Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club took advantage of their local knowledge and captured the 2014 Men’s Interclub Team Championship at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club in Dade City, March 26-27. After six weeks of matches followed by two rounds of play-offs, Tampa Bay G & CC beat out seven other Regional Champions to be crowned the Men’s Interclub State Champions. Though they traveled only five miles to Lake Jovita, the team has been on the hunt for the title since the beginning of January.
Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club started strong, earning 204 points in the first round to share the overnight lead with Fox Hollow Golf Club. In the final round, Bob Smith and Allen Jolly earned 41 and 40 points each respectively, to help lead the team to their final round total of 216. The team closed out with a two-day total of 420 points and a solid 10 point victory. Members of the championship team include: Bill Armstrong, Rich Bond, Wayne Bratschi, Ron Cianfoni, Rollin Davis, Gary Farley, Roger Flaherty, Tom Green, Dave Hartung, Allen Jolly, Jose Maymi, Ken McCown, Tom Morris, Steve Norton, Bob Smith, and Ron Williams. Fox Hollow Golf Club finished in second place with 410 total team points.
The 2014 Men's Interclub season began with 118 teams competing from Pensacola all the way to Pompano Beach. Eight Regional Championship teams listed below earned their ticket to compete at the State Championship held at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club.
Tampa Bay Region: Fox Hollow Golf Club, Trinity
Suncoast Region: TPC Prestancia, Sarasota
West Region: Country Club at Silver Springs Shores, Ocala
Central Region: Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, San Antonio
Naples Region: Quail Creek Country Club, Naples
Northeast Region: Champions Club at Julington Creek, Jacksonville
Southeast Region: Palm Aire Country Club & Resort, Pompano Beach
Panhandle Region: Tiger Point Country Club, Gulf Breeze
In the State Championship, the six lowest individual net scores (highest net Stableford points) per team count. The team with the highest number of points is crowned the Interclub State Champion. Net Stableford points are as follows: Double Eagle 5-points, Eagle 4-points, Birdie 3-points, Par 2-points, Bogey 1-point, Double Bogey or higher 0-points.
The Men's Interclub Team Matches began in January and included six weeks of home and away matches, followed by regional play-offs and a State Championship at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club.
Matches are played on Thursday afternoons and utilize full handicaps (18.4 indexes and below) featuring eight players from each team competing against another local club. All competitors play an individual 18-hole match and at the same time, play with a partner from their team in a four-ball match against two players from the opposing team (2-man, best ball).
