Hook & Slice June 2024

Hook & Slice Southeast Michigan’s Premier Recreational Golf League Vol. 1 No. 3 June 2024

In this Issue:

The Front Nine

Harbour Pointe Open preview The return to Lakes of Taylor GC

Making the Turn

How to win a playoff without striking a putt

The Back Nine

The 2 tournaments that were one and done

The 19th Hole

Where are they now?

2-time HP Open champ Rick Persichetti

www.themulligantour.com

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Hook & Slice

Published monthly during the golf season Editor-in-chief Erika Fitzpatrick Staff Writers Sandy Savashot Anita Newpudda Willie Makaput Eryn O’McFitzCallaghan Wendy Wildwood Publisher ELF Publishing Inc Mulligan Tour Historian Lenovo laptop Follow the Tour on Facebook and Instagram

dunmordesign.com

littlediablosalsa.com Title sponsor for the Little Diablo Salsa

Western Swing Red White & Blue tournament July 7 at Taylor Meadows GC Sponsored by Greg Kline BENEFITTING FOLDS of HONOR

The Front Nine

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Taylor Made

Long and Storied history for the Lakes of Taylor on the Mulligan Tour Erika Fitzpatrick, Editor in Chief

The Lakes of Taylor Golf Club opened in 1995 to great reviews.

Owned and operated by the city of Taylor, the Arthur Hills design was considered a rare gem for a municipal course.

But the greens fees were commensurate with the quality of the course and the fledgling

Mulligan Tour needed more affordable entry fees. So while the mid season rates deterred the Tour from using Lakes of Taylor as a host site for a regular Tour stop, their fall rate did make the course attractive for one unique event.

From 1999 through 2006 the course hosted the (Continued on page 5)

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Major Championships at Lakes of Taylor GC

2003 HP Open Erik Meland 76 (+4)

The Lighthouse Trophy

2007 HP Open Jeff Klipa 78 (+6)

2010 HP Open Thom Bales 135 (-9) 2013 HP Open Ray Nadell 144 (E) 2018 HP Open Brian Lardin 142 (-2)

Harbour Pointe Open

2023 PLAYERS Championship Willi Hesse 70 (-2)

Original trophy 1999-2014

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season ending Skins Game - a treat for 4 select players to enjoy at the end of the Tour’s regular season.

The Skins Game was modelled after the PGA pro event of the same name that was quite a popular made-for-TV event shown on Thanksgiving weekend in the 1980’s and 90’s.

But with the Tour establishing itself as southeast Michigan’s premier golf league, eventually the opportunity presented itself to add the Lakes of Taylor to the short list of potential major championship venues.

In 2003, the Tour selected the Lakes course to host the Harbour Pointe Open.

The layout would present the players with toughest test yet (Continued on page 7)

The Skins Game at Lakes of Taylor

1999 Mary Petree $28 2000 Frank Caruana $46 2001 Ron Stuart $34 2002 David Martin $48 2003 Bob Baar $36 2004 David Martin $28 John Stepek $28 2005 Central Dennis Ersig $44 2005 West Rick Persichetti $42 2006 Central Greg Kline $44 2006 West Bob Bruning $38

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2024

Harbour Pointe Open

Open round - Saturday, June 8 Field cut to low-16 scores and ties

Championship round - Sunday, June 9 Cumulative 36-hole, net score

Purse = $235

First place = $50

Mulligan Tour Trivia

Which Mulligan Tour individual event tournament is the only one to have 2 winners declared ?

Answer on page 18

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among Mulligan Tour major championships.

Intended to push the players mentally as well as physically, the Lakes demanded accuracy and length, and above all else, patience.

Erik Meland won his 2nd HPO title in 3 years when he charged home with an inward 33 to finish at 4over par 76, 3-strokes better than Rick Persichetti and Craig MacBeth.

The set-up had the men playing a record 6,698 yards in length (ladies played 5,643 yards) with fast greens and plenty of peril.

The HPO would return to the Lakes of Taylor 4 more times and in 2024 will tie Eagle Crest as the HPO’s most played venue at 6 times each.

Water hazards come into play on several holes, most famously the par-3 17th with a green that juts out into pond. There are penalty strokes for any shots short, right or long.

The Lakes course also hosted the PLAYERS Championship last year complimenting its current Mulligan Tour resume.

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The Shortest Playoff Willie Makaput, Staff Writer

As the Mulligan Tour opened the 2007 season, Jeff Klipa was starting his 5th year on Tour and searching for his 2nd victory.

A rookie season win at the 2003 Two-Stick Classic was followed by a 3-year winless drought.

But 2007 was Klipa’s breakout season.

An early season win at the Sweet Sixteen was followed by a major victory at the Memorial Tournament with partner Vic McCoy.

That was followed by an improbable 2nd grand slam title at the Harbour Pointe Open in June.

Returning to the Lakes of Taylor for a 2nd time, the HPO was notorious for setting up a difficult test for the players.

The course measured 6,698 yards for the men and a winning score under net par had become rare. No player had finished in red numbers in more than 4 years.

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An early morning shotgun start had Klipa in the B group starting on hole #1. Finishing on 18 allowed Klipa to get in the clubhouse before most of the field.

And while Klipa led the field with 4 birdies, it was a pair of front-nine triple-bogies that inflated his final score to a 6over par 78. Probably not good enough, he thought.

“The course was playing super long, and the rough was punitive”, recalled Klipa.

The Tour’s real time scoring system was still 6 years away (Continued on page 10)

Jeff Klipa’s run at the 2007 Slam Memorial WIN HP Open WIN PLAYERS Ch 3rd * TOUR Ch 13th * missed playoff by 1 shot

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so he had no inclination of where he stood against the field. But in the clubhouse, Klipa found Bob Bruning, having played in group 1A, also signed for a 78.

“We were the leaders in the clubhouse and I remarked that net 78 would never hold up”, Klipa surmised.

“He agreed, and after a few minutes he announced that he had an appointment for a haircut and left. I decided that I'd wait at least until someone posted a lower score”.

No one ever did.

When all the scores came in and the final checks and verifications were completed, Tom W Litzler had carded a 79 and 3 others tied for 4th with 80’s.

So a 4-hole putt-off was needed to determine the “champion golfer of the year”.

But Bruning had left the course some 30 minutes earlier.

A one-sided playoff meant that Klipa was declared the winner without ever having to make a playoff putt.

Oddly, it was the 2nd time in 2 years that a player that tied for lownet score was declared the winner when the other competitor was not available for the playoff (2006 Plymouth Open).

But this was a first for one of the majors, though it has happened to a number of other tournaments over the years.

Klipa’s run at a Grand Slam would end in September when Klipa finished just 1 stroke shy of joining a playoff at the PLAYERS Championship.

What are the Odds ?

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2024 Harbour Pointe Open Las Vegas weighs in Corey McCUE

+750

Primed and ready for another major

Tyler FLOYD

+900

Overdue for 2nd major

Corey McCue

Ryan KIEKBUSCH

+1200

World #1

Won 2022 ToC at Lakes of Taylor

Chuck WITHEY

+1500

Last year’s TOUR champ

Kevin GREGOIRE

+1800

Major drought since 2020

Greg KLINE

+2000

HPO missing from 10 major resume

Chris STALO +2200 Tim MARKEL +2400 Jeff PASZ +2400 Erika FITZPATRICK +2500 Brian LARDIN +2500 Don WARD +2500 Mike PRIESKORN +2800 Greg Paddison +3000 Rich Dunmore +3500

Seeking 3rd Major Title Brian Lardin

HPO champ at Lakes of Taylor 2018

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The Back Nine

Short History

The 2 tournaments that did not make it past the inaugural stage Sandy Savashot, Staff Writer

As the Mulligan Tour was developing and expanding during the 2000’s, many new tournaments and events were created.

Most of those events continue to this day, filling the Tour schedule with over 40 events each season.

But some tournaments didn’t live on. A handful of tourneys were discontinued for a variety of reasons.

And some others continued on in some incarnation of a tournament before it.

But 2 tournaments had a “one and done” story.

Greg Kline and Bob White

(shown here at the 2006 Memorial)

Winners of the 2005 U&B Golf Classic

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One of those was the U&B Golf Classic held at Shady Hollow GC in Romulus in July of 2005. U&B Computers was the title sponsor and the preferred IT support resource for the Tour’s CFO at the time, Sue Meland. The tournament used the 2player scramble format and had a large field of 24 teams, 12 Mulligan Tour pro teams and 12 amateur teams that

included friends, family and clients of U&B Computers.

Greg Kline and Bob White, partners at previous Memorial tournaments, teamed up again and scorched the relatively benign Shady Hollow course for 9 birdies and 9 pars. The net 62, 4 strokes clear of the next team, was also a gross 62 as the two posted a score without (Continued on page 14)

Shady Hollow GC Romulus, MI (1952-2006)

Par-71 5,919 yards

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the aid of any handicap strokes.

The tournament was also noted for witnessing the Tour’s first ever holein-one. DeVonne Mowry recorded an ace on the par-3 5th hole playing at 116 yards for the ladies.

Unfortunately for U&B, Shady Hollow GC would not survive another season as the property was sold off, presumably to make a new residential development, though it never materialized.

And, unfortunately for the Mulligan Tour, U&B could never agree on another host site in 2006 and eventually became disinterested in hosting another tournament.

One and done.

One other tournament had a “first and only” story.

The Ménage á

Barb Rothfuss, Mike Prieskorn and Karen Stockdale

2014 Ménage á Trois Classique winners

Trois Classique was the brainchild of Tour founder Erik Meland.

The tournament was played in early September 2014 at the Harbor Club GC in Belleville.

The event used a rarely seen 3-player scramble format.

There were no handicap strokes, but there were a number of mulligans granted to each

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team based on gender make-up.

A team of all-female players was called a “perfect threesome” and was given a total of 9 mulligans for the team to use.

A “balanced threesome” included 1 male and 2 female teammates and was given 6 team mulligans.

There was also a team dubbed an “unbalanced threesome” (2 males, 1

for 5 birdies in their final 6 holes to charge up the leaderboard and post a 4-under par 68 and a 1-shot victory, The Ménage á Trois had a place on the 2015 silly season schedule but did not secure the minimum number of teams to warrant a 2nd tournament.

female getting 3 team mulligans) and a team called a “grotesque threesome” (3 males and 0 mulligans).

Tour pro Mike Prieskorn, along with his sister-in-law and her friend, scrambled

Evidently, the event’s trophy, a wrapped package of 3 bottles of Ménage á Trois wine, was not enough to entice a field of threesome competitors.

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Rick Persichetti put family first as kids grew older Erika Fitzpatrick, Editor-in-Chief

When Rick Persichetti joined the Mulligan Tour in 2003, he made an immediate impact by stirring up the competitive juices of the membership.

15 seasons (2003-2016) “Perch”, as he was known, 23 wins in 211 starts loved the competitive spirit of the 8 major victories 2004, 2011 HP Open young Mulligan Tour and he 2004, 2008 Memorial pushed himself to play well and 2006, 2009, 2015 WESTERN collect hardware.

And his 2009 PLAYERS successes pushed others to try Top-4’s: 81 (38.4%) and top him.

Career earnings $1,860.54 Perch played in all 14 Money Titelist ‘03, ‘04, ‘09 tournaments of the Tour’s 2003 Commissioner’s Cup ‘05, ‘06 campaign, the only member of the Tour to do so, and finished in the Top-4 7 times, winning the Rick Persichetti Strokes on a Rope 2nd Commissioner’s Cup Matches

The Persichetti File

The Legacy Golf Club, Ottawa Lake

and Quad-Tour Challenge events and ultimately the 2003 Money Title in his rookie year.

Persichetti would count the HPO and the Memorial Tournament among his 3 wins in 2004, and finish T-12 at the PLAYERS before ending the season as the Match Play runner-up and securing a 2nd consecutive Money Title.

Appointed to be the first West Division Commissioner in 2005, he would win the 2006 WESTERN Championship and guide Team West in capturing the 2nd Commissioner’s Cup Matches.

“The excitement the tour bought into my life at that time is forever etched into my heart”, exclaimed Persichetti in a recent interview.

With a young family of 2 sons and 2 daughters growing and starting to play organized sports, Persichetti eventually pulled away from the Mulligan Tour after the 2016 season to

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Kelly and Rick Persichetti focus on his home life. He has been with his wife Kelly for 32 years and they are looking forward to retirement and a move southward.

“I definitely look back on my career as a success. I accomplished almost everything I set out to do on tour with a few exceptions.”

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Kevin Gregoire

Jeff Graunke

Thanks to all the competitors at the Plymouth Open for raising $660 for

Mulligan Tour Trivia Answer: The 2005 Holy Grail, played at St.Johns Golf Club in Plymouth, was shortened to 12-hole scores when thunder and lightening stopped play. Jeff Kellstrom and Randy Norman shared the low net scores of 2-under par 47 but neither was available for a playoff and the 2 were declared co-winners.

www.themulligantour.com

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Proud sponsor of the

Harbor Pointe Open

www.getsmithinsurance.com

Breast Cancer Awareness Open

August 25, 2024

Sponsored by the Mulligan Tour Hosted at Farmington Hills GC

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Making the Cut The 2010 HP Open at Lakes of Taylor was the first to have 2 rounds and a cut Eryn O’McFitzCallaghan, Staff Writer

By the end of the first decade of the Mulligan Tour, the Harbour Pointe Open had established itself as the premier tournament on the schedule with the strength of a great title sponsor Commercial Underwriters Risk Management - and status as a grand slam event.

But a rain shortened 9hole championship in 2009 left an unsatisfied feeling for such an important tournament.

The solution was quickly

realized and immediately implemented the following year - make the HPO a 36hole event.

In 2010, the HPO would return to the Lakes of Taylor for the 3rd time and become the first contested over 2 days and requiring the competitors to “make the cut” on the first day in order to continue and finish the competition on Day 2.

Thom Bales led wire-towire, following an opening round 65 with a championship round 70 for a 13-stroke win.

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World Ranking May 27, 2024 1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Corey McCue Erika Fitzpatrick Mike Prieskorn Chris Stalo Brian Lardin Greg Kline Tyler Floyd David Martin Don Ward Tim Markel Willi Hesse Chuck Withey Helen Puffenberger Ron Hiestand Ned Loving Joe Brandenburg Jeff Cubel Gregg Nothdurft Kevin Gregoire Eric Birkle Paul Parent Jeff Pasz Ryan Kiekbusch John Ferlito Jeff Graunke

33.0 32.0 29.4 29.0 27.0 26.6 24.7 24.3 24.1 22.8 22.7 22.5 21.9 20.9 20.9 20.7 20.7 20.5 20.5 19.8 19.6 19.2 18.9 18.9 18.9

Money Standings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

May 27, 2024 Jeff Cubel Chris Stalo Helen Puffenberger Tom W Litzler Greg Kline Mark Lindeman Philip Parent Kevin Gregoire Corey McCue Jeff Pasz Paul Parent Scott Wilsey Ron Hiestand Erika Fitzpatrick Willi Hesse Stewart Levine Eric Birkle Chris Dunmore Justin McCue Thomas Mulhern Rich Dunmore Gregg Nothdurft David Martin Tom R Litzler Rod Theunissen Don Ward Joe Brandenburg Grant Goodspeed Chuck Withey Rick Floyd

$86.50 $81.00 $69.00 $61.50 $60.00 $56.00 $51.67 $50.00 $49.67 $49.00 $47.00 $42.00 $41.00 $39.17 $36.00 $35.50 $34.92 $32.42 $32.00 $32.00 $30.27 $30.10 $25.50 $24.00 $20.67 $19.50 $18.67 $17.00 $16.60 $16.50

CORRECTION: The May edition of Hook & Slice missed the fact that Hudson Mills Metropark also hosted 2 Chelsea Classics (2019 and 2022) bringing the total number of Mulligan Tour tournaments played at Huron-Clinton Metroparks to 59 through the 2023 season.

2024 Mulligan Tour Results / Schedule DATE Apr 13 Apr 14 Apr 20 Apr 21 Apr 27 Apr 28

TOURNAMENT Pine View Classic Sweet Sixteen Animal House Classic Tin Cup Sparty Classic Chelsea Classic

Winner Justin McCue 72 (E) Willi Hesse (-7) Tom W Litzler 74 (+2) Greg Kline 74 (+2) Corey McCue 71 (-1) Stewart Levine 72 (E)

Runner-up Jeff Cubel Ron Hiestand G.Kline / J.Cubel David Martin Tom R Litzler P.Parent / S.Wilsey H. Puffenberger Parent / Parent Mark Lindeman Chris Stalo G.Goodspeed R. Hiestand H. Puffenberger K. Gregoire R.Dunmore

May 4 May 11 May 18 May 19

The Memorial Tournament Cherry Creek Classic Dudlee’s Plymouth Open Irish Open

C.Stalo / J.Cubel 64 (-8) Thomas Mulhern 71 (-1) Kevin Gregoire 66 (-4) Mark Lindeman 66 (-5)

May 24 May 25

Par-54 Classic Strokes on a Rope

Helen Puffenberger 49 (-5) Jeff Pasz 75 (+3)

June 1 June 2 June 7 June 8-9 June 15 June 21 June 22 June 23 June 29 June 30 July 7 July 13-14 July 20 July 21 July 27 July 28 Aug 4 Aug 10 Aug 11 Aug 17 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 25 Aug 31 Sep 7 Sep 8 Sep 20-22 Sep 28 Oct 5 Oct 12 Oct 13 Nov 2

TOURNAMENT LOCATION FEE Alzheimer’s Awareness Open Farmington Hills GC $71 East Side Charity Classic Sylvan Glen GC $64 Fox Hunt Strategic Fox $39 Harbour Pointe Open Lakes of Taylor GC $54 (+56) MT Senior Open Kensington MP GC $60 Red Oaks Shootout Red Oaks GC $ TBD Quad-Tour Challenge Fox Creek GC $43 The Holy Grail Sandy Creek GC $52 Fifty Cent Classic Stony Creek Metropark $74.50 C Cool Classic Huron Meadows Metropark GC $58 Red, White & Blue Taylor Meadows GC $67 Match Play Championship Huron Meadows MP GC $81 (+75) Carrington Classic Carrington GC $68 Ugly Pants Open Brae Burn GC $44 Big Dog Pro-Am Pontiac CC $61 Crazy Brit Whispering Willows GC $44 Caddyshack Classic Rackham GC $67 Little Diablo Western Swing Huntmore GC $76 Go Blue Classic Lake Forest GC $68 PLAYERS Championship Pheasant Run GC $74 WESTERN Championship Majestic at Lake Walden $82 EASTERN Championship TBD $ TBD Breast Cancer Awareness Open Farmington Hills GC $70 Canadian Open Fellows Creek GC $53 The TOUR Championship Eagle Crest GC $73 The President’s Cup TBD $ TBD The Commissioner’s Cup Thoroughbred GC at Double JJ Ranch $460 Tournament of Champions Kensington MP GC $39 The Division Bell Farmington Hills GC $44 The Skins Game Links at Gateway $50 U of M Open University of Michigan GC $ TBD Runny Nose Open Brae Burn GC $ TBD

DUE May 23 May 23 May 30 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 13 June 13 June 20 June 20 June 27 July 4 July 11 July 11 July 18 July 18 July 25 Aug 1 Aug 1 Aug 8 Aug 8 Aug 8 Aug 15 Aug 22 Aug 29 Aug 29 Aug 29 Sep 21 Sep 26 Oct 3 Oct 3