Men’s Golf League
On Aug. 13, 12 men and one woman of the Monday-Friday LW Golf League challenged the Willowick Golf Course in Santa Ana. It is a 6,000-yard, par-71, 18-hole course that is fairly flat with wide fairways and no water hazards, but there are devilishly placed sand traps and difficult pin placements. This course is marginally maintained, but it has several large practice areas including three large putting/ chipping greens and grass tee box driving range.
At tee time, the morning was sunny and humid with no wind. Temperatures jumped, the humidity spiked by mid-round, and the increasing winds made it difficult to judge the proper club for approach shots. The golfers generated only three at- or underpar rounds and just three birdies.
All scores are net. A Flight handicap is 0-20; B Flight, over 20.
A Flight Winners: First place: tie between Sam Choi and Dave LaCascia, a well-played 3 under 69; second: Larry Hillhouse, 1 over 72; third: Clay Fischer, 2 over 73; fourth: league director Gary Stivers; fifth: tie between Tim Looney, Bill McKusky and Fujio Norihiro. Choi had fewest putts and a birdie, and he was closest on the 140-yard, par-3 12th hole. Fisher was closest to the pin on the 150-yard, par-3 fourth hole.
B Flight Winners: First place: Liz Meripol, an excellent 1 under 70; second: tie between Tom Ross and Chris Lankford, a nice 1 over 73; third: tie between Lowell Goltra and Gene Vesely. Lankford also had fewest putts and a birdie.
On Aug. 16, 12 golfers competed at Santa Ana’s par-70, 5,800yard Riverview Golf Course, which runs parallel to and across the Santa Ana Riverbed. It was sunny and humid, with temps threatening to approach the mid-80s by round’s end. The sun stayed out the entire round, but the usual late-morning breeze never materialized.
The greens, tee boxes and fairways were again in excellent shape. Six rounds were at or under par, and four birdies were carded.
A Flight Winners: First place: tie between McKusky and LaCascia, a fine 3 under 67; second: Fischer, even par 70; third: Choi, 1 over 71; fourth; Norihiro, 2 over 72; fifth: tie between Hillhouse and Stivers. Choi and McKusky tied for fewest putts. Fischer and Choi each had a birdie, and Fischer was also closest to the pin on the 100-yard, par-3 (all over water) ninth hole.
B Flight Winners: First place: Bob Munn, a nice 3 under 67; second: tie between Lankford and Bill Zurn, 1 under 69; third: Vesely, 3 over 73; fourth: Goltra. Lankford had two birdies, and Zurn was closest to the pin on the difficult 150-yard (downhill), par-3 second hole.
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 the group play are always quite full, so advance reservations with the league have become the norm, with 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
