Ken Phillips has a profitable and memorable day on the course

Probably the most popular individual event, bogie points, was on the agenda for competition on July 31 at La Contenta Golf Club in Valley Springs. Showing why he is the current red flight champion, Ken Phillips had the most points (40) of any golfer for the day as he took first. In addition, he also won all the money from the reds on closest-to-the-hole on No. 13 with the shot-of-the-day (7 feet, 1 inch).

George Dillon, despite having an erratic putter, shot one of his best rounds of the year to take second. The last time Dillon heard of the yips was from his new puppy. Retired contractor Jack Cox, who enjoys an after-round beer, said he was never hammered during construction. Jack placed third.

From the white tees, Louis Luna topped all comers. Louis is like the Godfather, as he lights a small cigar and waits for his underlings to collect his winnings. There was a tie for second between club champ Al Liberato, who played well after visiting a lot of Rupley’s trees last week, and former club champ Roger Ladd. Ladd, a retired HVAC technician, kept his cool as his game is slowly but surely making a comeback. Tied for fourth was that devil Ron Bassett and lefty Mike Johnson. Johnson, who walks the course, has such a distain for golf carts that he has created a shot that punctures the shield of any cart that disgruntles him.

Alone in fifth was Matt Theodore. A fellow golfer who was in Matt’s foursome a few weeks ago was highly impressed by his play. Now, every time he sees Matt, he sings the Foo Fighters’ lyric “There goes my hero…” Matt would prefer one of our groupies singing. Four golfers tied for sixth, but earned so little money that they can’t buy anything with it.

In the gold tee flight, Grandpa Gabe Karam won a big treasure. Gabe knows that if he should ever need some cash, he can borrow from his grandkid’s trust fund. Flight champ Gary Stockeland, who suffers from PTSD if he doesn’t win money, tied retired cement truck driver Ron Huckaby for second. Huckaby, once again, had a solid round. Mike Pisano was alone in fourth, which resulted in his not being popular with the four golfers who finished one stroke behind.

In the closest-to-the-hole contest on No. 8, no one from the whites hit the green. From the golds, newbie Ray Pezzi once again reduced his welcome to the club as he took first. Huckaby wound up in second. From the reds, St. Jon Foucrault beat out Roberto Garcia by four inches.

In the contest on No. 13 from the whites, Liberato raked in more money for a very profitable day. He was followed by Ladd, who earned quite a bit himself. From the golds Huckaby earned all the money.