Mike Adkins
A packed field of over 65 golfers took to the pristine fairways of Eagles’ Nest Golf Course on June 4, for the highly anticipated PebbleCreek Men’s Nine-Hole Golf Association (PCM9GA) Lone Ranger tournament. The unique team format, which forces a rotating designated player to count their solo score alongside the best ball of the remaining trio, brought both intense pressure and high drama to the course.
Divided into two competitive divisions, players had to balance aggressive risk-taking with steady, calculated course management to survive the “Lone Ranger” curse.
In the A/B Flight, precision off the tee proved to be the winning formula. The top teams navigated Eagles’ Nest’s tricky holes and fairways with clinical efficiency, managing to avoid the heavy rough when the pressure was squarely on the isolated shooter. A string of crucial pars on the closing holes ultimately sealed the victory for the flight champions.
Meanwhile, the C/D Flight delivered its own share of fireworks. Success in this division came down to a masterclass on the greens. The winning group leaned heavily on spectacular lag putting and clutch short-game saves, keeping their scorecards clean even when the Lone Ranger designation rotated to their high-handicap players.
“The beauty of the Lone Ranger is that you can’t hide,” said one tournament organizer. “With over 65 players out here, the energy was fantastic, and every single guy felt the heat on at least two or three holes.”
With perfect weather and the course in championship condition, the event concluded with a lively post-round gathering, celebrating excellent camaraderie and a thrilling afternoon for the members of the nine-hole golf club.
Winning teams included:
Flight A/B
Team 1: John Mazzukelly, Don Troxell, Mike Branham, Rene Lefebvre
Team 2: Guy DeCosterd, Steve Striker, Charlie Allport
Team 3: Lorne Kramer, Charlie Lowe, John Craven, Dale Knutson
Flight C/D
Team 1: Allan McCormack, Gregory Economou, Duane Scott, Keith Stumpp
Team 2: Joe Duch, Lennie Liebowitz, Richard Fulton
Team 3: Mike Meyer, James Stahl, Dan Sullivan, Ray Bender