GOLF SLOWS DOWN a bit around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and with good reasons.
Family, friends and weather all “conspire” to keep us off our local courses.
Both SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim and Port Townsend Golf Club each bucked that trend by hosting tournaments last Saturday.
Winter Scramble
The venerable Port Townsend course hosted its annual Winter Two-Person Scramble on Saturday.
A full field took advantage of a drip-free day to participate in a round of golf.
Scramble formats always lead to low scores, although if you have a partner like me digging up the course, nailing errant shots and 3-foot putts, a good deal of pressure will fall on your shoulders.
Port Townsend assistant pro and Port Townsend High School golf coach Gabriel Tonan paired with Chimacum High School head coach Mitch Black to win the gross division with a 62.
The fearsome twosome dropped two of Black’s proteges, former Chimacum High School teammates Eric Nelson and Adam Barrows, who recorded a 64.
Barrows also played on the men’s golf team at Olympic College this past fall.
Mike Lux and Brian Lux used some familial focus to finish third with a 66.
Pat Moore and Scott Maxwell notched net division honors with a 52.5, followed by Wood Woodley and Buddy O’Meara, and Hank and Joanie Albiso, who tied with a pair of 55s.
Upcoming at PT
Port Townsend has two events on the horizon, the New Year’s Ice Cube Scramble on Jan. 9 and the “biggest tournament of the year,” according to Tonan, The Arctic Open in February.
The New Year’s Ice Cube Scramble is a three-person blind draw format with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.
Cost for the tournament is $30 per player.
The two-person best ball Arctic Open isn’t until Feb. 13 or 14, but the demand for the tournament is so strong, that the Port Townsend course is already fielding entries.
The tournament goes “weather” or not it snows, so be prepared for all types of weather.
Call the course at 360-385-4547 to claim your spot in the tournament.
Tonan tells me the course “is in incredible condition, allowing players to hit it long and have opportunities to score low.”
SkyRidge helps DECA
SkyRidge hosted Port Angeles High School’s DECA Scramble last weekend, and the business and marketing club made just under $1,000.
The foursome of Jules Nichols, Steve Nichols, Rob Price and Troy Pierce claimed low net honors with a 45.6, while Captain Dusty, Peter Young, Toby Weidenheimer and Steve Hall finished second with a 48.4.
Jeff Pedersen, Mark Willis, Allen Patton and Martin Pedersen teamed up for the gross title with a 60.
Winter Scramble
SkyRidge also has a three-person scramble tournament coming up on Saturday, Jan. 16.
The event will tee off at 9:30 a.m. and includes lunch, KP prizes, range balls and inclusion into a honey pot, all for $150 per team.
Each three-person team must have a total combined handicap of 15 or greater, and 20 percent of team total handicap will be used.
Two easy gift ideas
Readers who wish to bypass any last minute travel or crowd headaches can take advantage of two discount packages for the two big-time golf events destined for Washington in 2010.
Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) members can take advantage of a holiday deal for the 110th U.S. Amateur at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place on Aug. 23-29, 2010.
From now until Dec. 31, the first 500 members can purchase a weekly pass for $55 to the tournament and receive a limited edition PNGA member cap.
The pass is good for all seven days of the tournament plus two practice days, a championship program and parking.
The other deal is a flexible holiday ticket package offer for the 2010 U.S. Senior Open set for Sahalee Country Club on July 26 to Aug. 1.
The $135 package includes four tickets good for any day of the tournament.
The tickets can be used together on one day or individually on separate days.
It includes parking and an official championship program.
This is a formidable Senior Open because Tom Watson, Mark O’Meara and Loren Roberts are all Champions Tour members scheduled to play.
They will be joined by Champions Tour rookie and Seattle native Fred Couples.
Hard to believe that Boom Boom is of age to play on the Champions Tour but I hope he puts on a show in his hometown.
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Michael Carman is the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.