Welcome back to the golf season….Bud Light ready for a run to the championship…Fairway Frank and the Sticks look to repeat!

The first night of the 2012 Carroll Country Club Men’s Supper league is tonight and the weather looks to be fabulous. This year’s league is divided into four flights…US Open Flight, British Open Flight, Masters Flight and the PGA Flight. The Masters and the PGA will play each other to determine a winner in the Zach Johnson Division.The US Open Flight and the British Open Flight will play to determine a winner in the Phil Mickelson Division.

The two divisional winners will square off on August 28 to crown the 2012 Men’s Supper league Champion.

Here is my analysis of week one along with a few predictions.

2011 Men's Supper League Champions...Stiff Sticks!

The US Open Flight is where you find the 2011 champions Stiff Sticks. The Sticks look to ride on the shoulders of 2011 Papa Joe Classic Fairway Frank Comito to a second straight championship. The long time La-z-boys team is no longer so Bud One Jim Auen and Larry “Doc” Sporrer have found a new home with the Sticks.

The Sticks are the clear favorite in this division but may see some pressure from the former Subway team which now is Templeton Rye.

This publisher will wait to see if the farmer and the dog still have some magic in their bags.

Tonight’s line up in the US Open Flight:

Stiff Sticks vs. Byronz Boys, Juergens Lawn Care vs. Active Performance and Templeton Rye takes on Par.

Your Bud Light team is in the British Open Flight. 2008 and 2009 Papa Joe Champion Digger Dave Nelson returns to his old team which is now Champion Ford. Windstar Lines, Graddy’s Salsa and Badding Construction can all contend for this divisional title.

My favorite in this division is YOUR Bud Light team as they make their way to another championship with Graddy’s and Champion Ford in dead heat for second.

Tonight’s line up in the British Open Flight: Champion Ford vs. Badding Construction, Windstar vs. Tomato John’s Salsa Crew. Steve Sinnard will be subbing for the tomatoes after being benched for week 1 from your Bud Light team. Your Bud Light team starts the quest against par tonight.

In the Masters Flight of the Zach Johnson Division you will find two powerhouses in Carroll Cycle Center and Macke Motors. I give the nod to the cycles with their off season addition of Corey Bluml to take the crown in the Masters Flight.

Tonight in the Masters Flight:

Utilicomm draws the short straw tonight and takes on Carroll Cycle Center right out of the shoot. Greteman Chiropractic looks to adjust the bowing walls of WCI and Macke Motors plays par.

In the PGA Flight I look to Budweiser and Community Oil to be the front runners with lots of pressure from Carroll Glass and Carroll Broadcasting. One team in this flight does not even have a name so it is hard to consider them for the top spot. They spent a lot of time at the top last year only to settle for fourth by losing to the Soggy Subs in last year’s playoffs. In the end “This Bud’s for You.”

Tonight in the PGA Flight;

The two favorites tee off against each other as Budweiser takes on the head oil jobber Chico Kanne and Community Oil. Carroll Glass plays Brown Shoe Fit and Carroll Broadcasting plays the no namers. This match up will feature Uncle Pete Collison squaring off against nephew Colin Hackett.

Best of luck to all the teams this year. This year I will track the total points of all league golfers and will name the player who scored the most points this year. I have named the award Uncle Bruce's Player of Year.

Look for in depth coverage and analysis of all the action. I would like to welcome Jeff Bahr and the Brown Shoe Fit Company as a new birdie sponsor.

As always this Bud’s for you and On Iowa

Mike Franey

A Good one Gone!

We all lost a friend in the early morning hours of Monday, March 5th. At the early age of 58 Uncle Bruce Pettitt ended his courageous battle with the disease that has affected us all. My memories are many! From golf to bowling to just socializing.

With all of those memories abetted deep in my heart I have to say the one that I will never forget is the way that he fought the brutal disease that ended his life. He confronted the illness like the true gambler that he was. He always made the most of the hand he was dealt and this hand took his best poker face because I am sure that he was hurting more than anyone ever knew. He showed an unbelievable positive attitude during his last hand. There was none of the “poor me attitude.”

You see he was an unselfish friend who always greeted you with a smile and always asked about you first. On my visits to the hospital he enjoyed picking on the nurses and I know that they had just as much fun picking on him. Before each and every one of them left the room he thanked them for what they had just done.

As the beautifully written recap of his life in Wednesday’s Daily Times Herald Newspaper stated he was a competitor in every sense of the word. He competed as a professional bowler and always took pride in his 34 year consecutive journey to the National Bowling Tournament. He anchored bowling teams with the best bowlers from around the area as his teammates. Bowlers with names like Ware, Janning, Puffett, Riddle, Hackett, Louis and Franey(I can hear him laughing at the last one). If a double was needed in the tenth to win the game you might as well go to the bar and order another beer as you knew Bruce could and would take care of it.

On the golf course his competitive spirit continued on every round from a nine hole skins game to the club and city tournaments to the Papa Joe Classic to the Bill Franey Open. I honestly believe that he viewed his best time on the golf course was spent watching or caddying for his nieces or nephews. One of the last days that I visited him in the hospital he had his laptop on his tray table so he could follow Kirby in a tournament in Hawaii. He was very proud of all of you and I know that he appreciated how well you treated him.

Bruce’s true happiness was his Tricia Sue. I had the honor to be with Bruce at Tricia’s wedding in Nevada and I can tell you the thought and act of giving his daughter away was one of the hardest moments of his life. When Tricia and Scott decided it was time to have a child Grandpa Bruce was all in to spoil Zachary. You know something is really special out West when Bruce went to Las Vegas and did not even gamble.

He loved life, his family and his friends. He made the most of every minute even in his last days. I am proud to say that Bruce was my friend. As a gambler you know when to fold them and Bruce was ready to go start another game with his buddies Dave Auen and Chuck Ware.

Bruce I hope that all of your frames are perfect, all of your shots are straight and all of your hands are blackjacks.

Take care my friend and thank you!

Your friend,
Mike

Larry "Coach" Clark wins 2011 Public Service Award!

He thought he was coming to support his daughter! But what he did not know was his grandson Kyler would take the podium and on behalf of the thousands of people whose lives he has impacted it was his time to be recognized. Larry “Coach” Clark has influenced us all around these parts. Colin Hackett nominated Coach for the award based on his dedication to the youth.

In his heartfelt nomination Kyler looked out to the crowd of over 250 with a sense of pride as he told us why his Grandpa deserved the 2011 Carroll Chamber of Commerce Public Service Award.

From his 31 years of service to the Social Security Administration, his volunteering efforts for the Carroll area Kiwanis, Meals on Wheels, his numerous golf clinics and his 22 years leading the Kuemper golf team it was clear that this award fit him well.

In his nomination Hackett stated “Larry didn’t just make the teams successful he made the people successful as well!”

Kyler continued to tell the audience that Coach always preached about keeping a positive attitude and no matter what your successes are always remain humble.

What a great award given to a great recipient! Congratulations Coach!

Happy Holidays from Your Bud Light Team!

Golf league has been over for awhile and now the first snow fall of the year has blanketed the fairways and greens of the Carroll Country Club. In the spirit of the holiday season your Bud Light Team invites you to have some holiday cheer this Tuesday at the beautifully decorated Carroll Country Club.

The details are below and I hope to see all of you there.

6 p.m.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Carroll Country Club

Appetizers provided by the Bud Light Team

Cocktail Franks, Country Style Meat Balls Buffalo, Teriyaki, Sweet Chili Line Chicken Wings

Pizza (chef’s Choice) bite size

Bud Light and specialty beers will be 1/2 price!

Stop out this Tuesday and have some holiday cheer!

Fairway Frank's career round gives him the Papa Joe Classic victory!

Fairway Frank Comito was all smiles and rightly so as he pulled up to the scoreboard at Brooks National Golf Club late Thursday afternoon. Frank knew that he had just shot a career best 73 but the biggest news was yet come. Fairway's net 60 gave him an one shot victory over defending champion and law partner Jeff Minnich. Comito joins two time champion Digger Dave Nelson and defending Champion Jeff Minnich on the prestigious base of the Papa Joe Classic cup.

"I just didn't do anything wrong" Comito commented after the round. A tradition unlike no other saw Comito chug 12 ounces of Michelob Golden Light beer from the cup inside Bud's Pub.
Defending champion Jeff Minnich who filed an appeal about his handicap reduction Tuesday night in Dickinson County Court against the Papa Joe Classic board of directors finished second and Flying Bob Raue finished third. Minnich's appeal was promptly denied and another reduction of handicap is expected for next year.

Tournament host Papa Joe Pick was pleased with the exciting finish and complimented Minnich for being a gracious runner up. Tournament organizers would like to thank Brooks National Golf Course head golf professional John Bramblett and his staff for an excellent tournament. The leader board for the 16 golfer field is below.

Another great year with an exciting finish. Thanks to all who participated and see you next year!

Congratulations to Fairway Frank Comito your 2011 Papa Joe Classic Champion!

Respectively submitted by
Tournament Directer
Mike Franey

Stiff Sticks win 2011 Men's Supper League!

Fairway Frank Comito carried the Stiff Sticks to victory on the fairways and greens of the Carroll Country Club by smashing the tomatoes of Tomato John Gradoville. The winning team was Mike Nelson, Frank Comito, Chip Wittrock and Neal Cross.

The team of Tomato John Gradoville, Mike Loehr, Rick Grote and Nick Fangman finish second.

The team of Pat "Spanky" Vollstedt, Steve "Cuda" Quandt, Papa Joe Pick and Tom Duff finish in 3rd after beating the Commercial Savings Bank. Papa Joe Pick and Cuda Quandt were all smiles for beating the two younger Pick boys.

The Commercial Savings Bank team of Jay Westerkamp, Brad Pick, Dirk Glynn, Aaron Pick and Ryan Milligan spent a lot of weeks at the top only to settle for fourth.

Budweiser team leader Pat Malloy was presented the coach of year award by Bud One Jim Auen for reshaping the old Miller Lite team into a Supper league contender.

In a post round interview Malloy said "I would like to thank all the hard work of my team. Their dedication to the game really showed."

Paul Tigges and Brian Billmeier handed out umbrellas to Flying Bob Raue, Brad Pick, Scott Monical, Brian Widdel, Bob Muhlbauer, Aaron Pick and Tomato John Gradoville.

Low gross winners were Collin Hackett and Mike Nelson. Low net winners were the Carroll Cycle Center's head man Terry Ruchti and Monument Man Loren Boyce. Closest to the pin awards went to Brad Stork and Fairway Frank Comito. Longest putt award winners were Pat Macke and Jair Mayhall.

Thanks to Paul and Brian for their hard work organizing and running this year's league.

Stop out to your club and meet our new manager Carrie Swinney Riesberg. Welcome Carrie!

Best of luck to Captain Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes as they open their season this Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Please keep Uncle Bruce Pettitt in your thoughts and prayers as he continues to recover from his surgery. Hang in there UB we look forward to seeing you soon!

This summer has been challenging for the Franey household and we have gotten through it all because of the thoughts, prayers and help that we received from our family and friends. From the bottom of our hearts I would like to say thank you!

As always this Buds for you and On Iowa!

Mike

Scott Quandt wins 2011 Bill Franey Open

Even with a two shot lead on the final hole Scott Quandt of Carroll was not totally believing he could win his first Bill Franey Open at the Raccoon Valley Golf Course in Jefferson on Sunday. After two time champion Craig Mertz blistered his drive down the middle of the fairway on the closing hole Quandt turned to his caddie Carroll Country Club Golf Professional Paul Tigges and said “with my luck in this tournament he(referring to Mertz) will probably make it from there.” Quandt has finished in 2nd place four out the 1st five years of the tournament. Quandt’s winning score of 102 is the lowest 27 hole total in the history of the tournament. Quandt most recently won the club tournament at the Carroll Country Club and has a couple of other wins this summer. “It is good to see him finally break through and win. He is a solid player” said tournament director Mike Franey. After the round Quandt said “I love playing this tournament it is awesome.”


Two time champion Craig Mertz finished three shots back in second. Micah Destival finished in third with 106 and former Carroll Country Club professional Joe Ward was fourth with 107. Former champions Mike Eckerman, Wade Pettitt and Aaron Ahrendson were not in this year’s field.
The tournament named after Bill Franey, father of Mike Franey of Carroll who passed away in May of 2006 attracted 39 of the 72 players in the field. The tournament was formerly known as the Al Hoy Memorial, where Franey served as the tournament director for 25 years. In 2006 the board of directors of the golf course renamed the tournament the Bill Franey Open.

Proceeds from the tournament support a scholarship given annually to a student training to be an electric lineman at Northwest Community College in Sheldon. Franey was a lineman for the Midland Power Coop in Jefferson for 31 years and served as line superintendent for another 10 years.

All golfers played 18 holes with the low 16 players qualifying for a final championship nine holes. Joe Ward and Scott Quandt shared medalist honors in the final round with very impressive rounds of four under par 32.
Other Carroll golfers in the championship flight were Steve Sinnard 111, Lonny Lehrkamp, who was celebrating a birthday on Sunday, 111, Eric Buttenbach, formerly of Carroll, 111, Corey Bluml and Collin Hackett 113 and Nate Ward, formerly of Carroll 117.

Steve “Cuda” Quandt was second in the first flight and Wyatt Haukap finished in third with a 77. Others in the first flight were Bob Muhlbauer 78, Tony Pietig 78, Kuemper High School Senior Matt Gute 78, Adam Pick 78, John Dukes 79, John Weber 79. Mike Gute was second in the second flight with an 81 followed by Andy Reiman with a 82. Others in the second flight were Terry “Wong” Olson 83, Papa Joe Pick 83, Tim Gute 83, Pete Collison 83, Joe Cale 83, Frank Comito 84, Paul Tigges 84, Jon Hoffert 84, Steve Sapp 85, and Dave Nelson 85. Brad Stork placed 3rd in the 3rd flight with an 85. Others in the 3rd flight were Mike Franey 87, John Beiter 88, Mike Schulz 88, Pat Macke 88, Jim White 88 and Steve “Hans” Auen 89. Golfers in the fourth flight were Matt Lujano 93, Scott Tjaden 99, Mike McDermott 106 and Scott Kanne 112.

Champion Scott Quandt enjoys a photo with the girls of the Bill Franey Open.

Lonny Lehrkamp celebrated a birthday on Sunday at the Bill Franey Open.

Former Carroll Country Club Golf Professional Joe Ward finished in 4th with a final round 32 that tied Scott Quandt for medalist honors of the final round.

A big thank you to all who participated, volunteered or attended this year's event.

Thanks,
Mike Franey
Tournament Director
Bill Franey Open Golf Tournament