Missouri Wins!

Last week at Hickory Hills Country Club in Springfield, members of the Missouri Senior Series team beat members of the Kansas Senior Series in a Ryder cup style of matches. In the Association matches, which consist of 6 players over the age of 65, Missouri won by the score of 12 to 1. In the Ozark Cup Matches which consist of 12 players from the ages of 50 to 64 Missouri won again by the score of 13.5 to 10.5

These matches are between the two golf associations that happen on the annual basis. Below you will see the team members, great job guys!!!

Ozark Challenge
Russ Woodbury, Aurora
Jerry Waitulavich, St. Louis
Darrel Huisinga, Fenton
Rocky Walther, St. Louis
Karl Elbrecht, St. Louis
Mike Dallmeyer, Jefferson City
Parker Morgan, Springfield
Tom McHenry, Jefferson City
Denny Payne, St. Louis
Jim Ruck, St. Louis
David Hohler, Cape Girardeau
Steve Slaughter, Jefferson City

Association Cup
Don Dupske, St. Louis
Carl Benbrook, Chesterfield
Bob Martin, Columbia
Jerry Kirksey, Bolivar
Norton Balber, St. Louis
Bob Igelhart, Columbia

Until I see you on the first tee!

Scott

Final Destination

After wrapping up another successful championship and making sure that we were done in time for ballroom dancing night at KCCC, it was off to Cape Girardeau and the wonderful Dalhousie Golf Club for the end of the year Cup Matches. The top players from the East side of the state compete against the top players from the West side of the state. With the West side winning the event last year at Porto Cima the East was out for a little revenge. The players were treated to some wonderful weather and some fantastic food along with a golf course that was in unbelievable condition. Each time I visit Dalhousie I leave there loving it more. The East came out on top this year with winning 15 and a half points to the 12 and a half by the West squad. A lot of great golf was played by both sides.

So, Sunday afternoon after the Cup Matches came to an end I hopped back in the car and headed down the road again, however this time I got to head home and a chance to get a good nights sleep in my own bed. Yes it might have been a lot of miles driven, (over 1,200) and many nights away from home (12 to be exact) I would have not changed it for anything. What a lucky guy I am to get to visit such wonderful golf courses and be around such great people.

I am the LUCKY ONE!!

Until I see you on the first tee

Scott

Still on the Road

The next stop on the circuit was Kansas City Country Club for the Missouri Mid Amateur Championship September 29th thru October 1st. Kansas City Country Club is another old historic club that just oozes tradition. You can just feel how special KCCC is once you step onto the property and look around. On Monday morning, while we were out setting the course up for the event, Tom Watson was on property looking at the course that he calls home to see what changes might need to be made for upcoming years. I will tell you one thing, after being there for three days I did not see anything that needs to be changed!! What a classic and wonderful golf course that proved you don't need 7,000 yards or more to make a golf course tough. Just ask the players who competed what a great challenge a course less than 6800 yards can be. I had one player make the comment to me that he could play Kansas City Country Club every day for the rest of his life and never get tired of it. As for the event it self, it turned into a St. Joseph, MO Championship with the top three players all coming from St. Joe. In the end Brian Haskell prevailed on the first playoff hole to defeat Brad Nurski.

Congrats to Brain for his success at the Missouri Mid-Am

Until I see you on the first tee.

Scott

Lucky

The past two weeks I have lived every Missouri golfers dream! Yes, it might have required a lot of travel and hard work, however, I would not have traded it with anyone.

It all started the week of September 22nd through 24th at the historic Old Warson Country Club with the Senior Amateur Championship. Old Warson, which hosted the 1971 Ryder Cup and is one of the premier country clubs of the Midwest, presented a great challenge for the players. Scott Thomas of St. Louis played 36 holes of solid golf to capture his first Senior Amateur Championship. Once we got the event wrapped up, it was off to Columbia and the Missouri Open the 25th through 27th.

With the Missouri Open having been off the schedule for over 10 years, it was great to have it back and back at a wonderful venue like The Club at Old Hawthorn. What a great opportunity for the top professionals and amateur golfers from Missouri to compete and see who comes out on top. Again with perfect weather and a golf course in great shape the players had a wonderful time. Peter Malanti, a member of the University of Missouri’s golf team, played two spectacular rounds and shot 12 under par to win by four over PGA tour member Jay Delsing.

Congratulations to both Scott and Peter on their victories!

Until I see you on the first tee,

Scott

Making a Statement

Skip Berkmeyer Takes Medalist Honors At The U.S. Mid-Amateur
Total of 4 Missiourians make Match Play
River Hills, Wis. – Skip Berkmeyer, 34, of St. Louis, Mo., shot a 1-over-par 71 Sunday to earn stroke-play medalist honors with a 36-hole total of 2-under-par 138 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Milwaukee Country Club and Brown Deer Park Golf Course.
Berkmeyer, who played his round at the 7,004-yard, par-70 Milwaukee CC, edged Tim Mickelson, 31, of San Diego, Calif., by a stroke. Mickelson, the younger brother of PGA Tour pro Phil Mickelson, bogeyed his last two holes at Milwaukee CC to finish with an even-par 70 and a two-round total of 139.
“It’s great,” said Berkmeyer of being medalist. “To be the lowest guy in this big field is a pretty neat thing.”
The lowest 64 scorers advanced to match play Monday at Milwaukee CC. The championship is scheduled to run through Thursday, with the winner receiving a likely invitation to the 2009 Masters Tournament.
Also making Match play from Missouri are Brian Haskell of St. Joseph who is the 34th seed shooting a two day total of 145. The 18th seed also from St. Joseph is Brad Nurski, and the final player from Missouri to move on to match play is Ted Moloney of St. Louis and he is the 42nd seed.
Berkmeyer, who is playing in his fifth Mid-Amateur, has advanced further in match play with each succeeding year. His best finish was a third-round loss in last year’s Mid-Amateur at Bandon Dunes Resort in Bandon, Ore. He lost in the second round in 2006 and the first round in 2004. He also has played in seven U.S. Amateurs.
There are signs that Berkmeyer has what it takes to last longer this week than in the past. He was one of only six mid-amateurs to reach match play at last month’s U.S. Amateur. He also was runner-up at the 2008 Missouri State Amateur, an event he won in 1999.
“I’ve played well all summer, and I’m pretty pleased,” said Berkmeyer, who owns a trophy and awards shop with his father, Rick. “My game has gotten better as I’ve gotten older. Hopefully, it will get better this week.
“I feel now like I belong and I’m more comfortable out here,” Berkmeyer continued. “This is my favorite event. This is what I play for.”
His mother has enjoyed even more success at USGA championships to this point. Barbara, 64, was runner-up at the 2002 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur.