18 teams compete in tourney

RANGELY — Golfers competed in the 27-hole two-man tournament this past weekend at Cedar Ridges Golf Course.
Eighteen teams, divided into two separate flights, teed off from the championship gold tees to start. The first nine holes were a scramble format. The next nine consisted of a best-ball competition off the blue tees and the final nine was the dreaded alternating shot format from the white tees.
Doug Choate, golf superintendent at Battlement Mesa, and his partner Joe Elliot, took the top honors in the A-flight, grossing a total of 100. Rick Peterson and Roger Walters took second gross with a 103.
Rangely locals Craig Wright and his son Travis also played well, scoring a 103 total gross but earned a first net finish. There was a playoff between two teams to settle the tie for second net. Instead of split the winnings, they chose to play it out for all or nothing.
Robby Elam and Casey Ducey beat Tanner and Allan Batemen on the first hole. The teams had decided that the fairest way to play it out was in the best ball format. Elam got himself into a bit of trouble, but still saved a bogey out of the bunker. Ducey made the par putt and earned them the win when both Batemans scored bogies.
In the B-Flight, Jack Buford and Mark Kochevar took first gross honors with a total of 113. Locals Chris Hejl and Brandon Colborn grossed a 118.
“We played real well except for two holes,” Hejl stated. On back to back holes, Hejl and Colborn struggled during the alternating shot format, as did many other teams in the field.
“It’s just like playing your own ball,” Hejl explained the difficulty that some teams have with the alternate shot format. Some teams often feel more pressured by it because of all the trust you have to put on your teammate. “You have a partner to fall back on in the other formats.”
New CNCC baseball head coach Tom Cassera and partner Brian O’Dell took top honors in first net even though they were right in the mix of things with their gross score of 114. O’Dell also won the longest drive competition on hole No. 1.
Finally, Bernie Shafer and Bryan Mackay finished in second net. The team felt they could have putted a little better overall but also didn’t feel like they had played bad. Last year they finished first gross in the B-Flight.
Tanner Bateman won the closet to the pin on No. 7 competition.
The annual Couples Classic is scheduled for Aug. 2-3. Call the Pro Shop at 675-8403 for more information or to sign up.