Thanks For The Memories!

Well, it looks like the 2009 season has come to an end. Before we talk about each player's year, let's review a few highlights. The Friday Fivesome blog spot was begun in January and quickly announced that LT was the 2008 Player Of The Year and awarded the first ever Provisional Mulligan Cup. The preseason rankings came out and Karl was not only #1, but boasted of a possible undefeated season. However, after the first match of the year, Karl drooped to #5 and Sam took over the #1 spot. Sam got off to a great first half of the season and remained undefeated until March. There was a ping pong match between LT/R and K/M in which team LT/R won primarily due to Ron "The Tongue". Finally on Feb.6 all 5 played together for the first time and team K/M won and were not beaten until May 29th! TFF spent some time in the courts over whether practicing was legal, accusations of LT being on performance enhancing drugs, and over a lost scorecard. There were some sad times such as when TFF was forced to fire Ashley as blog administrator and LT hired K's on son to defend him against K. However, just when it looked like TFF was going under, Obama bailed them out. In March, TFF determined that keeping up with club tosses and other acts of frustration was interfering with the "natural responses of the game" and no longer allowed. This was the only stat that K was sure to win and proved detrimental especially to him. Perhaps K's greatest round of the year was while he was in Panama yet managed to boggy every hole and lead his team to victory. Without a doubt, the most emotional round of the year was when during the round, K retired his driver in honor of Gary Player playing in his last Masters. Early in June TFF allowed the fans to vote on who they felt was the leader in the race for The Provisional Mulligan Cup. The fans spoke loud and clear as Karl received 57% of the votes. His partner Mike was a distant second with a mere 21%. There was the infamous "That's Good" ruling while riding home from The Farms. Who can forget "The Miracle At Mirimichi" where Ron birdied 4 holes and was even on the last 14? There was the 15 week wining streak of team LT/R which came to an end the same day K overcame Shilohfallsophobia. TFF showed their love for the game as they played through a hurricane at Jackson National. There were so many other memories such as Shankapotamos and of course Darby Day. TFF blog would love for all to contribute by commenting about their favorite memories, but now it's time to list each candidate's claim both for and against them winning The Provisional Mulligan Cup.
Sam--1.Lowest scoring average beating out M by 78.53 to 79.20
2.Most birdies(beating Mike by 11)
3.Most birdies per round 1.39 to 1.07(Mike)
4.Was present 31 of 35 matches and only misses were while on mission trips
5.Voted most likely to give someone a putt
6.Lack of playing under the weekly pressure of team and individual wagers
7.0-2 team record in pressure matches
8. Was undefeated in play against the Little Three(K,LT,R)

Mike-1.Beat Sam in head to head play 12-11-3
2.Had an overall team play record of 10-3 while playing with K as partner
3.Made most arrangements for tee times
4.Lost a match to Ron
5.Got to ride in the front seat passenger side the most
6.Did his best to speed up play

Ron--1.Had winning record against the other members of the Little Three
2.Beat Mike and tied Sam (only member of The Little 3 to do this to The Big Two)
3.Drove the most
4.Got off to a slow start, got hot, but cooled off
5.Voted best pressure putter
6.Did his best to slow down play
7.3-8 team record

LT---1.Set the standard for TPMC Trophy
2.Has won TPMC Trophy every year
3.Drove allot
4.Voted Best Story Teller while riding in the car
5.Had respectable 6-7 record against Ron
6.Beat Karl .60 to .56 birdies per round
7.Missed most matches (15)
8.Primarily missed due to injury and 6 grand openings of Casey Jones Museum
9.Played through the most pain
10.Made most comments on TFF blog

Karl-1.Voted most improved for 2009
2.Tied for lead with most eagles(0)
3.Had 11-6-1 record with LT
4.Had 8-14-1 record against Ron
5.Captained team to 10-3 record
6.Voted least likely to give a putt
7.Rode in the center of backseat the most
8.Never drove
9.Voted Most Dedicated (made 33 0f 35 matches)
10.Spent countless hours with TFF blog

Well, here are a few things to ponder as you prepare to vote. Please enter comments for other facts, opinions, and lies that we may all consider. Also, TFF's official New Year's Resolution:"Play More Golf in 2010"!

The Provisional Mulligan Cup Defined

As the 2009 season has drawn to a close, it's time to begin discussing the winner of this year's award. However, before we can do that, perhaps we need to define just exactly what is TPMC and what are we voting for? Your first question will most likely be:What do you mean when you say voting? If you remember, last year's winner,LT, received the award without a vote by his peers. TFF is pleased to announce that this year there will be a vote on a day to be determined(it's still possible that there could be more play this year). TFF has set up the following regulations for voting:
1.It will be secret ballot
2.Only the 5 members of TFF will be allowed to vote
3.The member will not be allowed to vote for himself
4.The member will rank the other 4 players from 1st to 4th with 1st being the player he feels should win the award.(unless of course the player feels he should win the award. In this case he would vote #1 to the player he feels should finish 2nd to him since the rules prohibit a player voting for himself.)
5.Just like golf, low score wins
6.The players will vote one of the wives to be this years accountant, who will total the votes,record the winner and place the winners name in an envelope.
7.This envelope will be hermetically sealed and kept in a #2 mayonnaise jar until noon the day of the award ceremony on Funk and Wagnell's porch.(Can you imagine anybody born after 1980 trying to figure this requirement out?)
Now we know how the vote will work, but exactly what are we voting for? Is TPMC winner the player with the lowest scoring average?,best head to head record?,most improved player?, player who overcomes the most adversities?,player that plays up to his potential the best?, nicest player?,best team player?,player who drives the most?, player who sits in the middle of the back seat the most?,player who sets up the tee times?, player who buys the most lunches?, player who contributes the most to the promotion of TFF?, well as you can see we could go on and on. The only precedent that we have is that LT won it last year. Was he the best player? If best player was the only requirement, it might as well be The Friday Twosome because there would only be two possible candidates.I feel LT was the obvious winner last year due to his dramatic comeback from heart surgery. In 2007 LT was struggling to hit the ball 150 yards and couldn't finish 18 holes. In 2008 he was driving the ball far enough to play from the same tees as the other 4. Hopefully before the vote, TFF will give each members achievements for 2009 and reasons why they should win as well as why they shouldn't. In the future, we will have a better record of what each player has done in the past, which may help in voting. In the end, each voter will decide for himself who he feels deserves to win TPMC.

Nothing But The Facts

2009 Statistics

Matches Played-35
1.K-33
2.S-31
3.M-30
4.R-24
5.LT-20

Courses Played:
1.Falcon Ridge-8
2.Jones Creek-7
3.Chickasaw-5
4.The Farms-3
5.Jackson National-3
6.The Tennessee River Club-2
7.The Tennessean-2
8.Ross Creek-2
9.Humboldt-1
10.Mirimichi-1
11.Shiloh Falls-1

Scoring Average:
1.Sam-78.53
2.Mike-79.2
3.Ron-87.65
4.Karl-88.79
5.LT-89.65

Birdies:
1.S-43
2.M-32
3.R-19
4.K-18
5.LT-12

Birdies Per Round:
1.S-1.39
2.M-1.07
3.R-.79
4.LT-.60
5.K-.56

Head To Head Matches:
1.Mike vs. Sam--12-11-3(ties)
vs. Ron--19-1
vs. LT--17-0
vs. K--29-0

2.Sam vs. Ron--21-0-1
vs. LT--16-0
vs. K--29-0

3.Ron vs. LT--7-6
vs. K--14-8-1

4.Karl vs. LT--11-6-1

Team Matches:
Karl/Mike-8-3 over LT/Ron
Karl/Mike-2-0 over LT/Sam

Eagles:
1. 5 players tied with 0

Last Match Of 2009?

On perhaps the last match of the year, K,LT,S, and Mike traveled to Chickasaw GC on an exceptionally nice December day. While these four were enjoying a relaxing day at the links, Ron was protecting the free word from the evil duck. Thanks to Ron and men like him we can all sleep a little better at night knowing that there are a few less ducks out there. LT believing that the great comeback that team K/M made at The Tennessean earlier this year was a fluke, took on Sam as his partner for the second time. Although Sam has proved himself as a formidable opponent in matches against Mike, in his only match of the year competing against Karl, he was obviously unable to withstand the pressure and faultered on the back nine at The Tennessean allowing team K/M to win. The foursome was 7 over on hole #1, thanks to LT and K's triples. When Karl hit a 14 footer for birdie on the true putting greens on #4 team K/m went up 2. They were up 5 at the turn. K got his second birdie on #12, and when Mike birdied #13(after Karl made the find of the year on M's second shot), their team was up 9 and cruised on to victory. The loss left Sam without a victory in team play this year and it may be a while before we see team LT/S in action again. In the only head to head match of the day, K was able to build a 5 stroke lead after 12 and went on to win. It is doubtful that there will be another opportunity for any more play this year and the 2009 season perhaps has come to an end. In the very near future we will hope to publish all the stats for the year and of course voting for The Provisional Mulligan Cup winner will be voted on by all five of TFF at the end of the year. TFF would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and better golfing in 2010!!
Scores/Birdies
M-39/41-80-1
S-42/40-82-0
K-45/44-89-2
LT-48/47-95-0

Karl Considers Trade To The Saturday Fivesome

For the first time this year, TFF played on Saturday(Nov. 28th) and it was a great day for Karl who won 3 lunches. All 5 made the trip to Falcon Ridge. Team K/M giving 14 points, were down 1 after 2, but when they went up 1 after 4 they would never trail again. They were up 7 at the turn and closed the match out on #15. Mike's birdie on #3 allowed him to be even after 9 and up 1 on Sam who birdied #5. Mike doubled both 10 and 12, but was able to birdie 14. Sam was unable to make much of a charge but was able to pick up 1 and had to settle for another tie with Mike. Ron got off to a bad start but was the low man on the back with a 40 and was able to beat Mike(M gave R 10). LT started ok but had a bad back(actually it's a bad shoulder). Karl had a chance for a good score until his only double of the day on 13 was followed by a triple. However, Karl was all smiles as he won 3 meals and is undefeated this year in Saturday play.
Scores-Birdies:
M-36/43-79-2
S-37/42-79-1
K-41/44-85-0
R-46/40-86-0
LT-41/49-90-0
Notes of Interest:
K/M will give 15
M will give R 9 and they are even on lunches
R will give K 1 and R owes 1 lunch
K will give LT 2 and LT owes K 1 lunch