Northeast Ohio Golf: Greater Cleveland and Akron Tournament Golf News, Schedules, Results

Enjoy this funny golf cartoon and song. Happy Holidays!

– Allen Freeman

The winter months are upon us, and that’s a wrap on the 2008 golf season in Northeast Ohio. It’s been fun! And while I’m ‘golfed-out’ right now, of course I’ll be looking forward to the 2009 season.

Thanks to Tim Davis, John Niedzialek, Eric McKinney, Kevin Larizza, Jeff Jenkins, Larry Zimmerman, Dave Chapple, Dave Oates, Mike Raby, John Fiander, Tom Kochensparger, Jeff Staker, Dan Priest and everyone else who contributed to make NEOHgolf.com a year-one success.

I’ll post some thoughts about tournament golf in our area over the coming winter months, and I’ll email you in the coming weeks to get your opinions, too. Because ‘discussion’ makes a good thing even better. So please, email me at golf@NEOHgolf.com any time you have an idea that might get some of those ‘discussions’ going.

Talk to you all again soon…

– Allen Freeman

Seventeen teams teed it up Sunday, October 26th at the NEOHgolf.com / Blond John Scramble at Powderhorn Golf Course in Madison. On a cold and blustery day, the die-hard teams were all trying to get a piece of the $2,800 prize pool — and there was some spectacular golf along the way.

Taking home the $900 first place prize was the team of Brian Perkins, Barry Snyder and Duane Randall, all from the Madison area. The team shot 13-under par and notched a one-shot victory, a score that included two eagles.

Second place by scorecard playoff went to the team of Dunlop, Michael, and Kersner with a score of 12-under par, good for $630. Also finishing at 12-under par but moving down to third place via the scorecard was the team of Derek Duda, Tom Porten, and Jacob Scott, earning a $330 payout.

Four teams tied for fourth place at 10-under par; earning $180 through a scorecard playoff was the team of Jack Elber, Mark Borlin, and Tom Svete.

The shot of the day came on “Lucky 13″, the 269-yard par-4: Rob Shustrich of Windham made a hole-in-1 double eagle!! Shustrich used a 3-wood to knock in the long-range side-hill curler. With the hole-out, the Rob Shustrich, Doug Hauenstein, and Swanda group claimed a skin worth $255.

Two other skins went to the Walt Robertson, Allen Freeman, and Cliff Visci group, as they made two eagles on the day: a short chip-in on the par-5 4th hole, and a driver to six feet on the par-4 18th hole. The team took home $510.

Eagle skins were tied off on holes #2 and #16.

Thanks to Powderhorn Golf Course for the greatly reduced rate for golf and cart, which allowed the tournament to provide an excellent payout!

And special thanks to John Niedzialek for all of his efforts in running the NEOHgolf.com / Blond John scramble series! All of the contestants look forward to these events again next season.

– Allen Freeman & John Niedzialek

The Greater Cleveland Skins Game season came down to dramatics on the final Thursday night at Pleasant Hills in Chardon. The top four players on the season-long money list played together in the last group - and on “Double Down” night, no less, where the pot entry was doubled.

At stake was claim to the Thompson Cup for 2008.

Steve Blackburn, Jr. led the money list at the start of the night (and for most of the season). Chasing were John Niedzialek, Mark Foss and Paul Kish.

Kish of Painesville Township made the strongest effort to take the Cup, posting birdies at both the second and seventh holes. But both birdies were tied by other players.

Niedzialek and Foss had great opportunities to overtake Blackburn’s lead and grab the Cup on par-3s: Niedzialek won the pin shot on the third hole and Foss took the pin shot on the eighth hole. Had either player made the close-range birdie putt, he would have won enough money to overtake the season long lead. But neither did. Both players also had birdie putts on the ninth green — the final hole of the season — and again a make would have won the Cup. But neither player converted.

In the end, Steve Blackburn, Jr. of Willowick held on and won the 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Championship. Blackburn Jr. took home $1,318 for the season with 8 skins and 3 pin shots. Blackburn was awarded “The Thompson Cup” after the round, his second in the last three seasons.

Thursday’s final “Double Down” Skins Night at Pleasant Hills had some big winners: Steve Blackburn Sr. earned one skin with a birdie on #1, and Rob Shustrich earned the other with a birdie on #4. The skins paid $247.50 each.

Pin shot winners were John Niedzialek on #3, Geoff Nicely on #5, and Mark Foss on # 8, worth $55.00 each.

Shustrich’s big night moved him all the way up to fourth place, and Blackburn Sr. moved to the eighth position in the final standings.

After the round, Blackburn Jr. stated, “My hot play in the beginning of the season gave me enough momentum to hang on to the lead and allow me to take home the Thompson Cup again.”

Skins Game Director John Niedzialek added, “Hats off to Steve Jr.; it was great to come down to the last night with a chance to win it all and compete with all these great payers from the region. A big thanks to all six courses that hosted the Greater Cleveland Skins Game this year, with many of them offering reduced rate sponsorships for the players. And thanks to Northeast Ohio Golf for posting the weekly results on the website all season long.”

Mark Foss summed it up with, “Every season, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game gets better and the competition gets tougher. I enjoyed this season and look forward to 2009.”

The 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game events were played at Pleasant Hills, Fowlers Mill, Thunder Hill, Chardon Lakes, Powderhorn, and Little Mountain. Over $12,000 was paid out in prize funds this year.

. . . . .

FINAL RESULTS: 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard

– Allen Freeman & John Niedzialek

Captain Kory Oslie and his team — Doug Barber, Ryan Culbertson, Scott Green, Steve Paramore and Todd Selzer — played an error-free round at the 6-Man Scramble at Eagle Creek GC in Norwalk on Sunday to post 20-under par and capture the inaugural event.

Team Oslie posted 16 birdies and two eagles in winning by a single shot, good for a $4,000 first place pay day.

The runner-up teams at 19-under par were Team Korte and Team Kiley, each earning $1,600.

But Team Kiley was the big winner on the day: in addition to their T2 finish, they grabbed the entire $4,000 skins pot by making eagle-2 on two different par-4 holes #4 and #7. Combined with their second place winnings, the six players on Team Kiley earned $933 each!

Kudos to Gary Wilkins, Dave Weisenberger, Dave Morgan for a well-run event, and to superintendent Curt Lyme and his staff for the well conditioned golf course.

Word is that a both a spring and fall 6-man scramble will be held in 2009; watch Northeast Ohio Golf for details!

– Allen Freeman

Johnny Distefano kept his hot hand going at Pleasant Hills GC on Thursday, capturing two skins with birdies at #2 and #7. Mike Angie notched the other skin with a birdie on #6. Skins were worth $37.50 each.

Angie also took two pin shots and Geoff Nicely grabbed the final pin shot on #8, worth $12.50 each.

Distefano works his way up to the eighth spot on the leaderboard, while Angie moves into the 5th position.

Steve Blackburn was shut out on Thursday but still sits at the top of the season-long Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard. However, with the stakes being doubled for the upcoming final night, the race for the Thompson Cup is still up for grabs!

This coming Thursday, October 23rd  at Pleasant Hills Golf Course in Chardon, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game Champion will be crowned. This final night will be a “Double Down” event, with the stakes set at $60 per player plus greens fees. (Please note that only players that have participated in at least 2 events this year can play.) The Thompson Cup will be awarded to the season-long winner and everyone is invited to pay respects to the champion as the champagne will be poured at approximately 6:30 pm!

Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard Through Week 27

1) Steve Blackburn Jr.    $1,318.17
2) John Niedzialek          $1,171.81
3) Mark Foss                   $1,126.34
4) Paul Kish                      $817.80
5) Mike Angie                 $706.17
6) Rob Schustrich           $699.13
7) Geoff Nicely                 $626.33
8) John Distefano            $431.80
9) Nick Anagnost             $429.33
10) Steve Blackburn Sr.        $397.50
11) Joe Tasca                    $386.90
12) Ryan Stefanski           $345.00
13) Dave Sotka                  $340.33
14) Al Freeman                 $316.00
15) George Martin            $268.20
16) Brian McGinty            $264.50
17) Anthony Maenza        $224.20
18) Russ Rybka                 $201.00
19) Phil Bojc                    $180.50
20) Corey Iacofano           $168.66
21) Garry Zehe                $166.50
22) Jim Lebzelter              $151.83
23) Josh Krause              $144.83
24) Dan Lanese                  $136.50
25) Bob Delcocco              $99.66
26) Jeff Ettinger                $84.00
27) John Zook                   $77.00
28) Tom Evans                   $74.64
29) Clint Paxson                $45.50
30) Tom Bond                    $45.50
31) Cliff Lawrence              $36.00
32) Ron Rositani                 $33.00
33) Matt White                   $33.00

– John Niedzialek

Ironwood Golf Course in Hinckley is hosting a $50 skins game every Friday in October, starting at 1:30 p.m. Golf and cart will cost just $35. Simply show up and play; no pre-registration necessary…

This weekend’s 36-hole “Golfer of the Year” stroke play event has been cancelled by director Tim Davis:

“After much discussion, the ADGA Executive Board deeply regrets that the 2008 Golfer of the Year Tournament must be cancelled due to scheduling constraints.We had a tremendous year with participation and sponsorship and we regret having to end the season in this manner.

We would like to recognize and congratulate Vaughn Snyder as the winner of the 2008 ADGA Governor’s Cup and we would like to thank all of this year’s ADGA participants, and we especially thank all of the ADGA sponsors.

The 2009 ADGA schedule will roll out in the next couple of months. Save room on your 2009 golf calendar to join us for some very competitive events. Have a safe fall and winter and I hope to see everyone at Turkeyfoot in May.”

STILL WANT TO PLAY ROSEMONT THIS WEEKEND? As an option to players who still want to play Rosemont Country Club this Saturday, October 18th, Tim Davis will host a $100 skins game beginning at noon for any player that wishes to compete. Golf and cart will be just $30. Simply show up before noon and pay Tim…

On an incredibly beautiful fall day for golf, two teams tied at the 3-Man Scramble at Thunder Hill on Sunday with the strong score of 13-under par 59. But each team reached that number a bit differently: the team of Voltz / Young / Patterson made a big back nine rally to catch the front-running team of Steve Blackburn Jr. / Mark Foss / Phil Bojc.

The Blackburn team raced out to the lead with a sizzling front-nine score of 8-under par 28, including a birdie at the tough par-3 ninth. But the Voltz team returned the favor with a score of 7-under par 29 on the back to catch and tie.

The biggest scoring swing of the day came when the Blackburn team bogied the par-4 15th hole against a birdie for the Voltz team.

As determined in advance, a scorecard playoff awarded first place to the Voltz team, as they birdied the #1 handicap hole (13) vs. a par for the Blackburn team.

23 teams played in Sunday’s event; kudos to John Niedzialek for his tournament director efforts.

Another NEOHgolf.com / Blond John 3-Man Scramble will be played in two weeks at Powderhorn Golf Course in Madison. Again, entry is limited to the first 24 teams to register due to daylight concerns. Details on that Sunday, October 26th event can be found on the entry blank here.

FINAL RESULTS, FALL 2008 3-MAN SCRAMBLE #1
THUNDER HILL GOLF CLUB, MADISON

T1 Voltz / Young / Patterson 59 $1,060
T1 Blackburn Jr. / Foss / Bojc 59 $670
T3 Perkins / Perkins / Randall 61 $315
T3 Freeman / Shustrich / Okeson 61 $220
5 Stover / Duda / Porter 62 $150
T6 Lebzelter / Smith / Smith 63
T6 Sotka / Anogost / Tomko 63
T6 Tasca / Martin / Daniels 63
T9 Paxson / Anderson / Angie 64
T9 Oslin / Holmes / Rolla 64
T11 Bishop / Leymasteer / Kastelic 65
T11 Kasper / Brodnan / Meyers 65
13 Kraise / Krause / Marinchak 66
T14 Bodnar / Heestanz / Bergold 67
T14 Evans / Tyrrell / Snyder 67
T14 Niedzialek / Kish / Nicely 67
17 Livak / Sinclair / Sinclair 68
T18 Hlabse / Sedlak / Montz 69
T18 Serefino / Baker / Lenton 69
T18 Grbac / Whire / Haic 69
21 Ely / Trudell / Nemecek 71
22 Marek / Morrow / Morrow 73
21 Heck / Mike / Fish 74

Skins: $517 ea
Grbac #4 Eagle
Lebzelter #18 Eagle

– Allen Freeman

Thirty teams competed on Saturday, October 11 in what may have been the best weather ever in the history of the Oak Harbor 6-Man Scramble. Even with the most challenging hole locations possible, two teams tied with a winning score of 20-under par:

-20     Fussell     $2,400
-20     Paulson     $2,400
-19     Von Deylan     $1,200
-18     Michunas     $450
-18     Morgan     $450

Skins: $870 each
Fussell    Double Eagle #3 (Par 5)
Senghas    Eagle #8 (Par 4)

Special thanks to PGA pro Chuck Benes for a well-run full-field event, and to the grounds crew at Oak Harbor for the excellent golf course conditions.

– Allen Freeman