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SMGA plays tourney, SVGC tees it twice; Bottomfeeders, B.R. Cohn results

Golf notes

The warm fall weather has been a welcome site to local golf groups, with both the Sonoma Men’s Golf Association and Sonoma Valley Golf Club getting out to play in recent weeks. Last Sunday saw 27 players from the SMGA drive to the Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa for its annual Appreciation Day Tournament, with the format being four-person teams with one best-ball score on the par-5s, two best-balls on the par-4s and three best-balls on the par-3s.

Leading the way was the group of George Bevan, Nate Reynes, Larry Wallace and Howard Sheehan, who combined to fire a strong 115 total; with Mike Gauthier, Al Rappoport, Don Roesh and Paul Groft four shots back in second-place; while Ian Tervet, Woody Von Lackum, Ron Sharek and Bob Jennings rounded out the top-three with their 122.

The par-3s saw some impressive shots, with Von Lackum hitting it to a mere 17 inches on the third hole, easily the best of the day.

Wallace joined the action on the fifth, with his own impressive shot to 3 feet 9 inches, while No. 8, long known as having one of the largest greens in golf, was no trouble for Nick Blonder with his shot to 6-6.

The back nine started with Mike Lucas hitting it to 8-6 on the tricky 12th, while Pat Connolley joined the winner’s club with a shot to 9-11 on the vineyard-surrounded 14th. Blonder picked up his second win of the day with a tee-shot on the 16th hole to 11-6.

In addition to the tourney, the club held its board election, with Tervet and Bevan being re-elected, and Eric Biggs joining the board for the first time.

The SMGA finishes up its season Sunday, Dec. 2, at Adobe Creek Golf Club in Petaluma.

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The SVGC played a couple of tournaments, with the first one taking place on its home course of Eagle Vines in Napa on Oct. 23. Playing from the red tees, Bob Jaeger and Pete Tarantino both carded 68s and tied for first; while Jack Kearney’s 70 was good enough for second.

The gold tees saw Al Marty and Wayne Petersen also fire round of 68 each, tying them the for first-place, with both Jim Honeywell and John Muncy finishing with their rounds of 72 for a third-place tie.

Matt Marioni continued his strong play of late, winning from the white tees with his round of 71, while Dales Charles’ 73 netted him second-place, with the duo of Mac Bautista and Hugh McNeilly tying for third with rounds of 78 apiece.

In closest to the pin action, Charles Avery (r) hit his shot to 28 feet 8 inches on the sixth hole, while Harry Tistle (g) really took dead aim with his shot to 2-11, and Gary Routt (w) claimed a prize with his shot to 16-3.

The eighth saw Dan Weber (r) walk away a winner with a shot to 21-9, while Muncy (g) won with his shot to 14-1, and Leon Valle (w) claimed the top-spot at 22-3 total.

The back-nine par 3s saw Kearney (r) hit it right at the flag on the 12th, his ball finishing just 1-6 from the hole, with Petersen (g) taking home a closest-to 55-3, while Marioni (w) won at 31 feet.

The 15th looked good for Bill Seim (r), his ball finishing 25-3 from the hole, while a couple of prior winners from the round, Muncy (g) and Marioni (w), grabbed their second closest-to each with shots to 17-2 and 15-9, respectively.

On Oct. 29, 55 SVGC members played at the Santa Rosa Country Club for their last away event of the year, with two flights playing from two separate tees, the white and green, counting the two low-net scores in each group.

In the First Flight, playing the white tees, the team of Dick Moore, Al Marty, Bob Leal and Ed DeLagnes fired a fantastic score of 111 to walk away the victors; followed by Bud Schuerman, Hugh McNeilly, Matt Marioni and Gregg Warren combining for a second-place 117; with the final podium spot going to John Long, Dave Voepel, Bob Jaeger and Jerry VanWallinga with their 123 total.

The Second Flight took place from the green tees and saw Joe Runnion, Jim Reece, Gerry Orme and Harry Tistle winning with a 120 total, followed by four teams scoring a 129 each. When the dust settled and the scorecard playoff was done, Charles Avery, Joe Valls, Dan Weber and Ron Sharek took home second-place; while Ed Cebula, John Pettibone, Jack Doss and Ken Skaggs walked away with third.

Closest-to-the-pin honors went to Marioni (w), with a shot to 1-5, and Benny Lee (g) at 23-5, on the fourth hole; Doss (g) and Jim Schnabel (w) at 2-8 and 9-4, respectively, on the sixth; Jun Jasareno (w), 4-1, and Dan Radke (g), 29-10, on the 15th, and, finally, Powers (w) with a shot to 2-11 and Bill Rosa (g) to 22-2 on the tricky 17th.

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After a lengthy delay, the Murphy’s Irish Pub Bottomfeeders Open finally took place on Oct. 12, at Oakmont’s West Course.

Leading the way in the Women’s Division was the group of Kathy Barnett, Winnie Lanning, Corrie Serbentz and Diane Boggie with their score of 62.

Barnett and Boggie continued to enjoy their winning ways as they took the closest-to-the-pin (18 feet) and long-drive awards, respectively.

In the Men’s Division, the motley crue of Scot Copple, Tom Kelly, Frank Gaynor and Jo McLaughlin not only had the most fun, they also walked away with first-place after their round of 61.

The closest-to-the-pin on the men’s side went to Vern Babcock with a shot to 14 feet on No. 8, while Conny Gustafson walked away with the long-drive award.

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On Monday Oct. 8, the annual BR Cohn Celebrity Golf Tournament was held at the Sonoma Golf Club, and this year the team of Mario Carafanello, Mike O’Donnell, Kevin Abe and Kyle Abe took home with the trophy with their impressive score of 57 in the scramble format. Tournament host Bruce Cohn, along with David Grieve, John Petricka and John Schochor, finished in second-place with their 59.

Finally, Bill Gibson, Sam White, Tom Maloney and Tom LaRocha placed third with their score of 60.

In the mixed foursome division, Dave Musty, Jeanne Musty, Jet Jatlow and David Jatlow were the winners with their impressive 61 total.

The men’s long drive went to Dan Cohn, while Kathy Lahmeyer took home the women’s title.

Meanwhile, in the closest-to-the-pin category, Gibson claimed the men’s prize, while Jatlow took home the women’s.