Chris Lankford scores an eagle

LW MEN'S GOLF LEAGUE

River View Golf Course in Santa Ana challenged seven Leisure World Men’s Golf League players on Sept. 25. The weather was overcast and cool—and significantly, it was a very wet course. Only two of the golfers managed a net under par score.

Chris Lankford had a rare eagle (two under par) on the 477yard par-5 fifth hole with a chip in from the fringe. Eagles are more common than holes-in-one yet still only happen once or twice each year in the league. Gary Stivers had fewest putts for the A flight and Duke Park had fewest in the B. Jim Goltra won both closest to the pin contests on holes No. 2 and 9. Goltra and Clay Fischer had three birdies each.

All scores below are net (gross score minus handicap). A flight winners: Fischer, 9 under 1, first place; Lankford 67, second; Stivers, Goltra and Sam Choi followed.

B flight winners: Duke Park, first; Bob Munn, second. It was another gloomy, overcast morning that greeted eight players at the Meadowlark Golf course on Sept. 30. The course was extremely wet and greens slow. Fog reduced visibility to a few hundred yards for the first few holes.

The back nine was being aerated and sanded, which led to several temporary greens and a special league rule in effect about number of putts allowed—two max—on sanded greens. It lowered the gross scores slightly. Six of the eight golfers scored net under par and there were eight birdies —two by Dave LaCascia and Jim Goltra, and one each by Fujio Norihiro, Chris Lankford, Bob Munn and Duke Park. Fewest putts was not included in the rewards due to the aeration of the greens. Fujio Norihiro was closest to the pin on the 150-yard par-3 16th hole and Stivers was closest on the 140-yard par-3 seventh hole.

Due to the wet conditions, every golfer struggled with distance control and club selection.

A flight winners: LaCascia, 6 under 65, first place; Jim Goltra, 5 under 66, second; Norihiro, 2 under 69, third; Lankford and Stivers followed.

B flight winners: Munn, 2 under 69, first place; Duke Park and Tom Ross, second.

The Monday and Friday Golf Leagues play at four local courses, all within 15-20 minutes of Leisure World. Advance league reservations are required with a sign-up sheet available at each round.

There is a prize pool for each round that players are not obligated to enter. Those interested in playing can contact Gary Stivers at 714-313-3697 or Dave LaCascia at 801-674-5975.

—Dave LaCascia