This weekend the Carroll Country Club was host to 144 of the best amateur golfers from around the state of Iowa. On Saturday afternoon I had the opportunity to spend a few hours watching the action. Saturday was a picture perfect golfing day and the fairways and greens of the Carroll Country Club were the perfect setting to spend a June afternoon. The course yielded an eight under par 63 from one of our own Carroll County boys, Johnny Schwaller who starred in several sports at Coon Rapids Bayard High School. For others a defenseless golf course that most thought would get taken advantage of started to show its true colors. The sun set on the first day of play with only a few rounds under par and some of the best players talking about the pin placements and speed of the greens.
Sunday brought a different day as some light rain and wind entered the picture. The sun did not shine much until late but the ole course shinned bright all day long. I spent nine hours driving around my favorite pasture on Sunday. My clubs were in my new Iowa Hawkeye golf bag safely tucked away in the bag room of my favorite clubhouse awaiting Tuesday night Supper league. It was me, an E-z-go golf cart and my bottle of Diet Mt Dew. As I drove around soaking in all of the action I saw some great golf from some of the best. Mike Eckerman’s good friend Gene Elliot who soon will turn 50 can still golf his golfing ball as he played in the final group. Younger local models like Kyler Ludwig, Tanner Ludwig, Kirby Pettitt and Scott Quandt also made that final cut of 20. Twenty time city champion Mike “Jewels” Eckerman and past city champion Terry "Wong" Olson tried to make the cut but the course had none of it.
From a 15 year old who had his cancer survivor Dad on the bag to college golfers to veterans of the game they all tried to tame her but in the end the real winner was the Carroll Country Club. As I drove around strategically positioning myself for the best view of the action in that final 18 a little grin started to form. I saw golfers baffled by the wind whose golf balls exited competition over the fences of holes 13 and 14 only to be found at a later time. I saw golfers taking gigantic swings out of the thick rough. I saw this years champion miss a short putt on 16 only to have a three footer coming back. The greens were nipped with speed in mind and the pins were placed to protect the integrity of the 89 year old.
In the end it took three extra holes to crown a champion. J.D. Anderson of Des Moines who has long been a solid golfer was the only one who was up to the challenge! Congratulations to J.D. and all of the golfers for providing me an afternoon of real enjoyment.
I reserve my biggest thank you for Jim Von Ahn and the entire grounds crew of the Carroll Country Club! Great job guys. I drove around on Sunday afternoon just waiting for someone to ask me if I was a member of this course. My answer would have been evident by the ear to ear smile on my face. I am proud to say that for the past 15 years I have had opportunity to be a member of this place that makes me smile so much and on this Sunday I certainly have never been prouder.
Respectfully submitted by a proud Carroll Country Club member!
Mike Franey
For all of the scores click here!
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