Week 8 Update

[dc]S[/dc]o much to talk about and too little time to type.  So here we go. Great weather for late June in Cincinnati resulted in perfect attendance last Thursday.  We had three subs fill in, thanks to all! I know everyone is thinking about it so I have no choice but to address it. We had some ridiculous low net scores again.  Harris a net 29, Rinesmith a net 27! I believe that is 3 low net scores in the 20’s this season for our little golf angel.  Congratulations!!  The Cletus HC system is starting to take some serious heat and is being scrutinized by even the most dedicated Cletus backers. To be fair, everyone is playing under the same system but unfortunately because it is not USGA and uses a custom calculation which has been coined the “Cletus Calc”, it favors those with higher HCs with not enough scores to drop some of the higher scores. It was agreed upon by the commissioner’s office to use this method to get as close to the 2010 HC’s as possible. Otherwise most every one’s HC’s would have been lower to begin the season and there would have been a revolt.  See the Handicap article posted in April 2011 for more information.  The commissioner’s office is hesitant to change the calculation method in mid-season for fear of  bias accusations but we want to be fair as well. We had 55% of scores finish below HC this past week as opposed to only 28% the week before. So in the grand scheme of things, it seems to be relatively even. For what it is worth, my personal opinion is this, I’m OK with the status quo if everyone else is.  However if the majority of the league members want to go back to USGA AFTER week 9, then we can put it to a vote. If this happens, then no one can complain about their HC for the rest of the season. It is what it is…..period. And if anyone complains, then Cletus will do to you what he did to Couzin’ Joe last Thursday! Ouch.

In other news, Ollie has been placed on the injured reserve list and is out indefinitely. This is a huge blow to the Heywood’s chances as they lose big for a second week in a row. More on that later. The cause of the injury is unkown, all that IS known is that it is a back injury. Unfortunately with the grueling 18 week season on the GCCGL tour, these things are part of the game.  Last season it was Almeida who landed on the IR with a similar back injury that may or may not have been caused by a reach-around incident. Syndrome found his putter! He had about 3 “1-putts” and finished with a low net 30! And still didn’t get the money! Eaglin and Goldie had a great match. Sixteen of the eighteen scores between both of them were 4’s. Eaglin refused a “gimmie” putt from Goldie on #9 and Goldie told him, “If you putt it…..you own it”.  He did, and he missed it costing him the match. Sportsmanship or Ego? Either way, there is something about not taking that “gimme” that you have to respect. Cletus lost to Dominik for the second straight week but at least he showed up this time and the match was very close….but he still lost. Rinesmith cleaned Almeida’s clock fair and square. My best chance came at around 5:50pm right before we were to tee off when I offered to split the points and head to BW’s for wings and beer. After that was shot down, I never stood a chance. I got NAILED by a golf ball in the upper right back just below the shoulder by Donnie Golf Game. Don hits a hard ball, it must be the juice he’s on. Totally my fault, that’s what I get for walking in front of him while he’s playing (I really didn’t know he was behind me though). This is the third time I’ve been hit by a golf ball. Mike Bush drilled one into my back (from a closer range) in 2009.  I was 100% totally at fault once again!  Damn, I’m a dumb ass.  It happened again a couple of years before that while standing on Willows #2.  Got it right on the right shin.  That one hurt and left a mark for weeks. Who hit me?  You got it, Donnie Golf Game. Don doesn’t remember that one. No hard feelings Don! As always, the commissioner’s office strives to bring a full feature of entertainment for all GCCGL members.  I’m glad my stupidity and bodily injury provided such entertainment value this week.  By the way, Don, apparently unfazed by tattooing the words “Calaway” into my back, chipped in from an estimated 30 – 35 ft!  That’s why they call him Donnie Golf Game. Finally, we tortured an innocent golfer who was playing behind us. He hit into the “gallery” and of course…..the horseshoe was formed. The guy was a good sport about it but a “FORE” would have been nice. See the pic in the photo album.

Almost forgot, there was some golf that was played. The Handi-Capped is on a mid-season tear. Harris grabbed another 7.5 points and is bidding for the first ever “Three-Peat” GCCGL Championship. They took 24 points this week. Gunga Galunga climbs out of last place with 22 points. They were lead by Joe Carrier (need a nickname here) who grabbed 7.5 points. The Cletard Rollers managed 20.5 points after their golf angel (Rinesmith) took 7.5 points. Sphincter Say What hung on for 19.5 points mostly due to Couzin’ Joe’s 6.5 points. And finally the Heywoods continue to struggle without Ollie as they post only 14 points and slide into last place for the first time this season. The Pot Luck matches have been selected. It must have been a coincidence that the Harris / Rinesmith match somehow fell into place….hmmm. All commissioners will be not be there next week. The matches will be sent out sometime next week. Please give the cards to Mike Harris.

One final note, a suggestion has been made to extend the GCCGL 2011 season to a 19th week. The proposal is this. Change the last week of the season to a match play. Then the Saturday after, August 27th, we’d play an 18 hole scramble on a neutral course such as Lassing Point in Union. Same point distribution as usual. Afterwards, a “19th hole post season” bash at Rayburn’s place. Libations will be courtesy of Syndrome. Everyone is invited (subs, members and family members if desired).  We’ve never done anything like this before in the history of the GCCGL but then again this league is an enigma……. I’m up for it, are you? Please see this week’s polls (we have two of them) and exercise your right to vote.

George Almeida, GCCGL Co-Commissioner