Tournament Talk

Joel and I holding the winners trophy

The tournament was a blast and I think everyone had a great time.  The Cliffs is a beautiful golf course and the lodging and the food was fabulous.  The course has beautiful bent grass greens and nice sand trap.  The course can be very penalizing if you are not firmly in the fairway.  Even then there are grass berms that will eat your golf ball as well as the grass on the fringes of the fairways.  Suffice to say there were quite a few golf balls lost over the three day event. The heat really got to on Friday afternoon.  I guess I wasn't as hydrated as I thought.  It was around 104 degrees, but the rest of the group didn't crater like I did.  I guess I need to get in better shape.
We used a modified Stableford format.  Bob, Russell Ed and Higgy played 3 rounds each and Joel and I played 2.  The guys thay played three rounds got to throw out their worst round.  After the morning round on Friday, it was beginning to look like Ed would walk away with it, but as happens so often, over the course of the event, the unexpected takes place.  On Saturday morning, I caught fire along with Joel.  I finished the Saturday round strong and was putting really well.  Joel of course was his usual machine like putter and Joel and I wound up as co-champions of the 2011 4 R's tournament at The Cliffs, we need to come up with another name since there original 4 R's don't even play in the event any more.  In reality, I believe it was a chance event that really led to Joel and I winning.  At the evening meal, Russell did a coin flip to determine who rode with who for the final round.  Higgy won the coin flip and it resulted in Russell riding with Ed.  Russell riding with the leader is the Kiss of death for the leader.  Mr mind games has a way of bringing an opponent game to a grinding halt.  With all of Russell's skill in gamesmanship, the one thing he hasn't yet been able to figure out is how to win the trophy. Joel and I got to play in the first group and were far enough ahead of Russell to be out of his sphere of influence.

A big thanks to Higgy.  He is a property owner there and was able to get us discounts on almost everything.  Way to go Higgy.  We talked about having another outing at the Cliffs in October when it's a bit cooler.

The view out of Joel and my room

Here are some pictures

The British Open has begun.  I watched a bit of it this morning around 8:am.  I was struck by the contrast of Tom Watson teeing off behind the British Boys amateur champion, who looks about 12 years old.

We have finally gotten our short summer golf outing set up at the Cliffs resort at Possum kingdom.  We are going to play an abbreviated version of our yearly tournament there.  We have tee times on Friday Morning and Saturday as well.  Ed is setting up the format, but I think it's going to be a modified stableford.  If I had to pick a favorite right now, it would be Ed.  He has been playing really well lately.  Of course Joel and Russell are capable of firing a really low round at any moment, but on form, I am going with Ed.  Speaking of form, mine has been abysmal lately.  I am taking lessons trying to modify my swing a bit to take some pressure off my back.  We are working on a shorter backswing, taking the club a bit more to the inside and working on some alignment changes that make it easier to turn my lower body.  As you all know, it is difficult to change old habits, but it's either that or stop playing, which isn't going to happen as long as I have anything to do with it.  I am lucky to play with a group of guys that really have a good time and make it a fun time, so even a bad round with those guys is still fun.  Of course on the ocassional round when I don't come in last, it's even more fun.  Stay tuned for pictures and stories from the tourney.  Hopefully I won't mess up the picture taking like I did in Pagosa Springs, CO.

Well we spent the fourth of July in Pagosa Springs Colorado and had a great time.  We arrived on July 1st and settled in.  I played golf at the Pinon an the Meadows nines at Pagosa Springs Country Club.  I played with a Dentist from Houston and the owner of a new restaurant in town called Thai Chile.  It was a fun round and the course is very picturesque with great views of the mountains.  I played OK but nothing to write home about but did have 2 birdies mixed in with some pretty bad shots.  The ball carries a bit better at about 7500 feet.  I also hit one of the ugliest shots in recent years.  I hit a shank (yes I said it) and skipped the ball across a small lake up onto the green about 4 feet from the flag and birdie the hole.  This falls into the area of "they ask how many not how"
We ate at Tequila's Mexican restaurant sitting at an outdoor table above the San Juan River and across from the Pagosa Springs mineral baths.  After dinner, we changed into swimsuits and soaked in a 102 degree pool, which felt really good.  On July, 3rd, we ate at one of my favorites in Pagosa, JJ's by the River.  They have a pork C|hop that must be about 3 pounds cook and it absolutely delicious.

We staked out a primo spot for the July 4th parade, which was really fun and great small town fun.  Later on after dark we parke3d by the river and viewed a great fireworks display.  If you get a chance to visit Southwest Colorado, I can't recommend anywhere any higher.  We saw a gourgeous hot air balloon taking some folks for a ride on a beautiful crisp clear morning.

OK. enough of the travelogue.  This weekend 6 of us are going out to the Cliffs at Possum Kingdom to play 3 rounds.  and overnight on Friday.  I'm really looking forward to playing the course, which I understand can be tough but fun.  I report on it next week. Here's a link for the Cliffs for your viewing pleasure The Cliffs Resort