The Sonoma Men’s Golf Association traveled west to the coastal Bodega Harbour Golf Links on Oct. 5, to test its members skills against the rugged fairways and take in some of the spectacular views. Despite the sun shining, temperatures were cool, but players finished before the fog swept in off the bay.
The format for the event was four-man teams and one-best ball was counted on the par-5s, two-best balls on the par-4s, and three-best balls on the par 3s.
Leading the way was the team of Myron Donesky, Bob Jennings, Tom Martin and Woody Von Lackum, who combined for a total of 126. Two shots back in second place was Steve Lanning, John Bogardus, Don Roesh and Tony Enz, who fired an impressive score of 83 on his own ball; with Jack Harding leading his team of Paul Groft, Ron Sharek and Bob Dillon, who made the trip all the way from Scottsdale Arizona, to third place with their 135 total; followed in fourth by Greg Tellis, Karl Mayer, Mick Burrows and Kay Groft's combined 145.
In closest-to-the-pin action, Roesh conquered the difficult uphill third hole, with a shot to 14 feet, 8 inches, and showing that was no fluke, he also grabbed top honors on the downhill sixth, with a shot to 4-1.
Bogardus joined the party for a couple of holes, claiming the long No. 7, with a shot to 28 feet, and then the uphill 12th, when his ball stopped 33 feet from the hole.
The final par-3 of the day, the tricky 17th, was no match for Enz, as he fired his shot to 17 feet.
In addition to the regular play, Enz took on Roesh in the semi-final of the net division of the Club Championship, with Enz coming out on top 6-and-4.
Enz then met Tom Martin in the net championship finals at Windsor Golf Club, where Martin claimed the championship 1-up. In the championship match of the gross division, Richard Davison went up against two-time defending champion Nick Blonder at Indian Valley Golf Club. After a hard fought match, Davison won in 19 holes to claim his second SMGA Club Championship.
The SMGA returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 2, at Indian Valley in Novato.
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The Sonoma Valley Golf Club has also been busy of late, playing both San Geronimo in Marin and its home course of Eagle Vines in Napa.
At San Geronimo the team of Elio Delagnes, Al Marty, Bob Leal and Dick Moore blew away the field with a combined score of 111, 13 shots better than second-place Jim Schnabel, Wayne Coronel, Harry Tistle and Ron Macaluso; with Gary Routt, Michael Lipson, Bill Seim and Marc Sylvester grabbing third with a 128 total. Kit Wood, Tom Reynolds, George Strain and Jack Powers, along with Kevin Austin, Bob Nolan, Chuck Harris, all had a 130 total. A scorecard playoff gave the nod to Wood, Reynolds, Strain and Powers for fourth, and Austin, Nolan and Harris settled for fifth.
In closest-to-the-hole, Bob Jaeger made short work of the difficult third hole, with a shot to 5 feet, 6 inches.
The always difficult seventh, which plays downhill and is guarded by a small pond, didn’t seem to bother Don Jackson, as he took dead aim and had his ball stop 5-3 from the hole.
Tom Culligan mastered the uphill 13th with an impressive shot to 5-7.
Finally, Dave Voepel hit the shot of the day on the very long 15th, his ball stopping 15 feet away from the hole.
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When the SVGC returned to action at Eagle Vines, Bob Nolan showed his strong play of late was continuing, firing 72 and taking home first place in the first flight; with second place going to Hugh McNeilly's round of 73; while John Stuart grabbed third with a 74.
In the second flight, Jack Nisson cruised to victory with an impressive 65, while Harry Tistle jumped onto the podium in second place with a 68, and Dr. Bob Koida walked away with third at 70.
The third flight saw Chuck Harris’ 69 claiming a one-shot win over Kit Wood, who carded a 70, and two shots over third-place Peter Charles' 71.
Closest-to-the-pin was broken into white tees, gold tees and red tees.
From the white tees, McNeilly won the second hole with a shot to 8 feet, 3 inches, and then double-dipped, capturing the fifth with a shot to 4-4. Southpaw Jim Schnabel hit his ball to just 5 inches on the downhill 14th. On the 16th Steve Stimel’s shot stopped 23-3 short of the cup.
From the gold tees, Walt Preusse got it done on the second hole with the shot of the day to just 5 inches. Mike Lipson was laser-like with his shot to 5-8. Greg Warren walked away from the 14th a winner at 6-2. Pete Saibene claimed the 16th with a shot to 11-7.
No one was able to find the green on the 2nd from the red tees, but Dan Radke made up for that on the fifth, hitting his shot to 12-8, and then backing that up with a shot to 6 feet on the 14th for another winner. Mel McPherson avoided the water on the tricky 16th with a shot to 29-4.
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