The MBI crew went out to Poolesville Golf Course to get a look at the course for Friday’s 2-Man Team competition. Mr. MBI (MEL) scored a Hole-In-One on the par 3, 168 yard, third hole. Money winners, Saunders, Clyde and Mel.

 

Team Stewart takes lead in 2020 season openers

Washington DC’s Pro-Duffers first outing in the 2-Man Team results are in & the championship race is finally underway:

60 golfers.

1 round – (Two Rounds to Go)

1 Championship title up for grabs.

In Silver Spring, MD at Northwest Park Golf Course on June 27 & July 3rd a new, socially distant, era of competitive golf began. Amidst a looming, ever present worldwide uncertainty, 5 dozen Pro-Duffers played 18 holes in the heart of Montgomery County signifying the starting gun to a freshly minted tournament season in the life of the organization after quarantine respite.

The early season leaderboard is set and the team that currently sits at the top is no stranger to the throne. 2019’s crowned champions Team Stewart made a strong showing of prowess, reinforcing their reputation as a dominant force on the fairway, with a collective score of 179, earning them 5 points. The closest encroaching threat to their continued dominion is Team Cox, who are already on track to a repeat 2nd place performance.

After a request for comment from the team captain himself about this promising start to the season, Mr. Marvin Stewart told us:

“14 out-of 17 team members came to play, and it’s the reason we are in first place. My team is ready and willing to take on all challengers in the 2- Man competition this year.”

Only time will tell if we’re witnessing the dawn of a dynasty in the Pro-Duffers 2-Man Team Championship division, but if the results in Round 1 become a regular occurrence, smart money says it’s a possibility that could easily become reality.

And they are off the tee box in search of the triple crown of DC Duffers—two low qualifying rounds and one extra low round to win the RED JACKET. Many have broken from the gate very fast and have to be considered a legitimate threat to win it all.

“MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN!” according to head oddsmaker Mel Blackwell who has set the early odds below to win it all. He cautions there has only been one Secretariat who has gone wire to wire in all three races.

FAVORITES OUT OF THE GATE

Lance and Kwame Bailey       8-1  Both have had strong showings at MD National And Hampshire Greens But can they do it twice more when the heat is on?

Robert Day                             8-1  Can he go two more low rounds with a target On his back ?

Bill Hall                                   7-1 A strong favorite but already has one jacket will Lightning strike twice? Swami not convinced.

Larry Banks                            9-1  Enjoys a favorable handicap but can a hi Handicapper put together 3 low rounds????

Bill Strudwick                       10-1 Excellent Doctor, does that translate to The course? Take 2 and call me tomorrow!

Steve Hill                                 6-1 Cagy veteran with a consistent game a Dangerous opponent Beware!!

Robert Hood                           9-1 Another hi handicapper whose consistency will Be tested in the forest!

Frank Sanders                        4-1 Very dangerous has played another sport at The highest level so pressure is not a factor!

Richard Johns                        7-1 Long off the tee if the short game is there Could be a second jacket.

Clyde Rowe                             5-1 Plays YEAR-ROUND so is never rusty. Has the Curse of a previous win but he may beat the odds.

Bill Lewis                                8-1 Is in the sweet spot for handicap a blessing And a curse can he hold up to the pressure?

FIRST DAY JITTERS BUT WORTH WATCHING AND WILL MAKE SOME NOISE 

Ron Holsey                               8-1  Consistent and does not rattle also likes A great cigar which is a positive!

Cal LaRoche                             9-1  Red jacket curse but can make some noise A proven winner

Dickie Carter                          10-1  Don’t laugh, if he is on it is OVER! A Big handicap, big hitter and who knows?

Dave Wilmot                           11-1  Long off the tee but can he score Consistently?

Joe Latta                                  10-1 Better than his score indicates could Be in the finals

David Grant                             10-1 Cannot leave the defending champ out! Another guy who can lull you to defeat!

THE REST OF THE DOGS OF THE SUMMER 27-1  (everyone else)

DO NOT DESPAIR AS THE SWAMIE HAS TWO OF YOU IN THE FINALS!!!! The great predictor just does not know who, yet!!!  The crystal ball sees a BIG North wind coming that will blow a couple of contenders out of the race. Oh, and a certain someone has just come off the INJURED RESERVE list and is chomping at the bit to go low!! There is a lot of meat still on that porkchop so grab some cornbread and get to practicing because somebody in this group is gonna emerge!!

 

Gentlemen, as we get ready for the first round of competition for the RED Jacket, I would like to announce that we will be having a Calcutta in conjunction with the finals of that competition. As you may remember, there will be three rounds of golf (best two of the three scores) with the top 12 (and ties) that will play for the RED jacket.

The Calcutta will be part of the final 12 competition. I have explained below how a Calcutta works .Once we know who the final 12 are (late September/early October) we will hold the auction and finalize the bidding prior to the final round. Meanwhile you may want to pay close attention to the three rounds that precede the final round to help inform your strategy.

I will be delivering “expert” comments after each round and providing “Mel’s” odds. For example , I will be noting who is hot and who is not, strong and weak parts of golfers game and much more. You will not want to miss this critical information.

The first tip is that it is VERY difficult to win the Red Jacket more than one time, so, odds of a repeat are slim. Sorry David Grant, Bobby Dibble, Bill Hall etc. You start off at 25-1 odds. Tip number two is that someone who has played in the MBI has a good chance to take it all, odds are 4-1 a Red jacket will hang in one of their closets.

 

HOW THIS CALCUTTA WORKS:

Each potential RED Jacket winner (12 guys) will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The winning bidder then “owns” that Golfer for the tournament and in the event “his golfer” wins ( the Red Jacket)——the winning bidder receives the winner’s share of the purse. Golfers are allowed to buy themselves and in the event that they are out bid they can buy back from the winning bidder up to 1/2 the ownership in themselves. There is normally a minimum starting bid which in this case is $50.00 and bids will increase by minimums of $10.00. The total pot ( the sum of all of the bids for all of the 12 golfers)  will be divided 70% to the winner and 30% to the second place finisher.

Example—each of the 12 golfers are bid on ( all 12 do not HAVE to be bid on) and the total bid is $1,200. The person who “owned the Red Jacket winner would win 70% of the $1,200 ($840) and the 2nd place   owner would get $360.

The first round of our newly designed “Red Jacket Tournament.” 54 golfers at Hampshire Greens Golf Course.  Instead of our usual Match Play Competition, the 2020 Club Champion will be decided in a tournament comprised of three qualifier rounds, and a championship final that will compete the top 12 golfers (and ties).  The next qualifiers are in  August, and September.  The championship round will be played in late September or early October.

The weekly MBI skins game had some new faces, who were trying to see the course before the 1st Round Red Jacket Qualifier on Saturday.  Money winners, Latta, Hosley, Rowe and Wilmot.

 

1st Round of our 2020 Medal Play Competition.  44 golfers competing in 5 flights.  Congrats to Rick Hyde (SAUNDERS), Frank Sanders (HYDE), Charles Mulzac (HORAD), David Grant (CARR), and Steve Nash (BERNARD) for getting off to a great start.

Recap of our formal Club Play for the 2020 Season.  It was a beautiful day and great fun. 40+ golfers Northwest Park Golf Course, average round was 4 hours 10. EXCELLENT.

 

MBI Is BACK, “The weekly skins game” kicked-off another great round of golf and fellowship at Northwest Park Golf Course. Money winners were Sanders, Latta, Lightfoot, Blackwell, and L. Bailey.