Posts from — October 2008

The winter months are upon us, and that’s a wrap on the 2008 golf season in Northeast Ohio. It’s been a great year!

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. [Read more →]

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. [Read more →]

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. [Read more →]

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. [Read more →]

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. [Read more →]

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. [Read more →]

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. [Read more →]

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

33 teams competed in the 2008 edition of the Bill Barbour Cup, a 27-hole “jumble” format event played at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville on October 11th.

Final results from the top finishers:

Jim Smith & Tim Hahn -7
Chris Abbey & Greg Kenscon -7
Mike Kracker & Dennis Heckathorn -6
Scott Saari & K.C. Saari -3
Steve Blackburn & Mark Foss -3
Derek Duda & Brad Steven -1
Doug Savage & Brad Shuff E
Michael Mintz & Scott Heran  E
Greg Sowa & Tom Boardman E

Rob Shustrich found Thunder Hill Golf Club in Madison to be “easy pickings” on Thursday, making three birdies (#4 and # 9 held up for skins worth $64.40 each) plus the pin shot on the ninth hole, worth $49. Shustrich earned $177.80 for the night’s triple-dip, moving him up to the fifth spot on the season-long leaderboard.

There were five skins total: Joe Tasca birdied the fifth hole for a skin; John Distefano birdied #6 for a skin; and Steve Blackburn Jr., the Greater Cleveland Skins Game leader who has not made a skin in 17 weeks, finally cashed in again with a PAR SKIN on the 7th hole!

Mike Angie took the other pin shot of the evening, on the third hole.

Only two more weeks to go in the Greater Cleveland Skins Game 2008 season, culminating at the “Double Down” at Pleasant Hills on October 23 and the presentation of the Thompson Cup trophy.

The Skins Game moves to Pleasant Hills GC this coming Thursday, October 16 starting at 4:00 pm sharp due to daylight concerns.� Any player that wants to play a “warm up 9 hole round” before the scheduled skins game must call the course first to make such arrangements.

Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard Through Week 26

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) Rob Schustrich     $699.13
6) Mike Angie     $643.67
7) Geoff Nicely     $613.83
8) Nick Anagnost     $429.33
9) Steve Blackburn Sr.     $397.50
10) Joe Tasca     $386.90
11) John Distefano     $356.80
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

John Distefano of Munson Township finished strong at Fowlers Mill: he nearly aced the 17th hole capturing a pin shot and a skin with a birdie, and then he birdied the 18th hole as well for a second skin! Distefano’s big night earned him $152.40, moving him up eight spots on the season-long leaderboard.

Anthony Maenza captured the pin shot on the 13th hole worth $42.00 and also took home a skin on the 16th hole with a birdie, worth $55.20. His double-dip moved him up eight spots on the leaderboard as well.

Paul Kish, who is currently in fourth place on the leaderboard, had a chip-in birdie on the13th hole earning a skin.

And Mark Foss came out of the gate with a birdie on the 10th hole and earned a $55.20 skin to add to his third place position.

All of this movement only further tightens the race for the Greater Cleveland Skins Game Championship and the Thompson Cup. Steve Blackburn Jr. was shut out yet again, but still holds onto the season lead. Only three weeks to go, with the season culminating at the “Double Down” event at Pleasant Hills on October 23 with the Thompson Cup trophy presentation.

The Skins Game moves to Thunderhill GC in Madison on Thursday, October 9 starting at 4:15 pm sharp due to daylight concerns. Green Fees will be $15 riding! Please thank the course management for extending skins game players such a great rate. Any player looking to play a “warm up 9 hole round” before the scheduled skins game must call the course first to make such arrangements.

Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard Through Week 25

1) Steve Blackburn Jr.     $1,253.77
2) John Niedzialek     $1,171.81
3) Mark Foss     $1,126.34
4) Paul Kish     $817.80
5) Geoff Nicely     $613.83
6) Mike Angie     $594.67
7) Rob Schustrich     $521.33
8) Nick Anagnost     $429.33
9) Steve Blackburn Sr.     $397.50
10) Ryan Stefanski     $345.00
11) Dave Sotka     $340.33
12) Joe Tasca     $325.50
13) Al Freeman     $316.00
14) John Distefano     $292.40
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