Toletti and DeStasio compete in state tournament
Two of Cape Henlopen High School’s best varsity golfers for this season tried their best in the first round of the 2012 state golf championship, held May 29 at Wild Quail Golf and Country Club near Wyoming.
This was a first-time experience for sophomore Elsa Toletti and freshman Mike DeStasio. Toletti began her round at 8:58 a.m., while DeStasio started his round at 12:28 p.m.
Head golf coach Claudio Smarrelli said the heat and humidity took their toll on both of his players. “They were so excited to play this event with high-caliber players. They became very emotional and exhausted. They both had a poor day with putting. Elsa lipped out five holes, and Michael missed a short birdie and a few pars,” he said.
Despite the conditions, Toletti shot an 85, about four strokes above her handicap. DeStasio shot a 91. Neither golfer made the cut to continue playing in the second round of the tournament.
Smarrelli said, “It has been an experience and privilege to coach [Toletti], an exchange student representing France. Think for a moment. This young girl played many rounds on unfamiliar golf courses, and was medalist four times.”
Varsity golf was a completely new experience for Toletti. Her golf competitions in France are based on club events and amateur tournaments, with no similar scholastic sports opportunities as she enjoyed during her year at Cape.
Her golfing talents did not go unnoticed. Smarrelli told me that Toletti is being honored with an All-Conference selection.
In addition, DeStasio also earned honorable mention for the Henlopen Conference, something very few Cape freshmen have ever been awarded.
Both young golfers are expected to compete in this year’s Rehoboth Beach Junior Open, scheduled for Monday, June 18, at Rehoboth Beach Country Club.
Local club competition results
The Kings Creek Country Club Ladies 9- and 18-hole golf groups both held their weekly rounds May 24.
The 9-Holers played individual low net, and Kathy Nave won first place. Evelyn Diggs took second. Nave also won the closest to the pin contest.
The 18-Holers played a 2, 1, 1 team-based game. Julie Dickson, Patricia Magee, Ana Dittel and Donna Hilderley earned first-place honors. Second place went to Anita Pettitt, Dorrie Spilman, Mardee Corbett and Betsy Alwood. Finishing in third place was the team of Jan Howard, Ann Bailey, Nadine Carrick and Terry Derville.
Spilman won the closest to the pin contest on the 11th hole with an approach that finished eight feet away.
The Dormie Club
Our third round during this year’s Golf Writers Association of America Tournament took place at The Dormie Club, a few miles outside Pinehurst, N.C.
Designed by Bill Coore and Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, this naturalistic design winds its way among the pines and rolling terrain. Their work in creating this course, which opened in May 2010, led to the assignment for them to rework Pinehurst No. 2 in time for the 2014 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Opens.
The Dormie Club seems to play to Crenshaw’s own playing strengths, with swooping greens and extremely wide fairways, with no rough.
That width is deceiving, however. Balls landing on the sloped fairways tend to roll toward the edges at every opportunity. Placing tee shots at the preferred approach locations is not easy. The lack of rough also means that very little will stop a bouncing or rolling golf ball from entering the sometimes thick stands of trees.
Putting from off the green is recommended on several holes. Very few holes demand a flight onto the green. Bump and run shots, when successful, are a lot of fun.
The club offers both caddies and forecaddies, and I recommend the modest investment. I saved several strokes by taking the advice of my caddie, Doug Christenson.
