By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
The Faulconer Invitational is probably the biggest event held at the Lake Monticello golf course. It is already in the books, but the second biggest event is coming up on June 11 and 12. The men’s Member-Guest tournament is a two-day event that attracts 30 or 36 two-man teams. The event has an interesting format that makes every hole important. Teams play 27 holes on Saturday and 18 on Sunday. The event is flighted with six teams in each flight. Each team plays a nine-hole match against each of the other teams in its flight. Each hole counts for one point for the gross score and one point for the net score, with a bonus point for the winning team in the gross and the net.
At the end of the tournament, all teams have played 35 holes and have played all the teams in their flight. The points are totaled and a winning team is determined for each flight. Those winning teams then compete in a shoot-out on the 18th hole with golf pro Mark Marshall in charge. The team that wins the shoot-out is the overall champion. Since there is a team from each flight in the shoot-out., even the highest handicap teams have a chance to win it all.
Weekend tournaments are fairly common at the Lake Monticello course. One that has already been played is the first annual Swim or Swing tournament to benefit the Lake Monticello Swim Team. It was played on June 4. Upcoming on June 18 is the 43rd annual Lake Monticello Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad tournament. As are most tournaments, this is a one day 18-hole Captain’s Choice affair.
Another event of this type will be the Saints Peter and Paul RC Church Annual tournament. It is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 11. A different and more unusual tournament format is being used by Lake Monticello Community Foundation. It is conducting a tournament where the four player teams entered pick their time to play in the month of June. When the team comes in to play its round, it is given its scorecard, which must be turned in at the pro shop at the end of play.
The Lake Monticello course continues to offer, for senior men, the 18-hole Gray Foxes who play on Thursday morning and the nine-hole Gray Foxes who play on Friday morning. For women golfers there is a nine-hole league and an 18-hole league. They both play on Tuesday morning. The Pink Flamingos play on Wednesday afternoon. This is a low-key group for women who are just starting out at golf or who are returning to the links after a lay-off.
