| The second annual Winter Winds tournament lived up to its name. The day was bright and sunny but the temperature hovered around 20 degrees and a continuous wind blew unpredictably, occasionally strengthening to gale force and whipping drifting snow across the front nine. About six inches of snow was covered by a dense crust of ice that sent discs sliding and forced players to crunch their way across the fairways. Even so, fifty-one hardy participants came out from as far away as Maine, New York and New Jersey. Many of them were visiting the course for the first time. Karen once again helped out with lots of baked goods and hot drinks. The first Winter Winds tournament was like spring compared to this one. But the players were dressed accordingly, ready for whatever Mother Nature could throw at them. In this photo, Tim Walsh leads the Pro division off of the first tee.
In past tournaments, groups were placed at every other tee to start. But because of the large turnout, groups were started on each consecutive tee. That meant players early on became acquainted with notorious Hole 11. Here, Tim Jiardini, Sean Breslin and Greg Kurtz finesse their way through the mouth of the beast.
This tournament welcomed our first female competitors to the course: Kristina Bayer, Marcy Buchanan and Leslie Charles. Kristina tees off from high up on Hole 15 in this shot.
The gauntlet of Hole 18 tested the strength and control of all the players. By the end of the first round, Advanced player Jasin Bayer was alone in finishing at even par -- a remarkable feat given the conditions.
After a warming break for lunch, the players returned outside. The sun had warmed the air slightly and the wind gradually subsided. And the icy crust had become packed down by the players, helping their discs to stick in the snow.
Returning champion Karl Molitoris (here seen teeing off on Hole 1) had a tough start to the day, but came back strong in the second round and eventually clinched his fifth straight victory at HCC in the Advanced Master division.
As the sun began to set, the exhausted players pushed themselves to finish up their round. Sean Breslin, Doug DeSalvo and Tim Jiardini are seen here teeing off at Hole 16.
Since no one scored a hole-in-one, the players ventured out once more for a Closest-to-the-Pin competition. Jeff Wiechowski made the winning shot toward Hole 9. Afterward, the players gathered in the warmth of the Bartley Center for the awards, and they paused for a group photo. It looks like our tournaments have outgrown our little classroom.
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| Thanks to everyone who participated, for their patience, good humor and their dedication to our favorite sport. Now that the tournament's over, the snow can officially melt ... please! |
FINAL RESULTS
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PRO
Open
Master
Grandmaster AM1
Advanced
Advanced Women
Master AM2
Intermediate
Intermediate Women AM3
Recreational |