Crump Cup Redux

[Aaron Katz]

I've never seen Pine Valley, so I'm strongly considering attending the Crump Cup's final round this year.  I'm in Boston, which I guess is about 5 hours away or so.  I doubt that I'll travel to NJ or Phildadelphia until that Sunday morning, unless it's strongly advised to get a cheap hotel in the Clementon area.  

Is there a benefit to getting to the course early in the morning, or would I get the same experience if I showed up a little before noon?  I'd like to see some of the play, of course, but I'm more interested in having time to walk the course in relative tranquility, even if that means spending time on the front nine while play has progressed to the back side, and vice versa.

[Voytek Wilczak]

I think they open the gates for the public at 1 pm.

I'd call'em to confirm.

[wsmorrison]

Aaron,

When the gates open at 1pm, you'll have several hours to study the golf course--there's a lot to take in but this is a great start.  I think it is better to study the golf course this way than play it even though there are few thrills in golf that match playing PVGC.  

To really understand how to play the course, it might just be even better to watch Chet, Jim and Jamie playing it!  The nerve of the Crump Cup scheduling their tournament during the Flynn Invitational at Philadelphia Country.  Oh well, it makes the field at the Crump Cup that much stronger with Chet and Jim skipping the Flynn for the Crump  

[Mike Hoak]

According to the individual I spoke with on the phone at Pine Valley, the final match will begin at approximately 1:00 and the public will be allowed onto the grounds at that time.  They were uncertain when the shuttle buses from the Clementon Amusement Park parking lot would begin.  This service is run by the Clementon Little League and the club did not have specific information on the details.

[Voytek Wilczak]

I'd say it's safe to be at the Clementon Amusement Park at 12:30.

[Dan Herrmann]

So - who else is going on Sept 16, 2007?

Should there be a meet-up spot/time?

(The Eagles are playing on Monday this week)

[Andy Scanlon]

Dan:

I may go.  If I do, I'll shoot you a pm next week and we can set up a time/place to meet.

Andy

[wsmorrison]

I'm on the fence.  I'm playing golf that morning, but I'll try to get over there for a meet and greet.

[Doug Bolls]

I'll give this a bump.  I just made reservations to fly up from DFW on Sun AM and plan to walk PV in the afternoon.  I have never been there either, so it should be a great treat.  I may go out and buy a new camera for this event.
Will be happy to meet with anyone else.
Doug
Aaron - email me - maybe we can share a hotel room.

[JeffTodd]

I may go out and buy a new camera for this event.

Sadly, cameras have never been permitted in the past, and I wouldn't expect that rule to change.

[Voytek Wilczak]

I will be there, weather permitting.

Last year it was pouring in the morning, and I wimped out and decided not to drive all the way from North Jersey. It cleared in the afternoon and those attending had the course pretty much to themselves.

I'd love to hook up with GCA'ers and walk the course. It never gets old.

[Dan Herrmann]

I also love how the members act as marshalls of sort.  Very friendly and very proud.  Fortunately, they know what a special place PV is.

I got a good laugh out of the mayor a couple of years ago.  We were walking toward #3 green, and I asked him if they  Pine Valley was a dry (no liquor sales) boro.

Yes, I knew that Pine Valley boro exists because the surrounding town is dry

[Mike Benham]

With the Crump starting today, anyone know who is playing?  Did the Walker Cuppers get invites?

[Dan Herrmann]

Mike - check out http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20070913_Pine_Valley_moves_Crump_Cup_to_this_week.html

(It's copyrighted, so I just pasted the link)

[Mike Benham]

Thanks ... anyone know how many total players there are?

[Voytek Wilczak]

So the weather is going to be perfect tomorrow. Sunshine and slightly cool temperatures.

Is anybody hooking up?

[TEPaul]

" ... anyone know how many total players there are?"

Mike:

The Crump Cup generally invites around 100 maybe a bit more.

I think these days there are now two days (two rounds) of qualifying into maybe five flights of 16 including a seniors division.

With that obviously not everybody qualifies into the tournament.

The first flight or championship flight is the only one in which you can win the Crump Cup. My recollection is that something around 73 or 74 could make the Championship flight so that would translate into something like 146 or so now.

Match play starts today and ends tomorrow afternoon after four rounds per flight.

The Crump used to be reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer but I don't see anything in the paper today about who qualified into which flight. The Inquirer, in my opinion, has become a really awful newspaper.

It would be great to see someone on this site qualify into the championship flight and do well. A few years ago Jamie Slonis made it into the finals on Sunday afternoon.

The interesting thing about Pine Valley and the Crump Cup is even some of the true national amateurs in the event don't always make the championship flight simply because of those infamous "others" and the inherent danger in the Crump Cup "setup".

That makes the tournament pretty interesting because even if you don't make the championship flight you never know who the hell you may be playing in the lower flights.

The first year I played in it I qualified in the flight just below the championship flight and who did I run into in the first round? None other than Jay Sigel who I think won the Crump Cup nine times before he eventually went out on the PGA Senior tour.

Speaking of that---there are a number of members at Pine Valley who are professionals.

I think it would be pretty interesting if the Crump Cup just opened the tournament up to all members including those professionals and just ran the tournament as a form of club and invitee "Open".

It would be pretty cool to see someone like Slonis or Chet Walsh (who are registered on this website) run into a Brad Faxon or a Nick Price in the finals of the Crump Cup.  

[TEPaul]

The idea of clubs or even regional associations running a form of an "Open" invitational tournament where even tour players may compete for whatever reason has always interested me.

It would be no different than a club, for instance, allowing any professional golfers who may be members to play in their club championship.

Some clubs like Old Marsh have done that were Norman, for instance, played.

At the GAP we created a tournament called the "Deeg" in memory of Davis Sezna's son who was killed in 9/11. It was created as a junior/mentor tournament. Davis wanted to include even some tour pros simply because of personal associations or connections with them.

Some pessimists may say---Oh a tour pro would never compete in something like that because there's no money in it for him.

I don't believe that for a moment. I think some of them definitely would have like Price, Darren Clarke etc if it fit their schedule.

Can you imagine belonging to a club where Tiger Woods was a member and running into him in the finals of the club championship?

How cool would that be?  

[Michael Blake]

I'll be there tomorrow.


Followed an interesting group last year (or maybe 2 yrs ago) not in the championship flight....Buddy Maurucci, Trip Kuene, and Jerry Chang...forgot the 4th guy.

[George Pazin]

The idea of clubs or even regional associations running a form of an "Open" invitational tournament where even tour players may compete for whatever reason has always interested me.

It would be no different than a club, for instance, allowing any professional golfers who may be members to play in their club championship.

Some clubs like Old Marsh have done that were Norman, for instance, played.

At the GAP we created a tournament called the "Deeg" in memory of Davis Sezna's son who was killed in 9/11. It was created as a junior/mentor tournament. Davis wanted to include even some tour pros simply because of personal associations or connections with them.

Some pessimists may say---Oh a tour pro would never compete in something like that because there's no money in it for him.

I don't believe that for a moment. I think some of them definitely would have like Price, Darren Clarke etc if it fit their schedule.

Can you imagine belonging to a club where Tiger Woods was a member and running into him in the finals of the club championship?

How cool would that be?  

Tom, I recently read an interview with Geoff Ogilvy, who is a member out at Whisper Rock (I think - the one Phil assisted in the design in Scottsdale) and he said he has competed in club championships out there - and hasn't won one yet! There are numerous other tour pros that are members there.

Pretty tough club championship, when a US Open champ can't win.

[Anthony Butler]

The first year I played in it I qualified in the flight just below the championship flight and who did I run into in the first round? None other than Jay Sigel who I think won the Crump Cup nine times before he eventually went out on the PGA Senior tour.

Would you mind telling us what hole the match ended on Tom?

[Dan Herrmann]

So the weather is going to be perfect tomorrow. Sunshine and slightly cool temperatures.

Is anybody hooking up?

Laura and I will be at the front gate, hopefully around 12:45.  I'll have a beige-colored Philadelphia Open hat on with a Pine Valley logo on the side.

We could also have a spot where GCA'ers could meet - say at 2pm.  How about the windmill?

How's that sound - Windmill ('halfway house') at 2pm?

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I'll be out there and I will be sure to look for you.

[TEPaul]

"Would you mind telling us what hole the match ended on Tom?"

No Anthony, I wouldn't mind telling you at all. The match ended on the 12th hole!!!

I've only been beaten that bad one other time---by one of the local pros in an annual tournament that was called the Ping Challenge Match which was a GAP tournament between a team of GAP amateurs and a team of local Philadelphia area pros. That time Johnny Appleget beat me at Chester Valley on the 12th hole.

That Sigel match at the Crump actually got pretty bizarre because after actually beating me on the 12th green he tried to concede the match to me as we walked back down the 12th hole.

I think I said; "Ah, Jay, I don't believe you can do that under the Rules of Golf", but that's what he did and as I recall I continued to play in that flight the next day but, I might add, not without a certain amount of controversy ensuing over that strange concession.      

 

[Dan Herrmann]

Remember - if you're going tomorrow - no cell phones, no cameras, etc...

It'll be a bit cool for mid-september - perfect weather!