Virtual 19th Hole

It’s belatedly come to the attention of The Virtual 19^th Hole that there was an unfortunate omission in the earlier post on Randy Krivo’s sub-par round, prioritizing great rounds of golf based on gross scores– as opposed to great individual shots. Regrettably omitted was the outstanding 70 that Doug Pernula shot on August 13, a blistering 2-under par.

So, let’s set the record straight.

Most significantly, just as with Randy’s round, Doug’s 70 deserves special kudos both because awards are issued so seldom for low gross scores specifically, and because– let’s face it– so few of us could match a round like that.

A five-year BMC member, Doug, with a current USGA handicap of 7.5, plays regularly in Thursday League. And he holds the rare distinction of having made two holes-in-one at Braemar— both on number 7 (the hole affectionally known by The Virtual 19^th Hole as “Lucky Number 7”). Another, somewhat surprising, distinction of Doug’s: as part of Braemar’s maintenance staff, he regularly cuts the hole locations on Thursday mornings, alternating the front and back nines from week to week. So, if on a particular Thursday you believe the pin positions are too severe and want to point fingers, rest assured that he’s already heard all about it from his regular golf buddies!

Highlights of Doug’s masterpiece, played from the D tees in regular Thursday League competition, included an eagle on number 4 and a birdie on number 6, along with 15 pars– with his sole bogey coming on number 12. Sounds like a dream round, doesn’t it? Not surprisingly, Doug’s net 65 dominated the field that day in Thursday League’s first flight. But it’s that gross score of 2-under par that will ineluctably withstand the test of time.

Congrats on a great round, Doug!

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

Doug in 2023 after his 2d ace at no. 7

Have you ever wondered about how we golfers tend to celebrate individual golf shots? A hole-in-one, closest to the hole, longest putt, etc. And, at least for those of us of a certain age, shooting our age (meaningful to be sure, but as much about our ages as our scores). Check out the Unforgettable Feats page: you’ll see aces, age shooters and double eagles (a combination of two great individual shots).

But where are the tributes for simply shooting a great gross score? Eighteen consecutive holes of excellent golf, with no handicapping or netting, just a great gross score. Something that’s definitely harder to do than making a single great shot– but maybe not celebrated enough.

So, here’s to an awesome round of golf played by five-year member Randy Krivo! On September 3, Randy fired a scintillating 71, playing from the D tees in Thursday League. With his handicap hovering right around 8, that translated into a net 66, blowing away the first flight field on a net score basis. But, as impressive as that was, this tribute is about his gross score: one under par– a big deal in just about anybody’s book. By the way, Randy turns 71 in November so, as he puts it, he either missed shooting his age by one stroke or two months.

It’s true of course that many of us know (or know of) some of our traveling team players or participants in Wednesday League who can break par– and their uber low handicaps demonstrate the likelihood that they can do it.

But what about the guys just looking to break 80 and maintain a single-digit handicap? Take Randy: a solid single digit player, cards his fair share of birdies, and plays regularly in the Club Championship—but (if we could hazard a guess) probably did not wake up on September 3 contemplating a sub-par round of golf. A round that featured three birdies, two bogeys and 13 pars: 71 dream-like strokes.

Isn’t that worth celebrating every bit as much as any single shot?

Congrats, Randy, on a terrific round of golf (which of course will be murder on your handicap)!

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

On September 27, in regular Thursday League play, Dan Berend shot his age! His 80, a net 2 under, matched his age right on the number. His net 70 was also good for a first-place tie (with Clay Halverson) in Thursday League’s second flight. Highlights of the round included natural birdies on 7 and 17.

Dan also shot his age last year, just before turning 79, when he fired a 78 at Bunker Hills. But his 80 at Braemar was the first time he got it done at his home course.

A 17-year BMC member, Dan is a former member of the BMC’s board of directors and, in addition to Thursday League, participates in Four-Ball Match Play and Best Weekly.

Congrats, Dan!

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

On August 15, eight-year member Tim Deutsch, who calls both Braemar and Hazeltine home, made a hole-in-one on Hazeltine’s fourth hole– something neither Tiger Woods nor Jack Nicklaus was able to do during their illustrious careers.

Nicklaus competed at Hazeltine three times, in the 1970 and 1991 US Opens and the 2002 PGA; Tiger twice, at the 2002 and 2009 PGAs. But neither of them was able to ace number 4.

Playing at 143 yards on the day in question, the hole may have been a bit shorter than what it measured in 1970, 1991, 2002 or 2009. But there was nothing short of perfection in Tim’s solid nine-iron shot finding the bottom of the cup. Not surprisingly, there isn’t a record of what that ace wound up costing Tim at the 19^th hole, but there are certain things that money simply can’t measure. According to unofficial sources this was Tim’s second all-time hole-in-one.

An understandingly enthusiastic Tim is pictured below (and take note of one small detail as an aside: pictured on the flag itself is the silhouette of Les Bolstad, who played at Hazeltine as an honorary member– and actually walked the course—well into his nineties).

Congrats, Tim! Eat your hearts out, Jack and Tiger.

Dick Helde
Editor, The 19th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

As expected, the introduction this year of autonomous mowers throughout the course has led to some unique situations. Has a mower run over your ball? Did one of your shots hit a mower? Did one of the mowers cross your path or come straight at you as you lined up a shot?

Consider this a call to weigh in with your autonomous mowers stories!

And in the meanwhile:

• If an autonomous mower is crossing directly in front of you or is headed directly toward you, step aside and wait to hit until the coast is clear;
• If an autonomous mower runs over your ball, take a free drop, within one club length no nearer the hole; and
• If there’s an autonomous mower in the vicinity, don’t leave a club lying on the ground unless it’s in the fairway cut or on the green. The mowers are blind to anything that isn’t at least several inches above ground level.

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

First and foremost: congrats to all the winners in this year’s BMC Club Championships, particularly Club Champion Matthew Chandler (whose 36-hole total was a sizzling 5-under), Senior Champion Rick Passolt (with a 36-hole total of even par), and all our other champions for their impressive play in both the gross and net scoring events.

At the same time, it should be no surprise that, following the Club Championships, BMC members have contributed some additional claims to fame as well.

Gene Haman does it again

As reported earlier by The Virtual 19^th Hole, Gene Haman shot his age on May 7, with an 89 just before turning 90. After his birthday, Gene came close again a couple of times, but, alas, no cigar. Then on July 23, playing in Thursday League, and once again favoring the N tees, the stars aligned and, at 90, Gene beat his age by three strokes, carding an 87. Congrats, Gene!

Six-under on one hole?

Wait… what?? OK, to clarify: the event was the annual Thursday League team event, with the format being best 3 out of 4 balls. Also, the competition was based on net scores. Still, six-under on one hole? Not too shabby.

It took place at 16 and the foursome in question consisted of myself, Rick Danmeier, Matt Filner and Ryan Dulkin.

Here’s how we did it: From the E tees, Ryan, who got two strokes on the hole based on his 22 handicap, smashed a drive down the left side and hit the green in two with a 6 iron. Two-putts later, his natural birdie translated to a net albatross. Then Matt, after launching a bomb down the fairway from the D tees, hit the green from 145 yards with a 9 iron. He also two-putted for a natural birdie, net eagle. And to cap things off, Rick, who hit the green in regulation, also two-putted for a natural par, net birdie. And there you have it: six-under on one hole!

And, of course, with plenty of golf left to play this year, who’s to say what feats or disappointments remain in store? Stay tuned.

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

At last, after a dry spell that persisted too long, everything came together this year for Braemar’s Metro Seniors team. On August 7, they convincingly captured the 2026 league championship! It’s a historic moment for this squad, following the team’s best season in years— decades even, based on unofficial estimates. Kudos go out to longstanding captain Greg Baron and to the many BMC seniors whose excellent play brought home the trophy.

Braemar’s Metro Seniors team is one of three Braemar traveling teams for seniors (defined as age 55 and older, although many of the BMC’s most talented seniors left 55 in the rearview mirror some time ago). The others are our 8-Man A Team and our 8-Man B Team.

Contrasted with those other senior teams, the Metro Seniors season features a relentless pace, with matches held every Friday over a season of 13 weeks (compared with two matches per month for the other teams). Another difference: Metro Seniors matches are based on net, rather than gross, scores. Standings are determined by the points awarded to teams each week based on the outcomes of each team’s two matches. Point totals are aggregated each week, with the eventual champion determined by point totals at the end of the season. The championship race this year culminated in a showdown August 7 between first place Braemar and second place Columbia– even though the two teams played different opponents. After both teams cruised to lopsided victories, Braemar’s point advantage at the start of the day held up. Final 2026 point totals: Braemar 158, Columbia 154.

Sixteen BMC players contributed to the winning season, including Joe O’Neill, Dave Stougaard, Scott Eckes, Henry Arcos, Bob Peterson, Chris Gaspard, Chuck Gustner, Dan Berend, Randy Krivo, Jim Punch, Mark Schmidt, Marty Weber, Steve Olsonoski, Jeff Roseland, Steve Tanner and Captain Baron.

The photo below features the four BMC players who competed on August 7. From left to right: Chris Gaspard, Captain Baron (holding the trophy), Medalist Joe O’Neill and Dave Stougaard.

Congrats to our entire Metro Seniors squad on an outstanding season!

If you’ve followed Braemar’s traveling teams over the last few years, you won’t be surprised to learn that several of our teams have completed their regular seasons in style and are now headed into the playoffs.

16-Man Team

As the defending 2025 champions, Braemar’s 16-Man Team has made the playoffs again. They completed their regular season by overcoming a strong Bunker Hills squad 24.5 to 23.5 and have now moved into the playoffs against Chaska. The winner, which will be determined on August 2, will reach the finals.

8-Man A Team

The 8-Man A Team finished their regular season on July 14 with a convincing 9.5 to 2.5 win over Hiawatha, producing an overall record of 5-1. They now head into the playoffs as the top seed in their division. They’ll play home and away matches against Bunker Hills, with the concluding match on August 11, and the winner will move on to the finals. According to co-captains Jeff Roseland and Mark Paetznick, special thanks for his year’s success go to several contributors: in addition to Jeff (with a USGA handicap of plus .6) and Mark (with a USGA handicap of 2.6), others include Rick Passolt, Steve Henry, Steve Bloomquist, Mike Longman, Mike Kavanaugh, Tim Smith, Brian Kaul, Steve Devolder and Joe O’Neill. Illustrating the strength of the team, participating in a match typically requires a handicap of 4 or less.

This team has been knocking on the door for several years—could 2026 be the year they win the championship?

4-Man Team

As defending 2025 champions, Braemar’s 4-Man Team has had another good 2026 has been having another good year. With a regular season record of 4-2, Braemar now heads into the finals against a perennially tough Keller team. The 2026 championship will be determined by home and away matches concluding on August 18.

Arriving at this point entailed some serious drama in Braemar’s final regular season match against University. Playing at Braemar and starting on the back 9, captain Bob Petson and teammate John Miller started their match down two after three holes but eventually finished the front side even. Then, after losing the 10th hole they finally took the lead with a birdie on 4 and a par on five–  only to give it back on 7. But captain Peterson’s birdie on 8 sealed the deal. Meanwhile, Teammates Mike Kavanaugh and Dave Stougaard lost the first 9 and the first two holes on the back. But a Kavanaugh chip-in birdie on the third hole ignited a dramatic come-from-behind win on the back. Final score: Braemar: 3.5, University: 2.5.

Metro Seniors

Braemar’s Metro Seniors Team is having one of its best years ever. Following a resounding victory over Como on July 24, the team moved into first place (itself a first after too many years to count) and now holds a regular season record of 7 – 3. With two more matches remaining, prospects for the championship loom large. Captain Greg Baron attributes the team’s success this year to several players, including Scott Seckes, who’s undefeated, Joe O’Neill, Dave Stougaard and captain Baron, among others.

8-Man B Team

While the 8-Man B Team did not qualify for the playoffs this year, finishing regular season play with a record of 2-4, they generated plenty of excitement. With strong play from captain John Miller and several others, including Mike Kavanaugh, Bill Angel and Matt Filner, there may not have been a more dramatic match than the one played by Tim Nord and Steve Iselin against Highland. Punctuated by punches and counterpunches throughout, and featuring a slew of birdies and an eagle, the conclusion remained in doubt until the final putt was holed. If curious to learn more, don’t hesitate to ask Tim or Steve all about it; they’ll be happy to accommodate,

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

BMC members have been lighting it up during the first half of the 2026 season, including some stellar play by our traveling teams.  Stay tuned for more on our traveling teams in a follow-up story. In the meanwhile, kudos to the following guys for their notable feats so far this year:

Larry Fyten:  Larry, as usual, has shot his age numerous times already this year. But he even outdid himself on July 9 when, during regular Thursday League play, he put a sterling 76 (net 67) on the board, including a 36 on Braemar’s challenging back nine. At 87, Larry has found a friendly home on the N tees and seems to relish punishing a course that has continued to bewilder many of us. His round on July 9 included an eagle on 16 and bettered his age by a whopping 11 strokes.

Bill Angel: Billseems to have done it all so far this year—and the year is only half over. On July 2, in regular Thursday League play, he scorched Braemar’s D tees with a blistering 69 (net 68) that included an eagle on number 12 and bettered his age by seven strokes. On May 30, Bill aced Braemar’s third hole, one of only three holes-in-one made so far this year by BMC members.

Steve Kedzuf: On July 2, during regular Thursday League play, Steve also made a hole-in-one on number 3. And, to sweeten deal, it turned out that number 3 that day was a closest to the pin hole. But even though his shot was a sure winner, Steve nevertheless faced a curious dilemma: where to place the marker? Surely, not directly into the hole? Steve discreetly set it on the fringe, notating the placard with his ace.

Marty Weber. As reported earlier by The Virtual 19^th Hole, Marty, on May 30, scored his first ace ever, on Interlachen’s third hole.

Gene Haman: As also reported earlier, Gene, on May 7, shot his age on the number (89). Since turning 90, Gene has knocked on the door several times, posting a 91 and a couple of 92s.

Thursday Double Dippers: Among the staples of Thursday League competition are the skill contests, which each week feature two holes awarding longest putt and two for closest to the pin. So far this year, three players have, during the same round, completed the rare feat of winning both a long putt and a closest-to-the-pin shot: John Miller, Leigh Carlson and Guy Treanor.

Congrats to Larry, Bill, Steve, Marty, Gene, John, Leigh and Guy!

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590

After decades of playing golf and 23 years as a BMC member, it finally happened for Marty Weber: on May 30 he got his first hole-in-one. It happened at Interlachen’s third hole, a 167-yard par 3. Playing into a slight breeze, Marty’s solid 7-iron shot drew in from the right side of the green toward the center pin location— and, after two bounces, the ball dropped out of sight. Turned out that a de facto gallery witnessed the moment from nearby tee boxes on four and eight; and so, when one of Marty’s playing partners speculated that the ball went in the hole, the enthusiastic cheers of the rapt onlookers overcame Marty’s initial skepticism. A memorable feat indeed! We’re left to wonder if Marty received any additional congratulations when he got home, considering that one of his playing partners was his wife.

Among several of us losing time on the course this year due to medical issues, Marty couldn’t have demonstrated a better way to make the most out of an abbreviated season.

Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19^th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590