Whine And Dine

 First up, the announcement by Clark Haley of the one-time rules change for the 20th Annual Coach Harry Groves Golf Tourney brought howls of protest from the "real" golfers among us.  The cacophony from the rabble rose to such levels at our reception, that I was worried there would be intervention by the authorities.

 

Announced as a 2 club maximum for each golfer in the foursome, it was soon amended to 3 clubs per golfer.  Still, chaos reigned.  Clark held firm at the 3 club maximum and not the "3 clubs and a putter" demand from the influential group of Fuller Brothers!

The anonymously sponsored open bar added to the general good cheer throughout the night.  The night concluded with a putting contest win by Mike McCahill.

The dawning of a new day led eventually to the start of the Coach Groves Golf Tourney.  While this was happening, an intrepid group continued the traditional climb of Mt. Nittany (started by Spouse the Better) followed by a trip to the Creamery.

Rain held off until well into the outing, and the torrential rains only lasted for one hole, followed by summer-like heat and humidity.  We always see a myriad of conditions on the Mountain View Country Club, although conditions were excellent overall.  The brief shower came over Skimont (or whatever it is called now), as if Bear Meadows knew that PSU distance runners were there and just wanted to say hello.

The 3-club maximum for each golfer led to strange shots throughout the day.  Try putting with a 5-iron! My "bag" consisted of a 5-iron, a pitching wedge and a putter; my 3 best clubs.  None of which I can still hit on a consistent basis.  I did, however, have a number of shots that counted and saved par a few times for our foursome.  The new rules added a fun element, and brought a new strategy and synergy to each foursome.  This format brought everyone closer together, which has always been one of Clark's stated goals.  

The longest drive was recorded by philanthropist Ken Brinker.  The longest putt of more than 22 feet was recorded by co-director Harry Smith (garnering the Smith family another year with the purloined Golden Putter).  Tim Brown placed his shot closest to the pin on the ninth hole.  The furthest traveled alum was Brian Boyer, who brought his family from Vienna Austria!

Overall, scores turned out better than anyone had predicted and there was a tie between 2 foursomes at one-under par for the victory.  The rules for ties were eventually thrown out and it was decided using a complex formula involving Elon Musk's new Twitter algorithm and the volume of whining from each group.

The foursome of Paul Mundy, Harry Smith, Gary Black and  Tom Shiffer were given the nod and will have their names engraved on the cherished "Cup".

The Awards Dinner was held at The Hyatt Place Hotel, and entailed a very good spread of grilled chicken, flank steak, baked potato bar and all kinds of other things.  The chocolate cake was especially enjoyed by Tourney Winner Paul Mundy. We had an inspirational speech from former XC and Track and
Field captain Che Arosemena, now attending the Army War College in Carlisle.

Stolen From The 90s Guys

The alums from the 90s started their own internetty thingie years ago to keep in touch.  They still use it today to "socially distance" and yet still stay close.

Many of them are also members of our group.  I hope they don't mind spreading the latest from their world onto the stage of our blog!

Here's video from what they consider "long ago", (1994) featuring Bob Hamer and Che Arosemena.  That really makes me feel old...

Thanks to Mark Wimmer and Harry Stants.

Brave Souls Put It All Out On The Track

These guys all braved the 48,000 spectators with each of them nursing the minor injuries that life brings.  The Penn Relays Masters 40 and Over 4 x 400M relay!



They are looking for more runners for next year's race in order to field 2 teams.  Time to start training.  And there are 50 and Over and 60 and Over divisions as well.  Just in case...

It was a tough day.  Windy and we all limped to the starting line.  Lots of excuses, but I will tell you this.  It is absolutely awesome to run around the track at the Penn Relays.  Even with my hammy screaming the entire 60 seconds, it was just good to be out there.  Attendance on Saturday was 48,000.  We can get multiple teams in there so if anyone is interested in racing next year, let me know.  You have a year.

Goal time next year is 3:50 or bust.

Coop

More Scenes From Franklin Field

Morgan Shigo, winner Hammer Throw.

RB Caldwell, Jake Bartholomy, Che Aresomena, Ken Cooper.

Bob Beamon and Tim Johnson.

Only Walt "Clyde" Frazier could outshine that oufit!

The Times, They Are A Changing.

The Alumni "Run" was sorta kinda a bust this year.  Multiple forces conspired to make things that way. Apologies all around for the problems.

• For the first time in our 17 years (except last year's hosting of the Big Ten Championships), the track was locked up tight.  Never expected that.
• Hastings Road was torn up and that made our usual parking area unavailable.
• The team moved their practice time back an hour to take advantage of a break in the weather.
• It rained the whole time.

But five hardy souls still managed a campus run, and the rest of us were ushered into the Indoor Track at 10:00AM to meet some of the athletes moving on to the Regional NCAA Championships.

Now what do I do with 4 dozen donuts and a nearly full "Box of Joe" still buried beneath my golf clubs in the back of my car?

In honor of Horace Ashenfelter.

Better luck next time.

Winners, An Award Fumble And More

The winners of the 2016 Coach Groves Golf Tournament are:

1. Che Arosemena
2. Coach Kevin Kelly
3. Mike McClelland
4. Kevin Fuller

This places Kevin Fuller into the prestigious Hall of Honor!
Each will have their named etched into the Coach Groves Memorial Cup (not really a Cup, and Coach is still very much alive and can still probably kick your butt), which now resides with substitute Keeper of the Cup Tim Backenstose following a mix-up typical of us Idiot Officers.  Apparently, the true Keeper of the Cup Harry Smith arranged for Owen Dawson to pick it up and place it on display at the Horace Ashenfelter Indoor Complex at the end of our Awards Dinner.

But when Chief Laundry and Morale Officer found it on the table with everyone else gone from the Awards Dinner, I texted him to take it with him.  He gave it to Tim Backenstose for secure storage in suburban Philly, giving Owen Dawson quite a few anxious moments!

Photos by Digital Archive Goddesses Bria Ziter and Kay Warfel.

The winners!

More Alumni Singlet Goodness: All 3:53 Of It

Watch the boys sporting their new Alumni Singlets on the refurbished Franklin Field Track.  Plans are afoot to have an A and B team next year.  We'll need another Alumni Singlet sale, for sure.

Jake Bartholomy sent us this version of the race taken by Bob Hamer.  Nice job Bob!



And Beth Shisler sent us this pic of RB Caldwell at the end of his leg.  Oops...

You Thought I Would Say "PSU IS 800U", Didn't You?

Well, we will get around to the highlights of the Penn Relays for the Penn State team, including victories in the Jumps, the Throws, and the Runs!

But my main highlight is the 7th place finish in the Masters 4x400M relay.  The quartet of Ken Cooper, Jake Bartholomy, RB Caldwell and Che Arosemena risked their hamstrings on our Alumni behalf.  And they came out of it unscathed.  They also trounced the Penn Alumni team!

3:53.94

Ken Cooper (56.99), Jake Bartholomy (57.48), R B Caldwell (59.41), Che Arosemena (1:00.08)

It Isn't Fair To Practice For The Next Coach Groves Golf Tournament

And yet there are a bunch of you on the links this summer.  Greg Miller even went for broke at one of Golfing's Meccas, Pinehurst CC!  And he broke 100!

Che Arosemena once took The Golden Putter to Pinehurst, but I'm still waiting for the pictures!

Greg Miller surveys the course.

Payne Stewart.

I wonder what a hot dog costs here?

Greg relates hot dogs were $4.50!  compared to $0.75 at  Bushwood CC!

The Gallery on the 18th!

Second Place in the Tourney Is Oh So Close to Immortality!

Their names won't be immortalized on The Cup, so all they get is this stinking blog mention.  And the duffle bag.  Don't forget the duffle bag!

Mark Fuller, Che Arosemena, Shawn Breon and Kevin Fuller.

I maybe got the Fullers wrong there, it wouldn't be the first time.  There are just so many Fullers!  And they were very close to putting their name on The Cup again.  Che Arosemena managed to win 2 other prizes during the tourney.  We already talked about his relinquishing of The Golden Putter (tm) to Owen Dawson.  But Che also managed to win the 50/50 putting contest held prior to the shotgun start. ( I wasn't there again this year, as I was coordinating the Security for the round and setting up Coach's Beer Cart.)  No word on the prize money won.  Che also won the award for the Longest Drive (Beth Shisler, 3-time winner of the prize, was away for the Big Ten Debut of her son Alex!)  That came with a prize of $25, making Che the biggest money winner of the year.

The Victors Enjoy the Spoils! The Winning Foursome

Owen Dawson, Doug Kent, Artie Gilkes and Curt Allison.

These guys managed to best the rest of the field with ease at 3-under par in the wet conditions.  I'm pretty sure that Clark Haley's friend Curt Allison was a ringer, but at least Clark isn't getting on The Cup (tm) again!

With the random format fully in place, Artie Gilkes and Owen Dawson, who tell me they aren't golfers, lucked on to The Cup on the backs of Curt Allison and my ex-roommate Doug Kent.  And I couldn't be happier.  Doug is one of the greatest guys I have ever met and one of the best golfers to have ever slashed the greenery of Happy Valley with us.  We're actually lucky to have him, as each year he has to leave early for another Real Golf Tourney the next day!  Artie keeps telling us he can't golf, but now his name will be displayed forever on the trophy alongside other non-golfers like me and Brian Boyer!

Owen not only got his share of the $200 pay-out for his victory (in the olden days this would have disqualified him forever as a professional!), but he then went and won the Golden Putter (tm) with the longest putt on the 18th green. Here he is with Horace, the Golden Putter (in honor of PSU's Greatest Steeplechaser!) and three previous winners of it.  All four are on record as returning to try to win it again next year! Make sure you join us.

Owen Dawson, Jeff Sanden, Bob Gabel and Che Arosemena, with the Golden Putter (24k)

There's a lot more to come on the Reunion weekend!

Horace the Golden Putter is in Good Hands

Our Director of Youth Development Artie Gilkes struck gold this year by enticing a teammate to our Reunion and Golf Tournament.  But the gold Che Arosemena won is real.  He won the prize with his Longest Putt of the day on the 18th green. He will travel with Horace to golf courses all over and promises to send us pics from famous places.

Che Arosemena accepts Horace the Golden Putter from 3 Idiot Officers.