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The format for this year changed from afternoon play after the 18-hole two-man best ball medal play to morning play. The matches were all Match Play with different formats for each day.
At the Saturday Night opening banquet the two captains were chosen by blind draw. Calvin Reeves and I were drawn to captain the two teams. Teal and Aqua - Calvin got Teal; Karl got Aqua. We then drew players alternately with me first. We tried to draw equal players from the, B, C, and D categories. The teams were selected and the first matches were singles with blind draw opponents from each team. By the luck of the draw and by excellent play of our team, we won the first matches with a team score of 8 1/2 to 5 1/2 giving us a three point lead.
The leading team after the first day is required to post it's twosomes so that the trailing team can try to obtain some measure of advantage by matching those players against the posted parings. I selected those players that I knew from experience played well together and supported one another. These parings - Don Hagen & Frank Keller, Ed Millett & Ed Aronson, Bob Evans & Bill Wagner, Karl Reid & Bernie Rarick, Jon York & Ben Davis, Joe Osier & Gene Gates, Mike Smiley & Roy Swartwood seemed to be naturals and the second day matches also proved to be successful with the Aqua winning 5 to 2 increasing the lead to six points.
The third day matches were twosome scrambles where, after discussing with my teammates, I decided to keep the same winning teams. In Bernie's and my match against Calvin and Jack Reeves, both Bernie and I played over our heads sinking 4 long putts while Cal and Jack both played consistently well but couldn't make the putts they needed to win. It started at the par three 16th hole to a green guarded on the left by a sand trap and fronted with a lake. It played 160 yards that day with the best Bernie and I able to do was a tee shot to the left trap. Jack hit his tee shot about 8 feet from the pin and the putt was made for a birdie to win the hole. The 17th was won by Bernie sinking a 12-foot putt for a birdie to even the match. Jack and Calvin reached the 18th with their ball on the front of the green. Bernie and I were on the left front, short of the green and having to hit close to the trap on the left. Bernie chipped up short and I chipped long with the ball going off the green while both Cal and Jack putted within 2 feet of the cup with their putts conceded. Bernie putted with the ball missing the hole on the right. After seeing the line of Bernie's putt, I was able to get the putt on about the right line with the ball dying at the hole and just dropping in from the right lip for a half and the match continued even. The next four holes were halved with me again sinking a long putt on 13. Both teams reached the green in 3 on the par 5 14' with Bernie and me having a side hill 8 footer for birdie and Cal and Jack having a down hill 5 footer for birdie. Bernie made the putt and this gave us a one-hole advantage which we maintained on the 15"' and final hole with a par for a half of the hole and a win of the match. Again the Aqua team won by 5 to 2 increasing the lead to 9 points.
Wednesdays matches were the scotch twosomes where Phil Millett and Jim Chambers waxed Bernie and me. However the rest of the team did well winning the matches 4 1/2 to 2 1/2 increasing the lead to 11 with a total of 25 points needed to win the Townsend Cup and with our team now standing with 23 points.
Thursdays matches were the closest vet with some very tough matches going down to the wire on the 9th hole and with the Aqua team winning by 7 1/2 to 6 1/2 for a final score of 30 1/2 to 18 1/2. Although the final score was not close, I believe that the teams were evenly matched with the combined handicaps being almost equal. Many matches were half and many went down to the last hole. I feel that two of my matches were equal or matches we should have lost but we were lucky when we had to be. I know my opposing captain, Calvin Reeves did his best in selecting his team and motivating his players. He performed as a perfect gentleman always.
Whatever happens in the future with the Townsend Cup, I know that I have had some of my best golf memories here.
Karl Reid
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