Hey Fellers,
As promised, a very nice recap written by our very own Eric Sandy!
Pay special attention to the player profile this week, I got to ride with that handsome sum bitch and see the whole thing live and real time!
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After the season’s first major, Week 5 brought the Cup to the highest point of elevation in Cuyahoga County for 18 big ones on the Furnace Run-Baldwin circuit at Seneca. Deception and treachery await on most holes here, with tall fescue and cunning tree limbs and landing-zone bunkers enticing golfers of all stripes into trouble.
Last week, Vince mentioned the long par-5 No. 8 on Furnace Run, with its devilish greenside pond, and most groups landed at least one snowman among them. My Friday threesome limped off the green with two 7s and an 8 on the card. We had better luck on Furnace Run No. 3, Seneca’s signature hole, where we drew a set of bogeys.
But bogeys wouldn’t be enough to find our way into the top five; those spots were reserved this week for performances from Cory W (more on him in a second), commish Dalton R, Anthony V, Zach P and Colin M.
The weather was a mixed bag, of course; Sunday golfers saw the sun, while Saturday morning was “WET AF,” as Tyler D and Colin M’s scorecard will attest (in for a 98 and 96, respectively). All told, Seneca brought only 12 Cup players out; we may see more contestants at Little Mountain throughout Memorial Day weekend, as players try to kick up as many Cup points for the month of May as possible.
Arnold Palmer once said of the classic 20th-century Seneca design, “It’s a good testing course.” Well, setting aside the shapely renovation work in the 2010s under the Metroparks tutelage, not much has changed, sweet King.
Let’s dig in.
Putts
Zach P shot a 94 (net 68) with only 28 putts this week, an average of 1.55 per hole, to take the top spot across the field.
Not a lot of action on the money games this week. (Send money to Stetson today.) Among the gambling set, Cory W took top honors with 31.
Pins
Sam A nabbed the lone money pin on Baldwin’s long No. 2 with a shot to 16.3 feet.
Skins
Cory W hauled in a healthy 10 skins. Sam A and Vince G each picked up two.
Highlight of the Week
We didn’t get a ton of submissions, so I may just let the low net score speak for itself (lower than any previous week’s low net by eight strokes).
As always, please send your highlights or lowlights to Dalton or Vince each week. Or feel free to drop them off in the little scorecard mailbox at Little Mountain, and I’ll pick them up on Sunday.
Player Profile
Big ups to Cory W this week, who carded an even 36 on Furnace Run with par on each hole.
Of course, we all know what often awaits us on the next nine after a brilliant opening frame.
“Shout out to my triple bogey on hole 10: Thanks for being about eight holes later than usual,” Cory said. “I’m having a lot of fun this year and can’t wait to see how the season continues!” Cory escaped Baldwin with nothing worse than that triple, good for an 82 across the board (net 57). He came into this week at 7th on the leaderboard, with a first-place showing at Ironwood two weeks back. This performance lifts him higher on the charts as we head into the final stretch of May.
He left us with a quote from an American icon, a sentiment that might bring a bit of inspiration to all of us in the weeks to come. “There’s one thing I have learned through all my conquests – it’s that some people are just wired for success. I had no choice. I just am great.”
Repeat this mantra as you’re standing over a gut-wrenching three-footer next weekend.
Current Rankings
Cory W’s card blasts him into fourth place, and those top four spots are tight. Cory K’s net par on the day keeps him at the top.
Rounding out the top five: Colin M is at the No. 2 spot, Zach P at 3 (with just three events) and Neil H at 5 (with just two events, each a first place finish).
Next Up
We venture east from the Shire to Little Mountain. This will be my first trip to the course, but I know enough to know: Bring your sand game.
And don’t forget: The season’s first official Cleveland Cup happy hour will convene at Treehouse on Thursday, May 25. Bring your sand game.
Eric Sandy
Furnace Run Beat Reporter
Cleveland Cup
