October 29, 2019

Bloody Sunday: #reVOLT goes back to back

Facing a deficit going into Sunday for the second year in a row, Team #reVOLT came back to win MB6.9, the rubber match between FTH and #reVOLT. A dominant Sunday (winning 7 of 8 matchups) left the final score at 12-6.5, doing little justice to how close the competition actually was.





Tuesday-Thursday The Pinehurst boys


Dante Bill and Andy left Boston on Tuesday AM to play Tobacco Road, Pinehurst #2, The Cradle at Pinehurst, and Pinehurst #4. The boys had caddies, which is cool, and seemed to have a good time on their 3 day pre-MB trip extension. The only thing that wasn't great was these 3 guys weren't there for the practice round at Oyster Bay.




Thursday- Practice round at Oyster Bay

Johnny + Jeremy 


The rest of us poors played Oyster Bay, which is the 5th Legends course we had never actually made it to. It was great to have rain checks for half the cost, due to our rain out last year at Heritage Club. I thought the layout of Oyster Bay was fantastic. Unique, different, challenging. The one downside here was the greens weren't very fast, which that in itself can spoil a round at a great course.
559

Dennis, Ryan Beck and I were roomates in college for 2 years, yet curiously had never played a round of golf together before. We did so in this round, and Ryan/Beck won the match fairly easily, I think it was 3&2. Of course, for me, first round in MB always brings me back down to earth when I realize I can't chip out of Bermuda grass, eliminating one of my greatest strengths. For Ryan, though, different story. This kid comes out hot early in the practice rounds at MB every year, but his play declines as we move into the real matches. V frustrating to play against great Ryan every time we match but be paired with mediocre Ryan when we are teammates. Beck also played well on this day.


Crooky, now local to North Carolina, made the 10 min trek to get to the course and join Mike and Duce for the practice round. These guys played behind my group, and kept hitting BOMBS into us off the tee. Noting egregious or intended (I think?). On the 18th hole Crooky Happy Gilmored a drive over my head like 320 years. Wild stuff.

Another group consisting  of Dan, Campbell, Jeremy, and Ed totaled no less than 440 strokes between the 4 of them. Poor Ed had what seemed to be like maybe the worst round of his life, including this opening tee shot. Keep in mind this was the first shot most people had ever seen Ed hit.



Yikes. No one wants to see that, even from a Jets/Yankees FTH guy.

Adam, Abe, Johnny, and Paul also played this round, nothing of note except Adam making it though without any medical issues.










For dinner Thursday Night we decided to hit up the Putter's Pub... located at Barefoot. Yet still a car drive away. It was a cool spot to watch the Bruins/Yankees/NFL game... the Yankees lost so that was great to salt away Jeremy and Ed's night. I think we all agreed the food was awful, though. Essentially this place was a notch below the legendary Alisa's pub in every way.








Friday - Best Ball at the Dye Course

#reVOLT captains
FTH Captains

Captains match- Dante/Paul vs Bill/Campbell
The captains for this year wanted to continue the tradition with a captains match and picked Best Ball Friday at the Dye course to do so. Of note was the pure coincidence that Dante/Paul (FTH captains) went with a hot pink outfit, which just so happened to match our entire #reVOLT team. The haters don't believe this was a coincidence, but it was and it was great. This match ended up being halved.... Bill had a nice run in the middle of the round  (par-par-birdie) to close the deficit Dante built early. FTH was 3Up through 7 but lost 8,9, and 10 to bring the match to even. It stayed that way until  #reVOLT won the 17th hole.   FTH stepped up to the 18th hole 1 down and Dante sacked up to win the hole and tie the match. The drinks were certainly flowing in this group, the match ended All Square 

Impossible

Fivesome's are impossible match-
James/Ryan/Dan vs Adam/Johnny
We played as a "5some" with one of myself, Ryan, and Dan sitting out each hole. I'd be remiss if I didn't point out how shitty of a job the staff at the Dye course did handling this situation...I emailed over a month ago to give them a heads up/ask permission to buy an extra cart and have an extra guy.  I called and spoke to a staff member who said that it would be fine 3 weeks ago. I WENT TO THE COURSE EARLY on Friday to make 100% sure we were good, got confirmation from the only guy in the shop after clearly explaining the situation.  Guess what happened right before tee off? Problems. Honestly embarrassed for the way the situation was treated, especially when they asked Ryan to just pay an extra $20. Maybe lead with that next time.

Once we got on the tee box, things calmed down.  The match started with Dan chipping in to win the very first hole. Through 6 or 7 holes #reVOLT was at one point 3Up. We were cruising. Team FTH found their mojo late in the match, starting with a huge up and down and semi long par putt by Johnny on the 15th green to extend the match. FTH went on to win the 16th and 17th holes, the latter of which was won with a long putt from off the green by Adam. Dan and I were left on the 18th green needing to make a putt to square the hole and the match, which we did. Having the lead on every tee box except the 1st and 18th and only scratching out half a point was tough for my team, but good to see the fight in FTH early on in the competition and an overall solid debut by Johnny. Sadly, this would be his only half point of the weekend. Match ends All Square




David vs Goliath- Andy/Abe vs Jeremy/Ed
Woof. Look. When you get new guys in MB, sometimes they fail to meet expectations and sometimes they crush those expectations. This match was the perfect storm of each of those things happening. Ed, while he played better than Thursday, had a tough round and couldn't keep up with Andy, which in theory he was supposed to do. When you arent playing great, and you need to relies on Jeremy to play good golf, things fall apart quiskly. So quickly in fact, that ANOTHER MB record loss was recorded by Jeremy/Ed in this match. Andy was a machine, and with the Legend in your cart in MB, you simply don't lose. The match ended 9&7. Kinda stinks, no one wants this lopsided of a matchup. Glad it was #reVOLT that came out on top. I suppose to throw Jeremy a bone (he could use it) I can point out he "won" his match vs Abe... but again I refuse to acknowledge matches within matches when then larger match is meaningful.

pray for the earth beneath this man's feet 


Mosey Boys- Coates/Beck vs Duce/Dennis
These guys played in front of my group so we got to watch a bunch of shots from them. On the 3rd hole, Coates and Beck both put their tee shots on the par 3 within 15 feet. I don't think either of them had to even attempt the putt to win the hole. They maintained a marginal lead throughout the match and never relented, despite solid play from Duce and Dennis. The match ended with #reVOLT winning 2up 

most of the guys 

full #reVOLT team minus Bunny and Bill

After golf Friday, things got foggy for this author.  I knew it would be an electric night because I threw on my favorite t shirt- my Go Marty Go trophy from MB4.0. I do know we went to Hooters and ended up celebrating "Marty's 21st birthday." Some guys went out after dinner, while most of us went back to the rooms to watch the Yankees ALCS game.

Marty birthday dinner
Go Marty Go




Saturday AM- Alternate shot at the Fazio course

on The 2nd Green at Fazio 

Damn, let me tell you this round comes EARLY. Always does. Feels too early. Until you get to the tee box. We finally got a chance to play an alt shot round with 4 "good" golfers... and the match did not disappoint. It was AWESOME to have the first tee time of the day, on a course that doesn't do double shotguns. If we wanted to, my group would have been done in 2.5 hours. We took our time and finished in just over 3 hours.
Alt Shot group 1

The opening hole was won by FTH after my initial tee shot went a million miles right. Not great. From there, FTH maintained a small lead through most of the match. Bill and I simply hit too many bad tee shots to win holes. On the 14th hole Dante had a 12 foot putt to win the match 5 and 4.. halfway through the putt he took his hat off and extended his hand to me, only to see the ball lip out in the corner of his eye. It was a tense scene/moment for about 5 seconds when no one said anything because everyone as shocked at the cocky yet confident move by Dante. They still dormied themselves on the hole, but of course, like you read about it, this almost came back to bite him in the ass. Bill and I won the 15th and 16th holes, stood on the 17th tee box 2 down. Maybe the shot of the match/weekend/my life occurred on 17... we obviously needed an up and down but I was 120 yards out, behind a tree, and had really no room to execute a normal shot. Somehow I hit a low liner exactly how I envisioned, it hit in front of the green, popped up and landed just above the hole by 5 feet. Unfortunately, we missed that putt to extend the match and lost 2&1 to FTH's top pair of golfers

Johnny



Abe and Dan famously shot an 89 in alt shot at Man o War 2 years ago- then better than any 18 hole round either of them shot- and clearly these guys make good partners. Johnny and Paul kept it close,  which from the outside looking in only looks good for Johnny and Paul, I am not sure anyone expected them to win this one. #reVOLT won 2 and 1 and both Dan and Abe extended their unbeaten alt shot records to 3-0


Alt shot losers 
Coates and Andy cruised to an easy win in this match over Jeremy, who again got blown out (3 consecutive blowout losses for JT.) I have no idea what happened in this match.... Andy was a superior golfer this weekend and consistent Coates is a good partner in this format, making a formidable team that would have probably competed vs all the FTH teams this AM. #reVOLT won 6&4

18th Fazio

Duce/Ed vs Ryan/Campbell- We actually handicapped this match because Ed was so brutal on Friday (and Thursday), which ended up being a mistake. Ed and Duce played well, and of course I heard Ryan couldn't keep his drive under control. The FTH team started with a 3 hole advantage, and ended up taking down the win by that same margin- a much needed 3 and 1 victory for FTH gave them the split in the session. Jim Duce's first match win in MB history.


Saturday PM- Scramble at the Norman course

The scramble round was started early with rain in the forecast. Dante/Johnny/Ed/Dennis led the way and started HOT... I believe they were -3 through 5. FTH's length off the tee was, as previously demonstrated in years past, a big advantage in this format. Dante and Ed were hitting bombs off the tee while Johnny was sinking putts and Dennis was there to be the glue guy FTH has missed in years past. They were the lead group and got through 12 holes before we called the match... I believe they ended at -5.

Scramble round w/ Legend

My group went off second and Bill simply saved us through the first portion f this round. He was a monster off the tee. Beck Abe and I contributed throughout, but especially off the tee Bill was a stud. We couldn't hit our approaches close, and ended up holing 10 tap in pars plus one medium length tester to stay even at one point. While bogey was never a real threat, birdie seemed just out of our grasp every hole, we shot even par every hole and finished at E.

Our savior off the tee in the scramble. Saint William

The other #reVOLT group (Dan/Coates/Campbell/Andy) had a similar fate, ending even but the lone difference being they had one bogey (the first hole) and one birdie.

Saturday PM foursome

The second FTH team seemed to have a nearly identical round as my team, with many frustarting tap in pars. They did, however, score a birdie on the par 3 11th hole, ending the round at -1.

FTH was a cumulative -6 while #reVOLT was a cumulative even par. Normally a 3 point session win, the captains agreed to a 2.5 point total for the match, since we only played about half the holes.


Group shot post rain out 

After we dried out on Saturday, we ended up going to Hibachi for dinner as a group. Here are some various photos from the night. We also played our traditional beer hockey game.

Topp Doggs





Happy 50th Grandypa

Beer Hockey! 

Sunday- Singles at the Love course

Not pictured: Duce (too big) 

Dante vs Dan
The captains decided to set up Dan vs Dante, and handicap the match Dan +4.5 holes. Dan won the first hole, but none thereafter. Dante continued his dominant weekend play, and ended up winning the match 1.5&1. This would end up being FTH's last point on the weekend.

Andy vs Duce
Andy came into Sunday hot and left MB with an undefeated record (3-0-0) by handling Jim in this match. Jim played well, but Andy played great the whole trip and won 5&4. Not much else to say here.


Sunday Foursome


Adam vs Bill
This was a match-up everyone had circled on their card, with both Bill and Adam playing well all weekend. I know the match was even through 9 with back and forth play, and Bill ended up clipping Adam in the end with a 4&2 victory after missing the first 2 fairways but hitting the next 12.

Abe vs Paul
Paul, despite playing 4 times all year, somehow played well all weekend and took Abe down to the wire in this match. At one point Abe was 4up but Paul didn't give up. I think someone won with a 9 on one of the holes. Irregardless, the Legend won again, beating Paul 2&1 on the 17th green.


Sunday foursome


James vs Ed
I was struggling Sunday AM, wandering around the apt complex and course trying to find my bearings. I was still feeling like trash on when I hit my tee shot into the hazard and lost the first hole. After the second hole I tossed what was left in my stomach, like a pro, and started to immediately feel exponentially better. I missed a couple putts inside 10 feet I normally make, but kept the ball in play off the tee and let Ed hang himself with wild tee shots. After the first hole I don;t think Ed won another one the rest of the match, may not even have had a hole winning putt the rest of the way. James wins 5&4

Campbell vs Johnny
Campbell came out HOT and jumped to and early 3up lead after 4 holes. Johnny was a little wild off the tee, and Campbell was playing steady golf, not making mistakes and making putts. Through the middle part of this round Campbell continued to press Johnny, although Johnny started swinging better and won a couple holes to keep the match within shouting distance. With 5 holes to go, Campbell missed a chance to go dormie and Johnny surged, like he did on Friday. Winning 16 and 17, Johnny had nothing but pride ont he line on 18 to try and scratch out half a point. After what seemed like half an hour, a long hole, Campbell got the job done by winning the hole and the match 2up.


Jeremy vs Coates
Jeremy walked into this match with his last 3 matches ending in lopsided losses. To his credit, he seemed to play better than he did on Sunday last year to keep this match somewhat close. Coates jumped out to an early lead- was 3up through 6. At one point Jeremy texted the group that Coates was " the greatest putter of our generation" so I can only assume Coates was lethal near and on the green, similar again to last year on Sunday singles. Jeremy regrettably took himself out of a couple holes with just one or two bad swings, but consistent Coates won with ease 4&3.

Beckerman vs Dennis
Poor Dennis ran out of gas. Beckerman, victim of a Sunday BEATING two year ago, got some sort of vengeance by crushing Dennis 8&7. Beck was 4up through 6 and never looked back after playing his best golf of the weekend when it mattered most.



After the round, team #reVOLT got to show off our Back 2 Back Champs shirt. I've said it before and will say it again, when I was buying these shirts the week before the trip I felt at the time it was the most disrespectful thing I've ever done, and I couldn't stop smiling when I picked up the shirts. Credit to Beckerman for the killer design. RIPIP FTH.


MB007 will likely take place the same weekend in 2020. We will be returning to Legends (!) and it's very possible FTH and #reVOLT will be disbanded and new teams will be formed. Early rumors are it may be Doggs vs the World. Stay tuned.




All time records

Every official match play in MB history:
1.0- JB/Beck 5&4 over Adam/Paul - scramble
1.0- Ry/Jeremy 7&6 over Abe/Campbell- scramble
2.0- JB/Adam 2&1 over Dante/Bill- scramble
2.0- Bunny/Beckerman over Jeremy/Marty scramble
3.0- Dante/JB 2&1 over Jamie/Ryan scramble
3.0- Jeremy 2up over Bunny heads up
3.0- Dan/# over Marty/Abe scramble
3.0-  Beck/Adam over Bill scramble
4.0- JB/Abe 3&2 over Jamie/Marty - best ball
4.0- Dante/Jeremy 4&3 over Bill/Dan- best ball
4.0- Adam/Paul 6&5 over #/Mike best ball
4.0- Ryan/Beckerman 4&3 over Brian/Joe best ball
4.0- Dante/Paul 3 & 2 over James/Mike Alt shot
4.0- Dan/Abe 3 &2 over Jeremy/Marty alt shot
4.0- Adam/Brian 3&2 over Ryan/# alt shot
4.0- Bill/Beck 6&4 over Jamie/Joe alt shot
4.0- # 3&2over Joe/Paul-  best ball
4.0- Adam 2up over Dan heads up
4.0- Bill 5&4 over Jamie heads up
4.0- JB 3&2 over Dante heads up
4.0-Marty 7&6 over Beck heads up
4.0- Abe 2&1 over Jeremy heads up
V- JB/Campbell AS Jamie/Jeremy alt shot
V- Dante/Marty 1up over Bill/Beck alt shot
V- Ryan/Dan 8&6 over Adam/Duce alt shot
V- Abe/Coates 5&4 over Paul alt shot
V- Dante 3&2 over James heads up
V- Dan 8&7 over Jeremy heads up *MB record singles loss*
V- Marty 2&1 over # heads up
V- Beck 4&3 over Duce heads up
V- Abe 6&5 over Paul heads up
V- Adam 4&3 over Ryan heads up
V- Campbell 7&6 over Joe heads up
V- Bill 5&4 over Jamie heads up
6.9- James/Ryan/Dan AS Adam/Johnny best ball
6.9- Bill/Campbell AS Dante/Paul best ball
6.9- Abe/Andy 9&7 over Jeremy Ed best ball *new MB record loss*
6.9- Beck/Coates 2up over Dennis/Duce best ball
6.9- Dante/Adam 2&1 over James/Bill alt shot
6.9- Duce/Ed (3up head start) 2&1 over Campbell/Ryan alt shot
6.9- Andy/Coates 6&4 over Jeremy/Dennis alt shot
6.9- Abe/Dan 2&1 over Johnny/Paul alt shot
6.9- James 5&4 over Ed heads up
6.9- Bill 4&2 over Adam heads up
6.9- Abe 2&1 over Paul heads up
6.9- Dante 1.5&1 over Dan (4.5up head start) heads up
6.9- Andy 5&4 over Duce
6.9- Beck 8&7 over Dennis heads up
6.9- Coates 4&3 over Jeremy heads up
6.9- Campbell 2up over Johnny heads up


All Time MB Champions
OGMB: James
JBMB: Beck
MB 3.0: Dante
MB 4.0: Fairway to Heaven
MBV: #reVOLT
MB6.9: #reVOLT


Jeremy Facts
-Current 4 match losing streak
-Has not won any of his past 7 official matchups (0-6-1)
-Only win since the team format was introduced was bestball with Dante at 4.0.
-Has the worst loss in Singles history: 8&7 to Dan at MBV
-Has the worst loss in bestball history: 9&7 with Ed to Andy/Abe
-Has lost to Abe in singles, bestball, and alt shot in official MB team events
-0-3-0 in official single matches- losses to Abe, Dan and Coates
-Highest recorded score all time, stroke play (OGMB): 137 @ Heritage Club


All time MB Match Play records:
Abe 8-2-0
Beck 8-2-0
Dante 7-2-1
Adam 7-3-1
James 6-3-2
Dan 5-3-1
#Coates 5-3-0
Bill 4-5-1
Campbell 3-3-2
Ryan 3-4-1
Jeremy 3-7-1
Andy 3-0-0
Marty 3-4-0
Paul 2-6-1
Old Brian 1-1-0
Ed 1-2-0
Duce 1-4-0
Johnny 0-2-1
Jamie 0-4-1
Mike Goose killer 0-2-0
Dennis 0-3-0
Uncle Joe 0-4-0

Course list:
OGMB: Heritage Plantation, Heathland, Moorland, Parkland
JBMB: Eagles Nest, Myrtlewood Pinehills, Myrtlewood Palmetto, Pine Lakes
MB 3.0: River Oaks, True Blue, Heathland, Parkland, Moorland
MB 4.0: Caledonia, River Oaks, The Witch, Man O'War, Wizard
MBV: True Blue, River Oaks, Heritage, Heathland, Moorland, Parkland
MB6.9: Oyster Bay, Dye, Fazio, Norman, Love courses at Barefoot




Dead Dogg

Before Ryan had to leave 


Winning Captain

Cool hole on the Norman course 

Proud Champs

The Scoreboard 2019 


Dead Dogg 

Saturday Night forecast courtesy of Ryan

And on that day Jeremy and Dennis took the escalator to heaven 

D Champs/Sunday Singles Winners 


Experts


#22


LEGENDS DON'T LOSE

Dead Dogg

We'll still beat any 2 of you

Champagne for the Legend

A toast at the airport in Jeremy and Dennis' face

Missed ya, pal




Accurate, though OB got a bad shake in this vote IMO

Alt shot wins again 


Clearly you guy's don't know Johnny well enough