112th Parent/Child – Older: Burlington

Three tandems take titles

MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. — Gregg Semenetz lives approximately 560 miles away from his son, Sean. But when the opportunity presents itself, he doesn’t miss a chance to see him.

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An eight-hour trip from his home in Sunset Beach, N.C. to Sean’s home in Ambler, Pa. was two-fold. Visit Sean’s daughter and try to win the father-son duo’s second Parent/Child title.

“I don’t get a lot of chances to play with Sean,” Gregg, 65, said. “So when I do, I make sure to find a way to make it. There’s never a second thought in my mind. This means a lot to us.”

The 2015 champions added a second title to their collection with a round of 69 Thursday at Burlington Country Club (par 70, 6,060 yards) to take the Championship Division of the 112th Parent/Child – Older.

Their 1-under-par score was good enough for a one-shot victory over four-time victors Alan and Craig Kliewer of Lebanon Country Club.

“Our goal was to take the tee shot that was in the fairway,” Gregg said. “It was a little wet this morning. If I hit a good one in the fairway and Sean hit a good one in the rough I had him hit my drive. That seemed to work well because we found ourselves on the green a lot. We were lagging putts well.”

The event’s format is greensomes (selective drive/alternate shot).

“Both players have to hit good tee shots because you want to have a choice,” Gregg said. “When you have no choice, you are forced into a bad decision. We played smart today. I get a lot of wedges since he hits it so straight. My wedge game is pretty good so as a result, we can score.”

A pair of birdies and bogeys on the front nine put them at level as they made the turn. Sean hit a rhythmic 9-iron on No. 10 (par 3, 131 yards) to four feet. His “pops” rolled in the putt.

On No. 13 (par 4, 310 yards), Gregg put his money where his mouth is with a crisply pelted 52-degree wedge from 100 yards to 12 feet to get the squad to 2 under. A bogey on No. 17 (par 4, 357 yards) made the wait a little more stressful with the Kliewers on their heels. 

A lot has changed since they won in 2015 at Talamore, including Sean’s newborn daughter. It has brought life full circle for both of them. 

“Sometimes you play like crap but realize that you had an enjoyable day,” Gregg, who plays out of Sea Trail Golf Association in North Carolina, said. “Today was the opposite. We played well and got to enjoy each other’s company. That’s what this is all about.”

“My dad taught me the game,” Sean, 36, of Philadelphia Cricket Club, said. “When I was growing up and we went on a vacation, we always played golf. Our family loves golf so it was hard to stay away even if I tried. Now that I have a daughter he gets a chance to spend time with her when he comes. It doesn’t get much better for me.”

Super-Senior Division

Jimmy Muller’s first foray into the Parent/Child winner’s circle came back in 1972 when he and his father Alfonse took the title at North Hills Country Club. 

Flash forward more than 50 years later, Jimmy and his son Max added their fifth Parent/Child title to their belt with a score of 66 at Burlington (par 70, 5,614 yards).

They previously added titles in 2002, 2015, 2018, 2021.

“Our game plan is simple,” Max said. “I hit the drives and he hits the approach shots. After that, hopefully one of us can make the putt.”

A simple formula for a formidable Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club battery.

They sat at 2 under through 13 holes with a lot of momentum until Jimmy missed a putt from two feet on No. 14 (par 3, 144 yards) for par.

“It was frustrating to miss that short putt on No. 14,” Jimmy said. “But we knew that we had to make birdies coming in. We needed to finish with a bang.”

And they did.

Birdies on Nos. 16 (par 5, 489 yards), 17 (par 4, 300 yards) and 18 (par 4, 308 yards) surged them to their magic number.

A splendid strike from 200 yards with a 6-iron from Max resulted in an easy two-putt birdie on No. 16. A precise pitch to tap-in range on No. 17 from Jimmy got them to 3 under.

After waiting for the green to clear on the last, Max ripped a drive to just short of the green. A juicy lie caused no concern for Jimmy. Max rolled in the 6-footer to close in style.

“Golf has always been a part of our relationship,” Max said. “My dad joined Manufacturers’ when I was born and he used to drive me around the course in my car seat.”

“We like this event a lot,” Jimmy said. “I get to spend the day with my son and someone else and their son. We always have a nice group. It is enjoyable. We are running out of time so it’s nice to get another one.”

In the Super Senior Father/Daughter Division, Wendy Ott of USGA/GAP GC and Tim Vellrath of Sun City Hilton Head took the title with a score of 99.

Formerly known as the Father & Son (Older), GAP renamed the event Parent/Child Older to reflect today’s modern family. 

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 340 Member Clubs and 100,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.