"Casual" means just that. No pressure, no gimmicks, no prizes. Just go out and play your round of golf, enjoying the fresh air, the great scenery, the chance to get in some exercise and to share some time with friends. 

Still these events do have an objective: to establish and update your handicap in the GHIN system. We'll use that handicap in our tournament calculations and for certain other games with cash payouts. And, maybe, just maybe, you can use them for bragging rights -- if you dare.

Every week we'll publish your results, first with the list of gross scores by gender. Then we'll apply your current Old Back Nine course handicap, as posted in the GHIN system, and reveal the list of golfers' net scores. Don't be surprised if your handicap allows you to bump up a spot or two. Or maybe down.

Those of us that manage to approach par 36 with our net scores will be celebrated as the week's members of the "above-the-line" club. The club is open to those golfers who, after having their gross score adjusted with their OB9 course handicap, finish the round +/- 3 strokes of the nine-hole par 36. (And of course, no cash, just recognition -- at least for that particular week.)

GROSS SCORES for Tuesday, July 7th puts Lee Talbert at the top of the list again with a 2-over par 38, followed by Dan Thompson’s 3-over 39. And we haven’t gotten to the net scores yet. 
 
As the club historian, I was aware of his prowess, but played with Lee for the first time on Tuesday. Accurate iron shots, long drives, steady putting. But the fascinating thing for me was his recovery from the rare misdirected shot. After starting the first three holes with par-birdie-par, he hit a tree on #13 with his tee shot, leaving him short and in the rough. His well-struck second shot got him back down the fairway, and he parred the hole. Given his final score, you can guess how he handled the few other wayward shots he hit.

Net Scores (OB9 handicaps applied):
 
Net scores, that is, scorecard total less our course handicap, are posted after casual rounds to keep you appraised of how consistent your game has been. By keeping your net score around par 36, your game remains steady. The challenge, then is lowering your gross score, and therefore your handicap, while keeping your net score around par. (Clearly, you shouldn’t look to me for guidance in that regard!)

Jeff Silverman and Judy Stejskal remain at the top of the net scoring table for the second week in a row. This week, however, each is joined by multiple golfers. Jeff’s 2-under par net 34 was matched by Jim Hunter and Dan Thompson, followed by Jim Moran, Chris Otto, Chip Rose and Jerry Stauss, all with one-under net 35s. Rich Roller matched par with his net 36.
 
Judy’s net 40 was equaled by Jan Roller, Kristy Cullin and SueAnn Montgomery. 
 
There were only 13 entries in Tuesday’s above-the-line club, only a third of the field, down from last week’s 54%. You can find the remaining names on the list above.

GROSS SCORES for Tuesday, June 30th show Lee Talbert leading the way again with another sparkling effort, carding a one-over par 37. He was followed by guest Mike Tucker’s 39. Judy Stejskal resumed her place atop the ladies’ table with a 47.

Net Scores (OB9 handicaps applied):
 
By now you’re aware that we like to see if our golfers are maintaining some consistency in their game. We do this by posting net scores, that is, their scorecard total less their course handicap. If you find your net score hovering above the line, that is, within 3 strokes of par, well, that means your game is remaining consistent – at least for this week.

Quite the showing this week. Led by the quartet of Jeff Silverman, Jerry Stauss, Todd Johnson and Judy Stejskal, all with 2-under par net 34s, the above-the-line club continues to expand. Dan Pahl, Rod Rowland and Chris Otto posted one-under net 35s, and Rich Roller, Jim Hunter and Lue Anne Fitzhugh were right on par with net 36s. Well done, all!
 
But wait! More congratulations are due: the net scores for 54% of the entire field put them in the above-the-line club for the week. Check out the list above!

GROSS SCORES: Here are your gross and net scoring tables for the Tuesday, June 23rd event.

Playing in the last group, with only two holes to go and – unknown to us – all of the group still in the running for the fewest putts prizes, we were treated to some entertaining golf. Dan Thompson teed off on #17, sending his iron shot towards the lava and bushes to the right of the green. His ball caromed off of a lava rock and bounced back to the other side of the fairway – losing 40 yards in the process. Jay Lee was up next. He managed to strike that right-side pine tree guarding Dan's lava beds. His ball ricocheted backwards as well – landing 20 yards behind Dan’s!

Undaunted, Jay struck his second shot to within 5 feet of the pin, then took a one-putt par, enhancing not only his scoreline, but his putt total as well. Dan’s bogey and 2-putt wasn’t as admirable, but he remained in low-putt contention. On to #18.

After a drive down the fairway, Dan took 3 shots to make the green and 2-putted, leaving him with a respectable low putt total of 15, while carding another of his usual low rounds with a 42. Jay, on the other hand, continued his novel approach to the round, bouncing his tee shot off a lava rock on the left-side. The ball soared across the fairway on a high arc, but remained inbounds. Jay was unable to recover from this one, scoring a 7 with a 3-putt, taking him out of contention for the fewest putts contest. 

For results of the putting contest, go to the FUN GAMES link on the EVENTS dropdown, or click here.

Net Scores (OB9 handicaps applied):
 
Now that the serious stuff is out of the way, we have to ask: What would a casual round be without a conversion of your gross scores to net scores vs. par? Here they are, with some glowing numbers:

Jeff Silverman led the pack with a well-fashioned net 33, 3 below par, followed closely by Jim Hunter and Gordie Hayes with net 34s. Chris Otto also broke net par with a 1-under 35. The ladies were led by SueAnn Montegomerey’s net par 36. 
 
This week, over half of the men joined the “above-the-line” club, reversing the downward trend from the last couple of weeks. Check it out in the table above.

GROSS SCORES for Tuesday, June 16th were led by Lee Talbert’s 40, and for the ladies, Judy Stejskal’s 48. Are these golfers that good, or do they just perform better when they know they’ll see their names posted on the World Wide Web? (For the record, our sense is that the former is correct.) Foolishness aside, here are the scores we pulled from the scorecards turned in from Tuesday’s round:

Net Scores (OB9 handicaps applied):
 
As is our custom, we'll go a step further and publish net scores based on your course handicap pulled from the GHIN website. Other than the task of looking up everyone’s handicap, it’s a pretty simple calculation: Gross – HC = Net. Duh!

Judy Stejskal carried her low gross position onto the low net pedestal, scoring a field-leading one-under par net 35. And, after weeks on the East Coast tending to family, Gordie Hayes celebrated his return to league events by playing to his handicap and posting a net par 36. Get any golf in while you were away, Gordie? Moving on down the list, Pat Chambers and Grant Wencel kept up with the same net 36.
 
Our “above-the-line” club numbers for the week continued their decline. Barely a third of Tuesday’s golfers checked into the club. Could well be the heat. (Have you noticed, we’re blaming everything on the heat this week? Including this editor’s round!) Still, we’re starting to see some consistency. Check out the list above for some of the usual suspects.

GROSS SCORES for Tuesday, June 2nd:
 
“Best round ever,” claimed Chris Otto as we set to leave the clubhouse area post-round. For sure. With the 44 he posted, it was best enough to lead the group on Tuesday. He was closely followed by Don James’ 45 and Rich Baum’s 46. Sandy Griffin led the ladies with a 48.

Net Scores (OB9 handicaps applied):
 
Here are the net scores, the result of adjusting your gross scores using your handicap. We do this in an effort to show you how well you are improving your game, or at least playing to your previous results. That, and to make you feel better. Most of the time.

Chris Otto, as noted above that he’d just played his best round at the Old Back Nine, takes low net honors as well, with a net 33, 3 under par. Lue Anne Fitzhugh is right behind with a sparkling 34 net. Well done, the pair of you.
 
We had a bit of a drop off from previous weeks, with less than half the field joining the weekly “above-the-line” club this week. Maybe it’s that the weather was warming? Regardless, there were some players out there. Check out the list above!