Every once in awhile, I get in the car and take a drive and check out the conditions of our area courses. A quick glancing snapshot of some of the holes is all I need to assess the health of the fairways and greens.
The other day, my wife came with me on this junket, and, without my encouragement and prompting, she remarked how nice they looked. This coming from a person who has never picked up a club, let alone spent more than five minutes in a clubhouse, was to me a tremendous endorsement of our experienced groundskeepers in the Four Corners.
Coursekeepers, as I like to call them, getting up as early as they do, hitting the links with a game plan to prep the course, are like an artist laying that first brush stroke on the canvas. I am always impressed by those network helicopter aerial shots of a hole from tee to green and how spectacular they look. Just try performing those sculpting tasks on a riding mower at ground level without the help of a drone sending back live shots from overhead. Maybe, when I get ready to retire, I can land a gig helping manicure links like the experts. Besides, as my wife puts it, I need to get outside more often. I rest my case!
Believe it or not, we are gathering your thoughts for the 2017 Columbine Classic Duet Charity Tournament, which will be held June 14-15. Event organizers would like your suggestions for the charity of record for next year’s event. The committee has put together an application form for beneficiaries. Contact Cathy Gaskell at cgaskell@cobaltautomation.com, or Sandy Elliott at sandy@elliottmeadows.com to be emailed a form for you to fill out by Sept. 28th.
Time is running out to get on board for the annual Dudley Engle Golf Tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hillcrest. This is a charity event for the Emblem Club of the Durango Elks Lodge and raises funds for all the local causes they support throughout the year. Rules, per se, are basically thrown out for this event as everything possible is fair game. But do not let them see you do it! Dudley would have loved those last two lines. The entry fee is $30 per person, and the sign-up sheet is in the hallway in the clubhouse. Give Hillcrest a call at 247-1499, and lets have some fun.
Fiesta Mexicana Fall Classic
Sept. 10-11, Hillcrest
First Flight
Low Gross
1. Shea Sena, Aaron Sinberg, 132.Low Net
1. Ryan Cleveland, Chris Forrest, 120.Second Flight
Low Gross
1. Michael Howe, Dennis Price, 149.Low Net
1. Bill Malopolski, Bill Slaughter, 131.Third Flight
Low Gross
1. Bob Herkenhoff, Ken Van Zee, 152.Low Net
1. Gary Meredith, Steve Woolverton, 124.Fourth Flight
Low Gross
1. Susan Atzman, Marchell Fletcher, 156.Ladies Day
Sept. 7, Dalton Ranch
1. Patti Lane, Jill Rickelman, Nancy West, 67.2. Fran Rusk, Nancy Spraker, Dolly Turner, 74.3. Sharon Mantor, Claudia Patterson, Dana Wilson, 75.Ladies Day
Sept. 6, Hillcrest
First Flight
Low Gross
1. Lynn Andrew, 87.Low Net
T1. Vicki Hagler, Karen Spickard, 70.Second Flight
Low Gross
1. Rita Davis, 87.Low Net
1. Linda Allenbaugh, 67.Third Flight
Low Gross
1. Shirley Hunter, 102.Low Net
1. Marcia Baxter, 71.9-Hole Flight
Low Gross
1. Kim Seity, 48.Low Net
1. Sandy Hartnett, 34.
Dave Bray has covered the local golf scene for 35 years. He can be reached at dbray3751@gmail.com.
1. Sandy Hartnett, 34.
