Rocky Bayou Country Club» From The Pro

Andy Potter — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:08:51 +0000

Andy Potter

Rocky Bayou Club Manager and Class “A” PGA Golf Professional

Andy has been employed at Rocky Bayou since 2005. He is originally from New Haven, Ct. He received his bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Miami, FL. After 5 years of working as a professional musician, he went back to school to get a degree in golf course management. Since 1998 he has held positions throughout Florida as a General Manager and Golf Professional.
In his free time he enjoys playing music with his wife, who is also a musician and music teacher, and his stepson. He also enjoys a variety of other sports including basketball, swimming, tennis and table tennis.
Andy is available for golf lessons by appointment. Rates for club members are $25 per half-hour or $45 per hour. Lesson series and group lessons are also available. He can be contacted at 850-678-3270 x4, or apotter@rockybayoucc.com.

Ladies Golf Night!

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:21:48 +0000

Attention Beginning & Novice Lady Golfers:

Men’s Club Championship

Andy Potter — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:18:52 +0000

Entry Form

Bunker Rakes Survey Results & Decision

Andy Potter — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:14:20 +0000

Bunker Rakes Survey – Results

The Golf Committee has conducted a survey of the membership to help determine whether the bunker rakes should be kept in the bunkers or out of them. The results were as follows:
A total of 56 surveys were completed.

A. In the Bunker – 21

B. Outside the Bunker – 33

C. Other – 2

The Golf Committee has revisited the issue by taking the survey results, as well as the USGA and other organizations’ recommendations into consideration and has decided that the bunker rakes will return to being placed outside of the bunkers as they had previously. Please try to place them to the sides of the bunkers or in an area where they are least likely to be struck by a ball.

We found out some interesting things by going through this process. The first is that our survey closely resembles other surveys done of course superintendents, golf professionals and golf industry professionals. In other words, there is no clear consensus, but about 55%-60% prefer the rakes outside the bunkers.
The second is that most everyone agrees that from a visual standpoint the course looks prettier with the rakes in the bunkers, but from a golfing standpoint the rakes come into play more often when they are in the bunker.
The debate will no doubt continue, but for now the rakes at Rocky Bayou will be left outside the bunkers.

Men’s Member-Member Tournament

Andy Potter — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:25:36 +0000

Entry Form:

Rules Sheet:

Double Eagle!!!

Dan & Sarah Breckenridge — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:12:39 +0000

Congratulations go to Roger Bloor on his Double-Eagle (a 2 on a par 5!) on hole #3 on Friday, March 29th. He nailed a hybrid from 225 yards. Roger is home on a break from his tour in the Middle East.

The USGA’s new Grooves Rule

Andy Potter — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:37:55 +0000

The USGA’s New Grooves Rules Simplified:

What has changed?

The USGA and R&A have modified the rules on the size and sharpness of the grooves on wedges, irons and clubs with lofts of 25 degrees or more.

They have reduced the allowable size and volume of the grooves, and have reduced the groove edge sharpness.

Why was this change made? The larger, sharper grooves made it easier for players (particularly expert players) to spin and control the ball out of the rough, which has made driving accuracy and the ability to keep the ball in the fairway less important.

How will it affect the average golfer?

Most golfers will not notice a difference in the grooves changes. The changes that are in place now will not become permanent rules changes until 2024. Club manufacturers will be allowed to produce and sell their remaining stock of clubs until the end of 2010, and golfers will be allowed to use them until 2024.

Timeline for groove rule changes:

January 1, 2010: The new rule is in effect for PGA Tour events, Nationwide and Champions Tour events, Major Championships, the European Tour and other Major International Tours.

January 1, 2014: The new rule will be in effect for most Professional Events and Expert Amateur events, as determined by the tournament committees.

January 1, 2024: The new rule will go into effect as a permanent equipment specification in the rules of golf.

So, basically unless you are planning to play on tour or enter a top amateur event, you do not need to worry about the new grooves rule until 2024.

Deep Freeze Golf Tournament – Results

Andy Potter — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:33:02 +0000

Final Scores:

Open Championship Flight:

Randy Garmony / Brent Miller:        79-79-158
Robert Young / Tom Lawson:            72-79-151
Jimmy Hathaway / Roger Bloor:      75 -78-153
Chip Holcombe / Sven Kessler:       69-74-143-3rd
Jon Olson / Lee Collier:                        72-68-140-1st
Bob Mathers / Steve Houle:                 70-72-142-2nd
Tyler KausHagen / Shane Rushing:   74-74-148
Tate Prows / Dave Larraga:                  71-73-144

Senior Championship Flight:

John Gausz / Ernie Goodhart:                76-76-152
George Alexander / Charlie Locke:      76-75-151
Bruce Damm / Harry Gates:                     77-71-148
Steve Scott / Jimmy Crutchfield:           69-79-148
Tom Jones / Ralph Clement:                    74-73-147
Larry Fincher / Chip Stewart:                  73-78-151
S.B. Powell / John Leatherwood:            75-74-149
Fred Gross / Rusty Napier:                        70-78-148
Dan Breckenridge / Bob Liphard:           70-71-141 – 1st
Michael Jones / Randy Sims:                    71-73-144 – 3rd
Al Gardner / Marv McKinley:                   73-71-144 – 2nd

Open Handicap: Flight 1

Wayne Walker / Joe Burnett              67-72-139
Ted Kopec / Bob Koenigkramer       62-69-131-1st
Steve Manthey / Mike Manthey       67-68-135
Greg Aldridge / Herb Baggett            68-65-133-3rd
Cody Sims / Robbie Brown                 68-74-142
Gary Wittkopp / Al Ward                     70-72-142
Allen Maxwell / Scott MacNeil          67-80-147
Tom Finnegan / Frank Heath              66-66-132-2nd

Open Handicap Flight 2:

Indio Balderrama / Rick Albertson  69-74-143
Dave Robbins / George Wall                64-65-129 – 1st
Rodney Jones / Jerry Etheridge        67-69-136
Rusty Johnston / Pete Summers        67-68-135 – 2nd
Jay Altman / Hulon Walsingham       66-77-143
Mike Bouchard / Steve Sparkman      68-69-137
Bill Osthoff / Bob Guidry                        62-73-135 – 3rd

Open Handicap Flight 3:

Lucky Nunes / Chris Whited       64-75-139
Chris Connelly / Dick Gaydos     63-63-126 – 2nd
Tripp Hope / Ed Porento              65-65-130
Lino Falduto / Doug White          70-65-135
Gary Dreading / Terry Barnes     64-62-126 – 1st
John Stack / Ben Sibley                  65-65-130 – 3rd
Joe Thomas / Jesse Alcala            68-69-137
Randy Bush / John Rickard           68-74-142

Open Handicap Flight 4:

George Wilson / Terry Curenton 65-65-130
Bobby Holbrook / Jess Murray    63-67-130
Audie Mora / Spencer Howie        66-64-130 – 3rd
Bruce Tipton / Dave Shaw               71-76-147
Larry Fletcher / Richard Neeves 62-66-128 – 2nd
Jeff Kestner / Don Kestner                62-62-124 – 1st
Mark Strickland / Ron Corbin         67-69-136
Terry Wilson / Mike Koser                69-67-136

Senior Handicap Flight:

Jack Garnett / Rich McCord      65-68-133
Sam Dawson / Bob Pallante        70-75-145
C.V. Miller / Bob Blake                 66-66-132-2nd
Kent Bankus / Bill Meeboer        60-70-130-1st

Water Hazards – Rules & Procedures

Andy Potter — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:05:13 +0000

The rules and procedures regarding water hazards (yellow stakes and/or lines) and lateral water hazards (red stakes and/or lines) seem to create confusion for many players.

If your ball lands in a Water Hazard (yellow), you have three options:

You can try to play it from the hazard, if possible. Remember that you may not ground your club.
You can go back to the spot from where you hit the ball into the water, add a one stroke penalty, drop a ball on that spot and play from there.
You may drop a ball under penalty of one stroke, behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the ball last crossed the hazard line directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped. You may go as far back on this line as you like as long you do not go out of bounds.

*Something to remember with this rule is that you do not drop a ball on the line of flight that the ball took to enter the water hazard. You drop on the line from the flagstick, through the spot where it crossed the hazard, and straight back from there. The term “line of flight” does not exist in the rules of golf.

Water hazards, or sections of water hazards, may be marked with red stakes or lines because it would be impossible or impractical to drop behind the water hazard as in option #3 above. These are called Lateral Water Hazards (Red).

If your ball lands in a lateral water hazard, you have the three water hazard options above, plus two additional options. They are:

You may drop a ball within two club-lengths of where it last crossed the hazard line, not nearer the hole.
You may drop a ball within two club-lengths of a point on the opposite side of the lateral water hazard which is the same distance from the hole. *(This option seldom comes into play, and is not used often, but it is available and could save you strokes if you know how to apply it.)

———————————————————————————————

General notes on water hazards:

They may be marked with stakes, lines or both. Stakes identify a hazard and show the basic margins, and lines define the specific margins of the hazard.
If only stakes are used, the hazard is defined by the natural boundaries of the hazard, not necessarily the line between the two stakes.
1. For example, if your ball is clearly in a water hazard, but when you line up the stakes, it is outside the line, you are still in the water hazard. Ideally, all water hazards would be lined all the time, but this is very time consuming and uses a lot of paint.
You may not ground your club when your ball lies in a water hazard. If there is grass growing in the hazard, your club may touch the grass, but it is considered grounded if the grass is supporting the weight of the club. If you ground your club in a hazard, add two strokes.
You may not remove any loose impediments (leaves, twigs, stones, etc.) from the hazard when your ball lies in a water hazard, but you may remove movable obstructions (i.e. a soda can, cigarette butt, plastic, etc.). There is no relief from an immovable obstruction in a hazard (i.e. a bridge within a hazard).

Examples:

Hole #5 from the men’s tees is marked with yellow stakes from the teeing ground area, and red stakes from the right side and far end of the hazard. The land to the left of the hazard is out of bounds.

If your tee ball crosses the red stakes on the right side or far side (as in goes across and then rolls back in), you may proceed under the lateral water hazard rule and drop within two club-lengths from where it crossed the line.

If your tee ball does not cross the red stakes, you must proceed under the yellow water hazard rule and drop behind the hazard on the teeing area, or re-tee.

A ball played from Hole #4 that crosses the red stakes on hole #5, may be dropped within two club-lengths of where it crossed the hazard line, no nearer the hole, under penalty of one stroke.

The lake on Hole #14 is marked as a yellow water hazard (it changes to red as you get closer to hole # 10 on the right side), which means if you choose to take a drop, you must drop on the line from the flagstick back through where the ball crossed the hazard line, or from where you played the previous shot. See #2 & #3 under the yellow water hazard rule above.

The hazard on the left side of #14 is marked Red for a Lateral Hazard. You have the 3 water hazard options, plus the additional 2 options for a lateral hazard. The option used most often is to drop within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the hazard line.

*Note that the wooden bridge on #14 is not marked to be within the red hazard, which makes it an immovable obstruction. You would get a free drop if your ball is on or under the bridge, or if the bridge interferes with your stance or swing. You would find your nearest point of relief from the bridge (that is not in the hazard) and drop a ball within one club-length of that spot.

I hope this clears up some confusion. See me if you have any questions or comments.

Glow Ball Tournament – Results

Andy Potter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:56:10 +0000

Glow Ball Tournament Results – March 12th, 2010

1st: 58.1 – Bill & Brenda Meeboer, Bill & Sharon Osthoff

2nd: 58.9 – Al Halloran, Joan Hegarty, Andy Potter, Ted Hall

3rd: 59.0 – Darrell & Carol Elliott, Bob & Wanda Liphard

4th: 59.5 – Terry & Victoria Wilson, Dave & Jeanne Shaw

5th: 59.6 – Rich & Orean McCord, Doug & Gloria Hall

6th: 62.4 – Bob & Bonnie Weideman, Roger & Kathy Campbell