FALL PRO-PRO BETTER BALL
EVENT PARTNERS
(Kurt Mantyla, Jim Gaugert of Harris Golf Cars & Dan Hoffman)
The Wisconsin PGA continued to work its way through the stretch run of the season on Monday, as the Fall Pro-Pro Better Ball visited Brown Deer Park GC. Thirty teams enjoyed a sunny fall day, but gusty winds and the thick lush rough gave the players quite the challenge.
Tackling the former home of the Greater Milwaukee Open the best were the squads of Kurt Mantyla and Dan Hoffman, plus Doug Mortola and Mark Voeller. Each twosome was able to post a 5-under-par 66 in the four-ball format to earn a spot in the hole-by-hole playoff for the title.
With an extra $260 on the line and bragging rights over their fellow members, the playoff would kick off on hole no. 1. After long distance birdie chances that did not go down, it was on to the par-4 2nd.
The 411 yard hole features one of the trickiest greens on the course and the playoff proved that once again. Both Voeller and Hoffman watched short par putts barely miss, resulting in matching bogeys.
The par-3 3rd would next produce two of the best birdie chances of the playoff but again the putts would not fall.
After those close calls the par-5 4th would deliver the fireworks and a conclusion. With all four players having missed the green of the 483 yard hole in two, it was now down to a short game competition. Playing first from the left greenside bunker, Hoffman hit a low gliding sand shot that hit the front edge of the green, and from there the ball kept rolling until it found the hole for an eagle 3. After unsuccessful chances to match by Voeller and Mortola, the celebration was on. A dramatic ending to the playoff, between friends and fellow PGA members.
For the 4th year in a row the fall professional partner events featured a fun side competition. This year’s Fall Pro-Pro Better Ball featured the Birdie or Better Your Bonus Hole game. Each team in the event drew a random hole number. It was then up to them to try to make birdie or better on that particular hole. If they ended up doing so they would split the $750 pot with any other team that did the same.
Earning an extra $125 per team by successfully converting on their bonus hole were – Weber & Scherer (#12), Hasteiter & Zonski (#17), Kelly & Laird (#9), Samuelian & Hertel (#2), Voeller & Mortola (#3) and Kunash & Jimenez (#16).
With the help of Cyndi Millspaugh the day also gave players the chance to take home some prizes home for closest to the pin and longest drive contests. Earning those items were,
Closest to the Pin – Matt Taken (#3), David Roesch (#5), Mike Aschenbach (#7), Shannon Morehouse (#11) and Craig Czerniejewski (#14)
Longest Drive in the Fairway – Tiffany Simons (#6) and Jeremy Cabalka (#10)
A day full of fun and competition would not have been possible without the help of our event partners. A big thank you goes out to Scott Harris & Jim Gaugert (Harris Golf Cars) and also Cyndi Millspaugh (Antigua & Sterling Cut Glass) for everything they added to the event to make it a great day.
The WPGA would also like to thank Brown Deer Park GC and their staff for their support. The course was in great shape after the weekend rain, and it also provided a glimpse of the nice updates to the facility over the past few years.