The Poplar Post – February/March 2025
The Poplar Creek Men's Golf Club Newsletter
February-March 2025
Issue 5
From the Editor
With the new year, we are once again plagued by slow play. At the Razzle-Dazzle, one group
finished 38 minutes behind the group in front of them. At the NCGA Four Ball qualifier, one group
was 26 minutes behind the group in front, another 23 minutes behind, a third group 18 minutes
behind.
What is so difficult about the concept of keeping up with the group in front of you. I don't care if you
are a walker or a rider, there is no reason why every group on the course can't finish within 10-12
minutes of the group in front of them.
Do your pre-shot routine while somebody else is playing. If the person who is away isn't ready, go
ahead and play your ball. Same thing on the greens. If you are 220 yards from the green and you
can't hit a ball more than 195 yards, why wait until the green clears, play away for God's sake. Use
continuous putting – no need to mark the first putt which is 18 inches from the hole.
This is a public service announcement. Slow players will be penalized at all future tournaments.
Period.
President's Message
It's February and the winter weather finally reared its ugly head. We almost made it through all of
January with no rain, but it came, and came strong. As frustrating as the rain is for planning
tournaments, it is greatly appreciated for the course and grass and filling of the ponds. The more
rain, the better we will be when Spring finally arrives. I know how much people hate playing lift,
clean & place (insert sarcastic face here)! Looking forward to seeing you all out there at a future
tournament!
Tournament Results
Razzle-Dazzle
On a bright sunny February day, 54 golfers played in this event which required the two-man teams
to play the first six holes as a scramble, the second six holes as an alternate shot format and the
final six holes as a better ball format. The flight winners were:
Flight 1
1st
2nd
3rd
Paul Montserrat
Thomas Montserrat
Dave Butzman
Arthur White
Jason Pollard
Joe Cioni
Flight 2
Flight 3
Sid Shimabuku
Allen Miyake
Mike Myers
Justin Rouspil
Mark Trapani
Robert Liedtke
Stephen Hillebrand
Bill Capote
Joshua Baltor
Kirk Hansen
Tim Cole
Alex Alvarez
Four Man Scramble
Twelve teams entered this event which required three drives and three second shots from each
player on the team. To contend, excellent putting was also required. The top three teams, with
scores of 19 under, 16 under and 15 under par were:
1ST
2nd
3rd
Steve Rush, Michael Brosnan, Pat Gavin and John Hardiman
John Edmondson, Manny Casillas, Scott Rehn and Roger Stanley
Walter Koning, Bradley Thaute, Wyatt Andersen and Mel Smith
NCGA Four Ball Qualifying Round
Brian Cresta and Tim Cleary will represent Poplar Creek in the NCGA Four-Ball Net Tournament as
they cruised around with 8 under par round on a wet course on February 8.
The top three teams in each flight:
Flight 1
1st
Brian Crest/Tim Cleary
Flight 2
Joe Canapa/Bob Liedtke
Flight 3
Mike Sevilla/Steve Rueda
2nd
3rd
John Edmondson/Manny
Casillas
Mel Smith/Sam Sanzeri
Armando Harris/Chris Harris Dave Delbon/Mike Ryan
Upcoming Tournaments
Marc Trapani/Tim Farr
Mike Brosnan/Steve Rush
Saturday February 22 – Beat the Pro, Prez and General Manager
Saturday March 15 – Qualifying Round for Match Play Tournament
Sunday March 16 – Match Play Tournament Round of 32
Saturday March 22 – Match Play Tournament Rounds of 16 and 8
Sunday March 23 – Match Play Tournament – Semi-Finals and Finals
Tuesday April 1 – Greens aeration
Saturday April 5 – Away tournament #1, course TBD
Saturday April 19 – NCGA Individual Net Tournament Qualifying Round
Saturday May 3 – NCGA Senior Four-Ball Net Qualifying Round
Saturday May 17 – 5 Club Tournament
Saturday May 31 – 1,2,3 Best Ball Tournament
Poplar Cup Standings
Through the end of January, the top five point-getters on the Poplar Cup Leader Board:
1. Joshua Balton
2. Steve Rueda
3. Kirk Hansen
4. Paul Pontserrat
5. Arthur White
550 points
530 points
510 points
480 points
470 points
Chip's Corner
The official unofficial opening of the season
By Chip in Time
Forget all of that Star Wars science fiction stuff, the real black hole is the time between Christmas
and the Spring Match Play tournament. There might be some minor diversions like New Years Eve,
The Puppy Bowl and National Beer Week in-between, but it is a dark time for the membership. The
course is under water, the bar is closed, we haven't seen Mel in months, it is a depressing time.
I had a long, one way, talk with the fat weatherman on channel 14, Telemundo, and asked for a drier
winter, longer drives and a lower scoring average. He shook his head in agreement with my every
point. It wasn't until Artie White told me he didn't speak English that I understood. In any language,
these are the simple wishes and desires of every PCGC member.
The Spring Match Play is official unofficial opening of our season. Granted, we have had some silly
season scrambles, Santa Ball and the Scott Rhen NCGA Freedom Festival. Free Scotty. The Match
Play is the break even race at Bay Meadows and the get right with your bookie Monday Night
Football game rolled into one. While the JPrez's , Walt the Web, and Hilde's of the world are easing
off the reigns on 16, the rest of us, The Bubble Boys, are grinding to make the cut.
A three putt on 17 makes the 18th especially harrowing. A gust of wind, a bad swing or a slam dunk
in the water can be the difference from making the cut or handing out scorecards the next day. It's
maddening, but it's the most exciting, nail biting time of the year. So settle in at Celia's, order
something cool and wait for the scores to come slowly in.
Rules Corner
Answer to last issue's poser. C. The player dropped under an inapplicable Rule. He is not
penalized, must abandon the dropped ball and proceed with the original ball.
Rule 14.5a – When a player has substituted another ball for the original ball when not allowed
under the Rules or the player's ball in play was replaced, dropped or placed (1) in a wrong way, (2) in
a wrong place or (3) or using a procedure that did not apply:
• The player may correct the mistake without penalty
• But this is allowed only before the ball is played.
This is called the eraser rule.
This month's poser.
In stroke play, Randy makes his first stroke from the teeing area of a short par-3 hole, which sails
over the putting green into heavy rough. His caddie, who had been positioned near the putting
green to watch the tee shots, immediately begins to search for the ball while Randy remains near
the teeing area. It quickly becomes evident that the caddie may not find the ball, so Randy drops
another ball inside the teeing area without saying anything. Prior to the three-minute search period
expiring, and prior to Randy making a stroke at the dropped ball, his caddie finds the tee shot.
Randy picks up the ball he dropped and proceeds to walk forward to the original ball. He chips it
onto the green and takes three putts to hole out and tees off on the next hole. What is Randy's
score for the hole?
A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. Randy is disqualified
Points to Ponder
You can hit a two-acre fairway 10% of the time and a two-inch branch 90% of the time.
English is full of funny contradictions: Found missing; open secret; liquid gas; small crowd; original
copies; pretty ugly; clearly misunderstood; jumbo shrimp.
If I never hit a green, why do I have to pay a green fee?
Recommended sign for third tee: After you hit your tee shot into the water, please proceed to the
Drop Zone