The Age Shooters of the BMC inducts new members Bill Angel, Tom Sampson and Jim Peterson

The Virtual 19^th Hole has an announcement: For the first time in the BMC’s over 50-year history, it’s high time to establish a club for those BMC members who accomplish one of golf’s most memorable feats—shooting your age. And so, it’s also time to officially welcome this year’s 2023 inductees into the club: “The Age Shooters of the BMC.”

As reported earlier this year by The Virtual 19^th Hole, four BMC members had shot their age as of that point in the season: Larry Fyten, Gene Nord, Bob Devereaux (on multiple occasions), and Rollie Schlichting. These are our first 2023 inductees.

And here are this year’s most recent group of inductees: Bill Angel, who shot his age in Thursday League competition on August 31; Jim Peterson, who, on August 24, did it for the first time in his lengthy golfing career; and Tom Sampson, who shot his age on August 13 in the Club Championship.

And, just to add a little frosting on the cake, two of our previous 2023 inductees have repeated their initial feat: Rollie Schlichting and Bob Devereaux.  On August 24, in regular Thursday League play, Rollie, playing from the I tees, carded, for the second time this year, an impressive 76 (matching his age on the number).  And Bob Devereaux, reputed to now be in his upper 90s, has again, during Thursday League play, shot his age several times, not infrequently scoring in the 80s.

Bill Angel’s masterpiece, a two-under 70, bested his age by three strokes and came on a windy day when the scores of most players trended up, in many cases way up.  His round, played from the D tees, featured six birdies, including a spectacular three on the normally treacherous fourteenth, where Bill stuck his 6-iron to five feet.  Bill hit three of the par 5s in two, numbers 6, 8 and 16, two-putting each time for birdie.

Tom Sampson’s awesome round came during the second day of the Club Championship.  Playing from the N tees, Tom shot a blistering 72, to best his age by a phenomenal 8 strokes. The sensational even par round vaulted Tom into a second-place finish in his division, nearly overcoming a commanding lead established by Guy Treanor on the first day of competition.  Tom currently holds the club record from the N tees, with a 68.

And Jim Peterson, playing from the N tees in Thursday League competition, shot his best round of the year on August 24, with an 80, besting his age by a shot.  Jim’s second nine was particularly memorable, featuring a solid 2-over 38 on Braemar’s challenging back nine.

The table below presents the current 2023 inductees into The Age Shooters of the BMC—the guys who have shot their age this year and who have come to the attention of The Virtual 19^th Hole:

To shoot your age is obviously a personal triumph for anyone who manages to accomplish it, but, when you think about it, doing so is also a testament to how the game of golf uniquely provides players, as the years and decades pass, opportunities to reach longstanding goals they couldn’t meet when they were younger: it’s a game that keeps on giving.

And remember: if you or a golf buddy manages to shoot your age, let me know. The Age Shooters of the BMC is always on the lookout for new members.  Maybe the next inductee will be you or one of your buddies.

Dick Helde
Past President, BMC
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole