Golfers Navigate Five Lumpy Greens with Precision
The foursome of (left to right) Mike Clark, Dan Mencucci, John Sperry and Nate Brown enjoy a brief moment before heading down the ninth hole at Mountain View Country Club recently.
GREENSBORO — With greens that were being punched full of holes during the aeration process at Mountain View Country Club last Tuesday, it seemed like an inopportune time to play a game of putts.
It was expected that putting totals were going to be abnormally high. But that wasn’t the case as most golfers managed their way around the five lumpy greens with precision.
A total of 32 golfers showed up in cloudy and misty conditions, although high humidity had it feeling warmer outside, on the first week of the season’s final month. The foursome of Dan Miko, John Hogan, Joe Mulligan and Darwin Thompson would post the best putting average to claim the weekly title.
Miko and Mulligan both posted the low rounds of two-over 37 and each player in the foursome had a good night on the greens to win by a half putt average. Mulligan and Thompson both used just 13 putts in their rounds as Thompson posted a 47. Hogan needed 15 putts during his round of 43. They ended with an average of 14 putts per man.
That put them in first place ahead of the threesome of Dan Gauthier, Brad Ferland and Wyatt Bellavance. Gauthier and Ferland went out as a twosome and both had sharp nights on the greens and they also each posted rounds well under their yearly averages. Bellavance played as a single and got paired with that twosome.
Gauthier led the group, using 13 putts to post a round of 40. Ferland was right behind him, shooting a 43 with 14 putts. Bellavance ended with 17 putts for an average of 14.6 per man.
In third place behind them was the foursome of Nate Brown, Tim Bellavance, Rob Montgomery and Adam Whitney. Brown and Bellavance had exceptional nights. Brown would tie Miko and Mulligan for the night’s low round with his 37.
Bellavance was on fire too, posting a three-over 38. Those two were the evening’s putting champions as they each only needed 11 putts. Bellavance also posted the night’s low net round with a 28, just beating out Brown and Miko for that crown.
Montgomery used 19 putts and Whitney 21 as that foursome ended up with 62 putts for an average of 15.5.
Slade Farnham won the closest to the pin contest on the third hole, dropping an impressive drive just four feet from the pin. Miko added to his winnings on the fifth hole, putting his drive just seven feet, six inches from the pin.
It was Joe Mulligan edging out Mike Clark with his approach to the eighth hole, placing his approach to six feet, two inches. The impressive shot making continued on nine when Brian Niemi landed his approach four feet,10 inches from the pin to win closest in two there. Niemi also posted a round of 13 putts.
The Tuesday night league plays twice more this month before their end-of-year tournament on Sunday, Sept 25. The final league night will be held that following Tuesday, Sept. 27.
