Shaw New Club Champion
The 2016 Season opened with tumultuous outrage as loud and bombastic as the worst under the most scandal ridden of OCAGA Presidencies. Yes, the dark days before the OCAGA News came into existence and the Investigative Reporter, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting, came on the seen. At the first tee with fans and apparent player support, the call for resignation of the secretary once again surfaced. Scotty Shaw immediately entered the Wonder Woman Power Pose.
Power Pose
It raises testosterone and helped him exude confidence. He delivered a strong statement of defense for his entire administrative staff, unequivocally supporting his secretary. Shaw whose presidential campaign slogan was “I will Make this League Great Again” was seen by some critics as a narcissistic buffoon devoid of credentials necessary to serve as the president. His supporters of course see him as a breath of fresh air. Was it not Scotty who said, “Since we have to think anyway, why not think Big?” With huge winnings on the tour as a perennial SCAT gatherer and with a rapidly dropping handicap and increase in skill gathering huge side bet money, the big paychecks from Polish Beer commercials after taking the Tour Championship, Shaw clearly is not in need of lobbyist money. No one can say he was or is an “establishment” flunky. When asked point blank if his administration was scandalous, Shaw replied, “I am the club Champion and Everybody loves me!”
Memes began to show up on the Internet, for example this true quote from the Most Interesting Man in the World.
Most Interesting Man in the World
The OCAGA Investigative Reporter immediately began to seek answers. Shaw was known to have said, “ I like Mike O’Brien and think he should be able to move up to the senior tees. “ Was there a deal made with the owner of the Irish Pub? Why else would Shaw jeopardize his Zywiec Brewery contract?
Shaw not only proposed the changes but supposedly ordered his secretary to begin a surreptitious campaign to pass other new rules. Not only did they pass, almost immediately it became clear that many of the tour players may not have fully understood.
Questions began to emerge:
- Was the age 65 to move forward part of the deal because Phil Stocker was partner of the secretary in a 2012 Championship year at Emerald Links?
- Who decided players with a handicap under 20 could not move forward and why? The intrigue continues to grow now that a new (Duo) handicap system is in place.
- After the club voted unanimously to make Rich Antczak the Handicap Chairperson and use his system for those without GHIN handicaps, why did Rob Juliano attempt to subvert the process and create confusion by creating a competing system to the one managed by Antczak?
- OMG is Buechner the only person in an OCAGA leadership role who is not Polish?
The OCAGA Investigative Reporter did confront Bruno outside the Bistro and ask point blank if the Godfather has spoken recently with Juliano. Bruno said he could not recall?
What Socialism Does
Further investigations found that the Secretary was accused of leaning towards socialism by Trekkies who remember Captain Picard’s famous quote. Was the slow implementation of 2 handicap systems created to cause confusion?
The Polish Tavern old guard was outraged at the thought that anyone felt Art Czachorowski, after staying alive for so long , should be denied the opportunity to play from the senior tees. They claim that everyone over 80 has a “constitutional right,” according to the federalist papers, drowning out any verbiage from detractors with the growing popular, “Artski Sixtie” chant.
On April 17th, 2016, the OCAGA Tour finally opened at the Sand Barrens after two weeks of cancellation due to inclement weather. There was a slight murmur from a few fans about Chem Trails causing rain. Finally, it was actually a pleasant day and of course, stirred talk about making a later start a permanent part of the OCAGA season.
Marc and Mia Bohan were in the last group, transversing the course with Andy Swanson and the Doctor. Andy and LZ did their best to make it a match and were respectable on the front nine. With a Birdie on the second hole and another on the ninth however, Bohan made a statement to start the season. He placed a sweet 37 for the South track on the score card and followed with a 43 on the North. With 6 pars and 2 Birdies he easily won the first tournament. Lazarchick took second with an 87. Third place went to Art Czachorowski who moved up to the forward tee carrying a much higher handicap than in any of his championship years. Clearly the short game still had considerable sparkle. Charlie Ranucci placed 4th and John Buechner secured 5th place. Read, O’Brien, Juliano, Swanson and Shaw rounded out the top ten.
TREASURY REPORT
Art Czachorowski successfully closed out the bank account from Wells Fargo which was charging outrageous fees despite the loyalty of OCAGA. We are now in the Jersey Shore Federal Credit Union, a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative. They advertise, “Our doors are open to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers or attends school in Atlantic or Cape May counties.” Apparently Art convinced the local president that we play golf on Sundays religiously.
DECISIONS & CHANGES Meeting to be held at Emerald Links
Informal Vote: Members decided (not all were queried) any player over 80 could absolutely choose to play the forward tees regardless of handicap. If you object, say something at the next meeting.
Members will vote on whether or not any player can move to the forward tees at age 65, regardless of handicap. Currently for the senior tees we are using:
- Over 80 (Maybe that should be 70)
- Over 29 Handicap
- over 65 with over 19 handicap
Handicap Indexes will be listed the week before a tournament. Handicaps will be determined using the slope of the tee played at the tournament, reduced by the difference in Course Rating between Average tees and Senior tees .
Members will vote on lifting, raking and placing the balls that land in sand traps.
NEXT: Emerald Links
Ocean City Amateur Golf Association 