Weekend Report - September 20, 2010

Teams Show Signs of Wear, Look for Second Wind as Kiva Cup Approaches

While the majority of Team USA took the weekend off to enjoy a nap during the Alabama - Duke game so that they could stay up for the overtime finish of the Clemson – Auburn game, Team USA Vice-Captain Mark Skiba was able to infiltrate what turned out to be a Team Europe 8th spot audition at Timberline Golf Club. Timberline, like Kiva Dunes, is a Jerry Pate designed course.

The match did not go as anyone would have liked, save the mystery man from Hoover that shot 75 to the delight of Team Europe Captain Brian Burnett.

Showing signs of a fatigue from a grueling schedule that began in March, Skiba and Team Europe Vice-Captain Kevin “Hawk” Halcomb each struggled to uncharacteristic 85s. “I think that I need a break from the game”, said Skiba following the round.

“They did not play well, for them”, reported Captain Burnett. Not to be outdone, Captain Burnett shot 41-46, although he was within 8 feet with his tee shot on both front side par 3s. “Didn’t scare the hole with either putt”, Burnett said. “To be honest, the group in front of us played at a rather, uhh, deliberate pace. You know how I don’t like to wait. Do you remember how I almost died of boredom and dehydration at Kiva a couple of years ago when Jim got me with the carts and made me play in the last group? I was having flashbacks Saturday.”

Sean “Chappy” Halcomb managed an 81, while Cooper Halcomb came in at 97. No scores were reported for either Boogie of The Doctor (collectively known as the Boogie Doctor), but the talk of the day was the mystery man from Hoover Country Club (formerly Green Valley Country Club). Mystery Man, on a day when everyone else struggled and positive energy was at a premium, was almost Dalton-like with his inadvertence to the play around him and managed to fire a low round 75. Two questions Captain Burnett heard repeatedly following the round; who is this mystery man, and could he be Team Europe’s eighth for the Kiva Cup?

“He’s just somebody we know from Hoover. He’s a possibility to be our eighth, he certainly played well enough on this Jerry Pate design to get some consideration to compete on the other”, Burnett said, referring to Kiva Dunes, “but he was really just helping us round out our foursome today. I wouldn’t read too much in to it.”

So while five of the eight members of Team Europe played a tune-up this weekend, the only Team USA player besides Skiba to reportedly touch a club over the weekend was Jammy. All did not go as planned.

Mats were the only option
at Ross Bridge Driving Range

 Historically known for his compressed schedule, Jammy finally made plans to visit the practice facility at Ross Bridge this past Friday afternoon. Generally considered one of the nicest practice facilities in the area, Ross Bridge offers a wide, relatively flat, multi-flag driving range that is only outdone by a short game practice area that offers a wide variety of shots from the 40-yard pitch shot to the 20-yard uphill sand trap shot to a bump and run approach shot. The only problem, as Jammy discovered after carrying his clubs to the club drop area, was that Ross Bridge was closed for over seeding and aerating. “We’ll be open tomorrow, but we’ll be hitting off of mats”, reported the Pro Shop attendant.




Dramatic Drop at Oxmoor Valley's
Driving Range

Somewhat dejected, Jammy decided to drive to Ross Bridge’s sister Robert Trent Jones course, Oxmoor Valley, a short one mile drive up the road. Jammy spent about an hour at the driving range, a range that drops about 100 feet over the length of the range. Finding it next to impossible to believe that he could hit pitching wedge 170 yards, Jammy decided to just focus on trying to get a ball in play off the tee. “I tried several clubs, 4 iron, hybrid, driver, but the club the felt the best and that I had the best results with was my new G15 3-wood. The ball traveled relatively straight and, while I have no way of knowing how far it traveled, it’ll be a safe club at Kiva. I’m sure that I can’t reach the prohibited area on #5 with it, but I’m also certain that it would clear the junk on numbers 4 and 6. Nice club on #9, #10, I really can’t think of a hole that I shouldn’t or couldn’t hit it in place of driver.”

Short game practice
area at Ross Birdge

 Displeased with his short game practice on Friday, Jammy decided to try the pitching green at Ross Bridge before he left Sunday morning. For $7, he was able to spend as much time as he wanted pitching, poking, popping, bumping, and putting balls from a variety of different distances and lies. “That was fun. I could really spend an afternoon doing that and never get tired of it. Those shots allow for me to be creative, unlike tee shots or approach shots, really.”

In the Sunday afternoon press conference, Captain Burnett offered the first hint of his team’s target for the 8th and final spot, a spot left open by Dalton’s alleged withdrawal from Cup play. “We are targeting someone, a relative unknown, who is another scratch golfer. We have to have all single digit golfers in order to compensate for Team USA’s single collegiate golfer that is currently an 8 handicap. I want the Kiva Cup to be a semi-pro event and run off all the riff-raff from Team USA. We should have a decision by mid-week”, Burnett reported. When asked if an offer had been extended, Burnett turned gruff and barked, “I did not say that! Stop putting words in my mouth. When there is something to report, I’ll report it in the proper forum.”

The wait continues….