Birch Ridge Report

Ready or not, it’s here! And sure, I love football as much as anyone. I especially love Monday Night Football (another excuse to get together with friends). I love watching my team win (St. Louis Rams vs. the Broncos last Sunday — sorry Denver fans). I even love going to Seattle to watch the Seahawks (my beloved husband Dave’s team) beat up on my Rams, an annual event I look forward to — I’m such a good sport! And who could not love all of those football pools?

But what I really don’t love about the start of football season is that it is just one more sad reminder that our all-too-short golf season is coming to an end. It’s hard to believe with the sun shining like it has been the last few days, but it’s true. It’s time to “rush” to the golf course and get in those last few rounds before we “run” out of time.

The “countdown” is on for our Cold Weather Classic end of season tournament. So dig out your “face masks” and other protective clothing, and get your man/woman team on the “roster” for this fun event, scheduled for Sept. 23. Entry fee is only $60, plus $25 green fees (season ticket holders won’t pay green fees).

Mark your calendars for the annual Birch Ridge Golf Association meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26. We will be electing two new board members to help us “kick-off” our 2007 golf season. So please plan on attending. Your vote and input are very important to your board and your association.

The seniors had only one “goal” in mind this week: to not “pass” up the opportunity to play golf — in the sunshine for a change. So 20 seniors came out to “tackle” the course this past Monday. Roger Jones took first place low net with a 29. Closest to the pin on hole 6 was Mark Hutton and Roger Jones on hole 8. George McDowell made the longest putt.

And even though this was the last official senior league play of the season, our seniors have decided that they will continue to play until Mother Nature’s clock runs out for the year. Tee off time is now at 10 a.m.

Last Wednesday was the last Big Wednesday for Men’s Night with 11 players coming out to compete for the big bucks. After nine holes, three teams were tied for first at 3-under. A chip-off decided the winning team, with none other than Dave

Stein chipping closest to the pin on hole 9 from about 100 yards out to give his team the honor (Roy Bird, Phil Christensen and Rudy Zaborowski).

And just like the seniors, our men have decided that they haven’t played near enough golf this year so will continue until they are “shut out” by the weather and/or lack of daylight. Sign up next Wednesday is 5:30 p.m. with tee off at 6 p.m.

John and Jane Tongen: your fans applaud you for another week of fun-filled golf. There were no reports of “kicking,” or “spiking” and only a few “penalties” this Tuesday night when the couples got together to “catch” one of their last few chances to “score” this year. And even though John didn’t have any “offensive” jokes this week, we still had a great time in the clubhouse after stretching our allotted string as far as possible. Yes, we played the infamous “string” game again.

We played a 2-couple/4-player scramble, using our string to save strokes. The Murphys (Dan and Linda) and the Weimers (Charlie and Lore) came in first with a score of 23 and 48 feet of string to work with.

Same time (5 p.m. check-in, 5:30 tee off) next Tuesday with the Tongens having something very special planned for us. Heres a little “defensive” advice for couples next week: bring every club you have to be better prepared!

TOM’S TIP FOR THE WEEK:

Watch the collision. We have all heard it: the well-intentioned advice to “keep your head down.” Don’t do it. Keeping your head down in a static sense is an unnatural and tense position. This is because keeping your head down rigidly restricts the free-swinging motion of your body through the ball. You could easily wind up hitting at the ball rather than swinging through it.

Instead, try to “watch the collision” of the clubhead and the ball. This thought will help keep your eyes on the ball so that when the weight shifts and the rotation of the body occurs, the right shoulder passing under the chin will help your head come up after impact so that you can follow the flight of the ball, getting to the optimal balanced finished position.

Remember, impact occurs during the swing, not at the end of it. Let the ball get in the way of the swing by watching the collision, not keeping your head down.

You want to look at a great shot after you have hit it, not while you are hitting it.

SHARON’S THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Thanks, Coach Tom!

Even though it will be really hard to pry myself away from watching all those football “collisions” on Sunday, I think that is the best day for me to get out and play golf: because of all the praying I have to do on the golf course.

Oh, and one more thing: Go, Rams!