The 3rd Major - The Rider Cup

Broken Joe
Aug 12, 2015
3 min read

On Sunday we had our 3rd Major of the year, The Rider Cup at Oak Ridge Golf Course. The Rider Cup was a team concept and each team member alternated shots while only playing one ball. The teams were set up by handicap. The golfer with the lowest handicap was teamed up with the highest handicap and so on and so forth. The teams were: Dave (1) & Matt (8), Jake (2) & Rock (7), Joe (3) & Leon (6) and Chris (4) and Dan (5). The winning pair would get 15 points each followed by 11 points, 7 points and 3 points for the last place team. The odds on favorites to win were Chris and Dan because they were both right in the middle with their handicaps.

Joe and Leon were scheduled to play Pine Knoll on Friday afternoon but at the last minute on Thursday, Leon had to stay for a late truck and wasn’t going to make it. Joe decided he would play mini golf with the grand children, you know, two birds / one stone. True to the name “Broken Joe”, Emma wins by 2. The good news was that Leon can play Pine Knoll after Joe finished playing mini golf.

At Pine Knoll, Leon and Joe work on judging distance, chipping and putting. We have some good holes and some bad holes but we are working as a team. This was Leon’s first time at Pine Knoll so Joe had to explain the “Championship of the World” 18th hole. Joe wins but Leon doesn’t seem impressed.

At Oak Ridge it seems everyone is ready for a good time and believes that anyone can win.

There is also an opportunity for not only one of the top 4 players to scoop up 15 points but also someone from the bottom 4. This is a totally different format then anything we have played before.

In the end it was harder than most people thought it would be. Not only do you only get to hit the ball every other time but you also don't want to let your partner down with a bad shot that they now hve to do something with.

Dave said that he just couldn't get a good lie because Matt would keep hitting it into impossible places. I think that was the major issue all day, both players could not have back to back bad shots because then they quickly became bad holes. Chris and Dan both had issues with their driver most of the day and we all know that a good hole starts with a good drive.

In the end Joe & Leon have a good day and score a 104, mainly because we did not have consecutive bad shots (except for the last hole).

Chris and Dan come in second with a 112, Jake and Rock place 3rd with a 114 and bringing up the rear was

"Ronnie Ruger" and "Daddy 2 Guns" (Dave & Matt) with a 119.. I guess this time the earth didn't move and the Golf Gods weren't with them.

All in all it was fun, challenging and different. The Competition Committee is also happy that Dave did not win another Major. But honestly, how was Dave really going to win with this guy?????