Golf Chatter

Because this Friday, July 3rd is a day off from work for many, Kevin Larizza and the folks at Rosemont CC in Fairlawn have graciously allowed a bonus $100 Big Skins Game to be held this Friday beginning at 10:30 a.m.

But here’s the deal: only spots for 24 players (six tee times) are available, and play is first come-first serve. Cost is $100 for the skins and $35 for golf and cart (bring cash!). To put your name on the list to play, you MUST email NEOHgolf.com or call Mike Armour at 330-472-3813 today — player’s cannot simply show up without advance notice. Once the field is full, it’s full…

Plenty of golf choices for this coming week and weekend…

- the Greater Cleveland Skins Game is back in action this Thursday at Wicked Woods Golf Course;

- the ADGA hosts a 2-M Better Ball at Rosemont Country Club in Fairlawn on Saturday, and the golf course is in perfect conditions. Register online or call (440) 848-8364;

- the Golf Galaxy Tour plays a 2-M Better Ball at Greyhawk on Saturday; details at OhioGolfTour.com;

- the Stark County Amateur Golf Association hosts an 18-hole stroke play event at Tam-o-Shanter Golf Club in Canton very early on Sunday morning, details at SCAGA.com;

- the Championship Golf Association is scheduled to play an 18-hole stroke play event at Punderson State Park Golf Course in Newbury on Sunday, registration at the CGA website;

As always, get a complete list at the Northeast Ohio Golf Tournament Calendar!

Because of an outing at Chippewa, the $100 Big Skins Game will move to Rosemont Country Club in Fairlawn on Monday, June 22. The starting time will be moved up just a bit to 11:15 a.m., and greens fees with cart will be $35. See you Monday at Rosemont!

The 48th playing of the Ashland Am-Am Tournament takes place this weekend, June 13th and 14th, at the challenging Country Club of Ashland. The deadline for mailed entries for the Ashland Am-Am is the end of day today, so as to begin work on the starting times.

Beginning Tuesday morning, players may reserve a spot in the tournament only by calling the pro shop with a credit card: 419-289-2917. Late entries will be limited to the times left available.

The main event is played on Sunday in scratch 2-man better ball format with an optional cash skins game. PDF entry blank here. Look for starting time information on this website later in the week…

Ouch! Poor Jimmy! Some bloggers who don’t know him — or even name him — take Little Mountain pro/local golf media guy Jimmy Hamlin to task yesterday for his fashion choice during the Akron Children’s Hospital charity event.

In a national posting entitled, “Natalie Gulbis Hangs With Daly Wannabe“, they call him a “sweet dude that apparently robbed John Daly’s closet” and show him in a picture with Natalie Gulbis. Check out SoYoked here.

Sorry, Jimmy, but you have to admit this is pretty funny…

Last call to sign up for one of the summer’s truly fun events: The Joe Ungvary Sr. Memorial 2-Man Jumble is this coming Saturday, June 6 at Good Park Golf Course in Akron.

Six holes each of scramble, better ball and true alternate, with each six plus the overall total score earning prizes (plus skins!). Prizes are in gift certificates or cash, player’s choice. The field is already at 30 teams, so the prizes should be worthwhile.

Entry fee is $110/man for all event pots, skins, golf and cart. ENTRIES CLOSE THURSDAY AT 5 P.M., SO CALL TODAY! To enter, call the Good Park pro shop at 330-864-0020.

Also coming up:

- The Championship Golf Association plays an individual stroke play event at Ironwood this Sunday.

- The 48th playing of the Ashland Am-Am Tournament takes place June 13th and 14th at the challenging Country Club of Ashland. The main event is played on Sunday in scratch 2-man better ball format with an optional cash skins game. PDF entry blank here.

- Also on June 14, pro Walt Robertson is hosting the first Highland 3-M Cash Scramble at Highland Park Golf Course. Teams of 3 amateurs or 1 pro and 2 ams will play for a $3,000 first place prize. Entry fee is $375 per team. Details via PDF entry blank here. To enter, call Walt at 216-544-5531.

A number of other great competitive golf events throughout Northeast Ohio can be found on the Tournament Calendar…

- The Greater Cleveland Skins Game heads to Chardon Lakes GC this Thursday at 5 p.m., details here;

- The Akron District Golf Association plays a 54 hole stroke play event at three different courses this Saturday through Monday, details here;

- Cleveland Metroparks Golf hosts a 4-Man Scramble at Sleepy Hollow GC in Brecksville this Saturday (sign up today!), details here;

- The Golf Galaxy Tour plays Fowlers Mill on Saturday in a 2-Man Better Ball Format, details here;

- The local qualifier for the ESPN 2-Man Championship comes to Quail Hollow GC in Concord this Sunday, May 31. Cost is $85/player and includes entry, greens fee with cart, and a tee gift. The winning teams from various local qualifiers play again at Quail in the regional in August, at a cost of $175/player. Those winners go to Las Vegas in October to play in the national finals at no additional cost, but flight/hotel is the player’s expense. To enter the local qualifier, call the Quail pro shop at 440-639-3810.

- The Championship Golf Association plays an individual stroke play event at Sugarbush GC in Garrettsville this Sunday, details here;

- The Joe Ungvary Sr. Memorial 2-Man Jumble is next week Saturday, June 6 at Good Park Golf Course in Akron. Six holes each of scramble, better ball and true alternate, with each six plus the overall total earning prizes (plus skins!). Entry fee is $110/man for all event pots, skins, golf and cart. To enter, call the Good Park pro shop at 330-864-0020.

- The 48th playing of the Ashland Am-Am Tournament takes place June 13th and 14th at the challenging Country Club of Ashland. The main event is played on Sunday in scratch 2-man better ball format with an optional cash skins game. PDF entry blank here.

- Also on June 14, pro Walt Robertson is hosting the first Highland 3-M Cash Scramble at Highland Park Golf Course. Teams of 3 amateurs or 1 pro and 2 ams will play for a $3,000 first place prize. Entry fee is $375 per team. Details via PDF entry blank here.

A number of other great competitive golf events throughout Northeast Ohio can be found on the Tournament Calendar…

- If you don’t have your team’s entry in for the NEOHgolf.com / Blond John 3-Man Cash Scramble at Thunder Hill this coming Saturday, May 23rd, do it today! The field is limited to 24 teams due to existing tee times, and registrations are already at 19 as of Monday. Details on the event are here. To enter, email John or call the Thunder Hill pro shop at 440-298-3474. [Read more →]

Loads of great events coming up in this second week of May:

- the Greater Cleveland Skins Game heads to Fowlers Mill this Thursday starting at 4:30 p.m., no pre-reg required;

- the Akron District Golf Association has its 4-Man Scramble this Saturday at Brookledge GC in Stow, signup here;

- Cleveland Metroparks Golf has a 2-M BB/Scramble at Big Met on Saturday, signup info here;

- the Golf Galaxy Tour has a 2-M BB at Shale Creek in Medina on Saturday as well, signup here and use code NEOHGOLF for a discount;

- Stark County Amateur Golf Association has an individual stroke play event at Sable Creek GC in Hartville on Sunday, signup here;

- the Championship Golf Association goes to Eagle Creek on Sunday for an individual event as well, signup here;

- and on Monday head out to Doylestown for the Chippewa $100 Big Skins Game at 11:30 followed by the Monday Scratch League at 4.

See more events for the weeks ahead at the Tournament Calendar — including the NEOHgolf.com 3-Man Scramble coming up on May 23rd at Thunder Hill!

A clarification to the “third nine” skins game as it relates to the Chippewa Monday Scratch League: many of the 11:30 a.m. big skins game players stay to play in a third nine $50 skins game held on league nights when the format is a better ball or aggregate (since everyone plays his own ball). But players who are not participating in the league must note the following rules: the league cannot allow fivesomes; non-league players must play together in their own group(s); and non-league players can only tee off either before 4 p.m., after 6 p.m., or if the tee is completely open and no league teams are ready to play. While Chippewa welcomes the big skins game players and encourages the third nine skins game, these rules must be enforced to protect the focus of the league.

NEOHgolf.com and “Blond John” Niedzialek present a great-paying 3-player scratch scramble with reduced greens fees at a great golf course!

On Saturday, May 23rd at 11 a.m. at the Thunder Hill Golf Club in Madison, a maximum of 24 3-man teams will scramble it up for some great cash prizes: 1st Place $1,000; 2nd $600; 3rd $300; 4th $200. Plus $900 in skins! These payouts are based on just 20 teams, and the prize amounts will increase at 24 teams. Additional optional side games at the course as well.

Teams may be made up of three amateur players or 1 pro and 2 ams.

The $80 per player entry fee includes event entry, reduced greens fees and cart, and the skins game entry.

THE FIELD IS LIMITED TO THE FIRST 24 TEAMS THAT ENTER, SO SIGN UP TODAY! To register a team, email golf@ClevelandSkins.com or call the Thunder Hill pro shop at 440-298-3474. You must name all three team members when you sign up, and the 1-pro per team rule will be verified and strictly enforced.

This is a week for “beginnings” in Northeast Ohio Golf! The weatherman is calling for sunny skies and 75 degree days all through the extended weekend, so register today for the season-starting events you want to play: [Read more →]

Time to get the rust off and get ready for the start of the 2009 golf season!

The $100 Big Skins Game at Chippewa GC goes full swing this Monday starting at 11:30 a.m. (and every Monday through the summer unless posted here). Golf and cart fees are greatly reduced and cover play for the entire day, so it’s arguably the best competitive golf deal in Northeast Ohio. And since the format is a big skins game (fire at the flags!), everyone has a chance. It’s a great way to get in “playing shape” for the season, so get out there. [Read more →]

More golf rumors, whispers, innuendos and half-truths:

- Add this one to the ‘bogus story’ category: rumors that the Country Club of Ashland is in financial distress and may not open for the 2009 season are FALSE.

“I don’t know where these things come from,” sighed Dan Priest, head pro at Ashland. “The club is open, we are still private and expect a great year. The dining room is now open for business to the public, but that has no affect on the club or course. The Ashland Am-Am is on the schedule for June 13-14 and we’re looking forward to it.”

Good news for one of the top Northeast Ohio golf tournaments of the summer…

– Allen Freeman

More golf rumors, whispers, innuendos and half-truths:

- An ‘open letter’ to every greater Cleveland area golf association and tournament director for 2009: with guys more than willing to keep their money in their pocket this year due to a roller-coaster of an economy, it is CRITICAL that every golf event show true value for the entry fee dollar. [Read more →]