Cape Region Golf Year in Review 2009
January 1, 2010
This week marks the end of this column’s eleventh year. 2009 was also an interesting and busy year for Cape Region golf.
January—I play a wintry round at Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club. Two weeks later, just after a deep freeze ends, we discover how to play a course with rock-hard greens. Cape Region golf superintendents discuss their wintertime projects.
February—Bruce Goldsborough and Joe Joe Romano discuss the opening of Tee II Green, the newest golf retail store in the Cape Region. Andrew Geyer’s sudden death generates grieving responses from Cape Region golfers who knew the Wesley College standout golfer. I play in an aptly named Frozen Friday golf event at Bayside near Fenwick, sponsored by the Delaware State Golf Association.
March—The Cape Henlopen High School golf team shivers its way into spring practice for the 2009 season. The Vikings begin their year with a loss to Caesar Rodney’s Riders. The team then loses a close second match to Salesianum, but returns to their home course at Rehoboth Beach Country Club and beats Dover’s Senators.
April—The Vikings pick up two victories against Indian River and Lake Forest. My brother’s sudden death from a stroke reminds us to seize the chance to spend time with those we love. The annual trip to Myrtle Beach takes us to a few new courses and some familiar layouts. The Vikings go on a win streak, with a default win over Delmarva Christian and relatively straightforward victories over Laurel, Milford, Seaford, and Smyrna. The team comes back to earth against Sussex Central at Bear Trap Dunes, however.
May—The Vikings struggle a bit, with a second loss in a row against Sussex Tech at The Peninsula. They bounce back with victories over Delmar and Polytech. I play a round in Cape May, New Jersey with The Rookery’s Pete Oakley, and watch him hit a hole-in-one. The Vikings complete their year with a loss to St. Mark’s, a fourth in the conference tournament, and a twelfth-place finish in the states. Nearly ninety golfers participate in the first Lett’s Play Golf college scholarship tournament, honoring a long-contributing member of Kings Creek Country Club.
June—The Rehoboth Beach Junior Open has another huge group of players. The Delmarva B League brings avid golfers together for fun amateur competition. The national recession is reflected in the golf industry, with more closings than openings in the last year.
July—Golf fashion is not an amusing oxymoron anymore. Pete Oakley is struggling a bit on the European Senior Tour. Bubbles in the golf turf during the unusually wet conditions can create golf shrapnel with a single bad swing.
August—A long-running heat wave generates ideas on how to avoid illness or injury from the heat and humidity. A Pennsylvania lawsuit reminds golfers about the assumption of risk and potential liability. A bad muscle pull is the price of not stretching enough before the round.
September—Several Cape Region course participate in the Patriot Golf Day event, raising funds for vets and their families. Community Bank Delaware makes sure folks know about Stenger’s Par 3 and the Milton course’s free golf offer. Unplayable lies will boost one’s golf score. Tipping at the golf course invokes the Dalai Lama, at least for Caddyshack fans. The United States Naval Academy wins the fall GW Invitational college golf tournament at Kings Creek CC.
October—When it comes to the short game, I am not Mister Chips. An FTC-proposed rule about freebies inspires a short notice about this column and the folks at Amazon. Pete Oakley finishes up his season on the European Senior Tour.
November— I recommend several golf movies for your Netflix list. Frank Abbott’s passing calls to mind an interview here from a few years ago. New USGA Decisions on the Rules of Golf include some real zingers. Pete Oakley earns his card for the 2009 European Senior Tour.
December—Once again there are far too many Christmas golf gifts to refrain from requesting. On the other hand, the Cape Region golf stores have plenty of worthwhile holiday gift ideas.
Thanks for reading! I look forward to another year of writing about Cape Region golf.