lab results are in)

PINK LADY WINNER: Kieran Quinn : 53  This was a dog fight between two twenty five handicappers–the veteran perennial winner Craig Sellner and second year ATAGer  Kieran Quinn. Sellner demonstrated flashes of brilliance that offset some really horrific holes while Quinn managed to just steadily play poorly to edge past Sellner by one stroke for his third Pink Lady in his brief stint on the ATAG Tour.

BIRDIE CLUB: The Birdie Train picked up a little more speed, adding five of the tweeters to its cumulative total thanks to twenty five handicapper Jon Chasteen-with 2-and fellow twenty five handicapper Craig Sellner with one, along with one each from twenty one handicapper Henry Sawyer and single digiter Bill Meagher.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations of the Commish)

-The players reluctantly gathered on the upper deck, claiming it was too hot, but there was not enough room in the Grill to accommodate 20 players, and the Commissioner noted that it wasn’t too hot for everyone to walk nine holes carrying their own bag so it wasn’t too hot to gather in the customary private ATAG setting. All but one–who will go unnamed–(ok it was Henry Sawyer) came up to the porch to join their fellow ATAGers.

-PJ Wade made yet another cameo appearance and joined in the socializing, winning points with everyone for his continued loyalty. And Marty Arnold also made a cameo and joined the group on the porch. Arnold had failed to answer the Call For Players before the pairings were set , claiming he never got the e-mail (which is like telling a creditor I never got the bill), so he elected to play earlier but to his credit did join his fellow ATAGers on the porch.

-The day also marked the 65th birthday of Jeff Colbath who was briefly serenaded by the players with a half-hearted rendition of “Happy Birthday” while youngsters PJ Wade and Anthony Morgan looked on in obvious disbelief amidst a sudden realization that they were amongst a bunch of old men.

-The inquiry into Danny Morris’s sudden “enhanced performance” on the ATAG Tour culminated in Morris agreeing to give a urine specimen for drug testing which was submitted to a nationally ranked diagnostic lab in Berkeley, California. The results were recently sent to the Commissioner. The report states unequivocally that there was no evidence of any kind of anabolic steroidal drugs in the specimen. However, a fine print footnote at the bottom of the report did note that the subject of the examination possessed a unique molecular signature of one that has an uncanny athletic agility, characterized by a lean body with a narrow chest–a combination not commonly found in humans. Further testing did, in fact, reveal that the sample given for inspection was that not of a human but of a canine, later determined to be the one known to reside in the Morris household. Morris has denied culpability but did admit that he may have inadvertently sent in the wrong specimen.

That’s it for this week’s chronicle. Check out the Leaderboard and the photos in the Gallery and look for the Call For Players for next week’s match on the Back Nine.

RAIN OUT THWARTED AGAIN!

LOYAL ATAGERS RESPOND TO CALL!

July 17, 2012-By Don Nichols

It had rained hard earlier in the day, and then a light but steady rain began to set in just as the first tee time approached, suggesting that this week’s match might well be cancelled.

But, clinging to hope, 13 loyal ATAGers made their way to the first tee at 5:00 pm and then, as if on cue, the rain stopped (for good this time) and the 16th match of the 2012 season was on!

It was the smallest turnout of the year, primarily because the Commissioner had intentionally forewarned that the greens were being punched the day before, a warning that was really the Commish’s way of finding out who would continue to be loyal to the ATAG tradition despite having to putt on bumpy sandy greens.

13 UNDER SETS THE BAR FOR THE BACK NINE!

This week’s Commissioner’s Team foursome  of Bill Meagher, Tim Martin, Doug Healy, and Don Nichols combined some pretty good scores to post the season best score for the back nine at 13 under, and managed to finally conquer its nemesis concluding hole by picking up three shots. (Because of the odd number of the players in the day’s field, the pairing was actually a fivesome that included William Thornton but his name was randomly picked after the round to drop out of the team scoring.)

Coming in DAL was the ill-fated foursome of Jeff Colbath, Ron Majors, Henry Sawyer, and Anthony Morgan who combined some pretty poor scores to finish at even par to earn the right to be the day’s sponsor.

Final Results/Scores: 7-17-012 Back Nine  (Loyal ATAGers)

Meagher (38) Martin (42) Healy (43) Nichols (44)        -13*

Morris (40) McGlynn (45) Lewis( 45) Sellner (50)           -9

Majors (42) Sawyer (47) Morgan (51) Colbath (54)        even

*William Thornton’s score of 45 was not included in the team scoring.

The following players earned individual recognition:

BRAD REESE LOW GROSS AWARD:  Bill Meagher  38  The single digiter (one of only two in the field) offset three early bogeys by finishing one under over the last five holes to post the best score of the day and earn a photo-op.

LOW NET WINNER:  Danny Morris  -2      Thirteen handicapper Morris fires a 40 and wins his second consecutive– and fourth of the year– Low Net, putting  him in a solid first place for Sandbagger Of The Year. Later, on the porch, the players shot menacing stares in Morris’s direction, calling the win “dirty money” and wondering out loud how a thirteen handicapper could post consecutive scores of 39 and 40. Seeing the riled up  anguish in his constituency, and showing concern for Morris’s safety, the Commissioner assuaged the crowd by agreeing to conduct a special investigative inquiry- to include both blood and urine samples from Morris-  in order to either confirm or reject the players suspicions that doping or other illegal performance enhancing methods may be behind Morris’s suddenly improved play.

PINK LADY WINNER: Jeff Colbath   54    The nineteen handicapper has his worst round of the year, opening with a triple, then later adding two other three baggers mixed in with four doubles to earn his first Pinkster of the year.

SHOTS OF THE DAY (sort of)  There were two (sort of) Shots of the Day: – Jeff Colbath’s high arching tee shot on #18 that landed on the cart path in front of the stairwell and then soared mightily upwards to land harmlessly on the upper deck of the clubhouse building. –Doug Healy’s shanked approach shot on #16 that narrowly missed taking out the Commissioner who, demonstrating agile athleticism, was able to perform a picturesque arabesque move to dodge the errant line drive missile that was headed for a direct hit to his sternum.

BIRDIE CLUB.  The Birdie Club eked out two one-unders out of the field of 13 thanks to the contributions of Bill Meagher and Danny Morris.

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER (Observations of the Commish)

-It was another beautiful evening on the ATAG Sky Box. PJ Wade made another cameo appearance and joined in the socializing and a suit clad  Mike Gaddis came up for a quick glad hand before departing home. Bill Meagher told a couple of good jokes, as did Don Nichols, and the small field of players helped center the discussions so that all could participate.

-Marty Arnold was chastised by the players for not honoring his response to the Call For Players, electing not to play because he was sure the rain was here to stay and that the match would be cancelled and so informed the Commissioner at 4:45 pm that he had already gone home to eat some Quiche.

That’s it for the recap of this week’s match. Check out the photos in the Gallery and the Leaders in the Clubhouse. Next week we take on the friendly front nine.