Kenai Golf Report

The Kenai Golf Course is enjoying the long awaited rain. I see some greening up of areas thought to be dead.

That grass in the fairways is a very hardy grass that can remain dormant for longer periods than other grasses. However, there is still a long way to go before we see the course in a lush state again.

This extremely dry summer has followed a very tough-on-the-course winter. Golfers are being patient as nature and the crew do what they are able to do to get the course back in shape.

The golfing is still fun (a bit more challenging too) and the warm days are wonderful!

Coed Golf

The regular Monday night coed golfing was enjoyed. It was a beautiful evening for golf, still and very warm.

All coed teams are invited to play in the weekly event. Tee times range from 6:30 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. Just call in to have your name added to the tee sheet.

This weeks winners were the Susan and Jerry May team who won the "mystery hole," No. 6 this week.

The team of Jan and Don Erwin won the total combined putts for the nine holes.

The winning team was challenged by the team of Judy Buffington and Jim Bradford, visiting golfers Mr. and Mrs. Mougeot and the steady team of Shelley and Dave Ramsey.

Each week a new unknown team seems to challenge the regulars and to keep them on their toes.

Ladies Golf

The ladies were very glad to give up their regular evening of golf for the rain that the course enjoyed on Tuesday. It was a blessing and a much needed one too.

The ladies will have a red, white and blue scramble this week for their regular Tuesday evening of golf. All ladies are invited to join the Tuesday evening of golf.

Kenai Cup

The midseason Kenai Cup tourney was held this past week. All Kenai Golf Association members were invited to play in the tournament. The format was a modified Stableford point system. Each player gets so many points for a birdie, par or bogey.

Ghin handicaps were used for the nine-hole tourney.

The winner for the tourney was Pam Martinez with 12 points. Second place was Noel Widmayer with 11 points, third place went to Jerry Norris with 10 points, fourth place went to Bruce Galloway with eight points and fifth place went to Mike Woltering with five points.

The longest drive went to Dustin Jung on No. 2. Closest to the pin on No. 5 went to Mike Woltering with 13 feet, 7 inches.

The regular Kenai Cup play continues with matches played each Wednesday evening.

Men's Night

The weekly event for the men takes place each Thursday and tee time is 6:30 p.m. The men made it to the course on time this week.

It seems the road construction is past holding up the North Road golfers trying to make it to the course on time. Last week some golfers were held up for over an hour and a half.

Reminds me of the olden days (1964-1966) when the spring breakup forced dozer operators to dig down past the mud so we could drive through faster than the mud could settle back in. The North Road was all gravel and the only way to get to Kenai. It was an experience for sure.

Three teams all carding a 3-under had a chip-off for first place. The team taking first place due to the chip of Lorne Smagge also included Dan Cabrera, Fred Miller and Walt Kreiger.

The team settling for second place with a three under included Don Wright, Billy Coghill, Jerry Norris and Bill Davis.

Lorne Smagge was the slugger of the week with the longest drive on No. 4.

Closest to the No. 5 pin was Jerry Norris with 32 feet, 9 inches. Closest to the No. 9 pin was Don Wright with 4 feet, 2 inches.

Terry James had the only "pure birdie " of the evening on No. 9.

This week the Men's Night will feature "Big Thursday".

Junior Golf

The second session of the junior golf program started on July 2. There are 27 juniors now taking advantage of the program.

There are five instruction days and five play days during the length of the session. The juniors are really improving their games and many show much promise.

Mark your calendars with the date of the next junior tournament. The tourney will be held on Aug. 8 and will be open for all juniors from 8 to 17 years of age. It makes no difference whether the juniors have participated in the junior program or not -- the junior tourney is open to ALL juniors.

A small herd of caribou held up the junior play this past week. Pro Bill wondered why the juniors were taking so long to get around the course.

When he saw the caribou wandering in the fairway it explained the slow play.

The juniors gave the caribou the right of way.

The last matches of the junior cup will be played this Thursday and Friday. The trophy presentation will be held after the matches on Friday in Kenai.

The Kenai junior cup team will have to come up with some terrific golf to beat the Birch Ridge team. The Kenai Golf Course team is behind by several points as of today.

Golf Clinic

On Saturday the last swing clinic of the season will take place from 9 a.m. to 10:30 am. Also on Saturday, the last putting, chipping and pitching clinic of the season will take place from 11 a.m. to noon.

It is a great way to get started the right way or to improve your game no matter what your skill level.

Closing Thoughts

The summer is flying by as it does each year. I've heard the fishing is picking up and my dip net will be getting wet shortly. Here we are in mid season already.

I squeezed in 18 holes today after a short layoff. I played with a gal from Washington who hits a very nice ball.

Tomorrow my insulated neoprene chest waders will be my outfit of choice as I try my luck at the mouth of the Kenai River.

This summer I have already learned the importance of keeping low and in the middle of your canoe. I also learned how important it is to make sure the end of your kite string is securely tied to the spool. I also learned nothing will keep rubber boots from leaking when you sink up to your thighs in bog.

So far it has been a very interesting and fun-filled summer.

See you on the front nine.