AND THE WINNERS WERE
HANSEN DAM G.C.-01/05/2012: In our opening event of the New Year the

Mr. Stone

leading money winners reverted to that age old adage "Birdies Beget Big Bucks". Jim Sabbe's blind-drawn birdie on the very first hole set the tone for his scintillating 74 Super Gross win and 29 Low Putts total that garnered him a big $60 payday. But then Bruce Simon bested that figure with $65 in earnings gleaned from his own solo birdie on Hole #6, the Porter Gross title shared with John Moskoff, and places in Net, Partners, and Putts. Mr. Moskoff earned his $52 with the birdie on the designated Hole #16, which he shared with Val Mayer, a runaway win in Low Net (66) and some other stuff. Half of the 20-player field collected some modicum of monetary rewards on a surprisingly pleasant mid-winter day. WESTLAKE G.C.-01/12/2012: our return to this Par 67 layout provided a more than adequate challenge for the level of play presently exhibited by our gradually graying membership. The best rounds of this day were matching 71's posted by Gordon Crook and Brian Oblak whereas our archives list an Oct 1997 pair of Super Gross winners, Crook and Jacobs, tied with sizzling 68's. The day's big bucks, some $64, went to Bob Stone whose 72 took the Porter Gross title and Low Net plus a solo birdie payout. Mr. Oblak claimed his $53 from the solo designated tweeter on tricky Hole #17 and his ties with Mr. Crook in both Super Gross and Low Putts. Mike Gannon showed up 3rd on the money list with 33 bucks gleaned from a solo birdie on Hole #10 and a 2nd place tie in Porter Gross with Jim Jacobs. Alas Gordon Crook's THREE birdies all remained in the hat and he settled for just $18. All told ELEVEN of the 18 players managed to collect at least some small pittance from the wager pots along with their fun day in the sun. CAMARILLO SPRINGS G.C.-01/19/2012: Mike Belson stunned the field and topped the money list at $38 with a dazzling 64 Low Net win, a Partners 1st place, and a birdie on the designated Hole #8 shared with Bob Stone and Bruce Simon. Mr. Belson was an obvious inspiration to his entire foursome as they all finished somewhere "in the money", Sam Strangis accounted for a solo $32 birdie, Jim Jacobs tied for Low Putts with another group's Maury Hurley and finally "Cat"Ballou slipped into the paymaster's line by pairing up with Jim Raymond for Partner's 2nd place. Low Gross of the Day, an 82 from whichever tees, was posted by Bob Stone in his winning effort for the Porter Low Gross Title. BALBOA G.C.-01/26/2012: Despite very mild weather conditions the course played surprisingly tough and yielded only FOUR birdied holes with none of those being the "designateds". The only solo birdie effort plucked from the hat was for a one-putt trey on the 380 yd, Hole #9 by Jim Jacobs which contributed heavily to his day's top dollar of $60 when coupled with his 2nds in both Porter Gross & Low Net plus the winning Partners entry team with Marilou Miller. The remaining two birdie payouts were both shared ones. Hole #3 boosted Brian Oblak's take home to $42 when added to his wins in both Super Gross & Low Putts. Tom Bower ($16) shared that Oblak birdie and it was Mike Gannon and Paul Venetos who split the tweeter on Hole #16 with Mike taking $40 from that and his Porter Gross title while Paul settled for $25 with added places in Partners & Putts. Mike Belson collected $23, making it two in a row by claiming the Low Net prize for the 2nd straight week.

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GIGS AND STUFF. . .
That ever busy actor Tom Bower,

Mr. Bower

who's been away from our Tour since October, has returned after completing film roles in Kentucky and then in the Monterey Bay area. Just to make us more envious Tom snuck in a round at daunting Spyglass Hill which he reports is a "really, really tough course!" Also while on that location Tom met up with former Thursday Group member and past "Shug" Champion, Steve Poletti who is doing quite well as a Real Estate tycoon in the Monterey Peninsula area and sends his regards to all the old gang. The LA Times Jan. 24 edition's Theater Review featured San Diego's Old Globe Theater production of Horton Foote's classic drama "Dividing the Estate".

Dean Hodges

Pictured were prominent cast members including former Thursday Group member Horton Foote, Jr. and his sister, Hallie. Both "pay touching homage to their deceased playwright father". Some of us may recall when that really nice guy, Horton, Jr., left us in the late '90's to further his acting career in NYC where he has also become a successful restaurateur in the Big Apple. Just ask Jim Raymond who has visited Horton's watering hole. -- The Memorial Tribute for Dean Hodges who passed away on January 4th, is planned for Saturday, February 4th at 2:00 PM at the Motion Picture & Television Country House Lounge - Jack H. Skirball Health Center 23388 Mulholland Drive Woodland Hills, CA 91364, (818) 876-1050 View Map -- Sadly, we must also report the passing of Bruce Howard, who died on Monday, January 30th from an apparent heart attack after a long illness. There will be a memorial on Saturday, Feb 11 at 4 p.m. at his home; 4171-B Colfax Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604 View Map. -- And finally, we have had reports that Absent Friend Howard Flynn has also passed on, however we do not have further details.

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