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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Ace Race Doubles recap

After a quick lunch of hot dogs, pasta salad, chili, and all sorts of other donated food (thanks everyone, especially Chef Bobka), we headed out for one round of doubles.



It was great to see a big turnout for AM2 and Rec, as well as AM1. As you know, I love seeing new players out on the Hill!

In Rec, the DuCott brothers ran away with a 7-stroke victory, thanks in large part to Bob's ace on hole 2 -- his first-ever ace! Good timing since he also won a wad of cash from the ace pot. Congrats!

Bob picks up the Ace Pot!


Pete Nevius and John Rodenhizer shot the lights out in AM2 with a 49 to claim first place by 3 strokes. The two defined what doubles is all about with Pete driving like a mad man and John draining putts left and right. They tied the course record for doubles set by Dave James and me last year.

AM1 saw a very competitive match between the duo of Ken Gary and Donnie Phillips and Dave and me. We started off pretty hot with a few birdies and jumped to an early lead but lost our mojo on the back nine. At that point, Donnie hit the gas and the two old dudes mounted their comeback. By hole 18, we were all tied up and needed a good drive, approach, and putt to finish out the round. Easy enough to say, but it's hole 18, the Round Killer, after all.

Donnie and Ken drove first and Ken's drive made the corner and disappeared down the Hill. A pretty sweet shot to say the least. Dave and I took a different approach and took out our putters, hoping to land in the landing zone at the crest of the hill. My drive went left and bonked a tree. Not good. Dave's drive was better but cut the corner a little too early and went right, into the woods, but at least it was over the crest.

Our second shot was doable, but we still had to navigate some trees to get back out on the fairway and down to the basket. Dave threw a good approach shot, but was short. I threw a beautiful anhyzer that went right over the basket --- and unfortunately kept going down, down, down the hill. Not good.

Ken and Donnie ended up just about basket level, but well to the right, deep in the woods -- definitely an easy 3. After Donnie threw a great shot under the basket, Dave and I knew it was do or die time. We HAD to make the putt.

Dave stepped up and his putt went wide. With the title on the line, I stepped up and nailed the stinking downhill 35 ft putt to force extra innings. It was awesome. Definitely the most-pressured filled putt of my life. I was a bit pumped. :)

So, after checking the other AM1 scores, we headed out again for a sudden death playoff (and hopefully a repeat of last year's playoff hole-in-one by Dave).

Unfortunately, history did not repeat itself. We had not-so-good drives but Ken and Donnie did. As Dave and I were getting ready to congratulate our friends, they both missed their sorta far but doable birdie putts. An early Christmas present!

We pushed the next 2 holes and ended losing on hole 4 thanks to another great drive by one of those guys. Overall, it was a great match and there's a new Doubles Champ on the Hill. Nice job Ken and Donnie!

AM1 Dubs Champs, Ken and Donnie

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