Congratulations to Michael Chanaud for winning the 58th annual Delaware Open, held Aug. 21-22 at Bear Trap Dunes in Ocean View. The former Canadian Tour player and current Peninsula Golf & Country Club staffer shot 65-67-69 for a -15 triumph, beating golf pro Braden Shattuck of Rolling Green Golf Club by two strokes.
Chanaud lives in Bear Trap Dunes, so perhaps he benefited from a bit of home cooking – not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Cape Region golf pros and amateurs also made their presence felt. In the pro category, Morgan Egloff of Bear Trap Dunes came in sixth, Kings Creek Country Club’s Chris Krueger tied for 11th, and Rehoboth Beach Country Club’s Chris Gray finished 15th. Jesse Williams of The Peninsula finished in 17th, Greyson Rossie of Heritage Shores in 18th and Andrew Hewitt of Cripple Creek Country Club in 20th.
Local amateurs who made the cut included Phillip Fenstermaker (Heritage Shores), Blake Micholas (Kings Creek CC) and Aiden McDermott (Bear Trap Dunes).
Corydon scores ace at RBCC’s 19th
Congratulations to Lesley Corydon for her hole in one during the Delaware Junior Golf Scholarship Fund tournament Aug. 28 at Rehoboth Beach Country Club.
The Kings Creek Country Club member used a 9-iron for her 77-yard shot at RBCC’s bayside par 3 19th hole.
Diane Riggins, Kathleen Williams and Stephanie Castaldi were her official witnesses. Corydon earned a nice tournament prize and a big round of applause at the post-round dinner.
Duncan on the putting green
LPGA Tour veteran Lindy Duncan will use whatever tools she can to improve her game.
During a practice putting session at the 2023 ShopRite, Duncan used a version of Aimpoint. She stood astride the predicted path, closed her eyes and attempted to feel the green slope with her feet.
She also used the Well Stroke system sold at WellPutt.com. The main component is a flexible mat that rolls up easily for transport and is secured to the putting green with tees. Her setup included optional Well Guides, two blocklike pieces that sit on top of the mat and restrict the putter path.
Printed imagery on the mat provided visible feedback to compare to her actual putting arc. Tee gates at the front edge increased the challenge.
Duncan set up the system and added a red chalk line from the mat edge toward the hole.
“I use what works for me,” Duncan said. “I tried but didn’t like the mirror systems. They would warp, get dinged, and reflected the sun, which didn’t help. As a pro you get the chance to try many things. I find what works for me in the off-season and go with it.”
Casey Johnson, a teaching pro and tour caddie, worked with Duncan during the ShopRite. “She’s very techie,” he said. Just as he told me this, Duncan pulled a measuring device out of a pocket and returned to her putting station.
Johnson said he calls Duncan Tin Cup, a reference to the Kevin Costner movie character who draped himself with a ridiculous combination of swing aids.
“If you don’t think some of these putting devices really help, take a look around here at what all these pros are using. Obviously works for them,” Johnson said.
Glove It
Glove It is an Arizona-based women’s golf accessories company with a 20-year history of offering bold, colorful, coordinated collections that appeal to a high-end segment of the golf market.
Products include golf bags, tote bags, hats, visors, gloves, shoe bags and towels.
Designer/owner Karen Gleason creates 10 to 12 print designs each year which are applied across each accessory item – think “matchy-matchy” on a major scale.
At the 2023 PGA Show, I met Anna Alva, the company’s marketing/product manager, who walked me through this year’s options.
One set of items celebrates Women’s Golf Day in May, featuring a bright red, white and black-accented checker pattern. The company is an international sponsor of the event.
Most print designs are bright and bold, but Alva also noted every year’s line includes a black/white print option. “Those stay very popular,” she said.
The accessories’ visual appeal is complemented by their actual utility. The golf bags include a 15-way club divider on top, with an in-bag beverage cooler tucked into the front bottom. The front panel for the ball pocket is a common location for club logos or other add-ons.
Alva said Glove-It products are sold at Troon and Invited (ClubCorp) golf courses, as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods and PGA Superstores. The direct-to-consumer market at glove it.com is also brisk.
Local club competition results
The Mulligan’s Pointe Ladies 18-Hole group played a Fewest Putts game Aug. 29.
Valerie Grib won the first division, with Terese Kane in second and Maxine Ansbach in third. Kathy Marks won the second division, followed by Susan Shockley in second and Kathy Hudak in third.
The Kings Creek CC Ladies 9-Hole group played a team Stableford game Aug. 29, won by Marie Murray, Sally Chamberlain, Beth Cohen and Terry Barrera.
Darci Whitehead, Tish Brey, Nancy Derrickson and Hope Lavachia came in second. Sandy Neverett, Deb Chase, Deb Hinderer and Juanita Wilson finished third.
-
Fritz Schranck has been writing about the Cape Region's golf community since 1999. Snippets, stories and anecdotes from his columns are included in his new book, "Hole By Hole: Golf Stories from Delaware's Cape Region and Beyond," which is available at the Cape Gazette offices, Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Biblion Books in Lewes, and local golf courses. His columns and book reviews are available at HoleByHole.com.
Contact Fritz by emailing fschranck@holebyhole.com.
