2014 Phosphate Feathery -- MINIMALISTS DEFEAT MACRAYNORS

[Roger Wolfe]

Howard,

I would be interested in golf only if you have room!

[Howard Riefs]

Howard,

I would be interested in golf only if you have room!

Perfect.  I now have you down to join us as 'golf only.'

[Howard Riefs]

We have a signed contract!

As I relayed via email: Everyone who is confirmed to stay on-site at Streamsong is required to pay a $300 non-refundable deposit to the resort by Friday, July 5. (If you need to cancel, we can try to transfer it to another person if they sign up at a future date.) 

Unlike the 2013 trip, this time around, you will remit the deposit directly to the resort; I learned my lesson in serving as the middle man last time. Following are the key steps:

1)   Call 863.428.1000
2)   Ask for "Reservations"
3)   Tell them that you're with the "Riefs" group (March 13-16, 2014)
4)   Provide your name and credit card information.  They have a list of the group staying on site and the room assignments. 
5)   Send me an email to tell me that you paid your deposit. 

Lastly, I had Streamsong set aside an additional 10 spots for golfers beyond those who already confirmed to attend (staying on-site or off-site). If anyone is still interested in attending, we still have the flexibility to add you. You can stay on-site in the Lodge (single or double) at our negotiated rate or off-site. Just let me know if you want additional details.   

[Howard Riefs]

In light of the "Streamsong summer" thread...

A bump for those new to GCA who may prefer to visit Steamsong in Florida's more temperate month of March.

We still have spots available for those who want to stay on property in the hotel or off-property.  Just let me know if you're interested and I can share details. 

[Howard Riefs]

A bump for those looking at calendars for 2014 golf trips and realize that you want to join what will be another great outing to Streamsong. 

We can still fit others in this group. Just let me know if you want more info.

[Matt Glore]

Can you email me pricing- very interested
Mglore5@gmail.com

[Howard Riefs]

Can you email me pricing- very interested
Mglore5@gmail.com

Super. Just sent.

[Pete Buczkowski]

Howard - If I can sign up for golf only on Saturday, or act as a standby in case there is a cancellation, please sign me up.  Thanks!

[Howard Riefs]

Howard - If I can sign up for golf only on Saturday, or act as a standby in case there is a cancellation, please sign me up.  Thanks!

Good to hear.  I added you for golf only on Saturday. 

[Howard Riefs]

A couple items...

First things first:  We have an event name!
 
The Phosphate Feathery

Thanks to Jud for the recommendation.
 
Now for the housekeeping items…
 
* Available Spots – We still have some available spots for those who want to attend – be it staying on the property or elsewhere in the area.  Additionally, one participant, Charlie Dusic, unfortunately had to drop due to a family obligation.  As he already paid his non-refundable deposit, I really like to have another person join us so that we can transfer the deposit, and Charlie can get reimburse.  Let me know if you or a friend may want to attend.
 
* Car Rentals – The pricing for car rentals from both Orlando and Tampa airports seem to be higher than last year by about 30 percent.  Be sure to lock in your rates now and, if possible, try to join up with others on the trip to reduce per/head costs.  Another tactic, which I did last year, was to make a reservation in advance and a week prior secure a better rate via Priceline when the car rental companies had extra inventory to unload.
 
* Flights – For those who are flying, once you have your flight information, please share it with me or log it in the Google Docs spreadsheet. Besides my tendency to keep track of everything, it will also help others who want to share a rental car.
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhSw3jD90uARdHhPXzNndG1vajJlRnpFX1JzRXpKakE#gid=0
 
Any questions?  Let me know. 

[Howard Riefs]

Two weeks and counting!

Can't wait.

[Powell Arms]

With the temperatures at Streamsong about eighty (80 !) degrees warmer than Chicago and Philly tomorrow, Feb 28, "can't wait" may be the understatement of the year

[Howard Riefs]

Finally, another Chicagoan to attend the Feathery -- in part. The esteemed Steve Salmen will join us for 36 holes on Friday.

UPDATE: 2/27/2014

DATE: Thursday, March 13 to Sunday, March 16, 2014. That’s the first weekend after daylight savings.


Clubhouse, Single Occupancy
Powell Arms
Steve Wilson
Jon Byron
Mark Glatz

Clubhouse, Double Occupancy
Howard Riefs
Michael Wharton-Palmer
Michael Whitaker
Craig Disher
Bill Brightly
Jim Brightly
Chris Hufnagel
Matt Schmidt

Lodge, Single Occupancy
Jon Stein
Peter Le
Mark Dawejko
Wayne Freeman
Terry Peters
Mike Miller
Bryan Izatt
Jerry McElroy

Lodge, Double Occupancy
Gene Farrell
Ron Kluwe

Golf only
Steve Salmen (Friday am/pm)
Riefs' special guest (Saturday pm/Sunday am)
Pete B (TBD - Saturday only)

[Howard Riefs]

We’re almost ready for the 2014 Phosphate Feathery and the matches between the Minimalists & MacRaynors!

Following are the rules of the road, the teams as selected by Captains Brightly and Powell (big thanks!), and the opening matches.  

1.  FORMAT:
Four matches:
    - Friday morning: Fourball (Red course)
    - Friday afternoon: Fourball (Blue course)
    - Saturday morning: Fourball (Blue course)
    - Saturday afternoon: Singles (Red course)
[Thursday afternoon (Blue course) and Sunday morning (Red course) are open play and won’t count in the competition.]

2. HANDICAPS:
Each match will play off the lowest handicap and adjust accordingly for the players. Streamsong will help with keeping score with provide scorecards for each match that have handicaps for players (e.g., who strokes when.)

3. TEES:
You can choose any tee to play for yourself. No one will be forced to play from a longer tee than what they are comfortable with.  After you arrive at the resort and play your opening round, please notify your team captain which tee you plan to play so that they can help create better matches.  

4. TEAM SIZES:
We have 22 people staying all three nights and playing the various rounds. The group of Farrell, Freeman and Kluwe won’t be participating in the competition. Therefore, we’ll have a team of 10 (Minimalists) and a team of 9 (MacRaynors) playing all four competitive rounds. We’ll also have Steve Salmen playing both rounds on Friday for the MacRaynors team, and I have a guest playing the Saturday afternoon for the MacRaynors team. Therefore, we’ll have even teams of 10 for all but Saturday morning, as of now.  If those numbers hold, the team captains and I will determine how to handle the imbalanced numbers for that round.

5.  TEAM ROSTERS:
Without further adieu…

Minimalists
  +2.1 - Michael Wharton-Palmer
    2.5 - Matt Schmidt
    6.8 - Jon Stein
    8.9 - Mark Glatz
  10.4 - Powell Arms (Captain)
  12.1 - Mike Miller
  12.5 - Jerry McElroy
  13.4 - Mark Dawejko
  13.7 - Howard Riefs
  18.0 - Steve Wilson

MacRaynors
    4.5 - Bill Brightly (Captain)
    5.5 - Peter Le
    8.8 - Jon Byron
    8.8 - Chris Hufnagel
    9.5 - Mike Whitaker
  10.7 - Jim Brightly
  10.8 - Bryan Izatt
  11.3 - Terry Peters
  13.4 - Craig Disher


6. FRIDAY MORNING MATCHES

Not Competing  – 7:30 a.m.
Farrell
Freeman
Kluwe

Match 1 – 7:40 a.m.
Minimalists : Stein (6.8 ) & McElroy (12.5)
MacRaynors:  Le (5.5) & Izatt (10.8 )

Match 2 – 7:50 a.m.
Minimalists :  Riefs (13.7) & Wharton-Palmer (+2.1)
MacRaynors: Whitaker (9.5) & Peters (11.3)

Match 3 – 8:00 a.m.
Minimalists :   Miller (12.1) & Wilson (18.0)
MacRaynors: Hufnagel (8.8 ) & Byron (8.8 )

Match 4 – 8:10 a.m.
Minimalists :  Dawejko (13.4) & Glatz (8.9)
MacRaynors:  Salmen (2.3) & Disher (13.4)

Match 5 – 8:20 a.m.
Minimalists:   Arms (10.4) & Schmidt (2.5)
MacRaynors:   B. Brightly (4.5) & J. Brightly (10.7)

7. SUBSEQUENT MATCHES:
The captains will determine the pairings for future matches once at the resort.


If you have any questions, please let me know!

[Bill Brightly]

How fitting: I am staying in Seth Raynor's room!

For those on the MacRaynor team, be prepared to tell me your top 3 courses by Macdonald, Raynor or Banks, as well your favorite template hole.
Bonus questions: who finished Fishers Island? What subject did Charles Banks teach? What was Banks first solo design?

For the Minimalists, we'd like to know where the most dirt was moved on each course.

[Powell Arms]

...
For the Minimalists, we'd like to know where the most dirt was moved on each course.

Over there

[Powell Arms]

Looking forward to a great trip with great company!

Howard, thank you for your tireless efforts to organize this (and us!)

[Bill Brightly]

To the participants:

Hey guys. In honor of our team names, on Friday morning the Minimalists will wear plain white shirts and the MacRaynors will wear their favorite loud/bold golf shirts.


While may of us are golf course architecture nuts who hang out on GCA.COM, I realize that some of you are just normal guys who love golf. So just a word about our team names, in case you are wondering what the hell they mean.

MacRaynors are golf courses built by C.B. Macdonald or his top assistant Seth Raynor, or one of Raynor’s assistants: Charles Banks or Ralph Barton. The courses are known for “template” holes with features inspired by the greatest courses in Europe. The holes are named Redan, Biarritz, Road Hole, Cape, Short and Alps, to name a few. Macdonald’s National Golf Links was the first truly great course in the US, and it inspired a great transformation in golf course construction in the US. In my opinion, it forced Tillinghast, Mackenzie and Ross to step up their game and come up with the great courses they built.

Minimalists are named after golf course architects who try to “take what the land gives them” and move as little dirt as possible. Or at least make it look like little earth was moved. Current architects Tom Doak and Coore & Crenshaw, the designers of the Streamsong courses,  represent minimalism at its best. While Doak and Bill Coore respect some of the best MacRaynor courses, they really do not care for what they believe is a formula approach to golf course construction. They disdain what they would call a “manufactured” look and might say that the “templates” have been “forced upon the land” and the best possible golf holes were not built.

Macdonald, Raynor and Banks built some of the greatest playing fields of golf, and the courses are much loved today.  The Minimalists’ sniping has insulted the MacRaynors. We will arrive in Florida ready to defend our honor!

Bill

[John Kavanaugh]

The architects may be minimalists but there are still a dozen template holes on the property.

[Bill_McBride]

The architects may be minimalists but there are still a dozen template holes on the property.

Red 16 Biarritz.  What else?

[Howard Riefs]

UPDATE..........
(Also emailed to participants)


TEE TIMES, PAIRINGS, MATCHES

Thursday, March 13
     Red Course
      1:30 p.m.  –  Arms, Dawejko, Glatz, Miller
      1:40 p.m.  –  Hufnagel, Riefs, Schmidt, Wharton-Palmer
      1:50 p.m.  –  Izatt, Le, McElroy, Stein
      2:00 p.m.  –  Byron, Peters, Wilson
      2:10 p.m.  –  B. Brightly, J. Brightly, Disher, Whitaker


Friday, March 14
    Blue Course
      7:55 a.m.  –  Farrell, Freeman, Kluwe
      8:05 a.m.  –  McElroy, Stein vs. Izatt, Le
      8:15 a.m.  –  Riefs, Wharton-Palmer vs. Peters, Whitaker
      8:25 a.m.  –  Miller, Wilson vs. Byron, Hufnagel
      8:35 a.m.  –  Dawejko, Glatz vs. Disher, Salmen
      8:45 a.m. –  Arms, Schmidt vs. B. Brightly and J. Brightly

    Red Course
      1:30 p.m.  –  Farrell, Freeman, Kluwe
      1:40 p.m.  –  McElroy, Wilson vs. Izatt, Le
      1:50 p.m.  –  Miller, Dawejko vs. Peters, Whitaker
      2:00 p.m.  –  Riefs, Schmidt vs. Hufnagel, Salmen
      2:10 p.m.  –  Arms, Stein vs. Disher, J. Brightly
      2:20 p.m.  –  Glatz, Wharton-Palmer vs. B. Brightly, Byron

Saturday, March 15
     Red Course
      8:00 a.m.  –  Dawejko, Schmidt vs. Disher, Whitaker
      8:10 a.m.  –  Glatz, McElroy vs. Izatt, Peters
      8:20 a.m.  –  Riefs, Stein vs. Hufnagel, Le
      8:30 a.m.  –  Arms, Wharton-Palmer vs. B. Brightly, J. Brightly
      8:40 a.m.  –  Miller, Wilson vs.Byron, TBD
      8:50 a.m.  –  Farrell, Freeman, Kluwe

     Blue Course
      1:35 p.m.  –  Miller vs. Peters; Glatz vs. Whitaker
      1:45 p.m.  –  Wilson vs. Disher; Wharton-Palmer vs. Le
      1:55 p.m.  –  McElroy vs. J. Brightly; Dawejko vs. Izatt
      2:05 p.m.  –  Schmidt vs. Hufnagel; Stein vs. Byron
      2:15 p.m.  –  Arms vs. B. Brightly; Riefs vs. TBD
      2:25 p.m.  –  Farrell, Freeman, Kluwe

Sunday, March 16
     Blue Course
      7:35 a.m.  –  Hufnagel, Le, Riefs, Schmidt
      7:45 a.m.  –  Arms, Dawejko, Glatz, Miller
      7:55 a.m.  –  B. Brightly, J. Brightly, Wilson
      8:05 a.m.  –  Byron, Disher, Peters, Whitaker
      8:15 a.m.  –  Farrell, Freeman, Kluwe


MATCHES – RULES OF THE ROAD

1.  FORMAT
Four Rounds of Matches between the Minimalists and MacRaynors teams:
•   Friday morning: Fourball (Blue course)
•   Friday afternoon: Fourball (Red course)
•   Saturday morning: Fourball (Red course)
•   Saturday afternoon: Singles (Blue course)
       Thursday afternoon (Red Course) and Sunday morning (Blue Course) are open play, and won’t count in the competition


2. TEAMS
•   22 people attending the Phosphate Feathery
•   Farrell, Freeman and Kluwe group not participating in the competition
•   Teams of 10 (Minimalists) and 9 (MacRaynors) playing all four competitive rounds
•   Steve Salmen playing both rounds on Friday for the MacRaynors team, and (hopefully) TBD player on Saturday to provide even teams

Minimalists
+2.1 - Michael Wharton-Palmer
    2.5 - Matt Schmidt
    6.8 - Jon Stein
    8.9 - Mark Glatz
  10.4 - Powell Arms
  12.1 - Mike Miller
  12.5 - Jerry McElroy
  13.4 - Mark Dawejko
  13.7 - Howard Riefs
  18.0 - Steve Wilson

MacRaynors
    4.5 - Bill Brightly
    5.5 - Peter Le
    8.8 - Jon Byron
    8.8 - Chris Hufnagel
    9.5 - Mike Whitaker
  10.7 - Jim Brightly
  10.8 - Bryan Izatt
  11.3 - Terry Peters
  13.4 - Craig Disher

Guest participants:
    2.3 - Steve Salmen (Friday)
    TBD (Saturday)


3. SCORING
•   Three points awarded per match:
•   1 point – front 9
•   1 point – back 9
•   1 point – overall 18
•   Total of 25 matches and 75 points available
•   38 points wins competition
 

4. HANDICAPS
Each match will play off the lowest handicap and others to be adjusted accordingly
 

5. TEES
Players can choose any tee to play and won’t be forced to play from a longer tee than comfortable playing


6.  ATTIRE
Recommended attire for Friday’s opening rounds:
•   Minimalists – White shirt
•   MacRaynors – “Bold, loud” shirt


7. FRIENDLY WAGER
•   (REDACTED….)


8. SOCIAL MEDIA
Play-by-play commentary, smack talk and celebratory photos encouraged; tag with #Feathery2014

[Eric Smith]

Wishing you all good weather and good times this weekend down at Streamsong Resort. A big thank you too to Howard for putting the event together. Well done, sir!

p.s. Be sure to take lots of pics!

[Josh Tarble]

8. SOCIAL MEDIA
Play-by-play commentary, smack talk and celebratory photos encouraged; tag with #Feathery2014

Please do post plenty on social media.  Look forward to following along and living vicariously.

[BHoover]

Please provide us with real-time updates and lots of photos. Keep us apprised of wagers, and maybe even some "what's in the bag" photos ala GolfWRX.

[Steve Salmen]

Howard,

Thank you for setting up such a great event.  It was very nice of you to find space for me to join in for Friday.  It was the first time I played golf at Streamsong and I hope to return.  The matches were fun and the company could not have been nicer.  I look forward to seeing you Tuesday evening.

Kind Regards,

Steve