Another Odyssey putter winner

The skills challenge at Rookery South continues as players try to win an Odyssey putter by placing their tee shots within a grip length of the hole on the par 3 ninth. If no one wins, a drawing is made from that month’s participants.

On Sept. 15, Rookery Director of Golf Butch Holtzclaw pulled Jim Flynn’s card from the hat. Flynn, from Elgin, Ill., is the brother-in-law of Rookery member Steve Byrnes. 

The contest continues this fall, including discount coupons for local businesses for those who participate. 

TourMark Grips

As the golf season winds down, now is a good opportunity for Cape Region golfers to have their clubs re-gripped.

Old, worn-out grips are often slippery, forcing the golfer to hold the club tighter to keep it from flying down the fairway. However, a tight grip wreaks havoc on maintaining an effective golf swing - even for the putter. 

The folks at TourMark Grips of Salem, S.C., are happy to help your pro find the right grip for your clubs, especially if you also like to have a little fun. In addition, the company’s grips are sold at major retail outlets, such as Golf Galaxy, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart. 

The company makes grips for Loudmouth Golf, in the same wild colors and print schemes made famous by that apparel company. Club grips retail for $9.99, while putter grips sell for $16.99 for regular size and $19.99 for the oversize variety.  

If you like to show off your team or school colors, you probably will be buying a TourMark grip. The oversize putter grips come in a selection of over 150 teams, including the NFL, MLB, NHL and NCAA (but not the University of Delaware, a real oversight in my humble opinion). There are also grips for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, along with over a dozen country grips, often in either regular or oversize.  

The company also does custom grips for events or companies, such as Budweiser or Ricoh.

At the PGA Merchandise Show in Florida, company President Brad Wallin proudly showed me two other grip designs. The Indigrip series uses original Australian indigenous art wrapped onto the putter grips. The Reverse Dimple grip series flips the usual grip design to a pebbly texture. Wallin said the design has several patents pending. Club grips using the RD technology retail for $9.99, with putter grips going for $19.99.

Wallin also showed me the magnetic end cap, including a patented retaining wall, into which a design-coordinated ball marker is inserted and easily slid out when needed. 

He sent me a Germany putter grip, and the pros at Rookery South put it on my backup putter. The grip is the stock size, in the colors of the current German flag. The ball marker fits snugly in the end cap, with a miniature German eagle in front of the black, red, and yellow background.

The grip is nicely soft and cleans easily. The ball marker was surprisingly handy, and its bright colors contrasted well against the green turf.

For more information about TourMark’s offerings, go to tourmarkgrips.com.

Selbyville Fire Company Tournament 

The Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company is holding its 10th annual golf tournament fundraiser Friday, Oct. 13, at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club.

The scramble format event has a shotgun start at 9 a.m. The entry fee of $90 per player/$360 per foursome includes greens fees, carts, lunch, door and raffle prizes, and beverages. 

Contact rgould@selbyville88.com for more information.  

DSGA Mid-Open results

The Delaware State Golf Association held its Mid-Open Championship Sept. 18 at the Bayside Resort course near Selbyville. Qualifying amateurs needed to have at least an 18.0 handicap index and be at least 30 years old.

Ed Brown of Rehoboth Beach Country Club tied for 20th place with his 81 on the challenging Nicklaus layout.

Sussex Pines Couples Tournament

Sussex Pines Golf Club held its Couples Tournament Sept. 23-24. Alan and JoAnn Foster won first place, with Ronald and Brenda Lewis taking second.

Local Club Competition Results

The Kings Creek Country Club Ladies 9-Hole group played an individual Tee to Green game Sept. 20, counting only the strokes made from each tee to each green.  

Carolyn Horn won first place with Sandy Neverett in second and Sue Eisenbrey in third. Neverett also won closest to the pin on the 11th hole.

The Kings Creek CC Ladies 18-hole group played their Tee to Green game Sept. 21. 

Donna Deely took first place in the first flight, followed by Katie Heintz in second and Judy Wetzel in third. 

Nancy Froome won first place in the second flight, with Kathy Casey in second and Sherry Pie in third. Pie also won closest to the pin on the eighth hole.

Sheree Mixell took first in the third flight, with Vicki Martina in second and Pattie Magee in third.

The Sussex Pines Ladies 18-Hole group played a better ball of 2 or 3 Sept. 26.

Carol Love, Susan Shockley, and Linda Townsend won first place. Sandy Harrison, Brenda Lewis, Dee Prillaman, and Hazel Pusey finished second.