KING OF THE Hill is now not just one of the best television shows of the past 20 years, it’s a title that a top-notch golfer could hold at Discovery Bay Golf Club.
The course redesigned the second hole a few years back and added a new tee box. That change did away with the quirky climb up to the old elevated tee and having to hit the ball off a plastic mat.
It also rendered the course’s previous record-low score out of date.
“With the addition of a new tee on hole No. 2 we have no course record posted from the blue tees,” golf pro Jeff Kent said.
“As this is the most challenging set of tees, it signifies the player who best deserves the title ‘King of the Hill.’”
Kent said the club also would like to establish new course records from its red (ladies) and yellow (seniors) tees.
The club is rectifying the situation by inviting those who would like to set a new record from the Blue tees to come play the course in a “King of the Hill” Challenge through Wednesday, Sept. 28.
A “Queen of the Hill” and “Senior Challenge” will follow from Sept. 29 to Oct. 16.
Kent said that these challenges will be played under USGA rules, with no handicap allowed.
Players will declare before going to the first tee that they are “going for the record,” and players are required to have their scorecard attested.
Players are required to have their scorecard attested.
Besides the intrinsic value derived from holding a course record, Discovery Bay is adding a small financial incentive to the competition.
Each time a player attempts to set the record a $5 fee goes into a pot.
At the end of the record-setting periods the winner will be given the accumulated pot.
Ties split the pot.
No golf professionals are allowed to compete in the $5 buy-in portion of the competition.
Two-person best ball
Discovery Bay Golf Course near Port Townsend will host its fourth and final event in its Summer Series, a two-person best ball this Saturday.
The event is open to all players and will tee off with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Ages 70 and older will play from the gold tees.
Cost is $40 per person, $80 per team. Lunch and beverage are included in the fee.
For more information, call the clubhouse at 360-385-0704.
Ludlow specials
Port Ludlow is offering a month-long special of 18 holes of golf for two with a GPS-enabled cart for $99.
Twilight specials (after 3 p.m.) offer 18 holes of golf with GPS cart for $29, while that rate lowers to $20 for walkers.
Golfers have enough time to complete the round with darkness settling in around 8 p.m. on these September days.
Drive for the Cure
SunLand Women’s Golf Association and the SunLand Lady Niners are joining together to host their annual Drive for the Cure Golf Tournament and Luncheon at the Sequim course on Thursday, Sept. 29.
The event raises funds for Olympic Medical Center Foundation efforts to pay for breast cancer detection for men and women in need on the Olympic Peninsula.
Men and women are welcome to play, have lunch, and donate to the cause.
Shotgun time for the 18-hole competition is 9 a.m. and the nine-hole game will open with an 11 a.m. shotgun start.
The cost is $36 for 18 holes and lunch, and $26 for 9 holes and lunch.
SunLand members pay $20 for 18 or 9 holes and lunch, which will be charged to their account.
Those interested are welcome to come for lunch for the cost of $15.
Riding carts may be reserved for $16 per seat for 18 holes and $10 per seat for nine holes.
In addition, a minimum donation of $25 is suggested for the OMC Foundation.
The deadline to sign up is noon Thursday, Sept. 22.
For more information, phone SunLand Pro Shop at 360-683-6800 and ask to have Judy Flanders or Christie Wilson return your call.
Ryder Cup selections
U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III had played everything so close to the vest during the run-up to his announcement of three captain’s picks for the upcoming America vs. Europe showdown at Hazletine National Golf Club in Minnesota from Sept. 27 to Oct. 2.
That’s why his decision to go straight chalk and take Matt Kuchar, J.B. Holmes and Rickie Fowler was considered uninspired in golf circles.
After the U.S. lost for the eighth time in 10 Ryder Cups, the PGA of America formed an 11-member task force, including former captains and Phil Mickleson and Tiger Woods, to get to the bottom of two decades worth of troubles.
Love’s choices were the first chance to test out this new approach and he went with two staid, conservative choices in Kuchar and Holmes, and a popular, but not-playing-very-well Fowler.
I liked the idea to pick Kevin Na that was put forth by Sports Illustrated’s Alan Shipnuck.
Na is a good player, but it’s more how deliberate he plays (a nice way to say he is slow) and how many tics he brings to the course that could have upset the European side. Annoyed golfers are not focused golfers and Na is quite capable of nurturing that annoyance.
Passing over Bubba Watson also may be a mistake. Watson crushes the ball off the tee and when he is putting well, it’s a tough combination to stop — witness his two Masters titles.
But his mercurial nature rubs his fellow players the wrong way, and he was selected to be the player that other pros would be least likely to defend in a parking-lot fight.
One good thing for the American squad’s hopes: the arthritic joint in Ian Poulter’s foot will keep the Team USA-slayer on the sideline as a European vice captain.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com
