Missionaries Fall To "The Machine"

As Karl(with a K) strolled off #18, it started with a gentle murmur that crescendoed into a deafening roar: "M-V-P!!, M-V-P!!" The fan favorite at Falcon Ridge had this to say:"The fans love me here, until recently this course has treated the average blue collar fan well. Then they enclosed the pavilion behind #18 allowing only the elite to enter. It's been a personal agenda of mine to break down these windows and open the pavilion to everyone." Why would the fans be chanting MVP to a player who recently recorded a 115 on this very course? Well, we'll discuss that later, first let's recap the last couple of TFF matches.

Several weeks ago newly reinstated member to The Jackson Country Club, Mike, invited TFF to play there. The course was in pristine condition and well worth the $584 per round average Mike will pay to play there this year. All five of TFF made a rare appearance for the match. Karl got off to a slow start and was 8 over after 5 holes allowing team LT/R to take an early lead, however, "The Machine" as team K/M have become known as, began to click and were up 2 at the turn. They cruised on to victory closing out the match on #16. Mike and Sam battled to a tie at 80 while the "little 3" played close with Karl edging out LT and Ron with a long 28 foot par putt on #18 for an 86 to their 87's.

Scores/Birdies

M-40/40-80-1

S-41/39-80-1

K-46/40-86-1

LT-43/44-87-0

R-44/43-87-1(Ron had 8 5's on the front)



The following week M,LT,and R went to Jackson National, where team LT/R agreed to play team K/M giving K an 86 in his absence. Despite Mike's impressive 74(4 boggies and 2 birdies), it was the consistent play of Karl that once again carried "The Machine" to another victory. LT couldn't get his game going but when Ron holed his sand shot on #13 for his second birdie of the day, he was only 3 down to Mike and in great shape for a victory. However, a 4 putt Shotsky on #16 did Ron in and Mike went on to victory.

M-37/37-74-2

R-41/46-87-2

LT-45/46-91-0



Then last week fresh from their trip to Panama, Ron talked Sam into partnering up with him in place of LT and "The Missionaries" took on "The Machine". LT was absent once again, this time due to an alleged injury to his good shoulder ( it was really his bad shoulder until he hurt his good shoulder which made his bad shoulder his good shoulder, or something like that). There has been some speculation that perhaps LT has been practicing self-injury similar to many soldiers over the years who have injured themselves on purpose to avoid going to war. "The Missionaries" came out playing "inspired" golf and when Sam followed Ron's birdie on #3 with a birdie on #4, they went up 6 after only 4 holes. Once again. "The Machine" began to roll and picked up a point a hole on 5-9 to only be down 1 at the turn. Of note, it was the first time ever that all players broke 40. Although the match remained close, Karl's string of 11 straight pars on holes 2-12 helped carry "The Machine" to victory and with Ron's Shortsky on #16 "The Missionaries" didn't have a prayer. "The Machine" has become such a dominate team that there has been some discussion of a rule's change. Although no one has ever dared to consider changing "LT Rules" golf, "The Machine" may force the rule's committee, (Karl), to consider LT and Ron's plea for help. In the past, there have been players that were so dominate in their sport that rules were changed. Take basketball for example. When George Miken began to dominate the area around the basket to such a degree, the NBA widened the free throw lane and initiated the 3 second rule. When Wilt Chamberlain was in high school, and was shooting a free throw, he would stand at the top of the key, throw the ball up toward the basket, take 2 steps, jump toward the rim and dunk the ball. Basketball was forced to change the rules to state that a player cannot cross the plane of the free-throw line when shooting a free-throw. Then of course there was the "Alcindor Rule" which forbid dunking in college games. After Lew graduated the rule was rescinded and the dunk was once again allowed. Has "The Machine" reached the point of dominance that rules must be changed? In the next match, team K/M must give 18, if they win what happens next? Do they give 2 strokes on the #1 handicap? TFF rules committee has decided at this time to continue the usual adjustable wager, but will be open to discussion if the points go beyond 18. After the match, when Karl was asked about his 37 stroke improvement from his last round at Falcon Ridge(over 2 strokes a hole improvement), he had this to say: "All you can ask for in golf is consistency and as long as I'm in the 78-115 range, I'll be happy." After the match, the four dined at the newly opened Coyote Blues where Sam was forced to buy Karl's lunch.

M-37/38-75

S-38/38-76-1

K-37/41-78

R-37/47-84-1