B.A.G.S. - Rhode Island Division

2008 Year End Newsletter

Our 17th season has come to an end.  2008 was another good season for B.A.G.S.  Participation was steady throughout the season.  B.A.G.S.  mission is to provide its members with the opportunity to participate in competitive golf tournaments, meet other like minded golfers, and to improve their game by playing different courses under tournament conditions.  Judging from the response and the improvement in many members’ handicaps over the course of the season, I am confident that we successfully achieved our objective for a large majority of our members.

 Thanks to our 2008 tournament sponsors– Attorney Anthony Leone, Ameriprise Financial – Carl Ehmann, Golfer’s Warehouse, AFLAC Insurance – Ted Young,  and Golf Nut Heaven.   Our Sponsor’s generous contributions of gift certificates and merchandise  were given out as additional tournament prizes.  Our sponsor’s contact information is listed on our BAGS – RI Division website.  If you know of other businesses that would benefit from exposure as a B.A.G.S. sponsor for 2009, please contact me.

2008 Order of Merit:

 Congratulations to John Buffery, who became the first  person in our 17 year history to win three consecutive OOM titles.  The OOM competition, for those of you that followed it, was especially exciting this season, with three people still able to win at the last event of the year.   Dick Burt  led the competition through much of the first half of the season, with John Buffery close behind.  Don Denuccio took over the lead with a well deserved victory at our 2 day championship. Things tightened up in the latter part of the season, with Don, John, and Dick Rotelli all holding the lead at one time during the last couple of weeks of the season.  It was Don, Dick (Rotelli) and John sitting 1-2-3 at the last event.  Unfortunately, Dick was unable to play due to a family illness.  The only way John could win was to finish 1^st or 2^nd and for Don to get shut-out.  John played the first nine at Elmridge with 16 stableford points – he had to play better on the back nine, and he did – two birdies, a one-over 37 gross for 21 stableford points to accomplish the feat.  Don Denuccio finished 2^nd, Dick Rotelli 3^rd. Brian Boyer, made a late season charge up the leader board to finish in 4^th  place. B.A.G.S. rookie Jim Foehr, played consistently well through the season to finisht 5^th.   Fred Morra, Dick Burt, Bob Degnan, Joe Capone and Pat Hogan rounded out the top 10.

Complete OOM standings are available on our website.

Hole-in-One / Closest-to-Pin Pool:

 Over the course of the season, $2,144 went into the pool. Dick Burt aced the 8^th hole at Whaling City on June 29^th , which, fortunately for Dick, was also the closest to the pin hole that day.  Dick hit a high, arching, six iron to the downhill 140 yarder.  The pin was cut on the far right side of the narrow green – Dick’s shot bounced once in front of the pin, and then into the hole.  As Dick’s ace was his first in over 30 years of playing golf, and the first in B.A.G.S.-RI division competition since 2004. Dick took $714 from the pool, which covered most of his BAGS rounds for the rest of the season. The five measured closest to the pin shots for the season split the remaining pool -  each receive B.A.G.S. credit for $ 286

 

NOTABLES:

 The best Low Gross rounds for the year were two over par efforts shot by Tim Stravato (at Acushnet River Valley), and by John Buffery (at Exeter CC). The best stableford Point total of the season was 44 points – both Dick Rotelli and Adam Crocker managed the feat on the same day (at River Ridge), and equaled by Mike Farrell (at Fenner Hill).

Tim Stravato won low gross honors (12 over par 156) at our 2008 division Championship event at Exeter CC.  Don Denuccio took the Net “A” division championship with a net 134 (10 under par). Net “B” division champion was Luann Dias with a net 137 (7 under par).  

 A complete list of winners for each event is listed on the tournament results page on our website.  Congratulations to all tournament winners throughout the season.

 

MOST IMPROVED GOLFERS:

 Membership in B.A.G.S. generally leads to improvement in most of our member’s golf games.  Each season, as part of the USGA handicap program, each club receives a listing of its most improved golfers, as measured by the difference between early season and end of season handicaps.  See the top 25 on our "stats" page
 

HANDICAPS:

 Scores from rounds played during the local off-season may be posted online.  To those members who did not participate in enough events to receive a USGA handicap card, I will retain a record of your 2008 tournament scores, which can be added to future rounds so you can receive your official handicap early next spring. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT SEASON:

2009 will be our 18th year. I would be grateful if you would take the time to comment on what you liked or did not like about B.A.G.S.  and things you feel I could be doing different or better.

 

Please provide your comments on the following topics:
1. Courses you would like to see added or deleted from our schedule.

2. Tournament formats and betting pools .

3. Scheduling, including the inclusion of more or fewer upscale courses.

I do make a sincere effort to incorporate your suggestions and ideas to improve B.A.G.S.  You can send me a written note (write or E-mail to jrooks@bagsri.com).  I would like to hear from as many members as possible.  If you enjoyed B.A.G.S., please tell others, if you did not, please tell me !!

NEW MEMBER REFERRAL PROGRAM:

Please send me names and addresses of your friends and associates who might be interested in joining B.A.G.S..  I will send them a brochure (beginning in late January, 2009).  You will earn a $30  B.A.G.S. credit for each of your referrals who join at the normal full price membership rate (this offer is not valid for existing or former members).

Thanks for a terrific season - without your participation and support, B.A.G.S. would not be possible.  My Rhode Island voicemail telephone number (401) 621-1525 will remain active throughout the winter - I check phone messages & e-mail on a regular basis, and will return your call or e-mail.  Membership renewal letters and 2009 season schedules will be mailed prior to the start of the season.  Most of our events for next season have already been booked - please check our website for a preliminary schedule of 2009 tournaments.  Unused B.A.G.S. credits may be redeemed towards your 2009 membership fees and/or 2009 tournament entry fees.

  I wish you and your family a healthy and happy holiday season, and a good winter.  See you in the spring !!

Sincerely,

 Jim Rooks

James Rooks

Director - Rhode Island Division