Men’s Night 10/24 — E9 Team Scramble on the Front 9 @ 4:15 PM
For our final Men’s Night of the 2024 season, we’ll be having some fun and playing our traditional NGC E9 format on the Front 9. For any who have not had an opportunity to participate in an E9 extravaganza in the past, we will all meet on the 1st tee and divide into even scramble teams based on handicaps. We then play as an oversized, full group with each 4-5 man team playing a scramble. The team with the low scramble score wins!
The 1st place team will receive 30 Chase Points each, 2nd place 25 Chase Points each, and 20 Chase Points for all other participants.
Please be around the putting green by 4:00 PM on Thursday to help facilitate the creation of teams.
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MGA Closing Day Stableford — Saturday, October 26th
Sign-ups continue for the final MGA tournament of the season, our Closing Day Stableford, which is set to be played Saturday, October 26th with a 9:30 AM shotgun start. All groups for Saturday will be determined by Points Chase standings so that all participants have a chance to battle their direct competition in the final event of the season.
To confirm your sign-up, double check the online leaderboard here.
For this 1-Day event, we’ll have both Gross and Net divisions and use the standard Stableford scoring breakdown:
MGA Closing Day Stableford: Saturday, October 26th — 9:30 AM shotgun start Cost: $25 — All players must be MGA members Online Registration Portal: https://mga.golf/MGA-Closing-Day-Stableford Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 24th @ 8:00 PM
On a 10 out of 10 weather day this past Saturday, our final two competitors in the Main Bracket of the 2024 Match Play Tournament, Leo Goff and Erik Rosales, faced off in an epic showdown. In a battle that came down to the very last holes of the match, Mr. Rosales was able to capture victory to become our Main Bracket champion. Well played to both finalists and congrats Ero!
And a big thank you once again to our tourney photo journalist and cover-maker extraordinaire, Mr. Chuck Roster!
26 players came out yesterday for the penultimate Men’s Night of our 2024 season and one man showed he was the best 1-Man show in town. With 5 gross birdies on his card and a stellar net score of 29, Ed Clarke took home the W and 1st place points this week. Well played Mr. Clarke!
MGA Closing Day Stableford — Saturday, October 26th
Sign-ups continue for the final MGA tournament of the season, our Closing Day Stableford, which is set to be played Saturday, October 26th with a 9:30 AM shotgun start.
For this 1-Day event, we’ll have both Gross and Net divisions and use the standard Stableford scoring breakdown:
To confirm your sign-up, double check the online leaderboard here.
MGA Closing Day Stableford: Saturday, October 26th — 9:30 AM shotgun start Cost: $25 — All players must be MGA members Online Registration Portal: https://mga.golf/MGA-Closing-Day-Stableford Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 24th @ 8:00 PM
For our penultimate Men’s Night of the 2024 season, we’ll be playing our 1-Man Scramble format on the Back 9. For this format, you get 2 shots off the tee and choose the best one, you then get 2 shots from the next position, choose the best, and so on until you have completed the hole.
Please record gross, individual scramble scores on scorecards with names clearly marked and turn in all completed cards to the Pro Shop. 50% of Back 9 course handicaps apply to calculate net scores — low net score wins.
Competition Rules for Men’s Night 10/17
For this week, all Men’s Night competitors play the Back 9 with our 1-Man Scramble format. 50% of Back 9 course handicaps will be used to calculate net scores. Points Chase points will be awarded to the top one-third of the field.
Men’s Night rounds may be played at any time on Thursday with an accompanying MGA member. Please record gross scores for all holes on scorecards with names clearly marked and turn in completed cards to the Pro Shop.
With the nature of our 1-Man Scramble format, we will be playing lift, clean, and place EVERYWHERE for all shots including within penalty areas, 1-club length, no closer to the hole. RAKE and PLACE for all BUNKERS. If your ball ends up in a bunker, you may lift, clean, rake and place within the bunker, no closer to the hole. As the exception, the front right bunker on #5 may be played as Ground Under Repair.
Balls marked on the green may be replaced to the side of any “Dollar Spot”, dead patches, “Crabgrass” weed patches, and/or fungus/disease, no closer to the hole. Additionally, “Dollar Spot” areas, dead/diseased patches, or “Crabgrass” weed patches on the green may be considered Ground Under Repair from which putting-line relief may be taken (as far as necessary), no closer to the hole.
Bare areas larger than one club-length, bare areas immediately adjacent to cart paths, and tire tracks should be considered Ground Under Repair. DROP within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole. Additionally, netting in re-sodded areas, drain trenches, and exposed rocks added as topper for drainage systems should be considered Ground Under Repair from which free relief may be taken, no closer to the hole.
Leaf Rule (drop with 1 shot penalty) — Balls that cannot be found in a known landing zone (as determined by the consensus of the player’s fellow group members) because the ball is obscured by leaves may be replaced with a 1 shot penalty, dropping the replacement ball at the most likely location for where the original ball was covered by leaves. “Leaf Rule” landing zones for 1-shot-penalty drops cannot be within 1 club-length of penalty areas or out of bounds.
Tall grass and unmaintained sections of the course may be played as penalty areas. These areas include: the hill between the cart paths for the 4th and 5th holes, right of the 7th hole fairway, the hill between the 7th and 8th holes, surrounding the back and left of the 11th green, right of the 13th fairway and surrounding the 13th green, right of the cart path on the 14th hole, on the hill between the 14th and 16th holes, right of the 15th hole and surrounding the 15th green. In the case you do not find your ball in these areas, follow the standard red penalty area dropping procedure.
Any player who does not meet the MGA 2-in-30 handicap posting policy or has not submitted a written appeal for exemption prior to play to [email protected] if they are unable to meet the requirement, will automatically play as a 0 handicap for Men’s Night.
This week’s 1-Man Scramble format is NOT valid for handicap posting purposes.
For our penultimate Men’s Night of the 2024 season, we’ll be playing our 1-Man Scramble format on the Back 9. For this format, you get 2 shots off the tee and choose the best one, you then get 2 shots from the next position, choose the best, and so on until you have completed the hole.
Please record gross, individual scramble scores on scorecards with names clearly marked and turn in all completed cards to the Pro Shop. 50% of Back 9 course handicaps apply to calculate net scores — low net score wins.
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MGA Closing Day Stableford — Saturday, October 26th
Sign-ups are now open for the final MGA tournament of the season, our Closing Day Stableford, which is set to be played Saturday, October 26th with a 9:30 AM shotgun start.
For this 1-Day event, we’ll have both Gross and Net divisions and use the standard Stableford scoring breakdown:
To confirm your sign-up, double check the online leaderboard here.
MGA Closing Day Stableford: Saturday, October 26th — 9:30 AM shotgun start Cost: $25 — All players must be MGA members Online Registration Portal: https://mga.golf/MGA-Closing-Day-Stableford Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 24th @ 8:00 PM
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Upcoming MGA Schedule
10/17 — 1-Man Scramble: Back 9 10/24 — Final Men’s Night E9 @ 4:15 PM 10/26 — Closing Day Stableford: sign up online
MGA Closing Day Stableford — Saturday, October 26th
Sign-ups are now open for the final MGA tournament of the season, our Closing Day Stableford, which is set to be played Saturday, October 26th with a 9:30 AM shotgun start.
For this 1-Day event, we’ll have both Gross and Net divisions and use the standard Stableford scoring breakdown:
To confirm your sign-up, double check the online leaderboard here.
MGA Closing Day Stableford: Saturday, October 28th — 9:30 AM shotgun start Cost: $25 — All players must be MGA members Online Registration Portal: https://mga.golf/MGA-Closing-Day-Stableford Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 24th @ 8:00 PM
For Men’s Night this week, we’ll be playing our Chicago format on the Front 9. All players play from white tees and Rule of 75 players (age + handicap >= 75) may play golds. Please record gross scores for all holes on scorecards with names clearly marked and turn in all completed cards to the Pro Shop.
Chicago Format:
Players start with a negative number of points (based on 18-hole course handicaps) then add positive points during their round. The idea is to get from the negative to the positive, clearing your “hurdle” by as many points as possible.
Players start with a negative number of points (based on 18-hole course handicaps) then add positive points during their round. The idea is to get from the negative to the positive, clearing your “hurdle” by as many points as possible.
0 & 1 handicaps start with -20 2 & 3 start with -19 4 & 5 start with -18 6 & 7 start with -17 8 & 9 start with -16 10 & 11 start with -15 12 & 13 start with -14 14 & 15 start with -13 16 & 17 start with -12 18 & 19 start with -11 20 & 21 start with -10 22 & 23 start with -9 24 & 25 start with -8 26 & 27 start with -7 28 & 29 start with -6 30 & 31 start with -5 32 & 33 start with -4 34 & 35 start with -3 36+ start with -2 points
During the round, positive points are added on the following basis using gross hole scores:
Double Bogey or worse = 0 points
Bogey = 1 point
Par = 2 points
Birdie = 4 points
Eagle = 8 points
Albatross = 16 points
Competition Rules for Men’s Night 10/10
For this week, all Men’s Night competitors play the Front 9 using 100% of their 18-hole course handicaps converted to Chicago starting points. Points Chase points will be awarded to the top one-third of the field.
Men’s Night rounds may be played at any time on Thursday with an accompanying MGA member. Please record gross scores for all holes on scorecards with names clearly marked and turn in completed cards to the Pro Shop.
We will be playing the ball DOWN EVERYWHERE and RAKE and PLACE for all BUNKERS. If your ball ends up in a bunker, you may lift, clean, rake and place within the bunker, no closer to the hole. As the exception, the front right bunker on #5 may be played as Ground Under Repair.
Balls marked on the green may be replaced to the side of any “Dollar Spot”, dead patches, “Crabgrass” weed patches, and/or fungus/disease, no closer to the hole. Additionally, “Dollar Spot” areas, dead/diseased patches, or “Crabgrass” weed patches on the green may be considered Ground Under Repair from which putting-line relief may be taken (as far as necessary), no closer to the hole.
Bare areas larger than one club-length, bare areas immediately adjacent to cart paths, and tire tracks should be considered Ground Under Repair. DROP within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole. Additionally, netting in re-sodded areas, drain trenches, and exposed rocks added as topper for drainage systems should be considered Ground Under Repair from which free relief may be taken, no closer to the hole.
Tall grass and unmaintained sections of the course may be played as penalty areas. These areas include: the hill between the cart paths for the 4th and 5th holes, right of the 7th hole fairway, the hill between the 7th and 8th holes, surrounding the back and left of the 11th green, right of the 13th fairway and surrounding the 13th green, right of the cart path on the 14th hole, on the hill between the 14th and 16th holes, right of the 15th hole and surrounding the 15th green. In the case you do not find your ball in these areas, follow the standard red penalty area dropping procedure.
Any player who does not meet the MGA 2-in-30 handicap posting policy or has not submitted a written appeal for exemption prior to play to [email protected] if they are unable to meet the requirement, will automatically play as a 0 handicap for Men’s Night.
This week’s format allows for the completion of a 9-hole round that is valid for handicap posting purposes. Men’s Night scores must be posted promptly to your handicap account. Any player who places but has not posted will have their score disqualified from placement consideration.
For Men’s Night this week, we’ll be playing our Chicago format on the Front 9. All players play from white tees and Rule of 75 players (age + handicap >= 75) may play golds. Please record gross scores for all holes on scorecards with names clearly marked and turn in all completed cards to the Pro Shop.
Chicago Format:
Players start with a negative number of points (based on 18-hole course handicaps) then add positive points during their round. The idea is to get from the negative to the positive, clearing your “hurdle” by as many points as possible.
Account Charges for Match Play + Stearns Cup
Our MGA accountant extraordinaire—Mr. Pete Strass—has been working diligently in the back office this week to get all charges for the 2024 Match Play and Stearns Cup tournaments added to our member accounts. Thank you as always, Pete, for your meticulous work!
MGA Digest: 2024 Stearns Cup
Finally, our virtuoso creative editor—Mr. Chuck Roster—has done it again with an amazing cover rendition for our Stearns Cup champions. Fantastic stuff, Chuck! If you missed all of Chuck’s photos and swing sequence edits yesterday, be sure to check them out!
2024 Stearns Cup: A Weekend for the NGC History Books
What an incredible day of golf we had Sunday for the conclusion of the 2024 version of the Stearns Cup which was capped off by the longest and most thrilling playoff in recent NGC history. First and foremost, we wanted to say thank you to Tiffany (who absolutely crushed it!), all the NGC staff, Chuck (our tournament photographer and Golf Digest swing sequence editor extraordinaire), and all our MGA members who made the weekend truly special. And thank you to Mr. Stearns — the spirit of competition and camaraderie that your legacy at NGC embodies is unbreakably tied to the love of the game that we all share. NGC is a place where our strongest emotions come alive and that was on full display during this year’s tournament.
Congratulations to both our champions and the teams that challenged them throughout the weekend through their outstanding performances.
In the Net Division, after a fiery Saturday, we were treated to an unforgettable Sunday that turned into an all-out sprint to the finish. Through countless twists and turns, one team rose above, proving that in the end, golf conquers all. After narrowly edging out our runners-up, Oral Pottinger & Leo Goff, who posted an impressive -14, we send our genuine congratulations and a big well played to Ed Clarke & Mark Mattis, who claimed victory with a winning tally of -15, etching their names and partnership permanently on the Stearns Cup!
Champions – Ed Clarke & Mark Mattis (-15) – 110 Chase Points – $91.87 each 2nd – Oral Pottinger & Leo Goff (-14) – 95 Chase Points – $72.19 each T-3rd – Erik Rosales & Royce Huffaker (-13) – 80 Chase Points – $32.81 each T-3rd – Kevin Dick & Bruce Sedlak (-13) – 80 Chase Points – $32.81 each T-3rd – Paul Weidenfeld & Scotty Kimmel (-13) – 80 Chase Points – $32.81 each 6th – Torey Diggs & Carl Ford (-12) – 35 Chase Points T-7th – Joey Jewell & Colin Zoski (-9) – 20 Chase Points T-7th – Ron Turner & Brian Carlstrom (-9) – 20 Chase Points
The battle for the Gross title of the Stearns Cup unfolded in spectacular fashion, with 36 holes proving woefully insufficient to crown a victor. As the shadows lengthened over the sun-drenched course on a glorious Sunday afternoon, we all played witness to a heart-pounding playoff and remarkable displays of skill, grit, and nerve. Matt Doherty & Joe Lapan faced off against Ryan White & Jared Powell in a fierce competition, with both teams pushing each other to the limit. The competitors dug deep, delivering a spectacle that had the crowd in a frenzy as the drama intensified hole by hole—including two nerve-wracking trips down the pressure-packed 18th hole and a journey back to the Front 9 for holes 1-4. Suspense truly filled the air with each swing, keeping everyone on the edge of their (cart) seats until the champions emerged. The historic playoff included…
#18: A stellar tee shot under pressure from JP was followed by a stone-cold par putt from JL
#18: Another equally fearless par by MD was answered by JP’s clutch 3 to match
After the absolutely epic back-and-forth, Matt Doherty & Joe Lapan emerged as the 2024 Stearns Cup champions, sealing their victory with heart and determination in one of the most thrilling finishes the tournament has ever seen.
Champions – Matt Doherty & Joe Lapan (-4 won on 6th playoff hole) – 110 Chase Points – $91.87 each 2nd – Ryan White & Jared Powell (-4) – 95 Chase Points – $72.19 each T-3rd – Weston Happ & James Hsiao (-3) – 80 Chase Points – $49.22 each T-3rd – Kyle Armstrong & Sam Bowmer (-3) – 80 Chase Points – $49.22 each 5th – Jim Sussmann & Patrick Escalambre (-2) – 50 Chase Points 6th – Brad Simonich & Brad Adams (+3) – 35 Chase Points T-7th – Nathaniel Burgess & Dave Krukowski (+7) – 20 Chase Points T-7th – Jim Prendergast & Matt Nolan (+7) – 20 Chase Points