Men's intercity started its point-and-a-half phase of the season with its stop at Tan-Tar-A July 14. Young guns mixed it up with some of the best golfers from the Lake.
The course was The Oaks and conditions were excellent.
First place Dogwood Hills secured its lead with a 25 1/2-point sweep over last place Old Kinderhook. The DH golfers brought a 5-point lead into the contest.
Playing with Buescher for the first time this year was Martin Krulatz. Buescher and Krulatz lost by three in the pro flight to Dogwood Hills pro Rob Wilson and playing partner Gary Mitchell.
"The putts just stopped falling on the backside," Buescher said. "They were falling for me early on."
Also called in to help OK was former Lake of the Ozarks Junior Golf Association title holder and Camdenton Laker golfer Blake Kelley. Teaming up with Martin Krulatz's dad George, the OK pairing lost by a hole to Donnie Agro and Dick Ebling of DH. Kelley birdied the final three holes he played
The host team and defending league champs took advantage of the familiar turf and moved into second. Jumping over three other clubs, Tan-Tar-A faced Indian Rock and won by 27 1/2 points.
Winning the only match for IR by a hole was IR superintendent Chris Jackson and Ryan Jones over TTA director of golf Paul Leahy and club pro Bruce Phillips.
Rolling Hills picked up a point win over Eldon but dropped to third in the standings from second with 170 points.
Sitting tied in fourth with 167 1/4 points each are Seasons Ridge and Bear Creek Valley. The SR squad entered the day in sole possession of third, while BCV was in fourth alone. The two teams faced one another at The Oaks.
Losing by three was Dave Huntsman and Chad Crouch of SR to John Berry and BCV superintendent Jeff Sommerer.
"We just barely got beat, but it was fun," Crouch said. "The course was in really good shape."
Eldon, IR and OK remain unchanged in the standings. The OK gang now trails DH by 58 points.
Coming in to help out Eldon was former Class 3 state champion, LOJGA champ and University of Central Missouri golfer Matt Miller. Miller had an eagle-2 on No. 4, when he drove the 324-yard fairway and sank a 12-foot putt. He had a couple of more eagle opportunities as well, including on No. 10, the first hole he played with partner and Eldon assistant pro Rick Wilson.
"I played okay through spurts," Miller said. "The first seven holes I played pretty good, but then after that nothing special. I used to play these like a real tournament and lay up on shots, play it real serious and try to make a lot of pars. Now I just go for everything. I just hit driver every hole, every par-4."
The Eldon pro pairing finished tied with RH pro Steve Nolawski and Randy Washburn. It was the first intercity event for Washburn, who was filling in for RH superintendent Dennis Laufenberg.
"We were just patient and kept the ball in play," Nolawski said. "He (Randy) kept it in play and did great. That's kind of why, when Dennis couldn't play, I was kind of looking through the guys that wouldn't be bothered by other people, that could hit it straight and I knew he wouldn't be afraid to hit a driver anywhere out here. And I just kept my ball in play and hit hybrid every tee. I think I hit two drivers. Until the last hole I had 14 pars and three birdies."
It was one of three head-to-head matches to finish all-square, which included two in the matches between SR and BCV. The championship flight between SR and BCV finished tied.
"We were playing Jason Woods and Mike Snyder from Bear Creek. We had an 8-footer on the last hole
The teams have a rainout makeup match to be played at Indian Rock July 22.