Here we go.......Defending Champions under new ownership.......Hawkeye Spring Banquet!

Welcome to the 2013 golf season! Although it feels like fall league the Men’s Supper League is scheduled to start soon.


Mother Nature and the entire Men’s Supper League must be scared of YOUR Bud Light team as league night signup was delayed a week and Mother Nature just won’t let Spring happen. Your Bud Light team is locked and loaded again to chase the championship crown. As the new Bud Light slogan states….Here we go!

Before we start the golf season I want to give a big shout out to Carrie, Dave, Dave and the entire staff for making Thursday nights so enjoyable this past winter. Great work and great fun!

It looks like we have several new members this year. When you see a new member at the club stop and take the time to welcome them to our family.

Breaking News!!!!

Defending 2012 Supper League champions Templeton Rye will officially be Mid Iowa Team this year under a new sponsorship agreement. The execution and validation of winning back to back championships is something that the defending champs are looking for. Team captain Papa Joe Pick commented on the new sponsorship at the team’s media day by saying “We are proud to be under the Mid Iowa umbrella and look forward to the consulting arrangement with team owner Mike Franey to insure our repeat as Men’s Supper League champions.”

In his statement about the agreement Franey commented “I believe that this is a win – win for everyone. It is a performance based agreement and Mid Iowa has a first right of refusal to the team’s rights for the upcoming years.” The financial details of the agreement were not released. Denny Kasperbauer will not be playing for the defending champs this year. Ed “Catfish” Tomka will play for the new Mid Iowa Team.

In other golf news sources close to the organization reports that the most mature supper league team Macke Motors is struggling for team members. It looks like last ditch effort may keep the team together.

Last year Bob Pudenz won the Uncle Bruce Player of the Year award named after long time friend to us all Bruce Pettitt. This year it has been tweaked a little to be the Uncle Bruce Player of the Week. The award will be chosen weekly by the editorial staff of the Franey Golf Report. 

The Carroll Area I-Club spring banquet will be Thursday, May 9th in Arcadia. Hope to see you there!

As always this Bud's for you and On Iowa!

Mike Franey
Bud Light Championship Captain

Remembering Uncle Bruce on the 1 year anniversary!

Last year on Thursday March 8th tears filled my eyes as I wrote one of the most emotional blog posts ever. I was writing about losing our friend Uncle Bruce Pettitt. Take time today to think about your most memorable time with Bruce. Miss you my friend!

If you missed it here is last year's post..........

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

Another packed house.....winner not present....excellent food!

The parking lot was full of cars again last night at the Carroll Country Club as members sat on the edge of their seats in anticipation of winning the $475 prize. A big cheer rattled the window panes as long time Carroll Country Club members Pat and Carlene Moehn were announced. It was quickly determined that Moehn's had missed their chance of claiming their prize. Clubhouse manager Carrie Swinney loudly proclaimed that next weeks drawing would be worth a record high $500. There was a tie for the trivia winners between the Pettitt table and the Fangman/Ruchti/Duff/Bluml table. After the contest blood tests showed that there were no illegal doping activities so the prize money was paid to the winners. Trivia has become wildly popular and thanks goes to Carrie  for all of your work with researching the weekly questions!

Todd, Pam and Kirby Pettitt along with trivia guru "Flesh" Welcome Home Kirb!

Nick and Lisa Fangman/Head Hog Terry Ruchti/Chamber President Tom Duff and Sharon Duff/Linda Bluml





It is going to be a great day with warmer temperatures in Carroll Iowa today!

Happy Friday to all!

Mike

Show me the money! NOT! Happy Friday!

Around 100 Carroll Country Club members were hoping to hear their name called last night and have the honor of screaming aloud "Show me the Money." Not so fast as Carrie Swinney announced Matt Hinners and he was not in the house. A loud roar followed as members cheered that the pot would increase to $475 for next week.

Thursday nights have been resurrected by the introduction of trivia and a $25 drawing that has carried over for 18 weeks or so. Long time members say of the crowded clubhouse  "This is just like Thursdays back in the good old days." Let's keep it going and as they say at the Carroll Cycle Center "It's your time enjoy the ride."

It is great to see everyone enjoying their club! People came from as far away as Westside as Matt and Jenna Lujano were on hand. Tom Duff, Denny Kasperbauer and Papa Joe Pick from the 2012 Men's Supper League Championship team Templeton Rye were present. Captain Randy Bierl, Flying Bob Raue, Handicap extraordinaire Jeff Minnich and Car Wash Todd Pettitt were proudly representing the runner ups of Macke Motors. In only 115 days your Bud Light team will tee it up with sites on another supper league championship. Spring training updates will be released as they come available.  

Happy Birthday has been sung the past few weeks to members celebrating birthdays. Last night the worlds favorite song was sung for the head oil jobber Chico Kanne. Larry Schenkelberg celebrated a few weeks past and my wife Lynda celebrated one week ago with the help from some of her friends. Happy Birthday to all.

Plan to come out next Thursday to enjoy some great food and a chance to win $475.

Get your tickets now for the dinner theatre on February 1st and 2nd. Thanks to Jim and Barron for clearing more of the parking lot for last night. What a great problem to have.

Thanks for Norm Schulz for organizing and administering the football bowl pool. Here are the lucky winners. 

 Football Results- (There was a three way tie for first place)

3 people only had 11 wrong so based on their tie breaker answers these are the following winners


1st place winner- Lon Diers

2nd and 3rd place (tie)- Larry Schenkelberg and Elise Pick


Last place- The person with the most answers wrong was Howard Drees. Maybe he should have consulted Pat?   See you at the club!

As always "This Bud's for You" and ON IOWA!

Happy Friday everyone!

Mike



  

1st Annual Bet on Uncle Bruce event a huge success. Puffett bowls two perfect games. Happy Birthday Bruce!



It was a great day celebrating the life of Bruce Pettitt while doing three of his favorite hobbies.....golfing, bowling and gambling. The day was perfectly thought out by the Pettitt family. The day was even more special by the fact that it was Bruce's birthday and he would have been 59. It was apparent during the singing of "Happy Birthday" that the participants were not going to qualify for "The Voice." Eighteen teams of four started bowling at the Carroll Bowl and then proceeded over to the Carroll Country Club for a stroll around the front nine.

Want a shirt? Call the car wash at 792-9994 to order

One of Uncle Bruce's biggest bowling rivals Jeff Puffett dominated the nine pin tournament by posting two perfect 300 games that received loud cheers from the packed house.


The girls toasting with Puff after a perfect 300 game!

After the golf the teams returned back to the Carroll Bowl to enjoy some good times along with a silent auction, door prizes and sharing memories of Bruce.

The champs!

Chad Kanne, Brad Stork, Kevin Forke and Nic Volquartsen took the title as the 1st Bet on Uncle Bruce Champions!

Thanks to the Pettitt family for inviting us to celebrate with them. Thanks to the staffs of the Caroll Bowl and the Carroll Country Club. A big thank you to all of the sponsors including the title sponsor Pettitt's Highway 30 Car Wash!

Mark your calendars for another great day next year as we double down on Bruce again. 

As always this bud's for you and ON IOWA!

Happy Birthday my friend!

Mike



Now there is one.....Templeton Rye....On Iowa.....Pudenz wins Uncle Bruce award!

Congratulations to the Champs.....Templeton Rye!

They all gathered on the first tee of the Carroll Country Club with dreams of becoming champions of the 2012 Supper League. It was like a heavy weight fight as they starred each other down and decided who would play who. Both teams are veterans of Supper League with polished characters on each side. Macke Motors featured Captain Randy Bierl, Car Wash Todd Pettitt, Handicap extraordinaire Jeff Minnich and Flying Bob Raue. Their opponents were just as colorful...Produce Tom Duff, Diamond Denny Kasperbauer, Papa Joe Pick and the one and only Junkyard Dog Steve "Cuda" Quandt.

2012 Supper League Runner ups!

As a title match should it all came down to the last hole. Both teams played well and in the end the whiskeys of Templeton Rye prevailed over the motors. The farmer and dog beat Flying Bob and Car Wash. Denny Kasperbauer upset Jeff Minnich and Randy Bierl was the only winner for the runner ups with a victory over Tom Duff.

Both teams should be commended for their sportsmanship in the championship match and both could have won this close one.

Congratulations to Templeton Rye on winning the 2012 Men's Supper League!

Cheers to the Champs!

GPS Bob Pudenz won the inaugural Uncle Bruce Player of the year award.

Champion Ford beat Community Oil for third place!

A big thank you from this report goes out to Paul and Wade and their staff. Carrie, bar manager Dave and all of the staff and Dave along with everyone in the kitchen. It was a great league year and thanks for all of your hard work.

It is that time of year that loyal Iowans make their trip to eastern Iowa to historic Kinnick Stadium. I wish everyone safe travels if they are traveling to the game! I hope that it is a good game and as each and everyone one of you expected my feelings about the game are below!

 

Think of me on Saturday as I will have my brother in law John Dukes with me at the game. Everyone knows what an adventure that can be!

As always this Bud's for you and ON IOWA!

Mike Franey

Brett Abbotts wins 2012 Bill Franey Open!



2012 champion Brett Abbotts, Shirley Franey & Mike Franey



He found the memorial tournament listed on the Iowa Golf Association website so he decided to sign up and make the forty minute drive from Ames to Jefferson on Sunday. With drives in excess of 300 yards Abbotts carved his way around the fairways and greens of the Raccoon Valley Golf Course just south of Jefferson to win the 2012 Bill Franey Open. The twenty five year old 6th grade special education teacher at Southeast Polk took a five shot lead into the championship nine and never looked back. He finished with a seven under par 101 total for twenty seven holes which was good enough to beat two time champion Craig Mertz by four. His individual nine hole scores were 32 - 31- 38. The 101 total was the lowest winning score since the tournament's name was changed seven years ago.

Golf is in the family for Abbotts as his dad is in the Ontario Golf Association Hall of Fame. He played his college golf for Dakota Wesleyan in White Lakes, South Dakota where he received a four year golf scholarship. When he is not in the classroom he works at Copper Creek Golf Course in Pleasant Hill. Just a week before coming to Jefferson he finished a strong fourth in the Ames City Tournament. He labeled himself a "recreational golfer." With his long drives, soft touch around the greens and solid putting stroke he is now labeled a Bill Franey Open Champion. "These greens are so smooth and putt great" Abbotts said.

Two time champion Craig Mertz finished four shots back at 105 and one shot ahead of Todd Madson of Jefferson. DMACC freshman and Carroll High School graduate Tanner Ludwig finished fourth at 106. Former Jefferson resident Jeff Muench was fifth at 107, former Carroll Country Golf Professional Joe Ward was sixth at 108 followed by other championship flight qualifiers Kyler Ludwig 109 who is a member of the Grand View golf team. Eric Butenbach 110, Nico Costa 110, brothers Brad Christensen 111 and Kyle Christensen 114 and Carroll Country Golf Professional Paul Tigges with 118.

Other Carroll golfers in the tournament were first flight winner Corey Bluml who was looking to complete a grand slam on Sunday but instead missed the cut by one. Other first flight scores were Lonny Lehrkamp 74, Justin Yetmar 75, DMACC in Boone freshman Matt Gute 75. Troy Auen who was celebrating his birthday Sunday 75, Brad Hempstead 76, Collin Hackett 76, Carroll High School senior Sam Wilkie 77, former Carroll resident Nate Ward 77, Chad Kanne 77, Mike Franey 77, Steve Sinnard 77 and Pete Collison 77.

Second flight scores were Tim Gute 78, Terry "Wong" Olson 79, Steve "Cuda" Quandt 79, Tom Burns 79, Tom Duff 79, Andy Bernholtz 80, Benet Snyder 80, Matt Lujano 80, Dave Blum 80, Mark Tigges 82 and Wyatt Haukap 82.

Third flight scores were Kevin Forke 83, Carroll city councilman Tom Tait 83, Steve Auen who also was celebrating his birthday 83, John Dukes 83, Johnny Beiter 84, Kevin Milligan 84, Dave Nelson 84, Pat Macke 86, Mike McDermott 87, Brad Stork 87.

Mike Schulz won first in the fourth flight with a 87. Other fourth flight scores were Sean O'Leary 89, Frank Comito 92, Scott Tjaden 97, and Nick Bowdish 110. Defending champion Scott Quandt was 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 12 players qualifying for a final championship nine holes. Eighty golfers were in this year’s field which produced the lowest eighteen hole qualifying score in recent memory. To qualify into the championship nine players had to shoot two over par 73 or lower. Tanner Ludwig won medalist honors in the final round with a four under par 34.

Tournament organizers would like to thank all of the golfers who participated, Todd and Bret Madson for their great work on the course and in the clubhouse, tournament scorer Jan Whitver, Deanna McPherson, Marcia Ostlund, Vicki Copeland, Kris Carrick, Nancy Scheffers, Connie Semke, Sheryl Peterson, Connie Hamilton, Annie Johnston, Betty Kious and all of the women who provided the salads for making the tournament a success.