Jim Grosjean
I wanted to call this column “What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” but I didn’t think anyone would want to read it. So, before I get to the good stuff, I’ll attempt to inform you about the last three weeks’ MPMGA tournaments. Some might call the hot months of summer the “silly season,” because SaddleBrooke golf in August began with a tournament called 4 Clubs and a Putter. Dan Nordhill, Egan Hicks, Lee Leksell, Grant Stewart, Jeff Cashmore, and Bruce Keefer all shot in the 70s with just a putter and four clubs of their choice. I submit that they would be happy with those scores with a full bag, proving that they have wasted their money on the other nine clubs. For fairness’ sake, I don’t think they should ever be allowed on the course with any more than seven clubs. Chris Nelson and Angelo Klousiadis won their flights in the gross division. Kudos to me for spelling Angelo’s name correctly, since I seemingly write it every month.
The next week’s tournament was a Designated Plus One event. A different player on every hole is the “designated” player whose score is used, along with the best score of the remaining three players. You don’t need to remember that; just congratulate these winners: the team of Rick Cole, Don Erickson, Brian Gallup, and David Jones and the team of Jim Hardwick, Chuck Kelsey, Jim Van Sistine, and Bob Osebold.
Next was a Chapman Scramble. Flight 1 winners were Randy Breier and Tim Ward. A three-team tie in the second flight included Doug Anderson and David Jones, Bruce Keefer and John Bidegain, and Rick Cole and Mark Kunnen. Ron Pozzi and Scott Newberry were victorious in Flight 3. Bruce Twining and Gary Barnard won the fourth flight.
And now for the important stuff—my vacation! We took a little, 11-day drive through New Mexico and Colorado while stopping to play some of my favorite golf courses. The first stop was Farmington, N.M., home to one of the finest municipal golf courses in America, Pinon Hills. It’s still great fun and a good challenge. Next was a short hop to Durango, Colo., where we visited with SaddleBrooke neighbors Scott and Deb West. Scott’s second “home” course is Dalton Ranch, which is absolutely beautiful and perfectly manicured. After wearing out our welcome in Durango, we traveled to Basalt, Colo., just outside Aspen. I played at Jack Nicklaus’ Aspen Glen course in Carbondale. As expected, it was lovely and very difficult. Apparently, Jack doesn’t suffer fools on his golf courses! Our last stop was Santa Fe, N.M. We headed north to Espanola, N.M., to play one of my all-time favorites, the Black Mesa Golf Club. That was the last golf on this trip. All that was left was a stop in Hatch, N.M., to load up on those famous Hatch green chilis! I’m back in SaddleBrooke now where I humiliate myself on the golf courses here four times a week.