The team of Sally Hayes and Pam Miller took first in the first flight of the Butte Creek Women’s Golf Club 36-hole Chapman format tournament with a great score of 135. This dynamic duo shot an amazing net 63 the second day, leaving little doubt as to the overall low net winning team. Taking second was the team of Jayne Bunting and Donna Mattingly with a score of 148. The team of Cyndi Bailey and Tami Blofsky, along with the team of Irma Jenkins and Kay Kurdziel, tied for first place in the second flight with a score of 143. The Chapman format, also known as Pinehurst, is a two-person team competition where both players tee off, and then they switch balls for their second shots. After the second shots, the team selects the better of the two balls, and from there, they play the hole using the alternate shot format.

The Butte Creek Senior Men’s Club held a Two Best-Ball of Four format for its monthly tournament last week. The 4-Man teams were split into 2 twosomes. The best-ball score of each twosome was counted as the total team score. 1, Cliff Kitayama, Don Krysakowski, Mike Wear and Chas Grower, 131; 2, Scott Chalmers, Jon Haigh, Kevin Milliken and Lou Sanchez, 133; 3, tie, Royal Miller, Steve Vanella, Dave Smith and Mike Rutledge, along with the team of Rick Knott, Robert Kohen, and the blind draw team of Chalmers and Haigh, 134.

Butte Creek also held a 4-player, nine-hole “Summer Scramble” Saturday evening, with family members making up the nucleus of the teams. Three teams tied for first place with a score of 33. The team of Brian Jones, Debbie Jones, Madison Jones and Kai Jones; the team of Richard Smith, Kristina Smith, Zack Osborn and Erin Osborn; and the team of Ryan Bechhold, Alisha Bechhold, Chris Todd and Chris Chaney.

Table Mountain GC

The weekly game for the Table Mountain Women’s Golf Club was “Random Holes,” wherein the golf shop staff randomly drew 9 chips, numbered 1-18 to be counted for the game score. Dana Blanton was overall low gross with a score of 85. Betty Horton was low net at 68,

Game: 1, Janett Ott, 36.5; 2, Sally Stemen, 37, card-off; 3, Kris McGee, 37. Second flight: 1, Christl Yates, 36; 2, Sue Snow, 39.5, card-off; 3, Liz Hofeling, 39.5. Third flight: 1, Linda Mowell, 38.5; 2, Michelle Brown, 39, card-off; 3, Donna Madison, 39. Closest to the pin on No. 16: Stemen.

Canyon Oaks CC

The Canyon Oaks Women’s Golf Club played a game of “Mutt and Jeff” for its weekly tournament, counting only the scores on the par 3 and par 5 holes. Gina Snider took both low gross and low net on the day, 83/68.

Game: 1, Tie, Snider and Evie Spring. 27.5; 2, Linda Alworth, 28.5; 3, Nancy Vieira, 29.5. Closest to pin on No. 3: 1, Spring; 2, Karen Escott; 3, Snider.

Spectacular shots

Michael Rayner (aka, Mississippi Mike) wasted little time in achieving his second lifetime hole-in-one. Rayner scored his first ace a little over a month ago on the 7th hole at Bidwell and proceeded to garner his second hole-in-one last week on the 12th hole at Bidwell. This time around he hit a 160-yard, 8-iron into the cup as witnessed by his playing companions, Michael O’Neill, Lanaee O’Neill, Spencer Williams and Duke Campbell. Don’t get excited, it was not a five-some. Lanaee was just along for the ride to keep Mike in line.

Christopher Malone achieved his fourth career hole-in-on on the 3rd hole at Bidwell last week during the twilight league team play. Malone selected his pitching wedge for a perfect 100-yard, double bouncer into the cup, tee shot. Attesting to his achievement were his happy playing partners, Kent Jungling, Spencer Webb and Jason Knudsen.

Nick Chiros also found Bidwell to his liking last week when he aced the 7th hole. Chiros selected his 6-iron for a perfect 150-yard tee shot. Witnessing Chiros achieve his third lifetime hole-in-one were his playing companions Brad Holmberg, Mike Almlie, Chris Meyers and Paul Shank.

I’m surprised someone didn’t ace the 2nd and 16th holes at Bidwell last week as well.

It didn’t take long for Sam “Sammie” Glass to partially achieve my previous comment that he will probably add the remaining two par 5 holes, No. 2 and No. 10 at Butte Creek, to his list of eagles in the very near future. In just over a month Glass has eagled the 9th and 13th holes, both times from the black tees and both times being on the green in two. This time around he hit driver, 5-wood to the green on No. 10 and drained a 20-foot putt for another 3 on the scorecard. Only hole No. 2 to go and he will have run the gauntlet. Substantiating Glass’ accomplishment were his playing companions, Steve Haws, Tom Haber and Dave Schwartz. Apparently, the 6,600 yards from the black tees are getting too easy for Glass. Perhaps the 7,000 gold tee yardage would be a little more challenging, just saying.

Note: In the 46 years I have been a member at Butte Creek I have personally only witnessed one player reach the par 5, No. 2 green in two and proceed to drain the putt. That was during a practice round from the black tees, with my playing partner, Mike Jick, the club professional, at the time, at the Lake Almanor CC, in preparation for the Pro/Club Champion tournament at Rancho Murieta, circa 1982, which incidentally, was the first time he had ever played Butte Creek. Needless to say, Jick was/is a “ball striker.”

History

Here’s some more history of the Bidwell Municipal Golf Links.

Chico Enterprise, May 9, 1921: “Golfers Swarm to Municipal Course:” Fair weather brought out a horde of golf fans yesterday on the Chico municipal golf course. From early Sunday, when the morning sun first peeped over the eastern ridge, until sunset, the click of the swinging club against the little white ball, a joy known only to the golf lover, was heard.

“Nearly 50 people played over the course yesterday, some in foursomes, others in pairs and here and there strung out along the course were parties of six and seven players. A number of out-of-town players enjoyed the course and added bits of praise in the growing repute of our links.

“The first foursome off in the morning was composed of Thomas Jackson of San Francisco, W.S. Hall, H.E. Nichols and E.T. Williamson. Jackson, a professional golfer, delighted the local golf enthusiasts with his long and accurate driving and deadly putting. He played several holes under par and took two on the sixth, the blind hole. He drove off the sixth tee and rolled up within six inches of the hole, making an easy two. Jackson turned in a score under 70 for the 18 holes played. George Sperry, a local amateur golfer turned in the best score of the day, with a 44 and 47, for a total of 91, for 18 holes. Among the out of town players were Miss Marjorie Morrisey and Howard Morrisey of Sacramento.

“The gathering of the local golf class will be held on May 23, when the first handicap tournament will be held on the links. A drive will be started this week to sign up 30 players for the match play, which will be under match rules. The winner will be awarded the silver trophy now on exhibition at J.G. Murphy’s Sporting Goods, 218 Broadway. A committee, in charge of Ben E. Crouch, will determine the handicaps.”

Ed Anderson’s local golf column appears Tuesdays. He can be reached at edanderson1936@gmail.com.