PLAYING A FEW HOLES...

Katie Womack, children in
hand did not keep her
from helping

Haley Gunkel & her "bosses"

--- Thanks to several volunteers (parents and members of the board), our junior camp ended with 40+ kids taking on the links and playing a few holes. A special thanks to Joe Wynn, Katie Womack, Laura Jay and Ann Cowan, all of whom took a group of juniors. Also helping were Joby Gray, Kelsi Wilson, Ramona (my best half) and our right hand at the pro-shop, Haley Gunkel who ended up not only taking a group, but also served as caddy when three girls could not carry the bags any longer! (For more photos of recent events - Tuesday League and Juniors-, click here)

"That Way!" Ann Cowan
helping grandson Cooper

Best individual score was young Tres Hill. Honorary mention to Jon Harguess, Conner Savage, Abigail Thomas and the youngest of the individual players, Cooper Cowan.. The best team effort belonged to Camden Jay, James Robinson, Christian Robinson, Brooke Sutton & Easton Pine. Honorary mention to the team of Tory Garrison, Guy Garrison, Fenix Wright, Samantha Cloud, and Justin Hardcastle.

Joe Wynn with his group on Thursday
"Thank you for not giving me the
little girl who asks all those questions
I have no answers for!"

Congratulations to all, and thanks to all the parents for their confidence in our staff .

The Rodney & Sara Cloud
family taking on the links
with kids one afternoon

--- It is great when you see families enjoy this great game together. And it is great to see youngsters in their teens come and enjoy the game by themselves or looking for a few players to join with. This is one way not only to enjoy the game, but also to help mentor kids. I encourage all of you adults, when you do not have a full group, invite a youngster to join you. YOU WILL BOTH LEARN FROM EACH OTHER!

Teacher of the Year, Tim Dewitt
and youngest son "playing a few"
in a sunny afternoon

--- We appreciate the cooperation of all of you concerning the care of the course. We hope this situation concerning the lack of water does not go for too long, but I assure you that the board is doing everything in their power to secure the necessary water to keep the golf course in good shape.

Brook McDonald, finds the
back of the range peaceful.

--- Favorite Golfers: I was recently riding around the course when I spotted Brook McDonald hitting some balls in the back of our practice area and stopped to say "hi". During the conversation, I was aked, "who is your favorite (professional) golfer?" Without hesitation, I answered "Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan". He said to me, "Mine is Tom Watson. He always smiles and looks as if he is really having fin". He is right, and I realized then that I have many other favorite golfers, some from this generation and some from the past, a list too long to write here. But Watson, Ballesteros, Mickelson, Trevino, Nelson (Byron and Larry), and of course The King, Arnold Palmer, come to mind. In "real life", most of my favorite golfers are all under 21. And of course, in my family I have many favorite golfers.... all of them!

--- Signing up for tournaments. We encourage members to sign up as soon as possible for all local events, and specially invitational events in which people from out out town join us for the fun. Whether it is a 4th of July event or the popular "Tumbleweed Couples", it is best when the members sign in sooner rather than later. It helps with the control of pairings, organization and planning. One thing we are doing now is to keep a list "in pencil", but no one is in "ink" until the entry fee is paid. When there is a limited field, those who pay first, members or not, are the ones who make the field. Members have the advantage of being here, use it by bringing your check for all events as soon as it is possible.

THE GOOD SIDE OF HOT AND WINDY

Haley Gunkel following
her shot in #7

Most everyone has stayed away from the golf course because of the heat and the wind. But the golf course does not have it as bad as farmers and ranchers who depend on rain to make a living. Golf is merely a game, and you play a dry golf course in a windy day, just think of those who need water more than our course. If there is no rain, and we can't water the fairways -for now, we do have enough water for greens and tees-, you play golf on a dry golf course and green greens. That is no so bad.... considering.

Coach Garrett Mantle

Count your blessings and enjoy the game with the challenges of tough conditions. Meanwhile, say a prayer for those who need water in order to make a living... and mean it!

Brad & Dayva Spitzer
reading line on Hole #6

That said, our weekly activities continued and will continue without interruption, wind or no wind. This last week, our Tuesday night men's scramble continued with a new pot since the previous week the carry over was won. Since it was a new pot and no one won by two shots, there is a carry over for this coming Tuesday. As well, the Thursday Couples Scramble resumed after a week of inactivity when the week before the wind was blowing up to 40 mph in the late afternoon.

The winners last Thursday were coach Garrett Mantle and Haley Gunkel. They shot a 31. Two shots back at 33 were Brad and Dayva Spitzer.

This week we will host our first Junior Camp since I joined the club last March. My staff and I are looking forward to working with the kids. And on Saturday and Sunday, we will host the annual 4th of July Tournament (see invitation on right, to print invitation, click here). Sign up and reserve your tee times as soon as possible...

And see you at the golf course!!!!!!!!!!!

NO MATTER WHAT, GOLF IS JUST A GAME....

In the last week, three local players tested their game against players of likewise skill in three different tournaments. Ann Cowan went to the Annual State Tournament by W.O.G.A., Jordan Williamson, who plays the Long Shots Tour, played in the Emerald Falls Classic, and Joby Gray played his first U.S.G.A. qualifier in Norman Oklahoma.

Ann, coming off her win in the Southern Women's Amateur in Atlanta, GA, could not get past her first match in this year's state tournament. Jordan won his first tournament this season and is currently ranked7th in this amateur tour (click here), and Joby gave a great exhibition of ball striking and control from tee to green at the Jimmie Austin golf course (playing just over 7,000 yards), but his putter failed him, ending up with a pair of 75's that does not reflect, even remotely, how close he was to grabbing a spot in the finals coming up in the state of Washington (click here for results - note, as of the moment of this posting, the results at Jimmie Austin have not been posted).

In perspective, Elk City is the host of many golf tournaments and activities, but, like many courses around the nation, there is more activity in team events promoting camaraderie, than in individual tournaments. So, it is great to see when your local golfers go test their skills in other places with players of likewise skills, for the sake of pure competition. Hopefully we hear more about our local players testing their skills and representing Elk City, in these great events.

Luckily enough, these three people are not the only ones from Elk City who seek to play in individual events or events played under the Rules of Golf elsewhere, Craig Martin and Dr. Craig Phelps come to mind. Martin plays all over Oklahoma and Dr. Phelps has played in the "Amateur Tour" (Golf Channel) and every year plays in the "World Handicap Championship" in Myrtle Beach (3,600 golfers with verified handicaps). In the end, all of these golfers help keep golf just a game... Thank you all!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL FATHERS OUT THERE!!

Being a father gives me chills in a good sense. I always want the best for my children: I don't want them hurt, I want them in health, I want them to learn to do the right thing for the right reason, I want to protect them, I want them to succeed, I want to help them, I want to share time with them, etc. In short, the chill comes from not wanting to fail. Surely, all of you fathers feel the same way, and as myself, you feel the same for other parents and kids. It doesn't always work the way you want to, but especially in the area of "sharing time with your kids".

I admit, yesterday I was somewhat selfish. I was asked to play in the Father's Day Tournament and be "a one day father" with our young and smiley assistant Haley Gunkel, and of course, I accepted... as much for her as for me. Since she knew none of my daughters could come this weekend, it was a great father's day gift to me (thank you!). It was truly enjoyable to share time with her, and her family (dad Paul, uncle Roger, brother Dustin and brother in law Trey Scales) for those five hours. And it was fun for the golf I witnessed. Dustin gave us a clinic on how the ball can be struck (lately, it seems that is all I've seen, since I have shared some rounds with one of our younger players who seems to never miss a the center of the clubface!). As well, it was good to see that four of the top five on the golf team were there as well: Berek Dyson, Keegan Hall, Cody Lake & Joby Gray.

Anyway, it was fun. Very fun. So fun that I forgot that I should have had someone take pictures, as I usually do or would have had someone do. I hope you all enjoyed the memory and next year, play or not, we'll have some pictures to remind you of your round with loved ones and hopefully you forgive my forgetfulness. 

Feelings aside, the tournament drew a little over 50 teams! Players ranged from 6 to 85 years old, and everything in between. Which brings me to this: next year, we should have a special flight for parents who play with smaller kids. Having this been my first "Father's Day Tournament" here, I can appreciate the need for such a change in flighting for fairer and kinder scoring, as now, no matter how you do it, such difference is impossible to deal with in one flight.

Here are the results:
GROSS:
1.       58 – DUSTIN, PAUL GUNKEL
2.       60 – MARK, TYLER RUSSELL
3.       61 – BEREK, DAVID DYSON
4.       63 – BROOK, BRANDT McDONALD
5.       63 – AARON MUSICK, SOUPANH SYRABOUTH
6.       63 – RONNY, RUSS SMITH
7.       64 – GARY, LUKE PHILLIPS
8.       64 – JUSTIN, WAYNE ROBINSON
9.       65 – DAVID, CORBIN DYSON
10.   66 – ALEX ALVAREZ, HALEY GUNKEL
11.   67 – RICK, RON RAINEY
12.   68 – TOM SCRIBNER, KEEGAN HALL

NET:

1.       55 – DOUG, JEREMY GRAY
2.       56 – JOBY, DOUG GRAY
3.       57 – GARRETT, MATHEW MANTLE
4.       59 – DAMON, BRYCE BUTCHER
5.       59 – RUSTY, KELSI WILSON
6.       59 – JERRY, ANDY PEFFER
7.       60 – ANN, MIKE COWAN
8.       60 – ROBERT, CODY LAKE
9.       60 – LARRY, LELAND HUDGENS
10.   61 – ROBERT, JAIME LAKEY
11.   61 – DANNY, TRAVIS VERNON
12.   61 – SY FREEMAN, HARVEY WRIGTH

Aside from watching many good shots in my group and great putting by Paul Gunkel, I had the opportunity to witness a great shot by 9 year old Trinity Jordan whose group was in front of us; on number 8, after dad Terry missed the green, Trinity proceeded to hit a great shot from 140 yards to 20 feet to save the team... Way to go girl!

A QUICK NINE... (and Father's Day Tournament Coming Up!)

FOR FATHER'S DAY GROUPS, SEE "Hole #3" below. Starting Holes and some pairings are subject to change.


#1 (Bogey): we fell behind in posting, and we are in a hurry to catch up, so let's play a quick nine!

Billy J. Smith on Hole #1
showing his "lucky ball"

#2 (Birdie): Billy J. Smith (now from Pennsylvania), made a hole in one on #1 during his visit to his hometown last week. Congratulations!

#3 (Birdie): We have just over 50 teams in the Father's Day Tournament for Saturday the 18th. Great response!!! If you have not signed up, please try to sign up no later than 3:00 p.m. on Friday. Format is a 2-Man Scramble. Parents playing with more than one child, will only hit once from each position on the course... to save your shoulders and 40 minutes! Click here to see the current field and pairings (pairings and hole assignments are subject to change as field changes).

Calvin Adkisson
Not a bad swing, uh?

#4 (Great Birdie):  I had the pleasure of playing nine holes with one of the founders of Elk City Golf & Country Club: Calvin Adkisson, with whom I had a great time, just listening to old stories. Mr. Adkisson was the last club president in the old clubhouse (now by #12 tee). At 82, he has a great swing (click here to get a glimpse). As you can see, his shot was straight to the green on #8, whcih he parred from 180 yards! (Note: At a later date, we are planning to publish the full story of Elk City Golf & Country Club... speaking with someone like this, makes you appreciate why those members who get involved, really appreciate and respect the club's history while taking its success so seriously).

Donald Ballew, another
active founding member

#5 (Birdie): Joby Gray pulls out of a tournament due to a painful pulled muscle; but remains committed to his U.S.G.A. qualifier in Norman, OK next week. Sometimes it takes more courage to admit, "I am hurt", than to try to play hero or be embarrassed to say it , and hurt yourself more.

#6 (Birdie): Cory Smith decides to play in the Tuesday Night Men's Scramble and shows why he is still the player to beat in Western Oklahoma. Cory led his team to a 27 on the back nine! Someone said, "it was like bringing a pocket knife to a gun fight when the guns were AK-47's! (maybe he should play us blindfolded!!) Cory played with Eddie Savage, Roy Garrison & Mike Williamson.

#7 (Bogey): How would you like to shoot 28 or 29 in a nine hole scramble and lose... See Hole #6! The team at 28 was Jorey Price, Terry Nichols, Larry Millican & Justin Robinson; there were two teams at 29 and two at 30. Yours truly decided to play in the Tuesday night scramble so that we would have 48 players and 12 teams, instead of 11 teams including 3 fivesomes... Our team was almost last at 32. Two teams were at 33...

#8 (Par): Elk City Golf & Country Club Board builds a great looking deck on the east side of the clubhouse. It will be a birdie once it is painted and stained!.. maybe even a hole in one!
#9 (Eagle): Ann Cowan wins her flight with four tough matches at the Centennial Women's Southern Amateur in Atlanta, GA.

REMINDER: U.S. OPEN, THE BIGGEST STAGE IN MEN'S GOLF, IS BEING PLAYED AT CONGRESSIONAL GOLF CLUB NEAR WASHINGTON D.C.... DON'T FORGET TO WATCH!! MORE NOTE BY THIS WEEKEND!

UP & DOWN....

Effective immediately, carts not allowed in the fairways. Carts must stay in roughs or cart paths. Also, we encourage members to double up when riding instead of taking up one cart per person.

It has been a "Cowan kind of week"... first Michael and Sean won the championship flight in the Oil & Gas Tournament organized by the Chamber of Commerce, and now, Ann "Mom" Cowan, is in the final in her flight of the Centenial Women's Southern Amateur Championship in Atlanta, GA. at the Brookhaven Course. This tournament is not only the premier women's amateur of the south, but it also celebrates the 100th year of their existence! She won her matches 3 & 1, 1 up in 19 holes and 1 up in 18 holes and she will now play Victoria Bennett. Any predictions??? Ann 2 & 1. (Now, don't make me look bad and bring the trophy!!)

Father's Day Tournament Sat-Jun 18) is set: Scramble. A father may have as many as three teams. Fathers will not be allowed (in the past they were required) to hit two shots from the same spot. One tee shot. If the group uses dad's tee shot, he hits only one second shot, and so on. Just follow the rule that no more than one shot from the same spot, and everyone will do OK.

"4th of July Tournament" (Sat-Sun July 2-3) is set. Format will be Individual and 2-Man Teams. 36 Holes Stroke Play. Entry Fee $250.00 per team or $125.00 per person. Team & Individual Auction planned for Saturday. Make your Saturday tee times soon.

The deck on the east side of the clubhouse is almost finsihed. To finish is the paint and the stain of the concrete floor. Brad Gilbert and his company did all the construction and it looks great!! To check from start to current state, Click Here.

We welcome Joe Bill & Soy Butler as membership #300 for our club! Mr. & Mrs. Butler came from Houston where she was a very active and avide golfer. Great addition to our membership!

NOTE (06/11/11): Ann Cowan won the final match and her flight in the Women's Souther Amateur. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

COWAN TEAM STAYS ON TOP

Winners: Mike Cowan, Sean Cowan,
Aaron Kauk & Bret Matlock.

Following an opening round of 55, the "COWAN" team of Mike Cowan, Sean Cowan, Aaron Kauk & Brett Matlock, shot a solid 56 to win the 41st Chamber of Commerce Oil & Gas Tournament. The event hosted 72 teams over the Friday-Saturday competition.

Rick Sullins: "stay on the green!"

For anyone unfamiliar to this event, the tournament features two "shotgun starts" a day,  7:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Each shotgun start has 36 teams of 4 players (288 players in total for the day), playing a scramble in "eightsomes". All this makes adds to the feeling of an outing to promote goodwill among local businesses, with a competition in the mix. If you ask me, someone new to the area, they do a great job of both!

Craig Martin ("Digger").. dug
deep to help team win "B" Flight

For two days, participants need nothing on the golf course but their clubs and balls, otherwise, they are provided with food and beverages galore. Those serious about the competition within, leave the celebration for the end, while those who came to have a good time and who don't care if they have a par or multiples thereof, celebrate a great outing for 36 straight holes. There is food for all tastes; this year you had barbecue provided by Stallion Oilfield Services (my favorite) and catfish provided by the outfit from Weatherford. By every one's comment, these two businesses "know their business!"

Jorey Price, pretty nice form
in his tee shot on #1

Back to the golf part. Due to the way flights (*) are decided, and the "bump rule" (**), the tournament has a little of a "mystery" involved all the way to the end, as just about any team can win or place in their flight, and in some cases, the next flight (this year two of the teams "bumped", placed in the next flight)! Particularly with hard winds blowing for two straight days; Saturday's sustained winds of 15-20 mph must have felt like a breeze compared to Friday's 35 mph winds and gusts of up to 55 mph! In the end, several teams were "bumped" to the next flight, some of these placing in the top three of the next flight as well. Here are the final results:

"A": 1st 55-56/111 "COWAN"; 2nd 59-55/114 "BARBER-DYSON"; 3rd 61-53/114 "BRAD O'HARA" ("bumped" from "B" flight, lost card playoff)

"B": 1st 60-56/116 "LELA TOWERS";  2nd 62-57/119 "GREAT PLAINS NTL. BANK"; 3rd 61-59/119 "HUTCH'S".

"C": 1st 66-59/125 "BANK OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA" ("bumped from "D" flight); 2nd 64-61/125 "BELL'S CARPET"; 3rd 65-61/126 "WILSON" (won scorecard playoff against "J&J SALES" who had identical day scores) (***).

"D": 1st 68-61/129 "MAD TOTCO"; 2nd 67-62/129 "STEVE WELCH"; 3rd 66-63/129 "SYDCO".

Vera Gilbert during her interview
with the Elk City Daily News on
June 4, 2011 - Hole #14.

Not related to tournament results, the event also hosted the "Amy Lee Scholarship Fund" fundraiser, hosted by Vera Gilbert, an Elk City H.S. graduate. The fund is in memory of Amy Lee, Vera Gilbert's daughter who passed on in 1974 before reaching age 2, and will be used to help worthy local students with college expenses. The fund was started with a raffle of "Amy's House", a life size doll house intended to look crooked, that is anything but. It is a great small, but very well built house. Two more houses like this one will be raffled during the K.E.C.O. tournament in July.


(*) Flights are set after 1st day's scores;
(**) The committee (headed by Debbie Smoots), picks the number of strokes by which the participating teams may improve their first day's score,  if this number is exceeded, it is automatically "bumped" the to the next flight (the "bump" number was set at 4 plus the number of strokes necessary to catch the leader).
(***) Ties are broken by scorecard playoff. Again, Chairman Debbie Smoots picks a hole where to start the playoff, this year it was hole #7.

For all team pictures, click here..... For all other pictures, click here

FLIGHTS FOR 41st ANNUAL OIL & GAS SET...

OFFICIAL STARTER:
Brent Louder (Sandstone), first
customer of the day. His practice
paid off, his team is only 2 shots from
1st in "D" flight.

Seventy two teams (288 players!!) have completed round 1 of the 41st Oil & Gas Tournament, and now, flights have been set according to the first round scores. A long day for sure for all involved. The first shot gun start was at 7:30 a.m. sharp, and the second was delayed until 1:45, while players started arriving since 6:15 a.m. to warm up and registration began at 7:00 a.m.

After the first 18 holes, the flights are as follows:
"A": 55-59;
"B": 60-63;
"C": 64-65 and
"D": 66 and above, where the highest score was a 67. One team, that unofficially would have finished with a 75, was disqualified because they failed to turn their card in.

As you can see by the scores, it looks like it will be a great competition tomorrow. No one knows what the "Bump" rule score will be, but whatever it is, it will be interesting. If Debbie Smoots, Tournament Director, and her "right hand", Susie Cupps, continue at the same pace, no one should have any worries; together, they are on top of everything and nothing goes unnoticed (or undone).

So far, the committee has done a great job and it is impressive how well organized everything is, from registration of teams months before the tournament, contacting vendors and sponsors, to checking in teams during the tournament and to the very last detail. Excellent job.

The leading teams in each flight are as follows:

"A".- COWAN (55), GREAT PLAINS ANALYTICAL SERVICES (56); INTERBANK I (57) & BOB REDAELLI (58). THREE TEAMS ARE AT 59.

"B".- 3 TEAMS ARE AT 60: LELA TOWERS, O.N.G. & WESTERN SIZZLING. 7 TEAMS ARE 61, 10 AT 62 AND 4 AT 63.

"C".- 20 TEAMS ARE AT 64-65!

"D".- 4 TEAMS ARE AT 66 & 5 TEAMS ARE AT 67!

(TOP 4 TEAMS IN EACH FLIGHT WILL BE POSTED IN THIS SITE AFTER TOMORROW'S FINAL ROUND)

TO VIEW ALL TEAMS AND OTHER PICTURES, REFER TO POSTING ABOVE OF JUNE 5, 2011