Rea Park’s Club Championship last weekend saw some of the hottest golf of the season played by Chris Cassell and Chris Keen, a pair of long-hitting par busters who produced birdies faster than Krispy Kreme can manufacture doughnuts.
One would think that a nine-under-par effort by Keen with rounds of 70 and 65 would be enough for the talented linksman to claim the Rea Park Club Championship. Instead, Keen’s 135 was one shot higher that the 66-68-134 total turned in by Cassell.
Keen dialed up the pressure after finding himself three shots down with only two holes to play when he backed his tee shot on No. 17 to within four inches of the cup. When Cassell three putted the margin was one. On the final hole Keen sent his approach 12 feet from the hole while Cassell’s second was six feet away. After Keen holed his putt, Cassell sank his six footer for the win.
When the dust had settled, Cassell and Keen had scored 13 birdies each for the 36 holes, indicating that both should be serious threats in the upcoming WTHI TV News 10 Men’s City Championship scheduled for September 15-16 and 22-23.
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In an effort to keep professional golf’s millionaire money winners playing the tour until the season ends, the so called “brains” of the PGA Tour have decided to have a playoff. After all, playoffs abound in baseball, basketball, football as well as many other sports.
So now we have the FedEx Cup. Will it signify the best player in pro golf for 2007? No way, Tiger has already salted away that honor. He has won two World Golf Championships, a major and two other titles along with nearly eight million in prize money.
In previous years many of the PGA Tour’s elite have skipped the Tour Championship and many didn’t show for a tournament that matched all the winners of the previous year’s tourneys.
Where were they? Some were more interested in some extra time away from golf. Others enjoyed making some megabucks by playing in foreign countries where appearance fees could run as much as two million. (That is, if your first name is Tiger.)
The so-called “silly season” isn’t silly at all if you are talking government green.
So now with a complicated point system, a series of tournaments will pare the competitors to a select few, beginning with 144 contestants after last week’s Wyndham Championship.
When The Barclays, the Deutsche Bank Championship and the BMW Championship are concluded a few survivors will match shots in the Tour Championship for the winner’s purse, an annuity worth $10 million. I’ll bet even Tiger will be on hand for that one.
By the way, if UPS joins Fed Ex in this venture, the tournament name could be changed to “FedUp.”
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Have you ever wondered what happened to Phil Mickelson on that last hole of the 2006 U.S. Open? That was the time he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Roland Carlstedt knows! He’s a member of the American Board of Sports Psychology.
Carlstedt states, “Mickelson’s on course personality reveals the personality of a gambler.” He goes on to say, “Addictions involve neuron-psychological processes associated with lack of impulse control and inhibition of reward gratification seeking behavior, and the brain’s frontal lobes are heavily implicated in addictions including gambling.”
Now you know why you lost all your bets the last time you made that unsuccessful try to carry that pond or the time you snap hooked your drive out of bounds on the last hole just as you were about to win all your bets.
• Tim Mundy, an outstanding Terre Haute North athlete in his high school days, leads a strong contingent who play Hulman Links at 9 a.m. on weekends. They also travel to other area courses that host tournaments of interest. Some of the members of the Mundy hunt include: Mark Neaderhiser, Dave Brown, Mark Bird, Ted Kaperak and Chuck Adamson. Also, Tom Jones, Gregg Kluesner, Jim Homburg, Bubba Atkinson, and Chris Cassell.
Another hunt finds Abe Nasser at the helm. Among his players are: Bill Doan, Jr., Ted Schneider, Dave Alumbaugh, Don Alumbaugh, Ryan Roscoe, Randy Schulte, Scott McVey, Ken McVey, Bruce Adelman, Abe Nasser, Jr., and Ken Bosc.
• Congratulations are in order for Ted Kaperak, who has threatened to make the Terre Haute Seniors’ Championship his private domain after winning his fourth title. Age is no problem for Ted who also has six city championships in his resume.
• More kudos are in order for David Callahan who captured his fourth Country Club of Terre Haute Club Championship recently. Callahan is now tied with Jim Winning who also has four wins in this event.
During their high school days at Terre Haute South, both golfers played some superb golf. Callahan joined his brother, Dan, along with John Moulton, Fred Bonewell and John Bishop to finish fourth in the IHSAA State Finals in 1975, whereas, Winning teamed with Mark McCreery, Chris Posey, Jonathan Hunter and Patrick O’Rourke to place second in the state in 1989.
• Bob Clements was an outstanding athlete at both Wiley High School and Indhiana State. In addition, he was a superb football coach at South Vigo until illness forced him to retire.
A benefit scramble for Bob will be played at Idle Creek on Saturday, September 22. Entries are $75. Call Ray Goddard for further information at (812) 299-4653. Hole sponsorships are also available by contacting Mark Miller at (812) 462-4381.
• Tip of the week — Gene Verostko once made that statement, “If you keep your head steady, you’ll always get something out of your shot.” That is so true. Have someone hold your head as you take a practice swing, making sure they are not in the path of the clubhead. Some movement is unavoidable, but if the head moves laterally or vertically, you’re probably in for trouble.
Keep your head down and your shoestrings tied. We’ll be back.
Bob Arnett can be reached at subob@aol.com.
Vigo County Golf Leagues
Rea Park Tuesday 18-hole — Low gross: Sharon Horrall 80. Low net: Susan Amerman 68. Birdies: Horrall (2, 15), Carolyn Hyde (8), Myra Eble (13). Chip-ins: Horrall (2), Stephanie Meyer (2), Amerman (3), Linda Pair (7), Hyde (8), Royce Whitaker (14). Play of the day: Amerman.
Elks Ladies 9-hole — Low gross: Lucy James. Low net: Dorothy Dwyer. Low putts: James. Play of the day: Carolyn Sweeting. Chip-in: Vivien Niemeier (2).
Charlie’s Tuesday Night Men at Hulman Links — Low gross: Chris Keen 36. Low net: Keith Lee, Craig Miller 33. Standings: Charlie’s No. 2 542, Fleschner Law 538, Charlie’s No. 1 448, Charlie’s No. 4 423, Charlie’s No. 3 372.
Rea Park Wednesday Ladies — Team points: Cannon-Bocard 34, Lanke-Pair 32, Anderson-Spurr 32, Honselman-Long 30, Hyde-Rusk 28, Swalls-McAleese 27, Meyer-Atterson 27,Hamilton-Hiatt 27, McCord-Clements 26, Padgett-Johnson 25,Mann-Mahalek 23, Horrall-Mozley 23, Durand-Petty 23, Harden-Snow 22, Newton-Bedwell 21, Ugo-Whitaker 16. Low gross: Candy McCord 39. Low net: McCord 32. Chip-ins: Sandy Lanke (3), Cheryl Bedwell (4), Renee Honselman (7), Cheryl Long (8), Sharon Hamilton (8).
Rea Park First Financial Ladies 9-hole — Standings: Shepard’s Gas 669, Elliott’s Jewelers 619, VFW No. 2 603, Bratt Animal Hospital 590, VFW No. 1 574, Tabco 545. Low gross: Linda Miller, Joyce Stipanuk 49. Low net: Barb Kelley 34. Birdie: Patsy Miller (3). Chip-ins: P.Miller (3), L.Miller (8).
Terre Haute Savings Bank Senior Men — National Division standings: Page’s Market 234, Complete Kitchen and Bath 232, Fore Seasons Golf Complex 229, Lough Bros. 219, Pizza Hut 214, Paitson Bros. 197, SMC 196, T.H. Savings Bank 176. Low gross: Jim Gormong 35. Low net: Ed Smith 33. American Division standings: Spring Clean Car Wash 254, Gurman Container 236, Pabst Painting 225, Poplar Flower Shop 219, Callahan Funeral Home 217, VFW No. 972 199, Salt of the Earth 196, Lee Appraisal Service 194. Low gross: Charlie Patterson 38. Low net: Patterson 32.
Idle Creek Tuesday Morning Ladies — Best Ball, First gross: Sue Borden-Rhea Gasaway 45, Second gross: Cathy Brannen-Mary Brannen 53. Closest to pin: C.Brannen (12).
Idle Creek Home Builders — Low gross: Kurt Jones 39. Low net: Jim Panky 32. Longest putt: Richard Booe (16). Closest to pin: Sam Lee (11), Panky (12).
Idle Creek Wednesday Evening — Low gross: Brad Binns 46. Low net: Charlie Brinkman 34. Longest putt: Brinkman (1). Closest to pin: Brinkman (9).
Rub of the Green
Rub of the Green: Cassell, Keen were birdie machines at Rea
- Rub of the Green
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Ryder Cub drama a great part of American sports scene
The recent Ryder Cup matches are over, but not done with! At the time the final match had concluded the “talking heads” had already gone to work assessing blame to those who didn’t live up to their preconceived expectations.
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Snedeker the big winner after FedEx Championship
The season-long FedEx Championship has finally come to an end and Brandt Snedeker may need a Brinks truck to haul his winnings to the bank.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Memories of Crooked Stick
The BMW tournament that concluded Sept. 9 at Crooked Stick in Carmel brought back a flood of memories.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: "Fair Joe" known expects rules to be followed in local hunts
Fair Joe is the name and golf is the game when referring to Joe Bukovack, who has sponsored hunts in Terre Haute as well as throughout Indiana during the past 25 years.
The “Fair” in Joe’s title refers to the fact that players who wish to participate in Bukovack’s competition must be willing to follow the rules of golf to the letter, otherwise they will not be invited to participate. -
RUB OF THE GREEN: Enjoying the game after all these years
When golf is referred to as “The Game for a Lifetime,” you’ve got to believe that description is definitely on target. For example, there is the Danny Williams hunt that converges on the first tee at The Landing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Many players are in their 70s and retired dentist, Bill Aikin, has seen 92 birthdays.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Hunts still popular on golf course
There is something about golf that lends itself to some friendly competition and in times gone by, the competitions were called “choose-ups.” Somewhere along the line, choose-ups became “hunts.” Regardless of what you call them, they remain a most popular mode of play for Terre Haute divot-diggers on courses throughout the Wabash Valley.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Heat doesn’t deter Terre Haute golfers
“When you’re hot, you’re hot, and when you’re not, you’re not.” Those are the words of country singer Jerry Reed and they apply to golfers as well.
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Rub of the Green: Father’s golf imprint still evident today
I was lucky and I knew it. My father, Robert Erwin Arnett, was one of the best dads any youngster could hope for.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Hogan, small of stature, left big footprints
With the Crowne Plaza Invitational being played at Colonial Country Club today, it conjures up images of the man himself, Bantam Ben Hogan, who won so often at Colonial it became known as “Hogan’s Alley.”
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Rub of the Green: Bowling or golf? Both provide plenty of challenge
The question has been raised in the past, is it bowling or golf that is the more difficult endeavor?
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Sometimes this can be a confounding game
To be sure, the great Sam Snead certainly knew what he was talking about when he delivered his favorite axiom, “The sun don’t shine on the same dog every day.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Grayless takes over as golf professional at Hulman Links
Ed Grayless has assumed the “head man’s” position at the Links after Ryan Klopfenstein resigned as Hulman Links golf professional in order to pursue other interests.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Young players should match course to skills
One of the biggest mistakes a beginning golfer can make is to keep playing a golf course that is far too difficult for the ability demonstrated by that player.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: On the lanes or links, Davis is competitive
Darrell Davis carries a 240 bowling average which obviously puts him in some strong company on the alleys, but he feels that golf is a much more difficult sport than keggling.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Loquacious golfers can provide priceless quotes
Golfers always seem to have a great deal to say, but determining who said what and who said it first can be a problem.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Rick Fernandes can look back on a great golf career
What does an outstanding golfer have left when an accident has robbed him of the consummate skills he once possessed? The answer most assuredly would be one word, “Memories.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Feherty’s humor good for golf
David Feherty is an extremely funny man. If you have read his book written a few years ago, you might have guessed what to expect from him. The book, entitled “Somewhere in Ireland a Village is Missing an Idiot,” set the stage for his far out brand of humor, most of which is directed at himself.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: It's all in your head
A pair of divot diggers had been discussing their favorite sport when one could be heard saying, “You know, I think this game is 90 percent mental.” After a short pause his friend replied, “Well, I think you’re about 10 percent short in your estimation.”
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Golf: ‘The Game You Love to Hate’
Golf has been called “The Game You Love to Hate.” In addition, love-hate relationships have been around since the beginning of time.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf is only sport that offers both hilarity, pathos
It’s been stated more than once that “golf is a microcosm for life itself.”
This writer would heartily agree. No sport or game can offer combinations of happiness and sadness, hilarity and pathos as evidenced by an activity called “cow pasture pool” by some of its practitioners. -
RUB OF THE GREEN: Even golfers say there is drug problem on Tour
Are professional golfers using performance-enhancing drugs? This writer wouldn’t have the foggiest, but if you asked Gary Player, one of the game’s greatest, the answer would be a resounding, “Yes.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Not all golfers display their trophies
Back in the “old days,” let’s say the 1940s, most of the time when you won something in a golf tournament your prize came in the form of a trophy. That was it, just a dust catcher. Later, merchandise prizes were added.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf full of colorful characters
Every sport has its own cast of characters and golf is definitely no exception. Whether it is diving head first into a greenside bunker or tying an unreliable putter to a car’s bumper and dragging it down the road, golfers can do some strange things.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Winter made golf impossible this year
Old Man Winter along with Mother Nature must have something against area golfers. They have joined forces to sabotage a sport called winter golf, an activity many Wabash Valley players have enjoyed in years gone by.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf instruction a strenuous art
Few who have ever tried their hands at playing the game of golf would describe the sport as “easy”. In fact, just the opposite would be the case.
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BOB ARNETT: No matter what your level, watch out for pressure
What is the affliction that can affect most any golfer from those who can’t break an egg to skilled golfers who can break 70?
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RUB OF THE GREEN: THGA tournaments include variety, long history
In days gone by, the Terre Haute Golf Association has always offered more than just a 72-hole stroke play tournament.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: PGA playoff system still needs work
Is anyone fed up with the convoluted Fed Ex playoffs? The PGA has been tweaking its so-called Fed Ex playoff system for years, and they never seem to get it right.
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Rub of the Green: Golf can be roller coaster for young pros
Dustin Johnson may be best remembered for his appearances in the major tournaments in 2010, but not because he won. He didn’t win. But he came awfully close.
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Rub of the Green: One size does NOT fit all when it comes to golfing ability
Literally hundreds of books have been written on the subject of golf instruction, and we can be certain they all agree on one fundamental, always keep your head stationary throughout the swing.
Right? Nope, wrong as it could be! How’s that, you say? As examples both David Duval and Annika Sorenstam at one time were rated the world’s No. 1 professional golfers, respectively, and both swiveled their heads well before their clubheads reached the impact zone. In fact, Duval is one of a select few who has a 59 to his credit on the PGA Tour. - More Rub of the Green Headlines
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Ryder Cub drama a great part of American sports scene
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