Men’s Golf League Results

Guest player Mike Mayfield joined the 13 men and one woman of the Leisure World Friday Golf League at the par-62, 4,000-yard David L. Baker Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Oct. 15. It was a lovely, cool morning with sun and no breeze. The course was initially damp from watering, but it held up nicely for the entire round. The greens and fairways are reasonably well-maintained, but the tees are starting to show their use. The golfers’ scores were very low, with 14 players at or under par and a season high of 11 birdies.

All scores are net (gross minus handicap). A Flight handicap is 0-20, and B Flight is over 20.

A Flight: First place: Fujio Norihiro, an incredible, 12 under par 50; second: Bill McKusky, a well-played 6 under 56; third: tie between Tim Looney and Jim Goltra, a very good 5 under 57; fourth: Larry Hillhouse, a nice 3 under 59; fifth: tie between Dave LaCascia, Clay Fischer, Sam Choi, Mike Mayfield and Gary Stivers at even par. Goltra had three birdies, and Mayfield had two. Norihiro, Looney, LaCascia, and Choi had one birdie each. Norihiro had fewest putts and was closest to the pin on both the 100-yard, par-3 third and 110-yard, par-3 15th holes. (Big money day for Norihiro!)

B Flight: First place: Liz Meripol, an astonishing 14 under 48, plus two birdies and fewest putts (nice work!); second: Ron Sommer, an excellent 9 under 53; third: Bob Munn, a sweet 3 under 59; fourth: Gene Vesely, even par 62; fifth: Bob Meripol.

On Oct. 18, 11 men trekked to the par-70, 6,000-yard Willowick Golf Course in Santa Ana. It was a cool, drizzly, overcast morning, and when the sun finally came out mid-round, it was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds. As this was the second rainy round at Willowick this year, the players wondered whether the golf gods were trying to tell them something. But they were able to play through the tough initial weather conditions, with 10 players scoring at or under par, with nine birdies.

This course has been a challenge all year with sub-par fairway and tee maintenance. However, the course situation has improved, with is echoed in the scores. Since the back nine was being aerated and sanded, the group played the front nine twice, which helped in keeping the scores low.

A Flight: First place: McKusky, a nice 6 under 64; second: Jim Goltra, a well-played 4 under 66; third: LaCascia, 2 under 68; fourth: Stivers, 1 under 69; fifth: tie between Fischer and Norihiro. Jim Goltra had an amazing four birdies and fewest putts, and Fischer had two. McKusky and LaCascia each had 1; McKusky was also closest to the pin on the 150-yard, par-3 seventh hole.

B Flight: First place: Chris Lankford, a nice 5 under 65, plus a birdie and fewest putts; second: Vesely, 2 over 68; third: Munn, 1 under 69; fourth: Lowell Goltra, even par 70; fifth: Zurn, 1 over 71.

Friends, ladies, spouses and family are all welcome to play and/or join. The league plays at four local courses, all within 15 minutes of Leisure World. The courses are always quite full, so advance reservations can be made via a sign-up sheet available at each round.

There is a prize pool for each round that players are not obligated to enter. Rewards are given for low net, birdies, closest to the pin on two par-3s, and the lowest number of putts in each flight. Holes-in-one and eagles (2 under par), although infrequent, are generously rewarded. If interested, contact Gary Stivers at (714) 313-3697 or LaCascia at (801) 674-5975.

—Dave LaCascia