Week 18 Update
[dc]T[/dc]he 2011 GCCGL season is officially over. We had a beautiful sunny day once again and another perfect attendance. First of all, the commissioner’s office would like to thank all of you who participated this season. It was another wildly successful campaign. The interest in the league is at an all-time high and while we are currently in communication with the Kenton County Golf Courses clubhouse to see about moving up our tee times yet again in order to accommodate another team, it doesn’t look promising. But you never know.
Congratulations to the 2011 GCCGL Champions, The Handi-Capped, Mike Harris, Jason Nill, Matt Bedell and Don Moore. This marks the third straight championship for Mike “Big Donkey” Harris! The rare and coveted 3-peat! This feat may go down in history as one of those records that will most likely never be broken (i.e. DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streaking in baseball). It wasn’t so long ago that I can remember a younger, shy and slightly skinnier Big Donkey hanging around the GCCGL like a little kid sitting at the end of a dugout repeatedly asking the coach, “Can I play now coach, huh can I, please?”. Before he was Big Donkey, he was a sub in the GCCGL and would come out every week even if no one asked him to sub. He’d just wait around for someone NOT to show and would sub for that person. Those were the dark days, when we always had folks not showing up. The next season, he grabbed a permanent full time GCCGL member slot and the rest is history.
The final scramble was a tight one. Three teams finish in a tie for 1st place at -5, Gunga Galunga, The Heywoods and Cletus Rollers. The Handi-Capped finished in 2nd place with a core of -4 while Sphincter Says What? finished in dead last with a score of -3. This means that The Cletus Rollers jump into 2nd place and finish in the money! Congratulations to Danny Roller, Joe Eiser, Allen Bloomhuff and Melissa Rinesmith. The Heywoods make a valiant effort and finish in 3rd place only 2.45 points behind the 2nd place team! Now that would have been a serious comeback. Sphincter drops all the way to 4th place just a few points ahead of the last place finishers Gunga Galunga. Talk about your colossal collapse! I certainly didn’t help my team’s cause. All we had to do is stay pace with the Cletus Rollers and we finish 2nd. Oh well, maybe next year. It was a great finish for the Cletard Rollers and The Heywoods and even Gunga Galunga who nearly pulled themselves out of the cellar. I’m not sure we’ve ever had that much movement in the standings on the final week of the season. The Handi-Capped did what they needed to do to hold on for the championship. Congratulations!
So many highlights this past season made for another stellar year. How about Matt “The Politician” Bedell who put together a dream season finishing 2nd in points and was the top money winner taking in a cool $121.50 on the 2011 GCCGL tour. His HC improved to the point where he is teetering between the coveted (A/B) and (C/D) status. If we have a dropout from the A/B group next season, Bedell most likely moves into that group and probably never associates with us hackers again. Who can forget Eiser breaking his ankle during a GCCGL round and never missing a hole including the very next week when he defeated our resident pro, Big Donkey, while wearing a boot! What can you say about our Golf Angel who braved all the testosterone and signed up for a full membership. Although her play may have started a little rough the first few weeks, she improved steadily week in and week out and finished in the top 5 in points (4th)! Great job! This season, we witnessed Syndrome replacing a 12 gauge with a putter while hunting geese on the course on week 3 and of course the “Handi-gate” controversy which in the end didn’t mean a damn thing. I’m sure I missed some other stories within the story moments but the great thing about the GCCGL website is your can review anything, anytime, anywhere.
The winners of the Closest-to-the-Pin competition were, Matt Bedell (A/B) and Allen Bloomhuff (C/D). The winner of the Longest Drive competition was John Rayburn (C/D). No one from the A/B group hit the fairway this time. What a shame.
The trophy and engraving will be ordered next week. We will hold a luncheon to reveal the trophy and give out the money winnings in a few weeks.
I’d like to thank Allen Bloomhuff and Jason Nill for their help in running this league. It does take a lot of time and effort but it is all worth it. I could not do this without those guys so THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Also, thanks to all for the kind words in respect to running the league and the GCCGL website. It is much appreciated. Like I’ve stated many times before, this league is successful because of our members’ dedication and our substitutes’ commitment. We will continue to make improvements in order to enhance the entertainment factor which is Priority 1 here at the GCCGL.
Thank you once again and hope to see all you of back here next season.
George Almeida, GCCGL Co-Commissioner
