Seattle Team Threepeats in Return to Sunriver

Sunriver, OR. “Would you please just shut the f–k up???!! We haven’t even teed off yet!!”

Those were the angry words of Seattle Team captain Nick Jenkins to a marshal at the who was not-so-quietly complaining about our pace of play at Sunriver’s Woodlands course while one of our players stood over his tee shot. Fortunately for Jenkins and the other fifteen players there that day in September 1998, said marshal did not summarily kick us off the course.

If he had Greenspan Cup would have probably died then and there. He didn’t, and the World Team went on to win the inaugural Greenspan Cup at Sunriver. The Seattle and World teams returned to the Cup’s birthplace this year, with a different result. Twenty-six year veteran John Harrison went a perfect 5-0 and rookie Martin Perry went 4-1 as the Seattle Team defeated the World Team 16 1/2 — 13 1/2 to win the twenty-sixth playing of Greenspan Cup. Jon Gaston and Adam Waalkes, both of whom were there in 1998, each added four points for the World Team, which came in second for the third straight time.

“I often wonder how different my life would be had that marshal kicked us off the course that day,” said Jenkins, much more mild mannered today than he was as a 29-year old in 1998. “I’d certainly have fewer friends.”

Jenkins’s Seattle Team friends had a nice Friday. After splitting the morning fourball stanza, the Seattle Team took four of five matches in the afternoon to take a commanding 6 1/2 — 3 1/2 lead. It was closer than it appeared, however: three matches were decided with Seattle Team wins on Crosswater’s final hole. “He missed every putt all day except that birdie putt on the last,” said World Team vet Joe Stansell of Jenkins. “Had he missed and Demurjian made, as everyone expected, you have a completely different result.”

The World Team fought back hard on Saturday, however, taking four of the five matches in the morning fourball medal stanza. The most noteworthy match: World Team captain Greg Cheever and Gaston’s 71-81 shellacking of Joel Aro and Chris Sherry. “A best ball 81 is pretty bad,” said Cheever, stating the obvious. “We basically needed to just keep the ball on the planet to win that one.” Much of the blame for the 81 went to Sherry, who only finished a few holes. “I may need to rethink my golf lessons,” lamented the three-year veteran, who went 1-4 for the week, including three blowout losses, and is now an all-time worst 2-13 overall.

The World Team took the afternoon stanza as well to head into Sunday singles at Sunriver Meadows with a one-point lead. This was the opposite of 1998, when the eight-player Seattle Team had a two-point lead heading into singles. Just as in ’98, though, the trailing team got the better of it in singles. Whereas the World Team took six of eight points in 1998, Team 206 took 7 1/2 of ten points this year. “We front loaded our lineup to get ahead early,” said Harrison, “but the World Team did, too. Fortunately we lined up well and got a few breaks.” One of the big ones: winless John Maino drawing an injured Dan Casey with the result being a 3&2 win for the Las Vegas Golden Knights equipment manager.

Jenkins counted Perry’s 1 up win over Norman Cheuk as another huge win. “A rookie draws arguably the World’s best player — and beats him. Maino draws their injured guy. Those balls bounce differently and we probably have a different result.”

As per usual, this year’s event had its share of subplots. The World Team had arguably its best shirt year ever, as fashion coordinator Cheuk opted for three Peter Millar pieces. “The World Team’s days of one-and-done shirts are over,” insisted Cheuk, still smarting from the 2020 shirt debacle in Reno, where the World Team’s shirts were so bad not a single player kept even one to wash their car in.

For its part the Seattle Team showed up with four shirts custom-made for the event. “Sherry found some website in China that made these for us,” said Jenkins, who counted Sunday’s lilac shirt as his favorite Greenspan shirt ever. “I see this custom thing as the wave of the future, at least for the Seattle Team.”

Harrison went 5-0 for the first time in twenty-six appearances, and now sees his once paltry lifetime record sitting well above .500.

But the biggest plot line by far was the inaccuracy of player handicaps. “The handicap issue has long been a problem for us,” lamented Jenkins. “But this year four players — that’s twenty percent of the field — weren’t within ten shots of their stated handicaps. For the event to thrive for another twenty-six years, that must change.”

I have little doubt that it will.

Next year’s event is scheduled for July 2024. No venue has been selected, although Sand Valley appears to be a frontrunner. Jenkins and Cheever are expected back as captains.

RESULTS

Friday morning fourball match (Sunriver [Meadows])
Harrison/Sherry d. Cheever/Stricker 4&3
Fessler/Perry d. Casey/Smith 7&6
Demurjian/Waalkes d. Blair/Maino 1 up
Cheuk/Gaston d. Aro/Jenkins 1 up
Stansell/Tham h. Anderson/DeAndre

Tied 2 1/2 — 2 1/2

Friday afternoon fourball match (Crosswater)
Stricker/Waalkes d. Maino/Sherry 6&5
Anderson/Blair d. Cheuk/Smith 6&5
Aro/DeAndre d. Casey/Gaston 1 up
Jenkins/Perry d. Demurjian/Stansell 1 up
Fessler/Harrison d. Cheever/Tham 1 up

Seattle leads 6 1/2 — 3 1/2

Saturday morning fourball medal (Sunriver [Woodlands])
Cheever/Gaston d. Aro/Sherry 71-81
Demurjian/Tham d. Jenkins/Maino 65-69
Casey/Stricker d. Blair/Fessler 63-66
Anderson/Harrison d. Cheuk/Stansell 63-64
Smith/Waalkes d. DeAndre/Perry 68-71

Tied 7 1/2 — 7 1/2

Saturday afternoon fourball tiebreaker (Crosswater)
Jenkins/Perry d. Smith/Stansell 7&5
Cheever/Demurjian d. Maino/Sherry 2&1
Gaston/Waalkes d. Anderson/Aro 3&2
Cheuk/Stricker d. DeAndre/Fessler 5&3
Blair/Harrison d. Casey/Tham 7&5

World leads 10 1/2 — 9 1/2

Sunday singles (Sunriver [Meadows])
Stansell d. Sherry 7&5
Gaston d. DeAndre 6&5
Jenkins d. Tham 2&1
Harrison d. Waalkes 3&2
Maino d. Casey 3&2
Aro d. Smith 5&4
Fessler h. Demurjian
Perry d. Cheuk 1 up
Anderson d. Cheever 4&3
Blair h. Stricker

Seattle wins 16 1/2 — 13 1/2

OVERALL RECORDS
Seattle
Anderson 3-1-1
Aro 2-3
Blair 2-2-1
DeAndre 1-3-1
Fessler 2-2-1
Harrison 5-0
Jenkins 3-2
Maino 1-4
Perry 4-1
Sherry 1-4

World
Casey 1-4
Cheever 2-3
Cheuk 2-3
Demurjian 3-1-1
Gaston 4-1
Smith 1-4
Stansell 1-3-1
Stricker 3-1-1
Tham 2-3
Waalkes 4-1

2022 Photo Recap

A few photos from our days at Sand Valley:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

Seattle Team Defends, Takes Cup at Sand Valley

To a man there’s no Greenspan Cup player who thinks there’s better golf in America than Bandon Dunes.

To a man there’s no Greenspan Cup player who doesn’t think the Sand Valley complex, owned and operated by the sons of the guy who started Bandon Dunes, is at least in the conversation for second place.

The Seattle Team defeated the World Team 19 1/2 — 16 1/2 to take the twenty-fifth playing of Greenspan Cup. But the real winner was the Sand Valley complex.

“I was skeptical about playing the Cup in the middle of nowhere,” said World Team captain Greg Cheever, confusing northwest Wisconsin with nowhere. “I am a skeptic no more.” Seattle Team captain Nick Jenkins agreed. “I had heard great things about Sand Valley, but it exceeded even my lofty expectations.”

Unlike most Cups, this one was played Wednesday to Saturday to give players the extra day to travel home — or more precisely, give Jenkins the chance to catch a Sunday Cubs game in Chicago. The teams battled to a 6-6 tie on Wednesday, splitting both stanzas 3-3. But the Seattle Team opened things up on Thursday morning, taking 4 1/2 of six points in fourball tiebreaker at Mammoth Dunes. Jon Gaston and Joe Stansell walloped Chris Sherry and John Maino 8&6, but other than a half point from the Greg Cheever/Adam Waalkes pairing, the World Team could muster no more. Seattle extended its lead to 14-10 in the afternoon: Joel Aro teamed with newcomer Oskar Gjerttson to win his fourth straight match.

A four-point lead proved to be too much to overcome in singles, and although the World Team won that stanza by a half point, it wasn’t nearly enough.

The trip will be remembered for the s–t show that was getting to Sand Valley. The stars of that play were Jenkins, Aro, Maino and Sherry, who rented an SUV in Milwaukee only to be given a sedan. The result: they drove four hours across Wisconsin with everyone but the driver buried in luggage.

It will be remembered for the $1 menu at Craig’s Porch, another brilliant touch of class from the Kaisers.

It will be remembered for Norman Cheuk’s 69 at Mammoth Dunes, the lowest round shot in Greenspan Cup history.

Mostly, though, it will be remembered for all that was good about Sand Valley. “Times are weird in this country right now,” opined Jenkins. “Sand Valley just felt like yesteryear. I can’t wait to get back.”

Twenty-three other guys feel the same way.

Results

Wednesday Fourball Match (Mammoth Dunes)
Cheever/Waalkes d. Adamson/Church 2&1
Casey/Stricker d. Gjerttson/Sherry 3&2
Blair/Harrison h. Cheuk/Tham
Anderson/Maino d. Cox/Stansell 2&1
Demurjian/Fester h. DeAndre/Lippold
Aro/Jenkins d. Gaston/Rau 3&1

Tied 3-3

Thursday Morning Fourball (Sand Valley)
Cheever/Rau d. Harrison/Maino 1 up
Adamson/Gjerttson d. Casey/Waalkes 6&4
Blair/Jenkins d. Gaston/Tham 2&1
Aro/Church d. Cox/Fester 3&2
Demurjian/Stansell d. DeAndre/Sherry 6&5
Cheuk/Stricker d. Anderson/Lippold 2&1

Tied 6-6

Thursday Afternoon Fourball Tiebreaker (@Mammoth Dunes)
Cheever/Waalkes h. Church/Harrison
Gjerttson/Jenkins d. Rau/Tham 4&2
Gaston/Stansell d. Maino/Sherry 8&6
Adamson/Lippold d. Cheuk/Stricker 2&1
Anderson/Aro d. Casey/Fester 5&4
Blair/DeAndre d. Cox/Demurjian 4&3

Seattle leads 10 1/2 — 7 1/2

Friday Fourball Medal (@Sand Valley)
Church/Harrison d. Cox/Fester 67-68
Gaston/Stansell d. Anderson/Sherry 70-72
Blair/Maino d. Cheuk/Rau 68-69
Stricker/Waalkes h. Jenkins/Lippold
Aro/Gjerttson d. Cheever/Demurjian 72-73
Casey/Tham d. Anderson/DeAndre 69-74

Seattle leads 14-10

Saturday Singles (Mammoth Dunes)
Jenkins d. Demurjian 5&4
Rau d. Aro 1 up
Adamson d. Cox 5&4
Cheuk d. Maino 6&5
Stansell d. Sherry 6&4
Church d. Casey 5&3
Gjertsson d. Fester 3&1
Gaston d. Blair 1 up
Anderson h. Tham
Lippold d. Stricker 2&1
Waalkes d. Harrison 2&1
Cheever d. DeAndre 1 up

Seattle wins 19 1/2 — 16 1/2

Overall Records

Seattle Team

• Adamson 3-2
• Anderson 2-2-1
• Aro 4-1
• Blair 3-1-1
• Church 3-1-1
• Deandre 1-3-1
• Gjertsson 4-1
• Harrison 1-2-2
• Jenkins 4-0-1
• Lippold 2-1-2
• Maino 2-3
• Sherry 0-5

World Team

• Casey 2-3
• Cheever 3-1-1
• Cheuk 2-2-1
• Cox 0-5
• Demurjian 1-3-1
• Fester 0-4-1
• Gaston 3-2
• Rau 2-3
• Stricker 2-2-1
• Stansell 4-1
• Tham 1-2-2
• Waalkes 2-1-2

Is It Just Me, Or Are There Suddenly Lots of New Companies Peddling Some Cool (and Not So Cool) Golf Shirts?

About five or six years ago, Facebook got to know me well.

Really well.

And before I knew it, I was getting barraged with targeted ads for companies that peddled golf shirts.

What remaining closet space I had disappeared.

Lately, though, it seems like new polo-peddling “companies” are popping up every week.  I put companies in quotes because I’m not so sure many of these are legitimate businesses so much as websites, but there’s no doubting there are lots of them.

In no particular order:

• USA Palm. Family-owned real deal company out of Texas and my favorite of the new kids on the block … Killer polo selection … The Seattle Team wore their LED polo on Friday at Bandon last year

and their Tighe Plaid polo on Saturday:

• Pins & Aces. No doubt my second favorite of the newbies — and it’s a close call … Their Dancin’ Pimentos shirt, which of course I own, is arguably one of the three or four best golf shirts ever made.

• Waggle Golf. Before Facebook got to know me, Waggle was one of the first shirt companies I discovered (it, and the late Alial Fital) … Lots of animal patterns for some reason … Team 206 famously wore these to victory in Kelowna in 2019:

• Fish Hippie. Arguably doesn’t belong in this post because it’s more a lifestyle- than golf brand, but they have some pretty damn good golf polos … Brand-wise sort of a Southeast fisherman’s answer to Johnnie O.

• Bad Birdie. One of the more prominent of the new players … Longbow GC in Mesa, where I visited a few months ago, had several shirts in stock, including this one, which I rank among my favorites:

• Rhoback.  Not exactly a newcomer on the block, Rhoback is one of the few companies in this post whose polos I don’t own.
• Sunday Swagger.  Long one of my favorites … Lots of tropical-type stuff … Have often thought this one would look good on Fessler or Aro

• Birdie Threads. Only three polos but they’re all pretty cool, including this one:

• Average Birds.  Starting to notice a theme here, with all the “birds” and “birdies”? … Only nine polos, but a few memorable ones:

• Birdies Double. Probably the most competitively priced of them all (polos are $59 plus whatever discount you can find) … Only twelve polos but they’re all sharp, including this one which the Seattle Team will sport at Sand Valley:

• Neverland CC. Home of the ugliest Masters-themed shirt I’ve ever seen:

• Golf Gods. Another one of my faves and one of the bigger players out there … 80+ polos … UK-based … If the City of Seattle could wear a golf polo it might be this one, which they call “High Times” (then again, it doesn’t have any needles):

• Kaipar Clothing.  Hawaii inspired so that limits its appeal in the PNW … Do dig this one, though:

• 3Jack Threads.  Some pretty cool polos in their limited selection, although I have spotted no fewer than three that are available on competitor sites … Like so many of the others, lots of tropics and Hawaii-type stuff … I’ve long flirted with this one but can’t seem to pull the trigger:

• Raised by Coyotes. Very much a Southwest vibe, so they get an A for being unique … This one, called the Texas BBQ polo, would be a winner if I, well, liked Texas barbecue: 

• Full Wedge Golf.  With 28 polos these guys have one of the larger offerings out there … They’ve been around for a few years … I own this one: 

• Chuco Golf.  Another fairly sizable offering, but there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to it … Some polos look like Sligo Golf, others have skulls & crossbones … I’d wear this one if someone gave it to me: 

• J.Hernz Golf.  Most of their two dozen or so polos fall into the love ’em or hate ’em categories … For me it’s most of the latter, although this one isn’t terrible: 

• GasHouse Golf. Only ten polos and I don’t see how they came up with “gashouse,” but a few, like the one below, aren’t bad: 

• Pure. One of the more conservative offerings of these newcomers … A few solids … Their best are sold out … This one, which looks like Puma could release it, wouldn’t upset anyone: 

• ForeFathers. Where golf shirt company becomes cookbook:

I actually own this taco shirt; it’s a compliment — or at least comment — magnet.

• Tropical Bros. Another of the bigger ones … Their two dozen or so polos are, unsurprisingly, tropical themed, so they’re a bit of a stretch in the PNW … I’ve long had my eye on this one, but I already own a shark polo, courtesy of Golf Gods:

• Eagegof.  Amazon only, I’m pretty sure … The Seattle Team wore Eagegofs for our Sunday victory at Bandon Crossings in 2021.

• Pin High Golf.  Somewhere between Sligo and Puma lies Pin High Golf … Another Amazon only brand, I think … I flirted with a Pin High for ’22 but ultimately went four other directions … This one looks an awful lot like the shirt Rickie Fowler wore to win the Players Championship:

• LRD Golf.  Yet another Amazon-only brand … Looks like they have Golf, Fishing and General Athletic .. Slap Peter Millar on the label and this one goes for triple digits:

• M MAELREG Golf.  Another Amazon-only brand … Fifteen or so polos, all of solid quality (I own two) … This one’s pretty sharp: 

• Yatta Golf.  Like so many of the other companies on this list, Yatta peddles about a dozen or so polos and has more than their fair share of florals and flamingos … World Team captain Greg Cheever might appreciate this one:

• Sir Mulligan.  Only four polos. all of which look like they’d best be worn in the Southeast … Non-returnable and non-exchangeable, which sucks … Kinda dig this one, but again, not really something you can wear in the PNW:

• Proud 90.  Another one of the many wild party brands … Pretty decent selection if you like the tropics and booze … I’ve always kinda dug this dinosaur one:

• Royal & Awesome. Pretty funky stuff, sort of a British answer to Loudmouth … I actually kind of like this one:

They also peddle the ugliest Ryder Cup shirt ever worn:

• Vitamin G.  The only brand in this post I discovered the old fashioned way — in a pro shop (Sand Point’s) … I bought the “Maverick” — high quality but very heavy for a polyester polo shirt … May have to think about “Dublin Down” for next year’s Ireland trip:

• Weekend Wears. “Premium designs for the bold” they say … I’d say so, at least on the second part:

• Upsaint. These guys only have two polos to compliment their dozen or so button downs, and they look pretty similar:

• Rolo Golf. Not much good to say about their limited offering … Somewhere, someone gets paid to come up with stuff like this:

• Sunday Crew.  A handful of decent ones among a fairly limited selection … This one’s my favorite: 

• Ham and Egg Golf.  Located in Isle of Palms, SC, where I almost moved … Makers of the best member/guest hats ever made:

• Sandy Golf Co.  These guys offer a solid dozen or so polos ranging from quite tame to the Hawaiian florals … This one, dubbed “Kraken,” might do well with Seattle hockey fans:

• XandUp. These guys only have a few polos … I guess their schtick is their wide variety of sizes — XS to 4XL … This shirt has it’s place:

• Duvin Design.  Some of these companies make some strange design decisions — Duvin is one of them

What would possess someone to wear Siamese toucans I do not know.

• Palm Golf Co.  Looks like a pretty cool brand with a fairly wide offering, just not much of it in the polo department … Polos are plain but do look fairly high quality:

• Moonshine Golf.  Military schtick and not much in the way of selection … Jack Laidlaw would like this one:

• Grunk Dolfer.  Not sure about the brand, but there are actually a few pretty decent polos among their fifteen or so … I kinda dig this one, called “Vegas Summer”:

• U Suck at Golf.  Not much different in brand identity than Grunk Dolfer — lame imho … Actually have a few decent polos that I might even consider but for the unfortunate logo:

• Golf Made Me Do It. Not sure I get the name … Seems to be heavily music-themed … This is a pretty solid one:

• Hazards & Bogeys. Another one of these sites that just seems to have been thrown up there … Have to admit I dig this “splatter” polo (splatters are showing up everywhere, including my closet):

That’s a whopping FORTY-FIVE by my count.

I’m sure I missed some, and I’m sure there will be lots more to come.

2021 Photo Recap

Some select photos from Bandon ’21: 

Friday: 

Saturday: 

And a pretty lousy Sunday, photo-wise: 

Seattle Team Stages Epic Comeback, Takes Greenspan XXIV at Bandon

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Bandon, OR.  Way back in 1978, when most of today’s Greenspanners were learning to read chapter books, a saying took hold in pop culture: “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.” 

The saying was meant as a warning to leading teams about being overconfident.  It’s since  morphed into a rallying cry for trailing teams.  

Seattle Team Captain Nick Jenkins made ample use of it over the weekend.  

Mike Waldner tallied 4 1/2 points and rookie Matt Brendan added 3 1/2 as the once far behind Seattle Team kept the fat lady at bay and rallied for 19 1/2 — 16 1/2 win in Greenspan Cup XXIV.  Chad Fester, Karl Stricker and Adam Waalkes each tallied 3 1/2 points for the World Team, which came to Bandon confident and with the Cup in hand.

“Friday didn’t go so well despite our cool shirts,” said Jenkins, his team donned in Miami Vice-inspired purple-and-pink-triangle polos from USA Palm. “But eight points is a long way from 18 1/2.”

The World Team jumped out to an early 4 1/2 — 1 1/2 lead on Friday in the debut of the Oceans 11 format.  Stricker and Steve Cox clobbered Vince DeAndre and rookie Chris Moore -7 –+1 for the low score among the twelve morning groups. “Any format that lets me throw out my blowup holes I dig,” said Cox, whose bending tee shots benefitted greatly from the absence of trees off the tee at Bandon.

Team 206 did slightly better in the afternoon fourballs at Sheep Ranch, but lost the final three matches to find itself down 8-4 at day’s end.  “Four is a lot to be down at the Ryder Cup,” opined Jenkins. “But with 24 points still out there, it’s a bit more doable at Greenspan.” 

Seattle started their “doing” in Saturday morning medal play at Bandon Trails and Bandon Dunes, taking that stanza by a 4-2 count.  Moore and Brendan shot 65 for low round of the morning to defeat Cox and Jon Demurjian, whose 67 would have won or tied four of the five other matches. “I play better when my shirt doesn’t distract me,” said Moore, who donated his Miami Vice shirt to Fester at week’s end.     Fester will likely get no wear out of his three World Team shirts, which ranged from bad to hideous and which Captain Greg Cheever procured for $40 total. “At least I got one keeper out of this weekend,” complained Fester. “Too bad it was the other team’s.” 

Seattle won the afternoon fourball tiebreaker by a 3 1/2 — 2 1/2 count to narrow the gap to one.  It was an afternoon of blowouts: four of six matches didn’t make it to their respective 15th tees, and Cox and Adam Waalkes’ 9&7 win over Jan Somers and Peter Fessler was the biggest trouncing since John Harrison and Jack Laidlaw defeated Brad Nelson and Paul Sharkey 9&8 in 2009.  

The bounce back was complete on Sunday.  Seattle won 4 1/2 of the first five points available to take a commanding lead and when Joel Aro upset Leo Madden in the day’s second-to-last match, the fat lady was singing.  Only she was singing for Seattle. 

The biggest loser of the day, though, was the golf course.  A money-saving site for singles in four previous Bandon trips, Bandon Crossings suddenly looked the price.  “It’s better than (Seattle’s) Jackson I guess” said Aro, “but this course kinda sucks now. I don’t mind spending an extra $100 to play a decent course — and there are five great ones right down the street.” 

Greenspan Cup XXV is tentatively scheduled for Sand Valley, Wisconsin, another Mike Keiser property with several great courses.  Cheever and Jenkins are expected back as captains. 

Results

Friday Oceans 11 (Pacific Dunes)
Rau/Stansell d. Maino/Sherry -3 to +5
Fessler/Harrison d. Casey/Waalkes -6 to +9
Cox/Stricker d. Deandre/Moore -7 to +1
Cheever/Gaston d. Aro/Jenkins +3 to +11
Anderson/Waldner h. Demurjian/Madden
Cheuk/Fester d. Brendan/Somers -2 to +7

Friday Fourball Match (Sheep Ranch)
Anderson/Jenkins d. Demurjian/Gaston 3&2
Aro/Brendan h. Cheever/Fester
Somers/Waldner d. Cheuk/Madden 2&1
Rau/Waalkes d. Harrison/Sherry 3&2
Casey/Stricker d. Deandre/Maino 2&1
Cox/Stansell d. Fessler/Moore 1 up

World leads 8-4

Saturday Fourball Medal (@Bandon Trails and Bandon Dunes)
Aro/Waldner d. Cheuk/Stansell 66-71
Madden/Stricker d. Anderson/Sherry 67-69
Deandre/Harrison d. Casey/Gaston 68-70
Maino/Somers d. Cheever/Rau 72-74
Brendan/Moore d. Cox/Demurjian 65-67
Fester/Waalkes d. Fessler/Jenkins 66-72

Saturday Fourball Tiebreaker (@Bandon Dunes and Bandon Trails)
Brendan/Maino d. Cheever/Demurjian 2 up
Cox/Waalkes d. Fessler/Somers 9&7
Jenkins/Moore d. Fester/Rau 5&4
Sherry/Waldner d. Cheuk/Stricker 5&4
Anderson/Aro h. Casey/Madden
Gaston/Stansell d. Deandre/Harrison 5&4

World leads 12 1/2 — 11 1/2

Sunday Singles (Bandon Crossings)
Brendan d. Cheever 1 up
Fessler d. Stansell 7&5
Deandre h. Waalkes
Waldner d. Gaston 4&3
Anderson d. Demurjian 1 up
Rau d. Moore 2 up
Somers d. Cox 3&2
Fester d. Harrison 4&3
Casey d. Sherry 7&6
Jenkins d. Cheuk 5&4
Aro d. Madden 2&1
Maino h. Stricker

Seattle wins 19 1/2 — 16 1/2

Overall Records

Seattle Team

• Anderson 2-1-2
• Aro 2-1-2
• Brendan 3-1-1
• Deandre 1-3-1
• Fessler 2-3
• Harrison 2-3
• Jenkins 3-2
• Maino 2-2-1
• Moore 2-3
• Sherry 1-4
• Somers 3-2
• Waldner 4-0-1

World Team

• Casey 2-2-1
• Cheever 1-3-1
• Cheuk 1-4
• Cox 3-2
• Demurjian 0-4-1
• Fester 3-1-1
• Gaston 2-3
• Madden 1-2-2
• Rau 3-2
• Stansell 3-2
• Stricker 3-1-1
• Waalkes 3-1-1

2020 Photo Recap

This year there were even fewer phones out than usual, so except for the photos with Jenkins in them, there aren’t a lot of home runs.

Friday fashion wasn’t good.

Most of the Seattle Team on the Friday night walk to Roberto’s.

The Seattle Team sported Miami Dolphins-inspired Ping polos on Saturday at Red Hawk.

Laidlaw and Jenkins paired for two wins.

Red Hawk’s Lakes course wasn’t in the condition we remembered.

Dinner on Saturday night at Roxy’s

Cheever, Harrison and Jenkins: the only players to have played in all twenty-three Cups.

Lots of volleyball there.

Fearing COVID-19 on the shuttle, Aro rented a hotrod.

The long-hitting Nelson hit 6 iron to the 230-yard 15th at Lakeridge.

Casey and Stricker, shown here at Lakeridge’s memorable 15th, scored 8.5 of a possible ten points.

Groupie on the memorable 15th at Lakeridge.

Laidlaw in his team mask.

PVCC newcomer Demurjan had 3 1/2 points.

World Team Prevails in Covid-19 Cup

RENO, NV.  Five months into an alleged global pandemic and one month into a resurgence in the United States (or so the media told us), there was great uncertainty as to whether Greenspan Cup XXIII would even be played in 2020.

Given the result, Seattle Team captain Nick Jenkins probably wished it hadn’t.

Newcomer Dan Casey went 5-0 and fellow rookie John Demurjan and Karl Stricker scored 3 1/2 points each as the World Team beat the Seattle Team 16-14 to take back the Cup in its return to Reno, Nevada.  Jenkins and big-hitting newcomer Andrew Nelson each went 4-1 for Team 206, which lost for the third time in eight years.

“Given that literally half our roster was new, I had no idea what to expect,” said World Team Captain Greg Cheever, who, along with Jenkins and John Harrison, played in his 23rd Cup.  “Fortunately the newbies came up huge for the Worlds, and that made all the difference.”

Unlike most recent Cups, these matches were close early.  Seattle took a 3-2 lead after Friday morning fourball match, Jenkins and Jack Laidlaw’s 8&6 win over Joe Stansell and Rich Severa being the biggest romp in that format in recent memory.   But the Worlds bounced back to even the score in the afternoon.  “The play was excellent, but Gray’s Crossing was even better than we’d remembered,” opined Vince Deandre.

Seattle’s Aro (and a few others) did not read the memo about wearing a PLAIN white polo for Friday’s matches.

But the Worlds pulled away on Saturday.  After taking three of five points at Red Hawk’s divisive Hills Course — players either loved or hated it — the Cheever-led team won four of five points in the afternoon fourball tiebreaker to take a 12-8 lead.  The matches were mostly blowouts: only one made it to the 17th green and only one other, a Seattle win, made it to the 16th green.  “Most of the Seattle guys who spent the day drinking got clobbered in the afternoon,” lamented Jenkins, whose team for the week lost seven of ten points where both balls counted.  “If we could get back to the days when pot and alcohol were evening endeavors, the matches would probably be a lot more competitive.”

Seattle Team newcomer Andrew Nelson impressed everyone with his Tour-like length and Gumby-like flexibility. .

With a four-point lead, the World Team needed only three points in Sunday singles to take back the Cup.

It got ’em.  Barely.

The World Team took three of the first four matches to build a commanding 15-9 lead, but then things went sideways.  Team Seattle came roaring back to win five of the last six matches with none of them even reaching the 17th tee.  But when Demurjan closed out Deandre on the 13th green, it made the Seattle wins academic.

Seattle Team rookie John Maino scored his lone victory at Red Hawk’s Lakes course, which wasn’t in quite the condition it was in 2016.

Victory was the Worlds.

Greenspan Cup XXIII will best be remembered as the Cup that almost didn’t happen.  No fewer than four veterans — Norman Cheuk, Leo Madden, Peter Fessler and Baron Kofoed — bailed out because of concerns about COVID-19.  “Anyone who bailed on Greenspan because of COVID-19 spends too much time watching MSNBC,” insisted veteran Mike Waldner, who does not lack for opinions.

Seattle Team Captain Jenkins, who authors this website (and therefore controls the narrative), went 4-1 and is now 21-4 in the last five Cups.

It will be remembered as the Cup that was saved by Steve Cox and his four friends from Palos Verdes Country Club, two of whom added in with less than a month to go.  “Give me a chance to get out of Eric Garcetti’s town and I’ll take it,” said Demurjan.

From left: World Team veteran Joe Stansell and Palos Verdes Country Club members Rich Severa, Steve Cox, Ron Rau, John Demurjan and Chad Fester.

It will be remembered for its return to Reno, whose golf, at least at Red Hawk, seems to have taken a leap backward.

It will be remembered for the World Team’s curious shirts: 

It will be remembered as the Cup in which everyone had to wear masks everywhere they went outside their hotel rooms.

And it will be remembered for this hole:

“I’ve played a lot of golf and a lot of spectacular courses, ” said longtime World Team veteran Jon Gaston.  “I’ve never played a hole more unforgettable hole than the par three 15th at Lakeridge.”

Greenspan Cup XXIV is already scheduled for August 2021 in Bandon Dunes, Oregon.  Cheever and Jenkins will return as captains.

Results

Friday Morning Fourball (Gray’s Crossing)
Nelson/Whitaker d. Cheever/Gaston 6&4
Casey/Stricker d. Aro/Maino 6&5
Jenkins/Laidlaw d. Severa/Stansell 8&6
Deandre/Harrison d. Cox/Fester 1 up
Demurjan/Rau d. Benezra/Waldner 3&2

Seattle leads 3-2

Friday Afternoon Aggregate Stableford (Gray’s Crossing)
Casey/Stansell d. Maino/Whitaker 67-51
Harrison/Laidlaw h. Demurjan/Stricker 54-54
Deandre/Nelson d. Cox/Severa 60-58
Fester/Gaston d. Benezra/Jenkins 65-50
Aro/Waldner h. Cheever/Rau 59-59

Tied 5-5

Saturday Morning Fourball Medal (Red Hawk [Hills])
Casey/Cheever d. Waldner/Whitaker 67-68
Benezra/Nelson d. Cox/Stansell 62-66
Fester/Rau d. Harrison/Maino 65-76
Jenkins/Laidlaw d. Demurjan/Gaston 65-67
Severa/Stricker d. Aro/Deandre 72-81

World leads 8-7

Saturday Afternoon Fourball Tiebreaker (Red Hawk [Lakes])
Casey/Cox d. Benezra/Nelson 5&3
Demurjan/Stansell d. Deandre/Waldner 2&1
Jenkins/Maino d. Gaston/Rau 4&2
Laidlaw/Whitaker d. Fester/Stricker 5&4
Cheever/Severa d. Aro/Harrison 6&5

World leads 12-8

Singles (Lakeridge)
Waldner d. Stricker 3&1
Casey d. Aro 4&2
Cox d. Laidlaw 7&6
Stansell d. Maino 6&5
Harrison d. Severa 9&8
Whitaker d. Rau 4&2
Demurjan d. Deandre 6&5
Benezra d. Fester 3&2
Nelson d. Gaston 5&3
Jenkins d. Cheever 5&4

World wins 16-14

Overall Records

Seattle Team

• Aro 0-4-1
• Benezra 2-3
• Deandre 2-3
• Harrison 2-2-1
• Jenkins 4-1
• Laidlaw 2-2-1
• Maino 1-4
• Nelson 4-1
• Waldner 1-3-1
• Whitaker 2-3

World Team

• Casey 5-0
• Cheever 2-2-1
• Cox 2-3
• Demurjan 3-1-1
• Fester 3-2
• Gaston 1-4
• Rau 2-2-1
• Severa 2-3
• Stansell 3-2
• Stricker 3-1-1

The Toucan Shirt: It Could Have Been Worse

I’m guessing that years from now guys will still be talking about the Seattle Team’s 2019 Sunday shirt.  Known as “Toucan Sam,” the shirt is one of roughly a dozen or so sold by a startup apparel company called Waggle Golf.

I quite liked the Toucan.  Not everyone else did — and they let me know it.

I didn’t think it was even in the running for worst shirt of the week — the World Team’s gray, “morse code” rag was my easy winner in that category.

For some inexplicable reason, the World Team’s gray Friday shirts had what appeared to be morse code on them.

But it did get me to thinking: could I have done worse?

And after a little bit of research into what’s out there in the golf shirt world these days, I reached a clear conclusion.

Yes I could have.

There are any of these offerings from Loudmouth (and there were plenty more I could have added here):

Or any of these from Iliac:

Or these from Bad Birdie:

Or these from William Murray:

So the next time a Seattle Team member complains about his Toucan shirt, he’d do well to remember — it could have had feathers on it.

2019 Photo Recap

As per usual there were only a few cameras rolling, but we did manage to capture a few decent pics: