Tuesday Men - Come on Down!

We're entering the final two weeks of the season and that includes the completion of the regular season as well as the flighted tournament (some people have asked if the regular season is over - nope). Room at the top in both competitions with Greg Potts and Tracy Rayhill leading in the team competition and Mike Breeden in the individual competition. The flight winners might be easier to predict than the regular season winners. Guess the A+ flight players can scratch Mark Potts from the list - he's back in school and Uncle Joe will be subbing for him today. That leaves last year's winner in that flight, Mark Jeffers (with a final score of 68), in the driver's seat, right? Lot of heavy hitters right behind him just itching to dethrone him, and that includes both Dave Wininger and James Hager who can go way low at a moment's notice, and the rock steady Phil Eyler and Mike Kidwell. Look for a class A battle in the A+ flight. In the A flight, Mark Sherer lit up the 'good shot' board late Sunday evening but only after six holes of misery. He'll have to be ready from the get go tonight to live up to the #1 seeding that is his. Tyler Kidwell and Junior Byron were winners last year with scores of 72 and will be looking forward to repeating. George Templin has the top seed in the B+ Flight, one that was won by Chris Bledsoe and Bryant Trambaugh last year with 77's. George has been out practicing a lot this year and that has continued this past week. He should be ready to challenge and maybe dethrone the rest of the contenders. Joe Allen is the #1 seed in the B flight, a flight that was won by Charlie Lyon last year with a score of 78. Joe's got the 2009 match play trophy already sitting in his trophy case; can he add another one for the season? He's also in the hunt for the team trophy with Mike Kidwell so he has lots on the line today and next week. Don't expect any of that to bother him in any negative way - he thrives on the pressure. Right, Joe? Kevin Byron, with his pockets full of gold from his 'finesse' competition winnings, headlines the C flight. Kevin has the tools to go low and has the knack of sinking thirty foot putts on Saturday morning on a regular basis. Last year's winner in this flight was Curt Johnson with an 83 but Curt has been promoted to a higher flight with his stellar play this year. Nick Toy and Rob Sterling, along with several others, should give Kevin a run for the brass ring. Virgil Harper is the #1 seed in the final flight, one that includes Mark Jones and Trey Kidwell, each of whom have seriously improved their games this year. This is Trey's first year in the league and I'm sure he would love to walk away with flight championship. Last year's winner in this flight was Richie Green with a score of 93. (All of last year's scores are here - just scroll down to below the 2008 regular season standings.)

Should be a beautiful day for golf. Don't forget that it is getting darker earlier now. Course is in great shape - did you miss the usual August fairways? Hard and fast? Have had plenty of rain this year and the green that goes along with all that moisture. Greens are receptive. Tip for the day: Leave the pressure of the moment back in the trunk of your vehicle; if it happens to follow you out on the course, do like Tracy Rayhill does just before he lines up to putt - dance a little jig. Yes, he really does that and it has gotten him to the top. Just a step or two, anything to steady the nerves. Come on down, guys, and let the good times roll.