(Photo Credit: White Clay Creek driving range - the only place where anyone will feel good)

Greetings from the YPGA Executive Committee! With this preview gracing your computer screen or mobile device, you know that it is Major week on the YPGA Tour. After a long hiatus on the major calendar, the Tour takes to White Clay Creek in Newark, Delaware for the first time (and maybe last time)! Technically we’ll be in Wilmington, but brace yourselves for a trek closer to Newark. White Clay is a difficult test for the Tour who will have to deal with challenging course layouts, swift greens, and hazards at every turn. If the wind gusts off the Delaware River, it could be a bloodbath on the course for all. Should be fun!

Venmo Deposit to Grambo - $15 pp

Closest to the Pin - #17 (post pic to Telegram if you make it onto the green and par the hole)

Rule Change: Must Shotgun a beer to start the round on #1. If you cry about the Starter being there, shotgun 2 beers. No more shotguns at the turn. Reason for the change: fun.

Mulligans – 1 per 18 holes. MUST shotgun before the shot. No excuses or delays. If you are nervous about holding up a group, the Ranger, or otherwise, then don’t take a mulligan.

It’s the second half of the YPGA Season, let’s fucking go!

Preview:

White Clay will test everyone’s mettle this week. Most have yet to play the course and those that have, loathe every bit of it due to its difficulty. The frontrunners will be those that can minimize costly and compounding errors without trying to do too much. It will not be kind to the high handicapper looking to capitalize on their strokes. While he’s playing well as of late, his disdain for the course will leave Ed Grambo begging for the end of birthday month nestled up with his new girlfriend and a few Sea Isle Iced Teas. If he can somehow overcome the mental game, Ed could be in contention with his dazzling play as of late. Although, a shaky driver/iron combo at the recent golf outing has him second guessing himself. Vince J. Sobocinski, III is one to watch this weekend, not because of his golf game, but because he’ll be coming off a bachelor party bender in Philly, on a few hours of sleep, and we all know he does his best work while flirting with near death (see 2018 Myrtle Beach Trip). Paul Koch has flashed some of that 2017 magic lately and is he one to watch this week? This New Jerseyan, who now skis in his jeans, put up an impressive showing at the Bumble Cup. Maybe the endless strip malls of south Jersey are the change of scenery that Paul needed to right the ship.

Matt Kelly and Wayne Zimmer are two low handicappers that could take advantage this week with the higher handicappers putting up triples and quads on several select holes. Matt must take advantage this week to silence the pundits who say that his best days are behind him as rumors continue to swirl that he’s being courted by a rival tour. Hey, all the washed-up PGA Tour players are doing it, why not Matt? Wayne should be at the top of the leaderboard this week as the course suits him well. He will be able to hit long irons off the tee with precision and avoid the costly hazards that will be the bugaboo for the rest of the tour members who senselessly pull out driver no matter the cost. Approach shots will be the difference on whether Wayne will be holding up the $150 Dicks Gift Card at the end of the day.

Gerry and Carney are two players that could contend if they can get into a groove early. However, both have been MIA lately and who knows where their game is at. Gerry has been camping out in Yardley too much lately while Carney hasn’t touched a club in 6 weeks a la Dave King. However, both have the ability to linger around, string a few holes together and wind up in contention with a mid-80s score. We’ll see.

Matt Launi will be an interesting person to watch this week. The course does not set up well for his grinding game, but grinders grind, right? Somehow, he’ll find a way to scrape together a solid round, but he’ll likely end up in the low 90s and outside the top 3. However, something tells this writer that Matt will read this and rise above it.

It will likely be a tough and grueling day for Dave King, Nate Kraynak, Anthony Fucinari, Mike Patitucci, Greg Tag, and Mike Sabara. Dave has been rusty lately due to working closely with the Government Accountability Office, anticipating baby #3, and vacation. He’s at his worst when he hasn’t played in several weeks and it’s likely that’s the version that shows up Sunday. We’ve been waiting for Nate to burst onto the scene and drop his handicap, but it won’t be Sunday where tee shots need to be long and approach shots need to be precise – prove us wrong Nate. Anthony is just getting up to speed this year but with infrequent shows on Tour, he’s yet to find his rhythm. It would be best for him to temper his expectations, which should free him up to play better golf that he’s capable of. Patitooch, fresh off his nuptials, will try to do Patitooch things – bomb drives while looking fresh as ever in his dockers shorts and Slazenger shirt. Tucci is not a scrambler so it will be key for him to hit straight drives, no matter how far they go. Greg Taglialatela and Mike Sabara have big misses with their swings that could create big numbers on the course on Sunday. Tag’s key will be eliminating the slice off the tee, where Sabara’s key will be swinging the club with some authority. It will be critical for these players to play within themselves, play smart, and avoid the hazards at all costs. While it may be a long day, have fun guys! Drink all the beers and win some side cash. If they do that, one of these lads may surprise the rest of the tour and sneak into the top 3. Unfortunately, we don’t see any of these six players breaking 100 on Sunday.

Prediction:

1. Matt

2. Vince

3. Grambo

Groupings:

Group 1 (9:00am): Matt Kelly, Greg Tag, Anthony Fucinari

Group 2 (9:12am): Ed, Dave King, Mike Sabara

Group 3 (9:24am): Matt Launi, Gerry, Paul, Carney

Group 4 (9:36am): Vince, Nate, Wayne, and Patitucci