Top 12 from the last 12 monthsA look back at the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Top 12 moments from the last 12 months.
JanuaryEarlier in the year, the Association upgraded its Erevision. The new electronic revision displays the information from your last 20 score postings – score, date, course, type, differential, etc. – as well as an individual’s home course handicap. Individuals can also post scores, view their handicap index history and print a membership card with the latest GHIN handicapping information. If you are not currently registered to receive your electronic Erevision, log in to your My GAP Locker, click update personal information tab, enter your email address, then click the subscriptions tab and click erevision to yes.
AprilThe Association and Golf Digest Publications partnered together to offer all Association Members a one-year complimentary subscription to Golf Digest, the world's No. 1 golf publication. The Association strives to help its Members increase the enjoyment of the game while perfecting their skills. And because of the GAP's new partnership with Golf Digest Publications, Members were able to do just that, compliments of the Association. If you are not currently registered to receive Golf Digest, log in to your My GAP Locker, click update personal information tab, enter your home address information, then click the subscriptions tab and click Golf Digest to yes.
MayTavistock Country Club’s No. 1 team returned to the top of the GAP Team Matches food chain for the fourth time in the last five years. Tavistock, whose course underwent renovations a year prior and was forced to play elsewhere, returned to the comforts of its home and defeated Commonwealth National GC, Huntsville GC and Yardley CC for another GAP Team Matches title. A couple of months later, Tavistock CC doubled its trophy count with a victory in the Philadelphia Team Championship. The first time a club has won both since Yardley CC did so in 2002.
JuneMichael McDermott of Merion GC, the Association’s dominant presence since 2000, exorcised the demons of Amateur’s past with a decisive, 6&4, victory over Cole Willcox of Philadelphia CC. McDermott, a then four-time Golf Association of Philadelphia William Hyndman, III Player of the Year and multiple-time Majors Champion, entered the season in search of an elusive Amateur Championship title. He found it with 3-month-old son Brad in attendance – at the clubhouse – the Saturday prior to Father’s Day. McDermott rocketed long drives, carved out delicate iron shots and converted key putts to take home his first J. Wood Platt Amateur Championship trophy. He would later earn a fifth Player of the Year award. Not bad for someone who battled a bum shoulder all year. At his Huntingdon Valley CC home, Robert Galbreath, Jr., earned his record fourth Junior Boys’ Championship with a, 4&2, victory over Russell Hartung of Doylestown CC. Galbreath’s heroics in the 94th Junior Boys’ moved him past prior record holder Meredith M. Jack of Merion Cricket Club, who won three Junior titles in consecutive fashion from 1914 to 1916.
JulyO. Gordon Brewer, Jr., of Pine Valley GC competed in three Golf Association of Philadelphia super-senior events and walked away with three titles. Brewer, already a legendary figure in the annals of the organization, added victories in the Chapman Cup (Gross), Senior Amateur Championship and Brewer Cup, yes, the event named in his sake, to his resume. In case you might have forgotten, Brewer, now 71, is a past two-time U.S. Senior Amateur Championship winner. Wow.
AugustWhen it comes to stroke play competition and you are choosing sides, there aren’t too many names ahead of Glenn Smeraglio’s. The long-time Golf Association of Philadelphia mainstay and Yardley CC member demonstrated that prowess once again in this year’s Joseph H. Patterson Cup. Smeraglio, who won the 1998 Patterson Cup, outlasted a determined Matthew Mattare of Saucon Valley CC and 113 others in the field, to become the second oldest winner of the event since 1969 when legendary figure William Hyndman, III, took the title. Smeraglio finished the two rounds at 5-under par after negotiating St. Davids GC and Waynesborough CC. The victory also enabled Smeraglio to register his third Silver Cross Award victory.
SeptemberJust minutes prior to a potential tournament winning putt, Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., watched his three-foot par save on No. 17 at The Springhaven Club trickle by the hole and drop him into a leaderboard log-jam with a handful of others. Now, he needed to hole a putt of similar length to the one he just missed on the 18th for the Senior Amateur Championship title. “Thankfully it went in,” he would later say with a smile. The putt put him one-shot in front of his five closest pursuers and gave Bartolacci his greatest victory in Golf Association of Philadelphia circles. Weeks later, Bartolacci would advance to match play of the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship to seal his first Senior Player of the Year title. Buddy Marucci finally claimed that elusive national title. Marucci, who fell to Tiger Woods in the 1995 U.S. Amateur in his only other national championship final appearance, defeated George Zahringer, 2-up, to win the 2008 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Marucci, the 2009 Walker Cup captain, never trailed in the championship match. Chris Lange of Overbrook GC advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Middle-Amateur Championship at Milwaukee Country Club on the strength of an amazing Round of 16 match with Steve White of Jackson, Wyo. Lange was 4-down after 13 holes but went 3-under par over the final seven holes to rally for the victory. The 19-hole, improbable, come-from-behind victory was Lange’s furthest advancement in 13 USGA Championship opportunities.
OctoberLegendary figures William Hyndman, III, J. Wood Platt and R. Jay Sigel comprised the Association’s inaugural Hall of Fame class. Sigel won five USGA National Championships and 19 Golf Association of Philadelphia Major titles. Hyndman earned two USGA National Championships and 21 GAP Majors. Platt won a record seven Amateurs and the inaugural U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. Platt also is the only two-time Association President and helped establish the Caddie Trust that bears his name. A pretty impressive group. Complete profiles are available on the Web site.
DecemberCongratulations to Philadelphia Country Club and Pine Valley Golf Club. Both clubs reached the $1 million mark in donations to the Platt Caddie Scholarship. The two joined Merion Golf Club in reaching the $1 million plateau. |
A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
